Still mooching around for cars and came across these, the only estate I’d fancy is an rs4 but can’t push to that this time so gone back to this type of motor, also looked at discoveries but they hold their money too well. Just wondered if anyone had any views on them??

yes, I had one, very very reliable, very rugged and spacious and user friendly. The downfall is the running costs, but still cheaper than a LR to run by a mile. Some of the earlier ones eat clutches for fun but later models where rectified.

Most dealers will give you a god deal as they aren’t as sexy as the LR products but unless you want big towing capacity then I’d go for an X trail like we did. Hold their money better, nicer to drive, still capable of towing a horse box, still good in snow and don’t have a £425 tax disc 🙄

Shouldn’t be any dearer than my current impreza?? Did a bit of digging and am I right in thinking 25/30 mpg? Xtrail, is that the freelander sized equivalent?

I’m quite heavy footed and the manual 174ps diesel achieves late 20’s easily, it can get mid 30’s whereas our X trail gets into the 40’s and still has 170ps but from a 2.0 litre.

The X trail is a freelancer equivalent but much bigger. The later models got a bigger boot and are a great car indeed. Bigger than rav4, bigger than freelancer, cheaper running costs and better 4 x 4 system and build quality. It’s not as big as Pathfinder but not far off in reality. The Pathfinder is an american market car and it shows in it’s size and road holding. The other option is to buy a Navara and stick a truck man top on the back, you’ll benefit from lighter unladen weight and £215 commercial VED as the VED isn’t based on emissions whereas the Pathfinder being the same chassis but with heavier back end is.

Drove a Navarra for 3 months, and it was the worst car i have ever driven on every level. 22 mpg, unreliable, uncomfatable, poor use of space, difficult to park, horrible handling…can’t think of a worse car on the planet.

I have been looking at the pathfinders as an option for our next motor, they get good reviews and look great but the high tax and shocking mpg is a bit of an eye waterer! I dismissed the x trail as too small but sounds like its worth a look..

Definately not going down the Navara route, x trail ( no offence) just doesn’t do it for me. If the pathfinder can get 30+ mpg it’ll be a revelation because the only way you’ll ever get the impreza to do that is on a run back from Cornwall in steady 60/70 mph motorway traffic, and it wasn’t bought to do that kind of thing! 😉

lodious I would say that would have to be the old model or a bad ‘un I’ve been driving a new shape for 5 years, almost 100k on the clock ultra reliable and 36-38MPG average mine’s the 2.5 turbo with 6 speed manual box, would love to have a crack in one of the new 3.0ltr v6 torbo diesels

When my Scooby broke last Christmas, the only 4×4 available to hire whilst the Engine was being rebuilt (under warranty :-)) was a top spec Pathfinder, so had the luxury of being able to try one out for 2 weeks and then being very happy to give it back one the scooby was fixed.

I’d never buy one…. it’s as utilitarian a beast as you can get, noisy, heavy, cumbersom, horrid driver position, and absolutly no integrated/ergonomic design features for the interior controls/buttons/waggy sticks..

oh, and I averaged about 22mpg through the peak district.

(but the kids loved it)

You’re kids need a severe talking to, they should have been loving the return of the scoob! It’s gonna break my heart to get rid but just can’t get all our camping/biking gear in it anymore!!

I had a brief period of considering one of these, but the reviews put me off. I’m now trying to find a bit more info on the Mercedes R Class? Looks like a bargain 2nd hand – decent size, 4wd, v6 diesel, merc build quality and seems to be quite cheap – 10k for a 56/57 plate seems achievable. I assume the running costs will be high, but does anyone know anything about them? All the reviews moan about big they are, but when you compare the dimensions there about the same size as pathfinder/discovery etc?

I know someone with an R-Class, he likes it. They are big, but the four wheel drive is supposed to be good in the snow. They are really ugly (IMHO). The air suspension is v/ expensive to fix if it goes wrong, and personally, i’m not sure that MB’s build quality is an asset. Nice cars (if you don’t mind the look), but if something goes wrong, it could be expensive.

whats wrong with another Scoob? – I have one of the last of the old model Outbacks… 09 plate (before the big ugly toyota looking thing) and it’s perfect size for family of 4 with all our kit….
not really an impreza but still loads of fun, and you never worry about winter driving here in the peaks or getting stuck in autumn floods in the lakes…..

They look like the normal Nissan truck things with a different top bolted on. If thats the case they will be rubbish (as are all trucks)

Looked in to one of these in the past and only the front end is the same as the truckasthe pathfinder has independent rear sus rather the the live axel and leaf springs of the truck.

decent size, 4wd, v6 diesel, merc build quality and seems to be quite cheap – 10k for a 56/57 plate seems achievable.

Don’t you have to ask yourself the question, why?
I’m looking for a road friendly off roader, if that’s not too much to ask, and keep coming back to the Land Rover, Range Rover pages of AutoTrader.

Buy an RS4 and save yourself the angst.

Or a RS2 for added Porsche kudos.