Currently driving a 2011 x-trail 4wd CVT. Had no issues with it, heaps of space, slightly firmer or the soft-roader types. Wife wants a slightly smaller (they call them medium sized SUVs here) so we looked at three cars today.

New style Suzuki Vitara
Hyundai Tucson
Honda HR-V

Now we’ve just looked from the outside and on that basis I like the Tucson. Watched a few Youtube based reviews and they all have +’s and -‘s. She really likes the HR-V (I’m wondering because it’s a close call to HRT… Didn’t mention that to her).

I like the 4wd Skoda Yeti but she thinks it’s fugly and a bit like a van intended for carrying wheelchairs around. She won’t even entertain a look in the flesh.

Mazda CX5 she thinks too big, CX3 too small.

Hyundai Ix35 a tad too small I think. Santa Fe – not sure. Is this bigger than a 35 and smaller than a Tucson? The review I saw was the Santa Fe I think is bigger, possibly 7 seater? (No need)

So we’re going for a test drive tomorrow. It’s going to be auto as pretty much everyone drives autos here.

Anything else car wise to consider? Any “for the love of god, don’t get a tucson” type opinions?

(I’m a secondary driver – don’t drive that much in the week as I ride to work but weekends and long trips it’s me)

Macan?

Macan’t.

Santa Fe is bigger than a Tucson. I have a 13 y/o Tucson and its bullet proof.

New Yeti is better looking than the original model, perhaps she’s focused on that. If she can be persuaded to have a look. Maybe dealer will let you drive one to the house and she can look at it there ?

Rav4 – I think the new model is too big vs earlier ones

HR-V are well liked by owners, as per new Rav-4 I think its a bit large

The new Vitara max is a decent choice

So Santa Fe similar in size to the older model x-trail?

Just a no on the Yeti from the vids she’s seen. Even with the idea you can take the seats out. “So it’s a van?” Err…. ish…..Shame bu it’s her that’s gonna drive it predominantly…. Seems her only real pre-reqs are it a) doesn’t look like a van, and b) is orange (Subaru XV in Orange but she thinks tad too small)

She’s only a LITTLE bit annoying….

Oh and doesnt appear to be a Vitara Max here in Oz yet. Older Grand Vitara’s yes but the biggest they do is the Vitara Sport

Ford Kuga?

I just got the hrv / hrt joke 🙂

Have a look at Rav-4 should be a good head to head with the Honda

My Mrs is very pro Nissan as she has one, I think Tuscon is what we kniw as Qashqai – you can search threads here for that – many opinions. They are popular family cars here in uk, new model is better looking.

🙂

Nah Qashqai is Nissan – Tucson is Hyundai

I think the Qashqai was what was the Dualis? The current Nissan SUV range is pretty big. I do know the new x-trail is smaller than the old one.

I’ve seen a few Kuga’s but from what I recall they look very small… I’ll youtube and have a gander at a review.

OK. Anyway try copying this into google as the Qashqai maybe an option if new X-trail is too big. Not many Hyundai’s over here

site:singletrackworld.com qashqai

If you add sort:date you’ll get more fecent threads inc on Kuga ….

Toyota Rev 4? A bit thirsty with the auto gear.

Hyundai Tucson is surprisingly well made and better power than Rev 4 as my bro-in-law rented one few months ago. I drove around the block and found it rather nice too.

New style Suzuki Vitara is very nice and old Vitara has a reputation in the far east of very fast 4×4 once modified.

Honda HR-V is reliable but thirsty if I can recall.

If I were you I would choose between Hyundai Tucson or New Style Suzuki Vitara. 😀

Oh ya … all the JapLand brands are reliable.

Where is “here” incidentally?

Ah, Western Australia

It’s deffo gonna be an auto. Most cars are over “here” manuals just don’t sell. When I was originally buying the x-trail I wanted manual / diesel and I was virtually laughed it. “Why do you want a manual?”

After driving autos of various kinds, on long straight roads, manuals just seem pointless and we wonder why we drove them back in the UK. Probs cheaper to drive there, but fuel silly cheap here (95c a litre and got tax-free petrol card so even lower than 95c!). I’ve really got nothing bad to say about CVT too! I know. Actually makes sense over standard auto as you dont have the flat spots as it goes thru the “gears”.

Get an automatic gear car …

Change the gearbox oil at certain interval regardless of what others’ say.

Everyone drives an automatic gear car in the far east and we really seldom hear about gear box problem seriously.

Well, driven a CVT for 3 years with 0 issues. I did enjoy gears and clutches but just CBA now. More laid back than a dead laid back thing.

Look at the Toyota Fortuner, it’s a very popular mid sized 4×4 that we don’t get in the UK, but you do in Aus where they love Toyotas anyway.

As for auto, modern autos are fantastic, but old school slush boxes are horrid! I’m in SA at the moment, where fuel is similarly cheap, distances and terrain similarly big and rough as in Aus, but just about everyone here drives manuals for some reason! I’d have thought, for the reasons you describe, autos would be more popular.

Auto’s quite suit this type of car. Oir first shogun was manual and the second one auto was better. Our old (2000 model – petrol) Rav4 was auto, that being said it did suck the performance and fuel economy was so-so but then you don’t buy these sorts of cars for fuel economy.

Personally I wouldn’t buy a Hyundai because I disagree quite strongly with the Korean “Chaebol” business model and all the anti-competitive state involvement in various industries.

VW Tiguan?

I think Tiguan’s are a little out of the budget. I work for the govt. and use salary sacrifice for cars so they have to be a certain age by the time the lease is nearly up. I reckon a Fortuner is a tad too big as the missus wants to go smaller than our x-trail.

I’m really leaning towards the Tucson but a lot depends on the test run in the morning.

Will try the Tucson, HR-V and Kuga

What about the new Kia Sportage, only came out a few weeks ago , Had a
look around a new one while i waited for my Kia to be serviced 🙂

tomd – Member

Personally I wouldn’t buy a Hyundai because I disagree quite strongly with the Korean “Chaebol” business model and all the anti-competitive state involvement in various industries.

😯

All Korean companies?

I had a RAV4 which I really liked, it didnt feel big to drive and it was very economical, the styling was a bit bonkers and the dash looked like a 80’s aiwa hifi but it all worked quite nicely. Brother loves his Honda CRV’s and had loads of them.

Perhaps there are no duff cars anymore?

edit: that could have HRV(whatever the honda soft roader is called)

Australia. Toyota Prado, bit smaller than a land cruiser. Tough as boots, and very practical inside, should have good residuals too. I have a hilux surf and I love it but they’re a bit long in the tooth now, Prado was the replacement. I think they’re bringing the 4Runner back in Aus soon based on the new Hilux. You’ll get used to the size, it’s only a tiny bit bigger, aren’t all your roads massive anyway?

She wants smaller (and cheaper) not bigger and more expensive!

Went to look at a few this morning. Kia Sportage is nice – the GTline specifically. CX5 ticks lots of boxes but neither of us felt any desire to buy one. Tucson – expensive when you look at diesel/auto. Ford Kuga (Focus on steroids) actually quite nice inside and drove nice too (TDCI version).

It seems you can get a car that looks nice on the outside, but is awful cheap and plasticky inside. Or the opposite, something nice on the inside but looks like it’s been designed by someone using autocad braille.

The CX5 is the sensible choice. Decent engine, solid etc. It’s just a bit MEH.

She did like a Kia (can’t remember the model but was very square – think the Soul?) An I said the Yeti was a similar shape and she said “in real life it might look better” compared to the interweb pics and vids so might be another option, just no Skoda dealer nearby.

Oh, and how stupid. Car yards open 9-1 on a Sat, not open on a Sunday!

I live in WA and have a Kuga. I like it well enough but it’s broken down a couple of times too many for a newish car and the depreciation is horrific. Works well round here – good for town, freeway, beach and gravel. I’d buy a second hand one, but if you’re talking salary sacrifice I’m guessing you are looking new. Don’t do it. If I were buying again, I’d go Prado. Given that’s out, what about an Outback?

Better watch out – you’ll get flamed on here for wanting an SUV instead of a clockwork pedal car 🙂

I’m pretty sure that the hyundai ix35 is essentially a rebranded tucson. Which is also a rebranded Kia sportage with different body.

I had an ix35 for 3 years as a company car. I really liked it, decent mpg, decent ride, plenty of space both in seating terms and in the boot. I had 5 adults and all their holiday luggage in several times.

Quality is reasonable for the price, leather was nice, everything worked, although some plasticy bits. Moved company so switched away but i’d have definitely considered another otherwise.

Don’t mention Suv hey, or someone manly might come along and question your need for it, or how much you recycle…. Lol

Yeah salary sacrifice but not brand new, probs 12 months old.

Tucson has replaced i35 now and same ish as the shortage but 7 year warranty with the Kia.

I hope I can get it converted to run on the bitter tears of angry STW members furiously moaning about others needs and drinking home made espressos from their 1000 pound ceramic burr grinding bean to cup coffee making machines telling people they consume too much who ordering a carbon fat gravel bike or whatever the mags tell them is the in thing…..

Honestly….

If I was in western Oz it has to be Toyota doesn’t it. By the way I have a Yeti and it’s ace. She’s missing out there but you can’t put a sq peg in a round hole. What about a touran?

I’m yet(i) to convince her…

So… Why does it have to be Toyota in WA? This seems to be news to me!

No just joking about the outback. Seriously our Yeti has been ace. It took some persuading for my wife to look at one. Lots of Skoda jokes etc but now she has just got a Fabia SEL with a DSG box. For the money not much comes close. Build quality is good. The Kuga is good but it’s value will plummet. The VW stuff seems to hold it’s value so it ends up cheaper in the long run. Touran is a bit expensive compared to the yeti I think. VW stuff just has electronic handbrakes so that was a no no for me.