[Closed] Any second hand SUV recommendations?

Sister in law has a Mokka, (1.6 petrol iirc) she thinks it’s an underpowered heap and it is much smaller inside than you’d anticipate. She is really disappointed with it and is going back to a very old and battered diesel Passat and getting shot of the Vauxhall. Like you she had a reasonably long commute.

Is the petrol only choice an ethical thing?

In a recommend what you own thing I've liked our yeti. But a diesel and 4X4 variant you would not choose/need.

I guess you would call the diesel thing ethical yes. I have had them in the past but would rather not now.

I had a mokka for a few months some years ago in between lease cars, it was the 1.6 petrol. It was top of the range and had heated steering wheel and seats, and really good seat adjustment. It was too thirsty on the petrol, though I didn't mind any other aspect of it.

Ford Kuga seems to be well liked by my in-laws, and friends think thier RAV4 is great.

Would you consider marginally lower - Ford do a jacked up Focus in hatch and estate called the Active. Aimed at outdoors folk.

We love our Kuga, more than any review would have suggested we should. Comfy, ok on fuel and does everything we need it to. Tried an XC-40 last year and stuck with the Kuga, it did not feel like a change 'up'.

Being fairly tall it is a ball-ache to put stuff on top of compared to a hatchback, and the boot isn't as big as it seemed when we first bought it. My wife is same with higher up seating hence sticking with it, personally I prefer an estate car as it will do everything the Kuga would be MPG and space are typically better.

What about a Freelander? Proper SUV, loads of room, seem pretty reliable and actually pretty capable offroad.

Even just thinking about owning an SUV makes you a planet destroying, Hitler-esque monster.

You must lease an artisan knitted, hessian, ethically traded recumbent bicycle.

...or a 5.4 litre V8 because, obviously, you need to make progress.

It’s the STW way.

I am disappointed perchy didn't suggest a Unimog.

Nissan qashqai?

ethically traded recumbent bicycle.

Cargo bike surely???

Even just thinking about owning an SUV makes you a planet destroying, Hitler-esque monster.

You must lease an artisan knitted, hessian, ethically traded recumbent bicycle

perchypanther, did you have a previous STW username? just curious.

thanks for suggestions all. It doesn't need to be an off roader really, will look at the kuga. I have thought of just estate as I could carry a kayak on that too I think, but I just like being higher up in a car.

Cargo bike surely???

Cargo is *things* so not ethical.

I have thought of just estate as I could carry a kayak on that too I think, but I just like being higher up in a car.

Having lugged kayaks and canoes onto the roof of a higher vehicle for 12 years, I loved the move back to a 'normal' estate for loading and unloading.

Would you consider marginally lower – Ford do a jacked up Focus in hatch and estate called the Active. Aimed at outdoors folk.

I wonder if it would it carry a double kayak?

mattoutandabout that's a very good point. The kayak is an absolute pain in the ar$e to get onto the roof of the kona.

Wouldn't bother with a Mokka, heavy, big on the outside but tiny inside and insanely dull to drive. I tried one before I bought my Arona and really didn't like it. Looked at the Kia Stonic and loved how it looked, but it's ride was harsh, it felt underpowered compared to the Arona (both 1.0 Turbo) and the boot was smaller too. It will be over budget, but I love my Arona in the 4 months we've had it, its comfortable, feels far pokier than the 115bhp suggests and plenty of room (I can comfortably sit behind the drivers seat in my position at 6ft 1 with knee and head room to spare). Boot easily swallows my bike too with kit to spare. £10k gets you a low-mileage SE Tech (the sensible choice, though 95hp and 5-speed box) or for a bit more you can go FR for the higher power 115hp and 6-speed box and a few more toys, the dual zone climate and LED headlights are very nice to have. Or you do as we did and just say f*** it to the budget and get an FR Sport for all the toys!

Just to add to above - one of the downsides of the SUV (yeti) I thought when we got it was the kayak carrying. That bit extra height to lift on to. Also shorter vehicle means more overhang and less distance between bars so not so good for the boat. If I was buying specifically for lugging a double kayak (you mean kayak, not canoe?) I'd be looking at a long estate instead.

I wonder if it would it carry a double kayak?

Easy.
Our estate and 17' & 16' open canoes.

Random internet picture.

perchypanther, did you have a previous STW username? just curious.

Nope. I've always just been little ol' me.

Who did you think I might have been? Just curious.

You should get a Unimog. You know it makes sense.

Skoda yeti 1.2 or 1.4 petrol.

First gen Cayennes are ridiculously cheap at the moment. Like 2k cheap. Not pretty, obviously, and everyone here will hate you, but lovely to do long distances in. And with them being jointly developed with the VAG group they're essentially a posh Touareg/Q7 underneath. So maintenance is nowhere near as expensive as you'd think, either.

*awaits pelters*

Ford Kuga seems to be well liked by my in-laws, and friends think thier RAV4 is great.

so far this is the only recommendation that is second hand

well done, moab

Nissan qashqai?

this, it is a tall car with a decent boot

First gen Cayennes are ridiculously cheap at the moment. Like 2k cheap

Maybe I'm out of date using autotrader here, but the cheapest is 3.5k, with an engine light fault?

Huh, £4K for a 2005 Cayenne with 120K on the clock. All of a sudden I want a Porsche.

I had a Qashqai as a company car for 4 years. It was fine. For that sort of budget you should get a fairly decent one with low ish miles.

Previously had a Hyundai Santa Fe.
I loved that car, went everywhere with zero fuss.
Very comfortable as well, put 100,000 miles on it before trading it in.
Not sure if they do a petrol version now though, I was actually mulling this over this morning!

Isn't the not buying Diesel for ethical reasons a bit, well, unrealistic? Until they offer a diesel scrappage scheme, they're still going to be ont he road and driven about, churing out Nox. SO surely its better that a more conscientious person drives it than someone who'll drive it the 100 yds to the shops? and any other journeys? This was one of the thoughts I had when we bought a diesel. Until they're taken off the road / stop being manufactured then the problem is still there.

What about a Freelander? Proper SUV, loads of room, seem pretty reliable and actually pretty capable offroad.

Sub £8k Freelander 🙂

Left field, Kia Sportage.

But, with any sub £8k car you need luck on your side - it'll be 10 years old so you're totally reliant on how previous owners have looked after it (see not putting oil in a Belingo post).

Left field, Kia Sportage

Had a week working away with a petrol (auto) 'SportRage' (that's what I settled on) back in September I think it was the sportier flavoured one, had a bit of GRRRR! to it...

It was OK, seemed like another jacked up mid platform Estate, it wasn't bad as such, plenty of toys, comfy to drive but I did sort of wonder why I'd choose it over a Cee'd estate, the answer is basically a love of Tonka trucks and nothing more...

Ref diesel pieface, yes your rationale is logical, I just don't like them. They smell stinky and poisonous and I don't want one. I know petrol is also a pollutant, but they don't smell as bad. I know that me not having one won't change much.

Hyundai santa fe, just a bigger version of the kona which I have already and love? I can recommend the petrol Kona 😉 Will look at Qashqai also.

So.... what estate? 😀

So…. what estate? 😀

subaru, obviously...

Anyone got a Subaru Legacy? | Singletrack Magazine Forum (singletrackworld.com)

You'd get a decent Leon estate for £8k.

Mondeo? Big, functional and plenty to choose from, albeit not so many petrols..?

Do not, I repeat do not consider a Skoda Karoq 1.5TSI petrol manual, or infact any VAG car with that engine in a manual. Just Google Kangerooing Skoda.

Wants a petrol for ethical reasons.

Also wants an SUV. 🤔

You'd definitely be better off with something lower if you're always putting stuff on the roof. We used a Peugeot 208 for canoes and it was dead easy.

So…. what estate?

For reliability - Avensis.
The one I would downsize my current beast of an estate for is a Focus Estate in Active trim. It is normal Focus with 5cm more ground clearance and a special traction control for snow & mud, roof rails etc. Perfect for outdoorsy stuff. The bigger 1.5 engine was great in the one I hired last year too.

They used to have a Kuga in the work car pool. Everyone used to avoid it and take the Mondeo Estates by preference as they were comfier, quieter, used less fuel (work trips so we weren't paying but you still see extra as a waste), you couldn't get much gear in the boot and it wasn't even any better on dirt track access roads on site.
Mondeo or Focus Estate, cheaper, faster, less fuel, more gear, as above easier to load stuff on the roof. Not wedded to Ford's but principle holds with Tiguan / Passat, Mokka vs Astra Estate etc.
In fact most estates or van conversions (Berlingo type) generally win on all fronts over SUVs save for personal style wants.

Skoda Yeti, they are ace.
petrol 4x4 only comes as the top speck L&K model I think.
They dont make them anymore (its a golf underneath so parts are not an issue) so suspect there are some bargains to be had.

Might be selling out come the new year...it'll be around th 10k mark

I have not driven a Mokka but they were universally panned when first released. The Ford Eco-Sport was not regarded much better.

We had a 14 reg Kuga and thought it was a nice car. Not especially good at anything specific but competent in every area. Had roof bars on mine and was able to carry 2 bikes and a roof box. Sold ours around 15 months ago for about your budget so you should have plenty of choice. It was a 2.0 diesel, 4x4, manual Titanium.

Loved my Santa Fe. Could get a kayak inside it. The high seating was great for seeing ahead but that's become a bit of a weapons race. Was thinking of going back to an estate or similar because they drive better. Drove a Mazda5 that was really nice. Highish seating, very good road manners, not sluggish.
Was kicking about the idea of a Kia Cee'd. Not pretty but drives nicely. Should be pretty reliable. Subarus are nice but if you don't need AWD it's just extra weight and expense.

I had an suv for 3 years. Ford kuga) decent car all round. Now in a Gtd estate and can’t for the life of me understand why I had an suv !!

Another vote for Seat Leon ST here (1.8 Turbo petrol in our case). Our 3 year old one with 25K miles is £10850.

Getting a 1.5 Turbo petrol next month as they don't make the 1.8 any more!

Who did you think I might have been? Just curious.

MrsFry

Kia and Hyundai are the same underneath, Hyundai are just better specced and more spendy.

I have a Kia, diesel tho, never missed a beat and 6 years old now. Trim is a bit cheap and scratches easily, bits of trim are starting to come loose.

It's a carens 7 seater, for loading kayaks I wouldn't want to go any higher. I don't think the glass panoramic roof you can fit roof bars, I may be wrong tho.

Also, rear 2 rows of seats fold flat so 2 can sleep in the back on a flat platform.