Looking at getting a new motor for the wifey…
anyone got experience of a freelander, X3, RAV4, etc…
Won’t be brand new any major things to avoid/ look out for??
Cheers

Driven RAV4 & Hyundai Tuscon – both good but me mate in the far east advised me to get RAV4 if I were to upgrade my Corolla.

Ya, RAV4 for me but Hyundai feel more powerful or at least feel that way to me …

Get one with automatic gear.

Other choice for me will be either Sukuzi Vitara or Skoda Yeti.

Does she need a 4×4? Is she going to drive off road? Or is this an image thing?

I’d never really seen the X3 as a “small” 4×4 but I guess it’s all relative.

My wife drives a Toyota Urban Cruiser.

Toyota are, apparently, going to be selling a new, small SUV next year.

Oh – and it’s not about “off-road” it’s very much about staying ON the road 🙂

Fiat panda 4×4 or
Porsche Macan

Mazda CX3

New Rav4 isn’t small imo (had the 2000 model which was a great car) neither is an x3

Some ideas assuming you want 4×4

Suzuki Vitara or Vitara Max
BMW X1
Audi Q3 or brand new model Q2 just launching
Nissan Juke (gets a lot of stick on here but good little cars and very popular)
Skoda Yeti

Does she need a 4×4? Is she going to drive off road? Or is this an image thing?

Didn’t take long.

3 door rav 4 is tiny and the 5 doors not huge either

Vitae as rot like hell

Jukes nae bad but Renault engine same about duster

Fiat panda 4×4 is ace fun for a small 4 x4

I’ve always wanted a kangoo tracka though

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/toyota/c-hr

Fiat panda 4×4 is ace fun for a small 4 x4

They’re enormous fun and brilliant in mud.
Despite swearing I’d not have another (2nd series, ’06) I can feel myself weakening.
A newer model, substantially quicker and with better road manners. Get the sliding rear seat model.

Absolutely killer pch and pch deals on the yeti at the moment as the new model comes out next year. Both 2d and 4wd variants

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas…
Will be driving off-road hence required need of 4×4 and a higher driving position.
F.I.L has a RAV4 that she likes so it’ll be something similar..
Didn’t think of X1 so that’s a good shout.
She also likes the Yeti, anyone got one to give me a review?
Cheers

Porsche Macan.

My girlfriend has just picked up a Nissan Juke. I’ve been out in it a few times and it’s ace, really refined, smooth and the 1.5dci engine pulls well. Not huge boot space but easy to use and a bargain really

OP there have been a few threads on Yeti, they seem well liked and like the older Rav4 I had you can remove the rear seats completely making it a van like load carrier. The Yeti styling has imo evolved from 😯 to 🙂

Just looking at the Yeti myself at the moment and like some have said, some great deals to be had.

If you want a 4wd with out getting all sorts of rabid comments on this forum, howabout a Phev. For example the bmw 2 series activ tourer Phev or its sister the mini countryman phev

Ive had a petrol 2wd yeti for awhile now great little car bikes fly in drives nice its no sports car but dosnt fall over in corners. Its vetured down green lanes and through muddy fields and hasnt got stuck. The 4 wheel drive version should be even better at getting around in the mud.

Mrs Dubs vetoed the Yeti – it looks too much like the Roomster apparently…

We have a Kuga which I can recommend – it’s ok on dirt tracks etc. and drives well on the road.

If you want something smaller I can only go on what the FiL recommended from their recent search:
Ford EcoSport – rubbish, horrible inside, crap to drive
BMW – looked at the X1 and liked it, but too spendy for him.
Mazda CX-3 – what he eventually bought.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/honda/hr-v-2015/

Freelander?

I got an 04 reg in April and took it for a thorough off-road test while on hols recently – and I was pretty impressed.

Also beats my old 3 series bimmer on mpg for the daily work commute

We have the current Ford Kuga in 4wd and like it very much . Comfy, easy to drive, stable, practical etc.

Sister had various older Rav 4’s which she thought were great. Changed to the last version X1, didn’t like it so chopped in after 6 months for a current Rav 4.

Suzuki Jimny 🙂

Kuga seem to be pretty good, nice to drive like most current Fords, I was very impressed with the Mokka, felt very stable and nimble on twisty roads, very comfy, and good seating position – loads of them around too, they seem to be very popular with the Motability dealers, along with the Qashqai, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a reasonably priced second-hand one.
I really don’t like the Juke styling, but I can’t argue about how much fun they are to drive, not sure about how many are actually 4×4, though.
I’ve driven a Ford Ecosport, and I can’t say I was terribly impressed with it, definitely built down to a price-point..

Shogun Pinin?

What’s “off-road”? Covers a lot of bases..

Don’t discount a Forester or even Impreza.

Now I don’t need it for towing I keep thinking about replacing our defender with a jimny.

My better half would rather a yeti but to many stories of poor paint and rust for my liking

OP we’ve been looking at similar cars, over the years I have had two Shoguns (200k miles trouble free), a Rav 4 (80,000 miles 10 yrs mostly trouble free) and an A6 Quattro (110,000 miles 8yrs trouble free) and after a while 4×4 less are kicking tyres and don’t want something full size

I really don’t like the Juke styling, but I can’t argue about how much fun they are to drive, not sure about how many are actually 4×4, though.

My wife really likes them, she has a Micra CC and is a big Nissan fan I have managed to veto one so far as boot is tiny so not bike friendy and I have persuaded her that bike cannot travel outside the car 😉 Atbthe riskmof being flamed as sexist Inthink they are a good and fun “ladies 4×4” if you don’t need the load carrying. I like older Rav4’s but removable seat models are now 10 years old now and I think the new ones are too big. X1 we have on a short list. She won’t have a Skoda, Q3 I loved my Audi but I think as comfortable / high quality as it is as a bike car it’s too small (less space than an A3 5dr ? OP if your wife doesn’t need the height of a 4×4 and you can find a 2L Quattro that could be a good option)

The new Mazda 3 suggested above looks good in photos.

I’d have said a Lada Niva, but as the authorotative badge snobs that we are, the best 4×4 by far appears to have lost its only UK importer. Superb road manners from the independant suspension, excellent off road with its low range box, brilliant break over and approach angles, but slightly embarrassing badge.
Or a Jimny (with its leaf springs all round), but it is pretty good off road.

Freelander?

I got an 04 reg in April and took it for a thorough off-road test while on hols recently – and I was pretty impressed.

Also beats my old 3 series bimmer on mpg for the daily work commute

Incredibly capable off road and the TD4 auto with a remap is pretty quick and pulls our sheep trailer no problems.

BUT

the window regulator cables will eventually snap (rear tailgate most troublesome as when it fails you can’t open the tailgate). The door lock mechanisms will also fail. The VCU will eventually get tight and need to be replaced before it takes out the IRD and/or rear diff. The TD4 inectors will eventually fail and cost around £120 + vat each to refurb. The huge back box will rust on top and spring open. The sunroof will go wrong. The TD4 electric fuel pump will fail.

Our freelander has now had all that done/checked. Not cheap but it is a car that feels safe no matter what you throw at it and we are tempted by a freelander 2 for the slightly larger boot. It is not a small car though and is the length of a large estate due to the huge bonnet. HSE spec gets heated seats and a fuel burning heater and parking sensors which are very nice to have.

My advice is go Japanese for an easy life. I love Jimnys but they are a tad small. Thinking about getting one for my nephew as his first car

If she does go off-road then get decent tyres. Not saying something like a General Grabber but something M&S rated will be a lot better than normal road tyres. We use a set of cheap M&S tyres on the freelander and am yet to get stuck yet and we do use it for towing a sheep trailer on wet grass. I nearly got it stuck once but used the weight of the trailer to pull it backwards out of the field 😀

Kia Sorrento?

Not “small” but MrsT is on her 2nd and is unlikely to change/part with it any time soon….

Said before but I got the Yeti 1.2tsi DSG (leather) SE on PCH for 109 pm, and partner got a 1.4TSI L+K yeti 4×4 for 135pm (top of range). Both 2K Down deposit.

My folks got a 1.2 tsi DSG SE on PCP – which should be 21000 for 15500 (with a 2.5 Deposit). Got nearly 3000 in incentives or discounts. Costs 177 a month on interest free.

All good cars. I prefer the 1.2tsi DSG over the 1.4 man.

When you add a spare wheel in the boot is small but driver space and passenger space is good. Handling is great, brakes could be better and cheap glossy plastics are crap. However its a nice package overall and good to drive.

Or a Jimny (with its leaf springs all round), but it is pretty good off road

Nae leaf springs on a Jimny – leaf sprung model was the long-gone SJ.

VW Tiguan – performs well in snow, 2.0 Diesel averaged 50 mpg

Now I don’t need it for towing I keep thinking about replacing our defender with a jimny.

My better half would rather a yeti but to many stories of poor paint and rust for my liking

Oh, the irony! A Defender owner worrying about poor paint and rust!

Nae leaf springs on a Jimny – leaf sprung model was the long-gone SJ.

My mistake. 😆

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Subaru XV? Basically an Impreza with wellies on.

Was interested in the freelander but have heard horror stories from the earlier versions, have these been ironed out?
Gonna look at a couple of RAV4s today.
The interest in the X3 comes from the quality of the interior i.e less plasticy feel.
She would prefer a higher driving position for the dirt tracks and hedges on the regular tracks so it tends to rule out a Quattro, forrester etc…