# Best SUV



## slookie (18 Jan 2008)

Need more help folks. I drove a 2.0l diesel Tucson today....loved it. Found it very comfortable and smooth on the road. The sales man told me that he also has one. Now, he says that it costs about 70 euro to fill it, and he would get 960 or 970 kilometres until the light would come on. Could this be right? I would be very sceptical of sales men, so I am seeking advice from people who have one. 
Also if it came to a choice between, a 2.0l diesel Tucson, 2.0l Diesel Santa Fe, or a 2.0l diesel Kia Sportage, which would ye recommend? Looking for something economical firstly, and then comfort.
All help appreciated.


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## RS2K (18 Jan 2008)

If economy is your first concern why buy an SUV?


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## NHG (18 Jan 2008)

You should also test drive a 2.2l D4D Toyota Rav 4 before you make your final decision. I have one and I love it, €50 to fill (small tank)and aprox 700km of short trips/medium trips per tank.


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## slookie (18 Jan 2008)

RS2K said:


> If economy is your first concern why buy an SUV?


 
Well I dont really like many of the diesel cars out there...jettas and passats seem very plain. Just thinking bout an SUV


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## slookie (18 Jan 2008)

NHG said:


> You should also test drive a 2.2l D4D Toyota Rav 4 before you make your final decision. I have one and I love it, €50 to fill (small tank)and aprox 700km of short trips/medium trips per tank.


 
Ya but they are a good bit pricier and also road tax dearer with a 2.2l


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## werner (18 Jan 2008)

slookie said:


> Need more help folks. I drove a 2.0l diesel Tucson today....loved it. Found it very comfortable and smooth on the road. The sales man told me that he also has one. Now, he says that it costs about 70 euro to fill it, and he would get 960 or 970 kilometres until the light would come on. Could this be right? I would be very sceptical of sales men, so I am seeking advice from people who have one.
> Also if it came to a choice between, a 2.0l diesel Tucson, 2.0l Diesel Santa Fe, or a 2.0l diesel Kia Sportage, which would ye recommend? Looking for something economical firstly, and then comfort.
> All help appreciated.


 
If you are buying new, check its co2 emissions and see if will have a VRT reduction under the new rules after July 08 due to the budget. You may save your self a substantial amount of cash if it has low emissions

*Motor tax:

*Band A (<=120 grams per km) - €100
Band B (121-140 grams perkm) - €150
Band C (141-155 grams per km) - €290
Band D (156-170 grams per km) - €430
Band E (171-190 grams per km) - €600 
Band F (191-225 grams per km) - €1,000 
Band G (>225 grams per km) - €2,000

*VRT:*

Band A (<=120 grams per km) - 14%
Band B (121-140 grams perkm) - 16%
Band C (141-155 grams per km) - 20%
Band D (156-170 grams per km) - 24%
Band E (171-190 grams per km) - 28%
Band F (191-225 grams per km) - 32%
Band G (>225 grams per km) - 36%

*Find out about you motors CO2 output:*

http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/ UK GOV SITE!

http://www.parkers.co.uk


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## slookie (18 Jan 2008)

Not buyin new...06 hopefully. Can anyone tell me if that is true...900 plus miles on a full tank. Is that not economical??


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## REMFAN (18 Jan 2008)

slookie said:


> Need more help folks. I drove a 2.0l diesel Tucson today....loved it. Found it very comfortable and smooth on the road. The sales man told me that he also has one. Now, he says that it costs about 70 euro to fill it, and he would get 960 or 970 kilometres until the light would come on. Could this be right? I would be very sceptical of sales men, so I am seeking advice from people who have one.
> Also if it came to a choice between, a 2.0l diesel Tucson, 2.0l Diesel Santa Fe, or a 2.0l diesel Kia Sportage, which would ye recommend? Looking for something economical firstly, and then comfort.
> All help appreciated.


 
I'm sure he is getting 970km on a full tank (and a half!!). My 2.0L diesel avensis does about 800km on a full tank @ 60e(more on motorway), I can't see big bulky 2.0L SUV doing 970km on 70e. SUV's are not economical!


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## REMFAN (18 Jan 2008)

If you are set on an SUV, I'd go for the Sportage from the three... Although the Freelander is worth a look!!


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## 8till8 (18 Jan 2008)

Buy in the UK !!!

Sterling has moved in the last few weeks by about 10% and if you choose carefully you may get a vehicle with lower emissions and save money after July.

Freelander: great jeep but expensive and high emissions. (talking about freelander 2 not the previous piece of junk)


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## slookie (18 Jan 2008)

8till8 said:


> Buy in the UK !!!
> 
> Sterling has moved in the last few weeks by about 10% and if you choose carefully you may get a vehicle with lower emissions and save money after July.
> 
> Ya whats the story with buying in the UK? How do they work out how much you pay to get it cleared? Do you know of any good garages over there??


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## tosullivan (19 Jan 2008)

slookie said:


> I drove a 2.0l diesel Tucson today....loved it. Found it very comfortable and smooth on the road.


You need to go out and test drive a few more cars cos if you think the Tucson is as you describe it, you certainly haven't lived.........


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## REMFAN (20 Jan 2008)

tosullivan said:


> You need to go out and test drive a few more cars cos if you think the Tucson is as you describe it, you certainly haven't lived.........


 
Hyundai have had big success in the SUV market. I don't see the appeal of the Tucson or Santa Fe. Freelander 2 is well worth a look. Nissan also have a new X-Trail out.


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## tosullivan (20 Jan 2008)

REMFAN said:


> Hyundai have had big success in the SUV market.


Maybe the Santa Fe is as good as its rivals, but I drove a Tucson recently and it was the worst car I have ever driven.

Gear box was terrible, dash was awful, engine was non existent, the seats were ..... I could go on but I won't.

Resale on any of the 3 the OP is looking at are terrible.

Also, there is a class difference between the Santa Fe and the other 2


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## RainyDay (20 Jan 2008)

slookie said:


> The sales man told me that he also has one.


I bet he says that to all the girls.....


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## slookie (20 Jan 2008)

tosullivan said:


> Maybe the Santa Fe is as good as its rivals, but I drove a Tucson recently and it was the worst car I have ever driven.
> 
> Gear box was terrible, dash was awful, engine was non existent, the seats were ..... I could go on but I won't.
> 
> ...


 
what would you recommend so...have bout 25k to spend


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## Mr Mac (20 Jan 2008)

Am also looking at the santa fe vs the tuscon...am I right in thinking that a new 2.0 diesel santa fe will cost almost €2k on road tax post july 08??


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## Mongola (20 Jan 2008)

You should definitely have a look to the toyota RAV 4...it is really worth a look, they are quite economical for SUVs. I have had one last year and it was the best 4x4 i have ever had. I m now driving a Freelander!!! Not bad either!


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## tosullivan (20 Jan 2008)

slookie said:


> what would you recommend so...have bout 25k to spend


Taking the 2 Hyundais out of the equation and you are looking at only a diesel, you should get a LR Disco about 2003 2.5 diesel with change.

Nissan Terrano II's also supposed to be good car and the X-Trail are also a good bet as is the Honda CRV.

Rav 4 also mentioned and I would say the Suzuki Grand Vitara is a better car than the Hyundai also and a good few grand cheaper than the Rav4.

The jap import equivalent of the Vitara, the Escudo, is very well equipped and is a smart looking machine.


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## REMFAN (20 Jan 2008)

Test drove the Suzuki Grand Vitara last year and found the gears very stiff to change, it was enough to put me off an otherwise nice jeep. Take out an X-Trail.


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## RobAMerc (20 Jan 2008)

of the cars mentioned in your price range the xtrail is probably the best you'll do.
The Rav4 is awfull inside and poor in the ride and handling stakes.
The model Freelander you'll get for 25k is the older one and they are farily awful too
The CRV is great but you want a diesel and they dont make one.

Although the Koreans are starting to make some good cars until very recently (with some exceptions) is cheap, generally feels cheap and depriciates accordingly - I would always sacrifice year for quality.


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## REMFAN (21 Jan 2008)

RobAMerc said:


> of the cars mentioned in your price range the xtrail is probably the best you'll do.
> The Rav4 is awfull inside and poor in the ride and handling stakes.
> The model Freelander you'll get for 25k is the older one and they are farily awful too
> The CRV is great but you want a diesel and they dont make one.


 
CRV comes in 2.2 diesel and is more expensive than the Freelander 2. The OP has 25k to spend on top of a 07 1.6 Avensis, he'll surely get either model with that budget.

Freelander 2 is a quality jeep, it looks well, the cabin has a nice quality feel and it's a nice drive.


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## sinbadsailor (21 Jan 2008)

Would have to second the Freelander 2 comment. Drove a passenger S-trim one on Saturday and think I will go for one. Very nice drive, great comfort and it doesn't 'feel' like a Jeep.

On another note, i think it's funny that people are saying that they can squeeze 700km out of a full tank....if you get a 03/04 Audi A4 1.9TDi from the UK, it would come in under budget, give you a very nice car and will get you 650 'miles' from a full tank.


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## RobAMerc (21 Jan 2008)

Appologies - I didn't realize the op has 25k plus his own car 
if thats the case and he must go for an SUV then the Freelander is the best option from what I read.

I stand corrected on the CRV - I thought the diesel model was only a recent addition and therefore again outside the op's budget.

Personally if I would buy a Ford S-Max unless I actually went off road - better package and I imagine way better to drive, and no fear of the greenies attacking you ( it might be a real problem for SUV residuals in a year or two)


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## slookie (21 Jan 2008)

No, I have a 04 Avensis Strata which i hope to get 14 or 15 for, plus another 10 grand = 25k


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## SOM42 (21 Jan 2008)

slookie said:


> Need more help folks. I drove a 2.0l diesel Tucson today....loved it. Found it very comfortable and smooth on the road. The sales man told me that he also has one. Now, he says that it costs about 70 euro to fill it, and he would get 960 or 970 kilometres until the light would come on. Could this be right? I would be very sceptical of sales men, so I am seeking advice from people who have one.
> Also if it came to a choice between, a 2.0l diesel Tucson, 2.0l Diesel Santa Fe, or a 2.0l diesel Kia Sportage, which would ye recommend? Looking for something economical firstly, and then comfort.
> All help appreciated.


 
IMHO there are far better out there than the Tuscon including any of the others you have listed.  BTW the Santa Fe is 2.2l Diesel which makes is even more expensive to tax.  As already mentioned you should be looking at the x-trail or Vitara.  These will me far better in most respects than a Tuscon.  The Tuscon is cheap for a reason!


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## REMFAN (21 Jan 2008)

slookie said:


> No, I have a 04 Avensis Strata which i hope to get 14 or 15 for, plus another 10 grand = 25k


 
Apologies Robamerc, I thought the OP had 25k on top. New Freelander is out of budget and the old model is rubbish.


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## teachai (22 Jan 2008)

Are you going to drive the SUV off-road.  

I have a 03 Nissan X-trail Elegance -- (Top of the range model)  which I bought in November and it is superb, but its a soft-roader. Ie it will tow and run on grass in 4*4 mode but will not have the capability of some of the other SUV's.  However, it suits my needs, which is 95% road driving with the occasional towing and driving onto fields. 

Some of the Nissan X-trails don't come with 4*4, and you are better off with a diesel. Put it into perspective, I traded in my 03 Kia Rio which I had from new (Never again), and it costs the same to run. Thats comparing a 1.36 litre petrol to a 2.2 diesel.

Tax came in at €872 in November (which will be going up).  
Maintenance will be a little dearer, but thats to be expected.  I also know of people who have had their spare tyres nicked, so pick a model which has the spare tyre in the boot, not on the outside of the vehicle.

I would avoid the sportage, especially the older model.  The only kia suv with a decent reputation is the sorrento. 
I was considering a santa-fe, or grand vitara, but a nissan will hold its value better.


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## slookie (22 Jan 2008)

It will be all road driving. The Avensis I have is only doing about 35 mpg...I want somethin a bit more economical...at least 40mpg...does anyone with a Tucson know if it would do this??


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## teachai (22 Jan 2008)

I would think that most diesels will do 35mpg comfortably. 
Make sure you get a genuine 4 wheel drive, as some of the SUV's are not 4 X 4's.  These are usually considerably cheaper than the 4 wheel drive version.

When you come to sell, it will be far easier to dispose of a 4 wheel drive rather than a 2 wheel drive. Also, for people towing, 2.0 diesel can be a bit sluggish, so a slightly higher engine size may be preferable.

2.0 litre diesel is the bare minimum you should consider. Obviously the bigger the engine, the worse the fuel economy.  Based on your driving habits, you should consider soft-roaders as opposed to genuine off-roaders.


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## slookie (22 Jan 2008)

A softroader being....? Sorry not much of a car head...


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## teachai (22 Jan 2008)

Basically SUV's fall into different categories. 
A genuine off-roader will cope with most off road conditions, ie its optimal use will be off-road. Not many people need these. 

a soft-roader will run better on the road (ie optimal use on the road, but has some off-road capability).
Most SUV's are somewhere in between. Its basically, are they biased towards off-road capabilities or on-road capabilities. Soft-roaders are biased towards road driving.

Basically, you don't need genuine off-road capability, and you will only be driving  on the road, so you don't need to pay over the odds for off-road capabilities.  Most SUV's are car bodies on truck chassis.  Nissan x-trail is actually built on a car chassis, which supposedly gives it better road handling, but has limited off-road use, eg you wouldn't use it on a farm.


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## slookie (22 Jan 2008)

Ok  I get you. Well the reason I am considering the Tucson is, firstly it is within my budget...I can get a 05 2l Diesel for 20k or a 06 for 23,500. I want a diesel, and i want a jeep or SUV. And I also drove one and found it to be quiet nice. I drove a RAV 4 too and didnt notice much difference, only in the price tag. I'm not a badge snob, so I think the Hyundai would suit me. Opinions??


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## Pique318 (22 Jan 2008)

Here we go again but anyway, you asked for opinions:

If you do a lot of towing, and driving through fields (at a racecourse or whatever) then a (softroad) SUV is ideal.

If you need one for work, then get a Toyota or Landrover.

If not, and you drive 100% on tarmac, buy a car. An SUV is more expensive to run & repair and has compromised handling compared to a car. They are no bigger than an Estate car or people carrier yet cost much more.

Hyundai are an OK marque but not great. The 'Coupe' is supposed to be very good but not sure on the Tucson or Santa Fe. 
If your heart is set on buying an SUV, I reckon you'd be better off in the long run to buy an older model from a better manufacturer.


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## slookie (22 Jan 2008)

For the sake of a couple of extra grand would I be better off going for the Santa Fe...is there that much of a difference from the Tucson and are they a bit more economical?


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## SOM42 (22 Jan 2008)

slookie said:


> For the sake of a couple of extra grand would I be better off going for the Santa Fe...is there that much of a difference from the Tucson and are they a bit more economical?


 
To be honest slookie if economy is a big concern look to a diesel saloon or estate.   SUVs are not economical to buy or own.  However the Santa Fe is a much superior machine to the Tuscon in every department though there won't be much in it economy wise.  The Tuscon should be more economical.  Its smaller and lighter than the Santa Fe and has a smaller engine.  The Santa Fe belonging to a mate averages 35-40mpg in varying driving conditions.


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## MarkG (22 Jan 2008)

..


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## MarkG (22 Jan 2008)

For what it is worth I think you should test drive a Nissan X Trail before you make a final decision as you can pick up a 05 2.2 diesel with leather and 4wd for around 23k..... and you would be getting a car with much more room and comfort..... I drove a lot of cars jeeps before  I settled for the X Trail.


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## slookie (22 Jan 2008)

SOM42 said:


> To be honest slookie if economy is a big concern look to a diesel saloon or estate. SUVs are not economical to buy or own. However the Santa Fe is a much superior machine to the Tuscon in every department though there won't be much in it economy wise. The Tuscon should be more economical. Its smaller and lighter than the Santa Fe and has a smaller engine. The Santa Fe belonging to a mate averages 35-40mpg in varying driving conditions.


 
Ok now we are getting somewhere...any ideas so what mpg te Tucson would do?


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## tosullivan (23 Jan 2008)

SOM42 said:


> the Santa Fe is a much superior machine to the Tuscon in every department


it wouldn't be hard....I think a Fiat Punto would be even better than a Tucso


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## slookie (23 Jan 2008)

tosullivan said:


> it wouldn't be hard....I think a Fiat Punto would be even better than a Tucso


 
lol...think il stay away from them...


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## dglav (24 Jan 2008)

I have a an 06 Toyota Rav4 diesel is very economical and a beautiful drive, leave it on 4x4 fulltime and fab road holding and power, I believe the petrol model isn't as impressive? 
My neighbour had a brand new petrol Suzuki Grand Vitara and it was a hugh disappointment to him, he traded it back in after 6 months a lost a packet.


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## slookie (25 Jan 2008)

dglav said:


> I have a an 06 Toyota Rav4 diesel is very economical and a beautiful drive, leave it on 4x4 fulltime and fab road holding and power, I believe the petrol model isn't as impressive?
> 
> Roughly how many mpg are you getting with the rav 4...its just they are so dear!


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## teachai (25 Jan 2008)

dglav said:


> I have a an 06 Toyota Rav4 diesel is very economical and a beautiful drive, leave it on 4x4 fulltime and fab road holding and power, I believe the petrol model isn't as impressive?
> My neighbour had a brand new petrol Suzuki Grand Vitara and it was a hugh disappointment to him, he traded it back in after 6 months a lost a packet.



1) Leaving a car it in 4X4 mode will not help with fuel consumption. 
2) Anyone buying a brand new car and trading it in in the first year will lose a packet.  Most new cars devalue between 20 and 30% immediately you drive them out of the showroom

The better SUV's will have higher 2nd hand values.  When I went looking for mine, I was considering the Grand Vitara, and the Hyundai Santa-fe. 

From a pure resale perspective, stick with your Toyota's, Nissans, Mitsubishi's and Honda's.   

If you're buying new, you may as well wait until july when the cardon-emissions take effect. They don't apply to vehicles already registered.

If you don't like the Nissans, I can recommend the Mitsubishi Pajero.


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## SOM42 (25 Jan 2008)

teachai said:


> 1)
> If you don't like the Nissans, I can recommend the Mitsubishi Pajero.


 
OP you could even consider the (new model) Mitsubishi Outlander.  Priced around 37k new.  They are around a year now so you might be able to pick up a second hand one for less than 30k.  2 litre VW engine will give about 38-42mpg and should be v. reliable.  Forget the old model, only available in 2.4l petrol.


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## tosullivan (25 Jan 2008)

VW have just released the Tiguan.  Another to consider and Ford are bringing out something later in the year


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