Best SUV

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.
 

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

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!
 
slookie said:
No, I have a 04 Avensis Strata which i hope to get 14 or 15 for, plus another 10 grand = 25k
Click to expand...

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

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.
 
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.
 

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