Suv Family car | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Mon 29 Oct 2018 20:24

Suv Family car - Rog46

Hi guys im after a car for my partner, I need a car which is high to make it easy with kids. 1st type of car was a SUV, my budget is 6/7k ultimate max8-9k. upto 6/7 years old decent economy max mileage 60k.

my options in mind were ix35, and sportage which would get to the max budget.

any advice would be helpful even going to a non suv is fine.

Thanks

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Mon 29 Oct 2018 21:30

Suv Family car - SLO76

What sort of mileage will it see and will most of it be stop start local or distance? Roughly where do you live? Also does it really need to be an SUV as you’ll get more for your money with a normal hatch or estate which is important when you’re on a relatively limited budget. I ran a Honda CRV for years and found it a useful big family car but the Avensis Estate we have now is every bit as practical, in fact it’s easier for 3yr old to climb into and is less likely to induce travel sickness with less roll in the bends.

Edited by SLO76 on 29/10/2018 at 21:31

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Mon 29 Oct 2018 21:36

Suv Family car - Rog46

around 10k, up north, i have a toddler putting him in and out of the car seat. also ideally not to big as it will be just my partner and child driving around. id say 50/50 local mways

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 11:11

Suv Family car - SLO76

How are you financing it, finance or savings? I ask because a highstreet bank loan would be substantially cheaper than dealer finance and thus could allow a greater initial budget possibly opening up the likes of a Honda CRV 1.6 DTEC which can be had from around £11k with sensible miles. These are vast inside, extremely comfortable and will do 60mpg with care on a run. They’re also good at retaining value, very reliable and easy to sell on again so despite costing more upfront than a much smaller Sportage it may work out no dearer over all. A Toyota RAV 4 2.0 D4-D is another good bet at this money too. You’ll have folk falling over themselves to buy it when you’re done.

For less money there’s not much wrong with the Kia or Hyundai as long as you check for gearbox and clutch issues before buying but I’d also look at large estates like the Avensis which is comfortable and again huge inside. I’d largely avoid diesel Mondeos (though the 2.0 is ok) and Insignias and anything prestige such as BM or Audi at this money.

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Mon 29 Oct 2018 21:35

Suv Family car - badbusdriver

Suzuki SX4 S-cross is a hidden gem, spacious and extremely reliable (with the petrol engine). As it is not very trendy, it is cheaper than the current shape Vitara (with which it shares its running gear). You may just sneak into a current shape Vitara for £9k. Also consider the Ssangyong Tivoli (pretty much the same size as the Vitara) and the slightly bigger (and diesel only) Korando. I'd also be thinking about the Dacia Duster which, along with the Tivoli and SX4 S-Cross would be about the youngest SUV you could get into. A skoda Yeti would also be worth considering, your budget would get you into a facelifted 1.2TSI petrol as young as 2015.

You don't say if you are thinking petrol or diesel re the Sportage or ix35, but just be aware that they are both heavy cars, so if you were looking at the 1.6 petrol, it does need to be worked hard. The Vitara 1.6 petrol by comparison, is over 200kg lighter so feels much more sprightly!.

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Mon 29 Oct 2018 23:14

Suv Family car - retgwte

Dacia sandero stepway

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 11:17

Suv Family car - skidpan

I ask because a highstreet bank loan would be substantially cheaper than dealer finance

Not always. Surely if its on finance its the deposit and monthly payment that matters. Sometimes dealers will put some of their commission on the table to get a deal. Used this method myself in the past to get better deals than the bank or even work.

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 20:13

Suv Family car - SLO76

“Not always. Surely if its on finance its the deposit and monthly payment that matters. Sometimes dealers will put some of their commission on the table to get a deal. Used this method myself in the past to get better deals than the bank or even work.”

If we were talking new or nearly new I’d agree, sometimes the manufacturer and the dealer subsidise the finance but on used cars, particularly at this age/money you’ll almost always find a bank loan the cheapest route. Even if a dealer offers cheap money on a used car it’s almost always funded by an inflated purchase price. You tend to buy new or almost new and certainly know how to bag a deal on such cars but you’ll struggle to beat the bank on a car 3yrs or older.

Edited by SLO76 on 30/10/2018 at 20:14

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 20:59

Suv Family car - Rog46

I came across a list and a Ford B-max came up, whats your thoughts on that car. i think 1.6 diesel seems a good option

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 21:16

Suv Family car - badbusdriver

Afraid not, at least not as a diesel. This is the infamous PSA unit, nicknamed the diesel of doom!. Having done a lot of looking into the engine as it is available in various vans i had been thinking about, i came to the conclusion that while it's nickname is perhaps a little unjustified, it would definately be a risk buying 2nd hand. The problems seem to stem from service intervals being too long. In addition to this, i was told by someone who buys and sells cars and vans, that it is critical that the correct oil is used. My assessment of all this was that if i could afford to buy new, i would be fairly confident of a long and productive usage, but as a 2nd hand purchase i didn't think it worth the risk.

Be aware that the 1.0 ecoboost available in the B-Max also has a fairly poor reputation.

Had it not been for this engine and it's reputation, i would definately have been recommending the Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner, which are absolutely brilliant family cars for those unconcerned about image. Petrol engines are available in theory, but like hens teeth in practice. A slightly smaller alternative would be the Fiat Qubo with the 1.4 petrol. This is one of a trio of small vans/mpvs, the other two being the Citroen Nemo and the Peugeot Bipper. The Fiat is still being produced and can be had new for about £12k but this 2016 model in a fetching Kermit green is up for £7.5k,

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20181003113...1

Edited by badbusdriver on 30/10/2018 at 21:29

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Tue 30 Oct 2018 21:33

Suv Family car - SLO76

I came across a list and a Ford B-max came up, whats your thoughts on that car. i think 1.6 diesel seems a good option

Although later versions of this engine are improved failure rates are still far too high. I wouldn’t touch anything with Ford’s 1.0 Ecoboost or their rather notorious Powershift autobox either but a C-Max with the old Yamaha designed 1.6 petrol and a manual box is a good bet. Loads of room, drives quite well and should be very reliable. No reason not to buy one as long as you can stand the awkward styling. Ditto the B-max with the 1.4 petrol which is just a smaller version of the same engine.

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Wed 31 Oct 2018 17:28

Suv Family car - skidpan

We had a 1.6 TDCi in a C-Max. never had a single issue with it in 5 years. Chap who bought it from us ran it for another 7 with no issues.

But we looked after it as did the 2nd owner.

Buying any car 6 or 7 years old is a matter of luck at best. But older diesels of any brand are potentially a money pit especially when a car of this age will have a DPF which will probably be near the end of its life for starters.

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Thu 1 Nov 2018 20:30

Suv Family car - Rog46

ive narrowed it down to

bmax/cmax petrol 1.4/1.6

sandero stepway or a Duster

top budget

sportage/ix35 diesel

any opinions on these cars which would you go for

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Thu 1 Nov 2018 20:59

Suv Family car - SLO76

Assuming condition and history were equally decent I’d go for a C-max 1.6 petrol. It’s the best to drive, the most practical, the most comfortable and should be no trouble at all with a well tried and tested engine and gearbox.

Edited by SLO76 on 01/11/2018 at 21:00

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Thu 1 Nov 2018 22:54

Suv Family car - retgwte

I would be tempted to just get a brand new stepway, as it's within budget, and the new car warranty etc would bring peace of mind.

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Fri 2 Nov 2018 07:34

Suv Family car - bazza

Sportage owners I know are seeing about 35 to 37mpg from their diesels which makes it an expensive car to fuel. A b max 1.4 should see well over 40mpg, if running costs are an issue.

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Fri 2 Nov 2018 11:42

Suv Family car - Engineer Andy

Sportage owners I know are seeing about 35 to 37mpg from their diesels which makes it an expensive car to fuel. A b max 1.4 should see well over 40mpg, if running costs are an issue.

For an older second hand car (out of warranty/over 5yo), for me, a decent FSH and a proven reliable, hardy car always trumps mpg. One major failure and you've lost several years' worth of mpg gains, never mind having to find potentially £0000s to fix said problem or source a new car.

I'd personally go for the C-Max, which is essentially a Focus in a different suit. Might be worth also considering the equivalent (same floorpan I think) Mazda5 in 1.8 petrol form - not that much less in mpg terms, roughly the same size and nice handy rear sliding doors.

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Fri 2 Nov 2018 14:31

Suv Family car - bazza

Yes that is true EA, especially an older modern diesel. DPF alone several hundred pounds! In this case I would also be recommending a c max 1.6 petrol, for overall running costs and practicality. My parents ran a b max for a couple of years and it wasn't really any more spacious than the fiesta it is based on.sliding door was very heavy too.

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Mon 5 Nov 2018 20:12

Suv Family car - Rog46

I think ill be viewing some cmax's soon, but theres 2 other cars any opinions on them will be great

honda jazz petrol or hybrid automatic

seat altea manual (petrol or diesel)

Thanks

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Mon 5 Nov 2018 20:50

Suv Family car - badbusdriver

We have a current shape Jazz CVT and i highly recommend it. I was a bit wary of the CVT auto as i had read pretty much nothing positive about them, but i needn't have worried. I don't think your budget would get you into the current shape, which has a 102bhp n/a 1.3, so you'd be in the previous shape which has a 1.4 with slightly less power (though arguably better looks?). Extremely reliable, buttery smooth when you want it, but very responsive with a surprising eagerness to rev and turn of speed when you are in the mood. The transmission has 7 electronic steps in order to feel more like a conventional auto. This can be left in drive, or you can shift manually (in sport mode) using the paddles behind the steering wheel. Very spacious for it's size, with a boot volume of around 340 litres, and the 'magic' seats in the back give extra flexibility. This is due to the fuel tank being under the front seats instead of the rear (where it is in most cars), allowing the rear seat bases to be flipped up against the backrest giving a deep space across the width of the car. I have no experience of the hybrid, but have no doubt it will prove unfailingly reliable.

As for the Altea, i hired one on holiday in Majorca for 10 days a couple of years ago, i think it was the XL version. Spacious, fairly refined though otherwise unexeptional to drive, taking a while to get up to speed but holding it well enough once there (i think it was the n/a 1.6 petrol, but there was no exterior badging to indicate). As i said, i think it was the XL as the boot was enormous(!) whereas the standard size model has a decent sized boot but not spectacularly so.

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