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HRV - weak engine, high price - No!
CHR - looks good car - apart from rear view and salesman's lies when I said it was the run out models and new car due soon (2023 completely new car due)
CX30 - 180BHP/TC Gearbox, well finished, lots of toys - ?mark, in my mind, on the new tech engine
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Thanks to you, FB, for listing your prospective choices.
I did read that the CHR replacement is due this year but, of course, the dealer failed to mention that when I was sitting in one in his showroom.
The claustrophobic rear is pretty darn claustrophobic isn't it? Look forward to seeing the new one.
Don't forget the Corolla Cross is apparently due (overdue) in the UK. That's the one I'm looking forward to seeing in the flesh and holding my breath on regarding how much they'll want for it. Whatever the price I coud afford it but there's a matter of principle at stake and I won't pay over the odds if I think they're being unreasonable.
When comparing the vehicles in your list I think we should remain aware how Dacia still seems able to produce remarkably good value motors considering what you're getting (and I await the completely new model next year with a degree of anticipation) ... but I haven't driven one of the current Duster and am also aware that the safety ratings aren't great so haven't seriously considered one ... although they now do another automatic version which is a plus point for me and they have nice chunky tyres too, not the skinny elastic bands we often find.
I sat in a CX 30 and a Yaris Cross recently and despite them purporting to be higher than their hatchback equivalents I still didn't find the drivers position to be especially roomy or easy to get in to.... so much so that they both got crossed off the list - hopefully that wasn't too hasty a move but if I bang my knees on the steering wheel as I enter(and I did) then I don't usually remain in it for much longer.
The HRV didn't get a look in with me either.
Edited by KB. on 19/04/2023 at 21:56
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Thanks to you, FB, for listing your prospective choices.
I did read that the CHR replacement is due this year but, of course, the dealer failed to mention that when I was sitting in one in his showroom.
The claustrophobic rear is pretty darn claustrophobic isn't it? Look forward to seeing the new one.
Don't forget the Corolla Cross is apparently due (overdue) in the UK. That's the one I'm looking forward to seeing in the flesh and holding my breath on regarding how much they'll want for it. Whatever the price I coud afford it but there's a matter of principle at stake and I won't pay over the odds if I think they're being unreasonable.
When comparing the vehicles in your list I think we should remain aware how Dacia still seems able to produce remarkably good value motors considering what you're getting (and I await the completely new model next year with a degree of anticipation) ... but I haven't driven one of the current Duster and am also aware that the safety ratings aren't great so haven't seriously considered one ... although they now do another automatic version which is a plus point for me and they have nice chunky tyres too, not the skinny elastic bands we often find.
I sat in a CX 30 and a Yaris Cross recently and despite them purporting to be higher than their hatchback equivalents I still didn't find the drivers position to be especially roomy or easy to get in to.... so much so that they both got crossed off the list - hopefully that wasn't too hasty a move but if I bang my knees on the steering wheel as I enter(and I did) then I don't usually remain in it for much longer.
The HRV didn't get a look in with me either.
Perhaps as regards banging your knee on the steering wheel as you got into the car that either the seat was adjusted too far up and/or the steering wheel too far down/towards the driver, especially if the previous person using it was quite short. I'm 5ft 10in and didn't have such a problem getting in/out of the CX-30's smaller 'predecessor', the Mazda2-based CX-3.
I did find the driving position a tad too upright for me, but then I've been used to driving in a low-er position in my Mazda3 for (at the time I tested both the CX-3 and gen-3 Mazda3) then 11 years (now 17).
Admitedly the interior of both did feel 'smaller' than my 'old' car, probably because of a bigger/higher centre console and a thicker door. But then most modern cars are now that way - bigger on the outside, smaller on the inside.
Might be worth having another look at the CX-30, or even perhaps the CX-5, which is a very nice car in itself, though perhaps bigger than you now want.
Might be worth you looking at the Lexus UX or KIA XCeed as alternatives.
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FB, if you can get past the silly rear doors and don't often have back seat passengers, then the Mazda MX 30 will soon be available with a range extender rotary petrol engine. The engine's sole purpose is to charge the battery. Electric range is said to be 53 miles (so maybe 40 on a good day) and the battery can also be charged overnight with a normal household plug.
It's not unique, the Qashqai and new Civic employ a similar set up without the plug in capability, but the MX 30 is just a bit different.
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FB, if you can get past the silly rear doors and don't often have back seat passengers, then the Mazda MX 30 will soon be available with a range extender rotary petrol engine.
Not sure what is silly about the rear doors?. The proportions of the car means that having conventional rear doors would result in a very small opening and make it more awkward to get in the back. You could make the front doors bigger and just not have rear ones, but unless the front doors were huge (which would cause its own problems in tight spaces or windy days) you'd still end up with less easy access into the rear. But be in no doubt that those rear seats are not very spacious, our Suzuki Ignis offers way more space for rear passengers despite being 75cm shorter!.
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Not silly in the size of them, BBD, I actually quite like them!
But they can't be opened from either the outside or inside unless the corresponding front door is opened first.
Perhaps designed with safety of children in mind, but fairly annoying if you're trying to let your rear adult passengers out.
The Fifth Gear Recharge review of the electric MX 30 shows this perfectly.
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Not silly in the size of them, BBD, I actually quite like them!
But they can't be opened from either the outside or inside unless the corresponding front door is opened first.
Perhaps designed with safety of children in mind, but fairly annoying if you're trying to let your rear adult passengers out.
The Fifth Gear Recharge review of the electric MX 30 shows this perfectly.
I'd imagine if you regularly carried adults in the back, you'd pick something else though!.
But seriously, it is to do with strength and the lack of the B pillar. The rear doors latch on the top and bottom, securing them like deadlocks on house doors. When closed, the leading edge of the rear door effectively becomes the B pillar, which the front door can now securely latch on to. If they weren't configured as they are, they would burst open in an accident or possibly even going quickly round a corner.
No experience of them on the MX 30 (or RX8), but I have encountered "cab and a half" pickups both with and without that type of rear doors. Having them makes it much easier to get into the back seats than on ones with just the front doors.
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Not silly in the size of them, BBD, I actually quite like them!
But they can't be opened from either the outside or inside unless the corresponding front door is opened first.
Perhaps designed with safety of children in mind, but fairly annoying if you're trying to let your rear adult passengers out.
The Fifth Gear Recharge review of the electric MX 30 shows this perfectly.
I'd imagine if you regularly carried adults in the back, you'd pick something else though!.
But seriously, it is to do with strength and the lack of the B pillar. The rear doors latch on the top and bottom, securing them like deadlocks on house doors. When closed, the leading edge of the rear door effectively becomes the B pillar, which the front door can now securely latch on to. If they weren't configured as they are, they would burst open in an accident or possibly even going quickly round a corner.
No experience of them on the MX 30 (or RX8), but I have encountered "cab and a half" pickups both with and without that type of rear doors. Having them makes it much easier to get into the back seats than on ones with just the front doors.
I had the single suicide door (famously on the wrong side) on a Mini Clubman. Definitely easier than no door, and great for people like me who like to sling things on the back seat.
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I have been following the ITVs Redemption where the female detective is driving a Mazda SUV. Is metallic red the only colour they do as this is the only colour I see around. The car looks bigger than the cx30 so probably the cx50? The detective slammed the boot lid and it sounded as tinny as most Japanese cars. The interior looked OK but the dash look old and dated.
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I have been following the ITVs Redemption where the female detective is driving a Mazda SUV. Is metallic red the only colour they do as this is the only colour I see around. The car looks bigger than the cx30 so probably the cx50? The detective slammed the boot lid and it sounded as tinny as most Japanese cars. The interior looked OK but the dash look old and dated.
Presumably a CX5? I don't think you can get a CX50 in Europe? Personally, I think Mazda interiors are among the best of any mainstream manufacturers, with much less crowded dashes than most.
I can also confirm that I have seen a number of CX5s in colours other than metallic red, mostly silver, so fear not.
I have to ask, though, is there a reason you started talking about Mazdas in TV dramas?
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Perhaps as regards banging your knee on the steering wheel as you got into the car that either the seat was adjusted too far up and/or the steering wheel too far down/towards the driver, especially if the previous person using it was quite short. I'm 5ft 10in and didn't have such a problem getting in/out of the CX-30's smaller 'predecessor', the Mazda2-based CX-3.
I did find the driving position a tad too upright for me, but then I've been used to driving in a low-er position in my Mazda3 for (at the time I tested both the CX-3 and gen-3 Mazda3) then 11 years (now 17).
Admitedly the interior of both did feel 'smaller' than my 'old' car, probably because of a bigger/higher centre console and a thicker door. But then most modern cars are now that way - bigger on the outside, smaller on the inside.
Might be worth having another look at the CX-30, or even perhaps the CX-5, which is a very nice car in itself, though perhaps bigger than you now want.
Might be worth you looking at the Lexus UX or KIA XCeed as alternatives.
Valid points but the first thing I ever do when sitting in a showroom model is :
raise the drivers seat as high as it will go,
slide it back as far as it will go
and raise the steering up as far as it will go.
Getting in and out of low slung cars isn't as easy for me now as it was and I confine my attention to more elevated examples (hence my Yeti ). And I much prefer a higher driving position. A Transit van would be ideal :-)
CX5 is a bit too wide to fit in between the uprights of my garage, same with the Lexus UX.
Kia X Ceed not tall enough.
Kia Niro isn't far off although they made the new one wider than the old one.
Yeti is absolutely perfect. I'd buy a new one if they still made them.... it's the main reason I've hung on to the one I've got.
Corolla Croos is likely to be tall enough and might be OK width wise but I'd have to be more careful than I need to be at present to avoid scratches on the mirrors.
Not the end of the world and I guess I'm lucky to have just that as a cause of indecision.
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To the contributor who tried a Toyota Yaris Cross, what are your overall thoughts?
Would you have a Yaris cross over a Corolla estate?
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Yaris Cross is too small, CHR is also probably off due to rear view issue.
HRV is off - well underpowered.
CX30 - disappointed to find it is a Mazda 3 jacked up and not an SUV -specification, finish etc etc was excellent. CX5 access is similar to my CRV. My wife's hip problems will not get better - she already has a new hip joint and pain has gone - we want her to get be happy driving again.
Best hope seems to be the Corolla Cross at some point in the not too distant future!!
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I'm with Falkirk Bairn here.
The Yaris Cross did meet expectations insofar as it was a Yaris on stilts and a Yaris is a small car but it wasn't roomy enough for me. I also thought the materials in the boot were flimsy and ill fitting considering it's a Toyota not a Dacia. I didn't drive it - that would have given more scope for having a proper opinion, but we didn't get that far.
Like FB I'm hoping the Corolla Cross will come to the UK - it's already had a facelift in other countries. It won't be a cut price bargain though.
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Yeti is absolutely perfect. I'd buy a new one if they still made them.... it's the main reason I've hung on to the one I've got.
If a Yeti is perfect, why not try a Karoq? Certainly not as characterful as a Yeti, but very comfy.
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Yeti is absolutely perfect. I'd buy a new one if they still made them.... it's the main reason I've hung on to the one I've got.
If a Yeti is perfect, why not try a Karoq? Certainly not as characterful as a Yeti, but very comfy.
They made the Karoq 48mm wider than the Yeti. (1845mmwide versus 1793 for the Yeti) . As mentioned above my garage is narrow enough to make it difficult to negotiate with a car two inches wider than the Yeti.
My neighbour (who has a garage the same size as mine) swapped his Mokka for a Tiguan (1839mm wide) and misjudged his emergence from the garage and it cost him dear. whereas his Mokka went in and out for years with no incident.
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Yeti is absolutely perfect. I'd buy a new one if they still made them.... it's the main reason I've hung on to the one I've got.
If a Yeti is perfect, why not try a Karoq? Certainly not as characterful as a Yeti, but very comfy.
They made the Karoq 48mm wider than the Yeti. (1845mmwide versus 1793 for the Yeti) . As mentioned above my garage is narrow enough to make it difficult to negotiate with a car two inches wider than the Yeti.
My neighbour (who has a garage the same size as mine) swapped his Mokka for a Tiguan (1839mm wide) and misjudged his emergence from the garage and it cost him dear. whereas his Mokka went in and out for years with no incident.
Sounds similar to a newish, nearish neighbour of mine (who lives in a house, not in a flat like me) who has an 'allocated space' with a 'pergola (effectively 'goal-posts') each sideof his car parking space, and severely misjudged backing into into one day in his new Hyundai Tucson, quite a bit bigger than his previous car if I recall (can't remember what it was).
It took a chunk out of the pergola post and did what looked like several £0000 worth of damage to the side of the car. Many potential buyers to such houses don't bother to check this before buying the homes or a new (bigger) car and often get rather irate after the fact. I'm just glad my allocated space is just in a (small) car park with no such impediment.
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The issue I've had before with getting in/out - even my own car is if the person who last used it (e.g. at the service) might've been one of the staff, some of whom are not that tall women. As my car doesn't have auto adjustment, it means I have to spend a while readjusting (more than once on some occasions) them to not keep banging my knee on the steering collumn or keyfob in the ingition.
I think that many cars are now worse in terms of ergonomics than they were 10-20 years ago. I found that the latest two Mazda3 versions (2014-19 and 2019+) had much lower seating positions than my gen-1 car - fine for driving, not so good for ingress / egress for people like me with reduced mobility in my back and the elderly.
I might've considered the Yeti due to its decent particality (good use of the car's footprint) if only it didn't have a dual clutch 'auto' box version. Rather limited my choices, as your criteria also appear to have, but your minimum needs must be met, otherwise the ownership experience won't be good and it could be a big waste of money, especially with prices currently well above the historical norm.
The Suzuki range might offer something a bit smaller, though they aren't to my tastes looks-wise. The Mitsubishi ASX might've done you ok, though they appear to have pulled out of UK sales at the very least and they generally look rather dated.
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l If they weren't configured as they are, they would burst open in an accident or possibly even going quickly round a corner.
At least one of those problems would not be present if it had a chassis (-:
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At least one of those problems would not be present if it had a chassis (-:
It isn't actually a problem on the MX 30 because the way the doors are configured means ithey won't burst open in that way. It would only be a problem if the front and rear doors only latched against each other. And in that case, it wouldn't make any difference whether the car had a chassis or not.
Just to be clear, the cab and a half pickups I mentioned with those type of rear doors (which latch in the same way as the CX 30 with the rears latching top and bottom and the fronts latching to them) all have a separate chassis.
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They made the Karoq 48mm wider than the Yeti. (1845mmwide versus 1793 for the Yeti) . As mentioned above my garage is narrow enough to make it difficult to negotiate with a car two inches wider than the Yeti.
My neighbour (who has a garage the same size as mine) swapped his Mokka for a Tiguan (1839mm wide) and misjudged his emergence from the garage and it cost him dear. whereas his Mokka went in and out for years with no incident.
KB, width has very much been a key factor for our choices since I moved to current house, though for different reasons. So having done extensive research I know you will struggle to find a tall car which is either narrower or no more than a little wider than your Yeti. There are a few though, starting with the Vauxhall Crossland and the Citroen C3 Aircross which both sit on the same previous gen PSA/Stellantis platform (which is why they are narrower than the new Mokka and Peugeot 2008). Neither are quite as tall as the Yeti (both over 1600mm though), the widths are 1765 and 1756mm respectively.
Another possibility is the Ford Ecosport (1765mm wide, 1653mm tall), which I know is much derided by the motoring press (and SLO), but it seems to be very well liked by owners (I read a lot of owners reviews!).
Bit of a wildcard in amongst these common or garden variety makes, but there is also the Subaru XV, which is only 7mm wider than the Yeti and is also 1615mm tall.
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^^^^^ Ta for the above.
I shall re- visit the models mentioned.. I've often wondered about the Citroen but never with enough seriousness to drive one, have not really considered ther Vauxhall version of it and keep wondering if a Subaru would be OK (there's a dealer in Ashburton which is twenty minutes from here).
Ta.
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Thank you for the replies about the Yaris cross
Not all Toyota dealers have one to look at, they appear to sell well but I don’t see that many on the road.
So for a family of 4 you would recommend a Corolla hatchback or estate over the Yaris cross?
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So for a family of 4 you would recommend a Corolla hatchback or estate over the Yaris cross?
Difficult to say without getting inside one and seeing just how much space there is, and if that, along with the boot, is enough for your needs.
The bare facts are that the Corolla has an 8cm longer wheelbase than the Yaris Cross indicating a fair bit more interior space. But the Yaris Cross is 16cm taller (taller than many of these small SUV/Crossover types), and a taller seating position can cancel out the deficit in wheelbase due to the naturally more vertical angle the rear passengers lower leg will be at. The Yaris Cross has a bigger boot capacity than the Corolla hatch (albeit not by much, 397 vs 361 litres), but of course the Corolla estate has a much bigger boot again (597 litres). The Yaris Cross is shorter than the Corolla hatch by 19cm, and 47cm shorter than the Corolla estate, so (along with the higher seating position) easier to park.
Also with considering if buying new is that the Corolla power is now up to 140bhp in total, whereas the Yaris Cross uses the same running gear as the Yaris, meaning 116bhp.
I prefer a higher seating position, so I'd sway towards the Yaris Cross assuming it has enough space (it does for me, plenty!).
Edited by badbusdriver on 23/04/2023 at 16:28
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^^^^ I'm not best qualified to answer you, daveyK, and you probably addressed your question to one of the others .... but I would just offer the dimensions of the cars in question and would think that the Corolla Estate (which they seem to call Touring Sports) stands out as far more suited to a family of four compared to the other two.
The Corolla Estate is 4653 long and 1445 high and 1790 wide and has a boot capacity of 598.
The Yaris Cros is 4180 long and 1595 high and 1765 wide with a boot capcity of 397.
The Corolla Hatch is 4370 long and 1435 high and 1790 wide with a boot capacity of 361
I would have thought you didn't need the extra height of the Cross but the extra boot capacity of the Estate combined with a bit more width in the Corolla as compared to the Yaris Cross added up to a conclusive case.
But maybe the Estate is too long for you? In which case ignore the above and start all over again :-)
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I had a Corolla Estate as an airport taxi last week. Obviously, I can't comment onuch as I was in the back of it for only 15 minutes, but the boot too all our stuff with ease, it was comfortable and there was enough room for me to sit in the back behind the driver in relative comfort. The front seats seemed quite bulky, but that would probably make them.quote.comdy too. As a straightforward family car, it seemed ideal.
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Thank you for the replies about the Yaris cross Not all Toyota dealers have one to look at, they appear to sell well but I don’t see that many on the road. So for a family of 4 you would recommend a Corolla hatchback or estate over the Yaris cross?
I admit to bias as an inveterate estate user for the last 30 years:
the hatchback has a fairly small boot & the estate actually also has more rear leg room (longer wb) so personally I would go for estate over hatchback if passengers are teenagers or older & if family holidays with luggage planned. The estate is a bigger car altogether. In either if ordering new you will get absolutely the latest iteration of Toyota's hybrid drivetrain.
However, the Yaris Cross is probably easier to get into & out of (higher) for those of us starting to push up in years...
I am another hoping that the Corolla Cross comes to the UK.
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Update
The search is over and I bought another CRV!!!
We have done the rounds of garages trying to get a car to replace the CRV.
We looked at the new Honda ZRV yesterday, entry car just gets under the £40K the other 2 models in the £42K-£44K range.
The cars we looked at all seemed to have "issues" for us - so in the end I bought one of the last 2023 CRVs. EX with lots of toys as standard. I even breached some of my redlines, £560 Road Tax, a proper handbrake ........
The new 2024 CRV are due next month. It is bigger in all dimensions and the prices have grown as well - the first models will be PHEVs and around £55K - Lexus pricing!!!
I will pick the car up at the end of next week - time to get the plates off the old car and a new V5 from Swansea. I could have got the car sooner but the post could see delays so I thought I would delay the pickup..
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That’s an insane price for the new model CRV. I think Honda really is killing off their chances in the UK. The Jazz and Civic have almost doubled in price in the last few years also. The market will murder them used.
Good luck with your late previous model, it’s a nice car and I’ve every faith it’ll be good to you.
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I'm pleased you're soretd, Falkirk Bairn and ignored the (in my opinion, rude and inappropriate commrnt by John F). Enjoy every moment in it.
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After all the bother I bought a a CRV EX 2023, 1900 miles.
Day 3 - all good so far.
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I had been interested in a new Civic Hybrid when the price of the base model was around £31000. Then they canned the base model and the Sport became the base model at over £34000. Then the price of the Sport went up twice to nearer £36000 and the top spec model to near £40000. Pretty much lost interest now.
Went to look at one at a dealership and when I asked why the prices had rocketed, he virtually said it was because of all the good reviews the car had received in the motoring press. Whether this is true or not I don't know but a car is reviewed taking into account its list price at the time. Would it have reviewed as well at an inflated price.
Edited by davecooper on 23/08/2023 at 22:02
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