So for the last 10 years I've always taken a 2 year lease deal bit now I'm starting to think about just buying a 2nd hand SUV car, say 3-4 years old and around £20k, then at least at the end of it I'll actually own something.
Started looking at a couple of cars, seen a few Range Rover Evokes for those figures with a round 30k miles on it, also seen a few Ford Kuga's as well.
Seeing as there's a few car buffs on here does anyone have any recommendations on these cars or maybe something else, needs to be a SUV though for trips away...
I'd keep it simple - try a Honda CRV hybrid. They are very relaxing to drive, quick enough for everyday motoring and it won't go wrong. Most of the time the wheels are powered directly by the electric motor so have instant torque (though not at Tesla etc levels).
Alternatively a Toyota RAV4 - I didn't enjoy one as much as the CRV when I test drove one but as long as you get it serviced each year Toyota extends the warranty up to 10 years (or a set mileage - 100K I think)
Yes, anything with the earlier engine which is the 2.2 ltr diesel. They are virtually bomb proof. Trouble is you would be looking at an earlier car. The disco sports were introduced with the 2.2 engine in 2015 but changed to this wretched ingenium engine at 65 plate. The Evoques were safe from 2011 until 2015, again the same 2.2 lump but also took the later engine at 65 plate.
For that money you could get a brand new MG HS but not the PHEV
Also looking at maybe a 2nd hand Volvo XC40 as well...
Anyone ever purchased from Cinch? Never dealt with them before but seem to be a load on Autotrader...
My Dad has bought from Cinch and was delighted. They offer a no-quibble return policy but the description they provided was spot on and incredibly detailed. All in, a great buying experience.
I've heard of frightening insurance premiums on some Land Rovers - suggest you plug the reg into one of the comparison websites before buying.
Mazda cx-30, drives nice and a outstanding interior
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As a matter of interest, why an SUV?
We have the Skoda Superb 280ps, which is 4x4, has enough legroom for people over 6'4" front and back at the same time, and a boot that swallows everything you'd ever want to put in it.
And it goes from 0-60 in about 5 and a bit seconds.
I am not just suggesting that, but there are plenty of 4x4 capable estates (Audi, Subau, Volvo etc) and other cars that are not SUVs, that do more in terms of performance and mpg.
Last 4 cars have been 2nd hand lease returns. We've had good fortune with value and reliability. In 2021 we picked up an 2 year old XC40 AWD. My wife loves it. It's hers so I say nothing. I think it drives mushy and very meh. MPG isn't very exciting either.
You can get a top of the range 20/21 Mazda CX-5 for your budget.
Fully loaded and a lovely place to sit.
Honda CRV
Kia Sportage
Hyundai Tucson.
In that order.
The Tuscon I have sat ready for a lease deal, top of the range spec for 360 per month over 2 years, its just I feel now is the time to move away from leasing...
The Honda is a good shout as is the Mazda someone suggested, I do like the look of the Volvo XC40 but I've seen one review the gearbox is not the most engaging especially as it doesn't have the paddles for manual gear changes...
I bought my daughter a Sportage. She loves it, but it’s not a patch on the CX-5 in terms of goodies.
The only issue with the Mazda is that the petrol version is so slow. A 2.5 is available now, but only a 2.0 litre was available in 2020.
No idea about the diesel.
I've had a CX30 for the last 3 years.
it's on lease and going back in a few weeks. I'll miss it.
Highly recommended, very comfortable, very nicely put together interior and ultra reliable.
It's certainly no sports car, but for what I've needed, a comfortable, reliable economical car - no complaints at all.
Please avoid the LR vehicles.
We have had 2 of their 2.0 litre engines fail.
One at 30k miles on an Evoque - cost around £10k to fix.
The other was my Velar at 7k miles - fortunately under warranty.
Never again.
We have a Volvo XC60 AWD now and love it.
Just come back from Volvo, XC40 nice but just on the too small for us size, the XC60 is a nice size but pricey, very tempted with those, only thing is I'm around £25k for a 5- 6 years old one with around 40,000 miles, FSH, (heated seats for the missus)...
And being told by my other half if I come back with a Honda she will refuse to get in it???
Personally I'm thinking she's too bloody stuck up and snobby to talk to about cars unless its an Audi, BMW etc etc...
I've told her umpteen times the perception she has of some car brands is so outdated...
Say you’ve found a great deal on a Skoda Yeti and send her some Autotrader links, suddenly the CRV won’t seem so bad.
My wife is the same re Skodas and any estate sadly.
I recommend the latest shape Kia Sportage. We've had one for 4 months now and loving it. GT line trim has enough toys for us and looks great too, especially in the blue flame colour exclusive to the GT line. Very modern looking inside with heated seats and steering wheel make it a very nice place to be. Drives well and feels really solid, plus the peace of mind of the 7 year warranty made it an easy choice for me. The Mrs was very reluctant to get a Kia but it's exceeded our expectations and she loves it now!
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409033597659
Last edited by Craig; 11th November 2024 at 15:15.
I looked at some lease deals last week, she liked the basic Lexus NX 450+ which i could get for £399 per month in black. I then showed her a Hyundai Tucson, top notch spec with everything on it for £360 per month, the face on her was unreal when I said the Hyundai was much better value and (to me looks better)...
I can't win with her tbh lol...
I can’t think of anything by worse to a woman than a Skoda Yeti. When I told my wife we were getting a Yeti (we weren’t) she thought it was an adapted car for wheelchair users.
She screwed me over on the next one though. Finally agreed to get rid of the Tesla and then she demanded a different Tesla. Would have loved another GLC.
There's certainly a difference in quality of interiors in Premium brand SUVs. Often Nissan/Hyundai/Kia etc. will be loaded with more tech, but BMW/Audi/Merc generally are a nicer place to sit, and usually have more power and are a nicer drive.
For your budget I'd look at Skoda, VW, Volvo, and at a push BMW X1/X3 & Audi Q3/Q5.
Spent all day and most of last night looking at cars,
Seeing as the XC40 is too small then what about a 4-5 year old Volvo XC60 or a Lexus NX300 both around the 25 - 45k mileage???
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Look closely at the tyres - they used to put 4 new Davanti tyres (not the best, to say the least) on everything, though a Polestar I was looking at appears to have a Michelin and a Landsail on the same axle, which afaik is illegal.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-det...t_cars&fromsra (not my actual postcode btw)
Also. I'd wager that buying "premium" can help with residual values (if that is important). Same with trim levels. Do your research and ensure you get one with the bits you must have, and hopefully some of the things you'd like to have. This all helps when it comes to sell later down the line.
A low spec Japanese SUV will drop like a stone in value, a well spec'd German equivalent likely won't fall as far ... But may cost more in the beginning.
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Not sure on that one.
Any BMW I've ever bought dropped like a stone in value.
Also worth considering anything German and Japanese will be expensive road tax as over £40K
And the initial registration on the bigger CO2 emitters is going up massively in April up to 5.5K for some.
Also thinking of an SUV fairly soon but think my badge snob days are behind me.
The good thing about Lexus is they don’t use just direct injection (port injection and direct injection) like loads of new cars including Hyundai and Kia.
Borrowing the thread as I will be looking at something similar, anyone got experience with Lexus, either the UX or perhaps a slightly older NX?
Well that is one to look at it Marty.
OR you have had 14 years of running brand new car/s with VED paid for in the contract and with them all in manufacturer warranty all the time to deal with any issue that might occur. I always view my own lease cars as disposable assets and given the volitility of the market now I would not want to have my own money sunk into most cars.
Neither way is right or wrong, just a case of what works for you given what you really want/need.
I have a 2020 Lexus NX300 and it’s a boring, almost uninspiring drive. However, we as a family love it. Heated comfortable seats and a heated steering wheel. It is ‘quiet’ unless you try and put your foot down and hear like a washing machine whirr type noise. I don’t mind this as the car is much quieter than my previous diesel car.
The 2022 model is the newer design with newer engines.
It might be worth looking at the Toyota RAV 4 but whilst it’s brilliant, it lacks the posh factor the wife and kids wanted.
Just come back from having a test drive of a (what looked nice) 2018 Volvo XC60, few too many little niggles on the paintwork and missing a couple of options I wanted but the drive itself (petrol auto) was very smooth and comfortable and much more space than the crowded XC40 I sat in the other day.
Dealer itself said they don't discount which is a shame (not sure how true that is, I used to love haggling with car dealers back in the late 00's when I last bought some cars). There's a few manual Mazda CX-5's nearby with the nice sport spec so I'm going to have a drive over in a hour's time to see what they are like compared to the Volvo, could get a much newer Mazda for the price the 2018 Volvo was at today.
We have a 2018 GLC220d which we’ve had from new and now has a trouble free 100,000+ miles on the clock.
Even with half the mileage of ours, there would probably be something within budget.
And it’s a Mercedes which should keep your wife happy.
Thanks, btw she's not my wife, I refuse to marry again haha...
So thats the Volvo XC60 and a Mazda CX-5 driven today.
The Volvo is very comfortable and smooth, the Mazda I drove had a manual gearbox and again the ride is very comfortable, gearbox slightly more noise than the Volvo (although I had the salesman in the Volvo so couldn't really push it) and do I need the auto gearbox for another £3k on the Mazda...
The Volvo spec was lesser than the current Mazda and I do like this heads up display on the Mazda. Just suppose it comes down to money, £24k for a base model Volvo XC60 2018 plate with 37k miles on it or around £23k for a 2022/23 Mazda CX-5 with better spec and less miles....
The Mazda is looking like its the winner tbh when I weigh everything up (and my good lady doesn't ming the Mazda or the Volvo she said)...
Any reason the OP isn’t looking at an EV? All this talk of smooth driving, any ICE vehicle is like a tractor in comparison. If you’re regularly doing a 200 mile each way commute or don’t have a drive to charge it on, you can ignore me. Ps you can partly ignore my tractor comment as I also enjoy a manual gearbox and a car that goes vroom, but when I step out of the EV into the petrol car it does feel like a very dated experience.