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Need help identifying suitable new car

Of course you can ignore car reviews, but I would at least read them and bear the facts/opinions in mind. It's too easy to miss something on a test drive, especially when the car is different to anything else you've owned.
 
Tony Lockhart said:
Subaru XV?

I'd advise caution. Unless you're in need of a rugged off-road hatchback, the Autocar review will put you off.

Unless you absolutely need 4WD, don't buy one.
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Completely redesigned apparently and is now a different car or so I am lead to believe. As I said upthread not available until 2018 although the Japanese and the Americans already have them and they are a vast improvement if reviews are to be believed.
 
SUVs vary enormously between saloon like handling and true off road wallowers. Which compromise you like is a very personal choice.
My wife has a Mitsubishi ASX, which is available as a PHEV in the UK - an option that could be very useful with councils putting in emission regulations
 
Modern CVT transmissions are not to worry about. My wife has one in the Nissan. When we test drove it, I did not realise it was CVT until reading up on the car later (it was car that was way down our list, but ended up buying it). Now, when I drive it (not often it has to be said) I am still impressed by how nicely it drives. There is no engine speeding sensation or rubber band noises (remember the Daf 44????? and some Volvos built that way). No Sports car, but handles well and has well enough power to get around and keep up on roads as they are these days.
 
Tony Lockhart said:
Of course you can ignore car reviews, but I would at least read them and bear the facts/opinions in mind. It's too easy to miss something on a test drive, especially when the car is different to anything else you've owned.
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I get where you are coming from but most car reviews are about as useful as hifi reviews (see 50 Greatest Bargains in High-End Audio thread). My father has just bought a new Discovery Sport (he likes the bling). Top of the range, all the toys, cost a lot of money, looks very sparkly, brilliant reviews. Would I trust it on a foul winter night in the middle of nowhere? About as far as I could throw it. Give me a Forester, Outback or Land Cruiser every time, or even the old model XV with their so-so reviews.
 
If that scenario is your priority, great. The op, I don't think, made any mention of it. Any car that meets his entry comfort requirements shod with cross climate or winter tyres would do for 99.9% of the time in most of the U.K.

We seem to have blown the initial requirement the op had for a higher up car into a go anywhere, all terrain warrior.
 
Tony Lockhart said:
If that scenario is your priority, great. The op, I don't think, made any mention of it. Any car that meets his entry comfort requirements shod with cross climate or winter tyres would do for 99.9% of the time in most of the U.K.

We seem to have blown the initial requirement the op had for a higher up car into a go anywhere, all terrain warrior.
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I was just using the example of the Discovery, which gets stellar reviews, in what should be it’s natural environment. Call it the M40 if you like. In my view, it’s not as good as other options which get inferior reviews.

Back on track, I think a Forester fits the brief perfectly. If I have encouraged the OP to at least look at one rather than automatically defaulting to the volume stuff, then great. If it’s not for him, it’s not for him and never will be.
 
Tony Lockhart said:
If that scenario is your priority, great. The op, I don't think, made any mention of it. Any car that meets his entry comfort requirements shod with cross climate or winter tyres would do for 99.9% of the time in most of the U.K.

We seem to have blown the initial requirement the op had for a higher up car into a go anywhere, all terrain warrior.
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Inevitably, we've gone a little off-piste! Not much use for 4x4 in Surrey(!) and when we spend more time in Scotland now that we are retired we will probably fly/train up there and hire something suitable. Always happy to try something off the wall though and the Subarus might be ok, but look a long shot.

The main issue is the petrol/auto option which is a rare combination, which surprised me. I'm probably down to the Ateca or Honda CRV, but I will look wider.
 
You may be surprised at how large and bulky a CRV is. Still a great car, though not as fuel efficient as more recent European designs.
An aquaintance has an Ateca (had a speedy Leon before) and is dead impressed. New small Skoda SUV has got to be worth a serious look.
 
Just randomly went into our local Honda dealer and was indeed surprised by just how big the CRV is! Luckily, it was sat next to an HRV that is pretty much what we are looking in terms of size at least for and at a keen price with plenty of toys. Test drive to be organised next week after we have tried the Ateca, which now has a serious challenger...
 
Ponty said:
Back on track, I think a Forester fits the brief perfectly. If I have encouraged the OP to at least look at one rather than automatically defaulting to the volume stuff, then great. If it’s not for him, it’s not for him and never will be.
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The Forester has gotten considerably lardier, as has the Outback. I thought the previous generation Forester was getting too big already, as I wanted a 2011 edition (with the new engine) to replace my 2006 Legacy. Otherwise, I agree Subaru makes great cars with superb road manners. I'm now more inclined to get a WRX to replace the Legacy.
 
We test drove the HRV as a petrol auto. It was dangerously slow to pull away from junctions - so was canned immediately. The Diesel went well by comparison. Petrol Manual probably OK - Honda is meant to be good at making engines after all.

HRV was top of my wife's list bit we could not get a diesel auto (non made apparently). So ended up with Qashqai
 
Sean K said:
Another Skoda option would be the Octavia Scout with the DSG box - slightly higher ride height than standard model.... You may be able to find a good deal on an ex-demo model with most of the warranty intact, as Skoda brought out a 'facelift' model earlier in the year.
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I second this - I got a great lease deal on one in the summer. It was the showroom model and they wanted it out of the way before the facelift version was released. The DSG box is excellent. Of course it is diesel, which you didn’t ask for.

(There’s also an excellent VAG community online with helpful people who will enable software options for a pittance - I paid £20 for some things that would have cost £500 from the dealer.)
 
hc25036 said:
The main issue is the petrol/auto option which is a rare combination, which surprised me. I'm probably down to the Ateca or Honda CRV, but I will look wider.
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A UK marketing thing. Most larger cars are ONLY sold in SE Asia as petrol/auto
 
JensenHealey said:
We test drove the HRV as a petrol auto. It was dangerously slow to pull away from junctions - so was canned immediately. The Diesel went well by comparison. Petrol Manual probably OK - Honda is meant to be good at making engines after all.

HRV was top of my wife's list bit we could not get a diesel auto (non made apparently). So ended up with Qashqai
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That’s useful to know. Will check that out
 
Seeker_UK said:
Noone has made a decent CVT yet,
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I guess that depends on your criteria for "decent". But the latest Subaru CVT feels just like the superb 8-speed ZF automatic box in BMWs. I also used to think nothing beats a proper manual transmission, but technology has caught up with my prejudices. I'll be torn with that choice when I buy my next car.
 
hifinutt said:
veering slightly off topic , glad you could buy one . been with vauxhall for many years as they look after me well , cars are incredibly reliable and dealers close. i loooked carefully at the crossland so look forward to hearing how you get on. i wondered if a 1.2 was adequate for a fairly big car . in the end i decided the rear visibilty was not good enough so got one of the outgoing vauxhall models which has superb visibilty but not as flash as the crossland
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Two months so far and it's pretty good. We got the camera and sensors so parking is a doddle. The only issues in the rear doors are slightly low at the back. It was easier to get in and out of a Panda. The auto box/engine is nice and provides plenty of poke and has little turbo lag.

Seems to be pretty well made and insurance was low. I'm sure I'd prefer a Beemer or VW (but not with the Skoda auto box!) but it does the job. It's not flash! It certainly isn't as ugly as a Nissan Puke or this monstrosity.

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Stephen
 
hc25036 said:
Just randomly went into our local Honda dealer and was indeed surprised by just how big the CRV is! Luckily, it was sat next to an HRV that is pretty much what we are looking in terms of size at least for and at a keen price with plenty of toys. Test drive to be organised next week after we have tried the Ateca, which now has a serious challenger...
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The Ateca does get some good reviews, just remember that the HRV has no provision for a spare wheel of any kind if that is important to you. I paid £80 for a ditchfinder tyre when stuck in the middle of nowhere
One of the car mags (car buyer?) had SUVs rated IIRC there were over 100 of them :eek:
 
Tony Lockhart said:
Of course you can ignore car reviews, but I would at least read them and bear the facts/opinions in mind. It's too easy to miss something on a test drive, especially when the car is different to anything else you've owned.
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The problem with most reviews is that they appear to compare say, a Vauxhall to a Porsche. Most reviews of the Vauxhall Crossland said it was terrible and wallowy to drive. It's not. It drives fine. It's just not a Porsche.

Stephen
 
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