Reliable mid-sized SUV

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..required for Mrs C so I assume a LR Freelander 3 would be best.......?

But seriously...she currently drives an Auris, She has very limited interest in badge snobbery, Her main priorities are reliability and space. As the kids are getting taller she needs something with more headroom/legroom, a bigger boot would be nice for the shopping, and more ground clearance would be nice when we're out in the countryside, as well as taller suspension to cope with the ever-decreasing quality of roads. Budget is up to £15k.

The preferred option AFAICS would be a RAV4 XTR. A Q5 would be my preference but, as she wants reliability, I'm guessing that's out of the question? And the same logic applies to the Tiguan?

I refuse to buy an Qashqai or a CR-V on the grounds that they're pig ugly, or a Sportage on the grounds that it has 113bhp so it would probably be quicker walking.

Thanks for all useful advice.

[MorganP104]

You could do a lot worse than the RAV4.

I wonder if the Ford Kuga is worth a look, too. Ford generally make nice-driving cars (EcoSport excepted), which is why I've suggested it.

Renault do a couple of mid-size SUVs, too, though I can't remember their names. If you like a bit of French, one of those might be worthy of consideration.

[K50 DEL]

You have much the same criteria as I had when I was looking for a replacement daily driver a couple of years ago... back then there really weren't many options, I tried a 184bhp Toyota Rav4 but it felt so badly made that I just didn't gel with it so it went, in favour of the only thing I could find at the time with 40+ mpg and reasonable grunt - a BMW X1

Now, thanks to the passage of time and your better budget you have a few more to choose from. In your shoes I'd be looking at

2.0 Hyundai Tucson (only the new 182bhp version available from 2015)
2.0 Kia Sportage (again, only the 181 brake version from 2015)

Both of these will be right at the top end (and maybe a stiff negotiation over) your £15k budget but I'd wager they'd fit the bill well.
I'd also look at the BMW X3, a facelift version either the 20d or 30d would be in budget and, although a year or so older would doubtless feel more "premium" than either of the two above, this is what I'll be replacing my X1 with in another 12 months or so

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Thanks Morgan

Unfortunately I've had bad experiences with Ford diesels (including a C-Max TDCi engine seizing) which has put me off those. I'm also not a big fan of French reliability and that is the one/main thing that Mrs C wants.

[juice]

Countdown said:

..required for Mrs C so I assume a LR Freelander 3 would be best.......?

Just to counter-balance this....We've got a Freelander 2 - one of the last (14 plate Dynamic). So far in 50,000 miles nothing at all has gone wrong with it.

[techguyone]

ford do petrol kugas too, my 150 petrol is pretty nice, obviously you went get DERV mpg though, but its not crazy mpg like the 180 bhp petrol either.

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K50 DEL said:

You have much the same criteria as I had when I was looking for a replacement daily driver a couple of years ago... back then there really weren't many options, I tried a 184bhp Toyota Rav4 but it felt so badly made that I just didn't gel with it so it went, in favour of the only thing I could find at the time with 40+ mpg and reasonable grunt - a BMW X1

Now, thanks to the passage of time and your better budget you have a few more to choose from. In your shoes I'd be looking at

2.0 Hyundai Tucson (only the new 182bhp version available from 2015)
2.0 Kia Sportage (again, only the 181 brake version from 2015)

Both of these will be right at the top end (and maybe a stiff negotiation over) your £15k budget but I'd wager they'd fit the bill well.
I'd also look at the BMW X3, a facelift version either the 20d or 30d would be in budget and, although a year or so older would doubtless feel more "premium" than either of the two above, this is what I'll be replacing my X1 with in another 12 months or so

Thanks. I'd not considered the X1 or X3, mainly because I've always thought of them as quite ugly, quite expensive (relatively speaking) and also because they're RWD (no offence !). I'd prefer FWD as occasionally the school run gets a bit slippy but I don't want to go full 4WD.

However, if memory serves, the facelifted X1 looks OK (like a 3-series Touring on stilts) so I might have a nosy. The Sportage and Tucson are both good value but a bit too long for her. She needs something shorter than 4600mm.

[MrAverage]

I've been recommending CRV's when these threads come up but since you have stated you dislike them I wont, despite them being a very good vehicle.

I have no personal experience with ford kuga's other than a few passenger rides, all I can say is it exceeded my expectations. It rode nicely, was smooth and quiet and my colleague has been very impressed with it.
If they used a normal gearbox and not that power-shift stbox (happy to be corrected) I'd be looking at one seriously for my OH.

[croyde]

I'm thinking of a SUV type car next, if possible.

Have been tempted by the most basic Dacia Duster, new, but saw a badly driven one on the motorway yesterday. The idiot in charge veered into the outside lane at about 75 for no reason then swerved back into the middle before being hit by a high speed cruiser.

The car nearly toppled over. To be fair to the Duster the driver was a complete nob, so maybe I am being harsh.

I like the suggestion of the Kia Sportage though. My girlfriend has a C'eed and it's comfy and big inside for a little hatch but the engine is a bit asthmatic. It is an Eco version though.

I presume the Sportage has a bigger engine.

Only worry now, being back in London, should I buy a diesel?

[Countdown]

Sportage specs say 114bhp, which is about the same as her current Auris, and if the Auris is slow I dread to think what the Sportage is like.

[K50 DEL]

Countdown said:

Sportage specs say 114bhp, which is about the same as her current Auris, and if the Auris is slow I dread to think what the Sportage is like.

You're looking at the older one, same as the Tucson - look at the newer, post 2015 versions and both have a c180bhp 2.0d engine, plenty for sale on Autotrader when I looked earlier.

[croyde]

I quick look and I see 1.5 ecoboost 2016 Kugas from Ford approved used for just under £15k.

According to the blurb, these can do 32mpg urban, really? from a petrol.

Coming from an old 90s 2.5 6 pot BMW and a 2016 Mustang 5.0, that still seems amazing.

[techguyone]

petrol auto kugas don't have powershift, only the DERV does

[Mo28]

Can't go wrong with a Volvo XC60

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Mo28 said:

Can't go wrong with a Volvo XC60

Would have been perfect...except it needs to be shorter than 4600mm

[Yipper]

Mercedes ML63 AMG in black.

0-60 in 5secs, with a 6L monster engine. Fantastic car.

There is one on sale now (near Cambridge) on AT at ~£15k (no connection to it):

https://i.atcdn.co.uk/imgser-uk/servlet/media?id=7...

[HiAsAKite]

Was in a similar position, and we went for a previous gen RAV4 xt4 ( lower budget than you). 3 years later, so far so good..

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HiAsAKite said:

Was in a similar position, and we went for a previous gen RAV4 xt4 ( lower budget than you). 3 years later, so far so good..

I think it will be the previous generation I go for.

What's the tailgate like? Apparently it doesn't open that wide. Also does it have parking sensors/rear camera / satnav / aux in for her music?

Ta

[ZX10R NIN]

Ford Kuga Titanium X Sport 180bhp version

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

150bhp

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

160bhp Auto

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

These are reliable come loaded with kit & would be my first choice but here are a few other options:

Sportage KX-4 180bhp Auto

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Range Rover Evoque 190bhp

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

CX-5 Sport Nav 150bhp

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[S54Love]

CX-5s spring to mind, and generally comes with a lot of kit as standard.