Petrol or diesel for a SUV that does lots of short trips?

[Toothbrushfence]

Hi,
Apologies but I don’t know a huge amount about cars. I’m looking to buy a used SUV for less than £10k. Been looking at Tiguans but suddenly thought my small trips my be a problem for a diesel. We do a lot of short trips and maybe one or two big ones a month. Is it a myth that diesels will give you big repair bills if they do not consistently get up to temp? Unfortunately, the petrol Tiguans are a good few thousand more.
Otherwise, had a look at petrol SUVs in that price range and like the look of a Sportage. Good idea?

[rgw2012]

I don't own any diesels myself but several friends who have them and only use them for short trips around town are having far too regular failures of the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) as it never gets hot enough to burn itself clean (for want of a better phrase). Unless you are doing decent mileages then surely the economics work in favour of petrol these days considering the price difference at the pump. I'm sure someone will come along with some numbers to validate or disprove that!

[Pericoloso]

Short trips = petrol

That is all.

[g40steve]

Pericoloso said:

Short trips = petrol

That is all.

True, the small turbo 1.2 & 1.3 etc are decent.

[Toothbrushfence]

Cheers guys - that’s really helpful. Looks like petrol is the winner. Do you know which/if any of these touchscreen consoles would fit as sportage? https://www.halfords.com/technology/car-audio/appl...
Thanks.

[Jag_NE]

My wife does 4 miles each way to work in a diesel and we usually stretch the cars legs on a weekend but not always. Zero issues.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say take a good look at the Kuga:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Crossland X Elite Nav 130

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

Elite 110

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

[Andyspro]

I run a diesel BMW x5 and it does not get good fuel economy on short trips. Long trips on the motorway it's brilliant but for short trips it's not good. However saying that diesel is supposed to get more mpg than petrol even when just doing short trips around town etc. So diesel might be the way to go. I have not experienced any problems with mine yet.

[Toothbrushfence]

Thanks - they’re around the same price as a Sportage - what are your thoughts on the Kia?

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd say take a good look at the Kuga:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Crossland X Elite Nav 130

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

Elite 110

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

[oldcynic]

I think you need to be clear about how short your short trips are. I drive about 9 miles each way in a diesel XC90 and have done for 4 years without a problem, however when my wife was constantly driving 1 mile or less we’d get the dpf warning after a couple of weeks. A quick trip out on the motorway for 5 minutes would reset it.

[ZX10R NIN]

Toothbrushfence said:

Thanks - they’re around the same price as a Sportage - what are your thoughts on the Kia?

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd say take a good look at the Kuga:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Crossland X Elite Nav 130

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

Elite 110

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

The Kia is a very good car but imo the Kuga is better, then you factor in the extra torque the Kuga has & imo the Kuga is the better car.

The 1.6/2.0 N/A engines in the Kia are good you just have to work them a bit more than you do the Kuga.

[Toothbrushfence]

Oh really? That’s interesting. Maybe the Tiguan is back on the table - though our trips are more like your wife’s.

oldcynic said:

I think you need to be clear about how short your short trips are. I drive about 9 miles each way in a diesel XC90 and have done for 4 years without a problem, however when my wife was constantly driving 1 mile or less we’d get the dpf warning after a couple of weeks. A quick trip out on the motorway for 5 minutes would reset it.