Jamesemt

We are looking for something bigger than our current Fabia vRS, and the wife has taken a shine to these.

Anyone on here got one? They seem really well priced for their size (need something very baby friendly...).

Leeroy

I haven't got one but have had one as a hire car a couple of times for long journeys.
Although easy to drive and quite comfy (compared to Sti!), I wasn't overly impressed but have had the pleasure of comparing the Tucson back-to-back with a Kia Sorento (both oil-burners), which IMHO was a far better car and more solidly built. The bread knife and bin-lid also preferred the Kia!

gingerboy

Kia Sorento , was given one as a hire car as my new shape passat is off road awaiting 2 new cooling fans which failed and are on back order. Have to say that it is possibly the worst thing I have ever driven, steering felt awful, build quality was a joke and the seats were possibly the worst I have ever sat in.

Saying that I am above normal height at 6ft 2" and medium to large build (14.5 - 15 stone) so not a lardy **** by any stretch but I just could not get comfortable to the point that after a 300 mile journey I returned the car and demanded something a little better.

Don't get me wrong I'm no badge snob but I would not recommend the Kia to my worst enemy. Whatever you do take the Hyundai and or the Kia on a decent test drive.

If it were me and my money I would either put it into a secondhand Zafira, Golf Plus, S-max (budget allowing) as they seem to be getting rave reviews, anything but a Kia Sorento!!

Just my two penneth for what it's worth.

GB

CrisPDuk

Our neighbours have had a Sorrento for 3 years and they love it, as far as I know the only problem they've ever had was with brake dust marking the paint on the wheels, all 4 replaced under warranty straight away.

Jamesemt

Now considering a Santa Fe!!

subevo

almost bought a kia sportage as its almost identical and i liked the look of the rear end i.e cross between an x5 and a xc90 looks good in black with the rear windows blacked out in xs trim.wife decided to move house so deal fell through.only downside would be kia only has a 3 year warranty as opposed to the tuscons 5year.i liked it alot.also heard reports that the diesel returns only 30mpg .the book states 40.

Leeroy

FFS, all i'm saying is the Kia is better than the Tucson. The two are very similar, hence the comparison.

Jamesemt

lol

Anyone got a Santa Fe? Looks like I can get a brand new old shape for under £14k...that's a lot of car for the money.

Apart from the looks and the engine capacity increase (up to 2.2 on the entry diesel), are the old shape models just as well equipped? Huge spec on the new CDXs...

Rapid17

The couple of reviews i've seen on the new model Santa Fe said it was far, far superior to the old model. Geoff.

Rabid

Women eh?We have Brendan on this very forum who isn't allowed to have an estate car but was allowed a RAV4 and now your better half with 'unusual' tastes in motor vehicles. It does prompt the question though- why not just go and buy something decent and just let her choose the colour?

It's good to know though that there are worse interiors and styling than those of the Forester.

gingerboy

Leeroy, I wasn't aiming my thoughts and or smilies at you, more the Sorento.

Apologies if you took it as a personal attack upon you, I certainly didn't intend it that way. Just I had, as had you first hand experince of said car and personally I thought it was very poor.

As I pointed out I would put my money elsewhere - whether or not my suggestions would suit every given individual is another matter and at the end of the day the world would be a boring place if we all were the same.

GB

sillysi

We have been to look at a Santa Fe today, very impressed. We currently have a Freelander and it puts it to shame. Looked at the older Santa Fe as well and to be honest it looks so cheap compared to the new model. Only problem with the Santa Fe is it is just to big for us.

In the end we went for a Rav 4, similiar spec to a Santa Fe but smaller and pound for pound a better car IMO.

Jamesemt

We did that with the Fabia vRS, and ended up with a red one

Jamesemt

Right, had a Tucson for a 4 hour test drive...

Quite impressed really, loads of boot space, like the way the rear seats fold flat. SWMBO managed to drive it without hitting anything

Three things I didn't like - brakes were very poor, perfomance was non existent (errr it's not designed for that, but all the same...), and I managed to get 35mpg out of it driving like a granny

What's the most frugal 4x4 - or do any of them come with a dual fuel conversion out of the factory? I realise 'frugal' and SUV don't really live together!

To put it into comparison, the stretch of road that gave me 35mpg in the Hyundai, gave me 57mpg in the Fabia...Any SUVs do a real 40mpg?

Rabid

At least the car was half decent though

Women- know your limits! (if my girlfriend ever reads this I'm a dead man)

Petem95

Obviously you've not actually seen what they look like yet....

mattstant

Just recently put a deposit down on a Nissan X trail and tried both the Kia Sportage and the Tucson.
The New sportage was a much nicer vehicle inside the y both drove identically
but the nissan swayed us on two fronts Depreciation and a much more powerful 2.2 DCI engine.
The Xtrail is better on consumption as well

matchmaker

Lucky escape - she could have chosen yellow

Leeroy

No problem m8.

lucky_strike

We've had the old shape Santa Fe and now the Tucson in the family for probaby three years now. The Santa Fe was the first, 2.4 petrol model and although at the time it was ok the ride wasn't the best (loads of body roll) and engine performance wasn't great. The spec level was good but interior trim and finish was below par compared to the european alternatives. All that said it was a cracking car for the money and the 5 year warranty was a big attraction, even though not kept that long.

We've had the 2.0 petrol based Tucson around 18 months ago and I'd say it's a big step up on the old shape Santa Fe. Interior trim is better (although still not German standards but no rattles or anything falling apart at all) and the ride is improved - it is a SUV so not a sports car, body roll still there but better, you can push this car and it won't do anything silly. Petrol engine still isn't great, doesn't sound like it appreciates being revv'ed although it soldiers on. MPG from it is not ideal either but not so bad as it would put us off another. We do some towing of the race car with it (about 1000Kg's all up with the trailer) and it tows as well as the 2.4 Santa Fe (will sit at 75-80 on the motorway if you work the gears a little all day long) and does a good job when we've had to get the trailer in and out of muddy fields. I'm not saying it's a true off roader but with the TC disabled and it in permanent 4wd mode it has got us out where other 'brand' 4x4's have failed (although mainly down to poor driving rather than vehicle ability).

Stereo isn't great but again better on the Tucson than the Santa Fe (they are fast learners) but the spec of the Tucson is generally very good - climate, leather, electric windows all round and sun roof, cruise control, trip computer as well as the 4wd gubbins and all for £15K or under from memory. Rear seats easily flip flat to create a large flat rear area for shifting things around as well.

Again the 5 year warranty gives piece of mind and the looks of the Tucson have certainly gone more main stream than the 'curvey' Santa Fe. The new Santa Fe looks better again and is getting reasonable reviews in the press but they've upp'ed the price to move it up a segment.

The Santa Fe and the Tucson to date (touch wood) have not needed any warranty work in the three years and probably 25K miles of ownership and nothing has felt like it neeeded it.

mightyyid

We looked at the Hyundai and the Sorento, and went for the Sorento. Despite one despising it, we have driven it numerous times on long journeys and to say the seats were poor would point more to the driver than the seats - never had a problem with the car or the seats, yes, the steering is not great (too light at speed and too many turns lock to lock) and the handling is not great, but generally it's fine. Great load of space, nicely equipped (we went for XS model - XE is too low spec, XT not really worth the extra) and bought a 7 month old model XS with 5,000 miles on it. Got it for £16500 so a good deal all in. Looks inside and out are great and I think way better than most Hyundai's, and the missus likes it as it's her car. We also got the manual diesel which is pretty decent, and with the aid of a 15 minute fitment performance kit, (DIY fitting), takes it to 165 bhp and torque to 265 lb ft. Lovely strong engine then... And if you read all the reviews, most praise the car. Was always a badge snob, but Freelander iffy build quality, x-Trail nasty dash, and others not really worthy...

Just my thoughts....

Jamesemt

What'll it do per gallon? Will it crack 40mpg on a run?