Which SUV Should I Buy?
QUESTION
Hi John,
I really miss your segment on 2ue on Friday night, but since Murray left I don't listen. I have to buy a new car. It's very confusing! The ones I'd like your feedback on are:- Ford Falcon 4cyl. Ford Kuga, Mitsubishj ASX 2wd, Nissan Dualis. If the budget can stretch will consider Mazda 6 or Subaru Forester,
Look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much.
Cheers,
Dianne
ANSWER
Hi Dianne,
It is very confusing. If I were you, I would look at the following two vehicles, which in my opinion are the top two small SUVs (light-duty 4WDs) in the market.
Kia Sportage: I bought one of these about 15 months ago, and I've been very happy with it. It's unbeatable for value for money, drives really well and has a superb set of standard features, as well as a five-year warranty. Read more on the Kia Sportage here.
Mazda CX-5: A brilliantly advanced compact SUV. Mazda is at the top of its game right now, and the CX-5 offers great technology and a slightly bigger cabin space than the Sportage. You can see how the two compare in the recent Overlander SUV of the Year test, which I have as a video in my portfolio page here. (Scroll down to the fifth video.) Warranty is only three years, which is a consideration if you plan on owning the car for a significant period.
Ford Falcon: Forget about it. Ford's locally built products are among the least reliable in the market. And it really is a different vehicle to these compact SUVs in the rest of your list.
Ford Kuga: A nice little SUV. Compare it to the Sportage and CX-5 (above) before deciding.
Mitsubishi ASX: I don't think this is in the running compared with the Sportage and CX-5. But Mitsubishi does offer a five-year warranty - the only one of the Japanese to do so.
Nissan Dualis: Really not in the running compared with the Sportage and the CX-5. Buying this vehicle is a mistake.
Mazda6: Not really the same as an SUV, but a brilliant car in the mid-size range. You need to decide whether you want a car or an SUV. If you want a car, compare the Mazda6 to the Hyundai i40 (but in the case of the i40, the petrol is pretty gutless - whereas the diesel is good).
When you get a bit further down the track, Dianne, don't hesitate to contact me again. I will put you in touch with an excellent car broker who can secure the vehicle you want at the best possible price. See also my guide to negotiating with a car dealer. (Which you can watch as a video or read as a story.)
Thanks for contacting me at AutoExpert.com.au, and for being a regular listener on 2UE.
Sincerely,
John Cadogan