Will the Audi Q5 or BMW 5 Series Estate make a good replacement for our 2007 Land Rover Discovery?

We have a 2007 Land Rover Discovery but are looking to change for a smaller car, and are thinking about the Audi Q5 or the BMW 5 Series Estate. We do drive to Scotland several times a year from London and need a car that can cover miles with comfort, and is economical.

Asked on 2 October 2010 by JP, Beaconsfield

Answered by Honest John
There is something like a six month waiting list for a Q5 due to demand from other markets more profitable to Audi than the UK. They are very nice cars, but not worth the wait. F10 5 Series aren't coming through thick and fast either because demand in Europe is strong and the makers make much more profit selling them there than in the UK. Starving the UK of cars also benefits residual values and enables manufacturers to eventually put up prices and make greater profits. This is already evident in auction prices of late, low mileage Audi A3s.

To be more practical, think along the lines of a Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 R-Type diesel or a KIA Sorento 2.2 R Type diesel. Or look very seriously at the new BMW X3 2.0 diesel that seems to do everything very well indeed, and slightly better than the Audi Q5.
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