A mate of mine is in the market for a soft roader. He's narrowed down his search to either a Nissan X-Trail or Hyundai Tucson. He could possibly stretch to a new Tucson, and is impressed with the Hyundai warranty package. If an X-Trail, it would be second hand. I think he prefers the looks of the X-Trail, but has read a few horror stories on other forums about reliability and customer care. Any thoughts people?
--
let me be the last to let you down....
|
|
Only thought is to avoid the 2.0 petrol X Trail models unless he is used to mid twenties mpg. My brother in law had one for just 6 months, the high fuel consumption soon got him back in to a 50mpg+ Passat diesel.
|
|
When looking I came to the same final pair. Check out the amount of plastic inside the Tucson. I found it not to my liking.
|
|
Got 54 reg X-trail SVE dci 2.2 a month ago and it is great. Off road in the (New) forest it behaves very well and on rutted tracks, fuel consumption about 40+ mpg although we have been doing a lot of short journeys recently. Comfortable back and front and much quieter than, say, the Honda. Completely flat back useful when collecting large item from auction. Dealer attention has been good and helpful - including a valet when we took it if for a recall! Infact it was the best dealership we came across while looking - helpful and informative without being pushy.
|
The dci engined x-trail is a renault engine, and as with all things Renault, best avoided unless you want to develop an extra special relationship with your local mechanic! Well known for premature failures and lousy reliability.
The Tucson is a good motor, but being Hyundia it will depreciate like a bomb, so best avoided unless he plans on keeping many years.
The Honda CR-V is the best in the soft-roader class - it has the lowest depreciation (both in Petrol and Diesel versions), a better image than most, more practical than most, and far more reliable.
Just my opinion...!
------------
MoneyMart
Current car: 55-reg Audi A4 2.5 V6TDi Quattro flappy-paddle
|
Sorry - I ought to add, the CR-V isn't the best choice if you're planning on using it off-road though. (but then, if you're going off-road you wouldn't buy a soft-roader as none of them are much good!)
------------
MoneyMart
Current car: 55-reg Audi A4 2.5 V6TDi Quattro flappy-paddle
|
|
|
The dci engined x-trail is a renault engine, and as with all things Renault, best avoided unless you want to develop an extra special relationship with your local mechanic! Well known for premature failures and lousy reliability. The Tucson is a good motor, but being Hyundia it will depreciate like a bomb, so best avoided unless he plans on keeping many years. The Honda CR-V is the best in the soft-roader class - it has the lowest depreciation (both in Petrol and Diesel versions), a better image than most, more practical than most, and far more reliable. Just my opinion...! ------------ MoneyMart Current car: 55-reg Audi A4 2.5 V6TDi Quattro flappy-paddle
No it isn't, the 2.2 dCi engine in the Nissan is a Nissan engine. It's got a chain driven cam whereas the Renault uses a belt.
|
Thank you Xileno! I would add that although I quite enjoyed driving the honda - feels more like a car to drive - it got the thumbs down from the passengers as being noisy and less comfortable in the back. I didn't drive the tucson as they only had an automatic available at our local dealer - the manual only has five gears and a reported 32 mpg for diesel rather than the 6 gears and 40+mpg of the x-trail.
|
|
So the passengers didnt like the Honda...did you, as thats what matters!
|
|
I quite liked it but really liked the x-trail ...... and if you think it is fun to drive while husband and at least one teenager complain ......!! having said that, it was totally my choice in the end as I am the only one to drive it with the only other consideration being ease of entry and exit for husband - both fine in both honda and x-trail.
|
the x-trail is a smart looking motor especially in silver ,it would be my choice if i could justify my 2 mile daily commute.
\"a little man in a big world/\"
|
>No it isn't, the 2.2 dCi engine in the Nissan is a Nissan >engine. It's got a chain driven cam whereas the Renault uses a >belt.
No it isn't me old fruit, it's a Renault engine tweaked by Nissan.
I know because I did my research when considering buying one, and found multiple references to it's Renault heritage on the Nissan website, which is ultimately what put me off.
Also the Which! report comments on it's Renault engineering (as well as commenting on the associated poor reliability).
Finally, there is a Renault diamond logo embossed on the engine block somewhere near the number 1 or 2 cylinders, which removed all doubt in my mind that the engine is in fact French!
Oh, and the big give-away is the fact that "dCi" is a Renault trade-mark! (in the same way as TDi is VAG registered trademark)
------------
MoneyMart
Current car: 55-reg Audi A4 2.5 V6TDi Quattro flappy-paddle
|
Personaly given this choice i would go for the Xtrail. If given a completly free choice would go for the new shape disco.
paul
|
|
Well in that case I apologise but they must have changed the recipe quite recently since the 2.2dCi in the Primera is or was a Nissan unit. It was definitely a different engine, the cam was chain driven.
|
|
I have an x-trail (2004) which has a cam chain. Does this make it a Nissan engine or a Renault with a chain? Either way, it's a wonderful car.
|
A quick update. After spending all this time narrowing the search down to two, and test driving both at the weekend, it looks like the decision has been made. It seems like my friend is going to get ......a Santa Fe.
Don't know what the deal is on the table, but the dealer wouldn't discount a Tucson (too new), but would move on a Santa Fe.
Oh, and the Nissan dealer was utterly disinterested.
--
let me be the last to let you down....
|
Santa Fe is being replaced in Europe and USA right now by an updated version (Santa Fe Grand??) but nothing inherently wrong with the old one. Will tow more than the Tucson and on a par with the X-Trail. Depreciation only worry if it is not a longer term purchase so hard negotiations downwards on current stock recommended. I think sat nav may be one euro in France on the old model.
And, worth checking where the air intake is on the Santa Fe if any trips to Morocco are planned. On the similar Sorento from Hyundai's subsidiary Kia, the air intake is in the air flow behind one of the front wheels which is hardly a good idea for an off-roader which might (just) be used in muddy or sandy and dusty conditions. No deserts in Korea for the designers to think about, presumably.
More useless information: the Tucson is the top selling SUV in Belgium. I don't know what that tells us about the Tucson which seemed perfectly OK until I read that.
|
|
|
