Which new crossover/SUV to go for?
Hi,
Can you advise on crossovers/mini-SUVs available on the Irish market please?
(A) most economical?
(B) Standard spec vs high spec (including leather seats, parking sensors, cruise control etc)?
(C) Warranty period vs reliability (current driving Kia pro_cee'd nearing end of problem-free seven-year/150k km warranty)
Many thanks,
Adrienne Redmond
Adrienne Redmond (New Ross)Jan 2016 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Adrienne,
OK, let me take that section by section...
(A) Most small crossovers use 1.5- or 1.6-litre diesel engines so you're going to average between 40- and 50mpg in any of them. Ignore the official consumption figures - they're not representative of real-world driving.
(B) Standard spec on most will include at least air conditioning and probably Bluetooth, but the items you've listed will push prices up into the €25-30k region.
(C) Kia, Hyundai and Mitsubishi have the best warranties on the market at the moment - seven, five and eight years respectively. Ford, Renault and Peugeot all offer five-year warranties too, while Fiat offers a four-year one. Most others have three-year cover. In terms of reliability, Japanese and Korean brands will almost always beat their European and American competitors.
Of the cars you're looking at, I'd say the strongest contenders are Honda's new HR-V, the Jeep Renegade, the Peugeot 2008 and the Kia Soul. All well worth a look.
Relevant reviews:
Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor@neilmbriscoe