How to choose the right medium SUV (the complete guide) | Auto Expert John Cadogan
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John, have always loved your posts, however over the past 12 months you seemed to have developed two really annoying habits for viewers. You seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time 'playing with your paperwork'. Secondly you have developed a really annoying habit of looking away from the camera, more interested in whether your scrunched paper ball goes into an alleged bin. Talk to US, concentrate on US the viewers, otherwise it seems you are interested in anything other than those of us watching.
@@allenrj1 Nah - I like things the way they are. Everyone is a frustrated executive producer.
Interesting vid John, yes I was one of those people, I was a Land Rover / Range Rover "die hard", I had quite a few of them, the good thing was I had a good idea about how to fix them and known faults like oil leaks, I could usually stem the flow but never actually stop them. As technology moved on and the cost of the diagnostics increased I realised it was time to move on, the straw that broke the camel's back was changing the alternator on my 3.6 TDV8 Range Rover, beautiful vehicle, quick for an SUV and pulled like a train. However when the vehicle broke down on the way back from DPC and was eventually towed to a mechanic in a rural workshop, whose response was "if I can't see it mate I'm not fixin it", the vehicle was then transported back to Perth where I replaced the alternator through the O/S wheel arch after having to lift the engine to get the alternator out, four evenings it took me and alot of time looking at You Tube vids, that was it, sold a week later. I now drive a Kia Stinger (Red of course) after watching several vids, your reports and a couple of test drives. Towing and other stuff I have my 79 series dual cab and love it. Keep on going John you're doing a great job.
The old Commodore and Falcon station wagons were a lot more functional and went much better than just about anything on the market now . I could easily sleep in the back of either.
Yes - they were cavernous in the rear. There is, of course, a joke there somewhere.
We have these things called beds
@@kevinbarry71 fit wheels and tow it?
@@petesmitt there's a proper separation. Perhaps you were unaware? Houses, hotels.
Even better were the panelvans.
The 2.5 Turbo in the Mazda CX-5 is the best engine/trans package in the class by a long way. It's a phenomenal drive.
Great work on this one John. Love to see what can be done when someone with knowledge, training and the guts to analyse the vehicle market in Australia and say what they find. Thankyou.
John great job explaining the reality in layman’s terms as always with a few laughs, keep up the good work!
Thanks David - will do.
When you went through the mainstream list of 22, l cut it down to 3 in about 15 seconds. Forester, Tuscon, Sportage.
Dear John: I can " relate " to this topic. In the last 3 years, I've bought 3 SUV's, startinfg with the Kia Seltos, then to the Subaru Forester Touring, and just a week ago to the Subaru Forester Wilderness. Fortunately, I think three is a charm as the Wilderness has given me everything I can expect from a car-down to the frigging geyser-blue color. The cost of this learning curve--for trading in--has been impressive. Luckily, I'm old and have more disposable income than I deserve so I could afford the tutorial of experience.
I'm glad you included Subaru. I still drive my 2004 Liberty GT wagon, first owner, almost 250,000 km. Just replaced the front lower control arms, to replace OE dampers with Bilsteins next. I intend to hang on to it. It has been pretty reliable.
OEM were Bilsteins.
I opted for the CX5 - my niece bought a new Forester and it’s been a POS with the dealer not playing nicely at all. My previous was a Tiguan and the dealers were hopeless and disinterested in any form of support.
Keep up the great work.
my inclination is that , ie Mazda over Subie and VW
What problems is the Forester having?
We bought the Kia Sportage, having test-driven the Sportage, CX-5 and Rav4. The Tucson went out on the basis of the similarity with the better-looking Sportage, and the Forester just seemed a bit "meh".
We haven't regretted our decision in the slightest - especially after living with a Rav4 as a hire car for two weeks. The Sportage interior feels a lot nicer to sit in for longer periods, the ride is very, very smooth, and the whole thing just feels a bit more luxurious.
That said, the only reason we bought an SUV is because my fiancee has a few mobility issues, so the taller loading height is a big deal. Otherwise, if you want a Kia that comfortably seats two adults, two kids plus some luggage, then their best model is absolutely the Kia Cerato Sport+.
I did a lot of research before I bought my Kia Sportage SX it suited my needs. The boot space is great, fits three child seats no problems, and most importantly I was able to get it as a manual. The only other car that has manual was the cx5 downfall was the boot space was smaller and the space saver tyre or as I call it. THE DOUGHNUT OF SHAME!
3 child seats?
Crikey, sucker for punishment
In the US they're not providing any spare to reduce weight to help meet Authoritarian fuel efficiency demands.
😅😅😅😅
I was in the market for medium SUV last year and after watching your KIA Sportage video went for the NQ5 Sportage GT Line Diesel didn’t want the petrol because of the DCT . Great vehicle Thankyou John for the review on Sportage . Love the torque of the diesel , love the GTLine dash.
Loving the latest uploads John, keep up the great work for the good of AUSTRALIA! Always informative delivered honestly. I listen to a great deal whilst at work and know you have rather lengthy videos. Any chance of time stamping a few of the key points to come back too? Cheers and all the best
yes, they are quite long but certainly make cooking dinner a lot more interesting!
I tow a lot of cars with a flat tyre, and no spare from factory.
And it's surprising to me that many of these owners had no idea they had no spare tyre until they got a flat.
Yeah - I ran into one just the other day. I think we exchanged comments about that.
Subaru Outback?
as in has it got a spare?
I've got a late model Outback on right now, I'll look when I take it off.
Hi John
Regarding the 2.2L diesel in the Mazda CX-5 and CX-8
Midway through 2018 when the power outputs changed from 129kW/420Nm to 140kW/450Nm, there was a significant engine design change - it was not simply a different ECU tune.
Having seen both engines side by side I can tell you the cylinder head, turbos, injectors, pistons, rods, crankshaft and bearings are all different. The later engine has stronger components, even down to wider bearings.
In my experience with this updated engine, it no longer exhibits the oil dilution and other reliability issues associated with the original 2.2L engine. I have no hesitation recommending it now, so long as it’s a late-2018 or newer build.
I'm glad to see you calling out the 3-3.5 tonne caravan nonsense. We've done plenty of travelling and seen the lots of near misses. It's not just the sway issues either. The near misses with overtaking!! Especially with road trains in the mix. The weight is a huge problem with overtaking.
Just in case you're interested we have purchased a lightweight solid sided camper (a Mobi xl) that is just over one tonne when fully loaded. It's all you need, unless you can't leave home without all the crap. It is so much safer on and off road and saves a fortune with fuel too.
One other thing I wanted to mention is with the hybrid electric thing. There's actually a RAM charger on the horizon that's going to make heavy towing with a hybrid/ev a real option.
Hi John I watch a lot of your content and have picked up that you have a dislike toward Honda's? From a mechanics point of view there extremely reliable and good to work on.
He also doesn't seem to have much love for Nissan either, or how he pronounces it, NISSARN! 😂
It took me 8 months to choose my Outback 3.6…..I’m glad I took the time as it’s exactly what I was looking for…in fact it’s better!
After our trip to Australia, and experiencing Kias first hand, we bought the diesel sportage. It's fantastic on our Uk motorways, none of that getting blown into the central reservation issues, overtaking lorries on a windy day. Totally agree with your review. It's also cheap to run and the customer support is the best I've seen, over here in Blighty.
Got an xc60 t6 as my first car, it’s safe quite refined and decently quick (just under 7 seconds 0-100)reliable only negative is fuel consumption 15l 100 around town and the average handling thought not bad with the awd system.
@@Matthias_Fischer the irony of your name being mg and the issues they have across the range is hilarious and no I think I should be fine already had the windshield leak fixed under warranty and no issues either way my savings are enough for any issue.
Have had Toyota’s & Subaru’s for decades, arrived back after 10 months in our mobile toilet meeting beard strokers… dude there are so many out there…
My handbrake wanted a new car, ( after all she did put up with me for 10 months in the QEII on wheels ) found the new Forester ( I’ve had XT Premium before) out dated, yes still had the goods but boring. Looked at Mazda found it so uncomfortable, so did the handbrake.
The very best was the Hyundai Tucson Highlander N Line, ticks all the boxes & ordered it in December. Never owned a Hyundai before but serviced & worked on plenty. Great vehicles, correct me if I’m wrong, 2nd highest seller to Oh What A Feeling?
That should keep the handbrake happy & me off the naughty list… for a while.
Sensational Report JC.
Thanks you.
Just bought a new X-Trail. Had the kia and Hyundai on the shortlist but decided on the Nissan. Worth pointing out, with my dealer at least, my car came with a 10 year warranty like Mitsubishi on the condition that it gets serviced at that specific dealer in that time. Not quite the same as Mitsubishi offering it with any mitsi dealer, but still a bonus seeing as I don't intend on moving anytime soon.
I am on my second Subaru, a Forester, 2015 model. Works perfectly. Dealer is great to work with. My wife has a 2008 Impreza which is still running fine, although Canadian winters are tough on exterior and we had to replace rocker panels eventually and spend some money on upkeep. Each of us owned a prior subaru wagon, both lasted 14-15 years...maybe hers was 18, I can't remember. Always bought the base model to avoid expensive and un necessary frills which just end up as things to fix in the higher end models if you keep cars for a lomg time, as we do.
Another great video, John. Very predictable for those who regularly watch your channel and I don't mean that as a criticism. You brought together many of the things that you have separately covered in other videos. What I would like to know is this.....when will you give us a tour of your workshop. I'm sure that I'm not alone in wanting to see your workshop and what you do in it.
The state of the roads in Queensland means an SUV is a must as they have enough ground clearance to handle the potholes and extruded lumps of tar that are the norm these days.
The colour, and position of the cup holder are very high priorities for some people when deciding what SUV to buy.
What is the actual benefit of a small SUV as opposed to a hatchback or wagon?
Just personal opinion, but I feel they are more expensive to purchase, run, insure and don't handle as well. Gains? Slightly higher driving position and a bit higher in the loading section.
When i was younger , and cannot afford a bigger car , living in a hilly area , parents getting older and complaint how golf is hard to get in / out , parking space can't get much bigger either because its fixed rented , I ended up with a last gen Q3. Just a personal story.
Totally agree.
@desmondlau4632 With the elderly and low mobility humans, stepping up and pulling yourself into a vehicle is actually harder than sitting down into a vehicle. Getting out, less hight to fall from when you misjudge and easier for others to help ease them out of the vehicle and stand.
I drove a lot of rental cars on business trips, I would say around 30 different models over few years, each for 2-3 days and I didn't prefer SUV over a regular car, or the other way around. For a few days both are good enough, but when I did buy a car for me it was a small SUV - Suzuki SX4 (MY2008, used). It was long time ago when the price was right, the size was great for me then. I didn't care for the car being "on stilts" aspect, but after a year I did get a lot of compliments on the ease of getting into it from my parents and peoples with some neck injury and the sorts. Also parking in the city in less than perfect conditions with high curbs, some non-paved road, etc. gives you higher confidence and chance of such parking operation ending with success.
Next time I bought a car, I wanted an SUV, and I did get fooled by the marketing BS of Kia Niro being an SUV, but the car is great and i bought it anyway. The difference of Niro's 16cm ground clearence vs 19cm for SX4 is enormous and very noticeable and after 2 years of owning Niro, I still miss it :) That's just one of many aspects of the car, so the whole upgrade over SX4 was like going from being a priest to a bishop in my ascent to motoring heaven ;)
PS. Calling Niro an SUV with the model having 16cm of ground clearence is shameful in my eyes, but Toyota with CH-R pretending to be SUV is worse yet with just 15cm. It shows You that the SUV keyword works wonders for client acquisition, well it worked good enough for me anyway...
It's virtually impossible to get a full-time AWD vehicle that isn't an SUV, and that matters to me as im often driving on winding roads in slippery conditions. I don't fancy a Subaru Levorg; what are my other options but an SUV?
The fact is you defined the whole category as Rav4. Genius marketing. I have one too.
My brother got a Subaru. A step up from his Honda. Great support up here in the NE US, where you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a dealer.
> research
The Car Care Nut and Weber Auto sold me on mine.
Hi there!
I'm the very proud owner of a 2009 Subaru Forester Xt Premium. Love the power (especially at the lights) and have always loved Subaru's symmetrical awd. My Forrester has never let me down, however, it is getting older (like me) and with the cost of fuel (I have always used 98 premium), l have committed myself to buying a hybrid. I love a bit of research, and know that Toyota have been building hybrids for a long time. I know that they could look at reviewing the hybrid power train ,however they do have the best hybrid for fuel economy. Therefore I have set my sight on a rav4 cruiser hybrid with awd. Was sad about no symmetrical awd like my baby and the space saver. I will investigate further to see if I can fit a full size something, in the boot, without worrying about the extra drop down room available. Haven't paid yet as has been on order since April 2023. I have the opportunity of getting it one month earlier (mid June 2024) as the guy before me has cancelled his order. I have been quoted a trade in on my baby (as last April) for $9,000. Just wanted to say, 'thank you' for confirming my thoughts on the next car I buy. Loved watching your review, as well as the one on the 20 worst cars to buy. Was a real eye opener.
Cheers, Erika
“Skoda….the Volkswagen for people who should have gone to SpecSavers…..” ( insert laughing emojis here, except John intensely dislikes emojis)
It seemed appropriate, non-emoji-ing (real man) Doug.
@@AutoExpertJC”non-emoji-ing“ is not a word John.
My only trip to Europe 10 yrs ago gave me the opportunity to ride in the back seat of a Skoda taxi. I fell in love instantly because I had never experienced so much knee room in a backseat before! I was impressed and have obviously never forgotten.
@@AutoExpertJC0
Cheers for your thoughts and expertise. I traded in my Ranger last October. Sold the caravan and boat lost nothing in the fun category because I live regionally in Good old Bunbury WA, plenty of things to see and do without much travel and I have my very own 2 acres of my very own dingo piss to pretend camp then sleep in a real bed. At the time my dog was recovering from knee surgery and we wanted something easier for her to get in and out of. That and a car my parents did not need a ladder and push to enter plus a shopping trolley. I did my research but it did not take long to eliminate most. Full size spare was a priority as was the ability to tow a small garden trailer. In my opinion skinny spares should equal a reduction in the safety rating and are a danger on regional roads at least. I nearly fell down laughing when told this or that car could not tow, period. I eventually chose the Subaru Outback partly because you gave it a reasonable review(not interested in hooning so Boxer was and is fine) and it was readily available to both test drive and buy. I bought the sport because the top model comes with a sun roof and meh not interested in baking without the beach. It has turned out to be exactly what I expected so happy with the purchase. Was not happy to hear that Toyota is messing with Subaru but what do you do? One thing annoys me a bit, I call her Hyacinth because she is forever asking me to watch out for the cows! I do sometimes feel like a new tech Guinea pig but all in all a good solid car. Peas love and full size matters. Blokeout.
I have to say I agree with your conclusion on the top 5 cars you mentioned. I used to think the Korean cars were junk but they have moved into a leadership position in the industry in terms of innovation, they seem like the “Honda” of this day in age. The Toyotas will always be a good buy especially in hybrid form, and Subaru/Mazda seem to have good customer satisfaction.
Spot on John The many issues that are raised here are spot on. I used to work for the Australian Auto Industry. The industry was not perfect, as you know . However they did react on locally designed product when the feedback came in and put design changes in place as soon as possible. Not perfect , but they cared . They also were really upset as how the dealers would treat their customers. Many of my workmates are now working for some of these low volume brands that you spoke of and they despair at how they treat the customers and the lack of support . Look at the Vehicle , the brand and what is behind it. It's a trifecta that you can win with.
John,
You are on the money with the Tuscon.I bought the Highlander Diesel N Line, and couldn't be happier. The fuel cost offset is palpable. I am getting around 6.5L/100 ks city and 5's highway on ECO. I recently put about 100KS on a BMWX5M(Avis) and apart from the silent turbine grunt of the beemer, I cannot see the logic in spending $140k on one. The Tuscon has just as many bells and whistles for a fraction of the price.
The beemer is more stable, quieter, more powerful, more refined and more comfortable
It's just a more advanced SUV. The tucson does fine for its price point, though.
There is only one reason: status symbol.
G'day John. Terrific video as per usual. Really appreciate the mix of humour, wit and sarcasm throughout your content. Also appreciate your advice and rational conclusions reference vehicles. I personally have no real passion for 4 wheel cages, as I am and always will be a motorcycle rider (50 plus years and still alive, no missing limbs). My wife however is somewhat different ( Goes without saying really), and she does enjoy her 2017 KIA Sportage. Little heavy on fuel, but do-able. This video has certainly armed us with the information that will assist us in getting her a new SUV in the not too distant future. Thanks again mate, cheers from Nth Qld.
I had 2017
kia Sorento Turbo Diesel, 7 year 366,000 km. Only my Automatic change 3.8k recodition. It still runs well except now 7-11 City and Highway 6-9 km
my current strategy (yes retiring, auto, petrol) I'm hiring several for real trips, post research of features. Yep hyundai tucson, cx3, and kia, on my list. Thx for confirming.
Rationality, it's simply logical . . .
You have tipped me over from emotionally driven to rationality sustainability.
Late next year I will be buying a new vehicle. I have research to do and your shows steers me in the right direction. Subaru has been in my sights along with MG, however, the twins look like prey too.
. . . Live Long and Prosper.
If you're not some car nut and don't want to be wasting a shit-load of time mucking around just short list the 3 best Japs and the 2 from Korea and pick the one in the colour you like and buy it.
And if you want it before mid 2024 you can remove Rav4
Great advice John. I did the crap brand triage, then narrowed down to a few brands, then models that had a decent diesel engine, Japanese build, epicyclic automatic, timing chain and full sized spare. I then contacted car hire companies and spent $500 hiring the final contenders. Best $500 ever and I got as close as I could to being spot on and there's nothing in the market today that comes close. That's how you do it and I ordered my car online and avoided dealers.
What did you get?
@@MrPetehoward78 A Non Neesan Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Diesel and it's been trouble free. It's not perfect but as close as I could get, the electric handbrake and various beeping safety devices I could do without, but it comes standard with the Exceed. Mitsubishi is very under rated and equally as reliable and well built as any Toyota, my previous experience with a RAV4 Diesel ended very badly with a seized engine, rust in the wheel well and various trim items that fell off. I've owned Toyotas and Hondas during their Halcyon days and if I wanted to replace the Outlander, I'd possibly go a little larger for a Pajero Sport or a KIA Sportage.
@@farken7467 I think you will find it is pronounced Neesarn. Yup
Out of this list I would not consider anything without a conventional auto transmission. ie: CVT or DCT .
.
I saw a medium SUV model I'd never seen before riving on the highway yesterday - Renault Arkana. I'm not sure who'd buy it but they sold at least one.
You've been a busy producer these past weeks, John. Some very interesting content with a no MooPoo approach.
Thanks, Brad.
Good accurate report JC - my father and I worked in the avionics industry in VIC and spent many dinner table conversations discussing the merits of cultural influences on a country’s product - we concluded that two countries that lost major wars were Japan and Germany that eventually rose to produce even higher standards of engineering being driven by intelligence and very importantly cultural attitude to what they make (Ford/GM/Holden bogan brands fail) - my choices would only be Subaru, Toyota, Mazda.and Hyundai/Kia.
Toyota and Mercedes now getting left behind quality wise as the world changes
Good advice John as usual, we are currently looking for a replacement for our 2006 Hyundai Terracan that we love by the way. And have sort of settled for Subaru but that could all change if she who must be obeyed doesn’t like the colour. But never mind all that I want your workshop. Anyway keep up the good work and mate.
Full size spare tyre
not for the majority of metropolitan city drivers
I can definitely see your point in all of this. I just feel like the issue is more complicated than this. I've owned a Kia Rio and a Ford Focus out of warranty. Kia gave me the finger when I asked for support, Ford did not.
Another excellent job, thanks John. The only other criteria I can think of to help with the shortlist is the competency of your local dealers. You definitely need at least one who don't think of "customer service" and "competent servicing" as foreign concepts.
I have Subaru Outback probably the best car I have ever owed
Could not agree more.
2.4t or 2.5i?
It's interesting looking at the car market on the other side of the globe compared to us up here in the ice planet of Hoth (read Norway). Many of the models you are referring to was popular here just a few years ago, like Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi PHEV, Nissan X-trail. Now these models are completely dud. Even Nissan failed in 2022 with the Leaf 2. Now the only hybrid vehicle on the top 15 list is the Rav4, the rest is EV's.
And the most selling car is the Tesla Model Y followed by VW id.4, Skoda Enyaq, BMW iX, Toyota Rav 4 , Audi e-tron, Ford Mustang Mach-E, BMW i4 M50, Hyundai Kona and Ioniq5 and finally MB with it's EQ models. Toyota had some issues with their first EV, the BZ4x which is a collab with Subaru and the Solterra model. Also they are a bit late to the party, since they strayed down the path of Hydrogen.
Correct my choice was proche cayenne 2019 a couple years ago. Still happy with it. Had 2 problems with it. Both got covered by insurrance.
Im in the market today and I'm starting to eliminate models based on whether or not i can turn off lane assist and other intrusive driver 'safety' modes that doesn't see the potholes im trying to avoid or the car is parked on the curb and not a hazard.....
I'm in the market too - or at least I have recently made my choice. I started where you started.
I won't tolerate over-reliance on a screen, I want a conventional array of stalks, knobs and switches - fine if they're programmable - the screen must be for setting up, not for using while I'm driving except for satnav.
I'm not prepared to ignore decades of improving driver safety standards for the sake of a fad.
My next criterion was that certain additional features must be capable of turning off, completely. Some makes makes prevent that.
It was a long wait for a manual petrol version, during which time I could have bought 100 BEVs straight off the forecourt.
Clearly I'm not the only one around my way who is avoiding them like the plague.
I find it odd that the popularity of passenger cars (sedans?) has plummeted (3:44), but almost all electric cars sold in Australia are sedans.
Kona? MG? The Kia EVs?
Model Y, BYD Atto 3?
John i widdle it down to less i was told MG not a good choice for resale value, but otherwise thats a nice list Toyota Rav 4 Mazda 5 and Mitsi Outlander are perfect for ride share Hybrid, Mazdas Diesel and that Mitsi 7 seater advantage. I dont see much of the twins at rideshare but i guess they good for your general family SUV getting from A-B. Leaving us with Subaru if you want go off road and adventure and up an embarkment and full sized spare to dingo piss creek. I took the adventurous path and went with a sube.
It's 'whittle' dude.
modern subaru engines are shit - plus the CVT issues 🙄
i used to be a subaru fan 15 years ago - not anymore - i had a 2004 subaru liberty and it lasted +300K even though it started pissing out oil after +200K - it kept going though 😁
i disagree on Kia/Hyundi reliabily - after +10 years they are not as reliable as a Mazda or Toyota - I judge a car maker based on how their cars are after 15 years and 150K 🤠
Hyundai Tuscons are great, my parents have one. Before that they drove an 05 Hyundai Santa Fe. The Santa Fe has 190k miles and it still runs strong. They lent it to us when our 2020 Nissan Pathfinder with only 30k miles broke down. We traded in the Pathfinder for a Kia Sorento.
I'm on my third Hyundai Tuscan and they are the best car I've driven. No problems and reliable
I'm happy with Forester
This is a great review that raises important issues.i have to reassess my bying strategy. I always liked the CX-5, but the CRV is more comfortable. However, I can't take the risk, so it's back to the CX-5. Thanks.
Thanks John, we are looking at either a Hyundi N hatch (what my wife wants) or an Outlander PHEV. Great content and has helped me a lot as my wife wants another VW GTI but our rule is no space saver or run flats so that's out of the running. Keep up the content :)
Couldn’t have been better timing for this subject mate, I’m at the end of my comparisons with three of the top mentioned vehicles and have decided on the Mazda. I’ve been looking at it from a different perspective as a tow truck operator. New car reliability and the attitude of the dealership when I deliver a problem car played a significant part in my decision. Cx5 has been improved upon over the life of the model and I think you’ll find it to be a great option. Some people disagree and say it’s a dated platform but I see the refinement over the years as a good thing.
John super insightful as usual. Kindly consider doing one for premium SUVs
Why doesn't John place the bin closer...?
My Mazda 6 2014 Altenza diesel engine (2.2T) also broke. The good part is Mazda offered the full replacement for full cost with a hired car. However, the service centre still asked me to fix some parts related to the engine, which cost me ~$800.
I have golfing friends that have purchased Mid-size SUV's and they can't put their golf bag and buggy into the cargo bay without the need to flatten out one or both back seats. I have a sedan and have no problem with both items without flattening the back seats.
I’ve seen people trying this out, and trying to fit a bicycle in under the same circumstances. The poor sales guy was shitting himself wondering if the stuff would fit. Apparently it’s now common for people to bring their shit in the old car and try to fit it in the new. Clearly they built a life around the ability of the car they owned
This is the exact reason I take the time to physically measure the boot of very vehicle I test. Never seen a single other motoring journalist make this effort. Tell your friends.
This is so true-most mid size sedans will easily fit golf clubs in the boot without removing the driver club. SUVs have poor space utilisation and the width and depth of a boot in a sedan is far more practical than any SUV.
Karl, my Hyundai Tucson fits the clubs across the back with the buggy and room to spare. It’s an important point though. Currently on a MG rental and it doesn’t, you have to put the seat down to fit clubs in.
I looked at a couple of PHEV mid SUV's, and was keen on the CX-60, but found out how much the battery cost to replace. It was 36k.
John is so right about warranty issues with VW. Best advice I can give is to buy a different make.
Owning a VW is like playing Russian roulette with four chambers loaded.
My mechanic's advice was to only buy VW if you absolutely love it AND you can afford to sell before the end of the warranty period.
Hey john, this video is extremely usefull, any chance of a 2023 update?
Thank you so much for your advice on buying a new car.
I was confused about which one to get in November last year. I did all the things in this video and still came to the same conclusion as to which car to buy. All I need to do now is wait for it to arrive. Again, thank you.
Nice. He's the only one who tells it straight, for example that the RAV4 is at best mediocre. Few will dare to say that.
Hi John, reached out several months ago regarding the no go with towing for most performance vehicles including the i30n. Pulled the pin a couple of months ago on the cx5 turbo, now awaiting delivery. It's no i30n but it has kick and can do the required towing. Glad that in the end, my choice of brand was on Santa's nice list! Thanks for the vid.
Thanks John. But RAV4 wait time is 24months!!!. In my Opnion please consider wait time factor as well.
It's already become 24months now? Just a joke.
Diesel does produce less carbon dioxide; but it produces quite a bit more oxides of nitrogen. Especially down there with your more primitive emissions systems
I hardly watch a 50 min long video, but this one is different, very well done John and thank you! I’m a Subaru Forester owner and couldn’t be happier with the car. In Canada, we get the Japan made Forester unlike the US, which in my book, make a difference, maybe it’s my non factual old time perpective. I differ with you on the road test piece though just from a seat comfort perspective, but I agree with everything else you said. I eliminated the Hyundais and Kias because of the engine set in fire due to fuel leak, but I really liked the Sportage. Thanks again!
I can also confirm that Mazda doesn't have very good support. They wanted to charge my friend hundreds of dollars to investigate a ghost touch issue with their Mazda 3 touchscreen despite there being a TSB (admittedly in North America) for the exact issue and parts available to order to fix it. They said it only applies to North American vehicles despite the part numbers of the affected touchscreens being exactly the same as the ones in Australia. Had another friend who owned a VW Golf that kept telling them to make sure the car is in P. VW kept clearing the codes to make it go away temporarily and then waited till after the car was out of warranty to say they'll charge to investigate and fix it.
Try driving a “5 star ANCAP” Police car under emergency conditions. Trying to change lanes and pass between vehicles at speed only to have the car fight your steering and/or hit the brakes.
Currently doing this in a hybrid rav4 and Kia Sorrento!!
@@timbryant1024 Yep, we have Kia’s and Skoda’s, and both have tried to kill me. I can turn the lane assist systems off, but the emergency braking systems are going to cause a crash as we move through cars at speed and close range, which will of course be blamed on the driver.
Good advice.. I’ve been trying to buy my next SUV “objectively” for the last two years - considering the pro’s and con’s offered through your feedback (and that of others too). I’ve got my target, but its now overpriced and I’ll probably be waiting a while before its delivery - if I buy new (the far reaching impact of COVID).
covid and other economic factors globally over the past five to ten years really, is when inflation started creeping, and access to things started to become a problem. Not really as new a problem as most ppl think. This war has everthing to do w/ the continuation of the trends
Love our Mazda CX-5. Great in the snow and great in the hills. Nicely appointed.
Dare ya to set up a Bin Cam, double dare ya...
N.B. He looks so pleased when he tosses a page off to the left, bet he's using a mini-skip!?!
Just spoke with my wallet. Bought a Haval H6 Ultra AWD. The tech and the dollar difference is just too hard to ignore. So far brilliant.
I watch every second of this video John, even though I’m not in the market for a medium size SUV, your information is so interesting,
Keep up the good work. Two thumbs up from me.
P.S I’d be looking out for future videos of vehicles being able to take me to dingo piss creek.
Thanks very much, Louis. I'll work on that one.
The new Toyota RAV4 is not even recommended by the toyota dealers in Canada. They told me to take the previous model as the new engine is too weak for the new big body.
Is the 2.5 liter engine available in your region? It pulls just fine
I really like your biased research and enjoy your comments looking at 6 mths to purchase many thanks John
Excellent advice.
Only one small point (got this from one specific driver): how comfy is the seat can be the determining factor for certain people with bad back. I know the true story of one person who stick with a particular shitbox, for the reason of the seat was the only one that can be tolerated, particularly for long distance driving.
Also tall people
in the bizzarro world we live in, it is illegal to ride in a car without seatbelts yet motorcycles are allowed to be driven.
sounds logical.
and trunks of cars have cargo limits based by the trunk lid.
SUVs and wagons, on the other hand, have no such lids, at least unless you count the roof of the interior...yet cargo volume is counted to the ceiling./roof.
why?
if there is really a danger to passengers it willcome from objects and projectiles smashing forward into the sitting area,the backs of passenger brains, in a collision.
why are these vehicles allowed to not only count this space in total, but also not provide a cage, at least a drop-down or pop-up kind for use when placing cargo above the rear seat level???
Waiting for your current take on the Hyundai/Kia fire class action. Probably bigger than any of the negatives, you report on other makes.
How can we be sure those shots are going into the bin John? Need a bin cam
Anyone else had a great experience with the original ~2003 Nissan X-Trail (with the 2.2 litre Nissan diesel engine)? I've had mine from new since June 2003. The Denso fuel pump needs a couple new SCVs every 5 years or so, other than that it's been totally reliable for nearly 20 years!
One again top work old chap. On this subject, have you come across any info (documented incidences of occurances) regarding the cause of lithium battery fires, eg fault in power supply, faults in BMS safety systems, or external damage from prior incidences. I ask as in a previous job for Worley Parsons AES (alternative energy systems) we had to significantly overvolt and over current batteries whilst charging inaddition simultaneously disabling BMS safeties, (voltage, current and temp shut down to get battery's to burn furiously. The best way to cause catastrophic instantaneous immolation was extreme physical penetrative attack. I have never seen a Li chemistry battery go off in any other circumstances. I believe most home storage batteries are Lifepo4 chemistry which are reportedly less prone to thermal runaway. However after your video I will be moving my Lifepo4 batteries to outside storage, thanks again big guy.
The biggest category of SUV, by sales, is Medium SUV, because we all know that you never go full SUV.
Re the RAV4. Something to consider is the terrible tow capacity of the FWD hybrid model. Lots of families like to take the bikes away on holidays but with a download limit of only 50kg you are really limited to 2 bikes and a bike carrier.
It's crazy that my Kia Rio can carry more. No doubt Toyota is playing games here as the manual actually states the RAV4 isn't suitable to tow at all unless of course you live in Australia or NZ. Do they do some kind of modifications to our versions? I doubt it, they just know selling an SUV that has now tow capacity I Aus or NZ won't cut it.
Interesting listen. Not from Australia but I think many points apply. Bought Sportage in July 22. I got the top spec hybrid version with 6spd automatic (1.6turbo petrol+44kw electric). Ordered in April, was told 5months, which was at my patience limit, but someone drops his/hers order so I got mine way earlier. One my criterias for evaluating cars was not driving test (I fully agree that most of them drove the same with the exception of Cupra which was noticeably better and 5008 which for noticable worse) but what kind of quality of life I get for my money. Now, I am not 100% satisfied with the car, there are some really odd choises (for example door mirror position is not save with seat position) but generally it is a nice old person car to drive. Comfy and nice. Hopefully the reliability is acceptable. No experience with KIA servicer around here but I guess I will find out.
I immediately ruled out all CVT transmissions. I find it such a depressing transmission type. Its either DSG/DCT whatever or classical automatic.
Great video, I would cut it down even further, if it has a space saver and can't have a proper spare then it's gone.
We purchased an Outlander 6 years ago, hasn’t missed a beat.
Very reliable, comfortable,average on fuel, average on power, nice to drive and has really good rear passenger room.
I think we paid low 30s.
Cheap interior, worse than Subaru
@@muzungu9625in your opinion, obviously not others
No Suzuki, I am disappointed. Is the Vitara or X-cross not on sale in Australia?
IMO they are too expensive. They are reliable but man they are expensive.
Of the 22 models only 7 are actually available within the next 9 months in anything like the trim level or colour that you want. Pick your preferred brand and buy the car then get on with life
If we were to simply choose on the basis of which is the best to drive, that would be the Cupra Formentor and it has a plug in Hybrid option. Awesome car. And i'd have to say that there have been many times i have sat in a car in a showroom that i have otherwise admired and suddenly realized i couldn't buy it because of some aspect of the driving position, or the ambiance or something else, so the test drive is very important.
Agreed 100% - this happened to me with the Skoda Superb. After pouring over reviews, and having high hopes, it all fell apart for me when I finally took one for a test drive. I didn't give up easily - I tried FIVE TIMES to like it, but couldn't. (and I got yet another Caprice, and was eminently happy)
Hey John
Can you please do a video for small SUVs too?
Thanks
What’s the problem with Honda in Australia? Customer service or any common problem with the vehicles?