Small SUV, supermini or…something else?

Courteous

Hi folks,

I’m looking to buy a car and am steering towards a small SUV, but I’m not sure if that’s overkill for my needs. Hoping the MSE hive mind might have some ideas

I don’t have children and it’s mainly just me /sometime passengers that would be using it.

Some urban driving and motorway but the majority on rural-ish roads -  A9 and north, basically. 

I’m really into outdoorsy things - hillwalking/running, climbing, swimming and winter stuff.

I’m thinking a small SUV could be a good choice b/c of
- ground clearance 
- 4x4 type capability 
- handling in snowy/muddy conditions 
- confidence/safety/comfort - I prefer the higher up driving position and feel safer than in the small cars I’ve had to date - that may just be psychological though (?)
Safety rating is def important  for me.   
- more space for carrying gear in boot (and some small SUVs can fold down the seats and sleep comfortably in the back).

In favour of smaller cars - cheaper to run/tax (?), can cope fine in winter with winter tyres (?), “neat” to park, and (again I think this is psychological/aesthetic !) I sort of hate the look of those giant cars everywhere and am not sure I want to join the ranks. I’m honestly not sure why I feel that way though so maybe not a valid reason. 

Although I’d love an electric car it’s not practical for where I live so it’ll be petrol/diesel(poss. hybrid?).

I’ve started having a read online but a lot of the guides seem to say SUVs are good if you have a big family, which isn’t a consideration for me so I’m finding it tricky to weigh things up based on e.g “top 10” guides. 

What do you think? 

Flight3287462

Have a look at the Skoda Kamiq and if necessary you can go for one of the bigger models.  It is really very nice to drive and nippy enough.

Grumpy_chap

Fiat Panda 4x4

daveyjp

On my last trip to Scotland there seemed to be one car I saw lots of, which I hardly see anywhere else.  Subaru XV.

Not huge, permanent 4wd, snow and mud not an issue, even more so if its on mud and snow tyres, 5 star NCAP.

Courteous

Flight3287462 said:

Have a look at the Skoda Kamiq and if necessary you can go for one of the bigger models.  It is really very nice to drive and nippy enough.

Oooh I’ve been looking at the Kamiq! They do look nice. 
I’m slightly troubled by the SOS warning system fault reported this year and last - VW group (?) also I think had the emissions test cheating scandal as well but tbh I don’t imagine any big manufacturer is any more trustworthy than the next (happy to be proven wrong ). 

The other one I’m just looking at is the Ford Puma. I’m not certain just yet how much I’ll be happy to spend but I think this would be a wee bit much for me just yet (I’ve never bought a brand new vehicle). 

Thanks for the comment!

Courteous

Grumpy_chap said:

Fiat Panda 4x4

Added to the list! Driven an older one for work in a rural area and liked it (really fun!) forgot about that, haha. Didn’t know they were manufactured still but see they are made new - will check out. Thanks

Courteous

daveyjp said:

On my last trip to Scotland there seemed to be one car I saw lots of, which I hardly see anywhere else.  Subaru XV.

Not huge, permanent 4wd, snow and mud not an issue, even more so if its on mud and snow tyres, 5 star NCAP.

Oh, cool. Sounds good! I had an idea in my head Subara was something you get in the States, not the UK. Will check this out too. Thanks!
(This is fun. Googling cars and their various colour options haha. Enjoying  window shopping possibilities - nice distraction on yet another grim news day).

AdrianC

Courteous said:

In favour of smaller cars - cheaper to run/tax (?)

Tax on everything is £150 now, with a supplement for cars over £40k list price - but you don't seem to be looking at those.

Here in the rural Welsh borders, there's plenty of Subaru XVs around.

4justice2

Courteous said:

Flight3287462 said:

Have a look at the Skoda Kamiq and if necessary you can go for one of the bigger models.  It is really very nice to drive and nippy enough.

Oooh I’ve been looking at the Kamiq! They do look nice. 
I’m slightly troubled by the SOS warning system fault reported this year and last - VW group (?) also I think had the emissions test cheating scandal as well but tbh I don’t imagine any big manufacturer is any more trustworthy than the next (happy to be proven wrong ). 

The other one I’m just looking at is the Ford Puma. I’m not certain just yet how much I’ll be happy to spend but I think this would be a wee bit much for me just yet (I’ve never bought a brand new vehicle). 

Thanks for the comment!

In your first post you mention 4x4 type capability, the Ford Puma and Skoda Kamiq are front wheel drive only as far as I'm aware. If four wheel drive is one of your requirements, check the model you're looking at as not all SUVs have a four wheel drive, and if they do it's often on the top spec models only!

BOWFER

4justice2 said:

Courteous said:

Flight3287462 said:

Have a look at the Skoda Kamiq and if necessary you can go for one of the bigger models.  It is really very nice to drive and nippy enough.

Oooh I’ve been looking at the Kamiq! They do look nice. 
I’m slightly troubled by the SOS warning system fault reported this year and last - VW group (?) also I think had the emissions test cheating scandal as well but tbh I don’t imagine any big manufacturer is any more trustworthy than the next (happy to be proven wrong ). 

The other one I’m just looking at is the Ford Puma. I’m not certain just yet how much I’ll be happy to spend but I think this would be a wee bit much for me just yet (I’ve never bought a brand new vehicle). 

Thanks for the comment!

In your first post you mention 4x4 type capability, the Ford Puma and Skoda Kamiq are front wheel drive only as far as I'm aware. If four wheel drive is one of your requirements, check the model you're looking at as not all SUVs have a four wheel drive, and if they do it's often on the top spec models only!

Agreed.
Over the years it's amazed me how many people assume their SUVs are 4x4, just because they look like they are.
Even our Evoque, which many people assume must be 4x4 because it's a Land rover, is 2x4.

facade

What about a Dacia Duster? looks the same as a Subaru XV/Qashqai/Rav4 etc

As stated above though, the TV advert shows quite a nice car, 4wd and auto, with a headline price of £13K. However, the one in the advert is £22K, which puts it closer to all the others that look the same.

Also, you can't seem to buy the £13K poverty spec. model, I tried a few years ago, I suspect they make all their money from the overpriced "features" on the higher spec. models, where they charge thousands for alloy wheels and a radio.

There was a time when I couldn't see any point in a crippled 4x4, now I think that what I need is the off-road suspension, whilst 2wd with Winter tyres is sufficient to cope with our well maintained "roads"