Small SUV, supermini or…something else?

AdrianC

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!

Friends of ours bought a Qashqow from a car supermarket before moving to the sticks. They swear the salesman promised them faithfully it was 4wd. It isn't.

Stubod

Ref Winter driving and 4*4, I think the general opinion is a 2 wheel drive car fitted with Winter tyres are better for snow than a 4WD with "normal" tyres....of course 4*4 AND winter tyres would be really good. But consider that in general 4WD cars in general cost more to run and maintain and consider how often you really need them.

We have a Yeti which is very practical and not too big but they stopped making them in 2017, an alternative we have been looking at is the Suzuki Vitara which has both 4 and 2WD options available.

AdrianC

Stubod said:

Ref Winter driving and 4*4, I think the general opinion is a 2 wheel drive car fitted with Winter tyres are better for snow than a 4WD with "normal" tyres....of course 4*4 AND winter tyres would be really good. But consider that in general 4WD cars in general cost more to run and maintain and consider how often you really need them.

There's also the argument that 4wd encourages you to get into conditions where you may have more traction, but no more braking or cornering ability; and you may find yourself heading into conditions where you will get VERY stuck rather than just a little bit stuck.

As has been said, ground clearance and tyres will cover a lot of conditions - but, yes, there are times when having that extra pair of paws helping is the difference between getting home and not.

tr7phil

AdrianC said:

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!

Friends of ours bought a Qashqow from a car supermarket before moving to the sticks. They swear the salesman promised them faithfully it was 4wd. It isn't.

Did they not notice the lack of drive shafts on two of the wheels or a prop shaft when they looked underneath?

AdrianC

tr7phil said:

AdrianC said:

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!

Friends of ours bought a Qashqow from a car supermarket before moving to the sticks. They swear the salesman promised them faithfully it was 4wd. It isn't.

Did they not notice the lack of drive shafts on two of the wheels or a prop shaft when they looked underneath?

What is this "look underneath"...?

Not that a vast majority of car buyers or drivers would even know what they were looking for...

tr7phil

AdrianC said:

tr7phil said:

AdrianC said:

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!

Friends of ours bought a Qashqow from a car supermarket before moving to the sticks. They swear the salesman promised them faithfully it was 4wd. It isn't.

Did they not notice the lack of drive shafts on two of the wheels or a prop shaft when they looked underneath?

What is this "look underneath"...?

Not that a vast majority of car buyers or drivers would even know what they were looking for...

Sadly, you're probably right.  I on the other hand spent my childhood in the 70s reading my dad's AA Book of the Car so tend to think it's normal to understand these things!

The salesman probably didn't realise he was wrong anyway, I was sitting in the showroom of a VW dealership when the new Beetle first came out and a potential customer asked a salesman "Is the engine still in the back", he didn't know and said he would go and check!

Courteous

AdrianC said:

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.

Re: standard tax rate - ahh ok I didn’t know that. Helpful to know - thanks. 

BOWFER

facade said:

 whilst 2wd with Winter tyres is sufficient to cope with our well maintained "roads"

Another good point, 4x4 is quickly rendered useless by the summer tyres on many 4x4 cars.
Stick some M+S tyres on a 2x4 and it suddenly becomes better  in poor conditionsthan the 4x4 on summer tyres.
Of course, stick M+S tyres on the 4x4 and all of a sudden you're going pretty much anywhere...

Grumpy_chap

AdrianC said:

tr7phil said:

AdrianC said:

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!

Friends of ours bought a Qashqow from a car supermarket before moving to the sticks. They swear the salesman promised them faithfully it was 4wd. It isn't.

Did they not notice the lack of drive shafts on two of the wheels or a prop shaft when they looked underneath?

What is this "look underneath"...?

Not that a vast majority of car buyers or drivers would even know what they were looking for...

Look underneath.

What is even "look"?

Judging by the threads that appear on here, people buy a used car having only seen the shiny examples on the manufacturer website and are then flabbergasted when the rock-bottom cheapest version of the used car for the age has stone chips, scuffed alloys and marks on the headlining and upholstery.

You can buy a used car with your eyes closed. 😱

Courteous

facade said:

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.

Yep, looked at the Duster but I’m put off as the safety rating is apparently not that great. 

I’m basing that on some “top 10 small SUV” articles and other short reviews though so I’m not sure why that is.  Thinking on it just now I’m also not sure what the EU safety ratings system assesses on so I’ll be interested to check and find out. 

Good point re the adverts /headline price. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been disappointed by the “prices from” thing!