USED SUV Recommendations for 2017

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › USED SUV Recommendations for 2017 - 30k budget

Nikras

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Topic # 214535 16-May-2017 15:01

Hi guys,

First time posting for me, so please bear with me.

I have a baby on the way and I'm looking to get a USED SUV to fit the family.

A few things that are important to me:

- Sufficient Power (not sluggish like the 1.8 Honda HRV)

- Good for towing

- Good fuel economy

- Safe (5* ANCAP)

- Reliable

- 30k Budget

I considered these options:

Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai, Honda CR-V

Whether it's a 2WD / 4WD it doesn't matter.

From your experience, would you recommend any of the ones I've listed? and would you recommend Diesel vehicles?

I'd love to hear stories. Thank you for your time.

Cheers,

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Reply # 1783185 16-May-2017 15:19

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i have a mazda cx-5 2012, jap import bought with 16,000 km on it, for about $26k 2 years ago. love it, havent got a bad thing to say about it. will be replacing it with a newer cx5 in a couple of years time.

Nikras

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Reply # 1783190 16-May-2017 15:23

Ah! I haven't thought of importing from Japan! The 26k inclusive of all fees and ORC? That's CHEAP for that mileage!

Did you import yours through a company from NZ? Or just a DIY kinda thing?

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Coil

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Reply # 1783191 16-May-2017 15:23

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Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai, Honda CR-V will all be shocking for towing unless its a empty trailer...

What are you towing?
How new does it have to be?
How many KMS does it have to have?
Power and fuel economy are 2 things you cant have both of. But you can get a car that is economic for its class or engine size.. Usually a diesel.
What part of the country are you in?
Any brand preference?

Please just quote and reply and ill do my best to find something to your needs.

Cheers

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trig42

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Reply # 1783196 16-May-2017 15:26

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CX-5 is a pretty good option.

You are not far off a brand new 7-seater Outlander at $30k - they are $32995+ORC (you may get a deal).

My parents have one, and they love it. I drove it from the top of the Coromandel peninsula (Port Jackson) to Thames last year towing a boat, and I felt it went really well.

reven

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Reply # 1783198 16-May-2017 15:29

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Nikras:

Ah! I haven't thought of importing from Japan! The 26k inclusive of all fees and ORC? That's CHEAP for that mileage!

Did you import yours through a company from NZ? Or just a DIY kinda thing?

bought it through "Eade Cars Greenlane". it had the lowest Ks by far of any I had seen.

only downsides with a import vs nz new is, electronics are in Japanese (warning messages etc, i use my phone to translate, only one to come up has been tire pressure (when I drove over a nail and had a slow leak)). and most have holes in their roofs by the visor for a road toll device thing (mine still has the device). not a huge deal, but yeah something to take note of.

eade cars swapped out the touch screen radio with the default "dumb" headunit from mazda, due to the fact the other one was in japanese again. they do this on all their cars for free, just part of their import process. the dumb unit is pretty good, has a usb reader which is what I generally use for music.

jonathan18

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Reply # 1783199 16-May-2017 15:29

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TimA:

Power and fuel economy are 2 things you cant have both of. But you can get a car that is economic for its class or engine size.. Usually a diesel.

Cheers

I'd have thought this was where diesel does indeed deliver power (well, torque - possibly more relevant given the context is towing) and fuel economy?

The 2.2 litre diesel in the CX5 is generally a highly-regarded engine - indeed a review of the new CX5 I read the other day waxed lyrical (one of the claims was it was quieter than the petrol - something I'm shocked at, given how relatively noisy the same engine is in my '13 Mazda6!).

Fuel economy from this engine's pretty damn good - in practice open-road driving should be around 5.8-6.0 (given I typically get 5.6sh in the more aerodynamic 6). And certainly torque to burn for towing, of course...

shk292

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Reply # 1783208 16-May-2017 15:32

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I've had 2 CR-Vs (Mk 2 and Mk3) and been very happy with them - very reliable, and with enough power to be enjoyable to drive. Returned better than 10l/100km on a mixed urban/motorway commute

As for towing, perfectly OK for lightish loads - I used to tow a 3.8m boat, sometimes loaded up with kayaks and other stuff and keeping up with non-towing traffic was never a problem.

Be cautious about rust if a towbar is fitted - my last CR-V had evidently been used on a boatramp by a previous thoughtless owner and by the time I sold it, some corrosion was starting on the underbody at the rear

mattwnz

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Reply # 1783211 16-May-2017 15:34

You may get a good deal on a run out on a new (older model) CX5, considering the new model has just been released. But you will probably need the 2.4 litre one. The 2 litre I imagine could be underpowered for towing.

Don't know if importing is a good idea, as the manufacturer may not support it, and you could end up with a lemon. I wouldn't pay that sort of money for something without any manufacturers warranty.

Coil

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Reply # 1783228 16-May-2017 15:53

Best that the OP specifies what he is towing before we all go suggesting a light vehicle to meet his requirements.
He may require a Landcruiser or a CX5.

For 30K you can get yourself a later model tidy Prado Landcruiser if you need to tow more weight.

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Nikras

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Reply # 1783245 16-May-2017 16:19

TimA:

Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai, Honda CR-V will all be shocking for towing unless its a empty trailer...

What are you towing?
How new does it have to be?
How many KMS does it have to have?
Power and fuel economy are 2 things you cant have both of. But you can get a car that is economic for its class or engine size.. Usually a diesel.
What part of the country are you in?
Any brand preference?

Please just quote and reply and ill do my best to find something to your needs.

Cheers

Hi Tim,

What are you towing?

- It would be a rented trailer to occasionally tow furniture. Not planning on towing other vehicles.

How new does it have to be?

- Preferably in the last 5 years

How many KMS does it have to have?

- Preferably less than 50ks

Power and fuel economy are 2 things you cant have both of. But you can get a car that is economic for its class or engine size.. Usually a diesel.

- I mentioned sufficient power and not sluggish :) I've test driven a 2008 (i think) 2.0 CR-V and found that okay power and fuel consumption wise.

What part of the country are you in?

- Auckland

Any brand preference?

- Jap as it would be cheaper to maintain. But open to suggestions.

Cheers.

Nikras

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Reply # 1783250 16-May-2017 16:28

trig42: CX-5 is a pretty good option. You are not far off a brand new 7-seater Outlander at $30k - they are $32995+ORC (you may get a deal). My parents have one, and they love it. I drove it from the top of the Coromandel peninsula (Port Jackson) to Thames last year towing a boat, and I felt it went really well.

Cool thanks! I have seen reviews online for the Outlander and some haven't been very positive. Not to mention the resale value on mitsubishi's aren't that great. But I might actually just test it out. The warranty and servicing could save big $$ in the long run.

trig42

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Reply # 1783257 16-May-2017 16:39

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Nikras:

trig42: CX-5 is a pretty good option. You are not far off a brand new 7-seater Outlander at $30k - they are $32995+ORC (you may get a deal). My parents have one, and they love it. I drove it from the top of the Coromandel peninsula (Port Jackson) to Thames last year towing a boat, and I felt it went really well.

Cool thanks! I have seen reviews online for the Outlander and some haven't been very positive. Not to mention the resale value on mitsubishi's aren't that great. But I might actually just test it out. The warranty and servicing could save big $$ in the long run.

Yep, resale isn't going to be great, but if you're only paying $33k for it to start with, it's never going to match the Mazdas and Hyundais.

A ten year warranty though, and the new car servicing deals as you say - what's not to like. I'd suggest taking one for a drive - you may hate it, you may enjoy it. I don't have a lot of SUV experience, but I enjoyed driving the parents one - it went where I pointed it and didn't argue or seem down on power (towing a 4m Tinny). My wife also commented that it seemed pretty flat on the road (she gets carsick in high wallowy vehicles) - which is pretty good on the windy roads coming down the Coromandel.

Geektastic

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Reply # 1783308 16-May-2017 17:40

Why does it need to be an SUV if 4WD ability etc is not an essential?

Would a Subaru Outback or Forester do?

Or a Volvo station wagon if you want awesome safety features.

All can be had with 7 seats, I think (depending on how many people you need to fit)

Wade

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Reply # 1783326 16-May-2017 18:19

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Throw the Ford Kuga on the list also, my parents bought a diesel Titanium last year and love it to bits

jjnz1

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Reply # 1783375 16-May-2017 20:11

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What about a 2014/2015 Nissan X-Trail ST (T32). I have a 2016 one and I love it. Base model on trade me goes for under $30k.

2.5 litre engine, can get either 7 seater or 4wd model for that price. Mine tows fine being a 6 speed (although you can select 7 for some reason -dont quite understand why)

5 stars safety.

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