Recommendation for new mid-sized SUV

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668 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2407072 26-Jan-2020 17:34

Geektastic:

Yep. More safety stuff than you can shake a stick at, leather, 8” infotainment with Apple Carplay and the Android version, electric seats, big sunroof, adaptive driving beam lights, blind spot monitoring, front, rear and nearside cameras, electric tailgate, autonomous reverse breaking, intelligent cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, driver facial recognition. Plus of course excellent awd.

You forgot the CVT, which rules it out for many people, myself included who hate CVT transmissions.

Geektastic

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#2407149 26-Jan-2020 19:15

Senecio:
Geektastic:

Yep. More safety stuff than you can shake a stick at, leather, 8” infotainment with Apple Carplay and the Android version, electric seats, big sunroof, adaptive driving beam lights, blind spot monitoring, front, rear and nearside cameras, electric tailgate, autonomous reverse breaking, intelligent cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, driver facial recognition. Plus of course excellent awd.

You forgot the CVT, which rules it out for many people, myself included who hate CVT transmissions.

You should drive it. They’re not all the same. Subaru use chains not rubber belt.

Anyway, as long as it works and lasts that’s all that really matters.

mattwnz

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#2407150 26-Jan-2020 19:16

Dunnersfella:

mattwnz:

Dunnersfella:

The latest Mazda CX5, if it gets the same interior update as the Mazda 3...

Does that mean it is missing the touch screen infotainment system too? To be forced to use only the wheel is painful IMO.

Yup - no touch screen, it uses Carplay / Android Auto.

I personally hate touch screens, they suck to use while driving as you're always bouncing up and down so accuracy is effected... plus I hate finger prints all over my display.

The HUD on the new Mazda 3 is a massive step up on the one found in the CX5/7 etc too.

By default, the mazda touchscreen deactivates when you are driving. But if you want to use the GPS, and type in an address, it is far easier to use the touch screen, and usually people will stop to do this. I haven't found finger prints to be an issue as the screen is mat. But I think with the new mazda 3, they have pushed the display back, so it isn't actually easy to reach now, even if it was touch screen. I wish more car manufacturers would do what Tesla have done, and made a huge touchscreen display, that is actually intuitive to use. Similar to what apple did with the iphone when it first came out. The current infotainment systems in cars remind me of the pre-iphone days of nokia smartphones. They could do much of what the iphone could do, but the interface wasn't intuitive.

The newer HUD seems to have been around for a long time, but was only available on the top spec'd models. Whereas the lower models either didn't get any HUD, or had the foldering glass thing.

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#2407153 26-Jan-2020 19:20

Geektastic:
Senecio:

Geektastic:

Yep. More safety stuff than you can shake a stick at, leather, 8” infotainment with Apple Carplay and the Android version, electric seats, big sunroof, adaptive driving beam lights, blind spot monitoring, front, rear and nearside cameras, electric tailgate, autonomous reverse breaking, intelligent cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, driver facial recognition. Plus of course excellent awd.

You forgot the CVT, which rules it out for many people, myself included who hate CVT transmissions.

You should drive it. They’re not all the same. Subaru use chains not rubber belt.

Anyway, as long as it works and lasts that’s all that really matters.

i have a subaru 221kW metal chain cvt.

my van (auto) transmission is more responsive!

why do i have the sub? well you can't have it all. i will compromise on the CVT coz of the 221kw i can get from the sub. umm van has 206kW.

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

Technofreak

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#2407169 26-Jan-2020 20:49

mattwnz:

The current infotainment systems in cars remind me of the pre-iphone days of nokia smartphones. They could do much of what the iphone could do, but the interface wasn't intuitive.

The 8 inch infotainment touchscreen in my ZB Commodore RSV is pretty intuitive, easy easy to use and nice and responsive. So some manufacturers are getting it right. Though "getting it right" can be very much a personal thing, what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. The finger marks are pretty well unnoticeable due to the screen angle and the semigloss finish.

What I really do like is the voice activated commands which work surprising well compared to other voice command systems I've used.

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scuwp

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#2407172 26-Jan-2020 21:07

Vote here for Kia. Never really considered them before but was super impressed when we started checking them out. Ended up with a mid spec diesel Sportage with a couple of extras. GRUNT big time. Cheap as chips to run. 2 tonne towing, beautifully assembled. Silky smooth 8 speed, and and dream to drive. All the electronic bells and whistles too.

Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman, then always be the Batman

Geektastic

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#2407173 26-Jan-2020 21:07

Batman:

Geektastic:
Senecio:

Geektastic:

Yep. More safety stuff than you can shake a stick at, leather, 8” infotainment with Apple Carplay and the Android version, electric seats, big sunroof, adaptive driving beam lights, blind spot monitoring, front, rear and nearside cameras, electric tailgate, autonomous reverse breaking, intelligent cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, driver facial recognition. Plus of course excellent awd.

You forgot the CVT, which rules it out for many people, myself included who hate CVT transmissions.

You should drive it. They’re not all the same. Subaru use chains not rubber belt.

Anyway, as long as it works and lasts that’s all that really matters.

i have a subaru 221kW metal chain cvt.

my van (auto) transmission is more responsive!

why do i have the sub? well you can't have it all. i will compromise on the CVT coz of the 221kw i can get from the sub. umm van has 206kW.

My RR has a proper 6 speed auto box. Separating the 450BHP from the RR engine from the responsiveness equation (vs the 185 from the Forester) and allowing for the fact that I do not need to demonstrate my manhood by driving fast I really couldn't say that the difference in responsiveness from the latest gen CVT (and the latest ones are supposed to be much better) is noticeably different from that of the RR.

Of course, one weighs over 2 tons and one does not, which has some impact on things as well.

Point being that for normal, sensible driving, the CVT in the Forester is 100% acceptable. If you do not want normal, sensible driving I would assume you'd probably not be shopping for a Forester anyway and would have ordered a manual STI!

It's horses for courses.

mattwnz

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#2407180 26-Jan-2020 21:20

Technofreak:

mattwnz:

The current infotainment systems in cars remind me of the pre-iphone days of nokia smartphones. They could do much of what the iphone could do, but the interface wasn't intuitive.

The 8 inch infotainment touchscreen in my ZB Commodore RSV is pretty intuitive, easy easy to use and nice and responsive. So some manufacturers are getting it right. Though "getting it right" can be very much a personal thing, what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. The finger marks are pretty well unnoticeable due to the screen angle and the semigloss finish.

What I really do like is the voice activated commands which work surprising well compared to other voice command systems I've used.

I agree it can be a personal thing, and the Mazdas system is okay, just so much that could be improved on. Losing the what playing screen when in navigation is also an annoyance for me, becuase if you have a dedicated old style radio with it's own screen, you can always see what is playing.

Mazda has voice controls too, but it is very poor. About the only thing that works is 'Navigate Home'.

Obraik

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Ultimate Geek

#2407222 26-Jan-2020 21:30

mattwnz:

I wish more car manufacturers would do what Tesla have done, and made a huge touchscreen display, that is actually intuitive to use. Similar to what apple did with the iphone when it first came out. The current infotainment systems in cars remind me of the pre-iphone days of nokia smartphones. They could do much of what the iphone could do, but the interface wasn't intuitive.

It seems that is starting to happen. The new Subaru's have a similar vertical touchscreen as the Model S/X and Ford is doing the same with their new Mustang EV.

Technofreak

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#2407223 26-Jan-2020 21:34

mattwnz:

I agree it can be a personal thing, and the Mazdas system is okay, just so much that could be improved on. Losing the what playing screen when in navigation is also an annoyance for me, becuase if you have a dedicated old style radio with it's own screen, you can always see what is playing.

Mazda has voice controls too, but it is very poor. About the only thing that works is 'Navigate Home'.

I can see that information on the HUD and I think the Driver Information Display depending on what mode I've chosen to display

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ilovemusic

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#2407648 27-Jan-2020 16:31

3 people support this post

dafman:

The Holden Equinox may be a good SUV, but the Holden brand is under a financial cloud. If (when) GM pulls the pin on Holden and ceases operations, what will be implication for support, parts or resale?

the company has as zero morals.

put them in the same boat as VW.

my money would go to honda, kia, hyundai, mazda, subaru, toyota

Stu1

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Ultimate Geek

#2407661 27-Jan-2020 16:57

ilovemusic:
dafman:

The Holden Equinox may be a good SUV, but the Holden brand is under a financial cloud. If (when) GM pulls the pin on Holden and ceases operations, what will be implication for support, parts or resale?

the company has as zero morals.

put them in the same boat as VW.

my money would go to honda, kia, hyundai, mazda, subaru, toyota

Thank god EVs don’t have piston slap

scuwp

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#2407681 27-Jan-2020 17:53

One person supports this post

Stu1:
ilovemusic:

dafman:

The Holden Equinox may be a good SUV, but the Holden brand is under a financial cloud. If (when) GM pulls the pin on Holden and ceases operations, what will be implication for support, parts or resale?

the company has as zero morals.

put them in the same boat as VW.

my money would go to honda, kia, hyundai, mazda, subaru, toyota

Thank god EVs don’t have piston slap