wildfowler.250 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 So having finished Uni im considering a new car. Currently had a clio for the last 8 years. It's been great for fuel economy but the shooting has been hard on it,(ground clearance on stubble and forrestry tracks ect). The gf is down in glasgow so I'll have to do a 3 hour drive quite a few weekends in a month. I'm looking for something that is decent on the motorway but if I go on stubble or off road it won't grind along the bottom of the car. Also want something that's fairly decent in the snow. Problem is if I was just doing shooting I would get a proper 4x4. But at the moment I'm thinking of something like a qashqai? Anyone got experience with them? As I've managed okay with a clio for years im probably looking at a road car, that is an actual 4x4 and can do basic off roading. A lot of folk like the foresters but they're pretty unattractive cars. Certainly reasonable fuel economy and ride comfort are higher up on the priority list. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Or a Honda CR-V? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carman06 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 My mother had a qashqai as a motability car in the 1.6 engine. I drove it a fair bit including a run to the airport (fully loaded) and found that perticular engine very underpowered and handling very wish washy on corners. So much body roll even at very low speeds it actually made the wife travel sick. It depends on how new a car you want and what sort of economy as engines have changed a lot over the last decade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Thanks for the reply. I'd probably be looking to get something fairly new. Otherwise I could just stick with the clio for another year or two. Cheers for the reply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carman06 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Most modern "soft readers" like your x-trail, freelander, forester etc should give you around 40mpg. There are new models of the x-trail, CR-V, freelander(discovery sport) etc which should open up the older 2nd hand models to good prices. You could save a lot of course and go much older for something like a Suzuki grand vitara which although not as good on fuel. Very capable in non Tarmac conditions. I replaced my astra last year for one of the run-out model freelander 2 and it performs well above my expectations on the rough. Years gone by though I had a vitara JZlX SE soft top that proved amazing in snow and off road but not a very big car to be fair. You do have an amazing range to choose from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Although I don't particularly like the newer ones an x trail seems to fit your needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Skoda yeti 4x4 Skoda octavia 4x4 Both good strong cars with e4x4 capability and fine for long runs down the motorway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Heard a lot of good things for the Yeti lately actually, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 A lot of people I work with in Western Power use the Yeti's on scoping surveys because they are very capable on site if the terrain is rougher than expected. Was out with a couple of guys in them the other day and they seem to handle rough terrain well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckandswing Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 A colleague at work has a new honda CR-V in the 1.6 diesel. Gets an average fuel consumption of over 55mpg and has a good ground clearance. Not sure how good it is off road but will be better than a standard car. Honda reliability too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 Cheers for the replies guys. I've also seen good reviews on the mazda cx 5 but haven't heard much about them elsewhere? There's far too many options! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 my brother has got a lemon of a cx5 fortunately a company car but 2x turbos 1 x engine and loads of niggles in the time he has had it its not been a good experience. But when its working the economy is good and its pretty refined. You have ground clearance off road but big alloys with low profile tyres means tracks are ok but thats about as far as you want to go. My other half has a rav 4 good as a car and would get you off road a bit economy is good and surprisingly quick considering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny thomas Posted July 2, 2015 Report Share Posted July 2, 2015 If you're going to use it off road where you really need a 4x4 the yeti seems to be a perfect fit they are great cars If you're not going to punish it too much my wife has just bought a peugeot 2007 its got decent grount clearance and goes well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 (edited) Got no experience of them but I would have a look at the Ford Kuga, IMO best looking of the SUV bunch and being ford should drive nicely and be reliable. My neighbor has the Kia Sportage and thats really nice as well for not huge money, the interior quality is very impressive and drives well. Most off roading it will do is bumping up the curb but has good ride height. Edited July 3, 2015 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted July 3, 2015 Report Share Posted July 3, 2015 Suzuki SX4 diesel. Wife has had one for 3 years. One of our better buys. Well put together and one car I don't regret buying. Decent ground clearance and Suzuki make proper 4 x 4s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 Cheers for the feedback guys. Have to say a lot of folk seem to like the skoda yeti,(it is very strange looking though). The Kia sportage looks a nice car! Given me plenty to look into though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andypaint Posted July 4, 2015 Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 Rav4 2.2 diesel, very good on road and around 50mpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted July 4, 2015 Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 hello, i have a dihatsu terios with electronic 4X4 or a switch it drives well and off road to, 1.300cc and good on petrol. not so nippy in low gears but get on the motorway and it flys along. and high off road so you can get about on land in winter. top gear rated high and good engine. i only do 3,000 a year 54 plate and not done 30,000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Rav4 2.2 diesel, very good on road and around 50mpg Allegedly though must be my other half driving ours never goes over 40mpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted July 6, 2015 Report Share Posted July 6, 2015 Second hand VW tiguan? My dad's on his Second and loves them, he drives motorways everyday and when we go over to Northern France it gets used down some nice muddy tracks (pretty much what you will be doing by the sounds of it) it's a super car with VW build quality the ones we've had never missed a beat mate also decent ground clearance and quite a low first gear with a nice torquey engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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