Dear OzBs,
I'm planning to buy a 7 seater SUV but not in a hurry. At the moment I'm just looking at all the 7 seater SUVs [not interested in people movers].
I would like this topics to be used for discussions about 7 seater SUVs, special new/demo price, pro's and cons.
Thank you
Yes, but that was 7+ months ago.
Would like to get some fresh comments :)
how about mazda cx9, volvo xc90, audi q7?
a mate had a massive problem with his Maxda CX7 - sludge - a problem common with the cx9 according to google.
cx7 cx9, known for a big chassis with a small engine = fuel consumption through the rooooof
cx9 does have high fuel consumption but it is a big 3.7L 204kw 367nm 6cyl lugging over 2T it does chew the juice but it can also hoon (as long as you are going in a straight line, hooning around corners on low profile factory 20's in a 2T wagon is scary)
Dunno if you can get it here, but I was recently overseas and the friends I was visiting had a Ford Explorer..
Had a brilliant tight turning circle and good power.
I hired a 2012 Pathfinder while there and was very disappointed by comparison.
I've driven the Explorer in America many times and live it. I wish that they would get rid of the Territory here and bring back the Explorer!
I've also driven the Pathfinder as think its rubbish.
I like the explorer but its typical poor amercian build puts me off, so cheap though see used ones all the time around $5k with the mustang v8 in them
2012 PF is different from 2014/2013 PF [I think!]
Sure, but there will be lots of similarities too.
The Engine/Transmission (generally minimal changes) wasn't as responsive as I'd have liked and it felt quite "floaty" at high speed.
Turning circle was ~3m worse than the Explorer despite them being similar length vehicles (having said that, the Explorer turned like it was a hatchback).
The Explorer was a 2010 model… so similarly, things may have changed for the worse in the update.
NEW pathfinder is nothing like the old. 2012 pathfinder is a Navara ute with extra seats, diesel only, and a proper 4wd. New pathfinder is petrol only, SUV and a ground up design, no carry over.
And you won't get an explorer in aus.
No Probs.. I know nothing about the history of the Pathfinder
BTW, my hirecar 2012 Pathfinder was a Petrol…
Sounds like the new Pathfinder is an upsized Dualis. (and that's not a compliment on my part.. I've been in a Dualis and hated it from outside and from within)
If you think a pathfinder is an upsized Dualis, when you know nothing about cars…
How about the Mazda CX-9? I did a lot of research on these type of cars last year and ended up getting the Mazda. It has everything you need sans the fuel economy, but that was not an issue for me as the car is only going to be doing < 10k a year.
Toyota and ford are a bit smaller in the inside and also have less boot space if all 7 seats are up. Interior wise, you can just forget the Kluger. The most boring car I have ever seen. The advantage with the 2 over Mazda however is that they offer capped priced servicing and the Ford also comes in a diesel variant. Exterior wise, they are all good to look at.
Hyundai and Kia are also very very good but their 3rd row is strictly for toddlers. Even a 12 year old would struggle in it. But you get a lot of accessories included in the car and with their 5 years unlimited kms warranty and capped priced servicing, they are very good to own. The problem was that all the dealers I met were not willing to budge on the price and I couldn't justify spending $50K on Hyundai/Kia as opposed to a Mazda.
The new Pathfinder when I had a look, looked great and the older model had great reviews. The only reason I didn't get it was that it is a new model and so there is hardly any chance of bargaining :( I have heard that Kluger is coming up with a new model on 4-5 months with much better interior, so may be you can wait till then.
I am really happy with my Mazda. Looks great inside and out. Has lots of space for the family and drives like a dream. I went to Sydney with 6 passengers in the car in December and was still comfortable for everyone in the last row. Have fun doing the research.
I care to differ on the 3rd row in a Kia. Smaller adults can fit in there fine. Much better than the 3rd row in a Territory.
I agree with you. I own a 2013 Santa Fe and test drove a Sorento and unless Austin's 12yo is 7foot tall, an adult can fit in the back comfortably. Yes is more roomy then the 3rd row in the Territory.
If you are considering used the Volvo XC90 7 seat is a versatile design that works really well. The vehicle depreciates heavily from new so a bargain can be sort on a used one. The 3rd row of seats are integrated so that when they aren't in use there is a large flat load space and when they are in use they provide comfortable seating for adults up to medium height. The 3rd row has it's own AC system with the fan speed controlled by a knob accessable to the back left passenger.
The equipment levels are luxurious and the design and construction is solid and safe.
Avoid the T6 series unless you like playing transmission lotto as the GM 4 speed transmission has proved to have high failure rates.
The discontinued V8 is probably the pick of the crop and is a pleasure to own and drive, returning better fuel economy than the previous T6 V6 turbo.
you could hold out for this http://www.nissan.com.au/Cars-Vehicles/New-XTRAIL/Overview
hopefully priced not to much over the original x trail RRP
Honda Odyssey 2014 ?
LoL he wants a SUV not a van
Most 'SUVs' are 2wd and so low they wouldn't have a hope in hell of going off road. With that in mind what is the difference between an odyssey or a cx9?
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/INmhcpNxGQY/maxresdefault.jpg
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/content/image/2/0/2013_mazd…
This a genuine question - i really don't see it (obviously the visual styling is different but I am talking in a practical sense, the soccer mums will think you are a freak if you turn up in a 'van'?)
That was my above post from 7 months ago.
I narrowed down my search to peugot 4007, nissan dualis, mitsubishi outlander.
peugot was nice but expensive (couldn't justify paying that much) and the third row had very little leg room and the seats were very flimsy looking
dualis - 3rd row was tiny in terms of leg room (our 6 year old found it uncomfortable)
also looked at the Pathfinder. very solid vehicle. bit large for my taste and a tad expensive. Fiat Freemont seemed quite bulky and plasticy.
ended up buying an outlander diesel 4wd aspire. really happy with it. gets 15kms to the litre on the highway (just drove bris melb return and was very impressed).
got a great deal from a dealer in brisbane for a near new my14 model. (10,000ks).
mitsubishi have a deal with a queensland charity. the charity buys the vehicle and uses it until the car is 6 months or 15,000ks old -which ever is first. then mitsubishi buys it back. works out for the charity in that it only costs them the equivalent of the sales tax.
So I bagged one of these cars for $13,000 off what another dealer had quoted us.
only gripes about the outlander is around the stereo. it's not very friendly to hook up blue tooth (whole interface experience). and when you have been listening to music loudly and then stop and turn off the car then when you start teh car up again the volume is the same loudness. my previous car would automatically reduce the volume upon starting the vehicle.
oh yeah, the 3rd row is great. I can sit in it for short distances with no real drama. not the most comfortable for 6ft tall person but ok (obviously the 1st and 2 nd rows would be my 1st and 2nd choice for sitting). 3rd row - no problem for the kids.
the 3rd row capability/capacity was one of our main vehicle criteria.
The Peugeot 4007 is under the skin twin of the outlander, don't see how there could be much difference in the seats in the 3rd row compared to the outlander. Maybe it was the price that made the back seats more comfortable? (Tongue in cheek)
the peugot 4007 isn't based on the my14 outlander. must have been the previous outlander.
In the 4007, in the 3rd row, the foot space and distance from the floor to the top of the seat is about 3 or 4 inchess. it's tiny.
this is very different from the MY14 outlander.
I think Peugeot 4007 & mitsubishi outlander were practically the same except the badge (2012 & 2013 models). I believe Peugeot stopped their experiment stopped doing that now.
3rd row seating: You can't place a baby seat on these (unless they are fixed permanently). If you fix a baby seat on the 2nd row then you can't fold them!
My wife has a 4007. It's very similar to the Outlander but different engine and very, very different gearbox.
We had a captiva for a couple of years, enough room for short trips with adults in the third row. It is now gone because there wasn't enough luggage space in the car with all seats in use, couldn't fit the stroller in unless under legs in the middle row.
We looked around and settled on the superceded pathfinder model, the new one has only been out since november last year and wasn't available anyway. Discount the reviews from above mentioning 2012 models or anything over 3 months old. Our old model is a truck with seats, but it suits us. It doesn't handle as well as some of the SUV type 7 seaters but it's still good to drive and not to thirsty.
Make sure you consider the luggage space, our situation changed (extra child) and additional use of the third row of seats and we found the space wasn't enough. If you are only carting people without gear then you don't need as much luggage space behind the third row.
Any particular reason for the SUV preference over a people mover? SUV's may look a bit more sporty and purposeful compared to the 'family truckster' look of a people mover but generally they are a lot less practical. If you want to go 4WD or towing you're usually better off with a proper 4wd, like land cruiser, patrol, pajero etc..
For load carrying (either people and / or 'stuff') the people mover design is much more space efficient - the first row of seats is much closer to the front of the vehicle so you have much more space behind for seats with legroom and / or load carrying.
We were looking for a used 7 seater a few years ago and came down to either a ford territory or citroen c4 picasso. We chose the Citroen because it was diesel, much better appointed and had a very practical interior. All 7 seats are separate so they can all individually fold down, recline or slide fore and aft (apart from last row). We've had it full of adults and teenagers (who were comfy in the last row), supplies for a Bunnings bbq (1,000 bread rolls in big bakery trays, plus eskies, ice, cases of soft drinks), doors and building supplies for home renovation - all sorts of different uses.
The exterior dimensions were very similar to a magna wagon, even a bit shorter from memory and it would have to be the most practical and reliable car I've ever owned. We had none of these weird niggly issues that french cars seem to be renowned for - it just kept going and going.
Thanks for the thoughts on the Picasso. Looking around at larger cars, and this (brand) wasn't one that I'd even known of!
Nissan Dualis 2+ ST? The 2 extra seats fold down if not needed. Seems to be fuel efficient and is under 30K brand new.
The 3rd row only fits midgets
The 3rd row only fits midgets
who do not have legs.
I was in the market recently for a 7 seater SUV (I like SUV because I can sit higher, easy to get in and out, can do light off-roading and looks better) and ended up buying the Hyundai SantaFe Active Diesel (high demand, hard to get, best rated SUV in Australia and US, especially Elite model).
Was initially planning to go for new Nissan Pathfinder, got quote etc.. but doing last minute research found that they still have some serious CVT issues, hopefully getting fixed in 2014 batch. Nissan quality has gone down significantly since Renault took over!
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/05/2013-nissan-pathf…
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/05/29/2013-nissan-pathfinder-dr…
I was interested in Outlander, but reviews weren't very encouraging. Finally went with SantaFe as it has 5 yr warranty, annual service (vs twice a year for most others) and looks sharp. The R series turbo diesel is one of the best in this range, and drives like a petrol, though you can make out from sound. Last seats aren't too bad, I could sit fine for short trips (5' 11" tall), but very limited luggage space when seats are up. I think best last seats are in the new pathfinder and easier to get in/out. I reckon the outlander doesn't have rear vents, while SantaFe has in 2nd and even 3rd row, makes a big difference on a hot day!
I just brought a Toyota Kluger Altitude(limited edition) with GPS, 19" wheels, Sunroof and roof racks and DVD player extra for $44000. Yes there is a new model apparently coming out in may but, Toyota has said it will be more expensive as the new Prado model just came out and were $2000 dearer. Also it has cheap servicing at only $170,you may find it hard to find one as they are in run out now.
Honda oddesey
I looked at every single 4 x4. The firs time we were introduced to a Kia Sorrento by a friend we were sold! We bought it new 3 years ago and had absolutely no problems with it at all. We paid $32k for a basic petrol version. Even the basic range is really nice and they threw in free side steps and boot tray.
Recently, I tool my car for service and decided to enquire on an upgrade. The lated price is $39k. He said I was very lucky to get it for that price. It's such a great car, no wonder it's so popular.
At that time, I had 3 kids in car seats, inc baby twins in forward facing and one in a booster. We use the third row regularly and needed to be able to flip down the seat in the middle row to let the person into the third row iykwim…..every single car we tested, the 2nd row was not wide enough. With 2 baby seats anchored, we could not flip down the side seat. I can't ask my mum to climb through the boot nor could I be bothered to remove the middle baby seat every time just to let somebody in and out of the back row.
Kia Sorrento…No Problemo. It was so usable. I have friends that rarely use their third row because it's such a pain to. Friends with 3 kids and baby seats.
When it's time to upgrade we will be getting another Sorrento. But unfortunately will have to pay much more than we did initially, even just for the basic model.
I also love the look and style of the Sorrento. The foot brake is the best, every car should have one. The automatic side mirrors is so handy for parking. I use it all the time.
This is OzBargain people! Forget about blowing $20k+ on cars. Buy a second hand Camry and if you need more seats, just ask passengers to share a seat belt.
I think we all differ on what we can take away from Ozbargain. For some it is clearly to spend as little money as possible on anything, no matter the means by which the price was obtained.
For others, there is the possibility of having 'toys' and other luxuries they could not necessarily buy at the regular price, but which they can more easily afford thanks to great prices found by other community members.
Then there are those who make savings where they can so that they don't have to compromise on things like cars or computers etc.
if you need more seats, just ask passengers to share a seat belt.
Just to clarify, you WERE joking, right?
Of course! :)
Happy to hear it. I'd hate to have my toddler wandering around loose in the car while sharing the road with you if you were serious. lol
I would go for a Mitsubishi Challenger for around 33k or an isuzu MU-X. Proper size for fitting 7 people and diesel.
Two good alternatives there and they would be more suited to beach driving.
I bought Kia Sorento(diesel)last year…..Very nice car…Plenty space…Powerful but economical.No problems at all…
I had a new Toyota Kluger Grande 2WD and it was awesome. Especially the $150 capped servicing. Dealer added 2 years capped servicing so total was 5 years wty! It's a Toyota - no problems whatsoever.
You can get a 2009 grande model for about 32K on carsales.com (probably 30k after negotiation)
Best features are keyless entry and ignition, powered tailgate and wireless headsets for DVD system for kids. And the space!!
second that, good cars easy to fix anywhere
The best thing would be is to go test drive all the cars you have listed above, that way you can compare them all yourself. It also doesn't hurt reading reviews on those cars.
When our 2nd child was due, we decided we wanted a 7 seater suv also. I test drove the Kluger, Territory, CX9, Outlander, Pathfinder, Santa Fe & Sorento.
The Kluger & Territory were very similar in size, price & drive. The CX9 felt very heavy and with the big engine, my friend told me he gets approx. 16L/100kms. The Pathfinder's interior actuallt felt smell and suspension too stiff (maybe because its actually proper 4wd). The Sorento & Santa Fe were very similar to drive/size/comfort and I'm told use the same chassis.
In the end we chose the Santa Fe elite because of the options, price, looks and fuel consumption. For the price, it cam with options like satnav, touch screen display, leather, awd, free 3rd row seats, diesel and reverse camera that all came free, where as other SUVs you had to pay extra!
We go the Elite version because things like sunroof, HID lights, different colour paint & leather, heated seats were options that were not practical to is an we couldn't justify paying the extra $$ for it.
Also he interior of the Santa Fe looks AMAZING compared to all the other SUVs!
How much?
Few people suggested diesel. Apparently, you need to drive 120+ km/h for at least 20 mins once a week to filters clean.
Not in every case.My Sorento doesnt have a DPF.New generation diesel engines are very different.
I've never heard that. Have two diesels and neither need anything of the sort
you're thinking of a different car where you have to hit 88 miles per hour.
Isuzu Mu-x
picked up a MY14 Challenger yesterday. Would have gone for a mux, but didn't need 7 seats.
Can I add another vote to those above for the Santa Fe, I've had one for a few years now, previous model to current. First Hyundai I ever owned, and probably the best car I've bought. It's a leased car that does a lot of mileage (220k in 3 years) and it hasn't missed a beat. Only issue I've ever had with it was water in the fuel which had to be drained. If I look back at previous cars I've owned like Falcons, they start coming apart at 100k.
+1 for Hyundai.
i replaced my 2007 hyundai tucson for a my14 diesel outlander.
2007 tucson with 130,000 k's on the clock. still going strong. only problem we had with it was a part on the exhaust rusted out (cost $27 to replace) and the power cable came loose from the stereo. only replaced it as we out grew it.
Thanks for all your inputs and please keep this forum alive.
My opinion on Hyundai
I own a Hyundai Sonata 2006 and never had any mechanical problem until last fortnight when my aircon stopped working [at 40 degree perth heat]. Few things that p###ed me off…
Car service [on average $600 - $900 annually]. I know new cars come with capped services but what happens after the initial recommended capped service years????
Hyundai parts are VERY VERY expensive [For 2006 sonata air compressor - $1100 for non-genuine and $3200 for genuine part]
positives - very good mileage even with my 2006 model and had loads of feature even with basic modal.
Bottom line- Inexpensive during the warranty period but may get expensive after warranty.
I checked both Sorento and Sante fe [highlander]. For some reason I lean towards KIA as both have exactly same feature and yet hyundai is almost 10k dearer :(
Anyhow, please keep this forum alive and once again thanks for all your comments :)
The Sorento is nicer! both cars depreciate a lot. Spend less the better as long as it meets your needs.
Any particular reason why you need a 'SUV'? do you go offroad or do lots of heavy towing?
Any of the current 7 seater 4x4's/SUV's have very little boot room once the 3rd row is in.
Also OEM parts for any vehicle are expensive. Try 1081.14 for a single seat rail for a FPV GT.
Not for towing but may be for few off road and beach trips. Not sure if people mover can cope with beach sand :)
Not advised. You will need AWD but preferably 4x4. Keep in mind people can still get stuck with those
Be very careful with SUVs and beach trips. Many AWD systems use the ABS to control traction, which works ok in some circumstances but driving across soft sand where you need lots of revs and wheel spin to keep moving, the last thing you need is the ABS kicking in and applying braking to spinning wheels. You end up bogged in the middle of sand dunes needing possibly expensive recovery to get back on to firm land and may even damage the drivetrain.
If you want to go on sand, do lots of research and read some good independent reviews to make sure your chosen vehicle is suited for beach work.
People movers aren't really designed for beach work. The VW Caravelle Syncro used to be a great option for an off-road people mover but I'm not sure if the current models would have the same abilities.
Do yourself a favour. Stick to a Toyota. Look at the 7 sweater rav and drive the Kluger. I own a Kluger. Best 60k I spent,.,( top end grande) 7 seater
Fixed price servicing
Great engine
Good fitting
Smooth ride
Great petrol 10L/100 Km's
Ditto, but mine only cost $37k new with $2k accessories (base model):-)
Top class motor vehicle, love it. Good visibility and nimble around town, quiet, comfortable and smooth for touring.
Very cheap to service… mostly just oil & filter.
If intended for driving on beaches etc I would not do it with an awd, get a 4wd, and not a new one… just me :-)
I've driven Pathfinder and Foord Territory before. Now I own a Kluger-Altitude for more than a year. I loove this car. It's very smooth in driving compared to the others. I love every bit of the car except the Sat Nav which was shipped with the old maps and I don't want to spend $260 to get the new maps while I can buy a Garmin with life time map updates for less.
Test drive a Kluger and others as well and compare the difference.
Nissan Elgrand
lol bangbus
Why not much talk about Fiat Freemont? I can see it has all std features. I like integrated booster seat. Pretty spacious too.
Is Dodge Journey the same car with differing name?
They are stylish and much cheaper than Toyota and Nissan.
How often would u drive interstate? If It is some beach rides and once a yr interstate then I wouldn't want to spend as much as Toyota. Agree there u get resale, but if u buy cheap less Money invested anyways.
The Freemont is the one I opted for over the weekend. Got the Urban model. Looks good and is more spacious than most of the other SUVs. At $30k drive away, with plenty of features as standard, I am not complaining.
Yes, th Dodge Journey has been rebranded as the Freemont. The Journey is a 3.6L, but the Freemont is 2.4L, so you do lose some power there.
The Journey is a 3.6L, but the Freemont is 2.4L, so you do lose some power there.
but save some $$$ on fuel.
Not exactly! Just look at the Mazda CX7 which has a small 4cyl engine. Its chews through petrol like a V6.
Owning a Sorento myself and I am very happy with it. I used to have the Pathfinder and what a disaster it was. I had continuous engine problem since buying it from the previous owner. It was only 2 year old at that time. I would strongly recommend people staying away from that awful car.
whatever you get, make sure its a turbo diesel, you'll thank me when you realize how much you've saved on fuel.
love my outlander turbo diesel for this alone. recently drove Bris-Melb return and was getting 15kms per 1 litre
FORD TERRITORY ALL THE WAY!
i actually looked very closely into this a few years ago, most SUVs are not that good actually, the kluger for example is actually a Camry in disguise and just plain dangerous if you dont drive like grandma all the time, even in AWD guise its only "on demand" which puts about 3% of available power to the back wheels if the TCS kicks in but by that time you are already spinning out and even though it claims to be a 7 seater it really can only fit 5 and has only 2 restraint points in the back seat so the 3rd row which is really only good for kids cant have kids under 9 in it.
The X5 and Merc are the only real options other then the territory but you will pay for it, I have also heard good things about the new jeep Grand Cherokee which is also a proper 4WD that none of the others are.
The territory is a real 7 seater with 5 restraint points and you can fit 3 baby seats across the back too, in AWD it has a proper 45% 55% power split so holds onto the road like glue, i have never driven a car that handles better in the rain then the territory. Although its not a proper 4WD with no low range or clearance because of the proper diff at the front you can take it onto sand and tracks as long as there are no clearance issues, i have had it in quite a few situations where it performed really well.
The ZF german gearbox and computer is straight out of the X5, the car is also very well balanced and safe in terms of safety systems and handling. Also has a answer for your right foot if you need one to get out of trouble.
bad side of it is that in the city the AWD chews the petrol up i get around 15L/100, on the highway its quite good though around 9L/100 depends on your area though, if you are looking at a newer car the diesel are very economical has the same engine as the land rover discovery.
It is a ford so has ford problems but are very very cheap to fix, always get the ball joints checked at every service, if you service it at ford they will do this automatically and replace them at no charge if they are the old design even after warranty as it was part of a recall.
Not sure about the pathfinder have not driven one.
The kia/hyundai is much better then the kluger but still are not ideal, i have seen allot of accidents in these cars as they are just too heavy to be FWD only but it depends on how you drive it allot too.
BMW X5 Or M Class are ideal but if no budget for them get the Territory as its on par with the euros in terms of safety, handling and power but without the price tag.
but dont take my word for it go drive all of these, in the rain is even better and judge for yourself.
Good luck
i have only heard negatives abt ford territory. mechanical problems and fuel consumption…a lot of my friends have one, very good marketing as the ultimate family car but they all told me steer clear.
Sounds like a load of rubbish, they sell close to 40,000 of the things every year, and people keep going back to buy them.
The very first models had issues (04-06) but after the update/facelift it was all rectified.
Stop watching ACA/TT
a woman at work has 2010 model. with 57,000ks on the clock the steering rack gave out. Ford said it was not covered by warranty. she pointed out that 57k was much driving and the car has only been used around town (ony 2wd) . ford didn't budge.
anecodotal evidence.
I don't watch tv. It's friends that own territories that told me it's a regretful purchase.
The Territory is decent but i'm really warming up to the Ford Kuga. IMO its a great all-round city-sized SUV. It seems to fit well between the EcoSport and Territory http://www.ford.com.au/suvs
Was looking at 7 seaters recently and getting into the 3rd row of Territory literally meant climbing over top of the folded down 2nd row - not for everyone.
Serious 4x4 dudes thinks its a joke, but for most tracks & dirt roads I find it adequate. We looked seriously at delica (perhaps consider the newer D5?), but the long wheel base was the only model that could sit 7 (or8 depending if you got 'captains chairs' in the middle row), AND have decent sized boot - rear row doesnt slide. But the long wheel base is also higher & so won't fir into most carparks (2.2 I think). But we liked the layout, 2+2+3, nice big isle down the middle, pajero equivalent chassis & running gear. Anyway the the height killed it. While trawling delica forum I came across the ugliest car I thought I'd never buy. Yep grey import, electronic everything, leather etc. And cheap. Comes with newer ZD30 (but hard to find) or very thirsty but powerful VQ35. Nissan elgrand either the older e50 or newer e51 (no diesel). No low range, but built on pathfinder r50 chassis, reasonably common parts (except panels & glass). Keeps our 4 kids an arms length apart. And two airconditioners. And a generous boot, and even the 3rd row an adult is pretty comfy. GO LPG if you get the e50. Good oz forum, search elgrand. I ve raised our 2", slightly bigger tyres, goes great, we really like it.
I liked the d5 interior :)
Wanted to bump this conversation back up as I'm looking into buying a 7 seater SUV and have been doing plenty of research in the past few weeks. This thread has been really helpful so far.
I'm keen to know why the Land Rover Discovery hasn't been mentioned in this convo yet, its apparently a great option for a 7 seater SUV. I guess it depends on what you use it for and your budget but from what I've read I'm leaning towards paying a bit more to get one as I like to head out to the country with the family. Plus you can't look past the quality of interior + build quality of Land Rovers.
There's a nice summary here http://www.landrover.com/au/en/lr/7-seats-suv/
Keen to know other people's thoughts on them.
Fair point Cook. I had Disco 3 and loved it. Apparently there is a Land Rover Discovery Sport model coming soon. There's a video of it here: http://newageofdiscovery.landrover.com/au
Discovery probably doesn't fit into the SUV category, like the Prado, Patrol etc. They are proper 4WDs.
Strange given the Land Rover refer to them as "SUVs" in the link posted by Cookpassbabtridge
And this is ozbargain. Spending $90,000 on a vehicle is probably limited to a small % of members.
This topic has been posted before. This might help you. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/111100