Hi all,
Spending 4+ hours in my car each day with a lot of equipment to cart around.
So looking for recommendations for a bigger car, reasonably new (2016+), good boot space and around $20k.
Recommendations for New or Used Small/Med SUV under $20k (2016 or Newer Preferred)
Lstaceyhynes on 24/10/2020 - 08:08
Comments
a wagon sounds like a good fit, right?
Recommendations for New or Used Small/Med SUV
The title would’ve said wagon if they wanted a wagon.
What if they haven't considered a wagon yet?
@perhaps: A trailer sounds like a better fit. They’re cheaper to buy, cheaper rego and more space. Their resale price is also better.
@whooah1979: Op can do whatever they would like with their money, we are just suggesting options for them according to their use case
camry
What sort of driving? Highway or urban?
90% Urban driving
What oscargamer said below.
VF series 2 Commodore wagon or even the new ZB if that's your taste.
Yeah but that is not a SUV, no?
All my friends, family and my whole street are getting rid of their cars and buying SUVs, so practical or not my next car has to be a SUV too….
It's not. But op asked for a bigger car and boot space (I ignored the SUV bit)
Sorry wasn't really aimed at your comment. For most city dwellers looking to upsize, a station wagon usually is the best choice when it comes to comfort, space, practicality and fuel efficiency, etc., etc., however the common sentiment these days seems to be that SUVs are just better because everyone is buying one.
@oscargamer: And not forgetting the crowd who would buy a SUV to go off-roading "one day" not realsing most SUVs they would end up buying happens to be just hatchbacks on stilts which aren't fit for that purpose anyways.
@megaalc: Of course, that makes total sense and I'm not against buying SUVs in any way. What you do with your money is your own business. What I can't understand is people blindly buying SUVs when it is not the right car for them or their lifestyle just because everyone else is buying SUVs these days.
@megaalc: Yes I've injured my back atm, fracture nd ruptured disk with compressed nerves (have a crap back anyway) and my Tucson is amazing, can't get in mum's commy
@megaalc: A lot harder for my little one to climb up into my car, than easily step into the wife's sedan.
Wagon sales are down. They will eventually die like Holden.
What has that to do with the OP's question?
My random comment - personal ownership of cars will also go down in the future.
What do wagons have to do with op wanting to buy an SUV?
ofc they are going down since every man and his dog want an SUV or Ute, without even checking whether it suits their lifestyle or use case. All because the neighbor or their friends are getting one.
We don’t live in 70s. It’s time to leave the sandman nostalgia behind.
@whooah1979: ahhh going for the sandman now @whooah1979, really hurt my feelings there. Explain your case for SUV's, I'd genuinely like to hear
Kia sportage Si, 2017 under 100k kms, 4 years ! factory warranty left.
How does that sound?
Small/Med SUVs tend to have very small boot spaces. Sometimes even smaller than a hatchback! If boot space is a requirement you will have to look at large SUVs.
….or a wagon hehe
Also shopping around for a SUV with decent boot space - this recent guide is a good starting point: Boot sizes of Australia’s favourite SUVs
MG zs is a new SUV under 20 grand with 7 year warranty.
https://mgmotor.com.au/models/mg-zs/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImuGQv…
Haters gonna hate but this SUV is what OP wanted to know
I thought we were boycotting things made from the PRC.
Could also suggest naval at the price point. I've seen people buy these, are they really as bad as people say? Surely they rant THAT bad if people buy them…
Same could be said about great wall, Foton etc, which were horrendously terrible. People will buy anything that's cheap, just look at all the absolute rubbish people buy from AliExpress or wish.
It's worrying when most of the page speaks of the gadgets it comes with and nothing on the drive train.
Just got a Subaru XV. It has less boot space than an Impreza (due to a full size spare wheel). Both have lots of room when back seats are folded so the question would be how many passengers do you have when you're carting gear around.
Also what's your current car (to give a starting point)?Currently in a 2009 Impreza actually. It’s just super low to get in and out of and a couple of things are starting to go on it so looking to upgrade.
Subaru forester GT
Last made in 2002ish.
XT?
Yep, but out of ops price range unless they want something older. They also didn't mention anything about performance.
Current shape Mazda 6 wagon. Diesel if you want the extra grunt, and spend extended periods at constant speeds.
If you want more seating height to go with the additional cargo capacity behind the second row, then consider the Kia Rondo, or a Mitsubishi Grandis as a cheaper and even roomier alternative.
I own the latter - it is providing good value service for me and many others for the $10k I paid for it a couple of years back - even cheaper these days! It’s the initial non-leather Luxury grade that shares the same 16-inch tyre size as most base model Aussie made sixes, so I can afford to run RE003s on it and use Magnatec 10W-40 engine oil etc. Far from being lightning fast in a straight line (although it does come alive a bit once MIVEC kicks in at around 3600rpm :)) and can be thirsty with stop start driving with a heavy right foot due to a ridiculously short final drive ratio, but the initial saving in the purchase price can buy thousands of Litres of 91 octane. It can reward smooth drivers and keep most other vehicles honest around corners, thanks to a really good chassis (as per old school Mitsubishis) that can maintain some insane roll angles, and yet has a very absorbent ride that is so hard to find these days, even with around 40psi (cold) at each corner! Mine is 16 years old and has done almost 180,000km, and the gearbox still shifts very smoothly. Brakes very well whenever needed as well (the RE003s do help a bit). Interior is one of the nicer efforts from the Mitsubishi stable. Air vents on all 3 rows, with separate overhead control for 2nd and 3rd rows combined. Dual sunroofs. It will happily cruise on highways all day, as long as the inclines are not too steep!
Despite being shorter than a Camry, my old Grandis actually managed to move all of a guy’s stuff from Chatswood to Mascot in one go - including the mattress and the dissembled bed frame - with me, him, and my wife seated in the vehicle at the same time. Has also taken 6 of us to the airport with our 2 weeks’ worth of luggage as well. Or 4 people with a 1x5 IKEA Expedit tower assembled. And many other similar scenarios, all without towing a trailer or strapping something onto the roof!
You simply can’t beat one-box designs for absolute space efficiency! And usually, slightly greater ride height than most sedans/hatches/coupes/wagons as well.
Mitsubishi ASX. I have just been doing the exact same search myself. You can get the 2018 for under 20k and it still has a few years warranty on it. They are a very popular car at the moment as well.