Family SUV

[RudderVator]

Meh. I've got 10 years (admittedly only 120 000 km ish) on a 200hp 1.6 turbo engine. No problems.

The biggest key with Turbo engines are

-Good oil
-Regular oil changes
-if your turbo is only oil-cooled and not combination water and oil-cooled it would be a good idea to idle the engine a little after hard driving to allow some oil to circulate and cool the turbo down first. Otherwise, the overheated turbo cooks the oil in the passages inside it causing restrictions.

 

[ShloshMalosh]

Have you considered a Landrover Freelander? Yes, the 2nd generation (LR2, manufactured b/n 2006 - 2014). Mine is 2010 TD4 HSE (the SD4 version has an extra 20kW). Proper family car, sits on the upper side of softroader ladder. Bought it preowned in 2014 and still very happy

I hears these are lovely...but also become money pits ?

 

[Roo!]

I had my last Forester for 9 years. No issues with parts, not that it needed much, if any, in that time.
Bought the new 2.5 earlier in the year, it's my 4th one.

 

[redspark]

I hears these are lovely...but also become money pits ?

Well, it's a premium 4x4. They are also permanent 4x4s (60/40 power distribution, if I recall). They real nice to drive. Repairs can be expensive. I parted with big bucks when I renewed -

1. Cambelt plus major service (R18k vs R4,5k for my corsa)
2. Power steering pump hose & fluid bottle (8k)
3. Proshaft (cannot recall the actual cost, but was around 10k for a second part; new part was double that)

 

[Magnum]

Brings the Family closer each trip and lets you enjoy the outdoors all the more...

 

[Ecko_1]

OP...Haven't read the whole thread but here's my 2 cents...

I was in a similar position at the beginning of this year.

Coming from only owning VW (Polo 6R 1.4, Golf MKVI GTI, Polo AW 1.0TSI) I needed a family friendly vehicle to keep long term.

I really wanted a Tig, but my max budget was R500k. I couldn't get the top spec model I wanted with that budget.

My 2 top contenders were the Rav4 and Tig Allspace 2.0TDI.

I decided on a Rav 4 GXR after much deliberation. I paid R430k for a late 2019 model with 30 000km. Still had 3 services left on plan.

To date I am still very happy with it and have no regrets.

Nice spec in GXR form. The GX is very basic.

Some of the nice things..
AWD
Softec "Leather" interior
18inch wheels with full size spare
Heated and cooled seats
Wireless charging
Rear USB ports
Keyless and push start
LED headlights
Some cool looking orange accents inside

Some of the cons...
Being my first auto the CVT took some getting used to. It does make some noise if you floor it. I don't hate it though.
The wireless charging pad is slow!
No android auto or Carplay. I've been told this has been added on 2021 models.
It is heavy on fuel for my driving style and mostly urban driving. I average about 10l/100km.
No sunroof option. It doesn't look like any new toyotas have this option. My last 3 VWs all had a sunroof which I got used to and quite enjoyed. I miss that.

It is spacious and has a large boot.

Warranty extension costs was a factor for me as I plan to keep this long term and get myself a stupid makes no sense toy car at some point. Rav is R5850 to extend by 5 years and unlimited km. Tiguan was R20k for 2 years unlimited km.

In terms of cost I have the following info so far...
Tyres - Stock 225/60/18 Bridgestone Allenza R1800 each
Wipers - R400 For Bosch from Midas.

In conclusion...I don't regret my purchase as the Rav meets all the needs I had for the car.

 

[Ecko_1]

OP...Haven't read the whole thread but here's my 2 cents...

I was in a similar position at the beginning of this year.

Coming from only owning VW (Polo 6R 1.4, Golf MKVI GTI, Polo AW 1.0TSI) I needed a family friendly vehicle to keep long term.

I really wanted a Tig, but my max budget was R500k. I couldn't get the top spec model I wanted with that budget.

My 2 top contenders were the Rav4 and Tig Allspace 2.0TDI.

I decided on a Rav 4 GXR after much deliberation. I paid R430k for a late 2019 model with 30 000km. Still had 3 services left on plan.

To date I am still very happy with it and have no regrets.

Nice spec in GXR form. The GX is very basic.

Some of the nice things..
AWD
Softec "Leather" interior
18inch wheels with full size spare
Heated and cooled seats
Wireless charging
Rear USB ports
Keyless and push start
LED headlights
Some cool looking orange accents inside

Some of the cons...
Being my first auto the CVT took some getting used to. It does make some noise if you floor it. I don't hate it though.
The wireless charging pad is slow!
No android auto or Carplay. I've been told this has been added on 2021 models.
It is heavy on fuel for my driving style and mostly urban driving. I average about 10l/100km.
No sunroof option. It doesn't look like any new toyotas have this option. My last 3 VWs all had a sunroof which I got used to and quite enjoyed. I miss that.

It is spacious and has a large boot.

Warranty extension costs was a factor for me as I plan to keep this long term and get myself a stupid makes no sense toy car at some point. Rav is R5850 to extend by 5 years and unlimited km. Tiguan was R20k for 2 years unlimited km.

In terms of cost I have the following info so far...
Tyres - Stock 225/60/18 Bridgestone Allenza R1800 each
Wipers - R400 For Bosch from Midas.

In conclusion...I don't regret my purchase as the Rav meets all the needs I had for the car.

Some pics

 

[nadeem_k]

Looking at the crv it seems like the finish is better than the entry level rav or forester with some reviewers even saying it’s nicer than the cx5…

 

[Sinbad]

I'll never touch VW again.

My father has a RAV and it's very spacious and well built. However, the 2.0 with the CVT gearbox is horribly heavy on fuel. Friends of ours have a newer version with the manual gearbox and are 100% happy with it.
Diesel would be key though. a 2.0 petrol engine offers no real benefits unless it has a turbo, and the petrol RAV4 doesn't have that at all.

The Honda & Nissan sell very well so that's a good thing. If you want a bit more luxury and can pay more, then the Volvo XC60. Brilliant! Diesel engine (2.0D) is powerful and frugal. And it has more extras than the equivalent BMW/Audi for instance.

If you're looking for something larger, then the Toyota Fortuner with the 3.0 D-4D engine is the one to look for.

My forester 2.0 diesel cvt

 

[Splinter]

Kia diesel.

 

[RudderVator]

My forester 2.0 diesel cvt

Personally always liked the Subaru’s for their build quality and way or handeling. But the Diesel Subaru would not be a great idea.

 

[Stefan.dl]

No chance of test driving a double cab bakkie?

In my opinion, don't do it. Double cab is not great as a family vehicle especially if you have infants. We have 2 under 2 and a normal hatch back is more useful than my double cab. I'm 1.77m tall and had to move my seat forward (really uncomfortable) to fit a backward facing seat behind me. Also without speding money on a drawer system, there is nowhere to put your groceries in the back without it going everywhere. It also damages the prams and stuff you put in the back due to it sliding everywhere. Not practical at all if you don't plan on using the back for bakkie stuff.

 

[Sads-1-zn]

How about a Prado? I don't know your specified budget but I'm it's around R500k. For that you still can get a decent Prado, although older and higher mileage than the vehicles you mentioned. But don't let that fool you. These things are built to last and will outlive anything mentioned in this thread. Look into a Pajero also.

Mentioned before but the Toureg/Q7 are worth a shout. The amount of car you get for the money is astounding. You may find one with warranty still intact which you can extend. But be prepared to absorb a R20k-R30k emergency bill just incase. Still worth it though.

Out of the vehicles you mentioned. First choice would be the RAV4 than Tiguan. Even if you do happen to sell in a couple of years. They are popular and will still hold their value.

 

[flytek]

Hyundai 2.0D Sport also might work.
CX5 2.2D too.
Otherwise if you can get away with a large sedan rather they will usually be cheaper up front and also cheaper to drive due to less weight and wind resistance.

 

[Brieuse]

The CX-5 is awesome. Boot is huge and interior is spacious.

Forester is also a good choice, and would be my pick if they had a few more dealerships. If you live near one, definitely go with this.

Depending on how much of a sucker you are for gadgets, you'll want the CX-5 Individual or Forester S-ES. Both come with virtually every conceivable option...

Personally, I would go for the entry level CX5, the Dynamic and Individual tyres are expensive and difficult to get.
The less electronics, the better imho.

 

[Grubscrew]

I’ve heard that Nissan’s merger with Renault has resulted in a deterioration of quality with the cars having different badges but pretty much the same under the bonnet

I have a Nissan Xtrail, manual gearbox, nothing has gone wrong with it. 2015 Model and in my ownership since 2018 and I have driven some really bad roads while pulling a trailer and I have no complaints and really happy about my purchase. I do miss some mod cons, but has the basics I need. Sound Quality is crap though.

 

[ShloshMalosh]

Well, it's a premium 4x4. They are also permanent 4x4s (60/40 power distribution, if I recall). They real nice to drive. Repairs can be expensive. I parted with big bucks when I renewed -

1. Cambelt plus major service (R18k vs R4,5k for my corsa)
2. Power steering pump hose & fluid bottle (8k)
3. Proshaft (cannot recall the actual cost, but was around 10k for a second part; new part was double that)

Yikes Hard pass for me. my petty cash aint on that level
I'd gladly give up creature comforts for lower running costs... but thats me.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Personally, I would go for the entry level CX5, the Dynamic and Individual tyres are expensive and difficult to get.
The less electronics, the better imho.

The Bose sound system in the Individual is awesome though, as is the Harman Kardon in the Forester S-ES...

 

[Sinbad]

Personally always liked the Subaru’s for their build quality and way or handeling. But the Diesel Subaru would not be a great idea.

Because?

 

[ShloshMalosh]

The Bose sound system in the Individual is awesome though, as is the Harman Kardon in the Forester S-ES...

watched a vid talking about a gasket issue on the foresters...

is this not something that SA models experienced?