The last holiday in my xtrail.

[otherclive]

Make yourself a list of all the Forester's qualities that you must retain and then a list of qualities that would be desirable to keep - the ease of access is a main reason for the popularity of CUVs and "soft-roaders".

Check out the Audi SQ5 - if you hanker for a ST or 130N, the ordinary Q5 would be too tame.

Unfortunately this time my wife’s views may need to be taken into account ☹️

 

[Buckman]

Unfortunately this time my wife’s views may need to be taken into account ☹

So I guess that rules out the Range Rovers and Maseratis that you have been eyeing up. Never mind the Bentley will have to do! LOL!

 

[RogerL]

Unfortunately this time my wife’s views may need to be taken into account ☹

The SQ5 looks like the Q5 so worth a try

 

[Beachball]

That’s the problem BB I don’t really know what I’m looking for. The one criteria that’s key is that I can get into it without gymnastics as last December I had an attack of sciatica and it was impossible to get into the runabout. So my first criteria is to be able to get in without banging head on roof or bending triple. Oh the joys of thinking ahead in older years. So a Focus ST or 130N are definitely out.

What about Audi Q3

 

[otherclive]

What about Audi Q3

Thanks but minimal progress this morning as the Subaru TPMS decided to light up the dashboard, and the dog needs to see the vet. Such is life.

 

[Christhecaravanner84]

Hey guys,

My current tow car is an 1.6dci Nissan Xtrail. Although I've been towing with it for 3 years and it's super reliable, I want something more relaxing to drive especially whilst towing. Changing up and down gears on regular basis gets abit tiring.

I have around £16,000 to spend and an automatic is a must.

The first car I'm looking at is the Hyundai Santa Fe.

Is there any other cars you would recommend in my budget?

Thanks for the help.

Chris.

Forgot to mention that my van mtplm is 1400kg

I love my Xtrail, but mine is an older T31 with the 2L engine. I wouldn't want one of the new ones myself. Costs a fortune in diesel but it's a lovely car to drive and fairly capable off road too. And it's pretty reliable.

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

I love my Xtrail, but mine is an older T31 with the 2L engine. I wouldn't want one of the new ones myself. Costs a fortune in diesel but it's a lovely car to drive and fairly capable off road too. And it's pretty reliable.

I've had 2 X Trails, a T30 with 2.2L engine and a T31 with the 2L engine. The latter towed our Vigo with ease. When I was thinking of replacing it, I wasn't keen on the limited engine choice available so went for the Volvo XC60 D5 which has turned out to be, IMHO, a better tow car.

 

[Dustydog]

Hey guys,

My current tow car is an 1.6dci Nissan Xtrail. Although I've been towing with it for 3 years and it's super reliable, I want something more relaxing to drive especially whilst towing. Changing up and down gears on regular basis gets abit tiring.

I have around £16,000 to spend and an automatic is a must.

The first car I'm looking at is the Hyundai Santa Fe.

Is there any other cars you would recommend in my budget?

Thanks for the help.

Chris.

Forgot to mention that my van mtplm is 1400kg

With your budget you are looking at a decent Santa Fe or Sorento. Under the skin no difference so the cosmetic choice is yours . The build quality is market leading born out by a 5 and 7 year warranty respectively.
Both use fluid fly wheel torque converters rather than DSG auto boxes. Some pundits dislike DSG especially when manoeuvring , reversing, slowly. I’ve never had one but For Powermax had loads of problems.
IMO it’s the Hyundai or Kia👍

 

[Beachball]

With your budget you are looking at a decent Santa Fe or Sorento. Under the skin no difference so the cosmetic choice is yours . The build quality is market leading born out by a 5 and 7 year warranty respectively.
Both use fluid fly wheel torque converters rather than DSG auto boxes. Some pundits dislike DSG especially when manoeuvring , reversing, slowly. I’ve never had one but For Powermax had loads of problems.
IMO it’s the Hyundai or Kia👍

Had my car for four years + not had any problems with the DSG auto so far but i do like the Santa Fe or Sorento nice suv cars .

 

[Bluetonic]

With your budget you are looking at a decent Santa Fe or Sorento. Under the skin no difference so the cosmetic choice is yours . The build quality is market leading born out by a 5 and 7 year warranty respectively.
Both use fluid fly wheel torque converters rather than DSG auto boxes. Some pundits dislike DSGhe especially when manoeuvring , reversing, slowly. I’ve never had one but For Powermax had loads of problems.
IMO it’s the Hyundai or Kia👍

The newer Santa Fe/Sorrento usea dsg type box íirc

 

[RogerL]

The newer Santa Fe/Sorrento usea dsg type box íirc

According to Wikipedia, it's the latest facelift model from 2020 that uses the DCT - the previous 2018-2020 pre-facelift model uses a conventional torque converter automatic, as did all the previous Santa Fe's

 

[otherclive]

I’ve been looking at Kia/Hyundai and my wife dropped the bombshell that she thinks we should have an auto in whatever car we eventually decide on. But thus far the DCT on Kia/Hyundai doesn’t seem a problematic as Fords Powershift and early petrol VAG DSGs.

 

[Bluetonic]

Our Santa Fe is our first auto, and I'll never go back to a manual for towing

 

[RogerL]

I’ve been looking at Kia/Hyundai and my wife dropped the bombshell that she thinks we should have an auto in whatever car we eventually decide on. But thus far the DCT on Kia/Hyundai doesn’t seem a problematic as Fords Powershift and early petrol VAG DSGs.

The 8-speed DCT in the present Hyundai Santa Fe / Kia Sorento uses wet clutches - unlike the DCTs used in smaller Hyundai/Kia models which use dry clutches.

 

[otherclive]

The 8-speed DCT in the present Hyundai Santa Fe / Kia Sorento uses wet clutches - unlike the DCTs used in smaller Hyundai/Kia models which use dry clutches.

Thank you but in general the DCT in those marques do not seem to have problems anyway.

PS Edit I would also add that in hybrid car the clutches are less "stressed" than in a ICE given the electric motor aids pull off.

 

[Dustydog]

Thank you but in general the DCT in those marques do not seem to have problems anyway.

PS Edit I would also add that in hybrid car the clutches are less "stressed" than in a ICE given the electric motor aids pull off.

How well do the dry DCTs with or without Hybrid cope with caravan manoeuvring? Any clutch burn?

 

[otherclive]

How well do the dry DCTs with or without Hybrid cope with caravan manoeuvring? Any clutch burn?

Don't know as it is not something I'm looking at, but the principle holds good in that the motor will share some of the initial drive load thus relieving the clutches. But as Roger L has said the Santa Fe and Sorento are wet DCT so there will be limits to the slow speed torque a dry DCT will handle. The early problems with DSG were primarily dry clutch units, as the higher torque (diesels ) engines had wet clutch My 170ps Superb 2.0 litre had DSG wet clutch. But I still tended to use the mover more than I did on earlier conventional autos such as the Sorento and Discovery which you could run all day long at 1mph if required.

 

[xtrailman]

Hey guys,

My current tow car is an 1.6dci Nissan Xtrail. Although I've been towing with it for 3 years and it's super reliable, I want something more relaxing to drive especially whilst towing. Changing up and down gears on regular basis gets abit tiring.

I have around £16,000 to spend and an automatic is a must.

The first car I'm looking at is the Hyundai Santa Fe.

Is there any other cars you would recommend in my budget?

Thanks for the help.

Chris.

Forgot to mention that my van mtplm is 1400kg

I moved from a Xtrail to a Mazda cx-5, and now Tiguan, both better towcars than the xt with the Mazda being the best.
And they towed both 1556kg and 1700kg.

 

[xtrailman]

The latest santfe and Sorrento in hybrid form use a conventional auto but with no TC, using the electric motor instead.