“Compact SUV” is a broad church these days with a pretty diverse membership.
As companies try to cover all niches these ‘crossovers’ seek to offer, more or less successfully, both SUV and Estate/MPV attributes.
All of (lower-medium) motoring life is here – from cynically jacked-up hatchbacks to quite substantial 4x4 machines which can actually head off beyond the tarmac . . . and cope.
As companies try to cover all niches these ‘crossovers’ seek to offer, more or less successfully, both SUV and Estate/MPV attributes.
All of (lower-medium) motoring life is here – from cynically jacked-up hatchbacks to quite substantial 4x4 machines which can actually head off beyond the tarmac . . . and cope.
Korean combine Hyundai-Kia has made huge progress with its latest generation SUVs. Santa Fe and Sorento cover the upper reaches of the ‘light’ SUV sector while ix35 and Sportage take the fight to the market for more compact vehicles.
In fairness (if descending for a moment into ghastly marketing-speak) “brand differentiation” does exist. Hyundai and Kia do compete, it’s not blatant badge-engineering. After Hyundai announced a five-year warranty, Kia responded with a seven-year one. And they are both in deadly earnest about Europe – each has a factory here, Hyundai in the Czech Republic and Kia in Slovakia.
All-new Santa Fe and Sorento models arrived last year but Hyundai’s ix35 came last March and ‘First Edition’ of Kia’s latest Sportage in August with the rest to be rolled out by year-end. First impressions of the Kia appeared here: 16.08.10.
Hyundai’s ix35 is a quantum leap from the previous Tucson and bang up to date. A neat design, it is actually larger than Nissan’s Qashqai, for example, but doesn’t look it. Considerably roomier than the average lower-medium hatch, asking prices are about the same, so it’s an attractive deal – at first sight.
It pays to weigh up and choose carefully with this car. ‘Style’ 2.0 litre petrol 4x2 (front wheel drive only) is cheapest with a five-speed gearbox. Move up to 2.0 CRDi Diesel 4x2 or 2.0 CRDi 4x4 (four wheel drive) and a much more desirable six speed ‘box comes too. ‘Premium’ 2.0 CRDi (4x2 or 4x4) is top of the range.
The ix35 is a proper compact SUV (in 4x4 guise at least) rather than a mild crossover but the 4x2 variants are there to attract the sort of clientele who’ll go for that sort of thing. But there’s more to an SUV than elevated seating. It may only be part-time four wheel drive on offer with the 4x4 versions but a front-rear 50-50 drive split can be locked in and there’s a hill descent assistance device.
The entry 4x2 model has none of this of course. The petrol engine is pretty gutless and, when you do manage to wring what torque there is out of it you find yourself trying to change up all the time to the non-existent sixth. Steering is not exactly razor-sharp and the accelerator pedal too light making for jumpy progress in the urban crawl. A smoother, more supple ride would be welcome too.
However, the price is really competitive at £16,495 and spec levels generous: air-con.; remote central locking; electric windows and (heated) door mirrors; RDS audio plus UBS/iPod connection, etc. CRDi 4x2 £17,995; 4x4 £18,995-£20,745.
Headline figures for the 2.0 petrol 4x2 (161 bhp) 5-speed: 114mph; 0-62 in 10.4 seconds; 37mpg (official combined); 29/30mpg brim to brim on test (CRDi should be good for 10mpg more); CO2 177g/km (Road Tax ‘I’-£200); Insurance 15E.
This is a lot of useful car for very reasonable money even if a few glitches could do with ironing out. Model of choice: CRDi 4x4 but you would need a better damped throttle pedal for any sort of off-roading too. However, you don’t have to push the boat out much further for the 4x4 models and the range is good value.
By Huw Thomas
In fairness (if descending for a moment into ghastly marketing-speak) “brand differentiation” does exist. Hyundai and Kia do compete, it’s not blatant badge-engineering. After Hyundai announced a five-year warranty, Kia responded with a seven-year one. And they are both in deadly earnest about Europe – each has a factory here, Hyundai in the Czech Republic and Kia in Slovakia.
All-new Santa Fe and Sorento models arrived last year but Hyundai’s ix35 came last March and ‘First Edition’ of Kia’s latest Sportage in August with the rest to be rolled out by year-end. First impressions of the Kia appeared here: 16.08.10.
Hyundai’s ix35 is a quantum leap from the previous Tucson and bang up to date. A neat design, it is actually larger than Nissan’s Qashqai, for example, but doesn’t look it. Considerably roomier than the average lower-medium hatch, asking prices are about the same, so it’s an attractive deal – at first sight.
It pays to weigh up and choose carefully with this car. ‘Style’ 2.0 litre petrol 4x2 (front wheel drive only) is cheapest with a five-speed gearbox. Move up to 2.0 CRDi Diesel 4x2 or 2.0 CRDi 4x4 (four wheel drive) and a much more desirable six speed ‘box comes too. ‘Premium’ 2.0 CRDi (4x2 or 4x4) is top of the range.
The ix35 is a proper compact SUV (in 4x4 guise at least) rather than a mild crossover but the 4x2 variants are there to attract the sort of clientele who’ll go for that sort of thing. But there’s more to an SUV than elevated seating. It may only be part-time four wheel drive on offer with the 4x4 versions but a front-rear 50-50 drive split can be locked in and there’s a hill descent assistance device.
The entry 4x2 model has none of this of course. The petrol engine is pretty gutless and, when you do manage to wring what torque there is out of it you find yourself trying to change up all the time to the non-existent sixth. Steering is not exactly razor-sharp and the accelerator pedal too light making for jumpy progress in the urban crawl. A smoother, more supple ride would be welcome too.
However, the price is really competitive at £16,495 and spec levels generous: air-con.; remote central locking; electric windows and (heated) door mirrors; RDS audio plus UBS/iPod connection, etc. CRDi 4x2 £17,995; 4x4 £18,995-£20,745.
Headline figures for the 2.0 petrol 4x2 (161 bhp) 5-speed: 114mph; 0-62 in 10.4 seconds; 37mpg (official combined); 29/30mpg brim to brim on test (CRDi should be good for 10mpg more); CO2 177g/km (Road Tax ‘I’-£200); Insurance 15E.
This is a lot of useful car for very reasonable money even if a few glitches could do with ironing out. Model of choice: CRDi 4x4 but you would need a better damped throttle pedal for any sort of off-roading too. However, you don’t have to push the boat out much further for the 4x4 models and the range is good value.
By Huw Thomas
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