Need a fun SUV - £20-£25k ish

Columbo

Columbo

Columbo

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Now I know fun and SUV aren't typically in the same room but I need one because of my disabled Mum whom I have to transport to and from various places multiple times a week.
She's has a osteoperosis in her spine and bad artheritis in multiple places and has recently taken to needing a wheelchair more often than not and she can currently not get in (or out) my 2017 Merc E350d as it too low and I cant get the folding chair in my boot anyway.

So generally I need to borrow my brothers Renault Kadjar and whilst its much better pratically for my Mum, its about as fun as an ingrowing toenail for a daily driver.

1 that had caught my eye is a Cupra Ateca, a few 2020 models seem to be in my price range but I'm by no means an expert on this or SUV's.
So what should I be looking at?
 
Columbo said:
So what should I be looking at?
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Mustang Mach-E?

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You can also get something along the line of an Merc EQC, or an EQB, they are perhaps less fun but way more in line with your E-Class for the same style interior fit and finish.
 
Audi SQ5 or BMW X3 M40
Both 3L engines with sporty performance but you may need to look at years older than 2020, possibly 2016 approx for your budget?

I saw an impeccable 2018 Audi SQ5 go through British car auctions a while back for £30K which was about £4K over CAP book price of £26K. However, it had only done 20K miles and had full service history every year since new. Great spec it was and was listed on Auto Trader a week later for £36K by an Audi main dealer.

If you got some slight scope on your top end budget of £25K, both Audi and BMW could be possibles via a private sale or auction sale?
 
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You'll pay a fair whack on tax but if you want fun and SUV a 3L V6 or one of the V10 or 12 engines are a must.

SUVs and accomodating infirm people is quite hit and miss though unfortunately - some do it far better than others.
 
You need a meaty engine to haul an SUV around. Which does mean high running costs. Though they are always going to be limited on the handling side of things. The heavier it gets the worse it's going to be really.

Probably isn't entirely an SUV by modern standards, but the old Subaru Forester STI is about as good as it gets. Has to be an import though.
 
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Slackworth said:
I nearly brought an X3 M40d until I got an insurance quote on it. It was beyond ridiculous considering I'm 38 with 20yrs NCB.
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What kind of quotes were you getting out of interest?

I had an m140i with a couple of cosmetic mods, a no fault accident, insurance quote silliness this year and renewal earlier this year was £1200. Previous year I paid £716.

I have an X3 m40i and got a £200 refund, so worked out about £1k.
 
I couldn't get a single quote for a 4x4/suv under 1200. My e43 is only 800 odd. A Volvo XC90 was like 1200, a lexus rx450 was like 1400. Bonkers
 
Rilot said:
Blimey! Are they stolen a lot or something?
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Apparently...the underwriter I spoke to said it was more than 50% likely it would be taken off the drive within 12 months especially as the one I was going to buy had keyless entry. How they know that statistic I have no idea but I assume they are just lumping them into the Range Rover category. The newer SQ5 TDI shape was just as bad as that was my alternative. The Touareg was the only sensible option but even that was £900. That's before you talk about excesses too as the X3 M40d was £550 and the SQ5 £700.

I ended up going for an estate again which despite being worth more and being equal if not slightly better performance wise, is only costing me £500 a year with a £250 excess and didn't need any silly underwriter referrals or need for any additional security...go figure...the SUV market insurance wise is just stupid. Like @dlockers I also got a quote on a E43 AMG Estate and they wanted £730 for that - was too late on that one though and the car sold before I got a chance to look at it.
 
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Gotta love keyless entry/theft. Worst thing to ever be installed in to cars.

I'm sure some of them have been fully cracked now. A few "older" cars are vanishing from driveways (or being opened and robbed), even when the owners are blocking the key's signal. Which is only a matter of time with this tech.
 
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shifty_uk said:
It’s a gimmick I use but could seriously live without, putting your hand in your pocket and pressing a button really isn’t a hardship.
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Or putting a key in to an ignition socket. Keyless start is the one you really don't want (though probably comes as a package now).

Anything wireless is a big security problem, especially when it's controlling access to something expensive. A wireless key to access a house would be idiotic (they do exist, but you'd have to be a fool lol), so why do people accept it for cars. The second most expensive thing most people own.
 
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