Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

The obvious questions is why do you want an SUV - they're heavier, have less space inside and are worse for the planet than a hatchback / estate.

That's a pretty big spread in range you've quoted - a Tuscon will be a lot cheaper (or newer) than an XC40.

We are considering an SUV as my wife is only 5ft 3 and really struggles with driver position in anything low down. We're also often carting bikes and stuff around so the extra space over a hatchback would be good.

The XC40 is very much upper end of things and as you say the trade off would be an older model.

Thanks the Peugeot seems to be fairly reasonable second hand compared to some of the others. I'll have a read of a a few reviews.

We are considering an SUV as my wife is only 5ft 3 and really struggles with driver position

Hmm, dunno. My mum is 5ft 1 and my wife is 5ft 2. Neither have issues, nor ever had issues with driver position is hatches or low slung cars... Our current is an A4 wagon that has plenty of adjustment available. Id say adjustment is key.

It sounds more like the usual "I want to be the same height (vehicle wise) as all the others." Which is why everyone is going suv.

A lot of the compact SUV style cars have very short load spaces and poor legroom

Get a van, great driving position

Well that's good for them, unfortunately my wife does so 🤷. Her current company Car is a Mercedes A class and she struggles with headlight glare in that massively.

Yeah I do like driving a van but sadly there's no way that'll get green lighted as our only vehicle.

Well that's true, but it's a never ending battle as each generation of vehicle gets higher and higher.

I'm completely against SUVs and their proliferation on the roads. But it's your money and your preference.

I’m obviously very biased but if you like doing outdoorsy stuff a V220d is a very good companion and you are high enough up to avoid headlights and the spray. Very comfortable place to spend time, just don’t expect it to be sporty

We had a Peugeot 2008 as a hire car for ten days a month or two back - I didn't like it much, found visibility poor especially when manoeuvring. Definitely get a decent test drive if you're considering one

As an asian person of short height I hate this too but honda jazz (my dream car that I dont own) has VERY upright position and viewing angle, I tried my friend's. I have a shitty skoda estate from 2012 that has more space than my father in law's BMW X3.

Yeah we'll test drive a few. After reading a bit about the 2008 this morning the automatic gearbox gets slated so that may kibosh it anyway.

How about a higher riding estate like a Skoda Octavia Scout? Bags more space than any of the crossovers on your list, VW bits so should be fairly straightforward/cheap to service, solid auto gearbox. Also 4WD so if you stick some all-season tyres on it you're golden.

Yeah not a bad shout, we had looked at the normal octavia but that's actually surprisingly low. Scout could be worth a look

Skoda Yeti?

Bloody love a yeti.

I have to admit I really think SUVs are generally super impractical as they’re so small on the inside compared to their footprint - small boots and awkward cabins in my experience. I know the Yeti is technically an SUV but it’s a world apart from a Juke or Mokka.

I think Yetis are pretty small inside, less load capacity than a roomster.

Also: https://motorandwheels.com/8-disadvantages-of-suvs/

Yeah they’re a bit short, but the adaptability of the seats to make a bigger boot make them a lot more practical.
Yes the roomster has a bigger boot, but Jesus Christ just look at it. Proper pope-mobile.

I really think SUVs are generally super impractical as they’re so small on the inside compared to their footprint - small boots and awkward cabins in my experience.

I was pretty shocked at how little space a mate's Disco Sport had. Not to jump on the bandwagon, but this idea that people who need space by SUVs is such tosh. They also complained about potholes. I resisted asking what they expected when their 2tn of car was the smallest vehicle in their housing complex.

TBH even riding in a builder mates Ford pickup I was equally suprised by the lack of room. Their partner made a subtle dig mentioning their Passat had more space for people and luggage (although in fairness that also meant carrying building materials in the same space your kids breathe).

Potholes in my local area are verging on moon craters, proper hold on to your pants stuff. I look like I'm trying to warm up my tyres by dodging them all, it has crossed my mind about trading in for something SUV like but I don't think I can do it. Estate + roof box is loads of room.

Headlights are a nightmare on B roads at night, probably solved by proper alignment I guess.

Yup worth a look

The fact that 99% either don’t know how to adjust them, or have cars that auto adjust in a way that doesn’t work means that being blinded by headlights is a problem unlikely to go away. Had a lift in an x3 recently and I was amazed at how ridiculous the headlights were. Why the beams are set at such a wide angle is beyond me - 30ft up the trees were being lit up clear as day around us.

Smaller rims and bigger tyres?

Exactly this. 21 and 22 inch rims on everyday commuter cars is ridiculous. Also extremely expensive when you need to replace tyres.

Smaller wheels and nothing less than a 50 profile sidewall plus actual suspension travel makes cars much better for ride and handling. Just worse for marketing.

I'm another mini-SUV naysayer, if you're putting bikes etc... in then an estate would be better in every way, just need to find one with decent seat adjustment.

BUT if that's the way you want to go - I've hired loads of them over the years. I enjoyed the 2008 (though it was a manual), it did an annoying beep every time I crossed or got near to the center line though.

I think the best of that type that I've driven and was an auto was the Hyundai Kona - was decently quick (for what it was) and cornered well. Bigger boot than the Peugeot too. Worst was the Vauxhall Mokka.