Finally Done It!

[Watto.]

Hello everyone.

Finally decided to buy a brand new Urban Cruiser last weekend. Having spent a lot of time exploring various manufacturers websites, test driving Nissan Quashquai and Ford Kuga went to Toyota to check out the RAV4 and saw an Urban Cruiser on the forecourt. Realised then this was a much more sensible size than the other crossovers we had looked at and it was available in 4WD!!

Having fallen victim to the snow and ice last month (for the second year running) in my very nice but hopelessly inadequate Rover 45 auto I decided I wanted a 4WD car. Wife's Nissan Micra faired better but couldn't cope with the depth of snow. Looked at Subaru, Volvo, Saab, Audi but SUV's and crossovers all too big and un-green and I was surprised to find so many of them are actually 2WD. Nissan Juke looked promising until I realised 4WD only available on top of the range model.

Quashquai is very nice but again 4WD on higher spec only which comes with leather seats & Sat Nav which I don't particularly want. Ford Kuga looked promising but the test drive was uninspiring. I had pretty much made up my mind beforehand that it was a Kuga for me but I found it very disappointing although I'm not sure why.

So the Urban Cruiser is a much better size, has keyless entry and start which we have on the Micra and is just so useful, 4WD as standard, very Green and a list of extras that would all cost extra on the likes of Audi, Volvo etc.

Having read through the brochure and explored the 'net I realised the UC was perfect apart from the stupid name and no cruise control. Was slightly alarmed at the very low crash test rating but having watched the videos can't help thinking how much better than our current cars it is. Also I would be happier with more ground clearance (not that I have any intention of going off-road) but that only seems available on the bigger vehicles.

Arranged a test drive in the diesel 4WD version and found it very easy and fun to drive. Looked at second hand but couldn't find the colour and spec I wanted (Dark Blue with Urban pack) so decided that as I'm reaching the big five oh milestone this year it was maybe time I finally owned a brand new car. Also I reckoned I was getting everything (nearly) I wanted brand new for the price (£18K) of a used Audi/volvo which I don't really want anyway!

I hope I haven't bored you with my first timer diatribe explaining how I got here. I now have to be patient (and hope it doesn't snow again) as there is a 10 week delivery on the Dark Blue model.

All the best

Watto.

[dwilson]

Hello everyone.

Finally decided to buy a brand new Urban Cruiser last weekend. Having spent a lot of time exploring various manufacturers websites, test driving Nissan Quashquai and Ford Kuga went to Toyota to check out the RAV4 and saw an Urban Cruiser on the forecourt. Realised then this was a much more sensible size than the other crossovers we had looked at and it was available in 4WD!!

Having fallen victim to the snow and ice last month (for the second year running) in my very nice but hopelessly inadequate Rover 45 auto I decided I wanted a 4WD car. Wife's Nissan Micra faired better but couldn't cope with the depth of snow. Looked at Subaru, Volvo, Saab, Audi but SUV's and crossovers all too big and un-green and I was surprised to find so many of them are actually 2WD. Nissan Juke looked promising until I realised 4WD only available on top of the range model.

Quashquai is very nice but again 4WD on higher spec only which comes with leather seats & Sat Nav which I don't particularly want. Ford Kuga looked promising but the test drive was uninspiring. I had pretty much made up my mind beforehand that it was a Kuga for me but I found it very disappointing although I'm not sure why.

So the Urban Cruiser is a much better size, has keyless entry and start which we have on the Micra and is just so useful, 4WD as standard, very Green and a list of extras that would all cost extra on the likes of Audi, Volvo etc.

Having read through the brochure and explored the 'net I realised the UC was perfect apart from the stupid name and no cruise control. Was slightly alarmed at the very low crash test rating but having watched the videos can't help thinking how much better than our current cars it is. Also I would be happier with more ground clearance (not that I have any intention of going off-road) but that only seems available on the bigger vehicles.

Arranged a test drive in the diesel 4WD version and found it very easy and fun to drive. Looked at second hand but couldn't find the colour and spec I wanted (Dark Blue with Urban pack) so decided that as I'm reaching the big five oh milestone this year it was maybe time I finally owned a brand new car. Also I reckoned I was getting everything (nearly) I wanted brand new for the price (£18K) of a used Audi/volvo which I don't really want anyway!

I hope I haven't bored you with my first timer diatribe explaining how I got here. I now have to be patient (and hope it doesn't snow again) as there is a 10 week delivery on the Dark Blue model.

All the best

Watto.

Hi Watto,

Very interesting. Was there a 10 week wait on the other colours?

I have bought lots of new cars in the past (most Toyotas) but have been looking at secondhand Rav4s since the snow. Unfortunately I have only found them sold, battered, vastly overbook, or a combination of these! I have come to the conclusion that most used cars have poor bodywork (or perhaps it is only the main dealers I have looked at). Even an UC on a 60 plate had a massive scratch (like it had been keyed). Therefore I am at some point going to buy a new Urban Cruiser as it is just about big enough, economical, low tax and under 20k. Can't decide what options, if any to go for! Maybe the DAB radio? Like the idea of side protection but knowing my luck people would dent the parts not protected!

I did have a Subaru Legacy 3.0 Spec B before my Prius but tax was over £400, 25 mpg, and servicing expensive so returned to Toyota.

Cheers,

David

[RAV4Len]

Welcome :)

I was lucky to find a good RAV4 :)

[TARDISGAL]

Yay! Good choice. I just collected my urban cruiser today and it looks fab- will take a bit of getting used to being so high up after a tigra! I got the amethyst but saw a dark blue one awaiting collection and have to say it looked good! enjoy when you get it!

[Watto.]

Oh dear - not sure what I did wrong there :ffs:

The dealer tried his best to convince me I wanted a silver one as these were available within a week. Amethyst and Dark Blue were up to 12 weeks and Black was around 6 weeks. I don't know if it makes a difference where in the country you are, I guess not as I am now waiting shipment from Japan. The dealer seemed to think there had been a lot of recent orders as he was really surprised at how long the wait was, claiming a few days previously the wait was only half as long.

[TARDISGAL]

I think I was just lucky with mine- ordered at start of december and the shipment turned up last week. I'm guessing the silver isn't as popular a colour and they were trying to shift them. while the more popular shades are snapped up before they get off the boat.

[Manxrav]

Interesting point on colour choice, on island there are 3 diesel U/C, 1 petrol and one demonstrator(diesel-soon to be mine) and they are either silver or black-mica. The one colour that I would have thought would be popular would have been the purple-metallic, but have seen very few used ones in that colour for sale on the Toyota used website.

Regards Clare

[g7jtk]

We went for the dark blue and it in our opinion is the nicest available of a poor choice. The range of colours offered these days especially in the more base level models are poor and seem to mainly shades of black or gray.

[Manxrav]

This is true Steve, we don,t get the choice of colour for the U/C as do other countries in Europe.ToyotaUK did the red one when flrst launched but discarded it for the non-metalic white.I suppose it,s a case of selling colours that you know will suit the business. I would think the most sold ones are Black mica and Tyrol silver- very middle of the road!!!!! at least they don,t do a yellow one.

Regards Clare

[g7jtk]

Bright red, blue, orange and yellow would be great. But not on the same car