What's The Alternatives?

[dave.m]

This one is being hailed as the next challenge to the Rav 4's crown, and its going to be available with the 2.5 ST engine. What do you think ?

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa57/ai...o_218524_51.jpg

Cheers,

Dave.

[Manxrav]

This one is being hailed as the next challenge to the Rav 4's crown, and its going to be available with the 2.5 ST engine. What do you think ?

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa57/ai...o_218524_51.jpg

Cheers,

Dave.

Never owned a Ford in my life, is it a Freelander in disguise!!. Have been looking at photo,s of the new VW Tiguan and Audi Q3 now those are a threat to the Rav.

The Ford looks like a revamped Volvo XC60, of course it,s the same company!!!!

Clare

[dave.m]

Hi Clare,

The photo comes from the Auto Express website, if you read it they say there is no connection to the new Freelander. I have had Fords in the past, the recent ones are definitely better than they ever were, but probably still a "bread and butter" car if you know what I mean. Still I think this new X max looks good, but I think you have hit the nail on the head with Volvo. I read a magazine article recently about the forthcoming new Volvo, the XC 60. Smaller than XC 90 and pretty smart. Will I be changing my Rav? nawwwwwwww.

Cheers,

Dave.

[Sussex_Paul]

It looks good, but even the 'modern' Fords still have a habit of rattling themselves to bits after a few years!!

Mate of mine's got a 55 plate Focus ST and it's not as well built as you'd think.

The rear 3/4 glass on the Ford 4x4 looks a dead spit of the 4:3 too. As if we haven't already got enough plagiarism from the "Hundai" Santa Fe!!!! :ffs:

Had a drive of the new X5 over the weekend................... might fancy putting my hard earned £ there though......

[dave.m]

The rear 3/4 glass on the Ford 4x4 looks a dead spit of the 4:3 too. As if we haven't already got enough plagiarism from the "Hundai" Santa Fe!!!! :ffs:

Hi Paul,

The guys at Suzuki were not as clever as the ones at Hyundai, when they copied the Rav for the latest grand Vitara they chose the 4.2 instead of the 4.3. One of the guys at my work has one, when parked nose to nose for comparison no one could believe it .

Cheers,

Dave.

[Steve@Aberdeen]

The guys at Suzuki were not as clever as the ones at Hyundai, when they copied the Rav for the latest grand Vitara they chose the 4.2 instead of the 4.3. One of the guys at my work has one, when parked nose to nose for comparison no one could believe it .

Cheers,

Dave.

Having had a Suzuki Grand Vitara for five years (my wife's car) we considered the new model but discounted it when I discovered they'd switched from the 2l PSA diesel to a 1.9l Renault one - PSA have long been at the forefront of highspeed diesel manufacture but I've never been impressed with Renault's efforts. Once I'd tried the Honda and Toyota offerings it came down to just those two on the shortlist (and Toyota won on the overall package - comfort, mainly).

Liked the T180 engine for it's lower pollutant levels but nothing in the rest of the package to make it worth an extra £4k - and definitely didn't like the lack of a spare on the back.

[Sussex_Paul]

Look, its the 4:3 parked next to the 4:2............or is it???

[dave.m]

Whats that old saying ? imitation is the best form of flattery ? Coincidentally I read Planet 4X4 magazine and in there buying guide they say that the Suzuki Grand Vitara is Britains worst 4X4.

Cheers,

Dave.

[chatman]

Whats that old saying ? imitation is the best form of flattery ? Coincidentally I read Planet 4X4 magazine and in there buying guide they say that the Suzuki Grand Vitara is Britains worst 4X4.

Cheers,

Dave.

Here's some more on it....

Focus 4X4

And as FORD also own's a share in Mazda here's the Mazda 4X4... no similarities at all to the Focus 4X4 :!Removed!: :!Removed!:

Mazda 4X4

I personally think it's ugly....just a jacked up S-Max/C-Max in breed.....

[Fizz]

Would much prefer this...

[chatman]

Would much prefer this...

Looks like a Celica thats been on steroids and banned drugs :drool: :drool: NICE

[Fizz]

Indeed it does... :)

Its the Toyota RSC.. load more pics and info here..

http://www.toyotaoffroad.com/Articles/Toyo...rsc_gallery.htm

[Sussex_Paul]

VERY NICE!!!!!!!

Wonder if it could fit 2 kids, a dog and countless tons paraphenalia in too????

Perhaps Toyota ARE thinking of bringing back a 3 door Rav after all!!!!!!

[Fizz]

nahh.. this is very old news.. it was in the last Gran Turismo Game which was released 2 years ago.

Think its just a marketing ploy and wont see production. Looks very similar to the Paris Dakar rally cars in design...

[chatman]

nahh.. this is very old news.. it was in the last Gran Turismo Game which was released 2 years ago.

Think its just a marketing ploy and wont see production. Looks very similar to the Paris Dakar rally cars in design...

Had a friends dad who worked on those LR creations for Judge Dred....Remember them....This could quite easily blend in with those....

Any way the tree hugging sandal wearing green activist will hate it...all those scoops and angles will decapitate them.....I WANT ONE..... :yahoo: :yahoo:

[4raver]

I have always viewed Ford cars as 40 a day smokers...I have had a couple of fords that got to 50.00 miles and smoked like a 40 a day addict since that time I would never touch a ford as a main car again...I now have two Toyotas, a Yaris Blue and my Rav4 and cant see a change coming in the not too distant future.

[Chris.S]

Another Rav4 rival coming out is the Mazda CX7

[chatman]

Another Rav4 rival coming out is the Mazda CX7

This will be the Focus 4X4 as Ford own Mazda and they always get to use the platform first.....then when the Focus 4X4 comes out you pay ££££ for what is in fact a re-badged Mazda...but without the bits that fall off...

I also see there is a new Scenic 4x4 and Corsa 4x4, all seem to be jumping in the mud now....

[dave.m]

This will be the Focus 4X4 as Ford own Mazda and they always get to use the platform first.....then when the Focus 4X4 comes out you pay ££££ for what is in fact a re-badged Mazda...but without the bits that fall off...

I also see there is a new Scenic 4x4 and Corsa 4x4, all seem to be jumping in the mud now....

Alas good old Badge engineering, it used to be done with telly's and videos and stuff but now its common place with the car industry.

Another for the list, the new Mitsu Outlander is also a Peugeot and a Citreon 4X4.

A CITREON 4X4 ! now there's a scary thought.

Cheers,

Dave.

[Frank Ashworth]

(A CITREON 4X4 ! now there's a scary thought.)

Ive seen a Citroen AX 4x4 and a Citroen Berlingo 4x4 recently in Andorra, apparently they are very popular ?

http://www.citroen.co.uk/gallery/gallery.a...etype=C-Crosser

[Steve@Aberdeen]

I owned a series of Citroens (a couple of BX's and then a couple of Xantias) - all very comfortable and reliable (averaged ~20,000 miles/year). A lot came down to a dealer who gave a first rate after sales service without charging the earth. I had a BX 4x4 on loan for a couple days and it impressed.

When I was going for an SUV six years ago, I'd have probably taken a Citroen without hesitation (especially if it had the hydraulic suspension). They didn't have one so I ended up with a Suzuki Grand Vitara for my wife (with the PSA diesel - the car, not my wife) and a Freelander for myself (with the BMW diesel). Both did everything asked of them but we fancied a change last year and we switched to a pair of Toyotas (the missus wanted the Yaris, and I took the Rav4) - and both mightily pleased with our choice.

Toyota will be a hard act to follow but I'd put Citroen on my short list in 4 years, if they have a model - but that's a long time away.

[chatman]

Corsa 4X4.... What no spoilers or loud exhausts.... but then at least they can bump up the kerbs in Tesco carparks..... :unsure:

Corsa 4X4

[dave.m]

Toyota will be a hard act to follow but I'd put Citroen on my short list in 4 years, if they have a model - but that's a long time away.

Hi Steve,

You are probably right, but i fear if its anything like the Picasso you wont be. My nieghbour has one and allways seems to be

underneath it. Not just the odd little jobs but major suspension and steering parts which seem to fail quite regularly.

Cheers,

Dave.

[dave.m]

Corsa 4X4.... What no spoilers or loud exhausts.... but then at least they can bump up the kerbs in Tesco carparks..... :unsure:

Corsa 4X4

Chatman,

I think now is the time to throw the towel in a Corsa 4X4 ? saturation point has definitely been reached.

Cheers,

Dave.

[sywy]

I must admit, I do like the look of the Focus 4x4.

Another one coming out is the Seat Altea 4x4. However, it just looks like a jacked up Altea to me!!

Mazda CX7, I thought this was being pitched higher up the market, against the likes of the Lexus RX300.

I believe it's been out a while in the US?

Also new in this sector is the Subaru Tribeca.