Car Choice: Head for the hills

Colm Fitzgerald is a keen hill walker, but needs a car to get to there. His old Saab Turbo has become unreliable, so he plans to spend £5,000 on a replacement. His next car would need a large carrying capacity, with room for four people plus luggage. Since he tackles winter climbing, he will be driving on snow – so a four-wheel drive would be preferable. Other requirements are good acceleration, yet it must do 40-50mpg. It needs to be comfortable for long, 4-5 hour drives, and Colm says it would be nice to have things like heated seats and climate control. Colm says he is not bothered about badges, etc, but, all things being equal, it would be nice to have a more aesthetically pleasing car.

Colm admits he wants it all: space, performance, four-wheel drive and economy. He also realises that buying a cheap 4x4 means going for the petrol option, trouble is they offer poor fuel economy. However, Colm covers 11,000 to 12,000 miles a year, which means a petrol engine would still make sense, as that is only average mileage. So getting up to 30mpg from a petrol 4x4would not be too bad, especially as many diesel off-roaders struggle to get near that figure. I believe Colm when he says that four-wheel drive is important, so although he managed all these years with a front-wheel drive Saab I will only select all-wheel drive options. Also, to take four people and their luggage, at the very least we will have to look at estate versions, but steer clear of the full off-road vehicles. Colm could find that so-called soft roaders may fit the bill. These are slightly lighter-weight models with part-time 4x4, which switches on once the wheels start slipping. They have limited ability across a sodden field, but in wet or slippery conditions they are very useful indeed.

A car for the head

I am tempted to tell Colm to save up for a Volvo XC70, a four-wheel drive estate car that can be petrol powered and has all the qualities of the V70 estate with a higher ground clearance. Prices for a 2003 model are well into £6,000 at the moment, so back to the drawing board. There are some obscure 4x4s that are worth a closer look. I would point to the Hyundai Santa Fe as one worthy of attention. I know that Colm is not bothered about badges, though he may find the styling either suitably off-road butch, or pug-ugly. What it always had going for it, though, was a long list of standard extras and a spacious cabin. On road, the ride is soft and very comfortable. Off road it has limitations, but is more than capable in slippery conditions. The 2.0 TD engine officially does 37mpg, which is pretty decent for a full-sized off-roader with room for four and their luggage. One downside may be the plasticky interior, but if Colm can live with that he will have a reliable and capable vehicle. With £5,000 to spend, Colm will be able to get himself a 2003 model with around 50,000 miles.

A car for the heart

The Hyundai may not have the response that Colm was after when it comes to acceleration, but Audi Quattros can be very pricey. The excellent Subaru Legacy is quick, but not very frugal. I think it is time for Colm to consider a diesel or petrol soft roader. Just within budget is a diesel Toyota RAV4. That should manage almost 40mpg overall, and a 2003 model has almost people carrier-like practicality. The rear seats slide back and forwards, though to get a couple of adults in the back they may need to be fully extended into the boot space. Or they fold and roll and can be removed altogether. The side-hinged tailgate can be slightly awkward for some. Best of all, the RAV4 drives like a car. The 2003 model may be a little over budget, but it will be worth it. Alternatively, there is the Honda CRV, which is petrol powered yet should do over 30mpg. Again, it has a spacious interior and is great to drive on road – and competent when the conditions get a little more challenging. Reliability with either the Toyota or the Honda won't be an issue, so at least there is less chance of Colm and his friends finding themselves stranded on a hillside.

Looking to buy

Please write to Car Choice, Features, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS, or email James Ruppert at carchoice@independent.co.uk, giving your age, address and phone number, details of the type of vehicle in which you are interested and your budget.