It is obvious. Touareg or X5 with six cylinders in full equipment! But our task is to choose a car that can be driven at a reasonable cost without the threat of absolutely brutal investments in extraordinary repairs. And used premium SUVs are a total trap for people on a tight budget.
This SUV fad arrived here from the US and it’s still hard to understand what Europeans see in them with their narrow roads, cramped city centers and high fuel prices. Americans with wide boulevards, remote areas with unpaved roads and gasoline at half the price simply drive them differently. It’s just a weird fashion here.
But if that’s what you want, fine. Feel free to get angry with it while parking, swear at the pump about how much it eats and roll your eyes at those service invoices. If you want an “e-book”, buy it. You will brag that you can see well from the car (with the exception of a few models), that the car is safe (this is also highly debatable) and that it is easy to get into (seriously, don’t you mind the tight pants?) , but the real contribution of these cars can be argued quite successfully. In addition, those who need a car for off-roading will not buy a raised front wheel that they won’t even drive out of the gate with.
But we are not among the prohibitionists, so if you want it, it is your choice. But if we were to choose a “reliable SUV with reasonable costs” that fits under 450 thousand crowns and has an automatic transmission and a slightly stronger engine, as one reader demands, let’s try to find a decent car. Surprisingly, there is not such a varied offer on the market of relatively modern cars in this budget.
Mazda CX-5
The first generation Mazda CX-5 is a capable and, above all, universal car. It’s not “premium”, but you can forgive the few cheaper plastics. Petrol engines are a safe bet, be very careful with diesel
Mazda’s mid-size SUV is still a popular car, and the used prices show it. Especially if you are looking for a reliable version with a petrol engine, either with a two-liter or a larger 2.5 l, which, in combination with an automatic and four-wheel drive, drives noticeably better. While there are plenty of risky diesels on the market (they’re also quite cheap, which can be a tempting option for pieces in good condition), there are fewer petrol versions. There are currently only a few pieces in the budget of up to 450 thousand crowns. Even if you increase your budget to half a million, it won’t improve much. They are not.
This Mazda has excellent driving characteristics and actually very reliable technology, if we stick to the gasoline versions. Just check the car’s history, as extremely extended service intervals are not good for the otherwise reliable SkyActiv petrol engines either. Try to find out if anyone has ever changed the oil in the automatic and all-wheel drive system in the past. If so, consider it as the first necessary investment if the car has driven over 120,000 km. And it will definitely have that in the price of up to 450,000 CZK. The advantage of this Mazda is that if you keep it in good condition and with a complete service history, you will always sell it well again.
Kia Sportage
The fourth Sportage was successful for the Koreans, and among used cars it will please with its reliability. It’s worse with the official service and parts prices, but then again you’ll only go to the workshop for regular inspections rather than constant repairs
The fourth generation of this Korean SUV is an extremely successful car. And it seems that it is also very reliable, we can easily rank it among the best used SUVs in this category at all. There won’t be many better cars under CZK 450,000. The offer is decent, there are no major problems under the hood, and a more careful owner who does not regret changing the engine oil at least once a year should not encounter anything serious within 300,000 km.
The safe bet here is the 2.0 CRDI diesel combined with a classic six-speed automatic. In the more powerful version with four-wheel drive, it consumes eight liters per 100 km, but it is a reliable engine. The smaller 1.7 CRDI unit isn’t too bad either, if front-wheel drive is enough for you. There, however, we would already be a little skeptical about the dual-clutch automatic with higher speeds. It is not bad, but the risks arising from the design of the transmission are there. We can’t completely ban the powerful 1.6 T-GDI petrol engine either, but it’s not very suitable for frequent city driving. All of the above also applies to the technically related Hyundai Tucson SUV. If you like the Hyundai better, go ahead and buy it.
Ford Kuga
Fords have always been able to please with pleasant driving characteristics. If that’s what you’re after, you’ll love the Kuga. If you absolutely must have a diesel, you’d rather want an older version without AdBlue
The second generation of the successful SUV from Ford looks attractive. The range of used cars is decent, as are the equipment of the cars. But the problem will be finding a completely problem-free engine. Diesel appears to be the automatic choice, but there we would rather recommend an older unit still originating from the PSA concern. And it will, firstly, have a lot of mileage, secondly, its service history will be a question, and thirdly, there will be a big question mark about the condition and remaining life of the dual-clutch automatic, which used to be angry. We don’t ban it, but check.
The 1.5 EcoBoost engine works much better for us, which has already gotten rid of the serious problems of the older units with the same name, such as the cracking of the pistons in the 1600s. It drives nicely, is quiet and can also be economical. In addition, it could have been with a classic reliable automatic with a torque converter. But its biggest problem is that it is practically impossible to find in the Kuga model on our market. Try it beyond the borders, maybe you’ll get lucky there. In addition, “cheap” Euro imports from abroad are recording.
BMW X1
The ready-made concept with front-wheel drive is not too bad for the X1. The car is spacious, practical and its operating and servicing costs correspond to less famous competitors. But the prices have already fallen to their level
The second generation of BMW’s smallest SUV can be said to be a family-friendly car. While most enthusiasts will turn their noses up at it because of its front transverse engines and front-wheel drive, enthusiasts aren’t buying this BMW anyway. Not a bad car for the mainstream consumer. But in some places, the rather cheap quality does not correspond to what one would expect from BMW. In short, the interiors no longer tolerate exploitation as well as in older Bavarians, which when someone turned from 400,000 km to 120,000 km, you didn’t recognize anything. Here, with a car with 80,000 km on the clock, you will tell yourself that it must be twisted according to the condition of the seat, steering wheel and plastics. But unfortunately it won’t be.
You can hardly buy an X1 in this budget with a gasoline engine. It will probably have a low-tuned two-liter diesel in the sDrive18d version and front-wheel drive, exceptionally you will buy a more used four-wheeler. Fortunately, the diesel had a nice automatic transmission in the front wheel, while the petrol engines got a slightly twitchy double clutch for the front drive. B47 diesels (two-liter versions) no longer have such delicate timings and naughty peripherals as the older generations of these engines, but the versions without AdBlue still use up the EGR circuit extremely (they can have a clogged or even cracked EGR cooler), so they are not at all suitable for exclusively city routes. But like any Bavarian, the X1 also needs a much more careful service than what the standard service plan says.
Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is a practical and capable car. You can really do a lot with it off-road, even if the version with an automatic is not suitable for jumping on a motocross track. But he manages the muddy path to the cabin through the forest with ease
There aren’t many Foresters either, but they can be found. If you need an SUV that will really serve to drive it even off the asphalt, then the Forester is the number 1 choice. Of course, all versions here have capable all-wheel drive. It is not afraid of mud, you can see perfectly from it, it is extremely practical and usable, it has a sturdy chassis and, in general, very reliable technology. In addition, it is an extremely safe car and, as one of the few modern ones, does not bother the driver at all with its assistance systems during normal driving. They intervene only when it is really needed.
There is a lot of talk about the reliability of Lineartronic variator automatics, but if you follow the service rules, it is a reliable transmission that will only be destroyed by rough handling. You can drive very economically with Lineartronic, which we showed in a recent test. If you drive shorter routes, take a two-liter petrol without a turbo. It is a reliable and simple engine. We are also not banning the diesel, which has gotten rid of its earlier problems and is already a very good engine. For connoisseurs, there is a version with a two-liter turbo petrol, but don’t expect low running costs. Reasonable service prices and overall high operational reliability and durability are also pleasing at Subaru.
Volvo XC60
We praise the Volvo XC60 and often select it in various rankings. Why? Because it’s actually a good and reliable car, plus there’s a really wide selection on the used market and it just depends on what your family budget allows
The first generation of this SUV is getting a little old, but the last years are still worth considering, especially when it comes to the versions of the excellent five-cylinder 2.4 liter diesel. Volvo made a bit of a confusion with the designations. While the D5 version always had a fantastic five-cylinder, towards the end of the career the D4 designation was applied to both the five-cylinder and the four-cylinder. Volume 2,400 cm3 is a large five-cylinder, alternatively you can get an even smaller 2.0 l version, paradoxically also labeled D4. It has a volume of 1,984 cm3while the four-cylinder you don’t really want is 1,969 cc3. There is a stew in it, but you can handle it somehow.
Always check the history of a used Volvo. These cars tend to have a lot of mileage on them, so don’t buy a twisted murder. For this Volvo, 400,000 km is practically nothing, but it’s a shame to overpay for such a car. In addition, even with decent anti-corrosion protection, signs of incipient corrosion can be found in extremely mined pieces. A nice piece with a complete service history in good condition will then retain its value.
And what if you don’t necessarily need an SUV?
If you primarily want an economical, reliable and practical car that won’t eat your wallet and your hand, look at ordinary cars as well. Such a Suzuki S-Cross is a very versatile and, above all, a reliable car with really low operating costs. And you can also have it in a four-wheeler and with an automatic
This mania for “esuvés” is a strange fashion. Everyone keeps arguing about how safe a car is supposed to be… But what’s safe about a box that has noticeably worse driving characteristics and a longer braking distance than a comparably spacious hatchback? And there’s no need to mention the significantly higher operating costs of SUVs, whether it’s tires, servicing, fuel or insurance.
If you need a four-wheeler with an automatic transmission, practicality, but at the same time you practically do not go off-road and you mainly want a reasonable cost, buy something else. What? Well, for example, the Suzuki S-Cross with four-wheel drive and an automatic transmission. We have now tested such a car and there is really not much to complain about. Although it doesn’t have the same image as a large SUV, it has reasonable fuel consumption, is reliable and won’t hurt your wallet. Also think about whether an honest family station wagon would serve you better than an SUV. Unlike SUVs, station wagons have really huge luggage spaces.
