I’ve been driving a Skoda Karoq since Feb 2020, and it’s not a small car by any means, but the time may have come for replacement, and wandering around the parking lots & showrooms of a variety of dealers has really driven home just how huge European cars have become. Perhaps it’s partly a styling thing, with the ‘flying housebrick’ design language now being fashionable in some parts, but it’s not just that. The MG HS which borrows heavily from Mazda, seems a very wide, tall vehicle. The current Renault Australe is enormously long, if a little less tall, and the latest Pug 3008 again seems huge.
Not everything is so bad - Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage seem quite sensible, and they are still making the Karoq/Ateca/Tiguan line, though not as a diesel unfortunately, but these look positively modest these days. I’ve also noticed that diesel engines have practically disappeared, and I’m a little cautious about committing my next 10 or so motoring years to the fragility of a petrol or PHEV, not to mention the relative lack of economy from such.
I had been seriously considering trying to pick up a pre-registered ‘bargain’ and there are a few really good deals around, but now starting to wonder if a 3YO lo-ish mileage Karoq diesel might be a better buy than something from Stellantis group or the far east. I’m also tempted by the Mini Countryman/BMW X1 but those are both just a little smaller than I’d like and petrol only too. And yes, I can see the irony behind a ‘mini’ countryman, but at least they’ve had the good taste not to call it the Maxi.
I watched this trend happen in the US 25-30 years ago and hated it. It was one minor reason that I moved here. I had a fleet of small cars that I bought in the 80s and 90s that I became afraid to drive…like Spitfire and TR4a and small VW diesels.
I am driving a 15yr old diesel Volvo xc60. Next to a Fiat 500 XL it looks small.
If you can find a slightly younger model, it’s a very reliable motor. Only parking problems I had were in town multi story garages from the 60’s- 70s… London Poland Street NCP carpark is a nightmare…
We’re on our third X1, and although they’re the smallest cars I’ve ever owned apart from various sports cars, you can get a lot of stuff a couple of dozen medium sized paintings, lengths of DIY timber and déchetterie stuff inside, whilst the boot is big enough for a couple touring with a normal amount of luggage, dog stuff and a large cool box.
Without going too far into the technical stuff, I’d add that the seats have been consistently good for a whole day’s driving. For me that’s one of the big differences between a quality car and the rest thar maybe doesn’t get sufficient consideration. XDrive version is also OK off-road on steep muddy/icy tracks. Lastly from recent personal experience, they’re safe in a head-on collision with a closing speed of around 160kph.
The mini is the perfect example of this oversizing youre talking about. It’s only when you put a current mini next to a 1959 original that you realise how much theyve grown. The original was, for all intents and purposes, a microcar, these days they’re nearer to a B segment subcompact.
Not to mention the weight in an EV is low slung so far more stable than ICE.
I would be happy with an Elroq or an Enyaq and may choose either later on. In my MPV I have space, modern cars cocoon the driver amongst the centre console etc, claustrophobic on a long drive.
I drove a Subaru Forester in the US (favorite car EVER), but I cringe when I see bigger cars here. We live in a rural area, and our little Peugeot 208 is about as large as I ever want to go. I assume that it’s different in other areas, but when I see a larger car here, I wonder if they’re ever able to get off of the main roads.
This is now pretty much how it is across the board since 2023. It would be nice to have a new car (first ever for me) with warranties etc, but a 3YO diesel might well outlast a new petrol car, and with better economy. But the difference in price between diesel and petrol fuel is getting bigger too, and instead of just 2-3p per litre it’s as much as 10ppl.
Having watched and read quite a lot of reviews now, general consensus seems to be the extra 350-500kg of batteries in a larger long-range car makes it rather ponderous and struggle a bit, rather than smoothing bumps as one might have hoped. True you’re less likely to flip an EV, but I’ve never flipped any car so it’s not really a concern.
Absolutely, as my new adventure topic, having driven a Renault kangoo for 9 years and about to jump into a Citroën Berlingo, the versatility of them both is perfect.
I personally struggle to get into most cars as my body becomes less flexible and having tried many what look like big from the outside, are so padded up on the insde there isn’t much room.
The Kangoo and Berlingo might look like old people’s cars but being in that category----.
They are great for opening the tailgate door and keeping dry when loading and unloading during inclement weather and perfect hieght to sit on the boot floor and take in the view when parked somewhere nice.
Perfect for dogs too as plenty of room for the dog cage and more.
It’s not the engine that’s the problem, but rather running gear, ball joints, bushes and couplings, electronics etc. All the non-engine bits wear out, leaving a car feeling tired, with sloppy handling and gently sagging seats, not to mention bashes and scrapes as it gets older - at least modern cars don’t rust like they used to. My Citroen BX diesel did almost 200,000 miles before being rear-ended, Peugeot 406 estate 130,000. After 88,000 miles this Karoq is feeling a bit tired now, and although I could spend money replacing all the bushes and bearings, the seats will still be worn and less comfy than they should be, and that would be true of an EV too. There’s only 1 car I ever scrapped because the engine was worn out, and the camshafts were known to wear prematurely in the Citroen GSA, and even that would have gone on for another year or 2 if the next door neighbour hadn’t driven into it.
The one quality car I had which still felt good at 90,000 miles was an R60 Mini Countryman.
So no, I don’t think an EV would outlast any ICE vehicle, because they have the same bits that wear out and make a car not worth the cost of repairing.
It’s not got very much mini heritage left, although I understand it’s a very practical car. I had a test drive in the recently replaced model on Saturday, and it was OK, though a little heavy to steer (sporty pretensions) and the cockpit seemed smaller than I remember it from the previous model I owned. It’s a mini for those who need space.
Apart from the X1’s higher driving position, which is a big bonus on French country roads where there’s hedges rather than dry stone walls, a 2X4 that automatically switches to 4X4 when needed is a big plus for us because most of our local friends live down hilly, untarred farm tracks.
