The late generation Hyundai vehicles are brilliant. The Touareg and Volvo options like most euros lack a quality feel and long term durability and depreciate like theve been pushed off a cliff. Maintenance costs are also exceptionally high. IMHO the Korean offering in Hyundai and to a lesser extent Kia are simply light years ahead of anything being offered by VW etc.
pickles26,
Dec 30, 2:12am
Clearly never paid repair prices on a touareg. for common failures. or extraordinary mantainence costs. or a cambelt.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 30, 2:15am
Clearly never seen how Hyundai treat their customers when it comes to repairs. 3 years old and engine failure costing 15K! Oh not our problem!
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 30, 2:20am
Actually, on a serious note. I suggest the OP comes back and clarify's things a bit more. They didn't actually say they needed 4WD or off road capability.
If this is the case they would actually be far better off IMO to get a VW Touran. Those are super easy to park (in fact they will park themselves), they have 7 seats, they tow really well and actually have a proper towing stability control which will save your neck if things go wrong like nothing else can, they have a low centre of gravity and are really low maintenance, cheap to maintain and great on gas.
Would make a LOT more sense if they are not offroading or pulling a huge boat up a steep ramp.
So OP, if saving a fortune in fuel and maintenance appeals come on back and tell us more about what you are actually doing with the vehicle.
designerliving,
Dec 30, 2:48am
Couldnt be further from the truth
pickles26,
Dec 30, 2:50am
yep 5k for a cambelts a bargain
intrade,
Dec 30, 3:07am
um vw have turbo direct injected petrol engines that dont brake down. mitsubishi was first with that but theres crap them selfs like flies called GDI vw is called FSI Fuel-syneric-injection
chebry,
Dec 30, 2:09pm
Can I get an ounce of that! Great smoke dude
tagjpaul,
Dec 30, 5:03pm
good stuff, pretty heated views on here. must be 4wd to get boat out of water, never really off road little bit of shingle etc. i think the major draw back 4 euro stuff is that we in waimate and no dealership 4 miles but in timaru kia and hyundai dealers/service. must be diesel, must have 7 seats. euro stuff does loose value quick i but hyundai does too -toyota best at holding value i reckon. i am tending toward the santa fe but think kia looks better thanks 4 your replies
mugenb20b,
Dec 30, 5:15pm
Take both for a drive and see what suits your needs better, comfort, etc.
brilliant.,
Dec 30, 9:13pm
I have a Kia Cerato, bought new in 2010 - and love it.Would buy another Kia next too.
200sx,
Dec 30, 9:40pm
Go for the XC90 over the Koreans if you are looking just at those 3. Have driven all 3 in the last 18 months. Volvo is surprisingly nice to drive. As with any vehicle at that price point make sure its got a full dealer history. As an alternative a diesel Pajero is going to be good value and dependable, and the poor sucker who brought it new will have taken a massive depreciation hit. Territory - different kettle of fish again. Get the newest example you can, preferably with the 6sp auto. Best bet is to drive them all before deciding - none are complete lemons.
lazzo,
Dec 30, 10:28pm
Mitsubishi Pajero will be a fantastic buy, excellent value for money, everything you need and more.
Territory would also be good, but definitely agree with 200sx, you would need to look at the newest possible with the 6 speed, and while it would be okay pulling and launching a boat from a ramp, it wouldn't compare to Pajero launching and hauling in situations where there is no ramp.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 31, 12:22am
But you have a Hyundai dealership where you are!
If not realistically the Hyundai is not going to be any less likely to require a dealer than the European options. The good news is any of those cars can be looked after by a competent general mechanic, on the very rare occasion that you need a dealer its likely to be something that can be worked in with a trip to a main centre and non-urgent. I would be putting more effort into sorting a good general mechanic than buying a car to suit an incompetent one. Its been 10 years since my one and only trip to a dealer (which was a waste of time) with a European car, and I have had literally dozens of European vehicles, some of them quite sophisticated.
No point in buying the best at holding value if its over priced and the most out of date, least reliable vehicle.
Given your updates, I think if it was me I would actually be erring towards a Mercedes. Mercedes know how to make this sort of commercial type stuff reliable and low maintenance. Mercedes parts are great in terms of supply and price in NZ too. Remember most long distance couriers, Ambulances etc are Mercedes and they last exceptionally well even in those sorts of ultra tough conditions.
What saddens me in NZ is so many people bow to spending properly good car money on Korean rubbish which they have to live with every day, all to avoid some nonsense fiction boogy monster wives tale. Because they never own (and often don't even drive) the alternatives they have no idea what they are missing out on.
The even weirder thing is the buy the marketing and peer pressure nonsense about Korean vehicles somehow being great. They don't seem to realise that Korea has limited experience with diesel engines and their efforts to date have been "bottom of the barrel" in terms of reliability, economy and service requirements.
Europe on the other hand makes more Diesel vehicles than petrol, they invented the modern diesel engine and have invested eye watering amounts in development. European is what you want when it comes to diesel.
That's why the Japanese are now increasingly turning to running European Diesels in their cars, (including Toyota) they realise they just can't compete in that market. That's why the Hiace van is no longer (The new model will be a re-badged Fiat).
What really puzzles me though is the same people who dance around regurgitating silly wives tales will snap up a Suzuki or such like that's running a European engine and electrics. Its weird!
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 31, 12:55am
Just had another thought. The 7 seat version of the Skoda Yeti is due for release any time. Why not wait for one of those!
Its going to be more suitable in that it will be more "town freindly" for the Mrs, it will be better on gas, better designed and the picture of reliability and low maintenance. Its also likely to be about the same price point too.
The Yeti is an amazing vehicle, not only described as "best in class" by many reviewers but "Best car full stop" as well.
If you are curious start a thread asking about them, there are a few who have bought them that come on here now and then. I think of all the options that is what I would do in your shoes.
lazzo,
Dec 31, 1:12am
Ummm. You're missing one vital point. The boat, and all that comes with boats.
mugenb20b,
Dec 31, 1:16am
Jazz, I know how you feel about Hyundai, but seriously, take the Santa Fe diesel for a spin one day. I have come across a couple that had some small electrical problems and both clients (who are our regular customers) have reported that the dealers were very helpful.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 31, 2:02am
What point is that! The Yeti is 4WD, has a decent clever 4WD system and they are rated to tow 2 Tonne and even have trailer stability control.There is also the brilliant DSG which dosen't have the torque converter of a regular auto adding extra heat as it wastes your power/economy, has plenty of gears and proper engine braking.To say it would be unstable for the purpose just shows ignorance, given its about as perfect a vehicle as you can get for the job.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 31, 2:06am
Actually, I have been there and tried the Kia they are a bit like the Corolla, because it does the job people who haven't bothered to look at the better options think they are great. The reality though is you are paying premium vehicle money for them in NZ and they are just a joke at that price point.
I am sure the dealers fall over themselves to be helpful until something major goes wrong. Did you not see that arrogant Hyundai NZ representative on T.V after they refused to help the pensioner with his 3 year old Hyundai that needed 15K in repairs!
They only begrudgingly became partially helpful after being dragged through the media.
If they were half the price they want for them they would be a half reasonable option, but not at what they are asking and not when the importer treats people like that if something major goes wrong.
There are many many great things about the Skoda that makes it stand out from the opposition, yet I can't think of anything great about the Kia, just passable at best.
msigg,
Dec 31, 2:39am
How many ks has the prado done, they are good wagons, the sante fe , kia will be a step up from that on the road, the prado better off road, they were a good alround wagon, one of the best.
mugenb20b,
Dec 31, 2:47am
I haven't seen the TV programme in question, but heard about it.
As for the Hyundai Santa Fe and its premium price tag, what exactly is missing compared to VW, Skoda or others (in the same price range)!
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 31, 3:24am
A good and very fair question. Its a bit like the "what's wrong with a Corolla" question. The answer isn't any one particular thing, the vehicle does the job after all.
Like the Corolla its a failure to excel that is the problem, whatever you look at, be it safety, economy, handling, equipment etc the Hyundai is just scraping in with a low to average performance, yet you are paying top dollar for the privilege. If you have to pick just one thing, that would be it actually, value for money.
The Skoda for example, starts in Diesel 4x4 form at just $45K and tops out at 48K. The Hyundai is 60 to 67K.
Yet the Hyundai is a 4 star NCAP car while the Yeti is a 5 star NCAP car, the Hyundai uses an old fashioned inefficient transmission the Yeti has the much better DSG. They Hyundai uses significantly more fuel yet it accelerates no quicker than the Yeti. They Hyundai does not handle as nicely and is not as clever in terms of design/space. They Hyundai has no trailer stability program (and having one is a HUGE advantage for this application).
I can carry on like that but hopefully you get the idea.
Why pay so much more for a very average and over priced vehicle from a manufacturer that is only just getting its act together. When you can have what is regarded as the best vehicle in its class from one of the worlds most established and respected manufacturers for significantly less money!
There is just no logic in it at all.
BTW, in fairness I am basing that on the current 5 seater Yeti, however we know that the bigger version is still very much the same package, it is also still unlikely to cost as much as the Santa Fe given that the Tiguan which it is based on is only 49K-54K.
Living outside a main centre I would also have the VW/Skoda product every time for its reliability, ease of parts and ease of servicing. (No automatic transmission to service for starters, as we expect the big Yeti will be 7 speed dry clutch DSG) Again, this is a big advantage for towing. Remember I have done all the servicing (including wet clutch DSG, cambelts etc) on similar VW/Audi/Skoda product with basic tools in my driveway for years. If I can do that, there should be no problem having one looked after at a competent general garage who have the luxury of a hoist and lots of other gear that I don't.
thejazzpianoma,
Dec 31, 3:24am
A good and very fair question. Its a bit like the "what's wrong with a Corolla" question. The answer isn't any one particular thing, the vehicle does the job after all.
Like the Corolla its a failure to excel that is the problem, whatever you look at, be it safety, economy, handling, equipment etc the Hyundai is just scraping in with a low to average performance, yet you are paying top dollar for the privilege. If you have to pick just one thing, that would be it actually, value for money.
The Skoda for example, starts in Diesel 4x4 form at just $45K and tops out at 48K. The Hyundai is 60 to 67K.
Yet the Hyundai is a 4 star NCAP car while the Yeti is a 5 star NCAP car, the Hyundai uses an old fashioned inefficient transmission the Yeti has the much better DSG. They Hyundai uses significantly more fuel yet it accelerates no quicker than the Yeti. They Hyundai does not handle as nicely and is not as clever in terms of design/space. They Hyundai has no trailer stability program (and having one is a HUGE advantage for this application).
I can carry on like that but hopefully you get the idea.
Why pay so much more for a very average and over priced vehicle from a manufacturer that is only just getting its act together. When you can have what is regarded as the best vehicle in its class from one of the worlds most established and respected manufacturers for significantly less money!
There is just no logic in it at all.
BTW, in fairness I am basing that on the current 5 seater Yeti, however we know that the bigger version is still very much the same package, it is also still unlikely to cost as much as the Santa Fe given that the Tiguan which it is based on is only 49K-54K.
Living outside a main centre I would also have the VW/Skoda product every time for its reliability, ease of parts and ease of servicing. (No automatic transmission to service for starters, as we expect the big Yeti will be 7 speed dry clutch DSG) Again, this is a big advantage for towing. Remember I have done all the servicing (including wet clutch DSG, cambelts etc) on similar VW/Audi/Skoda product with basic tools in my driveway for years. If I can do that, there should be no problem having one looked after at a competent general garage who have the luxury of a hoist and lots of other gear that I don't.
So yes, its not so much a why wouldn't you buy the Hyundai, its a why would you buy the Hyundai! Whats it got that's worth the extra money! I don't even see the current NZ model as being worth as much as the Yeti, let alone more!
trdbzr,
Dec 31, 4:01am
Now eventhough this was taken from Wikipedia, all the sources are listed. And a quick google search will bring up many horror stories from VW owners about how VW Australia is shafting its customers eventhough the problems are well known and cars in the US have been recalled due to this.
"In August 2009, Volkswagen of America issued two recalls of DSG-equipped vehicles. The first involved 13,500 vehicles, and was to address unplanned shifts to the neutral gear, while the second involved similar problems (by then attributed to faulty temperature sensors) and applied to 53,300 vehicles. These recalls arose as a result of investigations carried out by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), where owners reported to the NHTSA a loss of power whilst driving.This investigation preliminary found only 2008 and 2009 model year vehicles as being affected. Other markets, such as Volkswagen group Australia, are yet to admit this being a widespread issue and refuse to offer similar recall programs as their US counterparts, even though multiple reports of similar incidents and failures have occurred."
Now go and and start crying out accusations of trolling rather than actually acknowledging the issues as usual
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