Recommendations please

pauline999, Feb 17, 10:46am
Daughter is looking for a car to accomodate 2 adults, 2 children (possibly 1 or 2 extra on the school pick up run) and 2 large dogs! She is hoping for $8k trade in on her current car and has approx $25K additional cash. She has been looking at Nissan Pathfinder but reviews don't always seem too encouraging. Total novices here where car makes and models are concerned but we have figured 2017 is about the right year to be looking?All help appreciated.
kazbanz, Feb 17, 11:11am
Pauline-Im guessing they want the 4x4 shape
tamarillo, Feb 17, 11:31am
IMO pathfinder is a bit too far to the proper 4 wheel drive design for her needs. All she really needs a decent sized wagon with enough across back seat for 3 kids and big boot dogs can get in to. Wagons are good value too.
Biggest is Skoda Superb (which NZ police will now be using) but if they prefer Japanese Mazda 6 is great wagon.
Size of dogs may come into it.
If however they want to follow trend to higher SUV stick to softroaders that are really just cars made tall not real off roaders. Mazda CX5 and Honda CRV springs to mind but equally Mitsi outlander has huge following. Getting 7 seater mostly means bigger and gas guzzling.
s_nz, Feb 17, 11:34am
The Pathfinder changed from a proper off roader to a car platfrom based soft roader back in 2012.
pauline999, Feb 17, 12:14pm
Just to clarify - 2nd adult will probably only be in the vehicle at weekends and current car is diesel which for some reason she doesn't want again so has to be petrol. Its to get her to work and back and children to and from school during the week plus husband and 2 dogs at the weekend, usually within Auckland region.
meow_mix, Feb 17, 12:55pm
I agree with Tam, you might not need a big SUV when a regular car would do, you could get a nice 2017 Holden Commodore wagon, they are full size cars that can carry the whole family in comfort, plenty of room in the back for dogs. Buying a big SUV has it's own issues, they don't handle as well as a car, need expensive tyres, are heavier and use more gas, if you never plan on going off-road then again I would recommend a regular saloon car like a Commodore wagon.
vtecintegra, Feb 17, 12:56pm
That shape Commodore wagon did not have a very large cargo capacity - putting 2 big dogs in there would be pretty cruel. The much maligned ZB was significantly better in that regard.
franc123, Feb 17, 2:16pm
Lol you've got to be joking, the ZB is built for short skinny Germans, it was certainly no better than the VF Sportwagon in that regard and it's a key reason why it was comprehensively rejected in the market. In fact the load area wasnt great in either of those mainly due to the stupid low roofline, the VZ was the last decent Holden wagon.
lythande1, Feb 17, 2:20pm
What is it that normal families think they need a Mac truck? Same with beds. kids must have doubles these days apparently.
When husband was small, his family of 7 kids, mum, dad and grandma owned 1 car, a Standard 8. They all piled into it on trips.
franc123, Feb 17, 2:20pm
The R52 Pathfinder is a pillowy cheesy toy intended for the US market that should be avoided for much the same reasons a Holden Acadia should be avoided. The fact it's no longer based on a ute platform is somewhat irrelevant.
franc123, Feb 17, 2:29pm
It just more pillowy cheesy Americanism and image consciousness. Then theres the paranoia about how many safety features the thing has, gotta have 150 airbags, ESC and EBD, FCA and reversing cameras yet when it comes to renewing tyres they want the cheapest. Buyers of double cab pickups who insist on the same features are also oblivious to the fact that full chassis, high center of gravity and poor suspension dynamics are the enemies of primary safety.
meow_mix, Feb 17, 2:31pm
Yeah it seems to be the fashion with stationwagons these days, that stupid sloping, slightly diagonal roofline at the back, I think Alfa Romeo might have started this fashion and now everyone is doing it, from the later Subaru Legacy, BMW 5-series, and of course the Commodore. This does sacrifice a lot of space, yes the VT-VZ Commodores had straighter rooflines and more cargo space.
tamarillo, Feb 17, 2:42pm
fair call. Maybe I meant it’s a big heavy SUV and maybe that’s not needed here.
tamarillo, Feb 17, 2:47pm
Based on that soft road era like rav4, Honda CRV, Nissan quahsqui (have no idea how to spell it) would all work, though I’d still personally prefer a wagon. Mondeo Wagon very underrated and really spacious inside. Come with nice eco boost 2 litre petrol as they don’t want diesel one.
kazbanz, Feb 17, 3:23pm
so the events are well separated. Mostly 2 adults 2 kids. with occasional need for either a large boot or an extra seat or three.
I guess it depends on if she goes practical or "sexy"
My choice would be a late model Toyota Alphard /Vellfire. --8 Full size seats when needed--Full l/ diagonal belts for all but the rear row folds up and away to create tonnes of room for the dogs. and the boot lip is low/flat so dogs can get in easily
sw20, Feb 17, 4:09pm
Vellfire with the 3.5 V6.
clark20, Sep 13, 2:10am
My pick is the Mazda CX-5, classy and prize winning, and holds value OK