Hi Baraza
I’m looking for a fancy, low-maintenance, hardy, four-wheel-drive mainly for use in city roads but with an occasional off-road run on not-so-rough terrain. My budget is below Sh3 million.
I have narrowed my attention to the VW Touareg, Toyota Lexus/Harrier RX3000, Nissan Murano, Subaru Tribeca and a Hyundai (can’t remember the series). I’m, however, easy with alternative brand suggestions.
My preference is a vehicle that is not so common on the road, that combines space, comfort, speed and reliability, that does not guzzle too much fuel, that is not prone to serious mechanical defects and that would be a quick and good sell if need arises.
Also, advise me on whether to go petrol or diesel and the consequences of each choice.
Mboca Namuthece.
For about Sh3 million, forget the Touareg and the Tribeca, unless you want a car that has seen hard times. And this class of car is not cheap to fix when things go on the fritz. Your best bet is the now-common Harrier/RX and the Hyundai-you-cannot-remember (please try and remember).
Your preference of an uncommon car again favours the Hyundai, the Murano or the Tribeca (which has already been disqualified from the running, unless, again, you don’t mind a car that has been thoroughly used).
The Harrier/RX and the Touareg are becoming a bit numerous on our roads now.
Comfort: the Touareg is not very comfortable. The Murano is, as is the Lexus/RX. The Tribeca is a bit so-so (not as bad as the Touareg, but then also not quite Lexus).
The Hyundai-that-you-cannot-remember — I drove a brand new Santa Fe some months ago and I was blown away by how silky smooth and comfortable it was — could be encroaching upon the Lexus. But you didn’t specify Santa Fe, and that was the newest (2013) model, which costs a damn sight more than the Sh3 million you have hand.
Speed: The 5.0 V10 Touareg takes this. There is also a 6.0-litre W12-powered version that you will probably never see. Both cost a hell of a lot more than Sh3 million . So maybe Tribeca, but the later 3.6 litre model, not the 3.0-litre B9. But the B9 is what might cost close to the Sh3 million you may or may not be having, so that leaves the Lexus RX330. Hyundai… not so much. It comes last.
Reliability: Lexus. Or Toyota Harrier. Don’t even bother looking elsewhere, unless it is at the Tribeca.
Fuel economy: Look at the section under “speed”. Now read that list in reverse.
Resell: Again, the Toyota-Lexus pair prove to be the best bet. The Touareg suffers from the ill-repute (undeserved, though) plaguing German cars as to maintenance costs. The Tribeca and Murano are uncommon, so the subsequent buyer will be concerned about parts availability and the Hyundai is still unloved, much as it is a superb car nowadays.
Petrol vs Diesel: The cars available with diesel engines are the ones worst affected by our low quality diesel: the Touareg and the Hyundai-whatsit (you really should specify next time). The rest do not have diesel engines available in the range. So petrol it is.
