Source: This article was taken from the May 2011 issue of Leisure Wheels
Entry-level automatic SUVs
Tired of swapping gears manually? Stuck in traffic jams all day long? Is your big-engined SUV or sedan drinking up all your spending money? If so, an entry-level, compact SUV with an automatic gearbox may be just the ticket. But although the theory is sound, the marriage between a small capacity engine and an auto gearbox is not always a blissful one. We look at some of the options on the market
Chery Tiggo 2.0 TXE AT
Chinese brand Chery is distributed here by the McCarthy Group – so the local operation is not a Mickey Mouse one by any means. But that doesn’t mean the fully imported Tiggo is the greatest compact on Mother Earth.
Virtually everything about the Tiggo is average, or slightly below that mark. Average looks, average interior space, and an interior that not only looks dated, but also feels below average in the quality department.
The 2.0TXE AT model is the range topper, and it comes with a raft of standard bells and whistles. These include safety features such as dual airbags and ABS brakes. On the downside, it has only 132mm ground clearance, no 4×4 option, and the 95 kW petrol mill, coupled to a four-speed automatic ‘box, is not the most refined or fuel efficient combination on the block.
Still, the softly sprung ride is not bad, and once the Chery gets up to speed (this takes a while), the Tiggo can eat up the kilometres in a surprisingly snug manner. But typical customers don’t buy this vehicle because they want to be thrilled by the driving experience. Instead, they want to save money – and heaps of it.
The 2.0TXE AT sells for R200 000 – and for many potential customers, that number makes a whole lot of financial sense.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R199 900
- Engine: 1971cc, four cylinder, petrol
- Power: 95 kW @ 5500r/min
- Torque: 178 Nm @ 4500 r/min
- Gearbox: Four-speed automatic
- Economy: 15,3 l/100km
- Service plan: Three-years/75 000km
- Good: Price, price and price. And a service plan
- Not so good: Quality, fuel economy, dated interior
Daihatsu Terios 1.5 4×4 AT
Japan’s massive Toyota Motor Corporation owns a majority share in Daihatsu – and the Terios is sold in some international markets as a Toyota Rush. That counts for a lot of kudos, for a lot of people.
The original Terios, launched in 1997, was very small and very compact, and probably underpowered, too. But the latest Terios is a whole different kettle of 4×4.
Bigger, way more modern, more powerful, surprisingly spacious on the inside, and with a new air of Japanese quality about it, the compact Terios has really come of age.
It is powered by a smooth 1,5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 77 kW and 140 Nm of torque. That’s not a heap of power and torque, but combined with a kerb weight of less than 1,2 tons, the little Terios is surprisingly brisk. More good news is that the four-speed automatic gearbox and the 1,5-litre engine work well together as a package. Fuel economy is very reasonable.
The 4×4 has 200mm ground clearance and thanks to the Terios’ compact dimensions, the little SUV can even do some mild 4×4-ing, if required. Some owners have taken their vehicles on tough overland trips, but the Terios is not the ideal vehicle for this kind of expedition. However, around town, where it serves as a trendy yet economical runabout, and for occasional dirt road driving and mild 4×4 work, it’s just the ticket.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R244 995
- Engine: 1495cc, four cylinder, petrol
- Power: 77 kW @ 6000r/min
- Torque: 140 Nm @ 4400 r/min
- Gearbox: Four-speed automatic
- Economy: 9,2 l/100km
- Service plan: Three-years/75 000km
- Good: Quality, refinement and economy. And it’s cute, too
- Not so good: The interior is not vast – especially if you want to haul the family around
Hyundai iX35 2.0GLS AT
Hyundai can hardly keep up with the demand for the new iX35 – and it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to understand why.
The original Tucson’s replacement is modern, rather good looking, trendy, refined, safe, and is packed with standard kit. Yet it sells at very competitive prices. On the downside, the iX35 has lost some of the limited 4×4 ability of its predecessor.
With 170mm ground clearance and tar-oriented, low-profile tyres, the iX35 is much more at home on the black stuff than on a rough-and-tough off-road track.
The good news is that all the iX35 2.0GLS AT’s exterior glitz and glamour does not end with the exterior. Under the skin lives a modern 16-valve four-cylinder petrol engine, coupled to a modern six-speed automatic gearbox. Yup, a six-speed auto gearbox.
A point of criticism is the standard iX35’s gravel road manners. The Hyundai is relatively hard sprung, which makes for excellent and sporty on-road behaviour. But on a rough dirt road the suspension, combined with the trendy low-profile tyres, battles a bit, and the ride can, at times, be jarry. A set of higher profile tyres would go a long way in countering this, so it’s not a major issue if you plan on tackling lots of dirt roads.
Overall, the iX35 offers a lot of (modern) crossover SUV for not a massive amount of money.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R284 900
- Engine: 1 998cc, four-cylinder, petrol
- Power: 122 kW @ 6200r/min
- Torque: 197 Nm @ 4600 r/min
- Gearbox: Six-speed automatic
- Economy: 10,4 l/100km
- Service plan: Five-years/100 000km
- Good: Styling, price, interior
- Not so good: Dirt-road ride quality
Jeep Patriot 2.4i Ltd CVT
Launched internationally in 2007, the Patriot was originally sold here alongside the equally sized Compass – which didn’t make a whole lot of sense, since the two Jeeps competed directly against each other.
Now the Compass has been dropped from the local line-up, with the “entry-level Jeep” focus shifting squarely onto the Patriot’s shoulders. This has bolstered its sales.
Aimed at customers who want to buy into the “Jeep” image but do not necessarily want to go the whole nine 4×4 yards off the beaten track, the Patriot sells at a relatively reasonable price.
It can do a bit of 4×4-ing if you are not too ambitious, but mind the fact that it doesn’t have a low-range transfer case or much ground clearance.
The automatic Jeep is equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) – the only compact SUV in this group to feature this technology. Coupled to a 2,4-litre 16-valve engine that delivers 125 kW, the CVT does take some getting used to, as it doesn’t change gears as a normal auto gearbox does. Instead, the revs just jump to the red line when you floor it, and stay there until you reach the required velocity.
Traditionalist petrol heads probably won’t like this. But the fashionable and trendy – at whom this Jeep is mostly aimed – probably won’t mind in the least.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R284 900
- Engine: 1 998cc, four-cylinder, petrol
- Power: 122 kW @ 6200r/min
- Torque: 197 Nm @ 4600 r/min
- Gearbox: CVT gearbox
- Economy: 11,4 l/100km
- Service plan: Five-years/100 000km
- Good: Price, Jeep badge on the nose
- Not so good: CVT dulls the driving experience
Kia Sportage 2.0 AT
OUR TOP PICK
Remember the time when the only good news about a Kia was the price? Now Kia’s biggest challenge is building enough vehicles to meet the massive demand!
The latest Kia Sportage is a case in point. In 2006, Kia Motors made an inspired decision to appoint German Peter Schreyer as design director. Schreyer, who worked for Audi for 25 years and was the man behind the highly acclaimed Audi TT design, brought a massive amount of experience and skill to the Kia family.
Enter the latest Kia Sportage – a quite beautiful compact SUV, designed by Schreyer. The modern, sweeping lines have elevated the Kia into a new realm of class and beauty, and even fashion appeal. Indeed, the Sportage can now even add the term “aspirational” to its inventory.
At the same time quality has been stepped up. The new age of Kia has arrived.
The entry-level 4×2 2.0 AT Sportage boasts 122 kW and 197 Nm of torque at a rather high 4600r/ min. But the engine is coupled to a modern six-speed automatic gearbox, which ensures better use of the available power and torque.
With ground clearance of 172mm and no low-range transfer case, the latest Sportage is no longer the 4×4 its predecessor used to be. But as a trendy city runabout that is also required to tackle some dirt roads, the Sportage is hard to fault. Especially at the price.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R284 995
- Engine: 1 998cc, four-cylinder, petrol
- Power: 122 kW @ 6200r/min
- Torque: 197 Nm @ 4600 r/min
- Gearbox: Six-speed automatic
- Economy: 10,4 l/100km
- Service plan: Five-years/100 000km
- Good: Styling, quality, features, price
- Not so good: Lost the 4×4-ness of previous model
Mahindra Scorpio 2.2 CRDe 4×2 AT
Indian brand Mahindra has, surely and steadily, been building itself a loyal fan base in South Africa. It is especially in rural areas that it has made inroads into the sales of populist brands such as Toyota and Isuzu. Some farmers now swear by Mahindra. Ten years ago the same farmers would probably not have entertained the idea of owning anything but a Toyota or Isuzu.
The spacious Scorpio SUV follows the Mahindra ethos of offering a decent vehicle at a very reasonable price. It’s not the best looking SUV, it’s not the most plush SUV, and the interior is obviously put together with cost-saving measures in mind.
The Scorpio SUV is available with three engine options: an older generation 2,5-litre turbodiesel mill, a two-litre petrol engine (the design apparently hails from Renault), and a more modern 2,2-litre, common-rail turbodiesel engine. The latter is the pick of the bunch, and by some way.
It delivers 87 kW of power and 270 Nm of torque between 1600 and 2800r/min, and is coupled (in the SUV) to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Besides the basic luxuries such as air-con and electric windows, you also get ABS brakes and two airbags as standard.
Overall, the Scorpio 2.2CRDe 4×2 AT offers a heck of a lot of comfortable and capable 7-seater SUV at a very reasonable price.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R240 200
- Engine: 1 998cc, four-cylinder, turbodiesel (common-rail)
- Power: 87 kW @ 4000r/min/,
- Gearbox: Six-speed automatic Economy: 11,9 l/100km Service plan: Five-years/100 000km
- Good: Space, price, six-speed auto gearbox
- Not so good: Small quality issues; interior feels a bit cheap and dated
SsangYong Kyron 2.0XDi AT
Korean company SsangYong recently had to brave some tumultuous seas. After the company was put into financial administration in 2009, and the factories closed down, Indian company Mahindra recently stepped in and acquired a controlling stake, promising a brave new future for the beleagured Korean brand.
The Kyron has been around since 2005, although it did get an upgrade in 2007. Styling is still old SsangYong-school – quirky and different but not pretty.
The Kyron is rather big for a compact SUV, and the interior is quite spacious. The entry-level model is powered by a Mercedes-Benz derived two-litre turbodiesel engine that delivers 104 kW of power and 310 Nm of torque at 1800r/min. The engine is coupled to a six-speed automatic gearbox with a “manual tip-shift” function. This includes gear selector buttons on the steering wheel.
The 4×2 SsangYong gets all the bells and whistles, including airbags and ABS brakes. The independently sprung Kyron also offers a very comfortable ride on the open road, and on gravel tracks. With 200mm ground clearance, it’s not afraid of a few middelmannetjies either.
Turbolag (with this engine) is an issue, and combined with a kerb weight of nearly two tons, the Kyron is not the most nimble SUV around.
Selling for more than R300 000, the older Kyron is not the good value-for-money proposition it used to be.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R309 995
- Engine: 1 998cc, four-cylinder, turbodiesel
- Power: 104 kW @ 4000r/min
- Torque: 310 Nm @ 1800 r/min
- Gearbox: Six-speed automatic
- Economy: 10 l/100km
- Maintenance plan: Three-year/60 000km
- Good: It’s different, and a comfy ride
- Not so good: Long in the tooth, turbolag, price, looks
Subaru Forester 2.5X AT
Subaru’s Forester is probably one of the most underrated compact SUVs in the local market. Speak to current owners, and you’ll find that most of them would trade in their Forester for only one other vehicle – another Forester.
Indeed, there was a time when Subaru based most of its fame on motorsport, and specifically the World Rally Championship, and the turbocharged Impreza cars with their boxer engines. Behind the scenes, though, Subaru’s engineers and marketers were hard at work, keen to demonstrate that the brand is about much more than oversized rear wings and gold-coloured mag wheels. The latest Forester is a case in point.
As a compact SUV, the Forester offers a surprising amount of 4×4 for the money. Boasting Subaru’s permanent all-wheel drive system, a 2,5-litre naturally aspirated (boxer) engine with 126 kW and 235 Nm of torque, and a practical and efficient cabin, the entry-level X model features a four-speed automatic gearbox Subaru calls Sportshift 4EAT
The manual version features a reduction gearbox ratio too (about 21%), but unfortunately this does not apply to the automatic derivative. Still, the cabin, although not flashy, is practical and functional, and offers all the safety and luxury trimmings one would expect in this class of vehicle. Add the inherently sporty character that is part and parcel of just about any Subaru, and the Forester becomes all the more appealing.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R305 000
- Engine: 2 457cc, four-cylinder boxer, petrol
- Power: 126 kW @ 6000r/min
- Torque: 235 Nm @ 4400 r/min
- Gearbox: Four-speed automatic
- Economy: 11,2 l/100km
- Service plan: Three-year/75 000km
- Good: Sporty drive, good quality, ride and handling
- Not so good: (Mostly undeserved) Plain Jane image
Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 AT
The automatic Suzuki is the most expensive compact SUV in this line-up – but it is also the only pukka 4×4 here.
Armed with a permanent 4×4 system that also features low-range gearing, as well as an outstanding traction control system that really works well in an off-road environment, the compact Grand Vitara can go places where the other compact SUVs can’t.
And, with a few small upgrades (slightly bigger off-road tyres and extra protection for the belly), the Suzuki can go where most proper 4x4s can go. Easily.
The 2,4-litre four-cylinder engine delivers 122 kW and 225 Nm of torque at a high 4000r/ min. Sending the power to all four wheels is a four-speed automatic gearbox. Compared to the manual 2.4 version, though, the automatic derivative is heavy on petrol.
On the inside, the Grand Vitara is a bit of a Plain Jane. All the basic luxuries are there, but there’s no leather, and no real glitz and glamour. Instead, it is all very Japanese – everything is logically laid-out and functional, and everything works as one would expect.
Overall the Suzuki offers a surprising amount of 4×4 ability in this class. Add an air of Japanese quality to the deal, combined with a surprisingly sporty edge in the ride and handling department, and the asking price seems all the more reasonable.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R339 900
- Engine: 2 393cc, four-cylinder, petrol
- Power: 122 kW @ 6000r/min
- Torque: 225 Nm @ 4000 r/min
- Gearbox: Four-speed automatic
- Economy: 11,8 l/100km Maintenance plan: Six-years/90 000km
- Good: It’s a real 4×4, solid feel, sporty ride
- Not so good: Slightly bland, thirsty
Toyota RAV4 2.0 GX AT
The RAV started the compact SUV boom in 1994, and today remains a solid choice in the segment. But note the absence of adjectives such as exciting, cutting edge, state-of-the-art – the modem RAV4 is one of those compact SUVs that hardly makes the driver’s heart skip a few beats driving it, or that leaves passersby breathless with obvious admiration.
Instead you get a highly functional and dependable package. In the entry-level GX format the RAV4 loses the leather, you get standard air-conditioning instead of climate control, and you have to adjust the driver’s seat through levers, and not buttons.
You do get the same engine and gearbox combination as found in the top VX petrol model, though. The two-litre 16-valve engine delivers 112 kW of power and 194 Nm of torque at a high 4000r/ min. The rev-happy engine is therefore not the best partner for the four-speed automatic gearbox. But, if you’re not in a hurry, the relationship between engine and gearbox is more than adequate.
The 2.0GX AT also features Toyota’s on-demand 4×4 system. A central differential lock can also be engaged. It ensures a 50/50 split between front and rear wheels. Ground clearance is only 190mm – so no dongas and rocks for the RAV4.
Overall, the RAV4 is probably the most solid investment in this class, courtesy of Toyota’s fabled retail value retention.
IN SHORT:
- Price: R311 900
- Engine: 1998cc, four-cylinder, petrol
- Power: 112 kW @ 6000r/min
- Gearbox: Six-speed automatic
- Service plan: Five-year/90 000km
- Good: It’s a Toyota, and does what you expect
- Not so good: Bland
OUR PICK
If we had to buy one of these compact automatic SUVs as a daily runner and weekend (dirt road) warrior, it would have to be… the Kia Sportage. Although this is a subjective opinion, we love the look of the new Sportage, even though it has lost some of its off-roading ability. Interior space, quality and features (including safety) also represent a massive, massive improvement over the previous generation Sportage. And still it sells at a price that can hardly be ignored.
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