What happens with Hyundai/Kia get their act together?

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by satria

Can I ask why yourself and AndyXR6T are considering the Santa Fe Highlander over the Sorento Platinum?

I personally don't mind what your reasons are it's just that in December when it came down to buying one I could get the KIA for much less but under the skin it's very much the same car. Even all the switch gear in the car itself are identical!

The only real advantage I saw in the Hyundai was it has more modern styling exterior & interior because it's a newer car but to me the KIA with the updated tail lights/front light arrangement looked better although that is subjective.

The things that are measurable though is the KIA had a 7 year warranty vs Hyundai's 5 and fully optioned up was thousands of dollars cheaper, I was just a little unsure and still am when I see the Santa Fe's on the road as to why people chose them over the KIA. I just put it down to those people prefer the look of the Hyundai much better or they just plan to move the car on before then anyway, am I right?

To be honest the Kia in the looks department doesn’t really do it for me, I have not researched them enough to make any other comments about them mechanical wise apart from just hearsay that I have heard which has not been positive, but thats not to say that it is just hearsay and nothing more.

Honestly I have 3 vehicles that I am personally choosing from and that is enough for me right now, I do like the idea of the 7 year warranty though (who wouldn’t) but I’d rather have a car that I can trust for the life of it, or have a car that I don’t need to take to the dealership for a warranty claim even if it only has 3 years, compared to one that I have to continuously take to the dealership even though it has a longer warranty period.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Curious what you base your comments re Mitsubishi on?

Been looking for an SUV (well wife wants one). Mitsu was a poor showing both times we've looked at it. There are better options in the segment....KIA and Hyundai were just two of them.

[Freiherr]

Satria, I chose Hyundai over the Kia based on the greatet number of Hyundai dealerships. The Sorento was tempting back in 2010 and I was aware that both brands share the Hyundai driveteain.

[Polyal]

Kuga and Tiguan? Yeap Im a brand snob.

[galaxy xr8]

What is the all new Hyundai Tucson ?, I was just looking at their website and come across it, it’s being released this year but is it a replacement for the Santa Fe or a new model in the line up ?

[satria]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

To be honest the Kia in the looks department doesn’t really do it for me, I have not researched them enough to make any other comments about them mechanical wise apart from just hearsay that I have heard which has not been positive, but thats not to say that it is just hearsay and nothing more.

Honestly I have 3 vehicles that I am personally choosing from and that is enough for me right now, I do like the idea of the 7 year warranty though (who wouldn’t) but I’d rather have a car that I can trust for the life of it, or have a car that I don’t need to take to the dealership for a warranty claim even if it only has 3 years, compared to one that I have to continuously take to the dealership even though it has a longer warranty period.

Thanks for the response, it's funny how you say that as that was one of my arguments for the Territory when for that brief period i tried to convince myself to go for the Ford that the warranty argument isn't as great as it's made out to be. I thought to myself: "It doesn't matter if it only has 3 years because if it is a genuinely good car it doesn't need 7 anyway". But then my head played it's part instead of my heart and it basically said why would you take that gamble when the KIA is much less of a risk because they are standing behind their product a hell of alot more with their warrantie and the general motoring consensus is the Korean's are genuinely upping the game.

One thing to take note of the KIA's styling is that it does actually have some very cool touches. I really wasn't a fan of it at first and ruled it out as a contender because of the dated shape but my wife convinced me to consider it again so I inspected it closer. The tail lights I think are extremely cool and look very modern, the ring that glows around the light when they are on I think is one of the best designs on the road and I think makes a huge impact to the car. The tailgate design too is a big step forward from the earlier shape, much more modern. The front is less updated from the rear and for me needed the nudge bar to make the front feel like it wasn't a bit bare, but with it on now I think it looks really good, the spot lights and DRL's make it feel a bit more modern too than it's original.

I'm not trying to sell you the car as i really think you'd do well with the Hyundai also. I'm just curious to see if you have the same opinion as I after a second look at it.

[satria]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

What is the all new Hyundai Tucson ?, I was just looking at their website and come across it, it’s being released this year but is it a replacement for the Santa Fe or a new model in the line up ?

I read it's a replacement for their smaller SUV (Ix35?) however it is larger from what I read too.

[Vesper Martini]

Strange I thought they replaced the Tucson name with the Ix35? or are they running both?

[galaxy xr8]

One of the biggest factors for me if not the biggest is the space inside, that is why the Territory/Prado was high on the list thus far, room upfront as well as middle and more so in the rear (loading area).

[satria]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

Strange I thought they replaced the Tucson name with the Ix35? or are they running both?

Nope it's a replacement. Maybe the whole I-Appleeverything fad is wearing off?

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

One of the biggest factors for me if not the biggest is the space inside, that is why the Territory/Prado was high on the list thus far, room upfront as well as middle and more so in the rear (loading area).

The Prado is not Territory-size inside. It's somewhere smaller than a BMW X3 and above Holden Captiva. The wheelbase is shorter, meaning overall front to back less seat space, internal height is lower and seat width is less. Luggage capacity is less.

I trawl all of the manufacturers' information as well as having been in these vehicles. Of all the manufacturers, Toyota is the only one that won't provide internal measurements in its publicity in Australia - for good reasons. Plus I guess it has such a large, uncritical following it doesn't see the need to complicate the information available to potential buyers. Having somebody jumping in the air and yelling oh what a feeling is enough to sell a Toyota here apparently.

I get full Toyota information off their international web sites (e.g. USA, Europe) where presumably they have to deal with more questioning buyers.

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by new2ford

The Prado is not Territory-size inside. It's somewhere smaller than a BMW X3 and above Holden Captiva. The wheelbase is shorter, meaning overall front to back less seat space, internal height is lower and seat width is less. Luggage capacity is less.

I trawl all of the manufacturers' information as well as having been in these vehicles. Of all the manufacturers, Toyota is the only one that won't provide internal measurements in its publicity in Australia - for good reasons. Plus I guess it has such a large, uncritical following it doesn't see the need to complicate the information available to potential buyers. Having somebody jumping in the air and yelling oh what a feeling is enough to sell a Toyota here apparently.

I get full Toyota information off their international web sites (e.g. USA, Europe) where presumably they have to deal with more questioning buyers.

Don’t know how you come to that conclusion, as I have had many Prado’s as hire car’s and driven some Territory’s and the Prado is much larger in capacity over the Territory even in the rear cargo space which I stated is a must for me personally, the only thing I believe is that the Territory may be larger in hip room across but in other areas the Prado is larger.

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by new2ford

The Prado is not Territory-size inside. It's somewhere smaller than a BMW X3 and above Holden Captiva. The wheelbase is shorter, meaning overall front to back less seat space, internal height is lower and seat width is less. Luggage capacity is less.

I trawl all of the manufacturers' information as well as having been in these vehicles. Of all the manufacturers, Toyota is the only one that won't provide internal measurements in its publicity in Australia - for good reasons. Plus I guess it has such a large, uncritical following it doesn't see the need to complicate the information available to potential buyers. Having somebody jumping in the air and yelling oh what a feeling is enough to sell a Toyota here apparently.

I get full Toyota information off their international web sites (e.g. USA, Europe) where presumably they have to deal with more questioning buyers.

Prado and Territory are constructed differently as they are created for different purpose. Kluger is probably more of a match for a Territory.

[mik]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye84

The just launched Kua Carnival - massive improvement over the old one

http://www.drive.com.au/new-car-revi...24-13my3q.html

interesting to look at the torque figure for the petrol donk, it makes twist very high in the rev range.

336Nm at 5200rpm , one would assume it must have pretty short gearing to compensate.
i wonder if they actually put a few people in the back when they test these big tanks ?

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

Don’t know how you come to that conclusion,

Specifications. Yes the cargo space (seats up) is larger in Prado, but the Territory's wheelbase is longer which translates into slightly larger fore and aft seating space and it's wider internally thus wider seats. Yes Kluger is closer to Territory. Santa Fe is about Prado internal dimensions but wider seats.

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by new2ford

Specifications. Yes the cargo space (seats up) is larger in Prado, but the Territory's wheelbase is longer which translates into slightly larger fore and aft seating space and it's wider internally thus wider seats. Yes Kluger is closer to Territory. Santa Fe is about Prado internal dimensions but wider seats.

But how do you know that as fact when you said Toyota don’t reveal their spec’s ?.

I don’t agree that the Territory has a larger rear cargo area, I believe the Prado does out of the two, I do how ever agree that the Territory seem’s to be wider in this cargo area but I still believe that the Prado would have an overall larger size capacity measured in litres as they do.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

But how do you know that as fact when you said Toyota don’t reveal their spec’s ?.

Because I look for them overseas.

Re cargo area, sorry, I corrected myself - Prado is larger on the manufacturer-quoted figures. But the cargo issue is complex. If you're dealing with large objects that I'm sure we've all moved from time to time (beds, wardrobes, washing machines etc), there are issues like distance between wheel arches, slope of the back etc that make comparisons not straightforward.

If you're looking at smaller objects then, unless you want them in the back of your head in a crash, then the cargo capacity is limited to that under the cargo cover at the back - which in some SUVs is very impractically small indeed. On this basis, the BMW X3 and X5 have by far the largest safe cargo capacity because their flexible cargo net system allows you to safely stack right up to the ceiling, including up to the back of the first seat row as well.

Internal width is significant for a family vehicle (3+ kids) because you have to get those baby capsules and seats across the second row, sometimes all three. This NRMA table sorts some of the sheep from the goats:

http://www.mynrma.com.au/media/what_...our_family.pdf

Basically pretty-much only the Australian-designed vehicles can accommodate all three (and thus also 3 adults) comfortably. This is something we're going to miss after 2016, unless you can afford an X5.

Here's a comparison of the vital figures for a range of popular SUVs, in mm except luggage capacity in (manufacturer-claimed) litres. I've included Hyundai to stay on topic and I think Sorrento should be similar. Biggest to smallest:

Wheelbase: Jeep Grand Cherokee 2915, Territory 2842, X3 2810, Prado 2790, Kluger 2788, Pajero 2780, Captiva 2707, Santa Fe 2700.

Internal width at front seats: Territory 1548, Santa Fe 1508, Kluger 1506, Jeep 1491, X3 1483, Pajero 1482, Captiva 1424, Prado 1369.

Internal width at second row seat (*the important dimension for child seats and stout adults*): Territory 1528, Kluger 1513, Santa Fe 1480, Jeep 1474, X3 1458, Pajero 1451, Captiva 1422, Prado 1369.

Headroom front: Territory 1074, Pajero 1056, X3 1033, Kluger 1033, Captiva 1026, Santa Fe 1006, Prado 970, Jeep 960

Headroom rear: Pajero 1017, Kluger 1013, Territory 1006, Captiva 1003, X3 994, Santa Fe 992, Jeep 961, Prado 790. (Bear in mind that some models, like Territory, use theatre seating which has view advantages for second-row passengers.)

Cargo (behind second row): Prado 621, X3 550 (without using net), Territory 523, Santa Fe 516, Captiva 430, Jeep 412, Kluger 396, Pajero not known.

Finally, out of interest, here is a comparison of kerb mass (tonnes). In reverse order because lighter is better!: Captiva 1.64, Santa Fe 1.72-1.83, X3 1.73-1.8, Kluger 1.95-2.02, Territory 2.0-2.12, Jeep 2.0-2.32, Pajero 2.25, Prado 2.43.

If anybody has any information to correct any errors here it would be most welcome. I think my Territory figures may be for models prior to the current but there shouldn't be much difference.

Somehow I think we'll be all the poorer without the Territory in this lineup after 2016. But, on topic, Hyundai doesn't come out too badly on these important figures.

[Hawkeye84]

Originally Posted by mik

interesting to look at the torque figure for the petrol donk, it makes twist very high in the rev range.

336Nm at 5200rpm , one would assume it must have pretty short gearing to compensate.
i wonder if they actually put a few people in the back when they test these big tanks ?

The launch was in queensland during the cyclone a week ago. Journos and their families were invited to test out the cars for a couple of days. So yeah, a few people were in the back during tests

[Hawkeye84]

Sorento is on run out at the moment, the new one is due soon - so the retail offers on them at the moment are very competive. The platform is dated (altjough on some angles it looks like a range rover) but the new one looks pretty good http://youtu.be/rSqqCI0LNHs