my parents are thinking about getting a new suv within the next year...
the choices so far are the;
honda pilot
toyota prado
mitsubishi pajero
2002-2005 bmw x5 3.0d
the budget is around 2-3 mill. do you guys think getting the x5 is practical? its definitely my favorite out of the choices. my dad likes it as well but he doesnt want to get second hand. we had an mdx back in canada, so he's leaning towards the pilot, but he also wants a diesel, which is why the prado and pajero are there.
my dad is not so fond of hyundais, so i don't think the veracruz or whatever it's called is a possibility.
its a choice between the prado and pajero, though i have checked the pilot just last saturday and its crv in XL size =) the inside is functional and user-friendly. I havent checked the prado and pajero but for me id go for the pajero, i believe it has a new and stronger diesel engine. =)
When I was in the market for a new Mid-size car, I check every car in its category plus 1 up 1 down (Full size and Compact) I even test drove car that I know I wouldn't dare buy. Why? just to make sure I won't miss out on anything...whatever it is. Don't skip a brand just because you don't like it or as your Dad said not fond of it. Tell your Dad to check out Hyundai, he might be in for a little surprise.
The new Pajero is unibody, actually... which gives it a somewhat better ride than the old Pajero (which is actually very good for a ladder-frame).
If you're not going off-road, the Pajero, Pilot and Veracruz are all practical choices within your budget with decent on-road ride and handling. Don't cross off the Hyundai because of previous experiences. Older Hyundais were some ten to fifteen years behind their Japanese competitors in terms of refinement and technology. The new lower end ones are from five years behind (Accent) to equal (Getz, Tucson), and the new SUVs are at par or even better (Santa Fe) than their Japanese competitors.
The X5 3.0D is a scorcher, but the older-gen ones are kinda small compared to these other SUVs (and are five-seaters, also). Casa servicing can be pocket-burning here in the Philippines, too. I'd suggest you take a good look at what your parents are willing to spend in terms of regular maintenance before you buy.
But if they can afford it, it's a swell sports car... errh... truck. I know I want one. If you plan to get one secondhand, get the latest one possible, to avoid electronics or other teething problems with the first batches.
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well, i know what you're gonna say, why the hell are we getting an suv, but we're not gonna use it for off-roading, just for the bad manila roads and the occasional flooding.
i really, really want the x5, haha. but my dad doesn't like the idea of getting a second-hand car and he doesn't want to spend that much on a car (for a brand new). the prado is out cause it 'doesn't have enough safety features' or somethin..
how well does the pajero drive compared to the pilot? is it really much more truck-like?
Which mid-size suv?
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