Your questions answered: Which SUV should I buy to replace my 12-year-old Nissan X-Trail?

The imminent influx of newcomer brands has kept our readers busy with questions this week. And there’s no shortage of variety, from a grandparent looking for an eight-seat EV to ferry the grandkids around to someone wondering whether to grab a V8 Nissan Patrol.

There’s also questions of loyalties, with one Mazda buyer wondering whether to stick with the Japanese brand and a would-be Volvo buyer questioning whether to try something similar but very different. And some everyday SUV practicality, with someone chasing a new mid-sized SUV.

Oh, we also touch on the political views of Elon Musk…

Enough room for all my camping gear and sporting stuff, very reliable, and I really only use four-wheel drive to get out of trouble, not into it. I do a lot of travelling (camping, hiking & mountain biking) that gets me off the bitumen (state forests, national parks, etc).

The 4WD has come to the rescue a few times. I haven't found a like for like replacement.

The new X-Trail has a bit less room and less ground clearance. I've seriously looked at the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, but that would be overkill, size wise, for my needs. Maybe a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid or Mitsubishi Outlander? Probably prefer second-hand, two- or three-years-old with up to 30,000km on it. Appreciate your thoughts. - Joe

Answer: If the latest X-Trail isn’t big enough for you (it should be bigger than your model) then the Outlander won’t suffice either. The current cars share underpinnings and engines, so there are lots of similarities beneath the skin.

As for the Pajero Sport, it’ll certainly tick the box for going off-road, but it’ll be a step backwards in terms of on-road dynamics. In short, it’s a proper off-roader, whereas your X-Trail is more road-focussed but adapted for some light duty off-road work.

Those on-road focussed SUVs that work OK in the rough stuff are a dying breed, but check out the Subaru Forester. It’s a terrific car for getting the tyres dirty and also drives well. It sounds like it’d be a great all-rounder for the sort of driving you’re doing. And while it won’t be miles bigger than your X-Trail, it should be in the ballpark while offering good cabin flexibility.

The Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer is the only full electric option, although I hear LDV has one too (but it seems expensive for the brand). Should I consider a hybrid? We mostly just do city driving.

I'm not in favour of those huge monster SUVs. Will there be an electric version of the Kia Carnival in the near future? - Leong

Answer: There’s not a whole lot in the seven-seat electric people mover market at this stage and even the seven-seaters are thin on the ground. The Mercedes-Benz is a heck of a lot of money for an eight-seat EV and it doesn’t really justify the price over the diesel-powered models.

And, yes, LDV has an electric people mover called the Mifa9, but it’s also somewhat underwhelming for the money. The best seven-seat option currently is the Kia EV9. Yes, it’s expensive but it delivers on substance.

Otherwise, you could wait for the upcoming Volkswagen?ID.Buzz, which in its most affordable guise has two or five seats, but it will also be offered as a seven-seater. It’s looking like being a pretty cool way to carry lots of people in EV silence.

Within a few months Hyundai should also have the IONIQ 9, which shares its underpinnings and rough dimensions with the EV9. But if you really need eight seats then there will soon be another option.

By the end of the year Ford will have an electric version of its upcoming Tourneo, to be called the E-Tourneo. It’s expected to be priced below $90,000 and will come with eight seats. It’s not as slick inside or as sharp to drive as the EV9, but it’s got a heap of space and there’s terrific flexibility with the way the seats flip and fold.

As for the Carnival, we’re not aware of an electric one coming soon. But Kia does now have a hybrid version of the Carnival, albeit with a sizeable price premium over non-hybrid models.

In short, a hybrid is a viable option – and one that may make more sense financially right now – although it sounds like you could easily make an EV work.

So read up on the E-Tourneo and consider registering your interest at a Ford dealership. Also check out the Kia and keep an eye on the upcoming Hyundai and Volkswagen alternatives. Hopefully one will do the job for you!

The thing I’m most stuck on is what colour to buy. I love the Soul Red but am wondering if it’s a bit too radical. Will it be harder to keep clean? Will it be harder to sell? Am I better off going for something safer? I don’t want white, but the Ceramic Metallic seems like a good compromise. - Doug

Answer: Go for whichever colour you like. You’ll likely be living with the car for years, so you may as well park something in the garage that you really like. As for keeping it clean, black and very dark hues usually do a better job of showing up dirt or dust.

And regarding residual values when it relates to colour, at the top end of town – Porsche, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, etc – a radical colour or something very different can be a tough sell on the used car market (there are exceptions, including various high-performance cars, where loudness can be a tempter).

But for a mainstream car such as the CX-30 there will be someone who loves that colour and goes out of their way to get hold of. As for the car itself, don’t rule out some great alternatives. The Toyota Corolla Cross is one of the best in small SUV segment. It’d also be worthwhile checking out the Hyundai Kona.

Answer: It sounds like you’ve already experienced a fair bit of Nissan Patrol V8. Given the engine hasn’t changed with the current car – although the exhaust sounds better! – why not just stick with what you’ve got?

Obviously the Patrol Warrior is a different beast and if you’re looking to go off-road it’s got some sensible upgrades that make getting the tyres dirty that little bit easier. And that side exit exhaust is pretty special.

But I still think you may be better off holding on to the current car until the Y63 arrives in a couple of years. The new model has a lot more grunt and gets a much better cabin and some new tech.

Also don’t rule out the rivals. The Toyota LandCruiser still stands up well and there’s a few off-road newcomers due soon from China. They could at least be worth consideration.

Do you think it’s worth taking a risk on an unknown brand like that? Or should I stick with something I know? - Kristian

Answer: There’s no shortage of newcomer brands coming over the next year or two, Zeekr being one of them. Most are out of China and most are brands Australians have never heard of.

It’s certainly a leap of faith, especially when you don’t know what they’ll be like in terms of after sales support, parts supply and so-on. Perhaps the bigger unknown is how some of these new brands will be treated on the used car market. Relatively unknown brands often don’t have as solid resale values because there’s also hesitation from buyers of second-hand cars.

There are exceptions, Tesla being one of them. From the start Teslas were highly sought after in the used car space, something reflected in solid residual values.

As for Zeekr, it’s part of the Geely Group, which also has Volvo and Polestar and others such as Lynk & Co. It also plans to launch the Geely brand here shortly. Is it worth trying something new? Zeekr seems to be making all the right moves before it’s started selling cars, but there are obviously still unknowns.

To some extent it’ll depend on your appetite for risk. If you want safe and easy, then Volvo could be the easier option. If you’re prepared to try something different, then you may get a little more for less money with Zeekr.

They won't know. And what the hell does it matter?? - Geoff

Answer: It’s an excellent point Geoff. People from many car companies have had some chequered backgrounds but it rarely seems to factor into peoples’ buying decisions.

I guess Elon Musk is a polarising person who some love and others love to hate. And being as opinionated as he is possibly makes it easier for people to take one side or the other.

Ultimately, a buying decision on a car should be based on the car itself and anything associated with owning it, from serving to running costs.

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