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Hi there,

I am planning buying a used SUV with the year being 2012 or later. Typically, i want it to be nimble/agile, good handling and on economical side(in terms of running cost & maintenance).
The engine to be of greater capacity than 2000cc. It will be used for city-office commute on daily basis of about 52Km/day and long distance trips running to around 2000Km in a quarter.
Budget being about 40-45K.
Few options that i have shortlisted initially are; Mazda CX-7 , Mitsubishi Outlander,
Jeep Grand Cherokee , Nissan Murano, Jeep Cherokee.

I greatly appreciate any help with above listed ones in terms of the criteria, their negatives,factors to be known of and any other SUV options apart from these above.

Thank you in advance.
[Edit: Added Jeep Cherokee to the list]

Do you have a preference as to the size of SUV you require, petrol or diesel powered and 2WD or AWD?

I am fine with a normal 2WD and will only look at 4WD's if they come in as packaged with all the other features, but its not a must for me. Which one will you suggest on this count?

Size wise, i look at good passenger space and boot space.
No specific choice on fuel, but i have heard diesel is more expensive to maintain.
Do suggest the options on both front so choice exists.

[ EDIT:- Adding Jeep Cherokee to the list as well ]

Appreciate all inputs.

Thank you.

Diesel is the preference for SUV's as fuel economy is better and diesel has the added advantage of delivering the low down torque necessary for towing. Most petrol SUVs (large SUVs) will be too thirsty for everyday driving compared to diesel versions. Resale value will be better for diesel versions too. The Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2R diesel is a good choice and size wise it should be up to the task but they still fetch a good price on the used car lot. The Mazda CX-7 is thirsty on fuel and is best avoided for this reason. The Nissan Murano CVT transmission has a poor reputation for reliability and it's not ideal for towing heavy loads. The Mitsubishi Outlander is a good option, with a good reputation, and it's available in diesel or petrol. The Jeep Cherokee is also a good vehicle but maintenance costs might bite you where it hurts.

You should consider the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Hyundai Santa Fe diesel models.

Thanks for that reply.
How would Nissan X-trail 2011 ST-L 2.5 (45000KM) be? Any pros or cons on this to consider please?
I currently drive a mazda 3 hatchback 2.0 GLX, will any of the SUV's give me a similar
driving dynamics
( sorry, i know its two different leagues, but just asking with mazda driving experience )

The Mazda CX-5 dynamically will be the closest but you need to remember that the CX-5 (as with all SUVs) has a higher centre of gravity so it will never handle exactly like a car. It's also smaller than the SUVs you mentioned so it might not work for you. The diesel CX-5 is the better option if you are ok with the size and the CX-5 is a popular choice in it's segment.

The only question marks around the 2011 X-Trail 2.5L is the CVT transmission - although at 45,000kms you wouldn't expect any problems anytime soon. Otherwise the 2011 X-Trails's design is outdated, but there's plenty of interior roominess, and it has been replaced by a newer model.

Thanks.
How would Dodge journey & Ford Kuga be in terms of driving dynamics, space, maintenance/reilability? Any drawbacks to consider?
and in comparison to the rest above.

The cabin space is good but the petrol motors available in the Dodge Journey are thirsty and dynamically I wouldn't rate it above the others. You can also expect to pay more for maintenance/repair costs. The Ford Kuga is smaller than all the SUVs previously mentioned and the only motor available that's larger than a 2.0L is the older model's 2.5L petrol which is another thirsty machine. The newer model's 2.0L diesel is the one to consider but it doesn't meet your requirement of being larger than 2.0L. You will struggle to on-sell a thirsty SUV when it comes time to upgrade. Diesel is the popular choice for SUVs for the better fuel economy and towing capabilities.

From the comments you have made I would suggest you have a look at the 2.2L Diesel Santa Fe and diesel Mitsubishi Outlander. If you do decide to go for a smaller SUV then test drive the Mazda CX-5 diesel - the Mazda SKYACTIV petrol versions fuel economy is reasonably good too but they aren't lively performers.