Knowledgeable car people- which one?

[ChefsKisser]

I don't know anything about cars really BUT we need a new family car. We have whittled it down to a Qashqai or Tiguan. Basically in our budget second hand we can afford a high spec fancy Qashqai or basic Tiguan. Which would you choose out of those? We like the idea of automatic, sun roof, sat nav etc rather than a really basic model but everyone we speak to raves about Tiguans.
Thanks :)

As others have said, look at the Skoda Karoq if the VW Tiguan appeals to you. One of my colleagues has just got rid of his Tiguan and inside it looks just like my Karoq. They and the Seat Ateca are all based on the Golf floorpan.

Nissan may have been reliable years ago, they definitely aren't nowadays. I work at a small car supermarket handling warranty claims, VW aren't much better nowadays. Our worst performing brands for claims are Mercedes, VW and Nissan. For reliability I would look at maybe a Ford Kuga (although newer ones are pricey) or a Kia Sportage.

Recommending a Ford over the others is like frying pan out of the fire. Dont get googling ecoboost failures and wet belts.

DH has a 1.5l Karoq, as does MIL. DS2 has a 2l Ateca.

Nissan are a Renault underneath - big no from me. They are also quite basic and dated inside. I was looking at the x trail and that's what put me off.

Tiguans, depending on age but with your budget I think you'd be fine, are a world above the qashqai.

Diesels used to be more expensive but I think they are pushing petrol now so imagine that's changed. I love a diesel.

I'd look at Volkswagen group similar SUVs. Ateca is more basic, Skodas have little things that help like a windscreen scraper in the fuel flap and hooks in the windscreen for parking tickets. Some have an umbrella in the door.

Or a Volvo!!!

I'd look at Volkswagen group similar SUVs. Ateca is more basic, Skodas have little things that help like a windscreen scraper in the fuel flap and hooks in the windscreen for parking tickets. Some have an umbrella in the door.

My Karoq has an umbrella under the passenger seat and my brother's Fabia has the umbrella in the door. The scraper in the fuel flap is wonderful, as is the caddy in the ceiling for my sunglasses.

Our Qashqai cost us hundreds in shitty little things going wrong (air con leak, broken USB port, no low oil warning thus causing engine problems). We got a top of the range Kia Ceed instead and I love it.

Any particular reason you’re looking at SUVs and not estates? Estates tend to have more boot space and can be cheaper. In some cases better leg room too.

Superfluous German nonsense. A hidden umbrella you have to remember to put back and a piece of plastic for an ice scraper are hardly enough to swing a deal. For a tenner you could just buy an umbrella and ice scraper. It does show how these things help swing buyers though!

OP could do a lot worse than the Nissan/Renault or something from Hyundai/Kia, the Tucson/Sportage respectively but the older engines are a bit pants.

VW cars are shit and unreliable and often languish at the bottom of said charts for good reason.

The only cars you should consider are:

Toyota RAV4
Honda CR-V
Lexus NX

Go for anything else at your peril.

A hidden umbrella you have to remember to put back and a piece of plastic for an ice scraper are hardly enough to swing a deal.

I hate umbrellas so it wouldn't influence me (I would much prefer a decent waterproof jacket). The last time I used an umbrella was FIL's funeral in April 2022; I tripped over a kerb at the crematorium trying to put it down and grazed my knee (BIL said afterwards that my fall eased his stress) and I later binned the umbrella. I know where the umbrella is in my Karoq but I don't expect to ever use it.
I know exactly where my ice scraper is on a cold morning (unlike my previous car); one morning I had cleared DH's windscreen in the time it took him to rummage around his car to find his own.

i recall seeing an ad that all toyatas came with 7 years warranty subject to T&C's!!!

We had one too and would agree with all you say. Hated it.

They sell by the boatload and they're not a bad car at all. You get plenty of spec as the OP has noticed. I'd take one over a basic Tiguan any day. VW are trading on an old reputation of reliability.

They're Czech not German. VW are German but Skoda made sure they kept their distinction. I didn't have the umbrella in my Octavia but I did love the scraper. Simply clever!

Quashqui sorry about spelling.
Cheaper to run, very reliable, they both are, but Q might just a little more space

They're as Czech as Bockwurst. Its all branding now under the VAG hierarchy. They might have poncey names but the Kodiaq/Ateca/Tiguan are the same car underneath just with different branding and finishes. Same for the Tucson/Sportage, and the Qashqai/Kadjar.

I work in the industry. They have the same platform and mechanics but are very different finishes and styles. That's why they are separate brands. That's what makes the differences. Skoda are very proud of this.