Sit high, steer well
It seems like one contradiction in terms; the sporty SUV or crossover. After all, high-seaters usually have a ditto center of gravity, which is particularly detrimental in better cornering. Yet it is possible, and no… it does not require a whole lot of money. For 15 grand we found three different sporty, high second-hand copies in the compact middle class: the BMW X1, a real crossover that sits between a hatchback and an SUV, and two real SUVs, the Mazda CX-5 and the Ford Kuga .
SUVs/crossovers are all the rage these days and because we had a lot of fun with last week’s ‘In Search of… episode’ (three sports sedans: Alfa Romeo Giulia, BMW 3-series, Jaguar the blender stopped. The outcome: a BMW X1, a Ford Kuga and the CX-5 from Mazda!
BMW X1 xDrive20i Business – 2011 – 77,178 kilometers – €13,945
Compared to mainstream brands such as Ford and Mazda, with BMW you also pay for the brand (feeling). This often means that you spend more money for less (space, equipment). This applies to both new and used, but in our database we found an attractive exception to that rule, namely this BMW X1: although it is the oldest of the bunch, it also has the lowest mileage, the most power and all-wheel drive! Together with the Kuga, it is the cheapest and comes with a one-year Bovag warranty. That’s the way it is supposed to be!
It may be a crossover, but the X1 also focuses on the driver. That means: a nice low, somewhat ‘built-in’ seat, where your right hand automatically falls on the lever of the six-speed gearbox and you feel one with the mechanism. The blown two-liter pulls a lot and thanks to its four-wheel drive you always have plenty of grip. The maximum torque of 270 Nm is released at just 1,250 rpm, almost a diesel value! The 50-TBD-4 (two ex-owners) is therefore a usable tow vehicle (1,800 kilos of braked towing capacity). This used car shows that you can drive sportily in a higher car and that this does not have to cost too much. In terms of asking price, because the Bavarian will certainly be an expensive housemate in terms of maintenance. In another area, such an And while we are complaining: the interior is very gloomy and not all materials are BMW’s; the CX-5 is decidedly more attractive inside. Climate control and a navigation system were checked on the options list by the first owner. Leather upholstery, for example, does not and therefore this X1 does not give such a rich feeling.
Signaling
Brand BMW
Type X1 xDrive 20i Business
Construction year December 2011
Mileage 77,178
Asking price €13,945
Where to buy? Van Mossel Mega Occasion Center, Goes
Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in-line, 1,995 cc, turbo
Max. assets 135 kW/184 hp at 5,000 rpm
Max. couple 270 Nm at 1,250 rpm
Luggage compartment 480 l/1,350 l
Max. trailer braked 1,800 kilos
Avg. consumption 1 in 13.0
0-100 km/h 7.8 sec
Top speed 215 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Ford Kuga 1.6 Titanium – 2014 – 105,273 kilometers – €13,945
For the same amount (because this also includes a Bovag warranty) you can get into this Ford Kuga, which has driven a little more, but is also three years younger and comes from the first – German – owner. It has a weaker engine than the X1 and has (only) front-wheel drive, but that should not spoil the fun. Ford has a reputation to uphold when it comes to sharp-steering cars. Even if it concerns such a high Kuga, because the entry height is just ten centimeters higher than that of the X1. The 16-inch wheels therefore look quite flimsy!
Yet the Kuga does not convey as much enthusiasm as the BMW. The seating position is too high for that and the six-speed gearbox shifts a little less decisively. In the The engine may be the weakest of our trio, but it can still handle two tons of brakes!
The K-847-KS is the Titanium version. It is nicely equipped with sports seats, voice control (Sync1), hill assist, rain and light sensors and an alarm, but the dashboard, inspired by the Focus and C-Max, does not feel very high-quality: many finicky buttons in a busy environment. where the materials used do not exceed the average level. The limited shelf life of the whole is shown by the now dated, mobile phone-based center console. All in all, we find the X1 a bit sportier and the Kuga a bit more versatile. What does the last featured used car, the successful CX-5 from Mazda, have to add?
Signaling
Brand Ford
Type Kuga 1.6 Titanium
Construction year November 2014
Mileage 105,273
Asking price €13,945
Where to buy? Selles Car Company, Zwolle
Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in-line, 1,597 cc, turbo
Max. assets 110 kW/150 hp at 5,700 rpm
Max. couple 240 Nm at 1,600 rpm
Luggage compartment 456 l/1,653 l
Max. trailer braked 2,000 kilos
Avg. consumption 1 in 15.2
0-100 km/h 9.7 sec
Top speed 195 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Mazda CX-5 2.0 SkyActiv-G TS+ – 2013 – 123,723 kilometers – €14,950
When we put our criteria into the search engine, more CX-5s than Kugas or X1s come up. What is striking are the sometimes high mileage of the Japanese. That says something about the satisfaction of the owners! We chose this Mazda CX-5 from the offer. In terms of age and power, it is nicely between the other two, but it has covered a few more kilometers and is more expensive (but here too it includes a Bovag warranty)! The dashboard makes us happy: well built and beautiful materials. Not as dated as the Kuga, not as gloomy as the X1. However, during its development the latter was looked at with a wary eye: here too an ‘encapsulated’ seat and behind the six-speed gearbox we see an iDrive-like controller.
In fact, the entire car has been carefully taken care of. Sufficient space for people and luggage and here too a braked towing capacity of 1,800 kilos. The disadvantage is that all 210 newton meters are only released at 4,000 rpm, inherent to a naturally aspirated power source. However, it is very economical, which has to do with the relatively low weight of the CX-5: 1,285 kilos compared to 1,480 kilos for the Kuga and 1,550 kilos for the – four-wheel drive – X1. It gives the Mazda beautiful, balanced steering and driving behavior: slightly mercurial and with enough feedback, without becoming too light or too nervous. As a TS+, the white 9-SNB-30 (already worn out by four owners) is in good shape. The presence of, among other things, an autonomous emergency braking assistant, parking sensors all around, seat heating at the front and rear, a navigation system and the Karakuri principle for the folding rear seat shows (once again) the care this modern used car has for its passengers. It shares its space and equipment with the Kuga, its driving characteristics and build quality with the X1. A little more punch at the bottom would be welcome, but that is inherent to naturally aspirated power sources. For the rest: a nice cart!
Signaling
Brand Mazda
Type CX-5 2.0 SkyActiv-G TS+
Construction year November 2013
Mileage 123,723
Asking price €14,950
Where to buy? Car company Harry Levering, Limmen
Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in line, 1,997 cc
Max. assets 121 kW/165 hp at 6,000 rpm
Max. couple 210 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Luggage compartment 505 l/1,620 l
Max. trailer braked 1,800 kilos
Avg. consumption 1 in 16.7
0-100 km/h 9.2 sec
Top speed 200 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Which of these sporty SUVs suits you?
In summary: the featured X1 has four-wheel drive and is a BMW and will therefore be the most expensive to maintain. The Kuga is more spacious and luxurious, but ultimately more focused on the family than the driver. The CX-5 seems to combine the advantages of both cars, but as a tow car the naturally aspirated power source cannot quite keep up with the other two. What would your choice be?
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl