Subaru XV

More Sunday window-shopping for Monique.  As I got to the Subaru dealer, my eyes feasted on the Subaru XV, a 5-seater SUV.  Slightly more compact than the Forester, I was completely amazed at the sporty look that this vehicle had.  It is so cute!  Subaru is known for all time 4-wheel drive, and as a general rule, this probably gives their vehicles better handling and road traction.  Leg room and head room, however was a bit more cramped than the typical 5-seater, and I could hear Monique's voice in my head opposing the purchase!  With a sticker price of P1.4 million for the base model, I wouldn't be able to argue with her--this time function wins over form!

Mazda CX-9

I spent Sunday morning looking for more alternatives for Monique's vehicle, and I went to the Mazda showroom in Greenhills to see their SUVs.  I was surprised to find out that the CX-5 had already taken over from the CX-7 as the Mazda candidate in the small SUV segment and was doubly disappointed to learn that that CX-5 was limited to a seating capacity of 5 persons.  My attention turned to the CX-9, which was in the medium-size SUV segment as this vehicle clearly seats 7 people.  My experience with Mazda has been quite mixed--we all loved the peppy driving feel of the Mazda Familia which Vicky's parents had in the mid-nineties, but we also balked at the gasoline consumption which was going at around 5 kilometers per liter.  I was told that the new Sky-Active technology of Mazda keeps the petrol consumption of these new vehicles at a miser's pace, and I sure hope that statement is an accurate one.  The CX-9 has long been on my watchlist--it's got beautiful lines & fluid design, and the 3.7 liter engine gives you the driving power you need.  While I frowned at the P2.1 million sticker price for the 4x2 model, I was told that special early bird discounts would be available if I made my buying decision soon.  Hmmm..... I'm almost tempted! 

Trailblazer

I went with Becca and Mikey to the Chevy dealer along Otis St. to view the new Trailblazer, which is a 7-seater SUV designed to compete with the Toyota Fortuner, the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Mitsubishi Montero.  The exterior comes in rugged form and looks like a mean macho vehicle sporting a 2.7 liter Duramax diesel engine (CRDi and VGT).  The 4 x 2 model, shown above, comes with a stickshift and costs P1.3 million thereabouts, while the 4 x 4 model comes with AT and costs P1.7 million.  I like the exteriors and the interior finish, which is a combination of black and beige.

We were quite disappointed with the leg room of the third row--pretty tight.  The Toyota Innova has a lot more space, and this is critical for us since Panini always sits on the third row.  I would imagine the ride and drive of the Trailblazer would be on par with the others of its class, so that didn't bother me much.  One other issue we had was that Chevy vehicles reportedly need casa maintenance, which would be costlier than that of the Japanese brands, which could be maintained and repaired with any decent motor shop.  Also, being a newly introduced SUV marque, the Trailblazer may not be as hot on the second-hand market as would the more established brands.  In any case, we'll continue with our window-shopping before we decide on which vehicle to purchase.

2013 Santa Fe

Late last year, I was looking at the Hyundai Santa Fe for Monique, now that she has already started driving.  Vicky is convinced that getting an SUV is the way to go, since the recent rains have made it very clear that flooding will be a part of Metro Manila living for the next few years to come.  The old Santa Fe model looked good in white, and Monique was almost convinced that was the vehicle of her choice.  But before we could purchase the vehicle, the new Tucson was launched.  We marveled at its sleek lines and gaped at its fluid body shape.  It dawned on us that the Santa Fe was already due for a body change, and we wisely postponed our decision to acquire the SUV.  That was an opportune postponement, as we had some chance to consider the new Honda CRV, the MItsubishi Montero and the Chevy Orlando as alternatives.  Now that the 2013 Santa Fe is out, it seems that we'll be having a harder time making the purchase decision.

Monique & I went over to the Hyundai showroom over the weekend to satisfy our curiosity--indeed, the new Santa Fe is definitely a big brother of the Tucson.  The same sleek lines are there, the body is wider, longer, and the styling has a more elegant feel.  I understand it is available with a 2.2 liter VGT engine, which is supposed to pack a lot of wallop (I don't remember how many horsepower, however).  The 4x2 model comes in both M/T (P1.5 million) and A/T (P1.7 million).  The designers put in a few nice toys too--drive assist from inclined hillside parking, keyless ignition, rear view camera, USB ports and auto-fold side view mirrors.  I think the 4x4 models come with wider tires and a sun/moon roof.  The vehicle isn't as high as the Fortuner, Montero or the Everest, and therefore, climbing in and getting out feels more car-like than SUV-like.  The only drawback for me is the lack of headroom, which was probably sacrificed by virtue of its fluidic design.  Getting in and out of the 3rd row, is also a drag; I think Hyundai engineers should rethink the way the 2nd row folds to allow improved ingress & egress.  Can't say much about the handling and the ride; we will probably assess the purchase after a test drive.