Auto Express this week puts the 2WD FL2 up against the Kia Sportage and BMW X1. FL2 gets a good write up, they love the looks, the interior space, the engine but steep costs and little improvement on mpg and emissions go against it. Anyway it came 2nd to the Kia. The end.

yes but it's a Kia, that takes it off the table for me.

I'm the first to admit that I am shallow when it comes to cars.

The hire company in Canada last year tried to give us a Kia and even my wife said I aint driving that. Mind you we did end up with a thoroughly hateful Dodge Caliber as a result  For a free country, it does seem pretty expensive these days.

Have serviced and MOT'd a few Kia and Hyundai over the years, yes they look good but at 3+ years they start to look and feel a bit tired. Seats sag, door trims look like 10 years old, gear change like stirring porridge, just showing age prematurely. All FL2's (3) Gone
2011 Mercedes C180 CGI Gone
FL2 GS Auto SD with heated leather, factory tints, alloy spare and a few other bits.

druand wrote:

Have serviced and MOT'd a few Kia and Hyundai over the years, yes they look good but at 3+ years they start to look and feel a bit tired. Seats sag, door trims look like 10 years old, gear change like stirring porridge, just showing age prematurely.

sounds a bit like a woman...

The ranking of the Kia seems perverse given what they say about it:
"The car’s downsides include rear visibility, which is limited by the thick C-pillars and letterbox-style back window, plus grip levels, which are the lowest of our trio. The Sportage is also wayward under heavy braking – it was the least stable model in our tests." And "....while the steering is too light and numb to inspire real confidence."

So it drives like but it has got a panoramic sunroof. Obviously first choice , then.

wdw wrote:

The ranking of the Kia seems perverse given what they say about it:
"The car’s downsides include rear visibility, which is limited by the thick C-pillars and letterbox-style back window, plus grip levels, which are the lowest of our trio. The Sportage is also wayward under heavy braking – it was the least stable model in our tests." And "....while the steering is too light and numb to inspire real confidence."

So it drives like but it has got a panoramic sunroof. Obviously first choice , then.

Kia's are a LOT better than what they use to be. I even thought about getting a top-of-the-range Kia Sorrento as the Sportage was just a bit too small for us. The Sorrento has great specification as standard.
But ultimately we went for the Landy instead!

The names enough to put you off, sounds like an orange drink, bit like that other 4x4 what is it? Sang Wong or something, or that big Russian car the persons of the state use, they are Zils but the badge looks like . no matter how good it was you would just never buy one I was only wrong once and thats when I thought I was but wasnt.

2010 Freelander 2 XS Stornaway Grey
2010 Aston DBS Morning Frost
2010 Bentley Continental Brooklands Green

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I was only wrong once and thats when I thought I was but wasnt

[quote="asinrute"]

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ride not brilliant but on a par with the FL2.

The Kia's cheap, it has a 7 year warranty.

It wouldn't be (and isn't) my choice because whilst I'm not a brand snob, I'm shallow enough to admit that the badge on something does make a difference to me.

£20k for a family sized 4x4 and all you have to do for 7 years to run it is tax it, service it, and insure it, isn't to be sniffed at.

Got to admit it that new sport age looks well and is very keenly priced, I'd have one over an x3!

I wonder if it's got a small boot like our old fl2? Ex-2009 Freelander 2 HSE Auto owner

christian138 wrote:

Suck it up and move on

The guy who designed the Sorrento and Sportage is the same guy who designed the Audi TT.

Beleive it or not, if you want to order a new 2.0 ltr version, there is a waiting list till October FL2 HSE Sumatra black with body kit

I currently have a Sportage 1.7 2wd a a company car and i must say it is a lovely drive.

If you go for the one with the 18 inch Alloyds then the ride is a bit on edge.

I cannot fault the thing.

Sorento wasnt designed by Peter Schryer, Sportage, Venga, Ceed, New Rio and New Picanto were. Gone S383 ABA Freelander 2.0 XEDI Rioja Red
Gone NT02 CUA Freelander 2.0 TD4 ES Blue
Gone ND06 URU Freelander 2.0 TD4 Rimini Red
Gone NA56 VJN Freeelander 2.0 TD4 Black
HERE OE07 JRX Freelander 2.2 TD4 XS Rimini