European SUVs the continental drifters
The little wagons that dominate Australian roads are taking over the boulevards and autostradas too. It’s a style-driven story.
IT WASN’T long ago that SUVs were considered politically incorrect in Europe. Governments taxed them out of cities and radical eco-activists even vandalised them.
But times have changed and last year the high-riding wagons outsold conventional hatchbacks for the first time on the Continent.
We’ve gathered three of Europe’s latest SUVs to see what they provide that the dominant Japanese and Korean brands don’t.
They are typically more expensive and doubts remain about reliability yet they possess a dash of flair and individuality that’s lacking in the top-sellers.
So if you’re looking for something a bit different and not afraid to let the heart rule the head, check these for size.
CITROEN CACTUS
Those bumps — you either love them or hate them. Citroen calls them airbumps and they’re designed to protect the side bodywork from stray shopping trolleys. They are part of a boggling array of colour and trim combinations — more than 23,000.
You don’t have a choice about the engine and transmission combination, though. If you want an auto, you’ll get a diesel. If you want a petrol version, you’ll be shifting gears yourself.
That wouldn’t be so bad if the auto weren’t such an odd unit. It’s called a robotised manual and if you treat it like an auto it feels like you’re being driven by a L-plater in a manual, lurching back and forth on every gear change.
The secret is to lift off in anticipation of each gear change — or buy the manual, which is a better thing.
The diesel engine, although the least powerful here, performs well. What it lacks in power it makes up for in torque. It’s not quick off the mark but once you’re on the go it feels strong, climbing hills and overtaking with minimal fuss.
Performance is also helped by the light weight of the Cactus — it weighs 160kg less than the Renault and 240kg less than the Fiat.
The little Citroen is a capable performer through the corners, too, feeling more composed and sporty than these rivals. The feeling of confidence is helped by communicative steering and suspension that doesn’t wallow over bumps. The downside is that it’s a little firm at lower speeds around town.
Standard equipment includes rear parking sensors and camera, satnav, climate control aircon, digital radio and fog lights. There’s a generous six-year warranty but capped servicing is expensive.
The cabin is well thought- out and surprisingly spacious, with a decent boot.
FIAT 500X
Our 500X in Pop Star trim is easily the most expensive of this trio, $3000 more than the Cactus and $5000 more than the Captur.
It compensates, though, with an engine that has noticeably more punch and a safety arsenal that includes driver assistance features absent on the others. As with the Citroen, fashion plays a part in the 500X’s appeal — it has the familiar face of the reborn 500 hatch and allows buyers to add personal styling touches.
The standard equipment list is similar to the Cactus, with satnav, power folding mirrors and cornering lights. It lacks climate control aircon but has some deft touches in the cabin, including a refrigerated glovebox, leather gear knob and electric park brake. It can also tow more than the others.
Safety gear includes a reversing camera, blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert for exiting driveways.
As with the Cactus, the 500X scored only a four-star rating from Euro NCAP but both those ratings have more to do with the lack of driver aids than crash performance. The Captur scores five stars because it was tested before Euro NCAP began marking cars down for not having driver assistance technology.
The Pop Star has a more sporty bent than the other two here. The six-speed dual-clutch auto comes with shift paddles for selecting gears and the driver can select a more aggressive setting for sharper engine response, gear shifts and steering.
Unfortunately the rest of the car doesn’t live up to the sporty tag. It feels too bouncy over bigger bumps, the steering is a little artificial and it leans more in corners. The cabin materials feel more upmarket though. Despite being the biggest of this trio, it has the smallest boot.
RENAULT CAPTUR DYNAMIQUE
The cheapest of this trio doesn’t skimp on equipment. It comes with satnav, fog lights that shine around corners, rear parking sensors and camera, smart key and push-button start, climate control aircon, auto folding side mirrors and leather accents on the seats.
Renault’s five-year/ unlimited kilometre warranty provides some reassurance for those who may have suffered at the hands of French reliability in the past, while the capped servicing cost is significantly less than its rivals here.
There is a noticeable chink in the Renault’s armour, however. It is one of very few cars on the market — and the only one in its class — to have no curtain airbags to protect rear passengers.
The Captur has the smallest engine of these three, a modest four-cylinder turbo matched to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, and it lacks the torque of the Citroen and Fiat.
That said, it still gets along well, keeping up with the traffic and revving happily to the limit for those who want to exploit its full potential.
The transmission is the smoothest shifting of the three, too, while it soaks up bumps well at lower speeds, making it the easiest to live with in the daily commuter grind.
The Renault is also well tied down through the corners, demonstrating the nimbleness of its donor car, the Clio hatchback. It corners confidently and rides comfortably, although its soft suspension tune means it can wallow over bigger bumps taken at speed. The steering is a little vague, too.
The cabin is the plainest of these three but still looks modern and fresh and the addition of some leather trim in the cabin lifts the appearance.
The rear load area is noticeably more generous than the others, with some handy underfloor storage for holding valuables.
VERDICT
None of these cars is best in class but each has its charms.
The Cactus is good to look at and a capable handler but the automatic would get on the nerves too much. The manual version is the better choice.
The Renault is more pleasant to drive but needs more power and more airbags.
That leaves the 500X. It’s more expensive and the least fun to drive but has more power, more safety equipment and a higher quality cabin to warrant the extra spend.
FIAT 500X
PRICE $33,000
WARRANTY 3 years/150,000km
CAPPED SERVICING $1346 over 3 years
SERVICE INTERVAL 12 months/15,000km
SAFETY ★★★★, 7 airbags
ENGINE 1.4-litre 4-cyl turbo, 103kW/230Nm
TRANSMISSION 6-speed auto; FWD
THIRST 5.7L/100km
DIMENSIONS 4248mm (L), 1796mm (W), 1600mm (H), 2570mm (WB)
WEIGHT 1295kg
SPARE Temporary
CARGO SPACE 346L
TOWING 1200kg
RENAULT CAPTUR DYNAMIQUE
PRICE $27,990
WARRANTY 5 years/unlimited km
CAPPED SERVICING $897 over 3 years
SERVICE INTERVAL 12 months/15,000km
SAFETY ★★★★★, 4 airbags
ENGINE 1.2-litre 4-cyl turbo, 88kW/190Nm
TRANSMISSION 6-speed auto; FWD
THIRST 5.4L/100km
DIMENSIONS 4122mm (L), 1778mm (W), 1566mm (H), 2606mm (WB)
WEIGHT 1215kg
SPARE Temporary
CARGO SPACE 377L
TOWING 900kg
CITROEN CACTUS
PRICE $29,990
WARRANTY 6 years/unlimited km
CAPPED SERVICING $1475 over 3 years
SERVICE INTERVAL 12 months/15,000km
SAFETY ★★★★, 6 airbags
ENGINE 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 68kW/230Nm
TRANSMISSION 6-speed semi-auto; FWD
THIRST 3.9L/100km
DIMENSIONS 4157mm (L), 1729mm (W), 1480mm (H), 2595mm (WB)
WEIGHT 1055kg
SPARE Space-saver
CARGO SPACE 358L
TOWING 825kg
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