Large SUV/4WD: Australia’s Best Value Cars

A large SUV or 4WD is a great solution for those with a sense of adventure.

Hyundai Santa Fe Active CRDi

Hyundai’s turbo-diesel Santa Fe conquers the Large SUV category convincingly. It’s about $2K less expensive than its Kia counterpart (which places second) because Hyundai offers a six-speed manual and Kia doesn’t. This also helps the Santa Fe deliver commendable 6.3L/100km economy (compared with Sorento’s 7.8L/100km) to save bucks at the bowser.

Then there’s the Santa Fe’s superior 56 percent three-year retained value – though there’s only four percentage points between the top three – and its class-cheapest insurance premium. The only field the Hyundai doesn’t have its Korean kid brother’s measure is warranty, but five years is hardly stingy.

Kia Sorento Si

Auto-only Sorento diesel might make more sense than the manual Santa Fe in the ’burbs (the latter is also offered as an auto) because it’s easier to keep the engine on the boil.

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GLX

Separate-chassis Pajero Sport trades road manners for off-road-nous. Essentially a family friendly wagon-bodied Triton, it stays in the hunt with a five-year, 130,000km warranty.

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