In fairness, all Motorprop was doing was sharing with us his pleasure in running a car that he chose carefully to suit his and his family's needs. Both the X3 and CRV are good cars, superficially similar but each of them suiting slightly different priorities. According to What Car's tables, both hold their value rather better than you might expect of this sort of car.

Whatever we say, don't let us discourage running reports like this - in my view one of the most useful contributions people make to this forum. More please - and (one shouldn't need to say this to grown-ups) if you disagree with someone else's post, you make your point much more cogently if you don't disparage the other person.

Would you ( Madf ) have been a wee more content if I'd b****ed and moaned about ' this accursed purchase ? '

Edited by motorprop on 03/09/2012 at 19:58

Yes it gets good reviews, but the bottom line is the 2.2 diesel has the same power and torque as the last model, so its way behind the competition, CRV, KUGA, Tiguan etc.

While the auto is still only 5 speed!

What happened to the class leading Honda of days gone by?

Edited by xtrailman on 02/09/2012 at 21:54

I wasn't aware of BMW engines being unduly problematic.

I think Honda are letting the European market wither on the vine. I think only about 3% of UK new registrations were Hondas last year. They have a much bigger presence in the US where which suits their petrol orientated product range.

I didn't think the replies were necessarily envy - driven . I just wanted to post the experience of new car ownership. Was not having a dig on the Honda as such, just reporting a comment and my reply to it. Certainly did not buy the car to save £150 pa RFL... silliest thing I have heard in years . The only comparison for us was the Q5 Audi and the BMW edged it on the power and emissions , plus I am weary of Auto 4 x 4 Audis

My point was : The reason the RFL is £150 pa cheaper is what made it compelling to buy - the lowest emissions European 4 x 4 SUV with a seamless 8 cog autobox ( personally I think 6 speed is plenty, but hey, they want to throw in 2 extra , not going to argue, and you almost can't feel gear changes ) , and 184 bhp from a 2 litre engine. I read on here only a few days ago how these cars hold their value at auction

It had to be a 4 x 4 for the height. I know if everybody bought on that principle , our ' advantage ' would be lost , but that's life

And those tyres will get cheaper as more are used on the roads.

The x3 has had good reports from every source i read, i certainly don't understand the comment calling the engine, as i found it very powerfull.

I tow a caravan, so these cars appeal to me, i like the 4wd, it has a 100kg nose weight limit, many cars only have 80kg max 90kg.

The engine gives max torque over a good band something like 1750-2500 rpm (can't remember exact figure) of 280 pound feet, i only get 266 with the xtrail, and less power.

I'm also looking at going auto, and the 8 speed auto is a market leader with emmisions and ved, as good as or better than a manual.

Auto makes towing easier. And the large cargo area takes my fishing gear, the extra ground clearance is usefull on cl sites off road.

But like i said earlier we found the cars interior very down market.

Edited by xtrailman on 03/09/2012 at 20:16

I was all set to buy the X3

This is a genuine question: I don't 'get' the X3, what's the appeal? To me it seems like a small cabiin/boot but with a heavy footprint and limited off road capability. The 3 series touring seems so much better on paper. Yet the crossover genre is incredibly popular. Does the appeal lie in the elevated driving position? This is not a snide remark. I'm equally puzzled by the slow take up of the Accord estate in favour of the CRV.

I didn't get the previous X3 either, until that is i drove the 330d version, then all of a sudden i did get it.

It is the higher driving position, but the X3 has similar prowess to the X5, in that it isn't in any way an off roader or soft roader, it isn't meant to be, though fit it with the correct tyres and they are perfectly capable of muddy fields and deep snow, surprisingly capable in fact, though most people will never discover that cos tyres are only round things at each corner and 2mm if tread on Chinese summer slicks is plenty..;)...they lack proper off roader axle articulation so you won't be challenger Defenders, but then Defenders won't be racing X3's from the grid either.

Where X3 and X5 excel is the ability to drop all that power (assuming you have specced a decent engine, 6cyl td or 6 cyl petrol) straight onto the road in most weathers and at any angle, roundabout, junction etc.

X5 is often driven in a hooligan manner and it looks quite alarming in the wet shoudl you try to keep up with full power take offs in a 2WD, it simply won't happen, well, X3 with the right lump is every bit as capable of that instant charge off reagrdless of weather, just right for blasting off at busy roundabouts etc.

Your second question about Accord estate being a slow seller compared with CRV, are you surprised?, what on earth were Honda thinking putting flares, bulges, pseudo skirts etc all over the new Accord, it looks like the new Mazda 6 now, but even worse as if on steroids, simply horrible, and latest Civic.

Honda, like some others have lost their way in individual design, all previous Accords were quietly handsome, good looking but in refined way, i expect their core buyers are sorely disappointed, i could easily own a previous model Accord, but you couldn't give a new model...this isn't just me being an old codger, my daughter who owns and loves her 04 plate Civic type S absolutely detests the later models too.