This is the car most families end up considering: a mid-size compact SUV with five seats, a boot big enough for a normal week and a price that sits just above the hatchback it shares parts with. We tested one for seven days across city traffic, a motorway run and a wet weekend of school drop-offs.
The verdict is not a surprise. It is a genuinely good all-rounder. The useful part is where the money goes, because the monthly payment hides a set of running costs that decide whether the car is good value or merely good.
Key facts
- Test car: 1.5-litre turbo petrol, automatic, mid trim.
- Real mixed fuel use: 7.4 litres per 100 km, against 6.6 claimed.
- Boot space: 480 litres seats up, 1,450 litres folded.
- Five-year fuel and servicing estimate: roughly 28 percent of the purchase price.
- Strong points: ride comfort, rear space, easy controls.
What we tested and how
Our test car was a mid-trim compact SUV with a small turbo petrol engine and an automatic gearbox, the combination most private buyers choose. We covered 612 kilometres in mixed conditions, including a loaded motorway run and repeated short trips in cold, wet weather.
We measured fuel at the pump rather than trusting the trip computer, and we checked the boot with actual luggage rather than the manufacturer's litre figure. The car was delivered with correct tyre pressures and a full tank.
Cabin space and everyday usability
The rear bench is the reason to buy this shape. Two adults fit with knee room to spare, and the door opening is wide enough to lift a child seat in without twisting your back. The boot swallowed a weekly shop plus a folded stroller with the parcel shelf in place.
Up front, the driving position is high but not van-like, and the controls are easy to find without looking. The cupholders are usable, the wireless charging pad actually holds the phone, and the glovebox is big enough for the documents you are supposed to keep.
How it drives
Around town the car is easy and quiet. The automatic shifts smoothly at low speed, the steering is light enough for tight car parks and the suspension deals with speed bumps without crashing. It is not exciting, and it is not trying to be.
On the motorway it settles into a relaxed cruise, with wind noise well controlled and the engine barely audible. Push for an overtake and the small engine needs planning, especially with four people aboard, but it never feels dangerously slow.
Real fuel use and efficiency
We measured 7.4 litres per 100 km over the week, against a claimed 6.6. The gap is normal: the official test is gentler than a wet school run. A steady motorway trip returned closer to 6.3, while repeated two-kilometre trips pushed the average above eight.
If most of your driving is short and urban, a hybrid or a plug-in version may save more than the petrol model's lower purchase price suggests. Run your own annual mileage through a fuel calculator rather than assuming the sticker figure.
It will not make you look back after parking. It will make the school run, the tip trip and the holiday load feel easy, which is the job.
The five-year ownership bill
Beyond fuel, budget for servicing, tyres, insurance and depreciation. On our estimate, five years of fuel and scheduled servicing comes to roughly 28 percent of the purchase price, before insurance and tyres. A set of four tyres for this size costs more than most hatchback owners expect.
Depreciation is the biggest single cost and the hardest to predict. A mid-trim car from a brand with a strong dealer network usually holds value better than a fully loaded top trim, because used buyers value practical equipment over launch-day gadgets.
Tech and safety
The safety suite works without drama: adaptive cruise holds a sensible gap, lane keeping is gentle rather than tugging, and the reversing camera is clear in low light. The climate controls are physical dials, which we count as a win.
The infotainment screen is sharp but occasionally slow to wake, and some functions sit two menus deep. Wireless smartphone mirroring worked reliably, which matters more day to day than a larger display.
Verdict: who should buy it
Buy this compact SUV if you need easy rear access, a practical boot and a comfortable ride for a family, and you are willing to accept modest performance and average fuel use. It is a sensible default for good reason.
Look elsewhere if you drive mostly alone, cover high motorway miles or want low running costs above all. A hatchback will be cheaper, and an efficient hybrid or an EV may suit your week better. For the segment context, read why compact SUVs dominate 2026.
Official source: iihs.org.
