Buying a smallish SUV in 2026

Bert · January 27

Hi, I’m looking for pros and cons on a few compact SUV models I’ve whittled down, please share your experiences or thoughts.

Budget - under 12mn
YoM - 2023 and upwards

Listed in order of current preference:
1. Perodua Ativa - within budget, agent warranty, not a bare bones model but model design is itself dated (2021?) so may lose value if and when the next version is released?

2. Suzuki Fronx - within budget, new model so unlikely to have a newer version released soon? Agent warranty but Indian made and not much reviews available. Known seatbelt issue.
p. s. Could also consider the Taisor but it wouldn’t have the agent backing and it’s pricier for just the badge

3. Toyota Raize (through the agent) - at the budget limit, it’s a Toyota but bare bones version and the next gen version maybe on the horizon?

4. The Kia’s and Hyundais - slightly over budget but well built. Any other advantages over the previous three? Might as well consider the JDM Raize at this price

Please share if you have fuel economy figures, avg service cost, expected depreciation (as a percentage maybe e.g. the VWs may fall by double the Toyotas?) etc

and most importantly, if there are any glaring faults/ failures I may have missed

A few others I considered but discarded - Magnite (doesn’t appeal to me). VW models (like them, but not sure if value will be retained since I plan on upgrading again in a couple of years). Open to cars as well as a last resort like the Wigo, Almera and Civic

PPS. Any bank recommendations for a personal loan? The bank with a heart seems to have the lowest interest rate currently at 12.5%
Thanks

iRage · January 28

To be completely honest...your best option is the Ativa. Because of market positioning the Ativa is actually better equipped than most JDM Raize/Rocky variants as well. Whether you go for the Toyota or Perodua depends on how much you value badge value. The Fronx...looks fancy and gimmicky but the variant that comes to SL is a bit of a lethargic variant (1L engine). Compared to the JDM variant (1.5L), the refinement of the interior is noticeable.

As for the next generation...there isn't anything solid about when the next generation will be released. There are rumors every now and then about a 7 seater variant for some markets based on the current raize but other than that...there aren't any solid leads (no spy photos, no official development notices, etc..). Yes the platform is old but it is based on the Diahatsu version of the TNGA platform. Based on current trends the next generation is going to share the same platform but with an updated body (or body panels) and updated tech (things like safety sense improvements, etc..). Will you lose value on your current car when the new model comes out ? No...as long as you take care of the car and the government doesn't wake up and decide to reduce import taxes...no. You need to realise that a car is a depreciating asset. Whatever you buy...just use it to get your money's worth. Having said that...SL market is such that any pile of junk with a Toyota badge will always be overpriced than the same car with a different badge a 1000x in better shape.

matroska · January 28

18 hours ago, Bert said:

Listed in order of current preference:

You got your order correct. The ativa offers more for less money as @iRage said, Peroduas are one of the non Japanese brands that have a very solid footing locally. The agent is one of the better agents out there and you potentially have a few years of stress free motoring.

18 hours ago, Bert said:

like the Wigo, Almera and Civic

The Almera will be slightly above your budget - it looks a nice car. Has a 1.0 L Turbo engine. The civic I assume is the 10th gen variant - it has it's fair share of issues but IF you manage to get one for a good price it is a very nice car to drive and be inside. But you'll need to provision for the inevitable wet-belt issue unless it's already fixed.

iRage · January 29

18 hours ago, matroska said:

The Almera will be slightly above your budget - it looks a nice car. Has a 1.0 L Turbo engine. The civic I assume is the 10th gen variant - it has it's fair share of issues but IF you manage to get one for a good price it is a very nice car to drive and be inside. But you'll need to provision for the inevitable wet-belt issue unless it's already fixed.

@Bert..didn't see the other options you had mentioned outside of the list...
Wigo : Quite a downgrade. Entry-level hatch. Quite an unrefined ride even compared to your 1L Vitz. You might get a few modern bells and whistles but not by much.
Almera : Not a bad car..just feels like it is held together by rubber bands.
Civic : 10th gen - FK ? Well as @matroska mentioned, nice car and driving experience, but the wet belt concern is there. Now...the wet belt issue is not a fix/replace once and the concern is fixed kind of thing. It is re-occuring. So even if the wet t-belt was replaced, depending on how much you use your car (and how long you end up keeping it) you too may have to replace the wet t-belt.

Bert · January 31

Thanks @iRage and @matroska for the validation Actually planning to get some test drives done this weekend, strongly leaning towards the Ativa unless the test drive goes horribly.

On the other models, I’ve made a typo, supposed to be the new city and not civic, but it feels it might be in the same bucket as the Almera?

kush · Monday at 01:20 PM

Although not totally related just wanted to get the views of you guys

Thinking of replacing my work horse 2018 Wagon R FZ she has done 130k and has been very reliable apart from few niggles with age. Since we do around 20k a year though of replacing as i cannot be bothered hanging around garages fixing issues.

New N Wagon Custom Turbo seems to be a better option as it has more tech, safety and more importantly power and lot more torque than the facelift Wagon R. And the import price seems to be similar although the Honda is more expensive in Japan.

Any other suggestions are welcome too.

iRage · 2026-02-10T02:01:34Z

12 hours ago, kush said:

New N Wagon Custom Turbo seems to be a better option as it has more tech, safety and more importantly power and lot more torque than the facelift Wagon R. And the import price seems to be similar although the Honda is more expensive in Japan.

Well....the N Wagon Turbo still uses the old school principal of boost to improve performance. The Wagon R on the other hand is the opposite of that...eco is the core principle there. Even in non-turbo form the N Wagon still has a bit more HP and torque under its belt.
The N Wagon feels a lot more premium than the Wagon R (and the price here in Japan reflects that), it is the most sold car in Japan for good reason. I would put my money on the N Wagon CT. It is nicer to drive as well. I don't think this would make much sense in your case, but if you are looking for a bit of excitement then the NOne RS is there...pretty much the same power-train as the N Wgn CT but with a 6MT and tuned suspension (pretty much a S660 in a kei hatch form).

From the Suzuki camp I would say the Wagon R covers the more "premium" segment from them. The others are just quirky or more basic.
An alternative to the N Wagon could be the Move. The design makes it look (and sort of feel) more premium than the Wagon R but not as much as the N Wgn. The RS Turbo has similar specs to the N Wgn CT. The Taft is more similar to the Wagon R I would say. But then I don't think the Daihatsu keis are that common in SL.

As for the Nissan/Mitsubishi...feels cheap. You close the door the the sheet metal vibrates. Pull on the door handle the inner upholstery panel gets stretched from the handle area.