By Ané Theron 

 

All three of these mid-size crossovers have their strong points, but which is the least expensive to keep going? We pit the Nissan X-Trail 2.0 Visia (R397 900) against the Toyota RAV4 2.0 GX (R416 400)  and the Kia Sportage 2.0 Ignite Plus (R413 995).

 

We South Africans love our SUVs. Sedans seem to have gone out of fashion, despite the fact that they are usually more affordable and offer considerably more boot space. But this isn't a sedan vs. SUV shootout, it's a simple running cost comparison of three highly popular SUVs. For the purpose of this exercise, we are comparing entry-level models of similar engine sizes to see which one will save you the most money in the long run.

 

Fuel efficiency

All three competitors have 2.0-litre engines, with similar torque figures. But the RAV4 has 127kW vs. the Kia Sportage's 115kW and the Nissan X-Trail's 106kW. Interestingly, the RAV4 is also the lightest on fuel, with only 6.8 litres per 100 km vs. the Sportage's figure of 8.1 litres per 100 km and the X-Trail's 8.3 litres per 100 km. On paper, the RAV4 wins by quite a distance. Just bear in mind that these are manufacturer's figures which are known to be more than just a little idealistic, most of the time!

 

Servicing & parts basket prices

Toyotas are well-known for having affordable parts and the RAV4 wins this round. In second place is the Nissan X-Trail, with the Kia Sportage hot on its heels. Servicing costs for all three brands are quite reasonable.

 

Warranty & service plans

Nissan's 6-year/150 000 km warranty is the longest of the lot, and it has a 3-year /90 000 km service plan. The Sportage also benefits from a lengthy warranty of five years/unlimited km and a 3-year/90 000 km service plan. The RAV4 is sold with a 3-year/100 000 km warranty and can undergo 6 services (every 12 months) up until 90 000 km.

 

Resale value

It's safe to say that Toyotas hold on to their value the best by far, but being sought-after SUVs, the X-Trail and especially the Sportage won't be too far behind.

 

Verdict

When all factors are taken into consideration, these three competitors are neck and neck. I am leaning towards the Toyota to be the most economical option in the long-term (especially with an eye on parts prices, resale value and general reliability), while the X-Trail and the Sportage share the second place on the podium. 

 

What else is inexpensive to keep on the road?

Other SUVs known for not costing their owners too much money to run, include the Ford Kuga and Hyundai Tucson.