SUV Advice

Ford's Everest 4WD is now easier to legally modify following MC reclassification.

Looking for something cheap and cheerful to get you from A to B in 2017? Here are the best contenders under $20,000.

If you've got a few more dollars to spend, there's a host of new cars and SUVs arriving in 2017 to tempt you.

I just got a new car. It's a station wagon, bought second hand. I've had three cars in my life now — two wagons and a hatch — and I expect I will go through the rest of my life not owning a sedan.

Car experts say women often opt for a 4WD because it makes them feel safer and fashion also plays a part.So how do the cars compare? We took a selection for a road test to find the mum mobile which best suits you. FOR THE MUM WHO LIKES TO BLEND IN FORD TERRITORY TS RWD REVIEWER: RUTH LAMPERD STYLE QUOTA: The mainstream face of the big car range. It seems about 150 families at the children's school drive them already. So, if fashion is defined as “what everyone else is wearing/eating/driving”, this one is right up there.SCHOOL RUN FACTOR: A minor problem is waiting children can't work out which Territory they should get into.KIDDIE-PROOF LEVEL: For three young boys (9, 7 and 4), this vehicle stood the week-long test and emerged easily intact. The littlest chap, squeezing into his booster seat, did tip out and on to the footpath at one point while wrestling with a seatbelt. There was nothing to hold him in. They struggled to get in and out of the third-row seats, but enjoyed the distance between them and mum.FEATURES: Mounds of shopping bags can be easily stacked into the back door through a window, instead of having to open the entire door and balance them precariously before shutting it (as you do with a van). But don't forget which part of the back door you should open to unload — you will end up with your groceries on your driveway.PRICE: $46,190, including extras of prestige colour ($400) and third-row bench seat ($1800).SAFETY: A standard reverse sensing system gives you a series of beeps in increasing urgency if you're about to back into something. Has driver, front passenger and side curtain airbags. The Territory's Acutrac system (with ABS,) dynamic stability control and traction control were not put to the test. But nice to know they're there.PRACTICALITY: A car with the capacity to treat unforgiving speed humps like blips. You don't have to slow down (much) and still the children's heads don't hit the roof.TERRAIN COVERED: Freeways, highways, suburban streets.MUM MOST LIKELY: Those who like their cars big but not landmark fashion statements.AND NATIONAL MOTORING EDITOR PAUL GOVER SAYS: The homegrown hero is only let down by its fuel economy, although that has just had a tweak together with a restyle job that is so minor even the experts will be pushed to pick it. Lots of space inside and a thumpy Falcon six means it goes well, but don't waste time or money on the all-wheel drive package.Ford Territory for sale FOR THE MUM WITH ATTITUDE MITSUBISHI PAJERO REVIEWER: KATE JONES STYLE QUOTA: As a confessed four-wheel-drive hater, I was surprised to find myself feeling quite trendy in this beast. It's not as square-cut as the Jeep, but it's still big and strong looking enough to mean business. After just one glance at it, my husband had christened it Hercules.SCHOOL RUN FACTOR: With an extra three fold-up seats in the back, this school bus can carry eight. Just don't tell the other mums. Parking is easier than you'd expect and it's a dream in traffic. The reversing camera, displayed on the in-dash satellite navigation screen, is essential in this car size — especially where there are children.KIDDIE-PROOF LEVEL: This car can take anything that's thrown at it, literally. My daughter tried many food types, soil, sand and other unidentified objects. The beauty of leather seats is that anything can be wiped right off. The exterior is tough, too. The bumper bars are in the right spot to cop unruly prams and trolleys. And just a tip — kids love the outside step and hanging off the car. This is best tried while the car is stationary.FEATURES: Wow, where do I start. The in-dash navigation system, audio controls on the steering wheel, reversing camera, diesel engine, roof racks, rear tinted windows etc. My favourite was perhaps the most simple — rear airconditioning. In our station wagon, the airconditioning is fabulous but only for front passengers. In the Pajero, my child didn't swelter.PRICE: The base price of the Pajero VRX diesel auto is $66,490 (excluding taxes). Sat-nav and reversing camera cost an extra $2500. Accessories such as the luggage area cargo net, rubber mats and rear camera and screen in interior mirror range from $51 to $1035.SAFETY: Being an ultra-cautious mum, a nagging thought was the safety of reversing around small children. But the reversing camera option eased my mind. Other paranoid mums and dads will also like the SRS driver and passenger airbags as well as the curtain airbags.PRACTICALITY: Size-wise, it's a beast. At first, I doubted my ability to manoeuvre this thing. Also, the luggage area is huge — pop in the pram, portacot, nappy bag and whatever else you can think of and you'll probably still have room.TERRAIN COVERED: Local streets and a run to the beach. A full tank of diesel will last about 500km.MUM MOST LIKELY: Mums on the go, especially those in outer urban or country areas who need a 4WD. Mums with more than three children will appreciate the extra leg room.PAUL GOVER SAYS: One of the oldest four-wheel drive names in the business still stands for quality, reliability and off-road ability. Also a good tow vehicle for mid-range work. Not as sexy as the surburban SUVs, but a lighter drive than a Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol.Mitsubishi Pajero for sale FOR THE ALPHA MUM BMW X5 REVIEWER: KAMAHL COGDON STYLE QUOTA: The supermodel of the road, this not-so-little number brings new meaning to bitumen fashion.SCHOOL RUN FACTOR: For those who like to make a statement. Small car parks posed no problems. The rear camera and electronic distance and direction guide ruled out unwanted surprises while reversing.KIDDIE PROOF LEVEL: Nothing risky or annoying within reach of my four-year-old's booster seat in the centre spot but let him loose and he had a field day pushing buttons. Thankfully he waited until we parked to open the sunroof and stick his head out.FEATURES: Most of the gadgets were lost on me. I'm sure the six-CD changer and the ability to switch channels on the dashboard TV are great but Channel 7 isn't that bad. I mastered the radio, eventually. Built-in navigation system could be a marriage saver for mums who don't do maps.PRICE: As a working mum of two, safety, fuel efficiency and affordability are the three things I seek in a new car. Two out of three ain't bad. This BMW X5 is more than $109,000.SAFETY: ABS brakes, corner brake control, airbags in every nook, dynamic stability and traction control, hill descent control, rollover sensor, all-wheel drive. I'm not sure what most of these do but I've never felt safer at the wheel.PRACTICALITY: There's ample room for prams, bags, sports gear etc. One boot door opens upward for quick access and a lower door opens down flat to let you slide in cumbersome loads. Passengers have plenty of leg room.TERRAIN COVERED: Mostly city driving but also the open roads of the Mornington Peninsula and Princes Highway.MUM MOST LIKELY: The mum for whom a big bank balance and big sunglasses are standard, and the kids are an optional extra, thanks to a nanny.PAUL GOVER SAYS: The benchmark for suburban SUVs drives more like a car than a four-wheel drive, and has great engines including a frugal turbodiesel and an enjoyable 3-litre petrol motor. Not cheap from $86,635 before options but definitely the first choice for driving enjoyment.BMW X5 for sale FOR THE THINKING MUM VOLVO XC90 REVIEWER: MICHELLE POUNTNEY STYLE QUOTA: It's solid, looks good and works well for the mum who likes safety and function in a car that still says style at the shopping centre.SCHOOL RUN FACTOR: Instant street cred with the teen family members. The XC90 also has a third row of seats, making it a seven-seater — handy when extra kids need a ride.KIDDIE-PROOF LEVEL: The kids appreciated their own air vents in the back. And with a DVD entertainment system in the back, the toddler was happy with her new ride.FEATURES: The navigation system made finding new destinations a breeze. The reverse parking sensors were a help in tight spaces but living in a court where children often play outside, I felt a little vulnerable backing the big Volvo from the driveway without a rear camera.PRICE: $81,450.SAFETY: The family felt safe in the embracing cocoon of the Volvo with its checklist of safety features such as roll stability, whiplash protection and six airbags including front, curtain and side impact. Visibility in traffic was good except when there were other four-wheel-drives around.PRACTICALITY: It was hard getting the toddler in and out of her centre seat. I had to climb on board. The leather seats are easy to wipe and the middle seat with toddler car seat on it can be moved forward. While we didn't try it out, parents can listen to the radio in the front while the teens listen to a CD in the back and the toddler watches a DVD. The in-built iPod dock won votes from the teens. As a five-seater, the boot space is huge. The tailgate folds flat for easy loading and its height makes for a great mobile change table for the toddler. As a seven-seater the boot space is compromised but a stroller and the weekly shop still fits easily.TERRAIN COVERED: One week of school holiday driving including a visit to family across town.MUM MOST LIKELY: Likes her car safe and her family cocooned and has the cash to do it.PAUL GOVER SAYS: One of the biggest SUVs with plenty of room for seven, and good fun with the V8 engine choice. But heavy to drive and very hard to park, which counts against it in the suburbs. Plenty of people will like the safety gear, but the smaller XC60 is the best Volvo choice.Volvo XC90 for sale  FOR THE SEMI-URBAN MUM LAND ROVER FREELANDER 2 REVIEWER: KYLIE HANSEN STYLE QUOTA: I had an image of this car belonging in the English countryside, driven by a woman sporting pearls, a twinset and a serious pair of gumboots. I was pleasantly surprised at how urban it looked.A nice looking machine that could hold its head high at any school pickup. With its diesel engine, it still has a slightly manly feel and any family man will also feel right at home behind the wheel. But it's also a stylish car for the outdoorsy mum — or at the very least the mum who stands on the sidelines at soccer practice.However, in terms of popularity, I can't see it embraced by urban Melbourne mummies as universally as say, the Ford Territory or at the other end of the scale, the BMW X5. But perhaps, for some mums, that would be the appeal.SCHOOL RUN FACTOR: Easy to manoeuvre and, while a big car, it's very easy to reverse and park. It is well designed so lifting small children in and out of seats is easy. There's great space in the back for all the family accessories. I almost felt obliged to do a garden centre run to make use of all my portable carry space.KIDDIE-PROOF LEVEL: Easy wipe-down seats. Great space means small children aren't cramped in together, making family road trips more peaceful, genteel affairs.FEATURES: The children were enthralled by the rear-vision windows, which automatically close when the car is turned off. Loved the airconditioning — nice and strong on a hot Melbourne day and keeps the kids cool in the back as well. It has a good music system for when you've dropped off the kids and want to crank up the stereo. It has all the accessories for a stylish, modern family — tents, ski gear and boating accessories will fit quite nicely in the back.PRICE: $58,790.SAFETY: The best thing about this car is how high the driver's seat is. You can see everything and everyone clearly.PRACTICALITY: Easy wipe-down seats, so it's great to keep clean. Not too difficult for small children to climb in and out of.TERRAIN COVERED: Shopping centre dashes, kindergarten pickups, city driving. This car moved effortlessly between them all.MUM MOST LIKELY: The mum who likes a mix of city and coastal cool. Would suit the commuter mum who's made a sea change but still likes her city fix and needs a car for all terrains without sacrificing style.PAUL GOVER SAYS: Has the right badge but lags behind the latest Volvo XC60 and Audi Q7 as a fashion statement and suburban runabout. It's really best in the bush, which makes it the choice for serious weekend escapes.Land Rover Freelander 2 for sale FOR THE MUM WITH NO TIME TO SPARE SUBARU TRIBECA REVIEWER: TRUDY MICKELBUROUGH STYLE QUOTA: I loved being seen in this vehicle. It looks great, is not overly big and with a sunroof, stereo and DVD system, is a very nice way to cruise.SCHOOL RUN FACTOR: Easy to manoeuvre and parallel park thanks to the reversing camera and guiding lines that appear on screen. The vehicle is a seven-seater, so ideal for a larger family and in my case, given the leg room in the back seats, ideal for teenagers. I loved the amount of room in the back for all the shopping, the bike, bags etc.KIDDIE-PROOF LEVEL: As my children are teenagers we didn't have to put the kiddy-proof locks into action. However, they are easy to use.FEATURES: The seat heaters were great. We couldn't believe how quickly they heat up and the air ventilation was really good. DVD player with wireless headphones is great for a long trip. Large mirrors. Satellite navigation and air control in the back seat area.PRICE: $61,490 upwards.SAFETY: Backing out was no problem. The camera is so clear you can even see cracks in the road. The car feels safe and has a large number of airbags.PRACTICALITY: The car is ideal for running teens to their different activities — a full-sized bike can fit into the back easily once rear seats are lowered.TERRAIN COVERED: City and suburban streets.MUM MOST LIKELY: Mums on the run who have a lot of kids, lots of stuff and not enough time.PAUL GOVER SAYS: Not the sexiest family wagon in showrooms, but it gets the job done. Much better since a facelift which improved the ugly nose and made performance - a weakness at first - much sharper with slightly improved fuel economy. A hidden treasure in this field.Subaru Tribeca for sale

New Ford Everest SUV uses historic Falcon rear suspension tech for all-round ability.

Look at least three ways when weighing up a regular family hauler.

Without doubt, mini-SUVs are the next big thing.

Very few SUV or four-wheel drive owners take their vehicles off road, let alone into demanding terrain.

Dealers are sharpening the pencils for the end of the year — and these are the best buys.December is a great time to buy a new car as dealers try to clear stock before 2016 arrives.Many buyers are away on holidays so the dealers sharpen their pencils to try to get people in the door and cars off the lot. This year is no exception.Before highlighting the best new-car deals, we should clarify what "2016 Model Year" means.That's the car industry's way of describing when the model is planned for sale, even though they're often released in the second half of the previous year.The contrived confusion is aimed at blunting the need for sharp discounting as the new year rolls around.But regardless of what you are told, the only date that matters is not the model year or the compliance date but the build date of the car.If your car is built in November 2015 but it is being marketed as a "2016 Model Year", it will be regarded as a 2015 model at trade-in time, even if it's at the very same dealer trying to convince you it's next year's model.Does it matter? Not really. But you should know. Besides, the discount you're getting now will likely be worth more than the slight dip in resale.One more caveat — be wary of some low interest rate finance deals.Nissan, for example, has 1 per cent finance on most of its model range. Its cheapest model, the Nissan Micra manual, is $49 a week or $15,850 drive-away. But in the fine print you'll find the repayments must be made within three years — and there is a whopping "balloon" payment of $8210 at the end, more than half the car's cost.On the other hand, Toyota's zero finance deal on certain models is spectacularly good. It is over four years, there is no balloon so, as we discovered, they're practically giving money away.Now, let's go shopping...Small CarsSharp deals are customarily hard to find here because the profit margins are so low — the cut to the dealer on one popular small car is $450.The Suzuki Celerio - is the cheapest mainstream model, still at its launch pricing of $13,990 drive- away with automatic transmission. Learn to drive a manual and pay $12,990.Slightly larger, the trusty Suzuki Swift is good buying at $16,490 drive-away with auto.Toyota's Yaris — with seven airbags and reverse camera — is back at $17,990 drive-away with auto and four years' roadside assistance.The Mazda2 initially looks good at $16,990 drive-away for the manual. Auto brings the price to $18,990 drive-away, which is not as sharp.Honda and Mazda say there are "free on-roads" for the Jazz and Mazda3 respectively, dealer delivery is still in the mix and the prices aren't that sharp.Kia's Cerato sedan and hatch are still at an incredible $19,990 drive-away for auto (metallic paint is expensive at $495). They have a seven-year warranty, front and rear parking sensors but no camera.The Hyundai i30 hatch auto is $21,990 drive-away and you can swap December's $1000 Eftpos voucher for $1000 off the car, so at $20,990 it's good buying. The Elantra stablemate is the same price but will be in run-out within a few months.Toyota's Corolla Ascent Sport hatch is fair buying at $23,990 drive-away with auto.For a little more bling and a good drive, the refreshed Ford Focus Trend is $25,490 drive-away after the $500 test drive discount. That includes auto, satnav, rear camera, alloy wheels, cruise control and a super efficient 1.5-litre turbo engine.Family carsThe most metal for the money at the moment, the just-released new Toyota Camry can be had for $28,990 drive-away at zero finance over four years. It has the cheapest servicing in the business and is economical to run and easy to drive. Standard fare includes seven airbags and rear-view camera.The stablemate Aurion V6 is just $1000 more at $29,990 drive-away, also with the same equipment and the same terms. Warning: this car has so much grunt it can lose traction when accelerating in the wet.The Holden Commodore SV6 "Storm" edition is $39,990 drive-away with auto but $2000 bonus from Holden trims the price to $37,990 drive-away. That's the cheapest VF II yet (though the VE II dropped to $34,990 and $35,990 a couple of years ago).SUVsThe city-sized Holden Trax LS is priced so sharply that dealers have almost run out. More stock is coming late this month and early January.The headline price says $22,990 drive-away with a free auto upgrade — for this month, take off a further $1000, bringing it to $21,990 drive-away or about $6000 off the original RRP.The Mitsubishi ASX LS manual is $25,000 drive-away but there is a free auto upgrade this month, about $5000 off. It has seven airbags, five-year warranty, 18-inch alloys, touchscreen, rear camera and sensors. Good deal.Need a seven-seater? The Mazda CX-9 Classic is still super sharp at $39,990 drive-away; the nine-year-old model will be superseded in February.Much newer but about the same price, the Toyota Kluger seven-seater can be had for $42,990 drive-away.Looking to buy a Holden Captiva 7? Be warned, a refreshed model with a new look and Apple CarPlay is just around the corner.Want to go bush? The Holden Colorado 7 LT will get you there and leave more money for camping gear: with $1000 factory bonus it comes down to $42,990 drive-away, or about $5000 off.Mitsubishi Pajero is also really good buying for the Big Trip. At $55,000 drive-away with auto and five-year warranty, it's a solid choice at a sharp price.