Ask The Guide

Alfa Romeo's reborn Giulia range features three petrol engines and 10 diesel engine options, across a multitude of options for four- or rear-wheel drive layouts, as well as six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmissions. The top engine is the turbocharged 2.9-litre 503hp V6 in the Quadrifoglio, though a 2-litre turbo MultiAir four-cylinder is also available with either 197hp or 276hp depending on the model. The diesel engines are 2.2-litre Multijet II units boasting between 148hp and 207hp depending on the model.

That's not easy to answer without knowing your situation in more detail, but if shopping new, I'd recommend the Sorento. 

It's a fresher overall design with more smart thinking behind it, and a four-year longer factory warranty. 

It offers the option of diesel if you prefer, but I'd be choosing the petrol for overall performance and refinement, with still decent real-world fuel efficiency. The petrol V6 Sorento is only available in two-wheel drive though. 

Good luck, and keep us posted with your journey, 

The key difference is the Tucson is a medium-sized five-seater while the Santa Fe is a large SUV that seats seven. Both have similar equipment levels, safety features, and powertrains. You haven’t told us what your boat weighs, but the Tucson is rated to tow up to 1600 kg (braked trailer) while the Santa Fe will haul up to 2000 kg (braked trailer).

 The top hose temperature, if what you say is correct, is way too low, it should be up around 100 degrees, hence the low bottom hose temperature. I would suspect the thermostat is stuck open.

By buying a new HR-V you’re getting the benefits of driving a car that no one has driven before you, you know its history, so it’s a know quantity. By buying a used car you are gambling that it has been looked after, it hasn’t been crashed or damaged in any major way. You’re also buying a car that will have done upwards of 100,000 km, so its usable life going forward is reduced compared to a new car. As long as the HR-V fits your needs and wants it’s probably the best way to go.

The car is still under warranty, so you should expect that the repairs would be covered. It’s no unreasonable that they want the car for a full day; you have to give them every chance to find the cause. As they claim they couldn’t find the problem when driving the car, it would be a good idea if you were to test-drive it with them to demonstrate the problem you are concerned about. That way there is no doubt in your mind or theirs about what it is you feel needs to be fixed. The fact that the transmission oil is very black suggests there is something wrong internally. Have the diagnostic check done, and then work out who pays for what and what needs to be done to get your car running again properly.

I would rank the Hilux marginally better than the Navara, but there’s little to separate them. Both are similar for safety, rated at 4 stars they have the most essential safety gear in terms of airbags and ABS braking, the Hilux gets the nod on reliability, running costs are dependent on which engine you chose, and I would suggest you don’t buy a V6 petrol Hilux as they are thirsty, but the Toyota has capped-price servicing which makes it attractive.

You should be able to use the aux by just turning the ignition to “on”.

So many things affect road noise, which makes it difficult to fix. There’s the road surface itself, the tyres, and the noise insulation in the vehicle. The Honda CR-V might well be quieter, but could still be noisy on the roads you drive on. If the road noise is the thing that is making you switch vehicles, then it might be worth talking to a tyre dealer about a tyre that might be quieter than the ones on your Kluger. If you want to go down that road, you could try a Mazda CX-5 or CX-7, a Kia Sorento or Sportage, Toyota RAV4.

It’s usually the clear coat that is coming away from the painted surface on those areas most exposed to the sun. The problem is related to the quality of the painting process when it was done at the factory, and short of repainting affected areas there is nothing you can do about it.