Hyundai IX35 Problems

The ix35 is definitely a good choice but I lean to the styling of the Kia Sportage and it has a longer warranty. They are mechanically identical, apart from suspension tune.

AM radio is a very low priority for most makers these days. They are far more focused on digital audio. It's great to see you got what you wanted for radio reception, even if it meant a change of cars and brands.

You don’t say what makes it hard to get in and out for you, so I’m taking a stab in the dark. There are a couple of possibilities, one being that the doors are too short and don't open wide enough, another is that it’s too low. A move to a mid-size hatch like a Mazda6, Honda Accord or Subaru Liberty would probably address the first, while a high-riding SUV such as a Kia Sportage, Hyundai iX35 or Mitsubishi ASX would help with the second.

We've been warning for a long time that some dealerships are using this sort of thing as a major profit centre, when much of it is unnecessary and you can get it for less at a specialist company.

In order, I would suggest you consider the VW Tiguan, Kia Sportage, and Mazda CX-5. All are reliable, drive nicely, and are well equipped.

While I imagine that it's possible to modify the electronics to do what you want, I doubt it's as simple as you seem to think. To do it now on a 2012 isn't something I imagine Mazda would be interested in. Perhaps you could take it to an auto electrician and see if they could do it for you.

Yours is not the first Hyundai to have this problem and I have had positive results in the past. Company headquarters should be in touch with you soon about replacing your wheel.

The best value is the ix35, based on the warranty and service package at Hyundai, but the CR-V is the better drive. Both get The Tick but my heart says Honda and my head says Hyundai so you should crunch your numbers and do the best deal for you.

The peeling of the wheel covering is a known problem on some Hyundai models and Mr Wood got a replacement wheel after I contacted Hyundai. We will just bypass the dealer, who probably deserves a kick, and I will do the same for you with Hyundai headquarters.

The ix35 gets The Tick but there is an all-new model, reprising the Tucson name, coming later in the year. You can either drive a hard bargain now or wait for the new one.