Ask the expert: Which SUV will help soothe my hip pain?
Dear JS,
I have restricted movement in my hips due to a motorcycle crash many years ago and I need a car with seat height that I can easily access. I have been looking at various medium-sized SUVs; I drive 10,000-12,000 miles a year with quite a few long journeys. My absolute priority is comfort. The trouble is, I like to have plenty of extras, including heated seats, and it seems that to get these I have to go for top-of-the-range models, which all have big wheels that negate any comfort. My budget is £30,000 for a car no more than two years old (with at least one year of warranty remaining). Any ideas?
– JS
Dear JS,
There’s one answer that springs to mind these days when a reader mentions comfort as their priority, and that’s a Citroën of some kind. Granted, the company’s modern wares aren’t quite as buttery-smooth as some of its back catalogue, but they come surprisingly close.
I’d suggest for your needs that a C5 Aircross would best fit the bill. It’s one of the smoothest-riding cars out there, and top-spec versions come with extra-comfy seats that add a layer of memory foam for extra support.
The one caveat is that equipment levels aren’t quite up there with the best; for your budget, you’ll be looking at one of last year’s cars, on which the heated seats you desire were only available as part of an expensive pack, and then only on the top-spec C-Series version. If you’re buying used, that means you’ll have to shop around.
Alternatively, you might be able to go for a brand-new example. The range has been rejigged this year, and the new range-topper, the e-Series, gets heated seats as standard. Trouble is, the mild hybrid petrol model comes in at £33,475. But perhaps you can haggle a deal? Of course, you’ll get three years’ warranty into the bargain, too.
An alternative might be to choose a Hyundai Tucson, though again, you’ll have to go option-hunting to find one with the combination of smooth ride and high technology you’re after. That’s because the top-spec Tucson Ultimate is, perversely, the smoothest-riding – even though it comes with 19-inch wheels – but only when fitted with the optional Tech Pack.
That’s because the Tech Pack includes electronically adjustable dampers, which help to negate the impact of those big wheels. However, finding a Tucson with the Tech Pack is difficult, because it wasn’t popular – specifying it when the Tucson was brand-new back in 2022 increased lead times dramatically.
But if you can unearth one, a Tech Pack-equipped 2023 Ultimate 1.6 T-GDi mild hybrid with 10,000 miles on the clock (and more than four years’ warranty left on it, let’s not forget) can be yours for around £29,000.
My final option would be a Volvo XC40. This is one of our perennial favourites, and has been subject to a near-constant programme of improvement ever since it was introduced almost seven years ago.
Where the XC40 is so good is that it remains pretty comfortable even on its larger wheel sizes – which means you can happily choose a high-spec variant safe in the knowledge it won’t break your back. Granted, it isn’t quite as unctuously soft as the C5 Aircross, but it is well controlled over all but the roughest of road surfaces.
Its premium badge commands a premium price, which means you get less car for your money than with the other two here, but your budget will still run to a top-of-the-range mild hybrid Inscription Pro dating from 2021, and with 22,000 miles on the clock.
Alternatively, go for a slightly less lavish 2022 Inscription with a lovely little 1.5-litre petrol turbo with just 7,500 miles on it for £29,995.
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