Due to work, I've moved to a rural area and I'm considering buying a four-wheel drive vehicle. My options are the Haval Raptor and Subaru XV. I want to ask friends here, is the trunk of the XV spacious enough? I have a two-month-old baby and often need to carry a stroller. From the photos, the XV's trunk doesn't look very large. Also, there's a common issue with boxer engines consuming oil—does the XV have this problem too?

Due to work, I've moved to a rural area and I'm considering buying a four-wheel drive vehicle. My options are the Haval Raptor and Subaru XV. I want to ask friends here, is the trunk of the XV spacious enough? I have a two-month-old baby and often need to carry a stroller. From the photos, the XV's trunk doesn't look very large. Also, there's a common issue with boxer engines consuming oil—does the XV have this problem too?

I had been browsing car websites for a while and looked at models like Jetour. When the compact version of the Sportage was released, I was really drawn to its bold design—but once they announced the price, I knew it was out of my budget. So I went back to looking at cars like the Jetta VS5 and BinYue. I wasn’t in a hurry because I was using a friend’s car, but when he moved to another emirate, I had no choice but to buy my own. I consulted with my family and started visiting dealerships. I was planning to go with the Jetta, but at the dealership, I saw the compact Sportage in front of me, tried it out, and really liked it. It felt right, and the price fit my budget, so I went ahead and decided to buy it. After some back-and-forth with the salesman, we closed the deal. I'm 173 cm tall, and the front seat is spacious—I have good headroom—and the back is very comfortable. You can stretch your legs easily, and the trunk space is more than enough. Honestly, it exceeded my expectations. Sound insulation, though, is an issue! Tire noise is noticeable, and if you open the windows, you get a strong wind sound. Even the engine gets loud when you press the gas. Some people mentioned water leaks or strange noises, but I haven’t experienced that so far. I did get a bit of fog inside one of the headlights. I haven’t driven it much yet, but the company gave me six free services over three years, plus a AED 500 workshop voucher. The car has a 2.0L engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission—it’s been smooth and hassle-free so far. The power is enough for me. In sport mode, it responds quickly and drives smoothly. Of course, everyone dreams of a V8, but I like driving calmly—I’m not the type to race off at traffic lights. As for fuel consumption, it’s still too early to judge—I’ve only done about 100 km. The average so far is 10L/100km, and the best I got was 8.1. Some say they’ve managed 5.9, but realistically I think around 7 is more typical. There’s no such thing as a perfect car—just pick what you like and can live with. If the design and features work for you and the price fits your budget, go for it. The most important thing is that you’re comfortable with your choice.

My Experience with the Nissan Sunny After 7 Years of Ownership I consider myself one of the long-time owners of the Nissan Sunny, and honestly, I can say it’s an ideal car for beginners. It’s easy to drive, very fuel-efficient, compact in size, yet surprisingly spacious inside compared to other cars in its class. While the exterior design isn’t the most attractive, it makes up for it with excellent interior comfort. I’ve had the car for almost 7 years and haven’t faced any major mechanical issues — just regular maintenance. One time, I noticed the passenger-side sun visor wasn’t properly attached to the ceiling, but I hadn't noticed it at delivery. Recently, the driver’s side window auto-up function stopped working — now I have to hold the button manually. At the end of 2020, the original battery started to weaken. It barely started the car in the morning and then failed completely in the afternoon, so I replaced it. To be fair, the battery’s lifespan was impressive compared to other cars — some of my friends replace theirs every year or two. Yes, small Japanese sedans like the Sunny aren’t known for advanced safety features. But I had a minor accident, and the Sunny held up pretty well. I rarely go over 120 km/h, and that speed is more than enough for me. The highway noise is noticeable, which is expected in budget-friendly cars. As for power? It's enough. Perfect for beginners, and even when the car is fully loaded, it still handles daily family use just fine. Conclusion: The Nissan Sunny is practical, economical, and reliable. It's not a luxury car, but it gets the job done — and more. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a simple, affordable car that can last for years, especially new drivers or small families.

To be honest, I didn’t buy the Corolla out of strong conviction at first. Back in April, I quickly bought a used car from the local market before the Eid holidays. Turned out to be a total disaster. I was in a rush and didn’t have time to go to a mechanic or deal with any hassle, so I drove it for a bit, sold it, and moved on. After that, I decided I wanted to buy something brand new, something I could stick with for 10 years without any headaches. I liked the look of both the Civic and the Corolla. I went to check them out, and while the Civic was really impressive, it was a bit too expensive—so I settled on the Corolla. Overall, the car is smooth and comfortable to drive. But when you're on an incline or waiting at a light on an uphill road, you can feel it struggle to get going—you have to press the gas harder, and the engine gets louder without the car really moving much. The front seats are good, but the rear bench isn’t very spacious. I was honestly disappointed to find that the rear seats don’t fold down, so if you want to carry large items, you’re out of luck. As for fuel consumption—those people claiming 5L/100km, I honestly don’t know how they’re getting that. In the city, I’ve been getting around 6.8 to 7.2, and I’m not a heavy-footed driver. From February 2 to early April, I drove about 4,600 km because I was using it for errands after work and even took a long round trip to Alexandria. One thing I really noticed is that the car doesn’t handle rough roads well—you really feel the bumps. In traffic, sometimes the car shakes a bit when moving slowly around 10 or 15 km/h—not always, but it happens. There's also a faint squeaking noise, like the A/C button is slightly loose—it only shows up on bumpy roads. Still, none of this changes the fact that the car is generally reliable and stable. It drives easily, and honestly, I’m quite content with it—especially after what I went through with that used car. For anyone thinking about getting a Corolla, just be realistic about what you’re looking for. It’s a great car for someone who wants something long-lasting, even if there are a few things that aren’t perfect.