In the world of crossovers, buyers often lean toward mid sized models, whether new or used. When selecting a used car, the practical question is clear: what should one pay attention to? Most owners tend to sell after about three to five years, with typical mileage around one hundred thousand kilometers. Understanding how much more a given car can reliably deliver matters, since the priciest repairs usually involve the engine and the transmission.
With that in mind, let’s assess what these vehicles can truly offer in terms of longevity and resourcefulness.
Skoda Kodiaq
The oldest Kodiaks on the road are about five years old. Price starts around 1.7 million rubles for units with roughly 70 thousand kilometers on the clock; diesel variants push beyond two million. Exterior size sits at 4697 mm in length, ground clearance at 187 mm, and a trunk capacity of 635 liters.
No atmospheric shots currently exist in the record. The fleet features turbocharged gasoline engines 1.4 in the EA211 family, producing 125 hp in CZCA and 150 hp in CZDA and CZEA. Over time, these engines received revisions to pistons and rings, with a timing belt replacing the earlier timing chain.
Engineers noted that while pistons no longer fail catastrophically, carbon buildup and oil consumption persist. The plant does not hide this and allows consumption of up to about 1 liter per 1000 km, so owners often perform decoking procedures.
The CZEA variant includes a system that shuts off two cylinders at light loads, which aids fuel economy. This feature, however, can cause uneven wear on camshaft lobes over time.
In general, these engines are reliable, aside from occasional hiccups like a stuck turbo actuator or an injection pump pusher and a few other small issues. Hitting the 250,000 km milestone is plausible if fuel quality remains high and AI-92 is avoided.
The CZPA 2.0 engine, delivering 180 hp from the EA888 family, appeared in 2016. The timing chain sometimes fails before 150 thousand kilometers; the oil pump is a recurring concern, causing wear in critical surfaces. The water pump tends to leak. Otherwise, performance remains solid and oil consumption is minimal.
Yet many still favor the DFGA 2.0 TDI diesel, producing 150 hp. It is a very capable powerplant, though intricate and not easy to fault. It rarely breaks and can comfortably exceed 300,000 km with proper maintenance. The main caveat is not to fail the timing belt and to manage leaks at the transmission junction, keep the fuel system clean, and address the EGR valve and the particulate filter as needed.
Manual gearboxes arrived in 2018 with the 1.4 engines. The most common transmissions are DSG automatics, with two main variants: DQ250 for the 1.4 and DQ500 for other configurations. They have undergone multiple refinements and tend to deliver favorable results.
The DQ500 can reach 180-200 thousand kilometers without major intervention, and the DQ250 will likely require a clutch kit replacement at some point. Much depends on driving style and traffic conditions; heavy city congestion shortens the life of many components.
Nissan Murano
At 4860 mm in length, a ground clearance of 185 mm, and a trunk of 402 liters, Murano from the last production year of 2015 starts at around 1.4 million rubles and can go up to 2.5 million rubles depending on mileage and configuration. A second restyling after 2012 eliminated most major design changes, but the vehicle bears some drawbacks such as a relatively small trunk and a mixed set of units.
The VQ35DE V6 3.5 engine (249 hp) delivers strong performance, though older engines can experience piston ring wear and oil consumption issues. When overheating occurs, the fifth and sixth cylinders bear the most strain. Maintaining oil level is crucial, given that some engine blocks use plastic gaskets that can leak oil channels under the front cover. To address concerns, owners have sometimes installed alternative pipes from another engine modification. Beyond these concerns, there are no widespread systemic faults, and the vehicle can surpass 400,000 km with proper care.
The transmission setup favors reliability, but the variator is not favored by some enthusiasts. After 2014 Murano models transition to a Jatco JF017E unit. While this setup handles torque well, it does not tolerate aggressive acceleration or strenuous duty cycles. Solenoids and splined connections wear relatively quickly, and the oil pump pressure valve can become clogged. Under sustained load, overheating becomes a risk.
Under gentle use, Murano can reach around 200,000 kilometers, and replacing worn components may require a significant outlay, often around 200-300 thousand rubles. With a 100,000-kilometer figure in mind, reselling Murano can be more challenging in the used market.
Further details follow on the next page.