OMO: Recommend me a crossover!

I don't care if that's local slang for a tranny, I'm referring to the oversize cars that have appeared as of late.

I've been researching over the weekend and have pretty much narrowed it down to (in current preferential order):

1. Nissan Juke
2. Nissan Qashqai
3. Peugeot 3008

I'd like to hear any recommendations or horror stories about whichever you may know about.
I consult the org on far more trivial things than this and thought I should get you lot involved now I've got a bit of a list formed.

I'm also open to other suggestions but I've already ruled out:
VW Tiguan: too expensive for a decent spec
Skoda Yeti: not quite cheap enough to be that not pretty
Audi Q3: too expensive
Vauxhall Antara: too much of an SUV and a little expensive
Ford Kuga: Wife's pre-disposition towards Fords
Kia Soul: Not my style in the looks dept.
Renault Scenic, Vauxhall meriva etc all ruled out for being family buses.

We are looking for something with a bit of character (which is where the Qashqai seems lacking at the moment but I like the toys) and have a max budget of £25k, would like 0% deal as while we have the cash we would prefer to save the interest ourselves whilst paying off the mortgage. (Are we right to do this BTW?, I'm just listing current reasoning but as always am open to any reasonable suggestions)

OK that's the general outline, and now for some waffle because I do it SO well!
We are looking at crossovers as my Wife needs a car that is easier to get into and crossovers fit the bill. We also need 5 doors as the 3 door 307 we currently have is just too big (the door size that is, its awkward to get out of in parking spaces and when you can open the door fully you have to step out of the car to reach it back in!)

There are only 2 of us going around in it most of the time, the two children have left home so will only go in it from time to time so a full size car isn't strictly necessary, hence the Juke, some report its a little small in the rear seats but it isn't of major consequence and is cheaper because of it. (and means we can afford the 190bhp version which sounds FUN!)
The Qashqai is in the list as it has the panoramic ceiling that my wife LOVES from the 3008 and it has more gadgetry than I could want.

The 3008 is a nice car but it has now migrated to the bottom of my list (2nd on my Wife's) I've driven one to Devon and back and liked it a lot, but I also know its a little limited in integration of iPhone/iPod etc and is the most expensive of the bunch when put to a spec I'd like.

The Juke comes in just shy of 20K (Limited edition blacked out Kuro with 190bhp engine)
The Qashqai comes in at 23k with a 2.0 petrol and the 3008 with its 156bhp petrol is the best part of 25k

Anyway, opinions/thoughts please!

TL;DR: Recommend or tell me horror stories about: Nissan Juke, Qashqai or Peugeot 3008.

[SoulKiss]

Chavmobile alert.

Get something smaller/less fashionable and chuck the rest at the mortgage.

If the car is intrinsically wider, then smaller doors are still going to be the same width as a narrow car with wide doors.

[dizzyblonde]

Blueflame of the Ecosse has a ginger Juke....he'd give you a decent review I would imagine.

We've looked at both the Juke and the Qashqai. What struck me about the Qasqai, was the Peg was disappointed by the quality of inside. He LOVES cars, and GADGETS!
We have a beaten up 11year old Freelander, which appears to be far less flimsy with a more quality feel. Nissan seem to have cut corners with the money with cheap plastic bits in the cabin. If you are spending that much on a car, it needs to be right on the outside and in! My sons godmother has one, which is why we went for a look, she thinks its fabulous.....but then shes a hairdresser

With the Juke, although Peg loves its looks is too small for our family. The boot space is extremely limited IMO....and I fink its FUGLY

If we won the lottery, we'd have the five door RangeRover Evoque. Its stunning, and they've gone back to using the old Freelander chassis, inside feels far superior to anything Nissan........I prefer its fulginess to the Juke In fact I'd have a Yeti over one too, its ugly, its small on the outside, but on the inside you could lose a small army in it!

However......I will neither win the lottery or justify spending 30k on the base model!

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

With the Juke, although Peg loves its looks is too small for our family. The boot space is extremely limited IMO....and I fink its FUGLY

I go past one every time I walk the dog and struggle not to vomit on it. Seriously ugly car!

Looking at their current range it seems Nissan have given up on "normal" cars in favour of these things. Cannot see the appeal myself and would never have one. Good luck in your search though.

I know what you all mean re the Juke, I disliked it to begin with but it grows on you and while we want an upright position and high seat that you can just stand up from (a panda has an upright position (ish) but still is low to the ground so you sit down into it first)
that usually means a largish car, which isn't necessarily what we are after. we don't need to haul large loads and the Juke looks like a road going dune buggy with a little more practicality about it. I know, its still down to individual taste though, fine.
Are there any other cars out there that are more upright then most cars and have the higher seat? (I'm not meaning seats within normal saloons that raise up BTW)

SK: Point taken re wider car still means tight parking spaces even with smaller doors but it would solve the other problem that they aren't too far out from the passenger seat to reach. And the point would then lean towards the narrower of the selection so far which is also useful.

DB: Interesting on the quality of the interior in the Qashqai, we had a brief sit in it but my wife (and I to some extent) had been distracted by the Juke (that we were both expecting to write off as an option TBH) so didn't pay too much attention.

Thanks for the opinions so far guys, it's great posing questions on here, so many opinions and things that you haven't thought about yet. Keep em coming!

[L3nny]

My Dad has a Nissan X-Trail, it drives like a car but it is an actual proper 4x4 not a pointless pretend one. Granted you probably wouldn't want to do the Paris to Dakar in it but in the recent bad weather it comes in handy.

"IF" your not looking for oversized vehicle, have a look at a Toyota Urban Cruiser 4wd 1.4ltr, rather small as a 3 seater in the rear but fine at the front also reasonable well equiped, good ecenomy realistec road tax and low insurance for an oldie like me, but like all Toyota's not cheap.

Mitsubishi ASX? Far nicer looking than the Juke. Or Honda CR-V?

[tigersaw]

I'm on the wait list for a Dacia Duster. Before you die laughing its just 11k and the reviews are excellent*

*so long as you like wind your own windows, fit your own stereo and sat nav retro style no gadget cars.

Originally Posted by Icanopit

"IF" your not looking for oversized vehicle, have a look at a Toyota Urban Cruiser 4wd 1.4ltr, rather small as a 3 seater in the rear but fine at the front also reasonable well equiped, good ecenomy realistec road tax and low insurance for an oldie like me, but like all Toyota's not cheap.

Hmm, will do a bit of research on them, saw them on the website and wondered, will do some research as it doesn't need to be big, just upright and tall.

Originally Posted by metalangel

Mitsubishi ASX? Far nicer looking than the Juke. Or Honda CR-V?

ASX did interest me but I'm put off Mitsubishi after "managing to make it" to Devon in an outlander, it wasn't driving it was "careening without style".
I know its probably isolated but I also didn't get on with the user interface, stuff wasn't where I expected it to be and consequently put me off them.

Honda CR-V I remember looking at and think I discounted for some reason, I'll have another look though as I quite like the looks of them.

Test drives are all booked for Thursday so that should be a bit of a fun day.
Peugeot in the morning (with a cheeky bonus RCZ testdrive too) and then Nissan in the afternoon.