We're going to give the one car family thing a try...

[sagarich]

We currently own a MY57 BMW 130i LE and a MY12 Audi A4 Avant SE 2.0 TDI... both are going.

Like everyone, our needs have changed, and we definitely no longer require two cars. My wife will need the car once a week to do a 60 miles round trip to the office, but all other trips will be local (sub 20 mins). I am WFH permanently and we're walking distance to the Primary School.

Our requirements:

Big enough for my two boys 2 and 5 and a Labrador... so estates only (no SUV'S - I just don't like them).
Petrol only - milage will now be sub 10k a year easily.
Auto box - my wife loves to chew up a clutch and I have a long-term leg injury.
Performance - circa 7ish - 60. Mainly A&B roads around here full of slow farm machinery.
Leather - My wife insists this is essential as the boys will drop all sorts of gross into cloth upholstery and easier to clean.
Decent sound system and connectivity - our A4 stereo is shockingly awful.
Sub 20K ideally.
Boot no smaller than 495L
Softer ride than the BM, but firmer than the A4.

Shortlist:

Skoda Octavia VRS 245 - My favourite, boot is huge and decent performance / economy. Wife not keen on badge or cloth interior.
Golf R Estate - These ticks all the boxes, but I still worry that these are desirable to the wrong sort of people for a 4am raid.
BMW F31 330i Series Touring – Great looks, not having a 6 upfront would be odd initially. Only issue with the odd shaped boot.
Volvo V60 T5 - A little out of budget at the moment
Another A4 Avant but 2.0 petrol - Our current one ticks all the boxes apart from fuel and a few missing options.

What else should I be considering/discounting?

[Boringvolvodriver]

Maybe look at the Seat Leon version of the Golf R - heard good things about them.

The Skoda is probably a good shout - the one I think would go for but wouod look at the Seat as well

[Glosphil]

Skoda Octavia VRS 245 is available with leather seats as is the Seat Leon ST Cupra
Leon FR
also available with 190hp 2-litre engine.

[sagarich]

Glosphil said:

Skoda Octavia VRS 245 is available with leather seats

I know its an option, but hardly anyone ticked it and we're buying used. Have alerts setup and with jump on it when one pops up.

[MC Bodge]

sagarich said:

Skoda Octavia VRS 245 - My favourite, boot is huge and decent performance / economy. Wife not keen on badge or cloth interior.

I'd go for a Superb over an Octavia.

Do people really still worry about a Skoda badge?

[sagarich]

MC Bodge said:

sagarich said:

Skoda Octavia VRS 245 - My favourite, boot is huge and decent performance / economy. Wife not keen on badge or cloth interior.

I'd go for a Superb over an Octavia.

Do people really still worry about a Skoda badge?

Just had a google, didn't realise the Superb had a 280 option... will looki into it some more.

Re the badge, I'm not fussed but my wife is. Although, if you have seen my other thread, she threw my service book away for the 130i... so her opinion doesn't count this year

[figtree]

What you need, what you neeeeeed right, is one of these.....

https://www.torque-gt.co.uk/legacy-090221.html

Find one with leather

[Jag_NE]

I wouldn’t discount the diesel options on the basis of your usage. That weekly 60 mile trip will provide the opportunity for dpf regeneration. Lots of nice 6cyl BMW’s with your budget.

[ZX10R NIN]

sagarich said:

Just had a google, didn't realise the Superb had a 280 option... will looki into it some more.

Re the badge, I'm not fussed but my wife is. Although, if you have seen my other thread, she threw my service book away for the 130i... so her opinion doesn't count this year

I'd say go for the Mondeo in Vignale spec it's a better steer than the Superb just as well built & the seats are nicer in the Vignale.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012197...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103059...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103079...

[Jasandjules]

E Class estate?

[flatso]

How about an S-Max Vignal?
Same good underpinnings as the Mondeo, but in a much roomier package.
One of the better automotive products.

[stevemcs]

Good luck, trying to find a decent estate in a world full of suv's is one thing, then throw in petrol along with a decent auto box.

The current shape Focus estate might fit the bill the boot is pretty big and if you go for the Vignale spec you will get full leather, it should have the proper 8 speed auto box too,

Don't discount the 328/330i either the engine is pretty good and certainly quick enough and much nicer than the 2.0 in the Skoda, again the ZF box is years ahead of the DSG box (go and try parking on a slight slope in a DSG car)

[cymatty]

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11421246?c...




The thinking mans golf r

[Summit_Detailing]

V60 T5
XF S/b
C-class
Clubman Cooper S

[sagarich]

Jag_NE said:

I wouldn’t discount the diesel options on the basis of your usage. That weekly 60 mile trip will provide the opportunity for dpf regeneration. Lots of nice 6cyl BMW’s with your budget.

I had thought this, however the 1 trip a week to the office is now under review and it could only be once a month which would definitly mean petrol.

[sagarich]

stevemcs said:

Good luck, trying to find a decent estate in a world full of suv's is one thing, then throw in petrol along with a decent auto box.

Tell me about it! The stuff that is petrol seems to have come off lease with no options ticked.

[sagarich]

Summit_Detailing said:

V60 T5
XF S/b
C-class
Clubman Cooper S

T5 is on the list.

I had forgotten about the Jag, will look into it.

Not really a merc fan, I don't know why.

The clubman was on the list until I realised the boot way way too small.

[Paynewright]

When we changed SWMBO’s car last time we seriously looked at the Leon. Our kids were 11 & 13 at the time and they are a bit tight on leg room in the back. Went for an Octavia. I’ve also owned Superb’s and they are big and comfortable but not massively bigger than the Octavia. An Octy with a roof box is going to be plenty big enough for holidays.

[Hackney]

From your list the only one I've owned is the Golf R (a 2016 Wagon) and I wouldn't hesitate to own another.
Big enough for kids and family duties (we have two who who were 15 months and newborn when I got it) It never put a foot wrong.
(and it looks better than the Seat equivalent )

[stevemcs]

How about a Focus ?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102249...

Or if you can live with the steering wheel and depreciation

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102249...

Or if you fancy something with Renault SPort heritage ....
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103200...