15k warm estate/SUV?

[CelebrationSport]

Looking for the above, where would your money go? Family of 3, including an 1 year old, comes with massive pram. Plans for another in the near future.

Wife is currently clinging onto a fiesta ST but needs more space.

Estates are my preference, but open to an SUV; seems you get a bit more bang for your buck in this budget.

Over to you

[FlyingPanda]

It’s so often the answer to any question, but 2016 (LCI) BMW 335d Touring would be where my money would go (and did…)

[ZX10R NIN]

E250 CGI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312104...

C63 :

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401205...

Mondeo Titanium is the sensible option:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401235...

SUV wise the Ford Edge is a good buy:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401155...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401265...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401265...

[Silvanus]

As for great all rounders I'd be looking at a Leon Cupra or an Octavia vRS. Comfy, loads of kit, quick and a good chunk cheaper than the German premium alternatives.

Although not quite as quick, but one I'd definitely look at would be the Kia Proceed GT Shooting Brake. Great looking car with a good interior. You'd get one still under manufacturer warranty too.

Wildcard would be a a Mini Clubman Copper S.

[CelebrationSport]

ZX10R NIN said:

E250 CGI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312104...

C63 :

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401205...

Mondeo Titanium is the sensible option:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401235...

SUV wise the Ford Edge is a good buy:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401155...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401265...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401265...

What’s the background of the edge? They look like an American model that’s made its way into the EU/uk market? Are they bigger than the Kuga?

[KungFuPanda]

C7 Audi S6 Avant? 4.0 twin turbo engine.

[macron]

CelebrationSport said:

Looking for the above, where would your money go? Family of 3, including an 1 year old, comes with massive pram. Plans for another in the near future.

Wife is currently clinging onto a fiesta ST but needs more space.

Estates are my preference, but open to an SUV; seems you get a bit more bang for your buck in this budget.

Over to you

1) fair play to your wife for wanting to stick with the ST

2) another kid or massive pram?!

3) Superb with the 280bhp engine. Estate or hatch. Insignia VXR if you don't mind tax, or the 2.0 with 260ps in the later shape is a bargain, if rare. This is a hatch, they do an estate. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023120846...

Or Leon Cupra, but not that big. It sounds like you need big

[georgeyboy12345]

BMW 330i Touring
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401255...


Skoda Octavia vRS
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307179...

If you need yet more room, there's the Superb
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312184...

The 2.0 TSI 4x4 with 280 bhp is certainly no slouch - but at this price you are kind of at the bottom of the market
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401265...

Don't rule out the 1.4 TSI iV plug in hybrid if you have off street parking, so you have somewhere to charge it - you'll have a really roomy car that's quick and very cheap to run
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401065...


Same powertrain as above in the VW Passat GTE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401105...

[CelebrationSport]

macron said:

CelebrationSport said:

Looking for the above, where would your money go? Family of 3, including an 1 year old, comes with massive pram. Plans for another in the near future.

Wife is currently clinging onto a fiesta ST but needs more space.

Estates are my preference, but open to an SUV; seems you get a bit more bang for your buck in this budget.

Over to you

1) fair play to your wife for wanting to stick with the ST

2) another kid or massive pram?!

3) Superb with the 280bhp engine. Estate or hatch. Insignia VXR if you don't mind tax, or the 2.0 with 260ps in the later shape is a bargain, if rare. This is a hatch, they do an estate. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023120846...

Or Leon Cupra, but not that big. It sounds like you need big

She loves the fiesta, as do I. It costs buttons to run, drives great and is lightly tuned to circa 240bhp. Ultimately though it’s too small now

Suppose I should look at the Focus ST estate, but I think we would fancy a change. Something comfier but still quick.

Superb estate 280 would be my pick, but they’re a little out of budget, and they look so loooooong it’s probably a pain to park?

Audit (b8?) S4 avants look like they could fit the bill but are getting long in the tooth, and the newer model are out out of budget.

Golf R estates are just over budget but fit the bill on paper. What are they like space wise?

[Trevor555]

The best warmish estate/family car we've owned, that was also peanuts to run, was a petrol Fabia 110bhp Monte Carlo estate, the four pot one, not the three.

I know there's some great diesel estates, but I've seen so many big repair bills on them I'd not recommend any for long term ownership out of warranty.

Waiting for the owners of the Bmw estates to pop up and tell me their car's been faultless.

But being in the industry I've seen them come in, and seen the repair costs. New headlight anyone?

[georgeyboy12345]

CelebrationSport said:

Golf R estates are just over budget but fit the bill on paper. What are they like space wise?

I reckon it'll be a struggle to get child seats in the back of. Ideally you want the size up from that. A compact estate - so like a 3 series/c-class size is probably the sweet spot. A full size estate like a 5 series/E-class will obviously also work, but then they are larger so that can be a pain with parking and are just not as fun to chuck about.

[ZX10R NIN]

CelebrationSport said:

What’s the background of the edge? They look like an American model that’s made its way into the EU/uk market? Are they bigger than the Kuga?

Yes they're a US model in the same way the Kuga is but they're a very good car, also if you're planning on having another soon you'll want to be buying a car to cover this as well.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Sunday 28th January 16:46

[spreadsheet monkey]

CelebrationSport said:

She loves the fiesta, as do I. It costs buttons to run, drives great and is lightly tuned to circa 240bhp. Ultimately though it’s too small now

Don't overlook smaller estates. Golf/Octavia/Astra estates all have a big boot and could easily cope with a baby and a toddler and all their stuff.

How about keeping your Fiesta ST, and buying a cheaper estate that isn't a GTI or ST or vRS to run alongside it?

[TikTak]

Mondeo or Skoda estates if being sensible.

Audi A4/A6 over 3 litres if being a bit more adventurous.

[spreadsheet monkey]

ZX10R NIN said:

Mondeo Titanium is the sensible option:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401235...

EcoBoom and PowerShift all in one package! At least it's being offered by a Ford dealer and should come with a half-decent warranty

Joking aside, those 2.0T Mondeos with 240bhp are a nice "sleeper" estate, espcially in Hotpoint white. Most petrol Mk5 Mondeos are the 1.5T, so this is a good find and is a decent price.

I still think the OP could go a size down from this, and would be fine with an Octavia estate or Leon estate or whatever. A Mondeo or Superb estate is a big step up from the Fiesta ST that his wife likes, and some of the big beasts being suggested here might be a bit too cumbersome to drive.

[ZX10R NIN]

spreadsheet monkey said:

EcoBoom and PowerShift all in one package! At least it's being offered by a Ford dealer and should come with a half-decent warranty

Joking aside, those 2.0T Mondeos with 240bhp are a nice "sleeper" estate, espcially in Hotpoint white. Most petrol Mk5 Mondeos are the 1.5T, so this is a good find and is a decent price.

I still think the OP could go a size down from this, and would be fine with an Octavia estate or Leon estate or whatever. A Mondeo or Superb estate is a big step up from the Fiesta ST that his wife likes, and some of the big beasts being suggested here might be a bit too cumbersome to drive.

No ecoboom on the 2.0t & the Powershift is no better or worse than a VAG DSG but going the next size down would have me looking at the ST-2/3 estate:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304236...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309021...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311093...

[chip*]

ZX10R NIN said:

Mondeo Titanium is the sensible option:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401235...

The MK5 2.0l /240bhp Ecoboost has a normal auto (torque converter).
I know because I used to own one.
Imo, probably one of the better engine + auto box combination out there whereas I wouldn't touch a DSG...

I think the auto in the 1.5 Ecoboost model is the same too (will need to confirm the spec sheets I have)

Edited by chip* on Monday 29th January 21:26

[macron]

I'm sure the 2.0 is a nice drive, but £16000 for a 6 year old Mondeo. A SIX YEAR OLD MONDEO.

The world has officially gone absolutely stark raving bonkers.

[spreadsheet monkey]

macron said:

I'm sure the 2.0 is a nice drive, but £16000 for a 6 year old Mondeo. A SIX YEAR OLD MONDEO.

The world has officially gone absolutely stark raving bonkers.

Inflation’s a bh, isn’t it?

Unfortunately the days of 3 month old Mondeos being sold for 30% under list price, and airfields full of unsold brand new cars are long gone.

That £16k Mondeo is an outlier. A 2018 Mondeo with average mileage is a £10-11k car right now, IF you stick to the regular hatchback with the small engine and basic spec. The estate body costs more than the hatch, and the 2.0T engine is rare and sought after and costs a lot more.

I went on a similar estate-buying journey about six months ago, and ended up with a 2018 Passat estate for about £12.5k. Basic Mondeo estates were around the same price, but the 2.0T was a lot more.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Legacywr]

That white Mondeo looks great.