Practical family estate- c.14k

[Coupie94]

Looking to upgrade from a 2009 Mazda6 which has been great but a bit long in the tooth now and a few niggles starting to show. As above, budget of around 14k, main criteria below:

Must be:
Petrol
Reasonably nippy so 8ish seconds to 60
Plenty of rear leg room (as we have a 4 year old with a large car seat that needs the front seat bringing quite far forward currently)
Heated seats- have them now, can't go back
Blind spot warning system- have saved my bacon on more than one occasion!
Not too fussed manual v automatic
Reasonably refined as need to do a Cheshire>Edinburgh round trip every couple of months.
Reliability and easy-ish to work on are a factor as I try and do my own servicing and maintenance

Shortlist so far
Newer Mazda6 estate
Volvo V60 T4
Seat Leon Estate 2.0tsi - have already test driven one and really liked it but not sure if Blind spot warning is fitted to these?
Skoda Octavia- possibly vRS?
Focus Estate- ST seems to be a stretch
A4 avant- S4s at this price point seem a little ropey but a few 2.0tsi's knocking about

Am I missing anything obvious? Thanks all for your time

[ZX10R NIN]

508 GT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410044...

Allure:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409304...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410044...

1.5T Insignia SRI VX Line:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408273...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408293...

If your usage suits diesel versions of the above make a lot of sense.

Kia Optima hybrid:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410074...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407262...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409214...

2.5 Mazda6 GT Sport Nav+:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409304...

[Coupie94]

ZX10R NIN said:

508 GT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410044...

Allure:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409304...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410044...

1.5T Insignia SRI VX Line:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408273...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408293...

If your usage suits diesel versions of the above make a lot of sense.

Kia Optima hybrid:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410074...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407262...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409214...

2.5 Mazda6 GT Sport Nav+:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409304...

Those 508s are pretty smart. Do they fit the 'reliability' criteria especially the hybrid drivetrain? I've been stung by French reliability in the past which I why I left them out my initial list- although appreciate this could be an outdated stereotype. Similar for the Insiginia as I haven't had a good experience with VX previously. Didn't realise you could get a 2.5 Mazda6 in budget- will take a look. Thanks as always for the recommendations!

[jam_up]

Corolla Touring 2.0?

Edit: Sorry saw you want petrol!

[ZX10R NIN]

Coupie94 said:

Those 508s are pretty smart. Do they fit the 'reliability' criteria especially the hybrid drivetrain? I've been stung by French reliability in the past which I why I left them out my initial list- although appreciate this could be an outdated stereotype. Similar for the Insiginia as I haven't had a good experience with VX previously. Didn't realise you could get a 2.5 Mazda6 in budget- will take a look. Thanks as always for the recommendations!

So far they're proving reliable, you can also get them in 1.6t 180bhp non hybrid form, same with the 1.5t Insignia every now & then the AWD 2.0t (which is the pick) will come up for sale.

The 2.5's are rare but imo are the ones to have from the Mazda6 range.

[AmazingGrace]

Just bought a 2017 Passat estate GTE for £14.5k


Nappa leather with the comfiest seats ever, pan roof, big nav, surround cameras, digital dash, blind/side/rear assistance galore
1 owner fvwsh, just been serviced and mot, 2 years servicing and warranty
£0 VED!
It’s great to drive, like you would expect a bit of a bus but accept that it’s not a drivers car and sit back and relax.

Great for the kids, dog, schleps up to manchester and back in a day are easy.

Highly recommend one!

ETA - goes well enough in GTE mode with 215hp.

Edited by AmazingGrace on Sunday 13th October 22:53

[autocrazy]

I am a Subaru Legacy owner, and not many cars come close on rear footwell space. Also utterly reliable. You can't buy a Legacy these days, but take a look at the Levorg/ Outback

An example - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024092443...

[66HFM]

Seat Leon ST FR or as you mentioned previously Octavia VRS estate

[SAS Tom]

In the fashion of recommending your own car how about a Skoda Superb in either of the 2.0tsi forms

[Deerfoot]

autocrazy said:

I am a Subaru Legacy owner, and not many cars come close on rear footwell space. Also utterly reliable. You can't buy a Legacy these days, but take a look at the Levorg/ Outback

An example - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024092443...

I looked at a Levorg a while back. They've got a strange combination of average performance coupled with poor economy.

[blue_haddock]

SAS Tom said:

In the fashion of recommending your own car how about a Skoda Superb in either of the 2.0tsi forms

Exactly what i was going to recommend.

Short of a LWB S class you wont get more rear leg room.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410105...

[Simon_GH]

The newer style Focus (mk4?) has a 1.5 182 bhp petrol option - ST Line and Vignale models.

I have had the ST Line X version for 4 years. Great to drive. Reliable. Had the odd teething issue such as battery management system needing to be reset and a weak coil pack on one cylinder but I can live with that. ST Line is perfectly comfortable from my perspective but it factory lowered (15 mm from memory) and spring rate is a bit stiffer so Vignale is likely to be more comfortable.

[pissonheads]

+1 for a Focus Estate.

Not the most popular trim (misunderstood), but I enjoyed driving a family members Focus Estate Active X. Taller sidewalls and the tuned suspension with extra ride height work a treat on rough roads as per UK, not the most sporty but very comfortable and very practical/safe etc. Anecdotally, they have had no issues with reliability in 3 years of ownership.

[Coupie94]

Thanks all for your replies. Will be looking through all the suggestions. Not in any major rush to buy but will update this thread with what I end up going with.

[ninepoint2]

Another vote for a petrol Skoda Octavia vRS had two of them in a previous life, both excellent all rounders

[dunc69]

ninepoint2 said:

Another vote for a petrol Skoda Octavia vRS had two of them in a previous life, both excellent all rounders

Yes, Octavia vRS or Superb 272 / 280 AWD. Difficult to beat.

Pace and space!

[7 5 7]

Insignia Grand Tourer 1.5 petrol or 2.0?

[Mercdriver]

+1 for Skoda Octavia estate, I bought 2.0 litre 4x4 auto and well pleased with it more than enough power, are the Vrs models not prone to getting stolen?

DSG gearbox suits me, very smooth but differing opinions say it is not so good. Don’t know why VW decided to reinvent the auto box, ford and Chevy have benn making them reliably for years.

Octavia has plenty of room but superb is enormous