fun big estate/SUV/MPV

[Hudson1984]

Hi all,

so few months back, we were looking to replace our lease car (a TERRIBLE nissan Juke)

we decided to get a new XC60, which is being delivered at the end of april.

Now, the more we think about it, we've also decided the time has come to get rid of our VW T5 Caravelle too. It's been fun, we've had 50,000 miles of enjoyment from it but we don't need it the way we used to.

This is mainly the vehicle I use, the wife will use the XC60, and i'll use the T5 replacement.

I want to keep the budget below £10,000 - now, this is purely a daily driver.

I take the 2 dogs to a dog park every morning, so needs a big boot for 2 labradors.
I do the school run
I drive to the office once a month which is a 100 miles or so each way
I prefer an automatic

I'm not sure what to go for.

I've looked at mondeos, insignias and all that. Potentially an Smax.

what i'd like and what I can afford are 2 different things lol.

I'd like something somewhat fun to drive, which has me looking toward Audi A6 Avant territory, but for the money, they're looking a little dated.
The S-max has a 2.5T version but harder to find now.
Same with the insignia, the VXR version would be cool but hard to find one, especially auto.
a Skoda VRS would be cool, but again, for the budget available pretty hard to find.

I don't really want something with a billion miles on the clock.

I'd have another van but soooo expensive to find one with auto etc.

so.... any thoughts?

I'd like something big. BMW X5 sort of size.

[magpie215]

Forester turbo?

[Matt_T]

The Kuga comes in the 2.5t petrol (I know it's a bit smaller).
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/18132194

[fflump]

There’s plenty good about an A6 but I’m not sure they are fun to drive

[dmsims]

We get a Nova Scotian retriever and a Lab in a Golf/ID3/MG4

[AddyT.]

When I read the first few sentences of your post I was thinking straightaway an A6 Avant! No not the most fun cars to drive but still decent. Not sure if you could get into the 2013 onwards model within the budget with the 3.0 diesel but that would be a great all rounder. I’m less of a fan but a 5 series estate could be worth a look too. Or Merc E Class estate. Am trying to keep remembering two good size dogs need to be driven in comfort, not squashed in!

Those Kugas are a good shout. A friend did have one with that engine and it was thirsty but depends how concerned you are about MPG.

If its diesel and you can come down in size from the larger estates then A4, 3 series or a Golf GTD estate could be worth investigating too.

[ZX10R NIN]

ML 500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503270...

ML 63:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409184...

50i:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503210...

FX 50:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503019...

Cayenne GTS:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501198...

CAT N for half of your budget:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501198...

Turbo:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410295...

Insignia VXR:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411106...

3.0t A6:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503240...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412287...

X5 4.8 is:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202503230...

[Grayedout]

Skoda Superb

[RoVoFob]

AddyT. said:

When I read the first few sentences of your post I was thinking straightaway an A6 Avant! No not the most fun cars to drive but still decent. Not sure if you could get into the 2013 onwards model within the budget with the 3.0 diesel but that would be a great all rounder. I’m less of a fan but a 5 series estate could be worth a look too. Or Merc E Class estate. Am trying to keep remembering two good size dogs need to be driven in comfort, not squashed in!

Those Kugas are a good shout. A friend did have one with that engine and it was thirsty but depends how concerned you are about MPG.

If its diesel and you can come down in size from the larger estates then A4, 3 series or a Golf GTD estate could be worth investigating too.

My first family car was a 2006 Audi A6 Avant 4.2 V8. I really enjoyed driving it, because it felt weighty, had a nice, muscular V8 and was just satisfying to drive, if not fun.

After that I had a 2009 VW Passat R36 Estate. That sounded better, was more fun to drive, while still comfy and surprisingly economical, and I loved it. Always wonder why I sold it; only two downsides - high tax and mine was starting to rust. Great car though. Far better than I expected. Not the obvious choice, but a decent fun, reasonable big estate.

[stevemcs]

Grayedout said:

Skoda Superb

Far from fun though, mine seems to give me back ache and is dull

[flatso]

S212 E500 estate, or any other large engine of this post facelift model ( built like a tank)

CLS shooting brake

[AmazingGrace]

Passat estate GTE.
Enough poke and reasonably good handling (for a big barge) and cavernous inside.

[Hudson1984]

So…..

Change of plan…..

Can’t do it… had offers on the caravelle and we chickened out. Just can’t get rid, it does everything too well.

We were out today on the mountain bikes, can back, lad sat on the floor in the back, eating, me and the wife on the two front seats spun round. Can’t do that in a car.

It drinks diesel
Tax is horrendous
It needs a paint job
Interior needs work

But we do love the stupid bloody thing!

[ZX10R NIN]

Spend some money on it & carry on enjoying then

[Hudson1984]

Yeah that’s the plan really.

I’ll never get another one for what this one’s worth and I know this van, despite its issues I know full well that thing will start on the button every morning.

[Hudson1984]

Yeah that’s the plan really.

I’ll never get another one for what this one’s worth and I know this van, despite its issues I know full well that thing will start on the button every morning.