Interesting 4x4 estate?

[downstairs]

After many happy years together my faithful 175,000-mile Legacy is literally falling to pieces around me, and I fear a change must be imminent. I literally cannot believe that there is a better car in the entire world than mine, but instead of just buying another one exactly the same I think I might be brave and try something else.

Suggest away:

Budget: £9000
Estate, because I use the space.
Petrol, because I like petrol.
Preferably ~35mpg, because I'm not made of money but all the places I need to go often to are miles away.
Four wheel drive, because I just like having it alright.
Something interesting, because once I put on a sensible hat and bought a sensible estate - and it was awful and tedious and I could. Not. Sell. It. Fast. Enough. I don't need quick, but I do like nippy, and I do want interesting.

No SUVs, because I don't want to go off road so don't want/need one. I like estates, so want one of those. I doesn't need to be massively capacious, but a minimum of 400 litres seats-up would be lovely.

Bang! Go.

[downstairs]

BenWRXSEi said:

Impreza WRX Wagon?

I don't think I can cope with the pain at the pumps.

jamesh764 said:

Alfa 159 Q4

I love them! But again with the evil consumption, and sadly there are literally none of them about.

pad58 said:

I have the Audi Quattro 18T nice with leather anda few bells and whistles

I had one too, years ago. A 1.8t Sport Quattro which was fab, but again probably too thirsty for inclusion in these eco-terrified times. And they hold their money waaaay more than they should.

[downstairs]

phib said:

I would say legacy again ( I have a 3.0 spec b) however and I may have missed this but, which petrol legacy does 35mpg ?

Mine does. A plain old 2.0 which has generously supplied 34-36mpg consistently for the last five years, on my DC commute.

[downstairs]

haha! I don't think interesting always has to equal quick. To me there's something intrinsically more interesting about some cars than others.

A Volvo is interesting. A Subaru is interesting. An Alfa is interesting. A Vauxhall Insignia 4x4 is not interesting.

[downstairs]

d3llams said:

Saab 9-3 XT looks interesting to me, 4wd and plenty fast enough. http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...

That is interesting! Seems astonishing that they can wring an official 35 combined from that, when you consider it's also a (presumably) heavy estate, 4wd, north of 200hp.