Large boot, mid-sized, performance, £30k?

[px1980]

I’m trading my Macan Turbo for an actual sports car (Cayman GTS) and actual family car (?).
On the latter, I need

• boot for family stuff. 3, ideally 4 large suitcases should fit. Macan is about the right size (500 litres). I could live with a small reduction in size but not too much, baby stuff takes a lot of space.
• smallish size. GF complains Macan is too wide to drive around London, and I wouldn’t want anything much longer, either
• some performance. I’ll now be getting my kicks from driving the Cayman so no longer need 4.5sec 0-60, but I’m not giving up on driving fun altogether even if it’s the family car.

Budget is £30k, I’d like a car no older than 2017.

My thinking,

• hot hatches (Hyundai i30n, Focus ST, Megane RS) boot probably too small
• S4 avant. Reviews say boring to drive but my top pick at the moment. RS4 outside budget
• 340i, C43 AMG estates. Good alternatives to S4
• Mini Clubman. I thought the boxy shape would mean a massive boot but on paper it’s actually rather small (375l).
• Octavia VRS. Another maybe. I could get a very fresh car for my budget.

What are your views?

Edited by px1980 on Sunday 17th January 19:55

[blank]

Obvious option is Golf R / Leon Cupra estate.

Basically the same car though the Golf did get some nice upgrades (digital cockpit and 7 speed gearbox) a bit earlier in life.

Spec is swings and roundabouts too so really just whichever you prefer.

[rat840771]

Civic type R, hold there money and the boot is huge, also has adaptive suspension. Only issue is the subjective looks

[RonnieHotdogs]

340i touring / 440i Gran coupe.

Fantastic engine and gearbox, and far more satisfying to drive than a 4 cyl 2.0T ... I should know having moved from one to the new M135i.

I plan to be back in something with 6 cylinders within 12 months.

[anonymous-user]

The macan is barely wider than a 3 series (c.10cm) and S4 (c.6cm). The driving position on both of these will feel less placeable than the Macan too.

I wonder if there is a bit of a "I'm not confident driving an expensive car with a lot of power round town" scenario. I could be wrong, but I have had the same from my OH in the past. If that's the case, let her pick and then you can be absolved of blame...I bet she would love the countryman.

Of the options you've listed I think the S4 feels immense with diesel torque, but its not inspiring. The best built/family car of them though.

I'd be half tempted to get something you don't give a toss about, keeps the good lady happy, and have a bigger cayman fund!

[edc]

Does something like a T-roc R of Cupra Areca come in budget?

[px1980]

01WE01 said:

I wonder if there is a bit of a "I'm not confident driving an expensive car with a lot of power round town" scenario. I could be wrong, but I have had the same from my OH in the past. If that's the case, let her pick and then you can be absolved of blame...I bet she would love the countryman.

100% there’s that But if it’s entirely up to her, with no input of mine, we’ll end up with a 1.0 litre car that looks nice. And then I’ll still be the one doing 90% of the driving on family trips etc. And I’m driving a rubbish car on nice twisty roads in the Lake District - that’d be a shame, right?
So yeah, we need something smaller, cheaper and less flashy than the Macan, but still fun and still with a decent sized boot..

Edited by px1980 on Sunday 17th January 22:04

Edited by px1980 on Sunday 17th January 22:09

[px1980]

edc said:

Does something like a T-roc R of Cupra Areca come in budget?

I checked and I think both could. Thanks for the suggestion

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say a Peugeot 3008 GT Line Premium 180

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011286...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101168...

Kuga Vignale 180

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101077...

Stelvio Speciale

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012046...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007241...

Cupra Ateca

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012117...

[J1990]

px1980 said:

My thinking,

• hot hatches (Hyundai i30n, Focus ST, Megane RS) boot probably too small

Edited by px1980 on Sunday 17th January 19:55

If you get a chance, it may be worth checking out the boot of the i30N, it's one of the main reasons for being my fun car of choice when I was looking in 2019. The boot is actually very generous and the car is a fantastic piece of kit for the price, with the added bonus of that 5 year warranty.

I'm getting rid of mine now but purely because our main car gets all the use with two dogs and the mrs in tow, if I had more opportunities to drive I'd be keeping it until the DCT version is available on a good deal. ~18months of ownership and with interest on the PCP and current resale price the car has cost me about £400 depreciation from brand new, unbelievably happy with that.

[paralla]

I've been running a Golf R estate daily driver for the past couple of years and I think it fits the role perfectly. I've extended it's lease a couple of times because I'm struggling to think of something to replace it that matches the combination of size, ease of driving/parking, all round practicality and all weather performance for even remotely similar money.

I really like the small estate form factor. The boot is massive at 605L with the seats up but the car feels small enough to not be cumbersome in traffic or when parking, it replaced a VW Tiguan and is night and day better to drive than that was.

Because it's my daily (GT3 for weekends) the criticism that Golf R's normally receive (not the last word in excitement or driver engagement) really doesn't matter. It's brilliant at everything else. 0-60 is 5.1 sec so not much slower than your Macan but much less intimidating to drive.

[px1980]

paralla said:

I've been running a Golf R estate daily driver for the past couple of years and I think it fits the role perfectly. I've extended it's lease a couple of times because I'm struggling to think of something to replace it that matches the combination of size, ease of driving/parking, all round practicality and all weather performance for even remotely similar money.

I really like the small estate form factor. The boot is massive at 605L with the seats up but the car feels small enough to not be cumbersome in traffic or when parking, it replaced a VW Tiguan and is night and day better to drive than that was.

Because it's my daily (GT3 for weekends) the criticism that Golf R's normally receive (not the last word in excitement or driver engagement) really doesn't matter. It's brilliant at everything else. 0-60 is 5.1 sec so not much slower than your Macan but much less intimidating to drive.

Lots of votes for Golf R. I don't know why I overlooked it, especially considering that a good friend of mine drives this car and is super-happy with it.
Your situation is quite similar to mine. A dedicated fast Porsche for weekends (obvs not as powerful as your GT3), and a practical daily car which is fun to drive, not as engaging as a sports car (obviously), but probably more than enough for 99% of situations in which I'll be driving it. In the Macan I found I was only ever using anything close to its full performance driving by myself on B-roads - the kind of situations in which I'll now be taking the Cayman for a drive.

Thanks all for suggestions.

BTW I find it pretty amazing that the car I'm selling, the 2nd car I'm buying, and 2/3 of my short-list, including the top 2 (Golf R and S4) are all made by the same manufacturer... VW group really dominates.

Edited by px1980 on Monday 18th January 10:21

Edited by px1980 on Monday 18th January 12:08

[anonymous-user]

T-Roc above is also a fantastic suggestion (despite my personal feelings about one). I'm certain the driving position will be the most important real factor for the OH.

I30N I understand is a bit of a thief magnet these days...

Mine settled for an x4m in the end, I already know it won't go over 3.5k rpm unless I am driving.

[ITR1]

px1980 said:

Lots of votes for Golf R. I don't know why I overlooked it, especially considering that a good friend of mine drives this car and is super-happy with it.
Your situation is quite similar to mine. A dedicated fast Porsche for weekends, and a practical daily car which is fun to drive, not as engaging as a sports car (obviously), but probably more than enough for 99% of situations in which I'll be driving it. In the Macan I found I was only ever using anything close to its full performance driving by myself on B-roads - the kind of situations in which I'll now be taking the Cayman for a drive.

Thanks all for suggestions.

BTW I find it pretty amazing that the car I'm selling, the 2nd car I'm buying, and 2/3 of my short-list, including the top 2 (Golf R and S4) are all made by the same manufacturer... VW group really dominates.

Edited by px1980 on Monday 18th January 10:21

+1 for the Golf R estate - I've had 2 years in a Mk7 and 3 in a Mk7.5. Both excellent everyday family cars. Prob loads of new hatchback versions available now.