Fast estate vs. Fast SUV

[white_goodman]

My wife recently downsized from a large MPV to a small hatchback, as cheaper to run, better on fuel and easier to park for most of her use, so my mk7 Golf Estate has now become the main family car. I thought that it would be ample but in reality, it's just a bit too cramped in the cabin and boot to be ideal, so I'm considering replacing it with a larger estate or SUV. I'd probably be looking at a 2018/2019 car (my Golf is a 2016). Had my wife not replaced her car, I would probably have gone for a mk7.5 Golf R Estate or a BMW M140i but obviously neither would be quite big enough.

I've always been a fan of a fast estate and the B9 A4 Avant, F31 3-Series Touring and C-Class Estate seem like the perfect size to me. My pockets aren't deep enough to buy or run an RS4/Alpina B3/C63 but this may well be my last ICE daily driver, so something with a nicer engine than your average 4-pot turbo but without the running costs of the above would be perfect, so I'm thinking S4 petrol Avant, 340i/335d Touring or a C43 AMG Estate would appear to be perfect.

My wife/kids did like the higher seating position of the MPV though and perhaps a fast SUV would be more spacious and feel lighter and more airy, as well as offer a few more options and be something a bit different for me but can an SUV ever hope to be as engaging to drive as a sporty estate?

I have only owned one SUV (a 4 litre WJ Grand Cherokee) and I liked it but dynamic and cheap to run it was not! I like a Land Rover and if it was a direct replacement for the MPV, a Discovery would be right up there but I would prefer something a bit more dynamic if I'm going to be driving it every day.

The obvious equivalents to the S4/340i/335d/C43 would be the Audi SQ5, X3 M40i and GLC43 AMG but then there are other options too like the Alfa Stelvio, Jaguar F-Pace and Porsche Macan.

So as an all-round family car with a nice engine, RWD-led balance and able to provide some entertainment when called upon, what would you go for? Fast estate or fast SUV?

Edited by white_goodman on Sunday 19th December 22:15

Edited by white_goodman on Sunday 19th December 22:16

[Stuart70]

I was out in my V12S vantage today. Parked next to a boggo Merc e class estate.

It fired up, twin turbo [?] E63, did not sound as good, but it was close.

Hope that might help?

[white_goodman]

Stuart70 said:

I was out in my V12S vantage today. Parked next to a boggo Merc e class estate.

It fired up, twin turbo [?] E63, did not sound as good, but it was close.

Hope that might help?

E63/RS6 obviously the ultimate but I often do 100 miles in a day, so a bit too "juicy" for me and a little big for making progress on the smaller country roads around here. I'd love your Aston as my fun car though.

[MarkGArgyle]

I did this a while ago looking to trade up from my F31 320d. Bought a 2020 X3 M40i, no regrets whatsoever!

Pics and comments in my last posts if needed.

[JapanRed]

We’ve had a 2016 X5 40d (fast for an SUV) and currently have a Q7 50 TDI Vorsprung (quick ish and very luxurious).

I can wholeheartedly say they handle terribly. Well not terribly but nowhere near a decent hatchback for example. It says a lot that I take my wife’s £15k Golf GTD when I go to work 9 times out of 10 over the £55k Q7.

The Q7 is obviously the much nicer car to be in and if all motorway then it’s a beauty. But it’s dull as dishwater on anything remotely twisty.

I’ve had a 2008 911 and a 2016 M3 amongst others and do plan to get back into something sporty again. The SUV’s do very little for me.

[Jamescrs]

It depends what your priorities are, a fast estate will be a better drive than a fast SUV when you want to press in and enjoy it on some fun roads

If all you are doing is going up.and down motorways then there's probably a strong argument for an SUV instead because in a straight line there won't be much if anything in it performance wise.

Personally it qould be an estate every time for me.

[richolmes]

Is a golf estate any different size wise from a 3/c/a4 class car? I imagine the boot will be smaller than the golf for sure, I considered a golf estate before going v90.

If it’s genuinely size that’s motivating the change I’d be looking at 5 series size cars but finding a petrol 6 cylinder will be harder

[flying-banana]

I would go fast estate every time (the OH has had SUVs for a few years, Lexus RX - no fun whatsoever, LR Evoque - surprisingly capable chassis, but not huge power, X5 v8 - the v8 added some joy, X3 3.0d - no joy here!)...

Jaguar XF
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021102187...

BMW 528i
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021111897...

Audi S6
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021091574...

[djohnson]

I’m a big lover of fast SUVs (currently running an SVR and a X5M, have had various supercharged Landrovers and a ML63). For me I like the driving position of the SUV, I like the looks and the space and the 4x4 is (occasionally) handy, I perceive (rightly or wrongly) that an SUV gives you better protection in a crash. The handling is the obvious compromise for someone who loves driving, however the current crop of quick SUVs handle pretty well, the SVR is ok and the X5M is actually genuinely fun. Oddly my SVR costs me less than £500 a year to insure (and the equivalent diesel Range Rover was £1000+).

[Martyn76]

I'm in the same position, a last ICE hurrah before slipping in the comforting silent embrace of EVs, currently having an aging but reliable 330D e91 but feel like I have one last ICE car in me before an EV beckons and would like it to be at least "a bit special", halo car would be a V8 (I have a thing abut ISFs) but more likely like you have said a force induction 3lt "6" of some type seems the best bet, the Germans seem to have this sewn up although Jag did have some XFs with a supercharged 3lt for a while at least, might be worth seeking out?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112110...

[JQ]

richolmes said:

Is a golf estate any different size wise from a 3/c/a4 class car? I imagine the boot will be smaller than the golf for sure, I considered a golf estate before going v90.

If it’s genuinely size that’s motivating the change I’d be looking at 5 series size cars but finding a petrol 6 cylinder will be harder

Absolutely this. A golf estate has a 600 litre boot, and the A4 Avant has a 500 litre boot. If you want a bigger car than the Golf then it will need to be an A6 / 5 series sized car. Even a 5 series estate only has a 560 litre boot.

If you want space, a Skoda Superb in 280bhp 4x4 petrol form might be an option. If not, then 530d M Sport 4x4 would be my choice for fast, practical and economic.

[Glosphil]

Isn't the extra volume in a SUV over an estate all above your head? An estate has more usable space? As already said to get more load space than a Golf (or Octavia) estate will need a much bigger car.

[KTMsm]

Modern SUVs are light years ahead of an old Jeep (I still own one) and if that's all you drive they can seem acceptable as a "car" rather than as a "4x4"

However a comparable estate being lower and lighter will handle better but I doubt 99% of the population would notice

[ZX10R NIN]

white_goodman said:

My wife recently downsized from a large MPV to a small hatchback, as cheaper to run, better on fuel and easier to park for most of her use, so my mk7 Golf Estate has now become the main family car. I thought that it would be ample but in reality, it's just a bit too cramped in the cabin and boot to be ideal, so I'm considering replacing it with a larger estate or SUV. I'd probably be looking at a 2018/2019 car (my Golf is a 2016). Had my wife not replaced her car, I would probably have gone for a mk7.5 Golf R Estate or a BMW M140i but obviously neither would be quite big enough.

I've always been a fan of a fast estate and the B9 A4 Avant, F31 3-Series Touring and C-Class Estate seem like the perfect size to me. My pockets aren't deep enough to buy or run an RS4/Alpina B3/C63 but this may well be my last ICE daily driver, so something with a nicer engine than your average 4-pot turbo but without the running costs of the above would be perfect, so I'm thinking S4 petrol Avant, 340i/335d Touring or a C43 AMG Estate would appear to be perfect.

My wife/kids did like the higher seating position of the MPV though and perhaps a fast SUV would be more spacious and feel lighter and more airy, as well as offer a few more options and be something a bit different for me but can an SUV ever hope to be as engaging to drive as a sporty estate?

I have only owned one SUV (a 4 litre WJ Grand Cherokee) and I liked it but dynamic and cheap to run it was not! I like a Land Rover and if it was a direct replacement for the MPV, a Discovery would be right up there but I would prefer something a bit more dynamic if I'm going to be driving it every day.

The obvious equivalents to the S4/340i/335d/C43 would be the Audi SQ5, X3 M40i and GLC43 AMG but then there are other options too like the Alfa Stelvio, Jaguar F-Pace and Porsche Macan.

So as an all-round family car with a nice engine, RWD-led balance and able to provide some entertainment when called upon, what would you go for? Fast estate or fast SUV?

If the Golf is to small cabin wise then I'd say you need to look at a XF/5 Series/E Class/A6 sized car.

XF300 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109277...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111069...

V90 T5 R Design 250

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111249...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112020...

540i M Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112030...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108176...

[ChocolateFrog]

V8 Tdi Touareg's are fast(ish)

[willmagrath]

For me, its gotta be the estate.

More economical, better for the environment, cheaper, better to drive, faster and for little to no less space tham an SUV.

[jimPH]

I went from C63s estate, to GLB 35 because I needed 7 seats. If you need the space/ seating then an SUV is a no brainer. If I didn't need 7 seats though, it would be an estate every time.

I'd go out for a drive in the 63, not so much in the 35.

[JP__FOX]

Go and test drive a Porsche Macan, nice place to be with a reasonable amount of space and much better to drive than a lot of estates out there!

[ZX10R NIN]

ChocolateFrog said:

V8 Tdi Touareg's are fast(ish)

SUV wise this or the V8 TDI Cayenne would get my vote.

[fflump]

JP__FOX said:

Go and test drive a Porsche Macan, nice place to be with a reasonable amount of space and much better to drive than a lot of estates out there!

I’m sure it is but what point are you making?
The latest macan turbo is more expensive far slower and less spacious than an e63.