Ashamed to say…
Discussion
I’m out of my depth with normal cars and i need to help my mum find a car that covers her needs, she loves the mercedes mbux system so with these i think 2020 for A series, later for the others i think, she needs a height thats easy to get in and out of, ive been to look at GLA and GLB before i see her as she’s used to mercedes, and familiarity at 85 years old is quite important, i thought they were quite nice personally, ive had and got a few AMGs myself and theyve always been bullet proof, which again is very important to her.
Here’s the kicker and what makes it difficult, she (like me) dislikes black interiors with a passion so shes adamant it has a light interior, engine is not that important, she’d even go full electric as long as the range was 250+, hybrid is fine to.
She loves funky, so maybe mini clubman sort of thing but shes yet to try that slipper on..
She prefers brighter exterior colours but happy to go darker if it means getting a light interior, seat comfort is important to as she is used to my departed dads 2021 s500.
I’m over trying to sort this out next week so hopefully you guys who know more about this genre can throw me some ideas, i like the idea of learning about them so i can help her make the right decision for her, why she cant just have a sports car i dont know!
Budget circa £30k
Here’s the kicker and what makes it difficult, she (like me) dislikes black interiors with a passion so shes adamant it has a light interior, engine is not that important, she’d even go full electric as long as the range was 250+, hybrid is fine to.
She loves funky, so maybe mini clubman sort of thing but shes yet to try that slipper on..
She prefers brighter exterior colours but happy to go darker if it means getting a light interior, seat comfort is important to as she is used to my departed dads 2021 s500.
I’m over trying to sort this out next week so hopefully you guys who know more about this genre can throw me some ideas, i like the idea of learning about them so i can help her make the right decision for her, why she cant just have a sports car i dont know!
Budget circa £30k
Edited by Lifesbloodygood on Tuesday 18th February 14:48
Off the top of my head:
- Audi Q2 or Q3 ( Red with a light-er interior, red on red?)
- Genesis GV60 (praised for a good and simple infotainment, also I'm certain there were a million lime green ones at one point)
- GLA as you've mentioned
I struggle for anything else that's smaller, taller, and has good infotainment and interior ergonomics.
- Audi Q2 or Q3 ( Red with a light-er interior, red on red?)
- Genesis GV60 (praised for a good and simple infotainment, also I'm certain there were a million lime green ones at one point)
- GLA as you've mentioned
I struggle for anything else that's smaller, taller, and has good infotainment and interior ergonomics.
BMWS and mini both do crossovers, the countryman and x1 which suit, both have light colour interior options, bmw oyster is very nice especially when coupled with a panoramic sunroof
Mercedes also do light interiors, I’ve seen grey seats in the A class and GLA, but only on cars that aren’t AMG line, they are much rarer, again loads of light if you have a panoramic roof
Volvo XC40- they offered wool seats, grey, white, brown, and possibly red leathers
Tesla - model Y could suit, with the white interior?
Lexus also do light colour interiors, even Audi do offer grey seats in some cars (mainly sports but not S line)
Pretty much every car brand has the same set up as the MBX system just with a different layout to the touchscreen
Mercedes also do light interiors, I’ve seen grey seats in the A class and GLA, but only on cars that aren’t AMG line, they are much rarer, again loads of light if you have a panoramic roof
Volvo XC40- they offered wool seats, grey, white, brown, and possibly red leathers
Tesla - model Y could suit, with the white interior?
Lexus also do light colour interiors, even Audi do offer grey seats in some cars (mainly sports but not S line)
Pretty much every car brand has the same set up as the MBX system just with a different layout to the touchscreen
Edited by Quattr04. on Tuesday 18th February 17:41
The GV60 is well worth a look the infotainment is easy & intuitive:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
jimmsy said:
Off the top of my head:
- Audi Q2 or Q3 ( Red with a light-er interior, red on red?)
- Genesis GV60 (praised for a good and simple infotainment, also I'm certain there were a million lime green ones at one point)
- GLA as you've mentioned
I struggle for anything else that's smaller, taller, and has good infotainment and interior ergonomics.
She wouldnt go near an Audi as the interiors just arent her thing until you get to A8s- Audi Q2 or Q3 ( Red with a light-er interior, red on red?)
- Genesis GV60 (praised for a good and simple infotainment, also I'm certain there were a million lime green ones at one point)
- GLA as you've mentioned
I struggle for anything else that's smaller, taller, and has good infotainment and interior ergonomics.
Genesis is a good shout, i’ll take a look, thanks, looks very different, which’ll apeal to her
juice said:
That she’ll love, she is a fan of Lexus to 
Quattr04. said:
BMWS and mini both do crossovers, the countryman and x1 which suit, both have light colour interior options, bmw oyster is very nice especially when coupled with a panoramic sunroof
Mercedes also do light interiors, I’ve seen grey seats in the A class and GLA, but only on cars that aren’t AMG line, they are much rarer, again loads of light if you have a panoramic roof
Volvo XC40- they offered wool seats, grey, white, brown, and possibly red leathers
Tesla - model Y could suit, with the white interior?
Lexus also do light colour interiors, even Audi do offer grey seats in some cars (mainly sports but not S line)
Pretty much every car brand has the same set up as the MBX system just with a different layout to the touchscreen
Which interior is the first one pictured? ^Mercedes also do light interiors, I’ve seen grey seats in the A class and GLA, but only on cars that aren’t AMG line, they are much rarer, again loads of light if you have a panoramic roof
Volvo XC40- they offered wool seats, grey, white, brown, and possibly red leathers
Tesla - model Y could suit, with the white interior?
Lexus also do light colour interiors, even Audi do offer grey seats in some cars (mainly sports but not S line)
Pretty much every car brand has the same set up as the MBX system just with a different layout to the touchscreen
Edited by Quattr04. on Tuesday 18th February 17:41
Bmw is a no for same reason as audi but some of those other interiors will certainly do, quite nice!
The reason she likes the mbux system is the great voice interaction for commands as she finds altering controls or looking at screens too much of a distraction, re-focusing for road at her age is not easy and she’s aware of endangering herself and others, which is a very good thing
So voice activation for controls is good on the others? i’d imagine Lexus must be at least ‘as good’ as the mercs by now? I remember the mbux being launched on the A class and people raving about it, despite having it on a couple of our cars, ive personally never used it
Edited by Lifesbloodygood on Tuesday 18th February 18:54
ZX10R NIN said:
The GV60 is well worth a look the infotainment is easy & intuitive:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
Do you think you’d get a realistic 250mile range vs the 292 quoted?https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
Lifesbloodygood said:
Which interior is the first one pictured? ^
Bmw is a no for same reason as audi but some of those other interiors will certainly do, quite nice!
The reason she likes the mbux system is the great voice interaction for commands as she finds altering controls or looking at screens too much of a distraction, re-focusing for road at her age is not easy and she’s aware of endangering herself and others, which is a very good thing
So voice activation for controls is good on the others? i’d imagine Lexus must be at least ‘as good’ as the mercs by now? I remember the mbux being launched on the A class and people raving about it, despite having it on a couple of our cars, ive personally never used it
The first one is a BMW X1Bmw is a no for same reason as audi but some of those other interiors will certainly do, quite nice!
The reason she likes the mbux system is the great voice interaction for commands as she finds altering controls or looking at screens too much of a distraction, re-focusing for road at her age is not easy and she’s aware of endangering herself and others, which is a very good thing
So voice activation for controls is good on the others? i’d imagine Lexus must be at least ‘as good’ as the mercs by now? I remember the mbux being launched on the A class and people raving about it, despite having it on a couple of our cars, ive personally never used it
Edited by Lifesbloodygood on Tuesday 18th February 18:54
I think they all have pretty good voice controls now
Lifesbloodygood said:
ZX10R NIN said:
The GV60 is well worth a look the infotainment is easy & intuitive:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
Do you think you’d get a realistic 250mile range vs the 292 quoted?https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
ZX10R NIN said:
Lifesbloodygood said:
ZX10R NIN said:
The GV60 is well worth a look the infotainment is easy & intuitive:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
Do you think you’d get a realistic 250mile range vs the 292 quoted?https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202502139...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411035...
I get the familiarity aspect. Looking at Mercedes I’ve always thought the B class is a head choice rather than heart. With this you can get well loaded in budget,grey interior with pano roof so light…
Just an option
I get the familiarity aspect. Looking at Mercedes I’ve always thought the B class is a head choice rather than heart. With this you can get well loaded in budget,grey interior with pano roof so light…
Just an option
We've just bought a Smart #3 for my wife. Geely electric car underneath, similar to the Volvo EX30, and Mercedes designed body and interior.
Close enough to a Mercedes B class that my wife was happy with it. Infotainment will be different to MBUX as it's just moved on (not always in a good way) but the indicators, windscreen wipers, lights, gear selector etc etc are all in the Mercedes places.
Claims 266 miles to a charge but in reality will be just over 200 given the last few weeks use.
If you get the premium spec you get quite a few interior and exterior colour choices.
£30k gets you an ex demo car, that's what we paid a few weeks ago for a 3 month old 1,000 mile car in the blue colour she wanted.
You could look at the #1 as an alternative, it's cheaper and there are more around, but we didn't like the styling of the outside.
Close enough to a Mercedes B class that my wife was happy with it. Infotainment will be different to MBUX as it's just moved on (not always in a good way) but the indicators, windscreen wipers, lights, gear selector etc etc are all in the Mercedes places.
Claims 266 miles to a charge but in reality will be just over 200 given the last few weeks use.
If you get the premium spec you get quite a few interior and exterior colour choices.
£30k gets you an ex demo car, that's what we paid a few weeks ago for a 3 month old 1,000 mile car in the blue colour she wanted.
You could look at the #1 as an alternative, it's cheaper and there are more around, but we didn't like the styling of the outside.
Moonpie21 said:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411035...
I get the familiarity aspect. Looking at Mercedes I’ve always thought the B class is a head choice rather than heart. With this you can get well loaded in budget,grey interior with pano roof so light…
Just an option
Its not really the atmospheric light, more the sitting on in and around coffin black as she calls it I get the familiarity aspect. Looking at Mercedes I’ve always thought the B class is a head choice rather than heart. With this you can get well loaded in budget,grey interior with pano roof so light…
Just an option
the classier light grey and silver exteriors i could get her to go for but anything darker than navy blue, forget it! maz8062 said:
I like those, she thought it was ok.. then she saw the GV60 interior and fell in love as it ‘looks like’ my dads S Class interior, she likes it being hyundais luxury arm as she understands that having owned a lexus before, i think the lter ones 2023> had an assistance upgrade to, which is quite well rated by the looks of it.LeeM135i said:
We've just bought a Smart #3 for my wife. Geely electric car underneath, similar to the Volvo EX30, and Mercedes designed body and interior.
Close enough to a Mercedes B class that my wife was happy with it. Infotainment will be different to MBUX as it's just moved on (not always in a good way) but the indicators, windscreen wipers, lights, gear selector etc etc are all in the Mercedes places.
Claims 266 miles to a charge but in reality will be just over 200 given the last few weeks use.
If you get the premium spec you get quite a few interior and exterior colour choices.
£30k gets you an ex demo car, that's what we paid a few weeks ago for a 3 month old 1,000 mile car in the blue colour she wanted.
You could look at the #1 as an alternative, it's cheaper and there are more around, but we didn't like the styling of the outside.
Funnily enough, she hopped in the #4 (i think?) and really liked it, this was after falling in love with a GWM Ora which i quickly moved her on from..Close enough to a Mercedes B class that my wife was happy with it. Infotainment will be different to MBUX as it's just moved on (not always in a good way) but the indicators, windscreen wipers, lights, gear selector etc etc are all in the Mercedes places.
Claims 266 miles to a charge but in reality will be just over 200 given the last few weeks use.
If you get the premium spec you get quite a few interior and exterior colour choices.
£30k gets you an ex demo car, that's what we paid a few weeks ago for a 3 month old 1,000 mile car in the blue colour she wanted.
You could look at the #1 as an alternative, it's cheaper and there are more around, but we didn't like the styling of the outside.
I’m not 100% sure an ev will be right for her though as she has the occasional 180m round trip to do to the same place with no charger, sure she could stop and top up but apps etc when you’re 80 can be temperamental in the wrong hands, tesla would be hassle free there & back but she’d hate the styling inside that when you consider she loved this
Thanks, i’ll take a look at some of these when i get there next week before going to see her
My wife has just got one if the new mini Clubman. It's OK, but she loves it.
Where I do think it is good is that it's fun, and mini are excellent at having thst run through the car to be fair. The steering wheel is chunky and the rack is very quick, the big central screen, interesting interior materials and colours, internal lighting thst projects onto the dashboard etc.
It sounds like it would suit her. Big car the new Clubman though!
Where I do think it is good is that it's fun, and mini are excellent at having thst run through the car to be fair. The steering wheel is chunky and the rack is very quick, the big central screen, interesting interior materials and colours, internal lighting thst projects onto the dashboard etc.
It sounds like it would suit her. Big car the new Clubman though!
covmutley said:
My wife has just got one if the new mini Clubman. It's OK, but she loves it.
Where I do think it is good is that it's fun, and mini are excellent at having thst run through the car to be fair. The steering wheel is chunky and the rack is very quick, the big central screen, interesting interior materials and colours, internal lighting thst projects onto the dashboard etc.
It sounds like it would suit her. Big car the new Clubman though!
I agree, think they’re funky, the old one circa 2005 we had and it would be too small for her, she’s looking for something with a decent entry height for the seat, so bigger (if that means taller?) would suit, she needs it to be shorter than dads s350L Where I do think it is good is that it's fun, and mini are excellent at having thst run through the car to be fair. The steering wheel is chunky and the rack is very quick, the big central screen, interesting interior materials and colours, internal lighting thst projects onto the dashboard etc.
It sounds like it would suit her. Big car the new Clubman though!
so most cars will do in this regard I actually have it on the short list for next week but thanks for suggesting, something like this i sent her which she liked, but this was when having a cabriolet was important, not the case now..
Thanks gents
Just to close it, i rook her to see everything (marsh barton is brilliant for this) and she decided the smart needed a test, which she liked but in no way would look forward to doing her occasional 160 mile round trip in it and i sort of agreed tbh.
All the others (mini, fiat, jeep, mazda, Hyundai, nissan, bmw, audi) she just didnt like for one reason or another, even the gla, glb or glc she couldnt get in and out of with ease.
So we took out bog standard A class (as cream interior was possible) and she loved it but very basic in terms of toy possibilities..
So just before we left i said why dont you just sit in a standard C class and see how the seat feels vs the A (even though she’d looked at a C in car parks and decided it was too small)
Et voila, cream possible, 2022> has the assistant she can name after my dad.
So, we’re now on the difficult hunt for a post 22, C class saloon with cream interior, if anyone knows of one, preferably non black or white exterior but she’s happy to wrap it
engine derivative: petrol, hybrid or diesel, preference in that order.
My late fathers S350d is up for grabs to which is crazy low mileage (27k) and rare (as you’d expect) colour combo of sand with beige interior.
Thanks for all the input, the Genisis never got a showing due to poor dealer coverage, even the hyundai dealer in devon sneered at the question of their luxury brand sating it was the same as the standard hyundai range
Just to close it, i rook her to see everything (marsh barton is brilliant for this) and she decided the smart needed a test, which she liked but in no way would look forward to doing her occasional 160 mile round trip in it and i sort of agreed tbh.
All the others (mini, fiat, jeep, mazda, Hyundai, nissan, bmw, audi) she just didnt like for one reason or another, even the gla, glb or glc she couldnt get in and out of with ease.
So we took out bog standard A class (as cream interior was possible) and she loved it but very basic in terms of toy possibilities..
So just before we left i said why dont you just sit in a standard C class and see how the seat feels vs the A (even though she’d looked at a C in car parks and decided it was too small)
Et voila, cream possible, 2022> has the assistant she can name after my dad.
So, we’re now on the difficult hunt for a post 22, C class saloon with cream interior, if anyone knows of one, preferably non black or white exterior but she’s happy to wrap it
engine derivative: petrol, hybrid or diesel, preference in that order.My late fathers S350d is up for grabs to which is crazy low mileage (27k) and rare (as you’d expect) colour combo of sand with beige interior.
Thanks for all the input, the Genisis never got a showing due to poor dealer coverage, even the hyundai dealer in devon sneered at the question of their luxury brand sating it was the same as the standard hyundai range
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