Which Touring estate 4x4.. ?

[badRobot]

Hello everyone.

I've got a bit of a purchasing dilema I need help with. Once this lockdown is over we're planning to do a year long tour / working holiday around Europe, but I'm having a hard time choosing a vehicle to do it in. I'm leaning towards an estate with 4x4 system.

Requirements.-
- Be able to seat 2 adults, 1 teenager and 1 young child in comfort.
- Be able to tow a small/medium size box trailer.
- Fuel efficient, but enough torque to pull us and our stuff.
- Prefer a manual, but also like autos.
- Needs to be a DIESEL.
- Budget 10,000 Plus or minus..

Don't wants.-
-Not looking for a 4x4 SUV.

Any help or experience would be massivley appreciated.

Edited by badRobot on Tuesday 5th May 10:24

[blue_haddock]

One of the subaru offerings?

[Dimebars]

320/330/520/530d xDrive

[junglie]

It depends how much you wish to spend?

Skoda Superb 3.6 4x4 would be my choice.

Subaru Legacy / Outback 3.0 also good news.

[Baldchap]

Budget?

[jack_86]

Depends on budget, Audi allroads in a4 or a6 length might be a shout? Do Volvo still do their cross country estates?

Bet you could get a good deal on a 540i touring as that’s due a face lift?

[badRobot]

Thanks for the replies guys,

Needs to be a DIESEL. Budget 10,000 Plus or minus..

Edited by badRobot on Tuesday 5th May 10:24

[MJay36]

How about a Skoda Octavia Estate? Although the more popular 4x4 model is the Scout which is slightly raised up by a couple of inches like an A4 Allroad, other estate models are also available as a 4x4 version. You don’t see that many for sale but here is one, within budget your too!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[swamp]

Do you really need 4x4?

Skoda Superb estate would be my suggestion.

[Martyn76]

Volvo XC70?

[dunc69]

MJay36 said:

How about a Skoda Octavia Estate? Although the more popular 4x4 model is the Scout which is slightly raised up by a couple of inches like an A4 Allroad, other estate models are also available as a 4x4 version. You don’t see that many for sale but here is one, within budget your too!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Great cars. Loads of space. Frugal but torquey. Does what it says on the tin. In no way flash, just effective.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'm curious why does it need to be 4x4?

[badRobot]

I want to pull a small-med size trailer.

[ZX10R NIN]

Any Mondeo sized (FWD/RWD) vehicle will be more than up to the job, do you have an idea of max trailer weight?

[badRobot]

750kg.

[Jag_NE]

I’d go 2WD and then get winters fitted locally as we head into winter, you will be doing the miles to justify it. Assuming you are doing tonnes of miles I’d probably go Volvo just for the seats.

[GreatGranny]

Scout - 181bhp and auto only I think
XC70 - D3/D4 is 163bhp or the D5 is 215bhp but probably 25-30% more thirsty. D5 auto box a bit slow.
A6 All Road - as above there's the 175bhp version and the V6(?) which has either 215 or 240ish.

I think these have better ground clearance than the normal versions if that's desirable.

Not sure if you're going anywhere where the roads aren't the best.

Edited by GreatGranny on Tuesday 5th May 16:08

[stevemcs]

The insignia is a rare old thing in estate form in country spec.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Also consider the Mondeo.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[ZX10R NIN]

With the trailer in mind I'd be looking for an estate with decent bhp although it's not a massive trailer it'll be attached to a suitably laden vehicle so a bit of grunt wouldn't go amiss.

I'd say that just changing over to winter tyres (depending on where you are in Europe) is probably the best solution rather than having a 4x4 drivetrain.

508 GT 205

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

508 RXH 4x4 diesel hybrid

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

E300 diesel hybrid

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Mondeo Titanium 180

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Insignia Elite Nav 170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

SRI Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Passat Alltrack 170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

E220

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

C350cdi This would be pick of the Germans because (as long as you can live with the smaller boot) the drivetrain is pretty much bulletproof

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

530d SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

525d SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

A6 3.0d SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

A6 2.0d 175 SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[TurboBlue]

If you're going to stay in Europe for a year I'd get a LHD car to start with.

I've used an older 5-series BMW in the winter and all it needed was decent cold weather tyres.

This is a LHD estate with European mapping and a/c - 2006 BMW 520d (E60) for £5,500 - plenty of cash left over for any preventative work & a tow-bar.

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...