Fast and Fun Family Car Up to £60k - £65k?

[guy_in_the_i30n]

Long story short, with my wife’s commute changing so she will be on the train soon (I already commute by train) and with her mileage dramatically decreasing, I am finally in the market for a fast and fun family car! We only have one car at the moment and would look to remain this way for the foreseeable, hence why only now getting this opportunity as she’s definitely not into cars.

In terms of budget, probably £60k - £65k, although that’s more of a limit than a target so considering cars well under that too. Ideally looking at new, but in order to get the right car or spec, or frankly to save money would consider a young used car, so maybe up to 18 months so that still got a good chunk of manufacturer’s warranty before I have to extend it.

Preference would be for an estate, although SUV not out of the question (current car an SUV, just not a fast or fun one). Suspect hatchback is going to be out of the question because of boot size. I have two small children and although we should exit the pram phase in the near future car still needs to be able to get suitcases in, deal with tip runs, general family of four life etc.

Current considerations:

• BMW M340i Touring: Feels like the obvious choice. Issue here is the cost of new seems to have ballooned whilst BMW reduce the spec considerably, moving things that in LCI1 were standard to now cost options. Not a huge amount of used examples out there that aren’t white, grey or black (all colours my wife won’t consider, which to be honest is fine as I’d prefer a colour too.)
• Audi S5 Avant: Personally think this a good looking car and from what I can see is already being discounted such that would fall into budget despite only just being released. Has every piece of kit already included that would ever need. Issue here is that on paper it is 10% down on boot space versus the BMW, potentially a major sticking point, especially as the Audi is longer than the BMW.
• VW Golf R Estate: Cheaper than the two above, still has great performance figures and would be able to get all the options I want ticked if going new.
• Skoda Octavia vRS Estate: Again cheaper than all three above, feels like the sensible or accountant driven choice on that basis. Personally think they look pretty smart but likely going to be down quite a bit on the fast and fun factor, plus noise, I’d guess. Also wife not too keen on Skoda as a badge / brand, wouldn’t say it bothers me.
• BMW X3 M40i: Looking at used G01’s as an alternative to the M340i, but to be honest given I could get the Touring, feels like that is the better choice for driving dynamics, efficiency etc.

Others that I have thought about:

• Mercedes C43 AMG Estate: Considering the cost versus the BMW and Audi but only a four pot, feel like it’s a poor choice. Happy to be told otherwise.
• Cupra Leon VZ3 Estate: Basically the Golf R with less colour choice and no option for a heads up display, something that I really want to keep and options on all five cars above.
• Ford Focus ST Estate: Not really looked into this further yet to determine if a contender or not.
• BMW X1 M35i: Really like how this looks in and outside, but not getting glowing reviews from what I have seen and again expensive for just a four pot, especially with BMW’s option packages.
• BMW M3 Touring: I absolutely love these, but on BMW Approved the cheapest just outside of budget and I worry that I won’t have enough opportunity to really appreciate driving an M car to the point I get annoyed with the additional costs, harsher ride and worse fuel economy. Same argument for full fat AMG’s and RS Avant’s.

Anyone got any thoughts on any of the above? Positive or negative? Have I missed any really obvious potentials? In terms of specs I really want to keep things like the heated seats and steering wheel, heads up display, 360 degree cameras. Panoramic roof and adaptive cruse control I could perhaps learn to live without if I really need to, but would prefer not to. A good exhaust sound / volume also would be nice.

At the moment I’m torn between just going all out and getting the M340i Touring in the spec that I want as it is a car I’ve always come back to or being a bit pragmatic (boring / sensible) about it and getting something a bit less expensive like the Golf for example, especially as the children are still in trashing the car phase. And then equally given the vast majority of my time driving will be with the whole family do I give up on this idea, continue to accept the Qashqai / Tucson / Sportage / other generic SUV as my near term future and wait for an opportunity for a more dedicated second car.

Sorry for the long post and look forward to hopefully you guys helping me out! Should say as well at this point, that I’m nearer the beginning of the journey so yet to sit in / drive some of these still.

(Previous car of mine until last Spring, when we did have two and before I commuted by train was a Hyundai i30N for what it’s worth, hence the username, which is definitely outdated now!)

[Tighnamara]

Slightly above budget, but great family car.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410094...

[GreatGranny]

RS4 Avant?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404269...

Macan

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501067...

[Feirny]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410074...

[fflump]

E53h

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411076...

E63

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412287...

[ZX10R NIN]

As above E53h Premium Plus:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501027...

Or go for a full fat 63, I will say that at this price point the full fat versions depreciate more slowly than the cooking models:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412147...

M8 Gran Coupe, I think these are a better buy than the M5:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501037...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412057...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412167...

I think this B5 would get the nod:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412207...


Panamera Sport turismo:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501107...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407031...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412127...

Turbo:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412227...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Monday 13th January 20:54

[ChocolateFrog]

Ioniq 5N? Depends how many long trips you do and whether or not you can charge at home.

[russy01]

Depends how crazy you want to go, but your list made me yawn! Whilst I’m sure those cars are lovely, none seem worthy of a £50-60k purchase, bar the M3T.

I think the best car I ever owned was a 2019 E63s estate. Readily available now for £50-60k!

Absolute rocket, on another level performance. M340i literally wouldn’t see where it’s gone…

Next level comfort (providing you have comfort seats) and more space than almost any car on the market.

Bit older now, but chat to MB you can quite easily warranty them. Running costs can be daft as expected, but we’re all on this forum as we love burning petrol right? Apart from the guy who just recommend a Hyundai hand dryer, although at least it’s the most powerful one.

This one looks good - http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024110459...

[JackReacher]

I've had my m340i touring for over 4 years. I also have 2 small kids. As a one car solution I think it's great, quick, handles very nicely, an engine that's more interesting than most, combined with sensible running costs, and no issues at all. Stick a roof box on and you have space for a week away including pushchair/baby gear. Portimao blue stands out against the dull colours. However, we also run an ix3 and I find the X3 shape better suited to family life. Slightly bigger/better shaped boot, and higher access for kids seats etc just makes things easier. So I would definitely try an X3 40i as well as the m340i touring. I would also try a Macan S as someone had suggested or an Alpina B3 if you can stretch to it.

I think I'll be heading down the route of keeping the ix3 as the more sensible/boring family car, selling the m340i , and getting something more fun as a second car.

[CG2020UK]

How about an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRING

Looks stunning, 3L engine, incredibly fast and certainly practical enough.

Standard Quadrifoglio even cheaper.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410175...

[guy_in_the_i30n]

JackReacher said:

I've had my m340i touring for over 4 years. I also have 2 small kids. As a one car solution I think it's great, quick, handles very nicely, an engine that's more interesting than most, combined with sensible running costs, and no issues at all. Stick a roof box on and you have space for a week away including pushchair/baby gear. Portimao blue stands out against the dull colours. However, we also run an ix3 and I find the X3 shape better suited to family life. Slightly bigger/better shaped boot, and higher access for kids seats etc just makes things easier. So I would definitely try an X3 40i as well as the m340i touring. I would also try a Macan S as someone had suggested or an Alpina B3 if you can stretch to it.

I think I'll be heading down the route of keeping the ix3 as the more sensible/boring family car, selling the m340i , and getting something more fun as a second car.

Thanks for this, your point on the shape and family life has definitely made me reflect and given mine will still be in car seats and need help getting in and out for a bit longer, having an SUV does make this somewhat easier. Think I need to put "fast" SUVs firmly back on the table as an option... Need to go sit in some estates to really know which is best for us. Particularly as probably 80% - 90% of the time the car will be on family duties so favours the ease of an SUV.

Any particular reason that you favoured the M340i Touring over the X3 M40i at the time you bought it? Given what you've said about your iX3?

[guy_in_the_i30n]

Thanks all for the different ideas here, plenty of food for thought.

[vanman1936]

Have an E63S saloon and an exceptional car, real character. Try one.

[JackReacher]

guy_in_the_i30n said:

Any particular reason that you favoured the M340i Touring over the X3 M40i at the time you bought it? Given what you've said about your iX3?

When i got the m340i the first child was on the way and I had a relatively anti SUV view. The ix3 came later, it's a company car. Now I understand the benefits of it with small children. That's not to say the estate doesn't work, it absolutely does, and it works well. It's just you notice small disadvantages when loading kids in etc. Dynamically, the estate is better, but living in the south east I don't get much opportunity to benefit from that or the extra performance. I think now, based on that experience I would go for a Macan S or X3 40i if I was having just one car. But opportunities to enjoy performance are very limited.

[CG2020UK]

You know what as ultimate do it all family car the new Model Y long range is going to be right up there provided you can charge on your drive