VW Golf R Estate vs C43 AMG Estate vs S4 B8.5 Avant?

[RoVoFob]

I’m considering changing my 2011 Audi S5 Sportback in the not-too-distant future as while it’s a great car, having squarer rear doors would make it easier to get my three-year-old in and out, having five seats rather than four would be occasionally useful and having a taller boot might help for B&Q trips potentially collecting cheap Gumtree/Facebook Marketplace furniture as I’m moving house later this month and need to do quite a bit of updating in my new place…

My S5 is a really good all-rounder and has only just had its first MOT advisory in six years (a little rear subframe corrosion, so hardly an issue on a 14-year-old car), so still not sure changing it makes sense when it has a great spec, is in decent mechanical condition and is probably worth £9,000 at most. But, I’m a petrolhead and like to switch things up occasionally. Here’s my wishlist:

• Estate with boot of 480+ litres
• Decent rear-seat space for big child seat/two adults
• Rear ISOFIX (and ideally front passenger ISOFIX too - S5 has this)
• Reasonable urban and motorway fuel economy and sub-£450 road tax
• All-wheel-drive and sub-6.0 seconds to 62mph
• Decent sounding engine/exhaust note (normal hate four-pots, but like Golf R)
• Split personality: sporty/relaxed - engaging to drive but good comfort/refinement
• Comfy/supportive/decently adjustable driver’s seat
• Decent reliability and relatively low running costs
• Good speakers (always track down cars with upgraded speakers)
• Sub-4.85m long/2m wide (live in London Zone 4 so any bigger is impractical…)

With that list in mind, I’m thinking Golf R Estate, C43 AMG Estate and S4 Avant B8.5. Have driven Golf Rs when they were new and loved them, big fan of S4/S5 but can’t remember driving C43…What are your thoughts on those three?

Anything else worth considering with that wishlist? Budget-wise, I’m thinking up to £20k, but maybe a bit more could be possible. Alternative is getting a Tesla Model 3 and something like a TT V6 that makes a nice racket. Doesn’t address the big boot side, but would have low running cost sensible car and nice-sounding second car. Thoughts?

[ZX10R NIN]

Leon Cupra 300 Lux:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509035...

300:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509136...

[RoVoFob]

ZX10R NIN said:

Leon Cupra 300 Lux:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509035...

300:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509136...

Thanks ZX. I know it’s basically the same as the Golf but the Leon does nothing for me, while I’d be quite excited about having the Golf. Yes, I’m weird.

[Deep Thought]

RoVoFob said:

I m considering changing my 2011 Audi S5 Sportback in the not-too-distant future as while it s a great car, having squarer rear doors would make it easier to get my three-year-old in and out, having five seats rather than four would be occasionally useful and having a taller boot might help for B&Q trips potentially collecting cheap Gumtree/Facebook Marketplace furniture as I m moving house later this month and need to do quite a bit of updating in my new place

My S5 is a really good all-rounder and has only just had its first MOT advisory in six years (a little rear subframe corrosion, so hardly an issue on a 14-year-old car), so still not sure changing it makes sense when it has a great spec, is in decent mechanical condition and is probably worth £9,000 at most. But, I m a petrolhead and like to switch things up occasionally. Here s my wishlist:

• Estate with boot of 480+ litres
• Decent rear-seat space for big child seat/two adults
• Rear ISOFIX (and ideally front passenger ISOFIX too - S5 has this)
• Reasonable urban and motorway fuel economy and sub-£450 road tax
• All-wheel-drive and sub-6.0 seconds to 62mph
• Decent sounding engine/exhaust note (normal hate four-pots, but like Golf R)
• Split personality: sporty/relaxed - engaging to drive but good comfort/refinement
• Comfy/supportive/decently adjustable driver s seat
• Decent reliability and relatively low running costs
• Good speakers (always track down cars with upgraded speakers)
• Sub-4.85m long/2m wide (live in London Zone 4 so any bigger is impractical )

With that list in mind, I m thinking Golf R Estate, C43 AMG Estate and S4 Avant B8.5. Have driven Golf Rs when they were new and loved them, big fan of S4/S5 but can t remember driving C43 What are your thoughts on those three?

Anything else worth considering with that wishlist? Budget-wise, I m thinking up to £20k, but maybe a bit more could be possible. Alternative is getting a Tesla Model 3 and something like a TT V6 that makes a nice racket. Doesn t address the big boot side, but would have low running cost sensible car and nice-sounding second car. Thoughts?

I've a C43, albeit a saloon. Really great all rounders and a little bit different. Sense of occasion with it too.

Whilst its not loud in standard exhaust form, it aural enough to let you know its not just a four banger under the bonnet.

[RoVoFob]

Deep Thought said:

I've a C43, albeit a saloon. Really great all rounders and a little bit different. Sense of occasion with it too.

Whilst its not loud in standard exhaust form, it aural enough to let you know its not just a four banger under the bonnet.

The sound of the exhaust - especially the performance exhaust is the big selling point of the C43 for me. My neighbour used to have a GLC43 AMG as that was pretty vocal even just on start up. Think I want the Mercedes engine and exhaust with the Golf body and running costs with the Audi interior…

How do you find the C43 engine, gearbox and ride?

[Deep Thought]

RoVoFob said:

The sound of the exhaust - especially the performance exhaust is the big selling point of the C43 for me. My neighbour used to have a GLC43 AMG as that was pretty vocal even just on start up. Think I want the Mercedes engine and exhaust with the Golf body and running costs with the Audi interior

How do you find the C43 engine, gearbox and ride?

Yeah its quieter than my previous M2 OG, but its still a good note.

The engine is very good. Definitely up there among the best.

Gearbox is good. I prefer the DCT of the M2, but TBH the C43 box is easier to live with in a daily driver.

Mine has the adaptive suspension which i think is standard on them. Its very good. I'm well pleased with it overall.

Get one with a pan roof if you can - interior is very dark otherwise.

19s are lovely on them, but are very prone to cracking. Mine came on the 18s but i sourced 19 inch C63S style rims with the correct offset.

I'm averaging about 27mpg, but i do mostly round town runs. Would probably hit mid 30s on long runs.

I made some visual tweaks to mine. Its a pre facelift car (made up to 2018) but mine is March 2019. I changed the front grilles and rear diffuser to the facelift style one.

Pic of mine for posterity.

[RoVoFob]

Deep Thought said:

Yeah its quieter than my previous M2 OG, but its still a good note.

The engine is very good. Definitely up there among the best.

Gearbox is good. I prefer the DCT of the M2, but TBH the C43 box is easier to live with in a daily driver.

Mine has the adaptive suspension which i think is standard on them. Its very good. I'm well pleased with it overall.

Get one with a pan roof if you can - interior is very dark otherwise.

19s are lovely on them, but are very prone to cracking. Mine came on the 18s but i sourced 19 inch C63S style rims with the correct offset.

I'm averaging about 27mpg, but i do mostly round town runs. Would probably hit mid 30s on long runs.

I made some visual tweaks to mine. Its a pre facelift car (made up to 2018) but mine is March 2019. I changed the front grilles and rear diffuser to the facelift style one.

Pic of mine for posterity.

Thanks for that. Love the M2 OG. So much better than the Competition in my eyes…

I think a decent conventional auto might suit my driving more than a DCT, and I like how short the C43 gears are - more opportunities to enjoy the engine sound/exhaust.

Call me contrary, but I’d definitely go for smaller wheels and no pan roof if possible! I like dark interiors. Sounds pretty good on the economy front. Any creakiness from the interior? The cabin design/quality/infotainment are my main C43 concerns…

That’s a great colour for the C43.

[PushedDover]

An afflicted petrolhead friend has had a lust for an R estate for some time
His A4 Allroad was recently joined by a 997.2 C4S but the list continued

Finding one ? It was a unicorn. Apparently 5% of Golf’s are R’s, 5% of R’s are estates


He travelled the length of the country and bought unseen

Loves it.
Small enough, subtle, swift.

[RoVoFob]

PushedDover said:

An afflicted petrolhead friend has had a lust for an R estate for some time
His A4 Allroad was recently joined by a 997.2 C4S but the list continued

Finding one ? It was a unicorn. Apparently 5% of Golf s are R s, 5% of R s are estates


He travelled the length of the country and bought unseen

Loves it.
Small enough, subtle, swift.

Nice car combo. Yeah, the Golf is inexplicably fun. Estatiness only adds to that…

My S5 spec is a bit of a unicorn itself with £10k worth of options and isn’t worth very much compared with Golf, C43 and B8.5, which all seem pretty pricey right now. Makes me wonder whether spending an extra £10k on one of these three makes any sense… Why can’t these thirstyish petrols have an EV-style residual collapse?!

[Belle427]

Maybe consider something like a Merc C/E 350 CDI alongside something fun. Ok no 4wd and maybe a bit boring but it will be mostly a workhorse.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you don't mind high miles CLA35:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506193...

45:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509046...

C43 Premium Plus:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507094...

[RoVoFob]

Belle427 said:

Maybe consider something like a Merc C/E 350 CDI alongside something fun. Ok no 4wd and maybe a bit boring but it will be mostly a workhorse.

Had thought about it but ULEZ requirement and lots of short urban journeys makes diesel probably unwise.

[Gad-Westy]

PushedDover said:

An afflicted petrolhead friend has had a lust for an R estate for some time
His A4 Allroad was recently joined by a 997.2 C4S but the list continued

Finding one ? It was a unicorn. Apparently 5% of Golf s are R s, 5% of R s are estates


He travelled the length of the country and bought unseen

Loves it.
Small enough, subtle, swift.

Were they looking for a particular spec? They’re not that difficult to find. There are nearly 70 of them listed on autotrader at the moment.

[PushedDover]

Gad-Westy said:

Were they looking for a particular spec? They re not that difficult to find. There are nearly 70 of them listed on autotrader at the moment.

70 Golf R Estate in the 7.5 model ?
That was the generation he specifically wanted having made the research
Looks like two at the moment

He wanted an estate bcs dogs. Zzz but we all love wagons surely ??

[RoVoFob]

ZX10R NIN said:

If you don't mind high miles CLA35:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506193...

45:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509046...

C43 Premium Plus:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202507094...

Thanks. Looks like a decent C43. Very good MOT history, too. Would much rather a C43 over the CLA, for the V6 and greater interior space. Think Golf is the only four-pot I’d consider, as it sounds a bit more interesting than most farty four-pots, whether artificial or not. Gigantic boot, too.

[ZX10R NIN]

RoVoFob said:

Thanks. Looks like a decent C43. Very good MOT history, too. Would much rather a C43 over the CLA, for the V6 and greater interior space. Think Golf is the only four-pot I d consider, as it sounds a bit more interesting than most farty four-pots, whether artificial or not. Gigantic boot, too.

Have to agree I'd take a 43 over a 4 pot.

This is PH so it would be rude not to mention the 63:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506013...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509216...

[Frankychops]

The gold will feel like a downgrade interior quality wise. To be fair, most modern golfs feel lower quality than a Hyundai.

It’d have to be the c43

[RoVoFob]

ZX10R NIN said:

Have to agree I'd take a 43 over a 4 pot.

This is PH so it would be rude not to mention the 63:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506013...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509216...

Very true. To be honest, I prefer six cylinders over eight, though. Have had two V8s and am a little tempted by the C7 S6 Avant and S7, but think V6 cars from the class below would work better for the driving I do.

[Deep Thought]

RoVoFob said:

Thanks for that. Love the M2 OG. So much better than the Competition in my eyes

I think a decent conventional auto might suit my driving more than a DCT, and I like how short the C43 gears are - more opportunities to enjoy the engine sound/exhaust.

Call me contrary, but I d definitely go for smaller wheels and no pan roof if possible! I like dark interiors. Sounds pretty good on the economy front. Any creakiness from the interior? The cabin design/quality/infotainment are my main C43 concerns

That s a great colour for the C43.

No issues with cabin creaks. All very well put together.

Infotainment is a bit last gen. I had big plans to upgrade the screen to a newer type linux screen but to be honest, i've got used to it now and havent bothered. You can get the latest map for the satnav no problem and that helps.

[RoVoFob]

Frankychops said:

The gold will feel like a downgrade interior quality wise. To be fair, most modern golfs feel lower quality than a Hyundai.

It d have to be the c43

The Audi has a better quality interior and media system than the C43, too. I know the Golf mk8 is a big step down quality-wise, but I thought the mk7/mk7.5 were much better.