Does a Petrolhead's Family Car Exist?

[apsona]

Dear All,

I'm driving a Mini Cooper S Clubman which is great fun thanks to it's go kart handling and grin per mile. However I have 2 growing teenage boys and with me being 6ft 4in neither of them can sit behind me any more! My car history includes an Escort XR3i, TVR Tuscan (2001), Renault 5 GT Turbo, MR2, Jaguar XKR and some boring family wagons sandwiched in between so i like a bit of fun and performance.

So I'm on the search for a family wagon that will still bring a grin but fit the teenagers and large enough to pack up for a holiday trip. Cheaper end of the market at < 10k and definitely not a softroader or a crossover although a real 4x4 would be ok and helpful for the ski trips.

I was thinking of BMW 5 series, Octavia vrs, Subaru Legacy or maybe go for luxury instead of grins with a Phaeton or dare i say it a Range Rover Vogue.

Has anyone found the holy grail yet? I'd be interested to know.

Paul

[apsona]

Useful replies. Thanks all. The clubman is the suicide door one from 2009 (R55) but I’ve at least got the steering wheel on the left hand side and drive on the right &#128526; I’ll need plenty of space so more inclined to go with an estate and the VRS could be good but without the grin factor which is why I thought about more luxury/wafty drives.

Budget can go up a little and although I have a commute to work I prefer the performance and ease of maintenance of petrols. The S6 is a great suggestion and the Superb looks the part. I guess it’s based on the same platform as the A/S6?

[apsona]

Mondeo ST if I could find one?

[apsona]

Keepersball said:

Skoda superb 272 bhp 4x4 is my ultimate sleeper and I can’t recommend it enough however it is slightly out of your budget range - that said you could have a look at an older (2014 3.6 v6 4x4 superb?

Nice looking car, great colour!

[apsona]

BUG4LIFE]Might as well mention the 2 cars I've owned since having children...a Subaru Forester STi [definitely fun] and a Jaguar S-Type R [more of a cruiser than the Foz but interesting never the less said:

. Both can be had for under £10k.

Subaru Legacy Spec-B is a good choice too.

The Legacy is looking good and well in price and I've always fancied a Subaru having nearly fell into buying a Forester back in 2001.

[apsona]

fflump said:

I very much enjoyed the performance ride and looks of my Alfa 159 3.2 Q4 Sportwagon as a family car.

Not the most dynamically gifted but a nice n/a V6, AWD, great looks and extremely planted at speed and in bad weather.

Agreed i love these cars and if brave enough I'd be tempted. My mate had one and he said the only thing that worked well was the cappuccino maker in the boot !

[apsona]

The Cardinal said:

At the more compact end of the spectrum, perhaps a 2009-12 Audi S3 Sportback would tick the boxes? (With roof box!).

Yep not bad, just have to test the rear leg room behind me.

I buy my cars in Germany and import then into france since cars here are ridiculously expensive and in a bad condition and so german wagons are easy enough to find there.

[apsona]

Ash_ said:

I had a Merc C320 Cdi for a while, pretty powerful, with a decent turn of speed, nice inside etc, it was an upgrade to the last performance big car I had, a Mondeo ST.

I never had any problems with it and liked it, in sport mode 0-60 came in about 7 seconds'ish, limited to 155 (not that you'd ever get near that of course). But it was nice, with AMG styling, and subtle too, no-one would know it was that quick unless they clocked the twin exhausts.

Mine was like this one;
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008313...

Another great option, I have some searching to do!