After 250,000 trouble free miles it’s time to retire my Audi A4 Avant 1.9tdi. It’s been a great car over the years but it’s got some big bills on the horizon. if I had the cash is replace it with another new A4 but alas that’s more than I want to spend.

We have a Caravelle as a family car so the 2nd cars only function is commuting for both my wife and I. A total of around 25k per year. Priorities are therefore safety, comfort and cost of ownership. Whatever it is, I’ll likely buy a 3 year old ex lease.

Passat estates with a 2.0 diesel seem to tick all the boxes. Bigger than we need but parking isn’t really an issue for either of us. A golf is probably all we need size wise but you seem to get a better equipped Passat for the money and going on the official figures (which I know are bogus) there doesn’t seem to be much in it economy wise

So, suggestions, experiences whatever – do your worst!

Avensis

You do get better gear on the bigger class of car – the size puts a lot of people off. All I can say is that whilst Mondeos are good, don’t get a new model one because the front is just about the most hideous thing I’ve seen on a car.

Avensises (Avenses?) are cheap because the motoring press thinks they aren’t exciting and dynamic enough.. for a family estate… 🙄

i quite like the latest mondeo front end. hints of Aston and Jag. too new for me anyway.

couldnt think what an avensis looked like so had a little search. mleh….ive already forgotten what they look like. more money than the Passat too.

Mondeo

Skoda octavia or superb might be worth a look

Andygreener +1.

Think I’m about to get a Superb, having looked around. As well equipped as most (obviously, depends on trim/spec level), bigger than many, and very nice to drive.

I’ve got a Peugeot 508 estate. I know it’s not German/Japanese/trendy but it really is rather good. Cavernous load space, cheap to run and drives like a dream.Cheaper than VAG.

I’ve raved many a time on here about the Superb. Nearly bought one 2 yrs ago when replacing my A4. A big car – think A6 – and enormous VFM. Couldn’t find the spec I wanted for the money I wanted to spend. Neither could I find the right Octavia VRs.

Opted for a high spec Passat in the end (a year ago). Enough toys and media kit to keep me happy, plus it looks more aggressive on the 18s – and grips brilliantly on them too. Not sure I’d be happy with a more mid-level spec model as the look and feel isn’t as inspiring IMHO.

plus it looks more aggressive on the 18s

Gr?rrrr

Mazda 6, I’ve had mine coming up for three years in Feb I think. Ex lease. Far more spec than any of the German alternatives, handles better and is quicker unless you branch into the top models of the other varieties. Only thing it’s had in that time is 4 tyres.

Volvo V60.

I had a D5 SE Lux as a company from 2012-14 and was seriously impressed.

When i replaced my Passat (estate – older shape) i was set on the Mazda M6 but it was too cramped inside for me (i’m tall) and ended up with an Octavia estate (after a brief and disastrous spell with a Focus Diesel estate). Drives better than the Passat but is a bit less refined (read noisy). Timing belt service is 100k rather than the 60k for the VW and service costs are marginally lower at my local garage. Better fuel economy too. I went for the pre DPF 2l version as that’s a better engine imo (and it was cheaper).

When I was looking a couple of years back I had a Passat, Mondeo, Octavia and Superb on my short list (after whittling out some others due to things like reliability concerns and lack of performance). I ended up with an Octavia and it’s been great, I would have gone for a Superb but at the time with my budget I could only get a very basic spec and didn’t really need the extra space anyway – although in hindsight I wish I’d checked out hatchback Superbs as they might have been big enough for my needs (two bikes in the boot with rear seats down) and there were more available with better spec.
Passats didn’t seem to offer anything more for the money and the Mondeo seemed a bit plasticky/spartan inside unless going for a top spec model.

I recently sat in new Golf and Passat estate in the dealers. Thought the Golf was a bit… rattly, lower grade materials. Size is basically the same apart from rear leg room. Turns out they are the same basic underpinnings too.

I might be doing this exact same search next year/year after and I think it’d come down to how comfy I thought they were.

Personally didn’t like the new Octy, strangely uninvolving to drive (but manual handbrake!).

In true Singletrack style of recommending what you have, because you have spent way too much on it… I’ll say Skoda Superb.

Got one six months ago and it’s excellent, superb even. I had discounted them on the basis they would be dearer than an Octavia, but they weren’t. We’ve got the povo spec hatchback with 1.4 turbo engine, and whilst not fast or exciting is more than adequate, so the bigger engines will be smashing I imagine.

Octavia, Mondeo, Golf Estate, Mazda 6.

I’m in a similar predicament at the moment and I’m considering a BMW X1, seems they hold their value well, have the kit I need and do decent MPG.

I had the pre-facelift Mondeo for four years. Awesome car, couldn’t fault it.

Mondeos are great cars. Way more spec as standard compared to ze Germans (or Czechs if we’re talking Skoda), drive really well, comfortable and the estates are huge (without being ungainly). Of course if your buying criteria includes the perceived quality of the plastic in the interior trim… 🙄

Bought a Passat estate. All the gadgets, leather heated seats, £30 to tax it and it can even park it’s self. Bargain!

With same specs it was a toss up between a Mondeo or Subaru Outback. Dont let the badge scare you, the Outback gets the same mpg as the Mondeo with the benefit of AWD and whilst a bit more expensive than a Zetec you are actually getting into Titanium+ territory in terms of toys on the RE, .the REN is more loaded. Build quality seems better, I looked at a 100k 08 plate that still had that nice clunk on the doors, only turned it down as I found a Tit with a towbar already fitted for a fair bit less.

I’d recommend looking at them if you can find any, it was a pleasant surprise and was seriously swaying me despite the price tag.

I had the last generation 1.6tdi passat estate. Now running a 1.9tdi 2008 golf estate which I prefer. A lot lighter, so quicker and less tank like. Boot not much smaller, so only loose out on rear leg room and a bit of a step down in quality

Any reason no-one’s mentioned the Hyundai i40 yet. I’ve no direct experience but have been impressed with Wifey’s i10 and the i20 hire car we had on holiday.

OP, if the Passat ticks all the boxes, what is it about the car that puts you off?

I bought an Alltrack earlier in the year cuz I wanted a comfy, 4WD workhorse. EA-189 issues aside I’ve been really pleased, and I’m glad it doesn’t have the same sort of image as an audi A4 would. I get about 48 mpg out of mine on average.

I did test drive an Octavia estate (current version), which had an uncomfortable acoustic problem. If you’re thinking of going down that route, search Briskoda Octavia forum for ‘sonic boom’ or words to that effect and you’ll see the thread.

If not an Alltrack, I might have looked at BMW x-drives.

Interested to hear about Alltrack, as it and the XC60 are top of my list for ordering next autumn when company car goes back (will get an allowance instead)

Or an Avensis

The OP has posted to say he’s already bought a Passat…

iainc – can’t comment on how it compares to the XC60, I didn’t look at them.

But I can say that it’s got that ‘I could happily keep this for ever’ feel to it. All the little things add up, like comfy seats and a good sitting position (unlike the A4 I tested), door pockets you can fit bottles into, bluetooth that works, easy-to-fold back seats…lots of space of course, and the little bit of extra height plus 4WD add to the sense of driving security.

I went for the more powerful version with DSG, which I would choose again.

I’ve had occasion to flip on the ‘Off-road’ mode a couple of times, and it’s great. Changes the throttle and DSG maps, and adds hill descent.

Alltracks are highly specified out-of-the-box.

Only negatives I can think of are

• Not as much legroom in the back as I’d have expected (but the new version, which you’d be getting, fixes that)
• Sat-nav lady sounds weird: they might have fixed that.
• Cup-holders (in the centre console) are not all that secure, and you can’t put 2 Costa cups side-by-side (which is actually quite annoying when you’re off camping with a full car). New version has a different type of cup holder I think, so that might be fixed.
• Dirty issues: bit of a bummer, that. I’m waiting to see what the remap VW issues us with will do to the drive; I can see a visit to one of those after-market tuning places coming on if it screws performance. But that’s just one of those things and won’t affect you anyway.

I’d even consider trading mine for the newer MQB version, if I wasn’t saving up for a Yeti.

…mind you – I’d also be speccing a Biturbo Passat on Carwow. 4WD plus lots of discreet power.

Avensis however it wouldn’t go down well at the dubclub

Dorset – many thanks for info

I have a Volvo XC60 SE Lux Nav on order after 8 years of Mazda6 estate ownership. It will only be for 3 years.
I hope its as good as the Mazda?