Car options – hive mind

It’s that time again to consider a new(er) car, minaly for wife and 1 3yo child. Key criteria

1) Petrol as does lots of short runs sometimes and manual
2) AWD as we live on a nightmare hill with interesting access in winter (and wet as well)
3) Not too small not too big – she has a Q5 just now so a bit smaller is OK
4) Can have 2 grandparents in back occasionally but doesn’t have to be super comfy
5) Not too crashy but also a touch sporty (for me mainly!)

Considered Golf R hatch (estate only in DSG), A4/S4 although poss too big, I suggested new Focus RS (!) – ran out of options at that point. Any suggestions to look at ?

You know you want too!… 😀

http://subaru.co.uk/vehicles/wrx-sti/4-door?utm_source=vehicles/wrx-sti&utm_campaign=WRX%20sti%20redirect&utm_medium=Web%20Redirect

I think you have entered the domain of JapLand cars over there so … Toyota Corolla/Auris or whatever name they call it there in KiwiLand.

edit: Honda Jazz or Suzuki Swift. I like both too …

edit edit: Hyundai i20/i30? Mazda 2?

I’m in the UK. WRX discounted as we’ve had 3 before and inside is like a homage to plastic.

NZCol – Member
I’m in the UK.

Why are you back in UKLand rather than KiwiLand? 😯

I’ve been here for over a year, I moved back for a wee while with the family – something different.

Mini All4?

NZCol – Member
I’ve been here for over a year, I moved back for a wee while with the family – something different.

Crikey moving from one end to the other end … 😀

Welcome home. 😛

Nissan Patrol 5.6L V8?

4wd does limit your choice if you want a hot hatch, but certainly not to anything bad. The Golf R seems to be the one to beat in that regard- the alternatives are the Audi S3/RS3 which haven’t had much acclaim or the new Mercedes A45 AMG 4wd. The new Focus RS sounds like a contender but no one’s lived with one for any length of time yet.

The DSG is pretty flippin’ good, you know, if you want the estate.

The DSG is pretty flippin’ good, you know, if you want the estate.

We had a 2013 Golf R Hatch that was DSG and I hated it but we’ll go and look again. It does look like the best option sizewise. Maybe we have to go back to Diesel then.

Golf R hatch has an even smaller boot than normal to accommodate 4WD gubbins.

Estate doesn’t have that problem (cavernous, with even more under the boot floor) but as you say, DSG only. Our R estate arrived a week or so ago and I like it a lot.

It’s a shame you can’t get the Golf Alltrack or Octavia Scout with a petrol in this country.

BMW 3/4/5 series with X-Drive?

I have no idea if they work well or not, but I always kind of fancied the Suzuki SX4 myself, and it seems to match your criteria.

No budget stated implies money no object = Porsche Macan Turbo.

Would a a second set of wheels with winter tyres on, negate the need for AWD?
Would open up a lot of options…

I was going to suggest the Leon, as I saw something a while ago about them releasing a 4wd version; the X-perience.
But looking on the Seat website, it appears to be only available in estate version….which is a bit shit if you are after a hatchback….

Petrol Leon FR with winter tyres?

Skoda Yeti – 1.4TSi 4×4 (L&K only – all over petrol versions are 1.2TSi 2WD)

The leftfield choice of a Merc GLA45 AMG might be worth a look if you’re coming from a Q5.

All good suggestions, yeah that AWD thing is hangover from our NZ days as the roads are so bad we used AWD. It can be tough in the wet getting in and out even in summer so AWD is v useful, my van runs 4motion and winter tyres all year for that reason.

Budget, nothing in mind. Porsche Macan Turbo not an option as its PDK.

Even a rear wheel drive BMW on winter tyres can beat a 4×4 on bog standard summer tyres. A hot hatch 4×4 on low profile sporty rubber isn’t the best option if the hill is that bad.

Edit: I see you have the winter tyres covered.

NZCol
Porsche Macan Turbo not an option as its PDK.

Well bugger that then.

No budget stated implies money no object = Porsche Macan Turbo.

Exactly what I was going to suggest – on my radar if I have any money left after kids have left.
Actually the Diesel Turbo is also pretty amazing and would probably be my choice [having had a Macan S for a few days and never getting the fuel consumption above 27mpg despite driving like granny on a 2.5hr motorway trip, while a diesel turbo was healthily over 33mpg IIRC).

How about a cheap and cheerful option of Fiat Panda Cross (Cross Panda sounds better though), with the twinjet engine?

Audi RS3…

BMW xdrive.

Take your pick on size.

Thanks all, hadn’t thought of a beemer, might have a look there. The AMG looks awesome, will have a look at that, also lined up a Focus RS to see how chavtastic it actually is.

Terribly 8)

A mum at school has one of those AMGs – meh. Each to their own though and it does seem pretty rapid.

I know the seats on the Focus RS are different to the ST seats but I found the ST seats too narrow. They were fine for short journeys but anything longer just wasn’t nice. I always had to take my wallet and phone out of my pockets otherwise they would pinch me.

FWIW – I saw one of the Merc GLA’s on my commute home a few weeks back. The normal models looks quite good, but the pimped AMG version looked ridiculous – like a relatively refined car had been handed to a class full of teenage Top Gear fans who work at Halfords in the ‘car modding’ department.

And I normally like the bodykit versions of cars – like the Focus RS etc. This thing was just a step too far…..

Mazda CX3/5 depending on size? The little Mitsi ASK? Tuscon/Sportage etc etc

You can also get it in “sleeper” spec with none of the spoilers etc. And in brown.

Considering a GLA 45 as my next motor now my business miles have dropped off… This is one in sleeper spec without the spoilers:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/mercedes-benz/gla/mercedes-benz-gla-class-gla-45-4matic-5dr-auto/5095465?v=b

Not sure if they do a manual.

Skoda Yeti

munrobiker – Member

You can also get it in “sleeper” spec with none of the spoilers

Ah yes, that looks better!

Problem with the Xdrive Beemers is the only fast ones are diesels. We don’t get the fast petrols e.g. 35i models in the UK.. I think the only Xdrive petrol 3 is a 320i.

Not sure if they do a manual.

Not sure I’d buy a manual Mercedes – I think it’d affect re-sale.

What about an Octy vrs hatch ?