Over the last few months, spurred on by Mr Rudd's 50% tax break 'gift', I have been trying to decide on just what car to replace my current one with.
I have just about looked at everything in this segment, and believe me there are a lot to choose from.
I do not need the 7 seat SUV any more, used to love the XC90, as we generally have 3, maybe 5 people max in the car, but I need some real boot space
for golf clubs, fishing gear and the other things that get shoved in the back for that family day out.
The cars I have looked at are below, covering all sorts of price ranges, wagons and SUVs and a very brief summary:
• VW Passat, nice but don't like front wheel drive and the R36 is just too hard on road, otherwise I would now be in one.
• Audi Q5, thought long and hard, waited for the 2 litre diesel but it just doesn't do it for me. With all of the options I currently enjoy, the car easily gets into the $70Ks and beyond , and you have to wait 6 months to get one!
• Audi A4 Avant, not much room in rear, front wheel drive and expensive options make it over $70K to be worthwhile
• Holden Sportswagon, including V8 Calais V, OK, but just not up to the quality yet...sorry!
• Nissan Murano, No. Only managed to drive this 1 kilometre and both my wife and I agreed, no!
• Mitsubishi Outlander, the new MY 10 version with the 'Lancer' front. This is an improvement on the MY09 car but still no air in the rear, which you get on a Golf, major issue when we have an 8 year old in the back most days!
• Citroen C5, nice car, very nice car, good value in the 2.0 litre diesel and great engine in the 2.7litre diesel, but what about the resale???
• Subaru Tribeca, just hated those cheap plastics inside and dash layout, otherwise lots of car for the money, now that the front has been fixed!.
• Skoda Octavia (recently the new RS..much better) Nice car for the money, very hard in the back for the 8 year old, so I don't think so, but worth considering if resale is not an issue.
• Subaru Forester, again no air in the rear, so no.
• Ford Mondeo Wagon, Now here's one of the best kept secrets. Even without a range topping 'Titanium' version or a diesel auto, the Zetec wagon is a lot of car for the money, change from $40K on the road. It includes Bluetooth, which is probably better than Audi's, especially when coupled to an iPhone, Voice activation, front and rear parking sensors, just about everything but leather seats. Come on Ford, you need to get the message out about this car..and put air in the rear!
• Mazda 6 Wagon, nice car, again no range topping version or a diesel auto (hasn't anyone worked out that we drive Autos in Australia!), but a very elegant well priced car. Nowhere near as good in the standard equipment area as the Mondeo, with rear parking sensors a glaring omission, but probably better resale than the Ford. Still no air in the rear though!
• Mazda CX7. Nice car but very hard in the middle rear seat and VERY thirsty. New 4x2, 2.3 litre cheaper than the Mazda 6 wagon and well worth considering.
• Mazda CX9. Big brother of the CX7 and a very elegant, large car. Again middle rear seat is very hard.
• Volvo XC60. Having had 3 Volvos, the last was the XC90, I was really looking forward to this, but the diesel sounds like a tractor especially when cold in the morning (honestly, in comparison to my existing diesel and the Audi/VW/Citroen/Peugeot diesels this is like an old London cab) and the petrol just doesn't go and is very thirsty. If you don't have navigation as an option you end up with a ridiculous hole in the middle of the dash which is very unattractive.
• Peugeot 407 Touring. Lovely car, especially the 2.7 litre diesel which is just a great engine. But you have to have a full glass sunroof which I would never use and it makes it impossible to mount a DVD in the roof which is a must for our 8 year old!
• New Subaru Liberty and Outback, very little to fault, especially at the top end. The Liberty GT Wagon ticks just about all of the boxes (as does the Outback 3.6R Premium). The leader at this stage...if you can get over the look!
Are there any others worth considering? Coming soon the Peugeot 4007, the Lion badged Outlander, but still no rear air, I fear!!
If you want to spend less, then look at the Hyundai i30CW. Drove the Sportwagon with 2.0 litre petrol. Just not enough torque
but a lot of car for the money..only $30Kish
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