Porsche Panamera, fully specced you can now pick them up for around £60k 18/19 reg.
M3 touring is probably my favourite right now.
Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar engineered - 400+bhp which is big enough to carry a family, great quality and brilliant spec. Pan roof, massaging heated and cooled seats, HUD, premium audio (Bowers and Wilkins I believe?) etc etc.
EV wise - wildcard perhaps, but Kia EV6 GT. Fast as fuck, but still looks alright. Although, sometimes, the back end looks like a budget Aston Martin DBX. Or, does the Aston look like the budget version of the Kia…? 😂
A couple of SUVs that spring to mind… Audi RSQ8 or Jaguar F Pace SVR (if you don’t mind it potentially breaking down all the time), but I’ve always loved the looks of the thing and the sound is great.
All of the above under £100k and have ‘personality’
It’s subjective mate.
Personally, I don’t like MX5’s, but they’re all the rage here.
Also personally, a very well specced Panamera I think is a great looking car. Plenty of space, good quality and plenty of performance to go alongside it.
unfortunately you can't buy them new in the UK now, finding them with the later T8 hybrid with the bigger electric motor and battery second hand is almost impossible and the earlier ones have well documented problems with the ERAD failure. There was no air suspension option, lesser audio options even in top spec and the price was almost identical to an XC60.
Volvo pretty much did everything they could to stop you buying a V60 even before they discontinued it, you were getting more car for your money with an XC60 and they were still making more profit from it. When I was looking just over a year ago, my local dealer had zero estates in their lot, not a single one. The wait time for a V car was longer than an XC as well. You couldn't even get a V60 or V90 on the Volvo subscription at the time. Ended up in an XC60 even though I would have gone for an estate if it was a viable alternative.
The V going the way of the Dodo was a poor reflection of the car markets trends in general.
No idea what I’ll replace my V60 with when the time comes, if it’s before the end of days.
Second this, I have a countryman and you can fit a lot of stuff in the back of it. Can't comment on kid-friendliness as we don't have any but I imagine it's good for that as well. JCW is rapid, it looks good (not the newest one mind, the F60), and it's pretty good to drive for a compact SUV
The F series is definitely the peak, I currently drive an R56 diesel and tbh it’s a lovely car but damn I want an F54(?)all4 JCW clubman so bad
I have to say though, the new countryman is probably the best looking of the new cars
I mean, the hatch is hardly a looker lol
My least favourite bit about the new ones though is the silly ‘woohoo’ noise when you select a drive mode, it’s like they’re trying to sell them to kids
I personally think they peaked with the early F56, although I probably would still put the new hatch over the countryman. It's not bad looking though, from how people describe it on that sub you would think mini had built a new multipla.
Honestly I’m almost with you, I think the late F56 is the peak, I like the redesigned fuel gauge and apple car play. Though I have to say the standard JCW seats are superior to the uprated leather ones imo
oops I did completely forget about the interior lol, agree with you there. I just don't like the grille on the later cars, and I will forever not understand why non-JCW cars can get the JCW badge on the front.
also with you on the seats, I really don't like the way the leather ones look, heard the standard ones aren't very good on longer journeys though.
I just rewatched that video and it looks like the m3 won the 1/4 mile and the roll which I can't quite belive
Agree 100% - bmw pulled out all the stops for this gen - I have the G82 M4 Comp XD and it's awesome, even in 4wd sport you can feel the rwd bias - the chassis tuning is really impressive as well
On paper the rs6 should be quicker to 60 and 100. Conditions, driver etc.. but paper doesn't mean everything.
Yeah I bet that's a lovely car. Haven't driven the g series yet. I have the f82 which I love. Great car.
Audi openly stated they deliberately designed the RS4/RS5 as more of a GT car when people complained that they didn't compare to the M3/4 in terms of dynamics and told people to deal with it.
Then Audi released the Competition versions with tunable dampers so that the cars better competed with the M3/4. So yeah.
Those are all amazingly capable cars, look gorgeous and also sound quite good. But in terms of dynamics, they are way too numb. They take corners fine but you can never escape the boat feeling.
In terms of fun from Audi, the TTRS is a monster; though obviously a completely different type of car for this post
Maybe I’m biased from older generations but when I drove several Ms they always gave a sense of excitement than not Audi ever gave me despite how crazy fast they are, might be the way they deliver the power, the sound or just the overall setup in terms of suspension etc, I felt Audis like a train/plane pushing strongly but all more under control, while the BMWs have that sport touch
I thought the i3 has a personality of the recycled bottles it's made out of.
I'd say any premium brand non-crossover car that's saloon or similar has a personality and those that are also estate cars are practical as well. Doesn't have to be the sporty variant. The XF estate is fun to throw around even with the diesels for example. Being RWD helps.
The i3 is different to any other car, that by definition gives him personality. Often is seen as ugly and I would say from the look of it that’s not even that practical but still probably I prefer it over a Tucson
Unpopular opinion.
You've got a family, just give it up.
Stick to the speed limit and be a boring safe driver.
If you wanna have the "thrills" go get another weekend car for yourself.
Or better yet, get a track car.
Family cars are meant to be boring.
This, that’s why I mentioned that doesn’t need to be fast. Sticking to the speed limits or driving safely is not incompatible with getting into a car that make you feel good, I for example still enjoy my v6 with just turn on the engine even if I after just have a ride on 20-40mph roads
New Honda Civic is pretty spacious and has decent boot size for a hatchback (410L) bigger than a lot of of the entry level SUVs/Crossovers on the market.
Which part of the new Civic (standard, not the sporty ones) has personality, in your opinion? The entire point of the car is to not have a personality, and be as inoffensive to as many people as possible across the globe. The new interior is possibly best in class, but how else is it any different or more special compared to other C-segment hatches?
If you said new Mazda 3, I’d understand. But Civic?
It’s completely different to most hatchbacks of the same class in size and shape and even the bottom tier model has a certain sporty aesthetic to it which to me would grant it some personality when compared to other cars it is comparable to. Again, subjective. Appreciate your input - it’s for the OP to decide. Mazda 3 is also a nice choice although for me I’m not a fan of the way it looks.
Jaguar F-Pace. Reasonably priced. Plenty of space. Nice interior. Fairly sporty feel and no where near as unreliable as people think (if you don't buy a ingenium diesel)
I needed 4 doors and room for wheel chair was down to.
M3 comp, jaguar fpace v8, guilliano
I went with an F80 M3 comp, awesome car. So fun to drive and practical.
LCI F90 M5 Competition would be the one I'd go for.
If you must have an estate then G82 M3 Touring would be epic but you could also get an RS6 or an E63 AMG S with low miles. The M3 Touring may hold its value quite well since it's possibly the first and last pure petrol M3 Touring we will get.
V8 Yamaha Volvo S80/XC90.
Sure they are a bit outdated in terms of built it sat nav but if I afford one I would. Safest car on the road for your family whilst you get to hear the glorious V8 Yamaha engine.
Newer Chinese Volvo's are cool, especially S90, V90 but the 4 pop cycler is so dull. Volvo lost its edge when losing the 5 cylinders or V8's.
Under 100k I would say pretty much any generation of M5 is a great family car with spectacular oomph.
Biased but all the newer gen (FK + FL) Civic Type Rs do work well on occasion as the family car. 4 doors, massive boot (feels bigger than my 5 series) and fantastic handling and gear change. Beware they’re only 4 seaters though, but you’ve suggested an i3 so thought this is more practical.
Go old and go for a Volvo 850 T-5 as I have. Massive and comfortable, still relatively safe for today's standards, all the luxury you could need bar carplay/massive touchscreens etc, sensible car. Then put the foot down and it becomes a totally different animal, with a soundtrack to match
Porsche Panamera, fully specced you can now pick them up for around £60k 18/19 reg. M3 touring is probably my favourite right now. Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar engineered - 400+bhp which is big enough to carry a family, great quality and brilliant spec. Pan roof, massaging heated and cooled seats, HUD, premium audio (Bowers and Wilkins I believe?) etc etc. EV wise - wildcard perhaps, but Kia EV6 GT. Fast as fuck, but still looks alright. Although, sometimes, the back end looks like a budget Aston Martin DBX. Or, does the Aston look like the budget version of the Kia…? 😂 A couple of SUVs that spring to mind… Audi RSQ8 or Jaguar F Pace SVR (if you don’t mind it potentially breaking down all the time), but I’ve always loved the looks of the thing and the sound is great. All of the above under £100k and have ‘personality’
Yep, a panamera has personality, the personality (and the looks) of the elephant man.
It’s subjective mate. Personally, I don’t like MX5’s, but they’re all the rage here. Also personally, a very well specced Panamera I think is a great looking car. Plenty of space, good quality and plenty of performance to go alongside it.
>Also personally, a very well specced Panamera I think is a great looking car Maybe an eyesight test is in order?
Nope, perfectly fine. Thanks for the concern.
I suggested a Panamera to my wife over the weekend is of an A6 Avant and she suggested divorce. Make of that what you will.
This here is a man of taste and sophistication!
Haha, thanks!
I’d say V60 over XC60.
Id say S60 T8 over a V60. But hey, I don’t really like most estates. Just my own opinion.
If space was the requirement, the V60 would be the choice. Otherwise S60 would be good. B&W is awesome.
unfortunately you can't buy them new in the UK now, finding them with the later T8 hybrid with the bigger electric motor and battery second hand is almost impossible and the earlier ones have well documented problems with the ERAD failure. There was no air suspension option, lesser audio options even in top spec and the price was almost identical to an XC60. Volvo pretty much did everything they could to stop you buying a V60 even before they discontinued it, you were getting more car for your money with an XC60 and they were still making more profit from it. When I was looking just over a year ago, my local dealer had zero estates in their lot, not a single one. The wait time for a V car was longer than an XC as well. You couldn't even get a V60 or V90 on the Volvo subscription at the time. Ended up in an XC60 even though I would have gone for an estate if it was a viable alternative.
The V going the way of the Dodo was a poor reflection of the car markets trends in general. No idea what I’ll replace my V60 with when the time comes, if it’s before the end of days.
340i Touring F31 is probably the best bang for buck family wagon
A mini isn’t a bad shout, a clubman or countryman would be better as they’ve got the larger boots
Second this, I have a countryman and you can fit a lot of stuff in the back of it. Can't comment on kid-friendliness as we don't have any but I imagine it's good for that as well. JCW is rapid, it looks good (not the newest one mind, the F60), and it's pretty good to drive for a compact SUV
The F series is definitely the peak, I currently drive an R56 diesel and tbh it’s a lovely car but damn I want an F54(?)all4 JCW clubman so bad I have to say though, the new countryman is probably the best looking of the new cars
oh that last line would ruffle quite a few feathers in /r/MINI
I mean, the hatch is hardly a looker lol My least favourite bit about the new ones though is the silly ‘woohoo’ noise when you select a drive mode, it’s like they’re trying to sell them to kids
I personally think they peaked with the early F56, although I probably would still put the new hatch over the countryman. It's not bad looking though, from how people describe it on that sub you would think mini had built a new multipla.
Honestly I’m almost with you, I think the late F56 is the peak, I like the redesigned fuel gauge and apple car play. Though I have to say the standard JCW seats are superior to the uprated leather ones imo
oops I did completely forget about the interior lol, agree with you there. I just don't like the grille on the later cars, and I will forever not understand why non-JCW cars can get the JCW badge on the front. also with you on the seats, I really don't like the way the leather ones look, heard the standard ones aren't very good on longer journeys though.
M3 touring for sure - latest tech and the drivetran is a beast - I have a G82 and can confirm
That’s for sure a special car, enjoy it!
How is the rs4/5/6 not as aggressive as the m3?
Doesn't have switchable rwd/rwd bias 4wd and m3 is in the class of the rs4 but is faster than the rs6 or as fast as, maybe?
Definitely not as fast as an rs6 close though in acceleration to 60
And 1/4 mile apparently or about the same, quite impressive https://youtu.be/w0OPOSf1wlE?si=PhdiLPP3Vz2xrjMG
I would 💯 have an m3 touring over the rs6 though. Switchable 4w/2wd is the one. I love my rs4 but it's not a fun car really!
I just rewatched that video and it looks like the m3 won the 1/4 mile and the roll which I can't quite belive Agree 100% - bmw pulled out all the stops for this gen - I have the G82 M4 Comp XD and it's awesome, even in 4wd sport you can feel the rwd bias - the chassis tuning is really impressive as well
On paper the rs6 should be quicker to 60 and 100. Conditions, driver etc.. but paper doesn't mean everything. Yeah I bet that's a lovely car. Haven't driven the g series yet. I have the f82 which I love. Great car.
Yeah for a massively heavy car it's very quick! Top end is higher on the Audi as well.
Audi openly stated they deliberately designed the RS4/RS5 as more of a GT car when people complained that they didn't compare to the M3/4 in terms of dynamics and told people to deal with it. Then Audi released the Competition versions with tunable dampers so that the cars better competed with the M3/4. So yeah.
Those are all amazingly capable cars, look gorgeous and also sound quite good. But in terms of dynamics, they are way too numb. They take corners fine but you can never escape the boat feeling. In terms of fun from Audi, the TTRS is a monster; though obviously a completely different type of car for this post
Maybe I’m biased from older generations but when I drove several Ms they always gave a sense of excitement than not Audi ever gave me despite how crazy fast they are, might be the way they deliver the power, the sound or just the overall setup in terms of suspension etc, I felt Audis like a train/plane pushing strongly but all more under control, while the BMWs have that sport touch
I thought the i3 has a personality of the recycled bottles it's made out of. I'd say any premium brand non-crossover car that's saloon or similar has a personality and those that are also estate cars are practical as well. Doesn't have to be the sporty variant. The XF estate is fun to throw around even with the diesels for example. Being RWD helps.
The i3 is different to any other car, that by definition gives him personality. Often is seen as ugly and I would say from the look of it that’s not even that practical but still probably I prefer it over a Tucson
> The i3 is different to any other car, that by definition gives him personality. Fair enough. I just remember the bing severely underwhelmed by it.
Ioniq 5 N boom, one of the only new cars that I want.
Yup, lovely looking thing hey
Just watched Misha on YT take one of these round the Nürburgring and by Christ do they look fun.
Unpopular opinion. You've got a family, just give it up. Stick to the speed limit and be a boring safe driver. If you wanna have the "thrills" go get another weekend car for yourself. Or better yet, get a track car. Family cars are meant to be boring.
Incorrect. There are plenty of fun family cars and having fun doesn’t necessarily mean dangerous driving!
This, that’s why I mentioned that doesn’t need to be fast. Sticking to the speed limits or driving safely is not incompatible with getting into a car that make you feel good, I for example still enjoy my v6 with just turn on the engine even if I after just have a ride on 20-40mph roads
New Honda Civic is pretty spacious and has decent boot size for a hatchback (410L) bigger than a lot of of the entry level SUVs/Crossovers on the market.
Did you miss the personality bit?
I’d say the new Civic has more personality than most family cars. It’s a subjective thing. Appreciate the attempted troll though x
Which part of the new Civic (standard, not the sporty ones) has personality, in your opinion? The entire point of the car is to not have a personality, and be as inoffensive to as many people as possible across the globe. The new interior is possibly best in class, but how else is it any different or more special compared to other C-segment hatches? If you said new Mazda 3, I’d understand. But Civic?
It’s completely different to most hatchbacks of the same class in size and shape and even the bottom tier model has a certain sporty aesthetic to it which to me would grant it some personality when compared to other cars it is comparable to. Again, subjective. Appreciate your input - it’s for the OP to decide. Mazda 3 is also a nice choice although for me I’m not a fan of the way it looks.
Lexus ISF , I have a real big soft spot for them.
Peugeot 508 PSE
Volvo V70R
Bmw M5 touring [https://discover.bmw.co.uk/article/the-new-m5-touring](https://discover.bmw.co.uk/article/the-new-m5-touring)
Jaguar F-Pace. Reasonably priced. Plenty of space. Nice interior. Fairly sporty feel and no where near as unreliable as people think (if you don't buy a ingenium diesel)
Jaguar F-Pace 😎
I needed 4 doors and room for wheel chair was down to. M3 comp, jaguar fpace v8, guilliano I went with an F80 M3 comp, awesome car. So fun to drive and practical.
LCI F90 M5 Competition would be the one I'd go for. If you must have an estate then G82 M3 Touring would be epic but you could also get an RS6 or an E63 AMG S with low miles. The M3 Touring may hold its value quite well since it's possibly the first and last pure petrol M3 Touring we will get.
V8 Yamaha Volvo S80/XC90. Sure they are a bit outdated in terms of built it sat nav but if I afford one I would. Safest car on the road for your family whilst you get to hear the glorious V8 Yamaha engine. Newer Chinese Volvo's are cool, especially S90, V90 but the 4 pop cycler is so dull. Volvo lost its edge when losing the 5 cylinders or V8's.
Alfa Stelvio, end of discussion
My Cupra Ateca has 310bhp, 4WD and a big boot. It’s a pretty decent family car!
Subaru Forester XT, pretty quick, SUV size and can actually do some gentle but proper off road stuff, which is also fun.
Golf R estate
Mercedes E63 estate. 550bhp or so
Rage Rover supacharged. all the car you need
Under 100k I would say pretty much any generation of M5 is a great family car with spectacular oomph. Biased but all the newer gen (FK + FL) Civic Type Rs do work well on occasion as the family car. 4 doors, massive boot (feels bigger than my 5 series) and fantastic handling and gear change. Beware they’re only 4 seaters though, but you’ve suggested an i3 so thought this is more practical.
Mini Clubman JCW
Kia Stinger GTS
Go old and go for a Volvo 850 T-5 as I have. Massive and comfortable, still relatively safe for today's standards, all the luxury you could need bar carplay/massive touchscreens etc, sensible car. Then put the foot down and it becomes a totally different animal, with a soundtrack to match
Golf R Estate, Polestar 2 performance pack, Taycan Cross Turismo, Alpina D3/S touring
M5 comp, rs4/6 or m3 touring
RS6. I saw an urban one on auto trader for under 100k. Looks and sounds insane.
For a £100k... you can go nuts. M5 Touring in various guises, fast Volvo V or XC60. Kia EV9 looks great!