AWD Estate options...

colino

It really depends on how often you need the awd capability. The Disco is still my favourite from your list, but the running costs and general quality for your budget are just to poor to make it a sensible all rounder. If you can find a straight Outback, you'll wonder why you ever drove anything else.

fivetide

If you decide to go a bit cheaper there is always the Jaguar X-Type Estate. AWD ones are harder to find but out there

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3554673.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3967454.htm

5t.

muckybutt

Im on my second Scoob Forester, lovely car, bullet proof on the outside and a great engine.

I have the 2.0L turbo on an 05 which if you give it welly all the time brings back about 25MPG as you would expect with it being an Impreza engine in it, treat her gently and she'll do 32MPG quite nicely.

Inside plenty of room, nice comfy heated seats, cruise control, auto air con, decent sterio system, the moon roof is huge compared to a normal sun roof.

Never had a problem getting anywhere in the beast, waded through floods over a foot deep, ploughed through snow drifts and up icy hills where beemers and mercs get stuck at the bottom :rotfl:

I can honestly say i'm a forester fan....does it show ?

malky39

you mention the octavia scout, but skoda also do a version of the octavia and the superb with 4x4 that look just like the nrmal version

bigjl

I had a Legacy, new 2004 on shape.

Had few issues with brakes which were sorted out under warranty, pad compound issues causing some noise.

Car never broke down, was legendary in the wet/snow.

Mine was a 2.0 single cam, only available on early ones, replaced by a dohc, the early one did much better mpg though, I got mid thirties out of an auto round London.

Steer clear of expensive Subaru dealers.

This is a diesel one with low miles and fully loaded.
http://www.cargiant.co.uk/Subaru/details-548431-Subaru.asp?viewtype=0

I would also recommend any of the 4wd Volvos, XC70, XC90, but they are pricey, they did a rare V50 T5 with 4wd, drove one years ago for a private AMbulance co doing some NHS999 sub contracting on the side in Kent.

Funnily enough one of those is now on eBay, 55 plate still in the livery, they were a Volvo special for the Ambulance Service but were found to be a little bit too fast and a bit juicy.

LAS has Volvo XC70's for Operation PLATO provided by the Home Office, very quick and only one has gone bang, they are D5's.

I would steer clear of an large SUV like a Discovery or Pathfinder, they are nice to drive but will give you low twenties even in diesel.

From what I have been told the XC90 will give low thirties.

The Legacy diesel estate will give high forties easily, maybe more driven sedately.

Llyllyll

Thanks again.

My list so far (with nothing discounted for any reason at the moment) is:

Audi A4 Quattro estate
Audi Allroad
Audi RS6
Honda CR-V, 2.2 CTDI
Hyundai ix35
Infiniti FX30d S Premium
Land Rover Discovery TDi
Land Rover Freelander
Mazda CX-7 2.2D Sport Tech Model
Mazda CX7 2.3 turbo
Mercedes-Benz G350 BlueTEC LWB
Nissan Navara 3.0 dCi V6 Outlaw Dcab
Nissan X-Trail 2.0 dCi Tekna
SAAB 9-3X Sport Wagon 2.0T XWD 5dr
Skoda Superb Estate 4x4
Subaru Forester
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Suzuki Grand Vitara SZ5
Vauxhall 4x4 Insignia Estate
Vauxhall Antara SE 2.2 CDTi
Volkswagen Amarok Highline 2.0BiTDI 4MOTION
Volkswagen Touareg Escape 3.0 V6 TDI
Volvo V60 D5 AWD Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC70
Volvo XC70 D3 AWD Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo XC90

and a few favourites at the moment (based on my original criteria) are the SAAB 9-3X Sport Wagon 2.0T XWD 5dr (but am a bit uncertain about what the news today about them concentrating on electric cars will mean for the future), Volvo XC50/60, or Subaru Legacy/Outback. Up there but slightly less favourite are the Skoda Superb Estate 4x4 and Vauxhall 4x4 Insignia Estate.

Now to suggest the idea to the good lady wife...

ventureuk

Llyllyll wrote: »

Thanks again.

My list so far (with nothing discounted for any reason at the moment) is:

Audi A4 Quattro estate
Audi Allroad
Audi RS6
Honda CR-V, 2.2 CTDI
Hyundai ix35
Infiniti FX30d S Premium
Land Rover Discovery TDi
Land Rover Freelander
Mazda CX-7 2.2D Sport Tech Model
Mazda CX7 2.3 turbo
Mercedes-Benz G350 BlueTEC LWB
Nissan Navara 3.0 dCi V6 Outlaw Dcab
Nissan X-Trail 2.0 dCi Tekna
SAAB 9-3X Sport Wagon 2.0T XWD 5dr
Skoda Superb Estate 4x4
Subaru Forester
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Suzuki Grand Vitara SZ5
Vauxhall 4x4 Insignia Estate
Vauxhall Antara SE 2.2 CDTi
Volkswagen Amarok Highline 2.0BiTDI 4MOTION
Volkswagen Touareg Escape 3.0 V6 TDI
Volvo V60 D5 AWD Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC70
Volvo XC70 D3 AWD Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo XC90

and a few favourites at the moment (based on my original criteria) are the SAAB 9-3X Sport Wagon 2.0T XWD 5dr (but am a bit uncertain about what the news today about them concentrating on electric cars will mean for the future), Volvo XC50/60, or Subaru Legacy/Outback. Up there but slightly less favourite are the Skoda Superb Estate 4x4 and Vauxhall 4x4 Insignia Estate.

Now to suggest the idea to the good lady wife...

That's quite a list, in a nutshell Saab have a new owner who are to produce hybrid and all electric vehicles the first being based on the 9-3. Saab parts are a separate company and all parts are currently available, they have to be for at least 10yrs after a vehicle produced in Europe has stopped being manufactured. In short purchasing a Saab is as safe as any other.

colino

Saab are as useful as the veritable Norweigan Blue, they were descending into rubbish (wobbly steering anyone) before their demise and are to be disregarded until proven differently for a very, very long time.

Llyllyll

Quite interested in a Honda CR-V now as well .

As I average 6k - 8k miles per year, would the initial premium of the diesel be offset by lower car tax, servicing costs and/or anything else or would it be wiser to look for a petrol model. Spec-wise, I think I'd want the ES.

Thanks.

ben80

How about an A6 quattro. Lovely cabin and great performance from the 3.0 TDI. It's got 230bhp and does 35mpg. Though if you can cope with less space, get the same engine in the A4 and get closer to 45mpg... my friend has it in his A4 saloon and it's a brilliant engine. Lovely and smooth, very torquey and not too bad on fuel.