New exec car choice - BMW, Audi, Merc...?

GloopyJon

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Hi all, I've read some threads here on similar topics so I know there are some knowledgeable peeps out there in AV-land.

I currently have an Alfa Romeo Giulietta, which has been a great little car. I bought it when they had just come out and have had no problems with it (apart from an intermittently fuzzy speaker). It's the 1.4l Multiair engine, 163 bhp IIRC although I rarely put it in Dynamic mode to take full advantage of the engine. It's now 4.5 years old and although it's perfectly ok and I thought I'd keep it until it was about 7 years old, I've recently been tempted by looking at all of the new models from the big brands. IMO it's a very exciting time for new cars, with great new engines and other technology appearing.

This will be a company purchase...it's my own, one-man company (contracting), so (a) a new car is not too unreasonable a proposition, and (b) I have a free choice with no lists or budgets involved apart from my self-imposed ones. I live in Belgium so prices are in Euros and not entirely comparable to UK prices so it's hard to give a figure, but at this stage I'm thinking that my budget will be around €40k (including VAT and after dealer discounts). To justify this outlay, and because I don't do a lot of miles (around 8,000 a year), I'd be looking to keep this car for longer than the Giulietta, probably around 8 years.

We have recently got a second dog, so although they are small (see my avatar! :)) it would still be nice to have a bit more room in the back for them. Hence I'm looking at either another hatchback with a larger boot (closer to 500 litres than 400), or an estate. Other than the dogs, rear space isn't a big issue since my kids are grown and are rarely in the car, it's mostly just one or two of us and the dogs.

This is already getting long so I'll continue in a separate post!
 
NB my questions - the reasons for creating this thread - are in bold in this post.

So you know the background. If I change cars, I want something that I'm really going to enjoy and feel that it's a really nice car. I've had a scout around, and snobbish as it sounds, I've concluded that this means focusing on the premium brands and forgetting anything like Ford, Peugeot, Citroen, Kia, Hyundai et al. VW would be on the borderline, but still probably just below - we have a VW dealer about 100m from the house so I had a look at the Golf and Passat estates. They are very good, just not exciting.

Therefore my current shortlist of manufacturers includes BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and (possibly) Volvo. Alfa Romeo would be on the list but sadly they don't have a car that fits my criteria. Are there any others that I should include?

My current shortlist of cars includes the following models, but I'm certainly interested in any other suggestions for something that would fit the bill:
  • BMW - 2 series Active Tourer, 3 series Touring, X1
  • Audi - A4 Avant, possibly Q3
  • Mercedes-Benz - Class B Sports Tourer, possibly a C class estate (not too keen in principle)
  • Jaguar - the XE looks wonderful, I just wish there was an estate version of it!
  • Volvo - V40
Regarding the engine, I want something that isn't sluggish and will cruise comfortably at fairly high speeds (in Germany), but I've had my share of speeding tickets and I don't want too much temptation under my right foot. I reckon that 150-200 bhp is plenty, and I'd probably err more towards the lower end of that range rather than the higher end (also for tax reasons). We want an automatic (more for my girlfriend, who has knee problems).

On the options, since we both use the car regularly (albeit mostly for short journeys, usually taking the dogs out for walkies!), I definitely want electric front seats with memory (at least the driver's seat). I also want a sprinkling of new tech - decent screen for the satnav / entertainment system, parking detectors and I reckon a rear-view camera would be very useful. Some of the active displays look very nice but I'd have to see them in real life. Not sure about other extras like HUD, sexy headlights, leather seats (we'd cover the rear seats for the dogs anyway), sunroof, upgraded suspension etc - what sort of options do you guys reckon are worth lashing out on?

That's about it for now, but probably more questions will crop up in the discussion! For info, I'd probably be ordering a car around December/January if I decide not to wait an extra couple of years, so I've got plenty of time.

Over to you! :smashin:
 
I would add CLA Shooting Brake 220 d AMG Sport to the list.
 
I would add CLA Shooting Brake 220 d AMG Sport to the list.
Nice suggestion, I've had a look at it and it looks very smart but it has a very high loading lip for the boot, and a small opening, which I think would eliminate it. That's a detail I didn't mention before (my posts were already too long!). My gf has a Ninebot which she regularly has to lift in and out of the boot, so easy access to the boot is essential.

Otherwise, it's in the right price range so it was a good shout :) I'll look out for it anyway when we go to the Mercedes dealer (we might be doing a quick tour this weekend).

Keep the ideas coming! :thumbsup: And don't forget that I'm keen to hear which options you all think are worth the extra cash.
 
The new Alfa 3/A4/C competitor can't be far away?
I noticed they had a display of them at Goodwood.
 
You mean the Giulia? That would certainly be on the list but I don't think they are doing an estate version of it to start with. If I decide to wait a couple more years, then I'd hope that there would be a Giulia estate and a Jaguar XE estate, and both of those would be high on my shortlist.
 
I know you said exec brands but i'll throw a curve ball in anyway, I have a Seat Leon ST FR 184 DSG and its a great car, tons of room, plenty of fun and you could probably add a lot of extra specs and still come in at a good price

That aside though, my neighbour has just recently picked up a 2 series and I have to say it looks really smart, he traded in a VW Passat DSG estate for it, the VW was barely 2 years old and he's certainly enjoying the BMW more. They have 2 kids and a dog and it seems to have plenty of room for them
 
In truth, my gf is more of a brand snob than me :) and I know that you can get a fully loaded car from Seat or Skoda etc which are really nice. I looked on the Seat website and configured a Leon ST, and it came in a lot cheaper than the others (about €37k compared to c. €46k for Audi/BMW) so it's certainly worth considering.

At the end of the day, though, the more premium brands do tend to have better quality finishings in the cabin particularly, and that's what you see when you're sitting in the car. It's a tough choice, and there are pros and cons either way.
 
Sorry to butt in but is Honda allowable? The civic tourer is a sexy car with the right colour/accessories
All suggestions are welcome! :) I like out-of-the-box thinking (to use a cliché but nvm)...

Will have a look at the Honda website.
 
In truth, my gf is more of a brand snob than me :) and I know that you can get a fully loaded car from Seat or Skoda etc which are really nice. I looked on the Seat website and configured a Leon ST, and it came in a lot cheaper than the others (about €37k compared to c. €46k for Audi/BMW) so it's certainly worth considering.

At the end of the day, though, the more premium brands do tend to have better quality finishings in the cabin particularly, and that's what you see when you're sitting in the car. It's a tough choice, and there are pros and cons either way.


Believe me, my wife is a right brand snob! I was very keen on the Skoda VRS on my last choice but it got vetoed instantly, she really liked the Seat though, perhaps at the very least it maybe worth a look at one in the flesh as you may be surprised at the quality of it.

Good luck :)
 
I had a look at the Honda website. The Civic tourer looks great in many ways, especially a hugely practical boot with a very low loading lip, which would be excellent.

I know it seems like a minor detail, but they don't appear to have an electrically adjustable driver's seat, and from a practical perspective that's actually very important for us. Roughly half of the times that I use the car, I have to make big adjustments to the seat (I can hardly even get into the car when it's set up for her!) and so the electric seat with memory is a sine qua non.

First world problems, eh? :laugh:
 
We've been looking at Estates and SUV's lately and while things like the Octavia, Leon, Qashqai, Tucson are all very well quipped and solidly built the finish and quality isn't quite up there with BMW, Merc and Audi. Its the little things that make the German brands that little bit better.
The latest gen Octavia is a massive step up from the last but I still wouldn't consider it an Exec car.
 
Yeah, I have to say that's very much my impression too, which is why I think I'll end up with one of the German brands. I don't want to make a choice without considering all of the alternatives, though, which is the point of this thread.
 
Maybe a C-Class with the AMG Line Premium Plus trim. In terms of features, it should have a lot of what you want. Screen with nav, reversing camera, leather seats, agility (now called dymanic) select to change comfort modes.
 
I've got a Q3. Lovely car, comfortable, quiet and very well screwed together. Just me, the wife and a very pretty Cocker Spaniel, so size wise it's perfect. Boot isn't the biggest in it's class but will have plenty of room for two Westies. If you have a cage for the dogs then it will almost certainly have to be bespoke because of the rake of the rear screen. Our Cocker loves the boot as it is with just a Hatchbag boot protector. With the high roof line it seems bigger on the inside than it really is and is light and airy. The new facelifted model comes with the really comfortable sport seats as standard which I had to pay extra for. Like most Audis is you value comfort go for SE suspension.

Last week the Q3 was in for a service and my courtesy car was an A4 Allroad Avant Quattro. What a lovely car, with just 400 miles on the clock it was whisper quiet on the motorway and had a terrific driving position. Boot was much bigger than the Q3. Only downside I found with this particular car was that although it had leather seats they did not have the adjustment and comfort of the seats in my Q3. It really is a lovely car but at £36k it's not worth the extra over a Skoda Octavia VRS estate, which I test drove last year. I would take the VRS over the A4, but would and did prefer the Q3 over both. All the above cars had the version of the excellent DSG auto box.
 
The C class and the Audis are all on the list. I hadn't really noticed the Q3 until yesterday, I think - is the boot larger than an A3's? The A3 is, I think, very similar in size to the Giulietta (= BMW 1 series = standard Golf etc etc) and I think the boot in those cars is cramped for two dogs.

If the price isn't too much of a factor, @gibbsy, do you still prefer the Q3 to the A4 Avant? If so, why?

We don't have a cage for the dogs; mostly they go on the back seats (with a seat protector) but if we had an estate they'd probably go in the boot. Now that there are two of them they are happier to stay in the back; when it was just Yoda (on the left), he always wanted to come in the front with us and sit on our laps.
 
If you're even considering a Q3, you'd be certifiably mad not to look at the Evoque.
The base Evoque isn't much more expensive than the base Q3.
Yet the Evoque comes with leather as standard on all models, extra on the Audi.
 
I was wondering if anyone was going to mention the Evoque :)

I haven't looked into it yet but I will do, despite being certifiably mad :confused:
 
Evoque was going to be my next company car, if I hadn't opted out.
The prices have crept up in the two years since I looked, but £30200 for the base model 5-door diesel still seems pretty reasonable to me.
Especially when it comes with standard equipment others would charge you extra for (leather/heated seats/interior mood lighting etc.etc.)
 
I just took a look on the Landrover website, and I'm impressed by the Evoque. I'll definitely add it to the list of dealers to visit at the weekend. Not sure if it has the electric seats with memory, so that's a point to follow up.
 
Memory seats are certainly available on the Evoque, but maybe an extra cost option.
 
I guess you have 'thunk-iness' as your interior quality benchmark? Audi interior aesthetics certainly isn't going to win any awards (apart from 'most shades of grey').

In terms of boot size litres can be very misleading. If you do go and look at the Civic Tourer then have a look at a Honda Insight while you're there. They have relatively small boots litres-wise but they're long and flat instead of tall and short like on cars such as the Giulietta which are likely to be much more dog friendly. I'm not suggesting them as an option, although they may be, just to give you an idea of what 400L can look like.

Did you have a look at the Sharan while you were at the VW Garage? With top spec seats, sunroof and the 6 seater pack that's a car with a nice relaxed feel to it. They've just facelifted it too so gone is the abysmal VW Group Satnav of yore and it should be easy to find them at dealers now. Although there might be too much room for a couple of small dogs with the 6 seat pack and the 5/7 seater may be better.

I'd also look at it's contemporaries, the Espace and the Galaxy/S-Max. Sadly the Espace isn't coming to the UK and I haven't had a chance to look at the new Galaxy yet so I can't speak from personal experience on either model, but the top of the range MPVs have traditionally been much nicer than the Scenic/Zafira/Picasso/C-max etc. You may find the same for crossovers too, I found Nissan's X-trail to be in a completely different league to the Qashqai - as you'd expect from a £30k car really.

Renault Belgique also appear to offer the drop dead gorgeous Laguna Coupe and their new large Talisman estate in Belgium, two other models that aren't available in the UK (although the Coupe used to be).

Skoda's Superb is another one from VW group that's worth a look as it's got a slightly warmer cabin than the Passat. Well, the old one did. There's a new one in the process of launching.

The DS 5 has a very nice interior, and a dog friendly-shaped boot.

If you like rugged-looking interiors (embossing etc.) you could look at the new Jeep Renegade which is probably Fiat's best interior since the very popular 500. That's a car with a short, tall boot so it may be a little on the small side for the dogs though.

Have you looked at the bigger german cars? The 5-series is due to be replaced in a year or two so there are some pretty big discounts on that, especially the less popular Gran Turismo model. You can pick up a 520d GT in the best SE trim (comfiest wheels with sunroof & automatic gearbox as standard) for under £30k (about €40k) after discounts. It's 180hp, but it's also a heavier car than most so power to weight should be where you want it.

Volvo's S80/V70 is also getting big discounts as an outgoing model. It's a different character to the V40/V60 though, a comfy cruiser with big thickly padded seats rather than the more sporty design of the smaller cars.

The Mazda 6 is worth a look, good interior and nice to drive.
 
Subaru levorg or outlander for go anywhere grip

They're great in bad weather and very reliable

I had a 55 plate legacy, sold it to a guy who had it 5 years on top of my two , in 7 years all its had is tyres and servicing.

Levorg - Vehicles - Subaru Uk

Some cars don't look right with men driving them, mini, juke, evoke are 3 I wouldn't drive
 
Not many suggestions I'd class as 'executive' in the posts above!
Not saying they're bad cars, but they're not executive either.
 

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