Hmmmm. FWD hot hatch v. AWD luxury.

"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535) 01/08/2017 at 01:02 • Filed to: None

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My wife seems to be fading in enthusiasm for the old German lifestyle now that winter is here. Sounds like she wants to shop for replacements for our wagon and let me reclaim the 535i. She wants something newer than 2007, with good space(~25 cu ft seats up, or 55 seats down), automatic, unique/cool and this should be our go to reliable vehicle. No RWD. Bonus if it looks acceptable with a roof rack. Double bonus if we can catch some sleep in it in a pinch.

She may take the reigns on shopping herself(which I’d be fine with) but I think two of the leading contenders should be:

2015-16 GTI

2010-12 Cadillac CTS Wagon

The amount of cargo space between the two is not actually that different. The GTI would be more expensive but we’d tack one more year on the loan to keep the payments similar.

If she likes these suggestions, I’ll be interested to hear what she prefers. I’ve driven a couple of Audi A3s and always really liked them, especially the DSG, and for whatever reason the GTI seems to be immune to typical VW reliability woes. However, I have a feeling the misses will be more of a CTS person. And that would be just fine with me.

Open to feedback, but mostly thinking out loud.

MonkeePuzzle > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 01:08

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why not AWD hot hatch?

R :D

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 01:38

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4Runner. Because it makes more sense.

slipperysallylikespenguins > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 01:45

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I feel that the ability to “comfortably” sleep in a vehicle is an often overlooked search criteria.

GUYMANDUDE > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 01:47

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CTS wagon is always a good choice. Have you considered a Dodge Magnum AWD.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 01:57

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A Juke maybe?

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 02:39

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2010 or newer E-class wagon? You wouldn’t believe how reliable they are

jasmits > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 01/08/2017 at 03:08

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Can confirm, a second-gen 4Runner with the seats folded down and a backpacking mattress is actually quite a nice place to sleep 

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > slipperysallylikespenguins 01/08/2017 at 03:11

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Road trips, tent breaks, things happen... It’s not a bad feature for sure. The CTS seems more likely to be sleep able. The GTIs seats don’t fold flat and it’s probably too short.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > MonkeePuzzle 01/08/2017 at 03:12

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Not opposed, except for price.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 03:29

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What about FX? Or EX if looking for something smaller?

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 05:10

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The GTI is a great do-it-all; I’ve used it to drive 850 km in a day, as well as to blast through the Alps, and it’s equally good at both. Not really practical to sleep in though.

MustangSally06GT > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 08:31

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I think she’s Cadillac lady and would be styling in the CTS. Sleeping in most cars would be difficult, unless you are my size. I slept in the hatch portion of my 89 escort, but I am 4'10", lol.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 09:39

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What about a Forester XT? These behave more like a wagon than most crossovers. I’ve slept in my 2.5i many many times. Seats don’t fold totally flat but are close and comfortable enough for me to sleep on. Alternatively, the 6-cylinder Outback is also pretty quick... but expensive.

twochevrons > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 11:21

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I’ve got a ‘15 GTI, if it helps, here are some of my thoughts on it:

Build quality seems decent; aside from a rattle from the sunroof and an issue with the auto-close function (fixed under warranty), it’s been trouble free. I’ve got the leather seats, and they’re very comfortable.

Mine has the manual transmission, but I’ve driven a friend’s DSG-equipped GTI and it seems very, very competent. I’d definitely take a DSG over a torque-converter automatic.

Get one with the lighting package. Even just from an aesthetic standpoint, the HID lights make a big improvement, and if you’re doing any nighttime driving at all, having your headlights follow your steering is a life-changing experience.

There’s definitely not enough room to sleep comfortably in the back, though it is possible to get a mostly-flat load area – the load floor can be put at two levels, one that gives you a bit more height, or you can sacrifice height for a flat floor when the seats are down.

The infotainment systems in ‘16 and onward cars have integration with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Not sure how much this matters, and I can’t speak to VW’s implementation specifically, but I’ve used it in rental cars, and it’s really slick.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 11:41

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The only downside to the Cadillac is slightly worse gas mileage than the GTI but other than that, if you can get it cheaper than the GTI that’s a no brainer!

CTS wagon for sure

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > twochevrons 01/08/2017 at 11:55

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Good feedback. Thanks. I figured sleeping was a no go with the GTI.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 01/08/2017 at 11:57

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It’s on my radar. It’s more practical than the two I mentioned but foresters are everywhere and our current wagon has a CVT and we are both pretty tired of the drone.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 01/08/2017 at 11:58

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Yes, it checks most of the boxes. I think it would be a good fit for sure. Have to keep my eye out.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 01/08/2017 at 12:00

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I just did a quick CL search and there were only 2 in the area(w/in 100 miles) and they were both damn expensive. Look very nice though.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 12:11

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To be honest I have no idea what your two candidates are going for. I’ve seen the E’s down into the mid twenties, though. But hey, I hope you guys find something that fits your needs and make you happy!

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/08/2017 at 14:32

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Another vote for the Infiniti FX. Those things are shockingly awesome.