Need help picking a more fun winter ride. "Winter" is in inverted commas as a fair bit of the time the capri needs fixing and I'm too lazy to get it sorted form most/all of the summer, and end up using the "winter" car all year round. Last two years I've had a mk1 Honda CR-V. Not exciting, handles like a boat in a stormy sea. Really bored of it and want a change. Before that I had an MG ZR which was kind of fun, but not reliable - it exploded twice. So looking for suggestions (and inspiraction pics!) for something that ticks as many of these boxes as possible:
- Able to fit 4 adults in comfort (plenty of leg and head room in the back) pref 4 door.
- Not slow (doesn't need to be insanely fast, but a bit of go is a must)
- Decent handling (I miss being able to go around corners fairly quickly)
- Comfortable driving position - decent back support especially, the Honda seats are trash
- Not RWD (this scares me a little in bad weather conditions!) AWD/4WD would be nice, but will consider FWDs. Not too bothered whether auto/manual
- Up to £3k. Could be convinced to stretch to £5k for something really awesome
- Nothing too unreliable or high maintenance
- Nice looking. Something with some character
- Not an Audi or BMW
Doesn't necessarily *have* to be retro, although I'd happily skip some of those criteria (e.g. speed) for a really nice retro. Only possibilities I've been able to think of so far are:
Impreza - still a bit boy racery perhaps? Hopefully the early ones are old enough to have shed this image and now verging into "classic" territory? Wondered about a wagon instead as hopefully they're less likely to have been thrashed. Also think maybe the back would be a bit cramped?
Forester XT - This seems to tick all the boxes, although 175bhp in a car of that size doesn't seem like loads? Have ridden in one briefly, and seemed like it drove well.
Jaaaag X or S Type - Not all that keen on the way they look as standard, not sure how to modify to rectify
MG ZS or ZT - Not sure I want another MG again! It's not a k-series at least....
Alfa 159 - Limited room in the back seat maybe???
Sorry for rambling post, and possibly straying a little away from the "retro" side of things!
- Able to fit 4 adults in comfort (plenty of leg and head room in the back) pref 4 door.
- Not slow (doesn't need to be insanely fast, but a bit of go is a must)
- Decent handling (I miss being able to go around corners fairly quickly)
- Comfortable driving position - decent back support especially, the Honda seats are trash
- Not RWD (this scares me a little in bad weather conditions!) AWD/4WD would be nice, but will consider FWDs. Not too bothered whether auto/manual
- Up to £3k. Could be convinced to stretch to £5k for something really awesome
- Nothing too unreliable or high maintenance
- Nice looking. Something with some character
- Not an Audi or BMW
Doesn't necessarily *have* to be retro, although I'd happily skip some of those criteria (e.g. speed) for a really nice retro. Only possibilities I've been able to think of so far are:
Impreza - still a bit boy racery perhaps? Hopefully the early ones are old enough to have shed this image and now verging into "classic" territory? Wondered about a wagon instead as hopefully they're less likely to have been thrashed. Also think maybe the back would be a bit cramped?
Forester XT - This seems to tick all the boxes, although 175bhp in a car of that size doesn't seem like loads? Have ridden in one briefly, and seemed like it drove well.
Jaaaag X or S Type - Not all that keen on the way they look as standard, not sure how to modify to rectify
MG ZS or ZT - Not sure I want another MG again! It's not a k-series at least....
Alfa 159 - Limited room in the back seat maybe???
Sorry for rambling post, and possibly straying a little away from the "retro" side of things!
or a nicely modified TD5, always the v10 TDi Toureg 
I tried Status Moto but they never got back to me, so suspect they felt insulted by my low budget!!! (I think I said £4k to them)
