Used Car Hunter: comfy and reliable estate cars for £15,000
Our Car Hunter has £15,000 for a safe, reliable and comfy estate car, so here are three options
Dear Auto Express, I’m looking to replace my 2012 Audi A4 Avant with a used estate of similar size and quality. What can I get for £10k-£15k? - Name withheld on request, via E-mail
Although SUVs are so often the first choice for those needing a safe, practical family car, there are several other feasible options, one of which is the estate car. This week, we’ve been asked to hunt out a replacement for a reader’s 200,000-mile, 2012 Audi A4 Avant, because he has a baby coming.
With a budget of between £10,000 and £15,000, the most obvious choice would simply be to purchase a newer, lower-mileage A4 Avant – after all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Of course, the Audi has plenty of premium and well matched rivals to choose from, one of which is the BMW 3 Series Touring which is equally as well equipped on the inside and plenty of fun to drive.
The Kia Optima Sportswagon isn’t as premium as the Audi or BMW, but with strong reliability and a long warranty, it could be a smart choice.
Audi A4 Avant - the obvious choice
- For: Comfortable and refined, spacious rear seats
- Against: Not as sporty as 3 Series, top end of budget
The Audi A4 Avant is set up more for comfort and refinement than it is for a sporty feel, but in spite of this the steering is accurate, if a little lacking in feel compared with the BMW. There’s not much lean in the corners, either.
The A4 may not be as exciting to drive as the 3 Series, but its ride is excellent as long as you avoid S line models, or those with large wheels. For just shy of £15,000, you can purchase a 17-plate Audi A4 Avant 1.4 TFSI automatic (150bhp, 50.4mpg, 0-60mph in 8.9 seconds) in S Line trim and with 58,183 miles showing.
The A4 Avant’s interior is finished to a very high standard, with the materials used throughout the cabin being of noticeably high quality. The touchscreen infotainment system is clear and easy to use, while the front seats are highly adjustable. The rear seats are also very much up to scratch, offering plenty of headroom and legroom. There’s a number of handy interior storage spaces dotted about the cabin, while the boot capacity is more than adequate: you get 495 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,495 litres with them folded down flat, which is virtually identical to the BMW.
BMW 3 Series Touring - the sporty choice
- For: Sporty drive, comfortable, good driving position
- Against: Rear-seat space isn’t the best in this company
The BMW 3 Series Touring feels sportier than its rivals in this test; it’s direct and agile, without going too far. The brakes feel particularly powerful and the 3 Series is also a master of motorway cruising.
It doesn’t just handle well, though; its ride is as smooth as that of the A4 Avant, making the BMW an impressive family car. An automatic BMW 320d Touring (184bhp, 60.1mpg, 0-60mph in 7.6 seconds) on a 64 plate and with 35,150 miles racked up will set you back £14,500.
The 3 Series Touring’s cabin is impeccably designed. All the controls are logically laid out and the driving position is excellent. Not only is it nice and easy to get comfortable behind the wheel, but the iDrive infotainment control is very intuitive and the system itself is great, too. Although the front seats of the 3 Series Touring are hard to fault, rear-seat space isn’t quite as ample as it is in the A4, so while two people can get comfortable, three would be a bit of a push. Boot capacity is par for the course at 495 litres, expanding to a fairly impressive total of 1,500 litres if the rear seats are folded down flat.
Used BMW 3 Series Touring deals
Kia Optima SW - the bargain choice
- For: Affordable, long warranty, comfortable, well made
- Against: Not as sharp to drive as the BMW or Audi
With two premium options on the table, it’s worth noting the virtues of a more affordable alternative. The Kia Optima Sportswagon isn’t as engaging to drive as the BMW or even the Audi, but it’s still very well made, refined and comfortable. Crucially, this car came with a seven-year warranty when new, so you can realistically get a used example with around a years left of cover still to go.
An Optima Sportswagon 1.6 CRDi automatic (134 bhp, 52.3mpg, 0-60mph in 11.4 seconds) in 3 trim, on a 19 plate and with just short of 39,070 miles can be bought for £14,249.
The Optima’s interior is the least plush here, but it’s far from spartan. The dashboard is nicely laid out and everything feels well put together. It’s also worth noting that Kia’s infotainment system is a gem, because it looks smart and couldn’t be easier to use. Practicality is a particularly strong area for the Optima Sportswagon. There’s easily space in the rear seats for two passengers, but a raised middle seat means a third likely wouldn’t be happy on a long trip.
Where the Optima beats both the Audi and BMW is boot space, because it offers 552 litres with the rear seats in place. And if you fold them down, this expands to a fantastic 1,686 litres, a figure that can’t be matched by either of the premium German cars.
Used Kia Optima Sportwagen deals
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