Need a Family Wagon - Slim pickins out there...

LeonV said:

@nimblemotorsports I did see that and it tickled my fancy! With the I-know-it-won't-work-for-us-but-what-a-deal thoughts clouting my mind, I mentioned it to a Volvo friend of mine and the enthusiasm quickly waned. Apparently it's just a heavier, dressed-up Ford Focus with a cheapo interior... :\

Did he mean the Ford Focus RS with the T5 as 'just a ford"?    That would make a Miata "just a Ford" too when they owned Mazda?    :)

As the Chinese bought Volvo in 2012ish, now Volvo cars are Chinese!   The C30 was the last of the Fords.

"British Tuner Cranks 340 hp, 397 lb-ft from Ford Focus RS's Volvo T5"

https://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?124397-British-Tuner-Cranks-340-hp-397-lb-ft-from-Ford-Focus-RS-s-Volvo-T5

In reply to nimblemotorsports :

The V50 may be great but I think it's just too small for us. Seems like a cool combo with the 6-speed, AWD, and T5!

My buddy also worked as a vehicle engineer at Volvo for a couple decades so I tend to put some weight on his comments. :) I don't think he meant that it wasn't great just because it was a Ford but because it had compromises built into it which he didn't like. He does praise the latest cars, especially the V90.

If modernity and performance are important, what about an X1 35i? An alternate-universe E91 with N55 firepower sounds pretty sweet. Less boaty than an E61 too.

In reply to G_Body_Man :

I didn't realize the X1 came with the N55! Those are sweet motors. Otherwise, I have heard not very good things about the X1. It's also a crossover thing which I hate with a passion.

Planning to check out an XC70 soon, we'll see if it's a fit. In my head, it's a great blend of Subaru practicality with German feel. We'll see how it is in execution.

FYI: The newest X1s are build on a FWD platform (compared to the prior-gen RWD platform).  A buddy of mine's SWMBWO "upgraded" to the newer one and was disappointed with the driving dynamics.   

In reply to Hoondavan :

What's she disapointed with?  My wife's 2017 (F54) Mini Cooper Clubman is the same UKL platform as the 2015 up (F48) BMW X1.  We love the chassis dynamics of the car, it's nickname is 'Squirrel on crack' for its fun chuckability.  

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

He wasn't too specific, maybe he just liked the RWD bias of the older one?  She may have opted for  FWD version instead of AWD. I didn't realize they were the same platform. To that point, I know someone else who takes his clubman to track days...so a test drive would certainly help in all scenarios.

LeonV said:

 

@Adrian_Thompson I wish you luck sir! Let us know how it goes.

 

well we're here. 1080 miles. 16.1 average mpg, 57mph trip average (when engine was running) with cruise set at 75mph for hundreds of miles at at time. Comfort was better than an Edge or similar as the front seats are the most comfortable I've ever had and the rear seats are actual genuine seats rather than a flat plank with a cover like so many smaller SUV's or CUV's. That was with three people in the back, my 5 year old grandson in a booster seat in the middle of the back row. 
 

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

Nice!

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

Well done, I love it! Hard to beat a stylish Volvo wagon as a family-hauler.

To update, we had a busy Saturday checking out cars. We took a detailed look at three in one day to get a really solid comparison: a '13 Volvo XC70 T6, '15 Outback 3.6R with all the fixins, and a '13 E350 wagon. I'm hopeful that our wagon sourcing is wrapping up this week but I won't speak too soon.

@cmcgregor here's an interesting fid from today that's too small for us. Not sure what you're requirements are but figured I'd pass it on: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/menlo-park-2011-bmw-328xi-sport-pkg/7081167724.html

Darn it! I missed out on this beauty: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2013-mercedes-benz-e350-4matic-wagon/

To make a long story short, my order of preference after driving the three cars was:

1) E350 Wagon

2) XC70 T6

3) Outback 3.6R

The Outback out-handles the XC70 but the Volvo does everything else better. The E350 does everything better than the other two (okay, the steering feel is horrific -- but most things are better) but damn are they hard to find! @OjaiM5, funny you say about the E350 being bougie, my wife said the same thing. Initially, she was really against it because it made her uncomfortable how posh it was, that it just didn't feel like her. We had a long discussion and she ended up supportive of the Merc decision. Now that the BaT car is gone and the one I actually drove being a bit rough around the edges, I don't know how much longer I can hold out before we get the car she wants: the Volvo...

Awesome! I am glad you drove one. The other thing that is so impressive about the e350 wagon is the power. 302 hp and 7 speed with flappy shifters, yeehaw! Oh and great gas mileage as well.

When we first bought ours we went on a road trip and got caught in a snow storm, snow packed highway. It was either go 20mph behind the trucks spitting salt gravel  or go in the left lane at 65. I white knuckled it in the left lane and the 4matic was incredible. 

I have driven the mercedes e63s wagon as well - amazing