Sporty family car - what's your preference

[nzer]

Hi all

As much as I love my TRD86 I actually don't know much about cars.

Looking at trading our Toyota Highlander and little Nissan Micra for one mid-sized family car. My kids are 9 and 6 so doesn't need to be too big yet.

Car will be my wife's daily drive so 99% of the time it will be used for school drop-off, groceries etc. Once a year we might use it to go away on holiday but we can borrow other family cars for that.

Here in New Zealand we mainly have JDM or European cars. USA cars are rare and expensive with LHD to RHD conversion. So limited to JDM or European.

Cars we have narrowed it down to are:

Lexus IS250 F Sport - new
Lexus IS350 Limited - used 2013 model (as new is too expensive)
Audi S3 - new
Audi A3 - new
VW Golf GTI - new
VW Golf R - new

Slight possibility is the Ford Focus ST but wife doesn't like Ford for some reason so struggling to get her to look at it.

Ruled out the Subaru WRX STI as wife decided she was ten years too old to drive one!

All of the options except the Lexus IS250 are pretty quick with the Audi S3 being the quickest at 0-100kph in 4.8s. Golf R I think is 4.9s. They will smoke me, in my TRD86, on the track - wife is pretty keen on that!

Cheapest is the Ford Focus ST and most expensive are the Lexus IS250 and the Audi S3. I won't go into dollars as that will cloud the issue given cars here in $NZ are far more expensive than in USA. Suffice to say the IS250 and Audi S3 are about 45% more expensive or almost 1 1/2 times the price.

What do you think?

[86-tundra]

I highly recommend the lexus IS series.

[Calum]

Originally Posted by nzer

Slight possibility is the Ford Focus ST but wife doesn't like Ford for some reason so struggling to get her to look at it.

I have a hammer specifically for working on fords, its a five pound head with a handle short enough to swing inside a vehicle. Don't get the ford.

[nzer]

Originally Posted by Calum

I have a hammer specifically for working on fords, its a five pound head with a handle short enough to swing inside a vehicle. Don't get the ford.

No, tell us what you really think LOL. Love it

[TylerLieberman]

My wife has a Focus ST. Just did the Cobb Stage 1 to it the other day. Pretty quick and people break necks when they hear it cause they don't expect that car to make that noise. It's a REALLY good car. My only complaint is the MyTouch stereo. It's a bit hesitant sometimes.

A WRX Hatchback is a good choice as well. I had a Stage 2+ '12 WRX that I got rid of for my FRS. Only reason I got rid of it was because I specifically wanted another RWD coupe. I still miss that car.

I never owned a GTI/Golf R but I've driven both. For everyday, they're pretty much the same. The Golf R has a little more grunt but that's about all you notice just driving around on the street. It comes down to whether you would rather get a FULLY LOADED GTI, or just a base Golf R for a couple $1,000USD more.

I've driven the IS250 & 350 as well. The 350 would be the only way I would go. The 250 F Sport is nice, but GHAAAD it's so slow. Granted, speed probably isn't a priority at all, but it's seriously slow. Like....Scion XB slow. All in all though, a good car and they'll last for years.

I've never driven an S3 but I have driven a B7 RS4 and the newer S4 and they were both fantastic cars. If the S3 is anything like them, I'd be all over it. Plus, the interiors on the new Audi's are amazing.

[BlueDubbinTDI]

GTI. easiest decision ever.

[serialk11r]

What about a used IS250? I personally love Lexus interiors, and the Toyota engines are less likely to take a crap on you. Is your wife okay with not being able to smoke your 86? :P

[vincent201089]

Gti
Is350 not 250
Speed 3
Wrx hathch
Ford st

They are all I like. Frs is a good car but for a family is no. I'm single so this car is all I need...but ~270whp is heaven. Lol

[NWFRS]

Lamborghini Espada.

[coyote]

Originally Posted by nzer

Lexus IS250 F Sport - new
Lexus IS350 Limited - used 2013 model (as new is too expensive)
Audi S3 - new
Audi A3 - new
VW Golf GTI - new
VW Golf R - new

What do you think?

All too small, come mainly as autos and the last 4 are essentially bum draggers (Haldex is crap AWD unless the car is rear engined).

Get a Liberty/Legacy wagon. First time you want to take a road trip, you'll thank me. End of thread.

[Nasty Sausage]

Since you're a kiwi, may I recommend the Lexus IS200 with the 6MT? I own a 2004 IS300 5MT here in the states and love it.

[Mr.Jay]

List is great but would scrap the R and the IS250 off the list for sure since for cost they dont delivery enough.

I say if its for your wife what does she plan to do with this car? I would vote the IS350 for a DD for sure.

[STJ]

Get a JZX110 Mark II IR-V, not too old and looks a hell lot of better than the Lexus IS. Furthermore it has a real engine (1JZ) and not that plastic covered 2GR!

[dem00n]

I'll let you know how it is when we get it in a few months.