Is the brand new S3 sportback out of the question for being too small? Don't think it's far off the performance of the old RS3 and ticks every box on your list (I think). On paper also quite fuel efficient when driven by a granny.

 

Your right it's a tenth of a second , good cars nice room in back on fastback,

 

I would think the S3 only passes on the AWD criterion? I tend not to test many cars unless I really think I will buy, and the last thing I need is an Audi salesman telling me it is has incredible performance and behaving like a shiny suited tosser. I am a bit of a tightwad as could be expected from my adopted country of residence.

0-60 doesn't need to be quick, under 7 would be ample, 5-6 nicer but not if compromising ride quality, luxury, reliability etc as the criteria in the thread title are more important.

 

Is the AWD for high performance grip or light off road duties? Two very different criteria IMO.
I suspect the Nissan gives you all the performance you ever need so probably light off roading is needed?
I'd try an X3 with the 30d engine (don't think the 35d/40d unit is available?); quick, comfy, good at light off roading, tows well.
The new X5 is brilliant but you're stepping up the budget a lot.
Only other option is the A6 Allroad; 3.0tdi is quick, 3.0bitdi is very quick. Pretty handy off road.
The Forester is too slow as is any new Legacy.

 

X3 is available recently with 35d 313bhp engine.

 

Snow, ice and mud in winter. Some farm tracks but nothing any car can't handle except ice and snow. I live on a farm up a steep hill 150m asl and the snow can get deep quickly. The GTR on winter tyres would be fine, but the ground clearance is a poor so on unpacked snow it would plough, it is still a bit nice and 20" spare rims and accompanying tyres aren't cheap. The wife's Golf on Goodyear winter tyres is good but nowhere near as good as AWD + winters in deep snow where the Golf will run out of traction but the Legacy will plough through and push snow over the bonnet and jam the wipers. A bit more ground clearance might be good, but this was an extreme. I don't think a FWD biased AWD would cut it, but I don't need diff locks or low ratio box. Hill descent might be nice as I have a 2 mile stretch of untreated hilly single track road which is about 1 in 4 gradient.

 

Petrol Evoque?!

 

A6 all road, q5, x3

 

Good call, was thinking the same as I read the functional requirements

(Well nearly the same - TDI freelander - but then I am a cheapskate)

 

I know two people who have bought Evoques. One rejected it on the day he collected it due to electrical problems. Just too many JLR problems otherwise a RR would be lovely.

 

Do diesel particulate filters regenerate in brisk twisty road driving with lots of acceleration and braking or do they need steady cruise?

 

I know they're not perfect, but we've had ours for nearly 12 months now and there have been no problems at all.

 

Like you my sister has had her Evoque Dynamic 12 months in March and had no problems at all.

Nik.

 

Some diesels can regenerate their particulate filter on a 15mintute 30mph cruise. For example, I've had cases where a regeneration cycle completed in urban driving before I had chance to get to the dual carriageway to take the car for a run. One was a Audi A4 TDi the other was a BMW 520d, both of which had faults rectified which had originally caused the particulate filter to block up.

Obviously internet bullcrap will contridict this (i.e 50+mph on a motorway in 4th gear for half an hour etc). But from my personal experience of having to deal with troublesome particulate filters on a regular basis and having to rectify them, I can say with confidence that if there is nothing wrong with the car these wives tales are nothing more than just that, or, (and more likely) its is based people's experinces when driving a car with a underlying fault(s) that is causing particulate filter problems......

There are some pre-requisits to correct particulate filter regeneration. One is the engine thermostat (and EGR cooler thermostat, if fitted ) must be A1. As the engine must be allowed to get to operating temperature quickly and sustain it. Too cold and it won't regen. So obviously the car has to be driven harder and for longer to get to the correct operating temperature.

Another is the catalyst must be in A1 order, as that is the primary device used to get the exhaust gas up to temperature. If it doesn't get hot enough, you'll need to drive harder to get the temperature in the exhaust high enough. A good healthy cat will allow regeneration at relatively low engine speeds and load. One thats not so good will require the car to be driven harder and under more load.

Of course this is assuming there are no fault codes logged by the engine ECU as that can prevent regeneration altogether. And also the engine, its injectors, turbo, EGR etc are all healthy, as various components that are either malfunctioning or under performing and not logging any fault code can cause a smokey engine......apart from you don't see the smoke as the particulate filter traps it all. Meaning the particulate filter needs to be regenerated more often.


For example I recently had to deal with this on a SAAB 9-5TiD with a cracked intercooler, causing a slight overfueling situation (MAF was reading air that was escaping). This resulted in a engine that produced excessive black smoke. But it didn't smoke, instead it just kept blocking up the particulate filter meaning it had to frequently regenerate.

Obviously with regards to smokey diesels there is a issue if a diesel powered car is used too sedately it will clog up with soot via the EGR system. Regardless of it having a particulate filter or not. Thats not healthy for the engine, turbo any valves or flaps in the inlet tract. So there is some truth to the need of diesels requiring a Italian tune up (revved to the red line at full throttle in a highish gear) every once in a while.

 

Thanks.

 

I imagine they depreciate ridiculously quickly!

One of these tried very hard to do me in my MkV R32 on a sliproad the other day. Bear in mind the R32 is quick but not explosively so - it caught me by surprise but I despatched him with relative ease in the end. Nowhere near as fast as those supreme ******-wagons by Porsche or the big M BMWs.

An R32 might be worth considering if you're after something 4wd. They're not going to depreciate too heavily, and are also luxurious and largely mechanically sound.