I have a six-year-old Volvo XC70, but it’s getting on in kilometres and I’d like to trade it in for something nicer. I work as a lawyer in Toronto but live in the country and do most of my commuting by train, but with trips to courthouses across Southern Ontario. My partner and I have three large dogs. I prefer a station wagon but will consider an SUV, and it needs to be comfortable for travel to dog shows in Ontario and for our summer road trip to Nova Scotia. A 4x4 would be amazing but otherwise AWD is needed for highway driving in winter. I like the new Maserati Levante – we both love all things Italian – but that’s probably too pricey. I don’t like German cars. Can you suggest something with style that would be practical and comfortable for $70,000-$80,000? – Dermot, Toronto
Richardson: Oooh – this is a toughie. You want a premium and stylish wagon, but you don’t want anything German? They’re probably your only choice, from BMW and Audi, and the only wagon from Mercedes is the $77,000 E-Class. That will go over budget as soon as you add anything, such as tax.
Subaru and Volvo probably make the best wagons, but only the Volvo has any real style and you’re looking for something nicer. It’s too bad there’s no Alfa Romeo Giulia Sportwagon over here and never will be, because you’re the only person outside of Europe who wants a wagon.
So you should think about an SUV – get used to it. I’d suggest the remarkable Volvo XC90, which gives you 400 litres more space and a nicer interior than your wagon, and which is more up to date. It’s remarkable because of the cutting-edge, anti-crash technology that helps keeps you safe. It lists for $61,300, which means you’re out the door after taxes and all for about $71,500 – right on budget with room for some extras.
Leeder: Agreed on SUV, Mark. Let’s dispense with this wagon nightmare. Before we move on, my eyes are still burning from reading that Dermot has crossed German cars off the list. Dermot, we need to talk. I’m making puppy dog eyes at you. Step away from this ledge we’re about to go off. And for just a quick minute, I want you to open your mind to this: Things have come a long way since you bought your old Volvo. A loooong way. Especially German things. You’ve got to consider Audi’s Q7.
Newly redesigned, when I saw this baby last year in Switzerland I wondered how to explain that it’s an SUV and not, in fact, a wagon. It’s low-slung, a pleasure to drive, has lots of space for the dogs and exudes comfortable luxury. No starkness here, friend. And the price tag is in your wheelhouse: The entry model, a 3.0-litre TFSI quattro, with 333 horsepower, rings up at $73,600 with fees and all taxes, including HST. That means we could go up a trim package, add fancier seats or bigger wheels and still squeak in underbudget.
Richardson: I dunno – Dermot doesn’t want a German car, probably because everyone (and their dog) seems to have one. He wants something more exclusive, so if he really wants to move on from Volvo, which he shouldn’t, I’d say that leaves either the new Jaguar F-Pace or the Lexus RX 350.
The Lexus has a more colourful interior and it’s fairly low to the ground, but has only three-quarters the cargo capacity of his Volvo XC70. That might be an issue. The Jaguar definitely has prestige and is down by only 300 litres of extra space in the back from the XC70.
The Lexus is tried and true and the brand’s bestseller; the basic model has a list price of $54,350, which means he can load it up with extras, pay all the taxes and drive away for the low-to-mid $70,000s. The dogs might be cramped, but he won’t be. The Jaguar is too new to know how it’ll last, but it’s lovely to drive and lists for $54,900. It’s even available with a diesel engine for $4,000 less, which will slash the fuel bill to Nova Scotia. Try them both, but the established Lexus will be the safer bet when it comes to resale.
Leeder: My only worry with both of those are with the slope of the rear window – if the dogs need to be crated, there could be a space crunch. Otherwise, my vote goes for the Lexus: proven, smooth and there’s a hybrid option.
What car should you buy? Write to Jessica Leeder and Mark Richardson at globedrive@globeandmail.com.