Motorway commuting car recommendations

wyx087

wyx087

Suspended / Banned
Messages
3,209
Edit My Images
Yes
Any recommendations for a good motorway cruiser? I commute 60 miles a day, from N London to my workplace in Luton. Spending over 1:30 in the car every day, around 1 hour of which are spent on the motorway.


Things I want in my new car, in order:
1- Safety! Safety is top priority with so many drivers not paying attention these days.
2- Comfort. Not a lot of noise on the motorway, comfortable cabin
2.5- Central Armrest. I'm not a tall guy, so need armrest to be built further forward.
3- Adaptive cruise control, preferably down to full stop
4- Bluetooth music and calls. I listen to audiobooks while commuting.
5- Family sized car with 5 doors. The other reason I'm changing cars.
6- Lane assist, preferably actively pulls you back
7- Parking sensor, only need rear
8- Good looking, most European cars looks good. Not a huge fan of Japanese cars, especially don't like look of Prius or any Toyota.
9- Fast enough to pull into a gap and not hold people up
10- Good automatic gears with touch shifts, paddle shift would also be nice to have.
11- Diesel? Hybrid?


Budget is around £20k, new or second hand, must be within 3 years old. Can stretch to £27k if buying new.


Car history
Currently I drive a Merc C class coupe, comfortable and fast enough to overtake without p***ing off the person behind. I really like the car, but main reason I'm looking to change is to prepare for family life, starting in the next few years. So no rush in buying...... yet. ;)

Before that, I've had both versions of Volvo S40. Trusty and well spec'd Mk1 was killed off by a drunk driver while peacefully parked on the street. The replacement Mk2 only stayed with me for a month, it is the base car, don't even have a trip computer! I gave it to my parents and used their horrible 1007 to part-ex and buy my current coupe.


Hybrids. Love the idea of those! Love the idea of braking energy is turned into accelerating energy. But most European hybrids cars are still not yet ready or too expensive. Any good looking Japanese cars that's worth a look? (I personally think Toyato's look terrible and lacks charm)

The car I want at the moment is the Volvo V60 hybrid, but it's quite a bit outside my price range at £60k new and no second hand around.



One more question: Is it worth waiting a year or two for hybrids to mature and become affordable? As well as active lane assist and perhaps more automations?
 
First thing that shouts out is volvo? (apart from point 8!)
 
Lynton said:
First thing that shouts out is volvo? (apart from point 8!)
Click to expand...
however google might be your best friend to narrow down...
 
Volvo V40, V60.
3 series
C class
A4
Golf/Passat

are all on my list, in that order.

I'm just looking for opinions and perhaps cars I've missed out. Especially hybrid options.
 
ive been thoroughly impressed with my Golf Plus (kinda halfway between a Golf and a Touran). solid build, the model i have pulls and handles well, good spec options.

ive got an older 05 GT TDI but they're knocking out new ones at £24k.
 
The S80 idea is interesting, but every time I look inside that generation of Volvos, I feel disappointed. Everything feels like a bad Ikea collection.

Is it me or does the Golf Plus looks like a freshly baked bread? Although I'm looking for a family sized car, I would still much prefer a sportier looking saloon, estate at most.
 
BMW 5 Series ActiveHybrid? Something like this?

Excellent motorway car, spacious, lots of toys, 300+ bhp and 45+ mpg. Plus £135 tax.

They're a bit scarce but a few more low mileage used examples have been coming on to the market more recently.
 
Spuff said:
BMW 5 Series ActiveHybrid? Something like this?

Excellent motorway car, spacious, lots of toys, 300+ bhp and 45+ mpg. Plus £135 tax.

They're a bit scarce but a few more low mileage used examples have been coming on to the market more recently.
Click to expand...

That looks great inside and out, looks like actually something I want to drive.

Thanks, I'll have to keep an eye out for those.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ST4
wuyanxu said:
The S80 idea is interesting, but every time I look inside that generation of Volvos, I feel disappointed. Everything feels like a bad Ikea collection.

Is it me or does the Golf Plus looks like a freshly baked bread? Although I'm looking for a family sized car, I would still much prefer a sportier looking saloon, estate at most.
Click to expand...

I quite like them. Proper barges. Not as upscale as a German car of the same size but used a lot cheaper. Reliable too. The 5 sounds nicer though, it is nicer but dearer to buy
 
Current generation of Volvo looks better, at least in photos. The S40 mk2 felt so far apart from my previous fully spec'd mk1, I just don't feel like driving it. I suspect Volvo adjusted its lineup while moving from mk1 to mk2.


Am I asking a little too much? executive saloons are known to be expensive, should I settle for likes of Golf/1 series/V40? But for that amount of money, I don't want to settle, I want to enjoy driving (or relax using ACC)
 
The BMW is a 4 door though, by 5 door I thought you meant a hatchback?
The BMW also may be above your budget for a 2-3 year old car.

Quietest car I have owned for motorway driving was an Audi A4 SLine diesel. No need to turn the radio up :)

Depending on the model I think the A4 would cover most of your requirements. Central armrest, comfortable, cruise control (on the SE I think), Bluetooth, flappy paddles on some models and very safe - loads of air bags and if you get a quattro version 4 wheel drive!
If you do go for a used Audi try to get one with the Electric Auto Pack (lights/wipers etc) and the Bose Audio upgrade (that's very good)

I do about 70-90 miles a day and could easily get 50+ mpg with climate control on and not trying to drive economically.
 
I'm on my 3rd A4 and found them to be completely reliable. Current model (2.0 TDI 177PS) easily does 50+mpg and plenty of power when required. A light right foot can deliver 60mpg, if you're not in a rush!

I'm not a car enthusiast, so can't comment on the finer points - it just does what is required.

Good sized boot too.

Chris
 
I'm a VW Golf fan although I have a Scirocco at the moment which I'm enjoying. A while ago I said to a car long time car dealer friend of mine was a good car to buy these days and he said "they're all good", I think just choose one you like.

I would give a big thumbs up for VAG's DSG gearbox though, it's very good indeed but costly if it went wrong I would imagine :eek:
 
Last edited:
I do on average 600 - 700 miles a week in my passat it's big quick and comfortable,
 
Last edited:
I would definitely recommend a better second hand car over a new one. Yes, both will depreciate but a 20 grand 3 year old will keep far more of its value over the next 3 years than a 20 grand new car will.

I'm still extremely pleased with the XF. Extremely comfortable, more than civilised and has made driving a pleasure again rather than the chore it was becoming. Over 40 MPG at motorway speeds. Not needed any work other than tyres and tracking in the 2 years I've had it. The 2.2 litre versions is IMO a little underpowered but that's probably more because I'm used to the 3 litre's performance than an actual lack of oomph from the smaller engine, although the smaller lump does definitely hunt for the right gear more than the 3 litre with the same 8 speed box. Sportbrake (estate) version available but possibly a bit over budget at the moment. 2.2 is more economical, naturally! (MPG above is real life, calculated between brimmings. Mine's a 3 litre Diesel and the non S version.)
 
Golf GT Tdi. I am more than happy with mine and it has everything that you are looking for. I do a fair bit of mileage and have put 24000 on the new one I bought last October. Can't fault it at all.

Chris
 
All these cars (Golf, Passat, XF, A4) buying used are models released around 2010, do they have newer technologies such as lane assist and complete full stop from ACC?

Recent Mazda's does look pretty good, more European curves, less Japanese boxiness. I'll add those to my list of cars to look out for.
 
Any old VAG with the bullet proof 1.9tdi engine. I had an old B5.5 passat (2004 model) and it was amazing on motorways and never missed a beat upto 200k miles, I had it from 17k. Also with pre 2006 diesel cars you don't have to worry about getting a clogged DPF or keeping your engine in top condition for it to perform a DPF regeneration (when the car cleans the DPF, but there's a lot of strict criteria that has to be met). If your DPF get's clogged they are £1000+ just to buy, then you have fitting costs.

I now have a BMW 530D m sport and the first thing I did was gut out the DPF and get it remapped. It's comfy and considering the power it has (300bhp and 600nm) I can still manage over 50mpg. Although this is not advised for current MOT laws and done at your own risk.

Edit: Although saying that if you are buying low millage and fairly new you don't have to worry about the DPF, especially with doing 60miles each way, that's plenty time for the car to perform a regeneration for the DPF...if you buy a diesel that is.
 
Last edited:
wuyanxu said:
All these cars (Golf, Passat, XF, A4) buying used are models released around 2010, do they have newer technologies such as lane assist and complete full stop from ACC?

Recent Mazda's does look pretty good, more European curves, less Japanese boxiness. I'll add those to my list of cars to look out for.
Click to expand...

Do you need lane assist and active cruise control. It's not hard to steer or brake a car.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the likes of Skoda Superb, Ford Mondeo and spending a lot less than the £20k.

I'd recommend a large car, A6, 5srries, E class, Lexus GS, XF, s80, superb, Mondeo as being a suitable car
 
ST4 said:
Do you need lane assist and active cruise control. It's not hard to steer or brake a car.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the likes of Skoda Superb, Ford Mondeo and spending a lot less than the £20k.

I'd recommend a large car, A6, 5srries, E class, Lexus GS, XF, s80, superb, Mondeo as being a suitable car
Click to expand...

Can't go wrong with any of them. I've moved from loads of previous VAG cars to BMW now, but still sticking with the bigger models. Can't beat floating over motorways in a big comfy car (y)
 
  • Like
Reactions: ST4
ST4 said:
Do you need lane assist and active cruise control. It's not hard to steer or brake a car.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the likes of Skoda Superb, Ford Mondeo and spending a lot less than the £20k.

I'd recommend a large car, A6, 5srries, E class, Lexus GS, XF, s80, superb, Mondeo as being a suitable car
Click to expand...

Lane assist is something nice to have, like a guardien looking after you, ensure you don't drift into another lane.

ACC is a must. During rush hours, there's too many cars on the motorway to actually use cruise control. Although I do love driving, keeping a safe distance to the car in front is mindless and boring, more suitable for a computer to do.





So a diesel car seems more favourable compared to a hybrid?



Any recommendations for a honest north London dealer? I live in N11.


Thanks for all your comments so far, hugely helpful.
 
wuyanxu said:
Lane assist is something nice to have, like a guardien looking after you, ensure you don't drift into another lane.
.
Click to expand...

Sadly if you think like that, and drive accordingly, you are going to crash :(
 
Have to agree with viv, if your prone to lane drifting then your not really paying attention.
To me that is a luxury you dont really need
 
stupar said:
To me that is a luxury you dont really need
Click to expand...

and more errors to pop up on the dash when something goes wrong. My bmw is loaded with all sorts of neat technology, I hardly ever use any of them though and they were just a bonus when I bought it, I didn't go out looking for all the extras. Although I must admit the assisted headlights are pretty damn smart with the way they move the beam to avoid dazzling other drivers even with main beam on, but I still prefer the old fashioned way of turning main beam off with oncoming traffic.

With cruise control you very rarely get to use it unless the roads are dead. How often do you actually follow someone who is staying at the exact speed all the time.
 
Last edited:
diverting the topic slightly, you wonder how they coped in the 70's when you had a manual car with 4 on the floor, no cruise control, no lane assist blah blah.

I'm all for technological advances when it comes to motoring but to me things like active cruise control and lane assist are just an excuse to create a lazy driver who in the event of an accident would say it was the cars fault! Purely my own thoughts and some what over egged example but you get the point - "sorry officer it was the ACC's fault" :lol:.

Maybe it's just me and the fact that I like to be in control of a car rather than just an accessory to the drive
 
viv1969 said:
Sadly if you think like that, and drive accordingly, you are going to crash
Click to expand...
What's with the negative attitude towards safety features? They are like insurance, you don't buy them intending to use them, but it doesn't hurt to have it.
I would actually prefer to have those new auto braking features on new Volvo and VW. But unfortunately I don't think current 2-3 year old cars will have it.


CaveDweller said:
With cruise control you very rarely get to use it unless the roads are dead. How often do you actually follow someone who is staying at the exact speed all the time.
Click to expand...
That's why I see adaptive cruise control to be much more useful than normal CC, hence in my list of features.
 
stupar said:
diverting the topic slightly, you wonder how they coped in the 70's when you had a manual car with 4 on the floor, no cruise control, no lane assist blah blah.

I'm all for technological advances when it comes to motoring but to me things like active cruise control and lane assist are just an excuse to create a lazy driver who in the event of an accident would say it was the cars fault! Purely my own thoughts and some what over egged example but you get the point - "sorry officer it was the ACC's fault" :LOL:.

Maybe it's just me and the fact that I like to be in control of a car rather than just an accessory to the drive
Click to expand...

To me, the ideal future would be full automation on the motorway. Motorway driving is the most boring, pointless driving experience, there's no excitement, there's no feel of power and everything can be done by the computer. Accident argument is always raised with automation, but with all cars become automated, there won't be any accidents. :D

But we are not there yet, the best we could do is ACC with lane assist. The driver is still in control, hence liability. Only difference is the safety-net lane assist offers and the pointless task of distance keeping taken care of by radars.
 
I very rarely use the CC in my car - I use the speed limiter instead. Set it to the legal limit (or thereabouts) and it doesn't let you go over the set limit (unless going downhill) until you override it with the cancel button or by kicking down.

Lane assist is something I wouldn't want - surely it leads drivers into a sense of false security and wakes them up when they screw up? I prefer to concentrate on the job in hand and that includes making steering adjustments to stay in the lane. Similarly the automatic braking systems - leave a decent gap to allow safe braking. Besides, IIRC, when a couple (Volvo and Mercedes) of manufacturers demonstrated their systems, the test cars ploughed into the back of the truck they were supposed to avoid hitting...
 
wuyanxu said:
What's with the negative attitude towards safety features? .
Click to expand...

I don't have a negative attitude to safety features.
I do have a negative attitude to drivers who drive reliant on them...thus treating them as "a guardian looking after you" (your words).
You can either drive proficiently or you can't. No amount of safety features will help that.
 
Nod said:
I very rarely use the CC in my car - I use the speed limiter instead. Set it to the legal limit (or thereabouts) and it doesn't let you go over the set limit (unless going downhill) until you override it with the cancel button or by kicking down.

Lane assist is something I wouldn't want - surely it leads drivers into a sense of false security and wakes them up when they screw up? I prefer to concentrate on the job in hand and that includes making steering adjustments to stay in the lane. Similarly the automatic braking systems - leave a decent gap to allow safe braking. Besides, IIRC, when a couple (Volvo and Mercedes) of manufacturers demonstrated their systems, the test cars ploughed into the back of the truck they were supposed to avoid hitting...
Click to expand...

Ha, I remember seeing those video, that's over 10 years ago though.

Problem with leaving a larger than usual 2s gap (my preferred way of driving) means other drivers cut in and cause me to take action. Those actions can be taken by a computer much smoother and faster.

To me, upper speed limit is only really useful when driving in town, where it's easy to go over the 30mph speed limit.

viv1969 said:
I don't have a negative attitude to safety features.
I do have a negative attitude to drivers who drive reliant on them...thus treating them as "a guardian looking after you" (your words).
You can either drive proficiently or you can't. No amount of safety features will help that.
Click to expand...

We probably have a different understanding how a guardian works. The version I'm thinking of is similar to an insurance policy, it's there but I do hope I don't need it.

Think when you were learning to walk, you try your best to walk. The giant hands are there not to hold you up, but to protect you as you fall down. It's there to make the fall less painful, it's there to protect, not to be reliant upon.

I don't want lane assist to be my swim ring, it is meant to be used as a life jacket.
 
wuyanxu said:
Ha, I remember seeing those video, that's over 10 years ago though.

Problem with leaving a larger than usual 2s gap (my preferred way of driving) means other drivers cut in and cause me to take action. Those actions can be taken by a computer much smoother and faster.

To me, upper speed limit is only really useful when driving in town, where it's easy to go over the 30mph speed limit.



We probably have a different understanding how a guardian works. The version I'm thinking of is similar to an insurance policy, it's there but I do hope I don't need it.

Think when you were learning to walk, you try your best to walk. The giant hands are there not to hold you up, but to protect you as you fall down. It's there to make the fall less painful, it's there to protect, not to be reliant upon.

I don't want lane assist to be my swim ring, it is meant to be used as a life jacket.
Click to expand...

Just had my weeks worth of metaphors (y)
 
I've done 20,000 miles this year in a Mk3 53-plate diesel Mondeo and think it's a great commuting car. You can obviously get somehting newer and better but it's a +1 from me for the Mondy...
 
stumeech said:
I've done 20,000 miles this year in a Mk3 53-plate diesel Mondeo and think it's a great commuting car. You can obviously get somehting newer and better but it's a +1 from me for the Mondy...
Click to expand...

They're great cars for the money. Reliable too. I was in a 59reg one in Rome. Over half a mil km all hard other than buggered shocks it was mint inside and out and in original motor.

Mercedes E class quality for Golf money. Tempting
 
Lease a brand new Vw Golf R and add lane assist to it. Fantastic car and with automatic cruise control and front assist and in combination with lane assist it is impossible to crash. Heck you can post on this forum whilst driving and the car will do it for you if you get an automatic version. It is also fast, very fast and economical and has awd.

Very very very cheap to lease as well.
 
dejongj said:
Lease a brand new Vw Golf R and add lane assist to it. Fantastic car and with automatic cruise control and front assist and in combination with lane assist it is impossible to crash. Heck you can post on this forum whilst driving and the car will do it for you if you get an automatic version. It is also fast, very fast and economical and has awd.

Very very very cheap to lease as well.
Click to expand...

I heard £150pm from Specialist cars VW Aberdeen. Couldn't believe it myself. Golfs are nice cars, but I'd want something a bit more bargey for the motorway and less performance based. Think A6 diesel ultra or something...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top