Need a daily driver recommendation
 

Hey all,

My 2007 GTI is in the shop again after stranding us on a road trip and it's time to think about shopping.

Here are my wants:
-Comparable size to the GTI
-4-door sedan or hatchback - no coupes
-Manual transmission if possible
-All-wheel drive would be great
-Handling/fun comparable to GTI
-2014 or newer, but prefer pre-owned to new
-~$30K or under

I don't particularly care about fuel economy as we don't drive a lot. I've driven a new Audi A3 and that's a contender, but no manual transmission :-(

Any ideas gratefully received!

Cheers

d.

Yep, Subby.

I had an 04 Outback Sport for 225k miles. Loved that car. The AWD system is terrific. MPG wasn't bad. Never had any problems with the car.

May be tough to find, but a beemer with x-drive?

GTI? Focus RS?

Focus RS is AWD.

Mazdaspeed 3 is a beast too.

easy. Golf R, 2013 misses your year by 1, but who cares, attainable for $25k, otherwise get a 1 year old one for 30ish

Mazda 3? Great car, by all accounts. Japanese reliability, fun to drive, C-segment hatchback like your VW. Or else, as others say, some flavor of 5-door Impreza if you really want AWD.

https://youtu.be/WWnAdB-vkXo

:)

Focus ST is just as practical and more fun than the GTI in my opinion.

Fiesta ST or Focus ST ?
newer GTI?
Mini Cooper/Clubman S?
Mazda 3?

BMW 2 or 3 series?

How much snow clearance do you need?

Subi

Our Outback has hands down been the best car I've ever owned. I'd get the smaller version (Impreza) in a heartbeat if I could do all my work activities with it. As it is, on a recent 1500 mile trip of hwy and some city we averaged 30mpg.

VW has jumped into the all wheel drive market with the Golf Alltrack.
If I wasn't spending my money I might like to try one.

I bought a 2007 Chevy HHR with auto and 2.4L engine 3 1/2 years ago and it is great. I needed room to carry my range box (Fat Max), muzzle loaders and associated cleaning rods and it has been great. Around town it gets 24 MPG and at 70 on the highway it gets 32 MPG. Very easy engine to work on although I have not had to do any thing except replace injectors, CAT and Monroe Quick Struts so up keep is not too bad. I paid $7,000 cash for it from a Marine being retired and going back to Arkansas.

A used Sub hatch or wagon would be top of my list. They pretty much invented the AWD category.