Ian has been driving older, smaller, sporty cars for a while. Now that a kiddo will be joining the household, he wants something more family-friendly that can accommodate a car seat, luggage, and three dogs. With a budget of around $60,000, what car should he buy?
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Here is the scenario.
Hi! Thank you so much for your column. We love reading it when we see it come up. We’re hoping for some expert advice… My wife and I have three dogs, and a baby on the way. I have always enjoyed small, sporty-ish cars (owned so far: 1989 BMW 325i… wish I had kept it, 2008 mini cooper s… wish I never bought it, 1999 merc clk430… long story, cool car in a country club kind of way though. Currently own: 2019 Subaru WRX base model, 1980 Porsche 911sc, wife owns a 2020 Ford Ranger Lariat). I need something to use as a daily driver, that we can also take up to our cabin about 90 minutes away every few weeks. It needs to fit my wife, me, 3 medium sized dogs, a new baby, and all the baggage, etc. I would like a “fun” car to drive, but if I’m giving up fun, I would shoot for more gadgety, comfortable, luxury. Obviously safety and kid-friendly features are the top priority, but I hope there’s a way to blend in some of my love for cars, engineering, and driving into the decision.
I’m overwhelmed with choices and here our the findings so far, most of the smaller wagons like the Outback, V60, and Allroad are too small. I like the E400 wagon but the wife doesn’t want something that “fancy.” I’d be open to something like a Bronco but I don’t know if that’s good for families…just trying to keep an open mind. Looking to spend no more than $60k
Quick Facts:
Budget: $60,000
Location: Oakland, California
Daily Driver: Yes
Wants: Room for the family and the pups, safety, tech
Doesn’t want: Something too boring
Expert 1: Tom McParland – Sporty And Fancy But Not Too Much
Moving from “fun car” to “kid car” can be a tough transition. Your priorities shift from maximum engagement to minimizing the stress of traveling with kids. One of the big mistakes people make when buying a family car is not test driving with the car seat to make sure both parents are comfortable once that rear-facing car seat is in place. Obviously, if you are going for a minivan that’s probably not a concern, but for anything in that compact to mid-size zone you want to check the fit.
I wanted to recommend a Porsche Cayenne as that would certainly check the fun-family car box, but my gut says if the Mercedes is “too fancy” I don’t think the Porsche would get the approval. My next best choice would be the Mazda CX-90. You will get all the creature comforts, tech, and safety gear you would expect from a three-row crossover with just a dash of performance and a slightly sportier style. Under the hood is a 3.3-liter turbocharged straight six (you don’t find too many straight sixes anymore) that makes a respectable 340 horsepower in the S models. Fully loaded examples have an MSRP of about $59,000. I would recommend you grab a lightly used one like this Mazda Certified 2024 with less than 8,000 miles for around $40,000, then use the savings to start that college fund.
Expert 2: Bradley Brownell – Don’t Be A Coward
You have a generous $60,000 budget, don’t waste it on a boring crossover. You have an opportunity to be the coolest dad in your neighborhood, so why wouldn’t you? Just over a decade ago Cadillac made the coolest family hauler in history, and you can just go buy one on the used market right now. The incredible CTS-V Wagon is kind of a rarity, but with a 556 horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V8 you can kind of see why. There’s plenty of room in this long-roof for a family and their dogs, but it’ll also haul ass if you are brave enough to keep your throttle foot down.
It’s fancy, but not as fancy as a new Mercedes. It’s pretty in an angular way that cars aren’t anymore. It’s fast and fun, and can handle a track day or two if you want, but still plush and lux enough for a family road trip. Don’t even bother looking at anything else, because this is the only answer for you. You can get this nice low-mile (42,172 miles) example inside your budget right now on eBay with a $58,977 buy it now price. Do it, you know you want to.
Expert TK: Owen Bellwood – For The Sporty Family
Ian, I’ll admit that I’m a little jealous that Brad beat me to suggesting a hot Cadillac wagon, but with $60,000 to spend on a fun family hauler you have a lot of great options. Thankfully, most of these options are cars I think about on an almost daily basis: sporty wagons.
The sporty wagon is the perfect car for you, as it lets you keep the fun driving style you know and love, while also offering up space for those pups and all the baby paraphernalia you could ever need. My first choice was to suggest a Porsche Taycan, as there are some great offers to be had on the Sport and Cross Turismo models, and this one in Texas even comes under budget… but it’s a 26-hour drive away.
So unless you fancy a road trip, I think you should treat yourself to something really “fancy” and just get a Mercedes. Specifically, you should get this Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG wagon as it’s the perfect car for you. Luggage space in the back, check. Safety tech to give you peace of mind, check. Luxurious interior for those 90-minute drives to the cabin, check. Oh, and it’s also got a AMG V8 under the hood that kicks out 577 hp and will get you to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Treat yourself to a little fancy, Ian.
