The CarExpert crew’s dream two-car garages

Typically you are feeling the urge to get a second automotive as a result of your day by day driver simply doesn’t scratch a specific itch.

It’s attainable to discover a automobile that provides practicality, fashion, pleasant dynamics, and an extended function checklist in a single well-rounded bundle, however what if you’d like one thing just a bit bit foolish? A enjoyable weekend toy, maybe, whereas your day by day is of the extra wise persuasion?

The typical new automotive transaction value in Australia is within the $40-50,000 vary, so what would you purchase if you happen to needed to decide two new automobiles with a value cap of $100,000 earlier than on-road prices?

The members of the CarExpert crew have answered that very query.

Tony Crawford

• Honda Civic Sort R: $72,600 drive-away
• Suzuki Jimny Lite: $30,490 earlier than on-roads

Nothing, and I do imply nothing, would come earlier than the Honda Civic Sort R – even when it meant I needed to accept a Specialised Turbo Levo e-MTB as my second mode of transport.

However then, the entry-model Suzuki Jimny Lite means I get to have the most effective sizzling hatch ever constructed, together with the most effective bang-for-buck off roader on the planet if we’re speaking new collection manufacturing fashions.

For people who may be beneath the idea I’ve damaged this week’s op-ed guidelines by exceeding the $100k cap with my very cool selection of the Civic Sort R and Jimny, I’ve been reliably knowledgeable by our in-house accountant (who owns a Sort R) that the earlier than on-roads value is $69,150.36. (Alright, I’ll let it slide this time – Ed)

MORE: Honda Civic offers
MORE: Suzuki Jimny offers

Scott Collie

• MG 4 Excite 51kWh: $38,990 earlier than on-roads
• Subaru BRZ S guide: $41,590 earlier than on-roads

I’ve erred on the smaller aspect with my storage, and have opted for 2 very totally different automobiles.

My day by day driver could be the MG 4, in base Excite 51kWh guise. Certain, the 350km of vary it presents gained’t get me to the moon and again, however it’s greater than sufficient to care for commuting and common day by day operating round.

The cabin of the 4 is easy however full featured, and the way in which it drives genuinely impressed me on a brief hop. Clean, quiet, and fast sufficient to embarrass the common heat hatchback off the road, I don’t know what extra you may need from a day by day driver.

I’ve gone utterly within the different course with my weekender. I actually needed a Honda Civic Sort R, however it wasn’t fairly inside finances so I’ve gone for the following smartest thing if you happen to’re a eager driver on a finances.

With extra torque and an developed chassis, the brand new Subaru BRZ fixes many of the flaws with the first-generation automotive with out undermining what made the automotive’s identify within the first place. I owned a first-generation automotive and adored it, so the formulation already has a maintain over me.

There are extra sensible sports activities automobiles, there are cheaper sports activities automobiles, and there are sooner sports activities automobiles on the market, however there are only a few sports activities automobiles so centered on making the motive force really feel good.

MORE: MG 4 offers
MORE: Subaru BRZ offers

Jade Credentino

• Isuzu MU-X LS-T 4×4: $65,990 drive-away
• Mazda 2 GT: $27,610 earlier than on-roads

My weekend automotive could be an Isuzu MU-X LS-T 4×4 which is at present on drive-away for $65,990. I’m torn between getting a black one or one in Mercury Silver.

For my day by day I would like one thing that’s sensible, economical and simple to park within the metropolis, therefore why I feel for the $34,000 I’ve left, the Mazda 2 is the most effective of the bunch. I’d take a high of the road GT within the new Air Stream blue which is $27,610 earlier than on-roads. With the cash I’ve left over I’d rig out my MU-X with some gear.

I can’t wait to get a two-car storage so I should buy a weekend automotive that I can discover Australia with. My day by day now barely will get used as it’s so I don’t suppose numerous area is important.

MORE: Isuzu MU-X offers
MORE: Mazda 2 offers

Jack Fast

• Subaru Outback AWD Sport XT: $52,190 earlier than on-road prices
• Volkswagen Polo GTI: $39,690 earlier than on-road prices

If I had a hypothetical $100k to spend on two brand-new automobiles, I feel I’d must go down the route of getting one tremendous comfortable freeway cruiser and a enjoyable, zippy on a regular basis automotive.

For my freeway cruiser I robotically know that I’d go for the Subaru Outback. By way of the variant, I’d go for the Outback AWD Sport XT with its 2.4-litre turbocharged flat-four engine.

I just lately reviewed the atmo Outback AWD Sport and thought it was the closest you’ll get to a sofa on wheels. Its naturally aspirated engine was nothing to cellphone house about, nevertheless the XT’s turbo engine fixes this gripe.

For my different automotive I’ve chosen the Volkswagen Polo GTI. At just below $40k earlier than on-roads, I feel it’s one of many efficiency bargains you may at present purchase in Australia.

I’m an enormous fan of the way it appears on the skin, thanks partially to the entrance LED mild bar. Inside, however, I’m choosing the Darkish Iron Gray Metallic gloss dashboard inlays as a result of the usual purple ones simply don’t look proper.

For the remainder of my $100k finances I’m going to make use of it to improve my storage setup and maybe purchase some high-quality cleansing merchandise.

MORE: Subaru Outback offers
MORE: Volkswagen Polo offers

William Stopford

• Subaru BRZ S guide: $41,590 earlier than on-roads
• Volkswagen Passat 162TSI Class: $57,790 earlier than on-roads

The pragmatist in me says the costliest automotive of the 2 ought to be the day by day driver, and the weekend toy ought to subsequently be the most cost effective. So no storage consisting of, say, a Mustang GT and an entry-level Puma, as tempting as which may be.

A base Subaru BRZ will get me the easy, rear-wheel drive, guide sports activities automotive I crave and leaves me with a good chunk of cash for a spacious, well-appointed second automotive.

That is the place the choice will get more durable. A Skoda Kodiaq 132TSI Model or Octavia RS with the choices I would like pushes previous our value cut-off, as does a Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid.

A Subaru Outback Touring XT appears a smart, succesful selection, however that was my justification for purchasing a Subaru Liberty wagon just a few years again and I ended up promoting it inside a 12 months (good automotive, simply not for me). I take pleasure in the way in which the Mazda CX-5 2.5T drives, however do I really need an SUV?

A Hyundai Sonata N Line or Toyota Camry SL could be pretty sedans to personal, however I’m going to be sensible and get a wagon – particularly, one of many final examples of the Volkswagen Passat 162TSI Class.

Certain, the Passat is a bit outdated and dreary and everyone on the highway will suppose I’m a plain-clothes detective. But it surely has the tools I would like (ventilated entrance seats, panoramic sunroof), in addition to poised dynamics and a spacious cabin.

Choosing the Passat additionally permits me to get the BRZ S with its heated entrance seats.

MORE: Subaru BRZ offers
MORE: Volkswagen Passat offers

James Wong

• Cupra Leon VZ: $53,490 earlier than on-road prices
• Hyundai Kona Hybrid Premium: $43,500 earlier than on-road prices

This genuinely took me ages, as a result of there are such a lot of totally different automobiles and mixtures that I might be taking a look at for $100,000. In my thoughts having one enjoyable possibility and one sensible possibility is the way in which to go, although having a component of effectivity and practicality in each continues to be necessary to me, as I’m fairly pragmatic and sooner or later when I’ve youngsters I’d nonetheless like to have the ability to cart round my mini-mes in whichever automotive I’ve within the storage.

The Cupra Leon VZ is a Golf GTI by one other identify, with some Spanish aptitude injected for added measure. It’s a discount in immediately’s market, given it packs a lot efficiency and customary tools for beneath $55,000 – plus it has fairly sharp drive-away pricing that has it in your driveway for lower than $58,000.

Additional, being based mostly on the Golf it’s nonetheless impressively sensible, with an enormous again seat good for buddies or youngsters in booster seats, and the 380L boot can swallow a good bit of stuff too.

Whenever you’re not carrying individuals or cargo, you may flick it into Cupra mode and tear up a winding B-road, with the burble and popping of the twin exhaust shops including a little bit of drama. It additionally claims to make use of simply 6.7L/100km on the mixed cycle – be light, and you may truly get near that in combined driving.

In the meantime, the Kona Hybrid additionally shapes as one thing of a discount in immediately’s market, given the new-gen crossover is way bigger than its predecessor and its 1.6-litre hybrid drivetrain claims to make use of simply 3.9 litres per 100km on the mixed cycle – that’s Yaris Hybrid good!

It has a well packaged cabin and open-plan design that makes it really feel greater than it’s. The Premium specification additionally packs in heaps of options and tech that can make you suppose twice about going for one thing equally sized with a premium badge.

It’s additionally almost $10,000 cheaper than the associated Kia Niro HEV GT-Line, regardless of sharing a platform, drivetrain, in addition to varied tech and options out of the identical Hyundai Motor Group components bin.

And earlier than any of you say something: No, I don’t need an MG 4 or BYD Atto 3 for a similar cash.

MORE: Cupra Leon offers
MORE: Hyundai Kona offers