I am about to retire and would like to use some of the tax-free cash from my pension pot to treat my wife and I to a second-hand car that combines a touch of luxury with reliability.
We are in our early sixties and have four grandchildren aged between 9 and 4 – two each by both of our children. We need to be able to transport the children occasionally but not all at the same time.
We live on the edge of the countryside, so do a fair amount of driving around country roads and lanes and over the years have got used to higher-riding cars, which we have owned a series of, ranging from people carriers to medium-sized SUVs.
I’ve benefited from a lease car in my job and have been driving a Ford Kuga for the past three years, which I am due to hand back when I retire.
Enjoying retirement: This month’s Car Clinic asks which cars combine space and practicality with sportiness and style
It’s a nice car but I’d like something a bit sportier, more inspiring and luxurious that we will then hold onto for at least the next five years.
We have a budget of about £25,000 and don’t mind whether the car is petrol or diesel.
This is Money and MailOnline Cars & Motoring replies:
What a lovely dilemma! With that pot of cash, you should be able to tick both your big boxes – luxury and reliability – with ease.
Your budget is unlikely to stretch to a Lamborghini (a nod to a comment made by former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb in 2014, on the eve of pension freedoms) but luxury brands such as BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar should be in reach.
When it comes to luxury requirements, this is different for each driver. But for example, it may mean a smooth ride, leather aplenty, alongside nice-to-have extras such as heated seats and on-board cameras.
For reliability, we cover reports that list out the brands least likely to break down. While this is by no means a failsafe when it comes to purchasing a car, these lists can potentially give you a good steer on the breakdown front.
In the latest one we covered by motoring website Whatcar?, four manufacturers had a reliability rating above 90 per cent – in order, these were: Suzuki, Lexus, Toyota and Honda.
It sounds to us like you’ve had some steady and perfectly practical company cars in recent years, but are looking to now ride in style and into the sunset of retirement. Cazoo, below, have you covered.
‘Reliability is impossible to guarantee’: Leo Wilkinson, Automotive Editor at Cazoo
Cazoo’s expert replies:
If you and your wife are looking for a car as a retirement treat there are lots of great options out there.
It sounds as though an SUV or crossover is what you’re looking for and a budget of £25,000 gives you plenty of options to choose from.
The first car that springs to mind is the Lexus NX300h.
Reliability is impossible to guarantee and often comes down to how well a car is maintained but Lexus’ impressive record in countless independent reliability and customer satisfaction surveys is hard to ignore.
The NX300h certainly feels like a high-quality product and it gives you the raised driving position and practicality you crave, in a car that’s not overly large or too costly to own.
Prices for older, higher-mileage cars start at about £16,000 but your budget will stretch to a 2019 model with less than 50,000 miles on the clock.
Every NX300h has an automatic gearbox and lots of features included as standard, and the ‘h’ in the name stands for hybrid, so fuel economy is pretty good for a mid-size SUV.
An automatic gearbox is one of the many features that makes the hybrid Lexus NX300h a great contender
While it’s quiet and effortless to drive, the NX300h isn’t especially sporty or, in your words, ‘inspiring’, so it might not be a perfect fit.
One alternative that definitely ticks the boxes for sportiness and luxury is the Porsche Macan.
It’s as sleek and enjoyable to drive as you’d expect a Porsche to be, yet it’s practical enough that your grandchildren will be able to ride comfortably in the back and stash their kit in the boot.
The interior has a beautifully crafted feel and, in all, the Macan feels a bit more ‘special’ than most other mid-size SUVs.
You pay for the privilege, of course – the newest Macan that you could get with your budget would be a 2015 car with 50,000 miles or so on the clock. Running costs are on the higher side, too.
Nothing says luxury like a Porsche: The Macan is both stylish and practical while being a pleasure to drive
It’s probably no surprise that there are a number of Audi and BMW SUVs that might work for you. The Audi Q3 and Q5 aren’t especially sporty but they’re both practical, smooth to drive and have luxurious interiors with a real ‘wow’ factor.
The Q3 is the smaller of the two (although still quite spacious) and your budget is enough for a well-equipped 2020 model that’s covered less than 30,000 miles.
You get more space and four-wheel drive as standard with the Q5 (many Q3s have front-wheel drive) but because it’s bigger and better-equipped you’ll have to settle for a car that’s a year or two older or that has higher mileage.
It’s a similar story with BMW’s X1 and BMW X3 SUVs. Both give you the sporty feel that BMW is known for, and both have interiors with a premium feel.
Sporty but still practical: The BMW X1 is a spacious car and the 2020 model comes in right under budget
Meanwhile, the BMW X3 has even more interior space and four-wheel drive as standard
The more compact X1 has all the space you’re likely to need, is reasonably cost-effective and your budget should be enough for a 2020 car with fairly low mileage.
It might, however, be worth going for a slightly older, higher-spec X1 to get the luxury features you’re looking for. Opt for the X3 and you get more interior space, more equipment and four-wheel drive included as standard, but the cost to buy and run an X3 will be a bit higher.
If you’re willing to consider something from a more mainstream brand, the Mazda CX-5 is worth a look. It’s a very stylish option with an interior that looks like something from a much more expensive car.
It’s good to drive, too, and every version comes with lots of features. For £25,000 you could get a 2022 model that’s covered 10,000 miles or less.