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Tbh you’ve nailed it. The 320d with a 6 speed gearbox does the motorway miles perfectly (was pleasantly surprised how it hit 110 uphill very comfortably), and pulls away well enough, all while being pretty reliable, efficient, and was cheap to buy. Hydraulic power steering feels nice, doesn’t roll too much in the corners etc.
It does sound like I’ve probably hit the sweet spot for my needs.
Any thoughts on an Impreza?
Nef
NurseHolliday
You'll struggle to get something fun with not terrible mpg in that price range that isn't horribly unreliable. E46 330i is a good shout as well as an E91 325i.
The other issue is that if you're mostly doing motorway, an n/a 200-230bhp estate after a 320d will feel annoying. You might have a different experience, but to me, I don't want to be working the gearbox just to accelerate from 50 back up to 70 on the motorway, I just want to press the accelerator and for it to happen.
A 330i or N52 325i will be more engaging off the motorway but they won't give you thrills on the commute or motorway based long journeys.