Veeky Forums...

Veeky Forums, my dad is looking for a new car but doesn't have a good idea where to start because he's trying to find one car that does what two of his current vehicles do. $35k-ish is the cap.
>wants AWD because winter, and we have a long steep driveway. Every single FWD car he's had would get stuck at the end when he gets home from work if it snowed while he was gone
>wants a hatch with rear seats that can go down, enough space for hauling stuff around in back, but no need for anything huge because he has a truck for the big stuff
>wants at least 30 mpg
>manual, this is non-negotiable (thankfully)
>fun, quick-ish
When I say new, I mean new. Not "oh, you'd have to buy CPO" or "it's just a couple years old" but actual new. He's stuck on that.

All of that considered, it the Focus RS the only good option? I know the prices are dumb now, but he's willing to wait it out for something good to come along.

Don't you guys have a subaru wagon ?

this

You guys as in Americans? We don't get fun, new Subaru wagons with manual. The Forester XT is CVT only, and the WRX doesn't have a hatch anymore.

Forgot pic: wishful thinking.

Focus RS is a two year wait list from the dealers currently as they will only import 7500 a year. Only option there is gray market markup.

Real shame but I understand why they're keeping it limited production.

Shit, two years? Any ideas on good alternatives?

Does anyone know how the Golf R is faring with reliability?

Hatchback Lancer might do it

Correcting, Sportback is what they call it.
Either way, as long as you don't get the Evolution it's within your price range and AWD.
Could be perfect.

I've got the ST. the hatch really doesn't even provide that much extra space. I've been in new WRX sedans and they have more interior space it feels like

Really, he doesn't care much about extra passenger space, mostly about the amount of space that can be had by laying the rear seats down and setting things in back. But if it still doesn't have that much space by that metric, I'll see what he thinks about the WRX. He'd be coming from a Mini though, so I have a feeling the Focus' additional space may be enough for him.

>AWD
>Hatch
>30mpg
>35k

Subaru

>manual non-negotiable
>has to be fun, quick-ish
What fun hatches does Subaru have these days with manual?

there's the wrx hatchback but they stopped making those in 2014, now their just sedans

>reading comprehension

m8 there's nothing wrong with my post

>When I say new, I mean new. Not "oh, you'd have to buy CPO" or "it's just a couple years old" but actual new. He's stuck on that.

Tell him to get a 2016 Mazda Miata.

There's just not that many options in your criteria

There's some quick AWD sedans, but they're pretty much all auto and not a hatchback. While most hatchbacks are available with a manual they are mostly FF. The golf R like you said might be a good option. Considering he drives a mini, reliability shouldn't be too big of a issue for him.

Golf R except the hatch space is pretty tiny with the rear seats up. The Focus RS is still better if practicality is a concern.

The WRX hatch wasn't updated like the sedan so it's kind of lousy.