One for the road: A luxury car that's easy to get into

 

James Ruppert
Friday 26 April 2013 13:26 BST
Comments
The Infiniti EX is Nissan's premium brand
The Infiniti EX is Nissan's premium brand

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Seb Horncastle is selling his Mercedes S-Class and wants something that is easier to get into as he claims to be getting old. He has £15,000 to £25,000 to spend.

A Car for the Head

I don't think Seb will want to slum it in anything that is less comfortable or luxurious than a Mercedes S-Class, so let's try to find the poshest high-rise vehicle we can. I think that an Infiniti EX would be a good choice. It is a model that few people have heard of, but essentially it is Nissan's premium brand. That means it will be reliable, of course, with a high-quality finish and a quite staggering list of standard equipment.

It has automatic headlights and wipers, Scratch Shield protective paintwork, Xenon headlights, heated door mirrors, rear privacy glass, LED rear lights, front and rear parking sensors, and 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside there is loads more kit which will keep Seb very comfy. Although the diesel engine isn't that economical (33mpg), he can buy a 2010 Infiniti for around £20,000.

A Car for the Heart

Perhaps Seb would like to stick with a German car. I think the Mercedes M-Class could be a bit too big and maybe he should consider an Audi. Their interiors are exceptionally well finished and comfortable and I have a feeling that Seb would be at home inside a Q5. This is a mid-sized crossover vehicle, its main rivals being the BMW X3 and Land Rover Freelander.

It is a lot nicer to drive on the road than both those models and the 2.0 TDi is refined and quite frugal, returning around 41mpg overall. Expensive when new, the SE model is worth finding. Compared with the Infiniti it won't have depreciated as much and will have a higher mileage for similar money. A 2010 2.0 TDI Quattro SE with 60,000 miles is £20,490.

Looking to buy?

Email James Ruppert at onefortheroad@independent.co.uk, giving your age, address and phone number, details of the type of vehicle in which you are interested, and your budget.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in