Top 10 Cars for Dad

Father’s day is on Sunday, and in honour of South African Dads, we’ve compiled a list of cars that dads either fantasize about, or are fortunate enough to afford. Some are family friendly, some are less practical, but it’s Dad who gets to decide this time.

1. Lexus IS350 F-Sport
A head-turner of note, the IS350 F-Sport is so much fun to drive, Dad would almost have to drive a mountain pass every day to fully appreciate the F-Sport’s athletic ability. The 3.5 litre V6 engine purrs like an overgrown leopard, and on the Sport Plus setting, the road is transformed to a racetrack.
(The ten standard airbags may come in handy.) R 624 200.

2. BMW 3 Series 335i
The 335i is the flagship model of the BMW 3 Series, and oh, how happy it will make any father. It not only looks good and handles dynamically, it also satisfies the ears with its deep, throaty growl when the accelerator pedal is pressed. It is powered by a 3.0 litre, six-cylinder, twin-turbo petrol engine and serves up a hefty 225kW. From R 654 527 40. Read our review on the 335i M Performance Edition here.

3. Jaguar F-Type Coupé
The F-Type can do no wrong in our eyes. It is breathtakingly beautiful, and just looking at it will give Dad goose bumps, so imagine how driving it will make him feel. From R889 400 for the 3.0 Litre V6 250 kW Supercharged Automatic to R 1 694 100 for the 5.0 Litre V8 405 kW Supercharged AWD  Automatic. (Since most of us are only fantasizing here, we don’t need worry about where the kids will sit.)

4. Volvo V60 D4
For the Eco-Warrior dad who still likes some life under the hood, the V60 D4 is super-stingy with its use of diesel, yet still manages to perform like its much bigger-engined rivals. A 133kW / 400Nm 2.0 litre turbodiesel engine powers the D4 and attains fuel economy of a mere 4.2 litres per 100 kilometres. Its clean Swedish design, spaciousness and host of convenience features may even lure Dad away from the luxury German brands. From R473 600.

5. Ford Kuga
With three new engines on offer, the Kuga will surprise Dad with its low fuel consumption and its high level of cabin quality. The kids should also be pleased with the convenient folding trays attached to the backs of the front seats. We tested the 1.5 EcoBoost Trend Auto with a generous132kW and 240Nm, at R371 900. Have a look at our review.

6.  Volkswagen Golf SV
The Golf SV is the perfect all-rounder for the Dad who can’t decide between the practicality of the Touran and the charisma of the Golf. It is built on the Golf’s platform, yet it is big enough for the kids, the golf clubs, or Dad’s mates when he goes on the occasional boys’ weekend. Read our road test on the Golf SV 1.4 TSI (R) Comfortline here.

7.  Hyundai Veloster Turbo
Now that the turbo-charged Veloster with150kW and 265Nm is here, any Dad would jump at the chance of driving this aggressively styled, decidedly masculine-looking hot hatch. At the local launch, we relished both the Veloster 1.6 T-GDI Elite 6-speed Manual at R379 900, and the Veloster 1.6 T-GDI Elite 7-speed DCT (dual clutch transmission) at R399 900. Here is our driving impression.

8.  Mercedes-Benz V-Class
The brand new V-Class is the type of extra large passenger vehicle for the Dad who has to be enveloped in absolute luxury wherever he goes. From the sumptuous interior to the Burmester 15 Speaker sound system, the V-class is in a class of its own. We recently took the V 220 CDI Standard (R 726 875) and V 250 BlueTEC Avantgarde (R 984 196) for a quick ride. Here are our thoughts.

9.  Kia Soul
For the trendy Dad who is not overly bothered with speed, the new Kia Soul is a car that is interesting, fashionable, economical and ideal for families too. We tested the New Soul 2.0 AT Smart variant (R 325 995) with an auto box and petrol engine, but we think Dad would prefer the New Soul 1.6 MT DSL Street derivative, at R309 995, a manual with a diesel engine.

10.  Nissan X-Trail
The dad who values the serenity of the great outdoors over hectic city life, should definitely consider a new (or second hand) Nissan X-Trail. Not the most powerful crossover, the latest X-Trail makes up for it by using little diesel for a car of its size. It boasts car-like handling, plenty of space, and sophisticated safety systems. You can read our review on the Nissan X-Trail 1.6 dCi SE 4WD (R388 300) here