If mpg isn't a significant issue Subaru Outback.

You'll get your reliability, very comfortable, sunroof, you may find one with cream leather, no wood!

Thanks. Camry sounds interesting so I'll take a look. What I really need is a Rover 75!

The Rover is well past its retirement date so I'd avoid. Unfortunately with the list of 'not these' you've given us, not many 'proper luxury' cars remain that are stylish and haven't got a centre console that looks like a computer centre (Lexuses). 'Wood' (including the fake kind) is much rarer on newer cars these days.

I agree that the Camry (the equivalent of the mid-sized Lexus, so p[arts shouldn't be an issue even though it's no longer sold new since 2021) is probably a good bet. It is only an auto though (of the CVT type).

Other 'top end' saloons from the remainder tend to be fine but are often shod on blind wheels and tyres which makes them firmish riding. Some can downsize the wheels and use narrower, higher sidewall tyres to achieve better comfort, but often the addition of larger brakes on upper spec (especially the engine) precludes doing so.

In terms of styling (decent amount of kit for the price but a stylish, minimalist interior) and handling, the latest generation Mazda6 (which does have an estate version) or CX-5 (SUV) are both very good, and now come with 2.5L petrol engines which give reasonable performance.

They can have smooth (TC) autos as well as manuals, though not 'perfermance orientated' or quite as fuel efficient as the dual clutch units in other cars - but are far more reliable and work well on congested roads. Whether these two cars are 'luxury enough' and meet the ride quality criteria on the upper spec models, only you can decide.

As a Mazda (3) owner myself (for 16 years from new), they can be very good cars depending on needs, but the dealership network (post sales) is, in my view, rather hit and miss in terms of quality - you'd have to see by looking up reviews of the service and maintenance/parts departments for all your localish ones to see whether any were worth using.

If you did consider Mazdas, I'd also avoid buying the diesels (at least second hand) as they are far less reliable if previous owners used them regularly on short trips from cold (DPF and/or fuel dilution problems). Petrol-engined cars are reliable.

Don’t pay a silly price for a secondhand car when you can have a new one.

If you want a comfortable car go for the new Citroen C5x. Fantastic ride quality, super comfortable seats, loads of tech including Stop and Go, Extended Blind Spot Monitoring. Acoustic glass all round on top models. 8 speed automatic. This car is built for comfort. Nearly as big as a Skoda Superb. Hatchback with 575 litres of boot space with the seats up

I have just ordered a new Citroen C5x Sense Plus on the road for £24,490. This is a Stellantis Group brand now which includes Maserati and Alfa Romeo. Build quality is fantastic, the car is not manufactured in France. Look in Autotrader to quote the price to your local Citroen dealer.

£540 to extend the warranty by two years, and the service plan is £19.20 a month.

It seems like a lovely car, but I don't think I have ever seen someone suggest that buying a brand new big Citroen made financial sense! I will look into it, though. Thanks

Citroen are offering an introductory discount on the C5x, but you have to be quick. This is unheard of to get a discount at this time. If your priority is comfort and a quiet environment with a low cost of ownership, the C5x ticks a lot of boxes. All the reviews are fantastic. This is the first time I have ever bought a car without seeing it.

Over the years I have had two new Citroens. In 2001 a Picasso Exclusive and in 2003 a C5 Exclusive estate. Both cars were no problem. However in 2016 I bought a new BMW 5 series estate that had EGR problems that were not resolved before the warranty ran out, and my weekend car a 2001 Mercedes CLK Avantgarde cabriolet has cost me £16,845 in repairs and servicing over 16 years of ownership. Every time I had a big bill, I thought I would hang onto it a bit longer. I should have got rid of it years ago.

Yes people change the subject when you tell them you have bought a Citroen, but that is their ignorance. They would rather pay £178.00 an hour labour at a Mercedes dealership, and Mercedes don’t even want to know about older cars like mine. This car is just Citroen in name badge only, it is a Stellantis. https://www.stellantis.com/en

You've drive one, though, right? I have nothing against Citroens - my parents had 2 CXs, 2 XMs an AX and a 2CV. I suppose where I'm coming from is an expectation that I will sell it after a few years and a big Citroen will be worth next to nothing. Any brand new car will lose a big chunk as soon as you buy it (VAT) and, generally, the bigger and more French, the more you lose from then on. If I knew I'd keep it for 10+ years, no problems, but I know I won't.

I have to say I'm not convinced that merging with Fiat is going to improve Citroen's reputation at all.

I’m still genuinely puzzled as to why anyone who just likes their car, would have any concerns about “image”. Does anyone care even slightly what anyone else is driving about in, and in turn what anyone else might think of their choices? I buy/run what works for me at the time both in terms of usefulness and budget. It’s nothing to do with anyone else. Even if they are shallow enough to begin to care what I’m driving, I simply don’t need or want their input on my decisions and am totally at peace with entirely ignoring them.

If there weren't vast amounts of people who require the approval of others for literally every aspect of their lives, social media would be a very quiet place.

Here I'd say Nissan Cefiro with those criteria, but I dunno if you get that (or a synonym like Maxima as in Australia) in The Yook.

We used to have them. I think there was a Maxima. See also Honda Legend, Subaru Legacy, Mazda Xedos, Rover 75 etc etc.

The market now seems to be for 2wd hatchbacks on stilts that aren't particularly good for anything, so that's what gets imported. The only big cars people seem to buy now are BMWs, Mercs and Audis.

I loved all the working man big cars like the Ford Granada, Vauxhall Carlton, Renault 25, Peugeot 505 etc etc,

I never realised cars, especially used ones, were classified according to social class. As a retired member of the professional working class (i.e. having to turn up at a specified time every weekday and many week-ends to do a job of work) I include any make of car in my quest for high performance, luxury, durability and - above all - VFM.

Give me a big softly sprung blue collar barge with that doesn’t shout about wealth or success.

Since when does any car (including my big variably sprung Audi) with a 'webuyanycar' value in the four rather than five, or these days even six figures, shout wealth and success?!

Perhaps since any car with a three figure value first shouted poverty and failure?

I'd guess about 1965?