Wife says a MB E400 is too fancy... so go really fancy and get the E63.

Yes! So thankful I don't.

That’s decent advice, but mine is better: DON’T HAVE KIDS!!!

I really love WCSYB articles, but it’s a little uninspiring to see only Mazdas get recommended.

I used to own a CX-5 and would always have Mazda3 loaners when it was in the shop (which was often). They’re decent cars, but if I’m being brutally honest, they are slow, the interiors are plasticky, and the doors are…

This is great advice except... He doesn’t actually have $60k. He just thinks a bank will lend it to him.

It’s literally a baby. It takes up the top of one seat (not even any leg room). Just keep the WRX

I had a kid and drove a 2002 WRX. My advice....
DO NOT BUY A $60K CAR! Take $40k and invest it in a broad market ETF then use that $20k. Either get a minivan to replace the truck or a medium SUV. But kids are expensive dont spend that much on a car even if you think you can afford it now. Get something older used and…

The right answer is go sign a 27 month lease on a ZDX or Polestar 3. The former will cost you $6K for two years of use and the latter $8,500 for two years of use. They aren’t the sportiest options out there but they should be fine enough and have plenty of tech to make them happy.

Best advice: Make the wife ditch the Ranger for a minivan or an Explorer and keep your fun family car. Honestly, minivans are the only good vehicles for taking dogs on road trips. Their crates fit comfortably in the rear and they can freely walk around the back if you want to let them out.

If the V60 is too small, size up and get the V90.

And even if they never have a 2nd kid, once thar kid is over, say, 4, they will frequently be traveling with a friend.

Suburban would be good.  Basically he needs seating for 6.

Most of the issues are with the PHEV. The regular CX-90 has mainly been software updates.

CX90 is a great choice, just don’t get the PHEV it has had a lot of problems

If it’s YOUR cabin then you don’t have to bring much, it should already be there. Since you can now pack light I would pick the Volvo V60 Polestar. Just look at it!

If you get the CX-90 make sure they have some in their loaner fleet as well because it will be in the shop A LOT. These have been having a ton of issues since they got released lasy year and I don’t see it slowing down. Great car, very well equipt for thre price but the bugs need worked out still.

“he wants something more family-friendly that can accommodate a car seat, luggage, and three dogs.”

Seconded on the Mazda CX-90. Plenty spacious and still decent to drive. Mazda’s infotainment is kind of ass, but that’s what Apple Carplay and Android auto are for. 

That’s a great price on the CX-90. Black interior is for some reason rare on them, but you will not want the white interior with kids.

If the Outback/V60 is too small, then pretty much any non-van/SUV is too small. Any crossover will have basically the same volume as an Outback, just higher in the air, so what they’re really looking for is a 3-row that drives like a 2-row. Too bad the Outlander PHEV doesn’t have a fun engine that could pretend to…