What to replace my falcon with

[Sabantien]

So here's the backstory.
We sold my wife's A1 (great city car) and bought a 90 series prado so we can start camping and exploring the area we live in. Any place we could take a regular car we've already done. Of course it's a bit older than we wanted, but the price of hatchbacks didn't double like 4wd prices.

I'm driving my 2009 G6E, which is about to hit 420k on the odometer. It's been great, but we're thinking salary sacrifice soon for something a bit newer.

I figure once production of new cars catches up with demand and travel opens up again, there should be a flood of second hand 4wds on the market and I could pick up a decent ute, or even a much newer prado.

Meanwhile, the wife argues we have a 4wd, we should get something that's a nice highway cruiser. Another sedan. Something with plenty of power. (And also easy on the fuel... unlike our prado)

It's nearly 200km to the next town, close to 1500km to Brisbane where we have friends and family (and driving is cheaper than the $500 each way flights) so the G6E has been brilliant for those trips. Mind you, after 400k kms the driver's seat is not so comfortable.

I figure the barra is what makes it a great cruiser. Put on cruise control and it's well under 2k revs at highway speeds, with plenty of power to blow past road trains and caravans.


I'm thinking no more than 25k for the next car, so an fg-x or a titanium territory is within the realms of possibility. I like the idea of a terri, basically the falcon with more clearance and the possibility to add a bullbar. So better on the dirt roads my falcon has had trouble with, although the wife isn't convinced they're much chop for highway cruising (i explained it's exactly what they were designed for, but she's set on a sedan. I think she wants a fast car but won't say that)

Are there other options? Everything seems to be little 2l turbo engines. Quick and efficient around town. Does anyone make a big lazy engine for eating up the miles?