Ok I never thought I would be asking this one…

My wife currently as a Polo and I have a Mondeo, we have one 4 month old son, and probably will have another in the next 2 years or so, plus we have a rather large Boxer dog!

My wifes car is on an options scheme and nearly up for renewal so its thinking what to get next. I would just say another Polo type car, however my wife would like some thing with higher up seats so she doesnt have to bend down to get kids in to the car.

So what car/people carrier would you recommend for 2 kids, a dog and of course occasional bike duty with seats that are not low to the ground and also importantly doesnt depreciation like a stone!

Ta

Don't buy/lease new.

Go for something at 2-3 years old – therefore will be able to buy outright rather than 'rent', as per the Polo?

Zafira, Touran, S-Max, C-Max etc etc

S-Max diesel if you can get a decent one at a decent price.

Already missing the Toyota Verso we recently traded in for a Galaxy.
Galaxy nice but not in same league.

Sorry should have said budget up to about 13k

I was hoping there might be a smaller alternative than s-max although is wifeys favourite

Do Suzuki do a small 4×4 type thing?

We have 2 boys (now 7 and 9) and LOVE our ZAFIRA. We only had a very modest budget and bought a 54 reg diesel (top spec + leather seats) for 3700 a year ago. Best buy ever. Very flexible seating and higher driver position but still low enough for bikes on the roof (all 4 in our case).

Also great size shape boot for smaller kids bikes and like I said, flexible seating allows for maximum amount of people/bikes inside the car too.

We don't have a dog though…

I'd say BUY ONE :o)

Simone

God this is depressing, all the recommendations are cars I previously would never ever entertained!

It sounds like you can't get a small ish car that just elevated from what people are saying, only a big bus type things!

Mildy fun estate car?

That was my suggestion, but all too low to the ground apparently…

How about a slightly "jacked up" one like a Legacy Outback, Audi Allroad or Volvo XC70?

Otherwise it's either a 4×4 or a slightly "special needs" MPV…

Is the issue getting kid(s) in and out or liking being high up when driving (often the case)?

Prius seats are somewhat higher than a normal car, but not as high as an MPV.

been here before

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-family-car-for-about-75k

long story short, ended up getting a 57 Vectra for under £7k

What about a Honda Jazz or a Nissan Note type of thing?

Toyota Corolla Verso ticks all the boxes. I prefer it to the Zafira but I have no empirical reason for this… I think it's just down to never having had any trouble with any Japanese manufacturers car I've owned till I've got bored with it (which takes about 30 seconds with the Corolla, but theres a time and a place for exciting and it isn't with 3 children in the back – stereo is OK if you get to choose the tunes).

nissan qashkai?

It's a bending down issue apparently that's the reason…

wife has a CMax – ticks all those boxes. We got a 1.8 petrol zetec, ex motability 6 month old one with 2K on the clock from a main dealer for under 9K last yr -). crap economy but only does 7k miles pa. with a new model coming out there will be bargains around

FunkyDunc – Member
It's a bending down issue apparently that's the reason…

Would agree with that

If newish seems to be a few pr-registered Quashqui at my local Nissan dealer. The Note may do the job. Mate & wife have a Vaux Miriva, the new one with side opening doors looks interesting.

Fiat Doblo, Citreon Berlingo, Skoda Roomster(don`t laugh, function over form!! )

I know my wife wishes we had the choice of some of these cars/mpv when we had the kids, now have a Touran to cart the grandkids etc around.

With that sort of budget you should be able to get your hands on a 1-2 year old 'Ford Direct' C-Max diesel from a dealer. One of my pals has one, it's nice to drive, roomy and has high seats for getting the kiddywinks in and out. Qashqai also worth looking at, but I think the Ford has it beat for build quality & being fun to drive – it's just a bigger, taller Focus after all….

Just as an aside, my Gashqai has been pretty crap, as has the dealer backup. It is a first gen model so the may well have ironed some problems, but the main issue has been the dire dealerships.

3 stereos
2 factory recalls
1 problem with the mileometer that's not been rectified so I'm not entirely sure what the mileage is
More rattles and squeaks than I can stand

Etc

Kangoo/Berlingo type thing?

I had a squashed-key as a hire car and it was horrible.

Dangerous handling, horrible interior. No no and no.

Not sure you could describe the handling as dangerous though – but if you are comparing its handling to your preferred type of car I can see why you wouldn't like it.

Seat Altea in black.

High up? Check.

Not sure you could describe the handling as dangerous though – but if you are comparing its handling to your preferred type of car I can see why you wouldn't like it.

I had to swerve slightly to avoid a loon in a van and the thing nearly lost it. Any other car (or even van) would have been fine – I was quite shocked!

Altea – had one hire one break down on us (with 2k miles on it – the electrics failed) because it rained and anothers exhaust came loose and nearly fell off (admittedly with some light off roading…). Naaah.

+1 for Altea/Golf Plus.

Mat, you might've had some kind of alignment problem. Reviews don't complain about handling, although a few owner reviews do. Could be some common fault?

Altea – had one hire one break down on us (with 2k miles on it – the electrics failed) because it rained and anothers exhaust came loose and nearly fell off (admittedly with some light off roading…). Naaah.

Its not an offroad vehicle.

I like the look of the Altea, might have to go looking at one. I always thought the C Max's etc you just paid more money to have more head room than a standard Focus, do you actually get higher seats for your extra dosh too?

Whats the difference between an Altea and Altea XL ?

I took my old Altea TDI from South Germany at 7am Sunday morning through 5 countries? up across the channel and back to Manchester by early evening. I actually felt freshish.

I'd look at the XL- Its the same but just more space. The Altea admittedly doesnt make the most of its rear space. I'd class the Altea as a Touran but without the shockingly swaying/soft composure in corners. It actually drove good.

Test drive one yourself. Its quirky and still good.

Ps. It was fantastically easy to drive and place on the road with progressive steering (for a VAG).

I've got a Citroen C4 grand picasso (option of 7 seats). The (non-grand) 5 seat picasso version was nice when we looked, virtually new in your budget, high seats etc. Recommended.

IMO Seats aren't very reliable.

Hora – it was a slightly bumpy track and we took it very steadily.

We've had one break down with electrical failure, one with a wobbly exhaust – that's conclusive enough.

Okayish to drive, naff interior.

I'd rather have an S Max, C Max, Galaxy or a Touran any day.

Touran- bland and slushy breadvan
C max- the interior is just too 'chav'. Sorry it is. The seats look cheap and the dash looks like its made from thin plastic. Funkydunc- if you have the old shape Mondeo (pre-Sony facelift) you must be a bit peeved by that plastic grey dial on the stereo? Same in the Cmax.

Plus it just looks abit special- like the ugly Kardashian to the (other sisters) Focus.

Plus the Cfocus shouts that your a married man with children. Its not feminine.

IMO Seats aren't very reliable.

I've said that about VAG in general but like any marque.

Smax is too pricey? That is nice.

Funkydunc. How many times will your SO have to lift the children in and out of the car a week to make the height a problem?

Why?

I say go for a new shape Polo. Its actually attractive.

Hora – Come on now you must realise that the reality of how often said child is lifted in and out is irrelevant if a woman decides she needs a 'certain' thing your wasting your time trying to get them to see reason 🙂

There is a cunning plan in all this though that if she has what she wants, my next car might be a nice 2 seater sports car again!

I had to swerve slightly to avoid a loon in a van and the thing nearly lost it. Any other car (or even van) would have been fine – I was quite shocked!

Perhaps it was the driving? Never heard much (ie any) in the way of complaints about that vehicle to back up your claimed experience.

M-F – the car handles poorly. That was just one example. That's from driving it for 250 miles, not reading a few test reports 😉