I would like a bigger car, but I won't be spending a lot on it say about £2k. I get the train to work so I probably cover under 5K miles a year. I had originally thought a Saab 9-5 estate, but I wonder if a Honda CR-V might be worth a look.
They seem to tick all the boxes, Ugly, Japanese/reliable, cheap, big...
Who has one experience or opinions on them?
I like them. Very cheap for a decent car.
A mate whose wife works for Honda and has a CR-V as a company car reckons the early ones were larger inside than the latest model. I agree.
We've got a 'T' reg one (1998 I think) and have had it since 2001.
It's a pretty good car and very reliable. The four wheel drive system also worked quite well to aid traction in the recent dodgy weather.
We're about to sell it as we need something more economical to run. If I could afford a newer diesel one, I'd buy it without question.
I was quite impressed when 2 blokes pulled up at Cannock in a CR-V and took two bikes out (with wheels on) and were ready to ride off within about 30 seconds.
They seemed to just about fit in with the seats down - laying down one on top of the other.
i have a y reg one, ok in recent weather, boring, biggish inside, hairdresser/poor young mum aesthetic. Fuel consumption is rubbish about 25mpg maybe up to 30 on a motorway/long journey. gets through front tyres quickly unless you drive steady. cheap to own in every other respect though
Got an 02 petrol auto.
Totally reliable, lots of space inside, walk through cabin, big boot and wet gear space in boot.
Only problem is mpg at 25ish.
Managed brilliantly in the snow and ice.
was quite impressed when 2 blokes pulled up at Cannock in a CR-V and took two bikes out (with wheels on) and were ready to ride off within about 30 seconds.
They seemed to just about fit in with the seats down - laying down one on top of the other
isn't that the case with just about any sizable estate car? My mondeo (nothing special, just an example) will easily take 3 on top of each other without any bits removed, 4 with a bit of faffing. Even my old volvo 340 could take 2 bikes with the wheels on
If you want big, don't get an SUV style thing. They are big on the outside but not that big on the inside, due to the high floor. In comparison to normal estate cars they cost more to buy and run, they handle worse and are not as big unless you go colossally huge.
Yes, estates with the seats down will take whole bikes with the wheels on. Even big bikes. My very old Passat estate accomodated my Patriot whole and gave me 45mpg when being abused.
i agree with molgrips thats what i wished we'd got either a passat estate, mondeo estate, old audi estate is a much better idea
My wife's uncle has (or rather, had) a Mercury Mountaineer. Absolutely enormous vehicle, but the boot is no bigger than an estate car, and the rear seats in particular are not comfortable because the floor is high so you are sitting low and cramped. The load area is somewhat higher and wider, but shorter.
Plus it's 2WD so useless off-road.. and has leaf springs.. and Mercury is meant to be the luxury marque of Ford but the switch gear and dash were exactly the same as on my wife's bottom of the range Escort 
Got a 55 diesel. Great cars, excellent in snow, huge in the back. Mine has 720L when seats are folded and about 500L when seats are slid forward. Much larger than the Mazda 6 estate it replaced. Although I carry four bikes on the roof 
. I'd buy an early one over the equivalent Freelander or aged estate car every time. There is a reason why there are so many Mark 1s around, compared with the similar aged alternatives...
Got a 56 petrol from new and intend to drive it into the ground. Fuel economy is pants but otherwise it's been very good. No mechanicals (so far) which is a damn sight better than the Renault it replaced. It's now our second car (don't ask, got stuffed with very unreliable Renaults) and as such is my riding / trail building car / local pootling car. Good ground clearance and as the others said pretty good performance in the snow (we live 1200 ft above sea level so it can get a bit dodgy at times).
Not the most practical vehicle if you do a lot of miles but otherwise fine. If you do want excessive boot space go for something like a Volkswagen Touran. We have one of those as out main car, bigger, nippier, 7 seats (2 fold into the boot very easily) and genuinely 60 mpg from the diesel bluemotion engine on long motorway trips.
+1 for the Touran/Zafira mini MPV type car. Mega boot space on those.
Got a '55 diesel which does about 38mpg. Nice, comfy and reliable, but does drink a bit more than an estate - not such a problem with your intended milage
If you like the idea of Honda, you should be able to get a Stream for that sort of money. Same idea as the Zafira/Touran but much more of an ordinary car to drive. Still 7 seats when you want them or fold them all to take whole bikes. Front wheel drive and reliable so should last as long as you don't bash it as much as we do ours.
my old saab hatch took 2 bikes with the wheels on if the back seats were down.
i have a cr-v and it works fine, 2 bikes, easy, probably 3. back seats down=cavernous. really. fuel economy is low 30's, tyre noise at speed, handling is tanklike. it's comfy, done few long'ish trips and they've been fine. rear visibility is poor due to non-removeable rear centre headrest. sudden engagement of 4wd (it's automatic) can surprise you as it surges, but works well. spent some time in highland perthshire during bad weather and it worked well enough, surprisingly well in fact.
Got a 55 plate diesel, had it for 3 years now, plenty of room, very good in the recent snow, commute to work 60 miles a day and I get between 38-42mpg. I looked at an estate but wanted a 4wd due to were we live and also to use on farm tracks at my brothers and for towing.
If I put down the back seats I can get 3 bikes in (upside down, top to tail) with one wheel off, even comes with a picknick table in the back.
One of the best vehicles I have had.
Good point, I'd forgotten about the picnic table 
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