<p style=”font-weight: 400;”>My Honda Jazz is great in every respect for family duties, local trips, takes two people and two bikes inside wheels off, fits on what little driveway is left after parking 6.5 metres of Ducato campervan. However, I am regularly driving 660miles in a weekend to visit my mum who has dementia and the Jazz’s small size and engine makes the journey a bit frantic, noisy and I arrive a bit rattled.</p>
<p style=”font-weight: 400;”>I am pondering something a bit more suited to motorway cruising but it still needs to fit on the drive and swallow bikes. I can just about accommodate a Focus, Golf, Civic size hatch on the drive but not estate versions of medium hatchbacks. Sub £2k upmarket banger budget.</p>
<p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Honda Civic 2005 onwards looks a reasonable choice – anyone have experience of chucking bikes inside?</p>
<p style=”font-weight: 400;”>Suggestions welcome.</p>
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Watching carefully, we’ve a knackered Jazz which is now reserved for dog/bike duties but is going to fall apart shortly.

Mazda 3?

Currently using a 2007 Renault Megane for exactly that. Don’t expect the electrics to work brilliantly, but the 1.6 petrol engine has been solid for us and it’s like driving a big French sofa with cruise control.

Ditto Mazda 3, based on our Mazda 2 that cost peanuts seven years ago and is still going strong

Bought a 1.8 Civic for a grand and it édrives much better on the motorway, more refined and comfortable than the Jazz. Going biking tommorow, so will see how the bike goes in

Just an observation but on average the most poorly driven car I witness on our roads are all Honda Jazz. I’m not sure if its either a permanent mechanical fault or the operatives but bugger me they are usually a liability. If you drive them in the style that most appear to do so then please just get another so I can avoid you all!

Diesel Note may fit the bill. It is a similarly un-prepossessing vehicle. Our older one has a huge step when the rear seats are folded this may be a pain if you ride an XL frame.

Just an observation but on average the most poorly driven car I witness on our roads are all Honda Jazz. I’m not sure if its either a permanent mechanical fault or the operatives but bugger me they are usually a liability. If you drive them in the style that most appear to do so then please just get another so I can avoid you all!

That’ll be because its the default choice of car for the old biddies.

Civic.

Surely the Nissan Micra holds the crown for the worst driven – at least round my way.

OP – sorry can’t help with your question.

The Jazz being small econmical and ultra reliable along with the Which magazine most reliable award has cornered the pensioner and older people market.

When I bought the car there were lots of standard jokes flying about….

Only done 42 thousand miles in 12 years and never been out of first gear…

It comes with a prescription windscreen…

As for the Note, being a small car it will be similar to the Jazz on long journeys and I guess I’ll be just as rattled after 330 miles to see my demented mother 😀

Civic appears to be my best option. Quite quick too in either 2.2 diesel or 1.8 petrol. Leaning towards the petrol for simplicity.

Civic has to be the best bike carrying hatchback around in it’s 06-15ish guise with the fold flat seats. The room inside always surprises people, especially in the back.

Can easily chuck 2 road bikes in with wheels on and 1 off for MTBs.

Best function for a weekend away is camp stuff in the boot, bikes in the rear with seats folded up.

Best function for a weekend away is camp stuff in the boot, bikes in the rear with seats folded up.

Never managed to get a bike in the rear of both my civics, from a large Soul to an XL Bronson, not a chance. The Bronson won’t even go in with both wheels off.

If the boots full, and there’s bikes in the rear, there’s absolutely no point in not having the seats folded down anyway.

Seats down flat, bikes in, kit packed around bikes.

Nobeerinthefridge has convinced me!

Ok 1.8 petrol or 2.2 diesel? Driving is mixed short hops round town, biking trips to Lakes 60mile round trip and then monster monthly journeys to my visit my mum in Eastbourne 660mile round trip.

Both have enough poke, but the diesel has twice the torque. Revs vs grunt?

I think the petrol has less to go wrong and I quote like Honda petrol engines…

Re honda jazz. I found the visibility horrible off to the diaganol, may explain the driving. My mum who is a foot shorter has less problems.

Diesels were solid by that point (early Accords occasionally ate bottom ends) albeit I seem to remember something about clutches wearing out quickly especially when remapped. There were two versions of that engine in the Civic, I’d prefer to look for an N22B but to be honest the A has been around long enough that if anything were to happen it already would have. Just avoid anything remapped.

Not sure about the petrols tbh as I’ve been away from Civics for a few years now. Can’t imagine any issues though.

I think you’re making the right choice though, once you’ve had a small Honda it’s hard to see past them, even my 7th Gen (02-05) Civic had ridiculous amounts of room.

I have a petrol civic now, for no other reason than it looked as if the government were beginning to hammer diesels at the time I bought, and I’d come across a 1.8 with all the toys, full leather, glass roof, CC etc for a good price.

It’s not as powerful as the diesel I had, but is quick enough to get up to 70, and fine for overtaking.

Bought a 1.8 Civic for a grand. Drives nice and is more composed, comfy and quicker than the Jazz. Disappointingly the boot is not as tall as the Jazz and the bike needs to be laid on it’s side. However it is a back wheel on jobbie, which is better than the Jazz.