My head is fried thinking about what new car to get, so I’d like to cast this out to the fora.

We are after a new car and want more space than out Roomster offers. budget £10-16k, wife wants good looks, I want practical! It’ll be used for about 12k miles a year commuting and family weekends away.

She is drawn to Kia Sportage, etc, whereas I think a Mondeo or Insignia estate/hatch would be better. Good for bikes on the roof compared to the taller cars too.

Has anyone used a Grand C Max?

On balance, what would be a better choice? 🙂 I know, while you’re at it tell me the length of the piece of string in my pocket…

Most crossover type cars from my experience, although appearing big and chunky on the outside, don’t seem to have a huge amount of space inside compared to normal big hatchbacks / estates. If you need more space than the rooster what about a berlingo or similar?

Edit – missed the bit about good looks so maybe not a berlingo, although their looks don’t bother me.

Estates give you significantly more usable boot space, SUVs give you more cabin space.

Mrs P has a dodgy back so she likes a higher seat, that’s why we’ve got a 2 series active tourer which is very nice, worked out cheaper than a Sportage too. Would have another, but would probably have the Gran tourer one for the bigger boot and option of 7 seats in an emergency.

It’s a nice place to be. Did 1000 miles in a week on holiday last year with no issues.

SEAT ST: good looks, roomy, class of a VW without premium and drives well.

For your requirements an MPV would be the best fit IMO.

We have a Ford S-Max which was bought from new ten years ago and it has served us very well. Having the option to carry seven is great on occasion and it is actually quite enjoyable to drive. With all the seats folded down the room is cavernous.

If she doesn’t want an rep mobile estate, then S-Max would be my main choice as well

For that budget you could get a pretty reasonable A6 Avant. Or a Mondeo with more toys and cheaper to fix. Both would have a lot more room inside than a crossover.

We have a C-Max (not the Grand) and I really like it. Having always had estates before I like the higher driving position which is also really comfortable and the kids have a better view out. I think you may get more room in a normal estate.

Putting bikes on the roof? Anything taller than an estate is a pain, you might need steps especially for bikes in the middle, and even then Mrs foo refuses to use steps, so it’s an estate for us (4 people plus bikes)

My wife has a Nissan qashqai and it’s really not that big inside given the external size of the thing. It’s marginally bigger than my jaguar Xe which is quite tight as it is – with my little girl behind the passenger seat in her car seat both cars have to have the front passenger seat a long way forward making room in the front small.

Bit more rear legroom in the Nissan and the boot is taller – but still not that spacious.

I’d go for an estate in all probability – defo easier to get bikes on the roof. Although if I had to have an mpv I think the S-max would be on the list as it’s not too bus like to look at and Ford normally do a good job of making cars fun to drive.

Your budget easily gets you into a 5 Series estate which will a much nicer place to be to any of the cars already mentioned. Roomy, comfortable, cheap to run (45mpg in daily use, 50+ easily achievable without driving like your gran) and insure (for me at 48 with full no claims and one at fault accident) and good looking.

The main point with crossovers is the raised seat height, which increasing numbers of people, me included, find much easier to get in and out of. The length of most of them is a fair bit less than an average saloon/hatchback or estate, but that’s not what they’re trying to emulate.
If you want a slightly higher seat with the extra space inside, then the Volvo XC cars are more likely to suit.
I have to get in and out of thirty to forty cars a day, and I find SUV/crossovers so very much easier than regular hatch/estates.
For those significantly younger than me, it’s not so likely to be much of an issue.
BMW’s are by far the worst, the seats always seem to be set at their very lowest!

Estate always, for reasons others have said. If you want bikes on the roof, as others have said, if you need more than just one each side, getting them in the middle without dropping them often needs a step.

Not all estates are created equal either – MCJnr was on a Scout event this weekend. Another parent took him and another, and struggled to get their two rucsacs and two 5 man tents in the boot of their A4 estate. I did the return leg and we had plenty of space left in our Octavia

Audi Allroad. Halfway between an estate and an SUV.

Check out the fuel consumption for equivalent internal volume. Crossovers are generally bulkier, heavier and have worse aerodynamics. The result is 0.3 to .5 l/100km extra fuel used according to Autoplus, 5-15% depending on the model.

S Max.

Just bought a 15 plate Titanium in mint condition for a lot less than your top end budget.

Like others have said,  one of the benefits of the suv/crossover things is the raised hight and easier to get in and out of. At my stage of life its a big bonus.

I had at 2015 sportage and it was a good car, never had any issues during the 3 years i had it. Maybe not the most engaging drive but loads of toys for the money. Now have a seat ateca, nicer to drive than the sportage but not as many toys and it had a fair few rattles that needed sorting when new. Both can get 2bikes in the boot with the seats down and front wheels off, but would probably need a step if you were putting them on the roof.

Audi allroad is a good shout.
Similarly, subaru outback, a normal estate but a little higher.

Aren’t Audis and VW money pits to maintain?

Drawn towards Ford’s here, SMax, Grand CMax and Mondeo hatch.

I bought the Wife a new Tiguan last year. Its surprisingly roomy inside, in a different league to the nold Tiguan. Basically the same as the Seat Ateca & Skoda ?? (something).
Drives very nicely, has lots of toys etc. Very impressed with it as a family motor.

Not a patch on my olf Ford Galaxy though.
Its like a posh (old) van.

I bought a twenty year old Volvo V70 estate for a grand. It never breaks down, there’s loads of room, enough gadgets for me (it has a petrol gauge) I can fit five people in it with 2 bikes in the boot and 3 on the back. And most importantly for me, I’m not really precious about it getting abused by the family. And you have loads of money left over for fancy bike stuff. Perfect

Thing is, Simon, you can’t guarantee reliable motoring at that age of car, and I’ve no time or interest in visits to the garage so want to minimise the risk!

Passat and Octavia have lots of cabin and boot space.

Mazda 6. Just got rid of mine after 120000 miles of driving which only required consumables to keep it going. (It had 53000 when I got it). Loads of space in the estate.

I get the reliability concerns but I’ve got a new ish Juke that is wayyy less reliable than the Volvo so I’m a bit biased. Or it could just be that Juke’s are w@nk

Aren’t Audis and VW money pits to maintain?

Not really. I’ve had 2 A6 Avants, both V6 Tdis. 20k service intervals, about £330 when they did need servicing (main stealer). One went to 175k miles with no issues at all, one went to 203k miles with one £800 bill.

Any car can be a money pit, if you read the internet. People only tend to share bad news.

^^^ my 2yr old A6 Avant (2.0tdi quattro) recently had its second routine service, at 38k miles at main dealer. Cost was £880… nothing additional over the scheduled work for the mileage. Was surprised at cost..

Depends a bit on how many kids you/seats you need, if only a couple then a large estate (Superb/Octavia, Mondeo, Volvo V90 etc.) all make sense. If you need/want more seats (at least occasionally) then an S-Max is a good shout

Estates: Skoda Octavia or Superb; Vauxhall Vectra (not the Insignia which has far less useable space); Ford Mondeo (the last episode of The Grand Tour had a Ford history bit where they sang the praises of the Mondeo).

My sister has an Octavia – plenty of space for her, husband, 2 kids aged 4 & 6, 2 dogs plus the usual family paraphernalia.

Advantages of the Vectra / Mondeo are that there’s millions of them so parts are cheap and at your budget, that should be getting you a nearly new which hasn’t been used as a taxi for 5 years!

Not so sure the Mondeo is up there at the top of the best seller list anymore. I wouldn’t be surprised if the cars from the VAG stable and BMW are outselling it year on year these days. Still a great car, but clearly these days people go for the more prestige badges and if they want value for money they go for the Seat/Skoda end of the VAG stable or even Korean, so it sort of leaves Ford in the no-mans land. Hasn’t got the prestige or street cred to mix it up with the big brands, and not cheap enough to really compete with the Korean brands.

Still, not a reason not to have one…they’re very good cars and very well thought out and easily will stand up against any other car in that market segment.

Advantages of the Vectra / Mondeo are that there’s millions of them so parts are cheap and at your budget

The days of millions of sales are well and truly over – according to the Grand Tour feature they only sold 19,000 ish Mondeos in the UK in 2018 and 75% of those were to hire firms and companies.

A saloon/large hatch/estate is going to have more luggage and cabin space than a comparable crossover, and be significantly better for fuel economy, as well as being a chunk cheaper (I looked, out of idle curiosity, at the price of a new Mokka, and I was astounded that people would pay that amount for it). The only exception is if you need or might need 6 or more seats, in which case an MPV or VW transporter might make sense.

The fact is that unless you’re going for a full size SUV (which they don’t sell over here as they’re too big/thirsty for our tastes) it’s not that big inside.

The only real benefit of the crossover is that you won’t have to lean over as much if you’re putting very small children in the back.

VW caddy maxi life here, mines a 1.6d which is fine but I’d look for a 2.0d if I was buying again. Can be found with 7 seats but mine has the back row removed and the middle row can be easily removed or folded away if needed. Fits 4 bikes with both wheels on easily and is long enough to sleep in although I haven’t so far. Original plan was to get a transporter but decided to save around £ 10k and get a nice new bike in a year or so instead (not for 10k), no complaints so far although if op is a ‘driving enthusiast’ I’d probably look at a sporty estate instead

I get the reliability concerns but I’ve got a new ish Juke that is wayyy less reliable than the Volvo so I’m a bit biased. Or it could just be that Juke’s are w@nk

Strangely, the Juke was rated number 27 in the Auto Express driver power survey, one spot above the Octavia and several above the Lexus RC. It also had the lowest number of reported faults of any car (2.9%!). This probably tells you more about surveys than anything else.

There’s so many shared parts these days that I think reliability depends more on what engine/gearbox etc your car has, rather than the make/model.

There’s so many shared parts these days …

I find this fascinating. How many people buying one of the earlier new Minis thought they were buying into a bit of British history, or a bit of German efficiency while all the time they had a Brazilian down there out of sight.

For your budget, I’d go Skoda Octavia est or the Superb est. You should be able to find a EU6 diesel for that money or a petrol, which should future proof you for awhile yet.

Bought a Skoda Yeti several weeks ago. Very good space inside for a small SUV. Easy to get 2 bikes in, upright with only the front wheels off. Rear seats can be removes to make a small van. Or put kids there if thats your thing. I prefer bikes or garden related stuff!

We’ve driven over 150K in two Honda CRVs. Needed no more than a replacemebt clutch and alternator. This was from an original Mazda 6 and an Audi A6 estate. Great driving position, very large inside. The new one is lower. Bikes on the roof benefits from running boards on the current one.

I wouldn’t go back to an estate car. But I would go down to a Cmax for something smaller. Probably the best driving comfort car. I hired one for a few weeks on a family holiday. Nowhere near as spacious as the CRV, but better in other areas like driving. I have two adult sons and a dog cage for reference.