Previous two cars have been Skoda Yeti. Diesel then a petrol. Liked them both. Only issue is a bit small inside and my current 1.2 is a bit weedy. I drive between 17500-20000 miles a year. For work that’s generally quite long journeys on the motorway, for the rest pretty short running kids about and getting to riding.

Car has to be new/leased as that’s the way I fund it through the company. What I really want is

– elevated driving position
– DSG/similar
– Light / Airy inside
– Big enough to take a bike with seats down
– Decent fuel economy
– Decent stereo 😉

That’s about it. Doesn’t need to be fast or handle superbly or any of that. Just be comfortable and a nice place to spend too long in. I test drove the Kodiaq and expected to just order one, but didn’t like it as much as I’d hoped. Just left me thinking Meh. The Yeti replacement is out and I’ll try that although might be a bit small still. I quite like the Jag SUV thing but expect it’s too much cash and again a bit small.

Had an x-trail previously, so that’s on the list. Also considering estates but think I’d miss the driving position. Budget is whatever a mid spec Kodiaq costs.

What I really want is a T6. But they are too much money and my better half would take some convincing.

Help me out here. I’m going to have to spend time in hateful car showrooms so want to limit that to the lowest possible exposure of shiny suited salespeople!

Sounds like a small people carrier.

C-Max, Touran etc would fit the bill.

Caddy Maxi Life – been to Italy and back in the one I had and will be again in three weeks time.
Ticks every single one of your points.

Seat Ateca?

Seats are usually good value on a lease basis, it comes with a range of engines, but none of them are particulaly thristy I think.

It’ll probably have Apple / Android Carplay and decent speakers if you get the right one.

Given the way VW platform share it’s probably 90% the same as the Kodiaq, but that doesn’t mean it’ll drive the same way.

Sounds like a small people carrier.

C-Max, Touran etc would fit the bill.

This. Much more space in them than the mini 4x4s. Loads of choice. Tourans are available in 5 seat form without the mini pair of seats in the back, to give more space (or they were, haven’t looked for a while).

Yeah I think the Seat I think is the same platform as the Kodiaq. Seems to get good reviews. I’ll add that to the list. My wife’s Fabia has the car play thing and it’s fantastic. I’d never pay for a sat nav now although around the Forest, 3G can be a bit patchy!

Cadi Maxi.. kind of half a van. Never thought of that. Mate has an 08 one and its cavernous!

My bro had an s-max. Again massive. He’s chopped it for a 5 series BMW which disappointedly I liked a lot when I tried it! My x-trail was 4×4. Needed it twice in 3 years. So maybe going down the people carrier route is a better way to get the space.

Blimey, a people carrier. Is that what it’s come too? 🙂

Have you looked at the Ford SUV range?

We have an older Kuga which we will probably keep for a good while yet. Neighbours have a new Edge, which I like the look of.

I’d never pay for a sat nav now although around the Forest, 3G can be a bit patchy!

You can download and store huge areas for little storage these days, I think I downloaded France, Spain and Switzerland for less than 500MB, you might have to renew it every 3 months or something.

Maxi Life Alex – full M1, so 7 seats, rear is a bench, etc
Storage a plenty, unfloor too, twin side loading doors, DSG, will take 3 passengers and 3 bikes whole and I’ve had 7 before with 7 passengers. OK – 4 were on a rack but 3 still fitted behind the rear bench with front wheels out and bars spun!

You can download and store huge areas for little storage these days,

– well that’s good news. I know you can on google. Didn’t realise apple maps had that.

I’ve not looked at Ford SUVs since this happened: http://pickled-hedgehog.com/?m=201204 (note has a bit of annoyed swearing in it!)

The trauma may have subsided enough for me to add that to the list!

VW Tiguan might be worth a look as well. I’m not sure about the cost but it ticks all the boxes otherwise.

Ford Kuga for me. I had one for three years (45000 miles) and loved it. Easy to drive, comfortable for long journeys, reasonably economical and two bikes in the back with the seats down.

I had a ride in one a few weeks back. Ride was hard and bouncy. I felt ill. Also not that large inside.

– well that’s good news. I know you can on google. Didn’t realise apple maps had that.

Ah, I’d forgotten Carplay only uses Apple Maps – it ‘sort of’ does, if you set your destination whilst you have a signal it’ll download the whole route, but if you start it whilst you don’t you might struggle a bit until you find one, but I guess unless you pre-plan Google might not be much better.

Anyway, it could be a moot point – my Wife’s Seat at least has old school stored data sat-nav built into the unit as well.

No idea if it’s any good, but the Mazda CX-5 looks very nice.

In-Laws have a Kia Sportage & are very pleased with it. And in a similar vein, the Hyundai Tucson might be worth a look.

A bit of quick research has revealed the following

– I don’t like the Ford SUVs much but the S-Max looks interesting (as interesting as a people carrier can)
– The Seat looks good value, I’ll have a poke around one of those in Hereford. Seems you get a far better spec’d car than a similar Skoda
– Touran looks expensive compare to the Seat. But it’s on the list. Maybe it’ll seem worth it in the flesh.
– Didn’t like the Caddy Max much.
– Looked at Sportage’s last time. Dealer was a total ******. And I didn’t like the way the seats didn’t go flat. Will try and find another dealer.

CX5 will go on long list. Ta. I wish it was as interesting as looking for new bikes…

Just been through the very same thing – even to the Yeti bit. We went Tiguan as it was head and shoulders better than anything else (similar) for the price.

The Mazda seemed too pricy on lease so we didn’t look at that. The SEAT was also a little more on the lease. Hyundai variant was OK and similar in money but we got a 2WD Tiguan, 150SE Nav.

Look at Whar Car Lease deals

Honda CR-V?

honda website

Thanks CB… I have until end Feb but the lead times on some of the cars are very long. Probably have to extend it if I want the Yeti replacement as it’s not going on sale until next year. I guess the thing with lease is residuals, and the VWs are better than the Seat?

the CRV looks good. I had an accord years ago and had no issues with it at all. Not sure what the auto box is like…

Nissan cash cow or the newer X trail, would be on my list.

The other option is a Renault Kadjar, has to be said in a Yorkshire accent with a hard d.

Same underpinnings as the cash cow.

Your accountant recommends getting a caravelle. Or an m4.

Either will be fine.

We’ve got all the way down here and nobody has mentioned a Berlingo/Partner?

Dacia Logan Stepway?

If you’re considering the Touran then the Maxi Life is the same front end/interior – just with the advantage of the mahoosively adaptable space behind you.
Wouldn’t touch a Tiguan – mate is a VW Master Tech and its one of the few he warned me off strongly.
Touran is small for what it is and overpriced.
Kuga is stupidly small inside.
S-Max is a nice place to be as a passenger but an awful drive for distance.
Mattbee has a Kia and likes it but its for towing – the bikes are on the roof as its still not that roomy inside.

Kia sportage, know of some cracking lease deals and with it being lease you haven’t got to worry about the thundering residual values.

Dacia Logan Stepway?

Nissan Cube?

Skoda Kodiaq

S-Max is a nice place to be as a passenger but an awful drive for distance.

Why?

hammyuk – seeing as the Tiguan is a brand new car your mate must be a sodding Jedi Tech…

Tiguan has been around since 2007 cb – so perhaps check before thinking you’re omnipresent….

Don’t laugh, but I’ve just got a BMW 2 Series active tourer because I couldn’t tak the wife into getting a yeti and I bloody love it.

Don’t know what the lease offers are like, and you’ll wince every time you think about what you’ve ordered until you’ve got it but it’s a really nice car.

Would be tempted by the grand tourer if you needed more space. It’s a lovely place to spend time.

Tiguan has been around since 2007

New model released this year

*Cough* Golf alltrack.

DSG + ACC is amazing. No need to touch the pedals when in town or motorway…tis pleasant.

GTD engine and the autobox gives you the full fat bhp version too, which is nice on long journeys. The selectable 4×4 helps too (never has, never used it but nice to be there!) My boss is good to me (sometimes)

Your accountant recommends getting a caravelle. Or an m4.

– he really is my accountant 🙂 I was hoping you’d lend me your M4! I do really want a Caravelle. I’m just trying to talk myself out of it on the grounds of cost and practicality.

Tried a Kodiaq. Expected to really like it. But it just left me feeling a bit let down. I don’t know why. And it’s not cheap so I was hoping to be blown away. Golf is not much bigger than the yeti (and I think the Tiguan might be similar). Defo like the idea of DSG+ACC or equiv in whatever I get.

I had one of the older x-trails. It was fab. Until the intercooler exploded. There seem to have been two new ones since then. I’ll stick it on the list. BMW X-anything. I soft of can’t forgive them for the ‘what an off duty stormtrooper would drive’ X6.

In typical STW style, I am now better informed but no further on other than this evening having to start a spreadsheet…

Can sell you an older X-Trail with perfect mechanicals.
A few (ok more than a few) cosmetic blemishes (but zero rust) for £2.4k
Bonus is its Italian Registered and LHD so the accountant can write it off as an equipment acquisition from within the EU…..

How about the new Peugeot 3008? Looks more like an SUV than the fugly old 3008, but still FWD only

As already suggested the Seat Ateca sounds suitable. I am slightly biased as we have ordered one for my wife. I have done a fair bit of research on this and the 1.4 tsi engine seems to get really good comments on how it drives….considering it is a SUV. It is 150 bhp so has a decent turn of pace but is still pretty frugal. We test drove one but it was the diesel so until it arrives I can’t really comment on the engine, but it did corner well.

as always, recommend what you have. So it’s Kia sportage for me. Get my bike in the boot with seats down and front wheel off. Got a great deal on it 2 years ago and would happily have another.

I’d like to get the bike in with both wheels on. It’s not a deal breaker as most of the year it goes on the trailer. Needs to be new as it’s all tied in with the company and I don’t want a car as a company asset!

A guy at work had the 3008. It’s quite space age inside. I wondered about the 5008 but that doesn’t seem to have had the same facelift. The 3008 looked a bit pokey in the back. Maybe I was put off as his was 1970s bronze 🙂

it might be worth looking at the tax implications of getting a van instead (if that’s what you want) – I think they’re often cheaper than company cars

FWIW the boot in the Hyundai ix35 is surprisingly small. I think this is a combination of high ground clearance and spare wheel stored under the boot floor. May also apply to Kia Sportage?