Family car recommendations?

[Oneflewover]

I think it's all style over substance.
Sales men selling a perceived lifestyle.

Depending on your sporting even, the pros will often have middle aged transit vans (or equivalent), maybe crew cab or partial camper conversions to haul all their kit, or an old estate to carry stuff.
They would rather spend their cash on sports equipment than a shiny new car

I think that you are right. Seems to me that a good old fashioned estate is way more practical, and is better value.

 

[Nicks90]

Couldn't agree more

I hate crossovers and most modern suvs. They just aren't as good as an estate car.
For example the ford kuga is based on a focus. It's slower, has lower mpg, handles worse, has a smaller boot than the focus estate and costs more. Yet people buy them in droves over the focus!
Why? Because they perceive its a big family suv. Its a marketing ploy that's been exceptionally successful, to the detriment of usability and the car buying public.

Same goes for the Merc glc v a C class, skoda kodiak v octavia estate etc etc etc

Unless you have a dodgy hip and need a car seat to be at the same height as your bum to get in and out of, an estate is light years ahead of its crossover cousin in 99% of things.

Rant over

Ps for 15k is be looking at a volvo v60 if you want a premium car, or a focus estate/octavia estate for run of the mill car.

 

[crowcrow]

Really really happy with my citroen c4 grand picasso, does its job very well and can sit 7 on the rare occasions I need that. Most of the time only use the 5 seats and still has a massive boot, far far bigger inside than the v70 it replaced. We are all very comfy in this car.

 

[Oneflewover]

Couldn't agree more

I hate crossovers and most modern suvs. They just aren't as good as an estate car.
For example the ford kuga is based on a focus. It's slower, has lower mpg, handles worse, has a smaller boot than the focus estate and costs more. Yet people buy them in droves over the focus!
Why? Because they perceive its a big family suv. Its a marketing ploy that's been exceptionally successful, to the detriment of usability and the car buying public.

Same goes for the Merc glc v a C class, skoda kodiak v octavia estate etc etc etc

Unless you have a dodgy hip and need a car seat to be at the same height as your bum to get in and out of, an estate is light years ahead of its crossover cousin in 99% of things.

Rant over

Ps for 15k is be looking at a volvo v60 if you want a premium car, or a focus estate/octavia estate for run of the mill car.

Cheers, it's looking like a nearly new Octavia estate. We like Volvo - previously had a V50 and my sister has a V60 - but i can't find a manual / petrol V60 within a reasonable distance in our budget.

 

[Oneflewover]

Really really happy with my citroen c4 grand picasso, does its job very well and can sit 7 on the rare occasions I need that. Most of the time only use the 5 seats and still has a massive boot, far far bigger inside than the v70 it replaced. We are all very comfy in this car.

I'd be ok with a Citroen, but my wife won't hear of it. We had a Xsara picasso a few years ago, and she didn't like the way it handled and the plasicky interior. So as far as she's concerned Citroen can do one

 

[Thebiggestal]

Qashqai is a lovely car, nice to drive etc but it’s very small. Put a buggy in the boot and it’s full.

 

[crowcrow]

I'd be ok with a Citroen, but my wife won't hear of it. We had a Xsara picasso a few years ago, and she didn't like the way it handled and the plasicky interior. So as far as she's concerned Citroen can do one

Have to say when I got it there was an issue with the egr that led to a cascade of electrical/software problems. Once I figured it out it was an easy fix but as soon as I mentioned that to mates they all laughed and said how terrible the electrics on citroens can be. I'm not a car person, literally all I wanted was to have 5 proper seats that are comfy and the option to take 6 people on occasion including 2 kids in isofix seats. Surprisingly there are very few cars that offer this.

But yes, plastic interior, pretty basic in many ways (even though this is a high spec model) - but cost £2k to buy, and it is entering its 4 year for me - and I'll drive it until it dies. I live in a ruralish location that has me driving through narrow country lanes and scratching by hedges most days so I have no interest in a good car for now

 

[Loiner-62]

I'd be ok with a Citroen, but my wife won't hear of it. We had a Xsara picasso a few years ago, and she didn't like the way it handled and the plasicky interior. So as far as she's concerned Citroen can do one

Give a vote for the Octavia estate here. Had one for about 6 years now, can't really fault anything. Tons of space for biggish stuff, comfortable for me at over 6 foot tall, and for any passengers behind me. Generally nice car to drive. It's the VAG 1.6TD model so needed a new timing belt a year or so back - fairly pricey job - but otherwise no major expensive stuff to deal with. My son also impressed enough to buy himself a near identical model, even if his friends and girlfriend took the p*ss out of the then 24 year old driving a 'Dad' car.

Before that had a Peugeot Partner, great for carrying big stuff (ikea trips, washers etc) and was a fantastic holiday car with two kids and a dog to lug around. A lot better to drive than it's van like appearance would suggest. As a big empty box, took a lot of heating up the cabin in winter - on very cold days my 15 mile commute was just about long enough to unfasten the coat and take the gloves off. Did enjoy the SUV driving position but ultimately wanted a proper car again. A few work colleagues had newer PSA group stuff over the last couple of years (Citroen DS3's mainly) and generally not pleased with quality control with multiple minor - but annoying - electrical and mechanical faults.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I hate crossovers and most modern suvs. They just aren't as good as an estate car.

I am seriously considering buying a small SUV or crossover due to the higher seating position as i suffer with a bad back and find getting in and out of these type vehicles much easier my father has a Picasso and that is fine.

 

[mickthetrick]

I am seriously considering buying a small SUV or crossover due to the higher seating position as i suffer with a bad back and find getting in and out of these type vehicles much easier my father has a Picasso and that is fine.

i had to buy one last year for that very same reason. i dont regret it one bit. wish id bought one a few years ago.

 

[Worf]

I am seriously considering buying a small SUV or crossover due to the higher seating position as i suffer with a bad back and find getting in and out of these type vehicles much easier my father has a Picasso and that is fine.

We've had the entire range. Small economies, mid-range, minivans (family buses), small & large pickups, and now crossovers. The Lady of the house prefers the crossover because she doesn't like looking out the window at grills'n'headlights when driving in traffic. I ended up in crossovers primarily because of lower back (& future hip/knee) issues. Plus it's easier to get lumber in the crossover that the sedans. (Of course gimme my 1300cc bike any day it's not raining.)

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Prius Plus. 50-60mpg in town, low or no road tax, cheap to insure and don't go wrong and you'll be doing your bit for the environment!

Agree on the Prius: we’ve had one for years and years: runs on fresh air, never missed a beat.

 

[Theoriginalrich]

We’ve got a Karoq right now, I would’ve liked to get the kodiak had finances been stretched but I do miss our Seat Leon FR estate. Massive boot and could shift when needed.

 

[Gerryjo]

I had a SEAT Alhambra for 8 1/2 years though was diesel and can be got in petrol but such a versatile car for spacing,comfort and all round drivability.Currently have a Chevrolet Orlando which is also another great driving motor and can be got in petrol.Both are seven seaters with the SEAT having the option to be changed from a two to seven seat as the rear 5 seats can be removed or configured how you would like them.Also had a Mazda 5 and a Renault Espace and they have to be the worst I've ever had.

 

[Poochops]

I’ve got a Nissan qashqai presently, it’s a diesel 1.2 and delivers about 58mpg combined, with 20 a year tax and 250 a year insurance. It’s ok, it’s dirt cheap to run but not the most inspiring car I’ve ever owned, but as it’s paid for and my job pays 600 a month car allowance I’m happy to drive it till it dies and put the money in my pension for the foreseeable.
I had a Kia Sportage prior which was stolen off the drive, now that was a nice car, fully loaded, black, big wheels, full leather. I kicked myself a year after replacing it with a qashqai because they were a similar price but for some reason i fancied a change, it’s water under the bridge now.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I loved my mk1 mazda cx-5 the mk2 diesel has ad-blue even tho' the mk1 was 119g/km and one of the first euro 6 diesels. The mk2 is slower but even more well built, but I no longer needed a car of that size as the kids both finished uni so I downsized. I had it from new for 7 years 68k great car.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I’ve got a Nissan qashqai presently, it’s a diesel 1.2

@Poochops

What age is it?

How have you found the reliability?

I like the Quashqui i think its one of the best looking SUV's around especially in black what put me off was in every video review i watched they said reliability is terrible -



Auto express -

In the 2019 Driver Power survey, the Qashqai slipped to 49th place out of 100 – owners praised fuel economy, interior space, and child-friendliness.
The Qashqai got an average score for reliability, with 23.4% of owners reporting an issue with their cars. However, this didn’t stop the Qashqai from becoming the fourth-best-selling car of the year in 2018.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/26/extremely-polluting-nissan-and-renault-diesel-cars-still-on-sale-data-reveals

"In real world conditions, the Nissan Qashqai produces 18 times more nitrogen oxides than the official lab-based test allows under EU directives, while Nissan's Juke pumps out 16 times more NOx pollution than the limit, according to data from vehicle testing company Emissions Analytics seen by the Guardian."​

Just saying... also I've no idea whether it is still the case.

 

[marshbrewer]

Just saying... also I've no idea whether it is still the case.

Don't think it is; before I got the Skoda (great car, but zzzzzzzzzzz........) I was looking at the Renault Kadjar (2018) and it suddenly disappeared off the lease listing, along with lots if other Renault's. They came back six months later with very different CO2 bands!

 

[phildo79]

Audi A4 estate. My neighbour has a black one. It looks the nuts, for an estate. Wouldn't say no to one myself.