Twins Arrived. What Family Car?

Soldato
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Dad recently bought a 2019 7 seat kodiaq and it's a great car for the price tbh. I borrowed it for a trip to stoke and back and it's a solid car and more comfortable than I was expecting, loads of load space as well. Would definitely recommend it.
 
Associate
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Not sure why i've singled you out to ask.....But any idea where i could get inside dimensions which give the inside length all the way through? I sometimes struggle to get 2.4m lengths of wood in my Alfa and it'd be great id any estates allowed really long things.
from https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/391685-estate-boot-size/
Estate boot is 1170mm long, 1000mm wide (between wheel arches). Height is 580mm to parcel shelf & 800mm to roof - that's without variable boot floor.
Bassically, boot is long & deep but not very wide!

XC60 boot is 960 long x 1130 wide
Mondeo is 1148 long x 1140 wide
and
You can fit 3 meter lengths of timber in if you recline the front passenger seat

*edit*
more dimesions (length with seats up vs down) here: https://www.ridc.org.uk/5444
 
Soldato
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Yeah i'll echo the comments that an SUV isn't necessarily better, we've got an Avensis estate and i find the height of that perfect, it's easier to get the pram in and out of than a taller SUV as you don't have to lift it so far which is especially useful for the wife. I am only 175cm though so if you're tall it may be a different story.

As for getting them in and out, yes you are lower but i've not found it an issue as long as you've got a good car seat that swivels as you're just picking them straight up out of it.

For the trade off you have to make going SUV with the everything being more expensive (tyres, diesel etc) and driving worse, i'd much rather have a big estate car. Plus they're never as big inside as they seem, you end up having to get a huge SUV to get the same interior space as a decent estate car.

We looked at the Mazda CX5 and it was nice but we'd have to get the CX7 to get a boot and the same rear legroom as my Avensis and at that stage you feel like you're driving a bus and stuff like parking on the street in towns becomes more of a headache.
 
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Brilliant. Thanks for that. Was thinking of whether i'd be able to fit a Paddle Board in at 10ft, might be do-able with bungee chords to save a roof rack!
if it will fit on the roof of your existing car then take it to a showroom and have a play. I went around a number of car dealers with our pram and basket, etc. to check for accessibility/space prior to buying. (you do feel like a spanner tho)
 
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Yeah i'll echo the comments that an SUV isn't necessarily better, we've got an Avensis estate and i find the height of that perfect, it's easier to get the pram in and out of than a taller SUV as you don't have to lift it so far which is especially useful for the wife. I am only 175cm though so if you're tall it may be a different story.

As for getting them in and out, yes you are lower but i've not found it an issue as long as you've got a good car seat that swivels as you're just picking them straight up out of it.

For the trade off you have to make going SUV with the everything being more expensive (tyres, diesel etc) and driving worse, i'd much rather have a big estate car. Plus they're never as big inside as they seem, you end up having to get a huge SUV to get the same interior space as a decent estate car.

We looked at the Mazda CX5 and it was nice but we'd have to get the CX7 to get a boot and the same rear legroom as my Avensis and at that stage you feel like you're driving a bus and stuff like parking on the street in towns becomes more of a headache.
agree completely - a SUV just tends to be taller and not necessarily a bigger boot. a fast estate is cool, a fast suv is still a chelsea tractor. The only benefit/need for a SUV is use away from tarmac (not necessarily fully off road, but bumpy farm tracks can warrant the raised ground clearance), apart from that you're paying more for a bigger car which uses more fuel and handles worse...
 
Soldato
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Never understood the whole need an SUV for a kid thing, we have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a lowered Mondeo ST220, it's no harder getting my daughter in & out of the Mondeo than the Jeep and i'm 6'5".
 
Soldato
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Not sure why i've singled you out to ask.....But any idea where i could get inside dimensions which give the inside length all the way through? I sometimes struggle to get 2.4m lengths of wood in my Alfa and it'd be great id any estates allowed really long things.

I got an Ikea Malm bed in my Octavia Estate (along with a few other things, it's like a Tardis), the longest box of which is 205cm and that was with a passenger in the car, with the seat just moved forward a bit. The Superb is about 300mm longer overall I think, so you'd probably have a good shot at 2.4m timbers in a Superb even with a passenger.
 

Jez

Jez

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If you want something with 'poke' for £25k, get a BMW F25 X3 35d, 313BHP, 8 Speed Auto, 0-60 in 5.3 seconds etc, yet will still do over 30MPG even in the worst of commutes and can even get mid to high 40's if driven like a saint.
The funny thing is, the 35d in this is the exact same engine as in all the 40d variants in other models (313BHP)

This one (2017) has an amazing spec list for very close to £25K (https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201906289517902)
- Dynamic Damping (Really helps as the standard M-Sport suspension is a bit harsh, this allows you the choice)
- Surround View (very useful to help the Mrs gain confidence when manoeuvring around tight spaces)
- Adaptive LED Headlights (Nice to look at, I don't really notice much difference from any
- Heated Electric Front Seats (even electric seats was not 'standard', the only option I had to forego :( )
- Heated Steering Wheel
- NBT Evo infotainment (that bit newer/nicer, only added in the last year of production)

I've just swapped the Mrs' X-Trail to one of these (slightly older, but has a good options list including the surround view, LED headlights, and even a Pan Roof) and can't really fault it, the performance is so smooth and it really hauls..

Had this one been around 2 month ago I'd have persuaded the Mrs to get over her fear of white cars (The X3 looks good in white, my Mrs just hates anything in white) as bar the Pan Roof it has every option I'd care about and some of those are very rare (in fact Surround view was on our essential list, only 2 X3's in the country had it when we where looking).
I will echo this, although at £25k i would have an F15 rather than an F25 personally.

I recently bought an F25 (albeit a 30d) and it is a fantastic family car, we really like it, very practical and a very smooth, comfortable and powerful drive.
 
Caporegime
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I got an Ikea Malm bed in my Octavia Estate (along with a few other things, it's like a Tardis), the longest box of which is 205cm and that was with a passenger in the car, with the seat just moved forward a bit. The Superb is about 300mm longer overall I think, so you'd probably have a good shot at 2.4m timbers in a Superb even with a passenger.

My old Saab 9-5 managed an IKEA wardrobe, shoe storage and coat hooks. Longest one 2.2 meters. 3 people still in the car with split folding seats. Car was low as anything though as quite a bit of weight in the back. Next to a 4x4 it looks tiny as a car but the load area is very long so is very useful. Have had a full four piece bathroom in the back before taking it to the tip.
 
Soldato
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This is a myth. I am 6ft 3 and have no problem what so ever with an estate. Two kids and a dog. If anything it is easier for them to get in and out of. A lot easier to get prams in as well as estates generally have a longer load area rather than higher which is far more use in the real world.

I ruptured a disc when we had our second child. I struggled to drive my Estate car, but the killer was if the pram was pushed all the way forward in the boot, it was so heavy, trying to drag/lift that whilst stretched right inside was painful. Mind you that was a Mondeo estate which like the Superb has a crazily long boot (a touch narrow by comparison)

I ended up getting an MPV (Zafira) and it massively helped on all fronts
- Slightly higher seat base compared to regular vehicles
- Lifting the kids in/out in the seats was a touch easier (not massively, although doing the seat belt up was a touch easier as you aren't crouched as far over)
- The boot being a bit higher helped loading/unloading and as the boot dimensions means a lot of the space is more vertical, items where always that bit closer (so again no stretching) you don't crouch over as much.

Don't get me wrong, my Dad (6'3") managed with 3 kids in a Metro without any problems what-so-ever, you can manage in just about any vehicle, but far more people I know have gone from Estate -> SUV and had nothing but positive experiences.

I've had a few SUV's in a row for the family wagon (M3 Convertible for weekends), and I much prefer the SUV for that role, the extra height is what makes it for me
- Airier cabin (generally more glass/light etc)
- More relaxed driving (being higher up makes the speed seem less)
- Generally more compliant ride than the same type of car
- Boot is quite practical from a loading/unloading point of view, i.e. you don't need to stretch in as far, or crouch over as much.
- For me, I prefer the more balanced passenger space to boot ratio or slightly less deep but wider/taller boot dimensions.

That doesn't mean I don't enjoy taking the family (2 teenagers and a Dog) out in the M3 which many consider difficult to get in/out due to the excessively low ride height, yet I am happy to manage and don't have any issues myself.. But if going away for a weekend, I'll take the SUV every time.
 
Soldato
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Just bought a Seat Alhambra, can recommend for size, 7 full size seats and the rear ones all fold completely flat for van like capacity. Sliding doors too for accessing the baby seat in tight spaces too :)

Certainly not as cool as some of the cars in this thread but you can't beat it for practicality.
 

mjt

mjt

Soldato
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One thing to think about is front passenger legroom once the little ones start using rear-facing seats in a year or so (depending on their size). The advantage of a superb is that you will be able to sit properly upfront thanks to the ridiculous amount of legroom in the rear.
 
Soldato
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One thing to think about is front passenger legroom once the little ones start using rear-facing seats in a year or so (depending on their size). The advantage of a superb is that you will be able to sit properly upfront thanks to the ridiculous amount of legroom in the rear.
Definitely more of a consideration these days, baby/child seats are getting huge! I like the CARWOW reviews, these briefly just check if things fit, to be fair the more legroom the better, but considering how much 'room' you actually need, I don't think defaulting to the largest you can find is a key consideration, for example, the Peugeot 5008 allows the rear seats to individually slide backwards to probably surpass the Superb, however my Sisters 5008 with two ISOFIX seats in doesn't impact on the front passenger seats even with the middle seats in their normal position.

Just bought a Seat Alhambra, can recommend for size, 7 full size seats and the rear ones all fold completely flat for van like capacity. Sliding doors too for accessing the baby seat in tight spaces too :)
Certainly not as cool as some of the cars in this thread but you can't beat it for practicality.
We hired one to ferry the Family + Grand Parents around the lake district and it was actually really practical, comfortable and the 2.0 Diesel was peppy enough with decent MPG, and the sliding doors are a revelation for ease of getting in/out in general!
As you say, they are a bit boring to look at, but for 'family' duty, I personally wouldn't bat an eye-lid as they are so cost effective.
 
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mjt

mjt

Soldato
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What about a Golf R Estate? I'm 5 foot 8 so don't need the front seat all the way back. Who has experience fitting a baby seat behind the driver in a mk7.5 golf?
I have a Mk7 5dr. Something like a Group 0 Maxi Cosi Pebble is fine, but a rear-facing Group 1 (9-18kg), forget it. Knees in your face for the passenger.
 
Soldato
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A wee update: I put a deposit down on an 2014 X5 40d, 30k miles.

What surprised me when looking at these was that hardly anyone specced Harman Kardon. Literally around 5% of all the cars have it. The rest of the spec is good; soft close doors, surround view, pan roof and 7 seats. Should be a good family wagon!

The car comes with some genuine carbon bits but I'm really not fussed for them (look chavvy to me) so may remove them and sell them. From what I can see they cost a lot new (carbon splitter, diffuser & spoiler).

Here's a pic, but I'll update with more when I get it.

x5.jpg
 
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