Car advice - family of 5

Ewaf

Ewaf

Ewaf

Soldato
Joined
22 May 2007
Posts
3,932
Hey,

I'm in the early stages of getting a new car and looking for pointers, especially from people in a similar family situation. I have an 11 year old, 7 year old and 1 year old. The 1 year old is currently in an isofix, the 7 year old in a booster, and 11 year old normal seat.

We currently have 2016 Suzuki Vitara sz-t, it's served us well but now we have 3 it's a tight squeeze in the back.

We're keeping the Vitara, but I want to part exchange my 2019 polo GTI+. Online dealership calculators are valuing it at £17-18k+, it's got every possible extra, 20k miles and in very good shape some I'm hoping that's accurate because it means I'll have around £4k equity to roll into a new deal.

With that equity, I'd then be looking to spend no more than £500 p/m. I think that means cars around the 25 - 40k range.

I'm basically looking for comfort and space in the back for the kids, as well as good boot space. If I can opt for something with a bit of bite to it, that would be perfect.

So far I've considered:

Volvo XC60 - seems practical but not very exciting to drive
Volvo V60 - again, practical and could get the T5 which I think has about 250bhp
Cupra ateca - really like this but I don't think it's big enough inside unfortunately
Seat Leon Cupra 300 ST estate - good performance, and it's an estate, but I don't think it's all that big inside?

Hoping to see a few of the above this week, but wondering if anyone has any other suggestions. As mentioned, if I can keep a bit of performance that would be good!

Cheers!
 
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Performance is one thing, exciting to drive another - increasingly the family cars SUV and estate of this kind of ilk are neutered when it comes to steering response and general dynamics - even when they can do 0-60 in blistering times :s I guess it is worth looking at something like the R editions of the Tiguan and Touareg, etc. though to see what you think of them.
 
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Cheers, good points, forgot about the Tiguan.

One thing I forgot to touch on was petrol Vs diesel. I'm guessing I should opt for a petrol these days ? Most of what we do is small journeys, with the occasional long one to the south coast or something which is like 2 hours each way.
 
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There seems to be a bit of a war against diesel currently - several places near me are looking at implementing higher parking charges for diesels and/or higher emission vehicles :( not a fan, aside from driving diesels, as it penalises people individually for the system, rather than changing the system first, which is never right in my eyes regardless of the intentions.

In respect to short journeys it depends what you call short and/or how often you do longer ones - it doesn't take many longer journeys to keep modern diesel engines running well and generally not a problem with journeys of a few miles - and/or you wouldn't do the mileage for the problems to emerge though a subsequent owner might not thank you. Most of the diesels I drive are rated to function normally as long as you (a) don't drive at speeds below 10 MPH for extended periods (b) don't regularly do journeys below 10 minutes duration.
 
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The Tiguan and Kodiaq (and maybe Seat Tarraco (or maybe it'll be a Cupra Tarraco))are coming up for new models so might be some deals to be had on the outgoing ones. Same goes for the Superb and Passat.
 
Rroff said:
There seems to be a bit of a war against diesel currently - several places near me are looking at implementing higher parking charges for diesels and/or higher emission vehicles :( not a fan, aside from driving diesels, as it penalises people individually for the system, rather than changing the system first, which is never right in my eyes regardless of the intentions.

In respect to short journeys it depends what you call short and/or how often you do longer ones - it doesn't take many longer journeys to keep modern diesel engines running well and generally not a problem with journeys of a few miles - and/or you wouldn't do the mileage for the problems to emerge though a subsequent owner might not thank you. Most of the diesels I drive are rated to function normally as long as you (a) don't drive at speeds below 10 MPH for extended periods (b) don't regularly do journeys below 10 minutes duration.
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That's what concerns me about diesels , if stuff ramps up like you mentioned around higher parking charges or if the government decides to introduce something.
 
Look at the Superb, the space is unreal. The Tiguan is pretty much golf based so not wide on the inside, same story for the Ateca and Leon.

V60 is an excellent shout, brilliantly built, very comfy, not bad to drive in reality. I had the older XC60 R design D4 and it did the job from a family point of view, it also handled pretty well for a tall car.
 
An Audi Q7 has three individual seats in the back (or middle row if you've got a 7-seater) with excellent space in the back for 3 kids, especially if 1 is in ISOFIX and 1 in a booster. Running costs could be an issue, but they're fantastic cars.

Could a BMW 225 Active Tourer be something worth looking at?
 
Tinders said:
The Tiguan is pretty much golf based so not wide on the inside
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It isn't terrible though - but I would say more suited to having only 1 child in some kind of seat or booster than 2-3 (if you have 3 in the back) - I think people would need to look at it and see if it worked for them on a case by case basis.
 
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mjt said:
An Audi Q7 has three individual seats in the back (or middle row if you've got a 7-seater) with excellent space in the back for 3 kids, especially if 1 is in ISOFIX and 1 in a booster. Running costs could be an issue, but they're fantastic cars.

Could a BMW 225 Active Tourer be something worth looking at?
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I think a Q7 is out of budget, as much as I like it!
 
bigmike20vt said:
Kia Eniro?
nissan Ariya
does it have to be new? 35k puts you in the nice example model S range (or dare I say it as am biased a Jag Ipace)
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Doesn't have to be new no, but wanting to get something on PCP if possible.

Hadn't really considered electric, never owned one!
 
All the cars your looking at are too small, albeit they are bigger than the car being replaced there not hugely bigger than the Suzuki ( if not the same size)

Boot space is tiny on the Tiguan and the other vag equivalents

Someone mentioned the superb, this is a good choice especially in estate guise it's bigger than the models you mentioned.

Alternatively look at the Kia Sorrento / Hyundai equivalent

Having a 1 year old likely your dragging a buggy round which takes up a fair amount of room

Best thing to do is go and look at as many as possible ideally go to a car supermarket like big car world or equivalent that usually have all of these types of cars in stock, take the family and try them all out then go from there.

In the range of cars your going to be looking at, one with bite likely isn't going to be an option, though there is some exceptions pending budget etc, I know you said £500 p/m but this day in age I'm unsure what this nets you.

A Volvo v90 t8 might be a good option pending finance deals etc.
 
bigmike20vt said:
Kia Eniro?
nissan Ariya
does it have to be new? 35k puts you in the nice example model S range (or dare I say it as am biased a Jag Ipace)
Click to expand...

I don't know why, they don't seem bad cars, but people don't seem to be keeping their Ariyas - loads keep coming back up for sale less than a year old and on low miles - I've also noticed that several 22 plate ones have popped up for sale more than once this year locally.
 
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