New Job, need a different car

[Hawkesbury]

Hello,

I have just accepted a new teaching job in Suffolk. I currently live in Wiltshire and both my family and the in-laws live locally. So we will be moving in the summer. but would travel back for visits id guess 6-10 times a year. approx 450m round trip

Anyway we currently have a 53 reg 1.7 CDTi civic and a 03 1.9D Berlingo car/van thing. Which are both fine for their current uses.
The civic isnt big enough for 2 adults, 2 kids and a dog + pushchair etc for a 4+ hour journey.
Although the berlingo is big enough it is not a nice place to spend 4 hours and doesnt like 70mph for long periods. afterall it is a brick shaped object with no aerodynamics!

Im guessing for the two cars id get a tad over £4k - both are in good condition and have FSH. I can add another £2-3k but id rather not.

So question is what do I get to replace the two. The wife doesnt want to drive a van again and wants something a bit nicer to look at. Realistically I want something that on the motorway I can just cruise along in.

So Im thinking a petrol mondeo or octavia estate. I have driven an octavia a few times wich I have to say felt huge compared to the berlingo! and Im sure my wife would not enjoy parking it.

Any suggestions?

TLDR - new car for 2+2+Dog, 10k ish miles a year, £4k budget

 

[Hawkesbury]

If you're happy with what you have know the cars and they are well looked after and the 450 mile run is the reason you could just hire a car for the few trips you need, your visits will tail off to twice a year.

Yeah true, i think another concern is with the new job, my son will probably start in a prep school and wife doesnt want to drop him off in a red berlingo van...

The other reason is we dont do the miles between us for one diesel car yet alone two!