Time for a change - recommended alternatives?

[Jonny69]

I've been having to drive her car for a few weeks while I get some machining done on mine and I've decided it needs to go. I really don't like it. It's a 59-plate Peugeot 207 SW auto so now could be a good time to shift it before too much of the residual value dies.

The bits I like:
-Loading space in the back.
-The way the seats drop completely flat in the back and how fast you can do it without the seatbelts tangling up.
-Privacy glass at the back.
-Roll-back (folding) parcel shelf.
-Internal space, there's lots of it and the seats are nicely spaced apart.
-Glass panoramic roof.

The bits I don't like:
-Throttle delay. Appalling throttle delay.
-Feeling of enormity - it feels huge but is actually only a bit wider than a Golf.
-Featherlight throttle pedal and too much assist on the brakes, which makes trying to drive smoothly really hard work.
-Enormous windscreen pillar + the bit the wipers don't wipe = massive blind spot when approaching roundabouts etc.
-Strong dashboard reflection on windscreen when the sun is out.
-Fuel consumption is pretty poor for a 1.6 auto, both in town and on long runs.
-Ridiculously revvy engine which doesn't marry well to an autobox.

I'd be looking for:
-Auto
-Estate back: very handy for lugging stuff to the tip and throwing bikes in the back, but not essential.
-Prefer hatchback size over saloon. In fact, the smaller the better because I prefer small cars.
-Metal tailgate so I can hang a bike carrier on it.
-Better fuel consumption. The 207 averages 24mpg in traffic and about 36 on the motorway, which isn't good enough imo.

It's used for a lot of different things from 10 mile commute each way in traffic when I'm driving it, 1-mile station hack, 75 mile motorway journeys and shopping trips. Annual mileage is about 7k and I guess the budget will be about the same.

Any ideas?

 

[ci_newman]

Mondeo or Focus..

 

[tummelv]

I'm not sure if it's a metal tailgatge but focus estate? Either that or an Octavia imo would be a good shout.

 

[paradigm]

This is an incredibly odd (and difficult) set of criteria.

You want something small, yet an estate. Decent fuel consumption, but dislike electronic throttles (by the sounds of things).

I'm finding it hard to find anything other than cheap French tat (which you already have), that's going to be small, yet come in estate guise.

How small is small, and how big is too big?

 

[DKong]

Any car will be better than 207 SW!

Could look into Citroen Berlingo, Honda Jazz, Skoda Roomster.

Not sure you will be able to get 40+ mpg from a petrol.

 

[skippy2421]

You want small but essentially estate type properties. hmmmm tricky this one without knowing how big is too big as paradigm says. So working on the assumption Focus class size is the limit perhaps the fabia estate or the 5 door A3 seems to come with a reasonable boot over its golf equivalent and should fit some stuff in.

 

[Jonny69]

It is a lot to ask, probably why it took us so long to decide on the last one

Yeh, maybe we're asking too much. Practical head says diesel saloon, but heart says may die inside if it goes that way

 

[Minstadave]

A3 sportback was the first thing I though of too.

 

[[TW]Fox]

A small engine and an autobox is rarely going to deliver good fuel economy unless its something thats not really an Auto, ie a VW DSG or similar?