Help recommend my next family car please.

[MSIC]

Hi all, as always thanks in advance for any opinions on this.

In around 6 months I will be looking to buy a new car (probably 'new' new as I'd have to get financing, and I've seen sone tempting deals on new cars) for the family.

Criteria : 2 adults and 2 small children ( ie also 2 buggies, nappy bags etc etc)
my wife hates low seating cars (ie ford focus et al, ford mondeo etc)
budget is up to 20k
deisel preferred on principle, however it will be doing less than 10k miles per year, so paying £3k extra vs petrol equivalent would be silly.
Insurance group not much above the current 10 rating.

To let you know, we currently have a Honda jazz (with 1 baby, am making plans for number 2 ).

Top of the current list is Citroën c4 Picasso, however I've become a huge fan of honda's reliability and would certainly consider the soon-to-be discontinued fr-v.
Am also looking at some SUVs like the cr-v. Yesterday I sat in a ford kuga however it felt pretty small (relatively). Any others that I should be giving serious thought to?

[Vimeous]

Seat Altea and Skoda Yeti spring to mind.
I'd of suggested a Skoda Roomster but it sounds like the seats won't be appreciated.

If you're happy to risk French reliability with a C4 then I guess you can't count out a Scenic either.

If you want a simple hatch then VW's MK6 Golf Plus is a much better looker than the last one and their Tiguan also offers high-seated comfort.

The FRV would be great but make sure there's enough boot space for all your kit. It'd be on my list too but it's not the newest model on the highway so be sure that won't bother you either.

[kalniel]

Focus S-Max? Vaux Zafira?

Picasso is not a bad choice though.

[finlay666]

my wife hates low seating cars (ie ford focus et al, ford mondeo etc)

How about a C-Max? They are higher up than the regular cars

[Disturbedguy]

I bet Zak says Vauxhall Zafira

[Vimeous]

How about a C-Max? They are higher up than the regular cars

Just remembered the C-Max - good shout. By the time the OP comes to buy Ford will be on the cuspe of releasing the next C-Max and Grand C-Max (September) so, like the recently ceased FRV, prices for the out going model should be razor sharp.

[abaxas]

If you have kids, please remember that SUVS have a higher centre of gravity, hence certain safety implications.

[MSIC]

Thanks for the ideas so far guys, I'd particulalry love to hear any experiences.

If you have kids, please remember that SUVS have a higher centre of gravity, hence certain safety implications.

I understand what you mean, However from a back care point of view (lifting kids in and out of cars) bending down is a bad idea.

It's looking like the mpv section is where I am headed, my worry(ish) is that I'll have to abandon much sense of style - hence a niggling idea about getting an suv albeit one with good space (- and yet remains easy to park, low insurance and give good mpg- yes, I want it all!!)

edit: at the risk of sounding ungrateful, the skoda yeti! I am happy to buy a skoda as a principle, however (in photos) the yeti looks like it was hit with more than one ugly stick a shame really though, as it looks quite practical.

[Vimeous]

LOL
I love the Yeti!

Ford built the S-Max for peeps like yourself but I actually think the Galaxy is better balanced visually and both are too big for your needs.

I know I might regret this (on price alone) but the BMW X1 might be available as well. Apparently it really is small (think 3-series) compared to other X-series vehicles.

[schmunk]

Ford built the S-Max for peeps like yourself but I actually think the Galaxy is better balanced visually and both are too big for your needs.

When you have children, there is no such thing as 'too big'. I am dreading my trip to my parents' at Christmas, and I only have one child and a Passat Estate..!

[Vimeous]

When you have children, there is no such thing as 'too big'. I am dreading my trip to my parents' at Christmas, and I only have one child and a Passat Estate..!

Then I shall buy a Caravelle!

[Clingy]

I'm on my second Touran. Current one is a 2 litre diesel (140bhp). Very good car and drives well, with a noticeable lack of rolling. Previously I had Seat Alhambras. Great car for shifing big loads, tons of space on a flat floor, but a pain getting seats in and out and difficult to park. Still drives fairly well. Touran is based upon Golf so much easier to park. Altea is a good option IMHO, but I have heard so many bad stories about the Fords.

[dave87]

If it doesn't have to be new - V50/V70 - the 2.0D and D5 versions are brilliant cars. The 'rents have a V70 and it is a fantastic family wagon - holds everything we've ever wanted to carry, comfortable and reasonably pacy.

I think the V50 may be in reach new? as Volvo are doing some support through dealerships, either that or are you a member of the IAM? I know my parents got some pretty good savings out of their membership with one of the dealerships (circa £5k off a new V70) so that may be an option?

Or if you would really prefer the 4x4 style the D5 XC90 is rather a good car - even Clarkson has had one!

[Konan555]

If you have kids, please remember that SUVS have a higher centre of gravity, hence certain safety implications.

More of an issue with your genuine off-road vehicles. The killer is the narrow wheelbase combined with the high center of gravity.

On today's popular family 'SUV' models the overriding design tends to be unibody, which doesn't equate to anywhere near the lift in weight that body-on-frame does. Whilst you won't quite be able to corner like a regular car, you're not going to park them on the roof with quite such ease as a barnyard 4x4.


Erm

Honda CR-V/FR-V

I'm guessing Volvo XC 60/70/90 will be too pricey.

There's that Ford Kugar thing if you happen to be partially sighted

[finlay666]

There's that Ford Kugar thing if you happen to be partially sighted

Why didn't you say so?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Multipla
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Ulysse

[MSIC]

I've decided that i'm going to start test-driving a few models to give me some ideas.
On my list is:
Citroen C4 Picasso
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso (probably dont need this much extra space though)
Ford C-Max
Honda FR-V
Honda CR-V
VW Touran

That'll do for now, i'll post back with some personal opinions.

Oh, and I did actually sit in an S-Max the other day (whilst it was stationary), and found the space to be good, but worried a little about how big it would be to drive (ie parking, running costs etc). Maybe that's just something i'll have to adjust to anyway...