What is the best family car?

[peterb]

I am searching for new car that would suite for family of 4. Any recommendations?

Any car that has crypto-currency simulation apps built in would suit you

[spacein_vader]

Ever since they started being used as an Audi test bed and ever since they stopped making the mkIII Supra...?

Toyota never made a Supra. Ever since Skoda was taken over by VAG they've all shared the same platform so you can spin that either way. Either the Skoda is a test bed for Audi or an Audi is really a 3-5 year old Skoda.

[Ttaskmaster]

Toyota never made a Supra.

You what?
You sure about that.....? Don't wanna Google it, perhaps?

[DanceswithUnix]

Ever since they started being used as an Audi test bed and ever since they stopped making the mkIII Supra...?

What technology has been tried out on Skodas before Audi? That just feels the wrong way around, I can imagine an Audi owner cutting the brand some slack if some leading edge feature doesn't quite work, but the last car enthusiast I met driving a Skoda was in 1986.

As for the Supra, have you seen they are making a new one sharing development with BMW? Sounds like it has the same design lead as the rather nice GT86, so should be interesting. If the 450bhp rumour is right then true to the Supra spirit it will be a bit underpowered compared to cars of the day

For me Toyota are upmarket to Skoda. But then when I heard that Peugeot consider themselves an upmarket brand I laughed out loud so what do I know

[spacein_vader]

You what?
You sure about that.....? Don't wanna Google it, perhaps?

I meant Honda!

[Ttaskmaster]

What technology has been tried out on Skodas before Audi? That just feels the wrong way around, I can imagine an Audi owner cutting the brand some slack if some leading edge feature doesn't quite work, but the last car enthusiast I met driving a Skoda was in 1986.

Jeez, if you want chapter and verse on who used what parts in which car model, come round to my mechanic's for a cup of tea on a Saturday, where you'll meet him and four other mechanics that will gladly lecture you about it until you drop!!
It all started with the MkI Octavia and the use of blah model brake shoes..... ZZZZZzzzzzz......

As for the Supra, have you seen they are making a new one sharing development with BMW?

I'm only interested in the mkII CelicaSupra and mkIII Supra, really. Purely for cosmetic reasons!!
Oh, and the MR2 is kinda cute...

For me Toyota are upmarket to Skoda.

Toyo lost a LOT of cred when the released that Prius, really. Then the Yarris...

[DanceswithUnix]

It all started with the MkI Octavia and the use of blah model brake shoes..... ZZZZZzzzzzz......

Brake shoes? Ah, most advanced drum brakes in the business

Only VAG enthusiast I've come across who knew hits way around Skodas was pretty dismissive of them, so a sample of one for me to go on. Most owners I have met woudn't care if the car was made from hamsters and string as long as it gets from A to B. That's kind of why it would seem odd to expose such people to new technology. I mean, Alfa get the new tech in the FIAT group, stuff like variable geometry turbos; multi-air valve tech; direct petrol injection and they had the first production common rail diesel engine. All wizzy stuff for the time, but adds to costs when it breaks so it makes sense to sell leading edge tech to enthusiasts.

I'm only interested in the mkII CelicaSupra and mkIII Supra, really. Purely for cosmetic reasons!!
Oh, and the MR2 is kinda cute...


Toyo lost a LOT of cred when the released that Prius, really. Then the Yarris...

That's fair enough. Agree with the Pious, though I would let them off the Yaris as companies need mass market money spinners even if I wouldn't want one.

Edit: I know a couple of people who are heavily into MR2 modding. Seems to be one of those things that just sucks people in.

[Ttaskmaster]

Brake shoes? Ah, most advanced drum brakes in the business

Bascially any part that has the OOOO symbol on it.
I suspect the testing was more about longevity of the part though, as half the Audi driver base will be a bit more precious about their car than the Škoda lot. Not like it costs them any extra for the same part.

My Škoda was 'sold' to me on the basis that it's basically Audi parts but at a lower price. Obviously they cut corners in other areas, but mechanically they're as sound as each other. Mine even has the better engine than the average A4.

Edit: I know a couple of people who are heavily into MR2 modding. Seems to be one of those things that just sucks people in.

I knew one such person.
He got this nice black model all nicely done up, dropped several thousand on it with all the mods, then hooned up a motorway entry and lost it, ending up wrapping it round a tree right down the middle of the bonnet.

[DanceswithUnix]

Bascially any part that has the OOOO symbol on it.
I suspect the testing was more about longevity of the part though, as half the Audi driver base will be a bit more precious about their car than the Škoda lot.

But the other half are tailgating late-braking deathwish nutters. Perhaps that's the problem, maybe those cars get written off before the expected life of the components being tested

I got the impression it was an odd mix of parts though. Like an Octavia might have Golf suspension trying to hold the Audi engine in a straight line when really you want something a bit beefier than that. But most people only care whether the seats are comfy. In your case ISTR you are a biker, so any car will be rubbish handling anyway and you won't notice

I knew one such person.
He got this nice black model all nicely done up, dropped several thousand on it with all the mods, then hooned up a motorway entry and lost it, ending up wrapping it round a tree right down the middle of the bonnet.

Ouch! Hope he was OK. Mid engined cars do need a lot of respect, it's easy to get carried away.

[kalniel]

But the other half are tailgating late-braking deathwish nutters. Perhaps that's the problem, maybe those cars get written off before the expected life of the components being tested

We need all the slipstream we can get with that frontend

I got the impression it was an odd mix of parts though. Like an Octavia might have Golf suspension trying to hold the Audi engine in a straight line when really you want something a bit beefier than that.

That Audi engine came from a Golf anyway as well. What skoda do seem to do is take the chassis from the class down in Golf/Audi terms and extend it up a class. So you get an A4 sized Octavia using an A3/Golf chassis, and a Golf sized Fabia using a Polo chassis.

[DanceswithUnix]

So you get an A4 sized Octavia using an A3/Golf chassis, and a Golf sized Fabia using a Polo chassis.

That's the impression I got. But then the chap telling me that used to keep rambling off about how he missed his Golf VR6 so the conversation tended to get a bit confused. He did a good job of talking up the VR6 though But (OMG on topic!) he sold it to get a better family car.

[Biscuit]

If I had "no budget", I would probably still buy a rather sensible and reasonable vehicle like a Volvo or Subaru AWD estate.

[rich835]

My last 3 cars have been Kia's. Very impressed with them. I do 25k miles a year, and all I've spent on them is routine servicing.

[Ttaskmaster]

I got the impression it was an odd mix of parts though.

Very much so. Because the Octy is bigger than a Golf, certain parts have to come from the larger Audis. It's kind-of a Passat, but better.

In your case ISTR you are a biker, so any car will be rubbish handling anyway and you won't notice

Performance-wise, yes.
But I ride a massively heavy old Tourer, so things like actual handling and setting up for corners is about the same, really.

Ouch! Hope he was OK. Mid engined cars do need a lot of respect, it's easy to get carried away.

Oh, he's fine. He's just not a very good driver in the first place. Tries to run before he can walk properly. He overpaid anyway and still bought a half-lemon to begin with, but it took almost the same amount of money to get it working well enough, never mind what he dropped on additional mods and tweaks... what could have been a really nice car stuck in the hands of an unappreciative moron.

[Butcher]

Don't they all just come from the big VW parts bin? I wouldn't have thought, mechanically at least, there'd be much to choose between the marques. Given the way Audi's build quality has been declining over the past 20 years, I'm not sure I'd call Skoda upmarket, if that's the claim to greatness.

[Valentino]

The best all round family car is likely to be the one that suits your own family , making it jolly hard to choose.

Historically family cars were often Estates, but then People carriers came on, and now SUV's have taken a large portion of that market.

For me, negative news aside, the Zafira was the best all rounder.