Rural bumpy rough roads – would MPV or SUV be most suitable?

Hi

I’m after any thoughts or suggestions on what car/vehicle to get, please, and thoughts on MPVs vs SUVs…

Here’s the low-down:
- I live in a very rural area where the roads are in bad condition
- It’s used mainly for short journeys of just a few miles
- But a couple of times a year or so it will be needed for a motorway run of a few hundred miles
- Annual mileage around 8k

It would be good to have:
- A decent mpg (petrol)
- Good road clearance
- Good boot capacity
- Budget = around £12k.
- No frills. I’m not bothered with any fancy stuff, so the more basic the better. Certainly don’t want to be paying extra for anything that’s fancy.


I had a Skoda Fabia Estate before, and now have a Corsa D. Both seem to forever have problems with: wishbone bushes, CV joints, drop links, shock absorbers, anti-roll bushes/links, suspension arms, etc… Are MPVs and SUVs likely to better in this respect? And if so, which of the two would be the best and not need frequent repairs?

Regarding SUVs, am open to suggestions but would be leaning towards a Dacia Duster…

Any thoughts or comments much appreciated.

Many thanks

Hi all

I've had a few days away at work so had a bit of time to mull it all over and research...

I've come across the Dacia Jogger which I hadn't previously heard of. It seems to tick a lot of boxes.... Amazing price and generally great reviews. Having the extra length would be handy for ferrying stuff about, and also for the occasional short holiday sleeping in the back, with the rear seats left at home. The roof bars look handy too.

What do you guys think of the Jogger compared to the Duster, with my remit in mind? And more specifically, how does the tyre size compare to the Duster's, now that I'm starting to appreciate the importance of that?

Many thanks