Provocative title ahoy! Anything as good as our Cactus?

[mikeyr]

So with six months left on our Cactus lease we've started to think about our plans to replace it.

We've been on an £118 per month (no deposit) lease which has worked brilliantly, the only overheads being a recent £170 first service. However, I can't see any lease deals out there at the moment which would come anywhere near to replacing it with a similar size vehicle. This is a shame as have become a bit addicted to the new car/no unexpected surprises feeling.

Vital criteria it needs to meet is:
Able to transport 3 humans and a dog (on back seat if needed)
A decent size boot
Not too long as regularly parallel parked on busy streets (the Cactus is 'only' 4,157mm and the reversing camera really helps)
Be new OR be reliable

Looks aren't that important (insert joke here about Cactus) and it just has to be comfortable. Is there anything of a similiar size that we can get for less than £130 per month?

Otherwise what would be good second hand option up to £10K of a similiar size that might have some warranty left?

Or do we just buy a shed money Berlingo and bask in our penny pinching?

Basically, just throw car ideas at me!

[mikeyr]

Just to add I know that used Cactuses/Cactii/Cactussess are under £10k with some warranty left - just wondering about alternatives!

[ZX10R NIN]

Mazda 5 maybe it's 40cm longer than your Cactus.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[mikeyr]

Thanks ZX, that's an interesting choice but I'd like something with manufacturer warranty left on it rather than third party. An MPV would suit our needs though but for some reason they'd disappeared from my thought process as had become fixated on SUV style vehicles.

What would be ideal would be an MPV sized Honda Jazz - anyone have any thoughts on the Nissan Note?

(Jeez my car life has become sooooo boring!)

[anonymous-user]

A Kia Soul a couple of years old would fit the bill nicely as it would also have the balance of the 7 year warranty left

[ZX10R NIN]

Ah ok you could get a 2014 C Max for example & then extend the Manufacturer's warranty:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2015 Peugeot 3008

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Renault Captur

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[AmitG]

Honda Jazz?

Should be able to get a current shape one with quite a bit of warranty left, for 10K.

Able to transport 3 humans and a dog - yes, easily
Decent size boot - yes, massive
Not too long - yes (it's shaped like a mini MPV)
New or reliable - yes (I think it was the most reliable car on sale at one point...might still be)

[AmitG]

Sorry, I now see you mentioned "an MPV sized Jazz" above. But have you actually seen the Jazz? I would argue that the interior is bigger than the Cactus. It's a proper little Tardis, is the Jazz.

[BlueMeganeII]

There's tons of year old cactus flair 1.6 models at places like motorpoint with two years warranty left. You can even PCP them. It will work out more expensive per month but those cactus lease deals were at a never to be repeated price much like the cheap merc slks and skoda yetis l&ks last year. The other option, which a lot of people on here do is to get a shed and then be ready to pounce when these unbelievable deals appear.

[Gareth1974]

If you like the Cactus, why not ask your lease company if you can have it for another 12 months?

[mikeyr]

Might have to check out a Jazz to see how much space they offer. Looks like the seats do clever things too which would be a bonus.

Kia Soul would be good as partner's dad works for Kia. Looks like Cactus, Jazz and Soul all have similar luggage capacity - not sure which is more practical shape? Like the look of the Yeti, will check out second hand prices...

[AmitG]

For practicality I reckon the Jazz wins hands down. The seats fold perfectly flat (unlike the Cactus) and it has the "magic seats" in the rear - you can flip the seat bases up (like a cinema seat) and load objects that way.

[mikeyr]

Thanks Amit, just watched a YouTube review where they compared the two boots and the Jazz was bigger/better than the Cactus. Split, flat folding seats help I guess.

[AmitG]

mikeyr said:

Thanks Amit, just watched a YouTube review where they compared the two boots and the Jazz was bigger/better than the Cactus. Split, flat folding seats help I guess.

I believe that early versions of the Cactus did not have a split rear seat (you had to lower the entire rear bench as one) - not sure if yours does? I think the current ones do.

The other thing with the Jazz is that the fuel tank is actually under the front seats rather than under the rear seat - that frees up a load of rear space and allows for the magic seats...

[mikeyr]

Ours is a one piece bench, doesn't fold flat either which doesn't help the space. Those magic seats look good, did the Civic have anything similar?

Genuinely like our Cactus, enjoy it's relaxing drive and those airbumps have kept it from getting battered in carparks.

[seadragon]

Get the new Citroen C3 Aircross when it comes out, that looks pretty cool to me and would look like a bigger brother of your Cactus. I am thinking of getting an Aircross for my OH

[mikeyr]

Looked at one of those at the weekend whilst waiting for the Cactus service. It's a very similar size to the Cactus (can only be a few centimetres on it) but not as roomy inside. Airbumps look good but they don't actually cover much of the door. Like the look though!

[mikeyr]

(Ps don't think the aircross version is out, this was the usual, new C3 I'd seen)

[seadragon]

mikeyr said:

Looked at one of those at the weekend whilst waiting for the Cactus service. It's a very similar size to the Cactus (can only be a few centimetres on it) but not as roomy inside. Airbumps look good but they don't actually cover much of the door. Like the look though!

Oh didn't realise they were out already. I might have to take a nose with the OH and see what she says. She is the only one in it most of the time, but nice when her teenage kids pack in it now and again as taxi driver to parties

[mikeyr]

Think we crossed posts there seadragon. Don't think Aircross is out yet?