Smaller MPV/SUV for expanding family

[CrippsCorner]

We're finally at the point of getting a new family car just into 2022 - Obviously a pretty bad time to buy right now which has changed what we can get, but the other half's Jazz has taken enough abuse so it's time to move on regardless! At this point we've pretty much decided on what we're looking at, but more looking for pros/cons and owner reviews from anyone here

We have a 2 year old and 5 year old and have been discussing no.3 (we'd be getting a Multimac to sort the seating arrangements)

So far top of our list is a MINI Countryman Cooper S - However these seem to have literally doubled in price over the last 18 months which limits how many are available! If we can't find one at the time, we'd be looking at whatever is around between:

C3 Picasso VTi
C-Max Titanium
Qashqai Tekna

Just a shame she refuses to drive an estate, which would be my preference!

The above would all be around 10 years old. I appreciate the MINI doesn't have as big boot, but as it's our first choice we'd be willing to sacrifice that (but definitely wouldn't go any smaller) all manual/petrol too.

Any opinions appreciated! Cheers.

[ZX10R NIN]

How much do you want to spend as that will really give people an idea of what options will suit.

Just tto kick things off a Mazda5 would be a good option as you won't need the Multimac if/when number 3 comes along:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109207...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108045...

[clockworks]

If you are looking at a 10 year old C3 Picasso, I'm guessing your budget is around £4k?

At the age of 64, I've recently bought my first ever French car - a C3 Picasso Exclusive. It's a 2014, 30k miles on the clock, for £5,600 with a 2 year warranty, fresh MOT and a service, from a Ford main dealer. It's got a few minor blemishes on the outside (previous owners were in their 80's), but everything works, and the interior is almost like new.

I went for the Picasso because it's the smallest car on the outside that can take an 8 foot load, while being cheap to buy and run. It's the 90bhp 1.6 diesel, and I'm getting a true 63mpg in mixed driving. £20 a year road tax.

It's a perfectly acceptable family car, but not by any stretch of the imagination a driver's car.

The facelift Exclusive models (2012-on) come with cruise, climate, parking sensors, electric folding mirrors, bluetooth and a USB port as standard. Some of these were options on the pre-facelift models.

The important thing for me was the fold-forward front passenger seat, which is standard on the exclusive, optional on the VTR. Makes it dead easy to carry long loads (grandfather clocks in my case).

I'm finding it quite liberating to bimble around in a car that I don't really care about.

[CrippsCorner]

Thanks yeah I'm looking around £4k - I did the typical thing of escalating to the next thing the other day and ended up at £18k but I need to keep my sensible head on for home improvements first...

Mazda looks good style wise but it's a bit of a chunk!

I'm fussy on wheels so with the C3 it'd have to be these ones...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108126...

Of which there's currently 1 for sale in the entire country! Also just the 1 Countryman currently available.

Qashqai = 5
C-Max = 8

So at the moment they seem more likely I would think.

[clockworks]

I'd avoid anything with diamond cut wheels. They look lovely when new, but the lacquer fails in as little as 2 or 3 years, then they look awful.
They can be refurbed, but that's not cheap.

My other car - Kia Picanto GT S - has diamond cut wheels. 3 of them are suffering from lacquer failure around the centre caps. No physical damage, white corrosion gradually creeping outwards along the spokes. Car is just 2 years old, only done 5k miles, and the wheels had never been removed until the second service last month.
I'm currently waiting on a warranty claim.

Given the choice, I'd take painted/powder coated over diamond cut.

[edc]

Not on your list but for some perspective we had a Seat Arona. The Mrs loved the car, seating position etc etc, but you could only just for a Bugaboo pram in the boot with one small squashy bag. It's 400 litres for comparison. We now have a W246 Merc B class which shows as 488 litres and is noticeably much more roomy.

[ZX10R NIN]

CrippsCorner said:

Thanks yeah I'm looking around £4k - I did the typical thing of escalating to the next thing the other day and ended up at £18k but I need to keep my sensible head on for home improvements first...

Mazda looks good style wise but it's a bit of a chunk!

I'm fussy on wheels so with the C3 it'd have to be these ones...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108126...

Of which there's currently 1 for sale in the entire country! Also just the 1 Countryman currently available.

Qashqai = 5
C-Max = 8

So at the moment they seem more likely I would think.

Seeing as your planning for child number three a chunky solid car is what your requirements kind of dictate, Id'd also say go & see one in the flesh as they're not a bad looking car.

You can get a nice one for 4k:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109257...

But I'd spend a little bit more & go for a facelift model:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109257...