Pls help me choose a dependable family wagon - £15k

[donsboig]

Hi everyone, first-time poster here, I need some help picking my next car. I've seen some helpful threads on here and am hoping you guys can point me in the right direction...

I've got a 1 year old kid now, and the possibility of another one soon (maybe) so it's time to get something bigger than my 2016 Fabia hatchback.

I've got a vaguely good engineering head on my shoulders but don't know much about cars specifically so please be gentle.

I'm a boring sod so I don't really care about it going fast, or having sporty handling or whatever. As long as it doesn't feel like a sack of spuds to drive I'm fine.

Primary requirement is something as reliable as possible, and low maintenance/running costs.

Other requirements:

• Budget ~£15k +/- a bit
• 4ish years old, and not a billion miles done (is under 60k miles reasonable?)
• Estate
• Has android auto (ideally)
• Petrol or hybrid (6-10k miles per year, short city journeys with occasional longer 50-350 mile journeys)
• I'm assuming manual is much better for reliability (?) but I'd be happy to be convinced on an auto. It seems like the majority of cars meeting my requirements are autos

Current contenders include:

• Ford Mondeo / should I consider a Focus? Mondeos seem few and far between.
• Skoda Octavia / Superb
• Toyota Corolla

As well as choosing the car, I could really do with some pointers on which engines/transmissions to go for or avoid. Reading through threads on here I find it hard to keep track of all the different variations!

I'm afraid as a new user I can't post links yet of examples I'm looking at, but for example, the "Big Motoring World" near me (South London) has:

• 2020 Ford Mondeo - 2.0 TiVCT Titanium Edition CVT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr (auto) - 37k miles - £14,999
• 2023 Skoda Octavia - 1.5 TSI ACT SE Technology Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr (manual) - 35k miles - £16,200
• 2021 Toyota Corolla - 1.8 VVT-h Icon Touring Sports CVT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr (auto) - 37k miles - £17,000

Thanks for any help!

[Pickle_Rick]

Dacia jogger would be my choice. Far more reliable than likes of VW, Skoda and Ford.

Might even get the hybrid version around £15k.

Comes with 7 year warranty, servicing is about £200 a year, has android auto (in extreme spec), the 1.0l engine is fine, nice and torquey, the car weighs the same as a fiesta and quite fun to drive.

Big motoring world is the one car supermarket I'd never buy a car from, worse rep than Arnold shark.

The jogger is the first car in my 28 years of driving I've decided to buy outright once finance period ended, it's brilliant.

Edited by Pickle_Rick on Saturday 25th April 14:13

[donsboig]

Thanks Pickle_Rick, that's really helpful info. I know nothing about Dacias other than being the butt of jokes about 25 years ago - presumably they're quite good now?

Do those rear seats fold flat to make a massive boot?

And thanks for the advice on big motoring world. Is Cinch similar? There is a lot of their stuff on autotrader

[Countdown]

donsboig said:

I'm a boring sod so I don't really care about it going fast, or having sporty handling or whatever. As long as it doesn't feel like a sack of spuds to drive I'm fine.

Primary requirement is something as reliable as possible, and low maintenance/running costs.
!

I would strongly recommend the Toyota Corolla Tourer (a million taxi drivers can't be wrong)

Very reliable, reasonably economical, the only downside I can think of is limited rear seat space but it's basically the perfect car for anybodu who isnt that bothered about "driving".

[ZX10R NIN]

Buy on condition rather than age by that I mean that FSH (documented) make sure everything works twice & how does the car present itself in the flesh a picture can tell a 1000 lies.

Your budget won't allow for a 2022 car unless it's got big miles.

You also need to decide how much rear space you need as things like Focus/Corolla sized cars are limited on space in (this is partly the reason SUV's have taken over this segment as they're easier to get children in & out of) area.

If you want reliability then try to avoid dual clutch autos as they can get expensive a conventional auto or CVT are fine.

Insignia estate ticks every box, they're reliable sensible to maintain & come loaded with kit:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604241...

2.0 Kia Optima GT, bang on budget & will be all the car you're looking for:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603050...

1.4T ProCeed GT Line S, check rear space & it has a DCT auto:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604211...

I was wrong you will get a 508 GT e for your budget it'll be out of warranty (so make sure there hasn't been one late/missed service) but it will still be have 4/5 years warranty on the hybrid system:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509286...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604211...

Mondeo Vignale h:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604081...

Titanium h, approved used so you'll get a years warranty that can be extended:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603240...

If you can live with an SUV then the options open up.

DS7:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202602129...

CX-5 GT Sport Nav+

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603200...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603251...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202602059...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603190...

[Pickle_Rick]

donsboig said:

Thanks Pickle_Rick, that's really helpful info. I know nothing about Dacias other than being the butt of jokes about 25 years ago - presumably they're quite good now?

Do those rear seats fold flat to make a massive boot?

And thanks for the advice on big motoring world. Is Cinch similar? There is a lot of their stuff on autotrader

Yeah they're good imo, the sandero stepway, jogger, bigster are massive improvements over the old sandero, duster and logan, go for a top spec and it comes with all the toys you need like climate control, android auto (wireless in newer models), heated front seats, picnic trays.

Yeah, you can unclip the rear two seats really easily, takes seconds, and the middle seats can even be folded giving it van like space. The built in roof bars are really clever, you rotate them 90 degrees, really handy for holidays, as no need for separate roof bars.

Cinch are usually ex fleet and lease cars, easy returns. If near a warehouse you can inspect it too.

[Dave Hedgehog]

21 sportage, should still have a couple years manufacturers warranty, there big, big boot, this one is 4wd with leather

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603060...

[biggbn]

Kia Stinger? 2.0t is in price range, bit leftfield but a cracking old school rwd bruiser.

[Earthdweller]

Q are you planning on more sprogs, if so it might change perspective on need

[MiniMan64]

I would have usually recommended the Octavia, my VRS has been bulletproof for 5 years but if you want boring the Corolla is probably the way.

As someone said, a million taxi drivers can’t be wrong.

[donsboig]

Thanks everyone, some really good ideas and also tips here.

Is Kia considered a reliable workhorse brand then?

And 2 sprogs total would be our maximum, so 5 seats should be enough.

Any thoughts on buying from a Skoda/Kia/Toyota etc. dealership vs from one of the big car supermarkets? They'd have a longer warranty usually I believe?

[Pvfc]

I got a VW passat a few years ago. Cant recommend them enough. After a life of fast fords, land rovers, alfas, integrales and other unreliable vehicles I wanted something reliable.
Its boring but in some ways the best car I ve owned. Comfy, cheap to run, easy to drive (dull) but ticks lots of other boxes - loads of room, heated seats all round, panoramic roof, etc.
When I got totally bored I gave it the wife and its just ticked over 100,000 miles. Had a new water pump and cambelt at 90,000. Regular servicing but it just works and everything fits and works!!!
Which after my previous cars I really appreciated.

[donsboig]

Oh and for automatics is the general consensus that VAG ones and Ford are to be avoided but others are ok?

[valiant]

308sw?

Get a lot for your money and a newer car to boot.

Might scrape into the newer chain driven model but the old one is reliable enough provided you service it correctly and check the oil strainer now and then.

[Regbuser]

All the estate you'll ever need

[chip*]

donsboig said:

Oh and for automatics is the general consensus that VAG ones and Ford are to be avoided but others are ok?

VAG: I believe DSG wet clutch is apparently more reliable which will require periodic servicing.
Ford: The Power shift auto has a pretty poor record, although some rare models do have the reliable torque converter auto.

Personally, I wouldn't entertain any VAG cars with DSG and Ford cars with the Powershift box.

[ZX10R NIN]

donsboig said:

Thanks everyone, some really good ideas and also tips here.

Is Kia considered a reliable workhorse brand then?

And 2 sprogs total would be our maximum, so 5 seats should be enough.

Any thoughts on buying from a Skoda/Kia/Toyota etc. dealership vs from one of the big car supermarkets? They'd have a longer warranty usually I believe?

The Kia/Hyundai (they're the same car underneath) are generally very (the Optima has a conventional auto) reliable but they're DCT boxes have been known to have issues.

Not to the same level as the VAG/Fords but issues none the less.