Family car - SUV, MPV, £10k, 2015, decent spec

[LittleBigPlanet]

Hi all,

After some advice, albeit on a rather boring subject - a replacement family car for my wife and I (with baby on the way). I've trawled Autotrader and car reviews and considered the following:

- Kia Sportage
- Suzuki SX4-Cross
- Peugot 2008
- Nissan Qashqai

I've essentially ruled out the Peugot on pre-prejudice (poor build quality and French electrics) and the Qashqai for poor reliability. Very willing to be told otherwise though.

Must haves:
- Plenty of space (i.e. SUV/MPV size), primarily as we intend to keep this as a family car for a good 5+ years. No dogs or other kids, just the wife/baby and I
- <£10k (ideally closer to £8k)
- Relatively new (only to avoid reliability issues), so >2015 but willing to look older if reliability is demonstrably good
- Low mileage (<40k)
- Petrol
- Not PCP/HP - want to own outright

'Would likes' (in descending order of importance):
- Parking sensors
- DAB radio
- Cruise control

Bonuses for:
- Rear parking camera
- Heated seats

Can anyone help a (soon to be) Dad?

Note, the budget although stated above is not too much of an issue (we can go higher) but I'm reluctant to splash out on a new car as my wife's cars (not intentionally) tend to end up looking like bumper cars after 3-4 years.

[kieranblenk]

Dacia Duster
Skoda Yeti
Mitsubishi ASX
Suzuki Vitara

Any of those would be ideal.

[Croutons]

8k for a 3 year old car will not get you a massive spec, unless there are a lot of miles on it or its a Cat [something].

There are an awful lot of soon to be dad threads, search for "new dad" "car for first child" stuff like that.

Ignore those telling you they slid about in the back on a MK2 Granada and didn't die, or they had a Ka and all was well.

You want an easy life, with big, wide opening back doors get junior in to that rear facing seat with ease.

So unless you have space constraints when parking, fk everyone else and get something as big as you need to feel comfortable with doing that.

Of your list, the Sportage is best. The SX4 is cheap, but that slight angle to the back door will grate when you swap to front facing. It's not long until that happens. Then you want leg room, so they don't easily and relentlessly kick the back seat you or the missus are sitting in....

Wild card, Qashqai+2. Is the same as a normal QQ to the B pillar. Then is 8" longer (ooh err!) after that, with much more upright doors as there are 2 pull up seats in the boot. They stopped making them in 2014 (7 seats because the X Trail), and top spec Teknas cone with heaps of kit.

Another tip. Leather. Easily wipeable...

[Dolf Stoppard]

I'd go SX4 S Cross - but perhaps have a look and see if the rear doors would be a problem. The OH has one she bought on a mad deal - £10k brand new. But something like the following seems a good option:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...

Alternatively, you could go higher miles but get one with the Booster Jet engine.

Ours has been brilliant and does what it's meant to do really well.

[FlatToTheMat]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=price...

I put your requirements into Autotrader and that's the list it gave ^

Couple that caught my eye

Vauxhall Zafira - Now normally i detest Vauxhalls but I remember reading a Telegraph review on one and CLarkson described it as the most comfortable car hes ever driven

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Ford Focus Estate - Only rented these but really rate them, was thoroughly impressed by how hard these can be driven and how accomplished they are -- better than the equivalent Golf imho
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Al U]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2016-HONDA-CIVIC-1-8-SR...

That meets every single one of your criteria. Not SUV/MPV size but so what? Most of the "SUV's" you have mentioned are basically hatchbacks on stilts anyway. The boot is the biggest in class and it has magic seats (google it if you don't know what they are) in the back that give an extra dimension of flexibility for carrying tall items. I have a diesel one of these and I have done 40000 miles in mine, nothing at all whatsoever has gone wrong and it has only needed a set of front tyres and rear brake pads in that time. Just to clarify for you further -

- Plenty of space (i.e. SUV/MPV size), primarily as we intend to keep this as a family car for a good 5+ years. No dogs or other kids, just the wife/baby and I - Yes, big boot and magic seats
- <£10k (ideally closer to £8k) Yes, £9995
- Relatively new (only to avoid reliability issues), so >2015 but willing to look older if reliability is demonstrably good Yes, 2016 and good reliability
- Low mileage (<40k) Yes, 17k miles
- Petrol Yes
- Not PCP/HP - want to own outright You don't have to finance it

'Would likes' (in descending order of importance):
- Parking sensors Parking sensors front & back
- DAB radio Yes, operated via touchscreen that also has NAV
- Cruise control Yes, operated via steering wheel controls

Bonuses for:
- Rear parking camera Yes, standard fit on all Civics of this age due to the unusual rear window layout
- Heated seats Yes, standard fit on this spec

Edited by Al U on Monday 10th December 12:15

[nmd87]

Al U said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2016-HONDA-CIVIC-1-8-SR...

That meets every single one of your criteria. Not SUV/MPV size but so what? Most of the "SUV's" you have mentioned are basically hatchbacks on stilts anyway. The boot is the biggest in class and it has magic seats (google it if you don't know what they are) in the back that give an extra dimension of flexibility for carrying tall items. I have a diesel one of these and I have done 40000 miles in mine, nothing at all whatsoever has gone wrong and it has only needed a set of front tyres and rear brake pads in that time. Just to clarify for you further -

- Plenty of space (i.e. SUV/MPV size), primarily as we intend to keep this as a family car for a good 5+ years. No dogs or other kids, just the wife/baby and I - Yes, big boot and magic seats
- <£10k (ideally closer to £8k) Yes, £9995
- Relatively new (only to avoid reliability issues), so >2015 but willing to look older if reliability is demonstrably good Yes, 2016 and good reliability
- Low mileage (<40k) Yes, 17k miles
- Petrol Yes
- Not PCP/HP - want to own outright You don't have to finance it

'Would likes' (in descending order of importance):
- Parking sensors Parking sensors front & back
- DAB radio Yes, operated via touchscreen that also has NAV
- Cruise control Yes, operated via steering wheel controls

Bonuses for:
- Rear parking camera Yes, standard fit on all Civics of this age due to the unusual rear window layout
- Heated seats Yes, standard fit on this spec

Edited by Al U on Monday 10th December 12:15

I'm not sure I'd spend £10k on a CAT D, though.

I do agree with the sentiment that you don't "need" an SUV. We are a family of three and our son is 1 year old. We've managed just fine with our Nissan Note (2010 model). Maybe look at those and save £7k? Especially if, as you say OP, it'll look like a bumper car in time.

Edited by nmd87 on Monday 10th December 12:42

[Al U]

nmd87 said:

I'm not sure I'd spend £10k on a CAT D, though.

I do agree with the sentiment that you don't "need" an SUV. We are a family of three and our son is 1 year old. We've managed just fine with our Nissan Note (2010 model). Maybe look at those and save £7k? Especially if, as you say OP, it'll look like a bumper car in time.

Edited by nmd87 on Monday 10th December 12:42

Epic face palm from me. I missed that bit. Sorry OP, that car looks like it would fit the bill albeit a non CAT-D one looks to be more like £12k.

[ZX10R NIN]

OP if you want decent spec & a good reliable car you need to be more realistic age is much less of an issue with modern cars but service history is a must be it an Indy or Main Dealer, I'd say look for something with less than 60k also how many miles does will the car be doing per year as if it's below 10k that rules out a diesel which then limits your market.

I'd recommend the Ford Kuga if you want top spec then you'll have to go for a pre facelift model:

2.5T Titanium X

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

You can get a facelift 1.6T Titanium for your budget:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

2.0d

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

My second choice would be the Sportage in KX-3 trim but in petrol spec you have to work the engine due to it being N/A but the diesel is good.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Diesel

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

The other option is to go for a full fat SUV in which case I'd recommend the Grand Cherokee in Overland spec:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[LittleBigPlanet]

Wow, overwhelmed with the helpfulness of the replies here - is this PH?

Thanks so much. I did take a look through existing threads but nothing quite fit the bill. I'll digest the above on the train home tonight, thanks all.

I take the point re age/mileage and reliability. It''ll look like it's been to Iraq and back after a few years with my OH so we could go down to a 2013 plate if needed - as long as the brand/model has demonstrable reliability.

Some great advice here for me to digest later, thanks.

Edited by LittleBigPlanet on Monday 10th December 15:51

[dmsims]

Why is the breakpoint for Diesel 10K (miles p.a.)?

Aside from any other arguments think of your child's health

[ZX10R NIN]

The reason I say 10k as this is really the lowest point at which things like the DPF will get it's regen done, below this you run the risk of issues due to not doing long enough journeys.

[Croutons]

The fundamental flaw in the Civic is the angle of the back doors.

Think about it- junior is rear facing, you slide his/ her head into the seat, then have to bend him/ her so his/ her feet fit through the gap left by the styling.

I sold a civic for this reason.

It gets worse when they go front facing, as it's their head you have to limbo in first, and you're fiddling with straps you can't easily see.

You need big, wide, opening doors with a big aperture.

You also want an easy life, and while they don't weigh a lot, not having to bend over to get them in the seat is much kinder on your back. Non kid owners moan about SUV's. People with kids have them for good reason. Big doors, easy to insert child. When you're sleep deprived, image comes second (or much lower down the list) to an easy life. I have deliberately repeated myself there.

When they're 135cm (8/9ish) they don't need a car seat, and with short legs you get 4-6 years when you can have whatever you like, 3 or 5 door, because they fit. And can use seatbelts. Then, their fking legs grow, and you end up with a big car again (or at least something with decent rear leg room) to stop being booted in the back (again), or their knees around their ears...

For now, make your life easy, get something a reasonable size, no it doesn't need to be an American thing, but go get hands on with anything you're looking at, and think about how you'd be using it.

[flatso]

Mazda 5...for this money you can get top spec.
Sliding doors and decent Mazda 3 chassis.

Subaru Forester.

[ZX10R NIN]

+1 to the above if it comes to an MPV then the Mazda5 is a very good shout:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[nmd87]

Mazda 5 would be complete overkill unless more children are planned. OP is having child #1.