Hatchbacks with flat floors
Discussion
I'll be changing my car soon, and recent job developments mean I need a car with a good size rear load area with a perfectly flat floor. I don't really need an estate, and I usually buy medium-sized hatchbacks in the Focus/Astra/Golf sector. My present Golf (please don't yawn- it's the residuals) has a rear seat squab which just folds down onto the rear seat cushion, and lies at an angle of about 10/15 degrees, which is 10/15 degrees too much. The load I carry MUST stand upright.
I can't be a**ed to go round every showroom to check on each car - PH members seem to know every inch of every model on the market.I found an old thread on the search machine which recommended the Jazz, but the poster had limited funds - I can go to about £13k so there's a chance I can get something about 1 year old. Any thoughts ? (Please bear in mind this is for business use, 30k a year on mixed urban/country routes, so nothing silly with high insurance/high fuel consumption). Do all hatchbacks have rear seat arrangements like the Golf?
(PS I've been considering estates - Exeo and Passat, but the latter must be the most boring car on the road. I really don't need something that big, though).
I can't be a**ed to go round every showroom to check on each car - PH members seem to know every inch of every model on the market.I found an old thread on the search machine which recommended the Jazz, but the poster had limited funds - I can go to about £13k so there's a chance I can get something about 1 year old. Any thoughts ? (Please bear in mind this is for business use, 30k a year on mixed urban/country routes, so nothing silly with high insurance/high fuel consumption). Do all hatchbacks have rear seat arrangements like the Golf?
(PS I've been considering estates - Exeo and Passat, but the latter must be the most boring car on the road. I really don't need something that big, though).
Shaw Tarse said:
A later Honda Jazz?
Good point. I have driven one as a loaner, and couldn't see what the fuss was all about (and this from a man who drives a Golf!). It was OK I s'pose, for a city car, but much of my mileage is on twisting country roads, and I'd rather have a traditional "Focus class" car, IF one is made which fits my needs.Thanks folks. The Focus sounds interesting, because that's how an estate car's seats fold down, and you get a flat floor. I drove a Focus for a week recently - the driving position was good, but I thought the diesel was a bit noisy.
The Civic, now there's a thought. I ran an Accord Sport for 3 years, and it was built like a tank. The 2.2 diesel is really creamy, and I reckon the smaller Civic would go well with that big motor. They do a new 1.6 engine now, but it'll probably be a bit pricey for me.
At least now I know that there are cars out there for consideration.
The Civic, now there's a thought. I ran an Accord Sport for 3 years, and it was built like a tank. The 2.2 diesel is really creamy, and I reckon the smaller Civic would go well with that big motor. They do a new 1.6 engine now, but it'll probably be a bit pricey for me.
At least now I know that there are cars out there for consideration.
stug45 said:
Civic or jazz.
Civic 1.6 diesel if new or a 2.2....
Jazz 1.4. Could easily get two jazz's for 13k. Can buy nearly new jazz for 9/10k.
Don't think any other cars have flat floors in.
A van?
Civic 1.6 diesel if new or a 2.2....
Jazz 1.4. Could easily get two jazz's for 13k. Can buy nearly new jazz for 9/10k.
Don't think any other cars have flat floors in.
A van?
Van ? Well the Berlingo came to mind, but I think I'd rather have my eyes gouged out. BTW I'm 63, so if I got a Jazz I might as well get a pipe and some tartan slippers whilst I was at it. But it's got to come into the reckoning, if thread comments are regarded properly. Does the Jazz come in beige?
JonnyVTEC said:
C segment like a Golf or Focus will be the Civic rather than the B segment Jazz.
Civic fuel tank is under the front seats! Hence the space.
As is the one in the Jazz Civic fuel tank is under the front seats! Hence the space.
; if only ARG had adopted the Jazz as the City Rover it could have been all so different (that ship had sailed 
)... With the maximised & flat-floored square loading area and wide-open hatchback opening, it comes near Issigonis' aims for maximum interior space from minimum exterior dimensions, surely?? 
That I can't 'place' our Jazz on the road (and in parking spaces) and prefer my '80s tin, to drive and look out of, speaks for itself - but so does 50mpg economy from our 1.2 (and the good-sized flat-floored extended boot in the Jazz
) 
...
An Audi A2 practically turns into a van with the (easily removed) rear seats taken out - down side? They stopped making them in 2005.
This is a pic of the rear with the seats folded - they do remove completely for a bigger load space.
Great piece of packaging the A2 - boot actually has a larger volume than the bigger Audi A3
This is a pic of the rear with the seats folded - they do remove completely for a bigger load space.
Great piece of packaging the A2 - boot actually has a larger volume than the bigger Audi A3
An Audi A2 practically turns into a van with the (easily removed) rear seats taken out - down side? They stopped making them in 2005.
This is a pic of the rear with the seats folded - they do remove completely for a bigger load space.
Great piece of packaging the A2 - boot actually has a larger volume than the bigger Audi A3
This is a pic of the rear with the seats folded - they do remove completely for a bigger load space.
Great piece of packaging the A2 - boot actually has a larger volume than the bigger Audi A3
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