Soft Roader For Granny With Dog
Soft Roader For Granny With Dog
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Discussion

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

284 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
My Mum is now in her 70's and has bashed all the corners off her faithful Audi A3 1.9 TDi 130 2004

She's owned it for 10 years and 70k and it has needed nothing

Mostly used for shopping, dog walking but occasionally a couple of grand children and motorway runs

It CANNOT be any wider (1735mm) preferably no longer (1735mm) the tailgate should be lower (the dog's getting older too)

I'm thinking soft roader for the higher seating position but it doesn't have to be, perhaps a mini mpv ?

It must be automatic and preferably with a bit of omph for pulling out - so no 1.2 petrols.

I was thinking 2005 Rav4 as they are good, reliable and small but she'd rather have something newer.

Budget is flexible - I'd rather be sub £5k but she can afford £15k if required

Suggestions ?

EDIT Note and Qashqai are the front runners - is there anything nicer / funkier as it could well be her last car ?


Edited by V8RX7 on Sunday 27th January 14:21

Johnnytheboy

24,499 posts

207 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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Only comment is a soft roader will have a higher boot floor almost by definition than a mini MPV.

Scrump

23,676 posts

179 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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My suggestion is more the mini MPV type. It is the Nissan Note 1.6 petrol automatic.
Slightly higher seating position than ordinary hatchbacks, quite narrow and Mrs Scrump’s has been ultra reliable in the 10 years she has had it.
Rear seats slide forward to give a larger luggage area for the dog.

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

284 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
Johnnytheboy said:
Only comment is a soft roader will have a higher boot floor almost by definition than a mini MPV.
Perhaps but a mate bought his Rav4 around and it's is actually lower than her A3 due to it's better design although yes I suppose the newer MPVs are lower still.

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

284 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
Scrump said:
My suggestion is more the mini MPV type. It is the Nissan Note 1.6 petrol automatic.
Slightly higher seating position than ordinary hatchbacks, quite narrow and Mrs Scrump’s has been ultra reliable in the 10 years she has had it.
Rear seats slide forward to give a larger luggage area for the dog.
Yes I've been googling widths and lengths and it seems like a good - if a bit dull - choice

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

284 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
ZX10R NIN said:
Thanks but I've been told to avoid a powershift at all costs

ZX10R NIN

29,866 posts

146 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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V8RX7 said:
Thanks but I've been told to avoid a powershift at all costs
Very true but it applies to the 1.0T models the 1.6 run a wet clutch set up rather than the troublesome dry clutch you get in the 1.0T versions.

Ilovejapcrap

3,310 posts

133 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all

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

im just not sure how low the boot is.

Ilovejapcrap

3,310 posts

133 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
Ilovejapcrap said:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/new...

im just not sure how low the boot is.
whoops just read no 1.2 petrols !!

however id say try one before saying no to that size engine

kieranblenk

865 posts

155 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
Peugeot 2008 or Renault Captur are worth a look, as is the Skoda Yeti.

In terms of mini MPVs, check out any of these-
Kia Venga
Hyundai ix20
Honda Jazz

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

284 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
Ilovejapcrap said:
Ilovejapcrap said:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/new...

im just not sure how low the boot is.
whoops just read no 1.2 petrols !!

however id say try one before saying no to that size engine
I'll take a look at the spec but her 1.9 TDi 130 pulls away surprisingly well

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

284 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
kieranblenk said:
Peugeot 2008 or Renault Captur are worth a look, as is the Skoda Yeti.

In terms of mini MPVs, check out any of these-
Kia Venga
Hyundai ix20
Honda Jazz
I don't trust French reliability, the Yeti is too wide

Jazz too slow

I'll look at the other two

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

188 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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V8RX7 said:
I don't trust French reliability, the Yeti is too wide

Jazz too slow

I'll look at the other two
The Jazz will roll along nicely into 3 figures on my private drive quite happily. It's not a fast car, but if one uses the engine as Honda intended, ie rev it, it will nip along quite nicely. The benefit of that it is when you're not thrashing it, 50mpg+ is available

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

284 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
Willy Nilly said:
The Jazz will roll along nicely into 3 figures on my private drive quite happily. It's not a fast car, but if one uses the engine as Honda intended, ie rev it, it will nip along quite nicely. The benefit of that it is when you're not thrashing it, 50mpg+ is available
An auto one, won't pull out of a junction very fast though.

Pistonheader101

2,206 posts

128 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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Honda jazz is a good shout

kieranblenk

865 posts

155 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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A lot of the newer small off roaders are very wide compared to the A3.

On the back of my last post taking on board your feedback, if you can live with the challenging looks, a Skoda Roomster might work. Narrower than the A3, with a huge boot and low load lip.

The 1.2 TSI is fairly peppy with 105bhp and a turbocharger.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2018...


The below are all a touch wider than the A3 (within 70mm) but are potentially worth considering too if your mum could manage with a small increase in width.

Kia Soul
Seat Altea
Mini Countryman
Subaru XV
Suzuki SX4 S Cross
Suzuki Vitara

Deanno1dad

603 posts

245 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
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Low boot access and easy access rear doors....Mini Clubman possibly?

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

188 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
V8RX7 said:
Willy Nilly said:
The Jazz will roll along nicely into 3 figures on my private drive quite happily. It's not a fast car, but if one uses the engine as Honda intended, ie rev it, it will nip along quite nicely. The benefit of that it is when you're not thrashing it, 50mpg+ is available
An auto one, won't pull out of a junction very fast though.
How fast does she need to pull out of junctions? Keeping in mind that 44 tonne artics have to pull out of junctions sometimes. Is she doing track days in it?

V8RX7

Original Poster:

28,982 posts

284 months

Sunday 27th January 2019
quotequote all
Willy Nilly said:
How fast does she need to pull out of junctions? Keeping in mind that 44 tonne artics have to pull out of junctions sometimes. Is she doing track days in it?
People stop for 44 tonne artics !

She's used to 310Nm and wants to upgrade rather than downgrade to 127Nm in a Jazz