Best cars for campers

[mamaduckbone]

We need a new car to replace our faithful Xsara Picasso and I was wondering what cars other camping families drive.
We don't need 7 seats, so don't really want a massive people carrier, but we need something big enough for all the gear, ideally with a back seat that can be taken out or folded really flat and as much boot space as possible.
Any suggestions?

[chipmonkey]

I have a Toyota Verso which I find brilliant for camping and holidays and even for converting into a sort of mini-van when collecting large items in shops. It's unfortunately very old now but when I replace it, it will probably be a newer version of the same car. It does have seven seats which we rarely use but it is nice to have the option to ferry kids' friends around.

[Wh0Kn0wsWhereTheTimeGoes]

We have a Verso too, with a roofbox. It holds a lot of stuff but has a couple of drawbacks, one is a spoiler at the top of the tailgate which means we can't use a rear bike carrier with it, the other is that it's a wide car (seats three comfortably in the middle row) but which makes it a bit tight for parking in car parks, which I do at least a couple of times a day. Also it's a diesel which are now going to be taxed heavily.

[SoulAccount]

How many kids have you got, OP?

I look at Scenics sometimes, and wonder about one for my next car.

[chipmonkey]

WhoKnows, I don't have a bike rack but I have seen other versos with them. Is it your particular year/model that can't take one?

[Wh0Kn0wsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I'm not sure TBH, we aren't big bike users so didn't think of it when buying the car (didn't buy it new) but there are times when we would like to take bikes and this is annoying, so it's something to look out for if you are a cycling family. We could get one of those towbar ones but that would cost £££.

[mamaduckbone]

We have 2 DCs, Soul and no car seats these days.

[yetanotherdeskmove]

we have a mondeo estate, you can practically live in it.

[EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic]

We've got an old Renault Kangoo. The boot is that large that two adults could sleep in it

[Justmadeperfectflapjacks]

Grand scenic and a roof box!!

[Flyingprettycretonnecurtains]

Skoda Octavia's are huge and can take all sorts of crap. Drive like a dream and are quite fun too. Very comfy with lots of leg room for teens.

[FusionChefGeoff]

Our scenic is amazing. There's lots of internal storage compartments plus a huge space around the spare wheel / under seats etc. That means I can cram 3 x really useful storage boxes of camping stuff in all the nooks and crannys before I need to go anywhere near 'normal' storage i.e. boot, foot wells.

It's also 3 proper seats in the back so there's a massive space in the middle to squeeze sleeping bags / cool bag etc.

[CMOTDibbler]

We have a Skoda Superb which has a huge boot, and massive back seat area. Its like the Tardis!

[RhubarbCrumbled]

Second the Mondeo. It fits everything without needing a roofbox. Except now it's just me and DC and we don't tow anymore I'm maybe going to downsize next time. Maybe.

[mamaduckbone]

Thanks all - Renault Scenic is on our shortlist but will look at the Skoda options.

[samlovesdilys]

Look at a Ford S Max too...we LOVE ours, so much space, so versatile and still feels like a car not a bus!!

[cyclecamper]

We have a 20 year old Toyota Previa, it's amazing! We can fit 3 of us, a tandem, a solo and a kids bike inside along with all the camping stuff. It's reliable and scruffy so I don't care if it gets covered in mud or sand or the 4 year old drives his digger around the paintwork or someone drives into it in a car park. So much easier and less stressful than a newer car and other drivers look at the dents and avoid you!

[Paddington]

Our Scenic with rooftop box was brilliant. The number of cubby holes and drawers under seats can store a lot of stuff.
Now have a VW Passat Estate with rooftop box which has a massive boot. We take 4 bikes on a bike rack which sits on our tow bar at the back of the car (no trailer). Has a more powerful engine so my husband prefers to drive this but it doesn't have the cubby holes!

[badger21]

Sorry, but to hijack a bit ...

Paddington - can I ask you about your bike carrier? Just investigating getting a tow bar mounted one, but a bit concerned about how much a 4x bike one would stick out at the back, and how it would affect the handling of the car if the rest of it was full of camping gear?

Which one do you have? Would you recommend? Worth the investment?

[Thoth]

We have a C3 Picasso, which has decent back seat and boot space. A C4 Picasso or a CMax grande would give you loads. I've seen people camping with Citroen berlingos too, but it's hard to get petrol ones, and they're very "vanny", which isn't to everyone's taste.
We stick to the C3 Picasso because we only camp irregularly, and most journeys are 1 person in a city. It has roof bars for a roof box though

[PhilODox]

We used to go in a Skoda Fabia, btw, but we are minimalist campers! It really depends on the size of your tent.