To buy a car based on mumsnets opinion today

[Claliscool]

Hi all

I need to buy a car with the following requirements:
Fuel efficient
Enough room for family of four and luggage
Looks stylish
Is reasonably nice to drive
Preferably an SUV looking thing.

I cannot decide and need to buy a car ASAP. Budget its 20k, either used or new.
Thank you!

@RufustheRowlingReindeer

How do you fuel it if you don't know what it is? Genuine question.

@RufustheRowlingReindeer how do u not know if it's a diesel? Do u out diesel or petrol in it?

@RufustheRowlingReindeer

And the vauxhall mokka, but i think it was a little smaller.

The boot is the size of a cool box. Not too bad in the back otherwise, as long as you don't need child seats in the back - unless your front seat riders are under 5'3.

Really depends on how much you drive like someone else said. For fuel efficiency and suv, you'd need diesel really, but if you're doing short drives mainly, you're going to end up with a lot of bills.

Trying to decide on a roughly 20k car in a few hours based on some opinions is not likely to end well either. People are mentioning kia sportages, but I'm still not convinced that they are better than other cars. They are cheaper, but that also means it was built cheaper. Whether or not its good long term, I don't know. But at that kind of price range I'd rather not find out.

[quote GinDaddyRedux]@RufustheRowlingReindeer

How do you fuel it if you don't know what it is? Genuine question.[/quote]
I was also going to ask that!

SUVs are planet-fucking gas guzzlers, if you have kids you should be a little bothered about that although most parents aren't. They are not fuel efficient, although much of that comes down to the driver. If you sit in the supermarket car park for ages with the engine running while you jabber into your brick, (why do women do this?) if you carry lots of shit you don't need, if you do lots of short runs, if you speed, if you don't anticipate, you will waste lots of fuel.

as someone else points out, not a diesel unless your driving pattern fits a diesel.

no car is 'stylish'. Don't buy new unless you have money to piss away, it will depreciate as you leave the forecourt.

We’re picking up our brand new Hyundai Tucson on Tuesday. It’s gorgeous and I reckon would fit the bill.

I was going to say a Duster. Love Dacia's. The fuel ecomony is really good.

I don’t know whether my kia is Diesel or not, its an Automatic so was probably slightly more expensive

Do you never fill it yourself?

Oh and you get Apple car play as standard 🎉🎉

With a decent budget like yours I would be looking at something Japanese Toyota, Hyundai, Honda or Mazda. My uncle and partner are both mechanics and both swear Japanese made cars are the best in terms of reliability by miles pardon the pun. They are more expensive but with your budget that shouldn't matter.
We have a Toyota CH-3 which I love to drive (and self-charging hybrid so v economic) but it's probably bit small for you, there are other Toyota's you could look at though.
For our next car I've got my eye on a Mazda CX-5, although now we have had a self charging hybrid I'm not sure we will go back as we are saving a lot of money on fuel but don't have the issue of needing somewhere to charge it.

@mencken

Do you need professional help? You seem a bit, erm, crackers.

If you're not too worried about it being a few years old (2015), a Hyundai i35 might be a good choice. Roomy, and half your budget.

We bought a brand new Skoda Kamiq at the start of lockdown. Love it. With part ex and discount for finance we paid £21k. I think there's more discount available now since people are holding onto money rather than spending it.

@thatcarolebaskinbitch

With a decent budget like yours I would be looking at something Japanese Toyota, Hyundai, Honda or Mazda. My uncle and partner are both mechanics and both swear Japanese made cars are the best in terms of reliability by miles pardon the pun. They are more expensive but with your budget that shouldn't matter. We have a Toyota CH-3 which I love to drive (and self-charging hybrid so v economic) but it's probably bit small for you, there are other Toyota's you could look at though. For our next car I've got my eye on a Mazda CX-5, although now we have had a self charging hybrid I'm not sure we will go back as we are saving a lot of money on fuel but don't have the issue of needing somewhere to charge it.

Yeah I agree, love Japanese cars, they're so reliable and parts are reasonable. I've had 2 Toyotas, 2 Mitsubishis & a Honda in my time, great cars all of them

Oops I meant Toyota CHR not sure where the 3 came from!

I prefer estates for good luggage space. The smaller SUV types often have surprisingly tiny boots in my experience.
If you want a big SUV they’re generally not fuel efficient.

@RufustheRowlingReindeer

I don’t know whether my kia is Diesel or not, its an Automatic so was probably slightly more expensive

Comments like this shows why you should never ask for advice about cars on MN.

I'm looking for something similar to you OP. I read my dads Which magazine online & the Davis Duster is 'one to avoid' according to them. The DS 3 Crossback (which I'd never heard of) was their number 1 Best Buy. I've still not decided but will see what more views on here say.

YABU. If you're going to spend a five-figure sum, do it based on research and expert reviews, not anecdotes from a parenting forum

@mencken All SUVs? Like the Mitsubishi Outlander? £0 tax? ULEZ friendly?

Dacia Duster not Davis!!!

@flooredbored

I prefer estates for good luggage space. The smaller SUV types often have surprisingly tiny boots in my experience.
If you want a big SUV they’re generally not fuel efficient.

Agreed. Unless you're looking at something large (Disco/XC90 or similar) estate cars tend to have much much better bootspace.

@GinDaddyRedux

The Vauxhall Mokka should be placed on a plinth in room 101 as possibly the worst car ever issued by a modern car manufacturer.

Every time I see one in a car park I make sure I don't park next to it, because I know that person doesn't care.

May I ask what is the matter with a Mokka please?

Hyundai Tucson.

Cheaper than the Kia Sportage.

I liked the Duster but it gets really bad reviews.