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!

I've just ordered a Hyundai Tucson.

It's the same as a Kia under the bonnet as they're both made by Hyundai but I found the ride in the Tucson much more comfortable & prefer the look.

I'm leasing so much of it was budget dependent but I loved the RAV4. T-cross was too small, didn't try the Dacia because (sorry) it's so ugly.

I'm getting rid of a Mokka, which for all the hate, has done 92k without a single complaint. Maybe I'm lucky.

Hyundai vote from me. I have 1 and so do 2 friends (all slightly different models). We all love them - practical, nice to drive, plenty of room, inexpensive to run/maintain

You could get a decent used Honda CRV for £20k. My favourite car. We bought an ex motability one for £18k and it had sat nav, heated seats, full electrics, reversing cameras and sunroof. Love it.

If you're looking for a hybrid, Kia Niro ones are nice and very fuel efficient. There is a lovely peacock greeny blue one which is very eye catching. The sales person told us he gets at least 80 miles to the gallon from his.

Any of the above other than a Dacia.

@GinDaddyRedux once at work the hire car company messed up and instead of the large saloon/estate ordered for a work trip they sent a mokka. So that’s five adults on a 6 hour round trip for a business meeting (awkward location for train) and me squeezed into the middle seat because I was the only woman and smallest person. Then the motorway was closed for a nasty accident, so a 3 hour outward journey actually took 5.5. And now I too hate the mokka

I know that there are generally two camps - those that love SUV's and those that really don't and I fall into the latter so am probably a bit biased. But, unless you're getting a 'proper' SUV like a Landrover or a XC90 then I think Estate cars can be a much better choice.

Estates:

• Drive like a car
• Taxed like a car
• Have the emissions of a car
• Fuel efficiency of a car
• Have much more 'ooomph' than an equivalent sized engined SUV
• often have bigger boots spaces than SUV's - my estate car for example has a good 200 litres more boot space than the likes of a Sportage; Quashqai and the like.

Only slight downside I guess is that you don't get the higher driving position that you do in an SUV

@PickleSarnie I agree. I have a "proper" 4x4 for my car (needed for job and tow horses)

But estates don't work for Hubbies car as the boots don't have enough height for large dogs to be comfortable in. We tried several and looked at loads before giving up and becoming and little and large 4x4 family!

However it does mean he doesn't steal my car anymore when it snows... lol

@PickleSarnie

Agree with this post 100%. A relative with young children has a Skoda Octavia Estate. The boot in it is way, way bigger in actual usable "below the parcel shelf" dimensions, than any of the lifestyle SUVs she had looked at.

Yes an XC90, Range Rover, Cayenne etc would have a far larger boot. But that's not the class of car she was buying.

I am biased (I own a petrol estate car) but I think estate cars are often overlooked for one reason, and one reason only.

Image.

They're seen as the "middle aged/old man" choice, something about it from people's childhood maybe, something about the long and low look.

SUVs are (over)rated purely because they have an element of style about a lot of them - they are like a Casio G-Shock or a Timbaland boot, they're not the most rugged thing out there but they've got the associated coolness.

And there's this whole "I like sitting high up so I can see things" stuff, which again I've never truly understood but I recognise seems so important to people.

I have had a Range Rover in the past (an old L322 petrol one) and I get the whole "command position" thing, but it wasn't enough to keep me in it. My current estate does everything i need it to, albeit it's not a mountain goat like the Range was - but how often did I use that?

@MayDayHelp you loved the Peugeot 2008?
I’ve got one and I absolutely HATE it. It’s the worst car I’ve ever driven - been driving 30 years. I’ll admit ok on fuel though. Currently in the process of trying to get rid of it.

Oh Hyundai Tuscon without doubt. You would get all sorts of snazzy gadgets for that money. Heated seats front and rear for a start.

@GinDaddyRedux I like the height of my Sportage not so much because of driving but actually getting in and out of it. It was one of the reasons I liked my smart. I have back and hip pain and it's much more comfortable to step up to get in and down to get out than the other way round. My mum is a fiesta fan and I find getting in and out of her car really uncomfortable. I also find the height and lack of lip on the boot easy to get the wee ones pram in and out of. I loved my small car though and when DS is older and needs less "stuff" and I'll be right back to them.

Hyundai Tucson.

We got ours earlier this year, it's a couple of years old but we got the Premium SE Diesel Automatic 4x4 version, so it's top spec and comes with everything. We got ours under £20k with very low mileage.

Another vote for a Seat Ateca. I loooooove ours!

I test drove a Sportage and found it uncomfortable and very slow.

@RufustheRowlingReindeer

We bought a kia Sportage in March

We love it so far, deffo room

I think it looks nice, great to drive

No idea about fuel efficiency...i could find out

Also have a Kia Sportage and I love it. Drives really nicely and is a good size

@PrayingandHoping a Land Rover Discovery 3. The boot is cavernous, and the biggest I could find with the 2nd row in use.

If you want safety and reliability, Toyota and Lexus win every time.

Lexus NX 300h (hybrid SUV) would be utterly brilliant - looks and drives amazing - and you should get a decent second hand one for £20k.

Toyota RAV4 not as upmarket but you will get a newer one for the same money.

I got a new VW T Cross in May and absolutely love it. Looks cool, nice and high up/roomy, great boot size and some snazzy extras like Apple car play, rear camera, lane assist etc etc. It was between the T Cross and the Tucson but the T Cross fit my budget better.

I have had 2 sportages and I have to say that I think they’re fabulous cars for the money. Decent boot space, comfortable, good spec for the money and I found the petrol auto good on petrol. I could get a good 400 miles from a tank which was about £60 to fill up if that helps. It’s prob less now as petrol is cheaper. I thought it was an enjoyable drive too. Great car

My dh has a rav4 hybrid. He doesn’t find it particularly fuel efficient. He travels long distance with it driving for work. I’m sure in urban areas where the electric kicks in it’s fine. When he drives off first thing it sounds like a milk float 😂