to want someone to just pick a car for me?

[PyongyangKipperbang]

I am getting a new (well, new to me) car in the next few weeks and it is frankly pissing me off. I have to get rid of the shed on wheels I am driving before it falls apart, it is costing a fortune to repair/run so I have no choice. However I have no fucking clue what I am replacing it with!

At one point I had 6 kids plus me and (then) DH so needed a big car, there was much less choice so the decision was easier. Now there is me and DC6 in the main, plus occasionally DC's 4&5 so I am looking at a small ish hatchback..But there are so fucking many!! And the extras.....FFS! I dont know what half of them even are....I mean what the actual fuck is "Anti Submarining Ramps on Seats"?! That is something I saw on an ad for Corsa iirc on Auto Trader! A/C and rear parking sensors are a must but after that.....no fucking idea!

I quite like the Fiat Punto but they are cheap.....suspiciously cheap iykwim, so I am wondering if there is something about them that other people know that I dont!

Any advice, recommendations, warnings etc would be gladly received!

I've had a Toyota Yaris for the last 8 years, it's never once broken down or given me a moments trouble, only the normal wear and tear you'd expect. It's a really lovely little car. My mum had a Toyota Corolla for years, my brother is still driving it now, and again no major problems in all that time. The other day I saw my exes brother driving the same Toyota truck he had 20 years ago!

I'm sticking with Toyota!

I used to agree but I used to live opposite a busy junction and there was a crash involving a Fabia. The Fabia was absolutely crushed beyond recognition and the other car barely had a mark on it.

I’d sign up to Which, they do a comprehensive annual car review and testing.

The have new and used car sections, and list all categories from small, people carriers to SUVs and sport cars etc

They go into detail about reliability and cost of parts, repairs and servicing.

From memory Japanese cars have the best reliability.

Toyota Yaris every day of the week.
Totally reliable a little workhorse and cheap as chips to run.

I'm going to throw it in but have you looked at Dacia's? You could get a fairly new Sandero for that budget. I've had a Logan and now I have the duster and genuinely they have both been fabulous- budget motoring

Mazda 2 perhaps? Mazda have a good safety record I believe. Dacia don’t, according to the stuff I’ve read.

My favourite was a Skoda Karoq, closely followed by Kia Cee’d. They’re all too pricy now though.

Like a couple of previous posters, I recently bought a second hand Honda Jazz and am chuffed to bits with it!

That's not always a good thing, though. Better the car crumples (as long as the safety cell survives) than the people inside.

I bought a Mazda 2 last year and I love it! The stereo is great and it's super cheap to run. They are built by Ford in the UK so it's basically a fiesta but with Japanese tech. I'm fully sold on it and would go for another one or a mazda 3 if I ever upgrade.

My mum is on her second Honda jazz and although I detest driving it (too slow for me 😅) it is very comfortable, quiet, smooth and massive inside, it's so so deceptive.

Never needed any work doing either other than the usual occasional tyres and brake pads. Not expensive to buy either

Didnt go today as had a massive hypo, but I think that unless a Toyota really wows me, I will go for a Picanto. I absolutely love driving my mums, decent boot space for a small car and you can actually get two passengers in the back. Failing that, possibly a Rio.

I absolutely love my Toyota Yaris. It’s over a decade old and still looks good and runs well. Toyota make great cars.

A Yaris and an Aygo are both on my list of things to try on. Had a Toyota Previa years ago and fucking loved it!

@PyongyangKipperbang For boot space, I strongly recommend looking at the new Ford Puma! Small car but with an unexpectedly gigantic boot with - wait for it - a drain in it! It's called the 'mega box'. Very bizarre but my goodness the space is useful.
I bought a tall house plant and managed to drive home with it upright!

DH who generally buys from the more “exotic” or luxury end of the market bought a Yaris last year, the four-wheel drive version which he seems to enjoy.

I am a big fan of my hyundai i20, but would that be a little small for you? I originally got on to hyundai for wanting a small car but with as generous a boot as possible so I could be sure to fit the pushchair in! Mine has reversing cameras and I think I'd struggle without this feature now- so useful