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Original poster

Good, sensible mum car?

23 replies

Brooomhilda · 07/02/2025 12:58

My faithful little Nissan is about to pack up (it's old-old) and with baby number 2 on the way it'd be nice to have a sensible mum car that I can get a pram, 2 car seats and a dog into easily. Any suggestions? I'd be buying second hand with a budget of about £15k in the south of uk.

OP posts:

Original poster

Brooomhilda · 07/02/2025 12:59

I should say I have a manual licence but open to the idea of automatic.

OP posts:

MyIvyGrows · 07/02/2025 13:00

Stick with Nissan and go for a Qashqai?

MiddleAgedDread · 07/02/2025 13:17

single or double pram?
big dog or small dog?
does the dog and pram both need to go in the boot?

Original poster

Brooomhilda · 07/02/2025 13:59

MiddleAgedDread · 07/02/2025 13:17

single or double pram?
big dog or small dog?
does the dog and pram both need to go in the boot?

Single pram, toddler has aged out of prams now. Dog is a chihuahua so he won't be in the boots but there would need to be space for him so he doesn't get grabbed at by toddler (poor sod).

OP posts:

MiddleAgedDread · 07/02/2025 14:26

poor wee doogo :( Could he go in the passenger footwell or strapped into the passenger seat?
A VW Golf or Seat Leon if you don't want anything too big? Or a Mazda 3 used to have a great sized boot for the size of the car.
Have you got one of those car warehouse type dealers nearby? I found they were good for looking at a range of cars in one place. The first time I went it made it quite clear to the guy I wasn't going to buy that day and I just wanted to consider options. But it ruled a few things out and others I hadn't considered I added to my list.

crackfoxy · 07/02/2025 14:30

I love my Skoda kamiq. A small SUV I traded up from a Ford fiesta.

Hiddenawaytoday · 07/02/2025 14:37

You should think about something like an MG4 - it's amazing never having to fill up at a petrol station with small kids in the car!

SingingSands · 07/02/2025 15:22

When mine were that age I had a VW Polo and it was a fantastic car.

Boot size was admirable for a small car - I once got an armchair in the boot which I had impulse bought from TK Maxx 😆. I'd get the pram and a full supermarket shop in there regularly, would drive to my mum's in Scotland with suitcases, pram and toys in the boot.

Space for two car seats in the back, great to drive, easy to park, economical, got me through the winter snows of 2010/2011.

Loved that car!

wishIwasonaBeach · 07/02/2025 15:25

Ooh @SingingSands I had a Polo which I adored too.

I have a 2nd hand Volvo XC60 - it's lovely and spacious plus a great drive.

I have a toddler and a St Bernard (so basically 2 children😂) and they both fit in happily as well as pram etc.

Happy car shopping! x

beguilingeyes · 07/02/2025 15:43

Honda Jazz? I really like the new shape.

bugalugs45 · 07/02/2025 16:15

I've got a Kia Sportage which I love , the Hyundai tucson is basically the same model. 5 year old would definitely come
In under your budget , but I got a great finance deal , where Kia gave me money towards my deposit brand new , was a few years ago now though.

InveterateWineDrinker · 07/02/2025 17:00

Don't rule out a Citroën Berlingo or its close cousins the Peugeot Rifter and Vauxhall Combo Life. Masses of space, three proper seats in the back, all with ISOFIX, gargantuan boot, higher driving position, and sliding doors for tight parking spaces. Plenty around with a wide range of petrol, diesel and electric engines, as well as manual and automatic transmissions.

The Dacia Jogger is a 7-seater MPV, extremely practical too, and you'd get a much newer one for your budget.

SybilEsmeGytha · 07/02/2025 17:06

Assuming you'll want to keep the car as the kids get bigger I'd suggest slightly bigger than your average hatchback. Skoda Karoq or Octavia estate for easy driving, parking and just really good practical cars for family life. Honda HRV or Toyota corrola estate if reliability over time/ ability to handle big mileage is a factor.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 07/02/2025 17:17

Skoda fabia estate. Great cars with very decent boots

Pinkywoo · 07/02/2025 20:25

I have a Mondeo estate and love it. Two rear facing car seats in the back, with space for an adult between them, and a huge boot which fits our massive pushchair with space for bags and assorted kids crap.

redteapot · 07/02/2025 20:30

I've got a Ford C-Max and am happy with it (we have two kids and a big dog).

MagicalMystical · 07/02/2025 20:33

I am on my second Honda CRV. My last one was second hand and did me and the family for 15 years. Great cars.

snoopyfanaccountant · 07/02/2025 21:50

If your Nissan is old old, it is probably pre-Renault involvement. MIL learned to drive in her 40s in a Nissan and thinks that they are the go-to brand; she had 3 and unfortunately DH became owner of 2 of them afterwards. I wouldn't buy a relatively new Nissan based on our experience. Nissan no longer shows Japanese reliability.
I would look at VW and its related non-prestige brands (Skoda and Seat). I have had a 2021 Skoda Karoq for 18 months and I love it; DB has 12 year old Skoda Fabia estate with 150,000 on the clock and it is still going strong.

Marylou2 · 07/02/2025 21:57

I'm not a car enthusiast but I love my Nissan Juke. Had a Qashqai before that and it was great too.

barstar · 07/02/2025 22:02

Hiddenawaytoday · 07/02/2025 14:37

You should think about something like an MG4 - it's amazing never having to fill up at a petrol station with small kids in the car!

It's a real pain in the arse sitting waiting for a space to charge at the motorway service stations with small children though.

sunhigh · 07/02/2025 22:51

Seat ateca has a really good sized boot.

Hiddenawaytoday · 08/02/2025 11:56

barstar · 07/02/2025 22:02

It's a real pain in the arse sitting waiting for a space to charge at the motorway service stations with small children though.

Show quote history

We've never had an issue with this - there are chargers all over the place now, we just plan charging around lunch or snack stops for longer trips. I think MG4s have a range of about 200 miles.

barstar · 08/02/2025 12:15

We've never had an issue with this - there are chargers all over the place now, we just plan charging around lunch or snack stops for longer trips. I think MG4s have a range of about 200 miles.

That's great, however it definitely happens. We sat last year at 3 different service stations on the M6 waiting over an hour twice and the 3rd time almost got into a fight with a driver who tried to sneak in as soon as someone left and we had been waiting for 2 hours. I am planning to hire a care for this year's UK holiday as it was absolute hell. The journey that usually takes 5 hours with stops took between 8 and 10 - never again.

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