Would you be able to recommend us a car if I give you our criteria please?

[BellaBearisWideAwake]

currently driving a vauxhall astra but not good for DH's back, and once two car seats are in the back (DS2 has just arrived) then there is no room for another passenger.

So here is our list, no particular order, some mine and some DH's:

Motorway driving- needs to have enough oomph iykwim
Air conditioning
Heated windscreen/effective demisting
Room for three adults/carseats in back
Suitable for tall person too drive without getting uncomfortable
Storage-need to fit in pushchair, travel cot etc
Sliding doors (not essential)
Not a tank-I don't want to look like I am driving a bodyguard's car. I also don't want to be ridiculously high up
Preferably not too OTT re environmental damage

MANY thanks in advance-we don't know where to start!

Skoda Octavia Estate?

I would suggest looking at the Mini MPV's. things like the Zafira and Touran have 7 seats but aren't much bigger than an estate car.

Im 6'1 and my brothers are taller, we have all driven both of those comfortably.

What's your budget and would you consider second hand?

Thank you. dH mentioned the skids-I just know rhen as joke cars but assume not true now

My initial thought was northern kids secrets-was that the zafira? That sort of thing anyway

Cheers!

SKODA not skids. Autocorrect

Oh yes def second hand. Budget up to about 10k I think

And ADVERT not secrets. Bloody phone

Other suggestions are good- skoda definitely not to be sneared at.

KIA Sedona may also worth looking at ( second hand or ex demo) too worth thinking about. Ford c max ?

You have set dh off- says Honda Frv good (this may fail your too high test) and on balance Kia no good..

He will be on net all night now looking ...

Ooh thank you to your DH. It would really help to be a nit more informed before contacting dealers

Typing one handed-sleeping newborn

He was on tesco second hand site - his view was ford or Honda. Big ford fan myself and think c max has all you want (s max too but prob a bit too boxy)

passat estate, we got ours for 10k 2 years ago, it was 2 years old then, does 50mpg, roomy, I can fit in the back between 2 booster seats

We have a 2001 plate Mondeo which ticks all your boxes. it has done us 3 yrs and only cost 2k It's a boring car, but the most reliable I have ever owned and really comfy and def has ooomph. And dp is 6'4". Only thing it doesn't have is sliding doors.

We hired a vauxhall insignia estate to go on hols 2 weeks ago and it was so bloody clunky and uncomfortable we wished we'd taken our old Mondeo.

Oh yes the C max is a great car. Loads of room and plenty of head space for the taller driver. (i often find my head hits the roof which i dislike as it makes me slouch)

The rear seats are very comfy too. I ended up getting another Zafira but the C max was the close second

Thanks all. What are the pros and cons between a MPV and and an estate?

there are some estate cars that sell themselves as MPVs.

in reality unless youget the MPV's with the extra two seats there isn't much real difference.

imo

Ok. Useful, thank ypu

Right, think we want a compact MPV. Many thanks for all contributions, really didn't have a clue before this thread.

You may want to test drive both estates and compact MPVs. Estates are usually much nicer to drive (particularly if you like to drive at a sporting pace). They also get much better fuel economy for the same size engine as the aerodynamics on MPVs are crap.

I have a Ford Galaxy, fab car, lovely to drive and not as high up as a Ford Transit. 7 seats but I only use 5 at the mo as I haven't got enough kids to mind yet. I do use it for various church activities though and it came in very useful on holiday with two families wanting to go out without taking three cars.

We are going to France with 5 of us plus tent, bikes and all the crap you take on holiday that you don't need. It has a HUGE boot when two of the seats are down.