Volvo XC90, would you recommend? Or another car big enough for 6 people:

[FunkinEll]

We're looking at getting an older style second hand XC90 (don't have the budget for new style). We have 4 children, aged 8, 6, 4 and 1. So three in high back boosters one in group 0 but will be moving to a group 1 seat soon.

We've run our current S-max into the ground and while we liked it, the 3rd row is too tight on leg space for our 8 year old now hence looking for something with a bit more leg space and also height in the long run.

It's mostly for city/ town driving but with a few long journeys to Wales and Ireland chucked in too.

Would you recommend an XC90?

Yes love mine and am on my second now. Utterly reliable and low garage costs. Bit thirsty - I get about 28mpg with the diesel, but that is outweighed by the fact that I can get my three teens, and three dogs in plus a ton of baggage. It is a great drive on the motorway too, much more 'car-like" and less tiring than other 4x4's I have driven.

I do quite a lot of country driving too and it is definitely not in the same league of 4x4 as, say, a Landrover Discovery in terms of handling. It will get you off a wet field and is good in the rain but I'd take it really carefully in the snow or ice (ironic for a Swedish car I know). Also assume you will need to replace the front tyres every 10,000 miles as there is a lot of weight at the front.

I also like the fact that that it does not seem to attract the same aggressive approach from other drivers as other 4 x 4. BTW the middle seat in the back can act as a built in booster which would do the job for your 6 year old - ask the garage to show you

Great, thanks. Good to know you can fit in three teens and three dogs. We should be alright if we hold off on the dogs

Gettong off a wet field is good for us and probably as much as we need interns of off roading capability. I'm thinking of the muddy rugby pitch in darkest January. That would be a real plus.

The built in booster sounds ideal, do they all come with that or is it an extra do you know?