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Welcome to Mumsnet's shopping board. Whether you are after a new family car or a great new coffee machine this is the board for you.

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Welcome to Mumsnet's shopping board. Whether you are after a new family car or a great new coffee machine this is the board for you.

Shopping

Flexible family car with big boot... Settle our 'debate'!

90 replies

Indecisivelurcher · 27/07/2020 19:26

I want an estate. Dh wants a hatchback. An mpv might even be an option. We just can't agree! Hit me up with your recommendations please mumsnet!

Must be able to fit 2 car seats without getting kneed in the back. D-dog must be able to fit comfortably and jump in himself. I'd like to be able to sling kids bikes in the boot. Got to be efficient and comfortable, style optional!

We've currently got a dying Renault megane estate which has been brill but dh thinks too big / defo no bigger. And a seat ibiza hatchback which is pretty cramped. We're going down to one car.

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Catnuzzle · 27/07/2020 19:29

Ford Grand CMax.

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AnotherEmma · 27/07/2020 19:29

You need a Skoda Octavia. The boot's enormous. Decent leg room (enough for a bulky rear facing car seat behind a tallish passenger). You can even get an estate version if you want but the standard version is still plenty room. Bought ours last year and no regrets!

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CoffeeBeansGalore · 27/07/2020 19:32

Top Gear really rated the Skoda Yeti as a family car.

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ElspethFlashman · 27/07/2020 19:33

Skoda Octavia. Massive boot.

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Indecisivelurcher · 27/07/2020 19:33

@anotheremma I would very much like one! Dh thinks we don't need something as big as that. He's worried about the work car park The fabia looked too small on back seats but don't know if I'm being ridiculous on that one because people must fit kids in them.

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katmarie · 27/07/2020 19:33

I recently bought a used mondeo estate. I was convinced I was going to utterly hate it, find it incredibly dull etc. Turns out its lovely to drive, back seats have isofix and take two 360 degree car seats comfortably, and the boot is so big I had to actually climb into it to fit the car seats properly. It drives beautifully, and is a very comfortable car. I have been properly impressed so far.

I suppose it depends whether you're looking at new or used and what your budget is?

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Willow4987 · 27/07/2020 19:34

We’ve got the Kia Sportage. Both DS are in rear facing seats and my tall DH has no problems with the front seats being too far forward

Can easily fit a double pram in the boot as well

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holymosquito · 27/07/2020 19:35

Citroen grand Picasso. Small for an MPV. We initially were convinced we wanted an estate. We’d looked at things like the Ford S max but it was a bus. The Picasso wasn’t really much difference in length or width to our old hatchback (Citroen c4) and we have really enjoyed it.

It’s nice to drive and it’s been great to be able to offer the odd lift- to take out MIL for lunch that kind of thing. Or even for me & 2 car seats in the back of someone is poorly.. loads of boot space - unless you are using the extra seats . So we load ours up with beach stuff/ bikes etc and then swop it for nieces and nephews when we get there etc!

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Slat3 · 27/07/2020 19:36

Honda Civic tourer. The boot is huge! Really nice estate and bigger than the civic

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holymosquito · 27/07/2020 19:38

Just to add we were looking at a golf estate so nothing massive- the Fabia really is quite small though ( I looked into one before getting my Nissan Micra)

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drumandthebass · 27/07/2020 19:43

We have a Ford SMax. It has a massive boot and when all 7 seats are up you still have a little room in the boot for things.
It's a brilliant car which we have had for 10 years since new. 4 of us and a dog go camping in it with just a roof box for extra space. It has a nice driving position as well and definitely doesn't feel like a big car.

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ShaunaTheSheep · 27/07/2020 19:44

We’ve got a Ford S-Max and a Mondeo estate. I’d go for the S-Max, as it’s got 3 proper rear seats and the boot is massive, because of the boxy shape (definitely in the style-optional category!). Also 2 extra seats for occasional use. It’s seen us through from the days of 3 car seats and family camping trips, through (fingers crossed on results day) moving the DC to university. A true family workhouse but also great to drive.

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Indecisivelurcher · 27/07/2020 19:51

Sorry, I was chatting on about octavia and fabia estates above!!!

Done other deets are we'd like an as automatic because I struggle with sciatica in my accellorator foot. And we do mostly local pootles. Would not consider a diesel.

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CMOTDibbler · 27/07/2020 19:59

We had a Skoda Superb. Amazing boot space, loads of room in the back seat (6'3 DH could have 6'1 ds behind him with still loads of room for ds's legs), v comfortable drive, and great automatic gearbox. Really not an issue to park anywhere and dh and I both park in all sorts of places on site visits.
DH had to have a hybrid as a company car this time, so got a Honda CRV which has a much smaller boot. I have an elderly CRV (all our cars are automatic) and thats brilliant for slinging stuff in as the boxy shape makes the boot huge and its very spacious inside.

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2155User · 27/07/2020 20:03

5 or 3 series BMW estate

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AnotherEmma · 27/07/2020 20:03

A quick google tells me that a Renault Megane estate and a Skoda Octavia are about the same length (the latter is ever so slightly longer).

I had my reservations about the Octavia as I thought it was a bit too big but it's not too bad and the huge boot has been so handy.

I wouldn't get a Fabia estate as there isn't enough rear cabin space and leg room.

There is also the Skoda Scala which could be a good compromise? It's not as big as the Octavia but still roomy inside (boot and cabin space). It only came out recently though so you'd need the budget for new or nearly new.

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Leafyhouse · 27/07/2020 20:08

Porsche Cayenne / Macan? Range Rover or Lamborghini Urus perhaps? What budget do we have to play with here?

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ShinyFootball · 27/07/2020 20:11

We had an Octavia estate and I loved it.

I'm 5'3 and prefer no nippy cars not tanks. The Octavia does something TARDIS like so it fits piles of stuff but drives like a smaller car and I didn't feel like I was driving a bus IYSWIM.

Highly recommended.

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ShinyFootball · 27/07/2020 20:12

We got a mini cooper which we had the skoda and looking from the bedroom window down on them they were bizarrely similar in size.

If that helps!

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ShinyFootball · 27/07/2020 20:13

Prefer nippy cars

Dunno where the no came from!

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ShinyFootball · 27/07/2020 20:14

Good sorry about autocorrect hope you can understand!

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Indecisivelurcher · 27/07/2020 20:16

Budget £10-15k, newer than 2016 ideally, we will keep it until it dies... Ford S max look over budget plus I think dh would wig about driving something that size. Skoda supurb is a bit saloon shaped I wonder if ddog would struggle, I know someone with one though so can have a nosy.

Will work my way back through the suggestions, they are appreciated!!! It's been 1yr of inaction because we don't agree, and we're about to be left with just the ibiza if the megane flunks is Mot as expected.

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AnotherEmma · 27/07/2020 20:18

Skoda Superb is bigger than Octavia so I don't know why PP suggested it.

If he thinks an Octavia is too big there's no way he'll agree to a Superb.

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Okbutnotgreat · 27/07/2020 20:18

Skoda Superb Estate. The boot is vast and the room in the back is amazing. Three tall adults can sit comfortably and stretch their legs right out. Our previous MPV felt nowhere near as spacious.

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SpeedofaSloth · 27/07/2020 20:20

Vauxhall Zafira. Not glamorous but cheap and enormous.

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