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Budget is £10kish and I need it to hold a family of 5 and their luggage. I'm very picky with cars. The only ones I like so far are VW Passats and Kia Sportage newer shape. Test drove a 2015 VW Tiguan yesterday and liked it but not quite enough to buy. Not keen on high mileage stuff, under 90k definitely.
Any more suggestions?
Honda Accord Estate? https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111129514446
How about a 5 door Mazda 6? For that budget you'd get a 2014/15 model at < 90k miles and if it's important to you a ULEZ compliant one. Example
Passats are huge, bmw 5 series are similar sized boot, consider also subaru outbback.
The subaru will have more ground clearance if that matters to you.
Merc E class?
Mondeo?
Skoda superb?
Volvo v60.
Merc... oh never mind 😉
An E-class estate is worth a look though - you won't think a Passat is big after that. And they aren't a lot more expensive than Passats as I've been finding out. But I wouldn't get one for 5 people as the middle seat on all these cars is going to be unpleasant due to the seat shape. You want a Touran or similar, you do, with a real middle seat.
Good luck with that budget in the current market.
Galaxy
Another vote for the V60 - especially one of the nicely specced ones. Just large enough to get your bike in the back without removing the wheels
Any more suggestions?
Yep - wait until the prices go back to normal.
I don't think they ever will though. Prices never come down on anything nowadays.
Passat 100%. Mazda 6 better looking but the diesels are noisy and enjoy killing themselves, and they arent as big as the passat which is cavernous.
Skoda Superb? Built on samevplatform as Passat.
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/skoda/superb/92079/back-in-business-skoda-superb-vs-vw-passat
Not sure a v60 is big enough for 5. The middle rear seat is not the best. Fantastic can, I did 100k in mine over 4 years but I would go bigger (or I should say wider) if you need to sit 3 across the rear seat.
What age are the kids? Do you need isofix?
My kids are 8. 15 and 19 and all very tall so space is important. Will take a look at the Superb as an alternative to the Passat, cheers.
for 5 with luggage I'd be going full sized rear seats and loads of luggage space
Seat Alhambra/VW Sharan etc...
Any more suggestions?
Don't take it to Glasgow, someone might let your tyres down.
Octavia Scout. It's what I wish we bought instead of a Yeti.
The V60 is definitely too small - for £10k you're looking at the old shape which was about the smallest car in its class - the new shape is about the biggest, but would cost you 20k and still would be small for 3 teenagers. Need to be looking at MPVs, A6s, E-class - or the Superb.
I've got a 65 plate superb, it's great and would buy again. Ours is at 90k now (bought 2 years old with 17k on for £16000, SEL executive model). It's very comfortable with enormous back seat leg/head room and enormous boot. Recommended if you can find one, though I suspect you may need to alter mileage or budget figure.
VW polo with a towbar and hire a trailer when you need to carry luggage 😉
Skoda Superb estate.
I had a VW Passat prior, the Superb is a nicer car all round.
Kia Sportage newer shape.
My OH has one, decent car and a good drive (2.0d AWD), but, based on the valuation of hers (when she was looking to change) it'd need to be old, high mileage and/or low-spec for £10k I'd reckon.
Golf Estate. Very nearly as big a boot as a Passat but drives life the Golf hatch.
I have the 1.6 diesel and it’s great. Lugs any load I ask of it, drives nice and give excellent mileage.
Paid £7k for a ‘15 plate with 80k ish on it and couldn’t be happier with it
Kia Sportage newer shape.
Nowhere near enough space. They're huge and bulbous but not much space at all. Boot height is really elevated and no more of an opening than eg a golf.
Galaxy/Sharan/Alahahammamabra
Or the largest estates, mondeo, e class, superb (again, some like the 5 series are large outside, not very large inside because of the massive (lovely) seats etc. the aforementioned are a bit more 'tin can' and therefore remarkably more spacious)
Totally ignoring the SUV/estate requirement...VW Phaeton.
Passat on steroids.
Have a look on Autotrader.
Got to agree with those saying 3 proper seats is the way to go - S-Max? Definitely good examples in budget
If you like the Kia Sportage then it's probably worth looking at a Kia Optima estate. £10k will just get an early 2017 one with your mileage requirements. They're uninteresting to drive but have very generous passenger space and even the base model has a decent spec.
I can get 3 people and 3 bikes in my Passat, it’s ace. But, if buying again I’d have the Passat, E-Class and the Superb on the shortlist. Both the Merc and the Superb are even bigger again, but for me the best mileage, look and price would win.
Just bought a Seat Leon ST, if a car can look pretty it sure does.
I recently bought a Citroen C4 Picasso. While it's not cool at all, it's nicer to drive than I expected, the engine has decent power (a 1.6 eco diesel) - will sit at 80 on the motorway no problem at 60mpg. The drive is more relaxed than exhilarating.
However, the cabin is really well thought out, especially for rear passengers. They get 3 full sized seats that slide back and forward and recline independently, full seatbelts, sun blinds, fold down tray tables, storage cubbies etc. The car also has a fridge in it! The boot is huge, even with all 5 seats in place. With the seats down you can easily put bikes in the back and they'll fit standing up (with wheels off) - something I've not found with estates. Means you can fold two seats down and take 3 folk, their bikes and luggage.
Anyway, I paid £3500 for a 2013 plate with 14,000 miles on it (not 140k!), which was a bit of a bargain, but with your budget you could get newer (Euro 6 model) with low miles and more toys and still have a few grand left over.
I had a 16 plate Passat that I put 80k miles on in 3.5 years. It was a great family (and commuting) car that barely felt used when I sold it at 90k miles. I certainly wouldn't rule out high mileage so long as it's tidy and there's a full service history. I decided to change for a few reasons but partly because when child number 3 came along it was tight in the back. Do-able but tight. I looked at Picassos/C4 spacetourers to replace it and really liked both their quirkyness and practicality, including the 3 separate seats in the back. I know MPVs portray a certain image but at the end of the day they're probably the best solution for your needs. I ended up with a van-based people carrier but that may not quite work with your budget.
Volkswagen do common platforms across VAG. You can buy the Audi version, which has all the latest bells and whistles but costs more and might break a bit because the bells and whistles are still a bit new. VW generally has it sorted out. Skoda is a little more basic, Seat more basic still, but you get a load more bang for your buck.
We had a Skoda Octavia Estate for ages; depending on the size of your children it'll be good, but you might be able to squeeze to a Superb, which has loads of room. I don't know if Seat do a Superb/Passet-alike, but the Leon ST Caher mentions up there is the Octavia equivalent and was very much on my list when our Octavia carked it. Unfortunately there weren't any second hand ones about at that point, otherwise I would have given that a whirl.
Yep – wait until the prices go back to normal.
This, as I've no doubt mentioned before, I've got a client/mate who runs a car supermarket chain, sales a down, really, really down. They're starting to discount.
Reading through some of the suggestions above and I couldn't spend £10k of my money at the moment. That Honda for £12.5k I had one, it was a nice car, and that's a really nice spec one, but it's a very old car in terms of design and the diesel isn't the best.
As for Superbs, I've got one now, it's simply, well Superb. You won't get more car for the money, you just can't, but £10k will only get you a low-spec Mk3 with Galactic miles, and possibly a former taxi/mini cab, or a nicer MK2 which isn't as nice, and pretty old now. To give an idea of how much the prices have shifted on them, I bought my high spec Sportline 4x4 for £19k from a dealer 3 years ago when it was 2 years old and on 30k miles. a simular spec, 2 year old one is now £25k+ and my 5 year old 60k mile one would be £20k from a dealer. WBAC offered me £16k for it.
The post-lockdown boom in cars sales is over, prices will adjust badly and soon.
Don’t rule out certain people carriers. We run a 15 plate 1.6 tdi Octavia estate and a 17 plate 1.5 tdi grand Picasso. The French car really is badly put together and getting a right kicking off the kids. The Skoda is a nice well built product in comparison and I’d say better screwed together than a previous 2012 Passat estate I had. However, for the OP, the French car has a bigger boot and the 3 proper seats in the rear have a completely flat floor space.
Might be wrong on this, but one difference between a golf and Octavia estate is rear leg room is better in the Octavia.
Although the boot of a Golf / Leon estate is a decent size, the rear passenger space is not.
Prices are never going back to normal.
Have you seen inflation?
Plus theres been a reduction in new cars. People are tightening their belts due to bread getting so expensive, will = fewer new car sales.
Eventually at some point 10 years? they may drop relative to wages to now. You gonna wait that long?
In the spirit of recommending what you've got, another note for a Skoda superb.
Mines a 2017 MK3 but you'll be looking at a MK2 for that money\mileage. The rear seats have limo like levels of space, I've had myself at 6ft 3in, another bloke the same height in the front, plus 3 more blokes on the rear seat. Boot full of about 10 wheels and towbar with 2 XL bikes on the back.
Mines a 150tdi and it'll do 48mpg on mixed driving and 55 on the motorway.
As for Superbs, I’ve got one now, it’s simply, well Superb. You won’t get more car for the money, you just can’t, but £10k will only get you a low-spec Mk3 with Galactic miles, and possibly a former taxi/mini cab, or a nicer MK2 which isn’t as nice, and pretty old now. To give an idea of how much the prices have shifted on them, I bought my high spec Sportline 4×4 for £19k from a dealer 3 years ago when it was 2 years old and on 30k miles. a simular spec, 2 year old one is now £25k+ and my 5 year old 60k mile one would be £20k from a dealer. WBAC offered me £16k for it.
I bought my 17 plate L&K estate (all of the toys!) at 35k miles 2 years ago, Oct 2019 for £18500 from a main dealer and it was one of the higher priced ones.
Just checked parkers and it gives 18-20k private sale, 21-22k dealer. Mental.
I am selling a 2015 kuga in Jan,will have 60k on then. FSH and very good condition for 10k. 2 litre diesel titanium so good spec. Boot smaller than passat or superb etc but roomy inside.