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What car would you wise people recommend

(76 Posts)
Artdecogran Wed 28-Aug-19 13:07:35

Currently drive a Citroen Xsara Picasso (when it works that is), and I am having to replace it. What car would you recommend. I am tall and large so need to have a lot of room ie adjustable steering wheel and seat. Mostly short journeys but occasional motorways, would buy second hand not new. Driveway on full view so less temptation for thieves. Any car you would either recommend or condemn as unreliable. Thanks in advance.

Fleursgranny Thu 29-Aug-19 09:55:13

Can I put in a word for a Skoda Roomster? The back seats are high which is ideal for children's visibility and comfortable for adults. The see-through roof stops you feeling boxed in and you get VW engineering at Skoda prices. High driving position is kind on the hips and ok it does look like Postman Pat's van but inside you can't see that. Also has a distinctive shape so can find it in a crowded supermarket carpark.

patchworksue Thu 29-Aug-19 09:55:35

I had a Picasso for many years and being a big lady it was perfect....I then had a juke...which was ok ...but not much room for passengers in back and a very small boot.....Then I had a Kia Sportage and that suits perfectly...plenty of room in back and large boot.....I’m on my 2nd one..perfect for me...only downside I find is car parking spaces seem small...so I have to park where I can get in and out ok!

HappyAmI Thu 29-Aug-19 09:58:03

I have a second-hand Suzuki SX4 S-Cross. It was reasonably priced and drives well. Very comfortable and good size boot and good sized interior, even in the back.

moggie Thu 29-Aug-19 09:59:34

**Artdecogran have a look at Seat Arona great for comfort & plenty of room to adjust for height

MooM00 Thu 29-Aug-19 10:00:00

I have a Kia, plenty of room as I look after my 2 grandchildren age 2 and 7 plenty of leg room for them. Also I have had a Toyota RAV4 in the past equally as good.

Ellianne Thu 29-Aug-19 10:03:38

As far as buying a brand new car is concerned, be careful. Renault has just delayed delivery of a vehicule a friend ordered until ..... guess when..... November and put the price up!!! It seems the no deal is already having an effect on future imports from the EU.

EllieB52 Thu 29-Aug-19 10:14:18

I’ve recently bought my second Vauxhall Corsa. Boring I know but I find it roomy for a small(ish) car with reasonable boot room. I’m 5’10” so need the leg room which is fine. Reasonable driving position re height. Five door is best option. Mine is bright red (so I can find it in the supermarket car park, lol). No reliability problems - touch wood.

karen1962 Thu 29-Aug-19 10:14:25

Volvo all the way, and automatic every time, so safe for the BGD, reliable and a pleasure to drive. I have a V40 and OH has an S90 which even drives itself !! Volvo have committed to day that by 2022 I think it was no person will die in a Volvo or as a result of a Volvo, it has automatic collision avoidance and safety features for pedestrians and cyclists too.. I am a convert !

dragonfly46 Thu 29-Aug-19 10:16:18

I too have a Juke and I love it. It is the top of the range and has all the extras which come as standard. DD has a Vauxhall Meriva and it has been nothing but trouble from the rear view mirror constantly falling off to the power steering going for a year before they fixed it at great expense.

Davida1968 Thu 29-Aug-19 10:16:34

If you want a smaller car, I can recommend the Skoda Fabia. I'm quite tall (5' 8") and find it fine for me, as a driver and as a passenger. Does good mpg, too.

Paperbackwriter Thu 29-Aug-19 10:41:04

I have a Golf and I think it's probably about my 10th one (with breakaway times for a Mini and also later a Polo). My husband is 6'3" and finds it absolutely fine to drive. Golfs (Golves??) are so ubiquitous that it's pretty much invisible to thieves in search of something fancy. My only complaint is that the Sat Nav isn't the greatest. I'm more of a map woman though so it doesn't bother me and if I really need navigation help I use our old Tom Tom.

Kate51 Thu 29-Aug-19 10:54:44

I have a Kia venga, very reliable . Easy to get in and out. Plenty of head room. Dont be put off by the size, it's a bit like a tardis, doesn't look that big on the outside but inside loads of room ,back front and boot. Over the years I have driven, Ford, Volvo, Audi, Peugeot etc and this is by far my favourite.

Nanny27 Thu 29-Aug-19 10:55:59

Another vote for the Purgeot 3008 here. We are on our second and love it.

Mollygo Thu 29-Aug-19 10:59:23

Renault Grand Scenic-7 seats, plenty of leg room, wonderful for 3 generation family holidays and comfortably high off the ground for getting in and out but I still prefer a Clio. However I’ve spent many journeys in close contact with car seats in smaller cars than a Kadjar. smile

seadragon Thu 29-Aug-19 11:00:27

We have had our Renault Modus 1.6 for 11 years. DH resisted giving it to our daughter as he loves it. Plenty of head and leg room as we are both tall. (He has a stiff knee too) Very smooth driving and lots of space in the back for passengers or, with the seats down, all the junk we seem to accumulate which needs redistributing! Large sunroof too - DD calls car my Popemobile. 'Lottie' is now 14 years old and only cost £70 at last MOT! Both son and daughter (also tall people with children aged 3-13) each have a Modus too. (Son did ask his FB friends whether it was 'cool' to have the same make of car as his mother....

FC61 Thu 29-Aug-19 11:20:03

I’ve had a BMW, VW estate car, Peugeot 406, ( old) Mercedes Elegance, all brilliant as I drive long distances (Hamburg to Venice, London to Salzburg) and feel safer in big solid heavy cars . Someone ran into the back of my Peugeot , theirs was a write off whilst mine just had a crumpled bumper ! My worst cars were Fiat and mini. I hired Qashqais which seemed ok. I think my next car might be Volvo after reading what Karen said !!! Safety is everything !

GandT Thu 29-Aug-19 11:28:11

Toyota hybrid. We have a Prius and travelled 200 miles on three gallons! They do smaller models but I love the digital speedo in the Prius and can't understand why all cars don't have them as so easy to read. Automatic too which makes driving so much easier.

nannypiano Thu 29-Aug-19 11:46:17

I must confess I am addicted to Toyotas. I have had them for 30 years now. From the lovely Landcruiser, the Previa and now on my second Avensis. In all those years I have never had one not start or need expensive parts. I had each one a number of years. Servicing is always charged at the same rates as other quotes, the car has always been collected for servicing
And to top it off, it is always valeted before being returned to me. Service is second to none and no I haven't got shares in the company, but would never buy any other make of car.

Theoddbird Thu 29-Aug-19 11:47:23

I have a Toyota Aygo. Very happy with it. No road tax either. Brilliant on petrol. Ok on motorways and country roads.

Diggingdoris Thu 29-Aug-19 12:16:01

I'm a Toyota Yaris fan. My last one was 16 years old and still going like a dream, but I inherited some money and treated myself to a new one four years ago. I love it, not too big or juicy, but seats five comfortably. This one seems just as reliable as the old one. I wouldn't change it .

annodomini Thu 29-Aug-19 13:06:32

My Yaris is elderly and scruffy like me, but it hasn't cost me much over the 13 years I've had it. It's surprisingly high and tall friends and relatives have had no trouble getting in and out. It has a reasonably high driving position which I prefer. I'm very reluctant to change it, despite its being the scruffiest Toyota in Cheshire!

NotANana Thu 29-Aug-19 14:20:42

I am on my second VW UP - surprisingly roomy inside for such a seemingly small car. Plenty of leg room for tall people in the front seats.
Mind you, I am wondering if I should think about a hybrid...

pce612 Thu 29-Aug-19 14:25:26

I have a Volvo C70 - roof up it is a great coupe, lots of head and leg room, very capacious boot, fairly economical for a 2litre (36-46mpg) and handles well. Even has a 'cat flap' for your skis. The Solstice has sat nav, blind spot cameras, the best sound system of any car that I have owned or been in, rollover protection, masses of airbags, all electric heated seats with 4 seat/mirror memories...….
Roof down it is great fun and a good looking 4 seater. boot capacity reduced (never bothered me) but there are back seats for extra luggage.
Fantastic heater so roof down in the winter is great.
Looks good and little boys love watching the roof fold away; apparently it is a transformer!
Only available secondhand.
London T charge (whatever that is) doesn't apply, according to the DVLA.

Sheilasue Thu 29-Aug-19 14:28:39

We had a Volkswagen Golf for 5 years or thereabout, my dh has sold.it. Lovely car to drive he always said I wouldn’t know.i don’t drive. But insurance is too expensive.
Being in suburb of London we have fantastic travel services, The DLR the jubilee line good train stations. Great bus services so we are not missing it. We share our dd car if we want to go Bluewater or a ride in Kent. She has a Volkswagen too.
golf too.

newgran2019 Thu 29-Aug-19 14:57:44

I wonder if anyone could recommend an economical, fairly eco-friendly midsize automatic that would take a folding wheelchair?