family car 20k

random10

so at the moment I drive a Yaris, which I love but need a new car. we are hoping to start a family in the next year or two. we would like to have two close in, age so double buggy might be needed, himself is thinking an Avensis estate. do we really need an estate? would a Hyundai ix35 be, better? I drive a sixty mile round trip to work each day also. willing to spend 20k as will have the car for six or seven years

Karl Stein

Your partner is on the ball imo. Consider a Honda Accord Estate too - I think they look fantastic.

colm_mcm

Loading kids into an SUV is definitely asker than an estate, plus you get the lofty driving position, and SUVs tend to not be as long as estates, so easier to park.

On the other and, an estate will have a better boot.

Then you get into mini MPVs like the zafira and verso, these will b more chid friendly than a jeepyness thing or an estate.

R.O.R

If you think a Double Buggy may be required in the future, check the size of the buggy's you'd be looking at, and compare them to the boot size of what you are looking at.

I'm in the same situation. We had a V50 as the family car when No. 1 came along and the boot was big enough on that for the single buggy, but when No. 2 was on the way we bought a V70, then bought a huge double buggy (112cm long when folded). Boot on the V70 is humungous, so no issues getting the buggy in there, but the car wasn't ideal for the sort of driving herself does while on maternity leave.

It's far too big to be pootling around town in. It stuck out way past most other cars in shopping centre car parks and if you had to reverse in to spaces, you'd need to leave it sticking out even further to get in to the boot and unload the buggy.

The V70 met an unfortunate end, but did exactly what it was supposed to, and everyone walked (or was carried, or toddled) away without so much as a scratch, but it was a bit of an issue finding something else that the buggy would fit in to, that wasn't as cumbersome around town.

We now have an XC60 and herself is delighted with it. Not as long as the V70, so easier to pilot around town, and the boot is just about wide enough that the buggy will fit (but doesn't leave much room for anything else).

Only other option would be a "people carrier" of some form or another, but herself really wasn't ready for a Mammy Wagon.

yop

We have 2 kids and double buggy and the cmax is sound. Unless you plan on doing a lot of long trips it will be plenty sufficient.
The estate will give you a shed of room though

Victor Meldrew

colm_mcm wrote: »

Loading kids into an SUV is definitely asker than an estate, plus you get the lofty driving position, and SUVs tend to not be as long as estates, so easier to park.

On the other and, an estate will have a better boot.

Then you get into mini MPVs like the zafira and verso, these will b more child friendly than a jeepyness thing or an estate.

Consider the running costs of bigger SUVs . Tyres, Diesel, etc...

Some Saloon/estate cars will kill your back and are tiny. Volvo V50 is VERY useless as far as loading kids (low, tiny doors) and has no "oddments" storage cubby holes etc.

There is a lot to be said for a Nissan Qasqai....