25k - 27k Family car

Atomic Pineapple

Hi,

For about the last decade my car buying activities have been pretty much zero. Anything that I have bought or helped buy has been sub 5k in value. However, time has come to buy a decent family car for the next 5 - 7 years, and in order to do so I have secured a budget of around 27k.

I seem to be mostly drawn to the crossover/small SUV market segment and have test drove a 3008 and an Ateca. The 3008 didn't really click at all, objectively it ticks a lot of boxes but it just felt like it was trying too hard or something. The Ateca on the other hand felt right from the get go.

Apart from that, I'm a little out of my depth when it comes to what is on the market that might be suitable. Needs are:

-Big boot for all the usuals needed for small children (current car holds the buggy and thats literally it)

-high(ish) spec, would like LED lights, cruise control, decent infotainment, keyless, heated seats, electric folding mirrors (Xcellence in the Ateca, GT Line in the 3008)

-2017 +

-<100,000 kilometres

Have focused on the small SUV options but haven't discounted the likes of estates or anything else.

Any recommendations?

BrianD3

Wait for the Dacia Jogger which will hopefully arrive in a few months' time, massive practicality and could cost less than 20k albeit not having all the spec. that you want. However Dacia is the only manufacturer that sells LPG dual fuel models which is a big plus if you live near a station that sells LPG.

Atomic Pineapple

Wouldn't really appeal to me and LPG wouldn't be an asset in my circumstances. I can't wait for a new car either, will need to be something I can pick up in the next couple of weeks.

bazz26

Big boot and small SUV normally contradict each other. Were you happy with the size of the boot in the Ateca and 3008?

ec18

it's really estates if you're looking for a good boot. Crossovers / SUV's have terrible boot space unless you get something bigger like a land rover or the new rav4 looks decent

Atomic Pineapple

I guess it is a bit relative. Going from a 350 litre boot to a 510 one seems enough. When we viewed the cars we had the perception that the boots were big enough. Perhaps we should bring the buggy on a second visit to have a like for like comparison. For now, assume the boot is big enough in a small SUV.

Stallingrad

It's a well worn refrain but a Skoda Superb estate is really hard to beat as a family car. Immensely spacious, well equipped and comfortable.

https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/skoda/superb/fpa/202108196422462?journey=Search

ec18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117868826#Comment_117868826

you want recommendations on a small suv then?

pick any of them, they're all mostly the same.

see how they look with the buggy in but 500 litre ish would be a fairly standard boot in anything other than hatchbacks ?

circadian

Get an estate, there should be a decent selection of 1-2 year old PHEV estates on the market. Although, avoid the C-Class PHEV Mercs that are in abundance, there's a reason for that. I don't have buggies in the car anymore but trips down the country, days out to the beach/swimming whatever and the estate just makes life easier. Not to mention doing to occasional runs to recycling, or picking up loads of materials from hardware shops etc, it's lower with a flat loading lip, dead easy to deal with.

I would highly recommend an Estate over SUV if what you need is boot space.

Here's a steal at 24k https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2021-kia-ceed-sw-plug-in-hybrid/28336853

I have an older Optima Estate PHEv and love it. The new Cee'd Estate isn't far off and has more gadgets and tech in it.

Dr_Colossus

Site downgrade don't allow partial quotes but tell us more please:

"Although, avoid the C-Class PHEV Mercs that are in abundance, there's a reason for that."

I was considering a Merc C350e estate earlier this year as it ticks alot of boxes (saloon too small in the boot) and didn't read anything too negative regarding it.

Atomic Pineapple

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117868863#Comment_117868863

Not quite, I have the small SUV market fairly well covered, if I buy in that market I'm almost 100% sure to go with the Ateca. I'm looking for alternative recommendations within my budget, that meets the criteria, but I may have missed. Happy to go look at estates if a recommendation looks like it fits. The Skoda Octavia estate used to look great but the ones that meet my criteria look like grandads who exclusively wear beige knitted sweaters are the target audience.

Lantus

The limo version of the octavia and superb have just as cavernous boot. And look much nicer. Octavia in particular.

Ateca is a fine beast if we'll spec'd.

You don't say anything about your daily or annual mileage but generally phev is poor value for money and is a technology best bypassed like laser discs.

Atomic Pineapple

Weekly commute is 700km. Then weekend travel as well on top of that.

Carb

If you like the Ateca, you would might also like a Seat Leon estate, albeit they are a lot rarer. A lot of the cars advertised on donedeal as estates are not actually the estate model.

My wife has a 1.4 TSI Dsg Ateca FR for nearly three years now and we have been very happy with it. We are well past the small children stage, so won't comment on practicalities for buggies, but space was more than adequate for our family of 5.

I needed to change my own car and after staying away from the "is buying a diesel car now silly" thread, I recently picked up an ex demo Leon Estate FR, 2.0 TDI. Really happy with it. Boot is obviously very practical, but it feels more spacious on the inside also. Would have slightly preferred an Xcellence model, but that's the joys of buying from stock.

The Octavia estate is also likely to be suggested at some point.

Lantus

Nice big diesel would be ideal on that case. As per above poster sounds like ateca would suit well.

GustavoFring

We have an Ateca 150 tsi XC as a family wagon. Tech and specin the XC is good. Double buggy and a few bits pretty much fills the boot. It came down to an Ateca or CRV and in hindsight we should have gone for the slightly more spacious CRV. The CRV was a little more ponderous to drive but it did feel a lot better built too.

circadian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117869105#Comment_117869105

You loose a lot of boot space because of where the batteries are located and the milage on battery is listed as 19 miles but it seems that 12-14 is what you're more likely to get. There have been complaints of this dropping even further after the first year or so, among other reliability issues and high cost of repairs. Oh, and the charge point IIRC is at the arse of the car.

Gru

Have you considered the newer 171+ Honda civic? we get 3 cars seats in the back of ours (2 kids but handy when a friend is joining us)

"-Big boot for all the usuals needed for small children (current car holds the buggy and thats literally it)"

we used get a silvercross pram/buggy in and a 7 year olds bike on top of it and still have space. it has a retractable parcel shelf which has been handy for odd shaped objects storage/overpacking, we equally have gotten two kids bikes in it since. (478 ltrs i think)

"-high(ish) spec, would like LED lights, cruise control, decent infotainment, keyless, heated seats, electric folding mirrors (Xcellence in the Ateca, GT Line in the 3008)"

it comes with all of these in the higher specs/newer model, also has the fancy adaptive cruise control with low speed following and reversing camera's and sensors and a few more gizmos and gadgets, the screen is nicely placed in the console too and not poking out of it.

we've found it plenty spacious inside, and bar not being like the SUV's it is fun to drive, great on long journeys and even on short journey's its a fun to drive car.

Lantus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117871700#Comment_117871700

From Jan 21 all real world fuel efficiency must be downloaded for the eu via the obfcm built into all new cars. Will be interesting to see the figures. The new aggressive eu emissions regs will render phev no better than an ice car in a few short years and a lot of buyers regret. Best to stick to ice and go full ev.

Atomic Pineapple

Civic is a good shout. Marmite effect on the styling though, I love it but the other half hates it. Be a hard sell to get her to come around.

circadian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117872433#Comment_117872433

Yeah I'd certainly be interested in seeing the figures, especially for PHEV vehicles. I'll say this though, I'm still getting around 35-38 miles on battery in my car about 4 years later. I think we're another year or two out from affordable electric cars although MG seem to be doing a surprisingly decent job in the lower end.

Lantus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117872911#Comment_117872911

Totally agree that we need more affordable EVs. On paper they should be cheaper given no real moving parts, significantly simpler and falling battery prices. In reality scarcity makes them expensive for now coupled with hungry wealthy first adopters and a grant mechanism... Morgan Stanley predicts prices could half in this decade and I am inclined to agree. Fleet size will be key to selling ancillaries which will be more profitable than the actual cars themselves.