Family Car
 

requirements;

5 doors
Isofix

Option 1 - Circa 5k
Option 2 - Circa 10k
Option 3 - circa 30k

I'd like it to be fun, but doesn't have to be, I'd like it to be reliable (this seems to be a major issue with moderns from recent experience).

Not worried about mpg as do very little miles, needs to be safe for the little'uns and fine for my wife to potter around town in.

Some of my thoughts;

Freelander 2
Evoque
C63
A3 sportback (petrol)
S4

or do i just save myself the stress and get the bus.

Basically, I have no idea what direction to go in and unless BM come good with the trouble I am having with the M6, it will certainly not have a blue and white propeller on the bonnet!

I went Option 2 and an 09 plate Civic 1.8 petrol EX. Not going to set the world on fire with its handling (although I found it pleasantly "pointy") but very practical (ISOFIX, the "magic seat" folding arrangement etc) and the EX model has loads of toys (or FREDS, dependent upon your view :D ). A colleague also bought an almost identical Civic for his wife (also on mat leave) and both wives are smitten with the car.

Accord tourer ;)

C63

Oh yes.

Buy it.

We have a 11 plate civic (type S so only 3 dr) that is just fine for now, but with a growing little un and her baby seat getting increasingly heavy lugging in and out of back seat, a 5dr might be on the cards.

As much I think the civic is ok, I wont get another as it's just not my kind of thing, it's served its purpose very well and given 2 years of low cost and hopefully low depreciation driving.

The CR-V is ok, but I only really like exciting honda's (S2000 and ITR), the civic was a means to an end, no offense to others who have them.

Thanks for suggestions, all have been pondered, just don't want to miss something!

pistonheads classifieds is a dangerous place to spend a few hours... ;)

I bought an 11 plate volvo v50 last year with all the gadgets in and even though it isn't very exciting it's a nice comfy place to be

And it's tax free :)

I don't know how old your kids are but the boot on an evoque is tiny.

We've just gone through the same process and chose a Volvo XC60.

Its not going to set the world on fire performance wise but its quite a pleasant place to be inside and comes with loads of toys.

We HAVE to replace my partner's car in the next few weeks or it will let her down.

As a result we will be looking circa £10K motors and things like Fiestas (probably too small) to Civics, Foci, Astras, etc.

£10K seems to buy a good spec car well under three years old (I won't buy without some manufacturer's warranty left in case of problems) so I should be in a good position to post up what's out there and what it's like.

XC60 is a good shout... nice looking car too. Assumed boot on evoque was tiny, but it is 'pretty' in the eyes of the wife and she'd 'love one'...

We have a quinny to cart around, so decent boot space a must...

heads off to the classifieds searching under 'V' (not sure I've ever done that before!)