What is a good economical family car?

Yorkshirechick

Hi,

My partner and I are looking to pool resources and trade our 2 cars in for a better more economical family car. I currently have an 03 plate Ford Fiesta, and he has an 02 plate Mondeo. We want to get something that's a diesel, in a low tax bracket, economical to run, and that's big enough to fit us, the baby (and pram, and all his other stuff) and the dog (German Shepherd) in the boot. It needs to be biggish but not gigantic (so I can park it...)
Any ideas?

Also, does anyone have any links to the insurance banding, and tax brackets for different makes/models of cars?

Thank you
YC

balsingh

The one that comes to mind in a Renault Scenic 1.5 Dci 100. It has lots of poke for a diesel, is very economical, roomy, good to drive and the road tax is £35 a year (I think).

lauren_1

picasso? Space star? Scenic? Astra estate?

AdrianHi

Yorkshirechick wrote: »

We want to get something that's a diesel,

Keep an open mind on petrol vs. diesel for the moment.
More questions before I make any suggestions.
What kind of driving pattern do you have?
Mostly motorway / open road?
Mostly town driving?
Mixed? what sort of ratio? 30 : 70 town : open road?
How many miles a month / year?
How much have you got to spend?

BillScarab

Maybe a Mondeo? As you already have one just selling the Fiesta would probably be a cheap option.

Yorkshirechick

More questions before I make any suggestions.
What kind of driving pattern do you have?
Well - I'm off work on maternity leave until October, so if we got one now, my partner would have the car (most days) to go to work. He works about 12 miles away - motorway pretty much all the way. So that's about 25 motorway miles each day.
When I go back to work we will be doing about 10 road miles a day - dropping off and picking up little boy from child minders, and then around 25 motorway miles a day again (I work in the same place as my partner). I'll have 2 days off a week, but will probably let him have the car for work, and I'll just walk anywhere I need to go.
Mostly motorway / open road?
Mostly town driving?
Mixed? what sort of ratio? 30 : 70 town : open road? I'd say the ratio is about 80:20 Motorway:Road
How many miles a month / year? Approx 177 miles a week, so just under 10,000 a year.
How much have you got to spend?Approx 5 - 5.5k (I think) depends how much we'd get for ours.

Sorry for the essay

AdrianHi

Yorkshirechick wrote: »

Sorry for the essay

No, that's perfect.
It passes the "diesel" test too. You don't want a diesel if most of your driving is around town.
As said above, if your existing Mondeo is reliable keep it going.
Otherwise for 5000 to 5500 a Skoda Octavia Estate TDi 130bhp is a great choice for reliability and a great diesel engine. If you can stretch to 6000 you should just about pick up the new shape model too.
If you cannot deal with the dull looks of the Skoda a "previous shape" Mazda 6 is great but it's essential to get the "facelifted model" if going diesel, the older diesel is not very good.
Renault Scenic not a bad choice, but something official combined fuel consumption figures never reveal is how quickly MPG on smaller less powerful engines like the 1.5DCi deteriorates with speed. With so much 70mph motorway work in your driving you will probably find a more powerful 130bhp+ diesel engine is more economical in real use than what official EU test figures suggest. On any MPV type vehicle MPG drops faster with speed than the equivalent car too.

Idiophreak

AdrianHi wrote: »

Otherwise for 5000 to 5500 a Skoda Octavia Estate TDi 130bhp is a great choice for reliability and a great diesel engine.

Yeah, I was gonna recommend a [STRIKE]taxi[/STRIKE] Octavia too...

BillScarab

I'd third an Octavia. if you can get the current model there is more room in the back and the boot on the estate is huge.

Indout96

What ever you get make sure it has 4 doors, trying to get a toddler in the rear child seat of a 2 door car is a pain in the ****

goldspanners

Yorkshirechick wrote: »

Hi,

Also, does anyone have any links to the insurance banding, and tax brackets for different makes/models of cars?

try this for your tax bands.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/road-tax/?deriv=6957

use an insurance comparison site to search insurance prices. try insurance supermarket.