7 seater advice

Rolandtheroadie

alleycat` wrote: »

From NCAP:-

The Grand Voyager scored enough points overall to be awarded a three-star adult occupant rating. However, its performance in the frontal impact did not meet the minimum level for that rating and the car was awarded two stars. The driver's chest struck the steering wheel and distorted its rim and the chest compression measured by the dummy indicated an unacceptably high risk of serious or fatal injury. As a result, the final star in the adult occupant rating is struck-through.
Several structures in the dashboard presented a potential hazard to the driver's knees; the dummy recorded high femur compressions and the protection offered to this body region was rated as poor. The passenger compartment became unstable during the test. The footwell ruptured during the impact and rearward movement of the accelerator pedal was 288mm which, combined with dummy readings indicating a high risk to the tibia resulted in a 'poor' rating for protection of the lower legs, feet and ankles. In the pole test the curtain airbag didn't deploy as intended, becoming trapped between the dummy's head and the B-pillar. The car scored no points and was awarded no stars for the protection it offers to pedestrians.

So overall great your dogs alive - shame the driver almost certainly died:eek:
The total score is 1 1/2 stars for the car as it is so poor in a head on crash.

Dont have a dog, my kids are back there. They're alive. Theyre also alive if someone hits it from the side. Yes, i'll probably have leg and chest injuries, but going by the diagram my heads ok. And the wife wont be as bad in the passenger seat.

Pedestrians arnt afforded much protection and this is another reason it scores so badly.

All this assuming an accident is an exact replica of the ncap tests, no variation to angles, speeds, size of other vehicle, etc.


Ncap are perhaps a good point of reference but for a prescribed set of circumstances only.

movilogo

Try Kia Carens - better fuel economy than Sedona (though bit smaller than Sedona) and offers more car like handling.

blue_monkey_2

We recently got a Kia Carens, 7 seater and I love it. I can get in easily enough to do the seats at the back, or if you can't you get to to them from the boot. Seats are easy up/easy down so if you do not need them you just push them down into the boot. I did not want to be removing the seats from the Sedona so this is why we went for a top spec Carens.

The 5 year warranty (just missed the 7 year!) can also be extended by another 2 years for £200. So you pretty much have a reliable car for 7 years.

Dead easy on parking too!!

blue_monkey_2

movilogo wrote: »

Try Kia Carens - better fuel economy than Sedona (though bit smaller than Sedona) and offers more car like handling.

Ha, great minds think alike!!

AdrianHi

scotsman4th wrote: »

Thats a good point too. the wife's is an 02 plate 1 previous owner from new 131k miles on the clock.
So far? £13 for anti roll bar bushes. Thats us coming up on a year and it's due an MOT.
Just had to buy a battery too but I dont think thats a voyager specific fault.
It crunches when coming down the box into second sometimes and the front suspension seems soft.
I'll definately replace it with another one or the Dodge equivilent.

Your really, really lucky. If I were you I wouldn't push your luck with another one
Understand where your coming from though, their utility value is beyond question, it is really hard finding an alternative with that combination of practicality and space.
I'm thinking if you must have one do it on a lease where it's always under warranty. Expensive? Well so is the near certainty of spending similar on repairs for an older one.

stinky_daddy

We have a Kia Sedona 2.9 Diesel (06 plate) for 2 adults and 4 children (eldest is now 9 and the youngest is 3 1/4), there is plenty of legroom for all concerned (although to be fair none of them touch the floor once seated, the biggest issue is who sits in the middle ), so it might be a little different if you plan on carrying older children / adults on a regular basis.

Boot space is so-so at best, assuming you don't mind putting bags in the walkway / front passenger seat then things are always rosy

HTH

UKD

Lum

scotsman4th wrote: »

Dont have a dog, my kids are back there. They're alive. Theyre also alive if someone hits it from the side. Yes, i'll probably have leg and chest injuries, but going by the diagram my heads ok. And the wife wont be as bad in the passenger seat.

From the description, it sounds like in a bad frontal impact, say some pillock coming the other way overtaking on a blind bend and your kids wont be fine, maybe they will be physically ok but they'll be orphans.

Rolandtheroadie

ukdangerous wrote: »

Boot space is so-so at best, assuming you don't mind putting bags in the walkway / front passenger seat then things are always rosy

So they can fly about in an impact and kill everyone????? ARE YOU CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

Sorry. I think I may have been a bit excitable there. I fully realise the chances of that happening are extremely rare and you couldnt possibly live your life on a "what if the sky falls" basis.

hartcjhart

Lum wrote: »

From the description, it sounds like in a bad frontal impact, say some pillock coming the other way overtaking on a blind bend and your kids wont be fine, maybe they will be physically ok but they'll be orphans.

so how many of these happen a year,what are the odds of it being you???

Lum

Depends I guess. I narrowly avoid one or two a week but my daily commute is 45 minute of single track 60 limit lanes with the odd idiot that thinks that limit = target, so a pretty exceptional case.

However given that there are plenty of similarly sized and priced vehicles available do you pick the one with the crucial design flaw that will kill both parents in the event of a front on accident or the one without that flaw.

Honestly, even the 3 stars elsewhere is pretty pathetic for a vehicle that size, you'd probably be safer in a new Fiesta with the additional two babies stuffed in the rear passenger footwells. (note: possible exaggeration)