Raised cars (couldnt think of a better name)

ACG

Im looking for suggestions on cars that would be between £10-13k (or less) that are either crossovers or just cars with a high seating position. Im doing a little more motorway driving than I have done in the past and would like something a little bigger/more solid.

Im doing around 7000 miles a year but I think that may increase.
Would ideally prefer something that is not older than 3 years old - new is fine (I have looked at the renault captur/C4cactus).

but other than crossovers I have no idea of what other cars there are on the market with raised seating/solid enough to do the odd 2-400 round trips in.

forgotmyname

Taller vehicles are more likely to roll in an accident. Higher centre of gravity.

Bigger does not always mean stronger/more solid. Any modern car will hammer up and down the motorway at the legal limit and beyond. Seating comfort is a personal thing though.
What i find comfortable you may not. Its only when you have spent several days adjusting the seat and sitting in it for hours will you know that one.

What are your needs? Put that 1st. Then list the wants..

eg.. I need 50mpg and i want a V8 needs a compromise because you wont get both. Sacrifice need or want?

londonTiger

source: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/52936/can-you-suggest-a-car-with-high-seating-

. So could be a Yeti 1.2TSI or 1.4TSI, Ford B-Max 1.0 Ecoboost, Ford C-Max 1.0 Ecoboost, KIA Venga, Hyundai ix20 (ix20, not i20), Qashqai 1.2DIG-T.

note high seating isn't necessary comfortable. I find a reclined driving position is more comfortable, Ive driven a vw transporter with high seating position but very upright backrest and I found it uncomfortable.

A reclined position places the weight of your upper body in a distributed manner onto the backrest. An upright position makes all the weight get concentrated on your lower back which causes a lot of the backpain.

A high seating position is good for people who have difficulty gettign in and out of cars, and for delivery drivers who need to enter and exit the vehicle often.

arcon5

How about something like a Vauxhall Zafira? Is would that not quite be high enough..
Where we are there are a lot as minicabs and the old dears in particular love them as they can get in and out much easier than your typical hatchback like a Mondy or Vectra where you just sink to the floor.

ACG

A zafira is a bit too big.

Its only me and my mrs, I dont have a football team of kids just yet :P

Im thinking more of a car than a people carrier. I drove a transit and it was awesome, same with a kia sportage, they were both high up, I relaxed more in them than I have in my corsa and i imagine their seating was very different? I think its just something I can relax more in knowing that its unlikly some white van man isnt going to do the whole might of way thing and it can comfortably do 70mph on a motorway.

My corsa has done 80 but once you get above 60-65mph it doesnt feel great, especially if the weather isnt too good. A bit of wind and you really can feel it.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Subaru Forester, be warned once you've had a Subaru there's every chance you won't want anything else.

Iceweasel

You are doing the exact opposite of what I would be doing if I was expecting to do more motorway journeys.

A higher (probably less stable) vehicle is the last thing I want to be driving on a motorway.

anotherbaldrick

Why not consider a medium size SUV, we are only a two up family but the secure safe stable ride of the VW Tiguan has totally sold it to us, would never want to go back to the ubiquitous Golf. My 2.0 diesel 2 wheel drive returns 51 mpg on a normal run, is very comfortable and a dream to drive.

PenguinJim

"Raised cars (couldnt think of a better name)"

You could call them "higher cars"...

(Sorry)

alleycat`

My last car was a Yeti and it was mostly excellent.

I wouldn't, however, recommend getting one for heavy motorway driving as they are quite markedly impacted by the wind and at anything approaching 70mph the full consumption starts to seriously tank.

They aren't exactly streamlined.

Best "motorway" car i've owned was a passat although the current QQ isn't too bad either.

The problem i think you'll run into is that your budget is going to struggle to get some of the recommendations on here at an age you are looking for.

I'd have suggested something like an Octavia personally.

daveyjp

Last of the old model Mercedes A class will now be 2-3 years old and well below your budget. Higher seating position and compact, but plenty of interior space. Comfy seats too so no issues with long trips.