SUV or Estate?

Herzlos

Estates usually have more space than an equivalent sized SUV, but have lower driving position.
I find the extra height makes getting the kids in/out a bit easier, but I'm fairly tall.

I'd go for estate over hatchback as the boot access is flat so you don't need to lift buggies over the lip.

With 2 kids I'd be having a good look at people carriers like the Zafira or C-Max for the extra versatility

LandyAndy

I've had a Mazda6 estate for 8 years and before that a Peugeot 405 estate. I wouldn't be without one. So useful to have a large amount of space available to transport things.

timbotambo

One child family, changed from a Volvo XC60 to a Volvo V70 because of the extra space. The smaller estates i.e. BMW 3 series and the like are very small in comparison. The V70 in brilliant btw, not cool (except on Top Gear where it was "sub zero" for some reason) but brilliant nonetheless.

Stoke

You considered something family friendly but not monstrously big like a Focus, 3 Series, Golf, A3/A4?

I personally can't be doing with SUV's.... even the small ones. However, my old man owns a Passat Estate without reversing sensors and it's a nightmare to drive and own. Completely impractical in cities and town centres. Not particularly good visibility at the back either. Reversing is anything but easy without those sensors to give you a hand occasionally.

The only thing it really does well is good long trips up the motorway, which it does excel at. However, given a choice, I wouldn't own it. I would take the smaller, friendlier Golf.

Nathaniel_Essex

Stoke wrote: »

You considered something family friendly but not monstrously big like a Focus, 3 Series, Golf, A3/A4?

I personally can't be doing with SUV's.... even the small ones. However, my old man owns a Passat Estate without reversing sensors and it's a nightmare to drive and own. Completely impractical in cities and town centres. Not particularly good visibility at the back either. Reversing is anything but easy without those sensors to give you a hand occasionally.

The only thing it really does well is good long trips up the motorway, which it does excel at. However, given a choice, I wouldn't own it. I would take the smaller, friendlier Golf.

Did consider a Focus as an upgrade to what I have now. I need to be able to fit in the boot a large double-pram and a large bag of shopping. If the car can do that, I am happy.

photome

Nathaniel_Essex wrote: »

Did consider a Focus as an upgrade to what I have now. I need to be able to fit in the boot a large double-pram and a large bag of shopping. If the car can do that, I am happy.

I have the current shape focus estate and it should fit in your pram (without knowing the size of your pram) and a shopping.

it has a larger boot than some of the trendier shape estates these days

reeac

My daughter and family (two children) managed fine with a Focus - an old one followed recently by a current model. Children now aged 17 and 14. They live in London and prefer a smallish car for easier parking.

Frozen_up_north

I’ve had a couple of estates (work provided company cars) and 3 x SUVs (personal).

The problem with an SUV (assuming it is 4 wheel drive) is the additional fuel consumption, higher price, higher servicing costs, ie generally more costly all round. They don’t necessarily have more luggage space, usually less than an estate car. While the larger/taller ones have a better view of the road, it comes at the expense of poorer road holding - especially in strong cross winds.

Adding a roof box is an option for long trips, easier to reach with an estate than a taller SUV.

My vote would be for an estate, unless you need a 4x4 to tow a horse trailer in a muddy field!

MataNui

SUVs these days are more about ride position than boot space. If you need that boot space then go for an estate. The Jag XF sportbrake is indeed massive in terms of boot space but its quite low. Another car to consider is something like the Peugeot 308 SW shape. A sort of compromise. We find it ideal for the dog cage but its got more height than depth where something like a traditional estate will have more depth than height. The Jag is very deep but we wouldnt be able to fit the dog cage in one.

theoretica

This website has good information about boot sizes. It is geared to whether you can get a wheelchair in,and if it needs to be folded.

http://www.rica.org.uk/content/car-search