Hello all...

I will be needing to get rid of the wifes Punto soon and get a 7 seater. The wife will be driving it and wants a MPV that is small as possible. When we are together I will be driving so i would like to get one that will handle okay and has the potential to be remapped?

The wife does not want a Zafira and that is final... she does not like the look.

My brother has got a VW Touran TDI and tested three mainly...the Toyota Verso, Vauxhall Zafira and VW Touran.

He and the wife took all 3 for a couple of hours of test driving and came to the conclusion that:

Touran was the best and handled like a car... as close to that anyway.

Zafira handled very poorly and on the motorway did non inspire confidence.

Verso was cheap and felt like it was going to fall apart.

He has had the Touran a number of year (Bought it new) and is very happy with it.

He did admit that the actual MPV he tested could have just been poor ones as he know someone who has a Zafira and has no problems with it.

The wife wants the Renault Scenic but the 7 seater is quite long and she wants a small MPV (Easier to manoevure).

So...

Any advice? Comments? Should I go for private or stealership?

By the way £5,000 max to spend and ideally a lot less!

Regards

Aaquil

Focus C-MAX 2.5T if you don't really need the 7 seats, else a Zafira isn't bad

Thank for the reply Andrew...she is not keen on the Zafira and we certainly need the 7 seats trust me...my wife takes turns on the school run with a family friend and they have two kids and they have two kids and soon we will need one more seat!

Regards Aaquil

Have a look at the Mazda 5, it has sliding rear doors that are great for kids and the elderly in particular, drive very well (chassis is same as C-max/Focus) and are generally reliable.

We looked at the Touran (too expensive and difficult to get in to the back row of seats if anyone is sat in the middle row), Zafira (quite expensive at the time and Vauxhall dealerships tend to put us off!) and Verso (I quite liked it, but the wife didn't). The Mazda was getting good write ups at the time and when we drove it we both liked it.

Although the interior quality isn't as good as the Touran, the ride is much better, it steers and handles as well, if not better and they're well equipped as standard.

Unfortunately, I doubt you'd get a diesel sport within your budget, but you may get a lower powered diesel (and it's common rail and much smoother than the VW engine) in TS2 spec if you hunt around.

And one last thing, they look much better than the rest of the smaller MPV's (IMHO). You should definitely add it to your list.

Can you get a 'mini' MPV with 7 seats?

Can you get the C4 picasso with 7 seats?

They are very good value for money and look great.

i think the Mazda 5 is still going for above £5k , and i wouldn't really call it a small MPV

i think the Mazda 5 is still going for above £5k , and i wouldn't really call it a small MPV

They're just starting to get down to being advertised at £5K so they can probably be had within budget.

Although it isn't a 'mini' MPV, the OP mentioned Zafira's and Touran's as possible choices and the Mazda 5 is in the same class of vehicle (which I think is classed as 'midi' MPVs).

I don't think any 'mini' MPVs (e.g. Meriva) has a 7 seat option and that seems to be a high priority for the OP.

Of those, if I was forced to have one (and I would need forced), I'd have the Touran.

Typical conversation in a Zafira trying to negotiate a roundabout:-

Driver - "Luff ho!!"

Passengers (once they've recovered and sat back upright) "That was't a luff skipper, that was a gybe!"

Thank for all the replies...I am still quite keen on the Touran yet I will certainly look at the Mazda.

Before sitting people in the back seats, watch the fifth gear rear end crash test.

What episode a recent one...they do a lot of scary accidents. Apparently, the Touran has a 5 star NCAP rating. Okay I know it doesn't cover everything but its an indicator of safety.

Thanks for the advice...

It'll be on the five/fifth gear site.

What episode a recent one......

YouTube - 5th Gear MPV Crash Test :eek:

As for "full-size" MPVs, work here used to have some Citroen C8s. I've never been in anything else that suffered so blatently from float at relatively low speeds!

Can you get the C4 picasso with 7 seats?

They are very good value for money and look great.

Mum and Dad have one on Motability, they've been very pleased with it and reliability has been a lot better then previous Citroen. They've been happy with the dealer too.

They had a Grand Scenic previously which they also liked.

There is only the two of them but for some reason 7 seaters always have a lower deposit on the Motability scheme.

Thanks for all your replies...it is needed right now but in a few months...should I hold on until September do you think used and new car will be more of a bargain by then?

Aaquil

Just watched it...any idea on better options...bigger one maybe?

I think I might just let the wife watch that one!

Do you really need 7 seats?

Is it for your own, or ferrying others kids round?

If you can get away with 6 seats instead of 7, then the Honda FR-V is worth a look. Rated very highly in the press and very reliable as well.

You can get a high miler 05 plate for $5K but a decent example is closer to $7K.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=936

What episode a recent one...they do a lot of scary accidents. Apparently, the Touran has a 5 star NCAP rating. Okay I know it doesn't cover everything but its an indicator of safety.

Thanks for the advice...

thats only for frontal impacts isn't it

As I mentioned 3 of mine and 2 of my freind...but my wife and her friend share the school run equally...doing it alone will be a killer trust me!

I'd consider the advice of pittVRS about the Honda if you only need 6 seats. The thing with Midi MPV's is that the last row of seats are way too close to the back, I wouldn't want to see a rear end shunt involving anyone sat back there.

I have a '57 Toyota Corolla Verso, and whilst it doesn't feel like it will fall apart there are some things I do not like. The plastics are awful, scratch even more easily than the Fabia's, the stereo is so bad and tinny I never use it, and It can be hard to get common parts aftermarket and Toyota parts prices are astronomical. Also I've read that the the non metallic ones have paint quality issues (particularly red ones).

Totally off the wall thought - how about a Citroen CX Familaile?

Unlike most MPVs, it actually has a rear crumple zone. Ok, it dosn't have a 15* EuroKneecap rating or whatever, but before the Kneecappers start drooling and drivelling about how "dangerous" that makes it perhaps they should consider that Folksam ratings, based on real people having actual accidents in real cars on real roads are often at odds with EuroKs!

What it does do is handle well, brake well, and put the occupants a long way from the point of impact!

Thanks for all the helpful replies...I think I will have to show SWMBO the Fifth gear video!