Family plan

With sons of 7 and 4 and twins arriving in 6 weeks we need to replace our trusty old SAAB 900, within a budget of £15k. We live in London but most mileage (to about 10k pa) will be on Motorways in the UK (or France), and we would like the car to last us for 7-10 years. We've looked at a lot of the "biggies": Ford S-Max and Galaxy, the big French options, Kia Sedona, VW Sharan and even the Volvo XC90 but all of them seemed to small in terms of fitting in 6 people + kit/luggage, although the S-Max is great to drive. Is the Chrysler Grand Voyager the only option, or have we missed something? For the Chrysler, we particularly like the fact that the older boys will be able to get to the back seats without clambering over the babies, and that it will basically take all kit required, even for camping holidays. On the downside we're a bit alarmed by reviews which give very low customer satisfaction ratings. We're not bothered about driving dynamics, or even mpg, more reliability and safety. The last thing we need is a money pit.

Asked on 26 June 2010 by LK, via e-mail

Answered by Honest John
VW Caddy Combi Maxi Life. Basic, but decent to drive and very spacious.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/road-tests/volkswagen/vw...t
Dear Honest John,

Please help me choose my next car. I would like it to have:
    Select a few terms below
Similar questions
I am undecided which model Galaxy would be the better buy, short and long term. I drive 10,000 miles p.a mostly local journeys but with a 180 mile round trip each fortnight. The car will also make two...
Which has the highest payload out of the VW Sharan, Seat Alhambra & Ford Galaxy diesel models? Are there any other diesel passenger cars out there with higher payloads than the vehicles above?
We are looking for a Ford seven-seater. Should we go for the C-Max or S-Max? And which model?
Related models
Large and comfortable with generous space for seven passengers. Excellent Stow & Go seats that fold flat into the floor. Well equipped as standard.
Good to drive and comfortable. Versatile with foldaway seats. Generally good quality. Diesel automatic option. Plenty of room in all back seats.
Strong blend of comfort and performance. Fun to drive. Standard equipment is high on all models.
Seven adult-friendly seats as standard, huge boot as a five-seater, twin sliding side doors, well equipped and easy to drive, comfortable ride.
Handsome-looking, safe seven-seater brimming with kit and practical touches in its high-quality cabin. D5 is the one to go for.