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What's the best used MPV to buy for less than £7k?

I'm looking to purchase an MPV for up to £7000. I currently own Citroen Xsara Picasso on a 54-plate, but the air conditioning no longer works and the heater has also stopped working. I am wondering what car you could recommend. I need a fairly big boot to carry a folding wheelchair and comfortable seats. Also, the height is important as a standard car is to low for him to get in and out of. A couple of cars come to mind, the Ford C-Max or S-Max and Honda FR-V (late 2009), I know this is no longer made but some are still available. Also the Mazda 5. I want a car that can deal with steep roads but it doesn't need off-road capability. Truthfully, I'm not too bothered about the look, just the practicality and reliability. Mileage wise, I am looking up to 70,000 miles. I do roughly 8000-10,000 miles per year so I thought a diesel might be best. I hope to keep the car for at least five years. Since this is a major purchase for me, I want to get it right.

Asked on 13 August 2019 by Peter

Answered by Andrew Brady
Unless most of your miles are covered on the motorway, I think you'd be better looking for a petrol. Older diesels can be expensive to maintain and the diesel particulate filter (DPF) can get clogged if you don't regularly drive at motorway speeds for prolonged periods. A Mazda 5 would be a good choice, especially with the 2.0-litre petrol engine. A Ford C-Max wouldn't be a bad choice, but avoid the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine and the Powershift automatic gearbox.
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