My daughter bought a 2006 Mazda 3 (manual, petrol) from a Mazda dealer last year for £7k just after her first baby arrived. It's a very nice car and is fitted with EU-approved child-seat brackets. All was fine when the infant was in the bassinet-type carrier but now, eight months later, he's grown and has to travel in the child-seat, rear facing, i.e. the next stage up in the child-carrier 'system'. Unfortunately this means the front seat has to be fully forward and this leaves no room for an adult front seat passenger. Also, the Mazda has quite a narrow rear door aperture and a lowish, sloping roofline, making loading the baby an awkward business. She now wants/needs to change the car - please could you recommend a better alternative to the Mazda? She does a modest annual mileage, mainly short trips and would prefer a manual, petrol car. I'm guessing that the Mazda is worth about £5K (still pretty mint) and the most that could be added to that would be £3K cash, so I guess we are looking to spend £8,000 tops. She likes the idea of a SEAT, for no reason other than she enjoyed owning an Ibiza a few years ago and I've suggested a Citroen Picasso, or a Kia, mainly because you usually give them good marks. If possible she needs to avoid largish people-carrier type vehicles due to cramped on-road parking. Before I do the Grandad duty and go round the local dealers with either the baby seat, or a tape measure, is there any chance of your expert advice?