Back in the early 1990s, with a growing family, we bought the cheapest people carrier around then, a Mitsubishi Space Wagon. It coped with 4 children on school journeys etc round town, and then loaded to the gunwales it took most of them to and from university and then to their new homes and jobs.

Reluctantly after 16 happy, trouble-free years we parted with it and replaced it with a Mitsubishi Space Star diesel, expecting a few more years of university runs before everyone had flown the nest.

However, circumstances have changed and we now need a cheap (to buy and run) reliable car that will take a standard-issue wheelchair in the boot and which will make an occasional long run (500miles) but in the main will do journeys of under 20miles to and from hospital, doctor, etc. It needs to have comfortable seating with adequate leg space, and room for a dog crate in the rear too.