Mazda 3 auto - Which smaller car for my pensioner parents? | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Sun 3 Aug 2014 20:45

Mazda 3 auto - Which smaller car for my pensioner parents? - AVR2

Hi all,

My parents are in their 70s and also market for a new (used) car. Currently they have a 2008 Mazda 3, which they've loved for its reliability and equipment level, and I assumed they'd just go and get another, but they're actually interested in seeing what else is out there.

Main considerations: MPV-style height if possible (my Dad has hip problems that mean getting into a low car can be painful for him), hatchback, it must be an auto, and a lower car tax bracket would be preferable but not essential. They've actually had some fairly snappy cars in the past (2.5L BMW and Golf V5) and while they're not looking at anything on that level now, I suspect that anything less than a 1.6L would probably be too sluggish, especially given that an auto box is a necessity. Budget is £8000.

So, they're currently weighing up the Kia Venga, Nissan Note and VW Polo, as well as the Mazda 3 and (my suggestion) the Ford C-Max.

Any robust opinions out there?

Edited by AVR2 on 03/08/2014 at 20:46

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Sun 3 Aug 2014 23:30

Mazda 3 auto - Which smaller car for my pensioner parents? - Avant

If they want a Nissan Note, the previous model is higher off the ground than the new one, which is quite a bit smaller.

It isn't just about height from the ground: as SWMBO (arthritic knee) has found, it's also about the distance from seat to door sill. I was wondering whether to replace the last Octavia with something higher, but she found that an Audi Q3 was no easier to get into, and she's happy in the current Octavia and indeed her Mini Roadster.

Your parents just have to go round showrooms sitting in various cars on their shortlist, and then test drive the ones they're comfortable in. If there's a car supermarket near them, that will be a good place to start.

Any reason why the Honda Jazz isn't on their list? It's not all that fast, but it's no slower than a Polo, which is on the list.

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Mon 4 Aug 2014 12:22

Mazda 3 auto - Which smaller car for my pensioner parents? - skidpan

Any reason why the Honda Jazz isn't on their list? It's not all that fast, but it's no slower than a Polo, which is on the list.

Beware the Honda Jazz. The seat is quite low and slopes back considerably, my mother (who is in her 80's and not very mobile) found it vitually impossible to get out.

Because of that after 5 years of trouble free motoring they decided a change was necessary. I learned quite a bit about seats and access whilst visiting garages with them.

First the Nissan Note. This comment relates to the old model but whilst the seat was high it was quite a distance from the door sill to the seat edge, better than the Jazz but more research was needed.

The old model Ford Fusion was perfect. High seat, sill to seat sensible. Only reason we did not buy was dad thought it was bigger than he wanted. Also the fact you had to pay for essential extras like air bags which would mean a factory order and then no discount. No used ones were available at the time with airbags. not sure but i think the auto's are the nasty CVT type.

They bought a K12 (previous model now) Nissan Micra. Again like the Fusion absolutely perfect. Problem could be the fact its quite a bit smaller than your Mazda 3 but the auto's are propper auto's. The Acenta model is pretty well specced and in the almost 7 years they have had it they ahve had no problems at all. The last ones of this K12 model (foregt the current model - pretty nasty) are now cheap as chips.

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Mon 4 Aug 2014 12:29

Mazda 3 auto - Which smaller car for my pensioner parents? - Sulphur Man

Mazda2 Activematic

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Mon 4 Aug 2014 13:50

Mazda 3 auto - Which smaller car for my pensioner parents? - Happy Blue!

If you are prepared to look at cars which are a little older, there are several models which might suit you (and certainly suited members of my family with the same issue) :-

Daihatsu Sirion - available up to 10 reg

Daihatsu Materia - available up to 59 reg

Hyundai Matrix

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Mon 4 Aug 2014 14:33

Mazda 3 auto - Which smaller car for my pensioner parents? - Manatee

My aunt and uncle (78 & 84) have just bought a Skoda Roomster after being in a friend's. You can nearly walk into the back, the doors are so big; and both front seats were height adjustable.

I liked it so much (neither of us can stand cramped cars) I bought one to replace our 12 year old Civic. The only question mark in my mind is over reliability of the 1.2 TSI engine and 7 speed DSG gearbox and I'm not ready to own either of those out of warranty just yet.

£8k would actually get you one of those, but £6.5k would buy a 59 plate 1.6 petrol auto with a TC gearbox. Not as economical but that might not matter for a low mileage user.

e.g. www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=604549481

Skoda approved with 12 months warranty (iff less than 6 years old and 72,000 miles at purchase).

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Tue 5 Aug 2014 01:25

Mazda 3 auto - Which smaller car for my pensioner parents? - Avant

I'd forgotten the Ford Fusion, and shouldn't have, because our near neighbour has one: he's over 70 and 6' 5" but is very comfortable in it.

So maybe add that to the list rather than the Jazz, which seems to fall foul of the seat / door-sill distance issue.

I should add that said neighbour can also get easily in and out of their other car, a Ford Ka. A bit lower than the Fusion but lots of headroom.

Edited by Avant on 05/08/2014 at 01:28

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