Any advice welcome. I did post a few weeks back but now I have a short list
Having not wanted to go for a MPV 7 seater, SWMBO has laid down the rules and told me to look for one. We don't particularly want a huge one and the 7 seats will be used infrequently (and yes 7 are preferable to 5 or 6). The only pre-requisite is to have 3 seats (individual ones) across the middle.
I have been looking at:
VW Touran (too expensive?, bad dealers)
Renault Grand Scenic (reliability?)
Toyota Corolla Verso (size?)
Toyota Avensis Verso (?)
Mitsubishi Grandis (too big?)
Honda Stream (only 6 seats?)
not sure if I have left off any that should be there so would welcome any practicle experience so that i can narrow down the fild.
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Couple more for your list?
Vauxhall Zafira.
Ford Galaxy.
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consider the hyundai trajet
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Apart from the Hyundai Trajet which we have just bought and find is good, my comments on your suggestions are: -
Touran - expensive and dull, although diesel with DSG is v. good. No spare wheel though!
Scenic - love em or hate em. I had on rental for a week. Never again.
Corolla Verson - small; Avensis Verso - much better. Well liked. Would have bought one if they diesel and auto option.
Mitsu - See HJ above
Honda - small and bouncy
Otherwise Sharalaxy - old, about to die and unreliable.
How about Fiat/Peugeot/Citroen clone - possibly unreliable. Fiat Doblo family (can\'t remember name) seven seats, 1.3 diesel, cheap family motoring.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Might well think about a 7 seater myself soon, need to carry three kids plus parents/inlaws. Already mentally gone through the process you have, conclusions:
VW Touran
- too expensive, falling VW relability rating, expensive servicing.
Toyota Corolla Verso & Toyota Avensis Verso, Mitsubishi Grandis and Honda Stream
- antiseptic, no character.
Renault Grand Scenic - dont really like central dash, servicing costs reasonable, responsive to drive, 120ps 1.9 DCI 6speed fairly punchy, 165ps 2.0 turbo petrol soon to be launched, well equiped in any trim level particularly Dynamique and Privelige (spelling?), ultimately I guess the only one I could see myself buying!
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Has anyone ever bought a Renault and not totally regetted it?
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Wife's got a Clio that's fine.
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Based on the consistent feedback we seem to get here re. the unreliability of many French cars and VW's apparent problems of poor dealers and falling quality standards I'd go for one of the Japanese cars. Take your point about the 7 seats but we find we often use the third row when we only have five in the car. It just gives everyone that bit more room and means you haven't got someone's head obscuring your view through the rear view mirror. Bear in mind the usable rear space with the back seats in place or folded. Can you get the stuff you need to carry for the kids in with the shopping without having to fiddle with those seats all the time? Believe me that does become a real pain after a while. Also don't forget that (even if you didn't set out with it in mind) when you have 7 seats you find you start using them as journeys which were previously impractical suddenly become possible and you start taking friends places etc. It's no good having the 7 seats if there's no room behind them. Finally, what's the missus like at reversing/parking? How would she take to a larger car? Suggest you get her some test drives asap as these may well affect your short list as much, if not more than any of the other issues.
Regards to all!
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Before I decided which MPV I wanted I came across an imported Mazda MPV which has a folding rear bench seat which stowed away in the floor as you've described. It was a very neat solution but IIRC it was a single 3 seater bench and the middle row had just 2 seats. This means you could accommodate 4 people with ease and still have loads of room in the back but 5 people was a problem since the rear bench seat couldn't be split. IMO a 3 seat middle row with 2 seats able to fold down separately into the floor would have been ideal. Does anyone do anything like that HJ?
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Yep - Toyota Avensis Verso.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I think!!
Certainly the old Mitsu Space Wagon did. Very handy as does the Vauxhall Zafira
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Me and the wife both liked the looks of the Grandis but not having the diesel until next year is a pain - having said that I am not sure how many miles will be done so petrol may be OK.
HJ you said that it was to be the VAG diesel but I thought that it was to be a Daimler Chrysler (ie MB) one seeing as they own Mitsubishi.Problem with the Grandis for us was (a) no 2nds about yet (b) it is 1mm shorter and narrower than the big Shogun.
Seems the list has lost at least 1 contender - Honda Stream. The VW is close to being knocked off but the engine appeals.
Galaxy et al and Espace et al are too old/vanlike respectively.
I suppose that the Grand Scenic is high on the list. Hired a 5 seat Scenic on hols and was impressed by carrying capacity. The only thing that really annoyed me was the indicator turning itself off FAR FAR too easily!
Will look at Avensis Verso. Don't really mind that it is dull, as I don't think that you buy 7 seaters to impress everyone with style. I think that MPVs definitely put function before form (except the Grandis which tries a bit harder).
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Don't forget to consider....
MG Montego
Citroën CX Familiale
Peugeot 505
Now where are those flared trousers......!
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