As unthrottled has said three full sized seats in the type of vehicle you are looking at is unlikely, the Avensis Estate (2009 on) has lots of legroom in the back.

To get the width you are looking for you will probably need a small minibus that is van based e.g. Transit or Vaneo.

MPVs and SUVs are gimmicks. Show me any wasted space on a FWD estate car, then ask yourself how MPVs magically are so much more commodious than an estate of the same floor pan size.

Sitting more upright gives you more legroom in less length. This is why a Zafira gets three rows of seats, but the Astra estate it's based on only gets two. Also try standing two washing machines in an Astra estate.

Sorry ut, that really is cobblers you have written there.

I take the exact opposite view. I cannot for the life of me understand why people still buy estates, given that an MPV of a size smaller will provide the same interior space and better load capacity with 5 seated.

I was one of three boys so I remember this problem well. Forget the 3 'proper' seats. A standard 6 ft wide car cannot fit 3 full size seats abreast. End of. You can get three reduced sized individual seats, but large passengers probavly won't find them comfortabe.

Any large FWD estate will have tonnes of rear legroom. Pick the car with the flattest bench seat possible. I found the middle of the bench of my parents' B3 Passat estate to be as comfortable as any middle seat and tolerable even down to the south of France.

MPVs and SUVs are gimmicks. Show me any wasted space on a FWD estate car, then ask yourself how MPVs magically are so much more commodious than an estate of the same floor pan size. They aren't.

As one of three girls (two of us much older than the other) I can agree with unthrottled on this one. My parents never had a MPV (they were just becoming popular when I was 12 or so). We usually had an estate car or a large hatchback of some sort. Sitting in the back of a Volvo is pretty comfy even when you are fighting with your slightly younger sister over the amount of space the baby seat encroaches onto your side. We also had a dog and he went in the boot quite happily.

Alanovich, I think you might be right re, looking at the Galaxy's stablemates (who seemed to take longer to move towards the folding seats rather than removable approach).

Nothing particular with the Galaxy - just each service seems to bring up £300 - £400 of repairs in addition to the service cost (at a very trusted local independent). Bigest recent cost was drive shaft problems, which ended up costing £450 to sort out (apparently my local guy thought I was "unlucky" as it was not something he had seen go on a Galaxy very often).

Chrysler Grand Voyager? Cargiant have 2008 and 2009 models at the top end of your budget.

Follow your wifes idea, buy a subaru legacy estate.

Excluding the 2010-on models, Subaru's are narrow and the back seat is definitely not suitable for 2 adults and a child - although 3 small children fit ok.

I've had a couple of Legacies, terrific cars but only really a medium size estate and poor rear leg room.

FRV - where will the dog (size unknown) and a lot of luggage go?

Ford S-Max has 3 proper rear seats. Very good car. It's massively better than the Galaxy to drive.

What about a Citroen Berlingo multispace or Peugeot Partner, loads of room with 3 full size rear seats, also great for dogs

I'd second that suggestion. Mine's the Mk2/M59 version and carries the same load as previous Xantia on a smaller footprint. Just come back from a fortnight in France with kids - effectively four adults. Swallowed a Rigidome tent and holdalls in boot with campsite gear; chairs, table, beds etc in roofbox. Done same trip in past with Miss B's beau as pax 5 and it coped fine. Perhaps slightly cramped ( anything larger would be Transit width) but much better than perching in middle of Xantia or similar with 2 bucket seats in rear.

Thanks to all for their suggestions.

I will visit a car supermarket, so that I can see all the potential options at one place - I agree that a "Berlingo type" may well be the sensible choice, though I am not sure that it has the power (or driver comfort) for a long drive to the South of France fully loaded with family, dog and roof box?

Rick

"The HDi 90 versions should have plenty of power."

And I can confirm that they do. The 1.6 110 bhp petrol engine is also OK - but having had both, the HDi 90 is better.

My understanding is that there is a little more torque in the older 2.0 litre HDi 90 than in the newer (& more economical) 1.6 litre engine, but I have the latter, and it is fine.

As for driver comfort, we are all built differently. Some people like the Berlingo seating position, some people don't. Try it and see what you think.