As a 36yo new driver (passed May 2017) I had the pleasure of being chauffeured around in my father in law's ford S Max. Being stuck in the back on long haul journeys with my wife (non driver) I found it to have a decent amount of room for my 6 foot frame. 3 proper seats in the back, not 2.5 seats like most. Seats reclined also and plenty of head room. Good boot space which housed 2 additional seats when needed but left next to no space when they were utilised.
On the flip side, this is also the car I learned to drive in and supplement my professional lessons with. I found it quite fun to drive.
Plenty of space in the front with plenty of storage space also, plenty of space in the back for 3 adults, plenty of boot space when used as a 5 seater (next to none when used as a 7 seater) and it's like a bloomin transit van with the rear seats down !!
I get why you would be happy sticking with Honda and I've been eyeing up a larger vehicle myself once my 3 year PCP deal is up where the CRV is catching my eye, but thought I'd throw in my personal experience as both a passenger and driver of the ford S Max
I’d think of getting an MPV regardless of how people think they look. They are big and therefore practical and if you ever needed a Mobility product for you parents such as a scooter or wheelchair then your ready prepared.
I’m a Motability Adaptations specialist and have tried virtually every car produced and the latest batch of MPV drive fine, not like moon buggies which they used to.
Consider a Seat Alhambra, they are the same as VW Sharan but cheaper without loosing any of the build quality and there 1.4tsi petrol Auto is very good
Throwing a curve ball in, I know you said nothing France buuuuuttttt
Previous style Peugeot 3008, you actually get a fair amount for your money in them. My wife is on her second one which we have had for 4 years now and it served her well with no major issues and costs other than tyres and brakes in its lifetime
It’s pretty spacious, certainly more space in the back for a child seat and two adults than my A4, also has a pretty sizeable boot. The allure version she has is a pretty good spec.
Worth a look, not everyone’s cup of tea but also shouldn’t be instantly discounted
Lastest gen is nice looking car but last gen not the prettiest bus I've seen.
It’s funny the s max gets a mention as that’s the car that made her want to change.I just think it’s going to be out of the budget range sadly.But it is what she saw and came away from thinking we need a bigger car
I think whatever we get I would look at some form of rack for the bikes
I regularly take my parents, partner and 14yr old in our Golf.Half an hour is OK with 5 in, more than an hour would probably be a pain for them - I wouldn't know I'm driving data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7.
Dad is in his 70s and rides in the front.
We regularly go out in Dad's Prius - same group same rules apply except at 6'2" I'm in the passenger seat.
I would get over the prejudice for French cars and look at the Renault Scenic.
You're going to struggle to find a car that can carry several passengers and accommodate a full size adult bike without folding the seats, so a carrier is better.A tow bar mounted one is reportedly simpler than the kind that you sling on the boot lid so if a used car has a tow bar that's a plus.Fitting one can be expensive.
Depending on how tall and strong you are you may find roof mounted carriers are hard work, I never liked lifting my bike over my head and over my paintwork.
I bought 3 used brompton folding bikes - I can get all three in the boot of the Golf with the seats up and the parcel shelf in place.The 3 of us can load up the bikes and go out for the day and I know they're safe and out of sight if we want to go for a meal etc.
Just a thought on the bike rack idea.
There are a few ways to carry bikes on cars.
On the roof - depending on the size/weight of the bikes and the person left mounting them, it can be quite a task. You also need to be aware of the added height when considering car parks, ferries etc.
On a bike rack attached to the rear window. Personally I worried about the stress on the hatch hinges and possible damage to the rear window.
On a 'Y' bracket bike rack fitted to my tow hitch. Obviously this will only be an option if you have a tow hitch fitted to your car but it does make it more robust.
I regularly used to drive to Spanish water park holidays and was happy using the tow hitch bracket for several bikes for 20hour drives at "ahem" European motorway speeds.
Just a thought.
Seems the ford and the Renault (and from what my limited skills allow) and other non Japanese makes seem out of our budget
Renault ??
We had a new Renault Megane Coupe for a couple of years and as soon as the warranty expired the flamin engine began to fail !!
We had all four ignition coils fail , one at a time over a month ... cost us 150 each time ...
The garage guy just said ' it's a Renault ... they LOOK good ! '
You was ripped off. Megane compatible coils shouldn't cost more than £40 for a set of 4 and are a doddle to fit.We used to keep a spare set just in case.