Can you recommend a car for a £11,000 budget?

I am desperately trying to make a decision on a car to buy. I have a £10,000/£11,000 budget and have narrowed my choice down to the Honda Jazz, Mazda 2, Skoda Rapid, Toyota Yaris, Kia Ceed and Hyundai i20. I mainly drive in traffic in London but will be doing the occasional very long drive (to France) with a 6ft teen and my 9 year old daughter so I need decent space and also something that can cope on motorways and isn't going to rattle around.

I want a reliable car that's not going to be a money pit. Ideally, still newish (max reg 2018). Ideally I'd like parking sensors, sat-nav etc.

I've sat/tried all the cars apart from the Hyundai. I really liked the Mazda, it felt quite plush, well-equipped but the boot is quite small and space at the back isn't amazing. I liked the Jazz but I thought it felt rattly and really basic. The Yaris also felt cheap and plasticky.

Asked on 17 May 2022 by helene jeal

Answered by Andrew Brady
The Mazda 2's a great little car but smaller than others on your list – it probably comes down to whether you're willing to compromise on space to get a newer, more generously equipped car. How about a Mazda 3? You'll be looking at an older example for the money but they're generally very reliable and it sounds like it could be ideal for your needs. You should be able to find the latest (2017 on) Hyundai i30 in budget – that would be a good alternative.
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