Used Golf SV alternative for a small family?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Tue 17 Jan 2017 14:39
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Molehill

After child #1 (and thoughts of #2) we a relooking to upgrade our unexciting but very reliable Honda Jazz for something with a bigger boot, more legroom and more power but equally nothing too long. Also a bonus if it can take bikes or a roof box on occasion.

Ideally petrol as will spend most of the week on London roads. Though will get motorway/A-road useage every few weeks.

The Golf SV on paper ticks all the boxes but there aren't used petrol models in our price range. Looking at up to £14k for something that has done less than 30k miles. I am wondering about a Civic or C Max. Idealy not the Peugeot Partner Tepee that the HJ car chooser suggests!

Edited by Molehill on 17/01/2017 at 14:40

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 15:26
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - RobJP

As you suspect, petrol is the way to go, by your description of usage.

Staying with Honda, have you considered the Civic Tourer/estate ? If a brand doesn't let you down, then no reason to go from them.

www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/honda/civic-tourer-2.../

A quick look on Autotrader shows a reasonable number for sale, from about £11k upwards.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 19:11
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Molehill

The slight hesitation I have with the estate is it would be 30cm longer than my driveway but then I could push the nose down the side passage of the house so perhaps I shouldn't concern myself over that.

Some reviews hadn't been glowing about the petrol's actual power but I suspect as someone driving a Jazz with 80hp I would have a different view! Definitely worth giving one a test drive I feel.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 15:31
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - SLO76
I'd favour a Civic 1.8SE Tourer which has loads of room, a near bombproof chain driven non-turbocharged engine, will do 40mpg easy enough and you'll also get a better trade in for your Jazz at a Honda dealer. The normal hatch version is also very spacious and will be cheaper.

The Toyota Auris Estate is a good choice also. You could get a good 1.8 Hybrid for your budget which has zero road tax and will touch 60mpg easy enough. The new (and much more efficient) 1.2 turbo petrol has replaced the older long lasting 1.6 unit and is untried but Toyota rarely get it wrong on engines... with notable exception of the early 2.2 D4-D.

The Golf SV tends to drop harder used than its more traditional 5dr hatch and estate brothers thanks to its slightly quirky looks and the fact that there's really no extra space inside over a Golf. It sits up a bit so is easier to get in but there's little reason to buy one over a Golf though that's not to say it's a bad car at all.

Edited by SLO76 on 17/01/2017 at 15:33

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 16:14
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Sam49

Depending on the potential age gap between child#1 and child #2, ensure the car passes the 'double-buggy test'!

That's where the estates have an advantage sometimes. You can lie the buggy flat and still get stuff in. Some of the small MPVs you'd have to prop them up and they fall about the boot

However the advantage of something like a C-Max (and a Jazz for that matter) is that the height makes it easy to swing the car seats/ kids in and out.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 16:22
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Oli rag
How about a Toyota verso 1.8 petrol auto. There are a handful of them on auto trader, 2 years old for around 14k.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 19:22
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Molehill

I assumed they were longer than they actually are. Interesting. My wife keeps thinking we should get a seven seater but not entirely sure what she has planned exactly!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 19:16
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Molehill

Seems like civic tourer is a good option with two recommendations. Will give it a test drive.

I did a test drive the hybrid Auris Touring Sports as it seemed a very good option. Sadly I didn't quite get on with the driving but more importantly the headroom was a little poor (especially in the back) for someone over six foot.

On paper the Golf SV has a third more boot space than the standard Golf though looking inside one it seemed a lot of them came from stacking height which may not be practical.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 19:36
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - SLO76
"On paper the Golf SV has a third more boot space than the standard Golf though looking inside one it seemed a lot of them came from stacking height which may not be practical."

Exactly. It's all extra headroom really and not a great deal of use unless you're a fan of eccentric headwear. An estate would be more useful and with a lower centre of gravity it'll drive better too.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 20:29
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Sam49
A 7 seater like the Verso mentioned above is worth considering. I've got two small kids and we've got a people carrier. It's useful because you can get two car seats plus another adult comfortably across the middle. That can be a squeeze in some quite large family cars due to the size of baby seats. Where seven seaters come into their own is with friends, kids' friends or grandparents (school or nursery run/ soft play/ swimming lessons/ maybe even a pub lunch...!).

Obviously depends on your lifestyle and expected use. But plenty of good options out there estate or people carrier.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 20:36
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Sam49
p.s. The Kia Carens is a neatly packaged 7 seater like the Verso. Not sure of dimensions but perhaps worth considering
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 20:59
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Molehill

The problem with seven seaters is finding a decent petrol option. For example, second hand Grand C Maxes are mostly diesel. The petrol ones are mainly 1.0 ecoboosts which I am not convinced would be up to 4 adults and a small child or two.

I also quite like reliability and therefore am a little worried about picking any French option.

A 1.6l Carens is certainly worth considering though not many used ones about.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 21:17
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - daveyK_UK

For £13.1k you can get a brand new citroen berlingo multispace (which is the exact same as the peugeot partner tepee) 1.2 puretech petrol engine which is a delight to drive.

masses of leg and head room, huge boot and the 1.2 petrol engine makes driving it so much better than the 1.6 diesel

cheap insurance (group 3), lots of parts available, reliable (the 1.6 diesel engine is the main problem part with these and you wont have one to worry about!) and a birlliant driving position.

Takes 3 car seats across the middle row with ease.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Jan 2017 21:19
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - daveyK_UK

If you want a new petrol 7 seater for less than £12k, someone posted a brilliant deal for a 7 seater Fiat Doblo MPV on the hotukdeals website

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 18 Jan 2017 09:33
Used Golf SV alternative for a small family? - Sam49

"The problem with seven seaters is finding a decent petrol option."

True - they can be hard to find. Depends how prepared you are to wait/ travel.

They did a 1.6 Ecoboost Grand C-Max for a time - plenty of poke there. Honest John really rates the 1.8 auto Verso (see reviews on the site). A 1.8 Verso or 1.6 Carens won't be hugely quick because they're non-turbo, but so long as you're not "eager to make progress" they should be capable enough*. Just got to try them out.

*I've also got a 1.8 petrol Avensis estate (older, less powerful 1.8 engine than the one in the Verso). It's not fast nor is it very slow but the main thing is it cruises well at 70-80 even when fully loaded.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide