Can you suggest a small, economical car to replace our old diesel?

We feel that we need to sell our beloved Land Rover Freelander 2 because it's a diesel. We've started to look for a car which won't cost a fortune to own and run for the next three years. There's nothing wrong with our car, it's just the scary news going about at the moment, which is pressuring us into changing. It's worth about £7500 or so. We'd like to get an EV, but they're expensive to buy and depreciate rapidly. There's just two of us and our two small dogs, so anything with rear seats that's economical to run while we're saving for an EV in a few years will work. We don't do many long journeys and don't need to commute, but I'm a keen driver and can't deal with anything sluggish.

Asked on 5 May 2018 by Darryld1

Answered by Honest John
EVs don't do long journeys unless there are adequate charging points on the way, and even then the problem can be both the queue to charge and the time it takes to charge. Instead of refilling with fuel in five minutes, you can be stuck at a service area for four hours, and on top of that have to pay excess parking charges for being there for more than two hours. Meanwhile, get a Honda Jazz and they are so practical you will probably want to keep it. You might even find a Jazz hybrid.
Similar questions
I want to replace my diesel car but I'm concerned that the government seems to be demonising diesels. Should I take this opportunity to swap my diesel for a petrol vehicle or should I go along with all...
I am seriously concerned with all this talk about a diesel backlash coming from the government and motoring press. I have a six year old Volvo XC60 and I'm really worried that it could be heavily devalued...
Our 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee is tired and we fancy a Mercedes-Benz ML-Class 3.0. We're wary of diesels because we only do trips of about 10 miles. Should we be wary? If so, what's a good petrol alternative?
Related models
Bigger than original Freelander. 2.2-litre belt cam diesel. Incredibly good off-road. Robust interior. More fuel efficient 2WD model from 2011 with no rear diff to fail.
Spacious and high quality interior. Easy to get in and out of. Retains 'Magic Seat' versatility. Officially capable of 62.8mpg.
Unrivalled practicality and versatility. Plenty of room for four adults to travel in comfort. Surprisingly fun to drive, especially 1.5 i-VTEC Sport.
 

Value my car

Save £75 on Warranty using code HJ75

with MotorEasy

Get a warranty quote

Save 12% on GAP Insurance

Use HJ21 to save on an ALA policy

See offer