High seating car with low insurance.

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 07:13
High seating car with low insurance. - wazza2004

Currently drive a renault kadjar on fleet insurance. Hopefully daughter should pass her driving test in a few months. She is 21. My contract at work is due to end soon and due to bad health I might take some time off. I am a large guy width wise with bad back and knees. I am looking for a high seating car for both of us to share, with low insurance because I will be starting with no NCB. Annual mileage will be around 6k so will be looking for a petrol model.Budget is 9k max but the less spent the better. I used to drive zafira tourer/galaxy due to ease of getting out but recently found I can get in and out of honda jazz easily. Would like a conventional auto but found the road tax on some models are high.

My research found the following -

Honda jazz - reliable but high insurance group

Nissan note new shape - low insurance and road tax but unreliable,

Ford b-max 1.4 or c-max 1.6. More reliable engine than ecoboost. Reliable seems good for this petrol version.

Hyundai ix20/kia venga. 1.4 petrol is ok. Conventional auto with 1.6 petrol. Reliable.

Mazda 5 1.8 petrol. Might be big for daughter to drive.

Zafira 1.8 cheap as chips. Zafira tourer 1.4 petrol might be expensive to insure.

not interested in vw/seat/skoda because nothing interests us from the range

What would you recommend? Have I missed something?

Edited by wazza2004 on 28/02/2017 at 07:22

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 08:55
High seating car with low insurance. - Falkirk Bairn

Ex Company car driver!

Many an Insurance Company will give you a discount equivalent to an NCB for accident free driving of company cars.

A letter from the Transport Manager or say Company Secretary in a smaller company can be accepted - this is where a good insurance broker can help - on-line quotes would be useless.

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 09:20
High seating car with low insurance. - SLO76
The need for an automatic gearbox greatly complicates this search

As much as the Jazz is generally reliable and cheap to run I wouldn't recommend a Mk II to you due to the unrefined drive. Handling and ride are poor and the small petrol engine combined with the CVT box make for high revving wheezy progress on B roads and motorways. It's worth if possible upping your budget to around £11k to get a vastly superior Mk III auto from a Honda dealer. It is still a bit wheezy at speed again with a small petrol engine and CVT box but the handling, ride and general refinement are greatly improved so it's well worth the extra outlay.

The Note is again very similar but has a little more poke with the supercharged 3cyl 1.2 engine but ride quality isn't great and refinement is hampered by that CVT box again. Very practical and good value though.

The Hyundai ix20/ Kia Venga are solid wee cars but their quirky styling do them no favours when it comes to selling on again and thus they suffer far higher depreciation.

Wouldn't touch a Ford Ecoboost automatic as the 1.0 engine is becoming known for problems particularly on early models. I'm not convinced it'll last and even less so with an automatic gearbox.

Mazda 5 is a good big car and one I frequently recommend but the only petrol auto option comes with the 2.0 engine and will be thirsty, dearer to tax and it is a big car for a young inexperienced driver. As a manual these are great family wagons.

The Toyota Verso is a great option here, not as big as the Mazda and Toyota's engines and their CVT box are tried and tested with an excellent reputation for longevity. The post 2013 car is much improved and buy one with a full dealer history and you'll have the balance of Toyota's 5yr warranty too. But you'll need around £11k to get one unless you're willing to accept the good but dated previous gen model. Search for yours via Auto Trader #DrivenByMe
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20170216235...4

Sticking to your £9k budget I'd be looking at the Toyota Auris which is a great option for longterm ownership and should be comfortable for you. Search for yours via Auto Trader #DrivenByMe
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20170213227...9

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 09:30
High seating car with low insurance. - jc2

Ask youir old company who they insured with and get a quote from them-it may be that your company did not insure you-the company I worked for placed a bond with the government to cover third party claims and paid everything else itself.Anyone can do this instead of having insurance but it is initially very expensive.

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 11:36
High seating car with low insurance. - Mike H

Probably not quite the image your daughter (perhaps you as well) want to project, but the Citroen Berlingo / Peugeot Partner Tepee would suit your criterion for high seating, although I'm not sure if either is available as an automatic. My father has problems with his knees, but the access to the Tepee is brilliant for him. No real bending, just slide into the seat.

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 11:58
High seating car with low insurance. - wazza2004

Thanks for the replies. Just to make it clear iwould have preferred an auto but will be happy with a manual. Just that the last few cars were auto and I have been spoilt.

I had the manual version in mind when I quoted the above cars apart from ix20/vega where I have a choice.

Is the ford 1.4/1.6 petrol a reliable unit on cars after 2010? I know about ecoboost issues.

New shape mazda 5 auto were imports only.

Berlingo etc yes you are right, my daughter rather walk. You can imagine how they reacted when I was thinking of the original skoda yeti. Still love the looks. Kids think I should go to specsavers.

I rather like the ix20. Also the space and used prices of the nissan note but put off by the interior quality and reports.

I had a few accidents in the last 5 years. 2 were my fault. So will assume the worst when looking at insurance.

Keep your suggestions coming. Thanks

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 13:09
High seating car with low insurance. - SLO76
The Yamaha designed Zetec SE 1.25/1.4/1.6/1.7 engines as used in many Fords are very reliable if serviced regularly using the correct oil. They require a timing belt change at 8yrs but I'd do at 6 to be safe though they're not prone to snapping early, I just don't feel confident in risking a rubber belt for longer.

Wasn't aware the facelifted Mazda 5 was a personal import. Do you mean that it was a special order at dealers? When selling for Mitsubishi in the 90's there were several spec combinations and models that were special order only. Shogun 3.5v6/ 3000GT to name two. There are a few facelifted 2.0 5 autos for sale on Autotrader but they're sitting around £11k so it would be the pre facelift cars you'd be looking at for your budget.

If you don't really require an auto then factoring in your insurance issues and desire to have decent interior quality and refinement I'd favour the new model Honda Jazz which starts around £9995 at main dealers or the Toyota Auris, the 1.2T is a cracking wee engine if you can stretch to it with low running costs and a bit of poke. Auto Trader #DrivenByMe
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20170117137...5

The older 1.33 and 1.6 petrol units in the Auris are fine if a bit flat performance wise. They'll run and run if looked after with really no inherent issues.


If you like the Hyundai or Kia then fair enough, there's little to worry mechanically and they both have an excellent manufacturer warranty. Just don't expect to get much back for either of them when you come to sell. Overall the Jazz will be cheaper to own.

Edited by SLO76 on 28/02/2017 at 13:13

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 15:12
High seating car with low insurance. - wazza2004
Thanks.With regards to Mazda 5. From my understanding the early shape you can get a manual in petrol or diesel version. The auto was a 2.0 litre petrol. The new shape only came as a manual petrol or diesel from dealers. The new shape auto I found were 2.0 petrol iimports.
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Tue 28 Feb 2017 17:08
High seating car with low insurance. - SLO76
Certainly wouldn't be keen on a personal import Japanese market car as they don't have the same standard of rust protection UK spec cars have and resale will be harder with odd spec or trim. I see three 13 plate 2.0 autos on Autotrader for around £11k but if these are as you say Jap spec personal imports then they're heavily overpriced.

Much as I like them I don't personally think it's best suited to your needs with a young driver and a couple of claims to be accounted for on that zero NCB insurance policy.

Get out there and test drive a few, with £9k upwards as a budget and no particular preference for manual or auto you're spoiled for choice.
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Tue 28 Feb 2017 18:06
High seating car with low insurance. - daveyK_UK

Fiat Qubo 1.4 petrol - the petrol transforms how the car handles, so much more enjoyable (I have owned both petrol Qubo and diesel Fiorino which is the van version)

there are some excellent deals on Fiats on carwow, you may get a brand new Qubo for £9000 - worth having a look.

a doddle to get in and out of, high up driving position, very cheap insurance as its based on a van and petrol version I had was ultra reliable and staff who used it enjoyed it.

I did notice the Qubo recently had a midlife facelift and new kit.

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 19:58
High seating car with low insurance. - wazza2004

Thanks for the replies. Max budget is 9k due to low mileage and just for local commute and in case daughter scars it.

True mazda 5 is too big for my needs today. When I had the zafira 99.9% of the it was just me inside it.

Unfortunately daughter wants a nice looking car. Otherwise the likes of skoda roomster are cheap.

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 22:28
High seating car with low insurance. - John F
The Yamaha designed Zetec SE 1.25/1.4/1.6/1.7 engines as used in many Fords are very reliable if serviced regularly using the correct oil.

Indeed they are

They require a timing belt change at 8yrs but I'd do at 6 to be safe though they're not prone to snapping early, I just don't feel confident in risking a rubber belt for longer.

Handbook says 10yrs/100,000m, not 8yrs. I think 6 is far too cautious. As you say, they are unlikely to snap unless the tensioner fails. Ours (Focus 1.6) is still going strong at 16 going on 17yrs because it's sturdy, only drives the cams and not much of it is rubber! And it gets a squirt of belt dressing every three years or so. As 'webuyanycar' offers £110 minus £50 admin fee I'm not inclined to spend money on it!

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Tue 28 Feb 2017 23:19
High seating car with low insurance. - SLO76
"Handbook says 10yrs/100,000m, not 8yrs"

Believe Ford origionally did recommend 10yrs or 100k but changed this later on to 8yrs or 100k. I'd still say it's too long but to be fair this engine doesn't seem to be hard on belts. Here's a handy site for anyone wishing to check their interval. www.mytimingbelt.com/Results.aspx?ModelId=220

I agree regarding a Mk I that's next to worthless not being worth doing a belt change on but I personally wouldn't take the risk on a newer more valuable motor. I've a timing belt in the garage I took off a 2008 Astra with 45k and while it initially looks ok if you bend it you see it's all cracked and deteriorating. Rubber degrades over time and it's rarely possible to properly ascertain belt condition just by looking at it on the car. For the sake of £200-£400 depending on the complexity of the job it just isn't worth the risk... It would cost that to have your stranded motor recovered without breakdown cover never mind the cost of repairs/replacement engine.

Edited by SLO76 on 28/02/2017 at 23:20

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