Which family-sized and reliable car would you recommend for under £5000?

I have a requirement for a larger, more reliable car that will last around five to seven years. I currently do around 9000 miles a year, with a fairly balanced mix of motorway and urban. Please could you recommend some cars for me to investigate?

Asked on 5 November 2018 by N

Answered by Andrew Brady

A Honda Civic would be a good choice. Your budget will get you a late example of the 2006-2011 model. For your mileage, look for the 1.8 i-VTEC petrol engine. It's much more suited to motorway miles than the lacklustre 1.4 and is less likely to be problematic than a diesel. Also consider a Mazda 3. It's great to drive (although the 1.6 is a bit sluggish compared to the 2.0-litre) and should prove to be reliable. If you need a bigger boot, look at the Skoda Octavia. It represents excellent value for money, although might not prove to be as reliable as the Mazda or Honda (www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/skoda/octavia-2004/g.../).

Tags: buying advice

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