Can you recommend a versatile and roomy hatchback or estate?

We're looking for a reliable roomy estate/hatchback that can fit a small dog crate in the boot and a medium dog crate on the back seat, which preferably has a 60/40 split. We don't commute to work, so the journeys would be several 2-5 mile trips in and around town per week, with one 44 mile trip on dual carriageway/motorway either weekly or fortnightly.
We have a 2009 Ford Focus 1.4 diesel at present, which has the perfect amount of space (a 2007 Ford Fiesta has the minimum amount of space that we can get away with). Budget is up to £4000, or a little more if required, and road tax should not be above £145.

Asked on 13 March 2020 by sueandneal

Answered by Andrew Brady
First of all, we'd recommend a petrol for your needs. Don't limit your search based on vehicle tax, though - you can pay it monthly, and it's quite a marginal sum over the year compared to fuel or maintenance costs, for example. A Skoda Octavia estate would be a very practical option. You could also consider a Fabia estate if you'd prefer something smaller. We'd also recommend a Honda Jazz - it's an extremely versatile and dependable little car.
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