Which car offers a flat boot for easy loading of a walking frame?

My mother who is 80 currently drives a Toyota Yaris. She has great difficulty walking for more than twenty yards, therefore she uses a wheeled walker frame for assistance. The problem is that she has to lift the frame over a raised panel just above bumper level each time she moves the frame in or out of the car. The ideal solution would be to change to a vehicle with a completely flat boot or hatch entry to minimise the lifting. Therefore are you able to advise on any suitable Yaris-sized car that can provide this?

Asked on 10 June 2012 by MS, Bournemouth

Answered by Honest John

The old model Yaris Verso which ended production in 2006 would be ideal. Otherwise a used Ford Fusion or old model Mazda 2, or try getting the walker into the centre of a Honda Jazz in which the rear seat squabs lift up, facilitating storage of folded wheelchairs etc in the centre of the car.

Best of the lot is the new Ford B-Max where the whole side of the car opens up for very easy access and to make a loading gap 1.5 metres wide. Video demonstration here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/ford/ford-b-max-20...o

Tags: disabled access load space ease of access

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Related models

Ford Fusion (2002 - 2012)

Versatile interior. Easy to get in and out of. Reasonably sized load area with no lip. Four-star crash test rating, economical TDCI diesels.

Honda Jazz (2008 - 2015)

Neatly styled. Increased room and better performance than original Jazz. better to drive. Very versatile. CVT-7 returned in February 2011 replacing i-SHIFT. More reliable than first generation Jazz.

Mazda 2 (2003 - 2007)

Sportier, livelier and more fun to drive than the Fiesta on which it is based, easy access to the boot.

Ford B-MAX (2012 - 2017)

Sliding side doors and no central pillar mean unimpeded access. Five star Euro NCAP rating. Engines include 1.0 litre three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol. Decent drive.