Can you recommend a slim car that will fit inside my 83-inch wide garage door?

I have happily run a Dutch-built Volvo V40 for 13 years and, although it is still performing well, I feel like a change. My problem is that my garage door is 83 inches wide (the car 74 inches) and I find the first few cars I have reviewed are much wider. Have all manufacturers increased the width of their cars? What make would you suggest I might consider?

Asked on 14 December 2013 by WN, Bristol

Answered by Honest John
Yes, cars are almost universally wider. But the new Skoda Rapid and Skoda Rapid Spaceback are 67 inches wide (mirrors folded), which is 3-4 inches narrower than the compact family hatchback average. So is the SEAT Toledo (currently selling at a £2500 discount). We give the widths in all of the 1000 or so road tests at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/. The Federation of Garage Door Manufacturers is campaigning to persuade developers to widen garage doors on new builds to 90 inches.
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