At 8k miles per annum think petrol only. If you are going to have kids over the next few years, I fear it's going to be estate-ville. Until you've done it you will never believe the sheer quantity of STUFF you have to cart about.

I will start the ball rolling with an Astra estate.

Avensis pre 09 so previous model, preferably estate.

I too would avoid Diesel, unless you find one so cheap as to be disposable when something nasty goes.

Again, as so many times, if Hyundai/Kia had only offered estate versions of Sonata/Magentis....however, as both are decent sized cars and can usually be bought very reasonably due to image/badge snobbery (the marques are now ok with the trendy just like LIdl/Aldi, when these models were current they weren't) then one of these two could easily do you several years and certainly would cope with one sprog, and you would save a shedload of cash buying, these can be bought privately with low mileages, often owned by older folk who tend to look after, and not abuse their vehicles.

Its possible Kia Ceed estate is coming down to your budget too, i delivered rakes of these when new and was thorughly inpressed with how the car was put together underneath.