There's a couple available on Motorport too - one (66 plate SE-L Nav) just over (21k miles) the 20k mile limit for £13k, the other a same year Sport Nav with only 8k on the clock for £14.6k. Both 2.0 petrols, though the Sport has more power.

Generally I would go for the SE-L (Nav) as it's normally the best value and is shod on more sensible tyres, which still grip very well but cost a lot less than the bling ones on the Sport models.

Edited by Engineer Andy on 30/01/2019 at 18:47

Here’s my favourite at this money... Auto Trader: www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20181219336...0

That one looks fine value, I'm almost tempted myself!

Thanks .I really like the look of the red Mazda.

Edited by Doug87542 on 30/01/2019 at 20:00

If it’s a choice between Mazda6 saloon or estate, how important is rear legroom? I only ask as the Saloon is the longer of the two cars, with a longer wheelbase, giving more rear legroom.

Not important, we just have a small child in the back at present. Do the odd long trip with adults in the back also but not regular enough to be a concern. I'll look at both options as I do like the look of the tourer.

If it’s a choice between Mazda6 saloon or estate, how important is rear legroom? I only ask as the Saloon is the longer of the two cars, with a longer wheelbase, giving more rear legroom.

How very odd, i wonder what the reasoning behind that was?. Given that Mazda is a relatively small player, the costs of having an 8 cm shorter wheelbase on the tourer surely could hardly be justified?. And ignoring that, surely logic would dictate if there was to be a difference in wheelbase, the estate should be the bigger car.

My choice would be Toyota Avensis Tourer 1.8 Valvematic petrol, either manual or the suprisingly decent CVT. 40mpg easily achievable

That budget will get one with plenty of the 5yr toyota warranty left.

You'll be yawning after 10 miles, but you wont be on first name terms with your mechanic

Yes the Toyota is unfailingly reliable, but so too is the Mazda, so the point is not relevant here. Different if the OP was thinking about a BMW or Merc!. Also, and obviously this is down to personal opinion, but in mine, the Mazda is a much nicer looking car.

Going back to the saloon having a longer wheelbase that the estate, looking at pics on Autotrader, there does not appear to be any more leg room for the rear seats, though i realise this could be due to minor differences in where the front seat was set at the time of the photos (also, surprisingly few pics show the rear footwell, so not much to judge by).

Edited by badbusdriver on 31/01/2019 at 12:56

Yes, the Toyota Avensis 1.8 Valvematic & Mazda 6 2.0 to my mind are sensible long term buys both being naturally aspirated petrols.. The Mazda is probably the more fun drive but the Avensis I suspect will prove to be the cheaper to run over many years.

If actual load carrying is important then the Avensis estate has a properly flat loadspace with the rear seats folded whereas the Mazda seatbacks will still have a slight angle when dropped.

Main problem might be finding a good, reasonably priced, fairly recent example of either as petrols are much less common than diesels & tend to have been sold to private customers who plan to keep them for a while ...