Expert answer

Hi Dympna,

Really nice car, the Soul and one that's often overlooked as every other car maker rushes out its own compact crossover. The cabin can feel a little cheap in places and it's a bit noisy compared to the likes of the Peugeot 2008, but other than that, it's a canny buy. Not only do you get Kia's excellent seven-year warranty, but you also get a chassis that was tuned by sports car legends Lotus. A good buy.

Hope that helps

Expert answer

Hi Stephen,

Pros: handsome, very good to drive, comfortable, excellent diesel engines, spacious boot, safety levels, well equipped as standard. 

Cons: build quality and reliability not as good as, say, a Mondeo and definitely not as good as an Avensis in that regard. Rear seat space quite right. Mediocre petrol engines. Lots of fiddly buttons in the cabin.

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Hi Darlene,

Realistically, you're going to have to go down the MPV route to get three seats across the back. There are few, if any, conventional saloons and hatchbacks around now that can accommodate three full-size child safety seats next to each other. 

The obvious choices are the three French MPVs: the Citroen C4 Picasso, Peugeot 5008 and Renault Scenic, all of which have three individually adjustable rear seats and all of which will easily swallow three car seats in the back. The seven-seat versions of each (the 5008 comes only as a seven seater) will also give you some extra seating flexibility for when you need it. Ditto for the Volkswagen Touran, but not for the Ford C-Max or Mazda5, both of which use a narrow central-rear 'jump seat' layout, which isn't wide enough for what you need.

You could also, if you're looking for something a little more affordable, go the van-derived car route and the Renault Kangoo, Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Doblo and Volkswagen Caddy will all swallow three side-by-side car seats.

But actually, the best two tips of all are the Toyota Corolla Verso (or latterly, just plain old Verso) and the Honda FR-V. The Toyota is a car we keep coming back to for recommendations here, as it's massively spacious, massively reliable and actually pretty nice to drive. There are also plenty of them around. That's sadly not the case with the Honda, but it's worth seeking one out if you fancy something a little more left-field and the six seats (in two rows of three) give you lots of options for loading people and/or luggage. Like the Toyota, the FR-V is hugely reliable and it's a bit more engaging to drive than its Japanese rival.

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Hi Joss.

It will depend on history and condition, of course, but the ballpark is €7,500 to €8,500.

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Hi Joe,

There is a new model Qashqai on the way but it's about a year away yet. Normally that would be the signal for decent discounts on the current model, but seeing as it's still hugely popular, that seems unlikely for the moment. 

That said, the Qashqai is still a fine car, but you should also consider a Skoda Yeti (due for an update before the end of the year but the current car is still utterly brilliant) and both the Peugeot 3008 and MINI Countryman (a car I have a peculiar fondness for) are well worth a look too. 

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Hi Roy,

Have you considered the new Peugeot 5008? It’s basically a bigger version of the 3008, comes with seven seats as standard and prices start from €28k. Get one with the brilliant little 1.2 turbo petrol engine and you won’t go wrong. Read our review of that car here.

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Hi Mattie,

Mechanically, yes, the 206 is pretty good. That 1.1 engine dates back to the old 205 so is well proven and has few major issues. With 206s the things to watch for are electrical issues and bits of the cabin coming off in your hands. As long as you're not pounding up and down the motorway every day, economy should be just fine and with its sharp steering and entertaining chassis I'd say it's an ideal starter car - a great introduction to what makes for good handling and ride.

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Hi Martin,

The engine is a proven unit, but on all 307s you really have to watch for recurrent electrical problems, particularly if it's a pre-2005 model.

Hope that helps

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Hi David,

There are some issues with this version of the 307, mostly as it uses an older wiring system that was replaced in 2005 by a new, more reliable, multiplex design. Basically it's beware anything electronic, especially the odometer, which can give inaccurate mileage readings. Cabin trim, especially the wiper and indicator stalks, can be very fragile, while any noise from the suspension means you should run, not walk, away. 

On the good side, the engines, especially the 1.6 HDi diesel, are pretty solid and economical.

Expert answer

Hi Andrew,

There are no major recurrent problems to report on the Focus 1.6 TDCi. The nice thing is that the same basic engine design is also used by Peugeot, Citroen, Volvo and some MINIs so any potential issues tend to come to light pretty quickly. 

Just with that high mileage, make sure it's been serviced properly and on schedule, make sure the timing belt has been replaced and check for any electronic issues.