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Hi Gabriel,

Dacias are fine, to be honest, you just have to make sure you know what you're getting into. They're not sophisticated, nor are they especially modern, but they're cheap and genuinely quite cheerful. Best of the bunch is the Sandero supermini, which combines decent build quality with surprising refinement and a  emptingly low price.

The Duster SUV is also pretty good, albeit it's quite an old design now and lacks things like electronic stability control as standard. Still, it's rugged, tough and refreshingly simple. The newer Logan estate and Stepway crossover are just variations on the Sandero theme and are there for those who need either an enormous boot (Logan) or a bit of 4x4-esque style (Stepway).

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Hi Nicola,

Probably the best bet for you is to simply cross the Toyota showroom and get yourself into a Corolla. It and the Auris are pretty much mechanically identical, but the Corolla has a much bigger boot, albeit it's not a hatchback, so perhaps not quite so versatile as the Auris. Or, if you're considering buying new (or at least nearly new), why not check out the Auris Sport Tourer estate? Nice car, big boot, reliable, can't go wrong.

Let us know which way you go in the comments below

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Wow, how much detail do you want? Here goes...

Saab 92 - the first Saab on sale. Two-stroke engine made it a bit impractical.

Saab 96 - like a 92 that real people could drive. Sweet V4 engine. Lots of rallying success.

Saab 99 - the first truly modern 'big chin' Saab. Gorgeous outside and in and with tearaway turbo engine. Fab.

Saab 900 - a highly developed 99, stayed in production for ever. Lovely convertible version.

Saab 9000 - some say it's not a proper Saab as it shared a platform with Fiat/Alfa/Lancia. Ignore them, as it's lovely, big, comfy and solidly built.

Saab 9-3 - the first General Motors Saab. Opel Vectra-based. Lovely cabin but flaccid chassis.

Saab 9-5 - bigger Saab but also Vectra-based. Better than you'd think but major reliability issues.

Saab 9-3 - second-gen 9-3 was based on the 2002 Vectra but not actually much better. Handsome estate version though.

Saab 9-5 - massive second-gen 9-5 was based on the Opel Insignia, really rather good and, sadly, the last car Saab ever made.

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Hi Ian,

If it's space you're looking for, go for the Superb, as it's massive inside. No reported electrical problems, but watch for high front tyre wear, paint peeling away from bumpers and flimsy fuel filler caps. There are some reports knocking around of clutches and flywheels failing, but these seem to be very isolated and not a recurrent problem. The Superb's a great car though - smooth and comfy, very spacious and one of the best cars on the market. Go for the Combi estate for even more boot space and nicer exterior styling (in our opinions!).

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Hi Francis,

Can I suggest then chopping it in for another Hyundai, this time an i40 Tourer? It's massively spacious so you won't (aside from the seat height) feel like you're trading down. It's also very comfy and, with your long-haul runs and high-ish mileage in mind, hugely economical. Drive the 1.7 115hp CRDi version gently and you should top 60mpg. 

If you don't fancy another Hyundai, then picking a similar estate from the Ford Mondeo, Opel Insignia, Volkswagen Passat or Peugeot 508 ranges should do the job just as well.

Let us know what you end up doing

Expert answer

Hi Ben,

I would suggest you try a Hyundai i40 1.7 CRDi diesel. On personal experience it's the most economical big saloon or estate I've tried, easily cracking the 60mpg barrier in real-world driving conditions. A great car all round, really.

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Hi Dave,

Maybe slightly, as I would have expected the auto box to push the resale value down a touch. Still, a cracking car and the Ghia badge has a kind of retro appeal these days. Have a good hard haggle and try and get a few quid off. Or do another search; we found a well specced Mondeo 1.8 TDCi estate for a shade over €13k. Lots out there to choose from so be picky.

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Hi Kevin,

Although the extra year on the car will have a small effect on the price, waiting until January probably won't help very much. There was a dearth of new car sales in 2009, which is propping up the second hand prices of cars sold in that year (and indeed in 2010, 2011 and 2012). Unless there is a vast rush of buyers trading in used cars for new on Jan 1st (which is, let's face it, unlikely) then the price of a 2009 model isn't especially likely to suffer a significant drop.

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Hi Paul,

You know what? While I'm a big, big fan of the Skoda, especially in estate form, I think I'll recommend the Hyundai. It's more expensive, true enough, but it's also bigger, exceptionally well equipped, frugal and very comfy to drive. And of course it has Hyundai's excellent five-year, unlimited mileage warranty too. It's something of an unsung hero in fact.

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Hi Colin,

I'm afraid a people carrier is pretty much your only option. The Renault Scenic, Toyota Verso or Citroen C4 Picasso can all take three abreast, as can the Peuegot 5008. If you want a conventional car that can carry three kids, your only choice is probably a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate with the optional pair of rear-facing seats in the boot.