Car choice: A tall order for family transport
Gajan Soori needs an automatic petrol car for his father, he wants reliability, economy and a high driving position – all for less than £10,000
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A car for the head
Well that is a tall order, but it is possible to find a “tall” vehicle that meets those criteria. One model worth considering is a Suzuki SX4 S-Cross. Here is a smallish, high riding Sports Utility Vehicle which has a great reputation for reliability. With a constantly variable automatic transmission it will also be easy to drive and live with: the average fuel economy is a respectable 49mpg, for example. In SZ5 trim there are plenty of standard features including sat nav, alloy wheels and air conditioning plus automatic headlights and wipers. A 2014 example with 56,000 miles from a dealer is ideal and within budget.
A car for the heart
We buy cars on looks and when we do that we end up with something like the Skoda Roomster, which at least tries to be different. Cheaper to buy and run than the similarly sized SUV-style Skoda Yeti, but with a less odd name, there is no lack of space. The Skoda Roomster dates from 2005 so with plenty of older examples around it is very affordable.There was a Roomster Scout model which made it look a lot more like an off-roader, and enjoyed the abilities (but also the complications) of 4x4 drive. For Gajan I would recommend a 1.2 TSI Roomster which should average 49mpg. A low-mileage late model from 2013 is £6,800.
If you would like James Ruppert to help with your car choice, email james@freecarmag.com. For more motoring views visit freecarmag.com
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments