If you’re in the market for a new vehicle these days, you’re facing a brutal double-whammy: the price of new vehicles and the price of fuel are both through the roof, and seemingly only increasing.
And that means the market for pre-owned is growing.
Requirement: “Big on the inside but small on the outside” is the kind of car you’re looking for. These vehicles boast a relatively generous amount of interior space while remaining easy to drive, and are thus popular among small families and older drivers. The mini-MPV options are limited on the new market, but this is what you can pick up should you scan Gumtree’s second-hand database instead:
This would be the CAR favourite on this list. The Honda Jazz provides a spacious cabin, a capable range of engines and a generous amount of features. The packaging is by far the Jazz’s most impressive quality as the seats can be moved around to create enough space for anything from a bicycle to a weekend’s worth of family luggage.
Despite making do with only 51 kW, the Panda is very nippy and benefits from a well-laid out interior, too. You also gain different driving modes to best suit your environment. Considering that, however, it is worth mentioning that the Panda has the most restricted interior space on this list.
2013 Citroen C3 Picasso 1,6 VTI Seduction
This is a car that showed us that flair and practicality can be combined in one product. The C3 Picasso boasts an utterly French persona and an impressive safety package with dual front, front lateral and curtain airbags as standard and some quirky additions, including a wide-angle rear-view mirror to keep an eye on the kids in the back seat and a scented air-conditioning system.
Despite shuffling off the new vehicle market some time back, the Meriva is well loved by the CAR team as it combines hatchback dynamics with MPV versatility. It also has a “Flex-door” system that incorporates rear-hinged back doors to make entry and exit easier. All three seating positions at the back can be individually adjusted making for a comfortable environment for passengers.
2008 Mercedes-Benz A200 Auto Avantgarde
Okay, we admit it. We needed something interesting to complete this list. But, all jokes aside, as widely criticised as this A-Class was, no one can deny its success. The first-generation A-Class included the luxury found in the rest of the Mercedes range, but packaged it in a smaller product for those who didn’t have the need for a mid-sized sedan. Regardless, the brand has since moved on from this idea.
