In this exercise the mission is “easy”. We need a car with more familiar purposes, with lots of space available to take the kids' “stuff”, or to take the father, mother-in-law, uncle and dog.
Decisions, decisions, decisions… Do I choose the “fashionable” SUV or do I opt for an even more practical MPV? How about a van?
As you can see, we may end up comparing cars that have nothing to do with each other — don't have to be direct rivals — it will always depend on what we're looking for, our budget and the opportunities that arise.
We put the maximum price on 30 thousand euros , to keep the discussion on its more accessible side, and in addition to the unavoidable SUV, we have alternatives like MPV and vans.
Dacia Duster
Were there any doubts that he would be around here? full range duster , including four-wheel drive vehicles, are below 30,000 euros. B-segment prices in a car with C-segment dimensions. The Dacia Duster presents a generous space offer, with the luggage compartment to ascend to 445 l . The 4×4 version should only be considered if necessary, as it pays Class 2 at tolls.
Prices starting at 15 600 euros for the 1.2 TCe of 130 hp and culminating in the 24 486 euros from 1.5 dCI of 115 hp with four-wheel drive.
Honda HR-V
It's not the most popular of the compact SUV/Crossover, but it deserves our attention. All because despite the compact dimensions, the Honda HR-V has one of the best space offers in the segment , complemented with excellent versatility, thanks to the “magic benches” of the second row. The luggage compartment capacity is 448 l.
There are two engines available — 1.5 i-VTEC (petrol) and 130 hp and 1.6 i-DTEC (diesel) and 120 hp — and below 30,000 euros we already have access to the highest levels of equipment in the case of the 1.5 i-VTEC, and the Elegance Intermediate Level for the 1.6 i-DTEC.
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Prices from 25,050 euros for 1.5 i-VTEC Comfort and 27 920 euros for the 1.6 i-DTEC Comfort. The Diesel with the highest Elegance level is in the 29 670 euros.
As an option to the Duster and HR-V, there are other more compact proposals, also with a generous offer of space, such as the Citroën C3 Aircross, Opel Crossland X and even “our” Volkswagen T-Roc.
Citroën C5 Aircross
Going up a segment, if it's easier to find options with the space we need, it's harder to find something that fits our budget. THE Citroën C5 Aircross manages to offer both: lots of space and affordable price.
The luggage compartment varies between the 580 l and the 720 l — courtesy of the sliding seats — and it has three individual rear seats, rare feature in the automotive industry these days . The Citroën C5 Aircross also earns points in terms of comfort, thanks to the suspension of progressive hydraulic stops.
Prices start at 24 317 euros for the 1.2 PureTech 130hp with Live gear level, moving up to the 26 817 euros on the Feel level, always with a six-speed manual gearbox. It is possible to get a 1.5 BlueHDI of 130 hp for less than 30 thousand euros ( 29 606 euros ), but only with the Live equipment level.
Alternatively there is the cousin Opel Grandland X 1.2T, and the SEAT Ateca and Skoda Karoq, both with the 1.0 TSI of 115 hp, also proving to be quite spacious.
Citroën C4 Spacetourer
Our first alternative to SUVs is another… Citroën. MPVs, or MPVs, are not known for being the most desirable on the market, but they are still the right “package” for family purposes, with plenty of available space and excellent accessibility.
The number of proposals has been decreasing — blame the SUVs — but there are still some available, like the Citroën C4 Picasso SpaceTourer and Grand C4 SpaceTourer. And to be on this list, it's because you can buy them for less than 30 thousand euros.
The difference between the two C4 SpaceTourer refers to the number of seats, five or seven, and the trunks have, respectively, 537-630 l and 645-704 l (two rows of seats). Interestingly, thanks to a campaign for the seven-seat Grand C4 SpaceTourer, the price is lower than five-seat, starting at 21 848 euros (1.2 PureTech 130).
The five-seat C4 SpaceTourer has a price starting at 22,073 euros for 1.2 PureTech 130, with version 1.5 BlueHDI 130 starting at 27,773 euros.
More accessible, with seven seats, only the Dacia Lodgy, or as an option, in the MPV field, even if the Fiat 500L is smaller.
Peugeot Rifter
Derived from commercial vehicles, they are still valid options as family vehicles in their passenger versions. THE Peugeot Rifter it is just the most recent example, together with the brothers Citroën Berlingo and Opel Combo, and for more built by Portuguese lands, more precisely in Mangualde.
Cubic shapes help maximize interior space, with the boot starting at super generous 775 l for the standard five-seat version — there is a seven-seat option and we can even opt for the long body.
Prices start at 20 800 euros for the 1.2 PureTech 110hp, but even opting for the top tier, the GT Line, the price stays at 23 750 euros , with the option 1.5 BlueHDI Diesel of 100 hp rising to the 28 250 euros.
Ford Focus Station Wagon
In the typology that remains for family cars, vans could not be missing. The new Ford Focus Station Wagon deserved our attention — not only is it one of the vans with the largest luggage compartment in the segment, 608 l , as it also remains one of the best options at the level of dynamic behavior.
With prices starting at 23 866 euros for the 100 hp 1.0 EcoBoost we can, however, opt for the most captivating ST-Line version with the 125 hp 1.0 EcoBoost from 26 401 euros . Still below 30 thousand euros, the diesel version 1.5 EcoBlue, 120 hp, with the Business equipment level is available for 29,034 euros.
Other options, where the trunk stands out, are the Hyundai i30 SW, the Kia Ceed Sportswagon and the Skoda Octavia Combi. With a slightly smaller boot, but still with 550 l, we have the Fiat Tipo SW.
Toyota Corolla Touring Sports
There is still another van, which stands out for being the only one with a hybrid engine. THE Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Hybrid it combines a 1.8 gasoline engine with an electric motor to guarantee consumption capable of rivaling that of a Diesel proposal. The luggage compartment doesn't lose much to the competition, when presenting 598 l of capacity.
The price starts at 27,190 euros , but for another 1700 euros we can opt for a higher level of equipment, the Comfort.
If you want another hybrid option and the SUV format suits you, you have the Kia Niro as an alternative.
Note: All prices in this article were taken from the websites of the brands themselves.