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Dear What Car?,

We currently have a 2016 Citroën Grand C4 Picasso 1.6 diesel VTR automatic. We chose this over other MPVs primarily because of its overall package, in particular its boot space, fuel economy, decent automatic gearbox and interior space versus reasonably compact size on the road.

The reason we want to replace it is purely because of the poor ride it has, especially at low speeds over the country roads and main roads we drive on.

So, what we are looking for, in summary, is a smooth, forgiving ride, a boot that's as close to the Citroën’s as possible in size, reasonable fuel economy, a good automatic gearbox and a high driving position. We’re also considering four-wheel drive, because we live in a rural area.

We do about 8000 miles per year and would consider an appropriate MPV, SUV or estate car. Our budget is around £25,000.

Terry

The question:

Terry needs something that has a high-set driving position, is comfortable and cheap to run and has an automatic gearbox, plus four-wheel drive if possible.

Right, that's quite a list for £25,000, but we can definitely help.

The brief:

Suzuki is well known as a motorcycle manufacturer, but the car brand has been enjoying decent success in recent years, thanks to a line-up of neat, well-equipped and keenly priced models.

Its expertise focuses on smaller cars, although its high-riding SUV range is also hugely credible, especially the Ignis and Vitara, which are both rated highly by What Car?’s testers and which have enjoyed success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

Well priced, decent to drive and full of useful tech, Suzuki’s cars also generally stand out for delivering good fuel economy. The Ignis, Celerio and Baleno have all stood head and shoulders above the competition during our True MPG testing.

SUZUKI

VITARA

Our recommended choice: Suzuki Vitara 1.4 Boosterjet SZ5 Allgrip auto

List price: £25,654

Target Price: £24,533

Four-wheel drive? Check. Automatic gearbox? Check. Peppy petrol engine? You bet. Here's the Suzuki Vitara: the perfect car for Terry to choose.

It gets him the raised driving position he's searching for, meaning excellent visibility, plus the added benefit of four-wheel drive if he decides to venture off-road. And there's a very reasonable boot for his luggage, too.

Buying new

This SZ5 model is loaded down with extra goodies, too, including adaptive cruise control, 17in alloy wheels and all-round parking sensors. And on the safety front, there's automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and even blindspot monitoring.

The 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine adds an extra bit of oomph over the smaller 1.0-litre unit that's available, so you should have no trouble on longer trips.

The Vitara's ride is also comfortable, so no matter what condition your local roads are in, your drinks should remain stirred rather than shaken. Suzuki also ranked very well in our latest Reliability Survey, so you shouldn't experience any major issues.

Also consider:

Suzuki Vitara 1.4 Boosterjet SZ5 Allgrip auto - interior

One of the greatest success stories in the car world of recent decades is Skoda’s rise to become a hugely credible mainstream maker of good-value, good-sense cars.

Central to that success has been its place within the VW Group, alongside the Volkswagen brand itself, plus the likes of Seat and Audi. That has given it access to exactly the same underpinnings for its cars as the other brands, and it has complemented this by adding its own developments, from the way the cars drive and ride through to the features they have and the pricing.

The result is a range that extends from a city car to a large executive saloon, with family and large seven-seat SUVs too. There’s a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are competitive for the class.

As a result, Skoda has a range of cars that is almost entirely class-leading or among the class leaders, and it has enjoyed long-time success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

SKODA

OCTAVIA

List price: £23,390

Target Price: £21,473

If space is Terry's top priority, the Skoda Octavia Estate should surely be on his shortlist, because it's one of the most spacious cars we've ever tested.

Skoda Octavia Estate 1.5 TSI SE DSG

This version gets him a smooth 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, too, and a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. There's no four-wheel drive, but the Octavia Estate is surefooted enough to handle most situations.

Also consider:

Skoda Octavia Estate 1.5 TSI SE DSG List price: - interior

Citroën is probably most famous for its quirky design, and the latest cars from the brand live up to this tradition. In fact, it&nbsp;tends to keep away from sportiness altogether and instead tries to put comfort first.

Value (but not cheapness) is also key to the appeal of most Citroëns. And the company’s range includes everything from a tiny EV (the Ami) through to the C3 small hatchback and&nbsp;the large van-based&nbsp;Spacetourer MPV.

Its range of SUVs are all badged Aircross, and like the rest of its range place emphasis on comfort, not speed.

CITROEN

BERLINGO

List price: £22,700

Target Price: £20,201

Why move away from Citroën at all? The Berlingo is our reigning champion in the MPV market, because it's wonderfully practical and spacious inside, good to drive and excellent value for money.

Citroën Berlingo 1.5 BlueHDI 130 Feel M EAT8

This 1.5-litre diesel version might not seem an obvious choice, but it gets you an eight-speed automatic gearbox that's pretty smooth.

Citroën Berlingo 1.5 BlueHDI 130 Feel M EAT8 - interior

Peugeot has its strongest model line-up for some years, with some of its cars now rated by our testers as being among the very best available.

Highlights focus around the firm’s newest SUVs, the 3008 and 5008. The 5008 was named Large SUV of the Year at the 2018 What Car? Awards, thanks to its appealing blend of space, interior quality and low running costs.

That bodes well for future launches, too, because many of the learnings from these cars will be passed on as new versions of existing cars are launched – something that could take many years, because the Peugeot range is so big, ranging from an entry-level supermini with the 108 to an executive saloon with the 508, up into the SUV range and also vans.

Buyers should evaluate some of the lower-rated cars in the range more carefully, though. Some are now quite old, and are subsequently left behind in terms of quality when compared with the opposition, making them below-average buys, in our estimation.

PEUGEOT

5008

Our recommended choice: 2018 Peugeot 5008 1.6 BlueHDi Allure auto

Price: £24,995

Mileage:&nbsp;376

Since Terry has expressed an interest in potentially going for an SUV instead of an MPV, he might want to try out the Peugeot 5008.

It has been an award-winning large SUV for a few years now at the What Car? Awards, and now that used examples are trickling onto dealer forecourts, you can find some tasty bargains.

We found a barely used 2018 example with less than 400 miles on it for £7000 less than its new list price.

Buying used

Just like Terry's current Citroën Grand C4 Picasso, the 5008 has seven seats and a high driving position. The door sills are nice and shallow, too, so access is just as good as it is in an MPV.

Unlike an MPV, however, you get a very stylish interior with the very latest in digital dashboard displays. The 5008's ride and handling are pretty decent, even at low speeds, making this a very agreeable family vehicle.

Also consider:

2018 Peugeot 5008 1.6 BlueHDi Allure auto - interior

Volvo is now a true rival to the likes of Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, offering an alternative take on premium executive cars to a rapidly growing fanbase.

After a string of strong launches – notably with the Mk2 XC90 and XC60 SUVs – it struck gold in early 2018 when it launched its smallest SUV, the XC40. When our testers compared the car with its rivals, they concluded that it was the best launch of the previous 12 months, earning it our coveted overall Car of the Year Award.

The good news is that, like many car makers, Volvo now uses the same structure underneath most of its cars – so if they get it right on one model, it usually bodes well for the rest. That’s the case here, with Volvo’s subsequent saloon and estate launches complementing the SUVs and making for a generally extremely appealing line-up.

VOLVO

Price: £24,980

Mileage: 34,885

If Terry is prepared to go for something with a few more miles on it, he should consider the Volvo V90 Cross Country.

It drives in a very similar fashion to the normal V90 estate, but it has an extra few inches of ground clearance for tackling tricky farm tracks and some light off-roading, along with the benefit of four-wheel drive.

2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country D5 auto

Safety is a big plus point, especially if you can find one with the Intellisafe Pro pack, which adds blindspot monitoring, cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and rear collision warning.

Also, being a Volvo, the V90 Cross Country has some of the most comfortable seats available in any car.

Also consider:

2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country D5 auto - interior

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

TOURAN

Price: £21,880

Mileage: 3812

If the other two aren't quite to Terry's liking and he'd like to stick with a more traditional MPV, there's always the Volkswagen Touran. It won't set your pulse racing, but it was never intended to do so.

2018 Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI SE Family auto 

What it does do is provide comfortable motoring with excellent practicality and lots of equipment for not an awful lot of money.

In fact, the Touran is the least expensive used car choice here, with plenty of examples available for less than £22,000.

2018 Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI SE Family auto - interior

Our recommendation: buy used

Both our new and used car choices this week would suit Terry down to the ground. On the one hand, the Suzuki Vitara is a comfortable and sprightly small SUV that's well equipped and gets Terry the four-wheel drive security he was looking for, but on the other, there's no escaping the brilliance of the Peugeot 5008.

The big Peugeot is a truly terrific large SUV: it's spacious, with seating for seven people and a boot for all their luggage, it's comfortable for long-distance drives, it's well equipped in Allure form and it has an automatic gearbox.

All of these things and more help to make it our reigning champion in the large SUV market – and considering the strength of its competition, that's quite an achievement. The fact that you can pick one up with such low mileage yet a saving of £7000 over its new list price only sweetens the deal.

Our recommendation this time, then, is to buy used.

Verdict:

The most comfortable cars for £25,000

Want a new car but don't know where to start? Just send us your criteria and we'll give our new and used car choices, and tell you how much we can save you.....

NEW REVIEWS:

The most comfortable cars for £25,000

Want a new car but don't know where to start? Just send us your criteria and we'll give our new and used car choices, and tell you how much we can save you.......

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