Estates Leading The Way Style Wise

unkel

eoin_s wrote: »

One small, but valid reason for getting an MPV rather than an estate is less bending over to manoeuvre kids and everything that goes with them.

I for one never understood that argument. A typical 2 year old can climb into the car and onto the car seat by itself. The heaviest you'll lift in is probably a <1 year old in a rear facing seat. Total weight a bit over 10kg - not that much even for a diminutive mummy

Max_Damage

mike65 wrote: »

Renault Megane Saloon
Renault 19 Chamade
VW Vento/Polo(Derby)
Vauxhall Astra Belmont

are just some of the more hateful cars in recent decades.

Mike.

I liked the Belmont and R19.

Matt Simis

E92 wrote: »

They don't have the comfort, performance, driving dynamics, quietness of a regular saloon, and as for space an estate has them licked. If I wanted a car with 7 seats, I'd want a Volvo V70, or an A6 Avant or an E-class, not those MPV yokes.

Im an estate fan myself, but I do have a likeness for the Touareg\Q7. I wouldnt say estates have space or comfort "licked" vs those two however. The Touareg has more boot space than the A4 Avant and very close to the recent A6 Avant models. While being a capable off roader to boot.

Given the recent crash in 2nd hand SUV prices in the UK this looks like a great time to pick up a lot of car for a bargain. Pity my peers will be burning daggers in my back.

Barr

I'm not a big estate fan , but I must admitt the SAAB 9-5 estate is gorgeous

Zube

unkel wrote: »

A typical 2 year old can climb into the car and onto the car seat by itself.

Maybe so, but that doesn't mean a typical 2,3 or 4 year old will climb into or out of a car seat, even if they are awake at the time.

WHITE_P

A bit off topic but anyway, just another reason why the MPV makes more sense for those who need one.

Anyone with a lower back complaint will know that getting a child into a car seat in a normal saloon, hatchback or estate will usually lead to some discomfort after. I find the extra hight in my Touran allows me to keep my back straighter when putting the kids into the car, with the result I don't end up with a sore back anymore.

Matt Simis

WHITE_P wrote: »

A bit off topic but anyway, just another reason why the MPV makes more sense for those who need one.

Anyone with a lower back complaint will know that getting a child into a car seat in a normal saloon, hatchback or estate will usually lead to some discomfort after. I find the extra hight in my Touran allows me to keep my back straighter when putting the kids into the car, with the result I don't end up with a sore back anymore.

You shouldnt have to justify your vehicle choice to strangers IMO. If they have a problem they should harass their political representatives.

superjosh9

I love estates - always have.

I have a Volvo 940 Estate - a handsome car as it is mint, with roof-rails, alloys, egg-crate grille.

Over the years I have carried: beds, washing-machine, dish-washer, clothes-drier, bikes - and every year - pretty much the biggest Christmas trees you can buy - with the boot-door *almost* able to close.

The clothes-washer was funny because, it was the largest one you could buy in the store... there were actual looks of disbelief as it slid into the boot with a perfect fit. Had a look at the new V70 - the loading bay (because that's what it is in a 940) - is much smaller and no match for the 940.

Also, in the 940, there is no 'lip' between bumper and boot floor - it's almost completely flat - so, whenever I go running or whatever, when I get back, this serves a great seat to recover on and change shoes etc.

Go estate cars!!!!!

Panda Moanium

WHITE_P wrote: »

A pity some people are so negatively biased towards certain types of car's.

Many of the current MPV's are every bit as good as the saloon / hatchback / estate car's they are based on (Fords S-Max / Galaxy for example) and provide much more flexability than either saloon, hatchback or estate variants could. I changed from a Passat to to Touran recently and find it a great car to drive, have used all seven seats regularly, and its not as big overall as any of the above mentioned, nor does it have the same snob value thankfully. It's also fun to drive on back roads, as it handles as well as any other car I've had with sports suspension.

As for SUV's, if someone has a genuine need for one then why should they be scourned by people who obviously can't think for themselves. Shame on the Dublin 4 / yummy mummy brigade for getting these vehicles such a bad name.

It is good to see many new estate cars being designed as cars in their own right rather than some sort of after thought on the manufacturer's part.

I'd agree with most of what you say here, although I'd argue that even with the best handling MPVs there is a feeling of sitting on the car rather than in it. Of course many people seem to like this.

There is a place for all sorts of vehicles on our roads and indeed it would be a boring place if we all drove the same cars. An MPV offers solutions for certain requirements that other car types cannot, same for SUVs, city-cars, convertibles, etc.

I guess my point in the original post was aimed at people who buy the traditional saloon car. When you directly compare the merits of saloons versus estates, the latter (in my opinion) win hands down. In fact saloons are a lot less practical even than hatchbacks but, particularly in certain models, we buy far more of the four door offerings (even though visually many of the latest 4 and 5 models tend to look pretty much the same).

The one thing in the past was that you wouldn't buy an estate for its aesthetic values. But as the general consensus on here appears to agree, many of today's estates are more pleasing on the eye than the equivalent saloon / hatch. So why don't we buy more of them?

Its interesting that in countries like the UK, Germany and Holland, the estate has long been seen as the more upmarket choice compared to the saloon or hatch. The direct opposite to here.

unkel

WHITE_P wrote: »

Anyone with a lower back complaint

Jaysus yeah, anything to avoid back pain! Those of us without chronic (back) pain don't know how lucky we are

Zube wrote: »

Maybe so, but that doesn't mean a typical 2,3 or 4 year old will climb into or out of a car seat, even if they are awake at the time.

Fair point. Mine don't do half the things I tell them to but they love climbing into the car for some reason - even my lesser car

WHITE_P

Matt Simis wrote: »

You shouldnt have to justify your vehicle choice to strangers IMO. If they have a problem they should harass their political representatives.

Cheers Matt, couldn't agree with you more.