£5k, 5 seats, auto - ultra reliable

[Whataguy]

After many years of 20-25k miles a year mostly on the motorway a new job means I'm likely to only be travelling maybe 8k miles a year. Much more local, so no long stretches of motorway driving.

I've been through many cars, mostly hatchbacks with larger engines for the motorway.

Currently I'm in a 2020 Mk7.5 Golf 1.5/150 DSG, but looking to downsize and free up cash for other things.

I'm thinking maybe an older civic 1.8 or perhaps a Yaris?

Car's I'm owned and am not a fan of are the Lexus IS250, Honda Jazz and Volvo V40.

I'm looking around the area between Guildford and Portsmouth and leaning towards small independent dealers, I wouldn't buy a car from far away after a few bad experiences.

What would people suggest?

[zedx19]

Prius? Not very PH but 5 seats, auto (CVT), ultra reliable, very cheap to run, probably why you see loads being used as taxis now.

[Whataguy]

Thanks, sadly Toyota hybrids (apart from the gen 1 Yaris hybrid where it's protected) are out due to cat crime unfortunately.

I had a nice 2014 Auris hybrid that I liked, which is just a Prius underneath.

Unfortunately the cat lock and tilt alarm I had fitted don't really work as they won't stop thieves. I even went so far as to replace the blue backed logos on the car with plain ones.

[CivicDuties]

Mazda 3?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309121...

[Whataguy]

CivicDuties said:

Mazda 3?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309121...

Thanks, I hadn't thought about those. I've previously owned a 6 and an MX5, but they were both many years ago.

[culpz]

What didn't you like about the IS250, just out of interest?

[Whataguy]

culpz said:

What didn't you like about the IS250, just out of interest?

Mainly running costs, low mpg and high servicing costs and consumables.

But very poor rear seat space too, and the build quality wasn't superb despite it being a 2011.

I've previously owned a 2005 Honda Accord and thought that was better. The Accords were great cars, particularly the 2.4(mine was 2.0) but are long out of being on sale here.

[ZX10R NIN]

2.0T Insignia Elite Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311033...

Mazda3 Takuya:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310032...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310153...

Mazda6:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309212...

Giulietta Veloce these are as reliable as anything else out there:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311023...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310263...

Leon FR:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310313...