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My good lady is looking to get her first car, which needs to be relatively cheap and will be bought new (as a company car).  It also needs to be used to ferry two children about who are under 6.  I like the look of the 500, although something with 5 doors maybe better.....

Anyone got any experience or advice they can offer.... Especially around getting two little people in the back of cars like this. 

Pls note BHP is not a consideration.....

:-)

A C1 5 door will happily swallow little people in the back, as long as they don't have any luggage.  And it'll do 70mpg and costs about half the others!  So that's what I'd buy.

Next choice would be the Fiesta for me, if you're after something bigger, safer and better built.

Style - 500

Practicality - C1/Fiesta

Overpriced - Mini

Other - Mazda 2, Practical, stylish and well priced.

How little are the littleuns?

Worth planning ahead.  If they are growing - rapidly - then I would definitely suggest getting a 5 door car.

Personal favourite at the moment is the Mazda 2.  Strong, light and economical  (makes it sound like toilet roll!!).  Looks good too!

The 500 is a little too much style over substance for my liking, as is the mini (over priced as BrynTurbo said).  The C1 is probably going to be a little too small for your needs as well.  If the Mazda doesn't fire you, the new Fiesta is well worth a look as an alternative.

There are of course other options; the Corsa, a good all round car with a decent safety record; the Fiat Panda, 9/10's of the 500 but with five doors; or the Yaris, reliable, safe and sensible.

As I always advise, go and have a play, and in your case take the kids with you.

 

The C1 is a fun little car. Obviously I'd go for the 500 because it's a 500, but it's not practical to be strapping kids in the back seats. Fiesta and Mazda2 are viable alternatives, as is the Renault Clio, which is classy and good-looking. But you won't go far wrong with any of these. The MINI is probably a bit impractical too, as much as I do like it.

New Fiesta looks set to be a cracking little car from what I read, and v gd looking too. You need 5 doors by the looks of it. Have you considered a slightly used 5door Golf/A3 etc? Easily under 10k

If you have 6 year olds don't go for a three door - it is bad enough when the mud, leaves, litter, sweets and the other evidence of a 6 year old can be confined to the back but with a three door it does get in the front as well. I would recommend the Mazda 2 - my wife runs one and it is a proper car (unlike the Mini and 500) but has a small footprint, nippy engine and great handling. Oh, and they are (quite) rare unlike Fiestas, Clios, Minis (10 a penny) and even 500's these days.

New Fiesta or Jazz if budget stretches that far. If not c1/aygo. 5 door is a must.

To add to previous post; would you drive the car at any point? If so you may want to check you can fit. I'm a big boy (height, not insulation... ok, I'm a bit squidgier than I used to be) and I can't fit in the Panda's driving position. At all. (Probably not the 500 as well then...) So, it may be worth you checking the driving position if there's a possibility you'll be driving it.

 Lools like it is going to be a Fiesta, although full marks to the local Fiat garage for the service offered in viewing and testing a 500 - shame that Ford haven't lived up to that level of service (to date anyway).  I like the look of the Zetec S, possibly with the diesel engine.

My son still believes that either would be the wrong choice though, and we should be focusing on a Pagani Zonda.....