Ferrying in style for £20,000!

So, your family has grown, and you need to shift them in style – we take a look at three very different used options on the table, SUV, MPV or the good old-fashioned estate car. With £20,000 in your pocket, which of these capable turbo-diesels from Volkswagen, Renault or Mercedes-Benz makes the most sense?

Whoever said that too much choice is a bad really was talking hot air. With the myriad of vehicle options currently available, never has there been a better time to find a car tailored to your needs – if you have a particular motoring requirement, then you’ll know only too well that there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

Take, for instance, someone who needs a large load-lugger for £20,000 – you can go for a people carrier, offroader, or large estate car. With that in mind, we reckon we’d be derelict in our duty not to pitch an example of each into the ring, and help you decide which to buy.

You might wonder at the Espace’s inclusion here, but as the inventors of the European MPV, Renault has come up with a desirable package – and at £20K, you can buy the newest of the new, with all the advantages that brings.

Estate, MPV or SUV?

So far we’ve established that you won’t go far wrong with any of these choices – but haven’t even attempted to answer the question as to which makes the best all-round family load-lugger. With the options laid bare, it’s easy to construct an argument for any of these cars and, in truth, you’re unlikely to be disappointed with your £20K choice.

Given the current anti-SUV climate it would be easy to cast the Touareg off your list, but to do so on the grounds of its ‘Chelsea Tractor’ image would be doing an impressive product a massive disservice. But ask yourself the question: do you really need something so imposing in every day life?

However, given just how useful – as well as stylish – the Renault Espace actually is, there’s a lot to recommend playing the politically correct game. Full-sized MPVs will always be in demand with family buyers, despite early depreciation that looks soft compared with the German opposition here. But there are reliability woes associated with buying one, so proceed with a degree of caution.

As for the Mercedes-Benz, it tracks arrow straight through the minefield to emerge as the most rational choice of the bunch – and plumping for the big Merc, you’ll be playing the long game as it’s a deeply satisfying car to own.

Of course, the choice is yours at the end of the day, but as a family car, we’d go for the conventional estate every time. Introduce any element of serious load- or people-carrying into the equation, though, and we’d be knocking on Renault’s door, reliability concerns or not.

Renault Espace - The most useful

It’s hard to believe that Renault popularised the MPV concept in Europe a mere 20 years ago, given the sheer ubiquity of the breed on today’s roads – but it really was 1985 that saw the original Espace slip almost apologetically onto the British market. Renault hasn’t looked back since.

Now in its fourth generation, the Espace is a very different prospect these days – it’s big, it’s classy, and most of all, it still looks like a design concept. Unlike those early cars, the Espace now boasts cutting-edge safety and security as standard, and if you’re looking for the most secure way of transporting your family, here’s the logical conclusion of your search.

Now a fully paid up member of the premium set, the Espace (and its Grand Espace brother) have a huge and versatile interior and, in the topversions, all the equipment you’d ever need. If you’re not used to the lofty driving position and the commanding view it affords, the Espace takes a period of adjustment but, once acclimatised, it’ll seem so natural that going back to a conventional car will be disappointing.

The suspension set-up is pretty much on the pace of the estate car contingent, and despite being what used to be considered a high-sided vehicle a few years ago, handling is keen and predictable. More impressive is the smooth and level ride, which is well up to the standards set by its blue-blood rivals.

As for the boot – if the rearmost seats are in place, it’s laughable, but on the flipside it’s van-like if you’ve room in your garage to stow the
unused chairs.

Although there are five engines available in the range, few private owners would sensibly go for a petrol – especially given the strength and efficiency of Renault’s diesel alternatives. Available in 2.2-litre and 3.0-litre V6 dCi forms, you’ve plenty of choice – and we reckon in the real world, the smaller power unit will give you all the pulling power you need, with excellent economy.

The 3.0-litre is obviously quicker, and we’d suggest you give it a whirl if you spend most of your time five or- more-up or heavily laden.

The Espace is still by far the most desirable full-sized MPV out there (in lieu of BMW’s future entry into the sector in a couple of years), and despite is being expensive new, softish residuals (especially on the petrols) mean the smartest versions will fall into your grasp reasonably quickly. In short – buy with confidence at this price range.

Volkswagen Touareg - The most impressive

Despite being Volkswagen’s first entry in the premium SUV sector, the Touareg has established itself as a major player in the sector – winning plenty of new friends since it hit the market in 2002.

Designed in partnership with Porsche’s controversial Cayenne, the Touareg has brought new standards of interior build quality and restrained exterior styling to the table. As a result, Volkswagen has a bit of a hit on its hands, as it continues its march into the heart of the premium market.

The Cayenne factor has probably had a positive effect on Touareg sales – despite the Volkswagen looking a bit Wolfsburg-generic. It’s an imposing car, though, and close-up, you’ll be impressed by its scale – its VW roundels are bigger than the wheeltrims on most family hatchbacks.

On the road, it treads a rather impressive middle road between limousine-like interior ambience and comfort, and sheer mud-plugging gutsiness. Okay, the peat-bog fraternity might find a Jeep or Land Rover possesses more ultimate ability, but in the real world of slippery farm tracks and snowy hills, the Volkswagen will be more than capable.

Quality is also phenomenal – and in the pre-facelift versions we’re looking at, it has Porsche-shading fit and finish.

Performance is predictably blunted by the Touareg’s vast kerb weight, but will be more than adequate for the needs of most families, even in our chosen 2.5-litre TDI form. The 171bhp power unit may result in a 0-60mph time of 12 seconds, but once up to speed on the motorway, it more than holds its own – with average fuel consumption of just under 30mpg.

If you want more grunt, you’ll need more money. The monster 5.0-litre V10 diesel gives the Touareg hot hatch pace and acceptable fuel consumption – and the petrols simply aren’t worth the effort against the impressive TDIs.

In summing up, we reckon the Touareg’s the thinking person’s choice in the prestige SUV sector – for the quality of its interior alone. It doesn’t have the ultimate room of the Merc or Espace, especially in the rear (and the load bay), but we can’t see many families complaining in every day use.

Volkswagen has done a phenomenal job with its development, and continued strong demand is the reward – residuals are above the class average, and that makes the Touareg a great long term bet, even if your £20K buys you into the smaller diesel, leaving the average enthusiast casting an envious glance at the V10 TDI.

Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI Estate - The class act

There’s only one word you need to use when describing the Mercedes- Benz E-Class estate: honed. Its styling is judged almost to perfection – and in use you can tell that it has been developed with the needs of generations of German Taxi drivers in mind, because everything falls neatly to hand, and it will continue to do so for hundreds of thousands of miles to come.

At our £20k price point, the model that comes under the PCB focus was produced between 2003 and 2006, although if you stick a non-year number plate on it, there are few clues to it not being the current face lifted model – so perfect is the classy and instantly recognisable shape.

Of all the E-Class options, going for the turbo diesel estate is pretty much the only thing to do if you’re at all sensible – these are the best-looking, and most cost-effective of the breed to run. In a nutshell, if you don’t want an MPV or SUV and prefer not to slum it either, this is the one for you.

Okay, on the road it’s more of a cruiser than a B-road sprinter, but the traditional idea that a well-driven 5 Series would leave it for dead is a quaint anachronism these days. The previous generation E-Class had been tweaked enough to cut it among the cream of the executive crop – leaving it feeling agile and delivering enough feedback to make the driver in no doubt that they’re getting their money’s worth.

However, let’s face it, roadholding is lower down the list of priorities than refinement – and this is another area the big Merc excels in. Let’s also not forget the boot – unlike all of the other premium opposition, the E-Class has a huge and user-friendly load bay. No wonder antique dealers love ‘em.

The 3.0-litre V6 diesel is a gem, too – and although it has less grunt than the BMW 535d, there’s more than enough torque for you never to feel short-changed. The result is top notch pace, refinement, and frugality – and that makes this car an almost unbeatable all-rounder.

It’s hard to find fault with the car, it combines comfort, ability, quality and safety in one extremely stylish package. Glacial depreciation is grininducing, too – even if it means you’ll be buying an older car than its MPV or SUV opposition.

But worry not, because if you’re looking for the ultimate large estate car for the real world, you really need look no further than Stuttgart’s finest.