New Grandchild-friendly car needed.

I'm just in the throes of changing my old Mazda Antares so these posts are really helpful. My friend has a Citroen C4 which I like but the C3 is smaller and I think that would be more convenient. Ideally I'd like one with the driver's door being a sliding one as I have some problems entering and exiting, especially in today's car parking spaces which are often quite narrow. I think a Peugot has a make with sliding doors - anyone got one or tried it?

Just want to say that the Qashqai is actually built in the UK in Sunderland and has been since 2006.

The Honda Jazz defo gets my vote as well. I had one to ferry my gc around when they were younger and l used to look after them during the week. Really nice car to drive and lots of useful features. Sadly the DH wanted to get a newer model and we bought a Honda Civic ...it's nice and ok to drive but l do miss the Jazz.

I have a Suzuki SCross since my 3rd grandchild arrived last year. The driving seat is easy to get into and out of and I can fit 3 children ages 9, 5 and nearly 1 on the back seat, although the eldest doesn't use a car seat anymore- she is 147cm so doesn't need a seat now. The boot is really spacious and the pram (silver Cross Wayfarer) fits in easily and there is a false floor in the boot that you can either take out for more space or store things under it. I had a Suzuki celerio prior this and my daughter had a swift, when she was pram shopping and realised her chosen pram the Wayfarer wouldn't fit in the boot she bought an SCross too, two of her friends also got them after seeing how spacious they are.

I had a Toyota Yaris and my daughter has a Ford Fiesta. Both surprisingly roomy inside with a decent boot, and not too big to park.

I have a small Skoda. More spacious than some small cars on the market. Only drawback is the wind down windows in the back - too much loved by my 3 and 6 year olds when wanting to tease me! I envy those with a child seat which rotates. Grandma's dream I think .

The Skoda Roomster is perfect. The back windows are extended to a lower level so their view is unimpeded when they are in their car seats.
The seats at the rear can easily be taken out in any combination and then you have a van for transporting whatever you like. The hatch space is huge with a lot of head height - my big labrador is very comfortable.
It has everything!

Kia Soul works for us and our two grandchildren . It comes with all sorts of adds on as basic, unlike the comparable Honda model. Back seats fold flat so also perfect for trips to the tip. Drove Honda Civics for years but last car change accepted that we needed something not quite so low. Just as well as DH has just had knee replacement surgery and had difficulty getting into our high rise car!

Was in same situation this time last year. Looked on Which for high customer satisfaction, and bought a Hyundai i10 via Carwow, which found me a really good deal (about 15% off list price) on a car which was already inexpensive and good on petrol.

For the sake of your back, strapping children in / checking restraints get a higher off the ground one. Also check space across the back seat in case you have more DGC. 5 door is better most have childproof locks now.

Might be too big for your purposes but I have a SEAT Alhambra and its my favourite car ever !!

Sliding doors mean no worries about the wind slamming it shut on little fingers. The ability to get in the vehicles and walk across ( hard to explain but means you can load from one side if necessary as little ones can walk to the seat. Lots of options for seat configurations ( its a 7 seater).

Very economical too.

Much as I loved my Ford Focus estate, I found it just wasn't big enough for 3 high backed booster seats which I need for 3 DGC. The seats fit but the seats belts clip in underneath the seats and are awkward and dangerous in the event of an accident . I opted for a Vauxhall Zafira ( not new) because I can fold the rear seats and get my large dog crate when required. I liked the Ford Galaxy but the rear seats need removing and storing to achieve the space for the dogs. I quite like the C Max and S Max. Maybe next time. Or maybe a motorcycle

Another Roomster fan here! Admittedly I have never attempted more than 2 car seats across the back, but as it takes 3 adults I expect I could manage especially now the older 2 (7 and 5) have booster seats.
Love the slightly higher seats, headroom and boot space.

I had an S Max for years Nandalot . Loved it . It was one if the very few cars where you can get 3 proper child seats side by side in the back . Heaps of boot space and the 2 extra fold down seats were a huge bonus . How I miss that car .

I've got a Honda CRV, my 3Rd. I love it and it's also British made. The boot is large enough to take DS1'S wheelchair which is our main criteria but that also means it carries lots of shopping and dgc stuff!

I had a Qashqai (sp??) and needed a Plus 2 to have enough boot space. I don't think they make them any more. It also had a glass roof which was, apparently, strong enough to bear the weight of a bear - that eased my mind a lot!

I have a Ford Fiesta, I only have DGS1 in car occasionally & for short journeys so it suits me. DD has a Vauxhall Zaphira, the other week when her's was in the garage so she borrowed mine to collect DGS1 from school, she took DGS2 (age 4 weeks) with her, pram goes in my boot & ample room for 2 children.

I love my car, been a Ford fan for years & love the comfort & way it handles, great for the Devon lanes

Just another plug for the Honda Jazz. They are made in Swindon.
Mine is an automatic (CVT) which is marvellous. I would never go back to a manual. The gear change is seamless with no jerks and you will never find yourself in the wrong gear at a roundabout or stall it!

Another vote here for the Ford S Max. With the "occasional" seats down, it carries seven people. The back seat is wide enough to have two child seats either side and an adult in the middle, between them. As has been said, it is high off the ground which makes it easier to insert small people into their seats and the all round vision is great. Despite the fact that my car (MX-5) is about as different as you can get, I still love driving the S-Max!

I have a Renault Scenic, which has a flat boot, so no lifting pushchairs over the lip of the boot. It's the third one we've had.
The seats are high even at the back, which means that anyone sitting in the middle of the back seat gets a good view.
Excellent for grandkids who get car sick.

Just checked my ten year old grandaughter's height for boster seats, etc.
She's 150 cm., so that's okay.

I've had three Honda Jazz's over 13 years, long before I was a granny. I love them and even more so now I can fit the pushchair and associated paraphanailia in. Plus I've now discovered what Isofix hooks are for. So now I am legitimately and proudly driving a granny car!

I have a Mazda 2 at present. You can get either two or four door versions. Taking my GS, then aged 3, home from nursery one day he announced: 'I love your car, Grandma. When I'm grown up I shall have one'. Bless him, but I can't see him, aged 19 and a dude about town, wanting a car like Grandma's.... It did make me

Oops, that should be 3 or 5 door. I forgot the hatch.

We bought a Recaro Zero 1 rotating car seat to transport our grandchild. It has a red/green display panel to show that the seat is fitted correctly and the rotation makes it so easy to lift him in and out of the car. Not cheap but worth every penny.

We just love our Ford B Max because the sliding rear doors and higher wheelbase makes it so easy to strap the grandchildren into their seats, even when parked between other cars. Plus it is so much easier to get in and out of ourselves with our creaky knees!

We have a Nissan Qashqai and a Nissan Note. They are both really economical, spares are not outrageous and are spacious inside. The Note is Jazz - sized but cheaper and has a really clever boot arrangement, which means you can segregate things or support stuff that needs to stay upright. Neighbours have one too and easily fit three teenagers in the back.
Since Nissan have manufacturing plants in the UK, I feel we are doing our bit for them!