10 Oct 06
VW showed some entertaining TV ads that made it very clear who the Golf Plus was for: fat people, or 'comfort-oriented' folk as VW put it. This version's higher roof allows the seats to be differently positioned and angled, creating extra room all round, without doing much damage to the way it drives. Neat and clever - but people generally don't like to think of themselves as fat, so it's not been a huge seller. Rather than second-hand, you might be best off looking for an unwanted ex-demonstrator.
The Seat Altea and Toledo are both pretty roomy, but you'll find it easier to get a low-priced Octavia.
Cheap choice: Skoda Octavia hatchback 1.9 TDI, 2003, £10,000.
Nearly new choice: VW Golf Plus 1.9 TDI, 2005, £12,500.
Rest of the world: Ford C-Max, 2005, £10,000. Looks dull, but drives very nimbly and has enough interior flexibility to make room for four porkers.
