We are in a similar position to you as we have three small kids and a large tent.
We were looking at getting a CRV a couple of years ago when out third came along (before our big tent did), but the boot looked tiny. In the end we got a lovely VW Touran which ticks all the right boxes for us. I'd definitely recommend having a look at one.
The boot space on a Honda CRV is 556 litres, on a Rav-4 it is 586. Pretty similar.
A Ford S-Max mid-sized MPV has 755 litres of boot space with five seats occupied - the difference is equivalent to roughly the sleeping bags and mats for five of you. The VW Touran is 695 litres.
The even larger option of the VW Sharan/Skoda Alhambra, second hand, have 857 litres of boot space with 5 seats.
I have three kids and a Ford Galaxy (the older one, that is like last year's Sharan and Alhambra). My warning is, once you have got used to having the boot space of a large car, you will never go back to a smaller one. However, a full-sized MPV does cost a lot to run, so I would certainly consider the S-Max/Touran sized cars, which didn't exist second-hand when I bought the Galaxy.
We currently have an X type estate which has plenty of room for three if you put the back seat down. Touran is on our list of possible next cars. We had one in Menorca as a hire car and it certainly has lots of space.
Good time to buy one too as the new model has just come out. I have seen pre reg old models with 10 miles for £5k less than a new model - Match models with satnav and other goodies which are extra on the new model.
Have the Rav4 and have to say its been great.
Copes with anything i throw at it and tows our Pageant Bordeaux with ease , boot big enough for our needs and the rear seat space is huge.
Hi with your max budget of £9000 you will get a good CRV Model up to 2007 old shape ,these have the spare wheel on the boot ,so have loads of room in the boot , it ranges from 527ltrs to 628ltrs with the rear seat slid forward , and in the forward position they still have plenty of rear leg room , also there is space under the floor in its wet locker , one thing to check with the RAV4 ,that put me of when purchasing my CRV was that the rear door would not fully go at rightangles ,some thing to do with rear light being masked when opened according to salesman ,restricting wide loads going in ,saying that they are both exceptionally reliable cars and you will not go far wrong with either ,
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Topic: Which car? CR-V? Rav-4?
