Hi Barry,

I'm going to assume that you don't need to fit three child car seats in, as that dramatically changes things in terms of which cars will accommodate you.

You've specifically mentioned 'up off the road', which makes me think SUV or crossover, but despite expectations, we'd suggest that a good saloon or estate is more comfortable than most SUVs. Something like a VW Passat or even an older Mercedes E-Class Estate if you can find one.

If you don't drive big annual mileages and don't spend a lot of time on the motorway, we'd urge you consider not going for a diesel, though admittedly, within budget, most SUVs and crossovers are powered by diesel engines. We found a few Toyota RAV4s and VW Tiguans with petrol engines from 2008.

Though there are more diesel options, at that price most have high mileages. Still, things like the Kia Sorento and Honda CR-V are well worth checking out.

If you want us to help narrow down the search, come back to us with more details on your requirements.