What Vehicle For Young Family?

[Loaderfamily]

I have tried to research cars online but would really appreciate any advice on what vehicle would be best for us. We have 1.5m to spend but ideally will get something for a lot less that will do the job. So what vehicle type, brand or model do you recommend and should we buy new or used?

We are moving from the UK to the countryside 30 minutes from Pattaya and will need to buy a car suitable for 4 of us (2 small children aged 4 and 1). I think the main use will be for going away at weekends and driving to the beach & shops in Pattaya, will also be for airport runs with lots of baggage and ideally able to accommodate a couple of extra people for when family and friends visit.

We have never been here before so don't know what to expect or what the roads, traffic and parking are like but the accommodation is just by a main road to Bangkok and Pattaya so I hope will make travel easier

Hope you can help

Thank you

[IMHO]

Sounds like you've just described an SUV or Estate - unless your 'lots of baggage' would fit into something like a Focus 5-door?

At 1.5M or less, you'll be looking at small-mid sized SUV, or a mid-sized hatch though, as the cheapest new Estate in Thailand is the Volvo V50 @ 1.7M (estates are simply not popular here).

Crossovers:

Honda CRV (5 seats - new model released)

Chevrolet Captiva (7 seats - rumored that it will be discontinued in 2013-14, but don't trust rumors )

Ford Escape (5 seats - aged - to be replaced soon)

Mazda CX-5 (5 seats - to be released mid-year)

Suzuki Grand Vitara (5 seats)

Nissan X-Trail (5 seats)

Pickup based 7-seat SUV's (AKA: PPV's):

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (Shogun in UK)

Toyota Fortuner

Chevrolet Trailblazer

Isuzu MU-7 (aged - new model this year)

Ford Everest (aged - new model in 2014-15)

Mid-size hatchbacks:

Ford Focus

Nissan Pulsar (new model just released)

Quite a list there just as a guess of what might fit your criteria.. You'd have to do some narrowing down of your own

[Jitar]

IMHO's list is a good starting point. Couple of points that might help narrow down the list:

If you have particular preferences for anchorages (e.g.isofix) to secure baby capsules and child seats, look carefully. Many cars in Thailand do not have these fitted.

The petrol engined SUV's are heavy on fuel. The E85 compatible ones like the Captiva and CR-V have an advantage but E85 fuel stations are not common, especially outside BKK.

For the crossovers above, the Captiva has a diesel option and Mazda say the CX5 will as well but it might push your budget.

The PPVs all have diesel engine versions which in many ways are a better drive than the petrols, they perform OK and cost less to run. The PPVs are a little bigger than the cross overs, a bit more cumbersome in town and maybe a little less refined, but they handle loads very well and are good for long trips. The Fortuner and Pajero Sport have good constant 4WD systems if you like that.

Parking is pretty tight in many places in Pattaya so reversing cameras and sensors are a good feature to have and available on most SUVs as standard or an add on.

Good used cars are overpriced in Thailand so I would stick to new if you can afford to. If Resale value is an issue, in the past the Fortuner and Pajero
Sport have held there value very well. CR-V and Captiva seem to do OK as well.

Good luck with your car shopping

[VocalNeal]

How often will the friends and family visit? No point in buying a special vehicle for two visits a year?

Prestige or practicality? Driving style exuberant or staid? Not everyone is a wannabee racer! Your house or rented? If yours and you are into DIY a truck has benefits. I was going to also say hobby but with 4 and 1 years-olds that is your hobby!

Standard Camry would do even to squeeze grandpa and grandma in for a short trips to the beach? Luggage/golf bag fits in the boot. Are you working when Grandma/grandpa comes to visit? You could always rent a car for a few weeks for them, then they are independent?

You can always rent a mini van with driver for the airport runs. Someone will correct me I am sure but about 2500+ baht per day, plus fuel, is the going rate for a mini van with driver.

Have you lived here before? A nice diesel pickup (800,000+) might add to the experience of living here as they are not common in UK, but they are a bit larger for side street parking?

Edited February 28, 2013 by VocalNeal

[IMHO]

Juts noticed I forgot to mention the Toyota Prius in the mid-size hatch category. Why do I always forget it?

[Pomthai]

Juts noticed I forgot to mention the Toyota Prius in the mid-size hatch category. Why do I always forget it?

Because it is an evil monstrosity of a machine not worthy of any remembrance what so ever. It is best forgotten.

[transam]

As the OP stated ''vehicle'' with small kids in LOS, I would buy a ''new'' Fortuner. Why, you are moving to a crazy place, road wise, kids will be safer in this ride if you get a broadside or other sh_t to deal with.

[frankphuket]

From IMHO crossover lists the Xtrail is good value for money and pretty big, yet handles ok. I read somewhere that fuel economy is better than the CR-V, but not really sure...petrols will consume a bit.

Otherwise yeah, go PPV....especially if driving, handling, etc are not too high on your list...

...and don't even bother looking at this terrible car, named Prius! What an eyesoar....

[ignis]

So the missing ones that would also be OK...

Proton Exora, 7 seater top of the range costs 850,000 baht....... appears a good car from many friends that own...

Toyota Avanza also 7 seater, bit truck like but top model is under 700,000 baht + has that magic Toyota name which Thais like so much..

Honda Freed also 7 seater, has that Honda badge, but over 900,000 baht..

Chery Tiggo Wagon, nice inside, looks like a Mk2 Rav4......... 825,000 baht

Soon the Chevrolet Spin ....... smaller 7 seater Chevrolet Trailblazer

As for estates are simply not popular here........ well no one main stream Thai makes them, so who knows, only the expensive models come here. so out of the normal persons price range.

[Thailaw]

The "best bang for the buck" in Thailand is the pick-up truck, because of much lower taxes, and a diesel engine will allow you to used lower cost fuel. A 4 door Toyota truck would serve the needs of a family of 4 without any problem, and have ample room in the back for bags, boxes, and luggage, and a lockable cover can be added if that is required/helpful. Overall, a pick-up truck is a very good choice as a "family car" in Thailand. Visitors can be brought from the airport in a taxi or a rented car, each of which is cheap, and ferrying around the occasional extra passengers is not a reason to choose the car you will drive year round. If a truck will not satisfy, the Pajero Sport, which seats 7 comfortably, is the next best choice -- forget the Fortuner, it is strictly the car for the farang with something to prove. I believe that the Pajero Sport is now the most popular SUV sold in Thailand, which says a lot given the "nothing but Toyota" mindset here in Thailand. But there will be a new Pajero Sport in a few months, so it makes sense to wait for the new model to arrive in the showrooms. If a truck or SUV won't fit the bill, both the Toyota Altis and Camry are more than adequate for the normal requirments of a family of 4. Ninety-five percent of all taxis in Thailand are Toyota Altis and there is definitely a reason for that. There is a new Teana coming soon, and that should be a great car and at the top of, but still within, your price range. Nissan has just come out with a new Selphy which looks to be a lot of car for the money, and has more inside room than the other cars in its class. Less than B1 million (significantly less) will get you a Selphy. There is a new Honda Accord coming, but it will top B1.5 million, I think. The Camry or the new Teana is a better choice.

[Thailaw]

Juts noticed I forgot to mention the Toyota Prius in the mid-size hatch category. Why do I always forget it?

Because it is an evil monstrosity of a machine not worthy of any remembrance what so ever. It is best forgotten.

He said "Prius", not "Fortuner"....

[eaustev]

When we had 2 young children around the age of yours we had a mid-size crossover (Ford Escape) which was a good vehicle for a small family as we could have kids in 2 cars seats in the back and still squeeze a third person in betweeen, which was quite handy if you pick up somebody along the way or want to take the maid/nanny with you. The luggage space in the back also proved sufficinet for weekends away including the stroller. In the same situation again I wouldn't buy the Escape as the model is now too old, but I assume the more recent offerings probably offer similar convenience but in a more modern package. Also good vehicles for Thai roads and not too big for parking in city areas.

My wife arbitrarily decided some time back that we needed a third child so we outgrew the mid size crossovers and now have two vehicles, one of which is a Pajero Sport. Good family vehicle, room for two child seats in the second row and a third person in between, and a fold out third row for extra passengers and visitors. Plenty of room the luggage with the third row folded away, a bit more agricultural not as smooth to drive as the crossovers but we find it good for Thai roads, a bit bigger for parking but no issue if you have the parking sensors and reversing camera. All the above would also apply to the Fortuner or Trailblazer.

As a second vehicle we also have a Ford Focus (previous generation) which with two car seats in the back it is more of a sqeeze to fit a third person in between, and for a family weekend away you are more restricted for luggage space particularly if you are also trying to fit in a stroller. Just prior to our third child (and the Pajero Sport) arriving we did have a long weekend away with the four of us in the Focus and we really missed the extra luggage space that the crossover offers. The Focus really just serves as the wife's run about and for family weekends away we always take the Pajero Sport.

[IMHO]

So the missing ones that would also be OK...

Proton Exora, 7 seater top of the range costs 850,000 baht....... appears a good car from many friends that own...

Toyota Avanza also 7 seater, bit truck like but top model is under 700,000 baht + has that magic Toyota name which Thais like so much..

Honda Freed also 7 seater, has that Honda badge, but over 900,000 baht..

Chery Tiggo Wagon, nice inside, looks like a Mk2 Rav4......... 825,000 baht

Soon the Chevrolet Spin ....... smaller 7 seater Chevrolet Trailblazer

As for estates are simply not popular here........ well no one main stream Thai makes them, so who knows, only the expensive models come here. so out of the normal persons price range.

Thanks Ignis, I can always rely on you to plug the gaps in my lists

Just one point though - the Chev Optra was offered in an Estate version for several years in the noughties, but never proved terribly popular. That's probably not a good metric for judging the popularity of estates in Thailand though, heh

[IMHO]

The "best bang for the buck" in Thailand is the pick-up truck, because of much lower taxes, and a diesel engine will allow you to used lower cost fuel. A 4 door Toyota truck would serve the needs of a family of 4 without any problem, and have ample room in the back for bags, boxes, and luggage, and a lockable cover can be added if that is required/helpful. Overall, a pick-up truck is a very good choice as a "family car" in Thailand. Visitors can be brought from the airport in a taxi or a rented car, each of which is cheap, and ferrying around the occasional extra passengers is not a reason to choose the car you will drive year round. If a truck will not satisfy, the Pajero Sport, which seats 7 comfortably, is the next best choice -- forget the Fortuner, it is strictly the car for the farang with something to prove. I believe that the Pajero Sport is now the most popular SUV sold in Thailand, which says a lot given the "nothing but Toyota" mindset here in Thailand. But there will be a new Pajero Sport in a few months, so it makes sense to wait for the new model to arrive in the showrooms. If a truck or SUV won't fit the bill, both the Toyota Altis and Camry are more than adequate for the normal requirments of a family of 4. Ninety-five percent of all taxis in Thailand are Toyota Altis and there is definitely a reason for that. There is a new Teana coming soon, and that should be a great car and at the top of, but still within, your price range. Nissan has just come out with a new Selphy which looks to be a lot of car for the money, and has more inside room than the other cars in its class. Less than B1 million (significantly less) will get you a Selphy. There is a new Honda Accord coming, but it will top B1.5 million, I think. The Camry or the new Teana is a better choice.

Great summary - just one correction though: the next gen Pajero Sport is most likely to arrive around Aug-Nov 2015 - around the same time we'll see the next-gen Fortuner... and if we're lucky, maybe Ford could even manage to have made a few T6 Everest's by then

[ignis]

Just one point though - the Chev Optra was offered in an Estate version for several years in the noughties, but never proved terribly popular. That's probably not a good metric for judging the popularity of estates in Thailand though, heh

Yes agree, only it was a Deawoo with a Chevy badge, I am sure that they did sell a lot more here with the Chevy badge, but at the same time you could have what Thais love a Toyota called a Wish, and there were/ still are 1,000's of them about

[TommoPhysicist]

This would be far more economic to run.

Plenty of room left for more children or visitors.

Edited February 28, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[ignis]

would Thais buy the new Toyota ?

guess we will never know, as this is built by Toyota UK.... petrol, diesel or Hybrid

[anon210]

When we had 2 young children around the age of yours we had a mid-size crossover (Ford Escape) which was a good vehicle for a small family as we could have kids in 2 cars seats in the back and still squeeze a third person in betweeen, which was quite handy if you pick up somebody along the way or want to take the maid/nanny with you. The luggage space in the back also proved sufficinet for weekends away including the stroller. In the same situation again I wouldn't buy the Escape as the model is now too old, but I assume the more recent offerings probably offer similar convenience but in a more modern package. Also good vehicles for Thai roads and not too big for parking in city areas.

My wife arbitrarily decided some time back that we needed a third child so we outgrew the mid size crossovers and now have two vehicles, one of which is a Pajero Sport. Good family vehicle, room for two child seats in the second row and a third person in between, and a fold out third row for extra passengers and visitors. Plenty of room the luggage with the third row folded away, a bit more agricultural not as smooth to drive as the crossovers but we find it good for Thai roads, a bit bigger for parking but no issue if you have the parking sensors and reversing camera. All the above would also apply to the Fortuner or Trailblazer.

As a second vehicle we also have a Ford Focus (previous generation) which with two car seats in the back it is more of a sqeeze to fit a third person in between, and for a family weekend away you are more restricted for luggage space particularly if you are also trying to fit in a stroller. Just prior to our third child (and the Pajero Sport) arriving we did have a long weekend away with the four of us in the Focus and we really missed the extra luggage space that the crossover offers. The Focus really just serves as the wife's run about and for family weekends away we always take the Pajero Sport.

To chime in on the use of a Pajero Sport as a family car, I would add that the boot is excellent as a nappy changer platform when on the move.

The big letdown for me has been the quality of customer care at the Mitsu service centers I visited and their frequent inability to answer simple queries or maintenance issues.

[beano2274]

So the missing ones that would also be OK...

Proton Exora, 7 seater top of the range costs 850,000 baht....... appears a good car from many friends that own...

Toyota Avanza also 7 seater, bit truck like but top model is under 700,000 baht + has that magic Toyota name which Thais like so much..

Honda Freed also 7 seater, has that Honda badge, but over 900,000 baht..

Chery Tiggo Wagon, nice inside, looks like a Mk2 Rav4......... 825,000 baht

Soon the Chevrolet Spin ....... smaller 7 seater Chevrolet Trailblazer

As for estates are simply not popular here........ well no one main stream Thai makes them, so who knows, only the expensive models come here. so out of the normal persons price range.

Thanks Ignis, I can always rely on you to plug the gaps in my lists

Just one point though - the Chev Optra was offered in an Estate version for several years in the noughties, but never proved terribly popular. That's probably not a good metric for judging the popularity of estates in Thailand though, heh

I have the Optra Estate, wife got it as a graduation present five years ago, still going strong. But I must say the Chev Cruze looks good, drove the hatchabck in Germany, but not coming here. The Cruze estate looks nice and meaty, but again not seen here. The Cruze is however a nice vehicle.

But if I was going to buy now it might be a Captiva or Fortuner or Pajero.

[GooEng]

Just another couple of lines here to echo the above about the pajero's suitability as a family vehicle - ours is a 2009 model and has probably hosted as many diaper changes as the house! A nice car to drive and comfortable for passengers front and rear. Good air-con too(important)!

I think the poor after sales service will very much depend on the place you go - our local centre is good and the larger provincial showroom in Korat has also been consistently good.

Edited February 28, 2013 by GooEng

[guzzi850m2]

I have a Ranger 2.2WT, love it, but only suitable for a small family. We only got one kid so we get by and if we get another we will still get by.

Safety rating 4 stars

Safety rating 3.2WT= 5 stars, curtain airbags and the whole 9 yard.

I think they gonna make a SUV later, could be interesting.

[Loaderfamily]

Thank you for all your responses, I was considering a Toyota pick up as I can never justify having one in the UK and thought it might be fun. Will certainly add the Pajero Sport to the short list too following all the positive comments.

[VocalNeal]

Thank you for all your responses, I was considering a Toyota pick up as I can never justify having one in the UK and thought it might be fun. Will certainly add the Pajero Sport to the short list too following all the positive comments.

Yes get the full experience.

BTW you can think of a Pajero/Fortuner as a hatchback version of the truck, if you like.

[Thailaw]

The "best bang for the buck" in Thailand is the pick-up truck, because of much lower taxes, and a diesel engine will allow you to used lower cost fuel. A 4 door Toyota truck would serve the needs of a family of 4 without any problem, and have ample room in the back for bags, boxes, and luggage, and a lockable cover can be added if that is required/helpful. Overall, a pick-up truck is a very good choice as a "family car" in Thailand. Visitors can be brought from the airport in a taxi or a rented car, each of which is cheap, and ferrying around the occasional extra passengers is not a reason to choose the car you will drive year round. If a truck will not satisfy, the Pajero Sport, which seats 7 comfortably, is the next best choice -- forget the Fortuner, it is strictly the car for the farang with something to prove. I believe that the Pajero Sport is now the most popular SUV sold in Thailand, which says a lot given the "nothing but Toyota" mindset here in Thailand. But there will be a new Pajero Sport in a few months, so it makes sense to wait for the new model to arrive in the showrooms. If a truck or SUV won't fit the bill, both the Toyota Altis and Camry are more than adequate for the normal requirments of a family of 4. Ninety-five percent of all taxis in Thailand are Toyota Altis and there is definitely a reason for that. There is a new Teana coming soon, and that should be a great car and at the top of, but still within, your price range. Nissan has just come out with a new Selphy which looks to be a lot of car for the money, and has more inside room than the other cars in its class. Less than B1 million (significantly less) will get you a Selphy. There is a new Honda Accord coming, but it will top B1.5 million, I think. The Camry or the new Teana is a better choice.

Great summary - just one correction though: the next gen Pajero Sport is most likely to arrive around Aug-Nov 2015 - around the same time we'll see the next-gen Fortuner... and if we're lucky, maybe Ford could even manage to have made a few T6 Everest's by then

I did these calculations on new car tax burden some time ago (late 2011 or early 2012 as I recall), based on information posted here by MRO and elsewhere on the internet, but I expect that the conclusions are still reasonably accurate:

Total tax burden on a 2.5 diesel double cab truck is 22% (as a percentage of the manufacturer's total price, excluding tax (of course, if you use retail price including tax, the tax burden as a percentage goes down significantly)).

Total tax burden on a Pajero Sport is 32%. I expect that this holds for other truck platform SUVs, like the Fortuner.

Total tax burden on a 2.0 Camry is 40.75%. I expect that this holds for other 2,000cc full-sized cars like the Teana 200XL.

Total tax burden on a 2.4 (the new model is 2.5) Camry is 50.1%. I expect that this holds for other 2,500cc full-sized cars like the Teana 250XV.

Taxes on new cars in Thailand are very high and are a big part of the reason that cars are so expensive in Thailand. So, if you want more vehicle (and less tax) for the money spent, pick-up trucks or truck platform SUVs are the way to go.

Good luck with your choice.