Dear Alex,
My folding electric wheelchair just about fits my 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, but only with a lot of lifting and shunting about. I want an estate car that has a level load area and can accommodate the wheelchair (which is 960mm long, 450mm high and 680mm wide) straight in. My budget is £18,000, which includes the part-exchange on the Toyota. I would prefer a petrol engine; an Audi A6 Avant 2.0 TFSI S Line seems to fit the bill. Is this a good choice? What are the alternatives?
– NB
Dear NB,
The A6 Avant is coming to the end of its life and there’s a new A6 on the horizon, but I’m still a fan of the quietly competent way the current one gets the job done. It’s extremely comfortable, remarkably refined and beautifully finished inside, while with the 2.0-litre petrol turbo engine it should feel fast and easy to drive.
A Mercedes-Benz E-Class has a larger boot, however. It also has the advantage of a lower boot lip, which means even less effort to get your wheelchair in. And because the boot is larger, you’ll be able to stow more luggage alongside your chair than you will with the Audi.
For a more cost-effective alternative, look at a Skoda Superb. The current model is on run-out, but a new version will be in showrooms very soon. The Superb is remarkably well equipped for the price, with even the most basic version getting massage seats, adaptive cruise control and three-zone climate control, while the engine range includes a fuel-efficient 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engine.
One final thought, if it isn’t too utilitarian, is the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect. We really rate this rather unsung van conversion for its ride comfort and surprising refinement. The boot opens to reveal a super-low load lip and a cavernous load bay that, with the third row of seats folded away, offers more than enough space for your chair. Andrew English has been running one as a long-term test car – and he loves it. I’d say that makes it worth a long, hard look.
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