From the sounds of your requirements an MPV would have suited you best, high seating, low boot sill, they are mostly van derived now and the scheme is not exactly flush with choices as manufacturers have switched to SUV’s. There’s the Stellantis Peugeot Rifter, the Berlingo, Vauxhall Combo and Toyota – all much the same car seating & boot wise (sadly, mostly electric only). Then the VW Caddy/Ford Tourneo Connect – same car but different…I think the VW Touran is still available, the last of the very flexible MPV’s that every manufacturer flooded the market with not long ago.
Lifting into an SUV has not been an issue for us as long as there is no lip to the sill. Lowering into and lifting out of a boot is not something you’ll be wanting to do. As Glos Guy said, there’s so many choices and sizes, it will really depend on your own comfort choices with regards to seating/controls.
The raised estates are largely gone in favour of SUV’s. The Focus Active is 30mm higher than standard, I think it’s the only raised estate on the scheme & not long now till the Focus is discontinued entirely by Ford.
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