Skoda Roomster : BUDGET SPACE

For real world families, there's not much to beat Skoda's surprising little Roomster, thinks June Neary

If like me, you've rejected the idea of a van-based compact MPV people carrier on the grounds that, well, it's a van, then the car I've been looking at this week could well be of interest. Skoda's Roomster is indeed from this genre, but you wouldn't know it, either visually or from a user perspective. In fact, the only thing that really gives it away is the price. From around £10,000, it's the same as you'd pay for van-like van-based models. Not cars that look lifted from a futuristic motorshow stand. To be fair, not everyone will get on with the Roomster's rather individual looks but I have to say that I rather like them. And, thanks heavens, they're different, which is refreshing in today's sea of look-alike family runabouts.

My press kit defined the Roomster as being a car of two halves - or `rooms' as the Skoda PR machine would have me refer to them. The `Driving Room' is the area occupied by the driver and front passenger and it feels very much like that of any conventional family hatchback. I found the driving position to be comfortable, with a good degree of adjustment and much less upright than in most MPV products. Quality materials have also been used and build quality is strong. Move rearward and you enter the Roomster's `Living Room' and it's here that the vehicle's van-like silhouette pays dividends. The roofline steps up, allowing the rear seats to be mounted 46mm higher than those in the front: this boosts the space available to passengers. My passengers reported that leg and headroom were both extremely generous and there's a light, airy feel to the space thanks to the large windows. The optional panoramic glass roof that was fitted to my test car increased this effect and helped on longer trips with small occupants. As any parent knows, children become bored more quickly if they don't have a good view of the scenery. The rear seating seems also to have been thoughtfully designed. All three sections of the rear bench are individually foldable and removable. They also recline as well as sliding fore and aft so that owners can choose either to maximise passenger legroom or to bump up capacity in the extremely generous boot behind. This boot is accessed through a large tailgate which lifts to reveal a capacity of 450 litres. Then, depending on the position of the rear seats, owners have the option of increasing that cargo space right up to a truly van-like 1,780 litres - which is achieved when all three seats are positioned in the garage at home. All this helps to open up a wide range of potential interior configurations for the Roomster - a real strength when it comes to meeting the varying needs of modern families.

Bearing in mind this car's commercial ancestry (the underpinnings are based on a VW Caddy van), I was expecting a less than exhilarating driving experience - but it wasn't too bad. Skoda have laid-on six engines for buyers to choose from and these are equally split between petrol and diesel. The petrol range opens with a 70bhp 1.2-litre unit, then there's an 85bhp 1.4 and a 105bhp 1.6. The three-cylinder 1.2-litre is more capable than you would expect given its size and will be quite adequate for many family buyers. If you plan on undertaking longer journeys, the 1.4 may be a better option with its 132Nm torque output at 3,800rpm. The 1.6 feels more muscular still with 155Nm produced at the same engine speed. The diesels with their superior fuel economy are where a lot of the smart money will go but, as always, they're priced at a sizable premium, so make sure you're going to cover enough mileage to recoup this extra outlay at the pumps. Many will also prefer the more relaxed driving characteristics of the oil-burners, however, with the 70 and 80bhp 1.4-litre three-cylinder options producing torque figures of 155Nm and 195Nm respectively. The 80bhp model can also manage a superb 54.3mpg average fuel economy return. The range-topping engine is the 1.9-litre TDI and here you get 105bhp and a sizable 240Nm torque rating. All the engines get a 5-speed gearbox with an optional six-speed auto `box available for the more powerful petrol versions. To go with its car-like driving position, the Roomster also delivers impressively car-like handling. The result isn't something you'll be finding excuses to drive, but a vehicle that doesn't handle too badly either, with surprisingly little roll considering the height of the vehicle. It stays nice and quiet when you're on the move as well, with only limited wind and road noise finding its way inside.

With its composed handling and clever interior, the Roomster is a far more sophisticated proposition than your typical van-based MPV and it doesn't cost much more than one. The basic price of around £10,000 for a 1.2-litre model in base Roomster S trim looks attractive enough but the range-topping Roomster Scout car stretches to over £14,000.

I found myself really liking the Roomster once I'd put the PR hype aside and started to live with one. As a car for real families spending real money in the real world, it's difficult to think of much to beat it.