Used Hyundai Trajet MPV 2000 - 2007 review

The Trajet is bigger than many of its rivals, so it can seat seven adults in comfort. Both leg- and headroom are generous, and there's a good-sized boot, even with all the seats in place. The five rearmost seats can be removed when you need maximum load space, but they're heavy to lift.

The driving position could also be better. The seat can be adjusted for height, but the steering wheel has no reach adjustment. Still, there are lots of cubby-holes, and most of the buttons are chunky and easy to use.

Unfortunately, the Trajet's drive falls short of the best European and Japanese MPVs. Its ride is overly firm around town and becomes bouncy at speed. The steering is light, but doesn't offer enough feedback, and there's a lot of body lean around corners.

Refinement is also disappointing. The engines are noisy under acceleration and, although they're quieter at speed, they're still not what you'd call quiet.

The Trajet was one of the cheapest large MPVs when new, and its weak resale values mean used buyers can pick up a tasty bargain.

Hyundai also offered all of its models with a five-year warranty from September 2002, while rivals typically only come with three years' protection. This extra period of cover is a big plus if you're looking to buy a large MPV that's only a few years old.

Repair costs are low and most running costs competitive. The diesel averages 39.2mpg and the petrol 32.5mpg, while both cars fall into a fairly low group 10 insurance bracket.

In fact, only servicing may be a problem for those on a tight budget. The Trajet is relatively pricey to maintain, setting owners back several hundred pounds more than many rival MPVs over a three year ownership period.

There are two engines - a 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre turbodiesel, which is badged CRTD. The diesel has 111bhp, and the petrol 139bhp, but the diesel is stronger in everyday driving thanks to an extra 54lb ft of pulling power.

You'll need to work the petrol engine hard to get the Trajet up to speed and keep it there, whereas the diesel offers decent mid-range acceleration and is quieter.

That said, this is essentially a budget family car, so the petrol still makes most sense. It cost £1000 less than the 2.0 CRTD when new and a used example will save you a similar amount. The petrol is also reasonably fuel-efficient, if not quite a match for the diesel.

Two trims are available, with even the entry GSI cars (our favourites) getting air-con, a CD player, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors and four airbags. The higher SX cars also come with sat-nav, but security provisions could be better on both.