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Hyundai has transformed itself from a maker of oddball hatchbacks that sold in small numbers in the UK, to a major rival to the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

The Korean firm’s Ioniq Hybrid is particularly impressive, having beaten the trend-setting Toyota Prius when we tested the cars back to back.

Meanwhile, at the extremes of the Hyundai range you find the tiny i10 city car – a four-time What Car? award winner – and the stylish yet family-friendly Santa Fe SUV.

As a bonus, all of these cars come with the reassurance of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, whereas most of Hyundai’s rivals offer only three years and 60,000 miles of cover.

HYUNDAI

TRAJET

There are better MPVs, but it gives you a lot of space and kit for the money

Used Hyundai Trajet MPV 2000 - 2007

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 better MPVs, but it gives you a lot of space and kit for the money

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.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

Hyundai's recent reliability record has been good, with solid performances in the annual JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey and good scores in our reliability surveys.

Trajets have been known to suffer from sticking gearboxes, immobiliser faults and power steering pump problems, however, and cars we've driven have had too many rattles and squeaks, suggesting cabin quality could be better.

There have also been three recalls on the Trajet during its life. The first two, issued in 2003 and 2004, were to do with fuel leaks in diesel models. The third, issued later in 2004, affected petrols as well and was due to the handbrake cable wearing prematurely. As ever, if you're looking at an affected car, check the work was done.

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.

Used Hyundai Trajet MPV 2000 - 2007 reliability

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Used Hyundai Trajet MPV 2000 - 2007 review

Hyundai's recent reliability record has been good, with solid performances in the annual JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey and good scores in our reliability surveys.,Trajets have been known to suffer from sticking gearboxes, immobiliser faults and power steering pump problems, however, and cars we've driven have had too many rattles and squeaks, suggesting cabin quality could be better.,There have also been three recalls on the Trajet during its life. The first two, issued in 2003 and 2004, were to do with fuel leaks in diesel models. The third, issued later in 2004, affected petrols as well and was due to the handbrake cable wearing prematurely. As ever, if you're looking at an affected car, check the work was done.

What to look for when buying a Hyundai Trajet 2000 - 2007, covering common problems to check for and overall vehicle reliability.

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