What city-friendly wagon should I buy?

The dilemma

Tanya's 2013 Volkswagen Golf is feeling the pressure from her new side-business, furniture restoration. She's been amazed by the VW's carrying ability but it needs the back seats folded to excel and that isn't always practical. Sliding furniture in and out is also murdering the cabin trim. What kind of car might stand up better to regular load-lugging while still being compact, economical and urban-friendly?

The budget

About $30,000

The shortlist

The most obvious option for Tanya is a small wagon but this path also has a few question marks. One, its cabin won't necessarily stand up to rough-and-tumble treatment any better than her current car. And what about bigger items or if her furniture-restoration thing really takes off?

So we're going to throw a curve ball in the shape of a car that could solve such issues ? a small van. Sure, there are inherent downsides relative to a regular passenger car, but there are also some compelling advantages for the dedicated load-lugger.

2012-15 Hyundai i30 Tourer, from $12,800*

This Hyundai has a larger, more usefully shaped boot than a small hatch (528 litres or 1642 litres in two-seat mode) but it's no harder to drive or park.

It has the same comfortable ride, surefooted handling, solid safety and generous occupant space as any i30, and a strong, thrifty optional diesel engine.

While discontinued recently, last-of-the-line 2015 MY16 Series II demo models are still kicking around. These leave change from $30k and come with the balance of Hyundai's five-year warranty/lifetime fixed-price servicing combo.

Solid as it is, though, the i30 isn't a benchmark of driving flair, driveability (in petrol form), cabin lushness or technology. Some of the safety aids now available in the small-van class are notable omissions.

Read Drive's Hyundai i30 reviews:

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Renault Kangoo Maxi Crew, from $27,990

The Crew is essentially a long-wheelbase Kangoo van with a back seat thrown in.

In five-seat mode it has a big, box-shaped space with a hard-wearing rubber floor. In two-seat mode it'll move just about anything Tanya can throw at it.

The Crew's long wheelbase means it isn't quite as agile as a typical small car. Its ride is noisier, bouncier and it has fewer features ? curtain airbags for back-seat occupants and a reversing camera are absent. An auto gearbox isn't available.

Mostly, though, it's as easy to drive and live with as any small car. Its diesel engine is willing and thrifty, and it's not entirely bereft of passenger-car amenity ? Bluetooth and auto headlights/wipers are standard; sat-nav and front side/head airbags are optional.

Read Drive's Renault Kangoo reviews:

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Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Crewvan, from $29,690

This VW, like the Renault, is a long-wheelbase small van with a back seat added to the mix.

It's newer, though, which brings big safety benefits. Front side/head airbags are standard, a reversing camera optional and it has this group's only autonomous emergency braking (also optional).

Refined road manners, a sweet petrol engine and classy cabin endow the Caddy with more of a passenger-car vibe than most vans. VW's fixed-priced servicing program has double the coverage of Renault's (six years/90,000km versus three years/45,000km)

A Caddy with added fruit, though, will really test this budget. Like its rival it misses out on rear curtain airbags (for those you need the dedicated people-mover version) and is less than agile in really tight spaces.

Dual-clutch auto versions (DSG in VW speak) suffer from the usual stop/start stutters and the back seat ? which folds and tumbles, and needs to removed altogether for maximum capacity ?? isn't as user-friendly as the Kangoo's simple flat-folding setup

Read Drive's Volkswagen Caddy reviews:

First drive: 2016 Volkswagen Caddy

Short haul: Volkswagen Caddy Maxi

Drive recommends

Before we can decide whether a small van is better than a small wagon for Tanya we need to pick the best small van. The Caddy, owing to its more car-like qualities and less-restrictive transmission line-up, gets to the line first, though the Kangoo has its temptations.

Does that it make the Caddy better for her than an i30? Well, the latter delivers the superior load-lugging capacity she is craving, has fewer inherent driving and safety compromises, and asks less of the wallet. By most measures it has to win.

If, however, this furniture thing is really going to take over her life, she may well decide the benefits of a truly big, hardy load space outweigh the losses. Plenty of other small-business owners do.

* Values are estimates provided by Redbook based on an example averaging up to 20,000km per annum and in a well-maintained condition relevant to its age.

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