USED Nissan Primera Hatchback (96 - 02)

It’s often overlooked, but a used Primera makes a fine low-cost family car, provided you can live with the bland styling and aren’t interested in impressing the neighbours.

You can fit a couple of six-footers in the back, and this hatchback version is even more practical than the saloon that might tempt you. Up front, there’s no shortage of space, most people will find the driving position comfortable and the dull-looking dashboard is easy to use.

It’s all well built, too, and the quality of materials is a cut above the contemporary Ford Mondeo’s. You get a decent amount of kit, too.

So the Primera is very family friendly, and the driver will like it. It’s an involving drive and the petrol engines rev willingly. However, the diesel is short of refinement, the ride is firm and, on a motorway trip, it gets on your nerves.

There isn’t much of a price gap between the hatch and saloon, so we’d take the hatch. We’d also look for an SE or Sport version; the entry-level E trim and the GX are pretty basic. SE equips you with everything you need for safe, comfortable family motoring, while Sport adds a splash of aluminium in the cabin and smart alloy wheels.

GT versions are well kitted out and have a 150bhp 2.0-litre engine for warm-hatch pace (0-60mph in 8.8sec, 136mph). It’s a good car, but we wouldn’t pay the extra over the standard 138bhp 2.0, which is our pick. With the manual gearbox, it’s perky, eager to rev and quite frugal. Avoid the thirsty, sluggish CVT (continuously variable transmission) auto gearbox, though.

The willing 1.8 is a good second choice and as easy on the juice as the tardy 1.6. There’s also a tough, fuel-efficient, if noisy, 2.0 diesel.

No second mortgage required here. The Primera is very cheap to buy these days, especially given the way it drives, handles family life and just keeps on going.

Warranty Direct says Nissans are among the cheapest cars to fix, and scheduled servicing will be easy on the wallet, too. Reckon to pay about the same as you would for most other mainstream family cars, such as the Vauxhall Vectra. Take it to a good independent garage, rather than a franchised dealer, and you can expect to shave a quarter off the labour bill, according to Warranty Direct.

Other running costs are equally tame. The 1.6 and 1.8 petrols are capable of 38-39mpg, the 2.0 petrols 32-36mpg and the diesel around 42mpg. You’re in for average insurance premiums, too – from the 1.6’s group 7 up to 13 for the 2.0 GT.

Take a bow, Sunderland. The people at Nissan’s factory there built the Primera to run and run, so it’s generally a tough bit of kit and solidly screwed together. A good service history is still very desirable, though.

Claims made by Warranty Direct customers are almost exclusively for electrical, suspension and axle faults. The climate control is an area of particular concern, so give that a proper test because it will be pricey to fix.

Watch out for tyres that have worn unevenly, too, since that can be a sign of suspension trouble. On the test drive, be wary of clonks and make sure the car tracks straight, corners tidily and has a little give over bumps.

Alloy wheels, where fitted, are known to have a corrosion problem. And, 1.6 and 1.8 models built in 2001 had a fault that caused them to stall. A recall should have sorted it, but check.