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Today here at Shortfall we are pleased to bring you a list of five of the very best people carrier vehicles on the roads of the UK right now. People carriers have certainly proven to play a crucial part in the success of the world wide automotive industry as we see more and more being produced as the years go by. Nearly every brand around the world offers a people carrier vehicle in some form and today we take a look into a total of five manufacturers who have represented themselves very well on the people carrier market. The people carrier vehicle which can often be referred to as a minivan or an MPV benefit from much more interior space than other vehicles on the road. Legroom and head room comes into play with MPV models and have had a key role to play since one of the first variants of a people carrier was introduced during the 1930's. One of the first major manufacturers still In business today to introduce a people carrier was the well known German company Volkswagen. They launched their type 2 mini van into the world back in 1964 and was later followed by additions from other big brands such as American manufacturers Ford and Dodge and Chevrolet too. The majority of people carrier vehicles come in the form of a front wheel drive with some of the biggest manufacturers to incorporate these features into their vehicles being Ford and Citroen.

 

Which people carriers have proven to be key sellers on the new car market ?

 

We have compiled the following list in regards to an overall driving experience, interior space, features and power that the car packs. So to start of our list we see a vehicle that has certainly proven to be great fun for the whole family...

 

The Peugeot 3008

The 3008 from French firm Peugeot has proven to be one of the biggest selling vehicles on European markets ever since the model was originally launched in various countries around the world back in 2009. The car is still being produced to this day and could very well be one of the must own vehicles if you're looking for a car that will please your family well. The vehicle is still being produced to this day and has since won awards for car of the year 2010. The 3008 has also proven to be very much up to date as back in February of 2012 the manufacturer launched a hybrid version of the car which is known as the Hybrid 4. This version of the car also made history as it was the first hybrid vehicle in the world to combine both an electronic motor and a diesel engine. A total of five different engine ranges where made available for the 3008 which consisted of a 1.6 VTI,a 1.6 THP,HDi 110,HDi 150 and a Hdi 163. Power ranges from the engines included range from 108bhp right up to 161 brake horse power for the Hdi 163 model.

 

Additional pieces of equipment come along with the 3008 also depending on which trim level you would like to purchase for the car. As for as the price range for the 3008 goes, you can expect to make the purchase brand new for an entry level 3008 of £17,180 with prices rising up to £29,965 for the top of the range 3008.

Peugeot 3008 Shortfall

 

Next up in our list is a vehicle addition from the Italian mass manufacturer Fiat. This vehicle was originally put on sale across countries world wide just last year. This people carrier is just one variant of many that has been released over the years for the well known vehicle and it has gained much success since it's original launch.

 

 

The Fiat 500 L

The 500 L is made available in over 100 different countries which is a great step to success from the Italian company behind the idea. Although not quite as large as some other people carriers on the market, it still benefits from a decent amount of space and comfort. The Fiat 500 has been one of the biggest selling vehicles for the Fiat brand for the past fifty seven years ever since the first model was launched in 1957. Many variations of the car have gone on sale over the years but perhaps none more impressive than the 500 L. A total of three versions of the 500 L have gone on sale since 2013 which include the Trekking version,the seven seat living model and the standard 500L.Each variation of the car comes with the choices of two petrol engines or one diesel option. These consist of a 1.3 litre,turbo diesel and a range of 1.4 litre,four cylinder petrol engines. The petrol variants come fitted with six speed gearboxes as standard whereas the diesel engine is only offered with a five speed gearbox.

 

There are also some additional pieces of kit that come along with all four trim levels of the vehicle. Each trim benefits more on equipment than the one that came before with some great features such as a hill start assist system,16 inch alloy wheels,six separate colour options and a dual panel sun roof also comes along with the range topping trim level. Prices for a brand new Fiat 500 L begin at £13,020 with the range topping version of the car selling for a grand total of £21,067.

Fiat 500 L Shortfall

 

 

 

 

 

Next up in our line up is the addition of the Nissan Note.

 

The Nissan Note

The very first Note people carrier from the Nissan company was launched in 2004 and maintained production up until last year. It was however during 2012 that the second generation Nissan Note was introduced to the world. Since the original launch of the car the Nissan Note was most popular back in 2006 when it sold 71,659 units in Europe alone. The vehicle has received many updates over the years with the latest coming this year which saw changes within the engine range which brought in new engines which help benefit on lower C02 emissions. An emergency braking system,a standard rear centre seat headrest,optional15 inch aluminium wheels,a new front grille,new front bumper and an all new fog lamp also find their way into this years updated model which is known as the Nissan Note Medalist. The very first Note model was revealed to the general public back at the 2004 Paris motor show. It has since been built in the brands Sunderland factory here in the United Kingdom. The price range for one of the latest Nissan Note models ranges from £11,645 rising upwards to £15,985 depending on optional extras.

Nissan Note Shortfall

 

 

The Ford B Max

Next to rank up high in our list is the addition of the B Max from the American manufacturer Ford. This vehicle was launched officially in 2012 and is still being produced today. The car was originally unveiled as a concept machine back in 2011 from the Geneva motor show and then went on to be launched onto our streets on the first of September 2012.The B Max model takes its styling design from the big selling Fiesta model which is one of the companies biggest sellers of all time and comes in a five door layout. Over the years we have seen the B Max lock horns with the likes of the Nissan Note and the C3 Picasso from Citroen. The B Max was produced in the companies plant over in Romania and the very first car to be produced was purchase by Romania's president. Both five speed manual and six speed automatic transmission systems make their way into the B Max along side five different engine choices. These engine ranges consist of a 1.0 litre Ecoboost engine,a 1.4 and a 1.6 litre Durateq engine line up and finally Duratorq engine ranges finish the range with the additions of a 1.5 and a 1.6 litre. There are currently three different trim levels made available with the B Max which consist of Studio, Zetec and Titanium. The entry level model however is only made available with a 1.4 litre engine. The B Max was also originally brought in as a replacement for the Ford Fusion model. Price ranges for the current Ford B Max range from £12,985 for the entry level Studio model with prices rising to £19,130 for the range topping Titanium model.

Ford B Max Shortfall

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Citroen C4 Picasso

Now finally in our list of the five best people carriers available on the market, we welcome in the additions of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso. This people carrier vehicle from French manufacturer Citroen is a brand new vehicle for this year and officially went on sale in January of this year. Some of the key benefits of the all new Grand C4 Picasso include some interior features and some additional pieces of technology which help the car stand out very well. Interior space, power and comfort all have a key part to play in the success of this vehicle. So with a first look into the power side of things and what hides underneath the bonnet we see that Citroen have included the fitting of a 2.0 litre,four cylinder engine which is also joined along side by a six speed manual transmission system. With the transmission system and the engine coming into play, we see the C4 Grand Picasso develop an all new round 148 units of brake horse power. With that being said we see the C4 Grand Picasso hit an overall top speed of 130 miles per hour which can be helped to achieve this overall speed by the 9.8 seconds in which it takes the vehicle to reach the 62mph area from a standstill.

 

Now in regards to some of the additional pieces of equipment to come along with the car you can also expect to receive the welcome additions of a panoramic roof,a keyless entry and start system,massaging seats and a touch screen infotainment system also. Prices for the Grand C4 Picasso range from £18,435 up to £25,170 for the highest spec range of the car.

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso Shortfall

 

 

How have these people carriers affected the future of the car industry ?

 

Well with the exception of the Grand C4 Picasso from Citroen which has only just gone on sale,the other vehicles we have included in this list have certainly made an impact during their time on the roads and will continue to do so. The Grand C4 Picasso which has just gone on sale will certainly make an impact in the upcoming years too. Power and performance rates often come in strongly for people carriers as do comfort measures and technological advancements. With the speed that the automotive industry is changing as the months go by, future people carriers in the automotive industry could very well be set to improve even more than what they already have.