HONDA STREAM 2.0 i-VTEC SE Sport 5dr (2001)

We can always rely on it to get us and the family from A to B

I remember about ten years ago or thereabouts when it got fashionable to have a car with more than four or five seats. That was pretty handy because it was about then that we needed more! We had a look at some of the more popular ones like the Galaxy and Xsara and that sort of thing, but we ended up with the Honda Stream Sport after hearing some slightly worrying things about the reliability of the others, and we already had a Honda anyway, which was perfectly reliable for us all the time. We haven't got it anymore, but we only sold it cos the Stream was sufficient for our needs.

We were a bit disappointed that we wouldn't be able to get a diesel, apparently they never made any, and we wanted one because even back then the price of fuel was going up and up, and you get more bang for your buck with diesel. So petrol it was, and that has probably turned out to be the biggest problem. Don't get me wrong the Honda Stream is ok, but I think we probably get between 30 and 40 mpg on long drives, and a bit less day to day, which these days is getting quite expensive.

But that really is the biggest problem. Apart from that our Stream has been a wonderful car, so reliable and dependable, loads of space for us and the kids. The seats are perfectly adequate, although I wouldn't be all that sure about getting adults into the third row. We're comfy enough up front but I once sat in the back for a journey of about 100 miles, and that wasn't all that comfy.

I know that more recent editions of this car have got a helping hand system that helps you to park. Now that would have been good, but it's easy enough to see all round without. I would appreciate something like that though.

When we got our Honda Stream it had had some work done under warranty, I think it was to do with the air con, but we really haven't had anything much at all go wrong, just some little thing with one of the brakes that was picked up on one of the services, and other normal things like tyres, but those haven't been too frequent.