New and Used Saloons For Sale

Yes, for many families a saloon makes a lot of sense. The long wheelbase gives growing children plenty of rear legroom, and the big, sealed boot keeps the weekly shop and holiday bags out of sight and locked away. Four full-size doors make fitting a child seat easy, and modern saloons score strongly for safety. The one thing to weigh up is the boot opening, which is narrower than a hatchback's, so very bulky items can be trickier to load, though folding the rear seats down frees up plenty of extra space.

A saloon is a car with a classic three-box design: one section for the engine, one for the passengers, and a separate boot at the back. The main difference from a hatchback is the boot itself - on a saloon the lid opens on its own and the rear window stays put, so the cabin and luggage area are kept completely separate. They almost always have four doors, and you might hear them called 'sedans', which is simply the American term for the same thing.

It comes down to aerodynamics. On a saloon, the angled rear window and the boot behind it let air flow smoothly over the glass, carrying most rain and road dirt away as you drive. The swirling, dirtier air gathers further back, behind the boot, rather than on the window itself. Hatchbacks and estates have a near-upright rear window that sits right in that messier airflow, which is why they tend to need a wiper. It isn't foolproof, so in heavy rain or snow a quick wipe by hand still helps.

As with any car, it depends on the model you choose. Desirable executive and performance saloons from sought-after brands tend to keep their value well, since used demand for them stays strong. Some everyday saloons can soften a little faster, simply because so many buyers now choose an SUV instead. A few things help: picking a popular model and powertrain, keeping the mileage sensible, and looking after the condition and service history. Choosing one that's a year or two old also means someone else has already taken the biggest hit in value.