Nissan Note v Citroen Berlingo Multispace v Skoda Roomster

As any parent knows, having children is an expensive business. So when it comes to transporting them around, finding an afford­able set of wheels is essential. Luckily, there is an abundance of MPVs available, and buyers are certainly not short of choice, particularly at the budget end of the market.

Skoda is the latest manufacturer to get in on the act with its new Roomster. The supermini-MPV was first displayed as a concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003, and after receiving positive feedback from visitors, the company put it into production. It’s assembled at the same factory in Kvasiny, Czech Republic, as the Superb saloon. And what’s more, the Roomster is the first Skoda since the VW Group took control in 1991 not to be based on one of the parent firm’s existing platforms – instead, it uses components from the Octavia and Fabia.

Another relative newcomer to this sector is the Nissan Note. The winner of the Best Supermini-MPV award at this year’s Auto Express New Car Honours (Issue 915), it is designed to blend des­irable styling with practicality.

Using a stretched version of the Micra platform which also underpins the new Renault Clio and Modus, the Note is priced along the same lines as the Roomster, and will give the Skoda some strong competition. Nissan certainly thinks so – it believes the model will rise to the top of the sector.

Then there’s the Citroen Berlingo Multispace. Although it’s now beginning to look dated, the French car still has plenty to offer – most notably value for money. The Citroen is the cheapest and largest model of our test trio, and its no-nonsense functionality is difficult to ignore.

So will Skoda’s first foray into the MPV sector prove successful here? Or will the Note be able to retain its crown as class leader from the Roomster and the Berlingo? Read on to find out which is the best choice for a growing family...