Mazda 6 Problems

All of the cars you name meet your criteria of size, economy, performance and handling.

You could also add the Mazda3 and 6 to the list.

Of all of those I would nominate the Camry as the great all-rounder.

Stick to the well-proven Japanese brands, such as the Mazda 6, Honda Accord, and perhaps the Korean Kia Cerato. As a private sale your Mazda would be worth $11,000-$12,000, as a trade-in $8000-$10,000.

I would question the Renault if you're doing lots of kays in then country. I'm sure it would be reliable, but having it serviced when you need to could be an issue if you're away from a main city. The Kia is a good choice, so too are the Mazdas. You could add the Honda Accord, Subaru Liberty and Suzuki Kizashi to your list.

You are choosing from a good line-up as all three of your contenders get The Tick from me. My personal ranking puts the Passat ahead of the Outback but there is no reason not to go ahead with the Subaru.

A cargo cover and a cargo net are included in the standard features of the Mazda 6 wagon. If you feel they are not enough I'm sure the dealer could have a hard cargo barrier fitted for you.

You don’t say what makes it hard to get in and out for you, so I’m taking a stab in the dark. There are a couple of possibilities, one being that the doors are too short and don't open wide enough, another is that it’s too low. A move to a mid-size hatch like a Mazda6, Honda Accord or Subaru Liberty would probably address the first, while a high-riding SUV such as a Kia Sportage, Hyundai iX35 or Mitsubishi ASX would help with the second.

The Camry is a good choice, it's well-built and reliable, and won't cost the Earth to service. Another to consider would be the Mazda 6, also a well-built and reliable car of about the same size as the Camry.

You'll find most cars will be noisy on that type of surface and I'd be loath to recommend one without having driven it on your roads. Another possible solution if you like the Mazda 6 is to remove the rear seats and install some sound deadening on the wheel arches.