Economical used petrol with the driveability of a diesel

[Farmer Geddon]

I'm out of touch with small engined petrol cars, as I've never had one. Hopefully some input on here could save some time wasted on viewings and test drives!

My lad is currently saving for a house, so he sold his thirsty Audi and bought a Smart Fortwo to save some money. He's decided it's not for him very quickly.

He has around the value of the smart to spend on an alternative (around 3k, or less) but prefers petrol over diesel, so my suggestion of a Polo Bluemotion was out. I also suggested something reliable for shed budget like a petrol avensis or mondeo, and spend the purchase money saved on fuel, but he is keen to get something a little newer.

Can anyone recommend a petrol that's very economical, not too slow/that you don't have to thrash everywhere to make progress and has better driveability day to day than the usual suspects? The Bluemotion Polo my wife had a few years ago was averaging 68mpg, now I Doubt it can be matched for the overall package and intended purpose, but I'd like to hear of a petrol that does a decent job and doesn't feel a chore to drive outside of a city.

Cheers

[IanCress]

I'd say the 1.0 Ecoboost in the Fiesta is right up your street, but they've only been around for 3 or 4 years so don't think you'll find one for £3k.
It's torquey (though there's a fair bit of lag at low speeds) and can easily achieve 50mpg in normal driving.

[Foul Bob]

Perhaps a Colt CZT with the 1.5 turbo, or one of the more refined small hatches like a fabia, polo etc. Most small to mid sized petrol cars can do pretty good MPG if driven conservatively anyway. I'd definitely spend a grand less on something nicer to be in and use the rest on fuel but each to their own!

Or just go for the Bluemotion or some sort of Corsa 1.3 cdti, the pug 206 2.0 HDI has an economy map for cheap which gives great economy.

If it's not a forever thing then putting up with diesel for massive economy gains shouldn't be too much hardship for a while

[CX53]

It might not have the diesel torque, but this is my suggestion

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

52mpg combined, fast enough, big enough, refined enough, excellent reliability. All the car you need, minus an upmarket badge or cool image, but it's the first one that came up when I searched, better and more attractive specs are out there and don't look too bad IMO

[vrsmxtb]

Can any of the VAG 1.2TSI be picked up for 3k yet? Cracking little engine, if so.

[J4CKO]

Hate to admit it, but nothing touches a diesel for that low down grunt and economy, N/A petrols that are of sufficient capacity to give the same torque as even a fairly average 1.9 tdi are usually over 2 litres, really need a V6 of 3 litres or more to get near and they are usually crap on fuel.

We have an Ecoboost Fiesta, its good but they arent as economical as a diesel int he same car, but they do the grunt pretty well and add in a bit more refinement, they arent that great on fuel, not bad, did a 350 mile trip in it at a fair speed 80 - 90 and it returned a smidge under 40 mpg, a diesel Fiesta would have done 55.

[vsonix]

If he's on a major money-saving drive I'd advise him to just suck it up an drive the most frugal car he can find. It's the usual law of no-three-can-apply between fast/peppy, reliable, cheap.

[battered]

I've driven the EcoBoost Focus as a hire car. Nice enough but only about 40mpg in the real world. When a 1.8 Mondeo (mine) returns similar figures in similar driving, then other than lower VED, what's the point?

I still get better fuel figures from a natasp engine that's just *a bit* bigger than the Ecoboost jobs. A late 90's 1.4 16V petrol Tigra that a mate lent me turned in 44mpg. What price progress?

[vtecyo]

Panda 100HP
Colt CZT
Twingo 133 (maybe? not sure of values)
Older shape Fiesta ST
You'll get a CTR for that but mpg won't be as good as ^


Oh and of course.. MX5

All are fun.

Otherwise something microscopic like an Up! You'll never get the "grunt" of a diesel in a little petrol though.

I think the Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost suggested above would be the best bet, but again - could be a bit out of budget. You'll have to compromise somewhere at this price point.

[tarnished]

Changing car's probably the most expensive thing he can do, but with a Smart ForTwo I can understand it. Unfortunately if you're comparing against cars that cost the same and get 68mpg you just won't get anywhere near it from a petrol car without having to thrash it everywhere.

Personally, I'd spend £1000 less, get something with more miles, more scratches, more power and put the savings into fuel and tax.

[J4CKO]

Fabia VRS is the answer really

[C.A.R.]

Audi A2?

He obviously likes the brand, they do a 1.4 or 1.6 petrol (I think!) and I very, very nearly bought one to do my 45 mile commute with - but I ended up in a different job with a company car.

They have a strange cult following (in that they attract strange people...) because they were such a revolutionary car for their time. Aluminium still corrodes however, so buy carefully.

Other nippy cars which are cheap and reliable include the Yaris T-Sport. Usually driven by grannies but actually pretty fun cars. Or the PH favourite - Suzuki Ignis?

[manracer]

He could lease a new Fiesta ecoboost for about 3k to 3.5k over two years. We have one, a zetec s so 125bhp and that's overall cost is 3700 over two year lease but cheaper deals can noe be had.

,£500 down, and £133 a month, yeah he won't own it but he will have no bills except insurance and fuel.

Keep £2500 in the bank to cover the DD and top up £20 a month

Just a thought.

[CX53]

Worth mentioning that a lease can impact on how much money a mortgage lender will give you

[stevemiller]

J4CKO said:

Part post

We have an Ecoboost Fiesta, its good but they arent as economical as a diesel int he same car, but they do the grunt pretty well and add in a bit more refinement, they arent that great on fuel, not bad, did a 350 mile trip in it at a fair speed 80 - 90 and it returned a smidge under 40 mpg, a diesel Fiesta would have done 55.

I have had both commuting 600/700 miles per week. The ecoboost is more sensitive to drinking the higher you push than 70mph. If sitting at 70-75mph the petrol sees 52mpg the diesel saw 57mpg go faster the gap widens. I would pick the ecoboost again if I had to make the choice again.

[BlueHave]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I had a 1.6 FSI A2 and it was relatively nippy around town.

Although it also had the ride quality of travelling through the jungle on the back of a elephant.

[battered]

stevemiller said:

J4CKO said:

Part post

We have an Ecoboost Fiesta, its good but they arent as economical as a diesel int he same car, but they do the grunt pretty well and add in a bit more refinement, they arent that great on fuel, not bad, did a 350 mile trip in it at a fair speed 80 - 90 and it returned a smidge under 40 mpg, a diesel Fiesta would have done 55.

I have had both commuting 600/700 miles per week. The ecoboost is more sensitive to drinking the higher you push than 70mph. If sitting at 70-75mph the petrol sees 52mpg the diesel saw 57mpg go faster the gap widens. I would pick the ecoboost again if I had to make the choice again.

Don't know how you managed better than 50mpg. OK, the one I hired was a Focus so a heavier car, but it was a friendly enough run (airport to office, 50 miles down a quiet A road, no excessive speeds or hard acceleration, then a week of commuting 8 miles each way in a 50mph queue and a steady 55-60mph run back to the airport on Friday). This returned early 40s mpg. Diesel was much better, even if it was just white goods motoring.

[hast2]

If you like your Audi's and VW's, what about a Seat Ibiza.

We have a 59 plate 1.4 petrol for commuting back and forth to work. On a 60 mile round trip of a mix of 40 duel carriageway (at 70mph), 10 city and 10 single track back roads, it gets 44mpg.

I was looking to sell and update ours, and your £3k should about get you one with sensible miles

[J4CKO]

stevemiller said:

J4CKO said:

Part post

We have an Ecoboost Fiesta, its good but they arent as economical as a diesel int he same car, but they do the grunt pretty well and add in a bit more refinement, they arent that great on fuel, not bad, did a 350 mile trip in it at a fair speed 80 - 90 and it returned a smidge under 40 mpg, a diesel Fiesta would have done 55.

I have had both commuting 600/700 miles per week. The ecoboost is more sensitive to drinking the higher you push than 70mph. If sitting at 70-75mph the petrol sees 52mpg the diesel saw 57mpg go faster the gap widens. I would pick the ecoboost again if I had to make the choice again.

I was tanking on, and ours is remapped to 140 ish bhp, enough it seems to keep a BMW Z3 honest, not sure what engine but think he was a bit surprised when he put his foot down to find a bog standard looking Fiesta keeping up quite easily (at a safe distance, on am empty motorway)

Happy with 40 mpg as the Merc CLS I have will do 26 on the same run.

[IanCress]

Sitting at 70mph in my Wife's 125bhp Fiesta I can get an indicated 58mpg. I think the Focus is quite a bit heavier than the Fiesta though, which probably accounts for why Focus drivers only return around 40-45mpg.