What is the least "PH" car?

What is the least "PH" car?

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white_goodman

Original Poster:

4,042 posts

191 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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By least "PH", I don't necessarily mean a FWD diesel automatic crossover but just something totally devoid of character or interest i.e. if you owned one and were telling your friends about it, you would be stuck for something to say.

There are some older cars that might qualify, such as the Austin Maestro for instance but it does at least have rarity on its side now, the story behind its gestation is quite interesting and it's almost so bad, it's good!

No, I would have to go with something new and ubiquitous. Looking at the list of best-selling cars last year, I would have to go for a Vauxhall Astra 1.4/1.6 petrol. It's not good-looking (or bad-looking) just dull, it's gutless, going off RRPs, it's not that cheap. Oh, do the windscreen wipers go in opposite directions? That's quite interesting. To be fair I haven't driven the current gen yet but the last one was appalling and last time my FIL visited, he hired an Astra 1.6 and had to take it back and swap it for a Peugeot 3008 diesel because he hated it so much! And he's a GM man, who would rather walk than drive a Ford (or Skoda)! The Corsa is almost as dull but at least it is quite cheap and quite ugly (which is at least a talking point).

I can kind of understand that you might not buy a Ford Focus instead if you don't like the looks but personally, I would find the small premium for a VW Golf or Audi A3 not difficult to justify. Or just buy anything else (Megane, 308, Civic, Leon etc), as at least it's a bit more leftfield and interesting.

For some reason, my Canadian petrolhead friends are clamouring for the Astra in Canada, particularly the VXR model. To be fair, the only model that GM offer in this class in Canada is the Chevrolet Cruze saloon though. Stick a Buick badge on it they say (after all the Buick Regal is merely a rebadged Vauxhall Insignia)! Be careful what you wish for!

Apparently, this is the "sporty" SRi model.



I have the same problem with most Hyundais (I find it hard to picture what any of them look like) but at least they are well-equipped, have a long warranty and you can tell people that they're quite good cars now actually!

What in your opinion is the least "PH" car?

S10GTA

12,680 posts

167 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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My Volvo XC70 is pretty un-PH

IanCress

4,409 posts

166 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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It has to be something bland. The Koreans have upped their game in the styling department recently, so i'll suggest the Toyota Auris. Nothing about that car appeals at all.

The irony being of course that the Corolla / Auris is one of the biggest selling cars of all time.

white_goodman

Original Poster:

4,042 posts

191 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
I think an XC70 is a fairly interesting choice of wheels! Good shout on the Auris but if you bought the Hybrid, it might help you "pull' environmentally-minded women! I think you would still be driving home alone in your Astra 1.6 SRi!

smithyithy

7,250 posts

118 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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white_goodman said:
a FWD diesel automatic crossover

xRIEx

8,180 posts

148 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
smithyithy said:
white_goodman said:
a FWD diesel automatic crossover
Yeah, I reckon the diesel Mokka has to be in with a shout.


Or a Prius.

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

228 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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TWPC

842 posts

161 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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Perodua Myvi

Nothing to distinguish it. Most people don't even know it exists. If you didn't know it existed and now do I'm afraid to say the knowledge won't enhance your life in any way.

http://www.peroduamyvi.co.uk/index.htm

0a

23,901 posts

194 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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The Toyota Corolla.



The only car I have driven that had no appeal whatsoever as a driver's car. It didn't even have comedy badness in any form - it was just dull.

jimi

521 posts

263 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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My X reg Gold Volvo V70 is pretty uninspiring. But its excellent at its job. its not a fun car by any means but that's what other cars are for!

cerb4.5lee

30,665 posts

180 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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Nissan Juke must be in with a shout.

bristolracer

5,541 posts

149 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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That Van they have made this weeks shed of the week has to be in the shortlist!

jamieduff1981

8,025 posts

140 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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Going by this place, anything with a lot of power, a lot of grip, a lot of noise and not based on an anonymous body painted in grey seems fairly non-PH.

Skidding around on any corner with 40bhp in an invisible hatchback is where it's at these days.

vikingaero

10,338 posts

169 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
TWPC said:
Perodua Myvi

Nothing to distinguish it. Most people don't even know it exists. If you didn't know it existed and now do I'm afraid to say the knowledge won't enhance your life in any way.

http://www.peroduamyvi.co.uk/index.htm
The Myvi has a redeeming feature in that it is relatively cheap for a new car and is based on a car that is a couple of generations old.

I present to you the Mitsubishi Mirage. This heap of crud is a current model, from a respected modern manufacturer, and is an overpriced piece of junk.

rb5er

11,657 posts

172 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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Ssang yong or whatever they are called.

sshenton1975

754 posts

221 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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MX5??!!

kiseca

9,339 posts

219 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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I can understand what you're saying about the Astra. Back in about 2006 I had a Vectra estate as a hire car for a day. First car I've ever driven that I didn't know nor care what engine it had. It was not bad at anything, it was just so all consumingly dull in every way. Performance was good enough. Steering got you pointing more or less where you wanted to go. The brakes were adequate. The interior was... present. The seat was fine.

It was the Okayest car I've ever driven and I completely hated it for that. I've since passengered in an Insignia and from that point of view at least it appeared that nothing had changed at Vauxhall in the past 9 years.

dcb

5,834 posts

265 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
cerb4.5lee said:
Nissan Juke must be in with a shout.
While the Nissan Micra has some comedy value, the
slightly larger brother, the Nissan Almera, has
all the appeal of a wet Tuesday in January in Dundee.

Get one of the lower powered ones, in tedious white, and
suddenly watching Inspector Morse mysteries, taking exception
to something on LBC, getting the lawns done before the neighbours
notice and other banalities of middle-aged life beckon.

Still, it won't break down, no one will give it a second look
and no one will try to steal it ;-|

rohrl

8,738 posts

145 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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A 2WD diesel automatic Nissan Qashqai. On finance.


grimmac

1,412 posts

110 months

Friday 7th August 2015
quotequote all
dcb said:
While the Nissan Micra has some comedy value, the
slightly larger brother, the Nissan Almera, has
all the appeal of a wet Tuesday in January in Dundee.

Get one of the lower powered ones, in tedious white, and
suddenly watching Inspector Morse mysteries, taking exception
to something on LBC, getting the lawns done before the neighbours
notice and other banalities of middle-aged life beckon.

Still, it won't break down, no one will give it a second look
and no one will try to steal it ;-
Seconded.... We had a grey 1.5 petrol version.

Utterly competent, but the absolute definition of dull. Never let us down, but I felt positively cruel when using it to drag a 700kg trailer tent on holidays.