Small engines in large cars

[funkyrobot]

Whilst browsing for a new vehicle I've come across examples like this:



If i'm correct, it's a Skoda Octavia with a 1.2 engine.

Reviews seem to conclude that this combination works. However, is this just favouritism by the reviewers or does this package actually make sense?

I know there are other examples (Ford with a small petrol in a Focus etc), so do these packages actually work? Or is it a 'more value for your money' sort of thing?

[funkyrobot]

I know the modern petrols have a blower on and this may help. However, I drove a brand new 1.8 petrol Insignia a few years ago. I think it was the worst thing I've ever had the pleasure of pedalling.

[funkyrobot]

grimmac said:

Is that not the same engine they put in the VW Touran.. 1.2 tsi?

A bigger car weighting about 300kg more?

We have an 06 140bhp 2.0 diesel touran, and I really wouldn't want anything less. Gonna cause a problem soon as the wife wants to change it and the budget won't run to getting the same again but 5 years newer.

My fiancee drove a newish Polo 1.2 the other week. She currently has an 03 1.4 and she said that she noticed the difference (she pootles around normally). The salesman was hell bent on selling her a 1.0 or a 1.2, but she won't change for a smaller engine unless she finds one that feels like her current one.

I don't know if this is a direct comparison though as I don't know if the Polo 1.0 and 1.2 have a turbo on.

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va1o said:

Its the power you need to look at it. The latest 1.2 TSI is 110PS which is the as you'd get from an N/A or diesel 1.6

The other benefit is the turbo tends to mean lots of low down torque which makes them quite easy to drive.

This trend started nearly 10 years ago with the VW Golf GT using a 1.4 TSI 170 engine, and the problems those have suffered aren't really related to them been 'stressed', more just poor quality components (timing chains etc).

Good point re the power.

However, the stress level of the engine using that power does concern me. I guess we'll only have long term info as time progresses.

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Kj159 said:

If a brand new 69hp 900kg fiat 500 can't get up a hill, then how does my 15 year old 60hp, 1000kg VW Polo manage it with no issues? Am I missing something here?

I think it was a software issue.

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Swanny87 said:

Can you still by Polos with the NA 1.4 engine that was in it for donkeys years?

We were told that you can't now. May or may not be true.

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Swanny87 said:

Yeah just had a look on the VW site. Shame, used to like that engine with the little whirry noise it made, suited the polo really well. I wonder how many sales VW have lost because they don't do that engine anymore

It's a good little engine. Works fine in my fiancee's polo. It's also willing to shift when you give it a prod.

I doubt that has had any impact on sales. Judging by our recent experience at a VW dealer, we were one of the few people who queried the change from a 1.4 to something lower. Apparently, it doesn't really bother the masses.

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DJP said:

Yep, there's been quite a few reports of Ecoboost failures within 40,000 miles.

Isn't that related to the split coolant pipe issue though?

[funkyrobot]

Pixelpeep7r said:

Maybe it's a ploy by the manufacturers to bring their range average Co2 figure down?

Based on progress to date, Fiat, Suzuki, BMW, General Motors, Hyundai, Mazda and Honda would all miss the 2021 fleet average target of 95g/km.

Honda is the worst offender – based on today’s figures, the Japanese brand wouldn’t hit a 95g/km range-wide CO2 average of 95g/km until 2027 – SIX years after the deadline.

This means that Honda, along with others who miss the 2021 target, risks years of punitive financial penalties on every car sold in Europe unless it ups the pace of its CO2 reductions.

The fine is €95 per gram of CO2 the fleet average is over target, multiplied by the number of cars sold.

It's a shame that the craziness around emissions decides the future of engines.

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Mave said:

funkyrobot said:

Isn't that related to the split coolant pipe issue though?

But has the coolant pipe split because the engine is running harder all the time?

I think it was the material the pipe was made from. There has been a thread on here about it:

http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...

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Jimboka said:

Funny I'm sure ive seen this thread before - Groundhog Day ?

Did you make meaningless posts on that one too?