Which warm hatch for £1500
Discussion
Deluded said:
Codswallop said:
Boot on the Toledo is bigger than any of your other choices. I can get two mountain bikes through the opening with the front wheels off.MG ZS 160 might be worth a look too.
Deluded said:
I wouldn't say I'm bored with the CRV. It does a fantastic job at moving the family about, dogs included. I really like it, my partner really likes it, my daughter has no opinion as shes not even 2 year and the dogs make it really dirty in the boot, so they probably like it too.
My issue is fuel economy for performance given. It's a 150hp petrol 2.0l 16v. I average between 25-30mpg if I'm driving like a saint. That's not really a bad figure for a petrol 4x4 though really, however, when I compare it to other cars, it's pretty poor.
So, I want a warm hatch. Not a hot hatch, just something comfortably swift with good MPG and good insurance. I don't want a bog spec one as I will hate it. I need a hatch to get the dogs in the back. Boot size doesn't need to be massive, just adequate. I've got a roof box for everything else.
Bellow are a list of the cars I've been looking at but I want each of them for various reasons and know I will probably regret not getting one over the other so I need you to make me see sense on the crap ones...
Nissan Almera Sport (1.8 16v) - Bit bland looking but a nice place to be and the engine is reliable and quite pokey (117hp).
Mazda 323f sport (2.0 16v) - Love the front end, rear end looks a bit bland. Interior nice and should be reliable. Rust may be an issue? (130hp).
BMW E36 318ti Compact (1.9 16v). Used to have a 316 compact and loved it but felt it needed more power, hence the 318. Boot perfectly adequate for woofers. (140hp)
Fiat Stilo 1.8 16v - Nice looker, potentially rubbish electrics. Love the car otherwise. (130hp)
Alfa 147 1.6/1.8 - It's an alfa and looks lovely. Whats not to like, bar potentially wallet destroying reliability. Plus, maybe smaller inside than they look?
Seat Leon 1.8 20v non turbo - Has to be the 5 pot for me. Cupra too much to justify on insurance. Lovely exterior but interior looking a bit dated. 130hpish but maybe a bit thirsty?
To throw into the mix though, Hyundai Coupe Gen3 (2.0 16v) - Lovely looking car outside. Nice looking interior and is a hatch, but may not be a usable coupe hatch as it's quite shallow. Roof box fitting may be an issue? (140hp).
Anything else I havent thought of? And opinions of course
Are you after better mpg as well as performance, or just better performance for the same mpg?My issue is fuel economy for performance given. It's a 150hp petrol 2.0l 16v. I average between 25-30mpg if I'm driving like a saint. That's not really a bad figure for a petrol 4x4 though really, however, when I compare it to other cars, it's pretty poor.
So, I want a warm hatch. Not a hot hatch, just something comfortably swift with good MPG and good insurance. I don't want a bog spec one as I will hate it. I need a hatch to get the dogs in the back. Boot size doesn't need to be massive, just adequate. I've got a roof box for everything else.
Bellow are a list of the cars I've been looking at but I want each of them for various reasons and know I will probably regret not getting one over the other so I need you to make me see sense on the crap ones...
Nissan Almera Sport (1.8 16v) - Bit bland looking but a nice place to be and the engine is reliable and quite pokey (117hp).
Mazda 323f sport (2.0 16v) - Love the front end, rear end looks a bit bland. Interior nice and should be reliable. Rust may be an issue? (130hp).
BMW E36 318ti Compact (1.9 16v). Used to have a 316 compact and loved it but felt it needed more power, hence the 318. Boot perfectly adequate for woofers. (140hp)
Fiat Stilo 1.8 16v - Nice looker, potentially rubbish electrics. Love the car otherwise. (130hp)
Alfa 147 1.6/1.8 - It's an alfa and looks lovely. Whats not to like, bar potentially wallet destroying reliability. Plus, maybe smaller inside than they look?
Seat Leon 1.8 20v non turbo - Has to be the 5 pot for me. Cupra too much to justify on insurance. Lovely exterior but interior looking a bit dated. 130hpish but maybe a bit thirsty?
To throw into the mix though, Hyundai Coupe Gen3 (2.0 16v) - Lovely looking car outside. Nice looking interior and is a hatch, but may not be a usable coupe hatch as it's quite shallow. Roof box fitting may be an issue? (140hp).
Anything else I havent thought of? And opinions of course
If you could up your budget to £2.5k then you could look at an Impreza Turbo 2000 wagon or the more practical Forrester turbo.
MGZS180 hatch might offer up a good mix of options, although the rear rake on the hatch doesn't offer much height if the dogs are biggish.
Could you get something like a Volvo 850 turbo or a Saab 900 turbo in budget? Bigger more comfy cars, but with fairly good pace.
If a coupe is ok, then how about something like a 1.8 V6 Mazda MX-3?
poo at Paul's said:
300bhp/ton said:
HorneyMX5 said:
Rover 200 BRM.
Hugely fantastic hatch IMO, but forgotten or ignored by the masses.IAJO said:
poo at Paul's said:
300bhp/ton said:
HorneyMX5 said:
Rover 200 BRM.
Hugely fantastic hatch IMO, but forgotten or ignored by the masses.zr160 looks nice, but lacks the BRM's LSD, close ratio box, suspension and bigger brake servo and the custom leather/aluminium interior.
I'd hold out for a good mk5 Fiesta Zetec S. They are fantastic.
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3685222.htm
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3685222.htm
Deluded said:
Codswallop said:
Boot on the Toledo is bigger than any of your other choices. I can get two mountain bikes through the opening with the front wheels off.MG ZS 160 might be worth a look too.
Have you considered the Skoda Octavia VRS or Octavia 20vt?
The VRS has the same 180hp 20vt running gear as a Leon Cupra/Golf Anniversary, and the 20vt has the 150hp as per mk4 golf and many other VAG cars.
Both are cheap to insure, will get over 30 and nearer 40 to a gallon. The main thing though is the boot is HUGE and is a hatch design, not a lot of people realise this.
The VRS has the same 180hp 20vt running gear as a Leon Cupra/Golf Anniversary, and the 20vt has the 150hp as per mk4 golf and many other VAG cars.
Both are cheap to insure, will get over 30 and nearer 40 to a gallon. The main thing though is the boot is HUGE and is a hatch design, not a lot of people realise this.
aka_kerrly said:
Have you considered the Skoda Octavia VRS or Octavia 20vt?
The VRS has the same 180hp 20vt running gear as a Leon Cupra/Golf Anniversary, and the 20vt has the 150hp as per mk4 golf and many other VAG cars.
Both are cheap to insure, will get over 30 and nearer 40 to a gallon. The main thing though is the boot is HUGE and is a hatch design, not a lot of people realise this.
You'd have to be driving really carefully to average near 40mpg in one of those I'd have thought - the wife's Polo with the 150ps 1.8t gets around 31mpg average and her car is a fair chunk lighter than the Octavia.The VRS has the same 180hp 20vt running gear as a Leon Cupra/Golf Anniversary, and the 20vt has the 150hp as per mk4 golf and many other VAG cars.
Both are cheap to insure, will get over 30 and nearer 40 to a gallon. The main thing though is the boot is HUGE and is a hatch design, not a lot of people realise this.
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