Diesel Estate - Frugal, Perky, £13k

[Dan_1981]

Looking for some suggestions for a new car......

Looking for the following:

Diesel
Estate
Frugal (50mpg?)
Slightly Entertaining
Less than £13k

It'll be used for 100 miles a day sat on the motorway so nothing too stressful.

Currently got a Saab 9-3 1.9tdi - done 275k and average 54 mpg, comfy as anything, decent audio but not very entertaining.

Current considerations would include the following - any feedback on any of them or any other suggestions?

Focus ST3 Diesel
Mazda 6 2.2D
Volvo V60 D4 2.0d
Seat Leon 2.0 FR ST
Octavia 2.0 VRS

A4 / 325 All seem a little long in the tooth / older at his price.

[mrbarnett]

Five cylinder engines are a bit more unusual and I believe the Volvo V60 has a fifth cylinder, so I'd pick that. Possibly as comfortable as your Saab, too.

[Centurion07]

Love my Insignia. Second one I've owned now & went for the VX-Line this time around.

Managed to find one with leather interior and being the VX Sri, the seats are super comfy and supportive (more sporty than I would expect in a car of this type), 19" alloys plus slightly stiffer suspension than the rest of the range mean it drives really nicely too. I wouldn't go so far as describing it as sporty but it's certainly worth taking one out on a test drive.

[Croutons]

I suggest you ask in the "car buying" folder.

As it's about, err, car buying.

[Dan_1981]

Croutons said:

I suggest you ask in the "car buying" folder.

As it's about, err, car buying.

Yeah, I figured it'd get shunted off there eventually but a little GG exposure never hurts.

Good shout on the VX - leather seems a bit of a rareity tho

[keo]

Maybe not what you want to hear but will any car be entertaining on the motorway?

I fully see your point though I used to do about 100 miles a day on the motorway. Currently doing around 75. I have a boring A3 diesel (possibly not the best car for the job to start with?)

I keep thinking about changing my car to something fun. But then I think how much fun will I have on the motorway?

A second car could be an option. I did it in the past and there are both arguments for for and against. But if your Saab is proving reliable I would keep it. Just another opinion sorry it’s not very helpful

[patmahe]

Motorway driving is rarely fun, the best way to make it pleasant is as an air conditioned armchair with enough poke to get up to motorway speeds swiftly and then cruise in relative silence with the exception of an excellent radio.

I'd be looking at the bigger Volvo's for this or a Lexus, but fuel consumption may not be as good.

[RizzoTheRat]

On a mainly motorway journey my vRS easily does mid 50's mpg with the cruise control set at 70ish. Comfy seats and decent stereo, which are important things for motorway cruising IMO, but the cabin is probably a fraction noisier than the more premium manufacturers. Huge boot on the hatchback, not sure how much bigger the estate is though. I'd expect the Leon to be similar on fuel as they're the same engine and platform.

[darrenham]

Your requests are similar to mine, so I'll be following this, but I'm not bothered on fuel and mine's 25miles of city driving a day (ultimately probably sitting in the car about the same amount of time).

Currently have an Octavia VRS hatch and really like it but find the seats fairly unsupportive,

Test drove a new V60 (the new ones aren't 5 cylinder) and whilst it's an armchair, there's more space in my VRS in the back and the boot.

[Dan_1981]

Yeah there's nothing wrong with the SAAB, really....

It's done 277k, the last 210k under my ownership in the last five years.

It's been faultless, but the clutch is finally giving up the ghost, and the cam belt & water pump are due a service.

There's an easy £1k's worth of work there, and hey who doesn't like a new car every five years.

[ZX10R NIN]

Mondeo Titanium X/ X Sport (best FWD Steer in class)

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Jaguar XF Premium Luxury

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

ST-2 Focus (tbh I'd take the Mondeo)

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

D5 V60 (the only worth looking at)

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

508 Allure

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mercedes C250

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Passat GT 190 (these aren't holding their money as well as the Fords so are real good VFM at the moment) haggling will see you get the one below bang on budget.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Insignia Elite BiTurbo

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Elite Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Accord GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Octavia VRS

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Dan_1981]

Thanks for that. What I would add is I prefer the 'sporty' looks rather than the exec trim levels. So ST Line, VXlIne etc over the elite etc.

Mondeo is on the list too - although I do find the looks a bit 'difficult' in some guises.

Jag - Hmmm work a little closely to consider.

Hadn't considered the Pug and again the looks are a little plain.

Merc - Definitely like it - just have to look a little older.

Passat - Yup again had considered just missed from my original list



The Mazda keeps popping up though - any feedback on this?

[valiant]

Thought Mazda diesels were a little flaky?

[Dan_1981]

valiant said:

Thought Mazda diesels were a little flaky?

I think that's the old 2.0 - i've read the newer 2.2 is better?

[ZX10R NIN]

The 2.2 was the main culprit but the later ones are supposed to be much improved timing chain & oil pick up wise, but I seeing as (apart from the drivetrain) it's a Mondeo underneath (but not as good a steer) I tend to recommend the Mondeo.

[ZX10R NIN]

VX Lines are well in budget if you stretch an extra 1k you land one with less than 20k on the clock.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Just over budget:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[zedx19]

I had a 2014 Mazda 6 2.2D 150PS when it was nearly new, covered 40k in 12 months in it, found it perfectly fine. It is quite firm on B roads but on the motorway it was quiet, comfortable, well equipped and I saw 60mpg on long journeys, usually around 50mpg though. Twin scroll turbo so produced massive grunt very low down the rev range, more so than typical diesels. It'd also have a much wider spread of power then normal diesels, plus 20 quid VED. Great car tbh, would highly recommend, also have no faults in the time I had it.

[dave_s13]

Mercedes E350 CDI sport would be ideal.

Look sporty, more than enough power, quite and comfortable on the motorway.

You can eek nearly 50mpg out of one of you tailgate lorries bit normal driving will see 40+ easy.

I'm selling mine if you're interested?

[Car-Matt]

320d Touring
520d Touring
E250 Estate

[MYOB]

mrbarnett said:

Five cylinder engines are a bit more unusual and I believe the Volvo V60 has a fifth cylinder, so I'd pick that.

Not since the introduction of the VEA engines from around 2013 onwards.