Diesel v Petrol Hatchback

[mawallace]

Looking to buy new hatchback.

Price range up to £32k

Looking at something like the Golf or A3. Like a speedy car - currently have a 2.0 TDI Golf

I have always gone for diesel as my mileage is approx 20,000 miles a year but wondering if that's still the right choice re overall cost.

I do some long motorway trips - so electric is not really viable at the moment.

Commute to work is a 40 mile round trip - no charging stations in the town that I work and I use the public car park. Can't park close to work so can't charge at work.

Commute is mostly country roads - mixture of 30 / 40 and a 4 mile dual carriage way stretch. Data from this morning's drive:-

Miles - 20.5
Average speed - 35 mph
Max speed - 72 mph

So - what's likely to be most economical, petrol or diesel - any recommendations for a car

[Shabaza]

Diesel.
Next question please

[Ron99]

Diesel likely to be most economical but diesels often cost thousands more to buy which is money that could be put aside to pay the higher fuel bills of petrol.

Recently I was looking for a diesel Astra GTC. I actually ended up buying a petrol (EU-6 compliant as a bonus) because it was quite a lot cheaper than the equivalent diesel and likely to be cheaper to maintain.

I've been pleasantly surprised in that it's giving 50mpg on longer runs (trip computer says about 54). Several years ago I briefly drove a diesel Astra J (which the GTC is based upon) and it managed about 60mpg (trip computer said 65).

That's about 10p per mile for petrol vs 8.5p per mile for diesel; 1.5p/mile difference.

Travelling 100000 miles in the petrol would cost an extra £1500 compared to diesel. However the diesel GTCs cost about £1500 more than the petrols at the moment so the fuel savings would be eaten up by the extra purchase cost.

Additionally, a diesel is much more likely to need £500-£1000 on clutch/flywheel at some point and generally has more things and more expensive things to go wrong.

Also consider some cities have been talking about a ban on all diesels - even the latest EU-6.

[dmsims]

Golf GTE

25 miles on electric in summer (more for the MK8)

55mpg on a long run if you are sensible

GTE button when you don't want to be sensible

Extended warranty is cheap

and you won't be poisoning the rest of us

[ED209]

Something with the VW 1.5 petrol engine? Seems to get diesel like economy on a run in my wife’s leon.

[ZX10R NIN]

Does it have to be brand new? As you can get some great options for sub 20k with up to 30k on the clock, you save on not having the worst part of depreciation & for added peace of mind you can extend the manufacturers warranty.

308 GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202002117...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202005209...

DS5 Prestige

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008273...

Volvo V4 R Design Lux Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008242...

R Design Nav Plus

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008242...

Q30 Premium In Touch

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009083...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009023...

Leon FR Black Edition 150

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202003048...

Giulietta Speciale 170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009043...

Veloce

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007181...

[CrgT16]

20k will get you on a new fully loaded Honda Civic 1.5 Sport.

If you can live with styling it’s a lot of car for the money. I got one and can’t fault it. Speedy enough, 50-55mpg in mixed driving. For 20k it’s a great buy.

There is a difference in interior quality but for for the price it was a no brainer for a car to earn me money. I also found it to be quite a nice drive.

Your budget will buy you something posher but that’s my experience. I also have a G30 530d for longer drives and had other premium German cars before. The value I can’t get over it.

Best of look with your healthy budget. I would go petrol. Lots of nice ones about.