Small petrol car for around £12k
Discussion
My wife needs a new car, she likes smaller cars so nothing too big. Requirements are:
Petrol only.
If it has stop/start, lane assist etc, can be turned off and stay off.
4 doors.
Reasonable size boot (could fit a Spring Spaniel ideally)
Newish so no big bills.
She likes the Renault Clio, but for that price range/age I'm not sure about the ability to turn off the lane assist stuff.
My thought is either a Toyota Yaris, around 2020/21, which if bought and serviced from/by Toyota can take advantage of the rolling 10 year warranty.
A left-field choice would be a Dacia Duster, which would probably be just about big enough for family hols, which frees me up to buy something more interesting
Any other suggestions would be great.
Petrol only.
If it has stop/start, lane assist etc, can be turned off and stay off.
4 doors.
Reasonable size boot (could fit a Spring Spaniel ideally)
Newish so no big bills.
She likes the Renault Clio, but for that price range/age I'm not sure about the ability to turn off the lane assist stuff.
My thought is either a Toyota Yaris, around 2020/21, which if bought and serviced from/by Toyota can take advantage of the rolling 10 year warranty.
A left-field choice would be a Dacia Duster, which would probably be just about big enough for family hols, which frees me up to buy something more interesting
Any other suggestions would be great.
It's annoying when a partner has a very specific requirement that limits choices. My wife absolutely must have an opening panoramic sunroof and yet beyond that has virtually no interest in anything else!
Stop/start, lane departure warning and traction control can easily be switched off in my mx5, and they stay off too. Doesn't help you much.
A yaris sounds fine. Although I think you do pay over the odds for them compared to other stuff. Hyundai and Kia are good reliable brands you could look at. Either the i20 or the Rio. Having said that, my wife has a Hyundai ix20 which has been fine for the past 9 years except the stop/start has never really worked and I wouldn't know how to turn it off if we wanted to.
I do recommend the wife running a boring family car though which frees us up to get something a bit more sporty.
Stop/start, lane departure warning and traction control can easily be switched off in my mx5, and they stay off too. Doesn't help you much.
A yaris sounds fine. Although I think you do pay over the odds for them compared to other stuff. Hyundai and Kia are good reliable brands you could look at. Either the i20 or the Rio. Having said that, my wife has a Hyundai ix20 which has been fine for the past 9 years except the stop/start has never really worked and I wouldn't know how to turn it off if we wanted to.
I do recommend the wife running a boring family car though which frees us up to get something a bit more sporty.
ChrisH72 said:
It's annoying when a partner has a very specific requirement that limits choices. My wife absolutely must have an opening panoramic sunroof and yet beyond that has virtually no interest in anything else!
Stop/start, lane departure warning and traction control can easily be switched off in my mx5, and they stay off too. Doesn't help you much.
A yaris sounds fine. Although I think you do pay over the odds for them compared to other stuff. Hyundai and Kia are good reliable brands you could look at. Either the i20 or the Rio. Having said that, my wife has a Hyundai ix20 which has been fine for the past 9 years except the stop/start has never really worked and I wouldn't know how to turn it off if we wanted to.
I do recommend the wife running a boring family car though which frees us up to get something a bit more sporty.
To be fair her requirements are small car, 4 doors, and newish, the other ones I've added as it will make life easier. The ability to turn off, especially the lane assist is something I added as she's a Stop/start, lane departure warning and traction control can easily be switched off in my mx5, and they stay off too. Doesn't help you much.
A yaris sounds fine. Although I think you do pay over the odds for them compared to other stuff. Hyundai and Kia are good reliable brands you could look at. Either the i20 or the Rio. Having said that, my wife has a Hyundai ix20 which has been fine for the past 9 years except the stop/start has never really worked and I wouldn't know how to turn it off if we wanted to.
I do recommend the wife running a boring family car though which frees us up to get something a bit more sporty.
I'm now looking at the Kia and Hyundai websites as I'm not really very familiar with their model ranges. Kia Picanto/Rio or Stonic would probably fit the bill. Sadly I think the Yeti and the Estate might be a bit too old and big sadly.
AllyBee said:
To be fair her requirements are small car, 4 doors, and newish, the other ones I've added as it will make life easier. The ability to turn off, especially the lane assist is something I added as she's a terrible not very confident driver, I have visions of her swerving to avoid a pot hole and ending up in a ditch as she's not expecting to have to wrestle with the steering wheel...
I'm now looking at the Kia and Hyundai websites as I'm not really very familiar with their model ranges. Kia Picanto/Rio or Stonic would probably fit the bill. Sadly I think the Yeti and the Estate might be a bit too old and big sadly.
To be fair not all LKA are equal, stuff like this is better implemented by some than others and I think we'd all be hearing about it if drivers were having accidents due to it.I'm now looking at the Kia and Hyundai websites as I'm not really very familiar with their model ranges. Kia Picanto/Rio or Stonic would probably fit the bill. Sadly I think the Yeti and the Estate might be a bit too old and big sadly.
If it were me, I'd be looking at a Seat Arona, the 1.0l is nippy enough and they're nice to drive.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501208...
AllyBee said:
My wife needs a new car, she likes smaller cars so nothing too big. Requirements are:
Petrol only.
If it has stop/start, lane assist etc, can be turned off and stay off.
4 doors.
Reasonable size boot (could fit a Spring Spaniel ideally)
Newish so no big bills.
She likes the Renault Clio, but for that price range/age I'm not sure about the ability to turn off the lane assist stuff.
My thought is either a Toyota Yaris, around 2020/21, which if bought and serviced from/by Toyota can take advantage of the rolling 10 year warranty.
A left-field choice would be a Dacia Duster, which would probably be just about big enough for family hols, which frees me up to buy something more interesting
Any other suggestions would be great.
Toyota Yaris is fine, I have one, but you can't turn off Stop/start and why bother?Petrol only.
If it has stop/start, lane assist etc, can be turned off and stay off.
4 doors.
Reasonable size boot (could fit a Spring Spaniel ideally)
Newish so no big bills.
She likes the Renault Clio, but for that price range/age I'm not sure about the ability to turn off the lane assist stuff.
My thought is either a Toyota Yaris, around 2020/21, which if bought and serviced from/by Toyota can take advantage of the rolling 10 year warranty.
A left-field choice would be a Dacia Duster, which would probably be just about big enough for family hols, which frees me up to buy something more interesting
Any other suggestions would be great.
Mammasaid said:
To be fair not all LKA are equal, stuff like this is better implemented by some than others and I think we'd all be hearing about it if drivers were having accidents due to it.
If it were me, I'd be looking at a Seat Arona, the 1.0l is nippy enough and they're nice to drive.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501208...
The only one I've ever tried was a Hyundai i10 that my wife's parents owned, that was awful and has put me off. My car is a 2018 with it, but I can turn it off and keep it off. Obviously we will be getting some test drives but I anticipate she won't like it. If it were me, I'd be looking at a Seat Arona, the 1.0l is nippy enough and they're nice to drive.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501208...
A friend and his missus have a Seat Arona and rate it, they seem to come with a decent amount of standard kit too.
Reading your requirements, I immediately thought of a Honda Jazz.. and I think they come with pretty versatile seating which can be moved/lifted to provide decent load capacity for their size.
Reading your requirements, I immediately thought of a Honda Jazz.. and I think they come with pretty versatile seating which can be moved/lifted to provide decent load capacity for their size.
POIDH said:
If it has stop/start, lane assist etc, can be turned off and stay off.
This is not possible. The Regulations for such things demands that they revert to 'on' and have to be deactivated, in the case of Lane Assist by two presses of something.
Do you happen to know what year that became mandatory?This is not possible. The Regulations for such things demands that they revert to 'on' and have to be deactivated, in the case of Lane Assist by two presses of something.
I've never noticed if stop/start comes on automatically in my mx5 because I've never bothered to turn it off. The system works well and doesn't cause me any issues. Lane assist doesn't affect the steering, it just gives an audible rumble noise if you cross lanes without signalling. Again I hardly notice it.
Which made me think of the Mazda2
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024120469...
The interior is basically an mx5 ND. If you look at the interior pics just below the steering wheel to the right you'll see the buttons to control those things. Turning them off is a press of a button, no problem.
Which made me think of the Mazda2
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024120469...
The interior is basically an mx5 ND. If you look at the interior pics just below the steering wheel to the right you'll see the buttons to control those things. Turning them off is a press of a button, no problem.
AllyBee said:
POIDH said:
If it has stop/start, lane assist etc, can be turned off and stay off.
This is not possible. The Regulations for such things demands that they revert to 'on' and have to be deactivated, in the case of Lane Assist by two presses of something.
Do you happen to know what year that became mandatory?This is not possible. The Regulations for such things demands that they revert to 'on' and have to be deactivated, in the case of Lane Assist by two presses of something.
ChrisH72 said:
I've never noticed if stop/start comes on automatically in my mx5 because I've never bothered to turn it off. The system works well and doesn't cause me any issues. Lane assist doesn't affect the steering, it just gives an audible rumble noise if you cross lanes without signalling. Again I hardly notice it.
Which made me think of the Mazda2
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024120469...
The interior is basically an mx5 ND. If you look at the interior pics just below the steering wheel to the right you'll see the buttons to control those things. Turning them off is a press of a button, no problem.
Some LKA are awful - dangerous even, like those in VW and MG. My mums old Up had a button to turn it off, but needs to be pressed every time, one of the first time she went out in it, with me as a passenger, it forced her on to the pavement. Too late at that point to hand the lease back (shame as it was also an unreliable POS, worse than any Fiat).Which made me think of the Mazda2
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024120469...
The interior is basically an mx5 ND. If you look at the interior pics just below the steering wheel to the right you'll see the buttons to control those things. Turning them off is a press of a button, no problem.
The old Lexus one just bounces you about in the lane, but at least doesnt take any action until you're about to crash. The only system I've used that works is with Tesla and setting can be happily left on, but they're way out of budget
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