Best car for long commute

[Rmjc]

I need some help/advice. I’m looking for a economical, cheap to buy and to run and safe car.

I commute 120 miles a day and I am currently spending way too much money on fuel. I also have two small children who are often in the car with me so I’m looking for something that feels safe for motorway driving with them. ( I have driven a kia picanto in the past and it just didn’t feel safe for the kids on the motorway)

What would be the best model/make of car to buy - I don’t have a huge budget 8-9k and I want a really low mileage. I’m not fussy about make/model or interior. It just needs to do be fuel efficient and safe for my two children.

I was looking at the Volkswagen polo but only because of the bluemotion range. The golf is out of budget. Is the bluemotion actually effective? Or are there are budget cars that have good mpg and fuel economy? By the way I know absolutely nothing about cars and don’t trust sales people! Thanks

[Pilotguy]

Škoda Octavia hatchback/VW Passat/Mondeo hatchback. 120 miles a day: how many days a week - 5? = 600 miles a week. Sounds like you’d be doing well above 20000 miles per year so should probably look at a diesel for better economy. Doing 2400 miles a month in a Polo on a regular basis would be Pretty awful.

[DuraAce]

Kia Ceed/Hyundai i30 1.6 diesel.
Cheap to run, tax, insure and fix.

9k will get something only a few years old, with some warranty left.

[Weezywee]

Indrive a 2015 Mazda 3 2.0 and get 50+ MPG mix of 10-15 miles Yorks hills and then motorway. Not slow since its N/A, and not the most amazing car but decent enough. I do 25k per year so around £3k in petrol.

[ZX10R NIN]

Here's the thing you need to take comfort into consideration as well as NVH levels as all this will help towards a more relaxing commute also where you're doing a long commute a decent bit of go can mean that your 140bhp is using the same amount of fuel as you 90bhp model due to the later reving higher & being worked harder.

Here's some worthy options that are 2015+ & 45k or less:

Astra Elite Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

SRI Nav

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

Megane Dynamique Nav

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

308 GT Line

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Giulietta QV Line

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Citroen DS5

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

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Civic Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

SE Plus

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Mazda3 Sport Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

SE L Nav

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

DS4

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

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Focus Titanium X

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Kia Ceed 4

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

SE

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

GT Line

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

All of the above will be reliable so it'll come down to how much you value mileage vs consumption, I'd give up some MPG vs creature comforts.

For me it's the DS5 Astra & 308 for me, I'd go to a local car supermarket (they'll pretty much have all of these in stock) & sit in them so you can see what works for you.

[PTF]

I have the same model Civic Sport as suggested above. It's a really nice car. Not the quietest. Not the fastest (by some stretch). But equipment is good. The ride is alright. It does 60mpg and free tax.

Really practical too with the magic back seats.

My commute is 80 miles each way twice per week and it's fine for that.

[pti]

120 miles a day in an eu3 V70 D5.

All of its depreciation is done, it's supremely comfortable, great stereo, economical (50+mpg) and shifts okay too (mine's mapped to ~200bhp).

Cost me £2100 with 108k 18 months ago, just rolling onto 136k and has wanted nothing bar consumables.

Possibly the best car I've ever owned.... not that the bar is super high.

[strath44]

I do about 35/40k miles per year and mainly use my Passat which has been bullet proof.

They are cheaper than a Golf like for like and very good mpg.

Even the saloon has a huge boot on a par with our A6.

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

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

Don't get hung up on purchase mileage as with your intended mileage it won't matter pretty quickly, anything VW will still feel new well past 50k miles.

Avoid the Polo its not the car you won't to be racking mile up in.