Fabia 3 Estate - TDi vs TSi

[ProximaVela]

Evening folks,

I'll shortly be going from WFH to site-based 4 days a week. This will entail a 50 mile return commute daily, so 200 miles/week or circa 9000 miles/year. This trip will be 90% motorway.

As I get a mileage allowance for the travel, I'm looking to maximise my return by getting something both reliable and more efficient than my current V6 auto.

I've narrowed down the search to the Fabia III estate. This will literally be used as an A-B utility box for this route alone, an estate so I can chuck bulky work equipment in the back easily. I'd like a DSG and SE L spec for relative comfort.

I know 9000 miles wouldn't ordinarily be enough to say go for diesel. But at 90% motorway, maybe it does make most sense. In addition, the petrols and diesels seem the same price for like on autotrader.

So, the question is, for anyone who's had experience with these vehicles, which would you choose in my scenario? What are they like to drive, is the diesel notably rougher and louder in a way that would become tiring? How's the power delivery compare for motorway work? Is there a significant real world mpg advantage for the TDi? And lastly, any reliability worries with either powerplant?

I'd be looking at a 2015-17 model, so 1.4TDi 3 cyl vs 1.2TSi 4 cyl.


Cheers in advance.

Edited by ProximaVela on Friday 15th January 18:22

[Trevor555]

I can't really comment on the diesel as I only test drove it for a few miles.

We got a Tsi 4 pot with the 110bhp engine 2016

The petrol was just so much more refined.

MPG on a long run is usually just over the 50mpg mark.

If you're really careful almost 60mpg is possible, but sat at a constant 60mph.

Try to get the 110bhp over the 90bhp if you do go the petrol route, the 110 one is actually quite nippy compared to the 90, feels much, much, better.

Good cars, it's the longest my missus has stayed in a car. We'd usually get her something different every 2/3 years.

We recently went car shopping for her, looked at Lexus NX, Merc GLB, Nissan Juke new model, new Puma which she liked, but dealer played games, and new Rav4.

She decided to hang onto her Fabia. Saved me some cash lol

Edit. Ours is now four years old and no problems so far.

We've also had two others in the family along the way, and also no problems.

Edited by Trevor555 on Friday 15th January 18:38

[ProximaVela]

Thanks for the info Trevor - very useful. I'd definitely be looking at the 110 over the 90, so it's good you've confirmed it's a noticeable and worthwhile difference. Likewise, a genuine 50mpg on a run sounds impressive, especially considering the price difference/litre between petrol and diesel. Also good to know of no reliability issues across a fleet of examples!

One of the annoying things about the DSG cars is that you can get the highest power (110) TSi with the auto, but only the 90 TDi (there is a 110 derv but manual only). So that pushes me towards the petrol.

So I suppose the diesel would have to be getting a consistent 60+ motorway mpg to be worth considering then. Or have a power delivery more suited to motorway cruising...

Of course the simple answer would be 'test drive both', but that's a little challenging in the current climate. Especially as there are only a handful of diesels for sale across the whole of the UK.

[Trevor555]

ProximaVela said:

One of the annoying things about the DSG cars is that you can get the highest power (110) TSi with the auto, but only the 90 TDi (there is a 110 derv but manual only). So that pushes me towards the petrol.

Ours have all been manual cars, I forgot to mention that.

Have you tried a VAG DSG?

I only ask as I've gone right off them.

Great when you're going up the box, but occasionally they'll get confused at slow speeds and give you a delay when you want to go.