Medium hatch for occasional motorway use.

Falcon L

Thinking of downsizing my full size family hatchback for a medium one. Focus/Megane/A3 kinda size. My usage is a bit odd though. The car could sit for a week unused, then off for a 300km round trip on motorway and country roads. Then off to the UK for a week or 2 and 5 hours of motorway travel. I could go a couple of months with just local trips: 40kms round trip as low as one a week.

What do you reckon would fit my usage best? Must be available in auto and must be comfortable enough to do the 5 hour motorway runs without killing me. Should be 2010 or newer. Budget very flexible.

Any recommendations?

bazz26

Is there a reason to change/downsize? Your current car being from the class above will probably be more comfortable on long journeys than something from the class below.

Falcon L

It's more to do with getting my wife to do some of the driving. According to her my current car is too big. :rolleyes: I'm sure I've seen women driving buses, trucks and vans. However...

bazz26

What sort of money are spending?

Falcon L

bazz26 wrote: »

What sort of money are spending?

I've an open kinda budget. New wouldn't be out of the question, but the depreciation would get up my nose.

Let's go with 20K.

bazz26

Seat Leon FR:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Leon/2.0-TDI/94214139038351310/

Plenty of power for overtaking and effortless motorway driving.

Falcon L

bazz26 wrote: »

Seat Leon FR:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Leon/2.0-TDI/94214139038351310/

Plenty of power for overtaking and effortless motorway driving.

That would do alright. Common to get auto? That's a must.

bazz26

Ah forgot about the auto bit, DSG is available but might be less common.

colm_mcm

Lexus CT200h?

Falcon L

colm_mcm wrote: »

Lexus CT200h?

Not too familiar with those. Are they A3 size?

Pkiernan

A hybrid car would be perfect for your driving.
Lexus above or the prius.

Falcon L

Pkiernan wrote: »

A hybrid car would be perfect for your driving.
Lexus above or the prius.

Yeah, I like the idea of a hybrid alright.

colm_mcm

Falcon L wrote: »

Not too familiar with those. Are they A3 size?

Very similarly sized.

Froshtbit

Falcon L wrote: »

It's more to do with getting my wife to do some of the driving. According to her my current car is too big. :rolleyes: I'm sure I've seen women driving buses, trucks and vans. However...

I'm not trying to be offensive but if that's the only reason you've got to get rid of your old car, I'd not bother. 20,000E is a lot of money to spend on such a small problem.

Of course, if there are other reasons then consider my neck well and truly wound in.

Duke O Smiley

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/lexus-ct-hybrid-1-8-litre-hybrid/8404378?offset=4

Absolutely a CT200h.

colm_mcm

I never thought there'd be a question where a CT was the answer, but there ya have it.

Falcon L

Froshtbit wrote: »

I'm not trying to be offensive but if that's the only reason you've got to get rid of your old car, I'd not bother. 20,000E is a lot of money to spend on such a small problem.

Of course, if there are other reasons then consider my neck well and truly wound in.

It's change time anyway. The current car has 195k on the clock. It's in perfect nick and running well, but at 2008 it's just time.

Falcon L

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/lexus-ct-hybrid-1-8-litre-hybrid/8404378?offset=4

Absolutely a CT200h.

Nice looking motor, but the wheels look very small. I'm not saying it's a real consideration, but they look lost in the wheel arches, don't they?

Falcon L

Looks like there are a lot more of the Prius for sale than the CT. Would the differences be vast? I'm sure the Lexus is more high end than the Toyota, even though they are the same manufacturer.

Would a high spec Prius be similar to a lower spec CT? Does it even work that way?