Petrol estate

lonestargirl

Currently have 1999 1.4L Focus which has come to the end of it's life and need to buy something new. Annual mileage is about 8k with mostly short city trips but occasional longer trips. The Focus is very underpowered and, given my mileage, I don't think a larger engine would be too uneconomical. I have a child and I find my boot is always full of stuff so I would like to possibly go for an estate. Budget is up to 8k.

Does anyone have any opinions on the following?
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/volvo/v50/used-2007-volvo-v50-1-8-se-manuf-dublin-fpa-161614302276664760
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/volvo/v50/used-2005-volvo-v50-sport-low-dublin-fpa-72214089806185970
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/skoda/octavia/used-2008-skoda-octavia-1-6-autom-dublin-fpa-154314281015521330

The other think I have possibly considered is a Prius, not an estate but I gather the boot is fairly sustantial.

heffomike54

Not what you are looking at but my last car was a 2004 Toyota Corolla estate 1.6 petrol, was a English model so was well equipped & never seem sluggish or under powered. Great car, still miss it. That said, I have driven the Volvo estate, great car, very luxurious.

colm_mcm

those flexifuel volvos are hard enough on petrol. the skoda would be quite slow too.

the boot in the prius is much smaller than in your focus.

colm_mcm

a hatchback Octavia might be worth a look too

stephenmarr

@lonestargirl

the wife has a 2007 v50 1.8 flexifuel

easily getting 800klms to a tank so not to bad.

there not the biggest inside buy there very comfortable.

lonestargirl

heffomike54 wrote: »

Not what you are looking at but my last car was a 2004 Toyota Corolla estate 1.6 petrol, was a English model so was well equipped & never seem sluggish or under powered. Great car, still miss it. That said, I have driven the Volvo estate, great car, very luxurious.

I'd be happy to drive a Corolla estate, it's just that estates don't seem to be as popular here as in the UK and the 3 availble on Carzone in Dublin are all 02/03 and I'd like something a bit newer as I'd like to keep it for min 5 years.

colm_mcm wrote: »

those flexifuel volvos are hard enough on petrol. the skids would be quite slow too.

the boot in the prius is much smaller than in your focus.

I don't do huge mileage so I'm ok with it not being super-economical. I'm surprised that the Prius boot is that small as I often see them recommended for Taxis etc., my Focus is a Mk1 hatchback and the boot really isn't that big.

colm_mcm wrote: »

a hatchback Octavia might be worth a look too

Good point, I should probably consider other larger hatchbacks like a Mondeo also. I'd like to keep the ability to fold the rear seats for transporting large items so stick to a hatch/estate.

stephenmarr wrote: »

@lonestargirl

the wife has a 2007 v50 1.8 flexifuel

easily getting 800klms to a tank so not to bad.

there not the biggest inside buy there very comfortable.

That's not too bad economy wise. My mother has an 08 diesel model so I've driven it a good bit and I find the size fine, it's just me and the 4-year old in the car it's the bike/scooter/body board/swimming gear that go in the boot that are the issue. I don't do enough mileage to need a diesel.

colm_mcm

Prius make great taxis because they have automatic as standard and are suited to urban driving that taxis do.
Boot is quite shallow unless you load it up above the parcel shelf/blind yoke. Prams etc would fill it in no time.

lonestargirl

colm_mcm wrote: »

Prius make great taxis because they have automatic as standard and are suited to urban driving that taxis do.
Boot is quite shallow unless you load it up above the parcel shelf/blind yoke. Prams etc would fill it in no time.

I don't have a pram but I would like to fit a kid's bike so I guess the Prius is out then, thanks.

The Skoda estate and this Mondeo http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/ford/mondeo/used-2008-ford-mondeo-1-6-zetec-5-dublin-fpa-201314372958729500 are in the same dealer. From this previous boards post he appears to be decent so I might take a spin out on Saturday.

The newer V50 has leather seats which I think is always a plus with kids but is 4 owners is 8 years too high?

heffomike54

Used to drive hatchback mondeos in my old job, the boot space is crazy on them! Always surprises people, was able to convince my dad to buy a hatchback Mazda as a result and he loves it