Thoughts Focus V Golf 192

PN14

Ok apologies for length of post and this is probably done to death here but looking for peoples thoughts on petrol 192 on the above golf / focus or other taking into account the following

1. Golf Mark 8 prob out pre Christmas
2. Focus New model out now
3. Others
-- Mazda 3 new model but new petrol engine not coming immediately and only 2.0 petrol out now see reason for down sizing below
-- Audi A3 -- prob pushing outside the budget, nice though
-- Mercedes A Class -- as per the audi will be outside the budget, is very nice and prob top of OH's wish list
-- Kia, Hyundai not making other halfs cut at the moment but she is going to drive the i30 fastback likes the look of it, haven't priced these

A couple of points to take on board. This is the OH's car. Currently in a 162 Mondeo 1.5diesel

-- 75,000 kms done. Certainly getting to diesel milage range but her milage isn't real diesel type miles iykwim. General commute is 30km to work say 20min B road and last 10 mins city traffic. Same out in the evenings. You could nearly say another 20kms most evening as taxi to the kids running up and down the road say in 5 to 10km journeys. She would have a monthly Dublin spin as part of work in the mix as well So while doing plenty of overall milage most of the trips are actually petrol type runs.

-- Oldest girl is 16 so in a year or so we'd probably be trying to get her insured to get licence done and dusted etc so really looking at getting the 1.OT engines so that her named insurance will be as least as painless as possible (accept its going to be hard to swallow premium anyway)

With kids all in their teens now no longer any need for a larger family car with boot size to carry all the gear (any family trips will be in my car) so space not really a criteria hence looking at downsizing a class.

Would be looking at a highline golf with a couple of extras (technology pack, scrolling rear lights etc) or focus titanium or ST line with similar extras added i.e. winter pack, rear camera so similar spec on both.

Looking for people's opinions / views on which to go with and why or are they just a personal taste decision really.

Focus coming in a bit better on price. Personally haven't driven either yet but OH has and while she liked the focus she felt the 1.0 in the golf was a nicer drive. Big elephant is golf 8 is on the way. The golf 7 will prob get leather interior approx. 2k added for any 192 order as same price point to get rid of stock according to local garage.

colm_mcm

Octavia Soleil would be worth a look IMO.

PN14

Thanks Colm

She has had numerous octavias since the Mark II was introduced and actually traded from an Octavia to the mondeo last time out, all petrol. Never had a bother with one of them great cars for families when they are young with all the associated gear.

Must say it to her to give a look but I'd expect she'd pefer a change even thought the golf will be somewhat similar and the new focus isn't a million miles off the Mondeo

bazz26

New Toyota Corolla hybrid?

R.O.R

bazz26 wrote: »

New Toyota Corolla hybrid?

It sounds like the sort of mileage a hybrid would really come in to it's own doing and I was thinking along similar lines, but if there's someone about to start learning to drive then the Auto box in a hybrid isn't ideal.

Is it worth looking at the small SUV's like the SEAT Arona/Hyundai Kona/Kia Stonic?

I ended up in a base model Stonic overnight while waiting on a car and was very impressed, except there was no A/C and it had been parked in the sun all day and I couldn't get it cool, but even the lowly 1.2 petrol engine had plenty of poke on the motorway. Higher spec model would be a decent proposition.

PN14

Thanks lads
If the car was for herself only fully electric or hybrid would be the route to go however as ROR said learner driver on the way in 18 months really doesn't make the auto / cvt gear box ideal. Would prefer to have them learn on manual they can always drive auto after I'd expect much harder to go the other way.

By the way is it still the case if you get test in an auto that you are only licenced to drive an auto and not manual or has this changed?

bazz26

Yeah still the same.

Shefwedfan

PN14 wrote: »

Thanks lads
If the car was for herself only fully electric or hybrid would be the route to go however as ROR said learner driver on the way in 18 months really doesn't make the auto / cvt gear box ideal. Would prefer to have them learn on manual they can always drive auto after I'd expect much harder to go the other way.

By the way is it still the case if you get test in an auto that you are only licenced to drive an auto and not manual or has this changed?

You can get auto only license

The days of manual are in the way out, I am not sure why Irish people seem hung up on driving manual, even tractors are auto now....

Automatic will hold value better and be easier to resell....manual are clunky and automatic technology is superior....the days of driving a manual to go faster are long gone

I would never buy a manual again and the majority of people I know are the same

Shefwedfan

Electric would be the option I would recommend, auto, cheap insurance, tax, service and reduced tolls....fuel costs alone would be huge savings

AMKC

Have the two you said the Focus would be my choice .

Have a look at the new Kia Proceed. Its a stunner and has a big boot too. Lovely to sit in as well although the space for the rear seats is a little tight.

New Honda Civic also well worth a look.

The new Mazda 3 is a stunner and I would not rule it out. Maybe you might like the saloon better do.

PN14

Thanks Guys. Will give a look at the proceed. Would like the mazda 3 sat in a new model one last week really nice. Had a 161 mazda 6 myself for last 3 years and really liked it. Only hangup is will insurance for a learner driver be mad on the 2.0ltr petrol or 1.8 diesel?

No hang up on manual at all and agree electric / hybrid for OH driving would be ideal.

Reason for manual / small petrol engine is looking a bit longer term with the young ones. Realistically if they get licence etc over say the next 5 / 6 years for all of them and they are looking at getting there own wheels it will be manual cars they will be buying / driving wont be able to afford newer electric / auto box stuff in the real world. We were all the same start out in the cheapest to buy / insure yoke we could get and work up from there. Even in say 6/7 years current electric / hybrid cars are probably going to be out of reach of any graduate starting out in work.

So no point in they getting licence in auto box stuff if they then cant afford to buy / drive these type of cars in their early working life. Only being realistic to what suits us at the moment. At least if they earn licence on a manual they can always drive auto but not the other way it seems still.

bazz26

Is there a particular reason you need to change cars this year? Why not keep the Mondeo for another year or two and learn them to drive in that rather than in a brand new car? At least that way they will still learn to drive a manual and if they accidentally ding it, it's not the end of the world.

PN14

No particular reason Bazz only the boss whats to change. Anything for an easy life :cool:

Shefwedfan

One thing to note, my wife had a SMAX, swapped to a Galaxy.....has now had a Ford fora number of years....she is so bored of the interior at this stage.

The Ford interior is good but nothing fantastic to look at. Swapping into another Ford could mean you are not really changing the interior which might be ok now but could see get rejections :-)

PN14

Went with the Focus in the end
OH collected it yesterday
Nothing between a lot of the cars really
Got the best deal on the trade in of the Mondeo against the Focus which was to be expected

Focus Tithanium + 1.0 petrol 125