Best mid-size petrol car on the market.

Fine Day

Hi all,

We are on the lookout for a good second hand mid size petrol car with a max budget of 25k but preferable closer to 20k.

It will replace a skoda Octavia diesel. Only doing about 15000km per year so I think a petrol would be better due to low mileage and short journeys.

What would be a good choice that would be efficient both to run and maintain.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Leatra

There are a good few petrol hybrid Corollas around for that money.

Fine Day

Not sure about a hybrid. Think we prefer to stick with a petrol only.

Buddy Bubs

Don't know what year you're coming from and how new you want but wouldn't a petrol Octavia be a good shout? Even if it's a bit boring buying same car again...

Leatra

There’s a few straight petrol Corollas around as well!

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541490#Comment_121541490

Yes another Octavia is an option. We have not gone our to garages yet but hope to in the next month or so.

Has anyone any feedback on the 1 liter tsi petrol engine. Are they any good. From research I believe they are in the VW golfs too.

chicorytip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541502#Comment_121541502

I thought they were all quares.

mr_edge_to_you

1.0 petrol Octavia is a lovely car to drive.

bmc58

Hundai i20,with a five year guarantee(New).Second hand would be maybe three years guarantee left.Plenty of room for two adults and three children.And a decent boot.

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541517#Comment_121541517

Are they a good engine. I would have concerns round that it's a small engine for the size of the car.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541474#Comment_121541474

Not sure? Why not test drive one and find out? They are nicer to drive and more fuel efficient

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541541#Comment_121541541

Ya your right, we will have to go a dealership and check them out.

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541521#Comment_121541521

I must Google them and see what there are like. Not familiar with them.

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541530#Comment_121541530

Seem to be. I am on my 2nd one - changed every 3 years so can't vouch for the longevity but took it to France twice with 2 kids and a full boot. It was perfectly fine.

It's nicer to drive than the 1.6 TDI, granted the 1.6 TDI is very frugal but was regularly getting 45mpg on the petrol.

PukkaStukka

No major concerns with the 1.0 TSI. It's been around a good while. Reliable, good performance and economy. It does sound a little rumbly at idle in smaller applications, but I believe is ok in the Octavia

MrE.us

Skoda Scala 1.0

Danny Drier

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058328509/best-mid-size-petrol-car-on-the-market

Seat Ateca. Try and get the 1.4l petrol

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541911#Comment_121541911

Will check them out cheers. Is the 1.4 a better engine??

Danny Drier

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541956#Comment_121541956

Well it was replaced with the 1.5 around 2019 or 2020. Similar pokey output but I believe the 1.4 was a more tried and trusted engine

Fine Day

Our local garage has 2021 Honda Civic saloon 1 litre petrol advertised on there website. Any idea what they are like. Seems a nice looking car from the photos online. Honda were a good car in the past, not sure what they are like nowadays.

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541502#Comment_121541502

They’re a terrible buy compared to a hybrid though. And a hybrid Corolla will be more dependable than any of the cars mentioned so far.

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121541574#Comment_121541574

They’re Polo-sized

Flinty997

Hard to beat the bang for buck (and space) of an Octavia. If you need space.

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542984#Comment_121542984

Very true. We have always had something from the VW family and they always served us well.

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542984#Comment_121542984

Lift back boot of the Octavia is massively underappreciated. I had an I40 saloon and while there was good space in the boot, you just dont get the benefit with a standard saloon boot.

Flinty997

Even the leg space in the rear is fantastic compared to it's peers.

Fine Day

Why do the hybrid have such big engines. The Corolla has 1.8 petrol. Are they more efficient??

OP, how about a petrol golf?

dbas

I've a jap import 2017 Honda shuttle for the last year. 1.5l hybrid.

Great car. Big boot.i needed to buy a smaller child seat to get three child seats across the back. Great mileage out of it.

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544139#Comment_121544139

Love the golfs and had a few in the past. Abit tight for for us (2 adults and 2 children)

phunkadelic

Honda Civic

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544116#Comment_121544116

1.8 is not a big engine. Remember that the engine still needs sufficient power to ferry around passengers and the battery/motor of the hybrid system. The Toyota 1.8 engine is normally aspired (no turbo). Some manufacturers like VW use smaller capacity petrol engines and slap a turbo on them to achieve more power but a turbo also adds a little more complexity.

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544268#Comment_121544268

Makes sense. Would they be economical to run say compared to a our diesel Skoda??

pajosjunkbox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542955#Comment_121542955

I agree. The advantage of auto and economical. Proven to be a very reliable engine too.

On that note I'm looking at a 2014 auris hybrid at the moment. 200k on the clock with FSH from Toyota. Is this the exact same 1.8 engine as in the Corolla or wax it updated ?

billyhead

I'd recommend a Honda Civic.

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544529#Comment_121544529

Hybrid or non-hybrid.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544560#Comment_121544560

Non hybrid.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544421#Comment_121544421

Yes, probably a little less so on the motorway but more so around town

Speedline

A 1.2 turbo Auris will do 47mpg on a long run with the cruise control set to 125 kmh. I would imagine a Corolla would get similar. My missus has a 2016 the last 4 years and nothing has gone wrong with it.

tabby aspreme

My OH has a 171 Auris hybrid 1.8 L , 55 mpg with mixed driving, 260kms and no issues with it, the newer Corolla has a 2 litre engine, the bigger engines are less stressed and generally last longer than the more highly tuned smaller engines, the new Yaris has a 1.5L three cylinder engine, the Toyota hybrid engine's have a different internal cycle to regular engine's, to suit the hybrid system

Fine Day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544825#Comment_121544825

She does good mileage. That's good that to know trouble free so far. Do the batteries need replacing in a hybrid often and are the expensive??

pajosjunkbox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544825#Comment_121544825

Has she had it from new ? The autos I'm looking at will be my 2nd family car and will do about 7k per year. It's a 2014 with 204k on it but it has full Toyota service history. A bit apprehensive of the milage but it sounds like yours is going well with 260 km on it.

He is asking 9.5k for it and it's an excel model which I think is high enough spec in the UK. Going to view it tomorrow.

tabby aspreme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544924#Comment_121544924

The battery life is 15 years plus, if you get it checked every year with the main dealer, its the same system as the Prius, the battery on its own will only move the car 1-2 km, but the hybrid system recharges every time you slow down or lift your foot off the accelerator,

tabby aspreme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544943#Comment_121544943

It had 120kms, when she bought it, and it gets a basic oil service and battery check with the main dealer each year, other service work I do myself

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544480#Comment_121544480

The hybrid system was revised but it’s essentially the same thing.

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544825#Comment_121544825

The Corolla has an option of a 2.0 which is very rare. Most are 1.8