Recommendations for small car

chancer12 · 12-07-2019 3:43pm #1

Looking for some advice plse. I'm trading in my F Fiesta and have a budget tops 12k. Happy enough to go with another Fiesta but my 2010 is 1.25 and it's not very powerful. Are the newer 1.0's similar or should I look for 1.25 min for a bit of power?

Other small cars in my price range are Kia Rio, Nissan Note, Seat Ibiza, Opal Astra. Does anyone have any opinion - positive or negative - on these?

colm_mcm · 12-07-2019 4:35pm

The newer 1.25 is even less powerful. The 1.0 is on a par with what you have, and the eco boost or diesel is much faster

Have a look at the Ibiza and Polo. They’re a bit bigger than the Fiesta and have a good choice of engines.

bazz26 · 12-07-2019 7:43pm

OP, you don't mention what year your looking at trading up to.

Most of the Fiestas sold in Ireland with the 1.0 litre engine would be the non turbo versions which have similar power to your existing 1.25 litre. If you want a more powerful 1.0 litre then you need to find an Ecoboost version which is turbo charged. These were 100bhp and 125bhp but they are rare enough here.

chancer12 · 12-07-2019 8:06pm

Looking to go to '15 or '16, preferably 16. Just felt the Fiesta was a bit light and vulnerable on a motorway, sometimes difficult to get the power overtaking. Always thought the Ibiza was a bit tinny but haven't driven one for a few years. Like the look of the Rio and there seems to be good value on the Note but unsure what I think about it! Guess it'll come down to what I'm offered on a trade-in

bazz26 · 12-07-2019 8:14pm

A 15/16 Fiesta will be pretty much the same car you have now. They didn't change them until 2018. Most cars that size are going to be lacking in motorway acceleration and feel vulnerable as they are not really designed for motorway driving, they are primarily city cars.

chancer12 · 12-07-2019 8:25pm

Thanks Bazz, have to hope for a Lotto win so!

dbas · 12-07-2019 8:29pm

Go a bit bigger and get a vw golf or mazda 3. Solid cars and will feel comfortable in city or on the motorway

Rubberchikken · 12-07-2019 8:32pm

we have an ibiza 1.2.
economical. drives fine. little over 100 euro for a full service.
its not sporty or fast or fancy or whatever others look for in a car but ut does the job.

Philb76 · 12-07-2019 9:45pm

Toyota yaris 1.33 Hyundai i20 kia Rio Peugeot 208 1.2 or above are all decent on the motorway

scamalert · 12-07-2019 9:52pm

if you want power try getting micra 1.2 or 1.5, will have wheels spinning.crap interior thou.

chancer12 · 12-07-2019 10:28pm

thanks everyone, will post how the search goes, can't stretch to a Golf I'm afraid

Dia_Anseo · 12-07-2019 11:00pm

If you could stretch your budget a bit you could get into a 2018 Micra 1.o with 90bhp that'll be reasonably comfortable on motorway driving

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/nissan-micra-1-0-sv-4dr-90hp-price-drop/20571653

bazz26 · 13-07-2019 1:36am

OP, how much motorway type driving do you do? All these small cars are not designed for motorway driving. These small engines will need to be worked harder for motorway speeds, plus these cars are small and light which makes them easier to shake when being over took by larger vehicles or a strong cross wind. You should consider dropping back a year or two for a slightly bigger Focus type car if budget is a concern.

chancer12 · 29-07-2019 8:36pm

I'm back again and so frustrated from this car search. Have decided that based on the driving I do that a city car is fine. So, I'm looking at a Fiesta, Rio or Ibiza but the value I'm getting for my own car is awful. Thought I'd settled on a 2017 Ibiza but it's an awfully boring looking car and really due a style upgrade. I'm afraid they'll change it as soon as I buy the car! the Rio I looked at was an import and I haven't bought one of those before but they said they have the full car history. (Went to see a second one and it had been crashed ..... these things happen, he says!).

So back on Carzone again today and I came across 2 Nissan Pulsars with good mileage and within my budget. Also quite a few Renault Clio's but I think the Renault/Peugeot parts are expensive so that's why I was avoiding those.

I'm not normally this indecisive but I only have Saturday's to look so it's becoming a bit protracted. Want to buy asap

colm_mcm · 29-07-2019 8:39pm

Renault parts aren’t expensive.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with UK imports by the way.
Have you a link to the Rio advert?

Also, you should sell your Fiesta privately if you to get decent money for it.

Also, a new model Ibiza came out in 2017. You were probably looking at the old 2009 model which ended in 2017.

chancer12 · 30-07-2019 12:20pm

Here's the link to the Kia https://www.capitalmotors.ie/vehicles/kia/rio/dublin/2321017

Any thoughts on the Nissan Pulsar?

thanks for this

bazz26 · 30-07-2019 12:31pm

The Pulsar is from the class above the likes of a Fiesta and Rio so it's not a city car. The Pulsar model has also been discontinued so no longer on sale brand new if that bothers you. The logic around French parts being more expensive doesn't make sense given that Renault own about 25% of Nissan and the Pulsar shares many parts with Renaults.

chancer12 · 30-07-2019 12:59pm

Guess it will be the Fiesta or Clio so! Very many thanks for your advice, much appreciated

bazz26 · 30-07-2019 1:11pm

I wouldn't rule out the Rio. Hyundai i20 would also be worth a look, it's the Kia Rio's sister model, ie they share many parts.

Recommendations for small car

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