5 Doors, Fast, cheap to run, insure and tax for £8K?

[KenBlocksPants]

Right our second car is in need of an overhaul mainly as we are planning a family an it doesnt have room in the back for a pram (Fiat 500). I of course automatically fancied the biggest thing I could find with the biggest engine (I wanted an S4 Avant for example).

As its the missus car that i will rarely drive it seems pointless for me to spend shed loads on a new motor and she doesnt fancy something as big as an estate or 4x4 anyway.

So it leaves me with the following criteria:

£8k budget
5 doors (anything considered as the fiat 500 boot can barely store a shoebox)
Cheap to run (35mpg+, lowish insurance, low tax band)
Fun for me when I have a drive

My first instinct was something like a Focus ST which seems to tick all the boxes apart from the cheap to run bit (Althought its relative, remember were coming from a 1.2 Fiat 500) With road tax being the biggest bug bear (up from £35 to £245!).

She fancies the new shape Fiat Bravo 1.4 petrol, which also seems to tick all the boxes apart from my fun to drive box.

Any more ideas or an I stuck with a boring euro box unless I put my hand in my pocket for the increased running costs? Is there a compromise?

[ritch]

focus? astra? seat leon? loads of choice in this sector.

[KenBlocksPants]

ritch said:

focus? astra? seat leon? loads of choice in this sector.

Thanks, any specifics on which models to go for bearing in mind the cheap but fun requirement?

Anyone else?

[Adam205]

Grand Punto Sporting 1.6 Diesel. Not 'fast' but 0-60 in under 9 secs, 60mpg+ possible and very low insurance group for what it is.

I'm just heading out to fit 8 wheels and tyres into our 500. Wish me luck!

Edited by Adam205 on Thursday 6th January 12:38

[KenBlocksPants]

Interesting option, should get a decent trade in for the 500 as well.

Not quite as fast as I'd hoped though...

Its looking bleak

[Chris_w666]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2208578.htm

[KrazyIvan]

Coming from a 500, you may find the running cost of the ST a bit of a big jump, mpg wise you'll never really see above 30mg, and if the mrs is going to be running around town in it, then you'll be looking at low 20's. That said they are a good balance between fun and comfortable to drive.

Have you thought about golf TDI like this

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1959131.htm

[Motorrad]

Another Skoda but cheaper to run

Fabia VRS 'Special Edition'.

Not exactly fast but a remap will make it nippy.

[Adam205]

KenBlocksPants said:

Interesting option, should get a decent trade in for the 500 as well.

Not quite as fast as I'd hoped though...

Its looking bleak

Tbh you'll get a decent trade in on a 500 wherever you go, at the moment they're selling for whatever dealers ask for them!

in case you're interested.... 8 wheels and tyres in the back of a 500. Could have got 10 in at a push!

[Tuvra]

Mondeo ST TDCI? 155BHP i believe?

[KenBlocksPants]

Thanks all.

To reply, thanks for ths Octavia suggestion... she doesnt want an estate, so a hatch seems the best option. Same goes for mondeo really, a bit 'long' (her words not mine)

Golf looks promising, ive had a Mk4 before and was always impressed. Fabia again sounds good, she's not a badge snob so should go down well.

Impressive 8 wheels in the 500! I was initially convinced we could keep the 500 but driving round with the seats permanently down to get a pram + baby stuff in seems painful.

Should also mention we have a dog too!

Keep 'em coming!

[R26Andy]

To get 35mpg around the doors you probably wont be looking at the big boy hot hatches with the 2.0+ Turbo engines (ST, R26, Type-R, Cupra, VXR, MPS etc)

Your probably looking at the smaller cars with around 1.8T or equivalent such as the Punto Sport, Corsa VXR, Fabia VRS, Fiesta ST, Ibiza FR, clio 197, 206 Gti, celica 190 etc etc all will do 35mpg at a push and 0-60 in around 7-9 seconds.

R

Andy