Help me choose from these four
Discussion
I have the following choice for my 12 month stint in the Netherlands; I’m in the east and need to travel to various sites regularly. No requirements other than east to live with and not stodgy to drive. Pretty tight driving laws and limits here mean performance/handling isn’t really a consideration, which is reflected in the selection tbh. All options are auto, and the monthly figure includes everything apart from fuel which obviously I have to pay. I was hoping for some other options but the dealer in question has these available and I need to make a decision ASAP.
1) ‘21 Mini Cooper. Actually have a cooper as a hire car right now and I’ve been pretty impressed with it; decent performance, drives well, quiet/comfy enough, I quite like the looks too. Some niggles - clumsy handbrake/arm rest situation and no apply car play, so old-skool usb-plug in only. Also pretty small inside, although with just me it wouldn’t be an issue. Cheapest option here at 300 euro a month.
2) ‘23 Kia Ceed wagon - brand new, I’m ok with the looks inside and out as I often prefer the estate versions of cars to the hatchbacks or saloons. The estate version could come in handy for the inevitable trips to ikea to furnish my new place. Haven’t driven this generation but drove a gen 1 Ceed and was very impressed with it. 1.5 MHEV GT spec which is around 140hp I think. Second cheapest at 380 a month
3) ‘22 XC40 R- design - had a V60 previously and loved it, but the XC40 always looked a little awkward to me. Have driven one (briefly, and pre-hybridisation) and it was pretty slow. Not sure if the T4 in the current gen are much cop? They should have similar power to why my D4 V60 had so should be decent. Bit of a mummy car though. Also second most expensive at 560.
4) ‘23 Golf 1.5 mHEV R-line. This is the one I wanted originally but it’s also the most expensive, around 660 euro per month so more than double the cooper. I’ve driven these before and they’re pretty faultless imo, but not sure I can justify spending double when the Cooper would do just fine, despite its niggles. Given how low the limits are here and the lack of back-road driving, I’m pretty sure I’d be constantly thinking to myself I could be saving 350 euro a month.
Anyone got any showstoppers that would prevent them going for any of these? Need to make a decision Monday.
1) ‘21 Mini Cooper. Actually have a cooper as a hire car right now and I’ve been pretty impressed with it; decent performance, drives well, quiet/comfy enough, I quite like the looks too. Some niggles - clumsy handbrake/arm rest situation and no apply car play, so old-skool usb-plug in only. Also pretty small inside, although with just me it wouldn’t be an issue. Cheapest option here at 300 euro a month.
2) ‘23 Kia Ceed wagon - brand new, I’m ok with the looks inside and out as I often prefer the estate versions of cars to the hatchbacks or saloons. The estate version could come in handy for the inevitable trips to ikea to furnish my new place. Haven’t driven this generation but drove a gen 1 Ceed and was very impressed with it. 1.5 MHEV GT spec which is around 140hp I think. Second cheapest at 380 a month
3) ‘22 XC40 R- design - had a V60 previously and loved it, but the XC40 always looked a little awkward to me. Have driven one (briefly, and pre-hybridisation) and it was pretty slow. Not sure if the T4 in the current gen are much cop? They should have similar power to why my D4 V60 had so should be decent. Bit of a mummy car though. Also second most expensive at 560.
4) ‘23 Golf 1.5 mHEV R-line. This is the one I wanted originally but it’s also the most expensive, around 660 euro per month so more than double the cooper. I’ve driven these before and they’re pretty faultless imo, but not sure I can justify spending double when the Cooper would do just fine, despite its niggles. Given how low the limits are here and the lack of back-road driving, I’m pretty sure I’d be constantly thinking to myself I could be saving 350 euro a month.
Anyone got any showstoppers that would prevent them going for any of these? Need to make a decision Monday.
Yeah I’ve spent the evening watching reviews of all of them and the Kia has made its way to the top of this list if I’m being honest. I think the cooper is too much of a compromise on space, the golf too expensive for what it is and whilst I do love a Volvo, the xc40 is a bit too mummyish for me, so Kia it is.
Canon_Fodder said:
No Apple Car Play means the Mini must be a pre LCI2 (which was in May '21 I think)
So you have to be a bit careful with the spec / trim level or you can end up with a plastic steering wheel and no LEDs
I know it’s a 2021 car but not sure on the month. Pics on the site have the digital dash which was part of the LCI update i think? Maybe the options are a NL-specific thing. This is the car in question (ignore the prices, I’ve been quoted a rate for 12 months vs 1 month on the site) https://www.blankertshortlease.nl/mini-cooper-clas...So you have to be a bit careful with the spec / trim level or you can end up with a plastic steering wheel and no LEDs
Site says it has apple car play but I double checked with the dealer as my Avis rental cooper has only usb and mini-nav - dealer confirmed this is the same in there cars. The listing is likely a generic website thing as all their other options have car play/AA.
Canon_Fodder said:
OK, perhaps a country specific thing. The car liked to is LCI 2 but not UK 'Classic' trim as the seats are wrong (or options)
In the UK all LCI 2 trim levels got ACPlay.
That car looks a cracker - they're great fun
Did a bit of digging on the mini.nl configurator and I’m now pretty sure that car play is included, you just need to have the mini connect app set up in order for it to work.In the UK all LCI 2 trim levels got ACPlay.
That car looks a cracker - they're great fun
I think it might come down to a coin flip between the Cooper and the Kia; the Kia does have more kit on it like heated seats x5 and steering wheel, pano roof, adaptive cruise and a few others. But I do like the mini.
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