car choice, advice needed

rustyboy21

Due to replace Lease car soon and list is below. Know about BIK on Hybrid, but not majorly worried about that. Do medium amount of motorway driving, a lot of town driving.


What would you go for out of ones below and Why?


A3 1.6 tdi sportback Sport
A3 2.0 tdi Sportback SE
A class Merc A180 SE CDI
Passat 2.0 tdi saloon Tech Executive
Auris Hybrid Icon
Lexus CT200h S

LondonGal

I'd ignore the hybrids, leaving:

A3 1.6 tdi sportback Sport
A3 2.0 tdi Sportback SE
A class Merc A180 SE CDI
Passat 2.0 tdi saloon Tech Executive

Merc definitely too prone to rust and engine not as reliable as the Audi or VW.

The 2.0tdi is a good engine, but not as good as the older 1.9tdi (sadly no longer available). The 1.6tdi is reputed to be a very good engine.

If you'd consider dropping to a 1.5 common rail diesel you'd open yourself up to £35 per year road tax bands on decent cars.

The Passat is much bigger and a bit plusher than the A3, obviously depending what extras etc... you get. All good.

Have you also considered other VW/Audi group cars which include Seat and Skoda. Skoda recently came out as being better build quality than VW nowadays, same engine, chasis, just a different body. Passat = Octavia, A3 = Fabia I think. More for your money then.

I run a Skoda Octavia on the older 1.9tdi engine. It is brilliant! Most of the parts actually say VW on them lol.

rustyboy21

The Octavia is on the listas a 2.0 tdi elegance, but I have driven one in the past and didn't really like it. The avensis Icon is on too, but had 2 Toyotas in past fancy a change, hate the one I have now which is avensis estate.


I am leaning towards the A3 1.6 sport, even though if you asked me yesterday, I wouldn't have done so, but I still like the Lexus, but not driven it yet and the 10%BIK is an attractive offer. I cant choose any other types than what I have been given, the only other one is a Golf 1.6 tdi S.


Thanks for your thoughts

LondonGal

I'd have the A3 over the Golf. Similar cars, but I think Audi have the edge on making better use of internal space.

Personally I think a Lexus is over-rated. They're heavy cars, so you'd lose performance and economy and their diesel engines are not as good as the German ones.

Shame you didn't like the Octavia, though I've not driven a new one. Mine's done £150K and still runs like new.

You have the benefit with a lease car of knowing you don't have to keep it that long. I had a Toyota as my last car, and while I couldn't fault it, it was boring. The cars you're looking at are a pleasure to drive.

skivenov

Assuming you're not bothered about going fast, I'd go with the A3 1.6TDI. Very underated, dependable engine, nice to drive and as quick as most people need to go.

BeenThroughItAll

skivenov wrote: »

Assuming you're not bothered about going fast, I'd go with the A3 1.6TDI. Very underated, dependable engine, nice to drive and as quick as most people need to go.

Remembering, of course, to specify the 'Magne-tit Attractor' option allowing closer tailgating