Family sized hatchback suggestions

browneyedbazzi

I'm currently shopping for a new (or nearly new) car and I'm hoping you good (and knowledgeable) people can help me decide what would be a good choice for me.

I'd like a 5 door family sized hatchback that gets decent mileage (at the very least it needs to out perform my current car which gets approx 41 mpg). It also needs to have air conditioning (I know this doesn't necessarily 'go' with fuel economy, but after sitting in hours of queues in the heat this summer without air con it really is a must!).

I do about 12k miles a year but the vast majority of that is urban (in the SE) with quite a lot of queuing and few good runs on the motorway so I think petrol is probably the way to go.

Other than that I'm fairly open - I'm not a brand snob so I'm more interested in whether a car performs and is reliable than the badge on it.

I was originally looking at new cars but the new car I really like is just more money than I can justify spending (a new shape mazda 3 SEL at just over £19k) so I'm now thinking about getting something that is a couple of years old and spending around £10k.

Any suggestions? If more information would be helpful please ask!

BeenThroughItAll

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

I'm currently shopping for a new (or nearly new) car and I'm hoping you good (and knowledgeable) people can help me decide what would be a good choice for me.

I'd like a 5 door family sized hatchback that gets decent mileage (at the very least it needs to out perform my current car which gets approx 41 mpg). It also needs to have air conditioning (I know this doesn't necessarily 'go' with fuel economy, but after sitting in hours of queues in the heat this summer without air con it really is a must!).

I do about 12k miles a year but the vast majority of that is urban (in the SE) with quite a lot of queuing and few good runs on the motorway so I think petrol is probably the way to go.

Other than that I'm fairly open - I'm not a brand snob so I'm more interested in whether a car performs and is reliable than the badge on it.

I was originally looking at new cars but the new car I really like is just more money than I can justify spending (a new shape mazda 3 SEL at just over £19k) so I'm now thinking about getting something that is a couple of years old and spending around £10k.

Any suggestions? If more information would be helpful please ask!

Ultimately personal choice, but one thing I'd say is you're absolutely right about fuel choice - forget about buying a diesel.

flashg67

My Hyundai i30 has been faultless over 3 years and similar mileage to you. Decent warranty but perhaps interior quality not quite up to some others. Got mine pre registered at a car supermarket and saved a couple of K at the time.
I can get over 40 mpg from it (1.4 petrol)but my wife can't for some reason.......

browneyedbazzi

Thank you both. I do like the look of the i30 but had been put off hyundai because I know someone who had a dud i10....i might go have a proper look at one.

daveyjp

Skoda Octavia 1.2 or 1.4 TSi should be good for 45mpg.

JustinR1979

Was gonna say the vag 1.4tsi, worth a look, been engine of the year a few times in it's class I think.
Pretty pokey with 120ps too.

jaydeeuk1

I was in a very similar situation with a budget up to £18k. Most hatchbacks around that price seemed incredible boring or there's one on every driveway. Wife liked some mazda 3 fastback but it just looked boring and the thought of spending 15 grand on it would have made me miserable. I always like my cars a bit different so my shortlist consisted of a vauxhall ampera/chevvy volt, lexus CT, toyota prius plugin. Then ended up getting a citroen c4 cactus. All of those will meet your criteria. Had my heart set on the ampera with its fancy gadgets as one on sale round corner for £16k but comprimised with wife.

Reading your post again a hybrid looks right up your street. The auris or even yaris might be suitable, and you get benefit of 5 years warranty.

FiremanDave

How about a 1996 Corolla?

OddballJamie

FiremanDave wrote: »

How about a 1996 Corolla?

The '98 is the model to go for with the carbon fibber included.

FiremanDave

OddballJamie wrote: »

The '98 is the model to go for with the carbon fibber included.

Oh sorry is the imaginary Toyota a 98?

Lungboy

daveyjp wrote: »

Skoda Octavia 1.2 or 1.4 TSi should be good for 45mpg.

Or the Rapid, a good few £K cheaper, same engine, almost as big.