Commuting car for £8-10k?

Noctu

Can anyone recommend me a range of cars to look at in the £8-10k ish area that are the following?

- Comfortable, suited to motorway cruising (70 mile round trip commute, A1 then a little city driving)
- Most of the toys - air con, cruise control, USB music, full electrics
- fairly powerful, maybe 140bhp+, diesel, economical
- not too big, not too small
- looks like it can hold its own on the road...

Ideally less than 3 years old, or at the last, has some warranty left.

All that seems to come up at this price point are Astras. Can anyone point me in alternative directions?

Many thanks :j

ohreally

Lexus IS 220d
Seat Exeo

k3lvc

Noctu wrote: »

Ideally less than 3 years old, or at the last, has some warranty left.

ohreally wrote: »

Lexus IS 220d
Seat Exeo

Neither seem to tick either of those boxes

parking_question_chap

I would buy a little older and get more vfm.

Golf 2.0 GTD would be 168bhp and a decent mpg. Good spec and nice looking car.

N9eav

If you put those search ideal parameters into Auto Trader, it came up with 234 cars nationwide.
Most were Astras or a Chinese made MG with the odd higher mileage Insignia or Mondeo.


Could be a touch call


Maybe just keep the cash and go for a lease car.

fatbelly

Noctu wrote: »

Can anyone recommend me a range of cars to look at in the £8-10k ish area that are the following?

- Comfortable, suited to motorway cruising (70 mile round trip commute, A1 then a little city driving)
- Most of the toys - air con, cruise control, USB music, full electrics
- fairly powerful, maybe 140bhp+, diesel, economical
- not too big, not too small
- looks like it can hold its own on the road...

Ideally less than 3 years old, or at the last, has some warranty left.

All that seems to come up at this price point are Astras. Can anyone point me in alternative directions?

Many thanks :j

A bit left-field but a Kia Optima fits your criteria

Even the earliest ones still have plenty of the 7-year warranty left

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/kia/optima-2012/

wba31

New shape 308? only thing that doesnt tick tyour box for is 150BHP, but the 1.6 HDi is available in a 125bhp version (watch out as some are 92bhp)

Some people would say that as it's a peugeot it will break down next week and suffer major electronic faults next week, but the new 308 has rave reviews and the build quality is much improved over the horrendous 307s and 407s.

I was looking at the estate version of the new 308, 1.6 diesel, and my old man told me to look at the 1.2 petrol, similar power output but more economical...

bigjl

Kia Ceed?

Will still have plenty of Manufacturers Warranty left.

robatwork

Think you may need to compromise on some of your specs if you want a decent choice.

Do you need 140hp+?
At your mileage, diesel isn't an obvious choice either - why not petrol?

bigjl

robatwork wrote: »

Think you may need to compromise on some of your specs if you want a decent choice.

Do you need 140hp+?
At your mileage, diesel isn't an obvious choice either - why not petrol?

35 miles each way daily commute says diesel to me.

Though if traffic is heavy, very possible when commuting in rush hour, then an Auris Hybrid could be a consideration.

The top budget could get a new shape one instead of the rather bland old shape.

Free RFL, 5 year Warranty and likely to be very reliable.

And if you want to be really left field consider an Ampera!

https://www.cargiant.co.uk/car/vauxhall/ampera/BG12LUP

That is a lot of vehicle for that price.

Noctu

Thanks for all the responses. Looks like I have quite a few options :-)