Changing car to lower power - frustrating?

SallyDucati

Hi everyone,

Just looking for some other peoples experiences please!

I'm considering changing my car to something with a higher seating position and possibly automatic.  I currently have a 2ltr Mini Hatch Cooper S (189bhp) which is reasonably swift 

One concern I have is I do like the higher than average power of the Mini, and if I go for something less powerful I will find myself frustrated with it.  

Has anyone done that and did you change back to a quicker car?

TIA

Sally

Edit to add - I do know the overall driving experience will be different in a physically bigger car!

Ditzy_Mitzy

Yes and eventually yes.  I went from a 1.6 Toyota Corolla, no road burner but over 100 bhp, to a 1.3 Fiesta with just over half that amount.  I did find the Fiesta frustrating when it came to things like joining motorways and going uphill.  When the Fiesta was involved in an accident and written off my first impulse was to buy a more powerful car.  I replaced it with a 1.8 Mazda 323, which bested the Corolla in power terms.  
Having said that the Fiesta was much better on back roads, as the Toyota it replaced steered with all the precision of a curling stone.  You pays your money of course, but I can't recommend it as a course of action.

Herzlos

You get used to it pretty quickly. You'll potentially find it's not much slower in the real world, but a lot more comfortable.

Of course you can still get fast SUVs...

maisie_cat

Don't do it, we went from a 2.3 merc & a 1.8 Renault  to a 1.1 Suzuki Vitara, I wanted the 1.4 but couldn't get one.
I hate that the thing is like a roller skate but can't afford to change it for a few years.
Luckily we only do about 4000 miles a  year now so I can live with it, if I win the lottery it's the first thing I'm changing

BOWFER

The trouble you have is that if you want an automatic SUV, the power it'll need to have to even come close to the Mini will be huge.
At a guess, you're looking at it having 250bhp at least, possibly more to match 190bhp in a Mini body.
Then the running costs will be massive.

caprikid1

Don't get hung up on BHP, I switch between multiple cars between 60BHP and 180BHP, it's about how they drive and how heavy they are.

NSG666

How many miles do you do, what sort of journeys (lots of overtaking) and terrain e.g. hills. It's not just about power it's torque that most people miss but don't realise. We once had a 1.4 petrol Peugeot 207 and a 110hp diesel van and I found the car so awful to drive I once cleared my tools etc out of the van to use during a UK holiday.

Unless you go BMW /Merc possibly DSG on VW Audi there are losses through the auto-box but at least you won't need to row on the gearstick.

mgfvvc

I swapped a 180HP Octavia vRS for a 120HP Ford C-Max. The Ford is heavier as well as lower powered. It took a little while to get used to the change, but once I'd adjusted my driving style I've found it OK. I rarely used the full power of the Octavia but occasionally I miss the ability to put my foot down and have the car take off instantly. I now use the lower gears more when I need acceleration and  focus on maintaining momentum as much as possible.

BOWFER

If you're going for a VAG product with DSG, have a good test drive.
I owned a DSG equipped car in 2005, when they first came out, and despised it - a recalcitrant jerky mess of a gearbox.
I got offered a good deal 9 months ago on a DSG equipped Polo GTi, I figured the box must have moved on in 15 years.
Nope, still a recalcitrant jerky mess of a gearbox and I got rid of the car last week, only 9 months into a 4 year PCP.
Couldn't stand it any longer.

[Deleted User]

I used to drive a big old Mazda 626, 108bhp petrol, was heavy but did accelerate quickly and you could do 50mph in second, when it got BER I got a cheap deal on an ex-demo Peugeot 206 diesel 90bhp and it was noticeably slower, even allowing for the petrol vs diesel - the Mazda had a top speed of 140mph, pug was 106mph I think, never tested it. When I replaced it I got a 150bhp 2.2 diesel and that is much more enjoyable for stuff like joining a motorway or passing say a tractor

born_again

Compared to a Ducati all cars are slow 😂