My next car?

[Crowella]

So I'm finally reaching my wits' end with my current car. It's clocked 330,000 km, 21 years old and while everything is sound and cheap on fuel (6L/100km) which is useful with about 800-1000km a week, I am getting a bit tired of worrying about things going wrong with it and how unstable it's feeling to drive after some heavy use, especially on the freeway. It's also inadequate for carrying my musical gear, my bikes and it has out grown it's practical abilities. With discussion with family and my other half, we've decided that I should hold out for about 6-12 months and invest in a new car and start fresh and not have a list of problems that will set me back for a while.

Now here is the tricky bit. After saying all this, the car can't be too big because of fuel and I'd rather my girlfriend didn't have to drive a large car when required (some sight issues, mostly issues with parking) so I've pinned down the idea of a small wagon with a diesel preferred or worst case scenario a hatchback. Not looking for many extras or factory options but may be nice if I have money left over. Budget around $30,000

So my questions are, what other possibilities do I have and what else should I look for? For reference to what I'm after, so far I looked at these and I still have a few other brands in mind:

Kia Cerato Hatch - Salesman had no interest in assisting me so I'm going by what I saw. The rear room was not too enticing and that steering wheel wanted me to bash my head against something otherwise inside was as decent as the outside. The fuel consumption was disappointing as well as boot room. Overall the quality didn't feel that cheap which shows Kia's improvement on finishing. The cost means I could put a bit more into extras if I want to and not be too concerned price wise. Cheapest of the lot but doesn't tick many boxes.

Toyota Rukus - Mentioned by salesman. I like the room practicality but that is the only positive thing I have to say on it. Pass.

Toyota Corolla Hatch - I want to start off by saying that I think there is no possibility on earth I could live with that interior, especially the gear control positioning. The inside centre console felt and looked so cheap but the seats were comfortable, room was okay and owning a Toyota in the family I can only assume reliability would be superb. Fuel economy didn't excite me and I'm disappointed that they no longer make a wagon variant. Pricing was okay, think it was about $25-26k with quite a few options so still could be an option there but doubt it.

Hyundai i30 Hatch - Another company that has ditched the wagon. I heard it was due to some sourcing issues but meh. The inside seemed nice, not looking cheap and everything was intact and sturdy. The exterior was also good to look at in a metallic silver. A diesel is offered in the range which started to excite me with the best fuel consumption averaging 5L/100km Room wise it was adequate and the cost for the diesel Elite model will cost me about $27,000. So far looking at the best dollar wise including future servicing and repairs. The older wagon is still on sale but I doubt will be available early next year. Definite option.

Volkswagen Golf Wagon - About the limits on what I will go size wise. I don't know if VW had a map of my head but so far is closest to my needs. The wagon part alone gives me enough room to cart stuff and still have extra passengers if required. Only at this point did I notice the short comings of the other cars as far as finish goes. It is superb in and out and feels like it is all laid out practically. The diesel is offered with a 7 speed DSG only (doesn't appease my manual love). The seating was fine. Overall it pleased me the most until I saw the cost. I'm looking at $35,000 on road for the base diesel model and some options may be required for longevity sake so I need to decide if the premium is worth it. Favoured option

I know it's a lot on face value at the moment but I'm more looking at what is available and just getting ideas of what to look for.

So the tl;dr: Suitable small wagons or hatchbacks with good fuel economy, good room around the $30k mark?

[Exar Kun]

If you're not too concerned on looks then get a Skoda Roomster. Heaps of space options with the varioflex seating in something no bigger than a normal hatch. Fuel economy is awesome too from the 1.2 turbo. No diesel option anymore but that keeps costs down.

Skoda also sneak in the Octavia under your budget. Both sedan and wagon options but the sedan is actually a lift-back so the opening size is quite large and the boot is decent too. Wagon has heaps of space.

[Hazelb]

Try the Mazda CX5...not big, but big, Diesel option available...

[Gizmo]

The pick of the bunch in that list is the Golf I reckon. Ive owned a golf for 6 months now and it hasn't put a foot wrong. They are well made and the interior makes you feel like your sitting in something special. As for the options, hit up eBay. You will find alot of the stuff 2/3rds cheaper and there are plenty of diy install docs on community forums. As for the dsg. Go and drive one frist. It might change your mind! They are an amazing bit of kit! Would you consider the petrol model? Lower RRP. You get your manual and they still are really good on fuel.

Second choice I reckon is the Skoda that EK mentioned. I dont know what they are on roard but skoda's these days are just rebagged VW's so you cannot go wrong!

[Exar Kun]

The Skodas are all under $30k on road.

A CX-5 would be great but if a Golf wagon is at the size limit then a small SUV is beyond it.

[Crowella]

The Skoda Roomster looks ugly as sin but the Octavia is looking like a viable option? Looks very attractive but same price as the Golf which is seeming more suitable by the day. Might have a peek tomorrow as well as the CX-5.

[norbs]

We have put about 55k on the bride's diesel i30. Great little car. The only complaint is the seats for me on a long trip. I can get my bike in the back with a wheel off no worries at all.

Fuel economy is awesome. On one trip back from Albury, with 2 in the car and some light luggage we used 17l of fuel for just over 500kms! I only know because I filled up at Albury and thought the fuel gauge was faulty, so stopped in Nowra and topped up.

It is coming up to 3 years old and the only issue we had was the cruise control played up about 6 months in.

[bengatta]

I recommend listening to EK and at least consider test driving the Skoda... I travel far too much and get to rent shit loads of cars, which is like test driving lots... not many cars I have not driven over the years... turned up at the desk a year or so ago and they gave me the keys to a skoda octavia... good grief, I almost wanted to throw them back at the lady... 4 days later I was hooked. great little car, and if i was in the market for a car that size, it would definitely be in consideration... to highlight, the car either side in the rental sequence was an Audi A3... what an absolute bucket of puss, can not beleive Audi could build such a thing...

also the other car in that size range that seemed OK was the i30...

it is hard to pass up on a Golf though if the budget will stretch that far, they are quality bits of kit...

[Crowella]

I'm not going to say much about Audi. Sadly disappointing. Been in two that have broken down. May have been my luck but wasn't reassuring.

The Skoda is getting a good look at tomorrow since I have the time off. If I like it, think it'll be a three way fight between the Golf, i30 and the Octavia.

[ysu]

the i30 would be my choice of those 3

[Exar Kun]

i30 has the least amount of space. As good as the diesels are (and I'd recommend them if you have the budget), the low-blow petrol turbos (77TSI and 90TSI) Skodas and VWs are very, very fuel efficient. They will lack a little in low down grunt compared to the diesel but they still have a decent amount of torque and its spread over a wider rev range than the diesels. If it's only really the fuel efficiency savings you're looking at then the extra initial spend on the diesel will take a long, long time to recoup the savings from just getting a 77TSI.

If you're going into Skoda be sure to look at the Roomster - I know it's ugly but the versatility is amazing (the Yeti actually gets the same seating system and has been on $27k driveaway deals lately). The seats have one touch folding, sliding and even full removal. It's just amazing what you can fit in them. Neither the Octavia, Golf or i30 offer anything like the space options that the Roomster and Yeti have.

i30 is the newest, followed by Golf and then Octavia. The Octavia is due for replacement late next year. The bonus with that is you'll be able to do a much better deal on the Octavia than the others. Haggle hard!

[matticooper]

Just adding to the Hyundai thing there Crowella, I had a Hyundai Lantra SportsWagon (was nothin' sporty about it, but anyway), the fucker fit all of my bass gear - TNT Peavy 160 AMP, plus case full of effects and leads, plus 2 guitars. I could have squeezed in the third guitar easily. It was only 2L, but it went. And it went and went and went. We only had 1 issue with it which was the crank sensor, but that was replaced and away we went again. Comfy car to drive and handled okay (even with the gear in the back). Yep, it'd be 10 years old now, but I'd say a thumbs up for the Hyundai or the Golf. And from what my grandfather used to say about Skoda - you won't be disappointed either.

[Crowella]

Holy cow, the Skoda Octavia. I didn't test drive, just inquired and spent ages looking at it, usually with a stupid grin on my face Brought my brother along and he was pulling the same face.

So the Skoda Octavia... both him and I were just astounded by the quality feel, features, look, price... actually, pretty much everything. It looked like I should be paying more than $30,000. Hell, even the Sedan with the lift back had more room than the other options. I can see that the Diesels lack behind the transmission technology a bit so the 6 speed manual petrol is the best option here. Similar to the Golf variants price wise, maybe just a little bit cheaper. I'll have to wait and see what next year's model comes equipped with under the hood because it may just be that little extra to push me into a Skoda.

To stop myself from being totally decided by one look at one car, I took another look at the i30 today and even my brother thought it was good value and looked good as well. It definitely isn't the best as far as room or overall quality go but feels like a safe bet and I can say that I could count on it (if they provide a wagon later on). I also showed him the Golf Wagon. He liked it but didn't care much for the exterior. His comments aside, I was still smiling when I saw it in the show room.

If I had to choose at this point though without driving any of the options, it would be the Octavia, then the Golf by a small margin then the i30. The Octavia blew my mind and I'm very glad you guys suggested it. I'm trying especially hard to not remove the i30 from the list because it is fitting in with what I need and is much better priced and could drive better than the Golf or Octavia. I just can't see an i30 being the car for me. For my girlfriend, yes, but I think I'm a bit too critical for an i30 and I want the best that my money can buy. Basically, I just feel I can do better with my budget than an specced up Hyundai.

Hopefully I still think of these cars in a few months time.

[norbs]

I remember duting last years Tour de France coverage I was interested in the Octavia. I still have at least 2 more years with the VY wagon, but I am not all that impressed with the new Commodore sports wagons. I think I was impressed with the level of appointments in the Octavia at the time.

[Santaria]

Holy cow, the Skoda Octavia. I didn't test drive, just inquired and spent ages looking at it, usually with a stupid grin on my face Brought my brother along and he was pulling the same face.

So the Skoda Octavia... both him and I were just astounded by the quality feel, features, look, price... actually, pretty much everything. It looked like I should be paying more than $30,000. Hell, even the Sedan with the lift back had more room than the other options. I can see that the Diesels lack behind the transmission technology a bit so the 6 speed manual petrol is the best option here. Similar to the Golf variants price wise, maybe just a little bit cheaper. I'll have to wait and see what next year's model comes equipped with under the hood because it may just be that little extra to push me into a Skoda.

To stop myself from being totally decided by one look at one car, I took another look at the i30 today and even my brother thought it was good value and looked good as well. It definitely isn't the best as far as room or overall quality go but feels like a safe bet and I can say that I could count on it (if they provide a wagon later on). I also showed him the Golf Wagon. He liked it but didn't care much for the exterior. His comments aside, I was still smiling when I saw it in the show room.

If I had to choose at this point though without driving any of the options, it would be the Octavia, then the Golf by a small margin then the i30. The Octavia blew my mind and I'm very glad you guys suggested it. I'm trying especially hard to not remove the i30 from the list because it is fitting in with what I need and is much better priced and could drive better than the Golf or Octavia. I just can't see an i30 being the car for me. For my girlfriend, yes, but I think I'm a bit too critical for an i30 and I want the best that my money can buy. Basically, I just feel I can do better with my budget than an specced up Hyundai.

Hopefully I still think of these cars in a few months time.

If I remember correctly, the Octavia is on the Golf chassis.

A couple of friends of mine have an i30. One in the '11 flavour and the other the '12 flavour. I can see how they're good value, but I've been told they're not that crash hot on fuel and after being in them, the rides aren't that great either in my opinion.

[bengatta]

the one thing I cant comment on with the Skoda is..... what will it be like in 5 years time? assuming you will keep it that long? but when i had one for 4 days, i was impressed with all those things you mentioned... the build quality was impressive considering the reputation that preceded the brand...

[Crowella]

If I remember correctly, the Octavia is on the Golf chassis.

A couple of friends of mine have an i30. One in the '11 flavour and the other the '12 flavour. I can see how they're good value, but I've been told they're not that crash hot on fuel and after being in them, the rides aren't that great either in my opinion.

I think it is on the same chassis. Shares the same underneaths. Not going to argue there

The petrol options don't seem crash hot on fuel. The diesel does well on fuel but until I drive one, can't be certain.

the one thing I cant comment on with the Skoda is..... what will it be like in 5 years time? assuming you will keep it that long? but when i had one for 4 days, i was impressed with all those things you mentioned... the build quality was impressive considering the reputation that preceded the brand...

I am a little uncertain with how the cars will be after a long time. I can't see the VW being troublesome and maybe not so much the Hyundai's now. The Skoda we will have to wait and see. Considering it's essentially the VW underneath, I have higher expectations than I would have if I only gone in knowing Skoda's odd past.

[Exar Kun]

As you would probably know, Skoda have been VW owned for quite a while now and their cars are based on VAG chassis. Skoda have come quite a ways and last year I remember reading a report where the new VW boss was trying to get Skoda to remove value from their cars as they were getting too close to VW. In fact, in terms of fit and finish, the lads in the Skoda factory were already taking far more pride in their work and so screwing together the cars much better than the dudes back in Wolfsburg (and South Africa where we get a few veedubs from). Skoda over here aren't quite the cut price VAG brand that they are overseas but their equipment levels are generally higher for the same price (but not always - Fabia and Yeti are almost line ball with Polo and Tiguan) and they do something a little bit different.

If you plan on holding onto the car for a very long time then a manual is the best bet too as, whilst I don't believe all the horror stories about the DSGs, it is true that they cost a crap load if they fail.

Fabia = Polo (old gen Polo chassis with new gen engines)
Roomster = front end of Polo with back end of Golf
Yeti = Tiguan
Octavia = Golf MkV (with a small wheelbase extension)
Superb = Passat (with a decent wheelbase extension - seriously, the Superb has the legroom of a Caprice!).

[wobblysauce]

Only been in one New Skoda, but +1 on the Superb's room.

[Crowella]

The Superb was massive inside, that's for sure.

I think my mind is made up. Test drive might be happening next weekend but we shall see. For now, save, save, save.

[w00dsy]

he he, Mick said Vag

[Crowella]

Went back with my father today to see the Skoda. He too was amazed by how well it was put together. Also nice to see how tidy the engine bay is.

Couldn't test drive the Octavia since they didn't have a demonstrator on hand. They will have one coming in a fortnight to try out so I'm waiting on a call. However, I did get to drive the Yeti with the 77TSI engine and 7 Speed DSG. God that DSG gearbox is super smooth, the ride is smooth and quiet. I have very high expectations for the Octavia.

I don't really have too much to comment on about them. I'm very pleased.

[Santaria]

Went back with my father today to see the Skoda. He too was amazed by how well it was put together. Also nice to see how tidy the engine bay is.

Couldn't test drive the Octavia since they didn't have a demonstrator on hand. They will have one coming in a fortnight to try out so I'm waiting on a call. However, I did get to drive the Yeti with the 77TSI engine and 7 Speed DSG. God that DSG gearbox is super smooth, the ride is smooth and quiet. I have very high expectations for the Octavia.

I don't really have too much to comment on about them. I'm very pleased.

DSG is hopeless in slow moving traffic. It definitely takes some skill getting used to. It's a hard thing to explain. Great when moving, stop start traffic poses some jerky moments sometimes.

[Crowella]

I didn't get any traffic to try it in. Mostly urban 50kph roads and some traffic lights. I liked it but I can't say I had enough of a try to really gauge it. I was looking at a 6 speed manual but the DSG was worth trying.

[Santaria]

Don't get me wrong, I love the dsg. Just clunky in traffic, sometimes.