What will I replace my Peugeot with for €15,000?
I'm looking to trade in my 2012 Peugeot 308 Active HDi (with 242,000km on the odometer) for a newer medium-sized used car and don't know if I should be looking at a diesel, petrol or a hybrid car.
Reliability, efficiency and easy maintenance are my key concerns. I travel mostly rural roads and do a short daily commute (50km per day round trip in low density traffic). I sometimes take longer trips but rarely use motorways. My annual mileage is roughly 20,000km. My budget including trade in would be in the region of €14-€15,000.
Mary (Co Galway)Mar 2026 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Mary,
A diesel would probably continue to give you the best economy given your usage, but we'd worry about long-term maintenance for sure as modern diesels have expensive components that can get gummed or clogged up.
If you're willing to make that compromise, then you could do a lot worse than a 2018 Honda Civic 1.6 diesel. Lovely car. It also came with a 1.0-litre petrol engine, but it has known 'wet belt' issues so we would not recommend it.
You could afford a 2019 Hyundai i30 with either a 1.6-litre diesel or a 1.0-litre petrol engine and that's a very good bet in terms of reliability. Same for the related Kia Ceed, though they're rarer.
Even less common is the Mazda3 of the same year. It's a lovely looking car, of great quality and though it comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, it's an efficient and reliable option.
If you liked your Peugeot, you could move up six or seven years to a newer 308, though best to stick with diesel if you are doing that as the 1.2 'Puretech' petrol engine can have wet belt issues like the Honda.
One of the last of the Renault Megane hatchbacks is another good option, available with petrol or diesel power depending on your preference.
The SEAT Leon is possibly our favourite find for you at this price point with good petrol and diesel engine options and great comfort. You can't ignore the Skoda Octavia for the same reasons, and it's even bigger.
Lots to think about there so come back to us and let us know if we're on the right track. We've only selected mid-sized hatchbacks, while there would be plenty of crossovers and small SUVs in budget as well.
Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor