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Toyota Auris or Ford Fiesta or Volkswagen Polo?

How would you rate the Toyota Auris against the Ford Fiesta or Volkswagen Polo?

Frank Murphy (Cork )

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Frank,

It's a totally different car - the Auris is a size bigger than either Fiesta or Polo, and much more spacious and refined than either. More expensive to buy, of course, as a result, but a good choice for those looking for pain-free, reliable motoring.

Relevant reviews:

Ford Fiesta review

Volkswagen Polo review

Toyota Auris review


What do you think of the Volkswagen Jetta?

What do you think of the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0-litre?

Thanks a million

Keith Browne (Cork )

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Keith,

It's a long way from the most exciting car out there but actually I think the Jetta is a bit underrated. I ran one for a few months on a long-term test and it was comfy, frugal, spacious, practical and pretty decent to drive too. If you're being offered one at a sharp price, snap it up.


Should I change my Polo's timing belt?

Do I need a new timing belt for a 1998 Volkswagen Polo 1.4 automatic with 10,000 miles on the clock?

Declan Finucane (Dublin)

Feb 2015 Filed under: servicing

Expert answer

Hi Declan,

Even though your Polo has such low mileage, rubber timing belts perish over time so it's recommended that they are changed regardless of mileage. Volkswagen recommends that the 1998 Polo 1.4's belt is changed at least every four years.

Better safe than sorry


Looking to change to a Skoda Octavia. Thoughts?

Hi,

I'm going to change my car this year to a Skoda Octavia 08/09 model, but I was wondering if you could recommend any other reliable lower end road tax and economical diesel family cars. Been driving 2002 Volkswagen Passat for last 10 years.

http://www.carenthusiast.com/skoda/skoda_octavia_2009_002.jpg

Aisling Mc Bride (Dublin)

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Aisling,

You won't go far wrong with the Octavia. Get the 1.6 TDI and you've got a potential 55mpg car with lots of space and terrific build quality and reliability. If you're looking for alternatives, then there's always the Volkswagen Golf (mechanically the same as the Skoda but less spacious inside) or the Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi (terrific to drive and good value but poor standard equipment and they're tight in the back).


Are the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotions really economical?

Need suggestions for a very economical used diesel. I currently have a 1.8 TDCi Ford Focus averaging about 50mpg. Are the BlueMotion Golfs actually getting high 60s to low 70s mpg?

Brian OC (Wexford)

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi Brian,

There's a serious, serious issue at the moment in the chasm between what the car makers claim you will get in economy terms from a car and what you actually get in real-world driving. There are changes to the official testing regime coming down the pipe, but the car makers are resisting that with all their lobbying might as it means that their CO2 ratings will go up too.

In the meantime, and this is based purely on personal experience, a Golf BlueMotion should get close to 60mpg in daily driving, and you may even crack the 65mpg mark, though 70mpg is probably not going to happen, being realistic.

Further reading:

Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion review


Opel Insignia, Volkswagen Passat or Ford Mondeo?

Any advice please, Ford Mondeo Zetec with 60k on the clock; or Opel Insignia Sport with 80k; or Volkswagen Passat Comfortline with 120k - all 2011 diesels. Which would be best buy?

Mossy Prenderville (Wexford)

Feb 2015 Filed under: choosing used car

Expert answer

Hi Mossy,

All good choices, three cars that it's very difficult to separate. I guess the best thing to do is to use the classic car-buying technique - go for the one in the best condition and with the fullest history file - the more receipts, the more paperwork, the more stamps in the service book the better. Forget the mileage, always buy on condition and history.


Nissan Qashqai or Volkswagen Passat?

Which is a safer and better car: 2013 Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI or 2014 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi?

Peter Pan (Ireland)

Feb 2015 Filed under: safety

Expert answer

Hi Peter,

That us a very tough choice to have to make. Both are excellent - the Qashqai won the Association of Professional Motoring Press (APMP) Car of the Year award last year and trust me, we're a tough bunch to please. It's very good to drive, frugal and very comfy. Practical too, of course.

The Passat would probably be the better choice if you are doing lots of long motorway miles though - that 1.6 TDI engine is astonishing economical (I once did Galway-Dublin-Belfast-Glasgow-Dublin-Galway on one tank in one) and they're very comfy for long journeys. Both are about equally reliable, which means they're both pretty solid but don't accept anything that hasn't a full service history.

On the safety front, the 2014 Qashqai (that's the current shape model) got five stars on the EuroNCAP crash test, with an 88 per cent score for adult occupant protection, 83 per cent for child occupant, 69 per cent for pedestrian protection and 79 per cent for safety assist (which is a measure of how many electronic driver aids are fitted as standard).

The Passat achieved similar scores - five stars overall, 91 per cent adult occupant, 77 per cent child occupant, 54 per cent pedestrian protection, and 71 per cent safety assist.

Further reading:

2014 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi review (on Irish roads)

2010-2014 Volkswagen Passat EuroNCAP safety results

2014 Nissan Qashqai EuroNCAP safety results


Should I get rid of my Nissan Micra?

I have a Nissan Micra that is a 2004 model; it's only done 40,000 miles on the clock and I have been told l need a new timing chain, which will cost me around £600. I am just wondering if it's worth repairing or am l better off buying a new but different car as l have heard there's a lot of faults with Nissan Micra and Note.

Barbara Simpson (Bradford West Yorkshire )

Jan 2015 Filed under: fault

Expert answer

Hi Barbara,

It's always cheaper overall to stick with the car you've got and repair it, unless we're talking about an old Ferrari or something...

I'd say a new timing chain could keep your Micra going for a good long while yet but if you really want to change to something new then your best bets, in terms of similarly sized cars, are the Honda Jazz, Toyota Yaris, Skoda Fabia, Volkswagen Polo or SEAT Ibiza.


Is the Toyota Yaris the most reliable small car?

Hi again, just as a follow on from my last question, I was advised that the Toyota Yaris would be the most reliable small car I could get second hand; do you agree? If not, what else would you advise I look for?

Thank you :-)

Aoife Smyth (Bradford West Yorkshire )

Jan 2015 Filed under: reliability

Expert answer

Hi Aoife,

The most reliable small car? Pretty much, yep. I'd say the only others that match it are the Honda Jazz and Mazda2. The Volkswagen Group triplets - Polo, Skoda Fabia and SEAT Ibiza - would come close to that level of reliability too and the Nissan Micra's not bad either.


Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus?

Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus?

Centrepoint Autos Ltd (Athlone )

Jan 2015 Filed under: choosing new car

Expert answer

Hi there,

Easy: Golf. Or Focus. They're both good. 

Need a little more? OK, the Golf (and I'm talking about the models currently on sale) is a touch more sophisticated and a little more spacious and if you're really nit picking then it has a better 1.6 diesel than the Focus.

It's also true to say that the Volkswagen 1.2 TSI petrol is a slightly better engine than Ford's 1.0-litre turbo EcoBoost, but here the gap is much narrower. 

The Focus has it won with dynamics though - even though the Golf is nice to drive there's just no beating the Focus' steering feel and response and its chassis balance. 

So, honest answer? Golf. Or Focus. They're both excellent.

Further reading:

First drive of the new Ford Focus

Irish road test of the current Volkswagen Golf


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