Lupo or Fiesta?

HaX

HaX

HaX

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My girlfriend is starting a nursing degree course at a University Hospital about 20 miles away from where we live. Due to the hours she will need to work, public transport won't really be an option.

We're after an economic little car, which will be cheap to tax and insure and deliver excellent fuel economy. Looking to spend £2 - 2.5k

I've looked into Smart Cars (I have doubts about they'd hold up int he event of a crash), and Volkswagen Lupos.

A car mechanic friend of mine has suggested getting a 2000 plate 1.25l zetec Fiesta.

How would one of these compare to a Lupo in terms of economy, build and reliability?
 
Neither, get her a proper car if she's going to be doing 40 miles a day. Lupo's are for nipping into town for a bit of shopping.

Something like a Golf or a Focus should be just right.
 
Smart's hold up suprisingly well in crashes.

I'd reccomend something like a focus as well, however.
 
Which Lupo? The 1.0 would be rather slow, the 1.4S (75bhp) isnt particularly good spec wise and the 1.4 Sport has a few expensive common faults. 1.7 SDI isnt worth bothering with although Ive never heard any complaints about the 1.4TDi Sport.

Never driven a Fez, but the Lupos are very good build quality wise, economy will depend on the engine, but I get 37 mpg in my GTI commuting (mainly motorway), so the others will no doubt be better.

However, they are small. Very small. The boot is about as big as 2 shoeboxes next to each other. Bet your gf will like its cuteness though
 
Buy a Lupo and you'll wonder why you didn't buy a Polo instead. Then when you buy the Polo, you'll wonder why the car is so dull to drive and why you didn't buy a Golf instead. Buy a Golf (IV) and you'll eventually realise that VW went through a phase in the late 90s when they produced cars that drove like a chest of drawers on wheels ie wooden, and sold on badge alone. A 2000 Fiesta wasn't a bad car in its time, but now its just...old, and you'll do well to find a well looked one.

At this price point, I'd consider a Nissan Micra 2003 on, with a 1.2 engine and the highest spec you can afford (S>SE>SVE). For £2.5k you'll get a lot more 'car' than a Lupo or old Fiesta. I've driven one of these at 100mph on the motorway and they hold the road pretty well - doesn't wander at all (save for a susceptibility to side winds) - and they're obviously fine about town too. Steering is a bit too light and lacks feel, but then the car is low effort around town. Good cars if you want something individual, easy to drive, cheap, economical and fairly reliable. You'll also find quite a lot of 1 owner, FSH examples even at this price point, compared to Fiestas which tend to have been 'passed around the houses' in terms of multiple owners and serviced by some amateur mechanic with an oily rag.
 
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Buy her a fiesta 1.6 or a mondeo if your feeling generous.
failing that any old 'over 50cc' twist n go scooter will do her :)
 
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MarkDavis said:
Buy a Lupo and you'll wonder why you didn't buy a Polo instead. Then when you buy the Polo, you'll wonder why the car is so dull to drive and why you didn't buy a Golf instead. Buy a Golf (IV) and you'll eventually realise that VW went through a phase in the late 90s when they produced cars that drove like a chest of drawers on wheels ie wooden, and sold on badge alone.
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Well put - you've done a good job of summing up my mid 90's Golf, I've only had it 5months and I'm considering it's replacement already ;)

Back on topic - we also have a MK6 Fiesta which my wife uses while she's doing her nursing degree at uni and on her job placements, we've never had a problem with it and cant really fault them :)
 
MarkDavis said:
Smarts have something called a 'Tridium safety cell' which is actually stronger than anything you'll find in other small car from that era.
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Yes its being designed like this so in the event of a crash it doesn't crumple into the size of a crisp packet, the downside to this is all of the energy involved in the cash is sent straight into the occupants instead of the cars body taking the energy out of the crash, so the car being solid is BAD news.
 
oap said:
failing that any old 'over 50cc' twist n go scooter will do her :)
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I'd second this especially if its an urban commute. My 12 mile drive to work can often take an hour which is really annoying and is now forcing me to consider such things as CBT's and scooters. Not as comfy as the mondeo but will always get me to work and more importantly back in less than 30 mins!
 
Firestar_3x said:
Yes its being designed like this so in the event of a crash it doesn't crumple into the size of a crisp packet, the downside to this is all of the energy involved in the cash is sent straight into the occupants instead of the cars body taking the energy out of the crash, so the car being solid is BAD news.
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Yeah, in a high speed smash, it will be the extent of the decleration forces that are likely to cause fatal injuries (unless the car's designed badly eg. high risk of cabin intrusion). The car might stop, but your internal organs are likely to come away from the rest of your internals due to the forces invovled. Depends on the situation I guess.

I remember Fifth Gear doing a crash test comparison and driving a Smart head first into a solid concrete block at 70mph. The safety cell remained intact which was pretty amazing, whereas the Corsa(?) which they were comparing it too was like a pancake and the size of the passenger compartment was about half its original size. They reckoned the occupants of both cars would be dead :(
 
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