Spec me a petrol car (ecoboost any good)

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

Dirk Diggler

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I usually go for a 2.0 Diesel, but now want to avoid them. The impression I get is that petrol engines are much more advanced in the sense that a 1.2L isn't as feeble as before... Although, I know nothing which is why I'm posting here. :)

Current car is a Ford Kuga 2.0L 180BHP. When I've driven a smaller car, I've went for a Golf GTD and have owned 3 in the past. Having ruled out another 4x4 and also diesel, I've been thinking about getting a Golf GTI.

Any suggestions?

Requirements are fairly easy:

5 door
Room in the boot
Petrol
Budget £22k tops
No more than 2yo

TIA
 
I think you need to narrow down what type of car you're looking for because a golf gti isn't usually compared alongside kugas. If you're looking for something sporty like the gti then the Hyundai i30 N is worth a look too. If you're looking for something more "normal" then you'll generally get a newer, lower mileage, more economical car. Which one do you prioritise more?
 
mccarf said:
I think you need to narrow down what type of car you're looking for because a golf gti isn't usually compared alongside kugas. If you're looking for something sporty like the gti then the Hyundai i30 N is worth a look too. If you're looking for something more "normal" then you'll generally get a newer, lower mileage, more economical car. Which one do you prioritise more?
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Point taken. I was actually discussing this with the wife last night. We're erring toward an A3 S-Line type car (Golf R-Line?). Something with relatively decent comfort, space and spec but a little bit more understated than a GTI.

I'm ruling out Kuga sized cars as the petrol engine will struggle in them, it feels like too much compromise.
 
arfoll said:
I'm confused. You want understated but want the trim level that only adds ricer bits to look like the faster models which you state are not understated... Debadge a GTi and I doubt most could tell if it's an rline or a GTi.

Go drive a 1.5l or even a 1.0l ecoboost ford, you will be surprised what a modern turbo petrol can do. The engine sizes don't really mean all that much in modern engines especially when paired to an auto box.
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I'm not surprised that you're confused, I know very little about cars which is why I'm asking for advice... Which I really appreciate, BTW.

OK, disregarding trim for a minute; would you say that a 1.5L petrol ecoboost is enough to pull a car the size of a Kuga without too much compromise? I'm concerned we hit a hill and find ourselves in second gear.

I think what I'm looking at here is that I enjoy the comfort and drive from my Kuga Titanium X and I want close to that in a petrol vehicle.
 
I’m not sure which tune the 1.5l in the Kuga is using but I have the same in my Fiesta ST and my brother has it in his Focus ST-Line X. Both pull well. Mine is 197hp and his 182hp. More than enough to pull either around and I doubt the marginal increase to Kuga is going to have a big impact. It’s a great engine but does like to rev and drives very differently to the diesel you will used to. My wife has a 2.0TDi Audi and she loves driving the Fiesta but does comment on how different a drive it is.

best bet it to try one but don’t think they are massively underpowered or poor performing due to size.
 
Do yourself a favour, take your lady to a big dealership and get her to drive a few cars. A lazy low-revving diesel drives very differently to a highly strung 1.0 3 cylinder turbo. An automatic is very different to a manual. Drive them all, and more importantly, get her to drive them too. If you buy a car she doesn’t enjoy driving you’ll suffer for it, mark my words. My wife is scared of anything over 5k rpm and moans at me for getting a bit carried away with the loud pedal, yet for more modern turbo petrol engines this is often where the power is made, so she’ll feel uncomfortable every time you want to get a move on. She might get used to it, but don’t assume so.
 
String said:
Yes, I think a test drive is in order. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to arrange one without getting the utter hard sell - it really puts me off.
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There are places

I'm not sure where you are but we went to Fords of Windsors by the Trafford Centre which is a bit motor factors type place and there you just went in to ask for the keys to a couple of cars you were interested in. Then jump in for a test drive. We then got back, said we'd have a think and walked off without any hassle.
 
String said:
Yes, I think a test drive is in order. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to arrange one without getting the utter hard sell - it really puts me off.
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I've been to a few places recently here in London. Citroen / Peugeot / Renault were all good, as was Kia. None of them were pushy, as long as you keep your confident face on. As soon as you show weakness they'll start circling to go in for the kill. Cargiant would happily let anyone sit in any of their cars, however test driving one was an hour long ordeal of questions and waiting. Far too much faff. You're in Scotchland aren't you? Shirley you guys must have some reputable dealers up there?
 
Diddums said:
I've been to a few places recently here in London. Citroen / Peugeot / Renault were all good, as was Kia. None of them were pushy, as long as you keep your confident face on. As soon as you show weakness they'll start circling to go in for the kill. Cargiant would happily let anyone sit in any of their cars, however test driving one was an hour long ordeal of questions and waiting. Far too much faff. You're in Scotchland aren't you? Shirley you guys must have some reputable dealers up there?
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It's a company called Arnold Clark who have a bit of a monopoly up here. In my experience they take a test drive as a handshake. Similar to your experience, it's 101 questions beforehand and they don't really like you test driving one of their cars unless they are reasonably confident that they've got you on the hook.

I'll need to get something arranged because 1.0L petrol in a Focus just doesn't compute in my brain so I need to get educated. :)
 
String said:
It's a company called Arnold Clark who have a bit of a monopoly up here. In my experience they take a test drive as a handshake. Similar to your experience, it's 101 questions beforehand and they don't really like you test driving one of their cars unless they are reasonably confident that they've got you on the hook.

I'll need to get something arranged because 1.0L petrol in a Focus just doesn't compute in my brain so I need to get educated. :)
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Yeah I noticed that, when we were in the Lake District every second car had those crap Rnold Clark stickers in the rear window, how people tolerate that is beyond me but whatever.

I'd recommend phoning up main dealers and booking a test drive, rather than used car dealers. They a lot less likely to be as pushy.

As for the 1.0 Focus, it's genuinely weird. Like you I'm also used to cars having larger engines, a 1.3 being the tiniest and even then that was for a Lupo or something. These larger cars with smaller engines threw me off too, but having just rented a Clio last week with a tiny little 3 pot turbo engine, they're surprisingly powerful for their size.
 
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