The firm that I work for has been enforcing the “short term hire car policy” that it brought in a few years back, meaning that any round trip journey of 100 miles or more has to be done in a hire car and not a private car. This may be with all the best intentions but is a real pain in the arse, however, it has given me the opportunity to drive several different vehicles and for some opinions of them. So far I have had (in chronological order):
1. Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 petrol Club (manual)
2. VW Touran 1.9 TDi (manual)
3. Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi (manual)
4. Toyota Avensis 2.0 TD (automatic)
5. Peugeot 508 1.6 TDi SW (automatic)
6. Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 TDi (automatic)
7. Audi A3 1.9 TDi (manual)
8. Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 TDi Design (manual)
9. Hyundi I30 1.6 (manual)
10. Vauxhall Astra 1.7 TDi Style (manual)
I have driven all of the above at least 300 miles on a mixture of dual carriageway, motorway and rural/country roads. So my impressions of these vehicle are:
1. Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 petrol Club (manual, 5k miles on delivery)
Went well enough, handled OK but rolls a bit in the bends. Big step between 1st and 2nd gear which means that for decent progress you have to rev the nuts off it in 1st but after that it is OK. Seat comfort leaves much to be desired, and numb bum sets in by 100 miles (not good on a day when I drove from Derby to Chichester and back). Thirsty though, especially the way I drive on main roads and motorways (37mpg).
2. VW Touran 1.9 TDi (manual, only 1490 miles on delivery)
Used for the same trip as the Zafira. Needed to be pushed hard and really revved in order to make progress but once up to motorway speeds it hung on well enough. Front end over-steered more than Zafira, body roll about the same but seats nice and comfortable. Economy was OK but not exceptional (worse than my 2.0 TDi Passat which only managed 42mpg).
3. Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi (manual, 453 miles on delivery)
Now this I really liked. The diesel engine was a willing performer, handling was sweet and seats comfortable. Ergonomically it shares 1st place with the Hyundi. Good economy (48mpg) and a pleasure to drive (Derby to Salisbury and back in a day). Ford have got in virtually spot on with this Focus.
4. Toyota Avensis 2.0 TD (automatic, 29.5k miles on delivery)
Horrible in just about every way. Ergonomics all wrong, nothing fell to hand or worked as you’d expect, even the indicator stalk was on the “wrong side of the steering wheel. Seats almost as bad as the Zafira Club, engine a lack lustre (and only 42mpg) as the Touran and auto gearbox performed as if designed for an octogenarian. Also had a push button park brake that was hidden and awkward to use. Told the hire company not to bring me another as I’d just refuse delivery. Yes, it was that bad!
5. Peugeot 508 1.6 TDi SW (automatic, 17.8k miles on delivery)
This SW (station wagon / estate) is massive, yet it has a puny 1.6 TDi pumping out 112bhp – it needs more, much more. Very good ergonomics, and I eventually found the switch to disengage the eco stop/start which was faulty (should cut the engine at zero mph but actually cut it at 2mph which made parking almost impossible). The worst thing about it though was the gearbox, which had 3 modes. Auto – had enormous pauses between each gear at change-up time, flappy paddle which still had pauses but they were smaller, and trip-tronic on the gear stick which gave sweet changes but defeats the object of having an automatic in the first place. Nice car spoilt by a lousy gearbox and eco stop/start. Economy worked out at 43mpg.
6. Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 TDi (automatic, 1543 miles on delivery)
Excellent engine and decent automatic gearbox. Like the 508 this saloon was massive but performance was really in line with the established quality marques and economy was good too (47 mpg). Comfort and ergonomics not bad, but the seats were strange, from the moment you sat in them they felt uncomfortable but at the end of the journey we could easily walk and were not in any pain. Strange, but nice car, but I didn’t like the push button park brake or the feel of the stalk controls which had a “dual feel” way of working.
7. Audi A3 1.9 TDi (manual, 11k miles)
Having owned a 2.0 TDi Passat I was expecting big things of this little car. Boy, was I disappointed! It went “OK”, and it drove “OK” and the seats were “OK” and economy was “OK” (44mpg) but the ergonomics were appalling – sat normally the gearstick was a good 4 – 5 inches forward of where it should be, and the mirror/window controls on the door were 7 – 8 inches back from where they should ideally be. This is one car that is trading on its badge and not on its own attributes or merits. This one had a problem were something was flapping / tap-tapping at motorway speeds making an incessant noise that resulted in us both having horrible headaches at the end of the day – reported to hire company for fixing.
8. Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 TDi Design (manual, 1149 miles on delivery)
This was so much better that the Club version. It went well and with good economy (47mpg). It handled well although it still rolled a bit and under-steered when pushed hard. Seats were comfortable and ergonomics just about right. Hand (park) brake is quirky but easy to use (unlike the Avensis and Insignia push button jobs). I liked this one so much more.
9. Hyundi I30 1.6 (manual, 3.7k miles on delivery)
This has been the biggest surprise to date. In almost every aspect it is up there with the Ford Focus I’d had a few weeks earlier. Engine was slightly down on power when compared to the Focus but it pulled well and the gearbox was sweet although I fluffed 2 changes which is unusual for me. Handling was confidence inspiring and as a result I threw it around a bit including a couple of 4 wheel drifts on dry tarmac (country) roads. Ergonomics are superb with everything where you expect it to be and working as you’d expect it. Seats were easy to adjust to get instantly comfortable and economy (44mpg) not at all bad considering the pounding I dished out (Derby to Salisbury and back in a day 2 up). This one challenges the Focus for my top spot so far, let down only by wind noise when driven at motorway speeds.
10. Vauxhall Astra 1.7 TDi Style (manual, 6.5k miles on delivery)
Nice. Stronger engine than the Focus and I30 but economy only as good as the I30 (44mpg). Gearbox just as slick and easy to use (2nd of the 3 with the I30 the one in 3rd place, but the margins are minute). I liked most things about this car with the exception of the noise, mostly road noise which was deafening at times. Driving position and comfort were good but both Focus and I30 were better in this respect. Strangely, it was the only one I managed to stall (3 times when cold, and I’m talking -3 degrees C) which I didn’t do with any of the others (in same or warmer conditions).
So out of this selection which would I choose? Well I’d sooner have either of the 1.6 turbo diesels in preference to the 1.7 Astra. Top spot has to go to the Focus out of these 10, with I30 just pipping the Astra for 2nd. Peugeot should be shot for allowing that particular 508 out of the factory but as I have a friend with one that is in a higher specification and which has none of the issues “mine” had I will give it the benefit of the doubt (until I’ve tried another one). Worst two were the A3 with the Avensis firmly stuck in the last place, so my final top ten placings are:
1 Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi
2 Hyundi I30 1.6 CRDi
3 Vauxhall Astra 1.7 TDi
4 Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 TDi
5 VW Touran 1.9TDi
6 Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 TDi
7 Peugeot 508 1.6 TDi SW
8 Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 petrol Club
9 Audi A3 1.9TDi
10 Toyota Avensis 2.0 TD
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