Two cars to one..

[J4MES]

so, the Scooby and GT TDi may have to morph into one - perhaps a Mk5 GTi.. is there any other motor which balances driving/costs/practicality as well???

[Guy]

Oktivia VRS/Leon Cupra? Slightly bigger than the Golf and cheaper.

Mk 3 Mondeo ST/ST TDCi?

[joshwa]

Octavia VRS TDI?

Or any other VW / Seat with the 170ps TDI engine, such as the Passat Estate, or Jetta Sportwagen?* Apparently much better to drive than the new Passat, and as good as the Golf to drive.

[Wh@l3fish]

BMW 325d - 197bhp and still returns 48mpg on the combined cycle

[Guy]

What sort of budget are you looking at?

[J4MES]

Not more than £12k - which might preclude a DSG GTi sadly... I think anything bigger than a Golf (Passat, 3 Series) won't do, as the missis has to park it. Octavia doesn't get my vote - the Seat might be worth a poke though...

[Guy]

Older shape Leon Cupra? Possibily even Cupra R money. Or you could get a Cupra TDi?

Curve ball Mazda 3?

[Wh@l3fish]

If you can stand the looks, a 1-series should be a good drive and they're old enough now to get a good one within your budget. Unfortunately they a) look like a sack of spuds and b) have a tiny boot, so not too practical.

Otherwise, you could get the old model ford focus RS or ST for that budget

[dave87]

I was going to suggest the 120d, a good engine in a nimble chassis. As whalefish said, however, not the prettiest thing to roam the earth.

How about an S3? I think they should fall around 12k - Golf sized with Impreza levels of go

[Zak33]

Honda Accord 2.2 CDTi :-)

Make Some....Change Something...Make something, change something, make something beeeettttterr

[J4MES]

1 Series... not over a GTi I think, Focus ST might be worth a look. S3 might be too costly to run, Accord too big... Mazda 3 MPS.... mmm

[Howard]

A Focus ST won't be cheap to run, they drink fuel at quite a rate aparantly. And I don't think you should be spending 12k on a mk1 Focus ST


This size thing puzzles me, it won't take long to get used to, but fair enough, what about a new shape Civic 2.2CDTI

I'd have a 1 Series (with a decent engine) over a mk5 GTI though probably. RWD + plenty of power from the 120D

[dangel]

This size thing puzzles me, it won't take long to get used to, but fair enough, what about a new shape Civic 2.2CDTI

Not too great a drive - torsion rear beam suspension versus the competitions multilink. Funky looking thing but i've never been totally convinced as a package.

I'd have a 1 Series (with a decent engine) over a mk5 GTI though probably. RWD + plenty of power from the 120D

But everyone would hate you and the car looks like it's had a shunt on every panel.

[Howard]

But everyone would hate you and the car looks like it's had a shunt on every panel.

Great logic

[J4MES]

I think for the fact that it does 35mpg, has had rave reviews, and I'm a VAG slag, it has to be a Mk5 GTi, I just have to find a 5-dr with DSG for as little as I can without starship mileage now...

[dangel]

Great logic

Ok, so it's a jaw-droppingly good looking car and other drivers will slam on their brakes to let you out of junctions?

Better?