Alternative to 4dr Polo GTI???

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

If she does not want to get noticed,whats the point of getting a hot hatch?? Any thief will instantly notice its not the standard version anyway just by looking at the body trim,interior trim bigger tire size and the brakes. Surely its better to just get the normal version of the car,and probably one which is slightly used??

Its not like many family sized hatch back struggles to even do 80mph on the motorway nowadays.

I honestly don't find the concept of huge amounts of power in small cars that safe,even with the larger tires and larger brakes - if you really want that power you want to drive fast,and the cars simply don't have the mass of metal to protect yourself if you have a crash.

If you are not driving fast or taking it to a track that is just all that extra power not really doing much. Then its basically extra money on fuel,parts,tax and insurance.

[jimborae]

If she does not want to get noticed,whats the point of getting a hot hatch?? Any thief will instantly notice its not the standard version anyway. Surely its better to just get the normal version of the car,and probably one which is slightly used??

Its not like any family sized hatch back struggles to even do 80mph on the motorway nowadays.

I honestly don't find the concept of huge amounts of power in small cars that safe,even with the larger tires and larger brakes - if you really want that power you want to drive fast,and the cars simply don't have the mass of metal to protect yourself if you have a crash.

I leave the merits of that discussion to a different thread.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I leave the merits of that discussion to a different thread.

But she does realise a hot hatch might make people think she is a girl racer,right??

However in the end Golfs and half the cars in the thread are incredibly common - I don't think many people care when it comes to family hatchbacks in the UK,as much now especially with companies like Hyundai,Kia etc now entering the market in a big way.

A couple of decades ago it was very different. Alfas and VWs were considered premium with Audi not making small hatchbacks,Seat making small cars,and Skoda making low end cars,and Audi,BMW and Mercedes being above all of them with Alfas being fun but not reliable.

Literally everybody knows that Audis,VWs,Seats and Skodas are part of the VAG group and they share the same bits and pieces,as every magazine and article kind of says that. Its why Seat and Skoda are so popular now.

I just hope she actually buys the car on its actual merits rather than perceived perception by her in-group,as its not a tiny purchase!!

Edit!!

Even Audis,Mercedes etc are built in China too,so its hard to say how much of the cars we have here actually use parts made in the Far East to cut down on costs for example.

[jimborae]

But she does realise a hot hatch might make people think she is a girl racer,right??

However in the end Golfs and half the cars in the thread are incredibly common - I don't think many people care when it comes to family hatchbacks in the UK,as much now especially with companies like Hyundai,Kia etc now entering the market in a big way.

......

She drives a Kia Sportage at the moment!!! Her thinking is just stuck a few decades back i reckon. Anyway this is proving an impossible task. She likes the way the S3 drove but the ride was too harsh, and she prefers the Merc's ride. But then she saw the A1 and is now thinking about that, shes literally done an about face again.....arhhhhhhhhh. This is driving me nuts.

[kalniel]

But then she saw the A1 and is now thinking about that, shes literally done an about face again.....arhhhhhhhhh. This is driving me nuts.

Which is based on the same same outgoing platform that the Polo was! At least wait for the new chassis that the Ibiza is already using.

[EndlessWaves]

And that's the point, she doesn't want to get noticed! She's just rejected the Merc this afternoon because the only wheel options for one available now are in black.....on a black car. Apparently and to quote her...."She doesn't want to look like a drug dealer!!!"

What about the CLA? Essentially the saloon/estate versions of the A-class. More classically attractive looks compared with the A-class too even if the 'estate' (more like a large hatchback)

Have you looked at Japanese cars? Something like a Mazda 6 or Subaru Levorg meet all your criteria (170+ PS etc.), look attractive and don't sell in big enough numbers to have any image attached. They're a little longer as they're saloon/estates but you've been steadily creeping up in size anyway. The S1 would be Audi's equivalent to the Polo GTI, the 1-series, A-class and S3 are all Golf-sized.

[jimborae]

Which is based on the same same outgoing platform that the Polo was! At least wait for the new chassis that the Ibiza is already using.

I know...head...bang...wall

[DanceswithUnix]

My wife suggests that for 30K you could perhaps get a new wife. Seems harsh, but that's women for you

(though she also expects her now 13 year old Alfa will cost about 3K for the next service, but she won't part with it so at least she knows what she wants)

[Smudger]

What about the CLA? Essentially the saloon/estate versions of the A-class. More classically attractive looks compared with the A-class too even if the 'estate' (more like a large hatchback)

Have you looked at Japanese cars? Something like a Mazda 6 or Subaru Levorg meet all your criteria (170+ PS etc.), look attractive and don't sell in big enough numbers to have any image attached. They're a little longer as they're saloon/estates but you've been steadily creeping up in size anyway. The S1 would be Audi's equivalent to the Polo GTI, the 1-series, A-class and S3 are all Golf-sized.

I would argue that the 1-series and A-Class are more Polo-sized. Certainly, from what I've read, the 1-series is tiny in the back. I'd say the B-class/2-series are more Golf-sized

[jimborae]

The 1 series is tiny in the back due to the inline engine and another reason for dismissing it. The A Class on the other hand is more Focus sized it's really bugging me though that our test drive didn't reflect all the reviews we've read. Therefore we booking a longer test drive, it's also really annoying that we can't test drive an A3 2.0 TFSI Quattro as no local dealer has one.

[peterb]

This is driving me nuts.

What in?

[kalniel]

What in?

We don't want to know what he's driving his nuts in. This is a family forum

[EndlessWaves]

I would argue that the 1-series and A-Class are more Polo-sized. Certainly, from what I've read, the 1-series is tiny in the back. I'd say the B-class/2-series are more Golf-sized

I was more talking about the external size for parking etc.

Polo: 3.95m

Golf: 4.25m

A-Class: 4.29m
1-series: 4.32m
A3: 4.31m

The B-class is a similar length (4.36m) but taller, with the more upright seating positions and mechanicals taking up less length. The 2-series consists of a variety of cars, but if you mean the active tourer then that's similar to the B-class. The VW version would be the Golf Plus/Golf SV.

If you're more interested in internal space then as you say that varies and a size up or down can be similar.

Generally 4m cars are known as B-segment or superminis while ~4.3m cars are known as C-segment or (small) family cars. A-segment is city cars around 3.5m like the Forfour Brabus.

Above that it gets a bit blurred with different manufacturers making different offerings.

it's really bugging me though that our test drive didn't reflect all the reviews we've read.

We found that was the case with a fair number of cars. There's so many options available I wouldn't worry about it, just move on to the next.

[jimborae]

So we had the longer test in the A-Class today and while the ride is on the firm side it's nowhere near as bad as the reviews make out, which confirmed our initial thoughts. However we also test drove an A3 Sportback today albeit the the smaller 1.5 Petrol model and it was really good. More room than the A-Class in the back, definitely a better ride, but once specced up a 2lt TFSI Quattro S-line version, comes in at around £34.5K which is huge amount of cash for what it is. Compared to the A-Class its much more expensive I think, so now I just don't know what she wants to do and time is running out.

[Guy]

£10k on options?! Brokers look to have £4.5-£5k off list price taking the base down to £25k or so.

[kalniel]

So we had the longer test in the A-Class today and while the ride is on the firm side it's nowhere near as bad as the reviews make out, which confirmed our initial thoughts. However we also test drove an A3 Sportback today albeit the the smaller 1.5 Petrol model and it was really good. More room than the A-Class in the back, definitely a better ride, but once specced up a 2lt TFSI Quattro S-line version, comes in at around £34.5K which is huge amount of cash for what it is. Compared to the A-Class its much more expensive I think, so now I just don't know what she wants to do and time is running out.

That's an impressive amount of options! Stick with the 1.5 and front wheel drive - quattro doesn't add anything IMHO but weight and the 1.5 is a similarly light and economic engine with a pretty good turn of pace, add tech and comfort packs first, then deviate only where you need to.

Alternatively go whole hog and get a Golf R