Close relative of mine has asked me to source her a replacement car.
She does about 6k miles a year and wants a 5-door hatch bigger than a Polo, but no larger than a Focus. The car is mainly used for short suburban/rural trips and taking three kids about (eldest is 6' tall and the other two are pretty tall too). The car should be new or 'nearly new' (i.e. 6k miles or less) and around £8k.
I initially thought about the Toytoa Yaris' that are being sold at a good discount (new one due soon, I gather), or maybe a nearly new Mitsi Colt hatchback. But then I thought about the Kia Rio that HJ recently reviewed. The 1.5 Diesel sounds so good. Has anyone actually compared this car to a Yaris 'in the flesh'? Also, anyone seen this advertised through a broker as yet? Maybe its so new and likely to be in demand that it won't be 'brokered' for quite a while?
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At that mileage/year, the diesel wouldn't be the main thing, whatever she gets.
Yaris are getting cheaper (except in the new Toyota dealer in Luton) & will sell on, again easier, later.
What about Suzuki Swift - no discounts, much, but modern motor.
Or value for money, Fiat Stilo - cheap enough, now.
VB
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At that mileage/year, the diesel wouldn't be the main thing, whatever she gets. Yaris are getting cheaper (except in the new Toyota dealer in Luton) & will sell on, again easier, later. What about Suzuki Swift - no discounts, much, but modern motor. Or value for money, Fiat Stilo - cheap enough, now. VB
The Diesel Rio sounds a better driving proposition than the petrol one and costs the same - and would probably hold value better (although there is risk of a nasty out-of-warranty fuel system failure).
I agree that Yaris might hold value better - that was my original suggestion.
No way could I recommend a FIAT.
Suzuki Swift probably worth considering.
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What about Suzuki Swift - no discounts, much, but modern motor.
The Kia isn't a modern motor?
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If a Yaris qualifies ('bigger than a Polo'?), then you could look at the Daihatsu Sirion. £7k list price buys you a 5-dr 1.0 with aircon. £7.8k for the 1.3.
Hard to go wrong with the Yaris though at current prices.
Rio would be a bit of a gamble, surely, just because it's so new.
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"you could look at the Daihatsu Sirion"
You took the words out of my mouth.
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Hyundai Matrix - bigger than a Polo and probably slightly smaller than a Focus. Five year warranty.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I've been looking for the past two months to change. Yaris new prices are still falling due to the model runout. (About£1,000 in the past month). See the Toyota website - select secondhand cars and use their car finder. It is excellent Makes all other websites look clunky.
My view is prices of just registered/nearly new are falling like a stone and you could see another £1,000 fall in the next two months as they try to shift pre registered stock.
A Southampton dealer was selling 5 door T Spirits brand new - just preregistered and accepting £9,000 two weeks ago. All stock sold I think.
Try the Toyota site as I say. You can store alerts and they will email you..
madf
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Aprilia - I think the Yaris is too small.
I have sat in the back of a Yaris (I am 5'7") with a similarly sized person in front, and I though I felt cramped.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Yeah... the Yaris is flexible - so you can have either:
(a) Someone big in the front
(b) Someone big in the back
(c) Something big in the boot
but only really one of the three. It's a lot smaller than a Polo.
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Life is complex; it has real and imaginary parts.
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Weeks best deals shows a Honda Jazz 1.2 DSi S £8276. I believe it will be a better car than a Rio especially for resale. Also more room than the Yaris. OK it will be dearer initially but cheaper in the long run.
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Having wandered into a local Kia showroom, the sales effort was underwhelming! (I must point out that the showroom was in the process of being rebuilt and was a complete shambles).
They were not sure when it was to be launched or whether I should see it.
They thought they had a new one somewhere, "came in yesterday".
Finally found the one salesman who knew about it, and finally found it on the forecourt, and a set of keys and I was treated to a viewing in a very confined space in the yard.
Not yet registered or PDI so no test drive. No extended test drives available, "round the block only " with a salesman, (but I talked them into increasing the block to include a motorway stretch). "We have given up letting customers take longer drives, too many cars were getting stolen". Obviously KIA is becoming a "brand to have", the image is obviously improving.
His only comment was that he could sell it many times over, and they were not making money on it. Dealer margin has been used to cut the price. Still didnt know when it would be available to test drive.
Interior very Eurocar, not a lot to criticise visually. Driving position apparently comfortable, no pedal off set and seat very adjustable. Looks plenty of rear seat room and an adequate boot. Paint finish looked good in optional mettallic red.
I look forward to being able to a road test report, so will not read HJ full road test report until afterwards.
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pmh (was peter)
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Honda Jazz or new Mitsubishi Colt are probably going to hold their value better. The Colt seems available at good discounts with air-con and CD player fitted - not via brokers though, just dealers - maybe these were pre-registered cars I saw advertised...
Also I guess she may want to make sure whatever she buys has a dealer somewhere not too far away for servicing and does well in crash tests also? www.euroncap.com/index.php
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I have been renting Kia Picantos in Spain from Hertz and as i have posted b4 it really is a very good car,i always like Toyotas,the Yaris is a very good car,but i would not spend the extra on a Yaris over the price i could get a deal on a Picanto.Cracking good car.Drive one.
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Berlingo? Loads of room in the back - for passengers and Schoolbags?? And cheapish?
Phil
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Berlingo is an excellent idea, but I have a feeling that Aprilia is much more likely to go for Far Eastern than French. For those of such inclinations, I would have though Honda Jazz would be ideal.
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Nissan Almera 1.5 SE. Bigger, safer, better, higher spec and cheaper.
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I found that the Colt is great for space for the driver but rear passengers don't have much room, the boot is small too. If your a tall driver with no one else in the car its great, there are some good deals out there too.
The Honda Jazz is the best for all round room but the seat doesn't go that far back for taller drivers, its the perfect car for most people.
I think the Ford Fiesta is one of the better cars in class for most things, but the poor dash, no clutch rest and seat belt location rule it out in my eyes.
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I forgot about the Ford Fusion?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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The Fusion is pretty spacious, and actually OK to drive, especially the 1.6 petrol which is a real flying machine.
I ran one once and it was especially quick owing to the fact that it was a company car, I also found that this gave it a strange power to do some soft road work when I drove it to the top of a very bumpy hill near where I live to watch the fireworks across the city last November. I was impressed with the way that it handled the rocks, massive potholes and the way it drove through all the long grass without getting stuck once thanks to it's ground clearence.
Oh, and the way that the front passenger seat base lifts up to reveal a hidden storage compartment is great, I used to keep everything in there that I didn't want seen as I figured if the car was broken into no one wouild find it, it took me the best part of 3 months to discover it!
So, if you can live with it's appearence, I would consider giving it a look, just avoid a 54 reg Fusion 2 1.6 in Vitro green, it didn't have the best start in life... ;-)
Blue
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I'd go for the Yaris but hey i'm biased!
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Contrary to what HJ says in the road test, there are discounts available on the Rio. The GS is available for £7719.64 from drivethedeal.com. A pretty good deal I think.
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dear aprilia does your relative enjoy her driving.what about an old shape ford focus zetec 1.6. the best drive for 8k bar none.
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