Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Thu 13 Nov 2014 10:21
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - Smudgit

My VW Passat SE TDI Estate is reaching the end of it's life and I am looking for a smaller used car, but need a reasonable boot space. Looking to spend up to £8000. Would like a Golf but not sure I'll find one with low mileage at this price? Anybody recommend a make or model that fits these requirements? I do about 15,000 miles per year. Have read mixed reviews about the Leon, also considered Focus Estate and Vaux Astra. Any input gratefully received!

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Thu 13 Nov 2014 10:33
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - HandCart

So what's your real preference - a hatch, or an estate?

The Octavia, even in hatch form, has a particularly big boot. And is mechanically similar to the Golf and Leon.

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Thu 13 Nov 2014 11:38
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - Smudgit

So what's your real preference - a hatch, or an estate?

The Octavia, even in hatch form, has a particularly big boot. And is mechanically similar to the Golf and Leon.

A hatchback preferably, or small esate..

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Thu 13 Nov 2014 11:55
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - Smudgit

So what's your real preference - a hatch, or an estate?

The Octavia, even in hatch form, has a particularly big boot. And is mechanically similar to the Golf and Leon.

A hatchback preferably, or small estate..

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Thu 13 Nov 2014 14:10
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - HandCart

Not sure that the Golf and Leon have particularly big boots, if that's a priority (with rear seats up) and you're used to a Passat estate.

Any of the Octavia hatch (or estate) or Focus or Astra estates should be okay - have a look in the car-by-car breakdown section for plus and minus points.

Your annual mileage is about where a diesel becomes useful, but it you do prefer a diesel, remember it has been a dodgy decade for them.

The Kia Ceed estate is roomy and its engine seems to be less troublesome than many, plus they came with a 7 year warranty.

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Thu 13 Nov 2014 16:27
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - Smudgit

Not sure that the Golf and Leon have particularly big boots, if that's a priority (with rear seats up) and you're used to a Passat estate.

Any of the Octavia hatch (or estate) or Focus or Astra estates should be okay - have a look in the car-by-car breakdown section for plus and minus points.

Your annual mileage is about where a diesel becomes useful, but it you do prefer a diesel, remember it has been a dodgy decade for them.

The Kia Ceed estate is roomy and its engine seems to be less troublesome than many, plus they came with a 7 year warranty.

Thanks, Honest John has also recommended the Kia C'eed and the Hyundai i3 1.6 diesel. I don't expect to have as much space as the Passat, but looked at the Fiesta and Ibiza and I need more space than they offered.

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Thu 13 Nov 2014 16:44
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - Chris79
What about a seat Toledo?. I ve bought one recently and it would seem that a low spec model with the 1.6 tdi can be had from car supermarkets for 8-9k for a 1 year old car. Pretty big inside with a hatchback comparable to a Mondeo hatch. The interior is ok albeit a little plasticky.

I ve has mine for 1.5 months and done 3000 miles. True calculated mpg is 60.5 on bp ultimate and it's proving perfectly adequate. I paid 10.5k for a year old diesel with 5k on the clock in se spec which at the time was top of the range.

Car thus far is ticking all the boxes for me. The experience with the seat dealer. on the basis I have nothing good to say I'll say no more!
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Thu 13 Nov 2014 17:32
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - HandCart

Yes, the boot in the Toledo or its sister car Skoda Rapid is very big. I just wasn't sure if you could get one for £8k yet.

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Thu 13 Nov 2014 19:18
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - daveyK_UK

Have a good friend who has a Seat Toledo and also know 2 chaps with Skoda Rapids.

They all love them, the boot is simply huge for this size car and yet the rear leg rom is still good - far better than a ford focus or vauxhall astra.

They all have the 1.2 TSI in 105bhp form - no problems yet, and the lady with the Toledo claims to get very high MPG figures on a motorway run.

The Rapid is increasingly popular with taxi drivers in my local area, it seems to have taken over from the Octavia which has got a bit expensive.

Edited by daveyK_UK on 13/11/2014 at 19:20

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Fri 14 Nov 2014 12:24
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - Smudgit

Thanks, but not keen on the shape of the Toledo or Rapid. Have been recommended as a small estate, Peugeot 207 diesel, any feedback on this?

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Fri 14 Nov 2014 13:25
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - HandCart

If I remember correctly, someone on this forum has one of those and it's been very good.
However, in general, they're a bit question mark-y.

If you're after a small estate like that, consider the Skoda Fabia estate, or the rather stylish Seat Ibiza estate.

Or the Renault Clio estate.

Or the Skoda Roomster.

Or the Citroen Berlingo.

Or a Honda Jazz.

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Fri 14 Nov 2014 13:29
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - Smudgit

I need to get a large dog in from time to time and various items of horse equipment, hence the hatchback or estate requirement, but want something smaller than my Passat

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Fri 14 Nov 2014 13:41
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - daveyK_UK

The 207 has a fair amount of common problems, worth checking out the Peugeot owner forums.

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Fri 14 Nov 2014 22:21
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - VR6

From my experience of having owned a few hatchbacks in the household:

Golf: Not sure about the Mk6 or 7, but I always found the boot on a Golf slighlty smaller than other hatchbacks.

Civic: I owned a 2008 Civic, which had a really nice size boot. It didnt have a spare wheel, but in its place, the boot had extra storage area. The rear seats also had storage underneath them, and the bases flipped up. This was handy at adding more useful storage space without the faff of lowering the seat backs to increase boot space. I'm unsure what the new Civic is like, but it may be work checking out.

Mazda 3 (2011). The boot in our current Mazda 3 is quite big for a hatch. I find that it is quite deep compared to other hatches.

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Sat 15 Nov 2014 18:24
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - oldroverboy.
A bit off centre as a reply. For £8000 you will find a chevrolet cruze estate still under warranty 1.6 petrol, our cruze saloon has been fault free except for a sticking boot release.
we have actually decided to keep the cruze as i cannot find anything that ticks the boxes and feels a lot better without spending silly money.
(Cruze= Vauxhall astra with normal, not electronic hand break)
just go for petrol.

my review on hj owners reviews.
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Sat 15 Nov 2014 21:14
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - daveyK_UK

If you pay anything like 8 grand for a cruze under warranty or not you need your head testing.

While GM may for now provide back up, the resale value alone will be horrendous in years to come.

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Sat 15 Nov 2014 23:06
Seat Leon, VW Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Focus Estate? - Hatchback with large boot-recommendations - HandCart

Or another left-field suggestion:

A brand new Dacia Logan.

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