Which car should I buy for a 130-mile daily round trip?

I have up to £10,000 to spend on a used car for a daily round trip of 130 miles, and my criteria is reliability, economy and decent motorway performance. My preference is for an automatic gearbox. I currently drive a 2000 model Lexus IS200 which would cost a small fortune to do this kind of mileage in, although it is a fantastic car.

Asked on 26 June 2010 by lexusis200

Answered by Honest John

Unless this is steady speed motorway cruising, a torque converter automatic transmission will increase your fuel consumption by between 10 per cent and 25 per cent. A twin clutch DSG type automatic would be less. It would be nice if you could find a Focus 2.0TDCI Powershift fort £10,000, but I doubt it. This probably forces you into a VAG car, like a Skoda Octavia 2.0TDI DSG.

Tags: running costs automatics motorways economy commuting high mileage

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