I have £6000 for a fun, economic and reliable car - any suggestions?

I have about £6000 to spend on a used car. I'll use it for a daily 25 mile commute in rush hour and, as my wife has a Volkswagen Up!, it will be our main car for longer journeys. I'd like a balance of fun, good fuel economy (at least 30mpg), comfort (for those dark, icy days) and reliability. I'm thinking a Ford Fiesta 1.6 petrol Or a Honda Civic Type S. Or an older MINI Cooper S/DS3 THP. Which do you think I should I go for or can you think of any alternatives?

Asked on 27 March 2017 by Allleynian

Answered by Honest John
£6000 will probably get you a first generation Fiesta ST, which is a bit raw but fun. MINI generally aren't very reliable. The DS3 1.6 THP 150 is fun and comfortable but can have timing chain problems. The Civic 1.8 i-VTEC SE makes more sense than the 3-door Type S and does over 40mpg.
Dear Honest John,

Please help me choose my next car. I would like it to have:
    Select a few terms below
Similar questions
I'm wanting to buy a small, economic car for my 19 year old daughter to travel between university and our home. I really don't want to pay more than £6000, however, want a safe reliable car that will also...
I have a budget of £1500 for a reliable, economical car. I have a round trip of 36, mostly motorway, miles each day for work. Which cars would you recommend?
I want to buy a petrol estate car, manual, up to 5 years old on a budget of £12,000. I'm looking for something reliable and economic, but also fun to drive. The current short list is a 2012 - 2013 Ford...
Related models
Performance Fiesta. Cheap, sharp and huge fun to drive.
Fast and fun.
Punchy and efficient diesel engines, class-leading practicality, excellent reliability record.
Funky little city car. Cheap to run with low CO2. Lively and fun to drive. Large enough for four adults.
 

Value my car

Save £75 on Warranty using code HJ75

with MotorEasy

Get a warranty quote

Save 12% on GAP Insurance

Use HJ21 to save on an ALA policy

See offer