Having seen the similar thread on replacing. Yeti I thought I’d seek opinions on a car replacement.
I currently have a 2013 Skoda Octavia Estate 1.4 TSi Eleganza.
I’ve really liked this car it has been reliable and has pretty good acceleration.
Thing is since owning a NC 2.0 Sport and also during my wife’s Mazda2 Sport I notice how it wallows a bit when cornering and the technology is getting dated.
I test drove a a Seat Leon 2.0TSi Xcellance Estate and that was fun. The trouble is there aren’t many about unless you like White, which I don’t.
I’ve considered the Mazda6 GT Sport Nav estate, it has great spec. but it seemed a bit too large. I would like something smaller than the Octavia.
I thought of the Mazda2 Saloon but boots too small.
I don’t want an SUV. BMWs, Merk’s, Audi’s and VWs are too expensive. I’ve had French cars in the past and don’t want another. Not keen on Ford’s or Vauxhall’s. I’m running out of options. I wish Skoda or Mazda did a Mazda2 sized Estate.
I have just bought a 2021 Honda Civic Sport hatchback. My previous car was a 2018 model of the same car. The Civic Sport has a 1.5 ltr four cylinder turbo engine and produces 185 BHP, good performance, very good handling and good ride quality, The car seats 4 adults easily and has a large boot area, the back seats can be folded down flat which then gives a very large area. Lots of kit as standard + Honda build quality.
With the turbo and 185 BHP its quite a quick car, running around locally it returns 40mpg and on a long run it will return over 50mpg. Well worth a look and test drive.
Don’t entertain the 1 ltr model its three cylinder and slightly under powered and the consumption is no better than the 1.5 ltr car.
I’ll have to look at the Honda civic. It doesn’t have to be an Estate but it does need to have a large boot. I did consider the Mazda3 hatch but the boot was just too small.
I’ve a Honda Civic Tourer (estate) which is great but don’t think they sell the Tourer anymore. Have looked at the Skoda Scala, smaller than Octavia but for a hatchback in its class it has a reasonable boot. A much overlooked model. Our Skoda Fabia estate has been bullet proof and roomy. Skoda v Seat, latter firmer suspension and more a drivers car, Skoda better finished and generally easier to live with - IMO. Good hunting.
If you like the Octavia , why not replace it with a vRS version to get the better handling? A younger one may have some of the tech bells and whistles you crave.
Or, and I know this isn’t for everyone, why not swap the suspension on your car for something stiffer, might be as easy as roll bars, may need new shocks and springs. Then get a better infotainment head unit. Will likely cost you less than changing the car.
I’ve been very impressed with Kia over the last couple of years and we now own two of them, a Kia Soul and a Kia Stonic, as well as the MX-5.
You could take a look at the Kia Ceed Sportwagon which is a medium sized estate car with the usual Kia high specs, build quality and reliability. It also comes in various hybrid versions.
Last three ‘sensible’ cars for us have been 1.6 petrol Focus Estate, 2.0 petrol Mazda 6 Estate and 1.6 Nissan Juke. Just replaced the Juke with a 2019 Nissan Qashqai petrol 1.3T. In particular a 140bhp N-Motion.
Only had it a couple of weeks and only done around 40 miles however we both love it. Everything feels just right. Drives really well without the wallowing of the Juke. Plenty of room and boot space. Have to say the infotainment and nav system and all the tech is head and shoulders above my ND.
I had a Mazda 3 Sport as a loan car a few months back while my ND was in for hub replacement. All the bells and whistles on it but I just didn’t like it and was really disappointed. The driving experience felt disconnected.
Getting behind the wheel of the Qashqai just felt right from the very first day just like all my MX-5s have. I know that some SUVs can feel like you are driving while sitting on a bar stool but the Qashqai certainly doesn’t. Ours is only the 140bhp 1.3T rather than the 160bhp 1.3T but it has good torque figures and doesn’t feel at all underpowered even against my 2.0 ND1.
I know you said you don’t like the high seating position in an SUV but this may well be because you have experience of some of the less well balanced ones available. Both myself and my wife have driven and been a passenger in ours and it is impressive from both seats.
Had three years of trouble free motoring from our Sunderland built Juke so felt confident in going for the Qashqai from the same factory. Well priced, good specs and been in the top 10 for sales for years now.
I saw recently released figures that didn’t come out well for the Qashqai. However the report I saw was for cars three years old. Through 2018 the petrol engines available were a 1.2T and a 1.6T. The 1.2T wasn’t a reliable unit. Reports of owners having to add a litre of oil every week! For the 2019 model year both engines were replaced by 1.3T units with similar outputs. Jointly developed by Nissan / Renault Alliance and Mercedes. The same unit is used in the A Class. Haven’t seen any negative reports about the new units.
The CX-5 is also worth a look if you’re looking at Qashqai size cars. Had mine for 18months now, hasn’t had any problems, the interior is great, almost Audi quality for a lot less cost. Has all the tech also.
I bought a new fully loaded Superb mk3 estate 2.0 TDi 150bhp (the “Business”…in more ways than one) in 2016, and in sport mode , it’s surprisingly chuckable for a biggish estate…and at 56mpg average, what’s not to like?
Plus, £20 a year tax …
I did like the Superb but too big.
I am picking up a Seat Leon 2.0 TSi estate this afternoon. I had to compromise slightly, as the cars silver and in a perfect world I’d of got blue, but it’s done under 4000 miles.
I would check the engine code for the 2.0 V.A.G range of engines, many of them have excessive oil consumption, 500ml-1000ml of oil per 1000 miles! With 4000miles on the clocks I’m guessing it’s a pretty new car but I also seem to remember that Seat will get older Audi/VW engines and components.
I reckon you’ll be fine though, most of the issues are from pre 2015 Audi/VW 2.0 turbo engines.
its based on mazda2 so not overly high , my sister has one and loves it 
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