Best Eurospec small car for my sister

Started by Morris Minor, May 31, 2018, 06:10:03 AM

Morris Minor

My sis in the UK needs to buy a new, small, well-appointed car: something in the Polo size bracket, except not VW Group because of Dieselgate & Monkeygate. She's not a car enthusiast; she just wants something reliable, with the goodies one expects in the upper trim levels.
Any ideas?
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤


12,000 RPM

MINIs are notoriously unreliable

Manual Fiesta is probably her best bet.
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

MexicoCityM3

Quote from: 12,000 RPM on May 31, 2018, 07:43:39 AM
MINIs are notoriously unreliable

Manual Fiesta is probably her best bet.

Always with the same nonsense. It's a new fucking car. It will be reliable for years FFS.

Back to Morris's need:

Funny how excluding the VW group excludes tons of the options that came first to mind. Lots of small good(ish) cars from them.

How are Clios these days? We no longer get the euro version apart from the RS.

Hyundai i30?
Founder, BMW Car Club de México
http://bmwclub.org.mx
'05 M3 E46 6SPD Mystic Blue
'08 M5 E60 SMG  Space Grey
'11 1M E82 6SPD Sapphire Black
'16 GT4 (1/3rd Share lol)
'18 M3 CS
'16 X5 5.0i (Wife)
'14 MINI Cooper Countryman S Automatic (For Sale)

2o6



MexicoCityM3

Founder, BMW Car Club de México
http://bmwclub.org.mx
'05 M3 E46 6SPD Mystic Blue
'08 M5 E60 SMG  Space Grey
'11 1M E82 6SPD Sapphire Black
'16 GT4 (1/3rd Share lol)
'18 M3 CS
'16 X5 5.0i (Wife)
'14 MINI Cooper Countryman S Automatic (For Sale)

mzziaz

Cuore Sportivo

Payman


Xer0

The Fit is Go!

Its reliable, I imagine good fuel economy, probably cheap, and not exciting at all.  Sounds like exactly the car she needs.

12,000 RPM

Quote from: MexicoCityM3 on May 31, 2018, 08:07:10 AM
Always with the same nonsense. It's a new fucking car. It will be reliable for years FFS.
There is no need to take this personal man. Every year CR has data for the MINI from 2015 and below, it has the worst rating. They are only just becoming average, but we will see once time passes and warranties end. They are not great values either for someone just looking for basic transportation.
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

HurricaneSteve

#11
Mazda 2? I'm not sure what kind of features she is looking for but reviews for the latest model have been good and if the Toyota iA is anything to go by, it should be a great subcompact (small size, easy to maneuver, good ride, great fuel economy and excellent reliability since it still has a NA motor.) If she wants an automatic (and relaible) I would steer clear of the Fiesta since I believe the new model still uses a dual clutch automatic and has turbos throughout the lineup.

http://www.evo.co.uk/mazda/2

Quote from: Morris Minor on May 31, 2018, 06:10:03 AM
My sis in the UK needs to buy a new, small, well-appointed car: something in the Polo size bracket, except not VW Group because of Dieselgate & Monkeygate. She's not a car enthusiast; she just wants something reliable, with the goodies one expects in the upper trim levels.
Any ideas?

Payman

Quote from: 12,000 RPM on May 31, 2018, 12:32:03 PM
There is no need to take this personal man. Every year CR has data for the MINI from 2015 and below, it has the worst rating. They are only just becoming average, but we will see once time passes and warranties end. They are not great values either for someone just looking for basic transportation.

Morris specified premium small car, and I wouldn't wipe my ass with CR "data". ZOMG the cupholders are too small!

Laconian

#13
My friend had that attitude, got a Mini, and he's been like the Dutch kid popping his fingers into the dike with all the random sensor failures he's been getting.

Passenger airbag, windshield wiper fluid, a TPS monitor, I think there was something fucked up with the window position sensor (?), and some others.
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

93JC

Anecdotally, I've known three people with Minis. Every single one of them really liked the car... when it was working correctly. Every one of the cars was a POS.

HurricaneSteve

Actually CR gives more balanced reviews nowdays. The GTI for example, they highlight its fun to drive factor, ride and quietness but also balance it out with its quality issues. They even gave the BMW 2-Series a 92 overall. I still have qualms with how they rate reliability (the 2016 MX-5 was given a reliability rating of Far Below Average and the 2017 was given Far Above Average) but they are better than they used to be.

Quote from: Rockraven on May 31, 2018, 12:58:52 PM
Morris specified premium small car, and I wouldn't wipe my ass with CR "data". ZOMG the cupholders are too small!

HurricaneSteve

Above all I've heard that Mini's are difficult to repair because of how they're assembled.

Quote from: 93JC on May 31, 2018, 01:01:53 PM
Anecdotally, I've known three people with Minis. Every single one of them really liked the car... when it was working correctly. Every one of the cars was a POS.

MexicoCityM3

Quote from: 93JC on May 31, 2018, 01:01:53 PM
Anecdotally, I've known three people with Minis. Every single one of them really liked the car... when it was working correctly. Every one of the cars was a POS.

You know 4. Ours has been flawless for 4 years.
Founder, BMW Car Club de México
http://bmwclub.org.mx
'05 M3 E46 6SPD Mystic Blue
'08 M5 E60 SMG  Space Grey
'11 1M E82 6SPD Sapphire Black
'16 GT4 (1/3rd Share lol)
'18 M3 CS
'16 X5 5.0i (Wife)
'14 MINI Cooper Countryman S Automatic (For Sale)

12,000 RPM

Quote from: MexicoCityM3 on May 31, 2018, 01:23:24 PM
You know 4. Ours has been flawless for 4 years.
25% odds of a car not being a POS.... solid :lol:

Quote from: Rockraven on May 31, 2018, 12:58:52 PM
Morris specified premium small car, and I wouldn't wipe my ass with CR "data". ZOMG the cupholders are too small!
Morris specified a loaded car, not a premium one. Fiesta Vignale, loaded Clio/V40/A class/1 series, she has a lot of options in both camps that isn't a MINI
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

Laconian

Quote from: HurricaneSteve on May 31, 2018, 01:12:28 PM
Actually CR gives more balanced reviews nowdays. The GTI for example, they highlight its fun to drive factor, ride and quietness but also balance it out with its quality issues. They even gave the BMW 2-Series a 92 overall. I still have qualms with how they rate reliability (the 2016 MX-5 was given a reliability rating of Far Below Average and the 2017 was given Far Above Average) but they are better than they used to be.


The 2016 had a brittle 6MT.
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT


2o6

CR is pretty damn objective.


Why the CR hate?

HurricaneSteve

I have heard that, especially on early models but they are also predicting the 2018 model to have Below Average reliability.

Quote from: Laconian on May 31, 2018, 01:57:21 PM
The 2016 had a brittle 6MT.

MexicoCityM3

CarSpin, where the only thing that matters when recommending a car is reliability. Because anything below average is hell and means public transportation all the time.

I do get it more when shopping for a used car. Or if you like to hold on to cars for 10 years. Other than that, with most modern cars, it's a non-issue.
Founder, BMW Car Club de México
http://bmwclub.org.mx
'05 M3 E46 6SPD Mystic Blue
'08 M5 E60 SMG  Space Grey
'11 1M E82 6SPD Sapphire Black
'16 GT4 (1/3rd Share lol)
'18 M3 CS
'16 X5 5.0i (Wife)
'14 MINI Cooper Countryman S Automatic (For Sale)

93JC

Unreliable cars are infuriating. Having to deal with the bullshit to fix them is infuriating. It is a colossal pain in the ass to deal with all that crap. I refuse to put up with it, and can't imagine why anyone would.

Laconian

#25
Minis are fun and charismatic and drive like nothing else. :huh:

Giving up reliability for a 500 is dumb. A MINI is worth taking a little risk for. And the failures tend to be small too, not catastrophic like HPFP failures.
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

HurricaneSteve

I think it's one important factor to consider and since many of us may not have the space or funds to have multiple vehicles, a car that is fun but also less likely to spend time in the shop or be costly to repair would be a huge bonus.

Quote from: MexicoCityM3 on May 31, 2018, 03:46:03 PM
CarSpin, where the only thing that matters when recommending a car is reliability. Because anything below average is hell and means public transportation all the time.

I do get it more when shopping for a used car. Or if you like to hold on to cars for 10 years. Other than that, with most modern cars, it's a non-issue.

Morris Minor

Quote from: 12,000 RPM on May 31, 2018, 07:43:39 AM
MINIs are notoriously unreliable

Manual Fiesta is probably her best bet.
She has the Fiesta on her radar. It's top of What Car ratings for the category. (Fit, funnily enough did not thrill them, but on her shortlist too)
I'll float the idea of a Hyundai I30 and the Mazda 2.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

12,000 RPM

Quote from: MexicoCityM3 on May 31, 2018, 03:46:03 PM
CarSpin, where the only thing that matters when recommending a car is reliability. Because anything below average is hell and means public transportation all the time.

I do get it more when shopping for a used car. Or if you like to hold on to cars for 10 years. Other than that, with most modern cars, it's a non-issue.
Hardly the only thing that matters, but for people who don't have 8 cars an unreliable car can be a hassle. Warranty or not, a car being in and out of the shop all the time = PITA.

Quote from: Laconian on May 31, 2018, 07:28:26 PM
Minis are fun and charismatic and drive like nothing else. :huh:

Giving up reliability for a 500 is dumb. A MINI is worth taking a little risk for. And the failures tend to be small too, not catastrophic like HPFP failures.
It depends what you're looking for. IDK that Morris' sister is looking for driving thrills... and if so, Europe has quite the selection (Renaultsport anything, Ford ST anything, i30N, etc).
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

Payman

Quote from: 93JC on May 31, 2018, 07:11:26 PM
Unreliable cars are infuriating. Having to deal with the bullshit to fix them is infuriating. It is a colossal pain in the ass to deal with all that crap. I refuse to put up with it, and can't imagine why anyone would.

The Ford Focus has been a segment leader for most of its existence. Imagine my surprise with all the DCT issues (when I bought my '13 in late '12, the issue wasn't well known to the public). The "best" cars can have their issues, and the cars dumped on most (500, Mini, VW, etc) have in many cases proved to be every bit as reliable as others.