My brother's car has been written off and he needs to get new car. Looking at a diesel. Now, strangely, price is not too important (about 9k), as his friend works in a very large dealership and can basically get him "staff " discount or something along those lines. So whatever the deal is, it will be good.
He is looking at less than a year old cars and looking to keep for proabably at least 4 years. He has narrowed down to Focus, Mondeo (I am asking for trouble here aren't I?) and Astra. I have also suggested he look at Laguna.
Which Focus diesel is the best,which Astra and Mondeo diesel are the best? How does their running costs compare to each other? Will the Mondeo mpg be significantly more than the other 2? Probably does in excess of 20K a year so mpg will probably be the biggest cost factor.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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Bobby Bobby Bobby. What have you done?!!?
Obviously if you go Ford, it needs to be the TDCi diesel. I can't see there being any TDDi's at such a high price but make sure you r brother steers clear of them. I'd have thought, if anything, the Focus would be more frugal. Same engines but lighter cars. That's just a guess though. I can't see there being much in it. As to what diesel's in the Astra, I don't know. Are they CDTi's? Never driven one, never read any good or bad reviews on them either.
If it were me, I'd go Focus, Mondeo, Astra in that order. I only don't say Mondeo first because a) I think he'll have more fun on the twisties in a Focus and b) He's included two smaller sized cars in his choices so I'm guessing big family/shopping/suitcases isn't so much of a problem?
I honestly think, out of those three suggestions, the two Fords would be the best but I think he needs to test drive them all.
P.S. Check your mail.
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Done some research and basically I think it is between the 1.6 tdci (109ps) Focus and the 1.7 cdti (100PS) Astra. Both have similar mpg and are about 10mpg better off than a Mondeo.
Both Focus and Astra seem to have same ins group (6E).
Is there anyone who has driven both these or own them that can maybe give pros or cons against each car? How do the specs compare?
[Please, no one go wasting your time looking for info on web as I can do that myself, I am just wondering if anyone can speak from first hand knowledge of this comparison. ]
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Having test driven a new Focus, its not a car I'd want to do 20k a year in - I thought the seats were pretty poor. The 1.6 TDCi engine is good - although I tried it in a Citroen C4. Not sure how they can justify all this premium quality rubbish either - the whole dash is a mass of cheap looking grainy plastic.
No first hand experience of the Astra - but it looks nice.
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Is there anyone who has driven both these or own them that can maybe give pros or cons against each car?
I've driven both, and these are my views. I had meant to post this a little while ago as a road test, but here's a shortened version of my experience of the two.
The Focus seemed to have a quieter engine than the Astra, and also the Focus's engine felt smoother throughout the rev range. The Astra was completely dead until it hit 1800 rpm, then all hell broke loose and it went into warp factor nine. The Focus didn't suffer the turbo lag that the Astra did and was only non responsive below 1000 rpm. Also the Focus engine didn't have an "all or nothing" feel about it.
The Astra's suspension felt stiffer and harder. However it didn't seem to compromise comfort and road holding at all.
Apart from that, they were pretty much on par with one another. Comfort and ride was no difference between the two. Comparing them both, the handling was about equal. I did find that the Focus's steering was a lot heavier though.
The seats in the Astra seemed more comfortable, and also the pedal positions.
Hated the stereo controls in the Focus. Kept hitting them whenever I went for the indicators. Much prefer the ones on the steering wheel of the Astra and other Vauxhalls, rather than the controls that Ford nailed onto the side of steering column.
Hated the fact that the elecy windows in the Focus are only one touch when going down, but you have to keep you finger on the button to close them again. Astra is one touch both up and down.
Also as I've previously mentioned elswhere in the forum, the Focus's handbrake was on the passenger side of the centre console and I kept smacking my knuckles on the centre console everytime I went to apply it. Obviously designed for the left hand drive market and Ford were being lazy by not putting it on the drivers side of the console for right hand drive versions.
The Astra I drove was the Club model (1.7 TDCi. 100 bhp engine); the Focus an LX (not too sure of engine info - sorry). Pretty similar on specification - elecy windows, mirrors, CD player, etc, but the Astra came with alloys as standard, whereas the Focus had cheap plastic trims that looked like they wouldn't last 5 minutes if brushed up against a kerb.
It's a close call, but on the whole I still preferred the Astra. That by the way is an opinion based on driving them both and not me being bias toward Vauxhall at all.
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I've driven both, and these are my views. I had meant to post this a little while ago as a road test, but here's a shortened version of my experience of the two.
And if you had posted them a little while ago then you wouldn't have had to do it at half one on a Sat morning :) However, much appreciated anyway.
Yours views and thoughts are very interesting and kind of back up what I am thinking in that it really does come down to him having a lengthy test drive in both and see which one he prefers. Would have been good to know which engine was in the Focus as it seemed to be more responsive but never mind. I didn't think they still made Focii with wheel trims, don't think I have seen one for ages with them! No doubt every one I see today will have them!
Thanks again for your input, I will let you know how he gets on.
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Adam says of Foci v Mondeo diesels, "same engines lighter cars" - not true, well not since the MKIII Mondeo was launched in late 2000.
The Mondeo has a chain cam engine in 115 or 130 ps output, the latter with a much higher torque output and therefore feels much quicker though no less economical, both should average 46 ish and achieve over 50 on a run. For 9k you could get a good 18 month well specced Zetec or Ghia with either engine or perhaps a year old LX on higher mileage.
The Focus TDCi up to 2004 models has a common rail version of the old Mondeo's direct injection 1.8 belt cam engine, this in 100 ps or 115 ps, again the latter is noticably more torquey, this engine is mechanically an older design though with contemporary fuel system and elcectronics it is really very refined, again economy is similar, average high 40's, 55 + on a run. For 9k you can get a top of the range Ghia 115 TDCi with lowish mileage.
The new Focus uses 1.6 and 2.0 belt cam engines producing 110 and 136 ps respectively (produced in conjunction with PSA), the former is particulary sweet and free revving, the latter makes it a quick car though it is not quite as torquey as the Mondeo 130. 1.6 = 50 + mpg average, 2.0 high 40's. The previous 1.8 115 has just been reintroduced into the new Focus range, 9k, you might struggle.
Re Astra, the Vauxhall petrol engines are superb, crisp and free revving though IMHO the diesels do not quite match the Fords, the 1.7 Astra is not as refined as the 1.8 old Focus yet alone the new 1.6 and both of the Fords are more powerful. The 1.9 diesels are better and rev crisply though still lacking a bit of torque compared to the Ford, VAG and BMWs.
Scuse spellin ..
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I've told you not to listen to me but you still do!
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Would have been good to knowwhich engine was in the Focus as it seemed to be more responsive but never mind.
I meant as in not so much turbo lag. Get both of them above 2000 rpm and both were as frugal as each other.
I didn't think they still made Focii with wheel trims...
It was an estate car, if that makes any difference. Being an LX model though, I was suprised it only had trims - and horrible flimsy ones at that.
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Just a bit of an update on this, his dealer friend can't get his hands on any of the new shape Focus 1.6 diesels, so at this stage it is between the 1.7cdti Astra Club and a Mondeo TDCI LX, although there is a possibility of maybe a Civic Diesel coming in to the reckoning.
The Mondeo only has wheel trims but apart from that, he quites like the bigger size compared to the Astra.
I can't have him buying a Mondeo TDCI, no I just can't!!!! :)
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Have driven both the Mondeo and Focus Diesels over the past couple of years. My company bought them as pool cars. I drove the Mondeo pretty much for a year, day in, day out and think it is much the superior car.
I thought that the focus would be faster than the mondeo because of the weight, but it really wasnt the case. The mondeo was much more responsive.
I am by no means a fan of fords (my father passed that down as one of his bits of wisdom) but i found the mondeo to be superb.
It was very comfortable, had most of the toys (sadly no sat nav) had great performance, was economic and was good on twisty lanes.
The focus had the same engine, the same toys but was nowhere near as comfortable, had a huge turbo lag and didnt handle any better.
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The focus had the same engine, the same toys but was nowhere near as comfortable, had a huge turbo lag and didnt handle any better.
No, they have very different engines, see my post above.
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