Exclusive 1.6 HDi 115

Refined and economical

I drive 25-30k miles a year so I was looking for something under 3 years old and sub 20000 miles to keep for perhaps 36 months. This came up at a couple of grand less than the equivalent Focus/Leon/308. The first thing I noticed was the refinement and ride. Even on 18” wheels (an option in Exclusive spec) it rides superbly on most roads. It does crash a bit on rougher surfaces but it’s tolerable. There is a bit of wind noise at motorway speeds, but you only notice it because the engine is so quiet (sub 2000 rpm at 75) and there is little tyre noise. Leather/alcantara seats (with pointless massage function!), classy dash (surprisingly solid materials), dual zone climate control and electric handbrake give the cabin a much classier look and feel than the entry-level Golfs I looked at for the same price. Ultimately it is a Citroën so we’ll see how long it lasts, but so far it has done nothing wrong.

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