Used Car Review

Used Car Model Guide- Kia Sorento (2003 – 2010)

Kia Sorento

Kia took a big step upmarket with the launch of the Sorento. Previously known for their small, cheap cars, the South East Asian manufacturer first branched into 4×4s and MPVs before taking the plunge in 2003 with a proper family sized 4×4. The Sorento was good, worryingly so for quite a few other manufacturers who traded on badge equity more than actual talent. With an excellent reliability record, sound build quality and stylish good looks, the Sorento is an interesting buy if you want a family 4×4 without typical family 4×4 pricing.

HISTORY
The Kia Sorento was launched at what proved to be a rather fortuitous moment. Just when it looked as if Kia had been beaten to the punch by SsangYong with their Rexton 4×4, wranglings as to who was going to import the car left the way open for Kia to clear up in the budget family 4×4 sector. In truth, the Sorento probably outstripped even Kia’s most optimistic sales projections, the 2.5-litre diesel variants proving a good deal more popular than the rather thirsty 3.5-litre petrol model.

WHAT YOU GET
Those familiar with the Amalfi coast may feel the Sorento to be starting at something of a disadvantage in being bereft of an R but after the slightly odd name, things get a lot better. For a start, the Sorento looks the part, which is the next big battle won. In certain respects, it shamelessly apes the Mercedes M-Class but when you’re set to be paying around £18,500, this is no bad thing. Walk around the car and there’s not one duff angle, no botched panel fits, no awkward juxtaposition of detailing, although one can’t help but feel this is a car that would look far happier on Santa Monica Boulevard than Streatham High Street.
Equipment levels are good, with all models being fitted with anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, twin front and side airbags, air conditioning, electric windows and self-levelling rear suspension. As well as a limited slip differential, there are neatly integrated front fog lamps, some respectable alloy wheel designs and blade-profile roof rails. Top end models feature some quality electronic options such as in-car DVD and satellite navigation.
Two different 4×4 systems are offered, depending on which of the three trim levels are chosen. Upspec models get a full-time all-wheel drive system whilst budget models feature a system whereby drive to the front wheels can be selected manually. Either way both have a proper low ratio gearset for serious off-roading.
It’s the interior quality of the Sorento that sets it apart from so many wannabes in this tough corner of the market. We expected brittle elephant-hued plastics and chintzy trim but instead got soft touch materials and a quality feel. Only the slightly cheesy veneer trim fitted to some luxury models can be called into question and even then, the clean overall feel of the rest of the cabin design redeems it.

WHAT YOU PAY
Prices for a 2.5-litre CRD diesel XE model kick off at £13,500 for a slightly above average mileage 03 plate model. XS versions tack another £600 onto these price but there are good number around the Kia dealer network from which to choose. Choice evaporates a little if you’re set on a 3.5-litre XS petrol engined car. These are far rarer than the oil-burners and if you can find one, it’s probably best to price it on an individual basis. Insurance for the Sorento is affordable, the 2.5-llitre cars falling into Group 12 with the grunty 3.5-litre rated at Group 14.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The Sorento offers a welcome relief to that perennial Kia complaint of insubstantial cabin quality, feeling a good deal more thoughtfully put together than Kias of yore. As with all vehicles that purport to have off road capabilities, get underneath and take a good look for damage to the exhaust or suspension and listen for whining differentials. Inspect the luggage bay and the seat backs for signs of damage when loading. Mechanically the Sorento benefits from Kia’s usual reputation for excellence. Otherwise insist on a full service record and contact a few franchised dealers to try to find the best bargain available.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(approx based on a 2003 Sorento 2.5 diesel) Kia spares have gained an enviable reputation for good value, and replacement parts for the Sorento are no exception. Front and rear brake pads both cost around £51 a set while a radiator will be around £155. An alternator is approximately £280 and a starter motor is £175. A complete exhaust system minus catalytic converter is about £560.

ON THE ROAD
Beneath the well-executed lines lies something of a hardcore philosophy. Rather than adopt the current Trend for more car-like monocoque chassis, the Kia has a ladder-framed separate chassis and a solid rear axle instead of independent rear suspension. Those tempted to dismiss the Sorento as just another in a long line of effete ‘Barbie trucks’ are now starting to eat their words. The heavy-duty chassis and suspension set up mean that the Sorento can tow far heavier loads than a Land Rover Freelander or a Nissan X-Trail but it can’t hope to rival their on-road nimbleness.

Having said that, it doesn’t make a bad fist of things on the blacktop. The suspension has been fettled by Porsche and whilst you won’t be clamouring to part-exchange your Porsche Cayenne after a spin round the block, the Sorento is far from agricultural. Big transverse ridges can still send tremors through the bodyshell but it’s a decent showing. It certainly corners harder than you’d at first give it credit for and without the oscillating steering response that many such 4×4s are plagued with.

Two engines are offered – a 192bhp 3.5-litre V6 petrol range-topper and one that may be more pertinent to UK buyers, the 2.5-litre CRD common-rail diesel. This engine is new to Kia and features fuel injection technology from Bosch to promote smoothness and efficiency. Any 138bhp engine that has to propel something the size of a Sorento isn’t going to generate headline-grabbing performance figures and this one is no exception, but quoting sprints to 60mph seems vaguely churlish when it comes to this market. Of more importance is the chunky 343Nm of torque and the fact that the Sorento CRD will return an average of 36.2mpg with a manual gearbox or 33.6mpg in H-Matic automatic form.

Of the two gearboxes, the automatic is probably the better bet you can change gears yourself with a flick of the lever or leave the car to do the hardwork. It’s worth sacrificing a couple of miles per gallon and a few zeppelins worth of CO2 per year in order to access the self-shifter’s relaxed nature and effortless way of plugging you right into the meat of the torque curve. Opt for the V6 and the auto is standard.

OVERALL
The Sorento has filled a market niche that few at first even believed existed. Family sized 4×4s were traditionally bought on the strength of their image, but buyers have seen these vehicles improve massively over the past few years and now represent a viable alternative to more staid MPV style vehicles. The Sorento managed to catch the imagination of this new wave of buyers and it makes a good used buy. Choose your paint finish carefully as the Sorento is quite colour sensitive but otherwise there’s little to grouse about.

Used Car Model Guide – Jeep Cherokee (1993 – 2001)

If you don’t want what importers Chrysler describe as a ‘Jeep Imitation’, then look here first. The implication is clear; there are cheaper used luxury four-wheel drives (though not many) but none that can match ‘the genuine article’.

Devotees of wimpy Japanese mud-pluggers should look elsewhere; the Jeep Cherokee is as American as Budweiser and as tough as Lee Marvin. And that’s fine with British buyers. In its first few years on the UK market, the car took the 4×4 sector by storm. New model interest has waned however, in recent years and as a result, there are now a fair number of high quality used Cherokees on the market.

HISTORY
The five-door Cherokee arrived here in January 1993 (though there were some unofficial left-hand drive imports before this). The first vehicles all had the 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine and automatic transmission and were called ‘Limited’. A ‘Sport’ version arrived in March 1993, in combination with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and manual transmission. A ‘Limited SE’ 4.0-litre model was added to the range at the same time, still with automatic transmission only.
In April 1995, the turbo diesel models were released. They had a four-cylinder 2.5-litre engine and were available in ‘Sport’, ‘Limited’ or ‘Limited SE’ trim, all with manual transmission as standard. Don’t confuse the Cherokee with its larger brother, the Grand Cherokee – a different model imported from 1996 onwards.
In late 1996 and early 1997, sales fell away significantly as the number of original Cherokees imported slowed. The reason was the imminent launch of a new, second-generation Cherokee that appeared in mid 1997. Though it didn’t look much different, this model featured a new-look front and rear and a completely revised interior. The engines were the same however. A flagship ‘Orvis’ variant was introduced with 4.0-litre petrol and 2.5-litre turbo diesel power in early 1999 and the Classic (only with four-litre petrol power) replaced the Limited in October. In 2001 the range was replaced with an all-new model. The latest Cherokee was launched in August 2008.

WHAT YOU GET
A vehicle that’s loaded with equipment and ability (both on and off-road). Most people find the styling attractive too, if a bit angular. The roof is a bit low for back-seat passengers and the boot a little on the small size, but Jeep would steer you in the direction of the bigger Grand Cherokee if these were major annoyances for you.

WHAT YOU PAY
The least that you’ll find a Cherokee for will be about £2,500, which buys you an early 1993 2.5-litre Sport. Pay more and you can get a considerable better vehicle with a 98R 2.5 Sport fetching £4,400. The 4.0-litre models are thirsty but you can now get one for only a fraction more than the 2.5-litre cars. Pay £4,700 for a 98R Sport or £6,500 for one of the last Classic Models on a Y-plate.
The turbo diesels start at £4,000 for the first of the 1995 M-plate Sport models. A more typical Limited version with leather trim will be priced from around £4,900 for a 1997 P plated car.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The turbo diesels need their oil changed far more regularly than the petrol models so check the vehicle’s service records to make sure the former owners have done so. The petrol-powered cars have no known problem areas, but like the diesels, a service history is essential in any vehicle that may have had even occasional off-roading.
The interiors are, in the main, well assembled, but check that all the ‘convenience’ features (electric windows, etc) live up to that name. Check the sunroof, door-locks and mirrors for trouble-free operation.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(Based on an M-reg Cherokee 2.5-litre – approx excl VAT) A replacement clutch assembly will be about £140 and the release bearing is an extra £45. Front dampers are about £30 a pair and rears roughly £65. A set of front brakepads will be around £40, a new alternator just under £330 and a starter motor close to £350. A replacement door mirror is about £150 and a radiator £250. a major service is about £400 and a minor one near £150.

ON THE ROAD
On the road, the Cherokee isn’t really at its best. Like most 4X4’s, it’s a compromised vehicle which must be equally at home on tarmac as chassis-deep in mud. As such, it does a good job of handling motorway driving, city crawls and backroad bends but the ride is on the bouncy side and body lean typical of most off-roaders. Performance is brisk with the 4.0-litre engine, but a little leisurely with the four-cylinder petrol or diesel motors.

OVERALL
As an all-rounder, the Cherokee makes a good effort at what is a difficult task – driving like a car yet having the ability to tackle forest trails and muddy hills should the owner’s mood take them. It’s usefully smaller than a Land Rover Discovery, yet off-road, ultimately less able. That won’t matter too much to most of us, so if you like your all-road vehicles American-style, the Cherokee could be for you.

Used Car Model Guide – Jaguar XF (2008 – To Date)

Everything pointed to British executive car buyers harbouring a powerful and undying love for German cars. Camp out in the undergrowth bordering any golf club car park or blue chip company headquarters and you would see the cavalcade of Teutonic engineering ferrying the sales directors and area managers about. Better still, you could simply stay at home and look up the sales charts. They’d invariably look more German than leather shorts.
But what if the British are not strangely predisposed towards German cars? What if our executives are just choosing them on merit and would really like to drive a something with a famous British badge? If that were the case, all Jaguar needed to do was build an executive saloon that was competitive against the German alternatives and buyers would come flocking. The XF was that car.

HISTORY
Toppling the might of the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6 has proven to be one of the motor industry’s more thankless tasks. These executive expresses take few prisoners with the amount of technology and engineering excellence they manage to cram on board. Jaguar’s S-Type was launched in 1999 and was a decent effort in many ways but ultimately one which failed to make much headway. It also outstayed its welcome by a good few years, continuing to serve as Jaguar’s representative in the executive car market right up until 2008 by which point, it was creaking noticeably.
The XF was the replacement for the long serving S-TYPE and it arrived at a time when Jaguar was giving signs that there might just be a resurgence in the offing. The XJ luxury saloon that launched in 2003 was an underrated car and the XK coupe that showed up in 2006 had gone down a storm. There was still the lingering whiff of the X-TYPE around Jaguar dealerships but confidence was high that the XF could be a real contender.
The design was previewed by the C-XF concept car at the 2007 Detroit show and production car that looked reassuringly similar turned up at the Frankfurt show later that year. The first XFs were delivered in the UK during spring 2008, shortly after Jaguar and Land Rover were sold by Ford Motor Group and became wholly owned by TATA.
Initially, there was a choice of 3.0-litre V6, 4.2-litre V8 or 4.2-litre supercharged V8 petrol engines with a 2.7-litre diesel. The XF really came into its own around a year later when a new generation of engines was introduced. The 5.0-litre V8 petrol and the 3.0-litre TD diesel gave the car the efficiency and performance to really have a crack at the German dominance in the British executive car market.

WHAT YOU GET
The XF didn’t appear to be the most spacious car in its sector but the coupe-like lines do belie the amount of space inside. There’s room for five adults in comfort, generous interior stowage and a boot capacity of up to 540 litres (plus the opportunity to fold the rear seats and add a further 420 litres). At 4961mm long and 1877mm wide, on a lengthy 2909mm wheelbase, the XF is a substantial car, larger than the BMW 5-Series, Lexus GS and Mercedes-Benz E-Class that were available at the time of its launch.
So, get in and settle yourself behind the wheel. What’s it like? Well, on entry to the XF, the start button pulses red, like a heartbeat (ignition keys are so 2007). Start the engine and the JaguarDrive Selector for controlling the automatic gearbox rises into the palm of the hand, while rotating air conditioning vents turn from their flush, ‘parked’ position to their functional open position. The intention was to make the XF feel special and it does.
The XF offers three trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury and Portfolio as well as the range-topping R derivative which replaced the SV8 that was offered from launch. Externally, with the exception of the pumped-up R, all cars look similar. All come with leather trim, electric seat adjustment, sat nav with colour screen, Bluetooth ‘phone connectivity, a 6-disc in-dash CD autochanger, rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloy wheels and cruise control.

WHAT YOU PAY
The cheapest new XF you could buy in 2008 would have been around £33,000 with the entry-level petrol and diesel models within a few hundred Pounds of each other. Today those 08-plate cars are closer to £25,000 for the 3.0-litre petrol in Luxury trim and £27,000 for the 2.7 TD diesel with the same specification. The 4.2-litre V8 opens at £30,500 in Premium Luxury trim with the supercharged flagship SV8 commanding £34,500.
The new generation engines arrived early in 2009 and these cars are worth seeking out. There was some overlap while remaining models with the older engines were sold, so be certain you know which version you’re getting. The 3.0-litre petrol engine was the only original XF unit that continued to be offered beyond 2009. The desirable 3.0-litre TD engine opens at £30,000 on 58-plates in 237bhp guise while the more powerful 271bhp version kicks off at £33,000. Go for the powerful 5.0-litre V8 and you’ll need £38,500 but the mighty XFR flagship – a genuine BMW M5 rival with 503bhp – starts from £48,000.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Unlike earlier generations of Browns Lane cars which had their fair share of niggling faults, the XF has suffered no major problems, which is great news for used buyers. The usual cautions still apply though: stick to main dealers or reputable specialists and don’t be tempted by a potential bargain car that doesn’t have its service history present and correct, especially the supercharged SV8 and XFR models.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(approx – based on a 2008 XF 2.7TD) A full exhaust system (without catalyst) is around £600. Front shock absorbers are about £100 a pair. An alternator is about £300 and a starter motor around £300. Front brake pads are about £100.

ON THE ROAD
The XF’s drag coefficient is as slippery as its sleek lines suggest at just 0.29 and the front-to-rear lift balance is precisely zero. This aerodynamic performance contributes to impressively low wind noise, aids fuel consumption and helps with high-speed stability. Key driving aids on the XF include Electronic Brake Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, the usual Anti-lock Braking System, Dynamic Stability Control, Cornering Brake Control, and Engine Drag Torque Control. And, for the first time in a Jaguar, Understeer Control Logic which decelerates the car and helps to restore grip to the front wheels when required.
All the engines are mated to Jaguar’s Sequential Shift six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted ‘paddles’ for manual gear selection. You can understand the company not bothering to try and take on BMW and offer a conventional manual gearbox option but at least it did deliver competitive diesel engines.
The most popular units are the 237bhp or 271bhp versions of the 3.0-litre common-rail diesel unit with the latter employing twin turbochargers to achieve its performance. The XF’s lightweight design means a 0-60mph sprint of under six seconds is achievable in the more powerful car. If that sounds like overkill, a more prosaic option is also available in the form of a 236bhp version of the same engine. Here 0-60mph can still be covered in 6.7s.
The top 5.0-litre V8 petrol units offer either a 385bhp normally aspirated engine good for sixty in 5.5s or a supercharged version of the same powerplant which covers the same increment in 4.7s but, just as importantly, provides a wonderful soundtrack wail to accompany the experience.
The key benefits of the super-efficient combustion achieved by the XF’s 3.0-litre diesels are the 42mpg combined economy and 179g/km CO2 emissions. These figures are the same for both the 237bhp and the 271bhp models making the more powerful Diesel S look very competitive against the likes of BMW’s 535d. The petrol units are predictably thirstier but there’s not as big a gap between the 3.0-litre V6 and the 5.0-litre V8 as you might have expected. Buyers can expect 26.8mpg from the V6, 25.4mpg from the V8 and 22.4mpg from the supercharged V8.

OVERALL
The German dominance of the executive car market was always going to be a tough thing to break but Jaguar pulled it off with the XF. The car’s classy image and evocative styling offered a tempting alternative to the usual executive car choices from BMW, Mercedes and Audi. More surprisingly still, it can live with these rivals in terms of driving dynamics and its engine technology. As a used buy, the Jaguar XF looks no less compelling.

Used Car Model Guide – Isuzu Trooper (1987 – 2003)

Japan’s specialist commercial and 4×4 vehicle maker is Isuzu, controlled by General Motors. A few years ago, its car division ran up enormous losses and had to be bailed out and finally closed down. This left the company to concentrate on off-roaders, trucks and commercials, which still includes the second of the two generations of Troopers examined here.
The Trooper has been a moderate success in the UK. It has a loyal following, as does that other Isuzu-designed GM car, Vauxhall’s Frontera. Whilst neither of the two generations of Trooper are a match for a Range Rover, the prices asked are a lot less than those of many more prestigious competitors, whilst on and off-road abilities are not that much poorer.

HISTORY
The first of the three generations arrived here in February 1987. The launch model was a three-door with a 2.3-litre petrol engine. It’s slow, noisy and best avoided.

January 1988 saw the arrival of the rest of the range. Engines were now either a 2.6-litre four-cylinder petrol (replacing the 2.3) or a 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel. The last examples are on 91J plates.
There were two trim levels called D Pack and Citation. If you think they’re odd names, you might be interested to know that back in Japan, the Trooper is badged Isuzu Big Horn. Yes, really. The only update was the standard fitment of central locking in February 1989. The Citations also gained heated front seats at the same time.
The original range was replaced by a much more modern line-up in March 1992, the first shape having disappeared six months earlier. The new Trooper was again initially available with the same two trim levels but the engines had grown to 3.2-litres for the petrol and 3.1 for the diesel. The 3.2 was in fact a new V6 to replace the old four-cylinder 2.6, while the 3.1 turbo diesel was a bigger version of the existing 2.8-litre four-cylinder unit.
Bodies were still a choice of three or five doors, but the shapes were far less slab-sided. Equipment levels went up, with air conditioning, cruise control and electric windows all available, along with the clever self-folding door mirrors many Japanese cars had begun to feature. The Trooper remained more or less unchanged since, though there was a dashboard redesign and an equipment upgrade for the 1996 model year that brought new alloy wheels amongst other niceties. The 1997-specification cars, on the other hand, received only minor changes but they did include the addition of airbags.

It was all-change in 1998 however, with the introduction of a new range so altered it can accurately be termed the third generation version. This car boasted a sophisticated all-new 16-valve DOHC 3.0-litre ‘common rail’ direct injection turbodiesel with much-improved power (and it’s more frugal) plus a pokier 3.5-litre petrol V6.
Most recently, late in 1999, new petrol and diesel Insignia versions arrived with leather trim, CD changer and a clever new Torque-On-Demand system which provides the benefits of both 2WD and 4WD by sensing road conditions and adjusting the torque fed to each axle.

WHAT YOU GET
A bit of a compromise vehicle. The earlier shape cars is not really very good at being on-road cars. On the motorway, they’re noisy and slow and off-road the independent front suspension is less than ideal when the going gets tough.
The newer shape cars are much better, but still no Range Rover rival. You don’t get that strongman-in-a-dinner-suit image and ability which comes standard with the British car. What you do get is a wealth of Japanese gadgetry as well as excellent build quality and legendary reliability. It’s not surprising, then, that some of the roadside rescue companies use Troopers as recovery vehicles.

WHAT YOU PAY
The earliest 2.3-litre petrol cars are best left alone but, if you must it’s bets to price them on an individual basis. The 1988 cars are a little better but again condition and mileage can vary so judge each example on its merits.
Second-generation cars range from about £2,500 to £7,000. At the lower end of that scale, you’ll find three-door 96N-reg V6s and 3.1TDs, though the petrol cars are harder to find.
Third-generation cars (from 98R) start at about £6,700 for a three-door 3.5 V6 petrol Duty and range up to around £20,000 for a top-spec five-door Insignia diesel on 2003 ‘53’ plates.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A few niggles to report, but nothing too serious. The trim quality of many cars is suspect, so have a good look and don’t be afraid to haggle for a better price if you find saggy seats and tatty headlining. Look also for faulty handbrakes and notchy gear changing.
The diesel engine is very rough and ready but make sure all that black soot is normal and not a blown turbo. They cost a lot to replace, so get an expert to check it if you’re worried.
Check the differentials, gearbox and engine for oil-leaks and don’t forget to engage the front-hubs to test the transmission in 4×4 mode. While you’re underneath look for signs of off-road damage.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(approx based on a 97 3.1 turbodiesel) Isuzu are keen to keep their parts prices competitive to promote the use of genuine components on the large numbers of Troopers that are still going strong. A water pump can be yours for around £100 and an exhaust pipe is available for a similar amount. A fuel filter is a tenner and most of the other consumables are similarly cheap.

ON THE ROAD
You get lots of body roll and slow progress in every model bar the more car-like V6. Seven-seat versions are about but you’d have to be sure you could cope with a heavy load and a noisy, strained engine up hills. If you really need seven seats and don’t need to go off road, an MPV might be more appropriate.
So, the Trooper is not really at its best as a family car. It’s probably good enough for most people’s needs in the mud, however. Most owners buy the car for its butch looks and maybe the occasional off-road day out – there’s nothing like this to remind you just why you bought one in the first place. Like any big 4×4, try before you buy as it may be a bit too uncivilised for your everyday needs.

OVERALL
The Isuzu Trooper is a good-looking vehicle (at least in newer-shape guise) without the pretence, the price or the hefty running costs of a Range Rover. Bear that in mind and you’ll enjoy almost the same all-round ability for half the price.

Used Car Model Guide – Hyundai i30 (2007 – To Date)

It was something of a seminal car the i30. Not in the context of the whole car market but certainly for Hyundai. You wouldn’t necessarily know this to look at it’s unassuming, even forgettable, exterior and upon taking a seat inside, you’d still be unlikely to twig. The i30’s importance lies not in any groundbreaking design or technological advance that it made but more in its all round competence.

In the light of this ostensibly ordinary family hatchback, European buyers were forced to re-evaluate Hyundai’s standing. The Koreans went from budget wannabes to mainstream contenders at a stroke and while the used market catches up, a pre-owned i30 could be a good bet.

HISTORY
There were exceptions but for the most part, people used to buy Hyundais because they didn’t care. They didn’t mind if the car blended into the scenery with its unadventurous and dated looks and they weren’t bothered if the colour pallet in the creaky interior consisted entirely of elephant grey. Performance scarcely flickered onto their radar and mediocre handling was fine by them. They wanted cars with big equipment quotas matched to small price tags and that’s what Hyundai used to do very well.
Competing at the budget end of the car market isn’t easy. Margins are tight and there isn’t much room to turn a profit. It’s far better to sell cars with more perceived quality and desirability at a decent mark-up and this is what Hyundai undertook to do. The i30 was the first tangible evidence of this change in the brand’s philosophy. The car was designed and built in Europe around European tastes and it showed.

Launched in 2007, the i30 was not spectacular in any way but in terms of design, engineering and build quality, it set standards that hadn’t been seen before from a Hyundai. Better still, the prices remained competitive and an outstanding warranty package was tagged on to keep Hyundai’s existing value-hungry customer base content.
Suddenly the i30 was being thrown into group tests with the Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Vauxhall Astra where previous compact Hyundais would have been compared to Protons, Mitsubishis and Suzukis. The i30’s thunder was only partially stolen by the cee’d, which is basically the same car but sold by Hyundai’s sister company Kia. The Estate version of the i30 was launched early in 2008 to supplement the standard 5-door hatch bodystyle. In early 2010, the specifications of the i30 were tweaked with an entry-level Classic model introduced to prop-up the range.

WHAT YOU GET
If there’s one area where the i30 comes up conspicuously short of the top family hatchbacks, it’s styling. The car is neat and inoffensive on the eye but there’s little to excite about its shape or detailing. A certain measured blandness never hindered the MK2 Ford Focus or any generation of the Toyota Corolla however, and inside the i30 fares better. It’s still hardly what you would call avant-garde design-wise but the quality of the materials and the construction is convincing. Space is plentiful for the rear seat occupants and the huge boot suggested by the car’s bulging rear end is only a mild disappointment. It’s a good size for the class rather than enormous, with 340 litres available. Fold the rear bench and this rises to 1,250 litres.

Unusually, the platform the Estate sits on is different to that of the hatchback, with a massive 235mm worked into the wheelbase, giving greater legroom in the rear and freeing up plenty of luggage space. There’s 534 litres with the rear seats in position. Fold down the 60:40-split rear seats and this expands to a hefty 1,664 litres.

The i30 was designed specifically for the European market and benchmarked against class leaders like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Like those two cars but unlike many of the other established names in the sector, the i30 has fully-independent suspension all round or at least a version of it. In fact, the rear suspension is a kind of independently suspended torsion beam, something of a halfway house solution between proper independently sprung models and those that settle for an old fashioned torsion beam. Independent springs give a suppler ride and more composed handling but the torsion beam is a more compact arrangement so it helps with packaging issues and interior space. The i30’s set-up is a compromise between the two.

Standard specification included 15″ alloys, front fog lights and body-colouring for the bumpers door handles and mirrors. This meant that no i30 left the showroom looking like it had just been winched up from the bargain basement, a factor that only enhanced the car’s public perception. Electric windows are fitted all round, there’s air-conditioning and remote central locking is also standard, along with an MP3-compatible CD stereo. The Style adds bigger alloys and mixed leather trim for the interior. The Premium lives up to its name with the standard spec plus yet bigger alloys, full leather, climate control, parking sensors, heated seats and rain sensing wipers. Hyundai’s reputation for generous specifications then, remained intact with this car.

WHAT YOU PAY
The extremely generous five-year warranty that Hyundai offered with the i30 signalled its faith in the car’s quality and served to prop-up residual values. The cheapest models you’ll find on the used market are the early 1.4-litre petrols. In entry-level Comfort trim they start from £7,500 on 07-plates while the better-equipped Style is £1,000 more. Add £700 for the larger 1.6-litre petrol engine, meaning that a 58-plate 1.6 Style will be around £10,500. The top spec Premium models are only a little more than the Style-spec cars and are worth seeking out as a result.
The diesels are the best models to go for and their values hold up even more effectively as a result of their popularity. A 1.6-litre CRDi in Comfort trim is the starting point at £9,000 on an 07-plate and an 09-plate Style Estate will be £12,500. The 2.0-litre CRDi diesel is about £500 more than the 1.6.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Even when it was concentrating on the budget end of the market, Hyundai’s reliability record was strong and at this stage, there are no skeletons in the i30’s closet that buyers need to be aware of.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(Estimated prices, based on a 2007 1.4 Style) Hyundai spares prices have gained an enviable reputation for good value, and replacement parts for the i30 are no exception. A clutch assembly is around £150, whilst front brake pads weigh-in at around £40. An alternator will cost around £130, and for a starter motor you’ll be looking at £120.

ON THE ROAD
A full complement of engines was offered with the i30 and that included a pair of CRDi common-rail diesels with variable geometry turbocharging for improved refinement. The entry-point into i30 ownership is the 1.4-litre petrol with a not inconsequential 107bhp and then you have the 124bhp 1.6. The diesels are 1.6 and 2.0 in capacity with outputs of 113 and 138bhp respectively.

The engine range itself is a wide one then, even if none of the units on offer are particularly heart-stopping in their performance. The big diesel’s 304Nm maximum torque helps it to a 0-62mph time of 10.3s and it will roll on to a 127mph top speed. All models got 5-speed manual transmission except the 2.0-litre which has a 6-speed box and the 1.6-litre petrols which were available with a four-speed automatic.
Road burning performance isn’t the strong suit of the i30’s engine range but these units are well capable of administering a mild kicking if challenged on grounds of economy. Official figures reveal a 46.3mpg showing for the 1.4-litre with the 1.6 returning 45.6. The 1.6-litre diesel returns an impressive 62.8mpg and the 2.0-litre, a less eye-catching 51.4mpg. On emissions, the smaller oil-burner is once again the best of the bunch with as little as 119g/km of CO2 produced with the manual transmission and that could set the seal on this model as the pick of the engine range.

The i30’s manual five-speed gearchange is a little clunky to use and there’s a fair amount of wind and tyre noise at motorway speeds but other than that, it generates a very favourable report card. The steering is very good, body control through corners is exemplary and the pedals are nicely weighted. It’s not the sportiest drive on the market but there’s little room for complaint.

OVERALL
If you’ve always turned your nose up at the prospect of a used car from Hyundai, the i30 could be the model to change your mind. It paved the way for a new generation of Hyundai products that could compete on a level footing with mainstream brands. The car is an inoffensive family hatch with a simple and user-friendly design. It’s composed on the road and the diesel engines in particular give a good compromise between performance and economy.

Used Car Model Guide – Honda Civic (2000 – 2005)

Honda Civic 2000 to 2005

This Civic range finally put to rest the old memories of Civics being tiny starter cars of little sophistication. The seventh generation Civic was superbly engineered, innovative in design and rightly popular with British buyers. Honda did almost everything right. There was a family friendly five-door, a slightly more rakish three-door and a flagship Type-R sports model that quickly deposed the Renaultsport Clio 172 as the hot hatch of choice. The only slight fly in the ointment was the woeful US-built Coupe, one of Honda’s rare own goals.

As a used proposition, it’s difficult to get things wrong. All models have peerless reliability and Honda dealers have an enviable reputation.

HISTORY
The Swindon-built Civic 5-door range beat its 3-door sibling to market by a couple of months, touching down in summer 2000. Two engines were offered; a 1.4 and a 1.6 available in S, SE and, with the 1.6, Executive trim levels. The range quickly drew plaudits and the 3-door cars gained similar acceptance, a similar range structure being launched bar the top model, Executive being replaced by a Sport variant. Few doubted that Honda could resist launching a red hot Type-R model, and so it proved, the 197bhp road rocket touching down in 2001 to rapturous acclaim. So good was the Civic that the withdrawal of the much-loved Integra Type-R passed almost unnoticed.
At around the same time the Type-R hit the showrooms, Honda quietly slipped the two-door Civic Coupe into the range. With a 1.7-litre engine pumping out an effete 123bhp, this bland little coupe was best ignored. The Civic Max special editions were launched in January 2002, aiming at spiking the burgeoning success of the Peugeot 307, the Civic’s closest rival. These were closely followed by the value-packed Vision special editions.
The 160bhp Type-S answered the demand for a hot hatch option for five-door Civic buyers, and a little of the Type-R magic was trickled down into the three-door Civic 1.6 VTEC Sport in summer 2002 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Civic production. A plush Type-R 30th Anniversary edition was also launched in limited numbers. The all-new Civic with its futuristic looks was unveiled towards the end of 2005.

WHAT YOU GET
The one-box dome-shaped profile with its short nose and large glass area gives a very shrunken-People Carrier feel. It’s the same inside, where the dashboard-mounted gearlever frees up floorspace and enables front-seated parents to walk through and clip the ears of warring kids sat in the rear. As for space, well there’s significantly more than you’d find in an ordinary family hatch, due to dimensions that make it 130mm longer and 15mm higher than a class-leader like Ford’s Focus. Hardly surprising then, that the cabin boasts a useful amount of extra room. Compare it once more with a Focus and you’ll find 30mm more headroom and (perhaps more surprisingly given that it’s 15mm narrower) 145mm more cabin width. Rear seat passenger legroom is especially impressive, even for the middle seat occupant who for once, can stretch his or her legs out in comfort.
Built in Marysville, Ohio, the Coupe utilises much of the same technology as the three and five-door cars. Like the ‘cooking’ Civic, beneath the Coupe’s unexciting styling is a car which is unremittingly competent, but which won’t set hearts a-flutter. When placed alongside the 3-door hatch, it’s obvious that the Coupe sits on a shorter wheelbase, it’s front and rear overhangs being slightly more gauche than the wheel-at-each-corner tautness of the hatch. There’s a 125bhp 1.7-litre engine under the hood, sorry, bonnet, which utilises Honda’s now familiar VTEC valve technology, but not the next-generation iV-TEC intelligent and stepless valve control seen on the hot Civic Type-R.
Talking of which, to say the Type-R has undergone a few modifications would be akin to noting that Imelda Marcos wasn’t short of footwear choices. Pride of place goes to the 2.0-litre engine, equipped with double overhead cams and intelligent VTEC, Honda’s stepless valve control system, combining to generate 200PS, which in terms of good old bhp is a scarcely believable 197bhp. No, it doesn’t quite approach the otherworldliness of the S2000 roadster’s 237bhp from a 2.0-litre engine, but for a hot hatch it’s decidedly manic, especially when you consider that it’s attained without the aid of a turbocharger.

WHAT YOU PAY
Used Civic prices are now settling nicely, with 2001 Y plate 1.4-litre five door S models opening at around £4,700 and 1.6-litre three door SE models retailing at around £5,000 on the same plate. If you’re after a Type-R, expect to pay from £7,400 for a UK registered car whilst European imports can be found for significantly less.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Very little: the car tends to prove predictably reliable. Your biggest problem may be finding one that suits your budget. Civic owners don’t seem to be selling at the moment. Whatever you decide on, a full service history is preferable.
The Type-R is a more specialist proposition and you should make sure the vehicle has been well looked after, run in synthetic oil, has tread on the front tyres and hasn’t been used as a weekend warrior by a track day fiend.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(based on a 2001 5-door 1.6S – approx ex-Vat)    A full exhaust system (excluding catalyst) is around £210 and a full clutch assembly around £175. Front and rear brake pads are around £45 and £40 respectively per set. A starter motor is £240, a radiator around £150, and an alternator around £275.

ON THE ROAD
If you’re a keen driver, you needn’t bother with the Coupe. Unless you really need the extra room, a Ford Puma does a better job. If you do need the extra room, buy a Civic three-door instead. It’s a far better package. Most customers opt for the five-door car and being a Honda, is a tidy handler. The 89bhp 1.4 has proved popular, but the 108bhp 1.6 keeps more enthusiastic motorists interested. Here, sixty is 10.4s away en route to 114mph. At the pumps meanwhile, you should be able to average over 40mpg on a regular basis, whichever of the two units you choose.
Whilst sharing the same width across the floor pan as the five-door, the three-door range is in fact 145mm shorter and 60mm lower. A 20kg weight saving translates into marginal performance advantages for the three-door cars, the 1.6-litre variants are capable of hitting 60mph in 10 seconds before running out of go at 116mph.The 89bhp 1.4-litre model manages to crack 60mph in 11.8 seconds and boasts a terminal velocity of 110mph.
Want to experience what it’s like to drive the Honda Civic Type-R? Easy. Go to the Extreme Sports Channel on your digital television, sit approximately four inches from your television screen, crank up the volume and sellotape an electric battery drill to the top of your head. Stay in this position until the battery fails and then try having a rational conversation. The performance box is decisively ticked, 60mph flashing by in 6.8 frenzied seconds on its way to 145mph. Think of the rally-bred performance icons of the past such as the Ford Escort Cosworth and Lancia Delta Integrale and the Honda’s performance is in the same ballpark, only with normal aspiration, front wheel drive and post-millennial emissions regulations to contend with. Outrageous.

OVERALL
Bar the Coupe or a thrashed Type-R, it’s difficult to put a foot wrong with a used seventh generation Civic. Although the customer profile has changed and you can no longer bank on one careful elderly owner, a used Civic should be a safe source for your funds.

Used Car Model Guide – Ford Fiesta (2002 – 2008)

Many of us have grown up with Ford Fiestas. This car is an intrinsic part of modern small car motoring – it’s as simple as that. And the model we’re looking at here? Well, it’s the sixth generation version, which sold between 2002 and 2008. This car, more than any other Fiesta, represented the single biggest advance in the history of this iconic model line, fir the first time offering decent interior space as well as the car’s usual class-leading driving characteristics. Here’s how to bag a good one.

HISTORY
By 2002, without a major re-design in seven years, the Fiesta was beginning to be overtaken by more modern and more spacious rivals. In response, Ford took a radical approach, designing a car that notched back the sporting focus a little but which offered a good deal more rear seat space and luggage utility.
There was a choice of three or five-door bodystyles, with buyers who wanted even more versatility being offered the option of the slightly larger Fusion model. Entry-level Fiestas had either 1.3 or feistier 1.25-litre petrol engines, both unremarkable, but better powerplants were to follow in 2004. Towards the end of that year, a revvy 150bhp 1.6-litre petrol unit was installed in the new hot hatch ST 3-door model, while an equally good 1.6-litre TDCi diesel represented the range pinnacle for 5-door buyers.
Don’t worry if you can’t stretch to one of the post-2005 facelifted models. This was a cosmetic nip and tuck, with minor cosmetic changes inside and out. The grille was updated with a diamond mesh design, the headlamps were pointier and the side mouldings became thicker as they progressed rearwards. The rear lights were reshaped were the bumpers and the overall effect is a slight move away from the Fiesta’s inherent chunkiness in a sleeker, more dynamic direction. The quality of the interior materials was also boosted.

WHAT YOU GET
The design is everything a modern Supermini should be – as you’d expect, given that Ford had plenty of time to examine the competition during this car’s lengthy development. The first thing we should talk about is space. Rival offerings with Tardis-like interior dimensions had rendered the MK5 generation Fiesta a touch quaint, and nowhere was this more evident than in rear seat room. Economy class on an Aeroflot internal flight sprung to mind when snugly ensconced in the back of the little Ford. That’s no longer the case of course. With the MK6 Fiesta, Ford were consciously out to make it a significantly larger car. In fact it’s 87mm longer, 50mm wider and 100mm taller in five-door guise. Even the three-door version makes the old MK5 model seem like one of those tiny citycars.
You might assume all this to mean that this car is not as easy to park or as simple to thread through city streets as its predecessor. You might think that, but you’d be wrong, thanks largely to the glassy bodyshell which does an excellent job in disguising the extra bulk. Whether the current car is better looking than its predecessor is a matter for debate. Whereas the front end cribs its styling cues from the larger Focus Family Hatchback, the rear end divides opinion, looking like a bevelled and chamfered Vauxhall Corsa. It’s no great beauty, that’s for sure, but it’s undeniably effective in achieving that goal of providing superior internal accommodation.
Drop into the driver’s seat and you’ll be greeted with a dashboard that adopts many of the quality conventions of the MK3 (2000-2007) Mondeo range, and that’s good news. For those who enjoy tracing the lineage design, that Mondeo’s interior designer was poached from Volkswagen – and it shows. Mind you, it’s easy to see where cost has been excised from the Fiesta, competing as it does in a class where margins are utterly cut throat. Some of the fascia plastics feel somewhat hard and nasty and anti lock brakes are an extra cost option across most of the range.
Cleverly however, Ford appreciated that the bits of the cars we physically touch most often lend the strongest impression of quality, and to this end wisely fitted leather-trimmed steering wheels and tactile gear shifters. Another example of intelligent design comes in the shape of rear head restraints that are deliberately uncomfortable when not slid up into their deployed position. This encourages rear seat occupants to utilise them properly but gets around the issue of encumbered rear vision when rear head restraints are traditionally fitted.
Equipment levels are reasonable, spread across Finesse, LX, Zetec and Ghia trim levels, plus the sporty Zetec-S and ST variants. All MK6 Fiestas get intelligent windscreen wipers, a CD stereo, central locking and Ford’s ‘Intelligent Protection System’. The figures should stack up OK too, with low day-to-day running costs and reasonable projected residual values. A Durashift EST sequential manual transmission was available as an option on the 1.4 16v.

WHAT YOU PAY
The Fiesta had a slightly slow start in terms of sales, many customers not quite ready for the revolution that Ford wrought upon it. The entry-level 1.3-litre five-door cars start at £2,925 in Finesse trim or £3,050 for an LX version, both on an 02 number plate. The punchier 1.4-litre cars are well worth tracking down, air-conditioned Zetec versions currently retailing at £3,325 – again on the 02 plate – with similar vintage LX models fetching similar money and plush Ghias still commanding £3,625.
1.6-litre Ghia models fetch £3,875 but these were outsold by the 1.4-litre TDCi diesel cars. The Finesse is priced at £3,175, with air conditioned Zetec and LX models pitched at around £3,475. Three door models are still finding their feet on the used market, although many buyers looking for a sporty option were initially disappointed, preferring to either buy something different or hold out until the much-vaunted Fiesta ST150 made an appearance. Insurance for the fifth generation Fiesta reflects its high safety and security provision and generally low cost of repair, ranging from Group 2 to Group 7.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
All right so let’s work through what is a pretty short list. Let’s start with the gearbox. If you’ve opted for the Durashift automatic on a 1.4-litre model, there can be some problems with the clutch unit, so get it checked. On the move in all Fiestas, you want to listen for front suspension creaks over bumps which will indicate that the drop links have worn – a cheap thing to fix.
Inside, check the seat catches in three-door cars, making sure both front seats tilt forward properly when you operate the catch. Look in the front passenger footwell too. If it’s damp, that could mean that the seals for the pollen filter aren’t properly fitted. Finally, make sure all the dashboard warning lights illuminate on start-up. They should all go out again but glowing ECU lamps with a loss of power are common, and expensive to fix.  Check that the amber engine management light comes on with the ignition and goes off shortly after.  If the light stays on or the car misfires, the most likely problem is the coil pack. If there is no misfire, the problem is kikely to be a sensor.  Should either one of these happen, then negotiate between
£75-£100 reduction from the asking price.
Otherwise, just make sure your prospective purchase has been properly serviced and that the tyres are in decent shape, plus check for the usual kiddie damage and parking scrapes. Engines are, on the whole, reliable, but watch for the usual signs of wear and signs of hard fleet or company use such as worn carpets or beaten up trim.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(approx based on a Fiesta 1.4 Zetec)   As you might expect, parts are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. A clutch assembly and an alternator will both be around £75. Front brake pads are around £30 a set and the rears £20, a replacement headlamp is close to £50 and a manual door mirror should be in the region of £50. A full exhaust is about £120 and a catalyst is about £220. A starter motor around is around £110, front wing is around £90, a windscreen about £70.

ON THE ROAD
Five petrol engines were offered at various times, a 67bhp 1.3, a 75bhp 1.25-litre powerplant, a 16-valve 79bhp 1.4 and a range-topping 1.6-litre 16-valve that’s good for either 99 or 150bhp. For those looking to squeeze a few more miles from their gallon, there’s a leisurely 67bhp 1.4-litre TDCi common-rail diesel that manages over 50mpg in normal use or a much feistier 90bhp 1.6-litre TDCi unit.
On the road, this Fiesta isn’t as entertaining a steer as the previous generation model or the larger Focus, thanks to the fact that Ford’s bean counters blocked the inclusion of the larger car’s independent control blade suspension. Still, Ford’s knowhow in this respect is still good enough to lift this car clear of most of its rivals, something you’ll really feel at the wheel of the sportier models.
The steering, for example, was obviously engineered by somebody who understands the needs of keen drivers, being nicely weighted and rich in feedback without becoming a wearing distraction. The Fiesta shrugs off mid-corner bumps well and has a genuine big car feel. If there’s one complaint however, it’s that the Fiesta may almost be too clever for its own good, for it’s true that some of the verve and pizzazz of the old car’s handling has been smoothed out. In making the car more competent, a little of the fun factor has been excised.

OVERALL
The sixth generation Fiesta saw this product line maturing into viable all-round family transport and the national love affair with Fiesta motoring shows no sign of waning. The best used buys are probably the early 1.4-litre TDCi diesels, but whichever model you opt for it’s hard to make a wrong move.

Used Car Model Guide – Fiat 500 (2008 – To Date)

Manufacturing a product that amounts to more than the sum of its parts isn’t easy but if you can pull it off, it’s like being handed a golden egg laying goose that can forge licences to print money with its beak. The trick is to harness the strange, unpredictable forces of fashion to render the item in question cool, desirable and trendy, at which point you can pretty much charge what you like for it. Fiat had looked on while BMW delivered a master-class in this process with its new MINI. Figuring that it would like a piece of the action, the Italian firm set about remaking the Cinquecento for the twenty first century.

HISTORY
The second generation Fiat Panda was widely regarded as a first rate citycar but it wasn’t particularly cool and was barely registering on the style radars of youthful trendsetters in the UK’s urban centres. Then Fiat took the Panda platform and used it as the basis for a modern version of the classic 500 or Cinquecento of the late 50s. With its retro design, lively colours and cute shape, it had obvious similarities to the hugely successful BMW MINI and quickly had motorists taking notice.

The original 500 debuted in 1957 but Fiat was still producing versions of it in 1975. Today, these original models look almost comically small but they were hugely successful as practical and affordable transport, ultimately becoming something of a design and evolving into numerous different versions. The modern 500 closely adheres to the original car’s design themes but on a considerably larger scale. It arrived at the start of 2008 with a choice of petrol and diesel engines but equally important was the wide range of trim levels and accessories that customers could use to personalise their vehicles. This was a trick employed with great success by the MINI and it made for a large degree in variation between 500 models seen on the road.

In the early stages of 2009, the high performance Abarth model was introduced powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine with 135bhp. Around the same time, Fiat also introduced a Start&Stop model based on the 1.2-litre petrol car which cuts its engine when stationary to save fuel. The 500C convertible arrived a little later in 2009.

WHAT YOU GET
The car is packed with delicious design details. There’s a very well-judged blend of retro chic and ruthlessly modern contemporary design inside, with circular head restraints and iconic 500 badging on the Panda-sourced dashboard. The exterior treatment is cool and clean with only the front grille and door handles differing significantly from the Trepiuno show car. Hats off to Fiat in this regard. So often we see cars that look fantastic as prototypes on a show stand only to arrive in production form virtually unrecognisable.

The 500 is significant in more than the obvious ways. Built at the Tychy plant in Poland alongside the Panda, the chassis also formed the basis for the Ford Ka. At 1.65m wide, 1.49m high and 3.55m long, the 500 doesn’t take up a great deal of space. For reference, a MINI is 1.91m wide, 1.40m high and 3.68m long: in other words much wider, a little lower and a fair bit longer. Even Renault’s second generation Twingo, at 3.60m, won’t fit into some parking spaces the 500 will be able to squeeze into. The flipside of this is rear seat space that’s rather limited but the boot is more useful than that of a MINI with 185 litres to play with.

Like the Panda, the 500 uses simple MacPherson strut suspension up front and a basic torsion beam at the back. A few centimetres were added to the width of the car’s track, giving it a foursquare appearance and Fiat claims that body rigidity is around 10 per cent better than the Panda. Entry-level Pop models feel quite basic and lack air-conditioning so it’s far better to seek out a Lounge derivative. The huge range of styling options means that used buyers will be confronted with a wide variety of different specifications and many of the cars will feature exterior graphics.

WHAT YOU PAY
500 prices hold up considerably better than those of the mechanically similar Panda city car by dint of the cheeky Cinquecento’s extra desirability. Indeed, few city car products can match the residual values of the little Fiat with one of the first 1.2-litre 57-plate cars in Lounge trim commanding £7,400 and a 58-plater still worth around £8,300. The prices for the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine start at £7,400 in basic Pop trim and reach £9,400 for a 58-plate Sport model. The 1.4-litre cars are around £800 more than the 1.2-litre models and the Dualogic automatic gearbox adds around £400.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Although some of the internal plastics feel a little insubstantial, the 500 has thus far proved relatively reliable. The engines are largely tried and tested Fiat units that, with the exception of the Abarth’s 1.4T, aren’t in a particularly high state of tune. Check for parking knocks and scrapes as most 500s will have been used in urban areas.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(approx based on a 500 1.2 inc VAT) An alternator is around £85, front brake pads are around £35 for a set, a rear exhaust section should be about £65 and a headlamp is around £70. Expect to pay around £7 for an air filter and about £15 for a fuel filter, about £6 for an oil filter and about £4 for spark plugs.

ON THE ROAD
Fiat has latterly built a reputation for having a wide range of excellent powerplants, especially at the smaller end of the product portfolio. Indeed, the 75bhp 1.3-litre 16v Multijet diesel engine fitted to the 500 is so good that it rather overshadows the otherwise excellent pair of mainstream petrol powerplants. These comprise an entry-level 69bhp 1.2 8v and a punchy 100bhp 1.4-litre 16v. Five or six speed manual transmissions were offered along with the Dualogic automatic and the 500 has been designed to replicate the original car’s nimble feel and ability to put a smile on its driver’s face.
The car is definitely better suited to its native urban environment that the open road. The compact size and light steering make traffic jams, turning and parking a breeze helped by the relatively upright driving position. The suspension is soft and does a decent job of ironing out speed humps and drain covers but it can be fidgety at times. At higher speeds, the body-roll is more evident and the 500 doesn’t feel planted and sporty in the way that the MINI does. The 155bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged Abarth model is much better in this regard, fully tooled up with beefier steering, retuned suspension and a few aerodynamic tweaks.
Running costs should be reassuringly minimal. The Multijet diesel version will average over 65mpg, with the 1.2-litre petrol unit not far behind on around 50mpg.

OVERALL
Creating a small car that doubles as a fashion accessory isn’t easy but if you’ve got a classic model that can be raided for retro design cues and evoke public nostalgia, you’re halfway there. The Fiat 500 is an impressive piece of work by Fiat. There are drawbacks in the driving experience but with the Panda’s solid city car foundations dressed up in the Cinquecento’s lovable lines, it’s fun, functional and makes a lot of sense as a used buy.

Used Car Model Guide – Daihatsu Terios (1997 – 2006)

How much road space do one adult and two kids need on the school run? The Renault Espace takes up 81.8 square metres and a Land Rover Discovery 103.1m. A used Daihatsu Terios will cast a shadow over only 60.1, the same as Toyota’s baby Yaris. How can a proper 4×4 look this funky, be so manoeuvrable and yet so inexpensive? It’s part of Daihatsu’s aim to target buyers in the family hatchback market and offer them something completely different.
The 4×4 fashion market is still growing hugely, and the Terios has been one of a number of small 4×4s such as the Suzuki Jimny, Kia Sportage and Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin that have aimed to reap a share of it. The idea has been to steal sales from ‘warm’ hatches, mini MPVs and also from sectors where buyers were purchasing utility they didn’t need. Part of the appeal is low pricing, and in the used arena this usually means nearly new cars at bargain prices. In this respect the Terios doesn’t disappoint. Interested? Here’s the background on Daihatsu’s baby.

HISTORY
Though it sounds as if it could have been named after a mythical Greek God of Lifestyle 4×4s, Terios was in fact named after the Latin derivation of ‘Ground’. In fact, ground zero for UK Terios sales was in August 1997, with two trim levels being made available, the base model and the Terios+. Both models shared the same 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine developing 82bhp. The following April saw the launch of a limited edition SE version, which was on sale until August.
Two months later, in October 1998, Daihatsu decided that the SE was, after all, a good idea, and installed it as a part of the range proper before withdrawing marketing support for it shortly afterwards. Since then the Terios range has remained largely unchanged, benefiting from a price cut of over £2,000 in autumn 1998.

The first major changes came in August 2000. This new model boasted styling that was a whole lot beefier, especially around the front end. There was a more aggressive looking grille, bigger bumpers, aerodynamic spoiler lips on the front bumper and revised headlamps. The most significant change however, was reserved for the engine – now a state-of-the-art 1.3-litre 16v all-alloy unit borrowed from Toyota’s little Yaris. As well as revising the interior, Daihatsu also unveiled a different logic with trim levels. Out went the Terios and Terios+ designations: in came Terios E, EL and range-topping SL. A Terios Tundra special edition made a brief appearance but the range was thoroughly rationalised in April 2003.

The E model was dropped, the EL became the Tracker and the SL became the Sport. Prices were slashed and the Terios was in the best shape of its life. The all new Terios hit the streets in Spring 2006 replacing this model.

WHAT YOU GET
You may have noticed the terms ‘lifestyle’, ‘sports activity’ and ‘4×4’ being used a fair amount when discussing the Terios. One term noticeable by its absence is ‘off-roader’. As you may have guessed, the Terios doesn’t make a convincing case for itself as a rugged mud-plugger. The driver’s handbook makes this abundantly clear, threatening all kinds of bodily injury should the vehicle be driven inappropriately. As this includes most heavy off road work, it is perhaps not surprising that the Terios isn’t fitted with a low range gearbox. There is a differential lock that will enable exit from muddy fields, but that’s about the extent of the Terios’ off road remit.
As you would expect from a vehicle taking up less road space than a Toyota Yaris, the Terios is, as eighties estate agents once crowed, compact and bijou. It’s narrowness – only 1715 mm – makes seating four people a task best reserved for intimate friends. There’s a fair amount of standard equipment considering the price. A driver’s airbag, power steering, central locking, an engine immobiliser, tinted glass and a Pioneer audio system all come as standard. The Terios + adds air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, a passenger airbag, alloy wheels, electric front windows and mirrors, plus stylish roof rails. All this plus the three-year unlimited mileage warranty that’s standard on all Daihatsu models and which can be transferred to the new owner.

WHAT YOU PAY
Daihatsu have a bit of form here. Early Terios owners were left crying into their sake when Daihatsu slashed the price of the Terios in 1998 and they did it again in 2003, with damaging results to residuals for existing owners. Still, their loss is our gain. When the new prices took a dip, used values headed south as well. The Terios seems to have been unable to retain a great deal of value in the used arena and as such makes a bargain buy. How does £2,400 sound for a 1997 R plate Terios? It’ll cost about £300 more with an auto box, but that’s still incredible value for a modern ‘lifestyle’ 4×4 that’ll turn heads with its cheeky looks.
A Terios+ model of similar vintage will start at £2,700, again with automatic variants retailing at £300 extra. In order to get the limited edition LE trim level, another £150-£200 will have to be budgeted for. Prices for the later SL models with the Yaris 1.3-litre engine start at around £4,100 on a 2000 X plate. These SL variants fall into insurance group 7, the remainder of the Terios range being rated at group 7.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The Terios is a lightweight but hardy little beast, and no known faults have yet emerged. Should the previous keeper have decided that off-roading a Terios seemed a good idea, then do check the underbody for signs of damage. Concentrate on the suspension, exhaust and chassis, and make sure the steering and differential are still serviceable.
Of course, most Terios’ will have led a more tranquil existence, though as with any car that may have been used to transport small children, check for rips and stains on the upholstery and damage to interior fittings. Otherwise, the usual reminder to obtain a service history applies.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(Estimated prices, based on a Terios) Nothing too terrifying when it comes to parts prices. A full clutch assembly will retail in the region of £130, and front brake pads will set you back around £45. A new Terios radiator will be £130, and a dead alternator will require £260 to replace. A new starter motor will be around £220.

ON THE ROAD
A word of advice when it comes to motorways. Don’t. The Terios will be screeching like the backing track to a Black Sabbath album and expansion joints will make the little 4×4 bounce, the steering wheel kicking about in the hands. No, the best environment for a Terios is in the urban jungle, where its compact dimensions and low gearing allow it to zip through gaps and into parking spaces that would send most 4×4 owners round the block to look again.
On bumpy country lanes the Terios can induce the temptation to purchase an orthopaedic neck brace, but comes into its own when taking care of a light weekly shop or running the kids short distances to school. It’s in these scenarios that thoughtful practical touches like the side-opening rear tailgate and underfloor compartments make a lot of sense.

OVERALL
As long as you are aware of its limitations, and there are quite a few, a Terios makes an inexpensive, stylish purchase. Unless your vehicle use is limited purely to short, urban hops, then the Terios is best purchased either as a second vehicle or not at all. Having said that, it’s a well constructed, thoughtfully designed little car which is great fun if used for its design purpose.

Used Car Model Guide: Citroen C1 (2005 – To Date)

If, like me, you’ve been inundated with headlines about rising insurance premiums, soaring fuel bills, punitive emissions taxation and frankly ludicrous congestion charge pricing, you might well be looking to ditch your gas guzzler and switch to a titch and little cars don’t come much more funky and fun than Citroën’s C1. Affordable pricing from new has seen these cars sell like hot cakes with the inevitable effect of softening the used valuations. If you’re looking for a low-mileage city scoot, you can’t do a whole lot better than the C1.

HISTORY
The C1 debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show alongside two other suspiciously similar looking creations, Peugeot’s 107 and Toyota’s Aygo. Those in the know will realise that all three share a common platform, the companies spreading the costs of developing the cars between them. Of the three cars, the Aygo featured the most distinctive styling whereas the Citroën targeted the budget consumer. The Peugeot appeared to be left to pick up the pieces. The Citroën C1 was also gifted a huge advantage in being the only one of the three cars offered with a diesel engine from launch, Toyota eventually adding a diesel in February 2006, giving Citroën eight months advantage in offering an oil burner in their citycar.

WHAT YOU GET
Unlike many tots, the C1 offers a choice of either three or five-door body styles. It also has an unthreatening and fun appearance with a face that looks as if it’s either grimacing or grinning depending on the angle at which you view it. The wide wraparound bumper, the rounded bonnet and bulbous headlamp clusters may not endear the C1 to the sort of pimply adolescents who hang around McDonalds car parks and revere the C2 VTR, but it has sold well to those with a little less testosterone coursing through their system. The rear end is very nicely finished with a glass tailgate, big crystal and anthracite rear light clusters and a deep under-bumper assembly. The wheelarches are surprisingly beefy and the rear set are sculpted a little further forward in the three-door bodystyle. The five-door car sees its rear doors meet the rear light clusters in a very neat piece of packaging.
Citroën has been regaining its reputation for bold and exciting interiors of late and the C1 continued that trend. The first impression when looking at the virtually symmetrical fascia is that this must have been a vehicle that was very cost effective to convert to right-hand drive but the design is neat and ergonomically sound. Headroom inside the car isn’t at all bad, even for someone well over six feet tall and the big glass area up front gives an airy feel to the cabin. The rear of the three-door car is notably more claustrophobic and is really only suitable for kids and short journeys. Rear knee room in the five door car is little better but at least the car’s beltline is a little lower, making it feel a little less hemmed in. The front seat backrests are hollowed out to provide a little more rear legroom for back seat passengers, but there really is only so much that can be done with a car with a 2.34 metre wheelbase.
Citroën learned a whole bunch of lessons from their experience of MPV-style vehicles and the C1 offers no fewer than twelve storage compartments dotted about the centre console, dashboard and doors, with the door bins easily capable of holding an A4-sized atlas. Total luggage room with the rear seats in place is quoted at 139-litres, but drop the rear seats and there’s an impressive 751 litres of space. This makes the C1 a car that can do more than just a light shop.

WHAT YOU PAY
Prices start at around £4,525 for a 1.0-litre C1 Vibe, with the Rhythm model commanding £5,675 on a 2005 05 plate. You’ll still need around £5,700 to get your hands on one of the desirable diesel variants. Although it may not initially seem that way, for most buyers the petrol will work out the more cost-effective proposition. As you might well expect, insurance for the C1 is extremely cheap with the 1.0-litre cars rated at Group 1 and the 1.4-litre diesels at Group 2. Citroën dealers often offered free insurance schemes to tempt younger drivers into C1 ownership with some youngsters deciding to sell when this period expired.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The C1 hasn’t had any major faults or serious recalls but do insist on a fully stamped up service record and inspect the car carefully for parking knocks and scrapes. The C1’s plastic bumpers can shrug off some quite hefty scuffs without affecting their function but if there are abrasions use them as a negotiating point. The interior is very hardwearing.

REPLACEMENT PARTS
(approx based on a 2005 C1 Vibe 1.0) C1 spares are relatively cheap with an oil filter retailing at around £8, a starter motor retailing at around £90 and front brake pads costing a very reasonable £30 a pair.

ON THE ROAD
Parking at the supermarket for the weekly mission isn’t going to present too many difficulties. At just 1.6m wide, the C1 will easily be able to take advantage of those awkward spaces next to the concrete columns that are so often rejected. What’s more, at just 3.4m long, you’ll probably be able to access the tailgate while still tucked safely into your bay, away from errant trolleys and distracted drivers.
You get to choose between petrol and diesel but that’s as far as it goes. The range starts with the entry-level 1.0-litre Vibe variant or there’s a plusher Rhythm trim level that was £500 more from new. If you want a diesel, you have to have Rhythm and five doors. Plump for the green pump and you get a 68bhp 1.0i unit, while those looking for a diesel option get a 54bhp HDi engine. As might well be expected, both units are EuroIV-compliant and both return over 60mpg on the combined fuel economy cycle. Even in town, you’ll be hard pressed to nudge below forty in the diesel. Five speed manual gearboxes are fitted as standard.

OVERALL
Of the Citroën C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo trio, the C1 has been by far the best buy if you’re after a brand new car. It still represents the best value if you’re after a diesel car although I’d probably plump for the Toyota if petrol power was a priority now that prices have levelled. Whichever C1 you choose, you’ll end up with a cracking citycar and one which manages to make most of its rivals look old and limited.