Kia Picanto v Fiat 500

The Kia Picanto and Fiat 500 are very similar. So are there any differences making one better than the other?

Buyers of small cars are highly concerned about costs and fuel consumption. There’s little overall difference in the fuel economy of a Picanto and 500 but the Picanto is significantly cheaper to buy at the entry level. Does it make the Picanto a winner? You do get 5-doors for your money.

The Fiat may be more money to buy but it is an attractive package. Some shoppers when they see a product as smartly packaged and more expensive think they are indicators it’s better. Does this make the 500 the better car?

You can find the car comparison over on carbuyersinfo where I simply present the data for viewers to come to their own conclusions. Which small car is best? Here’s how I’d summarize it.

• The Fiat 500 range of prices is over £1,500 more than the Kia Picanto range.
• There’s no significant difference in their fuel consumption. They rank so closely there could be no difference in real conditions on the road, especially as the combine mpg figure is a calculation from two lab’ test figures.
• The two cars are virtually the same size with the Picanto having only a tiny bit more space in the boot.
• The two have similar performance figures and although the 500 has slightly quicker models on paper it won’t mean anything on the road.
• The Fiat 500 has a Euro NCAP 5-star rating. The Picanto has recently been awarded 4-stars.

You can see the 5-door Picanto is cheaper to buy than the 3-door 500 whilst there being no real difference in size, fuel economy or performance. At this stage we can’t say the 500 is a better car.

However if a car fits your purpose and purse the next most important consideration is car safety. The difference between a 4 and 5-star rating is side protection. I’m not going to scare you with the stats but it is very important. The reason ESP/ESC is becoming standard on all cars this year is to help prevent skidding and the dangers of a side impact.

The Picanto is the only new car recently rated by Euro NCAP not to have been awarded 5-stars. Manufacturers know about future standards years in advance and comply at their discretion.

If you want to put a price on safety refer to car insurance compensation for personal injuries. I hear it’s at least £1,000 for supposed back-lash.

Now we’ve looked at serious stuff let’s look at the silly side. This is not my opinion, only my observations over decades. Many small car buyers give their cars names. They dress them with trinkets. Some cry when they are separated at the point of part-exchange. I’ve seen people pray in gratitude on delivery. There’s a lot of love going on with some car owners and their little cars.

Somehow Fiat have packaged the 500 in a retro style and fitted a little jewelry inside - not too much – and buyers loved it, rushed to buy and are prepared to wait in line for delivery.

The 500 may cost more to buy than a Picanto but this is compensated for by its safety rating plus it seems to appeal to buyers’ taste for things Italian.

The Picanto still remains cheaper to buy plus it has 5-doors with modern styling.

Regards
Ralph
Fiat 500 vs Kia Picanto carbuyersinfo.co.uk Car Comparison site differences and similarities revealed to help you find the best car to suit your purpose and purse

Ford Fiesta vs VW Polo

Is the Polo at long last a contender? The Ford Fiesta was launched way back in 1976 following the success of  British, French and Italian small cars.  VW’s small car was the Golf . Over the years the Golf grew from a small car into a medium small hatch competing with the Focus and Astra. The VW Polo filled the space but somehow it has never captured the imagination of buyers in the same way as the Fiesta, Golf and other small cars with street cred’. It seems things have changed.

The Fiesta and VW’s have always stuck with clean simple lines. However the new Fiesta has sleek style curves rather like a Mazda2 while the Polo retains clean lines albeit a bit chunkier like a Golf. So the Fiesta and Polo look different.

The other main difference is there’s a credible Polo GTi. Hot hatches definitely elevate the image of a model. Think what Williams then RenaultSport did for the Clio and VXR for Corsa. It’s said the new 207 will see the return of their GTi. If the new Polo GTi catches on like the original Golf GTi – well.

Otherwise the Fiesta and Polo are very similar:

• They have the same entry-level price.
• They have a similar range of engines and trims.
• The Fiesta and Polo are virtually the same size.
• Both their 1.2 petrol engine versions have very similar fuel consumption, emissions and performance. It’s the same story with their manual 1.4 petrol engines.
• The Polo has a more efficient 1.4 automatic.
• The Polo BlueMotion diesel is highly efficient.
• Overall the Fiesta 1.6 diesel looks to me like it has the better combination of economy, emissions and performance.

So that’s it. The Fiesta and Polo are very similar apart from their style and the significant fact the Polo has a GTi. I think the Polo has at last taken the original Golf’s place in the small car sector and is a real contender. But watch out for the new 207 and Clio.

A few things to watch out for:

• When car fuel consumption figures rank closely the DVLA make the point theirs are lab’ figures and there may or may not be any difference on the road.
• If you’re thinking about diesel compare it with a petrol engine with similar acceleration and the same trim level and note the difference in their prices. Then calculate at what total mileage savings in fuel consumption pay for the premium you pay on a diesel car.
• When you consider different engines and trim options note the different car insurance groups. Car insurance groups have widened to 1 to 50 so a wider range of insurance premiums can be charged.

If you’re looking to buy a Fiesta or Polo you can happily go for the one you like the look of or find nicest to drive – subject to the deal of course. You’re unlikely to regret not buying the other one.

Regards
Ralph
carbuyersinfo.co.uk. car comparisons to help you find the car to suit your lifestyle and budget.

Kia Picanto vs Hyundai i10

Comparing the Picanto with the i10 is a popular little car comparison for the same reason people compare the C1 with the 107 and Aygo, or the 500 with the Ka, or the larger Fiesta vs Mazda2, and Fabia vs Polo.

Car buyers know these groups of cars share the same platforms and want to see if there is a difference and an advantage in one over the other. There are differences in brand equity, style, and equipment levels. Normally size, space, engine efficiency and safety are all the same.

The differences in brand, style and equipment is countered by differences in prices so there is normally no advantage in one or the other. If there was only one model would sell.

By making cars appear different manufacturers can charge different prices. They also avoid over selling a model. For example if a person buys a Mazda2 and is asked why they didn’t buy a Fiesta the reply might be, ‘everyone’s got one.’

Clearly under the skin the Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10 are virtually if not the same car. As they cynically say in the trade, ‘same message different envelope.’ Their style is very different. The Picanto has changed from clean simple lines to bold style lines with some sort of Dan Dare chin at the front end. The i10 had a makeover earlier this year but remains familiar.

The trick – sorry difference –  is in standing of the brands and equipment levels with their different prices. Hyundai enjoyed a slightly higher standing in the market place with good equipment levels. Kias were cheaper but had longer warranties.

It seems Hyundai retain the higher equipment level at the lower end but Kia have higher levels at the top end and have leapfrogged Hyundai prices. They’ve done the same with the ix35 and Sportage. It’s a way of getting more money for basically the same car. VW do it. Vauxhall do it. They all do it because they need to profit in order survive.

The more you pay for a Kia or Hyundai the more you’ll value the brand. Think VW vs Skoda. These so called one percenter brands as they are known in the trade for their market penetration are on the rise backed by very high levels of customer satisfaction. And today their buyers can no longer be seen to have simply bought a cheap brand – THEY’E GOT THEIR HEAD SCREWED ON THE RIGHT WAY.

Some may stick their nose up if they drive an Audi, BMW or Merc but we know it’s not their car and they’re a salesman in a company car.

So the similarities are the Picanto and i10 are virtually the same size, with similar versatility. Engine efficiency is virtually the same. We’re waiting for Euro NCAP safety ratings.

The differences are branding, style, equipment and price. Style is a matter of personal taste and equipment a matter for your wish list. You decide what you’ll pay.

So it’s a decision for the heart, not the head. Either way they’re great little city cars and you won’t be disappointed if a tiny car is what you are looking for.

I’m sorry there are no shocking significant differences to your advantage but that’s the way it goes. If it were me I’d buy the best deal.

Regards
Ralph
carbuyersinfo.co.uk car comparisons to help you find the car to suit your lifestyle and budget

Why The Interest In Crossover, SUV, 4×4 cars?

Although there’s an enormous amount of interest in small cars today there is renewed and rising interest in Crossover, SUV, 4×4 cars.

Over the past four decades interest in small more economical cars rose every time there was an economic downturn or rise in fuel prices. Historically this hasn’t necessarily meant a rise in the sale of small cars. People said one thing about their intentions in surveys but that wasn’t what they actually did. The medium small Focus, Astra, Golf sector remained the most popular.

The reason car buyers have said one thing and done another in the past is although a car has to be affordable it also has to suit a buyers’ lifestyle. Over the past four decades small cars have grown from 3.5m to near 4m increasing their interior space and safety. Today small car sales are edging to the fore.

What is surprising is the renewed interest in the Crossover, SUV, 4×4 sector. This sector near died a death by 2007 because of running costs but has been rescued by the Crossover car concept. A Crossover car is built like a car – not a truck – and drives more like a car with more car like running costs.

It seems car buyers believe Crossovers, SUVs and 4x4s are suited to their lifestyle and are now a consideration as they become financially viable. The Nissan Qashqai’s amazing success is a good example.

The Nissan Qashqai replaced their Almera which competed in the most popular Focus, Astra, Golf sector. The Qashqai is an interesting alternative to the ubiquitous family hatchback.

A Qashqai is built on a Renault Megane platform as is the Renault Scenic but the Qashqai does not have the versatility of MPVs so why the interest? Without going into explaining the body styles of estate cars, SUVs and MPVs the main difference is the Qashqai has a prominent horizontal bonnet as opposed to one box MPV style with a steeply sloped windscreen merging into a sloping bonnet.

I can’t analyse the attraction of a prominent bonnet, maybe it’s an indication of a big powerful engine under the hood or perceived frontal crash protection. Certainly Ford have latched onto this style feature with the new C-Max having a more distinctive bonnet more like the Kuga than the old C-Max.

I seems against all reason SUVs should compete with more versatile MPVs when it comes to cars suiting lifestyles. However Crossovers have improved SUV versatility. The interest in Crossovers, SUVs and 4x4s seems to be a combination of being an alternative to the ubiquitous hatchback, with near MPV versatility and 4×4 macho styling.

What nearly killed the SUV sector was the viability of running the things. Vehicles like the RAV4, CR-V, Freelander followed by the Tiguan have managed to survive but with entry prices £20,000 or more it’s a bit of a stretch from the price of a family hatch.

Although the Qashqai costs more than a Megane it’s close enough to be considered. What has really racked up the interest in Crossovers is lower priced entrants into the market like the Hyundai ix35, Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi ASX and Skoda Yeti.

All the new entrants have the 4×4 style, adequate – not MPV – versatility in the dimensions of a Ford Focus. This makes them strong contenders as cars to suit people’s lifestyles.

If you compare their performance, emissions and fuel consumption with traditional 4x4s the improvements are amazing. However they don’t come close to the new improved efficiency of the everyday family hatchback. But maybe that’s not the comparison being made. They could be comparing Crossovers with the cars they are replacing.

Car sales have been poor since 2007 with owners postponing changing their cars which are most likely to be reliable and durable enough to hold onto. If their car is something like a Focus, Astra, Scenic, Zafira then their versatility probably still suits, whilst engine efficiency and general running costs have been good enough. Who’d pay thousands even tens of thousands to change their cars for the same type of car with small improvements?

However a Crossover is different, might suit their lifestyle and is now more affordable. It will be interesting to see when car sales pick up if interest in the Crossover sector will manifest itself in sales as it has done with the Qashqai.

Certainly there are deals to be done with dealers offering heavy discounts and low rate finance. If you ask for even more discount and better finance rates you may well get them. Just be sure you also get a good price for your part-exchange and discount on add-ons. Don’t be swayed by one of these for deals, you need the best on all four.

Four things you need to check:

• Get the latest EuroNCAP rating for new entrants into the market – you need 5-stars and ESP/ESC.
• The elevated view of the road from a Crossover has many advantages but be sure you’re happy with the cars’ higher centre of gravity, it’s stability and handling.
• When considering different engine and trim options be aware of the changes in car insurance groups and the differences in premiums.
• If you consider diesel engines compare it with a similar performing petrol engine and calculate at what total mileage savings in fuel costs repay the extra you pay for a diesel car.

Regards
Ralph
carbuyersinfo.co.uk. car comparison website to help you find the car to suit your purpose and purse

Do You Really Need A 4×4 SUV?

Crossover cars have caused a comeback in the 4×4 SUV car sector.  So this would be a good time to look at some of the old questions this style of car has raised in its time.

Do people really need a 4×4 car? Could they drive a 4×4 in extreme all-terrain conditions? What use is 4×4? Are they really that unsafe? What about the cost of running a SUV?

When making a SUV comparison it’s worth noting not all 4x4s are SUVs and not all SUVs are 4x4s. Real 4x4s have all-terain capablility which is not the same as AWD which automatically engages for a number of seconds when the front wheels are spinning faster than the rear wheels.

It’s worth making the SUV comparison Mitsubishi ASX AWD vs 2WD.

A SUV is an estate car style body on a truck – ladder – platform with or without 4×4 or AWD. A Crossover is a SUV styled car built on a car platform.

Do you really need 4×4?

It’s unlikely. In extreme weather conditions we are advised not to go on the roads. If conditions are so bad the police close the roads if an accident or stranded car doesn’t. So nobody is going anywhere 4×4 or no 4×4. In the remote parts of the Alps they prevent cars from passing unless they wear snow chains. With chains it doesn’t matter if it’s 2WD or 4WD.

You can even get into trouble on flooded runs because the water is coming up from flooded drains and can lift manhole covers. Drop a wheel in an uncovered drain hole and you’re going nowhere. I’ve seen it happen to a 4×4 in Surrey.

4x4s can be useful. Possibly for towing or if you really do live up a track impassable by car.

Crossover cars have also made SUVs safer. They handle better and are now more stable. However they still have a high centre of gravity and the tendency to yaw. This is evident because a Crossover decending mountain Z-bends will almost be bought to a standtill in the bend by the ESC system. Frustrating for high performance premium brands.

But the big question is cost? It was the cost of running a 4×4 SUV that almost killed the market by 2007. What’s the cost of one of these new crossover SUVs.

You might have considered this question when thinking about lifestyle cutbacks thanks to the economy. What happened to promises made decades ago about having more and working less? Gone with your pension? We need to look beyond luxury and convenience.

Back in 2006 it may have seemed everyone else way getting rich and living the luxury life. Now excess is an embarrassment. We need security, to be seen as prudent and making the right decisions. It could be good, walk rather than use the car, cook healthy meals at home, cut up the credit card. So do you really need a 4×4 SUV?

Will a 2WD Crossover be a more sensible decision? A Mitsubishi ASX would be amusing to look at. Mitsubishi was well known for its big 4×4 SUVs and pick-ups built like trucks.

Todays ASX is built like a car. Prices range from £15999 to £24399, considerably cheaper than a Freelander, CR-V or RAV4. It’s only 4.3m long making it no longer than a Focus, Astra, Golf hatchback.  With the seats up you’ve 442 litres of load space – about the same as large family saloons.

What’s suprising about the ASX is there’s no significant difference between the 2WD and AWD for fuel consumption – 51.4 – 49.6 mpg, emissions 145/150, maximum speed 123/124 and acelleration .3 of a second in it. Your’e only added cost is the price premium you pay for AWD and one notch for VED costs.

But what do you get from a Crossover you can’t get more of for less in another vehicle?

So can you come close with an ordinary hatchback? After all everyone knows a Tiguan is on a Golf platform, a Kuga is on a Focus platform. Which reminds me, the fact many SUVs now have a 2WD option means most motorists really don’t need 4×4.

A Ford Focus has a similar entry price, similar length, smaller boot. However a Focus 1.6 TDCi 115 is significantly more economical and cleaner than an ASX – 67.3 combined mpg, only 109 CO2s.

The question of style and comfort are for your personal tastes.

So it seems reasonably priced Crossovers can still be a consideration. Having said that most SUVs start over at £20,000. There’s also the point a 2WD SUV is like an MPV and there an MPV would easily win for space and versatility.

Regards
Ralph
carbuyersinfo.co.uk Car Comparison website to help you find the right car for your purpose and purse

My 9 Most Popular Medium Sized Cars

This class of car is supposed to be the car for everyone. The idea is you don’t really need an estate, MPV or 4×4. These cars claim to accommodate most of your lifestyle at an affordable price. That’s why they’re the biggest selling sector in the UK.

Of the 9 I’ve had to remove 3 because it’s impossible to calculate their value. You can view my method in the previous post. There’s no doubt the Audi A3, A4 and VW Golf are 3 of the most searched cars on the internet. But Audi, Skoda and VW devalue this because you can simply go to their site and freely download brochures and price lists.

Free brochures and price lists may not seem that important. However it complies with the original concept of the internet as a place to freely share information. If you want to be, do or have something not immediately available to you, you should be able to freely find the answers on the Internet – get a brochure and price list.

Google insist publishers go further with pages that not only provide this content on the landing page but do so openly with the minimum of navigation. Audi, Skoda and VW do this and there is no value in visiting any other product related site to get the answers you want.

Think of the advantages to the user:

• They don’t have to spend time and petrol to drive to a dealer.
• They don’t have part with their details so it’s private.
• They don’t need to answer questions from salespeople or on online forms.
• They can virtual shop which – I’m told – is enjoyable.
• They can place the full picture in their own minds rather than a third-party place it there.

I should make you aware there are 2 website models.

1. Free information but you pay with your attention being interrupted by ads as on my carbuyersinfo.co.uk site.
2. You pay for information without advertising.

Sellers who understand this by-pass both with free downloadable PDFs.

Having said all that it doesn’t distract from the -

Ford Focus being the most popular car in the UK both new and used. There’s now been a Ford Focus for sale for a long time, building a huge fan base and a global reputation for durability and reliability. It has dynamic styling, space, sweet driveability, economy and safety. You can download free information from Ford without exchanging your details – with a little navigation.

#2 is the larger more expensive Mercedes-Benz C-Class which has all the attributes of a Focus with a touch of prestige we wish we could afford which makes for a strong second-hand market.

#3 almost on a par is the Vauxhall Astra for exactly all the same reasons above. There’s been an Astra for sale for over 30 years and their list of loyal customers continually grows.

#4 BMW 1-Series may not be a top 10 seller and too expensive for most but huge demand for a used BMW 1-Series supported by enthusiastic BMW dealers brings the 1-Series back into the market.

#5 is the even more expensive BMW 3-Series which can appear in the top 10 new car best sellers when repmobile sales are good. It’s the huge and continuous demand for used BMW 3-Series that ratch it up the rankings

Here’s where I’d place the A3 and A4.

#6 is the Nissan Qashqai. It’s different. Spacious but not as much as its style promises. Comfortable to drive. Reasonably economical and safe. The fact is we like Nissan in the UK and the Qashqai has captured peoples’ imagination in away we’ve not seen for some time.  It’s been a real success story…

Like the VW Golf.

All the above cars are of a very similar size with similar space. They’re all good to drive and are economical and safe.

What sets them apart is the demand for them both as new and used cars. Most importantly over the years they have built a long list of loyal customers. If their web sites become trusted sources of information they’ll win in the future as the best supplier of information which is what our age is about. Check out the above websites and you’ll discover one is at risk for informative content, transparency and navigation.

The handful of remaining contenders don’t figure because the don’t pump enough volume of cars into the market place. The French have had more than enough owners on their books and many remain loyal franchophiles but not enough stick to figure in my rankings for popularity.

Regards
Ralph

My 11 Most Popular Small Cars – Amazing Result

The result of my research are so amazing they’re incredible so I must first explain my method. We can’t say the Fiesta, Corsa and Polo are the most popular because they are the best-selling small cars. Why?

• New cars are only part of the market. There are 3 times more used cars sold in a year than new cars. So used cars have to be taken into consideration.
• Some manufacturers sell half their cars to businesses which doesn’t reflect private buyers’ interests.
• New car marketing perverts demand – discounts, finance, part exchange etc.
• The volume of cars made and allocated to the UK differs from make to make.
• Some dealers volume register cars to friendly third-parties to increase sales figures and receive volume bonuses from the distributor.

I researched Google search data which is so gigantic it’s difficult to question for significance, probability or the random behaviour of numbers. I then reduced the figures to a percentage of clicks for search engine results pages. I then reduced these results to a percentage of visitors with commercial intent and multiplied this by the minimum value of a response.

I should add although a car may be calculated to be popular it might be unaffordable to some individuals and not purchased. Also new models don’t have comparative data so I can’t calculate for the A1, C3, DS3, or Juke.

The amazing thing about my results is one car appeared to be twice as popular as all the other 10 put together. Any one of these ten cars can be twice even 10 times more popular than the some 20 other cars in this class. So they’re all amazingly popular by my calculations. Here are the results in reverse order.

Peugeot 207 #11. A long-standing favourite once the best-selling car in Europe. It’s been around in its present style for a while now and out of the top ten sellers. But they still sell loads new and the second-hand market is huge due to the following built over the years.

Skoda Fabia #10 The old simple formula of good value, good car, with owners saying good things about their car and Skoda dealers makes for a popular car.

Seat Ibiza #9 Simply more stylish than a Fabia or ubiquitous Polo.

Toyota Yaris #8 Straight forward value with a good following built up over the years and a big used car market.

Nissan Micra #7 Again, good value, good straight forward car, good following.

Ford Ka #6 There’s a good supply used with huge demand from young first-time buyers who find it affordable to buy, fuel and importantly – insure.

VW Polo #5 Once just a good value straight forward car with a following. Now the new model has increased sales and it looks a more realistic substitute for a Golf than previously. It’s now significantly more popular.

Renault Clio #4 I’d have put the Clio and 207 side-by-side. It’s been around in its present style for some time and no longer makes the top ten new sellers. But they still sell plenty new and if you add  the Clio’s little extra chic image, tiny bit more street cred’ elevated by the RenaultSport brand plus a huge second-hand market enthusiastically supported by Renault dealers it leaps over the previous 7 significantly in popularity.

Ford Fiesta #3 You’d imagine it would be #1. They top the 10 best sellers list or come 2nd and there’s plenty of activity in the used car market. There’s been a Ford Fiesta for sale longer than any other small car and it’s built a huge following since 1976. The problem is the old Fiesta was not the most appealing to young buyers of second-hand cars. It will take some years to find out if the new more dynamically styled Fiesta makes a difference.

Vauxhall Corsa #2 Who’d of thought! The Corsa is a very close runner to the Fiesta for new car sales and sometimes gets its nose in front even 1st place in the top ten best sellers new. Where it wins is in the enthusiastic demand for a used Corsa. It could be due to BSM using Corsas as driving school cars weens buyers. But it’s the Corsa’s street cred’ and association with the VXR brand that make it so popular.

Mini #1 Hardly a surprise. It’s the sheer magnitude of interest that’s difficult to understand. I think style, image, street cred’, and branding account for most of its popularity and large following built over the years plus a huge used market of many buyers and sellers fully supported by Mini dealers. I not saying everyone interested buys one. Affordability is an issue as is the higher end of Mini insurance. You could say teenagers show a lot of interest and search the Mini Cooper but they are next years buyers.

Interesting? I think it’s a little more useful than relying on top ten new car sellers list as social proof certain cars are better. My personal experience is the C1/107/Aygo, Jazz, Swift, Mazda2 and 500 are hugely popular but they just didn’t calculate that way. Perhaps their buyers behave in different ways. And I bet the New Picanto will liven up the market.

Regards
Ralph
carbuyersinfo.co.uk Car Comparison Website discover the similarities and differences to find the right car for your lifestyle and budget.

The Best Way to Save Car Fuel Costs

Car fuel prices are biting hard to the point of having to think twice about making a trip in the car.

There are a good dozen tips on how to save car fuel mainly concerning driving styles, carrying unnecessary weight and keeping your car in good repair.

The biggest saving to be made is to buy a more economical car when you’re planning to change. It’s not worth rushing out to change your car now as the cost to change will buy many years of motoring in terms of fuel costs. So best wait until you’re due to change.

When the time comes you’ll have to look a lot deeper than the fuel economy data. It’s not simply a case of your old shed averaged 34 mpg and your intended purchase has a combined 57 mpg. When you compare new cars for sale there’s more to consider than fuel economy data.

Your choice is confused by petrol, diesel, hybrid or coming soon electric. It’s not just a straight choice between a diesel Ford Focus and hybrid Lexus CT 200h. What about Ford’s EcoBoost petrol engines? It’s not just about comparing car fuel costs. What about the comparative price of the cars to buy?

You might come across stats saying near 60% of new cars sold are diesel and accept it as social proof you should do the same. It’s not a simple as that. Near the same percentage of new cars are sold to businesses who in the main are higher mileage drivers who get quicker savings on mpg to pay-back the added cost of the car and diesel fuel. You can see reps running about in their new Mercedes but there’s more to it than it being a Mercedes C Class CDI these cars are fitted with advanced fuel saving technologies and the business owners are profiting from the calls they make on very long journeys. It will work out differently for a private owner.

Diesel and hybrid cars cost more than petrol cars to buy. So you need to compare the costs of running each to find out at what total mileage you start to make savings.

Diesel cars cost between £1,000 and £2,000 more than petrol cars. Petrol fuel costs £6.22p today compared with diesel at £6.45p. As a general rule it takes some 45,000 miles with a small or medium size car before you save on fuel costs. With some small cars it can take 100,000 miles. In other words several years down the road. Diesel works better with large cars and in some cases you can only buy a SUV with a diesel engine, some manufacturers do not offer a petrol option.

Another consideration is fuel saving technology. Some cars are saving fuel with reduced rolling resisting tyres, stop/start, weight reduction and energy recuperation. Again this comes at an extra cost at present with a more expensive car or as optional equipment. Eventually they’ll become standard like ABS, ESP, PAS and increasingly air con. So it’s worth comparing the value in this area. Also look out for cars making leaps forward with energy recuperation technology we haven’t heard of yet.

Petrol power is nowhere near dead. Petrol cars and fuel are cheaper to buy. Turbo technology means more power per litre and smaller more economical petrol engines.

One thing you’re pretty certain of is when you do change your car the new car will be far more economical than the one you part exchange.

After you’ve considered your options there’s still the issue of emissions. Diesel cars have lower CO2 emissions but emit particles. Hybrid save on CO2s and tax. With electric cars there are concerns about the environmental cost of producing the electricity. There are a good number of hybrids on the way from Audi, Chevrolet/Vauxhall, Porsche and Volvo.

So the message is when you are due to change your car compare all factors with a calculator in hand and not just go on fuel economy data.

Regards
Ralph
carbuyersinfo.co.uk Car Comparison Website to find the best car for your purpose and purse compare their differences and similarities

Why Is The Nissan Qashqai Popular?

The Nissan Qashqai is an interesting car because it sells well and was one of the first modern-day crossover cars replacing Nissan’s popular Almera  hatchback car.

The Qashqai is built on a Renault Megane platform which Renault also use for their Megane estate, coupe, cabriolet and Scenic. This puts the Nissan Qashqai dimensions in competition with hatchbacks like the Focus, Astra and Golf plus MPVs like the Meriva, Scenic and Zafira.

Whilst the Qashqai is based on a hatchback and built like an MPV many see it as a sensible substitute for a SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) with it being promoted as some sort of Sports Urban Vehicle – that’s not a class of car, I just made it up. Although the Qashai has 7-seat models you wouldn’t necessarily compare the Qashqai with Vauxhall Zafira models.

So how does the Nissan Qashqai compare with its competitors, what are its advantages that make it popular? We’ll see in a moment the Qashqai is fairly similar to the new Ford Focus for sale. It seems it all boils down to style which like comfort is a personal taste I can’t comment on for you. I can however compare size, versatility, driveability, economy and safety.

A car’s style seems to somehow play a part in a car’s standing in the market place and its prestige. For some reason many motorists attach prestige to cars styled like SUVs, maybe the imagine themselves as Royals in Range Rovers.

If you compare the size of a standard Nissan Qashqai with a Focus, Astra, Golf its about the same length and width. The difference is in the overall height with the Qashqai appearing significantly higher when in actual fact there’s not a lot in it – 4 inches. The added height and shape of the Qashqai helps it appear like a SUV.

You could take the view as its built on a Megane platform like a Scenic its more like an MPV than a SUV but we don’t associate Nissan with MPVs. Nissan are known worldwide for their 4x4s leading to the assumption the Qashqai is an addition to their SUV range. The Qashqai has 4×4 options.

As an MPV the Qashqai doesn’t compare too well with the Scenic and Zafira although it does have more internal capacity than the New Meriva. The nice thing about these cars are their ease of entry and exit plus an elevated view of the road ahead.

When it comes to driving the Qashqai it benefits from the Megane’s stable platform.

If you compare fuel consumption and take 1.6 petrol engines as an example the hatchbacks do slightly better than the Qashqai which is a tiny improvement on MPVs. The combined fuel consumptions are closely ranked so there’s no guarantee there will be a significant difference in real on the road driving that amounts to a significant cost difference with a Qashqai.

There are the same differences in CO2 emissions but again they don’t amount to a huge difference in costs. However it does pay to keep an eye on this cost as you consider different makes, models and their many engine options.

It’s a similar story when you compare maximum speeds and acceleration. All these cars will comfortably cruise at a legal 90 mph and more across Europe. There’s half a second, maybe one in times to 62 mph which doesn’t mean anything on the road. Around 11 or 12 seconds feels the same, it’s when you get single figure acceleration you feel the difference.

The last thing to watch out for is ESP. All the above cars have 5-star EuroNCAP ratings but not all have ESP as standard which becomes law at the end of 2011 so insist on ESP being thrown into the deal for free.

So you can see there’s no real difference in size, a little variation in load capacity, performance and economy are very similar. The big difference is in the way these cars are styled into the hatchback, MPV and SUV sectors which is why they call the Qashqai a crossover.

The difference in style stops cars becoming so similar to the point they’re could be considered simply as a commodity to be bought on price alone. It’s also comforting to know a mixture of competition and legislation keeps cars up to mark for safety, economy, emissions and performance.

Regards
Ralph

Comparing Car Passenger Compartments

When you buy a car its easy to get sidetracked by car deals, fuel consumption and car insurance premiums. However you’re going to own the car for years and subject the car fitting your lifestyle and pocket the car needs to be comfortable. I found over four decades of selling cars, if there was owner dissatisfaction it was most usually comfort.

Car interiors have changed over the past decade. The introduction of compact MPVs in the late 90s meant the interiors had to be cleverly thought out. Many other sectors have used these ideas. Nissan went to the extent of replacing their Almera compact hatch and offering the Nissan Qashqai for sale which appears as a crossover between a hatch, 4×4 and MPV.

MPV interiors were so well thought out manufacturers like Renault and Vauxhall have carried the same seating systems forward into replacement models. The new Vauxhall Meriva uses the same lateral adjustable rear two three seat system from the previous model.

Visual comfort has been improved with low dashboards and large windscreens giving a feeling of brightness and space even in small and compact cars. Large glazed areas also optimise the field of vision as well as give an impression of space.

Many cars have grown in size offering real roominess for all passengers with good headroom and width. If you look at the Vauxhall Corsa dimensions its grown to near 4m as have the Clio, Fiesta and many others. The Corsa’s windscreen has been moved forward as in an MPV. This gives a feeling of space and puts the windscreen at a safer distance away from the front passengers.

A significant benefit of moving the windscreen forward is it moves the window and door post forward increasing foot entry length making it far easier to enter and exit the car. Easy access can be a comfort factor avoiding twisted joints and strained muscles.

Trim levels add a sense of style. Most models have comfort, sports and luxury options.

In summary when you buy a car take a close look at the passenger compartment because it has both a bearing on comfort and versatility. Versatility determines the extent to which a car will fit your lifestyle.

Costs are obviously important with rising fuel prices and car insurance premiums. With cars costing a significant percentage of income it’s not only important  to get the budget right, you need to be sure it will be comfortable and check out space and brightness.

Although manufacturers have borrowed many ideas from MPVs there is a trend to add coupe styling which can significantly reduce rear head room and rear visibility. The new Vauxhall Insignia has disappointing rear headroom despite its large size. Up sweeping style lines of side windows as on the Fiesta can also limit rear visibility.

So you need to take a good look around.

Regards
Ralph