Corolla vs Focus vs Golf

E

errigal

Registered User
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Hi

Being completely ignorant about all things motoring I thought Id poll for some advice here.

Plan on buying my first car - have a budget of 17k i wish to spend. Want a hatchback and have narrowed choice down to the 3 above (corolla/Focus/golf)

It will be an 04 or 05, Petrol, and about a 1.4L.

At a high level which would you score highest in the following categories?

Fuel Efficiency?
Comfort ?
Reliability?
Luggage and Passenger space ?
Holding its value ?


Thanks in advance
 
Try www.whatcar.co.uk (plus the actual mag) for reviews, including user reviews.

In general, they're all pretty similar (and good) as regards the things you mention, so a lot will be personal preference.

One thing: as you have no trade in, don't even consider paying anything like the asking price: there's always another car out there.

As for locating a specific car, try the relevant main dealers (who tend to have the best cars) or www.carzone.ie
 
Thanks for that

Will be buying from a dealer, so 2 other questions come to mind

1) How much less than the asking price should I be aiming for (typically) given a cash deal?

2) What duration warranty will they typically give ? Again, as Im not savvy about these things, Id like a decent warranty (12 mths ?)
 
1/. Hard to call, but look around at prices on the web etc. maybe 10%.

2/. 12 months is about right.

N.B. Have the car looked over professionally before purchase. Do a data check too, and talk to the previous owner if you can.

p.s. 1.6 Focus is a much better car. 1.4 is a bit flat. Same for a Golf. Not sure about Corolla. Driving wise the Focus wins easily.
 
Don't particuarly like Golfs but they hold their value...same for Corolla but they brought out a new model just now. At least with the Golf you are gonna be driving the current model for a few years at least. The Focus is meant to be good but don't think they hold their value.

Ditto on the 1.6 v 1.4 if the insurance isn't much different I'd go with the 1.6

Firefly.
 
Corolla might not look the best of the three but it will hold it's value the best and put money on it not breaking down.

Golfs to drive are prob the slowest, hold there value but you will defo need the 12 months warranty.

Focus in some people's opinion look the best of the three, out of the three
will loose the most but not loads, will only have small problems with them prob again won't breakdown.

Drive all three and see how you get on.
 
As already said, go to a main dealer,make sure you get a 12 month warranty and make sure you get a cash discount.

By my reckoning you should look for a 5% to 7% discount for cash....that should save you c. €1,000 at the price range you're looking at.

I don't know a lot about Foci or Corollas, but I've driven Golfs for the last couple of years. I drive a new model 3 door sportline Golf, 1.4L engine, which to answer your questions performs as follows:

Fuel efficiency on longer journeys is c.45 mpg. 1.4L engine is plenty unless you do a lot of motorway driving or high mileage.
Very comfortable - worth paying the little extra for sportline or comfortline.
Extremely reliable, but beware that the timing belt needs changing at c.55,000 miles (about €700).
Boot is big and back seats very comfortably seat 2 adults.
Golfs depreciate at c.10% per year.
 
Firefly said:
At least with the Golf you are gonna be driving the current model for a few years at least. The Focus is meant to be good but don't think they hold their value.
Click to expand...

There is a new golf coming in 2008.


The Corolla will be dull to drive but reliable. Will hold its value.
The Focus will be best to drive but is a bit bland to look at. It will be the cheapest to fix and is a fairly reliable car. Most depreciation - which is good if you are buying a second hand as you should get more bang for your buck.
Golf is the classiest and best looking. It is in between the Focus and the Corolla in terms of driving experience. It is the least reliable. Probably hold its value the best.

The 1.6 would be needed in any of them IMHO.
 
The words toyota and driving experience rarely go in the same sentence....my wife has a toyota
 
a good review site is http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/

i have an 01 Focus and test drove the golf and toyota, and loved the Focus. If the golf was the same price then i would of had a struggle to decide.

I am going to look at getting a Mazda 6 Hatchback, after driving a friends this is much better to drive than the focus or golf - but that is my preference...
 
Mazda 6 is a larger class of car. You'd be comparing it to the avensis, Passat and mondeo.
Having said that i remember Clarkson on Top Gear saying that his fav car of that class was the mazda 6
 
Delboy said:
did'nt the current style golf only come out in 04? Hardly due for a revamp after 4 years?
Click to expand...

Pictures in this weeks Autoexpress of Golf MkVI to be released in 2008. images can be found via google also.
 
The important thing is that there will be no new Golf in Ireland in 2008.

They will release it left hand drive first with a right hand drive release a year later, which will be 2009 in UK & Ireland at the earliest.

The MK5 Golf was released in 2003 as a left hand and mid 2004 as a right hand drive.

The MK6 Golf will also have a lower build quailty than the MK5 as VW aim to reduce it's production cost. It's strongly rumoured VW will drop the independent rear suspension in the MK6.
 
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