I think if I did go for a Focus it would have to be an ST or RS, would like to have something with a bit of poke.
If your looking at a ford petrol, try a drive in a 1.0 3 cylinder ecoboost. You’ll be surprised at the performance and economy. I’ve been using a fiesta with that motor in for the last 3 months while doing some work on my old hilux. Brilliant and with the 3 cyl growl.
2 litre diesel engine of a certain age is notorious. DPF dies after 70k miles and needs replacing as it won’t regenerate and a lot of spare parts are stocked centrally in Holland. I do feel that the lad got stitched up but we learned a lot of bad things about Mazda reliability and service with that car. Anybody can service a Ford and parts are same day delivery and cheap. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of my Leon ST and the low cost of authorised dealer servicing, my last big service (40,000 miles) was £240. Andy
the new fiat tipo estate. yum yum. https://www.google.co.uk/search?cli...c.1.64.psy-ab..0.4.652...0i13k1.0.EzRDzbEkNlA
BMW 320d Efficient Dynamics Touring. A great car - so impressed with mine as a company car that I bought it from the leasing company when I retired: Loads of room for pooch. Euro 6 £30 pa road tax £160 pa insurance Up to 70mpg on the motorway 140mph/ 0-60 in 7.9 sec performance. Economical luxury mile muncher in 'EcoPro' mode - sporty hatch in 'Sport' mode. Another car to consider is the Skoda Yeti.
I am afraid that my childhood memories of the quality of my fathers fiat ritmo has scared me for life, still getting uncontrolled shivers just thinking about it.....
yip, but they have come along way in terms of build quality where as i think the German marks have gone the other way, the up shot to it all is that you can pick up a good second hand model for a v.good price, mostly because of childhood memories of dodgy electrics and holes where yer feet are supposed to rest.
Stay away from Diesel, French and VAG cars. From your list I'd go for the focus. Go Jap if you can, but not Nissan (as are Renault)
I would warn people in England against taking advice concerning Fiat cars, especially if that advice originates from somewhere not in England. Caledonian mischief at best, attempted sabotage at worst! Seat is a good shout. Ford Focus is a no-brainer if all you are looking for is A-B in the company of pooches. My sister has been running Focus Estates for years, with 2-3 standard poodles in the back. Standard poodles are large animals, byraway. I cannot recommend an Almera. Mine's only 13 years old and already it's needed a new exhaust. Those things eat parts.
my panda is on 194k, has experienced 13 years of Scottish north west coast winters, original exhaust including tailbox. so ner, as yer man would say.
Ford all day, although I did blow up an Escort twice, blew up an Astra and blew up a Passat. Smashed on old Porsche, crashed an Isuzu, wrecked another Astra, worst one, hit my wife’s bumper. Still hear about that one. Yeh, I get on well with cars. Sorry, buy a ford