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171 Posts
Older and wiser...
... sometimes I do wonder?
Particularly after running a perfectly serviceable, fabulously economical, zero road tax, 3 year old 1.6 i-dtec with only 21k miles from when I bought it new. A car still in it's first flush of youth and able every now and then to surprise me by expressing that factory fresh smell. Quite naively I took it to the dealership for it's annual service and first MOT expecting nothing more than that!
But after having been somewhat shockingly 'ambushed' by what I can only refer to as 'the 10th gen courtesy car phenomenon'. Which was to say the very least, something of a revelation, my curiosity was piqued into finding out more.
Subsequently I was fortunate in spending several days and a fair few hundred miles trying out both new petrol engines with various transmissions and levels of trim. During which, for the following what I shall laughingly call 'reasons', I determined that for my needs and wants the manual Sport was the one that hit the spot.
The 1.0 especially at SR spec and above is probably all any sensible person actually requires. The 3 cylinder engine lacks little; conferring primarily the twin benefits of economy and an appealingly polite or even dainty but rather well poised lightness of feel on the road.
To me the 1.5 felt to have slightly more heft to the helm with noticeably deeper reserves of torque to draw on. Bump rebound responses were marginally more apparent and curiously; against the higher spec 1.0's, there may be a little more overall road noise from the front tyres.
In the final analysis: I bought one in Sonic Gray Pearl. Quite simply put, because I just liked it's vast set of all round improvements in cabin and drive-ability. Also embarrassingly enough, a part of me is, perhaps questionably, moderately enamoured with the looks of the sport body kit.
Good luck with your choice, it will be interesting to learn what you decide...
... sometimes I do wonder?
Particularly after running a perfectly serviceable, fabulously economical, zero road tax, 3 year old 1.6 i-dtec with only 21k miles from when I bought it new. A car still in it's first flush of youth and able every now and then to surprise me by expressing that factory fresh smell. Quite naively I took it to the dealership for it's annual service and first MOT expecting nothing more than that!
But after having been somewhat shockingly 'ambushed' by what I can only refer to as 'the 10th gen courtesy car phenomenon'. Which was to say the very least, something of a revelation, my curiosity was piqued into finding out more.
Subsequently I was fortunate in spending several days and a fair few hundred miles trying out both new petrol engines with various transmissions and levels of trim. During which, for the following what I shall laughingly call 'reasons', I determined that for my needs and wants the manual Sport was the one that hit the spot.
The 1.0 especially at SR spec and above is probably all any sensible person actually requires. The 3 cylinder engine lacks little; conferring primarily the twin benefits of economy and an appealingly polite or even dainty but rather well poised lightness of feel on the road.
To me the 1.5 felt to have slightly more heft to the helm with noticeably deeper reserves of torque to draw on. Bump rebound responses were marginally more apparent and curiously; against the higher spec 1.0's, there may be a little more overall road noise from the front tyres.
In the final analysis: I bought one in Sonic Gray Pearl. Quite simply put, because I just liked it's vast set of all round improvements in cabin and drive-ability. Also embarrassingly enough, a part of me is, perhaps questionably, moderately enamoured with the looks of the sport body kit.
Good luck with your choice, it will be interesting to learn what you decide...
