Archive 4
six
family saloons assessed in 1999
Six
sensible family salons that won't break the budget
come under Stuart Bladon's group analysis.
|
Comparison with
the prices paid by our friends in other EEC member countries
seems to show that we're paying too much for our cars. As
a result, people are calling in at places like Holland and
Spain and finding how easy it is to order a right-hand drive
model, go back a few weeks later to collect it and thereby
save a few thousand pounds.
All this is understandably anathema to UK importers
and dealers who call such cars 'grey imports' and say that
they are not up to the standard of those brought in through
official channels. But a good outcome of this and the ever-increasing
competition is that for the British buyer prices are more
stable and value improving.
Prices shown in this review were frozen at
the end of February, and in many cases they hadn't changed
for many months.
Looking carefully at the six cars in this group,
surely no one can dispute that they all represent good value?
They all proved very appealing and rewarding to drive and
while it may be difficult to select a particular 'best buy',
one can say with confidence that none of them will disappoint.
They also show that you don't necessarily have to go to
the top model of the range to get a very fair spread of
equipment and high quality of interior finish.
These are essentially family cars, though they
have wide appeal for all kinds of buyers, and come with
1.8-litre engines in most cases, though two of them are
2-litre models. Ford commendably gives the buyer the choice
of Mondeo as saloon or hatchback, with 1.6, 1.8 or 2-litre
engine, all at the same price.
There are many others that could have deserved
inclusion in the group, such as the Nissan Primera, Mazda
626, Renault Laguna, Toyota Avensis and Vauxhall Vectra.
It is not intended to be an exclusive list but the ones
chosen do all seem to be cars of very similar appeal.
Performance is expressed as the two very representative
figures of maximum speed and the time taken to accelerate
from rest to 80 mph. Again I have to emphasise that this
data does not imply that such speeds should be attained
in countries beset by speed limits; the top speed of a car
is still an important statistic, even when it is standing
in the showroom. The fuel consumption quoted is what the
car has actually returned in typical conditions when on
test for Wessex Wheels.
Peugeot
406 1.8 LX
Choice is the important thing and Peugeot offers the 406
with sunroof or, at £250 extra, air conditioning. Many buyers
(myself included) may want both, in which case you can add
the sunroof to the air conditioning model for £410 extra.
The ability to order the car without an option about which,
until comparatively recently, people in Britain were not
concerned, enables Peugeot to offer the cheapest model in
this group and very good value it is, too.
The 1.8-litre engine is the same 16-valve unit
as in the Citroân Xantia and it is smooth and quiet except
at low speeds when there is a trace of jerkiness, especially
when it is cold. This oddity was not experienced with the
Xantia.
Also peculiar to the test car was a reluctance
for reverse gear, opposite fifth, to engage, and sometimes
to jump out, obviously indicating some small fault here.
In other respects the change was light with easy action.
One of the most impressive aspects of the 406
is the comfort, refinement and quietness of the ride, which
in many respects matches the Xantia although without the
special features of oleo-pneumatics which are unique to
the Citroân. The handling is also very satisfying, with
the car following a perfect line on corners and going through
with minimal roll and no excess understeer. Combined
with excellent directional stability, the steering is wonderfully
accurate, so that holding the car neatly in its lane on
a motorway is very easy even on a windy day. Vented front
discs and drums at the rear are the standard brakes for
the 1.8 SX (2-litre models and above have all-disc brakes).
They are very effective, and it's good that anti-lock control
is also standard. Extremely well-shaped
seats, with pull-up lever to give height adjustment, enhance
the overall comfort, and there is adjustable lumbar support
for the driver.
When the 406 succeeded the 405, one of the
big improvements was the provision of folding rear seats
to extend boot space into the car, especially since the
406 is not available as a hatchback. The seats are divided
60/40 and the squabs fold readily down on to the fixed one-piece
cushion. The lower part of the Peugeot badge is pressed
to open the boot, which is secured with the remote central
locking, and the boot space is generous.
A very good Philips radio/cassette unit is
fitted, and a small lever beneath the steering wheel allows
the driver to make adjustments of volume, station and so
on without taking hands from the wheel. Get used to this
and you miss it in a car not so equipped.
The interior is very attractively furnished
for a car with only LX trim, and includes polished wood
effect embellishment on the doors and facia. There are also
many useful stowage places inside the 406.
Equipment is good, and there can be no other
conclusion than that the Peugeot 406 is a very pleasing,
quiet and comfortable car, as well as being excellent value.
Peugeot 406 1.8
LX - £15,350
Extra for Estate - £1,000
Warranty - 1 year unlimited mileage
-
6 years anti-corrosion
Maximum speed - 119 mph
0-80 mph - 18.9 sec
Fuel consumption - 36.7 mpg
Insurance - Group 10
Hyundai
Sonata 2.0 CDX
Coming on to the scene in mid-summer last year, the Hyundai
Sonata represented good value for a car of this size and
range of equipment, and at the time of writing the prices
still had not changed. It comes with 2-litre four-cylinder
engine as tested, or with a 2.5-litre V6. Both engines have
four valves per cylinder.
The 2-litre proved very smooth and quiet when
cruising; it's only when it's working hard, as in high speeds
or when accelerating hard that it gets a bit growly. The
five-speed gear change on the test car was inclined to be
notchy and awkward to move across from fourth up to fifth.
Least pleasing feature of the Sonata is the
suspension, tending to give a choppy ride with some vibration
and vertical bounce on poor roads. There is also a lot of
tyre roar on some coarse surfaces. The brakes are very efficient
and the Sonata has discs all round and includes anti-lock
control as standard on all models. Adjustable
vertically, the steering is heavier than with some competitors,
although of course it has power assistance and there is
a slight tendency to wander in cross winds.
Seat comfort could be better. The driver gets
two adjusters for cushion height, thus making it possible
to set the angle of the cushion to personal choice, and
there is also lumbar adjustment of the backrest; but in
spite of these facilities one was never very comfortable
in the driving seat, while in the passenger seat you are
aware of the intrusion of the wheel arch into the footwell
area, making it difficult to find space for the feet.
Everything goes in favour of the Sonata when
one examines the specification and compares the equipment
with that of rival products. Thus, you get air conditioning
as well as a glass sunroof with electric tilt/slide action;
and all windows have electric action. There
is a radio with CD player, and the Sonata has such thoughtful
provisions as a power take-off so that someone wishing to
plug in a telephone, for example, does not have to use the
cigarette lighter socket.
Remote central locking is provided, with the
sensible feature that the first press on the sender undoes
only the driver's door, leaving all other doors still locked
for security until the sender is given a second press. The
boot is a very spacious compartment, but its lid is self-locking,
requiring the key to open it, or a floor-mounted release
lever can be used.
The rear seat is divided 40/60, and the squabs
fold easily on to the one-piece cushion to extend the already
generous boot space. Locking catches in the boot ensure
that the seats don't give access for thieves to get to the
boot after breaking into the car. Despite
some small shortcomings, the Sonata provided very pleasant
travel for a journey to Switzerland, and the fuel economy
proved impressively good bearing in mind the fact that it
had covered little mileage when tested, and would undoubtedly
improve with more use. Consumption also tends to be heavier
on the Continent, so over here owners should readily obtain
35 mpg from the Sonata.
Hyundai Sonata
2.0 CDX - £15,499
Extra for Estate - N/A
Warranty - 3 years unlimited mileage
- 6 years anti-corrosion
Maximum speed - 124 mph
0-80 mph - 17.8 sec
Fuel consumption - 30.4 mpg
Insurance - 10A
Skoda Octavia SLXi 20v
Because it looks like a Volkswagen Passat, Skoda's Octavia
tends to be regarded as a way to get a Passat without the
delivery delays and at much lower price. One shouldn't be
misled, because while the quality is good, and the engines
and many mechanical components much the same, it isn't identical
in other respects.
In fact, some aspects of the Octavia proved
a bit disappointing, especially the rather sharp, joggey
ride with a lot of thump and banging noises from the wheels
over bumps. Noise levels were also notably higher than is
remembered from those of the Passat. So, be content that
you are getting a very fine and roomy car for the money,
but don't expect Volkswagen levels of refinement and then
you shouldn't be disappointed.
The remarkable thing about the Octavia
in SLX form is that it comes with the engine originally
developed for the Group by Audi, having five valves per
cylinder and delivering an impressive 125 bhp from only
1,781 cc capacity. It gives very good response and vigorous
performance, but gets a little fussy at speed due to the
low gearing. In fifth, it takes nearly 4,000 rpm to give
80 mph, which is not conducive to quiet, relaxed cruising.
Other aspects are very good, including the
easy gear change action - once the location of reverse alongside
first gear is remembered - the very positive steering and
reassuring handling. The brakes are very effective for light
pedal loads, and the Octavia has discs front and rear, with
anti-lock control as standard. Although
a bit on the hard side, the seats are comfortable and well-shaped,
and both front seats have rotary adjustment for lumbar support.
A ratchet lever at the side gives the driver a useful range
of height adjustment. Huge rear legroom is provided, as
well as enormous boot capacity and the rear seat is divided
40/60 with clever arrangement for the corresponding part
of the cushion to pull forward and tip, allowing very level
extension of the boot floor.
An extremely neat and clear layout for the
facia and instruments includes an easily understandable
two-stage computer giving useful information such as average
mpg and speed. The only weak point is a Grundig radio which
gives good tone but is fiddly to use, with tiny little buttons.
Adding to the appeal of the Octavia is its
generous range of equipment, including as standard such
items as electric sunroof, air conditioning and alloy wheels.
It all adds up to a very pleasing car which is extremely
good value.
Skoda Octavia
SLXi 20v - £15,499
Extra for Estate - £700
Warranty - 3 years unlimited mileage
Included free - 3 years/45,000 miles service
- 10 years anti-corrosion
Maximum speed - 125 mph
0-80 mph - 17.5 sec
Fuel consumption - 32.7 mpg
Insurance - 11
Citroen
Xantia LX 1.8i
Any Citroên salesman would have to get the potential buyer
into the car and out on the road, and then a sale would
probably result. There's no doubt that the suspension, with
its ingenious combination of compressed gas and hydraulics,
gives a very comfortable ride. Absorption of bumps is excellent,
with very low levels of tyre roar and thump, while the car
also behaves impeccably on corners.
There's no longer a 1.6-litre engine for the
Xantia - the range starts with an eight-valve 1.8, and moves
on to the 16-valve 112 bhp unit as tested. This is a very
pleasing engine, prompt to start, very smooth and quiet,
and providing relaxed motorway cruising.
It took a little while to find how to work
the controls on the steering wheel, but after a short familiarisation
session I appreciated how very convenient it is to be able
to be able to 'drive' the radio without taking hands from
the wheel. There's a pleasantly positive feel to the steering,
although a slight tendency to wander was noticed on motorways
especially when it was windy. Reassuring
braking is provided, with discs all round and anti-lock
control as standard in the LX trim.
On first entering the Xantia one might be put
off by the slightly sombre appearance of the layout with
extensive use of dark grey for the trim and facia, but it
is soon appreciated that everything is well-planned and
thoughtfully laid out, while the softly upholstered seats
prove extremely comfortable. A pull-out lever at the side
gives height adjustment, and the lumbar support is also
adjustable. With this and a height adjustable steering wheel
one can set an ideal driving position. A centre armrest
is attached to the side of the passenger seat.
This is a five-door hatchback with clever arrangement
for the divided and folding action of the rear seats so
that you get an almost completely flat extension of the
boot floor, and the tailgate lifts easily, taking the rear
shelf up on cords.
Many improvements have been made to the Xantia
for '99, and one which I particularly liked was the provision
of automatic wiper switching. It works very well, from the
occasional wipe to remove drizzle, to rapid action for coping
with the spray from an overtaken lorry. The buyer can choose
to have air conditioning or sunroof, or pay £410 extra to
have both. Trafficmaster is built in, giving advice on any
blocked motorways, usually in time for the driver to turn
off and seek an avoiding route.
I was very taken by this latest Xantia, and
thought it excellent and hard to fault.
Citroân
Xantia 1.8i LX - £14,165
Extra for Estate - £970
Warranty - 1 year unlimited mileage
- 6 years anti-corrosion
Maximum speed - 121 mph
0-80 mph - 19.6 sec
Fuel consumption - 37.1 mpg
Insurance - Group 10
Ford Mondeo 2.0 LX
An amazing thing about the Ford Mondeo is that it costs
the same whether you prefer hatchback or saloon, and regardless
of engine size. The three engines available for LX trim
are 1.6, 1.8, and 2.0; and even the 1.8-litre turbo diesel
is also offered at the same cost although it must cost more
to make. So you can choose the model according to whether
you value performance or economy, or seek the Group 7 insurance
that comes with the 1.6, Group 9 for the 1.8 and diesel,
or the Group 11 for the 2-litre as tested.
In favour of the 2.0 is its lovely response
and the eager performance with the engine soaring smoothly
up to high revs without fuss, and yet barely audible at
tickover or in traffic. Not surprisingly, the Mondeo 2.0
gave us the best performance of the whole group.
Most of the dynamic aspects of the Mondeo are
first rate, as one would expect with such a competent and
well-developed car, especially the easy gear change, precise
and accurate steering, and the reassuring response to a
touch on the brakes. Anti-lock brakes were fitted on the
test car, which add £400 to the price of the LX.
The slightly disappointing aspect of Mondeo
is the considerable amount of thump and bang heard from
the wheels over bumps and potholes, although the actual
ride comfort is good. There doesn't seem to be sufficient
noise suppression in the suspension, though the level of
tyre roar is fairly well restrained. The behaviour on corners
is reassuring - one feels absolute confidence in the way
the car will respond, with slight, consistent understeer.
Extremely comfortable seats are fitted, though
the test car benefited from Ghia trim which brings electric
height adjustment. Whether one goes for
the saloon or hatchback, the rear seat backrest is divided
and either or both parts fold readily down on to the one-piece
cushion. A surprising change for Ford, after years of fitting
self-locking boots, is provision of an external release
button to open boot or tailgate, which is locked automatically
with the remote central locking.
Another surprising feature appearing in the
price list for the Mondeo is 'sunroof delete'. Apparently,
now that air conditioning is fitted as standard, some buyers
actually prefer not to have a sunroof, so it can be deleted
at no extra charge on the Ghia, on which it is otherwise
standard. Not so with the LX, however, as here you must
pay £250 extra to have a sliding sunroof.
A novelty on the test car was the Blaupunkt
navigation system, which is offered for all Mondeos at a
clean £2,000 extra. Sadly, I cannot recommend it, because
it makes very unsatisfactory choice of routes. All the time,
it wants to get the car back on to the nearest motorway
even if there is a perfectly good connecting dual carriageway
which would be better and shorter, and when you know the
area and ignore ridiculous instructions it keeps on urging
you to 'make a U-turn if possible'. But if you are in unfamiliar
territory it will get you to your destination. The display
for the navigator is very small, and is built into the front
of the radio/cassette unit, so one loses the cassette facility.
Mondeo is a satisfying car, with very sound
engineering; but one can't escape the impression that nothing
is included that the accountants feel might be deleted with
impunity.
Ford Mondeo 2.0
LX - £15,850
Extra for Estate - £1,000
Warranty - 1 year unlimited mileage
- 6 years anti-corrosion
Maximum speed - 128 mph
0-80 mph - 16.9 sec
Fuel consumption - 33.7 mpg
Insurance (see text) - Groups 7-11
Mitsubishi Carisma 1.8GDI GLS
When the new Carisma with its revolutionary direct injection
petrol engine was launched at the 1997 London Show, I was
asked to carry out an economy run to prove the meagre thirst
of this new engine. London to Africa with only two refuelling
halts - that was the objective, and the car made it quite
easily.
The first fill-up after being flagged away
from Earls Court on the preview day was at Dover, and the
car then went right across France without taking on any
more fuel until it had crossed the border into Spain. By
then the consumption was averaging 63.6 mpg, and by the
time the journey finished in Tangier, the overall average
had improved to 65.06 mpg.
Although the car had behaved impeccably on
the journey out, when it really impressed me was on the
return. Now driving normally and cruising very fast, the
consumption was still consistently above 40 mpg, with a
best of 43 mpg. In fact, the overall average for the 3,392-mile
round journey was only just below 50 mpg at the end (49.73
mpg).
That shows convincingly what an economical
unit this advanced 1.8-litre engine is, but it is also remarkable
for its performance and leisurely fast cruising. At one
time, when there was an opportunity to test for maximum
speed, the Carisma reached 136 mph, which is 6 mph faster
than Mitsubishi claims.
In all other respects the Carisma proved a
most pleasing car on this long journey, with suspension
giving a very comfortable ride and easy, predictable handling,
first rate steering and brakes, and generally low noise
levels at all speeds.
There are many little refinements in the interior
design that make for convenience when living with a car
for long hours of travel, and the seats, ventilation and
lack of noise all combined to ensure that we emerged relaxed
and still fresh after long hours of travel. The only thing
we regretted was the lack of a sunroof. This is available
for the Carisma, but only in lieu of air conditioning -
it seems that you can't have both.
GLS is the top trim specification for the GDI,
and at just under £16,000 it comes with full air conditioning
but not anti-lock brakes. These add £720 to the price. Value
is good, since the prices had not changed for ten months
at the time of writing. Four-door saloon or five-door hatchback
is available at the same price.
Mitsubishi Carisma
GDI 1.8 GLS - £15,980
Extra for Estate - N/A
Warranty - 3 years unlimited mileage
- 6 years anti-corrosion
Maximum speed - 125 mph
0-80 mph - 17.2 sec
Fuel consumption - 40.6 mpg
Insurance - 11
