Panda.

I've driven my brothers Swift Sport and it's really nice, I thought the seats looked uncomfortable until I sat in it. Very nice interior. Mind you only the Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres will fit on them, but at least it's a good tyre.

But I do like the look of the Mazda 2 sporty thing. Looks solid. Being Japanese they should never go wrong.

Being pushed I think I'd pick the Swift.

Quick google produced the following

Panda - £7800

Grande Punto - £9560

Swift - £10700

Mazda2- £11050

sooty option

Grande Punto Sporting (130)- £10300

If you want cheap then the Panda wins hands down.

Just to add SWMBO's Panda 1.3 Multijet is now 10 months old and has 17k on the clock and still nothing rattles/drops off/has broken

Quick google produced the following

Panda - £7800

Grande Punto - £9560

Swift - £10700

Mazda2- £11050

sooty option

Grande Punto Sporting (130)- £10300

If you want cheap then the Panda wins hands down.

Just to add SWMBO's Panda 1.3 Multijet is now 10 months old and has 17k on the clock and still nothing rattles/drops off/has broken

:jawsmall:That's Fabia Money!

Fabia Sport 1.6 16V 105hp £11,745.00

Fabia Sport 1.4 TDI-PD 80hp £12,120.00

Fabia Sport 1.9 TDI-PD 105hp £12,805.00

Use the 0% Finance option or first years free insurance to make it even a better deal! Oh & of course you'll be able to knock quite a bit off the list prices as well. Just choose your flavor :balloons:then VED band B,C,D... When you go with the Derv.:dtp:Just chip it for that extra bit of go!

:jawsmall:That's Fabia Money!

But the FabiaII isn't a very nice place to be - they've gone backwards with that horrible interior trim - very 'Dodge Caliber' IMHO :(

I had Fabia2 as a hire car last month, and as much as i liked the exterior, the interior was awful.

Felt really really cheap, and very plastic.

:jawsmall:That's Fabia Money!

Fabia Sport 1.6 16V 105hp £11,745.00

Fabia Sport 1.4 TDI-PD 80hp £12,120.00

Fabia Sport 1.9 TDI-PD 105hp £12,805.00

Use the 0% Finance option or first years free insurance to make it even a better deal! Oh & of course you'll be able to knock quite a bit off the list prices as well. Just choose your flavor :balloons:then VED band B,C,D... When you go with the Derv.:dtp:Just chip it for that extra bit of go!

None of them crack the 100bhp per ton though. I plan to leave it unmolested (well maybe not if it's the 1.4T Punto ). I personally think diseasel is no longer a viable option, especially if the mpg differential is under 15mpg, even with my intergalactic mileage. Oh and the Punto has 0% finance and a grands worth of fuel thrown in

Oh and the Punto has 0% finance and a grands worth of fuel thrown in

I seen the Fiat advert on the back of a bus the other day, it's a very very tempting offer in todays fuel climate.

I think they'll see a good few sales coming their way.

Keep seeing the Punto offer outside tesco's but never got round to reading up on it.

None of them crack the 100bhp per ton though. I plan to leave it unmolested (well maybe not if it's the 1.4T Punto ). Oh and the Punto has 0% finance and a grands worth of fuel thrown in

Sounds like a nice offer...

Yet then you'd have to like the way the Fiat looks.:orb_yuck:

I think the new range of Fiats have improved dramatically over the past few years.

How about waiting for the new shape Fiesta coming out either end of the year or next year??

Ford :: Future Vehicles :: Future vehicles-

Looks like an A class

Looks like an A class

True but it doesn't look that bad a car compared to the current Fiesta. My brother wants to get one when they come out.

Why it's just a less attractive Mazda 2...:orb_bonk:

:jawsmall:That's Fabia Money!

Fabia Sport 1.6 16V 105hp £11,745.00

Fabia Sport 1.4 TDI-PD 80hp £12,120.00

Fabia Sport 1.9 TDI-PD 105hp £12,805.00

Yup. Makes the Fabia look overpriced doesn't it.

I know I'm biased too, but here's another Swift Sport vote. The thing is just a total hoot to drive, light, roomy and it can be quite economical too.

I drove mine 300 miles on the motorway to Castle Combe last week and it was showing me 43mpg average :eek: cruising at 70. Yes it needs 98 RON but if you aren't doing huge mileage it does not cost that much extra really.

Down a B road they are a riot

The Panda is cheaper, but also smaller and it looks like it has no boot. Swift does have a usefull boot.

Panda gets my vote,wanted to get a nice red one that was at a local garage for SWMBO. She liked it when i showed it to her, but the "car expert" girls at her work said Fiats are rubbish and that was that. Don't matter that it gets a great write up in magazines,the ladies know best it seems, and she dos'nt want a Fiat.

Mazda for me

I love the look of the mazda 2 sport, think it looks the muts nuts!

Def think the twingo GT is worth a look at as well, also very nice looking car, my friends got one and is well chuffed with it.

The panda is supposed to be a very good car, havent driven one but have driven the 500 with the same 100bhp engine and didnt think much of it IMHO.

Good luck mate!

I like the Mazda 2, they are very well built

Also Mazda are doing some great deals from what I have heard.

A little stat for you (may not suprise you). I worked at a Skoda/Mazda/Citroen dealer as some of you know a while back. The percentage of warranty work (taken from all work booked in) was as follows.

Skoda - 20%

Citroen - 65%

Mazda - 2%

This may have changed but in all honesty most of Mazda warranty work is actually recall work. So its things the manufactuer has spotted and is fixing free of charge so it doesnt break down on you or cause you hassle. Even things like water leaks are recalled in (just like a Skoda Fabia - not).

easy

punto 1.4t cos its a turbo.. thus easily tuned, and good economy when you want. and its ncap 5* and large enough to take a knock.

other:

Mazda MX5.

Or:

A Brabus Roadster