2017 Seat Toledo 1.0 TSI Xcellence - 12 Month Ownership Report

I was blessed to acquire my 2017 Seat Toledo on 14th July last year from W. J. King Seat in Sidcup. They offered £8,000 off the £20,500 list price of my chosen model, the 1.0 TSI Xcellence with metallic paint. Over 9,000 miles later, each day I still appreciate this much overlooked Vollkswagen Group small family car more and more.

Looking quite dowdy in anything other than top of the range Xcellence trim, the alloy wheels, LED headlamps and extra chrome of this fully equipped model make for understated, uncomplicated elegance, especially in this Rhodium Grey metallic paint colour. The Toledo is the cousin of the very similar Skoda Rapid (they are built in the same factory in the Czech Republic), but is better looking and has slightly more standard equipment.

The driving experience is similar to the previous generation VW Polo (replaced in 2017), which is no surprise given it is based on a longer version of the previous Polo's chassis. This means comfortable rather than sporty, but the steering is acceptable enough in terms of feel, the ride is fine and the three cylinder 999cc engine (yes, that's right) has a pleasing roar about it. It is the same engine as in the Volkswagen Up! GTI, and in this tune generates around 113 bhp, so perhaps the willingness to rev is no surprise! The turbocharger means lots of low down torque, and performance is even better than my previous 1.7 Chevrolet Cruze turbo diesel. Surprisingly, the fuel economy is better too.

The Chevy averaged 52 mpg during my ownership, but the Toledo has seen upwards of 60 mpg on motorway runs and is showing an average of 54 mpg at present which is incredible. It is cheaper to insure, more economical, probably slightly faster and more spacious than the diesel Chevy, which is remarkable.

The design is by no means as adventurous, and I miss the low down extra torque of the diesel engine, as well as the lower slung driving position, but Toledo is not without benefits. It has been 100% reliable, and the extra equipment (LED headlamps, part leather upholstery Bluetooth, three USB ports, sat nav, a much more sophisticated on board computer) is ridiculously generous. It has to be said as well that the touch screen infotainment system is much easier to use than those employed by more "luxurious" brands like Mercedes and BMW. My only complaints are that full smartphone link, automatic lights and automatic wipers are not standard even on the top trim level, but are expensive extras, and so my car does not have them, although it is clear that the electronics to support these features is present.

The boot, at 550 litres, is much bigger than the one on my mother's Mercedes C200 Estate, which I always find quite funny. Rear legroom is also very generous, and the seats are comfortable and well supported. It is easy to find a good driving position thanks to a telescopic and tilt adjustable steering wheel.

After a poor sales performance in comparison with other Seat models, and its sister, the Skoda Rapid, since the launch of the current generation Toledo in 2013, it was no surprise that it has been scheduled for discontinuation next month. However, what is a shame is that Seat, unlike Skoda, will not be replacing it in their model line up at all. I for one will have difficulty finding something which offers all of its excellent qualities at a decent price.

To sum up, if you can find one of these rare and overlooked cars, especially one of last 2017-2018 models, and it is available at a low cost (which it probably will be), then I would suggest that it will suit the needs of many wanting space, low running costs, decent equipment and subtlety in a family sized car. It is no surprise that I often recommend a Toledo to clients looking for this type of car, and one of them actually then bought one that I found in London. It may have been something to do with the fact that I had been chauffeuring him around in mine all day! I suspect that this is not the last time it will happen.

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2017 Mercedes-Benz C200 Sport 9-G Tronic Estate

This is my mother's car, a 2017 Mercedes-Benz C200 Sport Automatic Estate. We picked her up last June from Maidstone, where we had managed to find an excellent deal through www.carwow.co.uk. This rare petrol model in Cavansite Blue (not caravan site blue, as my mother keeps joking) has a beautiful light grey interior and a ridiculous level of specification.

The 2.0 turbocharged engine produces around 185 bhp (same power as my mother's previous BMW) and propels this luxury liner rapidly down the motorway, as I found out on the way back from the dealership. Despite being the basic engine available in the C-Class in this country, it is plenty fast enough, and certainly wanted to do more than 70 mph on the M20. For higher mileage drivers, there are plenty of diesel options available, and for performance drivers, there is a choice of AMG variants with six or eight cylinder petrol engines for those who need to go insanely fast...

Standard features on this level of limousine-like luxury include keyless entry, traffic sign recognition, autonomous emergency braking (which can be quite annoying, but is doubtless very safe), satellite navigation, Bluetooth, voice activation, electric tailgate, leather upholstery, nine speed automatic gearbox, radar guided cruise control, electric memory seats, three level heated seats, electric steering wheel adjustment, a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors. It has to be said that if one needs some of these features on a car, then one questions one's ability to drive, but they are definitely nice to have!

The twin panoramic sunroofs with electric blinds also are lovely for letting lots of light into the cabin, and there is plenty of room both front and rear. The main system for controlling the car's functions has a huge central screen with numerous buttons, rotary dials, touchpads and other things around, which can be quite confusing. In addition to this, Mercedes puts the electric handbrake switch where the bonnet release should be, and then festoons the left side of the steering wheel with three stalks, one for the lights and wipers (very confusing), one for the cruise control and one for the electric steering adjustment. The gear lever is on the right hand side of the steering wheel, where the wiper stalk normally lives. It all takes quite some getting used to, and a BMW is generally easier to understand.

The C-Class also has a feature where the steering and engine power can be adjusted into different modes, depending on one's mood, which is fun, although my mother and I left these all in 'Economy' or normal mode. The handling, despite being rear wheel drive, is no match for a BMW 3-series, and the average fuel economy so far seems a bit disappointing, but if you need 60 mpg, then you can always buy the diesel version.

Overall, the C-Class is a surprisingly good car. Spec for spec, after discounts, it worked out £2,000 cheaper than the equivalent BMW 3-series, has much more equipment, and has a more comfortable ride, albeit much more body roll in corners. The high standard specification means that some features feel unnecessary, and the control layout could be much, much better, but for wafting along a motorway, it is hard to beat. The steep servicing costs can be a bit of a concern, as can the ability to turn off all the infotainment system functions without realising it due to poor button placement, but it is a vehicle of exiquisite quality. Just make sure if you buy one that they program the satellite navigation to accept live traffic information before you leave the dealership!

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1999 Skoda Octavia 1.6 GLXI Estate

Today, it is time to consider the 1999 Skoda Octavia 1.6 GLXI estate which I bought for a friend in 2012. For the princely sum of £775, I purchased her from a trader near Dorking. With the engine from a VW Golf, some switchgear in common with Audis and reasonable specification, she was quite a good car. The 1.6 litre engine only produced around 100 bhp, but this was fast enough, although due to the large body, fuel economy was not that good.

The Mk1 Octavia is a very spacious car, and in the spring and summer of 2012, I used to borrow this one quite a lot when I needed the extra space. With a lovely tape player, four electric windows, air conditioning and electric mirrors, she was not too bad for the price. Sadly, the minor faults she had (such as peeling lacquer on some of the paintwork, a squeaking auxiliary drive belt, a couple of slightly broken door locks and a gunged up throttle body) were nothing in comparison with what eventually killed her.

With 68,000 miles on the clock, she seemed a reasonable low mileage car, but then the gearbox failed when my friends were on holiday later that year. She was not worth repairing, and so was sent to the scrap heap. It was a sad moment, as she had been a useful car, especially during a music festival I was part of, when the air conditioning was still working, but there we are!

In general, original Skoda Octavias are known for their durability, as long as they have been correctly and regularly serviced, to which this Youtube series by Car Throttle on a 432,000 mile 1999 Octavia 1.9 TDI will attest:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist…

Note to self, always check the gearbox and clutch carefully when purchasing a used car, even if it seems like a solid buy!

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2013 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 Match (60 bhp)

Today, we are looking at the 2013 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 Match which I hired for a few days towards the end of 2013 in Sheffield. With a 1.2 litre three cylinder engine producing just 60 bhp, this little car was surprisingly noisy and rather slow. Sheffield has lots of hills, and it struggled to get up some of them, despite protests and whining from the little motor. Loaded with five people and or a boot full of luggage was when it was most noticeable, but even with just a driver, it wasn't exactly brisk. Figures online suggest a 0-60 mph time of over 16 seconds....

The fuel economy, however, was pretty good, and it used virtually no fuel during the time that I hired it, which was probably over 100 miles. The interior space and boot space (especially as I didn't realise that it had an adjustable boot floor until later) was pretty average, although the quality of materials was pretty high. Like most Volkswagens (and Volkswagen Group products in general), the Polo does have a good feeling of solidity about it, and the styling of this generation has always been very neat and tidy in my opinion, especially with the 2014 facelift.

Despite just 60 bhp, once up to speed, the car did ride and handle perfectly well, and was comfortable to drive. The Match specification was very well equipped with an AUX input for the stereo, daytime running lights, parking sensors, a large central screen, electric windows and mirrors, air conditioning and, I seem to recall, cruise control.

The little 1.0 litre engine out of the Volkswagen Up!, Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii (yes, that is how you spell all of those names) has now found its way under the bonnet of the Polo within the last couple of years, and despite the same number of cylinders and a similar power output, this is much, much better. Overall, the car is economical, handsome, well built and comfortable, but if you are going to buy a Mark 5 Polo, make sure it is the facelifted car with the improved engines.

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2018 Mercedes-Benz A-Class 200d White Art Edition Premium Plus

One of my favourite past times is seeing what loan cars a garage may offer when bringing in a vehicle for a service. My mother's 2017 Mercedes C-Class needed one its first one this week, and I travelled to her local Mercedes-Benz dealer to see what temporary transportation awaited me there.

As it happens, I was given this 2018 Mercedes A-Class with around 2,000 miles on the clock. The full specification is "200d White Art Edition Premium Plus", which is an absolute mouthful, but it essentially means it has fancy seats, a graphics pack with a racing stripe, massive alloy wheels, alcantara on the steering wheel, and an aluminium insert on the dashboard.

All the usual refinements are present too, such as satellite navigation, power folding electric mirrors, forward collision warning (and very irritating it is too), Bluetooth and various "dynamic" models for the throttle response, steering and suspension. When I drive a Mercedes, I just tend to put the car in "Eco" mode, leave the steering in "Comfort" and waft along. In a car costing, in this case, around £29,000 before any discounts, wafting along is probably what most owners are intending to do anyway!

The 2.2 litre diesel engine produces around 135 bhp (although the car is confusingly badged as a 200d), which is probably adequate for most needs, and the seven speed automatic gearbox seems to shift between gears very smoothly. As it was turning over just 1,800 rpm at 70 mph in seventh gear, I imagine the fuel economy when cruising along the motorway would be excellent.

In contrast to my mother's C-Class, the interior is similar, although the layout of the dashboard and centre console is a little bit different. The A-Class has much the same functionality, but has a less confusing layout, which I rather liked. The plastics and fabric trim at the top of the dashboard and on the doors are a similar grade to a C-Class, but lower down the dashboard and centre console, instead of soft touch, high quality plastics, I found cheap, scratchy pieces which seemed similar to my wife's MG3, which is a third of the price...

Having not driven a diesel for a time, I realised I have missed the extra low down torque of a heavy oil fuelled engine, which pulls comfortably from under 1,000 rpm with little to no throttle input. This makes for very relaxing driving, but I know it would not be brilliant in town, and one does worry these days about the extra particulate emissions, even with ultra clean Euro VI diesels like this one.

In terms of comfort, the electric seats seemed easy enough to adjust, and the driving position is suitable for enthusiastic driving, which something as aggressively styled as the A-Class White Edition Premium Plus appears to be set up for... The ride and handling seem solid and predictable, although I would be willing to bet that a BMW 1-series is probably better in this department.

Premium hatchbacks come in all shapes and sizes these days, and the soon to be replaced third generation A-Class (a new one appears imminently) seems competitive in its segment, albeit a little expensive. I certainly would not choose this particular trim, but go for something altogether more comfort orientated, which sits more appropriately with the typical Mercedes customer. The Audi A3 and the Volvo V40 do everything this Mercedes can do with slightly better build quality and a lower price, but, for my money, I would go for a Mazda 3, which has the sporty, premium feel, but is around a third less expensive.

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2006 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 SXI Twinport

Before I was married, one of the things which remained constant was my former housemate's 2006 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 SXI. Bought from a family friend in 2010 as his first car, it had only covered around 20,000 miles at the time, and is still low mileage even now.

Everyone knows someone who has learnt to drive in a Corsa or owned one, as they have been one of Britain's best sellers since going on sale in 1993. My former housemate's car is a Corsa C (the Vauxhall Nova was known as the Opel Corsa A outside of the United Kingdom, hence the link), which was produced from 2000-2006. At the time, General Motors, Vauxhall's parent company at the time, was offering an incentive for driving schools where each one would get a discount on a new Corsa in the hope that every new driver would want an example of the car they learned to drive in. This increased numbers massively, and both my sister and I learned to drive in Corsas.

This late model Corsa C 1.2 SXI Twinport has been a very good car. It is sparse by modern standards in terms of equipment (no AUX input or Bluetooth for the stereo, for example), but it is very light and easy to drive, and is no problem at all to park. The gearing on Corsas was always towards acceleration rather than motorway cruising, and so this turns over just under 4000 rpm in fifth gear at 70 mph, which is a little noisy... The vague gearchange, for so many years a Vauxhall characteristic, does not help matters either...

Like cars of its era, it also has a non-adjustable steering wheel, although it does have seat height adjustment (a luxury amongst some cars even today), and no side airbags, but it does mean that driving it is much more reminiscent of older times. I drove this as a second car for many years (with my housemate's kind permission) and it never let me down once. Easy to park, with the then class-leading electric power steering, the car is cheap to run and insure, and it is not a surprise that one still sees hundreds of thousands of these still on the road.

For a first car, especially now with prices now under £1,000 even for a decent Corsa C, you could do a lot worse. Maybe the effect of that GM discount for driving schools still hasn't worn off! My former housemate is about to pass his car onto another family member, and it very much seems like the end of an era.

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2016 Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec

Today, we look at Britain's best-selling car for well over a decade, the Ford Fiesta. Produced since 1976, and just replaced for about the sixth or seventh time with a new model, this perky little chap was waiting for us when we arrived at Nice Airport last August.

Most Fiestas have been produced in Valencia since the early days, and I believe they still are. This one had a 1.25 litre Sigma engine, which I believe produced around 80 bhp. It didn't seem very fast, but with a speed limit of local autoroutes of just 68 mph in general, it didn't need to be.

The car had done around 20,000 miles already (hence why it is the 2016 model), and already had a fault with the steering, due to someone having hit the underside before we hired it, but otherwise seemed fine. The air conditioning worked just fine (essential in the South of France), and the controls were clearly laid out and labelled.

The fascia layout, in these days of touch screens, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, is quite dated, but the infotainment system (yes, that is a word) was easier to use than many motoring journalists have said. It does remind one of an old Nokia 6310i, though, which was popular around 12-15 years ago (probably when the MK VI Fiesta was being designed).

The steering, clutch, pedals and gearchange all feel pleasant to use, with the gearbox in particular keeping up the Ford tradition of being pleasurable to operate. The handling seemed fine, although compared with my MG3, a car which is about two-thirds the price model for model, the steering is not as direct and is too light. For town use, however, this is fine.

The boot, at 285 litres, is the same size as the MG3 again, although rear passenger room is not as generous in a Fiesta. The Bluetooth system worked fine, and it was good to have a conventional handbrake and ignition key in a hire car when so many manufacturers seem to have played around with this recently...

The build quality was fine, although some of the materials are a bit more designed to be hard wearing than luxurious, and the seats are comfortable, especially when paired with a good ride, which the Fiesta does seem to have. The engine, having been designed around 20 years ago, is not particularly powerful, smooth or economical, but is perfectly acceptable for this sort of car.

An MG3 is around two-thirds of the price of a comparably specified Fiesta, and does not have such a modern engine line-up, but is almost on a par for build quality, has more rear space, lower insurance and better steering. It does not have the presence that Ford undoubtedly has worked on for years in every town and city in the country, though.

Most people would still choose a Fiesta, butI like the sharper drive, rarity, space and quirkiness of an MG3.

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2014 Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge Automatic

In 2014, a friend and I went to Italy for a holiday. There, we were blessed to be able to hire a Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge Automatic, which was like the one in the picture (I think it may have been a slightly different shade of grey). The so called 'Nuova 500' was released on the 50th anniversary of the original model in 2007, and is still in production today in slightly modified form.

The one we drove in Italy had a 1.2 litre engine, developing around 69 bhp, which was perfectly adequate for Italian city conditions, but somewhat lacklustre on the autostrada and also hills. The automatic gearbox did not help matters either, being one of the worst units I have ever encountered. It was slow to respond, often seemed to have incorrectly spaced rations, and was not very smooth at all. The manual override option didn't seem to help very much either...

Although my lady wife loves the exterior styling (as do most ladies I seem to talk to), the interior of the car is cramped, poorly laid out, and has some quite low quality scratchy plastic. The boot and rear seats are also very small, although it is possible to easily fold them down. The rear visibility is also surprisingly compromised for such a small car, and so I would recommend parking sensors.

The ride and handling are no more than adequate, and the steering is quite vague in comparison to lots of other cars which cost less money and offer more space (Ford Fiesta, MG3, etc.). The other engines in the range (such as the interesting two cylinder Twin Air) are apparently better, but the 1.2 was a major disappointment being rough, only average for fuel economy and not particularly powerful.

The 500 is up against some seriously talented three door competition in Britain, such as the Mini, the Audi A1, the Citroen DS3 and the Vauxhall Adam. Most of them offer more space and a better drive, although the 500 does come in some nice colours and is relatively competitively priced. The biggest problem, however, is within Fiat's own range.

The 500 has only been facelifted since its launch in 2007, but the 2003 Panda, on which the 500 is based, was more comprehensively redesigned 2012, and was always cheaper and more spacious. I don't know what the reliability statistics are for Fiat these days, but they didn't used to be very good, so I reserve judgement on that. Online surveys don't seem to indicate it is any better than average, however.

In comparison with the amazing 1957 original, which is still a marvel of design and packaging, the current 500 is a disappointment. It may cheaper than many rivals, but it is not as talented as them. With limited space, a weak entry level power unit, some poor quality interior trim (albeit with a nice design), and price thousands more than the more practical Panda, I don't find I can recommend it.

For those after a car of this size and style, I would recommend an Audi A1, or, for those on a more limited budget, the Vauxhall Adam. Both have the some of the style, but much more of the substance.

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2010 Renault Clio 1.2 tcE Dynamique

This is a 2010 Renault Clio 1.2 tcE Dynamique, which is identical to one I hired in 2010. This facelifted Mk3 version was much, much better than the Mk2 in every possible way. The 1.2 turbocharged petrol engine (the D4FT), albeit distantly related to the one in the previous car, was vastly different in character and developed around 100 bhp. As well as being much more powerful, it was much smoother, produced much more torque, so was vastly easier to drive. The car also had a new gearbox and clutch, which felt much, much better than any previous French car that I had ever tried. The ergonomics seemed better too!

Along with the new mechanicals, the car also had a very different interior, of much higher quality with better ergonomics, and in ten years of development, there was also much more equipment. There was no satellite navigation, but there were automatic lights and wipers, remote controls for the steering wheel, and wonderful air conditioning. I also very much liked the styling, particularly the front end, which on the Dynamique model has a lovely chrome strip underneath the front bumper.

The ride and handling seemed much improved, and the whole thing had a Volkswagen like solidity, which remains to be seen if it could hold up seven years later, but was certainly evident at the time. If a 2010 Clio is in similar shape to a 2010 Polo or Ibiza, then I would say it may well be worth considering. Renault's reliability record of late seems to be improving, particularly given that the new Nissan Micra is built in one of their own factories in France, but clearly, as with all cars, check carefully before you buy. Lesser models without the turbo probably aren't nearly as nice to drive, but this one was a great deal of fun. My grandfather's late cousin, a patriotic native of Normandy and lover of Renaults for many, many years (after all, the company was owned by the French government until 1991), would have absolutely loved it!

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2000 Renault Clio 1.2 Grande

Today, we start with the first part of "Tale of Two Clios". The green car in the picture is a 2000 Renault Clio Grande, which was a special edition produced somewhere towards the end of the first phase of the Mk2 Renault Clio's life (it was facelifted shortly afterwards). Many years ago, a friend asked me to sell hers, and I duly obliged. This particular car had a 1.2 litre eight valve petrol engine developing 60 bhp, as well as some jazzy seat trim and a six disc CD autochanger under the front seat for some reason.

The D7F engine was used in many Renault products from 1996 onwards, and was still in the Renault Twingo Mk2 in 2014. The 16 valve variant, however, known as the D4F, was in even more products, and was the key unit in the delectable Dacia Sandero until earlier this year, producing an astonishing 75 bhp.

The Clio Grande itself was a special edition (hence the jazzy seat trim and the CD autochanger), based on the mid-range RN model. The performance was leisurely when I drove it, and the engine was quite noisy, but I imagine it must have been quite economical. The dashboard plastics were also pretty nasty, and some of the controls were haphazardly laid out.

In finest French tradition, the gearbox and clutch were a bit spongy and vague with long travel, and the driving position was a little uncomfortable. Also, the back seats were very cramped, with very limited headroom, especially with a taller driver at the wheel.

The car had also developed a few faults by this stage, but at over ten years old, that is by no means uncommon, and at least parts for Clios are cheap and plentiful. The car was eventually traded in against one of my own, and my friend did get her cash in the end.

Part two of the story tomorrow!

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