[Colburn]

I took in the Lyon Auto Show today to check out a few different cars (Hyundai i10, Skoda Citigo, Citroen C1, etc.) and found myself thinking that the VW Golf was kind of big...

 

[95995]

I took in the Lyon Auto Show today to check out a few different cars (Hyundai i10, Skoda Citigo, Citroen C1, etc.) and found myself thinking that the VW Golf was kind of big...

So many cars now look big to me, whereas I considered them medium-size in Oz (where on the whole there are far fewer large cars than by US standards). I have a C3 and have started to hanker after something smaller (had a second-hand C4 Picasso for a short time, then decided it was too big, not just for narrow streets, but generally.

 

[Bevdeforges]

Just wait until you make your first visit back to the Old Country. Every time I have been back I spend my first few days there in absolute awe of what HUGE cars everyone seems to be driving. On a couple of occasions, the rental car companies have offered to upgrade me (for free, even) to a bigger car - but I just don't want to drive anything that big.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[Smeg]

I took in the Lyon Auto Show today to check out a few different cars (Hyundai i10, Skoda Citigo, Citroen C1, etc.) and found myself thinking that the VW Golf was kind of big...

We bought a VW UP which is exactly the same car as the Skoda Citigo as a 'city' car.....and the engine is superb. I rate it very highly. It is great to drive and and very practical. Having said that, I would never ever buy a VW /VAG car again.....big scandal with their customer service (like the USA with vag cars). In fact I would not buy a German car again. OH has a BMW company car and that is a disaster too.

A French relative has the Peugeot 207......and I would say that is by far the worse car I have ever driven. It is totally.....TOTALLY...unsafe.

So what would I buy in that size........I would probably go Japanese to be fair.

Vag !!!.....would rather walk. Never...AGAIN.....and I am a big fan of the MK 1/MK2 Golf GTI. Of which I have had many.

So german cars suck...and French ones are unsafe.

 

[Bevdeforges]

Sort of in line with our discussion about health cover (and American perceptions thereof) this discussion has reminded me of the very American attitude/belief that if everyone else has a big, overstuffed vehicle, then you HAVE to have a huge car, too - simply for "safety" (i.e. so if you get into a wreck you'll have some "protection" in the bulk of metal that is your car).

Though I'm with Smeg - used to be a big fan of German cars, but after the whole Dieselgate thing, I will stick to my Toyotas. (Though having a good garage that specializes in Toyota has quite a bit to do with that, too.)
Cheers,
Bev

 

[Bellthorpe]

On a couple of occasions, the rental car companies have offered to upgrade me (for free, even) to a bigger car - but I just don't want to drive anything that big.

Ditto. It's not just the bigliessness of them - upgrades are often cars that don't have the handling and braking characteristics of the car first chose.

Many years ago in San Francisco, the modest Ford that I had booked was upgraded to some model of Cadillac. After week 1 (of a 4 week rental) I took it back and demanded to be 'downgraded'. It was the worst handling car I had every had the misfortune to drive. Positively dangerous.

 

[Smeg]

I just detest modern cars. Everything about them makes me so angry. It is like they are designed by people who don't drive cars.

My 27 year old Saab 900 is still the best car I have ever driven. The heater (just the heater as an example) works better than any modern car that I have ever driven. I turn a knob and the car is hot. Simples !!!

 

[alicewaimea]

As far as change goes, what about electric cars?

 

[bhamham]

As far as change goes, what about electric cars?

Absolutely, and electric motor bikes. Paris drives me nuts with noise polution from macho petrol fueled motor bikes - chainsaws on wheels

 

[alicewaimea]

Which are the better ones?

 

[Poloss]

We've always had a big family so always had big (French) cars / monospace / vans / minibus (VW Combi twice).
2CV, 4L, Ami 8, R5, Visa, 205, Fiesta, VW Cox were always too small.
Now we've gone over to KIA - good car.
Still hesitating over that 6m20 long motorhome...

Sir James Dyson is masterminding a revolutionary electric car but it's still a secret.

 

[Colburn]

Just wait until you make your first visit back to the Old Country. Every time I have been back I spend my first few days there in absolute awe of what HUGE cars everyone seems to be driving. On a couple of occasions, the rental car companies have offered to upgrade me (for free, even) to a bigger car - but I just don't want to drive anything that big.

We've always been a "small" car family, the last ones were a Honda Civic and a Subaru Impreza, but both of those would be considered mid-to-large cars in Europe.

 

[Colburn]

So german cars suck...and French ones are unsafe.

Thanks for that opinion, it puts VW and Peugeot at the top of my shopping list!

(I'll probably wind up with a Hyundai.)

 

[Colburn]

As far as change goes, what about electric cars?

Great, if you never intend to do more than 320-400km in a day as that's all they'll currently do before a recharge.
As for me, I wanna roam!

 

[Brit (really)]

We've always been a "small" car family, the last ones were a Honda Civic and a Subaru Impreza, but both of those would be considered mid-to-large cars in Europe.

The Civic has moved up from being a small car to a medium sized one and an Impreza would never be considered to a large car.
The VW Golf has also grown over the years. The current model is almost twice as heavy as those from the 1980s. If you were looking at Citroen C1 and VW Up sized cars it's not surprising that the Golf seemed large, it's two sizes above the others.
As SMEG points out the Up and it's similar sized siblings are great little cars. In terms of comfort, economy, performance and convenience they knock an old SAAB into a distant second last.
If you're looking for an electric car look for a low mileage second hand Renault Zoe and rent the batteries. There are some tremendous one year old bargains around.

 

[alicewaimea]

I am looking into them, (electric cars) as so many countries seem to be starting to move towards them for the future. I have seen a lot more charging stations. I realize that for the autobahn power drivers they are not yet there maybe, but for me they would be enough. Tesla has the edge on power I believe, but no track record.

 

[DejW]

That's ok for today...in 10 year's time electric cars...and trucks, aeroplanes will be the norm.

In the 1900s people were saying the same about the unreliability and short range of these here new fangled horseless carriages.

Everything pollutes in some way, even horses and electric cars. I read somewhere that if you analysed the amount of horse manure on the London roads from 1860 to 1890,we would be waist deep in the stuff by 1930. Probably a good forecast, but technology delivered some surprises.

DejW

Great, if you never intend to do more than 320-400km in a day as that's all they'll currently do before a recharge.
As for me, I wanna roam!

 

[DejW]

We've a Renault electric car in the family. The feed back from them and from others is that electric is great for town only and as a second car.

I've explored the economics of buying an electric car and renting a biggger car for long journies. Answer..not now but sometime soon.

DejW

I am looking into them, (electric cars) as so many countries seem to be starting to move towards them for the future. I have seen a lot more charging stations. I realize that for the autobahn power drivers they are not yet there maybe, but for me they would be enough. Tesla has the edge on power I believe, but no track record.

 

[Brit (really)]

We've a Renault electric car in the family. The feed back from them and from others is that electric is great for town only and as a second car.

I've explored the economics of buying an electric car and renting a biggger car for long journies. Answer..not now but sometime soon.

DejW

I agree with the sometime soon statement. I'm holding off because I don't need to change my car and am worried that if I buy an electric car now I might miss out on the next significant step forward. However, if my everyday car blew up tomorrow a year old Zoe would be very high on my list of possibilities.

 

[Smeg]

As SMEG points out the Up and it's similar sized siblings are great little cars. In terms of comfort, economy, performance and convenience they knock an old SAAB into a distant second last.

The Up does have a fantastic engine and very long gear ratios so it does have amazing performance for 1.0 l. Very difficult to drive at the speed limit on a motorway because it is so zippy. It is very comfortable too....and convenient in cities.

BUT, it does not have the charm and sheer driving pleasure of a Saab. A good Saab will cost half the price of an UP, cheaper to insure and very easy to maintain. Parts are cheap as chips. So economically, it is actually better than a brand new VW up. It also drives and handles like a sports car. The boot is enormous so great for Ikea. It is one of the safest cars ever made. If a modern car hits you they will disintegrate. You won't.

Also, if you drive a 'voiture ancien' you will be surprised how much respect other motorists give you when you are out and about. You won't get that in a new car. Quite handy in Lyon given how insane they are.