Big Col

My dad is looking at new shape 2005-on diesel Focii. 2 questions....

1. He hasn't driven one yet but 'guy down the pub' says the 1.6 is underpowered for the size of the car. Better off getting the 1.8 diesel.

2. There are 2 different flavours of the 1.6, 90bhp and 110bhp i believe. What is the 100% certain way to tell which version you are looking at? engine code? co2 g/km on the V5?

any other pointers on what to look for when buying one of these is much appreciated.

Shark Man

The 1.8 110ps and 1.6 110ps are no slower than each other - the 90ps obviously is slower, but I wouldn't say it was underpowered either. As none of them are exactly speed demons, the 90ps pulls well at low speeds and will happily chug up motorway inclines at 80mph with 4 passengers staying in 5th all the way, the most noticeble lack of oomph is when accelerating hard and revving the nuts off it doesn't seem to make it go any faster.

I've driven both and I'd say there is hardly any performance difference between the 1.8 110ps and 1.6 110ps. The 1.6 is smoother and has a broad power band, whilst the 1.8 seems to have more surge at low revs but power drops off more at high revs. So due to its peaky behaviour, it feels faster than it actually is. (0-60 stats back that up).


But lets get a few things straight though, so here's some counter-pub talk :-

For starters, the 1.8 is the heavy old iron age clatter banger single cam 8valve unit dating its roots back to the early 1980's. Albeit massively improved thanks to modern fueling and a variable geometry turbo. It might be noted on other threads that I dispise this dinosaur of an engine, but the current version is the best derivative of this engine ever since it was first made, so if you do have to have a 1.8, the post 2005 version is the one to get.

In contrast, the 1.6 is a modern all alloy lightweight (for a diesel) twin cam 16valve engine, and is the best of its kind. Which is why its found in various Peugeots, Citroens, Volvos, Suzuki, Mazdas and Minis.

So IMO the 1.6 110ps is the one to get.

Big Col

excellent, thanks for your view

vindaloo

1. Utter bolox.... If he was talking petrol cars then there's a case. But not with a diesel.

2. As for the engines... Have a look at the HDi or diesel sections of the usual Peugeot and Citroen websites. As per usual, they can "do" the odd turbo. No idea of any particular weaknesses though.

J.