Mommy Needs A New Car! (Vauxhall Agila 1.0i 12v)

Name: ukusa

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	Vauxhall Agila 1.0i 12v
Date:	24.08.06 (279 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cost, Petrol Milage, Size

Disadvantages: Not going to win any races!!

There are a lot of changes one has to make when they have a baby. The sleepless nights, the stinky nappies, the look of love and adoration from a life form so small and the CAR!!

Yep, that is right, the car! Well, my car at least because I had a little sporty two door that I soon realised would not fit the car seat or the pram!!! What was I to do?!! I HAD to get a new car. I needed a "Mummy" car! No IF, ANDS or BUTS about it! Have baby….. WILL travel!!

I decided I needed to make a list of priorities on what I wanted in a new car. So I began…..

1- Low cost as having a baby is not the cheapest endeavour in the world.
2- Fit the car seat and pram AT THE SAME TIME!!
3- Four door with easy of putting in car seat.
4- Power Steering
5- Low Tax
6- Low Insurance
7- VERY good on petrol mileage

So, off I went in search of this new "mummy" car! After much research, I ended up with the Agila Expression.

You can find the boring nuts and bolts of this car at the end of the review.

Now, what do I think of my new car?

Well, lets look at what my priorities were.

1- CHECK! The standard price for the cheapest Agila, the EXPRESSION, is £6,255. However, I was able to use my GM points from my credit card which amounted to £1,135. I received a further discount from the dealer and in the end it cost my only £4,875!!!!
2- CHECK! I have a Maxi-Cosi Cabrio car seat fits nicely and easily. Our Quinny Buzz Pram fits easily standing on it's side. The split seat system also allows me to put car seat in AND push down half the seat to put pram or any other shopping I may have. I easily brought my sister home from the airport with her two large suitcases, the pram, the car seat and the two adults!
3- CHECK! It has the standard four doors and a hatchback that allows ease of loading boot.
4- CHECK! Many of the smaller cars don't have power steering and this one is very smooth.
5- CHECK! Car tax is £100 a year.
6- CHECK! It is insurance group 2. You can't get much better than that!
7- CHECK! It gets nearly 50 miles per gallon!! With the petrol prices now and the need for me to commute to work, this is exceptional!!

So, it meet my criteria for a car. What about how it handles, you ask?

Well, the outside is very deceiving. It is a very compact car. However, open it's doors and you swear you are in a HUGE vehicle!! The high ceiling keeps you from feeling claustrophobic. My husband is a bit over 6 ft. tall and he loves the head space and also the leg room. He doesn't look like he has to fold himself in half to get in and ride. Even the boot surprises you when you open the hatchback. You are expecting to see a 6 inch piece of boot. However, they really thought about this and the boot goes back under the back seat as it slants, giving lots of room. If you need any more room, the split back seats allow you to pull down half or all the seats to significantly increase the boot area. Because of the high ceiling, you can really get in BIG items for hauling!

The Expression is the basic version. Thus, it comes with the basic seats that I find comfortable and tall. I found it really supported my back. The adjustable head rests makes it fit any height of person. There are loads of little compartments for placing odds and ends. It has a cup tray as well. The clock and digital temperature gage are in good eye level position as well as the controls for the vents and heater. The basic radio is sufficient with only AM/FM ability. This is one item I plan on changing in the near future.

Driving is easy. However, the engine is a tad bit loud. It is not something that bothers me. But, I can see how it could bother other people. I just turn up the radio!!

It doesn't go much past 80 miles per hour. It cruises easily at 60-70 miles per hour. If you want to pass someone on the motorway, then you HAVE to down shift. In first and second gear it has good pick up and go. After that, it takes it a bit more time.

It can easily seat 4 people. However, there are seat belts for 5. Maybe 5 would fit if they are 3 children in the back. I wouldn't try to put 5 adults in there!

Parking is so nice and easy. It easily fits into the tightest of spots and is highly manoeuvrable. I don't worry about not being able to get a Mummy and Child parking spot as once parked I can easily get out "Jr." from the car without damaging my car or the one next to me.

The Expression comes in 3 basic colours: Red, Blue and White. I found that the Red looks a bit like Postman Pat's Van and I just hate white as a colour for a car. So, I settled for the Navy Blue.

There are 2 other versions that cost a bit more and have more in them. They are Enjoy and Design and come with a few more extras. However, I could not justify the extras with the amount extra it cost.


On The Road Car Price £6,255

Transmission - 5 Speed Manual Gearbox
Body Style- People Carrier
Driven Wheels- Front (FWD)

Engine Capacity- 998 cc
Cylinders-3
Power - 60@5600 bhp/rpm
Torque - 65@3800 lb/ft
Emissions Class -EU4
CO2 Emissions - 139 g/km -
Maximum Speed- 90 mph - (Man)
0 - 60 mph - 16.7 seconds - (Man)
NCAP Crash Test Rating
Insurance Group - 2
Service Interval- 20000 miles
Warranty- 3 years / 60000 miles
Fuel Type - Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Capacity - 41 litres / 9.02 gallons
Combined Fuel Consumption -48.7 mpg - (Man)
Length - 3535 mm
Width - 1620 mm
Height- 1660 mm
Wheel Base - 2360 mm
Split/ Fold Rear Seat - Standard
Boot Capacity - 240 litres (min) - 597 litres (max)
Kerb Weight -965 kg
Towing Limit -650 kg
ABS -Standard
Front Seat Belt Pre-Tensioners -Standard
Driver Airbag -Standard
Immobiliser -Standard
Power Steering -Standard

Conclusion: This car met all my requirements. My new "mummy" car is just that- a great car for mum to drive around in with the kids that doesn't cost too much. I wouldn't suggest long trips in it. However, for every day needs. This is a perfect car!! I would definitely recommend it if you have the same criteria I had.

Summary: The Agila is a great little car that allows you to same a bit of money but still get around.

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Driving comfort: