I aquired my VW Bora 1.6 S in November 2005 but at the time I had my heart set on a VW Golf Mk 4 TDi. However I soon found out that this was way out of my price range and was persuaded to have a look at a Bora.
The body of the car is pleasing to look at but not as impressive or sporty as ... Read review
Benfield Motors Renault approved Volkswagen Bora Saloon 1.6 16v S 4dr manual in Green.The ... more
car has covered 67,790 miles and has a manufacturer recommended combined MPG of 39.80.Additional Info: Insurance Group 6. Emission Count 170g/Km, What Green Car R...
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Advantages: Good Performance for 1.6, Comfortable, Safe, Reliable Disadvantages: Expensive replacement parts and servicing, Difficult to park at first
I aquired my VW Bora 1.6 S in November 2005 but at the time I had my heart set on a VW Golf Mk 4 TDi. However I soon found out that this was way out of my price range and was persuaded to have a look at a Bora.
The body of the car is pleasing to look at but not as impressive or sporty as the Golf Mk 4. Both share the same chassis, engine, and parts, additionally VW claim that due to the extra mass (1248Kg to be precise) the Bora holds ... ...true this is but my simple physics GCSE tends to make me believe them.
The interior of the car is very well laid out with comfortable seats in the front which 'grip' your back nicely. The seats in the back aren't so good, however as I'm never in the back its not a major issue - Leg room in the rear is adequate but not fantastic. Front seats are fully adjustable (legroom, lumber, and tilt) albeit not electronically controlled. The boot ... more
I aquired my VW Bora 1.6 S in November 2005 but at the time I had my heart set on a VW Golf Mk 4 TDi. However I soon found out that this was way out of my price range and was persuaded to have a look at a Bora.
The body of the car is pleasing to look at but not as impressive or sporty as the Golf Mk 4. Both share the same chassis, engine, and parts, additionally VW claim that due to the extra mass (1248Kg to be precise) the Bora holds the road better and is safer. I don't know how true this is but my simple physics GCSE tends to make me believe them.
The interior of the car is very well laid out with comfortable seats in the front which 'grip' your back nicely. The seats in the back aren't so good, however as I'm never in the back its not a major issue - Leg room in the rear is adequate but not fantastic. Front seats are fully adjustable (legroom, lumber, and tilt) albeit not electronically controlled. The boot space for the Bora is fantastic being deep and wide with more than enough space for a few golf club bags AND the weekly shopping.
The drivers control panel is neat in appearance and solidly built on touch - This car has one of the best night backlights for a dashboard I have seen with a cool deep blue for the dials and bright red for the speedo/rev pointers. The steering wheel is made of a robust material which still allows a good grip, additionally this is also fully adjustable so that people of all sizes can drive this car in comfort.
Safety wise the car doesn't let itself down with ABS, Airbags, Side Impacts Bars, and EPS as standard - Now if your a bit of a car novice like myself your probably asking yourself 'What the hell is EPS' ... well it stands for 'Electronic Stability Programme' which is basically VW's version of traction control which helps keep the car from going into a spin/skid but controlling the amount of power/braking to wheels indvidually. This feature actually saved my life when a driver decided it would be a good idea to move into my lane on the motoroway whilst overtaking forcing me onto a grass verge. Within miliseconds the EPS kicked in (you can feel EPS when its engaged) allowing me to correct my course and move back onto the motorway unharmed.
Peformance is actually very impressive for a 1.6 engine (however when the car is heavily loaded the engine can strain a bit). One area you do have to watch is the top end performance as it can be quite hard to keep this car at 70mph on the motorway - just the tiniest of touches on the accelerator and you're nearing 90Mph. The top speed is quoted at around 125Mph, however you should never in your right mind be willing to drive at such a speed! Handling is responsive but slighly on the heavy side, saying that the car does grip the corners very effectively.
Fuel economy is nothing to shout about and for a car which is in good condition your looking ar aorund 320-400 miles a tank depending on your driving style.
The Bora has recently been superseded by the Jetta so you cannot buy this car from new. The 2nd hand market is quite generous with the selection and well worth looking at for a decent deal, however I would recommend always trying to get from a VW dealer first due to any potential after sales issues that may occur.
In conclusion this car is solidly built, safe but fun to drive and excellent value for money. However be prepared to fork out for expensive replacement parts and servicing. For a 2nd hand Bora expect to pay ~£5,000 for a car in good condition with 40,000 miles on the clock.
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kmc25_1 22.11.2005 (11.03.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Volkswagen Bora 1.6
Having had my Bora for just under three months and covered over 12,000 miles already. It really is any excuse to get in the car. I used to loathe having to go down to London for meetings, now its "Yeah, great I'll fit in a trip to a client in Bristol as well!"
My main reason for buying the car was its level of comfort as I do cover a few miles a week and spend most of my time sat in the car as a result. The level of equipment is commendable as well, ... ...appalled at how poorly equipped it was in comparison given the extra £7,000 it cost. Not a drink holder in sight, crappy stereo, plasticy interior. For that money I'd rather have a V5 Bora.
The handling is great, in my view it's better than the Golf, just feels a bit more stable and no matter what anyone says it is not a Golf with a boot, the only common body parts are the windscreen and front doors. Talking of the boot, it's cavernous for the size ...
Niknak 16.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Volkswagen Bora 1.6
Advantages: Handling, Looks, Style Disadvantages: lacks on extras
The VW Bora, some people have not heard of this car before neither had i till i was looking for a VW Passat and was offered a bora instead, as soon as i saw it i fell in love with its looks, Metallic blue, only 22000 miles on a W-reg (2000) , 1.6s 16v, FVWSH, PAS 4x Electric Windows, ABS and that Beautiful bluey glow from the dashboard all VWs come with all for £7499.00. but thats where it stop i bought the car and at first it was amazing as lively ... ...a tiger, for the first few days, then i filled the tank with petrol got 4 passengers in and off i went, "stalled it", unbelieveable the extra weight was making the handling sluggish i didnt like it one bit my new car did not have the power to keep up its performance (dont get me wrong i am talking about the Bora that was the Base of all the others), on the drive i came too quite a steep hill with a car in front only going about 40 mph on the 60mph ...
andrew28 11.06.2004
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Volkswagen Bora 1.6
Advantages: Comfortable ride, large boot, quality interior. Disadvantages: Parts can be expensive, struggles up hills, poor rear legroom.
I bought my VW Bora 1.6S second-hand 2 years ago and I have since driven 60k miles. I wanted a Mark IV VW Golf but found the Bora was approx 20% cheaper with a boot nearly double the size. The driving position is very good with comfortable seats and pedals and wheel all nicely aligned in the centre of the drivers seat unlike my previous French car. The rear passenger space is comfortable but the legroom is cramped for the size of the car. The instrument ... ...red glow which I have found is easy to read and doesn't dazzle. The ride on the 15inch tyres (I have Michelin Energy tyres fitted) is very smooth although it does lean quite a bit round corners.
I log my fuel economy figures every time I fill up using the brimming method and over 60k miles the worst has been 38mpg with sole city centre driving and my best 50mpg on a long run to Lego Land cruising at 56 mph. My average is 47mpg although I do drive ...
HoneyBear77 19.03.2007
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Volkswagen Bora 1.6
Advantages: Reliable, excellent handling, cool gadgets and good fuel consumption Disadvantages: Not as spacious as the Passat
An excellent all rounder. We have been using it as a family car and although their are a few complaints regarding the shortage of space at the back, the car is virtually faultless. The best thing about the Bora, as any other Bora owner will tell you, is the smooth drive. Its like your on a plane. Anyone who has driven a smaller or older car will tell you that once they got into the Bora, it was like they were driving on a velvet carpet - well nearly. ... ...comes in between the VW Golf and the VW Passat and has the best of both worlds - the smoothness of the drive and the stature of the car.
Inside, the car feels and looks modern, especially with the many gadgets and tools. You find new gadgets every now and again which you never thought existed. Only a short while ago, after many years of ownership, I found a medical kit behind the middle seat at the back. Hence, the VW Bora is a car which would suite ...
Haide 10.07.2005
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Volkswagen Bora 1.6
Value for Money
Road Handling
Comfort
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Fuel consumption
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