Ford Escort 1.8i Zetec Mark 6 (Si / LX)

Advantages: Sporty Look, Nice engine, cheap to run, good modding car
Disadvantages: Reliability, not made anymore, common, not the quickest car around

...speed quite rapidly. If you drive the car sensibly, it has quite an impressive MPG figure. Ten pounds worth of petrol lasts about a week in mine and I do a fair bit of driving. Styling The interior of the car is cosy. The seats are comfortable and tastefully upholstered. The dash is set out nicely and it doesn't have them annoying plastic caps that tell you that the higher-spec model as something your car hasn't. I have the five door version which is spacious and easy to get in and out of. The Escort LX comes with central locking, electric front windows, drivers air bag, tachometer and trip-meter as standard. The 1.8LX has drivers seat electric-height adjustment (which is nice) and headlight aim adjustment. The rear seats also have head restraints. The Escort exterior is quite sporty but practical at the same time...

lunaticrik 28.06.2004 (18.01.2005) · Read review
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Review of Ford Escort 1.8

Ford Escort 1.8 Ghia Si 4dr

Advantages: Running costs, nice to drive, well specified
Disadvantages: Reliability not with the best, engine raucious when worked hard

...Ford's Escort has been the mainstay of the small hatch market for years, and with good reason. My rare edition of the 1.8 saloon has been a reliable and comfortable friend for the last couple of years. Whilst a Golf might have more badge appeal, and the 306 probably better to drive, you just can't knock the value of the Escort. I picked up mine just as the Focus arrived and secured a very good deal on it. This Ghia Si model has all the bells and whistles, including 15" wheels, RS2000 front bumper with fog lights, full velour trim, all electrics plus ABS. Whilst the 1.8 (105PS) Zetec is not what you'd call refined, it does produce a lot of low down torque, handy for quick getaways at roundabouts. Provoke it a little more and there's an admirable amount of surge, but being quite a heavy car it's no hooligan. In 45,000 miles...

BenW 29.06.2001 · Read review
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Review of Ford Escort 1.8

1.8 LX TD

Advantages: Great interior, cheap to buy, cheap parts
Disadvantages: Everything goes wrong at once

...Im only 20 and I love my Escort. This must say something if it was designed for a middle aged family or as a fleet car. Im also a student so there wasn't much of a budget when I went looking for a car twelve months ago. I have always been interested in cars so when it came time for me to get one I made sure that I was clued up n which to look at. I read all the reviews and even went as far as to get insurance quotes on the different models to see which would work out best for me. I needed a diesel car because of the mileage I do and the Escort makes these miles pass by very cheaply. I can do around 450 miles per week if I'm busy so the 45mpg I get from the Escort really makes me smile. As with all fords the interior is excellent. For a car of this price (I paid around £1400 for a 1996 model), I haven't seen a car...

slshepley 26.05.2004 · Read review
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Review of Ford Escort 1.8 TD Hatchback

Focus 1.8 TDCi - a great not so little car

Advantages: Fantastically economical for its class
Disadvantages: High torque from engine can be expensive on tyres

...I've had a Focus 1.8 TDCi for a little over a year, following a two year stint from a Fiat so I may be a little over enthusiastic about the Focus! However, I've been driving for over 20 years (Oh God that long...) and have driven a silly number of cars over this time. I think I've found a car I finally can settle with for at least the rest of the finance term!!! Which is unusual as I get bored very quickly! The feel of the car overall is one of comfort but without the disconnected feel you can get in some larger cars and you really can have the confidence in the motor to pull hard when you need it. Inside, the car feels roomy for its class and the seats seem to hug you quite nicely. I used to have to sit at a slight angle in many of my older cars to reach pedals and steer yet in the Focus I can sit in a relatively normal position...

S1monPage69 12.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

Land Rover Freelander 1.8 XEi petrol

Advantages: Excellent, unobstructed view for driver, spacey interior, useful wind-down back window, economical, great towing
Disadvantages: loss of power up hills, can have mechanical problems

...This vehicle is Great for a younger person, as it has a cheaper group for the insurance than most other 4x4's with it's 1.8 engine. With most other 4x4's having 2.0, 2.5 engines, I needed a 4 wheel drive but could not get/ afford the insurance with being just over 20 at the time. This vehicle competes well against other 4x4's in aspects of: TOWING, using a horse box I moved home in 3 trips and having put all the white goods in one trip I didn't even know I was towing. I have also used it to tow horses up and down the windy highland roads. It's ECONOMICAL petrol consumption. It is very SPACIOUS, I used my Freelander to move house filling it full to bursting and on the 400 + miles on country road and A roads it still managed an average of 37 to the gallon. This vehicle has exceptional performance in snow and ice,you do not even...

LizzJ 18.12.2004 · Read review
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Review of Land Rover Freelander 1.8i 

Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec C-MAX.

Advantages: Roomy, upmarket quality & quiet.
Disadvantages: Hand brake position needs getting used to.

...7 footers! Upholstery is plain side panels with inset silvery zig zag finish, it comes in 2 colours according to the paint colour.ie Dark has light upholstery & light has dark finish. TOYS, adjustable steering column, upwards & in & outwards. Intermittent variable wipers with the advantage of speed for front match the speed for the rear wiper. If the front wipers are on and you go into reverse the rear wiper automatically wipes. Built in computer, giving mileage, MPG, amount of fuel left in tank, average speed, low outside temp and for those of you that go abroad changeable miles to kilometres. The engine, comes in 1.6 petrol/1.6 turbo diesel, 1.8 petrol & 2litre turbo diesel. Rated at 110 BHP for 1.6's, 120 BHP and 136 BHP. Fuel consumption so far has been impressive, todate I am achieving 36-36.5 MPG. Mileage is now at 23...

Beefy 28.11.2003 (14.09.2007) · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8

Ford Focus TDCi 1.8 Ghia (2004)

Advantages: High MPG, Comfortable, Quite and plenty of leg room.
Disadvantages: Extra costs hidden in services

......

BAZ1951 05.12.2006 · Read review
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Review of Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Hatchback

Buying a USED A3 1.8T

Advantages: Reliability, quality of build, performance
Disadvantages: Costly servicing, fuel economy low if pushed

...In March of 2004 I purchased a three year old, Y-reg Audi A3 1.8 Turbo-sport three door. The first thing that struck me with this car was the build quality and feeling of being in a very solid car. Despite being a smaller-sized hatch, this car has a surprisingly large amount of front space and a boot that could swallow whole families. Yes, the rear seats do have less leg room than you would expect in a car of this size, but the front sports seats cause this. In the non-sport model, the standard seats do allow for exra legs in the rear. The boot can comfortably hold three sets of golf clubs and if I collapse one side of the 2/3 split rear seats, six can easliy be squeezed in. The interior trim is fantastic, despite being three years old, this car doesn't possess a single rattle or knock from any corner or orifice. My model has...

Psymon100 23.07.2004 · Read review
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Review of Audi A3 1.8 T

MX5 1.8 Sport

Advantages: Dead easy to drop the top (and put it up again)
Disadvantages: Fuel economy coulld be better

...For the Summer I purchased a second hand MX5 1.8 Sports. It was 4 years old and had the matching hard top as well as the permanently fitted cloth soft top. I had done my home work and this was the one that every review was recommending. It is one of the limited edition Sports and as such comes with leather heated seats. First things first, off came the hard top and into storage until winter. The hard top was very simple to remove and the soft top just flips up and down. However neither my wife or I can pull the soft top up when sitting in the seats. One of us has to get out. Both the hard top and soft top have a heated rear window which is essential and in a two seater cabin. The fold up rear wind deflector is not that good so long hair still gets blown forward. Top Gear did an effective demonstration of the difference...

ForlornHope 23.07.2007 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.8i

Vauxhall Zafira Elegance 1.8

Advantages: Roomy, easy to drive and fairly economical
Disadvantages: Horrible blind spot and electrically unreliable

...I have owned my Zafira (elegance 1.8) for coming up to 3 years. It is a V reg. and has been a lovely vehicle to drive, comfortable and easy to get passengers in and out. Children love it due to the height and added visibility for them. The 7 seats have been a godsend at times, but having to remove the boot cover bar each time and store it at home can be a pain in the proverbial. The boot space with 5 seats is very spacious, but minimal with 7. I do have a huge concern with the visibility from the windscreen ,on each side, due to the roof support blocking a significant amount at certain times, e.g turning out from a junction. I've only had one near miss (that was one to many for my liking) and the experience taught me to be even more vigilant when checking the coast is clear. This is a common complaint from others I know who...

007addict 16.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Vauxhall Zafira 1.8i