Do you remember the 1980s TV quiz Going for Gold? The presenter, Henry Kelly, in his lilting Irish brogue, would start with a questions like, “what am I?” Then go on to describe objects, people or places and contestants jumped in when they recognised his ramblings.
Let’s play – I’ll be Henry.
Henry: “Who am I? I drive a bright green Vauxhall Agila Eco-flex. I like the high quality workmanship and solid (for the money) feel. The high seats and roof make it easy to climb in and out of.
Contestant #1: An O.A.P.
Henry: Close, but no, I’m afraid not Contestant number one. You see, when you go to parallel park the steering is initially very heavy and the gear change into reverse is extremely tough. Most OAPs need things to be easier than that. [Henry winks in sympathetic encouragement before continuing]
I chose my car because it is only 1680mm wide so slips through inner city gaps with ease. I also appreciate the funky rev counter and speedo as enjoyable design touches.
Contestant #2: A student?
Henry: Ah, sadly not, they drive Fiat 500s and Ford Kas, I believe. The Agila just doesn’t look anywhere near as cute for the fashion-conscious student. [Henry rolls his eyes then gets back to reading the question]
When fitted with the 1.3 CDTi ecoFlex engine I can achieve up to 62 mpg. While the 0-62 time is unremarkable 13 seconds, it is very nippy at lower speeds. Yet despite the relatively small size of the engine, when I do have to venture out of town, it is refined at motorway speed and impressively stable on the road.
Contestant #1: Are you a courier?
Henry [Visibly stunned]: Now what makes you say that Contestant number one?
Contestant #1: Well, they need economy to keep costs down, reliability to ensure they deliver, want to nip in and out of traffic but occasionally need to make longer journeys and will want something capable.
Henry: It’s not what Vauxhall have written on my card as the answer, I can tell you. But, sweet Mary, it makes sense to me, so forget my BBC pension, they can sack me for it if they want, I’m going to give you the points!!! [Rapturous applause form stunned audience]
What’s the market like?
There are a few hundred of the new-shape Agilas in the used market. The small petrols engines have depreciated quickly to nearly £7,000 in the best cases, for 2 year old cars. The 1.3 CDTI engine is holding a firmer price however, reflecting its versatility. But there are also 3 petrols to choose from for every one diesel, so the savvy low mileage buyer will probably be better off going for the petrol.
Network Q dealers are the places to buy these at the moment because you get extra guarantees on quality and reliability, plus some dealers, like Evans Halshaw have price promises that mean they will match the best in deals in the area.
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What else can this budget buy?
A nearly new (less than 1 year old) Agila is about £9,500. If we work on the basis a one year old Agila is £7-8,000 (depending on the engine, as you will see in the price pages) the city car competition means you can have a practically new Hyundai i10, but the 1.1 engine is very weedy. Or a practically new Ford Ka, which is better looking and just as well built. You can also afford a 2009 plate Volkswagen Fox, but its very wide and the build quality is not what you might expect.
A Citroen C1 is ridiculously overpriced for what it is, so we’ll skip that and look at the one everyone wants: The Fiat 500. By far the cutest, it is also least likely to lose lots in depreciation. A 2009 plate car is out of the question, but a2008 plate car with 5-8,000 miles is similar money to the Agila.
Summary
An impressive little car, if not quite perfect. Heavy to park and clunk gears marr an otherwise impressively built little car that comes with a mighty (powerful, economical and refined) 1.3 diesel engine.
By: Matthew Tumbridge