What fun car will I replace my Honda Civic with?

I have an 08 2.2 Honda Civic and want to change soon. Budget is €17/18k including trade-in value. Any ideas on what to get? Have seen 2010 Citroen DS3 with extras (nav, leather, etc.) for €17k. Like that it's not the norm e.g. Focus or Golf. Would it be a good buy?

David Lacey (Tipperary)

Jul 2012 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi David,

We really like the DS3. It's great to drive and certainly different to the norm. I assume practicality and space in the rear are not a priority, as the Citroen is lacking in those departments.

Going with that, an alternative is the Volkswagen Scirocco. It's great to drive, of even higher quality than the DS3 (which is quite good by the way) and a sure thing when it comes to resale values. Saying that, they're relatively scarce at your price point and the DS3 you've found has more equipment.

Other more interesting cars available at that price that we'd recommend include the Audi A5 Coupé and BMW 320d Coupé.

Come back to us if these are wide of the mark and you'd rather stick to a regular hatchback shape.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D