New member - any advice greatly appreciated

[Mahiuddin]

My baseline usage of the car are:

1. School runs (6 mile round trip twice a day) (60 miles per week),
2. Weekly Shopping trip (2-6 miles)
3. Twice weekly 9-mile trip (18 miles per week)

Total weekly mileage:    80-84 miles per week

Trips to London over the course of a year (4-6 off):           6 x 500 mile round trip = 3000 miles annual

My essential requirements, of our next car, are:

• Long term reliability
• Low running costs

I came to the following short list of vehicles in order of preference (according to feedbacks, comments I’ve read online from people’s perceptions of various models):

Toyota Corolla

Lexus IS300H

Toyota Yaris

Mazda 3

Toyota Prius

Audi A3

Honda Jazz

My wife’s preference veers towards a Lexus.

Having visited Snows Toyota (Exeter) and Lexus (Exeter) a few weeks ago, and having seen the new Toyota Corolla and it’s price, I am inclining towards a Lexus myself.

Please don’t hesitate to suggest any models you think fit my requirements.

I’m looking for something that is no older than 5-years, and I’m not eager to go over £20k, ideally under £14k.

Any particular trims I should go for?

Currently, I'm looking to purchase a Lexus IS300h, upto 3-years old.

Any ideas what trim I should go for, and what is the best price I should pay without feeling as if I paid over the top and neither going to cause myself an embarrassment by offering too low?

Edited December 17, 2019 by Mahiuddin
Sentence re-structuring.

[olliesgrandad]

IS300h is a great choice. For ride comfort the f sport can be on the firm side. I don't know if size is an issue but a slightly bigger (and better finished in my opinion) car is the GS300h. 

I have owned both and the GS is almost as good on fuel as the IS with more room and comfort. They are quite competitively priced too. 

A 250 mile round trip into London from Gloucester saw 54mpg tankful to tankful with a 2015 GS300 luxury, but both cars are a sound choice. A nice low mileage GS from a main dealer should be well in budget if you don't mind getting a slightly older car(Lexus used car warranties are excellent). 

As far as IS300h go finding a car is down to the spec you want and the comfort of the ride. Certainly I have driven early and late versions and the later cars seem more fuel efficient. Lexus dealers always ask top dollar, don't be afraid/embarrassed to make low offers. Don't forget 31st of December is end of quarter for nearly all dealers and they need to meet targets and shift cars that have been unsold for 90 days. Get yourself a late Christmas present and save a few thousand 😊

 

[Mahiuddin]

Thank you for the really great advice and suggestions. I will look into the GS models, as space and size is also a factor, but I hadn't mentioned it.