New compact car - comparison of the cost of buying and operating popular models

One of the main criteria for choosing a car, in addition to its price, is operating costs. We have checked how much you should spend on buying and using the most popular compacts in Poland: Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus - both petrol and diesel.

We took into account three new models that, according to the Samara Automobile Market Institute, dominated the compact car market in 2013. These were Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus.

We compared the purchase prices, running costs and loss of value of the cheapest versions of these vehicles with both petrol and diesel engines. We assumed that the annual mileage of the car is 20 XNUMX. km.

We accepted two options for using the car - three and five years. Operating costs, in addition to the purchase of fuel, also include a fee for its maintenance arising from the warranty conditions. We did not include OSAGO tariffs, as they vary significantly depending on the region of the country, the insurer, discounts, and even the age of the driver.

Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus - prices for new cars and engines

In the case of the Skoda Octavia, the purchase price of this model in the cheapest Active version is PLN 60 for a car with a 400 TSI 1.2 hp petrol engine. and PLN 85 for a car with a 72 TDI 100 hp diesel engine.

Volkswagen Golf in the cheapest Trendline version (five-door) costs: PLN 62 - 990 TSI 1.2 hp petrol engine. and PLN 85 for a 72 TDI 990 hp diesel engine. The purchase prices of the Ford Focus (the cheapest version of the Ambiente) are: PLN 1.6 - petrol engine 90 58 hp and PLN 600 for a 1.6 TDCi 85 hp diesel engine.

The cost of service at an authorized service station - warranty inspections

Service inspections of Skoda Octavia, both with petrol and turbodiesel engines, are planned every 30-20 km or every two years. Taking into account the fact that the Skoda is covered by a two-year warranty, this is a potential user who will drive 1.2 per year. km, you will have to return the car to an authorized service center for inspection only once during the warranty period. The cost of the service for a model with a 493,41 TSI petrol engine at a Skoda dealership is PLN 1.6 (materials and labor). In the case of the turbodiesel version of the 445,69 TDI, the maintenance fee is PLN XNUMX.

The Volkswagen Golf must also undergo an inspection every 30-20 vehicles. km or every two years. The car is also covered by a two-year warranty, ie. during its term - with an annual mileage of 1.2 thousand. km - the car will have to be checked at least once at an authorized service station. For this service, the owner of a VW Golf will pay twice as much as the owner of a Skoda Octavia. Inspection of a car with a 781,74 TSI engine costs PLN 1.6 (materials and labor) and with an 828,66 TDI engine it costs PLN XNUMX.

Ford has shorter service intervals than Skoda and VW. In the case of the Focus, an inspection must be carried out every 20 thousand. km or every year. So the user of this car must provide for two technical inspections during the warranty period (with an estimated annual mileage of 20 1.6 km). Price Ford Focus 20 inspection for ASO for 508,69 thousand rubles. km is PLN 40, and 715,69 thousand km - PLN 1.6. In version 20 TDCi review, 543,50 thousand kilometers have been covered. km costs PLN 40 and PLN 750,50 thousand each. km – PLN XNUMX.

Fuel cost

Fuel consumption is one of the key components of a vehicle's operating costs. We base our comparison on manufacturers' data. The actual consumption is higher, but it depends on how the vehicle is used.

Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI consumes an average of 5,2 liters of gasoline per 100 km. If we cover PLN 20 with this car annually, km, we will spend PLN 5501,60 on fuel, with an average price per liter of gasoline Pb PLN 95 - PLN 5,29 (average price at Polish gas stations from 19 February 2014, report of the Polish Chamber liquid fuel). After three years of operation, we will spend PLN 16 on gasoline and PLN 504,80 for five years.

If we use Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI (average fuel consumption 4,1 l / 100 km), then the annual cost of diesel fuel will be PLN 4370,60 5,33 (average diesel price is PLN 19 from 2014 February 13, statement by the Polish chambers of liquids). fuel). We will spend on fuel PLN 111,80 in three years and PLN 21 in five years.

Annual refueling of Volkswagen Golf 1.2 TSI (average fuel consumption 4,9 l/100 km) costs PLN 5184, three-year - PLN 15, five-year - PLN 552. As for the Golf 25 TDI (average diesel consumption 920 l/1.6 km), you will have to spend PLN 3,8 per year on fuel, PLN 100 in three years and PLN 4050 in five years.

On the other hand, the annual cost of fuel for a petrol Ford Focus 1.6 (average fuel consumption of 5,9 l/100 km) will be PLN 6242,20. For three years, PLN 18 726,60 will have to be spent on fuel, and for five years - PLN 31. A Focus with a 211 TDCi engine (average fuel consumption of 1.6 l/4,5 km) will consume PLN 100 per year of diesel fuel. In three years it will be PLN 4797, and in five years it will be PLN 14.

Residual value, i.e. How cheap is a car

How much a new car will cost after a few years of use is not a strict cost of ownership, but certainly influences the choice of one model over another.

According to the EurotaxGlass agency, which deals with the car market, the owner of Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI will be the least unprofitable. After three years of operation, the car will cost 57 percent. its initial price, and after five years - 40,2 percent. In the case of the Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI, it will be 54,7 percent. (in three years) and 37,7%. (in five years).

The cost of the Volkswagen Golf 1.2 TSI will be 56,4 percent in three years and 38 percent in five years. VW Golf 1.6 TDI, sold in three years, will cost 54,5 percent. and after five, 41,3 percent.

Ford Focus 1.6 three years after leaving the showroom will cost 47,3 percent. the initial price, and after five - 32,2 percent. The 1.6 TDCi version of the Focus will cost 47,3% in three years and 32,1% in five years.

Summation

Considering the purchase price, the Ford Focus is the most attractive in both engine options. On the other hand, when comparing maintenance costs, the Skoda Octavie is the best.

In terms of fuel consumption, the most economical are the Volkswagen Golf, which also hold the price the longest (low loss of value).

The cost of buying and operating a car (annual mileage of 20 thousand km)

purchase price	review cost	fuel cost	loss of value
Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI Active	60 400 zł	PLN 445,69 (30 thousand km each)	PLN 16 (504,80 years) PLN 27 (508 years)	57% (after 3 years) 40,2% (after 5 years)
Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI Active	72 100 zł	PLN 493,41 (30 thousand km each)	PLN 13 (111,88 years) 21 (853 years)	54,7% (after 3 years) Present in several = 37,7%
Volkswagen Golf 1.2 TSI	62 990 zł	PLN 781,74 (30 thousand km each)	PLN 15 (552 years) PLN 25 (920 years)	56,4% (after 3 years) Present in several = 41,3%
Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI Trendline	72 900 zł	PLN 828,66 (30 thousand km each)	PLN 12 (500 years) PLN 20 (250 years)	54,5% (after 3 years) 41,3 (after 5 years)
Ford Focus 1.6 Environment	58 600 zł	PLN 508,69 (20 thousand km each) PLN 715,69 (40 thousand km each)	PLN 18 (726,60 years) PLN 31 (211 years)	47,3% (after 3 years) 32,2% (after 5 years)
Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Ambiente	69 100 zł	PLN 543,50 (20 thousand km each) PLN 750,50 (40 thousand km each)	PLN 14 (391 years) PLN 23 (985 years)	47,3% (after 3 years) 32,1 (after 5 years)

Wojciech Frölichowski