1.2 engine - thoughts?

[ryanb741]

I ended up ordering my Sportback S-Line with the 1.2 as I was advised it was perfect for someone like me who will use it to nip around London and no more than 5000 miles a year. I am worried though that it may be a bit underpowered although the dealer reckoned it was a far more sensible buy for me than the 1.6 TDI as it was equally powerful and almost as fuel efficient.

Does anyone else have this engine?

 

[RossR]

I don't recall anyone going for the 1.2 on here but a couple of people have the 1.6 TDI. Obviously it would be best to test drive the engine before ordering but that's not always possible.

I can see the salesman's logic. A diesel doesn't make sense on low mileage and 105ps is probably enough around London.

I drive my wife's car regularly on a mixture of all road types. That's an 85ps petrol car which weighs only slightly less than the A3. I'd describe it as adequate.

With 105ps you obviously won't be the fastest car on the roads but you won't be the slowest either.

 

[MT3]

I ended up ordering my Sportback S-Line with the 1.2 as I was advised it was perfect for someone like me who will use it to nip around London and no more than 5000 miles a year. I am worried though that it may be a bit underpowered although the dealer reckoned it was a far more sensible buy for me than the 1.6 TDI as it was equally powerful and almost as fuel efficient.

Does anyone else have this engine?

I have the same engine in my polo and can assure you, you will not be disappointed as it is very nippy and ideally suited to driving around town and a and B roads and on average returns around 45-50mpg.

 

[Vertigo1]

Low power engines can be very economical for mainly urban driving, especially petrols over diesels as the latter don't really show their potential economy until fully warmed up.

Be wary though if you tend to drive with a lead foot. If you hoon around town quite a bit then you'll be pushing a smaller engine much harder than you would a large one and that can really harm economy.

 

[sftdi]

I ended up ordering my Sportback S-Line with the 1.2 as I was advised it was perfect for someone like me who will use it to nip around London and no more than 5000 miles a year. I am worried though that it may be a bit underpowered although the dealer reckoned it was a far more sensible buy for me than the 1.6 TDI as it was equally powerful and almost as fuel efficient.

Does anyone else have this engine?

I am looking at the 1.4 122 ps petrol myself and after reading a few commentss on here, some say its pokey, some say it lacks grunt. I had a test drive in a A3 3 door today as the dealer did not have a SB available at the time.

Coming from an A1 1.6 TDI, it felt fine. Decent bit of poke and very refined. I guess it boils down to what you are used to. If your current car is a speed machine then its always going to feel underpowered.

 

[Karl Alesbury]

I found the 1.4 122 ps pretty quick compared to my 100BHP Seat Ibiza 1.9 TDI - The TDI will always have the upper-hand on pull, but I anticipate my new 1.4 140 ps to be quicker.

 

[mjcourtney]

I came from the 140bhp 2.0TDI on the A3 8P and found the 1.4 122 very comparable in terms of acceleration. Obviously it does lack the torque when loaded, but for day to day driving it's plenty nippy enough

 

[ryanb741]

So basically the 1.2 should be fine? £30k for a 1.2litre was somewhat surprising and I just wanted to check the car would be sufficiently powerful for hoiking the Mrs and our baby due in October round London and perhaps one motorway trip a month down to my mum in Sandbanks,Dorset

 

[mjcourtney]

I think you'll find it sufficiently powerful enough for your needs

 

[manmoth]

Engines of today are not comparable to those of yesterday.

1.2 would once be considered a small engine on any car but with all the millions spent by car manufactures on efficiencies and technology 105bhp is more than sufficient for a run-arround. I went for the 1.8 because I was coming down from a 2.0t Seat Leon but I think I could have gone for the 1.4 and still been happy with the performance and I do a lot of motorway miles.

 

[Daveotto]

Engines of today are not comparable to those of yesterday.

1.2 would once be considered a small engine on any car but with all the millions spent by car manufactures on efficiencies and technology 105bhp is more than sufficient for a run-arround. I went for the 1.8 because I was coming down from a 2.0t Seat Leon but I think I could have gone for the 1.4 and still been happy with the performance and I do a lot of motorway miles.

My current 1.4TFSI is pretty pokey and as I think I mentioned in a previous post a French colleague of mine thought I had it deliberately under badged after taking him out in it. So agree that the 1.2 will be fine inLondon

 

[dorgs]

I have the 1.2 stronic for about 2 months now and it's a great little engine. My previous was a 1.4tfsi 8p and while this obviously isn't as quick, it's a fair bit more economical. It's also surprisingly quick, especially in lower gears. It's only really overtaking at motorway speeds that you'd notice it's a little down on power (compared to the 1.4) but it still has plenty. Overall though, I'm glad I went for it over the 1.6tdi as I reckon it's prob more responsive and it's very good on fuel, plus a lot cheaper.

 

[moonlight]

, but I anticipate my new 1.4 140 ps to be quicker.

and it will be!

 

[Equilibrium]

Is it worth thinking about the resale? Surely a bigger engine will be a lot more popular (if it's not far off the economy of a smaller engine?).

Something to think about anyway!