If you’re looking at buying a car this year, why not considering purchasing a used vehicle? A used car often doesn’t depreciate in value as quickly as a brand new one and if you don’t drive all that much, a used car can make for a better choice than a new one.

If you’re going to be in the market for a new car in 2017, here are some to seriously consider:

1. Kia Cee’d

This is a good all-round car, being spacious and easy to drive. It is also just as good for short around-town trips as it is for longer motorway driving. Best of all, its seven uear/1,000,000-mile warranty can be transferred on the used market, which means you don’t lose that new-car protection, even if you buy it second-hand.

2. Vauxhall Insignia

The Insignia is a handsome-looking car, with high build quality and it makes for a really comfortable driving experience. For someone looking for a great value second-hand car, the Insignia is a good choice because depreciation has hit this particular car hard.

3. Skoda Yeti

The Skoda Yeti is an SUV, but it has lost the bulky look of most of its competition. It has plenty of space for passengers and is a comfortable way to drive. For people needing extra space, the rear seats can be easily moved backwards and forwards and for those occasions when you really need a van, the rear seats can even be removed entirely.

 

4. Dacia Duster

The Duster is easily the least expensive way to own a versatile SUV. It is a solid second-hand car with a high build quality, even if the interior is designed to be more functional than stylish. It has a soft suspension system which helps to make driving long distance comfortable, but it can suffer from leaning if you try to take corners at speed.

 

5. Ford Focus

No list of second-hand cars would be complete without at least mentioning the Ford Focus. It can seat five in reasonable comfort, is great for city driving and motorway use and is a good car to use on those winding B-roads. Its only real issue is storage space – its boot is a good deal smaller than others in a similar size class.

Need to sell your old car to fund the purchase of one of these five models? Get in touch with us here at Simply Car Buyers.

New year, new car. Looking for something stylish, practical, and above all else, fast? These days, UK car buyers are spoilt for choice when it comes to models that fulfill all these requirements – and they don’t have to break the bank either to get them.

The very first hot hatches sold like wildfire when they first hit the market in the eighties, and with good reason. Boy racers and older drivers alike fell in love with the Golf GTIs and Escort RS Turbos of the time, thanks to their more aggressive styling, playful handling, and powerful engines.

Little has changed in 2017. So if you’re in the market for a hot hatch on a reasonable budget, here are our top picks:

Honda Civic Type-R

The first-generation model was renowned for its ability to rev way beyond 8,000 rpm, proving its equal suitability for both the track and the road. An athletic chassis and highly responsive steering mean it’s not as nippy as some rivals, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a car that’s as fun to drive. The legendary Japanese reliability also means you’re unlikely to be visiting the garage too often. Expect to pay between £3,000 and £5,000.

MK6 Ford Fiesta ST

Fast Ford lovers will find few qualms with the sharp and agile Fiesta ST. A 2.0L engine delivers 148 bhp in a car that weighs only 1137 kg, so it’s enough to take the Fiesta from 0-60 in under 8 seconds. It looks the part too; a beefed-up body kit and bigger alloys make no secret of the ST’s sportiness. One thing to be aware of is the firm ride – but it’s a price worth paying. Higher mileage examples can be found for under £4,000 while an extra grand will get you less than 60K.

Renaultsport Megane 225

If you value straight-line speed above all else, then look no further than Renault’s turbocharged Megane 225. It’ll hit 60 miles per hour in a staggering 6.3 seconds, thanks to a 225 bhp engine. It handles well too; throw it into a corner and you’ll get a lot of grip in return. At £5,000 it’s probably the best value of the three – and certainly the loudest one too.

The Detroit Auto Show is one of the most exciting times of the year for car industry insiders and 2017 is unlikely to disappoint.

One of the main reasons for this will be the interest that is currently surrounding the Infiniti QX50. Enough details of the concept car have already been released to suggest that even at this stage, the QX50 may not be that far away from production status. There are certainly striking similarities to the QX Sport, but the reworked bumper and side skirts lend the QX50 a quite striking look that sits it comfortably between the existing QX30 and QX60 models.

Although at first glance it may look like a simple reworking, beneath the handsome chassis there sits a quite unconventional variable-compression turbocharged 2-litre engine. We’ve encountered variable compression engines before (Saab have previously toyed with it), but so far none have rolled off any production line. As well as apparently being significantly (over a quarter) more efficient than a similar sized engine, the inline four-cylinder monster churns out roughly 268hp and 288lb-ft of torque at the flick of a switch.

2017 is likely to be remembered as the year of the autonomous car and the QX50 has no intention of being left behind in that respect. Although details are a little sketchy to date, ProPilot semi-autonomous technology is expected to be an integral part of the QX50, managing to stop and start traffic, lane positioning and maintaining safe distances from other moving traffic. It has been suggested that it is likely to be very similar to what Nissan have been using in their Japanese Serena models; technology, it must be noted, that has so far worked very well.

So the engine, efficiency, body shaping and semi-autonomous technology are all reasons to keep a close eye on the Infiniti QX50. There are details of the QX50, however, which have yet to surface, such as the gearbox, dashboard, and interior. As those details are released it is unlikely to alter the industry and car buyers’ perception that the Infiniti QX50 is likely to leave a big mark on the year ahead. That said, the Detroit Auto Show showcases the best new cars, including many luxury cars, so standing out at the event is never easy.

Are you considering buying a new car for 2017? If so, one of the most important decisions that you need to make is whether you want to invest in a petrol car or a diesel one. Diesel and petrol automobiles differ in several crucial ways, so there are a number of factors you need to take into account when making this decision. We’ve identified the three most important factors for you.

1. Cost

Diesel vehicles aren’t manufactured quite as widely as petrol vehicles and are a little more expensive as a result. Petrol-powered cars represent a more affordable initial investment. However, diesel is a more efficient fuel than petrol, meaning that it provides more miles-to-the-gallon and therefore allows you to save on refueling costs. The at-the-pump prices of diesel and petrol are very close at the moment. Diesel is currently more expensive than standard unleaded petrol, but less expensive than super unleaded petrol.

According to PetrolPrices.com, the average price of unleaded petrol (as of yesterday) was 115.60p per liter. The price of diesel was 118.20p and the price of super unleaded was 129.50p. However, these prices fluctuate regularly, so they should be taken with a pinch of salt. The bottom line is that petrol cars are cheaper, which means that, if you choose to invest in one of these vehicles, you will have a greater range of options in your price range. However, the money you can save on refueling by opting for a diesel-powered vehicle makes them more cost-efficient in the long-run, regardless of the prices at the pump.

2. Performance

Diesel engines generally have superior torque compared to petrol engines. They require fewer revs to generate significant levels of torque, which allows them to pick up speed more easily and enables you to change gears more rapidly. In contrast, petrol engines are more responsive and provide you with a generally smoother driving experience. The difference isn’t particularly pronounced, but if either torque or smoothness are vitally important to you, you should factor it into your decision.

3. Environmental impact

As we mentioned in our ‘cost’ section, diesel is a more efficient fuel than petrol. Ergo, it releases less CO2 for each mile driven than petrol, which means that its overall impact on the environment is smaller. However, it also emits more particulates than petrol and its fumes are more noxious. As a result, petrol cars have less of an impact on the local environment than diesel cars. There’s no right or wrong choice, but it’s worth thinking about your environmental impact before selecting a type of car.

Regardless of whether you decide to invest in a petrol or diesel car, we can help. In order to buy any car, you’ll need to free up funds by selling your old one. As trusted car buyers, here at Simply Car Buyers, we are happy to purchase your old vehicle and provide you with the cash to spend on a new one.

The last couple of years has seen a scramble within the automotive industry to produce new hybrid cars that appeal to motoring fanatics, as well as the Prius-buying eco-warriors who initially championed the movement at the turn of the century. With several large cities now promising to phase diesel engines off their streets in the coming years, there is an understanding of the inevitability that eventually, petrol-only engines will one day follow suit. Toyota, Audi, BMW, Mitsubishi, Volkswagon, Lexus and many other car manufacturers are launching hybrid models for 2017, with each model attempting to up the game in terms of power, reliability and of course, ultimately, desirability.

The new Kia Optima Hybrid certainly at first glance appears to tick many of the boxes we would like to see in a new hybrid model. The car kicks out 192 horsepower and 271 p/f of torque, which for a car of its class is not to be sniffed at. Fuel consumption is approximately 39mpg for city driving and up to 46mpg for motorway driving, so it certainly meets the criteria of being fuel efficient. The efficiency trumps that of the Ford Fusion, the Toyota Camry and is only slightly behind the Honda Accord, so the Optima scores well on that front.

The reworked aerodynamic chassis is striking and pleasing, if not perhaps exciting on the eye. Active grille shutters are a nice touch and no doubt go some small way to the Optima’s impressive fuel economy. The interior is cleanly laid out, well finished and comfortable, but its inherently slightly conservative feel might not send most pulses racing.

With your foot off of the throttle, the 4 cylinder engine cuts out whilst the 50 horsepower engines kick in, allowing comfortable cruising under 62 miles an hour. Put your foot back down and the petrol engine kicks back in, delivering impressive acceleration and a satisfying top speed.

The Kia Optima Hybrid is a solidly impressive hybrid powered car that delivers the sort of fuel economy and green credentials that many consumers are looking for. The engines manage to hold their own against similar emerging models from other manufacturers, and the general quality of the ride and handling scores well too. The slightly conservative and understated feel to the car is likely to have a large bearing on the success of the model, but the essence of a quality hybrid is all there.