General Why should I choose the Panda over the i10?

[JD82]

This issue is really bugging me, on paper the I10 beats the basic Pandas in quite a few ways, it has a higher NCAP score too so ignoring the paper why is the Panda a better buy?

I still prefer the Panda purely because I love the idea of a basic honest car but also I would rather have the FIAT badge, but I am being snobby.

The Hyundai also comes with a five year warranty.

So convince me why the Panda is a better buy

The cool factor is winning the Panda for me, but it seems like a silly reason to spend £5k

 

[Scrogg]

So convince me why the Panda is a better buy

Personally I don't think it is

 

[udtrev]

There's a simple answer to this

'Because you have taste'

 

[trackdayqueen]

A friend of mine just bought an i10. It isn't bad at all. Aircon as standard too.

 

[JD82]

I had hoped for some very biased replies telling that the i10 is a washing machine. I don't want to like the i10 but it seems there is a lot to like about it.

Hyundai have also said I could have the car in March 1st, where as with the FIAT I will be waiting ages. Hyundai have offered me £2k swappage for my car, but I don't know what condition the car has to be in as the head gasket is on going.

Down the pub its "don't buy a Hyundai" but they are all being snobby but I know a lot more about FIAT than Hyundai.

 

[Scrogg]

Down the pub its "don't buy a Hyundai" but they are all being snobby...

I can guarantee you that a good majority of these people know nothing about cars.

The group I work for sells both FIAT and KIA (and let's face it, the Picanto is pretty much the same car as the i10 under the skin) and the consensus amongst those of us that actually know what we're talking about is that the Korean offering is a superior car to the Italian one.

Putting aside the better standard specification at entry-level, the 5 year warranty (or 7 if you go down the route of the poorer relation to Hyundai) alone makes the i10 a better proposition.

 

[JD82]

OK it seems a lot of people like the I10, so on paper the i10 clearly wins, but if it was your hard earned cash which one would it be?

Before I mad this thread my mind was almost made up but I kept having a nagging doubt about how good the I10 is and how it may be the better deal.

This thread has now convinced me that maybe afterall the I10 is the better car. I do have an offer for finance with FIAT though and I don't know about Hyundai yet as I haven't tried so that could sway me for the FIAT.

However if Hyundai offered me the credit tomorrow and said I can have the car on the 1st of March it might be too hard to say no.

 

[JD82]

Insurance has made my decision for me, the Panda is £250 a year cheaper to insure.

 

[AskCy]

Go and find an example of each car out in the real world (ie not set up in a show room) and look at them next to other cars, real world situations...
I was considering all the small cars and the Hyundai was one of them but I went for the Panda... and I'm glad I did... just the look of them is enough for me..

Steve

 

[Myers100]

Do not buy the Hyundai without driving it. All small Fiats I've driven over the years have been great fun to drive. I have fallen foul of buying dreadful cars without driving them first to list but two....Nissan Micra and Citroen C3. I've had experience of the Kia Picanto and thought it was dreadful. Have had a couple of Panda's and found them great to drive and extremely reliable.

 

[doofus_hp]

The i10 is a sensible choice, it just doesn't stir any emotion in me. I don't know for sure (and I can't be bothered looking) but I doubt there are many hyundai forums as busy as this one - what does that tell you?

A guy at work has an i10, he looked at the Panda too and couldn't stand it. It comes down to personal choice, buy what you want, not what some stranger on an internet forum or down the pub tells you.

 

[Schwenck]

To add to what's already been posted, it's your money and your choice; don't buy the car your mates want, buy the car you want. And do go for a decent test drive in both, and if you can blag an extended run preferably over the same route (shared dealers like Scrogg mentions would be ideal for this).

To be honest, you won't go far wrong with either of them but the i10 should be better as it's a younger design with a longer warranty. But when has buying a car been just be a 'head decision'? Which one would be the one in six weeks time (when the novelty of the new has worn off) you will turn round to look at as you park it for the evening? Which one would you jump into for the simple joy of a thrash round town late one evening? Which one would you take a sneaky photo on your phone when you think no one is looking? Only you can say.

Personally, I'm pretty envious of your dilemma...

 

[pandaforest]

Simple answer to this!

Buy the one you want!! I wanted a Fiat Panda and not an i10 so guess what, I ordered a Panda FREERIDE!!!!.

 

[JD82]

To add to what's already been posted, it's your money and your choice; don't buy the car your mates want, buy the car you want. And do go for a decent test drive in both, and if you can blag an extended run preferably over the same route (shared dealers like Scrogg mentions would be ideal for this).

To be honest, you won't go far wrong with either of them but the i10 should be better as it's a younger design with a longer warranty. But when has buying a car been just be a 'head decision'? Which one would be the one in six weeks time (when the novelty of the new has worn off) you will turn round to look at as you park it for the evening? Which one would you jump into for the simple joy of a thrash round town late one evening? Which one would you take a sneaky photo on your phone when you think no one is looking? Only you can say.

Personally, I'm pretty envious of your dilemma...

Thanks you have just answered my own question

Insurance is now very expensive as my Corsa had a window smashed in on Tuesday But I am moving soon anyway so that may not be an issue long term.

The Panda is cheaper to insure despite not being as safe so that suggests the Panda is cheaper to repair. I also agree with you on warranties for what the Hyundai one covers its peanuts and I probably won't be keeping the car long enough anyway, there is no way I could keep a Hyundai for five years.

Back to why you have answered my own question. If I had the Hyundai I would not really want to blag about it, I would feel I had to justify my choice, the Panda however will probably become my wallpaper. I love small FIATs, the only reason I didn't buy a Sciento over my Corsa was my Corsa was 3 star NCAP and the Cinq was 1.5.

The I10 is a fantastic car probably for people who want no fuss reliable motoring, the Panda is not as good but it sets my pulse racing.

I still haven't fully decided and will test drive both cars and which ever is best to drive I will buy.

 

[Cian]

Because the Korean one will bore you to death.

 

[babbo umbro]

I think the generally fair-minded replies are a credit to the forum - so let's redress the balance by suggesting that keeping European workers occupied makes more sense than supporting wherever the Hyundai comes from.

 

[ThisBitterPill]

the Picanto is pretty much the same car as the i10 under the skin and the consensus amongst those of us that actually know what we're talking about is that the Korean offering is a superior car to the Italian one.

Intersting, because we test-drove the Picanto before we bought the Eleganza....

The Picanto's brakes (all discs) felt very over-servoed and made for a few neck-jerking stops! (It had only just been launched so they may have resolved this)....And the build quality just wasn't up to the Panda ....

Finally the thing that put MrsP off was having the indicators on the RH stalk (even though any driver of old minis would like this as I did)

 

[paul100hp]

Save up a bit more money and get yourself a pre reg new shape fiesta.

 

[Scrogg]

...The Picanto's brakes (all discs) felt very over-servoed and made for a few neck-jerking stops! (It had only just been launched so they may have resolved this)....And the build quality just wasn't up to the Panda ....

Finally the thing that put MrsP off was having the indicators on the RH stalk (even though any driver of old minis would like this as I did)

The early ones were a bit, erm, suspect in a few areas, but the current model is much better.

And all KIA have the indicators on the (technically wrong for a RHD car) side now.

 

[306maxi]

Hyundai have also said I could have the car in March 1st, where as with the FIAT I will be waiting ages. Hyundai have offered me £2k swappage for my car, but I don't know what condition the car has to be in as the head gasket is on going..

Head was gone on my car and it was fine as a scrappage car