The small family car class is undoubtedly one of the most popular amongst Irish car buyers nowadays for several reasons. Not only do cars in this segment tend to be cheap to insure, tax and run in general, but they also hold their residuals exceptionally well.
A recent survey of used car prices on the country’s leading car sales website www.cbg.ie found that the Ford Focus, Opel Astra and VW Golf are the three most popular models in the Small Family segment at present. A quick search on www.cbg.ie also reveals that there is an abundance of these cars currently for sale on the Irish used car forecourts.
The second-generation Ford Focus has been a record seller in Ireland ever since its launch back in 2005 and continually tops the small family sales charts for several reasons. Apart from its handsome exterior styling, broad engine range and inspiring handling, the Focus’ rear is big enough for adults, the doors open wide, and the boot is vast, which explains its popularity with family buyers. The VW Golf is the Focus’ biggest rival and offers the most street-cred thanks to its VW badge, and boasts exceptional resale value as a result.
Lambasted for being too bland on its launch back in 2004, the fifth-generation Golf was extensively redesigned this year with a new model launched in January 2009. The Opel Astra, on the other hand, is arguably the most attractive, least expensive and best-equipped model of the three.
So how do these three best-selling models fare against each other when it comes to used asking prices? The CBG team has reviewed the wide range of each of these popular small family cars for sale on the used section of the site to come up with an approximate used car price guide for the segment. All these cars offer an entry-level 1.4 petrol model, which is obviously the cheapest unit to buy used. The team found that a 2006 1.4 petrol Ford Focus is currently advertised at an average of €16,000 on www.cbg.ie. For a similar-engined Opel Astra of the same age you can expect to pay around €12k however, which makes it significantly cheaper to purchase than the Focus. The VW Golf proves a closer match to the Focus in price, with 2006 1.4 petrol models advertised on www.cbg.ie at an average of €15,500. Although many buyers would see the Opel Astra as the best deal purely because it is the cheapest of the three, this isn’t necessarily the case. Two or three years down the road, when the time comes to sell it on, it will have depreciated a good deal more than the Focus or Golf. That said, with an all-new Focus on the way next year, and an all-new Golf already on sale, the residuals of these two cars could well take a hit in the near future.
Keep an eye out for future used car price guide articles on other popular segments on www.cbg.ie., and check out the used car section of the site to find hundreds of used examples of the cars reviewed above.