Too bad they don’t exist anymore
The automotive world is dynamic: segments come and go. One of the segments that has disappeared is that of the compact station wagon. In the distant past you had an ‘order version’ of even the smallest models, think of the Austin Mini Clubman and the Fiat 500 Giardiniera, but nowadays you have to look for it in format Astra, 308, Mégane … In between were cars such as the Peugeot 206/ 207 SW, the Renault Clio Estate, the Seat Ibiza ST, the Skoda Fabia Combi and of course the current Mini Clubman. All but this last one are gone.
Foreign. And a pity, because compact enough to be handy in the city and spacious enough to be able to take a lot with you. The somewhat unfortunate appearance of some models (first generation Clio Estate, second generation Fabia Combi) will undoubtedly have played a role in the short-lived existence of this segment. We are looking for a compact glutton with 8 mille in the cut.
Renault Clio Estate TCe 90 Energy Authentique – 2014 – 142,504 kilometers – €7,950
That dull Clio Estate I got a much more sparkling successor in 2013. Our Laurens van den Acker provided an almost artistic, sculptural appearance, not least because of the choice of trendy colors, such as this beautiful red Renault Clio. But you know how it is with art: form trumps function. This also applies to the Clio Estate II. Because although the car of the used cars portrayed is the largest, it is the tightest on the inside, while the luggage space nestles in volume between Seat and Skoda (both with the back seat up and down). The 2-TKD-63 has more than 142,000 kilometers of experience, driven by three owners. Warranty is not mentioned in the ad, and that’s a pity.
The Clio Estate is quite an entertaining car to drive. The blown three-cylinder is doing well, but to keep up the momentum, higher speeds and regular downshifts are needed. The chassis (independent all around in combination with transverse arms) knows what to do with these aspirations: bumps are well filtered out, it is stable in (faster) corners, thanks to stabilizer bars at the front and rear. The Clio also sends nice and direct, but on the light side. More feedback would be welcome! The same applies to the five-speed gearbox. Inside we find a playful dashboard, of which not all plastics feel equally high-quality. The seating furniture is fine.
Although the Authentique is the entry-level model, it is not necessary to bite the bullet: hill assist, traction control, LED daytime running lights, air conditioning and cruise control are present, for example. Like the Fabia, the Clio requires maintenance every 30,000 kilometers / two years (Ibiza: 15,000 kilometers or every year) and, like the Ibiza, a twelve-year body warranty applies (Fabia: ten years, so it expires next year). This Clio Estate is a lively appearance that remains within limits in terms of maintenance costs. Here and there, however, form precedes function.
Signaling
Brand Renault
Type Clio Estate TCe 90 Energy Authentique
Construction year March 2014
Mileage 142,504
Asking price €7,950
Where to buy? Car company Henk van Rossum, Boxmeer
Technical data
engine 3-cyl. in-line, 898 cc, turbo
max. assets 66 kW/90 hp at 5,250 rpm
max. couple 135 Nm at 2,500 rpm
Luggage room 443 l/1,380 l
Max. trailer braked 1,200 kilograms
Avg. consumption 1 in 21.7
0-100km/h 12.2s
Top speed 185km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Seat Ibiza ST 1.2TSI FR – 2014 – 118,435 kilometers – €7,950
For the same amount, this sleek Seat Ibiza ST is at your doorstep. Less arty, more sporty attired than the Frenchman, especially in the FR trim. We also find this atmosphere inside, including dashboard clocks with ‘hanging’ pointer needles. The 85 hp engine does not drive a kilometer faster, but it looks cool! The P-488-BS is a month younger than the XL-Clio (and has a lot less experience), but that cannot be seen from the license plate: import, so. And although the TSIs had already improved on many fronts in 2014, it is definitely advisable to purchase this used car with a warranty, partly for that reason. Costs extra: six months including MOT and major service makes it €800 more expensive, three months is €500. In the front, the Ibiza offers the most space of our trio, rear passengers are the best in the Fabia. At the very back, the Spaniard carries the red lantern. Case of lifestyle combination?
Does the dynamic appearance live up to expectations on the road? Reasonable: think Volkswagen Polo, but a pinch sharper. Familiar and solid on the one hand, but just a little more sturdy. The five-speed gearbox also shifts just a bit tighter. All in all, the Spaniard feels a bit more serious than the more frivolous Clio Estate, but the 1200 engine obviously does not live up to FR aspirations. It is nice that the Ibiza (and Fabia) has a four-cylinder on board. It sounds a bit more cultivated than the Renault three-cylinder. Moreover, it runs slightly less revs at the same speeds.
Inside we find a combination of Italian flair (dash clocks) and German solidity (gloomy black and gray). It doesn’t look as cheerful as the interior of the Clio, but it does the job: everything is in the right place where you expect it, the finish is neat. That is also the furniture, but we find the Clio seats more pleasant. It is noticeable on this import FR that, for example, seat heating is present, but electric rear door windows are not.
Signaling
Brand Seat
Type Ibiza ST 1.2TSI FR
Construction year April 2014
Mileage 118,435
Asking price €7,950
Where to buy? Car company Jawie, Beuningen
Technical data
engine 4-cyl. in-line, 1,197 cc, turbo
max. assets 63 kW/85 hp at 4,800 rpm
Max. couple 160 Nm at 1,500 rpm
Luggage room 430 l / 1,164 l
max. trailer braked 1,200 kilograms
Avg. consumption 1 in 19.6
0-100km/h 11.7s
Top speed 180km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Skoda Fabia Combi 1.2TSI Sprint – 2014 – 134,420 kilometers – €7,999
If we want the station version of the Fabia for 8 mille, then we have the choice of the second generation of a year of construction and with a mileage that corresponds to the other used cars portrayed, or a younger one of the current generation with a lot of kilometers more. We therefore opt for the Eastern Bloc variant and then end up with this Skoda Fabia, for example. Well, you don’t have to buy that Czech for the looks, but why should you? Well, because the 9-SZD-99 is offered with a warranty. And because it is the most spacious for people and luggage. In short: simply clever!
Less clever is that its lift threshold is the highest and that the permitted trailer weight is slightly lower, as well as the maximum payload (555 kilos, Clio: 620 kilos) and nose weight (50 kilos, both others can carry 75 kilos). Remarkable, because the power source is exactly the same as that of the Spaniard. Even with this occasion you will not pull the vowels out of the street when accelerating, but you don’t have to. As a carrier of family-plus-package, the Fabia Combi has plenty to offer. And not just in terms of space. Construction and finishing of the interior are neat and absolutely not dated, the furniture is satisfactory.
In terms of luxury amenities, this Fabia is even the most richly endowed: the rear side windows can be operated electrically and the passengers feel less watched because of privacy glass. The EuroNCAP score of 4 stars in the crash test (Clio and Ibiza: 5 stars) shows that the Fabia has been around for longer. On the road, the Fabia Combi II behaves good-natured and predictable, but lacks the touch of joie de vivre that the sparkling Clio offers or the Spaniard’s touch of sportiness. The intended target group may not need that at all. Space without frills, that is the strong point of this occasion.
Signaling
Brand Skoda
Type Fabia Combi 1.2 TSI Sprint
Construction year January 2014
Mileage 134,420
Asking price €7,999
Where to buy? Trade garage Stroet, Zwaag
Technical data
engine 4-cyl. in-line, 1,197 cc, turbo
Max. assets 63 kW/85 hp at 4,800 rpm
max. couple 160 Nm at 1,500 rpm
Luggage room 505 l / 1,485 l
max. trailer braked 1,100 kilograms
Avg. consumption 1 in 19.2
0-100km/h 11.7s
Top speed 177 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Which of these compact station wagons is right for you?
In the segment of the compact station wagon, the flush has always turned out to be thin, but there was still enough distinctiveness to be found: the beautiful Clio Estate where form takes precedence over function here and there, the sporty Ibiza ST that emerges as a lifestyle station and the level-headed Fabia Combi. Which of these three would be your choice? Alternatives: Mini Clubman and Peugeot 207 SW.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl