Yeah good points RSV.
However my current turbo 4 not a zb 106000 made in Germany no issues whatsoever.
Prior car another 4 turbo sold it at 278000kms no issues apart from timing belt brakes shocks.
My local auto tranny shop reckoned this gm 9 speed auto is fine.
It’s an interesting argument 4 vs 6 seems more car enthusiasts on this site have the argument for the 6.
Don't get me wrong, the four-pot was genuinely impressive, but the six put a smile on my face.
Like you, I've had a series of four-pot Euros and the performance and economy in all cases was excellent, but there's an awful lot to be said for a lazy V6 with an overall simpler design - theoretically there's less to go wrong. But I agree, no issues with a modern turbo as long as it's properly maintained.
Nor do I buy into the 'torque is king' argument; turbo fours like that in the ZB produce a lot of torque, granted, but imagine you're in a 2.0l Diesel dual-cab and that you're trying to overtake a 2.0l petrol ZB on an incline - all things being equal, the ZB will easily win that race because the diesel will 'run out of puff'. Now imagine the same 'race' and you're in a V6 - which is going to get to the top first?
Yes, I realise this is an unscientific argument, but it's just for the sake of comparison.
Push the FWD and AWD around a corner briskly and there's a noticeable difference in the cornering. Even more so in the wet. For me the argument for the AWD is simply one of greater safety. If you're just going to putter up the road to the shops once or twice a week, the four will do - but if that's the case, do you really need a large car? An Astra would do a better job for short runs...
Look, if you're after something 'cheap and cheerful', you can't go past the LT for value, but if you actually enjoy driving, you'll appreciate the six. The other downside of buying the LT is that there's usually more low-spec variants of any car on car sales, so you have to price yours more competitively when it's time to sell.
As I, and others have said, drive the four & six back-to-back and compare for yourself.
That's what I did.
I was looking for a cheap, reliable car with warranty to drive between Brisbane & Hervey Bay every weekend so I drove a couple of fours in Brisbane, saw there are V6s for the same price in SA & Vic., actually drove a V6 and I was sold on it immediately.
But if, like others on here, you don't like or want the 'toys', save your money, buy the RS - it's just as quick as it's bigger brother...
(and think of how much money you'll save on fuel over the next five years using E10 rather than Premium ULP!)
If you end up going for the six and
really enjoy driving, consider spending the extra $5k over an RS ad get an RS-V; they're next-level...
Having had plenty of 'luxe Euros' in the past, I greatly appreciated the leather heated seats - the side & thigh bolstering is better and there's a tilt & extend function on the seats. And all the 'enhanced toys' greatly calm my 'existential crises'. The sports steering wheel & flappy-paddles don't hurt either
Whichever way you go, I'm sure you'll be happy