Little wonders
Which of these trendy second-hand city cars is a better buy?
SEAT Mii 44.4mpg (on test) £39 fill-up SEAT Mii by Mango
Years: 2011 to date Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 74bhp Ins group: 4 Official econ/co2: 60.1mpg/108g/km Why? The best small car to wear a SEAT badge, the Mii is refined and perfect for city driving.
Prices from: £3,500
THE Mii is the latest and unquestionably best small car to have worn the SEAT badge. Along with its Skoda Citigo and Volkswagen up! cousins, it redefined standards in this class.
All three stablemates have the same basic architecture and engine. But the Mii was cheaper new than the VW, and gets a dose of Spanish style – especially in this Mango special edition, inspired by the fashion house, which brings unique paint and badges, silver door mirrors and alloys, plus Alcantara and leather seats.
The 1.0-litre petrol three-cylinder is the only engine in the Mii range. It’s not turbocharged, so power outputs are a modest 59bhp or 74bhp.
Still, great visibility and light controls make the Mii a breeze to drive in town, while the low levels of road and wind noise mean it’s equally as good on motorways, with a comfortable ride.
Yet although the Mii is a brilliant city car, the same can’t be said for SEAT’S network of franchised garages; it finished bottom of our Driver Power 2016 dealer survey.
SEAT Mii by Mango
SEAT’S link-up with Mango has given its sensible city car some fashion-inspired style. The special edition won’t be to all tastes, but even so, whichever Mii you choose is a great option.
Renault Twingo
THE Twingo is funky, affordable and likeable. While it’s cleverly packaged with plenty of space inside, it’s also nimble and easy to drive. It’s not hard to see its appeal, but it does cost more.
Renault Twingo 40.9mpg (on test) £39 fill-up Twingo SCE 70 Dynamique
Years: 2014 to date Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 69bhp Ins group: 3 Official econ/co2: 67.2mpg/95g/km Why? Quirky styling and rear-engined set-up make the Twingo an interesting option in a competitive class.
Prices from: £3,875
WHETHER you think the tiny Renault Twingo is cute, quirky or charismatic, there’s no doubt it’s an interesting addition to the city car sector.
It has an unusual layout for this class, with the three-cylinder engine tucked under the boot floor, and whether you go for the 69bhp or 89bhp version, it drives the rear wheels. This means rather different packaging to most urban runabouts, freeing up lots of room inside, while the layout also allows a turning circle that’s as tight as a London taxi’s – perfect for city use.
But out of town, the driving experience isn’t up to the increasingly demanding standards of the rest of the market. Ultimately, the Twingo lacks the refinement and the ‘big car feel’ of the class leaders.
Still, buyers are guaranteed good service from their local garage, as Renault topped our Driver Power dealer chart for the first time ever in 2016. Everything from the attitude of staff to value for money was rated highly by customers.