BEST USED CITY CAR SKODA CITIGO

OUR PICK Skoda Citigo 2014 (14) 1.0 75 Elegance 5dr, 29,000 miles, £5,494

BACK in 2012 the Skoda Citigo shook up the city car market, proving that buying a compact hatch for use in town meant you didn’t have to compromise. Since then it’s picked up five Best City Car crowns at Auto Express’s annual New Car Awards, and it’s no surprise that it’s doubled up with yet another Used Car trophy.

The Citigo is a triumph of packaging, and in fivedoor form offers plenty of room for four adults as well as a reasonable level of luggage space thanks to the 251-litre boot, which is bigger than many of its rivals’. However, it’s the way the Citigo works as a package that makes it so appealing as a used buy. There’s a choice of 59bhp or 74bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder engines that deliver an identical 95Nm of torque, meaning that no matter what the spec, this sub1,000kg car has plenty of performance on urban roads, but doesn’t feel out of place on the motorway.

Prices for early versions of the entry-level model are now as low as £2,995, but we’d recommend going for the higher-powered five-door version in Elegance trim. This starts from £4,500 and the spec includes airconditioning, electric front windows, remote central locking, heated seats and even sat-nav, making the Skoda incredibly mature given its size and price tag.

With best figures of 105g/km CO2 emissions and claimed fuel economy of 63mpg for the 59bhp model, it’ll not only be wallet-friendly to buy, but frugal to run.

It’s great fun to drive, with sharp steering and a relatively composed ride plus decent refinement for longer journeys. And although the model recently received a minor facelift, the original offers such an impressive blend of comfort, performance and quality that it still makes a compelling purchase. “Citigo is a triumph of packaging, and in five-door form offers plenty of room for four adults and a reasonable level of luggage space”