SUPERMINIS
Our three-time champ takes on best-selling Corsa
TWO of the best superminis in the UK today are also two of the cheapest models to lease. There is an even cheaper way to get into a supermini – some SEAT Ibiza deals just dip below our two options here – but these are two of the strongest contenders on the market, and where we’d be spending our cash.
First up is the Vauxhall Corsa. The best-selling car of 2022 comes in at just £179 per month if you’re able to place a nine-month up-front payment – just a bit more than £1,600 – and limit your driving to 5,000 miles per year. For that, you’re getting the entry-level Design trim, but kit is still generous; 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, and a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are standard.
The cabin is smartly laid out, but not the most spacious in this class, while light controls and modest dimensions mean that the Corsa is easy to drive around town and over longer distances.
The alternative, for £182 per month, is the Renault Clio. While a revised Clio has just been revealed (Issue 1,776), the current car is still a very strong contender. In fact, it has won the Supermini category in our New Car Awards three years running.
With these two models pitted against each other so closely on price, our money would be on the Renault. There’s not much in it, but the French supermini has a very slight edge over its rivals in a number of areas.
First, there’s the cabin. The Clio’s dashboard is not only smartly laid out, but the quality and finish are excellent; it really feels like it’s more expensive than the figures show. It’s spacious, too; while rear headroom is only marginally better than in the Corsa, kneeroom is noticeably more generous. Out the back, the Clio has a large 391-litre boot, which is much bigger than the Corsa’s 309 litres.
Then there’s the way the two drive. The Corsa is perfectly fine in lots of areas, but the Clio is slightly better in most. You first notice it with the ride, which is more compliant than the Vauxhall’s, yet find a corner and the
Renault also feels more agile and has a more natural weight to its steering, too. Despite that agility, it still seems impressively solid for such a small car once you get up to motorway speeds.
The key difference in the drive, however, is that the Clio’s lease deal is for a model equipped with a 1.0-litre turbocharged unit with 89bhp. The Corsa’s 1. 2-litre engine doesn’t have a turbo, so not only is it 15bhp down, but crucially for ease of use in everyday driving, it has less torque, too. There’s little to no benefit in fuel consumption for doing without that extra punch, either; in official WLTP testing, both cars average 53.3mpg.
The roster of standard equipment is very similar between these two. As with the Vauxhall, the Renault comes in base trim (called Evolution) and also like the Vauxhall, that comes with 16-inch alloy wheels and a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
One key difference between these two is in the lease deals themselves. For a very similar monthly price, the Clio’s lease only ties you into a three-year contract to the Corsa’s four-year agreement, and the figures for the Clio prove to be brilliant value for money.
Our choice
FINDING a cheap electric car is still very difficult, but look in the right places and there are bargains to be had. Nowhere is that more clear than with our first contender, the Volkswagen e-up!. At the time of writing, we found an offer for the VW Group’s smallest EV for just £167.99 per month on a two-year deal.
The dinky e-up! punches well above its weight when it comes to interior design. The finish is superb for such a small car, and the overall layout is well thought-out, right down to the neat smartphone cradle on top of the dash which, once an app has been installed, lets your own device act as the car’s infotainment system. A USB port hidden around the back of the mount keeps your phone charged on the move.
The full electric model first joined the up! range in 2013, but an update four years ago increased the battery capacity to 36.8kWh, which allows for a 159-mile range. The 80bhp output doesn’t sound like much, but at
1, 235kg, the e-up! is much lighter than most EVs. As a result, accelerating to 30mph feels livelier than you might expect. The performance tails off at higher speeds – 0-62mph takes 11.9 seconds – but with a little forward planning it’ll get up to motorway speeds quite nicely.
It’s testament to just how right Volkswagen got things with the up! that a car that first made its debut in combustion form 12 years ago is still so accomplished to drive. Refinement and ride are great for such a small car – better than in some cars from the class above.
It’s fitting then, that its rival here is from that larger supermini segment. The Renault Zoe’s most competitive deal comes in at slightly under £206 per month, just missing out on the £200 limit, but still extremely cheap by electric standards. So what are the benefits of spending a little extra cash?
Well, the most obvious upside is that, with its larger footprint, there’s a little more space inside for people. At slightly more than four metres long, the Zoe is hardly a giant, but an extra half-metre over its rival has been put to good use when it comes to rear-seat space, and particularly the boot, where its 338-litre volume is 87 litres more than you get in the e-up!.
The other advantage that the Zoe has is range. Renault has crammed a much larger 52kWh battery within the car’s floor, which means that the GT Line+ trim you get for that monthly rate officially covers 238 miles on a charge.
While the WLTP figures can be a little optimistic, we found that in mild conditions, it’ll still be good for just under 200 miles, giving the versatility to cover the occasional long trip, too. Those credentials are backed up by a 134bhp motor that helps the Zoe achieve a 9.5-second 0-62mph time, which comfortably outperforms the e-up!. A ‘B’ mode allows the Zoe to deliver much stronger regenerative braking than in its standard setting, allowing for most town driving to be covered without really ever needing to go near the brake pedal.
Diving into our deals here, the Zoe’s contract has a three-year term, while the e-up!’s is two. Both require the equivalent of nine months’ rental as an up-front payment, which translates into £1,512 for the Volkswagen and £1,853 for the Renault.
NEW SUVs eat up a greater share of the UK car market every year; it seems that buyers can’t get enough of their raised driving positions and chunkier looks. But just because you’re on a tight budget, it doesn’t mean that you have to miss out, because both the Citroen C3 Aircross and the Nissan Juke easily dip below £200 per month.
Despite these prices, the C3 Aircross doesn’t scrimp on the spec, because £182 a month gets you into the topspec Shine Plus trim; keyless entry and go, built-in navigation, artificial leather upholstery, cruise control and lanedeparture warning are all standard.
One of the C3 Aircross’s greatest strengths is a spacious cabin. Those tall proportions on the outside result in a light, airy interior with loads of headroom for all. Rear legroom is great, too, and a sliding bench lets some of that space give way to the boot, raising the size from an already generous 410 litres to a vast 520 litres.
On the road, the C3 Aircross is set up for comfort. The steering is light and its suspension soft, which means that at town speeds it’s a very relaxing way to get around. On more open tarmac, that softness remains, so there is some body roll through the corners.
The 1. 2-litre turbocharged threecylinder petrol engine makes 108bhp and 205Nm of torque, so performance is sprightly. Despite this, it achieves a claimed 46.3mpg, so you can still keep the fuel costs in check. It’s connected to a six-speed manual gearbox; the auto is combined with a more powerful petrol engine, but costs in excess of an additional £100 per month to lease.
If the C3 Aircross appeals to those who prize space and practicality, then the Juke is going for the sportier end of the market. It’s certainly working for Nissan; to date, it’s ranked second in the 2023 new-car sales charts.
The more rakish roofline and bold front treatment immediately set the Nissan apart from most rivals in this class, although it does mean that its practicality is a little compromised.
While the 422-litre boot is right on the money with the Citroen, its opening is smaller and the load lip is high. The biggest compromise comes in the back, though, where the seats feel a little claustrophobic when compared with its rival’s. The cabin feels snug up front, too, but in a good way; the driving position has plenty of adjustment and it feels more like sitting in a coupé than an SUV.
On the road, the initial feeling is that the Juke is set up for a sporty feel to back up its looks. The ride is much firmer than the Citroen’s – some would say too firm – but that does translate into minimal body roll through the corners. The steering is well weighted, but other controls – particularly the spongy clutch pedal – take the shine off the driving experience.
While the C3 Aircross deal is for one of the top-spec models, the Juke’s lease figures get you the Acenta – one step up from the base model. As standard, you get 17-inch alloys, an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a reversing camera.
All of this comes to £188 per month, on a four-year lease. Unlike the Citroen, it isn’t much of a stretch to upgrade to an automatic gearbox, though; the cheapest deal we found for the same Acenta trim comes to £215 per month.
WE’VE always rated the Citroen C3 Aircross highly for traditional car buyers; it’s one of our favourite compact SUVs because it is such strong value for money. Based on our best figures, the same competitiveness applies to lease users, too. But there’s lots to like beyond the competitive prices, because the Citroen is very practical, well equipped, comfortable to drive and offers decent performance.
Comfortable
THE family car market remains as strong as ever. A sensible fivedoor hatchback ticks all of the boxes for most people, and as a result, every manufacturer wants to get in on the action. Our two challengers here fly under the radar somewhat; neither is among the most popular choices in the segment. However, both are underrated, and the result is that leasing companies price them keenly to grab customers’ attention.
The cheaper of our two contenders is the Skoda Scala. Often overlooked simply because its better-known stablemate, the Octavia, is such a great car, that doesn’t mean the Scala is without its own strong appeal.
The £187-per-month figure gets a Scala SE Technology. Standard kit includes 16-inch alloy wheels, parking sensors all round, and a sharp 9. 2-inch touchscreen with sat-nav. The latter has all of the smartphone connectivity you’ll need, plus large shortcut keys on either side of the display, so it’s easy to find your way around.
On the road, Skoda’s typically stable and trustworthy driving experience is found here. Those modest 16-inch wheels and fairly tall tyre sidewalls let the Scala deal with low-speed bumps admirably, and a high-quality level of damping means that it continues to impress the faster you go. The grip is fairly strong, the steering is precise and the controls feel well judged.
Power comes from the entry-point in the Scala line-up. That means a fairly modest 94bhp from a 1.0-litre three cylinder petrol unit. Performance is fine – 0-62mph takes 10.9 seconds – although the car will struggle a little bit more when it’s fully loaded.
And loading up a Scala is something that’s fairly easy to do. It doesn’t have the rear space of an Octavia, but there’s still comfortable room for five people inside. At 467 litres, the boot capacity is well above the class average, too.
As with the Skoda, the Kia Ceed is often overlooked in this class, but those in the know are getting themselves a very impressive hatchback. In terms of ride and handling, the Ceed offers an excellent balance between the two; it’s marginally less soothing than the Scala over bumps, but the Korean model is more fun through the corners.
Inside, the cabin isn’t quite as spacious, nor is the design quite as neat as its Czech rival’s, but the quality and space are better than the class average.
For £189 per month, you’ll be settling for the Ceed’s lowest ‘2’ trim. However, an eight-inch touchscreen with a reversing camera is fitted as standard, as are cruise control, air-conditioning and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Crucially, beside the Skoda, you’re getting a much more potent engine. The Kia’s power comes from a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol unit with 158bhp and 253Nm of torque, which means a very keen 0-62mph time of 8.4 seconds. Better still, the motor features mild-hybrid tech to keep the fuel bills low; WLTP numbers say you can expect 51.4mpg from the Ceed.
Considering there’s so little to separate this pair on the monthly costs, that could be the clincher for some. Another key difference between the most competitive terms for this pair is that the Scala’s contract only ties you down to a two-year agreement, while the Ceed’s contract runs for three.
THE Kia Ceed has appeared in a couple of Auto Express group tests in recent times, and has overcome rivals as strong as the Volkswagen Golf and Peugeot 308 along the way. Based purely on the numbers, you’re getting a car with significantly more power than the Scala for just £3 extra each month. The Ceed is hard to fault across the board, so that difference is impossible to overlook.
All-rounder
IF the Scala and Ceed hatchbacks in our previous clash don’t quite offer the interior accommodation that you need, then the family crossover segment is fit to burst with alternatives that have a little more space all round.
The UK’s best-selling car of 2023 so far is the British-built Nissan Qashqai. Its appeal stems from maintaining so many of the qualities that made its predecessor such a success, while managing to refine and improve the formula in a number of key areas. Although it looks more substantial than the previous version from the outside, the third-generation Qashqai is barely any larger than before.
It’s not quite the most spacious car in its class, but it’s a safe place for the family, with Euro NCAP awarding it a five-star rating when it was tested in 2021. Forward-collision warning with AEB, lane-keep assist, rear auto braking and cross-traffic alert are all standard. Other features of the Acenta Premium include an eight-inch touchscreen, a rear-view camera and LED headlights.
Hop into the smartly presented cabin, and the Qashqai impresses with its refinement on the move. While we’ve criticised top-spec models and their large alloy wheels for a fidgety ride, things are better on the Acenta Premium’s 17-inch rims. Power comes from a mild-hybrid 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine. With 138bhp, it’s got the power to pull clear of its rival here.
That car is the Skoda Karoq. Starting with the negative – and there is only really one – the Karoq you’re getting for the cash here comes with a 108bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. That’s a significant chunk of power down on the Nissan’s motor.
But the difference in performance on the road isn’t that big. The Karoq’s 0-62mph time is only a second behind the Qashqai’s, and a slick manual gearbox means that you’re always able to make the most of the power on offer.
Other aspects of the Karoq’s drive are very impressive. It sits on the familiar MQB underpinnings used by so many Volkswagen Group products, but this is absolutely one of its most convincing applications across the board. Ride and refinement are better even than the Qashqai’s, with a comfortable and relaxing environment that driver and passengers alike will get on with.
That comfort is down to well judged damping rather than overly squidgy suspension, however, which means that the Karoq remains composed through the corners, too, with only minimal body roll on show.
But being a family car, it needs to excel at the sensible stuff, and the Skoda doesn’t let the side down. In terms of rear-seat space, the Karoq is one of the most spacious cars in its class. Even though the SE Drive spec misses out on the sliding rear bench of pricier trim levels, it’s a versatile space, with a 521-litre boot that beats the still-generous Nissan’s by 17 litres. The Karoq’s boot lip is lower than the Qashqai’s, too, which makes it easier to load heavy items on board.
But what of the finance deals themselves? Both figures – £233 for the Skoda and just £1.45 a month more for the Nissan, come as part of a three-year contract. However, it’s possible to save just a couple of pounds more each month for the Karoq – down to £228 – if you’re happy with a four-year deal.
THE Skoda Karoq is one of our favourite family SUVs to buy right now, and the same applies if you’re looking to lease. When it comes to comfort, passenger space and load capacity, it’s a very solid all-rounder, and it backs that up with a logically laid-out and well built interior. While it doesn’t have the power to match its rival on paper, it really doesn’t feel that far short in the real world.
ONCE again, Nissan has produced a car that’s well matched to family life. Sales figures prove that you’ll start to see a lot more of them on the road over the coming months, and with such competitive PCH figures, many will be leased. Performance is stronger than the Skoda for similar money, but in this case we give its rival the nod here for offering just a little more in most other areas.
Comfort
Hot hatch
33.6mpg/191g/km/N/A
Yes/yes/yes