'best' city car? - motorway manners, build quality etc
Discussion
Ive been looking for a little runaround that falls into or under the £30 tax bracket and costs around £5k. (5 doors essential)
Most (if not all) of the cars on my list have less than 100bhp, some significantly so.
Obviously none of them are going to set the world on fire, but I will occasionally be taking motorway trips and worry that the poor thing is going to be working rather hard and therefore be quite noisy at 70mph. In addition to that my assumption is that acceleration from said speed will be non existent should I wish/need to overtake.
The other thing Ive noted from various reviews of this sector are issues with the ride quality/damping on many models. Many complaints suggest that big bumps are handled well (presumably they've taking potholes into account during design) but little bumps and undulations unsettle the car and make for either a skittish or generally disconcerting experience.
They all seem to have rear drums too, though how much that matters is questionable.
Essentially I'm looking to shortlist 3 or so cars to test drive that will be fun in corners and capable/comfortable/quiet at nsl speeds.
Ive already tried a 1.0 (100) fiesta ecoboost which was alright, but want to try a few more to compare before making a decision.
Thoughts, experience and conclusions welcomed. - no badge snobbery here either.
(I read the Twingo is RR which appeals, but it's also allegedly one of the worst offenders for poor damping.)
Thanks in advance.
Most (if not all) of the cars on my list have less than 100bhp, some significantly so.
Obviously none of them are going to set the world on fire, but I will occasionally be taking motorway trips and worry that the poor thing is going to be working rather hard and therefore be quite noisy at 70mph. In addition to that my assumption is that acceleration from said speed will be non existent should I wish/need to overtake.
The other thing Ive noted from various reviews of this sector are issues with the ride quality/damping on many models. Many complaints suggest that big bumps are handled well (presumably they've taking potholes into account during design) but little bumps and undulations unsettle the car and make for either a skittish or generally disconcerting experience.
They all seem to have rear drums too, though how much that matters is questionable.
Essentially I'm looking to shortlist 3 or so cars to test drive that will be fun in corners and capable/comfortable/quiet at nsl speeds.
Ive already tried a 1.0 (100) fiesta ecoboost which was alright, but want to try a few more to compare before making a decision.
Thoughts, experience and conclusions welcomed. - no badge snobbery here either.
(I read the Twingo is RR which appeals, but it's also allegedly one of the worst offenders for poor damping.)
Thanks in advance.
A car uses about 40bhp odd to hold a steady 70MPH. You might have to put your foot down a bit more than you'd like on hills, and you're not going to power past anyone, but it'll be fine. My ex wife had a Micra 160SR with 110bhp and it was perfectly fine for even longer motorway journeys.
Anything vaguely modern that isn't a Mitsubishi Mirage or a Smart Car will be fine for a couple of hours on the motorway. More fatiguing than a 7 series, sure, but you won't be deaf, numb from vibration, sweating from the heat, and with brown trousers from the odd near death experience like you are in a classic Mini.
Ride quality is often poor for rear seat passengers in small and mid size cars, so you might want to test that, but rear drum brakes are absolutely fine and not something worth even thinking about unless you're planning to drive it very hard.
Anything vaguely modern that isn't a Mitsubishi Mirage or a Smart Car will be fine for a couple of hours on the motorway. More fatiguing than a 7 series, sure, but you won't be deaf, numb from vibration, sweating from the heat, and with brown trousers from the odd near death experience like you are in a classic Mini.
Ride quality is often poor for rear seat passengers in small and mid size cars, so you might want to test that, but rear drum brakes are absolutely fine and not something worth even thinking about unless you're planning to drive it very hard.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 17th October 12:00
second hand BMW i3
Best city car by an mile, and fun enough away from the city to still put a smile on your face......
(OK, not £5k, but the running costs are effectively zero ime (3 years , 25k miles in mine and it has cost 1.8 pence per mile ALL IN (insurance, servicing, tyres, and 'lecy) and is still worth today pretty much exactly what i paid for it 3 years ago :-)
Best city car by an mile, and fun enough away from the city to still put a smile on your face......
(OK, not £5k, but the running costs are effectively zero ime (3 years , 25k miles in mine and it has cost 1.8 pence per mile ALL IN (insurance, servicing, tyres, and 'lecy) and is still worth today pretty much exactly what i paid for it 3 years ago :-)
stickleback123 said:
A car uses about 40bhp odd to hold a steady 70MPH. You might have to put your foot down a bit more than you'd like on hills, and you're not going to power past anyone, but it'll be fine. My ex wife had a Micra 160SR with 110bhp and it was perfectly fine for even longer motorway journeys.
110hp in a Micra is hardly slumming it though, is it? My first Skoda Superb had less than that (103hp) and it could have fit four Micras inside it. 
It was also perfectly fine on the motorways, but it wasn't exactly 'interesting'. OP, as said the Fiesta is a decent all rounder for what you're asking, but do check out the Fabia. The 1.0 I had as a courtesy car a year or two ago was great fun to drive (turbo), and was relatively refined on the motorway at motorway speeds. Sure you had to plan a head a bit more but it was a lovely ride suspension wise, very comfortable, and sipped on fuel.
Recently got a Renault Twingo - the 0.9l 3 cylinder turbo (90hp) - and I think it's great! Feels nippy in the city and motorway speeds are done easily, although if there is a bit of wind it does get blown about a bit. I think I'm averaging around 50mpg (city and motorway), and even cruising at 75 it levels out at around 45mpg.
Road tax is free. Turning circle is fantastic (rear engine so more room for lots of steering lock). Makes a good little thrummy noise. Quite a lot of space inside (we went camping, 2 of us, a dog plus all of our stuff fit easily). Approx 30 quid to fill up, over 300 miles to a tank according to trip computer. Plus you get to tell people you have a rear engined rear wheel drive car.
We paid £6.5k I think, but ours is quite high spec (for a Twingo anyway - sat nav, convertible, cruise control etc).
Only things I don't like is the steering and it feels a bit rolly polly pushing on in corners. But tbh it's not a car I bought for steering feel and corner prowess so I don't really care!
Road tax is free. Turning circle is fantastic (rear engine so more room for lots of steering lock). Makes a good little thrummy noise. Quite a lot of space inside (we went camping, 2 of us, a dog plus all of our stuff fit easily). Approx 30 quid to fill up, over 300 miles to a tank according to trip computer. Plus you get to tell people you have a rear engined rear wheel drive car.
We paid £6.5k I think, but ours is quite high spec (for a Twingo anyway - sat nav, convertible, cruise control etc).
Only things I don't like is the steering and it feels a bit rolly polly pushing on in corners. But tbh it's not a car I bought for steering feel and corner prowess so I don't really care!
Would a 90bhp VW up! TSI fall into the £5k bracket?
It would be great in town and decent enough on the motorway. A significant amount of wind noise from the mirrors but nothing you can't drown out with the radio.
It's 1 down from the GTI and the low-down turbo torque would help on a motorway.
It would be great in town and decent enough on the motorway. A significant amount of wind noise from the mirrors but nothing you can't drown out with the radio.
It's 1 down from the GTI and the low-down turbo torque would help on a motorway.
The trouble with owning a £30 annual road tax car is once you have been there you cannot go back. Just gone from a 60MPG, £30 road tax Megane DCi to a 37 MPG, £260 road tax petrol civic and I am seriously considering going back to the Megane (currently own both cars).
Honestly it has ruined me for life now, I can't go any faster in the real world in the Civic and I constantly get annoyed at the direct debit for road tax and having to fill it with fuel. Add the poor quality roads and hard ride of the civic and I just want the Megane back.
I agree with you, a £5k new as possible, smooth as possible £30 road tax car is the holy grail for me.
It's not even as if I can't afford it, I just don't want to pay more than I have to to get from A to B anymore.
Honestly it has ruined me for life now, I can't go any faster in the real world in the Civic and I constantly get annoyed at the direct debit for road tax and having to fill it with fuel. Add the poor quality roads and hard ride of the civic and I just want the Megane back.
I agree with you, a £5k new as possible, smooth as possible £30 road tax car is the holy grail for me.
It's not even as if I can't afford it, I just don't want to pay more than I have to to get from A to B anymore.
DaveTheRave87 said:
Would a 90bhp VW up! TSI fall into the £5k bracket?
It would be great in town and decent enough on the motorway. A significant amount of wind noise from the mirrors but nothing you can't drown out with the radio.
It's 1 down from the GTI and the low-down turbo torque would help on a motorway.
90bhp Up! is too new to be bought at that price.It would be great in town and decent enough on the motorway. A significant amount of wind noise from the mirrors but nothing you can't drown out with the radio.
It's 1 down from the GTI and the low-down turbo torque would help on a motorway.
I've got a 60bhp Citigo for "local" journeys, and it's pretty good unless faced with steep hills on twisty roads. Perfectly OK on NSL dual carriageways (no motorways in Cornwall), and it's possible to overtake as long as the right gear is chosen.
It's quite refined for such a small car too.
An easy 60mpg is a bonus.
Slightly left field choice but I’ve just bought a Fiat Panda 4x4 with the little 2 cylinder petrol engine as a third-car/school run/city car (well town really!)
It’s in budget and the 4x4 has a sixth gear so tolerable at motorway speeds but for me it was just a bit more interesting that the usual city cars. It may not be that dynamically involving but there’s fun to be had from (re)learning how to conserve speed and trust that it does grip in the corners even if it feels like it’s about to topple over (You sit remarkably high for such a little car, with a mini-SUV view of the road)
Ride quality is surprisingly good, build quality seems OK, the boot is big enough to take the dog (just) and my man-maths style justification is that the four wheel drive will be useful when (if) it snows!
P.S. Bonus is that as well as £30 tax, it only costs me £140 a year to insure...
It’s in budget and the 4x4 has a sixth gear so tolerable at motorway speeds but for me it was just a bit more interesting that the usual city cars. It may not be that dynamically involving but there’s fun to be had from (re)learning how to conserve speed and trust that it does grip in the corners even if it feels like it’s about to topple over (You sit remarkably high for such a little car, with a mini-SUV view of the road)
Ride quality is surprisingly good, build quality seems OK, the boot is big enough to take the dog (just) and my man-maths style justification is that the four wheel drive will be useful when (if) it snows!
P.S. Bonus is that as well as £30 tax, it only costs me £140 a year to insure...
Edited by WelshRich on Thursday 17th October 14:20
Edited by WelshRich on Thursday 17th October 14:22
My mum had the same criteria for her current car and this is the shortlist we came up with:
Honda Jazz
Hyundai I10/20
Kia Picanto
Toyota Yaris
VW Up!
Skoda Citigo
Seat Mii
Skoda Fabia
VW Polo
She liked the Yaris and the I10 and we found a bargain I10 so she now has one of those. Get over the power figures, I have a 59bhp Fabia and it's taken me with bikes down to the PDS area just below Geneva 3 times, taken 3 of us to Le Mans with camping gear and done a few trips to Scotland from South Wales in perfectly acceptable comfort and speed. You may have to choose a lower gear occasionally and push your foot down a bit further but learning how to conserve momentum and smooth out corners will pay dividends.
Honda Jazz
Hyundai I10/20
Kia Picanto
Toyota Yaris
VW Up!
Skoda Citigo
Seat Mii
Skoda Fabia
VW Polo
She liked the Yaris and the I10 and we found a bargain I10 so she now has one of those. Get over the power figures, I have a 59bhp Fabia and it's taken me with bikes down to the PDS area just below Geneva 3 times, taken 3 of us to Le Mans with camping gear and done a few trips to Scotland from South Wales in perfectly acceptable comfort and speed. You may have to choose a lower gear occasionally and push your foot down a bit further but learning how to conserve momentum and smooth out corners will pay dividends.
Should be no issue with any of the cars mentioned driving on the motorway, and the power will be plenty to keep you up with traffic.
Most of my motorway commutes I sit in lane 1 doing about 65-70 and happily make progress. Main thing is how they car copes the majority of your journeys and has enough room for what you need.
Most of my motorway commutes I sit in lane 1 doing about 65-70 and happily make progress. Main thing is how they car copes the majority of your journeys and has enough room for what you need.
NoAdverseDevelopments said:
My mum had the same criteria for her current car and this is the shortlist we came up with:
Honda Jazz
Hyundai I10/20
Kia Picanto
Toyota Yaris
VW Up!
Skoda Citigo
Seat Mii
Skoda Fabia
VW Polo
She liked the Yaris and the I10 and we found a bargain I10 so she now has one of those. Get over the power figures, I have a 59bhp Fabia and it's taken me with bikes down to the PDS area just below Geneva 3 times, taken 3 of us to Le Mans with camping gear and done a few trips to Scotland from South Wales in perfectly acceptable comfort and speed. You may have to choose a lower gear occasionally and push your foot down a bit further but learning how to conserve momentum and smooth out corners will pay dividends.
+1 for i10Honda Jazz
Hyundai I10/20
Kia Picanto
Toyota Yaris
VW Up!
Skoda Citigo
Seat Mii
Skoda Fabia
VW Polo
She liked the Yaris and the I10 and we found a bargain I10 so she now has one of those. Get over the power figures, I have a 59bhp Fabia and it's taken me with bikes down to the PDS area just below Geneva 3 times, taken 3 of us to Le Mans with camping gear and done a few trips to Scotland from South Wales in perfectly acceptable comfort and speed. You may have to choose a lower gear occasionally and push your foot down a bit further but learning how to conserve momentum and smooth out corners will pay dividends.
I have ask why are you hung up on the £30 road tax it seems this is the limiting factor if you want a car that rides (small cars will always have poor ride compared to their bigger brethren) well & will dispense with motorway miles, for the sake of £90-115 you can get a cracking car for your money, but it does mean going up a segment size or two:
Vauxhall Adam 1.0T 115 a remap will see 140bhp which should see you right:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Abarth 500 The rides a bit stiff but they're a fun car & have poke
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Clio GT Line 100
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Giulietta Veloce 170
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Ibiza FR 150
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
208 120
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Vauxhall Adam 1.0T 115 a remap will see 140bhp which should see you right:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Abarth 500 The rides a bit stiff but they're a fun car & have poke
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Clio GT Line 100
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Giulietta Veloce 170
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Ibiza FR 150
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
208 120
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
ZX10R NIN said:
I have ask why are you hung up on the £30 road tax it seems this is the limiting factor if you want a car that rides (small cars will always have poor ride compared to their bigger brethren) well & will dispense with motorway miles, for the sake of £90-115 you can get a cracking car for your money, but it does mean going up a segment size or two:
Though I appreciate your effort, many of those cars don't have (nor do them make them in) 5 doors. Equally, I'd like a pittance for road tax as I already pay £555 for one car and a further £325 on another. I want something that costs me next to nothing to run. I'm aware it's a compromise but things don't look as bad as I first thought. Ive never really had anything I'd class as 'modern' so perhaps my expectations need readjusting.Ive read good things about the UP/citigo and the i10 so will certainly check them out. Couple of others i will look into too, thanks everyone.
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