Small hatch for a friend of mine - max 5.5k

[Zippee]

A friend of mine is after a new car, max 5.5k and reliable.
She has a corsa at present that needs more work than the car is worth and would like a similar size, trendy rather than granny (she's 28 and has an image to upkeep apparantly)
3 or 4/5 door, not red or wanting too garish and max 10 years old with lowish mileage.
Currently likes the 1.2 clio
1.4tsi audi a1
Mazda 2

All me about anything performance car and I'm there but these little ones I have no idea when it comes to reliability of the running gear etc..

[stevemcs]

VW UP would be the go too, if not something from Kia or Hyundai, a 5k Audi is going to be nothing but trouble.

[jaydeeuk1]

What image is she trying to uphold if she's been driving a corsa?

For £5kish, probably a yaris. Boring, safe and reliable, but much better image than a corsa. Jazz is good, but has granny vibes. Wouldn't trust a £5k clio personally, but then if the image she wants to uphold is being on the side of the m1 with an electrical fault then maybe it's the one. The a1 will likely develop an expensive fault if my friends is anything to go by.

Presume she has no kids and happy with something small. I'd personally go softtop Toyota MR2, mazda mx5. Mr2 has little to go wrong in it, find one rust free, ideally 2004 onwards and evidence of oil changes every year. £5k will find an excellent example, and prices are creeping up as they disappear from roads. Utterly impractical so no good if carting friends about.

If I had t1ts, I'd also look at the daihatsu copen, I think they're brilliant.

[filthypig]

Mazda 2's are great little cars. Wife has had 4 or 5 of them over the last 15 years or so. Been faultless, newer ones are pretty well specced inside too. Not sure what £5.5k gets you in today's market but they are solid little things.

[Morry10]

Suzuki Swift?

[Zippee]

Thanks all. I've put her off the audi and clio.
Swift is a good shout

As for trendy - I'm a near 50 year old bloke so no idea...

[ZX10R NIN]

Avoid anything with a wet belt, so no Fiesta/208/DS3 with the small engines.

The Clio is the pick as long as the 0.9 is potent enough:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410315...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411076...

1.0T Rio 3:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407242...

1.6 n/a 208 XY:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409154...

1.4 i20 Pewmium:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409123...

1.6T DS3 Ultra Prestige:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409123...

D Sport +:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411126...

[Countdown]

Yaris - every day of the week.

[Silvanus]

Dacia Sandero Stepway

[BoRED S2upid]

Abarth 595.