I am looking to buy a used small car. What shall I choose?

[flowoftheuniverse]

Hello Piston Heads. I am new to this forum and would like to ask a question.

I currently drive my hubby's car which is a Vauxhall Astra (2007/07 reg). I have decided to buy a used small car for myself this year and want to know what my choices are. I would like a bubbly car that is both reliable and has a cute design (and preferably eccentric). So far I have identified MINI (2001/2007 versions), Toyota Yaris (1999 version), Toyota Aygo (2005 version), Fiat 500 (2007 version), Ford Ka (2008 version), Ford Fiesta (2009 version), Nissan Micra (2003 version), Suzuki Swift and Peugeot 107 as possible contenders.

I like the said cars design-wise but unfortunately I am not a petrolhead and nor is my husband, which is why I came here to ask this. Reliability is an important factor for me because I wouldn't have the time/money to keep a close eye with a car that often breaks down. I am aware Toyota is known for good reliability, but is that really a fact in this case? If you have a good suggestion of a car I missed out on, and which is both reliable and cute (subjective I know) please let me know (no Toyota iQ or Volkswagen Beetle please).

My budget is £2000 max, but I would prefer as cheap as possible so long as the car isn't shoddy and unreliable. Age doesn't matter, as long as it is made after 2000.

Thank you in advance.

[clockworks]

Fiat Panda if you want something basic, reliable and a little quirky.
It's basically the same car as the 500, but simpler, more space, and cheaper.

The VW Up!/Seat Mii/Skoda Citigo is a very good little car - much more "grown up" than the Panda/500.

Might be worth looking at the Hyundai i10/Kia Picanto too, although I've not driven the older models. The current Picanto is a great little car.


I run a small car for my business, alongside a much bigger car.
I started with an old (and very cheap) Panda diesel, then got a Citigo. Currently running a nearly new Picanto.
The Panda had done over 120k miles when I sold it, and it still worked.
The Citigo was nicer to drive, but a bit slow on the open road.
The Picanto is a great car, but mine is the GT-LineS with the turbo engine, and isn't exactly cheap.

[scoey1001]

Renault Twingo? Also the Clio with the 1.2 tce engine is supposed to be pretty decent if you want something a bit more spacious.

[Nickp82]

I would definitely go for the Swift. I spent seven years selling Suzuki and would recommend them to anyone, they are fun to drive and reliable.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you want something Funky & reliable then I'd say the Toyota IQ is a good shout:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Twingo GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Mito Veloce

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Mazda2 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Clio 1.2TCE Dynaique

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Grande Punto T Jet Sporting

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[flowoftheuniverse]

Thank you for the answers so far.

I don't seem to like the design of the Fiat Panda as it looks a bit of a granny's car. Neither do I like the VW Up, although Kia Picanto is quite likable. I might take a closer look at the Kia.

I have seen several Suzuki Swifts (ca. 2006-2007 years) for around £1000 on Gumtree. Seems a very good price, if this is the good model.

The Toyota iQ is funky but the shape doesn't do it for me. You have suggested an Alfa Romeo but looking at reliability indexes those score poorly.

[anonymous-user]

Toyota Yaris all day long , or a Honda jazz. Uber reliable.

[RizzoTheRat]

If you want cheap reliable motoring look at the Honda Jazz, although I suspect that will fail on your criteria due to having a bit if an image issue. My wife's Jazz was a fantastic car though, somewhat Tardis like in it's relative interior to exterior space, and never needed anything beyond routine servicing in 120+k miles.

Aygo and Yaris are both good options though.

[PistonAFC]

Watch the video below about what happens to these small cars such as yaris at 40mph and think carefully about what will happen to you in a even smaller aygo-type car!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4IispZph3U

[bearman68]

PistonAFC said:

Watch the video below about what happens to these small cars such as yaris at 40mph and think carefully about what will happen to you in a even smaller aygo-type car!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4IispZph3U

Not saying it's not valid, but you do seem on a mission to distribute bad crash data.
Fact is most of these small cars still manage 5 stars NCAP rating in the crash, and if you're going to drive headlong into a wall, bad things are going to happen. Even though the vid looks terrible, NCAP rate the Yaris as good, with only some shoulder areas marked as adequate. That's about as good as it gets.and much better than cars of 1 or 2 previous generations.

[bearman68]

Anyway, my recomendation would be Yaris - but you'll get one 2005 shape for about £1500 I would think. (The diesel I have is superb) or the Honda is a good shout. The Yaris is bomb proof reliable - I've had 5 or 6 of them, all right at the bottom of the market, and all very good indeed.
I'd personally stay away from Skoda, VW, Audi, Seat at this price point. The interiors are nice, but the mechanicals are not as reliable as you might think (And the electrics are worse again).
Both Ford options are good. Ford are generally very robust and reliable.

[Glosphil]

bearman68 said:

Not saying it's not valid, but you do seem on a mission to distribute bad crash data.
Fact is most of these small cars still manage 5 stars NCAP rating in the crash, and if you're going to drive headlong into a wall, bad things are going to happen. Even though the vid looks terrible, NCAP rate the Yaris as good, with only some shoulder areas marked as adequate. That's about as good as it gets.and much better than cars of 1 or 2 previous generations.

Many small cars are awarded 5 NCAP stars but that is not the same as 5 stars for a larger car as size & weight is considered in the ratings.

[Chris32345]

1.2 panda cheep and rugged the fire engine can do 200k no problem if kept up with service's and a eye on the coolant
Just not quick however

[flowoftheuniverse]

RizzoTheRat said:

If you want cheap reliable motoring look at the Honda Jazz, although I suspect that will fail on your criteria due to having a bit if an image issue. My wife's Jazz was a fantastic car though, somewhat Tardis like in it's relative interior to exterior space, and never needed anything beyond routine servicing in 120+k miles.

Aygo and Yaris are both good options though.

I suppose the Jazz does have a bit of an image issue, though I've seen worse. As for Yaris, do you mean the 1999-2005 version or the post-2005 version?

[flowoftheuniverse]

bearman68 said:

Anyway, my recomendation would be Yaris - but you'll get one 2005 shape for about £1500 I would think. (The diesel I have is superb) or the Honda is a good shout. The Yaris is bomb proof reliable - I've had 5 or 6 of them, all right at the bottom of the market, and all very good indeed.
I'd personally stay away from Skoda, VW, Audi, Seat at this price point. The interiors are nice, but the mechanicals are not as reliable as you might think (And the electrics are worse again).
Both Ford options are good. Ford are generally very robust and reliable.

Do you mean the 1999-2005 Yaris or post-2005 Yaris? I have seen several early noughties Yaris on Gumtree for around £1000, which is a very good price for me. (I personally don't mind how old the car is).

Do you have any experience with the 2004-2010 Suzuki Swift? Would it be a better option compared to a Yaris?

[bearman68]

flowoftheuniverse said:

Do you mean the 1999-2005 Yaris or post-2005 Yaris? I have seen several early noughties Yaris on Gumtree for around £1000, which is a very good price for me. (I personally don't mind how old the car is).

Do you have any experience with the 2004-2010 Suzuki Swift? Would it be a better option compared to a Yaris?

Swift is OK, if the gearbox is OK. Distinct issues with the 'box - jumping out of 5th is the usual concern, or possible shaft bearing failure.
IMO there is nothing better than a Yaris. I love them.
But IMO, the 2000 - 2005 is probably a bit long in the tooth now, and as others have pointed out, not really up to spec in a bang. But they are reliable and tough as old boots.
The 2005 onwards is very good. It's not quite as frugal, and IMO again, the A pillars intrude on visibility, especially on roundabouts. But overall, very very competent. Again, the older 1.0 petrol engines were better, as they had an extra cylinder, making them smoother, and just nicer, so I'd be looking for a 1.3 in the post 2005 models (4 cylinder), or a diesel (which is what I have, and is very good). Either way, you won't go far wrong with them. Worst I've had over 5 or 6 of them is a failed MOT (just the one), for wiper blades. (I run them in a small fleet)

[PistonAFC]

Glosphil said:

bearman68 said:

Not saying it's not valid, but you do seem on a mission to distribute bad crash data.
Fact is most of these small cars still manage 5 stars NCAP rating in the crash, and if you're going to drive headlong into a wall, bad things are going to happen. Even though the vid looks terrible, NCAP rate the Yaris as good, with only some shoulder areas marked as adequate. That's about as good as it gets.and much better than cars of 1 or 2 previous generations.

Many small cars are awarded 5 NCAP stars but that is not the same as 5 stars for a larger car as size & weight is considered in the ratings.

Also EuroNCAP usually do full frontal crash test, but in real world this is usually not what happens in a crash, so the test is flawed. That's why the 1/4 and 1/2 crash test is very important and it shows how a car behaves in such tests as can be seen on the yaris vs camry crash test, these cars don't do as well as the flawed EuroNCAP test is leading us to believe. These cars are promoted towards the youth, and people buy these cheap boxes for their children because they are cheap, cheap to insure and get decent mpg, but looking at the crash test outcomes, these are the worst cars for young drivers who will not be very experienced drivers and will end up seriously injured or dead (like the yaris dummy) if they have a crash.

[V6todayEVmanana]

From 2017 Ncap offset frontal impacts added.
Probably more realistic/common

[PistonAFC]

V6todayEVmanana said:

From 2017 Ncap offset frontal impacts added.
Probably more realistic/common

OP isn't buying a 2017 model and I'd check the IIHS crash tests for real results, not flawed EuroNCAP.