Comparing the current top ‘superminis'
Discussion
Been looking at some options for getting something brand new. I’m going to look at some in person soon and possibly test drive a couple, but wondering if anyone has any personal experiences or preferences for any of the options?
Would be looking at getting a top-trim option. Currently considering
Fiesta ST Line-X
A1 S-line
Polo R-line
RIO Gt-Line
i20 N Line
Ibiza FR Sport
Yarus GR Sport Hybrid
I’ve been looking at lots of reviews and comparisons, but I'm really struggling to narrow down the selection. I like the look of the A1 the most, but it’s more expensive and less economical than other options, so struggling to justify sticking with that. Good manufacturer warranty is a bonus, so that’s nudging the i20 and Yaris forward a bit. I know KIA have a good one too, but not sure how much I like the look of the Rio.
Anyone that’s had any of these before have any opinions on how they compare?
Would be looking at getting a top-trim option. Currently considering
Fiesta ST Line-X
A1 S-line
Polo R-line
RIO Gt-Line
i20 N Line
Ibiza FR Sport
Yarus GR Sport Hybrid
I’ve been looking at lots of reviews and comparisons, but I'm really struggling to narrow down the selection. I like the look of the A1 the most, but it’s more expensive and less economical than other options, so struggling to justify sticking with that. Good manufacturer warranty is a bonus, so that’s nudging the i20 and Yaris forward a bit. I know KIA have a good one too, but not sure how much I like the look of the Rio.
Anyone that’s had any of these before have any opinions on how they compare?
10 years ago we chose a Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSi. The main consideration was inside room.
It easily trumped the Audi A1 and Polo back then for interior space. It has also been utterly reliable and trouble-free.
A year or two ago I sat in a Polo and in a Golf. The Polo felt better, and it has since been updated.
So we are seriously considering a Polo. I will watch this thread.
It easily trumped the Audi A1 and Polo back then for interior space. It has also been utterly reliable and trouble-free.
A year or two ago I sat in a Polo and in a Golf. The Polo felt better, and it has since been updated.
So we are seriously considering a Polo. I will watch this thread.
Pica-Pica said:
10 years ago we chose a Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSi. The main consideration was inside room.
It easily trumped the Audi A1 and Polo back then for interior space. It has also been utterly reliable and trouble-free.
A year or two ago I sat in a Polo and in a Golf. The Polo felt better, and it has since been updated.
So we are seriously considering a Polo. I will watch this thread.
I'm very tempted by the Polo. As I've been researching, it doesn't stand out above the rest for driving experience, but the interior is meant to be much nicer.It easily trumped the Audi A1 and Polo back then for interior space. It has also been utterly reliable and trouble-free.
A year or two ago I sat in a Polo and in a Golf. The Polo felt better, and it has since been updated.
So we are seriously considering a Polo. I will watch this thread.
A1,Polo and Ibiza are built on the same platform with same engines so if those it comes down to personal preference and budget really. I’m not sure the A1 is really worth that much more than the Ibiza when it’s essentially the same underneath .
I think the Ibiza in FR might be a bit more involving than the Polo.
I personally prefer the styling of the Seat too.
I have driven a couple of Polos which are very refined and aren’t much smaller than a Golf. I quite liked the VW 3 pot too.
They aren’t that exciting to drive but good for ease of use , practicality
If you want fun I’d choose Fiesta over a Polo.
Not tried an I20 or Yaris so can’t comment on those choices.
Yaris is by far the most economical and efficient but doubt it’d be as fun as the Fiesta.
I think the Ibiza in FR might be a bit more involving than the Polo.
I personally prefer the styling of the Seat too.
I have driven a couple of Polos which are very refined and aren’t much smaller than a Golf. I quite liked the VW 3 pot too.
They aren’t that exciting to drive but good for ease of use , practicality
If you want fun I’d choose Fiesta over a Polo.
Not tried an I20 or Yaris so can’t comment on those choices.
Yaris is by far the most economical and efficient but doubt it’d be as fun as the Fiesta.
Edited by Alfa Pete on Wednesday 22 February 14:00
daydotz said:
Have a look at a mk5 Clio Vag has this perceived quality that when you poke around you're find where they cut costs & make strange decisions
I recently put a deposit on a 1.5yr old Clio for collection later in the week. It ticked more boxes for me than similar cars from other manufacturers.My two favourite superminis are the Fiesta and Peugeot 208.
Massive fan of the Fiesta ST Line X I find it’s the best engine of the lot in the 1L 140bhp guise.
The new Peugeot 208 GT Premium has the best interior of its class easily and looks the best but is pricey. I’ve drove it with the auto as well and very impressed!
Massive fan of the Fiesta ST Line X I find it’s the best engine of the lot in the 1L 140bhp guise.
The new Peugeot 208 GT Premium has the best interior of its class easily and looks the best but is pricey. I’ve drove it with the auto as well and very impressed!
I spent 6 months investigating the supermini market and initially concluded that the most suitable were the Polo, A1, Fabia and Ibiza. They are a slightly different balance of spec, interior and comfort and work out most competitively with the 1.0 TSI 95hp engine. The Polo seems to have the highest discount but you would need to be prepared to wait for 6 months or more.
Having initially ruled it out, I later revisited the MINI 5-door and recently picked up a fully loaded one. Reasons to buy include significantly better engine and gearbox combination, higher quality interior and even the rear space is pretty good for a family of four. It really does feel like a class from above - we're talking about a 1.5-litre engine, leather interior, full LED headlights etc instead of 1.0s, cloth seats, drum brakes and so on. Other factors include one year's free insurance at the moment, less frequent servicing and (if it's relevant to you) lower finance costs.
While the F55/56 is on its second facelift and is about to be replaced with a more comprehensive upgrade, the MQB platform under the VAG cars is of the same age.
Having initially ruled it out, I later revisited the MINI 5-door and recently picked up a fully loaded one. Reasons to buy include significantly better engine and gearbox combination, higher quality interior and even the rear space is pretty good for a family of four. It really does feel like a class from above - we're talking about a 1.5-litre engine, leather interior, full LED headlights etc instead of 1.0s, cloth seats, drum brakes and so on. Other factors include one year's free insurance at the moment, less frequent servicing and (if it's relevant to you) lower finance costs.
While the F55/56 is on its second facelift and is about to be replaced with a more comprehensive upgrade, the MQB platform under the VAG cars is of the same age.
Depends what you want it for. As a long term ownership the Yaris should be appealing, they look great and you have a 10 year warranty basically if you service it at a Toyota dealer.
I’d rather spend that kind of money on a lightly used performance car though, rather than a brand new but low powered hatch with a body kit.
I’d rather spend that kind of money on a lightly used performance car though, rather than a brand new but low powered hatch with a body kit.
Agree, 120 N Line is what, £20,500?
£2,500 more and you can have the proper N, a fantastic car!
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301173...
£2,500 more and you can have the proper N, a fantastic car!
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301173...
I used to drive my ex's A1, I thought the interior was shocking in it. Plus it was soul-destroying to drive - the gear shift was crap, and it had that self-steering thing if you dared to cross a white line. It's like the uptight Germans sat down and thought of all the ways to remove the fun from driving.
The I20 N Line meets the brief pretty well, not as extreme as the full on N granted but it has 120 BHP, sportier suspension and looks than the other pensioner spec models. The ride is firm but no overly so like the N. It looks pretty sharp too, esp in White or Black.
It’s offers slightly more space for rear passengers than the Polo/Ibiza/Fabia/A1 too, for sure the interior build quality on those is better than the I20 but the i20 steers way sharper than any of the VAG pack.
It’s offers slightly more space for rear passengers than the Polo/Ibiza/Fabia/A1 too, for sure the interior build quality on those is better than the I20 but the i20 steers way sharper than any of the VAG pack.
last_round said:
Been looking at some options for getting something brand new. I’m going to look at some in person soon and possibly test drive a couple, but wondering if anyone has any personal experiences or preferences for any of the options?
Would be looking at getting a top-trim option. Currently considering
Fiesta ST Line-X
A1 S-line
Polo R-line
RIO Gt-Line
i20 N Line
Ibiza FR Sport
Yarus GR Sport Hybrid
I’ve been looking at lots of reviews and comparisons, but I'm really struggling to narrow down the selection. I like the look of the A1 the most, but it’s more expensive and less economical than other options, so struggling to justify sticking with that. Good manufacturer warranty is a bonus, so that’s nudging the i20 and Yaris forward a bit. I know KIA have a good one too, but not sure how much I like the look of the Rio.
Anyone that’s had any of these before have any opinions on how they compare?
Personally it would be the Fiesta i20N Line 208/DS3Would be looking at getting a top-trim option. Currently considering
Fiesta ST Line-X
A1 S-line
Polo R-line
RIO Gt-Line
i20 N Line
Ibiza FR Sport
Yarus GR Sport Hybrid
I’ve been looking at lots of reviews and comparisons, but I'm really struggling to narrow down the selection. I like the look of the A1 the most, but it’s more expensive and less economical than other options, so struggling to justify sticking with that. Good manufacturer warranty is a bonus, so that’s nudging the i20 and Yaris forward a bit. I know KIA have a good one too, but not sure how much I like the look of the Rio.
Anyone that’s had any of these before have any opinions on how they compare?
Alfa Pete said:
A1,Polo and Ibiza are built on the same platform with same engines so if those it comes down to personal preference and budget really. I’m not sure the A1 is really worth that much more than the Ibiza when it’s essentially the same underneath .
I think the Ibiza in FR might be a bit more involving than the Polo.
I personally prefer the styling of the Seat too.
I have driven a couple of Polos which are very refined and aren’t much smaller than a Golf. I quite liked the VW 3 pot too.
They aren’t that exciting to drive but good for ease of use , practicality
If you want fun I’d choose Fiesta over a Polo.
Not tried an I20 or Yaris so can’t comment on those choices.
Yaris is by far the most economical and efficient but doubt it’d be as fun as the Fiesta.
Thanks, that's really helpful. I definitely need to go and see an Ibiza as I think that would be a good choice. Also really tempted by the Fiesta, but I'm not sure if the current models still have the wet belt issues so I think I've been subconsciously convincing myself to dismiss the Fiesta as an option. I know it's not exactly a ticking timebomb, but I know a couple of people who were affected by it.I think the Ibiza in FR might be a bit more involving than the Polo.
I personally prefer the styling of the Seat too.
I have driven a couple of Polos which are very refined and aren’t much smaller than a Golf. I quite liked the VW 3 pot too.
They aren’t that exciting to drive but good for ease of use , practicality
If you want fun I’d choose Fiesta over a Polo.
Not tried an I20 or Yaris so can’t comment on those choices.
Yaris is by far the most economical and efficient but doubt it’d be as fun as the Fiesta.
Edited by Alfa Pete on Wednesday 22 February 14:00
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