Small car advice sought please

walwyn1978

Not a Fiat 500. The 1.2 in that on paper is more powerful than the 1.0 in our previous C1, but the additional weight means the 500 has to be worked a lot harder on the motorway and didn't seem as quick to get up to speed when joining from the slip lane etc.

What about a Clio with the 0.9 three pot turbo engine? Might have to be used depending on your budget but fits the requirement for power on the motorway - test drove the (bigger, heavier) Captur with that engine in a few days ago and it's got plenty of pull.

Valli

and she's just looking at the Fiat online!

She's looking for a s/h model with low mileage.

Tilt

Valli wrote: »

and she's just looking at the Fiat online!

She's looking for a s/h model with low mileage.

Well I disagree with walwyn's analyses of the 500. Anyone who has actually owned both will tell you that the 500 is the better option all day long over it's French counter part.

However if it was me, I would go for a Abarth version. Plenty of low mileage examples around.

Valli

Why tha Abarth?

A colleague had a Fiat 500 which she part ax changed when she was pregnant (with twins so 3 door was no longer what she needed) so I shall ask her opinion, too.


Appreciate everyone's contribution.

walwyn1978

Tilt wrote: »

Well I disagree with walwyn's analyses of the 500. Anyone who has actually owned both will tell you that the 500 is the better option all day long over it's French counter part.

However if it was me, I would go for a Abarth version. Plenty of low mileage examples around.

It's a 'better' car in terms of boot space, comfort, road noise I agree. But not as quick off the mark when getting up to speed on the motorway when compared to the C1, which is what I was saying in my experience.

I'd love an Abarth personally, but wouldn't that make insuravce pricy for the OP's DD?

bigjl

One further thing to consider with small cars is that they don't all take five passengers.

Fiat 500 only has two rear seats and I think the old shape C1 was the same as is the Citigo, or the one I looked at certainly on had four seats.

The Picanto has five seats, the i10 likely does aswell as they are basically the same car.

I know it may not be the most comfortable place to sit three passengers but at least you legally have the option.

wba31

Fiesta Ecoboost? has a 1 litre engine but has either 99 or 123 BHP, so i imagine would be awesome on a motorway for a small car?

Herzlos

Personally I wouldn't worry about the power for motorway driving; a 1 litre might be a bit nosier but they will all be capable of running for long periods at motorway speeds. If it's only occasional motorway use she'll be fine, or can always borrow a bigger car.

People have been using motorways with much slower vehicles for decades

BusyBargainz

I've got a 995CC Toyota Aygo and use the motorway often and don't have any problems . Takes a bit of oomph to get going but once you're up to 70 its alright!

bigjl

I had a work colleague that put 200knon a Picanto (54plate, might have been a 1.1?)

And she drove from Peterborough to London every day in it for years without complaint. She was in her early 20's when she bought it so Insurance was a consideration from the outset.

I think she was still in Uni when she bought it.