What is the best little car around?

[3andnomore]

Hi there,
am possibly needing a small little car soon.
We have a Fiat Multipla, which fits our family needs great, but, there is a possibility that I will go around 20miles each way, 5 days a week on my own, so, a small car just for that would be better then using the Multipla, which we don't want to part with, as it's great for things like camping with 5-6 people.
It would have to be a car I might also use whenever I am on my own or just with a few of my Kids, etc....and I might be using Motorways, which, after some reviews clarified that a Fiiat Panda would not be a good choice.
Have so far looked, online, at Vauxhail Corsa (which I learned to drive in), Nissan Micras, Suziki Swifts and Ford Kias....I also looked a MG's which look so much fun, but well, are just to expensive to insure (especially in this area, lol)

anyone know anything about cars and which little one would be best.
Also, are there small cars that have 3 proper seatbelts in the back, rather then 2 + a lapbelt?

(Sorry for hijack 3andnomore)

Teaandcake - can I pick your DH's brain?? Hoping his taste in cars is as good as your taste in buggies (Mt Buggy )

We want to sell my Audi A4 (nearly 6yrs old, 106,000 miles) because repairs are starting to cost a fortune and I don't need a flash car. Was considering a Ford Focus because I thought Fords were relatively cheap to repair, but maybe I'm wrong? Would love a Golf but they're more expensive and I thought would be more expensive to repair & insure. So what would he recommend of a similar size? Looking for a 2nd hand one but max. 2yrs old, must be 5 door and just big enough to fit Mt Buggy in the boot Nothing smaller than a Focus cos we're both tall

TIA

Oh, and we'd probably keep it beyond the warranty period...

Having test driven and read reviews,

Superminis
1 Vauxhall Corsa
Does everything just that little bit better than its rivals
2 Suzuki Swift
It's cheap and gives punchy performance. It's also great fun and superb value for money
3 Daihatsu Sirion
The Sirion gives you space, equipment and style, and is incredible value for money
4 Peugeot 207
Looks great, has a smooth drive and comfy cabin. It's desirable, too
5 Renault Clio
Decent practicality, affordable running costs and a well rounded drive

Used Superminis
1 Ford Fiesta
A brilliant all-rounder, plenty available and low in price
2 Toyota Yaris
Great reliability and chic - and you'll get a good price when it's time to sell on
3 Honda Jazz
It's surprisingly big inside with clever seating layout - and reliable, too
4 Ford Ka
You only get three doors, so it's not as practical as some, but it's cheap and easy to live with
5 Mini
The Mini is the coolest of superminis, and great to drive. But it's built really only for two.

Love my Yaris but agree about lack of acceleration with the smaller engine sizes.

Hello Amazonianwoman, DH dislikes Fords because he thinks the build quality is rubbish, ditto Fiats and French cars. They are all relatively cheap to buy when new (compared to say, Japanese cars) but this is a false economy if you intend to hold on to it beyond the warranty as you'll end up spending a fortune fixing problems that never even occur on better quality cars (can't think of examples right now but will ask DH when he comes home tonight).

Definately take a look at Toyotas, possibly a late Corrolla or the newer Auris, both will fit a Mountain Buggy in the boot. I know they seem a little dull on the surface but are v reliable and rarely break down.

Honda make fantastic quality, super reliable and very safe cars (they have had Iso-fix as standard for many years now so if this is important you are likely to find it on a second hand model). The Honda Jazz would be his best reccomendation, it is really huge inside and may suit your tall frames!
Or possibly a Civic (you'd be looking at the last incarnation not the new sharp-edged looking one).
You could compare the two and see which suits your needs better.

VW also v good. Golfs are good but hold their value so you'd have to lay out a little more to begin with. They have a great image and are well built.

IMO you would get the best value for money with a Japanese car. Bear in mind that Nissan is now owned by Renault and their more recent cars are not as well built as they used to be.

FWIW I drive an old Volvo (one that was made before Ford bought them out and the build quality went south) and love it! It is a v good car but looks a bit old blokish but I don't care!

don't shoot me- but my nanny uses a daewoo matiz- and swears by it its the biggest small car in the world- she can even fit a bertini twin pram in it (and yes she can still fit the children in with it too

she very rarely has to put petrol in it as its only a 0.8- but it still has enough poke to get her around the welsh mountains!

We've had really good Fords - current Fiesta has been driven to death (long commute of 100 mile round trip each day, plus trips to family a long way north and south), and has barely had a sniffle. Ditto with my mum's N reg escort, and a few other fords in the family over the years. But that's just anecdotal - not sure what broader research would suggest.

I had a very old style Micra for years and it was fantastic, best car I've ever had. Sold it as came into some money and thought I should buy a new car, only thing wrong with it was a bit of rust. Wish I'd never sold it.

Got a newer Micra which I hated, driving position was all wrong and I was in pain. Couldn't adjust the seat enough and sold it.

Got a corsa which was ok, bit boring. Bought a datsun 120y. Had to get rid of that as no seatbelts in back.

Then had a Rover - it blew up.

Then had a Skoda Felecia. Everyone laughed and I said no, it has a Volkswagon engine, etc. I always seemed to be spending money on it, brakes, exhaust, cables, more brake things, pads, shoes. At 55,000 miles the engine blew up terminally and I got £70 scrap for it.

I now have a 1.0ltr Yaris and do like it. The acceleration is no worse than a Corsa. My Skoda was a 1.6ltr so yes I have noticed the drop in power. But if you're prepared to drop it into 2nd and put your foot down it does shift ok. I like the fact the back seats move back and forwards so boot can be bigger. Its meant to be very reliable. Main gripe is my model has no sunroof and no a/c. Hot in summer.

I had a c3 pluriel when they first came out (02 or 03 I think) and it was fun and versatile and very cheap to run - only changed it because 1. I like buying new cars and 2. I wanted a hard top 'proper' convertible

anyway it is a bit more interesting than your average hatchback and has tiptronic gears which are fun

I'm on my second Punto and they're very reliable and nippy.
I've only ever had one major problem and that was with my present one which has just needed a new battery (because it just sits on the drive most of the time)

SKSS my last car was an old Micra. It was superb, not terribly exciting but v v reliable and cheap to run. Only got a new car because it was written off when I was crashed into by a joy rider.

My Dad had a Datsun 120Y when we were kids in the 1970's, we loved it! How fabulous, I havn't seen one for years!

Doesn't everyone have to spend money on consumables - brakes, exhausts, tyres, wipers etc?

I've a Mini Cooper and love it to bits.

My 2 DCs love it too, we can get the whole family of 4 in but not for a long journey as 2 adults in the front need to push the seats back leaving little leg room in the back.

The boot is pretty small but without any DCs in teh back, when you put teh seats down it's huge!

The main limiting factor is just 2 seats in the back, so no good if you need to get 5 in at any time.

Otherwise FAB!!!

HI again,
thank you again.
Teaandcakes....whilst I am sure your OH knows his stuff....we do have a Fiat Multipla (as stated in my OP) and so far it is doing us rather well, and it isn't new or anything...!
Anyway, dh now is saying that it probably would be "bad" economy to buy a smaller car,he thinks, that because our Multipla has a relatively small engine (1.6L), it might be cheaper to put up with having to put a bit more petrol into it every week, then I possibly would have to in a smaller car, then having to pay for a car, and extra insurance and taxes, etc...
Anyone got any idea if indeed economically it would be better to stick with just the one car?
Dh wants to get me onto a Motorbike, but tbh, whilst I may well want to learn to ride a Motorbike, I do not want to have to rely on Biking in all weathers, etc...Helmet hair is part of the issue...tis alright for my dh who is bold, lol....

we used to have a fiat multipla , recently swapped it for a little corsa and I love it. very cramped compared to multipla, but nippy, can park any where, and finally managed to get one of those "COME on" people for my window, its great..
have also passed my bike licence - fab in summer, not fab in winter

DH loves our C3 - he's a driving instructor so it takes a lot of hammering - and keeps on taking it! Good on fuel, comfy seats too

littleboo...thing is, we really want to keep the Multipla, because it's great when my mums comes to visit from Germany and has good space for when we go camping in the summer....

The Yaris is fab. Having had one, I can't imagine ever buying another make of small car - I love it to bits and barely ever have to put petrol in!

well 3, if you plan to keep the multipla, i would still recommend the corsa, cheap to service, straightforward, reasonable priced parts, easy to drive and park, economical on fuel. I love it. Has also got the 3 proper seat belts in the back.
The multipla was great for space and going away, and great to be able to get in that extra person. But Personally I'm glad I swapped. We do also have my dh's estate for longer trips ( work car).

£ - go for the bike as well if you can..... great fun

Thanks Teaandcake

Now I want a Golf again but will look at Toyotas & Nissans (didn't even know they'd been bought by Renault) & Hondas

Oh dear, sorry 3andnomore I didn't mean to offend with my outspoken car views, it all has my DH's slightly irate slant on it. Oops.

lol tEA&CAKES.....tis aslright, I know a lot of people that are not so Fiat friendly (in general) and I always wonder if their Multipla was just the odd one out...obviously very ugly (we got one of those with "googly eyes"...)but runs fabulously....
Could you ask your OH what he thinks....moneywise...what would be best to do.
Just have the Multipla and put up with maybe using slightly more fuel then we would with a smaller car, or buy a small one (but keep the Multipla) and paying Tax and Insurance for 2 x CARS, MAINLY USE THE SMALLER CAR, AS AND WHEN WE CAN, AND USE THE mULTIPLA ONLY WHEN WE HAVE TOO!If I do get onto that degree course it will be for 3-4 years (depending if I decide to go part time at any time....)
oppps caps lock....
littleboo...motorbike will have to wait till a time I can afford a hobby, lol!

You have to add up the total cost of purchasing and running a second car - road fund, insurance, fuel, servicing and repair costs. I guess it depends on your budget but it adds up to thousands of pounds on any budget. Thats a LOT of fuel in your existing car!

If you can get away with running your life with one car it makes loads of sense to stick with it.

oh Teaandcakes...dh has his Motorbike and is happy to use it, teh Kids will be at school anyway, so, the car isn't needed...so, sounds like he was onto somehting and that, indeed, we are better off just sticking with the Multipla