What is everyone's current thoughts on the "Best Small Car"?

[stevie lee]

well small for me is bigger than what you'd consider small. I've got long legs, especially the bit up to my knee, so cant fit in the majority of small small cars because I cant fit under the steering wheel.
so..

fiesta
Hyundai i20
jazz (just to see if I fit in it, looked a bit tight when I was in passenger seat once)

next smallest are the Civic, mazda 3 and focus.

just quoting myself to explain my choices a bit.

fiesta - learned to drive in one so I know I can fit in it, liked driving the learner one until one of the other learners reversed it trough a wall. had to do test in a corsa which I didn't like because it had no rev-meter.

Hyundai i20 - well.. the police around here drive the i30's and I haven't heard of any of them breaking down or crashing into things, so reliability and handling are up there, must transfer that build knowledge around the Hyundai range mustn't they . plus its regarded as a granny car so wont get nicked and second hand ones aren't likely to have been thrashed about by the local yobbos.
odd reasoning but there you go.

jazz - its a 'small car' thread and its smaller than the civic.



civic - when I went to the hexus.lans (when I had spare money that is) madduck drove me there in one. was the old shape style without the wing half way up the back window. apart from the road noise (whih was due to the low profile tyres on it) it felt a very nice car. fell asleep in it, it was that relaxing at motorway speeds.
finding an un-thrashed one nearby will be hard, due to them being yobbo cars and being inbetween Manchester, Liverpool and preston all home of the yobbos.
need to try a newer one to see if the rear wing is annoying, but there are the older ones available still...

mazda 3 - there used to be a mazda garage near where I worked. walking past them for 6 years has an impression, a longing, an itchy scratch in my mind that just wont go away. need to at least try one to get rid of the itch or to get a fizz instead

focus - its a big fiesta. know lots of people with fords, passenger seat is comfy.


also. everything on this list is available for £1500 or less nearby.
although. just looked on autotrader and a Lancia Delta Integrale Hf 4X4 just appeared quite close in Bootle

[outwar6010]

[Butcher]

500 is a great car... shocked to see it slagged off... it's an amazing thing.

The one I drove was utterly terrible. Poor seating position, poor interior, poor suspension (made of jelly), overly twitchy "safety features"; the hazards would flash under moderate braking, engine was a dog even when revved to death.

And the Corsa or Adam : no where to been seen/mentioned except by Knox.

Not driven a Corsa for a while, but the last I had was disappointing. The seating position was bad, controls not great, pants engine. The Fiestas ride better, handle better and for the most part have better engines. Better interiors too. Given they're very much at similar price points, I have no idea why you would pick a Corsa over a Fiesta.

[kalniel]

Not driven a Corsa for a while, but the last I had was disappointing. The seating position was bad, controls not great, pants engine. The Fiestas ride better, handle better and for the most part have better engines. Better interiors too. Given they're very much at similar price points, I have no idea why you would pick a Corsa over a Fiesta.

Same here really. There is a small thing going for them in that because they're not as good as Fiestas they're a bit cheaper, but if I couldn't afford a Fiesta I'd just go for an older Fiesta, or a Hyundai or Susuki.

As for the Adam, I'm just not the target demographic I don't think.

But that's no barrier for the future - if Vaux can apply the same weight-loss regime they just did to the Astra to the Corsa they might start to compete on handling/driving enjoyment (which they haven't since the Nova IMHO). Then they just need to work on the engines a bit more - the new 3 cylinder shows promise but it's again behind offerings from Ford at the moment. Oh and stop blinging 'sporty' models up. Sporty Fiestas still look elegant.

[directhex]

500 is a great car... shocked to see it slagged off... it's an amazing thing.

I hear the 500e is accidentally fabulous - FCA are only selling it in California to meet emissions regulations, and FCA's head absolutely hates electrics - but all the 500e reviews say it's amazing, and way better than the petrol

[Biscuit]

civic - when I went to the hexus.lans (when I had spare money that is) madduck drove me there in one. was the old shape style without the wing half way up the back window. apart from the road noise (whih was due to the low profile tyres on it) it felt a very nice car. fell asleep in it, it was that relaxing at motorway speeds.
finding an un-thrashed one nearby will be hard, due to them being yobbo cars and being inbetween Manchester, Liverpool and preston all home of the yobbos.
need to try a newer one to see if the rear wing is annoying, but there are the older ones available still...

I have the old Type-R and my parents have the newer shape with a 2.2 Diesel. Both still have the rear wing but you get used to the lack of rear visibility.

Mine is obviously not pleasant for long motorway drives but theirs is like a big sofa on wheels.

[DeludedGuy]

Why? If we are picking the best small fast car the BMW is meant to be pritty bad.

It's not pretty bad...who told you such nonsense? It's not the fastest, but its no slouch either with a 0-60 of 4.9 seconds and 155mph limited top speed...I think it's the best overall small car, plenty of power, room and luxury to keep anyone happy, you cannot say the same for other small cars.

[Biscuit]

It's not pretty bad...who told you such nonsense? It's not the fastest, but its no slouch either with a 0-60 of 4.9 seconds and 155mph limited top speed...I think it's the best overall small car, plenty of power, room and luxury to keep anyone happy, you cannot say the same for other small cars.

My experience of the 1 series is far different to yours. I drove a 120D M-Sport and a 125D M-Sport and whilst quite fast, neither were comfortable, spacious or particularly pleasant to drive.

[abaxas]

It's not pretty bad...who told you such nonsense? It's not the fastest, but its no slouch either with a 0-60 of 4.9 seconds and 155mph limited top speed...I think it's the best overall small car, plenty of power, room and luxury to keep anyone happy, you cannot say the same for other small cars.

Luxury is not a word that is ever used with the 1 series.

However here are a few that do described it.

Cramped
Niosy
No frocking bootspace.
Uglier than a milf stripper's groin area.

BMW do great larger cars like the 5 series, but their smaller ones 1/3 series are gash. Bought by the stupid to keep up with the Joneses.

[Butcher]

Oh and stop blinging 'sporty' models up. Sporty Fiestas still look elegant.

Oh I forgot about that, the VXR models always look daft.

[DeludedGuy]

Luxury is not a word that is ever used with the 1 series.

However here are a few that do described it.

Cramped
Niosy
No frocking bootspace.
Uglier than a milf stripper's groin area.

BMW do great larger cars like the 5 series, but their smaller ones 1/3 series are gash. Bought by the stupid to keep up with the Joneses.

You guys clearly not driven the 2015 M135i......

[abaxas]

Sorry, but I drive a 19 year old lotus elise.

the M135i is crap. Fast but crap.

[Biscuit]

No true, the ones I drove were the older one.

[DeludedGuy]

Sorry, but I drive a 19 year old lotus elise.

the M135i is crap. Fast but crap.

What on earth are you talking about???? Have you actually driven one? Spent anytime with one? Why are they crap?

Here is a good review in case you are not aware and maybe you are thinking of a different car....

http://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/bmw/m135i

[DanceswithUnix]

What on earth are you talking about???? Have you actually driven one? Spent anytime with one? Why are they crap?

Here is a good review in case you are not aware and maybe you are thinking of a different car....

http://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/bmw/m135i

I'm guessing someone who drives an Elise isn't going to be impressed with leather, cup holders, and certainly not by over nannying electronic driver assist measures like skid control that tend to plague high powered modern cars.

Is the engine noise from a synthesiser and fed through the stereo like on the 5 series?

[Guy]

Sorry, but I drive a 19 year old lotus elise.

the M135i is crap. Fast but crap.

They're not even comparable let alone the same class of car!