Small hatches

[MercedesDriver]

Currently I have 3 door Corsa 1.2 Sxi which Mrs and I use for going to shopping, tube and school runs but after a month of having it we both find it too slow and not very, well we want something more fun and a bit nippier.
Because we also have S212 which is not ULEZ compliant the hatch must be Petrol, Euro4, manual and minimum 1.4ccm (1.3 if we really like it).
My list is:
1. Toyota Yaris in SR or T-Spirit trim
2. Suzuki Swift Sport
3. Renault Twingo RS
4. W169 150/160
For the latter one here is a lot of information but do you guys and gals have any knowledge you can share about first three models.

 

[tbourner]

I would recommend driving an i3, much more fun and much nippier than all of them - but it won't be manual and will be very expensive!!

We had a Yaris SR, it was alright but not exactly fun - bit wallowy, I don't really remember it as it was a few years ago now, but clearly not very memorable

 

[John]

One of my guys has 2. on a 14 plate.

He really loves it and when another guy in my team was considering a cheap runaround, he was waxing lyrical about.

Having looked at what was for sale, it seems they are a bit of a bargain.

Doesn't Alex225 have a Twingo RS?

 

[MercedesDriver]

I would recommend driving an i3, much more fun and much nippier than all of them - but it won't be manual and will be very expensive!!

We had a Yaris SR, it was alright but not exactly fun - bit wallowy, I don't really remember it as it was a few years ago now, but clearly not very memorable

I’m not concerned with wallowness as when 4 of us get on board all cars get that sporty stance
How was it on a fuel and maintenance costs?

One of my guys has 2. on a 14 plate.

He really loves it and when another guy in my team was considering a cheap runaround, he was waxing lyrical about.

Having looked at what was for sale, it seems they are a bit of a bargain.

Doesn't Alex225 have a Twingo RS?

I know Alex has RS but his is Gordini and those are not cheap to insure (Mrs has low NCD years)
Swift is my favourite too.

 

[merc85]

How about a little Honda Jazz?

 

[John]

You couldn't really fit a Honda Jazz in that category of cars.

As a practical reliable car, they are great but they are about as fun to drive as a rice pudding!

Well, the first ones were anyway...

 

[Yugguy]

What year of Yaris? We had a 2009 1.33 and although quite nippy it wasn't the best on fuel. Car was very reliable though.

 

[merc85]

lol oh right , My mum has a 2009 1.4 Jazz, I have driven and quite liked it but i do drive like a old man haha

 

[MrRight]

I got my mrs a smart forfour brabus sport (2017 model), its alright. Though overpriced unless you can get a few K knocked off the price , but it is pretty much a twingo but with a few smart bits. Financed on an interest rate of only around 3%.

It has been more reliable than i expected but probably wont have Toyota or jazz level reliability over the long term to be honest. It is really fun for what it is... though struggles to do anything over 80mph over the motorway before it starts scaring me half to death.

 

[BTB 500]

We had an '03 Jazz (1.3, manual) which I drove a fair bit (not gently!), and it was pretty good IMO.

The Swift Sport is frequently mentioned as a great choice ... probably what I'd be looking at first in this situation.

 

[Smart320]

Love my newly acquired 2002 LWB A210 Evolution, petrol, 5 doors, fast, great road holding, comfortable, very spacious, more space than in the back of my ML. Not Euro compliant though but as I live in the far west of the U.K. not an issue for me.

 

[MercedesDriver]

How about a little Honda Jazz?

Could be a contender if I manage to find one in EX trim, low miles and not to be a perlescent pink . From what I saw so far most of these little Hondas are quite basic. Sport version looks like it went through Halfords so not for me.

 

[MercedesDriver]

What year of Yaris? We had a 2009 1.33 and although quite nippy it wasn't the best on fuel. Car was very reliable though.

2009 and onwards. Saw these SRs with 1.33 and 1.8. When you say not best on fuel what do you mean by it? What was the MPG in city driving?

 

[MercedesDriver]

I got my mrs a smart forfour brabus sport (2017 model), its alright. Though overpriced unless you can get a few K knocked off the price , but it is pretty much a twingo but with a few smart bits. Financed on an interest rate of only around 3%.

It has been more reliable than i expected but probably wont have Toyota or jazz level reliability over the long term to be honest. It is really fun for what it is... though struggles to do anything over 80mph over the motorway before it starts scaring me half to death.

I think Twingo, Smart and A class , maybe B too share share the same engine but am not sure about transmision.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Love my newly acquired 2002 LWB A210 Evolution, petrol, 5 doors, fast, great road holding, comfortable, very spacious, more space than in the back of my ML. Not Euro compliant though but as I live in the far west of the U.K. not an issue for me.

I was traveling back to UK on the day Edd listed it and saw it when you already got it. Congrats, that’s a lovely car.
I had one for a week and totaly fell in love with it. Unfortunatelly had to return it to the seller because of a lot of issues it had. If only W168 is Euro4 it would already be on my drive. Don’t know, maybe I’ll go for W169 SWB at the end.

 

[MercedesDriver]

We had an '03 Jazz (1.3, manual) which I drove a fair bit (not gently!), and it was pretty good IMO.

The Swift Sport is frequently mentioned as a great choice ... probably what I'd be looking at first in this situation.

I’ll have to sit in it first as I’ve never been in Honda before. Have no idea what it looks like form drivers position but is definitelly a high contender.

 

[Smart320]

Thanks , am pleased as punch with it. Bought it on the spur of the moment, had no idea about them until I saw Edd's post. Just knew my ML was not getting used more than once a month so it had to go, typically it threw an ABS /ESP fault up 70 mile into a 200 mile trip to its new home, having been faultless for the last year.
Am looking forward to getting much more use out of my new toy, great for the Welsh country roads, mind you it shrugged off 700 miles of motorway driving very easily, was most impressed

 

[MercedesDriver]

Thanks , am pleased as punch with it. Bought it on the spur of the moment, had no idea about them until I saw Edd's post. Just knew my ML was not getting used more than once a month so it had to go, typically it threw an ABS /ESP fault up 70 mile into a 200 mile trip to its new home, having been faultless for the last year.
Am looking forward to getting much more use out of my new toy, great for the Welsh country roads, mind you it shrugged off 700 miles of motorway driving very easily, was most impressed

At first I thought you got Mrs Edd’s W168 but then I saw Edd changed his avatar and saw his classified for Evolution from 29th but at that point it was already gone. I am glad it went to a you, that little car deserved to be cherished and taken care for by a member like Edd did.

 

[Smart320]

Am not really hands on with spaners more but it will get looked after properly, small jobs I will do, anything else it will go to an Indi, probably Mercland in the Midlands as my daughter lives not far away. It will be booked in locally very soon for an oil and filter change as that is the only thing due before I start putting a few miles on it. Looks very dirty after its trip south so will be getting a good clean tomorrow.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Another one came to light, Mrs likes it (I haven't said a word except Awwwww, and pointed in right direction)
Mini R56 and I would like to avoid Cooper S because of higher insurance so 1.6 One or standard Cooper will be quite fine for us.
Now, I know nothing about Minis. What to look for, common issues and all in all your impressions of a Mini if you had or still have one.