Review Skoda Citigo hatchback

"A thoroughly grown-up, well made city car that still knows how to have fun." The Skoda Citigo is more than just a rebadged version of the Volkswagen up! and Seat Mii. It has the style to compete with the Fiat 500, the quality to rival the Kia Picanto and enough space to put it on terms with a Hyundai i10. Whichever version of the 1.0 petrol 3-cylinder engine you choose, you’ll have decent performance and okay economy, too. But what impresses us most is how mature the car feels, both in terms of interior quality and the way it drives. The Citigo will seat four people in reasonable comfort and the boot is okay, too, while there are plenty of big-car options including air-con, an automatic gearbox, sat-nav and a full-length glass sunroof. The Skoda Citigo is one seriously good value and talented city car. Drive 4.8 /5 Grown-up feel from a little car The Citigo's strongest suite is how it drives. The characterful three-cylinder engines offers better performance around town than their figures suggest, while they calm down significantly on a motorway cruise. The steering is light and responsive, while the gearshift is slick yet precise. The best bit is the ride, which, in spite of its short wheelbase, does a great job of smoothing bumps, ruts and ridges to make the Citigo comfy for anyone in the front or the back. Comfort 4.4 /5 Space for four plus soft luggage Given the Citigo's diminutive proportions, it's amazing how much space there is inside. There's loads of room for a couple of adults and a couple of kids to sit in comfort, while it's even possible to sit one six foot adult behind another one… just. There are lots of handy cubbies around the cabin, while the boot is bigger than those found in a Ford Ka, Fiat 500, Kia Picanto or Hyundai i10. The Citigo isn’t a car that's been made to cover long distances in, though – while the driving position is fine (inspite of no reach adjustment on the steering), the seats aren’t too supportive. Reliability 4.5 /5 Lives up to the Skoda reputation of quality and reliability Check the ratings for Skoda in our Driver Power surveys over the years and you’ll see that they rarely disappoint their owners. They prove to be reliable, while owners love the no-nonsense quality and safety on offer. The Skoda Citigo will only enhance that reputation – it's well built with high quality materials used inside, while plenty of airbags do their bit to ensure a high score in Euro NCAP tests. As city cars go, this should be as safe as you can get. Practicality 4.3 /5 More space than you’d expect in a car of this size For once, getting into the back of a city car doesn’t mean drawing the short straw. The Skoda Citigo will be available in either three or five door formats, and it's easy to get into the back where the space will rival the likes of the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto. The square-ish shape means there's plenty of headroom and with a decent boot – at 251 litres, it's more than big enough for a decent amount of shopping or a couple of squashy sports bags. The rear seats fold down easily and there are plenty of storage spaces around the cabin, too. Value for money 4.4 /5 Cheaper than a VW up! Competition is fierce among city cars with Ford, Fiat, Suzuki, Hyundai and Kia all fighting with the newcomers from Volkswagen, Skoda and Seat. Skoda has always been about value, and the Citigo continues that tradition undercutting the up! by around £500. Skoda also promises that the Citigo's options will be cheaper than the up!'s – the navigon sat-nav and infotainment system will only cost around £250, that's £50 cheaper than VW will charge you. Running costs 4.1 /5 Economical and eco-friendly Whichever version of the Skoda Citigo you choose, you should get excellent economy figures – Skoda claims an average of over 60mpg for both engine variants. Skoda is also working hard to ensure the Citigo gets lower insurance groups than city car rivals, while if you buy your car through Skoda finance (as many people will) you also benefit from free servicing for three years. Not that we’d expect a Skoda to breakdown, but Skoda's three year warranty includes Europe-wide RAC breakdown cover for the whole period, too.