What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - CarConundrum222
Hello! I’m looking for some advice from the Honest John community.
Is there a small car that can really do it all? One that is just as comfortable in the city as it is on long motorway drives?
I live in London, and am looking for something that is small and easy to park in the city, but that is also comfortable clocking up motorway miles at the weekend, and has space enough for my camping gear - all for £6K. Does this car exist??
It needs to be ULEZ compliant, petrol (or hybrid, though guessing unlikely in my budget) and have good visibility, and to be the dream car could it also be a little cool?
I currently own a 2011 Hyundai i10 - it’s been pretty good though lacking oomph on the motorway. Recently been having an intermittent starting issue that three garages haven’t been able to fix, so think it’s time for something new.

Any advice or ideas would be much appreciated, along with tips on what’s most important to look for (is age more important than mileage?).
Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - badbusdriver

How small a car do you need?. I’m just wondering, because if it’s just you going camping, I guess you could get away with a Smart ForTwo!.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - Trilogy.

Suzuki Swift Sport.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - CarConundrum222

Ah good question! Two of us camping with all the related paraphernalia, so need something a similar size to the i10 (we fill up the boot and back seats when going on trips). Would certainly consider the Smart forfour if it people think it is comfortable on long motorway drives.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - SLO76

Ah good question! Two of us camping with all the related paraphernalia, so need something a similar size to the i10 (we fill up the boot and back seats when going on trips). Would certainly consider the Smart forfour if it people think it is comfortable on long motorway drives.

Wouldn’t touch the Smart, it’s not a great car. The Renault Twingo it’s based on is a more honest vehicle and fine for local driving but both suffer badly at speed being top heavy and rear engined.
Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - SLO76
Toyota Yaris 1.33, Mazda 2 or Ford Fiesta 1.25 are all good options here. I’d spend a bit more of you can.


www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200731193...2

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - SLO76
I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190930278...2
Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - _

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=price-asc&...l

My old favourite Tardis inside, easy to park. or a hyundai ix20.

But both os Slo76's choices more economical

Edited by _ORB_ on 27/09/2020 at 09:12

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - CarConundrum222

Thanks @_ORB_! This is not a model I'd considered at all, but I like that some models are 123BHP. I'm not too bothered about it being economical, preference would always be nice to drive. Will see if I can find one local to test drive.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - CarConundrum222
Toyota Yaris 1.33, Mazda 2 or Ford Fiesta 1.25 are all good options here. I’d spend a bit more of you can. www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20200731193...2

Thanks for the tips @SLO76 - I've got today set aside for car hunting, so may see if I can book in for a test drive of the Yaris.

Would this be a similarly good buy (it is a little nearer)? www.motors.co.uk/car-57799812/?i=3&m=srm

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - badbusdriver

Looks absolutely fine, and i see it has cruise control, ideal for long motorway drives!.

The Hyundai i10 you currently have is the old style, which in terms of dimensions, would fit into the Japanese Kei car class, so you could certainly consider something smaller than a Yaris if you wanted. Also, because of its age and refinement levels, you'd probably find that even a similar sized car to your i10 a step up in terms of motorway ability. Some years ago we had a Daihatsu Sirion 1.0 as our family car and despite having only 68bhp it had no issues keeping to the speed limit unless going up steeper hills.

Because of this, and given it will just be the two of you, i certainly wouldn't rule out something like a Toyota Aygo. £6k is enough to get you into the current shape, with the X motif styling on the front (if you like it of course). There is also its two sister cars, the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108 which also opens up the option of a bigger 1.2 engine (the Aygo only got the 1.0). It also opens up (literally in this case!) the option of the 'convertible', not a 'proper convertible i hasten to add, just a large fabric sunroof. But potentially appealing on a camping holiday in nice weather?.

Here is an Aygo and a 108 (1.2 with the fabric roof), both in London (though obviously a big place, so no idea how close to you they are!). Both also have cruise control,

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007221531294?m...2

www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007141212112?m...1

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - Big John

Being an experienced camper good boot space will be an important requirement. Bit of an issue with a Yaris etc but as mentioned by ORB the Kia Venga and Hyundai ix20 are suitably endowed.

Another consideration might be a Honda Jazz with the fabulous magic seats combined with a reasonable boot. My sister has one and transports a double bass!

Drive any car on a motorway to make sure you are happy with it. We have a Fiat Panda 1.2 that is great around town but I hate it on a motorway. My sister is happy driving her Jazz between Bristol and East Yorkshire.

Edited by Big John on 27/09/2020 at 21:29

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - badbusdriver

Being an experienced camper good boot space will be an important requirement. Bit of an issue with a Yaris etc but as mentioned by ORB the Kia Venga and Hyundai ix20 are suitably endowed.

Maybe i'm misreading it, but my take on the OP's post was that he already goes camping using his 2011 Hyundai i10.

This is a very small car indeed, so if the OP is able to do his camping trips using that, there is no question that he'd also be able to do them in an Aygo/C1/108, never mind the bigger Yaris.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - Engineer Andy

Being an experienced camper good boot space will be an important requirement. Bit of an issue with a Yaris etc but as mentioned by ORB the Kia Venga and Hyundai ix20 are suitably endowed.

Maybe i'm misreading it, but my take on the OP's post was that he already goes camping using his 2011 Hyundai i10.

This is a very small car indeed, so if the OP is able to do his camping trips using that, there is no question that he'd also be able to do them in an Aygo/C1/108, never mind the bigger Yaris.

They could doing what I used to do when holidaying (including bringing golfing bag and trolley) in the West Country travelling in my previous car, a mid 90s Nissan Micra, namely having to put the back seats down in order to fit all the gear in.

Not the most secure (on display to potential thieves when stopped and away from the car at a break in the journey) or safest (material can shoot forward to those in the front seats in an accident).

I was glad (one of the reasons why I bought my Mazda3) of owning a bigger car afterwards with a much large boot, being able to accomodate all my holiday gear. In the OP's case, a car like the Venga/1x20, Jazz, or other compact MPV (but with a decent amount of boot space for the car's footprint) might well do, although estates would probably drive better because of their loweer centre of gravity and standard car underpinnings.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - Mmarsh1972

Honda Jazz.

I am not in the UK and it Might be a tad over your budget but you'll find no better urban car

I've had one for 8 years, works like a dream and the only reason I am thinking of getting rid of it is because I want something larger (kids getting bigger). Otherwise for a inter-city runabout there is no better.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - CarConundrum222

Thanks for all your comments!

I went to test out a Yaris last weekend, and to be honest was shocked by how big it felt. As @badbusdriver noted, I've been driving something in a smaller class of car (and before that a tiny old model Ford Ka), and size wise, it's largely met my needs.

Lots of votes for the Jazz so may give that a try.

I sort of feel like the dream car for me doesn't exist! In answer to
@badbusdriver, @Engineer Andy and @Big John, I've always been able to fit the camping gear in the i10, but spread across the boot and back seats (not ideal from a safety perspective). The dream would be a car of i10 size, no back seats all boot space, that can really hold its own on the motorway - at which point I realise I'm describing a really tiny van!

Will try out a few more options and be sure to let you know what I pick!

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - Andrew-T

The dream would be a car of i10 size, no back seats all boot space, that can really hold its own on the motorway - at which point I realise I'm describing a really tiny van!

Indeed. SWMBO's very first car, when she was still single, was a 1962 Mini-van. Its plus was the avoidance of what is now VAT, and the minus was the lack of all-round visibility. Also the fact that the push-button starter was in the floor by the gearstick and could be disabled by long grass.

You are talking about a van with windows, which even in the 21st century are still worth seeing out of, although rather restricted in size. They will be noisier than the matching car, of course.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - SLO76
Just clicked that you’ve an old shape i10. Why not simply upgrade to the next gen model from 2014 on? These are brilliant little cars with more space than your current version plus the 4cyl 1.2 is surprisingly capable at motorway speeds. I really rate them.
Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - glidermania
Hello! I’m looking for some advice from the Honest John community. Is there a small car that can really do it all? One that is just as comfortable in the city as it is on long motorway drives? I live in London, and am looking for something that is small and easy to park in the city, but that is also comfortable clocking up motorway miles at the weekend, and has space enough for my camping gear - all for £6K. Does this car exist?? It needs to be ULEZ compliant, petrol (or hybrid, though guessing unlikely in my budget) and have good visibility, and to be the dream car could it also be a little cool? I currently own a 2011 Hyundai i10 - it’s been pretty good though lacking oomph on the motorway. Recently been having an intermittent starting issue that three garages haven’t been able to fix, so think it’s time for something new. Any advice or ideas would be much appreciated, along with tips on what’s most important to look for (is age more important than mileage?).

Renault Twingo Dynamique S model 2015 to 2017. Zero VED, 4 door, ideal around town and will do 85 mph all day on the motorway, very comfy seats as well. Love ours. And before people lump in Renaults are unreliable, no, they are reliable. Never had a fault with ours and all new Renaults now come with 5 year warranty.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - thirts

We have just bought a 2nd i10 (2019 plate) it is the three cylinder 1l model, we bought as a run around and for my wife to commute with. However, as it was newish we went for a day out in it and I was surprised by how well to coped on the motorway..

Being an ex biker, who used to go camping, I find that any car is big enough for camping gear

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - badbusdriver

We have just bought a 2nd i10 (2019 plate) it is the three cylinder 1l model, we bought as a run around and for my wife to commute with. However, as it was newish we went for a day out in it and I was surprised by how well to coped on the motorway..

Being an ex biker, who used to go camping, I find that any car is big enough for camping gear

You can thank Top Gear and, in general, the motoring press, for this assumption that small engined cars can’t cope with the motorway. Which is of course nonsense, as you’ve found out. The speed limit is 70mph, but most 1.0 (n/a) city cars will have a top speed of 90+mph, so there really shouldn’t be any problems, unless you are trying to race the beemer in the fast lane!. As I mentioned earlier, we used to have a Daihatsu Sirion 1.0 (68bhp) which had no difficulty maintaining 75-80mph on the motorway.

Help! Small car for city + motorway miles for £6K? - Sparrow

SWMBO has an i10. It is the 1.2 engine but normally aspirated. We have driven it from the south of England to Aberdeen and back. It coped with the motorway well, provided you didn't want to sit in the outside lane at 90. The seats fold, so with 2 people there is plenty of room for stuff.

Personally, I prefer something a bit larger, Corolla size, but it is difficult to fault the 1.2 engined i10, now 4 years old.