Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris

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Tue 13 Jun 2023 13:44
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - Sam M

I have 2 kids under 12 who I regularly cart around, I previously had a very old Yaris which in actual fact drove superb for a 2002 model. I then brought a Kia Picanto, which is nice and compact for urban driving, but harsh on the plentiful bumps. I'd like a more stylish car now, but would still like the quality, efficiency and reliability factors to be high on the list.

Would you recommend a Mini for this, if so which one? I don't really want to go electric yet!

Appreciate your thoughts, thank you!

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Tue 13 Jun 2023 14:49
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - badbusdriver

Don't know what your budget is, but there isn't much could persuade me into a Mini. Not only are they not all that reliable, the rear seats are very cramped and boot very small. If you get the 5 door version, access, while better than the 3 door, is still compromised due to how small the rear door openings are.

Few people would consider the Yaris stylish, but it would win for me by a huge margin between the two.

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Tue 13 Jun 2023 14:51
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - Heidfirst

Are we talking new or second hand?

Have you been to dealers to have a look at the current Yaris/Yaris Cross & Mini versions?

For efficiency, reliability & a longer warranty (that hopefully you would never need) the Toyotas (both hybrids) will beat the Mini. The Mini may have a bit more social cachet though.

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Tue 13 Jun 2023 15:42
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - Adampr

I've had three minis. They drive beautifully and the interior is streets ahead of any of the competition that I've experienced. However, they are hugely impractical, hard to get into and the ride is very bumpy. Any from 2006-2013 are best avoided due to their fairly disastrous engine.

For what you want, something like a Citroen C3 might be better as they're quite a good balance between comfortable, practical, stylish and cheap. You do need to be careful around engines though, so ask for more info here if you're interested in one.

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Tue 13 Jun 2023 17:30
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - SLO76
Are you planning on spending £30,000 or £1,500? I personally wouldn’t recommend a Mini outside of the original or manufacturer extended warranty period. They’re pretty dismal when it comes to reliability. Fun to look at and kinda fun to drive, though they are heavy to drive, as in the gear change is a bit clunky and the steering heavily weighted to give the impression of feel. I personally don’t rate them at all and ask any dealer who focuses on older used cars sub £7k and you’ll usually find plenty of negativity for the brand.

A used Ford Fiesta with the robust 1.25 Yamaha designed petrol engine would be a better proposition (don’t touch the fragile Powershift autos or the 1.0 Ecoboost engines and leave the diesels)

A Suzuki Swift is a great alternative to a Mini. Fun and cute but cheaper to buy and run plus utterly reliable as long as you avoid the 1.3 Fiat diesel variant. Depending on budget but older Swifts (pre 2011) can suffer from gearbox problems as they get up in the miles, later cars don’t seem to be any bother.

A Mazda 2 petrol is another great small car. Great to drive, brilliant gearbox and mechanically bulletproof with no inherent vices.

Edited by SLO76 on 13/06/2023 at 17:34

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Tue 13 Jun 2023 18:36
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - sammy1

""""Are you planning on spending £30,000 or £1,500? I personally wouldn’t recommend a Mini outside of the original or manufacturer extended warranty period. They’re pretty dismal when it comes to reliability. Fun to look at and kinda fun to drive, though they are heavy to drive, as in the gear change is a bit clunky and the steering heavily weighted to give the impression of feel. I personally don’t rate them at all and ask any dealer who focuses on older used cars sub £7k and you’ll usually find plenty of negativity for the brand. """

Well that is a pretty good hatchet job on a well loved and respected car brand. I have owned MINIs from the first concept of the BMC front wheel drive to the latest high quality German model. They have been no less reliable than any thing else I have owned over the years and horses for course a whole lot better than some. In fact overall I have had no serious mechanical problem with any car I have owned and for the era they were bought in all drove pretty well. The latest MINI is a quality car drives very well is very economic and is bang up to date with modern tech if that is what some want. There are plenty of old MINIs around commanding good money and most have there own individual appearance of some sort. A cheeky little car in many ways

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Tue 13 Jun 2023 18:48
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - Bolt

There are plenty of old MINIs around commanding good money and most have there own individual appearance of some sort. A cheeky little car in many ways

Certainly is when it comes to the wallet as some repairs are very expensive, some problems are not even thought by some mechanics to be worth doing because they are time consuming.

I suspect you have been lucky as members of my family have them but not happy with the repair jobs that are on the list to be done for MOT and one has severe oil leak on a 2017 car mechanic says its an expensive job and common on these Minis

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Tue 13 Jun 2023 19:53
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - SLO76
“ Well that is a pretty good hatchet job on a well loved and respected car brand. I have owned MINIs from the first concept of the BMC front wheel drive to the latest high quality German model. They have been no less reliable than any thing else I have owned over the years”

Certainly not respected by the trade, though those who buy a new one and only keep it a few years thus missing out on the later reliability issues which are very common to them may well love them. I personally have had bad experiences with them and gave up trying to turn a buck from them a long time before I hung up my trade plates, they were just too much trouble. Speak to anyone who makes a living from selling used cars (not a new Mini dealer, who only sells new or nearly new) and you’ll learn that they’re problematic at best. Though I’ll give a nod to the early 1.4 Toyota diesel Mini One I did flog that didn’t come back to pester me.

That all said, I do still love the original BMC Mini, the early hyrogas (the first cars had rubber cones I believe which were rather bouncy apparently) Mini 1000 in particular appeals thanks to its go kart handling and minimalist design. Everyone should have a shot of one at some point, it is pure essence of motoring. If only they’d rust proofed them properly, though they were no worse than anything else of the time really. The wee A series motor was generally reliable too, if you didn’t get a Friday afternoon car. I really liked the original Mini, it was a working persons car, simple and cheap. The BMW Mini was a status symbol, costly and poorly made from day one. All about image. Just not my thing, I’d sooner have a Fiesta.
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Tue 13 Jun 2023 20:50
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - sajid

The mk3 yaris 2012 onwards would be ideal the petrols if u avoid the 1 litre

Are smooth and reliable, the later 1 5 vvt is the one to get if u can stretch with your budget.

I have a yaris mk3 deisel simple car had to replace the headlight bulbs easy 2 min job

Cheap insurance and tax the swift would be smaller, the fiesta would be more fun to drive,

Or there the jazz with a class leading luggage passenger space.

You spoilt with choice best to test drive each cars do your research

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Thu 15 Jun 2023 16:17
Mini or Yaris? - Best Small Car - Mini? Step up from Kia or Yaris - Sam M

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, it's been interesting to read, and I now know which car make I will NOT be looking at. Lots of you asked budget, I was looking at £10-15k, I'll check out the Yaris and Suzuki Swifts. Thank you very much

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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?