Meant to add, if you decide on the Up, it is one of three identical cars bar badging. The others being the Skoda Citigo and the Seat Mii.

Also worth considering is the Hyundai i10, pretty much the same car under the skin as the Kia Picanto, but has a bit more room.

Really pleased with our Ignis - one of the selling points was the driving position.

Note not all have 5 seats in the back, the top spec one has only 4.

4WD options on Suzuki and Fiat.

We also have an Ignis, really pleased with it too apart from the automated manual (AGS*). It is actually only the lowest of the three trim levels which has a three seat rear bench, the mid and top spec both have two rear seats. But because the cabin is so narrow, I would rather the two seats and the extra flexibility that brings (each rear seat slides independently so you can prioritise rear legroom or boot space).

I'm guessing the OP does not need five seats though as the VW Up (plus the Citigo and Mii) are four seat only. And while you do get a five seat option on the Panda, by far the most are four seaters.

*The 2020 onward facelift changed to a CVT, which is why I suggested that (budget permitting of course) if the OP needs auto.

I have shortlisted the Suzuki Ignis and Hyundai i10 to the list also.

The budget is below £12,000, but please include £15,000 options also if its worth it.

Petrol, Manual, raised position and comfortable driving and passenger seats are top priority. Cheap to run, find parts for and reliability secondary but also important.

It only has to have 4 seats.

What would you guys say is the better choice between:

Volkswagen UP, Fiat Panda, Kia Picanto, Suzuki Ignis, Hyundai i10

Thanks for your help

Seat comfort is quite a personal thing, one person finds the seats in one car comfy, a second person doesn't. All I can say is that I find the Ignis seats comfy both for short trips and longer ones (around 3.5 hours).

£15k is enough to get into a brand new example of any of the above.

An entry level Kia Picanto can be had from around £10k new and will come with a 7 year warranty. The i10 (which has a 5 year warranty) and Panda (3 year warranty I think) from just under £13k. The Ignis starts at about £13.5k for the base model (the SZ-3 with the three person rear bench seat) but the mid spec SZ-5 and top spec SZ-T can be had for just under £15k. The Up (which TBH, I thought you could only buy as an EV these days, but apparently not) is starting just under £14k.

As I said before, I'd expect the Ignis to be most reliable followed (not far behind) by the Picanto (and i10). But as a new car with a new car warranty, I would be happy enough with a Panda, especially if you have a dealer nearby. Best thing to do would just to get out and try them to see which is comfiest for the buyer.

For me, an Ignis SZ-5 or SZ-T would be the favourite. But I do have a soft spot for the Panda!.

Thx for the info and help. I will get them to go to the local dealer of each brand to test them all out.

Does anyone know why the Volkswagen UP does not rank as high as the other brands in terms of reliability and cost for parts e.t.c? I thought German manufacturing/engineering had a prestige? Is it because the model is a budget one, or is there inherently something "off" about the cheaper Volkswagens?

Volkswagen isn't the epitome of reliability it once was - any prestige is simply VW resting on it's laurels!

We have a 4 year old Skoda Fabia. Had it 2 1/2 years and had zero issues with it, brilliant car. The car is about the same size as a Yaris but its certainly more elevated than many small cars. The windows are pretty big so you get a good view out unlike many cars these days where the tops of the doors are pretty high.

We have the SE-L spec and both the drivers and passenger front seat are height adjustable, that was one of the factors that decided it for us. Not sure if the lower specs get the adjustment on the passenger seat but sure all specs get it on the drivers.

Suggest you have a look at one, brilliant value.

Edited by thunderbird on 02/04/2022 at 16:46