Best Used City Car
With its superb build quality and low price-tag, the Korean Hyundai i10 takes the city car award for the second year running.
Winner: Hyundai i10
(2004 to date) Prices: £5,000-£8,000
It’s a double whammy for the i10! The smallest Hyundai won the city car class in last year’s Used Car Awards, and it’s still on top 12 months later. Solid build quality and vastly improved styling over its bland predecessor – the Amica – make the i10 an attractive ownership prospect.
Add good visibility and peppy engines, and it’s a great town car. Plus, buyers benefit from the firm’s excellent five-year, unlimited mileage warranty, which can be transferred from owner to owner.
As the i10 is still quite new, most second-hand examples are still found on Hyundai’s forecourts. But that’s no bad thing, as the dealer network has a reputation for top-notch customer service.
Early versions were sold with a 65bhp 1.1-litre engine only, but a 77bhp 1.2-litre unit joined the range in September 2008. While models with the latter are pricier to buy, they’re stronger all-round performers, and don’t cost much more to run. They promise 56.5mpg combined economy, while 119g/km CO2 emissions mean £30-a-year road tax.
Pick of the range is the mid-spec Comfort version, which adds alloy wheels, electric rear windows and remote central locking to the standard kit tally of the entry-level Classic model.
Nearly New: Toyota iQ
(2009 to date) Prices: £6,700-£11,000
Bold looks, top build and willing three and four-cylinder engines make iQ a city car star. Prices are still high, but residuals are good. Most models will still be on sale in Toyota's great dealer network.
Value Choice: Fiat Panda
(2004 to date) Prices: £2,500-£8,000
Our Car of the Year 2004 is still a top buy, new and used. Early Pandas are cheap and easy to find, but specialists and private sellers have the best-value cars. Watch for sticking brake pedals and jammed bootlids.
