Skoda Citigo (2012 - 2019) review

The Skoda Citigo is one-third of the VW Group's trio of very similar city cars, with the Volkswagen Up and SEAT Mii sharing the same underpinnings. The Citigo was the second, after the VW, to receive some mid-life updates in 2017. 

All three cars offer a smart design inside and out, a surprising amount of space for their size, and are cheap to buy and own. However, it's the Skoda that has the lowest starting price of the three. Given there's little difference in how they look, what they're like to sit in and the way they drive, it's the Skoda that represents the best value. It's not hard, then, to see why it previously won our City Car of the Year five years on the trot. 

• Best city cars

Despite the changes, the Citigo continues with the same 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine it has always had, with either 59bhp or 74bhp. While it's far from fast, it is willing and means the Citigo is brilliant for ducking in and out of city streets. It’s also surprisingly quiet and comfortable on faster roads, while decent handling ensures it’s a superb all-rounder for a city car. 

Factor in its versatility and grown-up driving dynamics, and the Skoda remains a top choice for motorists who want to cut costs without compromise.

The Skoda Citigo is the smallest car for sale in the Czech manufacturer's range, and it's a great choice in the city car sector, whether you're buying new or used. It shares running gear with the SEAT Mii and more expensive VW up!, but the great-value Citigo seems to fit the city car brief best.

Skoda Citigo prices start from just under £9,000, although that's for the basic Citigo S - the better specced Citigo SE and Citigo SE L versions we'd choose start from around £10,200. All cars have either three or five-doors, with the latter is around £350 extra, which is well worth paying for its added versatility.

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Front-wheel drive is standard across the range with a three-cylinder petrol engine in two power outputs and a five-speed manual gearbox for all models - if you want an automatic, then you're going to need to look at the used market, as there isn't an auto currently available. Your other option is to wait for the all-electric Citigo e iV which is due later in 2019.

At the moment, the Citigo comes in 60PS and 75PS forms with 59bhp and 74bhp respectively. While these are pretty modest power outputs, both cars are lively to drive, while low emissions mean they're cheap to tax, too, with no Citigo having emissions of more than 97g/km.

The range comprises S, SE, SE L and sporty Monte Carlo trims, while the Colour Edition is a special model that adds a bit more style to the mix. All models are available with the 60PS engine, while the 75PS version is only offered in SE L spec.

The city car class is a hotbed of collaboration between manufacturers. The Citigo shares 90 per cent of its mechanicals with the Mii and up!, although the latter does come with a turbo petrol engine or electric drive, as well as a racy GTI, and the whole range is pricier, too.

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Elsewhere, the Citroen C1, Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo are built in the same factory and offer a more youthful look, the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto look different, but are virtually identical underneath, while the Renault Twingo and Smart ForFour are similar to each other, although the latter is electric now. Slightly larger city cars to consider include the Fiat Panda, Ford Ka+ and Vauxhall Viva.

Used and nearly new

Skoda is best known for offering affordable cars, but until the arrival of the Citigo in 2012, the Volkswagen subsidiary had never produced a city car; its smallest offerings had previously been superminis such as the Fabia, Felicia and Favorit. 

• For the latest Skoda Citigo prices check out our sister site buyacar.co.uk

Skoda Citigo history

Skoda Citigo-e iV: 2020

It wasn’t on sale for long, but the Citigo-e iV beat the Enyaq iV to market to become Skoda’s first production electric car, albeit one based on an existing platform. With a price of around £20,000, it was perfect for wannabe electric car owners who required enough range for city driving and didn’t want to splash out on a more expensive EV. This was the final version of the Citigo before the city car was axed in 2020. 

Skoda Citigo Mk1: 2012-2019

When the Citigo was introduced, it shook up the city car segment, along with its SEAT and VW cousins. Smartly designed, great value and good to drive, it’s a typical Skoda through and through, all backed up by one of the best dealer networks in the business. While the earliest models are now approaching a decade on the road, the Citigo had relatively little development. Don’t assume this is a disadvantage over newer rivals, though; some of them are still playing catch-up. Read our full Mk1 Skoda Citigo buyer’s guide here...