Volkswagen Fox review (2006-2012)

Styling/Image The Fox is a VW launched in the South American market back in 2003. It's been reworked for European showrooms, with a 59bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine the only powerplant. There is just a single three-door bodystyle, but even this appears dated. The Fox is bland and plain compared to the cute Lupo it replaces.

Interior/Practicality Don’t expect to find a miniature Golf cabin inside. Both the design and quality are from Volkswagens of old. Fit and finish is fine, yet it’s hard not to feel a bit short changed by the aging design and hard plastics. We’ve got no complaints with the practicality, though. Fold the rear seats and the Fox’s luggage area is huge.

Engine/Performance The characterful sounding 1.2-litre engine does have some charm but it feels extremely underpowered and has to be worked hard to get much out of it. There's quite a bit of engine noise too which means refinement is never great.

Driving experience The Fox is a comfortable city car. With a ride that’s soft rather than sporty, it’s more than capable of tackling speed bumps. The four-cylinder engine is relatively quiet, helping to make the Fox a good long-distance cruiser. Head down a more challenging road and the soggy handling won’t inspire handling, but the steering is reasonably well weighted. Decent brakes and a slick gearbox make the VW easy to drive.

Costs Getting a VW badge on your bonnet doesn’t get any cheaper than this. Rival city cars offer more kit for the money, but few can match the Fox’s carrying capacity in the sub £7,500 category. Avoid costly options to make the most of the Volkswagen’s value.

Environment/Safety The Fox’s size means it carries more weight than your average city car and needs larger engines as a result. Fuel economy is relatively poor, resulting in high CO2 emissions. A four star EuroNCAP rating looks good on paper, but the small VW was marked down by testers for its poor side impact protection.

Our Choice: 1.2 3dr