The used car market offers a solution
It is noticeable that since corona it has become increasingly busier on the roads – both inside and outside built-up areas. Partly for this reason and because of the increased hybrid and EV stock, cars are more often equipped with an automatic transmission. That gives you peace of mind – especially in busy city traffic and when driving in traffic jams. But it is precisely the so-called city cars that are declining in supply, especially with automatic transmission. Because too expensive to produce. The used car market offers a solution.
So we are looking for three city cars that are equipped with an automatic transmission. To wash away the exuberance of the expensive December month and previous episodes, we limit the budget to 6 grand.
Renault Twingo 1.2-16V Eco2 aut. – 2011 – 98,467 kilometers – €5,899
The second generation Twingo had the thankless task of making people forget its iconic predecessor. While retaining some typical Twingo I details – such as the design of the dashboard – the Twingo II, introduced in 2007, looked much more serious than the cheerful car from 1993. We do not know whether this was because of this, but its success was far from over. not repeated. That doesn’t make it a wrong car. On the contrary. Renault has made great strides in the field of comfort and safety. This white Renault Twingo stood out from our range: within our budget, less than a ton on the clock and equipped with an automatic transmission that you can switch yourself if necessary. The provider does not mention any further names, but it has characteristics (registration date, tax value, equipment) of both the Dynamique and the Night & Day promotional model. Striking: it is a four-seater. Two separate seats have been placed in the rear that can be individually moved by ten centimeters, so that the MPV content of its predecessor has been retained – useful for shopping or holidays with a small family.
Our previous experiences with a used Twingo II: a slightly higher entry and seating position and less tight steering and driving behavior to justify the possible name ‘Dynamique’. The materials used are neat and although quite compact, the furniture feels quite mature. The photos show a neat used car, despite five ex-owners. What we think the Twingo II has ahead of compatriots Citroën C1 and Peugeot 107 is that it is slightly more spacious, especially in the back. The luggage compartment is also more spacious. The 24-RNK-4 is equipped with a four-cylinder engine – the Twingo I also had this, but without standard air conditioning, cruise control, electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors and rear privacy glass. Unfortunately, the somewhat impractical three-door body remained.
Signaling
Brand Renault
Type Twingo 1.2-16V Eco2 aut.
Construction year June 2011
Mileage 98,467
Asking price €5,899
Where to buy? Zeynal car company, The Hague
Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in-line, 1,149 cc
Max. assets 55 kW/75 hp at 5,500 rpm
Max. couple 107 Nm at 4,250 rpm
Luggage compartment 230 l/951 l
Max. trailer braked 350 kilos
Avg. consumption 1:17.9
0-100 km/h 13.6 sec
Top speed 172 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Suzuki Alto 1.0 Exclusive auto. – 2010 – 91,437 kilometers – €5,950
Lightweight, economical, extremely reliable… In terms of running costs, Suzuki’s Alto was always one of the cheapest cars on the market. This makes this compact Japanese perhaps the ultimate city car, so it should not be missing from our list. What do you think of this Suzuki Alto: a little older than the Twingo, but also a little less driven. Slightly more expensive, but it is – including a 12-month Bovag warranty – at the brand dealer waiting for the next owner (three ex-owners). And… equipped with a four-speed fully automatic transmission – which many find more pleasant than a sequential gearbox. The photos suggest a lilac metallic four-wheeler, the provider says it is brown metallic.
From a tamer three-cylinder to a tiny trunk – everything shows that the Alto is more modest than the Frenchman. But it is a five-door, so getting in the back is easier, only to discover that things are tighter there too. Its dimensions make it a handy crawl-through-sneak-through cart. Things don’t go fast (pay attention when overtaking!) and that’s perhaps for the better: the missing rear stabilizer bar certainly doesn’t allow high cornering speeds, with a significant chance of rolling over. ESP and traction control are present and that is nice, because with the only three stars achieved in the EuroNCAP crash test at the time, you would rather not make a big hit. The 20-NHX-4 in Exclusive livery has alloy wheels and rear parking sensors, but no cruise control. Furthermore, the passenger seat is not height adjustable. Here also a playfully designed dashboard including a tachometer on a stick, the materials used are more functional than attractive, while the finish is sometimes poor. The latter is visible, for example, when the rear seat is folded down. All in all, this creates a picture of a used car that has been designed with the utmost precision and can be driven with the utmost precision.
Signaling
Brand Suzuki
Type Alto 1.0 Exclusive auto.
Construction year September 2010
Mileage 91,437
Asking price €5,950
Where to buy? Suzuki dealer AutoCity AVK BV, Deventer
Technical data
Engine 3 cyl. in line, 996 cc
Max. assets 50 kW/68 hp at 6,000 rpm
Max. couple 90 Nm at 3,400 rpm
Luggage compartment 129 l/774 l
Max. trailer braked 200 kilos
Avg. consumption 1:19.2
0-100 km/h 17.0 sec
Top speed 150 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Citroën C1 1.0-12V Ambiance aut. – 2010 – 75,347 kilometers – €5,750
In the portrait of the Twingo we already mentioned its compatriots C1 and 107. These are part of a triplet that also includes the Toyota Aygo. That brand name apparently matters, because when we enter our search criteria, a used Japanese car is invariably the most expensive, the oldest, the most experienced with mileage, or a combination of these. Because these are essentially three identical carts that even rolled off the same Czech production line, it is better to look for a C1 or 107. We did that too and so we ended up with this Citroën C1: the cheapest and with the lowest mileage of our trio. Unfortunately, no mention is made of the warranty, but the 60-LSH-9, which came from the first owner, had a major overhaul at the brand specialist a thousand kilometers ago. In terms of concept, the C1 is somewhat reminiscent of the Alto: very compact (the rear and luggage space are downright tight) and also a three-cylinder engine under the small hood. This is linked to a sequential container à la Twingo. The C1 distinguishes itself with the driving pleasure it offers. Relatively speaking, because concept and engine power are subject to sporting limits, despite the ‘heroic’ wheels. But the seat is lower, the steering is nice and direct and not too light, and the relatively wide track ensures stable driving characteristics, even in faster corners – while anti-roll bars are absent. The cheerfully revving three-cylinder roll does the rest.
Inside we find a lot of gray and hard plastic, where the colored side bolsters of the furniture and the design of the dashboard (also with a ‘loosely’ placed tachometer) make it a playful and acceptable whole for that segment. The steering wheel is only height-adjustable, the front seats are not, so make sure you take a good test seat. The 4 stars achieved in the EuroNCAP crash test are surprising, as ESP, traction control and curtain airbags are missing.
Signaling
Brand Lemon
Type C1 1.0-12V Ambiance aut.
Construction year June 2010
Mileage 75,347
Asking price €5,750
Where to buy? www.autoshowroomonline.nl, Rotterdam
Technical data
Engine 3 cyl. in line, 998 cc
Max. assets 50 kW/68 hp at 6,000 rpm
Max. couple 93 Nm at 3,600 rpm
Luggage compartment 139 l/712 l
Max. trailer braked nb
Avg. consumption 1:21.7
0-100 km/h 14.0 sec
Top speed 157 km/h
All data according to factory specifications
Which city car(size) appeals to you most?
In summary: the Suzuki Alto with fully automatic transmission suggests the lowest operating costs, but that is reflected here and there. In that respect, Renault’s Twingo with sequential automatic transmission is more mature: it offers more space and has a four-cylinder engine, but also only three doors. The C1 from Citroën, also with an automatic transmission that you can switch according to your wishes, is more similar in concept to the Alto than to the Twingo, but adds a touch of driving pleasure. Alternatives include the Daihatsu Cuore, the Hyundai i10 and the Nissan Pixo. What would your choice be?
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl