£7k small, fun, new-ish hatchback?

[JonMad]

We seem to be settling on a small, family friendly run around to go alongside the Yeti, which remains big enough* for family duties - large buggies now giving way to bikes and stuff - and is still, well, you know all the other good stuff about them. (*Mostly big enough. I wasn't the one who spent the last 5 years swearing on a regular basis whilst trying to manhandle an off-road buggy into the boot alongside anything else)

Of course, I previously said I was going to buy a small, family friendly run around to go alongside the Yeti. Then I bought one with bucket seats and no useable rear seat. Oops.

The wife wants something nearly new and low mileage. I want something that's a bit of a giggle. She's mentioned the Up! a few times and yes, there's the GTi option. I've tried and failed to talk her into a Fiesta ST. So now I'm thinking instead of the Suzuki Swift Sport. Specifically the 2013-2017 model with the n/a 1.6 that revs to 7k. Not the later 1.4 turbo.

Has isofix and lots of toys - bluetooth, a/c, keyless entry, satnav, xenons, cruise, DAB from 2015, available in a diddy 5dr package. So a decent mix between sporty and comfy. Could be a good choice I reckon, for hopefully about £7k for a late, low mileage model.
https://www.evo.co.uk/suzuki/swift-spor ... vers-hatch
https://www.parkers.co.uk/suzuki/swift/sport/review/

Any others at that age (2016-)/budget (7)/mileage (<20)?
Up GTi - more expensive
Fiesta ST - more expensive and she doesn't want a Fiesta
Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport - 3dr only and more expensive
Panda 100 - too old
Mini Cooper - she won't have a Mini

[Delphi]

Fabia vRS? Or is that out of your price range/age criteria?

[JonMad]

Fabia vRS? Or is that out of your price range/age criteria?

how could I forget that one! I test drove one as well, years ago, as a possible company car.
Ticks the boxes for mileage and price if not age.

The other idea I had was to get a mk1 Fabia as like mine as possible, for as little cash as possible, for driveway comedy value (and a source of spares when I break something on the rally one)

[mik]

I like your Swift Sport idea

[16vCento]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233701662646

Seems cheap and they're pretty fun cars to drive, I only didn't buy one when I bought my Cooper S as it felt a bit ordinary inside compared to the Mini.

[integrale_evo]

Mito?

[Jimmy Choo]

I fully expect that you'll end up with an S500 and still need another car.

[Rich B]

What on earth has she got against the fiesta? It's clearly the best choice!

[JonMad]

What on earth has she got against the fiesta? It's clearly the best choice!

I had one (a Titanium diesel, ooh yeah) from '09-'12. She felt she was sat too low in it. She likes being higher up, for better visibility. It's a confidence thing. She's also very short, which doesn't help.

[16vCento]

If she likes being high up what about a Juke 1.6 DIGT or a Nismo?

[JonMad]

Are they actually fun?
edit: 215bhp - ok, I might investigate that then

Thinking about crossovers, if there are any Golf-R-levels-of-cheap introductory lease offers on the Puma ST then that could be good.

[Rich B]

Just get her a bloody Qashqai, it's clearly where this is heading!

[duncs500]

I like your Swift Sport idea

+1

[Simon]

Just get her a bloody Qashqai, it's clearly where this is heading!

Or a seat cushion....

[Broccers]

Mini Cooper - she won't have a Mini

Has she seen a clubman like ours? I think its brilliant.

[JonMad]

Mini Cooper - she won't have a Mini

Has she seen a clubman like ours? I think its brilliant.

Any Mini is a no-no. This one is down to negative associations with the badge after an RTA about 20 years ago (her: Pug 205; them: original Mini, came round a corner, crashed into her, went over the top basically, driver was killed).

[Jobbo]

Just get her a bloody Qashqai, it's clearly where this is heading!

Why not get another Yeti...?

[simon_g]

Try a Zoe.

They're surprisingly fun, particularly in town/traffic/runabout use where loads of instant torque is great. They have quite a high driving position for a hatchback (I'd like it to go lower but the battery is in the way), have lots of toys including the usual EV thing of being able to pre-heat in winter.

Battery will be leased but the cost of that should be neutral compared to buying petrol. Explained well here: https://www.gogreenautos.co.uk/buyers-g ... -explained . The upside is the battery is guaranteed while it's under lease and it includes breakdown cover. You can buy out the lease now if you wanted too.

[Rich B]

Battery will be leased but the cost of that should be neutral compared to buying petrol. Explained well here: https://www.gogreenautos.co.uk/buyers-g ... -explained

so seeing as you then have to put electricity in too, they're more expensive to run...?

[V8Granite]

Skoda Citigo gets you more carvas no vw tax.

Dave!