Skoda Citigo review – small on size, big on quality
Not a true thriller, but a competent car in which some fun can be had.
Whereas many rivals feel built to a budget, the Skoda Citigo fosters its VW Group roots to good effect, exhibiting impressive build quality, decent practicality and, most importantly, polished driving dynamics. . As a result, it feels a grownup car, at home on fast flowing roads as it is in the urban jungle.
In 2017 Skoda refreshed the Citigo’s interior and exterior, and updated its suite of technology, too. Lengthened gear ratios constituted the only mechanical change of note, which improved fuel economy and refinement, albeit at the expense of some driver engagement and real world performance.
While the Citigo isn’t huge on thrills, there's some fun to be had. The age-old recipe of low l power, light weight and a tiny footprint lends the junior Skoda some charm when you hustle it. However, it's certainly no hot hatch.
Skoda Citigo in detail
Performance and 0-60 time - With 0-62mph sprint times ranging from the to mid-to-late teens, the Citigo is certainly one of the slower cars on the roads.
Engine and gearbox - One engine, in two guises, is available, while there's an automatic gearbox option as well.
Ride and handling - It's all steady going and relatively comfortable, too. Opt for the sport suspension package and the Citigo becomes a tad more agile.
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MPG and running costs - All Citigos are budget-friendly, occupying in the lower road tax brackets and returning 60-plus MPG figures on combined cycles,
Interior and tech - Simple but effective, the interior is well laid out if a little dull,
Design - Its VW Group relatives are better looking in our eyes. However in sportier forms the Citigo still harbours some appeal.
Price, specs and rivals
At £8,860, the three-door Citigo is one of the cheaper cars you can buy today. As we said before, though, the basic model is best avoided, so you should be spending over £10k, affording you the SE trim, which includes alloy-wheels, (manual) air con and bluetooth phone and audio connectivity.
Next up in the trim hierarchy are the Colour Edition and SE L, priced at £10,820 and £10,685 respectively. Over the SE the former offers fog lights and alloy wheels, which you’ll also find in the latter, along with heated seats and rear parking sensors. Topping the range in price terms is the £11,500 Monte Carlo edition.
> Skoda Citigo Monte Carlo review
Range-wide the five-door body carries a £350 premium, so it’s worth the outlay for the extra practicality. Unsurprisingly, the options list is short, and aside from the aforementioned sports suspension there’s nothing worth specifying.
The SEAT Mii and VW Up are the Citigo’s closest rivals. All three roll off the same production line, so there’s little to separate them. However, to differentiate the Up from its VW Group relatives, it’s offered with a wider range of engines.
Elsewhere, Renault’s Twingo range offers Play and Dynamique trims which sandwich the Monte Carlo price-wise. However, this side of the expensive GT model, the Twingo isn't as fun to drive as the Citigo.
Citroen, Peugeot and Toyota offer city cars too; all developed as a joint enterprise in similar fashion to the VW Group city car triplets. None, though, are as well polished as the Citigo and feel built down to a price.
