Photo: original image by autoevolution
Almost every guy or girl between the ages of 20 and 30 dreams of owning a powerful luxurious SUV or sportscar, preferably of German making. However, when jobs are few and far between, most can't even afford a second-hand Boxster. But instead of being depressed about that, we need to look at the bright side: there are plenty of well built, affordable and efficient cars in the B-segment, the so-called superminis.
A decade ago, the average Ford Fiesta was slow, unreliable and ugly. But today, it looks better than a MINI and comes with anything up to 182 horsepower.
The B-segment has some of the most popular cars sold in Europe. The Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208, Skoda Fabia and Opel Corsa usually find themselves within the top 10 best sellers.
But the market can be extremely tricky because prices and dealer incentives vary wildly from country to country and from region to region. We've extensively driven all these cars and want to share our knowledge in the least biased way we can.
The first thing you need to know is that there isn't one right car, just the right car for you. Secondly, there are plenty of less popular models that we think could be better than the segment leaders. These include the dynamic new Mazda2 and the spacious Hyundai i20.
Avoid underpowered engines
Seriously! This is the most important thing you need to remember when buying a small car. It's not as simple as you may think, especially if you're only 25 and new to buying cars.
Most automakers advertise the very cheapest model in the range but show a gorgeous full-spec vehicle in their ads. The worst I've seen is Renault, which shows a Clio RS on chromed 17-inch worth about €25,000 wheels when promoting the 0.9 TCe model. It's like promising a gourmet meal and delivering frozen food.
Until the EU does something about false advertising, you guys should rely on our consumer advice: don't buy the base engines! A good example of what you should avoid is the VW Polo with a 1-liter engine making 60 hp or anything with a non-turbo engine smaller than 1.4L.
And whatever you do, don't buy into the fuel economy hype. When we tested the Clio 0.9 TCe a couple of years ago, some of us got nearly double the claimed numbers around town.
Most folks believe that the Ford Fiesta is the most fun supermini money can buy. However, that's mainly the result of British media hype.
The responsive steering of the Fiesta jumps out of your hand when you hit the smallest pothole while the front suspension can feel too hard at times.
Instead, we propose that you guys check out the 2015 Mazda2. It's bigger on the inside, has a nice interior and delivers plenty of driving thrills.
The Mazda 5-door has the longest wheelbase in the segment, resulting in grown-up stability. The 5-speed gearbox has rewarding short throws, while the big 1.5-liter engine offers a sort of predictability the Fiesta's little turbo can't muster.
But remember that small cars are basically just shrunken compromises. Are you going to spend your €14,000 on 70% design and 30% engineering, or the other way around?
We believe practicality is more important than style, especially when you are going to spend about an hour per day, commuting to work.
The first thing you need to watch for is visibility, especially if the car has been designed to look like a coupe (Fiesta is a good example). If you aren't a keen driver who practices parking religiously, you might want to look at the size of the side mirrors and the rear windshield.
One bad example is the Polo, which uses small mirrors to reduce drag. They're fine on a German motorway, but not in a congested, chaotic city like Paris or Rome. Cars with big mirrors include the Fiat 500 and Citroen C3... I wonder why.
Resist the temptation to get flags, spots, splashes, flower or racing stripes. Instead, find the brightest color you can, such as the lemon yellow we had on the 2015 Skoda Fabia or the Cornflower Blue on the 2014 VW Polo March.
Another thing you first-time car buyers need to know is that brightly colored dashboards are bad. Those BMW and Audi interiors are black for a very good reason: the sun reflects off lighter colors and onto the windscreen, restricting visibility.
One good example of this is the humble automatic gearbox. The old engines needed to be changed because of emissions regulations enforced by the EU, but gearbox technology lags behind.
Most autos on B-segment cars are either automated manuals (work like a manual but a robot engages the clutch) or 4-speed autos. For the most part, they are to be avoided because they make the car slow, jerky and thirsty.
On paper, the twin-clutch gearbox is a much better solution. It comes with two concentrical clutch packs that take care of odd and even numbered gears (one has 1-3-5 and the other 2-4-6).
Currently, the VW Polo, Skoda Fabia, SEAT Ibiza, Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta all offer this interesting option for about €1,000. There are a few downsides, such as a bit of jerkiness when starting and a slight difficulty with parking (there's not clutch pedal).
The CVT gearbox is used by some companies, most notably Nissan. We're not fans, especially on cars with small engines. But that doesn't mean you should completely avoid the Nissan Note and Micra, especially if you're a casual driver.
What features do you really need?
It's way too easy to be tricked by dealers into spending another €3,000 on options that you "really need". But let me tell you something, small cars are designed to be cheap and simple. They're not beautiful watches, pieces or homes; they're simple means of transportation, white goods if you will.
Parking is tricky if you live in a crowded city. However, most superminis are so short that you can almost touch the boot from the front seats. Rear parking sensors are still an excellent idea because they give you confidence when reversing. However, a camera is overkill and if it costs about €400 the resolution and graphics are going to be bad.
At the end of the day, the bumper is called that way because you occasionally bump things. It's made from flexible plastic that won't rust and can be re-painted for about €300 in case of a bigger ding.
Navigation is something else you might not need. Sure, it's useful, but the systems most small cars offer are not as precise as your average smartphone app. Some manufacturers charge you extra for updates, so your data might not be current.
The short-throw gearbox was sporty but also simple to use, while the 1.5-liter engine proved responsive and surprisingly frugal. Whether we drove it hard or not, it stayed below 7.5 l/100km around town.
Mazda also boasts having the fastest car in the segment with less than 100 horsepower, as 0 to 100 km/h sprints took just 9 seconds. The red interior of our Hazumi trimmed car was also great.
There were also some things we didn't like, such as the oddly shaped boot and lack of passenger seat height adjustment.
The Renault Clio has some flaws too, but it's worth looking into. The 1.5-liter dCi diesel engine is both frugal and powerful, while its refinement levels are better than the VW Group 1.4 TDI. It has been in production for about a decade, so there shouldn't be major issues with it. The ride is also supple, but the steering might feel too numb for some.
The things we don't like about the Clio include the plastic trim on the steering wheel and the 0.9 TCe engine.
Tied for second place with the Clio is Volkswagen's Polo, which has been in production since 2008. Despite this, it's not heavier or less refined than its competitors.
The Polo remains a well polished, mature-feeling, spacious car. Its interior is probably the cleanest in its class, and the infotainment system is smartphone-friendly. Downsides include the under-engineered rear suspension and boring design. There's no fun to be had here either.
We think the best Polo you can buy is a cheaper one with a simple 1.2 TSI engine, which now comes standard with brake energy recovery and is surprisingly nippy. Don't buy wheels larger than 15 inches and stay away from expensive options.
The popular Skoda Fabia is a very similar car to the Polo in terms of cabin space, but comes with a larger boot. Niggling problems like turbo lag or a dashboard made from harder plastic shouldn't deter buyers with family needs.
Most automakers advertise the very cheapest model in the range but show a gorgeous full-spec vehicle in their ads. The worst I've seen is Renault, which shows a Clio RS on chromed 17-inch worth about €25,000 wheels when promoting the 0.9 TCe model. It's like promising a gourmet meal and delivering frozen food.
Until the EU does something about false advertising, you guys should rely on our consumer advice: don't buy the base engines! A good example of what you should avoid is the VW Polo with a 1-liter engine making 60 hp or anything with a non-turbo engine smaller than 1.4L.
And whatever you do, don't buy into the fuel economy hype. When we tested the Clio 0.9 TCe a couple of years ago, some of us got nearly double the claimed numbers around town.
What small cars are fun to drive?
Superminis are all about making a compromise. But what should you live without and what must you keep? Most are designed to be spacious, cheap and cute, so very few tick that "fun" box.Most folks believe that the Ford Fiesta is the most fun supermini money can buy. However, that's mainly the result of British media hype.
The responsive steering of the Fiesta jumps out of your hand when you hit the smallest pothole while the front suspension can feel too hard at times.
Instead, we propose that you guys check out the 2015 Mazda2. It's bigger on the inside, has a nice interior and delivers plenty of driving thrills.
The Mazda 5-door has the longest wheelbase in the segment, resulting in grown-up stability. The 5-speed gearbox has rewarding short throws, while the big 1.5-liter engine offers a sort of predictability the Fiesta's little turbo can't muster.
Style is subjective, but money is real
The funny thing about this segment is that a few companies rely almost exclusively on their design to sell cars. We're talking about French firms like Peugeot and Renault. By contrast, the Volkswagen Polo seems totally boring, thanks to flat shapes and straight lines.But remember that small cars are basically just shrunken compromises. Are you going to spend your €14,000 on 70% design and 30% engineering, or the other way around?
We believe practicality is more important than style, especially when you are going to spend about an hour per day, commuting to work.
The first thing you need to watch for is visibility, especially if the car has been designed to look like a coupe (Fiesta is a good example). If you aren't a keen driver who practices parking religiously, you might want to look at the size of the side mirrors and the rear windshield.
One bad example is the Polo, which uses small mirrors to reduce drag. They're fine on a German motorway, but not in a congested, chaotic city like Paris or Rome. Cars with big mirrors include the Fiat 500 and Citroen C3... I wonder why.
Avoid stickers or lightly colored dashboards
Honestly, it's such a simple thing that we can't believe we need to tell you to ignore the stickers. Those €300 graphics for the roof of the Clio or the doors of the Peugeot 208 are actually decals. They will dull in the sun or come loose under the pressure wash jets.Resist the temptation to get flags, spots, splashes, flower or racing stripes. Instead, find the brightest color you can, such as the lemon yellow we had on the 2015 Skoda Fabia or the Cornflower Blue on the 2014 VW Polo March.
Another thing you first-time car buyers need to know is that brightly colored dashboards are bad. Those BMW and Audi interiors are black for a very good reason: the sun reflects off lighter colors and onto the windscreen, restricting visibility.
Automatic gearboxes on small cars: good or bad?
Again, we come to the subject of compromise. Yes, superminis are extremely popular. But because profit margins are slim or nonexistent, older technologies are recycled.One good example of this is the humble automatic gearbox. The old engines needed to be changed because of emissions regulations enforced by the EU, but gearbox technology lags behind.
Most autos on B-segment cars are either automated manuals (work like a manual but a robot engages the clutch) or 4-speed autos. For the most part, they are to be avoided because they make the car slow, jerky and thirsty.
On paper, the twin-clutch gearbox is a much better solution. It comes with two concentrical clutch packs that take care of odd and even numbered gears (one has 1-3-5 and the other 2-4-6).
Currently, the VW Polo, Skoda Fabia, SEAT Ibiza, Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta all offer this interesting option for about €1,000. There are a few downsides, such as a bit of jerkiness when starting and a slight difficulty with parking (there's not clutch pedal).
The CVT gearbox is used by some companies, most notably Nissan. We're not fans, especially on cars with small engines. But that doesn't mean you should completely avoid the Nissan Note and Micra, especially if you're a casual driver.
What features do you really need?
It's way too easy to be tricked by dealers into spending another €3,000 on options that you "really need". But let me tell you something, small cars are designed to be cheap and simple. They're not beautiful watches, pieces or homes; they're simple means of transportation, white goods if you will.
Parking is tricky if you live in a crowded city. However, most superminis are so short that you can almost touch the boot from the front seats. Rear parking sensors are still an excellent idea because they give you confidence when reversing. However, a camera is overkill and if it costs about €400 the resolution and graphics are going to be bad.
At the end of the day, the bumper is called that way because you occasionally bump things. It's made from flexible plastic that won't rust and can be re-painted for about €300 in case of a bigger ding.
Navigation is something else you might not need. Sure, it's useful, but the systems most small cars offer are not as precise as your average smartphone app. Some manufacturers charge you extra for updates, so your data might not be current.
What supermini should you buy in 2015?
Picking favorites is a tricky business – feelings will be hurt, and egos will be bruised. Right off the bat, we're going to tell you the surprise of the year, which has been the 2015 Mazda2. We didn't love the white paint on our tester, but everything else was amazing.The short-throw gearbox was sporty but also simple to use, while the 1.5-liter engine proved responsive and surprisingly frugal. Whether we drove it hard or not, it stayed below 7.5 l/100km around town.
Mazda also boasts having the fastest car in the segment with less than 100 horsepower, as 0 to 100 km/h sprints took just 9 seconds. The red interior of our Hazumi trimmed car was also great.
There were also some things we didn't like, such as the oddly shaped boot and lack of passenger seat height adjustment.
The Renault Clio has some flaws too, but it's worth looking into. The 1.5-liter dCi diesel engine is both frugal and powerful, while its refinement levels are better than the VW Group 1.4 TDI. It has been in production for about a decade, so there shouldn't be major issues with it. The ride is also supple, but the steering might feel too numb for some.
The things we don't like about the Clio include the plastic trim on the steering wheel and the 0.9 TCe engine.
Tied for second place with the Clio is Volkswagen's Polo, which has been in production since 2008. Despite this, it's not heavier or less refined than its competitors.
The Polo remains a well polished, mature-feeling, spacious car. Its interior is probably the cleanest in its class, and the infotainment system is smartphone-friendly. Downsides include the under-engineered rear suspension and boring design. There's no fun to be had here either.
We think the best Polo you can buy is a cheaper one with a simple 1.2 TSI engine, which now comes standard with brake energy recovery and is surprisingly nippy. Don't buy wheels larger than 15 inches and stay away from expensive options.
The popular Skoda Fabia is a very similar car to the Polo in terms of cabin space, but comes with a larger boot. Niggling problems like turbo lag or a dashboard made from harder plastic shouldn't deter buyers with family needs.
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