SEAT Mii (2012 – 2019) Review

SEAT Mii (2012 – 2019) At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
As well as being affordable and cheap to run, the Mii is also enjoyable to drive and comfortable too. It feels solid and surprisingly refined for such a small car - in fact from behind the wheel it's easy to think you're in a larger hatchback.

+A quality product, low running costs, decent level of refinement, zesty little engine, easy to drive.

-Feels a bit elderly now, poor automatic gearbox option, in-house rivals offer more.

Insurance Groups are between 1–4
On average it achieves 88% of the official MPG figure

The SEAT Mii is the Spanish firm’s city car contender, introduced alongside the Volkswagen Up and Skoda Citigo sister cars and designed to compete in the fierce city car sector alongside such heavyweights as the Toyota Aygo, Hyundai i10, Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108. First introduced in 2012, the Mii and its Volkswagen Group siblings were something of a revelation, bringing a level of quality and maturity that hadn’t been seen before in budget city cars. Since then the opposition has caught up, and since 2019 the Mii has been sold new only as an all-electric vehicle.

The SEAT Mii is one of a trio of cars - it's the sister model to the Volkswagen Up and Skoda Citigo - and at just 3.5 metres long this little hatchback is designed as an affordable car that's ideal for urban driving. While it's unmistakably based on the Up, SEAT has tried to give the Mii its own identity with a different look including more angular headlights and a revised rear tailgate.

Everything under the skin is the same however with an identical engine line-up. Power comes from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that's available in two versions - one with 60PS and a more powerful 75PS.

Both are sprightly at low speeds while the Mii will happily keep up with motorway traffic, but given the fuel consumption difference between the two is negligible you might as well go for the more powerful version and enjoy the extra performance on the motorway.

The big advantage the Mii has is fuel economy. The cleanest model is the Mii Ecomotive which can return a claimed 67.3mpg and emits just 97g/km of CO2.

Despite its diminutive size, the little SEAT is surprisingly practical with reasonable room for adults in the back and a decent boot too. Early models were three-door only but a more useful five-door was added to the line-up later in 2012. If you’re only flying solo or with a partner then the three-door is arguably better looking, but the extra pair of doors is worthwhile if you plan to use the back seats frequently.

As well as the engine options, you can choose between the standard manual gearbox or an optional automatic. We’d strongly recommend you give the latter a big swerve; despite it being talked up by SEAT it’s very much a yawning chasm between gear changes that makes the Mii feel slower than it really is. Even if you’re always going to be in the city, stick with the manual.

The interior is good too, and although there’s not a great deal of it, what is there looks smart and is pleasant to use too.

It's well built and neatly designed with plenty of room and good stowage. If you're after a stylish and affordable small hatch then the Mii could fit the bill perfectly, although you may want to look at the Skoda Citigo and Volkswagen Up before you sign on the dotted line. The former is frequently cheaper and better-specified while the latter looks smarter and holds on to its value a little better too.

Looking for a second opinion? Why not read heycar's SEAT Mii review.

Ask Honest John

What is a good car for a new driver?

"We've promised our granddaughter a car for her 17th birthday, including insurance, total budget about £8000. She has not yet passed her test, and is not a racy driver ( pleased to say ), but she is popular and will no doubt end up ferrying friends around once she's passed her test. Have you any suggestions as to an appropriate car, and things to look out for, please?"
For a new driver a low insurance group is vital, so we would suggest cars such as the Ford Ka+, Kia Picanto, SEAT Mii, Skoda Citigo or Toyota Aygo, all of which are among the cheapest cars to insure. A large proportion of the budget will be taken up with insurance so it is sensible to factor this in when looking at purchasing a car. We would also recommend looking for a car with a full service history whenever possible.
Answered by David Ross

What would be a good first car for a new driver?

"Can you suggest make and model for a first car for a newly qualified 18 year old driver? Low cost please, including insurance (say less than £5k)."
For a new driver a low insurance group is vital, so we would suggest cars such as the Ford Ka+, Kia Picanto, SEAT Mii, Skoda Citigo or Toyota Aygo, all of which are amongst the cheapest cars to insure. With a budget of £5000, a large proportion of that will be taken up with insurance and a used car will mean a lower premium in any case, so we would suggest this is the best option.
Answered by David Ross

What do you recommend as a first car?

"What is the best first car?"
The Volkswagen Up, SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo are mechanically identical, and all brilliant. They're safe and practical for their size, easy to drive and excellent on fuel. Insurance will be cheap and so will servicing and repairs. Read our reviews of all three below. Skoda: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/skoda/citigo-2012/ VW: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volkswagen/up-2012/ SEAT: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/seat/mii-2011/
Answered by Russell Campbell

Can you recommend a used first car?

"I would like to buy a used first small car for my 23 year old daughter, what would you suggest? "
The Volkswagen Up, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii are excellent first cars being cheap to run, safe and roomy for their size. They're mechanically identical so get the best you can afford with a full-service history. A budget of £5000 will buy you a 2015 car with less than 50,000 miles on the clock, although cheaper cars are available and will have plenty of life left in them. Reviews of all three, below: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/seat/mii-2011/ https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/skoda/citigo-2012/ https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volkswagen/up-2012/
Answered by Russell Campbell
More Questions

What does a SEAT Mii (2012 – 2019) cost?