Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ???

Mon 20 Jan 2014 12:11

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - GHSAUNDERS40

My fiancée is keen to replace her Toyota iQ. We have almost exclusively driven Toyota's, but I do feel their reputation for reliability is fading with our local dealer in North Staffordshire being unable to diagnose / fix issues with the car meaning I've had to travel 25 miles on several occasion to get the car fixed. ( despite looking after my Auris well)

With the warranty now coming to an end and Toyota wanting an extraordinary amount of cash to extend the warranty it's time to move the car on.

She is more interested in the her cars looking quirky rather the driving dynamics. She is quite interested in the Chrysler Ypsilon twin air. I understand the car is based on the 500/panda. We need 5 doors and an reasonable boot. We PCP her cars due to her low mileage and want to change her cars often.

She's does not like the 500 ( not a 5 door) or Panda, what else should we be looking at as I'm out of ideas?

She only wants to spend £150 per month on a PCP.

Thanks in advance.

Edited by GHSAUNDERS40 on 20/01/2014 at 12:15

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Mon 20 Jan 2014 13:44

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - daveyK_UK

I thought the Ypsilon was a re-bagged Lancia? Its certainly quirky, and will have some character.

Why not go for something left field like a Fiat Qubo or citroen DS3?

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Mon 20 Jan 2014 19:46

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - alan1302

I thought the Ypsilon was a re-bagged Lancia? Its certainly quirky, and will have some character.

It is

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Mon 20 Jan 2014 22:35

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - Happy Blue!

Fiat 500L?

Mini of some description?

Hyundai Veloster?

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Tue 21 Jan 2014 08:36

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - Ald

Perodua Myvi. Don't laugh, it's full of Toyota engineering and £7k brand new. Before someone witters on about depreciation think about this, a few years ago I sold a 3 year old Honda Jazz bought new and with low mileage and full dealer history. I lost around £7k so you coulf buy a Myvi and give it away after three years and still be on level playing ground with the Jazz. I test drove one a few years ago and though it offered good basic transport, roomy and nippy with no frills.

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Tue 21 Jan 2014 08:46

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - skidpan

Perodua Myvi. Don't laugh,

Tried to look at one about a week ago as part of my quest to find dad a new car, they are the old Daihatsu Sirion which was a yaris clone so should be decent (I thought). Nearest delaer 20 miles away and no demonstrator. How good is that. Pretty sure they are only 2* NCAP which is dismal. Gave up, pretty much like Perodua have.

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Tue 21 Jan 2014 09:11

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - Ald

To be fair it was around 4 years ago I looked, the dealer 'local' to us was around 25 miles away but in thoses days a demo vehicle was avaialable. I reckon a decent used example would be a great buy.

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Tue 21 Jan 2014 12:30

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - GHSAUNDERS40

To be fair it was around 4 years ago I looked, the dealer 'local' to us was around 25 miles away but in thoses days a demo vehicle was avaialable. I reckon a decent used example would be a great buy.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. We need to be to get a pram into the boot. So the mini hatch is out of the question. The car needs to be small, she struggles to drive our Auris. The car also needs to be fashionable, I like the idea of a myvi as it's cheap, but I want her to enjoy this car. The iQ has taken the fun out of driving for her. I did think 500l, but she said it was too big I also thought Honda crz, but I'm not sure what the boot space is like? Thanks, G.

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Tue 21 Jan 2014 13:53

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - daveyK_UK

If you want small, left field and space for a pram, the Fiat Qubo is a good option.
Prices have come down considerably.
Probably the most reliable car Fiat sell, especially the 1.4 petrol.
It handles very differenctly, much more car like than the van version (Fiat Fiorino).
I have access to both and much prefer driving the 1.4 petrol mini MPV Qubo over the 1.3 diesel Van Firoino despite 95% of the cars be identical.
They upgrade the handling for the Qubo and it is so much more enjoyable to drive.
It has really suprised me.

Its the only car the Fiat dealer I use says he never has back for warranty work (in petrol form).
He couldnt say that about the grand punto
1

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Tue 21 Jan 2014 14:17

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - thunderbird

So you want 5 doors, small and quirky with a reasonable boot. To be honest you are going to be struggling because most really small cars only have 3 doors and most really small cars have a small boot.

We had a Micra a few years ago, a doddle to drive and one of its features was a sliding rear seat. You could go from decent degroom and a boot big enough for most day to day needs to much reduced leg room and a large(ish) boot. It was economical and nippy, even motorways did not phase it and was cheap to service, best bit was it never needed any work.

Main issue would be the new one while probably a better car than our 2005 example can in no way be described as being quirky. Boring would be a better word.

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Tue 21 Jan 2014 16:51

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - Happy Blue!

Nissan Juke?

Nissan Note?

Both small five door cars. With a pram, you don't want quirky, you want comfort. Look for a Kia Venga or Soul, and Hyundai ix25.

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Tue 21 Jan 2014 22:22

Small quirky car to replace Toyota iQ??? - Avant

A pram? Presumably not one of the old-fashioned full-size perambulators - or we'd be talking about something bigger than anything mentioned so far, with the possible exception of the Nissan Note.

If i;'s a buggy or one of those frames a car seat clips into, then maybe take it round to a few dealers and see what it fits into. You might get a good deal on the Ypsilon: it hasn't sold well becuae of the stupid decision not to badge it as a Lancia.

Mini Clubman perhaps? If she thinks the 500L is too big, she'll say the same about the Mini Countryman. The Citroen DS3 suggested above could be suitably quirky - or you could try presuading her that all Citroens are quirky.....therefore so is the Berlingo.

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