[Short-drive] Fiat Panda

 

Likes: It’s a well-rounded city car with plenty of charm, both engines are up for the job and running costs are within reason.

Dislikes: The twin-air turbo is noisy at most speeds. The engine stop/start technology sends shutters through the cabin. The Panda feels very cumbersome outside of city limits.

On the road: The Panda is fun to drive around town. Steering feedback is mostly good and its dinky dimensions means that squeezing around tight urban parking spaces is a breeze. The 1.2 is the pick of the range as most Panda owners won’t venture too much outside of city limits. The twin-air turbo is a great option if you need extra flexibility; however it’s not very refined and its quite noisy at most speeds.

Interior: There’s plenty of space for four across the board with the Panda, adding a fifth person maybe pushing it a bit. The boot space is about class average, although the tall and narrow body means that headroom is the least of your worries. The steering wheel on some trim levels doesn’t have reach adjustments and there’s also some trim levels have no split folding rear seats and height adjustments for driver’s seat.

Overall: The Fiat Panda is the perfect car for those who don’t venture on the highway much, but still want a fun to drive car that’s cheap to buy and cheap to run. The Volkswagen Up is more refined and more flexible for both city and highway driving.

The Great Compact Sedans (mini-reviews)

Honda Civic

Likes: Snazzy new looks inside out. The 1.5-turbo is a welcome addition to the Civic range. The rear seat is roomier than before and the boot space is quite good as well.

Dislikes: The infotainment system is too fiddly to operate.

Overall: If you hadn't considered a Civic before this one will make you want to give it a second look.



Chevy Cruze

Likes: The standard turbo engine has the low running costs and flexibility most will want. It's a comfortable commuter car that's easy to live with.

Dislikes: It feels built to a price and some trims are overpriced. It isn't as sharp to drive as its keen rivals.

Overall: The most expensive Cruze you can buy is as expensive as an entry-level Volkswagen GTI.



Volkswagen Jetta

Likes: The new 1.4 turbo engine is so much better than the old 2-liter mill. The GLI continues to be the best choice of the range despite the high asking price.

Dislikes: The cheaper trim levels have a cheaper feeling interior. Old-fashioned trunk hinges eat into boot space. It's just plain dull to look at.

Overall: Volkswagen sells a ton of these so we guess that they are doing something right here.



Ford Focus

Likes: Hands down one of the best generations of the Focus ever. It's fun to drive and offers plenty of features for the money.

Dislikes: The 1-liter ecoboost engine is a false economy. The auto gearbox is way too jerky and suffers from reliability issues.

Overall: Wait for the next generation with much improvements to engine and gearbox.



Mitsubishi Lancer

Likes: One of the few compact sedans you can get with all-wheel-drive. The 2.4 engine is smooth and flexible while running costs are low. High standard features.

Dislikes: It's being phased out for 2017.

Overall: You'll have to search hard for examples with all-wheel-drive but they are worth looking for.

Devon Test Drives A Volkswagen GTI (Used)

Volkswagen GTI ($26,500*)

Likes: Rapid shifting DSG gearbox, interior materials typical VW high quality, turbo four-cylinder provides good fuel economy and excellent performance.

Dislikes: Competitors offer more horsepower for the same price, can get expensive with options, styling a little bit bland.

Overall: Volkswagen has a hot-hatch that's worthy of the title.