How do you find the performance?

[rogerzilla]

I test drove a 75PS Elegance today. It accelerates fine in 1st and 2nd gear but there isn't much there in 3rd, at least not until it gets to about 3000rpm. It's also quite a noisy engine when floored. Admittedly this was with four up (the salesman and my two kids in the back) and the car had only done 2,500 miles from new. Does the engine loosen up a bit with mileage? What's it like with one person driving?

I like the size, the looks and the handling but it really doesn't feel like a 75PS engine. I used to have a 75bhp K11 Micra and that would spin its front wheels in third gear if the road was wet. Only slightly lighter in weight, too.

Incidentally, what is the difference between the 60PS engine and the 75PS engine? They have the same maximum torque so I can't see where the extra power is coming from. Presumably they've remapped it so it maintains more torque above 4,300rpm, but if this just involves running it slightly richer then it's a bit of a cheat. Has anything been fundamentally changed like the valve timing or the cam profiles?

[Mike Wrightson]

It's quite good with only one person in, and it will loosen up a bit as it puts on miles. Mine at 2600 miles feels quicker than when it rolled out of the showroom. Though I don't always drive it like this, I find it pretty flexible for what it is in normal driving. Handles well though, much nicer than the Fabia!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2GasR_Pyts

It is geared quite high though (helps economy). If the Micra would spin the wheels, then it was geared lower and the tyres were crap.

Yes, it's noisy when you push it but I rather like the sound. As for the differences, AFAIK there are no mechanical differences between the engines, it's down to mapping. The 75bhp holds on to torque above 4500rpm, below that they are identical. Once you are into 3rd you will start running up against air resistance.

[RapidRonnie]

It's quite good with only one person in, and it will loosen up a bit as it puts on miles. Mine at 2600 miles feels quicker than when it rolled out of the showroom. Though I don't always drive it like this, I find it pretty flexible for what it is in normal driving. Handles well though, much nicer than the Fabia!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2GasR_Pyts

Nice vid, I think it's just as much fun trying to make a lower powered car go fast as it is a powerful one. More likely to stay legal too!

When I've driven my mum's Citigo I've always found it nippy in 1st and 2nd gear on the flat, and even overtook someone going up a hill at 60/70 last week!

[Mike Wrightson]

Indeed On the run yesterday I was in 2nd or 3rd on the twisty stuff.

The handling is the Citigos secret weapon IMO, it holds corner speed and goes where you point it. The Greentech suspension keeps the car settled, it doesn't bounce around on bumps and gives a lot of confidence.

[BossFox]

I found I needed to change the way I drive, because not having a turbo the Citigo needs revs to make progress.

It feels fun and is fairly brisk, but you need to wind it up a bit.

[M12MKD]

It's no better or worse than the rest of the small cars out there. Fiat twinair engine is quick of its size but its nowhere near as good on fuel as the vw's engine.

You can't really have both, quick and really good on fuel. IMHO the citigo/mii/up is a good compromise between it.

Also it's very good at carrying speed through the corners.

[Owens]

+1 on above

[Taylor93]

Although It is a 3 pot, its not bad in comparison to other cars on the market. I found its the best (obviously) when the fuel tank was into the red, I found its a bit more "nimble" too as theres no weight at the back.

That said I am now (9 months in) bored of its performance! :( but then again this was not designed to be a performance car but economical, so performance is not really a priority.

[Usernamealreadytaken]

@MikeWriteson that looks like a lot of laughs, but I think tying a rope to the back of the yellow car just to keep up was pure cheating. As M12MKD said (and the vid shows) the Citigo carries its speed well through the corners. Well done, you gave a good account of yourself to the Fabia boys!

If the VW Up! GT is imminent then the Citigo VRS can't be too far behind. Now that would be a good blend of performance and handling.

[rogerzilla]

I may well still buy one, for the rather unusual reasons that it frees up a lot of space in the garage compared to my current BMW 320d estate and it's a kind of anti-company car...everyone else has an Audi A3 Sport, possibly the dullest thing on the road.

Edited 13 May, 2013 by rogerzilla

[Taylor93]

If the Citigo vRS was available when i bought my citigo, i would go for it straight away, i think it will be a cracking little motor with more potential!

[M12MKD]

I very much doubt VW will let Skoda have a version.

I hope they do but I'm not holding my breath

[Taylor93]

I very much doubt VW will let Skoda have a version.

I hope they do but I'm not holding my breath

i completely agree, i will be very surprised if Skoda had "permission" to do it

[CortinaGT]

I found the performance on mine improved from just before 2,000 miles.

[Vectensian]

The forthcoming Up GT is well talked about and will be a cracking small car. About same weight and power as the first Golf Gti. I thought like many people - VW won't let Skoda have this engine. But if you are tooling up for something, you want to flog as many as possible to reduce unit cost and increase profit.

'What car' recently reported that Seat will be doing a sporty version with the 3 pot engine with a turbo - Seat Mii FR? and I reckon Skoda will end up doing a Vrs version about 6 months after the Up GT comes out. That'll be good, because the VW version is looking to be a bit pricey and Skoda well undercut VW prices.

Will suit me, because my Octavia will be on about 5 years old then and I fancy a quickish small car. Drove the dealers Citigo demo when it first came out and I was well impressed with how it handled. !00 plus bhp in a light car sounds good!

[Mike Wrightson]

I may well still buy one, for the rather unusual reasons that it frees up a lot of space in the garage compared to my current BMW 320d estate and it's a kind of anti-company car...everyone else has an Audi A3 Sport, possibly the dullest thing on the road.

As long as you don't expect it to be something it's not, you'll be happy with it, it's a good honest little car that is surprisingly capable.

As for a Citigo vRS, I'd love one, but apparently Skoda were asked and they said that it was "not our market", but who knows. It might still happen, or it might not. I reckon it'd sell like hot cakes!

I also attached my invisible bungee rope to an MX5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEQcGXqPVEg

[pixel_viking]

Nice race track you got there

[RapidRonnie]

MX5 wasn't hanging about either. They must have been running late for their 12:45 cut & blow dry.

Nice road, whereabouts is it?

[Mike Wrightson]

Hartside pass between Penrith and Alston in Cumbria. We stop at the highest Cafe in England at the top.