From vRS Mk2 to Citigo Sport - the comparison

[Didescharlie]

I'm falling in love with this new little car in my life, and that makes me realise I'm not sure how much I ever was in love with the vRS. The Fabia was a wonderful car; oodles of power at pretty much anywhere in the range: the acceleration could be electrifiying, and often unexpected by those Skoda unbelievers. As an estate I can't imagine the car even had a rival in its class. But it did cost a fair bit to run - at least at full chat. And whilst perhaps not in Clio cup territory, the vRS begged you to give it the beans like any decent hot hatch should. WIth a daily commute of 34 miles of fast A and B roads I was giving the thick end of 200 sheets a month to the local Shell station.

I pretty much ignored the Citigo on launch last year, aside from seeing a few reviews that saw Skoda win a few more plaudits, but the sport really caught my eye. It has styling cues that whisper to this 40 something's inner boy-racer. Red stitched leather adorning everything inside, and those stripes that hark back to an 80s heyday of XR2s and 205GTIs. I was smitten and I walked into the dealers 2 days later. Now the missus would normally be dead against a new car for the sake of it, but the savings against the vRS are hard to ignore. £100 a month in petrol, £110 in payments, in addition to free/£20 a year tax and £120 annual drop in insurance.

 

Whilst I am going to be saying how much of a phenomenal little car the Citigo is, it is no hot hatch in terms of straight line speed. Not by a long chalk. Acceleration from a standing start is definitely not the selling point of the Citigo. Revving the car however does invoke that wonderful baby-Porsche 3 cylinder thrum so starting off in the car is not all bad news. Keeping your speed flowing and making your driving fluid is key to getting the most out of this thing, and the little car does everything in its power to keep a smile on your face whilst doing that. Basic handling is incredibly impressive. In the Fabia I was always late braking into corners, turning in and getting some level of understeer and getting back on the power - the nature of that car (at least the way I drove it). The Citigo is about coming up to B-road corners at 50/60 and simply heading through them with no fuss. You turn the wheel (bags of feel there btw) the car tucks in with hardly any body roll and off you go. I might drop it down to 3rd to go round the bend and then have that third gear power to give myself something out of the corner. Let it be said that in a car this small, with arguably a better driving position (read lower) than the Fabia it feels faster anyway, but real world 30 to 50 and 50 to 70 acceleration aren't too shabby at all, and certainly feel faster than they are.

 

For my money, the absolute clincher of driving the Citigo is the gear-shift. Perfectly weighted, and with a stubbier throw than the standard car it's a dream to use. A slight wide over to 5th maybe, but the 3rd to 4th is fantastic to feel, and just puts that smile even wider on your face. It probably helps that I'd forgotten what a manual feels like, but the Citigo is the best shift I've tried outside of a Caterham.

 

As you'll read in any review, the cabin is at least on a par with the Fabia, and may even be a touch quieter in terms of road noise. Certainly much less bells and whistles and other gadgets than the Fabia, but the stripped-down nature seems right for this car.

 

I hope you've enjoyed reading my thoughts here. Any questions then fire away:

 

 

 

[horkin]

They are a cracking little car for the money. Nice to hear you liking the gear change as it was the gearbox issues reported on the Citygo and VW Up threads that put me off a little. I'm also surprised you say the Citygo's budget interior is on a par with the Fabia. Less bells and Whistles and exposed metal don't do it for me and it is after all savings in these areas that has helped keep the price so attractive.

 

Still, value for money is the main USP for the Citygo and they certainly have a winner there.

 

Looking forward to your full review but I have to say the pics are great and it's a very good looking little beast.

[RobL]

Looks great, smart little car.

[zouche]

Great write-up. If it wasn't for the awful auto box offered in the Citigo, I would have had one myself (gf can't drive 'stick').

Looks a really great little motor.

[tonystop]

Looks a smart motor. Really like it!

[BossFox]

Living proof fun does not equal speed.

They are good fun and are also fairly slow.

As you say, it's about working the car and keeping up the momentum.

Shame the Sport only comes in the 60bhp version thoufh, because the 75bhp likes to be revved like a loon even more.

[Furbytom]

You can't get the higher-powered engine in the 'sport' model? That's crazy! Lol

Good write-up and looks a nice little motor. Very smart.

I had a Citigo as once when the furby was in for its service and was very impressed. Acceleration was obviously very sluggish indeed but the ride was very good and the handling sooo much fun. Deceptively spacious too.

[jankph]

Shame the Sport only comes in the 60bhp version thoufh, because the 75bhp likes to be revved like a loon even more.

Interesting. Here in Norway the Sport only comes in the 75bhp version, either Greentec or Automatic.

[XK140]

If you don't need the bit of extra space then the Citigo is comparable to the low powered Fabias and probably better since it's a newer design.

I can understand the need to save money which is fair enough,but 180ps vRS versus 60ps Citigo is not a relevant contest,sorry.

[Ootohere]

I quite like the Citigo, Up!, Mii, but the 3 doors doors are huge, but entry and getting hold of the seat belt is not easy.

Not a useful car unless parking in a Disabled bay with room to open the door..

Not as roomy inside as i keep reading they are.

 

The Interior has near as much interior painted Surfaces than a Qubo, Bipper, Nemo which are much more roomy and practical.

The Automatic/ASG, (Automated Manual.) is a disaster.

 

That is why after i tried the VW,Seat, Skoda cars,

i stuck with a 6 year old Picanto Automatic, 1.1 litres, 68bhp, minimum 42 mpg,  Leather Steering wheel and discs all road.

Better handling and fun to drive and maybe only a little less economy.

 

The Citigo/Up!/Mii is pretty popular but i wait to see if people buy them hold on to them, because they love them, they are reliable and fault free & they are Keepers,

i can not see 4-6 year olds being worth much when anyone comes to selling them.

With a 7 year Manufacturers Warranty on them, that might be slightly different matter.

 

george

[BossFox]

The 5 door has smaller doors, so you need less space and it's easier to reach the seatbelts.

Also the upper seatbelt pivots are inside the pillars on the 5 door Citigo which must be safer in a side impact.

The pivot is quite hefty in the 3 door and the Fabia, in the latter it's right next to my head!

[Ootohere]

I checked all that out, but by the time you have paid for a 5 door Citigo with ASG,

i would personally rather have a deal on a 5 Door Fabia 1.2tsi DSG. even if it was not a Elegance model,

the difference in the gearboxes is just unbelievable..

Obviously not the low road tax, but just the 4 cylinders and known reliability alone is worth driving the less fashionable car which has more room.

 

Deals are out there to get good bargains on them.

 

george

[Didescharlie]

I checked all that out, but by the time you have paid for a 5 door Citigo with ASG,

i would personally rather have a deal on a 5 Door Fabia 1.2tsi DSG. even if it was not a Elegance model,

the difference in the gearboxs is just unbelievable..

Obviously not the low road tax, but just the 4 cylinders and known reliability alone is worth driving the less fashionable car which has more room.

 

Deals are out there to get good bargains on them.

 

george

 

Can't argue with that, and I did weigh up the idea of a new Monte which is a good price, but I felt I'd be really missing the vRS ooomph in a car that felt so similar from the drivers' seat. I'm 6'3" and there's plenty of room in the Citigo for me, and the rears will only be used by a baby. The fact that it's such an exclusive car at the moment is a real bonus too.

[Ootohere]

You like the gearbox in manual, which is fair enough.

Not very Exclusive around here, they are all over the shop.

 

I know there is lots of talk of the VW GT, yes no or maybe, 

I seriously hope they will sometime put out a 1.2 DSG version from VW, Skoda or Seat, it does not really matter which.

Hopefully once the shine goes off the current models they will do it to raise public interest again.

 

george

[Didescharlie]

If you don't need the bit of extra space then the Citigo is comparable to the low powered Fabias and probably better since it's a newer design.

I can understand the need to save money which is fair enough,but 180ps vRS versus 60ps Citigo is not a relevant contest,sorry.

You're right of course. After 2 years in the vRS I certainly feel and miss the difference every time the right foot goes down. This was only a light hearted piece from the point of view of someone justifying their downsizing and being happy and pleasantly surprised at the result. The truth of the matter for me is that my life with new family and the time I get to really enjoy the power in any car has changed and hopefully my vRS has gone to a new owner who will use all those 180 horses in the way Skoda intended.

[zouche]

I checked all that out, but by the time you have paid for a 5 door Citigo with ASG,

i would personally rather have a deal on a 5 Door Fabia 1.2tsi DSG. even if it was not a Elegance model,

the difference in the gearboxes is just unbelievable..

Obviously not the low road tax, but just the 4 cylinders and known reliability alone is worth driving the less fashionable car which has more room.

 

Deals are out there to get good bargains on them.

 

george

And this is exactly how I ended up buying a vRS... Went to have a look at the Citigo, really liked the car but hated the auto box, realised that the price was very close to a fabia with a DSG (on the vat-free offer), hmmm thought I, didn't know I could afford one of those. Then realised it would not be too much of a stretch to push the budget to a vRS. Once I had seen it I couldn't 'unsee' it. That was that, deposit on a vRS made after originally planning to buy a Citigo/Up.

[Didescharlie]

Interesting story of your path to vRS ownership Zouche. Had to laugh at your comment about not being able to 'unsee' it. Once the vRS was in my sights swmbo knew it was a lost cause to argue against it.

[zouche]

Yes, I'm very good at persuading myself and rationalising a purchase...!

 

I was originally looking for a cheap new car (with an auto box so my gf can drive it too) to replace a used A3 which was costing too much in various repairs.   The small budget went up one notch each time I went to a dealer..! I have to say though, I really don't think there is a better value quick and sporty car than the Furby vRS though. Very pleased with my purchase, but if I was buying a manual I reckon I would have bought a Citigo.

 

I totally could not unsee the vRS, sat there at the back of the brochure, enticing me with it's lovely DSG and 7 sec 0-60!!

[ramonford]

Yes, I'm very good at persuading myself and rationalising a purchase...!

 

I was originally looking for a cheap new car (with an auto box so my gf can drive it too) to replace a used A3 which was costing too much in various repairs.   The small budget went up one notch each time I went to a dealer..! I have to say though, I really don't think there is a better value quick and sporty car than the Furby vRS though. Very pleased with my purchase, but if I was buying a manual I reckon I would have bought a Citigo.

 

I totally could not unsee the vRS, sat there at the back of the brochure, enticing me with it's lovely DSG and 7 sec 0-60!!

 

 

 

I totally could not unsee the vRS, sat there at the back of the brochure, enticing me with it's lovely DSG and 7 sec 0-60!!

 

 

 

I'm sorry to say that someone has a very steep learning curve in front of them.

[philhoward]

I checked all that out, but by the time you have paid for a 5 door Citigo with ASG,

i would personally rather have a deal on a 5 Door Fabia 1.2tsi DSG. even if it was not a Elegance model,

the difference in the gearboxes is just unbelievable..

Obviously not the low road tax, but just the 4 cylinders and known reliability alone is worth driving the less fashionable car which has more room.

 

Deals are out there to get good bargains on them.

 

george

I'll be honest, we went looking for a 1.2TSi DSG Fabia for SWMBO, but they had an ASG Citigo 5 door Demonstrator there instead.  Several things in the Citigo she preferred over the Fabia (and they only had a vRS available with DSG) - so we bought their demonstrator - no 5 month wait, 72 miles on the clock (see delivery mileage thread), and 3 days old and £600 off list price (plus he screwed up the GAP Insurance quote so we virtually got it for free anyway).  She hates my Fabia now - says its too wooly and crashy (and I have to agree TBH).

[zouche]

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sorry to say that someone has a very steep learning curve in front of them.

 

 

???

[Didescharlie]

I was wondering what that comment meant also Zouche ^^

[Ootohere]

Sounded like someone is not a vRS fan.

 

My Local Dealer has plenty of Pre reg Citigo sitting, but they must be shifting a fair amount, i have stopped counting after spotting the the first dozen on the roads in Dundee today.