Vauxhall Agila

Vauxhall Agila

Average. A massive improvement on the previous generation, but there are still too many minor niggles. Nowhere near the quality of the rest of the Vauxhall range.

The previous generation Agila was let down by its unimaginative styling and cheap finish. So Vauxhall went away, had another bash at it, and came up with this. And on the whole they've not done a bad job. Like the previous car it is essentially a Suzuki; the Agila's sister car is now called the Splash, which replaces the Wagon R. It's much better looking than the previous Agila, with a curvier front end and large headlights giving it far better styling. There's a decent engine line-up too, with 1.0i 12v, 1.2i 16v petrol engines and the impressive 1.3 CDTi 16v ECOTEC-4 diesel, which boasts a combined fuel consumption figure of 62.8mpg. The Agila is a much more competent drive than the previous car and now feels quite good fun around twisty roads as, despite its height, it doesn't suffer from too much body roll. The 1.2 16v offers the best performance of the bunch and is surprisingly nippy and also quite refined on the motorway. It will reach 62mph in 12.3 seconds, whilst fuel economy is 47.9mpg.

Inside, the Agila is let down by its cheap-looking, plasticky interior. It also has one of the oddest indicator noises we've ever heard - surely Vauxhall is already working on a replacement for the demented cartoon-character squeak. The dash is basic and functional, but doesn't feel terribly well-built - even our test car had a few little rattles and creaks around the cabin. However, it is deceptively spacious both in the front and rear and could easily accommodate four adults for a short time. The seats aren't the most comfortable though and the driving position feels quite high, especially for tall drivers. The Agila's boot is average by city-car standards, but split-folding rear seats - available on Club and Design trim levels - offer the flexibility to carry a larger load.

The Agila is well equipped for a city car, but its price reflects that. Choosing the diesel - which will be of little benefit to this type of car anyway - bumps the price up even further. Overall, the Agila is massively improved on the previous car, but it just doesn't feel up to the standards of the rest of the Vauxhall range. If you're looking for a city car with decent interior space and a decent drive, the Fiat Panda is both cheaper and a more complete package.