Skoda Citigo Review and Prices

The Skoda Citigo is a little city car that provides big value for money, as well as a lot more space than you might expect. You can choose between three- and five-door bodies, and although the whole range comes with petrol engines, they’re all economical and ideal for getting around town.

Under the skin, the Citigo is the same car as the Volkswagen Up and Seat Mii, and it first went on sale in 2012. Since then, the only significant change came in 2017, when Skoda introduced a series of revisions, including a new bonnet, grille and headlights. However, even with these changes, the latest car hardly looks any different to the original version.

Step inside, and unsurprisingly, the Skoda Citigo’s interior is very similar to the Up’s, if not quite as funky. To some eyes, it might seem a little minimalist, with only a few controls, but the last thing you can accuse it of is feeling cheap. On the contrary, it’s robust and very high-quality, given how little the car costs. And, on most models, many of the functions are controlled through an app on your smartphone, which can be mounted in a holder on the dashboard.

There’s also a surprising amount of space inside. Not only is there plenty of room in the front – with a height-adjustable driver’s seat on most models – there’s also room for a couple of six-footers in the back. And, if you want to use it as a family car, there are two sets of Isofix child-seat fittings in the back.

Again, given how small it is, the Skoda Citigo is impressively practical. There’s a decent amount of storage space inside. The door bins and glovebox are reasonably roomy, and most models also have pockets on the side of the front seats.

Likewise, the boot is one of the biggest you’ll find in a car of this size. It’ll take 251 litres, which is very similar to what you’ll find in the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto, and up to taking a baby buggy or large suitcase. On all but the most basic models, the rear seats are 60/40 split and they fold down to give you 951 litres (or 959 in the five-door), which is enough to take a bike, if you remove a wheel.

The Citigo may be one of a set of near-identical triplets with the Seat Mii and VW up, but the Skoda is my favourite

You can only have your Skoda Citigo with petrol engines, and both the 60hp or 75hp versions are fine for getting around town – which is where the Citigo is at its best. However, if you’ll be regularly driving the Skoda Citigo on the motorway, then it’s worth going for the more powerful engine. Most importantly, though, they are both exceptionally cheap to run.

It should be a reassuring car, too, as the Skoda Citigo qualified for a five-star rating when it was tested (as a VW Up) back in 2011. The tests have become stricter since then, but you can also add a City Safe system for £355 that will brake automatically for you in an emergency.

In terms of equipment, the basic Skoda Citigo gets the bare essentials – remote central locking, a CD player, four airbags, electric front windows and stability control – but little else. Monte Carlo models have sporty looks inside and out, or you can add some sharper looks to your car by choosing the Colour Edition trim. This gets a little extra kit, including metallic paint, as well as black or white alloy wheels and tinted rear windows.

The Skoda Citigo is one of the very best city cars, providing big-car features in a small package. It’s also a little bit cheaper than the equivalent Seat and Volkswagen models, which are all-but identical. If you’re in the market for a small car, then you should take a good look at the Skoda Citigo.

For more detailed and in-depth analysis of the Skoda Citigo, read the interior, practicality, driving and specifications review sections over the following pages.