SEAT

Mii

Available in three or five door models, the SEAT Mii is a car that combines technology with economy. Fun and funky in its design, it makes a brilliant run around that’s not scared to venture further.

The good

Great economy and value for money

The bad

A little bland looking

Tech Specs

Price from

£8,355

Combined Fuel up to

68.9mpg

0-62 from

13.2 seconds

max speed up to

106mph

co2 from

94g/km

Test Drive

SEAT Mii by MANGO 1.0 75PS

Fashion plays a vital role in city cars these days with all manufacturers striving for striking designs and quirky features that will attract young buyers looking for the trendy option.

There are personalisation packs galore and all sorts of funky accessories on offer and it has to be said some of the colour combinations leave a little to be desired.

But the Spanish marque SEAT has decided the best way to get the stand-out look is by teaming up with a bona-fide fashion giant when introducing a range-topper to its diminutive Mii line-up.

And so the Mii by MANGO sees the coming together of two of Spain’s largest brands and the result is rather special with all the catwalk-inspired razzmatazz you could wish for blended perfectly with a touch of dignified class.

First impressions are extremely important in this market and the Mii by MANGO excels thanks to its eye-catching design cues. For example, the 15-inch alloys have an Atom grey finish, there is Mii by MANGO badging on the tailgate and flanks, rear privacy glass and the look is completed with chrome strips along the bottom of the doors and contrasting grey-coloured mirrors that stand out beautifully against the Nude (more like light beige) coloured paintwork.

Move inside the five-door vehicle and once again the flagship model has some noticeable upgrades, such as rather plush leather and perforated Alcantara upholstery with contrast stitching, neatly trimmed air vents and the Mii by MANGO branding on the floor mats, door sills and even the key fob.

The cabin is feature-rich with plenty of techno treats to be explored, including satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio, electric windows, air conditioning, a touchscreen media interface, a CD player, leather steering wheel and plenty more besides.

The cabin is bright and airy thanks to the sunroof, which is an £805 extra and also includes fog lights.

One factor that struck me is how simple the car is despite all the funky looks. There are dials to operate most functions rather than over-complicated touchscreens and this is a welcome change in a day and age where simple tasks such as adjusting the temperature can often mean entering on-screen menus and searching for the climate control etc.

Also, the Mii by MANGO is good to drive. Admittedly it’s not the fastest out of the starting blocks taking 13.2 seconds to reach from 0-62mph and has a top speed of 106mph. But it’s worth remembering it is a city car and needs to be nimble, agile and easy to manoeuvre … and it is just that.

In and around busy town centres it has ample pace and acceleration from the 1.0-litre 75PS petrol powertrain and the five-speed manual transmission is easy to use too. Power does drop off quite drastically when faced with steep hills, but simply shift down a gear or two and that’s a problem solved. And the Mii is fine out on the open road too where the road holding is sound even when the car is pushed into tight bends at pace.

Impressive economy is another factor city dwellers demand and the Mii by MANGO can deliver combined fuel economy of 61.4mpg with carbon emissions of 106g/km.

Storage is also good with a 251-litre boot capacity that can be increased to 959 litres with the rear seats dropped flat.

In addition, the achieved the maximum five stars in the Euro NCAP safety ratings so it is clearly a very safe option too.

All in all, the Mii by MANGO is a fabulous little city car. At £11,505 (£13,080 with extras) it’s not the cheapest option on offer, but it certainly accomplishes exactly what it set out to achieve – it’s fun, funky, good-looking, affordable, practical and economical to run.