The SEAT Mii is made using the same equipment as the Volkswagen Up! and the Skoda Citigo. However, it comes with slightly different and less expensive packaging. Competition with this vehicle is massive from the likes of the new Opel Karl, the Hyundai i10, the Renault Twingo, the Kia Picanto and the Toyota Aygo. While the Mii does share the same platform as the Citigo and the Up!, they are not the only manufacturers to share like this. Toyota, Citroen and Peugeot share the same city car platform too with the Aygo, the C1 and the 108.
Generally people don’t purchase city cars for their high performance, instead buyers opt for reliability and practicality. The Mii is not the highest performer that you are ever likely to find, but it can be nippy around town. There is only one engine available to the Irish market with the 1.0 litre petrol. This three cylinder set-up offers maximum power of 75 bhp and maximum torque of 95Nm at between 3,000 and 4,300 rpm. On-paper it has a maximum speed of 171 km/h and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 13.2 seconds.
This car has been built brilliantly for driving. It’s nippy in towns and the steering is surprisingly responsive. The Mii grips the road nicely and doesn’t suffer from body roll to any major degree on turns and corners. All round this can be described as a fun car to drive. The same of course can be said about the Volkswagen Up! and the Skoda Citigo.
As city cars go the Mii and its cousins (Up! and Citigo) are among the most refined in the segment. However, this segment is not known for its silent driving. A fair amount of road and wind noise can be heard from behind the wheel and if you do bring this car on the motorway you will certainly here the engine make its way up the speedometer.
Because this ilk of vehicle is less expensive than a saloon or a hatchback the quality of the interior is far more basic. They tend to be less padded and offer the cheapest of plastics. The interior of the Mii is very basic and there is a lot of plastic but it doesn’t have a cheap feeling. The dash board is laid out very simply and everything is easy to use. The driver’s seat is comfortable and is adjustable to a certain degree.
In 2011 the SEAT Mii received a full five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests. For adult occupancy it scored 89% and for child occupancy it scored 80%. SEAT uses a technology called “Safety Assist”. This scans the road ahead of the vehicle for cars in front. If the vehicle sense that it is getting too close to the vehicle ahead it applies the brakes automatically. The Mii contains twin front head and chest airbags.
City cars are surprising in just how much space they offer. The front cabin is as spacious as it needs to be and can hold passengers of any shape and size. The rear is tighter but four adults could easily sit in here. The boot space is by no means massive but it is fit for purpose.
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