Refreshed C1
Added: 9th of August 2017
- 2015
- 998
- Manual
- Petrol
- Hatchback
- 3
This is my 3rd C1, having had a fairly basic-equipment version of each edition of the car. These have been cheap to run (total cost over 7 years of the last one was £15,618 including insurance, fuel and repairs - £0.264 per mile and an average of 50.59mpg). The strength of the car's frame was demonstrated when the first version was totaled on the M25 by a lorry which pushed me at 90 degrees to my intended direction of travel on 2 wheels 150 yards down the road - an interesting experience. But I emerged unscathed, which is why I went back for more. The 3 stupidest features of the previous models have finally gone (seats which needed to be reset for pitch and leg-length every time you got something out of the rear seats; a hazard-warning-light switch which wasn't strong enough for the job and cracked across the middle, and a generally placky semi-translucent central facia). Unfortunately for a technophobe like myself, the provision of a CD player has also gone. And there are still some duff bits of finish (really cheap looking internal door handles, to name but one). Alas, the boot is still unlocked when the car is unlocked (unless you choose to lock yourself in - problematic in an accident), making the car a potential target for opportunists in a traffic queue. The rear parcel shelf has now ceased to be an asset, since it is now attached to the hatch, not hinged from the seat-back, and would probably shed its load when the boot opened. Also, it's made of a very feeble-looking carpet-like material, not a rigid moulding. But the boot has been stretched a little, so it's no longer a struggle to get an ordinary thickness suitcase in. I believe the car is a bit longer overall - and the turning-circle may have suffered a bit as a consequence, though it still moves easily at slow speed. The Toyota 3-cylinder unit is perfectly adequate and smooth - and with only the driver on-board it has plenty of poke for my needs. Just remember to re-calibrate your expectations before overtaking if you have passengers. Electronics now have a central console for switching between media and checking car data - but no inbuilt satnav, oddly. On the dash there's a useful choice of displays for range, fuel consumption, trip-meter, etc., to choose from, which aids economy driving. No automatic engine cut-out, however. Filler-cap key lock has been replaced with a cap release from the driver's position. Less secure, perhaps, but more convenient. In sum, a fine motor for running around in - and feeling vaguely virtuous about your carbon footprint, too.