Small cars shine at Geneva Motor Show

Motor Shows allow car manufacturers to play top trumps, with maximum power and top speed winning the most newspaper headlines. The Geneva show this week is no different, but in amongst the Lamborghinis, the true stars are the latest brace of city cars.

Cars like the VW Golf and Mini have become middle aged – compared to their specifications when they first launched decades ago, they have become more refined and heavier. In their place is a new crop of entry level vehicles – so-called city cars.

Toyota Aygo 2014

The Toyota Aygo has enjoyed great success and the Geneva Motor Show marks the launch of a revised version of the diminutive motor for 2014. Sporting a new body shape, fuel economy is expected to top 65 mpg. Sub 83g/km CO₂ emissions will mean the Aygo continues to be exempt from vehicle excise duty.

Motorists who buy new every three years, have their pockets hit hard by depreciation, but impressive fuel efficiency and zero-rated car tax enable small city cars like the Aygo to maintain good re-sale values. After three years, cars such as the Peugeot 107, Toyota Aygo and BMW Mini are worth around worth 60 per cent of their original price tag.

Citroen Cactus

If the Aygo is too small for your needs, but you want an equally frugal car try the Cactus. Citroen has a reputation for producing striking designs and its new C4 Cactus is just that. A lightweight engine, aluminium bonnet and ‘pop-out’ rear windows help the hatchback tip the scales at a mere 965 kg – by comparison, a similar-sized Ford C-Max weighs 1,390 kg.

Reduced weight helps boost fuel efficiency, and the Citroen manages to squeeze over 90 miles from a gallon of diesel.

The feature that will be of most interest to urban drivers whose cars have suffered car park dings, will be the 'Air Bump' door protectors. -- cushions of plastic which protect the bodywork. The distinctive-looking translucent panels are designed to be easy to replace if they are damaged.