Car choice: Is it smarter to have a Smart or an iQ?

Rik Patel’s daughter needs a small city car that must have bags of character and be easy to live with

(Smart)

A car for the head

If you want to take up the bare minimum of space then the Smart ForTwo is handy. It is also a classy package, which has always looked like the future. Driving it does take a bit of getting used to – and it does bounce in and out of potholes. We found a 2013 Coupe Passion CDI at a car supermarket for £4,500. The Passion is well equipped and has extra “power projector” headlamps, exterior temperature gauge and frost alarm, so when it is dark and cold the buyer will be fine. Two former owners.

(Toyota (Toyota)

A car for the heart

Like the Smart the Toyota iQ was expensive when new, which means once used this is something of a bargain. Here is an upmarket and really rather tiny vehicle which is perfect for the city environment, but even when you take it on long trips it feels super comfy. This is a class act. One we found, a 2012 Toyota IQ WT-I at a dealer, had covered just 23,000 miles and only the one previous owner for £4,500. Road tax is zero so it seems like a very clean and tidy car and cheap to run.

If you would like James Ruppert to help with your car choice, email james@freecarmag.com. For more motoring views visit freecarmag.com