What's the best CHEAP new car? Citroen vs Dacia vs Toyota | What Car?

What's the best cheap car you can buy? We take the value-focused Citroen C3, Dacia Sandero and Toyota Aygo X on a 620-mile road trip to find out if new car bargains still exist.
Watch for a full breakdown on everything you need to know about these cars and to find out exactly what they will cost you to run.
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[@lakesandfells]

For me the Dacia was the clear winner in this test.

[@ralzvy]

for me no cus its a dacia

[@Adi7x]

MG4

[@kaloyancholakov3725]

You have to be a madman/risktaker to buy dacia before toyota.

[@AdrianroTV]

True, Dacia has the most comfort out of the 3, it has bigger space, bigger boot, faster acceleration and it looks better than the other 2.

[@aarondynamics1311]

@@ralzvy What's that supposed to mean?

[@dragosi8980]

For the Dacia phone holder you can buy a very small cable to charge the phone, that's the whole idea. So you don' have a long cable going all through your dashboard. It's a great idea.

[@KanishQQuotes]

Yes but urinalist gonna cry about no leather clad dashboard in a cheap city car

[@raka522]

The top USB port is also connected directly to the radio. If you only have the simple 8" media display installed and not the Media Nav, Android Auto or Apple Car Play can only be used via USB cable and not via WiFi.

[@WithCars909]

I like this idea of taking 3 cheap cars on a road trip, more of this please

[@whatcar]

Thank you! We have more cheap car road trips in the diary.

[@WithCars909]

@@whatcar great to hear 👍

[@DavidJohnston58]

​@@whatcar I have now subscribed 👌

[@crestas9]

@@whatcarplease also consider the Skoda Fabia or the Seat Ibiza

[@jonsnow9428]

Way more informative than that other channel that just seems to just drag race each car. Also this may be a second (town) car purchase to get the kids to school

[@Twmpa]

Cramped, claustrophobic, gutless, limited rear space, small boot, slowest infotainment, most expensive. All terms used to describe the Toyota which also only has four seats, sits in a class below the other two and is the most expensive. The top of the range Aygo X at nearly 20 grand for what is effectively a competitor to a Kia Picanto is ludicrously expensive. Yet somehow, it wins this test???

[@TheMaleforce]

Test was done by generation woke who have no idea about anything, the Aygo is not a proper car as you say it's more like a Picanto. One simple rule applies to depreciation, the more you pay the more you lose. Dacia Sandero is far better than the other two.

[@konhenry9713]

Toyota boot space is limited and this conclusion to toyota winning is ridiculous

[@devonbikefilms]

Advertising revenue? I’ve driven all these cars and this is not the conclusion I would have come to. The Dacia on the other hand, I’d definitely be happy with that. The toy mota is just too expensive.

[@leaningtower73]

In fact what a weird conclusion these guys came up with. Who told them practicality is not important in the low end price range? Just for interior space and boot capacity I would buy the Sandero

[@riceburner4747]

Competitor to the KIA?? I bet you pay more in maintenance. If I would be looking for large/luxurious cars, I wouldn't be looking at these. Cheap DEPENDABLE car is what I'D WANT.🇱🇷

[@MTMihai]

Wow, you actually managed to put that lack of space, lack of power, lack of looks Double Cross in pole position. Impressive!

[@eadsierestorations]

Yes....how much do Toyota pay you? Lol....how actually sad.

[@geoffb3240]

So the gutless, 4 seat, boot the size of a thimble car wins?!?! Hmmmm!

[@khalidacosta7133]

Yeah that's how it works. Doesn't even have a reach adjustable steering wheel. I had a mid spec 2017 C3 as a rental and I'd rather have that again over a jacked up Aygo.

[@haziqali9716]

Actually love my Aygo X as a first car but would prefer a dacia just because this car genuinely has no power whatsoever 😢

[@petermooney2016]

An SUV? 1 out of 3 - no Sports, and no Utility with a weeny boot.

[@borsh2002]

@@petermooney2016 best comment, i must recon!

[@spig021]

The Toyota is NOT an SUV just because it has big plastic wheel arches.

[@ggj666]

I must be getting old, the "budget" end of the car market is still 5K more than I have ever spent on a car.

[@DavidJohnston58]

That's biting a lot of us on the butt!

[@Myst3YT]

@nevis8106 No longer in North America unfortunately.

[@chrishart8548]

​@nevis8106i think not even owning a car at all is the way most people in the uk are heading. Used cars look to me now what i think new cars should cost.

[@chrishart8548]

@nevis8106 really depends how bad the cost of living crisis gets. For a lot of people the car will be the first thing to go.

[@I_know_what_im_talking_about]

@@chrishart8548- we going back to horses or what? How you gonna travel without a car?! There’s PLENTY of quality used cars available. No reason to buy New unless you really like a model, really need it and obviously can afford it.

[@drasticplastic]

I traded in a C3 against an Aygo X automatic for my wife. We had it 3 months and she absolutely hated it too small too slow and far too noisy. So I ended trading it in for another C3 which she finds very comfortable and loves. It taught me an expensive lesson do not surprise your wife with a new car without asking her 1st.

[@LIONtib]

Or maybe just don't downgrade from a subcompact to a supermini??

[@JimboRustles]

I drove a C3 and found it dreadful compared to my 2010 Honda Civic, can't imagined what an Aygo feels like then

[@LIONtib]

@@JimboRustles The Civic is in a class above the C3. To be fair the C3 is only nice in the upper trim levels. The lower ones look and feel as cheap as it gets. And the Aygo is somehow worse.

[@JimboRustles]

@@LIONtib It was the engine that felt horrible, supposedly it's 83 hp but feels like 50, a 75 hp Peugeot 206 runs like a Swiss clock compared to those 3 cylinders.

[@ianworley8169]

I loved the look of the C3 and wanted to buy one for my wife. I was made up to be given one as a hire car on holiday. The worst car I've ever driven. It actually made me feel nauseous driving it on winding roads. Wallowed about on the least bends and utterly gutless up steep hills. Horrible car.

[@stevencampbell1150]

I can answer that with 2 words... Good news! The Dacia Sandero is going to win hands down and they're brilliant value and great cars to drive.

[@TheSwaroopB]

*crowd cheers* "Ahem, moving on..."

[@dustinzitto618]

I travelled from Bulgaria to Germany and back in the Dacia Logan (sedan version of the Sandero). The car is a bit noisy, fact, but the seats are superb. Back support is top notch.

[@TheDarrenP]

Mostly older tech which is far more reliable.

[@tennolife9930]

We own a 2011 Logan 1.6L, it almost has 200k km on the dash. The car saw the service exactly zero times (besides oil/filters and belts). We also took it on roads where a land rover would clench its cheeks because for some reason the suspension is very soft and it has a lot of ground clearance, thing's seen the islands of greece, the mountains of switzerland and everything in between. It's absolutely surprising how good of a car it is. And we bought it new, top range with all the good stuff for only ~5000 EUR, I really doubt there is a single car on this planet more economical and practical than that. (maybe a close contender, but no necessarily due to its price, the Volkswagen Golf/Variant from 1999-2006 with the 1.9 TDI engine)

[@raka522]

@@TheDarrenP The fact that Dacia has mostly older technology is no longer the case since the Sandero 3. Current Clio technology is actually installed thanks to the current EU laws, which require certain safety functions that older vehicle chassis can no longer fulfill.

[@rantg]

can I hear more details about your trip? we are about to do the same :)

[@erikvangelder6671]

I've owned a Dacia Duster Dci (Diesel) for vife years now. Never had any problem, it is as reliable as I'd expect (but didn't get) from much more expensive brands. Of course, an anectodic example is hardly proof of anything, but my experience seems to underscribe what many have experienced with Dacia. I'm going to trade our Dacia it now, because of financial strategic considerations, and practical considerations as to which fuel is best for the shorter trips I nowerdays do, unlike before when I usually did longer trips (and more often). Our next car will be, not surprisingly, a Dacia Duster again, but this time around, it will be the Hybrid version. As the Sandero is technically practically the same or at least very similar to the Duster Sandero, I expect the Sandero's to be just as reliable

[@ivanjovanovic362]

Holy sh*t that Dacia looks the best and is the best 😂

[@costelgigi31]

Poor people cannot afford but the best of the best. 🤣

[@Tom-sg4iv]

​@@costelgigi31I had cash for 40x top level Sandero's, but only got one. And I must say I'm very happy with the car. Amazing value for money.

[@costelgigi31]

@@Tom-sg4iv No value is good value, no safety is best safety.

[@Anonymous-sb9rr]

It is the best, but I think the C3 looks a lot more stylish.

[@doru10922]

That Toyota is the entry level? The Sandero top of the trim? At 15 000 still cheaper than Toyota

[@maxhugen]

"The average price of a car in *2023* ?" £37k number may well be *because the **_average_** person couldn't afford a new car in 2023.*

[@rleerm]

I suppose that price excludes 2nd hand cars and includes lease. Best cheap car is a 2nd hand car. Best for environment as well.

[@vangestelwijnen]

Same here in the Netherlands. Almost 40K in Euro's for a new car.... My 2009 Renault costed 14K new and has all I need. Where did it all go wrong?

[@maxhugen]

@@vangestelwijnen But but but you'll save money... on the insurance - oops, I meant on tires - oops I meant on depreciation - oops... 😂 AND... you could buy another Renault for probably less than the cost of a replacement EV battery.

[@chrishart8548]

​@@rleermsomeone has to buy the car new for there to be second hand cars

[@chrishart8548]

​@@vangestelwijneninflation. Money printing, and covid lockdowns.

[@markvincent4340]

The aygo and sandero are completely different. Aygo is a four seater, sandero has five seats. Aygo boot is so small, but sandero is pretty big. Sandero beats the aygo any day.

[@codincoman9019]

Except if you need a smaller car, with a small boot etc.

[@markvincent4340]

@@codincoman9019 Exactly

[@razvanursache9493]

Who would pay more money for a smaller car? More money for less boot space, for less space on the back bench, less power, less looks? Where's the convenience in that?

[@peterhayward1848]

More safety kit and better reliability in the Aygo X.

[@codincoman9019]

@@razvanursache9493, nu toți au aceleași nevoi ca tine. De exemplu, eu prefer o mașină mai mică, mai fiabilă, cu costuri mai mici de întreținere pe durata vieții (TCO, Total Cost of Ownership), cu design mai fain etc.

[@chrisburn7178]

First sentence: "Big luxury SUVs are pointless, wasteful and dangerous personal vanity projects". There, fixed it. Thumbs up for these little cars 👍

[@naferemix]

Dacia easily. Shame the price has shot up so much but it’s all the necessary benefits of a new Clio without the ‘impersonation’ of a plush interior and creaky extra decor

[@FrenchBulldogsCantSpeakFrench]

Yea and their 2 star crash safety rating is amazing..

[@dustinzitto618]

@@FrenchBulldogsCantSpeakFrenchnot for structural reasons though.

[@FrenchBulldogsCantSpeakFrench]

@@dustinzitto618 hmm maybe because they’re so bloody cheap..

[@skeed.5768]

​@@FrenchBulldogsCantSpeakFrenchtheir crash rating is 2 stars because of the lack of pedestrian safety systems, but if you crash in a dacia you have just as much chance of a survival as if you crashed in a renault clio

[@FrenchBulldogsCantSpeakFrench]

Still not an excuse for being unsafe 🤦🏼

[@hughventer2934]

This has been one of the best videos from what car. So refreshing to review affordable cars, they don’t seem as scripted and look like they’re enjoying themselves.

[@whatcar]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed.

[@DavidJohnston58]

100%

[@jansefran1752]

Dacia is the winner. Very good car. Much better than most of people thinks.

[@olias2716]

two star crash rating......no thanks....

[@jansefran1752]

@@olias2716 If you hawe no intentions to crash - than this is irellavant ... If you crash a lot - than - is necessery to hawe a car - strong / safe as TANK - VOLVO for example.

[@marksouthwell4490]

​@@olias2716for occupant safety they'd probably score 4 or 5 on the older system, they now scored on intelligent safety features IE lane departure warning etc. so for occupant and structural safety they're most likely a safe car

[@vangestelwijnen]

@@olias2716 Buying a car for the event that never happens. Or buying a car for daily pleasure and convenience?

[@Twmpa]

@@olias2716 These cars are marked down by the NCAP organisations nowadays because they do not have the electronic driver inteference and distraction (sorry, assistance) technologies such as lane departure warning.

[@russell5791]

So it's like comparing apples and pears. The Sandero is in a different class, it's a 5 seater, faster, has a boot that can be used. And its thousands cheaper. Yes if you are in the market for a small city car, then the Toyota is better and will depreciate less and probably outlive a sandero. Can't really compare the 2

[@petrolpoodle6617]

These comments really wind me up - typical viewers of KZbin that (to be fair just like I used to) have absolutely no idea how much time, effort and work goes into making these videos (8 hours of editing on top of half a day filming for a 15 to 20 min product and I'm a professional videographer) but get so SO personally hurt if _their_ favourite didn't win. For the record, the Dacia also seemed an easy win to me but they clearly made it an incredibly close call between the two, so who cares. Let's however appreciate that they went through every car in immense detail, properly laid out all the things you need to consider when buying one of these 3 and avoided attempting to be a knock off clone of the Top Gear trio. A brilliant format in my opinion, numbers properly researched and the final decision I can _understand_ but just don't agree with. Epic work guys, keep it up!

[@runningawayvagabond5876]

Wish we could get the Dacia over on this side of the world but unfortunately I live in the land of single people thinking they NEED a 7 passenger SUV or some bro thinking he might get a trailer at some unspecified point in time in the future so gets a full size full cab pickup. The cheeky Sandero would be dead in the water as soon as it landed.

[@68404]

I thought Dacia would vbe available in Ukraine. Or are you just a tourist?

[@gingernutpreacher]

​@@68404are you picking a fight over zone one suporting ukraine?

[@Don_Puparo]

USA@@68404

[@razvanipati]

Buy a Lada Niva and shut up

[@Blue2024_rs]

@@68404 I think he os from the US. It's obvious that Dacia is selling in UA, as Romania is it nighbour

[@markwiles3485]

Dacia’s facelift for the Sandero removed the six speed gearbox, replacing it with a five speed. They also swapped Media Nav (with built-in satnav and wireless Apple CarPlay) with Media Display that has no satnav and requires a USB cable for CarPlay. The Sandero in the former top of the range Comfort specification of 2020/21/22 was much better value than the Expression of late 2022 onwards. £13245 on the road in May 2022 and great value then.

[@ligametis]

I don't think Sandero is really the best Dacia model to buy. New Duster is more expensive but looks like a way higher class car.

[@alanmole7292]

My Wife’s 22 plate Sandero Stepway has six speeds, Apple car play, touch screen colour display with Satnav, climate control, cruise and speed limiter, everything you could want for £18000. It also goes like. sh1t off a shovel.

[@sebastianstoica578]

The Sandero still has the 6 speed gearbox in the Stepway version. And that varies depending on the market. In Romania you can get it with both 5 and 6 speed gearbox.

[@Jehowy666]

It's the other way around, the old, pre-facelift model had 5 speed gearbox, since ~november 21 all Sandero have 6-speed.

[@sebastianstoica578]

@@Jehowy666, they have reintroduced the 5 speed gearboxes on some models since a year or so ago.

[@DavidJohnston58]

We went with the Dacia, great little car, screen does all we want, has auto lights and wipers, sat nav and it's dual fuel. LPG we still have three garages in town with pump and it's 74.9 this week. Ironic that we bought it as a runaround and now use it for longer journeys. Only use our Citroen e-C4 as the runaround given the amount of problems and stress we had on road trips getting a vacant, working charger. Since swapping the cars around motoring has become a pleasure again.

[@evergreenalba]

They're still too pricey for those who are earning less than £30k. The cost of living and stagnant wages are killing off the small car sector.

[@losch78]

I had the C3 as rental last summer, and was generally surprised that it felt quite a nice car. And I think it still looks sort of stylish quirky, probably the last cheap of these 3.

[@runawayronnie]

I also was given a C3 rental for the first time. Almost brand new in base trim ( Spain ). It's by far the worst car I've driven in a long time. What it did do however is get us from A to B without issue which is all I asked of it. Would never consider owning one tho.

[@ianworley8169]

​@@runawayronnieI was made up to get one on holiday. I could not agree more. An absolute porker to drive. The worst hire car I've ever had by a mile.

[@jonathonedwards6741]

I spent a lot of time in an aygo X last year as my Suzuki Swift Sport was in for a lot of work (service leading to seized calipers leading to clutch going, leading to someone hitting it) things I can say is it has a playful chassis, fuel economy is good regardless of what I do with the accelerator, tech was basic (just how I like it, less distractions), but it was a noticeable difference in power. I joke that the swift is slow but this was another level.

[@urbanspaceman7183]

You have got to be kidding. Dacia by a country mile. You have just lost all credibility.

[@wallycustard1281]

My colleague has a new Dacia. It felt cheap and designed to fall apart after 5 years. I didn't like it at all. It was cheap for a reason.

[@terryosborn]

Am I dreaming? A new car test that is of affordable PETROL cars with not an EV in sight, well done guys.

[@siraff4461]

WOW. THANK YOU for including overall ownership costs. Hardly any review ever bothers and it winds me up no end when someone says "but this one's cheaper" based on its sticker price alone. This is a perfect example of why the Citroen is cheap so long as you can't count. Having to explain it to everyone who doesn't understand TCO gets old real quick so maybe if people follow your lead and include it in reviews it will be more well known. Excellent review too. The only thing I would like to have added would be a town/suburban section since school runs and commutes are these things' bread and butter. Thanks again.

[@Goriaas]

Depreciation is the biggest problem with TCO. That's why buying a car that is AT LEAST 3-4 years old is always better in terms of TCO

[@siraff4461]

@@Goriaas Almost always. There are some which can be cheaper to own from new - such as ultra rare stuff which is worth more the day you get it than you paid when you order it. You also have to factor in wear and tear items, likelyhood of a breakdown and how much value you place on warranty cover. For instance I got a Transit minibus new in 2018. It has only needed front brakes so far and because of the way the market has gone its worth more now than I payed for it when it was new. On the other hand my Kuga plug-in is now three years old and has lost roughly £18k in that time meaning that even though the Kuga does 50-60mpg regularly and the bus around 25mpg, the Kuga has cost more to own and run.

[@sergioleonardo8837]

It's amazing what people demand on cars these days. I looked around to trade my two oldies and tried both the Sandero and the C3 and honestly they where both decent but I really enjoyed driving the C3. it was more comfortable than the Dacia and I thought the interior looked better too. It seems the only thing going for the Toyota is the infotainment (God help us if someone has to drive somewhere and not have this huge TV screen to look at because they don't know where they are going...) . I'm a practical person and don't need that much tech to just drive around with my family or whatever gear i need to take.

[@michaelsteiner5775]

The Aygo may be the worst by comparing the obvious but if I had to choose one car for the next 300.000km or 20 years it's the only option. The others will struggle lasting as long like the Toyota. That's just the way it is and this is why they are so expensive.

[@destroyedsoul1791]

Why would anyone want to keep that POS for 20 years

[@carlosgilpinheiro7510]

In your dreams.

[@mitchreeves1]

The Citroen's huge downfall that nobody mentions, is that although they've almost matched the Dacia Sandero on price, their finance rates are incredibly high. The C3 is 13.9% APR! The Dacia is 7.9%. That makes an enormous difference on monthly payments. The Dacia is still miles ahead of the pack in terms of value for money.

[@whatcar]

We do cover that at the end of the video! 11.9% APR for that version of the C3 at the time of filming.

[@Mgoblagulkablong]

Suzuki is miles ahead of Dacia. New Swift with ZERO % APR. New Swift is much better than Sandero.

[@mitchreeves1]

@whatcar sorry, I do know that you mentioned it. I'm just saying that in general, few mention this. Bravo that you did! I currently have a 72 plate Dacia on 5.9%. I managed to bag that car in the nick of time! If I got the same car today it's £100pm more (my deposit was £2700).

[@mitchreeves1]

@Mgoblagulkablong it's not 0%, it's currently 7.9%. The same as Dacia

[@janvanhaaster2093]

Financing a car is a stupid way to get rid of your money. If you can pay XXX each month for a loan, you also could have saved it as you obviously don't need it. Cash is king, and if you don't have the money just buy a cheap 2ndhand car.

[@tiberiupopescu238]

Sandero with LPG directly from Dacia, don't know if available in UK, is by far away the cheapest to drive and best overall budget car in this class.

[@davidspencer7254]

LPG hard to find.

[@saxon-mt5by]

Agreed. I run a petrol/LPG car and haven't used LPG since 2019 - all the local filling stations have gone.@@davidspencer7254

[@weetbix2083]

More useable space and airy interior, but they not very durable long term.

[@LIONtib]

​@@weetbix2083Not durable? In Romania the vast majority of cars on the road are first and second gen Logans, Sanderos and Dusters. I've seen some with over 400k-500k kilometers that were still going strong despite the blatant lack of maintenance. Dacia is many things but unreliable is definitely not one of them.

[@costelgigi31]

@@LIONtib Yeap, and most of you had 5 Dacia cars in the last 3 years. We know the mantra.🤣

[@Twin.motors]

Awsome comparison. MUCH better than carwow's rare 5mil supercar vs 3 mil supercar comparisons.

[@henryv3943]

Great review guys. Interesting comparisons. Happy Easter.

[@shroomyesc]

I immediately noticed in the Aygo the audio quality go down, there's a tinny echo in the car probably due to less sound insulation. Theoretically, the Aygo is in a class below the other two which would explain that but the price doesn't reflect it theoretically being an A-segment vehicle rather than B.

[@gsonz172]

The Aygo X is a city car, people buy it because of its small size and good economy. If you want more space in the boot or better performance you buy a Yaris (which would fit better to this comparison anyways). Also don't forget that the Aygo has adaptive cruise control with lane keeping assist as standard, together with other stuff like high beam assist. The Aygo X should rather be compared to similar sized cars like Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto and Suzuki Ignis. This would make way more sense.

[@adriang.c.2986]

agree, it is different class, the problem is the price of the yaris :)

[@bondjamesbond9041]

Not sure about finance rates but as an outright purchase a Suzuki Swift would be my choice. It has the reliability of the Toyota but is bigger inside and more practical.

[@jdmguy44]

Agreed. I'd go for the Swift. Not much more expensive to buy than these three. Generous spec. Looks/drives very well and proven reliability. It's even built in Japan which you can't beat.

[@thomasp818]

About the infotainment system. It's quite unfair to not take the screen for the Citroën while you take it for Sandero which obviously on the entry level of the Sandero you don't even have a screen.

[@brei21]

This straightforward review of the boot capacity was refreshing to see. It's helpful to have a standard reference point, like the cabin suitcases that everyone can relate to and use for comparison. This is much more useful than just a random number for boot capacity, especially when a 30-40L difference might not actually mean room for an extra bag due to the interior shapes

[@razvanyke]

Very cool video, guys ! Well done

[@gugugh10]

I'm really glad that you did this comparative test! Very good!!! I was undecided in choosing between Dacia and Citroen! Thank you! And to more clips and presentations of budget cars!

[@peter.russell]

Nice one. Well done, getting there and very interesting to watch so thank you :-)

[@Anonymous-sb9rr]

Pop out rear windows, like the Aygo has, are really good for ventilation. The wind pulls air out of the cabin through these windows when you're driving, without creating the turbulence that causes booming noises, like wind down windows do.

[@dutchhondarebel]

For that amount of money, a decent used car. Plenty of significantly more comfy used cars.

[@khalidacosta7133]

Shhhh if everyone did that, you wouldn't have a used car that is cheap to buy.... Don't buy a used car and definitely never buy a budget new car. Get a nice car that is fully loaded!

[@lowfeelsblvd]

I cannot fathom why anyone would buy that Aygo X. My 21-plate Mazda 3 was less than that and has heated seats, a sunroof, a slick gearbox, 186hp and has the refinement and ride of a golf!

[@johnnycarruthers9737]

exactly but they must have a brand new car as it comes with warranty and usually free servicing they'll also probably pcp it then give it back after 3 year at half the value for someone like myself to swoop in on a nice wee bargain for the next 10 years idiots.

[@stepheng8779]

Buy an Aygo X if you've got no friends or family, are never going on holiday, doing a big shop or going to the tip, it's perfect 🎉 Dacia by a mile 👍

[@geoffreyjohnson543]

I have an Aygo X Pure. Usually only me or me and my spouse, so rear seat room and small boot is not a problem, and seats fold for trips to the tip. It beats the Dacia on fuel economy ( 78 mpg on a recent 500 mile round trip), has all the tech you need (auto lights, lane assist, rear camera, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, apple carplay etc), low insurance. If I needed a bigger car I would consider the Sandero, but for my circumstances the Aygo is great.

[@delacaravanio]

Below the parcel shelf?! What a load of bollocks. The Aygo fitted four cases. The parcel shelf was what prevented the boot closing, but because of some journalistic code, or whatever, these three refused to take it out. But the thing is, it’s a hatchback and the parcel shelf is designed to be taken out. It’s not a load bearing part. Motoring journalists shouldn’t set stupid rules like “below the parcel shelf” that not only don’t apply in the real world, but make no sense in terms of how the car is intended to be used by the manufacturer. These are cheap runarounds. If you’re going on holidays with your mates, aged 22 or whatever, you will just leave the parcel shelf at home and stuff the boot.

[@comicmania2008]

Hi, very nice road test / comparison, I liked the look of each of the 3 cars. But, I'm 18 months into my Aygo X (Edge) ownership. Took out the PCP deal, paying £168 /month. Loving the Toyota experience, I'm oldish, at 64, retired, so speed is not a worry for me, and neither is the rear passenger room or tiny boot-space. I've been averaging at least 58 mpg in rural Lincolnshire, and even had 68 mpg on nice days, but get about 48 mpg around town. Love the trim level, the infotainment screen is great, the general driving position and nice feel to the car, the engine is chunky, reliable, starts well, not had any breakdowns or factory recalls. The car also boasts lane assist, active cruise control and loads of other stuff that your review never covered. When my deal comes to an end in 2 years, I was going to trade up to a Yaris X hybrid which I test drove when I took mine for the 1st service, but if they turbocharge the newer model Aygo X, I'm likely to have another Aygo X. A turbo giving it another - say 15-20 BHP would make an enormous difference for the better on hills and motorways, hope you are reading this Toyota! Toyota are very nice to deal with, they looked after me very well.

[@hoderharris]

Brilliant comparison. As American who frequently travels to Europe for my job, i am always envious of the sub compact options you guys have vs what is sold in the States...

[@LIONtib]

Why? At least you guys have the roads to accommodate huge 7 seaters and pick ups, even if you don't really need all that space.

[@vinnyanthony23]

I bought our 17 plate C3 in 2018 and since then it hasn't cost us a thing bar normal maintenance. Been a brilliant little runaround car.

[@lm68lancashire60]

I recently did a similar 600 mile plus journey up north and averaged 51.2mpg in my wife’s Jaguar E-Pace 2.0 diesel…..honestly thought these cars would have been more economical…..great video as usual. X

[@RetroRoberino]

Always nice to see some tests like this made for people like us who don't have an unlimited amount of cash flowing out their wazoo.

[@nakfan]

One of the best review that I have seen in a good while 👍

[@whatcar]

Glad you liked it!

[@tjadventures]

My father in law has a lpg Dacia Sandero stepway. The car is pretty nice looking inside and out and the engine is quite peppy. Because it’s optimized for lpg it has 100hp. He did have a fair amount of weird electronic fault warnings in his 2-3 years of ownership but it seems to be holding up pretty good. Although I believe Toyota is still one of the best companies out there, I don’t think the comparison in your video is quite right. The aygo is, in my opinion, a class smaller than the other two, I believe the Yaris is in the same class as the sandero, but I I enjoyed the video and I like how you accounted for so many factors!

[@martinwood9014]

Glad you have more cheaper car comparison vids coming up

[@duncands9172]

A sister of mine last summer and the summer before drove 600 miles in my mother's Volvo V70 2.5 diesel without any trouble. Year. 1997. I was recently at a bus stop and a fantastic 2008 Ford focus drove past me. Before that another fabulous looking drove past me. Year. 2000. Last summer I was at a classic car show and saw a Vw Polo. Year. 1990. A sister of mine has a 2008 Polo, and that means she could keep it for another 18 to 20 years. After seeing the Focus, I thought, search around for a really good 2010 Focus and keep it for another 10 or more years or the same with a V70. Now to an idea. Why don't the three of you buy a 2008 Polo, Focus, and V70 and take them on a 600 mile journey to see how they get on?

[@DougHolmes]

Surely getting a good second-hand car would be a better bet

[@mitchreeves1]

Used car finance rates are insane. You may as well buy new if you want a newer vehicle.

[@davidspencer7254]

You can always make that argument. But used cars have less warranty (whats covered degrades year on year) if any at all, you don't know the wear and tear and most importantly come with more expensive part replacement costs when stuff goes wrong.

[@johnnycarruthers9737]

@@davidspencer7254 depends who you know for getting things fixed

[@johnnycarruthers9737]

@@mitchreeves1 why finance just get a bank loan and pay them back instead.

[@mitchreeves1]

@johnnycarruthers9737 even so, interest rates are still high. Most people find it much harder to get a bank loan than finance.

[@megapangolin1093]

Good video, very informative and packed with information and data. Not sure that plastic dashboards are really an issue at the budget end of the market, a bad seat though definitely is. Easily the Dacia for anyone that does any mixed driving. Why do all these tests end up being done with a high end trim? As you can see from the comments, many people are saying that these prices are too high, so more sacrifices are needed on kit because the most important thing is that it has to be a mobile personal box before anything else, that is what many, many people need. Be interesting to test a mix of EV/ICE "cheap" cars on a similar route, (not that I would touch a small EV at this point in their development curve).

[@exileatsushi7165]

I don't often comment (sorry fot that), but I love this video concept, plus other big channels (yes I am looking at you, "automobilewaw") didn't even think about this. I hope we will get more of this! PS: those You! and SUV jokes never get old 😁

[@83esiu]

Wow. I can see that you have visited a Fosse Park in Leicester :) Years back i have been an owner of Citroen Grand Picasso VTR+ (2009 or 2010) 1.6 diesel and it was great: spacious, fairly economical and 7 steater. The only issue was oil leaks from the engine - issue that i have spent hundreds if not thousands of ££ until Greg's Automotive garage in Leisester have sorted for me - issue as easy as replacing an engine screws. Later on I have owned Citroen C4 Exclusive from 2012 (also 1.6 diesel, but came out of the factory without a DPF filter and Denon audio - loved it) and I can say I have been very happy with the car (only issue was a an air con which wasn't really powerful) but as my kids have grown (and i have bought a dog - Harrier) I had to sell it. Usually I have been changing my cars every 2 years (until covid time kicked in) and few cars later i own a Volvo v60 Cross Country 2.0 D4 and, because of the current car prices, I'm not looking to sell it ant time soon. As I'm a fan of Citroen I believe, nowadays a Dacia is a better choice ;)

[@vrku9979]

My winner is Dacia Sandero with LPG. I try Logan and its really comfy! Way better than my Skoda Rapid. It has turbo lag and slower response than TSI by VW but it runs on LPG so its really cheap. And stepway trim looks good.

[@tomazikov]

Well while I like all three I will stick to mine which is a preface lifted Sandero but if I bought it today I would have the one that you drove with expression trim with auto AC which costs just below 16 grand in our country and I am very happy and satisfied with mine

[@ferjscor]

Great video . Not everyone is rich and have money for Audi RS 7....

[@jandoerlidoe3412]

I would choose the Sandero trough... ( I now have Dacia Logan MCV )

[@joaomoreira6044]

Drove one of those C3 last September on holidays. It was brand new and had an incredible vertical gap on the steering wheel. So big I thought the lock of the height adjustment wasn't secure. It was, just a terrible quality control! The steering wheel moved up during harder brakes when I made a little bit more force on it.

[@ijoseluis]

It's on the slower depreciation that the Toyota's longer guarantee works. The difference to the Sandero in overall value isn't probably significant, excepting for those who really don't need space and privilege driving quality. To have kids or not, that is the question. I liked your video. Honesty is the best policy.

[@poppyneese1811]

Dacia for me, dang you James May👊 I wish we could get the Dacia here in the States. The Citroen looks really good from the rear, a lil to much going on in the front. I know the Toyota would be the best, but being of Scottish Heritage I root against the leader always.

[@martinwood9014]

Got to be Sandero all day

[@michaelbacon561]

Interesting to note that these three "small" cars did a very good job of filling nearly the whole width of the parking spaces at the beginning! Not a lot of room left to open the doors.

[@clubbi911]

I like the C3 Origin ❤ Comfy, roomy, quirky 👍🏼

[@JVerschueren]

13:15 Dacia hack: use a ziptie to make a loop at the passenger side winshield air vent and run your USB chord through there to keep it out of the way. A friend of mine does that in her... oh, what are they called again now.... Dokker! This trick can be applied in other cars as well, of course, as long as you refer to it properly.

[@matejsojka6683]

did you calculate lpg runing costs in bifuel dacia?

[@RetroRoberino]

I feel like the C3 has been done a bit dirty here. The C3 is meant to be a slushbox and a comfy, soft car. Does it not deliver on that? I hate hard seats and stiff suspensions unless I am in a sports car.

[@jmandameloya]

Did you add the extra maintenance cost of the wet belt of the C3? Tis makes the C3 a bad purchase, on top of everything said

[@mattw8332]

Used to buy What Car? magazine back in the late 1980s. Back then the budget car road tests used to feature the FSO Polonez, Lada Riva, Skoda Estelle, Yugo 45a and the Citroen 2CV6. For a little more decadence there would be a Hyundai Pony. List prices of those would be around the £3,500 - 5,000 mark.

[@GrahamGroovyUK]

Then in 1989 the £5995 Proton GL saloon arrived. Not much of a looker but so reliable and easy to drive. We need cars like this again. For the Sandero to go from £6k before C-Vid to £14k is crazy. A pre reg Clio is cheaper.

[@MyBacon92]

Some comments from the journalist about people can't "affording, bottom end of the car industry " and etc is a bit disrespectful to some people who work their asses of just to afford a new city car.

[@detmer87]

Toyota shouldn't be on this list. Suzuki Swift would make more sense.

[@Bambotb]

This is the content we need

[@workman122]

It's a fair assessment overall. We have the same model Sandero here in France and personally I wouldn't consider the Aygo because it's just too small. Our Dacia is now 3 years old and only had the standard servicing with no problems at all. I do agree about the wind noise from the doors/side windows, it's the only thing I really dislike about the car.

[@philipsutton5652]

Was not expecting to see my hometown of 30 years when the video popped up.

[@user-nb5nm4ol8p]

I choose AygoX, C3 with 1.2 puretech engine is zero reliability and Dacia Sandero less comfortable than both

[@akaski777]

My 07 Auris still running great

[@augustinmarginean]

Agreed somewhat with the verdict, however, the elephant in the room is the fact Toyota is so damn slow and gutless. On long term that will definitely be frustrating for the owner. The small turbo engine's can be so fun to daily drive because of the mid range punch. For me that will make the difference.

[@hunchanchoc8418]

The real elephant in the room is that the Toyota is near-enough a 2 seater with negligible boot space! Might as well have an MG Midget.

[@sketchindetail640]

good job guys a program with information, and not all that faff and foolery

[@MWalsh1992]

Really good test, though I can't help but feel that buying a 1-2 year old model of slightly higher tier cars would be the way to go

[@mikadavies660]

For the money and excellent comfort, I would highly recommend the Citroën C4. I own a full electric E-C4 and I know that you can buy a 1 year old E-C4 for the cost of any of these. The massive plus on the E-C4 is the quality suspension and seating.

[@chrishart8548]

You can get a vauxhall mokka E for even less loads for £11k could've believe it untill i looked .

[@hunchanchoc8418]

Just don't try to make a journey to somewhere 200 miles away...

[@mikadavies660]

@hunchanchoc8418 Shame you didn't tell me that months ago....!! Every trip to my head office is over 200 miles... I drive like any other car... steady 80mph very early in the morning. Stop for a 20min top up and go! Arriving between 6:30 and 7am... So WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL.??? Are you going to say I can't make it?

[@hunchanchoc8418]

@@mikadavies660 How much range do you have left when you reach the office? I presume the charger you use en-route is a fast-charger? And you are able to recharge while you're parked at the office? And as you state, you are driving in the dead of night, so charging stations at services are not likely to be busy. Great! For that journey all the stars are aligned and it works out just dandy!

[@mikadavies660]

@hunchanchoc8418 I'm in Construction. We always start early. I has around 20 to 30 miles left and my boss is a dinosaur. No chargers at the office. But one about 3 miles away.

[@user-oi2cu1xs8e]

Had my 2018 C3 Flair for four years and 40,000 miles with zero problems, been cheap to service, light on its tyres, only consumable has been front discs and pads. Definitely want to spec one with the colour screen to run CarPlay, mine doesn’t have built in Nav but generally don’t use manufacturers ones any way. The two tone styling and bump strips make the car stand out. Agree seats are too soft, but it’s a brilliant little car.

[@philipscott1128]

Has your oil immersed, wet timing belt disintegrated yet?

[@user-oi2cu1xs8e]

@@philipscott1128 No, they don’t if you use the correct oil and change them at the recommended period of 6 years and use genuine PSA parts, I have two 208s with the same engine one a 2014 and the other 2016 but that’s one turbo charged, both fine but well maintained. Some issues with older 208 it needed two drive shafts at 60k, you get a clicking noise when turning, would have expected them to last longer, the drivers side window regulator failed and the catalyst split which was quite expensive to replace. Hope I’m not tempting fate but the C3 has been perfect.

[@thomasp818]

They changed the timing belt for a timing chain for the new C3 which has to come

[@davewhittles]

the toyota for me it looks the best and will hold value better than the other two

[@vladutumircea6072]

Thank's guys! That's a realistic report; otherwise everyone choose his car on budget and preferences... For me Dacia will be the right choice.

[@morph-jh9iy]

Not to forget - the Aygo X has the worst seats (wavy after a short period of use) and also the worst paintwork. Even small stone chips are immediately visible after a short time. My choice would be the Citroen, because the breakdown statistics have shown that this French model is one of the most reliable and can keep up with Toyota.

[@2DogsVlogs]

Thanks for the review. I'm moving to the UK and this makes my decision to export my car easier. I've a Kia Cerato with 3,000 miles and it cost £12k. Shipping is about £3k. So for £15k I have a new car which is bigger with more bells & whistles than the 3 your guys chose. If I sold the Cerato I will get my money back as there is a huge demand for them.

[@verygoodbrother]

I would advise looking at how much it will cost to register, tax and insure the car.

[@PahaLukki]

Who needs automatic headlights, rain sensing wipers or reverse cameras? It is just useless gimmicks. Air conditioning, maybe central locking.. not even that is important. You just need A/C for hot days. The less items there are, the less they break.

[@user-hf7jp2lt5x]

Worth checking if any have wet cam belts. A couple of these in the life of the car will add thousands to the running costs.

[@henrikemppainen2511]

Oof, the price of cars has gotten obscene. I think they look pretty bad too. At least early-mid 2000s econo boxes were just boring looking; these new ones I find straight up ugly. The SUV craze doesn't help one bit. Small ugly vehicle, for way too much $$$. Guess I'll just keep driving my rusty old honda for a while longer..

[@GeorgeJarrett1]

Hang on. The Higher Spec Citroens have a 110 Turbo Petrol in Manual, and an Auto that would blow the other 2 away and a leather streeing wheel. I agree those plastic ones are vile. You can also get a Reverse Camera, Built in Connected Nav and parking sensors. You can also get the armresm like the Dacia on the drivers seat😊

[@callumC94]

Yeah, I feel they did the Citroen dirty here by testing entry level vs highest spec of the other 2 cars... I personnally have a mid spec because it was the cheapest car I could finance (in France) and the only things I don't like about it are fuel economy for city driving (110 turbo petron) and the steering wheel.

[@weetbix2083]

Long term ownership the C3 and Sandero are good for 100k miles where as the Aygo will be good for 200-250k miles.

[@marksouthwell4490]

Are you thinking of the previous generation Aygos

[@jezstokes8592]

Good viewing, more like this please What Car.

[@darklightedy]

A car that is ridiculously slow, with an unusable back seat, and the smallest luggage compartment was voted the best? I don't understand something.

[@Barnaby_bo]

One of lifes mysteries. Why do all car manufacturers make their small cars shit. Just because i might want a small car doesnt necessarily mean i want the cheapest car. I might want a small car with high quality fittings, decent engine, stereo etc. Just in a small package for convenience. Every small car ive been in, especially over the last 20 years has been very poor in fixtures, fittings, build quality and engineering.

[@emmo2850]

Very important information I find is headlight comparison in night driving. Maybe this could be evaluated v Because even some premium vehicles have shocking headlights and quite dangerous with or for night driving.

[@hunchanchoc8418]

The DANGER is from being blinded by oncoming cars with stupid modern headlights.

[@DDOfficial200]

Excellent video! Thank you all. I would have liked you to discuss safety rating (NCAP) for each because that is important to buyers, and the warranty of the others compared to the Toyota. Thanks!