Seat Mii 2012-2019 review

The mid-range FR-Line trimmed cars are adorned with 16in alloy wheels, front foglights, sports suspension and numerous FR details, while the special edition Mii designed by popular woman's magazine Cosmopolitan gives the small Seat a more fashionable look. There is the choice between Violetto or white for the outside and inside, black alloys and wing mirrors, and special Cosmo decals across the interior.

One option we’d definitely consider is the City Safety Assist function, which automatically brakes the car if it senses an impending collision. The Convenience pack is also worth noting, as it makes longer journeys more comfortable by adding cruise control, a trip computer and rear parking sensors.

Seat's Mii is offered with two 1.0-litre petrol engines, with either 59bhp or 74bhp. Both produce 70lb ft of torque and are linked to a five-speed manual gearbox.

The 999cc three-cylinder engine is amazingly capable, both in its natural town habitat and on the motorway. At low revs it is remarkably refined, and at worst it only rises to an appealing three-pot thrum that seems to somehow enhance the experience rather than intrude.

While the high-power model's 0-62mph in 12.7sec won’t wow anyone, it’ll cruise up to three-figure speeds given enough space. The low-power version is around a second slower to 62mph, but you'll barely notice. We found the base version to be largely impressive in just about every situation, even if the ride seemed to become especially choppy on UK roads. 

The Mii’s steering is light and responsive, if not massively feelsome. Again, that works best to the Mii’s city car credentials, and it makes simple work of parking, maneuvering and nipping in and out of traffic. The ride is mostly excellent, too, and the manual gearbox we’ve tested is easy and light to use – again speaking to the city habitat of the Mii.

All this is delivered in a cabin that is notable for being functional, fuss-free and, in places, even characterful. The flashes of polished plastics and interior colour lift the interior above the level of most rivals, if not up to the standard of the Fiat 500.