The Skoda Citigo is the Czech car maker’s rebadged and subtly restyled version of the Volkswagen Up and Seat Mii city car.
It shares its engines, gearboxes, underpinnings and chassis components with its more premium VW-badged sibling and rival, so, setting aside the badge differences, how do you distinguish a Citigo from an Up?
Telling the Citigo apart from the VW Up
There are some minor styling tweaks – notably to the front-end treatment, the shape of the front headlamps and the rear side-window. The Citigo’s finned grille set in a chrome-plated frame is a scaled-down version of that seen on the MissionL concept car, and shows the stylistic way forward for the Czech marque’s ever-expanding range.
A 2017 facelift, saw the front grille tweaked, the front and rear bumpers modified, which has extended the length by 34mm, and the bonnet was given a semi-aggressive bulge, while the majority of changes have been made to the alloy designs and body colour choice - with the spring green which accompanied the little Citigo at its launch replaced with a more pleasing-on-the-eye Kiwi Green.
Other changes have been minimal from the original car, with the interior given a much needed boost. Gone was the Garmin-powered sat nav unit which acted as the Citigo's multimedia infotainment system, and it has been replaced with a 5.0in colour display and a smartphone dock complete with a USB port and Skoda's Move&Fun app which combines sat nav, bluetooth connectivity, radio and driving data all from your phone's display.
The engine powering the Skoda Citigo
Engine-wise, there are two 1.0-litre petrol offerings, one with 59bhp and the other with 74bhp. Both produce 70lb ft of torque from the naturally aspirated, all-alloy, 12-valve unit and come with a five-speed manual gearbox, although an automated sequential gearbox is available. Greentech versions are also offered, which deliver marginal improvements in efficiency thanks to lowered suspension, low rolling-resistance tyres and other minor upgrades. One disappointment is that the 1.0-litre TSI engine available in the Up, isn't avail
Safety equipment includes a head-thorax side airbag – a first in any Skoda, let alone the smallest one – and the City Safe Drive (CSD) brake assist system. At speeds up to 19mph, CSD uses a laser sensor to automatically slow the car if it senses there is a danger of a collision.
As for the other standard equipment, the entry-level S model comes with 14in steel wheels, two speakers, manual ventilation controls, an infotainment system complete with USB connectivity, SD card slot and a CD player, and electric front windows.
