It might only be 3.5 metres long but Seat has big hopes for its Mii city car. Name aside, the urban car market is serious business, with competition coming from all sides.
Seat traditionally offers competitively priced and well-equipped cars, and the Mii continues this trend. City cars used to be stripped-out, frill-free affairs but buyers are demanding more of everything — refinement, kit, performance, space.
A four-seater hatchback, the Mii will accommodate a quartet of adults. In three-door guise accessing the rear seats demands a level of flexibility, but it's possible. For children it's a different matter, and does much to enhance the little Seat's potential as My First Family Car. And with a five-door variant in the pipeline, any accessibility issues should disappear.
For now the Mii delivers a refined and easy-to-drive experience in a sharp-looking wrapper for buyers seeking affordable urban transport. Priced around Dh43,000 in the UK for the entry level model, a whisker over Dh45,000 will get you in a surprisingly well-equipped variant boasting all the mod cons of something bigger. Which is good news for Seat as it seeks to attract both traditional city car buyers and downsizers.
The basic formula for the Mii is a simple one: power comes from a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol motor, which is connected to a five-speed manual gearbox. The engine is offered in two states of tune — 60 and 75 horsepower — with CO2 105 and 108 respectively. An Ecomotive variant ducks under the magic 100g/km thanks to engine stop-start, brake energy recuperation technology and various subtle aerodynamic tweaks. Topping off the range is a Sport model running lowered suspension. An automated manual gearbox is a cost option.
On paper the overall concept appears to be a win-win scenario: cheeky yet familiar Seat looks blended with a focus on saving weight, squeezing as much out of the car's small footprint as possible, a deceptively advanced engine and a price-point-busting cabin ambience.
The reality is just as encouraging, as the moment you open the door you're met by an interior that wouldn't be out of place in a regular family hatch costing five figures. The simple fascia layout is in keeping with the car's character, yet all the important functions — ventilation, audio — are within easy reach. The instrument binnacle's large speedometer is hard to miss, while the manual gearshift is slick and accurate.
On the move the Mii continues to punch above its weight. In 60 horsepower guise the car is no slouch in stop-start traffic and it's surprising how little effort is required to maintain even a brisk pace. Engine refinement is top notch, with this clean-sheet design only vocal when you really push on — highway slip roads and sprinting for that rapidly shrinking gap spring to mind. Even then it's only a throaty, three-pot rasp that enters the cabin, which complements rather that spoils the overall experience.
Factor in a remarkably supple and polished ride and it's difficult not to be impressed by the Mii when in its natural habitat. While 60 horsepower might appear modest for highway jaunts, it's enough to keep up with the law-abiding traffic. For the few occasions the Mii will see a motorway this is more than fine and, again, the engine's refinement and willingness shines through. No doubt 15 more horsepower would make life a little easier, but the extra cost and fuel consumption might be a leap too far for some.
Sticking to 60 horsepower is a good plan if you want to spend money elsewhere, be it some funky trim enhancements or more toys. Regarding the latter, Seat's pulled a neat trick with a low-cost, built-in satellite navigation unit. For a few thousand dirhams you can have a portable sat-nav unit that docks with a dash-mounted cradle. Personalised with a trip computer and Bluetooth phone connection, it's another ‘big car' feature for not a lot of money. The same is true of another affordable option — an auto brake function that's active at low speeds. Usually a Volvo staple, when fitted the Mii can detect an obstacle in front and brake without human intervention.
And this is before you consider the default equipment list, which includes twin front and side airbags, audio unit with MP3 player input and Isofix mounting points, engine immobiliser and height adjustable steering wheel. Plus there's a 251-litre boot with a moveable floor and the potential for 951 litres with the rear seats folded.
For a small car, Seat's Mii makes a big impression. Performance-wise it demonstrates a level of refinement and ability that's way above its price point, while you sacrifice nothing in terms of creature comforts. It's a lot of car for not a lot of money.
Specs
Model Mii
Engine 1.0-litre three-cylinder
Transmission Five-speed manual, FWD
Max power 60bhp @ NA
Max torque NA
Top speed 160kph
0-100kph 14.4 seconds
Price Dh43,000 (UK)
Plus Extremely capable city car, plenty of kit
Minus Rear passenger accommodation
