The Vauxhall Agila is a practical car for its size. Those who are tired of cramped city cars will find that the Agila is a competitive car for this specific reason. The Agila’s engines also perform well in urban settings, making it appealing for the complicated British roads. However, the Agila has one great weakness: the Suzuki Splash. With almost identical feats, the Agila’s best qualities may just be outshined by its rebadged counterpart.

Pros

The Vauxhall Agila’s engines all excel for this small car. The 1-litre and 1.2-litre petrol, in three- and four-cylinder variations respectively, are both flexible and fun to drive. For those living a more eco-friendly lifestyle, the 1-litre variant with ecoFLEX technology offers lower emissions rates and makes the Agila a great economy car. The Agila is available in auto and manual gearboxes, although economy and emissions rate is higher in the former. For a city car, the Agila delivers amazing finesse when driven. Smooth controls promise an easy, agile drive and, although not completely noiseless, the thrum that can be heard inside pose no issues. Body roll can be felt in corners, but not too much.

Running costs aren’t a big issue with the Agila due to its efficient engine. Reliability is also guaranteed, thanks to Suzuki’s long-standing renown in this department. The interior layout and design is smart, with a textured finish and supportive switches. The driver’s seat is also equipped with adjustable controls, and the steering can be adjusted to the driver’s preference for maximum comfort.

The Agila may look small, but its interior surprises with adequate room for all passengers. The cabin is spacious, making it one of the most practical cars in the segment. Upgraded versions have extra bins beneath the boot, and the rear seats can be folded to improve the boot’s capacity.

Cons

While the Agila brings a lot of positive features on its plate, its near closeness to its cousin, the Suzuki Splash, makes the former a less-appealing choice. This is because the Splash is less expensive, which seriously forces potential Agila buyers to pause before purchasing the model. Although both are tagged as budget cars, Splash’s identical looks and feats may just snag more appeal than the Agila.

For its price, security features may also be disappointing versus Splash. The Agila’s standard equipment includes four airbags. Other features are available as add-ons. It doesn’t help that the model’s thick pillars can disrupt the view from the driver’s seat, making turns and reversing more challenging than needed. Equipment at the base level is also poor. Moving up trim levels to get air conditioning, split rear seat and alloy wheels means having to pay extra. On the other hand, Splash offers better equipment in its standard level, giving it more valuable than the Agila.

Although the Agila’s running costs and practicality make it a fierce contender in the city car segment, its price and security features greatly limit its market. It doesn’t help that Splash comes close and sells at a more competitive price.

The Vauxhall Agila is a city car marketed beginning 2000. Vauxhall Motors holds the sales in the UK, but rebadged versions of the Agila are also sold by Suzuki and Opel. The Agila is a product of General Motor and Suzuki’s joint venture and is the first city car to be sold under the Vauxhall name. The car is currently produced by Magyar Suzuki, based in Hungary. The success of the car is attributed to its low costs and refined technology.

Agila A, produced from 2000 to 2007, traces its roots from the Suzuki Wagon R+ kei car. This first generation was offered in two petrol engine versions: a Z10XE three cylinder engine and a Z12XE four cylinder engine. The car was given a mild facelift in 2003. In 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the larger Agila B was introduced to the public. Vauxhall Agila B was developed alongside rebadged sibling Suzuki Splash. A common rail diesel engine was also made available for this version. Agila B came in two trim levels: Essentia and Enjoy.

Competitors of the car in the city car and mini MPV segment include the Citroen C3 Picasso, Fiat Panda and Ford Ka. While being a rebadged version, the Agila remains strong with smooth handling and sensible features.