What's about the same size as a Ka, quicker and has better seats, a rev counter and better handling?

Just about anything the same size as a Ka. Sorry out of postcards.

Heh, looking on Parker's I can't find that much that's the same age as my Ka, about the same price and much quicker. Whatever I get also has to have aircon. The Fiesta is marginally quicker, but not much. I expect it would be much the same to drive. Perhaps a 106 or Saxo (leaning more to the pug than the Kevinwagen)?

More serious note. Skoda Fabia TDi. Think Polo TDI(but cheaper), and it is the base for the new Fabia RS, but without the body kit and a few horses missing.

Just like any VW turbo engine, same tuners can sort them as do the Golf and Passats.

Cheaper than a Polo or Seat too, and loads cheaper than an Audi. Cheaper to insure than a GTi too.

It still appears that anything moderately faster than my car will cost me £300 a year extra in insurance, despite only being a tad faster... Bar the AXGT, which is inexplicably cheap to insure. But would do my head in when I have to drive it all day.

Peugeot 106 / Citroen Saxo meets all your above criteria.

you need a tigra in your life :-)

My uncle has one. Horrid thing. Less room in the back than in my Ka. And it's a hairdresser mobile...

A 106 GTi.

Or any 106 for that matter...

-- Dan

Ah you didn't mention insurance and buying costs in your original post.

A 106 XS or quiksilver, 1.4 75bhp SPi engine, nothing earth shakingly quick, but quicker than a Ka, handling spot on too, and the sports seat as well (special interior in the quiksilver). Or if you're feeling cheap, 106

Dare i say it, but Saxo VTR or, is the 1.4i the Furio? One of them...although personally i'd rather have a 106...

-- Dan

Agreed. You can't really go wrong with any 106/Saxo - they're excellent cars if you like miniature slow things :)

And there NCAP rateing. They are nippy but only because they are made of some form of metal thinner than tin foil.

Actually it is anti-metal, has the inverse properties of evything the associate with Metal.

If myself and Lordy cared about that, we wouldn't be driving Rover 600s.

I haven't crashed yet, and I don't plan to start anytime soon :)

The quiksilver insurance is about a grand, which isn't *too* bad. I'd have to find the £300 somewhere mind...

The Saxo is too much of a kev mobile TBH.

Quiksilvers unfortunately hold their value VERY well, maybe a better bet is the older 106 XS 1.4 (not to be confused with the 100bhp XSi 1.4 SPi). If you sell the Ka privately and get £2,700, you'll be able to pick up a good

-- Dan

My MR2

I learned to drive in an oldish 106 diesel, which wasn't the most comfortable car in the world. IIRC my knee stuck into a bit of the dash trim, as it does on the Ka now.

What's the insurance like?

Seats in small french cars are as bad as the cars themselves. Get a sporty Ibiza or something - they are quite good!