Skoda Citigo-E iV review

Much like the old petrol-powered Citigo, around town this thing is in its element. City slicking is what the Up/Citigo/Mii was designed to do, and it’s zipping away from traffic lights, slipping through width-restrictors and darting around traffic snarl-ups where the littlest Skoda (and VW…and Seat) really excels. 

Moreso now than ever thanks to the electric drivetrain – 0-30mph punch is enough to see off all but the most determined of Uber drivers, and in its most aggressive setting, the transmission’s ‘B’ mode (which lets you adjust the ferocity of the regenerative braking system) means most of the time you can leave the brake pedal well alone.

Without a gearbox and clutch pedal to worry about, and an instant 156lb ft under your right foot, it’s easier than ever to exploit gaps in traffic. And because it’s so small, you can park it literally anywhere (where legal, obviously) and thread it down the tiniest of side streets without having to worry about taking its mirrors off. Short of a motorcycle or Renault Twizy, there’s no easier way to drive yourself around a big city than this. 

Should you want to leave the city, take note: while the Citigo actually feels ok at higher speeds, its top speed is only 81mph, and the closer you get to it the quicker your indicated range will evaporate. If you have a regular motorway commute of more than a few miles, there are other small EVs you should consider before this one. 

If you get your EV-maths wrong and wind up short of range, Skoda’s got your back. Eco mode restricts power and torque to 67bhp and 123lb ft, so what little range you have left should last a bit longer. If you’re desperate, Eco+ limits you to just 53bhp and 98lb ft, cuts your top speed to 59mph and entirely disables the air conditioning. The button should ideally be concealed behind a piece of glass marked “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY SMASH GLASS” or similar. We’re sure Skoda could find a clever place to hide the hammer. It’s good at that kind of thing.