Kult-small car from the 90s: Is the purchase still worth it today?

No question, small cars were once a cult – not just in the big cities. Wendig, practical, colorful and affordable, they appeared on the scene below the golf class in the 1990s. Their design was cheeky, the look brave and there was a lot of car for little money. Today the cheeky boxes have disappeared from the market at least as a new car – and the increasing electrical trend does not make a future easier for them. After all, Fiat now brings out his cool 500 again as a burner and some rub their hands when they think of the new Renault Twingo.

But it doesn’t always have to be a new car. If you are looking for something, you get a very cool model from a time for very little money when the car world hardly knew a limit and the colorful interior fittings liked more than polarized.

The premiere of the Renault Twingo in October 1992 on the Paris Salon was a real show, because there was no such small car for a long time: the one-box outfit from the hand of Autodesigner Patrick Le Quement was unique, the construction of the interior spectacular and simple at the same time. A legitimate successor to the aging Renault 4, but unusually modern for his time, if not futuristic. In addition, this irresistible look, because his headlights shone as much sympathy for the environment as it had never existed since the VW Beetle. His name Twingo should stand for a mixture of small cars and van. Models without rust and in the chic initial equipment today hardly cost more than 2000 euros.

The concept opened: by 2007, the Renault beginner was made without any significant changes in Flins-sur-Seine. Despite its cute appearance, the Twingo was a revolutionary that redefined the European small car class. As with the mini a few decades earlier, the little Renault conquered the hearts of the women’s world in the storm, while the men’s world was rather severe because of the emphasized cute design, colorful colors and moderate driving performance. Well-preserved Twingo models are rarely found on the used car market, because electrics and plastics were not intended for long uses in accordance with the price segment.

Klein does not mean French, because Ford also wanted to play successfully in the league and released a vehicle below the coveted fiesta with the KA. The design of the small car presented in the mid-1990s caused a stir with its concise shapes and gray plastic, just not always for applause in the car scene-there were still awards. The New Edge design line also found their way into Ford models such as Focus, Mondeo and Cougar-with more, sometimes less success. The first generation today costs less than 1000 euros and well -preserved specimens can be found – but then quickly at 2000 euros or more.

The technique of the Ford KA is solid and the 1.3 to 1.6 liter four -cylinder was always brisk enough. Top model and still searched today is the 95 hp Ford Sportka with the appropriate equipment – a closed brother of the Ford Streetka, the KA was also available as an open -hearted fun roadster. The second generation models were developed together with Fiat from 2008. Well -preserved models cost hardly more than 3000 euros. The second Ford KA had lost the cult charm of the first model. Unfortunately!

The VW Lupo liked it a bit more technical and not as stylish as the competitors. The Lupo still has a name like Donnerhall today because the efficient three-liter version showed what was possible at the time. The little three-cylinder diesel was economical like no other car. But the other Lupo variants also looked like a colorful colored blob in the Wolfsburg brand world with their sober-technical design.

Well -preserved models of the VW Lupo cost around 2000 euros and mostly do 60 or 75 hp – both are always brisk enough. Rust is an issue in early models and in the versions with an airy folding roof there are already a few wet drops into the sober -styled interior. Despite 20 years and more, the mileage is often on the hump with acceptable 50,000 to 100,000 kilometers.

The most iconic small vehicle from the 1990s was the Smart Fortwo. The beginnings of the Citymobil go back to the 1980s when the later head of Johann Tomforde set up the BCC project, which ultimately resulted in Mercedes and in a cooperation with Swatch-Erfinder Nicolas Hayek after a short stop at VW. Smart wanted nothing less than reinventing mobility. But the idea of a small double -owner, as the Smart Fortwo is, came significantly too early and at least could never really prevail financially.

But the Smart Fortwo was and is cult: plenty of space for two people in a confined space. Processing and crash behavior were great and therefore you can easily access if the maintenance history is right. The maintenance costs are low and the noble versions up to the almost 100 hp Brabus models do not only make a difference through fine leather seats. With the convertible, which is actually a Targa with an electric folding roof, even with 61 hp and the rattling three -cylinder Cabriog feeling – for less than 3000 euros. A parking lot guarantee is already available due to the small dimensions of around three meters.

Even electrically on request, because the hybrid version offers nothing more than a start-stop automatic.