Citroën Saxo Hatchback (1996-2003) verdict
Should you buy a Citroen Saxo?
The Citroen Saxo was a brilliant little hatchback that in its most sporting forms was something of a cultural phenomenom around the millennium. Today, the less sporting versions are cheap to run and buy right now. And despite rumours to the contrary, the Saxo is well built and fundamentally reliable – and you can buy with confidence as long as the clutch is in one piece and the headgasket isn’t leaking.
Cars to consider instead are the closely-related Peugeot 106, Nissan Micra and Ford Ka. The Saxo is better to drive than the Nissan, better built than the Ford and cheaper to insure than a Toyota Yaris. They’re super cheap to buy, with good examples available from less than £500.
The VTR and VTS are modern classics in their own right. They are rising in value and what makes the hot Saxos so appealing compared is that they’re properly built, reasonably reliable and if you buy well, you can find a nice one for a fraction of the price of previous-generation cult hot hatches.
Further reading
- Used cars content on Parkers
- Best used drivers’ cars for less than £1,000
- Best modern classics to buy and invest in
