Model tested: Nissan Pixo 1.0 Tekna
Price as tested: £9,010
Date tested: July 2009
Road tester: Andy Goodwin

Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 64%
Nissan's answer to the Toyota Aygo, the Pixo is perfect for nipping in and out of city streets. It's almost identical to the Suzuki Alto, which shares almost all of the mechanical components.

1. Looks
The Pixo isn't too odd-looking; it's tricky making such a short car look good in five-door guise. Its main features are large, swept back headlights and an aerodynamic grille, while big tail lights dominate the rear.
7/10

2. Looks inside
The interior plastics are cheap and brittle while the central vents are unattractive. The seats offer little support and are uncomfortable after a few hours. On the plus side, visibility is excellent.
5/10

3. Practicality
There's plenty of room for front occupants, and the rear seats offer reasonable legroom for two adults on short trips, while access is made easy by the rear doors. The 129-litre boot is tiny, but there's a sharp turning circle and light steering.
6/10

4. Ride and Handling
The Pixo's suspension is more biased towards handling than we expected, making it fun to drive but tiring. Urban trips suit it best, but the fidgety suspension grates after a while.
6/10

5. Performance
0-62mph in 13.5 seconds isn't quick, but the 67bhp, 1-litre, three-cylinder engine suits the lightweight Pixo well around town. The 66lb/ft of pulling power is produced at high revs, but the Pixo can keep up with traffic on the motorway.
5/10

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6. Running Costs
Here the Pixo shines as it's cheap to buy, insurance is cheap and the combined fuel consumption of 64.2mpg is excellent. Emissions of 103g/km make the Pixo cheap to tax too, at £35 per year.
10/10

7. Reliability
By virtue of its simplicity, the Pixo should be relatively trouble-free to maintain and repair. Our test car suffered a problem with its heater controls sticking, but this rectified itself of its own accord.
7/10

8. Safety
While the Pixo has yet to undergo EuroNCAP testing, the Suzuki Alto scored just three stars. The entry-level Visia only has front airbags, while the Acenta has side airbags and the Tekna gets curtain airbags and ESP.
5/10

9. Equipment
All Pixos have power steering, radio, CD Player and electronic brake force distribution. Only the range-topping Tekna gets air conditioning.
6/10

10. X-Factor
Motoring doesn't get much easier on the wallet than this. The Pixo is also quite fun to drive, but it's out of its depth carrying a car full of passengers over longer distances.
7/10