Category: City Cars 
Price Range: £9,495 to £12,625
Lovely engines, solid build, commanding stance on the move, lots of space considering external dimensions
Too dear, basic, slow, notchy gearchange, not exactly stylish, not as efficient/comfortable/refined/etc as a Corsa...
One of the nicer high-rise city cars - but it's just not cheap enough to earn recommendation
If you've got a bad back, and sit on dining-room chairs to support it, then you'll feel at ease in the Agila. It is easy to jump in and out, as mentioned, and it is comfortable so long as you're not averse to an upright feel.
Seats, like most Vauxhalls, are pleasant, though Japanese roots mean they're not as all-encompassing as a Corsa's. A tilt-adjustable steering column is also lacking, but the seats do go back far enough for all except the very tallest.
Noise levels are higher than many superminis, but as this is a tiny town car, that's only to be expected. Considering its size, things are not too raucous at all.
Getting in and out of the Agila is about as taxing as falling out of a taxi when drunk. It's high, the doors open wide, and seats are throne-like in their commandingly-set stance. Once you're inside, lots of headroom inside also impresses (allowing a top hat to be worn if so desired) though those in the back might complain about limited legroom (and funny looks). It's one of the few limitations of building tall to compensate for shortness, as even the boot is of a decent size. And, when the seats are folded using their one-movement action, there's an inordinate amount of space on offer to accommodate heavy boxes so you can stifle the engine's motive power even further.
A Vauxhall-format big-button unit plays tapes and RDS radio, and sounds pretty decent. It's easily loud enough to drown out the motorway din, and upgrading to an even-better CD unit is hardly prohibitively-expensive at £200. Indeed, the stereo is the best bit of the dashboard, so smart does it look.
