Erika, who’s a self-proclaimed "not a car person", has had her ear talked off in the past two weeks with my incessant car watching. You see, there’s loads of different cars here than at home, both models and manufacturers. So when the I walk by the new Fiat 500 or a Mazda2, I can’t help but stop, leer, and point.
I thought I’d share a few of my favorites. These aren’t the kind of cars you’ll find in magazines, but fun-looking city cars of the practical type–in other words, cars you and I might actually own. Not surprisingly, they’re all hatchbacks, which are not only very dominant on the streets of Europe, but also extermely versitile.
The BMW 1 3-door. I’ve always liked the BMW M Coupé, and this is essentially the same thing, except slightly longer. Beautiful curves on the doors and an bold front for a tiny car.
The Fiat 500. Seen in a Top Gear video a few posts back, this little hatchback is filled with neat little design touches on the inside and outside. It’s also a refreshingly nice car to see rolling down the road. See the Fiat website for interior photos.
The Hyundai i10. I love my Hyundai Elantra that I drive back at home, but here in Europe they’ve got this new city car called the i10. It’s a 5-door hatchback with a spacious interior and a look that’s a little more unique than the equivelent Seats and Opels on the road here.
The Peugeot 207. But for hatchback styling, I’ve always had this space in my heart for a Peugeot 207. I’d totally want one, except it’s French, and I simply can’t imagine trusting the French to produce a reliable car (and they historically haven’t).
The Mazda2 5-door. All my favorites might be blown out of the water though–Mazada has produced this amazing looking hatchback that grabs my eyes every time one drives by. It’s striking, brilliant, hopefully powerful and I want it to come to the US, becuase I want one!!
