We sold our soul for the Solio

What we like:

Fuss free motoring that the Solio offers. Parking

driving and maneuvering around tight spaces becomes as easy as walking. Highly configurable interior space.

What we dislike:

Engine does get quite agricultural when pressed hard during an overtake on the highway.

The Solio is powered by a modest 1.2-litre 3-cylinder engine that produces 91bhp and 118Nm of torque from 4,800rpm. Although considered small even by hatchback standards, the engine capacity is more than twice of what a Kei car (usually 660cc) usually has under the bonnet and is more than sufficient to cope with the 1,045kg Solio.

While it takes 13.5 seconds to achieve 100kmh, the Solio can still get away at the lights reasonably quickly albeit with loud protests from the engine as the CVT stretches to cope with the power. But what is most impressive isn’t the straight-line speed but its ability to turn a corner without tipping over.

Despite what its tall exterior might suggest, the car actually has a pretty low centre of gravity and feels well planted even when throwing it into a bend. Even the driver sits low and car-like which helps in judging the apex.

More than that however, the Solio is an easy car to drive. Especially with its vast expanse of glass around the car, and when combined with its small stature, the Solio becomes the perfect city car to poodle around in. When confronted with tight parking spaces and narrow carpark entrances, the little Solio shrugs these off with ease thanks to its tight turning radius of just five metres. Nippy doesn't quite seem to convey how agile it truly is.

While the car does get jostled about due to its modest dimensions, the ride isn’t quite as uncomfortable as small cars in the past. It deals well with the occasional jolt and is even comfortable when cruising albeit for the engine noise that permeates the cabin when overtaking.

Granted we didn’t have as much anticipation for the Solio as we did for other performance cars but the combination of cutesy looks, space and nippy handling made it quite a joy to drive. It's small but it works and that makes it a winner in our minds.

Credits: Story and Photos by Benjamin G. Kline