Welcome To Supermini Auctions

Superminis are one of the most popular types of car in the UK - and faced with ever-rising fuel costs and increased road tax bills, more and more Britons are choosing superminis every month.

What's A Supermini?

The term supermini was first coined by the Consumers' Association around 1985. They used it to describe a class of hatchback car that was larger than an original Mini but smaller than the average car.

The name stuck and today many of the best-selling cars in Europe are superminis. Their combination of affordability, low insurance costs, great fuel economy and convenient size means that for many people, anything bigger is simply a waste of money.

Superminis are always hatchbacks and usually come in both three and five-door models to suit different needs and preferences. An overall length of less than 4 metres is typical, meaning that to preserve a usable rear seat, boot space is usually quite limited. This can be easily changed, however, by folding down the rear seats. All superminis have folding rear seats which enable surprisingly large amounts of luggage to be carried, adding to the versatility of these cars.

Popular Superminis

The supermini market is fairly competitive with almost all major manufacturers having a major model in the supermini sector.

Some of the most popular superminis on the market are:

All of these cars are available in a wide range of engine and trim specifications, giving them a very broad appeal.

Specification levels for superminis are generally much higher than they used to be and these small cars often rival larger cars when it comes to creature comforts; electric windows and mirrors, air conditioning and CD players are all common features.

Save With a Supermini

Superminis are one of the cheapest types of car to own. Not only do they offer low running costs and cheaper insurance - they also provide great fuel economy and have lower road tax bandings than larger vehicles.

Changes to the law mean that all cars made since 2001 are now taxed based on their CO2 emissions. As a general rule, larger cars emit more. Superminis, on the other hand, are increasingly being designed so that they fit into the lowest possible road tax bands, saving their owners considerable amounts of money.

As well as saving on tax, supermini drivers save on fuel, too. Some of the latest diesel-engined superminis boast fuel consumption figures of more than 60mpg, enabling you to travel 100 miles using just 7 litres of diesel.

Driving Superminis

Modern superminis allow motorists to have their cake and eat it! They are practical and affordable but they are also comfortable, handle well and offer quite good performance.

If you don't need the extra space provided by a bigger car, there really is no need to trade up. You'll find that a supermini provides you with all the refinement and performance you could ask for - at a fraction of the cost of a larger car.

Haynes Manuals