Obviously no interest out in Gippsland

[Tone]

I think it comes down to whether you're a person who can appreciate the dynamics of a well engineered car or whether you're just after a cheap little runabout. The new micra doesn't look too bad and probably a decent reliable car, but the Up! is a really satisfying little thing to drive with some nifty features.

I've looked at the up! (I struggle with the lowercase 'u' and that exclamation mark, but I digress), and compared it with the Micra and the Mirage. The up! outclasses those other two in a huge way. That said, the Mirage is a decent compromise if you want something uber-cheap. Fit and finish is OK, as is acceleration. It just lacks the solid feel and driving finesse that the up! has loads of. The Micra is just sad; it feels like something you'd buy at Kmart.

Honestly, the up! comes across not so much as an expensive Mirage competitor as a cut-price Fiat 500 competitor. Having driven a 500 and an up!, the up! has about 90% of the charm and ability of the 500 but for around 2/3rds of the price.

I have never seen a 500 in a country area, which might explain why the up! may also be a tough sell in regional areas. That said, my local Mitsubishi dealer has had the same two Mirages on his lot since January. I guess the mindset out here is that one needs something big, lest a local kangaroo decides to go all kamikaze towards one's car.

Personally, I'd take the mint 74 beetle!

If I could get one on a novated lease, so would I.