SEAT hopes buyers will say ‘Mii too’

SEAT expects its new Mii city car to bring a whole new breed of customers to the Spanish brand.

The car, a sister to VW’s up! and the Skoda Citigo, will go on UK sale next summer.

According to SEAT’s UK product and planning manager Andy Medcraft, prices for the Mii (pronounced as in ‘me’ not ‘my’) will start at around £7,500, well below the sector average price of £9,100.

In fact he expects the main rivals to the Mii to be not the VW and Skoda but Peugeot’s 107, the Toyota Aygo and Kia Picanto/Hyundai i10. According to Medcraft there is very little cross over of buyers between SEAT, VW and Skoda.

Despite this SEAT hopes to offer the Mii with more generous equipment levels compared to the VW up! and the Skoda Citigo. Seat is currently finalizing Mii specifications and customers will be able to order cars in the New Year.

Speaking to Headline Auto, Medcraft says that SEAT has one of the youngest buyer profiles in the industry at around 40 according to independent industry figures, and the Mii is expected to maintain that trend.

“We’re expecting about 60 to 65 per cent of buyers to be women, which is the reverse of where we are at the moment with the rest of the range, so it’s a great opportunity to extend the brand further,” he adds.

One feature that Medcraft expects to be particularly attractive to younger buyers is the portable sat-nav and infotainment system, which incorporates a hands-free phone system and onboard computer.

All Miis will be prewired to accept the system so cost-conscious customers could buy it after the car, for a price of around £300. “It would make an ideal gift,” says Medcraft.

Words by: Andrew Charman