The Citroën C1 and Peugeot 107 arrived in South Africa late in 2006 as France's entries in the hotly-contested budget car market.
They're targeted at people seeking something newer, safer and more refined than the dinosauric CitiGolf.
The 107 and C1 are two of three cars - the other being the Toyota Aygo which, for now, isn't headed for SA - built on a shared platform in Kolin in the Czech Republic.
The term "shared platform" is actually a misnomer as the C1 and 107, both from the PSA (Peugeot-Citroën) stable, are essentially identical, with only minor cosmetic differences - and of course the badges on their noses.
Otherwise they're clones. It's pure badge engineering, unlike other car makers like VW/Audi whose different brands share mechanical underpinnings but differ markedly in styling and execution.
We tested the two top models from each range, the Citroën C1 Play (R105 945) and the Peugeot 107 X-Line (R104 900), and because they're 99.9 percent identical we've written this road test as if it was one car, as any statement applying to one applies equally to the other.
Their three year or 100 000km warranties, one year roadside assistance plans and 15 000km service intervals also level the playing field as regards running costs.
All versions of the C1 and 107 are rated pretty highly in safety and even the baseline versions selling for less than R90 000 come with a pair of front crash bags, seatbelt pre-tensioners and ABS brakes.
All models also share the same fuel-injected, one-litre, three cylinder engine.
But pushing the price beyond the R100 000 mark in these two range-topping versions are extra comforts like air conditioning, front electric windows, and remotely-operated central locking, though the exterior mirrors are still manually adjustable.
A pair of side crash bags give added passenger protection, while the wheels are alloy. Ah, la difference! The Peugeot wears hubcap-covered steel rims rather than mags, which explains why it's a grand cheaper than the Citroën.
Mags or not, mes petites' funky styling is sure to strike a chord with trend-conscious young folk who have finally battled their way through long driver's licence queues and are seeking their first car.
It's a bubble design, but prevented from looking completely egg-shaped by its chopped-off tail. Girls will call the car cute, yes, but it also has a sporty styling edge that will give the boys some street cred.
Handy power-to-weight ratio
A one-litre engine sounds like a recipe for terminal boredom but the car weighs only 830kg which makes for a pretty handy power-to-weight ratio.
Within urban confines the petite French car feels nimble and zippy - the perfect handling for a city car which will spend much of its time darting through traffic-congested streets.
The power-assisted steering is light if quite vague, with nothing like the sharpness of a Mini Cooper.
It takes some industrious clutch work to get moving on a hill with the aircon running but otherwise the 50kW, three-cylinder engine is usefully eager and needn't be worked too hard.
It also doesn't deliver the buzzy, mosquito-on-steriods sound you expect from such a miniature engine. It runs smoothly with no shrillness when rev it.
Sporty growl
There's a hint of a sporty growl instead that sounds quite distinctive due to being sans a fourth cylinder, although the idling becomes rough when the aircon's running.
The engine takes a little while to get to cruising pace on the open road, but once there it's more than fast enough to set off the municipality's fund-raising cameras, with a decent top speed of 157km/h.
The little car has good directional stability at speed and doesn't get too badly bullied by crosswinds. There's enough wind noise to require jabbing the radio volume up a couple of notches, but for this class of car it's not too bad.
The big selling point is its miserly fuel consumption. The factory claim is 4.6 litres per 100km which is probably possible if you drive with the patience and serenity of the Dalai Lama
Our two test cars averaged a still-impressive 5.5 in a town/freeway combination, which gives a generous 745km range from the 41-litre tank.
Slick shifts
Gear changes are slick except for an occasional reluctance to slot into reverse sometimes, particularly when the car's cold.
The ABS-assisted stoppers are effective and the lightweight car comes to a halt very quickly, with the hazard lights coming on in an emergency stop to warn other motorists.
What surprised me was the comfortable ride quality. The wheels are located so far out on the corners they almost stick out beyond the bumpers, which gives the car a decently long wheelbase and prevents it from feeling too choppy.
Huge windows give terrific visibility, making this one of the easiest cars yet to park - and prevent the small cabin from feeling claustrophobic.
The front seats are spacious, with plenty of headroom and sufficient elbow room, but the back seat is predictably tight and will only take a pair of adults at a squeeze.
Margarine tub
The boot is the size of a margarine tub unless you fold down the split rear seats, but there's a full-sized spare wheel in the floor.
The funky exterior styling is carried over into the cabin with two-tone plastics, Alfa-style circular air vents and generally funky, well ... funkiness.
In place of a boring old instrument panel there's a large round speedo on the steering column into which is integrated the information cluster, with a frogeye-style rev counter mounted on top of it.
Trés cute, as is the ventilation control panel that's illuminated at night, while the radio/CD/MP3 system is neatly integrated into the dash, not an add-on.
Soft-touch plastics are nowhere to be seen but the cabin avoids having too much of a budget feel. It all seems well put together; there are no rattles and the car doesn't feel particularly tinny.
Onboard storage is plentiful with nooks and crannies everywhere, along with cup holders.
VERDICT
Cars in this budget segment are bought on price with no great expectations on quality and driving dynamics, but the Peugeot-Citroën clone punches above its weight.
It has a comfortable ride for a small city car, adequate pace, good safety, styling pizzazz, and above all impressive fuel economy.
Deciding whether you want the Citroën C1 or Peugeot 107 comes purely down to styling preference (if you can spot the differences) and the badge you'd prefer to have on the grille.