Daimler Chrysler's Smart car was a clever idea that bombed. Exotic materials, complex engineering and an uncompetitive manufacturing location all conspired to make the Smart too expensive for many.

Plus, it has only two seats. In Singapore, it would cost around $80,000 at today's COE prices. You could pretty much get a Toyota Camry or a Dodge Caliber for that money.

But as a number of recent small cars have shown, tiny and chic need not be too big a burden on the wallet. Subaru's R cars and Mitsubishi's i are cases in point.

The latest to join the cute-and-funky fray is Citroen's C1, a 998cc that should be a hit.

The car is the result of a joint venture between Toyota Motor and France's PSA Peugeot-Citroen group. A plant in the Czech Republic was set up to make it.

The deal allowed Toyota an immediate presence in Europe's small hatchback segment, and it gave the PSA group a product that has the institutional integrity of a Toyota.

The result? The C1, Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo - one and the same car each packaged slightly differently.

The C1 is easy on the eye. You get lots of soft curves, with wheels set at four extreme corners of a rounded form. A sunken floor allows the roof of the car to be lower, giving the C1 a sporty and very planted stance.

Although smaller than a Nissan March, the configuration gives the C1 decent cabin space. It has little boot space to speak of, but who carries luggage in

what is essentially an efficient city runabout? And a fun one at that. The C1 has a zesty 67-horsepower three-cylinder engine. With a kerb weight of only 840kg, the car does not feel lethargic in the least - if you drive it with your right foot planted.

With an excellent fuel economy of 5.5 litres per 100km (in Singapore setting), you should have no qualms jabbing the throttle for all it's worth.

Driven this way, the car is ahead of the pack most of the time, and reaches three-digit speeds fairly quickly.

Because its wheels are at the four ends of the car and because the car has a relatively low centre of gravity, it is so 'chuckable' the folks at Lotus might be envious.

The gutsy engine note is another reason why you would want to drive the C1 enthusiastically. Its SensoDrive transmission keeps the revs up effortlessly, and it is by far the least jerky clutch-actuated gearbox around.

It allows you the option to drive the C1 like a clutchless manual, which incidentally is the best way.

The car's cheerful disposition will win it many fans. Its Toyota quality - evident everywhere in the car - is also a boon.

At over $50,000, it is not that cheap. But few cars in this price bracket offer as much joy and as much attitude.

Price: $53,988 with COE
Engine: 998cc 12-valve inline-3
Transmission:Five-speed clutch-actuated manual
Power: 67bhp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 94Nm at 3,600rpm
0-100kmh: 14 seconds
Top speed: 157kmh
Fuel consumption: 5.5 litres/100km (city)
Agent: Cycle & Carriage