It’s no secret that I used to own a Fiat Cinquecento. While I loved its spirit and determination, I was often left to rue the lack of horsepower when I had to tackle anything steeper than a dropped kerb. The 899cc engine quickly ran out of steam, forcing me to change down a couple of gears to maintain forward momentum. Still, I was sad to say goodbye after it fared badly in a contest with a Mitsubishi Galant.

Climbing into the Seat Mii by Mango this week brought all those happy memories - and concerns - flooding back. I needn’t have worried, however, because car manufacturers have used the last 20-or-so years wisely and, unlike my Cinquecento, the Mii goes up hills as well as it goes down them.

The styling incorporates Seat’s arrow head design seen on other models in the maker’s range. The Mii was developed alongside VW’s up! and Skoda’s Citigo which means that efforts to differentiate the three versions are largely limited to front and rear lights, grille and, of course, character.

Seat have attempted to inject some youthful vitality into the Mii, something that sets it apart from the more mature up! and, to a large degree, have succeeded. We’re only talking small differences here, but they all add up to a fun and entertaining steer.

It’s agile with light but accurate steering. The tyres on the handsome 15 inch alloys hang on gamely through the corners and the Mii changes direction willingly. The ride is composed, the suspension easily smoothing out small imperfections while the impact from larger bumps is softened admirably.

Given the lack of cladding on the doors it was a pleasant surprise to discover that the Mii is relatively refined on the motorway. The only complaint is tyre roar, which becomes noticeable as speeds increase but, overall, the Mii is almost as adept over longer distances as it is on the streets of our towns and cities.

The engine produces a typically rorty note at high revs which, while clearly audible in the cabin is not too invasive and, to these old ears at least, is quite entertaining while at low speeds it's practically inaudible.

The gearbox proved to be a bit obstructive occasionally, particularly when searching for first, but those rare moments aside it was nice and smooth while the ratios were perfectly matched to the little three-cylinder engine up front.

If driving economically is your thing, then the manufacturer’s quoted figure of 70.6mpg is entirely within reach as I discovered on a drive back from Hastings. And I didn't have to try particularly hard either.

The interior, while basic, still has some nice touches. A glossy grey dashboard panel, Alcantara seats with colour-coded nude stitching and leatherette steering wheel help bring a slightly more upmarket feel to what would otherwise be a functional, but uninspiring, cabin. The buttons and switches are laid out logically and everything feels robust and well put together.

You do get Seat’s portable touchscreen infotainment system, which adds sat nav, handsfree calling and Bluetooth audio streaming. It’s simple to operate with a crisp display but some of the icons are small enough to make them hard to hit while on the move.

The sound system is surprisingly good, boosted in no small part by the car’s compact dimensions. Nonetheless it was possible to ‘pump up the bass’ without distorting the output.

There’s exposed body-coloured metal on the doors which, along with the hard plastics evident elsewhere and the elementary switchgear serve as a reminder that this is still a car built to a budget. You’ll also have to make do with manually adjustable door mirrors although the windows are electric as is the welcome glass sunroof which allows lots of natural light to flood the passenger space.

There’s plenty of room up front but, if front seat passengers want to maximise their legroom, then you can all but forget about carrying anyone in the rear unless they’re prepared to sit with their knees under their chin.

The seats are comfortable and offer plenty of support and there’s enough adjustment to find a decent driving position. All-round visibility is good and the near-vertical rear end makes reversing child’s play.

The boot is deep and will easily swallow several bags of shopping but, consequently, the lip is high which makes loading and unloading awkward. Bizarrely, the parcel shelf doesn’t raise when you open the boot which narrows the opening considerably. It’s light enough to lift out of the way, of course, but if you’re holding heavy bags in both hands, it’s a slightly more difficult proposition.

Seat is pretty up front about which gender the Mii Mango is aimed at and, especially with the Nude paint job, it’s easy to see it as more fashion accessory than motor car. That would, however, be doing it a disservice because beneath the catwalk ambition lies a fun, sweet-handling and comfortable runabout. The thing is, the Mii i-Tech shares all those traits and is substantially cheaper but, if you want something a bit juicier, you’ll have to buy a Mango.

Seat Mii by Mango

Price: £11,346

As tested: £13,000

Engine: 1.0-litre 3-cylinder

Torque: 70lbft

Acceleration (0-62mph): 13.2 seconds

Maximum speed: 106mph

Urban: 47.9mpg

Extra urban: 70.6mpg

Combined: 60.1mpg

Emissions (CO2): 108g/km

For more information about Seat cars click here.