Your top 10 favourite city cars
Friday 06 May 2011
City cars are ideal for those who spend the majority of their time driving around built-up, urban areas. Their compact size and great visibility make them easy to park and nip through traffic. The best can also hold their own beyond the city limits.
With the help of your Owner Reviews, we’ve compiled this list of your top 10 favourites.
1. Toyota Aygo (2005 – )
£3,000 – £11,000
Owner rating: 4.6/5
The Toyota Aygo shows how ‘minimalist’ needn’t mean ‘miserable’. The thought of a 1-litre, three-cylinder engine, bare metal interior trim and pop-out rear windows may sound like the stuff of shoe-string nightmares, but the Aygo is so cleverly designed that its pared-back nature is a large part of its charm.
It’s designed this way for two reasons – to make it cheaper to build and buy and to make it lighter and therefore more economical. Its lightness also means the buzzy little 67bhp engine feels lively and that it tackles corners far better than you’d imagine.
There’s room for four inside the basic but neatly-designed cabin although the boot is tiny.
“It is so economical…a full tank saw us through over 400 miles.” Erika, Birmingham
Read all Toyota Aygo Owner Reviews
2. Peugeot 107 (2005 – )
£3,000 – £10,500
Owner rating: 4.5/5
It’s hardly surprising the Peugeot 107 is next in the list as it’s essentially the same car as the Toyota Aygo above and Citroen C1 in fifth place, although the two French cars look more alike than the uniquely styled Toyota. Like its sister cars, it’s available with either three or five doors.
The 107 is available in three trim levels, all of which feature a CD player with AUX socket, power steering and ABS brakes, meaning it’s not as basic as you might think.
The same 1-litre engine powers the Peugeot too, which offers 62.7mpg and CO2 emissions of just 103g/km, which means it costs £20 for the first 12 months if bought new and just £10 per year thereafter.
“Looks great, it drives very easily and has fantastic fuel consumption.” Natasha, London
Read all Peugeot 107 Owner Reviews
3. Fiat Panda (2004 – )
£1,500 – £12,000
Owner rating: 4.5/5
The Italians have a strong history of building brilliant small cars and the Fiat Panda continues this fine tradition. Its cheekily boxy exterior creates an amazing amount of room inside for four as well as a decent-sized boot.
The high driving position, with the gearstick mounted on the dashboard, takes a little getting used to but offers great visibility and a feeling of safety. It’s a little plasticky inside, but is very robustly made.
Its engines are also true to form, with all offering characterful, zippy performance and great fuel economy. For those looking for a teeny hot hatch, the 100HP version is quick and great fun, if a little uncomfortable at times.
“The panda oozes charm and has bags of character. For a small car it has plenty of room for four adults and the shopping.” Carmine, Chorley
Read all Fiat Panda Owner Reviews
4. Hyundai i10 (2008 – )
£3,500 – £9,500
Owner rating: 4.4/5
The Hyundai i10 is the epitome of easy-to-use urban transport. Because of its upright body and high seating position, it’s easy to get into and out of, making it especially popular with more mature motorists. The super-light steering, optional automatic gearbox and ease of parking all add to its user-friendliness.
Its 5-year warranty is also a strong draw, meaning even used cars come peace of mind in the unlikely event of anything going wrong with the super-reliable little i10.
For those looking for even lower running costs, the i10 Blue features a 1-litre, three cylinder engine with stop and start technology, offering 67.3mpg and CO2 emissions of just 99g/km, meaning free road tax.
“Cheap to buy, very good on petrol and very, very cheap road tax and insurance.” Candice, Barnsley
Read all Hyundai i10 Owner Reviews
5. Citroen C1 (2005 – )
£3,000 – £10,500
Owner Rating: 4.4/5
Essentially the same car as the Peugeot 107 in second position and Toyota Aygo in the top spot. Only minor trim variations and a different face separate the French pair.
Unlike the Peugeot, the Citroen C1 is also available with a 1.4-litre diesel engine although the thrifty 1-litre petrol would be out choice thanks to its better performance and lower insurance costs.
“As a driving instructor, the C1 is a terrific tuition vehicle, with a tight turning circle, manoeuvring is a breeze.” Darren, Plymouth
Read all Citroen C1 Owner Reviews
6. Kia Picanto (2004 – )
£1,500 – £9,500
Owner rating: 4.3/5
The Kia Picanto is the small car that started the Korean company’s sales boom in the UK. Its cheeky looks, low price, miniscule running costs and outstanding seven-year warranty make it a hassle-free choice.
It has plenty to recommend it beyond fiscal factors. It’s easy to drive, spacious and practical thanks to having five doors as standard.
A new model is just about to be launched to expect used values to dip, making it even more of a bargain over the coming months.
“All in all if you are looking for a rather sweet, well equipped, nippy run-around then look no further.” Barbara, Milton Keynes
Read all Kia Picanto Owner Reviews
7. Ford Ka (2009 – )
£5,500 – £12,000
Owner rating: 4.3/5
The follow-up to the massively popular original Ford Ka hasn’t proved to be quite the sales hit the company had hoped for. Blame a lack of the cheeky charm that wooed so many to the first car. Instead it looks like a shrunken Fiesta – nothing wrong with that, but it’s certainly lost some of its charm.
It’s a much better car in other areas though, with more space, better build quality plus a far smoother, more modern range of engines. It’s actually based on the Fiat 500 (below) and therefore the Fiat Panda (above) so its mechanicals are well-proven and the Ford suspension engineers have managed to make the Ka both more comfortable and more fun than its Fiat twin.
“It may not be the fastest car on the road, but I find it solid and reliable.” Douglas, Rugby
Read all Ford Ka Owner Reviews
8. Fiat 500 (2008 – )
£5,500 – £15,000
Owner rating: 4.3/5
There’s no more charming a car in this list. The little Fiat 500 is adorable, with its mix of cheeky, retro styling, high-quality interior and energetic road manners. It has as much character as a Mini but for a lot less money.
Its engine range kicks off with a lively 1.2-litre petrol, a pair of more powerful 1.4-litre versions, plus an economical 1.3-litre diesel. A characterful 0.9-litre, TwinAir unit was recently introduced, offering the lowest CO2 emissions of any petrol engine with strong, turbocharged performance.
It’s not as practical as its Panda sibling but stiff offers enough space for four, with a decent boot. There’s a 500C convertible version for those looking for a little vitamin D, too.
“Overall I am thrilled to bits with the 500. It does everything I ask of it without ever missing a beat.” Daniel, Stanley
Read all Fiat 500 Owner Reviews
9. Volkswagen Lupo (1999 – 2005)
£1,000 – £8,000
Owner rating: 4.3/5
The Volkswagen Lupo was discontinued because it cost so much money to build – bad news for VW’s profits, but great for those looking for an impeccably built nugget of German engineering.
It’s best to avoid the base 1-litre engine, which feels very underpowered, but the other engines, including the super-frugal 1.4-litre diesel, are reliable and strong. For those looking for hot hatch thrills, the 1.6 GTI has become a cult classic, with prices to match.
There’s plenty of space for those in the front, but the rear seats and boot are very tight, meaning it’s best to think of the Lupo as a two-plus-two.
“When I got it I thought it will be ok for just popping back and forth to work but I have taken it on the motorway and it zooms around no problem.” Joanne, Buxton
Read all Volkswagen Lupo Owner Reviews
10. Smart fortwo (2007 – )
£3,500 – £15,000
Owner rating: 4.2/5
The Smart fortwo is the archetypal city car, its impossibly small external dimensions making it easy to nip through traffic and into tight parking spaces. It’s so short it could, in theory, be parked facing the kerb.
It’s amazingly roomy for two (as the name would suggest) and even has a good-sized boot. It’s also very safe thanks to its strong body, multitude of airbags and standard electronic stability control.
Both the petrol and diesel engines offer turbocharged power combined with exceptional fuel economy. Very low insurance and tax costs make the Smart one of the cheapest cars on the road to run. Only the jerky semi-automatic gearbox spoils the fun.
“Great economy – great sound system – great ‘one to two person’ car concept. I shall buy another with no hesitation.” Paul, Lancing
Read all Smart fortwo Owner Reviews