Best City Cars 2024

It wasn't so long ago that you bought a small car JUST because it was the cheapest way of getting around. You accepted the compromises: cramped interior, naff dashboard, questionable build quality. You can see where this is going...
Today, even the smallest and cheapest city cars can have the sort of tech, refinement, quality and choice that big cars do. That said, there’s always a bit of push-and-pull with the various characteristics of city cars. A city car will rarely be all things to all people, so it’s especially important to think about how you’ll use it when choosing one. Do you need a decent amount of boot space? Will you regularly have people in the rear seats? Do you just want the lowest costs possible? Are you bothered about having the latest tech? Do you need long-distance comfort? As you’ll be spending a bit of time behind the wheel, you want the inside to be comfortable, easy to use, and nice to sit in, and you’ll want the car to be affordable to buy, run and repair. Ideally you’ll also want it to have a peppy engine and fast driving responses to help you pull away easily at traffic lights. So here are five of our favourite city cars, each picked for their unique characteristics:

The affordable one | Kia Picanto

The Picanto might be the cheapest city car on sale, but it’s genuinely one of the best. It’s a Kia in the truest sense: a well-built, great value and practical little car that gets all the basics spot on. A bottom rung ‘1’ version feels just that – steel wheels, no touchscreen, and no colour in the cabin – but move through the trims and all of a sudden the Picanto becomes a lot of car. Get it with the 1.0-litre turbo engine and it’s proper good fun to drive, while still returning a solid 55mpg.
Read our full Kia Picanto review here.

The fancy one | Fiat 500

That the 500 is still on sale 16 years after it launched is a testament to what a great job Fiat did; most cars last seven years before they’re replaced. It even survived the arrival of an all-new electric Fiat 500 – itself a brilliant city car that’s well worth a look. It’s far from perfect, mind. The boot is tiny, the rear seats are more cramped than opening day at the Next sale, and anyone over 5'10" will struggle to adapt to its driving position. It’s just so cool though, even after all these years. Its dimensions make it perfect for busy streets and small parking spaces, and it’s very cheap to run.
Read our full Fiat 500 review here.

The electric one | Honda-e

The Honda-e is a jaw-dropping city car. Let’s get the negatives out of the way first, though. The battery is teensy (good for about 100 miles between charges), it’s expensive (£37,000) and… well, that’s it. Is any other car as lovable as this? We lived with one for six months and adored its idiosyncratic nature, its concept car looks, and an interior that blends high technology with retro charm. The panoramic bank of dashboard screens is a joy to use, giving you battery preservation tips (usefully), multiple apps, and even a digital aquarium, just for fun. Every drive is an event. If you can make it fit your lifestyle, you definitely should.
Read our full Honda-e review here.

The practical one | Dacia Sandero

The great thing about the Dacia Sandero is that for less than the price of most small city cars, you can get a car that’s bigger and more practical, but still small enough to feel totally at home in the city. That extra space, both in the passenger compartment and the boot, will come in very handy for families living in cities. The Stepway version has more style than the regular Sandero hatchback thanks to its SUV-esque design, and the jacked-up suspension means the ride is a little smoother, too. It's not brilliant to drive in other ways, but there’s no arguing with the amount of car you get for your money.
Read our full Dacia Sandero review here.

The fun one | Abarth 500e

It was only a matter of time before Abarth (Fiat’s high-performance sub-brand, basically) got its hands on the electric 500. Among other things, Abarth bumped up the electric motor from 118 to 155 horsepower, fettled the steering and suspension, and added an external speaker to make it sound like a fast petrol car. The result is a genuinely entertaining, pin-sharp driving experience that’s fun even at low speed – which is exactly what a hot hatch should be.
Find out more about the Abarth 500e here.