Currently reading: The best city cars – driven, rated and ranked

Good city cars are an endangered species – here's our top 10 of those that remain

It's a tough time for city cars. Over the past few years, we've lost several great ones to ever-changing CO2 regulations and new safety regulations – and it doesn't help that car makers simply make more profit from higher-riding SUVs

It's a shame, because the best city cars generally consume less fuel and use the least amount of resources in their construction. 

Still, the city car genre isn't going down without a fight, and despite the increasing challenge of making these mini marvels meet law makers' demands, the current crop includes some of the best ever.

Choosing the perfect city car can make all the difference for navigating busy streets, tight parking spots, and stop-and-go traffic with ease. But city cars are also getting much more accomplished at travelling long distances, delivering better fuel economy and utilising smarter technology than ever before.  

What’s more, with their skinny tyres, low mass and peppy engines, these machines often deliver driver thrills way out of proportion to their humble place in the automotive pecking order.

So which is the best city car on sale today? Our top 10 is packed with charming models – but our pick of the lot is the Fiat Grande Panda, which we've also named as the best small car on sale. It takes eye-catching style and blends it with an all-important dose of fun on the road. 

Read on to see which models stand out in 2025 for their urban agility and everyday convenience.

 

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The Fiat Panda has sadly been withdrawn from production, but the Grande Panda is here to fill its small but successful shoes. 

Not only is the Grande Panda a great city car, but we also named it the best small car at the 2025 Autocar Awards. 

There are some really creative design touches in the car that make it a joy to be in.

We've tested the model in both hybrid and all-electric form, and we like both. The hybrid uses the same 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine seen in the new Citroën C3 and the Vauxhall Frontera and it's assisted by a 29bhp electric motor.

The EV, meanwhile, gets 111bhp and 90lb ft from a single, front-mounted electric motor. As for range, the official claimed figure for the electric version is 199 miles.

We think the Grande Panda is a triumph for Fiat, and few cars offer this much feel-good factor for the price. 

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For some manufacturers, a city car is regarded as a cheap machine, engineered down to a very low price.

But with the Hyundai i10, you get the sense that the brand has applied the same high standards as it would to a Santa Fe, just on a smaller scale. 

Improved lateral body control and cornering stability certainly make it a shade more serious-feeling, as well as more stable, when driven quickly.

Interior quality and general desirability have increased significantly with this latest version, as has practicality. This is now one of the most accommodating city cars, rivalling models from the class above. 

The grown-up way the i10 drives is a true indicator of its excellence. It rides absorbently, if a little noisily and firmly on range-topping 16in wheels, and is refined and relaxed on a run, while the compact dimensions and light controls make it a doddle around town.

Overall, the i10 is a pleasingly rounded, sensible, well-equipped city car that nudges close to the top spot in its class.

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The new Citroën C3 and electric ë-C3 are very different propositions from the models they replace, majoring on comfort and taking on the brand's new design language. 

Priced from £18,805 for the hybrid and £22,095 for the EV, the C3 is a competitive small car that particularly excels in the city. 

The ë-C3 is quite a spacious-feeling supermini, one with particularly abundant head room in the front row and enough space in the second row for most adults to be fairly comfortable.

The range starts with a 98bhp 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. You can also opt for a three-cylinder mild hybrid with the same power output, which integrates a six-speed dual-clutch automatic, a 48V battery and a 28bhp electric motor. 

Meanwhile, the electric ë-C3 offers 111bhp and 92lb ft of torque, plus 199 miles of range on a charge. Whichever model you choose, the car offers a pleasing ride quality and a comfortable cabin.

Add to that a reasonably practical 310-litre boot and a generous specification with lots of technology, and you've got yourself a great, affordable city car.

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Unfortunately, the petrol Fiat 500 isn't currently available (a new hybrid version will arrive later this year), but the electric Fiat 500e is a fine alternative that carries the model's famous, retro-inspired styling into the new era. 

Electric power suits the 500 beautifully, and this bubble-bodied EV is pleasing both to drive and to own.

Fiat has joined the ranks of those showing that small electric cars can be viable, and also fun – to look at, to sit in, and to drive.

There are EVs with more power and more range, but the 500 isn't entirely left behind on that score, provided you opt for the more powerful 117bhp model with its claimed 199 mile range. The 94bhp version, with its 24kWh battery, delivers just 118 miles between charges. Thanks to its tiny dimensions and tight turning circle, too, the 500e fulfils its primary purpose as a city car.

For those wanting to go faster, there’s the Abarth 500e, which turns the electrical wick up to 152bhp but drops the range to 164 miles.

It also features a novel sound generator that reproduces the distinctive snap, crackle and pop of the old ICE car’s Monza exhaust. It’s fun for a while, but soon becomes wearing, and overall the standard Fiat version is better suited to the zero-emissions city car brief.

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Now in its fourth generation, the Suzuki Swift is still a solid city car option and certainly one of the most fun on this list to drive. 

The Japanese supermini is available with just one engine – a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol with mild-hybrid assistance. It produces just 84bhp and 83lb ft, but it'll hit 0-62mph in 12.5sec with a manual gearbox, or 11.9sec with a CVT automatic. 

When you drive it and get used to its small proportions, tactile steering and, if you choose it, commendable manual gearbox, you won't feel short-changed

In the corners, the Swift is nicely weighted and keen to turn. It weighs less than a tonne, so it feels light on its wheels, and that manual gearbox adds an improved sense of engagement over other models in the class. 

There's also the four-wheel-drive AWD Allgrip model, which is great fun on open roads, if not entirely necessary for most buyers. 

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The Dacia Spring is the UK's cheapest full-size electric car and ideal for a city environment, given its compact footprint. 

Powered by a tiny 44bhp electric motor as standard, the Spring is also the slowest EV on sale in the UK over the 0-62mph benchmark, at a leisurely 19.1sec. 

The Spring is very well packaged with reasonable space up front for the driver and front passenger.

The one you're more likely to want is the slightly pricier 64bhp variant. It reduces the 0-62mph time to a more competitive 13.7sec - about the same as the now-defunct Volkswagen Up. 

All Springs get the same 26.8kWh battery, which, Dacia claims, is capable of 137 miles on a charge, but you can potentially squeeze 186 miles out of it in the slower-moving traffic of city environments. 

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7. MG 3

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MG's good-value model line-up continues with the 3, its recently overhauled supermini, which brings hybrid power at an affordable price. 

It starts from £18,495, making it the cheapest hybrid on sale in the UK.

The new MG 3 is strong enough in most of the key areas, with no deal-breaking vices, to be well worth considering

It's no slouch: the MG 3 will hit 0-62mph in a claimed 8.0sec, which is faster than a Renault Clio (9.0sec) and a Toyota Yaris (9.7sec). We even beat that time when we tested it, covering 0-62mph in 7.1sec. 

While it's quick, it's not exactly involving to drive, but it does ride nicely and soaks up most city bumps with ease. 

All in all, the 3 is an appealing car, offering lower hybrid running costs in addition to decent all-round comfort and even a hint of sportiness.

Read our MG 3 review

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Just like its Hyundai i10 cousin, the Kia Picanto has grown up significantly since it first appeared on our roads.

The latest car is certainly better looking than its predecessors and it is also finished better inside and gains a decent level of standard equipment.

Even the top-rung GT-Line S still comes in at less than £18,500, if you stick with the manual gearbox, as you should.

It even scores fairly well on the ride and handling front, dealing with scarred British roads better than some.

Admittedly, its 66bhp 1.0-litre engine does feel a bit weedy at times, but at the top of the engine range is the punchy 1.0-litre turbocharged three-pot unit - a trump card that not even the related Hyundai can play.

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Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that Toyota’s tiniest offering was reborn as a crossover when the third-generation version hit showrooms in 2022.

Yet while the raised ride height and tough body cladding are predictable attributes these days, X still marks the spot when it comes to delivering a surprisingly characterful city car.

For a small car, the Aygo X has impressively grown-up road behaviour. One area where you do notice its budget-oriented make-up is on uneven roads.

Unlike its predecessors, which were developed in partnership with Citroën and Peugeot, the latest Aygo is a solo effort for the Japanese brand.

The funky design inside and out gives it some decent kerb appeal, while the mature driving dynamics combine biddable handling with a controlled ride and long-legged refinement. There are cars in the class above that don't feel as grown-up as the Toyota.

While the interior looks good, feels robustly built and is well equipped, it lacks the space of, say, the Hyundai i10, and there’s no escaping the fact that the plusher versions are priced the wrong side of £20,000.

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The Leapmotor T03 is the Chinese brand's answer to the Dacia Spring. 

It's a small electric car that excels in the city, with bags of technology and a reasonable driving range. It's also cheap, with prices starting at just under £16,000. 

At most speeds, the T03 is impressively quiet. Even at 60-70mph on a motorway, this car is notably quieter than many models from the class above.

Inside, the T03 comes with a 10in infotainment touchscreen. The lack of any physical controls, however, is frustrating and distracting to use on the move. 

It does beat the Dacia for range, though. The T03 is powered by a 37.3kWh battery, which offers a claimed 165 miles of range. While the Spring can only be charged at up to 30kW, the T03 again beats it with a speed of 45kW. 

The single, front-mounted electric motor produces 94bhp and 117lb ft, which takes the T03 from 0-62mph in a competitive 12.7sec.

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HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST CITY CAR

Choosing the best city car depends on your daily needs. You should consider price, practicality, performance and driving range, but also style and interior technology. 

HOW WE TESTED AND SELECTED

This list has been informed by years of experience road testing every new car on the market. It takes our in-depth road test results to determine which city car is truly the best. Bare in mind we've only listed cars currently on sale in the UK. 

FAQs

What is a city car?

A city car is a small vehicle designed primarily for short-distance driving in urban environments. They’re known for their compact size, fuel efficiency, and ease of parking. However, they're becoming more and more capable outside of the city are are usually comfortable enough for longer journeys. 

Can city cars be powered by electric?

Yes, some city cars can be electric - and there is a growing number of options on the market in the UK today. For electric city cars, see brands including Dacia, Leapmotor, Citroen and Fiat. 

How safe are city cars?

While older small cars would often sacrifice safety due to compact proportions, modern city cars are very safe and come with airbags, ABS and other equipment. Because modern regulations in the EU and elsewhere are becoming more stringent, in fact, we're now seeing an increasing number of city cars with features including lane assist, cruise control, and active emergency braking. 

How far can electric city cars travel on a charge?

For all their benefits, electric city cars have the lowest ranges of all EV body styles. That said, because they weigh less and feature lower-powered motors, they're brilliant for urban and city driving. Some electric city cans can travel upwards of 200 miles before needing to be charged, but efficiency drops dramatically if traveling on the motorway. 

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joe2889 28 June 2025

Panda's charm makes it a robust delta executor of essential travel.

leolumis 9 June 2025

City cars make parking a breeze! Relax with Italian Brainrot Meme games after driving.

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