15 Best Used City Cars

Thinking about getting a small city car for your daily commute or as a budget-friendly option when the family car is busy? Maybe you’re a first-time car buyer looking for something cheap to run, with compact dimensions, light steering, and affordable maintenance. City cars today often surprise with more space and features than you might expect. So, it’s a win-win.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best used city cars to help car buyers like you make a smart choice. What’s more, Carplus is here to make buying your desired car easy with favourable finance terms.

1. Kia Picanto

The Kia Picanto could be the best used city car, with compact size, light steering, and great visibility that make it a breeze to navigate urban streets. For those considering long journeys in their city cars, the 1.25 engine is preferable for better performance. The option with a 1.0 turbocharged unit with an automatic gearbox offers an extra boost for a spirited drive.

The Picanto’s driving dynamics include direct steering and stable handling, which is just perfect for a city car. Plus, it’s equipped with nice standard equipment like an engine immobiliser and remote central door locking.

2. Toyota Aygo

The Toyota Aygo is more suited for short drives than long journeys. It offers big car features designed to enhance safety in town. All used city cars of this line-up come with hill-start assist, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure alert.

Like with most city cars, you may experience more impact from large potholes and some engine noise during rapid acceleration. Still, the Aygo remains fuel-efficient and adequately powerful for city traffic. For such a small city car, it impresses with a tight turning circle for convenience and commendable stability on faster roads.

3. Hyundai i10

The Hyundai i10 is one of the best city cars that performs equally well at motorway speeds. Its suspension effectively smooths out bumps and provides a comfortable ride.

The four-speed automatic gearbox is recommended, especially for frequent town driving. The small petrol engines suit this city car well, achieving the official fuel economy of around 50mpg. For occasional long drives, the more powerful 1.2-litre petrol engine is a better choice. The interior space provides ample room for six-footers to sit comfortably behind the front seats, and the build quality reflects attention to detail.

4. Fiat 500

The Fiat 500 stands out among the best city cars with its cute retro design. In a way, it’s a refreshing break from the typical serious city cars. Inside, you can personalize it with colourful trim levels and bold seat fabrics. Most models are equipped with cruise control, while noteworthy extras include a heated windscreen, leather trim, and a reversing camera.

There are two petrol engines, including an economical mild-hybrid model with two power outputs. Light steering and good visibility make it a great city car and help avoid parking bumps.

5. Seat Mii

The Seat Mii brings together the best of German engineering and Spanish styling. Together, they create a uniquely refreshing and well-equipped city car that doesn’t fall short in any aspect. While it may not outshine its competition in any specific category, it’s a great city car option with few significant drawbacks.

The steering is precise and weighted for cornering on faster roads yet light enough for stress-free parking in tight spaces. Plus, controls in these city cars are a pleasure to use. Young drivers looking for their first car will like this one.

6. Volkswagen up

The Volkswagen up! combines the size of a small city car for easy manoeuvrability with unexpected comfort. It’s, in fact, surprisingly comfortable and navigates bumps and potholes well. As one of the best city cars, it still holds its own on the motorway.

The up! can be equipped with a 1.0-litre petrol engine or a turbo engine if you so desire. Special edition models and various versions over the years have added extra features like more technology and a punchier performance. The driving position ensures anyone can find comfort behind the wheel.

7. Škoda Citigo

What makes the Škoda Citigo one of the best city cars is excellent value for money and surprising spaciousness. It’s exclusively available with petrol engines, and both the 60hp and 75hp versions are well-suited for city driving. For those regularly hitting the motorway in their city cars, engines with more power will suit the task.

The Citigo, inherently designed as a city car, received the Monte Carlo makeover with sporty looks both inside and out. Alternatively, the Colour Edition trim adds a touch of flair with extra features.

8. Toyota Yaris

The Toyota Yaris, a wonderful small city car, is exceptionally fuel-efficient but has a punchy performance around town. Its electrical assistance in the hybrid model ensures swift acceleration with just a squeeze of the accelerator pedal. Expect some noise, but city cars rarely overcome this drawback.

The Yaris’s light steering makes the car enjoyable to drive on both country roads and city streets. Drivers will also appreciate taut suspension (even without the Sports suspension) and confidence-inspiring grip. Notably, the Yaris has a strong safety record for a city car.

9. Honda Jazz

The Honda Jazz is another top pick among the best used city cars. It offers a few engine choices with various power outputs, including a hybrid that transitions between petrol and electric drive. Also, there’s a brake regeneration mode available for efficient battery charging.

As you’d expect from city cars, the Jazz has light steering, comfortable suspension, and great visibility. The car provides a calm experience with decent noise suppression. It’s complemented by standard adaptive cruise control. While not built for thrill-seeking on twisty roads, the Jazz is a city car for a straightforward A-to-B journey.

10. Renault Twingo

The Renault Twingo is a small city car that may not showcase its innovative layout from the outside. But its distinctive appearance offers plenty of room for personalization (more so for a new car, of course).

There is a limited range of engines in this city car — you can choose between a 1.0-litre unit with 70hp or a more powerful 0.9-litre turbo with 90hp. The smaller engine is sufficient for city driving. The unique cabin space comes with some trade-offs, courtesy of the rear-engine layout. One of them is the tiny boot, smaller than in many city cars.

11. Nissan Juke

The Nissan Juke might spark differing opinions. Although opinions on its distinctive styling can vary, it’s a great city car option, and those who own it express genuine affection. It’s primarily designed as a city car and excels with a high-set driving position offering a clear road view.

You’re recommended to opt for a high-spec model that includes 19-inch alloy wheels to compensate for the small car size. Bear in mind that it impacts the comfortable ride over bumps, whether in town or on the motorway. The Juke’s interior appears relatively standard for city cars.

12. Citroën C1

If you spend most of your life in town, the Citroën C1 will suit you down to the ground. It’s a light city car with low running costs, so it feels pretty nippy, even with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine. And, because it’s so small and has light steering, a tight turning circle, and wide visibility, it’s easy to manoeuvre and can dive through traffic. For the same reasons, it’s quite fun to drive on a twisty B-road.

It’s not particularly roomy at the rear seats, but neither is any of the best city cars.

13. Suzuki Swift

The Suzuki Swift, despite what the name suggests, is a slow city car. But it compensates with enjoyable driving dynamics. And unlike many used city cars, it is spacious and practical enough to carry five adults for short trips.

Suzuki’s small cars have low weight, agility, and compact dimensions, which all contribute to them being delightful city cars. The light driving controls make driving and parking a joy, with large windows providing a good view. The interior is not exciting, but the overall user experience is nice, thanks to the Swift’s intuitive layout.

14. Peugeot 108

The Peugeot 108 proves its place as one of the best city cars by offering decent performance even in its basic 1.0-litre 68bhp form. Keep in mind that it may struggle on steep hills with two or more passengers, which isn’t that normal for city cars.

The older examples were known for their light-footed performance and pleasant engine thrum. The current model has improved safety features, lower running costs, and better equipment. You can even add a full-length folding fabric roof for a budget-friendly convertible experience.

15. Ford KA+

The Ford KA+ is a small city car that caters to buyers seeking an affordable and practical five-door option. It excels in easy parking (which city cars can’t compromise on) while demonstrating remarkable capabilities beyond city limits.

The KA is available in two trim levels, and even the basic models come generously equipped. The interior, unusually for an economy city car, offers decent space both in the front and back seats due to its high roofline.

Conclusion

Already intrigued by the best used city cars? Then you’ll also be glad to know that city cars, being smaller than typical cars, come with manageable motoring costs. They have lower insurance groups, better fuel efficiency, and more affordable overall purchasing and running expenses.

With so many options on the used market, this list of the best city cars should help. After all, it can all be overwhelming. Once you make the final choice, head on to the Carplus tool to find attractive car deals for used city cars.