Hyundai Inster review – the brand’s smallest, most affordable EV
Best city cars on sale 2025
City cars are some of the most affordable and frugal cars on sale – these are the best
It may seem that new cars are growing larger and larger, but urban dwellers will be pleased to know that there is still a solid selection of small, city cars on sale today. Sure, once popular models like the Ford Ka and the Smart ForTwo are no longer around, but we’ve seen new models – including some electric alternatives – fill their place.
The reasons for buying a city car haven’t changed. They’re still perfectly sized for navigating city streets and slotting into tight parking spaces, while their low weight and small engines make them some of the most fuel-efficient cars on the road. That’s helped by low insurance costs, making them the ideal first car for new drivers.
The best city cars tick those boxes above, but should also feel composed and comfortable at motorway speeds in case you need to take a longer trip. A spacious and well-equipped interior is also a nice bonus – something you’ll find in the top cars on this list.
The best city cars on sale
Read on below for our list of the best city cars you can buy today. If you think these cars are a bit too small, you can read our list of the best superminis, too. We’ve also covered the best cheap cars to insure and the best cheap-to-run cars if you’re looking to cut your motoring costs.
- Priced from around £23,000
Hyundai has been on a serious roll with its electric cars over the past few years, and it’s now turned its attention to the city car market. The Inster is the smallest electric car the South Korean firm sells over here, and we reckon it's one of the best. It’s perfectly sized for our narrow British roads, yet the cabin is spacious enough for all four passengers to sit comfortably. The optional sliding rear seats are a nice touch, too, allowing you to prioritise leg room or boot space as required.
Hyundai offers a Standard or Long Range version of the Inster, but both offer over 200 miles of range, which is impressive for a small EV. On the move, the Inster feels much more grown up than you’d expect, offering good refinement around town and on the motorway. Even though it's only got around 100bhp, the instant shove from its electric motor makes it feel noticeably nippier than other petrol-powered city cars. Throw in a well-built, well-equipped interior, and you can see why the Inster is our favourite city car on sale today.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Hyundai deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £16,000
The latest Kia Picanto ticks many of the boxes for the would-be city car buyer. It looks good inside and out, there's plenty of scope for customisation and it features plenty of tech – including must-have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The five-door-only Picanto is practical too, with just about enough space for four adults and a decent-sized boot. The basic 62bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine is nippy enough for round-town driving, and buyers can choose between a five-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed auto’. There’s a 77bhp engine available, too, if you plan to take your Picanto on fast roads more frequently.
As multi-talented as the Picanto is, it's Kia's unrivalled warranty that really seals the deal. It'll last for seven years, and if you buy an approved used model that's less than 18 months old, Kia will top up the warranty so it could last until the car is eight and a half years old. A facelift in 2024 brought some sharper looks and a digital display in place of the old analogue gauges, giving the Picanto a new lease of life and keeping at the forefront of the city car pack.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Kia Picanto deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £25,000
MINI’s iconic hatchback has long been the city car of choice for the style-conscious. The latest model builds on that existing recipe, but this time the petrol and electric versions are quite different underneath, with the latter having been designed from the ground up as an EV.
The result is that the MINI Cooper Electric can do up to 250 miles of range, making it much more capable than the old model, which was built on the same underpinnings as the petrol car. If you’re not ready to make the switch to electric motoring, though, don’t worry because the petrol MINI Cooper still gets the same cool circular infotainment system and snazzy interior, and it’s the cheaper model of the line-up to buy.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used MINI Cooper deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £16,000
The third-generation Hyundai i10 is hard to beat – not only does it punch above its small stature, but it also makes good financial sense. It’s cheap to buy, economical (managing around 50mpg), costs very little to insure and is covered by a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage. Its interior is also comfortable and spacious, feeling more in keeping with superminis from the class above. Handily, there’s enough space for five passengers to squeeze in; some cars in this class only offer seating for four. The boot is among the best of any city car, and the i10 looks stylish both inside and out. It’s even quite good fun to drive.
The i10 has previously been a winner of our Car of the Year award, and we’re even more impressed with the latest generation. Even the entry-level i10 Advance is well-appointed, and Premium versions even have a heated steering wheel. Every version includes modern essentials such as remote central locking, all-around electric windows, cruise control and air-conditioning.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Hyundai i10 deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £16,000
Sure, you may not have heard of Leapmotor before, but it’s a brand that has the backing of well-known Stellantis brands such as Citroen, and you can buy one via its dealer network in the UK. There’s a lot to like about the T03, especially the amount of kit you get for the price – there’s an eight-inch digital gauge cluster, 10.1-inch infotainment screen and panoramic roof on all models.
Every model gets a 95bhp electric motor – that might not sound like much, but when you remember that’s about on par with other petrol-powered city cars, it’s not bad at all. The T03 eeks out up to 165 miles from its 37kWh battery, which is a very respectable figure for around-town driving. If you’ve got a home wallbox charger or can get one installed, the T03 will make even more sense because you’ll benefit from rock-bottom running costs.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Leapmotor T03 deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £25,000
The latest Fiat 500 leans unapologetically into the heritage of the original with its retro look and feel. Like more and more small cars, the new 500 is only available with electric power (although Fiat continues to sell the ‘old’ mild-hybrid 500 for the time being – see below). Initial models are expensive to buy but cheaper versions are now available, while the 199-mile range shows you can have chic looks and a decent battery.
The interior is still an appealing place to spend time, and Fiat has stuffed it full of brand-new tech, headlined by the UConnect 5 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Style does come above practicality – the 500 doesn’t have much space in the rear seats or the boot – but most buyers won’t mind that.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Fiat 500e deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £17,000
Toyota likes to position the new Aygo X as a ‘compact crossover for the city’. While it is far from being a true off-roader, it still manages to provide plenty of the aspects that many people love about SUVs such as a taller driving position and chunky styling. Despite being the brand’s smallest model, the Aygo X gets plenty of standard equipment such as a nine-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto functionality, air conditioning and a reversing camera. Top-spec cars even get an electronically-folding fabric roof for open-air city driving.
The Aygo X is only offered with one engine: a 1.0-litre petrol with 71bhp. This can manage 60.1mpg, though it quickly feels out of its depth as soon as you head out of town towards a motorway; 0-62mph takes a lethargic 15 seconds. Performance aside, the Aygo X handles well and is easy to manoeuvre through busy streets. Plus, thanks to Toyota’s 10-year/100,00-mile ‘Relax’ warranty, ownership should be a breeze.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Toyota Aygo X deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £15,000
The Dacia Spring takes the simple EV formula of the Citroen Ami but wraps it in a far more conventional package. For starters, it’s a genuine ‘car’ and not a quadricycle, using a more substantial 44bhp electric motor and 27kWh battery. A range of around 140 miles adds real usability, while a punchier 64bhp motor is optional. It’s no sports car, but a 78mph top speed means the Spring can handle the occasional stint along a fast A road or motorway.
Sit inside the Spring and it’s clear where cost-cutting has taken place. There are hard plastics dotted throughout and no adjustability for the steering wheel, although these aren’t huge issues for drivers who mainly stick to short hops around town.
It’s important to note that we tested a European-spec Dacia Spring. UK customers will be offered the brand new Spring later this year, at a cost of just £15,000. That looks to be excellent value, especially when you consider that the new model features a completely redesigned interior with more tech and safety kit.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Dacia Spring deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £30,000
The Abarth 500e follows the launch of the electric Fiat 500 (above), and adds a little extra spice to the electric city car’s recipe. It’s essentially a hot version of the Fiat, boasting a more powerful 152bhp electric motor than the standard car, good for a 0-62mph time of seven seconds dead. It’s designed with fun in mind, so the 500e also gets a sound generator that mimics the exhaust note of a petrol-engined Abarth for added drama.
With fun being the name of the game, you won’t get as much range out of the Abarth 500e’s 42kWh battery as you do in the Fiat 500 – the former gets a 164-mile official range figure down from the Fiat’s 199 miles.
That said, the Abarth 500e does feel a little more special, with sporty and premium features such as an exterior body kit and Alcantara-upholstered sports seats adorned with the Abarth scorpion logos helping it to stand out. You even get ‘Performance Pages’ on the 10.25-inch infotainment screen which display video-game-like driving information and cement the car’s performance credentials. All of that added flair doesn’t come cheap, though – a starting price of £34,000 will limit the 500e’s appeal to only the most diehard of hot hatchback fans.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Abarth 500e deals on our sister site Auto Express…
- Priced from around £8,000
Here, we thought we’d introduce a wildcard to our list of city cars. While it’s technically a quadricycle, the Citroen Ami is one of the cheapest ways to get around on four wheels. It’s the smallest ‘car’ currently on sale in the UK – measuring 2,410 mm long – and one of the lightest, too, weighing in at only 458kg (less than half the weight of most other city cars).
Power comes from an 8bhp electric motor, giving it a top speed of 28mph, making it a perfect car for city commuting, but not much else. With a fully charged battery, the Ami can manage up to 46 miles of range – enough to make a return trip across London.
Inside, the simple design theme continues. It’s surprisingly practical, with a decent amount of storage nets and bins scattered around the cabin. Unlike the similarly small and electric Renault Twizy, the Ami boasts two full-sized doors and can seat two adults. This could well be the future of city transportation and if that is the case, the future looks fun and bright.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
Find the latest new and used Citroen Ami deals on our sister site Auto Express…
What to look for when buying a city car
With more and more buyers moving towards larger cars, the city car segment has been shrinking. But the benefits of having a little car that’s well suited to urban driving is hard to ignore. Although there are fewer to choose from than before, city cars are definitely worth considering if you frequently do short trips around town; their small, lightweight nature means they’re usually cheap on fuel, too.
City cars are great for drivers who don’t need a lot of interior space and make great first cars for new drivers, as well as for those who are downsizing from larger cars. Not only that, they tend to be cheap to buy, economical and more well-equipped than you might expect. It’s not uncommon to find city cars in the current crop that have Bluetooth, sat nav and air-conditioning – some even have features you’d normally associate with much more expensive cars, like cruise control, heated seats and reversing cameras.
There’s another great city-car virtue that everybody can enjoy, and that’s the way they drive. Ever since the launch of the original Mini in 1959, tiny cars with ‘a wheel in each corner’ have been dear to the hearts of keen drivers everywhere. With limited power from their small engines, city cars may not be fast, but their light weight and uncomplicated nature can make them a hoot to drive on twisty roads. It seems a shame to keep them cooped up in the city.
We think the cars on this list will be the best starting point when shopping for a city car. The electric models are more expensive to buy but tend to offer a smoother, quieter driving experience with no need to worry about changing gears. Just be aware that if you live in a city and don’t have access to off-street parking, you may find it trickier to charge an EV – although we have a complete guide to on-street charging to help you with this.
The used market is also your friend when it comes to city car shopping. Many manufacturers have recently discontinued once-popular city car models such as the Volkswagen up! and Honda e, so you may be able to find a relatively new, low-mileage example if you do some digging online.
| Best city car ranking | Make and model | Priced from | Carbuyer rating (out of 5) |
| 1 | Hyundai Inster | £23,000 | 4.3 stars |
| 2 | Kia Picanto | £16,000 | 4.2 stars |
| 3 | MINI Cooper | £25,000 | 4 stars |
| 4 | Hyundai i10 | £16,000 | 4 stars |
| 5 | Leapmotor T03 | £16,000 | 4 stars |
| 6 | Fiat 500e | £25,000 | 4 stars |
| 7 | Toyota Aygo X | £17,000 | 3.8 stars |
| 8 | Dacia Spring | £15,000 | 3.8 stars |
| 9 | Abarth 500e | £30,000 | 3.7 stars |
| 10 | Citroen Ami | £8,000 | 3.3 stars |
If you don’t mind driving something a bit bigger, read our list of the best hatchbacks currently on sale…
Recommended
Fiat 500 review - a fun and affordable EV city car
Fiat 500 review - a fun and affordable EV city car
New baby Fiat ‘Pandina’ to join lineup as an ultra-cheap city car
New baby Fiat ‘Pandina’ to join lineup as an ultra-cheap city car
Most Popular
Best car leasing deals 2025: this week’s top PCH offers
Best car leasing deals 2025: this week’s top PCH offers
New Smart #5 Brabus is a 637bhp far cry from the brand’s city car past
New Smart #5 Brabus is a 637bhp far cry from the brand’s city car past
Tips & advice
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
