If you only have a small parking space, you need a small car to fit into it.
Most modern cars are pretty big but your lifestyle might require a small car. Thankfully, there are still some great options that are easy to park in even the tightest spaces. These cars are all small and light, which in turn boosts agility and efficiency. Vive la small car!
Microlino
- Length: 2,519mm
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1,473mm
- Seats: 2
Officially, the Microlino – built by a company that makes children’s scooters – isn’t a car at all. It’s classed as a quadricycle and doesn’t have to comply with the strict safety standards of a ‘proper’ car. But, unlike its main rivals, such as the Citroen Ami, Fiat Topolino and Renault Twizy, the Microlino gives you proper car range and performance. The top speed is 56mph and it’ll do up to 141 miles on a charge. And yes, there’s one door and it’s on the front of the car. The Microlino is admittedly much more expensive than the Ami, so you’ll probably only see them in well-heeled areas.
Smart ForTwo
- Length: 2,695mm
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1,663mm
- Seats: 2
The first proper car on this list, the Smart ForTwo was developed with city streets in mind. The original car could even park sideways in a parallel parking space, allowing two Smarts to take up one space. In its later years, the ForTwo pivoted to offer big-car tech in something barely bigger than a phonebox – more recent models get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated seats and a glass roof. The range of the electric one is 82 miles, which is perfect for around town but limits its usefulness on faster roads. You can't buy this car new any more, but used versions are inexpensive – and there's a new Smart #2 coming soon.
Shop used Smart ForTwo cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Smart EQ ForTwo review
Kia Picanto
- Length: 3,605mm
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1,595mm
- Seats: 4/5
If you need a small car that does everything a big car does, you need the Kia Picanto. It has genuine room for four adults – some models have five seats if you really want to squish everyone in – plus lots of tech and a composed driving experience. The non-turbo petrol engines are economical, reliable and cheap to insure, and the Picanto is fun to drive too.
Shop used Kia Picanto cars for sale or read our Kia Picanto review
Leapmotor T03
- Length: 3,620mm
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1,652mm
- Seats: 4
Behind the Leapmotor T03’s piggy nose is a thoroughly decent small car. It’s one of the cheapest new cars on the market, but you get plenty of equipment like keyless entry and a reversing camera. It’s fully electric and manages 165 miles to a charge, and is surprisingly refined on faster roads. Overall, it’s a more sophisticated car than the Dacia Spring, the T03’s main rival, but doesn’t have the Dacia’s charm.
Fiat 500
- Length: 3,632mm
- Width (with mirrors folded): 1,683mm
- Seats: 4
The Fiat 500 has always been a top-tier city car, and it’s even better now it’s powered by an electric motor. Nippy acceleration, a quiet cabin to enjoy your tunes and smooth driving make the 500 a perfect companion for running errands, while the bigger battery is good for nearly 200 miles of range so it’s happy to go further afield too. The 500 isn’t the most practical car on this list – it’s a squeeze for rear-seat passengers and you won’t fit too much in the boot.
Shop used Fiat 500e cars for sale or read our Fiat 500e review
Hyundai i10
- Length: 3,670mm
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1,680mm
- Seats: 5
The i10 shares its underpinnings, and its qualities, with the Picanto above. So that means you get a car that’s a breeze to slot into a parking space but doesn’t skimp on space or technology. Wireless phone mirroring, big screens and big-car safety tech are all available, while four adults will fit with room to spare. There’s a slick manual gearbox or an automatic gearbox that takes the strain out of stop-start traffic.
Shop used Hyundai i10 cars for sale or read our Hyundai i10 review
Dacia Spring
- Length: 3,701mm
- Width (with mirrors folded): 1,583mm
- Seats: 4
Leave it to Dacia to create a vehicle that’s incredibly fit for purpose. If you want a car that takes up barely any space and costs barely anything to run, the Spring is it. The anti-posh interior is refreshing, but there’s still a touchscreen and the accompanying tech on high-spec versions. A full battery promises up to 140 miles of range, and even the 45hp entry model will buzz along a motorway if you really need it to. Somehow, the Spring is a happy little car, and you can share the fun because there’s just enough space for four adults.
Shop used Dacia Spring cars for sale or read our Dacia Spring review
Toyota Aygo X
- Length: 3,776mm
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1,540mm
- Seats: 4
The Toyota Aygo X is much better built and drives with more sophistication than the older Aygo models, and it retains the cheap running costs and simplicity. Recently, Toyota has swapped the asthmatic 1.0-litre petrol engine for a smooth hybrid engine, which has enough power to get the Aygo X up to speed and even lower fuel costs. Its 74mpg estimate is one of the best you’ll find. However, prices are a bit punchy for new models, so most buyers will still find the standard petrol engine more cost-effective.
Shop used Toyota Aygo X cars for sale or read our Toyota Aygo X review
Hyundai Inster
- Length: 3,825mm
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1,610mm
- Seats: 4
Hyundai’s got you covered if you want a tiny car powered by electric and petrol, because the i10 above has been joined by the adorable Inster. We love the bold styling – including the front end that looks like a squirrel with cheeks full of nuts – plus the decently sized battery to give a useful electric range. The Inster makes clever use of space, with lots of features squeezed in and impressive versatility that enables you to fit a double mattress in with all four seats folded. It’ll fast-charge in half an hour, and feels much more like a big car on fast roads than you might expect.
Shop used Hyundai Inster cars for sale or read our Hyundai Inster review
Suzuki Swift
- Length: 3,860mm
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1,735mm
- Seats: 5
The Suzuki Swift feels like a bigger car than the other choices on this list, but really it doesn’t take up much more space. It’s still really easy to park, too, because a reversing camera and rear sensors come as standard. With lightness at its core and an engine featuring a bit of hybrid assistance, the Swift is really economical – perfect if you’ve just witnessed your local filling station jack the price up a greedy amount. You can have an automatic gearbox if you don’t want to row your own gears, while the Swift is also the only car on this list to offer four-wheel drive, which makes it perfect if you live in a rural area and don’t want an oversized SUV.
Shop used Suzuki Swift cars for sale or read our Suzuki Swift review
