Superminis may be small, but they're big sellers.
These small hatchbacks are the perfect size for many UK drivers. They’re easy to park and easy to thread through congested high streets, but offer enough space for occasional passengers and a boot that’s big enough for the weekly shop. Plus, most modern examples have big-car tech and small running costs.
Here are our favourite superminis. Most are available as great-value nearly new and used cars from Motorpoint.
- Skoda Fabia
- Volkswagen Polo
- Renault Clio
- Peugeot 208
- SEAT Ibiza
- Ford Fiesta
- Honda Jazz
- Fiat Grande Panda
- Mini Cooper
- Suzuki Swift
1. Skoda Fabia
The Skoda Fabia might be the VW Polo's affordable cousin, but you needn’t worry about getting a cheap-feeling car. It gets many of Skoda's clever practical touches, like the built-in umbrella hidden away on higher-end trims, plus all the latest smartphone connectivity. The Fabia's trump card, however, is its practicality, with lots of passenger space and one of the biggest boots in the supermini class – the 380-litre space nearly on par with the larger Volkswagen Golf.
Alongside the Polo, the Fabia offers some of the lowest possible insurance costs of any nearly new car. You’ll need the city-friendly 1.0-litre MPI petrol engine if that’s a priority, or there are turbocharged versions with more power if you’re going to be racking up the miles. Every petrol engine manages more than 50mpg and the driving experience is calm and composed.
Shop used Skoda Fabia cars or read our Skoda Fabia review
2. Volkswagen Polo
The default supermini for many drivers – the Polo is a fantastic, sophisticated choice. It manages to feel small when you're parking in tight city-centre spaces, but with the reassuring stability of a bigger car when you're travelling longer distances. There's always been a comparison between the Polo and the bigger Golf, and this latest Polo feels closer to its bigger sibling than ever before.
While the lineup is solely petrol-powered, there are a few different options to suit your budget. Kicking off the range is an insurance-friendly 1.0-litre non-turbo engine. That's followed by a jack-of-all-trades 1.0-litre TSI with a turbo for more oomph, and at the top of the pyramid is a warmed-up Polo GTI hot hatch with the pace to trouble some sports car.
Now, there's also the electric Volkswagen ID. Polo, which shares little besides the name and size. It's more practical than the petrol Polo, and offers up to 282 miles of range.
Browse used Volkswagen Polo cars or read our Volkswagen Polo review
3. Renault Clio
The Renault Clio has always been a stylish choice, but it hasn’t always offered the best interior quality. That’s not the case with the latest Clio, which combines tactile switches, a tasteful selection of materials and great tech. It feels like a more expensive car than it is – and that feeling continues on the open road as well.
Renault has engineered the Clio to be both comfortable and fun – a feat that few superminis manage. If fuel economy is particularly important, the Clio is one of few cars this size to offer a full-hybrid engine, allowing it to run on electric power for a large proportion of cross-town trips, slashing your fuel bills. This version is fully automatic too, which suits the Clio's mature, relaxed character.
Search used Renault Clio cars or read our Renault Clio review
4. Peugeot 208
Peugeot's supermini scores highly for style, equipment and technology. Its interior is completely different to rivals, with a quirky small steering wheel and digital dials placed above. All cars get a big infotainment screen with sat-nav and phone connectivity, plus a row of swish ‘piano key’ buttons that act as shortcuts for the main functions.
The Peugeot 208 has a nippy petrol engine that's both peppy and economical, plus there's the option of a fully electric e-208 version. Not only is it one of the best electric superminis, but it's often cheaper than equivalent petrol 208s on the used market. That means you get a smooth electric powertrain and rock-bottom running costs if you can charge at home – what's not to love?
View used Peugeot 208 cars or read our Peugeot 208 review
5. SEAT Ibiza
You can think of the SEAT Ibiza as a Polo with a bit more flair. It’s a well-built, grown-up supermini that’s more than capable of cross-country jaunts. Take the Ibiza out of city limits and you’ll find it offers pleasingly direct handling as well. Its TSI turbocharged petrol engines are great if you’re driving on faster roads, and 50mpg is easily achievable whichever version you pick.
The Ibiza does well for passenger space with one of the most spacious rear seats in the segment, and offers a nearly class-leading 355-litre boot. All trim levels come with smartphone connectivity, alloy wheels and DAB radio, while higher-spec cars get bigger wheels and wireless phone charging.
Check out used SEAT Ibiza cars or read our SEAT Ibiza review
6. Ford Fiesta
It was a sad moment when Ford announced that Fiesta production would be ending, leaving the Puma as the smallest car you can buy new from the Blue Oval. The Fiesta, with its sparkling handling, peppy engines and great fuel economy, is a constant on British roads – if you’ve not driven one, you’ve probably sat in one or you know several people who have them.
The exhaustive list of trim levels means there’s a Fiesta for you – whether you want a luxury Vignale version, a sporty ST-Line, or even a sprinkling of SUV style in the Fiesta Active. Newer Fiestas come with a mild-hybrid petrol engine that offers around 55mpg, and all models squeeze a respectable amount of space into its compact footprint. Plus, parts are cheap and there’s a dealer in every big town, which makes servicing and ownership easy.
Search used Ford Fiesta cars or read our Ford Fiesta review
7. Honda Jazz
If you want the maximum amount of space in the smallest package, the Honda Jazz may be the very best choice. This city-friendly model is essentially the same size as a Fiesta, but packs limousine-like legroom and SUV-like headroom thanks to its clever packaging. You'll also find clever touches such as the flip-up rear seat bases which lets you carry awkwardly tall cargo, plus storage cubbies everywhere you care to look.
What’s even more clever is the full-hybrid engine, which doesn’t need plugging in but is able to run on mostly electric power around town. Drive with a light right foot and an average of 65mpg is possible. The Jazz is now automatic-only too, which makes it easier than ever to drive.
Read our Honda Jazz review or browse used Honda Jazz models for sale.
8. Fiat Grande Panda
To buy the old Fiat Panda, you'd have to overlook its noisy and thirsty engines, its prehistoric technology, its glacial performance and lacklustre safety score. In all these areas and more, the new Fiat Grande Panda is a significantly better car. Available with a mild-hybrid petrol engine or a fully electric powertrain, the Grande Panda is a styling sensation. Inside, there's a touchscreen designed to be as simple to use as possible, some cute details and a whole lot of recycled materials.
Underneath, the Grande Panda shares parts with the latest Citroen C3, which is also worth considering – especially if you want a comfy car.
Read our Fiat Grande Panda review or shop used Fiat cars for sale at Motorpoint
9. Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper sells itself on style alone, but it also boasts one of the most luxurious interiors you’ll find in a supermini with plush materials and neat retro details like the circular central dashboard pod. Its ‘go-kart feel’ – Mini's own words – is present whether you pick the base-spec runaround, the Cooper S hot hatch or even the fully electric versions, and bestows the Cooper with more handling verve than some sports cars.
With so many styles, options and colours available, you’ll rarely come across two identical Minis. There are three-door and five-door versions, depending on whether you want that iconic look or a more practical take on the recipe. The five-door car is a little longer and offers more space in the rear seats and boot.
Don't forget the older Mini Hatchback, too – you might even prefer its style and infotainment system to the current car's.
Browse used Mini Cooper cars or read our Mini Cooper review
10. Suzuki Swift
Although the Suzuki Swift has never troubled the best-selling superminis, you'll find its owners to be a happy bunch. And when you consider that you get a lot of standard equipment for not an awful lot of money, it's not surprising. Talking of spending very little money, we've seen 70mpg from the Swift on a run, thanks to its fuel-saving mild-hybrid tech. In the long run, the Swift promises to be a delight to live with – not least because you can enjoy up to 10 years of Suzuki warranty cover in exchange for going to the dealer for servicing once a year. Let's not forget that the Swift is available with four-wheel drive, making this the perfect choice if you live in a rural area but don't want something massive and unwieldy.
Shop used Suzuki Swift cars for sale or read our Suzuki Swift review
Found the supermini for you?
Super! Why not book a test-drive at your local Motorpoint store – our friendly staff will be happy to help.
If you’re not quite decided, check out our guides to the best electric hatchbacks, best hybrid hatchbacks and best small SUVs.
