The best city cars - driven, rated and ranked

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

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

It even scores fairly well on the ride and handling front, with the Picanto dealing with the 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 engine - a trump card that not even the related Hyundai can play.

In fact, there's little that separates the Picanto from the i10, save their looks, equipment, that engine, and the fact that the Kia's boot is slightly smaller. If you like what you see, or your Kia dealer is nearer, by all means pick the Picanto.

A quirky contender in this rather congested segment, the Ignis is a zesty car blessed with charm, value, space, versatility and fuel efficiency.

The fact that it looks more like a crossover than some of its contemporaries do, meanwhile, does it no harm with market tastes being as they are.

It is brilliantly packaged, with a massive amount of interior space for its size. The interior looks a little bit flimsy and low-rent in places, and Suzuki's touchscreen infotainment system leaves a bit to be desired, but if you don't mind cheap cars looking and feeling like they're a bit cheap in places so long as they're fairly hard-wearing, chances are you won't care.

The car's on-road dynamics aren't as sharp or refined as some rivals'. Performance is relatively strong, with Suzuki's clever 12V mild-hybrid system adding torque just where an atmospheric engine needs it, and handling is fairly perky, although the ride can feel a little bit crude over bigger bumps.

It is possible to spec the Ignis with Suzuki's AllGrip all-wheel drive system, meaning this car will go further off road than many of its rivals. That, added to the rest of the car's appeal, makes for a surprisingly compelling and characterful package.

The Panda is different in character from most of its rivals. Fiat itself states that it is more of an ‘essential car' than a city car, which hints at the cheery simplicity that characterises the car best. 

Now in its third generation, the Panda may be long in the tooth compared with its younger, fitter and more frugal competition, but it doesn't stop its charm shining through.

While it may be sparsely equipped on the inside and suffer from an awkward driving position, but it remains robust and more practical than most on this list. It's now available as a mild hybrid too, giving a powerplant that’s as bang-up-to-date as it’s possible to be without being an EV.

However, it’s in 4x4 form that the Panda most appeals, giving the ickle Italian machine the gung-ho go-anywhere ability of a mountain goat, as well as plenty of rugged visual appeal. It’s not cheap, but thousands of Alpine-dwelling owners surely can’t be wrong.

So the Dacia Sandero isn't a city car per se, but given the fact that it can be had for less than most of the cars on this list, it seems reasonable enough to include it.

With a larger footprint than a regular city car, the Sandero is understandably more spacious inside, but its cut-price positioning does come at a cost.

Its interior looks and feels decidedly old-school, the seating position is a touch awkward, and while it will go around corners, it does so with considerable body roll. But its 89bhp turbocharged three-pot feels willing and returns decent economy.

The Sandero is also one of the few factory-warranted new cars you can buy in the UK with an LPG-fuelled engine, which is another string to its bow for those who're looking for low-emissions transport on a budget.

The new Citroen C3 is a very different proposition to the car it replaces, majoring on comfort and taking on the brand's new design language. 

Available with petrol or electric power, the C3 opens for order later this year, with a price tag expected to start below £15,000. 

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. 

Our European drive of the C3 showcased its comfort levels, which are best-in-class by some way, with neat 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 option when it arrives on our shores. 

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

It starts from £18,495, making it the cheapest hybrid on sale in the UK - until the Citroen C3 arrives, that is. 

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

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

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

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

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

Unlike its predecessors, which were developed in partnership with Citroen 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.

The fingernail in the soup is the car’s 1.0-litre three-pot motor, which has served every generation of Aygo and with 68bhp struggles to haul this heaviest version yet with any alacrity. 

Anything else? Well, while the interior looks good, is robustly built and well-equipped, it lacks the space of the Hyundai or VW further up this list, while there’s no escaping the fact the plusher versions are priced the wrong side of £20,000.

One neat feature that does help the car’s cause, however, is the optional folding fabric sunroof that gives the Aygo a pleasingly Citroen 2CV-esque vibe on a sunny day.

The reborn Fiat 500 has now been on sale across three separate decades, which is quite an amazing thing to consider, given that it still looks so fresh some 15 years after its launch.

And to keep it as appealing as it possibly can, Fiat has retained the existing mild-hybrid version, which has a 69bhp three-cylinder petrol engine - although despite similar looks the two have very little in common

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

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 that means just 118 miles between charges), and thanks to its tiny dimensions and tight turning circle, it fulfils its primary purpose as a city car.

For those wanting to go faster, there’s the new 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.