Method of propulsion
Why it matters: Small cars can be had with petrol, hybrid and electric powertrains.
• Simplicity: Petrol is the simplest. The infrastructure is all there and you need to take no precautions.
• Savings: Going for a small electric car brings with it potential savings. Charging a small car will likely cost less than £5 if you’re charging from home.
• Weight: Small, lightweight cars are better suited to EV powertrains than larger models as you need smaller batteries – and smaller batteries are quicker and cheaper to charge.
Size
Why it matters: Too small and you won’t have enough space. Too big and you’re paying for unnecessary metal.
• How small is too small?: Small cars are quite a broad church and aren’t restricted to hatchbacks. We’d consider the car at the top of this list, the Fiat Grande Panda, to be a small SUV yet still small enough to make it onto this list.
• The bestseller: The Ford Puma is the UK’s best-selling car. At 4,226mm in length and 1,805mm in width we’d consider it a small car. Because of its bestselling status, it must be considered large enough for large proportions of the population.
• Should I go up a size?: We’d consider cars in this category to just about handle family life with one child. If you have two pram-aged children, larger cars with larger boots especially might be worth considering.
Performance
Why it matters: Performance varies greatly between cars.
• Everyday driving: Broadly, if you’re after a small car you might want to prioritise comfort and smoothness over speed and agility.
• Sport models: But saying that, there are small cars aimed at the keen driver too. Out of the cars on our list it’s the Renault Clio we would choose if you’re particularly keen on natural, fun handling.
• Regenerative braking: Adjustable regen settings in electric cars can let you “one-pedal drive” and improve efficiency.
Should you buy a small car?
You should buy a small car if:
- You want lower running costs.
- You want a car with a smaller footprint that’s easier to park and manoeuvre in town.
- You want better fuel economy and lower emissions.
You shouldn’t buy a small car if:
- You don’t want limited space.
- You want more comfort and rolling refinement.
- You want something a bit safer.
