Top 10 small cars
Small cars today need to be just more than easy to park and cheap to buy and run. They also have to be good to drive, reasonably practical, have the latest gadgets and look good too. With this in mind here are our top 10 best small cars.
At number 10 is the Citroen DS3. It’s the more stylish cousin to the C3 while better to drive as well as to look at. The problem with this car is that it’s relatively expensive and only available as a three-door.
In ninth place is the Hyundai i20. With best in-class passenger and boot space there’s a lot to like about this car. However, you’ll find the engines are a little weak and only one model that emits less than 100g per kilometre of carbon dioxide.
At number eight is the Suzuki Swift. This cheap and cheerful Japanese supermini comes with plenty of kit and is really fun to drive. However, the Swift has a small boot compared to its main rivals and is relatively noisy at speed and feels a bit budgety inside.
Seventh is the Renault Clio. With five-door practicality but three-door style the Clio not only looks good but it’s also decent to drive and viably economical. The only downside is that the interior quality is a little on the low side and its cramped rear seats.
At number six is the SEAT Ibiza. The Spanish supermini has been around for a while now but it’s a smart looking car which is great fun to drive. Unfortunately, it’s a little bit cramped in the back and the ride can be a tad firm.
In fifth place is the Peugeot 208. The 208 is more proof that the French can really build stylish small cars. The 208 looks just as good on the inside and it does on the out. Although, rather annoyingly, the steering wheel obscures the dials and its rivals are a little bit better to drive.
Fourth is the Mini Hatch. Its distinctive looks, high quality cabin, efficient engines and go-cart handling are things that really appeal about this car. What doesn’t appeal as much is its firm suspension, cramped rear seats, small boot and expensive options.
In at number three comes the Kia Rio. This supermini is spacious, well equipped, stylish and cheap to buy and run. The problem here though is that the Rio feels pretty cheap on the inside while slow and a bit boring to drive.
Second place goes to the Ford Fiesta. Now here’s a car that’s great to drive, cheap to run and also very pleasing to look at. In fact the Fiesta is quite simply a superb supermini. It would be perfect too if only it had a bigger boot or back seats.
This is our countdown almost complete but which car is at the number one spot? Well we can reveal that our best small car, in our opinion, is the……
The Volkswagen Polo has always been a great all-rounder and a little bit posher than its main rivals. Some recent updates to the Polo has really enabled it to grab top spot in this list. It’s got some great economical engines which make it even cheaper to run and the slight refresh on the front and rear exterior give it really sharp looks. The suspension has been improved so that it drives even better than before and you can get it with VW’s latest infotainment and safety systems. While it’s certainly not the cheapest car in its class it’s definitely the most grown-up. You can read more about the Polo here.
