The UK’s narrowest new cars revealed
If you have a tight parking space or a titchy garage, buying a narrow car will help. But which models should you consider?...
Have you noticed that the parking spaces in your city centre have shrunk? A few years ago, many local authorities decided to create more urban parking by making thousands of parking bays smaller.
At the same time cars have also grown; hatchbacks generally get slightly larger with each successive generation and the growing popularity of SUVs has put a higher number of more imposing vehicles on our roads.
So, if you need a narrow car to fit in with your life or simply hate the hassle of parking in tight car park spaces, check our our pick of the narrowest city and small hatchbacks and small SUVs.
If any of these models take your fancy you can save money by buying through What Car?'s New Car Buying service, which links you to dealers with discounted prices so there’s no need to haggle. In each case the price you'll pay matches or beats the Target Price set by our team of mystery shoppers, so you can be sure you're getting a great deal.
The narrowest city cars
5. Hyundai i10
Width 1660mm
What Car? rating 4/5
The i10 is the epitome of a classic city car. It’s narrow and tall and has five doors as standard. It also comes with a choice of efficient engines, all of which offer quiet cruising manners. All versions are roomy inside and come with a long warranty, and if you pick the range-topping Premium SE spec, you’ll also get a class-leading infotainment system.
Read our full Hyundai i10 review, or see what discounts are available
=3. Seat Mii, Skoda Citigo, Volkswagen Up
Width 1641mm
What Car? rating 4/5
The Mii, Citigo and Up may all have different badges on their bonnets, but they're all essentially the same underneath, and that’s why they’re all the same width. There are differences, though: the Up is marketed as a touch more premium, so it’s the priciest; the Citigo is for the ‘masses’, so it’s the cheapest; and the Mii sits somewhere between the two, aimed at a sportier clientele. Whichever you choose, however, you’re sure to be able to negotiate the smallest spaces.
Read our full Seat Mii review or see what discounts are available
Read our full Skoda Citigo review or see what discounts are available
Read our full Volkswagen Up review or see what discounts are available
=3. Citroën C1, Peugeot 108, Toyota Aygo
Width 1641mm
What Car? rating 3/5
The C1 is priced to undercut most of its city car rivals, although its sibling, the Peugeot 108 can actually be bought for slightly less through What Car?'s New Car Buying service. Like the 108, the Toyota Aygo is closely related to the C1. While it's the most expensive of the three before discounts, you can buy it for the least of all through What Car?. Find out more below.
Read our full Citroën C1 review or see what discounts are available
Read our full Peugeot 108 review or see what discounts are available
Read our full Toyota Aygo review or see what discounts are available
2. Suzuki Celerio
Width 1600mm
What Car? rating 4/5
Although the Celerio is Suzuki’s smallest and cheapest model, with a low entry price, it’s not as basic as you might expect. All versions come with a DAB radio, electric front windows and five doors. There’s only one engine (a 67bhp 1.0-litre petrol), but there are three trim levels to choose from.
Read our full Suzuki Celerio review or see what discounts are available
1. Kia Picanto
Width 1595mm
What Car? rating Rated 3 out of 5
City cars need to provide seriously cheap motoring with as little compromise as possible on space, quality and driving characteristics. The Picanto does all that so well that we named it our City Car of the Year for 2019. It rides and handles better than the Celerio and Citigo, has a better quality interior and is marginally narrower than any other city car.
Read our full Kia Picanto review or see what discounts are available
