Your guide to buying a small car

A city or very small car is perfect for those who have limited parking space, travel short distances and do not carry passengers.

Performance

This group is not designed for speed or acceleration, but are very nimble around town (due to their light weight and low gearing).

 

Fuel consumption is frugal, which is perhaps as well as they tend to have small fuel tanks. Diesel models are more expensive to buy than their counterpart petrol models, and although they are extremely economical with respect to miles per gallon, many more miles have to be covered before the fuel economy compensates the initial outlay.

 

Ride & Handling

CAUTION !

Rides in city cars can be very bumpy (they normally have small wheels, which tend to fall into (rather than ride over) potholes.

Frequent long distance journeys in a city car are not recommend as they can be tiring (due to reduced straight line stability of a short length car). Also consider seating (below).

TIP !

It is worth considering power steering as a requirement. Although small and light, parking in tight spots at low speed can be extremely heavy.

 

 

Seating

Most city cars seat four adults, but comfort is not guaranteed. However, these cars are not designed to take passengers in comfort for long distances.

If you intend carrying adults make sure there is plenty of headroom (there is nothing worse than your head hitting the roof every time you encounter a pothole). There are cars within this group that achieve this objective satisfactorily.

Many models are two-door, making access to the rear awkward. Make sure that access to the rear seats is OK for most of your needs (kids, adults, shopping, etc…)

City cars tend to be lower than most other groups, so make sure that passengers with agility constraints can cope with entry & exit.

Luggage & Storage Space

Space for bulky loads may not be available, due to maximisation of passenger space while maintaining small exterior dimensions.Many models have folding rear seats that can be split 60/40 to give greater seating/load carrying flexibility.

 

Quality & reliability

Overall, high standards of reliability and quality may be expected, but they tend to vary between manufacturers. Some features are skimped due to the small size / low price of the car. For example, sound proofing may be poor, making outside noise more noticeable.

The simplicity and well engineered parts of these cars means there is little to go wrong on most models, and reliability and economy are expectable.

Equipment

Standard extras are considerably fewer than in the larger cars (due to the high level of price competitiveness in this car group). However, electric windows, radio/ cassette and sunroof may be included.

 

Safety & security

City cars are not recommended for regular, high speed or motorway travelling. They have been designed for slow driving, within cities. City cars do not offer high protection in the event of a high speed collision. If you intend doing this type of motoring we suggest that you avoid this class of car.

 

CAUTION !

Security features such as deadlocks, car alarm & immobiliser may be present, but the latest technology in theft protection, may well be omitted to maintain the low price of this group of cars.

 

Rough Price Guide

The main factors determining the purchase price are engine size, build quality and extras. A wide range of specification and performance are available. Prices range from £5,000 to £14,000.

 

However, a cheap purchase price does not always imply that it is the cheapest car to own and run. The main factors that influence the cost of owning / running a city car (excluding interest costs & petrol/diesel) are :-

• resale value - average depreciation is approx. 58% over 3 years/36,000 miles.
• servicing costs
• insurance

Average fully comprehensive insurance is £340 per annum. If you are a young driver or have driving convictions, it is advised to check insurance rates before purchasing a car. It should be assumed for simplicity that fuel costs will not vary significantly, as this group is very economical, and that most drivers will not be doing many miles. If these two assumptions do not hold in your particular case then please adjust accordingly.