Best City Cars 2024

The best city cars are small, affordable and offer low running costs. If you’re looking for a small car for nipping around town and driving in tighter spaces, then a city car lease might be ideal for you. Also, city cars often appeal to new drivers who simply want an affordable car which is cheaper to run and insure than larger cars. If this sounds like you then keep reading for our selection of the best city cars.

• Volkswagen Up!

• Hyundai i10

• Peugeot 108

• Citroen C1

• Kia Picanto

• Smart EQ Fortwo Cabrio

• Fiat 500

• Toyota Aygo X

1.Volkswagen Up!

Are you looking to lease a stylish city car? A Volkswagen Up! lease combines high build quality with intelligent connectivity and excellent styling. The award-winning Volkswagen Up! is available as either a 3 or 5 door depending on the specification and has a surprisingly spacious boot which is much bigger than the Toyota Aygo. Built for real city driving, this lease car is an affordable small car with low running costs too. 

Furthermore, there are various trim levels to choose from, with the entry-level VW Up! priced from £13,940(OTR). This comes with 15" Alloy wheels, DAB, manual air conditioning and smartphone navigation interface. Meanwhile, for added performance, the range topping GTI version is priced from £17,645(OTR). This gets upgraded wheels and GTI features, along with interior ambient lighting. For the environmentally conscious, there is also a fully electric version of this model - the Volkswagen e-up! One of the smallest electric city cars available, the Volkswagen e-up! is cheap to run and offers an electric range of up to 161-miles (WLTP tested). 

2.Hyundai i10

The latest Hyundai i10 is a comfortable city car with improved tech and an incredible new design. This is now one of the most high-tech city cars ever and comes with plenty of standard safety kit. Ideal for city driving, the Hyundai i10 is compact so driving in tighter spaces is easier. Inside the i10, its stylish with a fresh modern look. Also, it has a versatile boot capacity of 252 litres which is over 50 litres bigger than the Citroen C1’s boot capacity.

In terms of specifications, there are four trim levels to choose from - SE, SE Connect, Premium and N Line. The entry-level Hyundai i10 SE is priced from £13,430 (OTR) and comes with 14" steel wheels, manual air conditioning, high beam assist, cruise control and hillstart assist control. By upgrading to the Premium version, you get bigger wheels, heated front seats, climate control and a heated steering wheel, just to mention a few. For a sportier version, you might want to consider leasing the Hyundai i10 N Line. This offers an upgraded interior including N Line sports seats and the sporty looks give it a youthful appeal.

3. Peugeot 108

The Peugeot 108 is a 5-door compact city car which represents excellent value for money. Perfect for driving around town, a Peugeot 108 lease offers low running costs and has a stylish design. Also, enjoy a smooth ride in the Peugeot 108 thanks to its agile handling. Peugeot have maximised the space where possible by including useful storage areas. Although, its boot capacity doesn’t quite match that of the VW Up or Hyundai i10. Plus, the limited legroom in the rear isn't ideal for adults. 

That said, overall GB Vehicle Leasing think the Peugeot 108 is a great city car which is fun to drive. If you're looking for a small lease car to potter around in, then the Peugeot 108 is a great option and attractively priced. We have Peugeot 108 lease deals on a variety of contract terms and mileages to suit you. Furthermore, the Peugeot 108 has plenty of colour options to choose from. With this Peugeot car, the Solid - Laser red is the no cost option. Meanwhile the other paint options are available for an addition cost up to £515 inc. VAT. 

4. Citroen C1

First launched in 2005, the Citroen C1 is an affordable city car which particularly appeals to city dwellers or young drivers. Citroen C1 leasing gets you a brilliant small car, offering excellent reliability and low running costs as it returns a realistic MPG figure around 60mpg (official figures are higher). Citroen has clearly designed this car with city driving in mind. 

Like its key rival the Volkswagen Up, this revised Citroen model offers agile handling and is available as either a 3 or 5 door. Although, when all seats are in place, the Citroen C1 has a boot capacity of 196 litres which seems rather small compared to other city cars. That said, overall GB Vehicle Leasing think the Citroen C1 is a great all-rounder lease car which is fun to drive. Structurally identical to the Toyota Aygo, this Citroen is a nippy little city car on the road with excellent styling.

5. Kia Picanto

Now in third generation form, the latest version of the Kia Picanto offers improved styling and a better equipped interior than previously. Also, low running costs makes the Picanto an excellent lease car for city driving, where congestion is likely to occur. Depending on the specification you pick, there are 4 or 5 seater options for this Kia car. As with all Kia leasing models, the Picanto comes with Kia’s seven year/ 100,000 mile warranty for peace of mind. 

In terms of specifications, there are plenty to choose from. The entry-level Kia Picanto '1' starts from £11,810(OTR) and is insurance group 5. This is considered a basic run-around car that comes with daytime running lights, a 2-speaker audio system, 3.8" monochrome audio display and front electric windows. However, if you upgrade to a higher spec such as the X-Line S, this comes with heated front seats, automatic air conditioning, 8" touchscreen satellite navigation and a wireless mobile phone charger. For a sportier body styling and a vast number of stylish features, you could opt for the fantastic GT-Line S model. This has added power, although pricing starts from £16,610 and the insurance grouping rises to group 11.

6. Smart EQ Fortwo Cabrio

The Smart EQ Fortwo Cabrio is a two-seater city car, ideal for pottering around town. Compared to the Fiat 500 Electric Convertible, this Smart car is smaller in size, although it still features a folding roof. The Smart Fortwo model has been around since 1998, however since 2020 this city car has only been available in electric EQ form. For a car of this size, the 260-litre boot space is pretty good.

As for the design, we feel the dynamic headlamps and bold front grille make the Smart EQ Fortwo Cabrio look stylish. Other key features include Eco mode, Smart media system connect and pre-entry climate control. In terms of range, this electric city car offers a range of up to 80 miles.

7. Fiat 500

Another city car worth considering is the fantastic Fiat 500. This Fiat car is especially desirable amongst young drivers and city-dwellers, thanks to its signature look and impressive multimedia centre. In terms of design, we think Fiat has done a fantastic job of maintaining the iconic style of the original 1957 model. It's instantly recognisable due to its shape and side arrows. Furthermore, the Fiat 500 is deceptively spacious within the interior, especially offering plenty of legroom for those in the front. Although, the 185-litre boot space is a little disappointing compared to rivals like the Hyundai i10.

For those considering an electric car, there's also the Fiat 500 Electric, available in either hatchback or convertible (cabrio) form. This was introduced by Fiat in 2020 as a rival for the MINI electric. If you opt for the New 500 (87kW), it offers an electric range of up to 199 miles and is capable of fast charging up to 30 miles in just 5 minutes.

8. Toyota Aygo X

Last but not least, how about the Toyota Aygo X? Toyota describes the Aygo X as the ‘first true urban crossover’, making it clear that city drivers are this vehicle’s main demographic – and they’ve certainly been well-catered for in the design. Like the Hyundai i10, this is a competitively priced city car with plenty to offer.

As for being economical, the 59.0mpg fuel economy of this Toyota will impress those looking to offset the costs of big city living by selecting a more cost-effective vehicle. The Aygo X doesn’t just perform well in the city, either - with its sleek build and classy interior, it looks every inch the stylish city car, too. The Aygo X is even available in semi-convertible form on request.

So there you have it, our selection of the best city cars to lease. We hope you’ve found this article informative and follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more motoring updates. If you'd like to find out more about city car leasing, please contact GB Vehicle Leasing on 0161 667 5338 to speak to one of our knowledgeable leasing consultants. We have a wide range of lease deals available to suit you. Also, visit our FAQs section of the website for more information about vehicle leasing.