The ten best city cars on the market | Top 10 - Car News Jun 2012

13:10 Tuesday 12 Jun 2012

Following the launch today of VW's five-door up!, we thought it was high time we took a look at the best city cars currently on the UK market.

The city car market is an ever-expanding sector and, thanks to increasing congestion on the roads and the rising price of fuel, it's never been a better time to downsize. All of these cars are cheap, frugal and tiny; however, which is the best, and are there any city cars you should avoid?

1. VW up!

Okay, let's cut to the chase; the up! is a brilliant car. Good looking, good to drive, spacious, economical and well-made, we'll still be waxing lyrical about just how good an all-rounder the up! is long after the cows have come home, gone to sleep and been turned into McDonald's burgers. If we had a minor criticism, it is that perhaps the up! is a little too good, a little too humourless. However, we're nit-picking; the up! is arguably the best city car money can buy.

2. Fiat Panda

The Italians know something or two about building small cars. Go into any major Italian city and you'll see millions of them, all being driven very fast and very badly. You don't have to adopt an Italian style of driving to enjoy the Panda, however. It's cheap, good looking, great fun to drive and is possibly the most well-made object to come from Italy since the Colosseum.

3. Fiat 500

Same as above, but with a cutesy face. The Fiat 500, like cheese and onion crisps, is beloved by all. There will be those who claim that it's a girls' car, but don't listen to them. The new Fiat 500 is similar in many ways to the original Mini: small, cheap and classless.

Watch Jeremy Clarkson drive the hot Abarth 500 on Top Gear.

4. Hyundai i10

Do you buy own-brand beans? Do you freeze to death in the winter because you're too tight to put the heating on? If you've answered yes to either of these questions, the Hyundai i10 is the car for you. It's spacious, good to drive and well equipped, and on top of this, it's only slightly more expensive than a bus pass.

5. Citroen C1

The C1 was the product of a joint venture between Peugeot, Toyota and Citroen and, although it's getting on a bit now, it's still a credible choice. If you can put up with a harsh ride and a noisy cabin, you'll appreciate the low running costs and willing engine. The C1 is far from the best in its class but a good all-rounder nonetheless.

6. Kia Picanto

Kia really has come a long way in the past ten years or so. Once the preserve of doddering pensioners, Kia is fast usurping its Japanese and European rivals as the thinking man's budget brand of choice. The Picanto is further proof of this leap in quality thanks to its classy cabin, good level of standard equipment and seven-year warranty. On the other hand, it's rubbish to drive and accelerates at a pace which makes continental drift seem speedy.

7. Renault Twingo

Although not as characterful as its predecessor, the Twingo is a cute and capable little city car. The French are very good at building small cars (and setting them on fire, for that matter), and this really shows when you get behind the wheel of the Twingo. It's not the best car here by a long chalk but it's just so effortlessly likeable.

Watch Clarkson drive the Twingo upside down in Belfast.

8. Peugeot 107

It's getting on a bit now but the 107 is still a sound buy. Well built, good looking and good to drive, the 107 is cheaper to own than a goldfish. However, take it onto a motorway and you're going to need ear defenders.

9. Toyota iQ

Okay, so it's got a silly name -- what is this obsession with sticking 'i' in front of ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING? -- but the iQ is a cracking little car. It looks great and it's cheap to run although the interior space is very limited because of its diminutive size. Clarkson reckons it looks like a washing machine. He could have a point.

10. Ford Ka

The new Ka is not as much fun as the old model, but it is still a safe choice in this market sector. Underneath the bodywork, it's based on the Fiat 500, which means it's very good. However, why not just buy a Fiat 500?