10 Best Cars for City Living

With parking often at a premium in urban areas, the best cars for city living certainly should feature smaller dimensions. Beyond sharing that trait, however, these vehicles actually offer a fairly large variety of choices for customers: Among them are high-efficiency hybrids, fun-to-drive sports cars, versatile hatchbacks, and even an entry from one of the premium German brands.

Also of particular note is a pair of all-electric cars. EVs like these are ideal for urban driving, especially in the many cities that are increasing support for public charging stations. Finally, knowing that some buyers still want to get the most space possible out of these smaller cars, we’ll keep on eye on occupant and cargo space, too.

Among the best cars for city living in today’s connected world is the 2017 Chevrolet Spark. Like many of the latest Chevy products, the Spark can be ordered with a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, 4G LTE connectivity, and smartphone integration through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. And all that’s anchored by a 7-inch color touchscreen and Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system. Chevy’s also got your back with its occupant protection technology, from a standard rearview camera to forward collision alert and lane departure warning. Then, in terms of cargo space, there’s 11.1 cubic feet of storage behind the Spark’s rear seats and 27.2 with the back seats folded. New for 2017 is the sportier Spark Activ model.

Refreshed for the new model year, the 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage brings some surprising advantages to our list of best cars for city living. For example, the Mirage can make room for 47 cubic feet of cargo with its rear seats folded, which is more than provided by the much larger Honda Civic hatch. The Mirage can be ordered with some impressive infotainment options as well, including Android Auto/Apple CarPlay smartphone integration and a 300-watt Rockford-Fosgate audio system. Under the hood, Mitsubishi engineers increased output from the car’s 3-cylinder engine, but without sacrificing fuel economy. EPA ratings for the Mirage remain as high as 37 mpg city/43 mpg highway/39 mpg combined with an available CVT.

Of course, no look at the best cars for city living would be complete without a 2017 smart fortwo. This tiny coupe is a mere 106 inches in length, which is more than 3 feet shorter than either the Chevy Spark or Mitsu Mirage, and its turning circle has been downsized to 22.8 feet as part of its recent redesign. Now, the fortwo lives up to its name with seating for just the driver and one passenger, yet those seats can be heated, and Smart also delivers upscale content such as navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, and premium JBL audio. For safety-minded customers, Smart has two new active safety measures: forward collision warning and steering assistance for excessively windy scenarios.

The urban environment doesn’t always leave much room for performance, but you don’t need much space to have fun driving the 2017 FIAT 500 Abarth. That’s because even though the 500 Abarth was designed for drivers who like going fast, this Fiat’s footprint is only 144.4 inches long. As a result, the car also showcases dynamic handling, which is further enhanced by an Abarth-tuned suspension and a turbocharged engine. The 1.4-liter unit can yield 160 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque with a 5-speed manual transmission, or 157/183 with a 6-speed automatic, and in either case, drivers enjoy a track-ready package with dramatic Italian styling—and up to 26.8 cubic feet of rear storage space.

This British-born brand, now backed by BMW, currently serves up multiple options for the best cars for city living. Our favorite: the 2017 MINI Hardtop. Sold in 2-door and 4-door body styles, neither is longer than 158 inches and both blend an athletic driving experience with plenty of driver-satisfying technology. As regards the former, all Hardtops have peppy turbocharged engines, topped by the John Cooper Works 2 Door—capable of delivering 228 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. On the tech front, a head-up display, an app-friendly infotainment system, and the Driver Assist bundle are highlights. That latter technology integrates forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, a rearview camera and more.

Living in urban areas can be an expensive proposition, so the best cars for city living are the ones that help keep ownership costs down. Consider the 2017 Nissan LEAF. In more than 50 metro areas across the United States, owners of a LEAF can benefit from Nissan’s “No Charge to Charge” program. It’s standard with every 2017 model, as is an all-electric driving range of 107 miles on a single charge. Available technologies for the LEAF include a Nissan Connect infotainment system with navigation, mobile apps, and a 7-inch touchscreen. Nor is the LEAF itself all that expensive, as its net cost can be as low as $23,180 after the $7,500 federal tax credit.

The 2017 BMW i3 may not look like a typical BMW, and its two available propulsion systems, both electrified, aren’t exactly typical, either. After all, one combines a 97-mile all-electric driving range with a gas-powered range extender, for a total range of 180 miles. The second can supply 114 miles of EV travel on a single charge. That said, both do offer typical BMW luxury touches, such as open-pore eucalyptus wood cabin trim, heated leather seating, LED headlights, and a 12-speaker, Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system. It’s also worth pointing out that BMW’s best cars for city living are a blast to drive, thanks to “pin-you-to-the-back-of-the-seat" torque that ensures an “exhilarating and exceedingly fun ride.”

Specifically designed to be one of the best cars for city living, the 2017 Toyota Prius c is one of the most affordable hybrids in the country, with an MSRP of $20,150 and EPA ratings of 48 mpg city/43 mpg highway/46 mpg combined. At that rate, Prius c drivers save $3,000 in 5-year fuel costs as compared to the average new vehicle. Even better, despite this affordability, the smallest member of the Prius family gets a major upgrade for the new model year: All models now come standard with the Toyota Safety Sense-C package that includes forward collision warning, automatic braking, lane departure assistance and automatic high beams. A rearview camera system is an option.

Beyond their efficiency, a key reason that EVs can be considered the best cars for city living is that you don’t have to worry so much about their range. Although that’s not much of an issue anyway for the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt. The Bowtie brand’s brand-new all-electric vehicle—recently named North American Car of the Year—has an EPA certified range of nearly 240 miles on a single charge. The Bolt also builds on its EV advantages with a high-tech infotainment system, 10.2-inch touchscreen display, mobile Wi-Fi, 4G LTE connectivity, and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. The Bolt’s price also may shock you: The government’s $7,500 federal tax credit knocks the car’s net cost down below $30,000.

Not nearly as small as the previously mentioned Prius c, the “regular” 2017 Toyota Prius tops the best cars for city living—and all unplugged cars of any kind—with the highest EPA ratings in the industry for urban driving. In fact, when configured in its new-for-2017 Eco trim, the Prius can post fuel efficiency grades of 58 mpg city/53 mpg highway/56 mpg combined. The other Prius trims can reach 54/50/52. True, the Prius is the largest of the cars listed here, but it still qualifies as a compact in length and remains well suited for city driving.