10 Little Cars that Offer a Lot to Love

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C ・ Photo by Megan Green

There’s a big surprise on our latest list of loveable little cars: Although you might expect most of these entries to be small, economy-focused vehicles, more than half actually showcase premium parentage, including choices from the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo. But that just indicates how deep the pool of talent has become in the smaller car segments, as automakers respond to a growing interest in vehicles with smaller footprints. 

Further, four of these cars offer advanced electric and/or hybrid powertrains for major efficiency benefits, while two are flat-out sports cars that specifically leverage their nimble proportions for high-performance driving dynamics. 

But that being said, those looking for inexpensive transportation can find that here as well, since even the best small cars tend to have price tags right in line with their lengths.

2016 Smart fortwo

The smallest car in country for the current year is the 2016 Smart fortwo, slated to go on sale this fall as an all-new model—but which retains the exact same 106.1-inch length as its predecessor. That might, however, be the only thing that hasn’t changed, because the Fortwo rides on a new chassis, gets more power from a new engine, wears a new “tridion” safety cage explicitly backed by Mercedes-Benz engineering, and debuts plenty of new technologies, including:

• Smartphone integration
• Standard Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming
• Premium JBL audio with eight speakers
• Driver-assistance measures like standard Crosswind Assist and available forward collision warning and lane keeping

Also particularly notable will be the Smart’s powertrain, especially from behind the wheel: The turbocharged three-cylinder engine will develop 89 hp and 100 lb.-ft. of torque, representing gains of 27 and 47 percent, and offer both manual and dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

2015 Fiat 500

Already one of the most stylish city-sized cars on the market, the 2015 FIAT 500 serves up a fresh look for the new selling season, introducing a “1957 Edition” for the cabrio model.

The appearance package is based on a similar setup introduced last year for the 500 coupe, and it will rely on the same kind of retro design cues to also honor the original Fiat Cinquecento that debuted in Italy in 1957. In the mix: exclusive 16-inch wheels, a choice of three throwback exterior colors, an upscale, two-tone leather cabin, heritage-style badging, and even a “1957” keyfob with painted graphics. The cabrio then caps it all off with a powered, dual-layer cloth top that enables both open-all and year-round driving excitement, with a little help from a feisty 1.4-liter turbo engine.

Oh, and it does so with a length of just 139.6 inches

Photo by FIAT

2015 Chevrolet Spark

The 2015 Chevrolet Spark has played a vital part in boosting demand for the smallest cars, combining a high-value price with some impressive tech features and the full backing of the Bowtie brand. The obvious highlight, of course, is a three-month/3-gigabyte complimentary data plan for OnStar’s 4G LTE connectivity service, complete with a mobile wi-fi hotspot. That’s the sort of leading-edge technology missing on many of today’s full-size luxury cars, but Chevy offers it as standard content on a 144.7-inch sub-subcompact with an MSRP of $13,580.

Chevrolet offers a Spark EV, too, with an all-electric driving range of 82 miles, and next will debut the redesigned 2016 Spark in the fourth quarter of this year. Details about the new model are yet to come, but Chevy promises both a more powerful, more efficient engine and safety measures such as side blind-spot alert, lane-departure warning and forward-collision alert.

2015 MINI Coupe

This is the mini-est of the Mini models, though it won’t be for long: Neither the 2015 MINI Coupe nor its drop-top Roadster counterpart were renewed for the next generation, making this the final model year for two of the tiniest cars in the U.S.

Each one strips the Mini experience down to its essence, providing just two seats and a 147-inch length that is still some 4 inches shorter than the next-gen MINI Hardtop 2 Door. Yet each also supplies the hallmark handling prowess drivers expect from a Mini, along with three increasingly powerful, yet surprisingly efficient, engine choices. For example, in its hi-po John Cooper Works trim, the tale of the tape for the Coupe includes both a 0-60 time of 6.1 seconds and an EPA line of 26 mpg city/35 mpg highway/29 mpg combined.

2015 Mitsubishi Mirage

To achieve that milestone, the Mirage packs a peppy three-cylinder engine that makes 74 hp and 74 lb.-ft. of torque, while returning EPA grades of up to 37 mpg city/44 mpg highway/40 mpg combined.

And speaking of returns, the Mirage delivers a strong one for the money, bolstered by a $12,995 MSRP that covers standard features such as air conditioning with rear-seat heating ducts, four-speaker audio with USB port, and powered windows/locks/outside mirrors.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

 The zoom-zoom brand went back to its roadster’s roots for the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, downsizing and lightweighting the all-new model to deliver enhanced driving dynamics and increased efficiency. Needless to say, that means the 2016 Miata will remain one of the smallest convertibles offered in the United States, with a length of 154.1 inches, and owners will still be able to open and close the car’s top without getting out of the driver’s seat.

What they’ll get instead is a hot-handling sports car that’s more expressive to look at and more exciting to drive than ever before. That’s thanks to performance-focused features like a Skyactiv four-cylinder engine, sophisticated suspension setup and athletic braking system, all working together with an ergonomically enhanced cabin that keeps drivers in full control of all vehicle systems, including the latest infotainment and connectivity technologies.

2015 Toyota Yaris

The 2015 Toyota Yaris grew in length by two inches as part of its recent redesign, but even with its growth spurt, to 155.5 inches, it remains one of the market’s tiniest new cars. And to be clear, that overall length is unchanged regardless of whether owners prefer the standard three-door Yaris or the five-door setup.

On the other hand, much else has changed about both. For one thing, the Yaris now shows a more aggressive and aerodynamic exterior, highlighted by chrome grille accents, a wider front-grille opening and sportier, wheels-at-the-corners proportions.

Next, beneath that new skin, the Yaris additionally shows off a more premium cabin that’s protected by nine standard airbags and offers a standard Entune audio system, along with a 106-hp, 1.5-liter engine that’s good for an EPA line of up to 30 mpg city/37 mpg highway/33 mpg combined.

2015 Toyota Prius c

The smallest hybrids tend to have the highest fuel-economy ratings, and the 2015 Toyota Prius c does indeed have, literally, the highest EPA mark for city driving: 53 mpg. And that benchmark is complemented by scores of 46 mpg highway/50 mpg combined, making the most petite of the Prii the most fuel-efficient plugless car in the United States.

But owners also will find that the Prius c isn’t all that petite in the cabin. True, the car is a mere 157.3 inches long on the outside, where designers have upgraded the Prius c with standard LED headlights and more; yet inside, there’s 87.4 cubic feet of passenger volume and 17.1 cubic feet of cargo space, along with a newly available Entune premium audio system with navigation and smartphone integration.

Photo by Toyota

2015 BMW i3

As mentioned, a number of entries here—i.e., the 2015 smart fortwo, Chevy Spark and Fiat 500—are available with all-electric powertrains, but the BMW i3 is alone among the smallest EVs as the only one designed from the ground up to run on electricity. It can do a fair amount of running, too, since the battery pack of the i3 supplies an 81-mile all-electric, zero-emissions driving range, taking full advantage of BMW’s breakthrough work in using lightweight, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic.

Although, to be sure, not all i3 models run solely on electrical power. BMW also offers a version with a small, range-extending gas engine included within its 155.4-inch footprint, and that model combines a 72-mile EV driving range with an extra 150 miles of gas-powered travel.

In both cases, however, BMW promises that the i3 “stays true to its Ultimate Driving Machine moniker.”

Photo by BMW

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C

The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C has made an outsized splash in the automotive industry despite—or maybe that’s “because”—of its position as one of the smallest cars in the country. You see, with a modest length of just 157.5 inches, as well as a correspondingly light curb weight of 2,465 lbs., the 4C is exceedingly agile on or off the track, and it’s also able to squeeze superior acceleration from just 1.75 liters worth of engine. The bottom line here is that, through the deployment of turbocharging and direct injection, drivers enjoy 237 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, which is enough to achieve a 0-60 time in the mid 4-second range and a top speed of 160 mph.

Moreover, even working with such a small canvas, Alfa Romeo designers have penned a masterpiece of an exterior, with an unmistakably Italian take on the modern-day sports car.

Photo by Megan Green