City car champs

There are few more recognisable microcars than the Smart ForTwo. Its innovative use of space has only recently been challenged, by the Toyota iQ, yet the two-seater retains top spot in the depreciation stakes for this sector.

With a £9,977 list price – which is pushed over the £10,000 barrier only by the addition of the £587 Luxury Package – the ForTwo coupé CDI Passion is at an immediate advantage. While the residual value percentage allows us to compare different areas of the car market, when you begin at a lower starting point you naturally lose less. And this is really spelled out with the ForTwo, which retains 53.1 per cent of its value after three years or 30,000 miles. This means it sheds only £1,652 per year in depreciation, or 16.5 pence per mile.

However, compared to the rest of the Smart’s running costs, these figures might seem a bit steep! The diesel-powered three-cylinder model manages a staggering 83.1mpg on the combined cycle – that’s more than double the economy of many superminis. As a result, CO2 emissions are a lowly 89g/km, making the ForTwo a strong alternative to an environmentally conscious hybrid.

There are, of course, compromises to Smart ownership: only two people can fit inside and luggage room is tight. Then there is the driving experience – which you’re likely to love or hate! Performance is sluggish at best, with the 0-62mph sprint taking 16.8 seconds, while the semi-automatic box takes a lot of getting used to. Look beyond all this, though, and the Smart is a penny-pinching marvel.

TOP 5 CITY CAR CHAMPS
1. Smart ForTwo - CDI Passion (Lux Pack) - 53.1 per cent
2. Toyota Aygo - Platinum 3dr - 52.5 per cent
3. Toyota iQ - 1.0 VVT-i - 50.2 per cent
4. Citroen C1 - Splash 1.0 3dr - 48.9 per cent
5. Fiat 500 - Pop 1.2 - 48.8 per cent

TOP BUY: Smart ForTwo CDI Lux Pack
Sector: City car
Price: £10,565
Residual after 3yrs/30,000 miles: £5,610/53.1 per cent
Engine: 799cc 3cyl, 54bhp
Economy/CO2: 83.1mpg/89g/km