Used Car Hunter: four-seat city cars for £7,000
Our Car Hunter has £7,000 to find a stylish, four-seat urban runabout
If you want to get ahead in the urban jungle, then a city car should be at the top of your shopping list. Small, easy to drive and cost-effective to run, they can fit through the tight gaps and into the smallest parking spaces. The best city cars offer style, a classy cabin and are equally at home on the open road as they are on city streets.
Few are as funky as the Smart ForFour, which combines distinctive looks with a novel rear-engined layout and the sort of quality you’d expect from parent firm Mercedes.
Or how about the MINI hatchback? Ever since BMW reinvented the British icon two decades ago, it has set the small-car standard for eye-catching style and driver fun.
Taking a similarly retro-themed approach is the Fiat 500, which features cheeky looks and some of the lowest running costs in the business.
Fiat 500 - the luxurious choice
- For: Looks great, easy to drive, packed with equipment
- Against: Cramped rear seats, weak engine and handling
Despite nearing its 20th birthday, the Fiat 500 still looks as fresh and trendy as ever, especially in Lounge trim that adds neat alloys and a range of funky colours. Only on the move does the car’s age show, with its 1.2-litre engine being the most sluggish and least efficient here. The ride is also a little bouncy, and the light steering offers little feedback. Yet it’s a doddle to drive in town.
Huge popularity when new means there’s plenty of choice on the used car market, and £6,800 buys you a 21-plate Mild Hybrid Pop with just 35,000 miles on the clock.
The style continues inside, where a full-width body-coloured dash insert and heavily cowled dials hark back to the original 500. The light-coloured trim materials and distinctive checked fabric on the seats make the 500 feels surprisingly luxurious. This is enhanced by a generous amount of kit, including touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto, a panoramic glass roof, air-con, cruise control and parking sensors. The 500’s upright driving position is comfy, but the rear seats are cramped and are best suited to kids. Its 185-litre boot matches the Smart’s, but there’s less space with the back seats folded.
MINI Hatch - the fun choice
- For: Great fun to drive, punchy engine, refined
- Against: Expensive, larger dimensions, least standard kit
The slightly bulbous third-generation MINI hatchback is the biggest car here, but it’s still compact enough to make light work of crowded urban areas, plus it’s packed with retro appeal.
It’s the most engaging of these three to drive, and a range of responsive engines adds to the fun. Firm suspension results in a fidgety ride, but the refined MINI is the best choice for long trips.
Strong residuals mean you’ll have a higher mileage at this price, but we found a 16-plate, diesel-powered Cooper with 70,000 miles for £6,000.
Like its exterior, the MINI’s cabin has been treated to some retro design touches, such as the large circular binnacle in the centre of the dash, some eyeball air vents and metal toggle switches. Quality is first rate, with soft-touch materials and a robust fit and finish giving the British machine a real upmarket feel. While the One is the entry-level model, you get air-con, electric windows and infotainment that features Bluetooth, DAB and USB connectivity. The low-slung driving position is great, but taller occupants will feel cramped in the back, and the three-door layout makes access tricky. But the 211-litre boot is the biggest here.
Smart ForFour - the practical choice
- For: Five doors, tight turning circle and low running costs
- Against: Basic infotainment, not suited to long journeys
If you want head-turning kerb appeal, then the quirky Smart takes some beating. This is largely down to the trademark exposed Tridion safety cage, which is finished in a colour that contrasts with the rest of the car. Despite its rear-engined layout, the Smart ForFour isn’t sporty to drive, but with its narrow body and tight turning circle of 8.65 metres, it’s the most agile car around town.
It rides bumps well, while its 0.9-litre three-cylinder engine delivers decent urge and strong efficiency. For £5,600 you can bag a 15-plate 1.0-litre Passion with 44,000 miles.
The Smart is equally adventurous inside, where you’ll find a distinctively designed dash and a bold, albeit possibly controversial, two-tone colour scheme. High-grade materials and solid build quality create an ambience that could generally be described as upmarket. The infotainment is fairly basic, but there’s a neat smartphone cradle, plus air-conditioning and cruise control. A five-door layout boasts versatility, but while there’s plenty of space up front, those in the back will feel a little hemmed in. At 185 litres, the ForFour’s boot is on the small side, but the rear bench can be quickly folded flat to free up 975 litres of capacity. You can also fold the front passenger seat down to accommodate extra-long loads.
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