Skip advert
Advertisement

Peel P50

Britain’s smallest car, driven by Auto Express’s 6ft 8in‘giant’

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Find your next car here
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The Peel is unlike any car you’ve ever driven! With its dinky front wheels and clever design, plus its tiny turning circle, it could be the answer to traffic-choked town centres. Now the electric model has support from Dragon’s Den investor James Caan, there are also plans for a £100,000 collector’s edition, complete with customised features. If you want to own a piece of history, the P50 is ideal – although only 21 of the 50 are still available.

Advertisement - Article continues below

IT’S the city car that brings new meaning to the word ‘compact’! Following its star appearance on BBC TV show Dragons’ Den, the tiny Peel P50 is big news – and Auto Express couldn’t wait to give the world’s smallest car its toughest test yet.

We got our first taste of the P50 at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! museum in London’s Piccadilly Circus. The British-built two-seater is 1,372mm long, 1,041mm wide and 1,200mm high. It already has a place in the Guinness Book of World Records – and it’s dwarfed by my massive six foot eight inch frame!

You climb aboard through a single door – when it’s open, this is also the car’s only source of ventilation. There’s no air-con, windows or vents. But simply getting in the Peel requires skill. As it’s so low to the ground, you can’t just rest your backside in the seat and swing your legs in.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

A3 Sportback

2024 Audi

A3 Sportback

57,774 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £16,697
View A3 Sportback
Niro

2022 Kia

Niro

33,073 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £16,697
View Niro
CX-30

2020 Mazda

CX-30

16,274 milesManualPetrol2.0L

Cash £16,697
View CX-30
Yaris Hybrid

2025 Toyota

Yaris Hybrid

14,195 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £15,000
View Yaris Hybrid

Instead, you put one hand on the roof, fold a leg in, step a foot over the steering wheel and then duck under. It sounds tricky, but soon becomes second nature.

Once you’re inside, headroom isn’t great, although the cabin has surprising room in other respects. There’s space for shopping to the right, under the leather seat and under the dashboard.

Power

Advertisement - Article continues below

Our P50 is electric, so start-up is silent – turn the key, and a green light on the charge indicator tells you the car is running. There’s no seatbelt, gearlever or brake pedal, either; to pull away, you flick the switch for forwards, select a speed setting (tortoise for pavement; hare for the road) and press the accelerator.

Maximum torque is available from zero revs, with power sent to the wheel mounted beneath the seat. The car takes a second to reach cruising speed of 8mph, and as there’s no brake pedal, you just lift off to stop. Take your foot off the throttle sharply, and you come to an abrupt halt.

Not surprisingly, all the controls are within easy reach, with switches for the horn and lights to the right of the driver. Even the control for the hand-operated wiper makes sense, above the windscreen. The low shoulder line and large expanse of glass give a great view out, and the addition of a reverse gear means parallel parking is easy.

The steering column goes straight between your legs, and as there’s no adjustment for reach or rake, you rest your hands on top of the three-spoke-wheel. Most Auto Express first drives take in country roads and motorways, but for the Peel P50 we followed a more appropriate route. We headed to a shopping centre, queued up at the Post Office and took a tour around WHSmith – and the tight turning circle made manoeuvring easy.

During our hour-long drive, we covered two miles and used one-third of the battery’s range. Peel says the car will go around 20-30 miles in tortoise mode. A full charge from the mains takes an hour, and costs 50p.

With its simple features and quirky styling, the P50 was an instant hit on the road and in the shopping centre. Passers-by took pictures as if we were driving a supercar – yet this celebrity kudos costs only £12,500!

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £37,230Avg. savings £3,710 off RRP*Used from £15,416
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £26,995Avg. savings £7,362 off RRP*Used from £11,990
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £11,995
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £4,614 off RRP*Used from £9,591
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports
MST Ford Escort - front 3/4

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports

While not officially Fords, the MST Mk1 and Mk2 Sports should drive as sharply as they look
News
7 Jul 2025
New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Skoda Octavia vRS is the consummate all-rounder and only £255 a month!
Skoda Octavia vRS - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Skoda Octavia vRS is the consummate all-rounder and only £255 a month!

A three-time Auto Express Family Car of the Year winner, paired with Golf GTI power, is our Deal of the Day for 6 July
News
6 Jul 2025