The best city cars for 2022

Looking for a new ride? Look no further with our round up of the latest and greatest small cars

From high-pressure parking scenarios to rising pollution levels, city driving can be less than appealing. Thankfully, there are plenty of new car models designed to nip between the smallest of spaces and have a minimal impact on the environment.

Marie Claire caught up with Erin Baker, Auto Trader Editorial Director, to find out about the best cars for city living in 2022. Read on to discover her top picks.

Citroën Ami 

Technically a quadricycle rather than a car, the Citroën Ami is the perfect size for zipping around town. With a top speed of less than 30mph and 100% electric, the Ami is a truly modern mobility solution. Minus the battery, every part of the car is fully recyclable. It's also designed to be easily customisable, inside and out. There's even a handbag hook — ideal.

Toyota GR Yaris

A true pocket rocket. This tiny zoomy Toyota was built as a limited edition and provides tons of old-fashioned fun with a manual gearstick, carbon-fibre styling and small, high-revving engine. If you can get your hands on one, it should be a good investment.

Vauxhall Mokka E

A small SUV with chunky styling and bright green paintwork, the electric version of the Mokka is great for family shopping trips and easy parking round town. It’s also good for about 200 miles on one charge, which makes it a sensible electric purchase.

Mini Convertible John Cooper Works

Mini’s John Cooper Works (JCW) version of its Convertible provides loads of fun in the sun. JCW is the badge attached to the more powerful and hardcore Minis. Put your foot down and the exhaust roars as the city hatch powers up the road. Mini excel when it comes to bespoke design touches — why not go for the grey and black Union Jack roof design, zesty lemon paintwork or red brake callipers?

Fiat 500e

With almost 200 miles of range and creature comforts like wireless phone charging, the new pure-electric Fiat 500e is great value for money. It also features a very stylish, sustainable interior that includes recycled marine plastics. Outside, the blend of retro and contemporary design puts it at the top of our electric list.

Skoda Fabia

As ever, the clever stuff with the Skoda Fabia lies on the inside. There’s a nice scraper by the fuel filler cap, umbrellas in the doors, wireless phone charging and a surprisingly big boot. All this at a very good price that will challenge the Ford Fiesta (below), the UK’s best-selling car.

Ford Fiesta

The humble Fiesta has been going strong for over 40 years now, and it’s easy to see why: the driving experience belongs to a car costing twice the money, with heavy steering, a smooth, quiet ride and peppy, frugal petrol engines. Our only caveat is that the competition from Peugeot, VW, Fiat and Seat provide more exciting interiors and prettier digital experiences.

VW T-Cross

With compact dimensions, but a higher riding position than the Polo on which it’s based, the Volkswagen T-Cross is an attractive option. There’s a great range of exterior paint colours to choose from and the styling is boxy and bold. Like all our cars in this article, its main strengths are ease of driving and parking.

Audi Q2

If you need to travel in and out of town to the countryside, the Audi Q2 and its optional four-wheel drive could suit you. There's plenty of space for a young family among its pleasingly premium interior, and Audi still offers one of the best touchscreen experiences out there.

Peugeot 208

Chic French styling, combining jazzy colours with chunky curves, makes the 208 an immensely desirable small car. You can choose the pure electric version (e-208) or plump for one of the petrol or diesel jobs. The tech graphics inside are positively beautiful and there are plenty of features as standard including rear parking sensors.