Even with the rise in popularity of big cars like SUVs, small cars and hatchbacks are still incredibly popular choices for many drivers. Aside from often featuring lovely proportions and designs, they also offer a host of technical benefits over larger vehicles.
Keeping things compact
For a start, their size pays off in everyday motoring. Being smaller, they tend to weigh less than larger cars and so don’t need big engines to power them. This means better fuel efficiency. Compactn cars also fit into spaces with greater ease on both the street and in car parks.
Sacrificing space
Of course, there are downsides to the diminutive size of these cars, too, with smaller boot spaces and less rear passenger room. If you have children or several family members that will be regularly riding with you, small cars might not be the best choice for you. Equally, if you need to transport mobility aids or other equipment in your car, the boot might not be big enough.
We’re going to look at three small cars available on the Motability Scheme in a little more detail, to help you discover if a small car is right for your needs.
Citroen C1
Citroen’s C1 microcar is an entertaining vehicle with fun styling and a basic yet bright interior. With a choice of either three or five doors, it’s a good alternative to Skoda’s Citigo, which we’ve also listed as an example further down the page.
The C1 has a good amount of room for the driver and front seat passenger, but headroom and legroom are restricted in the rear. It also has a very small 196-litre boot. That’s just about enough room for a folded child’s buggy or a couple of bags of shopping.
This car is best for zipping around town; its 1.0-litre engine is efficient and nippy and the light steering makes manoeuvring and parking easy.
Skoda Citigo
The Citigo is a city car with excellent packaging and style – not to mention its engaging driving dynamics that are very fun. Although the Skoda has a tiny carbon footprint for a car, inside it is more spacious than you might imagine. When sat in the front, the overall quality of the interior is high for a small, affordable car.
Usefully, like the Citroen C1, it comes with the option of three or five doors, meaning passengers using the rear can get in without the driver or passenger having to fold his or her seat down.
A 251-litre boot holds enough for a decent amount of shopping, and the 1.0-litre engine returns impressive fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions. But this car’s real charm is how stylish it is.
Toyota Aygo
Another small car with huge charm is the Toyota Aygo. Like the other two cars in this article, it comes with a choice of three or five doors. It also has a 1.0-litre engine and is lightweight, leading to excellent fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. The Aygo offers a respectable amount of headroom, thanks to its tall roofline. Legroom in the front is also good, but it is tight for adult passengers in the rear.
Comfortable, fun and practical in relation to its size, the Toyota Aygo is similar to the Skoda Citigo in terms of having a quality interior that will wear well.
On the move, the Aygo is a joy to drive around town. Its light controls and comfy ride make it a pleasant car to sit behind the wheel of. And, away from the urban jungle, the Toyota is still a contender; you just need to work hard to get it up to speed.
Find your next car
Here, we’ve looked at just three of the smaller cars offered on the Motability Scheme. By using our car search tool you can check out the full line-up of vehicles available. And if you are already a customer, you can discover more about getting your next car and view a month-by-month breakdown of the process leading up to your day of collection.
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