Despite the fact that crossovers and SUVs are extremely popular, many consumers still choose small compact cars for city trips. Smaller cars are more profitable, more economical, and easier to drive in urban environments.
If you are going to buy or lease a car, you should know when and how you will use it. This means that you don’t always need to get a big car if you don’t carry furniture or have a big family. Here is a list of the 5 best compact cars for the city.
1. Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is one of the most interesting small compact cars out there. The car is available as a sedan, coupe, or hatchback, so you can choose a body style that suits your lifestyle. No matter which body style you choose, you’ll get an agile, spirited car with good fuel economy and a comfortable interior.
The base engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 158 horsepower (standard in the LX and Sport sedan and coupe). The transmission is a standard six-speed manual, with a continuously variable automatic (CVT) available.
Regardless of body style, the base Civic comes with a 5-inch display, a four-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, and a USB port. A 7-inch touchscreen is available, along with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a navigation system, an 8-, 10-, or 12-speaker stereo, wireless phone charging, an auxiliary USB port, satellite radio, HD radio, and a moonroof.
2. Nissan Leaf
A stylish five-seater hatchback with an aerodynamic design. It combines the advantages of a family city car: excellent dynamics, good handling, and, most importantly, efficiency. Its accessibility and ease of charging (low power requirements for the outlet) make it so popular.
This electric car stops quickly, drives gracefully, and can travel up to 140 miles on a single charge. The Nissan Leaf has a single electric motor and a 40 kWh battery, producing 147 horsepower. Nissan offers the Leaf Plus with a 62 kWh battery. The main appeal of the Leaf Plus, however, is not the extra horsepower, but the nearly 60 miles of extra range on a single charge.
The Nissan Leaf is available in five trim levels: S, SV, S Plus, SV Plus and SL Plus
Standard features include cloth upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, automatic climate control, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, three USB ports, satellite radio, and a four-speaker stereo.
The Leaf also comes standard with key safety features: forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic high headlights, and a rearview camera.
3. Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla is a good, compact car. It has an excellent reliability rating and plenty of standard driver assistance features, as well as an easy-to-use infotainment system. The combination of overall quality, perceived reliability, high safety ratings, and accident-prevention technology makes the car well-suited for city roads.
The Toyota Corolla sedan comes with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 139 horsepower. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is standard. The 2.0-liter engine comes standard on hatchback models and produces 169 horsepower. Transmission options with this engine are an improved CVT or a smooth-shifting six-speed manual.
Standard features on the base trim include LED headlights and taillights, cloth upholstery, and manually adjustable front seats. Standard infotainment includes Bluetooth, a USB port, a six-speaker stereo, a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, voice recognition, and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot.
Standard driver assistance features include a rearview camera, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane keeping assist, automatic high beams, and traffic sign recognition. Additional features include navigation, wireless device charging, a premium nine-speaker JBL stereo, ambient interior lighting, and adaptive headlights.
4. Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is a four-door hatchback that stands out for its user-friendly performance features, a huge boot for the class, and spacious interior. Its compact size makes it perfect for those who live in urban environments. The Volkswagen Golf is powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 147 horsepower. Paired with a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic.
The Golf hatchback comes in only one TSI trim level. Standard TSI features include synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, a synthetic leather steering wheel, a panoramic moonroof, keyless entry, push-button start, manual climate control, and 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels.
The infotainment system consists of a 6.5-inch touchscreen, one USB-C port, six speakers, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and Car-Net navigation and traffic services. Smartphone integration is possible using Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink.
Standard advanced safety features include forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking, automatic post-collision braking, pedestrian monitoring, blind spot monitoring, automatic windshield wipers, and a rearview camera.
5. Mazda 3
The Mazda 3 is a small compact car with sophisticated appeal. It is available in two body styles: sedan and hatchback. Inside, the Mazda 3 looks upscale and has plenty of convenience features. The only engine available is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 186 horsepower. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, and a six-speed manual is available.
The sedan comes in four trim levels: base, Select, Preferred, and Premium. The hatchback comes in three trim levels: basic, Preferred, and Premium. Standard features include an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, an 8-speaker stereo, HD radio, two USB ports, Bluetooth, and push-button start.
Several safety features are also standard. These include lane keeping assist, lane departure warnings, pedestrian collision warnings and automatic emergency braking, automatic high headlights, adaptive cruise control, and a rearview camera. The best Premium trim level is equipped with sports leather seats, a sunroof, and adaptive headlights.
