Top 10: Narrowest cars
Looking for a car that’ll squeeze into your garage, or just prefer something that’s easy to dart in and out of gaps around town? We’ve crunched the data and can now reveal the narrowest cars on sale today.
Renault Twizy: 1396mm
Of course the Renault Twizy is the narrowest car money can buy. Whether it’s actually a car is up for debate. Officially it’s classed as a quadricycle, but it has got two seats and that’s just as many as the Mazda MX-5.
At 1396mm wide, the Twizy will fit in most garages. It’ll probably fit in your hallway. You might want to spec some doors if you’re planning on using it over winter.
Kia Picanto: 1595mm
If you want an actual car, the Picanto is as narrow as you’re going to get. The good news is, unlike the Twizy, it’s not too much of a compromise.
Choose the Picanto 3 or above and you’ll get a seven-inch multimedia system with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as cruise control and a reversing camera. It’s also one of our favourite cars in the city car segment with a quality interior and a surprising amount of space.
Vauxhall Viva: 1595mm
No, this isn't Vauxhall's small family car off of the 1960s... although, we imagine that probably is rather narrow by today's standards.
The Viva is a small, affordable city car that rivals most of the cars also featured in this top 10. It's a likeable car, even if it doesn't excel in any particular area. Being the same width as the Kia Picanto, it will excel at fitting in your garage.
Suzuki Celerio: 1600mm
In the first instance, the Suzuki Celerio isn’t a particularly tempting purchase. It feels like an old school holiday hire car and even the top-spec SZ4 isn’t that highly equipped.
There’s plenty of space, though, and running costs will be minimal. It’s not even painful to drive, as long as you stay away from motorways.
Peugeot 108/Citroen C1/Toyota Aygo: 1615mm
The Peugeot 108, Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo are all essentially the same car with slightly different designs, so it’s no surprise that they all measure the same 1615mm in width.
They’re all perfectly good city cars and which one you’d prefer is entirely down to personal preference - but bear in mind that only the Citroen and Peugeot are available with the more powerful 1.2-litre PureTech engine.
Fiat 500: 1627mm
If you've got a really tiny garage, you might be better off with an original Fiat 500. But still, the current one is one of the narrowest new cars on sale today.
We say 'new'. It's been around for a long time, and it's quite a way from being best in class. Buyers don't seem to care.
Volkswagen Up/Skoda Citigo/SEAT Mii: 1641mm
Again, the Volkswagen Up, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii are all modified versions of the same car, so they’re all the same width. With each wheel pushed out to the corner, there’s loads of space, and the interior’s quirky yet feels upmarket.
Buy whichever one you like the look of. We’d be tempted by the Up - not only does its upmarket image help resale values, it also has a high MOT pass rate.
Renault Twingo: 1646mm
Ah, the Twingo. The quirky, mid-engined motor packs loads of kit as standard, while there are lots of customisation options to help you stand out on the city streets.
Not only is it rather narrow, at 1646mm wide, it also boasts an excellent turning circle, making it a boon to drive around town.
Suzuki Ignis: 1660mm
We spent six months with the Ignis and raved about its cheeky character. Sure, it’s not as well polished as many of the cars featured here, but you’re sure to love it.
All Ignis models are well equipped but fork out for the SZ5 if you want luxuries like navigation and the fuel-saving mild hybrid system.
Smart ForTwo: 1663mm
If you’re looking for a small car, a Smart ForTwo might seem like the obvious choice. But it’s wider than most of the cars featured here even if it is really, really short.
The ForTwo is a quirky car with just two seats (hence its name) and a small boot. If you want more space, the ForFour seats four and is just 2mm wider. That makes it too wide to make our top 10, however.
