November 4, 2025
Best Compact Cars to Have in the City

Best Compact Cars To Have In The City

Whether you live in the city or just need to drive there, you have to have a car that fits in a crowd. Three-row SUVs and large pickup trucks are not city-friendly. Instead, it’s more practical and even fun to drive a smaller car such as the Chevy Sonic that will fit in the narrow streets and slip into tight spaces. Take a look at some of the best compact cars to have in the city.

The Nimble Chevy Sonic

Chevy Sonic

If you want to keep it sporty while driving in the city, consider the Chevrolet Sonic. This compact car offers a choice of engines, including the base 1.8 four-cylinder engine and an upgraded 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder. It comes with either a six-speed manual transmission or an automatic. The Sonic has an impressively spacious cabin, and you can carry your daily gear in the large cargo area. Available driver aids such as rear parking sensors make maneuvering around city streets safer and easier, and you’ll enjoy the ride with standard tech features such as Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The Feature-Packed Honda Fit

Honda Fit

The subcompact Honda Fit offers excellent fuel economy, it has room for up to five people, and it has Honda’s magic seat in the back that configures different ways depending on what type of cargo you need to haul. Power comes from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that works with either a six-speed manual or a CVT. An optional suite of advanced driver aids makes driving in the city safer. It comes with features such as forward collision warning and automatic braking, and you can also get Honda LaneWatch with a live feed of your blind spot.

The Sleek Volkswagen GTI

VW GTI

You can not only drive almost anywhere you want in the Volkswagen GTI; you’ll do it in style. This sleek, compact hatchback will fit in narrow streets and ease into even the smallest parking spot. It has an upscale interior, a surprising amount of head and legroom, and it comes well-equipped with infotainment features. If you manage to get out of the city, you can’t beat the power and handling of the GTI.

The User-Friendly Chevy Trax

2020-Chevrolet-Trax

Just because you drive in the city doesn’t mean you can’t drive an SUV. The Trax is the smallest SUV in the Chevy lineup, and it’s not only easy to maneuver, but it also gets excellent gas mileage. A 155-horsepower turbo four-cylinder engine sits under the hood providing the Trax with plenty of power to zip around city streets. It comes standard with a rearview camera and offers city-friendly driver aids such as a blind-spot monitor, rear parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic alert.

If you want to easily maneuver through crowded city streets, you’ll want to get into a compact car, but this doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality or convenience. Small city cars such as the Chevy Sonic have everything you need.