1Buy with care
Photo: DieselFordMondeo, CC BY-SA 4.0
Renault Clio II
Score85/100
The cheapest to run: €277 per month for 12,000 km/year
- Monthly cost
- €277/month
- Observed prices
- €1,900 – €4,240
- Reliability
- 3.5/5
Best city cars, used: reliability and cost ranking
All the city cars in our guides, ranked by reliability, real cost and versatility.
Top of the ranking: Renault Clio II. Most reliable on the list: Opel Karl I (reliability 5.0/5).
- 1
2Excellent choicePhoto: M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0
Toyota Yaris II
Score78/100
Moderate entry price: from €3,000
- Monthly cost
- —
- Observed prices
- €3,000 – €5,900
- Reliability
- 4.5/5
3Good choice, check firstPhoto: Makizox, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hyundai i10 II
Score72/100
Petrol powertrain suited to your mixed driving
- Monthly cost
- €297/month
- Observed prices
- €3,900 – €9,100
- Reliability
- 4.5/5
4Buy with carePhoto: Thomas doerfer, CC BY-SA 3.0
Renault Twingo II
Score71/100
Moderate running cost: €204 per month for 12,000 km/year
- Monthly cost
- €204/month
- Observed prices
- €2,900 – €4,250
- Reliability
- 3.5/5
5Good choice, check firstPhoto: M 93, Public domain
Alfa Romeo MiTo I
Score70/100
Petrol powertrain suited to your mixed driving
- Monthly cost
- €285/month
- Observed prices
- €4,500 – €9,400
- Reliability
- 4.5/5
6Good choice, check firstPhoto: Renée Kools, CC BY 4.0
Opel Karl I
Score68/100
The most reliable in the selection: 5/5
- Monthly cost
- €286/month
- Observed prices
- €6,700 – €8,100
- Reliability
- 5/5
7Good choice, check firstPhoto: Overlaet, CC BY-SA 3.0
Lancia Ypsilon III
Score68/100
Hybrid powertrain suited to your mixed driving
- Monthly cost
- €268/month
- Observed prices
- €4,900 – €19,500
- Reliability
- 4/5
8Good choice, check firstPhoto: Damian B Oh, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chevrolet Aveo II (T300)
Score68/100
Petrol powertrain suited to your mixed driving
- Monthly cost
- €273/month
- Observed prices
- €4,000 – €5,000
- Reliability
- 4/5
9Excellent choicePhoto: Jakub "flyz1" Maciejewski, CC BY-SA 3.0
Kia Picanto III
Score66/100
The most reliable in the selection: 5/5
- Monthly cost
- €354/month
- Observed prices
- €8,890 – €17,899
- Reliability
- 5/5
10Good choice, check firstPhoto: M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Hyundai i20 III
Score66/100
The most reliable in the selection: 5/5
- Monthly cost
- €390/month
- Observed prices
- €13,440 – €21,094
- Reliability
- 5/5
What about electric?
If you can charge at home, the Renault Twizy I costs €170 per month, all inclusive.
Good choice, check first
How this ranking is calculated
Same calculation as our adviser, for a typical profile of 12,000 km a year of mixed driving: reliability (40%), cost (40%, monthly cost when known, otherwise entry price; neutral criterion when prices are missing) and suitability of the powertrain (20%). Run the calculation with your own criteria
Frequently asked questions
- Which is the most reliable of the used city cars?
- According to our guides, the best-rated for reliability are: Opel Karl I (5.0/5), Kia Picanto III (5.0/5), Hyundai i20 III (5.0/5).
- What budget should you plan for used city cars?
- Observed prices range from €1,900 to €21,094 depending on the model, year and mileage. The all-in monthly cost (fuel, insurance, maintenance and depreciation, at 12,000 km a year) ranges from €204 to €390.
- Which used city cars call for the most caution?
- The lowest-rated for reliability in this ranking are: Renault Twingo II (3.5/5), Renault Clio II (3.5/5). Check their known faults before buying.