Best SMALL CARS To Buy 2024! Six Top Picks

Which hatchback is best for you? Sam Sheehan runs through 6 top picks for the best small cars in the UK in 2024,, ranging from the desirable BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class, to the popular Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa.

We cover each of the cars':
• Interior
• Technology
• Infotainment
• If Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is wireless
• Rear passenger space
• Boot space
• Prices
• Dimensions
• Towing capacity

Presenter: @samsheehan55
Editor: @montymakesmovies

Follow us on:

00:00 Best Hatchbacks To Buy In 2024
00:13 BMW 1 Series
00:24 1 Series interior and infotainment
00:56 1 Series back seats
01:04 1 Series boot space and practicality
01:20 Mercedes A-Class
01:30 A-Class interior and infotainment
02:19 A-Class back seats
02:28 A-Class boot space and practicality
02:48 Volkswagen Golf
03:01 Golf interior and infotainment
03:45 Golf back seats
03:54 Golf boot space and practicality
04:08 Mini 3-door hatch
04:21 Mini interior and infotainment
04:50 Mini back seats
05:10 Mini boot space and practicality
05:27 Ford Fiesta
05:38 Fiesta interior and infotainment
05:58 Fiesta back seats
06:08 Fiesta boot space and practicality
06:25 Vauxhall Corsa
06:39 Corsa interior and infotainment
07:04 Corsa back seats
07:17 Corsa boot space and practicality

BMW 1-series
As standard you get Bluetooth connectivity, USB sockets, a multifunction steering wheel, DAB radio and air-con.

Newer models have sat-nav, parking sensors and auto LED headlights. Sport and M-Sport add climate control, electric seat adjustment, leather and carbon fiber, and a larger infotainment screen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Harmon Kardon audio upgrade.

Boot space: between 360-380 litres, depending on model. The split rear seats (60/40 on the earlier 1 Series and 40/20/40 on some of the newer cars) fold to expand the boot to a maximum of 1,200 litres, which isn’t far off from the best in class.

Engines: 118i averages 47.1mpg (WLTP). The 120i and 125i are four-cylinder engines and drink more with the M140i and later M135i dipping into the low 30s if you take things easy. The 116d, 118d and 120d versions of a 2.0-litre engine and will return average economy of up to 61.4mpg.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class
The interior design and tech which stands out from the rest of the cars on this list. It has a lot in common with the more expensive cars in Mercedes’ range such as the C-Class, E-class, S-class. It is very similar to the Mercedes GLA.

Entry level SE trim has air-con, cruise control, reversing camera, sat-nav and Bluetooth. Heated front seats, automatic wipers, sports seats, climate control and fancier dashboard materials are fitted to higher trims.

Infotainment can be controlled by touch, mouse or voice. It has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Boot: up to 370 litres. Rear seats are split 40/20/40. Some models have storage beneath the floor. A250e plug-in hybrid loses some boot space to make room for its battery.

Engines: A250e plug-in hybrid has 45 mile range. Of the diesels, the A180d is the most economical with close to 60mpg on average. The A180 petrol will give you economy in the 40s. The A35 and A45 AMGs are usually sub 30 mpg.

Volkswagen Golf
The Golf becomes 50 this year. It has seen a lot of changes over the years but its focus on great build quality a nd practicality at relatively attainable price has always been its draw.

It has a broad range of model. There are value-focused versions, posh versions, and the legendary GTI variants. There’s even an extreme R model, which does a good job of giving sports cars a run for their money. In many ways, all Golfs punch above their weight.

Engines – there are petrol, diesel and hybrid versions including a sporty GTI, or the sensible-and-sporty GTE hybrid.

Ford Fiesta
It’s always stood for good value, strong practicality and great handling.

Engines:1.0-litre EcoBoost to the genuinely powerful 1.5-litre engine of the hot Fiesta ST. There’s the sporty ST-Line trim (which mimics the look of the hot ST on a less sporting Fiesta base), as well as posh Titanium models and even über-swanky Vignale ones.

Boot: 292 litres.

Vauxhall Corsa
There’s good reason why the Vauxhall Corsa is one of the best selling cars in the UK. It’s scores highly for ease of use which makes it a great candidate for learner and new drivers.

The 95hp 1.3-litre CDTi diesel has a WLTP fuel economy of 80mpg. For more mixed driving, the 90hp 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine offers strong performance with an official claimed economy figure of just over 50mpg.

#cinch #carreview #bmw #1series #mercedes #aclass #volkswagen #golf #mini #cooper #ford #fiesta #vauxhall #opel #corsa

[cinch]

The Fiesta's boot has 292 litres of space, if you're wondering. Apologies to those who noticed that our stat didn't make it through to the edit. Anyway, which hatchback are you choosing?

[benwelham]

From one Smith and Sniff podcast listener to another, I salute you OTSOT.

[itsallrobbish]

He mentions the facelift model re Apple CarPlay

[Gunzee]

Having owned or driven all these vehicles, currently have the A class featured here. I really like the mini, cabin & driving feel is really 'tight'. It kinda reminds me of Porsche, with the heavy steering feel and how sturdy the cabin feels. Just watch the brakes, they really like to grab (unlike some Porsches).
Put a just over 200 miles on a hybrid Corsa, no analogue dash in that one. Better build quality than the rival Ford. There is a odd mix of cabin materials, most of it is padded plastic but then there's the isolated hard plastic panel?

[youraveragejoe]

Some good picks. The 1 series especially deserves to be on there it’s really nicely built inside and drives well. Got my eye on one for my next car

[erickate]

Where did these prices come from 1990s/2000 ?

[LeonBlack]

How is bmw in england 13k pounds and in my country it's 41k euro?? Wtf is this price difference