Most Practical Small Used Cars

Their dimensions might be diddy, but small cars draw their biggest strengths from being so compact in size because it ensures they remain nimble to drive, affordable to run and great value to buy.

In the past, small cars would inevitably sacrifice practicality in favour of keeping size, weight and costs down, but not so anymore.

Indeed, small cars have noticeably grown over the years, to such an extent that superminis like the most recent edition of the Polo and Fiesta are now just as big as the Golf and Focus were 20 years ago.

Bigger external measurements mean superminis are getting bigger on the inside too, making it easy to get your hands on a quality small used car that belies its size to comfortably accommodate five passengers and swallow their luggage too.

So, if you’re after a small used car that’s big on space, here are our top picks…

Used Skoda Fabia

For outright interior and luggage space, the Skoda Fabia remains the car to beat on this front.

While it may be based on the Volkswagen Polo – a car that was already spacious for its size – Skoda has once again moulded the platform to its own design, giving the Fabia even more room to play with.

It means the Fabia’s 380-litre boot is the largest in the small car class and regardless of whether you’re considering the latest generation or an older model, it has always been especially capacious on the inside.

Better still, older generations came with an estate variant that offers an even bigger 530-litre boot, though it doesn’t come with the current model’s improved fascia and mature looks.

Used Volkswagen Polo

It’s not quite as spacious as the similarly engineered Skoda Fabia, but the Volkswagen Polo is still among the best in class when it comes to practicality.

The boot offers 352-litres of space, though it should be noted that this is a significant improvement over the previous generation model if you’re considering an older version.

The Polo feels spacious inside too, which complements an already premium-feeling interior, while it will happily accommodate three adults in the back.

Used Honda Jazz

Supermini trends and styles have come and gone in the past 25 years, but the Honda Jazz has remained truly faithful to its original blueprint.

The bulbous shape and tall roofline have become its signature over the years and the latest generation model is no exception.

It endows the Jazz with an interior that lets in lots of light and feels bigger than its dimensions would suggest.

It’s also got some clever trickery up its sleeve, not least its ‘Magic Seats’ which can either fold down conventionally or be flipped up cinema-style to provide a useful area to transport tall and unstable items, such as plants.

Used Dacia Sandero

The Dacia Sandero has always been a bit of an outlier when it comes to pigeon-holing it into a specific category – it’s big for a supermini, yet cheaper than most city cars.

Viewed another way, the Sandero is exceptional value-for-money, providing ample interior space on a price tag that in used trim is a veritable bargain considering its 328-litre boot and roomy cabin.

While older models are built for function over form in order to keep those all-important prices down, more recent versions have taken a notable step in quality and creature comforts, while it is also more desirable.

However, its value ethos remains unaffected, meaning it is possible to get a newer, practical Sandero on a fantastic deal.

Used Ford Fiesta

Being great to drive, well-equipped and easy-to-live with, the Ford Fiesta is arguably the great all-rounder in the small car class

It’s also practical with its 311-litre boot and roomy back seats, despite being smaller on the outside than a lot of newer models that have grown in size as they have been replaced.

It’s not just spacious either, with the Fiesta making it easy to find a good driving position, while visibility is excellent too.

Used Citroen C3

Recently updated, the latest Citroen C3 has seen the French manufacturer start with an entirely new sheet of paper when designing it.

As such, the C3 has morphed from its once conventional bulbous shape into a small car with a taller roofline and rugged proportions.

As well as giving the new C3 some striking presence on the road amid various jagged lines and sharp edges, it also opens up a particularly roomy and airy interior with plenty of space for tall adults in the back seats.

The boot is also a useful 310-litres, which is impressive given a modest 4015mm length that pushes it closer towards being a city car. With prices that also undercut the likes of the Toyota Aygo X, the C3 looks like a lot of car for the money in this context.