Living in the city has a lot of perks: great nightlife, good restaurants, a never-ending stream of concerts, films, and other attractions to while away the time (and money). Parking, unfortunately, isn't one of those perks.
If you can't live without a car, you need something that is easy to park, and will fit into the tightest nooks. But it can't be too small. There are friends to cart around to the mall and you've got to bring all the stuff that you bought back home.
A subcompact hatchback is the perfect, do-everything option. There's room for four or five, or you can fold down those back seats for anything from a bicycle to pet carriers to a load from Home Depot or Ikea. It's the perfect, versatile car for life in the city. Oh, and to help you enjoy more of that nightlife, let's keep it under $8,000.
Sensible
For such a small car, you'd be surprised at the space inside the Nissan Versa. This little hatchback has plenty of headroom, while passengers in the back can almost stretch themselves out. You'll find plenty of these in the 2008-09 range for this price with decent mileage; they come with the option of a six-speed manual gearbox, four-speed automatic or a CVT. Fuel economy is good but not a standout in this segment; it's best with the CVT. The interior is a little cheap, even for an inexpensive subcompact. Reliability is good but ABS was an option on these cars so be on the lookout for that safety feature.
Toyota offers the Yaris as its entry-level vehicle. Found between 2007-09 for this price, its tall profile means there's plenty of headroom, though the driving stance might be a bit awkward for taller people. And the rear seats don't fold flat, which could be a pain when you want to carry something, well, flat. If you don't mind shifting gears, go for the five-speed manual, as the four-speed auto saps too much of its 106 horsepower. If you can get used to the gauge cluster centred in the dash, it would be a reliable car, if not inspiring.
Indispensable
For interior room and versatility, it's hard to beat the Honda Fit. Passenger space is good and when you've got a flat-pack bedroom set or sports gear to transport, it's 60/40 rear seats can be folded in various positions like origami for a flat floor and loads of room for cargo. It's not just a handy closet – the four-door Fit is a fun-to-drive runabout and, while not exactly powerful with 109 horsepower, it's got quick handling and a firm but comfortable suspension. Plus, it came with a host of standard features including air conditioning, a CD player and six air bags, with higher trim levels and more equipment available. For style choices, it underwent redesigns in 2007 and 2009 and all models have proven safe and reliable. There have been a few recalls affecting air bags, low-beam lights, a valve train component and a possible fire with a window switch.
Questionable
The only vehicle easier to park than a Smart fortwo would be a motorcycle. It seems like the ultimate city car and it well may be if you don't have anything to carry around. With room for a driver, passenger and a bag of groceries, versatility is not in this car's vocabulary. Besides that, it really isn't all that fun to drive, with glacial acceleration and a harsh ride coupled with a shaky reliability record. While it gets better fuel economy than these other choices, it needs premium gasoline. This is a car for someone who already has a larger vehicle, and who perhaps likes the attention garnered by the little car.
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