Top 10 best superminis 2024

Close News 2 mins read 3 April 2024 The onslaught of high-riding crossovers and full-size SUVs paints a different picture, but small, B-segment hatchbacks – that is, superminis – remain the best-selling cars in Europe.  In recent years, few significant new models have been introduced, but there have been a fair number of facelifts, which have shaken up the rankings somewhat. And it's one of these cars - the Renault Clio - which we deem to be the best supermini on sale. To make our top 10 list for 2024, a supermini needs to be so much more than just capable of carrying a couple of adults, a couple of kids and a decent amount of luggage relative to its small footprint. It must now also be desirable, well packaged, easy to drive and pleasant to use. A pedigree performer, in other words.  Dynamically, the key attributes are transparency and good basic agility. Superminis should be inherently nimble and at least moderately fun to drive in all their forms. Sluggish steering is a worse crime than soft suspension. Modest power and five doors are no impediments to a rewarding driving experience.  Increasingly, superminis also offer a level of perceived quality, performance and technological sophistication that bears comparison with that of bigger hatchbacks. And the very best combine some or all of that with the agility that only a small, light car can offer. How we tested Autocar first began testing cars in April 1928. Since then the testing methods have changed, but the fundamentals remain. Collectively through our road test and web teams, we have tested and evaluated every supermini on sale. This includes drives abroad, in the UK, at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire. For some of these cars, such as the Renault Clio, we have lived with them for several months at a time. This article takes our rich data and experienced opinions and neatly distils them into a top 10. The best superminis 1. Renault Clio9Pros Interior looks and feels as good as anything in classReal fuel savings with HybridNon-hybrid commendably cheap Cons Ride could be more suppleRear seats not comfortable for adults on long journeysManual gearchange is notchy Cabin design, ergonomic layout and perceived quality are all much higher than you might imagine if you haven't sat in a Clio for a few years, while value for money remains a real strong suit.The Clio rides challenging stretches of Tarmac with more of a stiff-legged, occasionally slightly wooden-feeling gait than you expect of a French car. It's far from uncomfortable but less supple than it once was.This more serious gait doesn’t cause it to forgo handling verve, though. It may not have the most communicative steering rack, but its handling is intuitive and natural-feeling, and although the car rolls a bit more than some might like, there’s a striking sense of inherent cornering balance in its chassis.Sadly, there won’t be an RS version. Instead, the fastest Clio is the 138bhp Renault Clio E-Tech hybrid. For a supermini, that makes it quite expensive, but no more so than hybrid-only rivals like the Toyota Yaris or Honda Jazz.The E-Tech powertrain can feel a little underpowered in larger cars, but it’s perfect for the Clio and makes it quicker and more engaging than those two Japanese hybrids.Read our Renault Clio reviewSave money on a new Renault Clio with WhatCar? Latest Reviews Jeep Renegade BMW X6 M Competition Mazda MX-5 9 Mazda MX-5 View all car reviews Read our review Car reviewBMW iX3BMW’s first electric SUV is an electrified X3. Is that enough?Read our review Back to top 2. Seat Ibiza9Pros Value for moneySimilar to larger and more expensive Seat LeonBetter interior than VW Polo Cons Not as good to drive as a Ford FiestaEntry level cars don't have tonnes of kitNo hybrids It was the first of the Volkswagen Group's latest breed of MQB-based small hatchbacks – and since the facelift 2021, it’s also the best.Mimicking the bigger Seat Leon in many ways, the Ibiza is roomy, well equipped and much better finished than before. Combine that with its fine on-road handling and refinement manners, its value-for-money position, its impressive equipment features and its youthful styling and it all adds up to a class-leading proposition for us. It’s not quite as entertaining to drive as a (now off-sale) Ford Fiesta, but it’s close, and since the recent update, the interior is much-improved, with more soft-touch materials, a more interesting dashboard design and Seat’s latest infotainment system (even if it can be buggy on some cars). The Ibiza is among our favourites because it's a more rounded, upmarket ownership proposition than the Ford and still more fun to drive than the Volkswagen Polo, and it has a nicer interior than either of them.Read our Seat Ibiza reviewSave money on a new Seat Ibiza with WhatCar?3. Skoda Fabia 9Pros Roomy interi