Smallest Cars on Sale Today

Diminutive. Tiny. Efficient. Whatever you call them, these are the smallest new cars you can buy.

Some of them, as you’ll no doubt note, are not cars at all. As manufacturers continue to abandon the old style and chase crossover sales, the latter have moved in to fill the gap. To wit: Nissan’s recently discontinued smallest car, the “sub-compact” Versa, was nearly three feet longer than the shortest new car on sale. It wouldn't even make the cut here.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Affordable Cars with Surprisingly Higher-End Interiors

Presented in descending order of length, here are the smallest cars on sale today.

Bet you didn't expect this list to start with a luxury model. The Buick Encore GX is one of the brand's two sub-compact offerings, with the stylish Envista stretching longer but making do without the GX's (fractionally) larger available 1.3-liter engine engine and all-wheel drive. At 171.1 inches (4,347 millimeters) from tip to tail, the Encore GX is the smallest dose of (American) luxury you're going to find with a full warranty. That has its appeal, but a high price kept it way back in tenth place in our 11-vehicle small SUV mega-comparison.

The Bolt is back for 2027—and apparently, only for 2027. Based off the EV formerly known as the Bolt EUV, Chevrolet's most affordable electric model is still one of the shortest new vehicles on the market with a tidy footprint measuring 169.6 in (4,307 mm). Starting under $29,000 including destination in America, the Bolt offers impressive power (210 horsepower) and range (262 mi / 422 km).

Yes, really: the Toyobaru twins are some of the shortest cars on sale, measuring an identical 167.9 inches (4,265 mm) front to back. The  Toyota GR86 and  Subaru BRZ both saw an upgrade back in 2022, with new exterior styling and a more modern interior. More important is a switch to a bigger 2.4-liter flat-four engine, which spits out 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. You don’t need to remortgage the home to pick up one of these stylish coupes, either: prices start around $30,000 including destination.

The original off-roader remains the shortest of its kind and the only body-on-frame model on this list. Sure, around 90-percent of modern Jeep Wrangler sales are the more practical four-door model, but who can argue with the inherent rightness of the proportions you see above. With the 3.6-liter V6 and a six-speed manual transmission (!), there is a purity of purpose in the Wrangler 2-Door.

European cars are meant to be small and tidy, right? Well get ready, because the rest of the list is dominated by them. First up is Volvo's newest (and smallest) EV, the cute EX30. Coming in at just 166.7 in (4,233 mm), the EX30's small footprint hides a surprisingly spacious cabin that can truly fit adults in the backseat. Sure, you wouldn't want to cross the continent back there, but it's better than the exterior dimensions suggest. You'll be making swift progress to: the available dual-motor model packs over 400 horsepower and will rip to 62 mph (100 km/h) in under four seconds.

Back when it launched, we liked Hyundai’s pint-sized Venue well enough, largely thanks to a surprisingly spacious interior and funky, denim-inspired trim. At just 159.1 inches (4,040 mm) from tip to tail, it’s one of only five models under the 160-inch mark. The Venue isn’t fast, with a 1.6-liter engine producing just 121 horsepower, and it's feeling quite old now, but it’s good on gas, and one of the most affordable new cars on the market.

You knew Mini was going to be on this list. For all the jokes about how the little car isn't actually that little anymore, even the stretched-out four-door remains one of the shortest new vehicles on the market. The whole family saw a new generation arrive for 2024, with slightly altered dimensions for the two- and four-door models plus a simplified engine lineup. All gas models now use a powerful 2.0-liter engine, delivering 201 horsepower and 227 pound-feet of torque through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in the Cooper S trim.

You know the saying: Miata Is Always The Answer. That includes to the question "what is the smallest convertible—or rear-drive, or naturally-aspirated, or Japanese—car?" The current ND-generation Mazda MX-5 is going on a decade now and yet it remains one of the single most smile-inducing cars on the market. A sweet 2.0-liter engine puts out a healthy 181 horsepower, paired to the finest six-speed manual you'll find in a droptop under six figures. The roof is still a one-arm, single-motion affair, too. No wonder Mazda's taking so long to replace it: how do you improve on perfection?

As you'd expect, the classic Mini shape comes in at the pointy end of this list, just 152.6 in (3,876 mm) from its smiley front end to its newly triangle-taillighted rear. The 2-Door (or 3-Door in Canada) remains the purest form of the icon, and the latest revision has carved out just a little more room inside. It's still a big ball of personality inside, with a slick but sometimes confusing circular center screen and ambient lighting beamed onto the knit dashboard. For the sake of simplicity, we're including the convertible in this listing, too.

Just as it was back in the '60s, the Fiat 500 makes the Mini look humongous. The reborn electric model is the smallest new car you can buy from a dealership in the US and Canada, measuring just a hair under 143 inches (3,631 mm to be exact). Everything about the 500e is small: its horsepower (117), its range (149 mi / 240 km), its rear legroom (29.4 in / 747 mm). Don't forget its price too (around $30,000), though it's still not the most affordable EV on the market. None of the others can offer a Giorgio Armani edition, mind you.