A large proportion of the UK lives in inner city areas. And while there are disadvantages to match the advantages, there’s a reason why it draws in so many city dwellers.
Situated near city centre amenities but still with a distinct neighbourhood feel, it’s a popular choice for much of the nation. But when it comes to choosing a car, it can be tricky to know where to start. Ideally, you need something nimble that fits your budget. You might even have a preference on the type of fuel you’d prefer to use if you need your car to be ULEZ-compliant.
Here’s what to consider when it comes to choosing a car for inner city living.
Budget
Like when making any large purchase, it’s important to establish a budget in the early stages of your search. Get a feel for what you can afford with the help of a budget tool and get an idea of what you’ll be able to get for your money. Certain models may be completely out of the question and that’s ok – it’s important to set yourself realistic expectations.
Give some thought to whether you’d prefer to buy a car outright or through finance, taking into account other costs such as fuel (based on the mileage you expect to cover), insurance and road tax. It’s worth noting that some cars have more complicated electrics and while they offer great usability and comfort, they can create more costly repairs if something breaks. Sometimes simple cars can be more beneficial in this sense, depending on your budget.
Size
Inner city driving has its own challenges. Often, the crowded roads and streets mean that a large SUV-style car isn’t particularly helpful. If anything, a smaller hatchback-style car tends to make more sense. A compact car, such as a Fiat 500, means you can nip around easily, plus it won’t use too much fuel and is more likely to be able to squeeze into tighter parking spaces.
Efficiency
City driving is very different to motorway driving. It involves a lot of start-stopping at traffic lights and a lot of sitting in traffic. For this reason, vehicles optimised for long distances on the motorway may not fare as well. Some diesel vehicles can be tricky to manoeuvre in city environments, for example, and their fuel efficiency isn’t optimised as a result. Ideally, you want a car that can accelerate quickly at traffic lights to avoid irritating your fellow drivers – people tend to become impatient while driving in cities.
Going back to the topic of budget – a small hatchback car tends to be one of the cheapest models to run. Their fuel efficiency usually means lower emissions too, so you’re less likely to be caught out in low emission zones.
Fuel type
Electric vehicles are becoming more popular as time goes on. You’ll need to give it lots of consideration, however, as there are logistical factors to consider. For example, if you don’t have a driveway and you rely on street parking, this may cause complications as you can’t rely on being able to park in front of your house consistently – plus, the charging cable may not be able to reach your car.
On the flip side, if you do have the means to charge your vehicle conveniently, you can benefit from less ‘distance anxiety’ if you tend to stick to the city centre when driving. The likelihood is that you’ll be near charging points if you’re based in an inner city area.
Otherwise, petrol tends to be a better option compared to diesel under the topic of fuel efficiency for city centre driving.
