What’s the Smallest Car You Could Actually Live With?

A photo of a yellow Peugeot 208 hatchback.

Small and mighty. Photo: Stellantis

If there’s one stereotype that America does not disappoint on, it’s that everything is bigger here. Milk cartons are bigger, ovens are bigger and even aubergines eggplants are bigger here in the land of the free. Then there are the cars, which feel gargantuan compared to the cutesy European hatchbacks I learned to drive in.

Now, with the climate changing around us and people around the world being asked to switch to a more economical way of living, could the oversized car be on its way out? And, if it is (but it probably isn’t), what’s the smallest model you could live with instead?

And after someone on Twitter rehashed the claim that the Maverick is a small car that offers a glimpse at our compact future – despite it not even being the smallest model in Ford’s own lineup – we wondered what diminutive cars you might consider living with.

I guess if you’re downsizing from a Suburban or F-150 then yes, the Maverick might be the smallest car you can live with. But we know that you can do better.

We’re not saying everyone has to instantly switch to something as small as a P50, but you might know deep down that you can switch out your midsize CR-V for something more compact like a Golf or a Hyundai Veloster.

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Personally, I’m going to go for a car that isn’t sold here, but should be because it’s excellent. That something is the new Peugeot 208, which is the perfect size for me. Trunk space, room for me and a few friends, and space to strap bars to the roof for bikes, storage or a pop-up tent. What more could you want from a car!

But now it’s over to you. New, old, modern or vintage, we want to hear what you think the smallest car you could actually live with is. So, head to the comments section below and let us know your picks. We’ll round up some of the best responses in a slideshow tomorrow afternoon.