Top Ten City Cars
What to drive in cities where you shouldn't.
By JARED HOLSTEIN,
Cars mentioned in the article:In a city like Thermopolis, Wyoming (population 3172), any vehicle will do. Cities with a surfeit of population density and minimum of navigable surface area, however, present challenges. In New York City, parking is at such a premium that a single space can sell for more than the average nationwide home cost -- up to $225,000.
There is a tacit understanding that if you drive and park in major metro areas, you stand a good chance of getting dinged, scratched, robbed, and otherwise molested. Your car does, too. This does not in any way diminish the shock value of seeing year-old Porsche 911s on Park Avenue whose bumpers look like they were embellished with claw hammers. Large initial investment is simply not recommended.
Parking violations are a major source of municipal revenue generation. San Francisco issues 1.9 million parking citations a year, good for more than $85 million in revenue. Scarcity of public parking forces people into "questionable" spaces, with meter maids serving as judge, jury, and executioner. Yes, public transportation is the ideal solution for myriad reasons. For those whose lives require a vehicle, however, one solution is to drive a smaller car that will sneak into the many petite spots that remain otherwise unused. We offer you 10 vehicles ideally suited to city duty, mostly by virtue of being short.
Smart Fortwo
Mini Cooper
Toyota Yaris
Honda Fit
Suzuki SX4
Volkswagen Rabbit
Volvo C30
Mazda 5
The Beater: 1994 Subaru Impreza
Pre-runner custom
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