Feb 12, 2026
3 min read
If you are looking for a practical vehicle for city driving, we show you the ten best in terms of quality and price with the DGT ECO label.
10 best city cars to buy in 2026 quality and price
If you are looking for a practical car for city driving, we present you the ten best for quality and price with the DGT ECO stamp.
A new year begins in which you may be thinking about changing your car and looking for a small model for daily trips in city centers.We recently showed you the cheapest models you can buy in 2026.Now we tell you the 10 best city cars in 2026 in terms of quality and price.
All the vehicles we show below belong to the A and B segments of the market, i.e. the smallest.They are most practical for navigating the urban environment as they are agile and easily parkable.Moreover, these cars these days come with more than just the right equipment.
At we scanned the market and selected ten models based on value for money.Also, as you know, the problem with driving in cities is that there are more and more restrictions due to low emission zones.
Therefore, the following list contains cars with all types of conversion systems: microhybrids, hybrids, electric and LPG, with ECO and zero labels from DGT.We bring you the ten best city cars to buy in 2026.
We start with the Dacia Sandero, as it has been the best-seller in Spain for the past three years and one of the cheapest cars you can buy without a base car.
It costs from 13,490 euros and actually does without things like a screen on the dashboard at first, finally, but you can put your mobile.It has an ECO-G petrol engine with 100 HP that can run on LPG, which is why it gets the ECO label.
Don't confuse the Fiat Pandina with the Grande Panda.The modern Panda is now called Pandina and has a three-cylinder Mild Hybrid engine with 70 HP, enough for the city.Its price starts at 15,147 euros.
A repeatedly updated veteran of the A segment, it may not be the most modern car in terms of technological equipment and driving assistance, but it is still very suitable for driving in urban areas, practical and very transparent.
The Dacia Spring is the first of two electric cars with the ZERO label that we include in our list and the second is a city car.It is the cheapest electric car on the market, from 17,890 euros.The cost can be reduced with the help of Auto+ plan.
This price corresponds to the basic version of 45 HP, with a battery of 27 kWh that gives you 230 kilometers of autonomy.It is 3.73 meters long and has a design halfway between a crossover and a touring car, with 270 liters of luggage space and four seats.
BYD dolphin surfing
Another Chinese electric car that's great for getting around town at a bargain price, the BYD Dolphin Surf measures 3.99 meters and has an unconventional design and spacious interior and technology.
The car is equipped with an 88 hp engine that receives energy from a 30 kWh battery and offers a range of 220 km.It is priced from 19,990 euros subject to program discount + Auto.
Dolphin Surf and Spring's rival is the Leapmotor T03.Here we have another electric car with a Chinese passport, although the company distributes its cars in Europe with Stellantis.
It starts at 17,700 euros, but with brand discounts and financing it drops to 13,700 euros.It has a 95 hp engine and a 37.3 kW battery with a range of 265 km.The only problem is that it costs a lot for its size.
The Citroën C3 has a bolder design than its predecessor and, as usual, has plenty of options.The electric version is priced at €19,550 and is one of the best options for quality and price.
It uses a 113 HP engine and a 44 kWh lithium-ferrophosphate (LFP) battery for a range of up to 326 km.Of course, it has a ZERO release tag.
Another option you can't forget is the MG3 Hybrid, the first model of the Chinese brand.Its price is 20,590 euros, the price is not low, but in exchange it offers a powerful driving system.
It has 194 HP and a battery capacity of 1.83 kWh that allows it to operate in electric mode for a good part of the roads.It is the cheapest plug-in hybrid car on the market.
The Toyota Yaris is a direct competitor to the previous one.It is sold from 21,500 euros in the 120H version, with a capacity of 116 hp.There is a second, more powerful hybrid version (130H), with a capacity of 136 hp.
Depending on the trim level, it can have a customizable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 9- or 10.5-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and an advanced voice recognition system.
If you're worried about the price, one of the cheapest cars right now is the EVO 3, a modest workhorse with Chinese DNA that measures 4.13 meters in length and uses a 113bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine, controlled by a five-speed manual gearbox.
There is another one in the same machine that is compatible with LPG and the ECO label, with prices starting at 16,400 euros.
Finally we have a model that has an interesting price-performance ratio, and it is also a car with tradition.The Opel Corsa is sold from 18,600 euros with a three-cylinder 1.2 Turbo engine, accompanied by a mild hybrid.
This engine develops 110 horsepower and is connected to a six-speed automatic transmission eDCT6.It contains the right equipment and is very useful for everyday life in the city.
