10 Smallest Cars Ever Produced

From post-war-era classics to sleek modern-day runabouts, find out how automakers pushed the boundaries of engineering to create these microcars

In the ever-evolving landscape of automotive design, innovation often leads to groundbreaking achievements, pushing the boundaries of engineering and efficiency. The pursuit of creating smaller, yet fully functional vehicles has been a remarkable chapter in this narrative. The "Smallest Cars Ever Produced" delves into the captivating world of micro- and mini-cars, showcasing the brilliance of human ingenuity compressed into pint-sized automotive marvels.

This article embarks on a journey through automotive history, exploring the tiniest vehicles that have left an indelible mark on the industry. From the post-World War II era to the modern age, these diminutive creations have captivated hearts, challenged traditional notions of space, and addressed the pressing need for economical urban transportation.

Prepare to be enthralled by the stories of iconic models like the classic Peel P50, often touted as the world's smallest production car, and the equally charming Isetta, with its unique front-opening door. We will also shed light on the underlying motivations behind crafting these vehicles, discussing the impact of fuel shortages, urban congestion, and changing consumer preferences.

The data pertaining to dimensions and vehicle specifications has been sourced from the automakers and trusted sites like Auto Express and Top Gear.

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The Scion IQ also known as the Toyota IQ was developed by Toyota’s European Design and Development studio in France and it made its debut at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. The IQ is a small two-door model that was produced as an economical car to compete with the Smart Fortwo.

Engine

1.0-liter 1KR-FE inline-three

Power

67 horsepower

Transmission

5-speed manual or CVT

Length

120.1 in

Width

66.1 in

Weight

1,896 lb

The letters in the IQ name stand for “intelligence quotient” and as a bonus, the name also sounds like a cube which alludes to the car's shape. With the IQ Toyota aimed to provide a car that's maneuverability, fuel-efficient, and has a low environmental impact. To achieve this several innovations had to be made such as completely new and unique differentiation that was capable of being mounter further ahead allowing the car to be shorter and a flat fuel tank that sat underneath the cabin floor.

The Autozam AZ-1 is a mid-engined kei sports car that was developed by Mazda in collaboration with Suzuki. The AZ-1 made its debut in 1992 and it featured a unique angular design that was further enhanced by its gullwing doors.

The Autozam AZ-1 was powered by a Suzuki-supplied 0.660-liter turbocharged inline-three engine, the same one used on the Suzuki Alto. The engine sent its 63 horsepower to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.

Engine

0.660-liter turbocharged inline-three

Power

63 horsepower

Transmission

5-speed manual

Length

129.7 in

Width

54.9 in

Weight

1,587 lb

Sadly though, the AZ-1 turned out to be a bit of a sales failure. The model failed due to the large-scale recession in Japan that had just started to hit the economy as the AZ-1 debuted. This combined with the fact that the model was both more expensive than its competitors and less powerful made it an unattractive option for consumers.

The 500 is one of Fiat’s smallest and longest-running cars with the first one debuting in 1957. A true people's car, the Birth of the 500 was due in large part to the post-war automotive market in Italy. It was a small rear-engined rear-wheel drive two-door coupe that met was developed to meet the demand for a cheap economy car.

Engine

0.5-liter two-cylinder

Power

13 horsepower

Transmission

4-speed manual

Length

116.9 in

Width

52 in

Weight

1,100 lb

The 500 was a big hit selling in large numbers across Europe because of its economic nature. Along with the two-door coupe, the model was also sold as a three-door estate and a three-door panel van. Powering the base variant of the original 500 was a 0.5-liter two-cylinder engine that produced 13 horsepower. The model was also equipped with a four-speed manual transmission that sent the engine's power to its rear wheels.

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The Daihatsu Fellow Max is a Japanese kei-car that served as a successor to the 1977 Max Cuore. The Fellow, or as it was known in European markets the 360, made its debut back in 1966 and it was sold as a two-door sedan, two-door pickup truck, or three-door van.

Engine

0.356-liter ZM 2-stroke inline-two

Power

32 horsepower

Transmission

4-speed manual

Length

117.7 in

Width

50.6 in

Weight

1,091 lb

The Fellow Max variant was made available to the public in 1970 and it replaced the rear-wheel drive layout of the Fellow with a front-wheel drive one in an effort to save production costs and increase fuel efficiency. The model was powered by a 0.356-liter ZM two-stroke inline-two engine that sent 32 horsepower to the front wheel through a four-speed manual transmission.

Vespa 400

The Renault Twizy is a two-seater microcar that can be thought of as a quad bike equipped with an enclosed seating area; in fact, this is how the car is classified in European markets. The Twizy made its first appearance as a futuristic-looking concept car at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, and the model went on sale in 2012. Despite the final release model lacking the futuristic look of its concept it still featured a quirky design and more importantly, it provided customers with a lot of value by including a number of features that made the microcar not seem like a completely outlandish option.

Motor

4 kW ISKRA asynchronous motor

Power

5 horsepower

Transmission

Single gear

Length

92 in

Width

48.6 in

Weight

992 lb

Unlike some of its predecessors, the Twizy had four wheels, two doors, and an eclectic drive train. Speaking of the electric drive train the model was powered by an ISKRA asynchronous motor that produced 17 horsepower and took the car up to a top speed of 50 mph. The Twizy became Europe's top top-selling plug-in electric vehicle in 2012.

Widely regarded as the worst electric car ever produced the Reva G-Wiz also known as the REVAi was developed by an Indian company called Reva Electric and made its debut in 2001 as a two-door microcar.

Motor

400 amp motor

Power

17.6 horsepower

Transmission

Automatic

Length

102.4 in

Width

51.2 in

Weight

882 lb

The G-Wiz was officially classified in European markets as a heavy quadricycle and because of its low power and less-than-satisfactory crash test results, it was held back from driving on a large number of highways in Europe.

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A brand that is renowned for its iconic scooters and mopeds, the Vespa 400 made its debut at a press presentation that took place in Monaco and it's a bit different than other micro cars.

Engine

0.4-liter inline-two

Power

14 horsepower

Transmission

3-speed manual

Length

112 in

Width

50 in

Weight

827 lb

This model is a bit unique in the microcar world because where most microcar models are built-up versions of motorcycles or quadbikes, the 400 was designed from the beginning to be a car. The 400 was powered by a 0.4-liter inline-two engine that produced 14 horsepower and took the car up to a top speed of 55 mph.

The Isetta was an Italian-made microcar that was nicknamed the "bubble car" due to its egg-like shape. The Isetta might have looked funny but it was no joke. It set out to be a cheap economic car and it achieved that by becoming the first-ever mass-production vehicle to get an astonishing fuel economy of 94 mpg.

Engine

0.236-liter split-single two-stroke

Power

9.5 horsepower

Transmission

4-speed manual

Length

90.2 in

Width

53.9 in

Weight

705 lb

Because of this, the model gained popularity, notably selling 161,728 units worldwide becoming the best-selling single-cylinder car of its time. The Isetta was powered by a mid-mounted 9.5-horsepower, 0.236-liter engine. The engine turned its rear tire through a four-speed manual transmission that included a reverse function.

The Goggomobil Dart was built using the German-made Goggomobil microcar as its base, using the same chassis and many of the same mechanical parts. It was a round dart shape two-door sports car that had its engine mounted in the rear. The car featured a roofless design and didn't come equipped with a door. Instead of accessing the car in a traditional manner through a door, the Goggomobil Dart forced its passengers to hop over the side of the car.

Engine

0.3-liter Two-stroke straight-twin

Power

15 horsepower

Transmission

4-speed manual

Length

120 in

Width

54 in

Weight

480 lb

The Goggomobil Dart came equipped with a standard 0.3-liter Two-stroke straight-twin engine that produced 15 horsepower but customers could also select the 0.4-liter variant that pumped the power up to 20 horsepower. The larger engine helps the Dart achieve a top speed of 65 mph which in a 761 lb roofless car was quite terrifying.

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The Peel P50 was built in 1962 by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man, and with a 54-inch length and 39-inch width this 130-pound car holds the 2010 Guinness World Record for the smallest production car ever made.

The model was conceived as a city car and was intended to be driven through the urban environment with "one adult and a shopping bag." The model featured two wheels at the front and one at the back, one headlight, and a single door mounted on the left side. Only 50 units of the car were ever produced with only around 27 reportedly surviving to this day. Because of its unique nature and limited availability, the P50 is quite expensive nowadays with one model selling for $176,000 at a Sotheby's auction back in 2016.

Engine

0.05-liter single-cylinder

Power

4.3 horsepower

Transmission

3-speed manual

Length

54 in

Width

39 in

Weight

130 lb

The little P50 was powered by an equally little 0.05-liter single-cylinder engine that produced a total of 4.3 horsepower. The engine powered its single rear wheel through a 3-speed manual transmission that notably didn't have a reverse gear, although the car could be manually pulled out of a sticky situation by a strap present on its rear.

Mustafa has been interested in cars for as long as he can remember. He's gone from collecting Hotwheel cars as a kid to, well..... let's face it, driving a regular Toyota Corolla today because it's comfortable, practical, and easy. But he hopes to one day have a collection of vastly impractical cars that will bring a smile to his face every time he drives them.