Simple Solutions to the Problems of Car Ownership for City Dwellers

City living can be challenging for car owners. Naturally there's the obvious problem of parking. There never seem to be enough legal parking spaces and spaces large enough to fit your car into easily. Then there's the problem of city driving; with all the potholes, endless construction and poor road conditions, cars take quite a beating.

Finding the right car for city living boils down to finding a car that's small enough to squeeze into any available parking space yet tough enough to survive the rigors of city living and driving. Here are some proven suggestions.

2011 BMW X! - A Small Tough Utility Vehicle

At only 14.5 feet long, this is a tough little utility vehicle that's small enough to park in tight city parking spaces, yet tough to stand up to potholes and broken pavement and comfortable enough to whisk the family and plenty of luggage away for long weekends in the country. The X1 combines style and functionality. With an MSRP of about $38,500, view it as a solid investment in city living

2011 Honda Civic Sedan- The Best All Around City Car

This well-priced, well-featured car one tough little car that won't give you sticker shock. The Honda Civic sedan comfortably seats 5, has decent trunk space and at 14.6 feet is still small enough to park on city streets in tight spaces. Best of all, MSRPs run from $15,000 - $22000 depending on dealer, model and options selected so you won't pass out from sticker shock.

2011 Mini Cooper - A Sharp Little City Slicker

Barely 13' long, the Mini Cooper hard top can squeeze into parking spaces most domestic or foreign compact cars have to pass up. This sporty little car handles like a dream and delivers pretty good gas mileage - 34 highway, 26 city and 29 combined. On the down side, the Cooper has a tiny trunk and seating is tight. If you're primarily interested in getting around the city, this is the car for you. It's definitely not a family car or one you want to take on long trips. MSRPs start at about $20,000.

2011 Volkswagen Golf - A High Value, HIgh Performance All Around City Car

The VW Golf offers a powerful 2.5 Litre 170 horsepower 5 cylinder engine and more creature comforts and interior amenities than other cars in its class. Fuel stats range from 31 - 33 miles per gallon highway and 23 - 24 miles per gallon city. With MSRPs ranging from $18,000 - $23,000, it's well within range of most drivers.

Volvo C30 - Upscale Comfort and Safety First

This is one small, safe and comfortable family car that's ideal for city dwellers. While it may lack the sex appeal of other cars and has MSRPs higher than the rest $25,000 - $27,000, the safety and comfort of a Volvo are well worth it.

For more complete information including options and pricing on these cars, just visit www.honda.com, www.vw.com, www.miniusa.com, and www.volvo.com.