Camilla Jessen
The 10 slowest cars you can get in 2026.
Speed is not everything. In a market increasingly shaped by electric drivetrains and instant torque, there are still cars that take their time getting anywhere. For some buyers, that is not a flaw but simply the price of affordability or simplicity.
So how slow is too slow in modern traffic?
For those willing to accept modest performance, 2026 still offers several four-wheeled options that move at a decidedly relaxed pace.
Small cars
Even among city cars, some models struggle to build momentum.
Hyundai’s i10 1.0 GDi is one example. It needs 18.4 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, making it slower than its close relative, the Kia Picanto with automatic transmission, which completes the same sprint in 17.2 seconds.
Dacia’s Sandero, Europe’s best-selling car in 2025, also prioritizes cost over pace.
Its 0–100 km/h time of 16.7 seconds puts it firmly among the slowest new cars on sale, despite its popularity across the continent.
Budget icons
Fiat’s decision to revive the petrol-powered 500 has added another slow contender. The hybrid version, with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine producing 65 horsepower, reaches 100 km/h in 16.2 seconds.
Choosing the convertible makes things even slower, stretching the sprint to 17.4 seconds due to extra weight.
The Volkswagen Polo with a naturally aspirated 1.0-liter engine is not much better. It needs 15.6 seconds to hit 100 km/h, while the Fiat Panda follows closely at 15.4 seconds with its 1.0-liter petrol engine.
Electric alternative
Electric power does not guarantee quick acceleration.
The Citroën ë-C3 Aircross, despite its 113 horsepower, takes 13.6 seconds to reach 100 km/h. The same figure applies to the Suzuki Swift Hybrid AllGrip, which also completes the sprint in 13.6 seconds.
China’s Leapmotor T03, marketed as an ultra-affordable electric car, manages 0–100 km/h in 12.7 seconds. Slightly quicker, but still far from brisk, is the Dacia Spring, which reaches 100 km/h in 12.3 seconds.
None of these cars are designed to impress at traffic lights. Instead, they appeal through low purchase prices, simple engineering, or efficiency.
In a market obsessed with performance figures, they serve as a reminder that not every buyer is in a hurry.
Sources: Boosted
