Audi A1

A small car with Audi qualities and the Audi badge can't fail. All the petrol engines are good, and quality is up to the usual Audi standards. The A1 has a far bigger boot than the rival Mini.

Against As you progress up the trim hierarchy, you get firmer suspension, bigger wheels and a firmer ride. The list prices aren’t exactly cheap, either, and the diesel engines are noisy.

The Audi A1 is a sure-fire hit. It has all that's good about the brand in a package less than four metres long. However, unless you can live with a hard ride, avoid the firmest suspension and biggest wheels.

SEAT IBIZA

The Seat Ibiza is attractively priced and smartly styled. It backs this up with competitive running costs, decent equipment and a composed ride.

Against The interior can’t match the best-in-class for quality, and room is restricted in the back of the three-door model. Some engines feel a little underpowered, and the diesel engines are noisy when revved hard.

The Seat Ibiza trails the class best in a number of areas, but overall, it’s a fairly sound buy.

RENAULT CLIO

The Renault Clio has some smooth and flexible engines, and most versions are affordable to run. The touch-screen infotainment system fitted to high-end models is packed with features and is easy to use.

This is an exceptionally competitive class, and the Renault Clio isn’t that far behind the class leaders.

SKODA FABIA

The Fabia offers excellent space, economical engines, impressive visibility and plenty of safety equipment for a competitive price.

Against It doesn't ride that well over patchy surfaces and many rivals have more appealing interiors.

The Skoda Fabia is supremely spacious for a small car, plus it's well equipped, good to drive and undercuts its main rivals on price. It's a brilliant choice and is thoroughly deserving of our 2015 Car of the Year award.

VOLKSWAGEN UP

The Volkswagen Up is a funky-looking city car, which is economical, spacious and good to drive.

Against It looks a bit pricey compared with some rivals and the lower-powered engine can struggle on the motorway.

HYUNDAI I10

The i10 is quieter and more practical than all its city car rivals. It’s also cheap to buy and run, and is easy to park.

Against A VW Up is more enjoyable to drive and looks a bit classier inside.

VOLKSWAGEN POLO

The Polo is refined, competitively priced and has a plush-feeling cabin. Its resale values and infotainment system are excellent.

Against Some rivals have more rear-seat space, the low-speed ride is a little fidgety, and the 1.0-litre petrol engines feel underpowered outside of town.

FORD FIESTA

The Ford Fiesta is superb to drive: it rides comfortably and handles with real panache. It's stylish inside and out, and there are some big discounts available.

Against It trails some rivals for versatility and standard equipment is a bit stingy on cheaper trims.

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CABRIOLET

 The Beetle Cabriolet is unashamedly style-focused, but it’s stable and nimble enough to satisfy in everyday driving. There’s plenty of space in the front seats, and the boot is a decent size.

Against Back-seat occupants don’t get much space, rear visibility is poor and some of the cabin materials feel a little cheap. The low-speed ride is firm, too.

SEAT TOLEDO

The Seat Toledo gives you a roomy cabin and a huge boot. It’s also significantly cheaper than similarly-equipped versions of the Ford Focus and VW Golf.

KIA PROCEED

 

The Proceed is a keenly priced three-door hatchback with a classy interior, a comfortable ride and sleek, coupe-like looks.

RENAULT ZOE

Funky looks, practical cabin, generous equipment list and cheap to purchase by electric car standards if you lease the battery.

VAUXHALL AMPERA HATCHBACK

SKODA RAPID SPACEBACK

The Skoda Rapid Spaceback is relatively practical, and some versions are well priced. The 1.2-litre petrol engines are smooth and flexible.

Against The regular Rapid is even more practical yet costs less to buy, while similarly priced rivals are classier, more comfortable and more refined. Entry-level versions miss out on important kit.

If you're on a shoestring and need lots of space, the regular Skoda Rapid makes much more sense than this Skoda Rapid Spaceback. Otherwise, the Kia Ceed and Seat Leon are better buys.

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MG MG6 HATCHBACK

 The MG6 is spacious and well equipped, plus it remains composed in bends.

Against It makes very little financial sense due to its inefficient engines and weak resale values, while the interior plastics look cheap and nasty, and refinement is awful.

The MG6 feels out of date in several key areas, so it’s impossible to recommend.




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RENAULT MEGANE COUPE

The Renault Megane Coupe is well equipped and is cheaper than most rivals. It’s available with some efficient engines, too, while the Renaultsport models are sensational to drive.

Against The other versions aren’t as good to drive as key rivals, and the ride is firm. There’s too much wind and road noise, you’ll be cramped in the back, and the dashboard is a mess.

The Renaultsport model is one of the best hot hatches on sale, but the other Renault Megane Coupe verions are best avoided.





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VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

The Volkswagen Beetle is reasonable to drive and there are some fine engines to pick from. There’s plenty of head and elbow space up front and those large side windows flood the cabin with light.

Against The rear seats are cramped and some of the interior materials feel disappointingly cheap. The low-speed ride is firm, too.

 The VW Beetle is not the most engaging car to drive but that’s hardly likely to bother fans of its classic retro styling. What may bother them, however, are the unsettled low speed ride and the cramped rear seats.




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VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SALOON

The Volkswagen Jetta is an elegant, neatly proportioned saloon that’s well built and attractively priced. It has plenty of cabin space and a deceptively large boot.

Against Traditionally, the Jetta has been unloved by hatchback-mad UK buyers, so its resale values are nothing special – that’s unusual for a Volkswagen.

A very likeable, very capable, compact saloon, the VW Jetta is designed to appeal to those looking to downsize from larger family cars.




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SEAT ALTEA

 

Despite its tall body, the Seat Altea is enjoyable to drive, and it looks sporty and stylish. It's roomy, keenly priced and well equipped.

Against The Altea is not as quiet and refined as some rivals, and the suspension of Sport models is too firm. Its cabin is not particularly versatile or flexible.

The Seat Altea is a stylish alternative to a conventional MPV, with sporty handling and distinctive looks, but refinement and practicality should be better. Longer XL models bring welcome extra boot space.

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PEUGEOT 308 SW

 The 308 SW has a large boot and lots of practical touches. Its engines are economical and have low CO2 emissions, so running costs are low.

Against Most rivals offer more rear-seat space and the touch-screen system is too fiddly.

The Peugeot 308 SW is a good load-lugger, and most versions are cheap to run, but it can’t match the class best for cabin space.




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HYUNDAI IX20

The Hyundai ix20 is roomy inside and the touches designed to make it versatile work pretty well. The cabin looks quite stylish, too, and the safety equipment is comprehensive.

Against It’s no better than average to drive, and the interior isn’t as classy as it looks at first glance. The noisy, under-performing diesel engine is best avoided.

The Hyundai ix20 isn’t the cleverest mini-MPV or the best to drive, but it’s a decent all-rounder that gives you loads of space.



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MAZDA 3 SALOON

Both the petrol and diesel engines are economical, and the 3 Fastback handles neatly and comes with plenty of equipment. It’s cheaper than many other compact saloons, too.

Against There’s lots of wind and road noise on the motorway, and rival saloons offer more boot space.

 If you want a small saloon, the Mazda 3 Fastback is a decent choice. It’ll cost you less as a company car than its premium-badged rivals, but most private buyers will be better off with the more practical Mazda 3 hatchback.




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TOYOTA PRIUS

 The Prius swaps smoothly between petrol and electric power, and is effortless to drive around town, plus the cabin is roomy enough for families. Emissions are low and resale values high.

Against The interior plastics are disappointing, especially as the Prius is so expensive. Rear visibility is poor, there’s barely any feel in the steering and the ride can be unsettled.

The Toyota Prius makes a good family car as well as a good green car, thanks to its spacious cabin and big boot. However, it’s disappointing to drive and makes more sense as a company car than a private buy.

SMART FORFOUR

The Forfour combines a clever and spacious four-seat interior with efficient petrol engines, excellent manoeuvrability and quirky looks.

Against It’s expensive to buy, and the lifeless steering and noisy engines mean the Smart isn’t as fun to drive as other city cars.

The Smart Forfour is a conventional city car that combines lots of space with smart looks, but it’s not good enough to beat the best in the class.

VAUXHALL ASTRA GTC

The Vauxhall Astra GTC is an affordable, good-looking alternative to coupes like the VW Scirocco. It drives well, it’s practical and comes competitively equipped.

Against The styling may be a little conservative for style-conscious coupe buyers, and it won’t match a Scirocco on resale values.

The Vauxhall Astra GTC is a sharp-looking coupe with the handling to match, but it falls short of the VW Scirocco’s brilliance.

VAUXHALL ASTRA SPORTS TOURER

The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer looks great inside and out, and its cabin is built from high-quality plastics. It’s practical, too, and the ride is very comfortable.

Against It’s expensive to buy and lease, and doesn’t hold its value well. The steering is vague.

The classy, spacious cabin is a real highlight, but the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer falls short of the best small family estates in key areas.

SKODA RAPID

There's lots of space inside, as well as a huge boot. Prices undercut those of a similarly equipped Hyundai i30 or Kia Ceed.

Against The ride is uncomfortable, the cabin materials feel cheap and there’s too much road and wind noise.

The Skoda Rapid offers lots of space for not much money. Many rivals are quieter and more comfortable, though.

AUDI A3 CABRIOLET

The A3 Cabriolet comes with strong, efficient engines, and strikes an excellent balance between comfort and control on SE suspension. It's refined, the interior is beautifully built and resale values are high.

Against It’s fairly expensive to buy, there isn’t much space in the rear seats and the optional S tronic automatic gearbox is rather jerky.

The Audi A3 Cabriolet is great to drive and fantastic to sit in. It’s a superb open-top.

MG3 Hatchback

The MG3 is cheap and comes with lots of equipment. Good interior space means four adults will be comfortable, and insurance costs are low.

Against The engine feels weak and emissions and fuel economy are poor. The steering is too heavy at low speed, the ride is harsh and the interior feels low-rent.

The MG3 is cheap to buy and insure, but it’ll cost you more to run than many rivals because it loses its value more quickly, uses more fuel and emits more CO2. It isn’t particularly good to drive, either.

CITROEN DS4

The Citroen DS4 is a good-looking, high-quality alternative to a conventional small family hatch. The engines have proven themselves to be corkers, and it promises to be well equipped.

Against The coupe-like looks don’t come cheap, and they don’t do much for the car’s practicality, either. The ride is just too harsh for UK roads.

If you’re looking for something a bit different to conventional family hatches, the Citroen DS4 could suit you. However, make sure you can live with a firm ride and that you value style way above practicality and comfort.

NISSAN PULSAR

 

It has one of the roomiest interiors in the family car class, plus it is well equipped and refined.

Against The unsupportive seats compromise long-distance comfort, and only the more expensive versions get a colour touch-screen. Resale values aren't great, either.

Nissan Pulsar is a good all-rounder, especially if you go for one of the cheaper versions.