Mercedes C-Class

With its 120bhp 1.8-litre supercharged engine, the base model can sprint from 0-62mph in 11.4 seconds - which is 1.7 seconds slower than the C180 K. The difference is less obvious on the road, where the Sports Coupe rarely feels slow. The weakest part of the drivetrain is the notchy manual transmission, with its overly sensitive clutch.

Despite the drop in pace, the car offers little advantage in economy over the more powerful variant. So why choose it? At ΂£19,490, it is ΂£1,155 cheaper than the C180 K. It is no bargain, but compared to the rest of the range it makes the most sense.