Citroen C2 vs Renault Laguna

This French connection is a fine example of how far the market is skewed to favour small diesels: a supermini known for its cheap and cheerful image is retaining half its £9,400 list price three years later. Yet for similar money – or even less – you can buy a three-year-old Renault Laguna.

The Renault is equipped with a frugal 1.9 diesel engine, and has a boot two-and-a-half times bigger than the Citroen’s. Plus, the 118bhp dCi model squeezes into the £120 road tax band – and will stay there next year – thanks to its excellent CO2 and economy figures. That takes some of the shine off the £35-a-year C2 and its 69mpg average.

Reliability woes are partly to blame for the Laguna’s appalling residuals – blown turbos in the 1.9 are common. But if that puts you off the Renault, Peugeot 407s and Citroen C5s of a similar age and spec are only around £1,000 more.

Citroen C2 1.4 HDi Renault / Laguna 1.9 dCi
* Price from: £4,800 / £4,500
* Example we found: 1.4 HDi Design / 1.9 dCi Expression

* Year/Mileage: 05-reg, 55,000 miles / 05-reg, 37,000 miles
* Price now: £4,800 £4,500
* Price new in 2005: £9,395 £16,575

* Economy/CO2: 68.9mpg/118g/km / 51.3mpg/150g/km

* Tax now/Apr: 2009 £35/£30 / £120/£120