Nissan Micra

It's getting on a bit these days but the Micra is still up there with the best – and the fact that you can buy the credible supermini for less than £8,000 is great news.

Weighing in at £7,495 for the entry-level 1.2-litre Visia-trimmed 3dr, buyers get a spacious and well-built small car that still looks fresh today. Performance from the 64bhp engine is glacial, with 0-60mph taking 16 seconds, but the pay-off is close to 50mpg combined.

As you might expect, the equipment count isn't very high, with only basics such as electric windows and power steering ticked off, but apart from that there's much to like about the Micra. It's a grown-up supermini for not much money.