Skoda Citigo - £8,210

With its blend of refinement, quality, practicality and low running costs, the Citigo still sets the small car standard. It’s available as a three and five-door, while all versions have the same eager 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, with 59bhp or 74bhp.

It shares its underpinnings with the VW up! and SEAT Mii and the trio are very similar – which one you think is best is a matter of personal opinion, but to our eyes the Citigo is the best looking, and the fact that its list price undercuts the VW up! means its better value, too.

Equipment on entry-level models is pretty basic, but there are plenty of options and a range of trim levels to help ensure you get a car with all the goodies you could want. The thing that really sets the Skoda apart from rivals, though, is the driving experience.

It’s ideally suited to town and city driving, as you’d expect, thanks to its compact dimensions and light controls.