63: Fiat 500 – Prolonging its career with successive visits to plastic surgeon

As with so many professional entertainers, the 500 seems to keep prolonging its career with successive visits to the plastic surgeon. It’s been nipped and tucked countless times since it was first launched in 2007, and yet somehow manages to look and feel as fresh now as it did then. And if you think the 500 as a whole is ancient, you should see the engine.

The 70hp 1.2-litre petrol (the only one officially available in Ireland) dates back to the early 1980s… Still, the 500 looks impossibly cute, and while the cabin looks more or less the same inside, its quality levels have been steadily improved over the years. The driving position still feels a bit bar-stool-y, and it bounces over bumps, but the little Fiat is still fun, engaging, charming, and can be run on a budget of buttons. A new model will arrive. Eventually. This one will do fine until then.

Best model: 500 S 1.2 for €17,245

Price range: €14,645 to €21,045. Finance from €137 per month.