CITY CARS
Best in class:
Hyundai i10 (Pictured above)
The thing about the i10 is that it just feels like a much bigger car. Not when you try to park it, and certainly not when you put fuel in it or pay your annual motor tax. No, the i10 feels big when you drive it, especially up and down the motorway. Then the big seats, comfy driving position and overall mien of refinement really come into play and, while a Mercedes S-Class might be more comfortable, I can't absolutely guarantee that it'll be €100,000 more comfortable. If there's a flaw it's in the steering, which is too rubbery and inconsistent in feel.
Best one: 1.0 Deluxe for €13,495.
Also consider:
Renault Twingo
Small, sparky and just a little bit sexy, the Twingo certainly isn't cheap (clocking in at about €2,000 more expensive than the i10) but it is gorgeous to look at and engaging to drive. It's also the only car other than the Porsche 911 currently on sale with a rear-mounted engine. Rear-mounted engines are cool.
Volkswagen Up Until the i10 came along, the Up was the sine qua non of the tiny car world – classy and classless, affordable but not cheap. It hasn’t changed any in the interim, but don’t forget to check out the Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii – the same car with different badges and occasionally better deals on offer.
Worth waiting for:
Opel
Karl Opel continues the oddball naming policy that brought us the Adam, but the Karl should otherwise be a sensible, upright and practical machine. If it can match the recently-updated Corsa for cabin quality, it could be very desirable.
Launches Summer 2015
SMALL CARS
Best in Class:
Volkswagen Polo
The Polo got a blink-and-miss- it update this past year, which very faintly tweaked the styling inside and out, but the overall effect has been greater than the sum of its parts. Much-improved refinement has really lifted the cabin ambience and the new engines are all exceptionally good, with the basic 1.0-litre three-cylinder and the more expensive 1.2 TSI BlueMotion petrol engines being the pick of the litter. Pricey options can send the price spiralling, but the basic model is sufficiently solid to give it the win.
Best one: 1.0 75hp Trendline for €16,270.
Also consider:
Ford Fiesta
With that gaping Aston Martin-esque grille, the Fiesta couldn't be anything but sporty to drive, and so it proves. It has the best steering and chassis in the class, and the three-cylinder EcoBoost engines are terrific, but the cabin is out-pointed by the Polo.
Peugeot 208
A French car that can match the mighty Polo for classiness? The 208 certainly comes close with pert and perky styling and a cabin that majors on quality and comfort. The engine range isn't as strong as the German's, though.
Worth waiting for:
Mazda 2
The handsome and chunky 2 takes all of the weight and fuel-saving tech from the 3 and 6 and shrinks them down to a small-car size. Mazda quality mixed with efficient new 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines could be a winner.
Launches March 2015.
Skoda Fabia
Good looking, rigorously well made and with impeccable safety and practicality credentials, the new small Skoda could possibly out-Polo the Polo, thanks to using the same mechanical bits in a more affordable package.
Launches January 2015.
