Ford Ka

Our verdict

The Ford Ka is an ageing but still superb little thing. The mad looks have grown on everyone now, and a great little chassis makes this a gem of a city car. But a replacement is imminent.

Comfort

The interior is a little cramped by modern standards, but it's fairly quiet and composed, even at high speeds. Not that you'll be achieving high speeds, but it's nice to know.

Performance

Unless you've bought the SportKa, leave your drag racing ambitions at the door. The 69bhp 1.3-litre engine brings up 60mph in a glacial 14.3 seconds and can't nudge the speedo into three figures.

Cool

Somehow the Ka is cool. Small is very definitely cool these days, and despite its obvious age the Ka can still cut it visually and dynamically amongst the current crop of city cars.

Quality

This is yesteryear Ford, so interior trim is a bit cheap and unimaginative, but the mechanicals, from the previous generation Fiesta, are proven and uncomplicated.

Handling

The Ka's trump card is handling, with its wide stance, wheel in every corner and lightning quick steering, it's a blast around town. The stiffer, more focused SportKa is all this and more besides.

Practicality

Not the biggest car inside, as you might expect, but superior design of late makes better use of little spaces. The Ka has no five-door option, but you can still get two in the back better than you can in a modern Mini.

Running costs

This is going to be a bargain - older cars always are, especially with a new model due. Haggle harder than you would in a Turkish bazaar and you'll be amazed what you could get away with.