6/10KiaCee'd Sportswagon£19,625 – £24,585The Kia Cee'd is the car that lobs the paving slab of reality into the windscreen of preconception. It might be a straight clone of a Toyota/Ford/VW hatch, but it’s a damn good one.
6/10FiatTipo£14,915 – £20,910Probably Fiat’s least interesting car, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth ignoring if you love a bargain.
6/10NissanMicra£13,875 – £22,385It's engine range isn't class leading, but overlook that and the Micra is a massively improved contender
6/10NissanX-Trail£30,235 – £34,260A good, solid SUV. Lots of space, but competitors have caught and passed in some areas
6/10RenaultMegane£17,515 – £23,930Not the most compelling hatch, but as a car for real family life, it could be brilliant
Editor’s choice6/10DS3£17,090 – £23,260Not as fresh as it was, but ageing gracefully, and still the best DS of the bunch.
6/10CitroenC4 Cactus£21,535 – £23,880While still a comfy, useful hatchback, the C4 Cactus's move mainstream has taken away its class hero status
7/10Hyundaii40£22,415 – £28,615Hyundai arrives to worry the Ford Mondeo – and the impressive i40 certainly does that.
7/10Hyundaii30£17,090 – £25,250A very rational car in standard form, which will make your life easy, but not exciting
7/10BMW1 Series£22,835 – £23,365BMW's switch from RWD to FWD for the new hatch is no bad thing. This new 1 Series is a good car from the bottom up.
7/10VolkswagenTouran£27,965 – £34,950Better than the car it replaces, but not interesting, exciting or memorable.
7/10VauxhallCrossland X£18,230 – £24,235It presents enough rational arguments that it'll insinuate itself deep into many families' lives.
7/10Peugeot208£16,065 – £23,145A supremely desirable, futuristic ‘mini with a powertrain for everyone. Just beware the firm ride
7/10RenaultScenic£19,015 – £27,655MPV sales are down, but the stylish Scenic has every chance of reversing the trend.
7/10SkodaFabia£12,415 – £18,005Great option for someone who doesn’t really care about cars or driving.
7/10Peugeot208£16,065 – £23,145Peugeot has a hit on its hands with the good looking and cheerily willing 208.
7/10VolkswagenUp GTI£9,955 – £16,090You can tell it’s not had squillions spent developing it, but if you like hot hatches simple and scrappy, the Up GTI is a little tonic
7/10CitroenC3£16,020 – £20,285With its unique style, impressive levels of comfort, and enhanced personalisation options, the C3 is a likeable car to live with
8/10CitroenC4 Cactus£21,535 – £23,880Citroen's Fiat Panda - character over driving thrills, but none the worse for that.
