9/10AlpineA110£47,545 – £51,545A terrific car, a genuine exponent of light weight and something pleasingly different to drive
9/10ArielAtom 4£39,975The Atom has grown up: still blindingly quick, but with an added measure of civility
9/10MazdaMX-5£19,000 – £29,310A great examplar for keeping a car's mechanicals simple. The MX-5 provides fun at entirely legal speeds
9/10SkodaSuperb Estate£25,420 – £40,280Skoda’s kept all of what we loved about the old Superb (size, space, value) and added updated interior tech and a genuinely stylish body. Verging on genius
8/10CaterhamSeven£18,689 – £43,000Brilliant, fearsomely potent, and never less than addictive to drive.
8/10VolvoS90£38,200 – £47,900Goes in a different direction to the German alternatives, with convincing success.
8/10MorganPlus Four (2020)£35,400 – £43,200The point where 2020s technology meets 1920s craftsmanship. Not perfect, but a joyous thing nonetheless...
8/10VolkswagenGolf R£18,325 – £31,020One of the best all-round performance cars ever made. Fast, forgiving, and everyday-friendly
8/10HyundaiKona Electric£17,240 – £40,895One of the best all-round, reasonably priced EVs you can buy today
8/10Mercedes-BenzB-Class£27,385 – £37,585The B-Class is now a genuine contender – if an expensive one – in the family hatch sector.
8/10SkodaKaroq£22,305 – £34,880The Karoq might have lost its predecessor’s personality, but on every other front it’s a better car than the one it replaces
8/10SeatAteca£22,770 – £36,075Been around for a few years. Still among the best of its ilk, but look at the new Leon Estate before you buy
8/10VolkswagenGolf (Mk7)£18,325 – £31,020It defines this sector and should be its default buy. You simply can’t go wrong.
8/10VolkswagenGolf Estate£22,100 – £29,565It's taken Volkswagen a surprising amount of time to get here, but finally we have a Golf Estate that's up with the best.
8/10AudiS1£18,230 – £31,030Well done Audi, this one's a proper little stonker: fast, small, fun, a 4wd hot hatch done properly.
8/10Morgan3-Wheeler£31,140 – £34,000There’s no rationalising the Morgan 3-Wheeler, which is a massive part of its appeal. Take it at face value and love it.
8/10VolkswagenGolf GTI (Mk7)£18,325 – £31,020Overlook the fact it’s so good that it’s almost joyless: the latest Golf GTI is very desirable indeed
8/10VolkswagenGolf Cabriolet£18,325 – £31,020After a classy cabrio but don't have Audi-like cash? Try this. GTI expensive but worth it; R perhaps not
