9/10FordFocus£20,460 – £31,585This Focus, if you get the better rear suspension, is the sweetest drive in the mainstream hatch class
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
8/10VolvoS90£38,200 – £47,900Goes in a different direction to the German alternatives, with convincing success.
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 (Mk8)£18,325 – £31,020New eighth-gen Golf remains the lingua-franca of the hatch world. A finely polished machine
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.
8/10VolkswagenGolf 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
8/10JaguarE-Pace£28,815 – £48,060Jaguar’s little crossover aims to storm a competitive set with F-Type-inspired looks inside and out, and an engaging drive
8/10SkodaKodiaq£25,875 – £43,155A Top Gear award winner in 2016, and rightly so – Skoda’s big crossover is all things to all families.
8/10Land RoverRange Rover Evoque£31,130 – £50,165Land Rover plays with a winning formula just enough. The Evoque remains a stylish, accomplished choice
8/10SkodaOctavia Estate£20,680 – £29,700Not as much fun as a Focus Estate, but more comfortable, practical and very well thought out. Looks the part, too.
8/10SkodaOctavia£19,480 – £28,500Skoda might just have turned things on its head. You’d now recommend an Octavia over a VW Golf or Seat Leon
8/10VolkswagenTiguan£24,785 – £41,350The latest Tiguan feels solid, sensible and laser-guided at its target market
