car reviews

GTI Mk1 gave birth to a era of hot hatchery. And for that, we thank it

Ford EcoSport review: better-looking, better-equipped and better to drive than before

The best 21st Century MG yet. Other faint praise is available...

Octavia’s straight-down-the-line simplicity is refreshing, if not memorable.

It’s the car that Top Gear staffers tend to recommend when asked ‘what should I buy?’ more often than anything else.

The new Beetle is a vast improvement on its predecessor and sportier, too. We like it

Fiat Tipo review: Probably Fiat’s least interesting car, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth ignoring

Smart’s four-door take on the Renault Twingo. Refined, cute, but we wish it were more fun

There are better all-rounders, but idiosyncrasy and charm mark it out

Audis are hit and miss. This is an on-target bullseye. Exactly what a fast hot hatch should be

Nothing wrong with it, apart from being drab and unimaginative, and really not much fun

Peugeot did a decent job with the 107's replacement, but it forgot to add character

Nice to drive and with funky doors, the Meriva is very practical for such a small car. What's not to like?

This is the one they all need to watch out for. VW has finally got serious about the city car

Peugeot can at last lay the ghost of the 205 GTI to rest. This is a very able modern hatch

A fleet-footed boisterous hot hatch that's no longer a one-trick pony

The big-brother to the regular Fiat 500 is roomier and more family-friendly. Nice work, Fiat

Latest i30 Tourer is just £500 more than the hatchback and arguably looks better, too

We're not quite sure how VW allowed it, but Seat has produced a genuine rival to the Golf here...

Second generation Cee'd estate illustrates the fast-developing maturity of the Korean giant. Near premium-look alternative to the Focus and Golf.

Peugeot needed to be bold to regain ground in a sector it once led. The 208 delivers