The fact is, there’s also plenty to like for those who aren’t quite so long-of-tooth. The styling might be fussy in places, but we like the fact that it looks like nothing else in the class, especially when that class is packed full of such conservative-looking machines. One of the biggest boots...

Mechanically speaking, the SEAT Ibiza is almost identical to the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia . However, this Ibiza is a smidgen shorter than the previous model but, narrow garage owners please note, it is 87mm wider and has a slightly longer wheelbase. This means benefits for ride comfort...

The Skoda Fabia has always been a sensible choice of small car and the latest incarnation keeps up the tradition. It’s reasonably priced, cheap to run, comfortable and practical, but gets an added dash of upmarket appeal thanks to new Skoda family styling and extra technology, including standard DAB...

Remember the Nissan Pulsar? Probably not. After telling us that it had turned its back on the hatchback market in favour of crossovers like the Qashqai and Juke, Nissan launched the Pulsar. It was designed to slot into the place formerly occupied by the Nissan Almera, rivalling the likes of the Ford...

Small cars don't have to be exciting to be successful as the Polo proves. It's been going since 1975 and has carved out a reputation as a well built and sensible small hatchback. There's certainly nothing wrong with that and more than 10 million people worldwide seem to agree as they've bought one....

The Citroen C4 was a model that played things safe, sacrificing radical styling in a bid to lure in buyers of more mainstream small hatches . The result, sadly, was a car that lacks sparkle and felt dated on launch next to alternatives such as the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra ....