There was a time when a hybrid Toyota was a sensible but uninspiring choice of family car. The old Toyota Auris is a prime example of that - dependable and cheap-to-run, yes, but lacking even the slightest hint of charisma. But the latest Toyota Corolla is genuinely a very good car. There are no...

Is there a better looking hatchback (or affordable saloon) out there than the latest Mazda 3? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but we're utterly convinced it's easily as desirable as premium brand rivals such as the BMW 1 Series , Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class .  The 3's...

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...

The Audi A3 Sportback of 2013 is a 5-door family hatchback for drivers seeking a little more status than from a Ford Focus or even a VW Golf.  Sharing engienes, drivetrains and MQB inegrated subframes with the VW Golf BII, SEAT Leon and Skoda Octavia it's good to drive, refined and extremely practical,...

With the popularity of the BMW 1 Series there were big expectations for the A3 which faced more competition than ever before. The good news is that it didn’t disappoint. The styling is familiar. Audi was not especially daring with the design but it echoes other Audi models and is a neat and unfussy...