79: Fiat Tipo – Honest, basic car that delivers on its promise

You may well be looking at the Fiat Tipo, and its Lidl-style price list, and cocking something of a snook at what appears to be a cheap-o no-hoper Italian hatchback, saloon, and estate. This would be the wrong tack to take. Honestly, the Tipo is not the most dramatic, entertaining, or enervating car around, but what it does, it does well. And what it does well is… most things, to be honest.

Looking at the price list tells you that the only way to get as much metal for your money as you get with a basic Tipo is to go for a Dacia Duster. The two cars, different in style, are actually pretty close in execution. Both cheap and cheerful, spacious, and powered by tried and trusted mechanical packages.

The best Tipo, by far, is the 1.6 diesel estate - in Easy spec it comes with 16-inch alloys, five-inch touchscreen stereo, foglights, leather bits, cruise control, and air conditioning. All you need, in other words, plus a massive boot and a car that’s so affordable that you won’t care if the kids spill or the dog chews. Nothing wrong with any of that.

Best model: Tipo Estate Easy 1.6 M-Jet Diesel for €22,495