Irish Times Best buys: City cars

Three years into its reign and the Hyundai’s position as the biggest bruiser in the smallest class is still unassailed. There are cars which might be a little more modern or a little (even in some cases a lot) more stylish but few can match its combination of comfort, space, refinement and quality. For a small car with a relatively small price, it has some properly big car attributes. Its only flaws are rubbery, incommunicative steering, and the fact that its price is creeping up a little these days. There only one engine choice, a sweet-revving 1.0-litre three-cylinder, but avoid the optional automatic as it pushes the Co2 emissions way up.

Best buy: i10 1.0 Deluxe from €14,245. Prices start at €12,495.

PCP packages start from €141 a month

Read the review: Hyundai's i10 plan for ditching the porky waistlines

What goes for the Up, incidentally, goes equally for the Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii which are essentially identical save for badging and some very minor styling details. Well, we say identical but actually it's worth shopping around if you fancy one of these little cars, as a Skoda dealer may have a better offer on a given day than a VW or a Seat dealer. Or vice versa. Or versa vice. Whichever badge and budget you go for though, you're getting a seriously impressive, seriously well-made car. Avoid the three-door versions as it's impossible to get in and out of the back, but the 1.0-litre petrol is a gem, and seemingly gets 50mpg no matter how you drive it.

Best buy: Move Up 1.0 75hp 5-door from €14,535. Prices start at €12,325.

PCP packages start from €153 a month

While the Hyundai has the feel of a mini-Mercedes and the Up looks as if it could have been designed by Apple’s Jony Ive, the Karl is a rigorously sensible small car, almost of the old school. It’s upright and a touch staid to look at, but that’s compensated by a smart, handsome, high-quality cabin. Plenty of space for a small car too, and the standard 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is a sweetheart - revvy and happy to perform. Lifeless steering detracts from any potential fun, though.

Best buy: Karl 1.0 75hp SC from €13,695. Prices start at €11,995.

PCP packages start from €176

Wild Card:

There is much not to like about the Renault Twingo. Its steering was apparently engineered by Atari (all twirl, no action), the body panels have a habit of vibrating alarmingly at motorway speeds and it has an engine that is too often underpowered and breathless even for a car this small and dainty. And yet, we cannot bring ourselves to hate it. While all the other cars in this segment are solid, sensible and a tiny but dull, the Twingo is as flavoursome as an over-sugared brioche. It looks great, has a clean, funky cabin and the turning circle is so tight that it makes city driving a pleasure, not a chore. Fun, if you’re willing to accept its limitations.

Best buy: Twingo SCE 70hp S&S Dynamique from €15,590. Prices start at €13,990.

PCP packages start from €115 a month.

Buying used?

The littlest Toyota makes some of the biggest sense when it comes to buying a small, second hand car. They’re reliable (watch for weak water pumps and blowing exhausts, while the door and windscreen seals are prone to leaks) and the 1.0-litre engine means they’re insurance friendly for starter drivers.

Best buy: 2013 Aygo 1.0 Aura for circa €8,500