Cars for kids: choosing the right car - Best buy up to £4000

Fiat Panda 1.2 Dynamic ('03/53-'06/06)
Price from £3500

A 1.1 Active is a lot cheaper, but we'd recommend going for the 1.2 Dynamic - the 1.1-litre engine is underpowered and is actually less economical than the 1.2-litre.

There's loads of safety equipment as standard, but you may be able to find a car also fitted with stability control, and side airbags and curtain airbags.

Depending on how much you're spending, and the age of the car, you could get a fair chunk of the manufacturer's warranty left.

If not, don't despair: the Panda has proved pretty dependable so far - it was rated 'above average' for mechanical reliability in the latest JD Power Customer Satisfaction survey.

Or try a...
Citroën C2 1.1 L 3dr ('03/53-'06/55)
Price from £3800

The C2 scores well on safety, thanks to a four-star Euro NCAP crash rating, as well as anti-lock brakes and four airbags as standard.

It also looks good and is cheap to run. Reliability isn't a strong point, though.

Ford Focus 1.4 LX 5dr ('01/51-'02/52)
Price from £3100

The Focus is comparatively costly to insure and run, but it's a fantastic all-rounder. It's also a lot more practical than the C2 or Panda.

Anti-lock brakes weren't standard until February 2003, so go for a car that has them as an extra.