Scrappage special - Buyer's guide - Superminis

Hyundai i20 1.2 Comfort 5dr

Price £9445
Target price £8998
Economy 54.3mpg
CO2 emissions 124g/km

It's staggering what you can get for your money these days – drive away in this refined Hyundai i20, for instance, for the price of a new kitchen.

It may not win awards for originality, but the i20 is modern and stylish and doesn’t look anything like as cheap as it is.

It's good to drive, too, and the 1.2-litre engine is another major plus – impressively smooth and refined, delivering decent performance and better than 50mpg. CO2 emissions are low as well.

Inside, the i20 isn't as swish as some big-name rivals, but it's sturdily built, easy to use and has space enough for four adults and their luggage.

So far, so good, but the i20 also has two other aces up its sleeve.

First, Hyundai's five-year, unlimited mileage warranty. Second, rival superminis with the same level of kit cost thousands more. Go for the Comfort trim and you'll get, as standard, alloy wheels, air-conditioning, four electric windows, an MP3 input socket, remote central locking and six airbags.

Fiat 500 Pop

Price £8300
Target price £8300
Economy 55.4
CO2 119 g/km


If you'd told us a couple of years ago that you could get a car as desirable as the Fiat 500 for so little money we wouldn't have believed you. But chic and cheap can go hand-in-hand as the 500 proves.

Those retro looks give it a sophisticated air that only the much more expensive Mini can match in this class. The interior is just as exquisitely styled, and the mood is quirky and classy.

In truth, the driving experience isn't as engaging, but its good enough and the light steering makes it effortless to use around town.

The 1.2-litre engine is perky and reasonably refined, and average fuel consumption helps to keep running costs down.

Standard kit on our favoured Pop trim version isn't lavish, but the basics are there and the optional air conditioning is only £500. In all, the Pop 500 is great value, and far more of a car than the sum of its parts.