What Car? Car of the Year awards 2011 - Supermini contenders

What Car? Awards 2012 website


Best buy less than £9000
Hyundai i10 1.2 Comfort
List price £8520
Target Price £8145

The scrappage scheme is a distant memory, but there are still plenty of reasons for car buyers with limited funds to be cheerful.

Chief among them is our favourite budget-price supermini, the Hyundai i10.

The 1.2 Comfort model costs less than £9000, but leaves you anything but short-changed.

The perky 1.2-litre petrol engine is a gem – it’s smooth, eager to rev and has reasonable pace.

It also returns more than 56mpg and, because it emits just 119g/km of CO2, you don’t pay road tax for the first year of ownership.

The i10 is good to drive, too, with decent ride and handling. The gearshift is so slick it could grace a hot hatch. The cabin is solid and simple, and there’s just enough space for four.

What sets the i10 apart, though, is its value for money. Our model has air-conditioning, alloy wheels, an auxiliary input socket, four electric windows and four airbags. A five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty is standard.

As good as competitors such as the Toyota Aygo, Citroën C1 and Peugeot 107 are, they can’t match the i10 for all-round appeal.

Hyundai i10 review


Best buy £9000-£13,000
Ford Fiesta 1.25 82 Zetec 5dr
List price £12,795
Target Price £11,588

The Ford Fiesta proves that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a big feel-good factor. That’s partly due to the way it drives.

For a small car it has excellent refinement, sharp handling and impeccable composure at speed. Responsive, well-weighted steering and a slick gearshift add to its mature character.

The 1.25 petrol engine helps, too. It produces only 80bhp, but it’s so smooth and willing that working it hard is a pleasure.

Subtle tweaks to the range have elevated the Fiesta back to the top of its class. It costs around £1300 less across the range compared to this time last year.

Thanks to those price cuts, we can recommend this Zetec model, which now comes with stability control as standard, along with air-conditioning, alloy wheels and smart interior and exterior trim.

Last year’s winner, the Volkswagen Polo, ran the Fiesta very close. It’s a brilliant little car, with a classy cabin, refined road manners and a very desirable image.

Our favourite model falls into a higher price bracket, though, and it still can’t make you smile like the Fiesta.

Ford Fiesta review


Best buy more than £13,000
Audi A1 1.4 TFSI Sport
List price £15,670
Target Price £15,670

This time last year, whatcar.com users voted the Audi A1 the most exciting new car due in 2010. It has more than lived up to expectations.

It makes owning a new Audi possible for those who previously couldn’t afford it, but with no sacrifice in quality or engineering.

Go for the 1.4 TFSI model and you get a blend of strong performance but miserly fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The A1 is fun, too.

Sport models live up to their name, with steering and handling that are a match for much pricier, performance-oriented cars.

Inside, the A1 comes close to matching Audi’s larger saloons for quality, with first-rate materials and an attractive, TT-inspired design. It’s also practical enough for four, even if the boot is on the small side.

Undoubtedly, there are some people who will prefer the image of the A1’s key rival, the Mini, and if you need extra practicality, a five-door Volkswagen Polo is by far your best bet in this price range. Until the introduction of the five-door A1 Sportback later this year, of course.

Audi A1 review