What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards - Best small family cars

£4000-£6000
Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec 5dr, ’02/02, 38k miles, £5795

The Focus is going to take some beating; it’s the third time on the trot that it has walked away with the silverware in this class. And with the latest-generation Focus released last year, it's only a matter of time before these newer cars make it onto the used market in numbers and vie for top slot.

Our model of choice is the old Focus 1.6 Zetec 5dr, due to its easy availability, sporty specification and desirability. There are plenty of cars available, so you should be able to find the colour and exact specification you're looking for.

Remember, air-conditioning was an optional extra on the Zetec, but it won't be difficult to track down one that had it fitted at the factory. You should have no problem finding a buyer when it's time to sell it on, too.

Drive a Focus 1.6 Zetec today and you're instantly reminded why it makes such a sensible choice. It turned the small family car market on its head when it arrived back in 1998, and it still feels like a great car. Our judges particularly liked the sharp handling, ample space and excellent practicality.

One of the Focus's strengths is its bullet-proof reliability. As one judge put it: 'You never hear a bad word said about them.'

Despite the vintage, the Focus ages well, and even cars with above-average mileage tend not to suffer undue wear and tear. Depreciation should always be on the mind of a car buyer, but when you're looking at a Focus of this age, it has already gone through the painful years. You should only lose money gradually from now on.

Also consider
Vauxhall Astra 1.6 16v Club 5dr, '03/52, 28k miles, £5940
The Astra is a regular entry in the What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards. This year's favourite in the £4000-£6000 category is the 1.6 16v Club 5dr. It goes for sensible money, and the standard specification makes it almost as satisfying to own as a Focus.

Hunt around and you can find a good example on a '03/52 plate with fewer than 30,000 miles on the clock for £5940. If the car has done more than 40,000 miles there should be details of a cambelt change with the service history.


On a different budget?
Under £4000
£3845 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 16v LS 5dr, '00/V, 55k miles

Also consider
£3999 Renault Mégane 1.4 16v Authentique 5dr, '02/52, 40k miles

Over £6000
£7095 Honda Civic 1.6 SE 5dr, ’03/03, 26k miles

Also consider
£7395 Toyota Corolla 1.6 T2 5dr, '03/52, 28k miles