What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards - Best superminis

Up to £3000
Ford Ka 1, '00/W, 54k miles, £2295

The superb value of the Ka proved just too hard to resist for this year's judges. As one said: 'You won't get a better car for under three grand'. So what makes the Ka so popular?

First, it's a joy to drive. The chassis, based on the previous Fiesta, may be getting long in the tooth, but you wouldn't know it. The 'wheel in each corner' design ensures great driveability and confident, predictable handling.

The Ka's 59bhp, 1.3-litre engine may not sound particularly powerful, but it shifts the lightweight Ka with aplomb, whether in town or on the motorway, and returns 45mpg, too.

Second, it still looks as good as it did in 1996, when it first appeared on our roads. Ford gambled on the radical design, but has been repaid with a fan-base ranging from style-conscious teenagers to more practically minded pensioners – no mean feat.

The Ka is also Ford’ most reliable used model, according to independent warranty provider Warranty Direct. It achieved 10th spot in our latest reliability study (click here to read the survey) with only 17% of Kas needing a warranty repair in the last two years.

Suspension gripes are reasonably common, however, so buyers should listen for thunks and clunks on test drives.

The beauty of the Ka is that, even if it needs fixing, spares and repairs are as cheap as they get, so it's no bother to keep on the road, even as it ages.

The Ka 1 we've picked is also cheap to insure, and, at this age, includes the power steering you'll need to extract maximum enjoyment.

The only real fly in the ointment is that the Ka can't match today's class leaders for safety. However, not many sub-£3000 cars can, and at least a driver's airbag is included.

Also consider
Nissan Micra 1.0 S 3dr, '01/X, 47k miles, £2695
It may look dated alongside the current Micra, but there's no doubt that this is still a fantastic, fun-to-drive car for anyone on a tight budget. There are plenty of cheap examples around, and many have led quiet lives.

The Micra is also in our current top 10 for used car reliability, is one of the cheapest superminis to run and its spare parts won’t break the bank. At this age, S models have a driver's airbag and power steering.

On a different budget?
£3000-£5000
£4545 Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Comfort 3dr, '02/52, 32k miles

Also consider
£4895 Fiat Punto 1.2 Active 3dr, '04/04, 14k miles

Over £5000
£5745 Toyota Yaris 1.0 T3 3dr, '04/53, 16k miles

Also consider
£6545 Ford Fiesta 1.4 Zetec a/c 3dr, '03/53, 20k miles