The best green small family car of 2012 needs to excel in every area. We expect CO2 emissions and fuel economy that are a match for some superminis, yet there shouldn’t be any shortfall in performance or refinement.

Our winner should be practical enough for families and have a decent standard of equipment, yet ownership costs should be reasonable.

Our winner here will be one of the greenest cars available, yet shouldn’t require any compromise from buyers. It’s a big ask.