The Volkswagen Polo is simply brilliant. Effortless to drive, spacious and backed by an excellent range of petrol engines, the Volkswagen Polo is the best excuse you’ll ever need for downsizing your daily driver.

Admittedly, it’s a bit pricier than many of its talented rivals, but the refined and practical Polo is one of the most accomplished small cars in its class. It’s also pretty much identical underneath to the latest SEAT Ibiza, but feels distinctly more upmarket, with higher quality materials and better soundproofing. You also get more choice when it comes to tech.

It offers a Tardis-like interior that provides comfortable transport for up to four large adults and the boot is huge, too. Downsides? It isn't as fun to drive as some, but it’s safe, predictable and comfortable on the move. The 1.0 TSI is also one of the best turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engines you can buy.

The Toyota Yaris used to be reliable and worthy, but dull to look at and to drive. All of that's changed with the latest model. 

Not only does its butch stance and curvy look make it more distinctive than the boxy old car, but it's also much better to drive. Using a shrunken-down version of the excellent Toyota Corolla's platform means it's composed and corners well, but is also pretty comfortable. 

Like the Honda Jazz, the Toyota Yaris is now hybrid-only (if you ignore the bonkers GR Yaris). It uses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor, giving surprisingly peppy performance and impressive real-world economy. And even though it uses a CVT gearbox, the engine's fruity thrum means its revving isn't unpleasant. 

Combine that with a solid (if slightly plasticky) interior and Toyota's famed reliability reputation, and it's clear that the Yaris is one of the most complete small cars around. 

Over the years, the Honda Jazz has quietly become one of the small cars to beat: quiet, comfortable, practical and high quality. The Jazz was replaced by a newer generation in 2020, and we rate the latest model as the best yet. 

On the road the Jazz is a well-balanced car, blending ride comfort, secure handling and impressive refinement. Practicality is good, too, with loads of space inside for people and luggage, plus really clever rear seats that make the interior even more versatile. While it isn’t the most exciting small car, the Jazz is ideal for pootling around town or cruising on the motorway. It does everything you want it to, and it does it very well. As an all-rounder, it's pretty much perfect.

The Peugeot 208 comes well equipped to deal with the day to day trials and tribulations of a small car.

There are large pockets in all four doors, two sizeable cup holders in the front, and a dedicated space to place your phone safely out the way, plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are supported in all trims.

With a comfortable ride, light controls and decent visibility, the 208 is great to drive in town, allowing you to nip in and out of spaces with ease. There is a range of engine choices, but we’d recommend the 100PS PureTech petrol, which has a pleasing growl under acceleration and quiet running when up to speed.

And with the latest 208 having been available for a few years, there are some decent savings to be had on the second-hand market.

Smart, stylish and backed by a range of fine petrol engines, the Ibiza feels more grown up and better rounded than ever before. Factor in the huge boot and refined ride, and the SEAT Ibiza has bags of appeal.

Mechanically speaking, the SEAT Ibiza is very similar to the Volkswagen Polo, but it’s a bit more compelling to drive. Refinement and practicality are areas of strength, too. The cabin is large enough to fit four adults, and storage around the cabin is also plentiful.

The only area that lets the side down is the spec. Standard equipment levels are a bit meagre, which means you’ll have to pay extra or spec up to get essentials like DAB audio, touchscreen navigation and cruise control. Like-for-like, rivals like the Suzuki Swift are more generous with equipment, though the SEAT does balance this with low running costs.

The MINI Hatch trades heavily against its classic roots, with its compact size and retro styling giving a notable nod to the 1950s’ original. However, it has a bang up-to-date interior, plenty of tech and lots of standard equipment even on the cheaper models. We rate it as a modern masterpiece.

The MINI Hatch isn't as at home on the motorway as some of its rivals here, instead focusing on being fantastic fun to drive around town and on country lanes. It's really enjoyable, although the trade-off is a firmer ride than most cars here, and some road noise.  

The interior is also fresh and premium, with lots of retro touches. However, rear space is best described as ‘limited’, which means large adults will find it a squeeze. 

Overall, the MINI is a classy hatchback that's packed with kit. It's more expensive than alternatives like the Volkswagen Polo, but with a superb cabin, you can see where your money's going. 

French car companies know how to make a good small car: it's their bread and butter. And the latest Renault Clio is a stylish and likeable all-rounder. 

You can forget Renault's flimsy and cheap-feeling interiors of old, as the Clio has a real injection of quality and good amounts of technology, too, particularly on higher-end models with the portrait-angled infotainment touchscreen. 

There's plenty of space for a small car, too, with the Clio giving even the Skoda Fabia a run for its money with its 391-litre boot. You really could (just about) use this as a family car if you have a couple of small children. 

Although the Renault Clio's ride is quite firm with larger wheel options, it still offers a decent all-round driving experience, with a range of engine options and a competitive self-charging hybrid version. 

The 500e is a fully electric take on Fiat’s popular pocket-rocket, and it’s really rather good. It keeps the dinky dimensions and cutesy styling (albeit with a few cosmetic tweaks), while ditching the engine in favour of an electric motor.

If you do lots of short journeys mainly around town and can charge a car at home, the Fiat 500e is an ideal choice. It will suit retirees and makes an ideal second car, too, something for the school run (if the kids can fit) and nipping to the shops.

Similarly if you have a regular commute and can charge at work, then the Fiat 500e, with its range of 118 miles or 199 miles, will make for a cheap-to-run choice. It's cheaper to buy new than a Renault Zoe, Honda e and MINI Electric, too.

While not exactly spacious, you do get a little more room inside with the floor between front and rear wheels being extended for the electric model. You sit higher, too, due to a raised floor that accommodates the batteries. Fiat has also improved the interior, with a slick trim and solid feel, making for a pleasing experience.

From a mechanical point of view, the Skoda Fabia shares a great deal with two other cars that we've already mentioned on this list, those being the Volkswagen Polo and the SEAT Ibiza. It'll be of little surprise, then, that the Skoda version is also very good to drive, with a comfortable ride and good refinement that make it a very relaxed and easy-going car.

Where the Fabia marks itself out, though, is with how, well, sensible it is, and that's really not a bad thing. First of all, it's roomier than its two stablemates, not to mention most other cars in the class, so adult passengers have space to travel comfortably. The massive boot is a similar size to those of cars in the class above, too, so luggage space should never be a problem.

The styling of the latest Fabia is much less awkward than that of previous versions, and interior quality and equipment levels are also seriously impressive. Add in lots of clever design touches intended to make everyday life a little bit easier, plus affordable pricing, and you have a very compelling package.

The Hyundai i20 is one of the fresher-faced models in this list, with an exterior design that's pretty striking and bold. But there's more substance to the i20 than meets the eye, thanks partly to its comprehensive five-year warranty. 

The Hyundai i20 can't quite match the Volkswagen Polo for quality inside, but if you can overlook that, you get a very spacious cabin with an awful lot of standard equipment inside. For features like a heated steering wheel and seats, plus a feature-packed 10.25-inch infotainment system, you don't need to splash out for the very top-spec model. 

The Hyundai i20 is also a strong all-rounder when it comes to the driving experience. Granted, it isn't the most fun or most comfortable car of its type, but it's a nice compromise between the two. We really like the punchy little three-cylinder turbo petrol engine with 48v mild-hybrid tech, too, making it more efficient. Oh, and if you're looking for ultimate fun, the fantastic Hyundai i20N is one of our best hot hatchbacks.