Listed: The UK's cheapest cars

RRP: £14,150

This end of the market is typically not where flair tends to live. But the C3 drops a dollop of verve on to this list with its recognisably Citroën nose, Airbumps dashed across the side and a 'floating' roof design – a touch borrowed from much larger and more expensive SUVs.

There are two engines to choose from. Top choice is the 108bhp 1.2-litre petrol. A sub-10sec 0-62mph time means it's one of the faster cars on this list, ultimately making it a bit more suited to motorway schleps.

The cheapest C3 is an online-only model called the You, which comes only with the slower 83bhp 1.2-litre engine.

The ultra-soft, ultra-long suspension is really well suited to low speeds, hopping over sleeping policemen with ease, and the deep, soft seats make it one of the most comfortable cars at this price range.

RRP: £14,995

The Dacia Spring is the first electric car ever to make its way into this list, undercutting numerous petrol alternatives. You do have to accept some compromises for that affordability, though. The entry-level car gets a meek 44bhp motor, so it takes 19sec to hit 62mph from a standstill, and the 26.8kWh battery yields just 137 miles of range. 

But to write off the Spring for its performance would be to miss the point. The pre-facelift car, which wasn't offered in the UK, had many of the same constraints but remained a great option for commutes and errands around the city.
Pre-orders are being taken now and deliveries are scheduled to begin in October.

RRP: £15,295

The Sandero Stepway is an easy thing to grasp conceptually when you see the best-selling cars lists. Europeans love an SUV and the Stepway adds raised suspension, bigger bumpers and roof rails to the regular Sandero in order to make it more rugged-looking – a bit like when a Londoner straps on a set of walking boots for a meander around Hyde Park.

Like the regular Sandero, the Stepway is an ergonomic joy. Dead ahead from the driving seat are a set of clear dials, while a simple touchscreen flanks it to the left. Heating controls are physical dials - huzzah.

The Essential trim level lacks phone mirroring but does at least get you a phone holder. As with the regular Sandero, you can choose LPG compatibility for no extra cost.

RRP: £15,595

The Picanto is Kia’s smallest car and competes with other city cars, such as the Toyota Aygo X and Hyundai i10, found elsewhere on this list.

There’s only one choice of engine - a 1.0-litre non-turbocharged unit - meaning it’s among the cheapest cars to insure as well as to buy. A sub one-tonne kerb weight makes it a featherweight compared with other new cars, but with a mere 62bhp on tap it is still pretty slow. The 0-60mph run takes around 15sec with the manual or more than 16sec with the automated manual frustratingly stirring away for you.

Your money will buy you a model in 1 spec, which means four seats and no niceties such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. But the Picanto does at least come with Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile warranty.

RRP: £16,030

The i10 is a good old-fashioned city car -  a class that many manufacturers are deserting - and is wonderful should you want something that is cheap to run and easy to park.

Better yet, the interior is as well-made as cars from the class above. Other, larger cars on this list feel a bit tinny inside, but the little Hyundai borrows bits from posher models in the range. Even bottom spec Advance trim level comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It’s mechanically identical to the Kia Picanto, right down to the duff automated manual transmission.

RRP: £16,140

The city car formerly known as the Aygo has grown up: the suffix X has theoretically turned the city car into a baby SUV.

In reality, it’s a larger car than the old Aygo but still a tiddler, despite sharing its platform with the Toyota Yaris. This means there’s enough room in the back for adults and the boot, at 231 litres, is a decent enough in size.

The ride, comfort and isolation are on par with those of a supermini – as is motorway stability. And the interior is light and airy.

Acceleration, however, is not a strong point. Against our stopwatch, it clocked a 0-62mph time of 16.7sec. The 1.0-litre 71bhp three pot is severely lacking in torque and feels treacle-like up until 6500rpm.

RRP: £17,949

Another theoretical SUV makes the list. At just 3700mm long and 1690mm wide, the Ignis is more city car than Jeep Cherokee, but it can be specced with four-wheel drive and it has reasonable ground clearance.

It seats four adults surprisingly well and its boot holds an impressive 260 litres (204 litres if you go for a four-wheel-drive model). The interior is full of cheap-looking materials, but they all generally feel like they’ve been built to last. 

Up front, there’s only one engine option: a 1.2-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol that should be capable of around 60mpg in real-world conditions.

RRP: £18,095

A real quality choice here at number 9 and the car we would choose from this list if we were buying one with our own money.

The Clio’s cabin design and perceived quality are all much higher than you might imagine if you haven't sat in one for a few years, while its steering is intuitive and its chassis gives a sense of cornering balance. In other words, it's good fun.

The cheapest models don’t come with the firm’s excellent hybrid powertrains, which leaves buyers with a three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine. It’s leisurely in its power delivery but it very economical.