Best In Class Large Family Ford Mondeo

The Mondeo is bigger and better than ever before. The all-new car is based on the same underpinnings as the Galaxy and S-MAX MPVs, and provides the Mondeo with driving dynamics far above the rest of the class. Ride quality and refinement is on par with cars costing much more.

A vast number of engine and trim combinations are available, and even the base model comes with air-conditioning as standard.

It may not be an exclusive choice, but as an all round high quality practical choice, you can't really go wrong - it's also excellent value for money.

Best In Class Small Family Ford Focus

The Focus continues to lead the way for its great handling, good value for money and sheer all-round capability. The new model is not as stunning-looking as its predecessor but the Focus remains a very smart option. The quality of its interior is much-improved, as is ride comfort and overall refinement, though it's not the roomiest in class. Plenty of engines and specification levels to choose from, including the sporty 2.0-litre petrol units and the strong TDCi diesels. The high-performance ST version is a real beaut.

Vauxhall Corsa

Forget the middle-of-the-road Corsa, the new supermini from Vauxhall couldn't be further removed from the old model. With sharp styling and some cracking engines – the 1.3-litre diesels are very good indeed – the Corsa is now a credible contender. Even though it'll be as common as muck, at least this time around all those learner drivers and boy racers will be driving something pretty decent - the VXR version is an absolute screamer.

Citroen C1 Peugeot 107 Toyota Aygo

These three models are the product of a joint venture between Toyota, Peugeot and Citroen and are near identical save for bumpers and lights. All have bundles of character even though they've obviously been built down to a price.

Engineered and built to Toyota standards, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the quality of fit and finish. A four-star Euro NCAP crash test result is the best in the class, and all three offer an excellent ride-and-handling compromise as well as reasonable performance from the three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine.

Three and five-door variants are available and both C1 and Aygo can be specified with a diesel engine. Taking account of standard and optional equipment variations, all three are similar value, so its really down to which dealer you prefer