Audi » A1

The A1 was voted 'Most Exciting Car Due for Launch' 2010 by What Car? readers, and went on to be What Car?'s 'Car of the Year' 2011. With three quiet yet powerful engines available it makes either an excellent town car (the 1.2 litre petrol) or a classy cruiser (the 1.4 litre petrol or 1.6 litre diesel). Entry level specifications are affordable without being cheap, and there are plenty of upgrade options based around three basic trim levels. Residuals are amongst the best in class, and it has a five star Euro NCAP rating. The rear seats are not really suitable for adults, but there is more space in the boot compared to equivalent cars from other manufacturers - Mini for example.