Author: Car Test Lab Team

Like the Toyota Yaris on which it's based, the Mazda 2 Hybrid has plenty to recommend it. It's efficient, comfortable and extremely easy to drive – and not bad to look at either. It's just that, on paper at least, the Toyota seems to make a bit more sense.

The MX-5 is the last of a dying breed of small, affordable petrol-powered sports cars – and luckily for us, it's as good today as it's ever been. It's got practically no rivals of a similar size and price, and as a package it would be hard to beat in the first place.

The Enyaq is a comfortable, sensible, and rather clever electric SUV. It may not look exciting, but there's very little to actually fault it on. It's spacious inside, doesn't break the bank, and doesn't really do anything badly.

The Ignis is a bit of a rarity: a small, cheap car that doesn't make you feel completely miserable. It might be getting on a bit, but the design still looks fresh, and it's got enough tricks up its sleeve to stave off more modern rivals.

The MX-30 is a bit of a Marmite car. Whether you like its unusual rear doors and jacked-up coupe looks will be a matter of taste. More difficult to get your head around is the tiny 124-mile range of the fully electric model.

If you're considering an ID Buzz, it's likely to be for its looks rather than any other reason. Thankfully though, there's plenty of other positives about this reborn VW Bus to make it worthy of consideration too. There are more soberly-styled, van-based rivals that offer more interior configurability for less cash. If you want the space of a van without the looks of an airport taxi though, the ID Buzz is your best bet.

There's plenty of reasons to recommend the Ariya: it's spacious, comfortable, and has a reasonable enough driving range across all models. Fans of snazzy in-car tech may be disappointed by the decidedly average set-up though, and there are rivals with batteries that can charge much faster.

A good first attempt from Mazda, but not quite up there with some premium rivals. It does cost less, though, and that new 3.3-litre diesel may be a good enough reason alone to buy a CX-60.

The Yaris has lots to recommend it. It's attractive, efficient, and has a comfortable and relatively spacious interior. However, it's not the most fun to drive, and can be more expensive than some of its rivals.

The Focus is a great all-rounder, combining fun handling with supple suspension and a spacious interior. But it's surprisingly expensive, and limited engine choices mean it won't suit everybody.

The Fiesta was – and is – a fantastic all-rounder. There's no electric version though, and it can be surprisingly expensive compared to some rivals.

The Discovery Sport might be getting on a bit, but there's still plenty to recommend it. It's attractive, spacious inside, comfortable, and has all the technology you'd expect in a car of this price.