Perodua Myvi hatchback

The Perodua Myvi is a five-door Daihatsu built under license in Malaysia. Because of this, Perodua can offer the Myvi at a knock-down price, which means there aren't many cheaper new cars. The practical cabin is well made and has a range of storage bins and useful cubbies. The high roofline makes the car look like a mini MPV and means there's enough space inside for four adults. Only one engine is offered: a 1.3-litre petrol that produces a respectable 86bhp. All models come equipped with power-steering, air-conditioning, twin airbags and electric front and rear windows as standard.

The Myvi is easy on fuel, capable of returning 49mpg economy, but it does have fairly high CO2 emissions for a car of this size. The Myvi comes with a three-year/60,000-mile manufacturer warranty, two years' free roadside assistance and an eight-year anti-corrosion guarantee.

The Myvi is fun to drive around town, nipping in and out of traffic and squeezing into tight parking spaces with ease. The 1.3-litre engine also feels eager in models fitted with a manual gearbox, requiring 11.3 seconds to go from 0-62mph. Once on the motorway or open road, the Myvi remains a stable companion, but the engine's limited power requires you to change down a gear and hope for a long stretch of clear tarmac if you're planning to overtake something.

Whether you're just popping to the shops or doing your daily commute, the Myvi is better suited to shorter journeys than long motorway runs. The upright driving position and lack of significant soundproofing makes long periods behind the wheel rather tiresome. Passengers are well catered for, with plenty of head and legroom, electric windows and a decent stereo.

This is an area where the Myvi scores well, although it's still a small car. There are impressive amounts of rear head and legroom and you could seriously consider carrying five people. The rear seats split 60:40 and fold fully flat to create a 630-litre load bay. Up front, cup-holders, cubbies and storage bins mean you won't be hunting for somewhere to keep your mobile phone or other odds and ends.

The Myvi is a rebadged Daihatsu Sirion and that car in turn uses mechanical parts from the mid-2000s Toyota Yaris, so you can expect the Myvi to be reliable. And with only 56 garages across the UK that are able to service the Myvi, that's probably a good thing. The interior materials feel well screwed together and for the price you probably won't feel short-changed – although the Skoda Citigo and its VW and SEAT sister models are immeasurably better.

Not many cars can beat the Myvi's low price tag. Regular promotions mean large discounts on the already-cheap price and you get plenty of accessories for your money. All models get electric mirrors with integrated indicators, a CD player, engine immobiliser, air-conditioning, central locking and twin airbags, while a variety of option packages add luxuries such as leather seats, larger alloy wheels and a sporty bodykit.