28 Toyota Auris: Solidly useful, dependable and frugal

Some of you, the true petrol heads, will see that we have rated a Toyota Auris above the likes of a BMW i8 and Ford Mustang and condemn us as fools.

How can a dull, uninteresting Japanese hatchback possibly be better than a mid-engined German supercar and a Yankee muscle car?

Well, all things are relative of course, and the simple fact is that the simple Toyota is simply good. Not exceptional, perhaps. Class leading only in reliability maybe, but the Auris is a solidly useful, dependable and frugal as any mainstream family car should be.

A recent facelift has made the styling a little more appealing, if not exactly dramatic and the interior, though plain, benefits from higher-quality plastics and plenty of space.

Star of the show, though, is the 1.2 D4-T turbocharged petrol engine, which brings an eager exhaust note and near-diesel economy and emissions to the party.

Hybrid version is better than it used to be but still not quite clever enough, while the Touring Sports estate is useful and really rather stylish. Some too-cheap trim remains on show, though.

Price range: €21,205 to €28,190

Co2 emissions: 79 to 128g/km

Which one? 1.2 D4-T Touring Sports Luna

PCP from €394 per month