16: Toyota Prius – Still the poster-boy for ecological motoring

The poster-boy of ecological motoring keeps improving, although you can imagine more than a few people being put off by the rather fish-faced styling. It’s well-finished, comfortable, spacious, and with that huge, wide digital instrument display, just space-age enough to remind you that you’re saving the planet as you drive. Thankfully, and unlike all previous Prius, you don‘t have to keep this one in town to make it economical - here‘s a Prius that can stomp up and down the outside lane of the motorway at a steady 65mpg.

Around town, you might crack 75mpg with a bit of care, or you could pick the impressive plugin Prius, from which you should be able to get a steady 40km on just the batteries when it’s fully charged. With this generation, the Prius really has moved from quirky, oddball choice to the centre of the mainstream. Styling excepted.

Best model: Prius Hybrid Luxury for €34,150

Price range: €31,450 to €40,390. Finance from €262 per month.