2. Toyota Yaris
Price from: £22,630
Close behind the Clio is the venerable Toyota Yaris, which these days is hybrid-only.
It packs a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a single electric motor, putting out either 114bhp or 128bhp. The motor provides especially good response around town, making this a great pick for city use.
Fuel economy is impressive, consistently yielding more than 60mpg in the real world. Emissions are also lower than from the Clio, at 92g/km of CO2.
Just ensure you can deal with the ride, which is especially prickly on the bigger wheels offered on higher trim levels, and the limited practicality.