When it comes to power, modern turbocharged petrol or hybrid cars are designed to blend performance with strong economy. An engine with 100bhp or a little more will probably offer the best compromise between the two.
Electric power is increasingly popular, although you do have to balance the superior running costs with the upfront price, which tends to be on the high side. If you don’t do enough mileage, you might struggle to make your money back in fuel savings. However, small electric cars are fantastic around town.
How to take a supermini test drive
Never underestimate the power of a test drive. Driving position, clutch weight, seat comfort, visibility, ease of using the controls are just some of the factors that can transform the perfect car on paper into a nightmare in the real world. Trying a car before you buy it is essential.
On your test drive, tailor your experience to the sort of things you usually do. If you’re a town driver make sure the car can handle tighter spots – try parallel parking, a three point turn, reversing into a bay, and anything else you do regularly. If you’re a countryside commuter, find the sort of road you’re used to and see how the car feels.
How to spec your supermini
Most entry level superminis come with generous standard equipment, but keep an eye on how the costs stack up as you move up the range. Work out what you don’t want (or need) to make sure you don’t end up paying extra for unnecessary gear. A fully-loaded supermini can end up costing more than a larger and more sophisticated car from the class above, and it’s unlikely that a high spec will be reflected in high residual values when the time comes to sell.
Think about safety when choosing a supermini
If safety is a concern, keep an eye on your chosen car’s Euro NCAP rating. Many models in this class come with good levels of active and passive safety tech, but not all. Some superminis have received low star ratings from Euro NCAP as a result of active safety aids not being included as standard, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the adult and child occupant protection scores are low. It’s worth checking our reviews to get the full story.
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