SUPERMINIS are a bit of a quandary in the used car market and we rarely recommend them because they carry the dreaded ‘small car’ premium. Simply put, lots of people want them, so they are expensive to buy new or used. This means that bigger cars are available for similar prices. After all, why buy a Fiesta when a Focus will cost you the same? Repair bills can also be high as the cleverness and complexity of the construction of these kinds of cars means simple maintenance can be very expensive in terms of labour. Also, the fact that many of these cars low emissions exempt them from road tax is a bit of a con as well. You’ll save at best £35 a year on a car that costs you £1,000 more to buy – makes no sense at all… Though we’re not convinced buying a small car is ever the most savvy thing to do, we recognize that there are compelling reasons to do so. A quick glance at NewCarExpert.co.uk will show that the industry agrees, with an endless succession of city cars and superminis being launched onto the market. The industry plaudits heaped on the new VW up! for example, the new Fiat Panda, the forthcoming Toyota Yaris hybrid and the ultra economical Peugeot 207 Oxygo+ indicate this trend is here to stay. Thing is, if saving money is a priority, then why not save a huge amount by buying nearly new? Here are three recommendations from the pages of UsedCarExpert, variants of cars we really like that are cheap to buy, cheap to run and will have warranty left. We’d opt for petrol power. Diesels are likely to cost around £1,000 more and the much more complex diesel engines are not really suited to small urban journeys. SEAT Ibiza The Ibiza is a VW Polo underneath. That means you get the same excellent range of engines, strong safety credentials and tidy road manners and ‘big car’ feel of the Polo but at a lower price and with sharper looks. What’s not to like? UsedCarExpert.co.uk Cars for sale: A 2009 car in silver with the simple 1.4 petrol engine and 33,000 on the clock is available for £5,990. The diesel models will be £1,000 more and have much higher miles. Ford Fiesta It’s a great little car the Fiesta, with superb dynamics, great engines and ever softening prices. It’s roomy enough for the small family and should prove very cheap to run in the long term. UsedCarExpert.co.uk Cars for sale: Go for the popular 1.25 petrol. A late 2009 car with 40,000 miles showing is for sale at £5,500. Renault Clio It’s been around for a while, the Clio but it’s still easily class competitive and its age and ubiquity make it cheap. The little 1.2 turbo petrol makes a great proposition if you can find one UsedCarExpert.co.uk Cars for sale: A 2009 Clio with the fantastic 1.2 TCE turbo petrol and 35,000 miles on the clock can be had for £4,900. | 
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