City cars news -

It’s the final day of our Credit Crunch Week and to cap things off, we’re going ultra-sensible. So sensible, we’ve just painted the office beige and we’re all off to buy Velcro shoes to go with our comfortable new slacks.
 
So we’d look the part in any of these budget city cars. But whatever, we don’t care, 'cos they’re so cheap, we’d have lots of cash left to spend on nodding dogs for the parcel shelf. Or Royal Doulton ornaments for the lounge in the new bungalow – we’d buy that from the change, too.
 
There’s (almost) nothing over 10 grand here, so we’re talking about some serious bargains. City cars – they’re the ultimate credit crunch-busters…
 
Citroen C1: Underneath, it’s the same as the Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 107. It doesn’t really matter which of the trio you go for, though the C1 has more engine options. So avoid it if you’re indecisive, and stick to base models for the best bargain.
 
Subaru Justy/Daihatsu Sirion: Platform sharing doesn’t breed variety, but it makes stuff cheaper to build, so you pay less for the finished product. The Justy/Sirion demonstrates that perfectly, and only 500 quid separates the Sirion from its pricier Scooby sibling.
 
Fiat Panda: The Panda’s a brilliant all-rounder, so it manages to do cheap and chic at the same time. It’s a good laugh to drive too, and there’s even a 100bhp version. Plus, May drives one and he’s extremely sensible, which is good enough for us.
 
Ford Ka: Soon to be replaced by an all-new model, the outgoing Ka will be stickered with big ‘BARGAIN’ signs by dealers. So get in there before it’s too late, and bag yourself one of the last cars off the line. Still looks cool, and still drives very well.
 
Hyundai i10: Stick two fingers up at the badge snobs and get yourself in one of these. Prices start at £6,745 and it really isn’t as bad as you might think. OK, so it won’t make you feel all tingly inside, but it’ll make your wallet much, much heavier.
 
Mitsubishi i: Clever packaging, lots of car for your cash, crap name. It uses a tiny little engine, and sticks it in the boot so you get more room up front. So it’s like a Smart Fortwo, only bigger and less likely to fall over when going round tight corners.
 
Toyota iQ/Volkswagen Up!: The three-seat iQ is a clever little thing, but might just teeter over our 10k threshold. VW’s Up! concept will take it on (let’s hope it’s cheaper), with things like inflatable seats. We don’t know what they’re for, but probably feel like giant whoopee cushions.
 
Kia Picanto: Kia is ‘the thinking people’s car company’, apparently. No thought required to make sense of the price though: just £5,995 for the 1.0-litre base model. A bargain like that is a no-brainer, really.
 
Perodua Kelisa: The cheapest new car on sale at £4,812. 'Nuff said. Well, actually, we’ve got some space to fill, so we should mention the naff interior and pedestrian performance. But it’s the cheapest car on sale at £4,812. 'Nuff said, again.
 
Caterham 1.4 Classic: OK, we couldn’t help ourselves. Inside our new, sensible exterior, there’s a petrol-sniffing revhead just waiting to burst out. So ditch the wife and kids etc, and think about buying a budget Seven. It’s small, and cheap, at just £15,995!