Five good alternatives for Ireland's city streets

This little group could help widen your options in the quest for your city car

This little group could help widen your options in the quest for your city car

• Toyota iQ

We were bowled over by how good this little four-seater was when we drove it recently. It is tiny, but really well put together and will arrive in late January.

Prices from €14,000

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• Ford Ka

The new Ka will be great value and comes with a choice of 1.2-litre petrol or 1.3-litre diesel engines.

Cheap to run, the Ka is cute and great for town driving. Fiat gearbox and handling spoils it a little.

Prices from €11,535

• Volkswagen Fox

Dropped out of the top five because of the arrival of the Hyundai i10 and Renault Twingo, but of all the cars of this class it feels one of the most solid. Avoid the 1.4-litre petrol because it falls into the Band D tax bracket.

Prices from €12,110

• Opel Agila

Available with a choice of low-emission 1.0-litre or 1.2-litre petrol engines, the Agila is infinitely better than the model it replaces.

Spacious and actually quite fun to drive, it makes a good city runabout.

Prices start from €11,495

• Fiat Panda

The Panda is still one of the best small cars on the market, even if it has been out quite a while and is starting to show its age compared to some more recent additions.

The 1.3-litre diesel is the one to go for now, with Band A emissions.

Prices start from €10,995