Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TDI (80PS)
Price: £12,965
Co2 emissions: 99g/km
Tax band: A/£0
Average petrol costs: £830 per 12,000 miles
The Polo may not offer up the drive of a lifetime and the clunky, noisy engine may put off motoring purists. But the sleek curves of the chassis and its exception from vehicle excise duty make it a wise choice.