Fiat 500L

Five-seat compact MPVs are a real rarity these days, so the 500L doesn’t have much in the way of direct competition. It does undercut cars such as the Citroen Berlingo and Volkswagen Golf SV by a healthy margin, albeit the Fiat is notably smaller than either.

As SUVs have become the car of choice for families over recent years, MPVs such as the 500L are harder to shift, so you can bag massive discounts on the list price. Bear in mind that the same shortage of desirability means that residual values will be poor, however.

Running costs won’t be punitive, but the 500L’s petrol engine isn’t very efficient by modern standards, with none emitting less than 140g/km of CO2. Fiat offers an 'Easy Care' service payment package on all its cars, which is reasonably priced and covers the car for all its scheduled servicing for the first three years of ownership. All parts and labour are included, and this can also be extended to five years for an additional cost.