Vauxhall Crossland

Having ditched the ‘X’ from its name the Crossland competes in an incredibly vibrant corner of the market against some very talented rivals. Sharper looks help its case and you get a decent amount of kit but for comparable money you can get the considerably more appealing Renault Captur with a punchier engine, equivalent features and a five-year warranty. It’s cheaper and better equipped than a Peugeot 2008 but, across the board, fails to land a killer blow on value for money as you hope it might. And the entry-level version might look attractively priced but is very basic indeed.

In terms of running costs the 1.2-litre petrol at the heart of the range is pretty much comparable with rivals in terms of fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, Benefit In Kind and the other monthly costs you’ll be weighing up. Diesels are better on fuel but more expensive so you’ll have to be doing a lot of miles to make this a cost-effective choice. The similarly sized Mokka meanwhile offers hybrid or full electric options if that’s what you’re looking for in your compact crossover.