Ford has continued the roll it is on with the new Fiesta.
Coming after S-MAX, Mondeo, Kuga and the revised Focus, it is the latest in a long line to receive plenty of plaudits for its funky looks, high quality interior and superb driving dynamics.
These larger, more competent superminis are now considered fair game for those drivers who are looking to save tax and fuel by downsizing.
They drive better, have higher levels of refinement and have increased space and versatility, too.
Of these cars, the Peugeot 207 set the benchmark when it was launched but the competition is fierce.
Can it still compete?
The same could be said for the Renault Clio, especially popular with younger drivers.
That’s a market that Mazda would like the 2, which shares a number of the Fiesta’s components, to compete in.
It certainly has the looks and spirit to do it.
Having finally worked out that its strength lies in producing small cars, Fiat has been going great guns with the Grande Punto.
Revitalisation is the name of the game for the Corsa, too.
The old model was fairly dull but the current model is an attractive, desirable little car for downsizers.
Roddy Graham, Leasedrive Velo
Competition among the superminis remains strong with little to choose between them.
The Fiesta, however, edges the Vauxhall Corsa.
It has great handling, the lowest maintenance and the strongest residuals.
The Corsa loses out with its smaller engine making hard work of motorways.
The Clio is both big and spacious. It suffers from poor residuals.
The 207 is easy to drive and boasts a classy interior.
The Fiat Grande Punto features a smooth diesel, the best combined economy at 62.8 mpg and the lowest CO2 emissions.
The Mazda2 is let down over poor road surfaces and has the highest insurance group.
Tony Williams, All-in-One
For the iPod generation these cars are aimed at they get the bright colour schemes rammed in their faces – Mazda and Ford sharing not only engineering but also a preference for lime green as a launch colour.
The Fiesta is all about appealing to younger drivers with its mobile phone-inspired slanting keypads on its dash. It’s also an extraordinarily good drive.
The award-winning Mazda is very worthy indeed.
The Vauxhall and Fiat demonstrate a new higher level of quality and while the French have deserved reputations in this category there is a feeling that obesity in their cars have left them a little behind the pace.
Mark Sinclair, Alphabet
The Mazda2 is almost perfectly pitched for cost-conscious fleet downsizers.
Its wholelife costs are the most competitive here.
As-standard air conditioning and alloys will please drivers.
Generous fleet support lifts the Punto into the runner-up slot on costs.
Weak residuals let down the capable Clio.
The attractive new Fiesta delivers unspectacular fuel economy despite its lowly 60bhp, while the Corsa struggles on residual value.
Neither is generously endowed with fleet support or standard equipment.
A wholelife cost that is more than £2,000 higher than the average for the rest of the group inevitably sets the seal on the 207’s last place.
Stuart Menzies, Grosvenor Contracts Leasing
We’ve got Fiesta down as a clear winner – it has the all- round package that includes looks and best-in-class running costs.
There’s not much to choose between the rest, but we would put the Mazda2 second, largely because it’s as cheap to run as the Fiesta, followed by the Corsa and Punto because of their appeal to buyers of these types of cars.
The Peugeot does have a good following but it is beginning to look a little out of date and has the highest overall wholelife costs in our analysis, and therefore it comes behind the Clio.
1st: Mazda2 1.3 TS2 5dr
P11D price: £9,934
2008 CO2 BIK tax bill (20%): £298
2008 VED bill: £120
Rental Rates:
All-in-One: £215
Alphabet: £210
Grosvenor: £217
Leasedrive Velo: £212
VERDICT: The Mazda2 has won plenty of awards and it‘s clear to see why. Strong RVs, plenty of style, fuel economy, kit and low tax make it a winner.
2nd: Ford Fiesta 1.25 Style 5dr
P11D price: £9,720
2008 BIK bill (20%): £292
2008 VED bill: £120
Rental Rates:
All-in-One: £195
Alphabet: £222
Grosvenor: £217
Leasedrive Velo: £213
VERDICT: The new Fiesta looks set to battle it out with the Mazda2 at the top of the class. Similarly strong in all areas, it only just loses to its cousin in this vote
3rd: Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Life 5dr
P11D price: £10,120
2008 BIK bill (22%): £304
2008 VED bill: £120
Rental Rates:
All-in-One: £225
Alphabet: £227
Grosvenor: £227
Leasedrive Velo: £245
VERDICT: An excellent supermini, the Corsa’s only weakness is its higher than average front-end cost, which then affects its wholelife costs.
4th: Fiat G/Punto 1.2 Active 5dr
P11D price: £9,775
2008 BIK bill (20%): £293
2008 VED bill: £120
Rental Rates:
All-in-One: £180
Alphabet: £210
Grosvenor: £207
Leasedrive Velo: £265
VERDICT: The Punto is a classy car, but poor residual value predictions impinge on its competitiveness, and push it back into fourth place here.
5th: Renault Clio 1.2 Extreme
P11D price: £9,675
2008 BIK bill (20%): £290
2008 VED bill: £120
Rental Rates:
All-in-One: £210
Alphabet: £211
Grosvenor: £214
Leasedrive Velo: £213
VERDICT: The ever-popular Clio doesn’t really do anything wrong. The reason it ends up in fifth place is the fact it doesn’t shine in any one
particular area.
6th: Peugeot 207 1.4 Urban 5dr
P11D price: £9,970
2008 BIK bill (20%): £359
2008 VED bill: £120
Rental Rates:
All-in-One: £217
Alphabet: £222
Grosvenor: £218
Leasedrive Velo: £225
VERDICT: Showing just how competitive this market sector is, the 207 looks in need of a refresh with higher wholelife costs hindering it in this comparison.
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