There was a time when a hybrid Toyota was a sensible but uninspiring choice of family car. The old Toyota Auris is a prime example of that - dependable and cheap-to-run, yes, but lacking even the slightest hint of charisma. But the latest Toyota Corolla is genuinely a very good car. There are no...

Honda has spent the last couple of decades shaking off its 'reliable yet dull' image, particularly where the long-lived Civic is concerned. You only have to look back at the radical 2006 model , which still looks mad even today, to see that reinvention. But the following two generations of Honda...

The Hyundai Ioniq was conceived as a rival to the Toyota Prius, but with a significant trick up its sleeve – the choice of hybrid , plug-in hybrid or pure electric versions. That means there is a model to suit different drivers, whether they only cover short distances or regularly rack up lots...

For starters, look at it. The old Peugeot 308 wasn't a particularly bold design but it was subtly elegant for a mainstream family car. The new model might have very similar proportions in hatchback form, but the details are definitely more showy. That deep, striking grille, the fang-like LED running...

The Toyota Auris is a car for non-car people, right? The kind of family hatchback you buy when you want to get from A to B with the minimal amount of fuss. A car lacking in flair, imagination and excitement. Maybe so, but who’s to say that the non-car people have got it wrong? Research the purchase...

The Lexus CT 200h was billed as the world’s first hybrid to be launched in the premium hatchback market. The Japanese firm used technology from the Toyota Prius and applied it to a model that sits alongside the likes of the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3. It’s powered by a 1.8-litre VVT-i petrol engine...