The Volkswagen Polo, Skoda Fabia and Ford Fiesta are all roughly the same size, while the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf are both bigger. Smaller cars are popular with new drivers because of their cheap insurance, but that means bigger cars sometimes represent better value for money. Having said that, the Ford Fiesta is the UK's best-selling car so there are lots of second-hand examples on the market so you can afford to be picky. Avoid diesels unless you cover high mileages. The Fiesta's 1.25-litre petrol engine is very reliable. If you'd prefer something bigger, we'd look for a Honda Civic.