Parker's best value new cars

Those who think that Kia is merely a manufacturer of cheap cars will be pleasantly surprised by the Ceed. It's a huge improvement over its predecessor and matches many of its European and Japanese rivals. The styling is neat, it's spacious inside and all Ceeds come with a whopping seven-year warranty.

The Korean runabout offers the best packaging and equipment levels in its segment - in spite of a pricing structure that makes the most costly i10 barely any dearer than its least expensive rival. The cheap-to-tax Hyundai is backed by a five-year warranty and returns almost 60mpg too.

It may lack the badge kudos of the Corsa or Clio but the Swift is a superb hatchback that is every bit the equal of more expensive rivals. Affordable prices, generous equipment levels and a diesel option only add to the attractive package - in short it's one of the best small cars on sale.

Skoda has pulled out all the stops for the Superb. It gets a wide range of modern engines and gearboxes, has limousine levels of legroom inside and is very well equipped for the money. The big car doesn't incur big car costs: future values look strong while insurance and servicing costs are reasonable.

The X-Type is exceptionally refined and balances excellent comfort with pretty sharp handling. Changes in 2008 allow a greater degree of personalisation for customers, making the X-Type's interior feel more special than that of any rival. You could negotiate a discount though all models are well equipped for the money.

The third-generation MX-5 is the most sophisticated yet and a relatively sensible car to own - even if it appears to be a hedonistic choice at first glance. Insurance groups are quite low and fuel consumption of 39mpg and 37mpg for the 1.8 and 2.0-litre engines respectively is impressive. 

The Grand Vitara is stylish, good to drive and compares well on price and specification to its rivals. Priced midway between Korean value-for-money soft roaders like the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage and more premium Japanese 4x4s like the Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV-4, the Grand Vitara is a great low-cost car.

The Outlander is the best car Mitsubishi has produced in years. Not only does it match the latest class leaders in many areas, it also offers several unique features. It is roomier, has a better quality interior and is more practical than before, with some models getting third row seats and all benefiting from a split tailgate.  

Spacious, practical and brimming with family-friendly features, the Berlingo Multispace is a five-seat people carrier for buyers on a budget. It is no longer based on a van and uses car underpinnings for a comfortable and surprisingly good drive. Running costs and insurance are reasonable and many will see the benefit of the frugal diesel.

Toyota has made great efforts in making the new Hilux significantly less expensive to run than its rivals. The key area where savings are made is in labour time during services. The Hilux should spend about half the amount of time in the garage over 60,000 miles than a Ford Ranger, while an unladen Hilux should achieve about 34mpg - good for a relatively heavy 4x4.