The CZC is available with two engine choices. The standard engine is a 1.5-litre with 107bhp which offers reasonable pace around town and is willing enough to easily keep up with motorway traffic. 0-62mph takes a respectable 10.5 seconds while economy is a useful 43mpg. There’s also a turbocharged version of the same engine, which boosts power to almost 150bhp and lowers the 0-62mph to 8.3 seconds.

This has lots of zip and provides brisk performance with only a small amount of ‘lag’ low down the rev range. It also pulls strongly in all five gears and offers a level of performance absent from most small convertible rivals. However, it was dropped from the range in late 2008. The five-speed gear change offers smooth and precise shifts and the brakes feel reassuring.

The Colt CZC is easy to drive and comfortable whether the roof is up or down. It better steering than the Nissan Micra C+C making it a little more fun to drive briskly on country roads. Although it lacks the Nissan’s overall stiffness and you feel the body shake when running over bumps and potholes, it doesn’t flex and wobble as much as others in this class.

It grips well when cornering, and while its 148bhp is more than most small convertibles, the wheels never feels overwhelmed by the power. Unfortunately the steering is very assisted and lacks feel, so the driver is quite detached from the driving experience.