VAUXHALL CORSA

2000-2006

Price £500-£3500

We’re used to 1.0-litre three-pot petrol engines today, but it was a surprise when Vauxhall sprang one in the Corsa in 2000. Would it be gutless? Oh, yes: how about 57bhp and 0-62mph in 16sec? Still, if you weren’t in a hurry, there was 50mpg to savour. (Peppier, less frugal engines are also available.) And it’s a Corsa, so it’s cheap to buy and to run. They’re reasonably rust-resistant but the engine is a little lumpy and there can be issues with its emissions controls.

ONE WE FOUND 2003 VAUXHALL CORSA 1.0, 122K MILES, £499