Going small in the city; MATTHEW TUMBRIDGE looks at three trendy runabouts

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Sept 12, 2007

IN TOWN halls up and down the country, the debates about introducing congestion charges, toll roads and emissions-related tariffs continue. In London, the debate is simply 'How much can we get away with increasing the charge by?'

Of course, the congestion is not actually getting any better and I don't know about you, but my budget won't run to the latest hybrid or bio-fuel trickery. So if we are going to live in or visit a city in the future, we are either going to pay heavily for it or have to drive something small.

Until recently, assuming you don't want a Fiesta, this meant spending a large amount of money on a tiny but trendy new car. But trendy city cars are now widely available on the used car market. Here we look at the Audi A2, Smart City / ForTwo and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Smart City / ForTwo

Smart City / ForTwo (2000 to present) This is the car that makes the biggest statement about you. It is clever, economical and becoming cheap with time. Early left-hand drive examples now make bargain buys. You pay more for cabrio and the post-2002 versions as they were improved. Most economical: 57.6mpg Best used buy: Passion UsedCarExpert.com faults to check for: 12 Price: A year 2000 Passion with 70,000 miles will be around pounds 2,300 from a dealer.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class:

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (1998 to 2004)

HERE is a practical city car but you still pay extra for the badge.

It is surprisingly spacious yet also easy to park. The longer models from 2001 are the most sought-after and to protect resale value it is best to avoid basic specifications.

Most economical: A170 Cdi - 56.6mpg

Best used buy: A160 Elegance

UsedCarExpert.com faults to check for: 9

Price: A year 2000 A170 Cdi with 70,000 miles will be around pounds 4,700 at a dealer.

Audi A2:

Audi A2 (2000 to present)

The least kooky design here, this is a high quality small hatchback, which was overpriced new but is now becoming very affordable. It is safe, well-built and different. The only drawback is the price to repair and have serviced.

Most economical: 1.4Tdi which does 67.3mpg

Best used buy: 1.4 SE offers good economy (47mpg and good specification).

UsedCarExpert.com faults to check for: 10

Price: A year 2000 1.4 Tdi with 70,000 miles will be around pounds 4,650 at a dealer.