BMW 1 Series 1.5 118i SE

The fierce rivalry between the three prestige German brands means there’s often little to pick between their cars in any area, and that’s especially true when it comes to ownership costs in the small family hatchback class. They all cost a similar amount to buy, whether you’re paying outright or monthly, and they all have similarly strong resale values, meaning they all protect your investment about as well as each other. They all have similar figures for fuel economy and CO2 emissions, and there’s very little to separate them on insurance groupings or servicing and maintenance costs. So, while it’s undoubtedly true that the Audis, BMWs and Mercs of the world will cost you a significant slice more to buy and run than the Fords and the Vauxhalls, at least the more comparable cars are all on a par with each other.