[Closed] what small cheap car?

Hyundai i10 is solid, cheaper to run and insure than the equivalent fiesta and corsa. Can get 50 mpg in it depending on how heavy my right foot is

Go Japanese/Korean.

We have a Mazda 2 on a 55 plate with 70k on it that's a great little car, and it's worth about £500...

Go Japanese/Korean.

We have a Mazda 2

Based on a Fiesta and built in Spain

great, ta.

for the record, our Hyundai Tucson seems a bit of a friday afternoon build, but triggers broom now as we've had it 11 years.. Although I believe most other folk have had nothing but reliability from them.

I'll keep looking, once I've shifted on the Tucson.

2000+ Toyota Yaris - the first batch of European-built cars that were screwed-together properly - we have one that refuses to die no matter how much abuse it gets.

Suzuki Swifts seem to get good reviews so might be worth doing a bit of digging.

Fiat Panda. Mine was over your budget but 08, 15000 Miles one old lady owner. Great to drive and you can get 2 bikes in the rear with a few wheels off

03 yaris, petrol, chain cam.  Worth 1k tops but bombproof. Refuses to die.

I don't think i10s are in the < £1500 bracket yet. Nissan Micra would be my choice. Or a Yaris, Mazda 2 etc. Strangely Japanese brands made in Europe seem to continue to be reliable. Maybe it's because the design is more throroughly worked out or maybe it's the management methods. I learned the other day that Skodas are not the only Czech-made cars on our roads. The Toyota Aygo and it's siblings are also Czech.

for the record, our Hyundai Tucson seems a bit of a friday afternoon build, but triggers broom now as we’ve had it 11 years.. Although I believe most other folk have had nothing but reliability from them.

The current Tucson is a completely different beast to the one of eleven years ago.

With regard to the original request, Yaris, i10, Swift, Micra have all got to be worth a look, the Aygo and it’s siblings are probably a bit too recent to be going as cheap as the OP wants, but might be worth a look if the budget can be stretched, fun little cars if you give them some welly, the auto version has a manual option with flappy paddles which means a bit more interesting drive once out of stop-start traffic. A Smart fourtwo might be worth looking at as well, they’ve been around for years. Quicker than you’d think, too, I had 95mph out of one on the M4 uphill to J18 from Bristol...

2000+ Toyota Yaris – the first batch of European-built cars that were screwed-together properly – we have one that refuses to die no matter how much abuse it gets

This.

Apart from our 2002 D4D with 135k on clock did die, due to failed and seized glow plugs. A month before MOT. I couldn't swallow the possible cracked engine and £250 per glow plug cost, so bailed out and traded in. According to MOT record its still going...

Wife's 2000 Yaris still going strong. Dull but reliable. Done 105k, sails through MOTs.

In the four years I've known her its had some tyres, a rear spring, an exhaust manifold (second hand and a doddle to fit once I'd got the rusted bolt off) and a bonnet catch. 12v doesn't work but otherwise flawless.

Former girlfriend had an Aygo, 2012 I think. The old Yaris is a much,much better car in every respect, but especially comfort, the Aygo was truely horrible.

I like FIATs, so I'd buy a nice Panda or looked after Grande  Punto.

But if you're not infected with anything similar it's hard to see past a Yaris.

I like C1's etc, but then again I like 2CV's and old Minis,.  Sort of a four wheeled bike/go kart hybrid. Make a great project.

Suzuki Ignis Sport is a bit odd but a brilliant Yaris alternative. There's a few around here.

Ford focus

Yaris +1 , I had a Y reg one that was stupendously reliable and cheap to run and could swallow a remarkable amount of bikes and stuff, if it wasn't for rust it would outlive me.

I have a polo now and it's a bit meh in comparison, though it's roomier inside for giants.

Another vote for a Yaris, Mum had hers for new X reg whenever that was until about 3 years ago. No point getting a diesel as far as I can tell when you can drive everywhere like you stole it and get 45mpg. She’s got one of the newer ones now and it’s a bit nicer.

One slight word of warning, if you’re used to Euro cars you might have learned that the petrol gauge is a bit pessimistic, and an empty tank is merely a fair warning to fill up sometime in the next few days, in. Yari when the last little bit of egg goes out (they’ve got a funny digital dash) it just stops. Luckily they weigh bigger all so you can push them fairly easily.