It may be small, but the suspension setup on the Fox would still be considered excellent on a much bigger car. It sails over lumps and bumps and can absorb whatever UK roads throw at it. It's also a wizard on the bend, with a tight turning circle and good grip on corners. You can cram a heck of a lot into a Fox. There's enough space for four adults to stretch out and the boot is larger than most of its competitors, enhanced by a sliding rear seat available as an option on cheaper models and as a standard feature on Urban trim.

Two snappy petrol engines are available starting with a 1.2 litre 55PS. It's brilliantly frugal at the pumps and produces a combined fuel economy of 46.3mpg, there's also ample power reserves, with a top speed of 92mph and 108Nm of torque at 3000 revs. Next stop is a more punchy 1.4 litre 75PS that develops 124Nm of torque at just 2750 revs. It's also economical to run, serving up 42.2mpg combined and just 159g/km CO2.

To keep things simple the Volkswagen Fox is available in two trim levels. Standard models feature power steering and a good CD player whereas electric windows and colour coded bumpers are fitted only on Urban trim.