Kias have a strong reputation as tow cars, so we were intrigued to see how the company’s latest small car stacked up. The Kia Soul took 17.8 seconds to go from 30–60mph – respectable, but a full three seconds slower than the VW.

The hill start also proved a test. The handbrake held with a firm pull, but the driver needed a deft balance of clutch and throttle to get to the top of the hill without burning the clutch or spinning the wheels.

While the engine isn’t the strongest, stability was acceptable at the legal limit. In the lane-change test the Soul was one of the most stable small cars, dragging the van behind it at impressive speeds.

However, its low noseweight lost marks with the practicality judges. If you own a trailer tent, 52kg might be enough, but most new caravans exceed this figure, even unladen.

The hard plastic in the cabin also disappoints, yet for such a small car, there’s lots of passenger room.