Renault has reinvented its fifth generation Clio, which the brand primarily wants you to look at in this frugal full hybrid E-Tech guise. A far-reaching visual makeover is complemented by a higher quality cabin. And there are sporting 'Alpine'-themed touches for the plushest version. If your next supermini needs to be electrified but you're not quite ready for a full EV, this Gallic contender's worth a look.

It's took a long time for Renault to deliver a proper follow-up to its ZOE EV, but the Megane E-Tech Electric was worth the wait. Family hatch-segment EVs often tend to be either rather boring or ever-so-slightly weird, but this one's stylish and engaging. A new kind of Renault for a very different era.

Renault's ZOE now goes further in its efforts to persuade supermini buyers of its all-electric virtues. 238 WLTP-rated miles to be exact. A powerful 100kW R135 motor delivers strong acceleration too, plus there's a smart look both for the exterior and the cabin. If you've always liked the thought of an all-electric supermini but needed more convincing to buy one, Renault hopes that what's on offer here will be enough to make you think again.

The Arona is SEAT's idea of a small sporty SUV and it's likely to continue to find favour with the increasing number of buyers who would once have simply bought another supermini but now feel the need to get themselves something more interesting and lifestyle-orientated. It's good looking, safe, well connected and very personalisable, especially in this usefully improved form. If this is the kind of car that appeals to you, then an Arona may well tick a lot of boxes.

SEAT's Ateca feels rejuvenated as a result of a significant package of updates. There are fresher looks, a more modern cabin, more frugal engines and stronger standards of safety. Plus this compact mid-sized SUV remains dynamically adept in a way few rivals can match.

This improved version of the fifth generation SEAT Ibiza supermini offers small car buyers a smarter set of more media-savvy talents. It'll need them if it's to distance itself from its Volkswagen and Skoda design stablemates and continue as a credible alternative in this tightly fought segment.

This fourth generation SEAT Leon is a Focus-sized model that now offers smarter styling, improved media connectivity, extra safety provision and some fresh new engine options. If you'd been overlooking it, this Spanish contender might now be worth a second glance.

Now with 617-litres of luggage space and riding on the same MQB chassis as the Volkswagen Golf Mk 8, the fourth generation SEAT Leon Estate offers sharp handling, excellent build quality and solid practicality. Plus this MK4 version delivers smarter styling, improved media connectivity, extra safety provision and some fresh new engine options. As before, the prices being asked represent a substantial saving over those of a comparable, identically-engined Golf Estate. It's hard to grumble at that sort of deal.

Need a family SUV with seven seats? Bored by what's on offer? SEAT hopes you'll like its offering, the Tarraco. You get Volkswagen Group engineering, sharp styling, plenty of interior space and, the Iberian maker hopes, a dash of Spanish flair. Which this car will need to stand out in its segment.

Skoda's fourth generation Fabia makes up in sense and practicality for anything it might lack in dynamic looks and pin-sharp handling. All the latest VW Group chassis technology has finally made it to this supermini model line and the result is a very complete product indeed.

Skoda had a hand in popularising the small SUV concept a decade ago with their Yeti model. Today, we've got the Kamiq, which aims to distil all the Czech brand's best bits into a compact Crossover you could really bond with. Here's the revised version.

Skoda is these days very serious about SUVs and the core of the company's Crossover range is found with this mid-sized Qashqai-class Karoq model, here usefully improved and smarter looking. As before, it gets all the latest Volkswagen Group engineering, now including the brand's latest TDI 'Twin Dosing' technology, plus there's a hi-tech MQB chassis and cutting-edge safety and infotainment features. Everything in fact, that you'd want from a modern family-sized SUV of this kind.

Skoda is now well established in the upper part of the mid-sized SUV segment with its Kodiaq, a model usefully upgraded in this second generation form with a smarter look, both inside and out, and some more efficient engines. You can still have seven seats and four wheel drive. And, whatever spec is chosen, you still get class-leading passenger space and a range of distinctly Skoda 'Simply Clever' features. It can tow up to 2.5-tonnes too - and has one of the largest boots in the class. In other words, you'd have to take this contender seriously.

The fourth generation version of Skoda's Octavia gets a light refresh as part of this Czech model's mid-term update. Once, this car was the least sophisticated of all the Volkswagen Group's family hatchback products. Not any more - thanks to mild hybrid electrified engine tech and cutting-edge media cabin provision. This car's still bigger and better value than most of its rivals, pretty much a Passat-sized medium range model for the price of a Golf-sized one. And it's clever enough, once again, to change the way you think about Skoda.

Skoda Octavia Estate got a lot bigger in its third generation guise and became larger still in this more sophisticated MK4 model form. It's still great value for money, equipment levels are strong and it now holds up to 640-litres without having to fold the back seats. That's more than most pricier Passat-segment station wagon models.

With the Scala, Skoda aims to offer a credible solution for customers who can't quite make up their mind between a supermini and a family hatchback. Though the engineering's familiar from other VW Group models, the way the Czech brand has packaged it all up is quite appealing, with a decent combination of value, practicality and efficiency. If you prioritise sense and sensibility, want value in a car of this kind and are looking for something a little different from the obvious contenders in this class, the Scala could be worth a look. Especially in this revised form.

The smart #1 reinvents the smart brand for a new era, a compact full-electric small hatch for style-conscious folk who'll enjoy a rather unique Sino-Teutonic blend of EV engineering. The car 'retains the smart spirit' but offers it in a car family fashionistas could realistically justify, with space for five and a range of up to 273 miles.

Suzuki, always known for their dependable and reliable SUV's, are entering a more expensive sector of the market with the larger and slightly more aspirational Across model. If it looks more than a little familiar to you, then that's because it's almost entirely based on a Toyota RAV4 - the Plug-in version to be specific. This as a result of a new collaboration with Toyota. But can the Across make its own distinct mark?

Suzuki's S-Cross compact SUV gains a sharper look and more equipment and offers a choive of either mild hybrid or full-Hybrid petrol powertrains. Even in the mild hybrid model, the electrification claims to deliver a 20% running cost improvement. Plus there's plenty of space for a crossover of this size, lots of kit for the money and, unusually in this class, the option of a proper lockable 4WD system in the top versions.

Suzuki is, literally, on a charge. Not only has it electrified its entire range, but it has also expanded it, albeit with more than a little help from its technical collaborator, Toyota. Launched in 2020, the Swace was the second model of that partnership, this curiously-named model borrowing the design of the familiar, respected Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Estate to give the Suzuki brand an entrant into the lucrative C-segment compact estate sector. Now this car's been updated, with a punchier Hybrid engine, more equipment and an improved cabin. Is it convincing enough to win Suzuki some new friends?