In these financially testing times, there are some amazing deals to be had at your local forecourt, especially if you’re prepared to buy second hand – or as the upmarket salesman would call it ‘pre-owned’. Just recently I’ve heard incredible stories of a year old Jaguar XJ (new price £43,000) going for £20,000 in Edinburgh, a top of the range Mercedes SL AMG (pennies short of £100,000 when new) on sale in Argyll for £40,000 after just a year, and even a three year old Saab 9-5 estate (starting price £23,000 now) with only 15,000 miles on the clock with a price tag in Glasgow of just £5,000.

Having said that, there is nothing quite like the feel, smell and presence of a new car, in the knowledge that – apart from the delivery driver – you are the first person to guide this piece of equipment through the first few miles of its automotive life.

Few of us can afford the huge trade-in drop of an expensive car, but the delights of buying new can still be achieved without causing a serious drain on the pocket, and just recently I’ve had the chance to try out a handful of interesting economy models. One I haven’t driven yet, but am looking forward to, is the new VW Golf which is fresh into the showrooms. You may not have noticed, because this 6th generation bears a very strong resemblance to the model it replaces. That is deliberate on the part of the VW designers.

The overall style has hardly changed over the years, in which more than 26 million Golfs have been sold. The Golf is a clear example of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. But the real benefit is that because the changes are not radical and the previous model doesn’t look obviously outdated, the Golf has a great reputation for holding its value. I’m told one of the biggest changes is inside the new car, where it’s much quieter with softer and more opulent fittings. On the outside there are subtle changes to the front grille and headlamps and it is a touch more muscular than its predecessor to mirror some of the looks of its brother the Scirocco. Prices start at a very affordable £13,150, rising to £21,000 for the 2 litre GT diesel. A sporty GTi is due later this year.

I got a real surprise behind the wheel of the third member of the Kia Cee’d family, the sportier Pro_cee’d. I’d expected very little – just more Korean blandness packaged in a flimsy wrapper. But after just a few miles I was enjoying myself in a car which produced more than it promised on paper. The performance from the 2 litre diesel power unit was very perky yet still turned in 50 mpg, and the whole feel was of a car well put together.

On the money front, it makes a great deal of sense. It’s the only three-door European car – it’s built in Slovakia – with a seven year, 100,000 mile warranty and price starting at under £12,000. The CRDi Sport version costs £15,495 but is worth the extra for the feeling of fun. Talking of fun, it was in abundance in my time driving the sporty hatch from Toyota, the Auris SR180. Apart from the fact that it is built in the UK, so you can enjoy the feel-good factor of supporting our own economy, the 2.2 litre diesel engine is not only lively, it’s also remarkably clean and efficient.

Admittedly the exterior style is not that much to write home about and you have to look closely to notice the lowered suspension, rear spoiler, dark tinted privacy glass and 17 inch alloy wheels which identify it from the standard model. Inside, it is a touch on the basic side although in line with Toyota standards, everything works very well and looks like it will continue to do so for many years.

The 180 is the flagship of the Auris range with acceleration of 0-62mph in just 8 seconds but economy of 46mpg. It uses a different suspension system from the other models for better dynamics on the road and it certainly feels very sure-footed. These modifications cost, of course. The range starts at just over £12,000 but the SR180 has a price tag of £18,300.