VW's excellent Bora and Jetta saloons are every bit as good as the Golf they're based on, and cost about the same second-hand.

The company always insisted that they were stand alone models, when the whole world knew that they were just clones of the Golf.

That doesn't make either of them bad cars - in fact they are excellent to drive in every way.

They have informative steering, marvellous road holding and tremendous handling, yet they also have a very good ride, soaking up the worst of surfaces with ease.

Engines range up from a slow 1.4 with only 75bhp, through a much better 1.6 with 102 to a 1.8 with 125, or up to 180 in turbo form.

There was also a middling 2.0-litre, a 2.3-litre V5 and a storming 2.8 V6 but the diesels are the ones to go for these days, with power ranging from 90 to 150bhp.

Fit and finish are top notch throughout, but VW's reliability is not reckoned to be as bulletproof as it once was these days.

The dash is excellent in all - apart from those which have the horrible blue panel lights - driving position is excellent and equipment levels are good to excellent in most.

: Ford Focus, Audi A4