THE cheapest estate on the market by a country mile is the Dacia Logan MCV - a full blown load lugger for less than £7,000.

Pound for pound it is an unbeatable amount of car for the money and although basic there's nothing crude.

Powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine from Renault it tips the scales at £6,995 and is a lively performer even though there is only 75bhp on tap.

Top speed is 97mph and 0 to 60 a leisurely 14.5 seconds but it pulls away sharply and can work hard.

With a five speed manual gearbox Dacia is claiming 48.7mpg on average with emissions of 135g/km.

On the road the Logan MCV - it stands for maximum capacity vehicle - is responsive and easy to drive.

The only niggle could be a fair amount of wind noise from the front of the car at cruising speed.

Given the price, the interior finish is surprisingly smart with the car we tried featuring a two tone dashboard that combined different textures. There's no slab of black plastic as found in most other budget models.

A good sized glovebox, door pockets and cup holders are among the Logan's practical features and so is a 12-volt auxiliary power socket next to the gearlever.

There's no air conditioning or electric windows but the heating and ventilation is more than adequate with four eyeball vents on the dash.

Trim and finish is above average for what you pay and the Logan is a five seater with a good amount of room for all passengers.

The cargo space is relatively huge and the load bay long, wide and flat. Capacity ranges from 573 to 1,513 litres which is on par with the likes of a Volvo V70 - a car that would set you back at least £25,000.

The Logan we put through its paces came with more than £1,000 of extras including a Kenwood radio with CD and USB connector at £250, a spare wheel for £95 and a seven year, 100,000 mile extended warranty for £850 but nevertheless that still adds up to peace of mind motoring in a very family friendly car for a shade over £8,000.

For motoring on a budget Dacia has already built quite a reputation with its Sandero hatch - on which the Logan is based - and the Duster SUV.

The Logan builds on that as an ideal family all-rounder which puts practicality to the fore and leaves a smile on your face.

There's something deeply satisfying about driving a brand new car that can carry the kitchen sink, is guaranteed for seven years and cost less than a second hand Fiesta.