Myer is in the market for a city runabout. She has cast her eye over Holden's Barina, Honda's Jazz, Hyundai's i20, Kia's Rio, Mazda's 2, Suzuki's Swift and Toyota's Yaris but wants to know if one has a key point of difference in some area (say, like long-term dependability or affordable upkeep, which are important to her). She would also like to know if she would be better off with a cheaper alternative like Mitsubishi's Mirage or Nissan's Micra.

The budget is not provided.

The shortlist

There are a few other light hatches that would normally have to be mentioned here, like Ford's Fiesta, Renault's Clio, Skoda's Fabia and VW's Polo. None, however, really excel at screwing costs down to the minimum.

We wouldn't be wasting too much time on the Barina or i20 either. They have affordability on their side but it's fair to say you can do much better for the money.

We'll also take the opportunity here to wave goodbye to the 2, Micra, Swift and Yaris, not because they're bad but because they're simply outclassed by their respective alternatives below.

Honda Jazz, from $14,990

This little Honda is on the cusp of replacement (a new model arrives July) but it's still got some attractions that set it apart from the light-car pack.

One is the cabin, which remains a yardstick for space, versatility and user-friendliness. The Jazz is also still on the thrifty side of things, good value and a model of dependable, easy ownership.

But its age is obvious on the road, where it's not as surefooted or as supple and refined as class benchmarks. Base 1.3-litre, four-cylinder models need a good rev before it starts to feel sprightly (probably not an issue for the urban commute) and only the $22,990 Hybrid model gets the peace of mind of capped-price servicing.

Kia Rio, from $15,290

Well-rounded would be the best way to describe the Rio. It's not as stylish, punchy, sweet to drive or as polished as something like a Polo but it occupies a zone ahead of the Jazz, 2, Swift and Yaris.

It's a roomy, well appointed thing, too, while Kia's five-year warranty/capped-servicing combo (average annual cost about $300 for the latter) bodes well.

Just don't expect a bargain buy. The cheapest five-door model is a $16,290 proposition and you need $18,990 for the 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that best shows off the Rio.

All that said, the base 1.4 has sufficient go for a city commuter. Issues like its slightly bumpy ride aren't game-changers in this company either.

Mitsubishi Mirage, from $12,990

There aren't many cars that ask less of the wallet than this Mitsubishi. As well as being much cheaper than the other cars here, its 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine uses less fuel. Service costs, too, are capped for up to four years (average annual cost $250) and it is also covered by a five-year warranty.

And you don't actually miss out on that much. It's competitively equipped by entry-level standards, usefully roomy, easy to drive and has more than sufficient performance for city work.

Then again, if the open road beckons (its performance reserves aren't great), you love driving (it's a bit wobbly) or plan to cart bigger items, (its boot isn't huge) you won't find it hard to justify spending up on a regular light-sized alternative.

Drive recommends

The Mirage isn't the best car of this group but in terms of what it does for the price asked, it's very hard to beat. It is certainly more than enough as a car for your average city commuter.

The only real fly in the ointment comes if you're going to spend a good chunk of time on the open road, love driving, need to maximise space or are a bit choosy when it comes to the finer details of automotive product.

Then, the Mitsubishi starts to look like it isn't quite enough. In that scenario either a Jazz or Rio would be a fine alternative.

We wouldn't be able to resist the latter's driving, performance and warranty/ownership advantages.

But if we had a particular need for versatility - or were unwilling to fork out any more than we had to - we wouldn't be counting the Honda out quite so soon.