What small car should I buy?

The dilemma

Sharyn has a 2007 Ford Focus Zetec hatch. She loves its practicality, urban agility, economy and the way it drives but its age, now-outdated safety and lack of contemporary in-car technology (notably sat-nav) are steering her towards a replacement. She'd happily get another Focus but isn't sure if she might be able to do better in 2016.

The budget

About $25,000

The shortlist

The current Focus is a Drive favourite and winner of its class in our 2016 Car of the Year runoff, so it would deserve a look even without Sharyn's goodwill towards the franchise.

Is there a small hatch that might just be better for her? Well, it wouldn't be a Holden Cruze, Mitsubishi Lancer or Nissan Pulsar, all of which are massively outclassed by the Ford. Or a VW Golf, Peugeot 308 or Renault Megane, which are talented but don't offer sat-nav in this budget range.

Hyundai's i30 and Subaru's Impreza? We'd wait for the all-new models that are just around the corner than commit to a soon-to-be-outdated package now.

Toyota's Corolla and Kia's Cerato? They're good, honest all-rounders but ultimately outgunned by the two Focus alternatives we've assembled here.

Ford Focus Trend hatch, from $23,390

This Ford's 1.5-litre turbo-petrol drivetrain is strong, flexible and quite thrifty (6.2L/100km). It's a great drive; agile and poised through the bends but comfortable, too.

Sharyn will have no issues swallowing this base model's higher than average asking price, especially when its generous swag of equipment includes sat-nav. It ticks all the safety basics and has a solid fixed-price servicing deal (lifetime, with yearly/15,000km intervals).

But the Focus' back seat and boot (316 litres) aren't the biggest in the class. The cabin, while improved by an update in 2015, lacks the high-quality ambience of some small cars.

Contemporary safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking is available but only as part of a $2000 option pack, which could test the budget.

Read Drive's Ford Focus reviews:

2016 Drive Car of the Year: Best Small Car
She says, he says: Ford Focus Trend
Road-test comparison: Small cars 

Mazda 3 Maxx hatch, from $22,890

This Mazda has some of the strongest safety chops in the class following a recent upgrade that made autonomous emergency braking standard across the range.

This second-tier model has sat-nav in its comprehensive specification and a willing, frugal 2.0-litre engine (5.8L/100km). It's a faithful, enjoyable thing to drive and slickly presented, especially inside.

But the 3's engine is noisy when pushed, which it often needs to be because it lacks the low to mid-range grunt of turbo rivals, and it's not exactly a palace of silence on the open road.

Back-seat space is okay without being great and its boot is small (308 litres). While it matches the Ford with lifetime fixed-price servicing, the intervals are shorter (yearly/10,000km).

Read Drive's Mazda 3 reviews:

Road test: 2016 Mazda 3 Maxx
Road-test comparison: Small cars

Suzuki Baleno GLX Turbo, from $21,990

This Suzuki is a little smaller than most small cars and powered by a tiny 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine.

It's not a driving benchmark or a paragon of upmarket flair inside. Autonomous emergency braking isn't available for any price.

Suzuki's capped-price servicing regime has this group's only use-by date (five years/100,000km) and shortest intervals (six-monthly/10,000km).

But the Baleno's sub-1000kg mass means its small engine isn't as big a handicap as you might think, and it's a real sipper (5.2L/100km). It's respectably well-behaved and comfortable to drive, and the cabin has good back-seat space and this group's biggest boot (355 litres), 

It costs thousands less than comparable small cars but has a standard auto transmission (optional for its rivals here), all the safety basics and plenty of toys, including sat-nav and this group's only Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Read Drive's Suzuki Baleno reviews:

First drive: Suzuki Baleno

Drive recommends

The Baleno doesn't have the berries to push it way past the Focus and 3 but if offers a path to a unique, well thought-out and surprisingly charming package for considerably fewer dollars than most small cars. That gives it the upper hand over rivals that are also ultimately not quite benchmark setters.

The Ford and Mazda are tough to split. The former accrues more points across the board. It's the better 'car' and this contest's ostensible winner.

The latter, though, is hardly a poor choice and its standout standard safety features are potentially a big advantage in a worst-case scenario. So the best small car or a great one that might save your bacon? Only Sharyn can answer that.