What small easily accessible car should I buy?

The dilemma

David is helping his mum, in her eighties, pin down a new replacement for her Holden Cruze. She wants something smaller this time around with easier access, and a reversing camera would be a plus. It'll primarily be used for urban commuting, with the odd country trip thrown in.

The budget

$20,000 on the road

The shortlist

The most obvious solution to this scenario would be a light/city-sized SUV. That would deliver both the size decrease David's mum is looking for and a taller hip-point than a regular passenger car (i.e. easier access).

There is a problem with this strategy, though. Most popular contenders ask for closer to $25k to get them on the road, some even more. Put a $20k ceiling on the game and your down to a single possibility. Thankfully, it's a good one.

What else? Well, there are two ways David and his mum could go. They could ditch the new-car requirement and factor near-new city SUVs into their search. Or they could take a look at the light-car class, where a 'tall-boy' contender with close-to-SUV hip-point credentials might just fit the bill.

Honda Jazz, from $14,990

This Honda rides taller than most light hatches and is that bit easier to get in and out of.

Its tall, van-like profile also helps it serve up better occupant and boot space than the competition. A clever back seat (it not only folds totally flat and very low but has bases that fold up) means you can use every bit of that space.

It ticks off our reversing-camera requirement (every model has one), is super-easy to drive and park, and its 1.5-litre drivetrain is willing and thrifty. Service costs are fixed for five years/100,000km.

But the Jazz isn't totally at home out of the big smoke – other light hatches have quieter, more supple rides and are more surefooted to drive. Its six-monthly/10,000km service intervals are eclipsed by much of the competition, if not all of its rivals here.

Read Drive's Honda Jazz reviews:

• Road test: Honda Jazz VTi
• Road-test comparison: Light hatches

2015-on Mazda CX-3 2WD petrol, from $14,400*

Honda's HR-V and Suzuki's Vitara are two near-new city SUVs to consider but this Mazda has a couple of advantages.

One is auto emergency braking. It's an across-the-range option, where neither the Jazz, Vitara or the other Suzuki explored here offers it. The HR-V, meanwhile, keeps it to higher level models (i.e. costlier ones).

Another plus is its lifetime fixed-price servicing coverage and yearly/10,000km intervals, which eclipse equivalent offerings in the Honda/Suzuki realm.

The CX-3 serves up our desired high hip point, easy access and reversing camera. It's economical and its agile, surefooted road manners and punchy 2.0-litre engine mean it handles urban and open-road duties with equal aplomb.

But you will need to live with a few kays on the clock, reduced factory warranty coverage and more open-road racket than other city SUVs. Its back seat and boot, too, are on the tight side.

Read Drive's Mazda CX-3 reviews:

• Road test: Mazda CX-3 sTouring
• Road-test comparison: Baby SUVs

Suzuki Ignis, from $15,990

This Suzuki is one new city SUV that ticks the affordability box – even the topline GLX, with sat-nav, smart key and other trinkets, squeezes into our budget at $19,990 driveaway.

It's easy to get in and out of and both models have our desired reversing camera. It's easy to drive and park and uses very little fuel yet packs plenty of cabin space into its small frame, and rides and drives with surprising maturity for a tiddler.

But its 1.2-litre petrol drivetrain – while fine for urban duties – lacks the reserves of bigger engined alternatives on the open road.

Its boot is quite small and Suzuki's servicing deal (prices fixed for five years/100,000km, six-monthly/10,000km intervals) is bettered by many alternatives.

Read Drive's Suzuki Ignis reviews:

• Road test: Suzuki Ignis GLX
• She says, he says: Suzuki Ignis

Drive recommends

The Mazda isn't perfect but its safety and servicing credentials, and extra open-road go, are big tempters. Not knowing whether David's mum is prepared to venture away from the new-car showroom, however, means any victory comes with an asterisk.

Choosing between a Jazz and Ignis isn't entirely straightforward. The Honda's drivetrain is marginally better suited to open-road work, its cabin and boot are bigger and smarter.

David, however, says nothing about practicality and the Suzuki's open-road-power shortcoming is less significant than its value, driving and other advantages. So we'd probably be siding with the Ignis.

* Values are estimates provided by Redbook based on an example averaging up to 20,000km per annum and in a well-maintained condition relevant to its age.