1. Mercedes-Benz CLANew Mercedes CLA EV Now, this top position for the new CLA comes with a couple of caveats. Those being that we’re less than enticed by the exterior styling; that the cabin is both over-reliant on too-fiddly touchscreen controls that simply don’t work all that well; and that the interior quality is nowhere near the standard it really needs to be for a car with the three-pointed star. Still, it really is hard to ignore just how good the CLA is when you get down to the business of actually driving it. You can choose from either fully electric power, or a 1.5-litre hybrid petrol engine – the EV is rear-wheel drive, and the hybrid is front-drive; there are four-wheel drive variants of both, but those lie outside our budget remit. New Mercedes-Benz CLA Speaking of which, we’re going to bust the budget to the tune of €535 to get into a CLA 250 EQ in Progressive Line trim, which doesn’t get the full-size battery for the longest range, but which still manages a creditable 671km on one charge, according to the paperwork at any rate (figure on a very useful 550km real-world). It’s also impressively fast to charge when you need to. Better yet is just how well sorted this CLA is dynamically. The steering is light, but laser-sight precise, and the suspension is supple but well-tied down. The CLA is astonishingly good to drive on a challenging road – BMW’s incoming new electric i3 has a dynamic fight on its hands. If you’re not ready for batteries, the hybrid version is 99 per cent as good to drive, and impressively economical – 5.5 litres per 100km in real-world conditions. There are a lot of ifs and buts when it comes to the CLA, but it’s such an impressive car when the wheels start turning. 2. BMW 2 Series CoupeBMW 2 Series Coupe Scraping in just under our €60,000 budget, and leaving you a handful of euro for some options or just for the delivery charge, the BMW 2 Series Coupe is a perfect example of just enough being plenty enough. Our budget “only” gets you a basic model, but in this case that still means a 220i in M-Sport trim, with the 184hp 2.0 litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, and the purity of rear-wheel drive (shame there’s no manual gearbox option, but hey-ho …). In many ways, this 220i is sweeter to drive than the full-on €125,000 M2 Coupe, thanks to being more gentle over bumps and easier on your cardiologist’s workload at the fuel pumps. It’s small inside but just roomy enough to count as practical, and you’ll be having too much fun at the wheel to much care about your passengers’ legroom. Wild card: Polestar 4Polestar 4 Polestar is still a brand that’s not quite registering on many people’s radar, but we love its Scandi-cool vibe, and this Polestar 4 – which lies in the centre of a Venn diagram made up of saloon, crossover, and four-door coupe – is impressive to drive, with a very decent usable range (620km officially) for the Long Range Single Motor model that slots into our budget.[ What are the best affordable cars for short trips?Opens in new window ]Wonderfully sleek styling inside and out but, as with so many cars, it needs way more proper buttons on the inside. Masses of rear legroom for lanky passengers, but the penalty is a smallish boot. There’s also no rear window – you get an electronic rear-view mirror instead, which takes a bit of getting used to. Cooler than almost any other comparably priced premium car option, though. Bring your pet everywhere? Here are the best cars for drivers with dogsThe Irish Times guide to the best affordable seven-seat family carsThe Irish Times best new car picks for summer 2026 – under €30,000The Irish Times best new car picks for the summer of 2026 – under €25,000Best second-hand first cars for learners and young drivers