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If you've a problem with those who fold their pyjamas or iron creases in their jeans, the choice of affordable used cars designed to suit your lifestyle is widening.
It took the car makers quite a while to wake up to the fact that for a huge number of us, a car is as much a lifestyle statement as a means of transport. These days it seems obvious but it wasn't so long ago that car design was stagnating with manufacturers happy to repeatedly churn out more of the same. Ford's Ka was instrumental in the renaissance.
You may want to argue, but it seems clear that Ford's city car, the cheekily named Ka, was probably the most innovative thing the industry had produced since the Mini. And not only because its chiselled 'new-edge design', daring and innovative inside and out, looked like nothing else on the road.
Introduced in the autumn of 1996 and on sale until 2009, it's a popular choice on the used market but takes some searching out - examples are harder to find than Ford's mainstream Fiesta.
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What you get
A car only slightly smaller than an ordinary supermini but a lot more fashionable - and much better to drive. The Ka took small cars into a new era - pure and simple. Even those who don't agree that Ka is individual, simple and elegant (and they seem to be in the minority) have to admit that it has a charisma all of its own.
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What to look for
Mainly cosmetic damage (the headlamps in particular aren't cheap). Watch for tappet noise in the 1.3-litre engine and look for patchy paint, poorly fitted doors and rusting spot welds in the door shuts.
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Replacement parts
(approx) A clutch assembly is around £75. Front brakepads are around £45, a full exhaust about £90, a catalyst about £200 and an alternator (exchange) around £115. A headlamp is about £70.
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On the road
The 1.3-litre powerplant, though freshened up for this application, is hardly the last word in engine design and runs out of puff very soon after you begin to rev it. Still, it is torquey, at its best pulling from low speeds around town. It's also frugal (you can average up to 48mpg).
Further compensation comes in the form of superbly controlled ride and handling, reminding you of a much larger car. Packaging is another Ka strongpoint. You wouldn't believe the amount of oddment space and front legroom that the designers have crammed into the tiny cabin.
The sheer size restrictions of a car 210mm shorter than the already compact Fiesta had to catch up with them somewhere however, and as you might imagine, the sacrifices have mainly been made around the two sculpted seats in the rear.
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Overall
A landmark small car. If you like the looks, you'll love it.
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