The price of family cars is on the rise but small cars remain a good buy, according to a new report.

The average price of new family cars increased 1.8 per cent in November 2001 compared with November 2000, according to the latest index from the Alliance & Leicester bank and What Car? magazine.

But the new small car average dipped 7.9 per cent and multi-purpose vehicle prices fell 11.2 per cent, the index revealed.