Mitsubishi Motors was one of the first manufacturers to combine 'tall' with small when the European manufactured Space Star five-door hatchbacks were introduced four years ago.

In keeping with the growth for this type of vehicle, Mitsubishi are adding a 1.6-litre petrol engine to its line-up, pictured left. This will fit between the current 1.3-litre and eco-friendly 1.8-litre GDI engine.

Mitsubishi envisage that the new engine will attract customers looking for a combination of power, torque and fuel economy.

Producing 96 horsepower, the Space Star can reach speeds of up to 111 mph (manual), with a fuel reading of 39.8 mpg in combined mode.

The new 1.6 Space Star is available in Equippe specification only and with a five-speed manual gearbox, or four-speed automatic transmission.

Power steering and anti-lock braking with electronic brakeforce distribution are standard, as are central locking, driver's and passenger's airbags, front and rear electric windows and radio with CD player.

The 1.6-litre models are priced at £11,995 for the manual and £13,010 for the automatic. The Space Star range starts at £9,960 for the 1.3 Classic and £14,995 for the top of the range 1.8 GDI Elegance Automatic.