GONE are the days of big, smoky diesel estates chugging down the street like the Flying Scotsman unleashed. Recent advances in diesel technology mean that even the most modestly proportioned cars can happily accommodate an oil-burning powerplant without losing anything in terms of performance. The fact that city cars are so light and easy to drive means that fuel economy figures are outstanding. If economical urban motoring is your need, then any one of our top five should fit the bill perfectly.

Ian Dooley rounds up some of the best small Diesels on the market.

Best for environment: Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi No selection of small city cars would be complete without a Ford Fiesta. The latest incarnation of Ford's classic hatchback is slightly bigger than you might expect, but still maintains the Fiesta virtues of being neat, tidy and very easy to drive. Ford's diesel engines have a justifiably excellent reputation and just a few minutes in the company of the smooth TDCi unit should be enough to let you see why. Of particular interest is the exceptionally low emissions level of just 113g/km, which makes the Fiesta a smart choice for business users.

Price: £9,695 Best for affordability: Nissan Micra 1.5 dCi The retro styling of the Nissan Micra is genuinely innovative, but don't let it kid you into thinking this is anything other than a cutting-edge car. One-and-a-half litres of diesel engine is more than enough for this flexible runaround. It may only produce 64bhp but the far more significant figure is the 118lb/ft of torque on tap that makes low-rev motoring a breeze. And where is it you rarely get a chance to see the rev counter go past the vertical? That's right, in the city, which makes the Micra perfect for urban duties. A tiny nine metre turning circle helps, too.

Price: £8,695 Best for style: Mini One D 1.4 One of the newer kids on the small diesel block is a diesel powered Mini. It may have taken a mere 40 years to marry an oil-burner to the famous badge, but Mini's parent company, BMW, knows a thing or two about diesels and includes an absolute peach of a powerplant in its smallest creation. It's pleasing to report that the switch to DERV has done nothing to diminish the fun to be had from throwing the Mini around corners and squeezing into the sort of parking spaces you could throw a tea towel over. If anything, you'll have an even bigger smile on your face as you drive - after all, nearly 60 miles to the gallon on the EU-approved combined cycle is enough to plaster a grin on anyone's physiognomy.

Price: £11,695 Best for reliability: Toyota Yaris D-4D If you're wondering where the Mini One D gets its engine from, look no further. Toyota's Yaris is the donor, having generously gifted its brilliant D-4D engine. Yet the Yaris manages to squeeze even more mileage out of every drop of the oily stuff you put in the fuel tank - up to 67.3mpg in the S badged model. With that sort of economy, you'll need to write the instructions for filling up on a piece of cardboard and keep it in the glove box, as you're likely to visit the dentist more often than the local petrol station. Despite the engine's technical complexity, the Yaris regularly tops reliability polls. A dissatisfied Yaris owner is about as common as a fat ballerina.

Price: £9,445 Best for economy: Renault Clio 1.5 dCi While we're playing swap the engine', we can't fail to mention Renault's enduring Clio. The car has the handy knack of being adored by women and appreciated by men at the same time and never seems to put a foot wrong - particularly when it has the same 1.5-litre diesel engine on board as Nissan's Micra. It's a Renault engine, by the way. Many Clio owners regularly load up with shopping, suitcases, friends or a combination of the above and there's enough muscle under the bonnet to cope without complaint. You can choose either a 65bhp version or a more highly tuned 80bhp unit that cuts the 0-60 time from 15 seconds to 12 seconds yet somehow manages to improve fuel economy at the same time from 65mpg to 67mpg. In the words of the great Paul Daniels: "Now that's magic!"

Price: £8,775