Your first car. You remember it, don't you? Well, I just got mine and I love it. It's a metallic black T-reg (1999) Ford Ka Collection - which I assumed to be a Ka2, but I'm told it's a Ka3 (which I always thought was the old name for the Luxury edition, not the Collection... Oh well, I don't know. Please accept my apologies if I've put my review in the wrong place. I'll stick with what my insurers are calling it). Power-steering, electric windows, air conditioning, CD player… What more can a girl ask for? Six years old - not too bad for a first car. I had to consider the insurance, of course, as well as the parking problem in my street. I think I chose well and everyone seems to agree with me.

And boy, do I like my Ka! Make that, I love it. When they first hit our roads in 1996 or 1997, I didn't like them one bit. I thought they looked like eggs on wheels. A friend of mine had one (this was in 1998) and gave me a lift one day. I couldn't get over how spacious and modern the dashboard was. The dials really caught my eye, the windscreen felt huge for such a small car and it felt like my friend was enjoying driving it. My opinion had been altered in an instant. It was a smooth ride home in rush hour traffic with a lot of stopping and starting and I got home feeling quite impressed by the little egg on wheels with the space ship controls.

Well, now that I've made my decision and opted for a Ka, I'm pleased to say that I'm absolutely delighted with it. I'll tell you as much as I can about it in this review, which I hope some people will find helpful - particularly young drivers considering what to buy for their first vehicle. I'll also briefly touch upon insurance - which I have already written about in more detail - at the end.

The five models are (in order of specifications and, therefore, price): the Ka, the Ka Style (this model is more colour co-ordinated than the standard Ka), the Ka Collection (like the Ka Style, but with metallic paint), the Ka Luxury (this has air conditioning, alloy wheels and leather seats) and the Sport Ka (this has a 1.6 eight-valve Duratec engine as compared with the standard 1.3 of the others). There is also, of course, the foxy convertible knows as the Street Ka. I'm not going to mention this, but rest assured, I do want one. Writing about it will only make me want one even more, so best to push it to the back of my mind for now.

Of course, as with the standard Ka, you also get power steering, central locking, an immobiliser, electric windows (the back windows push out to open - they don't wind down - but these are perfect for hanging things on, ladies, such as air fresheners and the like), a decent stereo (mine has a CD player) and tinted glass. You can adjust the height of the driver's seat, which is great for a little short arse like me. There's a driver's airbag, an electric odometer, a low fuel warning light and a rev counter. Add to this painted bumpers and door mirrors, split rear seats and rear head rests (doesn't every car have these?), not to mention the smooth metallic finish that complements your motor greatly.

It's 3620mm long and 1827mm wide (that's including the mirrors). Inside, there's plenty of space in the front (headroom 992mm, leg room 1036mm, shoulder room 1307mm).

The engine is 1300cc (or 1299cc, to be precise). You don't need to rev much. It really is like a little tiger cub, waiting to shoot off and explore its surroundings. It's a very easy car to drive. Again, I stress that I'm a learner, but I have driven a few other cars (a 1998 Nissan Micra, a 1997 Ford Fiesta, a 1997 Citroen Saxo and a 1998 Vauxhall Corsa). The Ka is by far my favourite, not just to drive, but to manoeuvre. It's so easy to park and reverse. Steering is incredibly light and responsive (oh, the joys of power steering). I can't stress how much fun this car is to drive.

The dashboard is curvaceous, the glove box a bit on the cheap side (there's a handle that you pull and the top just comes away in your hand - a hinge would be nice, Ford). The seat behind the driver's has an additional compartment, which is perfect for your log book and maps.

To sum up, it's good to look at, it's cheap to run and very nice to drive. It's sporty, nifty, funky and cute… There are just so many words to describe this little gem of a car. I love the way the front bonnet dips down with its smooth curves, the way lights are oh-so beautifully positioned and the fact that the wheels are right in each corner so it feels like you're driving a go-kart. Sure, there's limited space in the rear, but it is a super-mini after all. What do you expect? A great choice for your first car, if I do say so myself, and also well-worthy of your consideration if you don't need the boot/rear space, if you're childless, if you live in town and need something that's easy on the shoulders and the bank balance.