The Romanian car company Dacia sprung into the market earlier this decade with a range of practical, no frills cars that are extremely affordable.

The Dacia Sandero is a compact hatchback that has an overall quality that belies its low price of £5,995.

You might think that buying a car for under six grand would mean you are skimping on quality. But the Sandero offers a comfortable ride and an interior that doesn’t feel cheap.

Car tax can be particularly costly on older models, so when you go for a new car with a more efficient engine, why not choose something that doesn’t get taxed at all?

The Suzuki Celerio also has very good fuel consumption, further reducing the running costs. The car itself has plenty of space for a five-door supermini, even if the price is low.

Factor that in with the asking price of £6,999, and you have an attractive option as a small family car.

Reliability is another big factor when it comes to running costs. Especially when it comes to insurance payments.

If you know a car has a good efficient engine that has been well-built with quality parts, then you know its less likely to breakdown.

The Hyundai i10 falls into insurance group 1, meaning you will be charged the smallest amount. So if you have a good no claims bonus, then why not choose this car?

While it may not be the biggest, the I range of Hyundais are known for their quality, so even in the smallest of packages, the i10 does not leave you wanting.

Another Dacia on this list, only this time, you’ll be surprised to see that this model is an SUV.

The Dacia Duster has everything you would want from a big family car, but this time it brings running costs to a level far below more top of the line crossovers.

While it may not be as refined as the more expensive big name crossovers, you still get a very decent all-rounder.

Running costs are the key feature of course, and when you factor in fuel, insurance, tax and the cost of the car, the Duster only sets you back an estimated cost per mile of £20.63p for 3 years of use. Not bad for a brand new car.

Skoda is a car company that’s reputation has completely turned around. Once their models were known as unreliable and unattractive, but now they produce some of the best cars on the market.

The Skoda Citigo is their entry into the supermini market. Available in a three or five-door option, you can choose the option to fit the size of your family.

Its 1.0-litre engine means tax is low and the car falls into the tier 1 insurance bracket, meaning you won’t be paying through your teeth to provide protection. At £8,495, the Citigo is an affordable and quality vehicle.

German efficiency in engineering means its little surprise to see that Volkswagen have one of the cheapest cars to run.

After all, their company name loosely translates to ‘the people’s car’. The Volkswagen Polo is the smallest in their range, combining all the quality you would find in a Golf albeit with a smaller engine.

It also has some of the best MPG ratings out of any vehicle, with the 1.4 TDI Bluemotion variant coming up at 91.1mpg.

For decades, Ford has demonstrated that quality doesn't have to come with a premium. The Focus is one of the most popular cars among families, due to its renowned reliability and spacious interior.

But what makes the Focus even better, is its cheap running costs. Delivering approximately 74.3mpg, you'll avoid excessive trips to the petrol pump, and with emissions averaging less than 100g/km of CO2, your carbon footprint will remain in check too.

A brand new Ford Focus starts at £18,545, which may be a little pricier than some of the other vehicles on this list.

Yet the Focus is brilliant when it comes to retaining value, making it an ideal, cost-effective choice for a second-hand car.

Japanese car companies have a reputation for building practical, efficient cars with smart technologies, exactly what you need if you live in a supercity like Tokyo.

The Toyota Aygo is one of their most popular exports, and its lightweight build means fuel efficiency is excellent.

A recent AutoExpress review of the cheapest cars to run estimated that buying a new Toyota Aygo would cost £8,139 per year, with monthly running costs at £226.

If you went for a secondhand model, then these costs would be even smaller.

Of course, if you want to have the cheapest car to run, then you should go for an electric vehicle. And while the initial outlay might be more, the benefit you get from the technology will prove fruitful.

The Nissan Leaf is one of the most popular choices, offering low tax, no fuel costs, and with an ever-increasing charging network, you’ll hardly notice the hit to your budget as you do your monthly runarounds.

If you really want to keep costs low, then the Renault Zoe is a perfect choice. Yes, it isn’t the cheapest to buy, but like the Nissan Leaf, the green technology means no fuel costs and no tax.

The engine is reliable and the car is well built, even if it doesn’t look as attractive as others. The future is electric - so get ahead of the eco-conscious curve.