£4000 is a healthy budget for a small, reliable petrol car, and while new cars do have more in the way of technology and safety systems, for this price you would be looking at cars that are ten years old or more and typically small, cheap hatchbacks do not have the same level of technology as more expensive, larger cars.

The Honda Jazz is a sensible option - it's one of the most sensible cars you can buy, as it is very easy to drive, has an excellent reliability record and offers impressive space despite its compact dimensions. Your budget would get you a low-mileage example of the 2002 to 2008 version, or a higher mileage example of the 2008 to 2015 version, but both would meet your needs. Another option would be the Toyota Aygo, which is petrol-only and because it is designed more as a city car is not laden with gadgets. Toyota also has an excellent reliability record, but if you need something a little larger and need to make regular longer trips you could also consider the Yaris, which is the next size up from the Aygo.