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Which small car offers good comfort for a passenger with back problems?

I am currently running a Honda Jazz 1.4 i-VTEC ES which I find cheap to run and perfectly adequate for daily runs. However, my wife has a back problem and she finds the Jazz uncomfortable. We are considering options and have a budget of up to £19,000. Friends mention the Octavia and Toyota Auris or Avensis as possible contenders. What do you advise?

Asked on 12 August 2012 by GB, Stockton-on-Tees

Answered by Honest John
The best small car for comfort is a Fiat 500, because of the excellent seats. The best compact car for comfort is the Renault Megane on 195/65 R15 tyres or the Ford C-Max, but the best of all in the compact class is a Mazda 5 TS2 on 205/55 R16 Toyo J48 tyres, which beats the C-Max for comfort, and rides and handles brilliantly.
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