Which car do you recommend for use on a small island?

I love my 2002 Honda Jazz, which has been perfect for island life, accommodating four people and a cello. However, we are looking to replace it with a more robust diesel touring car (the cello won't be...

Which petrol-engined family car with room for camping gear?

A Toyota Yaris 3-door hatchback with a small engine has given excellent service to my student children. The car has done 90,000 miles and as my daughter is married with a baby on the way it is time for...

Which car to replace my Mondeo ST24 offers good performance and large load carrying ability?

I have owned a Mondeo ST24 estate for 12 years. It has proved reliable, relatively economical, sporty, good to drive with decent performance and carries everything, including the kitchen sink. At 150,000...

Do you have to have a Hyundai or KIA serviced at a recognised workshop to keep the long warranty?

I read about the long warranties on Hyundais and KIAs. Do you need to take your car to the dealers to keep the 5 and 7-year warranties? I also read about Volkswagen Polo 1.4s having premature bore or piston...

Should I buy a new Avensis or the Mazda 6 Tourer?

The time has come for me to think about changing my present vehicle, a 2009 Toyota Avensis D-4D 2.2 Tourer. Although the Avensis has had a fairly recent facelift I can’t help wondering how long it will...

Would you recommend the KIA Rio as a small, reliable, petrol car?

I note that in Saturday’s paper you state that if a person drives fewer than 15,000 miles a year and keeps cars for longer than five years, diesel cars are best avoided. As this applies to me, which petrol...

What do you think of the engine in the new SEAT Leon?

We’re now thinking of buying a new SEAT Leon with a petrol engine but cannot decide between the 1.4TSi 140 or the 1.2TSI 105. We do around 12,000 miles a year and don’t carry heavy loads/passengers or...

Will a Porsche 911 996 C2 be a money pit?

I have my eye on a Porsche 911 996 C2 cabriolet, the ‘facelifted’ version with 3.6-litre engine etc. It’s a 2002 with 58,000 on the clock and a full service history (Porsche main dealer for years 1-3 and...

Which 2.2-litre petrol car to replace our Vectra?

For many years my wife and I have been buying the Vauxhall 2.2-litre Vectra as we like its combination of size and power, we also like the fact that the economy of the petrol engine is surprisingly good....

Which car to replace our Volkswagen Passat and Vauxhall Astra?

The passage of time has brought the wife (age 75) and me (age 78) to a point where the ease at which we can enter and leave the car is becoming paramount. I currently run a 1997 Passat 110 TDI now at 177,000...