Just thought I'd report back, as promised, with info on new car I finally bought. I have to confess that in the end I just got fed up with dithering and test drove a Prius (2008 T Spirit with leather seats) then paid the £500 deposit. Few days later I found it would not fit into my parents' garage - 8" too long! Being able to get the car into the space is vital - I care for them and visit every week, staying overnight.; their next-door neighbour is insane and has a habit of pushing nails into the tyres of cars left on their drive (!). So, back to the dealer, hoping for a refund of deposit and final decision to go with Jazz. I had checked on here and found that I was not actually entitled to the money back so was persuaded into the only alternative Toyota which fitted the bill: economical, roomy, 5 doors, easy for elderly parents to get in and out of , Auris HSD. Of course, it does NOT have all the bells and whistles I wanted - this would have meant going to T Spirit and I could not afford it.

So this was a compromise and not my choice at all. Now I know you experts are going to say I should have argued the toss for the return of the £500 but I had lost the will to live by this time.

I collected the car on Sunday morning and have been quietly learning to enjoy it - I won't say I love it because I don't think the bland styling will ever allow this (never say die?). It's been up and down the motorway a couple of times and is very pleasant to drive. The thing is, I would say I've given it a good thrashing (I so loved my mini...) but I haven't because I seem to have become obsessed with improving the average fuel consumption so I am driving much more carefully. I don't think anyone who has been in my car would recognise me as the driver if they experienced a blindfold chauffeuring exoerience.

On the plus side I can now use the onboard computer to time my journey (petty I know but I always love borrowing my husband's Civic for this reason [among others]), there is a proper connection for my ipod, there is masses of room in the back, it is economical and there will be no road tax to pay next month, steering is good, wipers are an improvement on the Mini and I have climate control rather than plain old AC. However, despite the size of the car there seem to be few cubbyholes and one big beef is that there is no digital readout regarding speed so I do occasionally find that I am travelling probably slower than the driver behind would like as I obsess about fuel consumption. I confess that I have not yet consumed the manual so there may be a setting that allows digital readout... Of course, I miss the keyless entry but the car does have push button start so sort-of half there.

On the whole I would say that it has been a pleasant surprise - not what I set out to buy but possibly better. It is a more enjoyable driving experience than the Jazz which I thought had very woolly steering and is more economical than the Note (the only other contender in the end) plus being more reliable I am guessing.

When I no longer have parental requirements I will (hopefully) return to the thrill of manual and fun motoring but for now I am content that I have made a sensible purchase for my purposes. And I can concentrate on Christmas rather than choosing a car - AAAAGGGHH.