It’s marvellously spacious, great to drive and superbly refined, although some might find the sheer size of the Mondeo daunting and there's some road noise on coarse surfaces. Family cars don't come much better than this.

Every car company must have a crossover these days. Why? They’re what people want. In less than four years, Nissan has sold more than 1m Qashqais worldwide.

The cheapest petrol-engined Golf – with a 1.4-litre engine – makes do with a measly 79bhp. The 1.2 TSI has a more respectable 104bhp, but our favourite is the punchy 120bhp turbocharged 1.4 TSI, although a 158bhp version of this engine – with a supercharger – gives almost hot-hatch pace. The diesel engine range includes two 1.6s - with either 89- or 104bhp - and three 2.0s, with 109-, 138-, or 168bhp. Of these, the middle 2.0-litre model is our favourite.

A small car with Audi qualities and the Audi badge can't fail. All three engines are good, and quality is up to the usual Audi standards. However, unless you can live with a hard ride, avoid the firmest suspension and biggest wheels.