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Need a car with good visibility

I have a stiff neck due to a recent sports injury on top of ageing, and although I have a rear camera, which helps with parking, I find I can no longer safely see the nearside rear quarter of my 2006 Honda Civic 1.8 Exec i-shift with its dropped roofline and 'spoiler' design on the rear hatchback.

Before my Civic, I owned a 2003 Honda CRV auto-petrol which my wife and I loved, but gave up because of the unsustainably high petrol consumption, even though I was doing only 6000 miles per annum.

We would like to go back to an SUV type vehicle but I am finding it difficult to select one which combines height with full size rear corner windows so I can drive more safely.

I favour a diesel automatic, and would wish to retain most of the extras I have on my 2006 Civic 1.8 Exec. We have a retriever we carry in the back when I am not otherwise carrying golf clubs.

We are a retired couple in our 60s and do not cover a large annual mileage, but live on our pensions. What would you recommend I focus my attention on?

Asked on 24 February 2012 by cozenjohn

Answered by Honest John
Judge the car on the size of its mirrors, then aim them so they cover the kerb. A diesel automatic SUV will be very expensive and the diesel engine will not recoup your huge investment on top of the value of the Civic. Might be a good idea to take a look at a Toyota RAV-4 2.0i Valvematic Multidrive S. But sensibly, look at a Toyota Verso S Multidrive S (£30 tax), or a Honda Jazz CVT-7.
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