I’m going to retire in the next twelve months and will be forced to buy my own car for the first time in more than 30 years. The last six company vehicles have been the Honda CRV (Diesel) with a manual gearbox. I have never been let down in any way and the reliability has been fantastic and for most part I’ve been getting 40 - 45 real miles per gallon. I suspect that is why it is the world’s bestselling medium sized MPV.

My mileage is likely to be considerably less, I guess no more than 10 thousand per year and I would like to have a vehicle with an automatic gearbox. I need to transport my wife, two sets of golf clubs and electric trolley’s plus luggage which the CRV has done with ease and in comfort. The CRV is also easy to get in and out of because of the ride height.

I have agonised about continuing with the Honda 1.6 diesel auto, only because of the limited mileage I’m likely to do and the thought (perhaps mistakenly), that a petrol engine vehicle would be more sensible and overall cheaper to run.

Shall I go ahead and get a Honda CRV automatic or can you “throw a rock in my pond” and suggest I stop off somewhere else on my way to the Honda dealer?