Semi-retirement is busier than working: I've been meaning to do a running report on the Q2 ever since it was a year old towards the end of April. Anyway a year and a bit now, 18,500 miles, and the first service was done last week.

Nothing has gone wrong or fallen off, as you might expect (but don't always get) with a new car. But it might be useful for others if I mention the equipment that I did and didn't have: one can go mad on options and push up the cost horrifically without necessarily getting a better price the other end.

I went for the 2.0 petrol: the 1.4 (now replaced by the 1.5) is perfectly adequate, but for our frequent journeys barrelling up and down the undulating A303, the extra oomph has been worth it. Its other virtue is that it comes with 4wd and the wet-clutch DSG. There's a long-term trip and consumption recorder showing an average 38 mpg since new - very creditable, and over 40 mpg is achievable on a long run. (The short-term trip recorder is accurate, so presumably the long-term one is as well.)

Things worth having:

Lumbar support; heated front seats (for SWMBO); power tailgate (well worth having, not least so that you can open it remotely and find the car in a car park); rear view camera; automatic high-beam assist; space-saver spare wheel; auto hill hold; and auto-dimming rear-view mirror (the last two shouldn't have been extras).

I went for, but not sure I would again, the Tech Pack with the 'virtual cockpit': the main screen is atop the dashboard and angled towards the driver, so having the same map in front of you isn't much of a bonus. You can have satnav and traffic information without the rest of the Tech Pack.

I didn't go for:

Keyless entry and start (no fear); lane assist (too intrusive); climate control (I think most would disagree, but I find the manual AC works perfectly); park assist (it was useless on the Volvo so it was one I could do without); leather upholstery (expensive) and all other 'cosmetics' of which there are many.

On reflection I might have ticked adaptive cruise control and 'side assist' (i.e.blind spot warning light in the inside edge of the door mirrors).

Buying any car is a gamble - is it going to be right for me and meet the needs? - but this one felt right as soon as I drove it away from the dealer, in the way that its predecessor, a worthy but stodgy Volvo V60, never did.

It looks good in bright blue with silver C-pillars. It's long enough to seat 4-5 people and also make a good van, small enough not to be a pain in our rural Dorset lanes. Above all it suits my driving style - I'm no boy-racer or twisty-B-road freak but I like to get a move on.