Well that was the reaction of one of my female friends when I picked her up in it for the first time but then my previous car was a Skoda Octavia. She has got a point I suppose but on the move you don't notice the size of the car and with rear wheel dive and an excellent turning circle it isn't that bad to park either.

The 300 lb ft torque from the engine and a five speed auto gearbox means that it proceeds quite unfussed quite quickly and without any handling dramas thank to an excellent chassis. Telephone and MP3 player integration is excellent on my car which is fitted with optional cd changer and media interface and telephone pre-wiring.

Even something as idiosyncratic and individual as an iPod Touch can be controlled from the steering wheel. It seems appropriate that the iPOD is tucked out of site when connected as there is a decidedly retro feel to the car with an art deco theme to the interior cabin lights and a large analogue clock in the instrument cluster.

The bottom of the range SE trim has almost everything I need and even earned me brownie points from a veggie friend by not having leather trim (although the Artico seats are very good indeed). I do have one hankering and that is to throw away the aluminium stamped trim in the cabin and to replace it with walnut or black ash. I am on the look out for a suitable aftermarket trim kit

Fuel consumption isn't bad with 44 mpg (imperial) being achievable on a run with the average per tank as between 38 mpg and 40 mpg on the mixture of dual carriageway and small town roads that I normally travel on.

The load space is huge and the optional Easy-Pack load securing kit bars come in useful for keeping bags and briefcases within reach when driving the estate without a load on which is in fact most of the time.

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