Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

Of course the most obvious answer to this question is "because you're not a car designer dummy". Even if I was though I probably would have raised a cheer for the person who solved the age old automotive conundrum of how to transport a family and all their junk around in something smaller than a removal lorry and without the styling and handling characteristics that go with it.

Before you say anything I realise that this was not the greatest problem that mankind has faced and we need to put things into perspective here but nonetheless the solution still required a stroke of genius.

1999 was the year when Vauxhall introduced the Zafira to a rapturous audience. It reinvented family motoring and caused the demise of the trusty estate car or at the very least gave it an identity crisis. Vauxhall was unrepentant however and the near decade that has elapsed since its launch the Zafira is still being purchased in large numbers and is cherished throughout this land almost as much as the family pet..

It would be a lie to say that the seven-seat Zafira can match the very latest compact MPVs for steering feel or agility, but the handling is safe and predictable. Grip levels are strong and body lean through bends isn't excessive. However, at times the suspension damping doesn't cope well over rough surfaces and it lacks control under hard cornering but what do you expect in an MPV? The brakes are strong with very short stopping distances especially at low speed. The aircraft-style handbrake is neat although a bit fiddly at first