Honda Problems

The Polo is the best car on your list — and until the end of the year it is selling for $15,990 driveaway — but you should include the Honda Jazz, which is even better value for money.

Your choices both get The Tick, but the Benz A250 might be too sporty for a retirement car and the A3 is an upscale Volkswagen Golf. A good mate has just bought an Accord Euro and, even though it goes out of production soon, he loves it. You should test-drive all three.

You made a good choice and the new Jazz looks to be back to the same standard.

Get her to stretch to about $15,000 for a Honda Jazz or get a second-hand Hyundai i20 with plenty of warranty still in the deal.

I'm doing the same thing with my mother-in-law. A new car will be best with great value and excellent warranties. The three cars she needs to drive are the Honda Jazz, Mazda2 and Volkswagen Polo. All three get The Tick so go for her personal favourite. I'd go for the Jazz.

People have always bought Alfas with their hearts and they are behind the Japanese on reliability and resale. There is an updated Giulietta coming next year, which I recently drove in Italy and enjoyed. Try it.

The Polo will be a top choice but don't overlook the Honda Jazz. It's a different style of car, not feeling as solid as the VW, but lively with good outward vision.

You're right to be concerned, you are likely to lose quite a chunk of money on it after such a short period of ownership. It would be better to hold on to it for another year or two if you want to reduce the damage through depreciation. To find out what you might get for it as a private sale or as a trade-in go to one of the recognized car valuation websites, like Glass's or Redbook. There you'll find all of the information you need to make a good decision.

You'll be well served by a Honda Jazz, which gets The Tick, as it's easy to get in and out as well as flexible for carrying. It's the car my mother-in-law is getting.