Mazda Problems

You've missed my pick, and our current Car of the Year, the Kia Sorento. It's better than any of your contenders and a top car that gets The Tick from me.

There are still baby cars with five-star safety and, given few trips and tight parking, I would recommend a Mazda2.

Putting ride-handling up against comfort will mean a compromise on one side, as sporty-feeling SUVs tend to be a bit harsh in the ride with tyre noise as well. The Mazda CX-5 is the benchmark in the class, but the Honda HR-V could be more comfortable and flexible in the cabin.

I’m surprised that they couldn’t find the cause of the problem, but impressed that they are prepared to replace the car. I wouldn’t be too concerned about the problem happening again, but I would be upset that it will take four months for them to find you a replacement car. That’s unacceptable. I would expect them to move heaven and earth to get you a new car, after all they’ve got your money and now they’ve left you without a car. I hope that they have at least given you a courtesy car for the time you have to wait.

Kia and Hyundai are both good, with the Tucson currently ahead, but before he commits he should also drive a Mazda CX-5 as it's best in class today and gets The Tick.

Mazda2, from a classy brand and great against its size and price rivals; Hyundai i20, great value and probably still with some of the factory warranty; Volkswagen Polo, not necessarily to buy but to provide a quality benchmark for the others.

The Qashqai is the right pick because of its bigger cabin, even if the Honda has lots of flexibility in its magic seats, but I would not commit without driving the Mazda CX-5, which is the class leader.

A Hyundai i20 for the daughter, because it's cheap and reliable; a Mazda3 for the mother, because its a great secondhand buy and ideal for her needs; and Holden Commodore for the father, because it's a great drive and the V6 is surprisingly economical.

Thirty or more years ago I would probably have said don't touch it, but 180,000km isn't a lot for a car today. It does to some extent depend on how long you plan to keep it, but if it's in good condition and has been regularly serviced I would expect that you should get 100,000km and out of it, and probably more.