Faults:

Headlight bulb blown twice - same side but very easy fix.

Indicator flasher kept sticking on left, so the module was repaired.

DPF kept getting blocked. Dealer forced regeneration twice to clear all under warranty. It got blocked a third time at 38000 miles, but previous forced regeneration meant it needed replacing. This was replaced using a genuine salvaged part and fitted for a total cost of £225.

The 12V port bottom plate broke off in first year of ownership. Not bothered as I use the USB power port instead.

General Comments:

I have owned this car from nearly new for over 4 years. To date it (touch wood) has been the best of 3 cars I have ever owned by far. It has been the fastest, the quietest, most practical and most economical car.

The A/C always works and blows ice cold. The driving position is good, however the steering isn't telescopic and the rear window is too small.

The handling is average with a slightly bumpy ride by modern standards, but as a motorway cruiser it is well settled at 70mph and the lumbar support is good. I regularly drive 170 miles none stop and even after as much as 4 hours I'm not flagging.

The car is quite deceptive in terms of its size, power and weight because it has the same interior space and cargo area as a mid size estate, but at 2400lbs (1090kg) weighs much the same as a supermini. This means the mid range grunt of the 1.5 dCi of 162ftlbs around 2000rpm is adequate enough to get it up to national speed limits and is actually quite spirited around town. It also means that fuel economy is better than you may expect at around 50 real mpg on short 3-5 mile trips from cold the city to an impressive 65 real mpg at 70mph. It is possible to get over 80mpg at a constant 56mph in the slow lane, but at less than 1600rpm in 5th it was the reason my DPF could never regenerate properly and needed to be replaced.

Anything under 1350rpm and the engine vibrates the cabin, but from 1500rpm to 2150rpm it is quite a smooth engine.

The common rail injection system means it is responsive to an ECU remap from 89bhp to over 120bhp. I haven't done that, but from those who have, the 0-60 sprint goes down to under 9 seconds with a passing time of 40-70mph in 3rd of around 7.5s. Fuel economy doesn't suffer either.

The sound system is reasonable in the front, however rear seat passengers may be disappointed.

Parts are really cheap for this car and I've done all 4 tyres for £100 on part worns, and recently £76 for two new ones.

The car looks weird from some angles, but inside for the driver it is a pleasant place to be.

This car has cruise control, which is actually pretty good and uses no more fuel than normal driving.

If you're looking for a reliable, spacious car for 4 adults and a week's worth of luggage that does 60 real mpg on average, is good for driving hours at a time and you don't care for image or burning rubber, take a look at one of these.