Buying cars

IT has now been 45 years since the Vauxhall Astra appeared on Britain’s roads – the original arrived in 1980, picking up where the Viva left off. We’ve since had eight generations, and most have been

Richard Dredge ALONGSIDE the Sandero, the Duster spearheaded Dacia’s entry to the UK in January 2013. Although strictly speaking, it was the brand’s return, because it was here briefly in the eighties

WHY WE RAN IT With sports car pace and dog-friendly space, could this rapid wagon be the ultimate do-it-all daily driver? Too often purpose-built ‘driver’s cars’ make too many sacrifices in pursuit of

List price £30,885 Best price £30,885 MPG 39.7 CO2 162g/km For Smart-looking and spacious interior; large boot; good comfort/handling balance; generous warranty Against Very few options available; rea

SEAT was founded in 1950 and introduced its first car three years later. By 1983, Volkswagen had bought a stake in SEAT, which it then acquired completely in 1990. The idea was that SEAT would be Volk

YOU know how it goes – you’re outside washing your car when your neighbour arrives home. He wanders over and the usual small talk about the weather and what Joan from number 43 got up to last week beg