I have never really understood the attraction of MPVs. To me they are the first sign that the driver has given up on life. But if you must buy one then the Mazda5 is the best of the bunch. Unlike most of the competition this one is bearable to drive while also fulfilling the brief of carrying more people than an estate. This is because under the dull lines lies the chassis of the Ford Focus C-Max — the best handling MPV of all —- but unlike the C-Max the Mazda actually has seven useable seats.

Mazda5: The Mazda5 was launched in June 2005 and replaced the five-seat Premacy and the seven-seat MPV. It comes with three engines — a 1.8 and 2 litre petrol, and a 2 litre diesel that has either a 108bhp or 141bhp output. The best petrol version is the basic 1.8 TS costing £14,300 and the best diesel is the top of the range 2.0 Sport.