THE Seat Toledo's notchback shape is not to everyone's taste but it hides a lift up hatch and a cavernous boot.

It also has a huge, very family friendly interior, and it's based on the VW Golf floorpan, suspension and engines, giving good performance, comfort and handling.

Petrol engines are a 1.6 with 100bhp and a two-litre FSI with 147, and the oil burners are a 1.9 with 103bhp or a two-litre with138.

Top diesel and petrol engines have a six speed gearbox to make best use of the power and to give better economy when cruising.

Oddly there are also two different automatics mated to different engines - a six-speed tiptronic on the petrol two-litre and a six-speed DSG is the on the two-litre TDI.

The 1.9TDI and 1.6 petrol have more leisurely performance but give better fuel economy. Toledos are agile and safe through the corners with excellent grip and not too much roll.

In latter years, only diesel engines were available because of slow sales.

Rear seats fold to give just about enough space for a double bed and all come well or very well equipped in the Seat tradition.

Avoid sports suspension because it spoils the comfort. The standard setup is excellent and gives roadholding that is just as good.

Pay about £4,250 retail for an '06 06-reg Reference, £6,100 for an '09 09-reg Stylance

105bhp, 1,896cc, 4 cylinder diesel driving the front wheels via a 5 speed manual gearbox

114mph

12 seconds

51

6

149g/km

Skoda Octavia