TODAY'S large family cars are great to drive and most of them started out as company cars, so they have full service history secondhand.

That means that higher mileage is not quite so important, because you know they have been properly taken care of.

One of the best of these is Peugeot's 508, which is a plush, up-market saloon or estate with an excellent ride, safe handling and very good road holding.

Four different engines are available but most secondhand models will be diesels. The petrol engines are both 1.6s - one with 120bhp and the other with 156bhp.

Diesels are 1.6-litre with either 112 or 115bhp, 2.0-litre with 140, 150 or 163bhp and a superb 2.2-litre with no less than 204bhp. There is also the RXH - a standalone diesel-electric range topper with 200bhp.

They are really smooth, good-looking cars from all angles and the higher output engines are quiet and powerful, giving excellent performance.

The lowest output petrol and diesel engines might seem underpowered, but both do surprisingly well and are cheapest to buy.

Upper models get a heads-up speed display at the bottom of the windscreen and all have climate with a button to turn it off when not needed and save a bit of fuel.

All have keyless entry and starting, climate, steering wheel stereo controls and cruise. Interior space is excellent, with big rear legroom and the boot is massive both in saloon and estate.