Cedric Norris is well into retirement and has £1,500 insurance money to spend after his Ford Fiesta was stolen.

A Car for the Head

The really obvious choice is another Fiesta. If Cedric was happy with that, then another one would make sense. But I think he deserves a change. And given that he is in his eighties now, a vehicle which is easier to get in and out of would be a help. In that case, he could look at the Ford Fusion (pictured above) – effectively a Fiesta with a higher ride height; £1,500 will buy a 2005 1.6 2 Automatic with air conditioning, a full service history and an MOT. It even has a height-adjustable driver's seat.

A Car for the Heart

Then again, Cedric could consider a complete change of model, and he could try a Toyota Yaris Verso, one of the most practical mini people-carriers. Easy to see out of, excellent seat versatility and bags of luggage space. Inside, the amount of usable room is quite incredible. The sliding rear seats are key: they allow decisions to be made between passenger and luggage space. For his budget, he could buy a 2004 1.3VVTi T Spirit automatic from a dealer, with a warranty and service history plus plenty of equipment as standard.

Looking to buy?

Email James Ruppert at onefortheroad@independent. co.uk, giving your age, address and phone number, details of the type of vehicle in which you are interested, and your budget