Owning an SUV or 4x4 in the current climate is a tricky thing. I've had more than one look since I picked up the Chevrolet Captiva.
The looks would be warranted if I'd said I like nothing better at the weekend than to kill cats and wear their skins. But no. All I said was I was test driving an SUV. Nothing more, nothing less. No cat killing... not even maiming.
Me... I'm from the other side of the fence. I know they guzzle gas quicker than Desperate Dan eating cow pies at an all you can eat restaurant, but for many people, SUVs are a necessity and highly useful.
Take my own situation. Test driving the Captiva couldn’t have come at a better time. The afternoon after borrowing it, I was due to pick someone up at the hospital who had just had trigger point injections. Getting into a normal car may be simple for those of us without hip or back problems, but easing into the Captiva was a relative breeze for the injured party in comparison to lowering down into an average sized car.
And there’s no denying this is a family car at heart. It’s easy to see why – I had the easiest few days driving about with my daughter. Plenty of room for the baby’s car seat. The boot boasts a huge amount of room that easily took a pram, a good shop at Sainsbury's and still had room to fit a small piece of furniture, had I so wished.
There are three models in the Captiva range - a 2.0 Turbo Diesel, 2.0 Turbo Diesel Auto and a 2.4 Petrol. Combined MPG ranges from 37.1 for the former to 31.7 for the latter. For a vehicle of that size it’s pretty impressive. Of course, those are the brochure figures, so it’s probably sensible to expect to come in slightly under that.
The Captiva comes in a five or seven-seat model. Unlike some SUVs in its class - the two additional seats, which essentially removes the availability of a boot, can be used by adults and isn’t limited to anyone roughly the size of an Oompa Loompa.
During the test drive, I didn’t come across any muddy banks, or slam through any rivers. But I was pleased to see that the all-wheel drive system is ‘on demand’. So you’re not confronted with controls and buttons to do what I'm not sure anyone without a degree in rocket science could do.
I doubt the interior will win any prizes for imagination, but what it lacks in creativity, is more than made up for by the many storage areas.
For a family car, such places are a godsend. And everywhere you look, you'll find somewhere useful for storage.
You'll also find that unlike a lot of new vehicles, there is actually somewhere to put your mobile phone. The centre stack houses a box with non-slip lining which was big enough even to take my Nokia E61, a phone more like a brick than a mobile.
All-wheel drive and ESP are standard on the LS models and all models come with Level Ride suspension as well as side and curtain airbags and a split tailgate.
The mid-range LT models qualify for air-con, a glove box cooler, electrochromic rear-view mirror, MP3 and 17-inch alloys.
It’s the first time I've taken an SUV out on the road for more than a few hours. And I liked it.
This isn't a car for those who want to drive through a quarry and splash through the nearest river.
And it's with this in mind that I think Chevrolet has hit its market perfectly. There’s nothing over the top inside. No excessive luxuries.
It’s aimed squarely at the family, and those who are more interested in comfort, space, safety and storage than shiny dash boards and the like.

You can test drive the Captiva or any other model of the Chevrolet range at SERE Ltd, Boucher Road, Belfast. Telephone 02890205100 or Website: www.seremotors.com

In the first of our brand new Test Drive feature, John Ferris finds out what the nippy Fiat 500 is really like...

I've always thought Jeremy Clarkson was a bit of a fool. A likable one, yes. But a fool all the same.
But I've renewed respect for the man. I know he gets to hop into the latest Maserati GranTurismo and race his mates to Monaco all in the name of TV, but there's a downside too.
And I faced that same problem when I pulled into Mervyn Stewart last week and finally saw what the Fiat 500 actually looks like. For a 6’2” tall man, standing beside the Fiat was like waking up in a production of Gulliver's Travels.
Now I know how Clarkson feels when
he walks from a Maserati to a Mini Metro. I was instantly worried about people beeping their horns and shouting “Hey, it's Mr Bean”, as I saw myself driving down the road with my knees behind my ears.
But it was a huge shock when I got in and sat in the driver seat of the Fiat 500 1.4 Sport in stunning Pasodoble Red.
My fears were instantly allayed as I realised there was ample room up front, even for a tall man like myself.
The retro look which Fiat obviously went for is highly evident – sitting inside the first thing that stands out is the stunning red dash, which instantly draws the eye. Think 1970s retro kitchen and you're close.
It may look tiny from the outside, but inside it’s like the Tardis. The 500, surprisingly is slightly bigger than the Mini.
Fiat seem highly confident of the 500 with claims of “see one, drive one and you will want one” from the company.
And after 10 minutes of test driving the 500, I could see why. Sitting in traffic on the motorway, a couple in a jeep next to me beeped their horn and asked me to wind my window down.
Within seconds I found myself as a salesman. “How much are they?” asked the woman. Fumbling around with the price list I gave her a rundown.
She was mighty impressed. I forgot to say “tell the sales team I sent you”. My commission must be in the post.
But it's that kind of car. It may not be a Porsche, but it gets more looks from pedestrians and other motorists.
The original model, launched in 1957, is now a collectable. And its modern version is as cute, chic and funky as its older sister.
These days it pays to think small. With petrol and diesel prices looking unlikely to drop, bijou is a word that will be on the lips of many new buyers.
And with an option of a 1.2 or 1.4-litre petrol engine, or 1.3 diesel, the 500 is a fantastic offering.
But it's not just the size of the engine, the 500 is European Car of the Year and its range of engines meet the Euro 5 emissions standards. Add to that its Euro NCAP five-star safety rating (seven airbags are standard), and the 500 suddenly looks less like a fashion accessory and more like the next big thing.
Fiat also offer 100+ accessories for the 500 ranging from stickers and badges to 14 different types of upholstery.
It boasts an MP3-compatible CD player, height adjustable driver seat (lowest setting required for me) and Blue&Me, a hands free system for your mobile. My only niggle with the latter is I don’t know where you're meant to put your phone.
The list is endless – air con, leather trim, alloys. The sport model has a leather-clad steering wheel as well as most of the trimmings and is already the most popular, especially among younger buyers.
The highest spec engine has an official fuel consumption figure of 44.8mpg, which you can safely say in city life would probably be closer to 37 or 38mpg.
The 1.4 has electronic stability control as standard but will set you back an extra £200 for the other models.
Anyone who's thinking of buying it for city life would do well to stick to the 1.2 model though. With a top speed of about 99mph (around 14 less than the 1.4) it's not for those demanding speed as an essential, but it will get you in the early 40s for miles per gallon and with a B rating for emissions it'll only set you back £35 a year in road tax. The same road tax will apply for the diesel model, which is a better option for those looking to do more miles.
And with somewhere in the region of half a million different combinations, the Fiat 500 may be back in vogue, but you can still tailor it to your style to make your own stand out from the crowd.
In its original form, the 500 brought motoring to the masses during the ‘50s and ‘60s. This time around it promises to bring a fresh and stylish approach to motoring, some 50 years later.
In Belfast, the Mervyn Stewart team will be delighted to tempt you with this fantastic little car.
It’s obvious that their enthusiastic sales team genuinely love the 500 and are justifiably proud of it. They have a full range of models available in a wide range of colours and trims for you to ensure that your choice of Fiat 500 can be as uniquely you as you want it to be! But be assured, one drive in this car and you will want one.

To be part of the Fiat 500 generation contact Mervyn Stewart on 02890 682255 and one of the team will be delighted to be of assistance.