All the controls are very light to operate, and the clutch is both light and smooth to engage. This is really important when you are just starting out. There is also plenty of room inside the car, so that you don’t feel as if your passenger is invading your space. It is bad enough on test, without feeling as if the examiner is sitting on your shoulder!

The car has the latest 1.0l Ecoboost petrol engine, rather than a diesel. I have had diesel cars before and whilst the running costs are slightly less, due to the miles per gallon they can achieve, I feel the quality of learning and the safety whilst doing so is much better in a petrol car. This is because, in my view, the power delivery is much smoother from a petrol engine and they are also more flexible when it comes to gear selection on the move. Diesels often have a ‘surge’ of power, especially if they are turbocharged. This can be quite alarming to a novice driver and not easy to get used to. Diesel cars also have a tendency to stall very quickly if a wrong gear is selected on the move, leaving no time to recover.

I chose the 5 door version instead of the cheaper 3 door as many people, including myself, don’t like riding in the back seat of 3 door cars. Firstly, because of the awkward access when getting in or out of a 3 door (especially if your quite tall) and also because of the feeling that you are ‘penned in’ once everyone is in the car.