[Dottore]

We have one—a 2008 model—with the big 3.0 liter diesel. It's slightly truck like—but I really like the firm ride and the masses of torque. It's slightly more spartan than the equivalent small SUV from Mercedes or Audi etc., but it also has a simplicity and purity of purpose that I really like. It's not for off-roading. Instead it is a perfect small touring car—with room for the dog and luggage and picking up cases of wine and such.

Make sure to get the second series—which was a vast improvement over the first series.

The third series came out in 2010, and is apparently the best yet. Germany's Auto Motor and Sport magazine claims that if you can own only one car, this is the most perfect car on the market today. Gave 100 points out of 100!

It is incredibly well designed with a huge interior relative to the fairly small size of the exterior. It is really to the SUV world what the BMW 3 series is to the car world.