The decent amount of power put out by the 1.8-litre Quest.

all-new one.

The Quest, like its predecessor (in turn from the previous generation Corolla), builds on the Toyota formula of comfort and reliability.

With a 1.8-litre petrol engine (the only option) and a six-speed manual gearbox, the Quest is, like most Japanese cars, almost intuitively easy to drive.

All the controls – from the power steering to the gearshift, the clutch and the brakes – are light.

Perhaps the enthusiast driver might complain they don’t offer the sort of racetrack-focused “feel” you get on in sportier cars, but, hey, who knows how long car racing circuits will continue before they are ploughed under for maize fields in the world after the Covid apocalypse?

With 103kW, the engine offers a decent amount of power and the closer ratios in the six-speed box (compared the five of the previous generation Quest) make getaway nippy.

At the same time, the extra ratio helps reduced engine revs at higher speeds and contributes to good fuel economy. You’ll probably get between seven and 8l/100km in the city and in the low-sixes on the open road.

The Quest will take five people – useful, maybe, for the “carpooling” trend of the future – and even if you don’t fill it with your workmates, its 450l boot will happily accommodate family holiday luggage (assuming you can still afford a holiday that is).

Best of all, the current list price is R260 000 for the base model.

And, in a year, if the economy and the rand continue their downward tango, you’re going be glad you bought when you did.