Which hybrid is best for an older driver?

I would appreciate some advice on which new car to buy. I will be buying with cash and don’t want to pay much more than £30,000.

My current car is a 2011 Kia Sportage 2.0 petrol AWD with an automatic gearbox, chosen because we live in the countryside in the Scottish Borders and can experience severe winter weather, and my wife can only drive an automatic.

I also suffer with a bad back, and, being 6ft 4in tall, I require a car that’s easy to step in and out of. I chose a petrol model because I have an ingrained dislike of diesel.

I shall soon be 74 years old and feel that my next car purchase will probably be my last, but I am confused about whether to stick with petrol or switch to a hybrid, which would be better for the environment and cheaper to run.

The farthest I travel regularly is from the south of Edinburgh to Colchester, and I wouldn’t want a car that would require me to stop to plug it in halfway down a motorway. Therefore, the idea of a ‘self-charging’ hybrid 4x4 is appealing.are there any models on sale that t with my requirements?

Gerry Moncur

There are two large hybrid SUVS in your price range: the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, both of which come with a CVT automatic gearbox and a choice of front or four-wheel drive.

The CR-V Hybrid came out on top, with a four-star rating, when we tested it against the RAV4 last year. It was also our best buy for more than £30,000 at this year’s What Car? Awards, although if you buy one through our New Car Buying service, the price for the frontwheel-drive model comes down to £29,110 for the entry-level S model, or £30,882 for our recommended SE trim. You’d have to stretch to at least £32,311 for a four-wheel-drive model.

The CR-V is very roomy inside, with a high driving position and a more comfortable ride than the RAV4. It also comes with lots of standard equipment and safety features.

It has a 2.0-litre petrol engine assisted by an electric motor, and the front-wheel-drive version achieved 43.3mpg in our fuel economy test, slightly better than the RAV4’S 42.3mpg.

Given that the four-wheel-drive CR-V is pricier and not quite as economical, we’d recommend sticking with the front-wheeldrive model and investing in a good-quality set of all-season tyres to help you cope with tricky driving conditions.

‘I wouldn’t want a car that I would have to recharge halfway down a motorway’