There was a time when buying a reasonably priced family car meant a simple decision: a Ford Cortina or a Morris Marina. One was underpowered, the other overheated. But at least you could visit the showroomand marvel at the velour seats and the new-style push-button radio without being overwhelmed by choice. These days it’s a lot more complicated. First you have to pick a trim level. Once this was something to do with haircuts. Now it refers to optional extras. Some models have hundreds of possible build combinations and more extras than the cast of Ben-Hur. Active suspension, adaptive cruise control, alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay, auto lights, auto wipers — and that’s just the start of the alphabet.
Harder still is deciding on a