Audi Q3

Point the Q3 down a narrow lane in the Dolomites, one of those roads built for carts, not cars, and it just fits. The turning circle is tight, the mirrors fold in, and the width never feels like a problem, even with a wall on one side and a delivery van coming the other way.

That's the whole appeal here. This is a compact SUV built by people who understand that most driving isn't a closed circuit, it's a village square, a hotel car park, a motorway on-ramp with traffic already moving fast.

The 2.0-litre turbo petrol, paired with a proper automatic gearbox, gives you enough shove to merge without drama and enough refinement that you're not thinking about the engine at all.

Boot space is generous for the car's footprint, so a week's luggage for two goes in without a puzzle. Inside, the cabin is tidy and well finished, nothing showy, everything where you expect it to be.

This is the car you book when you want quality and competence without a story attached to it. It clears low car parks, it handles wet cobblestones without fuss, and it gets you there. That's the job, and it does it well.