SEAT IBIZA

We swap our auto car for a manual one, but which will we want to keep?

- KRIS CULMER

Blistering performance has for me never been a prerequisite for driving fun. Of course I want something that can accelerate reasonably quickly, but its performance needn't be exceptional. In fact, I'd rather it weren't, because silly numbers make you much likelier to end up in sticky situations, both physically and legally. And if everything is rushing past in a blur, I'm not savouring as much as I otherwise might the elements of driving that are actually enjoyable: shifting up through the rev range, picking the right gear for a corner, braking at the ideal time, picking the perfect cornering line and hitting the apex.