choosing new car

What are your thoughts on the MINI Countryman Cooper D?

Who designated the categories for the APMP awards? Specifically, how did the Audi A3 end up as "family" car? What size family is that supposed to hold? How did the Mercedes-Benz C-Class end up as a "large" car? If that's large, what's the E-Class or S-Class? And how did the Outlander end up as "large" SUV? What does that make Land Cruiser, Land Rover Discovery/Sport/Range Rover, Audi Q7, BMW X5 etc?

If you had €35k to spend on a sporty car what would you buy? Doesn't necessarily need to be new, would go up to three years old, running costs wouldn't be that much of an issue but need to tolerable all the same, i.e. car tax < €1,000 a year.

I am interested in something like an Audi S3 hatch/saloon, Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG,  Audi S1 or Audi S4; any clue on how many have been sold since 2013?

Hyundai i40 1.7d: 116- or 136hp? Will twenty horses make much difference?

If you had a choice which would you buy? A BMW M4 Coupé or the Jaguar F-Type Coupé?

Paul Healy wrote an article about the 'New special edition MX-5' on April the 17th, 2014. He states that this Anniversary Edition is available with manual or automatic gearboxes. I have tried many times, in vain, to get information from both Mazda UK and Mazda Ireland about the automatic version. The answer simply is that it is not available. Who could I write to in Mazda HQ to find out when the auto version will be available in Ireland?

Your advice would be much appreciated.

Auke - dublin - Ireland

I read last year in a British review of the Duster 4x4, that the windscreen wipers are seriously inadequate, too small and too slow to deal with anything more than a light rain shower. I had been considering buying one until then. I drive a good deal on the M50 and even in a car with good wipers it can be a nightmare to get caught behind one of the thousands of HGVs using that road. It is akin to trying to drive while more than half blind, since the HGV creates its own mini Niagra of water and dirt.

So I decided to forget buying a Dacia Duster 4x4. Do you know if the situation is still the same now? The British site in question take cars on a week long test, and thus have a far better idea of what they are like long-term.

Cheers, DF Nolan, Dublin

How good is the Ford Focus?

Guys, I have a 2000 Volkswagen Polo. How much better would the "new" Polo be compared to it? Even though I do very little mileage, I'm in two minds whether to upgrade or not, please help!