The reality in 2022 is that just about every car-maker has an SUV in its range. Many of these will have the high seating position you require and they’re often available with a choice of diesel or petrol power (some even offer hybrid drivelines) and the option of two or four-wheel-drive, so you’re not buying more car than you need.

There are plenty of options in the small and compact SUV category, so the best advice is to hit the dealerships and find the one that suits your budget, your requirements and has the level of quality look and feel you prefer.

The South Korean brands are doing some clever things in this class of car right now, and along with good value (compared with some established brands) they also offer brilliant warranties which give great peace of mind. For an even better value-for-money experience, a three or four-year-old SUV can be pretty sharp buying, too. Just make sure the service history is intact.

There’s no way to tell if the DSG gearbox will play up in the future, all you can do now is to test drive the car in as many driving situations as you can and look for anything that might suggest an underlying problem. If it drives ok I wouldn’t be concerned about it. Brakes do tend to wear out faster on European cars than cars from Asia, and parts are likely to be a little more expensive. It’s important to verify the low odometer reading, and it should have a record of regular servicing.

All model years 2008-2013 appear to be affected.

We understand a new tensioner was fitted from 2012.