Author: Tom Wiltshire

We all know that we shouldn’t interact with our phones when we’re behind the wheel – it could land a hefty fine and up to six points on your licence. But that doesn’t mean a phone can’t be a useful tool when it comes to buying and owning a car.

In fact, smartphones are so handy that the use of mobile sat-nav apps is starting to kill the traditional sat-nav. No car manufacturer worth its salt equips a modern car without Bluetooth or USB connectivity, while some even provide items like wireless charging ports or dedicated phone holders.

Provided you obey the law and remain sensible, there’s no reason you can’t make your phone work as hard for you in the car as it does outside. We’ve rounded up some of the best downloads you can get to make your journey easier and more entertaining.

Waze/Google Maps

When it comes to navigation, we recommend two choices. Google Maps is a brilliant all-rounder – it responds quickly to traffic, offers intelligent route guidance and clear instructions via a bright, simple interface.

However, if you’re heading to a big city, download Waze. Grabbing data from its users to give real-time alerts on traffic and obstructions, Waze is unbeatable for route guidance in busy metropolitan areas, even if it becomes unstuck out of town.

Spotify

The free version of Spotify opens up a massive world of music streaming at your fingertips. It operates via your phone’s internet connection and is simple to use – even more so when connected to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The service works across desktop and phone apps, allowing you to collate playlists and choose tracks before you drive. Opt for the £9.99 per month subscription service also gives you access to the vast library for offline listening.

Audible

Most of us enjoy listening to music behind the wheel, but if you have a long commute and bemoan the lack of horizon-broadening literature, audiobooks may be the way forward. Audible is Amazon’s own library of downloadable audiobooks and it’s the most extensive on the market.

The companion app works really well, too, and is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay giving you a super clear and integrated interface.

Drivvo

In-car computers can be inaccurate when it comes to keeping tabs of fuel economy or maintenance. Drivvo takes care of this for you – simply input your details and it will chart just about everything to do with your vehicle.

The fuel tracker feature is especially handy, allowing you to chart business and personal mileage separately. Opt for the paid version, and you’ll have an ad-free experience with all your data kept safe in the cloud.

TuneIn Radio

In-car DAB often isn’t the greatest in quality or signal strength, so internet radio is a great alternative – with a stable signal wherever your phone can access its data network. There are almost 40,000 radio stations to choose from, so even the pickiest listener will be able to find something they’re interested in.

There are numerous apps around, but we like Tunein best because of its stable signal, easy-to-navigate interface and vast number of stations.

AppyParking

Hunting for somewhere to drop your car off can be virtually impossible sometimes, especially in a big city, but AppyParking makes the job a little less arduous. It shows spaces on a clear, colour-coded map – simply drop the pin where you want to park and it’ll tell you about local parking restrictions.

You can also search for off-street bays and public car parks, plus electric charging points – and when you’ve deposited your vehicle, the app has built-in navigation to take you back to it. Best of all, you can pay through the app, including extending your time without having to return to your vehicle.

Official Driving Theory Test

What if you’re not a driver, but an eager learner just waiting to pass? The DVSA’s official theory test app is ideal for swotting up on your skills before you take to the wheel.

As it’s direct from the government, it’s the most up-to-date and accurate of all the numerous apps available. Combined with one of the excellent hazard perception practice apps on offer and you’ll be well on your way to passing.

Your own vehicle’s app

If you have a modern, connected car, chances are your vehicle’s manufacturer has released its own app. If that’s the case, it’s worth downloading, as it can unlock extra functionality and features within your car.

For example, Volvo’s On Call app allows you to track your vehicle and lock or unlock it remotely. It informs you of necessary maintenance and during the winter months you can even use it to pre-heat the car before you get in – handy stuff.

It’s wonderful to have a car that looks nice on the outside – but unless you install mirrors in your garage or spend a lot of time driving past shiny shop windows, it doesn’t really matter how your car looks for the majority of the time. Instead, the interior is more important – specifically, the dashboard.

While driving, our eyes are split between the road, the mirrors, and our dashboards, making it incredibly important to get them right. A well-sorted or interesting dashboard can turn a good car into a great one – whereas a bad one can spoil an otherwise brilliant vehicle.

We’ve rounded up seven of our favourites that suited the cars they were fitted to perfectly.

Citroen CX

Citroen has a history of crazy interiors – just look at the Visa, the 2CV, the DS, the C2… however, the CX is our pick, simply because virtually nothing is as you’d expect it to be.

We’ll start with the radio – it’s mounted vertically between the front seats. Then there’s the single-spoke steering wheel, with all the major controls mounted within fingertip’s reach in two pods on either side. The indicators? Well they’re on a switch rather than a stalk – and they don’t self-cancel. The gauges may just be the best bit, though, as instead of needles and dials, you get cylinders floating in liquid. It’s all just insane, but once you get used to it, it works remarkably well.

BMW 5 Series (E28)

When it comes to driver involvement, nobody does dashboards better than BMW. The E28 5 Series is perhaps the best example of this. The centre console is angled towards the driver, putting everything within easy reach, while the dials and gauges are models of clarity and sense.

Even compared to modern cars, BMWs of this era are a lesson in ergonomic excellence. They’re just fantastic.

Ferrari F40

It follows that one of the greatest supercars of all time should have one of the greatest interiors of all time. The F40 isn’t exactly luxurious, but it’s driver-focused, packed with functional carbon fibre – not the horrific fake stuff you see on modern performance cars – and best of all, features a gated manual gearbox.

The F40’s simple dash is instantly recognisable as a place where you drive, and do nothing else. It gives a whole new meaning to Spartan, and is all the better for it.

Fiat Multipla

The Multipla was an oddball car in many ways, from its kooky, two-rows-of-three seating arrangement to its incredible – some would say ugly – exterior design. So of course, it couldn’t get away with just any old dashboard plucked from the Fiat parts bin.

The resultant blobby mess looked more like it had grown organically from the carpet-covered dashboard than been placed there by the factory. Surprisingly, though, it worked really well – easy to see, easy to use, and massively practical, with the gearstick just inches from your hand.

TVR Tuscan MK II

TVR’s interior design is like Marmite – uniquely British, often brown, and very difficult to get into. It’s also totally love/hate, with some denouncing it as a visual and ergonomic disaster, and some falling in love with its mad quirks.

The Tuscan was one of the best examples. With doors operated by unlabelled buttons, even getting in and out was a struggle – and once you were ensconced by leather, you were presented with dials and gauges rammed into every conceivable place. It was an interior fitting of the car’s dangerous nature.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

The Sesto Elemento is uncompromising on its racetrack bias, and Lamborghini doesn’t let you forget this from behind the wheel. From the minimalist gauge cluster to the carbon fibre adorning every surface, there’s no concessions to comfort in this cabin.

That’s possibly what makes it so cool. Even though it’s unremittingly minimalist, it’s still unmistakably Lamborghini. We love it.

Honda S2000

Japanese cars aren’t exactly knowing for cutting-edge interiors, but the S2000’s gauge cluster alone has given it a spot on this list. If you’ve ever played a Gran Turismo game, you’ll feel right at home behind the wheel of the legendary Japanese sports car.

There are no analog dials here, just a digital line for a rev counter and a three-digit speedo — as well as the essentials such as fuel, oil temperature and the miles. It managed to be simplistic, yet futuristic, and will certainly go down as one of history’s finest designs.

When you’re buying a car, you have lots of choices to make – colour, trim level, optional equipment, engine… But on many models, you’re also given a choice of gearbox.

For motorists in the UK, manuals have long been the default option, but automatics are ten a penny in other markets such as America. Though early autos were colloquially known as ‘slushboxes’ and tended to dent performance, fuel economy and driving pleasure, times have moved on, and the modern automatic can, in some cases, be a better choice than the manual gearbox.

That’s right, gone are the days when automatics were the preserve of lazy luxury saloon drivers and blue-rinsers in Nissan Micras. Automatics abound across all market segments these days, and opting for one says no more about your driving style than choosing blue paint over red.

Fans of performance automatics will brag all day about how their car can actually beat the manuals off the line, while the cash-conscious may enjoy lower CO2 emissions and higher fuel economy. There’s no denying that a good automatic transmission makes for a relaxing drive, either – giving your left leg a rest and letting the car do the work takes the sting out of a busy city commute.

It’s not all rosy, though. There are still some truly awful automatic gearboxes out there – so always take a car for an extensive test drive, rather than simply trusting that the transmission is good. Automatics tend to be more expensive to buy, and much more expensive to repair if they go wrong.

But not every automatic is created equal. Here’s our guide to the different types of automatic gearbox available on today’s market…

Torque converter/traditional auto

The torque converter is where it all began. Popularised by General Motors on 1940s Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs, these automatics use a fluid-filled coupling in place of a traditional clutch, and have remained broadly the same since then – albeit endlessly refined and improved.

Early automatics tended to lose a lot of energy through the fluid coupling, and often only offered three or four speeds. That led to a lack of performance and a severe drop in fuel economy.

Torque converter automatics tend to offer very smooth shifts, making for a comfortable ride well suited to premium cars. They can be slow to pick up when you want to get a move on, though.

However, the reputation of the torque converter automatic is changing, and modern units – such as the ZF ‘box fitted to dozens of high performance cars – offer no discernible penalty to performance or economy.

Dual-clutch gearbox

The dual-clutch gearbox ditches the fluid coupling of the torque converter for – you guessed it – a pair of robotised clutches. Usually, one handles odd-numbered gears while the other handles even. The two clutches work together to provide lightning-fast shifts, making them ideal for sports cars.

There’s no real penalty in performance or economy when opting for a dual-clutch – some can even better their manual counterparts on that front. But when travelling at low speeds in stop-start traffic around town, dual-clutch boxes can be jerky and unpleasant to use – and early units have a poor reputation for reliability, and can cost a lot to repair.

The dual-clutch ‘box is given many names by different manufacturers. Volkswagen and its sister brands go for DSG, Porsche for PDK, Renault goes for EDC, Hyundai and Kia for DCT… However, they all work in fundamentally the same way.

CVT

Standing for ‘continuously variable transmission’, CVTs do not have ‘gears’ in the same way as other transmissions do. Instead, an infinitely changeable single ratio theoretically ensures that the car is always correctly geared for maximum power or economy, depending on conditions.

Pioneered by DAF in the 1950s, and later refined by Volvo, the CVT ‘box can be incredibly economical when driven carefully. They tend to be avoided by keen drivers, though, as they can provide a somewhat disconnected feel to the car – and any attempt at rapid progress is usually met by spiralling engine revs and a whole lot of noise. Their smoothness and variable nature makes them ideally suited for use in a hybrid car, though.

Automated manual transmission

Look at the bottom end of the market and chances are you’ll find a few automated manual transmissions. These ‘boxes leave existing clutch and gearbox operations in place, but simply robotise the action making for cheap and easy installation as well as being light weight.

Automated manuals are perhaps the most despised transmission around though, and can be horrifically jerky around town, as well as dawdling under hard acceleration. In fact, automated manual transmissions are guilty of ruining a fair few cars – so steer clear unless you know what you’re in for.

Electric vehicle

Electric cars don’t technically have a transmission, but if you’re considering an automatic car you should take a good look at electric vehicles. They act almost identically in most conditions, with two pedals and no gears to shift, but have the added bonus of a totally smooth and silent powertrain and zero tailpipe emissions.

EV’s aren’t ideal for everyone, of course – you’ll need somewhere to charge, and if you regularly do longer trips you’ll definitely need some form of combustion engine. However, if your circumstances suit, you too could be a convert to the electric lifestyle.

Recent figures have shown that the most popular colour choice for new cars in 2017 was black. That’s not the worst news either, as it’s just part of a monochrome podium that includes grey in second place and white in third.

Depressingly, an obsession with perceived resale values and not wishing to offend the eyes of potential buyers means that Britain’s roads are in danger of losing colour altogether. Just look at the options lists for any new car and you’ll likely find it’s a similar story.

For example, the big-selling Audi A4 saloon is available in 12 paint finishes – nine of which are black, white, silver or grey. Even cars aimed at younger buyers aren’t immune – the new Volkswagen Polo can be had in blue, red, or orange – on top of eight monochromatic offerings.

But some manufacturers still light the way for a brighter future, offering various great colours in which you can spec your new car. We’ve rounded up some of the best on sale today – along with a few from history we just can’t forget.

Sonoma Green

When the new Audi RS5 was launched, surprisingly little attention was paid to the car’s 444bhp V6 engine or quattro all-wheel-drive system. Instead, journalists and potential buyers alike were lusting over the colour.
It’s not that Sonoma Green is a particularly eye-catching shade, but it was an unexpected move from a company that launches most of its cars in silver or grey. We just wish it could be paired with a tan leather interior.

Lapiz Blue

The best colour for a Golf GTI is red, but for the four-wheel-drive R, only one shade will do for us. It’s the gloriously deep Lapiz Blue, and it marks the R out as a more discreet and classy offering than its yobbish little brother.
Admittedly, a rash of brilliant finance deals means the R is a fairly common sight on UK roads – but we love the colour so much that we wouldn’t mind if every car was painted in it.

Soul Red

Very rarely does a manufacturer produce a colour that looks the business across its entire range of cars, but Mazda hit the nail on the head with Soul Red. Whether it’s on the tiny MX-5 or the beefy CX-5, it looks great.
Though other colour options are available, we can’t imagine why you’d choose them – plus, the majority are monochrome and dark shades.

Geyser Grey

The 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 brought us a glorious special edition. Fitted with a houndstooth cloth interior and recreation Fuchs alloys, it was a retro marvel that sold out quickly.
However, we’re more interested in the Geyser Grey metallic paint. It’s fantastically understated and suits the car down to the ground, without being just another shade of grey.

Cyan Racing Blue

Volvos aren’t exactly known for being eye-catching and flamboyant, but the hot Polestar models are another story. They’re available in this brilliant, bright blue – technically called Cyan Racing Blue, but known to most as simply ‘Polestar Blue’.
With the right wheels and bodykit, Polestar Blue turns a practical and dull Volvo into a loud and proud masterpiece. We’re not biased at all.

Liquid Yellow

Yellow cars are oft-maligned, and sometimes are subject to abuse – one pensioner in a picturesque Gloucestershire village had his yellow car vandalised for spoiling tourist’s views. We wonder what the tourists would have made of a Renaultsport model in the firm’s brilliant Liquid Yellow.
Lifted right from the Renault F1 team’s livery, Liquid Yellow has been a stalwart of the RS range of hot hatchbacks for years – and always looks incredible. Paired with gloss black detailing, it makes the latest Clio RS one of the prettiest hot hatchbacks around.

MSO Amethyst Black

This is how you do black right. McLaren’s MSO division will create just about any bespoke colour you like, but we’re massive fans of Amethyst Black. It’s a sophisticated multi-layer colour, which appears dark until the light catches it just right – when it lights up with a deep purple hue.
When fitted on the curves and creases of a McLaren supercar, it’s just as eye-catching as a bright shade, and slides under the radar more easily, too.

WR Blue Mica

Think of a Subaru and you’re almost certainly going to picture an Impreza WRX STI, finished in WR Blue Mica with gold wheels to match.
The colour is synonymous with the Japanese manufacturer’s World Rally Championship success, winning three constructors titles between 1995 and 1997, while sporting the now-famous blue and gold colours. An Impreza in any other shade is just wrong.

Rosso Corsa

What colour is a Ferrari? Sure, the Italian brand’s supercars look amazing in yellow or blue – but Ferraris are red, and that’s how it always will be.
Rosso Corsa in its purer, non-metallic form is more often found on older Ferraris, with updated versions named Rosso Scuderia and Rosso Mugello equally popular on contemporary models. We like it best on the Ferrari F40 – as do many others, we’re sure.

British Racing Green

Patriotism ahoy – British Racing Green is absolutely the national shade, though the lack of small British sports cars wearing it is a cause for concern. Still, on vintage vehicles, nothing looks better.
Made famous by the 1954 Jaguar D-Type, various shades of green had appeared before on Bentley cars at Le Mans. It’s now relegated to the options list of Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, usually under a different name. We say bring back BRG!

Hybrid and electric are the buzzwords of new car sales today – but there’s life in the internal combustion engine yet.

With pricey electrification out of the reach of a lot of buyers, manufacturers still manage to achieve frankly incredible fuel economy figures from even the humblest vehicles.
We’ve excluded hybrid cars from this list as it’s very difficult to accurately chart their fuel economy – it depends so much on the type of driving you do.

Read on for the top 10 most economical combustion-engined cars on sale today. Just remember, these fuel economy figures are by no means a guarantee of the numbers you can hope to achieve – they’re gathered under laboratory conditions, not in the real world.

Peugeot 208 1.6 BlueHDi Active 75 S&S

Fuel economy: 94mpg
Price: £16,940

Peugeot’s 208 isn’t the pick of the supermini class – that honour goes to the Ford Fiesta, which trumps the French car on driving dynamics. But the Peugeot hits back with incredible fuel economy of up to 94mpg from its 1.6-litre diesel engine.
The relatively large capacity and low power output means the engine is relatively unstressed, so CO2 emissions are similarly low – just 79g/km. The rest of the car’s assets aren’t too bad either – it’s neat-looking, well priced, and decently equipped.

Renault Clio 1.5 dCi Play 90 ECO

Fuel economy: 91mpg
Price: £16,225

Another French car takes second place, as the Renault Clio – equipped with the brand’s perennial 1.5-litre dCi diesel – achieves an impressive 91mpg on the combined cycle.
The Clio is the supermodel of the supermini class, with curvy lines and a well-laid out interior. It’s not as good to drive as rivals, though, and the interior isn’t the roomiest.

Ford Fiesta 1.5 TDCi Style 85PS

Fuel economy: 91mpg
Price: £15,245

If you value driving dynamics, this is the car for you – even when equipped with the lowly 83bhp diesel engine, the Fiesta is a great handler. That engine is both smooth and quiet for a diesel, and achieves 91mpg, matching the Clio.
It’s usefully cheaper, though, coming in at £1,000 less than the Clio and more than £1,500 less than the Peugeot. Combine that with good looks and a much-improved interior over the outgoing model, and the Fiesta deserves its spot as one of the best-selling cars in the UK.

Peugeot 308 1.6 BlueHDi Active 120 S&S

Fuel economy: 91mpg
Price: £20,700

That Peugeot can achieve such a huge fuel economy figure from a comparatively large car is testament to the brand’s commitment to efficiency. The 308 is a size class above the superminis already mentioned, but still achieves 91mpg on the combined cycle – and emits just 82g/km.
It’s good-looking, has a big boot and drives well, although the quirky interior won’t be to everyone’s taste. If you want even more room, you could plump for the SW estate model, too. It’s marginally less efficient, but still achieves 88mpg.

Nissan Micra 1.5 dCi Visia

Fuel economy: 88mpg
Price: £14,715

This generation of Nissan Micra heralded a renaissance for the nameplate, ditching the staid and sensible styling of the last model for a much sharper and more striking design. It also added a diesel engine to the line-up for the first time – a 1.5 dCi unit shared with the Renault Clio.
Like the one in the Clio, it’s very efficient, rated at 88mpg and 85g/km of CO2. With a newly premium interior and Nissan’s legendary reliability, the Micra could be the diesel of choice for buyers who want dependability and style in one package.

DS 3 1.6 BlueHDi 100hp S&S

Fuel economy: 86mpg
Price: £18,145

The stylish DS 3 is really a Citroen underneath, which means it shares plenty of its oily bits with Peugeot. That’s why the DS 3 manages an impressive 86mpg, using the same 1.6-litre BlueHDi engine as the Peugeot 208.
Add to that a very stylish three-door body and the DS 3 can be seen as a rival to diesel versions of the Mini or Fiat 500 – but is considerably more economical than either.

Ford Focus 1.5 TDCi Style Econetic

Fuel economy: 85mpg
Price: £17,745

Like the Fiesta, but bigger. The Focus retains Ford’s trademark of excellent handling, but in this form mates that with a 1.5-litre diesel engine, which achieves 85mpg on the combined cycle and emits 88g/km of CO2.
If you need more than the Focus hatchback’s rather stingy boot, you can have an estate model – with identical fuel economy figures – for just £1,100 more.

Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTi Tech Line S/S ecoTEC

Fuel economy: 85mpg
Price: £19,955

The latest Vauxhall Astra isn’t much more inspiring than the old model, but it is decent to look at, very well equipped – with OnStar Concierge services as standard – and very economical, thanks to an upgraded version of the ‘Whisper’ diesel engine.
Replacing Vauxhall’s ancient 1.7-litre CDTi engine, the ‘Whisper’ diesel is quiet, refined and powerful enough, and in this form will achieve 85mpg. Fleet bosses up and down the country will be thrilled by its 88g/km CO2 emissions, too.

Mercedes A-Class A180 d SE

Fuel economy: 84mpg
Price: £22,235

You might be turned off by the idea of a Mercedes – even a tiny one – with a Renault-sourced 1.5-litre diesel engine under the bonnet. But don’t be, as you’re still getting Mercedes prestige and build quality – but with fuel economy of 84mpg, you won’t be paying Mercedes prices at the pumps.
Mercedes’ partnership with the Renault-Nissan Alliance gives it use of this engine (the same Alliance which allows Infiniti to use the A-Class platform under its Q30 hatchback) and though it’s not the first partnership you’d think of, it works remarkably well.

Fiat 500 1.3 MultiJet 95HP

Fuel economy: 84mpg
Price: £15,865

The baby of Fiat’s range, the 500 is at its best when fitted with the perky and powerful TwinAir petrol engines – but those are thirsty, often averaging around 30mpg. The 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel, by contrast, manages a claimed 84mpg, and emits just 89g/km.
There are few more fashionable ways to save fuel either, as the Fiat 500 remains an icon even 10 years on from its relaunch. It’s been facelifted to keep it up-to-date with the latest tech, and though it’s not the best to drive, it’s cute, fun, and cost-effective to own.

Honorary mention… Suzuki Celerio 1.0 SZ3 Dualjet

Fuel economy: 80mpg
Price: £9,649

The Celerio isn’t quite up to the fuel economy standards of the rest of this list, but it has its own accolade – it’s the most efficient petrol-powered car in the UK. It’s also the cheapest car on this list by quite a margin.
It’s not attractive, flashy, or particularly good to drive, but the Celerio is about as cheap as motoring gets – and if you do short journeys, it’s definitely a better choice than a diesel.

Car theft is on the up – figures in 2016 indicated a 30 per cent increase over 2013, with the rise blamed on clever gangs of car thieves outwitting sophisticated electronic security measures.

So, with complex keyless entry systems proving a weak point into cars, could a return to more low-tech security measures keep your car and its contents safe from thieves?

Here are our top tips for keeping your car safe – regardless of its age.

Think before you park

Location, location, location. Parking a flash car in a seedy neighbourhood is rarely a good idea, and if you take just a minute to seek out a better spot your car will be much less likely to be nicked.

Try to park in busy, well-lit areas – with CCTV coverage if at all possible. When at home, make use of what you have. If you have a garage, use it. After all, what’s more important – protecting your £150 lawnmower, or your £20,000+ car?

Don’t be lazy

It’s tempting to leave the keys in the ignition and the car unlocked sometimes. Popping out to pay for petrol, defrosting the windscreen in the morning, or just grabbing something from the boot? Always switch off, take the keys and lock the car.

Opportunistic thieves often have their eyes peeled for inattentive owners, and a car with the keys inside is practically an open invitation.

Don’t tempt fate

Do you empty your car every time you use it? Of course not, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be cautious. Hide valuables out of sight – purses, wallets, laptops or tablets, and especially smartphones or sat-navs.

Place them in a lockable compartment, such as the glove box or the boot, and don’t forget to remove any cradles or holsters – an empty sat-nav holder, or suction rings on the windscreen are a sure sign that there’s a sat-nav hidden in the car.

Store your keys safely

Think about where you put your car keys when you get home. If they’re too close to your front door, they’re an easy target – not to mention thieves can boost keyless systems if they can get close enough, allowing them access to your car.

If you’re really worried, it’s possible to get special pouches which block the signals from your keyless fob, so the car only unlocks when you want it to.

Consider physical security

In the old days, a steering lock was a bright yellow deterrent to theft – opportunistic robbers avoided cars with them fitted, because stealing them would be too noisy and difficult.
The same can apply today. While cheap steering locks are easy to defeat, devices like the award-winning Disklok are impossible to get through without some seriously heavy machinery. They can be bulky to use on a daily driver, but on an occasional or weekend car they’re ideal.

Fit a tracker

GPS trackers used to be expensive and bulky, but new tech means they’re now unobtrusive, inexpensive, and a must-have to protect your precious motors.

A device such as the Oxford Tracker is barely thicker than a pencil, requires no power supply or recharging, and costs just £84 for a 12-month subscription.

Conceal this in your car and regardless of where it ends up, you’ll be able to track it on your smartphone.

Fit an alarm and immobiliser

Most modern cars will have these fitted as standard, but if you’re running an older car without many security measures then they can be worthy investments.

A professionally fitted alarm and immobiliser may not prevent your car from being broken into, but it will dissuade thieves from actually taking it – and may lower your insurance.

Never leave documents or spare keys in a car

Don’t give the criminals everything – if someone does manage to gain access to your car, leaving registration documents or another key just makes the rest of their job even easier.

Keep documents and spare keys in a safe place, and they won’t find the car so easy to offload once the theft is complete.