THE 307 had to perform a vital role for me recently – getting me the 300-odd miles to Plymouth for my sister’s wedding, carrying loads of wedding kit, bridesmaid’s dress and a set of teak patio furniture as a wedding present.

It had to deliver me there in a happy and relaxed frame of mind in order to maximise wedding day happiness and minimise stress. Quite a tall order.

Lower-medium estate cars are often the workhorses of the fleet industry, but our 1.6 HDi in Aegean Blue is quite kind on the eye for an estate car.

But space was the prime concern and folding the back seats effortlessly forward and flat created plenty of space for the patio set and all my luggage and still left a little over for last-minute extras.

A five-hour journey in any car can make you a little achy but the 307 driver’s seat is very comfortable. And it didn’t feel as if it had a heavy load in the boot, as the 1.6 diesel engine is both strong and quiet.

I was relieved not to feel too frazzled by the time I arrived at dusk in Plymouth. The only ache I did have was in my right arm where the car still pulled slightly to the left, even though we had the wheels balanced after its previous tester complained of vibration at speed. That’s something we’ll be looking into.

But overall, the 307 did exactly what it was expected to: provide cheap running (47.3mpg) while being comfortable and practical. Kate Batchelor

Price (OTR): £15,320
Mileage: 2,920
CO2 emissions (g/km): 131
Company car tax bill (2004/5) 22% tax-payer: £42 per month
Insurance group: 7A
Combined mpg: 56.5
Test mpg: 47.3
CAP Monitor residual value: £4,825/32%
HSBC contract hire rate: £303
Expenditure to date: nil
Figures based on three years/60,000 miles