Tailored to the needs of the fleet driver, the Leon SE has ticked all the boxes during a fairly intensive period of use that has involved several thousands of motorway miles and two trips across the Channel.

This is an easy car to drive and one that remains comfortable during the occasional busy days that can stretch to more than 500 miles – all of which can be covered without the need for refuelling, thanks to economy that provides a generous range considering the moderate 50-litre fuel tank.

With a longer wheelbase than its predecessor, the Leon has generous interior space and a particularly roomy rear seat, while a boot capacity of 380 litres with the rear seats in place makes the car one of the most useful in the sector.

It’s very practical, too, thanks to load lash points in the boot and handy ‘secret’ containers under the front seats.

But one disappointment is that the car doesn’t have a completely flat floor when the rear seats are folded – the fact that the squabs remain in place means the backrests lie on top, creating a lip that makes it difficult to push items forward when loading from the rear.

However, while there has been no mystery over the faultless performance of the car, I can't get to the bottom of why skittles have been making regular appearances on the dashboard over the past few months.

With no apparent reason, the trio of pins often replace the usual trip reading soon after the ignition is turned on and remain in view for half a minute or so.

Just why they come into view I don't know because there’s no mention of them in the comprehensive handbook that comes with the car.