GADGETS on a vehicle are all very well but if they are over complicated they can hinder your enjoyment.

Our long-term SEAT Toledo V5 is loaded with gadgets and most of them - such as cruise and climate control - are really useful. One of the most annoying, however, is the integrated stereo and satellite navigation system.

Changing modes while using the satellite navigation from CD to radio on the stereo involves a complicated procedure which can prove dangerous, tempting the driver's eye away from the road.

The positioning of the six-CD autochanger (another great standard feature) in the glovebox could also have been better thought out.

There is precious little space in there - not even enough to hold six CD cases never mind the car's instruction manual. Steering wheel-mounted audio controls and positioning the CD autochanger under a seat or in the boot would solve that one.

The Toledo's cavernous boot is indispensable, however, although smaller loads such as shopping bags are prone to disappear into the darkness and can be difficult to retrieve from the depths of the load area. Another problem highlighted by several Fleet News road testers is the lack of rear legroom, particularly on a long journey. But these niggles aside, the Toledo is proving to be a popular and reliable member of our fleet.