The only car you ever need

In this article I'll list the cars that I think can cover everything you need from practicality to open top fun. Read on...

VW T-roc cabriolet

This SUV has the open top fun as it is a cabriolet but doesn't compromise with having bad practicality. As an SUV it will also have some off road capability, (lets say you were stranded in a field, not in the middle of the Andes). Sadly, it's interior and infotainment in bland and basic and it isn't particularly fast with the largest engine capacity having 1.4 litres, shame as in the regular SUV there is a T-roc R which can do 0-60 in less than 5 seconds.

Range Rover Vogue

This off road vehicle may be designed to go to the extremes but today it is packed with technology and luxuries. A panoramic glass sunroof will give you the convertible style and the huge boot will give van like practicality. On the road it may be joyless to drive but so is a Rolls Royce Phantom. A Rolls Royce Phantom's role is to deliver ultimate luxury and comfort and oh does the Range Rover pull this off. It has all the parking and driving aids, soft closing doors, ambient lighting, heated and cooled electric seats and a large infotainment screen and most importantly there is air suspension to make the ride so subtle and to raise the ride height when going over a tricky terrain (which you will never do). There are plenty of options too ones I found were 'hot stone' massaging seats, an electronically deployable side step and so your pets can come to there are several pet packs (seriously). On the downside there is one major problem...its weight. This affects the economy and its size and driving pleasure and as you can probably make out by the equipment, its price. A 2l Hybrid costs £96,000 and a 3l diesel is around £600 more and to buy an Autobiography you'd have to be mad. Therefore this stops it from winning this test.

Tesla Model S

This electric car, unlike others has a huge boot. This is because it is a hatchback/notchback like the Ford Mondeo, not a saloon. As you know from other electric cars it is very green and will cost very little to run but this is not the same to buy. As well as being practical and environmentally friendly it also has good performance. In the Performance Ludicrous model (I didn't make up the name!) it will do 0-60 in 2.8 seconds because of its huge torque. That is the same as an equivalent age Lamborghini Aventador! Shock Face! On the other hand its off-road ability is pitiful and its reliability and build quality is poor and super expensive (especially new) and the demand is very high so you may have difficulty buying new too.

Mercedes-Benz E350d All Terrain-my overall winner

This would be the only car you ever needed for the following reasons. Firstly, as it is an estate it is vastly practical. More than Audi and BMW rivals. Secondly, as suggested in the name, it can go off-road with ability to test a vehicle something like the Land Rover Defender. It may not be as fast as the Tesla but it will still do 0-60 in around 6 seconds (hot hatch speeds and this is with a robust diesel engine). It is also a very luxurious car with lots of time saving equipment and a huge infotainment screen, 12.3 inches if you upgrade, and an around £1300 optional air suspension upgrade which not only improves comfort but also handling. There is also, crucially if you do long miles, plenty of adjustment in the seating. Lastly, if you spec with an optional panoramic sunroof you will have the open top thrills too-it is around as large as a conventional soft top. It also costs a lot less than the other cars mentioned. New it may cost around £60,000 but a used example with around 30,000 miles will cost around £30,000.