What Car? Q&A - What car's good for my elderly mum?

Q: My mum is in her 70s and suffers from bad shoulders. She’s after a small second-hand car with the lightest possible steering and it has to be an automatic. Are there any particular cars I should be looking at?
Kim Etheridge

A: The best way to find the ideal car for your mum is to visit several showrooms and actually get her behind the wheel of some different models.

A number of factors affect the pressure on your mum’s shoulders, not simply the weight of the steering. Driving position and all-round visibility will also be important considerations.

Some cars do provide very light steering modes, however, including the Fiat Grande Punto, which has a 'City' button that lightens up the steering for in-town driving. Look for Fiat’s Dualogic transmission if you want an automatic gearbox.

We’d also suggest testing the Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa, to see if either would suit your mum’s requirements and budget.

The Corsa 1.2-litre Club is a good second-hand buy, but if you have more budget and want more power, try the Clio 1.5 dCi 86 Expression Quickshift5.