Should I pay extra for ESP?

I'm thinking of buying a Nissan Qashqai 1.6-litre petrol. However, my current car (VW Golf) has ESP fitted as standard. Should I pay extra for it on the Qashqai?
Susan Kleinman

A: ESP stands for Electronic Stability Programme. It (and other stability control systems) is designed to prevent skidding when cornering, which can result in the driver losing control of the car.

It does this by altering power output of the engine, and/or applying the brakes to some or all of the wheels to keep the car on the driver's intended line.

According to the European Commission, stability control systems (such as ESP) can reduce the number of accidents by around 20% in normal driving conditions, and as a result there have been calls to make them mandatory on all new cars.

For the 365 it costs, we'd recommend adding ESP as an option. Not only will it reduce your chance of having an accident, it will also make your car a more attractive proposition when you decide to sell.