According to stereotypes the French are a volatile mob, ruled by their hearts rather than their heads. That may well apply in their relationships with other people, but when it comes to motor cars they have a way of cutting through the bulldust and building thoroughly practical vehicles loaded with soul.

Mazda’s marketing gurus concede that they’ve missed the bus a little in recent years, and punted the Mazda6 as being the car to pole-vault them out of the somewhat boring corner into which they painted themselves in the 1990s. Still, I think they may have become a little too enthusiastic in the hype they generated while spreading the word.

Kia’s new Shuma 1,8 Sport isn’t the quickest car around, and it doesn’t have the solid feel of some of the more expensive cars on the overcrowded South African market, but it enjoys a huge advantage in the one area that affects most of us — price. The Shuma is the cheapest 1,8 litre family saloon available, writes Gavin Foster.

It’s hard to believe that the Meriva is derived from the Opel Corsa floorpan, because the little wagon seems so big inside. In fact, the Meriva is not much smaller than its bigger brother, the Zafira. At R168 500, this Car of the Year finalist is well worth thinking about.