I picked up the Guardian Weekend Magazine yesterday and I read an article by Helen Pidd. She writes, “You can’t love a Yaris. It would be like loving socks or carrier bags.” I must admit I was really surprised to see someone hitting out at the Yaris as my wife got one last year and it has been surprisingly good. I should have spotted the clues in her quote. Who could love socks? Perhaps ask me when I’m barefoot on a cold morning. I love socks then. They might not be earth shattering but they do what they were designed for.

Apparently she started driving in an old second hand Yaris. It seems to have done what she wanted it to do but she didn’t feel excited by it. Now she has a Yaris hybrid. She really doesn’t like that. She complains that it is a town car, not really a motorway car and doesn’t have digital radio. Seems to me that a hybrid is a car designed for driving in town. It handles all the stopping and starting and driving in slow queues. Perhaps if digital radio coverage was better more people would want it in their cars.

Her article tells me more about Helen than the Yaris. My wife’s Yaris has lots of bells and whistles, six gears for economy and automated systems for wipers and lights with cruise control, speed limiter, ABS and traction control. All these leave the driver to concentrate on the real road hazards, people who like to be excited by their car and drive lime they were the only person on the road.

Helen, it seems like you bought the wrong car. It was your decision, don’t blame the car.