This week I’m just road-testing the one car – a BMW 114d. It sounds a little on the small side as BMW engine numbers go, but the 1.6-litre diesel engine in it is actually better than even I expected it to be. But that’s not the reason I’m writing this little post. With the temperature dropping a lot recently, my early morning starts have already meant sitting in the car for a few minutes while everything defrosts and warms up. Precious minutes that I will this week be spending in bed.

Why? Because this BMW is equipped with a climate control timer which I have set to come on all by itself at 7.50am. So while I’m still getting ready to head out the door for 8am, the thoughtful BMW 114d is already working away outside, defrosting the windscreen and warming things up inside for me.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference.