As a cyclist and father of two young children I am all in favour of putting people above cars

Monica Satny is 64, and drives a convertible diesel Volkswagen Beetle, which she is looking to change soon. She wants an economical automatic car with style, which is easy to park, and with good rear visibility. As Monica's family already has a Honda CRV, she does not need anything too large. A leather interior, a diesel engine, and a sunroof would all help her make her decision. Her budget is a generous £30,000.

Elizabeth Mann is 59, and although she lives overseas she is set to return to her home in rural Scotland. She will need a 4x4 because of the weather and the poor state of the roads. She previously owned a Subaru Justy. Until full retirement and a pension, she will have to run this car on a part-time income, and as economically as possible. She has up to £15,000 to spend.

Robert Stern has a Renault Megane with 122,000 miles on the clock.

Mary Reilly is 55, and is looking for a replacement for her much-loved Renault Clio. She covers around 20,000 miles a year for both work and leisure, and is looking for reliability. Mary has heard that Volkswagens are reliable, and is also intrigued by cars from the Far East. She has £8,000 to spend.

Isabel White is 39 and hates the Peugeot 307CC 2.0 diesel she and her husband own.

Brian Westbury is looking for a car for his son and daughter-in-law. She can only drive an automatic, and they haven't been able to find any information or comparisons on economical automatics. Brian realises that they are not as frugal as manuals, and has a very simple requirement – a small, automatic four seater, with five doors, which must be, economical.

Lin Evans loves her MX-5 sports cars, and has run them for the last 20 years. But after a move to the Cotswolds, the last two winters have been a problem as the Mazda can't cope with the snow, and she has had several scary experiences. However, Lin does not want a boring car, would love another convertible, but realises that the MX-5 may have to be replaced. Her budget is £20,000.

Nic Neklesa is 38, has recently got a new job in the North-west, and wants a new car to replace his thirsty 1998 Saab 9-3. He needs a car that has enough room for an elderly couple and a young child in the back, as well as enough boot space for a pram. Obviously, fuel economy is an important factor, as is the budget – £5,000.

John Huw Davies is 76 and a very lucky fellow as he owns two Volvo V70s – one petrol, one diesel. But they are now a problem. The low seating means that it is becoming difficult for him to get in and out. So what John needs is an automatic diesel vehicle that can carry keyboards, music stands, and stools, with easily moveable seats. He has £8,000 to spend.

David Remmer has a Mini Cooper S, which is used for the school run and the daily journey to the railway station. However, his 14-year-old son is now 5ft 9ins, which means getting him in the back of the Mini is no longer an option. Ideally, David is looking for a car with five doors, decent rear legroom, which is small and easy to park, with an automatic gearbox. He wants lots of equipment and has a generous £25,000 budget.

Peter and Christine Goodhugh are looking for a vehicle with seats that are higher than average as they have impaired mobility and need to be able to get in and out more easily.

George Waddel is planning ahead as he wants a new car in March 2012. He likes the Renault Megane and Renault Laguna; however, he likes the look of coupé models and wants something stylish. His budget is £23,000, plus an extra few thousand from the sale of his 2005 Peugeot 206 HDI GTI.

Helen Salter is looking to replace her 10-year-old Zafira, which is now too small for fully grown children, but she is confused by what's on offer. Space is a priority, of course, and after last winter she is wondering whether a four-wheel drive might be a good idea. Ideally, she wants a vehicle that will seat more than five adults in some degree of comfort. Oh yes, and it must be economical. The budget is £8,000 to £12,000.