We’re back from an enforced silence, caused by a week-long break in Ireland. Apart from wishing you a Happy New Year, my top tip for 2014 is always make a mental note of where you park your car on a ferry.

Maybe it says more about the styling of the V40 than our own stupidity but walking around the car deck of an Irish Ferries ship looking hopelessly lost isn’t the best way to start a new year.

You can feel the eyes of other drivers burning in to you as you wander aimlessly around, searching for a hatchback surrounded by countless other hatchbacks on a ferry packed with hatchbacks.

The V40 may have a few extra bits of trim to give it Cross Country status but it’s also remarkably good at blending in with the crowd. The fact our car was parked on deck 5 and we were searching deck 7 didn’t help… Never mind.