Cars like the Renault Modus major on practicality. Their origins can actually be traced back to the Fiat Punto, the first really tall supermini. And in a crowded market they have to have something a little bit extra to persuade buyers to choose them. And If you have ever come back to your parked hatchback to find someone has drawn up so close behind you can't lift the tailgate then Renault has come up with a solution on the Modus mini-MPV. It has created something call the boot chute, a bottom-hinged bootlid set into the tailgate which can be opened using buttons easily reached from each side of the car. Instead of lifting the whole tailgate, you just drop the chute onto its retaining straps and load items - not too big ones - into the boot easily. But maybe the Modus needs a little more as it has not been the success Renault hoped. The similar Nissan Note, built on the same platform, is doing better. These new generation tall cars are eminently usable, with rear seats that fold every which way and a carrying capacity far in excess of what their exterior dimensions would have you believe possible. In the Renault, the rear seat system is called Triptic and the seat has an ingenious triple folding design which also slides to allow more space. You'll find similar devices on other cars in the class like the Vauxhall Meriva and Ford Fusion and they are now an essential part of the package. Still the best, though, is the Honda Jazz which has the most ingenious rear seats since those of the Renault 16, which I don't expect most of you to remember. The Modus is a pleasing car to use. It may be compact but it doesn't feel like a small car once you're in it, especially if the boot is empty and the rear seats can be slid backwards. But what appeals most on this type of design is the huge amount of headroom. Us tall people get fed up with craning our necks to get into cars or see under the top screen rail but it was the Fiat Punto that really proved this was no longer necessary in modern designs. You can have a bit of fun with the Modus. It's not all serious, sensible stuff - far from it. I've driven the 1.4 and 1.6 litre petrol cars at different times - both were lively and rewarding. But the range starts with a much more basic 1.2 petrol and there's a brace of 1.5 litre diesels with different power outputs, too. The interior design is fresh and appealing, with a digital speedo set in the middle of the fascia. I never used to like these devices but they are growing on me because I find it far easier to adhere to speed limits when using one. The message is bold and clear all the time. Even just knocking about town the 1.6 car was giving 37 mpg but the 1.4 will get closer to 45 mpg. With figures like these, who needs to pay the extra you fork our for diesels? Service intervals are 12,000 miles for the diesels and 18,000 miles for the petrol cars, so once again there's a potential saving. Insurance on the 1.2 petrol and lower output diesel is Group 2 and even the highest rating is only Group 6. £6,000, only two thirds of what it cost new. An 04 plate car is £800 less. A 56 plate 1.4 in the same trim at £7,600 is also a £3,000 saving while diesels on an 04 start at £5,400. Maurice Hardy