Okay, next year I am getting a new car (I've already started saving!) and am really racking my brains as to what one to get.

My current ride is a 2004 Toyota Yaris - UK version, not the US one because I know the Yaris is an ENTIRELY different car over there - and there are several reasons I want a bigger, better car.

1) Engine size. My little buglet has a 998cc engine. This is fine for beetling around town, but for longer journeys it's awful, especially on motorways.

2) Interior space. There's no room in the boot at all, and some of my friends are less than petite, so if there's four of us going somewhere, it's a bit crowded. Add luggage to that and the car starts to handle funny.

3) Performance in bad weather. In epic rain, snow or ice situations, little Yari does not cope well. This is Bad News given the winter we had last year, during which Yari was stranded on the driveway for three months! And just last week, there were several days I had to take the train to work because the rain was so bad and Yari couldn't cope with the puddles.

So, anyway, I'm going to get rid of the Yaris and have three options: Toyota MR2, Nissan X-Trail, or a Toyota Auris - again, these are the UK versions of these cars.

Problem is... heart says MR2, head says X-Trail, wallet says Auris! Allow me to explain each, then offer your opinions.

MR2: Pro's are, it's a beautiful car, its very powerful and they're fairly easy to get hold of. Cons are: it's a soft top convertible, the insurance will probably be fairly high, and we live in an area where sports cars are often stolen to order; doesn't do bad weather, so it's really a 'summer' car.

X-Trail: Pros: 4wd, and given that I live up and down a massive hill that's lethal in ice and snow, that's a great thing; it's HUGE inside, but surprisingly economical and handles like a PROPER car instead of like the other great hulking SUV's I've had the misfortune to test drive; I think they're gorgeous. Cons: Insurance, again, road tax, and the sheer size of the thing compared to some of the parking spaces I have to deal with :3

Auris: Pros: fairly decent size, CHEAP because I'd be buying the one my mum currently has, cheap insurance, cheap road tax, economical. Cons: it's boring and there's nothing special about it; doesn't do bad weather, Mum had a terrible time in the ice and snow.

So, opinions? I'm leaning towards the X-Trail personally, even though the Auris is going to be significantly cheaper and the MR2 is really sexy.

Help!