12 Cars Test Drive by automotivedia

12 cars tested, starring Mazda MX-5, Schnitzer-tuned BMW M2, prototype Hyundai i30 Fastback N & four seven-seatersâ&#x20AC;¦

30 CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK | October 2018

Go in faster, come out faster, wear a bigger smile. They’ve nailed it

MAZDA MX-5

Finally, the engine it’s always deserved The ever-evolving Mazda roadster hits a new high with the latest version, combining a cleaner and more powerful engine with familiar chassis brilliance. By CJ Hubbard MA ZDA MX-5 2.0-LITRE SPORT NAV+ CONVERTIBLE > Price £24,795 > Engine 1998cc 16v 4-cyl, 181bhp @ 7000rpm, 151lb ft @ 4000rpm > Transmission 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive > Performance 6.5sec 0-62mph, 136mph, 40.9mpg, 156g/km CO2 > Weight 1030kg > On sale September

ELCOME TO ROMANIA, home of Dracula, Dacia and the Transfagarasan road across the Carpathian mountains, so famously wiggly that on paper it looks like the output of a seismograph someone has accidentally knocked oﬀ a shelf in the middle of recording a minor geological event. It’s got more hairpins than Claire’s Accessories, climbs to over 2000 metres and sounds like the ideal place to launch a new, more powerful evolution of the Mazda MX-5. You’ll need to get up early. For if the changeable weather conditions, rippled surfaces and potholes so large they’ve got names weren’t hazard enough, the road also functions as Romania’s major tourist attraction, so come lunchtime it’s clogged with sluggardly obstructions. These (barely) mobile chicanes would

have been a challenge for previous iterations of the MX-5. For all that it’s generally been a sweet-handling little machine, Mazda’s dinky sports car has never been overburdened with a surfeit of outright performance. Gladly, the 2019 version (actually on sale right about now) has taken a big step towards solving this problem with the introduction of an upgraded 2.0-litre SkyActiv engine. This happily smashes the latest WLTP and Euro 6d emissions requirements to help keep the environmentally-conscious happy – and let’s face it, that really should be all of us these days – yet still ends up with an extra 23bhp. That means the 2.0-litre MX-5 has a grand total of 181bhp, with nary a turbocharger in sight. That’s quite an achievement. It’s as if Mazda’s engineers locked the accountants in a cupboard, then blew

October 2018 | CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK

the budget on a whole host of oily goodies, which I’m just going to go ahead and nerd-out on for a moment. To make more power you need more air, so the entire intake assembly has been reconfigured – with enlarged throttle body, ports and valves, and a smoother intake manifold. The air also takes a shorter path to the engine for improved throttle response. To make use of that air you need more fuel, which arrives via new higher-pressure, multi-stage injectors. A new exhaust camshaft combined with larger, lighter exhaust valves and increased diameter for the exhaust ports and exhaust manifold then gets rid of the waste gases more efficiently. There’s a new main silencer for sexier noises, too, but I couldn’t tell the difference. This is all excellent, but brace yourself – the really exciting part happens between intake and exit: new lightweight pistons and connecting rods, asymmetric piston rings and a stiffer counterbalanced crankshaft allow the new engine to rev faster and higher. With 227g of internal weight savings, the 2.0-litre now sings to the 7500rpm limit previously reserved for the smaller 1.5-litre engine, instead of calling time at an unsatisfying 6800rpm. Mazda has also done some clever stuff with dual-mass flywheels and vibration damping to further bring out the best of the four-pot. Got some cake? Then eat it, as the zingy, rev-happy appeal of the 1.5 is now fully present and correct in the big motor. As such this is, unquestionably, the MX-5 you should now choose – the additional 51bhp the 2.0 musters over the 1.5 compounded by the 0-62mph time dipping to 6.5sec, some 0.8sec faster than before. What’s more, while

30 years on, and Mazda finally lets you adjust the wheel’s reach

CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK | October 2018

Unchanged body still with a choice of soft-top or folding hardtop

UP AGAINST BETTER THAN Fiat 124

Ugly fake Mazda; why bother? WORSE THAN A lightly used Boxster

Not that you’ll find one for this money WE’D BUY A Mk1 MX-5

But the 2019 car makes more sense

peak torque only rises slightly to someone who wants to slide around a 151lb ft from 148, there’s substantially circuit they know really well. It’s soft, more muscle at higher revs, energising so it rides nicely, but it’s very much delivery when you’re stretching the inclined to roll at the rear, which can engine. This comes in very handy punish the timid or the clumsy (and when the extra reach of that additional sometimes I’m both) by snapping into 700rpm has us flashing between oversteer. Great if you know where the Romanian switchbacks in utterly un- road goes, not ideal if you’re in unfasympathetic abuse of second gear. miliar climes with a 1500m drop on one Other changes of note include a side. Be decisive on the brakes, go for stop-start system for the first time a slow-in, fast-out approach, however, (unexpectedly shuddery awfulness), and everything seems to click nicely some extra safety equipment (on high- into place. Excellent. spec versions) and a new GT Sport Nav+ The Bilsteins are much firmer, which trim level (regular Sport Nav+ is just gives you a much more instant percepfine). If you’re after exterior visual clues tion of grip levels and control – closer to The New Hotness, you can forget it – in behaviour to a Toyota GT86. The the body remains exactly the same. impact on the ride is potentially hateful On the inside, however, Mazda has if you’re the passenger, but certainly now fitted a reach-adjustable steering tolerable if you’re the driver, since you wheel. The joy, the unspeakable joy, of can carry more speed into the corner, finally being able to find a truly com- get back on the power earlier out of fortable driving position. This should the corner, execute sudden direction be loudly applauded. You can also add changes without fear. So this version is Apple CarPlay and Android also excellent, and ultimately Auto via a dealer-fit box. faster, sooner – though LOVE Extra power, There are no chassis alterperhaps not as involving as finally sitting ations, since Mazda reckons the regular version. comfortably that area was already peachy. You sense a happy medium But since we’ve got a mounbetween the two ought to be HATE Still getting tain and the opportunity, achievable, but hey. Whichdusted by diesel time for a few back-to-back ever floats your boat, the new hatchbacks observations about the engine is a no-brainer – and standard suspension versus it’s available in the RF if you VERDICT Turbos? Where the Bilstein set-up fitted on must, too. And, miraculously, we’re going, 2.0-litre Sport models. all these improvements you don’t need The standard car feels come accompanied by only turbos… + + + + + like it’s been dialled-in by minimal price increases.

DALLARA STRADALE

Need to win trackdays? …then just pop £166k to the folks at Dallara (yes, that one), and they’ll furnish you with the outstandingly fast and pure Stradale. And you’ll have no excuses… By Georg Kacher

ALLARA BUILDS RACE cars for a living. So it won’t come as much of a surprise to learn that the marque’s first road car feels like one. Across the startfinish line, flat-out in third gear, the two-seater is present but for a moment and then gone, trailing a bellowing burble sequentially interrupted by two more upshifts (a manual ’box is standard, the sequential optional). Pushing the Stradale to the limit is an experience that ravages every sense – even with the optional windscreen in place, your helmet still sticks out into the storm like a throbbing carbonfibre lighthouse, the car declaring war on your neck and shoulders with the forces it can summon. We’re at the Nardo handling track, former F1 man Marco Apicella next to me. Into turn one, 160mph in fifth. ‘Turrrn in, but don’t lift. Now!’ yells Apicella. Keeping the pedal planted

CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK | October 2018

goes against your every grain, but all the car does is change direction and stay ﬁrmly, spookily, put. ‘Thrrree, two, one. Now!’ We’re dancing the line between braking late and braking too late. I’m certain disaster will strike but no – the balding man with the bull’s neck crouched low in the passenger seat is already talking me through turns two and three in his cool, crackling voice. ‘Brrravissimo! Next time you go a little fasta.’ So the Dallara doesn’t play by conventional rules, but then neither is it a conventional car. By hopping in you leave behind drop-top sports car conventions; heated seats, air scarves, wind deﬂectors. Although a comfort pack, complete with gullwing T-top glass canopy, single-arm wiper and air-con is available for a hefty £28,000, most owners will opt for the go-faster options; race roll hoops, the performance kit that removes the

UP AGAINST BETTER THAN McLaren 570S

Just so long as the track bit of the McLaren’s remit is all you care about…

catalyst for another 15bhp, the race exhaust and the lowered suspension. Like a hardcore competition car, the Dallara sets out to erase the chip in your head and re-write it. It does so by cornering substantially faster, braking quantiﬁably later and plotting its course with more tenacity than almost all previous four-wheeled ﬂings. But you have to build up to it. Because it takes time to grasp the fact that, at the

WORSE THAN McLaren 570S

…for just about everything else. Both have standout steering WE’D BUY Caterham 420R

A fraction of the price of the Dallara, no downforce madness It’s just a wheel. But it’s bolted to the best steering on sale today, according to Georg

Screen is from the options list, which can tailor your Stradale for road or track

end of the long straight, when the car is travelling at 80% of its top speed, it’s generating 400kg of downforce. This massive ground effect gives awesome lateral grip and directional stability. Apicella is chortling as I massage my aching neck and shoulders. ‘The Dallara can pull in excess of 2g,’ he smiles. ‘That’s not quite fighter pilot stuff, but it virtually eclipses every other street-legal supercar. Now you know why pros spend so much time in the gym...’ For decades, Dallara has been processing carbonfibre like other makes have shaped steel or aluminium. Thanks to this track-tested lightweight construction technique, the data sheet lists a dry weight of 855 kilos. The low-tech engine marks a stark contrast to the high-tech composite chassis. After talking to numerous potential suppliers, the Italians opted for the single-turbo 400bhp 2.3-litre

Ford Ecoboost four-cylinder, known as the Cleveland engine because that’s where Ford builds it. Delivering peak power at 6200rpm, the mid-mounted 16-valver fuses shirt-sleeved running characteristics with coarse working noises. Throttle response is brisk but not Ferrari-instant; turbo lag can be an issue when low revs meet a tall gear, and it’s not the keenest to rev. The wrong motor for such an uncompromising driving machine? Not really, because of the torque: 369lb ft from 3000rpm to 5000rpm, thereby defining a broad sweet spot which, in turn, defines the unexpectedly relaxed personality of the Stradale. The Dallara is, in other words, not only an object lesson in featherweight engineering and aerodynamic excellence, it also musters enough punch to fly high without frantically flapping its wings all the time. On the open road in particular, the two-seater is thus as compelling a GT as it is a blacktop-peeling crackerjack. On most sections of the track, la macchina arrabiata begs to follow a different line and use a different gear than the best of the rest. With that mighty torque, there’s no need to ever

DALLARA STRADALE > Price £166,000 > Engine 2261cc, 16v turbocharged inline four, 394bhp @ 6200rpm, 369lb ft @ 3000rpm > Transmission 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive > Performance 3.25sec 0-62mph, 174mph, n/a mpg, n/a g/km CO2 > Weight 855kg > On sale Now

shift down into second. The Stradale creates massive forward motion effortlessly, seamlessly, relentlessly. After the torque (and the speed and downforce…), the second thing that hits you is the steering. The Dallara does without power assistance or any kind of trickery. Instead its steering is precise, quick and communicative, relaying exactly the right amount of feedback, self-centering moment and effort. It befriends the driver, is a wonderfully haptic interface, and puts control and confidence into your palms. If you must ask the question then the answer is yes: this steering beats anything and everything that is out there, and it doesn’t employ torque vectoring or rear-wheel steering to do so. It also fits with Dallara’s reductive approach, which waives carbon-ceramic brakes, active anti-roll bars and dynamic drivetrain mounts. Also conspicuous by their absence are nav, music, any type of driver assistance system and, sadly, adaptive LED headlights. Says Apicella, grinning broadly: ‘You don’t drive this car much at night. Think of the insects...’ Dallara plans to build 650 vehicles over five years. With close to 100 units already spoken for, the waiting list currently stretches into 2020. The naked barchetta retails at £166,000. So it’s this or 570S McLaren? ‘No – you own our car in addition to a Ferrari, a Pagani or a Lamborghini,’ says Giampaolo Dallara. ‘Because our car is quite different. We build an analogue, no-frills street-legal racer.’ Indeed he does.

LOVE Steering, purity, downforce

HATE Price, some turbo lag, the fact that our neck just couldn’t cope

VERDICT Scintillating, and searingly expensive

+ + + + +

October 2018 | CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK

HYUNDAI i30 FASTBACK N

The easy second album Hyundai’s i30N hot hatch was a surprise star, and now there’s a coupe version. A prototype drive bodes well… By James Taylor

O NOT ADJUST your set: this is a camouflaged prototype, not a production car. At least, not yet. It’s the Hyundai i30 Fastback N, an upcoming coupéfied version of the i30N hatch. From a standing start, Hyundai’s N performance division is quickly becoming a key player in the hot hatch world. That’s thanks mostly to the surprising excellence of its first car, the i30N. We’ve run one as a long-term test car over the last few months (see page 134 for its final report), and its big character, big performance and decent usability have impressed. This will be the second N car to be sold in the UK (and the third one in total – a Veloster N has been created for the USA, but it’s not destined for these shores). More will follow, including plans for an N-branded halo car to showcase future tech and Hyundai’s motorsport links. But the Fastback is next. It’s due for a proper reveal at the Paris motor show in October but it’s not too difficult to hazard a guess at what it looks like under the camo stickers. Roofline aside, structure and powertrain are unchanged from the i30N hatch: same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot, available with 271bhp in top Performance spec, along with an electronically controlled

CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK | October 2018

LOVE Suspension tuning feels a step on from already ace i30N hatch

HATE Body less practical than hatch – will it look glamorous enough?

limited-slip diﬀerential, and the same six-speed manual ’box. In keeping with the N’s petrolhead ethos, there’s no auto. What is new on the dynamic front is some carefully wrought suspension reﬁnement, which will also be rolled out to the i30N hatch as part of its 2019 model year update. The front spring rates have been made softer, the goal being reduced understeer. Normally that would mean more body roll, but cleverly the i30N’s electronic adaptive dampers compensate, pre-loading according to steering input. We’re testing the Fastback prototype at the undulating Millbrook proving ground in Bedfordshire, a challenge for any chassis – especially when it’s pelting with rain. Rubbish weather is actually perfect for this test, though, bringing the car’s limits lower and giving a good picture of how it will behave if you push too hard at higher speeds. First

VERDICT Early signs are good: comfier but even more fun than the hatch + + + + +

impressions are very positive indeed. Front-end grip is prodigious, to the point that you can actually add lock mid-corner where most cars would be washing out. The rear tyres, too, are planted – not playful, perhaps, but encouragingly stable. Also among the suspension updates are longer bump stops, designed to better telegraph the onset of understeer, and in the streaming water they seem to be doing their job well. Feedback feels more faithful than on our long-term i30N, and the steering itself feels a little lighter, too. That’s a welcome change – I can’t be the only one who finds the current i30N’s heavyweight power steering overdone for the road. Another impressive facet of this prototype is the way it puts its power down, the locking diff pulling the car out of corners without the steering getting corrupted as much as the hatchback’s. On first impressions, the Fastback has all the character of the i30N hatch together with easier-going yet more accurate handling. The question is whether it will look glamorous enough without camo to justify its likely price and weight increase over the hatch.

HYUNDAI i30 FASTBACK N > Price £29.000 (est) > Engine 1998cc 16v turbo 4-cyl, 271bhp @ 6000rpm, 20lb ft @ 1500rpm > Transmission 6-speed manual, e-LSD, front-wheel drive > Performance 6.0sec 0-62mph (est), 155mph (limited), 39mpg (est), 163g/km CO2 > Weight 1450kg (est) > On sale Early 2019 Hyundai’s new coupe slithered impressively round Millbrook

RANGE ROVER SPORT HYBRID

Hard charging In the market for a fast hybrid SUV? The P400e is great. Otherwise, probably not. By Jake Groves

Still very sensible, still very Skoda

SKODA FABIA

Rational pack

VEN IN A SECTOR bursting with common sense, neatly squared-away flair and everyday functionality, the Skoda Fabia is more sensible than most superminis. No surprise that the recipe hasn’t changed much for this minor facelift: it’s still a rational choice, appealing for its space, proven VW underpinnings and sub-£13k entry price undercutting its closest in-house relatives, the VW Polo and Seat Ibiza. That it can offer this cost advantage is because the Fabia is based on older VW bits and bobs. But you’d barely know it from the drive – it still rides and steers with a pleasing maturity that belies its modest status. The refresh has concentrated on details rather than engineering, though the up-to-date TSI three-cylinder engines gain a particulate filter. Diesels have been dumped in this postemissions-crisis age, as only six per cent of Fabia buyers in the UK bought them anyway. We can see why: the petrol triples are well mannered and still return 50mpg-plus. The two most powerful options, with 94bhp and 109bhp, both give adequate performance and there’s a refined three-cylinder thrum to proceedings. Gearing is long-legged, to the benefit of peace, frugality and blood pressure. Inside, modest upgrading continues, with fresh instrument graphics, new safety tech including blindspot detection, reversible boot liners and suede-effect seat upholstery. It’s roomy, with decent space front and back, and the boot’s an impressive 330 litres. The highlight of the range? The estate, with an echoing 530 litres of loadbay – in a car just four metres long. What a very sensible choice, just like most Fabias. TIM POLLARD

SKODA FABIA > Price £15,495 > Engine 999cc 12v turbo 3-cyl, 109bhp @ 5000rpm, 148lb ft @ 2000rpm > Transmission 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive > Performance 9.6sec 0-62mph, 121mph, 61.4mpg, 105g/ km CO2 > Weight 1132kg > On sale Now

O ELECTRIFIED WITH your new Range Rover Sport and the only versions that will show you a clean pair of heels are the supercharged V8s. That’s a pleasing bonus on top of some chilled silent driving time and potentially improved economy. Potentially, it should be noted. The punchy end of the PHEV powertrain reveals itself with peaks of 398bhp and 478lb ft, and when the 2.0-litre petrol four revs out there’s a meaty growl – a welcome change compared to the strained buzz from the same engine in the Evoque or Discovery Sport. During such activity, the torque from the electric motor is smoothly mixed in to hurl you forward surprisingly quickly for a two-and-ahalf-tonne SUV. When you want to behave yourself, the system acts as a parallel hybrid where the petrol engine and electric motor constantly work together. Like most plug-ins, you can force the battery to hold charge to save your stealthy drive time for when it’s more needed or engage EV mode via a button on the centre console, with up to 31 miles of EV-only range claimed. Like most plug-ins, you’ll have to work hard to gain any economy advantage – our drive netted us reallife mpg similar to the SDV6. That’s

about 28-30mpg if you’re not paying much attention to the powertrain’s very particular demands. Still, inside the Sport is just how a Rangie should be: comfortable, well appointed and with plenty of kit. The facelifted front is more handsome, and the new Velar-style screens may be fiddly to work but they keep the cabin looking contemporary. The only real giveaways about hybrid motoring are an EV mode button on the centre console, the ‘My EV’ menu in the infotainment and a different digital display to show the hybrid powertrain at work. The P400e is not the plug-in SUV that will convince you to go electrified if you weren’t planning to. But if you’re already looking around for a big, fast PHEV it does provide you with a handsome, luxurious and very potent new option.

RANGE ROVER SPORT P400E HSE > Price £72,185 > Engine 1984cc 16v turbo 4-cyl plus 85kW electric motor, 398bhp @ 5500rpm, 478lb ft @ 1500rpm > Transmission 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive > Performance 6.3sec 0-62mph, 137mph, 101mpg, 31 EV-only miles, 64g/km CO2 > Weight 2471kg > On sale Now > Rating + + + + + V E R D I C T Makes as much sense as any other PHEV SUV

Electricity draining like New Year’s Eve in Piccadilly Square: uphill fast in a P400e

VERDICT A supermini for Good Housekeeping types + + + + +

October 2018 | CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK

NISSAN LEAF

VW e-GOLF

The people’s car v2.0 Thinking of making the switch? Nissan’s uprated Leaf and VW’s classy e-Golf lead the charge of the afordable electric family cars. But which is best? By Jake Groves

EMEMBER THE FIRST Leaf? A pioneer inside and out, the weird-looking trailblazer with the air-bending headlights and an optional solar panel on the spoiler was a sales success. Now it’s back, with a meatier battery and sleeker silhouette. The Nissan wears its alternative character with some pride, even if it’s been visually toned down to open up its appeal. By contrast the e-Golf’s nothing more or less than an electric Golf: classy, conﬁdent, reassuring. So, two diﬀerent approaches; which is the better car? Jump into the Leaf and it might not be immediately obvious that you’re in a car that doesn’t burn long-dead dinosaur food to get you around, but there are clues to the Nissan’s USP, the most obvious being the drive selector. It sits there like a giant solitary blueberry

CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK | October 2018

awaiting your next move – which will almost certainly be a frustrated attempt to properly adjust the driving position. The seat is set high, prompting tall drivers to pump the intricately upholstered and supremely comfortable seat as low as possible, only to still want it lower, and there’s zero reach adjustment for the steering wheel (rake only, bucko). The infotainment is a little oﬀ the pace too, both in terms of usability and presentation. There are some useful cubbies in the cabin, though. By contrast the e-Golf’s cockpit is like coming home, familiar as it is from numerous generations of VW’s ﬁnest hatch. There’s no OTT gear selector, no starry veneer on the centre console and incredibly basic, to the point of austere, seats. There’s a Golf steering wheel, a Golf DSG gearlever, a Golf dash and,

LOVE Leaf’s acceleration and seats; Golf’s ride, cabin quality and normalness

HATE Leaf’s awkward driving position, boot shape and crude infotainment; Golf’s slightly tardy turn of speed

VERDICT Crave nippiness and tech? Go Nissan. For everything else there’s e-Golf

crucially, Golf build quality. If you were asked to create the perfect car interior to reassure EV sceptics, this would be it. Then the e-Golf has the temerity to do a pretty convincing impression of a petrol-powered Golf with VW’s hasslefree DSG transmission. The steering is positive and ﬂuid, and it’s much easier to get into the driving position you’re after, with plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment. The VW has a nicely judged ride, too, helped no doubt by the battery’s contribution to the car’s sprung mass. The Leaf is not uncomfortable – despite riding on larger 17-inch wheels that translate more of the road surface to you – it’s just that the JCB-like sidewalls on the e-Golf render knobbly UK roads suddenly knobble-free. The Nissan’s steering is also less intuitive than the VW’s, but the Leaf ﬁghts back

It’s a ballsy overtake, granted, but the Leaf’s power advantage is tangible

Leaf’s cabin more spacious but lack of wheel reachadjustment hurts

e-Golf enjoys slick screens, fine ergonomics and… bum-basic seats

with speed; in the traffic-light drag race the Leaf easily bests the e-Golf, not to mention almost everything else around it. The Nissan interior’s roomier, too, due to it being taller and longer, with a longer wheelbase. On the move the Leaf offers a B drive mode with stronger regenerative braking, while e-Pedal mode ups that to the point of never needing to touch the brakes, such is the rate of deceleration brought about by simply lifting off. Hit Eco and the throttle becomes as responsive as a sulking teenager. Unfortunately the air-con is permanently eco-optimised, making hot days unpleasant. The VW also offers several modes; Eco limits power to 94bhp and speed to 71mph, while Eco+ dials it back further still to 74bhp and 56mph, and kills off the air-con entirely. Along with D for regular driving, a Leaf-esque B setting on the gearlever ups the level of regenerative braking to preserve your precious range. Ah yes, range. On WLTP figures the Nissan wins out: 168 miles to the VW’s 124. But during our test, conducted on warm, dry summer days (ah, the summer of 2018 – great days) both fully-charged cars predicted 145 miles of range. That’s 20 miles more than the

e-Golf’s claimed figure and 20 fewer than the Leaf’s WLTP figure. But run both cars over the course of a few weeks and the Nissan’s range advantage does make itself felt. We haven’t managed the full 168 miles on a charge but the Leaf averages a solid 150 miles, driving in a fairly representative manner. In similar conditions you can expect to get around 120 miles from the VW. When you do need to charge, with either car this can be done at home from a three-pin plug (which takes forever) or rapid-charged at up to 50kW, via CHAdeMO for the Leaf and a CCS plug for the Volkswagen. Nissan’s EV offers more kit (including the brilliant Bose audio system on this Tekna-spec car) and sprightlier acceleration. But the interior quality doesn’t compare with that of the classier e-Golf and some of the displays and interfaces are sub-par. Leaf ownership starts for a good deal less money, if you opt for a more modest trim level. But the VW wins here by a hair. It’s comfier, more slickly executed, reassuringly normal and better to drive, with many of the virtues of a conventional Golf. An interim solution the e-Golf may be – VW’s clean-sheet EV hatch lands next year – but it’s a compelling one nonetheless.

VOLKSWAGEN e-GOLF

NISSAN LEAF TEKNA

> Price £28,230 (£30,700 at tested) > Engine Single e-motor, 35.8kWh battery, 134bhp @ 3000pm, 214lb ft @ 0-3000rpm > Transmission Single-speed auto, front-wheel drive > Performance 9.6sec 0-62mph, 93mph, 124-mile range (WLTP) 0g/km CO2 > Weight 1615kg > On sale Now

> Price £28,390 (£30,055 as tested) > Engine Single e-motor, 40kWh battery, 148bhp @ 3283rpm, 236lb ft @ 0-3283rpm > Transmission Single-speed auto, front-wheel drive > Performance 7.9sec 0-62mph, 90mph, 168-mile range (WLTP) 0g/km CO2 > Weight 1580kg > On sale Now

+ + + + +

October 2018 | CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK

How is that loaded rear tyre not rubbing on the wheelarch? Witchcraft

AC SCHNITZER ACS2 SPORT

Perfection, perfected Some people are never satisfied. AC Schnitzer has given the already fabulous BMW M2 a pricey yet brilliant upgrade. By James Taylor

40 CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK | October 2018

each bump. On the road, ride quality is similarly smooth – it’s a car that proves a low ride height and large wheels don’t have to mean a punishing ride – and handling feels even more polished than the regular M2, with excellent vertical body control and breakaway at either end clearly telegraphed. The short wheelbase means that when it does let go you need to be awake, but it’s a friendly, fun car at the limit. This really does feel a sizeable step on from a standard M2. The power upgrade is noticeable, too. The turbocharged straight-six’s original ECU is untouched, with the Schnitzer upgrade taking the form of a secondary ECU to unlock the extra horsepower. It does feel faster too: the full pupils-widening, crikey-we’reaccelerating-quickly fast. Importantly, though, it retains the standard engine’s smooth driveability, with very progressive power delivery for a turbo. The stainless steel exhaust sounds the part too, at a volume that is just the right side of socially acceptable. Its deep, resonant note settles down to an unobtrusively quiet hum at motorway speeds.

SIMON THOMPSON

EW WOULD DISPUTE that the BMW M2 is a riotously fun car to drive. But there’s always room for more mayhem and mirth, tuner AC Schnitzer reckons. So the car tested here is something of a rolling taster menu for the assorted upgrade parts and packages it has brewed up, all of them available separately. Particularly tasty bits fitted to this M2 include a power hike from 365bhp to 414bhp via a new ECU (£3873), valved quad exhausts the better to hear it through (£2493) and Schnitzer’s RS suspension package (£2521), a bespoke set of springs and dampers adjustable for ride height, compression and rebound damping. We tested the car in the supplier’s recommended settings for fast road use, but it could be softened off further or tightened for trackdays. Within moments of setting off from the CAR office, it’s clear the suspension is remarkably well sorted. Our car park is punctuated by a series of vicious speedbumps and despite the ACS2 sitting between 30 to 40mm lower than a stock M2 and 20-inch wheels entirely filling its arches, it glides serenely over

ACS doesn’t do brakes. Brakes are for slowing. ACS doesn’t do slow

LOVE Cleverly calibrated suspension. ACS parts don’t afect BMW warranty

HATE Deep pockets required

VERDICT A remix that’s better than the original

+ + + + +

The only bugbear on the reﬁnement front is a burr from the wider-thanstandard front tyres, on a set of lightweight forged alloy AC1 wheels that cost a scary £6209. Their skinny spokes reveal more of the M2’s standard brakes – the same beefy calipers and special-compound discs used on the M4 don’t really need an upgrade – making them look even bigger. Likewise the wider tyres, albeit still Michelin Pilot Super Sports as on the standard car, somehow accentuate the M2’s already swollen arches even further. The interior is more or less

You could fit your own Schnitzer parts, but best to get UK distributors Rossiters in Norfolk to do it for you

untouched, with little on offer beyond the grippy aluminium pedals fitted to this car (£164), or larger gearshift paddles available for DCT auto cars. This car doesn’t have those elephantine paddles fitted, but does have the dualclutch transmission, and it’s a reminder of how effective a gearbox it is. I never once wished this M2 was a manual. AC Schnitzer offers various exterior adornments, from this car’s relatively subtle front splitter (claimed to contribute meaningful downforce) and carbon bootlip (ditto) to more outlandish options according to taste. None are particularly cheap; the splitter and spoiler are more than a grand each, while the carbonfibre diffuser is more than £1500. And the painted engine cover if you want to let people know you’ve had the power upgrade is another £464… All in, this particular car features nearly £19,000-worth of parts. At

Those go-faster red stripes on the engine cover are nearly £500. Crikey

least the company can claim solid credentials to back up its stiff prices. With three decades of tuning, touring car and Le Mans success to its credit, it was BMW’s official performance parts supplier between 1997 and 2007, before the M Performance line launched, and has around 60 outlets in the UK offering three-year engine and drivetrain warranties alongside the original BMW factory assurance. While it does cosmetics, its bread and butter is engine and suspension tuning, the latter partially developed at Spa-

Francorchamps and the Nürburgring, within striking distance of its Aachen HQ in Germany. Of all the parts, the suspension is the one I’d consider were I in the fortunate position of having a BMW M2 and cash to spend on it. It feels thoroughly well-sorted, polishing the M2’s already excellent handling to a ﬁner sheen and imbuing it with a deliciously purposeful stance, the lower ride height making its already full wheelarches look ﬁt to burst, yet without compromising ride comfort. It’s pricey but well judged – which sums up the ACS2 as a whole.

AC SCHNITZER ACS2 SPORT > Price £50,000 as tested > Engine 2979cc 24v turbo straight-

six, 415bhp @ 5800rpm, 428lb ft @ 3500rpm > Transmission 7-speed dualclutch auto, rear-wheel drive > Performance 4.1sec 0-62mph, 155mph (limited), 185g/km CO2 > Weight 1595kg > On sale Now

October 2018 | CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK

SKODA KODIAQ KIA SORENTO

Plucky sevens Big families need big cars. But which is the best route to packeverything, do-anything seven-seat contentment? By Jake Groves

KIA SORENTO

ALEX TAPLEY

SKODA KODIAQ

Why does it look like this? It’s meant to be a posh SUV that can do the rough stuf – think cheaper Land Rover In a word, big; big car, big Discovery. GT-Line S engine, big on bodyroll spec is ‘sporty’, so there are ‘ice cube’ DRLs, red calipers and an aggressive grille, to help pushy parents dominate after-school pick-ups.

Why does it look like this? It’s a Tiguan Allspace for a few grand less, and all the better for it. Skoda’s handsome seven-seater In a word, red; and has a sharp nose and exclusively so, apparently glam alloys in this SEL spec and a colour that Skoda insists is ‘Exclusive’ and charging £975 for, but which to us looks a lot like red.

What powers this family ferry? A sturdy 2.2-litre diesel with big torque – engine is the biggest and most powerful here, hence the gruf din. Post-facelift eight-speed auto is smooth and responsive regardless of drive mode. Has electronic dif lock.

What powers this family ferry? 148bhp diesel is the weakest engine here. This one’s friends with a positive manual, though you can get a seven-speed DSG. Slim torque band forces you to bring your shifting A-game; engine raspy when you cane it.

Resign myself to driving boredom? More rolls than Greggs on a tricky road but ride is better than the crashy Peugeot. Big, and doesn’t get any smaller on the move – tight rural roads can be nervy. Sharp steering a welcome surprise and adds at least a veneer of enthusiasm to the dynamics.

Resign myself to driving boredom? Light steering regardless of drive mode but comfortable, even with the 19s. Roll is well controlled. The lightest on its feet in this group, cornering deftly if you fancy making your kids barf on back roads. Sport mode actually does sharpen throttle response and suspension – incredible.

CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK | October 2018

CITROËN GRAND C4 SPACETOURER

PEUGEOT 5008

Why does it look like this? Citroën’s sticking with the proper MPV formula but doing it its own way – styling is greenhouseIn a word, Citroën; striking, on-wheels meets Blade commendably un-sporty Runner. Top-spec Flair has swish turbine alloys, sweeping sunroof and enough chrome bits attached to rival an Xzibit-fiddled lowrider.

Why does it look like this? Remember the last 5008? No? Exactly. Fuddy-duddy MPV styling’s been replaced In a word, SUV; zeitgeisty with a half-SUV look, in styling bang on trend keeping with current trends. One part of Pug’s new age of actually-quite-goodlooking cars. GT spec means massive alloys and tech.

What powers this family ferry? Diesel shove courtesy of the same engine family as the 5008, albeit less powerful here so progress is sluggish. Unit gargles a little more than its PSA cousin, possibly due to the echo chamber you sit in, but the gearbox makes swift work of keeping it schtum on the move.

What powers this family ferry? GT’s only powertrain is quick-ish 177bhp diesel and, despite SUV styling pretences, power goes to the front wheels only. Engine seems shrouded in insulation at a cruise but gets thrashy if you egg it on. Sport mode almost entirely useless other than bringing on a slightly snappier auto shift.

Resign myself to driving boredom? Woollier than your nan’s tea cosy, but then Citroën ignores sportiness by design. Built for long motorway cruises on those big family trips with its vague steering, floaty ride, spongey seats and mats full of crushed wine gums.

Resign myself to driving boredom? A tale of two halves. Teeny steering wheel, darty handling and decent body control but the big wheels don’t like potholes and PSA’s trademark slushy pedals sweep away any expectation of brake feel or throttle response.

CONTINUED…

October 2018 | CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK

CONTINUED…

KIA SORENTO

SKODA KODIAQ

USS Enterprise or Soviet gulag inside? Sensibly laid out, if a bit drab, with details reminiscent of a US minivan: massive, thin-rimmed steering wheel, whopping gearlever and kit to rival some yachts. Touchscreen easy to navigate but looks low-rent.

USS Enterprise or Soviet gulag inside? A simple design adorned with classy touches like dark wood veneer, but it’s a little soulless in here. IMAX-like infotainment screen is crisp and responsive, and alcantara seats supportive. Boasts trademark Skoda brollies.

Classy but soulless, like an expensive airport hotel

Wheel diameter belongs on the high seas

More cubbies than a hiker’s backpack? Cupholders for fat travel mugs and centre console storage deeper than an ocean trench. Door bins fit a litre bottle but at an awkward angle, while lockable glovebox is useful but small.

More cubbies than a hiker’s backpack? Bottles intrude on your ratio-swapping. Centre console gets a removable cupholder tray and adjustable armrest. Double glovebox really useful, as are under-seat drawers and usefully-sized door bins. Ours even had a bag-lined bin for rubbish – stuf of dreams.

Can adults actually fit in the third row? Headroom is tight but adults can fit – they even get their own air-con vents. Access easier from left side due to only one easy-to-reach lever. Rear sun blinds a handy extra, and parcel shelf is stowable in seven-seat mode. Middle bench only splits 60:40.

Can I actually fit adults in the third row? Short journeys only, mainly due to their knees being at chest height. Middle row slides 60:40 and folds easily, with second-row legroom still good with the bench slid all the way forward. Parcel shelf can be stowed under the floor.

VERDICT Armed to the teeth and genuinely useful, but when did Kias get so expensive?

VERDICT Strait-laced but best to drive, well-equipped and properly practical.

WINNER KIA SORENTO 2.2 CRDI GT-LINE S AUTO AWD

SKODA KODIAQ SEL 2.0 TDI 150 4X4

> Price £42,925 (£43,540 as tested) > Engine 2199cc 16v turbodiesel 4-cyl, 197bhp @ 3800rpm, 325lb ft @ 1750rpm > Transmission 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive > Performance 9.1sec 0-62mph, 127mph, 43.5mpg, 170g/km CO2 > Weight 1953kg > Example insurance quote £454.89 > On sale Now > Rating +++++

> Price £32,325 (£35,350 as tested) > Engine 1968cc 16v turbodiesel 4-cyl, 148bhp @ 3500rpm, 251lb ft @ 1750rpm > Transmission 6-speed manual, all-wheel drive > Performance 9.9sec 0-62mph, 121mph, 51.4mpg, 144g/km CO2 > Weight 1630kg > Example insurance quote £361.58 > On sale Now > Rating +++++

44 CARMAGA ZINE.CO.UK | October 2018

PEUGEOT 5008

USS Enterprise or Soviet gulag inside? Biggest attention grabber is the vast screen, operated by steering wheel controls, which eases some pressure on a naf infotainment panel. Huge glasshouse makes for impressive visibility, expanded by the roll-back sun visors.

USS Enterprise or Soviet gulag inside? Latest-gen i-Cockpit looks awesome. Dinky wheel frames space-age configurable digital instrument cluster. Diamond quilting and metal switchgear really pop, while GT spec’s grey oak inlays look classy.

Go on Peugeot! Quality cabin a welcome return to form

So big and funky it could open as a theme park: Funky Land

More cubbies than a hiker’s backpack? Star of the show is the removable centre console: keep it for the massive storage bin; take it out to slide long items through the middle without obstruction. Under-seat drawers, a fold-out cubby under the centre console and big door pockets help, but glovebox savaged by fuse box.

More cubbies than a hiker’s backpack? Glovebox is huge and there are plentiful little spaces on the centre console into which you can throw your bits and bobs. Door bins are wide enough for several litre bottles, but the actual cupholders are designed for espresso cups.

Can adults actually fit in the third row? Middle row slides far enough forward for them to fit but they won’t be comfy. Individually tilting and sliding seats require strength and patience, and the sunroof cuts headroom. Tray tables handy for your sprogs on long trips.

Can adults actually fit in the third row? Nope. The rearmost seat bases are the same height as the boot floor and the middle row doesn’t slide far enough forward to make full-size humans remotely comfortable. Elsewhere, the sunroof cuts into headroom and the low tailgate will give you a black eye.

VERDICT Still an MPV trailblazer but an absolute stodge-fest from behind the wheel.

VERDICT Stylish and swift, but the third-row seats are for understanding children only. Know any?

CITROËN GRAND C4 SPACETOURER FLAIR BLUEHDI 160 AUTO > Price £31,985 (£33,965 as tested) > Engine 1997cc 16v turbodiesel 4-cyl, 158bhp @ 4000rpm, 295lb ft @ 2000rpm > Transmission 8-speed auto, front-wheel drive > Performance 10.1sec 0-62mph, 129mph, 64.2mpg, 127g/km CO2 > Weight 1710kg > Example insurance quote £395.04 > On sale Now > Rating +++++

*Insurance quotes are from mustard.co.uk and are based on a 43-year-old employed, married male living in Stowmarket with nine years’ NCD and no claims or convictions. Insurance quotes will vary depending on individual circumstances

CITROËN GRAND C4 SPACETOURER

PEUGEOT 5008 GT BLUEHDI 180 AUTO > Price £37,900 (£39,640 as tested) > Engine 1997cc 16v turbodiesel 4-cyl, 177bhp @ 3750rpm, 295lb ft @ 2000rpm > Transmission 8-speed auto, front-wheel drive > Performance 9.1sec 0-62mph, 131mph, 61.4mpg, 124g/km CO2 > Weight 1540kg > Example insurance quote £405.24 > On sale Now > Rating +++++

October 2018 | SAVE UP TO 62% WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO CAR! GRE ATMAGA ZINES.CO.UK