Company Car & Van April 2018

COMPANY Car and Van The motoring magazine for SME fleets

SEAT Arona has the sweet smell of success

NISSAN LEAF

EV superstar lifts range to 200 miles

VOLVO XC90

Twin engine showcases hybrid tech

VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK

Affordable ... and targeting fleets

April 2018

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You’re spoilt for choice...

Contents 04 SEAT Arona 06 Volvo XC90 10 Jeep Grand Cherokee 12 Jaguar XE 16 Nissan Leaf 18 Alfa Romeo Giulia 22 Volkswagen Arteon 26 Hyundai Kona 28 Lexus CT 30 Renault Megane 34 MINI Countryman PHEV 35 Mercedes-Benz Actros 36 Toyota Proace 38 John Roe dealership 40 Mercedes-Benz Citan 44 Roanza dealership news 48 Volkswagen Amarok 49 BSM Exeter 50 FIAT Professional Fullback 52 LDV V80 54 Citroen Dispatch 56 Ford Transit Connect 58 Vauxhall Movano

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APRIL 2018 • ISSUE 48

COMPANY Car and Van

56

The motoring magazine for SME fleets

SEAT Arona has the sweet smell of success

NISSAN LEAF

EV superstar lifts range to 200 miles

VOLVO XC90

Twin engine showcases hybrid tech

VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK

Affordable ... and targeting fleets

April 2018

www.companycarandvan.co.uk

www.companycarandvan.co.uk

This issue of Company Car & Van has test drives and features on cars, commercials and light trucks, powered by a mixture of petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric engines. Never has there been such a wide choice of powertrains for fleets and with the speed of change showing no signs of abating, the question of which vehicle is best for you, for your employees or for your business, has never been so confusing.

Our cover star in April is the new SEAT Arona.

The petrol version we tested is excellent and goes straight to the top of the B SUV sector.

Nissan begins 2018 with the launch of its second generation Leaf, possibly the best known EV name in the market, and we find out how it’s been improved. Volvo has its own hybrid range, badged as ‘Twin Engine’ and we get to grips with the range-topping XC90, which offers employees a luxury car with low taxation.

We also have road tests on the attractive Volkswagen Arteon, updated Lexus CT, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Jaguar XE, Mazda3, Renault Megane and MINI Countryman PHEV, while we look forward to the new Hyundai KONA EV. On the commercial front, Volkswagen has introduced an entry-level manual Amarok that’s firmly aimed at capturing more small fleet business. We also drive the Mercedes-Benz Citan, Citroen Dispatch, Vauxhall Movano, Toyota Proace and the range-topping Fiat Professional Fullback Cross. Plus we cast our eye over the latest Ford Transit Connect and LDV V80 chassis cab.

And finally, due to public demand, we feature our first light truck, the revolutionary MercedesBenz eActros, which could save your company an awful lot of money.

Enjoy.

Andrew Walker, Editor and publisher

Company Car & Van is wholly owned and published by: Walker Advertising & Marketing Ltd, 12 Oakwood Lane, Bowdon, Cheshire WA14 3DL t: 0161 941 4296 / 07734 264735 e: andrewwalker@uwclub.net Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material contained within this magazine, the publisher can accept no responsibility for omissions or inaccuracies in its editorial or advertising content. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The carriage of adverts in this publication should not necessarily be viewed as an endorsement of the products or services advertised. All articles within this publication are copyright of Walker Advertising & Marketing Ltd. Editorial consent must be obtained before any are reproduced, either in printed form or electronically.

Company Car & Van | April 2018 | 03

On test: SEAT ARONA

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SEAT enjoys sweet smell of success – again

Andrew Walker enjoys another taste of Spanish motoring Back in 2016, the Seat Ateca won the Company Car and Van Car of the Year award.

There have been plenty of rivals launched on its sector since then, and Seat recently added a small compact crossover, the Arona, to its line up, following similar launches from Volkswagen, Skoda, Citroen, Hyundai and KIA, among others.

Named after a small municipality in Tenerife, the Arona is based on Seat’s Ibiza hatchback. There are seven engines and six trims to choose from, and our test model was the entry level petrol 1.0 TSI95 PS. Bigger engine options come from the DSG TSI 115PS, petrol 1.5 TSI EVO 150PS, plus two diesels, a 1.6 litre manual or DSG TDI 95 PS and finally a 1.6 TDI 115PS. The entry level SE offers 17” alloys, metallic paint, a bi-colour roof, LED daytime running lights and tail lights, air-con, a leather gear knob and handbrake, cruise control, hill hold control and tiredness recognition. The media system come in the form of a 5” touchscreen, with a USB port, an aux-in, steering wheel controls, an FM/AM radio and 4 speakers.

From the outside, the Arona looks very much like the Ateca’s kid brother, which is no bad thing. The front features the Seat logo embedded in a chrome grille, circular fog lights and wrap-around LED headlights. The side profile is smooth and there’s no add-on wheel arches to give a muscular look; the Arona doesn’t need them.

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It is 79mm longer and 99mm taller than an Ibiza and it offers a driving position that’s 52mm higher than the average supermini.

Inside, the cabin feels spacious, with excellent head and leg room in the front and enough room in the rear for two adults and a child to sit comfortably. Cabin storage isn’t great, with small front door pockets an average sized glove box, two drinks holders plus a small cubbyhole in front of the gear lever for your phone or keys.

The dashboard and controls are logically laid out and easy to use. The highlight is the excellent 8” touchscreen which was fitted to our SE Technology model. Located centrally, it is easy to use and once I had connected my iPhone and taken advantage of Apple Car Play to access Google Maps and my podcasts I was ready to hit the road.

The quality of the interior is good. There are some cheaper plastics on display but otherwise it feels like Seat has made a pretty good job of it. The cloth seat fabric felt soft to the touch and appeared to be hard wearing.

We may have chosen to test entry level 1.0 litre 95 PS model, but don’t let this engine put you off. It’s a real cracker. First and foremost like the Ateca, the Arona handles really well, far better than the KIA Stonic, Citroen C3 Aircross and very dated Nissan Juke. The 95PS engine and 5-speed gearbox gets a bit throaty when accelerating but once up to speed it’s quiet and refined, especially on the motorway. There 95PS unit takes 11.2 seconds from 0- 62mph and will go on to reach a top speed of 107mph.

There is some intrusive wind noise in the cabin, which comes mainly from the small, angular wing mirrors, but otherwise it’s relatively quiet, even at motorway speeds.

The Arona also shines around town, being both quiet and comfortable in traffic.

We averaged just over 40mpg when testing the Arona, much of it in very slow city centre traffic, so we’d expect 45mpg should be achievable. Claimed combined economy is actually 57.6mpg with CO2 emissions of 111g/km.

In comparison, the 1.6 TDI 95PS engine claims a combined economy of 70.6 mpg with CO2 emissions of 105g/km, so yet another conundrum for company car drivers.

While all around are shooting down diesels, Euro6 diesel engines are actually very, very clean and offer better fuel economy than their petrol counterparts. As diesel costs more it comes down to mileage: if your average mileage is under 12,000 miles per annum, the petrol is the better choice; above that, the diesel saves cash.

Looking at the B-SUV sector, the Arona is one of the best in the sector, alongside stablemate the Volkswagen T-Roc. Arona has the edge over T-Roc on fun and driveability as well as price, especially if you choose the SE Technology model.

CC&V VERDICT SEAT has done it again.

The Arona goes to the top of the sector. Even the lowest-powered version is great to drive and it’s an obvious contender in the small crossover sector

Rating: N N N N www.companycarandvan.co.uk

On test: VOLVO XC90

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W

hen we drove the Volvo XC90 back in 2015, to say we liked it was an understatement.

However, back then we tested the diesel version and as readers will know, diesels are currently at their lowest-ever approval rating among car buyers.

Step forward the Twin Engine XC90 T8, Volvo’s alternative to diesel. ‘Twin Engine’ is the name given by Volvo to its hybrid range and it’s available across most of the current Volvo models. The XC90 is also the model that debuted the current Volvo technology, and the platform underpins the latest Volvos, including the new XC40 and V60.

There are six specs in the XC90 range; Momentum, Momentum Pro, R-Design, R-Design Pro, Inscription and Inscription Pro, all of which are mirrored in the T8 range. All models offer 4WD, seven seats, special energy-absorbent seats, Volvo’s City Safety auto-braking tech, Queue Assist and a self-parking system, so there’s no compromising on practically or safety. Prices for the XC90 T8 range from £62,450 for the Momentum, up to £70,350 for the rangetopping Inscription Pro. Despite being a large SUV, the XC90 offers a relatively sleek and aerodynamic look compared to much of its competition, namely the Range Rover Sport, Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q7 and BMW X5.

The interior looks and feels expensive with brushed metal inserts, strategically placed wood, matching soft leather and a fit and finish straight out of the Danish Design Museum. On trend, Volvo has completely decluttered the dashboard. The infotainment and climate levels are controlled by a central portrait 9” touchscreen which has been designed to replicate the feel of an iPad and allows you to scroll between Media, SatNav, Telephone and all manner of car settings. It also offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Although the system is to the forefront of what people want in their vehicles, after all we spend an awful lot of time in our cars nowadays, the touchscreen can be a little distracting for the driver while on the move and is best practised before getting behind the wheel. Indeed, Volvo knows that users will take a while to grasp all of what this Sensus System can do and provide buyers with a Sensus handbook to allow users to grasp just how extensive the operating system is. To reassure readers, after a week in the XC90 and with more than a couple of looks at the handbook, I discovered that Sensus is actually quite straightforward to use and is much more logical in its menu choices than much of the competition. Once mastered it is a fantastic addition.

Standard equipment across all models is comprehensive, with SatNav, LED headlights, air-filtration, keyless entry, hands-free tailgate opening, a powered driver’s seat, auto-dimming mirrors and DAB radio. My entry-level Momentum D5 AWD

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A beauty, not a beast also included cruise control, roof rails, Bluetooth, the 9” centre console touchscreen, three rows of seats, with individually folding second row seats with fore/aft adjustment, Sensus Navigation, City Safety, which includes pedestrian and cyclist detection and front collision warning with full auto brake, 19” alloys and a 10-speaker 330W audio system.

My test car had several options fitted, the most interesting being the Sensus Connect Premium Sound System by Bowers and Wilkins, which is an additional £3,000. This allows you to select, among others, the Gothenburg Concert Hall as a sound choice.

Most awesome, music lovers.

Unsurprisingly, the XC90 earned a five-star Euro NCAP crash-test score achieving 97% and 87% ratings for adult and child protection respectively. The XC90 also has lots of technology fitted as standard to help avoid crashes, including IntelliSafe, City Safety, Pilot Assist, Adaptive Cruse Contro and Run-off road protection. Also featured is an advanced blind-spot monitoring system that can steer the car back into its lane if you’re about to sideswipe another vehicle.

The system will even brake and steer itself if it senses you’ve left the road and with Park Assist, it will also parallel and reverse park your Volvo for you.

CC&V factfile Price: £71,300 CO2: 58g/km BIK: 13% Comb mpg: 134.5mpg* * when combining petrol engine and battery Based on Twin Engine T8 Inscription Pro

The interior can best be described as cavernous. There’s lots of room for five adults, with seats six and seven available in the rear if required. Even these two smaller seats will allow a couple of early teens decent head and leg room. The third row seats fold flat into the boot floor to utilise the boot with, say a mountain bike or a flat-pack from IKEA. In total , the XC90 has 451 litres of boot space when in seven-seat mode and 1,102 litres with the third row of seats folded flat into the boot floor. Stow all five of the rear seats away and there’s a whopping 1,951 litres. The boot also comes with a low loading lip, a shallow underfloor space and, of course, the powered tailgate as standard,

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Andrew Walker finds comfort and luxury on tap as he tests the Volvo XC90

so it is a very user-friendly space indeed.

We’ve talked about the XC90 in general terms, but the reason for choosing the T8 over the diesel version is partly about saving money and partly being friendly to the environment. To this end, power comes from a 2.0-litre petrol engine combined with an electric motor, which together produce just over 400bhp.

The T8 quoted combined economy figure is 134.5mpg, which is both incredibly attractive and very misleading. Could this figure actually be achievable? Perhaps, if you utilise the 25-mile range electric motor. This means that you need to charge it up and use it every day, which is easier said than done. Despite the increase of UK charging points you’ll need to charge at home and at work and not drive very far each day at a city commute kind of speed.

Unfortunately, we spent most of our week in the T8 on the motorway dodging 75mph winds, the result being a 31mpg combined fuel economy, which is a much more likely figure than the 100mpg+ that Volvo quotes.

There are five driving options: AWD, Pure, Power, Hybrid and Off-Road. The T8 runs in Hybrid as standard, which automatically manages energy flow between the engine, battery and the road. I used this most of the time, switching to Eco when moving slowly. You can save the battery charge for later use, or recharge on the move using the petrol engine

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as a generator. This, though, has to be accessed through the Sensus touchscreen.

However, in common with, for example, the Golf GTE, the downside of this is your fuel economy plummets, while adding just 30% charge to the battery. Recharging on the move sounds sensible but in truth, it is best left to home or the office if you can.

The good news is that, as it is a hybrid with CO2 emissions of 59g/km, the XC90 T8 Twin Engine has a first-year tax bill of just £15 with a low Benefit-in-Kind company-car tax rating and is also exempt from the London Congestion Charge. Higher rate taxpayers will save a fortune if they pick a T8, although the cost differential between a diesel XC90 and the T8 version does make up for this annual saving, which is around £4,000 pa, over three years.

For those of you wondering why the T8 doesn’t offer great fuel economy as just a petrol car, it’s not just because of its limited electric range. It’s just too powerful, too heavy at 2.3 tonnes and too much fun to drive it slowly. With 401bhp from its combined petrol-electric motor, 0-62mph is just 5.6 seconds and top speed is 143mph. These are performance figures that will make you want to ‘drive’ this car, not dawdle.

On the road you’ll notice that there’s lots of power low down from the engine, making overtaking slow-moving traffic a joy on the

motorway. The air suspension helps dampen the T8’s ride, making it feel sportier in cornering than it should, but in all honestly, it is a car best enjoyed in a straight line, ie, eating up the motorway miles. Talking of which, the four-cylinder engine is a little gruff in the mid-range but once up to 70mph+ it’s quiet enough to enjoy the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in all of its glory. Or, perhaps more practically, to hold a noise-free hands-free phone conversation if required.

If you want to utilise the electric motor to the best of its ability, it’s worth noting how we found it faired in our seven-day test. The official all-electric range after a full charge is 27 miles.

We drove it during early March and in the eye of the ‘Beast from the East storm.’ On a typical day we managed 20 miles on electricity alone.

Luckily, a friend who drives a hybrid X5 allowed me to charge the T8 on his drive and I found that it reaches full charge in around 2.5 – 3 hours, which is pretty good.

A bit like Brexit, the jury is still out on whether or not high-powered hybrid petrol engines are good for the environment or just for the user’s tax code. On paper the T8 ticks all of the boxes: low CO2, high combined economy, low personal taxation,but, as with other cars of its ilk, only those who can utilise the electric motor by charging regularly and who avoid long journeys on their regular commute will really benefit. In simple pounds and pence terms it will also save a higher rate taxpayer around £4,000 per year over what they’d pay in BIK for an XC90 diesel Inscription Pro. And that is very appealing.

As a car to own or to drive, we cannot fault the XC90. Good looking, supremely comfortable, cavernous inside, well equipped, very safe and beautifully put together, it’s certainly a refreshing alternative to a Range Rover, that’s for sure. Whether or not you’d want to pay more to own or lease a T8 over the XC90 diesel, however, will depend on your circumstances. It is also worth noting that Volvo has a range of smaller hybrid models in its range, all of which still offer the tax savings of the larger XC90 but will give you improved petrol or diesel-only fuel economy.

And, to put the cat among the pigeons, Volvo’s latest model, the XC40, has just been awarded the European Car of the Year award and in diesel guise, which is certainly food for thought.

CC&V VERDICT A beautiful, well-built and well thought-out car. Easily a match for the best from Range Rover, BMW and Audi. Just think about your recharging options to make best use of the fuel-saving tech

Rating: N N N N Company Car & Van | April 2018 | 07

On test: JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

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Salute the grand old man Andrew Walker Jeep’s Grand Cherokee is almost seven years old and has recently undergone an update. Just like Doctor Who, it has changed several times in those seven years and the latest incarnation is comfortably the best.

We tested the top-of-the-range Summit and although our off-road sojourn was comfortable for the Jeep, it showed us that it’s still one of the best luxury 4×4s when it comes to going off tarmac.

Fiat bought the Jeep brand knowing it would require a lot of updating. They couldn’t have guessed, however, at how tough the competition would become, with new entrants from Jaguar (F-Pace), Range Rover (Velar) and sister brand to Jeep, Alfa Romeo with the Stelvio. The Grand Cherokee is up against it, because all three are impressive.

The Summit certainly looks the part. It’s big and brash, as you’d expect an American SUV to be. Large 20” polished aluminium and technical grey wheels, chrome grille, fog lamp bezels and door handles, chrome window surrounds and side roof rails, command view dual-pane glass sunroof and deep tint sunscreen glass, all add to the classy look.

Inside, the cabin is the best I’ve ever seen in a Jeep. The Laguna quilted leather interior

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in sky grey with indigo piping and contrast stitching is fabulous, an extra £5,200 on the basic Summit price.

Standard equipment is generous. There’s also a premium Alcantara headliner, heated seats (1st and 2nd row), ventilated front seats, 7” TFT Instrument Cluster with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated wood and leather-trimmed steering wheel, power eight-way driver and six-way passenger seat, a Harman Kardon TM 19 speaker audio with subwoofers and an 825W amplifier.

For off-road aficionados, the Summit comes with hill descent control and trailer sway assist, plus Quadra-drive II 4WD System and Quadra-lift air suspension.

Safety features include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with crash mitigation and blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and ParkSense front and rear park assist.

Jeep has also added Active Noise Cancellation with acoustic glass to make the Summitt super quiet. Even when you push the 3.0-litre V6 diesel to accelerate on the motorway the cabin noise is kept to a minimum, making hands-free Bluetooth calls enjoyable. A real plus for those who need to chat while on the move.

The Grand Cherokee offers 247bhp with

torque of 570Nm with an official 8.2-second 0-62mph time and top speed of 126mph.

Jeep claims a combined 40.4mpg fuel economy, which is generous as we managed just under 30mpg. Emissions are 184 CO2/ km, higher than newer models with newer engines like the Volvo XC90. All in all, the Grand Cherokee just about offers enough to compete with the new kids on the block.

Where the Summit matches rivals for kit, tech and looks, it’s seven-year-old chassis and age let it down. It’s fine on the motorway, but particularly around town the eight-speed auto box is slow to respond and the foot brake causes the car to jerk too much when you stop suddenly.

The large tyres get over most bumps comfortably but go fast around a series of bends and the Grand Cherokee rolls around them rather than getting you through smoothly. The Jeep is older than many rivals and it’s here that you notice it.

Customers also don’t get a wide choice of engines either. There’s no hybrid or even a smaller 4-cylinder unit to save customers money and allow fleet manager’s to tick the right boxes to keep their accountants happy.

While the price of the Summit may seem steep, at £55,980 OTR and with a series of extras fitted to our test car taking this up to

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CC&V VERDICT £61,180, when compared to rivals it is actually good value and the Jeep lease prices reflect this. I enjoyed my week in the Summit, which was comfortable and quiet.

As a bonus, a short sojourn across a local muddy farmer’s field– and this after a lot of rain – proved just how good the Grand Cherokee is off-road, so it’s comforting to know that it’s still a go-anywhere vehicle.

Whether you’d pick one over the latest

Audi Q7, BMW X5, Jaguar F-Pace or Range Rover Velar that it competes against will depend – for me anyway – solely on monthly outlay. In this respect the Grand Cherokee does well.

However, for that cash saving you’d have to accept that it’s just not as good to drive as the newer models. If you’re happy to pay more, then you can take your pick from those in the higher price tag.

A curious response. The best Grand Cherokee ever but not the best in its class. Less expensive than rivals but they drive better. The choice is between savings and driving pleasure - but it’s still great off-road.

Rating: N N N N

www.companycarandvan.co.uk The online resource that’s aimed at SME fleets Bookmark www.companycarandvan.co.uk – the recently launched website that accompanies this magazine.

It contains all the car and van reviews found in the magazine in an easy-to-use on-line format.

There’s also a news page, where we select those stories we feel are of most interest to our readers.

Visit www.companycarandvan.co.uk for an honest appraisal of vehicles you’re thinking about buying or leasing.

Our regular advertisers can be reached on the site via the dealership banners, where you’ll find up-to-date deals on the vehicles you’re looking for, from the nicest dealerships on the web. www.companycarandvan.co.uk

Company Car & Van | April 2018 | 11

On test: JAGUAR XE

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Hey, good-looking!

Andrew Walker revels in the stunning lines of the gorgeous Jaguar XE R-Sport 180PS Auto AWD

T

he Jaguar brand means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Growing up in the 1970s it was the weapon of choice for almost all the British crooks portrayed on TV, a car that in reality, when new anyway, was driven by senior management and company directors. Only the used versions were in reach of pub landlords and second-hand garage owners across the land, often in mustard yellow or British racing green.

I can remember a school friend’s dad being given a white XJ as his company car in 1981. White with red leather seats. It was gorgeous and six of us travelled up to Wimbledon in it, to watch the tennis there that year.

It wasn’t until the late 1990s that Jaguar,

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then owned by Ford, decided to build a smaller model, one that would appeal to middle-management. Hey presto, in 2001, the X-Type appeared and although it looked like a Jag, was equipped like a Jag, underneath, it was really a Ford and despite the Jaguar looks it didn’t sell particularly well.

Fast-forward to 2015 and Jaguar, now owned by Tata, launched the XE, a baby brother for the supremely excellent XF. First of all the good points, for there are lots of them. The XE looks fabulous, even better then the larger XF. Inside, the cabin offers the best of modern design and comes very well equipped. I was lucky enough to be driving the R-Sport model and standard equipment included, cruise control, DAB, emergency brake assist EBA, stability and traction control, rear parking aid and autonomous emergency braking.

Best of all, the XE drives superbly. Whatever Jaguar’s engineers have done to the XE’s chassis should be patented. It offers the right balance of road-holding fun with a touch of firmness that is just right, making it a comfortable car to drive either around town or on the motorway. In fact, it’s as much fun and as comfortable as the 3 Series and is an all-round better performer than the over-firm A4, high praise indeed.

Powered by the 2 -litre 180PS engine, my

test car came with an eight-speed auto gear box which didn’t reduce my enjoyment of the XE in any way. This model feels fast, actually hitting 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and will go onto reach a top speed of 140mph.

Business customers will be more interested in its tax implications and these don’t disappoint either, with the combined fuel economy claimed at 60.6 mpg on the combined cycle and emissions of 123g/ km. As usual, we kept an eye on our fuel economy over the seven days we had it and in the 300+ miles we drove in the XE we averaged 41.3mpg, on a mix of urban, extra urban and motorway driving.

There are other models in the range that will get you much closer to the claimed combined fuel figure and has lower emissions. Using Jaguar’s advanced Lightweight Aluminium Architecture and hightech Ingenium engines, the XE is the most efficient non-hybrid car in its class with fuel economy of up to 75mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 99g/km. As well as its businessfriendly emissions the XE also boasts the highest three-year/60,000-mile residual value in the sector, so if your business outright purchases its cars, this is more good news.

The entry level XE SE starts at a competitive £28,295 and comes with emissions of 106g/km a combined fuel

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economy of 68.9mpg.

Inside the cabin, the XE doesn’t disappoint.

All fixtures and fittings are high quality and fit together seamlessly. The modern Jag is the equal of the German marques in this respect, but clearly has its own identity, with the cylindrical pop-up auto gear changer and an easier to use and understand dashboard than its German rivals.

While the XE may have a great deal going for it, it is most definitely lacking in rear passenger and boot space. Unlike the larger XF, which is excellent in this respect, the XE feels a little cramped in the rear. To be fair, headroom is okay, but if there is a tall driver sitting in front of you and you are a six-footer, there isn’t a lot of room for your legs and compared to the 3 Series, A4 and even the C-Class, it does feel tight in there.

Similarly, the boot is narrow from left to right and shallow from back to front with just 455 litres on offer compared to its competitors, which all have at least 480 litres or more. I am being picky, because this lack of rear legroom and smallish boot space, are the only draw backs in what is a really excellent car from Jaguar.

In conclusion, the XE is THE best looking car in the class and drives as well as the 3 Series and is better to drive than both the A4 and C-Class. What’s not to like?

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What’s not toVERDICT like?

CC&V

Oh, you handsome devil.

Just a head-turning beauty that is backed up by superb engineering and driving dynamics. If you want to pick holes, rear room and boot space are limited but when you look and drive this well, who cares about space?

Rating: N N N N Model tested: Jaguar XE R-Sport 2.0 180PS AWD Auto Prices from £37,085 Combined economy: 60.6mpg CO2 emissions: From 99g/km

Jaguar XE Standard Spec n 8-Speed Automatic Transmission n Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVBB) n Jaguar Drive Control n Cruise Control with Automatic Speed Limiter (ASL) n Brake Pad Wear Indicator n Approach Illumination n Dynamic Stability Control & Traction Control n Autonomous Emergency Braking n Approach illumination n Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) n Jaguar Tyre Repair System n DAB Radio n 2-Zone Climate Control.

Traffic Sign Recognition & Intelligent Speed Limiter n Electric Parking Brake n Auto high Beam Assist

Company Car & Van | April 2018 |13

On test: NISSAN LEAF

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New LEAF is on the charge Huge increase in range and recharging speed is a real game-changer Nissan has delivered the next generation of the Leaf, the world’s best-selling zeroemissions electric vehicle, to the UK. Embodying the company’s Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision, the new model has been reinvented to offer greater range, dynamic design, advanced driver assistance technologies and enhanced connectivity.

Speaking at the official European launch Philippe Saillard, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Nissan Europe said: “The new Nissan LEAF is the most advanced and accessible 100% electric vehicle on the planet. It is the icon of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, our vision for the future. This is a car that will make you feel more confident, more excited and more connected than any other mainstream electric vehicle in history. It is simply amazing.”

The new Nissan LEAF offers an improved range of 378km (235miles)* on a single charge, allowing drivers to enjoy longer journeys, interconnected by the extended European CHAdeMO Quick Charging network. Meanwhile the new e-powertrain also

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delivers 110kW of power output and 320Nm of torque, improving acceleration and driver enjoyment.

In addition, the new Nissan LEAF is packed with ingenious technology that aims to make driving safer, easier and more enjoyable.

These include the ProPILOT advanced driver assistance system, which uses the steering, braking and acceleration to assist the driver within single lane, low speed traffic and highway cruising scenarios. In slow moving traffic the New LEAF autonomously slows down and stops where traffic flow ceases. It will then start to follow the car in front when the flow resumes. Also included is ProPILOT Park for fully autonomous parking.

The new Nissan LEAF’s revolutionary e-Pedal technology transforms the way people drive by letting them start, accelerate, decelerate and stop – simply by increasing or decreasing the pressure applied to the accelerator. When the accelerator is fully released, the hydraulic and friction brakes are applied automatically, bringing the car to a complete stop and regenerating the braking energy to recharge the battery. The car holds its position, even on steep up and downhills, until the accelerator is pressed again, taking the stress out of driving like never before.

Yet the new Nissan LEAF is also much

more than just a 100% electric vehicle. It is a mobile power unit complete with unique bi-directional charging. This means it can give back energy to power the world around it by connecting to homes and offices. It can even return any excess charge to top up the local energy grid thanks to Nissan’s innovative Vehicle to Grid technology.

It’s not just the advanced technologies in the new Nissan LEAF that catch the eye. A sleek profile, sharp, dynamic look and great aerodynamics make it aesthetically appealing to European consumers. Anyone familiar with Nissan design will recognise its signature boomerang-shaped lamps, V-motion flow in the front, flush-surface grille in clear blue and rear bumper’s blue moulding.

Inside, you’ll find a completely redesigned interior, which is focused on the driver and combines the clever use of space with optimum functionality. A front panel in the form of a ‘gliding wing’ and vibrant blue stitching in the seats, dashboard and steering wheel, create a relaxed ambience and a clean quality feel. Meanwhile, the new 7-inch, full-colour (TFT) display highlights key features, including the Safety Shield technology, power gauge and information from the audio and navigation systems. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have also been

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integrated for enhanced connectivity (depending on market).

The first new LEAFs in the UK were launched at an appropriate venue, the crossroads between Electric Avenue and Brixton Road in Lambeth, London.

Why appropriate? Because not only does one of the names seem apt, but Electric Avenue was London’s first electrified street while Brixton Road is, sadly, one of its most polluted after breaking EU air pollution limits 18 times in January alone.

The new models were built at Nissan’s Sunderland plant and prices start at £21,990 OTR, including a £4,500 Government Grant.

TfL and the Mayor of London are encouraging the use of electric vehicles to lower emissions and tackle pollution. In 2017, Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and the Greater London Authority (GLA) announced almost £4.5 million in funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure on London’s streets to support drivers wanting to switch to zero-emission vehicles.

A £10 ‘Toxicity Charge’ or T-Charge was also introduced in October 2017 in the Congestion Charge area for vehicles that fail to meet minimum Euro emission standards.

Electric vehicles, such as the New Nissan LEAF, are exempt from the T-Charge and Congestion Charge and can drive freely in the new Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), when it comes into force in April 2019.

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Company Car & Van | April 2018 | 17

On test: ALFA ROMEO GIULIA

Andrew Walker revels in the new-look Giulia

R

egular readers will already know that I have a bit of a thing for all things Italian. The place, the food, the people, its football and, of course, its cars. My first car was a black Fiat Uno 55S and our current family car is an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Tecnica in a fetching Stromboli grey. Who better than me, then, from the Company Car office to drive Alfa’s latest saloon, the Giulia.

It may have been more than 12 years in the making – the old Alfa 159, its predecessor was launched in 2004 – but the slowness of the arrival of Alfa’s newest model was caused not by Italian bureaucracy but by the purchase of Chrysler JEEP by Fiat in 2014, whereupon Fiat concentrated its efforts on the JEEP brand. No matter, as the old saying goes, better late than never, and this is most certainly true of the Giulia, which I first spied at Munich Airport in Summer 2016.

The Giulia name is not new, though. The original four-door saloon was manufactured from 1962 to 1977 and proved popular with the Carabinieri. Indeed, if you ignore the Minis in The Italian Job, you may notice that the chasing police cars are Giulias.

Although the all-singing, all-dancing top-of-the-range Giulia Quadrofoglio Verde is the model we would all like to own – even Jeremy Clarkson threatened to buy one in the last series of The Grand Tour – the more sensible, more logical model choice for fleet customers is the Tecnica, which is specifically aimed at the business sector.

Like all of the range it is only available as an auto but there are two diesel models. First you have the 2.2 JTDM-2 Auto 150bhp, which offers CO2 at 109g/km, a combined fuel economy of 67mpg, a top speed of 137mph and an 0-60 time of eight seconds.

Or there is the slightly more powerful 180bhp version, which offers identical emissions and fuel economy, but will hit 143mph and reach 60 mph in seven seconds.

Tecnica trim is specifically designed to appeal to the business/fleet market.

Standard spec includes cruise control, rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors, a Connect 8.8” colour display infotainment system, with radio, SatNav, 3D maps with TMC, MP3, aux-in and Bluetooth connection.

Best of all, it retails from £31,840.

We’ve established that the Giulia looks good from the outside where, when compared with the German trio of BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and the new Mercedes E Class, it’s a winner, no contest. But, what’s it like inside? Alfa has tried very hard to make the quality and design of the interior match the best in class and to a certain extent, has succeeded. Beautiful dials, a fabulous steering wheel and the simple black

18 | April 2018 | Company Car & Van

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Giulia offers fun, Italian style

CC&V factfile Alfa Romeo Giulia Tecnica 2.2 JTDM-2 Auto 150bhp Price: £31,840 CO2: 109g/km BIK: 21% Combined fuel economy: 67mpg dashboard colour palette all work really well.

But – and there is a ‘but’ – the overall finish is not as good as that found in the Audi or BMW and even the much improved Mercedes, which always flattered to deceive.

Up front, there’s loads of space for both front seat passengers and in the rear, passengers three and four are also well catered for. Passenger five will struggle on long journeys, exactly the same as they would in all cars in this sector. Boot storage is class average at 480 litres.

Sadly, the UK won’t be getting a manual Giulia, but don’t worry, the automatic gearbox provides enjoyable, smooth, fast shifts. If desired, you can utilise the large paddles behind the wheel which might bring back some of the driver engagement lost with the lack of a manual model. But as a lazy man, I stuck in the auto mode and I was never disappointed. This may partly be due to the fact that the Giulia is rear-wheel driven, with a 50:50 weight distribution.

The suspension is quite stiff, but nonetheless it offers exceptional cornering and even copes well on bumpy roads. As with my own Giulietta, Alfa’s D.N.A drive

allows the driver to select three driving modes – Dynamic, Natural and All Weather – which basically alter the steering weight and throttle response. Even in Natural setting the Giulia is fun. Select Dynamic and it does feel sharper, but for day to day driving, Natural works just fine.

I was driving the smaller engined 148bhp version and despite coming with less power than the 178bhp version, it still emits a lovely diesel roar, a noise I haven’t heard since I drove an Alfasud in the 1980s. It revs as well and just like the 3 Series, is more fun to drive quickly than the Audi or Mercedes. There is, though, a lack of torque in the mid-range, which is noticeable on the motorway when compared to the new C Class for example.

Otherwise it’s a competent motorway performer.

Available from £295 a month on contract hire, the 148bhp 2.2 diesel Tecnica is right on the money.

I’m also starting to see Giulias on the road and can only imagine that their owners are smiling like the proverbial Cheshire Cat.

CC&V VERDICT After a long wait, Alfa Romeo has got it right with the Giulia, with even the lower specced model’s looking fantastic and the lower powered model’s driving well too. Back at the top where it belongs

Rating: N N N N

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On test: VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON

Arteon is the new Passat-master from Volkswagen

V

olkswagen has been busy updating its model range over the past couple of years. A number of new models such as the T-Roc have arrived, while a new Polo will be with us in the UK soon.

One model that has not been relaunched is the Passat CC. Instead, Volkswagen has replaced it with an all-new ‘Sportback’ model called the Arteon.

German saloons are remarkably popular with company car drivers in the UK, so back in 2008, Volkswagen launched a new top of the range Passat and called it the Passat CC. Aimed specifically to compete with Audi’s A4, BMW’s 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C Class, it sold a respectable 6,948 units in the UK in 2011. But by 2016 this figure had dropped off as the model started to show its age and in late 2017 came its replacement, the all together more exciting and new Arteon.

Despite the popularity of SUVs and Crossovers, Volkswagen obviously believes that there is business to be had in this sector and has made a bold move by introducing the Arteon as a direct competitor to the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe and Audi A5 Sportback. There’s a choice of just two Arteon models: the entry level Elegance or the more expensive R-Line. We were testing the R-Line 2.0 litre petrol 190PS DSG version.

Without a doubt, the Arteon is an attractive car. Sleek, narrow LED headlights merge into the large wide front grille which stretches across the whole of the front of the car. There are lovely chrome edged frameless windows above the neatly sculpted flanks and the rear lights curve nicely into the boot.

The Arteon is bigger then the CC it replaces, measuring 4862mm long by 1,871mm wide, but it’s only 1,450mm from the tarmac to the roof, which gives it a real coupé look. This compares with the more staid VW Passat saloon which comes in at 4,767mm x 1,832mm x 1,476mm. But despite being larger on the outside than the Passat, its fastback design means that there’s less headroom in the Arteon than in the Passat.

The Arteon’s boot offer’s 563 litres to the owner and with the rear seats folded flat, this

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increases to a very useful 1,557 litres, only 23 litres less than the Passat.

The interior is very stylish, with soft-touch plastic and a high-quality finish throughout.

The ventilation slot that runs the full width of the dash is shaped to mimic the Arteon’s front grille. VW’s Active Info display sits right in front of the driver. This takes the place of traditional analogue instruments and it both looks good and works well. The system allows the driver to view a variety of information, including the SatNav, vehicle data and telephone information and with it sitting right in front of the driver, it means you don’t have to take your eyes off the road.

The cabin in the R-Line is finished with a black roof lining and is quite dark. Luckily, a sun roof was fitted to our test model which on a sunny November day made it much brighter in the cabin.

If you’ve driven any VAG model the switchgear is reassuringly familiar from model to model. This is true of the Arteon.

The front and rear seats are almost bucket like in style and consequently very

CC&V factfile Price: £36,575 CO2: 122g/km BIK: 26% Comb mpg: 47.1 Key details: There is an Eco mode for more frugal driving

supportive. Although you’d be hard pressed to get an adult to sit comfortably in the centre seat in the rear, the other two rear sets come with great legroom, but with the Arteon’s slanting roof line, the head room is compromised. Entry to the rear, though, is actually very easy.

The 2.0 litre petrol engine fitted to our test car has a top speed of 149mph and will go from 0-62mph in just 7.7 seconds. The DSG gearbox is excellent, meaning that the Arteon is great fun to drive, hugging corners and with a nice turn of pace when required.

Unsurprisingly, the Arteon likes motorways.

It’s smooth and with extra insulation, keeps things quiet in the cabin at high speeds and its guaranteed that you will safely at your destination feeling relaxed and happy.

There’s no doubt that the Arteon provides a great deal of comfort for its occupants. I had a car full of rugby players to bring back from a game in Liverpool. After the journey I asked the group their thoughts on the car’s comfort and all were in agreement that it rides smoothly, so much so that two fell asleep in the back seats.

For customers who wish to play, the Arteon comes with a choice of four driving settings: Eco, Normal, Comfort and Sport. I utilised Eco for my week, primarily to see how I would get on with fuel economy.

Volkswagen claims a combined mpg on our test car of 47.1 mpg. We drove the Arteon on a mixture of urban extra urban and country roads for over 500 miles and we managed to just scrape over 32mpg, which is some way shy of the claimed figure. In fairness, the DSG gear box and sheer power on offer from our 190PS test car, which offers 320Nm, means that it’s almost impossible not to ‘drive’ it, which is a killer on economy.

Emissions are 135g/km. However, the 148bhp 2.0 TDI diesel is expected to be the

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most popular model sold in the UK and it offers a better claimed economy of 65.7mpg on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 112g/km.This means you could expect a BIK rate of 24%, which means a tax bill of £3,138 for higher rate taxpayers on the cost price.

My test model came armed with everything, including front and rear parking sensors, bi-xenon headlights with LED running lights and heated electrically adjustable front seats.

VW’s Discover SatNav with a 8” colour touchscreen is a highlight and with Car-Net providing on line access to traffic, parking and weather information, my longest trip to Surrey and back was made all the more enjoyable as I was able to circumvent some problems as I headed around the M25.

Adaptive cruise control is standard and includes front assist radar sensor controlled distance monitoring, city emergency braking, road recognition cameras, a lane assist camera and the predictive cruise highlight is it’s ability to use road recognition it adjust the car’s speed on approaching road hazards such as bends and roundabouts. All very comforting.

From my point of view, I think that the Arteon is a winner. It looks fantastic from every angle. Inside it’s incredibly well

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specc’d, is supremely comfortable, is great fun to drive, has the best safety features out there and comes with class-leading space.

Our test car costs £33,435 OTR which I feel is great value for money. If contract hire rates are competitive, it should prove popular.

From a fleet perspective and despite the so-called demise of diesel, it is the 2.0 TDI version I would choose if I were picking my next company car. Incidentally, there is a 1.5 TSI petrol version offering combined mpg pf 54.3 and emissions of 119g/km, so if your fleet policy is moving away from diesel, you will be able to choose a petrol Arteon after all.

It’s a good-looker that will fit nicely on many an executive car park.

CC&V VERDICT British fleet drivers have long been in love with the Teutonic touch for graceful, reliable vehicles and the VW Arteon will only perpetuate this relationship – even after Brexit!

Rating: N N N N

Company Car & Van | April 2018 | 23

REVIEW: HYUNDAI KONA electric

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No compromise with all-new Hyundai Kona Electric

W

ith the launch of the All-New Kona Electric, Hyundai Motor is offering the first fully-electric subcompact SUV on the European market. It’s a no-compromise car that combines Hyundai’s progressive SUV style and a zero-emission electric powertrain.

The new model is available with two different powertrain versions, offering an outstanding range of up to 300 miles. .

But it is more than just an eco-warrior: the All-New Kona Electric carries the same expressive design as the regular Kona and is exceptionally roomy with huge versatility, making it suitable for everyday use.

Best of all, the All-New Kona Electric enables customers to combine the two fastest growing automotive trends – electrification and SUV style and carries the same expressive design and functionality of the regular Kona. The fully-electric version reflects the individual lifestyle of modern customers who benefit from great fun-todrive and the low environmental impact of a fully-electric car. The completely new platform of the Kona enables a space-saving integration of the battery packs without compromising the roominess.

It features two powertrain versions, offering customers one of the most powerful electric motors. The long-range battery version provides driving range of up to 292 miles*, delivering a maximum output of 204 PS (150 kW). With 395 Nm of immediate torque and an acceleration of 7.6 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, the All-New Kona Electric provides a fun-to-drive experience.

A special feature of the Kona Electric is the shift-by-wire operation gear control which enables an intuitive operation of the electric powertrain. The adjustable regenerative braking system allows the driver to adjust the intensity of the regenerative braking by using the paddle shifts behind the steering wheel.

The system recuperates additional energy when possible. Drivers also benefit from the large seven-inch supervision cluster, which displays key information about the car’s driving performance and, in addition, the combiner head-up display shows relevant driving information directly to the driver’s line of sight.

Externally, the Kona Electric adopts the expressive-looking and powerful front from the regular Kona. The key design differentiator is the closed grille which gives a clean and stylish appearance, while also enhancing aerodynamics. Another characteristic element of the front design is the Composite Light enhancing the visual impact, with the LED Daytime Running Lights

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positioned on top of the LED headlights. The Kona Electric’s two-tone roof and the choice of seven distinctive exterior colours underline the personal style of its driver.

This outstanding eco-model is equipped with the company’s latest active safety and driving assistance technologies, called SmartSense: Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Detection including Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Warning and Speed Limit Information Function.

For the interior, customers can choose Black, available in woven, a combination of cloth and leather or pure leather. As an

CHARGING FACTS Charge Time - Standard: Approx. 6hrs 10 min Charge Time - Quick Charge: Approx. 54 min up to 80%

Performance 0-to-62 mph: 9.3 secs CO2 – 0 (g/km) Range: Up to 186 miles option, there is the three-tone Blue and Grey interior colour available with cloth and leather or leather.

Most prominent is the dedicated centre console in the All-New Kona Electric, which combines all the buttons to facilitate operation of the car intuitively with the shift-

by-wire gear control. An extra storage space for personal items can be found underneath the centre console.

The new high-resolution seven-inch supervision cluster displays the different gauges, such as the speedometer, battery charge level, energy flow and driving mode to the driver. Depending on the selected drive mode, background colour and gauges are adapted to always provide the most important and useful information. In addition, the head-up display (HUD) projects the relevant driving information directly to the driver’s line of sight. This allows faster processing of information while keeping attention on the road ahead.

The All-New Kona Electric offers several features for maximum on-board comfort, such as the power front seats with 8-way electric adjustment for optimal seating positions for each front passenger. The driver benefits from an additional 2-way electric lumbar support system. Furthermore, the front seats have a 3-step ventilation and 3-step heating system for a convenient drive in different weather conditions. Another convenience feature for cold weather conditions is the optional heated steering wheel.

Plenty of space is offered to both passengers and luggage. The legroom in the first row is 1,054 mm, while passengers in the back seat benefit from 850 mm of legroom. The headroom accounts for 1,006 mm in the front and 948 mm in the rear.

Luggage space totalling 332 l, including storage of the charging cable (373 l without), offers generous roominess, making it suitable for everyday needs.

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Revised 3 plays to Mazda’s strengths Andrew Walker When do you reach a mid-life crisis? In the case of new cars today, about three years after they’re launched. A case in point is the latest Mazda3, which was updated in late 2016. So what exactly has changed? Well, the front grille is larger and there’s a lowered badge on the more prominent grille, bringing the 3 closer in design to the CX-3.

The front headlights now feature adaptive LED bulbs, replacing the old xenon units. There’s new door mirror-mounted indicators and the rear bumper has been re profiled and has some slashes in it. Inside, the changes are slightly more noticeable.

There’s a new electric handbrake freeing up room for two central cupholders.

There’s also redesigned and better quality door trims, featuring larger more practical cup-holders. A new 3-spoke steering, similar to the one found in the MX-5 adds a touch of style and the dash-mounted infotainment screen is thinner.

Mazda sent Company Car & Van the SE-L Nav model, the second from top in the range. It offers heated front seats, Smart City Brake Support (SCBS), front rain sensing wipers, dusk-sensing headlights, LED front fog lights, rear and rear side privacy glass windows, rear parking sensors, heated (three-stage) front seats, cruise control with manual speed adjustment, dual-zone climate control, Mazda Navigation System and an adjustable speed limiter.

Powered by the fleet-friendly 1.5 105ps diesel engine, my test car felt quite sprightly, even with four adults on board. There is an argument to go for the larger 2.2 diesel, or even as they come into vogue, the 2.0 litre petrol version. Having tried both, while the 2.2 diesel is nippy, it can’t match the 99g/ km of CO2 in the 1.5, and the 2.0 litre petrol version gave me a disappointing 41.2mpg on the combined cycle. The 1.5 diesel giving me a much better 51.6 mpg.

The Mazda 3 hatchback is roomy up front but quite tight in the rear especially headroom-wise, with the 3’s sloping roof the culprit. For those after boot space, the Mazda offers a 364-litre boot, which lags behind the

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470 litres in the Peugeot 308, Volkswagen Golf’s 380 litres and the Vauxhall Astra’s 370 litres.

When the rear seats are folded flat this increases to 1,263 litres.

Driving the Mazda3 is enjoyable. Its manual six-speed gear box makes for smooth and precise gear changes and handling is also impressive, whether on winding country roads or on the motorway. In town and in traffic, the Mazda i-stop system performs well, silencing the engine when required to help you save on fuel, with no

discernible drag when it kicks back in again.

Only small improvements may have been made to the Mazda3, but it is unquestionably better for it. The real surprise for me was just how well the small 1.5 diesel engine performed. With only 105ps on offer I thought it would feel underpowered, but I needn’t have worried.

In a ridiculously competitive sector the Mazda 3 will do well as it brings a certain poise on the road, allied to top-quality build quality and great reliability.

CC&V FACTS Price: £21,395 CO2: 96g/km BIK: 19% Combined fuel economy: 74.3mpg VERDICT It’s a mid-life crisis solved for Mazda: in a very competitive sector, the 3 comes up trumps.

NNNN

Company Car & Van | April 2018 | 27

On test: LEXUS CT 200h

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Arrive relaxed in the refined splendour of a Lexus CT 200h Andrew Walker Almost seven years on from launch, the Lexus CT 200h has had a refresh. The first luxury, compact, petrol-electric hatchback was first driven by Company Car back in 2011 and at that time was ahead of the curve, offering premium quality with exceptional fuel economy and low emissions.

In the UK it amassed over 27,500 sales – a third of the total for Europe.

Lexus has created a stronger look for the latest CT 200h with a number of new exterior details, including a cleaner, more prominent arrangement of the signature Lexus spindle grille and front bumper with the repositioning of the arrowhead daytime running lights above new single-projector LED headlamp units. Changes have also been to the rear of the vehicle with a new garnish and treatment of the lower rear bumper section, plus a choice of new 16” and 17” wheel designs.

Inside, the cabin continues to express Lexus’s quality and craftsmanship with fine trim and upholstery materials. I am lucky enough to drive most cars and Lexus never disappoints in both quality and attention to detail. The multimedia central display screen has been enlarged to 10.3” inches and the Lexus Safety System+ is now standard on all UK grades above SE, offering a Pre-Collision System (PCS), Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist Alert (LKA) with Sway Warning, Automatic High Beam (AHB) headlights and Road Sign Assist (RSA).

It was with great pleasure that I took delivery of an Azure Blue CT Sport. The Sport model is striking to look at, with F Sport spindle grille, bumpers, rear spoiler, rear privacy glass, shark fin antenna, plus 17” F Sport alloy wheels.

The Sport comes with some lovely extras such as an F Sport aluminium pedal set, scuff plates, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, F Sport black leather upholstery, electrically folding auto dimming side mirrors, an F Sport steering wheel, a lateral damper system and an auto dimming rear view mirror with parking monitor. Standard equipment includes driver and passenger front, side and knee airbags, curtain airbags, ABS, EBD, traction control, vehicle stability control, rain sensing wipers, six-speaker (ten speaker on F Sport) DAB audio/CD/ MP3 player and Bluetooth.

The rest of the interior is incredibly well put together, with Lexus’s legendary attention to detail evident on all the fixtures and fittings.

The driver’s seat is ultra comfy and unlike many with electrically adjustable seats, was easy to use and to find the right driving position. Starting the engine requires some

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thought as the ‘keyless keys’ mean that you push a start button with your foot on the clutch and then put the auto box into drive with your foot on the brake. Of course, just to confuse you, it’s an EV so there’s no clues as to whether you’re up and running or not – it’s that quiet. But, like everything else in life, you get used to it very quickly and soon realise what a nice car the CT – quiet, smooth and comfortable. When compared to other cars in its class, particularly those with a manual gearbox, the CT is just a pleasure to pilot, almost like driving a dodgem car. Of course, this won’t appeal to all of you reading this, but I can’t think of anything better than a

CC&V VERDICT You won’t find a car in this sector that’s as well made... and the hybrid tech gets you away from diesels. Gives you an easy life – on the road and on the balance sheet

Rating: N N N N relaxed motorway journey with no gear changing in the inevitable traffic jam.

And, because of the hybrid technology, the auto box achieves excellent economy: 68.9 mpg on the combined, which of course I didn’t achieve, averaging 47.8 mpg, but impressive none the less. CO2 emissions are low as well, just 94g/km, figures to make any company accountant happy. It’s capable of reaching 112 mph and 0-62 mph in 10.3

seconds. Once you drive it though, you will relax and wonder why you ever drove anything else. It may lack the excitement of a BMW 3 Series, but that’s not the point of the CT 200h. It has been designed to get you from A to B quietly in great comfort and most importantly, while using less fuel than any Lexus that went before. And in all these things, it works.

To test out my theory, I took a BMW M3 driving neighbour out in the CT and he was impressed by the build quality, equipment, smooth acceleration and, of course, the price. All in all, a result for the CT. Even he had to admit that although his M3 is fantastic to ‘drive,’ if a little uncomfortable, a CT would be the sensible frequent driver’s choice.

The battery under the floor of the boot reduces the luggage area in the CT, with only 375 litres on offer with all five seats in place, although this does increase to an impressive 985 litres when you fold the rear seats down.

Cabin space is adequate, with good head and legroom up front and you will get two adults comfortably in the rear, with room in the centre at a push for one more.

Other negatives? The CT ticks almost all of the boxes if you’re looking for a frugal, luxurious company car. However, Lexus may have updated the inside and outside but the same 1.8 16 valve DOHC engine still powers the car, with the same CVT gear box. While this may not upset some, the CT just isn’t as good to drive as the latest from Lexus’s main competitors. Even the outdated BMW 1 Series drives better, as does the Audi A3.

But it offers so much that it’s certainly worth putting on your list of maybes and testing one to see if you agree with me.

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On test: RENAULT MEGANE

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Renault’s back in the game Andrew Walker

D

espite some adventurous product launches over the past five years, Renault has had a tough time in the fleet sector. The launch of a new Clio, the Captur and the Qashqai-busting Kadjar have given Renault a foothold into the fleet market, but what they have really been lacking is a decent C-Sector model to compete with the likes of Ford’s Focus, Vauxhall’s Astra, Peugeot’s 308 and the Volkswagen Golf.

Hey presto, Renault solved this with the launch of a new Megane, a car that has in previous incarnations sold 560,000 units between 2005 and 2014. Built on Renault’s new CLF platform first seen on the Kadjar, the Megane enters an incredibly buoyant market which despite the plethora of crossover SUVs now offered under the C-Sector umbrella, sees the five-door hatchback still accounting for 50 per cent of sales in this sector. The competition here is fierce, with even the premium brands BMW 1 Series, Audi A3 and Mercedes A Class fighting for sales with the usual suspects, the VW Golf, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra.

The new Renault Megane, then, is up against it from the get-go, so a trip to Rockcliffe Hall in County Durham for the UK launch of the new model would hopefully reveal how it compares to the competition.

When you first catch sight of the new Megane, it’s clear that Renault has designed it to stand out in the crowd. While its overall looks and shape are reminiscent of both the Audi A3 and Peugeot 308, Renault has added some nice individual touches, making the previous model look dated.

At the front, Renault has accentuated the twin headlights with C-shaped LED daytime running lights. At the back, the rear lights really make it stand out, sweeping almost all the way across the rear of the car, stopping just shy of the Renault logo. If you’re behind one at night, you will now definitely know that the car in front of you is a Megane.

I was testing the likely fleet favourite, the

30 | April 2018 | Company Car & Van

1.5 dCi Dynamique S Nav. It sits in the middle of the range. Inside, the cabin is fitted out in straightforward black and chrome. The upper dashboard is finished in a nice soft-touch plastic, while the steering wheel, switches and cloth seats all look and feel built to last. Only the door pockets and centre console edging look and feel cheaper.

The dashboard is dominated by the portrait-shaped 8.7” infotainment system, the largest in the class, which controls pretty much everything in front of you. Thankfully, unlike in the Peugeot 308, you can adjust the heating with separates manual dials, otherwise the radio, Sat/Nav, Bluetooth, aux-in, USB connected device, driving settings and trip info are all adjusted using this screen.

It’s large dimensions and clear graphics make it very user friendly, but I found coming out of the navigation menu and then getting back into it all a bit time-consuming, with too many touches required when on the move.

Driving modes range from Neutral, Eco, Comfort, Sport and Personal, allowing you to alter the steering and set up of the car to suit

CC&V VERDICT It’s a sound competitor in a tough market and its good looks will buy it plenty of admirers. Great SMR figures make it an attractive buy on long-term costs, too

Rating: N N N N the road environment or your own driving. As I drove along I selected ‘Sport’ mode and although the difference was not massive, it did tweak the steering and engine sound just enough for me to notice a difference.

Equipment levels are very good, with the Dynamique S Nav featuring 17” diamond cut Florida alloys, electrically adjusted heated and folding door mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, a rear parking camera, hill-start assist, cruise control with speed limiter, Visio system including lane departure

warning and traffic sign recognition.

If emissions and fuel economy are your priority the Dynamique S Nav dCi 100 is the pick of the range offering a combined MPG of 76.4, with CO2 emissions of 96g/km. BIK is 19 per cent. Performance is a muted 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds, going on to a top speed of 116mph.

When we drove it on some North Yorkshire country roads with two of us on board it was capable enough, if you changed down to third gear, of overtaking slow-moving traffic.

We struggled with a growling noise coming from the speakers on some winding roads, until we realised that this was the lane departure warning kicking in each time we crossed ever so slightly out of our lane. We turned this off using the multi-function screen.

The six-speed gear manual gear change is short and slick and coupled with the light clutch, make for enjoyable driving.

Furthermore, the engine is quiet compared to other similar-sized diesels and over undulating roads I found the ride to be just the right side of soft. There is some wind noise from the external mirrors and the tyres, but it’s not overly intrusive. Overall it handles well and the three choices of steering adjustment as well as its accuracy on the road, plus the 17” wheels fitted to the Renault, made for an unassuming, hasslefree ride.

Both driver and front seat passenger get plenty of head and legroom and the multi-adjustable seats make it easy to get comfortable and leg room is fine in the rear, though headroom is a touch restricted.

Overall, the Megane’s performance, ride, equipment and economy and comparing sit in the middle of the sector. It’s one of the best looking, is competitively priced, from £16,600 OTR, ticks all of the economy and emissions boxes and is very well equipped.

Renault, right across the range, is moving in the right direction, but to my mind the new Megane, while not threatening the class leaders, more than matches up to a number of it’s C-Sector competitors

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On test: MINI Countryman phev

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MINI fun with max hybrid power Andrew Walker As our family car for three years from 2013 to 2016 was a diesel MINI Countryman, I was excited to get my hands on the latest addition to the range, the MINI Countryman SE ALL4 PHEV, as it’s the first plug-in-hybrid version of the best-seller.

MINI is targeting customers who have flocked to the likes of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and is a much smaller, more user-friendly alternative. MINI says 90 per cent of its buyers drive only 30-40 miles per day, and if that’s true it makes a compelling argument for owning this latest model.

The Countryman PHEV looks, well, just like the other models in the range, which makes it both wider and longer than its predecessor.

It sits on the UKL2 platform architecture found underneath the latest MINI Clubman and the BMW X1. Stepping back to look at the new version, at first it’s quite hard to see what’s different but on closer inspection both the front and rear are significantly changed, with a larger, more pronounced front-grille and bloated headlights as well as a noticeably squared-off rear end. It all makes the new version slightly less attractive than the old one.

Inside, things get better with a completely redesigned dashboard. MINI has kept the retro circular display and chrome toggle switches, which sit in the centre of the dash, while the speedo, rev counter and fuel gauge now sit in front of the driver. The speedboatstyle handbrake has also been replaced by an automatic one.

The materials inside the cab feel more premium than the outgoing model, with a mixture of soft touch plastics on the dash and fabric trim on the doors that matched my seats, finished in a fetching mid-grey. Interior black trim piano black on the dashboard, an extra £155, adds to the upmarket feeling.

The Cooper-spec Countryman gets SatNav, DAB radio, cruise control, parking sensors, Bluetooth and autonomous city braking.

There’s a massive options list, with my test model fitted with the Media Pack, which adds MINI Nav, MINI connected, and enhanced Bluetooth with wireless charging.

The standard infotainment system is a 6.5” colour display with SatNav including European mapping For £950, you can upgrade to MINI’s new 8.8” XL infotainment system that now features touchscreen capability for the first time. My test car had this fitted and I found it great to use and simple to understand.

Interior space is definitely improved with the Countryman now 4.3m long, 1.82m wide and 1.56m tall, which is 20cm longer and 3cm wider than the previous car, although the height hasn’t increased. MINI has extended the wheelbase of the Countryman

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by 75mm, which benefits rear legroom. Two will fit nicely in the rear, but passenger three will struggle for legroom thanks to the large transmission tunnel running through the middle of the car. Bootspace is less than in the standard Countryman, at 405 litres, which is still 55 litres up on the old car. It also extends to 1,345 litres with the seats folded, while the three rear seats can be split 40/20/40 for increased versatility. This is further enhanced by a useful split-folding boot base, two elastic fabric holding ties, one on each side, a small storage bin on the left and a 12v input on the right. Inside the cabin there’s two cup holders behind the gear lever and in the front and rear doors,

CC&V VERDICT Not cheap but that’s not the point. All of the MINI fun in the larger Countryman format, with the bonus of it as a plug-inhybrid with super low emissions and brilliant fuel economy. What’s not to like?

CC&V Rating: N N N N four more deep pockets.

In fleet, where diesel was once king, the growth of PHEV sales has steadily increased and MINI is hoping to cash in on this. With the new Countryman diesel handling brilliantly I wanted to find out how different the PHEV version might be, so that if you choose one it’s not just for tax and fuel purposes but as a car that drives well, too.

I’m pleased to say that the PHEV Countryman handles just as well as the diesel model, as I discovered driving on the motorway and on a selection of main and country roads. That’s the good news; I’ll get the bad news out of the way now.

The PHEV only offers a 25-mile EV range, so when you put your foot down – and you’ll want to, trust me – the range goes down quite quickly. The PHEV’s 87bhp electric motor actually gives the Countryman a bit of oomph, 0-62mph in just 6.8 seconds, which at the same time is pleasingly quiet. The six-speed auto box is also great and makes for relaxing driving. Couple this with MINI’s standard taut steering and four-wheels-onthe-corner design and this version of the Countryman really is good fun to be in. The enjoyment is further enhanced by the exemplary MINI build quality, especially inside the cabin where everything would not look out of place in an upmarket Scandinoir.

If you opt for the PHEV, will you save any money? Emissions of just 49g/km means it falls into the lowest BIK company car tax bracket off just 9% and coming in at under £40,000, it escapes the £310 road tax surcharge for cars costing over £40,000.

Having said that, our basic model will set you back £32,195 OTR compared to the basic Cooper D Countryman, the most popular fleet choice at present, which retails at £23,850.

The entry level Countryman diesel is currently available to lease non maintained from £239 per month ( 6+35 ), while the PHEV is only £16 more at £255 per month (6+35 ). With a claimed fuel economy of 134.5 mpg and emissions of just 49g/km, there won’t be a shortage of interest.

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The eActros is on the charge The last barrier in the way of the electrification of all fleets fell in 2016 when Mercedes-Benz Trucks became the first manufacturer in the world to produce a heavy-duty electric truck.

The technology pioneer is now taking the logical next step: putting its electric truck, the eActros, out on the road with customers. Two variants, with a gross vehicle weight of 18 or 25 tonnes, are now being trialled to test their everyday feasibility and economic efficiency under real-life conditions.

The long-term aim: locally emissionfree and quiet driving in urban environments with series-production trucks.

Using expertise from across the Daimler Group, an interdisciplinary team has designed a vehicle capable of coping with everyday distribution operations. “Daimler Trucks is synonymous with innovation leadership, allied to a realistic and pragmatic attitude,” explains Martin Daum, the Daimler AG Board Member responsible for Daimler Trucks and Buses.

“This is particularly true when it comes to electric mobility. We want our Mercedes-Benz eActros to be a viable proposition in tough everyday operations – both technically and commercially.”

The drive system comprises two electric

motors located close to the rear-axle wheel hubs. These three-phase asynchronous motors are liquid-cooled and operate with a nominal voltage of 400 volts. They generate an output of 125 kW each, with maximum torque of 485 Nm each. The gearing ratios convert this into 11,000 Nm each, resulting in driving performance on a par with that of a diesel truck.

The maximum permissible axle load stays at the usual 11.5 tonnes. The energy for a range of up to 125 miles/200 km is provided by two lithium-ion batteries with an output of 240 kWh. These are the same battery packs that have been used by EvoBus GmbH. In term of power capacity, it’s a significant powertrain which

while short for long distance operations is more than enough for short-run urban use.

As for charging capacity, Daimler believes 20 to 80 kW charge rates will be possible between 3-11 hours.

Testing took place in Germany and Switzerland with a number of current Mercedes-Benz truck customers trialling a version of the eActros and feeding back their analysis. These customers all distribute goods via the road network – but in very different sectors and categories, with palettes ranging from groceries to building supplies and raw materials. The vehicles are being used by customers for tasks that would otherwise be completed by vehicles with conventional diesel engines.

The range of requirements means that the vehicles are fitted with a variety of bodies.

According to need, refrigerated box bodies, tankers or tarpaulin sides are used.

The pilot customers tested the vehicles in real-life operations for twelve months with the aim to achieve “series-production and market maturity for a range of economically competitive electric trucks for use in heavy-duty transport operations with effect from 2021,” said Mercedes-Benz.

Sparshatts of Kent Ltd, Unit 10, Eurolink Industrial Estate, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3RN. Tel: 01795 479571, Fax 01795 436364. Email: info@sparshatts.co.uk. W: www.sparshatts.co.uk

cv test: TOYOTA PROACE

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Simply put, Toyota has an ace in its commercial pack Andrew Walker The Toyota Proace was launched at the 2016 CV Show in Birmingham, alongside the almost identical Citroen Dispatch and Peugeot Expert. All three models are completely new from the ground up and like its French cousins, the Proace is a massive improvement over the old model and is now more than a match for the Ford Transit Custom.

Toyota has kept things simple. Proace is available in three body sizes, simply called Small, Medium and Long, with two wheelbase lengths. It can also be specified as a van or crew cab, with panel or glazed/ semi-glazed size walls. Most versions will carry 1400kg and tow up to 2.5 tonnes, while crew and combi-models will seat up to nine.

Two trim levels are available, Base and Comfort. The Base comes with standard equipment including twin airbags, cruise control, a speed limiter and central locking.

Comfort adds Bluetooth, USB connectivity, air con and the Smart Cargo system. If you want more stuff, then there’s a great list of options available, including rear parking sensors, rear camera, a head-up display, colour-coded bumpers, automatic lights and rain-sensitive wipers. There are two Toyota Safety Sense active safety packages available too, one including lane departure alert, road sign assist, driver attention alert and an automatic high beam system. Option 2 comes with forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking.

Inside the cabin, the Proace is neatly designed. It’s easy to reach all of the switches and buttons while driving, an important consideration for most van users, as is the view from the front, which is also excellent. I spent a week in the driver’s seat and found it supportive as well as comfortable, and the Proace’s suspension allows for a smooth ride as well. The insulated bulkhead on my test van helped to keep the cabin quiet, even without a load in the rear and, of course, a full bulkhead means that the cabin warms up much quicker in the mornings.

I used the Proace for a 250-mile round trip to the North East and back, a journey made almost entirely on motorways. Despite the wet roads and noise associated with that at motorway speed I was able to make and receive a couple of hands-free calls and not have to shout to be heard. My model came with adaptive cruise control, helping the Proace to become a competent and quiet motorway cruiser. On occasion I did have to

36 | April 2018 | Company Car & Van

drop down into fourth gear to keep up with moving traffic on some steeper motorway sections. Indeed, if there is a criticism of the van I drove it is that it only has fiveforward gears. A sixth gear would make the motorway more pleasurable.

This doesn’t matter as much when you’re not on the motorway, because the Proace is easy to drive in town, with it’s compact dimensions and perky 1.6 litre engine making it actually fun to use on busy urban streets. At just 1900mm high I also managed to park it every day in my local gym’s multistorey car park, another plus.

As with many vans nowadays, the interior

CC&V factfile Toyota Proace Comfort Medium 1.6D 95 DIN hp Price: £19,676 CO2: 137g/km Combined mpg: 51.4mpg Payload: 1000kg Load length: 4959mm Load width: 1920mm Load height: 1895 has a car-like fascia design with a good quality feel, finished in nicely textured plastics, a mile away from vans of old.

There’s 49 litres of storage space around the cabin, including ubiquitous large door bins, underfloor storage, two glove boxes on the passenger side and an A4-sized compartment on top of the dash. There are three front seats, but whoever draws the short straw and ends up in the centre will

struggle for leg room as the gear stick juts out just where your right knee should go.

As I felt that the most popular model would be the Medium model in Comfort spec, powered by the 95bhp engine, that was the model Toyota loaned me. With emissions of 144g/km and a claimed combined fuel economy of 51.4 mpg, this model ticks the money box as well. As a guide, I drove my Proace 300 miles in all environments, averaging 39.2 mpg.

The Medium model I tested has a 3,670m load length, while the Long version measures 4,020m. Don’t ignore the Small version though because it handles two pallets and at just 3.320m long and with a turning circle of just 11m, it’s purpose built for urban delivery.

On all three the cargo width between the wheel arches is 1,260m with the respective models coming with load volumes of 5.1, 5.8 and 6.6 cubic metres. The Small and Medium models stand at 1.9m tall while the Long is 1.94m high. I didn’t utilise the rear load area but it is easily accessed by two large rear doors and two sliding doors, one on each side of the van.

With a commercial OTR price of £19,676 it’s attractively priced. However, when I cast my eye over the extras list, it was clear to me that in order to spec your Proace up with features such as Adaptive Cruise Control, SatNav and the Pro Touch 7” touchscreen, you will have to pay more, so the choice at least is there if you want it. Indeed, across the range, Proace is slightly more expensive than the Citroen Dispatch and Peugeot Expert, although you do get a five year/ 10,000 mile warranty and two years/25,000 miles free servicing with the Toyota.

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COMPANY NEWS

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Proace is cool choice for Airco’s fleet Refrigeration and air conditioning specialist Airco has added 24 Toyota Proace vans to its fleet. The vehicles, delivered to the company’s Hull head office this month, are being used by engineers installing and servicing refrigeration and heating equipment across the country.

The purchase is part of Airco’s continuing investment in the region alongside its new head office and on-going apprenticeship programmes.

When the company was founded by Neil Fisher in 1991 it had just one van. Today it has grown to become a specialist contractor delivering a full range of commercial air conditioning, refrigeration, heating and plumbing services. Airco employs more than 85 staff in offices across the UK. It has widened its business in recent years to include renewable energy solutions and has developed the Airco Centre of Excellence providing apprentice and bespoke engineering, management and health and safety training.

Airco specified Comfort grade mediumwheelbase Proace vans for its engineering team. Business owner Neil Fisher said: “We provide our customers with 24-hour coverage and the strength of our business is built on our responsiveness and ability to

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Pictured, from left, are Lisa Buckley Toyota & Lexus Fleet Services; Neil Fisher; and Kerry Elvin, John Roe Toyota Hull

solve customer problems quickly and efficiently. We therefore required vehicles which were cost efficient and reliable while allowing our engineers to carry the levels of stock and equipment which allows us to ensure first time fixes on the majority of call outs. The Proace matched the brief and we are delighted to expand the Airco fleet.”

The Toyota Proace is available in three different body lengths, Compact, Medium and Long, with load capacities of up to

6.6m3 to meet a wide range business needs.

Matched to a range of fuel efficient diesel engines and transmissions, Proace is helping Toyota expand its commercial vehicle business, supported by a network of specialist Business Centres across the UK. For more information on Toyota commercials and cars contact Kerry Elvin at John Roe Toyota on 01482 409393

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CV test: MERCEDES BENZ CITAN

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Citan opens the door to the quality of Mercedes-Benz Andrew Walker finds the Mercedes Benz small van, the Citan, doing just what the boss ordered

W

hen I interviewed Steve Bridge, Mercedes Benz commercial sales and marketing manager, back in 2016 he identified the SME market as the company’s greatest opportunity for its small van, the Citan.

We’re now three years on from its initial launch the year before that interview and the Citan has indeed found many a home with SME fleet managers, many of whom already ran Vitos or Sprinters. The added bonus has been how quickly it has developed traction with businesses which had previously not run the Mercedes product, possibly on the grounds of cost.

The Citan is Mercedes’ first new van since the Vito was launched way back in 1995, and as such finally gave the three-pointed star a near full complement of vans. The final gap,

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a pick-up, was filled with the launch of the X-Class, as profiled in our February issue.

Accounting for around 700,000 sales per annum, the light van sector has been the fastest growing market area in Europe over the past five years, and quite rightly Mercedes wanted a piece of the action. In the UK the Volkswagen Caddy and Vauxhall Combo are the market leaders in the sector, with the likes of the Fiat Professional Doblo, Ford Transit Connect, Peugeot Partner, Citroen Berlingo and the Renault Kangoo all having significant market share. With the Citan based on the Renault Kangoo and the Combi on the Fiat Doblo, it’s clear to see that the economies of scale required to manufacture a competitive commercial range means that more and more manufacturers are sharing platforms and Mercedes has been honest enough to admit this from day one.

The Citan certainly looks the part. Even though it bears an uncanny resemblance to the Kangoo, MB has gone to pains to make sure that the Citan is a proper Mercedes, offering quality, reliability and practicality and has altered much of what you can’t see accordingly.

Climb into the cabin and the Citan does

feel superior to its French counterpart, mainly thanks to the redesigned dashboard and controls, which are nicely thought out if a little spartan, with a retro MP3/radio player and, to my horror, no DAB! The seats are large and comfortable and there are the usual storage areas; a central cup holder, a large glove box, an overhead stowage space across the width of the windscreen and buckets in the doors for 1.5 litre water bottles.

I quite liked the uncluttered set up which allowed me to check out all that the van had to offer during my week in it. Both the indicator stalk and cruise control are located on the left of the steering wheel and I did use both at the wrong times, at least for a couple of days anyway. The wipers, too, are on the end of the indicator stalks.

Overall, the feel of the dash and the controls is reassuringly chunky and well-built, with everything falling comfortably to the driver’s hand.

Once up and running the Citan shows a good turn of pace and is particularly good in traffic, with an excellent Stop/Start system that re-engages quickly and with no fuss.

Continued on page 42

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CV test: MERCEDES-BENZ CITAN

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Citan’s opening the door to the qualities of Mercedes-Benz CC&V factfile Price: £19,677 CO2: 133g/km RPM for Max power: 4,000rpm Max power hp/PS: 90 Max torque Nm: 220 Load length: 1753mm Load width: 1460mm Load height: 1258mm Load volume: 3100 li Payload: 523kg Based on 109CDi Long Data courtesy of JATO Dynamics

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Continued from page 40 Set cruise control on the motorway and the Citan begins to drive like a car, and with a full steel bulkhead between the driver and load area is particularly quiet at motorway speeds.

The ride quality itself is very good. There’s no swaying or lurching around corners and the suspension, even when empty, cossets one over the current crop of pot holes and ubiquitous speed-calming bumps.

Although it looks like a Kangoo from the outside, Mercedes has beefed the Citan up a bit by including Mercedes’ own trapezoidal air intake in the front bumper, just like on the Vito and Sprinter. The front also contains a grille which includes the three-pointed star in its midriff and the addition of front fog lights and daytime running lights add to the overall style of the Citan. In this respect the Citan will score highly with those who want a more macho-looking product.

Mercedes has also spiced up the safety on the Citan by offering adaptive ESP, ABS and acceleration skid control (ASR) with brake assist (BAS) as standard across the

range. The radio/ MP3 player is straightforward, but be warned, there’s no CD player, as technology has now left it behind. Bluetooth connectivity was easy to set up on my mobile and a single touch of the controls on the system allows one to answer any incoming calls very easily.

I mentioned the Eco Stop/Start function earlier and this helps contribute to the impressive fuel economy on offer – up to 65.7 mpg on the combined and emissions of just 112g/km. In CC&V world we averaged just over 46 mpg, an impressive result for us and one sure to appeal to SMEs across the board. The five-speed gearbox works well, with a neat quick action, although the fact that there isn’t a sixth gear available is a bit of a mystery as it really would benefit from one at motorway speeds.

Talking of which, my test van was supplied with a roof box in black, which matched the exterior colour of my test van. Around town and at speeds of up to 65 mph the box generates zero noise. Accelerate above 70 mph on the motorway, however, and the noise increases exponentially.

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The revised Citan shows that clearly Mercedes has thought about its target market and created a typically Mercedes product, robust, attractive, practical and frugal, with a lot of goodies for your money.

Perhaps the Citan’s ‘Ace in the Hole‘ is its dealer network, which has an excellent reputation for looking after its customers, just like its passenger car counterparts. The trick for dealers is to get potential customers to try the Citan and experience the ‘Mercedes Factor’ for themselves. If they can do this, I see no reason why it won’t continue to grow in popularity and one day be as successful as the Vito and Sprinter.

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CC&V VERDICT Ticks all the boxes as far as those Mercedes-Benz staples of quality, workmanship and reliability are concerned. Will make all big van users look twice when searching for a smaller load-lugger and open the door to the three-pointed star for a host of other commercial operators. Versatile, driver-friendly and delivers on efficiency. Residuals higher than rivals and will cut into any difference on initial purchase.

Rating: N N N N

Company Car & Van | April 2018 | 43

COMPANY PROFILE

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PSS Hire turns to Roanza for more Mercedes-Benz pulling power Soaring demand from customers operating across the utilities and civil engineering sectors prompted leading supplier PSS Hire to invest in a new fleet of Mercedes-Benz Sprinters.

The multi-award-winning van’s proven track record for reliability and unrivalled safety armoury, including when towing, were key factors behind the company’s decision.

North-West Dealer Roanza Truck & Van has supplied PSS Hire with 22 Mediumlength Sprinter 314 CDIs. Smartly liveried and fitted with roof-mounted beacons, they were chosen for their ability to cope with highmileage work.

The Sprinters are powered by advanced, economical 143 hp engines, and will spend much of their time pulling trailers carrying heavy equipment such as butt fusion machines, underground winches, and coiled pipe.

The optional Mercedes-Benz trailer coupling, which is integrated within a rear step, means the vehicles also benefit from Trailer Stability Assist technology. A development of the Adaptive ESP® Electronic Stability Program, this can detect the onset of the oscillating motion of the trailer commonly known as ‘fishtailing’ and take corrective action to ensure the driver retains control.

PSS Hire offers over 8,000 items of specialist plant, and operates more than 70 vans from a network of 14 service centres in the UK and Ireland.

Half of the new Sprinters have replaced vehicles by the manufacturer which has dominated its fleet for some time; however,

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the remainder represent additions to the line-up.

Mark Hamilton, Director of PSS Hire, said: “Our new Sprinters will be worked hard, typically covering 50,000 miles a year. We had a couple on the PSS Hire fleet already, which performed really well.

“The vans will be used regularly for towing our assets to and from sites, so the fact that we could add the Trailer Stability Assist function to the Sprinter’s reassuringly comprehensive standard safety specification was also key to its appeal.”

PSS Hire’s Sprinters came, like all Mercedes-Benz vans, with three-year, unlimited mileage warranties, and MobiloVan

cover, which includes free, emergency roadside assistance.

Thomas Handford, Strategic Account Manager at Roanza Truck & Van, said: “As a Mercedes-Benz Vans Dealer we are committed to keeping our customers’ businesses running. The Sprinter combines outstanding reliability with an advanced safety specification and low ‘whole life’ costs of operation.

“We’re confident that these high-quality vehicles will play an important role in supporting PSS Hire’s continued growth, and look forward to building on our new relationship with this industry-leading operator.”

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cv NEWS: VOLKSWAGEN

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Amarok gains new entry model as range proves ready to work New entry-level V6 3.0 TDI 163PS model joins the range Pick-up buyers looking to put Volkswagen’s award-winning Amarok on their driveways, worksites or grounds can now do so for less with the introduction of the new Trendline V6 3.0 TDI 163PS model at just £24,510 (basic, excluding VAT and OTR).

Following the introduction of a manual gearbox option in November last year, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is meeting customer demand by adding a new 163PS version of its acclaimed TDI V6 engine to the line-up. The new powerplant sits just below its 204PS and 224PS siblings in the new line-up, and packs serious punch thanks to its 450Nm torque output.

With 24 valves and overhead camshafts, the power unit meets the latest Euro 6 emissions standard, and features a host of fuel-saving BlueMotion Technology advances. It drives through a six-speed manual gearbox and delivers power to the road via a selectable 4MOTION four-wheeldrive system.

In terms of performance and economy, the new V6 3.0 TDI 163PS model has a Gross

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Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 3,200kg, a maximum payload rating of 1,073kg and can tow up to 3,000kg (braked trailer). It is capable of reaching 62mph from rest in just 9.8 seconds and has a top speed of 110mph. CO2 emissions are 228g/km, while fuel consumption on the combined cycle is 32.5mpg.

The new model is available in Trendline trim only, and comes with a host of creature comforts including 17” Posadas alloy wheels, Climatronic air-conditioning system, Composition Media Radio with 6.33” touch screen, App-Connect and cruise control.

Order books for the new model are open now, with the first deliveries expected in May. And if the arrival of the most affordable Amarok yet wasn’t enough to tempt buyers, its inclusion in Volkswagen’s diesel scrappage scheme could make the deal even sweeter for buyers looking to trade up.

Launched in September 2017 to encourage the exchange of latest generation, loweremission new vehicles, in tandem with the removal of older, Euro 1-41 emissions standards vehicles from the UK, the scheme means that buyers could receive an incentive of £2,000 against the cost of their new Amarok.

To qualify, customers need to trade-in a vehicle that complies with pre-Euro 5 emissions and has been owned by the buyer

for at least six months. All vehicles must be registered before 30 June 2018 to qualify.

For more details on the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles scrappage scheme visit https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/en/ offers-finance/offers/scrappage.html.

For details of all new year offers, visit your local Van centre or go to https://www. volkswagen-vans.co.uk/en/offers-finance/ offers.html Meeting the standards: Euro emissions The ‘Euro 1‘ standard was introduced in 1992 to help reduce vehicle emissions.

Progressively more stringent Euro standards have been implemented since then, helping to lower emissions still further. The current ‘Euro 6‘ standard that all new petrol and diesel cars must meet is the toughest yet.

CC&V factfile Price: £24,510 (ex VAT and OTR) CO2: 228g/km Comb mpg: 32.5 Key details: Slectable 4MOTION four-wheel-drive system allows greater flexibility of use

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Peugeot Boxer is ‘king of the ring’ at Bristol Street Motors Exeter Any business looking for style, appeal, reliability and practicality in its commercial vans, need look no further than the range on offer at the Bristol Street Motors Van Centre Exeter.

With plenty to choose from in terms of model, make and style, we can also offer even more choice to customers, with vehicles of various dimensions, capacities, engine size, specifications and modifications.

With such a wide selection available, business owners can get a large van perfectly suited to their requirements, but one model remains the most popular on the forecourt of Van Centre Exeter, and that’s the Peugeot Boxer.

As well as the benefits already mentioned, Peugeot’s Boxer range offers fleet owners much more. It’s a spacious, sturdy and versatile van, easy to handle and economical to run, making it an ideal commercial vehicle for either urban deliveries or longer journeys.

The standard Boxer model has all the comforts any driver could need, together with an array of functional assistance, including sat nav, cruise control, DAB/CD, and rear parking sensors, as well as plenty of storage compartments. The vehicle also comes complete with a USB port for smartphones and tablets, helping you stay connected.

Van Centre Exeter is pleased to supply

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a number of used ply-lined Boxer vans to businesses across Exeter and Devon. Available in several different sizes, including the popular L3 and L4 H2 models, our stock typically ranges from 15 and 65 plates, right up to the newer 17 and 67 plates – all available at on-theroad prices.

So if your business is looking at expanding its van fleet, or you need an upgrade or replacement, Bristol Street Motors Van Centre

Exeter always has a wide range available, with daily access to new and group stock. Come and visit us today.

For more details, get in touch with Bristol Street Motors Van Centre Exeter, Unit 15, Trusham Road, Marsh Barton Estate, Exeter EX2 8QQ. Tel: 01392 422 882 or visit www.bristolstreet.co.uk/ find-a-dealer/van-centre-exeter.

Company Car & Van | April 2018 | 49

CV test: FIAT FULLBACK

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The Fullback is a great pick-up, says Andrew walker, but new Cross styling has taken it to a whole new level

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4×4 ‘Cross’ version of the Fiat Professional Fullback has been launched, adding a new top-of-the-range version of Fiat’s Mitsubishi-inspired model.

Priced from £26,495 (excl. VAT) for the 2.4 180 HP 6Spd Manual Cross, the new model is aimed fairly and squarely at the leisure customers it wants to attract to Fiat’s pick-up range. It features exclusive style details such as an aerodynamic textured black sport bar, front grille with black ingots, a satin silver skid plate,silver rear view mirrors, silver handles and 17” wheels with matt black finish, while the side steps are finished in black. The Cross features a load bed that’s 1,510mm long by 1,470mm wide and this too has been ‘pimped,’ as it’s finished in matt black.

It’s powered by the 181hp 2.4-litre turbodiesel from the regular Fullback LX. This produces 430Nm torque and as we discovered when we drove the Fullback, is a surprisingly smooth and refined engine. It’s the same unit used by Mitsubishi in its L200 when it won our Commercial Award back in 2015. This unit meets the stringent Euro 6 standards, without the need for an SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system or AdBlue tank – the emissions-reducing exhaust treatment technology engineered for diesels.

Fullback Cross buyers will have the option of a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission, complete with the usual electronically switchable four-wheel drive. The traction system stands out in comparison to its competitors: with no fewer than four driving modes, it’s able to get drivers to any destination, and is the most comprehensive in the lifestyle category. It switches from 2WD to AWD at the touch of a button, ideal for fuel-saving and handling tough terrain. Its official combined-cycle fuel economy figure is 40.9.MPG (6.6L/100km) and its CO2 emission figure is 186g/km.

While the Fullback Cross looks like ‘Mean Joe Greene’ from the outside, from the inside it’s highly polished and standard equipment for your investment includes bi-xenon headlights, dual-zone climate control, 7” touchscreen infotainment system with DAB, Bluetooth and USB connection, SatNav, reversing camera, leather upholstery, heated front seats, with six-way electric adjustment for the driver, seven airbags, lane departure warning and trailer stability assist.

The Cross is unique among Fullbacks for being made available to buy via Fiat’s car showrooms as well as the Fiat Professional van network. Although Fiat describes the

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Cross styling gives Fullback an edge Fullback as a ‘leisure vehicle’ – and I’m sure in North America, Asia and Africa it will be used both for work and for play – in Europe, including the UK, the Fullback is very much a working pick-up, and as far as leisure time is concerned it will not necessarily be a replacement for your SUV soft roader.

Riding in the front of a pick-up is normally okay and that is the case with the Fullback.

The two front seats offer a fairly comfortable ride, but if your Fullback is unladen the rear ride is bumpy. There is, though, plenty of headroom in the rear with even the leg room acceptable, unless you’re sitting in the middle seat. The rear seats are placed high in comparison with the front, allowing those in the back to look down on the driver and front seat passenger and get a great view of the road ahead.

Whether in town or on the motorway there is very little in the way of diesel clatter in the cabin and once up and running, the engine soon settles into a smooth idle. Put your foot down and the thrust of 317lb ft of torque increases the decibels pretty quickly and you really get a feel for the power on tap. The real bonus is that on road you’ve got plenty of overtaking power.

Add in a nicely balanced clutch and the gearchange feels smooth too, certainly

CC&V VERDICT Great looking vehicle that has plenty to boast about. Pretty much as good on the road as any pick-up out there

Rating: N N N N

compared to what pick-ups used to offer, and the Fullback scores highly as a driver’s car.

If, like me, you are shallow and covet a car or van based mainly on looks, then the Fullback Cross scores highly. The L200 Barbarian is a stunner, but Fiat has managed to make the Fullback Cross the best looking pick-up in the pick-up sector bar none.

From a purely practical point of view, the Fullback may not quite match the capabilities of the larger Nissan, Ford or VW pick-ups but it is undoubtedly better-looking than all of these and it’s slightly more diminutive size enables one to drive and park it in town more easily than its larger competitors. From a full economy perspective we averaged a respectable 32.9mpg in our time in the Cross, a better figure than we achieved in the larger VW and Ford as well.

In conclusion, the Fullback may be a little bit fly, but even if it is, it’s a damn good pick-up that looks great! We would happily drive one every day. If you need a pick-up for work, then the Fullback is definitely in the mix, because it offers an awful lot of what both lifestyle and working customers want, at a price that will make both happy.

With the Fullback being sold in the UK by Fiat Professional dealerships as well as at Fiat car showrooms, it’s probably worth noting that customers who buy or lease one from a Fiat Professional dealership will get the benefits of a fully commercial network, meaning out-of hours servicing and a willingness to listen to your commercial needs, something that perhaps a car-based dealer wouldn’t do.

And, if you already run Fiat Professional vehicles, you now have a ready-made pick-up to complete your fleet.

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cv news: LDV V80 CHASSIS CAB

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LDV V80 adds new dimension to CV fleet The Harris Group – one of Ireland’s most renowned vehicle importer distributors with over 50 year’s experience in the commercial vehicle sector in Ireland and the UK – is proud to be handling sales of the LDV V80 van range from SAIC Maxus Automotive Ltd. Through its nationwide dealer network it is re-building the LDV brand with a strong focus on after-sales activities, thereby ensuring complete customer satisfaction.

A significant investment has been made in the current LDV line-up and a number of exciting new vehicles have been added to the range, including the electric version of the V80 and the all-new G10 MPV, electric version EG10, T60 pick-up 4X4 and D90 SUV. LDV will continue to develop and grow its vehicle offering, ensuring it remains an iconic brand that really delivers for its drivers.

Pride of place among these vehicles is the new chassis cab range. Available to be customised in Dropside, Tipper and Luton van formats, all chassis cabs have a wheelbase of 3,850mm, with two chassis length options - Standard and Extended, which gives a 675mm overhang. External lengths range from 3,325mm to 4,000mm, while body widths are 2,090mm on the Dropside, 2,100 on the Tipper and 2,165mm on the Luton. Payloads on the Dropsides are

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1,495kg or 1,525kg, on the Tipper 1,205kg and on the Luton, 1,125kg.

All Chassis cabs feature the VM Motori Eco-D2.5L turbo diesel engine with Bosch electronically controlled common rail direct fuel injection system. This power unit has a highly regarded reputation and features in a number of other commecial vehicles around the world, making it a solid choice for the LDV V80. VM Motori is based in Cento, Italy and brings Italian flair and innovation to the V80 project.

VM Motori Eco-D 2.5L turbo diesel engine comes with: • Bosch electronically controlled common rail direct fuel injection system • Turbo charger with inter-cooler • Aluminium cylinder head • Cast iron block with cylinder wet liners • Polymer skirted pistons • Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) • 4 cylinders (16 Valves) • 9.20 x 9.40mm (bore x stroke) • 2499cc total displacement • 100kW @ 3800rpm (136 PS) • 330Nm @ 1800-2600rpm • 17.5:1 compression ratio • Euro 5b emission The gearbox is a standard six-speed manual transmission. For added range, the

V80 range has an 80-litre fuel tank.

The chassis cabs’ steering and handling are excellent, allowing comfortable motorway cruising as well as tight control for urban roads. Hydraulic power-assisted rack and pinion steering is backed by Mira suspension, with MacPherson struts to the front and Taper leaf springs with gas filled shock absorbers to the rear. The chassis cabs sit on 16” allow wheels that allow bumps and potholes to be taken without jarring and keep body sway to a minimum when cornering.

Equipment levels for a workhorse CV are high. Chassis cabs can often feel like the poor relation to the CV sector but LDV has ensured drivers don’t miss out on home comforts. Standard kit includes electric and heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals, daytime running lamps, remote central locking, air conditioning, cruise control, FM/ AM/ MP3 Player and Bluetooth, a genuine three seater cabin configuration and an eight-way adjustable driver’s seat.

Expect to find driver and passenger deep door storage and overhead storage, with integrated cup holders. Single sliding door with rear barn door opening up to 255 degrees offer easy access on the Luton.

Occupant safety is paramount to LDV; this is why chassis cabs feature standard dual airbags with seatbelt pre-tensioning. On-road systems include Crumple Zone Protection, Advanced Electronic Stability Programme, Side Impact Protect System, Reverse parking sensor (Four), Anti-skid Braking System, Electronic brake force distribution and Brake assist system (BAS).

To give you even greater peace of mind, every new LDV vehicle sold through the Harris dealer network comes with a comprehensive five-year / 125,000 miles warranty package. You can also rely on LDV Assist 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, right across the UK and Ireland if ever you run into a problem on your journey.

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On test: CITROEN DISPATCH

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Dispatch... really delivers!

Andrew Walker Launched at the same time as Peugeot’s Expert and the Toyota Proace, Citroen’s Dispatch has been differentiated from its siblings by a number of style devices, not least of which are the large chrome-effect chevrons across the full width of the nose, as per the Citroen passenger car range.

A completely new product from the ground up, the Dispatch is derived from the PSA Group’s Efficient Modular Platform, first seen on the Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4 Picasso.

It is also the most ‘car-like’ van I’ve ever driven, while still managing to maintain all of the practicality that a mid-range van has to offer. Having spent some time driving it, I can safely say that the Dispatch really is very good indeed.

From a practical point of view there are two wheelbase lengths, with a new oblique wishbone set-up offering variable stiff shocks and springs to cater for different loads. This is designed to support the rear of the van but as I drove my test model unladen, can’t say how this performs. Dispatch is offered in XS, M and XL sizes as a standard van, a sixseater crew van or a nine-seat combi, plus there’s a platform cab, allowing customers to build their own specialist bodies if required.

Keeping things simple, the load capacity on all models is 1,400kgs.

As I felt that the most popular model would be the Medium version, I chose this one to drive around Oxfordshire. But don’t be put off by the XS model, because amazingly it can handle two pallets, which is mightily impressive. Add in its size, just 4.6m long, and a turning circle of just 11m and Citroen 54 | April 2018 | Company Car & Van

has produced what should be the perfect van for urban use, where customers value size and agility alongside load space.

As a comparison, the M model tested has a 3,670m load length, the XL version 4,020m.

On all three, cargo width between the wheel arches is 1,260m with the respective models coming with load volumes of 5.1, 5.8 and 6.6 cubic metres. The XS and M models are 1.9m tall and the XL is 1.94m high.

The cabin itself is well designed and it’s easy to reach all of the switches and buttons while driving, an important consideration for most van users. The front view is excellent.

As on its car range, Citroen has always tried to give customers as comfortable a ride as possible and the Dispatch doesn’t disappoint. I spent a couple of hours in the driver’s seat and found it supportive as well as comfortable and the Dispatch’s suspension allows for a smooth ride. The insulated bulkhead helped to keep the cabin quiet, even without a load in the rear, and I was even able to receive a couple of handsfree calls while on the move and not have to shout to be heard.

I drove the 114bhp version of the Dispatch – there’s also a 94bhp and a 148bhp version both 1.6 in size – but as Citroen expects the 114bhp version to be the best seller, it seemed like the obvious one to try. Alone and unladen it performed well, allowing me to change down the gears to overtake slow traffic on an A road and to accelerate up to speeds on the M40 with little effort.

I didn’t drive far enough to test the Dispatch’s fuel economy, but this is likely to be one of its biggest selling points.

Importantly, Citroen’s Blue HDi engines

meet the Euro 6 emissions standards.

Official numbers for the 115bhp 1.6-litre I drove says 55.4mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of just 133g/km. If you look at the other engines in the range, the 95bhp manual version returns 51.4mpg with 114g/km of CO2 in 5-speed manual form.

The 120bhp comes with a combined figure of 51.4mpg and 144g/km of CO2 and the 150bhp van’s even better with 53.3 mpg and 139g/km of CO2. Even the 180bhp unit offers 48.7mpg and 151g/km of CO2. All are impressive.

It only took me a few minutes piloting the Dispatch for me to really like it. Not only does it appeal to my car-like tendencies, it’s also spot on for load space, practicality, fuel economy and even looks good as well.

It’s certainly going to run the Ford Transit Custom close.

Any negatives? Not really. Like its sister models from Peugeot and Toyota, the Dispatch is excellent. In fact, Citroën Connect Nav with Connect Box became standard on Enterprise Plus versions from December 2017, which has made connectivity easier and is available as an extra on Enterprise versions. This means that you can take advantage of the services you use, without having to tether the van to your mobile phone. Brilliant for busy van users!

CC&V VERDICT A great drive, great economy and superb comfort. Hard to recall a better driving experience from a van

Rating: N N N N www.companycarandvan.co.uk

IN REVIEW: FORD TRANSITS

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Major revisions to the Transit Connect and Courier ranges as part of a Ford product revolution Transit Connect and Transit Courier are key parts of the Ford commercial offer, and latest changes to the pair are part of an ambitious plan to overhaul the company’s entire CV range over the next 18 months.

In the UK, both are the best-selling commercial vehicles in their respective segments, with more than 20,000 sales between them – almost one quarter of total Transit nameplate sales – and go some way to explain why Ford remains the UK’s top commercial brand.

Featuring stylish new designs, more fuel-efficient powertrains and advanced new driver assistance technologies, the two new Transit models are to order now for customer delivery from the middle of the year.

“Ford’s latest Transit family has taken the European market by storm, and we have no intention of taking our foot off the gas,” said Hans Schep, general manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe.

“We’ve given our two smaller Transits a complete overhaul that makes them even more affordable to run, more stylish to look at, and ready to tackle every job our customers throw at them.”

The new Transit Connect introduces a smart new front-end appearance that adopts the latest Ford design DNA. An imposing three-bar Transit grille combined with slimmer headlamps – with powerful HID Xenon lamps and LED daytime running lights available on high series models, combine with a more aerodynamic lower fascia and front spoiler to deliver the fresh new look.

Inside, an upgraded cabin features a revised instrument panel with a new central control area that incorporates a floating, tablet-inspired six-inch colour touchscreen on high series models, featuring Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system. New trim materials provide a stylish and hard-wearing working environment for long working days in the cab.

A state-of-the-art new powertrain line-up provides enhanced fuel-efficiency, while achieving Euro 6.2 emissions standards.

Ford’s all-new 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel engine combines the latest fuel injection, turbocharging and emission-control technologies with a low-friction engine design to deliver improved performance alongside reduced fuel-consumption.

For customers requiring a petrol option, new Transit Connect offers an advanced new version of the multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, which incorporates

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“Featuring stylish new designs, more fuel-efficient powertrains and advanced new driver assistance technologies, the two new Transit models are proof that Ford is not taking its foot off the gas...”

Connecting in style significant changes to the cylinder head, fuel injection and emission-control systems to provide further improvements in fuelefficiency. New technologies also include cylinder deactivation, which enables the engine to run on two cylinders at low loads, to reduce pumping losses and improve fuel efficiency.

An upgraded six-speed manual transmission is now fitted to all engines as standard. The 1.5‑litre EcoBlue engine can also be specified with an advanced new eight-speed automatic transmission, which has been engineered to deliver optimised fuel-efficiency alongside responsive performance and smooth, swift gearshifts.

To minimise overall cost of ownership, service intervals have been extended on both diesel and petrol variants, with manual diesel vehicles now offering best-in-class variable intervals of up to two years/25,000 miles. The longer service intervals contribute to scheduled maintenance and non-scheduled repair costs that are significantly lower than the primary competition, according to Ford analysis.

The new Transit Connect introduces a comprehensive range of segment-first driver assistance features including Intelligent Speed Limiter – this enables automatic adjustment of maximum vehicle speed to remain within legal limits – the Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection emergency braking system, Side Wind Stabilisation, and Active Park Assist that helps to steer the vehicle into both parallel and perpendicular parking spaces.

Like the outgoing model, new Transit

Connect offers commercial vehicle operators an outstanding breadth of capabilities, with short and long wheelbase options providing load volumes up to 3.6 m3 (VDA), payload capacity ranging from 520-890 kg, and bodystyles including van, kombi and double-cab-in-van.

The Transit Courier is the smallest member of Ford’s Transit family, and the new model brings a refreshed front-end appearance that incorporates a reshaped grille opening and revised design for the lower fascia.

The cabin features a redesigned centre console design for enhanced ergonomics, including a new, larger six-inch colour touchscreen with Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system that is available on higher series models, and positioned closer to the driver for improved visibility and ease-of-use.

Meeting the latest Euro 6.2 emissions standards, the updated powertrain line-up offers customers the choice of fuel-efficient 1.5-litre TDCi diesel and 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engines. All vehicles feature Ford’s all-new six-speed manual transmission in place of the outgoing model’s five-speed gearbox, offering improved shift quality, refinement and contributing to better real-world fuel-efficiency.

For the ultimate in low running costs, a new fuel-efficiency package is offered as standard on diesel models, which integrates optimised aerodynamics with an Active Grille Shutter that improves warm-up times and reduces aero-drag.

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IN REVIEW: VAUXHALL MOVANO

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Still plenty of life in the Movano

While rivals are bring out new models, Vauxhall still backs the qualities of the Movano, says Andrew Walker

The UK large van sector just got even more competitive, with the introduction of the new Volkswagen Crafter and MAN TGE in 2017 and an all-new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter due later in 2018.

There’s even competition from below, with the launch of the LDV V80. Here at CC&V, we wondered where the launch of these new vans would leave the other big players in the sector, namely the Ford Transit, Citroen Relay, Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Vauxhall Movano. A week in the Movano proved that despite it not being the newest kid-on-the-block, it’s still reassuringly good and extremely competitively priced.

In November, CC&V had the opportunity to drive the Movano. If you need a van with lots of variants then you’ll be pleased to know that the Movano range is extensive, with four body lengths and three roof heights, with load volumes of 7.8m3 to 17m3 and gross weights of 2,800kg to 4,500kg. Vauxhall offers a second row of four seats in the double-cab models which are available on L2H2 and L3H2 bodies. There are also six and nine-seat Combi versions and even a 17-seat minibus on special order. To keep you going in all weathers, there are front and rear-wheel-drive versions to choose from along with four 2.3-litre CDTi common-rail diesel engine options.

As in the Vivaro, the latest bi-turbo 2.3 CDTi unit is the pick of the engines. Most models are offered with a six-speed manual gearbox but Vauxhall’s TecShift automated manual box is an option too, being offered on the mid-range 2.3 CDTi 125 engine.

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The Movano is offered with 108bhp, 125bhp, 134bhp and 161bhp versions of the firm’s 2.3-litre diesel engine, in both front and rear-drive models. All are turbocharged common-rail diesels but the CDTi 136 (134bhp) and CDTi 163 (161bhp) are Bi-Turbo units with a pair of turbos providing boost. Vauxhall’s ecoFLEX fuel-saving technology, including stop-start, is also available on some models with all of the newer Bi-Turbo units getting it. The model range offers combined economy figures in the 29-41mpg range while emissions range from 184g/km on the ecoFLEX models to 249g/km for the heaviest rear-drive vans.

Vauxhall offers half-height protective panels in the Movano’s load area as part of the standard package on rear-drive models.

Full-height ply lining is available on all Movanos as an option and protective floor coverings are also offered.

There’s also a full-height steel bulkhead, even on the double cab behind the individual rear seats. Safety features include a driver’s air bag, but passenger and side impact bags are options, as are parking sensors, speed limiter and ESP, (standard on rear wheel drive versions) and cruise control.

The driver can get comfortable with the six-way adjustable driver’s seat which includes an armrest. All models offer steering-column-mounted audio controls, electric windows, aux in with USB interface.

For those who use their van as a mobile office there is Bluetooth connectivity which I tried, connected easily and thanks to the steel bulkhead, I could actually hold a

conversation while driving.

I got to try the entry level 108bhp 2.3CDTi version and it’s great around town, with light steering and a high driving position so you can see all around you. The three-seat cab was comfortable if a little basic although the switches, seat covers and plastics are well put together and look built to last. On the motorway the 108bhp engine is surprisingly nimble although it was unladen. I took the van around the M60 and found the cab a good place to be. It coped well in traffic and there was enough power to overtake slower moving traffic when required.

The Movano Panel Panel 2.3 CDTI offers reasonable fuel economy of 36.2 mpg on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions measured at 207 g/km and costing just £23,568 + vat is well priced as well.

Overall, the Movano is an excellent all-rounder and its only drawback is that, in this very competitive sector, it is starting to look a bit old compared to the newer vans.

Having said that, it’s reassuringly cheaper to buy than VW’s new Crafter, for instance, and the new Sprinter. So basically, what I’m saying is that if you want a large panel van, with dozens of variants, you could do with taking a look at the Movano. Newer does not necessarily mean better.

CC&V VERDICT Still life in the old dog for a Big Night Out

Rating: N N N www.companycarandvan.co.uk