Company Car & Van August 2017

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AUGUST 2017

The motoring magazine for SME fleets

August 2017

Car & Van

Meet the new Škoda kodiaq SME fleets: don’t overlook the Lexus IS

Volkswagen’s new Crafter is motorway king

Head-turning Toyota C-HR enters SUV fray

Welcome to Company Car & Van

It might be summer but there’s no let up in the new launches It’s been a busy few weeks in the CC&V offices as we have been out and about driving a selection of cars and LCVs for our readers.

First up is our cover star, the excellent Škoda Kodiaq, which adds both quality and value to the large cross-over sector.

Petrol engines are back in vogue again, so we take a look at the updated and improved Lexus IS, while sister brand Toyota also has a great selection of petrol models and in this issue we get to grips with the head-turning C-HR. Other highlights include a tour of the picturesque Cairngorms National Park in Mazda’s latest CX-5, which really looks the business, and we find that Renault has breathed some life into the MPV sector with its latest Renault Scenic.

Volvo’s sumptuous XC60 puts a smile on our face and the new Volkswagen Tiguan and Alfa Giulia are also reviewed. Plus there’s an array of updated new cars to review, including the Nissan Qashqai, Jaguar XF Sportbrake and Peugeot 308.

On the LCV front, we have driven a trio of large vans, starting with the motorwaycruising dreamboat, Volkswagen Crafter, plus the Fiat Ducato and Vauxhall Movano.

Smaller van users can read our thoughts, too, on the Mercedes-Benz Citan and Citroen Dispatch, while Renault Trucks tell

04 us why their customers love their service and their vans in equal measure.

If you need a pick-up fix, we review the new D-Max Blade and there’s also features on IVECO’s Daily range and Ford’s latest in-roads into the EV Van sector.

We also put a few questions to Henry Williams, Škoda’s Corporate Sales Manager, about the company’s plans for the future.

Proof that despite the Summer break, there’s plenty going on in the fleet sector.

Andrew Walker Editor and publisher

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Inside In conversation with...

Henry Williams, Škoda UK................ 4 Buyer’s Guide - Cars Škoda Kodiaq........................................ 6 Volvo XC60.............................................7 Suzuki Swift......................................... 8 Nissan Qashqai...................................12 VW Tiguan............................................15 Lexus IS.................................................18 Alfa Giulia.............................................22 Hyundai i30.........................................24 Fiat 500L..............................................28 Toyota CH-R.......................................29 BMW 3 Series.....................................32 Peugeot 308.......................................36 Renault Scenic................................... 37 Mazda CX-5........................................38 Jaguar XF Sportbrake......................40 Kia Optima hybrid.............................44 Isuzu D-Max Blade...........................45 Commercials VW Crafter..........................................50 Fiat Ducato...........................................51 Iveco Daily...........................................52 Renault Trucks...................................56 Vauxhall Movano...............................58 Mitsubishi L200.................................60 Citroen Dispatch................................64 Mercedes Benz news.......................66 Vauxhall Vivaro..................................68 Ford Electric commercials..............70 Company Car & Van is wholly owned and published by:

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Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 03

In conversation... with Henry Williams, Škoda UK

ŠKODA has achieved increasing fleet sales year on year, which is the envy of many other car manufacturers.

Company Car & Van took time out to ask ŠKODA UK’s Head of Fleet Henry Williams how they intend to keep this excellent record going and the importance of the SME fleet market to the growth of the brand.

ŠKODA has SME fleets in its sights Q1. ŠKODA has worked hard to establish itself in the fleet market, having great success with the leasing companies and in the public sector. Are SME fleets attractive to ŠKODA and if they are, how will you be looking to grow your sales in this very important area?

Henry Williams: We have been achieving fantastic results year-on-year and in 2016 we were pleased to record our best-ever sales performance in True Fleet, recording an 11 per cent growth on 2015 and as a result strengthening our market share.

What was even more rewarding to see was the number of new customers choosing ŠKODA for the first time. Along with our loyal customer base this puts us in a fantastic position for the future.

These results are truly down to the whole package that we offer. We make it a priority to understand the needs of our customers and support them from purchase to the end of the vehicle cycle.

We recently launched a Fleet Service Level Agreement to ensure excellent and consistent service across the country. This focuses on important issues like ensuring short lead times for service and maintenance and like-for-like courtesy car provision.

In terms of attracting more SMEs to the brand, the simple answer is yes, this is a focus.

With a number of new car launches this year, including the face-lifted Octavia and Kodiaq, our vehicles are more efficient than before and offer more tech as standard. This

translates into highly competitive P11d values across the range and combined with low running costs, the result is an attractive package when considering vehicle Whole Life Costs that will be favourable to SMEs. Q2. The Superb and Octavia currently make up around 75 per cent of ŠKODA’s fleet sales.

Will the arrival of Kodiaq launched recently and your new Karoq, out early 2018, change this?

Henry Williams: Octavia is the cornerstone of the ŠKODA range and with a history dating back to the 1950s it is still just as popular with our customers, and the new face-lifted model released earlier this year has given the vehicle even more momentum.

The Superb continues to blow our customers away with its sleek design, incredible equipment and excellent Whole Life Costs. We envisage these two models to continue to be highly desirable with fleets.

This year we cemented our position in the ever-growing SUV market with Kodiaq and the follow up of Karoq next year. What makes Kodiaq stand out is its mix of practicality, towing capabilities, boot space and tech features; it by far outperforms its competitors for value for money. We predict Kodiaq and Karoq will perform strongly with SMEs and the ‘user chooser’, who opt for a desirable drive both in looks and performance.

Q3. ŠKODA’s success in the UK fleet sector has been with diesel models. With diesel currently getting a hard time in the media, will ŠKODA be reassessing its engine line-up, with a possible increase of petrol models in the range?

Henry Williams: Latest industry trends have seen a steady increase in fleets opting for petrol engines, and we’re reacting to this changing demand. This month we have launched 1.0 and 1.4 TSI petrol engines for the Superb and Octavia SE Tech models – available for both hatch and estate – and later this summer we will launch a 1.5 TSI engine for Octavia. They offer our fleet customers performance, practicality and importantly, low running costs.

04 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

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“Octavia is the cornerstone of the ŠKODA range... and the face-lifted model released earlier this year has given the vehicle even more momentum. “ As we appeal more and more to the SME market we’ll likely see the demand for petrol engines increase. However, diesel engines will continue to play a big role in our fleet offering due to the appetite that still exists from the overall fleet market.

Q4. On a similar note, many fleets are experimenting with electric and plug-in vehicles. Will ŠKODA be launching any Hybrid or EV models that would appeal to the corporate customer?

Henry Williams: Developments in electromobility are progressing quickly in the industry and this is hugely influenced by consumer trends moving towards the adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles. The electrification of the ŠKODA model range will begin as early as 2019 with the launch of the ŠKODA Superb with plug-in hybrid drive. This will be a huge draw for fleet customers, combining the popularity of the Superb model with the introduction of new technology.

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By 2025 we will have expanded the range to include five purely electric cars in the ŠKODA line-up.

Q5. Looking into a crystal ball, where would you like to see the ŠKODA brand in the UK fleet sector, two years from now?

Henry Williams: Our focus is our customers.

Over the past few years we have been attracting new customers and industries into the brand for the first time, and our challenge

is to nurture those relationships and to be a reliable partner for their business.

Two years from now will see the launch of the plug-in hybrid Superb and my ambition will be to see this launch successfully with our customers and to be the start of a new journey that combines our traditional engine range with newer electric models. ŠKODA has come a long way in the fleet market and we have the team, the product and the focus to go even further.

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 05

On test

Škoda Kodiaq

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Škoda cracks large SUV sector Andrew Walker Škoda’s new Kodiaq was launched earlier this year and has received much critical acclaim.

It’s Škoda’s first crack at the large SUV sector, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Available as a five or seven seater, the Kodiaq is spacious, comfortable, well equipped and good to drive, as I discovered when I got behind the wheel of the Kodiaq SE L 2.0 litre TDI 190PS 4×4 DSG. The range is offered in six trims, starting with the entry-level S. Then there’s SE, SE Technology and SE L trims, with a soon to be launched off-road biased Kodiaq Scout, plus a Sportline version. The basic S model is five-seat only, with the sole engine choice being the 1.4 TSI 125PS petrol with a six-speed manual gear box. SE comes with the 1.4 TSI in 125PS and 150PS guises, or you can choose the 2.0 TDI 150PS diesel.

SE Technology cars only come with the 2.0 TDI diesel engine, which can be upgraded with the DSG box, seven seats and 4×4 transmission. SE L cars have seven seats as standard and are offered with the 1.4 TSI

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150PS, or the 2.0 TDI with 150PS or 190PS power outputs, the latter with the sevenspeed DSG gearbox as standard. There is also a 2.0 TSI 180PS turbo petrol, which comes with the DSG box and 4×4 as standard, but only in SE L trim. Prices range from £22,000 to £35,000, with our test model costing £33,635.

At first glance there’s no denying the Kodiaq comes from the VAG stable. The front-end though, is very Skoda, with headlights that are designed to resemble Czech crystals and the familiar Skoda grille. The rear-end features the split boot lid and prominent tail lights seen on other model’s in the Skoda’s range.

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The overall impression could be described as ‘rugged.’

Inside, the Kodiaq is on familiar territory, with a well made, durable looking if slightly bland dash and switchgear set up. It’s in the main black and nicely understated, with the central 8” touchscreen from which most functions are controlled via touch sensitive buttons, being a real stand out.

SE L models are nicely equipped, with seven airbags, Alcantara upholstery, black roof rails, dual zone air-con with humidity sensor and control, full LED headlights with AFS, heated front seats, keyless entry and start system, LED rear lights and daytime running lights, plus all Kodiaqs come with front assist and city emergency braking as standard.

Despite the front seats being on the firm side, they’re incredibly comfortable. There’s an amazing amount of space as well, not just in the front but in the rear too, with plenty of room for five adults plus impressive head and leg room. The middle three seats can be moved fore and aft as required, with seats 6 and 7 folding flat into the boot floor as well.

When all seven seats are in place the Skoda has a 270-litre capacity. This increases to between 560 and 765 litres in five-seat form, based on which position you set the 60:40 split sliding middle seats. With all seven seats folded there’s a vast 2,005 litres on offer and if you’re looking to tow, the Kodiaq can handle up to 2,000kg as well.

Large cars generally don’t offer the best driving experience, but for its size, the Kodiaq bucks this trend, handling well. I spent over ten hours in the Kodiaq, amassing 550 miles in the process, 400 on the motorway, where it was peerless, and 150 in town and on B roads.

The DSG gear box allows relaxing motorway progress. The engine is rather noisy at low speeds and when accelerating, you can hear the gear box going through the motions.

Having tested the 1.4 TSI 150ps manual on the Octavia, for those who want a quieter driving experience, I can highly recommend this.

Acceleration for a car that weighs almost 1750kg is unlikely to be brisk and the 2.0 litre 190PS engine takes 9.1 seconds to get you from 0-62mph, going on to reach a top speed of 129mph. Emissions on our test model were a highish 151g/km and the combined fuel economy a claimed 49.6mpg. I averaged just over 40mpg and to put this in context, when I drove the similarly sized KIA Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe over similar distances and on similar roads, I averaged 38 and 35 mpg respectively – a win to the Kodiaq, then!

CC&V VERDICT In its sector the new Skoda Kodiaq is hard to beat. It’s attractively priced, incredibly practical, very well equipped and features excellent build quality.

CC&V RATING: NNNNN

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Volvo’s luxury in a sporting format Andrew Walker Luxury SUVs were once a rarity, but now they’re everywhere, with even Jaguar and Maserati having one. One manufacturer who’s been there for a while is Volvo, which launched its second generation XC90 a couple of years and now has the XC60 for your consideration.

From launch, a choice of three 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engines will initially be available – the D4 and D5 PowerPulse diesels and the T5 petrol. A T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric plug-in hybrid will be added later in the year and will be a real contender in the company car sector as it will come with just a nine per cent BIK rate.

Every XC60 comes with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard. The D4 offers 190 hp, combined fuel consumption of up to 55.4 mpg and CO2 emissions from just 133 g/km. The D5 has 235 hp, combined fuel consumption of 51.4 mpg and CO2 emissions of 144 g/km.

The T5 offers 254 hp, combined fuel economy of up to 39.2 mpg and CO2 emissions from 164 g/km.

As standard, entry-level Momentum variants come with leather-faced upholstery, LED headlights with active high beam, two-zone climate control with ‘CleanZone’ air-filtration system, heated front seats, a powered tailgate and 18” alloy wheels.

The similarities between the XC60 and larger XC90 are there. Thor’s Hammer LED daytime running lights, although longer in the XC60, upright grille, a different one for each specced model in the range, traditional Volvo rear light clusters, which

are extended horizontally on XC60, the new XC60 could only be a Volvo. In fact, when you compare the XC60 to the XC90, it’s only 261mm shorter, 118mm lower and 9 mm narrower than its larger sibling, the benefit of which can be seen inside the cabin, with good front and rear head and legroom. Four adults will travel in great comfort, but the centre rear seat will fall short for adults on a long journey.

CC&V tried out the entry level D4 AWD Momentum which retails at £37,205. It may be the cheapest way to get into an XC60 but this car is far from cheap. However, the Momentum, like the more expensive versions, is incredibly well put together and comes very well equipped. It also comes with the lowest emissions in the range emitting 133g/km of CO2 and the best combined fuel economy of 55.4mpg.

At least until the T8 arrives anyway, but this model will set you back £56,850 OTR. What’s it like to drive? It’s fun. Admittedly I did also try the T5 AWD petrol version which was awesome and came finished in Inscription spec. But for most of us the standard diesel engine will do just fine. It’s quiet in traffic too and in Sport Mode will hit 62mph in just 8.4 seconds, so it’s no slouch either. More importantly, the XC60’s cabin cossets the passengers, with way-to-comfortable seats which will make every journey a pleasure.

CC&V VERDICT Typically Volvo and a match for anything Germany can throw at it CC&V RATING: NNNN Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 07

On test Suzuki Swift

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New Swift has it all Want all the kit but don’t want to pay a premium? Andrew Walker might have found the perfect option...

KEY DETAILS Suzuki Swift 1.0 Boosterjet SZ5 Price: £14,499 CO2: 97g/km BIK: 18% Combined fuel economy: 65.7mpg

CC&V VERDICT A very impressive all round package and hard to fault, especially when it offers such great value in a highly competitive market.

The fact that it’s great to look at, comes very well equipped, has more space in it than before and will in all likelihood, offer excellent reliability, all add up to a small car that’s easy to like. If you’ve never considered Suzuki before, now may be the time to take a closer look at the Swift. Bang on the money.

CC&V RATING: NNNN 08 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

Offering your customers all the goodies they want has become a prerequisite with modern cars – and no matter the price tag, it seems. A reflection of this is the brilliant all-new Suzuki Swift, which does exactly that.

The model tested came with a 1.0 Boosterjet SZ5 engine, with all of the equipment one would associate with a much larger, far more expensive model. Safety features include ABS with EBD Brake Assist, ESP, six airbags, foot protecting brake and clutch pedals, hill hold control and high beam assist.

Add in adaptive cruise control, electric front and rear windows, automatic air-con, a 7” colour display allowing access to DAB, SatNav, Bluetooth with steering mounted controls, headlamp levelling, rear privacy glass, 16” alloys and you have a seriously well appointed car, which at time of writing can be had for just £14,499: that is unbelievably good value for money.

Not only is the Swift well appointed, it’s also great fun to drive. It isn’t especially quick, reaching 62 mph in 10.6 seconds with a top speed of 121 mph.

But it’s faster to 62mph than the outgoing model and the top speed is 18mph better as well, all thanks to the addition on the Swift of Suzuki’s tried and tested Boosterjet petrol engine which also shines at the pumps, offering a combined fuel economy on my test model, of 65.7 mph with CO2 emissions of 97g/km.

As we discovered driving the new model in the Derbyshire Peak District, being small, with the wheels on each corner, it feels faster than this. More importantly, it proved more than a match for the winding switchback roads I encountered. On some of the longer climbs, with two adults on board, we did need to change down from fifth to fourth and even from fourth to third, to keep that excellent engine ticking over and this really was my only criticism of the 1.0-litre engine. In reality, I’m being pedantic, because of all the superminis I’ve driven lately, including the Ford Ka+, Fiat Panda, Ford Fiesta, VW Polo and the other small Suzuki the Ignis, the Swift is by far the best to drive. It is also the best looking and Ignis accepted, the best priced.

From the outside, the Swift looks similar to the

outgoing model. As you get a little closer though it’s clear to see that Suzuki has significantly altered the new car. There’s a new wider and deeper front grille, blacked out A-pillars and front and vertically arranged front and rear lights, which give it a more sporty look. The rear door handles are now pillar mounted, giving an almost coupé look and being 10mm shorter, 15mm lower and with a 20mm longer wheelbase, it sits more squat on the road, with the overall effect being to make the Swift appear more aggressive than it’s predecessor.

Despite the reduction in length, those clever Suzuki designers have somehow managed to increase the boot space in the latest model by 20 per cent, with the new volume a much-improved 265 litres, 54v more than the outgoing Swift. Both front seat passengers benefit from good head and legroom, while the rear passengers also have space to relax.

One of the Swift’s other surprises is inside the cabin, where Suzuki has significantly enhanced and improved the build quality of this latest version.

White accents and satin chrome, coupled with a basic tone of black, lift the interior closer to that found in its more premium rivals. It also felt more upmarket than the interiors found in sister models Ignis and Baleno.

From a fleet perspective, the Swift would appeal to anyone downsizing from a Focus or Golf who was looking at a Fiesta, Corsa or Polo. It’s much prettier than any of these and is better value for money. It would also make an exceptionally good second car with similar space inside as the MINI and Audi A1 and it comes with similar eye-catching looks. Also, Suzuki is taking UK fleet sales more seriously than ever before and has some exciting contract hire and leasing offers not just on the Swift but the entire Suzuki range as a whole, with the Vitara especially appealing.

Suzuki’s new Corporate Sales Manager, Graeme Jenkins, told CC&V, that Suzuki’s aim is to be “Fit for Fleet“ with a target of 10,000 corporate sales in 2017 – 20 per cent of its total sales. The introduction of the new Swift will undoubtedly, make this target easier to achieve. www.companycarandvan.co.uk

In review

Nissan Qashqai

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The boss is back - and it’s better than ever

Best-selling urban crossover continues its sector lead with all-new model There’s a new look, driver enhancements and more refinement to the latest Nissan Qashqai – and the bad news for its rivals is, they combine to keep it at the top of the urban crossover sector.

The upgrades focus on four areas – a contemporary new exterior design; higher levels of interior quality; improved driving performance; and the addition of new Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies to deliver even greater levels of customer comfort, reassurance and trust.

Grade structure has also evolved with the introduction of Tekna+ grade, setting a new benchmark in luxury within the C-SUV crossover segment.

Thanks to a number of under-the-skin improvements, the new Qashqai’s outstanding handling performance is more refined than ever, while innovative technologies have been added to improve safety features. For customers seeking new levels of driving flexibility and greater freedom when they want it, the new Qashqai will be available with ProPILOT, Nissan’s autonomous drive technology.

The Nissan Qashqai has guaranteed its place in the automotive history books. It pioneered the C-SUV crossover segment, and even though there are now more than 20 rival products on sale, the Qashqai remains the class benchmark with an unrivalled market 12 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

share of 10.3%.

At the heart of the Qashqai’s appeal for more than 10 years has been its position as the ultimate urban crossover. It successfully blends the practicality and desirability of an SUV with the footprint, driving dynamics and running costs of a hatchback. The significant new enhancements will underpin and strengthen the Qashqai’s position as Europe’s number one crossover.

As with all Nissan vehicles, every upgrade – no matter how large or small – has been undertaken with customers in mind and is based on their feedback. Research revealed a desire for exterior styling changes to create a more contemporary and sophisticated look; new premium features and choices for customers opting to buy higher grade models; plus extra refinement and new safety technologies when behind the wheel. The new Nissan Qashqai delivers all this and more.

The ultimate Qashqai: Tekna+ creates exclusive new premium choice for customers New to the Qashqai range is the addition of a fifth grade, Tekna+, which sits as the flagship of the line-up above Visia, Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna. With exclusive new premium features as standard, Tekna+ is aimed at buyers seeking the ultimate Qashqai.

In the cabin, the new premium seats are trimmed in the highest-quality soft nappa leather, with luxurious 3D quilting on the centre panels – a first for Nissan in Europe. The design is replicated in the rear. Black leather is standard, with the choice of a rich plum colour as a £495 option.

The driver’s seat features electrically controlled four-way pneumatic lumbar

support – another first for Nissan Europe. This allows drivers of all sizes to fine-tune their seating position, enhancing comfort and reducing fatigue. A seat memory function with two stored positions has been added, linked to the door mirrors. This is a unique feature on any Nissan Europe model today, with operation via buttons on the seat’s lower finisher.

Standard on Tekna+ is the new BOSE Premium eight-speaker audio system (see below for further details). Externally, Tekna+ comes with premium satin silver door mirror caps and roof rails.

The impact of the premium upgrades to the Nissan Qashqai is most obvious in the cabin.

They have resulted in the highest levels of perceived quality and refinement, a more driver-oriented interior and an enhanced feeling of total control.

Entering the car, the striking new steering wheel is the first thing drivers will notice. It echoes the design of Nissan’s newest models globally, including the all-new Micra and the new X-Trail, and is standard across the Qashqai range. Now D-shaped, the horizontal base means easier entry and exit for the driver, as well as providing a more sporty look and feel.

The steering wheel’s compact central hub is smaller than before and the three spokes are slimmer, creating an upper space that’s larger by 17% to improve instrument visibility. The four-way controllers for the combimeter display (left spoke) and cruise control (right spoke) are new, and offer customers more intuitive use and reduced ‘eyes off the road’ time.

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In review

Nissan Qashqai

Continued from page 12 Many other areas of the cabin have been upgraded. The air vents and interior door handles are finished in higher-quality, more tactile materials, while smart new stitching has been added to the centre console armrest between the two front seats from Acenta grade.

The Qashqai’s headliner is now dark cloth from Tekna grade up.

The front of the Qashqai has been completely revised, with an integrated new front bumper fitted as standard. It features much greater use of the car’s body colour, with the visible black plastic benefiting from a more premium gloss finish. Vents on each side aid engine cooling.

Mid-way down the bumper, the two horizontal finishers are new. They are coloured black on Visia and Acenta models and satin silver on N-Connecta and above. Front fog lamps – now more integrated and in a lower position – are standard from Acenta grade.

The Qashqai’s range of efficient engines has been carried over, offering the choice of petrol or diesel, six-speed manual or CVT XTronic automatic transmissions, and two or four-wheel drive to meet every type of customer need. The line-up includes the 1.5-litre 110PS diesel which, with CO2 emissions of just 99g/km and fuel economy of only 3.8 litres/100km, is the segment leader.

14 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

The full engine line-up is: 1.5 110PS diesel, 1.6 130PS diesel, 1.6 130PS diesel, 1.6 130PS diesel, 1.2 115PS petrol, 1.2 115PS petrol, 1.6 163PS petrol. CO2 emissions start from 99g/ km, while consumption rises to 74.3 on the combined cycle. 48.7 Every new Nissan Qashqai comes with six airbags as standard, plus driver assistance systems including anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and stability control.

Other standard equipment includes manual air-conditioning, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, DAB digital radio (in most markets), Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control with

speed limiter, and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors.

Depending on the grade chosen, available features include dual-zone climate control, automatic headlights and wipers, folding door mirrors and privacy glass. Many of the higher-grade features are available as optional extras on lower grades.

Additional options include the full-length panoramic glass roof with one-touch shade, exterior styling plates and side styling bars.

Genuine Nissan accessories include a dog guard, roof bars and a fixed towbar with electric hook-up.

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Tiguan mk 2 offers a better option

by Andrew Walker Volkswagen has sold an awful lot of Tiguans in the UK, 100,000 to be precise, but the Mk1 was never really my cup of tea.

However, the Mk2 launched this year is a different car altogether, looking leaner and more modern than the more expensive Audi Q5; certainly the new Tiguan from the outside anyway, really looks the part. It’s both longer and wider than the previous version, with a 520-litre boot, which cleverly increases its size by sliding the rear seats forward and upping the volume to 615 litres.

There are petrol and diesel options under the bonnet. For petrol your choice is just the 1.4 TSI, though it comes in 123bhp and 148bhp guises. For diesel fans the option also sounds limited, in that it consists of the 2.-0-litre, but it comes in four tunings: 114bhp, 148bhp and 187bhp, with a 237bhp 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel also available. It is the 148bhp and 187bhp that are expected to be the biggest sellers and it was the former that CC&V got to test recently.

We got to drive the 2.0 litre TDI SCR 4MOTION all-wheel drive model fitted with the seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. Four-wheel drive is a £1,600 option and to be perfectly honest, unless you live in a rural area, do you really need it when your most likely using your car for the urban school run and parking at Waitrose? Another reason for avoiding AWD is that economy suffers: the official combined figure falling to 49.6 mpg with emissions of 149g/km, whereas the 2WD version, if you go for the 114bhp 2.0 diesel version, gives you 60.1mpg on the combined cycle, with emissions of 115g/km.

Having said all that, I drove 500 miles in the Tiguan

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KEY DETAILS Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line 2.0 litre TDI 150PS SCR 4MOTION S/S DSG

4Motion and struggled around town to get more than 29.6mpg out of it. On the motorway, however, it’s a different story with that figure climbing to 50.2mpg, so my average was around the 40mpg mark, which may not look great. However, when driving the Mazda CX5, Toyota Rav4 and Honda CRV over a similar distance, I managed less, between 35 and 38mpg, so they make the Tiguan look pretty good.

The 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel takes 9.3 seconds to get from 0-62mph, which is okay. The DSG gearbox suffers a bit from Stop/Start hangover, ie, a slow pick up from a standing start, but once up and running is pretty good, allowing for comfortable and calm driving in town, coupled with smooth passage on the motorway.

The driving position is good, not too high nor too low and the seats adjust in a myriad of ways to allow you to find the right position for you.

The old Tiguan was a bit wishy-washy to look at, all soft curves when there should be sharpness. The new model gets this right with a nod to both the new Golf and Passat with much more boxy exterior. Sleek is the word with a more dynamic look at the front and rear.

There’s a more intricate headlight design with daytime running lights and at the back, LED taillights.

The old Tiguan was an SUV that was comfortable, practical and easy to live with but it was dated both in looks and technology. Volkswagen’s mantra of late has been to add more on-board tech to its products and the Tiguan is right up to date in that respect.

On the road the Tiguan handles well. It is cursed with the VW Group’s firm seats and ride, but once you get used to this it’s actually pretty comfortable in there.

It is not the most exciting choice, and certainly is a bit expensive, but the 2WD version, possibly with the 114bhp engine, is a cracking option.

Price: £35,850 CO2: 149g/km BIK: 29% Combined fuel economy: 49.6mpg

Max speed: 125mph Fuel tank: 60 litres Warranty: 36 months Boot capacity: 615-1,655 litres

CC&V VERDICT

Great looking SUV from Volkswagen. 2WD makes the most sense as you get the benefit of the engineering but with more reasonable running costs.

CC&V RATING: NNNN

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 15

On test Lexus IS

Efficiency, in the lap of luxury The petrol hybrid v diesel battle is over – and Lexus is on the winning side, says Andrew Walker KEY DETAILS Lexus IS 300h Luxury P Engine: 2.5-litre petrol hybrid Price: £35,375

(as tested £35,985) 0-62mph: 8.4 seconds Top speed: 125mph Economy: 65.7mpg combined CO2 : 103g/km

18 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

Nobody does hybrids better than Lexus, so it was no surprise that when Lexus launched the third generation IS in 2013, the model range came without a diesel.

Even though the company car market is choc-a-bloc with German two-litre diesels, Lexus, to its credit, realised that rather than compete it would aim for low emissions another way, and that’s exactly what was achieved with the latest IS300h which offers customers 101g/km CO2 emissions.

With some slight upgrades in 2016, the IS range is not complicated, with just two models on offer.

Our test car – and the most fleet-friendly version – was the hybrid IS 300h, and there’s the IS 200t turbo petrol. Both come with four-cylinder engines, the hybrid featuring a 2.5-litre unit, while the turbo is a 2.0-litre. They produce 181bhp and 180bhp respectively. Both cars use auto gearboxes, the hybrid featuring a typical Toyotastyle CVT box, while the petrol turbo features an eight-speed auto.

What Lexus does as well as anybody is luxury and when you climb into the IS driver’s seat it is clear to see. For a start the IS shares its hybrid system with the larger GS saloon. Inside you’re greeted by a cockpit inspired by the £350,000 Lexus LFA supercar, which has to be a good thing.

The steering wheel looks and feels lovely and the digital dials give the car a really modern feel.

There’s an easy-to-use multimedia and navigation system and this is paired with a well-positioned 7” screen. The mouse located in the centre console allows you to choose the function required and with a little bit of patience, just like the patience required of a computer mouse, it soon becomes second nature to control.

Sound inside the car is excellent, with a powerful 6-speaker audio system and my favourite DAB radio is standard. There’s also an aux-in cable input for MP3 players and USB ports for connecting smartphones.

The rear-view parking camera which is incredibly clear, makes parking the IS300h a www.companycarandvan.co.uk

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doddle. Dual-zone climate control is managed by a sliding style temperature control, one on each side of the centre dashboard for both front seat passengers. You slide your finger up or down which increases or decreases the temperature, strange but very engaging.

The latest IS is slightly bigger inside thanks to thinner front seats, resulting in more rear legroom, which is certainly better than both the Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia I tested recently. The IS h’s boot also offers 450 litres of space, 30 litres down on the petrol version thanks to the batteries and 30 litres below rivals BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4.

The IS looks best from the front with an electric shaver foil-type front grille which I really liked. The rear is finished with sexy rear sloping lights and LED daytime running lights, LED headlights, 17” alloys and electric folding heated door mirrors. There are also interesting curves along its flanks which do make the IS www.companycarandvan.co.uk

stand out from the crowd, otherwise it would look not too dissimilar from the 3 Series, which should appease some.

The IS comes with superior safety features including driver and passenger front, side and knee airbags, curtain airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, vehicle stability control, traction control, hill start assist control and a vehicle dynamics integrated management system, plus tyre pressure warning.

The primary difference in the IS over the diesel-led BMW, Audi and Mercedes is, of course, its hybrid technology. The CVT transmission suited me and I drove the car all week quite happily in a combination of Normal and Sport settings, without trying the Eco mode. There is a twist button adaptive set-up located in the centre console, which lets you switch between Normal, Eco and Sport modes, but the differences are really quite subtle, the main difference being visual. For example, a red light on the rev counter tells you you’re in Sport mode.

I tried out all three set ups and across the range managed to average 44.6 mpg in my seven days’ driving.

The suspension gives a comfortable ride at all speeds, with decent body control around corners. What I really liked about the IS is that it is quiet, not just at low speeds in town when the electric motor is engaged, but on the motorway as well. Set the cruise control at 75 mph and away you go and because its not noisy you can listen to your music at a reasonable volume or take a phone call without resorting to shouting.

On a mad dash, the IS isn’t quick per se but will still hit 62 mph from a standing start in 8.4

seconds and goes on to reach a top speed of 125 mph. Lexus claims a combined mpg of 65.7 on the IS. I managed just over 45 mpg, which is about the same as I averaged in a recent drive in a Golf GTD, Alfa Romeo Giulia and BMW 3 Series.

While the Europeans who chased lower emissions with diesel are now looking at a way to get similar results from their petrol models, Lexus with its petrol hybrids are well on the way to petrol Xanadu.

Interestingly, having driven it I thought that the IS’s OTR price of £35,375 was a veritable bargain when compared to some rivals’ cars I’ve tested recently. The build quality and attention to detail is superior to that found in the C-Class, Audi A4, Alfa Giulietta or Jaguar XE, for example.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, be looked after impeccably by their dealers and want to stick two fingers up to the Treasury, then the Lexus IS300h is for you.

It may not be remarkable in any way but it’s certainly a car that I can see plenty of sensible people wanting to drive every day.

CC&V VERDICT Lexus plays to its strengths as it finds itself on the right side of the fuel argument with the new IS 300h. The luxury and build quality are key additional reasons to buy one.

CC&V RATING: NNNN Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 19

On test Alfa Giulia

Andrew Walker revels in the new-look Giulia Regular readers will perhaps already know that I have a bit of a thing for Italy. 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 eagerly anticipated new saloon, the Giulia, than yours truly.

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 current 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 22 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

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Giulia offers fun, Italian style

KEY DETAILS Alfa Romeo Giulia Tecnica 2.2 JTDM-2 Auto 150bhp Price: £31,840 CO2: 109g/km BIK: 21% Combined fuel economy: 67mpg best in class and to a certain extent, has succeeded. Beautiful dials, a fabulous steering wheel and the simple black 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, 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 its 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 Finally, after a long, long wait, Alfa Romeo has got it right with the Giulia. Even the lowest specced models look fantastic and the lower powered model drive well, too.

Back at the top.

CC&V RATING: NNNN www.companycarandvan.co.uk

On test

Hyundai i30

i30 keeps up Hyundai’s progress with strong values and economy KEY DETAILS Hyundai i30 1.4 BlueDrive Premium Price: £22,780 CO2: 125g/km BIK: 23% Combined fuel economy: 44.1 mpg

Max speed: 127mph Fuel tank: 50 litre Warranty: 99,999 miles Boot capacity: 395 litres Maximum: 1,301 litres

Andrew Walker Hyundai’s original i30, launched 10 years ago, could be argued to have been the first ‘new‘ Hyundai to hit these shores that was designed specifically for the European market.

It was successful, particularly in the retail market, but it lacked both the quality and appeal of resident European leaders the Focus and Golf.

The Mk2, from 2012, was a big improvement, being better looking, better equipped and better to drive. With sister model the KIA Cee’d it stole business in the sector, mostly from the French cars as they struggled to keep up.

Five years on and Hyundai has launched the third generation i30 which, with the competition in its sector at an all-time high, needs to be better again.

From the outside the new i30 is off to a good start.

This new model represents the brand’s new design language, coming as it does with a new cascading grille, bold LED headlights and curved tail-lights all give the car a distinctive look.

For company car drivers, the smaller 1.0-litre petrol SE Nav could be the go-to company car, ticking the fuel and CO2 boxes. This petrol model returns 56.5mpg on the combined cycle, with 15g/ km of CO2. That’s comparable to the better diesels – though with this petrol engine, of course, you’d escape the 3% BIK diesel surcharge for company car driver.

There is also a 1.6 diesel, which returns 74.3mpg on the combined cycle while emitting 99g/km of CO2, which should be the fleet choice, at least until the Government decides to penalise diesel models anyway.

26 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

To keep up with the pack the latest i30 comes with a host of safety kit on board. All cars getting Autonomous Emergency Braking, Front Collision Warning and Lane Keeping Assist, High Beam Assist and Driver Attention Alert. You’ll also find Bluetooth and air con. SE models add extras such as a 5” touchscreen, rear parking sensors, electric folding door mirrors and chrome trim. SE Nav gets the bigger 8” screen with SatNav, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay while top-of-the-range Premium, my test car and Premium SE models include puddle lights, an electric driver’s seat, leather wrapped steering wheel, hand brake and gear knob S 17” alloy wheels.

The entry-level 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder is currently only available in S, SE and SE Nav specs.

The larger 1.4-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel are available across all specs apart from the basic S. All cars get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic available as an option. It costs £1,000 to upgrade, without much in the way of efficiency compromises, and is perfect for city driving. All models feature Hyundai’s stop-start technology, which shuts off the engine in traffic. I found it to be as good as any I have tried.

There’s no problems with the way the new i30 drives, with both city and motorway routes being comfortable as well as fun. There are six gears to make the motorway easier and save you money at the same time. On more twisting roads, the i30 holds the bends well and offers keen driving, as well as a 0-62 mph time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph.

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The ride is a little harsh over pot holes, but where it really shines is on the motorway where the 1.4 petrol engine is super-quiet. Both passenger and front drivers seats offer ample support and can be adjusted to fit as well.

Storage space inside the cabin is decent, with a bin between the front seats, above average sized door pockets good enough for a bottle in each, plus storage ahead of the gear lever for placing your odds and ends, without them sliding about.

The new i30 measures 4.34m long by 1.8m wide.

Good leg and head room up front is slightly spoiled by a cramped rear, where anyone over six-foot will struggle to get comfortable. I am five-feet eight and with the driver’s seat set in a position that was comfortable for me, my six-foot tall son did not have any leg room at all.

The 395-litre boot puts the Hyundai i30 on a par with most of its rivals. That’s 15 litres more than is on offer in the Volkswagen Golf and 25 litres more than in the Vauxhall Astra. However, I recently drove the private hire favourite Skoda Octavia and I can see why, because it offers a mammoth 590 litre boot.

Fold down the rear seats in the i30 though and you get a 1,301 litre capacity but that’s still almost 300 litres less than the Octavia but, to be fair, it’s bigger than in either the Astra or the Golf. www.companycarandvan.co.uk

“There’s no problems with the way the new i30 drives, with the ride on both city and motorway comfortable, as well as fun...”

Like all Hyundai products, the new i30 gets a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, beating the class-leading Volkswagen’s three-year, 60,000-mile offering.

While the latest i30 looks good and drives well, like its KIA sibling the cee’d, it lacks the sparkle that can be found in, among others, the Mazda3, Vauxhall Astra and Peugeot 308. The materials used in the i30 just aren’t as good as those you’ll find inside a Golf, Focus or Mazda3. If you want more space, then the SKODA Octavia is better, too.

However, despite that, there are major improvements to enjoy over its predecessor, which manage to get it closer to the best in class. There’s no doubting the fuel efficiency of the engine range, it handles well and it is very well equipped and being Korean, will no doubt be incredibly reliable.

In all these areas it matches or even beats some of the competition, but overall, it’s not quite good enough for a top-of-the-podium finish.

CC&V VERDICT So much to praise but lacks a touch of sparkle. Reliable and practical, and will find strong support from people who are swayed by such values CC&V RATING: NNN Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 27

On test Fiat 500L

New fun-packed 500L is bigger and better than ever Having dominated its segment, across Europe, for five years, here comes the new Fiat 500L. The roomiest 500 of all is now even more full of technology and has even more character and personality.

These characteristics combine in the three distinct versions of the car: Urban, Cross and Wagon, offered with a choice of petrol and diesel engines to delight different people and serve their individual needs.

All three share outstanding safety features and a flexible internal configuration, enabling customers to create up to 1,500 internal customisations. The 500 style is even more obvious in this updated version, on which 40% of all components are new. The Fiat 500L combines all the style and excitement of the Fiat 500 with the spaciousness and functionality of an MPV. The new Fiat 500L is designed to reinforce the family feeling of the model. The exterior style expresses all the distinctive elements which have characterised the model throughout its history, ever since its iconic 1950s forerunner. The most obvious visual links are the “moustache and badge” combo set on the trapezoidal nose, the upper headlights with chrome-plated elements and the lower cluster, now with LED daytime running lights, which pick up the graphics of

28 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

the two “zeros” in 500. These elements ensure that this new car is clearly identifiable as a Fiat 500L, even in the dark.

The interior of the new Fiat 500L is completely new, starting with an updated dashboard to give a more high-tech and iconic look. The passenger compartment offers comfort, convenience, versatility and is filled with light, while being rich in distinctive 500 touches, such as the bright “500” signature on the dashboard.

The area behind the restyled multifunctional steering wheel, now with added chrome accents, has an updated design with two circular instrument gauges on either side of a 3.5-inch colour graphic display. This combination of new steering wheel and dashboard improves the visibility of the instrument cluster, which is further enhanced

by white backlighting. The driver also benefits from an innovative TFT colour digital display, with a full set of useful information.

The new Fiat 500L displays an innovative wraparound glazing concept to improve its now class-leading visibility and ease of parking, thanks to its glazed A-pillar. Available as a fixed panel or electrically opening, the 1.5m2 optional panoramic glass roof of Fiat 500L means that occupants can enjoy a light, bright passenger compartment.

Internal space is top of its class, thanks to the passenger compartment’s generous length. Boot volume with the rear seat in the forward position is 455 litres for the Urban and Cross models. The boot on the Wagon offers up to 493 litres when the two additional seats are folded. With the rear seats folded and tumbled, capacity rises to 1480 litres for Urban and Cross and 1509 for the Wagon.

Three identities: Cross, Urban and Wagon The new Fiat 500L is available with three distinctive personalities: Urban, Cross and Wagon. The petrol engine line-up includes the 1.4-litre 16V, delivering 95hp, and the 1.4-litre 16V T-Jet, delivering 120hp, while in diesels there are the 95hp 1,300cc 16V MultiJet, also available with Dualogic transmission, and the 120hp 1,600cc 16V MultiJet. All engines comply with the Euro 6 standards.

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Futuristic C-HR throws down the gauntlet Andrew Walker takes a turn in the new Toyota C-HR – with not a right angle in sight!

Back in the 1980s I had a real soft spot for the second Mad Max movie, the ‘Road Warrior’. Set in post-apocalypse Australia, the film, starring Mel Gibson, famously featured a number of stunning car chases with the protagonists driving souped-up beach buggies.

I’d like to think that the designer of Toyota’s Coupé-High Rider, or C-HR for short, watched it too, because the C-HR would most definitely not have looked out of place in this film.

The styling of this new mid-range SUV is quite stunningly different to anything else out there and features the bold lines and shapes found on sister brand Infiniti’s QX30, as well as the Mercedes GLC Coupe. Nissan’s Juke turned heads, but not always for the right reasons, and the C-HR will do the same and may signal the death knoll for conventional crossovers.

Under the skin the C-HR uses Toyota’s new Global Architecture, which underpins several Toyota models, including the current Prius. But it is the outside which really steals the show, with the model staying true to the concept

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version debuted at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, but with five-doors.

The C-HR features a low roofline which gives it the look of the coupé. The rear door handles are hidden in the C-Pillars and are a style statement all on their own. The roof has a cool rear overhang on it, the rear lights look like the badges on Star Trek uniforms and the aggressive front is finished off nicely by the two highly placed front headlights.

There doesn’t appear to be a right angle anywhere, which is refreshing to say the least!

The C-HR’s engine choice is limited to just two: a 113bhp 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol or a 122bhp 1.8 petrol-electric hybrid, which is also used in the Prius. The 1.2 turbo comes with a six-speed manual or CVT auto, while the hybrid, like all of Toyota’s petrolelectric models, is exclusively CVT auto.

Continued on page 30

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 29

On test Toyota C-HR

Continued from page 29 The simplicity continues with the trim levels; Icon, Excel and Dynamic. You can get both engines in all three trims, although 4WD is only offered on Excel and Dynamic models.

Standard kit across the range includes auto lights and wipers, Bluetooth, DAB radio, adaptive cruise control and a 7” touchscreen infotainment screen, with traffic sign recognition. Excel models add Touch 2 multimedia SatNav, keyless entry, heated front seats, self parking and auto main beam, with my test car, the top of the range Dynamic coming with 18” wheels, LED headlamps and metallic paint as standard.

Fitted to my test model were a Premium Pack, consisting of full black leather seat upholstery and a JBL audio system – an additional £1,595 – with metallic Nebula blue paint and contrasting black roof, which adds £545 to the price.

Often the inside of a Toyota can let all of that clever exterior styling down. Toyota has worked hard to deliver a premium interior, which is much closer to the inside of a Lexus than any Toyota I have driven before.

High quality plastics and gloss black inserts were stand-out features on my test model, the C-HR Dynamic 1.2 CVT model. The stand out is the large central infotainment screen, located in the wraparound dashboard, which was finished in the car’s colour of Nebula blue. This colour continues across the bottom of the dashboard and then merges onto both interior doors. Another nice touch is the diamond pattern that’s repeated in the door trim, headlining, multi-function wheel buttons and climate controls.

Externally, the C-HR is similar in size to a Nissan Qashqai. However, because of the sloping coupé styling, it feels a little cramped in there, especially in the back. This claustrophobic feeling is heightened by the jet black roof lining, narrow rear windows and chunky rear C-Pillars which obscure your view when reversing around a corner or into a parking space.

Driver and front passenger will feel comfortably 30 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

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cocooned in the cabin, though. All the controls fall easily to hand and there’s covered storage in the centre binnacle, a cup holder in front of this and a smaller place to put your keys at and two door pocket cup holders as well. Rear passengers may lack head height, but leg room is adequate and you get neat cupholder’s in the doors. There’s a surprisingly decent sized boot, which offers 377 litres of storage. The large tailgate is refreshingly heavy and there’s extra storage underneath the boot floor. A 60/40 split/fold rear seat is standard. The seats are folded by releasing handles on top of the seat backs, rather than via handles in the boot itself.

The C-HR offers both a comfortable ride and decent handling, with all four passengers benefitting from the supple suspension and lack of body roll that’s on offer.

The relatively high driving position offers a good view of the road ahead, but you do need the reversing camera to get passed those massive C-Pillars when reversing. My test car the 1.2 CVT driven auto, was absolutely fine around town driven at lower speeds. Hit an incline or put your foot down and the CVT groans with the effort, as the engine struggles to respond as fast as you’d like. All versions get a choice of Sport, Normal and Eco modes, which alter the weight of the steering, the throttle response and CVT gearbox strategies to suit your mood and the road conditions. I tried all three, choosing in the main to drive with Eco around town and Sport on the motorway, but in all honesty the difference between all three appeared minimal. On the motorway the useful adaptive cruise control made longer journeys just that bit easier and, of course, far more relaxing, especially on any Smart motorways I encountered.

The 1.2-litre turbo engine offers just 113bhp, only 185Nm of torque and with a kerb weight of 1,320kg, the C-HR takes 11.4 seconds to go from 0-62mph, so it is sluggish. Highish CO2 emissions of 135g/km won’t help drag in fleet customers but the combined fuel economy of 49.7 mpg most certainly will.

KEY DETAILS Toyota CH-R Dynamic 1.2 CVT Price: £26,765 CO2: 135g/km BIK: 24% Combined fuel economy: 47.9mpg

CC&V VERDICT Really appealed. BIK of 24 per cent will be a plus for many and it is competitively priced.

Might do better on retail sales than with fleet world.

CC&V RATING: NNNN www.companycarandvan.co.uk

On test BMW 320d

Andrew Walker finds little to fault after a week in the ultimate reps’ car: the BMW 3 Series

Envy: the feeling you get when your neighbour drives a 3 Series 32 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

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More road reports at www.companycarandvan.co.uk Back in 1991, I shared a house in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, a suburb of Manchester, with a group of friends who drove, respectively, a Citroen BX, a Rover Maestro (my company car) and a Rover 216.

Opposite our house lived a couple with a young baby, who were the first people we knew to drive a new 1991 BMW 3 Series 316i. As a collective we were hugely jealous and for good reason, as the 1991 3 Series was the car that turned BMW into a mainstream brand in the UK and led to managers and reps the length and breadth of the country climbing into a BMW for the first time.

Roll on to 2017 and that same car is now in its sixth iteration. 25 years later it is true to say that a new 3 Series remains most definitely a big deal, both for the reps and the manufacturer itself, for whom it accounts for around a third of total sales. For fleet in particular, mid-size saloon sales has become an incredibly competitive sector, particularly with competition from the likes of Audi who, along with Mercedes Benz, is the BMW 3 Series nearest competitors, with the A4 and C Class.

Sales wise, Mercedes Benz have been steadily attacking the 3 Series with better and better C Class models, while Audi’s A4 has its fans, too.

The current 3 Series keeps the looks of the BMW family line and doesn’t look too dissimilar from the previous model, which BMW purists would probably approve of. However, one could argue that with both Audi and Mercedes breathing down their necks, perhaps BMW‘s designers could have made more dramatic changes than they have, although let’s face it, why change the look of a car that sells in bucketloads to an incredibly discerning customer?

Continuing the comparisons with the Audi and the Merc, both the A4 and C Class are pretty good to drive but neither can match the 3 Series for its driveability.

This latest version drives and handles better than anything else in its class. The electro-mechanical steering, sometimes criticised in other cars for its lack of feel, works brilliantly here. Not only is it lighter and more precise, especially around town, but when combined with rear wheel drive and a carefully balanced chassis offers go-kart handling around bends and handling that’s just not available from either the A4 or C Class.

The auto box fitted to my test car was great, too.

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Again, when compared to plenty of other auto boxes out there, BMW’s version is just better.

Further adding to the fun in the Sport are the four driving modes: Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport +. As usual, when testing a press car I try to break 50 mpg as an average fuel consumption in a calendar week.

Consequently I drove almost exclusively in Eco Pro, which is still enjoyable and managed 51.7 mpg, making it just creep over my personal Holy Grail of 50 mpg. In Comfort mode it was, well, a smoother ride and in Sport mode quicker, reaching 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, going on to a ridiculous 146 mph, so no surprises there.

I did change to Sport mode for the last 100 miles of my time in the M Sport and to no one’s surprise fuel economy dropped to 42.3 mpg. Conclusion: it’s more fun in Sport mode, but if you want to save money stick to the Eco Pro mode, which still offers great driving and acceleration.

On first viewing I doubted the rear passenger space in this 3 Series would be any good. Squeeze in three 16-year-old rugby players and I was to be proved wrong. It is surprisingly generous, with plenty of head room for the six footers.

In fairness, the rear central passenger would struggle with the large transmission tunnel to find anywhere to put their legs, so four is the most you’d want to take on longer journeys. The boot is a good size, at 480 litres, and overall the latest 3 Series ticks more boxes than it ever has before.

Every time I drive a BMW, I attempt to pick it apart.

Yes, it snowed the week I had the 320d and yes, the rear wheel drive was poor at handling it. How often do we actually get snow though outside of the really inaccessible parts of the UK? Not often. And this really was all I could come up with in the negative column for the 320d.

However hard I try to pick something ahead of the 3 Series, I can’t help but feel that it is the ultimate driving machine, at least in its sector anyway. In terms of refinement, dynamism and general fun it is not only vastly improved over its predecessor, but leaves the latest offerings from Audi and Mercedes far behind.

Go for the more frugal but still well equipped EfficientDynamics model and you have a very, very good car indeed.

Still the best after all these years.

KEY DETAILS BMW 3 Series

based on 320d M Sport Price: £33,350 CO2: 125g/km BIK: 27% Combined fuel economy: 64.2mpg Max speed: 146mph Fuel tank: 57 litre Warranty: 36 months Kerbweight: 1505kg

CC&V VERDICT The only game to play is ‘find the fault’ ... but you just can’t, unless it snows.

In August, that seems a light years away. Stunning drive CC&V RATING: NNNNN

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 33

On test

Peugeot / Renault

Stay connected with the new Peugeot 308 The new PEUGEOT 308 hits the UK in September and it’s the most connected and safest yet, with a range of technology and styling enhancements for the 2018 model year.

Customers will benefit from a 9.7” capacitive touchscreen which puts the key functions of the interior safely at the fingertips of the driver. From dual zone climate control to 3D Connected Navigation with TomTom Live updates. The new infotainment system incorporates Mirror Screen®, comprising Mirrolink®, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto functionality, allowing the seamless integration of smartphone functions with the interface, ensuring drivers safely access functions as required.

Benefitting from all of the driving aids of the globally acclaimed all-new PEUGEOT 3008 SUV, PEUGEOT’s family hatchback and SW now offer intelligent Speed Limit Recognition, Adaptive Cruise Control, with stop functionality and an Active Blind Spot Monitoring System.

Under the bonnet the New PEUGEOT 308 offers a new range of engines which are all compliant with strict Euro 6 regulations. The award winning three-cylinder PureTech petrol engine has been upgraded for the new model

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year, and is coupled with a new six-speed manual gearbox for improved efficiency and control. At-exhaust emission controls on the engine are designed for efficient pollution reduction; high-precision injection control on the 1.2L PureTech 130 Stop&Start engine enhances combustion efficiency: exhaust gases pass through a catalytic converter followed by a passive-regeneration particle filter.

The New PEUGEOT 308 is also the first PSA Group model to adopt the new 1.5L BlueHDi 130 S&S diesel engine, a four-cylinder unit

that also implements at-source and at-exhaust emission control.

The new eight-speed automatic transmission coupled with the 2.0L BlueHDi 180 Stop&Start completes the new engine range, while the New PEUGEOT 308 GTi by PEUGEOT SPORT is powered by a 270 PS THP Stop&Start unit, enabling 0-62 mph in just 6.0 seconds with CO2 emissions of just 139g/km.

On the inside, new seat fabrics for Active and Allure trims enhance the comfortable interior, as does the i-Cockpit® layout with its trademark compact steering wheel.

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Renault backing MPVs with new Grand Scenic Renault launched the Megane Scenic, the first small MPV, back in 1996. Customers couldn’t get enough of it and it spawned a host of imitators.

Over the past 20 years however, MPV popularity has wained, replaced by SUVs/ Crossovers on most customers’ driveways.

Despite this, the latest Renault Scenic arrived here at the end of 2016 featuring a more radical look than its predecessors, inspired by the current demand for Crossovers.

It has a familiar Renault line-up: Expression+, Dynamique, Dynamique S and Signature models. All models come attractively equipped with alloys, climate control, keyless entry, DAB and Bluetooth. We were driving the Dynamique S Nav, which adds 20” alloys, panoramic sunroof with electric sun blind, Sat-Nav with TomTom Live, a rear parking camera, an 8.7-inch infotainment set-up, a head-up display and 11-speaker Bose stereo.

There are five engine choices, beginning with the 1.2 TCe turbo petrol in 115 guise in the Expression+, while the rest of the range has a 130 version of the same engine. For diesel customers, there’s a choice of the 1.5 dCi 110, which powered our test car or the larger 1.6 dCi130 or 160 in the top-spec Signature

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model only.

It’s an interesting car, both inside and out, with a bulbous front end and curves down the side. The rear is quite subtle and feature the same signature rear light clusters debuted ion the Megane. In-your-face Exception 20” alloys finish off the overall aggressive look, mile’s away from MPV’s of old.

Up front, passenger space is excellent with multi-adjustable front seats making it easy to get comfortable. The rear seats slide back and forth but there is not as much leg room as you would think, although rear headroom is excellent. There’s also a class-leading boot space capacity of 572-litres, plus there’s a removable boot floor under which our test car hid the Bose sub-woofer and emergency spare

wheel. The rear bench can be folded at the touch of a button, with this increasing the boot capacity to 1,554 litres.

Those 20” alloys don’t help the ride of the Megane, which is a bit sloppy and hard, especially around town. Despite its increase size, the steering and handling around tight corners is excellent and with our extra hands-free parking pack squeezing into tight spaces was easy too. The 1,461cc engine with torque of 260Nms at 1,750rpm does feel underpowered and I would be tempted to go for the more powerful 1.6 version.

Better news is the CO2 emissions which are an attractive 100g/km and the claimed combined fuel economy is 72.4 mpg. My real world test had that figure at 46.8mpg, probably because I push the accelerator too hard hoping for some oomph!

CC&V VERDICT Generously equipped and for the lower specced models, attractively priced as well. Let down a bit by harsh ride and lack of power from the 1.5dCi engine; the 1.6 could be a better option. A family friendly NNNN

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 37

On test

Mazda CX-5

CX-5: better connected and even more handsome than before When it was launched back in 2012, the Mazda CX5 received a London Olympiads’ worth of praise and honours as it hit the ground running, with Mazda’s new SKYACTIV technology to the fore.

Fast forward to 2017 and Mazda has given the CX-5 an overhaul, partly to keep up with the competition and partly because the crossover sector has become incredibly important, with 20 per cent of UK Mazda sales coming from the current CX-5. In the five years since it was launched, UK customers have bought almost 35,000 of them, with 46 per cent of those sales coming from the fleet sector.

Unsurprisingly, 84 per cent were diesel and 62 per cent 2WD, so Mazda is predicting that the best seller from the new model range will be the 2.2 diesel 2WD 150PS version.

Mazda has kept the new model range simple. Two specs, SE-L Nav or Sport Nav, powered by either one petrol, a 165PS 2WD manual, or two diesels the 150PS available in 2WD and All wheel-drive as manual or auto and a larger 175PS with AWD only.

Prices range from £23,695 for the petrol 2WD SE-L Nav up to £33,195 for the range topping 175PS AWD diesel Sport Nav auto.

Company Car and Van drove both the petrol and the 150PS diesel versions, with both benefitting from the enhancements that Mazda has made to the new model.

There’s an all-new interior featuring higher quality plastics and soft-touch leather, a new steering wheel, a re-jigged centre console plus wood and metal interior panelling. The old CX-5 was good looking, but the upgrades to the new model make it look even better! The exterior has been sharpened with sleeker sides, a lower roofline, slim-line front and rear lights and an uncluttered front end, that really shows 38 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

off the new CX-5’s design, while remaining loyal to Mazda’s design ethos.

All models feature LED headlights, auto power folding mirrors, dual-zone climate control, DAB radio with a 7” colour touchscreen display with Mazda’s integrated SatNav system. Step up to Sport Nav and you’ll add a reversing camera, an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, Smart keyless entry, heated front seats and steering wheel, a power lift tailgate and a new heads up display featuring Traffic Sign Recognition.

Enter the car and the internal proportions are impressive. There’s loads of headroom all around and plenty of room for three averaged-sized adults in the back. The boot itself has 506-litre volume with the seats in place and loaded to the roof with the seats down there’s a huge 1,620 litres of luggage space.

Moreover, the use of a 9 mm thinner boot floor board allied to the reorganisation of the tool storage layout has increased the under-floor storage volume from 10 to 30 litres. There’s also the addition of new floor-mounted cargo net hooks.

We tested the new CX-5 in the Highlands of Scotland, which meant plenty of single lane driving across the Cairngorms, as well as some busier A roads between Inverness and Aberdeen. Sitting in the driver’s seat as we made our way through Aviemore it felt a good place to be. The CX-5 still handles well, perhaps enhanced by a chassis that has more than 50 per cent new components, the development of the all-new Mazda CX-5 has seen Mazda’s engineers work to deliver an SUV that takes the Jinba Ittai car-anddriver-as-one design and engineering philosophy to the next level. This includes enhancements to the responsiveness and controllability through of the all-new SKYACTIV-BODY and SKYACTIV-CHASSIS,

KEY DETAILS Mazda CX-5 2.2 diesel 2WD 150PS SE- L Nav Price: £25,695 CO2: 132g/km BIK: 25% Combined fuel economy: 56.5mpg

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More road reports at www.companycarandvan.co.uk complimented by the introduction of G-Vectoring Control (GVC), the first of Mazda’s SKYACTIVVEHICLE DYNAMIC technologies.

Mazda engineers have also upgraded the steering, suspension and brake systems, to enhance the handling and the stability the previous CX-5 was known for. They’ve also concentrated a lot of their efforts on making the CX-5 quieter on the road, with particular emphasis on the reduction of low frequency road noise and high frequency wind and tyre noise when driving at speed. Measures to reduce wind noise began with the aerodynamic styling of the body itself, which is designed to suppress air turbulence. In addition, the windscreen wiper stowage position is located below the surface extension of the bonnet and both door mirrors and A-pillars are aerodynamically shaped to reduce wind noise, while door and garnish gaps have also been minimised and both the doors and tailgate benefit from parting sealant.

While the new CX-5 looks and feels better, the petrol engine lacks any mid-range pulling power.

With just two of us on board it really struggled to get up long inclines without dropping down a gear. It’s perfectly capable on the flat and will do an every day job for you, including on the motorway, but if you are looking to drive through hilly areas or to tow, the petrol engine may not be right for you. The petrol unit comes with a top speed of 125 mph and a 0-62 mph time of 10.2 seconds. Emissions are high at 149g/km and the claimed economy for the combined cycle is 44.1 mpg – we averaged 40.1 mpg-.

We also drove the identically specced, 2.2 SKYACTIV 2WD diesel Sport Nav 150PS manual, which handles just as well as the petrol model but offers far better mid-range power, especially useful as we drove past the Queen’s house at Balmoral and in the real world, for overtaking on the motorway. It’s quicker, 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds with a top speed of 127mph, offers better emissions, 132g/km and returns better combined fuel economy as well, 50.4mpg – we averaged 43.2 mpg- all of which made it my favourite of the two we tested.

For company car drivers, though, it’s perhaps not such an easy choice. The media is busy bashing diesels, so petrol is flavour of the month. The entry level 2.0 SE-L Nav CX-5 costs £23,695, while the equivalent 2.2 diesel SE-L Nav costs £25,695, that’s £2,000 more. Of course, it’s not that simple, because no doubt Mazda will incentivise fleet customers on the diesel model, it is after all projected to account for 80 per cent of CX-5 sales and the tax man still loves diesels more than the London Mayor! From a purely driver’s point of view I preferred the diesel, which gave me just a bit more power when required.

Company Car really liked the first CX-5 and although the upgrades to the new model may not appear to be that great when you first look at them. But add all of these up and it has actually been improved. For example, on my previous drive in the old CX-5 in which I drove over 400 miles, half on the motorway, I managed to average just 35mpg, while the new model on A roads and www.companycarandvan.co.uk

winding, hilly B roads returned 43.2mpg. It’s also more attractive both inside and out, offers more up-to-date tech that works really well and, like all Mazdas, is great fun to drive.

On the negative side, it’s more expensive than the Nissan Qashqai and KIA Sportage and the 165PS petrol engine won’t be for all.

What makes the CX-5 stand out from the competition is that it looks fantastic, an amalgam of the Jaguar F-Pace and Maserati Levante, which has to be a good thing!

CC&V VERDICT The new CX-5 proves that you can have an SUV that is actually good to drive, with good fuel economy, that looks special.

CC&V RATING: NNNN

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 39

In review

Jaguar XF Sportbrake v

• Dramatic proportions lead to aerodynamic efficiency of Cd 0.29 • Outstanding usability and flexibility: 565 litres of boot space expands to 1,700 litres with the split folding rear seats lowered • Self-levelling rear Integral-Link air suspension ensures an effortless ride even with towing a load up to 2,000kg • Super-fast 10-inch Touch Pro infotainment system • Four state-of-the-art fourcylinder Ingenium petrol and diesel engines deliver clean, efficient power from 163PS to 250PS, with CO2 emissions as low as 118g/km

Jaguar has taken the wraps off its stunning new XF Sportbrake, re-introducing the company to the premium estate segment with a compelling combination of Jaguar design, driving dynamics and advanced technologies that make it the standout performer in its class.

It sets new standards for practicality and convenience with user-friendly features and technologies that make every trip safer, smarter and more relaxed. Its combination of space and efficiency make the Sportbrake the perfect companion for customers with active lifestyles.

These include Tow Assist technology and Jaguar’s rugged new wearable Activity Key, which lets users secure their vehicle while enjoying outdoor sports or activities without fear of losing their main key fob.

Drivers are also able to set the maximum opening height for the gesture tailgate to prevent damage in areas where height is restricted, such as multi-storey car parks and garages.

With a design that retains the distinctive curves of the saloon at the front, the new XF Sportbrake embodies Jaguar’s key

design DNA and incorporates an eyecatching roofline, which sets it apart from the competition. Its sleek silhouette projects a dynamic and purposeful profile that transforms the amount of space available inside.

The interior provides spacious accommodation flooded with natural light from the full-length 1.6sq m panoramic roof. Rear occupants benefit from enhanced knee room and improved headroom, while the practical loadspace can accommodate 565 litres of luggage.

The new XF Sportbrake builds on the success of the saloon and has all of the advanced all-wheel-drive (AWD) technologies and aluminium-intensive architectures that have made the XF a multi-award winner. Jaguar Land Rover’s family of innovative Ingenium powertrains equips the Sportbrake with the latest engine technologies.

The suspension set-up has been specially calibrated to reflect the demands placed on premium lifestyle estate models. The stiff and lightweight set-up gives the spacious estate Jaguar’s signature

Give us a brake, sport!

Tennis champion Sir Andy Murray with the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake outside Wimbledon

40 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

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dynamics: a sports car-inspired character with agile handling and dynamic responses. Self-levelling air sprung rear suspension is fitted as standard to ensure the XF Sportbrake maintains its composure, even when fully loaded.

Jaguar’s optional Configurable Dynamics system enables drivers to fine-tune settings for the steering, transmission and throttle. With Adaptive Dynamics dampers fitted, customers can also tune the suspension settings for the ultimate personalisation of the driving experience.

Advanced software functions developed

by Jaguar Land Rover, such as All Surface Progress Control (ASPC), Adaptive Surface Response (ASR) and Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) put the Sportbrake’s traction in low-grip situations and cornering ability on the same level as the saloon.

Customers looking for the ultimate confidence can choose an AWD drivetrain and Jaguar’s IDD system, which eliminates the understeer and electronic interventions that typically characterise dynamic driving in all-wheel-drive models.

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As a result, the AWD XF Sportbrake retains Jaguar’s trademark rear-wheel-drive feel and agile steering responses.

The XF Sportbrake continues Jaguar’s leadership in aluminium-intensive body construction to deliver a lightweight design that is both stiffer and lighter than its predecessor. Featuring an innovative new single-piece polymer tailgate, the Sportbrake delivers a near perfect 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution providing the foundations for its exceptional handling and outstanding efficiency.

Measuring 4,955mm, the new Sportbrake is 6mm shorter than the previous model, but its wheelbase has been lengthened by 51mm to 2,960mm.

This optimises rear legroom and load space and contributes to the vehicle’s exceptionally refined ride quality.

Aerodynamics are also superior with a slippery drag coefficient of just 0.29 contributing to CO2 emissions as low as 118g/km.

Jaguar Land Rover’s range of advanced four and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines provides customary Jaguar

performance, efficiency and towing capacity.

The range starts with a rear-wheel-drive 163PS Ingenium diesel with variable geometry turbocharging that drives like a true Jaguar and provides exceptional efficiency. The advanced powerplant delivers CO2 emissions of just 118g/km with fuel efficiency of 62.8mpg (4.5 l/100km) on the Combined cycle. ­­At the other end of the performance spectrum, customers can choose the 300PS Turbocharged V6 diesel engine. Paired with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, this combination provides sports car performance with the sprint from 0-100km/h completed in 6.6 seconds (0-60mph in 6.1 seconds).

Interior space is generous both in terms of head and legroom, especially in the rear, where passengers are treated to more knee room despite the new model’s shorter overall length, and four-zone climate control, heated seats and one of the industry’s largest panoramic sunroofs all ensure that travelling in the back of the Sportbrake is like flying business class.

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 41

On test

Kia Optima PHEV

KIA makes bright start with Optima PHEV Andrew Walker Kia’s mission to lower its average CO2 emissions by 25 per cent before the end of the decade has seen the launch of the company’s first plug-in hybrid model, the Optima PHEV. It is priced at £31,495 after taking into account the Government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant.

With a range of up to 33 miles in all-electric mode, the Optima PHEV is able to complete many regular urban commuter runs with no tailpipe emissions, while its CO2 figure of just 37g/km means company car users pay just seven per cent benefit-in-kind taxation.

The Optima PHEV combines a 154bhp 2.0-litre direct injection petrol engine with a 50kW (67bhp) electric motor powered by a 9.8kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. The electric motor replaces the torque converter in the smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission. When working together, the combustion engine and motor generate 202bhp and 375Nm of torque.

A package of aerodynamic, styling and technology features contributes towards the Optima PHEV’s low CO2 emissions and potential fuel economy of up to 176.6mpg

44 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

while ensuring it is instantly recognisable as the high-efficiency model in the Optima range. An active air flap grille lowers the car’s drag co-efficient (Cd) to 0.25 when closed.

The Optima PHEV is a stand-alone model in the Optima range and comes with a comprehensive range of standard connectivity and advanced driver assistance features, including an 8.0-inch touch-screen navigation system with European mapping, Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management and Hill-start Assist Control.

From the outside Kia has made some subtle changes to the PHEV, which make it stand out from its Optima diesel sibling. Distinguishing features include blue-tinted headlights and chrome enhancements with a metallic blue finish on the lower front air grille, the

‘tiger-nose’ main grille and the side sills. There are ‘ECO plug-in’ badges on the front wings, while the recharging port for the batteries is housed in the left front wing.

Driving the PHEV and comparing it to the diesel version of the Optima is a little unfair.

The sheer size and weight of the batteries in the PHEV, which are located under the rear seats, mean that the driver can really feel the added weight when cornering and it’s nowhere near as satisfying to drive as the 1.7 manual diesel version. Put your foot down in the PHEV and nothing really happens for a second or so, before the engine roars and lurches into life, a similar feeling to driving in Kia’s new Niro model. To be fair, the gearbox does make city driving easy and in a straight line the PHEV performs well. It’s excellent on the motorway, where any long journey, usually punctuated by traffic jams or motorway-works speed-limits, are taken in the PHEV’s stride. So if you drive mainly on the motorway, then the PHEV could be for you.

Verdict: A good start in a growing sector but no class-leader – yet

NNN

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Blade ready to give Isuzu a big slice of the pick-up market Andrew Walker Just like the company car market, the company pick-up market has become increasingly competitive.

With the launch of improved models in 2016 from the likes of Ford, Toyota and Nissan with, respectively, the Ranger, Hilux and Navara, the pick-up sector has become even hotter than ever. Add to that Mitsubishi’s year-old L200 and Fiat Professional’s Fullback, and Renault and MercedesBenz have new pick-ups in the pipeline as well.

All offer off-road capability but with improved on road driveability, and are all fitted with the type of standard equipment found in most family SUVs: Bluetooth, SatNav, DAB radio, MP3 with Aux-in, heated

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leather seats and steering wheel controls. And as the vehicles have improved, so sales have soared: from just 19,500 in 2010 to an expected 50,000+ in 2017.

Isuzu launched its contender, the D-Max, in 2012 and updated it this year with a target of grabbing 7,000 of these sales per year.

At its heart the D-Max has a new 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine has been fitted, which produces 164 PS and 360 Nm of torque. The engine retains the 3.5 tonne towing capacity and over one tonne payload while providing a quieter, more refined and economical driving experience.

Another key benefit is that the new engine meets Euro 6 standards without the need for the addition of AdBlue.

As per previous D-Max models, Continued on page 46 Shift-On-The-Fly 4×4 is a key feature of the 17MY truck. The rotary dial allows the driver to select four-wheel drive on the move and is also equipped with low range gears.

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 45

On test

Isuzu D-Max Blade Continued from page 45 The range-line up from the much-loved D-Max is retained; Utility, Eiger, Yukon, Utah and Blade with a range of single, extended and double cab variants available.

The entry-level Utility D-Max, priced from £15,749 (CVOTR) comes equipped with LED daytime running lights, Hill Start Assist, Variable Hill Descent Control, Bluetooth® connectivity, power windows and air conditioning. As you go through the options the price rises but the kit improves: Eiger double cab (from £20,499 CVOTR) adds a reversing camera, 16-inch alloy wheels, body coloured bumpers, audio system with CD player and 6 speakers, while Yukon (from £20,499 CVOTR) adds 18-inch alloy wheels, silver side steps, new 7-inch multi-function touchscreen, LED rear lights, Cruise Control, rear load liner and a leather steering wheel.

The range-topping Blade (from £26,999 CVOTR) adds tinted windows, 9-inch multi-function touchscreen and a colourcoded Aeroklas canopy or sports bar with roller cover.

All models come with a five-year / 125,000-mile warranty and was the first pick-up in the UK to be offered with such a comprehensive peace-of-mind package.

Running costs are kept down by 12,000-mile or 24-month service intervals, five years’

46 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

“Isuzu found that the 1.9-litre engine is the optimum size to blend efficiency and achieve the torque necessary for D-Max to retain its core workhorse capabilities of a 3.5 tonne towing capacity and 1 tonne payload...” roadside rescue and recovery including European cover, a three-year paint warranty and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty.

The interior of the new-generation D-Max has also been updated. The instrument panel has been redesigned with an updated central display and clearer font. Manual transmission models also come equipped with a gear shift indicator to assist drivers with achieving optimal fuel economy.

All of the cosmetic changes, especially those inside the cab, have most definitely improved all of the D-Max range and have aligned it more with the lifestyle pick-ups already launched . However, it is the engine and transmission options which are the key changes. The engine has been downsized to a new 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine which produces 164 PS and 360 Nm of torque. A choice of new 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox options are available, specifically

developed for the new D-Max. Isuzu told the gathered motoring writers that while the competition has been increasing their engine size, after in-depth research, they had found that the 1.9-litre engine proved to be the optimum size to blend efficiency and achieve the torque necessary for D-Max to retain its core workhorse capabilities of a 3.5 tonne towing capacity and 1 tonne payload. Another key benefit is that the new engine meets Euro 6 standards without the need for the addition of AdBlue. Sceptics will look at the reduction of engine size from 2.5-litres to 1.9-litres as a hindrance to performance, but through a combination of on and off road driving, Isuzu were going to show us otherwise.

Our driving route was to take us across the North Yorkshire Moors and as CC&V readers are most likely to select the Utah or Blade models, it was these two versions that I spent the day driving, beginning with the Blade.

First and foremost, it looks great: for me the best looking pick-up of any I have driven recently. Big bold wheel arches, wrap-around headlights and black roof rails make it stand out on the road. The piano black cabin of the D-Max was well laid out and I found all of the controls easy and comfortable to use.

You can get three adults in the rear, but whoever sits in the centre seat may not want

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to be there for long as it is bouncy in there, as with all unladen pick-ups.

Some readers may not be as keen to know what goodies their pick-up comes with, but rather what can it do. A pick-up should be used as a pick-up. Isuzu took us around a tough off-road obstacle course at Duncombe Park and I was able to utilise the D-Max’s new technology such as Hill Descent Control, including driving along and across a fast flowing river. The D-Max also shone while towing a trailer and with 1,000kg of hay in the back on-road and I can genuinely confirm that

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the smaller 1.9-litre engine does the job at least as well as the previous 2.5-litre version; indeed, with improved gear ratios, in first and second gear it is even better !

Friends and neighbours always ask me about pick-ups and whether they would cut it as a family car. Because it looks great, the Blade would definitely attract the family man. While they are ‘so much better than they used to be,’ I tell them, ‘this is not an SUV but a pick-up.’

If you’re used to the soft-road ability of an SUV, then any pick-up will come as bit of a shock, especially to those travelling in the rear.

There’s no getting away from the fact that the D-Max as well as all other pick-ups, is a commercial vehicle and it shines as one.

As luck would have it, I drove the latest Amarok Aventura just a couple of weeks prior to trying out the new Blade. While both have their plus points, the D-Max wins hands down for its looks and its price. While not quite as sold inside as the Amarok, D-Max beats the Amarok’s 3 tonnes towing power, offering 3.5 tonnes. And that’s at around £3,000 cheaper, inclusive of the rear Aerokla’s canopy or black roller cover or rear style bar.

The Blade has a CV OTR price of £27,999, which puts it up against the likes of the Hilux Invincible, Ranger Wildtrak, Navara Tekna and the Amarok Highline.

Isuzu’s pick-up range is more extensive and better value for money than its competitors, offering a pick-up for all budgets. Your pick-up is your livelihood and Isuzu’s reliability is second to none. These conclusions – in my opinion – make D-Max the pick-up of choice for those in the know, and this new 1.9-litre version makes an even more compelling case.

CC&V VERDICT A Ray Winstone of a big, bold sexy beast.

Will carve up a huge part of a growing market for Isuzu CC&V RATING: NNNN

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 47

CVs on test VW Crafter

Sprinter, watch your back!

Andrew Walker finds a real rival to the top-dog from Mercedes when he tests the Volkswagen Crafter Trendline CR35 MWB 2.0 TDI 140 PS 6 speed In the battle of the motorway cruisers, The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has led the way for some time. Despite the Mk1 Volkswagen Crafter being almost identical to its Mercedes sibling it has never enjoyed the same level of popularity, selling just over 8,000 units a year in the UK. The launch of the Mk2 Crafter, then, is an important one for Volkswagen, which is hoping that it will contribute a greater percentage of sales within its CV range worldwide. And, choice-wise, it’s off to a good start. The new Crafter is offered in front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and 4Motion all-wheeldrive with a range of three versions of the same 2.0-litre TDI engine, offering power outputs of 100bhp, 138bhp and 175bhp.

The 100bhp unit delivers torque of 300Nm between 1,400 and 2,250rpm, the 138bhp option has 340Nm from 1,600rpm to 2,250rpm, with the range-topping BiTurbo unit offering 410Nm between 1,500 and 2,000rpm. It’s also available as single or double cab with varying lengths, with or without conversions solutions, including dropsides and tippers (ex-factory). It also has a maximum gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 5.5 tonnes.

The likely most popular model in the range will be the mid-range Trendline MWB, driven by the 140PS engine and coupled to the 6-speed manual gear box and this was the model that was delivered to CC&V for us to review.

First things first. The new Crafter looks fantastic and is much more in keeping with the Volkswagen passenger car look, which is not a bad thing. It also has the nicest van interior I have experienced thus far, with a real car-like ambience. The driving position is excellent, with switchgear and steering wheel borrowed from Volkswagen’s car range and the quality of the plastics and finishes rival its cars as well. In cabin storage is generous.

There are two door pockets in each door, an array of dash-top cubbies with a USB connection plus two 12-volt power supply points. Add in numerous cup holders, a decent-sized glovebox and, on our test model, the addition of overhead storage above all three front seats, and you have some really useful space.

Equipment levels are excellent. Standard 50 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

safety kit on all models includes four airbags, ESP stability control, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System and side-wind assist, while Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Assist and Front-Assist emergency braking are options, with all fitted to our Trendline test model.

All engines are 2.0-litre units from VW’s EA 288 family of commercial vehicle units, with low revs pulling power as well as fuel efficiency. All are Euro6 compliant, and feature common-rail injection engines fitted with an advanced SCR catalytic convertor system to clean the exhaust gases. A stop-start system is also fitted as standard, with VW claiming a 15 per cent improvement in fuel economy over the previous Crafter, while Volkswagen claims class-leading aerodynamics of 0.33 Cd. Our 6-speed manual model with the 138bhp engine returns a claimed 38.2mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 193g/km. To be fair, neither are earthshattering. Volkswagen has also reduced running costs through extended service intervals compared to the old Crafter. There’s one less oil change needed in the first 200,000km than before, while other measures make servicing more affordable. Indeed, as I write this piece in Summer 2017, VW is offering customers two years’ free servicing on all new Crafter purchases.

Although the MWB Crafter is a large van, it never feels big on the road. It drives and handles like a saloon car and is by far the best van in this respect I have ever driven. This is partly due to the fitting of the electromechanical steering system, a first for the large panel van class which basically adjusts the steering weight according to the van’s speed. The easy to reach six-speed gear stick is neat and slick to work and the overall feeling driving the new Crafter is incredibly

relaxing, far more so than in other vans of this size.

Our test model offered a payload of 3.5t, a capacity of 14.4 cubic metres and measures 5,986mm long by 2,427mm wide by 2,590 mm high. The rear doors open up to 270 degrees and the side door has a 1,311mm opening. Our MWB test model offers space for six Euro pallets, while the load bay itself is lined with rigging tracks giving a host of different options for securing cargo.

Taking advantage of a large van for a week, I used the Crafter to transport a second-hand wardrobe measuring 2m high x 1.5 m wide and it fitted in the back very, very easily. A wide range of options is also available, designed to tailor the panel van loadbay for different needs. A wooden floor with integrated shelving mounts that allow the installation of existing racking systems is offered, along with an interior roof rack and storage boxes over the wheel arches.

Out on the road, the Crafter really is a joy to drive. Somehow VW has managed to make a large van feel like driving an everyday car, even on smaller, winding roads. The high level of equipment adds to the enjoyment, making long motorway journeys far more comfortable than they should be.

It is pricey, but given the choice of a long day in the Crafter or any of its rivals, the Crafter definitely gets my vote.

CC&V VERDICT So car-like it’s amazing, a great drive and beautifully finished. Far better than predecessor: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, watch out!

CC&V RATING: NNNNN www.companycarandvan.co.uk

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It’s a Serie A this time, Ducato The Ducato represents a spirited comeback from Fiat Professional, says Andrew Walker Like its cars, Fiat commercials have come an awful long way in recent years – and a classic case in point is the Ducato.

It’s a great looking van both inside and out, with some nice touches showing the Italian marque’s flair. There’s a nice splash of silver around the air vents on the dash which enliven the otherwise bland black layout. At the front, Fiat has added attractive curving lights which make the Ducato quite pleasing to the eye, not an easy job with a large van.

There’s also a positive vibe in the interior as well, with good quality plastics throughout which look and feel hard wearing, although perhaps not quite up to the level of plastics found in some of its German competitors.

Back in the day, driving vans of old was more of a chore than we realised at the time and with all brands now producing higher quality vehicles in a very competitive market, the Ducato is now much more enjoyable to pilot than any of its previous incarnations. Key reasons behind this is include the full sized bulkhead, which keeps the cabin

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relatively quiet, and the Comfort-matic gearbox is well configured, although there is a tendency for it to tell you to change up earlier than you’d want to.

Fiat has made sure that the Ducato has loads of useful storage space. Two deep door pockets, two slimmer ones above these, a full width parcel shelf above you head, a space on the dash above the glove box and a three bottle/cup type holder in the centre of the van below the dash are all useful, as is the dashmounted clipboard that morphs into a holder for your mobile phone or tablet computer.

On the motorway, set the cruise control and you have an accomplished motorway performer at 70 mph. Noise levels are considerably lower than those from the

equivalent 2.2-litre engine fitted to the Boxer and Relay. Even around town the Ducato is more of a breeze to drive than some of its competitors and I would go as far as to say that it feels smaller than it is, although supermarket car parks and the like on a busy day are still hard work in a van of this size.

Those of you who run a van in this class will be interested in the technical info for the Ducato. My test model was the Ducato 35 SH1 2.3 MultiJet II 16v with 130 bhp, at the basic price of £28,828 otr. The important stats and facts and figures regarding payload and load dimensions can be found in the panel (left).

Fuel economy was around 37 mpg on the combined cycle, some way off Fiat’s claimed 45.6 mpg. CO2 emissions with the addition of Stop/Start have come down from the last Ducato to 164g/km. I found that on the motorway I could get as much as 44 mpg but around town this fell to just under 30 mpg, so my figure has been based on these readings.

VERDICT Hugely impressive. Not quite a Transit but is cheaper and more than a match for most.

Great value.

CC&V RATING: NNNN

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 51

CV News Iveco Daily

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Daily range ‘unequalled’ say judges as it lands top van fleet award Fleet World has hailed the IVECO Daily Euro 6 award-winning light commercial vehicle range as “unequalled” in the market place as it named it as the winner in its Best Light Truck category.

It is the second year in a row the Daily has taken the title.

Organised by Van Fleet World magazine, the Fleet World Honours were judged by the Fleet World Group editors.

Summing up their comments, Dan Gilkes, Van Fleet World Editor, says: “The line between a heavy van and a light truck is increasingly hard to define, but any vehicle that offers a gross vehicle weight of up to 7.2-tonnes certainly deserves to compete across both market sectors.

“IVECO’s Daily performs very well in the regular 3.5-tonne van market, but the fact that it can also knock on the door of the 7.5-tonne truck market gives it a real USP in this growing sector,” he adds.

Unveiled in April 2016, IVECO’s latest generation Daily Euro 6 range introduced features to make it even more comfortable for the driver and productive for operators. It offers gross vehicle weights in the UK and Ireland from 3.5 to 7.2 tonnes, and cargo volumes from 7.3m³ up to 19.6m³ on panel vans – the largest available on the domestic market.

The Daily Euro 6 range also includes the class exclusive Hi-Matic family, which offers the ultimate driver comfort and all the benefits of safety, performance and productivity thanks to its 8-speed automatic gearbox – as found in premium cars manufactured by Jeep and Maserati. The Hi-Matic transmission stands out in the light commercial vehicle market for delivering

absolute driving pleasure, with its ability to smoothly engage the correct gear in less than 200 milliseconds.

Commenting on the win, Pierre Lahutte, IVECO Brand President, says: “Securing this award is confirmation that we have the most extensive Daily line-up ever, and the best. The range has clinched many titles, including ‘Large Van of the Year’ at the 2017 What Van? Awards, and it’s clear that Daily Euro 6 offers our customers unrivalled performance day after day, with improved fuel efficiency and advanced driveline technologies. The low repair and maintenance costs, extended

service intervals and long-lasting components make Daily the perfect business partner for owner-drivers and fleets.”

The complete IVECO Daily line-up includes van, semi-windowed van, chassis cab, chassis cowl and crew cab options, plus an extensive range of factory-built minibuses – complemented by specialist coach-built models through the new IVECO Busmaster accreditation programme. Daily can even be specified as a dedicated 4x4 model, to tackle challenging off-road missions.

Continued on page 54

Emmet steps up to new role at exciting time for Iveco IVECO has appointed Emmet Wrafter as Light Business Line Director, with responsibility for its multi-award-winning Daily light commercial range in the UK and Ireland.

Wrafter, 39, previously worked in dealer sales roles at Citroën in 2003, and Audi in 2004. A year later he set-up his own dealership, Wrafter Motors, before joining the Ford’s commercial vehicle product marketing team in 2011.

During his five years at Ford, 52 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

Wrafter took on roles including Direct Fleet Sales Manager, National Account Manager and Dealership Zone Manager. He left Ford in February 2016 to become Director of Tactical Sales & Stock at LeasePlan, before accepting the position with IVECO. Wrafter says: “After roles in retail, fleet and leasing, it’s the perfect chance to bring all of my skills and experience together with a brand and a model range which offers significant growth potential. The UK is moving more freight on small

to medium sized vans than ever before; the dynamic of the market is changing, and I don’t believe there’s another manufacturer as best placed to respond.”

He added: “From the biggest 3.5 tonne panel van on the market, to the new 7.2 tonne chassis cab models, IVECO is developing the right products to meet customer needs. When you consider the opportunities for Daily Natural Power and Daily Electric as well, it’s a really exciting time to be joining IVECO and CNH Industrial.” Emmet will be based at IVECO’s UK headquarters in Basildon. www.companycarandvan.co.uk

CV News IVECO Daily

Continued from page 52 Electric and natural gas powered models complete the range, demonstrating IVECO’s commitment to innovative, efficient, alternative-fuelled transport solutions, and cementing its position in the marketplace as being a true partner for sustainable transport.

Gilkes added: “Daily is available in such a wide combination of wheelbases, roof heights and engine specifications, that there has to be a model to suit almost every application.

“IVECO also offers Daily as a high-riding 4x4 which can compete with the best off-roaders, giving it a simply unequalled line-up.”

The new generation Daily Hi-Matic Euro 6 family offers a uniquely wide range of engine ratings up to 210 hp and 470 Nm, and with the new intelligent EcoSwitch PRO system it further raises the bar on fuel efficiency.

Euro 6 highlights include up to 8% fuel savings, up to 12% maintenance and repairs costs savings, extended Daily Hi-Matic Euro 6 family with 5 engine ratings, a uniquely wide range of 4-cyl engines from 120 to 210 hp and a choice of Euro 6 engine technologies to match customer missions.

The New Daily Euro 6 range also features Iveco’s DAILY BUSINESS UP app for tablets and smartphones, making it the first light commercial vehicle to take on-board connectivity beyond the concept of infotainment, turning it into a professional

54 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

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work tool with its very own app.

This is Iveco using technology to push the boundaries of van and driver performance, raising comfort to a new level, deliver more connectivity and lowering its overall Total Cost of Ownership. This reflects its Business Instinct and making it the perfect business partner.

The DAILY BUSINESS UP App can act as a Driver Assistant with features such as the Driving Style Evaluation (DSE) system that provides real-time driving suggestions, which can result in significant fuel savings. It can also help to optimise the fleet’s efficiency with

Fleetwork and keep track of servicing.

It makes the Daily the first light commercial vehicle to take on-board connectivity beyond the concept of infotainment, turning it into a true professional work tool.

• IVECO Daily was named Best imported transporter up to 3.5 tonnes and Best imported transporter more than 3.5 tonnes by the German publishing group ETM, while its sister model, the Daily Tourys, was named International Minibus of the Year 2017 by the Bus, Coach and Minibus of the Year international jury.

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CV News Renault Trucks

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Renault Trucks: Ready for Business Renault Trucks new Head of LCVs, Grahame Neagus, has plans to make a serious impact on the LCV market over the next five years and beyond.

The cornerstone of the strategy is a relentless focus on looking after customers throughout their specification, acquisition and ongoing maintenance journey and in every interaction with a Renault Trucks dealer “We have a culture here at Renault Trucks that is all about passion for our brand and the values it stands for,” said Grahame. “Our new strategy runs through every fibre of me and the team across the UK and Ireland – customers need a dependable supplier and our 123-year truck heritage underpins our customer focus.

“Our strategy is built on the strength of our customer relationships, delivering industry leading products and services that are robust and supported by our total commitment.”

The new strategy has already borne fruit with a complete revamp of the Ready for Business range from Renault Trucks, resulting in the most comprehensive product offering from any manufacturer in the UK. The Ready for Business range has a number of industry specific solutions for customers who want a premium product quickly.

“Many of our customers have businesses who move quickly so having the right bodied vehicle available is key in being able to serve their needs, quickly,” Grahame pointed out. “The Renault Trucks offer is unique as it serves niche areas of industry as well as the more traditional needs so the range includes fridge conversions, minibuses, utility vehicles, LoLoader Lutons, MEWPs as well as the more standard tipper and dropside products.

“It’s about meeting our customers’ needs effectively and not creating a cheap quick alternative.

“We have been very selective on our 3rd Party Partner Programme, ensuring that the converters we work with understand our philosophy and ethos but also the levels of quality and specification we expect.

“When we say our vehicles are Ready for Business then they need to be just that and to a standard that will give many years good service, there are no short cuts in this business.” continues Grahame.

The LCV market has continued to evolve and change, especially in the requirements for specialist vehicle conversions, so what makes the Renault Trucks offer so unique?

“Customers these days are more professional and want to maximise the efficiency of every asset and that includes their van fleet, so that means they need a complete end to end solution from a reliable, professional partner. It’s something we have been providing for years within our established truck business so that ethos is being transferred into our LCV

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offer and it is something that really sets us apart because our customers see us a true partner, not just a supplier.”

“To understand our customers’ challenges is only one aspect of being able to make a positive difference to their business; it’s about being able to deliver a solution.

“In 2016 we sold more converted LCVs than we did standard vans and the reason is simple; it’s because of the confidence our people give our customers in how to shape the solution around the customer.

“Our people are focused on LCVs, but as truck people they are experienced in creating bodied solutions from the ground up.

“Our services packages are tailored and deliver compliance orientated solutions that support our customers’ businesses while our approved partners deliver proven quality, so it gives our customers the confidence that we know what we are talking about and have the experience to deliver. “ Blending all of these elements into Renault Truck’s new Ready for Business programme means that for those customers who need something that’s right for them and they need it quick, the company has a solution for them, even when it is in a niche sector like utilities or food distribution.

Grahame concludes: “Of course, we still have customers who require large-scale tailored vehicles and we continue to work with all stakeholders to create some truly great and highly effective solutions.

“We can do it because that’s where our heritage lies, in the creation of products and services that provide customers with precisely the right van for the job; vehicles that have been developed and designed for 100 per cent usability and dependability.”

“It’s about meeting our customers’ needs effectively and not creating a cheap, quick alternative...”

Grahame Neagus, Renault Trucks’ Head of LCVs

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CV News Vauxhall

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Vauxhall’s own Shooting Star is great option for shifting the goods What’s in a name? Andrew Walker has a comedy classic flashback when asked to review the Movano I like to think that Vauxhall’s van designers used to watch mid-90s panel show Shooting Stars, starring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer.

Two of duo’s catchphrases were used to signify whether a contestant had given a correct answer: Vic would shout out ‘Eranu’ when one of the contestants got one of the nigh-on impossible questions right, and ‘Uvavau’ for an incorrect one.

While neither is exactly the same as the name of two of Vauxhall’s panel vans, the Vivaro and the Movano, they are remarkably similar – at least to my ears anyway!

In November, Company Car and Van had the opportunity to drive the Movano, which is Vauxhall’s large panel van and a rival to the Volkswagen Crafter, Citroen Relay, Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, Mercedes Sprinter and, of course, the Ford Transit. It also shares a platform with the Renault Master.

The Movano range is large, with four body lengths and three roof heights, with load volumes ranging from 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 commonrail diesel engine options.

As in the Vivaro, the latest bi-turbo version, which is a 2.3 CDTi unit, is the pick of the bunch. Most models are offered with a 6-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. 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 (134 bhp) 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.

There’s excellent performance: economy figures range from 29-41 mpg while emissions range from 184g/km on the ecoFLEX models 58 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

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.

All Movano vans have a full-height steel bulkhead. Safety features include a driver’s air bag, but passenger and side impact bags are options, as are parking sensors, speed limiter and ESP, although this is standard on rear wheel drive versions.

The driver can get comfortable with the six-way adjustable driver’s seat which includes an armrest. All models offer steering-columnmounted audio controls, electric windows, aux in with USB interface. For those who use their van as a mobile office there is even an easy-to-utilise Bluetooth connectivity which I tried, connected easily and, thanks to the steel bulkhead, I could actually hold a conversation through while driving.

Large vans in a warm summer without air conditioning are a nightmare to be in so you may want to consider adding some options such as air con for £600. Another option I’d strongly support is my favourite cruise control for £200: it stops you speeding in roadworks!

The good news is that for free, there are plenty of storage spaces for your odds and ends although if you need it, Vauxhall even offers the option of a rotating laptop table on the fold-down middle seat back.

Glancing through the options Vauxhall lumps a few goodies in together which may well be worth considering. For example, the Comfort Pack costing £1,295, includes climate

control, sat-nav with a remote monitor, enhanced audio with Bluetooth, aux input plus four 20W speakers.

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, of course, I was driving the Movano 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 2.3 CDTI offers reasonable fuel economy of 36.2 miles per gallon on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions measured at 207 g/km and costing just £23,568 + VAT is well priced as well.

Sitting as it does in a highly competitive sector, the only drawback I can think of with the Movano, which is an excellent all rounder, is that it’s starting to look a bit old compared to newer vans offered by Mercedes, Ford, Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat, and the even newer VW Crafter. Vauxhall really needs to get it’s skates on if it wants to keep up with the rest.

VERDICT Good on the road, loads of room and good safety features: still a sound operator that’s well put together and built to last CC&V RATING: NNN www.companycarandvan.co.uk

On test

Mitsubishi L200

‘It’s a pick-up Jim, but not as we know it’ Andrew Walker Pick-ups have come a long way in the last five years. As with vans, pick-ups are now car-like inside and car-like to drive, while still offering the rugged off-road capability required by farmers, road construction and the building trade.

New model launches in 2015 from Nissan, with the Navara and Mitsubishi with the L200, were followed in 2016 by the all-new Fullback from Fiat, an updated Ford Ranger, a VW Amarok and Toyota Hilux models.

Not to be outdone, Isuzu then launched their upgraded D-Max in April 2017, all taking advantage of a market that is worth almost 50,000 units per annum in the UK. On the back of it winning the Auto Express pick-up of the year award for 2017, CC&V spent a week in the latest Mitsubishi L200 which was delivered to us in Barbarian guise.

The L200 has a long history in the UK pick-up market, spanning over 30 years, peaking with 12,000 sales in 2003. The latest version is the fifth generation to carry the L200 badge and is without a doubt massively improved compared to the Series 4, which is continuing to be sold by Mitsubishi as a

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budget alternative. The Series 4 lagged some way behind the more lifestyle models offered

by Ford with the Ranger Wildtrack and Volkswagen with the Amarok.

But the Series 5 is a much better proposition, coming as it does with a great new interior with on trend technology and Mitsubishis famously reasonable prices.

Customers can choose the five-seater doublecab pick-up in trim levels ranging from 4Life, through Titan to Warrior and Barbarian .

Spec is impressive with all models getting air-con, Bi-xenon headlamps, a switchable 4×4 system, 7 airbags, traction control, Trailer Stability Assist. Titan models start at around £21,000 and come with 17” alloys, privacy glass, DAB radio, lane departure warning and Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD system, making it great value for money.

Barbarian models add SatNav, rear view camera, door mirrors with indicators, premium leather includes armrest, door trim, dash, illuminated door entry guards, LED mood lighting, puddle lamp, sports mesh grille, rear chrome tail light surround, soft opening tailgate damper, tailgate handle cover, door handle recess cover and a rear bumper step.

All new Mitsubishi L200 models have the 2.4-litre MIVEC diesel engine, offering 178bhp and a very respectable 44.1mpg on the combined economy figure with the 4Life version, 42.8mpg with the manual gearbox. across the rest of the range, with even the 5-speed auto offering 39.2mpg. The CO2 emissions range from 169g/km in the 4Life to 189g/km in the auto models.

It makes the Barbarian quick, reaching 62 mph in just 10.4 seconds, although the kick down is a bit slow to get going.

The other key difference between the entry-level L200 and the top spec versions is the 4×4 system. Base models get the Easy Select part-time 4×4 set-up that can be engaged manually when requires and features a locking rear differential. Higher spec L200s get the Super Select active 4×4 system from the Shogun SUV. It can be set in rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive modes for on road driving with the 4×4 mode automatically sending power to the wheels with most grip. It maintains a rear-biased 60:40 torque split under normal driving to help reduce understeer on the road. There are then two further off-road modes with the centre differential locked and either high or

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low range gearing for the really rough stuff.

I got to drive the Barbarian which meant an auto box and all the goodies on tap. The first thing you notice is that this version is a real stunner, retaining the Series 4’s good looks.

Inside, the cabin is spacious, although the glovebox, door pockets and oddment spaces aren’t great, though it is comfortable and feels durable. The switchgear is a little bland and is not comparable in quality to those found in SUVs like Mitsy’s own Outlander, but for a pick-up it’s pretty damn good.

The Barbarian is fitted with a Super Select 4×4 control dial, which is located behind the gear lever. The steering wheel controls adjust the DAB radio on the left and engage cruise control on the right and there’s even flappy paddle if you want to use them. The instrument cluster is clear and concise with a display showing you which drive mode you’re in. There’s a simple-to-use touchscreen sitting in the middle of the dash, which has a quite good SatNav system attached to it.

The double cab is roomy, with space in the rear for five adults to get comfortable and lots of leg and head room on offer. The driver’s seat is electronically adjustable and easy to tailor to the individuals needs. The leather seats were also reassuringly heated for this cold winter mornings.

At the end of the day, most pick-ups will be used to carry and the L200’s load space is also impressive. It will carry 1,050kg and there’s extra carrying capacity courtesy of the 3,100kg maximum towing weight. The load space itself is 1,470mm square but there is a small wheel arch intrusion at the front of the load bed. The open load bay on the back of the L200 is 1,470mm square with a depth of 475mm, which is 15mm deeper than the 4 Series model. There are six load lashing points with grooves cut into the load bed so it can be divided up to separate cargo.

The Series 5 is 5,285mm long by 1,815mm wide, making it feel compact. It’s actually 134mm narrower than a Volkswagen Amarok and 45mm narrower than an Isuzu D-Max, both of which I have to say feel larger but more cumbersome to drive.

Mitsubishi also offers a five-year/62,000mile warranty with 12 years of anti-corrosion cover. Service intervals are set at 12,500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes soonest.

Safety is also paramount with the Series 5. The stability and traction control system can brake individual wheels to correct understeer or oversteer while diverting power to the wheels with most grip.

Safety features are excellent, with seven airbags, an adjustable speed limiter with cruise control and even Trailer Stability Assist is included as standard, too. The range is also offered with Hill Start Assist, hazard lights that flash if you brake hard and standard Bi-Xenon headlamps with the Barbarian offered with a lane departure warning system that beeps if www.companycarandvan.co.uk

you wander out of your lane without indicating.

I, of course, turned this off.

I drove the Barbarian to York and back and found that it performed superbly on the motorway being both quiet and comfortable.

There was enough power to overtake when required plus the addition of cruise control allowed me to stick to a steady 70 mph all the way there and back, conserving fuel along the way. The DAB radio is clear and loud and the SatNav proved useful as well offering me alternatives when the road ahead was congested.

A year ago I would not have said what I’m about to say about the L200 Series 4, which has just been blown away by the new Series 5. It was well worthy of our Commercial of the Year

title for 2015, although with every other pick-up now updated or improved, it isn’t going to get any easier to choose the right one for you.

The L200 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.

CC&V VERDICT It’s the best L200 yet and hard to fault as a load lugger. For a rough diamond remarkably comfortable to drive and ride in CC&V RATING: NNNN

“Higher spec L200s get the Super Select active 4×4 system ... it can be set in rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive modes for on-road driving with the 4×4 mode automatically sending power to the wheels with most grip...”

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 61

On test

Citroen Dispatch

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Dispatch delivers on every level Andrew Walker Launched at the same time as Peugeot’s Expert and the Toyota Proace, at the 2016 CV Show in Birmingham, the Citroen Dispatch differs in looks with the large chrome-effect company 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 has been designed to support the rear of the van, but as I drove my test model unladen I am unable to tell you how this performs. Dispatch is offered in XS, M and XL sizes as a standard van, a six-seater 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 it’s size, just 4.6m long and it’s turning circle of just 11m and Citroen has

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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 view from the front which is also excellent.

Just like with its cars, Citroen has historically 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 as well. The insulated bulkhead on my test van helped to keep the cabin quiet, even without a load in the rear and I was even able to receive a couple of hands-free 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 it’s biggest selling points. Importantly, Citroen’s Blue HDi engines meet the new Euro 6 emissions standards. According to the official numbers, the 115bhp 1.6-litre I drove returns 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.

As I said at the start of my review, it only took me a few minutes piloting the Dispatch for me to really, 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.

With Citroen’s network of Business Class dealerships set up to cater for the SME fleet manager and small business users, the new Dispatch should do really well. It’s certainly going to run the Ford Transit Custom close.

Any negatives? Just one. The fact that you’ll have to pay extra on all models for SatNav, which seems like an oversight on Citroens part.

CC&V VERDICT A great drive, great economy and superb comfort. It takes a while to remember it’s a van, not a car – but it still packs in loads at the rear.

CC&V RATING: NNNN

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CV News Mercedes

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Mercedes-Benz vans keep the wheels of the NHS turning in Wales Hospitals, clinics, GP practices and other facilities throughout Wales are now receiving deliveries of vital pathology, medicines, blood, organs, medical records and equipment from a new fleet of 30 Mercedes-Benz vans.

The vehicles have been procured by NHS Wales Health Courier Services (HCS), the specialist transport department that provides the wheels for the country’s health services.

HCS is a division of NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP), which provides a comprehensive range of support functions and services for all of NHS Wales.

Supplied by South Wales Dealer Euro Commercials, most of the new vans are long-bodied Vito 114 BlueTECs, of which three are fitted with blue lights for emergency assignments. This model is powered by an advanced 2.1-litre diesel engine, which offers impressive economy of up to 44.1 mpg in the combined cycle.

The line-up also includes three small Citan 109 CDIs, two of which also have blue lights,

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and eight larger Sprinter 314 CDIs – a pair of vans and six box-bodied chassis cabs with tail-lifts. Underlining NWSSP’s commitment to securing best value, the Sprinters were all pre-owned and acquired through the Mercedes-Benz Approved Used programme.

Euro Commercials is a long-established, trusted supplier to NWSSP, and MercedesBenz commands the lion’s share of its fleet of more than 120 vehicles. Tony Chatfield, NWSSP’s Head of Operations - Health Courier Service, explained: “Ours is a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year operation. Between them, our vans and large goods vehicles in supply chain and laundry cover well in excess of two-and-a-

half million miles per year. Given the vital nature of much of our work, and the need to support front-line services, we simply cannot afford unplanned vehicle downtime.”

He continued: “As a publicly-funded body we adhere to a robust tendering and acquisition process, and have consistently found over the years that Mercedes-Benz vehicles offer a combination of outstanding reliability and highly competitive ‘whole life’ operating costs.”

Mr Chatfield added: “We enjoy a very good relationship with the Euro Commercials team, who provide a highly customer-focused service. “

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Citan has the qualities to impress in a tight sector Andrew Walker The Mercedes Citan has found many a home with SME fleet managers, many of whom already ran Vitos or Sprinters, but it has also managed to sell a fair few to businesses who had not run Mercedes previously.

It certainly looks the part.

Mercedes has gone to pains to make sure that the Citan offers quality, reliability and practicality. Climb into the cabin and the Citan feels brilliant, thanks to the redesigned dashboard and controls, which are nicely thought out if a little spartan.

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.

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.

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 sped calming bumps.

Mercedes have focused on safety on the Citan, offering adaptive ESP, ABS and acceleration skid control (ASR) with brake assist (BAS) as standard across the range.

Mercedes’ Eco Stop/Start function contributes to the impressive fuel economy on offer here of 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.

Having said that, it was very quiet and well-mannered. www.companycarandvan.co.uk

CC&V VERDICT Typically Mercedes: robust, attractive, practical and frugal with a lot of goodies for your money.

CC&V RATING: NNNN

Sparshatts of Kent

Sparshatts of Kent, Sittingbourne ME10 3RN. Tel: 01795 479571 Web: www.sparshatts.co.uk

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 67

On test

Vauxhall Vivaro

Vivaro packs in the value Andrew Walker enjoys a spell behind the wheel of the Vauxhall Vivaro L2H1 2900 Panel Van Sportive 1.6 CDTI (140PS) BiTurbo The Vivaro is an example of modern crosscompany partnerships: pooling talents of Vauxhall and Renault so they can compete with the likes of the PSA/FIAT alliance on their range of commercial vehicles.

The Vivaro model range is refreshingly simple. With two wheelbases and two roof heights, plus a double cab crew van and a platform cab allowing customers to make a choice of modifications, the Vivaro is a really straightforward proposition.

In the flesh, as vans go, it’s actually a good looker with a bold front grille and large headlights giving the front an aggressive look while the sensibly located rear light clusters high up on the left and right hand sides of the van, will help prevent you from costly damage if you happen to bump your Vivaro into something.

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A van customer wants the volume in the back of their van and here the Vivaro scores highly as well. For starters, because the width and height dimensions remain unaltered from the previous Vivaro, there is more than a chance that customers’ existing racking can be transferred fairly easily into the new model, which could save customers a lot of money.

Vauxhall has increased the load length in the new Vivaro though, which is 1200 mm up on the previous model.

My longer L2 test model was fitted with a ‘load through’ bulkhead, which is basically a flap at the base of the bulkhead which can be lifted and a flip-up front passenger seat which can be moved, meaning that longer items can be pushed through the space that’s been created, increasing the length of cargo that will fit from 2,937mm to 3,750mm with the passenger seat folded. If you specify the high-roof model, this will increase the 1,387mm load height to 1,898mm giving even more capacity.

Getting into the load area is easy and is accomplished via twin rear doors and an additional sliding door at the side. There’s also

a full steel bulkhead separating the cargo area from the cab, which keeps both the load at bay and the cab reasonably quiet. Also, within the rear load space are located 20 lashing eyes spread across the walls and floor, so there’s really no excuse not to secure that load.

Climb aboard and the user friendly cabin now feels more upmarket and car-like. Driver and front seat passengers get more leg room, as the cab is 116 mm longer than before. The ubiquitous central third seat though like all third seats is a bit of a squeeze but, on some models, it can be folded down to create a desk with a built in clipboard and there’s even space for a laptop.

There is plenty of storage – cubby holes, several deep storage bins and a very large glove box as well as additional dash-top areas for keeping pens, oddments and receipts out of harms way.

The controls are clear and very straightforward. A digital speedo in the centre makes keeping within speed limits easier, with the rev counter on the left and the fuel gauge on the right.

Having driven the non-BiTurbo Vivaro

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More road reports at www.companycarandvan.co.uk Vauxhall Vivaro: Top performer at a solid price

previously, the BiTurbo with140PS really makes a difference, especially on the motorway in keeping up with fast moving traffic when overtaking safely and quickly.

With a maximum 340Nm’s of torque 1t 1500rpm I really enjoyed driving it. Around town the Vivaro handled really well and on winding roads, there’s little or no body roll in the cab. The steering although light was also

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just the right side of responsive. The six-speed gear box is nice and smooth. My test model came with the ECO button which when used aids fuel economy. The claimed combined for this Vivaro is 46.3 mpg with emissions of 160g/km. Using the ECO button I averaged 40.2 mpg and without it the economy fell to 37.3 mpg, so using the ECO function does make sense.

CC&V VERDICT CC&V has driven pretty much all of the Vivaro’s direct competition and this is a great performer to rival any. With entry level Vivaro’s retailing from £19,140, the range is good value for money too, with great load space, easy access and a comfortable wellequipped cabin: among the best in class.

CC&V RATING: NNNN

Company Car & Van | August 2017 | 69

CV News Ford

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World looks to Ford to lead on the e-CV revolution Ford has launched a multi-million pound project designed to help improve air quality in London, as the automaker accelerates its electrification plans with 13 new global electrified vehicles scheduled for introduction in the next five years.

The project, supported by Transport for London, features a 12-month trial of 20 new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Transit Custom vans that reduce local emissions by running solely on electric power for the majority of city trips such as deliveries or maintenance work.

The move comes as the company announces a $4.5 billion investment in electric car technology.

“As more and more consumers around the world become interested in electrified vehicles, Ford is committed to being a leader in providing consumers with a broad range of electrified vehicles, services and solutions that make people’s lives better,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO. “Our investments and expanding lineup reflect our view that global offerings of electrified vehicles will exceed gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 15 years.”

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Ford is focusing its EV plan on its areas of strength – electrifying its most popular, high-volume commercial vehicles, trucks, SUVs and performance vehicles to make them even more capable, productive and fun to drive. The Transit Custom plug-in hybrid will be available in 2019 in Europe engineered to help reduce operating costs in even the most congested streets The project in London is aimed at generating the hard data Ford needs to design and build commercial vehicles tailor-made to users’ needs. Commercial vehicles in London make 280,000 journeys on a typical weekday, travelling a total distance of eight million miles.

Vans represent 75 per cent of peak freight traffic, with over 7,000 vehicles per hour driving at peak times in Central London alone.

Ford will provide 20 PHEV Transits to a range of commercial fleets across London, including Transport for London’s fleet, to explore how such vans can contribute to cleaner air targets while boosting productivity for operators in urban conditions – the toughest working environment for vehicles.

The project is supported financially by the U.K.

Government-funded Advanced Propulsion Centre.

“This exciting project in London shows how innovative technology can help improve the prosperity and quality of life in our congested cities,” said Jim Farley, chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. “Ford is the top selling commercial vehicle brand in Europe, so it’s fitting that this Transit plug-in hybrid is leading the electric vehicle revolution for business users.”

Ford is focusing its EV plan on its areas of strength – electrifying its most popular, high-volume commercial vehicles, trucks, SUVs and performance vehicles to make them even more capable, productive and fun to drive – plus more fuel efficient.

Scheduled to launch in autumn this year, the fleet trial is part of Ford’s commitment to work with major cities around the world to tackle their local transport challenges, and help people and goods move more easily.

“The freight sector’s transition to ultra-low emission vehicles is central to cleaning up London’s toxic air,” said Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London.

Continued on page 72 www.companycarandvan.co.uk

CV News

Ford commercials

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Ford to lead world on e-CV revolution Continued from page 70 “Transport for London continues to lead by example by increasing the number of its own vehicles that are electric and will find the data from these trials an invaluable resource for the LoCITY programme, which encourages the uptake of low emission commercial transport.”

The Transit Custom PHEV vans in the London trial are an advanced design that allows them to be charged with mains electricity for zero-emission journeys, while featuring an efficient on-board combustion engine for extended range when longer trips are required. Ford is the first volume manufacturer to offer PHEV technology in this segment of the van market.

The trial fleet will operate in everyday use across a cross-section of city-based businesses, using a Ford telematics system to collect data on the vehicles’ financial, operational and environmental performance to help understand how the benefits of electrified vehicles can be maximised.

Development of the 20 Transit Custom PHEV fleet trial vehicles has been supported by a £4.7m grant from the Advanced Propulsion Centre. The vans are being designed and engineered at Ford’s Dunton,

UK, technical centre, and at Prodrive Advanced Technology in Banbury, UK, with programme support from Revolve Technologies.

“The UK is a global leader in low emission motor technology. This new project, with nearly £5 million of government money, demonstrates our commitment to not only reducing carbon emissions, but to work with industry on developing next generation technology that will make a real difference to people’s lives,” said Nick Hurd, Climate Change and Industry Minister.

“We will continue to work with the auto sector as we develop a comprehensive Industrial Strategy that will increase productivity, create high skilled jobs and ensure sustainable economic growth.”

Ford was UK’s No. 1 selling commercial vehicle brand for the 51st consecutive year in 2016. The Transit Custom PHEV van is planned for commercial introduction in 2019, part of the automaker’s $4.5 billion investment in electrified vehicles by 2020 as it leads on electrified and autonomous vehicles and providing new mobility solutions. The Transit Custom PHEV is just one of 13 new global electrified vehicles Ford is launching in the next five years.

Deutsche Post subsidiary StreetScooter GmbH and Ford of Germany have entered into a partnership for the manufacturing of battery-electric delivery vehicles.

Deutsche Post has already left its mark in the smaller van segment by designing and producing the emission-free StreetScooter, now both partners are working on a larger vehicle type. The chassis of the Ford Transit provides the technical basis. It will be equipped with a battery-electric drive train and fitted with a special body construction

based on Deutsche Post and DHL Paket specifications.

Production has now started and by the end of 2018 at least 2,500 vehicles will support the urban delivery traffic of Deutsche Post DHL Group. With this volume, the joint project will become the largest manufacturer of battery-electric medium-duty delivery vehicles in Europe.

Both Deutsche Post DHL Group and Ford share the same objective of building future mobility by reducing emissions and creating

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In addition to the electric changes, Ford announces that its global utility line-up will be the company’s first hybrids powered by EcoBoost®rather than naturally aspirated engines, furthering improving performance and fuel economy. The company also plans to be as aggressive in developing global electrified vehicle services and solutions.

These include EV fleet management, route planning and telematics solutions.

“Ford’s global EV strategy is to build on our strengths,” said Raj Nair, executive vice president, Product Development, and chief technical officer. “While some others seem to be focused on marketing claims and numbers, we’re focused on providing customers even more of what they love about their Fords. This means more capability for trucks, more productivity for commercial vehicles and more performance for sports cars – plus improved fuel economy.”

This year, Ford begins testing its new generation of EV technology. In Europe, Ford will put the Transit Custom plug-in hybrid on the road later this year, along with a new set of mobility services, telematics and connectivity solutions.

Continued on page 74

new traffic solutions. This partnership is an important and tangible step towards achieving these goals.

“E-Mobility and innovative traffic solutions for urban areas are key focuses for us as we transform our business to meet future challenges,” says Steven Armstrong, group vice president and president Europe, Middle East and Africa, Ford Motor Company.

“As the leader in commercial vehicles in Europa, this partnership plays perfectly to our strengths.” www.companycarandvan.co.uk

On test

Ford Commercials

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Ford sets its sights on an electric future Continued from page 72 In addition, in New York and several major US cities, Ford is testing a fleet of 20 Transit Connect hybrid taxi and van prototypes in some of the world’s most demanding traffic conditions.

These Transit Connects build on the success of the world’s first hybrid taxi – the Ford Escape Hybrid – which was also the world’s first hybrid SUV and the first North American-built hybrid “Innovative services can be as important to customers as the electrified vehicles themselves,” said Hau Thai-Tang, group vice president of Purchasing and Ford’s EV champion. “We are investing in solutions to help private customers as well as commercial fleet owners seamlessly incorporate these new vehicles and technologies into their lives.”

Ford already has a memorandum of

understanding with several other automakers in Europe to create an ultra-fast charging network projected to be significantly faster than the most powerful charging system deployed today. An initial target of about 400 sites in Europe is planned. By 2020, consumers should have access to thousands of high-powered charging points.

Ford also is piloting wireless technology on company EVs in the US and Europe that make recharging as easy as pulling into a parking spot so drivers never forget to recharge.

Wireless recharging extends electric-only range for short distance commuters, even during quick stops. FordPass®also can help consumers reserve charging times.

Ford has been extensively studying how past and current EV owners use their vehicles.

The company has sold more than 520,000 electrified vehicles in North America since 2005 and 560,000 globally.

In studying 33,000 Ford EV owners on 58 million unique trips, Ford has learned: • 88 per cent of customers’ habitual daily driving distance is 60 miles or less. For plug-in hybrids, the average refuelling distance is 680 miles, making fuel station trips rare • Customers want as much electric range as possible, but range anxiety drops over time as they become more comfortable and familiar with the technology • 80 per cent of Ford EV customers charge once a day; 60 per cent during evenings • An overwhelming majority of Ford EV owners expect to replace their current EV with a new one, additional Ford research shows. Specifically: • 92 per cent of battery electric car customers say they will purchase another battery electric vehicle as their next purchase • 87 per cent of plug-in hybrid customers want another plug-in for their next vehicle.

HTS happy to stick with Ford commercials Ford has been selected by HTS (Property & Environment) Limited to provide 70 vans to join their fleet, making up one third of the company vehicles, with Ford vehicles now accounting for over 99 per cent of the total fleet.

The vehicles will be used by HTS (Property & Environment) Limited, a new organisation set up by Harlow Council to provide a range of environmental and property maintenance services around Harlow. Services include council house maintenance and repairs, street cleaning and public space landscaping.

HTS (Property & Environment) Limited has chosen, in conjunction with The Procurement 74 | August 2017 | Company Car & Van

Partnership Limited (TPPL), a combination of vehicles from across the entire Ford Transit range. The larger Transit, which includes two chassis cabs with tipper bodies, and Transit Custom models are fitted with Ford’s new EcoBlue 2.0-litre diesel engine. The Transit Connect and Transit Courier vehicles are both fitted with a 1.5-litre diesel engine and both meet EU Stage Six emission standards.

Among the reasons for choosing Ford, HTS (Property & Environment) Limited and Harlow Council praised the five year warranty and the extensive support from Ford Transit Centres and service points, the nearest being only a mile from the depot. John Phillips, managing

director, HTS (Property & Environment) Limited said, “Reliability is essential when choosing our fleet vehicles as they are essential in carrying out the vital work we do around Harlow. Ford’s fleet service to Harlow Council over the past 25 years has been first class, so we are looking forward to continuing this successful partnership.”

Owen Gregory, fleet director, Ford of Britain, said, “HTS Limited demands much from its fleet in terms of versatility and reliability and the diversity of the Ford Transit range can offer both. We work hard to provide the best fleet support systems to our customers and this has been recognised by Harlow Council.” www.companycarandvan.co.uk

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