Ignition October 2013

Ignition Issue 16 Oct 2013

Car views and news by FleetNews

FIRST DRIVE: INFINITI Q50

Last-chance saloon for Infiniti?

GO New Q50 tasked with quadrupling Infiniti sales ●

Fleet sales grow as Frankfurt Motor GO GO Show highlights ● retail regs boom ● The winners and losers as car sales head for two million

A look at some of the most important cars for fleets

Sign up to Ignition

FREE Download Ignition

Click here to contact us

F IR S T DRI V E

JUMPING THE Q Nissan's upscale brand aims to quadruple its sales with its larger, longer, luxury diesel

INFINITI Q50 NEED TO KNOW

n Company plans to quadruple annual volume to 600,000 units by 2020 n Will double the number of the power units and transmissions on offer n Q50 pitched against BMW 3 Series and Audi A4

I

2.2D PREMIUM AUTO

By Maurice Glover nfiniti plans to use diesel power and a raft of advanced engineering features to grab a bigger share of the business car market by the end of the decade.

Vice-president Fintan Knight predicts a fourfold increase in sales as, backed by new products and keen pricing, the Japanese company makes greater inroads in the sector dominated by German premium models.

“We want to be different and we will bring high technology to our cars faster than the competition," he said.

“In global terms, our plan is to quadruple our annual volume to 600,000 units by 2020 with a 60 per cent increase in our model range over the next five years and doubling the number of the power units and transmissions that we offer.

“We don’t have great ambitions for volume – we’re more intent on carving out a niche with our brand.”

In the UK, Infiniti aims to turn last year’s lowly 530 registrations into about 2,000 in 2014, the first full year of availability of the Q50, which was developed to challenge the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4.

Significantly, the upscale Nissan brand chose a Mercedes-Benz diesel engine to power the Q50 as part of the collaboration deal with Daimler AG, although some parts, including the ECU, intercooler and fuel system, were changed.

The result is a combination of output, torque and emissions performance that

FIRST DRIVE

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

OUR FLEET

COMING SOON

The Q50 is slightly shorter than the BMW 5 Series

The upmarket look New IS inside is more comfortable than before continues drives the Q50 to the heart of the user-chooser area in a package that is not only noticeably larger than the cars it is pitched against, but also sits on a longer wheelbase to provide a spacious interior with generous rear-seat legroom.

Only slightly shorter than the BMW 5 Series – to which it is remarkably similar in profile – the Q50 has smooth, handsome but conservative lines, with impressive aerodynamics that feature neat detailing.

The upmarket look continues inside with a curved, twin cockpit-style uncluttered dashboard layout. Two large touch screens handle navigation and sound and climate systems as well as a wide range of apps from the firm’s App Garage.

Each of the two I-keys stores personal settings including driving position, climate control, communication and entertainment preferences – the system even remembers whether a driver prefers analogue or digital clock displays.

On the road, the Q50 has a lively demeanour as it whirrs its way through its seven-speed transmission. Initially, a gruff roar accompanies hard acceleration, but the four-cylinder unit soon settles into a quiet hum to provide quiet and relaxed main road cruising.

Thanks to its classic front-engine-rear-drive layout, weight distribution is almost equal to give the car an easy, balanced feel with good handling manners. A choice of drive modes is on offer, but the car performs best in Sport, which tidies roadholding behaviour considerably compared with the standard setting.

The first of a new generation of Q models, the 50 represents a big step for Infiniti, with improved styling and upgraded driving appeal. But only time will tell if it helps the brand achieve its goal of being the ‘interesting alternative’ choice that puts its products on selected driveways rather than on almost every driveway.

COSTS P11D price £31,845 BIK tax band 19% Annual BIK tax (20%) £1,210 Class 1A NIC £835 Annual VED £0 then £105 RV (4yr/80k) £8,175/26% Fuel cost 10.83ppm Running cost 46.43ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 2,143 Power (bhp) 167 CO2 (g/km) 124 Fuel economy (mpg) 58.9 Max speed (mph) 143 0-62mph (sec) 8.5

To compare running costs, click here

F R A NK F UR T MOTOR SHO W HIGHL IGH T S

Honda Civic Tourer

On sale early 2014 Honda is hoping the new Civic Tourer will continue its growth in the fleet sector. Honda registrations are up 12% year-to-date, and it has high hopes for all cars powered by its 1.6-litre diesel engine.

The Civic Tourer has a boot capacity of 624 litres with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1,668 litres up to the roof with the rear seats down.

It will be available with either the new 1.6 i-DTEC engine or the 1.8 i-VTEC engine, in manual or automatic transmission. It has CO2 emissions from 99g/ km and combined fuel efficiency of up to 74.3mpg.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Ford Mondeo Vignale

On sale early 2015 While the Ford Mondeo is still a year away from being introduced, Ford showed off the Mondeo Vignale concept – a new upmarket experience for customers – as well as how the Mondeo will look as a saloon and estate.

Ford says the concept combines traditional coachbuilding with contemporary design and material trends. The Vignale experience includes time-saving services such as collection and delivery for vehicle servicing, free lifetime car washes and invitations to exclusive events.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Vauxhall Monza

Concept to influence next Insignia Vauxhall chief Duncan Aldred hailed the new Insignia as the star of the GM display, but it was a new concept model that drew most of the attention.

Sleek, low and lithe, the Monza concept appeared alongside the new Insignia saloon and Country Estate. Powered by a development of the Ampera electric drive system, the concept features the new three-cylinder, 1.0-litre turbo engine due to appear in the Adam and Corsa.

Aldred, meanwhile, referred to the Insignia as “our flagship and ace fleet model”.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

FIRST DRIVE

Lexus GS300h

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

OUR FLEET

COMING SOON

On sale late 2013 One of the UK’s most popular business cars will face increased competition when the next Lexus hybrid model arrives at the end of the year.

The GS300h will rival BMW’s 520d with the lowest tailpipe emissions in its segment and aggressive pricing, the company claimed.

“We think we have a great package and we’re setting our sights on the 520d,” a spokesman told Fleet News.

The 2.5-litre, rear-wheel drive GS GS300h is expected to cost about £30,000.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Jaguar C-X17

To be confirmed Jaguar provided a visual clue to its future plans with the unveiling of its C-X17 SUV concept, but it also announced it would return to the mid-size premium sector in 2015 with a rival to the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series.

The as-yet unnamed luxury four-door model will feature Jaguar underpinnings and advanced, lightweight bodywork. This technology was showcased on the C-X17 concept. The new car will be powered by units from the new Jaguar Land Rover engine factory being built in Wolverhampton.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Nissan X-Trail

On sale summer 2014 Significant advances in technology will allow Nissan to claim its next-generation X-Trail will redefine compact sports utility motoring, according to the company.

“I think we can say that the crossover expertise in this car shows we have re-invented the sector,” said a spokesman.

Two world firsts are claimed – suspension damping that changes according to road conditions and engine braking while cornering and deceleration to achieve shorter stopping distances.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

F L EE T S A L E S F IGURE S

Fleet share slips in 63-plate boom September fleet sales rise 5.4%, but market share hit by surge in retail

A

By Jay Nagley, Redspy Automotive t 170,569, the fleet market was up a modest 5.4% in September, compared with a rise of 12.1% for the market as a whole. That resulted in a drop in the fleet share of the market to 42.3%, down from 45.0% in September 2012.

However, the fleet share may start to edge up soon, as the retail boost from PPI mis-selling compensation is starting to wind down. As an aside, the fleet market may get it own version of PPI at some point: it seems the next bank scandal may be small companies who thought they were buying interest rate caps before the financial crisis. In fact, they were allegedly being palmed off with interest rate swaps, which turned utterly toxic when interest rates fell. There is now a growing call for compensation, with the average claim being way higher than PPI. However, back to the present. Ford managed to extend its lead over Vauxhall, despite a drop of 2.4% in September fleet sales, as Vauxhall dropped by 7.6%. However, the most eye-catching statistic in September was that BMW was only 10.2% behind Vauxhall in fleet sales.

That is not necessarily bad from Vauxhall’s point of view, but it shows how traditional public perceptions of brands are out of date: saying Vauxhall is a “fleet” BMW was 10.2% behind Vauxhall in fleet sales

Mercedes-Benz grew fastest of the Top 10 brands brand and BMW is a “premium” brand is not very meaningful when their fleet sales can get so close.

The fastest growth among the Top 10 brands (for both September and YTD) has come from MercedesBenz, which is clearly fed up of being the tail-end Charlie of the German premium brands. The new A-Class is spearheading its attempts to get on level terms with Audi and BMW. Volvo recorded another big jump (up 38.2%). This was particularly noteworthy because Volvo is already one of the most fleet-oriented brands in the market.

Last month, 63.3% of Volvo sales went to fleets.

While hardly a red alert, it is a potential area of concern. Volvo does not want to be tarred with the “fleet brand” tag.

The manufacturers with the biggest falls included Alfa Romeo (down by more than 40% for September and almost 50% YTD) and cousin Jeep (down 34.9% in September and 15.9% YTD).

While both brands are treading water until new models arrive, they do need to actually stay afloat in the meantime. Jeep’s sales figures, in particular, must make for interesting conversations with headquarters – most international auto executives think selling SUVs to British people falls into the same category as selling London property to oligarchs.

FIRST DRIVE

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

September Manufacturer fleet 2013 fleet 2012

Ford 22,012 22,555 Vauxhall 16,627 17,994 Volkswagen 15,409 16,002 BMW 14,924 13,502 Audi 12,132 11,294 Mercedes-Benz 10,219 7,987 Peugeot 9,812 10,559 Hyundai 7,849 6,925 Nissan 7,203 7,484 Toyota 6,113 5,557 Kia 5,798 5,513 Skoda 4,697 3,411 Honda 4,666 4,401 Citroën 4,473 4,667 Fiat 3,517 2,297 Seat 3,441 3,419 Volvo 3,329 2,409 Mini 2,993 3,166 Renault 2,960 2,653 Land Rover 2,774 2,690 Mazda 2,352 1,342 Suzuki 1,869 1,575 Jaguar 1,380 1,517 Lexus 946 708 Chevrolet 775 417 Mitsubishi 434 58 Chrysler 388 248 Alfa Romeo 296 494 Smart 260 340 Porsche 204 103 Subaru 198 112 Jeep 127 195 Dacia 114 0 SsangYong 75 64 Bentley 36 42 Aston Martin 34 64 Other 133 89 Total 170,569 161,863

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

% change fleet 2013

OUR FLEET

COMING SOON

YTD fleet 2012 % change

-2.41% 122,869 123,847 -0.79% -7.60% 106,880 101,864 4.92% -3.71% 82,726 82,489 0.29% 10.53% 58,515 57,125 2.43% 7.42% 57,327 55,193 3.87% 27.95% 44,177 37,198 18.76% -7.07% 46,956 47,807 -1.78% 13.34% 31,837 28,624 11.22% -3.75% 44,141 40,011 10.32% 10.01% 27,729 26,774 3.57% 5.17% 26,448 26,425 0.09% 37.70% 21,862 18,395 18.85% 6.02% 18,880 17,557 7.54% -4.16% 29,672 24,623 20.51% 53.11% 15,928 10,782 47.73% 0.64% 16,359 15,517 5.43% 38.19% 16,539 14,547 13.69% -5.46% 12,848 15,557 -17.41% 11.57% 11.812 12,005 -1.61% 3.12% 12.294 10,753 14.33% 75.26% 8.149 5,665 43.85% 18.67% 4,964 4,503 10.24% -9.03% 5,786 5,661 2.21% 33.62% 3,549 3,448 2.93% 85.85% 4,423 6,865 -35.57% 648.28% 1,768 1,048 68.70% 56.45% 1,334 1,175 13.53% -40.08% 1,452 2,802 -48.18% -23.53% 1,464 1,509 -2.98% 98.06% 799 670 19.25% 76.79% 607 703 -13.66% -34.87% 576 685 -15.91% – 382 0 – 17.19% 186 257 -27.63% -14.29% 309 309 0.00% -46.88% 243 247 -1.62% 49.44% 484 824 -41.26% 5.38% 842,274 803,464 4.83%

F UEL P RICE S

6

8

13

1 BIRMINGHAM Diesel 137.13 Unleaded 131 LPG N/A

6 EDINBURGH Diesel 138.57 Unleaded 130.55 LPG 68.3

2 BRIGHTON Diesel 138.37 Unleaded 131.53 LPG N/A

7 EXETER Diesel 140.33 Unleaded 132.9 LPG N/A

3 CAMBRIDGE Diesel 140.08 Unleaded 132.67 LPG 72.58**

8 GLASGOW Diesel 138.84 Unleaded 134.86 LPG 70.9

4 CARDIFF Diesel 136.94* Unleaded 129.56* LPG N/A

9 LEEDS Diesel 141.01** Unleaded 132.73 LPG N/A

5 DERBY Diesel 140 Unleaded 132.61 LPG N/A

10 LIVERPOOL Diesel 140.7 Unleaded 135.77** LPG 71.9 11 LONDON Diesel 137.69 Unleaded 131.04 LPG 66.45*

9

10 12

5 1 4 7

13 3 11 2

12 MANCHESTER Diesel 138.84 Unleaded 132.64 LPG 68.9 13 NEWCASTLE Diesel 138.88 Unleaded 134.9 LPG N/A 14 NORWICH Diesel 136.98 Unleaded 130.98 LPG N/A

For full UK fuel price figures Click here * Cheapest ** Most expensive

OUR F L EE T

2.0 TDI HIGHLINE BLUEMOTION TECHNOLOGY

VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

Confusing icons on saloon's hands-free phone interface hinder road safety NEED TO KNOW

n Standard Bluetooth connectivity n Overall test fuel economy of 54mpg

2

5 3

1

4 6

1 Keypad 2 Phonebook 3 Missed calls 4 Dialled number 5 Received calls 6 Mobile box

COSTS P11D price £23,175 BIK tax band 18% Annual BIK tax (20%) £834 Class 1A NIC £576 Annual VED £0 then £30 RV (4yr/80k) £5,825/25% Fuel cost (ppm) 10.26 AFR (ppm) 14 Running cost (4yr/80k) 35.49ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,968 Power (bhp) 140 Torque lb-ft 236 CO2 (g/km) 119 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 61.4 Max speed (mph) 132 0-62mph (sec) 9.8 Test mpg 54 Current mileage 9,319

*Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous Passat tests

W

The hands-free phone function on the Passat can be confusing

By Luke Neal

ith the use of mobile phones while driving banned and the use of hands-free phones under continued scrutiny, the message is clear: anything that distracts the driver from the job at hand is dangerous.

However, figures from an AA/Populus survey revealed that nearly one in five (19%) employees say that their employer is not actively encouraging the safe and legal use of mobile phones while driving for work, with more than one in 20 (7%) feeling under pressure to answer their hand-held work mobile when driving for work or commuting (click here for full story).

Research by the University of Utah (click here for full story) found drivers using hands-free mobile phones took 20% longer to hit the brakes than those not on the phone, following distances increased by 30% as drivers failed to keep pace with traffic and memory performance declined by 11%.

Our Passat Highline is one of many cars which comes with Bluetooth technology which connects a phone to the car's media system, allowing you to access your phonebook and make and accept calls at the touch of a button.

The Volkswagen system, however, is not as intuitive as it might be which adds to the distraction time if the driver is making calls on the move.

It is controlled by a six touchscreen icons with no clear instruction as to what they do. It's difficult to tell what they are for at a glance, and only by pressing the icons is it apparent what they do. This means the driver has to take his eyes off the road, which is not conducive to road safety.

Perhaps some simpler labelling of the functions would have been a better design.

FIRST DRIVE

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

MAZDA6

OUR FLEET

COMING SOON

2.2 D 150 SPORT NAV

Stylish lines and great service can't mask fuel efficiency concerns

T

By Stephen Briers he Mazda6 stands out. I mean really stands out. Its rakish nose peeps out from a crowd of cars, revealing the sharp lines adorning its stylish body. Without doubt it’s the best-looking car in its sector and it has a feel-good factor every time I return to the car park – this one’s mine.

Well, it's Mazda’s really, of course, but we’ve assumed ownership for 12 months. And that means taking care of it. Following a recent visit to Mazda dealership Donalds of Peterborough to sort a problem with the smart city braking system, the 6 made a return trip for its first service, at 12,500 miles.

It was another pain-free visit: the car was back serviced and fully valeted after two hours. A big thumbs-up to Donalds for excellent customer service – not least the efficiency with which it directly invoices the company.

What’s less impressive is the Mazda’s fuel consumption. Regardless of my driving style, it struggles to hit the low 50mpgs; its natural level seems to be 47-48mpg, substantially below the official figure of 67.3mpg.

Compared with the Volkswagen Passat on the Fleet News long-term fleet, which is happy to achieve its claimed 61.4mpg on longer journeys and more generally hovers around 54-55mpg, this is disappointing.

For me at least, it calls into question the real-world savings achievable by Mazda’s much-vaunted SkyActiv technology.

However, this still translates into a reasonable fuel cost of about 13ppm (as opposed to the 9.47ppm figure on the Fleet News running costs calculator), favourable to the generous Advisory Fuel Rate of 18ppm for a 2.2-litre diesel.

Company car drivers will still be satisfied with that return.

Mazda6 is the bestlooking car in its sector

NEED TO KNOW

n Car was serviced, valeted and back after two hours n Fuel efficiency stuck below 50mpg

COSTS P11D price £25,540 BIK tax band 16% Annual BIK tax (20%) £817 Class 1A NIC £564 Annual VED £0 then £30 RV (4yr/80k) £6,075/24% Fuel cost (ppm) 9.47 AFR (ppm) 18 Running cost (4yr/80k) 39.8ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 2,191 Power (bhp) 150 Torque (lb-ft) 280 CO2 (g/km) 108 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 67.3 Max speed (mph) 131 0-62mph (sec) 9.0 Test mpg 48.4 Current mileage 13,000

*Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous Mazda6 tests

OUR F L EE T

SEAT LEON

1.6 TDI SE

Full-LED headlights take much of the strain out of driving at night NEED TO KNOW

n Fleets snap up no-cost technology pack option n Test fuel economy of 64mpg

COSTS P11D price £18,615 BIK tax band 14% Annual BIK tax (20%) £521 Class 1A NIC £360 Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/80k) £4,940/27% Fuel cost (ppm) 8.48 AFR (ppm) 12 Running cost (4yr/80k) 27.97ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,598 Power (bhp) 103 Torque lb-ft 184 CO2 (g/km) 99 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 74.3 Max speed (mph) 119 0-62mph (sec) 10.7 Test mpg 64 Current mileage 6,800

C

By Maurice Glover anny fleet buyers are making the most of an innovative showroom offer that adds almost £2,000 of equipment to a best-selling Seat model at no extra cost.

Almost every SE and FR version of the Leon sold is being specified with a technology pack option that features full-LED headlights, a breakthrough development making high-end illumination available for the first time in the C-segment.

I’ve already discovered the benefits of the new lamps on our long-term test car and the spread of light they produce is set to be an increasingly significant road safety factor as the nights grow longer. Significantly superior to halogen bulbs and appreciably closer to natural daylight than xenon lamps, the LED units take much of the strain out of driving at night.

Along with the advanced lighting system comes satellite navigation and DAB digital radio – options adding up to £1,915 if bought separately – and Seat’s marketing men deserve a pat on the back for coming up with one of the best manufacturer promotions for some time.

Apart from adding value, the pack allows the fleet-specific SE to tick even more boxes for drivers who spend need to cope with multiple destinations.

Thanks to a big, high-resolution colour touchscreen, entering guidance details is quick and easy and clear route detailing responds to traffic conditions to come up with alternatives. As a bonus, the system keeps watch on speed limits keeps and routing even includes supermarket, fuel station and hotel information.

*Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous Seat Leon tests

Full-LED lights are currently available as a no-cost option

FIRST DRIVE

KIA CEED

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

OUR FLEET

COMING SOON

1.6 CRDI 3 ECODYNAMICS

Reliability continues to impress as we finally learn what's in a name NEED TO KNOW

n 20mpg short of combined 74.3mpg fuel efficiency n 7,000 miles with no issues

COSTS The European Economic Community European Design doesn't have the same ring to it

W

By Sarah Tooze

e’ve reached the half-way mark of our 12-month test of the Kia Ceed and I’m pleased to report that it continues to impress.

Unlike the Mazda6, which had to visit the dealer recently, there have been no reliability issues. But this does come with the caveat that the Ceed has only done about 7,000 miles to date.

However, its average mpg figure has left me wondering whether I need eco-driver training. When Andy Brady drove it for a few weeks, the average mpg went up from 52.2mpg to 56.6mpg. I’ve been back in it a few months and it’s down to 54. That doesn’t sound too bad, until you realise it’s 20mpg below the official combined figure.

One explanation is my route to work is a combination of urban and dual carriageway and is typically less than half an hour. Andy was doing a longer run of about an hour and rarely going above 50mph. Of course, he could just be a more fuel-efficient driver than me. It may be time for another colleague to take the Ceed for a spin to see how they fare.

Another thing that has baffled me about the Ceed is its name. I assumed ‘Ceed’ was simply Kia’s marketing bods trying to create an alternative spelling for ‘seed’.

Not so. It is an acronym, with rather unglamourous origins. The ‘CE’ stands for European Economic Community (also known as CEE) and the ‘ED’ for ‘European Design’. Kia dropped one of the E’s and replaced it with an apostrophe.

We don’t use Kia’s intended grammatical aberration (cee'd) as the production editors (rightly) deemed it superfluous and the lower case C is replaced with an upper case one because the Ceed is a proper noun.

P11D price £20.040 BIK tax band 15% Annual BIK tax (20%) £601 Class 1A NIC £415 Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/80k) £4,250/21% Fuel cost (ppm) 8.68 AFR (ppm) 12 Running cost (4yr/80k) 31.56ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,582 Power (bhp) 126 Torque lb-ft 191 CO2 (g/km) 100 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 74.3 Max speed (mph) 122 0-62mph (sec) 11.5 Test mpg 54.1 Current mileage 7,200 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous Kia Ceed tests

OUR F L EE T

FORD KUGA

2.0 TDCI ZETEC AWD

SUV struggles to match the exterior appeal of its predecessor NEED TO KNOW n Impressive running costs n Test fuel economy averaging 37.4mpg

COSTS P11D price £23,665 BIK tax band (2013/14) 25% Annual BIK tax (20%) £1,183 Class 1A NIC £816 Annual VED £175 RV (4yr/80k) £8,675/37% Fuel cost (ppm) 13.31 AFR (ppm) 15 Running cost (4yr/80k) 36.94ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,997 Power (bhp) 140 Torque (lb-ft) 236 CO2 (g/km) 154 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 47.9 Max speed (mph) 117 0-62mph (sec) 10.7 Test mpg 37.4 Current mileage 4,608

F

By Gareth Roberts irst impressions count and when I first laid eyes on the all-new Kuga I wasn’t smitten. Its predecessor was chunkier, while the latest model looks more bland, less adventurous and unassuming.

In fact, its exterior fails to ignite any positive emotional response, unlike its original incarnation which I test drove four years ago.

Then I was immediately beguiled by its pretty facade, but much like the childhood sweetheart you meet at the school reunion, the passage of time makes you wonder what all the fuss was about.

Perhaps this is the more sensible persona Ford wishes to portray, rather than the brash, beefier older sibling I encountered in 2009.

Either way, I feel it’s lost something in its exterior appeal which, in a fiercelycompetitive SUV market, may detract from what is a perfectly good car.

Ford faces stiff competition in this segment of the market and user-choosers have been swayed in their thousands by the likes of the Kia Sportage.

It oozes that appeal where looks are concerned, while the Kuga relies on its strong manufacturer credentials and impressive running costs.

It does make up for that exterior shortfall by giving fleets an SUV that feels equally at home cruising along the motorway or negotiating a winding country lane.

The handling is sharp while the ride soaks up all but the biggest of humps and bumps.

However, it’s a car that will struggle to last long in my memory and I hope that a future all-new Kuga may have a make-over that sets the pulse racing again.

*Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous Kuga tests

Kuga provides sharp handling and a comfortable ride

FIRST DRIVE

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

TOYOTA AURIS

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

OUR FLEET

COMING SOON

HYBRID EXCEL 1.8 CVT

Hatchback happiest in urban areas as motorway miles hit fuel economy NEED TO KNOW

n Test economy drops to 55.6mpg n Park Assist automatic parallel parking

COSTS

Auris has front and rear parking sensors

O

By Andrew Ryan ur Toyota Auris Hybrid has been out of its comfort zone with a number of motorway journeys this month, and its fuel economy has suffered as a result.

It's normal use consists of a 35-mile commute with typical speeds of 40-45mph, when it consistently returns almost 60mpg.

The motorway trips have seen this drop to an average of 46mpg as the hybrid technology was rarely called into action. This is a shame as otherwise the motorway experience was an enjoyable one – the Auris provides a refined, comfortable ride, and covered the miles effortlessly.

It has, however, continued to excel in urban areas, where the seamless switch between petrol and electric power combines well with a smooth CVT gearbox.

Our Auris's strengths in towns and cities continue into car parks where, short of covering itself in bubble wrap, there's not much more it could do to prevent low speed bumps and scrapes – a common source of potentially costly end-of-contract damage charges.

Its front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera make you aware of what is around you at all times, so there are few excuses for any collisions.

Better still, from a crowd-pleasing point of view at least, is Park Assist automatic parallel parking. Simply press the button and the system will tell you when you pass a suitable space. Stop, take your hands off the steering wheel, follow the on-screen instructions regarding the gears and brakes, and relax as it parks you safely into your space. So simple to use, but very impressive.

P11D price £22,090 BIK tax band 10% Annual BIK tax (20%) £442 Class 1A NIC £305 Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/80k) £5,425/25% Fuel cost (ppm) 8.41 AFR (ppm) 17 Running cost (4yr/80k) 32.79ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,798 Power (bhp) 98/80 (engine/electric) Torque lb-ft 105/153 (engine/electric) CO2 (g/km) 91 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 72.4 Max speed (mph) 112 0-62mph (sec) 10.9 Test mpg 55.6 Current mileage 11,402 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous Auris hybrid tests

OUR F L EE T

VAUXHALL AMPERA

ELECTRON

At an average 140mpg, it is almost the definition of a perfect company car NEED TO KNOW

n All-electric range of about 35 miles n Costs about 3 pence per mile on electric power

COSTS P11D price £38,940 BIK tax band 5% Annual BIK tax (20%) £389 Class 1A NIC £267 Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/40k) £12,825/33% Fuel cost (ppm) 2.6ppm AFR (ppm) N/A Running cost (4yr/40k) 74.36ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,398 Power (bhp) 150 (electric motor) Torque lb-ft 273 CO2 (g/km) 27 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 235.4 Max speed (mph) 100 0-62mph (sec) 8.7 Test mpg 140 Current mileage 11,250 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/40k)

Click here for previous Ampera tests

The Ampera looks great, is fast, efficient, well-built, quiet and comfortable to drive

F

By John Maslen rom an emotional point of view, the Vauxhall Ampera is brilliant. I love everything about it – it looks great, it’s fast, efficient, well-built, quiet and comfortable to drive, easy to use, practical enough for my needs and with 11,000 miles on the clock, perfectly reliable.

With an all-electric range of about 35 miles, I rarely need to use the petrol range-extender engine and when I do the system has worked perfectly. On a recent 350-mile journey to Cheshire from Peterborough, the car averaged 65mpg, having spent much of the time on petrol power. On average, though, I have achieved 140mpg and over its lifetime the Ampera has returned 160mpg.

When running on electric power, the Ampera covers about three miles on a kilowatt of electricity, costing around three pence per mile at standard consumer rates, compared with 13ppm in real-world costs for a diesel or petrol engine.

In the right circumstances, this is the definition of a perfect company car and I would urge any driver who has the opportunity to test one to get behind the wheel.

However, there are sceptics, who say: “Well you are just putting all the emissions somewhere else”, referring to the power station that has generated the electricity.

According to the National Grid, generating 1kw of electricity using coal creates 800g of CO2, gas creates 500g and nuclear 5g. So, if the power comes from coal, the Ampera would ‘emit’ 165g/km. From gas, it’s a more encouraging 103g/km and from nuclear, it’s 1g/km and some gamma rays. So from a fuel cost perspective, it’s great, but from an emissions perspective, the argument is more complex.

FIRST DRIVE

VOLVO V60

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

OUR FLEET

COMING SOON

D6 HYBRID SE LUX NAV

First diesel plug-in hybrid is a remarkable car

T

By Simon Harris he Volvo V60 D6 Hybrid is remarkable for many reasons – it's the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid, allowing a mains-charged range of about 30 miles (enough to get me to or from the office), but it also has Volvo’s potent 2.4-litre 215bhp D5 diesel engine under the bonnet.

The electric motor can be used to power the car until the charge runs out, or it can be used as a hybrid, with both motor and diesel engine combining to produce about 285bhp, as well as a pool of torque that will see the V60 reach 62mph from rest in 6.9 seconds. It’s the combination of both power units that has led to the car wearing a D6 badge rather than D5.

As with all plug-in hybrids, the V60 is designed for drivers who would make the most of the plug-in range, with the engine almost as a range extender. But the V60 is the quickest range extender on sale and has a total range similar to most cars.

If that surprises you, and you were expecting a longer range, it’s because the fuel tank has had to be reduced in volume to accommodate some of the hybrid components, so it’s 45 litres, compared with 68 litres in the standard V60. It also has an impact on the car’s luggage space, with a slightly raised boot floor.

The Volvo On Call smartphone app allows us to monitor and control some functions while the car is parked, such as door locks, plug-in charge and climate control (which can be pre-set for the driver’s arrival when the car is plugged in).

CO2 emissions are 48g/km and fuel consumption is 148.7mpg on the combined cycle, but matching these would depend on the car being driven in a very specific way. But I think 100mpg is a reasonable lifetime average during its time with us.

We’ll see if that target is achievable.

NEED TO KNOW n BIK tax at 5% and qualifies for plug-in grant n CO2 of 48g/km; 148.7mpg combined n 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds using both engines

COSTS P11D price £49,220 BIK tax band 5% Annual BIK tax (20%) £984 Class 1A NIC £340 Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/80k) £9,100/5% Fuel cost (ppm) 4.11 AFR (ppm) 18 Running cost (4yr/80k) 61.67ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 2,400 Power (bhp) 285 (engine/electric) Torque lb-ft 472 (engine/electric) CO2 (g/km) 48 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 148.7 Max speed (mph) 143 0-62mph (sec) 6.9 Test mpg 59.6 Current mileage 2,072 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

The D6 Hybrid also has Volvo’s potent 2.4-litre D5 diesel engine under the bonnet

Click here for other Volvo tests

le b w o vaila n s ies a u t unit c taport n Coited op

lim

Exclusive sponsorship packages and tables now available

Don’t miss out on the 2014 networking opportunity of the year and have your company branding in front of over 1,200 guests!

Awards for excellence 26th annual awards WEDNESDAY 19th MARCH GROSVENOR HOUSE HOTEL PARK LANE, LONDON

For all sponsorship enquiries please call Sheryl Graham on 01733 468256

www.fleetnewsawards.com

FIRST DRIVE

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

AUDI A3 SPORTBACK

COMING SOON

OUR FLEET

1.6 TDI SE

Spacesaver saves us time as flat tyre shows up some poor fast-fit advice NEED TO KNOW

n 'Expert' opinion costs one fast-fit centre a sale n Spacesaver spare meant only a short delay

COSTS The Audi A3 is running Pirelli Cinturato tyres, optimised for low fuel consumption and low CO2 emissions

I

By Simon Harris seem to have had more than my fair share of punctures in the past few years. I average about one a year, so when the rear of the Audi A3 Sportback began to feel a little loose at 70mph and was then accompanied by a rumbling at the offside rear corner, I knew what was coming.

Luckily, I was a short distance from an exit on the Peterborough ring road (which has no hard shoulder), so rather than ruin everyone’s morning, I coasted off the road and turned into a nearby cul-de-sac.

A spacesaver spare meant I was able to get on my way again within 30 minutes and after contacting Audi to check preferences for a replacement I was told any outlet would be fine, as long as it was a like-for-like match.

The Audi is running Pirelli Cinturato tyres. They are optimised for low fuel consumption and low CO2 emissions.

A call to Halfords Autocentres in Peterborough started well when I was told the size was in stock. But when I pointed out that I needed a like-for-like replacement, the Halfords representative said the P6000 tyres he had in stock would be fine.

“A Pirelli is a Pirelli,” he said.

He also warned that the Cinturato may not be in stock anywhere (yes, I know some tyres are made in batches and stock sometimes runs out), but I knew this would be unlikely with such a popular model.

Unfortunately, I seemed to know more about tyres than this ‘expert’, and went elsewhere. One of Peterborough’s Kwik Fit centres had the Cinturato tyres in stock and fitted one that afternoon.

P11D price £22,320 BIK tax band 14% Annual BIK tax (20%) £625 Class 1A NIC £431 Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/80k) £7,375/33% Fuel cost (ppm) 8.48 AFR (ppm) 12 Running cost (4yr/80k) 31.3ppm

SPEC Engine (cc) 1,598 Power (bhp) 147 Torque lb-ft 236 CO2 (g/km) 99 Fuel efficiency (mpg) 74.3 Max speed (mph) 121 0-62mph (sec) 10.9 Test mpg 59 Current mileage 4,130 *Running cost data supplied

by KeeResources (4yr/80k)

Click here for previous A3 Sportback tests

T E S T ED T HIS MON T H

FOR A F UL L NE W C A R L AUNCH C A L ENDA R , CL ICK HERE

COMING SOON...

Hyundai i10 On sale: December Price: from £8,345 The i10 has swapped its tall and narrow appearance for longer, lower and sleeker styling. With extra width and standing on a longer wheelbase, it is now among the biggest A-segment cars and boasts generous cabin space with a 12% bigger boot providing a class-leading 252 litres that stretches to 1,046 litres when the 60/40-split rear seat backrests are folded.

Citroën Grand C4 Picasso On sale: January 2014 Price: from £19,200 A longer, seven-seat version of this year’s all-new C4 Picasso, the car is roomier, more distinctive looking, offers improved quality and better safety technology. There are new hi-tech features and the car is also more surefooted on the road.

Audi A8 On sale: January 2014 Price: from £58,500 The revised A8 range has new technology, lower emissions for most engines and is now Quattro-only.

As before, the A8 offers a choice of diesel, petrol and petrol-electric hybrid versions.

The previous version of the A8 had a front-wheel drive entry-level TDI version with CO2 emissions of 158g/km, but now achieves 155g/km with all-wheel drive Quattro.

FIRST DRIVE

FRANKFURT HIGHLIGHTS

SALES FIGURES

FUEL PRICES

OUR FLEET

COMING SOON

New models you need to know about in the next few months Seat Leon ST On sale: December Price: from £16,675

Vauxhall Meriva On sale: November Price: from £13,500 (estimated)

The first estate version of the Leon effectively replaces the Exeo ST (which sold in far greater numbers than the Exeo saloon), and competes with wagon versions of the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf among others.

Vauxhall's new 1.6 CDTi diesel engine is now available in the Meriva, which gets a new look from November, with a revised grille, chrome accents that frame the front fog lamps and newly-designed headlamps with an ‘eagle-eye' graphic. For the first time, LED daytime running lights and LED tail lights are available as an option. CO2 emissions are from 116g/km.

Skoda Yeti On sale: December Price: from £16,600 Mostly cosmetic changes mark the mid-life facelift of the popular Yeti crossover, with headlamps now in a single unit rather than the separate parking lights of the original model, and a choice of standard and more rugged looking Outdoor versions. The Greenline still has CO2 emissions of 119g/km.

4 weeks to go and only 4 tables left Avoid disappointment book today!

place awaits...

Your

It's not too late to get on the guest list and with tickets starting at only ÂŁ205, can you afford to miss THE networking dinner of the year?

Over 800 guests already attending.

Book your tickets now and secure your attendance at the FN50 Dinner 2013.

Events

13th November 2013 Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel, London

Headline sponsor

Associate sponsors

Book your ticket now – visit www.fn50event.co.uk For tickets contact Nicola Baxter on 01733 468289 or email nicola.baxter@bauermedia.co.uk. Tables of 10 also available.