Drive - April 2019 by Assignment Media Ltd

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Drive

VW AMARO K

ISSUE 2: APRIL 2019

BRITAIN’S ONLY FREE MOTORING NEWSPAPER

The bottom of the range is where you’ll ﬁnd the best pick-up mon ey can buy

FORD S-MAX l people

Does a traditiona e sense in carrier still mak a world of SUVs?

Miniature Marvels Toyota Aygo, Fiat 500 and Hyundai i10 bring their own versions of urban style to the battle for city car honours

SECOND-HAND: Skoda Superb buyers’ guide

THE BIG STORY: How a Ford Model T conquered Ben Nevis

PLUS Seat-of-the-pants thrills guaranteed as latest Suzuki Swift Sport takes on Abarth 595 in the war of the red-hot mini-hatchbacks

CLASSIC: A very unusual form of restoration

INSIDE 2 News 4 Road Tests 16 Buying Second-Hand 24 F1 Preview 26 Classic Car Calendar HYUNDAI i30 N Korea comes of age as the hot Hyundai proves to be one of the most entertaining performance hatches you can currently buy RANGE ROVER LWB King of the off-roaders gets a stretch and becomes the limousine you can drive across a desert PLUS Read the Confessions of a Car Maniac: Page 14

Issue 2: April 2019

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CONTENTS Issue 2 • April 2019 2 News Latest on new models, offers and promotions

4 Road Tests Hilarious Hyundai i30N, luxurious long-wheelbase Range Rover, fresh Ford S-Max, baseline VW Amarok and more

Renault attempts to go upmarket with fifth-gen Clio New R.S. Line trim • Class-leading 10” TFT binnacle First Renault to be built on new CMF-B platform

8 Toyota Aygo v Fiat 500 v Hyundai i10 It’s a budget battle royale between three of the most popular city cars money can currently buy

12 Abarth 595 v Suzuki Swift Sport

Land Rover

HST model carries straight-six power Land Rover has unveiled a new straight-six petrol engine to the Range Rover Sport line-up. It features an electric supercharger to avoid turbo lag, along with a 48V mild hybrid system to aid economy. The 3.0-litre, 400bhp SUV will cost from £81,250 on the road.

We take two mini hatchbacks with one eye on performance and show the cheap hot hatch is still alive and kicking

14 Our Cars We explore the countryside with the long-term Skoda Kodiaq Scout and aim not to take the scenic route in the Toyota GT86. Plus, guilty pleasures from our browsing history

Mitsubishi

16 Second-Hand

Budget Mirage gives serious value

Skoda Superb buyers’ guide, Kia Sportage factfile and four of the best SUVs for under £5000

20 The Big Story What happened when one gentleman decided to tackle the slopes of Ben Nevis with a Ford Model T

24 Motorsport Formula 1 testing has begun and we look ahead to the start of the 2019 World Championship

25 Modified Which Ford would you decide to modify next?

26 Classics Restored and then some. We take a look at Neil Barber’s brilliant Suzuki LJ – the ancestor to the lovable Jimny

THE FIFTH GENERATION of the Renault Clio has been announced, with the new model featuring more toys and gadgets than ever before. The all-new Clio will also be the first Renault to be built on the brand’s new CMF-B platform. Inside, the design places a focus on ergonomics and uses higher quality textiles with a soft-touch finish on the dash, door panels and central console. The Smart Cockpit presents information to the driver and the 9.3-inch multimedia screen is the biggest fitted to any Renault to date. A class-leading 10-inch TFT digital instrument binnacle replaces the analogue dials to modernise the interior of the best-selling Renault model. A new design for the dashboard sees a top, foam-panelled coating

sitting above a customisable second panel and then a third panel including the functional necessities like the glovebox. The centre console runs up to and over the dash, and houses the newly shortened gear lever, with the touchscreen up top and built-in storage spaces lower down. Designed to increase practicality, the Clio has a 391-litre boot and another 26 litres dotted about the cabin. With the fifth generation, Renault has added an R.S. Line trim to the Clio line-up for the first time, bringing a sportiness to the styling with a honeycomb grille, 17-inch alloys and sports seats – amongst many other touches that nod towards Renault’s sporting pedigree. Expect details on pricing when the Clio makes its debut in Geneva.

Fresh for 2019, Mitsubishi’s Mirage is available from just £11,295 in the UK. The revised model utilises a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and can attain up to 60.1mpg. Entry 3 spec is only available with a manual, whilst top-spec 4 has an automatic option, and also has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Volkswagen

Can you smell gas? Volkswagen has revamped its natural gas models – a process that sees the addition of a third natural gas tank to Polo and Golf models. The models run on compressed natural gas (CNG), and this new tank means that Golf models will see a range extension of 80-miles.

01283 553243 enquiries@assignment-media.co.uk www.facebook.com/@DriveUK Group Editor Alan Kidd

Editorial Executives

Mike Trott, George Dove

Contributors

Dan Fenn, Rob Ronson, Robert Bracegirdle

Photographers

Vic Peel, Richard Hair

Advertising Executive Abigail Cooper Tel: 01283 553246

Advertising Sales Manager Gary Simpkins Tel: 01283 553245

Group Advertising Manager Ian Argent Tel: 01283 553242

Publisher

Sarah Kidd Email: sarah.kidd@ assignment-media.co.uk Every effort is made to ensure that the contents of Drive are accurate, however Assignment Media Ltd accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor the consequences of actions made as a result of these When responding to any advertisement in Drive, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers take

reasonable care to ensure advertisers’ probity, but will not be liable for any losses incurred as a result of responding to adverts Drive is distributed through a network of supermarkets and other outlets. It is free to readers Where a photo credit includes the note CC-BY-2.0 or similar, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence. Details are available at www.creativecommons.org Drive is published by Assignment Media Ltd, Repton House, Bretby Business Park, Ashby Road, Bretby DE15 0YZ

Skoda

New SE Drive model gets extra kit Skoda has expanded the popular Octavia model range, with the introduction of the SE Drive trim. In both hatch and estate forms, the new spec adds an Amundsen infotainment system and 17-inch alloys to the high-spec SE variants, for a premium of just £550.

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Citroen celebrates 100 years with ‘Origins’ Collector’s Editions Special editions include C1, C3, C3 Aircross and C4 Cactus • Reworked images pay homage to former cars

Hyundai

N Line i30 gets new entry point Hyundai’s i30 N Line range has gained a new entry point, with the introduction of a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine to the ranks. The 120bhp T-GDi model is now on sale with prices starting at £19,995.

Nissan TO GO WITH ITS LET TER from the Queen, Citroën has announced a run of Origins versions that pay homage to the models that have made the brand over the last 100 years. The first two of the four models to get the Origins Collector’s Edition treatment, the C3 and the new C4 Cactus, are available to order in the UK with the production having begun in February. Styling tweaks set the special editions apart from the rest of the range, including Polar White, Cumulus Grey or Perla Nera Black for the C3 exterior options, while the C4 Cactus is available in either Platinum Grey, Obsidian Black or Pearl White. The C3 version comes with a black roof and 17-inch black alloys. The

Origins colour pack adds bronze fog lamp bezels and air bubble surrounds. Origins logo decals adorn the mirror housings and the roof pillar, and inside the heather grey and black seating features white highlights, while the soft-touch dashboard has a retro bronze surround. The same treatment is afforded to the Origins C4 Cactus. Based on Feel trim models, both commemorative models feature 7” touchscreens and Citroën Connect Box that calls for assistance after an accident. Prices for the range begins at £16,585 for the manual version of the C3, and the C4 Cactus model is set at £20,215. Special editions of the C1 and C3 Aircross will follow later on this year.

New Passat to debut in Geneva VOLKSWAGEN is due to reveal the updated Passat at the Geneva Motor Show with an influx of tech, partially automated driving and an increased electric range for its eco-friendly GTE model. Travel Assist will make a world premiere in the Passat, both in the estate and saloon models, and will bring enhanced driver aids with partial automated driving up to speeds of 130mph. These will include steering assistance in emergencies, and it will also include clever IQ.Light headlights previously exclusive to the Touareg SUV.

The Passat will also be the first VW model to incorporate the Apple CarPlay mobile phone integration system, and the infotainment system will also provide an internet connection for occupants, thanks to the new MIB3 system that also allows your phone to function as a key to both open and start the engine in the revised Passat. Linked closely with the digital cockpit, MIB3 can be controlled in part from the controls on the steering wheel. On the hybrid GTE model, the isolated electric drive mode has an increased range of up to 34 miles.

Mazda’s legendary MX-5 turns 30 Anniversary model is available exclusively in Racing Orange with only 600 units coming to the UK IT’S A BEHEMOTH in the motoring world – except in the literal sense – and it has just reached a big milestone. To celebrate 30 years of the world’s most iconic sports car, Mazda has released the 30th Anniversary Edition MX-5 in an exclusive Racing Orange. Just 3,000 cars will be sold globally, of which the UK’s portion will be 600. A third of those will be the hard-top Targa-esque RF version, but most will be the familiar soft-top MX-5 as your nan will know them. Over the last three decades, the world has taken in more than a million MX-5s, and the new model celebrates what has been achieved so far, but also signals the brand’s faith in the roadster and the hopes it has for the

future. They’ve proven this not just by making it visible from space, but by fitting it with exclusively developed aluminium racing wheels from Rays, Brembo front brakes for the first time in the UK (painted orange, of course) and a badge displaying the serial number on these limited-run machines. Alcantara clads the interior, which also features Recaro seats and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. All anniversary models will come with the newly beefed up 184bhp version of the 2.0-litre petrol engine and a manual six-speed with Bilstein dampers and a limited-slip differential. Orders are open, with prices set at £28,095 for the soft-top and £29,895 for the RF version.

New N-Motion trim for Qashqai Nissan’s uber-popular Qashqai crossover has been given visual enhancements and an automatic gearbox in the guise of the N-Motion model. The premium special edition gets silver body details, 19-inch alloys, orange inserts across the interior and the latest version of Nissan Connect all as standard. Pricing starts at £25,345.

Fiat

Tipo goes Street Adding urban appeal to the already stylish hatch, the Fiat Tipo Street adds 16-inch black alloys, tinted rear windows and darkened side mirror covers, front grille and door handles. Prices start at £15,050 for the 1.4-litre 95bhp engine and is available with 0% finance, along with the entire Tipo range, until the 31 March.

Renault

S Edition Zoe added Renault’s all-electric Zoe is now available in S Edition form, adding a Bose sound system, a reversing camera and leather seating to the already generously equipped EV. Prices for the new version begin at £19,270 if you take the government grant into account.

Issue 2: April 2019

To advertise in Drive, call our team on 01283 553245

‘If it’s what you’re in the market for you won’t flinch at the price’

Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Is Jaguar’s estate car just another pretty face?

RANGE ROVER SDV8 LWB

Supreme luxury off-road vehicle turns out to be especially convincing in limousine form THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY LWB is a Range Rover for people who employ chauffeurs – and who, as tested, have the ability to spend just shy of £120,000 on a vehicle. In an era of Bentley and Rolls-Royce SUVs, that’s not actually all that much. Especially as the Range Rover still has an innate ability to make even these illustrious names look like pretenders to its luxury SUV crown. It’s just lovely inside. It feels very, very special, from its design to its materials, and the breadth and depth of equipment you get is breathtaking. In particular, the seats are astonishing. They’re heated and cooled, they give you a massage and you can adjust them in every direction you can imagine and some you probably can’t.

Push of a button

That’s not just up front, either. In the back, the LWB has two chairs with the same functions as those up front – as well as powered footrests which raise as the backs recline to drop you into a position of repose. Also electric is a gigantic armrest console which drops down at the push of a button.

The driving position is superb, giving you a glorious view of the road ahead. With so much adjustability, getting comfortable can actually take a bit of doing, but once you’re there it’s sublime. And in the depths of winter, the Hot Stone massage function is especially soothing. Headroom is epic, even with a panoramic sunroof, and the cabin is filled with light thanks to the big windows that give you such a fine view. The dashboard is laid out around two large touch-screens whose graphics are sensationally crisp; one operates in-car functions like climate control, while the upper one runs a comprehensive (and complex) multimedia system. All very luxurious, then, but what’s it like to drive? The answer is that while long-wheelbase vehicles are meant to be less agile than the standard equivalent, you’ll be doing well to notice any difference. With a 4.4-litre diesel engine giving it bags of power and torque, the Rangey glides effortlessly up to speed. Its auto box is never jerky and its engine, while not silent, is never intrusive. It gathers speed with total certainty and,

on twisty B-roads, responds eagerly as you get on and off the gas.

Loaded with technology

In particular, we were impressed by how well the Range Rover controls its weight at speed through tight corners. For an off-road limousine to take such punishment in its stride is remarkable. And yes, it is an off-road limousine. It’s loaded with technology that really works when you take it off-tarmac. In fact, it saved us after a three-point turn on what looked like firm ground ended up with us sliding away from the road on wet grass. Despite being on smooth, low-profile tyres, it was still able to claw its way back to safety as we frantically sawed the steering wheel from lock to lock in search of grip. As far as we’re concerned, it’s worth the money for that alone. This is a specialised model, whose extra length adds about £7000 to the price of the standard SDV8 Autobiography, but if it’s what you’re in the market for you won’t flinch at that. And nor should you, because this version of the Range Rover does its job to perfection. Alan Kidd

RANGE ROVER SDV8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY LWB Seats Fuel Engine Performance Economy PRICE

5 Diesel 4367 cc, 8-cyl 7.5 secs, 135 mph 30.7 mpg, 244g/km £116,645

VERDICT The Range Rover comes in many forms, and this is one of the best. It’s a very ﬁne luxury car and makes every bit as ﬁne a limousine, with the materials and equipment to go with its superb styling. It’s just instinctively right.

★★★★★

YOU’RE GOING TO NOTICE that the XF Sportbrake is a handsome devil. But is it an estate that’s all show? The short answer is no. The XF Sportbrake rides just as well and is a rather comfortable steed, adding a suppleness to transportation that is superior to even the XE. The longer wheelbase helps with this, which means there’s also plenty of room inside. Especially in the boot, which more than triples from 565 litres to 1,700 if you flatten the rear seats. Out on the road, there are a selection of driving modes to alter how the Sportbrake rides. These mainly manage the throttle response to either prioritise economy or performance, though, the character of the whole vehicle remains the same. Whilst there’s a place for snarling estates with sporting credentials, that isn’t what the XF Sportbrake is about. It is still focused on being a Jag.

Effortless

Offering 180bhp from its 2.0-litre diesel powertrain, there are enough horses to avoid the wagon being sluggish, and the plentiful torque comes in very handy. But, on the whole, the unit is smooth and works in tandem with the automatic gearbox to give the impression of effortlessness. The interior boasts good build quality and materials, and there’s lots of leather about in this R-Sport trim. It’s a good place to be and it instils a feel-good factor. The biggest problem it has is its price. To buy one and put it on the road will cost you £41,095 – which seems pricey, despite the charms and qualities the Sportbrake brings to the table. But as a vehicle, there’s very little to aim a gripe at. George Dove

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Volkswagen Amarok 163 Trendline Entry-level Amarok is arguably the best pick-up money can buy THE VW AMAROK has been one of the biggest winners in the lifestyle pick-up market. But the model here is designed for work; it’s fitted with the entry-level 163bhp version of VW’s 3.0 TDI engine, has a manual gearbox and comes in no-frills Trendline trim. The vehicle we tested was adorned with several grand’s worth of options, but at £24,880 plus VAT its base price is well below that of most lifestyle pick-ups. Having said that, it’s around 10% or so more than the equivalent trucks from major competitors. Some of these feel noticeably utilitarian inside, however, but the Amarok doesn’t. It’s spacious up front, and the seats are excellent, though knee room

is more limited in the back than you might expect. There’s not a lot that can beat it on the road, either. Even in 163bhp form the engine pulls like a train – there are pick-ups with plenty more power that don’t feel as fast. The manual gearbox has a mechanical nature, but it gives you all the get-up-and-go you need whether you’re running unladen, carting a heavy load or pulling a trailer. Talking of trailers, the Amarok is limited to 3000kg – which doesn’t match the 3500kg most of its rivals quote. This matters to a lot of pick-up buyers, so it’s worth bearing in mind. On the motorway, the Amarok cruises comfortably, with plenty in re-

serve and nothing much in the way of engine noise. You don’t need to make constant adjustments to the steering to keep it on line, either. Move on to A and B-roads, and it handles with all the heft and body roll you expect of a truck – but none of the fidgeting on poor surfaces. The rear

is very well controlled, even unladen, and there’s plenty of grip. As for off-roading, this version of the Amarok is perhaps the best pick-up you can choose. It’s remarkably agile and controllable at very low speeds, its steering is precise on rough ground, and its axles follow the terrain very

smoothly. For ultimate traction, there’s a locking rear diff on the options list. You can spend almost twice as much on a pick-up, and doing so will score you all sorts of bling. But really, this version of the Amarok gives you everything you could ask for. Alan Kidd

HYUNDAI i30 N

Sensible hatchback gets enough power for seriously good fun – and a chassis to let you make the most of it WE’RE GOING TO get straight to the point: Hyundai’s first hot hatch, the i30 N, is brilliant. Forget the mundane information, like the fact this is a usable family vehicle with five doors and a decent boot, this is a car you want to get in and really drive. Essentially, what Hyundai has done is take its respectable, if not dull, family hatchback, garnished it with a few tasteful styling tweaks and given it a spicy 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, providing the i30 N with a modest 250bhp. But you don’t want this car. What you really want is the i30 N Performance – which takes it from mild masala to glorious madras. This Performance derivative throws in bigger wheels and brakes, an electronic limited-slip differential and Pirelli P Zero tyres, as well as an extra 25bhp and – most importantly – an active exhaust system.

“Listen to the hilarious soundtrack, with its machine-gun bursts of pops, bangs and crackles”

Worth every penny

The difference in price is £3000. And it’s worth every penny. You may rightfully point out that even 275bhp is a bit meagre in the hot hatch power stakes these days. But if you’re the type of person who cares solely about the figures on a piece of paper, you’re probably the sort of person I’d avoid at a dinner party. The biggest smiles aren’t always generated from the biggest power outputs. Let the super-hatch makers concern themselves with one-upping each other: 275bhp is more than enough for UK roads, and it gives the i30 N a wonderfully wringable neck that lets you have all the fun in the world

without going beyond third gear. There’s a range of driving modes to choose from, but do yourself a favour and whack it in N mode – then lap up this car’s infectious hunger for fun and its constant rib-tickling ways. Plant your foot and listen to the hilarious soundtrack, with its machine-gun bursts of pops, bangs and crackles. Revel in chasing the shift lights across the binnacle in front of you, or dropping a cog on the sweet manual box to unveil the wonderful rev-matching feature. The i30 N is an absolute hoot.

Best of all, Hyundai hasn’t made the N something that can’t be used for the everyday. Even in N mode, the car remains a non-teeth-shattering experi-

HYUNDAI i30 N PERFORMANCE Seats 5 Fuel Petrol Engine 1998 cc, 4-cyl Performance 6.1 sec, 155 mph 36.2 mpg, 178 g/km Economy PRICE £28,760

ence and doesn’t need to be taken to a track to be enjoyed. Drop the kids at school in comfort, run round Tesco and complete your

weekly shop, then head back out to your favourite B-road. The i30 N will do it all. And it will do it brilliantly. Mike Trott

VERDICT The i30 N is a welcome return to the days when hot hatches were all about ﬂat-out fun and scintillating agility. Whether in standard or Performance form, it has plenty of power –but, more to the point, a blend of steering, ride and handling that lets you use it to maximum effect. It’s brilliant.

★★★★★

Issue 2: April 2019

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“It’s bang on the money as a do-it-all family wagon”

Subaru XV

Latest XV proves capable in more ways than one THE XV WAS THE FIRST SUV on Subaru’s Global Platform and now features autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and rear cross-traffic alert, linked in to Subaru’s EyeSight system which creates a 3D image of the road ahead. The XV will self-steer to a degree, too, to keep you in check, and if you try to pull away before the car in front, it’ll kill the gas. Inside, the XV’s cabin feels more modern than the old version, with slick design and build quality. The dashboard is dominated by a large screen which does the stuff you want it to, but it’s nice to see the climate controls still utilise buttons. Visability is good, as is the space in the front seats. The rears aren’t as accommodating – one six-footer can sit behind another, but not without compromise. The rear seats drop down to leave a cargo floor with a sizeable step in it and a sloping front section. There’s a high lip at the tailgate aperture, too.

Composed

The XV’s seating position is quite sporty, as is the vehicle’s willingness to be driven with verve. The stiffer platform and low centre of gravity combine with the XV’s side-to-side balance of weight to flatter Subaru’s all-wheel drive system. This lets the vehicle grip tenaciously whilst the steering and handling offer great feel. It feels alert, but also covers ground with real composure. It’s also equipped with Subaru’s X-Mode for off-roading and, well, without going into too much detail, there’s more off-road ability here than we believed possible in a car of this nature – Subaru is a past master at making estates perform in the mud, but the company has excelled itself with the XV. That’s the icing on top for a vehicle which makes a very good first impression indeed. And with the XV’s new platform set to go under the next Forester and Outback, Subaru has some very good times ahead. Alan Kidd

FORD S-MAX 2.0 ECOBLUE

Traditional people-carrier is very practical – but don’t expect it to be hatchback-like to drive PEOPLE CARRIERS ARE known for being incredibly practical but a bit stodgy on the road. However among them, the Ford S-Max has always been seen as a family wagon for people who don’t want to lose out on driving fun. The current model has been around for three years and comes with a wide choice of engines, gearboxes and trim levels. The version here is in the second-to-top Titanium trim; it’s powered by Ford’s 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine and fitted with an auto gearbox. The cabin is functional but not sparse, with plenty of kit but no sense of occasion. The multimedia system uses a smallish screen with rather uninspiring graphics, and while the seating position is good the seats themselves are trimmed in a fabric that didn’t feel in any way special to us.

Small van

Behind you, the second row has enough room for one six-footer to fit in behind another. It’s not over-generous, though the seats do slide – which is necessary if you want to use the third row, as it has no legroom at all if the second is all the way back.

Thus we’d call the S-Max more of a 5+2 than a true seven-seater. Your kids will love the view out of the elevated second row, however – and when you need to carry cargo rather than people, everything aft of the front two seats folds 100% flat to turn the vehicle into a small van. The loadbay is accessed through a huge hatch and has a nice low floor, too, making this a star car for lugging big loads. As a practical family motor, then, the S-Max ticks all the boxes. You’d expect no less of a people carrier, of course. But this one also has that other dimension to it, the one that says you don’t need to compromise on driving fun. Basically, it’s meant to be the MPV that handles like a hatchback. First off, you can indeed lean on it hard in corners without getting out of shape. But does it handle like a hatchback? Not to us, no. The problem is that British roads tend to be bumpy and uneven. And while the S-Max does a very good job of smoothing out the pot holes around town, its body is thrown around too much on twisting A and B-roads. Rather than the light, lithe experience of a

hatchback, it’s more like driving a tall SUV – but without four-wheel drive.

Easy to drive

This is available, though only with a manual gearbox. It costs a little less than the auto option on the vehicle tested here, and unless you really need a self-shifter we’d say you’re better off putting your money there. That’s because we felt we wanted it, and also because we didn’t much like the auto around town. It doesn’t stop the diesel engine from doing a smart job, but at lower speeds it feels as if you’re having to force the issue to wind it up. This doesn’t pose a problem once you’re up to speed, and on the motorway the S-Max rolls along just fine. Again, it’s bang on the money as a doit-all family wagon, with easy-driving practicality by the bucketload. It’s not like a hatchback, though, at least not in this form, and at £33,445 as tested it’s up against some very able and arguably more stylish rivals. An SUV might well appeal at a more emotional level – though if you need the nth degree of practicality, here it is. Alan Kidd

FORD S-MAX 2.0 ECOBLUE TITANIUM AUTO Seats 7 Fuel Diesel Engine 1997 cc, 4-cyl Performance 10.8 sec, 122 mph Economy 53.3 mpg, 139g/km PRICE £33,445

VERDICT The S-Max is a throwback to the old days of huge people carriers, and its interior space is enormous. It’s rather unexciting both to sit in and drive, but it does everything it’s meant to and is particularly strong as a luggage-lugger

★★★★★

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Vauxhall Corsa GSi 1.4 Turbo

Vauxhall breathes life back into the GSi badge THE GSI NAME disappeared from the world for a number of years, but now the badge has returned on the rear of a Corsa. Crucially, the zesty GSi version does not replace the defunct VXR. Instead think of this as a warm hatch rather than a hot one. So don’t expect lap records, but do expect accessible performance. This Mandarina Corsa we tested certainly grabs the attention on the outside, with a sporty body kit, red calipers and carbon effect wing mirrors, this is a Corsa with performance on the mind. Hop inside and you’ll find heated sports seats (which can be upgraded to Recaros with the ticking of the GSi Plus Pack option) and a flat-bottom steering wheel. There’s also plenty of kit in the cabin to get excited about, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. In fact, the interior is an all-round solid effort from Vauxhall.

Spritely

Up front sits a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-pot motor, producing 148bhp and 162lbf.ft of torque – all from 2,750rpm. This equates to a 0-62mph sprint of 8.9 seconds, meaning the GSi is a spritely thing rather than being outright fast, but performance is strong and there is plenty of grip on tap from these optioned Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. However, there are issues with the GSi. The suspension setup is too firm and when it comes to driver involvement, the feedback coming through the steering wheel just isn’t there. There’s another drawback, too. The GSi costs £18,995. The Suzuki Swift Sport offers similar thrills for over £1,000 less, while the GSi’s price tag also puts it perilously close to the entry-level Fiesta ST... Mike Trott

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Issue 2: April 2019

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Out on the Town Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i X-Cite 5dr Price as tested £12,975 Economy 68.9mpg CO2 93g/km

Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge 3dr Price as tested £15,015 Economy 60.1mpg CO2 110g/km

Hyundai i10 1.0 Premium 5dr Price as tested £12,775 Economy 55.4mpg CO2 108g/km

City cars are consistently popular propositions. They offer relative practicality, frugality and are sized accordingly to make driving in tight streets and monotonous multi-storey car parks as easy as possible. They also often offer the cheapest route into new car ownership. So, which of these front runners is the best? George Dove reports...

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EQUIPMENT

IN THE CABIN IN BUDGET CARS, the interior is often the place to suffer most from the cost-cutting process that allows a manufacturer to name a list price that works for both them and the paying customer. Each of these three vehicles has a different approach to overcoming this. Inside the Fiat there’s a suave combination of retro details, good colouration and textiles. The dash is predominantly the same smooth mint colour as the exterior bodywork and features cream accents and seating. A trendy tartan material for the seating offers both comfort and style, as the base and back support are both plush

AYGO

and comfortable to sit on. However, there are a few things which do feel very budget. Chief among these is the plastic used in making the stalks on the steering column – it feels cheap and scratchy and has a tendency to bow slightly when the switchgear is used. On the subject of the stalks, it is also irritating to ﬁnd the cruise control stalk positioned below the indicators, making it easy to confuse the two. A set of buttons on the wheel would work much better. The infotainment screen, however, sits proud and centre and the overall design is clean and neat. Adding a panoramic roof into the equation

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AYGO Bright body-coloured inserts add vibrance to the interior of the Toyota, but can’t do enough to bridge the gap to its rivals

500

means that it’s a pleasant and bright place to be. Toyota’s Aygo doesn’t bring too much to the fore in these stakes. There is very little to the interior, other than the ﬂashes of Magenta Fizz panels along the doors and the dash. Everything else is black and with the tinted rear windows it can be a gloomy haunt. It feels very basic and borderline dated – not helped by the LCD driver information display. Hyundai have toed the line between the simplicity of the Toyota and the statement of the Fiat. The i10 has a very tidy and functional interior, comprising good materials and a

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500 The Fiat’s cabin is the one that feels the most upmarket and has the comﬁest set of seats. This is certainly the most stylish city car around

i10

layout that doesn’t push the envelope. The seats are welcoming and supportive cloth numbers in a conservative dark grey that feel hard-wearing and should stand the test of time. The dash is similarly inoffensive, with a touchscreen dead centre and a small storage tray beneath it. On balance, there isn’t too much in it between the Fiat and the Hyundai with the Toyota behind them both. The design is more eye-catching in the 500 and it has a greater sense of identity, however the quality of the materials and the simplicity of the layout in the i10 put it ahead in our books here.

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i10 Hyundai has gone for function over form in the i10 – and it’s worked. The interior feels robust and is the most ergonomically pleasing

PRACTICALITY BEING LIT TLE CITY CARS, practicality isn’t a strong point for any of these three, but the i10 makes the most of its longer wheelbase and offers more rear legroom and boot space than its adversaries. Its 252 litres of luggage space with the seats up and 1,046 litres with them down respectively beats the 168 to 812 in the Aygo and 185 to 550 in the Fiat. Whilst we applaud the 500’s design, having two less doors and being shaped to look dinkier than it is, you’re pinched for space – although once you’ve squeezed into the back there is a tad more legroom than in

AYGO

the Aygo, but sloped rooﬂine cuts in on headroom. The Aygo’s boot is a strange shape and though you can comfortably ﬁt a smaller weekly shop in the back of it, you have to lower it down over the huge lip that makes up the bumper. Door bins in all three models are usable, but biggest in the i10. On either side of the centre console, the 500 has netting to store things in but no compartment to easily chuck your phone or house keys. It’s the opposite in the i10, with plenty of compartments that extend as far as a central armrest with a cubby box.

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AYGO The Toyota has a fractionally smaller boot than the 500 and has the worst aperture. But folding the seats does yield extra space the 500 doesn’t have

i10

THE HYUNDAI, being a high-spec Premium model, comes with lots of gear out of the box, something the Aygo can’t match. The 500 is wellequipped, but only if you’re willing to pay out on the options. As we drove it, the Fiat had an upgraded 7” touchscreen with sat-nav, automatic climate control, auto lights and wipers, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and a 7” TFT instrument cluster – for a combined total of £1,275. The i10 didn’t have the 500’s automatic lights and wipers, nor the rear parking sensors, but did have everything else the 500 is tricked out with – as standard – plus cornering lights, hill-start assist and a brake assist system. The Aygo has few extras, with a speed limiter, reversing camera and a touchscreen infotainment system making up the notable functions on the list. It does get DAB radio and have Bluetooth connectivity, but even the basic Fiat would have more features. The 500 has the best equipment of the three here, but you’re not asked to pay more for the toys in the Hyundai. On both the 500 and the i10, the only aspect in which you could ask for more would be in upgrading to heated seats, adaptive cruise control and more automatic and autonomous features – but naturally they are found on more luxurious vehicles sitting higher up in the marketplace. AYGO

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500

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i10

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i10 Boot space is limited in all of our contenders, but the Hyundai boasts the most capacious load area with a cabin that also provides better storage solutions 500

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500 Being a three-door, the Fiat struggles to match the other two for usability. The boot is adequate, but door bins are the smallest and there are few storage compartments

The Fiat has the most kit but charges you accordingly. The Aygo provides a few toys, only the i10 offers you more for the smallest fee

Issue 2: April 2019

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ON THE ROAD WITH TWO 1.0-litre and a 1.3-litre engine – all petrol – none of this trio are what you’d call fast. The Fiat, boasting the bigger engine, romps to 60mph in 12.9 seconds – nine tenths of a second faster than the Aygo and quicker than the i10 by the same margin again. It is the second most powerful, and the torquiest too, but on all counts, there isn’t too much variance in the figures. With all three of the cars, gear changes – both premature and belated – can cost precious momentum. But, despite having the weakest engine on paper and being the heaviest, the Hyundai feels the nippiest out of the trio, at least to around 40mph. In any of these city cars, you’ll find that you work the gearbox quite a bit, and all three of them have nice manual five-speeds. Both the Toyota and the Hyundai have very slick, easy-going changes, whilst that in the 500 may be a tad behind in its sweetness, although the placement of the shifter on the centre console means it is equally enjoyable to manage. The Fiat is the quietest out on the road, with the Hyundai not too far behind and the Aygo being somewhat susceptible to noisy intrusions from the wind and road. City steering in the Fiat is a nice feature around urban areas and especially when manoeuvring, and whilst the i10 and Aygo don’t have the same

trick up their sleeve, both are still nimble and easily piloted. On open roads, the Toyota’s agility becomes evident thanks to having the lightest mass. The i10, with the longest wheelbase though, sticks to the road more convincingly and is the sweetest to drive – both day-to-day and on

occasions when you want to have fun. Despite the stats leaning towards an Italian victory, the 500 actually feels heavy and doesn’t match the Toyota’s chuckability, and the ride isn’t as ﬁnetuned as the Hyundai, either. On twisty roads, we also found the seats lacking in lateral support.

HANDLING Which is the most fun? AYGO

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AYGO With the least weight to lug about, the Aygo has real agility in the corners, but its general road manners can’t match the 500 or i10

500

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500 Despite being lighter than the i10, the Fiat feels heavier and unwilling to have fun like the other two. Comfort is the 500’s strong point instead

i10 While the Hyundai is the slowest and heaviest here, the fact is this car is the most composed and most fun of the three – it’s the best out on the road

MULTIMEDIA

SAFETY AYGO

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i10

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500

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i10

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THE 500 RECEIVED a three-star Euro NCAP rating when tested, scoring 66% for adult occupant safety, 49% for child occupant safety and 53% for pedestrians. It lacks extensive safety tech, so the safety assistance score came in at 27%. The Hyundai and the Aygo scored an extra star overall, with 79% and

82% for adult occupants, 71 and 64% for pedestrians and ﬁnally 56 and 57% for safety assistance. The biggest difference was for child occupant safety, with the Hyundai scoring 80%, which is notably higher than the Aygo’s percentage of 63. All three of these vehicles are likely to gain the usual plethora of safety technology over the coming years, but for now, features such as Rear Cross-Trafﬁc Alert remain out of reach for these modest automobiles.

AYGO

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500

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i10

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THE TWO SYSTEMS in the Fiat and Hyundai feature Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and that means there is little to choose between them. The 500’s system does have its own pre-programmed sat-nav that works well enough, but using the full mobile connectivity does work smoother. The Toyota system doesn’t feature

either sat-nav or supported mobile systems, however if you plug your phone in, rather than connect via Bluetooth, it offers a slicker and more cohesive experience – but only for phone calls and playing media. All three have cleanly laid out, easy to use controls on their steering wheels, with none of them overcomplicating things. The Fiat has the simplest layout, but those on both the Hyundai and the Toyota make complete ergonomical sense.

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VALUE AND RUNNING COSTS without the £1,775 of extras – but it is marginal and there is a feel-good 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 500 factor about the retro styling and 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 i10 brightness of the cabin which means WE SET A BENCHMARK of you wouldn’t grumble over the £13,000 as a reasonable price for price. Just consider carefully what a modern city car before assemoptions you would want. bling this triple test. Only two of Clocking in as the cheapest, and the three vehicles here come under with the most kit as standard, the that threshold, as tested, but we still Hyundai is easily the one that offers don’t feel that any of them offer customers the best value. Add in poor value. Hyundai’s famous warranties and Coming closest to this is the Fiat. you’re looking at assured value, too. It does come in over budget – even The Aygo also gets in under target AYGO

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– albeit with not too much change from the target ﬁgure – but doesn’t keep up with the other two in many categories. It has frugality on its side, though. Quoted mpg is 68.9 on a combined cycle, but after a week of hard graft under our tenure the average was 49.8mpg. Neither of the others matched the Toyota here, but the Hyundai went close with 48.5mpg, and wasn’t far off its quoted ﬁgure of 55mpg. The Fiat, however, averaged 44mpg, 16 below its cited combined digits.

CONCLUSION IN A FEW OF THE TESTING categories, the running was close, however being near the front for every category, the Hyundai comfortably wins this shootout by our reckoning. The Fiat does ooze charm, with its

ditsy retro styling and has as many toys as you can expect from a car in this class. However, it trips up when it comes to practicality and value – something that can’t be ignored in this budget-conscious sector. And whilst

Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i X-Cite 5dr

Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge 3dr

Hyundai i10 1.0 Premium 5dr

SCOREBOARD Cabin Equipment Multimedia Practicality Performance Handling Ride Economy Safety Value

6/10 6/10 6/10 6/10 6/10 7/10 6/10 8/10 7/10 7/10

7/10 8/10 7/10 5/10 5/10 6/10 6/10 7/10 6/10 7/10

8/10 7/10 7/10 7/10 5/10 7/10 7/10 8/10 8/10 9/10

TOTAL

66/100

67/100

74/100

the driving experience isn’t bad, it isn’t as dynamic as either of the other two and feels lardier than it is. Toyota’s offering feels the cheapest of the trio, with the least toys and a somewhat lacklustre interior. However, it possesses the basics and feels the most agile on the road, with the engine’s reluctance to burn gasoline surely something to be applauded. But the Hyundai just doesn’t put a foot out of line. It might have the least adventurous styling of the trio, and wear the badge with less history, but look past that and you’ll want for nothing that is reasonably expected in this class. Plus, you’ll get the most change from the target price, too.

/100

Issue 2: April 2019

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Pocket Rockets

You’ve heard the term ‘pocket rocket’ before, often used to describe a notably small car with big thrill credentials, however, the two cars we have here aren’t just feisty minions you could slide into your pocket – they’re also kind on your pocket, too

Above: While it may be difﬁcult to ﬁnd the right driving position in the Abarth, there are a few nice touches to be found, like the Alcantara and carbon effect steering wheel Below: The Suzuki’s cabin is more user-friendly and sets itself apart from regular models with its flat-bottom wheel and dashing red trim

THE HOT HATCHBACK has always held big appeal with those of us who have petrol frequently on the mind. The trouble is in recent years horsepower and prices have all gotten rather silly. An RS3 may have 400bhp, but then it costs £44,300 – hardly attainable for the common man. But don’t worry, because I can offer you a ray of sunshine. Two, in fact. The first is Suzuki’s latest Swift Sport, a handsome craft, ticking off the hot hatch criteria nicely with its muscular physique, smart alloys and dual-exit exhaust. This is clearly a Swift that has been pumping iron at the gym. Our second delight is the Abarth 595 Competizione and it’s just downright obnoxious. Its body kit is more extreme and the 595 goes one step further with Brembo brakes and a Record Monza exhaust to the rear. If the Swift has been pumping iron, then the 595 has been on the steroids. So let’s find out which car comes out on top.

CABIN We’ll start off in the Super Black Swift, which represents a vast improvement over the old model, with a modern dash and infotainment panel.

I really like how Suzuki has injected some flashes of colour with the red trim, plus it’s not the garish red some manufacturers like to splash about. The red detailing extends into the sports seats – fabric items in this instance – which do a good job of keeping you in place. They are also cosseting for the duration and along with the flat-bottom steering wheel that can be adjusted for height and reach, the Sport has the basics covered for being a suitable daily runabout. Visibility is good and there’s plenty of headroom, whether in the front or back of the car. The Abarth, for a number of reasons, is simply ergonomically inferior to the Swift. While the metal gear knob looks lovely and sits in a position that’s better than in the Swift, the rest of the cabin has its flaws, chief among which is the Sabelt seats. They are as welcoming as a park bench, there is no height adjustability and if you want to alter the angle of your seat back, you need to have the arm flexibility of Mr Tickle to reach the rotary knob. The consequence is a seating position that’s too high, and then to stop your knees rubbing on the bottom of the wheel, you push the steering column higher than you’d want. How-

ever, it’s not all bad. The Abarth has a few flashy additions, such as Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, although this doesn’t do enough to make up for the fact the 595 just isn’t a comfortable car to live with. There were a couple of rattles, too, and the car has an annoying habit of self-cancelling its indicators before you’ve even entered the island.

PRACTICALITY When it comes down to how usable these two terriers are day-to-day, there is one clear winner once again. With its two extra doors, the Swift’s rear bench is instantly more accessible and the seats are actually usable, even if it means a bit of a compromise with taller individuals. In the Abarth it’s more inconvenient. Firstly, getting into the back requires some careful body bending and once you’re seated there’s less room to play with, both for your legs and head. Opening the boot lid reveals a similar story. While both boots are big enough to handle a modest shopping spree, the Swift – with 265 litres – is bigger, even if its aperture means there is a decent lip to hurdle. The Abarth measures in with 185 litres of space and falls short when the rear seats are

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folded down as well. This is not the car to use for the Ikea run. Back in the cabin, the 595 has a couple of storage nets and door bins that could cater for a CD or two (what’s that?), and its small cup holders are placed low under the gearstick. The Swift Sport does at least have door bins that can carry bottles of water in the front and back, while there’s a decent glove compartment and the cup holders are better positioned.

EQUIPMENT Automatic LED headlights, sat-nav and a rear-view camera: these are just a few of the items you can expect to find on a Suzuki Swift Sport. There’s no variation of the Sport – you just get one model with a tonne of kit already supplied. Along with the aforementioned, there’s also keyless entry and start, DAB, Bluetooth, high beam assist and even adaptive cruise control. The 595 comes with a fair amount of features itself, but not all are standard items. While the rear sensors, automatic climate control and 7” TFT instrument display are included with the base car, our 7” touchscreen that provides navigation is a £700 option. The same goes for the Beats audio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto function, which adds another £500. The Abarth’s 7” Uconnect multimedia system does at least have some pretty cool graphics, but look past those and you’re left with an infotainment system that is fussier to use than in the Swift. While the graphics are better, you find yourself having to look for the right menus rather than everything being ready and on hand.

Both cars offer sporty seats, but you’ll do well to get settled into the Abarth’s rock-hard Sabelts That doesn’t mean the Swift’s system is perfect. The biggest gripe here is that it can be slow to react at times and suffers from excessive lag. Nevertheless, it has a better layout and is not as cluttered, connecting your phone is painless and the screen is a set size rather than an optional upgrade.

ON THE ROAD Everything up to this point has painted the Abarth out to be something that couldn’t give a damn about practicality or the graceful tackling of speed bumps. And that’s because it’s a boisterous antisocial yobbo. Being a Competizione version, the usual 1.4-litre turbo has been tuned up to 180bhp, which with the help of the Monza exhaust, makes itself heard very clearly indeed. 0-62mph takes a lightning 6.8 seconds and the 595 can reach a top speed of 140mph, at which

point you’re sure to feel like a pilot trying to take off in a soapbox. The power is too much for this little car to handle and more often than not you’re waiting for the tyres to find any sort of traction before progress can actually be made. It remains hilarious while doing so and on noise alone the 595 has the Swift beat. On a racetrack, the 595 would destroy the Swift Sport. But in the real world, where there are potholes and questionable surfaces to contend with, it could actually do with more compliance from its suspension. It may corner flat, but a slightly softer setup would improve ride quality and inject a bit of confidence in the driver. Even on motorways the 595 jiggles about and unless you’re travelling across a surface that mimics the smoothness of Beyoncé’s skin, after a couple of hours at the wheel, you’ll be praying for some respite. The gearshift is okay, but not as slick as the Suzuki’s, the Sport mode stiffens up the steering, but you end up feeling like it’s working against you rather than with you, and overall the whole package just lacks finesse. Which brings us to the Swift Sport. Out on the open road, the Sport is a delight, finding that balance between everyday usability and a driving experience with additional dynamism. It’s a more mature delivery of hot hatch thrills – the engine making pleasant sounds, for instance, without being laugh-out-loud funny. It may have an inferior power output, with just 138bhp from its 1.4-litre

VERDICT

The 595 remains flat through corners, but the softer set-up on the Swift means it’s the better all-rounder turbocharged engine, but maximum torque comes in lower down the rev range and it transfers the power to the road better than the Abarth. Traction out of corners is cleaner and with the experience being less frantic, you can enjoy yourself with more confidence. Even when you start to push the front wide with a bit of understeer, it’s all calm and the fun remains, rather than turning to bum-clenchingly scary. The ride in the Swift is firm, but it doesn’t crash about and you won’t wince at approaching speed bumps, unlike in the 595. It doesn’t corner as flat as the Abarth, but lean is minimal and with its featherweight 975kg kerb weight helping to keep this Suzuki agile, its extra flexibility make the Sport better to live with. The handling is far more natural and while there are no different modes to choose from, there’s a nice weighting to the steering, just asking you to work the car. It’s inviting. The Abarth on the other hand, is not.

OWNERSHIP COSTS While you’re probably never going to buy a performance car based on economy, it’s worth noting that both the 595 and Swift Sport have the same

combined mpg figure of 47.1. However, in the real world, after a week with us, the Swift recorded a credible average of 42.1mpg, while the Abarth could only muster 33.6mpg. Both these vehicles come with a three-year warranty and have the same service interval of 9,321 miles (15,000km). When it comes to safety, the Swift takes the win again with a four-star Euro NCAP rating to the 595’s three-star grading. Finally, when you pare it back to how much each of these hot hatches costs, the final nail goes into the coffin. The Swift Sport, while not being perhaps the bargain it was, is still good value if you consider the amount of equipment it comes with at just £17,999. The Abarth seems overpriced as a result, especially given how these two cars have performed. As tested, the 595 comes in at £22,535. That’s steep whichever way you look at it. Admittedly, there are some options you could choose to live without – like the £200 black mirrors and side stripe option – but even with no options ticked, the Competizione is over £2,000 more than the Suzuki. The Swift, then, represents much better value.

Although it may not seem it, both of these pocket rockets are fun cars to go for a blast in. The problem for the Abarth is that as soon as you encounter an everyday situation, you’ll soon want to catch a break from its harsh ride and impractical outlook. And that’s a shame, because these are the types of cars you should hop into and never want to get out of. There was a unanimous feeling in the office after both of these vehicles left us. Essentially, everybody could appreciate the comical side of the 595 and while it sounded better and was the fastest of the two, not one person missed it once it departed. But the Swift Sport has come up in conversation several times since. It’s the one you would buy with your own money and the one that wouldn’t ever get tiresome. Each morning you would head out onto your drive and a smile would reappear on your face, whereas with the 595 you may place a hand on your back and grimace. Good things can come in small packages, but in this instance, the Swift is the one to take delivery of.

Issue 2: April 2019

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Ready for adventures… and tip runs Vehicle: Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 150 Scout Year: 2018 Run by: Alan Kidd I WROTE IN last month’s issue about the Skoda Fabia that’s found its way on to our fleet of long-termers and project vehicles. And that would make mine a two-Skoda family, because our driveway is also frequented by a Kodiaq that Skoda loaned us last year for long-term evaluation. It’s a 2.0 TDI 150 Scout, meaning it’s enhanced for off-road use with toughened bumpers and added bash plates underneath. It comes with fourwheel drive, naturally, as well as an off-road function that sets the vehicle up for low-traction work, and we specced ours with Dynamic Chassis Control – a £990 addition which adds selectable drive modes. That’s one of several options on our vehicle. We wanted an adventure wagon with the ability to take us off the beaten track and, within reason, to keep going after the tarmac runs out, but we also knew that first and foremost we’d be using it as a family car. So we went for a variety of safety and practicality kit – lane assist, blind spot detection and every available airbag, as well as a powered boot lid, reversing camera and picnic tables for the second row. Add a heated windscreen, upgraded stereo, metallic paint and self-parking function, and to be honest we’d been greedy. The list price for our Kodiaq when we ordered it was £34,205 (it’s gone up to £35,530 now) – but, by the time we were finished ticking the options (which, we have to confess, we did while sitting next to an open fire, brandy in hand, in the faded grandeur of a Lake District hotel), we’d upped that to £39,865. Were it our own money, we’d have been less extravagant. As we mentioned above, anyway, our Kodiaq will spend most of its time doing family duties. But the point of a car like this is that you’re not limited to school runs and missions to the tip. Where will we take it first, we wondered? Up to Yorkshire, or maybe the Derby Dales? How about Wales, or up to the Lake District? Anywhere with good green lanes is alright by us – they need to be suitable for a smart SUV on 19” rims, obviously, so absolutely

no deep mud or scratchy undergrowth, but that leaves plenty to go at. Britain has a surprisingly widespread network of unsurfaced rights of way that you’re allowed to drive on – it’s nothing like as big as it was once, before politics and greed got involved, but there are still plenty of places where you can go and explore in a vehicle like the Kodiaq Scout. So where did we decide to go first? Oh, the tip, obviously. Because one of the other things about having a do-it-all vehicle is that you become incredibly popular with all your friends. Sure enough, someone we knew had the builders in and there was a load of wet, grubby plasterboard, wet, grubby carpet and wet, grubby furniture to get shot of. Wet and grubby very much the theme, then. Still, it proved just how good the Kodiaq is at swallowing big loads when its back seats are down. It also proved that the powered boot lid is a good one to tick on the options list. It only costs £185 and, when you’re going back and forth with armfuls of crud but not wanting to leave your vehicle unsecured in between

times, you don’t need to make many trips to appreciate being able to zap it open before setting off. We’re loving the upgraded stereo, too, which comes on top of an already excellent standard system featuring DAB, sat-nav and smartphone mirroring. One thing we’ve found particularly good in the Kodiaq is the sound quality when making handsfree phone calls – every word comes through clearly. As it’s being used for long commutes a couple of times each week, that feature comes firmly into its own. There’s nothing, however, that can match the feeling of freedom that comes from being able to turn off the tarmac and head off down an unsurfaced lane. The vast majority of people don’t realise that such a thing as an unsurfaced right of way even exists in Britain, but they’re as much a part of the road network as the M1… it’s just that you wouldn’t want to go down one in something shiny. Actually, the Kodiaq is shiny. But it’s made for adventures, and a few local lanes gave us the chance to give it a taste of mud.

These are the kind of tracks that are used every day by farm traffic and don’t require a hardcore off-roader to get down. One of them is best tackled by submarine during the winter months, but that’s a different story. Not surprisingly, the Kodiaq was well within its comfort zone here, with plenty of traction to spare. We can’t say with our hands on our hearts that pressing the Off-Road button made any appreciable difference, but we did it anyway; tougher terrain is where it will prove itself. The added underbody protection was definitely

Confessions of a Car Maniac

Terrible ideas we’ve been lusting after in the classifieds this month… One of my earliest memories of cars was when my dad’s cool mate (he seemed cool as he had a tattoo and I was eight years old) drove into our cul-de-sac in this low-down, tiny black sports car – that looked just like KITT. I didn’t know that it was a nimble, rear-wheel drive sports car that was a fine driver’s choice in the 1990s, I merely thought it could talk and drive itself. The news was broken to me that the ‘Mister Two’ was not sentient, but even through the intense disappointment, the Toyota had made an impression. From that point on I’ve always had a soft spot for the Mk2, in particular ones in Caribbean Blue, and if you read the piece on my GT86 up and to the right, you’ll be able to tell it may have planted a seed in my mind early on. George Dove

reassuring, however – because even though we didn’t hit anything, what you need to think about are the consequences of what happens if you do. My mate needs to think about the consequences of what will happen if he keeps on dishing up more wet plasterboard, too. But that kind of thing is the reality of life for anyone with a good truck… and though ‘truck’ might sound like a bit of a demeaning word for something as elegant as the Kodiaq, if you know your 4x4s you’ll know it’s the biggest compliment we can pay it.

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Reining it in Vehicle: Toyota GT86 Year: 2012 Run by: George Dove AFTER THE FIRST MONTH or so getting used to the Nokian WR A4s, plus the marginal upturn in the weather, I’ve started to play with the ’86 a bit more on the winter rubber. Just a little bit, honestly. First off, I’d like to point out that I am fully aware that having winter tyres isn’t reason enough that you can drive as though it is still bone dry and peak summer and not end up in a hedge – or worse. Yes, the tyres are marketed as high-performance – and you can get a lot out of them, so it isn’t incorrect – but don’t be fooled into thinking that you’re impervious to the adverse weather conditions by the phrasing of the marketing. Usain Bolt wouldn’t be as quick on a track covered in snow, puddles and ice, even with snow boots on, would he? I don’t know, but I do doubt it. You may be reading this and waiting for me to write about how I learned this the hard way. But I didn’t – I’ve just put the miles in and been very attentive to how they work on a car I know well. The WR A4s do hold on to the road well and providing there is no ice or snow or other slippery

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B U M P E R T O P PA I N T P R O T E C T O R S Possibly the most practical accessory you can fit to your vehicle

Prevents costly repairs and maintains resale values lubricants in play, they come close to the grip I got in the summer. There is a difference to the way that they handle, though. As I’m not a lunatic, I’ve spent the entirety of the winter with the traction control fully on – as I do for the large majority of the time. When the back end kicks out, the computers usually do their thing to find the rear wheels grip and stop them spinning. The whole motion is rather abrupt and representative of a slap on the wrist for being a reckless lout. However, with the WR A4s, the

sensation is different. Often the traction control will kick in and I’d be none the wiser were it not for the orange light that flashes inside the rev counter. You can kick the tail out around corners, and you’re ushered back in line just about as quickly but without the drama. The difference is like slipping on a greasy floor rather than an ice rink – much less panic and less drastic action is required. But, if you didn’t get used to the tyre, I can envisage it ending in tears, through no fault of the rubber, I hasten to add.

Eliminates damage to the top of the bumper when loading and unloading the boot. A practical, simple and stylish solution that hides old paint scratches and prevents new ones. Wide range

• Rearguards are available

for over 750 passenger and commercial vehicles. New models added monthly.

Easy to fit

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Clear instructions

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step fitting instructions and cleaning sachet included.

Choice of colours

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recyclable ABS plastic and are available in 4 colour options: • Black • Brushed Alloy Look • Carbon Look • Silver

Individually designed

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Quality

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accessory by many vehicle importers and manufacturers.

Just one of our many satisfied customers...

“Just a quick note to say a massive thanks for your excellent service and attention. The product is excellent and looks like Volvo original equipment. I am delighted with the finish and ease of fit.” Mr DP

To order, enquire or request a brochure please call, email or visit our website: When the subject of terrible old cars comes up in the office (and it happens almost daily), it doesn’t take long for me to start waxing lyrical about the guiltiest of all my guilty pleasures. And that’s very guilty, I can tell you. As far as I’m concerned, the Renault Avantime was a literally ﬂawless idea. Take a full-size MPV, turn it into an upmarket coupe… what could go wrong? It’s like a ridiculous concept car that accidentally got put into production. I’ve never driven one, which may help. I’ve only ever seen one. Less than 9000 were built in the two years before Renault realised what a calamity it was, and they’re a real rarity in the classifieds. Especially in the must-have aubergine purple paint colour. But seriously, what’s not to love? When I get round to opening my museum of freakshow cars, one of these is getting pride of place. Alan Kidd

+44 (0)1525 853888 sales@rgmouldings.com

www.rearguards.co.uk Designed and manufactured in the UK

Richard Grant Mouldings Limited Units K4/K5, Cherrycourt Way, Stanbridge Road, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 4UH, England

Trade and export enquiries welcome

Issue 2: April 2019

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BUYING USED

CABIN

Build quality is outstanding, so there shouldn’t be any issues. Major creaks or rattles, or trim that’s loose or out of alignment, is very rare – so don’t ignore it if it does crop up, because there’s a reason (and possibly a sinister one) why it’s happened

SUSPENSION

ELECTRICS

Generally very reliable indeed, but expensive if they do go wrong. The dash lights have been known to fail, or flicker intermittently, and it’s a whole sealed-unit replacement if they do. On models with touchscreens, the controls are slow to react by today’s standards

Don’t be put off by a harsh ride around town or loud bumps from the suspension. It should settle down nicely at higher speeds – if it doesn’t, time to start asking questions. Look for vibration through the throttle pedal, too – there shouldn’t be any

SKODA SUPERB 2008-2015 The Superb did what was once unthinkable for a Skoda: it stole business away from brands like BMW. It’s every bit as good a proposition on the used market, too

BY THE TIME the second-generation Superb went on sale, nobody was laughing about its name any more. Skoda, once the butt of everybody’s favourite cliched jokes, had become part of the motor industry mainstream – and with this new Superb, it even started pinching sales from established premium brands like BMW. The Superb was available in saloon and estate form, and with a vast choice of engines, gearboxes and trim levels. Some of the latter are quite basic, though towards the top of the range

you get loads of equipment – and the good news is that it tends to stand the test of time. Overall, Skoda’s build quality is very, very good. And as the company’s flagship vehicle at the time, the Superb was beautifully put together. The cabin should last forever – meaning that if you find one that seems rough inside, you might want to take the view that this is a symptom of something deeper and more worrying. On the subject of worrying things, the Superb was fitted with various

FOUR OF THE BEST £5000 SUVS 2011 Peugeot 3008 1.6 HDi 52,000 miles, £4850 Popular and attractive, the 3008 is a good option on the used market. This one doesn’t have many gizmos, but a leather steering wheel, electric parking brake and air conditioning are included. You’ll also have 513-litres of boot space, plus combined fuel economy quoted at 54.3mpg.

engines including the VW Group’s infamous TDI diesels. Yes, the dieselgate emissions scandal ones. This may or may not bother you. But you should certainly be wary of the damage your wallet will suffer if a diesel’s catalytic convertor or EGR valve needs replacing. These are a constant source of expensive woe, and can fail at surprisingly low mileages. Gearboxes tend to be reliable, though clutches can wear quite fast on manual models. The auto option is the popular DSG unit, which works well

– though it can be noisy, and a major breakdown here will cost thousands. Also pretty noisy, at least around town, is the Superb’s suspension. This is pretty rough and bumpy, particularly on models with low-proﬁle tyres, but it improves markedly as higher speeds – where the Superb rides very well. It’s not very agile, however, though the 4x4 model does have plenty of grip. If you’re after a big family car on the used market, the Superb will be on your shortlist almost by default. That being the case, your big decision is

2010 Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi 126,000 miles, £4995 This smart, four-wheel drive Zetec example may have done plenty of miles, but it’s a fair price with 17” alloys, air-con and Ford’s heated front windscreen. Being a diesel, the motor is torquey and frugal, plus the family wagon has Isofix points and a central rear seatbelt too. It’s rare to see a 4x4 version at such a price point, as most are two-wheel drive and lack stability in poor weather.

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INSTANT INFO

ENGINE

Huge choice, with 1.6 and 2.0 TDI units especially popular. Both were caught up in the dieselgate emissions scandal, however – and the 1.8 TSI is one of the best petrol engines around, so it’s well worth considering. Another reason for this is that the diesels have emissions-control equipment that’s prone to going wrong and costs a fortune when it does – a blocked EGR valve, for example, can easily leave you a grand poorer

KIA SPORTAGE Ë YEARS 2010-2015 Ë PRICE RANGE £4500-£16,500 TDI engines were caught up in the dieselgate scandal, but your main worry will be the cost of replacement EGR valves and so on

Interior design still feels fresh now. Build quality tends to stand the test of time, and equipment is excellent

Above: Estate models have an enormous, flat boot

TYRES

Below: Saloons are spacious too but don’t look as stylish

Premature wear is not unheard of, particularly on trim levels with low-profile fitments. It’s more common at the front, but the rears can suffer too – especially on 4x4 models

between the saloon and estate. Most often, the latter tend to look awkward in comparison, but with the Superb it’s the other way round – its proportions and styling look like they were made to work best in wagon form. The good news then is that the estate is also spectacularly practical, with immense rear legroom and a boot which, with the seats folded, becomes truly vast. Estates are worth more on the used market, however – but with so many to choose from, there are some great deals around.

OVERVIEW The Sportage replaced a model of the same name which was very worthy but dull to look at inside and out. With its striking looks and slick cabin design, it turned all that on its head – though it was still as worthy as ever. New, smaller entry-level engines made it much cheaper to run, too. IN THE CABIN Inside, the Sportage is every bit as cool as it looks, with a neat dashboard design featuring plenty of kit. Material quality is good, too, and it’s very well put together so even a leggy one shouldn’t be full of rattles. The seats are excellent, with decent leather on high-speccers that stands a decent chance of staying classy into old age, and there’s enough space to carry the average family in comfort. EQUIPMENT The Sportage was offered in a wide range of trims; pleasingly, all came with an excellent list of safety equipment. There were 1, 2, 3 and 3 Sat-Nav models on 2wd cars: 4x4s were named KX-2, KX-3, KX-3 Sat-Nav and KX-4. Picking the bones out of that, suffice to say that whatever you reasonably want, you can get. PERFORMANCE There’s a choice of 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol engines, and 1.7 and 2.0-litre diesels. In each case, the smaller one is front-wheel drive only; both bigger units came with four-wheel drive as standard. The 1.6 makes it feel like a bit of an effort, but the rest of the range drives with both zest and composure. ROAD MANNERS The Sportage is a breeze around town, enjoyable on the open road and pleasingly settled on the motorway. It won’t give you any hassle here. PRACTICALITY Legroom is adequate in the back for family use, but not what you’d call generous. The boot is good and big, but the back seats don’t fold totally flat RELIABILITY Most Sportages of this era are still in warranty, as they came with seven years’ cover. This may mean that faults don’t get reported through the usual public channels, however Kia’s reputation for reliability is among the very best. Check the overall condition of the body and interior, and listen for sloshing noises when you open the tailgate as water can occasionally get past the seals. RUNNING COSTS The Sportage is a cheap 4x4 to run –and more so if you have one that’s not a 4x4. The 1.6 GDi and 1.7 CRDi are excellent on fuel and cheap to insure – though the 2.0-litre engines are economical too and less likely to have been thrashed. Insurance costs are low, and none should be a burden to maintain. BUYING USED That warranty is a star attraction, but so too is a very strong record in customer satisfaction surveys. Whether you’re after a cheap one at low money or the best top-speccer around, the Sportage is stylish, well equipped and reliable.

VERDICT Kia Sportage Mk3

+ Stylish, well equipped, practical and affordable to own - Very little, unless you count the risk of owning the same car as everybody else SUM-UP One of the coolest, best kitted and best value small SUVs of its era

2011 Nissan Juke 1.5 dCi 69,000 miles, £4995

2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.6 VVT 49,000 miles, £4995

Nissan’s Juke was a pioneer in the crossover SUV sector, and there’s lots of them about. It’s a compact and nimble steed that offers a commanding view over regular hatchbacks. This Acenta trim comes with 17” alloys, rear sensors, electrically adjustable door mirrors, cruise control, Isofix fittings and a trio of three-point rear seatbelts, plus the boot space is a respectable 354 litres.

Suzukis always provide value and reliability. This Grand Vitara is lightweight and has a punchy 104bhp powertrain, that produces 107lbf.ft of torque, and will be surprisingly good off-road and enjoyable to drive on it, too. Fuel economy isn’t great, with a combined figure of 32.5mpg. But at this price, a smart, tidy and low mileage example is easy to find.

Issue 2: April 2019

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Algarve race school renews Davanti deal ONE OF THE MOST technically challenging race circuits in the world – the Autódromo do Algarve – has extended its partnership with Davanti for three more years. The deal means that the fleet of high-performance sports cars plying their trade at Autodromo’s elite AIA Racing School will continue to be fitted with Davanti DX640 tyres until 2022. The decision, which was made by a circuit that plays host to the European LeMans Series, 24H Endurance Series, the FIM World Superbike Championship and the Algarve Classic Festival, is a massive coup for the UK tyre manufacturer, having launched their first tyre on the market in just 2015. Having recently updated its fleet, the driving school will be putting the Davanti rubber to use with the Porsche 911 GT3, Honda Civic Type R, Mercedes AMG E63 S all available. So, the standard, road-legal tyres have been entrusted with taming some rather celebrated performance vehicles. ‘We have held this valued partnership for two years,’ said Sean Maddocks, Sales Director for UK and Ireland. ‘It is a prestigious partnership for us and we are proud of the faith the

Autodromo team continue to show in our tyres’ on-track performance.’ AIA Racing School Director, Miguel Praia, said that having run on Davanti tyres – specifically the DX640 - since 2016, the instructors were keen for the school to continue using Davanti products on their track weapons. ‘The tyres have performed impressively well and have been consistent which, anyone who drives at high speed will tell you, is critical,’ he said. ‘The fact these tyres are not a special bespoke formulation or a sticky race tyre, they are simply standard road tyres that perform right on the ragged edge, is phenomenal. ’Our drivers are highly qualified professionals and they understand the importance of tyres as a safety feature. They have developed complete confidence in Davanti since we began this partnership as tyres that handle well and provide all the feedback and control you need to drive safely and well.’ If the road legal, standard tyres can cope with the demands of a repeated abuse on a racetrack, then they’ll certainly have your back in the situations that make up everyday life. www.davanti-tyres.com

Wiping clear YOU CAN TAKE MANY, many steps to ensure the pristine condition of your vehicle’s exterior, but there is one thing that you’ll struggle to avoid if you ever park outside. Skyrats. Sorry, birds. And in particular their total ignorance of public toilets. This becomes even more of a problem if they’re on a new-fangled berry-heavy weight-loss diet and ruins

the hard work we’ve put in polishing the bodywork. And if left for too long their… deposits… can result in a permanent staining of the paintwork on your car thanks to the fruit acids found within. But, Autoglym’s Bird Dropping Wipes are the easy and efficient antidote to this particular problem. The cotton-based cloths are soft, and

the cleaning compound loosens the offensive matter and does no damage – either to the bodywork or windows. An ideal defence against unruly avian assault, that fits neatly and handily in the glovebox. To read the more sciency bits and to peruse more of the Autoglym product range, head over to the website: www.autoglym.com.

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Eezi-Awn Stealth Tent can solve your domestic SUVS ARE VERY POPULAR in the current market, and they’re very versatile vehicles. They’re comfortable to spend time in, they’re practical and they can store a load of kit in them. For years, campers have favoured SUVs for these very reasons. But the issue with traditional camping is that once you get to the campsite, the holiday can’t really start until you’ve done a bit of work in putting up your tent. This usually goes one of two ways – it’s either an argument or one of you gets banished to a distant corner of the field whilst the other struggles in solitude. Well, that shouldn’t be a problem, should it? There will always be arguments on any holiday (yes, there will) but with Eezi-Awn’s Stealth roof tent, the bickering doesn’t have to start straight away. Simply unclasp the four stainless

steel locks and give it a push and voila, the gas struts open up the aluminium hard-shell. Within seconds the tent is up. The 280gsm ripstop canvas is now taut and in position, and thanks to the unique scissor mechanism – which raises the front end of the tent by 30cm – there is a surprising amount of legroom for a fold-away roof tent. For further comfort, the inbuilt mattress is made from a dense foam and measures 130x215cm. There is also a 12V socket and power cable that transfers power from the vehicle’s cigarette lighter to the LED interior light and USB port, so you can see to read and charge your phone to get through the times when you’re not talking. There are also storage pockets on either side to help keep things organised. To get up to the tent, an aluminium ladder is included which extends to over two metres and can easily be

stowed away for easy access beneath the tent. Each side of the tent features integrated privacy panels that are opened or closed via heavy-duty YKK zippers, and there are also mosquito nets on all doors and windows, whilst the rear door also gets an integrated awning. Putting the Stealth down is simple, thanks to the bungie system that helps pull it down and pack it away. Once you’ve locked the aerodynamic shell back into the closed position, the lightness of the tent’s design means that you barely notice is as you power back homeward, in search for someone to listen as you bad-mouth each other. If the Eezi-Awn Stealth seems like the answer to at least some of your problems, you can source yours at expedition-equipment.com – and a roof rack on which to attach it, too, if you happen to require one.

Issue 2: April 2019

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On top of Britain THE BIG STORY

If you were given the opportunity to drive to the summit of Ben Nevis, you’d probably choose the best 4x4 you could find to do it in. But way back in 1911, off-road vehicles hadn’t been invented… so Henry Alexander resolved to make the trip aboard no less modest a vehicle than the legendary Ford Model T Words: Ranald Ferguson Pictures Ford MANY OF US DRIVE SUVs nowadays, and we love the sense of adventure that comes with their go-anywhere image. But a century ago, off-roaders didn’t exist; there were precious few roads, so going off them hardly seemed necessary. Despite this, Britain’s first-ever off-road expedition happened decades

before the term ‘Jeep’ was coined. The first Land Rover was still more than 35 years away. In fact, Queen Victoria was still fresh in people’s memories. Yet the event was originally contrived as nothing more than a publicity stunt. The year was 1911. The man behind the adventure was one Henry Alexander, owner of a Ford dealership in

England, who wanted a publicity stunt with which to promote the recently introduced Model T. Whether the thought was his alone, or suggested to him by friends, colleagues or customers, is something that is likely to remain forever shrouded in the mists of time. Either way, however, Alexander came up with the idea of driving

a Model T up the highest peak in the United Kingdom. Rising to 4406 feet in height, Ben Nevis stands about four miles inland from the town of Fort William. Look on a map of Britain, and you’ll see that although it’s in the Highlands, it’s not actually all that far north. It’s by no means the most savage of Scotland’s

mountains, either – though every year, unwary hillwalkers get into life-threatening danger after failing to treat it with enough respect. Being so close to the sea means that scaling the Ben is not just a business of striking out from some high-level base camp. You really can climb from zero altitude to the top of Britain,

‘Alexander knew how he was going to try and get up the mountain – but first, he had to try and get TO the mountain’

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should you want to – though many walkers follow the road up Glen Nevis that leads to a car park from which every year, thousands set off to follow the rough track that zig-zags up the mountain’s southern flank. This track is occasionally, erroneously referred to as a ‘road.’ Even when it was new, it was no such thing – although it did service the observatory that once stood at the top of the mountain, the materials for whose construction were carried up the same track in an era when powered flight was still many decades in the future.

Extreme terrain

Instead, the ‘road’ is little more than a rocky footpath, and certainly not the sort of place you’d want to take even a well prepared 4x4. Apart from the extreme nature of the terrain, there’s the small matter of a sheer drop to one side – go over the edge here, and you won’t stop rolling until you get to the bottom of the valley below. Yet long before off-roaders were invented, and more than three and a half decades before the first Land Rover saw the light of day, Henry Alexander Jnr resolved to pit a Model T against what must then have been the ultimate off-road challenge; he was, he declared, going to drive up the Ben. To this day, there have only been eight successful attempts to put vehicles on the summit of Ben Nevis. Each has taken a slightly different route, and the first challenge for Alexander was to decide exactly how he should attack the mountain. Not on its upper slopes, where the treacherous little track is emphatically the only option, even if you’re on foot. No, Alexander knew how he was going to try and get up the mountain – but first, he had to try and get to the mountain. Although the ‘road’ up Ben Nevis starts west of the mountain near Achintee, the majority of vehicular attempts have started north-east of Fort William and approached from the north. That’s because the track is just too severe as it zig-zags sharply back and forth to gain height on the mountain’s lower slopes; the only answer is to cross the valley between Ben Nevis itself and the smaller peak of Meall an t’Suidhe to its west, joining the track somewhere south of Lochan Meall an t’Suidhe (a small lake in the valley) before girding your loins in preparation for your final assault on the summit.

Wet and marshy

The problem is, however, that in keeping with much of the flat ground in the Highlands, the area around the lochan is wet and marshy all year round. Just as the rocks on the track further up will put tremendous pressure on your vehicle’s suspension, the soft peat will ask searching questions of its tyres.

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Issue 2: April 2019

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Seen here on the upper slopes of Ben Nevis, the Model T looks incredibly open and exposed. Its enormous ground clearance helped it cover the jagged terrain, however, as did the high flexibility of its transversely leaf-sprung back axle. Nonetheless, to do this in a modern 4x4 would be brave – no wonder the vehicle and its driver alike were given a hero’s welcome when they arrived back in Fort William There’s some debate over the route Alexander took. Some say he started at Inverlochy, just outside Fort William, while others maintain that his quest began at Torlundy, about two and a half miles further up what’s now the A82. The latter route would have required a couple of river crossings, which might have been rather off-putting at the time of year (the attempt took place on 15 April); some may have confused Alexander’s starting point with that used by members of the Scottish Land Rover Club in their successful attempt of 1963. Either way, what’s known is that Alexander aimed to keep the lochan to his left as he gained height, taking advantage of the drier ground on the eastern slopes of Meall an t’Suidhe. Even so, the Model T got bogged twice, each time requiring a team of helpers to drag it out of the peat.

Finally, Alexander reached the track. It’s likely that the Model T put its wheels on the roughly prepared surface just south of the lochan; and from here on, its suspension came into its own. Even today, transverse leaf springs are used to extraordinary effect on some of America’s most specialised rock-crawling off-road buggies. On the Model T, they provided it with the ability to ‘twist and clamber on all fours catwise,’ as the records say – despite

only having 20bhp, the Ford managed to keep moving until, after 27 hours’ driving, Henry Alexander Jnr became the first man to put a car in the summit of Ben Nevis. It’s reported that when he returned to Fort William, he was given a hero’s reception. The normally reserved Highlanders had taken this incomer to their hearts, and clearly the feeling was mutual – because seventeen and a half years later, on 13 September 1928, he was back.

This time, the vehicle he had to promote was the new Ford Model A. And this time, perhaps sobered by the experience of getting stuck in the marshy land by the lochan, he decided that he was going to stick to the ‘road’ all the way from ground level. Of course, Alexander already knew that the lower reaches of the road couldn’t be driven. But he wasn’t about to let a little thing like that get in his way. So, with a team of thirty navvies and horses, he set out to turn the undriveable track into a road fit for a Ford. Rebuilding bridges, filling gullies and even blasting corners, the team prepared the track as they went – allowing their illustrious master to pilot his new vehicle to the top in ten hours flat. Once again, Alexander’s return to Fort William was greeted with celebrations.

What Alexander hadn’t bargained for, however, was that by turning the track into a road, he was opening up the way for others to steal his thunder. And sure enough, the following month, George Simpson travelled north in a middle-aged Austin Seven and, taking advantage of the work done by Alexander’s crew, drove straight to the top in a time of just under seven and a half hours.

Carried to the summit

The story is still told today that the tiny vehicle was virtually carried to the summit by crowds of hillwalkers. But this seems highly unlikely given the presence of George Douglas, an official timekeeper from the Scottish Western Motor Club. Photographs of the ascent do show that the Austin was pushed by its navigator on some of the steeper sections, but there’s no

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‘Alexander already knew that the lower reaches of the road up the mountain couldn’t be driven. But he wasn’t about to let a little thing like that get in his way’ evidence to suggest any greater level of assistance. It would certainly have been peculiar for Douglas to let this to go unrecorded in his report. The stage was now set for Ben-bagging to become a craze, but for some reason it never happened. Perhaps Simpson’s achievement had made it look as if the route was no longer a challenge, but there were no further intrepid drivers ready to step up and try to scale Britain’s highest peak – and as time went on, the condition of the track started to deteriorate. By the time of the next attempt, indeed, the route via Lochan Meall an t’Suidhe was once more the only feasible way of getting to the upper slopes. Three decades of West Highland weather had done their worst, and the track was no longer in any fit state to accommodate vehicles – not even the new breed of off-roaders that had started to appear.

Conquered twice

As it was, however, the Ben was conquered twice in a week in June 1962, first by an Austin Gypsy and then by an Austin Champ, before the Scottish Land Rover Owners Club managed to put one of their vehicles on the summit at the second attempt the following year. Since then, only two further successful attempts have been made. Iain Sutherland scaled the mountain in an early Land Rover in 1984 and Mick Doherty broke George Simpson’s record by putting a heavily modified Defender 90 on the roof of Britain in just over four hours in 1992. Thus the modern era of vehicular assaults on Ben Nevis came to an end. These days, off-road enthusiasts have equipment that would be expected to stroll to the summit – but the mountain is now in the hands of an organisation whose stance is so anti-vehicle that it even refused to allow a Model T to be landed on the summit by helicopter to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Alexander’s achievement. Even 27 years ago, when Doherty was planning his ascent, he only got permission because he was doing it in support of a charity whose royal patronage helped open doors. This does show that miracles can happen – however those doors are now more tightly locked than ever. It’s very hard to picture a time when vehicles will be able to scale the Ben once more. Very hard, but not impossible. Because there’s no such thing as impossible. If there was, on 15 April 1911 Henry Alexander would have

Issue 2: April 2019

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Turning of the Tide

As testing gets underway for the 2019 F1 season, we discuss rule changes, the new faces on the grid and which of the drivers may be overdue some success in our season preview Words: Mike Trott, Pictures: Manufacturers

Above: Hamilton and Mercedes will be gunning for a sixth consecutive constructor’s title Below: Vettel will have Leclerc for close company in 2019

IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE ME, then around this time of year you’ll find yourself walking along the street, and suddenly the legendary opening strums of Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain start to play on your internal stereo. Some would call this silly, but to me it just signals the upcoming return of the Formula 1 season. As the finishing touches were being applied to this edition of Drive, the ten teams firing up to compete in the 2019 season were launching their respective steeds, hoping each can propel them towards the pinnacle of motor racing glory.

Formidable

Of course, as has been the case for the last five years, there is still one team to beat. And one driver. Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team were in formidable form last year, especially in the second half of the season, with Hamilton eventually romping away to a fifth world title and claiming 11 wins out of 21 in the process.

Despite all the driver changes and new regulations, Hamilton will no doubt prove to be a difficult benchmark to surpass once again. But what of these new regulations? Well, firstly, 2019 will see teams needing to adjust to new aerodynamic changes, along with a few other rules that have been brought in to tighten up the competition. You’ve most likely heard of the difficulties surrounding drivers running in the ‘dirty air’ of another car, where they lose grip and are unable to close in on the car ahead because of the turbulence created by the wings on the car in front. And if you can’t get close enough to the car in front, that means you can’t overtake (unless you’re Daniel Ricciardo), and no overtaking makes for a boring grand prix. To combat this, the FIA has asked teams to simplify some of the aerodynamics, with changes including a taller rear wing, less complex front-wing endplates and smaller brake ducts. If

it works, then closer racing means a better spectacle for all. Also new for 2019 is the introduction of the chequered light, not flag. After a mix-up at last year’s Canadian GP, the light will signal the end of the grand prix alongside the traditional flag.

New faces

This year there will once again be 21 rounds making up the championship and there are a few new faces – and a familiar one – helping to make up the grid. F1 is pleased to welcome back Robert Kubica after he nearly lost his arm in a rally accident back in 2011. It’s been a long road back, but the Polish driver was a real talent in his previous stint in F1, and he’ll be hoping to rekindle some of that form with his Williams team. There will also be a huge British following this year, as George Russell, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon have all graduated from Formula 2 to take up seats in Williams, McLaren

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25 Fettling with Fords

Daniel Ricciardo raised a few eyebrows last year when it was revealed he would be trading his Red Bull race suit for the black and yellow overalls of Renault. The Australian is a known quantity, however, and will take any opportunity for points and podiums with both hands and Toro Rosso cars respectively. And these guys aren’t shy out on track. As for who may come out on top in 2019, you’d do well to bet against Lewis Hamilton and win, particularly if he can carry over his form from 2018. However, testing will show signs as to whether Mercedes’ rivals have closed the gap, with Ferrari hoping to learn from last year and pose a serious threat, helped along by rookie of the year last time out, Charles Leclerc. Daniel Ricciardo is as fearsome as they come out on track and the Honey Badger will be praying that the Renault engine has made progress on the other powerplants, whilst the midfield battle should prove to be a free-for-all once again, as virtually every team below the top three outfits has a shot at being the best of the rest.

Contender

There is one man, however, that could be on the verge of making a real impact. Max Verstappen has devel-

Teams and Drivers Mercedes-AMG Petronas Lewis Hamilton (44) Valtteri Bottas (77)

McLaren F1 Team Carlos Sainz (55) Lando Norris (4)

Scuderia Ferrari Sebastian Vettel (5) Charles Leclerc (16)

Racing Point F1 Team Sergio Perez (11) Lance Stroll (18)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen (33) Pierre Gasly (10)

Alfa Romeo Racing Kimi Raikkonen (7) Antonio Giovinazzi (99)

Renault F1 Team Daniel Ricciardo (3) Nico Hulkenberg (27)

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda Daniil Kvyat (26) Alexander Albon (23)

Rich Energy Haas F1 Team Romain Grosjean (8) Kevin Magnussen (20)

Williams Racing George Russell (63) Robert Kubica (88)

oped a reputation for being completely unyielding at the wheel of his Red Bull, which for 2019 will be propelled by Honda power. During the second-half of last season, Verstappen was consistently outpacing

Ricciardo and seems ready to be considered a genuine title contender. If the car beneath him is competitive enough, the prospect of a three-way fight between Hamilton, Vettel and Verstappen is well truly sensational.

FORDS HAVE LONG BEEN popular vehicles on the modifying scene. It feels like every other performance Ford has been fiddled with in on one way or another. Recently, tuning specialists Mountune announced their new m400R and m400X upgrades for the Focus RS – the big daddy of a very strong family of Ford hot hatches – and it sounds pretty tasty. The m400R is an upgrade of the m400 upgrade, including new maps and improved functionality, and can take the peak power of the 2.3-litre EcoBoost unit to 400bhp and 413lbf.ft whilst adding more usability, too. The additional maps in the unit include OEM output, a setting that prioritises fuel economy and valet mode – a facet of the latest Sync system used by Ford. The package also includes a set of AccessPort features such as an adjustable RPM limit and full-time launch control amongst others. In a really smart move to reward their loyal customer base, Mountune will also upgrade the firmware for all owners of the outgoing m400 to the new software – for nothing. They also introduced the m400X, which takes the perks of the m400R, but adds to it a favourable bulge beneath both the power and torque curves. When sitting and imagining the absolute carnage that these kits would create, we got to thinking. Is the Focus RS the best Ford to modify? I mean, there are plenty to choose from. Nowadays, you see a large number of Fiesta STs that’ve been modified – both for the Mk6 and Mk7 models. Mountune again have an extensive repertoire for both models, the much lauded Mk7 in particular, which they can take up to a whopping 265bhp. By shopping around other names in the sector, such as Pumaspeed, Sico Developments, Vudu, Milltek and all of the usual names associated with the modifying scene, you can replace pretty much every part of the Mk7 with bespoke, high-performance alternatives. This means that you can get a large variety of outcomes, and not all stacked Fiesta STs look the same. I remember last summer I happened upon the ST Owners Club (STOC) on the A43 and it was like being on the grid of a one-make race series. It’s a very similar case with the bigger STs, with many people making the same or similar add-ons for the Focus. And this is before we even get onto the aesthetic side of things. Both the Blue Oval hatches are far from short on options when it comes to aesthetics, be it for carbon fibre bonnets, splitters, spoilers, side skirts, low-line kits, wide arches, grilles, alloys, spacers, aftermarket lights, seats, gear stick gaiters, seatbelts and floormats (this list was intentionally long to prove a point…). Then there’s the Mustang. It’s a good-looking thing anyway, but lower it and give it a spruce and phwoar, you can even make the 2.3-litre EcoBoost appealing. Just kidding. Give me the V8 – you know, the V8 that you can take to RTR and get 700bhp and 610lbf.ft out of. That one. The Ford fettling has reached such a fever pitch that you can even get hold of a Raptor with more power still and six wheels – in America, of course. But the demand is so high that Ford themselves are going to make a Raptor version of the Ranger, the first Raptor for other markets and below the F-150. For our money, we’d probably go to town on a Mk7 Fiesta ST given the nigh on limitless avenues. Although, when the market is in full swing for the new Mk8, we may change our minds. Whatever you feel, it seems there’s a Ford to modify for everyone – hence the effervescence of the scene.

26 CLASSIC CAR CALENDAR Shows and events around the UK during the coming month

Haynes Breakfast Club

Issue 2: April 2019

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Restored… and more

3 March Haynes International Motor Museum As with the first Sunday of each month, the Breakfast Club will take place at the Haynes International Motor Museum. The event is free to attend, and the museum’s café is opened at 9am to serve a hearty breakfast to likeminded motoring enthusiasts, as they collectively show off their pride and joys with a full stomach. What’s not to like? 9am – 12pm Free admission Tel: 01963 440804

Ultimate Dubs UK 2019 9-10 March Telford International Centre The UK’s biggest indoor show that caters for all things VAG. Exhibitors, owners’ clubs and trade stands all celebratingthe likes of Audi, Seat, Skoda and obviously VW... Saturday 5.30pm – 9.30pm Sunday 9am – 4pm Adults £10 Saturday, £14 Sunday Under-16s free (with accompanying adult) Weekend ticket £17.50 Tel: 01352 710446

HERO Three Legs of Mann 15-16 March Isle of Man Classic car rally on the Isle of Man, with three legs using rally routes on the island, and also closed road tests on mountain and coastal roads. 390 miles over two day legs and one night session, plus use of Jurby Motorsport Centre offer a variety of roads, driving and challenges across the event. Entrants arrive the day before, and eligible vehicles pre-date 1986. Entry fee £1,863 heroevents.eu

Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show 22-24 March NEC, Birmingham Three-day show dedicated to all things in restored and classic cars, featuring over 150 car clubs, workshops and garages plus live restorations and auctions. Friday: 10am – 5pm Saturday: 9am – 6pm Sunday: 9.30am – 5pm Adults £20 Family (2 adults + 3 children) £51 Children (5-15) £15 Under-5s free Two-day pass £35 Three-day pass £52 necrestorationshow.com

The new Suzuki Jimny has won people’s hearts with its knowingly retro styling. This harks back to the company’s first off-roader, the LJ – which is now a rare sight in the UK. Most that still exist have been restored – but Neil Barber’s has been restored and a bit more besides Words Olly Sack Pictures Steve Taylor ONCE A PETROLHEAD, always a petrolhead.You might flit between bikes and cars, driving and spannering, watching and taking part or whatever – but if you get the delights of the motorised world, it’s pretty certain that you’ll never stop appreciating the smell of burning rubber, the sound of a tuned V8 at full chat or the sight of a dozen E-Types coming round the corner in close convoy. All these things are evocative, wonderful and utterly habit-forming. And so, too, is the unique satisfaction that comes from restoring a tatty classic to its former glory. We all know someone who’s just got to have a project on the go. In some cases, it’s the same project for decades on end and it lives in a cardboard box,

but proper serial restorers are the lifeblood of the classic car world. People like Neil Barber, who’s been breathing new life into bike-engined Berkeley sports cars for most of his days. In addition to this, Neil has always been interested in classic 4x4s. That bug bit early, thanks to the Series I Land Rover his dad had while he was growing up, and as time went on his motoring tastes drew him to anything with the elegance of a simple off-road design – which is why he always fancied one day owning a Suzuki LJ.

Smash hit

This was the forerunner to the SJ, which was to become a smash hit during the 4x4 boom of the late 80s and early 90s. It’s also therefore an

ancestor of the Jimny – which is why, when you look at Neil’s, you might see styling similarities to the new version Suzuki brought to Britain at the end of last year. ‘I’ve always loved the LJ80,’ Neil explains. ‘I can remember when they were new, I was about twenty at the time, stopping off at a dealer with my brother to look at one. ‘Also at around that time, in 1981, Alternative Car magazine had an article on a modified LJ80 by Heron. I kept a copy, which inspired me to do the rebuild. I even painted it powder blue, the same as the one in the article!’ Now, let’s face it, if you appreciate a good car you can hardly help but share Neil’s love for the LJ. Anything that’s

small, simple and old is sure to get the thumbs-up from the public at large – even if it’s a bit rubbish, as we found out to our astonishment many years ago when we drove through Croydon in a mud-covered Mahindra CJ3 and people reacted as if we were celebs. But the LJ is not rubbish, not even a bit. Quite the opposite, in this case – which is a sensationally presented example of a true off-road legend. It’s that way because, unlike most of us with a yearning for a car we fancied when we were young, Neil actually went out and bought one. It came from a fellow LJ fan called Jason; it had been laid up for four years, but three months later it was to emerge from Neil’s workshop fully restored and good as new.

‘‘I’ve always loved the LJ80. I can remember when they were new, I was about twenty at the time, stopping off at a dealer with my brother to look at one”

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Good as new, or better? ‘Restification’ is a word you don’t hear very often, possibly because a lot of restorers are fixated on taking their cars back to their factory-standard original condition. However a particular appeal of basic 4x4s like the LJ is the ease with which they can be modified; that’s still the case now, so why not restore one into the vehicle you’d have made out of it when it was new? Especially when it was an article about a modified one that inspired you in the first place.

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Full rebuild

The signs were good when the Suzuki, an LJ80 V commercial model, defied those four years of inactivity to fire up first time. That wasn’t enough to save it from a full strip down and rebuild, however – nor indeed to discourage Neil from treating it to a new engine from an SJ410. When we talk about a full rebuild, we’re not joking. ‘I started by stripping off all the body parts, down to a bare shell, and boxing them. Then I removed the engine, before removing the body from the chassis. With the body off and the chassis supported, I stripped it of axles and so on, then painted it along with the running gear.’ It was after this that what could have been a simple restoration project became something far more interesting. Neil’s intention had never been just to take the LJ back to the way it was when it left the factory; inspired, perhaps, by the nicely improved BJ40 Land Cruisers you see in France and America, he added a set of mods which make it something else besides – without stopping it from being itself.

Study in rust

Add-a-leaf suspension was first on the list, and in combination with a set of 40mm body spacers this lifts the vehicle by around four inches – making plenty of space for a set of 31x10.50R15 Mickey Thompson Baja Claws. With the new 1.0-litre engine driving a five-speed box, the LJ does an adequate job of turning the bigger tyres, and front disc brakes from the same source mean they won’t keep on turning when they’re not meant to. We mentioned the body lift just there, but at the start of the job there wasn’t a whole lot of body to lift. As is traditional for old Suzuki 4x4s, the LJ was a study in rust when Neil picked it up, with extensive work needed around the floors and rear wings. That’s exactly what they got, aided by the fact that Jason also sold him a pair of brand new wings plus a rear crossmember, all genuine Suzuki stuff. With a 12,000lb Winchmax winch at the other end, perched upon a fabricated steel bumper, the LJ was coming back together nicely – and looking like a tidily modified example of the breed, too. Not too much, though – the

Family SUVs: which popular 4x4 is best? The SUV is king and none more so than in the compact family SUV sector, where the estate cars and MPVs of yesteryear have been banished in place of trendy, high-riding 4x4s. But out of these three fashionable steeds, which car will come out on top in our headlining triple test? Neil Barber: ‘Only a few LJs are left – I’m happy to own a rust-free example.’ bumper in question, for example, was specially designed to look as original as possible, and rather than any fancy alloys the big Mickeys were wrapped around a modest set of white steel modulars. Even the extensions on the wheelarches are Suzuki originals.

Sacrilege

This is all as you’d expect, of course, from a man who understands what it is to restore a classic car. While doing something like lifting an LJ might not be quite as sacrilegious as, say, slamming an original Model T or building a pro-street E-Type, going too far in a project like this is no way to treat an old lady. That’s something Neil clearly does know. And while he’s not tried to roll

back the clock on the vehicle, he certainly has modified it with maximum respect. ‘Only a few LJs are left,’ he says. ‘I’m happy to own a rust-free example, and am thankful to Jason from Bristol who sold her to me and helped with the original panels.’ What you’re looking at on these pages is the realisation of a lifelong dream for a man who’s no stranger to bringing cars back from the dead. It might not be the kind of classic that gets rivet counters hot under the collar, or the kind of off-roader you’d set out in to cross the Sahara, but in its own way it’s more than either of those things. It’s a 4x4 that keeps it really real, a perfect example of how to restore an old truck… and the best LJ we’ve ever seen.

Hybrid and electric power is upon us. So we take the Toyota Prius, one of the oldest names in the hybrid business, and see if it can still reign undisputed after 20 years at the helm, by seeing off the Hyundai Ionic We drive Jaguar’s first-ever electric car in the shape of the handsome I-Pace. Turns out that electric power can produce electrifying results...

There’s a new miniSUV in town, as we get behind the wheel of Vauxhall’s latest offering. But is the Crossland X a hit for the firm or does it step wide of the mark?

There’s a new face in the Drive fleet next month, as a zesty Mazda 2 settles in quickly and stakes its claim for being an understated hot hatchback

PLUS!

• Why the MX-5 is the perfect classic for summer • British Touring Car Championship preview

The May 2019 issue of Drive is published on 22 March – and it’s 100% FREE!

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