Autocar 1st May 2019 by Haymarket Consumer Media

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Est. 189 1895 | autocar.co.uk | 1 May 2019

FUTURE OF LAND ROVER

Daring ‘Road Rover’ is on 2021 Rangie to be a hi-tech hybrid

Why 4 new cars in 2 years is just the start... 1 – 8 May 2019 £3.80

IMAGE L AT E S T

G R E AT E S T

1 May 2019 | Kia e-Niro

New 911 fights legendary 959

VO LVO ’ S 3 S E R I E S

Now one of the world’s best

A S T O N ’ S 9 11 G T 3 R I VA L

K I A E- N I R O : R OA D T E S T

18 USED HEROES

DON’T WANT A N SU V ?

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The ADAM Griffin comes fully loaded with great features as standard, like IntelliLink navigation, 17-inch black alloy wheels, black styling, sports suspension and 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. SEARCH ADAM GRIFFIN Fuel economy# and CO2* results for the ADAM Griffin range. Combined mpg (l/100km): 41.5 (6.8) – 44.8 (6.3). CO2 emissions: 128g/km. Model shown is ADAM Griffin 3 Door in Red ‘n’ Roll Brilliant Paint. Participating Retailers only. Limited stock availability. Colours and model variants for Griffin edition subject to availability. *Personal contract hire offer on ADAM Griffin 1.2 70PS. Subject to status. 18+. Ts&Cs apply. Package includes RFL and 1 year’s roadside assistance. Initial rental of £1,935, plus 47 months at £215. 8,000 miles per year. Excess mileage charged at 9 pence per mile. You will not own the car. Vauxhall Finance Leasing, CF15 7YT. Orders from 1 April and registered by 30 June 2019. #Fuel consumption figures are determined according to the WLTP test cycle. *CO2 emissions figures are determined according to the WLTP test cycle however, a Government formula is then applied to translate these figures back to what they would have been under the outgoing NEDC test cycle, which WLTP replaces. The correct tax treatment is then applied. Figures are intended for comparability purposes only. The fuel consumption you achieve under real life driving conditions and CO2 produced will depend upon a number of factors, including the accessories fitted after registration, variations in driving styles, weather conditions and vehicle load. Only compare fuel consumption and CO2 with other vehicles tested using the same technical procedures. For more information contact your local Vauxhall Retailer. Vauxhall Motors Limited reserves the right to change, amend or withdraw this offer at any point in time. Correct at time of going to print.

THIS WEEK

Issue 6356 | Volume 300 | No 5 ‘Senna wasn’t always a good man, but he was a great man’

NEWS 8 12 Koenigsegg Cut-price, less exclusive model planned 15 Lotus thinks big It’ll be the new Porsche, says CEO 17 Hybrid 911 Silicon Valley firm beats Porsche to it 18 Tesla pain Losses continue despite strong sales 20 Land Rover fightback Hybrids and four new models Aston Martin Vantage AMR Hard-hitting special

TESTED Volvo S60 One of the best compact execs around Lynk&Co 01 PHEV Europe-bound plug-in hybrid Jeep Renegade Popular SUV gets refreshed Kia e-Niro First Edition ROAD TEST

26 31 33 34

FEATURES 42 48 Anti-SUVs 18 great buys instead of a baby SUV 50 Desert stormers Armed forces vets do Carta Rallye 56 Supercar used warranties How much? Worth it? 60 Porsche 959 vs 911 Carrera 4S Close call, on paper Electric Aston DB6 Official EV conversion driven

OLD PORSCHE 959 vs NEW PORSCHE 911 42

OUR CARS 64 67 MG ZS Familiarity breeds content for photographer 69 Kia Ceed We’ve tried three now. Our final verdict Mercedes-Benz A-Class Wash and go

EVERY WEEK 19 21 Steve Cropley Time we had an EV that rides properly 23 Subscribe Save money and enjoy exclusive benefits 24 Your views High hopes for the new Toyota Supra 62 Matt Prior In sympathy for poor supercar drivers 90 Jesse Crosse DCT? Leamington Spa got there first Damien Smith Ayrton Senna: the deified sinner

DEALS

VERDICT IS IN FOR KIA E-NIRO 34

LAND ROVER’S BIG FIGHTBACK PLANS 8

IT’S WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE AN ❞ ESCAPED PANDA IN A SHOPPING CENTRE MATT PRIOR HAS A SMIDGE OF SYMPATHY FOR HOW SUPERCAR DRIVERS ARE TREATED ON UK ROADS 90 ❝

James Ruppert Electrified cars hold their value best 70 As good as new Deals on nearly new Jaguar F-Type Spied in the classifieds £28k Evora, £30k Testarossa Used buying guide Renault Mégane RS 250 Road test results Autocar’s gold mine of data

LAT

New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenos

72 74 76 79 82

TIPS ON BUYING A MEGANE RS 250 76

INJURED HEROES ENJOY A DUST-UP IN DACIAS 56 1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5

COMMENT

The original car magazine, published since 1895 ‘in the interests of the mechanically propelled road carriage’ EDITORIAL Email autocar@haymarket.com Editor Mark Tisshaw Editorial director, Automotive Jim Holder Editor-in-chief Steve Cropley Managing editor Damien Smith Editor-at-large Matt Prior Deputy editor James Attwood Deputy editor – digital Rachel Burgess Deputy digital editor Tom Morgan Road test editor Matt Saunders Road testers Simon Davis, Richard Lane News editor Lawrence Allan Junior reporter Felix Page Used cars deputy editor Mark Pearson Used cars reporter Max Adams Chief sub-editor Sami Shah Group art editor Stephen Hopkins Art editor Sarah Özgül Designer Rebecca Stevens Prepress manager Darren Jones Senior photographer Luc Lacey Photographer Olgun Kordal Head of video Mitch McCabe Junior videographer Oli Kosbab Video apprentice Tej Bhola SEO manager Jon Cook SEO executive Oliver Hayman Picture editor Ben Summerell-Youde EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS European editor Greg Kable Used car correspondent James Ruppert Senior contributing writer Andrew Frankel Senior contributing editor Richard Bremner Contributing editor Mike Duff Senior consulting editor Tom Evans Features apprentice Harry Roberts Special correspondents Mauro Calo, Jesse Crosse, John Evans, Colin Goodwin, Hilton Holloway, Peter Liddiard, Julian Rendell, Richard Webber Special contributors John Bradshaw, Edward Browne, Kris Culmer, Max Edleston, Claire Evans, John Howell, Steve Huntingford, Darren Moss, Allan Muir, Will Nightingale, Doug Revolta, Louis Shaw, Alan Taylor-Jones, Becky Wells, Will Williams, Dan Wrenn

PROOF ELECTRIC CARS WON’T MEAN THE END OF GREAT MOTORING

MEDIA ENQUIRIES Tel +44 (0)20 8541 3434 Contact Natasha Perry (natasha@performancecomms.com) SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel 0344 848 8816 Overseas +44 (0)1604 251450 Email help@autocar.themagazineshop.com Retention marketing manager Amrit Ubhi SYNDICATION ENQUIRIES Tel +44 (0)1962 867705 Contact Simon Fox (simon@foxsyndication.com) LICENSING ENQUIRIES Tel +44 (0)20 8267 5024 Contact Isla Friend (isla.friend@haymarket.com) BACK ISSUES Tel 0344 848 8816 Email help@autocar.themagazineshop.com ADVERTISING Classified +44 (0)20 8267 5365 Display +44 (0)20 8267 5541 Production +44 (0)20 8267 5814 Fax +44 (0)20 8267 5312 Director of agency and OEM Chris Daniels Sales manager James Hunter PRODUCTION Tel +44 (0)20 8267 5219 Production manager Anthony Davis Senior production controller Roxy Agius MANAGEMENT Managing director Rachael Prasher Marketing director Darren Pitt Print and events marketing manager Charlene Harry Publishing and events assistant Lydia Banton © 2019, Haymarket Media Group Ltd. Autocar, Motor, Autocar & Motor are registered trademarks. Circulation enquiries: Frontline Ltd, 1st Floor, Stuart House, St John’s Street, Peterborough PE1 5DD (01733 555161). Repro by Haymarket Pre-Press. Printed by William Gibbons, Wolverhampton. Registered as a newspaper with the Royal Mail. Member of the ABC. ISSN 1355-8293. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form except by permission. The publisher makes every effort to ensure contents are correct but cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Unsolicited material is submitted to Autocar entirely at the owner’s risk; the publisher accepts no responsibility for loss or damage. With regret, competitions and promotional offers, unless otherwise stated, are not available to readers outside the UK and Eire. Autocar, ISSN number 1355-8293 (USPS 25185), is published weekly by Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. The US annual subscription price is $199.78. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Autocar, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained at Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.

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IN THE NEW e-Niro, Kia has made the most outstanding electric car yet at what you’d consider the more everyday end of the market. Perhaps more significantly, this week’s road test subject (p34) is also the first at its price that is also simply an outstanding car, battery-powered or not. Be in no doubt: electric cars are coming, and on a vast scale – government legislation to reduce emissions will see to that. That means a whole new market and infrastructure for the ways cars are bought, and the services to run them, will evolve. New companies will enter the car industry, from the likes of Amazon to plenty that don’t even exist yet. Such change can seem overwhelming, yet there’s something reassuring about the e-Niro as a trailblazer for normalising the future. It shows there needn’t be compromise in electric cars, that cars can still exist for pleasure (it’s genuinely fun to drive), and they needn’t cost the earth. Yes, electric cars will not be for all, and to that end they will not remain the sole power choice for at least two generations or beyond, but a humble Kia has shown us that cars as we know them today can still be enjoyed in the same ways in the future.

Mark Tisshaw Editor mark.tisshaw@haymarket.com

@mtisshaw

EDITOR’S PICKS

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PEFC Certified This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources www.pefc.co.uk

PORSCHE vs PORSCHE

£40,701

‘NEW’ DB6 DRIVEN

The old 959’s stats match those of a new 911. But to drive? p42

The highest claim one supercar warranty company has paid out, p60

How to reinvent a classic in the most controversial way, p48

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 7

N E WS G O T A S T O RY ?

Email our news editor lawrence.allan@haymarket.com

IMAGE

Hybrids in new-model blitz lead Land Rover fightback Land Rover bets on new Range Rover, three more new models and electrification

and Rover will this autumn kick off an extremely significant two-year period of consolidation and expansion, following a turbulent 18 months, that

8 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

will define the brand for the next decade. A great deal of the activity will relate not just to the launch of four new vehicles but also increased electrification

within its line-up. Although the marque’s pure-electric vehicles are still some years away – with sibling brand Jaguar leading the group in this market segment – all

new Land Rover models from late 2019 will be offered with the option of mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrains, allowing it to leave its diesel difficulties behind.

Perhaps the most important addition during that time will be the all-new Mk5 Range Rover, imagined by Autocar above, which is expected to be unveiled in 2021. The

❝

The mainstream version of the new Range Rover will be a plug-in hybrid based on an all-new aluminium architecture ❞

mainstream version of the new flagship will be a plug-in hybrid based on an all-new aluminium platform, dubbed MLA. It has been designed to be much lighter than the current Jaguar Land Rover aluminium architecture, as well as accommodating conventional engines and/or electric drive. Autocar understands that there will be an all-electric Range Rover 5, but it will be targeted at city users, particularly in east Asia. The vast majority of sales, however, are expected to be of the plug-in hybrid version, which will combine the new straightsix Ingenium engine with twin electric motors – one assisting

the front wheels and one driving the rear axle. Land Rover engineers hope that the combination of the new architecture and downsizing the engine will offset the weight of the battery pack, which will offer around 40 miles of pureelectric driving. A mild-hybrid Range Rover 5 will use a very similar set-up to the upcoming Range Rover Sport, so expect 300400bhp versions of the new straight-six Ingenium engine assisted by both a 48V electric supercharger and a twin-scroll turbocharger. Kinetic energy that would otherwise be wasted is harvested and stored in a ◊

CA N L A ND ROV ER W IN AT ELECTR IF ICATION? STEVE CROPLEY

Land Rover’s plan to restore sales and fiscal health over the next few years – and set itself on the right low-carbon road – sounds plausible, given how much it achieved in the Tata-owned decade just ended. It scored bumper sales in many of those years, changed promptly to engines of its own manufacture and is finding ways to counter the demise of diesel. But big challenges loom.

The company has just made more than 4500 people redundant and a big proportion of these were technical experts. Who’s creating the all-new electrified solutions that will be needed at a higher level than ever? Did the departing engineers finish all their work before they turned out the lights? Land Rover’s other major challenge looks to be build quality. The company has

never truly lifted itself out of the quality doldrums. On top of that, it faces a new era of technical complexity. Will new customers keep forgiving unreliability the way loyal customers always have? Rumours persist that big corporate suitors see JLR as a prime acquisition target and, as the height of the company’s future obstacle emerges, it’s hard to resist the truth of that.

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 9

❝

It’s thought that the first globally targeted Land Rover EV will be the Road Rover ❞

∆ small battery that, in turn, powers the engine’s electric supercharger. The upshot of this electrification push is that JLR should easily meet its 132g/ km EU CO2 target in 2021. This target is less stringent than the 103g/km applied to its Volvo rival because JLR is a smaller-scale manufacturer of large cars selling fewer than 300,000 vehicles in the EU. As such, the UK government successfully argued, it needs more leeway in meeting fuel economy targets. However, the EU fleet CO2

10 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

targets for 2025 (15% lower than 2021) and 2030 (31% lower) are far more onerous, and it’s possible an expanding JLR will lose its derogation, making large-scale sales of plug-in hybrids essential from 2024 onwards. And here, for once, JLR is confidently on the front foot, as its prepares to roll out the new MLA architecture. Elsewhere in the line-up, Autocar understands that the Range Rover Sport is getting a significant mid-life hybrid makeover now as a vote of confidence in its enduring

appeal. Sales continue to be very strong and a replacement is thought to be at least three years away. Further out, it’s thought that the first globally targeted Land Rover EV will be the so-called ‘Road Rover’, which will be much lower and more aerodynamic than other Range Rovers. Despite JLR’s new ‘Project Charge’ cost-cutting efforts, Autocar understands the Road Rover is still on the company’s model cycle plan and will most closely compete with Porsche’s next-generation

electric Macan and be twinned with the next-generation Jaguar XJ. The future, MLA-based Velar could also be offered in pure-electric form, but that next-generation model is thought to be more than four years away from launch, and remains at the planning stage. In the shorter term, the long-awaited Defender will be revealed to the public this year. It will be sold in mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid forms. Fears that a plug-in Defender, with an electrically powered rear axle, would be compromised

off road are, Autocar understands, misplaced. An electric motor offers maximum torque from step-off and the torque delivery is far more controllable than with a conventionally driven rear axle, greatly improving off-road performance. There’s no firm news on a pure-electric version of the Defender, but it remains a possibility. However, a plug-in hybrid with 35 miles of silent and emission-free electric range could be as useful off road as in a city centre. In the immediate future,

NEWS S PY S H OTS

LAND ROVER DEFENDER

Recent Defender mules have sported ‘hybrid test vehicle’ stickers

Land Rover’s pricier line-up cushions the cost of plug-in tech

How the EU’s new CO2 laws will test car makers as never before

IMAGE

the new Range Rover Evoque, which rolls on a completely re-engineered platform and has received praise for its refinement and poise, is already available with a mildhybrid set-up, assisted by a belt-driven starter/generator. Early next year, though, the Evoque plug-in hybrid will arrive using a three-cylinder engine, a 48V hybrid system and an electrically driven rear axle. The three-cylinder engine alone develops a healthy 197bhp and 148lb ft of torque from 1.5 litres. In addition, the electric motor

on the rear axle generates 106bhp and 192lb ft. The vehicle’s electric range is expected to be about 35 miles. The Discovery Sport – until recently Land Rover’s best-selling model – has been suffering against some strong competition, from Volvo especially. Judging by the reception for the new Evoque, however, its imminent reinvention as a more luxurious car with both mildhybrid engines and plug-in capability should significantly revitalise sales in 2020. HILTON HOLLOWAY

DIESELGATE WAS ABOUT pollution rather than emissions of CO2 , a distinction that was often completely lost in the media furore that followed. In truth, the EU’s pollution rules for diesel engines were surprisingly lax until the most recent Euro 6 series of regulations. The EU also allowed all pollution tests to be done in a laboratory, whereas in the US, real-world testing of randomly selected production vehicles was also part of the regime that led to the discovery of Volkswagen’s cheating. Although the new EU tests and regulations have finally managed to get on top of the issue of pollution measurements, the EU’s emphasis on driving up fuel economy (which made diesel such a popular solution for car makers in the first place) has

continued to get ever stricter. And that vehicle economy will be tested under a much more rigorous regime itself. According to a report by the International Council on Clean Transport (ICCT), the average 2021 fleet CO2 output for car makers is 95g/ km (although, depending on the manufacturer, that varies between 91g/km for Fiat and 103g/km for Volvo). Using the 95g/km output as a base point, the ICCT calculates the average fleet CO2 will be 81g/km in 2025 and just 59g/km in 2030. The EU also wants to see car makers meet targeted numbers of ‘zero- and low-emissions vehicle’ (ZLEV) sales. Classified as vehicles with emissions of 50g/km and lower, ZLEVs should make up some 15% of a maker’s range by 2025 and 35% by 2030. Although the

calculations are complex, the ICCT says it should be possible for some makers to achieve these targets purely by building plug-in hybrids. This new economy regime does, ironically, play into JLR’s hands. This is because the brand sells expensive vehicles, which can be sold in plug-in hybrid form without massively hiking the showroom price. Brands such as Volkswagen, which sells huge numbers of less expensive vehicles, will find the new plug-in regime far harder to accommodate. It’s easy to see why car firm bosses have recently been warning that city cars and superminis could easily be priced out of the showroom after 2025, with plug-in or full-electric drivetrains becoming vital to meet the new EU laws. HH

Real-world emissions testing helped the US to spot VW’s cheating

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11

Aston Martin’s Vantage AMR will cost from £149,995

OFFICIAL PICTURES

Manual shift for Vantage AMR Limited-run special ditches auto for seven-speed ’box in a bid to be more engaging

he new Aston Martin Vantage AMR special edition will be the first current-generation model to come with a manual gearbox and is focused on offering an “exhilarating” driving experience. The Vantage AMR retains the 503bhp 4.0-litre twinturbo V8 from the regular model but switches the eightspeed automatic gearbox for a new seven-speed Grazianodeveloped manual. It features a race-inspired dog-leg first gear, designed to ensure the most frequently

use gears (second through to seventh) are in the traditional double-H configuration. It is mated to a new limited-slip differential and is offered with Aston Martin’s Amshift system, which can automatically blip the throttle on downshifts to match engine revs to road speed. This is the first time a self-shifter has been offered with the Mercedes-sourced 4.0-litre V8 in any car. Although the manual gearbox will initially be available on only the limited-run AMR, it will be offered as an option on the

standard Vantage from the start of 2020. The switch to the manual gearbox means the Vantage AMR has less torque – 461lb ft at 2000-5000pm, compared with 505lb ft for the automatic – but it weighs 1535kg, 95kg less than the standard Vantage. The Vantage AMR takes 3.9sec to achieve 0-60mph, 0.4sec

slower than the automatic, but it retains the same governed top speed of 195mph. Although the Vantage AMR has less torque, Aston Martin says the focus has been on ensuring the model delivers a greater level of driver engagement, due to the manual ’box and lighter weight. The new model also

❝

It is the first time a self-shifter has been offered with this 4.0-litre V8 ❞

FORD AGREES AMAZON AUTONOMY DEAL

NEW ELECTRIC BRONCO PACKS 434BHP

Ford has signed a “multi-year, global agreement” with Amazon to create a cloud-based system for autonomous, connected vehicles to communicate with the world around them. Ford has also joined up with Rivian (p17) to develop electric vehicles.

American EV start-up Zero Labs has revealed a re-engineered classic Ford Bronco with an electric powertrain. With 434bhp – a 500% increase over the petrol original – the 150 examples will use a five-speed manual gearbox and 70kWh battery.

12 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

features the latest version of the firm’s Skyhook adaptive damping technology with three modes, but the rest of the car’s chassis is unchanged from the standard model. The Vantage AMR will be limited to 200 units, with most supplied in one of five different design specifications. The final 59 examples will be in a special ‘Vantage 59’ specification, featuring a livery recognising the 60th anniversary of the one-two finish achieved by the David Brown Racing Aston DBR1 in the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours.

NEWS

Subaru plots UK sales comeback

Chassis is unchanged but it gains a new limited-slip differential

SUBARU IS TARGETING an ambitious threefold increase in UK sales by 2025 as part of a comeback plan to return the brand to health and match its record sales year of 2001. A new UK MD, Chris Graham (formerly boss of Citroën Ireland), has been appointed by the importer IM Group, whose development director, Torbjörn Lillrud, is driving the push into the next decade. “Now we are extremely ambitious for the UK,” said Lillrud at the 2019 Geneva

motor show, “but in the past, we’ve done a bad job. We didn’t have a plan. We focused too much on the WRC rallying and missed the boom in SUV sales. We forgot to tell the right story”. Last year, Subaru started seeing signs of recovery, increasing sales by 17% to 3141 from 2679, but that was still just one-third of its record 11,000 sales in 2001. “We are now targeting real customers. Those that want to drive from London to Scotland

and have active lifestyles. We want the dog walkers and the climbers and the outdoors enthusiasts. They are natural Subaru buyers,” said Lillrud. This year, Subaru will target 4000 sales built around its best-sellers, the XV and Forester. The XV receives a facelift for 2019 and the Forester is due a new petrol hybrid powertrain, called e-Boxer, towards the end of the year. The engine is expected to boost UK sales to around 5000 in 2020.

XV will lead the sales push along with the Forester

Cabin has special leather and Alcantara trim and unique detailing

The last 59 examples will be sold in a distinctive 59 Vantage spec

Volvo: buy, trade, finance online Same power as standard, 44lb ft less, 0-62mph 0.4sec slower That was Aston Martin’s only outright victory at Le Mans, although Aston Martin Racing – from which the AMR badge is derived – has won the GTE Pro class in recent years with the racing version of the Vantage. As well as coming in a green and lime colour scheme similar to the ‘59’ cars, the model will also feature a special leather

and Alcantara interior and unique trim details. The Vantage AMR will cost from £149,995, a substantial £29,000 more than the standard Vantage, and the run-out 59 edition is even pricier at £164,995. Deliveries are tipped to start in the final quarter of 2019. JAMES ATTWOOD

VOLVO HAS LAUNCHED what it claims is the UK’s most comprehensive online new car buying service. The initiative allows buyers to configure their new car, partexchange their old one and, if necessary, sign a finance agreement online in less than 20 minutes, the firm says. Volvos can be bought on factory order or from stock, with orders always linked to a retailer, which will set pricing. Initially, only the XC40 was available through the Volvo configurator, but it will be rolled out across all models on 3 May. Cash and PCP deals are available now, with PCH deals possible via

an electronic signature in the second half of 2019. Used Volvos could be offered at a future date. Other manufacturers – including Hyundai, Peugeot, Ford and Tesla – have

JLR WILL PAY TO REWARD DRIVERS

A NEW EV FOR THE CITY-CENTRE SLOG

Jaguar Land Rover is developing a system that allows users to earn ‘money’ as they drive. The tech lets drivers report the likes of traffic jams and road closures and rewards them with cryptocurrency, stored in a digital smart wallet.

London-based EV maker Siticars has released a two-seat microcar aimed at drivers living in the Ultra Low Emission Zone. The Me, available as a car, pick-up and box van, offers 10bhp, a 48mph top speed and a 93-mile range. It starts at £11,500.

released similar online purchasing initiatives, although reports suggest that, to date, most have been more useful for gaining customer behaviour insight than profitability.

XC40 was the first Volvo in the online scheme

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 13

NEWS New investment has hastened the supercar’s debut

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Koenigsegg’s supercar due 2020 £750,000 supercar will be launched next year with a 5.0-litre V8 and electrification

oenigsegg is planning to attract new customers with a much cheaper and higher-volume new model, according to boss Christian von Koenigsegg. It’s set to be revealed next year, with production beginning soon after. The Swedish hypercar maker is now able to make use of far greater economies of scale thanks to a £130 million investment earlier this year by Chinese-owned firm New Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS, producers of a Saab-based EV). The partnership has given the firm a 20% stake in Koenigsegg’s parent company,

with further money to be invested in a joint venture to develop a project for “new and untapped segments”. Von Koenigsegg claims the agreement, which was signed just as funding for a new model series had been secured, means “we get much more muscles and much more jobs, and that was what I was looking for”. Autocar understands the medium-term plan is to build and sell a new supercar at a price of £700,000 to £800,000, less than half that of the firm’s current cheapest model, the Regera. The supercar has been

VW ELECTRIC RACER IN ’RING RECORD BID Volkswagen is testing its ID R electric race car at the Nürburgring ahead of an attempt to set a new lap record. The 671bhp ID R, which broke the outright record at Pikes Peak last year, has been heavily modified with a Formula 1-inspired aero package that includes a big wing and drag reduction system. It should easily beat the Nio EP9’s electric lap record and could get near the Porsche 919 Evo’s outright record.

under development for two years but the NEVS deal allows Koenigsegg to raise the pace of development and present the car in the first half of 2020. The exact specifications of the new model have yet to be revealed, although we know that it will feature the tried-

CEO Christian von Koenigsegg

and-tested twin-turbocharged 5.0-litre V8 with some form of electrification. Alongside this, it will also use a ‘free valve’ system from sibling engineering firm Freevalve AB. Such tech allows the intake and exhaust valves to be controlled freely without the use of camshafts, resulting in lower fuel consumption, reduced emissions and greater performance. Other models are in the pipeline, although details have yet to be revealed. They will be developed and built at Koenigsegg’s facility in Ängelholm, Sweden, with a new final assembly plant set to be

built. However, NEVS also owns the assets of now-defunct Saab, so there is potential for it to make use of a substantial production, research and development facility in Trollhätttan. Don’t expect the new investment and ambitions to make Koenigsegg a big-volume maker, though. Last year, it produced just 18 cars and its aim is to extend that up to and above 100 cars a year in the next few years with the new, cheaper car. Longer term, that could breach four figures, depending on the roll-out of future models. LAWRENCE ALLAN

S PY S H OT

V O L K S WA G E N I D R

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4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 JULY

goodwood.com/fos

NEWS

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‘Porsche is our benchmark,’ says Lotus boss Feng A new Lotus SUV is in the pipeline

CONFIDENTIAL

Lotus sets aim at Porsche Group CEO voices ambition for a wide range of world-class cars

otus is aiming to target Porsche with an extensive overhaul of its product line-up, according to Group Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng. Feng, who also holds the role of chief technical officer of Zhejiang Geely (owner of Lotus as well as the Volvo Group), spoke to Autocar at the recent Shanghai motor show after Lotus officially confirmed its Type 130 all-electric hypercar. Confirming the British brand’s new positioning as a cutting-edge, engineering-led company, he said Lotus plans to use its technical expertise throughout the group and to introduce new technology that will ultimately feature on cars from Geely’s other brands, too.

“For the high-end and pioneering technology and applications, Lotus can serve as the frontrunner in many cases,” Feng told Autocar, “then gradually in the future that kind of know-how and those resources can be shared with the sister brands within the group.” He is also refreshingly open about how he wants the company to be perceived, and which rival he most aspires to beat: “Today, Porsche is our target and our benchmark.” As with the German brand, Feng admits that Lotus will need to diversify beyond sports cars, but also insists that these will remain at the heart of the company’s efforts.

“We know Lotus is famous for its sports car products but, to support the revival of the brand, we need a much greater line-up of products for future growth,” he said. “A variety of excellent products can provide pleasant and exciting driving experiences for our customers, not one that is limited just to sports cars.” While Geely is investing to encourage growth at Lotus, with plans to introduce a range of sporting models and even an SUV (previously imagined by Autocar, above), Feng insists that this process must be approached appropriately. “A brand or a company incapable of being selfsustaining or profitable cannot

last,” he said, “but a company focused exclusively on making profit without its own mission will not last in the long term. “No brand can stand if it’s always having a blood transfusion. Take the Porsche brand: it has wonderful products and is financially strong.” Feng shares Lotus CEO Phil Popham’s enthusiasm to return Lotus to high-level motorsport, but says the company won’t rush in before it can afford to. “Elite-level motorsport programmes depend on the success of our future products,” he said. “That is a precondition for this kind of expensive programme.” MIKE DUFF

Ford joins forces with Rivian for EV growth FORD HAS AGREED a deal with Rivian to develop a new model on the growing EV maker’s platform – and is taking a minority stake in the firm. The partnership, which sees Ford take equity of around £386 million in Rivian, will result in a collaboration to develop a battery EV for Ford. No details on the type of vehicle the two firms will work on have been released, although it is said to be “all new”. In the US, Ford has shifted its focus to pick-ups and SUVs and is currently developing an electric version of the hugely popular F-150.

Rivian’s two models on its skateboard architecture are an SUV and a pick-up, which fit with Ford’s strategy. It has secured major investors in recent months, the latest investment being £544m from online retail giant Amazon. The tie-up is the latest in a number of partnerships that Ford has secured as part of its global restructuring. It recently agreed a deal to work with Volkswagen to develop a range of vehicles, including vans and mid-size pick-ups, and has talked about building electric vehicles using the German maker’s MEB platform.

Rivian R1S SUV was revealed last year

THE SUCCESSOR TO the BMW i8 – whatever form it may take – will be as radical as today’s car was in 2014, according to product management boss Peter Henrich. “The i8 has done a tremendous job of transforming the industry,” Henrich told Autocar. “It would definitely not be appropriate to just have a little modification or improvement. We need to be very creative again.” DAIMLER’S INCOMING CEO, Ola Källenius, is confident he is right to back electrification over fuel cell technology. “There’s no question in our mind that the battery-electric vehicle is the one that is scaling first,” he said. “In spite of the challenges, to get an electric charging grid up and running for the first millions of vehicles in Europe is relatively quick compared to hydrogen stations.”

ANY PROSPECTS OF the new McLaren GT aping the firm’s Ultimate Series GT, the Speedtail, and having three seats were undone by US airbag regulations. Unlike other markets, the US mandates airbags for front-seat passengers, and regulators consider the side seats of a three-seater to be in the front. They are set too far back for an airbag to deploy to them, however. THE AUDI E-TRON’S virtual wing mirrors, which use cameras, have had a mixed reaction, according to design boss Marc Lichte. “If you use the car for an hour, you don’t like them,” he said. “But if you use it for a day or two, people love them. I would say early customer feedback is 50/50. When I drive the car, I love them. It’s the future.”

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 17

Silicon Valley’s own 911 hybrid Vonnen shows Porsche the way with its performance-boosting Shadow Drive tech

orsche’s own hybrid 911 is due by 2022, but in the meantime, Californian company Vonnen has beaten the maker at its own game, having already turned its hand to electrifying the iconic sports cars. Chuck Moreland, CEO of Vonnen, says the idea of hybridising the 911 came to fruition three years ago when a proof of concept – using a 1990s ‘996’ 911 – underlined that it was possible. Moreland expands: “This is a [rear-drive] C2, and what we did was we took a [all-wheel drive] C4 transaxle, which has a yoke to drive the front, we put a motor in the tunnel and instead of taking torque out, we drove torque back into the transaxle to drive the rear wheels. It worked.” It may have worked, but there was more to come. Moreland said: “Okay, cost be damned, what if we wanted to make this thing rip? What would we do? And so we went back to the drawing board and this is what we dreamed up.” The result is the Vonnen Shadow Drive, a retrofit hybrid system that adds performance to any 911. To achieve this, it

18 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

squeezes an electric motor generator unit between the flat-six engine and the gearbox, much like Porsche will eventually do with its ‘992’ 911. It replaces the flywheel, with the electric motor also removing the need for the starter motor. It’s a tight fit, being around 25mm in depth, shifting the gearbox forward by the same amount – and requiring a 25mm shorter prop to the front if it’s fitted to a Carrera 4 or Turbo model. The batteries are placed under the boot floor, and while Vonnen is currently quiet about the capacity, it’s enough for the motor generator unit to deliver a 148bhp and 150lb ft boost to the car’s overall output

depending on the driving mode selected. There are additional, independent cooling circuits for the motor generator unit and the inverter supplying it, too. The system’s weight is 95kg, but around 77kg after the removal of the flywheel and starter motor. The electronic control of the flat six is completely unchanged, too – the Vonnen Shadow Drive’s control unit only needs throttle position data to allow it to add its electric boost when required. The PDK here gets a reflash to counter any clutch slip, but otherwise the car doesn’t know the system is there. The system can be entirely off, with no electrical

assistance at all, while the Street mode adds 90lb ft of torque when the accelerator is between 40-60%. Sport mode adds 80lb ft between 65-95% throttle and an Overboost mode adds the full 150lb ft at the same rate as in Sport mode. The system is hugely flexible, too. Moreland says that it can conceivably be fitted to any 911, manual or PDK, standard or tuned, naturally aspirated

Wireless drive mode selector

or turbocharged, right back to 1965 – though earlier cars would need some additional microswitches and sensors to monitor inputs. It will fit in the Boxster and Cayman, too. Along with the ‘991’ PDK 3.4 Carrera the system’s fitted in here, Vonnen is currently applying it to a GT3 for further development. The cost is $75,000 (about £58,000), which is considerable, but it’s pioneering tech, which adds big performance without having any detrimental effect on emissions, something that is important in California, and increasingly so worldwide. KYLE FORTUNE

Vonnen inverter sits conspicuously on the 911’s parcel shelf

Battery pack is located beneath the boot floor

NEWS

UNDER THE SKIN JESSE CROSSE

OUR FIRST DRIVE IN VONNEN’S PORSCHE 911 HYBRID Shadow Drive conversion costs about £58k

Forget hybrid tech for economy or electric-only urban motoring, the Vonnen Shadow Drive is for performance. There’s nothing inside to highlight it’s fitted – if you ignore the power inverter located under the rear window (and Vonnen says it could be positioned out of sight if customers prefer). A dash-mounted smartphone also shows the status of the batteries, motor and the boost it’s delivering. Switched to off, the system does almost very little, save starting the standard 3.4-litre flat six and operating the stop/start system. Switch to Street and the changes are subtle at first, the need for the 40%-and-above throttle meaning you can drive around it. Flexibility in higher gears allows you to be lazy with the gearbox, the motor generator unit adding torque and increasing tractability in traffic. On faster roads, it’s more apparent, yet the electric boost seems subtly applied. That is, until you glance at the speedometer. It’s deceptively quick, so

linear and progressive in its delivery that you’ll find yourself carrying way more speed than you think. Near silent, too – there’s only a slight, not unwelcome, electronic pitch audible above the flat-six motor. In Sport and Overboost modes, the greater performance is more obvious, though there remains subtlety to the way it operates. The Shadow Drive moniker is apt, enhancing without detracting from the standard car’s engagement; there is obvious regeneration, the engine braking remaining all but identical. It’s clever, arguably a bit too clever at times – and might benefit from an earlier electrical application in Street mode to allow you to feel the motor’s effect earlier. The development is ongoing though, and Vonnen admits there’s opportunity for changes – it’s all in the system coding and application. What’s undeniable is the potential, something this firm has been quick to realise by leaving Porsche to play catch-up.

HOW VW PREDICTED THE FUTURE WITH DIRECT-SHIFT GEARBOXES

DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSIONS (DCTs) hit the big time after Volkswagen first introduced one on the Golf R32 back in 2003. To date, VW has made well over 26 million of its direct shift gearboxes (DSGs), and it’s not alone. The standard had previously always been the torque converter automatic (slush) gearbox and, on a few small cars, perhaps a teeth-grindingly awful continuously variable transmission (CVT). DCTs are fun to use because they shift gear with no interruption of torque from the engine. In a conventional manual gearbox, de-clutching interrupts the torque to disengage each gear and engage the next. Torque is reinstated by closing the clutch again and opening the throttle. In a DCT, each clutch is allocated to roughly half the gears. So, for instance, as first gear is engaged and driving through ‘clutch one’, second gear is pre-selected through ‘clutch two’, which stays open. When the driver selects second gear, clutch one opens and clutch two closes, taking up the drive simultaneously with no interruption of torque. And so on. Software algorithms control things and try to predict the driver’s next move when pre-selecting the next gear. So if an upshift gear has been pre-selected and the driver decides to overtake and a downshift is needed, the gearbox will try to predict that. VW may have been the first company to launch DCTs in big numbers with its DSG, but it wasn’t the first to get one running. Neither were Porsche or Audi with the deliciously named Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), which graced the 956 and 962 racing cars and Sport Quattro S1 rally car. No, the first working prototype DCT was developed in Leamington Spa by Automotive Products in 1980 and called the hot-shift automatic gearbox. The concept may have been hampered by snail-pace electronics, but the name was excellent. Conventional torque converter gearboxes are not that well suited to small engines, and especially weren’t back then, when power consumption from a torque converter was relatively high – and that’s what prompted

Dual-clutch transmissions like Volkswagen’s sevenspeed DSG are light, compact and efficient, saving fuel and reducing emissions. Clutches are operated by hydraulic pressure and electronics.

the idea. In terms of basic layout, modern DCTs are similar to AP’s brilliant hot-shift design. It had one dry clutch and one wet (running in oil). VW’s first family of DCTs were wet clutch transmissions capable of handling up to 258lb ft torque. The clutch packs – developed by BorgWarner with the trademark DualTronic – are concentric (one inside the other) to save space and the clutches could be smaller thanks to the lubrication. VW launched the seven-speed DSG for compact cars in 2008. Because the torque capacity would be less at 184lb ft, the clutches were dry to reduce drag, but slightly larger in diameter with thicker friction linings to combat wear, and had a design life of 186,000 miles. You’ve probably already figured out that the reason these mechatronic marvels happened at all is because they’re superefficient, save fuel and reduce emissions. In theory, they should also deliver the ultimate driving experience, but maybe sometimes you just can’t beat a manual for thrills.

WET BEHIND THE GEARS The clutches in Volkswagen’s original six-speed DSG are ‘wet’, which means they run in oil to reduce wear. That means they can be smaller and concentric, packaged one inside the other in this neat unit.

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 19

CEO Musk predicted Tesla would make a profit in Q1 this year

Tesla losses keep coming

EV pioneer has lost £545m in the first three months of this year despite strong sales

20 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

to car industry analyst Jato Dynamics, 14,652 Model 3s were registered in March, an astonishing result that surpassed sales of the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4 (estate and saloon). Of that number, 5315 were sold in Norway, Europe’s leading electric car market, giving the Model 3 a staggering 29% of the market. It could have been even more. Tesla hasn’t begun right-hand-drive sales of the Model 3 yet, or even set a UK price. However, Musk recently tweeted that the UK online order page would open “around May 1 or 2”. Next year, Tesla will start selling an SUV version of the Model 3, the Model Y, and last week, Musk predicted that it would ultimately become more popular than the Model S, Model X and Model 3 combined. However, problems are

mounting up for Tesla. As well as finishing the Model Y, it needs to find money to complete a new factory in Shanghai, China, scheduled to start later this year, as well as develop the new Roadster sports car and an

electric truck, the Tesla Semi. A recent video from China showing an early Model S apparently spontaneously catching fire has also (literally) reignited safety fears surrounding its cars.

TESLA NET INCOME (MINUS) -0 -250 -500 -750 -1000 -1250 -1500 -1750 -2000

US$ millions

esla’s financial woes continue even as the Californian company sets jaw-dropping records for sales of its electric Model 3 saloon across continental Europe and predicts the imminent arrival of autonomous ‘robotaxis’. CEO Elon Musk predicted three months ago that Tesla would make a profit in the first financial quarter of this year. Instead, it posted one of its worst three-month results, losing $702 million (£545m). Musk blamed delays in Model 3 production, as well as losses caused by a slip in residual values for its ageing Model S and Model X cars. Tesla has posted a profit in only four quarters since 2010 and has never had a profitable year. Demand might be cooling in the US, but not for Europe, at least for the new Model 3. Across Europe, according

9 10 11 12 13 1 4 15 16 17 18 1) 2 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 9 (Q 2

Meanwhile, EV competitors are stacking up, including the Jaguar I-Pace (1503 European sales in March, beating the Model X at 874), the Audi E-tron and Mercedes EQC. More affordable electric models, particularly from the Volkswagen Group, are due next year to rival the Model Y’s launch, as will Ford’s ‘Mustanginspired’ Mach E SUV. Despite the headwinds, Tesla’s share price remains stratospheric, much to the annoyance of the infamous ‘shorts’ (the short-seller investors who bet against Tesla succeeding) and the traditional car firms. A Ford of Europe spokesman tweeted last week: “Since 2009, Tesla has lost $6.4 billion. In the same time frame, Ford has made $71.6bn. And yet as of today, Wall Street values Tesla at $45bn and Ford at $38bn. World is mad.”

NEWS Model Y is tipped to outsell 3, S and X combined

Damien Smith R AC I N G L I N E S Mesmerising drive: Senna at a sopping Silverstone in 1988

Tesla production continues to grow, funds permitting Even those who recommend buying Tesla stock have to qualify their enthusiasm. “Our Tesla call is hard to live with at times but we see value in Tesla’s EV/ connectivity technology and experimentation. We remain confident there is a path to sustained profitability,” Philippe Houchois, analyst at financial research firm Jefferies, wrote in a note after Tesla’s recent poor results. That ‘experimentation’ ranges from the useful, such as over-the-air updates, to the wildly improbable. Falling into the improbable category are Musk’s claims that advances in Tesla’s autonomous tech will allow owners to send off their private cars to work as self-driving ‘robotaxis’ by as early as next year. He said the earning potential means we’d all be “financially insane to buy anything other than a Tesla”. Financial analyst Jeffrey Osborne at Cowen, a bank, called the plan “half-baked”. It’d also be unworkable across most regions until autonomous cars are given type approval. But right now for Tesla, even self-driving looks more achievable than self-financing. NICK GIBBS

TESLA BEEFS UP MODEL S AND MODEL X xSandae verions eruptur empedi cor alisxxxxxxxxxx

Model S Long Range can now run 370 miles on a full charge Tesla has released a series of updates for its Model S saloon and Model X SUV, including a range improvement of more than 10% for Long Range models. The firm claims to have substantially upgraded the electric drive unit with more efficient technology used in the new Model 3, redesigned gearing and better cooling. The result is a claimed US EPA cycle range of 370 miles for the top-spec Model S and 325 miles for the equivalent Model X, with no changes to the 100kWh battery pack. At the same time, Tesla claims power and torque have been “significantly” improved, although no

figures have been quoted. Charging times have improved, too, with a 200kW rate achievable on the latest ‘V3’ superchargers. Both cars now have fully adaptive damping for the air suspension, developed inhouse. New wheel bearings and tyre design claim to boost steering feel and ride quality. The firm has also backtracked on its recent decision to axe cheaper Standard Range variants by reintroducing them on both models. Owners of existing Model S or X cars are being offered a free Ludicrous mode upgrade when they buy a new Performance model.

MOTOR RACING FANS tend to have their ‘JFK moments’, like 25 years ago today: 1 May 1994. The day Ayrton Senna died. Do you remember where you were? It’s hard to believe a quarter of a century has passed. I was a student at the time, but had returned home for a family occasion. At sunny Imola in Italy, Formula 1 was already reeling from Rubens Barrichello’s narrow escape from a flying accident on the Friday. Then there was the horror of Saturday as popular newcomer Roland Ratzenberger lost his life when his Simtek smashed into a wall almost head-on. This was the first F1 fatality at a grand prix since 1982. It wasn’t supposed to happen any more. A pall of gloom hung over the circuit on race day. Then at the start, a collision catapulted debris into the crowd, causing minor injuries. Whatever next? The unthinkable, that’s what. The greatest, most famous racing driver of his generation would die at Tamburello when his Williams inexplicably shot off the road and into the wall. I saw the accident on TV, then had to leave for a church service. I could think of little else. After the service, I scanned the car

radio (no mobile phones or internet back then), but news only broke after 6pm. When I returned to university the next day, friends treated me as if I’d suffered a family bereavement. All these years on, Senna remains an F1 colossus; like rock stars who are lost too young, a figure deified in death. But to those who knew him, and to those of us who watched him, Senna was no saint. He was much more interesting than that. For years, to most British fans, he was a villain, too cold and cut-throat to be a hero. For me, that began to change at the British GP in 1988. I spent the day sitting miserably in driving rain at Stowe corner – but I also witnessed Senna’s mesmeric dominance in the wondrous McLaren MP4-4. Yes, he had a car advantage, but I knew what I’d just seen. He continued to be a hard man to love. The ‘professional foul’ on Alain Prost at Suzuka’s Turn 1 in 1990 remains the most reprehensible act ever committed in a racing car. But by 1994, Senna’s aura of otherworldliness had transcended his sport. He was not always a good man, but he was a great man – and F1 has never fully recovered from his loss.

❝

Senna was no saint. He was much more interesting than that ❞ GET IN TOUCH

damien.smith@haymarket.com 1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 21

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4/16/19 12:14 PM

COMMENT

Steve Cropley MY WEEK IN CARS

Volvo XC60 ticks many boxes, but compact it isn’t

MONDAY

After my recent banging on about electric cars, it has been a pleasure spending time in a conventional Volvo XC60 diesel SUV, especially the near-ideal D4 R-Design AWD with a 190bhp four-pot engine, eight-speed auto, four-wheel drive and plenty of gadgets. I’d not driven one of these, but have often admired how Volvo has adopted progressive styling in recent years without scaring their traditionalists. In fact, this is such a great-looking car, it’s a bit of a surprise to discover it’s so damned sensible. It feels instantly well-built and spacious. The seats are lovely to look at and sit in. The rear seating package is better (more knee room, lower floor) than its rival, the Land Rover Discovery Sport. That huge Tesla-esque central screen is fun to operate, though the dash details are a bit baroque for my taste. The engine’s smooth, the ride’s quiet (for a car with such big wheels) and I know I could live happily with an XC60 but for one thing…

TUESDAY

…and that’s the important matter of size. Noticed it acutely this morning while battling London traffic. As roads get more congested, I’m coming to value compactness in cars more and more. I know one rule of modern life is that ‘space is luxury’ but, if I were in the SUV market, I’d choose the slimmer-hipped XC40 and get my infrequent full passenger complement to shove up a bit.

WEDNESDAY

New details of the career of Frank Stephenson, widely credited with designing BMW’s Mini 20 years ago, are about to be revealed in a featurelength documentary film called Chasing Perfect, to be screened from late May. Stephenson attracts controversy – others claim input into some of his

❝

Will someone build a really good-riding EV now, please ❞ designs – but I’m looking forward to seeing how, as a way of creating a Mini for a new millennium, he proposed designs for 1970, 1980 and 1990 along the way.

THURSDAY

Our household’s 15-plate Fiat 500 Lounge Twinair needed cleaning and fuelling recently, so I took the chance to put a few extra miles under its wheels to assess its general health. Its usual driver, the Steering Committee, has recently thrown herself into a renewed frenzy of work and commuting, so this not-quite-four-year-old is approaching 65,000 miles. Happily, the stuff that signals expensive wear and tear (puffs of smoke, suspension rattles, oil consumption, slow synchros, soft clutch) is entirely absent. With

AND ANOTHER THING… Seems the virtue of driving a green car doesn’t extend to helping your fellow driver. Spied this trio at a busy central London Q-Park, each plugged in but not charging. Their owners were using the spaces for all-day parking despite a notice asking them to move after 90 minutes. Annoying.

Frank Stephenson’s story is being told on the big screen a few body blemishes fi xed and some forensic detailing, this could still pass for a showroom car. All of which answers the question that first formed in my head over 10 years ago as I watched Fiat’s Paolo Martinelli walk into a launch event carrying a prototype Twinair engine: will this tiny, hard-working, heat-generating powerhouse last? Our answer: it will.

FRIDAY

It’s time Europe’s suspension experts took the job of refining electric cars’ ride quality more seriously. Having now done thousands of battery miles, I’ve still yet to drive an electric model good enough to compare to a quiet, supple, conventional European – even though its built-in mass centralisation and low centre of gravity are supposed to be advantages. The air-sprung Jaguar I-Pace comes closest, but at times even that isn’t brilliant. It all takes me back 40 years to Japanese cars of the day, which seemed uniformly oversprung and underdamped. We always wondered why it took so long to correct what seemed an elementary problem, but the car makers would never meet it head-on. Will someone build a really good-riding electric car now, please? Some of us are getting impatient.

GET IN TOUCH

steve.cropley@haymarket.com

@StvCr

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23

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VOLVO S60 TESTED 23.4.19, OXFORDSHIRE ON SALE NOW PRICE Â£37,920

Volvo takes on the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class et al with a saloon imbued with inviting Scandi-cool and sophistication

26 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

n America, apparently they don’t put labels in boxes of assorted chocolates, telling you how each different delightful sugary nugget is flavoured. So, as Forrest Gump’s mum said, life is like a box of chocolates, in that you never know what you’re going to get. We British, meanwhile, being more reserved, prefer to know exactly what kind of chocolate we’re getting so insist captioned pictures are enclosed within every box. A box of chocolates here, then, is very much unlike life. Which brings me, convolutedly, to the new Volvo S60, which is the first Volvo to be built in the US, where it will be nothing like a box of chocolates.

Here, it will be precisely like one. This is a Volvo that gives you – as you’ll guess if you’ve been paying attention to the brand’s recent rapid model roll-out – precisely what you expect, because all new Volvos follow largely the same formula. To date, it’s a successful one. On the outside, it means you get one of the best-looking cars in its class, if you ask me, which I’m prepared to argue you sort of did. Standard Autocar-design-awardwinning Volvo: the new S60 has a strong family resemblance, fine proportions, even some discreet aggression, with just about enough differentiation from other Volvos to currently avoid accusations of Russian Dollness, although I ◊

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 27

❝

I’d have one of these over an A4 or C-Class and almost all conventional large family saloons

❞

S60 is a relaxing, well-resolved and enjoyable car to drive, but not a sporty one ∆ suspect that’s only a matter of time. That they’re better-looking than today’s BMWs probably helps. Each car has hints of suitability for its segment, at least. The S60’s is the segment of ordinary/nice/4.7m-long saloons, so it’s a rival for anything from a Ford Mondeo to a BMW 3 Series, and Volvo will probably argue at some length that it’s at the more premium end of the market, given the difficulty you’d have spending this S60’s £38,000 on a Mondeo. But with the Ford being much rarer than the BMW these days, if you value exclusivity, a Mondeo, or indeed an S60, which hasn’t set UK sales alight for quite some time, is among your go-to options. Volvo is, effectively, and by accident rather than design, an SUV company today, given how many offroaders it sells. And the S60 might remain a niche in its line-up, given family saloons are a declining sector. Especially given it’s launching in only one specification, too – a fourcylinder 2.0-litre in R-Design trim – although more options will come. Nothing bigger than a four-cylinder 2.0-litre, though, and nothing diesel. For now, that means the T5, with the T meaning petrol and the number relating to its power rating, which seems to go up to eight rather than 11, disappointingly. It has 247bhp

28 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

and front-wheel drive, although you can have up to 394bhp and all-wheel drive in the US in the T8, and [Volvo spokesperson taps nose] “more specifications and powertrains will arrive here later”, too. Meanwhile, the T5 drives through an eight-speed automatic gearbox and sits on Volvo’s SPA (Scalable Product Architecture), which underpins all of its big cars. It’s a mostly steel monocoque in which the engine sits at the front and is transversely mounted and, in other Volvo models, can have electrical assistance for both front and rear

axles in place of the diesels that Volvo is currently repulsed by. Inside, there’s even less difference between Volvos than there is on the outside. Volvo has settled into a Scandi-cool way of doing things, with good seats, a widely adjustable driving position, a round steering wheel, clear dials and a vertical touchscreen that’s relatively easy to navigate in the scheme of things but still makes you control too many functions from it, in the name of removing physical buttons. So it looks good, works satisfactorily and, at least, reacts quickly to inputs and

It mixes Volvo’s existing design themes with S60-specific flourishes

remembers you’ve turned off lane keep assist the next time you get in the car. There’s a decent-sized boot and plenty of space in the back for grown adults to sit behind the same in the front. There are adaptive dampers and drive modes, which are among the few things selectable via separate buttons on the centre console, slightly needlessly given that you’ll put it in one mode and leave it there for the next three years. And I suspect you’ll get not far into the good side of 30mpg whichever mode you pick. And whichever mode it’s in, the S60 is a largely amiable companion, too. Mature, sophisticated and largely uncomplicated in feel. Volvo’s latest four-cylinder engine family can lack refinement, depending on its application, but I’ve no such qualms with the 2.0-litre here. It starts, goes and revs quietly and freely, with an eight-speed gearbox that slurs nicely and seems to react and predict well. It’s less impressive mooching to a halt, if you take pleasure in stopping without a jolt, because the stop/start judders the engine off and with it your last couple of feet of finesse. Which is not how a relaxing car should be. The ride is towards the firmer end of pliant on the 235/40 tyres and 19in rims that are optional and fitted to our test car. It’s fine but might be

FIRST DRIVES M ATER I A L BENEF IT S OF MIX A ND M ATCH TESTER’S NOTE I wouldn’t dream of calling the Volvo’s interior dated, but steering wheel buttons are starting to get multi-functions and, in comparison, the Volvo’s don’t do much. MP

Firmish ride of our test car is unlikely to be helped by its optional 19in wheels but it’s acceptable enough better (yet look weedier) with a bit more tyre sidewall and what might be the less unsprung mass of the 235/45 18s that are standard. Handling is secure, reassuring and never exciting but always capable and pretty relaxing, with a relaxed steering ratio but positive steering weight and feel and self-centring. Wheels aside, the car you see here is one that comes without too many options – metallic paint and, praise be, a spare wheel take the R-Design Edition from £37,920 to £38,745 – and feels like it gets everything you’d realistically want. Here’s where the

‘premium’ argument comes in. You have to try very hard to spend that much on a regular large family car (although better depreciation means the Volvo is frequently little less affordable than a high-specced one) and even move quite a long way up the ranges of Audi/BMW/MercedesBenz compact executive cars before you reach the Volvo’s price ticket. I’d have one of these over an Audi A4 or Mercedes C-Class and pretty much all conventional large family saloons. I think a BMW 3 Series’ superior ride and handling would sway me, but I’m not sure the

handling of an Alfa Romeo Giulia or Jaguar XE or Kia Stinger would be enough to make me ignore just how nice the Volvo is inside. With the consistent blurring of different segments and such a prolific number of cars on sale, there have never been so many different choices. Pick a large family saloon or premium compact exec or even a crossover and you’ve got, what, 20 or more different cars to choose from? Doesn’t matter how many, really. The S60 is among the best of them.

Volvo’s large SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) underpins everything from S60 size upwards, so its 60- and 90-badged cars. Smaller models are put on the CMA (Compact Modular Architecture), although you wouldn’t necessarily know from the inside which car is on which platform given the similarities of the driving layouts. The SPA platform is mostly steel, with very little of that being mild steel – the floor, scuttle panel and front bulkhead, and the panel behind and around the rear seats. That’s the most ordinary of five different steel grades Volvo uses, the others it imaginatively dubs ‘high strength’, ‘very high strength’, ‘extra-high strength’ and ‘ultra-high strength’. There’s limited use of highstrength steel on the rear, lower D-pillars and load-bearing brackets in the front bulkhead. Very highstrength steel, then, makes it to the roof and one floor cross beam and front crash beams, extra-high strength in two other floor cross beams and the inner sills, with ultra-high strength steel around the frontal passenger floor and lower bulkhead, and body sides and outer sills. Then there’s also a bit of aluminium, in the very front crash structure and front suspension mounts and brace bar because if you can save a bit of weight around there, the car’s weight distribution is pushed further back, bettering handling.

MATT PRIOR

@matty_prior

VOLVO S60 T5 R-DESIGN EDITION Smooth and sophisticated outside and in and – just about – to drive, the S60 slots in near the top of its class

AAAAC Price Engine Power Torque Gearbox Kerb weight 0-62mph Top speed Economy CO2, tax band RIVALS

Guess the Volvo: yes, they all look similar inside, but we’re not complaining

£37,920 4 cyls, 1969cc, turbo, petrol 247bhp at 5500rpm 261lb ft at 1800-4800rpm 8-spd automatic 1686kg 6.5sec 145mph 35.3mpg 155g/km, 35% BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 29

START FLAT BATTERIES.

™

ULTRASAFE LITHIUM JUMP STARTERS. ®

MULTI-PURPOSE BATTERY CHARGERS.

CHARGE SMART.

no.co

FIRST DRIVES TESTER’S NOTE As well as this 01, the three-cylinder PHEV engine is offered in the Chinese-market Geely Bo Rui GE. I came away from my drive wondering how well it would integrate with a next-gen Lotus sports car. MD

TESTED 16.4.19, HANGZHOU BAY, CHINA ON SALE 2020 MAINL AND EUROPE (UK TBC)

LYNK&CO 01 PHEV Europe-bound SUV pips its Volvo XC40 sibling to a very clever hybrid powertrain

he globalised nature of the car industry throws up strange anomalies. Back in May 2016, Volvo previewed the XC40 in Gothenburg and told us it planned to offer the production version with a clever three-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain. Nearly three years on, we’re still waiting to experience that car in Europe, but we have finally had the chance to sample the new powertrain in a very different environment: in a Lynk&Co 01 at the test track of Geely Auto’s Hangzhou Bay R&D centre in China. Lynk&Co is a Geely subsidiary brand using the same Compact Modular Architecture that underpins the 40-series Volvos. The company’s first three products are already on sale in China and we’ve previously driven the 01 SUV and 02 crossover, but the plug-in hybrid is the first one we’ve tried that’s destined for sale in Europe. The powertrain is compellingly clever. Currently front drive only, as it will be in its Volvo applications, it uses a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox to integrate the

efforts of the petrol and electric sides of its powertrain. So while the 177bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged threecylinder engine can turn either of the gearbox’s two shafts, the 80bhp electric motor is connected to only the one that does second, fourth, sixth and reverse gears. The e-motor sits downstream of the clutch pack, meaning the 01 can be driven purely electrically, with the petrol engine switched off, or the motor can add assistance and, sometimes, will be in two gears at once, with one shaft turned by combustion and the other by flowing ions. The electric motor can also vary levels of regenerative braking by switching between different gears. Although the Hangzhou Bay track has only slow-speed corners, it features two straights long enough to test the 01 PHEV’s acceleration. With aggressive starts, the test car launched itself electrically, with the three-cylinder cutting in as the car started to roll. Under hard use, integration between the two sides of the powertrain wasn’t seamless, with a noticeable pause before the

petrol engine started to really pull. The three-cylinder sounds muscular when extended and the dual-clutch’s responses felt snappier than the slurring common to CVT-based hybrids like the Toyota Prius. It felt quick, too. Barring the slow getaway, Lynk&Co’s claimed 7.3sec 0-62mph time seemed entirely achievable. Under the sort of lower-intensity duty the 01 is designed for, the petrol and electric motors played far more nicely together, with the e-motor adding its assistance unobtrusively in the default hybrid mode. There is an electric-only mode, although I experienced it only briefly because of a mostly depleted battery pack. In this mode, acceleration is limited but almost entirely silent. Lynk&Co claims a 31.7-mile EV range from the 9kWh battery, but that is calculated under the generally optimistic NEDC testing protocol. Even on a smooth test track, the 01’s suspension settings felt soft, with lots of body roll under even moderate cornering loads and the front axle struggling to digest the combined torque output on the hairpins. We’re

The 01 PHEV shows its best at typical, everyday pace, rather than when pushed hard. Cabin has a Euro-friendly layout

assured the suspension settings for European versions will keep better discipline. Although Lynk&Co’s conventional models are selling well in China alongside the 01 PHEV, the brand will be electrified-only in Europe. First will come the 01 PHEV, which, we’re told, will be launched in some markets next year. Then shortly after, there will be a pure-electric model based on Geely’s new PMA electric architecture. We still have some significant unanswered questions about Lynk&Co’s plans for what will primarily be a subscription-based distribution model in Europe, but the brand’s cars continue to impress. MIKE DUFF

LYNK&CO 01 PHEV PROTOTYPE Europe-bound 01 has a clever hybrid set-up and the promised revisions to the suspension will be welcome Price

RMB 259,800, before subsidies (approx £29,860) Engine 3 cyls, 1477cc, turbo, petrol, plus electric motor Power 177bhp (petrol), 80bhp (electric) Torque 195lb ft at 4000rpm (petrol), 118lb ft (electric) Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic Kerb weight 1770kg 0-62mph 7.3sec Top speed 130mph (governed) Economy WLTP figures tbc CO2, tax band WLTP figures tbc RIVALS Kia Niro PHEV, Mini Countryman PHEV, Volvo XC40 T5 Twin Engine

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 31

FIRST DRIVES TESTED 25.4.19, WORCESTERSHIRE ON SALE NOW

JEEP RENEGADE

Refreshed popular model still has the looks, if not the form ALPINE A110 PURE

Price £46,905 On sale Now What’s new? Entry-level Alpine arrives in the UK billed as the purest expression of an already sublime driver’s car

ou may have seen Jeep now outsells Land Rover in Europe, reversing the trend of a lifetime. And it’s the Renegade – the brand’s sure-footed crossover hatchback, built on the same platform as the Fiat 500X – that’s responsible for this surprising development, with 10 examples sold for every Wrangler. So it follows that, a few years into its lifespan, the Renegade warrants some fettling, which it has now had. Along with pin-sharp new LED headlights for higher-spec models, the front bumper has been tweaked to bear a stronger resemblance to the Wrangler, and Jeep claims to have improved cabin storage while refreshing the interior. Mechanically there are more substantial changes, with a raft of new engines. It’s the 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol ‘Firefly’ driven

here, otherwise known as Fiat’s Global Small Engine. It replaces the asthmatic old 1.6-litre at the base of the range and adds forced induction, making 118bhp at a relatively high 5750rpm and 140lb ft at a commensurately low 1750rpm – an encouragingly broad spread. There’s also a new four-cylinder petrol with 148bhp, and a further pair of MultiJet II turbodiesels with up to 168bhp. You’ll need to opt for diesel power to get Jeep’s GKN-sourced ‘rear-axle disconnect’ four-wheel drive – as used on the Range Rover Evoque. Slide aboard and it’s still charming inside, with generous head room and panoramic visibility through a windscreen that seems to sit bolt upright. But the plastics remain perceptibly low-rent and there’s a greater emphasis on fun than finesse. Utilitarian? Undoubtedly. The driving experience is tolerable,

with just enough body control to nip any queasiness among passengers in the bud. But the ride is poor and the steering too elastic in its action, even if it possesses some weight. This entry-level Renegade also feels every bit its 11.2sec 0-62mph time, though for a downsized three-cylinder option the Firefly is relatively easy on the ears and linear enough once past some conspicuous turbo lag. At £19,200 in Sport guise, the Renegade will seem temptingly good value for those already smitten by the styling. But the fact you can’t have this little 1.0-litre with fourwheel drive erodes the intrinsic appeal of the Renegade next to more comfortable, better-riding rivals. Without the proper off-road hardware, the Renegade simply doesn’t do enough to stand out.

RICHARD LANE

@_rlane_

JEEP RENEGADE 1.0 GSE T3 LONGITUDE Remains a left-field but likeable choice. Diesels make better sense if you want Jeep’s off-road pedigree

AAACC Price Engine

Utilitarian interior is comfortable, but quality feels low

£24,400 3 cyls, 999cc, turbocharged, petrol Power 118bhp at 5750rpm Torque 140lb ft at 3000-4000rpm Gearbox 6-spd manual Kerb weight 1320kg 0-62mph 11.2sec Top speed 115mph Economy 39.8mpg CO2, tax band WLTP figures tbc RIVALS Skoda Karoq, VW T-Roc

ALPINE’S MID-ENGINED aluminium sports car has already secured all five road-test stars, and the A110 ‘Pure’ supposedly heightens the driving experience by stripping extras down to merely a pair of 13.1kg Sabelt bucket seats. There’s no sports exhaust, 18in wheels or Brembo brakes, though all are available optionally, should you want them. As it is, you’d be hard-pushed to identify any dynamic differences between the Pure and more generously equipped models, though the standard 17in wheels might improve ride quality a touch. There is, of course, also the simple satisfaction of having the A110 at its very lightest – the Pure weighs just 1098kg. RL

AAAAA

KIA SOUL EV 64KWH Price £30,000 (est) On sale Late 2019 What’s new? First European outing for new electric version of boxy urban crossover

KIA DESCRIBES THE new Soul’s design as “iconic”, decidedly stretching the definition of an already much-misused word. That said, the third generation of the urban crossover has a certain boxy charm – greatly enhanced by the adoption of the EV powertrain from the e-Niro, complete with gamechanging 280-mile WLTP range. With 201bhp, the Soul has plenty of performance for both urban and country driving, and rides well on European roads. It’s set to be a few thousand pounds cheaper than the e-Niro; that saving comes at the expense of space and some practicality (particularly in the boot), but with a dose of, admittedly slightly slab-sided, style. JA

AAAAC R E AD MOR E ONLINE

autocar.co.uk 1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 33

ROAD TEST

PHOTOGRAPHY MAX EDLESTON

No 5420

Kia e-Niro

Award-winning, in-demand crossover marks Kia’s true arrival into the EV market MODEL TESTED FIRST EDITION Price £32,995*

Power 201bhp

34 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

Torque 291lb ft

0-60mph 7.2sec

30-70mph in fourth na

Fuel economy 3.5mpkWh

CO2 emissions 0g/km

70-0mph 45.3m

ROAD TEST he reception of the second all-electric Kia to go on sale in the UK, the award-winning e-Niro crossover hatchback, has been somewhat different than that of the first. The Soul EV went on sale in 2014, but it took until 2018 for the car to pass 500 registrations in this country. That was a crossover supermini initially available with a 27kWh drive battery, and with 132 miles of claimed range, 0-62mph performance taking longer than 10 seconds and a punchy £30k asking price. The e-Niro marks a stark contrast to the original Soul EV in so many ways, but the biggest of them all is nicely epitomised by the fact that it burned through the 900-unit UK sales allocation for 2019 inside of its first month on general sale. With a battery supply bottleneck limiting Kia’s production rampup, dealers are currently advising customers putting a deposit down today that it might be a year, or longer, before their orders can be satisfied. There is an outstanding e-Niro order bank of some 5000 cars to deliver in Kia’s native South Korea alone. You’d have to assume, then, that Kia has done things a lot differently with the e-Niro than it did back then with the Soul EV. People all over the world are plainly very ready to buy this car – and this week, we measure precisely how great a step change in the developmental story of the massmarket electric car it represents.

DESIGN AND ENGINEERING

AAAAB

We like  More spacious and practical than any other affordable EVs  Strong, responsive pace combined with genuine 250-mile-plus range

We don’t like  Cabin quality looks better than it feels in places  Handling doesn’t inspire as much as the outright performance level

Since the Soul EV was a combustionengined adaptation, the e-Niro can be thought of as Kia’s first purposebuilt electric car; although, since hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Niro are also available, that may seem a slightly troubling notion to contemplate. It may therefore be more helpful to explain that both the Niro and e-Niro are built on a platform designed from a clean sheet to accept electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid powertrain options. It’s the e-Niro that offers the most power and the best claimed performance statistics of the three, being priced at the sort of 20% premium over and above the PHEV version that you would expect of a performance-tuned hot hatchback compared with a mid-range model. The e-Niro has a 64kWh drive battery with two and a half times as much storage capacity as the Soul EV had five years ago; which, for the moment, is significantly more than the majority of similarly priced EVs offer. Because it’s a purpose-built EV, it carries that battery between the axles and under the cabin floor, where it doesn’t adversely affect the car’s storage space or weight distribution. The liquid-cooled, lithium ion battery weighs 457kg all on its own, and makes for a car

Range at a glance ENGINES

POWER

1.6 GDI hybrid 139bhp 1.6 GDI PHEV 139bhp e-Niro 201bhp *after government grant

PRICE

£23,490 £31,195 £32,995*

TRANSMISSIONS Single-speed automatic Kia offers the Niro crossover in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and now fully electric forms, although the only one available in more than one trim and equipment level is the first in the list (2, 3 and 4 trims, with just over £4000 between the cheapest and most expensive). The cheapest hybrid still gets touchscreen sat-nav and a reversing camera as standard; the most expensive adds smart cruise control, xenon headlights and leather upholstery. Interestingly, the e-Niro gets bigger alloy wheels and a bigger boot than the PHEV.

with an unladen weight claimed at a whisker over 1.8 tonnes – and which we measured at a whisker under that threshold. That makes it particularly heavy, of course, for a car that sits somewhere between a Ceed and a Sportage on outright size – so it’s a good job Kia didn’t forget to include a motor ready to move that mass easily. The e-Niro’s AC synchronous electric motor drives the car’s front wheels directly through a fixed ratio, but produces 201bhp of peak power and 291lb ft of torque. Which, for the record, makes for a better power-to-weight ratio than a Seat Ateca 1.5 TSI FR, and more torque to weight than one or two lower-order hot hatchbacks we could mention. Suspension for the car is via MacPherson struts at the front axle and a multi-link rear. Seventeeninch alloy wheels, wrapped with 215-section tyres, are the only options available – and while the latter are the same size as the ones on the related Hyundai Kona Electric we tested only last year, they’re Michelins rather than Nexens. Since the Hyundai suffered with questionable grip and traction, that may well prove to be a significant point to note. Relative to other Niros, meanwhile, the e-Niro gets extra noise insulation in its A- and B-pillars and more noise-insulating front subframe ◊

Soul wasn’t as eagerly received in the UK

 Charging port is on the front grille (as a rule, we prefer them on the back of the car so you don’t have to drive forward into parking bays). Still, it’s neatly integrated and, since it’s a CCS Combo port, compatible with most UK motorway DC rapid chargers.

 Two-tone 17in alloy wheels look neat and distinctive, if a bit weedy inside the e-Niro’s arches. Bigger-rimmed cars wouldn’t go quite as far on a charge, of course – but they might look better.

 Blue body trim elements are part of a programme of subtle exterior design tweaks that should mark out the e-Niro to those looking closely, without screaming that it’s a martyr to the zeroemissions cause. Arrowhead daytime running lights are unique to the e-Niro.

 Odd not to find LED headlights on a car like this, although the e-Niro’s halogens are powerful enough and have a decent auto-dipping system.

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 35

Weights and measures

108

x ma

4511405 litres

Kerb weight: 1812kg 2700mm

885mm

1570mm

1000m m

0.29

930m m

max

DIMENSIONS

790mm

4375mm

 Driving position is slightly raised without feeling too perched. There’s plenty of space, and plenty of oddment storage between the centre cubbies and door pockets.

PA R K I N G Typical garage height

Typical parking space width (2400mm)

2010mm

Typical leg room 750mm

 Second-row space is fit for both adults and children, with Isofix anchorages on the outer seats and bottle-holders in the doors.

2030mm (with mirrors) 3730mm

W H E E L A N D P E DA L ALI G N M E NT Pedal placement is spot on. Steering wheel could offer a little more telescopic reach adjustment range for the longer-of-leg, but you’d be unlikely to be discomforted by it.

30mm 170mm Width 1050-1180mm

Height 490-670mm

H E AD LI G HTS Halogen projector lamps aren’t stellar, but acceptable for both range and power. Auto-dip functionality could be quicker, though.

∆ bushes, in all cases to counteract the greater perception of wind and road noise that the absence of a humming combustion engine can cause.

INTERIOR

AAAAC Being an added-convenience crossover hatchback, the e-Niro is a proper adult-sized four-seater with room for three kids across the second row at a push. It has a 451-litre boot that is unintruded by the presence of batteries and leaves an under-floor storage cubby for your charging cables. It is a more practical family car, by all of those measures, than a Nissan Leaf and offers fully 90mm more second-row leg room than

36 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

Length 730-1570mm

Centre

the Hyundai Kona Electric that we criticised for its shortage of cabin space. In each of those respects, then, as a particularly practical, affordable, all-electric family car, you might say the e-Niro is something of a first. It offers a comfortable, ergonomically sound driving position, too, with all of the controls and the digital instrumentation someone already well versed in the business of driving a modern EV could want. You’ll locate a rotary transmission controller on a raised centre console, but you’ll also find what look like gearshift paddles behind the steering wheel. They’re actually there to allow you to incrementally control the regenerative braking of the car’s

 Boot is 451 litres, with a split-level floor that allows you to keep the charging cables out of the way, but would also make them hard to access with a load on-board.

electric motor that happens on a trailing throttle, and that has such an abiding influence on how different a modern EV is to drive from any combustion-engined car. Pull the right-hand paddle and the car’s regen cycles upwards to max; pull the left-hand one and it cycles back to nothing, allowing the car to coast entirely unchecked when you lift off the accelerator. Those regen paddles are also typical of the e-Niro’s fixtures and fittings as regards perceived quality, because they’re quite expensive on the eye but much cheaper to the touch. The car’s interior door handles also look like metal but feel unmistakably like plastic – and fairly cheap plastic at that – and although

much of the cabin’s lesser switchgear and other fixtures look and feel more materially solid, you do wonder why Kia didn’t spend a bit more in the areas where you can’t help but physically interact with the car.

PERFORMANCE

AAAAA The e-Niro’s electric motor certainly isn’t silent when working hard – although it’s quieter than an internal combustion engine would be when asked to perform in the same way. It makes a high-pitched electronic whine under load, layered against a gentle turbine whizz as the rotor gathers speed, that’s not loud or bothersome, and isn’t without intriguing audible character. ◊

ROAD TEST

 Transmission tunnel console has a big, shiny, easy-to-fumble-for rotary gear selector. Lidded cubby behind comes with good-sized cupholders.

 Lane-keeping and VESS exterior noise synthesiser default to on with every restart. The latter makes the e-Niro sound like an Imperial Tie Fighter at low speeds.

 Three blue lights on the top of the dash flash in sequence during charging so you can get an idea from outside, at a glance, how full your battery is. Handy.

Multimedia system

AAABC

The e-Niro’s infotainment system is very respectable, without being particularly impressive on a car of this price and type. First Edition cars get an 8.0in touchscreen set-up with DAB radio and factory navigation, the latter including European mapping (should you find yourself abroad and reticent to use your mobile data connection) as well as live traffic information provided by TomTom. The navigation mapping detail is a bit basic, and it has that sparse, oversimple feel about the menus that smacks of something designed to work on a smaller, thirdparty system’s screen. Still, it works well enough. And you can, of course, use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto mirroring instead, both of which the e-Niro gets as standard, as well as wireless charging for Qi-equipped handsets. The car’s audio is an eight-speaker, 320-watt system from JBL, which sounds a bit more weedy than you might expect for what is alleged to be a ‘premium’ package.

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 37

❝ It is a very dynamically competent act, and an almost entirely vice-free drive

❞

It’s interesting that, just as its partner brand Hyundai did with the Kona Electric, Kia has engineered a very slight but perceptible instant of hesitation into the e-Niro’s throttle response – albeit one that only seems to apply when the car’s accelerating away from standing. Dip deep into the right-hand pedal and the e-Niro accelerates with real purpose, right from the moment its driven axle begins to turn – but there’s a split second of delay between the movement of your right foot and the animation of that axle. It’s something that some EVs don’t have, and it’s plainly there to help ‘normalise’ the electric driving experience for those who’ve spent decades driving combustionengined cars and won’t be used to such a rapier connection between pedal input and system output.

On the run, the e-Niro starts out feeling really brisk up to about 50mph, its potency beginning to tail off slightly above that speed as we’ve become used to from directly driven EVs, but remaining punchy enough to feel authoritative and swift even at motorway speeds. The car goes from 30-50mph in 2.4sec: a tenth slower than the Kona Electric managed, but also only two-tenths slower than the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S we tested in 2016. From 60-80mph, it’s an order slower – but still almost a second quicker than a BMW 520d. Arguably even more impressive than the instant, seamless muscle of the e-Niro’s powertrain, however, is how controllable the car’s adaptable regen settings make it. Being able to choose exactly where and how quickly the electric motor recovers kinetic energy is critically important

to both the drivability and the energy efficiency of an EV, and the e-Niro’s paddles allow you to do just that. The car also has something called Predictive Energy Control, which uses its radar cruise control sensors to measure your closing speed to any car in front and can automatically blend in motor regen on your behalf if you want it to.

H A N D L I N G A N D S TA B I L I T Y

AAAAC When you’ve got nearly half a tonne of battery mass to deal with, it’s clearly easier to hide it in a bigger car with a longer wheelbase that it would be in a smaller, shorter one. That’s what the handling of the e-Niro teaches you, specifically by creating a more settled, stable and secure impression than the related Hyundai Kona Electric tested last year.

The bigger point worth noting here is simply the lack of dynamic compromise that the e-Niro imposes. From the way this car handles, how agile, manoeuvrable and obedient it feels, the way it grips the road and the quiet assurance with which it deals with tighter bends and roundabouts, the e-Niro just seems like a wellsorted, well-behaved biggish family hatchback. It doesn’t feel short of grip or traction compared with the average crossover hatchback, as some EVs can. It doesn’t run out of body control when driven quickly or given a testing combination of lumps and bumps to deal with. It is a very dynamically competent act, and an almost entirely blameless and vice-free drive. Which doesn’t quite mean that there aren’t one or two things it couldn’t do better, of course. The

 Even with a half-tonne battery between the axles, the e-Niro can deliver hot hatchback performance, sound body control and nearly 300 miles of range on roads like this

38 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

ROAD TEST Track notes The e-Niro copes fairly well with the dynamic abuse test that is the Millbrook Hill Route – which is to say, as well as it needs to in order to feel secure and contained when driven fairly quickly on the road. Placing the e-Niro’s drive battery down low doesn’t prevent it entirely from affecting the car’s limit handling, but it certainly helps take the sting out of the equation. The EV grips the road quite well and doesn’t roll excessively or run out of adhesion suddenly, so it’s entirely drivable even as the electronic stability control begins to chime in, which it does with subtlety but effectiveness. Brake pedal feel remains a bit of a barrier to the act of driving both quickly and smoothly, but it gets much better in the car’s sport driving mode than it is in Eco or Eco+, where the regenerative mushiness it would otherwise suffer with is mostly tuned out.

 Suspension copes well with the transmission bumps, even under load. Much better, in fact, than it did in the hybrid we tested a few years ago.

T4 T3

T6 T1

 Body roll is present but doesn’t prevent you from making the apices of tighter bends or adding steering lock mid-corner when you need to. T7

FINISH e-Niro’s steering, in particular, though well-paced, isn’t the most satisfying to use, having a little bit too much cloying weight and communicating little by way of tyre loading or contact patch feel. But, while remote-feeling, it’s a long way from obstructive or objectionable and doesn’t prevent you from enjoying what is a creditable dynamic showing overall.

C O M F O R T A N D I S O L AT I O N

AAAAB Although EVs have come a long way in a few years, plenty of people will still expect a car like this to need every shred of cruising range that might be extracted from its drive battery, and therefore to run on noisy, hard-compound economy tyres; to be cradled low to the ground on its springs so as to be more aerodynamic

– and, as a consequence, not to ride well; and to struggle to contain its mass over tougher surfaces, as heavier smallish cars so often do. None of the above applies to the e-Niro. It has a ride with good noise isolation, so you don’t hear the tyres on the road any more than you expect to; and it has suspension that juggles the need to be supple over shorter, sharper bumps against the need to feel reined in over bigger ones quite well. In the latter respect, you can certainly feel that the e-Niro is heavier than the average family hatchback over long-wave intrusions taken around the national speed limit, but it’s still not a car that’s disconcertingly short on vertical body control even when you’re in a hurry. Kia’s efforts to make the e-Niro’s body more aerodynamic and to

START defend against wind noise also pay dividends. At a motorway cruise, there is a little bit of wind rustle apparent around the door mirrors and A-pillars – but not enough to complain about.

BUYING AND OWNING

AAAAA We’ll cut to the chase here. Kia’s WLTP range and efficiency lab testing suggests an urban range for the e-Niro of 382 miles, and a combined one of 282 miles. Our testing results are a touch less generous, suggesting that 230 miles is the car’s absolute range limit at a UK motorway-typical 70mph (what we call our touring test), rising to 294 miles if you slow to 50mph and drive in a fairly economical style, as you might on A- and B-roads. Those figures aren’t quite the equal of the

Hyundai Kona Electric, but they’re still very commendable for an EV of this, or indeed any, price. Charging a 64kWh battery, meanwhile, clearly isn’t the work of a moment – but with a typical domestic UK wallbox charger, it can be achieved at home (for those with a driveway on which to park) to 80% full in less than 10 hours. On a 100kW DC rapid charger, via the car’s CCS Combo connection, the same is possible in less than an hour. The e-Niro is available in only one model grade for now. The First Edition gets halogen headlights, 17in alloy wheels, heated leather seats and adaptive cruise control as standard; costs £36,495 before the £3500 money-off incentive currently available from the UK government; and qualifies for free VED road tax and 16% benefit-in-kind tax. ◊

AC C E L E R AT I O N Kia e-Niro First Edition (12deg C, dry) Standing quarter mile 15.7sec at 92.1mph, standing km 28.7sec at 108.0mph, 30-70mph 6.2sec, 30-70mph in fourth na 30mph

40mph

50mph

60mph

70mph

3.1s

4.2s

5.6s

7.2s

9.3s

80mph

100mph

90mph

11.8s

19.0s

15.0s

10s

Hyundai Kona Electric (19deg C, dry) Standing quarter mile 15.4sec at 95.1mph, standing km na, 30-70mph 5.8sec, 30-70mph in fourth na 30mph

40mph

50mph

60mph

70mph

80mph

3.0s

4.0s

5.3s

6.6s

8.8s

11.1s

100mph

90mph

17.4s

13.9s

10s

B R A K I N G 60-0mph: 2.70sec Kia e-Niro First Edition (12deg C, dry) 30mph-0

50mph-0

8.4m

23.1m

10m

70mph-0

45.3m

20m

30m

40m

Hyundai Kona Electric (19deg C, dry)

30mph-0

50mph-0

9.3m

25.5m 10m

20m

70mph-0

49.9m 30m

40m

50m

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 39

Data log KIA E- NIRO FIRST EDITION On-the-road price Price as tested Value after 3yrs/36k miles Contract hire pcm Cost per mile Insurance

£32,995* £33,560* £16,175 £495.92 na 28/£765

*Prices quoted include £3500 plug-in car grant

64kWh

TYPICAL PCP QUOTE Three years/30,000 miles £612.61 Kia’s Personal Contract Purchase scheme makes for a predictably straight, undiscounted quote at a reasonable 5.9% representative interest rate, with zero manufacturer contribution and allowing for a final balloon payment of just over £15,000, likely leaving plenty of value in the car.

T E C H N I C A L L AYO U T

The e-Niro’s electric motor mounts simply up front, where the combustion engine might otherwise be, driving the front axle exclusively. Meanwhile, the 64kWh lithium ion battery mounts underneath the cabin floor and between the axles. Weight is distributed very evenly for a car like this – 54:46 front to rear.

ENGINE

POWER & TORQUE

ECONOMY

Installation

Permanent magnet electric motor, front-wheel drive Type AC synchronous Drive battery Lithium ion polymer, liquid-cooled, 356V, 64kWh Total system power 201bhp at 3800-8000rpm Total system torque 291lb ft at 0-3600rpm Power to weight 111bhp per tonne Torque to weight 161lb ft per tonne Max motor speed 11,000rpm

350

291lb ft at 0-3600rpm

300 250

201bhp at 3800-8000rpm

2.4mpkWh 3.6mpkWh 3.5mpkWh

CLAIMED

City Combined

6.0mpkWh 4.4mpkWh

250 200

150

100

Track Touring Average

300

200

TEST MPG 350

Engine (rpm) 4000 8000

12,000

Torque (lb ft)

17in alloy wheels Roof rails Front, side, curtain and knee airbags Privacy glass Adaptive cruise control Leather/faux leather upholstery Heated seat and steering wheel 8.0in touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, wireless charging, sat-nav, connected services Eight-speaker audio system from JBL with subwoofer, DAB radio Reversing camera Parking sensors front and rear Automatic climate control with heat pump Alarm and immobiliser ‘Graphite’ premium paint £565 Options in bold fitted to test car = Standard na = not available

Power output (bhp)

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

Claimed range 282 miles Test range 224 miles

E M I S S I O N S & TA X CO2 emissions Tax at 20/40% pcm

0g/km £97/195

C H A S S I S & B O DY

TRANSMISSION

BRAKES

SAFET Y

Construction

Type Single-speed reduction gear Ratios/mph per 1000rpm 1st 2.26/9.8 Final drive ratio 3.53:1

Front 305mm ventilated discs Rear 300mm solid discs Anti-lock Standard Handbrake type Automatic Handbrake location Right of centre console

ABS, ESC, ESS, FCA, LKAS, LFA, HAC, TPMS Euro NCAP crash rating 5 stars (2016, hybrid) Adult occupant 91%, child occupant 80%, pedestrian 70%, safety assist 81%

SUSPENSION

STEERING

CABIN NOISE

Front MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar Rear Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar

Type

Spare

AC C E L E R AT I O N MPH 0-30 0-40 0-50 0-60 0-70 0-80 0-90 0-100 0-110 0-120 0-130 0-140 0-150 0-160

TIME (sec) 3.1 4.2 5.6 7.2 9.3 11.8 15.0 19.0 -

AC C E L E R AT I O N I N KICKDOWN mph 20-40 30-50 40-60 50-70 60-80 70-90 80-100 90-110 100-120

TIME (sec) 2.1 2.4 3.0 3.7 4.6 5.7 7.2 -

THE SMALL PRINT Power-to-weight and torque-to-weight figures are calculated using manufacturer’s claimed kerb weight. © 2019, Haymarket Media Group Ltd. Test results may not be reproduced without editor’s written permission. For information on the e-Niro, contact Kia Motors UK Ltd, Walton Green, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1FJ (0333 202 2990, kia.com/uk). Cost-per-mile figures calculated over three years/36,000 miles, including depreciation and maintenance but not insurance; Lex Autolease (0800 389 3690). Insurance quote covers 35-year-old professional male with clean licence and full no-claims bonus living in Swindon; quote from Liverpool Victoria (0800 066 5161, lv.com). Contract hire figure based on a three-year lease/36,000-mile contract including maintenance; Wessex Fleet Solutions (01722 322888).

40 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

Turns lock to lock Turning circle

Electromechanical, rack and pinion 2.5 10.6m

Idle na Full throttle, 80mph 73dB 30mph 57dB 50mph 62dB 70mph 66dB

R E S I D UA L S 50

Nissan Leaf e+ Tekna 62kWh 40

Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh Premium Value (£1000s)

Weight/as tested Drag coefficient Wheels Tyres

Steel monocoque; aluminium bonnet and tailgate 1812kg/1776kg 0.29 7.5Jx17in Michelin Primacy 3 Green X, 215/55 R17 Mobility kit

30 20

10 0 New

Kia e-Niro First Edition

1 year

2 years

3 years

4 years

 CAP expects e-Niro residuals to be slightly poorer than for Kona Electric, but better than for Nissan Leaf.

R OA D T E S T N o 5 4 2 0

Read all of our road tests autocar.co.uk

ROAD TEST Testers’ notes MATT SAUNDERS There’s little more liberating in modern motoring than the feeling you get from an EV sailing serenely down a gentle gradient, regenerating just enough energy to keep it from running away unchecked, and gaining range as it goes. In one sense, it feels like personal transport as it ought to be.

AAAAB

SIMON DAVIS Odd that Kia would elect not to offer the 39kWh car in Britain when Hyundai UK did opt to bring the equivalent Kona Electric. I wonder if that’ll change if the current battery supply problem persists.

The very best affordable EV yet appraised on these pages

Spec advice

VERDICT

hen the Hyundai Kona Electric came along only last year, we marvelled that any sub-£35,000 EV could offer so much battery capacity. But there will be a seriesproduction version of the popular Nissan Leaf along soon with almost as much, and right now there’s the Kia e-Niro, too: a car featuring almost as much real-world range and performance as its Hyundai sister car but with better usability, better refinement and better ride and handling to seal the deal. There is just a hint of plasticky feel about the e-Niro’s interior. Likewise, there is a slight sense that its driving experience is of fine attention to detail but not one to inspire over longer acquaintance. Both observations explain why we’re not giving it a five-star recommendation, even though some will argue that such an outstanding EV deserves one. Our response would be that we’ve given outstanding EVs full-house scores before, when they transcend to become outstanding cars in a broader sense. But we’ll gladly attest that the e-Niro is the best affordable electric car this road test has yet appraised, and that it may do more than any other to convince people about the viability of zero-emissions motoring.

*Prices quoted include £3500 plug-in car grant

R OA D TEST R I VA L S

Until Kia expands the ordering options, the only choices are between paint colours and dealer accessories. You can’t have Pluto Brown on UK cars (the only colour unique to the e-Niro), but any other premium shade is £565.

Jobs for the facelift  A more solid feel to some of the minor interior fittings would be good.  Improve steering and body control. Both are good rather than great.  Give us more choice about interior specification and exterior styling and functionality.

Verdicts on every new car, p82

KIA E-NIRO FIRST EDITION Brings practicality and completeness to the affordable EV scene, and offers muscle, range and good manners to boot. AAAAB

NISSAN LEAF 40KWH TEKNA The old EV champ deposed. Needs to step up on power and range, but 62kWh version will soon answer the critics. AAAAB

HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC 64KWH PREMIUM Not quite as tidy-handling or spacious as Kia relation; slightly better on real-world range. AAAAC

VOLKSWAGEN E-GOLF May well be all the EV you really need if you don’t cover much distance. As drivable and polished as any other Golf. AAAAC

HYUNDAI IONIQ ELECTRIC PREMIUM SE Plenty of space here; less in the way of performance and driver interest value, though. AAABC

Price Power/torque 0-62mph/top speed CO2, range

£32,995* 201bhp/291lb ft 7.5sec/104mph 0g/km, 282 miles

£30,995* 148bhp/236lb ft 7.9sec/90mph 0g/km, 168 miles

£32,845* 201bhp/291lb ft 7.6sec/104mph 0g/km, 279 miles

£29,230* 134bhp/214lb ft 9.6sec/93mph 0g/km, 144 miles

£28,545* 118bhp/218lb ft 9.9sec/103mph 0g/km, WLTP figures tbc

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 41

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK?

The iconic Porsche 959 was so far ahead of its time that it has taken 33 years for the 911 Carrera 4S to catch up â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on paper at least. But on the road? Andrew Frankel compares them PHOTOGRAPHY OLGUN KORDAL

42 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

PORSCHE 959 vs PORSCHE 911 COMPARISON

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 43

The 959’s fascia will be familiar if you’ve driven a 964-gen 911

One racing version of the 959 called the 961 was made and it was quick enough to come seventh at Le Mans in 1986, winning the GTX category.

remember well the reception afforded to the Porsche 959 when it finally went into production in 1986, three years after being shown in concept form. This wasn’t just a new level for 911-based machinery nor even for Porsche itself. It was a new level, period. Those who drove it spoke of cruising, yes cruising, at 160mph, and the strong acceleration still available at that speed. It blew Ferrari’s gorgeous and still quite new GTO (only latterly described as a 288 GTO) into instant obsolescence. Those journalists who drove it were thunderstruck, and rightly so. For this was the fastest production road car the world had ever seen. It had 444bhp and a top speed of more than 190mph. It could reach 62mph in 3.7sec. It didn’t just have four-wheel drive but also a demandbased variable torque split and even – would you believe it? – adaptive damping. It made the Ferrari look like a rather elegant antique. So here’s a set of stats from another car: 444bhp, a top speed of 190mph, a 0-62mph time of 3.6sec, four-wheel drive, a demand-based variable torque split and, yes, adaptive damping. Pretty similar, you’d agree. Except these numbers belong to a 2019 911 Carrera 4S, a car destined to be one

of the humbler members of the new 911 range once it’s fully rolled out. It has taken 33 years, but performance and technology regarded then as borderline insane is now within the preserve of the high-quality but entirely everyday sports car. So it seemed a good idea to take a new Carrera 4S to meet the 959. Unfortunately, with only around 300 being built and far fewer surviving, 959s are not exactly thick on the ground. Indeed, finding a car whose owner would let me drive the way such a car was designed to be driven was an insurmountable task. Happily, though, the Porsche museum was bringing a load of racing cars over to the Goodwood Members’ Meeting and was good enough to put a 959 on the back of the truck – an immaculate car that has only ever been owned by the factory and with a mileage barely into five figures. I don’t know what it’s worth but certainly something the inconvenient side of a million quid. It was the first time I’d driven the new, 992-generation 911 in public, having previously only skidded around a damp Hockenheim in one. And, if anything, the gap between it and its 991-gen predecessor seemed even greater on the road than it had on the track. I count myself as a big fan of the standard 991 in almost all respects, save the fact that it only feels like a 911 if you drive the door handles

The 959’s chassis is engaging but the unrelenting pace of progress is readily apparent in the 911’s superior grip and composure 44 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

off it. And I wrote that if the 992 had one job to do, it was to make the driving experience more accessible. And it has: not only is it a little more fun to drive, but that entertainment now comes in exchange for a lot less effort, too. It’s a fabulously easy car to enjoy and clearly the best new 911 of the past 25 years. It is the definitive state-of-the-art sports car. But the 959 set out to do something else: to be not merely of its time but years ahead. Decades, in fact. It was made from space-age materials such as Kevlar and Nomex. Its wheels were not only magnesium but hollow, too, their spokes full of the same air as the bespoke Bridgestone RE71 run-flat tyres. Yes, really. It looked like an artist’s interpretation of a 21st century 911, but that shape was

PORSCHE 959 vs PORSCHE 911 COMPARISON

❝ The 959 set out to be not merely of its time but years ahead. Decades, in fact ❞

in fact designed to allow maximum aerodynamic efficiency while keeping the whole thing on the ground as 200mph approached. Yet inside, it doesn’t look futuristic at all. It looks quite like the 964 generation of the 911 that followed on soon after 959 production ceased in 1988. But the clues are everywhere: the ‘959’ etched into the steering wheel, the six-speed gearbox, the 7200rpm redline, the torque distribution gauge, the 350km/h speedo, the ride height and damper control switches… I could go on, but you get the picture. I’ve driven only one 959 before, very briefly and many years ago, yet so much of what I can see and touch is generic middle-ages 911. I can operate it without even thinking

about it, let alone requiring tuition. When the engine fires, its sound is that of an air-cooled 911 even though it is one of the most extraordinary motors ever to find its way into a road car. It’s a 2.85-litre motor when the 911 of its day had a 3.2-litre engine and has turbochargers working not in parallel but series: one little turbo to spool up fast and minimise low-rev lethargy handing over to another far bigger turbo once the revs were up. Not only that, but it came with watercooled, twin-cam heads with four valves per cylinder. Truth is it was a far closer relative of the 962 Le Mans car engine than that of any other road-going Porsche. Yet it’s quiet and tractable. The clutch is gentle, the gearshift beautifully engineered and ◊

You can detect the bones of the 959’s layout but this 911 is a spaceship by comparison 1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 45

The 959

∆ precise. And then you put your foot down and the car’s character changes. There’s a distant whoosh as the car picks up the pace. There is far more lag than you’d find in the 992, of course, but it feels strong as the revs rise. The chassis feels soft, far softer than the 992’s, and the old 911 nose bob cannot be missed, but this old dear is doing well – pulling hard, holding its head up against a car born an entire generation later. And then… And then you hit 4800rpm. Which is where the big turbo cuts in. At once, you realise that, up until now, the car has been barely trying. It doesn’t press you back in your seat: it slams you rearward. The revs are rising far more rapidly than they ever did in the 992 so now you need another gear, fast. The ratios are perfect because the needle drops back down to exactly 4800rpm and the whole show starts again. By 2019 standards, this 959 is a startlingly quick machine. In 1986, it must have felt like an artillery shell. For a moment, I ponder why its acceleration figures are so close to the 992’s for, in truth, the older car feels far faster. And then I realise: old tyre technology, no instant shifting, no launch control, no traction control, and still it loses only 0.1sec to 62mph compared with a brand-new 911. Of course, there would be no contest at all point to point. The 959 has an engaging chassis and those Bridgestones grip hard despite being mounted on skinny rims of just 17in diameter. But you can feel every year of progress in the 992’s grip and composure, and while I didn’t much feel like smoking the 959’s brakes,

gearbox is laid out I know it would lag as a five-speeder with even further behind an additional ‘off-road’ the 992 when it came ratio below first gear. In to stopping power. reality, it works like a Also, being Porsche’s conventional sixfirst stab at four-wheel speed ’box. drive, there is no space in the nose for a boot, whereas the 992 offers rather generous amounts of luggage space. But the question is: do they feel related? And the answer is that they do, but distantly. They share that sense of engineering integrity, some elements of their sounds and shapes, and positioning as long-distance touring cars as well as being out and out sports cars. And so normal does the 959 feel that you could even end up being disappointed by Prominent rear wing on the 959 helps to keep it stable even as it approaches 197mph it. At least until you hit 4800rpm, whereafter your brain will be well and truly boggled. More than anything, I loved the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Porsche 959 959’s split personality, the way it was £98,418 Price £1 million-plus so civilised until the right moment 6 cyls, 2981cc, turbo, petrol Engine 6 cyls, 2849cc, turbo, petrol presented itself, at which point it 444bhp at 5500rpm Power 444bhp at 6500rpm turned into a quite magnificent 391lb ft at 2300rpm Torque 369lb ft at 5000rpm maniac. In that regard, the 992 8-spd dual-clutch automatic Gearbox 6-spd manual Carrera 4S is perhaps not the correct 1565kg Kerb weight 1450kg modern equivalent after all, despite 3.6sec 0-62mph 3.7sec their on-paper similarities. What’s 190mph Top speed 197mph needed is a car with a superbly 25.7mpg Economy na flexible engine that is nevertheless WLTP figures tbc CO2, tax band na capable of entirely overwhelming even the best developed of all-wheeldrive Porsche platforms. A new 911 Turbo should do the job nicely. If the stories that the S version will have considerably more than 600bhp are accurate, the true successor to the 959 could be with us before the end of the year. L

Both share a wide, squat stance but how they manage airflow at the rear is poles apart

W H AT F U T U R E F O R T H E 9 11? So where will the 911 of 33 years hence be? Will it be as quick then as a hypercar is today? I doubt it. First, there is the law of diminishing returns to consider and, second, the extreme likelihood that all cars will by then be limited in the amount of performance they are able to deploy. It won’t have an internal combustion engine but whether Porsche insists on still putting its powerplant – be it an

46 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

electric motor or fuel cell – behind the rear axle line remains to be seen. Personally, I can’t see a car like a 911 or 959 surviving the enormous transition that is approaching. It may look like a 911, it may even be called a 911, but will be related in anything other than name to the cars on this page? I think the world will have changed too much for the character of such cars to survive.

PORSCHE 959 vs PORSCHE 911 COMPARISON

The 959 feels faster on straights, the 911 quicker from A to B

❝ More than anything, I loved the 959’s split personality ❞

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 47

The DB6 that’s an Ast-ion Martin Aston Martin Works has turned a petrol DB6 Volante into an ion-fuelled one – and it could be the first of many electric classic Astons. Mike Duff drives it

You’d hardly spot it’s an EV without this warning card anufacturers keep telling us that electrification is part of our future, but what about our past? A near-silent, ion-fuelled DB6 might seem like the answer to an unasked question, but Paul Spires, president of Aston Martin Works and the man who signed the car off, is adamant it’s the right call. “We need to make sure that we’ve got the next 100 years covered,” he says, “to make sure these vehicles don’t become museum pieces.” This isn’t about legislation – there are no current plans to ban internal-combustion classics in any major market – but rather what Spires describes as social pressure. First from the affluent tech-savvy buyers who are already shifting to

48 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

EVs en masse, but also from a future generation who will grow up without experiencing the sounds and smell of internal combustion. The idea is for what Spires calls a heart transplant: fully reversible electrification that keeps the core structure of a car unchanged. “I said to the development team: ‘Don’t make a single extra hole in the bodywork,’” Spires says. “They haven’t.” In place of the straight-six engine that it left Newport Pagnell with 49

years ago, this DB6 Volante has a module containing battery, motor and control software that fits in the same space formerly occupied by the engine. We’re not given any technical details – a production version would change specs – but we’re told it weighs almost exactly the same as the original engine and produces similar power. If it sounds familiar, it’s because Jaguar did something similar with the E-Type Zero last year, although Spires insists Aston started work before Jaguar did. Although the basic idea is defined, the details are not and Spires says much about the demonstrator would not make it to a finished system. That includes the Volante’s continued use of its original five-speed manual gearbox. A fully developed one would

switch to a single-speed drive. The concept is also passively cooled, so it’s unable to deal with the thermal loads of hard use. A production version would be actively cooled and therefore be both tougher and capable of supporting fast charging. To call the conversion discreet is an understatement. Despite circling the DB6 twice, I can see precisely nothing from the outside to show that it runs on electrons instead of petrol. It even still has exhaust tailpipes, left on to keep it looking as original as possible. Only popping the left-hand fuel filler cap and seeing a charging port reveals the transplant. It’s the same story in the leather-clad cabin, where the Volante keeps a comprehensive set of chromebezelled Smiths instruments, although only the speedometer now

ASTON MARTIN DB6 EV DRIVE IT’LL ALSO FIT IN THE DB4, DB5 AND DBS Choosing to make the EV module a replacement for the long-lived DOHC straight six means it can be offered with many cars. Produced between 1958 and 1972, the six-cylinder unit powered the DB4, DB5, DB6 and DBS – a total of around 3000 cars. “We chose that segment because they have a high value and there are lots of them out there,” Spires says.

He estimates that the conversion cost would be around £200,000 before VAT, including the return (or storage) of the original engine. “If we did 10% of the eligible cars, that would be 300 – more than enough to justify the costs,” Spires says. “I think that is a realistic target given where we are going in terms of social pressure.”

Tailpipes are obsolete but remain to keep the original look. Handling feels period, too continues to build, and by the time the first corner approaches, the Aston is already closing on the 50mph I’ve been told to stay under to keep the powertrain happy. Subjectively, it doesn’t feel as fast as a petrol Aston of the era, but much of that is probably due to the near-total lack of noise, a gentle electric whine replacing the muscular note of the straight six. Lifting off proves there is no need to brake, thanks to regeneration powerful enough to make it feel like the track is surfaced with treacle. Spires says the finished version will have less aggressive regen to keep it closer to the driving manners of the original car. Given the novelty of a gearlever, I experiment with shifting ratios to discover there is no point: acceleration feels identical in second works. Spires says a production version would repurpose the other dials for EV-appropriate tasks. The concept also still has the controls for what is now a non-existent heating system. Driving couldn’t be easier. Despite the presence of the manual gearbox, there’s no need to use the clutch to get rolling, or indeed once on the move. Spires tells me to select second and then to treat the car like a singlespeed EV. Initial acceleration is less keen than I’m expecting it to be and it takes a good shove on the throttle pedal to deliver an Aston-appropriate level of urge out of the pits. There’s no traction control, but nor does it feel like there needs to be, despite the motor’s ability to produce big torque from standstill. Once rolling, acceleration

and third. As intended, the rest of the dynamic experience is practically unchanged. By modern standards, the DB6 has modest levels of grip and lots of roll, but the chassis is well mannered and it is happy to tackle the short track at a respectably rapid pace. It’s refined, too. There are no creaks or rattles from the trim or the Volante’s elderly structure. Is it a good idea? Ultimately, that’s for the wider market to decide and Spires admits that a favourable reaction from potential customers will be required to make the business case to invest in a production version. “I’m desperate to do it,” he says. “My feeling is that the pace behind EVs is such that I’d be surprised if we don’t have a proper programme going by this time next year.” L

Five-speeder won’t make production

EV tech sits where the petrol unit was

Electric DB6 drives very much like the petrol-fed original 1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 49

COUPES

AUDI TT SPORT QUATTRO

What better way to address the prevailing criticism of the TT – that it wasn’t really a proper sports car – than to tear out its rear seats, drop in a chunky metal brace in their place and fit a pair of fixed-back bucket seats up front? No more than 800 came to the UK so the Sport Quattro does have rarity on its side, but despite the weight-saving regime, those racy seats and 237bhp, the most athletic TT was still a bit flat on its feet. It’s unusual, though, and for around £10,000 you’ll pick up a minter. WE FOUND 2005 TT Sport Quattro, 50,000 miles, £10,495

SHOWING CROSSOVE Dan Prosser suggests 18 eminently more interesting alternatives to the humdrum high-riders flying off Britain’s forecourts f the 10 cars that recorded the most market share growth in Europe during 2018, do you care to estimate how many of those were crossovers and SUVs? That’s right, every single one of them. The SUV is no longer a trend or a craze but a full-blown epidemic. With the sector growing by 20% every year, already more than a third of all new cars being sold right now are SUVs of one size or another. We’re living in a George Orwell novel. New car buyers are terrified of being rounded up by Thinkpol if they so much as leaf through a saloon or estate car brochure, so they obediently choose high-riding hatchbacks on PCPs instead. Consider the Seat Arona. The tiny Spanish crossover is certainly very popular among buyers, sitting in

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FAST SALOONS

third position on our list of hot-selling tall cars. It is equally popular here at Autocar: it is the best car of its type. It’s refined for one so small and its cabin is spacious, all of which means the Arona is a terrific car in many ways, except that it’s entirely uninteresting to look at and even less interesting to drive. It’s also quite slow. We have to believe there are far more imaginative ways to spend the £16,750 you’ll need to hand over to buy even the cheapest model in the range. In fact, here we offer 18 significantly more interesting cars for the same money or less – cars that are either thrilling to drive, dripping with character, great to look at or, in a small number of cases, just endearingly odd. We are living in Crossovia, but you needn’t be a citizen.

BENTLEY TURBO R

Buying a ’90s Bentley for £16k is such a bad idea, your friends and family will assume you’ve taken leave of your senses. But in among all the hideous bills and the endless breakdowns and the ruinous fuel costs, there might even be fleeting moments of something approaching enjoyment. Because you’ll be swanning around in a Bentley that you own and only you and a small number of onlookers will know you paid no more than the price of an Arona to buy it. Then it’ll stop working again and you’ll wish you bought the bloody Seat. WE FOUND 1991 Turbo R, 77,000 miles, £15,695

FIAT COUPE TURBO

NEW SUVs vs THE FIELD BUYING USED

Designed by Chris Bangle during his Zorro phase, the Fiat Coupé is instantly recognisable with its distinctive wheel-arch slashes. The Coupé might never achieve classic status but, after so many were unforgivably wiped out by the scrappage scheme a decade ago, it has become quite rare. Accordingly, values are slowly on the up. Most of the surviving cars are Turbo models and they start today at around £4000. Double that and you’ll find far tidier examples, although the very best Coupés now come with hefty five-figure asking prices. Not the sort of car you buy without doing your research first. WE FOUND 1998 Coupé Turbo, 98,000 miles, £7995

BMW Z4M COUPE The one you really want is the Z3M Coupé but, with values having long since risen beyond the £20,000 mark, you’ll have to put up with the newer Z4M Coupé instead. The later car didn’t get the Z3’s distinctive breadvan roofline, but its rear end is a brilliant piece of design in its own right. Beneath the bonnet you’ll find the same glorious 3.2-litre straight six that powered the E46 M3 and, much like that car, values are only going one way. Spend £16,000 today and get your money back, with interest, two years from now. WE FOUND 2007 Z4M Coupé, 87,000 miles, £16,700

VERS THE SUV-SIGN JAGUAR XFR

When it was new a decade ago, the XFR was like a promise from Jaguar to all of us. It foretold what a new, modern Jag was capable of and what its next generation of cars might be like. There had been fast Jaguar saloons before, but none that was as quick and agile one moment, then as effortless and refined the next. Shoved along by a supercharged V8 that developed more than 500bhp, it was seriously quick as well, while its ultra-modern cabin was about as far removed from the olde worlde Jaguar cockpits of yesteryear as it was possible to get. WE FOUND 2009 XFR, 70,000 miles, £13,995

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE

There have been faster saloons and others still that were sportier to drive, but rarely has there been a saloon as stylish as the fifth-generation Quattroporte. While its German rivals were clinical and even a touch sombre, the Maserati was charming and characterful (mostly because it was powered by normally aspirated V8 with close to 400bhp). It achieved the notable feat of being both exceptionally long and very cramped in the rear, while the ride was never quite as smooth as it should have been. But £12k doesn’t seem like much for a car as elegant as this. WE FOUND 2005 Quattroporte, 50,000 miles, £11,950

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Â£ 2 MILLIO0 N Over

APPR OVED

NEW SUVs vs THE FIELD BUYING USED

ROADSTERS

ALFA ROMEO SPIDER

Alfa’s dinky roadster was on sale for almost 30 years. It first appeared back in 1966 and it wasn’t until 1994 that production was wound up. Across its four generations, you can actually see the evolution of European crash legislation because, while the 1960s original was disarmingly pretty and delicate, the newer versions look heavier and chunkier, like they’re wearing armour. Inevitably, our budget will only stretch to a fourth-gen model, but even a very late Spider is a desirable thing. It’s a drop-top Italian sports car with a cammy four-cylinder engine, after all. WE FOUND 1992 Spider, 49,000 miles, £15,000

LOTUS ELAN

Tell a sports car enthusiast of a certain age you drive a Lotus Elan and he’ll go weak at the knees. He will quickly regain his composure when you clarify it’s an Elan M100, the front-wheel-drive version that was launched in 1989, and not the iconic 1962 original. Still, the newer Elan was a piece of Lotus history in its own right and it still looks pretty today, thanks entirely to the incomparably skilled hand of designer Peter Stevens. In this instance, you would have to try quite hard to spend more than £16,750. The cheapest cars cost only £6000. WE FOUND 1990 Elan, 30,000 miles, £13,995

HOT HATCHES

HONDA S2000

Spiky handling and a driver’s seat that was set a couple of inches too high did detract somewhat from the S2000 experience, but the VTEC engine howled like a lunatic all the way to 9000rpm and the manual gearshift was just so. Honda’s roadster was an imperfect car, but a seriously characterful one. In fact, it’s the perfect antidote to today’s tunelessly turbocharged sports cars with their effortless paddleshift transmissions. You will find S2000s listed for £6000 or so, but spend £10,000 and you’ll get a well-cared-for car that won’t shed any value. WE FOUND 2006 S2000, 76,000 miles, £9995

LANCIA DELTA INTEGRALE It may be hot hatch royalty but, with five doors, a generous boot and four-wheel drive, the Delta Integrale is really just a crossover without the ride height. Although they’re all left-hand drive. And if you use it through the winter, it will mostly dissolve before the end of February. But you just won’t care because, every time you walk up to it, you’ll spot those delicious box arches and whenever you drive it, you’ll feel like Miki Biasion. These cars are firmly into modern classic territory and values reflect that, although £15,000 is still enough for a leggier ’Grale. WE FOUND 1989 Delta Integrale, 118,000 miles, £14,600

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R (EK9) Everything you need to know about the EK9 Civic Type R can be expressed in just one vital statistic: 118lb ft of torque at 7500rpm. That pretty much makes its 1.6-litre inline four a motorcycle engine. And then there’s its peak power output of 182bhp, which arrives at 8200rpm. The original Civic Type R didn’t even pretend to be a daily usable hatchback, preferring instead to be as focused and as uncompromising as a purpose-built sports car. It even had a seam-welded body to improve structural integrity. The EK9 was never sold here but plenty have been imported. WE FOUND 1998 Civic Type R, 121,000 miles, £9000

ALFA ROMEO 147 GTA

No roadster or coupé will ever be as usable as even a small crossover, but a high-performance hatchback will get close enough. The 147 GTA was never especially well regarded in its day, mostly because the chassis didn’t do an especially good job of putting its 247bhp down to the road. But what an engine: a 3.2-litre V6 that actually looks as good as it sounds. The 147 GTA might well be one of the prettiest hot hatches of all time and prices are holding firm. You won’t find one now for much less than £10,000. WE FOUND 2003 147 GTA, 82,000 miles, £9995

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ANTIS CROSSOVER

ODDITIES

VW PHAETON A large executive saloon isn’t very odd at all, but the Phaeton’s backstory certainly is. It exists because former Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch agreed with himself that it should. Very good things have transpired when Piëch has done something just because he wanted to, such as Porsche winning Le Mans for the first time. One of the challenges he set for his engineers was that the Phaeton should be able to be driven at 186mph for eight hours in 50deg C heat, while keeping the cabin at room temperature. An OEM like Volkswagen will probably never take a gamble like this again. WE FOUND 2007 Phaeton V6 TDI, 45,000 miles, £10,000

LANCIA THEMA 8.32

There can’t be many more unusual cars than a boxy luxury saloon with a Ferrari V8 up front. Mounted transversely, no less, because it drives the front wheels. It’s as though Lancia built the 8.32 as a prank (‘8.32’ is a reference to the engine’s eight cylinders and 32 valves). Running costs today will be astronomical and you’ll be very lucky indeed to find an original UK car because, according to reports, only 10 were ever sold here. Prices are creeping up and you’ll need to spend around £10,000. Another one to file under ‘never to be repeated’. WE FOUND 1987 Thema 8.32, 64,000 miles, £10,750

RENAULT AVANTIME

The trouble with calling a car Avantime – which isn’t a word at all but basically translates to ‘ahead of its time’ – is that you’re declaring the car in question to be a groundbreaker, or a trendsetter. Back in 2001, Renault clearly believed the Avantime would initiate a shift across the market towards MPV-style cars with only four seats and three doors. Remarkably, the concept didn’t catch on. But it’s impossible to dislike the Avantime, not least because it comes from a time when car makers would play and experiment, then bring those experiments to market. These days we get identikit crossovers. WE FOUND 2003 Avantime V6, 100,000 miles, £4500

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WHY SO POPULAR? Crossovers and SUVs have become as popular as they have for a number of very good reasons that are difficult to refute, but also one or two that are not so logical. Perhaps the best reason of all for choosing a taller car over a comparable hatchback is the loftier seating position, which gives a far better view of the road ahead and really can make you feel safer. These cars are easier to get into and out of, they’re less of a strain to load heavy bags into and, as anybody who has ever worn a skirt and tried to elegantly extract themselves from a very low car will tell you, better for personal modesty as well. It must be acknowledged, however, that a good number of crossover and SUV buyers choose such cars because they have a status attached to them. They look more like prestigious 4x4s than a city car ever will, even if they’re actually not much bigger or any more expensive. These cars do have their drawbacks, though. In fact, in engineering terms, they’re fundamentally compromised. Their frontal areas are greater, which has a very real impact on fuel efficiency. They are heavier than conventional hatchbacks but offer little more, if any, space inside, and they have higher centres of gravity as well. What’s more, studies have shown that tall cars pose more of a risk to pedestrians. But buyers are voting with their chequebooks and it’s clear that for a great number of people, those compromises are easily overlooked.

NEW SUVs vs THE FIELD BUYING USED BUT IF YOU MUST HAVE A NEW SUV…

TOYOTA HILUX If you absolutely must get to a stranded flock of sheep in a flooded field at night, or deliver urgent medical supplies to a remote African village, or transport six insurgents and their AK-47s to a border post, you use a Toyota Hilux. A conflict between Chad and Libya in the late 1980s has become known as the Toyota War because of the ubiquitous use, on both sides, of the Japanese marque’s off-roaders as ‘technicals’ – light improvised combat vehicles. Toyota’s pick-up has been in production since 1968, making Hilux one of the oldest ongoing nameplates of them all. WE FOUND 2013 Hilux, 80,000 miles, £14,900

SUBARU FORESTER STi The Forester STi is a supremely practical vehicle with a large boot and room for the whole family. It’s tough, rugged and hard-wearing. With four-wheel drive, it will also find its way out of the muddy field or snowy back road that’s left most other cars stranded. Quite how it could be improved as a family wagon is hard to say. It just happens to have a 260bhp boxer engine and a limited-slip differential in the rear axle. The Forester STi was never officially sold here but so many have been imported, you won’t struggle to find one.

MITSUBISHI PAJERO EVOLUTION

Categorising all of the new crossovers and SUVs that seem to appear at a rate of one a week is no small task, not least because these cars are actually designed to fill niches within niches. We split the affordable end of the crossover and SUV market into four segments: compact crossovers, compact SUVs, crossover hatchbacks and family SUVs. As has already been mentioned, our pick of the compact crossovers right now is the Seat Arona, despite its bland interior and unremarkable handling. But it scores highly for refinement and interior space. The Renault Captur and Mazda CX-3 are highly commendable. Compact SUVs are a little bigger and perhaps a touch more rugged as well, with some degree of off-road ability. Best of the lot is the new Range Rover Evoque, which recently knocked the Volvo XC40 off the top spot. They lead the class ahead of the Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen Tiguan. Of the crossover hatchbacks – bigger than compact crossovers but unlikely to venture off road – the Seat Ateca is our favourite. It does everything a buyer in this sector could want it to do, with plenty of cabin space, attractive styling, good economy and affordability all on its side. The Volkswagen T-Roc and Nissan Qashqai are the best of the rest. Family SUVs are the do-it-all cars. As well as being very well suited to family life, they’re comfortable on longer journeys, they can be used for towing and they have some appetite for a muddy track as well. The Audi Q5 is the best, a classy all-rounder that scores well for comfort and refinement. It just about keeps its nose ahead of the BMW X3 and Jaguar F-Pace.

WE FOUND 2007 Forester STi, 71,000 miles, £11,995

Even the untrained eye will recognise that the Pajero Evolution is no crossover. It has huge tack-on wheel arches and an enormous bonnet scoop and a funny metal plate at the front. Whereas the average crossover is designed primarily to transport young mothers across town, the Pajero Evolution was built to win the Dakar Rally. Which it did, on 12 occasions. It’s powered by a 3.5-litre V6 that’s good for 276bhp and a lumpy 257lb ft of torque – and as if there were any lingering doubts as to the Pajero Evolution’s intended purpose, its seats are stamped ‘Recaro’. WE FOUND 1997 Pajero Evolution, 61,000 miles, £12,990

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VETTING PROCESS The Future Terrain team are doing something more important than winning cups: theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re helping to rehabilitate injured armed forces vets. James Attwood watches them storm the Sahara PHOTOGRAPHY LUC LACEY

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FUTURE TERRAIN MOTORSPORT

Grant White jointly founded Future Terra in in

2016

he hardscrabble town of Boudenib, the base for the opening stages of this year’s Carta Rallye, is nestled on the edge of the Sahara desert, 10 miles or so from the Algerian border in the far east of Morocco. Not that you’d know it from the weather. As the assembled crews prepare all manner of outlandish rallyraid machinery for the seven-day, 1250-mile marathon, including Dakar-honed Mitsubishi Pajeros, spaceframe buggies and monstrous trucks, the rain is lashing down, a bracing wind is causing havoc and the desert scrubland has become a Glastonbury-esque mud bath. In the unexpected downpour, the spirits of the competitors are as leaden as the grey skies. But one crew stands out – and not just because, amid all the heavily modified rally cars, their three Dacia Dusters look as though they’ve been wheeled in from a showroom. They’re briskly carrying out their tasks with no regard for the rain, pausing only to trade jokes and banter. “This is what we do,” says Scott Garthley, shrugging. “It’s just basic training for us.” Given the 14 members of the Future Terrain team are all current or former military service personnel, he’s not exaggerating. Many of the team have severe physical injuries. Others have mental injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Yet there are no complaints, no excuses. They’ve been preparing for the Carta Rallye for months. Rain isn’t going to stop them. Future Terrain isn’t the first motorsport initiative for injured service personnel, or even the first rally-raid one: Race2Recovery raised money for charity by twice running a team on the Dakar Rally. Although inspired by that project, Future Terrain is very different – and that’s shown by the team’s desert orange Dusters. “We’re here for motorsport, but it’s a background to what we’re really trying to achieve,” says co-founder Grant White. “We could be doing anything, really.” White, a former British Cross Country Championship (BCCC) competitor, helped establish Future Terrain in 2016 after meeting some of the original Race2Recovery team. At the time, BCCC crews could feature a disabled driver or co-driver. The ◊

Several team members admit they were sceptical when told they’d be rallying Dacia Dusters. That quickly changed. “I’m a Disco guy, but I’ve been blown away,” says Scott Garthley. “The Duster is capable of so much more than you think. It’s a good analogy for the team.”

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Briefings focus on well-being as well as rally ing

It can’t rain on their parade: this fails to dampen team spirit ∆ charity successfully argued for crews made up of two disabled competitors. But while cross-country rallying is the focus, there are no Dakar ambitions. White says: “What Race2Recovery achieved by becoming the first team of amputees ever to finish the Dakar Rally was incredible, but the costs of competing weren’t sustainable. Future Terrain was inspired by their success but we want to be more accessible and put the emphasis on real-world training. We hope we’re building on their legacy.” By focusing on the BCCC, initially in Land Rover Freelanders, Future Terrain could reach 40-50 veterans on a far more modest budget compared with competing in the Dakar Rally and appeal to a wider audience. The team would run one car in the event, giving passenger rides in a second. “The driving becomes a background activity,” says White. “Where the real magic happens is in camp. It’s where people open up about their issues.” The push beyond the BCCC came after Dacia supplied Future Terrain with four diesel Dusters. Three were ready for the Carta: one with a competition-spec roll-cage (allowing it to compete in the BCCC), two

To prepare the Dusters for competition, the team had to completely strip out the insides. The process took them around 45 minutes – quicker than Dacia’s technical staff thought possible.

with external cages for use in demos and events such as the Carta. The Dusters allowed Future Terrain to expand its ambitions, but still at an accessible level: the Carta Rallye is an amateurlevel event and the Dusters ran in the GPS Cup section, in which crews navigate between a series of co-ordinates within a set time. The emphasis is on navigation and reading the terrain, rather than flat-out driving. For armed forces veterans, especially in the desert environment, it’s familiar conditions. The aim is to show veterans how the skills they’ve learned serving can be applied outside the armed forces. “Being in the military is consuming,” says White. “People define themselves by their roles. Once people leave, they need to redefine themselves and that’s not easy when you were the sniper or explosives expert.” It’s tougher still when you have life-changing physical or mental injuries. White says the armed forces offer a “fantastic” support network, but adds such support “can re-emphasise the injury. We want to pull people away from defining

Team-mates guide the driver through the tricky sections

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themselves by their injuries.” The 14-strong Future Terrain Carta team are a diverse group, with varying service histories, injuries and motorsport experience. For example, Dan Grimes is currently in the army, and it shows. When the team encountered another crew surrounded by local kids pelting their car with rocks, Grimes jumped out to scare them off through sheer presence. Grimes joined the team after hearing about it at the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre in Nottinghamshire, where he’s undergoing treatment for a severely injured knee and ankle. His injuries were traced to bone chips to his tibia, sustained after a fall in a military base in Germany. His injury went undiagnosed for 14 years, during which time he served in the infantry, including two tours in Afghanistan. Grimes doesn’t just look tough. There’s Garthley, who suffered

multiple injuries from a scud missile strike in Iraq in 2003. His injuries caused ongoing heart issues and recently required the amputation of a limb. Garthley has carved out a career as an HR manager but admits he was “looking for something to get involved with. The moment I saw what the team was doing, I could see the value. It’s teaching skills we can take elsewhere.” After a cold desert night, conditions are still miserable the following day for the start of the event. To share the experience, the team are three-up in the two Dusters with external cages, with two members in the third. They run together on the stage, negotiating their way through dried river beds, large rock fields and steep hills. Often, one or more team members are out of the car, guiding it carefully through. Progress is slow, but steady. The weather improves, but the

FUTURE TERRAIN MOTORSPORT W H O ’ S T H E C R A Z I E S T R AC E R O F A L L?

❝ It’s important to show that even when you have injuries, you have value ❞

The Cross Country section of the Carta Rallye featured a staggering array of desert-honed machinery – and each tackles the terrain in a different way. Spectating is easy: find a GPS waypoint and the cars come to you. We found one at a dried river bed, with steep, rocky slopes on either side. The classic Dakar off-roaders – think jacked-up Toyota Land Cruisers, Mitsubishi Pajeros and Bowler Wildcats – have to slow and pick a line for the descent into the river bed but, once settled, get on the power and use their 4WD to haul themselves back out into the desert. Crazier are the side-by-side buggies, lightweight motorbikeengined spaceframe machines. With

huge suspension arms, they attack and crest the bank airborne, barely lifting from the throttle. Craziest? The lumbering DAF FAV75 raid truck, which overcomes the desert through sheer dieselpowered might. Impressive, but not infallible: shortly afterwards, it ends its day wedged in a wadi. Brute force only gets you so far out here.

Progress can be slow but you still need full throttle

used to fix tanks for a living. In war zones. Under fire. Bodging a fix for a Duster radiator? Easy. e Rally a Donkey derby? No, it’s the 2019’s Cart The problem is the bolts holding the radiators, shattered by the force of team’s luck dips. Hobbled by a compacted, wet mud being pushed damaged radiator, one Duster is into them. Had it been dry, it forced to stop. The other two press wouldn’t have been an issue. on, but the time lost means they don’t Whatley sorts a fix, but there visit all the checkpoints in time. No are no spares and going out for the shame in that: only one car in the second day with patched radiators GPS Cup makes all 20 checkpoints. risks more substantial damage. The lead Duster ends the day third. Dacia is Morocco’s best-selling car It hasn’t been easy: 10 hours of brand, but local Dusters use prenon-stop, intense focus. George Euro 6 diesels, with different bolts. Frost, dealing with leg injuries and Spares are sourced but won’t arrive PTSD, has driven virtually the whole for 24 hours, so the decision is made day. He’s exhausted but is “buzzing”. to sit out day two. While the hobbled Duster is When White tells the team late that lowered off a recovery truck, it’s evening, there is no grumbling, no discovered one of the others also complaint. The following morning has a damaged radiator. Crew chief – under blue skies – the team sets to Sean Whatley is nonplussed. He work with a renewed purpose. The

cars are checked, toughened and worked on. And the team takes the opportunity to offer more training and personal development. Ironically, it shows what Future Terrain is really all about. “We emphasise vocational training,” says White. Every crew member has done a Lantra off-road course, while many attended a Dacia technical event or did HSE-certified first aid courses. “They’re qualifications that can be used in other walks of life,” says White. There’s also a focus on well-being, led by former Dakar team manager and military veteran turned life coach Andrew ‘Pav’ Taylor. The team are encouraged to reflect and talk about their emotions and experiences. Taylor’s lessons are shaped by his experiences with Race2Recovery. “I threw myself into it for two-and-a-half years,” he says, “but it just replaced being in the forces, and when it finished, I

struggled. I still had to transition. I hadn’t learned to accept my injury.” Taylor’s role is to help ensure that Future Terrain provides members with a step into a new life. The resolve he’s charged with helping to build in the team shows. Spares sourced, the team return to action on day three, and for the rest of the event. And there is no more stopping them as they battle the elements, and perceptions – of themselves and the Dusters – to reach the finish in third, fourth and fifth places. But White notes: “Winning a cup is not what we’re about.” It’s more important than that – and inspirational to watch. “We have a responsibility: it’s important to show that even when you have injuries, you have value,” says Garthley. “If we can do something that inspires people, we should do something about it.” L

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Do ya feel lucky, punk? It’s a question you’ve got to ask yourself when buying a used supercar. Your answer may prompt another: shall I buy a warranty? John Evans reports PHOTOGRAPHY MAX EDLESTON

ituated in the heart of Blackburn’s motor dealer district and with a ground-floor showroom filled with classic and performance cars, Warrantywise, a used car warranty company, looks for all the world like a car dealership. Among the sports cars and supercars on display are a Jaguar E-Type and XKR cabrio, MercedesAMG SL55, Honda NSX, Bentley Continental GT and a Ferrari 458. There are Lister cars in the mix, too (Warrantywise bought the Cambridge-based sports car manufacturer in 2013); most notably a Knobbly and an LFT-666 prototype, based on the Jaguar F-Type. The first production LFT-666, one of 99 that will be built, is awaiting delivery in an area behind the showroom where future LFTs will be produced. I’ve come to meet Lawrence

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Whittaker, the CEO of Warrantywise. Given his taste for expensive motors, I’m not surprised when he arrives behind the wheel of a Rolls-Royce Dawn. It seems that luxury cars and the money to pay for them are not in short supply at Warrantywise, a fact that may come as no surprise to motorists sceptical of used car warranties… Perhaps sensing my unease, Whittaker, looking relaxed in jeans and pullover, explains that Warrantywise has thousands of cars on cover and pays out 84% of claims in full. If a customer disputes its decision, they can appeal directly to motoring journalist and self-styled consumer champion Quentin Willson, who helped design Warrantywise’s policies. He receives five calls a week. Founded in 2000, the company covers mostly mainstream cars no older than 12 years or 120,000 miles.

Since 2002, it has also been covering supercars and, says Whittaker, has “thousands” of them on cover. However, in 2016, it put a warranty on its first hypercar – a Bugatti Veyron. The premium was £10,000. Today, the company has around 20 hypercars on its books, the latest to be covered being a Porsche 918. The premium was £18,000, compared with the company’s current average hypercar premium of £15,000 and supercar premium of £2000.

Bugatti Veyron premium was £10,000

How does Warrantywise calculate a premium on a hypercar for which very little publicly available workshop and reliability data exists? “When we took on the Veyron, we looked at our data on its close relative, the Bentley Continental GT W12,” says Whittaker. “We researched other supercars, too; in particular, hourly labour rates, which can be as high as £350. The Veyron appeared to be a reliable car that, in all likelihood, wouldn’t be driven very much, so

Porsche 918 was even more: £18,000

WARRANTIES INSIGHT Warrantywise boss Whittaker even covers supercars

WARRANTYWISE TOP 10 SUPERCAR AND HYPERCAR CLAIMS BY VALUE LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR

ENGINE

£40,701 LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO

ENGINE

If you can afford a Murciélago, do you need a warranty?

❝ Warrantywise’s current average hypercar premium is £15,000

we judged it to be a good risk.” Whittaker claims that Warrantywise is able to cover supercars and hypercars because in 2004 all of its policies ceased to be underwritten by insurers, who are more risk averse. In their place, Warrantywise stepped in, calculating premiums and paying claims directly from its income. However, it’s a business model that can occasionally take a big hit. “We had a McLaren MP4-12C on cover that developed a gearbox problem,” says Whittaker. “Our engineer judged it was a simple matter of an oil seal costing about £50. We asked George Lister Engineering to make and fit a replacement seal but the gearbox software didn’t recognise it, so the car remained in limp-home mode. McLaren told us the only solution was to replace the gearbox. It cost £26,000, including fitting.”

GEARBOX

£26,000 LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR

GEARBOX

£20,291 PORSCHE 911

ENGINE

£15,052

❞

Warrantywise has a team dedicated to its supercar and hypercar business. They’re old hands at spotting rogue claims. “Recently, a customer rang us wanting cover for his Ferrari 458,” says Whittaker. “We usually quote an individual claims limit of £20,000 but he wanted us to raise it to £35,000 and for a specific part, too. It was obvious the car had a fault so we declined to cover it.” The first sunny day in spring is when Whittaker says a short prayer. That’s the day hypercar claims are most likely to occur. “These cars aren’t driven very often, but when they are, it’s generally on that first sunny day of the year. The owners get them out of storage and go for a blast. After six months without turning a wheel, it’s not surprising some of the cars don’t make the first corner.” Meanwhile, not every supercar and hypercar driver is persuaded of the benefits of a used car warranty. “What would I want one for?” asks David Harris, the owner of a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 worth £215,000, when I contacted him following my visit to Warrantywise. “I did get a quote from Warrantywise – they wanted £4000 for 12 months’ cover – but my feeling is that a person who can afford to buy and own something as expensive as a Murciélago can afford to repair it. Simply, if it goes wrong, you fix it!” Andrew Mearns, owner of Gmund Cars, a specialist Porsche and VW dealership in Knaresborough, Yorkshire, has his own solution to supercar and hypercar warranties. He funds his standard 12-month warranty entirely from the business. “I believe warranty companies’ instinct is not to pay claims,” he says, “so I’ve cut them out and fund my own warranty from every car I sell,

£40,614 MCLAREN MP4-12C

putting £400 from every deal into my warranty fund. It forces me to buy the best cars and prepare them properly before they leave here. As a result, by the end of the year, I’ve usually got around £20,000 unclaimed in the pot. “I’ve just sold a Porsche 959 with 3000 miles for £1.3 million. It’s got the same warranty as all my cars. If it develops a fault in the next 12 months, the customer can take it to his local Porsche centre and I’ll pick up the bill.” In fact, Mearn’s repair fund sounds like something every private motorist could consider. Put away £50 a month and at the end of the year you’ve got a nice little repair pot. Naturally, Whittaker has his doubts. “When customers suggest it, I say half the time you’ll get away with it but the other half, you won’t.” Me? I like a flutter… L

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 2

ENGINE

£11,750 NISSAN GTR

GEARBOX

£11,100 LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR

COOLING SYSTEM

£9928 ASTON MARTIN DB9

GEARBOX

£8315 LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO F1

E-GEAR ACTUATOR

£7437

T H E Y ’ V E G O T I T C OV E R E D Don’t fancy an independent used car warranty for your supercar? Here are six offered by manufacturers. FERRARI It’s possible to cover a Ferrari with a transferable warranty, called New Power15, for up to 15 years from the date of first registration. Approved used Ferraris up to 13 years old are sold with a two-year factory-backed warranty. LAMBORGHINI Lamborghini’s approved used car programme offers a 12-month warranty, extendable to 24 months. McLAREN It offers a manufacturer-backed and

transferable warranty with no claims limit and no excess to pay. ASTON MARTIN Its extended warranties include Premium for cars up to 15 years old and Classic for cars over 15 years. PORSCHE Porsche offers an extended warranty for cars no older than 15 years, subject to the car undergoing a mechanical inspection. B U G AT T I The Loyalty Maintenance Programme offers servicing packages to complement a factorybacked warranty for vehicles up to 15 years old.

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 61

YO U R V I E WS WRITE TO

autocar@haymarket.com Shanghai surprise

I read your excellent online coverage of the recent Shanghai motor show with great interest. This event, staged biennially with the one in Beijing, is like a kind of Chinese Frankfurt show – vast in both physical scale and commercial scope. It’s amazing to see how the likes of LandWind and Zotye seem to have evolved out of the copycat phase and are delivering some genuinely original vehicles. Aesthetically, they may still be on an upward curve but, by golly, they are learning. Amazing, too, to see a raft of sports car concepts, many electrically propelled, in a market where we’ve long been told there’s no demand for such models. Which brings me neatly to my topic: where was SAIC at what is surely the automotive behemoth’s home show? I have no doubt it was there on the stands of its local General Motors and Volkswagen partners, but there was nothing in your report about the SAIC selfmanaged brands, including the China-only Roewe and the export champion MG. Two years ago at the previous Shanghai show, we were frankly shocked and amazed by the promise of the striking all-electric MG E-Motion Coupé and it was suggested we’d see a production car by 2019. Yet here we are and it seems there is absolutely nothing to report about MG in particular at this year’s show. What’s the problem? John Miles Via email

Nothing remiss. It simply didn’t have any new cars to show after a busy year last year. In China, MG had already sold 55,000 cars to the end of March, which is up on last year. It’s a big brand there and growing. It wouldn’t be the first car maker not to put a fanciful concept into production, either – MT

In defence of Khan

Seems unfair to describe London mayor Sadiq Khan as “strutting, self-regarding” (My Week in Cars, 17 April) when what he is trying to do is clean up air quality in the capital. As

New Alpine A110 is sweetness and light

LETTER OF THE WEEK

Is Norris more interesting than a GP?

The car in front…

I had a Toyota GT86 until two years ago. I now have an Alpine A110 with some 500 miles under its wheels. Recently, I had the opportunity to try the latest GT86 with upgraded brakes, damper/steering settings and so on. What a revelation! The purity and precise weighting of the controls on the GT86 and the senses they bring when driving hard are just wondrous – and that magnificent manual gearshift. Don’t get me wrong: the Alpine is a great drive but there are others that border on the same brilliance. Yes, the GT86 would fall behind in outright performance terms, but the rest of its dynamic package is still brilliant even after the passing of time and new entrants to this segment. So, Autocar, how about a back to back? I have ordered a Toyota Supra and will know in September if it is a match for these two exceptional cars. Colin Hunt Via email

a London resident and car enthusiast, I welcome his efforts. Every mayor wants a legacy, and making the air fit to breathe is surely a worthwhile one. David Sutherland London

No wrangling with safety

I’m slightly surprised that the Jeep Wrangler can be awarded four stars and come second in your comparison despite its one-star Euro NCAP rating (Road Test, 10 April). I wouldn’t go near it because of that score no matter how good it is otherwise. David Macfarlane Via email

Formula dull

Well over a billion pounds a year. Thousands of incredibly talented

62 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

WIN

Letter of the week wins this ValetPRO exterior protection and maintenance kit worth £48

people. State-of-the-art engineering. Twenty drivers. Ten teams. The self-styled pinnacle of motorsport. And aside from the occasional brief moment, spectacularly dull racing. I’ve followed and loved Formula 1 since the early 1970s, but over the past few years, it has totally lost focus and, in doing so, also lost the plot. It’s a poor state of affairs when an interview with Lando Norris (17 April) was infinitely more interesting than the woeful Chinese GP. Not quite the 1000th anniversary we’d all have hoped for, methinks. Jonathan Little Via email

Porker by name…

In his critique of Andrew Frankel’s ‘eulogy to the Alpine A110’, Anthony

Snook (Letters, 10 April) asserts why he thinks that one should prefer a Porsche Cayman S (“more power... better seats...better sat-nav...prettier bodywork”) to an A110. Crucially, however, Mr Snook has overlooked the 327 reasons to prefer the A110 – 327 being the number of kilograms fewer that the A110 weighs than the Cayman S. Perhaps the nickname ‘Porker’ is more apt than one presumed. Gary Williams Richmond-upon-Thames

Another lunar-tic

I enjoyed reading John Evans’ report (‘Mondeo For Lunar-tics’, 10 April), not least because it reflects my own experience with high-milers. In February 2000, I bought a Luton-built Vauxhall Cavalier LS turbo diesel with 95,007 miles on the clock. I was its third owner. I sold it exactly six years later with over 301,000 miles showing. I had known the guy who bought it from me for some years previously (yes, we’re still friends!); and he did at least another 20,000 miles in it. The only problems I ever had were a radiator core rusted through and two split coolant hoses. Part of the credit for this goes to my local Vauxhall dealer, York Ward &

Jeep Wrangler’s Euro NCAP safety rating rules it out for David

LETTERS Rowlatt of Wellingborough, who kept it in top order during my ownership. To summarise, the purchase price was £2600 and the sale price was £250, which means annual depreciation over six years was £392. Can’t be bad! Jimmy James Wellingborough

G R E AT R E A S O N S T O B U Y

NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE O N S A L E 8 M AY

Lion’s share

Casper Gorniok Via email

Plane lessons

Given the recent airliner crashes that appear, according to statements from Boeing, to have been caused by autonomous safety software reacting inappropriately and resulting in both planes nosediving into the ground, what lessons does the automotive industry, licensing authorities and insurance industry have to learn about similar systems taking control of motor vehicles? Bearing in mind the aviation industry is so safety focused, if these systems can go wrong there, what are the chances something similar could happen in cars? Lee Thickett Via email

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

Speed limiters: will they really ruin our fun? We look at the upcoming world of speed limiters – while Andrew Frankel proves that you can have fun in a slow car USED SPECIAL

FIRST DRIVE

Brexit Brits

BMW 320d M Sport

Our best British used cars – a good UK’s favourite 3 Series driven here deal all Brits can actually agree on… for the first time in its new guise EVERY WEEK R OA D T E S T

USED BUYING GUIDE

FIRST DRIVE

Maserati Levante S

Last of the original Minis

Audi R8 Spyder

It has had an extensive facelift, but is it worthy of your consideration?

How to get the original Mini at its latest (we mean 1990s) and possibly greatest

Revised Audi sports car loses its roof and meets our testers

autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p24 1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 63

CONTENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Hardly a week goes by without Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) being in the news for the wrong reasons. The only solution, I think, is a drastic one. The PSA Group is interested in JLR and its potential offer deserves serious consideration. JLR needs platform-sharing and electrification capabilities if it is to survive long term. There’s currently no model beneath the Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport to bring new customers into the brand and become loyal. The PSA Group also has plenty of platforms ready to go to rejuvenate the Jaguar brand. There’s the niggling quality issues, too, so often talked about. Also, there’s potentially an opportunity to increase capacity in the UK, with Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port, and the Honda plant up for sale. At the heart of JLR is its Britishness. JLR needs urgent help – and there’s a willing partner available. Seize the opportunity.

O U R CA RS F E AT U R E D T H I S W E E K

KIA CEED

McLAREN 720S

MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS

MG ZS

MINI 5DR HATCH

TOYOTA LAND CRUISER

KIA CEED

Three different models in six months gave us valuable insights into why you might – or might not – want to buy a Ceed FINAL REPORT

MILEAGE 2800

WHY WE R AN IT To see if the new, Europe-designed Ceed is a true Volkswagen Golf rival or still a bit of a family hatchback also-ran

e all like a bit of surprise and delight in new cars. Whether it’s a dazzling new feature, clever bit of tech or sumptuous materials, sometimes a bit of ‘wow’ factor is worth the expense. But for some, of greater importance when buying a model is the knowledge that whatever situation you throw it into, it can handle it with the minimum of drama and fuss. Something that just works – no foibles, no aggravation,

64 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

no distractions. Something like the new, third-generation Kia Ceed. During the past six months, I have become intimately familiar with the Ceed range as a whole, not just one specific model. I was spoiled with luxuries hardly befitting a humble family hatch with a top-spec First Edition model, before going utilitarian and swapping that for the other end of the spectrum: the base 1.0-litre petrol in entry-level 2 trim. Originally, that second car was meant to last me until the end of March, but it was not to be. During a weekend of healthy snowfall and ice build-up, the need to take evasive action to avoid an out-of-control Audi Q5 coming around a bend over the white line put the Ceed into a frustrating, unavoidable low-speed

Lawrence was a big fan of the Ceed’s driving environment trajectory off the road into a ditch. When Kia took it back for repairs and said we’d be unable to get an identical-spec car to replace it in time to complete our test, we thought we’d try the only non-performance engine left in the line-up: the 1.6-litre diesel. That has almost become a bit of a dirty word in recent years, hasn’t it? Knee-jerk government reactions to concern over local pollutants (not really a problem with the latest EU6dtemp cars) mean this engine no longer takes the lion’s share of Ceed sales. But should that be the case? Our lower-powered 1.6-litre diesel is around £1200 pricier than the

identical-spec 1.0 that met a fateful end in February. That’s a fair sum for something that is no faster on paper and needs to be filled with fuel that’s currently 10 pence a litre pricier. But factor in that the diesel has proven to be a healthy 15-20mpg more economical on the same journeys and, given my annual mileage, it’s still the rational (if not the emotional) choice. It also feels faster thanks to 207lb ft of torque (versus 127lb ft for the 1.0). Refinement is decent once the motor has warmed up, although I do miss the three-cylinder petrol

TEST DATA

Plush First Edition blue car was succeeded by a base-spec 2 red one

❝

It does 95% of what a VW Golf can do for a chunk less cash, and with more standard kit

TEST STARTED 29.9.18 Mileage at start 959 Mileage at end 2800 PRICES List price new £19,850 List price now £19,850 Price as tested £19,850 Dealer value now £15,130 Private value now £14,455 Trade value now £13,760 OPTIONS None FUEL CONSUMPTION AND RANGE Claimed economy 58.9mpg Fuel tank 50 litres Test average 61.4mpg Test best 64.2mpg Test worst 57.5mpg Real-world range 665 miles TECH HIGHLIGHTS 0-62mph 10.6sec Top speed 116mph Engine 4 cyls, 1598cc, diesel Max power 114bhp at 4000rpm Max torque 207lb ft at 1500rpm Transmission 6-spd manual Boot 380 litres Wheels 16in, alloy Tyres 205/55 R16 Kerb weight 1388kg SERVICE AND RUNNING COSTS Contract hire rate £190 99g/km CO2 Service costs None Other costs None Fuel costs £176.00 Running costs inc fuel £176.00 Cost per mile 9.6 pence Depreciation £6500 Cost per mile inc dep’n 46.6 pence Faults None PREVIOUS REPORTS 17 Oct 2018, 14 Nov, 28 Nov, 2 Jan 2019, 23 Jan, 6 Feb, 6 Mar

❞ Before I had a chance to try the regular Ceed, the sporty Proceed really impressed me in how it drove. And while this hatchback long-term car was of the most basic spec, traces of that neat handling and tied-down ride promise were evident. I much preferred the Proceed’s turbo petrol engine to this diesel, though. KC

motor’s willing thrum. However, there are a couple of reasons why you might not choose the diesel. The first is the long, economybiased gearing that admittedly helps it to be one of the most frugal real-world cars around, as it sits at barely over 2000rpm at 70mph. My commute involves a fair bit of 30mph driving and, in fourth, the revs are too low to be comfortable at that speed. You can drive around that, of course, but the trait you can’t drive around is the extra weight over the nose. It’s still a tidy handler, but the diesel loses some of the petrol’s fleetfootedness and the steering feels less positive on turn-in. What the Ceed has always been,

regardless of spec, is a tremendously fuss-free and welcoming place to sit after a long day in the office. Kia hasn’t succumbed to the style-oversubstance cabin design favoured by a number of rivals (PSA, we’re looking at you), which is just fine by me: the touchscreen isn’t the dominant control point and switchgear placement is so logical that you genuinely never need to take your eyes off the wheel. My stress levels benefited from that. Other ways the Ceed was quietly excellent? The ride smoothness brought about by the base model’s 16in wheels was very welcome on the cratered, post-winter roads. It also meant no cabin rattles (unlike the bigger-wheeled First Edition). The Ceed has more than proven itself as a practical offering. A recent airport trip for a holiday loaded it up with four six-footers, each carrying two weeks’ worth of luggage, with which the Kia was just about able to cope thanks to one of the most usable boots in its class. Drop the false floor and four decent-sized suitcases can be squeezed in with a healthy shove of the tailgate to get it closed. On another occasion, I was able (with a bit of trimming) to squeeze an old

memory foam mattress into the back with the seats folded flat. All this and yet Kia still manages to do what many others don’t and fit a spare wheel in the back. Little things. If I could criticise the Kia, it’s that there’s little to get excited about. It’s a very competent drive but never something you relish getting behind the wheel of (particularly in diesel form). The design is smart and nicely resolved, but not one of Peter Schreyer’s boldest efforts. And none of the powertrains is notable for being anything other than quite smooth and acceptably powerful. It’s clear that Kia benchmarked the Volkswagen Golf with this car: it’s similarly well rounded and well thought through, but just as unlikely to thrill or intrigue. What’s great about the Kia, though, is that it does 95% of what a Golf can do for a chunk less cash, and with more standard equipment. We know Kia can do value but, with this generation of Ceed, we also know it can do simplicity, smartness and solidity. LAWRENCE ALLAN

OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE lawrence.allan@haymarket.com

ECONOMY Struggled to get to 45mpg in the 1.0 petrol, so an easy 65mpg at a cruise from the diesel was welcome.

COMFORT Wheels might give away its entrylevel spec, but the chunky sidewall smooths out the low-speed ride.

CABIN Not groundbreaking but a haven of intuitive switchgear and the driving position is tremendously comfy.

L OAT H E I T

STYLING Without the First Edition’s fancy lights and bright blue paint, the basespec car looks a bit anonymous.

BLUNTED BY A FULL LOAD Not a ‘loathe’, but loading up with luggage and passengers exposed our 1.6 diesel’s modest output.

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 65

DEPRECIATION IS CALCULATED FROM TAKING THE TRADE VALUE FROM THE ORIGINAL LIST PRICE MINUS OPTIONS

A windscreen was replaced but the Ceed was fault free

SECOND OPINION

L OV E I T

KIA CEED 1.6 CRDi 2

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DISCOUNT Cash price £22,766 NEW MODEL MERCEDES A200 SPORT AUTO MPG (L/100KM) URBAN 41.5(6.8) EXTRA URBAN 62.8(4.5) COMBINED 53.3(5.3) CO2:123 G/KM

DISCOUNT Cash price £32,849 MERCEDES GLC 250 4MATIC SPORT 5DR AUTOMATIC MPG (L/100KM) URBAN 33.6(8.4) EXTRA URBAN 47.1(6.0) COMBINED 40.9(6.9) CO2:159 G/KM

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SAVE £2,144 13% DISCOUNT Cash price £14,571 FORD FIESTA 1.0 ECOBOOST ZETEC 5 DOOR MPG (L/100KM) URBAN 52.3(5.4) EXTRA URBAN 78.5(3.6) COMBINED 65.7(4.3) CO2:97 G/KM

SAVE £2,745 10% DISCOUNT Cash price £25,565 VOLVO XC-40 1.5 T3 MOMENTUM MPG (L/100KM) URBAN TBC EXTRA URBAN 52.0(5.4) COMBINED 46.0(6.2) CO2:144 G/KM

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DISCOUNT! Cash Price £24,333 VW TIGUAN 1.5 TSI EVO 150PS MATCH MPG (L/100KM) URBAN 37.2(7.6) EXTRA URBAN 51.4(5.5) COMBINED 44.8(6.3) CO2:143 G/KM

SAVE £2,659 12% DISCOUNT! Cash Price £20,355 VW GOLF 1.5 TSI EVO MATCH 5DR MPG (L/100KM) URBAN 44.8(6.3) EXTRA URBAN 65.7(4.3) COMBINED 56.5(5.0) CO2:113 G/KM

IF YOU WANT TO SEE SOME RECENT CARFILE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK AND PICTURES OF THEIR ACTUAL CARS, TAKE A LOOK AT WWW.CARFILE.NET/TESTIMONIALS Remember you never pay us a penny so:CALL Jonathan Lawless or my father Pat on:-

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Take a look at our new website. Prices correct at time of going to press. E & OE. Vehicles are shown for illustration purposes only. All prices quoted are on the road inc. 12 months road tax and 20% VAT

OUR CARS

MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS

Unfamiliar A-roads in an unfamiliar A-Class held no terrors for its latest custodian MILEAGE 4650 WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT To see if Merc’s Golf rival has come of age – and to try to pick the ‘perfect’ spec

erfect timing. A stretch that included a decent cross-country drive and a long, sun-drenched Easter weekend coincided with a welcome stint in the editor’s Mercedes A250 AMG Line, and a golden chance to sample a hatch of suitably warm character. Last time I admitted to some negligence in the cleanliness of my previous Audi A6 Avant, but it turns out I’m not the only one. Still, a couple of hours cleaning off Mr Tisshaw’s grime [road testing assessment by-product, actually… – ed] was well spent, especially with a couple of juniors on hand to ‘help’. Washing a car is always a great way to get to know it, and a couple of thoughts struck as I worked up a frothy lather. If there’s a better set of twin fivespoke wheels out there, I haven’t seen them. Finished in AMG titanium

LOVE IT LOO KI N G G OO D Handsome from every angle, but that ‘diamond’ radiator with chrome pins is what really elevates Mercedes beyond its rivals.

LOATHE IT S PE E D LI M IT A SS I ST Flashing speed limit signs on the dash do remind you to curb your enthusiasm, but mostly they are distracting.

Smith’s helpers were the perfect height to get those rims gleaming grey, they offer a smart visual cue to the potency of the 2.0-litre turbo petrol that lies beneath a car of subtle contours (and they’re easy to clean, too). There’s nothing brash or vulgar about this high-spec hatch and, while you couldn’t really describe it as a head-turner, the lack of extravagance only makes it more appealing – much like its rival Volkswagen Golf GTI, in fact. These cars prove you don’t always have to shout to be heard. A-Class class continues inside, with the dark interior finished in Artico man-made leather and Dynamic microfibre upholstery. The sporty seats are firm but posturepositive over distance. The controls, via impressive twin-10.25in widevision screens, are clear and natural to use – although a good 10 minutes were required for familiarity on my first acquaintance. The cross-country trip was a well-trodden mid-week excursion to the Williams Formula 1 team for a forthcoming story. But rather than

setting off on my usual motorway autopilot, I used this excursion to test the sat-nav via an alternative route on (to me) unfamiliar A-roads. Good decision. In light mid-morning traffic, the A250 proved an engaging companion, picking up pertly from junctions and roundabouts and cruising with ease along the straight bits. There’s nothing better than getting out on the road when you’re usually sat behind a desk. In the odd queue at traffic lights, I quickly learned the advantage of the gear selector on the right of the steering column. Pressing in for Park when stationary saved both idling emissions and the effort of placing my right foot on the brake, then flicking down for Drive immediately roused the stop-start function into a smooth and easy motion. Great ergonomics, exactly as you’d expect. At Newbury, the nav pointed the Merc’s elegant nose towards Wantage via the B4494. Again, good decision. What a great road this is,

and a brilliant no-contest alternative to the grim, truck-infested A34. O On my return to the office, I raved to colleagues about my ‘discovery’ – only to be told it’s a regular and much-loved Autocar road tester haunt… My hopes of a scoop were scuppered. Ah well. The undulating, well-sighted and remarkably quiet stretch offered a perfect moment to switch from Eco and Comfort mode to Sport, and as you’d hope from such a car, the difference was palpable. The rising revs offered a pleasing soundtrack to the taut handling and quick steering, and a grin had spread by the time Wantage was all too soon upon us. Proof once again that on the right road in the right car, you don’t have to break the speed limit to enjoy driving – and it tasted like more. That feeling was shared by the family over Easter, with reports from the rear of ample leg room and a comfortable ride as we used the A-Class for a few short trips. By the end of the long weekend, it was clear no one wanted me to give this car back – and I haven’t as yet. So in your own time, Mr Editor. Happy to babysit for as long as you need. DAMIEN SMITH

TEST DATA M E RCE D ES - B E NZ A250 AM G LI N E Price £30,465 Price as tested £35,170 Faults None Expenses None Economy 40.3mpg Last seen 24.4.19

OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE damien.smith@haymarket.com 1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 67

REVIEWS

The closest youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get to a test drive (without taking a test drive) Our world renowned team of road testers go further than anyone else to give you the ultimate car review. We pride ourselves on producing the most complete, objective test in the business so you feel as informed as you would if you were driving the car yourself. Take our reviews for a spin at www.autocar.co.uk

OUR CARS

Mini Cooper S 5dr Hatch MILEAGE 2790

LAST SEEN 17.4.19

Ah, the Union Flag tail-lights. Probably the most divisive light design in history. When I chatted to Mini design boss Oliver Heilmer last year, he told me that reaction to the lights had been “absolutely positive”, adding that “maybe the British market has been the most critical”. The lights aren’t my cup of tea but, I admit, they suit the car and give it a unique selling point. RB

MG ZS It’s winning over its photographer driver – and not just for its boot MILEAGE 5435 WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT To see if reborn MG’s poster child is as easy to live with as the established names in the class

efore becoming custodian of this MG, I’d been the (temporary) keeper of the keys for the Autocar Ford Fiesta ST for a few weeks. Britain’s best affordable driver’s car was suitably impressive and reflected well on its maker. Even the diesel-powered Ford Focus I’d run before the ST could entertain on a decent stretch of road. So the question I’ve come back to more than once now I’m running the MG SUV is: can it offer anything close to the driving pleasure of Ford’s finest? And you know what? Even though the ZS might not be particularly exciting to point down the sort of roads you use on the way to the more remote Autocar photo shoots, I’ll admit I’m warming to it. It’s not a head-over-heels type affair by any means, but it’s difficult not to respect

LOVE IT CAPACI OUS BOOT I still haven’t tired of the sheer amount of boot space on offer. Packing and unpacking photography kit is a breeze.

LOATHE IT N O FAN O F TH E FAN The air-con fan can be a bit asthmatic. At times, it quite vocally sounds out of breath – irritating when I’m listening to the radio.

Touchscreen is clear and easy to read what the MG can do given the fact that, even in top-spec Exclusive guise, it costs a reasonable £17,495. Get a bit of a trot on and there’s nothing cheap about the way it conducts itself. Vertical movements over crests are tidily controlled and shorter, sharper compressions don’t leave me fretting about whether I might have inadvertently shortened my spine. In its primary ride, there’s really not much that offends – handy given the amount of time I spend slogging up and down motorways. And although it absolutely isn’t a Fiesta ST, the ZS can corner with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. Again, body roll is mitigated tidily and there’s more than enough frontend grip on offer. There are three different settings to alter the steering weight, too: Urban, which makes it almost unnaturally light but is handy for parking; Normal, which is, um, normal; and the heavier Sport setting. It took me a bit of time to figure out how to cycle between the different modes, because there’s no physical button to do so anywhere in the cabin. Instead, there’s a sub-

menu within the infotainment software, which you access via the 8.0in touchscreen. Finding it is a bit too convoluted for my liking and it can be fiddly on the go, even though the screen itself is impressively clear and easy to read. In any case, I’m now at the point where I just leave it in Sport mode. This is mostly down to the fact that I find the heftier weight a bit more confidence-inspiring, but also because the faff of having to go through the touchscreen is a bit of a deterrent. I’m less impressed by the MG’s fuel economy, although this is largely because I got so used to getting about 500 miles of range per tank in the Focus. The MG is currently averaging 36.5mpg, which admittedly isn’t terrible, but my trips to the petrol station are more frequent: I’m currently doing about 350 miles between fills. That said, the interest people show towards the ZS on the forecourt has come as quite a nice surprise. It might not be the sports car that people tend to remember MG for, but Joe Public clearly still has some love for the marque. And that can only be a good thing.

OLGUN KORDAL

TEST DATA M G ZS 1.0T G D I E XCLUS IVE Price £17,495 Price as tested £17,495 Faults None Expenses None Economy 36.5mpg Last seen 10.4.19

OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE olgun.kordal@haymarket.com

Toyota Land Cruiser MILEAGE 23,450

LAST SEEN 17.4.19

After a colleague spends a few days in the Land Cruiser, he tells me: “You know that slow, circular motion the bottom jaw of a cow makes while it’s chewing. The Land Cruiser’s motorway ride reminds me of that.” Unusual, I think. Bit harsh, maybe. But better than the bottom jaw of a squirrel chewing on granola, which is how most cars ride. MP

McLaren 720S MILEAGE 3761

LAST SEEN 10.4.19

Interesting few days in a 570S while the 720S had its winter tyres changed for summer ones. The less expensive car is prettier and probably no slower on public roads, but the 720S has a better interior and far superior ride quality and is, as a result, a far more usable every-day car. Still love the 570S but, if I could, I’d find the extra for the upgrade. AF

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 69

What to buy, where to buy it and how much to pay

USED CARS W H A T WS TE ALMO T B O U G HE E K T H IS W

H O N DA CR X M K3 Not a patch on its predecessor, the CRX Mk2, but we’re thinking future classic here. It’s rare, it’s a sports car – of sorts – and it’s got some novel features such as its Transtop powered roof. We spotted a privately advertised 1997 P-reg 1.6 ESI with 140,000 miles, a functioning roof and a long MOT for £1650. We’ll only kick ourselves later…

James Ruppert THE HIGH PRIEST OF BANGERNOMICS A tidy Jag XJ with 100,000 miles will cost around £4500

APPRECIATING DEPRECIATION A sharp drop in value is good news for used car buyers

had to look at some stats the other day and it seems that electric cars outperform diesel and petrol when it comes to holding their value. Apparently a study of more than 7000 cars by our sister title What Car? revealed electric and hybrid models retain most value over three years and 30,000 miles, with diesels depreciating the fastest. That’s interesting, because for me it brings into sharp focus just how irrelevant resale value is. Apparently everyone now buys cars on a PCP basis, so although the future value affects the monthly payments, the used cash buyer wants to hear the bad resale news because it makes that model cheaper for them to buy. Just so you know, the new car money is going into the premium brands. They will be buying Range Rover Evoque P250 R-Dynamics, which lost the lowest percentage over three years (retaining over 70% of its £38,675 price tag) and 30,000 miles. Audi A3 e-tron, Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid and Toyota RAV4 all retain more than 63% of their purchase value in specific trim configurations. The less resilient ’lecky and hybrid cars are headed by Renault’s Zoe in R110 i Dynamique Nav trim, holding just 26.6% of its value. Meanwhile, the other high depreciators are all oil-fired and include the Fiat Doblo and Tipo, Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer and Peugeot 308 SW diesel. A prestige badge, however, does not protect anyone from a drop in value,

so the Maserati Quattroporte V6 diesel, BMW 420d convertible and Jaguar XJ V6 are also at the bottom end of the chart. So there’s your instant guide to what you should be buying in a few years’ time when the PCP expires. I would leave it even longer for a full shakeout of values, and, mostly for the stupidest of reasons, it doesn’t look at all good for diesels. It’s a great time then to buy an XJ 2.7 TDVi or two as a tidy 2006

❝

EVs and hybrids retain most value over three years ❞

example with just over 100,000 miles is £4500 and falling. These are not skanky private sales but car dealer ones with warranties and include long-wheelbase Executive spec examples. If that’s a bit rich, drop a zero and for £450 a 2005 Renault Clio 1.5 dCi Expression with a functioning MOT is yours. It delivers EV levels of minimal cost but with a stress-free range. It will always be worth nothing, or something provided it remains roadworthy. Otherwise, the short-term future seems to be more electrified, provided, that is, you can afford the very high cost of buying a fully electric or hybrid vehicle. Unless you need to bother with congestion zones, go diesel or smaller petrol. Depreciation is always the used car buyer’s friend, although, as ever, it still pays to shop carefully.

An old Renault Clio is worth a look if it’s got an MOT

TA L E S F R O M R U P P E R T ’ S GA R AG E

MILE AGE 129,903

LAND ROVER SERIES 3 There I was casually filling up with petrol and something came off in my hand: the petrol cap. That’s normal, except that it’s usually attached to the car by a piece of chain so you don’t lose it in the jungle. After 35 years, it had given up being attached, which I suppose is some sort of record for a Land Rover. Anyway, I don’t think any chain ended up in the tank and all I had to do was get a pair of pliers out. A wonderfully simple distraction from the potentially fleet member-ending issue that has just reared its ugly head.

READERS’ QUESTIONS

I’m changing my QUESTION 11-reg Mazda 2 Sport 1.5 for something as fun to drive but more economical. I’m thinking an A-Class-sized Saab 9-2 coupé with a Scirocco-esque roofline. Any ideas?

Calum Dalgetty, via email

That’s some car you’re thinking of but you’ve answered your own ANSWER question: a Scirocco. You say in your email that you’re a recent architecture graduate, so you’ll appreciate its concept-car styling. Meanwhile, it’s fun to drive and in diesel form will give you the economy you’re looking for. We found a 2011/11reg 2.0 TDI with 60k miles and full Volkswagen service history for £7990. JE

READER’S RIDE

I’m buying a car for QUESTION my daughter and choosing between a Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1. It must have a spare wheel, not a repair kit. Which of these cars does? Kenneth Haslam, Winchester

Ford Focus Colin Strickland is back and keen to give us an update on his expanding Bangernomics fleet. He says: “The £300 Focus is still going strong and has just passed its MOT, with just a new brake hose and pipe needed. It’s so good that my son set a budget of

SEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO

£300 for his first car. Needless to say the best value car I found was an identical Focus. It needed a new rad, but then a clutch slave cylinder went, taking the clutch with it. Still, it provides zero-deprecation, low-cost motoring and it’s just passed its MOT, too.”

Last year, sister magazine What Car? surveyed 251 new car models ANSWER and found that just 8% of them came with a full-size spare wheel, 30% with a space-saver and 55% with a repair kit. The rest had run-flat tyres. You’ll find most versions of the cars you mention have a space-saver wheel. Certainly, all Aygos do. On the C1, a space-saver is available from Feel trim upwards but on the 108 you’ll have to splash out on Allure to get it. JE

james@bangernomics.com AND READERS' QUESTIONS TO

autocar@haymarket.com 1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 71

AS GOOD AS NEW

JAGUAR F-TYPE

The F-Type is a desirable, if pricey, sporting coupé or convertible, says John Evans n 2013 when the F-Type convertible. The cheapest we found convertible launched, you was a 2013/13-reg with 27,000 miles needed from £60,000 or and full Jaguar service history for so to get one. Today, a six- £35,000. The coupé version was year-old entry-level 3.0 with 35,000 called the R and had 542bhp. Pay miles is a shade under £25,000. from around £39,000 for an early That’s more like it. As a new 2013/13 with 40,000 miles. This car, the F-Type has always looked engine is what it’s all about and why expensive next to the competition, you’ve been saving all these years. but used ones make a lot more sense. The all-wheel-drive SVR, with There are hundreds to choose an uprated chassis and lots of aero from at prices ranging from the features, arrived in 2016. Today, aforementioned £25,000 all the way prices start around £65,000, a to £140,000 for a 2016-reg limitedreflection more of their low mileages run Project 7 convertible. In between than anything else. In fact, low are clusters of achingly desirable mileage is a feature of used F-Types. examples at multiple price points. Perhaps owners have something Jaguar approved used cars start at more practical in the garage… around £30,000 for a 2014/64-reg In 2017, the F-Type got its first 3.0 coupé with 45,000 miles, facelift and a couple of new backed by an impressive versions. The 400 launch two-year unlimitededition was based on mileage warranty. the V6 coupé and Meanwhile, convertible, with COUPE OR CONVERTIBLE? legions of two- or four-wheel Convertibles are more stylish specialists are drive. We praised its with a tough, powered fabric selling F-Types, near-perfect set-up hood. But coupés really look the albeit with less and specification. biz and are least compromised comprehensive We found a 2017/17 dynamically. Used, they warranties, as well as with 27,000 miles outnumber convertibles private sellers whose for £47,000. two to one. prices can be optimistic. The bigger news, A hard economics lesson though, was the arrival and threats to look elsewhere of the F-Type’s little brother, the usually softens their resolve. 296bhp 2.0-litre. It doesn’t wake the The original 335bhp 3.0 neighbours like its beefier siblings supercharged V6 is handy enough but is lighter on its feet and great and good value, but the more value. How about £36,950 for a powerful, 375bhp S version is the 2018/67 with 10,000 miles? one you’ll wish you’d bought. It costs From 2018, the F-Type’s badging around £3000 more but supplements was changed so that the 2.0-litre the standard car’s sports suspension, became the P300, the basic V6 the partial leather trim and steering P340 and the V6 S the P380. The wheel paddles with a sports 5.0-litre engines stayed the same. exhaust, adaptive suspension Something else that remained and a mechanical limited-slip diff. the same was the F-Type’s sheer You want an electronic diff? charisma. This side of an Aston You need the 488bhp 5.0 V8 S Martin, nothing can touch it.

TOP SPEC PICK

C O M PAC T C R O S S OV E R S B E S T L E A S E D E A L S

VO LKSWAG E N TOU R AN 1.6 TD I S E £267 per month, £1602 deposit, 48 months, 8000 miles per year Not as stylish as Citroën’s Grand C4 Spacetourer and doesn’t handle as crisply as the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer. Instead, this is a quietly competent and sturdy MPV that serves its market perfectly.

72 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

Early cars were reardrive; all-wheel drive arrived on the 2016 SVR

FO R D S - MA X 2 .0 ECO B LU E 190 ST- LI N E £301 per month, £1809 deposit, 48 months, 8000 miles per year In terms of performance, ride and handling, the S-Max is not the class leader it was, but it is still enjoyable to drive and, just as important, isn’t tarred with the same private hire brush as its Galaxy sibling.

S E AT ALHAM B R A 2 .0 TD I 150 S E £307 per month, £1843 deposit, 48 months, 8000 miles per year The Alhambra bests its close relative the VW Sharan by being slightly better value. It’s exceptionally roomy, well equipped and good to drive. Powered sliding doors are standard from SE L trim upwards.

USED CARS NEED TO KNOW S and R versions of the F-Type have Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamics system that actively controls vertical body movement, roll and pitch. Check that it all works on the test drive. The F-Type was facelifted in 2017 (new bumpers, LED headlights, Touch Pro infotainment) while R-Dynamic replaced S and the 400 Sport arrived. In 2018, it got torque vectoring, a bigger infotainment screen and new badging. What Car? voted Jaguar’s approved used scheme the best of its kind in 2018 and 2019. It includes a two-year unlimited mileage warranty with no limit to the number of claims. Two-year breakdown assistance is also included.

OUR PICK

J AG U A R F -T Y P E 5 . 0 V 8 5 5 0 R AW D COUPE

All the looks with the power to match: that’s the F-Type R. We favour the tin-top but the convertible adds another dimension with little trade-off. The SVR is more powerful but £20,000 dearer.

WILD CARD

J AG U A R F -T Y P E 2 . 0 I 4 CO U PE AUTO

The least powerful F-Type is actually one of the better versions to drive. That it looks like a full-fat F is a bonus, the cherry on the cake being that a 2018-reg with 10,000 miles is just £36,950.

ONES WE FOUND

CITRO E N G R AN D C 4 S PACE TOU R E R 1. 5 B LU E H D I 130 FL AI R £275 per month, £1649 deposit, 48 months, 8000 miles per year So much of Citroën’s DNA is on show here: a versatile, aircraft-style interior and a soft and supple but composed ride. The engines aren’t bad, either.

FO R D G R AN D C- MA X 1. 5 TD Ci Z E TEC £293 per month, £1756 deposit, 48 months, 8000 miles per year Sliding doors, seven seats and engaging driving manners make the Grand C-Max a compelling choice. There’s a smaller, five-seat version but when you need to carry half a football team, only the Grand will do.

B MW G R AN TOU R E R 216D S E £305 per month, £1830 deposit, 48 months, 8000 miles per year With its BMW badge and kidney grille, the Gran Tourer is an MPV for families who put a premium on image. Fortunately, it’s good to drive and well equipped, while build quality is on another level.

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 73

For more lease deals, visit whatcar.com

Most potent engine is the 542bhp V8 in the R coupé

It’s common for used F-Types to have low mileages

2014 F-Type 3.0 V6 coupé, 68,000 miles, £26,985 2017 F-Type 2.0 i4 coupé, 15,000 miles, £39,950 2015 F-Type 5.0 V8 R, 32,000 miles, £47,750 2018 F-Type 3.0 R-Dynamic, 2000 miles, £62,975

BUY THEM BEFORE WE DO

L AUNCH EDITION EVOR A

Lotus Evora £27,995 f Matt Saunders’ brief tribute to the original Lotus Evora (‘Prime number’, 3 April) whetted your appetite for the Toyota-powered 2+2 launched in 2009, then you’ll be pleased to know clean, early cars are now below £30,000. We found an early 2010/59 VVT-i with 39,000 miles for £27,995 at a specialist. It’s a Launch Edition car so has the Tech (nav, parking aids,

cruise), Sport (cross-drilled discs, deeper spoiler, uprated exhaust) and Premium (extra leather, heated seats, reversing camera) packs. For £500 less, there’s a privately advertised 40,000-mile 2010/60-reg, also with all three packs and finished in Solar Yellow. Interestingly, it’s had many of the model’s common issues addressed, including having new handbrake cables and a new window motor, a water leak in the passenger

Mercedes-Benz R-Class

A VERY VERSATILE MERC

£10,980 With MPV versatility, all-wheel-drive capability, estate practicality and saloon comfort, the R-Class had an answer for almost everything. This 2011/61-reg seven-seat R350 CDI auto with 100,000 miles and full Merc history is less than £11,000.

FUNK Y OFF-ROAD FIAT

74 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

footwell plugged and its ‘peeling’ headlights sorted. We’d go for the dealer car. It looks better value and comes with a 12-month warranty. If you’re tempted by the yellow one or to look at others, checks should include quizzing the ECU to see how often the engine has been over-revved. Also make sure it’s been serviced every 9000 miles and that the engine mounts are sound (they were an early warranty issue).

If gearchanges are difficult, suspect stretched gear cables. Inspect the brakes and tyres for signs of track abuse and listen for the front anti-roll bar bushes knocking. Look for a red dot on the air-con condenser showing it was replaced under warranty (early ones were troublesome) and check the pipes aren’t draining into the cabin. Pray for even body panel gaps and, last but not least, check that the door handles work.

PRET T Y LOOKING PUG

Peugeot 1.6 RCZ £3980 The R version stole the headlines but the RCZ’s concept-car looks means a 1.6 Sport still turns heads. This 2010/10-reg car with full history has done 115,000 miles. Be aware that diesel versions might have potentially expensive problems lurking.

Fiat Panda 4x4

BMW X6 4.4 M

£11,695

£23,495

The basic Panda is shaded by modern fare but few cars hold a candle to the 4x4 version. It’s short and light with a willing engine and runs rings around more gung-ho alternatives. This 2016/16-reg 1.3 petrol has 20,000 miles and all the trimmings.

Your sensible side says pay no heed to the self-regarding X6, but there’s no denying this 2011/61-reg 4.4 V8 M with full BMW history and just 65,000 miles looks fun. The 0-62mph sprint goes by in less then five seconds. On the other hand, road tax is £570.

WILD CARD

USED CARS AU C T I O N WAT C H

CLASH OF THE CLASSIFIEDS U S E D C A R D E S K D O E S B AT T L E BRIEF

Find me a mouth-watering V12-engined something for £5000 or less.

FERRARI TESTAROSSA This Testarossa project must be one of the more expensive basket cases. It made £29,415, although it does at least have a totally restored and rust-proofed chassis, all of its panels (in need of stripping and restoring) and its seats (they’ve been retrimmed). It’s got new tyres and all of its glass, too. Also present, fortunately, are the mechanicals, ECU and wiring loom. Good luck with that. It looks like a job for an expert, but we know someone who, with next to no marque knowledge, bought a Ferrari in similar condition and now has seven of the things.

GET IT WHILE YOU CAN

BMW 750iL LWB £4999 V12-powered cars are complex machines, so I’ve gone for something a bit more straightforward than my colleague’s E65 7 Series: a 2000 E38 7 Series. Yes, it has terrible aftermarket wheels, but it’s still very tidy, is far less leggy and has much less troublesome electronics than Mark’s later car. And it has some truly wonderful period pieces, such as a wired-in car phone and walnut picnic tables. Buy one now before it becomes sought after, just as the E32 has become in recent years. MAX ADAMS

BMW 760Li LWB £3495 Imagine the thrill of owning a plush limo that purrs down the motorway yet leaps like a leopard when you push pedal to the metal, then think of the sheer joy of opening up the bonnet to reveal a magnificent naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12. This is a Bangle BMW for the price of a knackered Renault Clio, so look on the 5.5sec 0-62mph performance as a welcome bonus and the hushed, luxurious and capacious interior as your birthright. This clean 2003 example is up for peanuts, so don’t be a fool. MARK PEARSON VERDICT

Nissan Juke Bose Personal Edition 1.6 112 Price new £19,355. Price now £13,480

An all-new Juke arrives later this year, so Nissan is clearing out the old one. As a result there are a number of pre-reg examples on forecourts, at prices that mean they won’t be around for long. We found a 2019/19-reg 1.6 Bose Personal Edition with five miles on the clock for £13,480. It costs £19,355 new, although you can get £2200 or so off for cash or, via the PCP route, a £2700 deposit contribution from Nissan. Still makes that pre-reg look cheap, though.

That Max Adams really should be a car salesman. One BMW 750i sold to the clown with five grand in his hand. JOHN EVANS

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 75

HOW TO BUY A

RENAULT MEGANE RS Red Bull

Former partnership in Formula 1 led to a special-edition RS 265

VARIATIONS ON A THEME The RS Mégane 250 is a hot hatch legend and a great used buy with an array of models to suit a range of budgets. John Evans investigates ith a hot hatch on your mind and £7000 in your pocket, what are you going to buy? Allow us to suggest a Renault Sport Mégane 250, perhaps the 2010/60-reg example with 67,000 miles that we found. It has a full service history, every fettle slavishly listed with its corresponding mileage in the private seller’s advertisement. It had its cambelt and water pump changed last November, almost bang on schedule. It’s had five owners, but then, as a motor trader once told us, that’s five honeymoons when the car has been spoiled rotten. Based on the third-gen Mégane, the all-new RS 250 arrived in the UK in 2010 before going out with a bang in the form of the 275 Trophy R of

76 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

2015. These two models alone remind us just what a confusing world planet RS Mégane can be. To recap, from launch you had the RS Mégane 250 powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 247bhp. It was partnered by a cheaper and more focused Cup version (lower, lighter, stiffer and with a limited-slip differential), although you could have the standard, or Sport version as it was called, with the Cup chassis. Both were exceptionally well made, and today a good used one still feels solid. Accept nothing less. So that’s the 250, but then, in 2011 up popped the Mégane 265 Trophy with 261bhp. It was based on the 250 Cup but cost £3800 more, a premium in part justified by the fact

that only 50 came to the UK. Its party trick was the squeal from its special Bridgestone Potenza tyres as the car launched itself at the horizon. In fact, they were credited with helping the model break the front-drive lap record at the Nürburgring. The obligatory facelift occurred in 2012, the most obvious feature being the new daytime LED strip lights. Less obvious to bystanders was the fact that the 265 engine in the limited-edition Trophy had elbowed aside the old 250 unit to become the car’s standard powerplant. As before, there were Cup and Sport versions, as well as a combination of both. An important thing to note, however, is that the car’s default mode remained 247bhp. To unleash the full 261bhp, you press the ESP

button. Hold it down longer and the stability aids are turned off. Check it all works on the test drive. And still Renault couldn’t stop tinkering. Rattled by newcomers such as Seat’s Leon Cupra 280, in 2014 it launched a flagship version of the Mégane called the 275 Trophy. With 271bhp available, the Cup chassis as standard and a very vocal, titanium Akrapovic exhaust doing the dirty work, it looked like being the best of the bunch – and then along came the even lighter, Öhlins suspension-equipped, limited-edition 275 Trophy R. That’s a lot of names to remember but, when it boils down to it, be it a £30,000 275 Trophy R or a £7000 250 Sport, an RS Mégane is a great, used, hot hatch buy – period.

USED CARS H O W T O G E T O N E I N YO U R GA R AG E

The Mégane RS wears it well – but look out for seat bolster splits

Also worth knowing

Buyer beware…

How much to spend

ENGINE Depending on age and mileage, check the cambelt and water pump were changed at six years or 75,000 miles. An RS needs 5W-40 fully synthetic oil. Check for oil leaks around the rocker and sump covers. TRANSMISSION The PK4 gearbox can suffer from noisy bearings. The cause isn’t clear but it’s an expensive job to fix. On cars with over 60,000 miles, the dual-mass flywheel can develop a faint clicking or tapping noise. It’ll only get worse. SUSPENSION Rubber top-mount bushes can split and anti-roll bar drop links wear. The latter make a slight knock. More serious are worn lower swivel joints, first heard as a slight knock but in serious cases as a creaking on full lock. Such cars are undrivable: accelerate and the bottom of the suspension will try to pull itself outwards; when you brake, it will pull inwards.

The first RSs had 247bhp, rising to 271bhp at the end

❝

The Mégane was exceptionally well made, and today a good used one still feels solid ❞

attract stone chips and need attention before corrosion sets in.

F L OY D H O L L I N S H E A D , RS FOUR ASHES “I’ve had an RS 250 for four years and love it. The engine is strong and can handle serious upgrades. I’ve fitted a K-Tec Racing Stage 2 performance pack, taking it to 350bhp. It costs £4500 fitted, and you need to upgrade the brakes and suspension. We do a Stage 1 upgrade, a remap and panel filter to 300bhp for £349. It’s enough for most people. My favourite is the 275 Trophy R with Akrapovic exhaust and Öhlins suspension but have you seen the prices? Whichever one you’re interested in, check that the gearbox, flywheel and suspension are sound and not making odd noises.”

BRAKES AND TYRES Examine the edges of the discs for heavy lipping and that the car pulls up straight. With the front wheels at full lock, check the inner shoulders of the tyres for excessive wear. Check the tyres are a premium brand, too. B O DY Check the windscreen scuttle drainers for blockages. Rear wheel arches

INTERIOR Check underfloor storage cubbies for damp and driver’s seat bolsters for splits and cracks. Make sure all the warning lights go out after start-up.

In 2015, a chain of dedicated Renault Sport dealers (renaultsport.co.uk) was launched, but if you’re disinclined to pay main dealer rates, there are independent specialists, such as RS Four Ashes, and servicing, tuning and styling firms, such as K-Tec Racing (k-tecracing.com).

£70 0 0 - £ 8 9 9 9 First 250s and 250 Cups from 2010, ranging from 40,000 to 70,000 miles. £9 0 0 0 - £ 1 1 , 4 9 9 As above plus 2011 and 12-reg cars, and a selection of 265s including a 2012/62 265 Cup with 40k miles for £10,750. £ 1 1 , 5 0 0 - £ 12 , 9 9 9 Good choice of 2012 to 14-reg 265s with low mileages. £ 13 , 0 0 0 - £ 1 4 , 9 9 9 Mainly low-mileage, well-specced 2014 and 15-reg 265s. £15,000 AN D ABOVE The first 2015-reg 275s, rising to £30,000 for late Trophy Rs.

One we found

R E N A U LT M E G A N E R S 2 5 0 C U P, 2 0 1 0/6 0 , 5 1 k M I L E S , £8500 A rare one-owner car with full Renault history. The belt was changed at 43k miles. Being a Cup model, it has the red brake calipers and a limited-slip diff.

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 77

Thanks to Floyd Hollinshead, RS Four Ashes (rsfourashes.co.uk)

An expert’s view

L IF E . . .W HE R E ’S T HE PAUS E B U T T ON? With so many demands from work, home and family, there never seem to be enough hours in the day for you. Why not press pause once in a while, curl up with your favourite magazine and put a little oasis of ‘you’ in your day.

To find out more about Press Pause, visit;

pauseyourday.co.uk

PP_ACR_FP_230x300mm.indd 1

07/11/2017 13:08

503 443 38.7 34/49

1580 29.3.17

207 347 41.3 38/50 503 443 36.4 22/32

1659 1931

3.1.18 9.1.19

237 258 29.6 32/44

940

27.1.16

ALPINA B3 Biturbo 4dr saloon AAAAB B3 Biturbo 155 4.7 10.3 3.8 6.8 2.9 404 443 41.5

27/35

1610 29.8.13

ALPINE A110 2dr coupé AAAAA Premiere Edit’n 155 4.7 10.8 3.8 6.5 2.6 248 236 28.1

28/46

1103

16.5.18

ARIEL Atom 0dr open AAAAB V8 170 3.0 5.7 1.9 3.7 2.55 475 268 16.4 21/37 Nomad 0dr open AAAAA Nomad 125 4.5 12.7 3.9 7.7 3.10 235 221 26.7 —/—

650

10.8.11

735

24.6.15

ASTON MARTIN Vantage 2dr coupé AAAAB V8 195 3.7 8.3 3.0 10.5 2.7 DB11 2dr coupé AAAAB Launch Edition 200 4.0 8.4 3.0 10.1 2.6 Rapide 4dr saloon AAAAC Rapide S 190 5.3 11.3 4.3 8.3 3.0 DBS Superleggera 2dr coupé AAAAA DBS Superl’era 211 3.7 7.4 2.7 9.5 2.5

503 505 42.6 18/25

1720 23.5.18

600 516 46.2 24/34

1910

550 457 33.6 19/23

1990 20.3.13

715 664 42.7 19/26

1910

21.9.16

21.11.18

AU D I A3 3dr/5dr hatch AAAAC S’back e-tron 138 7.9 20.9 6.6 8.5 3.0 RS3 Saloon 155 4.0 9.9 3.5 9.0 2.7 A4 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC 2.0 TDI S line 147 8.4 22.2 7.3 11.2 3.1 RS4 Avant 155 4.0 9.6 3.5 11.0 3.0 A5 2dr coupé/convertible AAABC S5 155 4.9 11.7 4.4 9.7 3.0 A5 Sportback 4dr saloon AAABC 2.0 TFSI S line 155 5.7 15.1 5.3 17.2 2.5 A6 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC 40 TDI S l’e Avant 149 8.4 22.6 7.5 — 3.1 RS6 Avant 155 3.7 8.7 3.1 12.8 2.4 A7 Sportback 5dr hatch AAABC 50 TDI Sport 155 5.8 14.9 5.3 — 2.8 TT 2dr coupé/convertible AAAAC RS 155 3.6 8.4 3.0 7.8 2.7 Q2 5dr SUV AAAAC 1.4 TFSI Sport 132 8.1 23.9 8.2 9.8 2.7 SQ2 Quattro 155 4.5 11.6 4.1 9.2 2.72 Q5 5dr SUV AAAAC 2.0 TDI S line 135 8.3 26.4 8.5 14.7 3.1 SQ5 Quattro 155 5.5 13.7 5.0 11.1 2.6 Q7 5dr SUV AAAAC 3.0 TDI S line 145 6.2 17.6 6.2 3.8* — SQ7 4.0 TDI 155 5.1 12.6 4.4 7.0 2.9 Q8 5dr SUV AAAAC 50 TDI S Line 152 6.9 19.1 6.6 10.1 2.8 R8 2dr coupé AAAAC V10 Plus 205 3.1 6.7 2.6 5.7 2.8

1540 31.12.14 1515 6.9.17

187 295 37.1 45/50 444 443 38.4 24/37

1940 4.11.15 1790 14.2.18

349 369 40.5 26/33

1615

11.1.17

249 273 42.2 30/41

1535

8.3.17

201 295 51.0 39/50 552 516 40.0 20/28

1710 14.11.18 2010 3.7.13

282 457 49.0 29/53

1880

394 354 35.1

27/37

1440 7.12.16

148 184 29.4 45/56 296 295 33.4 27/35

1265 9.11.16 1530 20.3.19

187 295 42.0 37/43 349 369 45.2 26/32

1770 15.3.17 1870 21.6.17

268 443 47.6 32/36 429 664 47.6 24/38

2245 12.8.15 2330 26.10.16

282 443 44.9 29/40

2285 26.9.18

602 413 26.8 15/23

1555 30.12.15

11.7.18

626 664 52.4 20/26

2244 2.5.18

616 590 44.5 18/26

2475

7.8.13

505 752 44.8 18/21

2745

21.9.11

600 664 48.2 20/25 429 664 48.7 29/39

2440 18.5.16 2499 5.4.17

BMW 1 Series 3dr/5dr hatch AAABC 116d ED Plus 124 10.2 30.0 10.0 17.3 — 114 199 37.7 2 Series 3dr coupé/convertible AAAAB 220d C’vble 140 8.5 24.7 8.4 9.0 2.1 187 295 34.5 M2 155 4.4 10.3 3.6 6.2 2.6 365 343 33.7 2 Series Active Tourer 5dr MPV AAAAC 218d Luxury 129 8.9 26.5 8.7 12.1 3.0 148 243 40.4 3 Series 4dr saloon/5dr estate/5dr hatch AAAAB 320d Sport 146 7.7 20.9 7.6 9.7 2.6 181 280 36.2

TEST DATE

Weight (kg)

Mpg or equivalent; test average/ touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

0-100mph

0-60mph

Top speed

330e M Sport 140 6.3 15.7 5.7 6.9 2.9 249 4 Series 2dr coupé AAAAC 435i M Sport 155 5.5 13.2 5.2 6.3 2.7 302 M4 155 4.1 8.8 3.2 6.1 2.4 425 5 Series 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAB 520d M Sport 146 7.4 21.3 7.4 14.3 2.7 188 M5 155 3.3 7.5 2.7 8.9 3.1 591 6 Series GT 5dr hatch AAABC 630d xDrv M Spt 155 5.9 15.7 5.4 7.6 2.8 261 7 Series 4dr saloon AAAAC 730Ld 153 6.4 17.1 6.0 8.2 3.1 261 8 Series 2dr coupé AAAAC 840d xDrive 155 5.0 12.8 4.6 8.6 3.05 315 i3 5dr hatch AAAAC 1.3S Range Ext 99 7.7 — 6.6 4.0* 3.0 181 i8 2dr coupé AAAAB i8 155 4.5 10.6 3.7 3.3 2.8 357 X1 5dr SUV AAAAC xDrive20d xLine 136 8.2 24.2 8.0 11.8 2.8 187 X3 5dr SUV AAAAC xDrive20d M Spt 132 8.3 26.6 8.6 17.5 3.3 188 X4 5dr SUV AAABC xDrive30d 145 5.9 16.9 5.8 11.1 2.6 255 X5 5dr SUV AAAAC xDrive30d M Spt 143 6.6 18.9 6.6 15.1 3.36 261 M 155 4.2 9.8 3.5 10.2 2.8 567 X6 5dr SUV AAAAC xDrive35d 147 7.3 21.2 7.1 4.1* 2.6 282

310 40.8 40/47

1660 4.10.17

295 28.2 28/37 406 34.0 29/36

1585 18.9.13 1585 9.7.14

295 42.2 40/52 553 41.1 22/28

1635 31.5.17 1855 18.4.18

457 50.2 40/54

1880

8.11.17

457 50.2 40/49

1795

11.11.15

501 46.5 40/49

1901

16.1.19

199 —

1385 21.2.18

2.6/34†

420 33.3 50/40

1560

295 35.1

43/49

1625 14.10.15

295 41.2

37/49

1825

17.9.14

17.1.18

416 43.7 34/45

1895 27.8.14

457 47.1 35/43 553 42.3 21/26

2279 2.1.19 2350 13.5.15

428 34.0 26/31

2275 11.6.08

C AT E R H A M Seven 2dr roadster AAAAC 160 100 8.4 — 8.7 7.6 4.8 80 79 16.7 620S 145 3.8 9.2 3.2 5.7 2.7 310 219 21.2

39/45 25/29

490 20.11.13 610 9.3.16

CHEVROLET

201 258 30.7 45/49 394 354 33.7 29/35

BENTLEY Continental GT 2dr coupé AAAAB W12 First Edition 207 3.6 8.1 2.9 8.9 2.8 Flying Spur 4dr saloon AAABC W12 200 4.5 10.4 3.6 8.4 3.0 Mulsanne 4dr saloon AAAAC 6.75 V8 184 5.7 13.7 4.8 2.8* 2.6 Bentayga 5dr SUV AAAAA W12 187 4.9 11.6 4.4 8.7 3.0 Diesel 168 5.2 12.6 4.6 7.6 2.9

Make and model

TEST DATE

Weight (kg)

Mpg or equivalent; test average/ touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

0-100mph

0-60mph

Top speed

Make and model

A L FA R O M E O

54/60

1395 27.5.15

50/53 31/37

1610 1.4.15 1595 15.6.16

42/56

1450 24.12.14

41/57

1535 22.2.12

Weight (kg)

TEST DATE

Mpg or equivalent; test average/ touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

1147

9.8.17 15.8.18

FORD Fiesta 3/5dr hatch AAAAC 1.0T Ecoboost 122 9.6 28.1 9.6 13.2 3.2 123 Fiesta ST 3/5dr hatch AAAAB ST-3 1.5 T Ecb’st 144 6.6 16.2 5.7 6.4 2.7 197 Focus 5dr hatch AAAAB 1.5 Ecob’t 182PS 138 8.9 22.8 7.8 10.0 2.35 180 RS 165 5.3 13.9 5.3 6.9 3.5 345 S-Max 5dr MPV AAAAC 2.0 TDCi T’ium 123 10.5 32.0 10.4 13.9 2.5 148 Grand Tourneo Connect 5dr MPV AAAAC 1.6 TDCi T’ium 103 13.2 — 13.9 19.1 2.9 114 Mondeo 4dr saloon/5dr/estate AAAAC 2.0 TDCi 130 10.0 28.8 9.4 12.7 3.1 148 Mustang 2dr coupé AAAAC 5.0 V8 GT F’back 155 5.2 11.6 4.2 9.4 2.7 410 Bullitt 155 5.2 11.2 4.1 10.7 2.7 453 Ecosport 5dr SUV AABCC 1.5 TDCi 99 14.3 — 15.2 14.4 2.7 89 Kuga 5dr SUV AAAAC 2.0 TDCi 122 10.9 44.2 11.8 7.4 2.6 161 Edge 5dr SUV AAABC 2.0 TDCi 131 9.7 27.6 9.2 5.6* 2.6 207

with an automatic) and demonstrates flexibility. No one produces as thorough a judgement on a new » FU E L ECO N O MY Figures quoted are the average car as Autocar. As well as acceleration, braking, fuel and touring fuel economy as tested. The touring economy and noise tests, we carry out benchmark figure is representative of a 70mph cruise on a limit-handling tests, setting lap times if appropriate. typical UK motorway. For electric cars, the figures But we don’t just drive at the track, essential as it is for quoted are for the same average and touring test finding the limits of performance. We also drive on a schedules but are expressed in miles per kWh†. wide range of roads. Where we have tested more than one model in a range, the rating is for the range overall. **Denotes mpkg (miles per kilogram) for hydrogenpowered fuel cell vehicles. Where a model within the range meets our coveted » B R AKI N G 60 - 0 M PH Recorded on a high-grip five-star standard, it is highlighted in yellow. surface at a test track. » 30 -70 M PH Indicates overtaking ability » M PH/1000 R PM Figure is the speed achieved through the gears. in top gear. » 50 -70 M PH Recorded in top gear (*kickdown

Giulia 4dr saloon AAAAB Quadrifoglio 190 4.5 9.2 3.2 10.3 2.57 Stelvio 5dr SUV AAABC 2.2D 210 Milano 134 6.8 20.6 7.0 7.3 3.01 Quadrifoglio 176 4.0 9.4 3.3 5.9 3.31 4C 2dr coupé/convertible AAACC Spider 160 5.1 12.4 4.0 5.8 2.97

0-100mph

Facts, figures, from the best road tests

0-60mph

Make and model

ROAD TEST RESULTS

Top speed

ROAD TEST RESULTS

Camaro 2dr coupé AAAAC 6.2 V8 155 5.6 12.4 4.5 12.2 2.7 426 419 43.3 23/29 Corvette 2dr coupé AAAAC Stingray 181 4.4 9.4 3.3 11.7 2.3 460 465 48.4 22/33

1175 20.6.12 1539 8.10.14

CITROEN C3 5dr hatch AAABC P’tech 110 Flair 117 9.6 36.6 9.4 10.5 C3 Aircross 5dr hatch AAABC P’tech 110 Flair 115 11.5 36.4 10.7 12.3 C4 Cactus 5dr hatch AAACC 1.6 BlueHDi 100 114 11.8 41.2 11.7 7.2 C5 Aircross 5dr SUV AAABC BlueHDi 180 131 9.0 25.6 8.5 —

2.6 109 151

27.0 47/62

1050 28.12.16

27.5 35/39

1159

7.3.18 16.7.14

2.9 99

187 36.1

47/62

1225

2.83 174

295 40.1

37/48

1540 13.2.19

CUPRA Ateca 5dr SUV AAABC 2.0 TSI 4Drive 153 4.9 12.3 4.4 9.4 3.03 296 295 33.8 29/37

1187

1417 20.2.19 1599 4.5.16

258 39.5 44/46

1725 26.8.15

236 26.7 40/45

1785

6.8.14

258 38

1597

14.1.15

53/56

391 35.1 19/25 390 37.4 21/33

1720 24.2.16 1782 5.12.18

151

39/48

1384

251 31.6

34/39

1707 13.3.13

332 37

36/39

1949 27.7.16

3.9.14

H O N DA Civic 5dr hatch AAAAC 1.5 i-VTEC Turbo 126 7.8 19.3 7.0 8.7 Civic Type R 5dr hatch AAAAB 2.0 Type R GT 169 5.7 12.5 4.4 6.1 Clarity FCV AAAAC Clarity FCV 104 9.0 29.2 8.3 5.3* CR-V 5dr SUV AAABC 1.5T EX CVT AWD 124 9.2 26.1 8.4 5.2* HR-V 5dr SUV AAABC 1.6 i-DTEC SE 119 10.5 34.9 10.4 11.2 NSX 2dr coupé AAAAB NSX 191 3.3 7.3 2.6 4.3

2.7 180 177 26.6 39/49

1357

2.8 316 295 25.4 29/43

1380 25.10.17

2.9 174

221 na

51/72** 1872

19.4.17

12.7.17

3.3 190 179 39.5 32/38

1669

7.11.18

—

1324

16.9.15

118

221 34.4 56/57

2.7 573 476 35.8 25/32

1725 5.10.16

HYU N DAI i10 5dr hatch AAABC 1.0 SE 96 14.7 — 16.2 19.9 i20 5dr hatch AAAAC 1.4 SE 114 12.2 42.4 12.1 17.3 i30 5dr hatch/estate AAABC i30 N 155 6.4 14.8 5.6 6.1 1.4 Premium SE 129 9.5 28.9 9.7 10.9 Kona Electric 5dr SUV AAAAC 64kWh P’m SE 104 6.7 17.4 5.8 3.5* Santa Fe 5dr SUV AAABC 2.2 CRDi P’m SE 127 9.3 26.4 9.8 —

2.9 65

20.0 44/51

925

29.1.14

3.0 99

21.8

1060

7.1.14

43/54

3.1 271 260 27.4 31/43 2.7 138 178 28.1 39/49 3.1 201 291 —

1478 27.12.17 1423 13.9.17

3.7/4.0† 1734 31.10.18

2.78 197 325 40.2 38/51

2003 6.3.19

JAG UAR F-Type 2dr convertible/3dr coupé AAAAB V8 S Convertible 186 4.0 9.4 3.4 8.0 2.8 488 460 V6 S Coupé 171 4.9 12.1 4.2 12.7 2.7 375 339 2.0 Coupé R-Dy 155 5.8 14.7 5.1 9.5 2.8 296 295 XF 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAABC R-Sport 2.0 136 9.4 26.1 9.0 16.1 2.9 178 317 S’brake 300 R-S 155 6.6 16.8 6.2 10.6 2.81 296 295 XE 4dr saloon AAAAB R-Sport 2.0 147 7.6 19.0 6.9 13.3 2.7 197 206 XJ 4dr saloon AAAAC 3.0d LWB 155 6.3 16.5 6.6 3.6* 2.7 271 443 E-Pace 5dr SUV AAABC D180 AWD SE 127 9.9 30.9 10.5 14 3.6 178 317 F-Pace 5dr SUV AAAAC 2.0d AWD 129 9.2 30.9 9.7 7.4 — 178 317 I-Pace 5dr SUV AAAAB EV400 S 124 4.5 11.0 3.5 2.0 2.8 394 512

46.8 19/29 36.2 24/33 33.2 31/44

1655 12.6.13 1594 11.6.14 1640 22.11.17

44.1 44.1

1595 2.12.15 1727 17.4.19

47/56 24/37

33.8 30/49

1530

1.7.15

43.5 28/36

1960

9.6.10

45.8 36/49

1843

11.4.18

41.3

37/40

1775

11.5.16

—

1.8/2.4† 2133 12.9.18

1615

23.1.19

27.2.13

20.3 32/38

941

115

24.0 37/42

1179 22.8.18

DS 3 5dr hatch AAABC BlueHDi 120 118 9.9 32.2 9.4 11.1 3.1 118 210 36.4 59/67 4 Crossback 5dr hatch AAACC BlueHDi 120 117 12.0 48.8 12.3 18.0 2.9 118 221 36.7 49/50 7 Crossback 5dr SUV AAABC Puretech 225 141 8.6 20.2 7.0 15.1 2.9 221 221 34.0 35/45

Compass 5dr 4x4 AAACC 2.0 M’jet 4x4 L’d 118 11.0 39.0 11.4 Renegade 5dr 4x4 AAABC 2.0 M’jet 4x4 L’d 113 10.8 37.6 11.2 Cherokee 5dr 4x4 AABCC 2.0 140 4x4 Ltd 117 12.3 43.4 13.0 Wrangler 5dr 4x4 AAAAC 2.2 M’Jet-II Ov’d 112 9.0 29.9 9.1

10.9 2.8 138 258 34.2 38/45

1540 3.10.18

10.0 3.5 138 258 34.0 41/53

1502 28.10.15

13.8 2.7 138 258 34.7 39/43

1846 24.6.14

—

2044 10.4.19

2.37 197 332 38.3 29/38

KIA

DACIA

1150 23.3.16 1290

6.1.16

1425

19.9.18

FERRARI

Stinger 4dr saloon AAABC 2.0 T-GDI GT-L S 149 7.4 18.2 6.4 10.9 2.9 Rio 5dr hatch AAABC 1.0 T-GDI 3 Eco 115 10.0 37.0 10.5 12.3 3.2 Ceed 5dr hatch AAABC 1.6 CRDi 115 2 119 9.9 30.8 9.6 15.3 2.9 Proceed 5dr shooting brake AAABC 1.4 T-GDi 127 9.5 28.1 8.9 13.2 2.87 Niro 5dr SUV AAABC 1.6 GDI DCT 2 101 9.7 30.0 9.5 12.8 3.5 e-Niro First Ed’n 104 7.2 19.0 — 3.7* 2.70 Sportage 5dr SUV AAABC 1.7 CRDi ISG 2 109 12.1 46.4 13.1 16.8 3.3 Sorento 5dr 4x4 AAABC 2.2 CRDi KX-4 128 9.3 28.6 9.4 5.7* —

244 260 36.7 32/43

1717 25.4.18

127 27.1

40/50

1228

113

207 41.4

50/70

1388 29.8.18

138 179 24.1

34/43

1475 27.2.19

139 108/125 31.9 201 291 —

49/50 1500 31.8.16 3.5/3.6† 1776 1.5.19

114

1.3.17

207 34.4 50/51

1500

2.3.16

197 325 35.2 35/39

1953

8.4.15

LAMBORGHINI

488 GTB 2dr coupé AAAAA 488 GTB 205 3.0 5.9 2.0 3.7 2.43 661 561 28.9 —/— 812 Superfast 2dr coupé AAAAC F12 Berlinetta 211 3.1 6.2 2.2 4.9 2.6 789 530 30.0 —/24

1525 25.5.16 1630 25.7.18

F I AT Panda 5dr hatch AAAAB 4x4 Twinair 103 14.6 — 15.8 16.0 3.0 84 500 3dr hatch AAAAC Abarth 595 130 7.5 20.1 6.4 7.0 2.8 158 500 Twinair 108 11.7 — 13 15.3 3.3 84 Tipo 5dr hatch AABCC 1.6 M’jet Lounge 124 9.6 31.6 9.8 8.7 2.9 118 124 Spider 2dr roadster AAABC Lusso Plus 134 7.3 20.9 7.1 7.2 2.8 138 Abarth 124 Spider 2dr roadster AAAAC 124 Spider 144 6.8 18.6 6.5 6.5 2.8 168

214 26.0 38/48 177 26.9 30/44 325 27.3 28/37

JEEP

3.5 109 151

Sandero 5dr hatch AAACC 1.2 75 Access 97 15.3 — 17.6 23.0 3.0 74 Duster 5dr hatch AAAAC SCe 115 Comfort 107 13.1 — 12.5 23.9 2.9 113

125 29.3 42/52

107 20.8 37/44

1050 17.4.13

170 23.9 34/39 107 22.9 35/39

1035 26.2.14 1070 24.11.10

236 35.0 49/62

1295

177 24.9 34/38

1050 28.9.16

2.11.16

184 25.2 35/45

1060 22.3.17

Huracán 2dr coupé AAAAB Performante 201 2.9 5.9 2.0 4.9 3.0 630 442 24.5 17/22

1382 11.10.17

L AN D ROVE R Discovery Sport 5dr SUV AAAAB TD6 HSE Luxury 130 8.7 27.7 8.7 8.9 3.4 254 Range Rover 5dr SUV AAAAB 4.4 SDV8 135 7.0 19.0 6.7 3.8* 2.9 334 Range Rover Evoque 5dr SUV AAAAC 2.2 DS4 121 8.4 30.8 9.5 5.7* 3.1 187 Range Rover Velar 5dr SUV AAABC D240 HSE 135 9.3 27.4 9.0 15.7 3.8 237 Range Rover Sport 5dr SUV AAAAB 3.0 TDV6 130 7.8 22.5 7.5 12.2 3.1 255 SVR 162 4.4 10.3 3.8 12.6 2.6 542

443 37.1

26/34

2230 12.4.17

516 41.8

25/35

2625 12.12.12

310 37.3 30/36

1815

369 41.8

33/48

2089 30.8.17

13.7.11

442 43.1 502 41.8

33/42 22/19

2115 2.10.13 2335 15.4.15

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 79

LEXUS LC 2dr coupé AAAAC LC500 Sport+ 168 5.2 11.3 NX 5dr SUV AAACC 300h 112 9.7 30.4 RC F 2dr coupé AAACC RC F 168 4.8 10.7 ES 4dr saloon AAABC 300h Takumi 112 8.7 21.8 LS 4dr saloon AAACC 500h Prem AWD 155 5.9 15.4

5.6* 2.7 194 na

32/38

1905

24/28

1765 18.2.15

7.6

42/49

4.6* 2.91 215 na

—

1970 18.10.17

3.9 12.9 2.9 471 391 39 —

5.3 12.4 2.8 295 258 36.9 30/42

LOTUS Elise 2dr roadster AAABC Cup 250 154 4.7 11.9 4.5 7.2 2.5 243 184 24.7 27/32 Evora 2dr coupé AAAAC Evora S 2+0 172 4.5 11.3 4.0 6.8 2.4 345 295 34.8 21/26 Exige S 2dr coupé AAAAB Exige S 170 4.1 9.6 3.7 5.5 2.5 345 295 27 21/30

M A S E R AT I Ghibli 4dr saloon AAABC Diesel 155 6.5 17.2 6.0 5.1 2.7 271 443 43.3 31/40 Levante 5dr SUV AAACC Diesel 143 6.8 19.9 6.9 4.3 3.4 271 443 46 26/42

1.10.14

2205 30.11.16

7.7 2.4 710 568 35.4 19/24

1420 24.5.17

3.3 129 111

44/56

24.5 46/49

104 199 34.8 59/60

3.0 148 280 37.0 43/53

20.3 2.9 79

42/54

1036 9.10.13

12.7 3.0 115 117 19.5 36/46 7.2 2.5 197 184 23.8 31/39

1230 3.11.10 1295 22.5.13

12.9 2.9 109 192 35.0 49/56

1365 19.2.14

11.2 3.0 128 236 32.8 42/48

1550 13.8.14

5.3 2.7 562 470 28.0 22/31

1752 16.11.16

21.8

1305 14.10.09

9.1 2.9 81 87 21.2 41/45 6.7 2.9 205 221 25.6 41/42

1080 1160

18.7.12 11.2.15

13.9 3.0 114

199 38.5 48/59

1395

15.1.14

10.8 2.6 174

295 43.9 35/52

1535 24.10.18

11.8 3.2 114

199 32.7 49/59

1180

13.2 3.2 118

221 34.6 42/53

1300

11.5 2.7 148 273 37.6 51/60

1490

2135 13.3.19

469 479 38.1 19/25 503 516 35.6 21/27 503 516 43.2 26/34 429 384 43.8 31/39

TEST DATE

Weight (kg)

Mpg or equivalent; test average/ touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

0-100mph

0-60mph

Top speed

Tivoli XLV AAACC ELX auto 107 12.0 44.5 12.6 7.9 3.1 113 XV 5dr SUV AAACC 2.0i SE L’tronic 120 10.1 27.7 9.0 Levorg 5dr estate AAACC GT 1.6i L’tronic 130 8.4 24.6 7.9 Forester 5dr SUV AAACC 2.0d XC 118 9.9 36.5 10.5 WRX 4dr saloon AAACC STi Type UK 159 5.4 13.3 5.1

18.7.18

2.3 874 944 41.2

1740 22.10.14

3.0 416 627 50.7 32/43

2050

2.4 394 406 35.7 22/31

2000 4.6.14

2.8 542 568 44.7 21/31

2250

1.2.17

5.9.18

R E N A U LT

23.8 38/47 20.8 32/37 27

26/33

33.9 47.2 32.1

47/61

35.0 52/69 —

34/38

51.2

8/28

46.0 18/23 45.9 15/27 47.7

19/25

27.2 45/56 35.6 47/54 27.2 28/36

865 29.10.14 31.7.13

1009 6.3.13 1204 23.10.13 1297

5.11.14

1387

17.8.16

36.1

38/47

1629 30.1.19

33.5 37/48

1751 23.11.16

26.1

45/49

125 26.3 45/56

925

3.0 67

835 25.3.15

22.4 54/57

17.5.17

2.9 110

125 26.3 50/55

950

2.6 118

236 35.1

57/67

1290 30.10.13

29/35

1112

4.4 100 95

19.8

—

24.3 49/47

118

115

3.8.16

28.11.18

1075 29.4.15

2.4/3.3† 2200 20.4.16 1.6/2.0† 2508 15.2.17

9.8 2.9 209 184 27.7 27/39

1135 28.3.18

10.6 2.6 197 151

23.5 30/45

1235

6.4* 3.1 121

—

1400 16.3.16

—

53/63

4.7.12

6.5* 3.3 152 247 22.5 44/62** 1400 27.4.16 7.3* 2.7 121

—

49/60

1420

4.1.17

21.8

39/45

1086

6.2.13

20.3 49/55

938

15.7.15

148 34.8 37/42 181 23.8 29/34

1176 19.11.14 1280 6.5.15

170 30.5 40/54

1199

236 33.4 55/58 258 33.7 57/59

1350 30.9.15 1435 13.4.16

7.6.17

184 32.0 45/60

1552 27.12.18

295 36.1

1507

39/51

3.5.17

354 38.6 36/47

1807 30.5.18

546 34.9 20/27

1858

10.1.18

147 24.7 39/54

1070 21.3.18

129 27.1 236 —

1145 1355

43/57 37/47

258 34.4 32/38 258 7.6 44/45 184 28.0 40/52

31.1.18 1.8.18

1402 10.7.13 1599 20.5.15 1324 2.8.17

236 35.6 31/37

1495 24.1.18

369 37.8 38/56

1828 27.9.17

295 37.9 45/52 295 32.3 38/43

1614 1722

4.2.15 7.9.16

251 37.0 54/60

1571

3.2.16

251 40.0 44/52

1683 22.6.16

332 22.7 38/45

2386 23.12.15

442 47.6 37/42

2070

13.7 3.0 188 295 39.8 38/44

1735

7.2.18

9.2 3.0 179 295 39.4 46/59

1580

5.3.14

11.1 2.6 188 295 40.1

40/51

1717

13.7.16

12.7 2.8 188 295 41.0

35/43

1847 27.6.18

8.8.18

V O LV O

1505

3.1/3.9†

2.9 110

Up 3/5dr hatch AAAAC GTI 1.0 TSI 115 122 8.5 25.7 7.8 7.6 2.8 114 Polo 5dr hatch AAAAB 116 10.7 34.4 11.1 12.1 2.8 94 1601 25.1.17 1.0 TSI 95 SE GTI 147 6.7 17.4 5.9 8.6 2.8 197 1380 21.10.15 Golf 3/5dr hatch AAAAB GTI Perf. DSG 155 6.5 16.4 5.9 8.9 2.8 227 1747 20.8.17 GTE 138 7.7 18.2 6.1 7.7 2.5 201 1.5 TSI R-line 134 8.8 22.7 8.1 9.9 2.1 148 T-Roc 5dr SUV AAAAB 2.0 TSI SEL 4Mn 134 6.7 20.2 6.5 13.3 3.2 187 2560 4.4.18 Arteon 5dr hatch AAABC 2.0 BITDI 240 152 6.5 17.7 6.2 8.9 3.3 237 2450 7.7.10 Passat 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC 2.0 TDI 190 GT 144 8.7 23.6 8.1 13.1 3.2 187 2435 21.5.14 GTE 140 7.6 19.0 6.1 7.8 3.3 215 Touran 5dr MPV AAAAC 2560 1.6.16 2.0 TDI 150 SE 128 9.9 29.3 9.7 13.6 3.2 148 Tiguan 5dr SUV AAAAB 2.0 TDI 150 SE 127 10.4 33 9.6 12.4 3.2 148 Caravelle 5dr MPV AAAAC 1047 19.7.17 2.0 BITDI Exec. 126 11.6 36.1 11.7 10.2 3.2 201 Touareg 5dr SUV AAABC 1350 4.9.13 3.0 TDI R-Ln Tch 146 7.2 18.6 6.5 21.5 2.8 282 1441 26.3.14

29.8 33/39

—

1534 25.6.14

V O L K S WA G E N

37.2 47/54

36.4 50/62

5.6.13

9.4 2.8 296 300 27.6 23/31

Adam 3dr hatch AAACC 1.2 Jam Ecoflex 103 14.3 — 15.3 20.8 2.8 68 Viva 5dr hatch AAABC 1.0 SE A/C 106 13.0 — 14.1 19.0 — 74 Corsa 3/5dr hatch AAABC 1.4T SRi VX-Line 115 11.7 45.1 12.1 15.3 2.9 99 VXR 143 7.2 18.3 6.4 7.8 2.4 202 Crossland X 5dr SUV AAACC 1.2T 130 Elite 128 9.8 31.4 10.3 8.9 2.9 128 Astra 5dr hatch/estate AAAAC 1.6 CDTi 136 SRi 127 8.8 25.7 8.8 8.6 2.6 134 ST CDTi B’tbo SRi137 8.4 22.2 7.7 8.1 2.6 158 Combo Life 5dr MPV AAABC 1.5 TD 100 En’gy 109 14.7 — 16.2 14.4 2.8 99 Insignia Grand Sport 4dr saloon AAAAC 2.0D SRi VX-Line140 8.7 23.8 7.9 8.9 2.7 168 Insignia Sports Tourer 5dr estate AAACC GSI 2.0 B’tbo D 144 8.4 23.1 7.7 9.5 2.7 207 VXR8 4dr saloon AAAAC GTS-R 155 4.8 9.6 3.3 6.6 3.1 587

15.11.17 XC40 5dr SUV AAAAB D4 AWD First Ed. 130 8.5 24.8 8.5 1300 19.10.16 S60 4dr saloon AAAAC D4 SE Nav 143 7.6 20.4 6.9 S90 4dr saloon AAAAC D4 Momentum 140 8.2 22.1 7.9 1200 23.8.17 V60 5dr estate AAAAC D4 M’tum Pro 137 8.9 23.8 8.2 XC60 5dr SUV AAABC D4 AWD R-Des’n 127 8.9 26.2 8.8 1109 21.1.15 XC90 5dr SUV AAAAC D5 Momentum 137 8.3 23.9 8.3 1392 16.8.17

26.2 37/41

13.1.16

1540

VA U X H A L L

1535 20.1.16

4.0/3.4† 1468

1537

11.0 2.9 145 258 33.0 41/49

T OYO TA

1470

7.8

1451 28.2.18

TESLA

19.6.13

2.9 414 369 36.4 27/31

20.8 42/52

34/36

Model S 4dr saloon AAAAB P90D 155 5.2 9.1 3.0 1.9 2.9 525 713 8.5 Model X 5dr SUV AAAAC 90D 155 4.7 13.1 2.8 2.5 2.7 416 487 8.5

2.6 691 553 32.1

Twingo 5dr hatch AAABC 94 17.6 — 19.1 29.4 2.9 69 67 362 384 40.4 27/33 1595 6.7.16 Dynamique Zoe 5dr hatch AAABC 84 12.3 — 13.9 9.1 2.9 87 162 503 516 43.4 19/26 2020 13.6.18 Dynamique Clio 5dr hatch AAAAC MERCEDES-BENZ 0.9 TCE 113 13.4 — 13.9 19.1 2.8 89 100 A-Class 5dr hatch AAAAC RS 200 Turbo 143 7.4 20.9 6.9 9.1 2.8 197 177 A200 Sport 139 8.7 22.4 7.9 — 3.2 161 184 33.6 39/57 1379 4.7.18 Mégane 3dr hatch AAAAB B-Class 5dr MPV AAAAC 275 Trophy-R 158 6.4 14.0 5.0 6.4 3.1 271 266 B180 Sport 132 8.4 23.5 8.3 — 2.73 134 148 33.6 33/51 1405 3.4.19 New Mégane 5dr hatch AAACC C-Class 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC 1.5 dCi Dyn. S Nav 116 11.1 35.2 11.1 13.2 2.8 108 192 C220 Bluetec 145 8.1 22.9 8.1 11.7 2.8 168 295 42.4 41/51 1700 23.7.14 Grand Scenic 5dr MPV AAABC CLA 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAABC dCi 130 Dyn. S Nav 118 11.4 35.8 11.3 10.2 3.4 129 236 220 CDI Sport 143 8.3 23.1 8.0 4.8 2.9 168 258 37.3 44/54 1525 26.6.13 Kad jar 5dr SUV AAAAC 14.6 17.2 2.3 108 192 200 CDI S’t S’Brk 134 10.1 29.7 9.6 11.9 3.4 134 221 33.5 53/59 1555 18.11.15 dCi 115 Dyn. S Nav 113 14.5 — Koleos 5dr SUV AAACC E-Class 4dr saloon/5dr estate/2dr convertible/2dr coupé AAAAC E400 Coupé 155 5.6 13.4 4.9 14.8 2.9 328 354 46.7 30/39 1845 14.6.17 dCi 175 4WD Sig. 126 9.8 31.3 10.1 14.3 2.9 175 280 S-Class 4dr saloon/2dr coupé AAAAA R O L L S - R OYC E S350 Bluetec 155 7.3 19.0 6.8 3.9* 2.7 255 457 45.6 34/44 1975 16.10.13 S63 AMG Coupé 155 4.5 9.6 3.4 6.8 2.7 577 664 42.8 22/25 2070 3.12.14 Phantom 4dr saloon AAAAA Phantom 155 5.5 11.8 4.4 2.5* 2.8 563 664 GLA 5dr SUV AAABC GLA220 CDI SE 134 8.1 23.8 7.8 4.7 2.65 168 258 36.4 40/48 1535 14.5.14 Ghost 4dr saloon AAAAC Ghost 155 4.9 10.6 3.9 2.3* 2.6 563 575 GLC 5dr SUV AAAAC GLC250d 143 7.8 23.5 7.8 15.7 3.2 201 369 46.9 39/43 1845 10.2.16 Wraith 2dr coupé AAAAB Wraith 155 4.6 10.0 4.5 2.1* 2.9 624 590 GL 5dr SUV AAAAC GL350 AMG Sp’t 137 8.3 24.8 8.2 5.0* 2.6 255 457 37.7 28/33 2455 24.7.13 Dawn 2dr convertible AAAAC Dawn 155 5.2 11.6 4.2 2.4* 2.9 563 575 X-Class 4dr pick-up AAABC X250d 4Matic 109 11.2 38.9 11.6 — 3.2 187 332 31.3 27/36 2159 20.6.18 S E AT SL 2dr convertible AAAAC SL500 155 4.3 9.9 3.6 6.5 2.7 429 516 39.6 10/24 1815 8.8.12 Ibiza 5dr hatch AAAAB SE Tech’y 1.0 TSI 113 10.0 34.1 10.0 10.1 3.0 94 129 MG Leon 3/5dr hatch AAAAC 3 5dr hatch AAABC SC 2.0 TDI FR 142 8.0 22.1 7.5 9.6 2.9 181 280 1.5 3Form Sp’t 108 11.4 41.5 11.6 19.6 2.8 105 101 22.2 37/41 1150 25.12.13 Cupra SC 280 155 5.9 13.6 4.4 7.1 2.7 276 258 GS 5dr SUV AAACC Arona 5dr SUV AAAAC 1.5 TGI Excite 118 8.9 25.5 8.3 12.4 2.8 164 184 29.3 29/38 1395 20.7.16 SE Tech’y 1.0 TSI 107 10.5 — 10.6 11.9 3.1 94 129 Ateca 5dr SUV AAAAB MINI 1.6 TDI SE 114 10.5 35.6 9.3 14.0 2.9 114 184 Mini 3dr hatch AAAAB SMART Cooper S 146 6.9 17.1 5.9 6.7 2.5 189 221 26.4 35/54 1235 2.4.14 C’per S Wks 210 146 7.2 16.4 6.0 6.5 3.0 207 221 26.5 31/47 1235 6.12.17 Forfour Electric Drive 5dr hatch AABCC Prime Premium 81 13.2 — 14.5 10.6 2.8 80 118 Clubman 5dr hatch AAABC Cooper D 132 8.6 25.9 8.2 10.0 2.9 148 243 34.9 51/52 1320 25.11.15 S KO DA Convertible 2dr convertible AAAAB Cooper 129 9.2 25.4 8.8 12.4 2.7 134 162 31.0 46/53 1280 6.4.16 Fabia 5dr hatch AAAAC 1.2 TSI 90 SE-L 113 12.6 46 12.5 15.0 3.4 89 118 Countryman 5dr hatch AAABC Cooper D 129 9.0 26.4 8.4 11.5 2.8 148 243 36.2 42/48 1480 22.2.17 Octavia 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC Plug-in Hybrid 123 6.7 24.4 6.2 5.5 3.5 221 284 30.1 42/50 1735 26.7.17 vRS 245 Estate 155 6.9 16.2 5.8 7.3 2.9 242 273 Superb 5dr hatch/estate AAAAB MITSUBISHI 2.0 TDI SE 135 8.8 24.9 8.2 11.2 2.8 148 251 Eclipse Cross 5dr SUV AAACC Karoq 5dr SUV AAABC 1.5 First Ed 2WD 127 9.0 26.5 8.3 13.8 3.0 161 184 30.9 34/45 1455 14.3.18 2.0 TDI 150 Scout 122 8.9 28.7 9.6 12.8 2.86 148 251 Kodiaq 5dr SUV AAAAC Outlander 5dr SUV AAABC PHEV GX4hs 106 10.0 30.5 9.5 6.2 3.0 200 245 — 44/38 1810 16.4.14 2.0 TDI Edition 121 9.5 34.7 10.1 12.2 2.8 148 251

31/39

21.0 2.6 168 184 31.9

SUZUKI

1335 1430 1375

28/44

1425 14.9.16

27.0 3.4 154 145 41.5

Swift 5dr hatch AAABC 1.0 SZ5 121 10.5 33.0 10.3 11.8 Celerio 5dr hatch AAABC 1.0 SZ4 96 12.9 — 14.3 25.0 Baleno 5dr hatch AAABC 1.0T B’jet SZ5 124 9.8 29.5 9.7 11.2 SX4 S-Cross 5dr SUV AAABC 1.6 DDiS SZ4 111 10.0 32.6 10.1 8.9 Jimny 3dr SUV AAABC 1.5 SZ5 Allgrip 90 11.9 — 11.6 15.1 Vitara 5dr SUV AAABC 1.6 SZ5 112 9.5 29.8 9.5 15.5

2.5 296 280 25.8 26/36 2.5 345 310 25.8 28/29 2.5 361 310 25.8 28/39 19/28

221 33.2 45/58

SUBARU

Yaris 3dr hatchback AAABC GRMN 143 6.4 15.4 5.4 18.1.17 GT86 2dr coupé AAAAA 2.0 manual 140 7.4 18.8 6.8 1.11.17 Prius 5dr hatch AAAAC Business E’tion 112 11.1 32.0 10.7 Mirai 4dr saloon AAAAC Mirai 111 10.1 36.5 10.2 8.6.16 C-HR 5dr SUV AAAAC 10.8.16 Excel 1.8 Hybrid 106 11.6 43.5 11.9 9.5.18

PORSCHE

577 590 42.6 22/30

MERCEDES-AMG

Make and model

TEST DATE

Weight (kg)

Mpg or equivalent; test average/ touring

1068 26.4.17 1105 27.3.19

503 479 34.7 20/29 577 516 30.7 19/23

6.0 2.3 903 664 36.0 19.6/—

80 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

103 24.3 45/57 148 31.2 33/55

718 2dr coupé/roadster AAAAB Boxster 171 5.4 12.2 4.3 5.2 1345 10.10.18 Cayman S 177 4.8 10.5 3.9 4.8 Cayman GTS 180 4.8 10.2 3.5 4.7 — 7.5.14 911 GT2 2dr coupé AAAAC GT2 RS 211 3.0 6.1 2.2 5.6 911 2dr coupé AAAAB Carrera S 190 4.5 9.4 3.4 7.3 1715 3.6.15 918 Spyder 2dr coupé AAAAA 214 2.6 5.3 1.9 2.2 1850 8.2.17 4.6 V8 1745 24.4.19 Panamera 4dr saloon AAAAA 4S Diesel 177 4.1 10.3 3.8 — 1980 17.10.18 Macan 5dr SUV AAAAB Turbo 165 4.7 11.8 4.3 7.9 1715 29.7.15 Cayenne 5dr SUV AAAAC 177 3.9 9.3 3.3 5.3 1555 10.5.17 Turbo

8.0 2.4 789 590 35.7 16/25

C63 4dr saloon AAAAB C63 155 4.4 9.7 3.4 7.5 2.7 C63 S C’vertible 155 4.6 10.2 3.4 7.1 2.7 C63 S Coupé 180 4.3 9.2 3.2 10.7 2.69 CLS53 4dr saloon AAAAC CLS53 4Matic+ 155 4.3 10.3 3.7 9.1 2.7 GT 2dr coupé AAAAC S 193 3.6 7.8 2.8 5.5 2.5 R 198 3.6 7.3 2.7 4.6 2.4 GT 4-Door Coupé 4dr coupé AAAAB GT63 4Matic+ 193 3.3 7.7 2.7 10.7 2.8 SLC 2dr convertible AAABC SLC43 155 5.5 12.3 4.2 12.7 3.0 GLC 5dr SUV AAABC GLC63 S 4Mtic+ 155 3.7 8.9 3.2 15.4 2.8

15.6 2.8 89 16.5 3.2 115

M600 2dr coupé AAAAB M600 225 3.5 6.8 2.5 4.7 2.45 650 604 29.9 18/25

10.2 2.6 562 443 36.5 23/37

109 27.9 51/55

McLAREN 570S 2dr coupé AAAAA 3.8 V8 204 3.1 6.4 2.2 720S 2dr coupé AAAAA 4.0 V8 212 2.9 5.6 2.0 Senna 2dr coupé AAAAA 4.0 V8 208 3.1 5.5 1.9 P1 2dr coupé AAAAA P1 217 2.8 5.2 2.2

6.6.12

PEUGEOT

2.7 173 309 35

—

520

NOBLE

208 3/5dr hatch AAACC 1050 22.4.15 1.2 VTI Active 109 14.2 — 14.5 GTi 30th 143 6.5 16.1 5.8 1480 23.1.13 308 3/5dr hatch AAAAC 1.6 e-HDi 115 118 10.1 32.6 10.4 1050 2.9.15 508 4dr saloon AAAAC GT Bl’HDi 180 146 8.8 23.4 8.5 1275 22.7.15 2008 5dr SUV AAABC 1.6 e-HDi 117 10.7 37.8 11.5 1594 28.6.17 3008 5dr SUV AAABC 1.6 Bl’HDi GT L’e 117 12.0 44.3 12.1 5008 5dr MPV AAABC 2.0 Bl’HDi GT L’e 129 10.8 28.8 9.7 1440 30.3.16

3.1 89

1230 22.8.12

NISSAN

Micra 5dr hatch AAAAC 1742 6.2.19 0.9 N-Connecta 109 12.1 44.7 11.7 DIG-T 117 N-Sport 121 10.2 28.8 9.4 2380 6.6.18 Note 5dr hatch AAAAC 1.2 Acenta Pr’m 106 12.6 — 13.4 Juke 5dr SUV AAABC Acenta 1.6 111 10.3 41.6 9.9 920 29.6.16 Nismo 1.6 134 6.9 17.2 6.0 Qashqai 5dr SUV AAAAB 113 10.8 39.2 11.1 1430 30.3.11 1.5 dCi 2WD X-Trail 5dr SUV AAABC 117 11.2 39.7 11.7 1176 3.4.13 1.6 dCi 2WD GT-R 2dr coupé AAAAB Recaro 196 3.4 7.8 2.7 1835 12.3.14

S S A N GYO N G

Plus 8 2dr roadster AAACC 4.8 V8 — 4.9 11.1 4.0 8.3 3.2 390 370 36.0 24/32 3 Wheeler 2dr roadster AAAAA 3 Wheeler 115 8.0 29.9 7.7 5.1 3.56 80 103 21.3 30/—

MAZDA 2 5dr hatch AAAAC 1.5 Sky’v-G SE 114 10.4 38.0 7.0 20.2 6 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC 2.2 Sport Nav 139 7.9 21.2 7.1 7.9 MX-5 2dr roadster AAAAB 1.5 SE-L Nav 127 8.4 24.8 7.9 14.7 CX-3 5dr SUV AAABC 1.5D SE-L Nav 110 10.3 34.7 10.3 10.3 CX-5 5dr SUV AAAAC 2.2D Sport Nav 127 9.4 26.3 9.1 10.4

Braking 60-0mph

MORGAN

4.2 12.0 3.1 471 398 60.6 27/39 9.1

50-70mph

30-70mph

0-100mph

0-60mph

Top speed

Make and model

TEST DATE

Weight (kg)

Mpg or equivalent; test average/ touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

0-100mph

0-60mph

Top speed

Make and model

ROAD TEST RESULTS

1165

14.2 2.8 188 295 38.9 40/49

1836

5.0* —

2009 17.6.15

222 347 33.6 37/39

5.7.17

WESTFIELD

9.9.15

Sport 0dr roadster AAAAC Sport 250 142 3.6 11.1 6.4 4.0 2.7 252 270 22.7 32/42

665 29.11.17

ZENOS E10 0dr roadster AAAAB S 140 4.3 11.2 4.1

5.3 2.9 250 295 33.9 21/23

725

7.10.15

What Car? New Car Buying Find your perfect deal today at whatcar.com/new - car - deals Buy your next car from home Our online service links you with trusted dealers who will match or beat our Target Price - so you can get your perfect new car at a discount without the hassle of haggling.

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NEW CARS A Z P

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For full reviews of every car listed here, visit our website, autocar.co.uk ECONOMY EXPLAINED Between the various figures produced on the old-style ‘NEDC’, transitional ‘NEDC correlated’ and new-style ‘WLTP’ lab emissions and fuel economy tests, it’s become tricky to compare manufacturers’ claimed efficiency on the latest new cars. When you see a fuel economy and CO2 figure reference elsewhere, it’s often without explanation. So, to provide as fair and clear a basis for comparison as possible, you’ll only ever read ‘WLTP combined’ fuel economy and CO2 figures in Autocar’s first drive reviews, features and comparison tests – and on these data pages. Those are the aggregated result of four lab tests carried out across as many different cruising speed ranges – although they’re sometimes expressed as a range rather than as one specific figure to show the different results recorded by the heaviest and lightest available examples of the car in question (depending on optional equipment). Not all car makers have published these figures yet, however. In road tests, you’ll also see our own independently produced real-world fuel economy test results for comparison with the lab test claims. We produce an ‘average’, ‘track’ and ‘touring’ figure for each car we test – as often as possible on a brim-to-brim test basis. While ‘average’ represents the overall economy returned by a new car over a full road test, and ‘track’ is relevant only to intensive performance testing (the length and conditions of which can vary slightly), ‘touring’ gives the best guide of the kind of economy you might see from a car at a steady 70mph UK motorway cruise. We do real-world efficiency and range testing on electric cars, too, expressing the former in terms of miles per kilowatt hour, as EV manufacturers do increasingly widely by convention. S TA R R AT I N G S E X P L A I N E D

CCCCC Inherently dangerous/unsafe. Tragically, BCCCC ACCCC ABCCC AACCC AABCC AAACC AAABC AAAAC AAAAB AAAAA

irredeemably flawed. Appalling. Massively significant failings. Very poor. Fails to meet any accepted class boundaries. Poor. Within acceptable class boundaries in a few areas. Still not recommendable. Off the pace. Below average in nearly all areas. Acceptable. About average in key areas, but disappoints. Competent. Above average in some areas, average in others. Outstanding in none. Good. Competitive in key areas. Very good. Very competitive in key areas, competitive in secondary respects. Excellent. Near class-leading in key areas and in some ways outstanding. Brilliant, unsurpassed. All but flawless.

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D5 S 4dr saloon £62,000 AAAAC 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.6 TBC TBC AAABC The excellent 5 Series receives some Alpina tweaking to make it a 2.0 35 TDI 148 136 8.9 TBC TBC brilliant cruiser. LxWxH 4956x1868x1466 Kerb weight 1870kg 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.4 TBC TBC 3.0 BiTurbo 345 171 4.9 TBC TBC 1.4 T-jet 145 143 130 7.8 37.2 134 A4 Avant 5dr estate £30,125–£34,825 AAAAC ALPINE 1.4 T-jet 160 Trofeo 157 135 7.4 35.3 134 Classy and demure estate lacks the dynamic sparkle of rivals. 1.4 T-jet 165 Turismo 162 135 7.3 38.2 139 A110 2dr coupé £46,905-£50,805 AAAAA LxWxH 4725x1842x1434 Kerb weight 1370kg 1.4 T-jet 180 Competizione 177 140 6.9 36.2 155 A much, much greater car and achievement than the sum of its 2.0 35 TFSI 148 136 8.9 TBC TBC parts suggest. LxWxH 4180x1980x1252 Kerb weight 1080kg 2.0 40 TFSI 187 148 7.5 TBC TBC 695 3dr hatch/2dr open £23,530 AAABC 1.8 Turbo 252 155 4.5 TBC TBC 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.0 TBC TBC A convincing track-day 500 with decent dynamic ability, but overly 2.0 35 TDI 148 132 9.2 TBC TBC ARIEL firm ride spoils it. LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight 1045kg 2.0 40 TDI 187 144 7.9 TBC TBC 1.4 T-jet 180 Rivale 177 140 6.7 36.2 155 Atom 0dr open £39,950 AAAAB 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 143 7.6 TBC TBC ABARTH

595 3dr hatch/2dr open £16,130–£21,430

The Fiat 500’s Abarth makeover makes it a true pocket rocket. LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight 1070kg

Simple, purist concept remains but everything else has changed…

124 Spider 2dr open £29,775–£33,775

AAAAB for the better. LxWxH 3520x1880x1122 Kerb weight 595kg 2.0 turbo 320 162 2.8 TBC TBC

Only a mildly upgraded version of the standard car – but what a revelation it is. LxWxH 4054x1740x1233 Kerb weight 1060kg 1.4 T-jet 170

Nomad 0dr open £38,000

A5 2dr coupé £34,255–£48,875

AAAAC

Refreshed coupé gets a sharper look and a refreshed interior. Still mundane to drive. LxWxH 4673x1846x1371 Kerb weight 1390kg

AAAAA 2.0 35 TFSI 148 140 8.9 47.9 133 2.0 40 TFSI 187 150 7.2 47.1 135 3.0 V6 TFSI S5 quattro 349 155 4.7 38.2 170 Mito 3dr hatch £15,505–£21,385 AAACC 2.4 K24 i-VTEC 235 125 3.4 TBC TBC 2.9 V6 TFSI RS5 quattro 443 155 3.9 32.5 197 Likeable, good-looking hatch is practical, too, but dynamic flaws 2.0 40 TDI 187 150 7.7 62.8 118 ASTON MARTIN make it an also-ran. LxWxH 4063x1720x1446 Kerb weight 1080kg 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.4 54.3 137 0.9 TB Twinair 105 103 114 11.4 TBC TBC Vantage 2dr coupé £120,900 AAAAB 1.4 TB Multiair 170 167 136 7.3 TBC TBC The faster, cleverer, more hardcore entry-level Aston tops its A5 Sportback 5dr coupé £33,365–£49,525 AAAAC class. LxWxH 4465x1942x1273 Kerb weight 1630kg 1.3 JTDM-2 95 93 112 12.5 TBC TBC Refined, good-looking four-door coupé is sadly short on charm and finesse. LxWxH 4733x1843x1386 Kerb weight 1425kg 4.0 V8 503 195 3.5 11.6 TBC Giulietta 5dr hatch £19,750–£25,850 AAACC 2.0 35 TFSI 148 139 9.1 TBC TBC Long in the tooth but still seductive, shame it’s not rounded or DB11 2dr coupé £147,900–£161,900 AAAAA 2.0 40 TFSI 187 150 7.5 TBC TBC lavish enough. LxWxH 4351x1798x1465 Kerb weight 1305kg The stunning replacement for the already seductive DB9 is tyre2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.8 TBC TBC shreddingly good. LxWxH 4739x2060x1279 Kerb weight 1875kg 1.4 TB 120 118 121 9.4 36.2 164 2.0 35 TDI 148 135 9.1 TBC TBC 1.6 JTDM-2 120 148 121 10.0 49.6 123-125 4.0 V8 503 187 4.0 10.6 TBC 2.0 40 TDI 187 150 7.5 TBC TBC 5.2 V12 AMR 630 208 3.7 13.4 TBC 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.6 TBC TBC Giulia 4dr saloon £33,190–£62,500 AAAAB Handsome and special dynamically but lacks finesse and only DBS Superleggera 2dr coupé £225,000 AAAAA A5 Cabriolet 2dr open £38,185–£49,995 AAAAC 167

142-144 6.9

TBC

148-153

A L FA R O M E O

comes as an auto. LxWxH 4643x1860x1436 Kerb weight 1429kg 2.0 Turbo Petrol 200 2.0 Turbo Petrol 280 2.2 Turbo Diesel 160 2.2 Turbo Diesel 190 2.9 BiTurbo Quadrifoglio

197 276 158 187 503

146 149 137 143 191

6.6 5.7 8.2 7.1 3.9

36.2 33.6 53.3 52.3 TBC

Stelvio 5dr SUV £34,035–£69,500

153 158 128 128 TBC

Effortlessly fast, intoxicating to drive: the big Aston is better than ever. LxWxH 4712x2146x1280 Kerb weight 1693kg 5.2 V12

130 130 134 134 143 197

7.6 7.6 6.6 7.2 5.7 3.8

46.3 44.1 43.5 30.4 30.4 TBC

4C Spider 2dr open £59,835

138 147 147 176 175 TBC AAABC

More practical than smaller options. Lower-powered, steel-sprung trim is best. LxWxH 4673x1846x1383 Kerb weight 1600kg

2.0 40 TFSI 2.0 45 TFSI quattro AAAAC 2.0 40 TDI The Rapide is one of the most elegant four-door sports cars in the 2.0 40 TDI quattro 715

211

3.7

13.5

TBC

Rapide S 4dr saloon £149,500–£152,000

world. LxWxH 5019x1929x1360 Kerb weight 1990kg

AAAAB 6.0 V12

Alfa’s first SUV is a solid effort. Choosing the petrol version gives it charisma. LxWxH 4687x1903x1671 Kerb weight 1604kg 2.2 Turbo Diesel 190 187 2.2 Turbo Diesel 190 Q4 AWD 187 2.2 Turbo Diesel 210 Q4 AWD 207 2.0 Turbo 200 Q4 AWD 197 2.0 Turbo 280 Q4 AWD 276 2.9 BiTurbo Quadrifoglio 503

Well inside the top 10 list of our favourite cars. A revelation and a riot to drive. LxWxH 3215x1850x1425 Kerb weight 670kg

552

203

4.4

TBC

AU D I

A1 Sportback 5dr hatch £17,700–£25,655

187 242 187 187

94 114 148 197

118 126 137 146

10.5 9.5 7.7 6.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC

7.9 6.5 8.4 8.0

TBC TBC TBC TBC

A5 Sportback 4dr saloon £34,255–£48,875

TBC TBC TBC TBC AAABC

Mid-sized sleek exec is still short of a selling point beyond its style. LxWxH 4711x1843x1386 Kerb weight 1605kg

AAABC 2.0 35 TFSI 148 2.0 40 TFSI 187 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 TBC 2.0 40 TDI 187 TBC 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 TBC TBC A6 4dr saloon £37,750–£50,870

Quite pricey, but a rounded car with plenty of rational appeal. LxWxH 4029x1746x1418 Kerb weight 1105kg 1.0 25 TFSI 1.0 30 TFSI 1.5 35 TFSI 2.0 40 TFSI

150 155 150 145

138 150 155 150 146

9.1 7.5 6.0 7.9 7.6

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC AAAAC

Supremely well-constructed but a bit soulless to drive. A smart

A3 Sportback 5dr hatch £21,340–£26,845

AAAAC office on wheels. LxWxH 4939x1886x1457 Kerb weight 1645kg All the above but with the added convenience of five doors and a 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.0 TBC TBC usefully larger boot. LxWxH 4313x1785x1426 Kerb weight 1180kg 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 1.75 TBi 240 236 160 4.5 TBC TBC 335 155 5.1 TBC TBC 1.0 30 TFSI 114 128 9.9 TBC TBC 2.0 40 TDI 201 152 8.1 TBC TBC ALPINA 1.5 35 TFSI 148 137 8.2 TBC TBC 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 153 7.6 TBC TBC B3 S 4dr saloon/5dr touring £62,000–£63,000 AAAAC 2.0 40 TFSI 187 152 6.8 TBC TBC 3.0 50 TDI quattro 282 155 5.5 TBC TBC Previously falling behind in the power stakes, but the recent 1.6 30 TDI 114 126 10.4 TBC TBC facelift rectifies that. LxWxH 4632x1811x1431 Kerb weight 1705kg A6 Avant 5dr estate £40,740–£52,970 AAAAC 3.0 BiTurbo 433 188-190 4.3 TBC TBC A3 Saloon 4dr saloon £23,910–£27,410 AAAAC A capable and high-tech throwback that’s a timely reminder of

It may be flawed but it’s rewarding to drive, if not the last word in finesse. LxWxH 3989x1864x1183 Kerb weight 934kg

Undercuts the case to own an A4. Upmarket interior and good to

B4 S 2dr coupé/open £73,100–£78,600

AAABC drive. LxWxH 4458x1796x1416 Kerb weight 1240kg 1.0 30 TFSI 114 131 9.9 TBC 1.5 35 TFSI 148 139 8.2 TBC 189-190 4.2-4.3 TBC TBC 1.6 30 TDI 114 131 10.4 TBC

A retuned version of the 4 Series that feels more at home on the track than the road. LxWxH 4640x1825x1373 Kerb weight 1690kg 3.0 BiTurbo

433

B5 4dr saloon/5dr touring £89,000–£91,000

AAAAC

Is it the best alternative to an M5? Yes, at least from a practicality viewpoint. LxWxH 4956x1868x1466 Kerb weight 2015kg 4.4 V8 BiTurbo

599

200-205 3.5-3.7 TBC

B7 4dr saloon £115,000

TBC AAAAC

A 7 Series with a power boost gives BMW a worthy challenger to the AMG S-Classes. LxWxH 5250x1902x1491 Kerb weight 2060kg 4.4 V8 BiTurbo

599

205

4.2

TBC

A3 Cabriolet 2dr open £29,985–£32,135

TBC TBC TBC

what Audi does best. LxWxH 4939x1886x1467 Kerb weight 1710kg 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 3.0 55 TFSI quattro

242 335

155 155

6.2 5.3

TBC TBC

AAAAC

Compact, affordable, usable and refined. Strong performance, too. LxWxH 4423x1793x1409 Kerb weight 1380kg 1.5 35 TFSI 2.0 40 TFSI

148 187

137 155

8.9 7.2

TBC TBC

A4 4dr saloon £28,725–£33,425

TBC TBC AAAAC

High quality and competent but leaves the dynamic finesse to its rivals. LxWxH 4726x1842x1427 Kerb weight 1320kg 2.0 35 TFSI 2.0 40 TFSI

148 187

139 155

8.6 7.3

TBC TBC

What Car? New Car Buying New Car Buyer strip .indd 90

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2.0 40 TDI 2.0 40 TDI quattro 3.0 50 TDI quattro

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A7 Sportback 5dr coupé £46,250–£76,455

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155 155 152 155 155 155

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AAAAB 540i xDrive 520d 520d xDrive 38.2-41.5 TBC 530d 49.6-56.5 TBC 530d xDrive 47.1-49.6 TBC

330i 320d 320d xDrive

254 187 187

155 146 144

5.8 6.8-7.1 6.9

Q range. LxWxH 4191x1794x1508 Kerb weight 1205kg 122 131 141 155 122

10.3 8.5 6.5 4.8 10.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Hatchback practicality meets 3 Series dynamic talent. Dull but

Mulsanne 4dr saloon £229,360–£275,000

If the Rolls Phantom is best from the back seat, the Mulsanne is best in the front. LxWxH 5575x1926x1521 Kerb weight 2685kg

A proper compact coupé now. Could be better equipped, however.

Q8 5dr SUV £65,970–£83,790

AAAAC LxWxH 4432x1774x1418 Kerb weight 1420kg Striking and effective coupé-SUV range-topper leaves us wanting 218i 134 130 8.8-8.9 35.8-38.2 TBC more. LxWxH 4986x1995x1705 Kerb weight 2145kg 220i 181 143 7.2 36.2-38.2 TBC 3.0 V6 55 TFSI quattro 335 155 5.9 31.0-31.7 TBC 230i 248 155 5.6 35.8-36.7 TBC 3.0 V6 45 TDI quattro 228 144 7.1 42.2-44.1 TBC M240i 335 155 4.6-4.8 32.5 TBC 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro 282 152 6.3 TBC TBC M2 Competition 404 155 4.2-4.4 28.2-29.1 TBC 218d 148 132 8.3-8.5 47.9-52.3 TBC TT 2dr coupé £32,105–£46,765 AAAAC 220d 187 143 7.1-7.2 47.1-50.4 TBC Still serves up plenty of pace, style and usability for the money. It’s 220d xDrive 187 140 7.0 43.5-46.3 TBC better to drive, too. LxWxH 4191x1966x1376 Kerb weight 1365kg 225d 220 151 6.3 46.3-47.9 TBC 2.0 40 TFSI 194 155 6.6 TBC TBC 2.0 45 TFSI 242 155 5.8-5.9 TBC TBC 2 Series Convertible 2dr open £28,840–£42,940 AAABC 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.2 TBC TBC Better than its 1 Series forebear but lacks truly distinguishing premium qualities. LxWxH 4432x1774x1413 Kerb weight 1440kg 2.0 TTS 302 155 4.5 TBC TBC 218i 134 130 9.4-9.6 33.6-36.2 TBC TT Roadster 2dr open £33,855–£48,515 AAAAC 220i 181 143 7.7 34.4-35.8 TBC Plenty of pace and driver reward, along with prestige and design- 230i 248 155 5.9 34.0-34.9 TBC icon style. LxWxH 4191x1966x1355 Kerb weight 1455kg M240i 335 155 4.7-4.9 31.4 TBC 2.0 40 TFSI 194 155 6.9 TBC TBC 218d 148 132 8.8-9.0 45.6-47.9 TBC 2.0 45 TFSI 242 155 6.0-6.1 TBC TBC 220d 187 143 7.5-7.6 45.6-48.7 TBC 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.5 TBC TBC 225d 220 151 6.5 44.1-44.8 TBC 2.0 TTS 302 155 4.8 TBC TBC 2 Series Active Tourer 5dr hatch £25,480–£37,445 AAAAC R8 2dr coupé £112,520–£141,200 AAAAC BMW’s FWD hatch is a proper contender but not as practical as

Usable but no less involving or dramatic for it. V10 is deliciously brutal. LxWxH 4426x1940x1240 Kerb weight 1590kg

335 187 187 261 261

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155 147 144 155 155

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5.1 7.8 7.9 5.8 5.6

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28.2-30.4 44.1-47.9 42.2-46.3 40.9-43.5 37.7-41.5

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CO 2

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAB A large improvement on the 5GT and dynamically sound. Still an There are newer, more practical estates, but dynamism makes the oddball, though. LxWxH 5007x1894x1392 Kerb weight 1720kg Touring sparkle. LxWxH 4633x1811x1429 Kerb weight 1470kg 630i 254 155 6.3 32.1-34.9 TBC

AAAAC decent. LxWxH 4824x1828x1508 Kerb weight 1580kg 320i 181 146 8.0-8.1 34.0-36.7 TBC 320i xDrive 181 144 8.1-8.4 32.5-34.9 TBC 6.75 V8 505 184 5.1-5.3 TBC TBC 330i 248 155 6.1 32.8-34.4 TBC 6.75 V8 Speed 530 190 4.8 TBC TBC 340i 321 155 5.1 30.1-31.0 TBC 320d 187 146 7.8-7.9 44.8-47.9 TBC Q3 5dr SUV £30,770–£47,075 AAABC Bentayga 5dr SUV £135,800–£232,000 AAAAB 320d xDrive 187 144 7.8 42.2-44.1 TBC Typically refined and competent but feels more like an A3 than an Crewe’s first attempt at a luxury SUV is a solid effort. The Diesel is 330d 254 155 5.7 39.8-40.9 TBC Audi SUV. LxWxH 4388x1831x1608 Kerb weight 1385kg wondrous. LxWxH 5140x1998x1742 Kerb weight 2505kg 330d xDrive 254 155 5.4 37.7-38.7 TBC 1.5 35 TFSI 148 128-131 9.2-9.6 TBC TBC 4.0 V8 542 171 4.4 21.7 296 335d xDrive 308 155 4.9 38.7-39.2 TBC 2.0 40 TFSI quattro 187 136 7.4 TBC TBC 6.0 W12 600 187 4.0 TBC TBC 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 227 144 6.3 TBC TBC 4 Series 2dr coupé £34,990–£68,545 AAAAC BMW 2.0 35 TDI 148 128 9.2 TBC TBC A talented GT and a brilliant B-road steer that is very well-equipped. 2.0 35 TDI quattro 148 131 9.3 TBC TBC 1 Series 3dr/5dr hatch £23,050–£37,785 AAABC LxWxH 4640x1825x1377 Kerb weight 1475kg 2.0 40 TDI quattro 188 137 8.0 TBC TBC Strong on performance and economy and as good as it could be. 420i 181 146 7.3-7.5 35.3-37.7 TBC LxWxH 4329x1765x1421 Kerb weight 1375kg 420i xDrive 181 144 7.6-7.8 33.6-36.2 TBC Q5 5dr SUV £41,200–£51,955 AAAAC 118i 134 130 8.5-8.7 35.8-38.2 TBC 430i 248 155 5.8-5.9 34.9-37.2 TBC Appealing combination of Audi allure, affordable SUV practicality 120i 181 139-142 7.1 35.8-36.7 TBC 440i 321 155 5.0-5.2 31.0-33.6 TBC and attractiveness. LxWxH 4663x1893x1659 Kerb weight 1720kg 125i 220 151 6.1 35.8-36.2 TBC M4 425 155 4.1-4.3 27.7-28.5 TBC 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 147 6.4 TBC TBC M140i 335 155 4.6-4.8 32.1-32.5 TBC M4 Competition pack 444 155 4.0-4.2 24.7-28.5 TBC 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 136 8.1 TBC TBC 116d 114 124 10.5 49.6-53.3 TBC 420d 187 146 7.2-7.4 46.3-50.4 TBC 118d 148 131 8.2-8.4 47.9-52.3 TBC 420d xDrive 187 144 7.3 43.5-45.6 TBC Q7 5dr SUV £53,250–£80,095 AAAAC 120d 187 141 7.1-7.2 47.9-49.6 TBC 430d 254 155 5.5 40.9-42.2 TBC Unengaging to drive and light on feel, but the cabin is both huge 120d xDrive 187 138 6.9 43.5-45.6 TBC 430d xDrive 254 155 5.2 38.7-39.2 TBC and classy. LxWxH 5052x1968x1740 Kerb weight 2060kg 125d 220 149 6.4 46.3-47.9 TBC 435d xDrive 308 155 4.7 39.2-40.4 TBC 3.0 V6 45 TDI quattro 228 142 7.3 TBC TBC 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro 282 152 6.3 TBC TBC 2 Series 2dr coupé £25,640–£53,100 AAAAB 4 Series Convertible 2dr open £41,370–£68,545 AAAAC 114 148 187 298 114

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6 Series Gran Turismo 5dr hatch £47,930–£58,865 AAABC

3 Series Touring 5dr estate £29,340–£47,825

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

318i 134 130 9.2-9.3 33.2-36.7 TBC 320i 181 146 7.5 34.0-35.8 TBC 320i xDrive 181 144 7.7-7.9 32.5-34.9 TBC 330i 248 155 5.9-6.0 33.6-34.9 TBC BENTLEY A8 4dr saloon £68,755–£78,545 AAAAC 340i 321 155 5.1 30.1-31.0 TBC Technical tour de force benefits from Audi’s knack of making very Continental GT 2dr coupé £156,700 AAAAC 316d 114 127 11.3-11.4 44.1-47.9 TBC good limousines. LxWxH 5172x1945x1473 Kerb weight 1920kg Refined and improved in every area, making the Conti a superb 318d 148 133 8.9-9.0 44.1-47.1 TBC grand tourer. LxWxH 4850x1966x1405 Kerb weight 2244kg 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 335 155 5.6 TBC TBC 320d 187 146 7.5-7.7 44.1-53.3 TBC 3.0 55 TFSI quattro LWB 335 155 5.7 TBC TBC 6.0 W12 626 207 3.6 24.1 308 320d xDrive 187 144 7.7 41.5-46.3 TBC 3.0 50 TDI quattro 282 155 5.9 TBC TBC 330d 254 155 5.6 39.8-40.9 TBC 3.0 50 TDI quattro LWB 282 155 5.9 TBC TBC Continental GT Convertible 2dr open £175,890 AAAAB 330d xDrive 254 155 5.4 37.7-38.2 TBC Immensely capable and refined open-top cruiser with effortless 335d xDrive 308 155 4.9 38.2-39.2 TBC Q2 5dr SUV £22,960–£37,375 AAAAC performance. LxWxH 4850x2187x1399 Kerb weight 2414kg Audi’s smallest SUV is a decent stepping stone from the A3 to the 6.0 W12 626 207 3.7 20.2 317 3 Series Gran Turismo 5dr hatch £34,510–£47,165 AAAAC 1.0 30 TFSI 1.5 35 TFSI 2.0 40 TFSI quattro 2.0 SQ2 TFSI 1.6 30 TDI

Latest 3 Series has a growth spurt, but size is no obstacle for an engaging drive. LxWxH 4709x1827x1442 Kerb weight 1450kg

AAABC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

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3 Series 4dr saloon £37,660–£39,700

TBC TBC TBC

Easy on the eye and to live with, but let down by stolid dynamics. LxWxH 4969x1908x1422 Kerb weight 1880kg 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 2.0 40 TDI 2.0 40 TDI quattro 3.0 45 TDI quattro 3.0 50 TDI quattro

e ow

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some of its rivals. LxWxH 4342x1800x1555 Kerb weight 1360kg

218i 220i 225xe 216d 218d R8 Spyder 2dr open £121,210–£149,890 AAAAC 220d Taking the roof off the R8 enhances the drama tenfold. 220d xDrive

134 181 248 335 148 187 187

127 142 125 121 129 141 138

9.3 7.4 6.7 11.1 9.0-9.1 7.6 7.5

39.8-44.1 TBC 37.2-38.7 TBC 88.3-100.9 TBC 55.4-58.9 TBC 49.6-55.4 TBC 50.4-53.3 TBC 47.9-51.4 TBC

A talented gran tourer with the ability to remove the roof. What’s not to like? LxWxH 4640x1825x1384 Kerb weight 1700kg

420i 430i 440i M4 M4 Competition pack 420d 430d 435d xDrive

181 248 321 425 444 187 254 308

146 155 155 155 155 146 155 155

8.2-8.4 6.3-6.4 5.4 4.4-4.6 4.3-4.5 8.1-8.2 5.9 5.2

34.0-35.8 32.8-35.3 29.7-30.4 27.2-28.0 26.9-28.0 44.1-46.3 39.2-39.8 37.7-38.2

4 Series Gran Coupé 4dr coupé £34,940–£49,895

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

181 181 248 321 187 187 254 254 308

146 144 155 155 146 144 155 155 155

5 Series 4dr saloon £36,275–£97,925

7.5-7.7 7.8-8.1 5.9 5.1 7.4-7.6 7.5 5.6 5.3 4.8

335 198 198 261 261

155 137 135 155 155

5.3 7.9 8.0 6.1 6.0

26.9-29.1 42.8-46.3 40.4-44.8 40.4-43.5 37.2-40.9

7 Series 4dr saloon £64,260–£85,605

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

Rules on in-car entertainment and diesel sophistication; otherwise too bland. LxWxH 5098x1902x1478 Kerb weight 1755kg 725d 730d 730d xDrive 740d xDrive 740e 740Le xDrive

227 261 261 315 254 254

152 155 155 155 155 155

6.9 6.1 5.8 5.2 5.4 5.3

42.8-46.3 TBC 41.5-43.5 TBC 39.2-40.9 TBC 37.7-39.8 TBC 94.2-104.6 TBC 80.7-88.3 TBC

8 Series 2dr coupé £76,270-£99,525

AAAAC

Has dynamism to spare, but not quite the breadth of ability of the best sporting GTs. LxWxH 4843x1902x1341 Kerb weight 1830kg 840d xDrive M850i xDrive

316 523

155 155

4.9 3.7

39.2-40.4 TBC 26.2-26.9 TBC

X1 5dr SUV £28,210–£36,970

AAAAC

Pick of the premium bunch but a tad unrefined and has ordinary handling. LxWxH 4439x1821x1598 Kerb weight 1395kg

sDrive18i sDrive20i sDrive18d xDrive18d xDrive20d

138 189 148 148 187

127 138 126 126 136

9.7 7.4 9.3-9.4 9.3-9.4 7.8

39.2-40.9 36.7-38.2 47.9-49.6 46.3-47.9 45.6-47.9

X2 5dr SUV £27,950–£42,785

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

Proves crossovers aren’t always worse than the hatchbacks on which they’re based. LxWxH 4360x1824x1526 Kerb weight 1460kg sDrive18i sDrive20i M35i sDrive18d xDrive18d xDrive20d

138 188 302 148 148 185

127 141 155 129 128 137

9.6 7.7 4.9 9.3-9.8 9.2 7.7

39.8-43.5 37.2-39.8 33.6-34.0 47.9-52.3 46.3-49.6 45.6-50.4

X3 5dr SUV £39,870–£77,070

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

Continues where the last one left off. Dynamically good and more luxurious inside. LxWxH 4708x1891x1676 Kerb weight 1750kg xDrive20i M40i X3M X3M Competition xDrive20d xDrive30d M40d

181 355 473 503 187 261 321

134 155 155 155 132 149 155

8.3 4.8 4.2 4.1 8.0 5.8 4.9

29.4-31.4 25.7-26.6 26.9 26.9 39.2-41.5 36.7-38.7 35.3-36.7

TBC TBC 239 239 TBC TBC TBC

X4 5dr SUV £43,740–£79,990 AAABC AAAAC Downsized X6 is respectable enough if not loveable, but the X3 is a

Essentially a prettier 3 Series. Good, but not better than the regular saloon. LxWxH 4640x1825x1404 Kerb weight 1520kg 420i 420i xDrive 430i 440i 420d 420d xDrive 430d 430d xDrive 435d xDrive

640i xDrive 620d 620d xDrive 630d 630d xDrive

34.9-37.1 33.2-25.8 34.4-37.2 30.7-31.7 46.3-51.4 43.5-46.3 40.9-41.5 38.2-39.2 39.2-39.8

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

better option. LxWxH 4671x1881x1624 Kerb weight 1735kg

M40i X4M X4M Competiton xDrive20d xDrive30d M40d

155 155 155 131 145 155

4.9 4.2 4.1 8.0 5.8 4.9

25.9-26.9 26.7 26.7 39.2-41.5 36.7-40.9 35.3-27.2

X5 5dr SUV £57,495–£71,475

TBC 239 239 TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

More capable, convenient, refined and classy SUV that’s a more satisfying drive. LxWxH 4922x2004x1745 Kerb weight 2110kg

xDrive40i AAAAB xDrive30d M50d

The perfect compromise between the comfy E-Class and dynamic XF, and then some. LxWxH 4936x2126x1479 Kerb weight 1530kg

336 473 503 187 254 322

335 261 395

155 130 155

5.5 6.8 5.3

25.0-27.2 TBC 34.0-37.7 TBC 32.5-33.6 TBC

520i 181 146 7.8 38.2-40.4 TBC X6 5dr SUV £62,235–£74,045 AAABC 530i 248 155 6.2 35.8-38.2 TBC The world’s first off-road coupé, but appearances make it difficult to love. LxWxH 4909x1989x1702 Kerb weight 2065kg 540i xDrive 335 155 4.8 29.4-31.4 TBC M5 592 155 3.4 23.5-24.1 TBC M5 Competition 616 155 3.3 23.5-24.1 TBC 530e 248 146 6.2 117.7-128.4 TBC LxWxH 4426x1940x1245 Kerb weight 1680kg 518d 148 132 8.8 47.1-52.3 TBC 5.2 V10 FSI RWS 532 197 3.8 TBC TBC 2 Series Gran Tourer 5dr MPV £27,345–£37,305 AAAAB 520d 187 147 7.5 44.1-52.3 TBC 5.2 V10 FSI quattro 532 197 3.6 TBC TBC Brings a proper premium MPV to the table. Third row seats aren’t 520d xDrive 187 144 7.6 43.5-48.7 TBC adult-sized, though. LxWxH 4556x1800x1608 Kerb weight 1475kg 530d 5.2 V10 FSI Plus quattro 601 204 3.3 TBC TBC 261 155 5.7 43.5-45.6 TBC 218i 134 127 9.5-9.8 38.2-40.9 TBC 530d xDrive 261 155 5.4 39.2-41.5 TBC BAC 220i 181 137 7.8 35.3-36.2 TBC Mono 0dr open £165,125 AAAAB 216d 335 119 11.8 53.3-55.4 TBC 5 Series Touring 5dr estate £39,765–£55,755 AAAAB An F-22 Raptor for the road, only significantly better built. 218d 148 127 9.6 47.9-51.4 TBC The excellent 5 Series made in more practical form. The 520d is LxWxH 3952x1836x1110 Kerb weight 580kg still the best. LxWxH 4942x2126x1498 Kerb weight 1630kg 220d 187 138 8.2 47.9-49.6 TBC 2.5 VVT 305 170 2.8 TBC TBC 220d xDrive 187 135 8.0 45.6-47.1 TBC 520i 181 139 8.2 34.9-38.2 TBC 530i 248 155 6.5 34.0-36.7 TBC 5.2 V10 FSI RWS 5.2 V10 FSI quattro 5.2 V10 FSI Plus quattro

532 532 601

198 198 205

3.7 3.5 3.2

TBC TBC TBC

New Car Buying

Find your perfect deal today at whatcar.com/new - car - deals 16/11/2018 09:00

xDrive30d xDrive40d M50d

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Our favourite high-end small car happens to be an EV, and it could change motoring. LxWxH 3999x1775x1578 Kerb weight 1245kg 167 180

93 99

7.3 6.9

TBC TBC

i8 2dr coupé/roadster £114,935-£126,935

0 0 AAAAC

If BMW’s plug-in hybrid is what the future of the sports car looks like, we welcome it. LxWxH 4689x1942x1293 Kerb weight 1485kg 1.5 eDrive

374

155

4.4-4.6

128.4

TBC

CAD I LL AC

CTS-V 4dr saloon £85,428

AAAAC

Eat your heart out, Germany – but lacks handling finesse of its European rivals. LxWxH 5050x1863x1447 Kerb weight 1850kg 6.2 V8 RWD

640

199

3.7

Escalade 5dr SUV £93,260

1.6 BlueHDi 100 1.6 BlueHDi 120

420

112

6.7-6.9

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LxWxH 4438x1826x1610 Kerb weight 1280kg

1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 BlueHDi 130 1.6 BlueHDi 160

126 126 158

125-128 10.1 130 10.4 131 8.9

TBC TBC TBC

Grand C4 Spacetourer 5dr MPV £24,475–£32,965

TBC TBC TBC

777

C5 Aircross 5dr SUV £23,225–£32,725

TBC TBC TBC AAABC

Smooth-riding SUV has an easy-going nature, but not the most dynamic. LxWxH 4500x1859x1670 Kerb weight 1530kg 129 178 129 174

117 134 117 131

10.5 8.2 10.4 8.6

TBC TBC TBC TBC

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A more expensive and slightly more rugged cheap car – but still limited. LxWxH 4089x1761x1555 Kerb weight 1040kg

2.0 Turbo 6.2 V8

0.9 TCe 90

268 446

149 5.9-6.1 155-180 4.4-4.8

TBC TBC

Corvette 2dr coupé/open £72,945–£100,305

TBC TBC

459 650

180 196

4.1-4.2 3.7-3.8

CITROEN

104

11.1

55.4

Logan MCV 5dr estate £8495–£11,095

115

68 83

99 107

TBC TBC

1.0 SCe 75 0.9 TCe 90

71 87

98 109

14.7 11.1

Logan MCV Stepway 5dr estate £12,095

52.3 57.7

120 109

12.9 11.0

44.1 49.6

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TBC TBC

103-111 12.8-13.2 34.0-34.9 TBC

500X 5dr hatch £17,295–£22,695

AAABC

Familiar styling works rather well as a crossover. Drives okay, too. LxWxH 4248x1796x1600 Kerb weight TBC 1.6 E-Torq 110 1.0 Firefly Turbo 120hp 1.3 Firefly Turbo 150hp

108 118 148

112 117 124

11.5 10.9 9.1

Panda 5dr hatch £9965–£16,465

36.7 41.5 40.9

1.4 95 1.4 T-Jet 120 1.6 Multijet II 120

93 118 118

115 124 124

187 187

138 137

9.9 10.0

36.7-56.5 TBC 34.9-52.3 TBC

Mondeo Estate 5dr estate £23,795–£34,630

AAAAC

A vast and enjoyable estate that majors on everything a great Ford should. LxWxH 4867x 1852x1501 Kerb weight 1476kg

1.5 SCTi Ecoboost 165 2.0 TIVCT hybrid 187 2.0 TDCi Duratorq 150 2.0 TDCi Duratorq 190 AAABC 2.0 TDCi D’torq 190 AWD

12.3 36.2 TBC 9.8 34.4-36.7 TBC 10.1-10.4 48.7-50.4 TBC

FORD

2.0 TDCi Duratorq 190 2.0 TDCi D’torq 190 AWD

TBC TBC TBC

characteristics. LxWxH 4571x1792x1514 Kerb weight 1205kg

162 184 148 187 187

135 116 128-130 138 137

9.2-9.3 9.2 10.8-11.1 9.9 10.0

Mustang 2dr coupé/open £37,645–£48,145

22.8-41.5 40.9-52.3 36.7-61.4 36.7-56.5 34.9-52.3

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

American muscle built for the UK. What’s not to like? LxWxH 4784x1916x1381 Kerb weight 1653kg 2.3 Ecoboost 5.0 V8 5.0 V8 Bullitt

286 444 453

145 155 163

5.8 4.8 4.6

C-Max 5dr MPV £22,295–£28,795

30.1-32.5 TBC 23.2-25.7 TBC 23.9 TBC AAABC

A fun-to-drive and easy-to-live-with five-seat MPV. LxWxH 4379x1828x1610 Kerb weight 1391kg 1.0T Ecoboost 100 1.0T Ecoboost 125 1.5T Ecoboost 150 1.5 TDCi Duratorq 120

98 123 148 118

108 116 134 113-114

12.6 11.4 10.2 11.3-12.4

Grand C-Max 5dr MPV £23,895–£30,445

37.2-42.2 37.2-42.2 30.4-33.6 41.5-48.7

TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

Mid-sized Ford handles well and can be had in five- or seven-seat form. Good value, too. LxWxH 4379x1828x1610 Kerb weight 1493kg

1.0T Ecoboost 100 98 107 13.6 37.2-39.8 TBC AAABC 1.0T Ecoboost 125 123 115 12.2 37.2-39.8 TBC 1.5T Ecoboost 150 148 123 10.2 30.4-32.1 TBC 1.5 TDCi Duratorq 120 118 111-112 12.3-13.4 41.5-45.6 TBC 48.7 TBC 43.5-47.9 TBC S-Max 5dr MPV £28,395–£40,695 AAAAC Better to drive and better looking than most but not quite the class 56.5-60.1 TBC

The Ka gets two extra doors, and it’s a breath of fresh air for the range. LxWxH 3929x1910x1524 Kerb weight 1055kg

1.2 Ti-VCT 70 AAACC 1.2 Ti-VCT 85 1.5 TDCi 95

Given a rugged makeover but still lacks charm. Extremely C-Zero 5dr hatchback £20,520 AAACC practical, though. LxWxH 4528x1761x1559 Kerb weight 1090kg Well-engineered electric city car, but too expensive and lacks the 0.9 TCe 90 87 106 12.4 55.4 115 range of rivals. LxWxH 3475x1475x1600 Kerb weight 1120kg

)

AAACC

Ka+ 5dr hatch £11,295–£15,045

LxWxH 4501x1733x1552 Kerb weight 980kg

AAABC

A costly option but has some style to fill out some of its missing substance. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight TBC

AAACC

AAAB Lacks its stablemates’ charms but retains their cheapness.

LHD only and less usable and less able than rivals, but disarming and inimitable. LxWxH 4492x1872x1239 Kerb weight 1539kg 6.2 V8 6.2 V8 Z06

r (b

Super desirable, super-cute city car. Pleasant, if not involving to drive. LxWxH 3571x1627x1488 Kerb weight 865kg

AAABC better than most. LxWxH 3653x1643x1551 Kerb weight 940kg Seven 2dr open £26,490–£53,885 AAAAB First model from Seat’s stand-alone performance brand has decent 1.2 69hp 68 96-102 14.2-14.5 44.8 TBC pace and precision. LxWxH 4376x1841x1615 Kerb weight 1615kg The 360 is the sweet spot in the revised range, giving the Seven 0.9 Twinair 85 83 103-110 11.2-12.1 37.2 TBC just the right hit of performance. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight 490kg 2.0 TSI 300 296 153 5.2 TBC TBC 1.6 Sigma Ti-VCT 270 135 122 5.0 TBC TBC Tipo 5dr hatch £14,550–£18,860 AAABC DACIA 1.6 Sigma Ti-VCT 310 152 127 4.9 TBC TBC A 90s reboot that has been on a diet. Decent to drive and ample 2.0 Duratec 360 180 130 4.8 TBC TBC Sandero 5dr hatch £6995–£9595 AAACC interior space. LxWxH 4368x1792x1495 Kerb weight 1195kg 2.0 Duratec 420 210 136 3.8 TBC TBC A clever budget prospect but its limitations are unavoidable, even 1.4 95 93 115 12.1 36.2-36.7 TBC after a smart facelift. LxWxH 4069x1733x1519 Kerb weight 969kg 1.4 T-Jet 120 2.0 Supercharged 620S 310 145 3.4 TBC TBC 118 124 9.6 36.7 TBC 2.0 Supercharged 620R 310 155 2.79 TBC TBC 1.0 SCe 75 71 98 14.2 54.3 117 1.6 Multijet II 120 118 124 9.8-10.2 48.7-51.4 TBC 0.9 TCe 90 87 109 11.1 57.6 109 CHEVROLET Tipo Station Wagon 5dr estate £15,550–£19,860 AAABC Camaro 2dr coupé/convertible £35,770–£47,850 AAABC Sandero Stepway 5dr hatch £9595–£10,595 AAABC Estate version is more practical, which mixes well with its driving

An affordable American muscle car, but LHD only and less usable and unrefined. LxWxH 4784x1897 Kerb weight 1539kg

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Hasn’t kept pace with its rivals, but sells robust, practical charm

Ateca 5dr hatch £35,900-41,175

)

AAAAA

500 3dr hatch/2dr open £12,010–£18,100

1.2 69hp AAAAC 0.9 Twinair 85

TBC TBC TBC

)

F I AT

1.4 95hp

125-128 10.8 130 11.3 130 9.2

More powerful than the F12, but with better road manners making it the star of the range. LxWxH 4657x1971x1276 Kerb weight 1630kg

500L 5dr MPV £17,610–£18,895

126 126 158

r (b

812 Superfast 2dr open £263,033

1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 BlueHDi 130 1.6 BlueHDi 160

1.2 PureTech 130 AACCC 1.6 PureTech 180 1.5 BlueHDI 130 1.5 BlueHDI 180 TBC TBC

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Alternative MPV offers something fresh, comfy, spacious and quietly upmarket. LxWxH 4602x1826x1638 Kerb weight 1297kg

Cadillac’s luxury SUV remains too large and ungainly for the UK. LxWxH 5179x2061x1896 Kerb weight 2635kg 6.2 V8 AWD

96 118

r (b

C4 Spacetourer 5dr MPV £22,775–£31,265 AAAAC 6.5 V12 AAAAB Plushness and an improved dynamic make for a better car.

i3 5dr hatch £35,180–£37,670 120Ah 120Ah S

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99 105 111

15.3 13.3 11.4

Fiesta 3dr/5dr hatch £13,965–£22,895

leader it was. LxWxH 4976x1916x1655 Kerb weight 1645kg

AAAAB 1.5T Ecoboost 165 163 124 9.9 26.6-38.7 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 120 118 114 13.4 39.8-53.3 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 150 148 123 10.3 34.0-53.3 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 150 AWD 148 122 10.6 35.8-50.4 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 190 188 129 9.5 35.8-48.7 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 190 AWD 188 128 9.8 31.7-46.3 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 240 236 140 8.1 32.5-48.7 TBC 1.0 VTI 72 71 99 12.6 TBC TBC 1.0T Ecoboost 125 123 121 9.9 46.3-49.6 TBC DS 1.0T Ecoboost 140 138 125 9.0 46.3-48.7 TBC Galaxy 5dr MPV £29,945–£41,045 AAABC C3 5dr hatchback £12,145–£18,835 AAABC 3 3dr hatch/2dr open £19,480–£23,480 AAAAC 1.5T Ecoboost 200 ST 197 144 6.5 40.4 TBC Huge seven-seat MPV. Easy to place on the road but not cheap to buy. LxWxH 4848x1916x1747 Kerb weight 1708kg Funky, fresh look gives a lease of life, shame that underneath isn’t Premium-brand philosophy and aesthetics appeal, but the 3 lacks 1.5 TDCi Duratorq 85 83 108 12.5 55.4-60.1 TBC the same. LxWxH 3996x1749x1474 Kerb weight 976kg dynamic refinement. LxWxH 3948x1715x1483 Kerb weight 1090kg 1.5 TDCi Duratorq 120 118 121 9.0 54.3-57.6 TBC 1.5T Ecoboost 165 163 124 10.0 26.6-38.2 TBC 1.2 PureTech 68 66 107 14.0 TBC TBC 1.2 PureTech 110 107 117-118 9.6-10.2 39.1-44.8 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 120 118 114 13.6 39.2-52.3 TBC 1.2 PureTech 82 79 107 12.8 TBC TBC Focus 5dr hatch £18,300–£29,650 AAAAB 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 150 148 122-123 10.9 33.6-52.3 TBC 1.2 PureTech 110 107 117 9.3 TBC TBC 7 Crossback 5dr SUV £27,435–£44,120 AAABC Better to drive and look at than before, and impressively good 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 150 AWD 148 122 12.2 35.3-48.7 TBC 1.6 BlueHDi 100 96 115 10.6 TBC TBC DS’s first premium SUV certainly has the right price tag, equipment value. LxWxH 4378x1825x1471 Kerb weight 1369kg 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 190 188 129-131 9.6-9.8 35.8-52.3 TBC and appeal. LxWxH 4570x1895x1620 Kerb weight 1420kg 1.0T Ecoboost 85 84 110 13.5 44.1-49.6 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 190 AWD 188 128 10.6 31.7-44.8 TBC C3 Aircross 5dr hatchback £15,545–£21,240 AAABC 1.2 PureTech 130 129 122 10.2 42.2-48.0 TBC 1.0T Ecoboost 100 99 116 12.1 44.1-50.4 TBC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 240 238 135 8.9 32.5-48.7 TBC Funky-looking C3 gets a jacked-up, rugged SUV look. 1.6 PureTech 180 178 137 8.9 35.2-38.5 TBC 1.0T Ecoboost 125 123 119-124 10-11.7 37.7-49.6 TBC LxWxH 4155x1765x1637 Kerb weight 1088kg 1.6 PureTech 225 EAT8 218 141 8.3 33.6-36.5 TBC 1.5T Ecoboost 150 148 127-130 8.8-9.7 38.2-46.3 TBC EcoSport 5dr SUV £17,845–£24,250 AAACC 1.2 PureTech 82 79 103 15.9 TBC TBC 1.5 BlueHDi 130 TBC 121 11.7 49.3-55.3 TBC 1.5T Ecoboost 182 180 137-138 8.3-8.4 38.7-44.1 TBC Facelifted version of the pumped-up Fiesta is okay, but developingworld roots show. LxWxH 4096x1765x1653 Kerb weight 1280kg 1.2 PureTech 110 107 115 11.3 TBC TBC 2.0 BlueHDi 180 EAT8 171 134 9.9 42.7 TBC 1.5 EcoBlue 95 94 114 11.4 56.5-64.2 TBC 1.2 PureTech 130 127 124 10.4 TBC TBC 1.5 EcoBlue 120 118 117-122 10.0-10.8 49.6-62.8 TBC 1.0T Ecoboost 100 98 105 11.9 39.8-44.1 TBC FERRARI 1.6 BlueHDi 100 96 109 12.8 TBC TBC 2.0 EcoBlue 150 148 127-130 8.5-9.3 44.1-57.6 TBC 1.0T Ecoboost 125 123 111 11.0-11.6 34.4-44.1 TBC Portofino 2dr open £166,551 AAAAC 1.0T Ecoboost 140 138 115 10.2 39.8-43.5 TBC C4 Cactus 5dr hatchback £18,815–£23,330 AAABC The entry-level Ferrari has the power, the looks and the touring Focus Estate 5dr estate £19,400–£30,750 AAABC 1.5 TDCi EcoBlue 100 99 105 13.6 48.7-56.5 TBC ability. LxWxH 4586x1938x1318 Kerb weight 1664kg Interesting and novel to look at but flawed to drive. Almost as good to drive as the hatch, but a Skoda Octavia will 1.5 TDCi EcoBlue 125 123 112-113 10.7-11.3 42.2-53.3 TBC LxWxH 4157x1729x1480 Kerb weight 965kg 3.9T V8 591 199 3.5 14.7-28.0 230-436 carry more. LxWxH 4669x1825x1481 Kerb weight 1485kg 1.2 PureTech 110 107 117 9.3-9.7 TBC TBC 1.0T Ecoboost 85 84 109 13.9 44.1-49.6 TBC Kuga 5dr SUV £23,060–£37,285 AAAAB 1.2 PureTech 130 128 120 8.2 TBC TBC 488 2dr coupé/open £197,418-£278,850 AAAAA 1.0T Ecoboost 100 99 115 12.7 44.1-50.4 TBC Bigger and sharper-looking than before but still retains its taut, responsive handling. LxWxH 4524x1838x1689 Kerb weight 1560kg Calm ride mixed with explosive performance. 1.0T Ecoboost 125 123 119-120 11.2-12.2 37.7-49.6 TBC LxWxH 4568x1952x1213 Kerb weight 1475kg 1.5T Ecoboost 150 148 129-130 8.9-9.2 38.2-46.3 TBC 1.5 Ecoboost 120 118 112 12.5 34.9-35.3 TBC 3.9T V8 GTB 650 203-205 3.0 13.5-25.9 247-478 1.5T Ecoboost 182 180 137-138 8.8 38.7-44.1 TBC 1.5 Ecoboost 150 148 121 9.7 28.2-35.3 TBC 3.9T V8 Pista 710 212 2.85 15-26.2 245-430 1.5 EcoBlue 95 94 112 11.8 56.5-64.2 TBC 1.5 Ecoboost 176 AWD 174 124 10.1 28.5-29.1 TBC 3.9T V8 Pista Spider 710 211 2.85 15-26.2 245-430 1.5 EcoBlue 120 118 116-120 10.3-11.1 49.6-62.8 TBC 1.5 TDCi 120 118 106-108 12.4-12.7 44.1-46.3 TBC 1.5 EcoBlue 150 148 126-129 8.7-9.5 44.1-57.6 TBC 1.5 TDCi 150 148 119-121 9.9-10.1 37.2-39.2 TBC GTC4 Lusso 2dr coupé £200,890–£243,126 AAAAB 1.5 TDCi 150 AWD 148 118 10.9 37.2-39.2 TBC Another four-wheel-drive grand tourer Ferrari that is more usable Mondeo 5dr hatch £21,995–£33,130 AAAAC 1.5 TDCi 180 AWD 177 124-126 9.2-10.0 35.3-38.7 TBC

Dynamically superb and continues the Fiesta legacy. No longer the Electric 64 80 15.9 TBC 0 Duster 5dr SUV £9995–£18,695 AAABC class leader, though. LxWxH 4040x1735x1476 Kerb weight 1113kg A value champion. If cheap family transport is what you require, 1.1 Ti-VCT 70 69 99 14.9 44.8-48.7 TBC C1 3dr hatch/5dr hatch £9635–£14,105 AAABC the Duster delivers. LxWxH 4315x2000x1625 Kerb weight 1147kg 1.1 Ti-VCT 85 83 105 14.0 44.8-48.7 TBC Slightly cheaper than its Toyota sibling but less visually charming. 1.6 SCe 115 111 104-105 11.0-12.0 41.5-44.1 145-155 1.0T Ecoboost 85 84 106 12.7 46.3 TBC LxWxH 3455x1615x1460 Kerb weight 855kg 1.5 dCi 115 111 104-105 11.8-12.4 60.1-64.2 115-123 1.0T Ecoboost 100 98 111-113 10.5-12.2 40.4-50.4 TBC

than the FF. LxWxH 4922x1980x1383 Kerb weight 1865kg 3.9T V8 6.3 V12

592 670

198 208

3.5 3.4

Does what great Fords do, by over-delivering on practicality,

13.5-25.2 253-477 handling and value. LxWxH 4871x 1852x1482 Kerb weight 1455kg 9.9-21.0 308-648 1.5 SCTi Ecoboost 165 162 133-138 9.1-9.2 22.8-41.5 TBC 2.0 TiVCT hybrid 187 184 116 9.2 40.9-52.3 TBC 2.0 TDCi Duratorq 150 148 131-133 10.7-10.9 36.7-61.4 TBC

Edge 5dr SUV £36,995–£45,995

AAABC

Mid-sized, US-developed SUV joins Ford’s fleet to take on Europe’s big SUVs. LxWxH 4808x1928x1692 Kerb weight 1912kg 2.0 EcoBlue 150 2.0 EcoBlue 238

148 235

129 134

11.2 9.6

38.2-42.2 TBC 34.4-41.5 TBC

What Car? New Car Buying New Car Buyer strip2 .indd 90

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i40 Tourer 5dr estate £21,610–£29,630

The GT is back as a race car for the road. Compelling if not perfect. A practical estate but still rather dull and ordinary. LxWxH 4808x1928x1692 Kerb weight 1912kg LxWxH 4775x1815x1470 Kerb weight 1514kg 3.5 V6 Ecoboost

650

216

3.0

TBC

G I N E T TA

G40 Club Car 2dr coupé £35,000 (+champ pack)

AAABC

A balanced, affordable and fine-looking track-day car. Some of the finish isn’t quite up to snuff. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight 840kg 1.8 Zetec

135

125

TBC

Jazz 5dr hatch £14,360–£18,460

Not the most compact or vivacious but has decent handling and is cleverly packaged.LxWxH 3995x1694x1550 Kerb weight 1066kg 99 128

113-118 11.2-12.3 48.7 113-118 8.7-10.1 42.8

Civic 5dr hatch £18,895–£33,525

TBC TBC

133 113 134

121 11.6 116 12.2 121-122 11.0-11.7

Ioniq 5dr hatch £21,790–£32,045

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cosseting as some. LxWxH 5130x1899x1460 Kerb weight 1835kg

AAABC 3.0d V6 300

115 110 103

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AAABC 3.0d V6 300 295 155 6.6 40.1-42.1 TBC 2.0t 250 246 150 7.1 30.8-33.3 TBC 2.0t 300 295 155 6.1 28.9-31.0 TBC 38.2 TBC 54.6 TBC XJ 4dr saloon £62,360–£83,105 AAAAC 52.3 TBC Mixes dynamism and refinement so well, but not as spacious or

First attempt at electrification for the masses is a good effort. LxWxH 4470x1820x1450 Kerb weight 1370kg

1.6 Hybrid 141 1.6 Plug-in Hybrid 141 AAAAC Electric Motor

H O N DA

1.3 DOHC 1.5 DOHC

1.6 GDI 135 1.6 CRDi 115 1.6 CRDi 136

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10.8-11.1 61.4-62.8 TBC 10.6 247.8 TBC 10.2 TBC 0

295

155

6.2

155 161 171 171 186 200

5.7 5.3-5.7 4.9-5.5 5.1 4.1 3.7

30.3-31.2 25.1-28.3 24.6-26.6 25.0-25.3 25.7-25.9 25.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

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112 10.1 48.7 133 100-107 11.6-13.2 42.2-49.6 129-151

Rio 5dr hatch £12,220–£18,010

AAABC

Looks great and is well-priced, but nowhere near its European rivals. LxWxH 4065x1725x1445 Kerb weight 1155kg

1.0 T-GDi 99 1.0 T-GDi 118 1.25 MPi AAAAB 1.4 MPi

A full-blooded assault on Porsche’s backyard, with noise, power and beauty. LxWxH 4482x1923x1311 Kerb weight 1525kg 295 335 374 374 542 567

1.0 T-GDi 1.25 MPi

35.7-36.3 TBC

F-Type 2dr coupé £51,925–£113,085

2.0t 300 3.0s V6 340 ix20 5dr hatch £15,750–£19,200 AAABC 3.0s V6 380 Usable high-roofed hatch is short on overall flair. 3.0s V6 380 AWD LxWxH 4120x1765x1600 Kerb weight 1267kg 5.0s V8 550 R AWD 1.6 125 123 112 11.5 34.3-37.1 TBC 5.0s V8 575 SVR AWD

e ow

99 118 83 98

115 10.3 118 9.8 107 12.5 103-108 11.8-13.4

48.7 44.8-47.1 45.6-46.3 42.2-46.3

Ceed 5dr hatch £18,295–£27,185

132-133 137-142 138-140 138-151

AAAAC

Third-generation hatchback can now compete for class honours. LxWxH 4310x1800x1447 Kerb weight 1315kg 1.0 T-GDi 118 1.4 T-GDi 138 1.6 T-GDI 201 1.6 CRDi 114 1.6 CRDI 134

118 138 201 114 134

116 128-130 142 118 122

1.0 T-GDi 118 1.4 T-GDi 138 1.6 CRDi 114

118 138 114

118 10.9 128-130 8.8-9.1 119 10.7

10.9 8.6-8.9 7.5 10.6 10.2

47.9-50.4 43.5-46.3 38.2 57.6-58.9 57.6

127-134 139-148 169 126-129 129

A fresh look while remaining practical, refined and upmarket. Lacks Kona 5dr hatch £17,100–£38,645 AAAAC F-Type Convertible 2dr open £57,405–£118,575 AAAAB some dynamism. LxWxH 4518x1799x1434 Kerb weight 1275kg Hyundai’s first crossover is the perfect blend of practicality, value Costs serious money, but you get a serious car with a likeable wild Ceed Sportswagon 5dr estate £19,295-£28,600 AAAAC and style LxWxH 4165x1800x1550 Kerb weight 1233kg side. LxWxH 4482x1923x1308 Kerb weight 1545kg 1.0 VTEC Turbo 126PS 124 125-126 10.2-11.2 47.9 TBC All of the above, but with cavernous, more practical load space. LxWxH 4600x1800x1465 Kerb weight 1389kg 1.5 VTEC Turbo 182PS 179 125-136 8.2-8.5 46.3 TBC 1.0 T-GDi 120 2WD 118 112 12.0 44.1-44.8 TBC 2.0t 300 295 155 5.7 30.4-31.1 TBC 1.6 i-DTEC 120PS 2.0 VTEC Turbo Type R

1.6 T-GDi 177PS 4WD 1.6 CRDi 115 2WD 1.6 CRDi 136 2WD Civic 4 door 4dr saloon £21,240–£27,120 AAAAC Electric 39kWh Saloon bodystyle gives Civic a more upmarket feel, without hurting Electric 64kWh 118 315

125 169

10.1 5.8

62.8 33.2

TBC TBC

its refined drive. LxWxH 4648x1799x1416 Kerb weight 1314kg 1.0 VTEC Turbo 126PS 1.6 i-DTEC 120PS

124 118

130 125

10.7 9.9

47.9 64.2

HR-V 5dr SUV £19,795–£28,245

TBC TBC AAABC

Cleverly packaged and comfortable. Bland performance and forgettable, though. LxWxH 4294x1772x1605 Kerb weight 1241kg 1.5 i-VTEC 130PS 1.5 i-VTEC Turbo 182PS

128 180

116-119 10.2-11.4 42.2 TBC 134 7.8 47.1-47.9 TBC

CR-V 5dr SUV £25,595–£35,445

AAAAC

Tardis-like SUV stalwart has lots of space for five and a big boot. LxWxH 4605x1820x1685 Kerb weight 1515kg 1.5 i-VTEC 1.5 i-VTEC AWD 2.0 i-MMD hybrid

171 171 181

130 9.3 38.7 TBC 124-129 9.8-10.0 32.5-36.2 TBC 112 9.2 40.9 TBC

NSX 2dr coupé £144,755

AAAAB

Honda’s supercar given a modern reboot, and it’s some piece of engineering. LxWxH 4487x1939x1204 Kerb weight 1725kg 3.5 V6 hybrid

573

i10 5dr hatch £9895–£14,425

191

2.9

TBC

HYU N DAI

AAAAC

Prioritises maturity over fun, resulting in a car that is practical and well-priced. LxWxH 3665x1660x1500 Kerb weight 933kg 1.0 DOHC 1.2 DOHC

64 84

97 14.7 50.4 TBC 103-109 12.1-13.8 40.9-46.3 TBC

i20 5dr hatch £13,995–£18,645 98 118 74 83

113-117 118 99 106

10.8-11.4 10.2 13.6 12.8

47.9-49.6 46.3 46.3 45.6-46.3

i30 5dr hatch £17,125–£29,495

TBC TBC TBC TBC

7.9 10.7 10.2 9.6 7.6

Tucson 5dr SUV £22,045–£34,945

34.0-33.6 55.4-56.5 52.3 TBC TBC

TBC TBC TBC 0 0

118 127-130 118 155 155

11.1 8.9-9.2 11.0-11.2 6.4 6.1

45.6 42.2-46.3 58.9-60.1 34.9 34.0

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

3.0s V6 340 3.0s V6 380 3.0s V6 380 AWD 5.0s V8 550 R AWD 5.0s V8 575 SVR AWD

335 374 374 542 567

161 171 171 186 195

AAABC

Q30 with a more rugged look, but doesn’t improve on the standard

Q50 4dr saloon £43,415–£50,195

AAACC focused rivals. LxWxH 4394x2033x1629 Kerb weight 1430kg 1.4 Multiair II 140 138 119 9.9 TBC TBC 1.4 Multiair II 170 4WD 167 124 9.5 TBC TBC 31.4 TBC 1.6d MultiJet II 120 118 115 11.0 TBC TBC 26.2 TBC 2.0d MultiJet II 140 4WD 138 118 10.1 TBC TBC 2.0d MultiJet II 170 4WD 167 122 9.5 TBC TBC

3.5 V6 Hybrid 364 3.5 V6 Hybrid 364 AWD

359 359

155 155

5.1 5.4

JAG UAR

XE 4dr saloon £31,505–£45,640

AAAAB

LxWxH 4954x1987x1457 Kerb weight 1545kg 160 177 177 236 295 246 295

132 136 136 153 155 152 155

8.7 8.0-8.1 8.4 6.5 6.2 6.6 5.8

XF Sportbrake 5dr estate £37,390–£55,035

46.1-50.4 44.8-50.9 40.2-44.4 38.5-42.7 40.8-43.2 31.5-34.4 29.9-32.6

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

TBC TBC TBC

2.0d 163 2.0d 180 2.0d 180 AWD 2.0d 240 AWD

160 177 177 236

136 138 136 150

9.3-9.4 8.8 8.9 6.7

45.8-48.2 44.0-48.4 39.3-43.1 37.8-41.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC

118 148 118 138 167

115 122 111 113 122

11.2 9.4 10.2 9.5-10.2 8.9

38.2 38.2-39.8 45.6-48.7 37.7-40.4 35.8

Cherokee 5dr SUV £35,750

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

2.2d MultiJet 185 4WD

182

127

244 365 197

149 168 143

5.8 4.7 7.3

29.4 27.7 40.9

Venga 5dr hatch £15,625–£19,520

217 233 179 AAACC

A versatile interior, but firm ride and high price disappoint. LxWxH 4075x1765x1600 Kerb weight 1253kg 1.6

123

111-115 10.4-11.1 34.4-37.2 172-187

Carens 5dr MPV £19,505–£28,445

leader. LxWxH 4525x1805x1605 Kerb weight 1483kg

1.6 GDi 1.7 CRDi 114 1.7 CRDi 139

8.8

TBC

133 114 139

115 10.9 TBC 110 12.7 TBC 117-120 10.0-10.9 TBC

Niro 5dr SUV £23,490–£30,845

TBC TBC TBC AAABC

Kia’s first full hybrid is a solid attempt, but it lacks the refinement of better rivals. LxWxH 4355x1805x1545 Kerb weight 1500kg

AABCC 1.6 GDi Hybrid 1.6 GDi Hybrid PHEV

Hamstrung by poor UK specification. Uninspiring but practical and roomy. LxWxH 4624x1859x1670 Kerb weight 1738kg

139 139

101 107

11.1 10.4

TBC TBC

Stonic 5dr SUV £16,540–£21,200

TBC TBC AAABC

Kia’s first crossover is striking and reasonably good considering

AAABC the value. LxWxH 4140x1760x1520 Kerb weight 1160kg

The best Jeep on sale by some margin. Comfortable and wellequipped. LxWxH 4828x1943x1792 Kerb weight 2266kg 3.0 MultiJet 250 4WD

247

126

8.2

TBC

Wrangler 2dr/4dr SUV £44,865–£48,365

TBC AAAAC

Heavy-duty off-roader goes anywhere, but lacks on-road manners. LxWxH 4223x1873x1840 Kerb weight 1827kg

AAAAB 2.2d MultiJet II 200 4WD

Useful, inoffensive and well-priced, but don’t expect any fireworks. Superb XF is now available in the more practical Sportbrake form. LxWxH 4745x1815x1470 Kerb weight 1497kg It’s a win-win. LxWxH 4954x1987x1496 Kerb weight 1660kg 11.5 39.2 12.0 56.6 10.8-11.5 54.3

AAABC

Alluring and interesting, but not quite as special to drive as it looks.

AAABC AAABC Nicely up to scratch without feeling cheap or austere, but no class

Renegade 5dr SUV £23,500–£31,400

Tops the pile thanks to outstanding driver appeal. Poised and Middling compact crossover with chunky looks but no obvious engaging but refined. LxWxH 4672x1967x1416 Kerb weight 1450kg charm. LxWxH 4236x1805x1667 Kerb weight 1346kg

Grand Cherokee 5dr SUV £49,880

122 117 122

Proceed 5dr hatch £23,835–£28,685

2.0 T-GDi AAACC 3.3 V6 T-GDi Wants to be a catch-all crossover, but is beaten by more road2.2 CRDi

Credible compact saloon competitor with some novel touches. LxWxH 4790x1820x1445 Kerb weight 1676kg

AAABC 2.0d 163 Another solid car. Good value and practical but lacks excitement. 2.0d 180 LxWxH 4585x1795x1465 Kerb weight 1245kg 2.0d 180 AWD 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 117 11.4 47.9-49.6 TBC 2.0d 240 AWD 1.4 T-GDi 140 138 126-129 9.2-9.5 44.8-46.3 TBC 3.0d V6 300 1.6 CRDi 110 108 117 11.3 58.9-60.1 TBC 2.0t 250 1.6 CRDi 136 134 123 10.9 56.5-57.6 TBC 2.0t 300 AWD

133 113 134

47.1 136-137 44.1-45.6 141-146 56.5-58.9 127-132

Europe’s best LxWxH 4830x1870x1400 Kerb weight 1717kg

JEEP

i30 Tourer 5dr estate £17,625–£26,125

1.6 GDI 135 1.6 CRDi 115 1.6 CRDi 136

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Compass 5dr SUV £23,755–£35,325

1.0 GSE T3 120 1.3 GSE T4 150 1.6d MultiJet II 120 2.0d MultiJet II 140 4WD 2.0d MultiJet II 170 4WD

AAABC

27.4-27.9 25.9-26.2 25.0-25.4 25.7-26.0 25.5

E-Pace 5dr SUV £28,930–£46,060

2.0d 163 160 132-133 8.3-8.9 47.8-50.7 TBC 2.0d 180 177 140 7.6-7.9 45.7-51.1 TBC 2.0d 180 AWD 177 140 7.8 40.8-44.7 TBC 2.0d 240 AWD 236 155 6.1 38.9-42.5 TBC i30 Fastback 4dr saloon £20,435–£29,995 AAABC 2.0t 200 197 148 7.2 32.5-35.1 TBC Combines good looks with sensible practicalities and dynamic 2.0t 250 246 155 6.2 32.6-25.1 TBC charm LxWxH 4455x1795x1425 Kerb weight 1287kg 2.0t 300 AWD 295 155 5.4 30.0-33.2 TBC 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 117 11.5 54.3 TBC 1.4 T-GDI 140 138 129 9.2 49.6-52.3 TBC XF 4dr saloon £34,950–£53,035 AAAAB 2.0 T-GDI 275 N 272 155 6.1 34.0 TBC Outstandingly broad-batted dynamically, plus a pleasant cabin.

i40 4dr saloon £22,995–£29,125

5.3-5.7 4.9-5.5 5.1 4.1 3.7

AAAAC LxWxH 4605x1800x1422 Kerb weight 1405kg Classy, roomy cabin and predictable handling. A very competitive Jaguar’s second SUV looks enticing, but can it make an impact like 1.4 T-GDI 138 138 127-130 8.8-9.1 42.8-45.6 142-150 SUV. LxWxH 4475x1850x1650 Kerb weight 1379kg the F-Pace’s? LxWxH 4411x1984x1649 Kerb weight 1775kg 1.6 T-GDI 201 201 140 7.2 39.3 163 1.6 GDi 132PS 130 113 11.5 35.3 TBC 2.0 D150 148 124 9.5 39.1-42.6 TBC 1.6 CRDI 134 134 124 9.8-10.0 54.3-56.5 132-136 1.6 T-GDi 177PS 175 125-126 8.9-9.2 34.9-36.2 TBC 2.0 D150 AWD 148 120 9.9-10.1 36.3-41.7 TBC 1.6 CRDi 115PS 113 109 13.7 48.7-49.6 TBC 2.0 D180 AWD 177 127-128 8.7-9.4 36.1-41.1 TBC Soul 5dr hatch £14,725–£30,495 AAABC 1.6 CRDi 136PS 134 114-116 10.6-12.0 45.6-47.1 TBC 2.0 D240 AWD 236 139 7.0 34.5-36.9 TBC Looks divide opinion. Better value now but still hardly the best option. LxWxH 4140x1800x1600 Kerb weight 1275kg 2.0 CRDi 185PS 182 125 9.5 40.9 TBC 2.0 P200 AWD 198 134 7.7 27.8-30.1 TBC 2.0 P250 AWD 245 143 6.6 27.1-29.5 TBC 1.6 GDi 130 130 115 10.6 TBC TBC Santa Fe 5dr SUV £33,425–£43,295 AAABC 2.0 P300 AWD 295 151 5.9 26.2-28.1 TBC 1.6 T-GDi 201 201 122 7.5 TBC TBC Another big Korean SUV with lots of space for not a lot of cash. 1.6 CRDi 134 134 112-113 10.7-10.8 TBC TBC Slick and comfy. LxWxH 4700x1880x1675 Kerb weight 1939kg F-Pace 5dr SUV £36,520–£74,835 AAAAC 27kWh Electric Drive 109 90 11.0 TBC 0 2.2 CRDi 200 197 127 9.3-9.4 38.7-43.5 TBC Credible first SUV effort is as refined and dynamic as a Jaguar should be. LxWxH 4746x2070x1667 Kerb weight 1690kg 2.2 CRDI 200 AWD 197 127 9.4-9.5 38.7-40.4 TBC Optima 4dr saloon £22,260–£25,700 AAACC 2.0d 163 160 121 10.2 40.9-44.8 TBC Looks the part but is well off the pace set by its European rivals. INFINITI LxWxH 4855x1860x1465 Kerb weight 1590kg 2.0 20d 180 177 129 8.5 39.9-43.4 TBC Q30 5dr hatch £21,300–£37,540 AAABC 2.0 20d 180 AWD 177 129 8.7 36.8-40.0 TBC 1.6 CRDi 134 134 121-122 10.6-11.2 53.3-54.3 137-139 Infiniti’s first hatch uses the A-Class blueprint. Great to look at, not 2.0 25d 240 AWD 236 135 7.2 35.4-38.5 TBC so good to drive. LxWxH 4425x1805x1495 Kerb weight 1407kg 3.0 V6 30d 300 AWD 295 150 6.2 34.2-36.6 TBC Optima Sportswagon 5dr estate £23,100–£38,995 AAACC 1.6t 122 120 124 9.4 38.2-38.7 TBC 2.0 25t 250 AWD 246 135 6.8 27.2-29.2 TBC Engine and finish leave it well behind rival European estates. LxWxH 4855x1860x1465 Kerb weight 1620kg 1.6t 156 153 134 8.9 35.8 TBC 2.0 30t 300 AWD 295 145 6.0 26.2-28.0 TBC 1.6 CRDi 134 134 124 9.8-10.7 51.4-52.3 140-143 2.0t 211 208 146 7.2 34.9 TBC 5.0 V8 SVR 550 AWD 548 176 4.1 22.1 TBC 2.0 T-GDi 241 241 144 7.3 30.4 211 2.0t 211 AWD 208 143 7.3 32.8 TBC I-Pace 5dr SUV £64,495–£74,995 AAAAB 2.0 GDi PHEV 202 119 9.1 188.3 34 2.2d 170 167 137 8.3 44.1-45.6 TBC Fast, refined and the first of its kind from a European 2.2d 170 AWD 167 134 8.5 39.8-40.9 TBC manufacturer. LxWxH 4682x1895x1558 Kerb weight 2133kg Stinger 4dr saloon £32,435–£40,535 AAABC QX30 5dr hatch £29,720–£35,570 AAABC EV400 398 124 4.5 TBC 0 Sleek coupé-shaped saloon has the appeal and dynamics to rival

AAABC

As good as we’ve come to expect from Hyundai, but not one inch better. LxWxH 4340x1795x1455 Kerb weight 1194kg 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 1.4 T-GDi 140 138 1.6 CRDi 115 113 2.0 T-GDi 250 N 247 2.0 T-GDi 275 N Performance 272

127 114 119 96 104

AAAAC car. LxWxH 4425x1815x1530 Kerb weight 1542kg 2.2d 170 AWD 167 134 8.5 39.2-40.9 TBC

Combines decent performance with good practicality and running costs. LxWxH 4035x1734x1474 Kerb weight 980kg 1.0 T-GDI 100 1.0 T-GDI 120 1.2 MPI 75 1.2 MPI 84

175 113 134 134 201

197

114

9.5

28.8-30.4 TBC

KIA

Picanto 5dr hatch £9720–£14,720

AAACC

Nice drive and cabin, but now overshadowed by rivals. LxWxH 3595x1406x1485 Kerb weight 935kg 1.0 MPi

100

13.8

49.6-50.4 127-129

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1.4 MPI 1.0 T-GDi 1.6 CRDI

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98 118 108

)

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107 115 112

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12.2 9.9 10.9

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45.6 141 46.3-47.1 137-138 57.6 128 AAABC

Good ride, handling and usability. Looks good and is decent value. LxWxH 4480x1855x1635 Kerb weight 1454kg 130 174 174 114 134 134 182

113 127 125-126 109 112 112 125

11.1 8.9 8.8-9.2 11.4 10.8-11.4 11.6 9.2

34.9-35.7 34.4-34.9 31.7-32.5 49.6 44.8-47.1 42.8-43.5 39.8-40.4

179-184 184-187 198-203 150 158-167 169-173 183-186

Sorento 5dr SUV £30,225–£42,925

AAAAC

X-Bow 0dr open £57,345–£70,717

AAAAC

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ES 4dr saloon £35,150-£45,650

y (m

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AAABC 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150

Gatecrashes the German-controlled saloon market in a way the GS 2.2 Skyactiv-D 184 could never manage. LxWxH 4975x1865x1445 Kerb weight 1680kg 2.5 VVT-i ES300h

Sportage 5dr SUV £20,305–£34,545 1.6 GDi 1.6 T-GDi 1.6 T-GDI AWD 1.6 CRDi 114 1.6 CRDi 134 1.6 CRDI 134 AWD 2.0 CRDi 182 48V AWD

e ow

218

112

8.9

48.7-53.2 TBC

IS 4dr saloon £31,895–£40,995

e ow

148 181

r (b

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130 140

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9.1 7.9

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47.1-53.3 TBC 47.1-51.4 TBC

CX-3 5dr SUV £18,995–£24,995

AAAAC

Another supermini SUV with a sporting bent. Quite pricey but nicely

AAABC appointed. LxWxH 4275x1765x1535 Kerb weight 1230kg Sleek compact executive car is well-made and interesting but still 2.0 Skyactiv-G 121 118 119 9.0 42.8 TBC a left-field choice. LxWxH 4680x1810x1430 Kerb weight 1620kg 2.0 Skyactiv-G 150 148 124 8.8 34.9-38.2 TBC 2.5 VVT-i IS300h 220 125 8.3 44.1-50.0 TBC 1.5 Skyactiv-D 115 103 114 9.9 54.3 TBC

LS 4dr saloon £73,270–£98,670

AAABC

Luxury saloon gets more tech and opulence but is let down by its hybrid powertrain. LxWxH 5235x1900x1460 Kerb weight 2270kg 3.5 V6 VVT-i LS500h

CX-5 5dr SUV £24,795–£34,395

RC 2dr coupé £39,145–£69,690

2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 AAABC 2.2 Skyactiv-D 184

162 148 181

LC 2dr coupé £76,595–£91,995

AAAAC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 184

181

348

155

5.4

AAAAC

Offers powerful diesel engines and strong performance, plus a welcoming interior. LxWxH 4550x1840x1675 Kerb weight 1575kg

35.7-36.2 TBC

125 10.3 36.7-38.2 TBC 112-127 9.4-10.3 43.5-49.6 TBC 129 9.6 39.8-42.8 TBC

2.0 C220d 2.0 C220d 4Matic 2.0 C300d 2.0 C300d 4Matic

192 192 241 241

149 145 155 155

7.0 7.3 6.0 6.0

46.3-52.3 42.8-47.9 44.1-49.6 42.8-48.7

TBC TBC TBC TBC

Kia moves upmarket with a smart, well-priced and nicely appointed An also-ran, but the V8 RC F packs plenty of character and handles seven-seater. LxWxH 4780x1890x1685 Kerb weight 1932kg well enough. LxWxH 4695x1840x1395 Kerb weight 1736kg MX-5 2dr open £18,995–£25,795 AAAAA 2.2 CRDi 197 127 9.0-9.6 37.7-41.5 177-196 2.5 VVT-I RC300h 220 118 8.6 40.9-45.5 TBC Brilliantly packaged, priced and perfectly poised but more vibrant C-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £39,104–£83,036 AAAAC than the original. LxWxH 3915x1735x1225 Kerb weight 1050kg 5.0 V8 RC F 470 168 4.5 25.0 TBC Take all the good bits about the coupé and add the ability to take KTM the roof off. Bingo. LxWxH 4686x1810x1409 Kerb weight 1645kg 1.5 Skyactiv-G 132 129 127 8.3 44.1 TBC TBC 1.6 C180 156 137-138 8.9 33.6-41.5 TBC 1.5 C200 181 146 8.5 36.2-40.4 TBC AAAAA 1.5 C200 4Matic 181 143 8.8 33.2-38.2 TBC 2.0 R 290 143 3.9 TBC TBC 5.0 V8 LC500 470 168 4.4 24.4 TBC Remains perfectly poised and vibrant, even with a folding metal 2.0 C300 258 155 6.2 34.0-37.7 TBC roof. LxWxH 3915x1735x1230 Kerb weight 1090kg 2.0 GT 280 143 4.1 TBC TBC 3.5 V6 LC500h 354 155 4.7 34.8 TBC 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.8 27.4-28.5 TBC 1.5 Skyactiv-G 132 129 126 8.6 44.1 TBC 4.0 V8 AMG C63 469 155 4.2 24.6-24.8 TBC LAMBORGHINI NX 5dr SUV £35,950–£45,500 AAACC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 184 181 124-126 7.9-8.7 37.7-40.4 TBC 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 174 4.1 24.4-24.8 TBC Huracán 2dr coupé £162,900–£238,000 AAAAC Some good ideas, but dramatically off the pace to drive. 2.0 C220d 191 145 7.5 44.8-49.6 TBC McLAREN LxWxH 4630x1845x1645 Kerb weight 1905kg Junior Lambo mixes usability and drama skilfully. Performante is 2.0 C220d 4Matic 191 142 7.8 40.9-46.3 TBC the most rounded. LxWxH 4459x1924x1165 Kerb weight 1389kg 2.5 VVT-I NX300h 4WD 194 112 9.2 35.7-37.1 TBC 540C 2dr coupé £126,055 AAAAC 2.0 C300d 242 155 6.3 42.2-47.1 TBC 5.2 V10 572 198 3.4 21.4 332 The affordable end of McLaren’s spectrum isn’t any less enthralling 5.2 V10 Evo 631 201 2.9 20.3 332 RX 5dr SUV £49,700–£61,700 AAABC to drive. LxWxH 4530x2095x1202 Kerb weight 1449kg E-Class 4dr saloon £38,065–£94,725 AAAAC 5.2 V10 Performante 631 201 2.9 19.7 357 Low flexibility, but hybrid option makes a degree of economic 3.8 V8 533 199 3.5 23.2 276 A wee bit pricey, and less sporting than its rivals, but still comfy

Eccentric looks and sharp handling but expensive. LxWxH 3738x1915x1202 Kerb weight 847kg

Superb-looking coupé shows flickers of what made the LFA great. LxWxH 4770x1920x1345 Kerb weight 1935kg

sense. LxWxH 4890x1895x1690 Kerb weight 2100kg

Aventador 2dr coupé £278,000-£360,000

AAAAC 3.5 V6 RX450h

Big, hairy V12 has astonishing visuals and performance. Handling could be sweeter. LxWxH 4797x2030x1136 Kerb weight 1575kg 6.5 V12 S 6.5 V12 SVJ

730 759

217 217

2.9 2.8

15.4 15.8

499 486

Urus 2dr coupé £159,925 4.0 V8

631

189

3.6

22.2

325

L AN D ROVE R

Range Rover Evoque 5dr SUV £31,505–£49,815

AAAAC

Dripping with desirability; poised and capable on- and off-road. LxWxH 4370x1985x1635 Kerb weight 1679kg 2.0 eD4 2.0 TD4 2.0 Si4 240

145 174 234

113 10.6 121-124 8.5-9.5 135 6.9

TBC TBC TBC

Range Rover Evoque Convertible 2dr SUV £46,450–£53,135

AAABC

Loses its roof but retains its ability to stray from the asphalt. LxWxH 4370x1980x1609 Kerb weight 2037kg 2.0 TD4

174

121

9.7

TBC

Range Rover Velar 5dr SUV £45,135–£64,530

TBC AAAAC

Dubbed the most car-like Landie ever and it doesn’t disappoint. Expensive. LxWxH 4803x2032x1665 Kerb weight 1829kg 2.0 D180 2.0 D240 3.0 V6 D275 3.0 V6 D300 2.0 P250 2.0 P300

174 234 271 292 243 292

125 135 135 150 135 145

8.9 7.3 6.7 6.5 6.7 6.0

52.5 48.7 42.8 44.1 37.2 36.2

Range Rover Sport 5dr SUV £64,085–£101,145

142 154 175 167 173 178 AAAAB

Bigger and better; a cut-price Range Rover rather than a jumped-up Discovery. LxWxH 4850x2073x1780 Kerb weight 2111kg 2.0 Si4 2.0 P400e PHEV 3.0 SDV6 4.4 SDV8 5.0 V8 5.0 V8 SVR

296 398 297 330 495 535

125 137 140 140 155 162

7.0 6.3 6.8 6.5 5.0 4.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Range Rover 5dr SUV £81,900–£177,735

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC AAAAB

Wherever you are, the Rangie envelops you in a lavish, invincible sense of occasion. LxWxH 4999x2220x1835 Kerb weight 2249kg 2.0 P400e PHEV 3.0 SDV6 275 4.4 SDV8 339 5.0 V8 525 5.0 V8 565

398 271 330 518 557

137 130 135 155 155

6.4 7.4 7.0 5.1 5.1

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Discovery Sport 5dr SUV £30,145–£50,665

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC AAAAB

Seven seats, at home on-road and off-road, plus new-found desirability. LxWxH 4599x2069x1724 Kerb weight 1732kg 2.0 eD4 2.0 TD4 E-Capability 2.0 TD4 2.0 SD4 2.0 Si4 240 2.0 Si 290

145 145 174 234 234 281

112 112 117 127 124 135

10.0 11.0 8.4-9.4 7.1 7.1 6.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Discovery 5dr SUV £47,625–£70,405

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC AAAAB

The country bumpkin given elocution lessons without losing its rugged capabilities. LxWxH 4970x2073x1888 Kerb weight 2115kg 2.0 SD4 3.0 V6 Td6 2.0 Si4

234 251 295

CT 5dr hatch £25,150–£31,250

121 130 125

8.0 7.7 7.3

TBC TBC TBC

LEXUS

AAAAC

Hybrid-only hatch has a pokey cabin and mismatched character traits. LxWxH 4350x1765x1445 Kerb weight 1465kg 1.8 VVT-i CT200h

134

112

10.3

86 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

53.2-54.3 TBC

124

7.7

35.3-37.1 120-127

LOTUS

Elise 2dr open £37,450–£46,550 217 242

145 151

Exige 2dr coupé £56,850–£99,800

4.2 3.8

36.7 36.2

TBC TBC

40.4

and luxurious. LxWxH 4940x1852x1452 Kerb weight 1680kg

AAAAA 2.0 E220d

Blisteringly fast and exciting supercar-slayer with hugely appealing 2.0 E220d 4Matic handling. LxWxH 4530x2095x1202 Kerb weight 1440kg 2.0 E300e 276 2.0 E300de 3.0 E400d 4Matic AAAAA 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic+ The 570GT retains the lusty, fast appeal of its sister car, even with 4.0 V8 AMG E63 S 4Matic+ 562

204

3.1

23.2

570GT 2dr coupé £154,000

added practicality. LxWxH 4530x2095x1201 Kerb weight 1498kg 3.8 V8

AAAAB

6.5

570S 2dr coupé/open £145,305-£164,750

AAAAC 3.8 V8

A delicate, vivid and unfettered drive; if you want a daily driver, shop elsewhere. LxWxH 3824x1719x1117 Kerb weight 830kg

AAAAC 1.8 VVT-i 220 Lambo’s second SUV is more alluring and aims to use the V8’s 1.8 VVT-i 246

power better. LxWxH 5112x2016x1638 Kerb weight 2200kg

308

136

MX-5 RF 2dr open £22,595–£29,195

600LT 2dr coupé £185,500

562

204

3.3

23.2

276

189 189 329 312 335 429 594

149 149 155 155 155 155 155

7.3 7.5 5.5 5.7 4.9 4.5 3.4

E-Class Estate 5dr estate £40,065–£96,725

43.5-51.4 TBC 42.8-47.9 TBC 134.5-156.9 TBC 176.6-201.8 TBC

37.7-42.8 TBC 29.7-31.4 TBC 22.8-23.7 TBC AAAAC

Far more practical than its rivals, but pricier and less sporty than

AAAAA those closest to it. LxWxH 4933x1852x1475 Kerb weight 1780kg Lighter, faster and more athletic than the 570S. McLaren at its very 2.0 E220d 189 146 7.7 41.5-47.1 TBC best. LxWxH 4604x2095x1191 Kerb weight 1356kg 3.5 V6 VVT-i 350 345 162-170 3.8-3.9 28.2 TBC 2.0 E220d 4Matic 189 145 7.8 40.9-44.8 TBC 3.5 V6 VVT-i 380 374 170-178 3.6-3.7 27.7 TBC 3.8 V8 592 204 2.9 23.2 277 2.0 E300de 312 155 5.8 166.2-176.6 TBC 3.5 V6 VVT-i 430 428 180 3.2 27.7 TBC 3.0 V6 E400d 4Matic 335 155 5.1 37.2-40.9 TBC 720S 2dr coupé £218,020 AAAAA 2.0 E200 181 144 8.1 31.0-35.3 TBC Evora 2dr coupé £76,225–£112,500 AAAAC The start of an era for McLaren and what a way to begin it is. 3.0 V6 AMG E53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.5 29.4-30.7 TBC LxWxH 4543x2059x1196 Kerb weight 1419kg Dynamically it puts nearly everything else in the shade. Shame 4.0 V8 AMG E63 S 4Matic+ 594 155 3.5 22.6-23.3 TBC about the interior. LxWxH 4084x1802x1129 Kerb weight 1395kg 4.0 V8 710 212 2.9 23.2 276 3.5 V6 VVT-i 400 394 174-186 4.2 TBC TBC E-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £41,370–£64,740 AAAAC 3.5 V6 VVT-i 410 404 174-190 4.1-4.2 25.7-26.7 TBC Senna 2dr coupé £750,000 AAAAA Big, laid-back four-seat tourer. Borrows looks from the ravishing S-Class Coupé. LxWxH 4846x1860x1431 Kerb weight 1685kg 3.5 V6 VVT-i GT430 424 190 3.8 25.7-26.6 TBC Astounding circuit performance made superbly accessible. LxWxH 4744x2155x1229 Kerb weight 1309kg 2.0 E300 237 155 6.4 31.0 TBC M A S E R AT I 4.0 V8 789 208 2.8 22.7 280 2.0 E350 295 155 5.9 TBC TBC Ghibli 4dr saloon £53,415–£57,325 AAACC 3.0 E450 4Matic 362 155 5.6 29.1-31.4 TBC MERCEDES-BENZ Maser’s compact exec has the allure but lacks power and is poorly 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.4 30.1-31.4 TBC finished in places. LxWxH 4971x1945x1461 Kerb weight 1810kg A-Class 5dr hatch £23,075–£35,580 AAAAC 2.0 E220d 189 150 7.4 43.5-50.4 TBC 3.0d V6 271 155 6.3 33.2-35.7 TBC A little bit of luxury in a desirable, hatchback-sized package. 2.0 E220d 4Matic 189 149 7.6 42.2-47.1 TBC LxWxH 4419x1992x1440 Kerb weight 1445kg 3.0 V6 345 166 5.5 23.5-24.9 TBC 3.0 E400d 4Matic 335 155 5.1 38.2-42.2 TBC 1.3 A180 136 134 9.2 42.2-47.9 TBC GranTurismo 2dr coupé £92,230-£107,865 AAACC 1.3 A200 163 140 8.2 40.9-47.9 TBC E-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £45,865–£69,235 AAAAC Not short on richness or desirability and well capable of stirring 2.0 A220 187 149 6.9 37.7-41.5 TBC Refined and sophisticated four-seater in the same mould as the the soul. LxWxH 5652x1948x1481 Kerb weight 1873kg S-Class Cabriolet. LxWxH 4846x1860x1429 Kerb weight 1780kg 2.0 A220 4Matic 187 146 6.9 35.8-39.8 TBC 4.7 V8 453 185 4.8 TBC TBC 2.0 A250 224 155 6.2 37.7-41.5 TBC 2.0 E300 237 155 6.6 30.0 TBC 2.0 AMG A35 4Matic 302 155 4.7 33.6-35.8 TBC 2.0 E350 295 155 6.1 TBC TBC GranCabrio 2dr open £106,285–£114,330 AAACC 1.5 A180d 116 126 10.5 53.3-61.4 TBC 3.0 E450 4Matic 362 155 5.8 28.8-30.7 TBC Fantastic looks and soundtrack but an average chassis overall. 2.0 A200d 148 137 8.1 53.3-58.9 TBC 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic 429 155 4.5 29.7-30.7 TBC LxWxH 4971x1945x1461 Kerb weight 1973kg 2.0 A220d 187 146 7.0 52.3-57.7 TBC 2.0 E220d 192 147 7.7 42.8-48.7 TBC 4.7 V8 453 177-179 4.9-5.0 TBC TBC 2.0 E220d 4Matic 192 145 7.9 41.5-45.6 TBC B-Class 5dr hatch £26,975–£32,375 AAABC 3.0 E400d 4Matic 335 155 5.2 37.7-40.9 TBC Quattroporte 4dr saloon £76,050–£86,675 AAACC A slightly odd prospect, but practical and classy nonetheless. Now a full-sized executive limo, with some added flair. Off the pace LxWxH 4393x1786x1557 Kerb weight 1395kg S-Class 4dr saloon £75,285–£189,260 AAAAA in several key areas. LxWxH 5264x1948x1481 Kerb weight 1860kg 1.3 B180 136 132 9.0 40.4-47.1 TBC Mercedes has given the S-Class a refresh and an added boost of tech. LxWxH 5141x1905x1498 Kerb weight 1970kg 3.0d V6 271 155 6.4 33.2-35.7 TBC 1.3 B200 163 139 8.2 39.8-46.3 TBC 3.0 V6 339 167 5.1 23.5-24.9 TBC 1.5 B180d 116 124 10.7 51.4-60.1 TBC 3.0 V6 S450 L 389 155 5.1 33.2-26.2 TBC 2.0 B200d 148 136 8.3 51.4-57.7 TBC 3.0 V6 S500 L 457 155 4.8 33.2-36.2 TBC Levante 4dr SUV £58,315–£72,525 AAACC 2.0 B220d 187 145 7.2 50.4-56.5 TBC 3.0 V6 S560e L 472 155 5.0 104.6-128.4 TBC Italian flair and good looks in abundance, but diesel not as 4.0 V8 AMG S63 594 155 4.3 23.2-24.4 TBC sonorous as petrols. LxWxH 5003x1968x1679 Kerb weight 2109kg C-Class 4dr saloon £30,845–£75,733 AAAAC 6.0 V12 AMG S65 611 155 4.2 18.6 TBC 3.0d V6 271 143 6.9 29.1-30.0 189 Merc ramps up the richness, but the engines and dynamics aren’t 6.0 V12 S650 Maybach 611 155 4.7 19.5-20.0 TBC refined enough. LxWxH 4686x1810x1442 Kerb weight 1450kg 3.0 V6 339 156 6.0 20.7-22.4 249 2.9 S350d 282 155 6.0 38.7-44.1 TBC 3.0 V6 S 424 164 5.2 20.9-22.4 253 1.6 C180 156 140 8.2-8.3 37.7-43.5 TBC 2.9 S400d 335 155 5.4 38.7-44.1 TBC 1.5 C200 181 149 7.7 37.7-43.5 TBC MAZDA 1.5 C200 4Matic 181 145 8.1 35.3-39.8 TBC S-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £105,875–£190,855 AAAAC 2 5dr hatch £13,595–£17,395 AAAAC 2.0 C300 258 155 5.9 35.3-39.8 TBC More tech and cleaner engines make the opulent luxury tourer more appealing. LxWxH 5027x1912x1414 Kerb weight 2065kg Grown-up, well-made and drives with charm and vigour; engines 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.7 28.0-29.4 TBC aren’t brilliant. LxWxH 4060x1695x1495 Kerb weight 1075kg 4.0 V8 AMG C63 469 155 4.1 25.5-25.9 TBC 4.0 V8 S560 455 155 4.6 26.4-27.7 TBC 1.5 Skyactiv-G 75 74 106 12.1 49.6 TBC 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 180 4.0 25.5-25.9 TBC 4.0 V8 AMG S63 594 155 4.2 24.1-24.6 TBC 1.5 Skyactiv-G 90 88 110-114 9.4-12.0 49.6 TBC 1.6 C200d 158 140 7.9-8.5 48.7-61.4 TBC 6.0 V12 AMG S65 611 155 4.1 18.6 TBC 1.5 Skyactiv-G 115 113 124 8.7 48.7 TBC 2.0 C220d 192 149 6.9 45.6-53.3 TBC 2.0 C220d 4Matic 192 145 6.9 40.9-47.9 TBC S-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £117,670–£198,780 AAAAC 3 5dr hatch £20,595–£24,995 AAAAC 2.0 C300d 241 155 5.9 43.5-49.6 TBC As above but with the added allure of a retractable fabric roof. LxWxH 5027x1912x1420 Kerb weight 2150kg Pleasing dynamism teamed with good practicality and punchy 2.0 C300d 4Matic 241 155 5.8 42.2-47.9 TBC diesel engines. LxWxH 4060x1695x1495 Kerb weight 1351kg 4.0 V8 S560 455 155 4.6 26.4-27.2 TBC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 120 118 121 8.9 43.5 TBC C-Class Estate 5dr estate £32,045–£79,528 AAAAC 4.0 V8 AMG S63 594 155 4.2 23.7-23.9 TBC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 162 130 8.2 37.7 TBC Decent practicality and fantastic interior. It’s a shame that it’s only 6.0 V12 AMG S65 611 155 4.1 18.6 TBC ordinary to drive. LxWxH 4702x1810x1457 Kerb weight 1495kg 1.5 Skyactiv-D 105 103 115 11.0 65.7 TBC 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 148 130 8.1 47.1 TBC 1.6 C180 156 138-139 8.4-8.5 34.0-42.2 TBC CLA Coupé 4dr saloon £27,395–£46,785 AAABC 1.5 C200 181 146 7.9 36.7-40.9 TBC Still suffers from divisive styling, although it adds further appeal to the A-Class. LxWxH 4640x1777x1432 Kerb weight 1395kg 3 Fastback 4dr saloon £20,595–£21,495 AAAAC 1.5 C200 4Matic 181 143 8.4 34.5-38.7 TBC Refined and dynamically satisfying in a saloon bodystyle. 2.0 C300 258 155 6.0 34.5-38.7 TBC 1.6 CLA180 119 130 8.7-9.0 36.7-42.2 TBC LxWxH 4060x1695x1495 Kerb weight 1345kg 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.8 27.4-28.8 TBC 1.6 CLA200 154 143 8.2 35.8-40.9 TBC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 120 118 123 8.8 43.5 TBC 4.0 V8 AMG C63 469 155 4.2 25.0-25.5 TBC 2.0 CLA220 4Matic 181 149 7.1 33.2-35.8 TBC 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 174 4.1 24.8-25.5 TBC 2.0 CLA45 AMG 4Matic 370 155 4.2 29.7-30.4 TBC 6 4dr saloon £23,195–£32,685 AAABC 1.6 C200d 158 137 8.2-8.7 47.1-57.7 TBC 2.1 CLA220d 171 144 7.7 44.8-50.4 TBC A compelling mix of size, economy and performance. Interior is a 2.0 C220d 192 145 7.0 44.8-51.4 TBC 2.1 CLA220d 4Matic 171 143 7.7 42.8-47.1 TBC let-down. LxWxH 4870x1840x1450 Kerb weight 1465kg 2.0 C220d 4Matic 192 142 7.4 41.5-46.3 TBC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 145 143 129 9.5 40.3-42.2 TBC 2.0 C300d 241 155 6.0 42.8-47.9 TBC CLA Shooting Brake 5dr estate £28,245–£47,635 AAABC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 162 135 9.1 42.2 TBC 2.0 C300d 4Matic 241 155 6.0 41.5-47.1 TBC The most practical of the A-Class range, but it suffers for its challenging styling. LxWxH 4640x1777x1435 Kerb weight 1430kg 2.5 Skyactiv-G 194 191 138 8.1 38.2 TBC C-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £35,285–£78,023 AAAAC 1.6 CLA180 119 130 8.8-9.1 35.8-40.9 TBC 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 148 130 9.1 55.4 TBC Nice balance of style, usability and driver reward. 1.6 CLA200 154 140 8.5 35.3-40.9 TBC 2.2 Skyactiv-D 184 181 140 7.9 47.9-53.5 TBC LxWxH 4696x1810x1405 Kerb weight 1505kg 2.0 CLA220 4Matic 181 146 7.2 33.6-36.2 TBC 6 Tourer 5dr estate £24,095–£33,585 AAABC 1.6 C180 156 140 8.5 35.3-42.8 TBC 2.0 CLA45 AMG 4Matic 370 155 4.3 29.1-30.1 TBC Attractively styled but only average to drive. 1.5 C200 181 149 7.9 37.7-42.2 TBC 2.1 CLA220d 171 142 7.8 43.5-48.7 TBC LxWxH 4805x1840x1480 Kerb weight 1465kg 1.5 C200 4Matic 181 145 8.4 35.3-39.8 TBC 2.1 CLA220d 4Matic 171 140 7.8 41.5-45.6 TBC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 145 143 129 9.5 41.5 TBC 2.0 C300 258 155 6.0 35.8-39.8 TBC 2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 162 135 9.1 41.5 TBC 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.7 28.0-29.4 TBC CLS Coupé 4dr saloon £53,100–£84,120 AAAAC 2.5 Skyactiv-G 194 191 138 8.1 37.2 TBC 4.0 V8 AMG C63 469 155 4.0 25.0-25.5 TBC Retains the sleek coupé style and has more tech – without losing its allure. LxWxH 4996x1896x1436 Kerb weight 1935kg 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 180 3.9 25.0-25.5 TBC

Sharp, uncompromising track car. Unforgiving on the road. LxWxH 4084x1802x1129 Kerb weight 1125kg

N E W CAR PR I CES P

e ow

r (b

)

s op

(

h mp

)

0 0-6

2.0 CLS350 3.0 CLS450 4Matic 3.0 V6 AMG CLS 53 4Matic+ 3.0 CLS350d 4Matic 3.0 CLS400d 4Matic

313 356 429 277 330

155 155 155 155 155

1.6 SLC180 2.0 SLC200 2.0 SLC300 3.0 V6 AMG SLC43

152 178 237 356

139-140 7.9-8.1 147-149 6.9-7.0 155 5.8 155 4.7

6.0 4.8 4.5 5.7 5.0

/62

h E

n co

y (m

) pg

(g/ O2

)

e ow

32.1-34.9 31.4-34.0 30.1-31.0 37.7-41.5 37.7-41.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

1.5 Cooper 2.0 Cooper S 2.0 John Cooper Works

37.2-42.8 37.2-40.4 35.3-37.2 31.7-32.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC

2.0 Cooper S

r (b

134 189 227

)

s op

(

h mp

)

0 0-6

/62

130 7.8-7.9 145-146 6.7-6.8 152 6.1-6.3

h E

n co

y (m

) pg

(g/ O2

)

43.5-47.9 TBC 38.7-43.5 TBC 38.7-40.4 TBC

Mini charm in a more usable package, but still not as practical as SLC 2dr open £32,749–£48,400 AAABC rivals. LxWxH 3982x1727x1425 Kerb weight 1240kg Another small convertible exhibiting all the charm that a Mercedes 1.5 One 101 119 10.1-10.5 42.8-47.1 TBC should. LxWxH 4143x1810x1301 Kerb weight 1435kg 1.5 Cooper 134 129 8.1-8.2 42.2-47.1 TBC

SL 2dr open £78,345–£119,045

143-144 6.8-6.9

38.2-42.8 TBC

Convertible 2dr open £20,080–£30,625

3.0 V6 SL400 4.7 V8 SL500 5.5 V8 AMG SL63

356 442 568

155 4.9 155 4.3 155-186 4.1

AMG GT 2dr coupé/open £110,645–£148,530

territory. LxWxH 4253x1800x1441 Kerb weight 1375kg

AAAAC 1.5 One 102 115 11.3 1.5 One D 114 119 10.8 1.5 Cooper 134 127 9.1 23.0-23.5 TBC 1.5 Cooper D 148 132 8.5-8.6 23.0-23.3 TBC 2.0 Cooper S 189 142 7.1-7.2 21.9-22.1 TBC 22.1 TBC Countryman 5dr hatch £23,385–£33,995

Million-dollar looks and a railgun V8, but extremely firm chassis affects its usability. LxWxH 4544x1939x1287 Kerb weight 1615kg 4.0 V8 GT 4.0 V8 GT S 4.0 V8 GT C 4.0 V8 GT R

462 507 541 568

188-189 4.0 193 3.8 196-197 3.7 198 3.6

39.2-43.5 56.5-58.9 39.2-43.5 50.4-56.5 36.7-39.8

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

4.0 V8 GT63 4Matic+ 4.0 V8 GT63 S 4Matic+

585 639

193 196

3.4 3.2

GLA 5dr SUV £25,105–£47,960

1.5 Cooper 1.5 Cooper All4 2.0 Cooper S 21.4-22.6 TBC 2.0 Cooper S All4 21.4-22.1 TBC 2.0 Cooper D 2.0 Cooper D All4 AAABC 1.5 plug-in hybrid

Not the most practical crossover but good looking and very decent to drive. LxWxH 4417x1804x1494 Kerb weight 1395kg 1.6 GLA180 1.6 GLA200 2.0 GLA250 4Matic 2.0 GLA45 AMG 4Matic 2.1 GLA200d 2.1 GLA200d 4Matic 2.1 GLA220d 4Matic

120 152 204 370 132 132 171

124 134 143 155 127 124 135

8.7-9.0 8.1-8.4 6.6 4.4 9.1-9.5 9.1 7.7

35.3-40.4 34.9-39.8 32.5-35.8 29.4-30.1 42.2-46.3 41.5-45.6 40.4-44.8

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

GLC 5dr SUV £37,340–£91,594

136 136 192 192 150 150 220

124 122 140 138 129 127 123

9.7 10.3 7.5-7.6 7.6 9.1 9.0 6.8

37.2-40.9 35.3-40.4 35.8-38.2 34.4-36.2 47.9-54.3 46.3-49.6 88.3-97.4

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

MITSUBISHI

Mirage 5dr hatch £11,295–£14,020 1.1 Mi-VEC

107

AAAAC

A coupé-shaped SUV destined to be outrun by the X4 – unless you’re in an AMG. LxWxH 4732x1890x1602 Kerb weight 1785kg 2.0 GLC 250 4Matic 3.0 V6 AMG GLC43 4Matic 4.0 V8 AMG GLC63 4Matic 4.0 V8 AMG GLC63 S 4Matic 2.1 GLC 220d 4Matic 2.1 GLC 250d 4Matic 3.0 GLC 350d 4Matic

211 356 462 495 168 198 255

138 155 155 155 130 138 148

7.3 4.9 4.0 3.8 8.3 7.6 6.2

29.1-31.7 25.0-26.9 22.4-23.5 22.4-23.2 37.7-40.9 37.7-41.5 33.6-36.7

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

The ML replacement isn’t inspiring to drive but does come with a classy interior. LxWxH 4819x2141x1796 Kerb weight 2165kg 3.0 V6 GLE 400 4Matic 3.0 V6 GLE300d 4Matic 3.0 V6 GLE350d 4Matic 3.0 V6 GLE400d 4Matic

364 243 272 328

155 149 143 149

5.7 7.2 6.9 5.8

26.2-32.5 33.6-39.2 29.1-36.2 29.4-35.3

3.0 V6 GLE 350d 4Matic 3.0 V6 AMG GLE43 4Matic 5.5 V8 AMG GLE63 S 4Matic

251 379 568

140 155 155

7.0 5.7 4.2

TBC TBC 23.2-24.1 TBC 18.2-18.7 TBC

TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAACC

Has a fitness for purpose that could appeal to those who tow or haul big loads LxWxH 4785x1815x1805 Kerb weight 2100kg 2.5 DOHC 4WD

GLE 5dr SUV £55,685–£62,300

138 158 113 148

120 123-124 112 119

y (m

(g/ O2

)

10.5 8.9-9.9 12.3 9.5

40.1-41.4 40.0-41.4 51.9-53.7 46.4-50.2

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

323 339

155 155

5.3 5.2

23.3-23.6 TBC 23.2 TBC

Monstrously fast Nissan has been tweaked and sharpened. Still a blunt object, though. LxWxH 4710x1895x1370 Kerb weight 1725kg 562 591

196 196

TBC TBC

20.2 19.6

TBC TBC

Deliciously natural and involving; a bit ergonomically flawed. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight 1198kg 4.4 V8

662

225

TBC

PEUGEOT

iOn 5dr hatch £20,534

71 71

3.0 G350d 4Matic 4.0 V8 AMG G63 4Matic

15.9

TBC

124 137

7.4 4.5

25.2-25.9 TBC 18.6-18.8 TBC

)

0 0-6

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AAAAB

2.5 GTS

355

180

4.3-4.6

28.5-30.4 TBC

718 Cayman 2dr coupé £46,075–£62,860

driver involvement. LxWxH 4379x1801x1295 Kerb weight 1335kg

2.0 2.5 S 2.5 GTS

290 339 355

170 177 180

4.9-5.1 4.4-4.6 4.3-4.6

100 100

31.4-33.2 TBC 29.1-31.0 TBC 28.5-30.7 TBC

of its iconic status. LxWxH 4499x1808x1294 Kerb weight 1413kg 408 437 486 513 680

188-191 191-193 197-198 193 211

4.0-4.3 3.6-4.1 3.4-3.9 3.2 2.8

13.0 15.2

27.2-28.5 26.2-28.0 TBC TBC TBC

911 Cabriolet 2dr open £102,755–£112,552

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAB

Cutting the top off enhances the aural drama. For visual impact choose the Targa. LxWxH 4499x1808x1289 Kerb weight 1500kg 26.4-28.0 TBC 25.0-26.6 TBC 25.9-26.4 TBC AAAAA

Revamped big saloon is an absolute belter, making it almost the

AAABC perfect grand tourer. LxWxH 5049x1937x1423 Kerb weight 1815kg A big improvement for Peugeot, if not for the supermini class. 3.0 V6 4 321 162 5.5-5.6 25.0-26.9 TBC LxWxH 3475x1615x1460 Kerb weight 1065kg 2.9 V6 4S 428 179 4.4-4.5 TBC TBC 1.2 PureTech 82 79 109-111 12.2-14.5 46.6-51.5 TBC 2.9 V6 E-Hybrid 449 172 4.6-4.7 78.5-85.6 TBC 1.2 PureTech 110 107 118 9.8-9.6 39.1-46.5 TBC 4.0 V8 GTS 458 181 4.1 22.2-23.5 TBC 1.5 BlueHDi 100 102 117 10.7 55.6-67.7 TBC 4.0 V8 Turbo 533 190 3.8-3.9 22.1-23.0 TBC 4.0 V8 Turbo S E-Hybrid 671 192 3.4-3.5 74.3-80.7 TBC 308 5dr hatch £20,000–£29,920 AAAAB Classy all-round appeal makes it a serious contender, but rear Panamera Sport Turismo 5dr estate £72,890–£140,870 AAAAA

space is a little tight. LxWxH 4253x1804x1457 Kerb weight 1190kg The Panamera in a more practical form, and now it’s a good-looking beast. LxWxH 5049x1937x1428 Kerb weight 1880kg 107 117 11.1 40.4-47.7 TBC 126 224 259 99 126 175

128-129 146 155 112 127 140

9.1-9.6 7.4 6.0 12.2 9.8 8.2

308 SW 5dr estate £20,950–£29,330

41.3-48.9 36.9-40.1 37.8 54.9-63.8 53.2-62.7 45.0-49.4

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

Estate bodystyle enjoys the classy appeal of the hatchback. LxWxH 4585x1563x1472 Kerb weight 1190kg

TBC

1.5 BlueHDi 130 2.0 BlueHDI 160 AABCC 2.0 BlueHDi 180

Roadster 2dr open £55,075

AAABC 3.0 Carrera S 408 187-188 3.7-3.9 3.0 Carrera GTS 437 190-192 3.6-3.8 3.0 Targa 4 GTS 437 190-191 3.7-4.1 53.5-57.3 TBC 51.6-55.0 TBC Panamera 4dr saloon £72,890–£148,128

11.6 9.5-10.0 7.5 12.3 10.0 8.4

40.4-47.7 41.3-48.9 36.9-40.1 54.9-63.8 53.2-62.7 45.0-49.4

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

3.0 V6 4 2.9 V6 4S 2.9 V6 E-Hybrid 4.0 V8 GTS 4.0 V8 Turbo 4.0 V8 Turbo S E-Hybrid

9.4-9.7 8.4 8.0

51.4-59.8 TBC 45.2-51.1 TBC 45.0-50.6 TBC

321 428 449 458 533 671

More advanced, but pricey and needs better brakes. LxWxH 4010x1720x1220 Kerb weight 950kg

NISSAN

5.5 4.4 4.6 4.1 3.8 3.4

24.6-25.6 TBC 76.3-80.7 22.2-23.2 22.1-22.8 72.4-74.3

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAB

Spookily good handling makes this a sports utility vehicle in the purest sense. LxWxH 4692x1923x1624 Kerb weight 1770kg 2.0 3.0 V6 S

243 351

139 157

6.7 5.3

25.7-28.2 TBC 23.9-25.7 TBC

Cayenne 5dr SUV £55,965–£99,291

AAAAB

Refreshed look, improved engines, interior and a better SUV overall. LxWxH 4918x1983x1696 Kerb weight 1985kg 330 428 533

152 164 177

6.2 5.2 4.1

22.2-24.1 TBC TBC TBC 20.2-20.8 TBC

RADICAL

RXC GT 2dr open TBC

AAABC

Designed for pounding around a track; out of its element on the road. LxWxH 4300x1960x1127 Kerb weight 1125kg 3.5 V6 400 3.5 V6 650

400 650

AAABC

Efficient and well-mannered but facelift still leaves it short on space and style. LxWxH 4159x1829x1556 Kerb weight 1045kg

160 177 170 179 188 192

Macan 5dr SUV £46,344–£48,750

3.0 V6 AAAAC 2.9 V6 S 4.0 V8 Turbo

AACCC 1.2 PureTech 82 79 105 13.5 43.8-46.8 TBC 1.2 PureTech 110 107 117-119 9.9-10.3 39.1-44.8 TBC 1.2 PureTech 130 126 124 9.3 44.4-49.9 TBC GLS 5dr SUV £73,940–£106,870 AAABC 3.7 V6 Cyclone 280 140 5.5 TBC TBC 1.6 BlueHDi 100 96 112 11.3 TBC TBC The replacement for the massive GL can still seat seven in 1.6 BlueHDi 120 116 119 9.6 52.9-58.2 TBC comfort. LxWxH 5162x1982x1850 Kerb weight 2475kg Plus 8 2dr open £83,405 AAACC 3.0 V6 GLS 350d 4Matic 251 138 7.8 27.4-29.4 TBC Old V8 charm lives on, but there’s no ignoring the high price. 3008 5dr SUV £24,575–£36,845 AAAAC LxWxH 4010x1751x1220 Kerb weight 1100kg 5.5 V8 AMG GLS63 4Matic 568 155-168 4.6 17.7-18.2 TBC Cleverly packaged Peugeot offers just enough SUV DNA to make the difference. LxWxH 4447x2098x1624 Kerb weight 1250kg 4.4 V8 367 155 4.5 TBC TBC X-Class 5dr pick-up £35,238–£47,412 AAAAC 1.2 PureTech 130 126 117 10.5-10.8 36.5-43.6 TBC Lifts the bar on commercial vehicle comfort while retaining tough Aero 8 2dr open £88,194 AAABC 1.6 PureTech 180 178 136 8.0 35.2-39.6 TBC qualities. LxWxH 5340x2113x1819 Kerb weight 2234kg Morgan’s flagship is a modern take on a classic look, although the 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 119 9.5 48.0-56.3 TBC old charm remains. LxWxH 4147x1751x1248 Kerb weight 1180kg 2.3 X220 d 163 105 12.9 TBC TBC 2.0 BlueHDi 180 175 131 8.9 42.3-47.1 TBC 2.3 X250 d 190 109 11.8 TBC TBC 4.4 V8 367 170 4.5 TBC TBC 3.0 V6 X350 d 285 127 7.9 TBC TBC 5008 5dr SUV £26,725–£38,995 AAAAC 282 577

PORSCHE

3.0 Carrera S 3.0 Carrera GTS 4.0 GT3 4.0 GT3 RS AABCC 3.8 GT2 RS

208 3dr/5dr hatch £14,900–£18,735

2008 5dr SUV £17,730–£24,490

Needs more chassis finesse, but the Plus 4 still charms

Sister car to the Aygo – and a distant second to most city car rivals. LxWxH 3475x1615x1460 Kerb weight 840kg

AAABC nonetheless. LxWxH 4010x1720x1220 Kerb weight 927kg Massively expensive and compromised, but with character in 2.0 GDi 154 118 7.5 TBC TBC

Plus 4 2dr open £44,105

s op

718 Boxster 2dr open £47,935–£64,721

TBC

Good electric powertrain; looks extremely old hat against better EV rivals. LxWxH 3474x1475x1608 Kerb weight 1120kg

129 158 174

abundance. LxWxH 4764x1867x1954 Kerb weight 2550kg

TBC

)

911 2dr coupé £93,110–£207,506 AAAAB AAABC Still as brilliant and distinctive as any before it. More than worthy

NOBLE

M600 2dr coupé £248,000–£287,600

TBC

G-Class 5dr SUV £94,000–£143,305

8.0

AAAAA AAAAC Scalpel-blade incisiveness, supreme balance and outstanding

GT-R 2dr coupé £81,995–£151,995

Stylish and likeable but lacking the polish of more premium rivals. GLE Coupé 5dr SUV £65,030–£102,010 AAAAC 4/4 2dr open £40,205 AACCC LxWxH 4750x1859x1430 Kerb weight 1535kg Not the prettiest SUV you will ever see, but a decent option against Has its appeal but not as rewarding to drive as it could be. 1.6 PureTech 180 178 143 7.9 38.0-41.8 TBC the BMW X6. LxWxH 4900x2129x1731 Kerb weight 2240kg LxWxH 4010x1630x1220 Kerb weight 795kg 1.6 PureTech 225 220 155 7.1 36.3-39.8 TBC 115

r (b

TBC TBC TBC TBC

3.7 V6 3.7 V6 Nismo

MORGAN

110

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Our idea of drop-top heaven. Exceptional to drive, whether cruising 370Z 2dr coupé £29,805–£40,305 AAABC or hurrying. LxWxH 4379x1801x1280 Kerb weight 1335kg Old-school and profoundly mechanical coupé. The Healey 3000 of 2.0 290 170 4.9-5.1 31.4-33.2 TBC today – but meaner. LxWxH 4265x1845x1315 Kerb weight 1496kg 2.5 S 339 177 4.4-4.6 29.1-30.7 TBC

129 143 146

TBC

n co

2.0 dCi 177 2.0 dCi 177 4WD

1.6 i4 Sigma

11.0

AAABC

117 127 146 111 126 139

112

AAAAB

1.2 PureTech 110 107 1.2 PureTech 130 126 1.6 PureTech 225 224 3 Wheeler 0dr open £40,075 AAAAA 1.5 BlueHDI 100 99 The eccentric, characterful and brilliant Morgan is a testament to 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 English creativity. LxWxH 3225x1720x1000 Kerb weight 525kg 2.0 BlueHDi 180 EAT8 178 2.0 V-twin 68 68 115 7.0 TBC TBC 2.0 V-twin 82 82 115 6.0 TBC TBC 508 4dr saloon £25,039–£37,439 179

/62

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

1.2 PureTech 110 AAABC 1.2 PureTech 130 Creditable effort, but still cheap in places: PHEV a boon for fleet 1.6 PureTech 225 users. LxWxH 4695x1810x1710 Kerb weight 1565kg 1.6 PureTech 260 2.0 Mi-VEC 4WD 148 118 13.3 32.5 TBC 1.6 BlueHDi 100 2.2 DI-D 4WD 148 118-124 10.2-11.6 TBC TBC 1.5 BlueHDi 130 2.0 Mi-VEC PHEV 200 106 11.0 139.7 TBC 2.0 BlueHDi 180 EAT8

Outlander 5dr SUV £28,220–£46,060

Shogun Sport 5dr SUV £37,775–£39,775

0 0-6

10.5-11.4 11.0 9.7 9.6 9.4-10.0

AAACC 1.0 72 1.0 72 2-Tronic

Decent engines, but otherwise an unexceptional crossover. LxWxH 4355x1770x1640 Kerb weight 1260kg

AAAAC 1.6 Mi-VEC 115 114 11.5 37.7 TBC Not exactly exciting to drive, but does luxury and refinement 1.6 DI-D 2WD 112 113 11.2 TBC TBC better than most. LxWxH 4656x1890x1639 Kerb weight 1735kg 1.6 DI-D 4WD 112 111 11.5 TBC TBC 2.0 GLC 250 4Matic 208 138 7.3 28.5-31.7 TBC 2.2 DI-D 4WD 148 118 10.8 TBC TBC 3.0 V6 AMG GLC43 4Matic 356 155 4.9 24.8-26.7 TBC 4.0 V8 AMG GLC63 4Matic 462 155 4.0 22.1-23.2 TBC Eclipse Cross 5dr SUV £21,915–£31,015 AAACC 4.0 V8 AMG GLC63 S 4Matic 495 155 3.8 22.1-22.8 TBC Stylish, future-looking mid-sized SUV shows where Mitsubishi’s destiny lies. LxWxH 4695x1810x1710 Kerb weight 1425kg 2.1 GLC 220d 4Matic 168 130 8.3 36.7-41.5 TBC 2.1 GLC 250d 4Matic 198 138 7.6 36.7-42.2 TBC 1.5 Mi-VEC 2WD 160 124-127 9.3-10.3 33.2-37.7 TBC 3.0 GLC 350d 4Matic 255 148 6.2 32.8-36.7 TBC 1.5 Mi-VEC 4WD 160 124 9.8 32.5 TBC

GLC Coupé 5dr SUV £42,365–£93,989

(

108 3dr/5dr hatch £9690–£14,985

11.7-12.8 47.9-55.4 TBC

ASX 5dr SUV £19,570–£29,485

111-116 115 124 123 121-126

AAACC 47kW

A straightforward hatchback – but not for the likes of us. LxWxH 3795x1665x1505 Kerb weight 845kg

128 128 160 174 174

Bigger than before, but still more funky than useful. Still not all that

New four-door, four-wheel-drive GT may be a confusing car to contemplate, but it’s a deeply impressive one to drive. LxWxH 5054x1953x1447 Kerb weight 2100kg

s op

There aren’t many cheaper ways of owning an SUV. Has a better range of engines, too. LxWxH 4640x1820x1710 Kerb weight 1505kg

3.8 V6 AAABC 3.8 V6 Nismo

AMG GT 4-Door Coupé 4dr saloon £121,350-£135,350 AAAAB pretty, either. LxWxH 4299x2005x1557 Kerb weight 1440kg

)

X-Trail 5dr SUV £29,930–£37,525

AAABC 1.6 dCi 130

AAAAB 1.5 Cooper 134 128-129 8.7-8.8 41.5-45.6 TBC 2.0 Cooper S 189 142-143 7.1-7.2 38.7-40.9 TBC 2.0 John Cooper Works 167 149 6.5-6.6 37.2-38.7 TBC TBC TBC 25.9-26.9 TBC Clubman 5dr hatch £19,995–£27,685 AAAAC 23.2-23.5 TBC Cheery and alternative Mini ‘six-door’ takes the brand into new

) pg

The defining modern crossover. The Mk2 is better in all areas, hence its popularity. LxWxH 4394x1806x1590 Kerb weight 1331kg

A fun open-top car but compromised on practicality and dynamics. 1.6 dCi 130 4WD LxWxH 3821x1727x1415 Kerb weight 1280kg 1.6 DIG-T 163

Big, luxurious drop-top is classier than a royal stud farm. Few feel more special. LxWxH 4631x1877x1315 Kerb weight 1735kg

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Qashqai 5dr SUV £19,995–£31,145

1.3 DIG-T 140 AAAAB 1.3 DIG-T 160 1.5 dCi 115 1.7 DCI 150

5dr Hatch 5dr hatch £16,890–£25,030

189

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179 180

2.8 2.7

TBC TBC

R E N A U LT

Twizy 2dr hatch £6695–£7995

AAABC

Zany solution to personal mobility is suitably irreverent and impractical. LxWxH 2338x1381x1454 Kerb weight 474kg MB L7e

TBC

Zoe 5dr hatch £18,420–£27,820

0 AAABC

A far more practical zero-emission solution. Attractive price, too. LxWxH 4084x1730x1562 Kerb weight 1470kg 5AGEN2 5AGEN3

86 89

84 84

13.5 13.5

TBC TBC

Twingo 3dr hatch £10,750–£13,455

0 0 AAACC

Handsome, unusual rear-engined city car but not a class leader. LxWxH 3595x1646x1554 Kerb weight 865kg 1.0 SCe 70 0.9 TCe 90

67 87

94 103

0.9 TCe 90 1.5 dCi 90

87 87

112 12.2-13.1 47.1 TBC 109-112 12.0-12.9 56.5-57.6 TBC

14.5 10.8

47.9-48.7 TBC 45.6-47.9 TBC

Less MPV, more SUV, and shares its siblings’ good looks. Competent MG Micra 5dr hatch £12,875–£20,005 AAAAC to drive, too. LxWxH 4641x1844x1640 Kerb weight 1511kg Clio 5dr hatch £13,615–£19,165 AAAAC 3 5dr hatch £9695–£12,995 AAABC Refreshed look and better handling makes it an enticing choice. 1.2 PureTech 130 126 117 10.4-10.9 36.5-44.2 TBC An attractive,stylish and practical proposition, but cheap in places Has its flaws, though. LxWxH 3991x1743x1455 Kerb weight 1490kg 1.6 PureTech 180 and feels dated. LxWxH 4062x1732x1448 Kerb weight 1059kg Neatly tuned and nice sporty styling. Breaks the mould for sub178 135 8.3 35.2-39.6 TBC £9000 superminis. LxWxH 4018x1729x1507 Kerb weight 1125kg 1.0 71PS 70 98 16.4 46.3 TBC 1.5 BlueHDi 130 129 119 10.7 48.0-56.3 TBC 0.9 TCe 75 75 110 12.3 46.3-47.1 TBC 1.5 VTI-Tech

TBC 0.9 IG-T 90 1.0 IG-T 100 AAACC 1.0 DIG-T 117 Much improved on previous MGs, but still lacks the sophistication 1.5 dCi 90 104

108

10.4

TBC

ZS 5dr SUV £12,495–£17,795

of its closest rivals. LxWxH 4314x1809x1611 Kerb weight 1190kg 1.5 VTi-Tech 1.0T GDi

104 109

109 112

10.9 12.4

TBC TBC

GS 5dr SUV £15,095–£21,095

TBC TBC

1.5 TGI

163

112-118 9.6 MINI

3dr Hatch 3dr hatch £16,190–£29,990

TBC

1.5 One

101

121

12.1 10.9 9.9 11.9

47.1 50.4 47.9 TBC

TBC TBC TBC TBC AAAAC

Better looks, better value and better range from this second-gen electric hatch. LxWxH 4387x1768x1520 Kerb weight 1245kg 147

89.5

7.9

Juke 5dr hatch £15,505–£21,805

TBC

0 AAABC

High-riding, funky hatch is a compelling package. High CO 2 figures, though. LxWxH 4135x1765x1565 Kerb weight 1605kg

1.6 112 AAAAB 1.5 dCi 110

Three-pot engines and cleverly designed interior make the Mini a superb choice. LxWxH 3821x1727x1414 Kerb weight 1190kg

109 114 121 111

Leaf 5dr hatch £26,190–£29,390

AAACC 40kWh

MG’s first attempt at a small SUV is an attempt to re-establish the brand. LxWxH 4500x1800x1665 Kerb weight 1385kg

88 98 115 88

110 108

111 109

12.5 11.2

34.0-35.8 TBC 49.6 TBC

2.0 BlueHDi 180

175

131

9.1

42.3-47.1 TBC

Mégane 5dr hatch £17,715–£29,195

AAABC

Stylish and refined but bland. Nothing exceptional. LxWxH 4359x1814x1447 Kerb weight 1340kg 1.2 TCe 140 1.5 Blue dCi 115 1.8 RS 280

138 113 276

127 118 158

10.6 11.1 5.8

42.8-45.6 TBC 58.9-62.8 TBC TBC TBC

Mégane Sport Tourer 5dr estate £18,915–£24,615

AAABC

Stylish and refined estate car is still bland like the hatch. Smaller than its predecessor. LxWxH 4626x1814x1457 Kerb weight 1409kg 1.2 TCe 140 1.5 Blue dCi 115

138 113

127 118

9.8 11.1

42.2-44.8 TBC 56.5-61.4 TBC

10.1-10.2 43.5-47.9 TBC

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 87

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AAABC

Good-looking MPV riding on 20in wheels, but overall a bland car to drive. LxWxH 4406x1866x1653 Kerb weight 1428kg 1.2 TCe 140 1.8 dCi 120

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Koleos 5dr SUV £27,495–£31,495

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AAABC

Koleos name returns and is a vast improvement on before, but no class leader. LxWxH 4672x2063x1678 Kerb weight 1540kg

121 TBC

10.1 TBC

40.4-41.5 TBC TBC TBC

Captur 5dr SUV £15,725–£22,065

AAAAC

169 169

126 125

10.7 9.5

38.2 36.2

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y (m

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(g/ O2

)

TBC TBC

106 124 130 106

13.2 10.2 9.5 13.1

44.1-45.6 42.8-44.1 42.8-43.5 51.3-53.2

TBC TBC TBC TBC

6.6 V12

563

155

5.0

113 148 188 241 113 148 182

126 136 147 155 126 135 142-145

9.6-9.7 7.8-7.9 7.3 6.4 9.8 8.1 7.6-8.1

45.6-50.4 44.1-48.7 40.9 38.2-38.7 53.3-58.9 53.3-56.5 44.8-50.4

19.6

LxWxH 4667x1814x1465 Kerb weight 1247kg

330

AAAAC 1.4 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 272 4X4 1.6 TDI 120 18.8 341 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 190 2.0 TDI 190 4X4 AAABC

Big, bold new 4x4 begins the next era for the brand, with a model that convinces. LxWxH 5341x2164x1835 Kerb weight 2730kg

GREATEST ROAD TESTS OF ALL TIME

563

155

5.2

S E AT

Mii 5dr hatch £11,900–£12,420

Not as desirable or plush as the Up but nearly as good to drive. LxWxH 3557x1643x1474 Kerb weight 929kg 1.0 60 1.0 75

59 74

99 106

14.4 13.2

50.4-53.3 TBC 49.6-51.4 TBC

148 270 118 148 187 187

137 155 128 135-137 145 143

8.3-8.5 5.5 10.5-10.6 8.5-8.6 8.3 8.0

40.9-45.6 32.8 52.3 50.4-52.3 50.4 44.8

141-157 194 142 140-146 147 166

Superb Estate 5dr estate £24,225–£37,955

RENAULT 5 TSE

TESTED 13.12.85

A transverse-engine layout finally replaced the original R5’s longitudinal configuration, but unlike the car’s rivals, this was to save weight and improve impact absorption rather than boost cabin space, which remained poor in the back. The flexible 1.4-litre engine offered plenty of poke and remained smooth up to 5500rpm, but a low fifth gear made our testers yearn for a proper overdrive and reduced economy to a merely reasonable 29.5mpg. The characteristically French soft ride in the previous R5 got much stiffer with the addition of coil springs up front, and around town the car jolted and jittered over poor surfaces. Ride improved as speed increased, but wind and road noise marred motorway cruises. Steering was lighter than before but rubbery on straights. Grip was excellent in corners, eventually giving way to understeer. Turn-in braking brought oversteer, but only in extremis. Cosmetic changes were limited, but the addition of a black plastic ‘belt’ updated the R5’s image for the 1980s. FOR Performance, efficiency, handling AGAINST Ride, space, road noise

s op

2.2d 178

enormous boot. LxWxH 4856x1864x1477 Kerb weight 1365kg

175

Pricey two-seater has urban appeal but is short on performance Arona 5dr SUV £17,145–£25,170 AAAAC and handling. LxWxH 2695x1663x1555 Kerb weight 890kg Seat’s second SUV doesn’t disappoint, with it taking charge of the 1.0 71 68 94 14.4-15.5 44.1-48.7 TBC class dynamically. LxWxH 4138x1780x1543 Kerb weight 1165kg 0.9 90 87 96 10.4-11.7 44.1-49.6 TBC 11.2 9.8-10.0 8.3 11.9 10.3

45.6-48.7 44.1-46.3 44.8-48.7 49.6-56.5 50.4-57.6

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

Electric Drive

11.0 8.6 7.9 11.5 9.0 7.5

Alhambra 5dr MPV £27,590–£38,325

42.8-42.8 33.6-41.5 32.5-33.6 44.1-54.3 46.3-50.4 TBC

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

This cheaper version of the VW Sharan is spacious, versatile and good to drive. LxWxH 4854x1904x1730 Kerb weight 1755kg 1.4 TSI 150 2.0 TDI Ecomotive 150

148 148

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CO 2

124 9.9 33.2-35.8 TBC 123-124 10.2-10.3 38.7-44.1 TBC

11.5-11.8 TBC

1.6i 2.0i

112 153

112 127

68 87 79

94 102 80

99-106 11.0-12.0 35.3-38.2 TBC 107-109 12.0 45.3-54.3 TBC

1.6i

Now grown in size for more practicality but that doesn’t increase the Tivoli’s appeal. LxWxH 4440x1798x1635 Kerb weight 1405kg 126 113

99-106 11.0-12.0 34.9-37.2 TBC 107-109 12.0 42.8-51.4 TBC

A Czech take on the city car is more fun to drive than its plain-Jane LxWxH 4410x1830x1710 Kerb weight 1725kg exterior suggests. LxWxH 3597x1641x1478 Kerb weight 854kg 2.2d 178 175 115 9.9 1.0 MPI 60 GreenTech 1.0 MPI 75 GreenTech

59 74

100 107

13.9 13.1

54.3-55.4 115-118 53.3 119-120

1.0 MPI 60 1.0 MPI 75 1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 110 1.0 TSI 110 DSG

58 73 94 108 108

98 104 114 121 120

16.6 14.9 10.8 9.6 10.1

50.4 48.7-49.6 50.4-51.3 49.6-51.4 47.1-47.9

2.2d 178 4x4

175

115

9.9

12.4 9.8

35.9 TBC

TBC TBC AAACC

167

130

8.9

TBC

XV 5dr SUV £25,310–£28,510

TBC AAACC

No-nonsense crossover doesn’t quite make enough sense. LxWxH 4450x1780x1615 Kerb weight 1355kg 112 154

109 120

13.9 10.4

35.3 TBC

TBC TBC AAACC

Solid, spacious and wilfully unsexy. A capable 4x4 nonetheless. LxWxH 4610x1795x1735 Kerb weight 1488kg 2.0i 150

148

118-119 10.6-11.8 32.2

Outback 5dr estate £29,995–£33,010

TBC AABCC

Acceptable in isolation but no class leader. LxWxH 4815x1840x1605 Kerb weight 1612kg 2.5i

172

130

10.2

33.0

TBC AAAAA

The GT86’s half-brother looks great in Subaru blue. Cheaper, too. LxWxH 4240x1775x1320 Kerb weight 1242kg 2.0i

197

130-140 7.6-8.2

33.3

TBC

SUZUKI

Celerio 5dr hatch £8999–£10,499

AAABC

Pleasing to drive, cheap to buy and decent to sit in. No-nonsense and likeable for it. LxWxH 3600x1600x1540 Kerb weight 835kg 1.0 K10C Dualjet

13.0

58.8

Ignis 5dr hatch £11,849–£14,849

TBC AAAAC

Cute and rugged-looking 4x4 city car capable of tackling roads bereft of asphalt. LxWxH 3700x1660x1595 Kerb weight 855kg 1.2 Dualjet 1.2 Dualjet SHVS 1.2 Dualjet SHVS 4x4

87 87 87

106 106 103

11.8 11.4 11.1

52.9 54.1 54.1

Jimny 3dr SUV £15,499–£17,999

TBC TBC TBC AAABC

Charming 4x4 is capable and affordable but retains its dynamic foibles. LxWxH 3645x1645x1725 Kerb weight 1135kg 1.5 VVT

100

11.9

32.2-35.8 178-198

Swift 5dr hatch £12,499–£18,499

AAABC

Given mature looks, more equipment and a hybrid powertrain, but it’s no class leader. LxWxH 3840x1735x1495 Kerb weight 890kg 11.9 12.6 10.0-10.6 8.1

55.4 49.7 49.6-51.8 47.1

115 128 123-136 135

AAABC

118-124 11.0-11.4 46.8-52.4 TBC AAABC

Utterly worthy addition to the class drives better than most. LxWxH 4175x1775x1610 Kerb weight 1075kg 108 136

111 124

11.5-12.5 39.4-45.9 139-162 9.5-10.2 36.6-43.6 146-174

S-Cross 5dr SUV £17,499–£26,099

AAABC

A worthy crossover if not a class leader. Refreshed looks give a lease of life. LxWxH 4300x1785x1585 Kerb weight 1160kg

1.0 Boosterjet AAACC 1.0 Boosterjet Allgrip 1.4 Boosterjet Allgrip

37.7-42.8 TBC 35.3 TBC

108

Vitara 5dr SUV £16,999–£25,649

1.0 Boosterjet AAABC 1.4 Boosterjet

Tivoli XLV 5dr SUV £19,745–£22,245 1.6 128 1.6d 115

AAACC

Impressively practical but only offered with an automatic gearbox and one trim. LxWxH 4690x1780x1490 Kerb weight 1568kg

AAABC 1.0 Boosterjet

Trails the Duster as the best-value small crossover – but not by much. LxWxH 4195x1795x1590 Kerb weight 1270kg 126 113

TBC

Suzuki’s family-sized hatchback makes use of clever little engines. LxWxH 3995x1745x1470 Kerb weight 920kg

S S A N G YO N G

Tivoli 5dr SUV £14,495–£21,495 1.6 128 1.6d 115

TBC

Levorg 5dr estate £30,010

AAACC 1.2 Dualjet 87 111 1.2 Dualjet SHVS 4x4 87 105 1.0 Boosterjet 108 118-121 15.9-16.9 43.5-47.1 TBC 1.4 Boosterjet Sport 138 130 11.2-11.9 45.6-47.9 TBC 12.7 TBC 0 Baleno 5dr hatch £13,249–£16,249

Korando 5dr SUV £18,995–£25,495 AAABC Good for a Ssangyong but poor by class standards.

S KO DA

Citigo 3dr hatch £8890–£11,890

AAACC

Appealing hatchback has been steadily improved but still feels old-fashioned. LxWxH 4415x1740x1465 Kerb weight 1374kg

Four doors give the Smart more mainstream practicality. Still expensive, though. LxWxH 3495x1665x1555 Kerb weight 975kg

Seat’s first SUV is very good. So good, in fact, it’s a Qashqai beater. Electric Drive LxWxH 4363x1841x1601 Kerb weight 1280kg 114 123 132 114 122 132

Forfour 5dr hatch £11,910–£22,285

1.0 71 AAAAB 0.9 90

Ateca 5dr SUV £21,940–£34,120 113 148 187 113 148 187

)

Impreza 5dr hatch £24,310–£25,010

BRZ 2dr coupé £27,025–£28,510

brilliant otherwise. LxWxH 4382x1841x1603 Kerb weight 1265kg

AAAAC 1.0 TSI 115 113 116 10.6 40.4-44.1 146-159 A creditable effort and a notable improvement in form, with plenty 1.5 TSI 150 148 126 8.1-8.3 38.2-41.5 154-167 of niche appeal. LxWxH 4282x1816x1459 Kerb weight 1202kg 1.5 TSI 150 4x4 148 121 9.1 34.4-34.9 183-186 1.0 TSI 115 113 121 9.8 46.3-50.4 TBC 1.6 TDI 115 113 116 11.0-11.1 46.3-49.6 149-159 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 126 9.4 42.2-46.3 TBC 2.0 TDI 150 148 127 9.0 49.6-50.4 147-150 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 134 8.2 40.9-48.7 TBC 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 148 121 8.8 42.8-44.8 165-173 2.0 TSI 190 188 142 7.2 38.7-40.4 TBC 2.0 TSI Cupra 288 150 6.0 35.8-38.7 TBC Kodiaq 5dr SUV £25,775–£42,895 AAAAC 1.6 TDI 115 113 122 9.8 49.6-55.4 TBC Skoda’s first seven-seat SUV is a viable alternative to a traditional MPV. LxWxH 4697x1882x1676 Kerb weight 1430kg 2.0 TDI 150 148 134 8.4 TBC TBC 1.5 TSI 150 148 123 9.3 36.2-37.7 165-176 Leon ST 5dr estate £19,255–£34,370 AAAAC 1.5 TSI 150 4x4 148 120-122 9.5-9.6 31.7-33.2 194-202 Good-looking and responsive hatchback-turned-estate. 2.0 TSI 190 4x4 188 TBC TBC 30.0-31.7 201-205 LxWxH 4549x1816x1454 Kerb weight 1236kg 2.0 TDI 150 148 123 9.8 44.8-46.3 161-165 1.0 TSI 115 113 122 10.1 45.6-50.4 TBC 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 148 120-122 9.4-9.6 38.7-42.8 172-190 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 129 9.5 41.5-46.3 TBC 2.0 TDI 190 4x4 187 130 8.3 38.7-39.2 188-191 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 134 8.2 40.4-48.7 TBC 2.0 BiTDI 239 4x4 vRS 237 136 7.0 35.3 211 2.0 TSI 190 188 144 7.3 38.7-39.8 TBC SMART 2.0 TSI Cupra 288 155 5.2 32.1-33.6 TBC 1.6 TDI 115 113 122 10.6 53.3-55.4 TBC Fortwo 3dr hatch/open £12,110–£27,135 AAACC

1.0 EcoTSI 115 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 190 4Drive 1.6 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 190 4Drive

108-116 TBC

Leon 5dr hatch £18,260–£30,980

107 113 127 107 115

SUBARU

Forester 5dr estate £30,000–£32,500

93 113 148 93 113

Incredibly ungainly but offers huge real estate for the money. LxWxH 5130x1915x1850 Kerb weight 2115kg

1.4 TSI 150 148 135 8.4-8.6 39.2-43.5 146-163 2.0 TSI 272 4X4 270 155 5.6 32.5 197-198 AAAAB 1.6 TDI 120 118 127-128 10.6-10.7 49.6 148-150 Reinvigorated Ibiza is more mature and takes the class honours 2.0 TDI 150 148 132-135 8.6-8.8 49.6-52.3 142-150 from the Fiesta. LxWxH 4059x1780x1444 Kerb weight 1091kg 2.0 TDI 190 187 TBC TBC 48.7 151-152 1.0 MPI 80 79 106 14.6 45.6-48.7 TBC 2.0 TDI 190 4X4 187 142 7.4 43.5 170-171 1.0 TSI 95 93 113 10.9 47.9-53.3 TBC 1.0 TSI 115 113 121 9.3 44.1-50.4 TBC Karoq 5dr SUV £21,945–£33,375 AAAAC 1.6 TDI 95 93 113 7.5 55.4-60.1 TBC Yeti replacement may not have its forebear’s quirkiness, but it’s

1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 115 1.5 TSI EVO 150 1.6 TDI 95 1.6 TDI 115

Turismo 5dr MPV £20,995–£27,495

AAAAC 1.6i Even more commendable than above, primarily thanks to its 2.0i

Ibiza 5dr hatch £15,495–£21,645

Renault made major under-the-skin changes for the second generation of its long-serving supermini. We look back at our test of the range-topping TSE.

)

126-141 132-145 155-156 165-168 126-139 132-139 146-164

not on price. LxWxH 4861x1864x1468 Kerb weight 1340kg

Cullinan 4dr SUV £250,000 6.75 TV12

AAAAC

1.0 TSI 115 113 124-125 9.8 42.8-48.7 131-149 1.5 TSI 150 148 134 7.9-8.0 42.8-46.3 137-149 2.0 TSI 190 188 143 7.4 35.3-39.8 160-182 Ghost 4dr saloon £227,423–£262,823 AAAAC 2.0 TSI 245 vRS 241 155 6.5 37.1-38.2 168-172 ‘A ffordable’ Rolls is a more driver-focused car than the Phantom. 1.6 TDI 115 113 124-125 9.8-9.9 51.4-56.5 131-144 Still hugely special. LxWxH 5399x1948x1550 Kerb weight 2360kg 2.0 TDI 150 148 132-134 8.2-8.3 52.8-53.3 140-149 Kadjar 5dr SUV £20,595–£29,995 AAAAC 6.6 V12 563 155 4.9-5.0 19.8-20.0 327-329 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 148 130 8.1 47.9-51.4 143-153 Fine value, practical, decent to drive and good-looking, but the 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 Scout 148 129 8.8 44.8 164 Qashqai is classier. LxWxH 4449x1836x1607 Kerb weight 1306kg Phantom 4dr saloon £362,055 AAAAA 2.0 TDI 184 vRS 182 135-140 7.7-8.2 43.5-49.6 151-170 1.2 TCe 140 138 119 10.1-10.7 41.5-44.1 TBC Phantom takes opulent luxury to a whole level. LxWxH 5762x2018x1646 Kerb weight 2560kg 1.6 TCe 160 158 127 9.2 42.8 TBC Superb 5dr hatch £23,805–£36,675 AAAAC 1.5 dCi 115 112 112-113 11.7-11.9 55.4-60.1 TBC 6.75 TV12 563 155 5.3-5.4 20.3 318-319 Another great Czech value option that’s big on quality and space if 87 128 148 87

r (b

Octavia Estate 5dr estate £19,515–£31,495 AAAAC AAAAB Class-leading amount of space and practicality. Comfortable, too.

Dawn 2dr open £266,055–£302,655

Jacked-up Clio is among the better downsized options. Stylish and Essentially as above, except with a detuned engine and in elegant fluent-riding. LxWxH 4122x1778x1566 Kerb weight 1184kg convertible form. LxWxH 5295x1947x1502 Kerb weight 2560kg 0.9 TCe 90 1.3 TCe 130 1.3 TCe 150 1.5 dCi 90

e ow

Does comfort and practicality like no other. Good, frugal engines too. LxWxH 4670x1814x1461 Kerb weight 1225kg

1.0 TSI 115 1.4 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 190 R O L L S - R OYC E Grand Scenic 5dr MPV £23,515–£28,255 AAABC 2.0 TSI 245 vRS Good-looking seven-seat MPV is bland to drive and the third row Wraith 2dr coupé £224,823–£280,223 AAAAB 1.6 TDI 115 seats are tight. LxWxH 4634x1866x1655 Kerb weight 1495kg An intimate and involving Rolls. Not as grand as some, but other 2.0 TDI 150 traits make it great. LxWxH 5285x1947x1507 Kerb weight 2360kg 2.0 TDI 184 vRS 1.2 TCe 140 138 118 11.4 39.8-40.9 TBC 1.8 dCi 120 118 120 12.1 TBC TBC 6.6 V12 624 155 4.6 19.8 327 138 118

2.0 dCi 175 2.0 dCi 175 4WD X-Tronic

e ow

108 108 136

106-112 11.0-12.4 404-44.9 120-131 109 12.0 39.2 127 124 10.2 37.7-38.8 141 TESLA

Model S 5dr hatch £72,850-£84,140

AAAAB

Model X 5dr SUV £81,050-£88,050

AAAAB

Large range makes it not only a standout EV but also the future of Musso 5dr SUV £25,133-£35,033 AAACC luxury motoring. LxWxH 4978x1963x1445 Kerb weight 2108kg Fabia 5dr hatch £12,260–£18,835 AAABC Practical pick-up has a refined engine and direct steering, but ride Standard range 323 140 4.2 TBC 0 Comfortable, affordable, easy-to-drive and attractive, but no more needs refinement. LxWxH 5095x1950x1840 Kerb weight 2155kg Long range 602 155 4.1 TBC 0 so than its rivals. LxWxH 4009x1958x1452 Kerb weight 1151kg 2.2d 181 178 115-121 12.2 TBC TBC Ludicrous Performance 602 155 2.4 TBC 0

FA C T F I L E

Price £6195 Engine 4 cyls in line, 1397cc, petrol Power 72bhp at 5750rpm Torque 78lb ft at 3500rpm 0-60mph 11.4sec 0-100mph 53.4sec Standing quarter 18.2sec, 75mph 60-0mph na Top speed 104mph Economy 21.6mpg W H AT H A P P E N E D N E X T…

A year later, the 1.4-litre engine from the TSE provided the base unit for the popping 115bhp Renault 5 GT that went on to become a highstreet hero. With the arrival of the Clio in 1991, the writing was on the wall for the aged R5, and it saw out its final years as the budget Campus before departing in 1996.

88 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

Fabia Estate 5dr estate £14,160–£19,070

127 128-130 124-127 125-128 133-136

Rexton 5dr SUV £28,995–£38,995

AAABC

A vast improvement. Better on the road but without ditching its argicultural roots. LxWxH 4850x1960x1825 Kerb weight 2102kg 2.2d 181

178

115

11.3-11.9 TBC

TBC

A genuine luxury seven-seat electric SUV which also has a large range. LxWxH 5036x2070x1684 Kerb weight 2459kg Long range Ludicrous Performance

602 602

AAAAC

Aygo 3dr hatch £9695–£14,595

1.0 MPI 75 1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 110 1.0 TSI 110 DSG

1.0 VVT-i

105 115 122 121

15.2 10.9 9.7 10.2

Rapid Spaceback 5dr hatch £14,635–£18,930

49.6 50.4-51.4 49.6-51.4 47.1-47.9

128-130 124-128 125-129 134-136

AAABC

With the Rapid’s skinny body, a hatchback shape makes the most sense. LxWxH 4304x1706x1459 Kerb weight 1090kg 1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 110 1.0 TSI 110 DSG

93 108 108

114 122 121

11.1 9.9 10.2

49.6-51.4 126-129 49.6-50.4 128-130 46.3-47.1 135-138

4.7 2.8

TBC TBC

0 0

T OYO TA

Far more practical, majoring on boot space while doing what a good Skoda should. LxWxH 4271x1958x1473 Kerb weight 1182kg 74 94 108 108

155 155

AAACC

Impactful styling does a lot to recommend it, but not as refined nor as practical as some. LxWxH 3455x1615x1460 Kerb weight 840kg 71

13.8

Yaris 5dr hatch £13,515–£26,295

45.8-57.7 TBC AAABC

Stylish interior but ultimately a scaled-down version of bigger Toyotas. LxWxH 3495x1695x1510 Kerb weight 975kg 1.0 VVT-I 1.5 VVT-I 1.5 VVT-I Hybrid 1.8 VVT-I GRMN

67 108 71 206

96 108 102 143

15.3 11.0-11.2 11.8 6.3

61.1-61.4 54.3-57.6 67.3-76.3 TBC

TBC TBC TBC TBC

N E W CAR PR I CES P

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C-HR 5dr SUV £21,880–£29,170

y (m

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(g/ O2

)

AAAAC

Coupé-shaped crossover certainly turns heads and impresses on the road. LxWxH 4360x1795x1565 Kerb weight 1320kg 1.2 Turbo 1.2 Turbo AWD 1.8 VVT-I Hybrid

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Crossland X 5dr SUV £17,710–£23,080

y (m

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AAABC

Vauxhall’s small SUV is competent enough but lacks any real character. LxWxH 4212x1765x1605 Kerb weight 1245kg

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T-Roc 5dr SUV £19,270–£31,050

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114-118 10.9-11.1 39.7-41.5 TBC 111 11.4 34.0-34.4 TBC 105 11.0 55.3-57.6 TBC

A real go-anywhere vehicle. Totally rugged and available with seven seats. LxWxH 4335x1885x1875 Kerb weight 2010kg 2.8 D-4D

171

109

12.1-12.7 27.4-31.0 TBC

GT86 2dr coupé £27,285–£31,795

AAAAC 2.0 DOHC Turbo

197

130-140 7.6-8.2

AAAAC

Better all round compared with its predecessors. Challenging looks, though. LxWxH 4540x1760x1470 Kerb weight 1375kg 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid

112

10.6

42.2-44.1 39.8-46.3 42.2-44.1 55.4-58.9

TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAABC

108 99 128

109 107 115

11.9 12.7 10.6

38.2-40.9 TBC 42.8-47.9 TBC 47.1-49.6 TBC

V O L K S WA G E N

Up 3dr/5dr hatch £9825–£23,650

AAAAC

It’s no revolution, but VW’s hallmarks are in abundance. LxWxH 3600x1428x1504 Kerb weight 926kg

1.0 60 1.0 75 Prius Plug-in Hybrid 5dr hatch £31,695–£33,895 AAAAC 1.0 90 Plug-in version is clever and appealing. Seems more comfortable in 1.0 115 its skin. LxWxH 4645x1760x1470 Kerb weight 1530kg e-Up 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 120 101 11.1 235.4 TBC 120

14.0 10.6 9.1 9.9

Tiguan Allspace 5dr SUV £30,095–£41,040

60.1-61.4 TBC

59 74 88 113 81

100 106 114 119 80

14.4 13.2-13.5 9.9 8.8 12.4

53.3-54.3 51.4-53.3 54.3-55.4 49.6-50.4 TBC

TBC TBC TBC TBC 0

1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 190 4Motion 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 2.0 TDI 190 4Motion

148 188 148 148 187

123 130 124-126 123-124 130

9.5 7.9 9.8 9.9 8.6

Touareg 5dr SUV £49,095–£58,295

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152 158

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TBC TBC

WESTFIELD

AAAAC

Sport Turbo is very quick and fun but not a patch on the Caterhams. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight TBC 1.6 Sigma 1.6 Sigma 2.0 Duratec 2.0 Ecoboost

135 155 200 252

TBC TBC TBC TBC

Mega 2dr coupé £14,999–£15,595

TBC TBC TBC TBC AAABC

Mega engines make it rapid, but not as fun as Caterham’s R range. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight TBC 1.3 Suzuki Hyabusa 2.0 VTEC S2000

177 240

136 TBC

3.0 TBC

TBC TBC

ZENOS

E10 0dr coupé £26,995–£39,995

AAAAB

The latest in a long line of mid-engined British marvels. Expect a dedicated following. LxWxH 3800x1870x1130 Kerb weight 700kg

AAAAC 2.0 Ecoboost S

35.3-35.8 TBC 43.5-44.1 38.2-38.7 38.2-38.7

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Sport 2dr coupé £19,950–£35,800

250 350

Van-based people carrier is usable, spacious and practical, if not Has all the Tiguan’s sensibility and refinement, now with the bonus 2.3 Ecoboost R very pretty to look at. LxWxH 4403x1841x1921 Kerb weight 1430kg of seven seats. LxWxH 4486x1839x1654 Kerb weight 1490kg

AAAAB 1.2 Turbo 110 1.5 Turbo D 100 1.5 Turbo D 130 32.8-33.2 TBC

Prius 5dr hatch £24,245–£28,350

105 117 128 111

Combo Life 5dr MPV £20,130-£22,230

Almost the most fun you can have on a limited budget. Splendid. LxWxH 4240x1775x1320 Kerb weight 1247kg 2.0i

81 108 128 101

VW’s junior SUV is beguiling and sophisticated. It drives rather well, 2.3 DOHC Turbo RR too. LxWxH 4234x1992x1573 Kerb weight 1270kg

1.0 TSI 115 113 116 10.1 43.5-44.8 TBC 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 127 8.3 38.7-42.2 TBC 1.5 TSI EVO 150 4Motion 148 127 8.4 34.0-34.9 TBC 2.0 TSI 190 4Motion 187 134 7.2 34.0-34.4 TBC Corolla 5dr hatch £21,300–£30,340 AAAAC 1.6 TDI 115 113 116 10.3 49.6-50.4 TBC Rebranded hatch has rolling refinement, interior ambience and Mokka X 5dr SUV £20,640–£25,840 AAABC 2.0 TDI 150 148 124 8.6 48.7-50.4 TBC affable handling. LxWxH 4370x1790x1435 Kerb weight 1340kg Compact and competent but lacks any persuasive qualities. 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 148 124 8.7 45.6-46.3 TBC LxWxH 4275x1780x1658 Kerb weight 1394kg 1.2 VVT-I 114 124 9.3 39.2-44.8 TBC 1.8 VVT-I Hybrid 122 111 10.9 55.3-62.7 TBC 1.4 Turbo 140 138 119-122 9.3-10.1 34.4-36.7 TBC Tiguan 5dr SUV £23,990–£38,790 AAAAC 2.0 VVT-I Hybrid 180 111 7.9 50.4-43.2 TBC 1.4 Turbo 140 4x4 138 116 9.3 34.4-39.2 TBC An improvement on the previous model and will continue to sell by the bucket load. LxWxH 4486x1839x1654 Kerb weight 1490kg 1.6 CDTi 136 134 117-118 9.3-10.3 43.5-50.4 TBC RAV4 5dr SUV £29,635–£36,640 AAACC 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 119 10.2 39.8-40.9 TBC A solid option but ultimately outgunned by Korean competition. Grandland X 5dr SUV £23,410–£34,930 AAACC 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 124 9.2 36.7-38.2 TBC LxWxH 4605x1845x1675 Kerb weight 1605kg Does well to disguise its 3008 roots but too bland to stand out in a 2.0 TSI 190 4Motion 188 131 7.9 39.2-42.8 TBC congested segment. LxWxH 4477x1811x1630 Kerb weight 1350kg 2.0 TSI 230 4Motion 2.5 Hybrid 194 112 8.4 48.7-50.4 TBC 228 142 6.3 29.7-30.4 TBC 2.5 Hybrid AWD 194 112 8.4 47.8-48.7 TBC 1.2 Turbo 130 128 117 10.9-11.1 37.7-42.8 TBC 2.0 TDI 150 148 125-127 9.3 44.8-47.9 TBC 1.5 Turbo D 130 128 116 11.3 49.6-53.3 TBC 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 148 124-125 9.3 39.2-42.2 TBC 175 133 9.1 42.8-45.6 TBC 2.0 TDI 190 4Motion 187 131 7.9 38.7-39.2 TBC Land Cruiser 5dr SUV £34,690–£54,040 AAABC 2.0 Turbo D 177 112 112 119

1.2i 83 1.2i Turbo 110 1.2i Turbo 130 1.5 Turbo D 102

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145 155

4.0 3.0

TBC TBC

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

Hints of ritziness and sportiness don’t impinge on this functional luxury SUV’s appeal. LxWxH 4878x2193x1717 Kerb weight 1995kg 3.0 V6 TDI 231 3.0 V6 TDI 286

228 282

135 148

7.5 6.1

33.2-34.9 TBC 32.8-34.9 TBC

W H AT ’ S C O M I N G W H E N

V O LV O

V40 5dr hatch £23,995–£29,820 AAAAC Polo 5dr hatch £14,330- £23,155 AAAAC Not perfect, but handsome, well-packaged, pragmatic and likeable. AAACC A thorough going-over makes it more mature, but the Polo is still a LxWxH 4370x2041x1470 Kerb weight 1417kg bit boring. LxWxH 4053x1946x1461 Kerb weight 1105kg Expensive, old and ugly variant of the Prius, but can carry seven. 2.0 D2 116 118 10.5 47.9-56.5 TBC LxWxH 4645x1775x1575 Kerb weight 1500kg 1.0 65 64 102 15.5 47.1-48.7 TBC 2.0 D3 145 130 8.4 47.1-55.4 TBC 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 132 103 11.3 47.0-48.7 TBC 1.0 80 78 106 15.4 46.3-48.7 TBC 2.0 T2 119 118 9.8 38.2-42.8 TBC 1.0 TSI 95 93 116 10.8 44.8-52.3 TBC 2.0 T3 148 130 8.3 37.2-42.8 TBC VA U X H A L L 1.0 TSI 115 113 124 9.5 44.8-49.6 TBC Viva 5dr hatch £10,480–£12,805 AAABC 2.0 TSI GTI 200 197 147 6.7 38.7-39.8 TBC V40 Cross Country 5dr hatch £28,070–£29,819 AAAAC Plenty of space but lacks its rivals’ equipment, joie de vivre and 1.6 TDI 80 79 109 12.9 53.3-55.4 TBC Handsome hatchback gets a rugged makeover but loses some of refinement. LxWxH 3675x1595x1485 Kerb weight 939kg its likeable nature. LxWxH 4369x2041x1439 Kerb weight 1428kg 1.6 TDI 95 93 115 10.8 53.3-55.4 TBC 1.0i 74 106 13.1-14.0 45.6 TBC 2.0 D3 145 118 8.5 47.9-55.4 TBC Golf 3dr/5dr hatch £18,765–£35,635 AAAAB 2.0 T3 1.0i Rocks 72 106 13.1 45.6 TBC 148 130 8.5 37.2-40.9 TBC Prius+ 5dr MPV £27,830–£30,175

Does exactly what everyone expects. Still the king of the family

Adam 3dr hatch £13,850–£15,700

AAACC car. LXWXH 4258x1790x1492 Kerb weight 1206kg Certainly looks the part, but there are better superminis ahead of 1.0 TSI 85 83 112 11.9 48.7-50.4 TBC it. LxWxH 3698x1720x1484 Kerb weight 1101kg 1.0 TSI 115 113 123 9.8 41.5-57.6 TBC 1.2i 70 69 103 14.9 43.5-44.1 TBC 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 130 9.1 44.1-46.3 TBC 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 134 8.3 42.2-45.6 TBC Corsa 3dr/5dr hatch £11,730–£19,735 AAABC 2.0 TSI 245 GTI Performance 241 154-155 6.2 36.7-37.7 TBC Refined, stylish and practical, but its engines aren’t so good. 2.0 TSI 300 4Motion R 296 155 4.6-5.1 32.5-32.8 TBC LxWxH 4021x1736x1479 Kerb weight 1141kg 1.6 TDI 115 113 123 10.2-10.5 50.4-55.4 TBC 1.4i 75 74 101 15.5 42.2-43.5 TBC 2.0 TDI 150 148 133-134 8.6 50.4-52.3 TBC 1.4i 90 88 109 13.2 38.2-42.8 TBC 2.0 TDI 184 GTD 181 143-144 7.4-7.5 48.7-52.3 TBC 1.4i Turbo 100 98 115 11.0 42.8-43.5 TBC e-Golf 134 93 9.6 TBC 0 1.4i Turbo 150 148 129 8.9 40.4-42.2 TBC Golf Estate 5dr estate £21,345–£36,835 AAAAB Astra 5dr hatch £18,900–£26,030 AAAAC Practical load-lugging estate doesn’t erode the well-rounded Golf

Good handling and nice engines, but its working-class roots still show through. LxWxH 4370x1809x1485 Kerb weight 1244kg 1.0i Turbo 105 1.4i Turbo 125 1.4i Turbo 150 1.6 CDTi 110 1.6 CDTi 136

103 123 148 108 134

121 127 134 124 127

10.5 8.6 7.8 10.2 9.0

45.6-47.9 43.5-45.6 38.2-44.1 55.4-58.9 48.7-57.6

Astra Sports Tourer 5dr estate £20,350–£24,680

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

More composed and practical than the hatchback. LxWxH 4702x1809x1510 Kerb weight 1273kg 1.0i Turbo 105 1.4i Turbo 125 1.4i Turbo 150 1.6 CDTi 110 1.6 CDTi 136

103 123 148 108 134

121 127 134 121 127

11.0 9.0 8.2 10.7 9.5

45.6-47.9 43.5-45.6 37.7-44.1 54.3-58.9 47.9-57.6

Insignia Grand Sport 5dr hatch £19,940–£37,620

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

138 162 198 108 134 167 207

130 9.3 138 8.4 146 7.2 127 10.9 126-131 9.9-10.2 139-140 8.2-8.4 144 7.4-7.5

42.8-44.1 38.7-44.1 36.7-39.8 55.4-57.6 47.1-54.3 43.5-51.4 36.7

Insignia Sports Tourer 5dr estate £21,500–£39,120

1.0 TSI 115 1.5 TSI EVO 130 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 300 4Motion R 1.6 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 184 GTD

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

108 128 148 296 113 148 181

TBC TBC 131 9.5 135 8.7 155 4.8 124 10.7 134-135 8.9 143-144 7.8-7.9

41.5-44.8 43.5-47.1 41.5-44.8 32.5-32.8 49.6-57.6 50.4-52.3 47.9-49.6

2.0 T5

110 119 126 132 119 130

13.0 11.3 9.6 8.8 11.0 9.2

47.1-47.9 41.5-43.5 41.5-45.6 40.9-42.8 48.7-55.4 49.6-52.3

248

145

6.5

V60 5dr estate £32,410–£41,460

35.3-39.8 152-155 AAAAB

Spacious and comfortable, with a characterful, Scandi-cool design. LxWxH 4761x1916x1427 Kerb weight 1729kg 2.0 D3 2.0 D4 2.0 T5

147 187 246

127 137 145

9.5 7.6 6.7

V60 Cross Country 5dr estate £38,270

45.6-55.4 TBC 46.3-55.4 TBC 34.0-38.7 TBC AAAAC

Brings extra ride height, all-wheel drive and off-road body cladding. LxWxH 4784x1916x1499 Kerb weight 1792kg

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

2.0 D4

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

V90 5dr estate £38,120–£60,555

resolute. LxWxH 4338x2050x1578 Kerb weight 1335kg 83 113 128 148 113 148

AAAAC

Fresh-faced saloon now sits comfortably among the ranks of its German peers. LxWxH 4761x1916x1437 Kerb weight 1616kg

187

130

8.2

S90 4dr saloon £36,120–£58,555

42.8-47.9 TBC AAAAC

Volvo’s mid-sized exec majors on comfort, style and cruising ability. LxWxH 4963x2019x1443 Kerb weight 1665kg

2.0 T4 2.0 T5 2.0 D4 Golf SV 5dr MPV £21,000–£29,320 AAAAC 2.0 D5 PowerPulse AWD Probably the least appealing member of the Golf family but still 2.0 T8 Twin Engine AWD

1.0 TSI 85 1.0 TSI 115 1.5 TSI EVO 130 1.5 TSI EVO 150 1.6 TDI 115 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 150

The good-looking and tech-filled Insignia makes an attractive proposition. LxWxH 4897x1863x1455 Kerb weight 1714kg 1.5 Turbo 140 1.5 Turbo 165 1.6 Turbo 200 1.6 Turbo D 110 1.6 Turbo D 136 2.0 Turbo D 170 2.0 BiTurbo D 210 4x4

package. LxWxH 4567x1799x1515 Kerb weight 1295kg

S60 4dr saloon £37,920

185 248 185 228 310

130 140 140 145 155

8.7 6.8 8.2 7.0 4.8

33.2-37.7 33.2-37.7 43.5-50.4 39.2-43.5 97.4-117.7

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

luxury estate takes on the 5 Series and the E-Class. Comfy and a good cruiser. LxWxH 4936x2019x1475 Kerb weight 1679kg

2.0 T4 2.0 T5 2.0 D4 2.0 D5 PowerPulse AWD AAAAC 2.0 T8 Twin Engine AWD

185 248 185 228 310

130 140 140 145 155

8.9 6.7 8.5 7.2 4.8

33.2-37.7 33.2-37.7 43.5-50.4 39.2-43.5 97.4-117.7

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

2.0 D4 AWD 2.0 D5 PowerPulse AWD AAAAC 2.0 T5 AWD All the Passat’s redeeming features in spacious, practical estate 2.0 T6 AWD

185 228 250 310

130 140 140 140

8.8 7.5 7.4 6.3

40.4-43.5 38.2-40.9 30.4-32.5 30.4-32.5

TBC TBC TBC TBC

Passat 4dr saloon £23,495–£33,575

Lands blows on rivals with its smart looks, civilised refinement, quality and usability. LxWxH 4767x2083x1476 Kerb weight 1367kg V90 Cross Country 5dr estate £43,020–£57,935 AAAAC 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 135 8.6 43.5-47.1 TBC Volvo’s large comfy estate given a jacked-up, rugged makeover. LxWxH 4936x2019x1543 Kerb weight 1826kg 1.6 TDI 150 148 135 8.9 49.6-53.3 TBC 2.0 TDI 190

188

146

8.1

49.6-50.4 TBC

Passat Estate 5dr estate £25,095–£35,175

AAAAC form. LxWxH 4767x2083x1516 Kerb weight 1395kg The practical version of the Insignia that aims to take the fight to 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 135 8.6 38.7-44.8 TBC premium rivals. LxWxH 4986x1863x1514 Kerb weight 1487kg 1.6 TDI 150 148 135 8.9 49.6-53.3 TBC 1.5 Turbo 140 138 129 9.6 40.9-42.8 TBC 2.0 TDI 190 188 146 8.1 47.9-51.4 TBC 1.5 Turbo 165 162 135 8.6 37.7-42.8 TBC 1.6 Turbo 200 198 144 7.4 36.2-39.2 TBC Arteon 4dr saloon £33,320–£40,425 AAABC 1.6 Turbo D 110 108 125 111.1 53.3-55.4 TBC VW’s flagship saloon is well-made and luxurious but rather bland to drive. LxWxH 4862x1871x1450 Kerb weight 1505kg 1.6 Turbo D 136 134 127-132 10.1-10.5 46.3-52.3 TBC 2.0 Turbo D 170 167 137-139 8.4-8.6 42.2-49.6 TBC 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 137 8.9 39.2-40.4 TBC 2.0 BiTurbo D 210 4x4 207 144 7.4-7.5 36.2-36.7 TBC 2.0 TSI 190 187 149 7.5 TBC TBC 2.0 TSI 272 4Motion 270 155 5.6 32.5-33.2 TBC Insignia Country Tourer 5dr estate £27,150–£30,365 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 150 148 137 9.1 49.6-52.3 TBC Spacious estate gets a rugged makeover – and it doesn’t spoil the 2.0 TDI 190 187 148 8.0 48.7-50.4 TBC fine formula. LxWxH 4986x1863x1514 Kerb weight 1666kg 2.0 TDI 190 4Motion 187 145 7.8 43.5-44.8 TBC 2.0 Turbo D 170 167 135-137 8.6-8.8 41.5-47.1 TBC 2.0 BiTDI 240 4Motion 236 152 6.5 TBC TBC 2.0 Turbo D 170 4x4 167 135 9.3 41.5-47.1 TBC 2.0 BiTurbo D 210 4x4 207 142 7.7 36.2 TBC Touran 5dr MPV £24,045–£30,870 AAAAC

Dull overall, but it’s a capable MPV, well-made and hugely refined. LxWxH 4527x1829x1659 Kerb weight 1436kg 1.0 TSI 115 1.5 TSI EVO 150 1.6 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150

113 148 113 148

119 130 118 128-129

11.3 8.9 11.4 9.3

39.2-41.5 37.2-39.8 47.9-51.4 TBC

TBC TBC TBC TBC

XC40 5dr SUV £29,910–£38,020 T3 T4 AWD T5 AWD D3 D3 AWD D4 AWD

and tidy handling. LxWxH 4854x1904x1720 Kerb weight 1703kg 1.4 TSI 150 2.0 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 177

148 113 148 175

123-124 114 123-124 132-136

9.9 12.6 10.3 8.9

31.4-35.8 TBC 39.8-43.5 39.8-40.4

TBC TBC TBC TBC

152 185 243 145 145 185

124 130 140 124 124 130

9.4 8.5 6.5 9.8 7.5 7.9

XC60 5dr SUV £38,320–£60,670

36.7-39.8 32.8-35.3 31.0-34.0 44.1-51.4 42.8-44.8 39.8-44.1

TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAABC

Looks like a small XC90 and carries on where the old one left off. A good, capable cruiser. LxWxH 4688x1999x1658 Kerb weight 1781kg 2.0 D4 AWD 2.0 D5 PowerPulse AWD 2.0 T5 AWD 2.0 T8 Twin Engine

185 228 247 310

127 137 137 140

8.4 7.2 6.8 5.3

XC90 5dr SUV £51,860–£72,795

36.7-44.8 35.3-40.4 30.1-34.0 83.1-100.9

TBC TBC TBC TBC

AAAAC

Clever packaging, smart styling, good to drive: Volvo’s closest thing to a class-leader. LxWxH 4950x2008x1776 Kerb weight 1961kg

2.0 D5 PowerPulse AWD 2.0 T5 AWD AAAAB 2.0 T6 AWD Full-sized seven-seater offers versatility, space, VW desirability 2.0 T8 Twin Engine

Sharan 5dr MPV £29,115–£39,350

AAAAC

Volvo’s take on the crossover aims to rival BMW, Mercedes and Audi. LxWxH 4425x1910x1658 Kerb weight 1626kg

228 250 310 310

05 0dr open £59,995- £89,995

137 134 143 140

7.8 7.9 6.5 5.6

34.0-36.7 26.9-30.4 26.2-28.8 74.3-83.1

TBC TBC TBC TBC

VUHL

AAAAC

Mexican track-day special has a pleasingly pragmatic and forgiving chassis. LxWxH 3718x1876x1120 Kerb weight 725kg

Mazda CX-30 On sale December, price £22,000 (est) Mazda has found a gap to bridge in its European SUV range, with the CX-30 sitting between the CX-3 and CX-5. With underpinnings taken from the latest Mazda 3, as well as the clever new compression ignition petrol engines, and a striking coupé-SUV design, the CX-30 has all the ingredients needed to be a sales hit for the brand. We’ll have to wait until the end of the year before it reaches showrooms, however. M AY

Audi A4 facelift, R8 facelift, Bentley Continental GTC, DS 3 Crossback, Ferrari 488 Pista Spider, Porsche Cayenne Coupé JUNE

Audi Q4, Q7 facelift, SQ2, Hyundai Tucson N Line, Lexus RC and RC F facelift, Peugeot 508 SW J U LY

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante, Audi RS6 Avant, RS7, SQ8, BMW 330e and M340i, X3 and X4M, Ford Ranger Raptor, Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLC Coupé facelift, Tesla Model 3, Toyota Camry AU G U S T

Audi S6, S7 Sportback, Bentley Bentayga Speed, DS 7 Crossback E-Tense, Ford Focus ST, McLaren 600LT Spider, Mercedes-Benz EQC, Renault Zoe, Skoda Kamiq, Toyota Corolla Trek, Vauxhall Corsa, VW Golf GTI TCR SEPTEMBER

Aston Martin DBX, Audi E-tron Sportback, Hyundai Ioniq facelift, McLaren Senna GTR, Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake, Nissan Juke, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, Taycan, Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography, Skoda Superb, Toyota Supra, Volvo XC90 update, VW Passat facelift OCTOBER

Aston Martin Valkyrie, Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, BMW 1 Series, 8 Series Gran Coupé, Ford Mondeo, Jaguar XF, Kia Ceed PHEV, Land Rover Discovery Sport facelift, Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Peugeot 3008 PHEV, 508 PHEV, Vauxhall Astra facelift, Vivaro, VW T-Roc R N OV E M B E R

Aston Martin Rapide E, Audi A3, Bentley Flying Spur, BMW M8, X6 and X6 M, Ford Kuga, Kia Xceed, Mazda CX-3, Mercedes-AMG A45, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé, GLS, Peugeot 208 and 208 Electric, Polestar 1 DECEMBER

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, X3 PHEV, Borgward BX5, BX7, DS 3 Crossback EV, Honda e prototype, Kia Soul EV, Mazda CX-30, Mercedes-Benz GLB, Mini Cooper SE, Tesla Model Y, Vauxhall Grandland X PHEV 2 02 0

Alfa Romeo Tonale, Audi E-tron GT, Q4, Q4 E-tron, RS Q3, RS Q5, Bentley Continental GT V8 and GTC V8, BMW iX3, M3, M4, Cupra Formentor, Ferrari F8 Tributo, Fiat 500, 500e, Ford Mustang hybrid, Hyundai i20 N, Jeep Compass PHEV, Renegade PHEV, Land Rover Defender, Maserati Alfieri, McLaren Speedtail, Mercedes-AMG GLS 53, GLS 63, Mercedes-Benz EQA, S-Class L, Mini Electric, Peugeot 2008, 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered, Pininfarina Battista, Polestar 2, Rolls-Royce Ghost, Seat el-Born, Leon, Skoda Octavia, Vision iV, Toyota, Corolla GR Sport, Vauxhall eCorsa, Mokka X, VW Golf Mk8, ID hatch, T-Roc

1 MAY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 89

Matt Prior

E S TA B L I S H E D 1 8 95

TESTER’S NOTES

For £360k, you’ll be, um, first away from traffic lights

Icelandic expedition 29 September 1933

an I hand you this tiny violin? I feel like we should play a little number in sympathy for people who drive modern supercars on the road. I know it’s an unusual minority group to garner support for, but they have it tougher than you think. For one: there’s the lack of sympathy and understanding for them in the first place – the UK’s peculiar brand of envy politics sees to that. People’s first thoughts when they see a supercar are that it’s being driven by a footballer, banker, exploitative capitalist, someone with a rich dad, or a foreigner who doesn’t pay any taxes. Basically, then, drive a supercar and already not a lot of people are on your side. And because they’ve been bold enough to drive a Lamborghini wrapped in silver, people are similarly unafraid to tell them what they think. Driving a supercar is like having YouTube comments piped direct into the cabin. None of which matters, of course, because they’ve got the supercar,

A Rolls, discreet? Well, it’s all relative 90 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 1 MAY 2019

❝

Driving a modern supercar on the road is a crushingly frustrating experience ❞ and those pointing and swearing haven’t, correct? Which means they’ve got the smugness of untold performance and motoring nirvana, anywhere, at any time. Well, they haven’t. Driving a modern supercar on the road is a crushingly frustrating experience. Take the acceleration. A supercar has got loads of it – just this week, we’ve timed a McLaren 720S to 60mph from rest in well under three seconds. But 60mph is, really, as fast as any of us can accelerate to on the road, even in the unlikely event that we find ourselves front-row centre at traffic lights in the right conditions. I know the speed limit is 70mph on motorways and dual carriageways – which would allow another couple of tenths of accelerative wonder – but nobody can really go from 0-70mph anywhere, because we can’t stop on those kinds of road. So, in truth, the most acceleration supercar owners will routinely feel is coming out of a roundabout. So about two seconds of it. And they can’t really go faster than that. Sure, a supercar can reach 180mph in half a mile, and the temptation must be there, when the roads are quiet. But life with a supercar is never quiet. There is always, always, somebody watching,

and usually holding a smartphone. It’s what it must be like to walk down a red carpet, or be an escaped red panda in a shopping centre: the centre of everyone’s focus. Everybody in the world has a camera, everyone is a publisher. So supercar drivers can forget breaking the law, or even staying within it but trying to test the performance: pretty bold, given every indiscretion is just one upload and hashtag from being broadcast to the world. So supercars have got to be driven slowly. And that’s even worse: they’re too wide, there’s naff-all ground clearance, their wheels are intensely kerbable, splitters are vulnerable and carbonfibre is brittle. Even on the relative safe space of a motorway, they’re circled by Nissans whose passengers – or, almost as likely, drivers – are pointing phones at them. The above is, of course, fiction. Well, some of it is, anyway. Unfortunately, some of it isn’t. It’s no wonder most supercars cover hundreds, rather than thousands, of miles a year, and that there’s a market for discreet £250,000 4x4s.

GET IN TOUCH

matt.prior@haymarket.com @matty_prior

TO CELEBRATE THE thousandth anniversary of its parliament, Iceland arranged a gathering at the historical meeting site Thingvellir. Three years later, one CDH Briggs detailed in Autocar driving in the 800-strong train over the 30 miles from the capital, Reykjavik. “A standard detachable body was fitted to trucks, turning them into rough-and-ready coaches, and private cars [invariably American] were commandeered,” he wrote. “The roads were little better than tracks, built up with loose stone consisting of a sort of ash or lava. The procession was organised thoroughly, with a traffic controller stationed about every half-mile.” Briggs had to leave his car due to insufficient ground clearance, continuing on an Icelandic pony. So he had a double shock when he later met an untroubled cavalcade – with the Prince of Sweden at the helm.

G E T M O R E AU T O C A R

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BELOW IS A SMALL SELECTION OF OUR MORE POPULAR UPGRADES: AUDI RS6 4.0 T V8 » 700+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) RS6 V10 » 680+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 2017 R8 V10 » 650BHP (+DE-LIMIT) R8 V10 » 592+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) RS4/RS5 » 488+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT) RS3/TTRS » 420+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT) RS3/TTRS (NEW) » 480+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT) S3 / GOLF R » 375+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 3.0TDI (ALL MODELS) » 315+ BHP 3.0 BI-TDI (ALL MODELS) » 380+ BHP Q7/A8 4.2 TDI » 400+ BHP BMW M2 » 435BHP (+DE-LIMIT) M3/M4 » 540+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) M5/M6 » 730+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) X5M/X6M » 730+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) X5M50D/X6M50D » 450BHP M135I/M235I » 410+BHP i8 » 415BHP 120I/220I/320I/420I » 275+BHP 116D/216D/316D » 160BHP 118D/218D/318D » 225BHP 120D/220D/320D/420D » 240BHP 328I/428I » 295BHP 335I/435I » 410+BHP 330D/430D/530D/730D » 360BHP 335D/435D/535D » 395+BHP 550I/650I » 555+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 640D/740D » 395BHP (+DE-LIMIT) X530D/X630D » 360BHP X540D/X640D » 395BHP

MERCEDES-BENZ A45/CLA45 AMG » 420+BHP AMG GT/GTS » 560BHP (+DE-LIMIT) C43/E43/GLC43 AMG » 455BHP C63/63S 4.0T AMG » 620+BHP C63 6.3 AMG » 530+BHP 500 4.7 BITURBO (ALL MODELS) » 498+BHP 63 AMG 5.5 BITURBO (ALL MODELS) » 700+BHP 55 AMG KOMPRESSOR » 600+BHP (+DE-LIMIT & SUSPENSION LOWERING) S65 » 780BHP (+DE-LIMIT) SL65 AMG » 690BHP (+DE-LIMIT) SL65 BLACK » 720BHP (+DE-LIMIT) SLK 55 AMG » 420BHP 200 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 173BHP 220 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 230BHP 250 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 260BHP C300 HYBRID » 285BHP C300E » 350BHP C400/E400 » 400BHP 350 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 315BHP 420/450 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 358BHP ALL 2017 RANGE ROVERS AVAILABLE RR 50SC/SVO/SVR STAGE1 » 600+BHP RR 50SC/SVO/SVR STAGE2 » 650+BHP 2.0/2.2 DIESEL (ALL MODELS) » 220+BHP RR 4.4 TDV8 » 395 BHP RR TDV6 3.0D » 305+ BHP RR SDV6 3.0D » 350+BHP DEFENDER 2.2 » 180BHP

PORSCHE 996 TURBO/GT2 » 600+ BHP 997 TURBO 3.6 » 625+ BHP 997 GT2 RS » 670+ BHP 997 TURBO/S 3.8 INC PDK » 611 BHP 997 GT3 RS » 480 BHP 991.2 GT2 RS » CALL 991 TURBO/S (ALL MODELS) » 750+BHP 991 GT3 3.8 (ALL MODELS) » 490+BHP 991 GT3 RS 4.0 (ALL MODELS) » 525+BHP 997 CARRERA S » 376+ BHP 997 CARRERA PDK » 368 BHP 997 CARRERA S PDK » 400+ BHP 997 CARRERA GTS » 435 BHP 991 CARRERA (ALL MODELS) » 500+BHP 991 CARRERA S (ALL MODELS) » 500+BHP 991 CARRERA GTS (ALL MODELS) » 540+BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 718 GTS » 420+BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 718 S » 420+BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 718 » 380+BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 981 GT4 » 430+BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 981 GTS » 375+BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 981 S » 345+BHP CAYENNE GTS » 450 BHP CAYENNE TURBO 4.5 » 565+ BHP CAYENNE TURBO 4.8 (ALL MODELS) » 650+ BHP CAYENNE TURBO S 4.8 (ALL MODELS) » 650+ BHP CAYENNE 4.2 DIESEL » 450+ BHP CAYENNE 3.0 DIESEL » 318+ BHP MACAN S » 420+BHP MACAN GTS » 440+BHP

MACAN TURBO (ALL MODELS) » 480+BHP MACAN S DIESEL » 318+BHP PANAMERA TURBO » 600+ BHP PANAMERA DIESEL » 305+ BHP EXOTIC / MISC FERRARI CALI T » 660BHP FERRARI F12 » 780+BHP FERRARI 599 » 647 BHP FERRARI 488 » 750+BHP FERRARI 430 » 525 BHP MCLAREN MP4-12C » 700 BHP MCLAREN 650S » 720 BHP MCLAREN 675LT » 750BHP MCLAREN 570/S » 680+BHP AVENTADOR » 750+BHP HURACAN LP610 » 650BHP GALLARDO LP560 » 600+BHP BENTLEY 4.0 T V8 » 700BHP BENTLEY GT/F-SPUR » 680BHP GT SPEED / SUPERSPORT » 690+BHP BENTAYGA W12 » 700+BHP MASERATI GHIBLI 3.0S PETROL » 470 BHP MASERATI GHIBLI 3.0 PETROL » 400 BHP MASERATI GHIBLI 3.0 DIESEL » 312 BHP MASERATI GT/QPORT » 438 BHP MASERATI GT S / MC » 479+ BHP

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