Autocar 23rd Jan 2019

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Est. 1895 | autocar.co.uk | 23 January 2019

NEXT GOLF GTI ALL-NEW IN 2020 How VW will perfect its icon DRIVEN

NEW GTI TCR Why the latest

And it won’t now be hybrid

GTI falls short

IMAGE

VERDICTS 2 6 PA G E S O F

23 – 30 January 2019

L S C 3 M S V 2 M NE W BM W ive test

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A L S O R AT E D

Maserati’s stunning future New 911: definit Hyundai’s sports saloon Faster new Audi TT Seat’s hot hatch SUV IMAGE

23 January 2019 | Cupra Ateca

THE TECH RUINING DIESELS

C R U C I A L C A R S T H AT F L O P P E D

H O T U S E D VO LVO S

KEEPS CALM. CRAICS ON. New Grandland X. Handles the rough with the smooth.

The new Grandland X takes everything in its stride. With smart traction for those tough conditions on the way, and park assist technology for those tight spots when you arrive.

Fuel economy# and CO2* results for the Grandland X Range. Combined mpg (l/100km): 37.2 (7.6) – 55.4 (5.1). CO2 emissions: 128 – 108 g/km.

Model shown Grandland X Sport Nav 1.2 (130PS) Turbo, £25,360, with metallic paint (£570), dark-tinted rear windows (£275), keyless entry and engine Start/Stop (£710). #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. Correct at time of going to press.

Vauxhall_NI_Master_Grandland_FP_Press_Auto_Car_230x300.indd 1

09/01/2019 13:52

THIS WEEK

Issue 6342 | Volume 299 | No 4 ‘Directional stability is similar to a chicken attempting flight’

54

NEWS 6 Land Rover Discovery Sport Big update this summer 8 Aston Martin Valkyrie ‘Ideal’ track pack for hypercar 11 Maserati fightback Details of its latest revival plan 12 New Ford-VW deal Why vans may be just the start 15 Ford Mustang GT500 Detroit’s 690bhp show star 16 Detroit motor show To become a June car festival 18 VW Golf GTI Next-generation hot hatch shuns hybrid

TESTED 24 30 Hyundai i30 Fastback N Another hot hit – probably 35 Audi TT Facelifted 242bhp coupé struts its stuff 37 Cupra Ateca 2.0 TSI 4Drive DSG ROAD TEST 38 VW Golf GTI TCR Why it misses the class top spot

Porsche 911 New 992-generation car is a peach

FEATURES M&Ms BMW M2 Competition vs BMW M3 CSL Cleaning up Obsessive compulsive DPF cleaners If only… The cars that were so nearly superstars Our first cars From stinky Fiat 126 to 1948 Ford V8 World Rally Championship 2019 Season preview

IS THE BMW M2 COMPETITION A MATCH FOR THE FABLED M3 CSL? 46 46 52 54 58 60

OUR CARS Dacia Duster Budget SUV sets out its stall Citroën C3 Aircross Ghost of Christmas present Kia Ceed Top-spec model traded for entry-level car

64 67 69

INDEPENDENCE DAY: CUPRA ATECA ROAD TEST 38

EVERY WEEK 21 Subscribe Save money and enjoy exclusive benefits 22 Your views Quick, run: that’s an electric car, that is! 62 Matt Prior Police speed checks don’t cure road ills 90 Steve Cropley The three cars he’s itching to drive

DEALS James Ruppert Electric cars: a wise used buy yet?

Used buying guide Mad Volvos: 850 T5, T-5R and R Spied in the classifieds £1.2k Scenic, £1.2m Veyron Road test results Autocar’s gold mine of data New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenos

HOT TO BAG A HOT VOLVO 850 72

REVISED DISCO SPORT SET FOR SUMMER 8

THEY SOLD IT TO HIM FOR £5, INCLUDING ❞ DELIVERY TO HIS AUNT'S EMPTY GARAGE HOW RICHARD BREMNER AND HIS MATE ENDED UP OWNING A CITROEN 2CV VAN WHILE STILL AT SCHOOL 58 ❝

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FIRST DRIVE: VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI TCR 24 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 3

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1. Official EU MPG test figure shown as a guide for comparative purposes and is based on the vehicle being charged from mains electricity. This may not reflect real driving results. 2. Up to 33 mile EV Range achieved with full battery charge. Actual range will vary depending on driving style and road conditions. 3. The PCP finance plan shown above is only available between 8th January and 27th March 2019 at participating dealers and on selected cars. With PCP you have the option at the end of the agreement to: (a) return the vehicle and not pay the Optional Final Payment. If the vehicle has exceeded the maximum agreed mileage a charge per excess mile will apply. In this example, 8p plus VAT per excess mile above the maximum agreed mileage. If the vehicle is in good condition (fair wear and tear accepted) and has not exceeded the maximum agreed mileage you will have nothing further to pay; (b) pay the Optional Final Payment to own the vehicle or (c) part exchange the vehicle subject to settlement of your existing credit agreement; new credit agreements are subject to status. The example is based upon an annual mileage of 8,000 miles. Credit is subject to status and only available for retail sales to UK residents (excluding Northern Ireland dealers) aged 18 and over. This credit offer is only available through Shogun Finance Ltd, 116 Cockfosters Rd, Barnet, EN4 0DY. Shogun Finance Ltd is part of Lloyds Banking Group. Optional Final Payments and Monthly Payments may vary dependent upon date of registration and mileage, example shown is a guide.

COMMENT

The original car magazine, published since 1895 ‘in the interests of the mechanically propelled road carriage’ EDITORIAL Tel +44 (0)20 8267 5900 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

SHARING TECH IS VITAL – BUT SO IS INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER

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THE VOLKSWAGEN GROUP is the master of platform sharing, its MQB architecture underpinning scores of cars from four brands to save millions in development costs.

Now it’s doing the same for electric cars with its new MEB architecture, the basis for VW’s fi rst wave of ID EVs, as well as models from Audi, Seat and Skoda. And potentially now Ford, too.

The VW Group and Ford have shared more details of their tie-up (p15). More partnerships like theirs are inevitable, and on a greater scale to those in existence today, due to the costly development of electric and autonomous vehicle technologies. But with so many shared parts, just how different will rival electric cars be from one another? To this point, most electric cars have offered a broadly similar driving experience, with the main distinguishing features being range and price.

A criticism often directed at MQB models is just how similar they are in look and feel. Ensuring that doesn’t extend to MEB cars and similar developments from rivals, when there’s an even greater danger of NEW 911 DRIVEN homogenisation through both the traits of the technology and the increased number of brands it’s shared with, will be one of the industry’s great challenges of the next decade.

Mark Tisshaw Editor mark.tisshaw@haymarket.com

@mtisshaw

EDITOR’S PICKS

AU D I VS M I N I

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Who makes the best small car?

New Huracán: the V10’s last hurrah

Porto�ino: the 3.5-star Ferrari

Road test: BMW’s saved the diesel

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MASERATI’S COMEBACK

DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTERS STARS THAT DIDN’T SHINE

Why this new plan could finally be the one that works, p12

Three unexciting words, but three that cause problems for many, p52

Cars that could have been great – but lacked a magic ingredient, p54

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5

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

Email our news editor lawrence.allan@haymarket.com

VW ditches hybrid plans to play to Golf GTI’s strengths Improving the breed rather than radical reinvention is new target for 2020 model

V

olkswagen is putting the finishing touches to its next-generation Golf GTI, which promises incremental performance changes rather than a more radical switch to hybrid power as had originally been planned

by Wolfsburg.

To that end, the eighthgeneration Golf GTI, due in early 2020, is set to stick with much of the hardware that has made the seventh-generation model such a success, both critically and commercially.

6 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

That means an updated version of the Audi-developed EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine used in the existing Mk7 Golf GTI. Again, like the current car, it will be offered with two power outputs: a standard output of around 252bhp and a more powerful 286bhp model badged TCR, which will replace the current Performance version of the GTI. The TCR badge has just been used for the first time on a run-out version of the current

Mk7 Golf GTI (driven, p24) and is designed to improve the link between the model and the firm’s GTI TCR racing car.

An increase in torque beyond the 258lb ft and 273lb ft of today’s two versions of the GTI is claimed to establish new levels of performance. In the case of the higher-spec model, it is said the 0-62mph time will be less than 6.0sec and the top speed 155mph. Gearbox choices will include carry-over versions of today’s six-speed

manual and seven-speed dual-clutch items.

As recently as last October, VW had planned to switch the Golf GTI to mild-hybrid power as the performance flagship of a new range of IQ-badged petrol-electric mild-hybrid models.

That system is also based around the EA888 engine, and is due to be revealed this year. However, it will not now be used on the Golf GTI, under the instruction of VW Group chairman Herbert Diess, who

reversed the decision of his predecessor Matthias Müller.

The transversely mounted 2.0-litre four-cylinder powerplant will be mated to an electric motor and 48V electrical architecture. It is a set-up VW plans to mirror on the smaller 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel units to be used by the next Golf, due to receive a public debut at September’s Frankfurt show after an unveiling this summer. The GTI

❝

The car will have a more extrovert, aggressive look around the front grille ❞

IMAGE is likely to join it at that event.

The original plan had been to improve the Golf GTI’s low-end response with electric boosting. Additionally, the technology was to bring a coasting function that idles the engine on a trailing throttle and a recuperation system that harvests kinetic energy during braking. However, VW’s aboutturn on hybrid technology should lead to a similar character to today’s car.

The new Golf GTI is underpinned by a furtherdeveloped version of the existing model’s MQB platform, featuring a MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension in combination with adaptive damping control.

Engineers involved in the new car’s development say a lot of attention has been focused on steering accuracy.

The electro-mechanical set-up of the outgoing model has been heavily reworked to provide it with added levels of feedback and a more direct ratio.

The GTI’s exterior styling isn’t likely be a major departure from what has gone before, but insiders have hinted that the car will have a more extrovert, aggressive look, most significantly around the front grille, which is expected to feature a deeper vent section, and new, slimmer front headlights that take advantage of the latest LED technology. Around the

Rival Focus ST arrives this year

Mk7 GTI will be replaced in 2020

car’s rear wheels, enhanced shoulders are expected to give the car a sportier stance.

Buyers will be restricted to just one bodystyle: a five-door hatchback. The three-door will no longer be produced.

Changes inside include a new digital cockpit with an

optional head-up display unit and new switchgear, including a centre console featuring a stubby T-shaped gearlever for DSG-equipped versions.

The new GTI is also expected to follow the mainstream model and get a technical overhaul. Most

significantly, this includes the integration of a new, larger central digital screen that will have some touch functionality, but also a new tactile control system designed to make the most common control adjustments easier.

MARK TISSHAW

GTI’S CHARACTER IS WORTH PRESERVING M A R K T I S S H AW

Surprised by the details of the new Golf GTI? You shouldn’t be. Like the standard Golf, the GTI has undergone the subtlest of evolutions and enhancements since the Mk5 version righted the wrongs of the two generations before it and became the most usable all-round hot hatch there is, if not the most exciting.

It could have been quite different, though. If VW had

persisted with the original plans to equip the Mk8 GTI with mild-hybrid technology, it would have given the Golf GTI the most radical character shift for a long while.

While mild-hybrid technology would improve drivability across more of the rev range, and economy, too, it would also give the Golf GTI some considerable low-end shove.

The Mk7 GTI’s 2.0-litre

turbo, particularly without the power upgrade in the Performance pack, was so lightly boosted it almost felt normally aspirated; you had to get the revs up to really start pedalling and make it feel like an old-school hot hatch, which made a pleasing change to the huge levels of low-end boost in practically every other hot hatch around. We can enjoy that old-school character still for a while yet.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 7

Summer push for Disco Sport Revamped Land Rover targets Volvo with new platform and refurbished interior

L

and Rover will reveal a heavily updated Discovery Sport this summer, intended to regain ground lost to the latest generation of rivals including the Volvo XC60, which outsells it by two to one.

The Discovery Sport is the car maker’s biggest-selling model and crucial to its success, as Jaguar Land Rover tries to reverse the company’s fortunes. Land Rover sales fell 6.9% year on year in 2018 and, earlier this month, 4500 job losses were confirmed at JLR. The Discovery Sport is one of three models that Land Rover hopes will spark a major turnaround this year. The new Evoque, revealed late last year, goes on sale in April, while deliveries of the facelifted Discovery Sport will start in October. The other key vehicle is the new Defender, to be revealed in autumn, ahead of 2020 sales.

8 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

The Discovery Sport, which replaced the Freelander, has until now only received minor updates since going on sale in 2014. This year’s more extensive facelift, by contrast, is expected to see the Discovery Sport through until at least 2023, when an all-new model will be launched.

A new architecture and an overhauled interior will be the biggest changes to the model. Exterior tweaks will be subtle, with an overall enhancement of the current design plus updated headlights and bumpers.

Currently sitting on the D8 platform, the updated Discovery Sport moves over to the Premium Transverse Architecture, which underpins the new Evoque. Crucially, this mixed-material platform allows for electrification and enables more interior space to be created.

Inside, the Discovery Sport

will closely echo the secondgeneration Evoque with an overhauled interior. The model has long needed a more modern cabin that appeals to buyers and is in line with the rest of the Land Rover range, most of which has received new interiors over the past two years.

S PY S H OT

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT

Land Rover’s ethical textiles will be made available, intended as a premium alternative to leather, and plastics throughout will be of a higher perceived quality than before.

The car maker’s most advanced infotainment system to date, Touch Pro Duo, will also be offered, featuring two

screens in the centre console.

Other in-car technology will include multiple USB slots, a 4G wi-fi hotspot and over-theair updates to the satellite navigation and apps.

Most, if not all, of the Discovery Sport’s diesel and petrol powertrains will employ a 48V mild-hybrid system

NEWS Facelift will include tweaks to bumpers and headlights

New Volvo could bear likeness to its Concept 40.2 car

IMAGE

Volvo V40 to make way for new SUV-coupé THE VOLVO V40 could be indirectly replaced with an SUV-coupé in the next three years, in reaction to falling sales of the model and the need to accommodate electrification.

Lex Kerssemakers, Volvo’s European boss, confirmed to Autocar that the V40 will not be replaced directly but said it would be superseded by a higher-riding model.

He is confident that Volvo can achieve its annual sales goal of 800,000 units with its existing triple approach of the 40, 60 and 90 Series cars, but added: “We probably need another bodystyle in the next two to three years

just like the new Evoque’s.

The 2.0-litre Ingenium engines, built at the brand’s Wolverhampton plant, will use a belt-driven integrated starter-generator that can help improve efficiency by up to 6%, claims Land Rover.

No electric Discovery Sport is planned, but a plug-in hybrid using a new three-cylinder petrol engine is expected next year with an electric-only range of up to 50 miles. Two- and four-wheel drive will be offered as before.

Other technology set to trickle down from the Evoque includes the innovative Clearsight Ground View.

Multiple cameras feed into the touchscreen to display what is in front of, and underneath, the car. The system essentially makes the bonnet see-through, a feature created for off-roading and kerbside parking.

RACHEL BURGESS

in the 40 Series. We need to do something more creative, which is why we decided not to replace the V40 directly.”

While he did not describe the incoming car as an SUV-coupé, Kerssemakers confirmed it will be higher-riding than the V40, allowing for easy, high ingress and egress – something the V40 does not offer.

A higher car will also more easily allow for electrification, which all of Volvo’s new cars will offer. Kerssemakers said: “We can’t launch a car that is not equipped to be fully electrified.”

The V40 is the only remaining Volvo model that

sits on an old Ford platform, which does not accommodate electrification.

Kerssemakers confirmed that the process of designing the new car is currently under way and said he hoped it would be ready in the next two years, using some of the same panels as other Volvo models.

Referencing that the V40 will stop production this year, he said: “We can’t wait too long to introduce the new car. We don’t want to lose our space in the segment. We are still confident we can cover certain parts of the market, although not [for] the die-hard hatchback fans.”

To that end, the new model

OFFICIAL PICTURE

is likely to sit slightly lower than the XC40 and have a sportier roofline, helping to appeal to existing hatchback owners while ensuring enough differentiation from the XC40.

It is possible that the design might be in a similar vein to the forthcoming Polestar 2 electric car, which is expected to be a production version of the Concept 40.2, a concept that Volvo showed in 2016.

Last year, 77,587 V40s were sold, a drop of 23% on 2017. By contrast, the XC60 sold 189,459 units in 2018 and the XC40 is expected to sell 150,000 in 2019 in its first full year on sale.

Production of the RC F and Track Edition begins in March

NEW LEXUS RC F ARRIVES ALONGSIDE LIGHTWEIGHT TRACK EDITION Lexus has refreshed its RC F Coupe and added a lightweight version to the line-up. The new Track Edition is 80kg lighter than the standard RC F thanks mainly to an extensive use of carbonfibre. Both RC Fs get a new suspension tune, visual tweaks from the previous model and a detuned normally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engine. Power has fallen by 12bhp to 451bhp due to emissions laws.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 9

NEWS

Valkyrie gets ‘ideal’ track pack

Mind-boggling options for 1130bhp Aston include a no-compromise circuit set-up Valkyrie, as specified

by Cropley, is in its track pack set-up

A

ston Martin’s Valkyrie – the £3 million hypercar that has grown out of the Gaydon company’s close links with Formula 1 guru Adrian Newey and Red Bull Advanced Technologies – will be made available with the most extensive selection of ‘Q

by Aston Martin’ equipment ever offered, insiders claim.

Aston’s unique personalisation service will include a special set of super-aerodynamic body panels, called the AMR Track Performance pack, which is capable of cutting circuit lap times by around 8%. The pack can be fitted to a standard car by specially trained Aston mechanics “in a couple of days” and brings the car even closer to Newey’s aerodynamic ideal but can’t be road registered.

The AMR pack features a different front clamshell that provides a major increase in downforce, plus replacements for all other exterior panels, a set of ultra-lightweight titanium brakes, an even more trackfocused suspension set-up, a set of matt black magnesium wheels and carbonfibre wheel discs to cut drag further.

Aston says the car’s aero package has been designed using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) and no wind tunnel testing, so final values for drag factor, frontal area and downforce have still to be calculated.

Buyers will be able to order their cars in any existing Aston colour, but four unique metallic colours are also being offered, along with three more lightweight paint colours.

These add only about 0.7kg to the car’s overall weight, compared with the “3kg or 4kg” extra for a regular paint job.

Interiors can be trimmed in a wide variety of materials and textures, but most buyers so far are likely to take their cars with bare carbon interiors,

Aston specialist aids your trim selection

NEW LOTUS SUV TO BE BUILT IN CHINA Future Lotus SUV models are set to be produced at a new $1.3 billion (£1.01bn) Chinese factory being planned by parent company Geely.

Construction of sports models like the Elise and Exige will remain at the company’s Hethel HQ.

IMAGE

with judiciously placed pads, mounted directly to the tub, providing support and comfort.

Engine builder Cosworth says the Valkyrie’s ultracompact 6.5-litre normally aspirated V12 engine – which weighs just 204kg ‘fully dressed’ despite doubling as a race-style stress-bearing chassis member – has already yielded more than 1000bhp at 10,500rpm on the dynamometer. Cosworth MD Bruce Wood has also revealed that peak torque of 546lb ft is developed at 7000rpm.

Combined with a braking energy recovery system (sourced from Rimac), the car should have around 1130bhp on tap. Given Newey’s early ‘1:1’ target – one horsepower

per kilogram – this suggests the Valkyrie will weigh a little over 1100kg at the kerb.

Acceleration figures are yet to be revealed, but in topperformance guise, the car is believed to be capable of around 250mph.

Around 30 Valkyrie buyers have so far visited the company’s Gaydon HQ to lay down their cars’ specifications, to be fitted to their driving seats, and either to choose track pack liveries or to configure a second car for track use. Aston expects to meet the rest of its buyers through 2019 and to deliver the first cars at the end of the year, before the even harder-core Valkyrie AMR Pro appears in 2020.

STEVE CROPLEY

Virtual reality helps buyers

MAKING IT YOUR OWN If you’re truly, honestly intending to buy an Aston Martin Valkyrie, there’s a special process you’ll have to go through. Nestling in a special room inside the firm’s Gaydon HQ is a very complete-looking mock-up of a Valkyrie, surrounded by drawers neatly fitted with trim samples, and wall displays of little car-shaped paint samplers, to allow buyers to understand what they’re getting.

When I called, I was met

by CGI artist Stuart Boote, who effortlessly drove a super-configurator to portray my paint and spec preferences, and colour/trim designer Alka Bradford, who showed what was possible and steered me away from obvious mistakes.

Fearing that a loud treatment would overpower the car’s subtle shape, I opted for an Arden Green (lightweight) body paint, dark silver cant rails and visible suspension bits, track carbon (chequered) treatments for the lights and instrument panel, gunmetal for the wheels and machined titanium switchgear inside the cabin with ‘e-grip’ black Alcantara providing the minimalist upholstery.

For my track pack panels, we changed to Stirling Green, a metallic colour that refers to great cars of Aston history and the famous racing driver who helped create it.

With the new magnesium wheels and their carbon covers, it looked magnificent. Which made it a shame, I thought, that this was only ever going to be a saved configuration in a computer. SC

LIMITED-RUN DISCOVERY LAUNCHED Land Rover is marking 30 years of the Discovery with the limited-run Anniversary Edition. Based on the 302bhp Discovery Sd6 SE, the 400 UK models receive a panoramic roof and upgraded sound system, and are priced from £59,995.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11

Maserati rolls out revival plan FCA brand faces pressure to shake up model line-up under new management

F

altering sales and profits at Maserati are prompting a change of strategy for the luxury sports car marque.

New Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Michael Manley has admitted that the organisational pairing of Maserati with Alfa Romeo was a mistake, and resulted in the former being treated “almost like a mass-market brand”.

Manley has returned Harald Wester to the position of head of Maserati, which the German held previously between 2008 and 2016, and given him the task of installing a new management team and developing a revised plan.

Wester has already recruited Jean-Philippe Leloup

GranTurismo: on the market for 11 years from Ferrari to lead a new department called Maserati Commercial. A new boss has been appointed to Maserati North America too. There’s no word yet on whether additional investment will be directed to the brand.

Speaking at an investor conference last year, Manley

Levante: sales threatened by newer rivals

said: “With hindsight, when we put Maserati and Alfa together, it did two things. Firstly, it reduced the focus on Maserati the brand. Secondly, Maserati was treated for a period of time almost as if it were a massmarket brand, which it isn’t and shouldn’t be treated that way.”

Manley added that the new

plan “will be followed by some further action we will take in the fourth quarter.

“It will take at least two quarters to sort through some of the channel issues, but I’m expecting Harald and his team to make some significant progress beginning in the second half of 2019.”

❝

No longer having to avoid treading on Ferrari’s toes should be good news for the long-awaited Alfieri ❞

CHINESE GROUP IN SAAB EV TAKEOVER

HYUNDAI LINES UP NEW i10 SUPERMINI

Evergrande Group, China’s third-largest property developer, has paid $930 million for a 51% stake in NEVS, the Swedish firm making Saab 9-3-based EVs. Evergrande’s move follows its ill-fated $2 billion investment in EV start-up Faraday Future.

Heavily disguised prototypes of Hyundai’s third-generation i10 supermini have been spotted testing ahead of its 2020 release. Expect styling influenced by recent models such as the Kona and more advanced technology.

12 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

Maserati has been hit by a substantial drop in sales to China and some headwinds created by the new WLTP emissions regulations. But the root of its problems is the lack of new models. The GranTurismo and GranCabrio range is 11 years old, making them among the oldest cars on sale today; the Ghibli and Quattroporte saloons are five years old; and the twoyear-old Levante is already experiencing dwindling sales in the face of competition from the new Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE. Sales of Maseratis were down 26% year on year by the third quarter of last year.

Despite setting a target of 50,000 worldwide sales in

NEWS

DON’ T COUNT M ASER ATI OUT L AW R E N C E A L L A N

If it feels like we’ve been talking about Maserati’s rebirth for over a decade, it’s because we have. In 2007, the brand confirmed its first trading profit since coming under partial Fiat ownership in 1990.

Execs at the time claimed Maserati would leave its troubled history behind.

Global sales took a huge leap by 2017, boosted by the arrival of the Levante. But 2018 – itself downgraded from 75,000 units – only 26,400 cars were shipped by the end of September.

Maserati’s plans for the next five years were initially laid out during the last investor conference chaired by former CEO Sergio Marchionne in June 2018. They included

2018 was tough, with the SUV’s appeal fast waning in the face of newer rivals.

The time for another reinvention seems nigh.

This time, though, FCA no longer owns Ferrari. Its days of making sporting models that were effectively held back so as not to tread on the toes of Maranello could be over, which should be good news for the long-awaited Alfieri. finally launching the Alfieri coupé (pictured, below) in both fully electric and plug-in hybrid form; a new SUV to sit beneath the Levante; and all-new replacements for the Ghibli, Quattroporte and Levante as both EVs and plug-in hybrids.

RICHARD BREMNER

Lynk&Co preps 2020 hatchback FIRST PROTOTYPES OF a new Lynk&Co hatchback, expected to be dubbed 04, have been spotted testing ahead of an expected European market debut in 2020.

Original expectations for the brand, part of Volvo’s Chinese parent Geely, were for it to focus on building SUVs and saloons – market priorities for China and the US. However, a hatchback would form a crucial part of Lynk&Co’s target for a full range launch in Europe next year.

Like its siblings, the

hatchback will use Geely’s CMA platform, also adopted

by Volvo for the XC40. The scalable platform allows different wheelbases, ride heights and rear tracks – the hatchback is expected to be the smallest model in the line-up, sitting below the 4.5m-long 02.

Lynk&Co will focus on offering electrifiedonly variants in Europe. Expect the hatchback to make use of the alreadyconfirmed 1.5-litre

S PY S H OT

three-cylinder petrol engine mated to an electric motor for the plug-in hybrid model, while a parallel hybrid could also feature.

Pure electric powertrains are expected to arrive after Volvo launches its XC40 EV.

Future hatch will use Geely’s CMA platform

LY N K & C O 0 4

Lynk&Co’s smallest model could house a 1.5-litre three-pot

Revamped Mondeo on the way FORD HAS REVEALED its facelifted Mondeo range, priced from £21,995 and set for deliveries in March.

The Vauxhall Insignia rival receives new grille designs, revised bumpers and reshaped lights front and rear, plus a full-width chrome strip across the tailgate.

A new, less-polluting 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine has been brought in, with claimed improvements to refinement and low-end performance. The estate is also available with the 184bhp petrol-electric hybrid

powertrain for the first time.

Inside, new trim and upholstery choices feature, while Ford claims fit and finish has been improved.

A rotary dial gear selector has been added to the automatic gearbox, and new tech includes an intelligent speed limiter.

Mondeo estate comes in petrol-electric hybrid guise

MUSK ANNOUNCES TESLA JOB CUTS

VAUXHALL UNWRAPS VIVARO VAN

Tesla will cut 7% of its workforce to reduce costs and ramp up production of lower-price Model 3 variants, according to an email sent to staff from CEO Elon Musk. The firm’s recent workforce growth is said to be “more than we can support”.

Vauxhall has revealed its new Vivaro van, which will go on sale in diesel form in February.

Investment from the PSA Group will allow Vauxhall to increase production capacity to 100,000 vans a year in Luton. An electric Vivaro is due for 2020.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 13

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ANALYSIS Next Ford Ranger and VW Amarok will be twins under the skins

Ford and VW line up shared EVs Partnership between two giants could go beyond vans to emerging tech and cars

C

ar companies will try multiple ways to save money in the least damaging way possible in the coming decade, and we got a taste of that last week when Volkswagen and Ford announced details of their future alliance.

The first concrete steps will be model swaps in the profitable world of vans but the two companies are also investigating ways to collaborate on electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles and the whole complex world of mobility services. They’ve also said they’re open to working together on car models.

“You can’t do this alone,” Ford CEO Jim Hackett said of the race to develop these new and costly technologies.

First, though, they’ve got to free up the cash to do that, and that’s where the commercial vehicle sharing comes in. Ford will build a pick-up to replace the VW Amarok and its existing

Ranger, starting in 2022.

A year later, Ford will also build the next Transporter in its Turkish plant alongside an equivalent Transit Custom, while VW will build them both a Caddy/Transit Connect compact van in Poland.

The two companies reckon that, between them, they’ll save $1 billion (£773m) a year by spreading the cost of development and shifting work to low-cost countries.

The financial community thinks this a smart move: “It can only be seen as a step in the right direction,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, analyst at investment banking advisory firm Evercore.

This tie-up shouldn’t damage the brands. Vans and pick-ups have a long history of inter-brand collaboration and few van owners really care, although VW has to sell the idea of a Ford-built, Fordpowered Transporter to its loyal fan base of surfer types.

Transit’s successor will also replace the VW Transporter

MEB tech, used for VW’s EVs, could be shared

(The Transporter is the direct descendent of the T1 hippy bus, remember, and the model has been built in VW’s Hanover plant in Germany since 1956.)

Aligning the pair’s van plans wasn’t easy, VW boss Herbert Diess explained at a joint conference last week. “It’s a tough job, but it’s worthwhile because it’s meaningful for both companies,” he said.

What comes after that might be more significant. Ford could share VW’s MEB electric car platform, which will be used to underpin 27 electric vehicles throughout the VW Group by the end of 2022. But VW would love to spread the considerable cost of MEB even further.

“We are in constructive open dialogue,” Diess said. “We are open to share and generate more scale to reduce risk in the electrification strategy.”

Meanwhile, VW is likely to pool its knowledge of autonomous cars with Ford’s Argo A1 autonomous driving

unit, again helping to share the burden of a technology that’s already sucking in billions with no clear path to profitability.

Ditto mobility.

After that, it’s a case of the two deciding whether or not to more closely enmesh on

cars – the part where brand separation really does matter.

They have worked together on cars before (see story, below), but compared with the vans, it’d be much harder to navigate multiple minefields that would arise, not least the inevitable shutting of plants. But it’s not impossible. VW, for example, is known to be unhappy with the scale economies of its Up-based city cars, while Ford doesn’t sell a car in that sector.

(The Ka+ sits in a class above.)

Diess said: “Passenger cars are currently not under discussion but I wouldn’t exclude anything which is meaningful for both companies.”

NICK GIBBS

IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME Volkswagen and Ford have collaborated before.

The most significant for Europe was the AutoEuropa partnership that began in 1995 to produce the VW Sharan, Seat Alhambra and Ford Galaxy large MPVs in Portugal. It didn’t last long.

By 1999, Ford had decided to go its own way with the next Galaxy and S-Max. Less well known is a longer partnership, dubbed AutoLatina, in Brazil and Argentina starting in 1987 to badge-engineer each other’s

cars. It ended in 1995 but there are still Ford-badged Santanas and VW versions of Escorts running around South America. Ford’s copy of the Santana was even called Galaxy in a foretaste of the European partnership.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 15

Mustang GT500 tops 690bhp

Ford’s range-topping muscle car elbows aside the Ford GT supercar for power

T

he new Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is the most powerful roadlegal model the firm has yet produced, but its chief engineer says the pursuit of that performance hasn’t come at the expense of handling.

The new model, the first of the current-generation Mustang to be given the GT500 nameplate, is powered by a hand-built 5.2-litre V8

engine mated to a 2.65-litre supercharger that, Ford says, produces in excess of 690bhp.

That compares with 493bhp for the previous range-topping Mustang GT350 and it exceeds the 647bhp of the Ford GT. The GT500’s power is delivered through a sevenspeed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which, the firm says, will allow a 0-60mph time in the mid-three seconds and

the ability to run a quarter mile in less than 11 seconds.

Carl Widmann, the car’s chief engineer, told Autocar that getting behind the wheel of the GT500 “is a life-changing experience due to that power”.

He added: “There’s so much capability, and even with all of that power and acceleration, it’s still capable of delivering on track lap time. There is no compromise on handling.”

Widmann said Ford Performance developed the GT500 to ensure it cornered as well as the GT350, despite the extra power. To boost the handling, there is revised suspension geometry, lighter springs, new Brembo six-piston calipers and new bodywork that generates more downforce than any previous Mustang.

The GT500 sits on 20in bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport

Subaru STI unleashes hot saloon SUBARU HAS REVEALED its most powerful model yet, the WRX STI S209, as a limitedrun model exclusively for the US market.

The hot saloon, the first of STI’s range-topping S models to be sold in America, uses a heavily reworked version of Subaru’s 2.5-litre boxer

engine, with a larger turbo boosting power to 336bhp.

Its reserves are sent to all four wheels through a sixspeed manual gearbox and the car features new front and rear limited-slip differentials, a driver-controlled centre differential and a new torque vectoring system.

The aerodynamics of the Audi RS3 rival have also been reworked, with Subaru claiming it offers an additional 1g of lateral grip.

Subaru’s STI performance arm will produce 200 examples of the new S209, which will go on sale later this year.

A L SO STA R R ING AT DE T ROIT

GAC Entranze

Ram Heavy Duty 2500

Ambitious Chinese firm GAC displayed an autonomous concept car that was designed at its Advanced Design Centre in Los Angeles. The large seven-seater, which features a heavy use of wood in its spacious interior, is the latest sign that the company is poised to enter the US market.

It wouldn’t be a proper American motor show without a big pick-up truck launch, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Ram brand delivered the goods with its new Heavy Duty. It’s available with a 6.7-litre diesel engine that produces a monstrous 1000lb ft of torque and it can tow 15,900kg.

16 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

4S tyres, although an optional carbonfibre track pack upgrades these to Pilot Sport Cup 2s, among other changes, such as an adjustable rear wing and the removal of rear seats.

The GT500 will be produced in left-hand drive only and, like the GT350, is unlikely to be sold officially in the UK – although import specialists are expected to bring in examples to order.

JAMES ATTWOOD

STI division’s US-only S209 packs 336bhp

DETROIT MOTOR SHOW

More Toyota sports cars and hot GR versions in pipeline TOYOTA BOSS AKIO Toyoda has hinted that the firm will produce more sports cars in the future to follow the new Supra coupé.

The revived machine was unveiled at last week’s Detroit motor show and will be launched in top-level GR trim.

It is the first Toyota to feature that badge – short for Gazoo Racing – which will be used for a range of high-performance production models.

Speaking at the Supra’s

launch, Toyoda said: “SUVs are nice but, at the end of the day, is there anything better than a tight rear-wheel-drive sports car? I hope this won’t be the last Toyota sports car you see from us in the future.”

Although Toyota has not disclosed which other models will receive GR versions, there are several possibilities. The GT86 and Yaris (due to its use in world rallying) would be natural choices and insiders reckon a hot version of the

new Corolla will “inevitably” be offered, to help re-establish that nameplate in Europe.

Autocar has previously revealed that the firm is considering reviving the MR2, possibly as an electric sports car, and a GR version could act as a range-topper for that line.

The GRMN badge, previously seen on a hot Yaris, is reserved for limited-edition performance models, and the company will also offer a GT Sport trim level.

New Corolla will “inevitably” get a hot version

Supra was launched in hardhitting GR guise

US to put own stamp on VW EVs VOLKSWAGEN WILL BUILD electric vehicles on its new MEB platform in the US starting in 2022 – and it will develop EVs specifically for that market.

VW will spend £620 million installing an MEB production facility at its plant in Tennessee, where the USmarket Atlas large SUV and Passat are currently built.

The first of VW’s electric ID

cars to go on sale in the US will be the ID Crozz in 2020. It will be imported from Germany.

When the Tennessee MEB facility comes on stream, it will make a version of that model for the US, along with a production version of the ID Buzz concept. However, the US models are likely to differ substantially from Europe’s.

Scott Keogh, VW’s US

boss, said producing models developed specifically for the US was “very important” to achieving success there: “We fought for the Atlas and it’s been a big success for us. It’s important to localise to meet the demands of the market.”

By 2022, the VW Group will have seven other MEB plants: four in Germany, two in China and one in the Czech Republic.

ID Crozz will be the first US-bound mass-production electric VW

Kia Telluride

Nissan IMs

Kia’s largest US model yet, the eight-seat Telluride SUV, was shown in production form for the first time.

A sibling to the Hyundai Palisade, the V6-powered Telluride won’t come to the UK, but some of its tech, including an all-terrain response system, will be used on the future Sportage and Sorento.

Seemingly inspired as much by US muscle cars as the Leaf, Nissan’s IMs concept is a bold coupé designed to show the sporting side of the firm’s electrified plans. It’s a statement of intent that Nissan isn’t prepared to simply claim the practical and affordable end of the EV market.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 17

Detroit: show biz ousts snow biz Motor City event is set to move to June and become a car festival, aping Goodwood

M

ajor motor shows present windows on the future of motoring – but in recent years, the very future of those shows has come into question.

Increasingly, car firms are shying away from spending huge sums on massive stands to display parked cars in soulless convention centres.

Instead, they’re holding their own events or using the internet to showcase their products directly to more people at a fraction of the cost.

First run in 1907, the Detroit motor show was for decades the cornerstone event of the US car industry calendar. But reflecting the decline of the car

18 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

industry it serves and the city it’s based in, the event, officially known as the North American International Auto Show, has struggled in recent years.

There were around 30 new cars launched this year, down from 69 just one year ago.

While its location in the home of the US car industry ensures a decent turn-out of US firms, international brands are staying away. Volkswagen was the only major European firm to launch a new car at this year’s event: the US-market-only Passat.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, chose to launch its CLA at the CES tech event in Las Vegas earlier this month, bidding to reach a wider audience.

“In the last decade, technology has changed the behaviour of manufacturers and consumers,” says event chairman Doug North. “Firms are choosing to launch cars in different ways.”

North’s team has already taken some moves to address the decline, three years ago launching the Automobili-D event that explores the future

of motoring. And bolder steps are coming in 2020: the show will move out of the winter date it has occupied since it was first held 112 years ago, switching to June. That will likely lead to a further reduction in new car launches, but the event will have a different brief: expanding into a car-themed festival.

Better weather (Detroit averages 21deg C in June

❝

Event chairman Doug North hopes the setting can be just as evocative as Lord March’s estate ❞

rather than -7dec C in January) will allow the use of a 14-acre outdoor site alongside the Cobo convention centre, enabling live displays, driving demonstrations, concerts and other elements.

North describes the date shift as “another evolution” of the event, comparing it with the show’s shift to become part of the international motor show calendar in 1989.

North says the change will create a better experience for visitors and be more relevant to manufacturers. “They can have moving displays and an indoor stand,” he says. “It gives them opportunities they haven’t had previously.”

DETROIT MOTOR SHOW D E T R O I T: T H E R I S E A N D FA L L STEVE CROPLEY

It’s fascinating how hindsight clarifies. Looking back, I now see how closely the rise of Detroit’s ‘international’ auto show – a description it took from 1989 – is connected to the short and sweet rise of Chrysler as a car design leader, and how this in turn is linked to the personal influence of two extraordinary characters from Chrysler, president Robert A Lutz

and design director Tom Gale.

Detroit’s show was already a handy launch pad for foreign cars, but when Dodge conceived its Viper Concept in 1988, and unveiled it at Detroit a year later, a new American design golden age began. Gale and Chrysler then revealed the Prowler hot rod, the funky PT Cruiser and many other influential concepts, their aspirations

soon fuelled by an ambitious merger with Daimler in 1998.

The other Big Three companies, impressed by Daimler-Chrysler’s new muscle, accelerated their own design spend, effort and imagination. And the market boomed. For a while, foreign manufacturers (some of whom were in the throes of setting up US plants) joined in and Detroit’s motor

show benefited all the way.

The decline began in 2008.

Helped by Lehman Brothers, the Daimler-Chrysler merger failed. Amid a market collapse, two of the Big Three went bust and were rescued with government funds. The lustre came off the Motown motor show, and foreign exhibitors saw it. Detroit’s motor show has been fighting a rearguard action ever since.

Plans for 2020 include driving demos and rides

CONFIDENTIAL GOSSIP | RUMOURS | T R ENDS

TOYOTA CHAIRMAN Akio Toyoda was the undoubted star of the show, delivering a host of classic lines during the Supra press conference. Calling the much-leaked machine “one of the worst-kept secrets in the car industry”, he also said the Supra was “totally lit. According to my son, this means amazing or totally excellent.”

INDIAN FIRM Mahindra had a stand for the first time, showcasing its locally built Roxar off-roader – the current subject of a legal spat with FCA over its Jeepbased styling. The stand also featured the Detroitbuilt Marazzo MPV, which is currently sold in India only, although the firm is keen to emphasise that it’s built to “global standards”.

OFFICIALLY, THE LEXUS LC Convertible unveiled at the Detroit motor show is a concept car, but it looks remarkably close to a production model. The firm’s US boss, David Christ, remained coy about that, saying: “It’s an amazing concept that’s well thought through. It’s well designed, but we’re not announcing any plans just yet.” Expect the production version to go on sale in 2020…

Detroit’s cars always impress but January isn’t an outdoors month The event will be two days shorter and the set-up time will be greatly reduced, making it cheaper for exhibitors.

If the mix of big stands, driving demos and a festival sounds familiar, the organisers have taken inspiration from the Goodwood Festival of Speed, among other events. The Cobo centre is next to Detroit’s

waterfront and ever-improving downtown, and North hopes the setting can be just as evocative as Lord March’s estate. “We can give manufacturers options now, from a traditional stand to an outdoor stage by the water or a downtown plaza,” he says.

The new date also reflects the changing relationship between event and city. Originally, the

Ford is one of the Big Three stalwart supporters of the Detroit show show was used to draw in visitors out of season, but with Detroit’s well-documented struggles, the hope is that the event can help accelerate its recovery by showcasing the city at its finest.

Although this year’s event was Detroit’s final January show, there were previews of its future. The absence of firms such as Mercedes and BMW

opened up space in the hall for Ford and Kia to feature stands with moving cars that gave passenger rides.

“In 1907, our first show was in a park,” says North. “Sixty years ago, it was in a hall with carpet on the floor and little else. This is just the evolution of the motor show.”

JAMES ATTWOOD

NEVER WORK WITH children, animals or, apparently, concept cars.

After much anticipation and a dramatic build-up of music, a technical failure sidelined Infiniti’s QX Inspiration electric car concept on its way onto the stage. The firm’s designer, Karim Habib, gamely talked onlookers around the design features of a car that wasn’t actually there.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 19

Scan, Read, Edit, Write, Drive.

Your v ehi cl e i s n ’ t co m p l e t e w i t h o u t HP Tu n e rs ; s peak to y o u r t u n e r a b o u t t h e l a t e s t m u s t - h a v e tun i n g t o o l co m i n g t o E u ro p e n o w.

hptuners.com

NEWS

Steve Cropley MY WEEK IN CARS

BMW 740Ld and BMW S500 AMG are the same but mercifully different

❝

Steady, you don’t have to Puch in Graz…

MONDAY

The months I’ve spent driving big cars have come to an end. Last September, as the luckiest of the lucky, I took possession of a long-wheelbase Mercedes S500 AMG hybrid, which I swapped at Christmas with Andrew Frankel for his BMW 740Ld. Now that’s heading for a new owner, too.

We’ve already published a few of my observations about how the pair compare – and Andrew’s views are imminent – but what fills me with pleasure is that such a competitive pair can be so good yet very different.

The car market is so cut-throat, and buyers in the big saloon market are so conservative, that you might worry these cars would converge too much, yet they have not. An even greater pleasure is that the pair are entirely true to their traditional marque values. The Merc still has some aspects of similarity to a 1961 220SE ‘fintail’ I bought in my early twenties, while the Beemer goes ditto for the first BMW I ever drove, a firstgen 520i in mid-’70s Australia. I’ve no idea how the German marques manage such consistency, but I’m awfully glad they do.

TUESDAY

Weird what floats your boat. In our business, friends often want to know if you’ve “been driving anything special lately”, because they’re aware you sometimes drive extraordinary cars and want to hear about it. This happened today,

The pair are true to their traditional marque values ❞ and I gabbled something about a luxo-SUV that briefly came my way a few days ago. But deep down in my soul, I was listing the three entirely different experiences I’m looking forward; the sort of desires that can only be revealed to those like you, who understand that merit in cars isn’t geared to rarity, prestige or cost.

First, I’m looking forward to my next drive in a Suzuki Jimny (a car with more star quality than plenty costing six figures). Second, I’m impatient to drive another Tesla, any Tesla, because I’ve done recent miles in I-Paces and Kona Electrics, and I’m keen to know how they compare. Finally, I’m absolutely busting to try the strongerengined 2019 Mazda MX-5 2.0-litre, to discover whether its extra 15% power (now 181bhp) and

AND ANOTHER THING… Do you know RevsArt? It’s where you’ll find dozens of remarkable car illustrations by designer-turned-vicar Adam Gompertz.

He is about to tackle the MonteCarlo Classic in a 1949 MGTC (right), raising money for OCD Action.

Discover more at justgiving.com.

exalted 7500rpm rev limit (formerly 6800rpm) make it materially different from my own 157bhp edition. Peak torque climbs only 4lb ft, so I reckon the decision could go either way.

WEDNESDAY

Just back from a trip to Magna Steyr, the unique and long-lived Austrian-based ‘contract’ manufacturer, to investigate how its most attention-grabbing product of the moment, Jaguar I-Pace, is made and distributed: we’ll have that story next week.

There was a faint familiarity about the place.

I visited it years ago to see early Aston Martin Rapides in build. An autobahn sign pointed out ‘Puch-Werke’, which reminded me that back in the 1960s Graz produced a line of quicker, widewheeled Fiat 500 that bore the Steyr-Puch badge.

For this car, the fondly remembered Autocar feature writer and wit Ronald ‘Steady’ Barker coined a wondrous headline: “You only have to Steyr, you don’t have to Puch”.

THURSDAY

I’ve been having trouble with the Steering Committee over ambient light in cars. When we recently took over the big Beemer from Mr Frankel, its dashboard and surroundings emitted a ghostly chrome-blue hue I thought was okay, but which my life’s companion found deeply disconcerting. As a result the light is now white, and about a third as intense. But I do wonder where this fashion for ‘designed’ ambient light came from. Can’t believe any punter asked for it.

GET IN TOUCH

✉ steve.cropley@haymarket.com

@StvCr

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 21

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F I R ST D R I V E S N E W C A R S T E ST E D A N D R AT E D

TESTED 17.1.19, PORTUGAL ON SALE FEBRUARY PRICE £34,000 (EST)

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI TCR A last hurrah for the current Golf GTI turns up the wick on the engine and chassis by taking inspiration from the race track

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 25

T

he extra-hardcore run-out special edition is a feature that has become more common than red piping and chrome pedals within the model lineage of the average modern hot hatchback.

Even the most celebrated and well established of them all, the Volkswagen Golf GTI, can’t last for a whole model lifecycle without one.

We’re lucky it can’t, by the way – or we’d have missed out on some utterly brilliant fast hatchbacks over this car’s long and illustrious history: the G60-engined supercharged Mk2s, the Mk5 Edition 30 and the stellar Mk7 Clubsport S. These fast Golfs are, at their best, irresistible enigmas: cars whose brilliance seems simultaneously to make both absolutely perfect sense and no sense whatsoever.

The superbly adaptable Golf GTI has sat, for the past three model generations at least and arguably for even longer, precisely where real-world performance, driver reward, usability and value have met in the hot hatchback segment. Any change you make to that supreme compromise therefore ought to make for a lesser hot hatchback.

And yet still Wolfsburg has tinkered – not least, you suspect, because the GTI’s ice-cool ‘needn’t be the class hard man’ positioning means that there has always been both the demand and the opportunity

to do it. And when they’ve done it, perhaps not invariably but at least pretty regularly and so often against the odds, an even better Golf GTI has emerged.

Emerging this time, as a farewell to what we might call the GTI Mk7.5, is an ode to the FIA’s now globally popular Touring Car Racing motorsport formula. The GTI TCR is also a clear attempt to keep VW’s evergreen hot hatchback competitive.

In a field of increasingly powerful fast front-drivers, the regular GTI Performance version’s 242bhp (the 228bhp GTI having been removed from sale in the UK last year) doesn’t cut much Grey Poupon these days. So, here, power jumps to a peak 286bhp, and torque to 280lb ft, courtesy of a version of the 2017 GTI Clubsport 40’s EA888 2.0-litre turbo four-pot that has been updated with new software management, furnished with a couple of extra radiators and made WLTP emissions compliant.

Unlike the pre-facelift GTI Clubsport 40, however, the GTI TCR comes in only two-pedal, DSG-gearbox form – and it uses the Mk7.5’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission rather than the Clubsport’s six-speed paddle shifter.

Like the GTI Performance, the GTI TCR gets VW’s electronic locking eDiff as standard, but it adds the sizable composite brake discs and 17in calipers of the old GTI

It corners quickly with a supremely flat body and good grip

Inside and out, you’re left in no doubt about this car’s branding

TESTER’S NOTE With the next one going five-door only, the TCR may be the last new threedoor Golf GTI that Volkswagen ever introduces. A shame, perhaps – but if that means there’s cause to bring the Scirocco back, I’m all for it. MS

Smooth surface of a circuit suits the GTI TCR’s chassis set-up rather better than a typical road does 26 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

FIRST DRIVES

❝

It sticks as assiduously to a chosen line as a besieged British cabinet minister

❞

Clubsport S, as well as forged 18in alloy wheels. It comes as standard with passive suspension developed from that of the GTI Performance, with revalved, firmed-up dampers and with shortened, stiffened coil springs that drop the car 5mm closer still to the Tarmac.

“The Clubsport S was even stiffer again,” says VW touring car racer Benny Leuchter, who had a hand in the development of the road-going Golf GTI TCR, “but the bigger difference between them is how much more negative wheel camber the Clubsport S had. The TCR has been developed primarily for road use but also for more typical racing circuits. The Clubsport S was set up especially for the Nordschleife.” The Nordschleife – and just about any

British B-road you cared to hurl it down, as it turned out.

On the GTI TCR, you can choose between two optional rolling chassis upgrade packages. The first adds forged 19in rims and beefed-up adaptive dampers, the second a slightly different set of forged 19in rims, the same sports adaptive dampers and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (rubber that appeared as standard on the Clubsport S, you may remember). Both upgrade packages also remove the car’s 155mph speed limiter. Although UK prices on the GTI TCR and its options are to be confirmed, the more expensive of the two upgrade packages is likely to add about £3000 to your order.

Outwardly, the TCR is probably best distinguished from the lesser ◊

Side xIhil decals eost aruptio can bensequat omitted,fugitium if you prefer, dunt ut forvent.czxczckbzckjzbscaskjbfakj no additional cost 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 27

∆ GTI by its matt black alloy wheels, and the extended front splitter, rear diffuser and roof spoiler that make up its new TCR-racer-inspired aero kit. Well, those and the car’s motorsport-tastic hexagonal side decals (which are effectively a no-cost option, so you can dispense with them if you prefer). You can add carbonfibre door mirror caps, which make for a classier-looking extra identifying visual touch; or you can opt for ‘pure grey’ paint if you like, which is exclusive to the TCR – but, in this tester’s opinion, looks about as exciting as a pall-bearer’s cravat.

On the inside of the car, meanwhile, a new pair of microfibre and cloth sports seats appear, as does a modified steering wheel with perforated leather grips and a competition-style dead-centre marker in red. VW insiders say the interior of the eighth-generation Golf, which is due for a public airing later this year, is a big step on from this car. But while that’s an entirely believable claim, it’s not as if there’s much wrong with the cabin of the seventh-gen car. The TCR’s driving position is near perfect for a hot hatchback. Its new sports seats are almost ideally, oh-so-comfortably clenching and its interior fittings look and feel absolutely first class, showing very few signs of age. But most of that’s also true of a regular GTI, of course, and wouldn’t be a good reason for finding an extra £5000. So what would be?

Well, the TCR certainly delivers a dose more straight-line pace than the car on which it is based – although not a huge one. There is only 7lb ft of extra torque on offer here than in a GTI Performance, which probably

isn’t enough to notice in terms of mid-range thrust, although the TCR doesn’t feel short of the stuff.

Where the car really makes its makeover felt is at high revs, and particularly so over the last 1500rpm of the operating range, when that freed-up 2.0-litre pulls with notably greater enthusiasm and venom than GTI drivers will be used to. The engine also retains a nicely balanced broad spread of potency and has better low-range response than the old Clubsport-series cars thanks to better ECU mapping. It may not quite have the measure of absolutely every engine of its kind, but the TCR’s motor effectively banishes any semblance of meekness from the GTI’s character. If you want a really fast and exciting hot hatchback, this engine just about puts the Golf GTI back in the conversation.

Whether the TCR’s ride and handling keep it in that conversation, however, is unexpectedly open to question. From an engineering team that could so easily have simply duplicated the axles of the superb GTI Clubsport S here, but for some reason chose not to, that comes as a surprise, to say the least. The TCR is still a fine hot hatchback and a compelling driver’s car, but one that doesn’t have the other-worldly body control and wheel dexterity of the last extraspecial GTI – and that’s regardless of how you’ve got its adaptive dampers configured. And yet, because the TCR is still a GTI at heart, it doesn’t have the hip-swivelling handling agility, tactile driver engagement or sheer excitement value of its greatest rivals, either.

The car is totally at home on track, particularly so when equipped

❝

The GTI TCR delivers a dose more straight-line pace than the car on which it is based

❞ Carbon mirrors are a desirable extra; 18in wheels are standard, 19s optional

It covers ground quicker than a regular GTI but not necessarily more enjoyably 28 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

with the optional Michelin Cup 2 rubber on which we tested it, but with more notable precision and unflappable stability about its handling than balance and direction-changing vigour. It’s enormously capable and viceless when being driven fast, keeping its body supremely flat and working its tyres very evenly, and sticking as assiduously to a chosen line as a besieged British cabinet minister.

On the road, though, where you expect a fast Golf to be nothing short of brilliant, the TCR’s ride is guilty of the odd stumble and stutter. It can feel firm, stubborn and excitable when dealing with bigger, sharper intrusions, although it’s not so reactive as ever to deflect the car’s steering, nor is it any kind of barrier

to your enjoyment of the car when the surface is good.

But now and again, when a ridge or lump in the road taken at pace makes the damping bristle and grab – and when the suspension seems keener on pummelling the road and rebounding off it than engaging with it – one particularly telling and unwelcome thought may interrupt your enjoyment of this car, just as it did for me: wouldn’t a standard GTI have dealt with that better?

The answer, I fear, would be resounding, although it mightn’t really be a problem for this car if the suppleness and road-suitability that it has clearly surrendered had been traded for a more tactile, engaging, playful and vigorous dynamic character. That might have made

FIRST DRIVES

the GTI TCR a fine alternative for a Renault Mégane RS 280 or a Honda Civic Type R, and a worthy follow-up act for the Clubsport S. But, while good, it has not quite made it that far. Instead, and unlike its extra-special predecessor, the TCR feels just a little bit ordinary: more like a ‘by the numbers’ development effort than the product of inspired engineering. It’s a hugely capable performance car and yet somehow amounts to no more or less than the precise sum of its parts. As parts go, they’re an awfully long way from shabby – but the plain truth is that they don’t quite come together here to make something as spectacular as they have in recent memory.

MATT SAUNDERS

@TheDarkStormy1

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI TCR It’s fast, precise and assured on track but lacks the attitude to usurp the most exciting front-drive hot hatches

AAAAC Price Engine

Steering wheel is new for the TCR, which is available in two-pedal guise only

£34,000 (est) 4 cyls, 1984cc, turbo, petrol Power 286bhp at 5400-6400rpm Torque 280lb ft at 1950-5300rpm Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic Kerb weight 1410kg 0-62mph 5.6sec Top speed 155mph (governed) Economy 42.2mpg (NEDC correlated) CO2, tax band 175g/km (WLTP), 36% RIVALS Honda Civic Type R, Renault Mégane RS 280 Cup

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 29

PORSCHE 911 TESTED 16.1.19, VALENCIA, SPAIN ON SALE MARCH PRICE £98,418

Latest 992 generation is wider, punchier and more sophisticated, but is it still the best everyday sports car on the road?

30 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

B

y now, I dare say you’ll have read plenty on the back story and, from last week, Andrew Frankel’s early track test of the new 992-generation Porsche 911. To recap, the eighthgeneration 911 is definitively, unsurprisingly, unabashedly a 911, with the same wheelbase as the outgoing 991 generation and a 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat six again.

But otherwise it’s quite different.

With so little steel in its body, it’s now officially an aluminium monocoque. There is steel sheet around the B-pillars but the vast majority of the rest is aluminium, including castings around suspension mounts and, for the

first time, an aluminium body side, apparently one of the most complex pressings in the car business, necessary as Porsche tries to offset the weight of new technology and crash protection that the 992 has brought with it.

From a power perspective, among other things there are bigger turbochargers, more efficient intercoolers, piezoelectric injectors and uneven intake valve opening distances, so that in the Carrera S form in which it’s launched, the new 911 makes 444bhp.

It can be had in two- or fourwheel drive, with both versions having the same width. (Twowheel-drive Carreras used to ◊

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 31

∆ be narrower.) The front track of both cars is up by 46mm, with the rear track on the two-wheel-drive S up by 39mm, now that it’s the same as the four-wheel-drive car’s.

Tyres are massive: 245-section fronts, 305-section rears, on 20in and 21in wheels respectively as the standard 911 adopts different-sized front and rear wheels for the first time, like GT 911s already have.

And now we’ve driven it on the road, for a reasonable stint, and in both 2S and 4S specification. First, though, came a few laps of a race circuit in just the 4S, where the 911 proved itself to be just as compelling as in our earlier test. The new 992 is a ridiculously fast and, in four-wheeldrive form, incredibly stable 911, with the kind of integrity to its feel that suggests you could lap one for hours and its only complaint would be when it ran out of fuel.

It’s the kind of vibe that can make a car feel over-specified for the road.

See also: most modern sports cars.

The trick is to get something so fast, so capable, and that only gets better as you go faster, to feel engaging when you go slower; as you must in a modern 911.

Consider that if today you drove a first-generation 911 as fast as it could possibly go on the road, the speed would probably still raise the eyebrows of passers-by. Porsche had just such a 1963 car on display at the 992 launch event. It has only 130bhp

Wheelbase is the same length as before but the front track is 46mm wider and wears 165-section tyres on 15in wheels. Gosh, it looked lovely.

A 992 would be out of its sight before it was out of first gear.

A 992 at sensible road speeds, then? You’ll not be testing the engine too much. It still revs to 7500rpm and drives through an eight-speed, rather than seven-speed, PDK (doubleclutch) gearbox, impeccably crisply and quickly on up- and downshifts.

There’s enough room around that to allow electrical assistance when hybrid tech arrives in the first half of the next decade.

The engine doesn’t sound particularly special from the outside

and nor is it brash like a MercedesAMG’s V8, whether that’s in an AMG or an Aston Martin. There’s a petrol particulate filter in it now, too, but it still has an endearing flat six tone from inside. Lifting off on part-throttle elicits an engaging, if quiet, wastegate whistle and the odd exhaust burble.

Power delivery is strong: barely discernible lag and a response rate and output that build pleasingly so that, despite the torque peak of 391lb ft arriving from only 2300rpm, this is still an engine that’s worth revving out.

It’s still also one that doesn’t have

❝

The 992-generation 911 is an engaging and entertaining road car

❞ Driving environment is well designed and the steering impresses, especially on the rear-drive model 32 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

the whippy responses of a naturally aspirated unit of old, but maybe the time for complaining about that sort of thing has passed, as it has for the adoption of electrically assisted steering, a longer wheelbase, extra weight, water cooling: all of the things that made people say ‘it’s improved… but’ when 911s past have been launched.

Electronically controlled dampers are standard. Dynamic engine mounts are standard. Active rear steer is optional and fitted to our test cars. Body control is good, but so is the ride, especially considering the paucity of its tyre sidewalls and the 10mm suspension drop that comes with the optional sports chassis our test cars were equipped with.

(There are quite a lot of options, which mean the 992 becomes a £100,000-plus car very easily.)

The dynamics are strong whatever drive mode/damper stiffness level you select. The 992 steers pleasingly.

That the front end is relatively lightly loaded generally means, I think, that only a modest level of assistance is needed to make the steering light enough to be refined, so road feel filters through that bit more easily than it would on some alternatives.

I doubt any rival, barring a McLaren 570S, which is notably more expensive, steers quite as well.

The caveat here is that the 4S is, nonetheless, a poorer steer than the 2S. With power going to the

FIRST DRIVES WHY THE NEW 911 IS GOOD IN THE WET There are drive modes aplenty on the 992: Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, each with more aggressive aspects to the driveline and stability control.

Additionally, there’s a ‘wet mode’, which you’ll hear a lot about, but the clever bit about it is that it uses ultrasonic sensors in the front wheel arches to ‘hear’ spray emerging from the tyres, detecting that it’s therefore raining. It needs consistent road spray, so it doesn’t prime itself if you drive through a ford or run-off from a hose pipe or anything minor.

When in wet mode, though, the rest of the system is more straightforward: it comprises a slower throttle map and a more careful traction control system that, in the four-wheel-drive car, also increases the proportion of power it puts to the front. Or, this being a Porsche, you can ignore its suggestion, switch to another mode and turn everything off if you want.

TESTER’S NOTE To keep manual gearbox mode, you need to push the ‘M’ button on the dash, otherwise it reverts to auto a few seconds after a paddle pull.

Aston (pull gives you manual mode, extended upshift pull to return to auto) does it better. MP

Agility and performance are both strong but you don’t need to drive hard to appreciate the car’s dynamic prowess front wheels, although there’s never anything you’d describe as genuine torque steer, the steering is less honest, less pure and more corrupted than in a Carrera 2S, whose steering is smoother and more consistent.

Both cars are quite willing to turn, with the increased track width bringing brilliant confidence to the front end, but there’s a better agility to the 2S’s cornering, too, of the kind you’ll feel at even moderate road speeds. It is some 50kg lighter, after all. No other rear-drive car’s

drivetrain has to stretch quite as far when its maker wants to add frontwheel drive, too.

And the positioning of the engine means the 2S doesn’t exactly struggle for traction, anyway. So the fact that it’s more adjustable and fun means that I can’t think of many places you’d pick the four-wheel-drive car over it.

Either way, the 992 is an engaging, entertaining road car. Is it exciting?

Not overtly, at least not compared with the flamboyance of, say, an Aston Martin Vantage,

Mercedes-AMG GT or Audi R8, and perhaps even a Lotus Evora, but the Porsche’s advantage over any of them, and why it outsells anything else remotely like it, is how easily it fits into your life, how discreetly and painlessly it can be used as a daily driver. Its interior has those diddy rear seats and, if not an entirely successful melding of retro design and new tech, at least pretty sensible ergonomics.

I’d still prefer it if there was a narrow body, too, because the ease

with which you can place a 911 on the road has always been one of its abiding positives, much undervalued in the modern car business. That aside, though, this is a Porsche that will, I’m pretty confident, slip to the top of the class when we finally get it onto roads we know and pitch it against rivals we admire greatly.

It is an outstanding all-round sports car. And for the first time in recent memory: with no buts.

MATT PRIOR

@matty_prior

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 4S Evolutionary 992 generation re-establishes the 911 as the go-to everyday sports car

AAAAB Price Engine

Front wheels are now 1in smaller in diameter than the rears

£98,418 6 cyls, 2981cc, twin-turbo, petrol Power 444bhp at 6500rpm Torque 391lb ft at 2300-5000rpm Gearbox 8-spd dual-clutch automatic Kerb weight 1565kg 0-62mph 3.4sec (with Sport Chrono Package) Top speed 190mph Economy 31.4mpg (combined) CO2, tax band 206g/km, 37% RIVALS Audi R8, Mercedes-AMG GT

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 33

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07/11/2017 13:08

FIRST DRIVES TESTER’S NOTE Good to see Hyundai has added some extra performance drama to its interior treatment after the drab i30 N hatchback.

It’s only a bit of red stitching on the seats and controls, and some red garnish around the air vents – but it goes a long way. MS

TESTED 14.1.19, GR AN CANARIA ON SALE NOW PRICE £29,995

HYUNDAI i30 FASTBACK N Korean car maker keeps its foot on the gas with another hot prospect

H

yundai isn’t hanging around when it comes to rolling out its N-branded performance models. It’s only 18 months since it launched the i30 N hatchback and, having already introduced the Veloster N in markets other than ours, the Korean-based firm is now introducing this: the i30 Fastback N. From an engineering perspective, working so quickly is a smart move. Hyundai uses a great many proprietary components for these cars, after all, and it stands to reason that the more development opportunities it can lever into a short space of time for the various driveline, suspension, steering and electronic governance systems in the N-brand armoury, the quicker those systems – and the cars they’re attached to – should improve.

Welcome, then, to ‘Hyundai N-car v3.0’. Based on the elongated ‘coupé-like’ i30 Fastback introduced to the UK late last year, the i30 Fastback N uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged Theta petrol engine as the upper-level Performance Package version of the hatchback N, as well

as the same rack-mounted electric power steering system, adaptive dampers, electronically locking front differential and active exhaust.

But thereafter the Fastback N differs from its sibling with the software tuning of those various electronically controlled systems, and in a few finer suspension details: rear axle wheel geometry, front axle rebound spring calibration, anti-roll bar bushing and bumpstop stiffness.

Perhaps most tellingly of all, the i30 N hatchback’s front suspension has been softened off slightly for this car, in terms of both vertical and lateral stiffness, with the aim of creating a more rounded, sophisticated performance character.

It’s a pretty minor and incremental shift in flavour. The Fastback N’s driving experience feels at least 95% the same. To access the car, you duck your head past a slightly lower roofline than the i30 N hatchback’s on your way into the driver’s seat, and then find a welcome extra dose of colour around the cabin.

Get moving and you’ll also find the same slightly overcomplicated

mix of driving modes (there are four of them, managed by two different buttons, with a fifth ‘custom’ setting that allows you mix the calibration of each adaptable powertrain, suspension and steering system to your own liking). As a rule, each ‘set menu’ setting (Normal, Sport, N mode) delivers a marginally softer, calmer and more progressive feel than they did on the i30 N hatchback: which, for road driving at least, is good news. But often, depending on how and where you’re using the i30 Fastback N, none feel ideally suited to the car. Use the racier modes and the steering can feel leaden, the ride flat-footed and needlessly aggressive, just as with the hatchback. Stick with Normal and it’s more compliant but less effusive and enticing.

Get it configured just right in custom mode, however, and the Fastback N’s suspension and steering begin to work well, though you must wrestle with a discouraging amount of complexity in the process. This puts the car in a groove in which well-judged steering weight and perceptible feel come mixed with

well-matched steering directness and chassis response. Outright lateral grip isn’t sky-high and handling isn’t as delicately poised as it is in certain rivals, but the chassis definitely holds up and makes the driving experience fast and involving.

If that driving experience has a fault, it may be that it still doesn’t land one killer blow: there’s nothing here to match the incisive handling of a Renault Mégane RS, the tactility and high-rpm thrust of a Honda Civic Type R, or the usability of a VW Golf GTI. Is there dynamic star quality here? Perhaps not. From Hyundai, I fear that’ll be a long time coming.

But if you can stop looking for the i30 Fastback N’s absent ace in the pack and instead just enjoy what’s underneath you, there’s a lot to like.

MATT SAUNDERS

@TheDarkStormy1

HYUNDAI i30 FASTBACK N Hot hatchback follow-up act is no quantum leap, but it’s enough to keep us hooked for what comes next

AAAAC Price Engine

Fastback N’s groove takes time to trim out. But the trim inside is just right

£29,995 4 cyls in line, 1998cc, turbocharged, petrol Power 271bhp at 6000rpm Torque 260lb ft at 1450-4700rpm Gearbox 6-spd manual Kerb weight 1429kg 0-62mph 6.1sec Top speed 155mph (governed) Economy 34.0mpg (WLTP combined) CO2, tax band 178g/km (NEDC correlated) RIVALS Audi S3 Saloon, Honda Civic Type R

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 35

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 Car Buyer Full page .indd 128

16/11/2018 08:56

FIRST DRIVES TESTED 16.01.19, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE ON SALE NOW PRICE £38,605

AUDI TT

Styling tweaks and more power for TT’s 20th birthday TOYOTA RAV4 DYNAMIC FWD Price £34,400 On sale April What’s new? Fifth-generation features hybrid power, a new platform and a dashing new look

A

udi sells more TTs in Britain than anywhere else, so it makes sense that styling tweaks for this year lean towards subtle.

A honeycomb-effect makeover for the front grille, some new wheels and two new colour options largely keep the base TT looking fresh, while S-Line models now go more aggressive with a full-length front splitter and rear diffuser.

Underneath, there are more sweeping changes, with the 1.8-litre base engine of the outgoing version replaced by a more potent 2.0-litre four-cylinder. The mid-range 45 TFSI tested here sees 242bhp and gains a petrol particulate filter. Suspension remains by MacPherson struts at the front, four-link at the rear.

Only front-wheel-drive models can be outfitted with a manual gearbox;

our car had quattro all-wheel drive and the new seven-speed, dual-clutch S tronic automatic ’box, which is both faster and lighter than the six-speed set-up found in the old car. It’s now much more willing to shift up and down with a flick of a paddle.

On the road, the TT is as assured as it ever was, with an abundance of grip that allows for confident cornering at sufficiently high speeds. It’s agile and happy to change direction, with a ride that errs towards firm, yet is capable of comfortable cruising.

It may be outpaced by the top hot hatchbacks, but still manages 0-62mph in a healthy 5.2sec. That it does so in a manner largely free from drama is what will irk purists.

The progressive steering, while precise, is overly light and feels slightly muted at pace.

The turbocharged four-pot sounds

agreeable enough, shows little lag and is responsive right through the rev range, but achieving high speeds simply isn’t as entertaining as it can be in other sports cars.

Inside, the TT is as classy as ever, with a driver-focused dashboard crowned by Audi’s Virtual Cockpit display. The all-digital instruments are just as customisable as before, and the interface is still one of the best you’ll find in the class.

By retaining the TT’s core character, Audi has likely ensured this new version proves just as popular. Drivers searching for more engagement will be better served by the BMW Z4, but it’s through accessible, usable performance that the TT continues to make a convincing case for itself.

TOM MORGAN

@tommorgan3

AUDI TT COUPE 45 TFSI QUATTRO S-LINE As fast and refined as ever, but still not the last word in two-door excitement

AAAAC Price Engine

TT cabin continues to set the highest of standards for its class

£38,605 4 cyls in line, 1984cc, turbocharged, petrol Power 242bhp at 5000-6700rpm Torque 273lb ft at 1600-4300rpm Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic Kerb weight 1365kg 0-62mph 5.2sec Top speed 155mph Economy 35.3mpg CO2, tax band 160g/km, 33% RIVALS BMW M240i, Mercedes-Benz SLC

AKIO TOYODA’S VISION of banishing boring cars from Toyota’s line-up seems to be gathering serious momentum. After all, this new RAV4 is a pretty awesome-looking thing.

With a total system output of 215bhp, our front-driven test car didn’t feel short on poke, but its CVT was slightly over-eager to flare the 2.5-litre petrol engine’s revs any time you go near the throttle. This can be mitigated by adopting a smoother driving style, mind.

It rides well, handles with enough tenacity and there’s loads of space inside, although the infotainment system needs a rethink.

It’s a perfectly likeable SUV, but – fantastic looks aside – not quite an outstanding one. SD

AAABC

MERCEDES-AMG C63 S ESTATE Price £76,933 On sale Now What’s new? Brutally fast load-lugger gets new gearbox and abundance of driving modes

MERCEDES’ HOTTEST JUNIOR estate doesn’t get more power with this facelift (not that it needed any) but benefits from a new nine-speed wet clutch ’box that’s more keen to change cogs and won’t wrestle upshift duties from you in manual mode.

It’s still a delightfully thuggish hot-rod wagon with an addictive V8 warble and an eagerness to oversteer, but the remarkably adjustable traction control system makes it more predictable beyond the limit.

While heavier than the saloon, it’s just as controllable, and that bit more practical too. Audi’s RS4 Avant might have a more refined interior, but it doesn’t have the same character or the ability to entertain. TM

AAAAB R E AD MOR E ONLINE

autocar.co.uk 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 37

ROAD TEST No 5406

CUPRA ATECA Seat chooses unconventional launchpad for stand-alone performance brand MODEL TESTED 2.0 TSI 4DRIVE DSG

PHOTOGRAPHY LUC LACEY

Price £35,900 Power 296bhp Torque 295lb ft 0-60mph 4.9sec 30-70mph in fourth 8.3sec Fuel economy 28.9mpg CO2 emissions 168g/km 70-0mph 52.4m (damp)

38 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

ROAD TEST his week, we turn to a question that fans of a certain popular line of affordable European performance cars might well have been waiting for an answer to since March 2018. Exactly what might we get from a Cupra ‘Seat’ that we haven’t so far been given by one of the many Seat Cupra hot hatchbacks that the Spanish firm has brought to market since the very first, the 148bhp Seat Ibiza GTI Cupra Sport of 1996?

The newly independent Cupra performance brand, announced at the Geneva motor show last March, has finally borne fruit in order to

T

begin addressing that question.

And, rather intriguingly, the Cupra Ateca performance crossover SUV is the car with which the brand has chosen to introduce us to its new, founding values.

Those values are “performance, drivability, usability and sophistication,” as defined by Cupra’s own claims – an interesting combination that suggests Seat will no longer be in pursuit of cars with Ford RS, Renault Sport Cup or Honda Type-R badges but instead be using the performance engineering resources of its motorsport division to offer cars not unlike the GTIs made by its parent company, Volkswagen.

And, as if to underline, capitalise and highlight such a decisive change in tack, Cupra is opening for business with a high-rise, fourwheel-drive, go-faster family car with more power than any of its kind yet to be produced by any car maker outside of the premium-branded sphere. The Cupra Ateca might be a product marketing Venn diagram bullseye. In principle, it combines the engine, gearbox and driveline of a popular and critically acclaimed hot hatchback (and hot hatchbacks like the VW Golf R are bigger business in Europe now than they have been in some time) with the fashionable, desirable, added-convenience bodystyle of a crossover hatchback.

But in the real world, as executed in this particular case, is that combination as appealing as it may have seemed in theory?

DESIGN AND ENGINEERING

AAABC So what makes a Cupra a Cupra and not a Seat; or, more specifically, how might this car have been different had it simply been a Seat Ateca Cupra?

The answer as regards this Ateca’s mechanical make-up is probably very little. This is, after all, only a more powerful, more performancefocused version of Seat’s mediumsized crossover SUV – although entirely separate and more clearly distinguished Cupra models are rumoured to be in the pipeline.

The car uses the latest, WLTPemissions-compliant version of the VW Group’s EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine (which is also due to appear in the 2019-model-year Golf R and the Audi SQ2 very soon) and produces a peak 296bhp of power and 295lb ft of torque. The forthcoming BMW X2 xDrive M35i will beat those outputs, but no other crossover hatchback at a similar price point currently does so.

The Cupra Ateca features a ◊

Ibiza got the Cupra name rolling in 1996

WE LIKE

Sure-footed handling Frugal for the performance on offer Eminently practical WE DON’T LIKE

Lacks true performance car grip levels Lacklustre interior ambience Non-committal character

Gloss black exterior body trim, as seen on these door mirrors, is set to be a key feature of all Cupra cars. They also project a Cupra logo onto the ground when you open the door.

Adaptive LED headlights come as standard, although they have the same design as those of lesser Atecas: another opportunity to differentiate shunned.

Copper colour of Cupra logo is a welcome departure from the palette typical of performance cars like this.

If you like it, the optional alloy wheels included with the Design package are coloured similarly.

Brake upgrade pumps up the front discs to 340mm as standard, but you can have them bigger still, coupled with 18in black Brembo calipers, as an option.

Not often do you see glossy black roof bars as part of a visual performance makeover. They seem to belong well enough here but would perhaps look better against a darker shade of paint.

Styling of the roof spoiler and juxtaposed vertical aerofoils looks exactly the same here as on an Ateca FR. ‘Sophisticated’ and ‘understated’ – or simply lazy? You decide.

Bumper styling, with its faux cut-outs and quad exhausts, is leaned on heavily to distinguish the rear aspect. Shame the pipes aren’t as loud as they look.

Cupra offers six exterior paint colours.

Nevada White metallic shows less body surface definition, we’d wager, than Energy Blue or Velvet Red might.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 39

This performance car hasn’t neglected the practical aspects. Wireless pad for smartphone charging comes as standard, and you get two USB ports to boot.

Multifunction steering wheel is as intuitive to use as you’d expect from the VW Group. The ‘carbonfibre’ texture on the airbag cover is questionable, though.

M U LT I M E D I A S YS T E M

AAAAB The Cupra’s digital array does much to lift the ambience of an otherwise staid cabin. Both the central 8.0in touchscreen display (which handily retains some physical switchgear, for quick adjustments on the move) and the entirely pixelated instrument binnacle come as standard, as does DAB, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

The various menus for the media, navigation and information functions are as straightforward to negotiate as we’ve come to expect from the

40 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

Volkswagen Group stable, and the Cupra gets an additional readout for turbo boost pressure, power output (in kilowatts, alas) and all-important g-force.

The instrument binnacle is the real star, though, with four different skins that prioritise the legibility of engine speed, road speed and navigation as you see fit. There’s a mode that attempts to tick all boxes, but we’re not sure dials that scroll up the side of the readout will ever catch on (although BMW has recently chosen to go down this path).

Rotary control on the transmission tunnel cycles through six driving modes, which include snow and ice, comfort, custom and the aggressive ‘Cupra’ setting.

ROAD TEST ∆ seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a clutch-based electronically controlled four-wheel-drive system as standard. Suspension is by the same arrangements of MacPherson struts at the front and multiple links at the rear that four-wheel-drive versions of the Seat Ateca use; but the Cupra gets stiffer suspension springs and anti-roll bars, uprated adaptive dampers, 19in alloy wheels and uprated brakes as standard.

The car runs with a ride height lowered by 20mm compared with that of a regular Ateca and offers a ground clearance improvement over that of a normal five-door hatchback of about the same margin. With air springs almost unknown on cars of this type, there’s no mechanism to make the car capable of switching between jacked-up and lowered suspension modes.

However, the Cupra Ateca does have ‘progressive’ passive variableratio power steering, which cuts the rack’s lock-to-lock travel to just 2.1 turns. But, unlike other four-wheeldrive performance machines, it has no dedicated asymmetrical torque vectoring hardware, although it does allow you to adjust the behaviour and inter-axle torque distribution of the Haldex-style four-wheel drive through various drive modes.

The car has some distinguishing

exterior design features, but they’re restricted mostly to bumper and grille embellishments. Most testers agreed that the Cupra Ateca is appealing enough, but also felt more could and should have been done to produce a more clearly identifiable visual appeal for a car from an all-new brand.

INTERIOR

AAABC For a stand-alone performance brand derived from a marque whose marketing efforts promote playful chic, the Cupra Ateca’s interior feels unapologetically Volkswagen Group.

There are, of course, benefits to this. The ergonomics are all but infallible and, alongside the car’s generous, visibility-enhancing glasshouse, soaring head room for all on board means the Ateca’s cabin has a lofty, airy feel absent from, say, a Golf R. It’s also very easy to slide into, and while the packaging of the multilink rear suspension robs the car of some load-carrying potential, 485 litres of capacity comfortably exceeds that of comparable hot hatchbacks.

The standard of material fit also feels encouragingly high although, unsurprisingly, not quite on the same level as a VW Tiguan.

Oddly overlapping cupholders aside, you could live with this car ◊

Space is generous for those up front, with plenty of elbow room and excellent visibility. Fix the seats, though, Cupra.

x

m 0m

ma

Typical leg room 670mm

1040m

485 litres

mm

0 67

107

Kerb weight: 1540kg 2631mm

868mm

1615mm

1080m

0.37

m

m max

HOW BIG IS IT?

877mm

4376mm

VISIBILITY Clear in all the usual directions, entirely unobstructed by wings or protuberances, and aided by a lofty driving position.

HEADLIGHTS

Rear head room is excellent and a vast door opening makes ingress a cinch.

Probably not the best place to be if the driver’s enjoying him or herself, mind.

Very good on both dipped and main beam, although the automatic dip function doesn’t always seem to avoid dazzling other road users.

circle: 10.8m Turning

25mm 1573mm

150mm

Width 1010-1250mm

Height 520-820mm Centre

1547mm

1841mm 2080mm

Length 820-1590mm

W H E E L A N D P E DA L ALIGNMENT Location of each of the two pedals is spot on, with plenty of room between.

Steering column has more than enough adjustment in both reach and rake.

Boot capacity is a touch less than for the front-driven Ateca models, but the loading area is still plentiful, and easily accessible thanks to a square aperture.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 41

∆ so very easily, which is the point.

But what Cupra has struggled to do is move the Ateca away from the perception that practicality lies at the heart of the offering. Performance cars should feel more cosseting than this, and while the touch points send the right message – perforated leather on the satisfyingly firm, thin rim of the steering wheel, generous Alcantara for the bolstered seats and copper-coloured stitching – this environment doesn’t automatically make you want to get stuck into the driving experience. If the Cupra’s interior had been more urbane in the wider choice of materials, this might not matter so much. As it is, even sporadic gloss black, chrome and Alcantara trim can’t divert one’s gaze from the more ordinary dashboard and window-sill mouldings.

The instruments and display feel more in keeping with a car whose asking price is well on its way to £40,000. As in the Seat Ateca, the Cupra’s infotainment screen and its digital instrument binnacle (standard for this model) are set on the same plane and look superbly

crisp. They do much to lift the ambience of an otherwise subdued interior and are an antidote to a busy transmission tunnel and centre console smattered with switchgear.

PERFORMANCE

AAAAC The Volkswagen Group’s EA888 four-pot has served many a hot hatch supremely well, so it’s little surprise that this 2.0-litre turbo is one of the Cupra Ateca’s biggest selling points.

Although it is not immune from lag, the throttle response is notably crisp, and there’s a rare cleanliness to the smooth manner in which it pulls to the 6500rpm redline.

We might have wanted more character from the sports exhaust when Sport or Cupra mode is selected (there are, after all, a full quartet of exhaust tips), but equally this engine’s aural refinement in normal use is beyond question. If you’re driving the car every day, it’s the engine’s sense of classiness, coupled with its breadth and flexibility of performance, that make it seem like a motor with few peers. A dual-clutch

gearbox whose discreet mechanisms are generally very well timed completes the picture agreeably.

Perhaps it might follow, then, that the car seems a bit aloof. The Cupra Ateca’s outright performance is certainly stronger in objective terms than it feels from behind the wheel.

Hooked up to the road test telemetry equipment, this 1615kg crossover SUV recorded a 0-60mph time of 4.9sec, shading that of even the 5.0-litre V8-engined Ford Mustang Bullitt tested recently.

However, in-gear acceleration feels slightly less muscular. The important overtaking metric of 40-60mph in fourth gear took 3.9sec while, in a full-fat hot hatchback of a similar price, it’d be little over 3.0sec. Given that the Ateca is more than 100kg heavier than a Golf R and more than 200kg heavier than the last Honda Civic Type R we performance tested (2017), this is simply the price you pay for practicality, although similar can be said regarding aerodynamics and a raised driving position (which in turns stifles the sensation of speed).

In short, and in the real world,

you’ll be going quicker in a hot hatch, and feel like you are going quicker still when your chance to give the Ateca its head finally presents.

Elsewhere, the Cupra Ateca is the respectable, usable, civilised car it’s cracked up to be. Its 55-litre fuel tank allows 350 miles between fill-ups on motorway runs. At 70mph, the engine is turning over at little more than 2000rpm and our microphones recorded cabin noise at that speed at 67dB. That’s reasonable for a performance car wearing low-profile tyres and some aggressive body styling and is a match for the more slippery profiled Golf R.

RIDE AND HANDLING

AAABC If Seat’s aspiration for the Cupra Ateca was simply to mimic the handling of a bona fide hot hatch at greater altitude, then the car ultimately falls short. However, when you consider just how high the bar is now set in the hot hatchback segment for body control, outright grip, handling response and adjustability, failure to live up to such exacting

T R AC K N O T E S During the marketing build-up before launch, Cupra hinted at the track-day mentality of its very first model. A few laps of Millbrook’s Hill Route put paid to the slogans, however. Although the Ateca remains within itself more often than not on the road, this tortuous circuit quickly reveals a stubborn chassis prone to understeer, as the tall body is tugged in the preceding direction of travel.

The car’s relatively short wheelbase and spry steering ratio make short work of the course’s tight hairpins – although, even at maximum attack, there’s precious little in the way of communication or a palpable sense of involvement.

Four-wheel-drive traction and a muscular engine make the Cupra Ateca deceptively quick, but any attempt to enliven the car’s handling will end in frustration.

Ateca readily darts into T2, and patient use of the throttle helps fire it out in short order. Get greedy and understeer is inevitable.

Chassis feels impressively neutral through wider bends like T5 but struggles to settle on its springs.

T2

T4 T3

T6 T1

Ateca dives through the vicious trough that is T4 without drama, the body’s sudden vertical movements being well supported.

T7

T5

FINISH

START

AC C E L E R AT I O N Cupra Ateca 2.0 TSI 4Drive DSG (10deg C, damp) Standing quarter mile 13.5sec at 104.6mph, standing km 24.7sec at 130.8mph, 30-70mph 4.4sec, 30-70mph in fourth 8.3sec 30mph

40

1.9s 2.7s

50mph

60mph

70mph

80mph

90mph

100mph

110mph

120mph

3.6s

4.9s

6.3s

7.9s

9.9s

12.3s

15.2s

19.0s

0

10s

20s

Audi RS Q3 (2013, 8deg C, damp) Standing quarter mile 13.6sec at 103.1mph, standing km 24.9sec at 130.6mph, 30-70mph 4.5sec, 30-70mph in fourth 7.9sec 30mph

1.9s

40

2.8s

50mph

60mph

70mph

80mph

3.8s

5.0s

6.4s

8.2s

90mph

10.2s

0

130mph

24.3s

100mph

110mph

120mph

12.6s

15.8s

19.4s

10s

130mph

24.5s 20s

BRAKING

60-0mph: 3.03sec Cupra Ateca 2.0 TSI 4Drive DSG (10deg C, damp) 30mph-0

50mph-0

9.7m 0

10m

20m

Audi RS Q3 (2013, 8deg C, damp) 30mph-0 30mph-0

52.4m 30m

40m

50mph-050mph-0

9.7m 9.4m 00

70mph-0

26.5m

70mph-0 70mph-0

25.0m26.5m 10m 10m

42 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

20m 20m

50m

50.7m 52.4m 30m 30m

40m 40m

50m

ROAD TEST

❝ Its 0-60mph time shades that of even the Ford Mustang Bullitt ❞

standards need not necessarily make this car a total disappointment.

Select wisely one of the six driving modes and the Cupra Ateca displays a fairly adaptable dynamic character.

With the dampers in their more relaxed setting, the ride quality is taut but reasonably yielding and, as an everyday, every-road compromise, it’s somewhere between satisfactory and creditable. Admittedly, if you only rarely exercise this chassis on more testing routes, the insistent firmness of that ride and the immediacy of the initial steering response would both likely become tiring, but the Cupra’s ability to maintain good body control – and generate decent grip and plenty of handling directness – when commitment levels rise give it certain qualifications as a driver’s car.

Go looking for a more compelling kind of driver reward, though, and this chassis can’t cut it in the same manner as the best hot hatches. The raised ride height and extra weight demand a pretty authoritarian suspension tune – one unyielding to the extent that the front axle can deflect as it tries to digest the more pronounced flaws in a road surface.

Were it to provide a platform for more balanced handling when it comes to the crunch, you might forgive the twitchiness. As it is, no combination of steering (well weighted and swift, but anaesthetised) and throttle unlocks meaningful mid-corner adjustability.

The clever, torque-shifting driveline software that creates just enough of a rear-driven sensation in the Golf R is also absent, and hard, initially

neutrally balanced cornering quickly bleeds into understeer. The result is a car found wanting for agility, poise, grip and personality just when it needs to raise its game.

BUYING AND OWNING

AAAAB With only 25 of Seat’s UK dealers taking the Cupra franchise initially, those Cupra Ateca buyers for whom the ordering experience need involve a dealer visit might need to travel further than they’d like to at least once or twice.

But they’ll be getting decent performance value. The Cupra Ateca’s premium over the price of a Golf R Estate is less than £1000; trading up into one instead of, say, a BMW X1 sDrive20i M Sport could be done for less than £2000; and, since our residual value experts suggest the car should hold its value rather well, monthly finance deals ought to be pleasingly attractive, too.

Cupra’s standard equipment tally includes LED headlights, Alcantara sports seats, keyless operation, 19in alloy wheels and all the infotainment features you’re likely to want, with convenience features such as a powered tailgate, high-beam assist and heated front seats corralled into a £1930 Comfort and Sound package.

On real-world economy, our testing suggests you’ll do well to average better than 30mpg on a daily basis, but on a longer run, you should see better than 35mpg. For any 300-horsepower, five-seat, sub5.0sec-to-60mph performance car, that looks entirely acceptable. ◊

It controls its body well, grips decently and feels direct by the standards of a crossover SUV, but it fails to deliver the lasting driver appeal of a good hot hatch.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 43

DATA L O G C U P R A AT E C A 2 . 0 T S I 4DRIVE DSG On-the-road price Price as tested Value after 3yrs/36k miles Contract hire pcm Cost per mile Insurance/typical quote

£35,900 £37,830 £20,125 £487 tbc 33/£865

55 litres

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

£1040 £1600

R A N G E AT A G L A N C E POWER 113bhp 108bhp 148bhp 148bhp 187bhp 187bhp 296bhp

FROM £18,455 £21,250 £23,590 £25,630 £31,340 £32,180 £35,900

TRANSMISSIONS 7-spd dual-clutch automatic

Cupra Ateca uses the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, and most of the same suspension and driveline hardware as higher-end, independently suspended examples of the Seat version. The EA888 2.0-litre petrol engine mounts transversely up front and drives all four wheels via a Haldex-style four-wheel-drive system. Weight was distributed 59:41 front to rear on our scales.

ENGINE

POWER & TORQUE

Installation

Front, transverse, four-wheel drive Type 4 cyls in line, 1984cc, turbo, petrol Made of Aluminium block and head Bore/stroke 82.5mm/92.8mm Compression ratio 9.3:1 Valve gear 4 per cyl Power 296bhp at 5300-6500rpm Torque 295lb ft at 2000-5200rpm Redline 6500rpm Power to weight 192bhp per tonne Torque to weight 192lb ft per tonne Specific output 149bhp per litre

TEST

Track Touring Average

CLAIMED

Urban 31.7mpg Extra-urban 43.5mpg Combined 38.2mpg Tank size Test range

12.4mpg 36.7mpg 28.9mpg

55 litres 350 miles

295lb ft at 2000-5200rpm

300

296bhp at 5300-6500rpm

300

250

250

200

200

150

150

100

100

50

50

0

Engine (rpm) 2000 4000 6000

0

8000

Spare

TRANSMISSION Type 7-spd dual-clutch automatic Ratios/mph per 1000rpm 1st 3.40/4.9 2nd 2.75/7.9 3rd 1.77/12.2 4th 0.93/17.8 5th 0.71/23.3 6th 0.76/28.5 7th 0.64/33.8 Final drive ratio 4.81:1 (3.67 for 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th)

BRAKES

SAFET Y

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

Front Rear Anti-lock

ESP, TC, XDS, ABS, HBA Euro NCAP crash rating 5 stars (2016, 1.6 TDI) Adult occupant 93%, child occupant 84%, pedestrian 71%, safety assist 60%

STEERING

Idle 43dB Max rpm in 4th gear 74dB 30mph 60dB 50mph 65dB 70mph 67dB

Type

Electromechanical, rack and pinion, passive variable ratio Turns lock to lock 2.1 Turning circle 10.8m

AC C E L E R AT I O N I N G E A R

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

mph 20-40 30-50 40-60 50-70 60-80 70-90 80-100 90-110 100-120 110-130 120-140 130-150 140-160

2nd 1.8 1.8 -

3rd 3.1 2.6 2.6 2.7 -

4th 4.3 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.2 4.6 5.4 -

5th 5.4 5.4 5.8 6.2 6.3 7.0 7.8 -

6th 7.0 7.2 8.0 9.0 10.0 -

7th 9.4 9.5 10.6 12.0 14.5 -

340mm ventilated discs 310mm ventilated discs Standard, with brake assist

CABIN NOISE

MAX SPEEDS IN GEAR

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

168g/km £203/£407

R E S I D UA L S 50

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

32mph 6500rpm 51mph 6500rpm 79mph 6500rpm 115mph 6500rpm 151mph 6500rpm 153mph 5368rpm 153mph* 4527rpm * claimed

RPM in 7th at 70/80mph = 2071/2367 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 Cupra Ateca, contact Cupra Customer Services, Delaware Drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes, MK14 5AN (08085 222 222, cupraofficial.co.uk). Costper-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).

44 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

350

Steel monocoque 1540kg/1615kg 0.37 8.5Jx19in 245/40 R19, Pirelli P Zero Spacesaver (optional)

SUSPENSION

AC C E L E R AT I O N TIME (sec) 1.9 2.7 3.6 4.9 6.3 7.9 9.9 12.3 15.2 19.0 24.3 -

Construction Weight/as tested Drag coefficient Wheels Tyres

400

350

0

ECONOMY

C H A S S I S & B O DY

400

Torque (lb ft)

ENGINES 1.0 TSI S 1.6 TDI S 1.5 TSI Evo SE 2.0 TDI SE 2.0 TSI FR 2.0 TDI FR 2.0 TSI Cupra

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

BMW X2 xDrive M35i 40

Jaguar E-Pace P250 R-Dynamic AWD Value (£1000s)

£1930 £3345 £690

Power output (bhp)

8.0in touchscreen infotainment with navigation, wireless charging, smartphone mirroring for both Apple and Android Full LED headlights Alcantara sports seats Parking sensors front and rear, surround view parking camera Cruise control 19in alloy wheels Comfort and Sound pack Design pack Towbar Panoramic sunroof with additional ambient lighting features Bucket seats Options in bold fitted to test car = Standard na = not available

30 20

Cupra Ateca 2.0 TSI 4Drive DSG 10 0 New

1 year

2 years

3 years

4 years

A near-60% three-year value for the Ateca shows the popularity and esteem the Seat brand has earned in the UK.

R OA D T E S T N o 5 4 0 6

Read all of our road tests autocar.co.uk

ROAD TEST

VERDICT

CUPRA ATECA

TESTERS’ N O T E S

Hot crossover is objectively impressive but lacks true driver reward

AAABC f Seat’s decision to launch Cupra as an independent entity seems perplexing, time behind the wheel of its first offering is unlikely to offer much clarification. This hot Ateca’s performance is muscular enough even if your yardstick is VW’s Golf R, and there is usability to trump what any hot hatch can offer. As an affordable familyoriented driver’s car, it evades most attempts at serious objective criticism – but not all.

What’s lacking is charisma and true driver engagement. We have reservations as to whether Cupra’s interior feels special enough, whether the exterior is suitably bold and whether the powertrain is vociferous when you’re in the mood. Beyond stability, the chassis also captures little of the suppleness or handling reward that have made some of this car’s mechanical relations so appealing. Frustratingly, the precision in the driving controls and body control suggest a more rewarding dynamic compromise might have been struck.

This opening salvo seems some way from being the best driver’s car that the firm might have given us. Thankfully, it’s also good enough to suggest that much better is yet to come.

I

R OA D T E S T R I VA L S

1

2

3

4

5

MATT SAUNDERS I’m not sure if the new Cupra brand icon looks more like it belongs on an ’80s BMX bike, a Transformer figure or the local market’s knock-off jewellery stand.

But I don’t like it on a performance car.

RICHARD LANE Bucket seats are said to be on their way and they can’t arrive soon enough.

The standard sports seats are too unsupportive and perched to give you a real sense that you’re in a serious performance car.

S P E C A DV I C E If you bag the Design pack, you can’t have a spare wheel, nor do you really get value for money – so avoid it. Get the Comfort and Sound pack.

Avoid the panoramic roof if you’ll be carrying adult passengers in the back.

JOBS FOR T H E FAC E L I F T VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R ESTATE £36,125 If you want a great all-paw affordable performance car with a bit of added space, here’s where to start looking.

AAAAB

SKODA OCTAVIA vRS 245 ESTATE £30,685 Surprising dynamic bite and driver appeal from typically cavernous Czech wagon.

AAAAB

JAGUAR E-PACE P250 R-DYNAMIC AWD £36,820 Best of the crop of compact, affordable, performanceflavoured SUVs. AAAAC

CUPRA ATECA 2.0 TSI 4DRIVE DSG £35,900 Strong engine but average chassis and dowdy performance styling fall short.

AAABC

V E R D I C T S O N E V E RY N E W C A R , P 82

BMW X2 sDRIVE20i M SPORT £35,750 Down on power in this company but has plenty of handling appeal, premium-brand allure and alternative charm.

AAABC

Furnish the model with decent, supportive seats.

Tune the driveline for a more rear-biased, adjustable balance as you drive through corners, and for a more fluent, absorptive ride.

Work out how a hot crossover needs to be different from a hot hatch.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 45

SIX-SHOOTER S

46 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

M2 COMPETITION vs M3 CSL COMPARISON

R S H OW DOW N

The M3 CSL is among th e finest driver’s cars of all time, powered by perhap best straight-six engine ev s the er made. Fifteen years on , has BM W ’s performance somehow surpassed itself division in the shape of the M2 Com petition? R ichard Lane fi nds out PHOTOGRA PH Y LU C LACE Y

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even-thousand-ninehundred. In the same way today’s teenagers don’t recognise the electro-garble of an internet dial-up tone, that number is one I struggle to get my 30-yearold head around. These days we’re supposed to be impressed by mammoth torque outputs conjured barely above idle; 7900rpm is the sort of engine speed at which only six-figure flights of fancy, usually Italian, finally give up everything they’ve got. Written on the spec sheet of a relatively attainable sports coupé, it feels wrong. Sinful, even.

And damn exciting. BMW’s straight six for the millennium – the 3.2-litre S54 – is one reason why prices for even enthusiastically owned examples of the E46 M3 are inexorably on the up. Other reasons include its sweet chassis and nearperfect proportions. For many, when production ended in 2006, it also was the last time the world’s archetypal driver’s car was neither too tubby nor turbocharged. The E46 M3 was der sweet spot, and in terms of pure synaptic pleasure it seems unlikely any successor will get the better of it.

But what if you could exchange some of that magic for an M-car considerably quicker, truly civilised day to day and, whisper it, maybe even a bit more fun? Or, to put it another way, just how good is the new M2 Competition when your yardstick is the best there has ever been?

In the interests of thoroughness, at our service is not any old E46 M3 but the hallowed M3 CSL – a lightweight special. And the M2 Comp is in full anachronism-spec, equipped not with the popular dual-clutch gearbox but a proper six-speed manual.

The newer car hardly needs an introduction, having only narrowly been pipped by Porsche’s astounding 911 GT3 RS at the latest rendition of Autocar’s annual celebration of the finest performance cars money can buy. The big news is that its petit form now comes with a barely detuned version of the twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight six in the M4 – the equivalent of rolling a depth charge into a bathtub. This engine makes 404bhp and drives through an electronically controlled limited-slip differential in the rear axle, which now includes race car-style rose joints. We already know that with them, the Competition addresses the intermittently nomadic rear contact patch of the now-discontinued standard M2. The result is sublime.

Thing is, the CSL is what you get when you cross-breed that GT3 RS with an E46 M3. And, golly, did BMW want you to know it. The original press information talks about a track-day special at ‘the very core’ of the brand; of an ever increasing ‘weight spiral’ halted only by ‘radical measures’; of Newton’s second law, for pity’s sake. And there’s some justification for this, because the CSL’s modifications make ‘Competition’ seem nothing

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❝ Everything intensifies for a moment, and then you reach it: 7900rpm. It is spectacular ❞

Carbon brace circles M2’s twin-turbo

The better straight six sits in the CSL

M2 COMPETITION vs M3 CSL COMPARISON

CSL is longer, lower and prettier than its beefed-up progeny

Both M-cars ride on a passive suspension set-up, although the M2’s tighter lateral body control is clearly from a different era. The newer car also has modes for the throttle response and the steering.

more than an ashtray upgrade package. There is too much to list but here’s a flavour. The rear windscreen is made of thinner glass and the roof panel is carbonfibre. A carbonfibre front air dam cuts front-end lift by half and the bonnet is aluminium, not steel. Bespoke aluminium wheels save 11kg. Power increased from 338bhp to 360bhp. The boot floor is fashioned from a ‘paper-honeycombsandwich’ structure – cardboard to you and me – and the throughloading assembly is glassfibre instead of steel. That last one proves just how serious M division was. In total, 110kg was chased from the chassis for a kerb weight of 1310kg – the equivalent of the current Ford Fiesta ST, plus a small child.

Even on a miserably dank day, these cars look fabulous sitting side by side, 15 years but only 15bhp per tonne between them. The M2 Competition is all brawn, with a rear track 76mm wider than that of the dainty CSL. Fix it dead-on from behind and the wheel arches fan out in a manner that reminds me of Piri Weepu leading the haka. With black accents and sharp creases everywhere you care to look, this example wears its Sunset Orange hue better than I’d expected, and the colossal wheel-and-tyre package

never gets any less cartoonish. It could only be the youthful reprobate of the M-division household.

The CSL is nobler. It hails from a time before the kidney grille was bent on world domination. Lower but marginally longer than the M2 Comp, its dimensions exemplify the golden ratio for performance coupé design. Less clutter allows you to appreciate the unmistakable Coupé Sport Licht details. The ducktail is artful, the asymmetric air intake intriguing and the 19in wheels just perfect. This Silver Grey example, one of only 422 built in right-hand drive, is almost painfully good-looking.

I’ve driven this very M3 CSL before, briefly, and admit to not particularly gelling with it. The glassfibre bucket seats – trimmed in a hardy suede substitute called Amaretta – comfortably cup your trunk at the base of the ribcage and hem your thighs in almost as cosily. Problem is there’s not enough adjustability in the column to disguise the fact they are simply set too high. We’ll come onto the M2 in a moment, but one area in which it straight away outscores the CSL is the driving position.

M division’s current flag-bearer feels supercar-low by comparison and, with the ability to bring the wheel ◊

On the road, M2’s massive torque and front-end grip tells

M2 Comp’s perches are comfy over long distances

CSL’s gorgeous bucket seats are set a touch too high 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 49

M ’ s M AG I C MOMENTS

B MW 3.0 CS L (1973) Batmobile’s heroic M49 straight six led it to touring car dominance, then formed the basis of the mid-mounted 3.5-litre M88 of the first road-going M-car: the M1.

E36/8 M COU PE (1998) Green-lighted by the management on the basis that it could be built cheaply, M’s only shooting brake used a 317bhp engine from the M3 Evo and proved Munich had a sense of humour. Sold without driver aids.

❝ Elements of the old M3 are insurmountably good, but it isn’t as ‘together’ as this M2 ❞

M cL ARE N F1 (1993) Paul Rosche – BMW Motorsport’s ace engineer – designed the 618bhp S70/2 V12, ensuring BMW’s name would be forever associated with the greatest supercar ever built.

B MW E60 M5 (2005) Known internally as ‘Five Car’ for its five litres of displacement, 500bhp and 500Nm of torque, the E60 will go down in M legend because of its howling, up-sized, F1-derived V10 that revved to 9000rpm.

B MW 1M COU PE (2011) A reborn E30 M3 so compelling to drive that BMW secretly wondered not whether it should have charged more, but how much more. Took no small skill to pedal quickly.

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∆ right out towards your chest, marble through a wood-chipper. more mature.

From 6500rpm, the crankshaft The thing about a poor driving really begins to accelerate, cutting position is that, unless it is terminally loose as the now-screaming, awful, very quickly you forget and reprofiled double-Vanos cams get forgive. This is no chore when the to work. Everything intensifies for engine is from your dreams. It starts a moment, and then you reach it: off placid enough. At 2500rpm, 7900rpm. It is spectacular. only the surgically precise pick-up The M2 Competition can’t match – courtesy of natural aspiration and that. Nothing the affordable side of six individual throttle butterflies – a well-known 4.0-litre flat six can gives a flavour of what is to come. match that. Still, if turbocharging By 3000rpm, when the twin-turbo makes the newer S55 engine a bit M2 is surfing along on 405lb ft of one-dimensional, it also makes it torque, there’s still laughably little in deliciously tractable, not to mention the way of propulsion but a hacksawmassively powerful. In any gear and boom commences. The blend of gnashing valvegear – held open for longer to capitalise on the increased mass of air sucked loudly into the CSL’s carbonfibre airbox – and exhaust bellow is, if you’ll excuse the cliché, straight from the pit lane. At 4500rpm, the bass drops out, the torque kicks in and the noise begins to convalesce, simultaneously No short straws were drawn for this test hardening, smoothing and rising in pitch. Imagine feeding

at any speed, the smaller-engined car will simply drive away from the CSL, despite its 240kg penalty (yes, that is rather a lot considering it is a more ‘junior’ model). So much torque also allows you to more easily work the rear-drive chassis, and it’s here that today’s inter-generational battle really starts to sizzle.

On road or track, the balance of the CSL is astonishing, even if the steering ratio (quickened over that of the standard M3, from 15.4:1 to 14.5:1) still feels lazy compared with the darting M2. Admittedly, in this department both cars want a little for feel, but only in the low-slung CSL does it appear that your backside is resting on the rear differential while your hands clasp the front axle, with its widened track. Bulkier bodywork designed to meet crash standards and a betterstocked cabin mean that, for the M2, the feeling has been lost, and it’s never coming back.

In the CSL, the extremities of the chassis seem to alter their

M2 COMPETITION vs M3 CSL COMPARISON M2 is bigger and heavier but doesn’t feel cumbersome

trajectory as one. Unquestionably it is the more fluid chassis, though you can cover the length of a tennis court during the torque interruption prompted by an upshift from the SMG automated manual ’box.

It’d be a chessboard were this Competition equipped with BMW’s latest dual-clutch ’box. But even with the slower manual (indeed, because of it), now is when the M2 begins to claw things back. The controls – pedals, steering, gearshift – might not be up to Cayman levels of precision but are sprung and weighted in beautifully holistic fashion and better involve the driver.

Brake, downshift, turn, accelerate: it’s as though you’re operating an arrangement of taut, short pulleys.

Individual elements of the old M3 are insurmountably good, but it isn’t as ‘together’ as the M2 Competition.

And this is a mischievous chassis.

The balance is more rear-biased than that of the ultra-neutral CSL but the centre of gravity is higher. Compared with the older car’s impervious dynamic cool, the firmly sprung M2 seems almost too keen to stabilise any roll, and can feel more frenetic.

But it also wants to oversteer, and will do so like few others can – that is, massively but controllably, seemingly in any gear – if you loosen the ESP and uncork all that torque. It is as addictive as it sounds.

You get what you need in the CSL – plus a chrome gearshift

M2 ergonomics are perfect, and the back seats usable too

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

So addictive, in fact, that you might miss the magic, because M’s latest ware is more subtle than that.

Temper your approach, get the right combination of steering and throttle (don’t worry, it’s a big target) and rather than ‘breaking’ away, the M2 will simply raise itself up en pointe.

Bliss. The yaw-damping of the CSL might be astonishingly good, and the vertical body control so sublime you don’t at first notice it, but it doesn’t live quite so happily in the dreamland between grip and slip.

That’s where so much of the magic happens when you don’t have a race track at your disposal.

So the M2 Comp is more fun, but the CSL is more precise and, maybe, the more rewarding car. I don’t know.

It’s so close that personal preference will be the deciding factor.

But to drive these coupés back to back and discover an almost identical genetic code is joyful. BMW M GmbH hasn’t always got things right of late, but today’s stars are what its cars should be all about: palpable balance, abundant but not overbearing power, control and the agility that comes with a modest footprint. And soul.

Either would be a dream to own, but if I had to choose one on which to blow £55,000? With a gun to my head, it’d have to be the glorious M3 CSL. But only for seven-thousandnine-hundred reasons. L

M2 Competition

M3 CSL

AAAAB £50,975 6 cyls in line, 2963cc, twin-turbo, petrol 404bhp at 5250-7000rpm 405lb ft at 2350-5200rpm 6-spd manual 1550kg 155mph (governed) 4.4sec 28.2mpg 227g/km, 37%

AAAAB £58,455 (2003), £55,000 (now) 6 cyls in line, 3246cc, petrol 360bhp at 7900rpm 273lb ft at 4900rpm 6-spd automated manual 1310kg 155mph (governed) 4.9sec 23.7mpg 287g/km, 37%

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Getting cleaned out Diesel particulate fi lters are a major source of income for cleaning services like Ceramex, but the emissions-reducing devices can hit drivers hard in the pocket, John Evans learns PHOTOGRAPHY OLGUN KORDAL

n an industrial estate in Slough, an enterprising British company called Ceramex is cleaning and refurbishing up to 1000 diesel particulate filters (DPFs) a week for many leading truck and car makers.

Business is good, says Marcus Beament, its head of sales: “We’re a tier-one supplier to major OEMs who have realised that cheaper cleaning methods are not always the most effective.”

It sounds like a sales pitch but proof of Ceramex’s success is all around me, not least in the shiny new production line that cost more than £2 million to build and which features the firm’s unique Xpurge system that cleans and returns the used DPFs to near-new condition.

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A DPF’s job is to capture the microscopic particulates, or soot, in a diesel engine’s exhaust.

These can clog up the DPF but how quickly they do so depends on things such as whether the engine uses oil with low Saps (sulphated ash, phosphorous, sulphur), the condition of the injectors, glow-plugs, EGR valves and turbo, the complex algorithms overseeing everything and, apparently, the vehicle owner’s style of driving…

When the quantity of soot reaches critical levels, it’s burned off in a process called regeneration. There are two types: passive and active.

Passive regen takes place automatically but only when the exhaust temperature has reached approximately 600deg C, a level

that a lot of unburned fuel ends up in the engine’s sump.

It’s eventually burned by the engine but this only adds to the deposits of soot in the DPF. s Evan tells ) (left ent Business is good, Beam During regen, the soot becomes ash, a by-product that is rarely talked about but which usually achieved on motorways can become a problem on diesel cars and A-roads when a constant that have done more than 80,000 engine speed in excess of 2000rpm miles. There are various ways to rid can be sustained.

DPFs of it but, according to Ceramex, Active regen takes place when the only one that truly works is its the soot deposits reach a limit of unique Xpurge system that uses around 45%. The ECU triggers postpurified water and air. As proof, it combustion fuel injection to increase extracts a skip’s-worth of ash and the exhaust temperature. To work, soot every three months. the process cannot be interrupted.

So, keep your car in good shape, Also, because of the amount of fuel give it a blast now and then – it requires, the car must have at least especially so if most of your driving 20 litres of diesel in the tank. is of the short, stop-start variety – A downside of active regen is and when the DPF gets bunged up

DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTERS INSIGHT Truck DPFs are among the hundreds cleaned

by Ceramex per week

TOP FIVE MOST E X P E N S I V E D P Fs INCLUDING FITTING

 BMW 1 Series, £3145  BMW 7 Series, £2743  BMW X5, £2090  BMW X3, £1566  Range Rover, £1518 Figures from MotorEasy (motoreasy.com)

Ceramex’s new production line cost over £2m with ash, get it cleaned. It all sounds straightforward, so why is any discussion about DPFs like opening a can of soot-clogged worms?

Mitch McCabe, Autocar’s head of video, reported in October last year that his 2018-registered Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer with 10,000 miles on the clock had developed a problem with its DPF. The first he knew of it was when a message flashed up on the Insignia’s dashboard saying the filter had been unable to regenerate itself. A few seconds later, the car went into limp home mode. The Vauxhall dealer McCabe spoke to said that if the DPF was damaged and his ‘driving style’ was to blame, he’d be liable for the repair bill – a not insignificant £2500 plus £960 fitting.

“It seems that the manufacturers have the right to decide whether the failure of the DPF is a warranty issue or not, based on your ‘driving style’,” said an aggrieved McCabe.

Fortunately for him, the Insignia’s DPF was simply faulty and was replaced at no charge.

McCabe was relieved but not Xpurge system uses purified water and air entirely happy. “It’s obvious that on certain used cars, the DPF will cost more to replace than the vehicle itself is worth,” he wrote. style and more to do with an oil His experience triggered a few dilution issue common to some tales from Autocar readers who had 2016-17 model-year Range Rovers, suffered DPF issues with their cars.

Discoverys and Evoques.

They included Julian Fack, owner of A bulletin sent to Land Rover a Porsche Macan S Diesel that, since dealers and headed ‘Early service he bought it, has signalled problems due to oil dilution’ explains that with its DPF on four occasions – the ‘service required’ message is roughly every 6000 miles. On two of triggered by unburned fuel in the them, it went into limp home mode engine oil, itself caused by a higherand required a dealer to carry out a than-expected number of partial forced regen.

DPF regeneration cycles.

“There can be as little as a minute Land Rover’s solution was to offer between the car alerting you to a owners of the affected vehicles free problem and it going into limp home oil and filter changes but only during mode,” says Fack. “In that time, and the car’s first 50,000 miles. assuming you’re on a clear road, you “I feel I was sold a car with a must start the regen process, which known fault,” says Wilson. “It cost involves driving the car at no less me a lot of money to hand the car than 37mph for 10 minutes with the back but I’d lost confidence in it.” engine turning at over 2000rpm.”

Wilson’s experience highlights the Another reader, Nick Wilson, fragile interdependence of today’s explained how he’d bought a new emissions control systems. However, Land Rover Discovery Sport in according to MotorEasy, a motoring March 2017, only to sell it 18 months association that provides vehicle and 37,000 miles later after it warranties, the number of claims developed an appetite for more concerning DPFs is relatively low. frequent oil changes. “The dealer “Problems with DPFs aren’t suggested short journeys and my affecting too many vehicles,” says ‘driving style’ were to blame but I Rory Buckley, marketing director at travel all over the country so the car MotorEasy. “Instead, the attentiongets a good workout,” says Wilson. grabbing aspect is that when a DPF He later discovered the problems does go wrong, the repair bill is had less to do with his driving significant, so prevention is key.” L

D R I V E A P E T R O L CA R? YO U C O U L D B E N E X T

A car’s DPF being prepared for the Xpurge process

Don’t think you’ll escape the occasional particulate problem behind the wheel of a petrol car, because gasoline particulate filters (GPFs) are being introduced on these too.

Volkswagen has been fitting the devices to 1.4 TSI versions of the new Tiguan since 2017 and last year introduced them on the Up GTI. Audi, Mercedes and Ford are among others also fitting GPFs. Their hand is being forced by

tougher emissions legislation designed to reduce particulate emissions from petrol engines.

Although CO2 emissions have fallen on the new generation of small direct-injection, turbocharged petrol engines, particulate levels have been increasing. The result is that an unfiltered GDI petrol engine produces up to 1000 times more particulates than earlier petrol engines and 10 times more than a diesel equipped with a DPF.

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THEY COULD HAVE BEEN STARS… Richard Bremner looks at the cars that could have sold like hot cakes, were it not for that one vital missing ingredient ome cars instantly ooze success from every paint molecule.

From the moment the proud designer slides off the cloth cover, the car looks to be a nailed-on smash hit. Very often it is.

But sometimes, a car that looks like a sure-fire winner fails to make the cut.

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Sometimes the car doesn’t drive in the ways its looks say it will. Sometimes the price is wrong. Sometimes there isn’t enough promotion behind it.

Very often, it’s a mix of all these things and more. Read on, then, to discover our selection of cars that should have been stars, and five unlikely machines that broke records.

DS 5

2011 -2018

This beautiful, troubled car sells slowly enough to constitute a limited edition. True, it’s now eight years old, but when it emerged as a Citroën, the DS 5 looked like it really could tempt buyers out of their BMWs. A shooting brake, coupé and hatchback cross, it was hot, had a luscious interior and – oof – a ride that had you wondering whether its springs were made from boron. Citroën bosses had demanded super-sports suspension from their engineers and – oof – they got it.

LOTUS EVOR A

2009 - NOW

The costliest model Lotus had ever developed, the Evora aimed to combine Elise dynamism with refinement, 2+2 practicality and the electronic tech to make this a liveable Lotus. So liveable, Hethel reckoned, that it would sell 2000 a year. Sales barely reached half that in its best year, and while the car improved and power climbed, so did the price, turning the Evora into a niche seller. It’s far from a bad car, and the chassis is sensational, but annoyingly for Lotus, Porsche – mostly – does it better.

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ALMOST FAMOUS INSIGHT

Alfa Romeo 4C

20 1 3 - N O W

Sometimes the ingredients for perfection are all there. A carbonfibre tub designed especially for this car. A mid-mounted, revvy, sweet, slightly oversized turbocharged motor. Great styling, the Alfa Romeo name and a mission to deliver pure driving enjoyment – and, indeed, little else.

So where did it all go wrong? Geometry, mainly. Alfa’s suspension was at times alarmingly twitchy, its directional stability similar to a chicken’s attempting flight. It was tiresomely noisy too. Alfas that don’t handle usually don’t sell, and so it is with the flawed 4C. Right ingredients, wrong recipe.

TOYOTA U RBAN CRU ISE R

2009 -2012

The name was quite interesting. The shape was too, when this Toyota was new. Wouldn’t you rather have this than just another supermini? You might, until you discovered that the Urban Cruiser was as dull as a queue. Its interior was all shades and grades of black, with no features to make you think you were driving something interesting, urban or cool, and it drove with the verve of an escalator. The market soon found out, and did its non-buying bit.

RE NAU LT WI N D

2010 -2012

It looked like a concept car, was developed by Renault Sport, had a roof that folded away in 12 seconds and was affordable. It was also fun and looked like no other sportster on the road. True, the name was unfortunate, the Twingo mechanicals didn’t quite deliver a magical chassis and the tiny rear screen was a threat to bumpers. These weren’t what stalled the Wind, however – a struggling Renault UK deleted it after less than two years during an exchange rate-driven model cull.

HON DA CR-Z

2010 -2015

It referenced one of Honda’s greatest sporting hits, its chassis was co-developed with a Japanese drift ace, plus it was quick and packed with on-trend technology. But the CR-Z’s life petered out before planned, its mix of features failing to press that ‘want one’ button. Unlike Honda’s inspirational CR-X coupé, the CR-Z was a hybrid, both in function and character. It wasn’t fast and fun enough for red-mist redliners, nor economical or practical enough for eco-commuters. So it died early.

JAGUAR XJ R 575

2017-2018

This is a car that seems to have lived for 10 minutes, hidden from view. As its name implies, it has a pleasingly excessive horsepower count, can reach its 186mph top speed in 44 seconds and 62mph in precisely a 10th of that time. It has a chassis to handle the power, and with XJ aplomb too. It’s also likely to have been the last petrol-powered XJ variant developed, although lesser V8s remain on sale. WLTP and default diesel XJ demand did for the car in the UK, but it deserved better.

VAUXHALL AM PE R A

2012-2015

This was a car that should have triggered a plugin revolution. One of the first electrified rangeextenders, its pioneering technology produced a truly practical car, and one that wouldn’t leave you stranded for want of a socket. It was interesting to look at and sit in, it drove pretty well – and very quietly – and its emissions were zero to low. Job done? No, sadly. The price was too high. It only seated four. And it was a Vauxhall, Astra-sized and double the money. For most, that didn’t compute.

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CADI LL AC CTS -V

2009 - NOW

Cadillac’s attempts to claw itself a presence in Europe have produced frothy ambitions, repeated failures and even a Europe-only Cadillac in the Saab 9-3 shape of the BLS. There were other right-hookers too, but sadly not the CTS-V – a ferociously muscular super-saloon, coupé and estate aimed at the BMW M3 and M5. And to great ’Ring record-breaking effect. Despite its mighty credentials and distinctive style, the CTS-V has scored just four UK sales.

PEUG EOT RCZ

2010 -2015

Yes, you could see the Audi TT influence and, yes, it suffered some of the same dulled dynamic feedback as the TT, but this was a pretty, intriguing, wellfinished and desirable sports coupé. Its appeal was powerful enough to win it loads of page impressions, column inches and airtime. And then it all went dead. Peugeot’s promotion was minimal, until the RCZ-R version landed. Peugeot sold almost 68,000 RCZs, but Britain, surprisingly, bought only 1500 every year after the initial surge.

M I N I COU PE

2012-2015

Germany had already produced one car with a cap-like roof redolent of a military helmet, the original Audi TT being an outstanding success.

Now here was another. Only this time, it just looked odd. Very odd. Odd enough that it lived for less than three years, killed by the fact that it was even less practical than a Mini hatchback and looked like the kind of creature found lurking around deep ocean vent holes. Dying with it was the barely-any-prettier Roadster.

SA AB 9 -5

2010 -2011

This was a missed opportunity not only for a car, but the brand that built it. By the time the 9-5 entered series production after the 2008 crash, government-controlled GM had reluctantly sold the marque to Spyker Cars. The build of 11,280 examples wasn’t enough to avoid Saab’s bankruptcy, and the premature death of a stylish, spacious and safe car that needed a bit more polish.

And a solvent company behind it. The 9-5 still looks good today, making Saab’s death all the sadder.

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M I N I PACE MAN

2013-2016

Another faltering attempt to expand the Mini portfolio. Based on the Countryman, the Paceman was a four-seat Mini coupé and, being bigger than its two-seat Coupé sibling, was at least more useful.

It also introduced a rising wedge beltline to the Mini design catalogue, and not unsuccessfully.

Less-than-polished Countryman innards yielded a car that looked better than it drove, and offered little that the standard Mini hatch didn’t. Less than 10,000 were sold in the UK in three years.

ALMOST FAMOUS INSIGHT VOLKSWAG E N B E ETLE

1997- NOW

Reviving the most popular car in the world, ever, should have been a cinch.

For many years, it was, even if the 1997 production version of that 1994 Concept One show car had rather less character than its looks suggested.

Underneath, it was a Mk4 Golf – a dynamically middling example of the breed. A Cabrio followed, and in 2011 an all-new version, cast in a visually sportier mould. But character was still absent, VW also failing to build the aura of desire successfully propagated around the Mini and Fiat 500.

FIVE SURPRISING SMASH HITS B MW M I N I

2001-NOW

This was a dangerous challenge – replace the best-selling British car of all time, a car that was part of the national culture and a car whose makers had repeatedly failed to replace. German money, motivation and pragmatism produced what many considered an over-sized pastiche, but it was a high-quality pastiche that didn’t deserve this pejorative. The new Mini was exactly what the market wanted.

N ISSAN QASHQAI 2006-NOW

Jaguar F-Type

20 1 3 - N O W

Jaguar, more than most, knows how to make cars that grip, handle and ride. For its follow-up to the legendary E-Type, you’d expect it to over-deliver on the first two, and satisfy on the third. But, whisper it, the F-Type has a challenging chassis, at least in lesser V6 form. Get it on a track and you’ll feel it get out of sorts. Take it down the road and you’ll discover composure less complete than offered by either Porsche’s 718 or 911, both of which outsell the F-Type in the UK.

Is it an SUV? Is it a hatchback? Is it an oddball, fiscally mutated machine from Japan? The Qashqai was, and is, the first two things, and in 2006 there were plenty who didn’t know what to make of this high-riding hatch with a four-wheel-drive option. They do now, this crossover selling fast enough to rescue Nissan’s fast-shrinking European presence and establish a whole new genre of competitors.

N ISSAN JU KE

2011-NOW

Is it an SUV? Is it a hatchback? Is it an oddball, fiscally mutated machine from Japan? The Juke was, and is, the first two things but, coming after the Qashqai, buyers had less trouble understanding what this little tyke of an SUV was all about. Its styling was divisive, but there were enough who liked it to frequently propel into the UK top 10 sellers. Curiously, Nissan has been slow to replace the Juke, although it still does decent numbers.

R ANG E ROVE R EVOQU E 2011-NOW

The 2008 LRX concept was a hit, but not one as big as the production car itself. Land Rover famously deviated only by millimetres when it turned the three-door LRX into the three-door Evoque, although it was the more practical five-door that ignited the firm’s spectacular expansion. After 772,096 sales, the original has just been replaced – by an Evoque almost dimensionally identical.

TOYOTA PRI US

1997-NOW

The first Prius, a slightly ungainly four-door saloon with an odd little air vent beneath the nearside rear pillar, was initially offered only in Japan.

Global sales began in 2000, and by 2002 US celebrities were driving them as a political statement. Sales accelerated, still harder with the secondgeneration’s arrival in 2003. Millions have been sold, and hybrids have become ordinary. That’s real confirmation of success.

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YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST What was your first car? Everyone remembers, even if the story didn’t end well. Colin Goodwin recalls his own t’s midday, 8 March 1982 and a code orange status has just been triggered in the offices of RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents). Colin Goodwin has just been issued with a driving licence. Two o’clock the same day: RoSPA raises the alert status to red.

Goodwin has purchased his first car.

That damned piece of paper had taken nearly two years to obtain. The people at the DVLA, or whoever was responsible back then for organising driving tests, had been on strike and there was a massive backlog for dates. I’d applied for a cancellation and got a date a week later, having had no lessons. I took it in a mate’s Fiat 127 Sport that fouled its plugs.

I failed. More disasters followed.

Anyway, I was beyond desperate to go solo (er, legally) hence the lack of dawdling to buy a car.

The machine was a Vauxhall Viva HB in SL90 spec. Brush painted, F-reg, already rusty. Forty quid. A 1.2-litre engine producing not much horsepower. That didn’t matter much because most of my friends owned American muscle cars and the Vauxhall could have had 200bhp because it was the deficit in cylinders that inspired their derision.

I don’t remember much about the Viva – not even how long I kept it.

Not as long as a year, for sure. I had a Norton Commando 850 (I passed my

bike test very soon after my 17th birthday) for high-speed sorties so the car was more for transporting the muscle car owners when they’d run out of petrol money and for taking girls out. On one date, the fan flew off the end of the water pump and into the radiator. I thought she’d be mightily impressed by my fixing it with a raw egg but no. She probably married a stockbroker and now drives a BMW X5.

Thirty-six years later, Autocar’s Dan Prosser and I are sitting in the Vauxhall heritage collection’s Viva HB. It is in perfect condition. D-reg, but otherwise identical to mine, even down to the colour. I’ve owned more than 40 cars, the bulk of them during my 20s. This is the first time I’ve revisited one of the old ones. It’s more usual these days for me to drive something that’s old and tired now but was new when I first drove it, such as the Porsche 968 Club Sport for an Autocar feature last year. Today, the car is in far better shape than the one I drove first time around.

Its linear speedometer is familiar.

I don’t think Prosser has seen anything other than a traditional round instrument before and neither has he seen an instrument that goes only as far as 100mph. Neither did he grow up with cars that didn’t have power steering.

The roads around Luton where we’re driving today are dry but I think it’s more the quality of tyres fitted that is responsible for the feeling that this Viva is a lot more secure than mine felt. Mine would have had crossplies or possibly even remoulds on it, even more likely, bald ones. And then there’s the difference between having a 19-yearold and a 56-year-old behind the wheel.

Actually, I don’t remember ever crashing the Viva. Apart from when a friend reached forward Goodwin marvels at how secure a Viva HB can feel from the back seat and yanked on the handbrake.

I

58 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

an’ pose Goodwin (right) reprises his ‘I am the eggm

We didn’t technically crash but we were in Putney High Street so it was alarming enough for me and the shoppers on the pavement.

Soon after the Vauxhall, I had a run of Mk1 Ford Escorts. I can’t recall if they were superior or not.

Perhaps our friends at Classic & Sports Car have driven both back to back and can answer that question.

Vauxhall also owns a 1970 HB but it’s a GT with a 2.0-litre motor and that certainly feels like an equal to the Ford. Good job I didn’t have one of those in 1982 because I certainly would have got into trouble with 104bhp instead of my car’s 69bhp.

The HB is a good-looking car. Nicer than an Escort, I reckon. The HB was penned by long-time Vauxhall design boss David Jones but legendary GM design chief Bill Mitchell gave it the thumbs down when Jones took a model and drawings to Detroit.

Mitchell took Jones out to lunch and asked junior designer Wayne Cherry to have a go. Three hours later, the HB had its final shape. None of which I would have known in 1982. I would, however, have known that Cherry worked on the Pontiac Firebird.

I can’t remember my Viva’s fate, whether I sold it or it went to the scrapman. Whatever, it no longer exists: I checked on the DVLA’s website. And no, I have no desire to attempt to recreate a time before grey hair and buy myself a Viva.

Not that I haven’t looked to see if any are for sale. L

CITRO E N 2CV

Richard Bremner It wasn’t all mine: I went halves with a school friend on a 1961 ex-Belgian post office 2CV van. Neither of us could drive. My mate saw it in a scrapyard. Amused by his interest, they sold it to him for £5, including delivery to his aunt’s empty garage. This was 1975. We sold it for £25 to a Swede, who towed it home.

OUR FIRST CARS HAPPY DAYS

❝ I thought she’d be impressed by my fixing it with a raw egg ❞

MY FIRST CAR

Dan Prosser I didn’t own the car, but my mother’s 2001 Ford Focus 1.6 LX was the car I drove most often in my teenage years and I consider it my first car. It was in that silver Focus that I first took friends out for a drive, taught myself the art of the handbrake turn and had my first accident (and shortened it by half an inch).

FIAT 126

Andrew Frankel It was a Fiat 126. Actually, it was worse than that: it was a Fiat 126 whose previous owner had spilt a pint of cream on the back seat. But it was free. Aged 17, I thought girls would be amazed by my prowess behind the wheel, but one sniff dissuaded them all from even climbing into its putrefying cabin. So I drove it into a tractor instead.

1948 FO RD V8

Steve Cropley It was a rare car, a 1948 Ford V8 ‘Beetleback’ four-door sedan. I was 16 and it cost £50. I paid £30, another idiot the other £20. We took to driving it to school a year before we had our licences, because you could get away with that in the Australian bush back then. It taught us all about oversteer – until it blew up on the last day of school.

WESTFI E LD S Ei

Matt Prior I didn’t have ‘my’ first car long. It was a Mini 1000 and within a month of passing my driving test, I’d driven it into a tree. So I spent my student days on a bicycle.

Then I graduated, rented a place within walking distance of work, took out a loan and bought the first car with my name on its V5: a 1700cc Westfield SEi.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 59

FRANK OGLETHORPE

FO RD FOCUS

Why rallying is back to its best

The high-flying World Rally Championship kicks off once again this weekend. Damien Smith looks ahead to a season that promises to be the best in years here’s a default setting among some motorsport fans who claim everything ‘was better back then’. In rallying, the halcyon 1980s are rightly lauded for the Group B monsters that kicked up the dust in a frenzy that created legends in metal – and made heroes of those who had the mettle to drive them.

But such rich heritage can become something of an Albatross: if we only ever look back, there’s a chance we’ll miss what’s happening right in front of us. And in terms of the World Rally Championship, what’s happening

T

right now is too good to overlook.

The modern breed might be based on humble hatchbacks – Toyota’s Yaris, Ford’s Fiesta, Hyundai’s i20 Coupe and Citroën’s C3 – but the production link is as loose as the gravel on which they slide. These are true thoroughbreds that have to be seen – in the metal, if possible – to be believed.

As for the drivers, yes, charisma can sometimes be hard to spot… but the job still requires other-worldly skill. Look hard enough and you’ll find genuine characters.

The 2019 WRC season kicks off this weekend with

the Monte-Carlo Rally, still the jewel in the rallying crown. If you have kept the faith, you won’t need telling.

But if you’ve either lost the thread or never really found it, we strongly recommend you check it out. This at-a-glance guide is a good start.

BT Sport provides comprehensive TV coverage, but online there’s also the official wrc.com, which offers streaming and live timing of every special stage as it happens.

Just be prepared to be hooked. Not everything was ‘better back then’.

LOEB CHOOSES HYUNDAI FOR HIS COMEBACK

Well, did he ever really leave?

Never for long. Like his Formula 1 equivalent, Michael Schumacher, Sébastien Loeb just can’t leave his first love alone. Last season, after three years away, he returned to Citroën with which he won his mindbending (and at times admittedly mind-numbing) nine consecutive WRC titles between 2004 and 2012, for sporadic outings. Victory on Rally Spain proved that, at still just 44, Loeb’s magic is intact.

Naturally, this year he wants to add to his record tally of 79 wins. But no longer for Citroën, if old enemy Ogier is on board. Instead, he’ll do six rallies for Hyundai. That rules out a 10th drivers’ crown, but Loeb no longer requires such trinkets to keep him motoring. Six will do just fine.

That he will arrive in Monte-Carlo this week straight from the gruelling Dakar Rally, where he has been competing for Peugeot, only adds to the man’s old-school heroic aura.

60 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

RALLYING CRY WRC PREVIEW OGIER RETURNS TO WHERE HE STARTED He has six consecutive world titles, but Sébastien Ogier shows no inclination to relax his grip on rallying’s premier league. And while he remains statistically only the second greatest in history, the Frenchman will always have a reason to get up in the morning – especially when it’s his nemesis and namesake Loeb who he must topple to become number one.

The big news for 2019 is that Ogier will strive to keep his title run going

with a third different manufacturer, to match a feat achieved by only one other: Finnish legend Juha Kankkunen, who won titles with Peugeot, Lancia and Toyota . Ogier is back at Citroën with which his WRC career began, before his fouryear title blitz with Volkswagen’s dominant Polo kicked off in 2013.

The Citroën move follows much soul-searching after two happy years driving M-Sport Fiestas, in which he added a further pair of

titles despite a lack of Ford support. Indeed, it was the Blue Oval’s unwillingness to officially back M-Sport that pushed Ogier into the switch.

Conquering the WRC with a privately financed entry eclipsed even his VW feats; now to do it again in a C3 considered a tricky ride will cement his status as a rallying titan.

After all, Loeb only ever won with one make – until now…

CHALLENGERS VIE FOR OGIER’S CROWN

Ogier’s Citroën switch potentially offers his rivals their best chance yet to dethrone the modern-era WRC king – and a talented trio are lining up to knock him from his perch.

Estonian Ott Tänak, 31, is perhaps the most exciting prospect following a breakthrough 2018 season with Toyota in which he strung together a superb hat-trick of victories to pitch himself into title contention. The campaign eventually ran out of puff, but Tänak (pictured, above) is a hot tip to contend from the start in his sophomore Toyota campaign.

Team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala will be planning to blunt Tänak’s hopes but, like Meeke, must chase the consistency to match his speed.

Meanwhile at Hyundai, bespectacled Belgian Thierry Neuville will benefit from Loeb’s avowed support to capitalise on the potency of their handsome i20 Coupe. Such an advantage could make all the difference in a season that promises to be the WRC’s most competitive for years.

MEEKE GIFTED A GOLDEN LAST CHANCE

One crash too many finally cost Kris Meeke his Citroën WRC drive after a signature monster shunt in Portugal last year. At 39, that might have marked the end of his turbulent – but never dull – frontline career.

Now the Northern Irishman has one more chance (surely his last) to harness his natural speed, after being thrown a lifeline by reigning constructors’ champion Toyota.

Team boss and four-time champ Tommi Mäkinen clearly believes in Meeke, who is a true chip off his old mentor’s block – the much-missed Colin McRae. The Scot, too, was prone to the odd prang…

But can five-time winner Meeke really change his ways at his age?

A co-driver swap, ending his long partnership with Paul Nagle, at least shows willing. Citroën’s feisty C3 forced him beyond the limit too often, but the proven Yaris shouldn’t require such bravery. Time to ditch the ‘wild man’ rep instead of his car.

CHILE ADDS SPICE T O C A L E N DA R A new round in Chile will add extra flavour to the 2019 WRC calendar.

Britain’s rally continues to be based in Wales, with Llandudno tipped to host following its 2018 town-centre stage. But head to the Welsh forests for the real action.

24-27 January Rally Monte-Carlo 14-17 February Rally Sweden 7-10 March Rally Mexico 28-31 March Rally France 25-28 April Rally Argentina 9-12 May Rally Chile 30 May-2 June Rally Portugal 13-16 June Rally Italy 1-4 August Rally Finland 22-25 August Rally Germany 12-15 September Rally Turkey 3-6 October Rally GB 24-27 October Rally Catalunya-Spain 14-17 November Rally Australia 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 61

YO U R V I E WS WRITE TO

autocar@haymarket.com Swap a brilliant idea

LETTER OF THE WEEK

What a brilliantly obvious idea from Chinese manufacturer Nio to introduce its battery swap station technology (News, 9 January). Why didn’t anybody else think of this?

The only potential flaw is the need for uniformity in all electric cars, so they could all use these swap stations. Then they could truly become a serious alternative to beloved fossil fuels.

Ben backs Nio’s battery swap initiative

Ben Marshall Via email

Weight for it

Regarding the possibility of EV fuel tax (News, 2 January), why the need for a so-called hi-tech and expensive sledgehammer solution when all that needs to be done is to charge EVs a supplementary road tax based on the vehicle’s weight?

Applied in 100kg units, the average car of 1300kg would pay, say, £500-£1000 (I leave the fine-tuning to others). Of course, this (or any EV tax) would degrade the cost incentive to go electric and slow the electrification project, by which time hydrogen technology may well be in a position to simplify the whole subject.

Roger Parsons Sudbury, Suffolk

Computer says no

I enjoyed the articles on New Cars for 2019 and electric cars (2 January), but I believe there is a hidden message of bad news for motorists. The move to electronics essential for electric cars may not be taking into account the rapid advancement and obsolescence of computers and operating systems, which could mean that this new generation may become impossible to maintain or run long before the mechanical components wear out.

Windows 10 will not run software compatible with its predecessor, Windows XP, whereas XP would run earlier Windows systems.

In the 1950s, my father would replace his car at two years or 20,000 miles, as beyond then the vehicles were not considered reliable for

Safe and sound

While I knew that a Tesla could accelerate ‘ludicrously’ quickly, it strangely took the Kona’s 7.0sec 0-60mph time (and the latest Leaf’s 8.1sec) to bring home to me that as the country moves progressively over to more electrified cars, cars are going to get faster – or at least accelerate faster.

Of course, we as pedestrians are not getting faster, which is a bit of a problem when crossing roads. It’s good to know, then, that new cars travelling by electric power will be required to emit a sound at speeds of up to about 12mph from July this year. I think a hard-accelerating Kona would only emit this sound for about 1.5 seconds – and then it would confusingly just stop.

I’d suggest the car monitors its own noise and, say, maintains at least 60dB-65dB while making a mix of white noise (as being suggested), with a combination of petrol and diesel engine noises that will be recognised more quickly. This can be adapted as people become more used to electric vehicles, reducing the petrol/diesel component of the sound.

Mark Atkins Via email

everyday business usage. My own first car, a lovely 1957 Sunbeam Talbot, was less than 10 years old and 50k miles when I bought it, but it was regarded as an old relic. In contrast, recent generations of cars are very reliable. My daily driver, alongside my weekend Lotus, is a Saab from 1996 with 200,000 miles, yet is reliable, powerful and comfortable.

Will the manufacturers return to 1950s standards to save costs and bring mechanical reliability compatible with the life of the electronics?

Peter Ashdown Via email

Cars for kale lovers

7 Series: ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ of cars 62 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

WIN

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

I write with regard to the cover story on the new Land Rover

Defenders (9 January), to express my great disappointment at Jaguar Land Rover.

I grew up as the eldest son on my parents’ 7000-acre farm in inland Western Australia, having been born in 1950. My earliest memories were of my father having a Land Rover. My father used to purchase a cab chassis, because Land Rover Australia, despite a huge farmer clientele, refused to offer a flat-bed model.

Sadly, Land Rover let Toyota steal its market share, because the Land Rover was not comfortable cruising at more than 55mph, while the Toyota Land Cruiser would cruise happily at 75mph.

I am not certain Land Rover Australia ever comprehended the vast distances of Australia, so as the

mining boom started, the mining companies purchased Toyota Land Cruisers.

Fast forward to today.

The number-one-selling vehicle in Australia is the Toyota Hilux double-cab ute. Here in the UK, Volkswagen makes a double cab, even Mercedes has launched one, yet what have you put on your cover? New-look recreational vehicles that look like they belong in Islington.

What is wrong with Land Rover? What is wrong with Autocar?

Do all your writers eat kale and live in Islington?

Surely selling double-cab Defenders to builders and farmers reconnects with the original core clients of Land Rover.

Glenn McDowall Cheshire

What a carry on

Sometimes people get fixated on one single aspect to the exclusion of all other considerations. Maybe this explains BMW’s design of the upcoming 7 Series grille.

Perhaps seeing bold grilles on Jaguar’s XJ, XE and XF, or Audi’s new trend for huge grilles (albeit set lower in relation to the rest of the facial configuration), has made BMW’s designers decide this was the way to

Hilux is more outback than Islington. What about the Defender?

LETTERS go, with a radiator grille so imposing, it is out of kilter with the rest of the car’s shape. They have given the car a nose that leaves Cyrano de Bergerac looking demure in the nasal department. All I can say to the BMW designers (to quote Kenneth Williams with nostrils in full flare) is: “Stop messing about!”

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 3 0 JA N UA RY

Donald MacKay Inverness

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

Charged from space

Roger Waterhouse Kidmore End, Oxfordshire

Shady practice

Am I the only one to wonder why, in this age of technology, improved reliability and performance, car manufacturers seem to be unable to design and fit adequate sun visors?

Driving towards a low sun is a nightmare. Are the police happy when a hand has to be raised to shield the eyes or a visor swivelled around to the side and then back again after rounding a bend?

Perhaps I am being cynical but it may be that the publicity people lack the knowledge or incentive to feature adequate visors as a selling point.

Perhaps they could feature ‘increased safety’ as well as ‘16in alloy wheels’ to entice people to buy?

Keith Searle Tadley, Hampshire

Sixty years of Mini: the greatest and the latest Richard Bremner plots 60 years of the Mini – including a trip to Peru to experience the brand’s most extreme and diverse model yet R OA D T R I P

F E AT U R E

Jaguar E-Pace to Austria

The future of motorsport

Steve Cropley drives the SUV back across Europe to where it was built

Meet the men tasked with growing motorsport in the UK

EVERY WEEK FIRST DRIVE

USED BUYING GUIDE

R OA D T E S T

Lamborghini Huracán Evo

Suzuki Jimny

Skoda Karoq Scout

Lambo’s V10 supercar has been overhauled. Dan Prosser drives it

Inspired by the new Jimny? Here’s how to bag the third-generation model

Crossover SUV gets the 4x4 Scout treatment. Is it any good?

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autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p22 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 63

CONTENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

I refer to the views expressed by Ian Helm (Your Views, 9 January) and other related articles regarding electric cars.

The issue will continue to be centred around how our vehicles obtain their energy – fuel station pumps, on-board batteries/cells or via the national grid by wall plug or ground induction plates.

Then we shall, no doubt, receive it through airwaves.

Initially, this will be for urban areas where pylons have been installed, then later for the countryside. Eventually, most likely we shall be collecting our energy via satellite, then Autocar readers will spend their time discussing how these energy transmissions are damaging our health. In other words: what goes around, comes around.

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

BMW 7 SERIES

CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS

DACIA DUSTER

PEUGEOT 5008

KIA CEED

VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON

DACIA DUSTER

More than great value, is the new model simply a great SUV? We aim to find out FIRST REPORT WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT Can new Duster offer a few little luxuries to overtake more expensive rivals while still being a practical workhorse?

orgive me for being sceptical, but when the first-generation Dacia Duster arrived in the UK, I wasn’t sure. It seemed counter-intuitive that a SUV could be desirable when costing so little.

But then I drove it. I drove it from London to John O’Groats and back.

I drove it as part of a 4x4 mega-test against the off-roading old guard for Autocar’s YouTube channel – think Wranglers, Discoverys and Arctic Trucks Isuzus.

F

64 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

Sure, it had flaws: the steering was vague, the interior quality was visibly outdated, the ground clearance was lower than bigger dirt-displacing rivals. But the plucky Duster was more capable and comfortable across all terrains than I imagined it ever possibly could have been. And at every stage, you can’t help but remember just how bloody cheap it is. I was convinced.

Seemingly, I wasn’t the only one.

These days, a Duster runs off the production line every 56 seconds.

Now there’s a new one. This latest model addresses many of the criticisms that could be levelled at the last one.

The infotainment touchscreen has been raised by 74mm, which is a huge amount. That means you have to look

away from the road much less. It also gets electric power steering, vastly improving the accuracy with which you can place the car or position yourself on a motorway cruise.

So we’re running the Duster to see if these improvements help the car cope with a workhorse lifestyle while affording luxuries that seem almost unthinkable at the penny-pinching cost. That’s why it’s been given to me – the video bloke, a job for which you are carrying lots of gear and need something solid, dependable, yet not too parsimonious in how it feels.

It’s also why we’ve specced it thus.

As many of its miles will be munching up motorways, we picked the diesel-powered Blue dCi 115 engine for its frugal approach.

On the WLTP cycle, the new Duster

is claiming mpg in the mid-50s.

Here’s hoping this two-wheel-drive variant will be as economical as the figures suggest.

Currently, the diesel powertrain represents just 25% of sales for the new Duster, despite much better fuel economy than its petrol counterpart.

Clearly, that’s to do with the swell of public opinion away from the fuel type in general. In the first thousand or so miles of driving the Dacia, I’m already loving having a range of more than 500 miles.

Arguably another reason to pick the diesel is its partnership with a sixspeed gearbox. As you may have read in the Autocar road test (22 August 2018), the five-speed ’box paired with the petrol options perhaps leaves a little to be desired at the top

New Duster has improved steering and infotainment

❝

I’m already loving having a range of more than 500 miles in this diesel-powered Duster ❞ It’s no Range Rover, but a Duster would go well with one, claims Dacia

With all that video gear, loading up for a shoot is a game of Tetris for McCabe

of the range for motorway work.

We’ll be sure to report on drivetrain comparisons throughout our tenure.

The next all-important option picked is the colour. Desert Orange paint costs £495 and is the most expensive extra on our car. Some call it brown, others gold, but either way this shimmering Saharan

SECOND OPINION Previously, I ran an LPG Sandero which was as cheap to run as it was to buy. But inside it felt cheap, too. This second-generation Duster nudges in the right direction on perceived quality issues. There’s a fine line between cheap and good value, and this Dacia is on the right side of it. MT

butterscotch hue has proved the most popular since launch. There are eight colours and all will cost you the same amount except for white.

Having been temporarily halted by a puncture in the far reaches of north-west Scotland in the previous Duster, the optional space-saving spare wheel also makes its way into the ticked boxes. That’s £150 worth spending, if you ask me.

Even in this specification, which includes Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, this bright brown bruiser only just knocks on the door of 16 grand.

Okay, it’s a lot more than the headline figure of £9999 that gets shouted about in the catchy Dacia marketing spiel, but it’s still cheaper than rivals.

What are these rivals? The direct

ones are probably the Suzuki Vitara and MG GS. Realistically, the Duster undercuts anything with comparable performance and practicality by a four-figure sum.

Louise O’Sullivan, head of Dacia UK and Ireland, meets us to hand over the keys and explains that they often find Nissan Qashqais in the basket of potential buyers. But that’s not the most premium badge mentioned.

The words Range and Rover seem to crop up in Louise’s vocabulary quite often too. Not that the Duster is aiming directly at the luxury marque – rather she tells of how Range Rover owners might purchase a Duster as the hack for their provincial pastures alongside the Vogue that’s perhaps used on less gruelling duties day to day. The other reason for mentioning the British brand in the same breath is that, in November, the Duster was the third-biggest-selling SUV in the UK, just 24 units behind the Evoque.

That’s where my original assumption on the first-gen Duster’s arrival to the UK was wrong. Making

a shockingly affordable car is much more innovative than it first seems.

You see, outside of the walls of Autocar Towers, motoring is quite simply about mobility. The Duster offers more mobility to more people because it’s more affordable and more practical than anything that comes close to it. Being an SUV, it ought to carry around family members of all ages, as it’s easy for elder generations to climb in, while having space to fit all the clobber that comes with young ones.

Let’s press on and find out over the next six months if it can live up to such expectations.

MITCH McCABE

TEST DATA D AC I A D U S T E R C O M F O R T B LU E DCI 115 4X2 Price new £15,395 Price as tested £16,040 Options Metallic paint £495, Emergency spare wheel £150 Economy 47.2mpg Faults None Expenses None

OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE mitch.mccabe@haymarket.com 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 65

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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

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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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OUR CARS

CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS

Expandable Aircross proves its worth as a practical family car on the festive run MILEAGE 5615 WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT To see if this quirkiest of compact crossovers has more to offer than its head-turning styling

ince arriving on the fleet, the Aircross has rarely been called on to shift loads larger than the weekly supermarket shop, or a couple of suitcases for a long weekend.

A week-long Christmas break spent visiting relatives across various parts of the country was a great opportunity for it to demonstrate just how practical it could be, with a full contingent of bags, presents, passengers and other miscellaneous holiday knick-knacks to carry.

The first leg, with only driver and one passenger to accommodate, went as smoothly as you might expect. There was no need to lift the false floor or adjust the sliding rear bench seat to make extra room in the boot. It comfortably swallowed

S

LOVE IT CAPAB LE E N G I N E Even when loaded up with passengers and luggage, the 128bhp Aircross had a decent amount of shove. A lesser engine might have struggled.

LOATHE IT TR I CK Y TE M PE R ATU R ES I’m still searching for the sweet spot between too hot and not warm enough for winter driving – and the on-screen climate controls don’t make it easy.

Better Christmastime conveyance than a pair of Audis, according to the Morgans two suitcases, two bags of presents and a terrifying number of pine needles from when I’d collected the Christmas tree a week before (the 60/40 split rear seats ensuring the only tree trouble we had was actually fitting it through the front door).

Have I driven more exciting things home for Christmas? Absolutely. Did the Citroën disappoint in 2018? Not at all. Having incurred the wrath of certain family members the previous two years for my choice of car, the Aircross went down surprisingly well. (In 2016, an Audi S5 was too low, apparently, and tricky to get in and out of. A year later, an Audi R8 was loud enough to wake the dead, and two seats meant I couldn’t be the designated driver, y’see.) The slightly elevated ride made it “much easier to clamber into” than my parents’ BMW 1 Series, and the styling was variously described as “funky”, “exciting” and “cool”. So largely a success, then.

I racked up around 700 miles over the holiday, which mainly consisted

of motorway driving. I quickly discovered the C3 isn’t a car that will have you searching out the more exciting routes, and is quite happy to stick to the motorways. This saw the Aircross deliver economy figures in the low 40s (according to my maths).

The trip computer is still erring on the optimistic side, but has largely settled down from the first few thousand miles, where the figures were a bit more sporadic.

It was only the final stage of the journey, returning to London with two friends fresh off a plane after a week of winter sun, that we reached the limit of the C3’s storage.

Two extra full-size suitcases in the boot meant several bags had to be relocated to one of the rear seats, even with the false floor removed and rear bench extended.

Unless you really don’t like your friends or family, you can’t fully extend the rear bench and still use it for rear passengers. Fitting a few child seats back there? Grand, extend

all you like. But anyone with legs is going to suffer, so a compromise on luggage capacity was in order. Still, no one had to be buried, Tetris-style, under a heap of bags and coats, and I had no complaints about space all the way back to London, which I count as a win for the Citroën.

I also need to give a special thank you to Autocar reader Craig Thorley, who got in touch over the festive break to offer a solution to my complaint in a previous report about the C3’s touch-sensitive infotainment controls. He noted that a three-finger tap would activate an on-screen menu, presenting large icons for navigation, radio and heating controls. These are far easier to hit than the tiny icons at either side of the screen, and so less distracting to use while driving.

It’s a shame this handy function only works when you’re in the main Citroën UI, though, as I spend most of my time behind the wheel with Android Auto handling navigation and multimedia – meaning I still have to use the small buttons to adjust the heating. Still, it’s a useful feature for Citroën owners who are sticking with the built-in nav system.

TOM MORGAN

TEST DATA CITRO E N C3 AI RCROSS PU R E TECH 130 S&S FL AI R Price £19,585 Price as tested £20,105 Faults None Expenses None Economy 42.3mpg Last seen 9.1.19

OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE tom.morgan@haymarket.com 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 67

SILVERSPEED

Ferrari’s, Mercedes and Rolls Royce new and old WANTED

We only sell plates we own. Good old fashion service. Been in the business 25 years.

Premium Selection

07961 808069

•

1 VDN

REN 1

6 TY

1 HXA

1 YYG

£16,995

£7,995

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3 OJX £3,495

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6 UYG £2,695

8 KYU £2,495

POA

£7,995

£12,995

1 CNH

( CNH pair £14,995)

5 XH

250m

2 CNH

250 L sold for £130,328*

OOX1E £2,695

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80XON

(Boxon) £2,695

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(Yousef) £4,995

£2,495

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92 VAN £3,495

(Love X) £3,995

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£2,995

4 NRX

444XAA

£2,495

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Prestige BBC 5 1 EXS AAA 1S 4 BGN EG 6 AB 111 BN 6 E635 AMG 5 AJC AO07 CAR F1 2 AB 4 CAT FC 6 69 AB CB 26 2 FMW AHM 1D 4 CEO FSO 1 4 AK CC 373 91 G AK 6 CCH 111 F8 GTR AK 7 31 CJJ 911 GUY AK 25 81 COB HAJ 1G V8 AML CSH 626 HB 7 22 ASG 34 DER 4 HER 38 AS DFB 6 5 HER 18 O 43 DHB HH 2 111 OOO 5 DOS 46 HLT B 22 7 DS HM 33 3 BET D1 SHY 1 HKV BET 7 DT 6 HU63 HES B 73 E 33 10 HY

UMA1A £1,995

FIRST COLLECTION

37 DCY £1,695

88 HXE £1,695

60 XKY

80 XYX £1,595

30 VYP £1,595

22 VSY £1,395

88 LXK £1,395

55 AXG

£3,995

BARGAIN SELECTION

600 VUY £1,395

25 O sold for £518,000*

*info from Dvla sale prices

V1 JEU £1,295

NEW STOCK

666 VRX

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£995 £995

CLEARANCE BARGAINS!

£5,995 (Baku) £5,995

14 LX (1 ALEX) £4,495

200 OEX £1,795

VET 1D £4,995

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50 xes

(Botox) £4,995

£1,395

AAZ 550 £995

41 HU

30 VYP

88 UXY

66 NRY

KUI166 £495

(Henry) £1,695

P7 EYA

44 OAY

10 YV

£1,895

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92VAN

4 LXA

68 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

£16,995

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SPECIAL COLLECTION £14,995

alspeed@live.co.uk

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111 UVY

10 YVA

77 UXY

(Luvie) £1,995

GO 92 LEK 9 3333 J 88 JA 4 JAK 29 JB 53 JB 7 JDS 4 JEY 9 JF 5 JHL JIG 61 333 JJJ 9 JMM 14 JO JOS 11 JON 1N JOY 1S JRA 55 2 JT

JT 2 4K 88 K 40 KB 4 KH 7 KH KH 3 K2 HAN K4 AHN K1 RRK K4AHN KS 17 KS 5 KS 6 8 LB LJ 2 LJ 3 LJ 4 11 LJS 7 MB

£1,595

12 MCJ A45 MER M4 RYC MJB 5 MJG 90 MJT 790 MJT 657 4 NDY 44 NDY 77 N NAS1R 4 NJU NT 2 NO 4 570 NY 18 O OI 3 OO 77 00 OSS 50 OT

£1,295

11 OU 1111 P 3 PMW 93 PPP 16 PR 8 PSA RAJ 96 RAJ 706 RCH 18 RB 111 RB 1111 RBW 1T RBW 3 11 RC 1 RH RJH 34 RK 83 3 RKB 5 RKB 8 RLA

(Playa) £1,995

2 RLP TK 25 9 RSC TOM 3Y 59 RS TON 9 RUS 1 898 TR 5 RY TUR 80G 2S 1 UA 6S 61 V 8S 36 V SBG 3 WM 6 SCT 71 WC 45 21 SLK 88 X 0017 SPY 96 X 5 SPY 10 XE SS11 OHU 6 XK 8 SUE 20 Y T 97 Prestige names TES5S AD11 DAS THD 2 AMO 5G THD 3 TH11MAS A1 PUR

AMY 6 AMY 62 AS11 LEY BAY 1A BEE 1S BEL 1S BEL 1L BIL 70 BIL 1111 BOY 1D BLO 6K B111 ALS JB18 OND B11 RDE CO11 LLN COX 7B DAN 3W DAN 1T DAV 1X DAV 6

£1,695

88 YHB £1,295

DEB 44S D1 BEL 2 DOG D1 SHY 5 DOS 12 DXN D17 XSN SD10 XON ELS 4A E13ONY E88 ONY EMM 8S F10 CKS F15 RST F111 ASH V2 FOX V3 FOX FYL 2 GEL 1T GEM 4X

OUR CARS

BMW 740Ld MILEAGE 9112

KIA CEED We’ve traded a top-spec one for the entry model. Any regrets?

SPEC SWAP WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G 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

o you know anyone who has bought an entry-level car in recent years?

I don’t. Such is the culture of easy sell-ups and tempting lease deals, it’s usually a no-brainer to pay an often heavily discounted sum to upgrade.

In fact, some manufacturers have actively removed the lowest rung on their trim level ladder due to lack of interest. But should you always spend more to get extra equipment you may never use?

That’s what I’ll establish as I take custody of the cheapest Kia Ceed you can buy new.

Last September, I started running the premium-brand-baiting 1.4-litre First Edition Ceed. For the princely sum of just under £27,000, you get, as I’ve outlined in previous reports, a staggering array of kit for a family hatchback.

But while it was all very nice, I knew that if it was my miraculously earned £27k, I’d want something

D

LOVE IT VALU E FO R M O N E Y It’s pricier than the old Ceed but this spec still looks good value next to entry-level rivals, with more kit and performance than most.

LOATHE IT B LU NTE D PE R FO R MAN CE Not ‘loathe’ exactly, but the engine’s performance isn’t as sprightly as we’re used to with the best three-cylinder turbos.

Shock! Spare wheel spotted in 2019 car with a darn sight more than 138bhp.

So with a desire to explore just how broad the Ceed’s appeal could be, I went to the other end of the range spectrum – the same spec of Ceed that we compared it with in November last year.

And it seems that Kia has joined the ranks by axing its true base model, with no 1-trim variant for this generation. That means the price jumps by around £3000 to this 2 spec – steep in isolation but in line with where rivals begin now. A quick comparison of contract hire deals shows a saving of around £70 per month by going for the base model.

Unsurprisingly, given the price jump, it doesn’t feel like a base model.

You still get a touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (you don’t in a base Ford Focus), cruise control of the non-adaptive variety (which I actually prefer) and lane keep assist (which is turned off immediately on start-up). Heck, there’s even a standard spare wheel – a rarity these days.

You also get more power than you might expect. Whereas a similarly priced Focus or Vauxhall Astra will be lumbered with a sub-100bhp motor, the Ceed 1.0-litre triple makes a healthier 118bhp. For comparison,

my old 1.4 had 15% more power for more than £8000 extra.

However, this 1.0 doesn’t have as punchy a mid-range as the very best turbo triples. It needs some revs, both to get it off the line smoothly and to get up to speed.

Fuel economy seems barely better than with the 1.4 on first impressions, with an average of around 45mpg on my gentle commute – reasonable, but not remarkable. The current average is the result of a number of town trips over the Christmas holidays, but I reckon this is one of those cases where a relatively heavy car gives a small-capacity engine a harder time when keeping pace at higher speeds.

With just under 1000 miles covered upon delivery, this engine may loosen up over time, but currently it seems I’ll be mourning the 1.4’s greater balance of power and economy. I won’t be missing that car’s larger wheels, though. As I mentioned in November, the more modest 16in items on this car benefit both ride compliance and road noise.

The cheapest Ceed also still gets the costlier multi-link rear suspension: editor Mark Tisshaw’s £28,000 Mercedes A-Class makes do with a cheaper, simpler torsion beam set-up.

I may be missing some features, but so far it seems like this base model isn’t one you need to avoid.

LAWRENCE ALLAN

TEST DATA K I A C E E D 1 . 0 T- G D I 2 Price £18,845 Price as tested £18,845 Faults None Expenses None Economy 38.2mpg Last seen 2.1.19 (1.4 First Edition)

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

LAST SEEN 5.12.18

Someone from Heathrow valet service MBW Parking kerbed a wheel of the 740d. Luckily, I’d photographed all four when I dropped it off. Took a few emails even to get a response. The bloke refused to tell me his surname and still only concedes they “may” be responsible. Meanwhile, I have to do all the running around to get it fixed.

Won’t be going there again. AF

Volkswagen Arteon MILEAGE 8216

LAST SEEN 9.1.19

Between 1400rpm and 4000rpm, our Arteon’s 1.5-litre Evo engine can close the valves supplying fuel to two of its four cylinders. It happens only under the lightest of throttle loads – or none at all – and the transition is all but seamless. It’s hard to isolate the benefits, but I can tell you the car’s fuel gauge clings gamely to the right-hand margin in town driving. RL

Peugeot 5008 MILEAGE 5978

LAST SEEN 2.1.19

The 5008 is an ergonomic delight… in most ways. The seats are supportive and it’s easy to get comfortable. All the switches are intuitive. I usually hate touchscreens but Peugeot’s is decent enough. But the placement of the USB socket at the back of a dark, cavernous cubby is beyond frustrating. It’s a small issue but a constant source of irritation. JH

23 JANUARY 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

M ITSU B I S H I GAL ANT 2 .0 G L S Unless they’ve been thoroughly refurbished, most 33-year-old cars are showing their age. Not this 55,000-mile Galant, though, which has only ever known a heated garage. Shame it’s not the Turbo version but, at £3995, it makes a tempting oddball: smooth, reliable and looking a bit like a poor man’s Audi 100.

James Ruppert THE HIGH PRIEST OF BANGERNOMICS

Used e-Ups don’t look great value next to petrol ones

ALL IN A TWIZY

Has the time come to re-evaluate electric cars as used buys? am sure you know by now that on this page I have something of a problem with electric cars. I believe that they exist, that they can be useful, but mostly that they seem like very bad value for money. Even when they are a little bit used and depreciation has worked its magic, I only see end-of-life downsides. As for Bangernomic Battery Cars, we’ve dismissed a Reva G-Wiz before now.

I’m still open to buying, though, and when Autocar reader Alex asked me a question, he actually seemed like someone who could make a pretty decent case for turning electric.

Here we go: “I am looking to get a used electric car… I have looked at the Volkswagen e-Up, Renault Zoe and Renault Twizy. Do you think an e-Up would be a good purchase for a 13-mile commute? I currently have a petrol Up.” Those couple of sentences tell us an awful lot. The great news is that there will be no such thing as range anxiety, even in the deep mid-winter. With all the air-con, in-car entertainment and lighting facilities switched on, just about anything on half a charge should manage a 26-mile round trip. Even a Twizy. The thing is, an Up is already very parsimonious when it comes to fuel. And an e-Up will just be quieter.

That’s why I asked Alex why he needed to switch to electric. He didn’t reply. Still, what does one cost?

Well, there are not many around

I

and the cheapest one I could find was a 53,000-mile 2015 version for £10,995. I’m impressed that someone has piled on the miles in such a relatively short time. But if I had a petrol Up, I would keep it. When considering a short-commute option, I’d rather buy a 1.0 BlueMotion Tech High Up than pay £11k. I say that because I came across a 2012

❝

A Twizy is just a quick golf cart, but not as practical ❞

example with 37,000 miles at £5495.

The biggest upside is that it will do 67mpg officially and at least 60mpg in the real world. Our BlueTech VW Golf manages that on a commute.

Back to the electric thing. The best reason for buying the Renault models is that they offer good value. A Twizy is just a quick golf cart, but not as practical. For a Zoe, buy yourself a 2013 Dynamique with 40,000 miles for £5995. It’s cooler than a Leaf and cheaper, as you pay similar money for a 2012 car with over 100,000 miles.

Obviously, I’m not convinced that electric cars fit every buying scenario, but spending not much more than £5k on a small hatch – be it fossil-fuel engined or something you charge up – might just work.

A 2013 Zoe with 40k miles is up for a tempting £5995

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

MILE AGE 100,800

PORSCHE CAYENNE We were powering aboard the Flying Pig recently when, inevitably, we had to stop for more fuel. On the way back from the kiosk in the dark, I could see that something was missing.

It turned out to be the offside fog-light glass. The bulb was still intact and it worked. Half the glass had gone, presumably on the M25, M11 or, most likely, somewhere stony. To avoid the bulb getting busted, I used some leftover Yuletide clear packaging as protection. Initial replacements seem to be fairly pricey from the official channels – around £100 at the moment. There are alternatives…

READERS’ QUESTIONS

After a lifetime QUESTION of new cars, I’m considering buying used. Is manufacturer approved the gold standard?

Ken Chalk, London

It should be but we have enough experience of them to know that ANSWER all that glitters is not gold. For example, a few months after buying it, an acquaintance realised his approved used 65-reg VW Scirocco had been painted, a fact the dealer should have declared (the car was its former demonstrator, so the salesman would have known). It was missing its parcel shelf, too, which reminds us to check that removable parts such as the shelf, cupholders and storage covers are present, since scavenging parts for used stock can tempt some. JE

READER’S RIDE

Does the old mantra QUESTION about paying less for a soft-top in winter still hold true?

D Clarke, Kent

Honda CR-V Our old mate, car dealer Bradley Mitchell, is always picking up interesting stuff: “Had to send you this CR-V. Bought it a few days ago, a dreadful noise coming from underneath, for peanuts. Turned out to be the tyre.

Chucked a part-worn on for £25 and it drives brilliantly.

SEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO

I smoked it around for two days just to be sure it was okay and, I have to say, I’m a fan! It’s deceptively rapid, lovely and smooth, and you’d never guess it’s done 157k. It’s incredibly roomy and the packaging inside is genius. What a great winter smoker for £1800!”

Despite huge improvements in their weather-sealing and ANSWER insulation, soft-tops still suffer seasonal price variations as consumer demand ebbs and flows.

After all, a convertible is an emotional purchase, triggered by thoughts of sunshine, not snow.

However, if you’re thinking of buying, do so now before prices turn. Generally speaking, from the end of January prices for the best soft-tops start to firm as dealers move to restock in time for spring. JE

✉ james@bangernomics.com AND READERS' QUESTIONS TO ✉ autocar@haymarket.com 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 71

W H Y YO U N E E D A U S E D

VOLVO 850 I N YO U R L I FE

850 Plus 5 The original name of the T-5R

SWEDE DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS A performance Volvo was just a dream until the 850 T5 – and then T-5R and R – made it a shocking and delightful reality. John Evans has tips for buying one today mong the wannabe classics out there, the 2.3-litre five-cylinder turbocharged Volvo 850 T5 of the mid-1990s and its T-5R and R offshoots are the real deal.

They were the most powerful cars Volvo had produced at that point in its history, a claim given extra emphasis by the company fielding a pair of 850 estates and saloons in the British Touring Car Championship from 1994 to 1996. Admittedly, they differed from their road car brethren in being powered by a 2.0-litre, nonturbocharged engine producing 286bhp and driving the front wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox, in place of the production cars’ choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic ’boxes.

A

72 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

No matter. They showed that more than just building safe and secure cars, Volvo could build exciting ones as well. To ram the point home, the T-5R road car was available in yellow. Today, in estate form and in this colour with a manual gearbox, it’s the most sought after of the three hot 850s. Naturally, importers have spotted an opportunity and, as this is written, there are a number of 1995 N-reg T-5Rs and the later Rs imported from Japan for sale at prices starting from around £7000.

But all this talk of T5s, T-5Rs and Rs is confusing so, to begin, the T5 was the first hot 850. Available as a saloon and estate, it was launched in 1993. Its turbocharged 2.3-litre fivepot motor produced 222bhp, good for 0-62mph in 7.3sec. A torque limiter

in first gear was designed to contain wheelspin (the 850 is front-wheel drive) but even with a steady driving style, you’ll be lucky to get 10,000 miles from the front tyres.

The T5 was quick but, apart from the presence of a discreet boot spoiler, didn’t look it. Not so the T-5R that replaced it in 1994. With its side skirts, sportier bumpers, 17in titanium grey alloy wheels and the choice of yellow paint (it also came in green and black), this is the version that changed people’s impression of Volvo, more so when they discovered its overboosted 237bhp engine could propel estate and saloon versions from zero to 62mph in just 6.9sec.

Porsche helped with tweaks to its suspension and the design of the interior, which featured dark grey

leather, synthetic suede and wood inlays. Just 400 examples came to the UK but they were enough to prepare the way for its successor, the even more powerful R of 1995.

This time, the 2.3 engine wielded 247bhp thanks to a larger Garrett turbo with improved engine management to reduce turbo lag and a more efficient intercooler.

A limited-slip diff on the five-speed manual version helped the car, again offered in saloon and estate forms, to achieve 0-62mph in 6.7sec.

Few of the less charismatic T5s remain, but the T-5Rs and Rs that have survived seem to have stood up well. Rust-free imports from Japan are tempting but check the spec and service history. All good? Then give those XC90s a fright.

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

An owner’s view

RICHARD ELLSON, 850 R OWNER “My dad was in the traffic police and brought home a T5 estate one night.

I fell in love with it and then all over again when I saw them in the BTCC. I bought my T-5R seven years ago, since when I’ve been restoring it. It had good provenance and a load of workshop invoices but it soon became apparent it had been maintained by a chimp. He’d even used wood screws!

It’s now concours. I converted it from an auto to a manual and upgraded the Garrett turbo from the G15 to the G16 to suit. I love the T-5R for the fact that it represents Volvo’s first break with its staid image, while being a bit of a sleeper. It’s a proper 1990s premium car, too: reliable and solidly built.”

Buyer beware…

ENGINE A blocked PCV system can cause the rear main oil seal to blow. To check, with the engine running, hold a rubber glove over the oil filler. If it inflates, the PCV is blocked. Also, remove the dipstick (don’t be alarmed if there’s milky gunk on the end) and watch for oil smoke rising from the tube. Check for leaks from the oil cooler flow and return pipes caused by flexing. Oil (10W 40 semi-synthetic) and filter changes every 10,000 miles are essential.

Cambelt and water pump are best changed every 60k miles.

INTERIOR Driver’s seat bolster cracks but can be repaired. Problems with the on-board computer are often a result of dust on the contacts. Odometer failure caused by a broken plastic cog is common.

Also worth knowing

Old motors like these hot 850s would be worthless without proper spares back-up. Fortunately, owners are served by specialist suppliers such as Classic Swede (classicswede.co.uk).

Main dealers are a source of parts but Volvo makes them available for only 15 years after a model goes off sale, so you’re reliant on what’s left.

How much to spend

£3 0 0 0 - £ 4 9 9 9 Includes a category C write-off (seller says damage was to the front nearside wing) 1996 N-reg R estate with 145k miles and full service history for £4495. £5 0 0 0 - £6 9 9 9 Another mixed bag, including a T-5R manual estate with a solid 196k miles for £5995. Just been serviced. £70 0 0 - £ 8 9 9 9 Mainly imported, rust-free R estates with 40k-75k miles. £9 0 0 0 - £ 13 , 0 0 0 More imports but also a 1995 N-reg T-5R UK estate with 120k miles and full Volvo service history for £12,950.

C O O L I N G S YS T E M Heater matrix failure is a possibility, so check for coolant loss and an antifreeze smell in the car, a steamed-up windscreen and a wet carpet behind the centre console.

G E A R B OX E S Ensure fluids have been changed at regular intervals.

Performance is hot but there’s some Scandi cool inside

❝

The 850 T-5R is the version that changed people’s impression of Volvo ❞

SUSPENSION Check estates for sagging of the rear self-levelling suspension, where fitted.

If rear trailing arm bushes are worn, the rear end can ‘clunk’ and feel light.

B O DY Inspect the front offside wing for rust caused by the washer bottle leaking.

Rear bumper mounts rust, too.

One we found

V O LV O 8 5 0 2 . 3 R E S TAT E , 1 9 9 6/ N , 1 4 0 K M I L E S , £3 0 0 0 The owner has converted this from an automatic to a manual. He has changed the Garrett turbo to the right 16G type to suit. It has new Bilstein suspension all round, a powerflow exhaust, 18in alloy wheels and service history. Seller says the car runs a treat.

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 73

Thanks to Richard Ellson and Gerry McCafferty (T-5R and R owners)

Most in-demand hot 850: manual yellow T-5R estate

BUY THEM BEFORE WE DO

PRET T Y COUPE WITH SWEET V6

Alfa Romeo Brera 3.2 JTS V6 S £13,750 es, that price does look a little strong but this is the limited-edition S version of Alfa’s gorgeous coupé, so we’ll make allowances.

Our example is the 3.2 V6 petrol model but there was another based around the 2.2 four-pot.

The S was created in 2008 in response to criticisms of the Brera’s woolly handling. Prodrive’s engineers were put on the case and

Y

wasted no time applying chassis tweaks. They lowered the car 10mm, tickled the steering, gave it 50% stiffer Eibach springs and a set of Bilstein dampers and swapped the standard brakes for more powerful Brembos. Then they raided the parts bin for sexier, arch-filling 19in alloy wheels laced up with Pirelli P Zeros.

Our tester was impressed, finding the S’s steering sharper and better weighted and body roll much

Renault Scenic RX4

4X4 MEETS MPV

£1290 Perhaps if Renault gave the current Scenic an off-roader look to compete with the Kadjar, as it did the original, it might sell more. We found this 2001 example of the rare, fourwheel-drive MPV with 140,000 miles under its wheels.

HOT HATCH WITH FULL HISTORY

74 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

Seat Leon Cupra R £3000 Seat’s habit of giving parent company VW a fright with its hot hatches goes right back to this, the 221bhp Cupra Turbo of 2003-05. We found a cherished 2004 example with 111k miles and an unbelievably full service history for £3000.

reduced. The trade-off, however, was a firmer and noisier ride, and because the engine was unchanged, performance felt below par. The Brembo brakes also faded quickly, at least after a few track sessions…

But back to our example. It’s a 2009/59-reg V6 with 58,000 miles and full service history. It has new front wishbones, discs and pads.

The wishbones are a common replacement but at around 70,000

miles. Check the state of the rear tyres since premature wear can be caused by failing rear lower hub bushes. The big news with the 3.2 lump is that the chains, all three of them, need changing at 100,000 miles. That’s still some way off, but listen carefully for a diesel-like noise suggesting the tensioners are easing up. Finally, check the rear subframe for rust and ensure the rear windows work (they may need to be reset).

SLEEK FOUR-SEAT CABRIO

Audi A3 Cabriolet £6885 Most A3 cabrios of this vintage are diesels but here’s a rare 2.0 TFSI petrol Sport. It’s a 2012/12-reg car with a high-ish 80k miles that’s reflected in the price. It has full service history and is described by the seller as “immaculate”.

WILD CARD

Bugatti Veyron £1,195,000 We’ve got a good feeling about next weekend’s Lotto. A Veyron would be nice and there are a few around, including a 2008 car with 12k miles.

Most cars like it tend to stay put in heated garages but it must be a more usable proposition than we thought.

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 forever car that’s economical and practical and will see me out for under £10,000.

MG ZR 160 Seems only last week that MG ZRs were taking the first bus to the scrapper and now here’s one making £6380 at auction. Naturally, it’s no ordinary ZR but a hot 1.8 VVC 160 (0-62mph in 7.4 sec) in tip-top condition with just 8600 miles and one previous female owner.

However, cooler heads may have reflected on the fact that tidy ZR 160s with good service histories and 50,000 miles can be bought for around £3000 and, crucially where the VVC system is concerned, test driven beforehand. If the engine feels lifeless, the VVC actuator module is probably to blame.

GET IT WHILE YOU CAN

Mercedes-Benz E250 CDi Avantgarde SE Estate £9995

Obvious it may be, but that’s only because the E-Class Estate is the ultimate car. A gargantuan boot is a given, but you can also expect parsimonious economy thanks to its relatively small four-cylinder diesel engine. It still packs a punch, mind, with 201bhp and 368lb ft. The 2010 Avantgarde SE we found has only 70k miles on the clock and comes with plenty of luxuries such as heated leather seats and an electric tailgate. MAX ADAMS

Porsche Boxster 2.7 £9995 So there you are, newly retired, looking for a car that’ll impress the neighbours and keep your pecker up as old age approaches.

This 2005 Boxster makes perfect sense. You want a car to see you out? This one will last at least 25 more years. It’s economical, reliable and comfortable, and with only two seats, you won’t have to run the grandchildren around. And, Porsche residuals being what they are, when the time finally comes to shuffle off, you’ll leave a nice little nest egg for your family. MARK PEARSON VERDICT

Porsche 911 Carrera T coupé Price new £85,576. Price now £82,990

The new 911 turns a deal-conscious mind to its forebear. How about something interesting and late-plate such as the 700-mile 2018/18-reg T coupé we saw? It’s in Racing Yellow and has the optional manual gearbox, likely to be sought after later down the line. The 365bhp T cost almost £8000 more than the basic coupé but has a few goodies as standard, including a limited-slip differential, the S’s lower final drive ratio, a sports exhaust and a lowered chassis. It’s a bit lighter, too.

Electric tailgate for when I’m too weak to reach up? Heated seats when all I can feel is the cold?

It has to be the Merc. Once in that Boxster, my back won’t let me get out. JOHN EVANS 23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 75

£ 2 MILLIO0 N Over

APPR OVED

AUTOC AR PROMOT ION

SUITED BOOTED AND

WITH A SPACIOUS PREMIUM INTERIOR AND TRUE OFF- ROAD CAPABILITY, THE STYLISH MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS PERFORMS WHERE IT COUNTS ith standout looks and a premium interior that features a wealth of advanced in-car technology, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is the perfect SUV for families who want to conquer the city in style and explore more of the country.

The Eclipse Cross is also packed with premium high-tech features – starting with a sophisticated head-up display that delivers more information directly into the driver’s eye-line. You can also choose a 360o camera for added confidence in urban environments, and a Rockford Fosgate sound system to take audio to a new level.

Every element of the Eclipse Cross blends the best of modern design with traditional Japanese craftsmanship – from the sharp lines and swooping profile of its distinctive exterior to the twin-panoramic glass sunroof that offers an added air of spaciousness and a new perspective on the world.

As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the unseen hand of advanced driver assistance systems – such as Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Mitigation and Blind Spot Warning – that make driving easier and keep you safe on the road. It’s style and Mitsubishi technology, working in perfect harmony.

W

READY FOR THE ROUGH STUFF With on-demand 4x4, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is great for tricky conditions. Whether on-road or off-road it directs more torque to the wheels with most grip, while a high ground clearance is perfect for rough terrain. The Eclipse Cross can even tow up to 1,600kg.

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N : W W W. M I T S U B I S H I - C A R S . C O. U K Fuel economy and CO2* results for the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross range mpg (l/100km) (combined): 32.5 – 37.7 (8.7 – 7.5) * CO2 emissions: 175 - 154 g/km Specification varies by model. Fuel economy and CO2 figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures.

These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. * There is a new test used for fuel consumption and CO2 figures. The CO2 figures shown, however, are based on the outgoing test cycle and will be used to calculate vehicle tax on first registration.

WC_Mitsubishi_ECLIPSE_V2.indd 1

15/01/2019 15:47

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A L FA R O M E O 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

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

650

10.8.11

735

24.6.15

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 —/—

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

21.9.16

550 457 33.6 19/23

1990 20.3.13

715 664 42.7 19/26

1910

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 2.0 TFSI S line 155 6.6 14.5 5.0 6.5 2.5 RS 155 3.6 8.4 3.0 7.8 2.7 Q2 5dr SUV AAABC 1.4 TFSI Sport 132 8.1 23.9 8.2 9.8 2.7 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

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

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

227 273 30.1 394 354 35.1

1305 26.11.14 1440 7.12.16

29/35 27/37

11.7.18

148 184 29.4 45/56

1265

9.11.16

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

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

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

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

330d Touring 155 5.5 14.2 5.1 8.8 2.6 255 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

TEST DATE

Weight (kg)

Mpg test/touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

0-100mph

0-60mph

Top speed

Mpg test/touring

Weight (kg)

TEST DATE

9.8.17 15.8.18

Mph/1000rpm

1147

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

125 29.3 42/52

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 AAAAC 1.5 TDCi Zetec 121 10.9 36.3 10.9 10.3 3.35 118 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

» 50 -70 M PH Recorded in top gear (*kickdown with an automatic) and demonstrates flexibility » FU E L ECO N O MY Prior to 7.1.15, figures are touring (recorded over a set road route) and test average. From 7.1.15 on, figures are average and extra-urban, to the What Car?/True MPG standard. **denotes mpkg (miles per kilogram) for hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles » B R AKI N G 60 - 0 M PH Recorded on a high-grip surface at a test track » M PH/1000 R PM Figure is the speed achieved in top gear Make and model

TEST DATE

Weight (kg)

Mpg test/touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

0-100mph

0-60mph

Top speed

Make and model

No one produces as thorough a judgement on a new car as Autocar. As well as acceleration, braking, fuel economy and noise tests, we carry out benchmark limit-handling tests, setting lap times if appropriate.

But we don’t just drive at the track, essential as it is for finding the limits of performance; we also drive on a wide range of roads. Where we have tested more than one model in a range, the rating is for the range overall; where a model within the range meets our coveted five-star standard, it is highlighted in yellow. » 30 -70 M PH Indicates overtaking ability through the gears

0-100mph

Facts, figures, from the best road tests

0-60mph

Make and model

ROAD TEST RESULTS

Top speed

ROAD TEST RESULTS

413 45.2 43/54 310 40.8 40/47

1735 21.11.12 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 —

294Wh/m 1385 21.2.18

420 33.3 50/40

1560

295 35.1

43/49

1625 14.10.15

17.9.14

295 41.2

37/49

1825

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

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

28

3.9.14

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 Pr’m SE 104 6.7 17.4 5.8 *3.5 Santa Fe 5dr SUV AAAAC 2.2 CRDi 118 9.0 27.6 9.2 *5.5

2.9 65

70

20.0 44/51

925

29.1.14

3.0 99

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 — 2.7 194 311

1478 27.12.17 1423 13.9.17

270Wh/m 1734 31.10.18

37.5 36/43

1940

19.9.12

INFINITI Q30 5dr hatch AAABC 1.6t Premium 124 9.4 26.4 9.1 15.5 2.85 120 148 31.6 35/39 Q50 4dr saloon AABCC 2.2 Premium 143 8.7 25.0 8.7 5.1* 3.0 168 295 42.5 49/59 Q70 4dr saloon AABCC 2.2 Pre’m Tech 137 9.6 28.6 9.6 15.8 3.2 168 295 40.8 39/45

1436 17.2.16 1750

5.2.14

1896 25.2.15

JAG UAR 39/45 25/29

490 20.11.13 610 9.3.16

CHEVROLET 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 2.6 109 151 27 47/62 C3 Aircross 5dr hatch AAABC P’tech 110 Flair 115 11.5 36.4 10.7 12.3 3.5 109 151 27.5 35/39 C4 Cactus 5dr hatch AAACC 1.6 BlueHDi 100 114 11.8 41.2 11.7 7.2 2.9 99 187 36.1 47/62

1050 28.12.16 1159

7.3.18

1225

16.7.14

1615

23.1.19

27.2.13

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

DACIA 79

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

1150 23.3.16 1290

6.1.16

1425

19.9.18

FERRARI 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 1.2 Easy 102 14.6 — 15.3 19.9 3.0 68 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

1187

1343 28.1.15 1599 4.5.16

H O N DA

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

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

214 26.0 38/48 199 33.1 59/63 325 27.3 28/37

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 AAAAB R-Sport 2.0 136 9.4 26.1 9.0 16.1 2.9 178 317 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

1595 2.12.15

47/56

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

—

545Wh/m 2133 12.9.18

JEEP Compass 5dr 4x4 AAACC 2.0 M’jet 4x4 L’d 118 11.0 39.0 11.4 10.9 2.8 138 258 34.2 38/45 Renegade 5dr 4x4 AAABC 2.0 M’jet 4x4 L’d 113 10.8 37.6 11.2 10.0 3.5 138 258 34.0 41/53 Cherokee 5dr 4x4 AABCC 2.0 140 4x4 Ltd 117 12.3 43.4 13.0 13.8 2.7 138 258 34.7 39/43

1540 3.10.18 1502 28.10.15 1846 24.6.14

KIA Stinger 4dr saloon AAABC 2.0 T-GDI GT-L S 149 7.4 18.2 6.4 Rio 5dr hatch AAABC 1.0 T-GDI 3 Eco 115 10.0 37.0 10.5 Ceed 5dr hatch AAABC 1.6 CRDi 115 2 119 9.9 30.8 9.6 Niro 5dr SUV AAABC 1.6 GDI DCT 2 101 9.7 30.0 9.5 Sportage 5dr SUV AAABC 1.7 CRDi ISG 2 109 12.1 46.4 13.1 Sorento 5dr 4x4 AAABC 2.2 CRDi KX-4 128 9.3 28.6 9.4

10.9 2.9 244 260 36.7 32/43

1717 25.4.18

12.3 3.2 99

127 27.1

40/50

1228

15.3 2.9 113

207 41.4

50/70

1388 29.8.18

12.8 3.5 139 108/125 31.9

49/50

16.8 3.3 114 *5.7 —

1.3.17

1500 31.8.16

207 34.4 50/51

1500

2.3.16

197 325 35.2 35/39

1953

8.4.15

LAMBORGHINI 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 75 22.2 39/49 107 20.8 37/44

1020 25.4.12 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

184 25.2 35/45

1060 22.3.17

2.11.16

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

23 JANUARY 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 LS 4dr saloon AAACC 500h Prem AWD 155 5.9 15.4

*5.6 2.7 194 na

—

3.9 12.9 2.9 471 391 39

1970 18.10.17

32/38

1905

24/28

1765 18.2.15

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

3.1 89

109 27.9 51/55

1050 22.4.15

3.0 148 280 29.7 46/60

1470 4.12.13

1420 24.5.17

8.0 2.4 789 590 35.7 16/25

1345 10.10.18

6.0 2.3 903 664 36.0 19.6/—

—

7.5.14

7.5 2.7 469 479 38.1 19/25 7.1 2.7 503 516 35.6 21/27

1715 1850

3.6.15 8.2.17

9.1

2.7 429 384 43.8 31/39

1980 17.10.18

5.5 2.5 503 479 34.7 20/29 4.6 2.4 577 516 30.7 19/23

1715 29.7.15 1555 10.5.17

104 199 34.8 59/60

3.0 148 280 37.0 43/53

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

MERCEDES-AMG C63 4dr saloon AAAAB C63 155 4.4 9.7 3.4 C63 S C’vertible 155 4.6 10.2 3.4 CLS53 4dr saloon AAAAC CLS53 4Matic+ 155 4.3 10.3 3.7 GT 2dr coupé AAAAC S 193 3.6 7.8 2.8 R 198 3.6 7.3 2.7 SLC 2dr convertible AAABC SLC43 155 5.5 12.3 4.2 GLC 5dr SUV AAABC GLC63 S 4Mtic+ 155 3.7 8.9 3.2

12.7 3.0 362 384 40.4 27/33

1595

15.4 2.8 503 516 43.4 19/26

2020 13.6.18

6.7.16

MERCEDES-BENZ A-Class 5dr hatch AAAAC A200 Sport 139 8.7 22.4 7.9 — 3.2 161 184 33.6 39/57 1379 4.7.18 B-Class 5dr MPV AAABC B200 CDI Sport 130 9.4 28.8 9.6 11.9 2.7 134 221 37.8 20/52 1495 29.2.12 C-Class 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC C220 Bluetec 145 8.1 22.9 8.1 11.7 2.8 168 295 42.4 41/51 1700 23.7.14 CLA 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAABC 220 CDI Sport 143 8.3 23.1 8.0 4.8 2.9 168 258 37.3 44/54 1525 26.6.13 200 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 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 S-Class 4dr saloon/2dr coupé AAAAA 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 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 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 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 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 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

MG 3 5dr hatch AAABC 1.5 3Form Sp’t 108 11.4 41.5 11.6 19.6 2.8 105 101 22.2 37/41 GS 5dr SUV AAACC 1.5 TGI Excite 118 8.9 25.5 8.3 12.4 2.8 164 184 29.3 29/38

1150 25.12.13 1395 20.7.16

MINI Mini 3dr hatch AAAAB Cooper S 146 6.9 17.1 5.9 6.7 2.5 C’per S Wks 210 146 7.2 16.4 6.0 6.5 3.0 Clubman 5dr hatch AAABC Cooper D 132 8.6 25.9 8.2 10.0 2.9 Convertible 2dr convertible AAAAB Cooper 129 9.2 25.4 8.8 12.4 2.7 Countryman 5dr hatch AAABC Cooper D 129 9.0 26.4 8.4 11.5 2.8 Plug-in Hybrid 123 6.7 24.4 6.2 5.5 3.5

189 221 26.4 35/54 207 221 26.5 31/47

1235 2.4.14 1235 6.12.17

148 243 34.9 51/52

1320 25.11.15

134 162 31.0

1280

46/53

148 243 36.2 42/48 221 284 30.1 42/50

6.4.16

1480 22.2.17 1735 26.7.17

MITSUBISHI Eclipse Cross 5dr SUV AAACC 1.5 First Ed 2WD 127 9.0 26.5 8.3 13.8 3.0 161 184 30.9 34/45 Outlander 5dr SUV AAABC 2.2 DiD GX5 118 10.2 32.9 10.1 11.1 3.07 147 265 34.7 38/45 PHEV GX4hs 106 10.0 30.5 9.5 6.2 3.0 200 245 — 44/38

80 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

1455 14.3.18 1675 27.3.13 1810 16.4.14

TEST DATE

Weight (kg)

Mpg test/touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

Braking 60-0mph

50-70mph

30-70mph

0-100mph

0-60mph

Top speed

Make and model

Weight (kg)

Mpg test/touring

Mph/1000rpm

Torque (lb ft)

Power (bhp)

TEST DATE

6.6.12

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

20.3 2.9 79

81

21.8

42/54

NOBLE 1305 14.10.09

221 33.2 45/58

1425 14.9.16

SUBARU

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

103 24.3 45/57

PEUGEOT

7.7 2.4 710 568 35.4 19/24

—

24.5 46/49

520

Tivoli XLV AAACC ELX auto 107 12.0 44.5 12.6 7.9 3.1 113

13.1 2.9 108 192 35.7 50/57

15.6 2.8 89

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

3.3 129 111

44/56

1230 22.8.12

XV 5dr SUV AAACC 2.0i SE L’tronic 120 10.1 27.7 9.0 Levorg 5dr estate AAACC 1068 26.4.17 GT 1.6i L’tronic 130 8.4 24.6 7.9 Forester 5dr SUV AAACC 118 9.9 36.5 10.5 1036 9.10.13 2.0d XC WRX 4dr saloon AAACC 1307 12.11.14 STi Type UK 159 5.4 13.3 5.1

NISSAN

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

2.7 173 309 35

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/-

Micra 5dr hatch AAAAC 2380 6.6.18 0.9 N-Connecta 109 12.1 44.7 11.7 Note 5dr hatch AAAAC 1.2 Acenta Pr’m 106 12.6 — 13.4 Pulsar 5dr hatch AAACC 920 29.6.16 1.5 dCi N-tec 118 10.9 35.5 10.8 Juke 5dr SUV AAABC 111 10.3 41.6 9.9 1430 30.3.11 Acenta 1.6 Nismo 1.6 134 6.9 17.2 6.0 1176 3.4.13 Qashqai 5dr SUV AAAAB 1.5 dCi 2WD 113 10.8 39.2 11.1 X-Trail 5dr SUV AAABC 1.6 dCi 2WD 117 11.2 39.7 11.7 1835 12.3.14 GT-R 2dr coupé AAAAB Recaro 196 3.4 7.8 2.7 2205 30.11.16

MAZDA 2 5dr hatch AAAAC 1.5 Sky’v-G SE 114 10.4 38.0 7.0 20.2 3 5dr hatch AAAAC 2.2 SE-L 130 9.0 26.6 9.1 9.9 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 test/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

27.0 3.4 154 145 41.5

31/39

21.0 2.6 168 184 31.9

34/36

1451 28.2.18 1537

13.1.16

11.0 2.9 145 258 33.0 41/49

1540

5.6.13

9.4 2.8 296 300 27.6 23/31

1534 25.6.14

SUZUKI 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

2.9 110

125 26.3 45/56

925

3.0 67

66

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

TESLA

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

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

611Wh/m 2508 15.2.17

T OYO TA

Yaris 3dr hatchback AAABC GRMN 143 6.4 15.4 5.4 9.8 2.9 209 184 GT86 2dr coupé AAAAA 13.2 3.2 118 221 34.6 42/53 1300 18.1.17 2.0 manual 140 7.4 18.8 6.8 10.6 2.6 197 151 Prius 5dr hatch AAAAC 11.5 2.7 148 273 37.6 51/60 1490 1.11.17 Business E’tion 112 11.1 32.0 10.7 *6.4 3.1 121 — Mirai 4dr saloon AAAAC PORSCHE Mirai 111 10.1 36.5 10.2 *6.5 3.3 152 247 718 2dr coupé/roadster AAAAB C-HR 5dr SUV AAAAC Boxster 171 5.4 12.2 4.3 5.2 2.5 296 280 25.8 26/36 1335 8.6.16 Excel 1.8 Hybrid 106 11.6 43.5 11.9 *7.3 2.7 121 — Cayman S 177 4.8 10.5 3.9 4.8 2.5 345 310 25.8 28/29 1430 10.8.16 VA U X H A L L Cayman GTS 180 4.8 10.2 3.5 4.7 2.5 361 310 25.8 28/39 1375 9.5.18 Adam 3dr hatch AAACC 911 GT2 2dr coupé AAAAC 15.3 20.8 2.8 68 85 GT2 RS 211 3.0 6.1 2.2 5.6 2.6 691 553 32.1 19/28 1470 18.7.18 1.2 Jam Ecoflex 103 14.3 — Viva 5dr hatch AAABC 911 2dr coupé AAAAB 106 13.0 — 14.1 19.0 — 74 70 Carrera S 190 4.5 9.4 3.4 7.3 2.9 414 369 36.4 27/31 1535 20.1.16 1.0 SE A/C Corsa 3/5dr hatch AAABC 918 Spyder 2dr coupé AAAAA 4.6 V8 214 2.6 5.3 1.9 2.2 2.3 874 944 41.2 28/44 1740 22.10.14 1.4T SRi VX-Line 115 11.7 45.1 12.1 15.3 2.9 99 148 VXR 143 7.2 18.3 6.4 7.8 2.4 202 181 Panamera 4dr saloon AAAAA 4S Diesel 177 4.1 10.3 3.8 — 3.0 416 627 50.7 32/43 2050 1.2.17 Crossland X 5dr SUV AAACC 1.2T 130 Elite 128 9.8 31.4 10.3 8.9 2.9 128 170 Macan 5dr SUV AAAAB Turbo 165 4.7 11.8 4.3 7.9 2.4 394 406 35.7 22/31 2000 4.6.14 Astra 5dr hatch/estate AAAAC 1.6 CDTi 136 SRi 127 8.8 25.7 8.8 8.6 2.6 134 236 Cayenne 5dr SUV AAAAC Turbo 177 3.9 9.3 3.3 5.3 2.8 542 568 44.7 21/31 2250 5.9.18 ST CDTi B’tbo SRi137 8.4 22.2 7.7 8.1 2.6 158 258 Combo Life 5dr MPV AAABC R E N A U LT 1.5 TD 100 En’gy 109 14.7 — 16.2 14.4 2.8 99 184 Twingo 5dr hatch AAABC Insignia Grand Sport 4dr saloon AAAAC Dynamique 94 17.6 — 19.1 29.4 2.9 69 67 20.8 42/52 865 29.10.14 2.0D SRi VX-Line140 8.7 23.8 7.9 8.9 2.7 168 295 Zoe 5dr hatch AAABC Insignia Sports Tourer 5dr estate AAACC Dynamique 84 12.3 — 13.9 9.1 2.9 87 162 7.8 250Wh/m 1468 31.7.13 GSI 2.0 B’tbo D 144 8.4 23.1 7.7 9.5 2.7 207 354 Clio 5dr hatch AAAAC VXR8 4dr saloon AAAAC 0.9 TCE 113 13.4 — 13.9 19.1 2.8 89 100 23.8 38/47 1009 6.3.13 GTS-R 155 4.8 9.6 3.3 6.6 3.1 587 546 RS 200 Turbo 143 7.4 20.9 6.9 9.1 2.8 197 177 20.8 32/37 1204 23.10.13 V O L K S WA G E N Mégane 3dr hatch AAAAB 275 Trophy-R 158 6.4 14.0 5.0 6.4 3.1 271 266 27 26/33 1297 5.11.14 Up 3/5dr hatch AAAAC GTI 1.0 TSI 115 122 8.5 25.7 7.8 7.6 2.8 114 147 New Mégane 5dr hatch AAACC 1.5 dCi Dyn. S Nav 116 11.1 35.2 11.1 13.2 2.8 108 192 33.9 47.2 1387 17.8.16 Polo 5dr hatch AAAAB 1.0 TSI 95 SE 116 10.7 34.4 11.1 12.1 2.8 94 129 Grand Scenic 5dr MPV AAABC dCi 130 Dyn. S Nav 118 11.4 35.8 11.3 10.2 3.4 129 236 32.1 47/61 1601 25.1.17 GTI 147 6.7 17.4 5.9 8.6 2.8 197 236 Kad jar 5dr SUV AAAAC Golf 3/5dr hatch AAAAB dCi 115 Dyn. S Nav 113 14.5 — 14.6 17.2 2.3 108 192 35.0 52/69 1380 21.10.15 GTI Perf. DSG 155 6.5 16.4 5.9 8.9 2.8 227 258 Koleos 5dr SUV AAACC GTE 138 7.7 18.2 6.1 7.7 2.5 201 258 dCi 175 4WD Sig. 126 9.8 31.3 10.1 14.3 2.9 175 280 — 34/38 1747 20.8.17 1.5 TSI R-line 134 8.8 22.7 8.1 9.9 2.1 148 184 T-Roc 5dr SUV AAAAB R O L L S - R OYC E 2.0 TSI SEL 4Mn 134 6.7 20.2 6.5 13.3 3.2 187 236 Phantom 4dr saloon AAAAA Arteon 5dr hatch AAABC Phantom 155 5.5 11.8 4.4 *2.5 2.8 563 664 51.2 8/28 2560 4.4.18 2.0 BITDI 240 152 6.5 17.7 6.2 8.9 3.3 237 369 Ghost 4dr saloon AAAAC Passat 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC Ghost 155 4.9 10.6 3.9 *2.3 2.6 563 575 46.0 18/23 2450 7.7.10 2.0 TDI 190 GT 144 8.7 23.6 8.1 13.1 3.2 187 295 Wraith 2dr coupé AAAAB GTE 140 7.6 19.0 6.1 7.8 3.3 215 295 Wraith 155 4.6 10.0 4.5 *2.1 2.9 624 590 45.9 15/27 2435 21.5.14 Touran 5dr MPV AAAAC 2.0 TDI 150 SE 128 9.9 29.3 9.7 13.6 3.2 148 251 Dawn 2dr convertible AAAAC Dawn 155 5.2 11.6 4.2 *2.4 2.9 563 575 47.7 19/25 2560 1.6.16 Tiguan 5dr SUV AAAAB 2.0 TDI 150 SE 127 10.4 33 9.6 12.4 3.2 148 251 S E AT Caravelle 5dr MPV AAAAC Ibiza 5dr hatch AAAAB 2.0 BITDI Exec. 126 11.6 36.1 11.7 10.2 3.2 201 332 SE Tech’y 1.0 TSI 113 10.0 34.1 10.0 10.1 3.0 94 129 27.2 45/56 1047 19.7.17 Touareg 5dr SUV AAABC Leon 3/5dr hatch AAAAC 3.0 TDI R-Ln Tch 146 7.2 18.6 6.5 21.5 2.8 282 442 SC 2.0 TDI FR 142 8.0 22.1 7.5 9.6 2.9 181 280 35.6 47/54 1350 4.9.13 V O LV O Cupra SC 280 155 5.9 13.6 4.4 7.1 2.7 276 258 27.2 28/36 1441 26.3.14 XC40 5dr SUV AAAAB Alhambra 5dr MPV AAAAC 2.0 TDI 170 DSG 127 10.5 38.3 11.2 *7.0 3.0 168 258 30.5 35/40 1935 1.12.10 D4 AWD First Ed. 130 8.5 24.8 8.5 13.7 3.0 188 295 Arona 5dr SUV AAAAC S60 4dr saloon AAAAC SE Tech’y 1.0 TSI 107 10.5 — 10.6 11.9 3.1 94 129 26.2 37/41 1165 15.11.17 D4 SE Nav 143 7.6 20.4 6.9 9.2 3.0 179 295 Ateca 5dr SUV AAAAB S90 4dr saloon AAAAC 1.6 TDI SE 114 10.5 35.6 9.3 14.0 2.9 114 184 36.4 50/62 1300 19.10.16 D4 Momentum 140 8.2 22.1 7.9 11.1 2.6 188 295 V60 5dr estate AAAAC SMART D4 M’tum Pro 137 8.9 23.8 8.2 12.7 2.8 188 295 Forfour Electric Drive 5dr hatch AABCC XC60 5dr SUV AAABC Prime Premium 81 13.2 — 14.5 10.6 2.8 80 118 — 260Wh/m 1200 23.8.17 D4 AWD R-Des’n 127 8.9 26.2 8.8 14.2 2.8 188 295 XC90 5dr SUV AAAAC S KO DA D5 Momentum 137 8.3 23.9 8.3 *5.0 — 222 347 Fabia 5dr hatch AAAAC WESTFIELD 1.2 TSI 90 SE-L 113 12.6 46 12.5 15.0 3.4 89 118 26.1 45/49 1109 21.1.15 Sport 0dr roadster AAAAC Octavia 4dr saloon/5dr estate AAAAC vRS 245 Estate 155 6.9 16.2 5.8 7.3 2.9 242 273 29.8 33/39 1392 16.8.17 Sport 250 142 3.6 11.1 6.4 4.0 2.7 252 270 Superb 5dr hatch/estate AAAAB ZENOS 2.0 TDI SE 135 8.8 24.9 8.2 11.2 2.8 148 251 37.2 47/54 1505 9.9.15 E10 0dr roadster AAAAB Kodiaq 5dr SUV AAAAC 2.0 TDI Edition 121 9.5 34.7 10.1 12.2 2.8 148 251 33.5 37/48 1751 23.11.16 S 140 4.3 11.2 4.1 5.3 2.9 250 295 19.6.13

420Wh/m 2200 20.4.16

27.7 27/39

1135 28.3.18

23.5 30/45

1235

—

1400 16.3.16

53/63

4.7.12

22.5 44/62** 1400 27.4.16 —

49/60

1420

21.8

4.1.17

39/45

1086

6.2.13

20.3 49/55

938

15.7.15

34.8 37/42 23.8 29/34

1176 19.11.14 1280 6.5.15

30.5 40/54

1199

33.4 55/58 33.7 57/59

1350 30.9.15 1435 13.4.16

7.6.17

32.0 45/60

1552 27.12.18

36.1

1507

39/51

3.5.17

38.6 36/47

1807 30.5.18

34.9 20/27

1858

24.7 39/54

1070 21.3.18

27.1 —

1145 1355

43/57 37/47

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

10.1.18

31.1.18 1.8.18

1402 10.7.13 1599 20.5.15 1324 2.8.17

35.6 31/37

1495 24.1.18

37.8 38/56

1828 27.9.17

37.9 45/52 32.3 38/43

1614 1722

4.2.15 7.9.16

37.0 54/60

1571

3.2.16

40

1683 22.6.16

44/52

22.7 38/45

2386 23.12.15

47.6 37/42

2070

39.8 38/44

1735

7.2.18

39.4 46/59

1580

5.3.14

40.1

40/51

1717

13.7.16

41.0

35/43

1847 27.6.18

8.8.18

38.9 40/49

1836

33.6 37/39

2009 17.6.15

5.7.17

22.7 32/42

665 29.11.17

33.9 21/23

725

7.10.15

REVIEWS

The closest you’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

NEW CARS A Z P

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CO 2

Stelvio 5dr SUV £34,035–£69,500 AAAAB DB11 2dr coupé £147,900–£161,900 AAAAA A5 2dr coupé £33,365–£64,260 AAAAC AAABC Alfa’s first SUV is a solid effort. Choosing the petrol version gives it The stunning replacement for the already seductive DB9 is tyreRefreshed coupé gets a sharper look and a refreshed interior. Still

ABARTH

595 3dr hatch/2dr open £15,690–£20,890

The Fiat 500’s Abarth makeover makes it a true pocket rocket.

LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight NA

charisma. LxWxH 4687x1903x1671 Kerb weight 1604kg

143 157 162 177

130 135 135 140

7.8-8.0 7.3 7.3-7.4 6.7-6.9

47.1-48.7 47.1 47.1-48.7 47.1-48.7

134-139 139 134-139 134-139

2.2 Turbo D 180 2.2 Turbo D 180 Q4 AWD 2.0 Turbo D 210 Q4 AWD 2.0 Turbo 200 Q4 AWD 2.0 Turbo 280 Q4 AWD 2.9 BiTurbo Quadrifoglio

shreddingly good. LxWxH 4739x2060x1279 Kerb weight 1875kg

177 177 207 197 276 503

130 130 134 134 143 197

7.6 7.6 6.6 7.2 5.7 3.8

60.1 58.9 58.9 40.4 40.4 31.4

124 127 127 161 161 210

Likeable, good-looking hatch is practical, too, but dynamic flaws make it an also-ran. LxWxH 4063x1720x1446 Kerb weight 1080kg

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

0.9 TB Twinair 105 1.4 TB Multiair 170 1.3 JTDM-2 95

3.0 BiTurbo

103 167 93

114 136 112

11.4 7.3 12.5

67.3 52.3 83.1

99 124 89

Giulietta 5dr hatch £19,960–£30,205

433

189-190 4.2-4.3 34.0-35.8 180-190

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

4.0 V8 5.2 V12 AMR

mundane to drive. LxWxH 4673x1846x1371 Kerb weight 1390kg

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 DBS Superleggera 2dr coupé £225,000 AAAAA 2.9 V6 TFSI RS5 quattro 443 155 3.9 32.5 197 Effortlessly fast, intoxicating to drive: the big Aston is better than 2.0 40 TDI 187 150 7.7 62.8 118 ever. LxWxH 4712x2146x1280 Kerb weight 1693kg 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.4 54.3 137 695 3dr hatch/2dr open £23,040–£25,595 AAABC 5.2 V12 715 211 3.7 19.3 285 A convincing track-day 500 with decent dynamic ability. Overly 4C Spider 2dr open £59,835 AAABC A5 Sportback 5dr coupé £33,365–£49,525 AAAAC firm ride spoils it, though. LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight NA It may be flawed but it’s rewarding to drive, if not the last word in Vanquish 2dr coupé £199,950–£223,995 AAAAC Refined, good-looking four-door coupé is sadly short on charm and finesse. LxWxH 4733x1843x1386 Kerb weight 1425kg 1.4 T-jet 180 Rivale 177 140 6.7-6.9 47.1-48.7 134-139 finesse. LxWxH 3989x1864x1183 Kerb weight 934kg Dazzlingly beautiful and expressive big Aston plays the long1.4 T-jet 190 Biposto 187 143 5.9 45.9 145 1.75 TBi 240 236 160 4.5 40.9-41.5 157-161 legged cruiser well. LxWxH 4692x1912x1294 Kerb weight 1739kg 2.0 35 TFSI 148 139 9.1 47.9 134 6.0 V12 Vanquish S 595 201 3.5 21.6 302 2.0 40 TFSI 187 150 7.5 47.1 135 ALPINA 124 Spider 2dr open £29,625–£31,935 AAAAB 6.0 Vanquish S Volante 595 201 3.7 21.6 302 3.0 V6 TFSI S5 quattro 349 155 4.7 37.7 170 Only a mildly upgraded version of the standard car – but what a B3 S 4dr saloon/5dr touring £62,000–£63,000 AAAAC 2.0 35 TDI 148 135 9.1 62.8 118 revelation it is. LxWxH 4054x1740x1233 Kerb weight 1060kg Previously falling behind in the power stakes, but the recent Rapide S 4dr saloon £149,500–£152,000 AAAAC 2.0 40 TDI 187 150 7.5 47.9 137 1.4 T-jet 170 167 142-144 6.9 42.8-44.1 148-153 facelift rectifies that. LxWxH 4632x1811x1431 Kerb weight 1705kg The Rapide is one of the most elegant four-door sports cars in the 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.6 54.3 138 3.0 BiTurbo 433 188-190 4.3 34.9-35.8 180-185 world. LxWxH 5019x1929x1360 Kerb weight 1990kg A L FA R O M E O 6.0 V12 552 203 4.4 21.9 300 A5 Cabriolet 2dr open £37,295–£52,540 AAAAC Mito 3dr hatch £13,845–£21,385 AAACC B4 S 2dr coupé/open £63,000–£67,000 AAABC More practical than smaller options. Lower-powered, steel-sprung 1.4 T-jet 145 1.4 T-jet 160 Trofeo 1.4 T-jet 165 Turismo 1.4 T-jet 180 Competizione

1.4 TB 120 1.4 TB Multiair 150 1.4 TB Multiair 170 1.75 TBi 240 2.0 JTDM-2 150 2.0 JTDM-2 175

118 148 167 236 148 167

121 130 135 152 130 136

9.4 8.2 7.6 6.0 8.8 7.8

45.6 51.4 57.7 41.5 67.3 65.7

144 127 114 157 110 113

AAAAC

4.4 V8 BiTurbo

197 276 148 177 503

146 149 137 143 191

6.6 5.7 8.2 7.1 3.9

47.1 46.3 67.3 67.3 34.4

138 141 109 109 189

S TA R R AT I N G S E X P L A I N E D

CCCCC Inherently dangerous/unsafe. Tragically,

irredeemably flawed.

BCCCC Appalling. Massively significant failings.

ACCCC Very poor. Fails to meet any accepted

class boundaries.

ABCCC Poor. Within acceptable class AACCC AABCC AAACC AAABC AAAAC AAAAB AAAAA

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.

4.2

29.4

A much, much greater car and achievement than the sum of its parts suggest. LxWxH 4180x1980x1252 Kerb weight 1080kg 155

116 127 155 124

11.1 8.9 5.9 9.5

office on wheels. LxWxH 4939x1886x1457 Kerb weight 1645kg

AAAAC 2.0 40 TDI 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro

114 148 187 296 394 114

128 137 152 155 155 126

9.9 8.2 6.8 4.7 4.1 10.4

60.1-62.8 64.2 46.3 40.4-40.9 33.6-34.0 64.2

104-108 114 138 158 189-192 114

drive. LxWxH 4458x1796x1416 Kerb weight 1240kg

1.0 30 TFSI 1.5 35 TFSI 2.0 40 TFSI ARIEL 2.0 TFSI S3 quattro Atom 0dr open £39,950 AAAAB 2.5 TFSI RS3 quattro Simple, purist concept remains but everything else has changed… 1.6 30 TDI 252

93 123 227 114

201 282

152 155

8.1 5.5

60.1-62.8 117-124 48.7-50.4 146-150

A6 Avant 5dr estate £40,740–£92,970

AAAAC

A capable stress-buster in standard guise, while the RS6 is simply monstrous. LxWxH 4939x1886x1467 Kerb weight 1710kg 2.0 40 TDI 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro 4.0 V8 TFSI RS6 quattro

201 282 552

149 155 155

8.3 5.7 3.9

57.6-60.1 124-129 47.9-49.1 151-155 29.4 223

A3 Saloon 4dr saloon £24,080–£46,255 AAAAC A7 Sportback 5dr coupé £50,725–£58,840 AAABC AAAAA Undercuts the case to own an A4. Upmarket interior and good to Easy on the eye and to live with, but let down by stolid dynamics.

ALPINE

A110 2dr coupé £46,905-£50,805 1.8 Turbo

trim is best. LxWxH 4673x1846x1383 Kerb weight 1600kg

All the above but with the added convenience of five doors and a usefully larger boot. LxWxH 4313x1785x1426 Kerb weight 1180kg

D5 S 4dr saloon £62,000

comes as an auto. LxWxH 4643x1860x1436 Kerb weight 1429kg 2.0 Turbo Petrol 200 2.0 Turbo Petrol 280 2.2 Turbo Diesel 150 2.2 Turbo Diesel 180 2.9 BiTurbo Quadrifoglio

205

230 265

AAAAC 2.0 40 TFSI 187 150 7.9 46.3 138 3.0 V6 TFSI S5 quattro 349 155 5.1 36.2 177 2.0 40 TDI 187 150 8.4 58.9 126 62.8-67.3 97-103 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 145 8.0 53.3 140 54.3-57.6 112-123 39.2-39.8 166-168 A6 4dr saloon £39,325–£58,605 AAAAC 70.6-74.3 99-106 Supremely well-constructed but a bit soulless to drive. A smart

A3 Sportback 5dr hatch £21,340–£45,305

222 1.0 30 TFSI 1.5 35 TFSI AAAAC 2.0 40 TFSI The excellent 5 Series receives some Alpina tweaking to make it a 2.0 TFSI S3 quattro Giulia 4dr saloon £32,490–£62,500 AAAAB brilliant cruiser. LxWxH 4956x1868x1466 Kerb weight 1870kg 2.5 TFSI RS3 quattro Handsome and special dynamically but lacks finesse and only 3.0 BiTurbo 345 171 4.9 46.3 161 1.6 30 TDI 599

20.9 24.8

Sets a new quality benchmark for a premium supermini. LxWxH 3973x1746x1422 Kerb weight 1035kg

AAAAC 1.0 TSFI 95 1.4 TFSI 125 2.0 TFSI S1 quattro 1.6 TDI 116

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

4.0 3.7

AU D I

Is it the best alternative to an M5? Yes, at least from a practicality

B7 4dr saloon £115,000

187 208

A1 Sportback 5dr hatch £16,575–£30,685

AAACC viewpoint. LxWxH 4956x1868x1466 Kerb weight 2015kg Long in the tooth but still seductive, shame it’s not rounded or 4.4 V8 BiTurbo 599 200-205 3.5-3.7 26.2-26.9 240-247

lavish enough. LxWxH 4351x1798x1465 Kerb weight 1305kg

503 630

4.5

45.5

141

for the better. LxWxH 4718x1897x1655 Kerb weight 595kg

114 148 187 296 394 114

131 139 155 155 155 131

9.9 8.2 6.8 4.7 4.1 10.4

55.4 51.4-52.3 46.3-47.1 40.9 33.6-34.0 64.2

LxWxH 4969x1908x1422 Kerb weight 1880kg

116-117 123-124 136-138 158 188-191 115-117

A3 Cabriolet 2dr open £30,235–£42,645

3.0 55 TFSI quattro 2.0 40 TDI 3.0 45 TDI quattro 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro

335 201 227 281

155 152 155 155

5.3 8.3 6.5 5.5

39.2-40.4 57.6-60.1 48.7-50.4 48.7-50.4

A8 4dr saloon £69,995–£77,905

158-163 122-127 147-150 147-150

AAAAC

Technical tour de force benefits from Audi’s knack of making very

AAAAC good limousines. LxWxH 5172x1945x1473 Kerb weight 1920kg Compact, affordable, usable and refined. Strong performance, too. 3.0 V6 55 TFSI quattro 335 155 5.6 36.2-37.7 171-178 Nomad 0dr open £38,000 AAAAA LxWxH 4423x1793x1409 Kerb weight 1380kg 3.0 V6 55 TFSI qu’tro LWB 335 155 5.7 36.2-37.7 171-178 Well inside the top 10 list of our favourite cars. A revelation and a 1.5 35 TFSI 148 137 8.9 49.6-50.4 128-129 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro 282 155 5.9 48.7-50.4 145-152 riot to drive. LxWxH 3215x1850x1425 Kerb weight 670kg 2.0 40 TFSI 187 155 7.2 44.8-45.6 141-142 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro LWB 282 155 5.9 48.7-50.4 146-152 2.4 K24 i-VTEC 235 125 3.4 NA NA 2.5 TFSI S3 quattro 296 155 5.2 38.7 165 Q2 5dr SUV £22,960–£32,840 AAAAC ASTON MARTIN A4 4dr saloon £32,535–£46,725 AAAAC Audi’s smallest SUV is a decent stepping stone from the A3 to the Q range. LxWxH 4191x1794x1508 Kerb weight 1205kg Vantage 2dr coupé £120,900 AAAAB High quality and competent but leaves the dynamic finesse to its rivals. LxWxH 4726x1842x1427 Kerb weight 1320kg The faster, cleverer, more hardcore entry-level Aston tops its 1.0 30 TFSI 114 122 10.3 52.3 122 class. LxWxH 4465x1942x1273 Kerb weight 1630kg 2.0 35 TFSI 148 139 8.6 47.1 136-137 1.5 35 TFSI 148 131 8.5 49.6 129 4.0 V8 503 195 3.5 26.8 245 2.0 40 TFSI 187 159 7.3 47.9 136-137 1.6 30 TDI 114 122 10.5 58.9 126 3.0 V6 TFSI S4 quattro 349 155 4.7 37.7 170 2.0 35 TDI 148 136 8.9 61.4-62.8 118-120 Q3 5dr SUV £28,465–£36,945 AAABC 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.4 54.3 137-138 Typically refined and competent but feels more like an A3 than an 3.0 biturbo

320

162

2.8

30.0

NA

Audi SUV. LxWxH 4388x1831x1608 Kerb weight 1385kg

A4 Avant 5dr estate £32,465–£62,860

AAAAC 1.5 35 TFSI 148 128-131 9.2-9.6 46.3-48.7 131-143 2.0 40 TFSI quattro 187 136 7.4 37.7-38.7 165-170 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 227 144 6.3 37.2-37.7 171-173 48.7 133 2.0 35 TDI 148 128 9.2 57.6 128 47.9 137 2.0 35 TDI quattro 148 131 9.3 49.6 149-150 37.2 175 32.1 199-200 Q5 5dr SUV £41,200–£51,955 AAAAC 61.4 120-121 Appealing combination of Audi allure, affordable SUV practicality 61.4-62.8 120-121 and attractiveness. LxWxH 4663x1893x1659 Kerb weight 1720kg 53.3-54.3 138-140 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 136 8.1 50.4 148

Classy and demure estate lacks the dynamic sparkle of rivals.

LxWxH 4725x1842x1434 Kerb weight 1370kg 2.0 35 TFSI 2.0 40 TFSI 3.0 V6 TFSI S4 quattro 2.9 V6 TFSI RS4 quattro 2.0 35 TDI 2.0 40 TDI 2.0 40 TDI quattro

148 187 349 443 148 187 187

136 148 155 155 132 144 143

8.9 7.5 4.9 4.1 9.2 7.9 7.6

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

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AAAAC M2 Competition 218d 220d 41.5 178-179 220d xDrive 41.5 178 225d

Unengaging to drive and light on feel, but the cabin is both huge and classy. LxWxH 5052x1968x1740 Kerb weight 2060kg 3.0 V6 45 TDI quattro 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro

228 282

142 152

7.3 6.3

Q8 5dr SUV £65,040–£83,040

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209-227 119-120 121-122 135 124

2 Series Convertible 2dr open £28,260–£42,190

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Plenty of pace and driver reward, along with prestige and designicon style. LxWxH 4177x1832x1355 Kerb weight 1300kg

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

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A talented GT and a brilliant B-road steer that is very well-equipped.

46.3-48.7 40.9-45.6 43.5-48.7 36.7-41.5 31.0-34.0 31.0-34.0 33.6 58.9-60.1 54.3 51.4 47.9 45.6

134-141 144-161 136-151 159-179 194-204 194-204 197 124-125 136 144 154 162

4 Series Convertible 2dr open £40,600–£66,845

840d xDrive M850i xDrive

316 523

155 155

4.9 3.7

45.5-46.3 160-164 28.8-29.1 221-244

X1 5dr SUV £27,630–£36,300

AAAAC

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

Crewe’s first attempt at a luxury SUV is a solid effort. The Diesel is wondrous. LxWxH 5140x1998x1742 Kerb weight 2505kg

AAAAC sDrive18i 138 127 9.7 48.7 132-133 sDrive20i 189 138 7.4 44.1-45.6 141-146 sDrive18d 148 126 9.3-9.4 61.4 120-121 420i 181 146 8.2-8.4 42.8-45.6 144-153 xDrive18d 148 126 9.3-9.4 56.5-58.9 127-132 430i 248 155 6.3-6.4 40.4-44.8 146-162 xDrive20d 187 136 7.8 58.9 126 440i 321 155 5.4 39.2 167 M4 425 155 4.4-4.6 29.7-32.5 203-218 X2 5dr SUV £30,040–£38,380 AAAAC M4 Competition pack 444 155 4.3-4.5 29.7-32.5 203-218 A more stylish version of the X1, but we’ll have to wait and see how 2 Series Gran Tourer 5dr MPV £26,775–£36,615 AAAAB 420d 187 146 8.1-8.2 54.3-56.5 132-138 it fares dynamically. LxWxH 4360x1824x1526 Kerb weight 1460kg Brings a proper premium MPV to the table. Third row seats aren’t 430d 254 155 5.9 48.7 153 sDrive20i 186 141 7.7 47.9-51.4 126-134 adult-sized, though. LxWxH 4556x1800x1608 Kerb weight 1475kg 435d xDrive 308 155 5.2 44.1 169 sDrive18d 148 129 9.3-9.8 60.1-62.8 120-124 218i 134 127 9.5-9.8 47.1 137 xDrive18d 148 128 9.2 54.3-57.6 128-137 220i 181 137 7.8 44.8-47.9 134-143 4 Series Gran Coupé 4dr coupé £34,300–£48,985 AAAAC xDrive20d 185 137 7.7 57.6-60.1 124-128 216d 335 119 11.8 62.8-64.2 116-117 Essentially a prettier 3 Series. Good, but not better than the 218d 148 127 9.6 60.1-61.4 121-125 regular saloon. LxWxH 4640x1825x1404 Kerb weight 1520kg X3 5dr SUV £39,120–£52,865 AAAAC 220d 187 138 8.2 61.4 122 420i 181 146 7.5-7.7 46.3-48.7 134-141 Continues where the last one left off. Dynamically good and more 220d xDrive 187 135 8.0 57.6 129 420i xDrive 181 144 7.8-8.1 40.9-45.6 144-161 luxurious inside. LxWxH 4708x1891x1676 Kerb weight 1750kg 430i 248 155 5.9 43.5-48.7 136-151 xDrive20i 181 134 8.3 38.7-39.8 163-166 3 Series 4dr saloon £27,800–£86,425 AAAAB 440i 321 155 5.1 41.5 159 M40i 355 155 4.8 33.6-34.4 188-193 Decent cabin space and engine range but doesn’t measure up on 420d 187 146 7.4-7.6 57.6-58.9 126-128 xDrive20d 187 132 8.0 51.4-53.5 140-144 handling and finesse. LxWxH 4633x1811x1429 Kerb weight 1425kg 420d xDrive 187 144 7.5 54.3 136 xDrive30d 261 149 5.8 47.1-48.7 154-158 318i 134 130 8.9-9.1 51.4-54.3 122-129 430d 254 155 5.6 51.4 144 M40d 321 155 4.9 43.5-44.1 169-172 320i 181 146 7.2-7.3 47.9-51.4 134-138 430d xDrive 254 155 5.3 47.9 155 320i xDrive 181 144 7.5-7.6 41.5-51.4 142-159 435d xDrive 308 155 4.8 45.6 163 X4 5dr SUV £42,900–£55,725 AAABC 330i 248 155 5.8-5.9 43.5-48.7 136-151 Downsized X6 is respectable enough if not loveable, but the X3 is a 340i 321 155 5.1-5.2 36.7-41.5 159-179 5 Series 4dr saloon £36,275–£96,205 AAAAB better option. LxWxH 4671x1881x1624 Kerb weight 1735kg M3 425 155 4.1-4.3 32.1-34.0 194-204 The perfect compromise between the comfy E-Class and dynamic M40i 336 155 4.9 31.0-31.4 205-206 M3 Competition package 444 155 4.0-4.2 32.1-34.0 194-204 XF, and then some. LxWxH 4936x2126x1479 Kerb weight 1530kg xDrive20d 187 131 8.0 50.4-52.3 142-146 M3 CS 454 173 3.9 33.2 198 520i 181 146 7.8 50.4-52.3 124-129 xDrive30d 254 145 5.8 46.3-49.6 149-159 316d 114 127 10.8-10.9 60.1-61.4 120-124 530i 248 155 6.2 48.7 132 M40d 322 155 4.9 42.8-44.1 170-173 318d 148 133 8.5-8.7 60.1-61.4 121-123 540i xDrive 335 155 4.8 39.2 164 X5 5dr SUV £57,495–£97,115 AAAAC 320d 187 146 7.3-7.4 57.6-60.1 124-127 M5 592 155 3.4 26.9 241 More capable, convenient, refined and classy SUV that’s a more 320d xDrive 187 144 7.4 54.3-55.4 135-137 M5 Competition 616 155 3.3 26.1 246 satisfying drive. LxWxH 4922x2004x1745 Kerb weight 2110kg 330d 254 155 5.6 51.4 144-146 530e 248 146 6.2 141.2 46 xDrive40i 335 155 5.5 32.4-33.2 193-197 330d xDrive 254 155 5.3 48.7 153-154 518d 148 132 8.8 60.1-62.7 116-119 261 130 6.8 45.5-47.0 158-162 335d xDrive 308 155 4.8 45.6 162-164 520d 187 147 7.5 60.1-62.7 119-123 xDrive30d 395 155 5.3 36.2 205 520d xDrive 187 144 7.6 56.4-57.6 129-132 M50d 3 Series Touring 5dr estate £28,800–£46,975 AAAAB 525d 567 155 4.2 25.4 258 227 155 6.6 56.4-57.6 128-131 X5 M There are more practical estates, but the 3 Series’ dynamism 530d 261 155 5.7 55.3 134 make it sparkle. LxWxH 4633x1811x1429 Kerb weight 1470kg X6 5dr SUV £61,105–£100,085 AAABC 530d xDrive 261 155 5.4 51.3 144 318i 134 130 9.2-9.3 47.9-51.4 129-137 The world’s first off-road coupé, but appearances make it difficult 320i 181 146 7.5 44.8-48.7 134-147 5 Series Touring 5dr estate £39,005–£54,775 AAAAB to love. LxWxH 4909x1989x1702 Kerb weight 2065kg 320i xDrive 181 144 7.7-7.9 38.7-44.8 147-169 The excellent 5 Series made in more practical form. The 520d is xDrive30d 254 143 6.7 40.3 183 330i 248 155 5.9-6.0 42.2-46.3 143-157 still the best. LxWxH 4942x2126x1498 Kerb weight 1630kg xDrive40d 308 146 5.8 40.3 183 340i 321 155 5.1 40.4 164 520i 181 139 8.2 47.8-48.7 132-136 M50d 375 155 5.2 36.2 205 316d 114 127 11.3-11.4 58.9-60.1 124-127 530i 248 155 6.5 46.3 139 X6 M 567 155 4.2 25.4 258 318d 148 133 8.9-9.0 58.9-60.1 124-127 540i xDrive 335 155 5.1 37.6 172 320d 187 146 7.5-7.7 55.4-58.9 125-135 520d 187 147 7.8 60.1-61.4 121-124 i3 5dr hatch £35,175–£37,665 AAAAB 320d xDrive 187 144 7.7 52.3-55.4 136-141 520d xDrive 187 144 7.9 53.2-54.3 137-140 Our favourite high-end small car happens to be an EV, and it could 330d 254 155 5.6 49.6-50.4 148-149 525d 227 152 6.8 54.3-60.1 134-138 change motoring. LxWxH 3999x1775x1578 Kerb weight 1245kg 330d xDrive 254 155 5.4 47.1 157-158 530d 261 155 5.8 52.3 141 120Ah 167 93 7.3 NA 0 335d xDrive 308 155 4.9 44.8 165-167 530d xDrive 261 155 5.6 49.5 151 120Ah S 180 99 6.9 NA 0

4.0 V8 6.0 W12

3 Series Gran Turismo 5dr hatch £33,820–£46,315

1.8 TFSI 180 2.0 TFSI 230 2.0 TFSI 230 quattro 2.0 TFSI TTS quattro 2.5 TFSI TT RS quattro 2.0 TDI 184 ultra 2.0 TDI 184 quattro

177 226 226 305 394 181 181

147 155 155 155 155 147 143

7.2 6.1-6.2 5.6 4.9-5.2 3.7 7.3 7.0

46.3 42.2-45.6 40.9 37.7-39.8 33.6-34.4 58.9 50.4

R8 2dr coupé £112,520–£141,200

142 144-155 158 163-173 187-192 129 147

AAAAC

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

22.8 22.4 21.1

R8 Spyder 2dr open £121,210–£149,890

283 287 306 AAAAC

Taking the roof off the R8 enhances the drama tenfold.

LxWxH 4426x1940x1245 Kerb weight 1680kg 5.2 V10 FSI RWS 5.2 V10 FSI quattro 5.2 V10 FSI Plus quattro

532 532 601

197 197 204

3.8 3.6 3.3

22.4 22.1 20.8

286 290 309

BAC

Mono 0dr open £165,125

AAAAB

An F-22 Raptor for the road, only significantly better built.

LxWxH 3952x1836x1110 Kerb weight 580kg 2.5 VVT

305

170

2.8

NA

NA

BENTLEY

Continental GT 2dr coupé £156,700

AAAAC

Refined and improved in every area, making the Conti a superb grand tourer. LxWxH 4850x1966x1405 Kerb weight 2244kg 6.0 W12

626

207

3.6

23.2

Flying Spur 4dr saloon £132,800–£169,800

278 AAABC

Undoubtedly luxurious but misses the mark on refinement and tech sophistication. LxWxH 5299x1984x1488 Kerb weight 2417kg 4.0 V8 4.0 V8 S 6.0 W12 6.0 W12 Speed

500 521 616 626

183 190 199 202

4.9 4.6 4.3 4.2

25.9 25.9 19.2 19.2

Mulsanne 4dr saloon £229,360–£275,000

254 254 335 335 AAAAC

If the Rolls Phantom is best from the back seat, the Mulsanne is best in the front. LxWxH 5575x1926x1521 Kerb weight 2685kg 6.75 V8 6.75 V8 Speed

505 530

184 190

5.1-5.3 4.8

18.8 18.8

Bentayga 5dr SUV £135,800–£232,000 542 600

171 187

342 342 AAAAB

4.4 4.0

24.8 21.6

260 296

BMW

1 Series 3dr/5dr hatch £22,450–£37,125 134 181 220 335 114 148 187 187 220

130 139-142 151 155 124 131 141 138 149

8.5-8.7 7.1 6.1 4.6-4.8 10.5 8.2-8.4 7.1-7.2 6.9 6.4

2 Series 2dr coupé £25,060–£51,930

AAAAB

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

LxWxH 4432x1774x1418 Kerb weight 1420kg 218i 220i 230i M240i

134 181 248 335

130 143 155 155

8.8-8.9 7.2 5.6 4.6-4.8

50.4-53.3 47.9 47.9 36.2-39.8

124-130 134-136 134 163-179

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

48.7 47.9-50.4 113.0 65.7 62.8 64.2 60.1

132 134 57 112-113 119 117 124

AAAAC

Hatchback practicality meets 3 Series dynamic talent. Dull but decent. LxWxH 4824x1828x1508 Kerb weight 1580kg

AAABC 320i 320i xDrive 330i 52.3-56.5 112-126 340i 46.3-48.7 133-140 320d 47.9 134 320d xDrive 36.2-39.8 163-179 62.8-67.3 111-118 61.4-64.2 115-118 60.1-62.8 120-124 54.3-55.4 135-138 58.9 126

Strong on performance and economy and as good as it could be.

LxWxH 4329x1765x1421 Kerb weight 1375kg 118i 120i 125i M140i 116d 118d 120d 120d xDrive 125d

218i 220i 225xe 216d 218d 220d 220d xDrive

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4 Series 2dr coupé £34,300–£89,070

AAABC LxWxH 4640x1825x1377 Kerb weight 1475kg Striking and effective coupé-SUV range-topper leaves us wanting Better than its 1 Series forebear but lacks truly distinguishing 420i 181 146 7.3-7.5 more. LxWxH 4986x1995x1705 Kerb weight 2145kg premium qualities. LxWxH 4432x1774x1413 Kerb weight 1440kg 420i xDrive 181 144 7.6-7.8 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro 282 152 6.3 41.5 178 218i 134 130 9.4-9.6 48.7-50.4 131-139 430i 248 155 5.8-5.9 220i 181 143 7.7 46.3 138-140 440i 321 155 5.0-5.2 TT 2dr coupé £29,405–£53,030 AAAAC 230i 248 155 5.9 45.6 142 M4 425 155 4.1-4.3 Still serves up plenty of pace, style and usability for the money. It’s M240i 335 155 4.7-4.9 34.0-38.2 169-189 M4 Competition pack 444 155 4.0-4.2 better to drive, too. LxWxH 4177x1832x1353 Kerb weight 1210kg 218d 148 132 8.8-9.0 54.3-58.9 127-136 M4 CS 454 155 3.9 2.5 40 TFSI 194 155 6.6 46.3 138 220d 187 143 7.5-7.6 55.4-58.9 126-135 420d 187 146 7.2-7.4 2.5 45 TFSI 242 155 5.8-5.9 42.8-43.5 147-150 225d 220 151 6.5 56.5 130 420d xDrive 187 144 7.3 2.5 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.2 40.4 160-161 430d 254 155 5.5 2 Series Active Tourer 5dr hatch £24,910–£36,735 AAAAC 430d xDrive 254 155 5.2 TT Roadster 2dr open £31,155–£54,780 AAAAC BMW’s FWD hatch is a proper contender but not as practical as 435d xDrive 308 155 4.7 AAAAC

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181 181 248 321 187 187

146 144 155 155 146 144

8.0-8.1 8.1-8.4 6.1 5.1 7.8-7.9 7.8

44.1-47.9 39.8-44.1 45.6 38.7 56.5 53.3

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

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

i8 2dr coupé/roadster £112,735-£124,735

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

1.5 eDrive

A large improvement on the 5GT and dynamically sound. Still an oddball, though. LxWxH 5007x1894x1392 Kerb weight 1720kg

134-146 146-161 136-141 161-166 131-136 141

254 335 261 261 261

155 155 155 155 155

6.3 5.3 6.1 6.1 6.0

7 Series 4dr saloon £63,040–£138,335

42.8-43.4 34.4-35.3 53.2-57.6 49.0-49.5 48.0-48.7

148-152 183-187 127-139 151-154 154-156

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 374

CT6 4dr saloon £71,625

155

4.4-4.6

141.2-158.9 42-46

CAD I LL AC

AACCC

Sharp-looking saloon is a replacement for the CTS. Still needs a diesel option. LxWxH 5184x1880x1472 Kerb weight 1950kg

AAAAC 3.0 V6 AWD

411

155

5.7

28.8

640

199

3.7

21.7

223

Rules on in-car entertainment and diesel sophistication; otherwise too bland. LxWxH 5098x1902x1478 Kerb weight 1755kg CTS-V 4dr saloon £76,675 AAAAC 725d 227 152 6.9 55.3-56.4 132-133 Eat your heart out, Germany – but lacks handling finesse of its 730d 261 155 6.1 51.3-52.3 143-145 European rivals. LxWxH 5050x1863x1447 Kerb weight 1850kg 730d xDrive 740d xDrive 740e 740Le xDrive M760Li V12 xDrive

261 315 254 254 601

155 155 155 155 155

8 Series 2dr coupé £76,270-£99,525

5.8 5.2 5.4 5.3 3.7

48.7-49.5 151-152 46.3-47.0 159-160 128.4-134.5 49-50 113.0-117.7 54-56 22.0 294

6.2 V8 RWD

Escalade 5dr SUV £82,640–£97,175

298 AACCC

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

420

112

6.7-6.9

22.4

287

AAAAC

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

New Car Buying

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

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The 360 is the sweet spot in the revised range, giving the Seven just the right hit of performance. LxWxH NA Kerb weight 490kg 80 95 135 152 180 210 310 310

100 100 122 127 130 136 145 155

6.91 6.91 5.0 4.9 4.8 3.8 3.4 2.79

57.6 57.6 NA NA NA NA NA NA

114 114 NA NA NA NA NA NA

CHEVROLET

Camaro 2dr coupé/convertible £32,625–£45,155 268 446

149 5.9-6.1 155-180 4.4-4.8

34.9-35.3 181-184 22.1-25.4 252-290

LHD only and less usable and less able than rivals, but disarming and inimitable. LxWxH 4492x1872x1239 Kerb weight 1539kg 459 650

180 196

4.1-4.2 3.7-3.8

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22.8-23.0 282-284 20.0-22.2 291-322

87

104

11.1

55.4

115

Logan MCV 5dr estate £8495–£11,095

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96-102 14.2-14.5 51.4-55.4 119-129 103-110 11.2-12.1 57.6-68.9 133-139

Tipo 5dr hatch £13,970–£18,320

AAABC

A 90s reboot that has been on a diet. Decent to drive and ample

AAACC interior space. LxWxH 4368x1792x1495 Kerb weight 1195kg Lacks its stablemates’ charms but retains their cheapness.

1.4 95 93 115 12.1 49.6 132 LxWxH 4501x1733x1552 Kerb weight 980kg 1.4 T-Jet 120 118 124 9.6 47.1 139 1.0 SCe 75 71 98 14.7 52.3 120 1.6 Multijet II 120 118 124 9.8-10.2 74.3-76.3 98-99 0.9 TCe 90 87 109 11.1 57.7 109 Tipo Station Wagon 5dr estate £14,970–£19,320 AAABC Logan MCV Stepway 5dr estate £12,095 AAACC Estate version is more practical, which mixes well with its driving

Given a rugged makeover but still lacks charm. Extremely practical, though. LxWxH 4528x1761x1559 Kerb weight 1090kg 87

106

12.4

55.4

Duster 5dr SUV £9995–£18,695

115 AAABC

A value champion. If cheap family transport is what you require, the Duster delivers. LxWxH 4315x2000x1625 Kerb weight 1147kg

1.6 SCe 115 AAAB 1.5 dCi 115

Corvette 2dr coupé/open £64,135–£98,655 6.2 V8 6.2 V8 Z06

hp

limited. LxWxH 4089x1761x1555 Kerb weight 1040kg

AAABC 0.9 TCe 90

An affordable American muscle car, but LHD only and less usable and unrefined. LxWxH 4784x1897 Kerb weight 1539kg 2.0 Turbo 6.2 V8

r (b

Sandero Stepway 5dr hatch £9595–£10,595 AAABC 1.2 69hp AAAAB A more expensive and slightly more rugged cheap car – but still 0.9 Twinair 85

C AT E R H A M

Seven 2dr open £17,495–£51,990 0.6 Suzuki 160 0.6 Suzuki Super Sprint 1.6 Sigma Ti-VCT 270 1.6 Sigma Ti-VCT 310 2.0 Duratec 360 2.0 Duratec 420 2.0 Supercharged 620S 2.0 Supercharged 620R

P

e ow

111 111

104-105 11.0-12.0 41.5-44.1 145-155 104-105 11.8-12.4 60.1-64.2 115-123

characteristics. LxWxH 4571x1792x1514 Kerb weight 1205kg 1.4 95 1.4 T-Jet 120 1.6 Multijet II 120

3 3dr hatch/2dr open £15,640–£24,795

115 124 124

12.3 49.6 132 9.8 47.1 139 10.1-10.4 72.4-76.3 98-101

range. LxWxH 3929x1910x1524 Kerb weight 1055kg 69 83 93

99 105 111

15.3 13.3 11.4

56.5 114 56.5 114-120 68.9-76.3 99

Premium-brand philosophy and aesthetics appeal, but the 3 lacks dynamic refinement. LxWxH 3948x1715x1483 Kerb weight 1090kg Fiesta 3dr/5dr hatch £13,715–£22,645 AAAAB 1.2 PureTech 110 107 117-118 9.6-10.2 61.4-65.7 100-105 Dynamically superb and continues the Fiesta legacy. No longer the class leader, though. LxWxH 4040x1735x1476 Kerb weight 1113kg C-Zero 5dr hatchback £20,520 AAACC 1.2 PureTech 130 126 126-127 8.9-9.0 62.8 105 Well-engineered electric city car, but too expensive and lacks the 1.1 Ti-VCT 70 69 99 14.9 64.2 101 range of rivals. LxWxH 3475x1475x1600 Kerb weight 1120kg 7 Crossback 5dr SUV £28,635–£43,780 AAABC 1.1 Ti-VCT 85 83 105 14.0 64.2 101 Electric 64 80 15.9 NA 0 DS’s first premium SUV certainly has the right price tag, equipment 1.0T Ecoboost 85 84 106 12.7 46.3 113 and appeal. LxWxH 4570x1895x1620 Kerb weight 1420kg 1.0T Ecoboost 100 98 111-113 10.5-12.2 54.3-65.7 97-118 CITROEN

C1 3dr hatch/5dr hatch £9450–£14,170

AAABC 1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 PureTech 180 1.6 PureTech 225 EAT8 67.3-68.9 93-95 1.5 BlueHDi 130 2.0 BlueHDi 180 EAT8 AAABC

Slightly cheaper than its Toyota sibling but less visually charming.

LxWxH 3455x1615x1460 Kerb weight 855kg 1.0 VTI 72

71

99

12.6

C3 5dr hatchback £11,900–£18,360

129 178 218 NA 171

Portofino 2dr open £166,180

1.2 PureTech 68 1.2 PureTech 82 1.2 PureTech 110 1.6 BlueHDi 100

3.9T V8

107 107 117 115

14.0 12.8 9.3 10.6

60.1 60.1 61.4 76.3

108 109 110 95

10.2 8.9 8.3 11.7 9.9

52.3 47.9 57.9 68.9 57.6

FERRARI

Funky, fresh look gives a lease of life, shame that underneath isn’t the same. LxWxH 3996x1749x1474 Kerb weight 976kg 66 79 107 96

122 137 141 121 134

124 134 135 107 128

1.0T Ecoboost 125 1.0T Ecoboost 140 1.5T Ecoboost 200 ST 1.5 TDCi Duratorq 85 1.5 TDCi Duratorq 120

123 138 197 83 118

121 125 144 108 121

9.9 9.0 6.5 12.5 9.0

65.7 62.8 55.0 88.3 88.3

98 102 114 82 89

and well-priced. LxWxH 4360x2010x1469 Kerb weight 1276kg

1.0T Ecoboost 85 84 110 13.5 49.6 110 1.0T Ecoboost 100 99 116 12.1 50.4 107 1.0T Ecoboost 125 123 119-124 10-11.7 39.8-49.6 107-126 488 2dr coupé/open £197,418-£219,274 AAAAA 1.5T Ecoboost 150 148 127-130 8.8-9.7 40.4-46.3 121-136 C3 Aircross 5dr hatchback £14,725–£20,060 AAABC Calm ride mixed with explosive performance.

1.5T Ecoboost 182 180 137-138 8.3-8.4 39.2-44.1 126-137 LxWxH 4568x1952x1213 Kerb weight 1475kg Funky-looking C3 gets a jacked-up, rugged SUV look.

2.0T Ecoboost 250 ST 246 154 6.5 41.5 159 LxWxH 4155x1765x1637 Kerb weight 1088kg 3.9T V8 650 203-205 3.0 24.7 260 2.3T Ecoboost 350 RS 345 165 4.7 36.7 175 1.2 PureTech 82 79 103 15.9 55.4 116 1.5 EcoBlue 95 94 114 11.4 64.2 91-92 1.2 PureTech 110 107 115 11.3 56.5 115 GTC4 Lusso 2dr coupé £200,165–£240,402 AAAAB 1.5 EcoBlue 120 118 117-122 10.0-10.8 57.6-64.2 93-115 Another four-wheel-drive grand tourer Ferrari that is more usable 2.0 EcoBlue 150 1.2 PureTech 130 127 124 10.4 53.3 119 148 127-130 8.5-9.3 46.3-57.6 114-121 than the FF. LxWxH 4922x1980x1383 Kerb weight 1865kg 1.6 BlueHDi 100 96 109 12.8 70.6 104 3.9T V8 592 198 3.5 24.3 265 Focus Estate 5dr estate £19,050–£30,340 AAAAC C4 Cactus 5dr hatchback £18,505–£23,535 AAABC 6.3 V12 670 208 3.4 18.4 350 Well-mannered and comfortable, but a Skoda Octavia will carry

Interesting and novel to look at but flawed to drive.

LxWxH 4157x1729x1480 Kerb weight 965kg 1.2 PureTech 110 1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 BlueHDi 100 1.6 BlueHDi 120

107 128 96 118

117 120 114 125

9.3-9.7 8.2 10.6-11.2 8.7

199

3.5

26.4

more. LxWxH 4560x2010x1469 Kerb weight 1313kg

812 Superfast 2dr open £262,963

61.4-65.7 58.9 78.5-91.1 70.6

100-105 110 82-95 102

245

AAAAA 1.0T Ecoboost 85

More powerful than the F12, but with better road manners making it 1.0T Ecoboost 100 the star of the range. LxWxH 4657x1971x1276 Kerb weight 1630kg 1.0T Ecoboost 125

1.5T Ecoboost 150 1.5T Ecoboost 182 1.5 EcoBlue 95 C4 Spacetourer 5dr MPV £22,365–£30,855 AAAAC 500 3dr hatch/2dr open £11,810–£16,640 AAABC 1.5 EcoBlue 120 Plushness and an improved dynamic make for a better car.

Super desirable, super-cute city car. Pleasant, if not involving to 1.5 EcoBlue 150

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

6.5 V12

777

211

2.9

18.9

340

F I AT

drive. LxWxH 3571x1627x1488 Kerb weight 865kg

55.4-56.5 115-116 70.6 106 58.9 128

1.2 69hp 0.9 Twinair 85

68 83

99 107

12.9 11.0

60.1-65.7 99-110 67.3-74.3 88-90

125-128 10.8 130 11.3 130 9.2

500L 5dr MPV £17,610–£18,610 AAACC 1.5 SCTi Ecoboost 165 AAAAC A costly option but has some style to fill out some of its missing 2.0 SCTi Ecoboost 240 substance. LxWxH NA Kerb weight NA 2.0 TiVCT hybrid 187 1.4 95hp 93 103-111 12.8-13.2 45.6-46.3 143-144 2.0 TDCi Duratorq 150 55.4-56.5 115-116 2.0 TDCi D’torq 150 AWD 70.6 105 500X 5dr hatch £16,995–£23,195 AAABC 2.0 TDCi Duratorq 180 60.1 123 Familiar styling works rather well as a crossover. Drives okay, too. 2.0 TDCi D’torq 180 AWD LxWxH 4248x1796x1600 Kerb weight NA

C5 Aircross 5dr SUV £23,515–£32,725

AAABC 1.6 E-Torq 110 108 112 11.5 44.1-47.1 139-147 Smooth-riding SUV has an easy-going nature, but not the most 1.0 Firefly Turbo 120hp 118 117 10.9 48.7 133 dynamic. LxWxH 4500x1859x1670 Kerb weight 1530kg 1.3 Firefly Turbo 150hp 148 124 9.1 46.3 140 1.2 PureTech 130 129 117 10.5 54.3 119 1.6 PureTech 180 178 134 8.2 49.6 129 Panda 5dr hatch £9510–£18,300 AAABC 1.5 BlueHDI 130 129 117 10.4 68.9 106 Hasn’t kept pace with its rivals, but sells robust, practical charm better than most. LxWxH 3653x1643x1551 Kerb weight 940kg 1.5 BlueHDI 180 174 131 8.6 60.1 124 CUPRA

Ateca 5dr hatch £35,900-41,175

AAABC

First model from Seat’s stand-alone performance brand has decent pace and precision. LxWxH 4376x1841x1615 Kerb weight 1615kg 2.0 TSI 300

296

153

5.2

38.2

168 AAACC

A clever budget prospect but its limitations are unavoidable, even after a smart facelift. LxWxH 4069x1733x1519 Kerb weight 969kg 1.0 SCe 75 0.9 TCe 90

71 87

98 109

14.2 11.1

54.3 57.6

117 109

48.7 58.9 51.4-58.9 46.3-50.4 46.3-50.4 62.8 50.4-61.4 45.6-56.5

110 109 110-125 128-140 128-140 96 97-116 116-117

AAAAC

162 236 184 148 148 177 177

138 9.2 149 7.9 116 9.2 132-134 9.3-9.9 134 10.3 139-140 8.3-8.6 140 9.3

42.8 38.7 71.0 61.4-68.9 58.9 61.4-64.2 54.3

Mondeo Estate 5dr estate £22,795–£33,595

150 169 108 107-120 124 115-120 134

148 118

hp

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CO 2

134 10.2 32.5-33.6 174-176 113-114 11.3-12.4 67.3-68.9 105-109 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 1.0T Ecoboost 125 1.5T Ecoboost 150 1.5 TDCi Duratorq 120

98 123 148 118

107 115 123 111-112

13.6 12.2 10.2 12.3-13.4

54.3 54.3 32.5-33.6 62.8-64.2

S-Max 5dr MPV £29,145–£40,195

133 134 182 131

AAAAC

Better to drive and better looking than most but not quite the class leader it was. LxWxH 4976x1916x1655 Kerb weight 1645kg 118 148 148 188 188 236

114 123 122 129 128 140

13.4 10.3 10.6 9.5 9.8 8.1

57.0 56.0 52.0 52.0 48.0 35.0

Galaxy 5dr MPV £31,295–£40,695

129 139 149 134 144 180 AAABC

Huge seven-seat MPV. Easy to place on the road but not cheap to buy. LxWxH 4848x1916x1747 Kerb weight 1708kg 1.5T Ecoboost 165 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 120 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 150 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 150 AWD 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 190 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 190 AWD 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 240

163 118 148 148 188 188 238

124 114 122-123 122 129-131 128 135

10.0 13.6 10.9 12.2 9.6-9.8 10.6 8.9

26.6-38.2 39.2-52.3 33.6-52.3 35.3-48.7 35.8-49.6 31.7-52.3 32.5-48.7

EcoSport 5dr SUV £17,295–£23,450

168-174 135-138 134-142 155-159 134-143 159-162 158-160

AAACC

Facelifted version of the pumped-up Fiesta is okay, but developingworld roots show. LxWxH 4096x1765x1653 Kerb weight 1280kg 98 123 138 99 123

105 111 115 105 112-113

11.9 11.0-11.6 10.2 13.6 10.7-11.3

43.5-44.1 38.2-44.1 43.5 55.4-56.5 46.3-53.3

Kuga 5dr SUV £23,225–£37,135

120-125 119-145 119-124 111-118 125-140

AAAAB

Bigger and sharper-looking than before but still retains its taut, responsive handling. LxWxH 4524x1838x1689 Kerb weight 1560kg 1.5 Ecoboost 120 1.5 Ecoboost 150 1.5 Ecoboost 176 AWD 1.5 TDCi 120 1.5 TDCi 150 1.5 TDCi 150 AWD 1.5 TDCi 180 AWD

118 148 174 118 148 148 177

112 12.5 121 9.7 124 10.1 106-108 12.4-12.7 119-121 9.9-10.1 118 10.9 124-126 9.2-10.0

44.8 44.8 37.7 58.9-64.2 54.3-60.1 54.3 54.3

Edge 5dr SUV £35,510–£43,025

145 145 173 115-124 122-135 134 134-135

AAABC

Mid-sized, US-developed SUV joins Ford’s fleet to take on Europe’s big SUVs. LxWxH 4808x1928x1692 Kerb weight 1912kg 2.0 TDCi Duratorq 180 2.0 TDCi Bi-turbo 210

177 207

124 131

9.9 9.4

47.9-48.7 149-152 47.9-48.7 149-152

GT 2dr coupé £420,000

AAAAC

The GT is back as a race car for the road. Compelling if not perfect.

LxWxH 4808x1928x1692 Kerb weight 1912kg 3.5 V6 Ecoboost

650

216

3.0

NA

NA

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 NA Kerb weight 840kg 1.8 Zetec

135

125

NA

NA

NA

H O N DA

Jazz 5dr hatch £14,360–£18,460

AAAAC

Not the most compact or vivacious but has decent handling and is cleverly packaged.LxWxH 3995x1694x1550 Kerb weight 1066kg 1.3 DOHC 1.5 DOHC

99 128

113-118 11.2-12.3 55.4-61.4 106-120 113-118 8.7-10.1 47.9-52.3 124-133

AAAAC

A vast and enjoyable estate that majors on everything a great Ford Civic 5dr hatch £18,895–£33,525 AAAAC should. LxWxH 4867x 1852x1501 Kerb weight 1476kg A fresh look while remaining practical, refined and upmarket. Lacks some dynamism. LxWxH 4518x1799x1434 Kerb weight 1275kg 1.5 SCTi Ecoboost 165 162 138 9.2 42.8 150 2.0 SCTi Ecoboost 240 2.0 TDCi Duratorq 150 2.0 TDCi D’torq 150 AWD 2.0 TDCi Duratorq 180 2.0 TDCi D’torq 180 AWD

236 148 148 177 177

146 129-130 130 135-137 137

8.0 9.4-10.0 10.5 8.4-8.7 9.5

37.7 58.9-67.3 57.7 58.9-62.3 53.3

Mustang 2dr coupé/open £36,645–£47,145

174 109-123 127 117-123 137

1.0 VTEC Turbo 126PS 1.5 VTEC Turbo 182PS

124 179

125-126 10.2-11.2 55.4-60.1 106-117 125-136 8.2-8.5 46.3-48.7 133-139

AAAAC

American muscle built for the UK. What’s not to like?

LxWxH 4784x1916x1381 Kerb weight 1653kg 2.3 Ecoboost 5.0 V8

DACIA

Sandero 5dr hatch £6995–£9595

13.9 12.7 11.2-12.2 8.9-9.2 8.8 11.8 10.3-11.1 8.7-9.5

Does what great Fords do, by over-delivering on practicality, handling and value. LxWxH 4871x 1852x1482 Kerb weight 1455kg

Alternative MPV offers something fresh, comfy, spacious and quietly upmarket. LxWxH 4602x1826x1638 Kerb weight 1297kg 126 126 158

109 115 119-120 129-130 137-138 112 116-120 126-129

Mondeo 5dr hatch £20,995–£32,095

Grand C4 Spacetourer 5dr MPV £24,065–£32,555 1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 BlueHDi 130 1.6 BlueHDi 160

84 99 123 148 180 94 118 148

r (b

Grand C-Max 5dr MPV £23,545–£30,095

1.0T Ecoboost 100 1.0T Ecoboost 125 1.0T Ecoboost 140 Focus 5dr hatch £17,930–£39,925 AAAAC 1.5 TDCi EcoBlue 100 AAAAC Appeals for its dynamics, but not as it once did. Spacious, stylish 1.5 TDCi EcoBlue 125

The entry-level Ferrari has the power, the looks and the touring ability. LxWxH 4586x1938x1318 Kerb weight 1664kg 591

1.5T Ecoboost 150 1.5 TDCi Duratorq 120

2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 120 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 150 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 150 AWD FORD 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 190 Ka+ 5dr hatch £10,800–£14,570 AAABC 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 190 AWD The Ka gets two extra doors, and it’s a breath of fresh air for the 2.0 TDCi EcoBlue 240

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

DS

93 118 118

P

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312 410

145 155

5.8 4.8

28.8-35.3 179-225 12.8-23.5 281-306

C-Max 5dr MPV £21,945–£28,445

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

98 123

108 116

12.6 11.4

55.4 55.4

127 129

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

N E W CAR PR I CES P

1.6 i-DTEC 120PS 2.0 VTEC Turbo Type R

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118 315

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125 169

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80.7 36.7

Civic 4 door 4dr saloon £19,395–£27,120

) pg

C

(g/ O2

km

)

93 176

P

124 118

130 125

58.9 83.1

HR-V 5dr SUV £19,795–£26,805

110 91 AAABC

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

128

116-119 10.2-11.4 49.6-52.3 125-134

CR-V 5dr SUV £25,595–£35,445

hp

)

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1.6 CRDi 136PS 2.0 CRDi 185PS

130 175 113 134 182

113 125 109 114-116 125

11.5 9.1 13.7 10.6-12.0 9.5-9.9

44.8 38.0 61.0 47.1-58.9 43.5-47.9

3.0 MultiJet 250 4WD

147 165 119 127-156 154-170

126

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AAABC

126

8.2

40.4

184 AAAAC

Heavy-duty off-roader goes anywhere, but lacks on-road manners.

LxWxH 4223x1873x1840 Kerb weight 1827kg 197

AAABC 9.0-9.6

hp

Wrangler 2dr/4dr SUV £44,495–£47,995 114

9.5

37.7

197

KIA

Another big Korean SUV with lots of space for not a lot of cash.

Slick and comfy. LxWxH 4700x1880x1675 Kerb weight 1939kg 197

r (b

The best Jeep on sale by some margin. Comfortable and wellequipped. LxWxH 4828x1943x1792 Kerb weight 2266kg

2.2d MultiJet II 200 4WD

Santa Fe 5dr SUV £33,425–£43,295 2.2 CRDi Blue Drive 200

P

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Grand Cherokee 5dr SUV £49,880

AAABC

Classy, roomy cabin and predictable handling. A very competitive SUV. LxWxH 4475x1850x1650 Kerb weight 1379kg

AAAAC 1.6 GDi 132PS

10.7 9.9

r (b

)

Tucson 5dr SUV £22,045–£34,945

Saloon bodystyle gives Civic a more upmarket feel, without hurting 1.6 T-GDi 177PS its refined drive. LxWxH 4648x1799x1416 Kerb weight 1314kg 1.6 CRDi 115PS 1.0 VTEC Turbo 126PS 1.6 i-DTEC 120PS

e ow

h mp

Picanto 5dr hatch £9720–£14,220

AAACC

Nice drive and cabin, but now overshadowed by rivals.

LxWxH 3595x1406x1485 Kerb weight 935kg

42.8-47.1 159-174

XJ 4dr saloon £62,360–£83,105 AAAAC 1.0 MPi 66 100 13.8 64.2 101 AAABC Mixes dynamism and refinement so well, but not as spacious or 1.0 T-GDi 99 112 10.1 62.7 120 cosseting as some. LxWxH 5130x1899x1460 Kerb weight 1835kg 1.25 MPi 83 100-107 11.6-13.2 52.3-61.4 106-124 2.0 i-VTEC 152 113-118 10.0-12.3 36.7-39.2 168-179 3.0d V6 300 295 155 6.2 49.6 149 1.6t 122 120 124 9.4 49.6 133 Rio 5dr hatch £12,200–£18,010 AAABC NSX 2dr coupé £144,755 AAAAB 1.6t 156 153 134 8.9 48.7 134 F-Type 2dr coupé £51,210–£112,525 AAAAB Looks great and is well-priced, but nowhere near its European rivals. LxWxH 4065x1725x1445 Kerb weight 1155kg Honda’s supercar given a modern reboot, and it’s some piece of 2.0t 211 208 146 7.2 45.6 143 A full-blooded assault on Porsche’s backyard, with noise, power engineering. LxWxH 4487x1939x1204 Kerb weight 1725kg and beauty. LxWxH 4482x1923x1311 Kerb weight 1525kg 2.0t 211 AWD 208 143 7.3 42.2 156 1.0 T-GDi 99 99 115 10.3 63.0 114-115 3.5 V6 hybrid 492 191 2.9 28.2 228 1.5d 109 107 118 11.9-12.0 65.7-72.4 103-111 2.0t 300 295 155 5.7 39.2 163 1.0 T-GDi 118 118 118 9.8 60.1 117-124 2.2d 170 167 137 8.3 64.2 115 3.0s V6 340 335 161 5.3-5.7 28.8-33.6 199-234 1.25 MPi 83 107 12.5 58.8 109 HYU N DAI 2.2d 170 AWD 167 134 8.5 57.6 127 3.0s V6 380 374 171 4.9-5.5 28.8-32.9 203-234 1.4 MPi 98 103-108 11.8-13.4 46.3-56.5 114-140 i10 5dr hatch £9895–£14,425 AAAAC 3.0s V6 380 AWD 374 171 5.1 31.7 211 Prioritises maturity over fun, resulting in a car that is practical and QX30 5dr hatch £28,590–£34,440 AAABC 5.0s V8 550 R AWD 542 186 4.1 25.0 269 Ceed 5dr hatch £18,295–£26,850 AAAAC well-priced. LxWxH 3665x1660x1500 Kerb weight 933kg Q30 with a more rugged look, but doesn’t improve on the standard 5.0s V8 575 SVR AWD 567 200 3.7 25.0 269 Third-generation hatchback can now compete for class honours.

LxWxH 4310x1800x1447 Kerb weight 1315kg 1.0 DOHC 64 96-97 14.7-14.9 60.1-70.6 93-108 car. LxWxH 4425x1815x1530 Kerb weight 1542kg 1.2 DOHC 84 103-109 12.1-13.8 47.9-57.6 114-139 2.2d 170 AWD 167 134 8.5 52.3 143 F-Type Convertible 2dr open £56,695–£118,010 AAAAB 1.0 T-GDi 118 118 116 10.9 50.4 127 Costs serious money, but you get a serious car with a likeable wild 1.4 T-GDi 138 138 128-130 8.6-8.9 57.6-58.9 126-129 i20 5dr hatch £13,995–£18,645 AAAAC Q50 4dr saloon £29,860–£48,820 AAACC side. LxWxH 4482x1923x1308 Kerb weight 1545kg 1.6 CRDi 114 114 118 10.6 72.4-78.5 94-103 Combines decent performance with good practicality and running Credible compact saloon competitor with some novel touches.

2.0t 300 295 155 5.7 39.2 163 costs. LxWxH 4035x1734x1474 Kerb weight 980kg LxWxH 4790x1820x1445 Kerb weight 1676kg 3.0s V6 340 335 161 5.3-5.7 28.8-33.6 199-234 Ceed Sportswagon 5dr estate £19,295-£27,500 AAAAC 1.0 T-GDI 100 98 113-117 10.8-11.4 55.3-58.9 109-117 2.2d 170 167 143-144 8.7-8.9 62.8-65.7 114-119 3.0s V6 380 374 171 4.9-5.5 28.8-32.9 203-234 All of the above, but with cavernous, more practical load space.

LxWxH 4600x1800x1465 Kerb weight 1389kg 1.0 T-GDI 120 118 118 10.2 54.3-56.5 114-119 2.0t 211 208 152 7.2 44.8 146 3.0s V6 380 AWD 374 171 5.1 31.7 211 1.2 MPI 75 74 99 13.6 48.7-50.4 129-132 3.0t V6 405 399 155 5.1 31.0 206 5.0s V8 550 R AWD 542 186 4.1 25.0 269 1.0 T-GDi 118 118 118 10.9 54.3 120 1.2 MPI 84 83 106 12.8 48.7-53.3 121-132 3.5 V6 Hybrid 364 359 155 5.1 45.6 144 5.0s V8 575 SVR AWD 567 195 3.7 25.0 269 1.4 T-GDi 138 138 128-130 8.8-9.1 48.7-50.4 127-132 3.5 V6 Hybrid 364 AWD 359 155 5.4 41.5 159 1.6 CRDi 114 114 119 10.7 68.9 106 i30 5dr hatch £17,125–£28,760 AAABC E-Pace 5dr SUV £28,930–£46,040 AAAAC As good as we’ve come to expect from Hyundai, but not one inch Q60 2dr coupé £34,300–£47,275 AACCC Jaguar’s second SUV looks enticing, but can it make an impact like Soul 5dr hatch £14,725–£30,495 AAABC AAAAC

INFINITI

Tardis-like SUV stalwart has lots of space for five and a big boot.

LxWxH 4605x1820x1685 Kerb weight 1515kg

Q30 5dr hatch £20,600–£36,435

better. LxWxH 4340x1795x1455 Kerb weight 1194kg

Good-looking coupé that is half-baked in most places compared with its rivals. LxWxH 2850x2052x1390 Kerb weight 1722kg

1.0 T-GDi 120 118 1.4 T-GDi 140 138 1.6 CRDi 110 108 2.0 T-GDi 250 N 247 2.0 T-GDi 275 N Performance 272

Infiniti’s first hatch uses the A-Class blueprint. Great to look at, not so good to drive. LxWxH 4425x1805x1495 Kerb weight 1407kg

the F-Pace’s? LxWxH 4411x1984x1649 Kerb weight 1775kg

2.0 D150 148 124 9.5 60.1 124 2.0 D150 AWD 148 120 9.9-10.1 50.4-54.3 137-147 2.0 D180 AWD 177 127-128 8.7-9.4 50.4-54.3 137-147 2.0 D240 AWD 236 139 7.0 45.6 162 Q70 4dr saloon £34,260–£48,105 AAACC 2.0 P200 AWD 198 134 7.7 34.4 186 Big Infiniti is spacious but has limited practicality. Daimler diesel is 2.0 P250 AWD 245 143 6.6 36.7 174 i30 Fastback 4dr saloon £20,435–£25,285 AAABC coarse and slow. LxWxH 4980x1845x1493 Kerb weight 1826kg 2.0 P300 AWD 295 151 5.9 35.3 181 Combines good looks with sensible practicalities and dynamic 2.2d 170 167 137 8.9 57.6-58.9 124-128 charm LxWxH 4455x1795x1425 Kerb weight 1287kg F-Pace 5dr SUV £36,520–£74,835 AAAAC 3.7 V6 320 315 155 6.2 26.2 249 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 117 11.5 54.3 125 Credible first SUV effort is as refined and dynamic as a Jaguar 3.5 V6 Hybrid 364 359 155 5.3 45.6 145 should be. LxWxH 4746x2070x1667 Kerb weight 1690kg 1.4 T-GDI 140 138 129 9.2 49.6-50.4 129-134 QX70 5dr SUV £45,720–£57,220 AAACC 2.0d 163 160 121 10.2 57.7 129 i30 Tourer 5dr estate £17,625–£26,125 AAABC A big, powerful SUV but with none of the finesse of the BMW X5 or 2.0 20d 180 177 129 8.5 55.4 134 Another solid car. Good value and practical but lacks excitement. Land Rovers. LxWxH 4865x1640x1680 Kerb weight 2012kg 2.0 20d 180 AWD 177 129 8.7 53.3-54.3 134-139 LxWxH 4585x1795x1465 Kerb weight 1245kg 3.7 V6 320 315 145 6.8 22.4-23.4 282-292 2.0 25d 240 AWD 236 135 7.2 48.7 153 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 117 11.4 54.3 120 5.0 V8 390 384 149 5.8 20.9 316 3.0 V6 30d 300 AWD 295 150 6.2 47.1 159 1.4 T-GDi 140 138 126-129 9.2-9.5 51.4 125-129 2.0 25t 250 AWD 246 135 6.8 38.2 170 JAG UAR 1.6 CRDi 110 108 117 11.3 74.3 99 2.0 30t 300 AWD 295 145 6.0 37.0 174 1.6 CRDi 136 134 123 10.9 65.7 112 XE 4dr saloon £31,505–£45,640 AAAAB 5.0 V8 SVR 550 AWD 548 176 4.1 23.7 272 118 127-130 118 155 155

11.1 8.9-9.2 11.0-11.2 6.4 6.1

56.5 51.4-52.3 68.9-74.3 40.4 39.8

115 124-125 99-109 159 163

2.0t 211PS 3.0t V6 405

208 399

146 155

7.3 5.0

41.5 30.1

156 210

Tops the pile thanks to outstanding driver appeal. Poised and AAABC engaging but refined. LxWxH 4672x1967x1416 Kerb weight 1450kg I-Pace 5dr SUV £63,495–£81,495 AAAAB Useful, inoffensive and well-priced, but don’t expect any fireworks. 2.0d 163 160 132 8.2-8.4 68.9-75.0 99-106 Fast, refined and the first of its kind from a European LxWxH 4745x1815x1470 Kerb weight 1497kg manufacturer. LxWxH 4682x1895x1558 Kerb weight 2133kg 2.0d 180 177 140 7.8 67.3 109-111

i40 4dr saloon £20,360–£28,280 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive 115 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive 141

113 139

119 126

i40 Tourer 5dr estate £21,610–£29,630

A practical estate but still rather dull and ordinary.

LxWxH 4775x1815x1470 Kerb weight 1514kg 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive 115 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive 141

2.0d 180 AWD 2.0d 240 AWD 2.0t 200 AAABC 2.0t 250 2.0t 300 AWD

12.4 67.3 110 10.3-10.8 60.1-65.7 114-123

177 236 197 246 295

XF 4dr saloon £33,835–£48,370

140 155 148 155 155

7.9 6.1 7.1 6.3 5.5

60.6 54.4 45.1 45.1 41.5

123 137 144 144 157

EV400

398

124

4.5

NA

0

JEEP

Compass 5dr SUV £23,355–£34,925

AAACC

Wants to be a catch-all crossover, but is beaten by more roadfocused rivals. LxWxH 4394x2033x1629 Kerb weight 1430kg

AAAAB 1.4 Multiair II 140 138 119 9.9 45.6 143 1.4 Multiair II 170 4WD 167 124 9.5 40.9 160 1.6d MultiJet II 120 118 115 11.0 64.2 117 Ioniq 5dr hatch £21,790–£32,045 AAABC 2.0d 163 160 132 8.7 68.9-70.6 104-109 2.0d MultiJet II 140 4WD 138 118 10.1 54.3 138 First attempt at electrification for the masses is a good effort.

2.0d 180 177 136 8.0-8.1 65.7 114 2.0d MultiJet II 170 4WD 167 122 9.5 49.6 148 LxWxH 4470x1820x1450 Kerb weight 1370kg 2.0d 180 AWD 177 136 8.4 57.7 129 1.6 Hybrid 141 139 115 10.8-11.1 70.6-83.1 79-92 2.0d 240 AWD 236 153 6.5 51.4 144 Renegade 5dr SUV £19,200–£30,805 AAABC 1.6 Plug-in Hybrid 141 139 110 10.6 256.8 26 3.0d V6 300 295 155 6.2 51.4 144 Middling compact crossover with chunky looks but no obvious charm. LxWxH 4236x1805x1667 Kerb weight 1346kg Electric Motor 118 103 10.2 NA 0 2.0t 250 246 152 6.6 41.5 154 2.0t 300 AWD 295 155 5.8 40.0 163 1.0 GSE T3 120 118 115 11.2 46.3 138 ix20 5dr hatch £15,750–£19,200 AAABC 1.3 GSE T4 150 148 122 9.4 44.1 144 Usable high-roofed hatch is short on overall flair.

XF Sportbrake 5dr estate £36,545–£50,570 AAAAB 1.6d MultiJet II 120 118 111 10.2 64.2 115 LxWxH 4120x1765x1600 Kerb weight 1267kg Superb XF is now available in the more practical Sportbrake form. 2.0d MultiJet II 140 4WD 138 113 9.5-10.2 48.7-55.4 134-150 It’s a win-win. LxWxH 4954x1987x1496 Kerb weight 1660kg 1.6 125 123 112 11.5 43.5 150 2.0d MultiJet II 170 4WD 167 122 8.9 47.9 155 2.0d 163 160 136 9.3-9.4 62.8 118-119 Kona 5dr hatch £16,450–£26,245 AAAAC 2.0d 180 177 138 8.8 61.4 120 Cherokee 5dr SUV £34,715–£41,180 AABCC Hyundai’s first crossover is the perfect blend of practicality, value 2.0d 180 AWD 177 136 8.9 56.5 132 Hamstrung by poor UK specification. Uninspiring but practical and and style LxWxH 4165x1800x1550 Kerb weight 1233kg roomy. LxWxH 4624x1859x1670 Kerb weight 1738kg 2.0d 240 AWD 236 150 6.7 48.7 153 1.0 T-GDi 120 2WD 118 112 12.0 52.3-54.3 117-125 3.0d V6 300 295 155 6.6 49.6 149 2.0d MultiJet 140 FWD 138 116 10.9 53.3 139 1.6 T-GDi 177PS 4WD 175 127 7.9 42.2 153 2.0t 250 246 150 7.1 41.5 155 2.0d MultiJet 140 4WD 138 117 12.0 50.4 147 1.6 CRDi 115 2WD 113 114 10.7 67.3 112 2.0t 300 295 155 6.1 36.2 178 2.2d MultiJet 185 4WD 182 127 8.8 50.4 149 1.6 CRDi 136 2WD 134 119 10.2 64.2 114 2.2d MultiJet 200 4WD 197 126 8.5-8.7 46.3-50.4 149-159 Electric 39kWh 134 96 9.6 NA 0 Electric 64kWh 201 104 7.6 NA 0 113 139

118 124

12.6 67.3 110 10.5-11.0 60.1-65.7 114-123

Outstandingly broad-batted dynamically, plus a pleasant cabin.

LxWxH 4954x1987x1457 Kerb weight 1545kg

Looks divide opinion. Better value now but still hardly the best option. LxWxH 4140x1800x1600 Kerb weight 1275kg

1.6 GDi 130 1.6 T-GDi 201 1.6 CRDi 134 27kWh Electric Drive

130 201 134 109

115 122 112-113 90

10.6 7.5 10.7-10.8 11.0

43.5 40.9 56.5-58.8 NA

Optima 4dr saloon £21,660–£35,145

152 156 127-130 0

AAACC

Looks the part but is well off the pace set by its European rivals.

LxWxH 4855x1860x1465 Kerb weight 1590kg

1.6 CRDi 134 2.0 GDi PHEV

134 202

121-122 10.6-11.2 62.8 119 9.1 201.8

Optima Sportswagon 5dr estate £22,500–£35,145

117 33 AAACC

Engine and finish leave it well behind rival European estates.

LxWxH 4855x1860x1465 Kerb weight 1620kg

1.6 CRDi 134 2.0 T-GDi 241 2.0 GDi PHEV

134 241 202

124 144 119

9.8-10.7 61.4-64.2 113-120 7.3 30.7 144 9.1 201.8 33

Stinger 4dr saloon £32,435–£40,535

AAABC

Sleek coupé-shaped saloon has the appeal and dynamics to rival Europe’s best LxWxH 4830x1870x1400 Kerb weight 1717kg

2.0 T-GDi 3.3 V6 T-GDi 2.2 CRDi

244 365 197

149 168 143

5.8 4.7 7.3

35.8 28.5 48.7

Venga 5dr hatch £15,625–£19,520

181 225 154 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 43.4-47.9 139-150

Carens 5dr MPV £19,505–£28,445

AAABC

Nicely up to scratch without feeling cheap or austere, but no class leader. LxWxH 4525x1805x1605 Kerb weight 1483kg

1.6 GDi 1.7 CRDi 114 1.7 CRDi 139

133 114 139

115 10.9 45.6 143 110 12.7 62.8-67.3 109-118 117-120 10.0-10.9 58.9 127

New Car Buying

Find your perfect deal today at whatcar.com/new - car - deals 16/11/2018 09:05

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Niro 5dr SUV £23,490–£30,845

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2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 2.2 Skyactiv-D 184

AAABC

Kia’s first full hybrid is a solid attempt, but it lacks the refinement of better rivals. LxWxH 4355x1805x1545 Kerb weight 1500kg 1.6 GDi Hybrid 1.6 GDi Hybrid PHEV

139 139

101 107

11.1 10.4

74.3 217.3

Stonic 5dr SUV £16,540–£21,200

88 29 AAABC

Kia’s first crossover is striking and reasonably good considering the value. LxWxH 4140x1760x1520 Kerb weight 1160kg 1.4 MPI 1.0 T-GDi 1.6 CRDI

98 118 108

107 115 112

12.2 9.9 10.9

51.4 56.5 67.3

Sportage 5dr SUV £20,305–£34,545

125 115 109 AAABC

Good ride, handling and usability. Looks good and is decent value.

LxWxH 4480x1855x1635 Kerb weight 1454kg 1.6 GDi 1.6 T-GDi 1.6 CRDi 114 1.6 CRDi 134 2.0 CRDi 182 48V

130 174 114 134 182

113 125-126 109 112 125

11.1 8.8-9.2 11.4 10.8-11.4 9.2

42.2-44.8 37.2-37.7 57.6 57.6-58.9 44.8-47.9

Sorento 5dr SUV £30,225–£42,925

147-156 175-177 130 126 154-166

AAAAC

Kia moves upmarket with a smart, well-priced and nicely appointed seven-seater. LxWxH 4780x1890x1685 Kerb weight 1932kg 2.2 CRDi

197

127

9.0-9.6

42.8-49.6 149-170

KTM

X-Bow 0dr open £57,345–£70,717

AAAAC

Eccentric looks and sharp handling but expensive.

LxWxH 3738x1915x1202 Kerb weight 847kg 2.0 R 2.0 GT

290 280

143 143

3.9 4.1

34.0 34.0

189 189

LAMBORGHINI

Huracán 2dr coupé £162,900–£215,500

AAAAC

Junior Lambo mixes usability and drama skilfully. Performante is the most rounded. LxWxH 4459x1924x1165 Kerb weight 1389kg 5.2 V10 580-2 5.2 V10 610-4 5.2 V10 Performante

562 593 621

198-199 3.4-3.6 201 3.2-3.4 201 2.9

17.0-19.6 278-283 16.0-17.0 280-285 20.6 314

Aventador 2dr coupé £278,000

AAAAC

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

718

217

2.9

16.7

394

4.0 V8

631

189

3.6

22.2

L AN D ROVE R

290

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

65.7 113 55.4-58.9 125-134 38.7 165

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

49.6

Range Rover Velar 5dr SUV £45,135–£64,530 2.0 D180 2.0 D240 3.0 V6 D275 3.0 V6 D300 2.0 P250 2.0 P300

Low flexibility, but hybrid option makes a degree of economic sense. LxWxH 4890x1895x1690 Kerb weight 2100kg 308

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

142 154 175 167 173 178

124

7.7

LOTUS

51.4-54.3 120-127

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107 126

145 151

4.2 3.8

Exige 2dr coupé £56,850–£72,575

Sharp, uncompromising track car. Unforgiving on the road.

LxWxH 4084x1802x1129 Kerb weight 1125kg 3.5 V6 VVT-i 350 3.5 V6 VVT-i 380

345 374

162-170 3.8-3.9 170-178 3.6-3.7

Evora 2dr coupé £76,225–£86,775

28.0-30.1 219-235 27.2-29.1 225-242

134

112

10.3

68.9-78.5 82-94 AAABC

Sleek compact executive car is well-made and interesting but still a left-field choice. LxWxH 4680x1810x1430 Kerb weight 1620kg 2.5 VVT-i IS300h

220

125

8.3

60.1-67.3 97-107

394 404 424

174-186 4.2 174-190 4.1-4.2 190 3.8

AAAAA

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E-Class 4dr saloon £37,145–£92,250

562

204

3.2

570GT 2dr coupé £154,000

4.0 V8

789

211

2.8

22.8

280

AAACC

MERCEDES-BENZ Maser’s compact exec has the allure but lacks power and is poorly finished in places. LxWxH 4971x1945x1461 Kerb weight 1810kg A-Class 5dr hatch £23,070–£34,350 AAAAC 3.0d V6 271 155 6.3 47.8 158 A little bit of luxury in a desirable, hatchback-sized package.

LxWxH 4419x1992x1440 Kerb weight 1445kg 3.0 V6 345 166 5.5 31.7 207

Refined and dynamically satisfying in a saloon bodystyle.

LxWxH 4060x1695x1495 Kerb weight 1345kg 118

123

8.8

55.4

6 4dr saloon £23,195–£32,685

AAABC 129 135 138

9.5 9.1 8.1

51.4 47.9 42.2

189 189 329 312 335 429 555 594

149 149 155 155 155 155 155 155

7.3 7.5 5.5 5.7 4.9 4.5 3.5 3.4

72.4 102-112 62.8 117-129 148.7-157.0 46 188.0-201.8 41 47.1 157 32.5 200 31.0 207 31.0 207

189 189 312 335 429 555 594

146 145 155 155 155 155 155

7.7 7.8 5.8 5.1 4.5 3.6 3.5

67.3 57.7 176.6 46.4 31.8 30.1 30.1

E-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £41,370–£64,740

129 135 153

109-120 126-137 44 162 203 214 214 AAAAC

Big, laid-back four-seat tourer. Borrows looks from the ravishing S-Class Coupé. LxWxH 4846x1860x1431 Kerb weight 1685kg 2.0 E300 2.0 E350 3.0 E450 4Matic 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic+ 2.0 E220d 2.0 E220d 4Matic 3.0 E400d 4Matic

237 295 362 429 189 189 335

155 155 155 155 150 149 155

6.4 5.9 5.6 4.4 7.4 7.6 5.1

40.4 NA 29.1-31.4 32.2 61.4 53.3 38.2-42.2

E-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £45,865–£70,430

181 158 202 203 119 137 158

AAAAC

Refined and sophisticated four-seater in the same mould as the S-Class Cabriolet. LxWxH 4846x1860x1429 Kerb weight 1780kg 2.0 E300 2.0 E350 3.0 E450 4Matic 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic 2.0 E220d 2.0 E220d 4Matic 3.0 E400d 4Matic

237 295 362 429 192 192 335

155 155 155 155 147 145 155

6.6 6.1 5.8 4.5 7.7 7.9 5.2

39.2 NA 28.8-30.7 31.8 57.7 52.4 37.7-40.9

S-Class 4dr saloon £76,540–£175,875

167 163 202 204 126 142 162

AAAAA

Mercedes has given the S-Class a refresh and an added boost of tech. LxWxH 5141x1905x1498 Kerb weight 1970kg

3.0 V6 S450 L 3.0 V6 S500 L 3.0 V6 S560e L 4.0 V8 AMG S63 6.0 V12 AMG S65 6.0 V12 S650 Maybach 2.9 S350d L 2.9 S400d L

389 457 472 594 611 611 282 335

155 155 155 155 155 155 155 155

5.1 4.8 5.0 4.3 4.2 4.7 6.0 5.4

38.2 38.2 122.9 32.1 23.7 22.2 42.2 42.2

S-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £103,400–£188,100

169 169 57 199 279 289 158 158 AAAAC

More tech and cleaner engines make the opulent luxury tourer more appealing. LxWxH 5027x1912x1414 Kerb weight 2065kg 4.0 V8 S560 4.0 V8 AMG S63 6.0 V12 AMG S65

455 594 611

155 155 155

4.6 4.2 4.1

34.0 31.7 23.7

S-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £115,195–£195,995

188 203 279 AAAAC

As above but with the added allure of a retractable fabric roof.

LxWxH 5027x1912x1420 Kerb weight 2150kg

4.0 V8 S560 4.0 V8 AMG S63 6.0 V12 AMG S65

455 594 611

155 155 155

4.6 4.2 4.1

CLA Coupé 4dr saloon £26,165–£44,830

119

A compelling mix of size, economy and performance. Interior is a let-down. LxWxH 4870x1840x1450 Kerb weight 1465kg 143 162 191

AAAAC

Lighter, faster and more athletic than the 570S. McLaren at its very best. LxWxH 4604x2095x1191 Kerb weight 1356kg E-Class Estate 5dr estate £39,145–£94,250 AAAAC 3.8 V8 592 204 2.8 24.1 266 Far more practical than its rivals, but pricier and less sporty than those closest to it. LxWxH 4933x1852x1475 Kerb weight 1780kg

LxWxH 4744x2155x1229 Kerb weight 1314kg

M A S E R AT I

2.0 Skyactiv-G 145 2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 2.5 Skyactiv-G 194

86 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

hp

Decent practicality and fantastic interior. It’s a shame that it’s only ordinary to drive. LxWxH 4702x1810x1457 Kerb weight 1495kg

720S 2dr coupé £218,020 AAAAA 2.0 E220d AAAAC The start of an era for McLaren and what a way to begin it is.

2.0 E220d 4Matic LxWxH 4543x2059x1196 Kerb weight 1322kg 2.0 E300de 4.0 V8 710 212 2.9 26.4 249 3.0 V6 E400d 4Matic 29.1 225-230 3.0 V6 AMG E53 4Matic+ 29.1 225-230 Senna 2dr coupé £750,000 AAAAA 4.0 V8 AMG E63 4Matic+ NA NA Astounding circuit performance made superbly accessible.

4.0 V8 AMG E63 S 4Matic+

Ghibli 4dr saloon £52,895–£65,055

2.0 Skyactiv-G 120

IS 4dr saloon £32,900–£42,395

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Blisteringly fast and exciting supercar-slayer with hugely appealing A wee bit pricey, and less sporting than its rivals, but still comfy handling. LxWxH 4530x2095x1202 Kerb weight 1344kg and luxurious. LxWxH 4940x1852x1452 Kerb weight 1680kg

1.3 A180 136 134 9.2 50.5 129 GranTurismo 2dr coupé £92,230-£107,865 AAACC 1.3 A200 163 140 8.2 47.1 136 AAAAB Not short on richness or desirability and well capable of stirring 2.0 A220 187 149 6.9 45.6 141 Bigger and better; a cut-price Range Rover rather than a jumped-up the soul. LxWxH 5652x1948x1481 Kerb weight 1873kg 2.0 A220 4Matic 187 146 6.9 38.7 148 Discovery. LxWxH 4850x2073x1780 Kerb weight 2111kg 4.7 V8 453 185 4.8 19.7 331 2.0 A250 224 155 6.2 45.6 141 2.0 Si4 296 125 7.0 29.4 218 2.0 AMG A35 4Matic 302 155 4.7 35.8 167 2.0 P400e PHEV 398 137 6.3 101.0 64 GranCabrio 2dr open £106,285–£114,330 AAACC 1.5 A180d 116 126 10.5 67.3-68.9 108-111 3.0 SDV6 297 140 6.8 40.4 185 Fantastic looks and soundtrack but an average chassis overall.

2.0 A200d 148 137 8.1 56.5 110 LxWxH 4971x1945x1461 Kerb weight 1973kg 4.4 SDV8 330 140 6.5 33.6 219 2.0 A220d 187 146 7.0 56.5 114 5.0 V8 495 155 5.0 22.1 298 4.7 V8 453 177-179 4.9-5.0 19.4 337 5.0 V8 SVR 535 162 4.5 22.1 298 B-Class 5dr hatch £26,975–£32,375 AAABC Quattroporte 4dr saloon £74,265–£86,675 AAACC A slightly odd prospect, but practical and classy nonetheless.

Range Rover 5dr SUV £81,900–£177,735 AAAAB Now a full-sized executive limo, with some added flair. Off the pace LxWxH 4393x1786x1557 Kerb weight 1395kg in several key areas. LxWxH 5264x1948x1481 Kerb weight 1860kg 1.3 B180 Wherever you are, the Rangie envelops you in a lavish, invincible 136 132 9.0 40.4-47.1 125 sense of occasion. LxWxH 4999x2220x1835 Kerb weight 2249kg 3.0d V6 271 155 6.4 35.8 163 1.3 B200 163 139 8.2 39.8-46.3 126 2.0 P400e PHEV 398 137 6.4 101.0 64 3.0 V6 339 167 5.1 31.0 212 1.5 B180d 116 124 10.7 51.4-60.1 112 3.0 SDV6 275 271 130 7.4 37.2 200 2.0 B200d 148 136 8.3 51.4-57.7 115 4.4 SDV8 339 330 135 7.0 30.4 245 Levante 4dr SUV £58,315–£72,525 AAACC 2.0 B220d 187 145 7.2 50.4-56.5 116 5.0 V8 525 518 155 5.1 21.2 304 Italian flair and good looks in abundance, but diesel not as sonorous as petrols. LxWxH 5003x1968x1679 Kerb weight 2109kg C-Class 4dr saloon £30,845–£75,733 5.0 V8 565 557 155 5.1 20.9 307 AAAAC 3.0d V6 271 143 6.9 39.2 189 Merc ramps up the richness, but the engines and dynamics aren’t refined enough. LxWxH 4686x1810x1442 Kerb weight 1450kg Discovery Sport 5dr SUV £30,145–£50,665 AAAAB 3.0 V6 339 156 6.0 26.4 249 Seven seats, at home on-road and off-road, plus new-found 3.0 V6 S 424 164 5.2 25.9 253 1.6 C180 156 140 8.2-8.3 37.7-43.5 138-145 desirability. LxWxH 4599x2069x1724 Kerb weight 1732kg 1.5 C200 181 149 7.7 37.7-43.5 136-140 MAZDA 2.0 eD4 145 112 10.0 60.1 123 1.5 C200 4Matic 181 145 8.1 35.3-39.8 148 2.0 TD4 E-Capability 145 112 11.0 57.7 129 2 5dr hatch £13,595–£17,395 AAAAC 2.0 C300 258 155 5.9 35.3-39.8 148-153 2.0 TD4 174 117 8.4-9.4 53.3 139 Grown-up, well-made and drives with charm and vigour; engines 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.7 28.0-29.4 213 aren’t brilliant. LxWxH 4060x1695x1495 Kerb weight 1075kg 2.0 SD4 234 127 7.1 44.1 169 4.0 V8 AMG C63 469 155 4.1 25.5-25.9 227 2.0 Si4 240 234 124 7.1 35.3 182 1.5 Skyactiv-G 75 74 106 12.1 60.1 111 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 180 4.0 25.5-25.9 227 2.0 Si 290 281 135 6.5 33.6 190 1.5 Skyactiv-G 90 88 110-114 9.4-12.0 58.9-62.8 111-118 1.6 C200d 158 140 7.9-8.5 48.7-61.4 108-16 1.5 Skyactiv-G 115 113 124 8.7 56.5 127 2.0 C220d 192 149 6.9 45.6-53.3 117-121 Discovery 5dr SUV £47,625–£70,405 AAAAB 2.0 C220d 4Matic 192 145 6.9 40.9-47.9 131 The country bumpkin given elocution lessons without losing its 3 5dr hatch £20,595–£24,995 AAAAC 2.0 C300d 241 155 5.9 43.5-49.6 130 rugged capabilities. LxWxH 4970x2073x1888 Kerb weight 2115kg Pleasing dynamism teamed with good practicality and punchy 2.0 C300d 4Matic 241 155 5.8 42.2-47.9 139 diesel engines. LxWxH 4060x1695x1495 Kerb weight 1351kg 2.0 SD4 234 121 8.0 43.5 171 3.0 V6 Td6 251 130 7.7 39.2 189 2.0 Skyactiv-G 120 118 121 8.9 55.4 119 2.0 Si4 295 125 7.3 29.4 222 2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 162 130 8.2 48.7 135 1.5 Skyactiv-D 105 103 115 11.0 74.3 99 LEXUS 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 148 130 8.1 68.9 107-127 CT 5dr hatch £23,520–£31,270 AAAAC Hybrid-only hatch has a pokey cabin and mismatched character 3 Fastback 4dr saloon £20,595–£21,495 AAAAC 1.8 VVT-i CT200h

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C-Class Estate 5dr estate £32,045–£79,528

Dynamically it puts nearly everything else in the shade. Shame about the interior. LxWxH 4084x1802x1129 Kerb weight 1395kg

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

traits. LxWxH 4350x1765x1445 Kerb weight 1465kg

P

25.5-26.4 249-258 2.0 E220d 2.0 E220d 4Matic AAAAA 2.0 E300e The 570GT retains the lusty, fast appeal of its sister car, even with 2.0 E300de added practicality. LxWxH 4530x2095x1201 Kerb weight 1495kg 3.0 E400d 4Matic 37.7 173 37.7 175 3.8 V8 562 204 3.4 26.6 249 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic+ 4.0 V8 AMG E63 4Matic+ AAAAB 600LT 2dr coupé £185,500 AAAAA 4.0 V8 AMG E63 S 4Matic+ AAAAC

A delicate, vivid and unfettered drive; if you want a daily driver, shop elsewhere. LxWxH 3824x1719x1117 Kerb weight 830kg 217 242

570S 2dr coupé/open £145,305-£164,750 3.8 V8

Elise 2dr open £37,450–£46,550

149 3.5 V6 VVT-i 400 3.5 V6 VVT-i 410 AAAAC 3.5 V6 VVT-i GT430

Dubbed the most car-like Landie ever and it doesn’t disappoint.

Expensive. LxWxH 4803x2032x1665 Kerb weight 1829kg

)

AAABC 1.6 C180 156 138-139 8.4-8.5 34.0-42.2 140-155 1.5 C200 181 146 7.9 36.7-40.9 142-151 1.5 C200 4Matic 181 143 8.4 34.5-38.7 153-162 2.0 Skyactiv-G 145 143 129 9.5 51.4 129 2.0 C300 258 155 6.0 34.5-38.7 150-160 2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 162 135 9.1 47.9 135 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.8 27.4-28.8 214-219 2.5 Skyactiv-G 194 191 138 8.1 42.2 153 4.0 V8 AMG C63 469 155 4.2 25.0-25.5 228 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 148 130 9.1 68.9 107 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 174 4.1 24.8-25.5 229 2.2 Skyactiv-D 184 181 140 7.9 58.6 126 1.6 C200d 158 137 8.2-8.7 47.1-57.7 114-124 2.0 C220d 192 145 7.0 44.8-51.4 123-132 CX-3 5dr SUV £18,995–£24,995 AAAAC 2.0 C220d 4Matic 192 142 7.4 41.5-46.3 132-144 GS 4dr saloon £36,125–£73,375 AAABC Another supermini SUV with a sporting bent. Quite pricey but nicely 2.0 C300d 241 155 6.0 42.8-47.9 133-147 appointed. LxWxH 4275x1765x1535 Kerb weight 1230kg Engine range limits its appeal, but refinement and cabin quality 2.0 C300d 4Matic 241 155 6.0 41.5-47.1 141-153 make amends. LxWxH 4880x1840x1455 Kerb weight 1730kg 2.0 Skyactiv-G 121 118 119 9.0 45.6 141 2.5 VVT-i GS300h 220 118 9.2 56.5-64.2 104-115 2.0 Skyactiv-G 150 148 124 8.8 40.4 160 C-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £35,285–£78,023 AAAAC 3.5 V6 VVT-i GS450h 340 156 5.9 45.6-46.3 141-145 1.5 Skyactiv-D 115 103 114 9.9 64.2 114 Nice balance of style, usability and driver reward.

LxWxH 4696x1810x1405 Kerb weight 1505kg 5.0 V8 GS F 470 167 4.6 25.2 260 CX-5 5dr SUV £24,795–£34,395 AAAAC 1.6 C180 156 140 8.5 35.3-42.8 134-152 LS 4dr saloon £72,595–£105,595 AAABC Offers powerful diesel engines and strong performance, plus a 1.5 C200 181 149 7.9 37.7-42.2 140-148 Luxury saloon gets more tech and opulence but is let down by its welcoming interior. LxWxH 4550x1840x1675 Kerb weight 1575kg 1.5 C200 4Matic 181 145 8.4 35.3-39.8 150-159 hybrid powertrain. LxWxH 5235x1900x1460 Kerb weight 2270kg 2.0 Skyactiv-G 121 118 119 9.0 45.6 141 2.0 C300 258 155 6.0 35.8-39.8 147-157 3.5 V6 VVT-i LS500h 348 155 5.4 43.5 147 2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 162 125 10.3 44.1 146 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.7 28.0-29.4 217 3.5 V6 VVT-i LS500h AWD 348 155 5.4 39.8 161 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 148 112-127 9.4-10.3 48.7-56.5 132-152 4.0 V8 AMG C63 469 155 4.0 25.0-25.5 230 2.2 Skyactiv-D 184 181 129 9.6 51.4 145 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 180 3.9 25.0-25.5 230 RC 2dr coupé £39,145–£69,995 AAABC 2.0 C220d 192 149 7.0 46.3-52.3 121-130 An also-ran, but the V8 RC F packs plenty of character and handles MX-5 2dr open £18,995–£25,795 AAAAA 2.0 C220d 4Matic 192 145 7.3 42.8-47.9 129-141 well enough. LxWxH 4695x1840x1395 Kerb weight 1736kg Brilliantly packaged, priced and perfectly poised but more vibrant 2.0 C300d 241 155 6.0 44.1-49.6 129-143 than the original. LxWxH 3915x1735x1225 Kerb weight 1050kg 2.5 VVT-I RC300h 220 118 8.6 56.5-57.6 113-116 2.0 C300d 4Matic 241 155 6.0 42.8-48.7 137-150 5.0 V8 RC F 470 168 4.5 26.2 251 1.5 Skyactiv-G 132PS 129 127 8.3 47.1 139 2.0 Skyactiv-G 184 181 136 6.5 40.9 156 C-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £39,104–£83,036 AAAAC LC 2dr coupé £76,595–£91,995 AAAAC Take all the good bits about the coupé and add the ability to take Superb-looking coupé shows flickers of what made the LFA great. MX-5 RF 2dr open £22,595–£29,195 AAAAA the roof off. Bingo. LxWxH 4686x1810x1409 Kerb weight 1645kg LxWxH 4770x1920x1345 Kerb weight 1935kg Remains perfectly poised and vibrant, even with a folding metal 1.6 C180 156 137-138 8.9 33.6-41.5 149-159 5.0 V8 LC500 470 168 4.4 24.4-24.6 263-267 roof. LxWxH 3915x1735x1230 Kerb weight 1090kg 1.5 C200 181 146 8.5 36.2-40.4 146-154 3.5 V6 LC500h 354 155 4.7 43.5-44.1 145-148 1.5 Skyactiv-G 132PS 129 126 8.6 46.3 142 1.5 C200 4Matic 181 143 8.8 33.2-38.2 155-166 2.0 Skyactiv-G 184 181 124-126 7.9-8.7 40.9-44.8 143-157 2.0 C300 258 155 6.2 34.0-37.7 153-163 NX 5dr SUV £34,940–£44,440 AAACC 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.8 27.4-28.5 223 McLAREN Some good ideas, but dramatically off the pace to drive.

4.0 V8 AMG C63 469 155 4.2 24.6-24.8 236 LxWxH 4630x1845x1645 Kerb weight 1905kg 540C 2dr coupé £126,055 AAAAC 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 174 4.1 24.4-24.8 236 2.5 VVT-I NX300h 4WD 194 112 9.2 54.3-56.5 116-121 The affordable end of McLaren’s spectrum isn’t any less enthralling 2.0 C220d 191 145 7.5 44.8-49.6 126-136 to drive. LxWxH 4530x2095x1202 Kerb weight 1495kg 2.0 C220d 4Matic 191 142 7.8 40.9-46.3 136-148 RX 5dr SUV £48,690–£59,690 AAABC 3.8 V8 562 204 3.2 26.6 249 2.0 C300d 242 155 6.3 42.2-47.1 138-151

1.8 VVT-i 220 AAAAC 1.8 VVT-i 246

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

hp

Attractively styled but only average to drive.

LxWxH 4805x1840x1480 Kerb weight 1465kg

AAAAC

Lambo’s second SUV is more alluring and aims to use the V8’s power better. LxWxH 5112x2016x1638 Kerb weight 2200kg

148 181

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6 Tourer 5dr estate £24,095–£33,585

3.5 V6 RX450h

Urus 2dr coupé £159,925

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31.4 28.8 23.5

204 225 272 AAABC

Still suffers from divisive styling, although it adds further appeal to the A-Class. LxWxH 4640x1777x1432 Kerb weight 1395kg 1.6 CLA180 1.6 CLA200 2.0 CLA220 4Matic 2.0 CLA45 AMG 4Matic 2.1 CLA220d 2.1 CLA220d 4Matic

119 154 181 370 171 171

130 143 149 155 144 143

8.7-9.0 8.2 7.1 4.2 7.7 7.7

51.4-52.3 44.2 38.2 40.9 67.3 58.9

124-128 147 169 162 106 123

N E W CAR PR I CES P

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Much improved on previous MGs, but still lacks the sophistication of its closest rivals. LxWxH 4314x1809x1611 Kerb weight 1190kg 1.5 VTi-Tech 1.0T GDi

104 109

109 112

10.9 12.4

49.6 44.9

GS 5dr SUV £15,095–£21,095

129 144

163

112-118 9.6

45.5-46.3 139-141

MINI

CLA Shooting Brake 5dr estate £28,245–£45,680

AAAAB AAABC Three-pot engines and cleverly designed interior make the Mini a

The most practical of the A-Class range, but it suffers for its challenging styling. LxWxH 4640x1777x1435 Kerb weight 1430kg 1.6 CLA180 1.6 CLA200 2.0 CLA220 4Matic 2.0 CLA45 AMG 4Matic 2.1 CLA220d 2.1 CLA220d 4Matic

119 154 181 370 171 171

130 140 146 155 142 140

8.8-9.1 8.5 7.2 4.3 7.8 7.8

48.7-50.4 42.9 38.2 40.9 67.3 58.9

130-134 150 168 162 108 126

CLS Coupé 4dr saloon £53,100–£84,120

superb choice. LxWxH 3821x1727x1414 Kerb weight 1190kg

1.5 One 1.5 Cooper 2.0 Cooper S 2.0 John Cooper Works

101 134 189 227

121 10.1-10.2 130 7.8-7.9 145-146 6.7-6.8 152 6.1-6.3

57.6-58.9 60.1-62.8 49.6-54.3 44.8-49.6

109-114 105-112 122-136 133-147

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NISSAN

AAAAC

Refreshed look and better handling makes it an enticing choice.

Has its flaws, though. LxWxH 3991x1743x1455 Kerb weight 1490kg 70 88 88

98 109 111

16.4 12.1 11.9

61.4 64.2 88.3

Leaf 5dr hatch £26,190–£29,390

103 99 85 AAAAC

Better looks, better value and better range from this second-gen electric hatch LxWxH 4387x1768x1520 Kerb weight 1245kg 40kWh

3dr Hatch 3dr hatch £15,905–£26,090

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Micra 5dr hatch £12,875–£18,510

1.0 71PS 0.9 IG-T 90 AAACC 1.5 dCi 90

MG’s first attempt at a small SUV is an attempt to re-establish the brand. LxWxH 4500x1800x1665 Kerb weight 1385kg 1.5 TGI

P

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147

89.5

7.9

NA

0

Juke 5dr hatch £15,505–£20,595

AAABC 1.2 PureTech 110 High-riding, funky hatch is a compelling package. High CO 2 figures, 1.2 PureTech 130 though. LxWxH 4135x1765x1565 Kerb weight 1605kg 1.6 BlueHDi 75 1.6 112 110 111 12.5 38.7-40.4 161-166 1.6 BlueHDi 100 1.5 dCi 110 108 109 11.2 68.9-70.6 104-107 1.6 BlueHDi 120

107 126 74 96 116

117-119 124 103 112 119

9.9-10.3 9.3 13.8 11.3 9.6

58.9-64.2 58.9 76.3 76.3 76.3

103-110 110 97 97 96

Qashqai 5dr SUV £19,995–£28,095 AAAAB 3008 5dr SUV £24,109–£36,379 AAAAC AAAAB The defining modern crossover. The Mk2 is better in all areas, Cleverly packaged Peugeot offers just enough SUV DNA to make

5dr Hatch 5dr hatch £16,145–£24,285

Mini charm in a more usable package, but still not as practical as rivals. LxWxH 3982x1727x1425 Kerb weight 1240kg

AAAAC 1.5 One 101 119 10.1-10.5 57.6-58.9 112-116 Retains the sleek coupé style and has more tech – without losing 1.5 Cooper 134 129 8.1-8.2 58.9-60.1 109-114 its allure. LxWxH 4996x1896x1436 Kerb weight 1935kg 2.0 Cooper S 189 143-144 6.8-6.9 47.9-52.3 125-139 2.0 CLS350 313 155 6.0 39.8 162 3.0 CLS450 4Matic 356 155 4.8 36.2 184 Convertible 2dr open £20,080–£29,430 AAABC 3.0 V6 AMG CLS 53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.5 32.5 203 A fun open-top car but compromised on practicality and dynamics.

LxWxH 3821x1727x1415 Kerb weight 1280kg 3.0 CLS350d 4Matic 277 155 5.7 48.7 159 3.0 CLS400d 4Matic 330 155 5.0 47.9 159 1.5 Cooper 134 128-129 8.7-8.8 55.4-57.6 114-123 2.0 Cooper S 189 142-143 7.1-7.2 47.1-50.4 131-142 SLC 2dr open £31,849–£46,855 AAABC 2.0 John Cooper Works 167 149 6.5-6.6 43.5-47.9 138-152

hence its popularity. LxWxH 4394x1806x1590 Kerb weight 1331kg

the difference. LxWxH 4447x2098x1624 Kerb weight 1250kg

1.3 DIG-T 140 1.3 DIG-T 160 1.5 dCi 115

1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 PureTech 180 1.5 BlueHDi 130 2.0 BlueHDi 180

138 158 113

120 10.5 123-124 8.9-9.9 112 12.3

41.4 121 40.7-41.4 121-122 53.3 100

X-Trail 5dr SUV £29,930–£37,525

126 178 126 175

117 136 119 131

10.5-10.8 8.0 9.5 8.9

54.3-55.4 50.4 70.6 58.9

117-120 128 131 124

AAABC

There aren’t many cheaper ways of owning an SUV. Has a better 5008 5dr SUV £26,259–£38,529 AAAAC range of engines, too. LxWxH 4640x1820x1710 Kerb weight 1505kg Less MPV, more SUV, and shares its siblings’ good looks. Competent 1.6 dCi 130 128 111-116 10.5-11.4 53.3-57.6 129-139 to drive, too. LxWxH 4641x1844x1640 Kerb weight 1511kg 1.6 dCi 130 4WD 1.6 DIG-T 163 2.0 dCi 177 2.0 dCi 177 4WD

128 160 174 174

115 124 123 121-126

11.0 9.7 9.6 9.4-10.0

52.3-53.3 44.1-45.6 48.7-50.4 46.3-50.4

3.7 V6 Nismo

339

155

5.2

26.6

139-143 145-149 148-152 149-162

1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 PureTech 180 1.5 BlueHDi 130 2.0 BlueHDi 180

126 178 129 175

117 135 119 131

10.4-10.9 8.3 10.7 9.1

54.3-55.4 49.6 68.9 58.9

117-120 131 108 129

290 339 355

170 177 180

4.9-5.1 4.4-4.6 4.3-4.6

38.2-40.9 158-168 34.9-38.7 167-184 31.4-34.4 186-205

Another small convertible exhibiting all the charm that a Mercedes should. LxWxH 4143x1810x1301 Kerb weight 1435kg Clubman 5dr hatch £19,995–£32,195 AAAAC PORSCHE 1.6 SLC180 152 139-140 7.9-8.1 48.7 132-133 Cheery and alternative Mini ‘six-door’ takes the brand into new 370Z 2dr coupé £29,805–£40,305 AAABC 2.0 SLC200 178 147-149 6.9-7.0 43.5-47.9 137-150 territory. LxWxH 4253x1800x1441 Kerb weight 1375kg Old-school and profoundly mechanical coupé. The Healey 3000 of 718 Boxster 2dr open £47,935–£64,721 AAAAB 2.0 SLC300 237 155 5.8 47.1 138 1.5 One 102 115 11.3 48.7 130-131 today – but meaner. LxWxH 4265x1845x1315 Kerb weight 1496kg Our idea of drop-top heaven. Exceptional to drive, whether cruising 3.0 V6 AMG SLC43 356 155 4.7 36.2 178 1.5 Cooper 134 127 9.1 55.4 118-123 3.7 V6 323 155 5.3 26.6-26.9 245-248 or hurrying. LxWxH 4379x1801x1280 Kerb weight 1335kg 1.5 Cooper D AAAAB 2.0 Cooper S 2.0 John Cooper Works

SL 2dr open £76,390–£116,260

Big, luxurious drop-top is classier than a royal stud farm. Few feel more special. LxWxH 4631x1877x1315 Kerb weight 1735kg 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–£142,945

36.7 31.4 28.8

175-179 205-210 234

148 189 227

132 142 148

8.5-8.6 7.1-7.2 6.3

68.9 109-115 45.6-48.7 134-147 38.2-41.5 154-168

462 507 541 568

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

248 2.0 2.5 S AAAAC 2.5 GTS

Monstrously fast Nissan has been tweaked and sharpened. Still a AAABC blunt object, though. LxWxH 4710x1895x1370 Kerb weight 1725kg Bigger than before, but still more funky than useful. Still not all that 3.8 V6 562 196 NA 23.9 275 pretty, either. LxWxH 4299x2005x1557 Kerb weight 1440kg 3.8 V6 Nismo 591 196 NA 23.9 275

Countryman 5dr hatch £23,385–£33,995

1.5 Cooper 134 126 9.6 51.4 126-130 AAAAC 1.5 Cooper D 148 129 8.8-8.9 64.2-65.7 113-120 1.5 Cooper D All4 148 127 8.7-8.8 58.9 126-132 2.0 Cooper S 189 140 7.4-7.5 45.6-47.1 137-144 30.1-30.4 216-219 2.0 John Cooper Works 227 145 6.5 38.2-40.9 158-169 30.1 219 1.5 Cooper S E-Hybrid 220 123 6.8 134.5 49-52 24.8-25.0 259 MITSUBISHI 24.8 259 Mirage 5dr hatch £11,075–£13,745 AAACC AAABC A straightforward hatchback – but not for the likes of us.

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

GT-R 2dr coupé £81,995–£151,995

Deliciously natural and involving; a bit ergonomically flawed.

LxWxH NA Kerb weight 1198kg 662

225

NA

20.1

333

PEUGEOT

AAAAA

Scalpel-blade incisiveness, supreme balance and outstanding driver involvement. LxWxH 4379x1801x1295 Kerb weight 1335kg

2.0 2.5 S AAABC 2.5 GTS

NOBLE

M600 2dr coupé £248,000–£287,600 4.4 V8

718 Cayman 2dr coupé £46,075–£62,860 290 339 355

170 177 180

4.9-5.1 4.4-4.6 4.3-4.6

38.2-40.9 158-168 34.9-38.7 167-184 31.4-34.4 186-205

911 2dr coupé £77,891–£207,506

AAAAB

Still as brilliant and distinctive as any before it. More than worthy of its iconic status. LxWxH 4499x1808x1294 Kerb weight 1413kg

3.0 Carrera 359 180-183 4.3-4.6 32.5-38.2 169-201 AABCC 3.0 Carrera T 359 180-182 4.2-4.5 29.7-33.2 193-215 3.0 Carrera S 408 188-191 4.0-4.3 31.8-36.7 174-204 Not the most practical crossover but good looking and very decent LxWxH 3795x1665x1505 Kerb weight 845kg 3.0 Carrera GTS 437 191-193 3.6-4.1 29.7-34.0 188-216 to drive. LxWxH 4417x1804x1494 Kerb weight 1395kg 1.1 Mi-VEC 79 107 11.7-12.8 65.7 99-100 47kW 62 81 15.9 NA 0 3.8 Turbo 524 198 3.0 31.0 212 1.6 GLA200 152 134 8.1-8.4 48.7-50.4 131-138 3.8 Turbo S 564 205 2.9 31.0 212 2.0 GLA250 4Matic 204 143 6.6 43.5 155 ASX 5dr SUV £19,195–£29,485 AAACC 108 3dr/5dr hatch £9504–£13,799 AAABC 4.0 GT3 486 197-198 3.4-3.9 21.9-22.2 288-290 2.0 GLA45 AMG 4Matic 370 155 4.4 38.2 172 Decent engines, but otherwise an unexceptional crossover.

Sister car to the Aygo – and a distant second to most city car 4.0 GT3 RS 513 193 3.2 22.0 291 rivals. LxWxH 3475x1615x1460 Kerb weight 840kg 2.1 GLA200d 132 127 9.1-9.5 67.3 108-115 LxWxH 4355x1770x1640 Kerb weight 1260kg 3.8 GT2 RS 680 211 2.8 23.9 269 2.1 GLA200d 4Matic 132 124 9.1 58.9 127-130 1.6 Mi-VEC 115 114 11.5 47.9-48.7 135-136 1.0 72 71 100 13.0 68.9 93 2.1 GLA220d 4Matic 171 135 7.7 58.9 127-130 1.6 DI-D 2WD 112 113 11.2 61.4 119 1.0 72 2-Tronic 71 100 15.2 67.3 95 911 Cabriolet 2dr open £86,732–£112,552 AAAAB 1.6 DI-D 4WD 112 111 11.5 56.5 132 Cutting the top off enhances the aural drama. For visual impact GLC 5dr SUV £37,340–£91,594 AAAAC 2.2 DI-D 4WD 148 118 10.8 48.7 152 208 3dr/5dr hatch £15,004–£18,404 AAABC choose the Targa. LxWxH 4499x1808x1289 Kerb weight 1500kg Not exactly exciting to drive, but does luxury and refinement A big improvement for Peugeot, if not for the supermini class.

3.0 Carrera 359 178-181 4.5-4.8 31.7-37.7 172-206 better than most. LxWxH 4656x1890x1639 Kerb weight 1735kg Eclipse Cross 5dr SUV £21,290–£28,480 AAACC LxWxH 3475x1615x1460 Kerb weight 1065kg 3.0 Carrera S 408 187-188 4.2-4.5 31.4-36.2 184-204 2.0 GLC 250 4Matic 208 138 7.3 37.7 172 Stylish, future-looking mid-sized SUV shows where Mitsubishi’s 1.2 PureTech 82 79 109-111 12.2-14.5 62.8-67.3 97-104 3.0 Carrera GTS 437 190-192 3.7-4.2 29.1-33.6 190-220 destiny lies. LxWxH 4695x1810x1710 Kerb weight 1425kg 3.0 V6 AMG GLC43 4Matic 356 155 4.9 34.0 189 1.2 PureTech 110 107 118 9.8-9.6 62.8-65.7 99-104 3.8 Turbo 524 198 3.1 30.4 216 4.0 V8 AMG GLC63 4Matic 462 155 4.0 27.4 234 1.5 Mi-VEC 2WD 160 124-127 9.3-10.3 42.2-42.8 151-154 1.5 BlueHDi 100 102 117 10.7 76.3 102 3.8 Turbo S 564 205 3.0 30.4 216 4.0 V8 AMG GLC63 S 4Matic 495 155 3.8 26.4 244 1.5 Mi-VEC 4WD 160 124 9.8 40.4 159 3.0 Targa 4 359 178-179 4.5-4.7 31.7-35.8 182-206 2.1 GLC 220d 4Matic 168 130 8.3 47.9 156 308 5dr hatch £19,644–£29,564 AAAAB 3.0 Targa 4S 408 187-188 4.2-4.4 35.3-31.4 184-204 2.1 GLC 250d 4Matic 198 138 7.6 56.5 129 Outlander 5dr SUV £28,670–£45,600 AAABC Classy all-round appeal makes it a serious contender, but rear 3.0 Targa 4 GTS 437 190-191 3.7-4.1 29.1-32.5 196-220

GLA 5dr SUV £23,875–£46,055

Creditable effort, but still cheap in places: PHEV a boon for fleet

GLC Coupé 5dr SUV £42,365–£93,989

AAAAC users. LxWxH 4695x1810x1710 Kerb weight 1565kg 2.0 Mi-VEC 4WD 148 118 13.3 37.7 171 2.2 DI-D 4WD 148 118-124 10.2-11.6 48.7-53.3 139-154 173 2.0 Mi-VEC PHEV 200 106 11.0 116.1 41 192 234 Shogun 5dr SUV £33,315–£44,075 AABCC 244 Has its appeal. Needs more chassis finesse but still charming.

LxWxH 4385x1875x1870 Kerb weight 2185kg 161 131-143 3.2 DI-DC 4WD 187 111 10.4-11.1 30.4-31.4 238-245

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

211 356 462 495 168 198

138 155 155 155 130 138

7.3 4.9 4.0 3.8 8.3 7.6

37.2 33.6 27.4 26.4 46.4 56.5

GLE 5dr SUV £65,030–£101,955

AAAAC

The ML replacement isn’t inspiring to drive but does come with a classy interior. LxWxH 4819x2141x1796 Kerb weight 2165kg 3.0 V6 GLE350d 4Matic 3.0 V6 AMG GLE43 4Matic 5.5 V8 AMG GLE63 S 4Matic

251 379 568

140 155 155

7.1 5.7 4.2

42.8 31.7 23.9

192 205 276

GLE Coupé 5dr SUV £65,030–£102,010

Shogun Sport 5dr SUV £37,775–£39,775

251 379 568

140 155 155

7.0 5.7 4.2

39.2 30.0 23.7

3.0 G350d 4Matic 4.0 V8 AMG G63 4Matic

282 577

124 137

7.4 4.5

29.4 21.6

187 215 278

2.0 V-twin 82

82

115

6.0

30.3

215

251 568

138 7.8 155-168 4.6

37.2 23.0

Roadster 2dr open £55,075 199 288

AAAAC

Lifts the bar on commercial vehicle comfort while retaining tough qualities. LxWxH 5340x2113x1819 Kerb weight 2234kg 2.3 X220 d 2.3 X250 d 3.0 V6 X350 d

163 190 285

105 109 127

Plus 4 2dr open £44,105

12.9 11.8 7.9

37.2 35.8 31.4

200 207 236

MG

AACCC

More advanced, but pricey and needs better brakes.

LxWxH 4010x1720x1220 Kerb weight 950kg 3.7 V6 Cyclone

X-Class 5dr pick-up £32,772–£46,020

280

140

5.5

104

108

10.4

51.5

107 126 224 259 99 126 175

117 128-129 146 155 112 127 140

11.1 9.1-9.6 7.4 6.0 12.2 9.8 8.2

70.6 62.8 51.0 47.1 76.3 80.7 64.2

308 SW 5dr estate £20,594–£28,974

95 104-106 132 148 96 93 116

Estate bodystyle enjoys the classy appeal of the hatchback.

67.3 61.4-62.8 50.5 75.7 76.3 61.4

508 4dr saloon £25,039–£37,014

99 106 133 98 111-112 120

AAAAC

Stylish and likeable but lacking the polish of more premium rivals.

LxWxH 4750x1859x1430 Kerb weight 1535kg 129 174 220

129 146 155

9.4-9.7 8.0 7.1

Plus 8 2dr open £83,405

230 AAACC

Old V8 charm lives on, but there’s no ignoring the high price.

LxWxH 4010x1751x1220 Kerb weight 1100kg 4.4 V8

Aero 8 2dr open £88,194

367

155

4.5

23.0

79

105

13.5

57.6

114

3.0 V6 4 2.9 V6 4S 2.9 V6 E-Hybrid 4.0 V8 Turbo

321 428 449 533

5.7 5.5-5.6 4.4-4.5 4.6-4.7 3.8-3.9 3.4-3.5

37.7 35.8-36.2 34.0-34.9 113.0 29.7-30.4 97.4

160 177 170 188

5.5 4.4 4.6 3.8

36.2 34.9 108.6 30.1

Macan 5dr SUV £45,915–£86,267

173 177-180 184-189 56 212-217 66

180 189 59 217 AAAAB

Spookily good handling makes this a sports utility vehicle in the purest sense. LxWxH 4692x1923x1624 Kerb weight 1770kg 244 330 350 388 428

142 157 159 165 169

6.7 5.4 5.2 4.8 4.4

39.2 32.1 31.7 31.4 29.7

Cayenne 5dr SUV £55,965–£99,291

172 212 215 216 224 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

30.7 31.4 24.1

213 209 272

RADICAL

RXC GT 2dr open NA

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

282 AAABC

164 162 179 172 190 192

The Panamera in a more practical form, and now it’s a good-looking beast. LxWxH 5049x1937x1428 Kerb weight 1880kg

3.0 V6 2.9 V6 S AAABC 4.0 V8 Turbo

2008 5dr SUV £17,424–£24,184

321 321 428 449 533 660

Panamera Sport Turismo 5dr estate £73,071–£139,287 AAAAA

2.0 3.0 V6 S 3.0 V6 GTS 3.6 V6 Turbo AAABC 3.6 Turbo P’formance P’kge

Outgoing estate just as good as the old saloon, but better looking.

AAAAA

Revamped big saloon is an absolute belter, making it almost the perfect grand tourer. LxWxH 5049x1937x1423 Kerb weight 1815kg

74.3-76.3 98-101 60.2 124 49.6 131

508 SW 5dr estate £26,685–£35,125

1.2 PureTech 82

Panamera 4dr saloon £67,898–£146,545

3.0 V6 3.0 V6 4 2.9 V6 4S 2.9 V6 E-Hybrid 4.0 V8 Turbo AAAAB 4.0 V8 Turbo S E-Hybrid

Efficient and well-mannered but facelift still leaves it short on space and style. LxWxH 4159x1829x1556 Kerb weight 1045kg

28.8

Morgan’s flagship is a modern take on a classic look, although the 3 5dr hatch £9495–£12,795 AAABC old charm remains. LxWxH 4147x1751x1248 Kerb weight 1180kg Neatly tuned and nice sporty styling. Breaks the mould for sub4.4 V8 367 170 4.5 23.0 282 £9000 superminis. LxWxH 4018x1729x1507 Kerb weight 1125kg 1.5 VTI-Tech

1.2 PureTech 110 1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 PureTech 225 1.6 PureTech 260 1.6 BlueHDi 100 1.5 BlueHDi 130 2.0 BlueHDi 180 EAT8

AABCC LxWxH 4829x1828x1476 Kerb weight 1430kg Needs more chassis finesse, but the Plus 4 still charms 1.6 BlueHDi 120 116 123-124 11.2-11.3 67.3-74.3 100-108 nonetheless. LxWxH 4010x1720x1220 Kerb weight 927kg 2.0 BlueHDi 150 145 130 9.1 67.3 110 AAABC 2.0 GDi 154 118 7.5 40.0 164 2.0 BlueHDi 180 175 137-140 8.6-8.9 61.4-64.2 114-119 253 299

The replacement for the massive GL can still seat seven in comfort. LxWxH 5162x1982x1850 Kerb weight 2475kg 3.0 V6 GLS 350d 4Matic 5.5 V8 AMG GLS63 4Matic

space is a little tight. LxWxH 4253x1804x1457 Kerb weight 1190kg

1.5 BlueHDi 130 AACCC 2.0 BlueHDi 180 1.6 PureTech 225

4/4 2dr open £40,205

Has its appeal but not as rewarding to drive as it could be.

G-Class 5dr SUV £94,000–£152,670 AAABC LxWxH 4010x1630x1220 Kerb weight 795kg Massively expensive and compromised, but with character in 1.6 i4 Sigma 110 115 8.0 44.1 143 abundance. LxWxH 4764x1867x1954 Kerb weight 2550kg

GLS 5dr SUV £73,940–£104,085

Good electric powertrain; looks extremely old hat against better EV rivals. LxWxH 3474x1475x1608 Kerb weight 1120kg

AAACC LxWxH 4585x1563x1472 Kerb weight 1190kg Has a fitness for purpose that could appeal to those who tow or 1.2 PureTech 110 107 117 11.6 haul big loads LxWxH 4785x1815x1805 Kerb weight 2100kg 1.2 PureTech 130 126 127 9.5-10.0 2.5 DOHC 4WD 179 112 11.0 32.8 227 1.6 PureTech 225 224 146 7.5 1.5 BlueHDI 100 99 111 12.3 MORGAN 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 126 10.0 3 Wheeler 0dr open £40,075 AAAAA 2.0 BlueHDi 180 EAT8 175 139 8.4

AAAAC The eccentric, characterful and brilliant Morgan is a testament to Not the prettiest SUV you will ever see, but a decent option against English creativity. LxWxH 3225x1720x1000 Kerb weight 525kg the BMW X6. LxWxH 4900x2129x1731 Kerb weight 2240kg 2.0 V-twin 68 68 115 7.0 34.9 187 3.0 V6 GLE 350d 4Matic 3.0 V6 AMG GLE43 4Matic 5.5 V8 AMG GLE63 S 4Matic

iOn 5dr hatch £20,495

179 180

2.8 2.7

NA NA

NA NA

R E N A U LT

Twizy 2dr hatch £6690–£7690

AAABC

Zany solution to personal mobility is suitably irreverent and impractical. LxWxH 2338x1381x1454 Kerb weight 474kg MB L7e

17

50

NA

NA

0

124

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 87

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Zoe 5dr hatch £18,420–£27,020

om

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AAABC

A far more practical zero-emission solution. Attractive price, too.

LxWxH 4084x1730x1562 Kerb weight 1470kg 5AGEN2 5AGEN3

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Leon 5dr hatch £18,175–£31,205

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84 84

13.5 13.5

NA NA

75 87 87

1.5 TSI EVO 130 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 190 2.0 TSI Cupra AAABC 1.6 TDI 115

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

48.7-51.4 125-132 68.9-74.3 101-107 39.2 163

128 148 188 288 113

129 134 144 150 122

9.5 8.2 7.3 5.2 9.9

58.9 56.5 55.4 45.6 42.2 67.3-68.9

109 113 117 141 152 108-112

107 113 127 107 NA

11.2 9.8-10.0 8.3 11.9 NA

AAABC LxWxH 4363x1841x1601 Kerb weight 1280kg Good-looking MPV riding on 20in wheels, but overall a bland car to 1.0 EcoTSI 115 113 114 11.0 drive. LxWxH 4406x1866x1653 Kerb weight 1428kg 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 123 8.6 1.2 TCe 115 112 115 12.3 48.7 129 2.0 TSI 190 4Drive 187 132 7.9 1.2 TCe 140 138 121 10.1 52.3 122 1.6 TDI 115 113 114 11.5 1.5 dCi 110 107 114 12.4 70.6-72.4 100-104 2.0 TDI 150 4Drive 148 122 9.0 1.5 dCi 110 Hybrid Assist 107 NA NA 80.7 94 2.0 TDI 190 4Drive 187 132 7.5 1.6 dCi 130 126 118 11.4 62.8 116 1.6 dCi 160 156 124 10.7 62.8 118 Alhambra 5dr MPV £28,705–£35,840

57.6 56.5-57.6 55.4 70.6 NA

111 113-114 115 105 NA

53.3-54.3 49.6 40.4 62.8 55.4-56.5 53.3

119-120 129 159 118-119 128-129 135

AAAAC

AAABC good to drive. LxWxH 4854x1904x1730 Kerb weight 1755kg 1.4 TSI 150 148 124 9.9 43.5 150 2.0 TDI Ecomotive 150 148 123-124 10.2-10.3 54.3-55.4 130-137 1.2 TCe 115 112 115 12.3 48.7 129 S KO DA 1.2 TCe 140 138 118 11.4 52.3 122 1.5 dCi 110 107 114 12.4 70.6-72.4 100-104 Citigo 3dr hatch £8860–£11,500 AAABC 1.5 dCi 110 Hybrid Assist 107 NA NA 80.7 94 A Czech take on the city car is more fun to drive than its plain-Jane exterior suggests. LxWxH 3597x1641x1478 Kerb weight 854kg 1.6 dCi 130 126 118 11.4 62.8 116 1.0 MPI 60 GreenTech 59 100 13.9 57.7 96 1.6 dCi 160 156 124 10.7 62.8 118 1.0 MPI 75 GreenTech 74 107 13.1 57.7 96 Captur 5dr SUV £15,300–£21,100 AAAAC Jacked-up Clio is among the better downsized options. Stylish and Fabia 5dr hatch £12,840–£18,435 AAABC

Good-looking seven-seat MPV is bland to drive and the third row seats are tight. LxWxH 4634x1866x1655 Kerb weight 1495kg

fluent-riding. LxWxH 4122x1778x1566 Kerb weight 1184kg 13.2 13.1

55.4 78.5

139 95

Comfortable, affordable, easy-to-drive and attractive, but no more so than its rivals. LxWxH 4009x1958x1452 Kerb weight 1151kg

1.0 MPI 75 1.0 TSI 95 AAAAC 1.0 TSI 110 Fine value, practical, decent to drive and good-looking, but the 1.0 TSI 110 DSG

Kadjar 5dr SUV £20,430–£27,860

Qashqai is classier. LxWxH 4449x1836x1607 Kerb weight 1306kg 1.2 TCe 140 1.6 TCe 160 1.5 dCi 115

138 158 112

119 10.1-10.7 50.4-51.4 123-126 127 9.2 47.1 134 112-113 11.7-11.9 74.3 99

73 94 108 108

104 114 121 120

14.9 10.8 9.6 10.1

Fabia Estate 5dr estate £13,860–£18,320

AAAAB 1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 110

An intimate and involving Rolls. Not as grand as some, but other traits make it great. LxWxH 5285x1947x1507 Kerb weight 2360kg 624

155

4.6

19.8

327

Dawn 2dr open £266,055–£302,655

93 108

114 123

10.6 9.5

Octavia 5dr hatch £17,800–£29,640

Still hugely special. LxWxH 5399x1948x1550 Kerb weight 2360kg 563

155

4.9-5.0

19.8-20.0 327-329

Phantom 4dr saloon £362,055

99 106

14.4 13.2

64.2 64.2

from the Fiesta. LxWxH 4059x1780x1444 Kerb weight 1091kg 1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 115 1.5 TSI EVO 150 1.6 TDI 95

93 113 148 93

113 121 134 113

10.9 9.3 7.9 7.5

60.1 60.1 57.6 74.3

106 108 112 99

148 217 276 118 148 187

137 152 155 128 135-137 143

8.3-8.5 6.8 5.6 10.5-10.6 8.5-8.6 7.3

1.2 Dualjet 1.2 Dualjet SHVS 4x4 1.0 Boosterjet AAAAC 1.4 Boosterjet Sport

Kodiaq 5dr SUV £29,290–£37,590

Skoda’s first seven-seat SUV is a viable alternative to a traditional MPV. LxWxH 4697x1882x1676 Kerb weight 1430kg 148 148 177 148 148 187

123 120-122 128 123 120-122 130

9.3 9.5-9.6 7.7 9.8 9.4-9.6 8.3

44.8 39.8-40.9 38.2 56.5 49.6-52.3 49.6

143 155-163 170 131 141-149 150

SMART

Fortwo 3dr hatch/open £11,415–£27,135

148 217 276 118 148 148 187

135 151 155 127-128 132-135 132 142

8.4-8.6 6.9 5.6 10.6-10.7 8.6-8.8 8.8 7.4

68 87 79

94 96 80

14.4-15.5 65.7-68.9 93-99 10.4-11.7 65.7-68.9 96-99 11.5-11.8 NA 0

148 113 148

126 116 121

Four doors give the Smart more mainstream practicality. Still expensive, though. LxWxH 3495x1665x1555 Kerb weight 975kg 1.0 71 0.9 90 Electric Drive

68 87 79

94 102 80

15.9-16.9 67.3 96-97 11.2-11.9 65.7-67.3 98-99 12.7 NA 0

Trails the Duster as the best-value small crossover – but not by much. LxWxH 4195x1795x1590 Kerb weight 1270kg 1.6 128 1.6d 115 1.6d 115 4x4

126 113 113

99-106 11.0-12.0 39.2-44.1 149-167 107-109 12.0 51.4-65.7 113-146 107-109 12.0 47.9-60.1 123-156

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97 106 AAABC

100

90

11.9

35.8

178 AAABC

Now grown in size for more practicality but that doesn’t increase the Tivoli’s appeal. LxWxH 4440x1798x1635 Kerb weight 1405kg 126 113 113

99-106 11.0-12.0 37.2-39.8 165-176 107-109 12.0 47.9-62.8 117-154 107-109 12.0 44.8-57.6 127-164 AAACC

Good for a Ssangyong but poor by class standards.

LxWxH 4410x1830x1710 Kerb weight 1725kg 2.0 146 2.2d 178 2.2d 178 4x4

144 175 175

101 115 115

12.5 9.9 9.9

37.7 175 53.3 139-152 40.9-48.7 152-179

Practical pick-up has a refined engine and direct steering, but ride needs refinement. LxWxH 5095x1950x1840 Kerb weight 2155kg 2.2d 181

178

115-121 12.2

32.8-35.8 211-226

Rexton 5dr SUV £28,495–£38,495 178

115

11.3-11.9 34.0-36.2 204-218

Turismo 5dr MPV £20,995–£27,495

65.7 62.7 56.5-61.4 50.4

98 101 104-114 125

AAABC

108 87

118-124 11.0-11.4 57.6-62.7 105-115 105 12.6 70.6 94 AAABC

136

124

10.2

51.3-52.3 127-128 AAABC

A worthy crossover if not a class leader. Refreshed looks give a lease of life. LxWxH 4300x1785x1585 Kerb weight 1160kg 108 108 136

106-112 11.0-12.4 54.3-56.4 113-119 109 12.0 53.3 119 124 10.2 49.5-50.4 127-128 TESLA

Model S 5dr hatch £70,950–£127,750

AAAAB

Large range makes it not only a standout EV but also the future of luxury motoring. LxWxH 4978x1963x1445 Kerb weight 2108kg 323 602 602

140 155 155

4.2 4.1 2.5

NA NA NA

Model X 5dr SUV £78,000–£134,150

0 0 0 AAAAB

A genuine luxury seven-seat electric SUV which also has a large range. LxWxH 5036x2070x1684 Kerb weight 2459kg 323 602 602

140 155 155

4.4 4.7 2.9

NA NA NA

0 0 0

T OYO TA

Aygo 3dr hatch £9295–£14,595

AAACC

Impactful styling does a lot to recommend it, but not as refined nor as practical as some. LxWxH 3455x1615x1460 Kerb weight 840kg 71

99

13.8

68.9

Yaris 5dr hatch £13,320–£26,295

92 AAABC

Stylish interior but ultimately a scaled-down version of bigger Toyotas. LxWxH 3495x1695x1510 Kerb weight 975kg 67 108 71 206

96 108 102 143

15.3 11.0-11.2 11.8 6.3

65.7 58.5-60.1 85.6 37.0

Auris 5dr hatch £20,520–£27,270

99 105-112 82 170

AAABC

Disappointingly average. There are many better rivals out there.

LxWxH 4330x1760x1475 Kerb weight 1235kg

AAABC 1.2 Turbo VVT-i 1.8 VVT-I Hybrid

A vast improvement. Better on the road but without ditching its argicultural roots. LxWxH 4850x1960x1825 Kerb weight 2102kg

11.9 12.6 10.0-10.6 8.1

S-Cross 5dr SUV £17,499–£26,099

1.0 VVT-I 1.5 VVT-I 1.5 VVT-I Hybrid AAACC 1.8 VVT-I GRMN

Musso 5dr SUV £23,933-£33,833

111 105 118-121 130

Vitara 5dr SUV £16,999–£25,649

1.0 VVT-i

Korando 5dr SUV £16,995–£24,995

87 87 108 138

Utterly worthy addition to the class drives better than most.

LxWxH 4175x1775x1610 Kerb weight 1075kg

75D 100D AAABC P100D

Tivoli XLV 5dr SUV £17,495–£21,645 1.6 128 1.6d 115 1.6d 115 4x4

1.0 Boosterjet 1.2 Dualjet SHVS

75D 100D AAABC P100D

S S A N G YO N G

Tivoli 5dr SUV £13,995–£21,695

112 134

124 112

10.1-10.5 58.9-61.4 106-112 10.9 80.7 79

Auris Touring Sports 5dr estate £21,260–£27,270

AAABC

Nothing wrong with this estate, but then there’s nothing

AAACC exceptional either. LxWxH 4595x1760x1485 Kerb weight 1285kg 52.3 103 Incredibly ungainly but offers huge real estate for the money.

1.2 Turbo VVT-i 112 124 10.4-10.8 58.9 110-112 LxWxH 5130x1915x1850 Kerb weight 2115kg 51.4 106 1.8 VVT-I Hybrid 134 112 11.2 80.7 81 2.2d 178 175 108-116 NA 36.2-39.2 189-205 AAAAC C-HR 5dr SUV £21,880–£29,170 AAAAC

58.9 54.3-57.7 47.9 42.8-44.1 68.9-72.4 65.7

108-110 114-121 133 146-150 103-106 113

SUBARU

Coupé-shaped crossover certainly turns heads and impresses on

Impreza 5dr hatch £24,310–£25,010

AAACC the road. LxWxH 4360x1795x1565 Kerb weight 1320kg 1.2 Turbo 112 114-118 10.9-11.1 47.1-47.9 117-118 1.2 Turbo AWD 112 111 11.4 44.8 128 44.1 145 1.8 VVT-I Hybrid 119 105 11.0 72.4-74.3 92-93 42.8 152 RAV4 5dr SUV £29,295–£35,275 AAACC AAACC A solid option but ultimately outgunned by Korean competition.

Appealing hatchback has been steadily improved but still feels old-fashioned. LxWxH 4415x1740x1465 Kerb weight 1374kg 1.6i 2.0i

112 153

112 127

12.4 9.8

Levorg 5dr estate £30,010

Impressively practical but only offered with an automatic gearbox

58.9 53.3-56.5 46.3 42.8-44.1 68.9-72.4 58.9-65.7 60.1 56.5

108-110 117-124 139 146-150 103-106 113-119 124 130

XV 5dr SUV £25,310–£28,510

44.8-45.6 34.9 31.7 57.7-60.1 52.3-56.5 44.8

119-121 147 160 110-111 113-116 138

AAACC

No-nonsense crossover doesn’t quite make enough sense.

LxWxH 4450x1780x1615 Kerb weight 1355kg 1.6i 2.0i

112 154

109 120

13.9 10.4

44.1 40.9

Forester 5dr estate £26,510–£32,035

145 155 AAACC

Solid, spacious and wilfully unsexy. A capable 4x4 nonetheless.

LxWxH 4610x1795x1735 Kerb weight 1488kg 148 237

118-119 10.6-11.8 40.9-43.5 150-160 137 7.5 33.2 197

172

130

10.2

44.1-44.8 34.9 31.4 56.5-62.8 52.3-56.5 48.7 44.8

121-122 148 164 102-114 114-117 125 139

8.1-8.3 51.4-52.3 123-125 10.4-10.5 61.4-64.2 117-120 8.4-9.0 54.3-56.5 131-137

43.5 57.6 55.4

152 115 118 AAABC

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 38.2-39.2 190-194

GT86 2dr coupé £27,285–£31,795

AAAAB

Almost the most fun you can have on a limited budget. Splendid.

LxWxH 4240x1775x1320 Kerb weight 1247kg 2.0i

197

130-140 7.6-8.2

36.2-39.8 164-180

Prius 5dr hatch £24,245–£28,350

161

120

112

10.6

85.6-94.1 70-76

Prius Plug-in Hybrid 5dr hatch £31,695–£33,895

159

5.2

1.8 VVT-i Hybrid

120

101

11.1

Prius+ 5dr MPV £27,830–£30,175

283.0

22 AAACC

LxWxH 4645x1775x1575 Kerb weight 1500kg 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid

27.2

242

132

103

11.3

64.2-68.9 96-101

VA U X H A L L

Viva 5dr hatch £10,175–£11,940 AAABC AAABC Plenty of space but lacks its rivals’ equipment, joie de vivre and

SUZUKI

Celerio 5dr hatch £7999–£9,649

Ignis 5dr hatch £11,499–£15,964

AAAAC

Cute and rugged-looking 4x4 city car capable of tackling roads bereft of asphalt. LxWxH 3700x1660x1595 Kerb weight 855kg 106

its skin. LxWxH 4645x1760x1470 Kerb weight 1530kg

AAABC Expensive, old and ugly variant of the Prius, but can carry seven.

Appealing and behind the times all at once.

LxWxH 4595x1795x1475 Kerb weight 1534kg

87

10.7 8.4 8.4

AAAAC AAAAA Plug-in version is clever and appealing. Seems more comfortable in

WRX STI 4dr saloon £32,055

295

114 112 112

Land Cruiser 5dr SUV £34,690–£54,040

1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 40.4

BRZ 2dr coupé £27,025–£28,510

2.5i

149 194 194

looks, though. LxWxH 4540x1760x1470 Kerb weight 1375kg

Acceptable in isolation but no class leader.

LxWxH 4815x1840x1605 Kerb weight 1612kg 2.5i

LxWxH 4605x1845x1675 Kerb weight 1605kg

2.0 AWD 2.5 Hybrid 2.5 Hybrid AWD

AAAAC AABCC Better all round compared with its predecessors. Challenging

Outback 5dr estate £29,995–£33,010

1.2 Dualjet

88 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

87 87

)

Suzuki’s family-sized hatchback makes use of clever little engines.

LxWxH 3995x1745x1470 Kerb weight 920kg

1.0 Boosterjet 1.0 Boosterjet Allgrip AAACC 1.4 Boosterjet Allgrip

Forfour 5dr hatch £11,910–£22,285

Pleasing to drive, cheap to buy and decent to sit in. No-nonsense Karoq 5dr SUV £22,605–£31,175 AAAAC and likeable for it. LxWxH 3600x1600x1540 Kerb weight 835kg Yeti replacement may not have its forebear’s quirkiness, but it’s 1.0 K10C Dualjet 66 96 13.0 78.4 84 brilliant otherwise. LxWxH 4382x1841x1603 Kerb weight 1265kg 1.5 TSI 150 1.6 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150 4x4

hp

Baleno 5dr hatch £12,999–£17,379

AAACC 1.4 Boosterjet

Pricey two-seater has urban appeal but is short on performance and handling. LxWxH 2695x1663x1555 Kerb weight 890kg

The GT86’s half-brother looks great in Subaru blue. Cheaper, too.

Superb Estate 5dr estate £23,450–£38,500 AAAAC LxWxH 4240x1775x1320 Kerb weight 1242kg Even more commendable than above, primarily thanks to its 2.0i 197 130-140 7.6-8.2 36.2-39.8 164-180 enormous boot. LxWxH 4856x1864x1477 Kerb weight 1365kg

1.4 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 220 2.0 TSI 280 4X4 1.6 TDI 120 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 2.0 TDI 190 4X4

r (b

Given mature looks, more equipment and a hybrid powertrain, but it’s no class leader. LxWxH 3840x1735x1495 Kerb weight 890kg

AAABC 2.2d 181

not on price. LxWxH 4861x1864x1468 Kerb weight 1340kg

102 102

e ow

Swift 5dr hatch £11,999–£17,999

AAAAC and one trim. LxWxH 4690x1780x1490 Kerb weight 1568kg Class-leading amount of space and practicality. Comfortable, too. 1.6i 167 130 8.9 39.8 164

1.4 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 220 2.0 TSI 280 4X4 1.6 TDI 120 Ibiza 5dr hatch £15,595–£21,345 AAAAB 2.0 TDI 150 Reinvigorated Ibiza is more mature and takes the class honours 2.0 TDI 190 4X4 59 74

111 105 107 110

P

1.5 VVT

Superb 5dr hatch £22,130–£37,120 AAAAC 2.0i 150 AAABC Another great Czech value option that’s big on quality and space if 2.0i 241

S E AT

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

47.7 61.4 60.1 58.9

Octavia Estate 5dr estate £19,000–£32,600

AAAAA LxWxH 4667x1814x1465 Kerb weight 1247kg Phantom takes opulent luxury to a whole level.

1.0 TSI 115 113 124-125 9.8 LxWxH 5762x2018x1646 Kerb weight 2560kg 1.5 TSI 150 148 134 7.9-8.0 6.75 TV12 563 155 5.3-5.4 20.3 318-319 2.0 TSI 190 188 143 7.4 2.0 TSI 245 vRS 241 155 6.5 Cullinan 4dr SUV £250,000 AAAAC 1.6 TDI 115 113 124-125 9.8-9.9 Big, bold new 4x4 begins the next era for the brand, with a model 2.0 TDI 150 148 132-134 8.2-8.3 that convinces. LxWxH 5341x2164x1835 Kerb weight 2730kg 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 148 130 8.1 6.75 TV12 563 155 5.2 18.8 341 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 Scout 148 129 8.8

Mii 5dr hatch £11,690–£12,210

AAAAC

Does comfort and practicality like no other. Good, frugal engines

AAAAB too. LxWxH 4670x1814x1461 Kerb weight 1225kg Essentially as above, except with a detuned engine and in elegant 1.0 TSI 115 113 126 9.6-9.7 convertible form. LxWxH 5295x1947x1502 Kerb weight 2560kg 1.4 TSI 150 148 136 7.8-7.9 6.6 V12 563 155 5.0 19.6 330 2.0 TSI 190 188 147 7.3 2.0 TSI 245 vRS 241 155 6.4 Ghost 4dr saloon £227,423–£262,823 AAAAC 1.6 TDI 115 113 126 9.8 ‘A ffordable’ Rolls is a more driver-focused car than the Phantom.

2.0 TDI 150 148 135 8.1 6.6 V12

111 106 107 106

With the Rapid’s skinny body, a hatchback shape makes the most sense. LxWxH 4304x1706x1459 Kerb weight 1090kg

R O L L S - R OYC E

6.6 V12

57.7 61.4 60.1 60.1

Far more practical, majoring on boot space while doing what a good Skoda should. LxWxH 4271x1958x1473 Kerb weight 1182kg

1.0 MPI 75 74 105 15.2 Koleos 5dr SUV £27,495–£31,495 AAABC 1.0 TSI 95 94 115 10.9 Koleos name returns and is a vast improvement on before, but no 1.0 TSI 110 108 122 9.7 class leader. LxWxH 4672x2063x1678 Kerb weight 1540kg 1.0 TSI 110 DSG 108 121 10.2 2.0 dCi 175 169 126 10.7 50.4 148 2.0 dCi 175 4WD X-Tronic 169 125 9.5 47.9 156 Rapid Spaceback 5dr hatch £14,550–£18,845

Wraith 2dr coupé £224,823–£280,223

)

Jimny 3dr SUV £15,499–£17,999

1.0 71 0.9 90 AAAAB Electric Drive

This cheaper version of the VW Sharan is spacious, versatile and

Grand Scenic 5dr MPV £23,810–£32,650

106 106

km

Charming 4x4 is capable and affordable but retains its dynamic foibles. LxWxH 3645x1645x1725 Kerb weight 1135kg

class dynamically. LxWxH 4138x1780x1543 Kerb weight 1165kg

Seat’s first SUV is very good. So good, in fact, it’s a Qashqai beater.

Scenic 5dr MPV £22,010–£30,850

87 87

C

(g/ O2

1.2 Dualjet SHVS 1.2 Dualjet SHVS 4x4

1.4 TSI 150 1.4 TSI 150 4x4 2.0 TSI 180 4x4 2.0 TDI 150 Arona 5dr SUV £16,905–£25,120 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 Seat’s second SUV doesn’t disappoint, with it taking charge of the 2.0 TDI 190 4x4

1.0 TSI 95 93 1.0 TSI 115 113 Mégane Sport Tourer 5dr estate £18,050–£22,410 AAABC 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 Stylish and refined estate car is still bland like the hatch. Smaller 1.6 TDI 95 93 than its predecessor. LxWxH 4626x1814x1457 Kerb weight 1409kg 1.6 TDI 115 113 1.2 TCe 140 138 127 9.8 48.7-51.4 125-132 1.5 Blue dCi 115 113 118 11.1 68.9-74.3 101-107 Ateca 5dr SUV £21,880–£31,510

0.9 TCe 90 1.5 dCi 90

)

0 0

110 12.3 56.5 114 112 12.2-13.1 60.1-67.3 94-105 109-112 12.0-12.9 80.7-88.3 82-92

Mégane 5dr hatch £17,715–£29,195

pg

AAAAC

An attractive,stylish and practical proposition, but cheap in places LxWxH 4549x1816x1454 Kerb weight 1236kg and feels dated. LxWxH 4062x1732x1448 Kerb weight 1059kg 1.0 TSI 115 113 122 10.1 0.9 TCe 75 0.9 TCe 90 1.5 dCi 90

y (m

A creditable effort and a notable improvement in form, with plenty of niche appeal. LxWxH 4282x1816x1459 Kerb weight 1202kg

1.0 TSI 115 113 121 9.8 58.9 109 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 126 9.4 56.5 113 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 134 8.2 55.4 117 Twingo 3dr hatch £10,750–£13,455 AAACC 2.0 TSI 190 188 142 7.2 45.6 141 Handsome, unusual rear-engined city car but not a class leader.

2.0 TSI Cupra 288 150 6.0 42.2 152 LxWxH 3595x1646x1554 Kerb weight 865kg 1.6 TDI 115 113 122 9.8 68.9-70.6 105-109 1.0 SCe 70 67 94 14.5 56.5-67.3 95-112 2.0 TDI 150 148 134 8.4 64.2 112 0.9 TCe 90 87 103 10.8 58.9-65.7 99-108 Leon ST 5dr estate £19,170–£34,995 AAAAC Clio 5dr hatch £13,500–£19,050 AAAAC Good-looking and responsive hatchback-turned-estate.

86 89

om

11.8

61.4

104

refinement. LxWxH 3675x1595x1485 Kerb weight 939kg

1.0i 1.0i Rocks

74 72

106 106

13.1-14.0 60.1-62.8 103-106 13.1 55.4 118

N E W CAR PR I CES P

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hp

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T

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(

h mp

)

0 0-6

/62

mp

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(g/ O2

km

)

P

2.0 TSI GTI 200 1.6 TDI 80 1.6 TDI 95

e ow

r (b

197 79 93

hp

)

T

s op

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147 109 115

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(

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mp

6.7 12.9 10.8

h E

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47.9 76.3 74.3

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C

(g/ O2

km

)

134 99 106

P

1.6 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion

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113 148

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116 124

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(g/ O2

km

)

115 132

P

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pg

Refined, stylish and practical, but its engines aren’t so good.

LxWxH 4021x1736x1479 Kerb weight 1141kg

package. LxWxH 4567x1799x1515 Kerb weight 1295kg

1.0 TSI 110 1.4 TSI 125 1.5 TSI EVO 130 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 310 4Motion R 1.6 TDI 115 Astra 5dr hatch £18,900–£26,030 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 150 Good handling and nice engines, but its working-class roots still 2.0 TDI 184 GTD 1.4i 75 1.4i 90 1.4i Turbo 100 1.4i Turbo 150

74 88 98 148

101 109 115 129

15.5 13.2 11.0 8.9

54.3 54.3 55.4 49.6

120 120 119 132

show through. LxWxH 4370x1809x1485 Kerb weight 1244kg 1.0i Turbo 105 1.4i Turbo 125 1.4i Turbo 150 1.6i Turbo 200 1.6 CDTi 110 1.6 CDTi 136 1.6 CDTi BiTurbo 150

103 123 148 197 108 134 148

121 127 134 146 124 127 137

10.5 8.6 7.8 6.6 10.2 9.0 8.4

64.2 52.3 51.4 45.6 85.6 74.3 56.6

102 124 128 142 88 99 133

108 123 128 148 305 113 148 181

122 10.4 127 9.5 131 9.5 135 8.7 155 4.8 124 10.7 134-135 8.9 143-144 7.8-7.9

57.6 53.3 58.1 55.4 39.2 68.9 65.7 60.1

Golf Alltrack 5dr estate £32,110

110-112 118-123 113 114-116 164 103-106 111-114 124-125 AAAAB

And to complete the Golf line-up is a rugged version of the estate.

LxWxH 4567x1799x1515 Kerb weight 1541kg

2.0 TDI 184 4Motion

181

136

7.8

54.3

137

1.4 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 180 4Motion 2.0 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 2.0 TDI 190 4Motion 2.0 BiTDI 240 4Motion

148 177 113 148 148 187 236

124-125 129 115 125-127 124-125 131 142

9.2 7.7 10.9 9.3 9.3 7.9 6.5

48.7-49.6 38.2 60.1 58.9-60.1 52.3-53.3 49.6 44.1

Tiguan Allspace 5dr SUV £29,515–£40,615

130-140 170 123 123-129 139-149 149 167

AAAAC

left intact. LxWxH 4777x2083x1530 Kerb weight 1674kg 2.0 TDI 190 4Motion

2.0 TSI 180 4Motion 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 2.0 TDI 190 4Motion 2.0 BiTDI 240 4Motion

81 108 128 101

105 117 128 111

14.0 10.6 9.1 9.9

Mokka X 5dr SUV £20,640–£30,185

54.3 57.6-58.9 55.4 70.6

116 109-111 116 105

AAABC

Compact and competent but lacks any persuasive qualities.

LxWxH 4275x1780x1658 Kerb weight 1394kg 1.4 Turbo 140 1.4 Turbo 140 4x4 1.6 CDTi 136

138 138 134

119-122 9.3-10.1 43.5-47.1 140-149 116 9.3 43.5 152 117-118 9.3-10.3 56.5-68.9 106-132

187

142

7.7

54.3

177 148 148 187 238

129 124-126 123-124 130 142

8.2 9.8 9.9 8.6 6.7

36.7 55.4-56.5 47.9-49.6 47.9 43.5

175 131-132 150-153 153 170

1.2 Turbo 130 1.5 Turbo D 130 2.0 Turbo D 177

128 128 175

117 116 133

10.9-11.1 51.4-55.4 117-127 11.3 54.3 120 9.1 57.7 128

137

2.0 TSI 280 4Motion 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 190 2.0 TDI 190 4Motion 2.0 BiTDI 240 4Motion

276 148 187 187 236

155 137 148 145 152

5.6 9.1 8.0 7.8 6.5

38.7 62.8 60.1-61.4 55.4 47.9

164 116 119-122 134 152

3.0 V6 TDI 231 3.0 V6 TDI 286

228 282

135 148

7.5 6.1

42.8 40.9

Touran 5dr MPV £23,565–£33,275

Dull overall, but it’s a capable MPV, well-made and hugely refined.

LxWxH 4527x1829x1659 Kerb weight 1436kg 108 148 113 148 187

117 130 118 128-129 137

11.3 8.9 11.4 9.3 8.2

51.4 49.6 61.4 61.4 58.9

128 126-133 112-119 119-122 125

V O L K S WA G E N

1.0 60 1.0 75 1.0 90 1.0 115 e-Up

59 74 88 113 81

100 106 114 119 80

14.4 13.2-13.5 9.9 8.8 12.4

and tidy handling. LxWxH 4854x1904x1720 Kerb weight 1703kg

1.0 TSI 115 AAAAC 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 190 4Motion

Polo 5dr hatch £14,235- £23,020

64.2-68.9 64.2-68.9 60.1 49.6 NA

96-101 96-103 108 129 0

AAAAC

A thorough going-over makes it more mature, but the Polo is still a bit boring. LxWxH 4053x1946x1461 Kerb weight 1105kg 1.0 65 1.0 75 1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 115

64 74 93 113

102 106 116 124

15.5 14.9 10.8 9.5

58.9-60.1 58.9-60.1 60.1-64.2 58.9-60.1

108-110 108-110 101-107 106

NA

AAABC

Mega engines make it rapid, but not as fun as Caterham’s R range.

LxWxH NA Kerb weight NA 1.3 Suzuki Hyabusa 2.0 VTEC S2000

177 240

136 NA

3.0 NA

NA NA

NA NA

ZENOS

2.0 Ecoboost S 2.3 Ecoboost R

250 350

145 155

4.0 3.0

NA NA

NA NA

173 173

W H AT ’ S C O M I N G W H E N

AAAAC

Not perfect, but handsome, well-packaged, pragmatic and likeable.

LxWxH 4370x2041x1470 Kerb weight 1417kg

luxury estate takes on the 5 Series and the E-Class. Comfy and a good cruiser. LxWxH 4936x2019x1475 Kerb weight 1679kg

113 148 187

116 127 134

10.1 8.3 7.2

55.4 117 52.3-53.3 120-121 41.5 155

185 248 185 228 310

130 140 140 145 155

8.9 6.7 8.5 7.2 4.8

40.9 41.5 62.8 57.6 141.2

V90 Cross Country 5dr estate £42,520–£57,435

156 159 119 129 46 AAAAC

Volvo’s large comfy estate given a jacked-up, rugged makeover.

LxWxH 4936x2019x1543 Kerb weight 1826kg 185 228 250 310

130 140 140 140

8.8 7.5 7.4 6.3

54.3 53.3 38.2 36.7

XC40 5dr SUV £27,660–£37,670

138 139 172 176 AAAAC

Volvo’s take on the crossover aims to rival BMW, Mercedes and Audi. LxWxH 4425x1910x1658 Kerb weight 1626kg

T3 T4 AWD T5 AWD D3 Sharan 5dr MPV £28,070–£38,610 AAAAB D3 AWD Full-sized seven-seater offers versatility, space, VW desirability D4 AWD

too. LxWxH 4234x1992x1573 Kerb weight 1270kg

It’s no revolution, but VW’s hallmarks are in abundance. LxWxH 3600x1428x1504 Kerb weight 926kg

NA

V O LV O

V40 5dr hatch £21,410–£28,895

2.0 D4 AWD 2.0 D5 PowerPulse AWD 2.0 T5 AWD AAAAC 2.0 T6 AWD

1.4 TSI 150 148 123-124 9.9 43.5 150-156 Combo Life 5dr MPV £19,610-23,240 AAABC 2.0 TDI 115 113 114 12.6 56.5 130 Van-based people carrier is usable, spacious and practical, if not 2.0 TDI 150 148 123-124 10.3 55.4-56.5 130-137 very pretty to look at. LxWxH 4403x1841x1921 Kerb weight 1430kg 2.0 TDI 184 181 132-136 8.9 53.3 138-141 1.2 Turbo 110 108 109 11.9 38.2-40.9 125-130 1.5 Turbo D 100 99 107 12.7 42.8-47.9 108-118 T-Roc 5dr SUV £18,955–£33,850 AAAAC 1.5 Turbo D 130 128 115 10.6 47.9-50.4 113-118 VW’s junior SUV is beguiling and sophisticated. It drives rather well,

Up 3dr/5dr hatch £9325–£25,640

NA

AAAAC

Hints of ritziness and sportiness don’t impinge on this functional luxury SUV’s appeal. LxWxH 4878x2193x1717 Kerb weight 1995kg

2.0 T4 AAABC 2.0 T5

Arteon 4dr saloon £31,100–£40,840

1.2 TSI 110 1.4 TSI 150 1.6 TDI 115 Grandland X 5dr SUV £23,410–£34,930 AAACC 2.0 TDI 150 Does well to disguise its 3008 roots but too bland to stand out in a 2.0 TDI 190

congested segment. LxWxH 4477x1811x1630 Kerb weight 1350kg

252

Mega 2dr coupé £14,999–£15,595

AAAAC

Touareg 5dr SUV £48,995–£58,195

VW’s flagship saloon is well-made and luxurious but rather bland to 2.0 D4 Crossland X 5dr SUV £17,610–£23,655 AAABC drive. LxWxH 4862x1871x1450 Kerb weight 1505kg 2.0 D5 PowerPulse AWD Vauxhall’s small SUV is competent enough but lacks any real 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 NA NA NA NA 2.0 T8 Twin Engine AWD character. LxWxH 4212x1765x1605 Kerb weight 1245kg 2.0 TSI 190 187 149 7.7 47.1 135 1.2i 83 1.2i Turbo 110 1.2i Turbo 130 1.5 Turbo D 102

2.0 Ecoboost

NA NA NA NA

Probably the least appealing member of the Golf family but still resolute. LxWxH 4338x2050x1578 Kerb weight 1335kg

2.0 Turbo D 170 2.0 Turbo D 170 4x4 2.0 BiTurbo D 210 4x4

47.1-51.4 145-157 43.5 172 39.8 188

)

Golf SV 5dr MPV £20,575–£28,935

fine formula. LxWxH 4986x1863x1514 Kerb weight 1666kg 135-137 8.6-8.8 135 9.3 142 7.7

km

Has all the Tiguan’s sensibility and refinement, now with the bonus E10 0dr coupé £26,995–£39,995 AAAAB of seven seats. LxWxH 4486x1839x1654 Kerb weight 1490kg The latest in a long line of mid-engined British marvels. Expect a 1.4 TSI 150 148 123-124 9.5 43.5-46.3 137-148 dedicated following. LxWxH 3800x1870x1130 Kerb weight 700kg

2.0 D2 116 118 10.5 72.4-78.5 94-104 AAAAC 2.0 D3 145 130 8.4 68.9-74.3 101-108 2.0 T2 119 118 9.8 50.4 127 2.0 T3 148 130 8.3 50.4 127 Astra Sports Tourer 5dr estate £20,350–£24,680 AAAAC 1.0 TSI 85 83 110 13.0 57.6 112 More composed and practical than the hatchback.

1.0 TSI 110 109 119 10.7 56.5 113 V40 Cross Country 5dr hatch £25,110–£30,060 AAAAC LxWxH 4702x1809x1510 Kerb weight 1273kg 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 126 9.6 55.4 116 Handsome hatchback gets a rugged makeover but loses some of its likeable nature. LxWxH 4369x2041x1439 Kerb weight 1428kg 1.0i Turbo 105 103 121 11.0 62.8 103 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 132 8.8 54.3 118 1.4i Turbo 125 123 127 9.0 51.4 127 1.6 TDI 115 113 119 11.0 67.3-68.9 107-110 2.0 D2 116 118 10.6 72.4-74.3 99-104 1.4i Turbo 150 148 134 8.2 50.4 130 2.0 TDI 150 148 130 9.2 61.4 119 2.0 D3 145 118 8.5 68.9-72.4 102-109 1.6i Turbo 200 197 146 7.2 45.6 143 2.0 T3 148 130 8.5 50.4 128 1.6 CDTi 110 108 121 10.7 78.5 96 Passat 4dr saloon £22,195–£38,750 AAAAC 1.6 CDTi 136 134 127 9.5 74.3 101 Lands blows on rivals with its smart looks, civilised refinement, S60 4dr saloon £22,950–£35,460 AAAAC quality and usability. LxWxH 4767x2083x1476 Kerb weight 1367kg Ageing saloon soon to be replaced. Understated, mature and laid1.6 CDTi BiTurbo 150 157 137 8.4 68.9 109 1.4 TSI 125 123 129 9.7 52.3-53.3 114-126 back. LxWxH 4635x2097x1484 Kerb weight 1512kg Insignia Grand Sport 5dr hatch £19,940–£37,620 AAAAC 1.4 TSI ACT 150 2.0 T4 185 143 7.2 48.7-50.4 131-134 148 137 8.4 56.5-57.6 115-118 The good-looking and tech-filled Insignia makes an attractive 116 121 11.2-11.4 65.7-72.4 102-113 1.8 TSI 180 177 144 7.7-7.9 47.9 130-136 2.0 D2 proposition. LxWxH 4897x1863x1455 Kerb weight 1714kg 2.0 D3 145 130-134 9.0 65.7-70.6 105-113 2.0 TSI 220 217 153 6.7 44.8 146 1.5 Turbo 140 138 130 9.3 47.6 133 2.0 D4 185 143 7.6 65.7-72.8 102-113 1.4 TSI GTE 153 140 7.4 156.9 40 1.5 Turbo 165 162 138 8.4 47.1 136 1.6 TDI 120 118 128-130 10.8 67.3-70.6 95-107 1.6 Turbo 200 198 146 7.2 44.8 145 AAAAB 2.0 TDI 150 148 135-137 8.7 65.7-67.3 109-121 V60 5dr estate £31,810–£36,920 1.6 Turbo D 110 108 127 10.9 70.6 105 2.0 TDI 190 187 146-147 7.5-7.9 67.3 109-119 Spacious and comfortable, with a characterful, Scandi-cool design.

LxWxH 4761x1916x1427 Kerb weight 1729kg 1.6 Turbo D 136 134 126-131 9.9-10.2 55.4-65.7 114-134 2.0 BiTDI 240 4Motion 236 149 6.1 49.6 150 2.0 Turbo D 170 167 139-140 8.2-8.4 51.4-54.3 136-145 2.0 D3 147 127 9.5 48.7-55.3 117-122 2.0 BiTurbo D 210 4x4 207 144 7.4-7.5 40.4-40.9 183-186 Passat Estate 5dr estate £23,795–£40,350 AAAAC 2.0 D3 Auto 147 127 9.5 45.6-51.4 120-126 All the Passat’s redeeming features in spacious, practical estate 2.0 D4 187 137 7.6 42.1-47.9 117-122 Insignia Sports Tourer 5dr estate £21,500–£39,120 AAAAC form. LxWxH 4767x2083x1516 Kerb weight 1395kg 2.0 D4 Auto 187 137 7.6 40.4-42.2 119-125 The practical version of the Insignia that aims to take the fight to 1.4 TSI 125 123 128 9.9 51.4-53.3 117-127 2.0 T5 Auto 246 NA NA NA 150 premium rivals. LxWxH 4986x1863x1514 Kerb weight 1487kg 1.4 TSI ACT 150 148 135 8.6 54.3-55.4 119-120 1.5 Turbo 140 138 129 9.6 47.1 136 1.8 TSI 180 177 143 7.9-8.1 46.3 131-137 S90 4dr saloon £35,620–£58,055 AAAAC 1.5 Turbo 165 162 135 8.6 46.3 139 2.0 TSI 220 217 152 6.9 44.1 149 Volvo’s mid-sized exec majors on comfort, style and cruising ability. LxWxH 4963x2019x1443 Kerb weight 1665kg 1.6 Turbo 200 198 144 7.4 44.8 145 1.4 TSI GTE 153 140 7.6 156.9 40 1.6 Turbo D 110 108 125 111.1 61.4 122 1.6 TDI 120 118 127-129 11.0 67.3-74.3 96-110 2.0 T4 185 130 8.7 42.2 153 1.6 Turbo D 136 134 127-132 10.1-10.5 54.3-62.8 119-137 2.0 TDI 150 148 135 8.9 65.7-67.3 110-124 2.0 T5 248 140 6.8 43.0 154 2.0 Turbo D 170 167 137-139 8.4-8.6 49.6-53.3 139-150 2.0 TDI 190 187 145-146 7.9-8.1 65.7 111-120 2.0 D4 185 140 8.2 64.2 116 2.0 BiTurbo D 210 4x4 207 144 7.4-7.5 39.8-40.4 186-187 2.0 BiTDI 240 4Motion 236 148 6.3 48.7 152 2.0 D5 PowerPulse AWD 228 145 7.0 58.9 127 2.0 T8 Twin Engine AWD 310 155 4.8 141.2 46 Insignia Country Tourer 5dr estate £27,435–£30,365 AAAAC Passat Alltrack 5dr estate £36,255 AAAAC Spacious estate gets a rugged makeover – and it doesn’t spoil the A rugged-looking Passat wagon with its distinguishing features V90 5dr estate £37,620–£60,055 AAAAC 167 167 207

(g/

CO 2

WESTFIELD

Sport 2dr coupé £19,950–£35,800

Sport Turbo is very quick and fun but not a patch on the Tiguan 5dr SUV £23,485–£40,285 AAAAC Caterhams. LxWxH NA Kerb weight NA Golf 3dr/5dr hatch £18,340–£34,910 AAAAB An improvement on the previous model and will continue to sell by 1.6 Sigma 135 NA NA NA the bucket load. LxWxH 4486x1839x1654 Kerb weight 1490kg Does exactly what everyone expects. Still the king of the family 1.6 Sigma 155 NA NA NA car. LXWXH 4258x1790x1492 Kerb weight 1206kg 1.4 TSI 125 123 118 10.5 46.3-47.1 137-139 2.0 Duratec 200 NA NA NA 1.0 TSI 85 83 112 11.9 58.9 108 1.0 TSI 110 108 122 9.9 58.9 107-109 1.4 TSI 125 123 127 9.1 54.3 119-120 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 130 9.1 59.1 110 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 134 8.3 55.4 114-116 2.0 TSI 245 GTI Performance 241 154-155 6.2 43.5 144 2.0 TSI 310 4Motion R 305 155 4.6-5.1 37.7 160-180 Adam 3dr hatch £13,850–£19,280 AAACC 1.4 TSI GTE 148 138 7.6 166.2 38 Certainly looks the part, but there are better superminis ahead of 1.6 TDI 115 113 123 10.2-10.5 67.3-68.9 102-109 it. LxWxH 3698x1720x1484 Kerb weight 1101kg 2.0 TDI 150 148 133-134 8.6 65.7-67.3 109-117 1.2i 70 69 103 14.9 53.3 125 2.0 TDI 184 GTD 181 143-144 7.4-7.5 61.4-64.2 116-124 1.4i Turbo 150 148 130 8.5 47.9 139 Golf Estate 5dr estate £21,070–£36,125 AAAAB Corsa 3dr/5dr hatch £11,730–£19,735 AAABC Practical load-lugging estate doesn’t erode the well-rounded Golf

)

152 185 243 145 145 185

124 130 140 124 124 130

9.4 8.5 6.5 9.8 7.5 7.9

44.1-45.6 39.8-40.9 39.2-39.8 55.4-58.9 51.4-55.4 56.5-57.6

XC60 5dr SUV £37,770–£59,770

144-148 161-165 162-164 127-136 136-146 131-133

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

54.3-55.4 51.4 38.7-39.2 134.5

XC90 5dr SUV £50,435–£71,370

133-136 144 164-167 49

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 2.0 T6 AWD 2.0 T8 Twin Engine

228 250 310 310

05 0dr open £59,995- £89,995

137 134 143 140

7.8 7.9 6.5 5.6

45.6-47.3 34.9-35.8 34.1-35.8 108.6

158-162 184-189 187-192 59-63

VUHL

AAAAC

Mexican track-day special has a pleasingly pragmatic and forgiving chassis. LxWxH 3718x1876x1120 Kerb weight 725kg 2.0 DOHC Turbo 2.3 DOHC Turbo RR

285 385

152 158

3.7 2.7

NA NA

NA NA

Hyundai i30 Fastback N On sale March, price £29,000 (est) Like the sound of the Hyundai i30 N but wouldn’t be seen dead in a lowly hatchback? The upcoming i30 Fastback N (driven, p35) may be more your thing. Featuring the same 271bhp engine and Nürburgring-honed chassis as the regular model but in a five-door coupé-like body, the Fastback carves a new mainstream performance car niche.

JAN UARY

Alpina XD3, Ariel Atom, Aston Martin Vantage manual, Audi E-tron, TT facelift, Mini update, Renault Kadjar facelift, Volvo V60 Cross Country, V60 R-Design FE B RUARY

Audi A6 Allroad, Q3, Ford Focus Active, Honda CR-V hybrid, NSX facelift, Kia Ceed GT, Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, Mercedes-AMG A35, Porsche 911 992, Macan update, Seat Tarraco MARCH

Audi S6, S7, BMW 3 Series, Honda HR-V facelift, Hyundai i30 Fastback N, Jaguar F-Pace SVR, Kia e-Niro, Lamborghini Huracán Evo, Lexus UX, Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupé, Mercedes-Benz B-Class, Renault Mégane RS Trophy, Toyota Corolla APRIL

BMW 7 Series facelift, 8 Series cabriolet, X2 M35i, X7, Jaguar XE facelift, Mazda 3, McLaren 720S Spider, Range Rover Evoque, Skoda Scala, Toyota RAV4 M AY

Audi A4 facelift, R8 facelift, Bentley Continental GTC, DS 3 Crossback JUNE

Audi Q4, Q7 facelift, SQ2, Bentley Continental GT V8 and GTC V8, 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 GLC and GLC Coupé facelift, GLS, Range Rover SV Coupé, Tesla Model 3, Toyota Camry AUGUST

Bentley Bentayga Speed, Ford Focus ST, McLaren 600LT Spider, Mercedes EQC, Renault Zoe, Seat Leon, Skoda small SUV, Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR SEPTEMBER

Aston Martin DBX, Audi E-tron Sportback, Hyundai Ioniq facelift, McLaren Senna GTR, Nissan Juke, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, Taycan, Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography, Skoda Superb, Toyota Supra, Volkswagen Passat facelift, Volvo XC90 update OCTOBER

Aston Martin Valkyrie, Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, BMW 1 Series, 8 Series Gran Coupe, 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, Volkswagen T-Roc R N OVE M B E R

Aston Martin Rapide E, Bentley Flying Spur, BMW M8, X6 and X6 M, Infiniti QX50, Kia Xceed, Mazda CX-3, Mercedes-AMG A45, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé, Peugeot 208 and 208 Electric, Polestar 1 DECEMBER

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, Borgward BX5 and BX7, Honda Urban EV, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes-Benz GLB, Mini Cooper SE, Tesla Model Y, Vauxhall Grandland X PHEV, Volkswagen Golf Mk8

23 JANUARY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 89

Matt Prior

E S TA B L I S H E D 1 8 95

TESTER’S NOTES

The ‘rather pleasant’ Supra 21 August 1982

Drivers close ranks at the sight of blue lights and a speed gun s soon as I saw three or four headlight flashes, I knew what was ahead: the safety (speed) camera van that occasionally sits in the 40mph zone through a nearby village was in operation.

It happens a lot. And that half of oncoming vehicles tend to warn you of its presence shows, I think, how seriously or not speeding is viewed by most drivers. You wouldn’t warn a stranger not to nick a loaf of bread because there’s a security guard on a supermarket’s door.

So sure enough, a minute later I came across it, in one of its preferred spots on the verge, lens poking through the back window as I cruised past.

I’m not convinced many people speed on this 40mph stretch and, if you do, you deserve what you get.

But there’s justifiable reason the van is there: it’s a dodgy stretch of road.

I drive it a lot, a few times most days, and by my reckoning, around once a month there’s a prang at some point

A

Why buy a standout sports car – only to have it painted grey?

90 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23 JANUARY 2019

❝

Of all new car registrations, 65% are on the monochrome scale. Isn’t that a bit boring?

AUTOCAR WAS “perhaps a trifle disappointed” by the ‘A60’ Toyota Celica of 1981, feeling it needed more than its 103bhp of power.

However, the 168bhp Celica Supra of 1982 – the second Supra but the first offered in the UK – “not only restores the sporting image, it takes it a step further”.

And after a full road test, our conclusion was that the Supra “has in its favour a rather pleasant overall compromise – an easyto-drive, easy-to-live-with, quiet, comfortable, fast cruiser”, coming close to the high standards of the Ford Capri. The snag was we felt “Toyota might have sacrificed an element of excitement” compared with the “excellent Alfa Romeo GTV” and “more chuckable” Capri.

❞ within its six-mile length.

Thing is, they’re not in the zone inhabited by the van, because that has good visibility and that 40mph limit. The problems come in the five miles of tree-lined, arcing, narrow 50mph limited road each side, which has muddy verges, poor visibility, difficult junctions, and on which I know people approach those hazards too fast – though that doesn’t mean, necessarily, at above the speed limit.

So I have cognitive dissonance about this. I’m grateful the road’s problems have been noted and some effort has been made to slow people on it, yet also I’m encouraged by oncoming driver’s warnings. Because I, and perhaps they, are unconvinced that the occasional presence of a van with a camera in the back of it is enough to cure this road’s ills.

■ Greetings, pop pickers: it’s the least surprising top five of the year. And grey is back at number one.

For nine straight years until 2008, silver was the most popular colour for new cars in the UK, following which white and black have, between them, kept the top two spots in the charts nailed down. But last year grey crept to the top of the pile, relegating black to second, with white in third.

Fine. Grey is arguably a bit more

FIND OUT MOR E AT

interesting than white or black – and it’s easier to keep clean than black, which is, for me, a terrible colour for most cars.

But what strikes me, for yet another year, is that when you add the sales for those three colours and silver together you end up with more than 1.62 million cars, so around 65% of all new car registrations are on the monochrome scale.

And isn’t that just a bit, I dunno, boring? Looking around the car park of a modern office building has all the colour of a 1950s TV programme.

So who is to blame? Fleet managers who want to preserve residual values by making sure company cars are coloured monochrome, the automotive equivalent of house builders painting rooms cream?

(Only 559 cars, a drop of 34%, were cream last year, incidentally.) Or is it car makers that offer one kind of blue but about seven greys and silvers, and with non-metallic white and black as their least expensive colour options?

Or are we just not very imaginative?

Either way, the campaign for more colourful vehicles begins here.

GET IN TOUCH

✉ matt.prior@haymarket.com @matty_prior

@autocarclassic M O R E AU T O C A R AT



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