Motoring January 2016 by The Malta Independent

The Malta Independent on Sunday. January 2016

NEW CROSSOVER MODEL

Renault’s Talented Kadjar

ALSO INSIDE 7 BREATHTAKING EUROPEAN ROAD TRIPS

RING ROAD, ICELAND

COSTA SMERALDA, SARDINIA

Sardinia’s beautiful northern coast, the Costa Smeralda (or “Emerald Coast”), sees the meeting of dramatic headlands and turquoise waters. This is the island’s best-known resort area, with a reputation for glitzy opulence – visit in late spring or early autumn for the best experience; quieter roads, beautiful weather, and uncrowded beaches.

A 1339-kilometre road that runs right around the island, the N1 enables you to enjoy Iceland’s awe-inspiring scenery, taking you from fertile valleys and snowcapped mountains to lava fields, vivid blue fjords and volcanic craters. A beautiful, if brutal, landscape of big open spaces that is perfect for exploring on four wheels.

BLACK FOREST, GERMANY THE ATLANTIC ROAD, NORWAY

The short length of this road – a mere 8.3km – belies just how impressive the route is. Eight low bridges link the islands between Molde and Kristiansund in the western fjords, the most stunning of which is Storseisundet, curving scenically above the water. In calm weather, you can spot seals and whales, while autumn brings its own appeal with dramatic rain storms that pound the road.

THE OUTER HEBRIDES, SCOTLAND

The single-track road that runs down this island chain is one of Britain's greatest driving experiences; rugged, windswept and jawdroppingly beautiful. Travelling both by road and sea, the route enables you to do a bit of island-hopping, experiencing beautiful beaches like Luskentyre, ancient standing stones, and the justifiably renowed Hebridian hospitality.

BOLLENSTREEK ROUTE, NETHERLANDS

The Netherlands are renowned for their flowers, and there’s no better way to experience them then on the Bollenstreek – or Bulb – route. The best time of year to drive the road is, unsurprisingly, spring, when brightly-coloured flowers carpet the plains – it’s not just tulips that you can expect to see, but also narcissi, hyacinths, irises and dahlias, among many others.

Destination source material www.roughguides.com

Arguably Germany’s most picturesque region, with sweeping evergreen forests and rolling hills dotted with pretty villages and historic towns, the Black Forest is ideal driving territory. At the end of a long day exploring, retreat to one of the spa towns like Baden-Baden for a restorative soak in the local waters.

7 BREATHTAKING EUROPEAN ROAD TRIPS

Driving Holidays. A brilliant way to explore a landscape and enjoy the sights en route Sometimes it’s all about the journey, not the destination – but what if the journey was the destination? I love cars and I love driving, anytime, anywhere. My wife loves going abroad on holidays, something I could easily do without but since we merged our interests I now always look forward to our next journey. We have travelled with our own cars at times but most of these routes make most sense as part of a fly-drive holiday with a hired car waiting for you at the airport. The sheer enjoyment and freedom of pre-planning your daily routes, stopping whenever and wherever you desire once there and discovering breathtaking landscapes can be a much welcome break from ‘city’ tours. Here is a small selection of European destination ideas, there are many more, writes JOHN PEEL

BASQUE CIRCUIT, SPAIN

This 480km route through northern Spain takes you through some of the country’s (many) highlights – Bilbao, Pamplona, the Pyrenees, and back along the coast, with the beautiful Bay of Biscayne on your right. You’ll want plenty of time to explore – not least to sample some of the wonderful local food – and to allow for the views to distract you along the way. January 2016 | motoring 03

PRESS LAUNCH

THE ALL-NEW BMW X1 THE ALL-NEW BMW X1 WAS THE LAST BMW MODEL LAUNCHED IN 2015 EXCLUSIVELY TO THE PRESS ON THE 16TH OF DECEMBER 2015 AT AQCUA TERRA E MARE IN PORTOMASO, ST. JULIAN’S.

he new 2016 BMW X1 has grown quite a bit over the previous model, sprouting 53 millimeters in height, with a 36 millimeter raise in the front seating position, to give the X1 a more commanding view of the road. This increase in size, and switch to front-wheel drive architecture, has also given the X1 better interior space, to the tune of 37 millimeters more rear knee room and 85 liters more cargo space, bringing the total to 505 liters. With the rear seats folded down, the X1 has 1,550 liters of cargo space.

DESIGN The extra growth of the X1 has worked wonders on the somewhat cramped original model’s interior, but it’s also given the exterior styling quite a more masculine feel. This new model looks very nice indeed, with crisp lines and curves and those massive kidney grilles. The headlights stay disconnected from the grille on this model. Those headlights will also have a full LED option, which looks the business on new BMWs.

ENGINES Engine options for the new 2016 BMW X1 will be a bunch of 2.0 liters, two petrol and two diesel. There’s available an xDrive20i, xDrive25i, xDrive18d and xDrive25d as well as an sDrive20i which will be front-wheel drive. All engines will displace 2.0 liters and all will feature BMW’s TwinPower turbocharger technology. The xDrive25i and xDrive25d have 231 horsepower, but the petrol engine will have 258 lb-ft of torque and the diesel will have 332 lb-ft. An Aisin eight-speed automatic will be standard on most models, with the xDrive18d being available with a newly designed six-speed manual. The BMW X1 xDrive28i will be the exclusive model in the US at launch featuring a 2.0 liter TwinTurbo 4 cylinder engine from BMW’s new family of modular engines with maximum output of 228 horsepower.

DRIVETRAIN For those of you who are fretting over the switch to front-wheel drive, fear not. The xDrive all-wheel drive system is capable of sending 100 percent of the power to the rear wheels if need be. Yes, it’s frontwheel drive under normal conditions, but when pressed hard, the xDrive will divert power to whichever axle to maintain proper balance and eliminate both over and understeer. This should go along way to help the X1 handle well, especially considering the newly designed chassis. The new X1’s chassis is extremely lightweight, using aluminum wheel carriers and swivel bearings as well as highstrength steel control arms and rear subframes. So this X1, despite being FWD-biased, should handle quite well. The new X1 will be available with such new options as Dynamic Damper Control, Adaptive Cruise Control, a Panoramic Moonroof, a Heads-Up Display and even Traffic Jam Assist which will take over driving at up to 37 mph and can control speed, proximity to other vehicles and lane-keeping. So the X1 won’t just be the baby BMW, it will be high-tech and sophisticated, much like BMW’s higher-end models. The all-new BMW X1 is available for test drives at the only local official BMW dealer, Muscats Motors, Rue D’Argens Gzira. For further information contact us on 23264581/2 or E-mail: info@mml.mizzi.com.mt.

04 motoring | January 2016

DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN

DRIVING FAST THROUGH STANDING WATER IS DANGEROUS, INCONSIDERATE AND EXPENSIVE, WRITES RMF TECHNICAL DIRECTOR PAUL VELLA hen driving in heavy rain and visibility is seriously reduced (generally when you limited to less than 100 metres you should use your headlights.You may use front or rear fog lights but you must switch them off when visibility improves. Improve your vision in wet weather by renewing windscreen wipers when worn or damaged. Stopping distances increase on wet roads and one should double the distance between your car and the one in front. If the steering looses traction due heavy rain, ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually.

FLOODS AND STANDING WATER

Don't enter flood water that is moving or more than 10cm deep. Allow oncoming traffic to pass first and drive slowly and steadily to avoid creating a bow wave.Test your brakes as soon as you can after leaving the water. Don't try driving through fastmoving water as a car could easily be swept away. Driving fast

through standing water is dangerous as tyres can lose contact with the road and you lose steering control in what's known as 'aquaplaning'. If you do experience aquaplaning, hold the steering wheel lightly and lift off the throttle until the tyres regain grip. The air intake on many cars is low down at the front of the engine bay and it only takes a small quantity of water sucked into the engine to cause serious damage. All engines are affected but turbo-charged and diesel engines are most vulnerable. As you drive slowly through standing water, use a low gear so the engine revs are higher; water in the exhaust could otherwise damage the catalytic convertor. At a depth of just 15cm fast flowing water can knock you off your feet and strong enough for you to be unable to regain your footing, whilst 60cm of standing water will usually float your car! Just 30cm of flowing water could be enough to move the average family car. Apart from the above flood

water can be contaminated and carry diseases and culverts are dangerous when flooded, the siphon effect of culverts can drag in pets, children and even fully grown adults. Only attempt to drive through flood water if you know it's not too deep and can maintain a steady, slow speed to avoid creating a bow wave. Even a small amount of water no larger than a golf ball in the combustion chamber is enough to seriously damage an engine.Water doesn't compress very well and the piston in effect hits a ‘wall’, bending or breaking a con rod. Even if the intake is above the water level driving fast could still cause water to be ingested. If you break down in heavy rain don't prop the bonnet open while you wait for the roadside assistance to arrive.The engine will be more difficult to start again if the electrics are all rainsoaked.

REDUCE RISK

you waste time trying to call for help.The car may float only for a short while so try to get out before it starts to sink. Free yourself and all your passengers from seatbelts and child seats. The doors will be difficult to open because of the pressure of water outside but electric windows should still operate for a while so open one or more windows and the sunroof (if fitted) before the water rises to glass level. Help your passengers to escape through the open windows or sunroof as quickly as possible. Take your mobile phone with you if possible (it might still work and allow you to call for help) and also any floating objects that you can salvage from the car to help buoyancy if in deep water. This educational write up has been brought to you by RMF for Happier & Safer Motoring.

KIA CONCEPT SUV

THE TELLURIDE SET FOR GLOBAL PREMIERE

ia's new large SUV concept, the boldly designed Telluride, which unveils this month at the 2016 North American International Auto Show, pushes the boundaries of technology and luxury with unique incabin health-and-wellness technology. The concept highlights Kia’s first use of 3D-printed components, which add a distinct, modern and luxurious design element to the dashboard, door panels, and steering wheel. Kia is represented in Malta by Cars International in Mdina Road, Qormi. For a test-drive of any Kia car, send an email to kiasales@cil.com.mt, call on 2269 2000 or visit the website www.kia.com/mt or Facebook page Kia Motors Malta.

Avoid parking in valleys such as Msida, and waterway canals as found in Qormi. Apply the handbrake fully and as an extra precaution, leave the car in gear and automatics on ‘park’. It is also always a unwise idea to leave young children unattended in a parked car. Take extra care when maneuvering near to any water edge and always make sure you have selected the right gear, particularly if driving an automatic. Don't drive into flood water that is moving or more than 10cm deep in any vehicle, four wheel drives and other larger vehicles are not immune from difficulty. Bear in mind that water levels can change quickly, two feet of standing water will float your car and vehicles can quickly become unstable in moving water

GETTING OUT OF A SINKING CAR STRANDED IN FLOOD WATER

If you're driving and become stranded in flood water, it is generally best to stay in the car and telephone for help rather than try to get out, unless the water is shallow and stationary, or you can see the ground beneath the water and dry land is nearby. If your vehicle falls into deep water then you should brace yourself for the impact and bear in ind that it is possible that airbags may deploy when the car hits the water.

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A CAR THAT IS FILLING UP WITH WATER

Act quickly and don't wait for the car to fill up, neither should January 2016 | motoring 05

RENAULT REVEAL THE CAPTUR’S BI

BUOYED BY THE SUCCESS OF THE CAPTUR, RENAULT IS CROSSOVERS WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE KADJAR, THE

06 motoring | January 2016

his sibling to the Captur shakes up established thinking by bringing an innovative and attractive proposition to the crossover market.The Renault Kadjar stands out through its fluid, athletic exterior styling. Meanwhile, its interior is both sporty and refined, courtesy of the quality of the materials employed and the attention that has gone into its finish. Available with either four- or two-wheel-drive transmission, the Renault Kadjar encourages adventure while at the same time delivering easy manoeuvrability in town thanks to its compact footprint (4.45 metres long x 1.84 metres wide). Furnished with high-quality interior appointments and modern equipment, the Renault Kadjar offers advanced connectivity with the R-Link 2® multimedia system, along with a relaxed experience behind the wheel, courtesy of the latest driving aids. The Renault Kadjar also benefits

from a range of particularly efficient engines which position it at the forefront of the segment in terms of low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

THE KADJAR, A GLOBAL MODEL IN LINE WITH RENAULT’S INTERNATIONAL AMBITIONS Buoyed by the success achieved by the Captur, the Kadjar is the latest addition to Renault’s dynamic product plan. In the fast-growing crossover market, the Kadjar is Renault’s vision of a C-segment vehicle. With the Kadjar, the Renault Group has showcased its creative ability with a view to conquering new markets and winning over new customers. In 2014, almost one in every five vehicles sold across the world was a

LS THE KADJAR, IG BROTHER

S CONTINUING ITS OFFENSIVE IN THE WORLD OF BRAND’S FIRST C-SEGMENT CROSSOVER. crossover, with the segment enjoying a market share of 23 per cent in Europe and 26 per cent in China. The segment consequently represents a real entry point to the key growth markets targeted by the group. After the Renault Koleos, the Captur was the second model to appear in Renault’s crossover range. Success was immediate.Thanks to its practical innovations and bold personality, this urban crossover emerged at the top of the European B-segment crossover market, with slightly more than 178,000 registrations in 2014. The Kadjar sees Renault maintain its offensive in this international segment with a C-segment model that slots into the range between the Captur and the Koleos. The Kadjar, the Captur’s big brother, brings something new to the segment thanks to its fluid, athletic lines, status-enhancing appeal,

travelling comfort and respect for the environment. Represented in some 128 countries, the Renault Group sold a total of 2,712,432 vehicles worldwide in 2014. Courtesy of its international growth strategy, Renault now markets 46 per cent of its vehicles outside of Europe (compared with 37 per cent in 2010). The Renault Group’s product plan is the cornerstone of this growth and of the promotion of its image.The Kadjar will contribute to the group’s expansion by extending its range and geographical scope. Renault is widely established in Europe, occupying third place in both the passenger vehicle and LCV markets in 2014.The Kadjar will be manufactured at Renault’s Spanish plant in Palencia which currently exports 83 per cent of its production to more than 50 different countries across five continents.

THE NEW AUDI A4

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE THE NEW-GENERATION AUDI A4 WAS PRESENTED TO THE PRESS AND ESTEEMED GUESTS DURING A RECEPTION HELD AT THE AUDI SHOWROOM ON FRIDAY 22 JANUARY. ALL THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE BRAND’S BESTSELLING MODEL HAS BEEN REDEVELOPED SO THAT IT YET AGAIN DEFINES THE BENCHMARK IN THIS SEGMENT WITH A FASCINATING SYNTHESIS OF TECHNOLOGY AND AESTHETICS.

o much so that the influential What Car? Magazine recently voted the new A4 as their 2016 Car of the Year car and as the best compact executive car on the market saying “Our 2016 Car of the Year is the best compact executive on the market. You won’t be disappointed whichever version you choose.”

A BESTSELLER FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS The A4 family and its predecessor the Audi 80 have been technological innovators for many decades. The brand with the four rings had already set new standards for lightweight construction, performance and agility with the first Audi 80 way back in 1972. During development work on the latest A4, high priority was placed on the reduction of CO2 emissions. All technologies were focused on reducing drive resistance. A good example is the aerodynamics: the A4 saloon has the best drag coefficient in its class at 0.23. The new models also have impressively low CO2 emissions of just 95 grams per kilometre for the A4 saloon 2.0 TDI Ultra. Audi is also renowned for its classy, minimalist interiors that are both

wonderfully finished and super intuitive. The new A4 doesn’t disappoint, it betters its rivals with sumptuous materials everywhere you look and a simple, user-friendly dashboard layout. The infotainment and navigation system in the A4 is a real highlight. Primarily that is down to the award winning virtual cockpit and Audi’s new touchscreen display, both of which makes the whole infotainment system very simple and intuitive to use. Safety is obviously also high on the agenda for the new A4. It gets impressive brakes, which offer superior pedal feel and more stopping power. This is combined with presense city braking that can automatically brake the car to lessen the force of a collision when travelling at speeds of under 53mph and even stop the car at less than 25mph. The A4 also gets adaptive cruise control, which is able to drive the car for you at crawling speeds or keep itself within its lane at higher speeds. All in all the new A4 is a perfect example of Audi’s ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ philosophy and its commitment to redefining the automobile as we know it: innovative design and technology, efficient engines, superb safety and build quality all go together in making the new A4 a class leader….yet again! January 2016 | motoring 07

EAT closed 2015 with increased sales for the third consecutive year. Brand deliveries broke the barrier of 400,000 vehicles sold in a year (400,037; +2.4%) for the first time since 2007, amounting to a growth of 25% since 2012 (321,000 vehicles). This is the best sales

result of the last eight years. SEAT Executive Committee Chairman Luca de Meo delivered the annual results this morning on the occasion of the first edition of the 2016 “Encuentros SEAT” meeting, under the title “Quality: success factor of Spanish industry”. The increase in sales is a result of recovery in Spain (77,200 vehicles; +14.3%) and Italy (15,900; +22.1%), the fifth consecutive year of growth in Germany (87,800; +3.8%) and the successful Mexican market (24,100; +13.2%), which is the fourth largest for SEAT. In addition, the brand achieved its best-ever sales result in countries such as Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Turkey, Israel, Tunisia and Morocco. Regarding the models, sales of the Leon went up by 4.4% (total: 160,900 units) and was once again the brand’s top-selling car. Meanwhile, the Alhambra posted the highest increase (17.2%) and achieved the second best sales result in its history (27,000). The Ibiza also made progress, with a 2.4%

growth, amounting to a total of 153,600 delivered vehicles. The sales increase, in addition to the success of the Audi Q3, boosted production in Martorell by 7.8% (total: 477,077 cars), reaching the highest figure since 2001. The Martorell plant manufactures the most cars in Spain and has recorded its sixth consecutive year of growth. Between 2009 and 2015, production volume went up by 60%. When speaking about 2016, Luca de Meo explained that “the highlight of the year will be the launch of the first compact SUV in the history of the company”, which is due to reach the dealerships in the middle of the year. It will be joined by three more new models in 2016 and 2017. “The SUV is set to become the brand’s third major pillar, together with the Leon and the Ibiza, and will enable us to cover the fastest growing segment in recent years”, said SEAT Executive Committee Chairman. Quality — a success factor Furthermore, in his presentation, SEAT Quality Director Joaquín Serra highlighted the opportunities for the brand to improve competitivity through excellence in quality. “Design, quality and cost efficiency are key elements. The Quality department is involved in the entire cycle of the automobile, from vehicle design and development to supplier component industrialization and in-house production, all the way to after-sales service. The challenge for the entire Quality team is to make SEAT a distinctive brand with industrial excellence”.

SEAT SALES SOAR BY 25% IN THREE YEARS

08 motoring | January 2016

TOYOTA CONNECTED

TOYOTA IS ACCELERATING ITS INITIATIVES TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH GREATER CONVENIENCE AND DATA SECURITY IN ITS TELEMATICS SYSTEMS, ANNOUNCING A NEXT GENERATION CONNECTED VEHICLE FRAMEWORK. THIS BUILDS ON THE ADVANCES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN VEHICLE, IT AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS TO ADD THE BENEFIT OF CONNECTED TECHNOLOGIES TO TOYOTA MODELS.

oyota’s framework is anchored by the installation of a Data Communication Module (DCM) in more of its vehicles, beginning with the roll-out of 2017 models in the USA. Availability will then expand to other regions and countries. Adding DCM will connect Toyota vehicles to mobile telecommunications networks, expanding the ability to transmit data for products and services. Toyota will also provide an emergency notification as a standard feature on vehicles equipped with DCM. This is activated when airbags are deployed during a traffic accident, helping secure prompt first-response assistance in an emergency To build the IT infrastructure needed to support this significant expansion of vehicle data processing, a Toyota Big Data Center is being created. This will analyse and process data collected by DCM and use it to deploy services under high-level information security and privacy controls. Currently DCMs vary between countries and regions, but a standardised architecture will be developed for a uniform Toyota global DCM by

2019. Toyota will also create a function in the Smart Center to consolidate its worldwide DCM communications. When customers are using their smartphone in connection with an in-car device, it is important to promote safe driving and the secure transmission of vehicle and customer information. To ensure these qualities, Toyota will work jointly with UIEvolution to develop standard middleware for use with Toyota’s in-car devices globally. Through this business collaboration, UIE will be able to develop a smartphone app which can provide vehicle data securely to third party service and app providers approved by Toyota. This means a customer can use their smartphone to access vehicle data in a highly secure environment through the Toyota Big Data Center, and Toyota can offer its customers safe and secure smartphone –car connection services. For more information on Toyota and its products visit the Toyota showroom situated in Mdina Road Zebbug log on the Toyota Malta Facebook page or call on 2269 4000.

New Porsche 911

NOW AVAILABLE LOCALLY

n Friday 15 January we witnessed the launch of the newest reincarnation of the legendary Porsche 911.Mr Maurice F. Mizzi, President of Mizzi Organisation had the following to say: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Porsche we are presenting here tonight is the dream car most people young or old, male or female, will dream of owning. It is the latest evolution of a vehicle that has become a motoring icon in its own right. When Porsche launched the first 911 more than 50 years ago, the car was an instant success. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple but purposeful

lines and engaging performance immediately caught the imagination of a whole generation of sports car enthusiasts and remains to this day, one of most desirable sports cars in production. For Porsche, it has never been just about extra horsepower. It is about packing in more ideas per hp. Making engines more efficient not necessarily bigger. Design that follows principles, not fashion. Sports cars you can drive every day. When all these factors align, we call it Intelligence Performance, the core of the Porsche brand and its future.That is what we fight

for, every day like the first, for a dream that will always make hearts beat faster. Needless to say, the latest version of the 911 is not only attractive but contains a host of new features primarily aimed at enhancing the 911 driving experience. At the same time it addresses current environmental legislation.

The new 911 boasts new engines with lower emissions and greater performance than its predecessors due to the new superefficient turbo. Its improved chassis design ensures phenomenal road holding and handling while a revised infotainment system with additional features makes sure that driver and passenger alike can keep in touch with everything happening around them at the touch of a button. Continental Cars give great importance to servicing Porsche cars and for this reason our technicians are continually being trained in Germany. The 911 is just getting better and better with every new model.â&#x20AC;?

January 2016 | motoring 09

LEXUS NX 300H

luxury petrol-electric hybrid crossover THE LEXUS NX 300H HYBRID VERSION CERTAINLY STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD. APART FROM BEING THE ONLY NON-DIESEL POWERED LUXURY MEDIUM SIZED SUV, IT IS ALSO PROBABLY THE MOST FUEL EFFICIENT THANKS TO ITS HYBRID TECHNOLOGY AND WITH LOOKS THAT WOULD EASILY FIT IN TWENTY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE. TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JOHN PEEL

he company that is synonymous with luxury high end models has produced by far the most fuelefficient luxury compact crossover.Through its combination of a 2.5-liter fourcylinder engine and multiple electric motors powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack, the NX 300h is capable of returning a Lexus-estimated 32mpg. It also boasts a bold design outside and in, with exemplary cabin construction and a long list of the latest high-tech entertainment, convenience and safety options. Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, automatic LED headlights, LED foglights and running lights, rear privacy glass, heated mirrors, keyless ignition and entry, cruise control, driver-selectable vehicle

10 motoring | January 2016

dynamics settings, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 7inch display screen, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, the Display Audio electronics interface and an eight-

speaker sound system with HD and satellite radio, a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB/iPod audio interface. The 2015 Lexus NX 300h features a gasolineelectric hybrid powertrain that combines a 2.5-liter four-

cylinder with a pair of electric motor/generators to produce a maximum output of 194bhp. In ’Sport’ mode acceleration is pretty impressive for a car of its size couples with precise handling very efficient brakes. There are three driving modes

Eco, Normal and Sport and the instrument panels changes according to the mode chosen. On Eco no rev-counter is displayed and replaced by an ‘economy dial’ that’s also displays when the car charges the batteries whilst braking. On Sport mode you even get a G-force display which is pretty neat. The NX's cabin isn't quite as radical as the exterior is, but it nevertheless exudes a cool, modern vibe that won't be mistaken for anything else in the segment. Construction is absolutely top-notch, with materials that look and feel rich - especially in the available twotone color schemes. Soft leather lines the seats and passenger-side dash, as well as the padded areas that thoughtfully cushion the center console to keep your legs from resting against hard surfaces. Details like contrast stitching, wood trim and a

modern analog clock that actually looks like a wrist-watch are tastefully applied. The ride in general is quite firm, the steering is more responsive than similar sized SUV’s I tested, and body motions are more controlled when driving briskly around turns or going over bumps and dips.There is a sense of connection between the car and driver that is not always present in SUVs. The NX 300h features the sort of hybrid driving experience with which current owners of Toyota or Lexus hybrids should be familiar. That includes quiet, allelectric propulsion when accelerating from a stop that lasts for a duration largely determined by how gingerly or energetically you feel like accelerating, but either way, the 2.5lt petrol engine will at some point seamlessly kick in and make sure it’s heard. When pushed hard, in ‘Sport’ mode, the NX 300h can still deliver a lot of fun. The Lexus NX300h is available from Michael Debono Limited – Zebbug.