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Are price hikes down to cost increases or just plain greed?

Head ofvideo:

THIS week we ’ re testing the brand-new Honda Civic Type R (above), which by all accounts is a stunning car to drive It’s also a hugely expensive one that – with a few small options – tops out at £52,000

As you can read on page eight, Honda puts what is a £12,000 increase over the old model (which actually shares much of the same underpinnings) down to an increase in costs and swings in the exchange rate Oh, and the fact that the old model was too cheap!

Back in 1988, I bought one of the best hot hatches of the time, a Citroen AX GT, brand new for £8,800 According to the Bank of England, that’s the equivalent of around £22,500 today, and not far from the price of the brilliant Hyundai i20 N – our current favourite hot hatch Yet, at £25,750, you could have two of the hot Hyundais for the price of one Honda Civic Type R

Of course, cars offer so much more in terms of performance, efficiency, safety and technology these days compared with my old AX GT But that price for a Civic Type R – however good it is – is just eye-watering Honda is not alone in hiking prices – and we know that rising costs around the world are having an effect We’ve already reported on the £100,000 Volvo, while the latest Range Rover products routinely top £100,000, too.

Car makers have been prioritising high-margin cars during the chip shortage, but it does make me wonder if brands haven’t been taking advantage at the same time by edging up prices to make even more money

Electric cars may have played a part in this They are, undoubtedly, more costly to produce than their internal combustion-engined equivalents So perhaps some car makers are looking at the cost of EVs and benchmarking cheaper-to-produce ICE cars against them It’s no wonder more and more buyers are turning to brands like MG and Dacia, which offer real value for money These days, good value has never been more important

STEVE FOWLER Editor-in-chief

steve fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler

TOPSTORY

LET’S start with the elephant in the room – the new Honda Civic Type R costs £46,995 While it gets more kit than the base-spec version of its predecessor, that’s still more than a £12,000 hike compared with the price of the entry-level model when it went off sale Opt for the £3,265 Carbon Pack, the £1,110 Illumination Pack and a paint job (there’s only one standard colour available) at £650, and the new Civic Type R is a £52,020 car. But while this puts it very much at the premium end of the hot-hatchback market, rivalling four-wheel-drive, circa-400bhp monsters such as the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S and the Audi RS 3, the Type R could still be worth every last penny of that significant price tag, despite only offering a small improvement in performance when compared with its predecessor at first glance It’s the previous-generation FK8 Civic Type R that’s arguably the best comparison, because the new FL5 model is based on the same hardware, although Honda has set about optimising and improving pretty much every area The 2 0-litre four-cylinder engine features a revised turbocharger for improved response – so it spins faster and gets to its maximum rpm sooner

There’s also a new, less restrictive exhaust system (retaining the sporty Civic’s trademark triple-exit arrangement), a more sophisticated engine control module and tweaks to the cooling As a result, the Type R now produces 324bhp and 420Nm of torque, marginal gains of 8bhp and 20Nm respectively, but enough for a 0-62mph time of 5 4 seconds

This is not as fast as some performance cars at this price point, because the sixspeed manual transmission means shifts aren’t as quick as its dual-clutch automaticequipped rivals, but the Type R is focused resolutely on driver involvement, as it always has been To that end, Honda says it has worked on the shift quality of the manual unit, reducing free play and making the switch between gates even slicker.

Tweaks to the steering set-up are aimed at boosting precision and responsiveness, while the Type R’s structure is more rigid than ever. Its body is also lighter, thanks to an aluminium bonnet that saves even more weight, and a tailgate made from plastic resin, and it’s much sleeker, too In fact, this is arguably one of the biggest improvements. Looks are subjective, but there was lots of criticism laid at the previous Type R’s

HondaCivicTypeR(FL5)

Price: £46,995

Engine: 2 0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol Power/torque: 324bhp/420Nm Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive

0-62mph: 5 4 seconds

Top speed: 170mph Economy: 34 4mpg

HANDLING

Grip is superb and traction brilliant; new Type R feels even more agile and alert than its stillimpressive predecessor

“Honda has set about optimising and improving pretty much every area”

SeanCarson sean carson@autoviacouk

● New Type R has been optimised, but costs £12k more than old

Mk11 Civic is likely to be last hurrah for pure-petrol hot hatchback

Type

door when it came to its overblown styling; the new Civic’s smoother, less aggressive shape just looks, well, more premium. The deep front spoiler, swollen wheelarches and slightly more subtle wing on the boot lid add just the right level of visual aggression, rather than its predecessor’s overtly in-yourface approach to design.

The premium push continues with a slicker cabin design It still boasts the same iconic Type R cues – think metal gearknob, red Alcantara bucket seats that offer a perfect

offers a more sophisticated digital dash with increased options for customisation depending on mode. It’s cleaner and easier to read

driving position, and a lovely steering wheel – but, as with the regular Mk11 Civic, the more upmarket interior betters a VW Golf’s.

Horizontal air vents, a smart infotainment screen, solid materials (although they still leave a little to be desired, given the price) and a more sophisticated digital dash help mean the Type R is no longer a car you have to make excuses for when it comes to design, inside or out Side by side, this is obvious

But are you better off buying the new model or, given the savings, does a lightly

USED

THERE are many factors that are behind the Civic Type R’s price rise, according to Honda Motor Europe product manager Andrew Winfield – one being that the previous car was “too cheap” when it launched in 2017, shown by the incredible demand.

Honda sold around 1,000 units in the UK in the first two years of that car’s life, but expects sales of the FN5 to be “in the hundreds not thousands” by comparison

He added that the brand can no longer accept a loss-leader in its line-up: “We need to make a profit on every car we sell ”

used second-hand Civic Type R offer better value? After all, nearly new examples with around 6,000 miles on the clock are going for £36,000 on the used market, and 10 grand (or thereabouts) goes a long way when the cost of motoring is so high

On the move, the improvements to the latest car are obvious. The engine is still explosive Driving old and new back to back, the latest model’s motor is just a little more responsive, and it feels more eager to deliver its slightly massaged output. It still

Winfield said that “rising component prices, inflation, factory costs [the new Type R is built in Japan] and the GBP:Yen exchange rate – this is huge –have all had a factor in the price.”

“The previous car was ‘too cheap’ when it launched in 2017”

Why is new Type R so expensive?

PRACTICALITY

It

shows a little lag, and the engine doesn’t have the ultimate firepower of one of the all-wheel-drive German mega-hatches, but then this is missing the point of the Type R

It’s about balance and proportionate ability in every area The steering tweaks are immediately apparent the first time you negotiate a corner, with more precision, and more adjustability on offer from the chassis, thanks to the extra rigidity in the car’s structure In fact, on a track the new car felt very much alive and alert, whereas its older sibling offered a more docile personality. It’s still a relative term, but not something we thought was possible until we drove this new-generation machine

The latest car also feels better controlled and more tautly tied down in +R mode, yet in Comfort the Type R rides with even more fluidity than its predecessor It absorbs bumps that might cause you to wince, having caught a glimpse of the low-profile tyres, smart new alloys and not much in the way of daylight in the wheelarches But the quality of the damping means the Civic steps over the kind of patchy, potholed roads you find in the UK year round It’s not a Rolls-

Royce, but it’s far from a bone-shaker in its most relaxed setting, and thankfully, with a new Individual mode you can keep this suspension set-up while opting for the most responsive engine map

One thing that can’t be changed and is just plain brilliant is the quality of the manual gearbox’s shift. The old car wasn’t exactly lacking in this department, but amazingly, Honda’s engineers have managed to remove what tiny bit of slack there was, making movements between ratios feel more positive and engaging The limited-slip diff working away on the front axle reinforces these qualities, too

So, is the new Civic Type R really worth it? It’s certainly more sophisticated and senior in its performance – in fact, it can take the fight to its AWD rivals, it feels that responsive, and the upgrade in interior quality and technology is appreciable The saving with a used Type R is a very tempting, but ultimately, while the gains in each area are marginal – optimisations and honing of an already-brilliant machine rather than a complete step change – the new Civic is a noticeable improvement Given that this will likely be the last pure-petrol Type R, and the rising cost of everything, it’s still worth it.

INFOTAINMENT

SEATS Both cars offer superbly supportive two-piece bucket front seats, Red fabric trim is a Type R trademark and, along with other flashes, adds a sporty feel to posher cabin

might not be a priority for hot hatch buyers, but rear-seat space is good; boot offers 410 litres

Latest multimedia set-up is a vast improvement over its predecessor and helps make the Civic an easier car to live with

“The latest car also feels better controlled and more tautly tied down in R mode”

THERE are other used alternatives if you want to taste the Type R experience, and few are purer than the EP3-generation model. A non-turbo 2.0litre VTEC engine that revs to the heavens means performance isn’t quite as punchy as its modern turbo cousins’, but the noise is spectacular

The firecracker engine is linked to a wonderful manual gearbox, highlighting that this Type R trait has always been present, and is installed in a chassis that features multi-link rear suspension for plenty of adjustability. It’s soft by today’s standards, but with prices from just £3,000 on the used market (we’d suggest spending at least £5k despite the strong reliability record) it’s a great way to get into a used hot hatch icon.

DETAILS

Smarter dash is finished with nice details, such as simple rotary controls for the heating and ventilation Build quality feels solid

INTERIOR

Older car’s cabin (left) is much fussier and not as intuitive to use as newer Type R’s, yet latest car’s driving position is also marginally better too

GEARBOX

Shift knobs are similar, but new Type R’s action has been tightened. It’s superb and a masterclass in how to do a manual transmission

USED

Verdict

DESPITE the obvious issue of price, the new Civic Type R is still a superb performance car, even if it isn’t quite as affordable as it once was But framed against its rivals at this level, it’s still one of the most involving and rewarding hot hatches out there. Factor in that the days are numbered for purepetrol performance models such as the Civic and you can see why hundreds (not thousands) of UK buyers per year will buy one. But if you can’t or don’t want to do that, rest assured that a used model still offers the biggest part of the bang for far fewer bucks

Get a taste of the Type R experience for less cash

Next Fiat Tipo prepares for the global stag

John McIlroy John McIlroy@autoviacouk @johnmcilroy

FIAT is ready for a major renewal as part of the wider Stellantis Group – and the company will make a decisive move in reinforcing its range when it brings a new family-sized Tipo to the market in 2025

The Italian brand is judged by many to be a sleeping giant, and over the past 15 years it has struggled to justify the investment required to keep its line-up of small cars up to date That will change over the next four years, with models – including a reborn Punto and a pared-back Panda – already designed and locked into a product plan that extends far beyond the 500 Now Fiat boss Olivier François has confirmed that as part of the brand’s role within Stellantis (which also includes mainstream manufacturers like Vauxhall, Citroen and Peugeot), it is planning to overhaul its Focus and Golf-rivalling Tipo “What I love about Fiat is that we have only two missions – urban mobility and affordable family transportation,” François said. “The second of those means room, room, room – space for the money, ingenuity when it comes to little things that simplify your life while using the car for the whole family.

“This is the C-segment [family hatchback] and you will see it in 2025 We need to replace the Tipo Don’t torture me about bodystyle, but it’s going to cross over the traditional segmentations, as everyone does now So it’s a little bit SUV-ish, but in an innovative way ”

Our exclusive images reinterpret the Tipo as a family-sized crossover, incorporating cues from some more recent Fiats sold outside of Europe That’s because the new model will need to be sold worldwide, appealing to customers everywhere from Turkey to Latin America, as well as in

traditional family hatchback markets such as Italy, Germany, France and the UK It will also have to replace three bodystyles: conventional hatchback, saloon and estate

“There is no way that Fiat can become regularly profitable – and it is profitable now, but our plan is for it to become increasingly so – if we don’t merge our European and South American line-ups,” François said. “The car we will launch in 2023 [expected to be a 500X EV] will still be European, because it is from before [Stellantis] It takes time to converge

“But we will start in 2024, 2025 and 2026; this is my horizon for cars that are frozen in design and so forth, and we’re going to have one single line-up It can be electric in one region and combustion engined in another, with only minor differentiation, which allows me to make huge volumes on the same base ”

That twin-track approach on powertrains opens up a world of platform possibilities An arrival date of 2025 puts the Tipo at the end of the lifespan of the CMP/e-CMP architecture – which underpins everything from the Peugeot 208 to the Citroen C4 – but also at the starting point for the all-electric STLA Small platform that will effectively replace it

The two architectures will share numerous parts, potentially allowing both to be used, but the most likely scenario is that Fiat will stick with CMP for both Europe and Latin America. This will tap into a fully depreciated cost base that will still support a number of big-selling models into the second half of the decade The company also has its own Latin America-focused platform, called MLA, but it’s unlikely to be used because it’s fundamentally based on much older mechanicals that were developed with General Motors, instead of Stellantis ones

François suggested that the majority of European customers could actually be

EXCLUSIVE IMAGES

offered the next Tipo as an EV only, although he hinted at flexibility on the matter – another area where CMP would score highly: “Our ambition – it’s not 100 per cent, but I hope we will deliver – is to launch every new model as electric only [in Europe] from 2024 We can do that thanks to Stellantis and the sharing of technology We have to follow the market, listen to customers, and the cost of batteries is not going down as quickly as we wish

“We will be ready if the technology and infrastructure allow it, But the beauty is that since we will have the same cars in two regions, one of which is not going to be electric, we have time to pull the trigger We have vision but can also have pragmatism.”

The current Tipo was launched in 2015. Sales in Europe peaked at over 125,000 units in 2016, but have fallen to barely a quarter of that figure It is currently made at the Bursa factory in Turkey, where there is now considerable spare capacity after Stellantis moved a number of commercial vehicles, including the Vauxhall Combo and Fiat Doblo, to its plant in Vigo, Spain.

● Focus-sized family car will be given an SUV-inspired makeover ● European cars will be EVs, while Latin America gets ICE versions

“Fiat can become regularly profitable if we merge our European and South American line-ups”

OLIVIER FRANCOIS Fiat CEO

VARIETY

CROSSED UP Current Tipo Cross offers SUV looks, but new model will take that even further A v a r v a r i i

Prototype makes the case

SeanCarson sean carson@autoviacouk

BACK in 2021, then-Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter revealed in a Linkedin post the brand’s ID. X concept, an all-wheeldrive hot hatch that potentially previewed an ID 3 GTX performance model Now Auto Express has sampled this very prototype, albeit only from the passenger seat.

However, even from the ‘wrong’ side of the car, it was obvious that this machine has real potential, completely transforming the otherwise flat and restrained character of the Volkswagen Group MEB platform.

In fact, this 328bhp machine feels a step above VW’s GTX projects – more like an all-electric R alternative than the GTIequivalent GTX EVs that we’ve sampled in ID 4 and ID 5 SUV forms

There’s more edge to the ID X, and while you’ll clock the big alloys, matte grey paint and acid-green flashes of colour, this much is obvious from the moment you lower yourself into the seat Where you think your backside might come into the contact with the chair, your body keeps falling. The ID. X’s seating position is much lower than you’d think for an EV that packages a battery sandwiched in its floor It’s impressive You can get low in the car – as low as in a Golf R, it feels.

The performance is a notch above any GTX machine, too The thump isn’t Teslalike in its delivery from a standstill, with the 0-62mph sprint taking 5.3 seconds according to Brandstätter’s original post, but once rolling, the ID X’s experimental rear motor does most of the work, with

the front-mounted drive unit chiming in to deliver rapid propulsion It’s punchier and sustained for longer than we expected, given where VW’s GTX range is pitched

However, it’s the chassis dynamics of this prototype – even from the passenger seat – that excite us the most. The ID. X’s developmental rear motor appeared in the ID Xtreme concept we drove in Issue 1,761, but in a smaller car (the ID X is some 200kg lighter than a regular ID, according to Brandstätter) with a shorter wheelbase, its effects are much more direct

Heading out on the test track, our driver hoofs the throttle and the ID X rotates obediently and progressively, it feels like from the passenger seat But far from just a party-trick Drift mode (you have to select this setting to dial up the X’s rear-biased behaviour) it seems to allow the man at the wheel a genuine level of adjustability, some delicacy and, something few EVs have managed to capture so far, plenty of fun

Equal to this new-found wild side from the MEB platform is the ID X’s body control Thank expensive KW coilover suspension for this, as well as the smallest battery from the ID.3 line-up helping to save weight. Despite this, the ID X is still weightier than an ICE hot hatch, but it doesn’t throw its mass around unduly, wallow or pitch excessively, or generally capitulate at the first sign of a corner In fact, it rises to the challenge

The engineering team behind the project has had to butcher an ID 3 in some areas

underneath, including relocating some features, plus cutting away and modifying some of the front crossmember and subframe to house an extra e-motor However, in many other ways it feels production ready, from the driving position to the quality of the sportier interior trim.

It’s a genuine one-off prototype, but given the lukewarm reception to VW’s GTX sub-brand, the ID X could go some way to changing perceptions when it comes to how people think of performance EVs and how much fun they can be Go on VW, put the ID X into production as it is; we dare you

Verdict

THE ID. X concept is more than just a hotted-up ID.3. It feels a step above the brand’s GTX rung, and our first taste proves that there could be fun to be had in faster, sharper EVs based on the MEB platform. It changed our perceptions; from the passenger seat, at least All that’s left is to drive it

Updated Porsche 911 caught cold

THIS is our best look yet at the updated Porsche 911, snapped by our spy photographers in Cabriolet and coupé forms The pictures reveal that the new model will have vertical active aero slats in its front intakes, positioned behind the three horizontal strakes, while a fresh lower rear bumper with different air outlets is likely This has fuelled rumours that the base model of the forthcoming 992.2-generation car could be powered by a naturally aspirated flat-six engine that’s related to the 4 0-litre unit used in the brand’s 718 Boxster and Cayman GTS models.

Porsche will also usher in self-charging hybrid power to help keep weight down versus a PHEV Porsche boss Oliver Blume previously described the new petrol-electric set-up as “very sporty”.

SPIED

LOOKS

While there could be big powertrain changes, expect only subtle updates for 911’s exterior

Final Aston DBS powers up and out

THE Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate (above) is the firm’s most powerful production car ever, with a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine producing 759bhp and 900Nm of torque.

Just 300 coupés and 199 open-top Volantes will be built, marking the end of DBS production All 499 cars have already been sold, with deliveries set to commence in Q3.

● We sample one-off ID. X hot hatch from the passenger seat ● Hits right note for driving fun when compared with GTX models

“The ID. X offers a genuine level of adjustability and something few EVs have managed to capture so far: fun”

THRILLS ID X surprised us, even from the passenger seat, offering grin-inducing dynamics

e for hotter VW ID.3

news inbrief

Off-road 911 Dakar emulates rally greats

FOLLOWING its release late last year, Porsche has added three new heritage liveries to its 911 Dakar range, paying tribute to its ancestors’ rally pedigree. These include a scheme inspired by the 911 S that competed in 1971, the 1974 heritage wrap (above) that references the 2.7 RS driven by Björn Waldegård, and the Martini-inspired design seen on the 911 SC from 1978

Lower m-way speeds part of eco proposal

REDUCING the motorway speed limit to 64mph and having car-free Sundays in large cities could reduce fossil fuel dependency, according to proposals from the European Federation for Transport and Environment, which were repeated in an Environmental Audit Committee report. The 10-point plan quoted by the House of Commons select committee also suggested reducing the price of public transport, incentivising walking and cycling, and introducing more car-sharing schemes and night-time train services

End of the road for BMW’s

cop cars

BMW will no longer supply police cars to forces in the UK The firm’s Park Lane dealership in London – historically responsible for handling specialist vehicle sales – will be restructured.

The change, first reported by Car Dealer Magazine, has been made amid ongoing supply chain issues for the automotive industry. BMW is prioritising sales to retail and corporate customers as a result of this, although Auto Express understands that this announcement applies only to the UK.

PRODUCTION Brandstätter previously confirmed to Auto Express that an ID 3 GTX would go on sale this year, but whether the more hardcore R-level ID X makes it as well remains to be seen. We hope it does

Rotary returns with MX-3

ADDITION

New range-extending MX-30 is priced the same as the full-electric version

John McIlroy John McIlroy@autoviacouk @johnmcilroy

MAZDA has been without one of its iconic rotary engines in its line-up since the RX-8 sports car was axed in 2010. But now the Japanese firm is bringing back the technology as part of a novel plug-in rangeextender set-up in its MX-30

The new edition is called the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, and it features an electric motor that drives the front wheels, a relatively small battery and an 830cc, single-rotor petrol engine that keeps the energy level topped up when required.

Battery capacity stands at 17 8kWh –enough, Mazda claims, for the car to travel 53 miles without needing any petrol

● Hybrid model joins line-up

● Up to 373 miles of range

assistance But when the electricity runs out, or the system requires more energy for rapid acceleration, the 74bhp rotary will kick in to deliver this The firm claims a fuel consumption figure of 283mpg, and 21g/km of CO2 emissions

Mazda also says the car is capable of travelling more than 373 miles on a single charge and its 50-litre fuel tank It can recharge at up to 36kW DC – allowing a full top-up in 25 minutes, increasing to around 90 minutes with a 7.2kW home wallbox.

The electric motor in the e-Skyactiv R-EV produces 168bhp and 260Nm, so despite a small gain in weight, to 1,778kg, the new

model is slightly faster than the 143bhp pure-electric MX-30. The R-EV is capable of a top speed of 86mph and can crack 0-62mph in 9 1 seconds

The MX-30 R-EV’s hybrid system has three modes, including one that keeps the engine off for as long as possible. Another uses the rotary unit to maintain or deliver a level of charge during a journey that will allow pureelectric running in a restricted area, such as a city or a residential zone.

Exterior cues to the new powertrain include a ‘rotor-shaped’ emblem on the front wings and a fresh alloy wheel

design The cabin is essentially unchanged, although fitting a fuel tank has reduced boot capacity slightly, to 350 litres

The MX-30 R-EV is available to order now, with first deliveries due in the summer The range topper will be a £37,950 limited-run Edition R, which gets extra rotary-themed details. Otherwise the line-up will be the same as the EV edition –Prime Line, Exclusive Line and Makoto – with prices starting from £31,250. Mazda is matching the MX-30 EV’s prices across the regular trim levels to simplify customer choice between the powertrains

Forecasts predict slowdown in take-up of EVs

CAR manufacturers in the UK and Europe are set to produce fewer electric vehicles than expected, as buyers look to cheaper models, experts have predicted

The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) –a venture between the Government and the automotive industry that funds research into low-emission powertrains – has published its latest quarterly review of the car market.

In its report, the APC has predicted the UK will produce 1.1 million cars and vans in 2025, of which 280,000 – little more than a quarter – will be EVs This is a downward revision, with the previous suggestion that 360,000 out of a total one million vehicles – more than a third – would be all-electric This, the APC explained, is because an “uncertain economy” will drive customers towards cheaper new cars, with reduced EV

manufacturing as a result. It acknowledged that overall production is expected to increase, however, with more hybrid and plug-in vehicles being built

A similar trend is predicted on the continent, with the APC forecasting 12 million European EVs being built in 2025 – a downward revision of one million from its previous estimate. Again, this is due to uncertain economic conditions, as well as potential supply chain issues.

The report also mentions silicon carbide wafers – a semiconductor with excellent electrical and thermal properties. These have the potential to improve EV efficiency and performance, and the APC says they will dominate the market by 2030 Europe will need a supply of 600,000 to 800,000 wafers by then, while the UK will need 80,000.

REDUCTION

Fewer EVs are expected to be produced as buyers seek out cheaper alternatives

GREEN SHIELD New badge is in the shape of the engine’s triangular rotor

“An ‘uncertain economy’ will drive customers towards cheaper cars, with reduced EV manufacturing as a result”

0 range extender news inbrief

OFFICIAL

First look at Suzuki’s EV coming in 2025

SUZUKI has given a glimpse of its first all-electric car with the eVX compact SUV concept, revealed at the Auto Expo 2023 in Delhi, India The Japanese firm will launch its first EV in 2025, and the eVX previews how it could look. It aims to combine “strong 4x4 DNA with the advanced features of the latest BEVs”, according to Suzuki

Official details are slim, but Suzuki says that the 60kWh battery provides a range of 342 miles on the Indian test cycle. The eVX’s dimensions are broadly similar to Suzuki’s S-Cross compact SUV, so expect the production-ready eVX to rival cars such as the MG ZS EV and Kia Niro EV

The day before the eVX’s unveiling, Suzuki and Canadian firm InMotive announced they will work on a two-speed transmission, which could be used on the 2025 car. According to InMotive, the patented technology is made for EVs and can improve range and performance by 15 per cent.

Mega Mégane marks the end of Renaultsport

NEARLY 50 years of Renaultsport models are coming to an end with this, the Renaultsport Mégane RS Ultime, a limitedrun hot hatch that also marks 20 years of the Mégane RS Revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan, the Ultime is powered by a 300bhp version of Renault’s 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and European models come exclusively with a dual-clutch transmission for a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds. However, none of the 1,976 cars (a nod to when Renaultsport was founded) will be built in right-hand drive, so the Ultime won’t make it to the UK

The Ultime features semi-slick tyres taken from the Trophy R, lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels, the lowered Cup chassis package and Brembo brakes. Its matteblack graphics are unique to the Ultime

During the unveiling, Suzuki president Toshihiro Suzuki said: “I am delighted to unveil the eVX, our first global strategic EV At the Suzuki Group, addressing global warming is a priority. We are promoting a range of global measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Prices slashed for Tesla Model 3 and Y

TESLA has made aggressive cuts to the prices of its Model 3 saloon (above) and Model Y SUV in the UK It follows news thatthe firm fellshortof2022 salestargets and the cuts aim to keepTesla competitive in an increasingly crowded market.

The entry-level Model 3 has dropped by £5,500 to £42,990, while the Model Y now starts from £44,990, a £7,000 saving. The biggest reduction is £8,000 on the Model Y Performance, which is now £59,990 Buyers with confirmed orders at the previous higher prices will not be eligible for the discounts.

Unmarked camera van hits the streets

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Police has announced the introduction of an unmarked mobile speed camera van in what it claims is a bid to reduce road deaths and injuries The force said it was taking “the unusual step” of introducing its first unmarked speed camera van to crack down on drivers who use the roads illegally

The force said the unmarked van would be used at various locations around Northamptonshire, with priority given to roads with high collision rates or where poor driving has been reported

Mercedes to call time on EQ electric brand?

A REPORT by German newspaper

Handelsblatt has claimed that Mercedes will drop its EQ branding for electric cars (below) with its next-generation EVs. Starting from 2024, it’s thought the firm will revert to its traditional naming structure, as more models in its line-up will be powered exclusively by electricity, negating the need for differentiation.

Ultime models are left-hand drive, so won’t be for UK

eVX concept is similar in size to the S-Cross compact SUV

Toshihiro Suzuki (left) revealed new EV concept in India

Electricity no longer a solution for lower car running costs

THE average price of petrol in the UK has fallen to below 150p per litre for the first time in almost a year, while the average price of rapid charging an electric car has soared 58 per cent in eight months

Unleaded now costs an average of 149 67p per litre, according to the AA – the first time it’s been so low since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 Diesel remains high, however, at 172.21p per litre. Worse value, though, is the price of electricity for EVs Figures from RAC Charge Watch reveal the average pay-as-you-go rate at a public rapid charger is now 70.32p/kWh, up from 44 55p in May 2022 and 63 29p in September 2022 The increases have been driven by rising wholesale electricity prices

It now costs an average of £36 to rapid charge a 64kWh battery from zero to 80 per cent capacity – enough for around 188 miles of range This is more than double the cost of doing the same on a 7kW home charger, which would cost £17 87 despite record-high domestic energy prices For comparison, it costs £82 to fill a 55-litre fuel tank with petrol, or £94 with diesel.

There are many reasons an EV owner may rely on public rapid chargers, but these drivers are paying an average of 20p per mile – the same as diesel drivers – while petrol owners only pay 17p per mile.

The RAC and campaign group FairCharge have expressed concern that the high cost of buying and running an EV, combined with the cost of living crisis, could result in people sticking with petrol and diesel vehicles

Both organisations have called on the Government to cut the VAT rate of public chargepoints from 20 per cent to five per cent – the rate that domestic energy users pay This would see the average cost of rapid charging fall by 8 79p to 61 53p/kWh

Public charging firm Osprey backed the call and pointed out that installing a single rapid charging hub can cost up to £750,000 Head of communications Dora Clarke told us: “When charging at home, drivers pay the price of electricity charged by their energy supplier, plus five per cent VAT In contrast, at public chargepoints, drivers pay the price of electricity charged by the energy supplier plus a contribution towards the cost of the installation, operation and maintenance of the network, plus 20 per cent VAT ”

She added that Osprey saw the cost of electricity from its suppliers rise by more than 600 per cent in 2022

Gridserve, meanwhile, highlighted that it offers “competitive” pricing of 64-66p/kWh at its rapid chargers.

OFFICIAL Petrol now more cost-effective when compared with the UK’s rapid charging network

“EV drivers are paying an average of 20p per mile, while petrol owners only pay 17p per mile”

Tristan Shale-Hester tristan shale-hester@autoviacouk @tristan shale

Superb evolution will lead Skoda’s 2023 range revamp

SKODA’S head of sales and marketing, Martin Jahn, has confirmed that the Czech manufacturer will reveal a new generation of its Superb large family hatchback in 2023, which is previewed by our exclusive image above

The new Superb will use an updated version of Skoda’s MQB platform, so it will retain petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid power. Former Skoda CEO (and current VW boss) Thomas Schäfer previously told us the car’s interior will be a huge step forward “It will carry our new user language, what you touch and feel. Superb will get it first, and then Kodiaq after,” he said. “We’ll see some elements from Enyaq, but we need to do more of the traditional controls, having elements that should be functional, clear and easy to use ”

Alongside this, Jahn outlined that a new-generation version of the brand’s Kodiaq SUV will also be unveiled in 2023, while Skoda’s Kamiq compact SUV and Scala family hatchback will receive facelifts this year

He said that “work on our e-offensive is in full swing”, adding the brand would be launching three new all-electric models as early as 2026 These will include an electric SUV to sit below the Enyaq, the production version of Skoda’s Vision 7S concept, and a smaller, more affordable model based on the VW Group’s forthcoming MEB Entry platform.

GROWTH

New Superb will be based on the existing MQB platform, and will feature petrol, diesel and PHEV powertrains

HOT TOPIC Fisker Pear

FROM: PetrilloZbornak THIS car is supposed to be innovative, but I don’t see much innovation in what is essentially a fairly large and expensive electric vehicle We already have plenty of those on offer – let’s have some actual innovation, please

FROM: Ian Barnard I’M not sure it looks the part, but in all honesty I care more about the practicalities and the driving experience At around £25,000, it’ll be more affordable than many electric cars. We need more examples like this that can trickle on to the used market

limits

Next Tiguan SUV taking shape

GIVEN that Skoda is readying a new Kodiaq SUV (above), it’s no surprise that VW’s sister vehicle, the next-generation Tiguan, is creeping closer to its unveiling, as our spy shot (right) shows

A sleeker front end with a bigger grille and deep front bumper section are obvious from this test car that’s wearing minimal camouflage, which highlights the car will still be available with combustion engines. A plug-in hybrid will feature again in the line-up, but this thirdgeneration Tiguan is expected to run until the 2030 ban on ICE-only cars comes into

force. The Tiguan is still based on the firm’s MQB platform, and although its exterior styling is evolutionary, expect to see bigger changes inside for the infotainment when the car is revealed later this year.

FROM: Andy Graham THE issue of headlamps dazzling drivers (Issues 1,756, 1,759, 1,761) is only going to get worse as lights are mounted higher and designed to be increasingly bright LED lights are particularly glaring during damp and rainy conditions

Fine those behind over-running works

FROM: Dean Piper I AGREE with Justin Summer (Issue 1,759) about 20mph roads There was no problem with 30mph limits in towns and cities; 20mph is unnecessarily slow. Compliance is also extremely poor, so those that obey the limit are tailgated

Idea of an Apple car leaves a nasty taste

LED lights are not a bright idea in wet Quickly losing faith with 20mph

by aggressive drivers

FROM: Daniel Roberts SEVERAL roads near my home have roadworks with temporary traffic lights on them These have been in place for weeks Councils and the contractors who work for them should be fined for keeping a road obstructed longer than necessary for basic maintenance

FROM: Lee Carrsdale I HONESTLY hope the Apple car never comes to fruition (Issue 1,759) I test drove a Tesla recently and was so disappointed – it felt like an emotionless tech product, not a proper car I also don’t have

icondrives

SkodaOctaviavRS

Sporty Skoda showed how far brand had turned itself around

Matt Robinson Matt Robinson@autoviacouk @matt 201

FEW brands have managed to change their reputation as comprehensively as Skoda Once the butt of reliability jokes, the Czech manufacturer has been completely repositioned over the past three decades as a dependable, smart-thinking, practicalityfocused company that in many cases makes better versions of cars from parent brand Volkswagen. The transformation has been extraordinary.

A real milestone in this campaign of progress came in 2000 when Skoda launched the Octavia RS or ‘Ra Sport’ A performance-focused Skoda seemed an a concept, even if the company had been responsible such vehicles many years prior, and possessed a ric motorsport history Those staffing Auto Express at t time were taken aback by the development, which proved just how far the brand had come.

As far as performance cars go, however, the RS –which became the vRS or ‘Victory Rally Sport’ by the it arrived in the UK to avoid the ire of Ford – display similar kind of pragmatism to Skoda’s more run-of-t mill fare Rather than doing anything too ‘out there’ vRS adopted the proven 1 8-litre 20-valve inline-fou turbo engine already in service in the Volkswagen G GTI, the Audi TT and many more models.

The Skoda went one better than the Golf, howeve by using a spicier 178bhp ‘AUQ’ version of the EA11 engine, which its VW cousin wouldn’t get until a litt later. To go with this, the Czech brand added new sp to lower the Octavia by 15mm onto 16-inch wheels 17-inch rims available as an option), under which w some green-painted brake calipers

Even with those brightened stoppers, a boot spoil a few other aesthetic additions, the vRS doesn’t sho about its performance, but that’s half the appeal A

iEssentials

SkodaOctaviavRSMk1

Production dates: 2000-2006

Price then: From £17,500

Price now: From £2,000

Engine: 1 8-litre 4cyl turbo petrol,178bhp Power/torque: 178bhp/235Nm

Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 7 8sec

inside, it’s a similar story; you get a strange-shaped gearknob topped with the vRS logo, some neat two-tone black and white dials, and that’s all there is to set this apart from any other first-generation Octavia

There’s also an abundance of hard plastics, and a general sense of dreariness, which says more about the typical approach to cabin design at the time, rather than anything about this car specifically Besides, things take a much more interesting turn once you fire up that unusual 20-valve four-pot and get on your merry way

This Octavia is part of Skoda’s UK heritage fleet. It’s not as well used as the average Mk1 vRS, with around 72,000 miles on the clock, and it’s in lovely condition

NEW SERIES The greatest cars we’ve tested – revisited

“The vRS displayed a similar kind of pragmatism to Skod more run-of-the-mill fare”

Performance

First-generationOctavia vRSscouldsprintfrom 0-62mphin7.8seconds, buttheSkodawasalso wellsuitedtocruising whenownerswanted totakethingseasier

Whatwesaidthen

617, August 2000: “Ten years ago, the prospect of a sporty would have been unthinkable. Today, however, with sales alling ever upward and an image that’s become trendier by the seems a logical move for the ambitious Czech marque. RS is a welcome addition to the revised Octavia range, because ombines a erful engine sharper chassis. Although driving thusiasts may er that it little in ay of on-thethrills, the age as a whole ogether well.”

icondrives

NEW SERIES The greatest cars we’ve tested – revisited

all that much. If you want, you can just leave it in third and let the 235Nm of torque that arrives from only 1,900rpm drag you out of every corner And then from 3,000rpm, the 1 8 really gets into its stride, offering a surprising degree of enthusiasm, and a rather gruff engine note It’s not the most stirring four-pot soundtrack you’ll ever hear, but it’s not an unpleasant din either It’s certainly not an engine that begs to be redlined, not just because of the less-than-interesting noise at the top end; peak power arrives at just 5,500rpm, so there’s little point in venturing any further

When you do change cogs, the gearshift is satisfying, with a short and accurate throw, although it doesn’t offer much sense of mechanical connection If we owned one, we’d get a more conventionally shaped gearknob, too But we probably wouldn’t look to do anything drastic handling-wise, because the vRS is pretty sweet enough out of the box, so long as the suspension components have been freshened up on schedule There’s a wonderful compliance to the ride you don’t get in this car’s modern equivalents, that sees the vRS flow with the road beautifully. The use of small (by today’s standards) wheels helps, but the damping is well judged, too

Composure goes with the comfort There’s a reasonable degree of body roll, but it never feels like it’s going to tip onto its door handles during harder cornering Such moments also reveal that the front end is surprisingly willing to change direction, while the steering offers a welcome dash of feedback to go with its spot-on weighting and decent speed lock to lock.

This isn’t a car that feels more than two decades old It’s a genuinely enjoyable thing to hustle And because

settings. In a current Octavia vRS with adaptive dampers, there are hundreds of different potential combinations for various aspects including the suspension, steering and engine In the Mk1, there isn’t even a ‘Sport’ button to seek out if you’re on a good road; a button to disengage the ESP is as complex as it gets You just drive it a bit harder if you want, or don’t if, well you don’t You decide the ‘mode’ by how much you exercise your right foot, and how aggressive you make your steering inputs.

When driven more sedately, the vRS makes for a wonderfully relaxing cruiser It’s quiet, refined and comfortable It’s practical, too, with that fastback-like rump of the Octavia body giving 500 litres of boot space and a whole lot more with the rear seats folded flat

But it doesn’t quite offer a ‘Mr Hyde’ personality to go with the ‘Dr Jekyll’, or a Hulk to complement the Bruce Banner. Fun though the vRS is to drive fast, it remains quite a restrained thing even when driven hard. Take things a step further and you’ll find it’s not the last word in front-end grip or outright speed Other models from the era did much more in that regard

That’s long been the Octavia vRS’s appeal, however. Crossing over with the this car’s production life were options like the lift-off oversteer-happy EP3 Honda Civic Type R and the Seat Leon Cupra R, the latter using many of the same ingredients as the vRS to make something more extreme But not everyone wants something so focused, and for those people, the Mk1 Octavia vRS was the ideal choice It’s pleasing to see that, even with its added levels of complication, Skoda’s current version offers much the same thing

Interior

Black-and-white dials and avRS-badged gearknob identifythe hot Octavia inside the conservative cabin

Driving

With a sensible power output and a composed chassis,the OctaviavRS is good fun to drive on a winding B-road without being too focused

“There isn’t even a ‘Sport’ button to seek out; a button to disengage the ESP is as complex as it gets”

Interested in buying one?

THE Mk1 Skoda Octavia vRS has been something of a performance-car bargain for a while now, but the flipside of that is that many examples will have ended up in the hands of owners who aren’t willing to spend the money required to keep one in good running order. That might have something to do with the fact there weren’t many Mk1s for sale when we checked the classifieds, compared with an abundant supply of Mk2s; it’s a similar kind of car that’s a step on in pretty much every area, so makes for a good alternative.

If you’re set on a Mk1 and manage to track one down, make sure it has service history. The EA113 engine is a robust unit, but it’s important its intervals are adhered to, especially the cambelt change that is required every 60,000 miles or four years.

Common faults include failed coil packs, temperamental central locking, and on estate models, rust on the tailgate. These cars are also now old enough that you want to keep a general eye out for rust, although they’re not known for being any worse than contemporary rivals for tin worm.

The Mk1 vRS is a popular car to have remapped If that’s been done to your prospective buy, ensure it was carried out by a reputable place, and bear in mind a remapped car has probably been driven harder than average.

6 achieves another level of refinement”

Hyundai Ioniq 6

Electric motor Power/range 225bhp/338 miles

FIRSTDRIVE New EV follows on from Ioniq 5 and is an even more impressive offering

McIlroy@autoviacouk @johnmcilroy

HYUNDAI’S Ioniq 5 is one of the defining cars of the past few years –a vehicle with bold design and tech that marked the Korean brand’s emergence as a real superpower, particularly in the electriccar era Now the company is aiming to build on that success with the Ioniq 6, a swoopy new saloon that’ll start arriving in dealers by the summer And we’ve been able to try an early production example on UK roads

The nomenclature might lead you to expect the 6 to be positioned a notch above the 5, but that isn’t quite the case. There is a premium, but it’s a modest one; the new model’s line-up starts with a 225bhp rearwheel-drive edition at £46,745, just £600odd up on the comparable 5.

The new arrival is a remarkably differentlooking creation than the five-door, and while you are more likely to notice some similarities between the two cars on the

road, there are significant differences as well Everything in the drivetrain seems to have been tightened up a notch, so while the Ioniq 5 was never whiny or jerky, the 6 achieves another level of refinement The fact that our test example was rear-wheel drive probably helps here, but it’s hard to detect much electric motor noise at all

The modulation of the control weights is smoother than before, too; the 225bhp edition driven here doesn’t quite have Tesla-esque EV punch but even so, the Ioniq 6 manages to deliver instant torque with impressive progression The calibration of the brake pedal is equally impressive, because that tricky transition between energy recuperation and actual discs and pads is nicely judged Again, you can feel Ioniq evolution here.

There’s more of a jump than a gentle shift in chassis dynamics, even though the 6 shares the same E-GMP underpinnings as the 5 The new arrival is more than 20cm longer overall, with longer overhangs, yet

its roofline sits a full 11cm lower This drop in the centre of gravity is harnessed by what feels like a firmer suspension set-up to deliver improved body control and quicker reactions to steering inputs You can point the 6 at a corner with confidence, assured that it’ll resist wallowing off line.

The trade-off for this is a ride that never quite settles; the Ioniq 5 is unashamedly soft, and has always had a tendency to float and waft, often taking a second attempt to settle over longer undulations The 6 is undoubtedly better tied down, but you’re more likely to feel patter from beneath as lesser road imperfections are picked up through the chassis It’s never genuinely uncomfortable, though – even on the 20-inch wheels fitted to the car we drove – so we’d say it’s a price worth paying for a more complete dynamic package.

The more slippery shape gives the 6 a longer range than its stablemate; its 74kWh (usable) battery is enough for 338 miles on a single charge. Again, the Hyundai’s figures

are a rough match for those of the rear-drive Tesla Model 3, although that car is cheaper Inside, the materials feel just a little more premium than the 5’s throughout, and there’s less evidence of harsher, more easily scratched plastics

There are compromises on space, though While there’s oodles of legroom for five adults, anyone measuring six feet tall or more may well struggle for headroom in the 6 – not only in the rear, where they’re likely to find their head squished against the roof liner, but even behind the wheel Adopt an upright driving position and you may well find the top of your head disappearing into the sunroof cutout.

The boot, too, is long, wide and shallow, and the aperture to load items through is an odd shape, so the load bay probably isn’t quite as practical as the decent enough capacity of 401 litres would suggest At least the rear-drive editions get a 45-litre ‘wetbox’ trunk beneath the bonnet – handy for stowing the charging cables.

John McIlroy

John

Essentials

CITROEN describes the new e-C4 X as

“a design that combines the elegant silhouette of a fastback with the modern look of an SUV” That sounds an awful lot like the brand’s e-C4 hatchback has been given a compromised, style-over-substance makeover But that’s not the case

Boot space is up, and quite significantly, from 380 litres to 510 That’s because while turning the e-C4 into a fastback, Citroen has stretched the car by 240mm It’s all as per a normal C4 up to the B-pillars but diverts from that point The cabin roofline already sloped quite heavily, so there was no need to change it to go with the new look

However, while there is more space in the boot, accessing it isn’t as easy in the C4 X; despite how it might appear at first glance, this is a saloon, rather than a hatch.

The wheelbase remains the same – all of the growth is in the rear overhang, so there isn’t much more room in the rear seats However, it seems slightly more spacious thanks to a more reclined seatback

The chassis is shared with the e-C4, and because the weight difference is only small, the new car offers the same comfort-focused driving experience Hydraulic bump stops mean the e-C4 X does a much better job of soaking up imperfections than many rival EVs, and although the soft damping leads to noticeable body roll, it’s not excessive, and a fair trade-off for the smooth ride

It’s a refined car, too, making for a relaxing drive thanks to the electric powertrain and smooth suspension The steering doesn’t provide any meaningful feedback, but the weight is about right

The powertrain is no different to the e-C4’s, so a 50kWh battery pack feeds a front-mounted motor producing 134bhp and 260Nm Straight-line performance is

modest, then, with the e-C4 X clocking the 0-62mph run in 10 seconds flat

That will be more than quick enough for most, though, and the slight delay between the throttle pedal being pressed and the car accelerating is probably for the best, because even 260Nm might come as a shock to some if delivered instantly The Sport setting makes little difference to the power delivery, but the softer throttle response in Eco mode is much more noticeable

The e-C4 X’s body is slipperier than the hatchback’s, meaning the official range is up by five miles, to 222 With 100kW charging capability, a 20-to-80 per cent top-up takes 30 minutes.

While the new infotainment in our car is a move in the right direction, there’s still room for improvement Particularly notable (and annoying) is the inability to move the sat-nav map or pinch to zoom with your fingers It’s better to connect a phone and use Google Maps or Waze, which can be done thanks to standard-fit Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

There’s a small and simple digital instrument cluster, and on Shine and Shine Plus cars, a head-up display.

The dashboard design is not hugely interesting, but it’s logically laid out and well built, although there are a few too many chunks of hard plastic. The real highlight of the cabin is the front seats, which feature special 15mm high-density foam pads for additional

“The Citroen does a much better job of rivals”

Matt Robinson Matt Robinson@autoviacouk @matt 201

comfort We felt just as fresh at the end of our drive as at the beginning True, it’s not an awfully exciting car to drive, nor will the looks win many over, with the rear end looking a touch awkward from some angles But the e-C4 X is more about relaxation, slotting into family life with minimal fuss, and without breaking the bank A starting price of £31,995 makes it look better value than the Volkswagen ID 3

That’s an identical figure to the standard e-C4 hatch, so unless the boot opening and/or the styling aren’t to your tastes, you might as well go for the X For a fiver under £32k, you’re getting the aforementioned phone tech, 18-inch wheels, keyless go and a 10-inch touchscreen That’ll be enough for most, but it’s not a huge leap to Shine trim (£34,495) with the newer infotainment, an HUD, a reversing camera, automatic headlights and a heated steering wheel

Finally, there’s Shine Plus for £35,495, which adds Alcantara interior trim and adaptive cruise control.

Verdict

CITROEN’S newest EV takes the likeable e-C4 and adds more practicality without increasing the price. It remains to be seen if UK buyers will take to a car with the ‘wrong’ kind of boot opening and if the styling will win fans, but those not put off will find the e-C4 X an easy and relatively inexpensive way to make the change to electric motoring

Steve Sutcliffe mail@autoexpresscouk

MERCEDES entrusted the development of the new SL to its AMG division – and in most areas, it shows Despite weighing almost two tonnes and being powered by a familiar 4 0-litre twin-turbo V8, the new SL 55 AMG 4MATIC+ is a sharp car to drive on UK roads One that’s surprisingly hard to fault dynamically, even if it does look a bit awkward compared with its predecessors It’s also the first-ever SL to be available with four-wheel drive, and features a wealth of other new technical innovations, such as Active Ride Control and rear-wheel steering, plus a hyper-intelligent fresh voice-control system There’s also a pair of small but justabout-usable rear seats for the first time in an SL, while the new electric hood takes only 15 seconds to open or close, and can be operated at speeds of up to 40mph So there’s little doubting the credentials of the all-new SL 55 AMG on paper. But

there’s also no denying how expensive it has become, the 55 4MATIC+ Premium Plus version here costing an eye-watering £147,475 And remember, the 55 is merely the mid-range model Above this sits the 63, which has even more power and performance from what is essentially the same V8, yet costs 180 grand Even the 43 costs the thick end of £110,000

So where does all your money go? On all the various elements already mentioned, of course, plus some extra bits of sparkle that we’ll come to, none of which is unwelcome and most of which work very well indeed But also, you suspect, on the electrified versions of this new ‘R232’ SL that we know full well are coming down the line

The Mercedes’ engine develops 470bhp and a thumping 700Nm of torque, enough

to fire the SL 55 to 62mph in a claimed 3 9 seconds and to a top speed of 183mph The transmission is a nine-speed automatic that works a treat for most of the time, although it’s surprisingly low-geared and feels as if it has one too many options to choose from at low speeds.

Either way, there’s nothing wrong with the way the new SL 55 goes, especially if you factor in the deep-chested V8 noises it emits under full-beans acceleration, or the crackles that erupt out of its tailpipes in the Sport + or Track modes

The body control, brakes, steering, ride and road refinement are all also very good indeed for such a big, heavy car, even if the steering becomes a touch over-meaty in Sport+ mode, while the wheel itself can feel a bit too thick and chunky. The active ride

control works well to keep that big body planted and level in corners without the ride becoming harsh as a result, and road noise is unusually well suppressed for an AMG, even on 21-inch wheels.

As for the cabin, on the one hand it’s more practical than ever before, thanks to its pair of small rear seats It’s also incredibly well equipped in Premium Plus specification, with a huge new central touchscreen that controls just about all of the car’s myriad on-board technologies, and whose position adjusts electrically to

make it more readable in sunlight, which is a nice and useful touch.

The main instruments are also fully digitised and change dramatically in appearance as you scroll up through the SL 55’s six drive modes. Some people will like what they see when this happens, while others won’t

Regardless of which drive mode you select, the Mercedes’ front seats are always impressive in the combination of comfort and support that they offer The boot, although hardly spacious, provides just about enough room for luggage, with a theoretical 213-litre capacity with the hood up, and somewhat less with it down

Some people will no doubt like the SL’s accommodating new interior, with its deliberately high-end games console feel and style, but others will surely not Whatever the case, the new SL is an impressive car overall, even if it does now cost an eye-watering amount of money.

Verdict

THE new four-wheel-drive SL 55 AMG is surprisingly sharp to drive for a two-tonne, open-topped car and its hood-up refinement is also deeply impressive. But its interior, although extremely well equipped, lacks design maturity – and if ever a car could have too many toys to play with (or become confused by) this is it We like the new SL, but we don’t love

Richard Ingram Richard Ingram@autoviacouk @rsp ingram

AS DS’s trajectory continues skywards, each model has improved on the one before, with the latest DS 4 proving a credible alternative to premium hatchbacks such as the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class Arguably the most compromised car in the maker’s line-up, therefore, was the DS 3 Crossback Launched the best part of four years ago, the Nissan Juke-rivalling small SUV was naturally due a facelift. So for 2023, DS’s most affordable car has been given a nip and tuck, with new tech, fresh styling and greater range for the electric version

The Crossback badge is no more and the diesel has been axed, too, as the DS 3 now comes with a choice of two petrol powertrains and a single electric option The E-Tense EV is available in all four trim choices and gets a more powerful 154bhp motor and a bigger 54kWh battery, which DS claims is good for 250 miles on a charge – an increase of almost 18 per cent over its predecessor

Visually, there are changes to the lights (full-LEDs are standard) as well as the grille and bumpers, while at the back, ‘DS Automobiles’ is fashionably emblazoned across the tailgate. Inside, there’s a new steering wheel and a revised centre console, plus a slicker 10 3-inch touchscreen set-up

Comfortable

On the move, the DS 3 E-Tense is quiet, comfortable and easy to drive, and there’s enough power on tap for all your urban duties. While the well judged regenerative brake set-up doesn’t allow one-pedal driving, the progressive nature contributes to what is a pleasingly relaxing low-speed experience

The updated DS 3 is a decent motorway car, too. The ride is smooth, and even at 70mph the cabin is quiet – with very little wind or road noise The electric motor runs out of puff a bit at the top end, but no more so than you’ll find in a Kia Niro EV – as long as you steer clear of the DS’s Eco mode It’s clear the focus is on comfort, because while the DS 3 feels composed and secure on wide, open roads, it’s a little looser through tight bends You’ll find the limits are lower than in a Cupra Born or Volkswagen ID 3

Yet our biggest issue – certainly with our top-spec Opera-trim car – is the price. You can buy a DS 3 with the PureTech 100 petrol engine and a manual gearbox in entry-level Performance Line guise for £25,900 But opt for the more powerful 128bhp motor –which we drove alongside the E-Tense –adding keyless entry, sat-nav, and 18-inch wheels, and you’re looking at more than £30k, or £485 per month on a three-year PCP finance deal This E-Tense, on the same terms, is an eye-watering £723 a month

The cheaper models certainly make more sense. Performance Line variants get Alcantara trim and twin screens, plus Apple and Android connectivity Performance Line+ brings the extras mentioned above, while Rivoli is more focused on luxury.

Opera cars get lots of kit including DS’s familiar watch-strap-style heated and massaging leather seats, a head-up display, wireless phone charging and 360-degree cameras, as well as the Advanced Safety

Pack with blind-spot detection and adaptive cruise control

Fit and finish is very good; it’s amazing what a bit of suede trim on the dash can do for perceived quality, and the details lift the car’s interior ambience

Unfortunately, the touch-sensitive dash remains fiddly and unintuitive, while its diamond theme won’t be to all tastes The main screen is much more responsive than before, and the smartphone-style menus work relatively well. But having to delve into these menus to change the climate settings is frustrating

Otherwise, the DS 3 remains a likeable small SUV, albeit one that’s short on space The rear seats are tight, and the feeling of claustrophobia isn’t helped by the tall belt line that rises at the B-pillars

The boot is a reasonable 350 litres, but again, rivals are bigger The Cupra has a 385-litre load area, and the Niro beats both the Born and DS 3 hands down; that car’s 475-litre boot makes it one of

SOMETIMES, it’s easy to know when a relationship is on the wane: you start to see the person less and less, and wonder whether someone else could ever provide the excitement you once thought only they could

For many, this is how we feel about our connection with the beloved manual handbrake. As we embrace this new, digital age, manufacturers are routinely swapping traditional levers for minimalist electrical switches While these do help remove clutter from a car’s centre console, they aren’t as involving as their analogue cousins and don’t allow you to engage in any kind of hooliganism such as handbrake turns

With this in mind, Abarth invited us to say a fond farewell to the manual handbrake in the most fitting way: a stunt driving day at Brands Hatch. Who said romance is dead?

Arriving bright and early at the former home of British Formula One racing, my tired eyes are quickly widened by the trio of brightly coloured Abarth 595s that await our arrival. Curiously, all three are equipped with different exhaust systems The lime green Competizione is fitted with Abarth’s own Monza system, while the white, track-ready Essesse features a rorty set-up from Akrapovic Regardless, they all sound fantastic – even the Sapphire Blue 595 Turismo tickles my ears with its burbling standard exhaust

After a safety briefing and a top-up of caffeine, I meet my instructor, Mark Wright A racer of fire-breathing 550bhp classic Mustangs, he’s unfazed by the 180bhp sting of the 1 4-litre Scorpions and hops in to give a demonstration

Before my arrival, the Abarth team had set up a series of challenges around which I’d learn to master the dying art of handbrake stunts, and Mark demolishes the course in a flurry of pops, bangs, screeches and tyre smoke.

It’s my turn next, so I clamber into the quilted, chocolatebrown interior of the 595 Turismo As I drive round to the start of the course, Mark reveals that I’d first be trying a simple handbrake turn. I’d actually never executed one

DRIVING IN CIRCLES

before, so I was up for the challenge While this speaks volumes about how scrupulously I drive, it also reflects the handbrake’s diminishing presence in today’s world

Nowadays, there are very few performance cars left with manual handbrakes – even the Volkswagen Golf GTI has foregone a lever for a toggle. This means a new generation of youths will be without one outlet for their angst But Abarth is very proud of the fact that it is the sole mainstream performance brand to only sell models with a manual handbrake – something that’s slightly less impressive when you realise it makes only one car

Nevertheless, I give it a go Sliding the Abarth into first gear using the solid aluminium shifter, I press the throttle, flick the steering wheel and give the handbrake lever a firm

tug While at this precise moment I feel like a bona fide stunt driver, in reality I am merely parking the car badly.

Mark explains that because the 595 is front-wheel drive, I need to maximise momentum to shift enough load onto the front axle in order for the car to spin – in other words: “give it a bit more welly”. He also says that timing is paramount; pulling the brake too early during the turn means the car won’t have gained enough lateral movement for it to fully rotate, and will instead stop right in its tracks I try again and, despite the blue 595 Turismo producing 20bhp less than the other two Abarths present, it had enough speed to fly around the hairpin corner in a cloud of smoke from its Pirelli P Zeros

Performing a handbrake parallel park is much along the same lines; however, this time I have to be more accurate to park neatly between a set of cones. Having familiarised myself with the handbrake, I am able to flick the little Abarth round into the spot after only the second attempt I let out a gleeful cheer – why haven’t I tried this before?

I carry on hooning into the afternoon, with only two casualties: my sense of maturity and the white Essesse’s CV joint, which met its end with a spine-tingling crack

All of this got me thinking: petrolheads these days talk about how the latest generation of drivers will never get to

QUICK LEARNER

Tom had never done a handbrake turn before, but he soon got the hang of it

“While at this precise moment, I feel like a bona fide stunt driver, in reality I am merely parking the car badly”

TomJervis thomas jervis@autoviacouk

Manual handbrakes have become increasingly rare, so we learn the art of the handbrake turn while we still can

ON THE TURN

Three other features you might want back

CD players

Grandmothers up and down the country will be devastated to learn they won’t be able to play their favourite Rod Stewart CD on the go, thanks to the gradual death of the in-car CD player And it’s not just Rod the Mod they’ll be missing – they won’t be able to play any of their most cherished discs.

Quarter-lights

Prior to the seventies, most cars featured opening quarter-lights, which allowed in fresh, cool air without the buffeting you get when you roll down a full-size window As air-conditioning became more popular, these windows became obsolete and began to disappear from the models on our streets. However, unlike early air-con systems, they didn’t affect your car’s performance too much

Pop-up headlights

Seeing a car flash its pop-up headlights is almost as exciting for passers-by as it is for the driver themselves. Unfortunately, it only takes one part of the mechanism to break for your car to start winking uncontrollably.

experience what it’s like to drive a truly analogue car However, some people will view our relationship with the manual handbrake as somewhat of an arranged marriage: something that we’ve been groomed to love, but have no idea why Ask a group of drivers today if they’ve ever performed such manoeuvres before and you’ll probably be met with shakes of the head

Perhaps, then, it’s us to blame for the disappearance of the manual handbrake, as much as it is tightening safety regulations and electrification? Car makers see manual handbrakes as somewhat of a safety concern; an automatic parking brake makes it difficult to roll back during a hill start and is much less likely to be misused and abused

Therefore, it’s a no-brainer to replace the manual lever with a safer alternative if there isn’t sufficient demand otherwise While we’re not suggesting that you storm any car manufacturer’s head office to complain, indulging in some old-school antics in a safe and controlled environment reminds you of how analogue cars can be such great fun.

At the end of my day at Brands Hatch, I’m not sure what gave me more comfort: the fact I still have a few years left to enjoy such simple pleasures, or that I’d managed to avoid accidentally grabbing Mark’s leg rather than the handbrake.

AGAINST THE CLOCK Day ended with Tom’s skills put to the test in timed challenges

Instructor Mark Wright (inset) soon had us sliding

Setting the tone

SINCE the Giulietta hatchback went off sale a couple of years ago, Alfa Romeo has had only two models to offer buyers. But good though the Giulia and Stelvio both are, it has been a tough fight for the Italian brand against the premium car establishment, many of which offer so many models they’ve created new niches within other niches.

So Alfa Romeo’s latest release, a third model for its line-up, can’t come soon enough This is the Tonale, a car which, sitting in the compact premium SUV sector, wades into one of the most competitive segments around Fortunately it also features another first for Alfa: a plug-in hybrid powertrain. It’s a set-up that’s vital if the Tonale is to do well in this category.

Among the many challengers the Tonale has to face is one of our favourites The Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge is the most potent PHEV that the Swedish brand offers in this class, and is a close match for the top-spec Tonale on price. So if the Alfa Romeo can give a good account of itself here, it’s well within the mix for the class best.

Pictures: Pete Gibson

ALTHOUGH we ’ re testing a left-hand-drive Tonale here, its Veloce spec is a close match to what we’ll get in the UK Before options, it comes to £48,495, but add the Winter Pack (£450), 20-inch alloy wheels (£750) and lustrous Montreal Green paint (£1,500), and this car comes to £51,245

Design & engineering

THE Tonale adds a third model to Alfa Romeo’s current line-up and its second SUV But when Alfa has its excellent Giorgio platform to build on – the reason why both the Giulia and the Stelvio ride and handle as well as almost anything in their respective classes – it’s less promising to learn that the Tonale goes without it

Instead, it uses a platform shared with the fiveyear-old Jeep Compass, but can actually trace its roots back almost 20 years However, Alfa’s engineers have tried to put their own mark on it There’s a unique adaptive damping set-up (co-developed with suspension specialist Koni) plus Alfa’s typically quick steering to give the Tonale a sportier feel

The range comes with a choice of two powertrains It kicks off with a mild-hybrid petrol – a model whose so-so performance and poorer calibration left us underwhelmed – plus the plug-in hybrid system we have here

This combines a 178bhp 1 3-litre turbocharged petrol engine – which has a mild hybrid-style integrated starter-generator of its own – with a rear-mounted motor that sends 121bhp and 250Nm to the back wheels Energy is supplied by a 15 5kWh battery and the Tonale will drive in fully electric mode at speeds of up to 84mph

Inside, the cabin is typically Alfa, in that there’s a mix of the lovely and the disappointing Fortunately, most aspects that fall into the former category tend to be the bits that you touch often, such as the steering wheel and the excellent aluminium shift paddles (available on the top-spec Veloce trim) The centre console and door trims feel wobbly and are made from scratchy plastic, though

As with other Alfas, the Tonale gets a ‘DNA’ drive mode switch In Dynamic, the throttle, gearbox, stability control and steering are tuned to provide a more direct feel, and there’s more brake regeneration, too Natural is the hybrid mode, which balances between performance and economy, while Advance Efficiency is the full-electric setting In addition, there’s a battery save mode that lets you maintain charge for later in your journey

Driving

ALFA ROMEO drivers demand sharp handling almost as much as they want handsome looks, and the good news is that the Tonale delivers for the most part Despite the weight of the plug-in hybrid tech, the Tonale feels keen to turn in, and body control is kept in check with just a gentle amount of roll The steering is direct, but we’d like a little more feedback; it doesn’t give you much impression of how the tyres load up through a corner

In Dynamic mode, the adaptive dampers firm up and the drive gets sharper The difference between the soft and hard modes isn’t as pronounced as in the

Details

Tonale

Performance

Electric motors boost Tonale’s acceleration, while the car’s handling is sharp

ROADTESTS

Stelvio, but at higher speeds it settles more quickly after hitting a large bump On the other hand, it also introduces more fidget, which some drivers (and passengers) might find a little bit irritating Still, it’s not the worst-riding car in this segment, and things will improve if you stick with the standard, smaller 19-inch wheels If it gets too much, the bumpy road mode lets you switch back to the softer setting, even when you ’ re in Dynamic It’s in Dynamic where the PHEV powertrain gives you everything it’s got Straight-line performance is strong, with 0-62mph covered in just 6 2 seconds The torque from the electric motor helps to push the back axle gently when accelerating out of a turn, but the Tonale still feels more front-driven than rear

In Natural mode, the system defaults to electric drive if there’s enough charge The 121bhp on offer is fine for everyday driving Mash the throttle pedal to join a motorway or perform an overtake, and there’s a small delay while the petrol engine wakes up, but you ’ re not left completely floundering because the electric motor gives reasonable shove straight away The transition between petrol and electric is a bit clunky, while the weakest part of the powertrain is the laggy six-speed automatic gearbox

Practicality

BACK-seat passengers won’t feel hard done by in the Alfa Romeo, with decent head and kneeroom, but the XC40 is slightly better in both areas The seats themselves feel quite flat and the backrests are upright, so the Volvo is the more comfortable car for rear passengers overall The Alfa’s lower floor and generous room for feet under the front seats, combined with the Volvo’s high central hump, make the Tonale a more comfortable place to seat three occupants at once

Ownership

THE Tonale was given a maximum five-star rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2022 All models come with autonomous emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, forward-collision warning and adaptive cruise control, while an optional level two system can accelerate and steer between lanes for limited periods The XC40 also achieved a five-star NCAP rating when it was tested in 2018

Running costs

ONE of the big benefits of a 40 mile-plus electric-only range is that it allows the Tonale to dip into the eight per cent Benefit in Kind company car tax band Meanwhile, the Volvo sits in the 14 per cent category As a result, a higher-rate income tax payer will face annual deductions of £2,887 in the Volvo – a hefty £1,272 more than a Tonale driver each year

Testers’ notes

“For a car that’s meant to have a sporty edge, the stability control and emergency brake lights are too intrusive when driving with even a bit of enthusiasm.”

Alex Ingram Chief reviewer

THROUGHTHE RANGE

The Volvo is cheaper to lease because so few Tonale deals are currently available While we’d usually expect lease costs to be lower than a PCP each month, the best deals we found with a six-month up-front payment on a three-year lease were £758 for the Speciale and £868 for the Veloce. Our

choice:

THE XC40 we ’ re testing against the Tonale here is in top-spec Ultimate trim All paint options are no cost on this trim level, so the added extras are the wool-blend upholstery (£825) and a spare wheel (£150), bringing our test car to £52,580

Design & engineering

VOLVO’S Compact Modular Architecture underpins the XC40, and here it holds an advantage over the Alfa Romeo; not only is it able to run mild and plug-in hybrid powertrains, but there’s a fully electric option, too So no matter what type of driving suits you best, Volvo has you covered

On paper though, the PHEV tech isn’t quite as strong as the Tonale’s, because its 1 5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine is joined by a single electric motor Unlike the Alfa, which sends almost all of its electric drive to the back, the Volvo’s combined 258bhp – a modest 14bhp less than the Tonale – goes through the front wheels At 81bhp, the e-motor makes 40bhp less than the Alfa’s, and the car ’ s 10 7kWh battery is 4 8kWh smaller, too Both of these factors mean that you ’ re less able to rely on EV mode in everyday driving What you can always rely on, however, is Volvo offering a minimalist interior Four years on from its launch, and the XC40’s cabin is still a smart-looking place to be; it’s a very clean (if quite dark) place to sit The use of carpet across the lower centre console and door panels is a neat way to avoid using too much hard plastic, and although the latter is used in some areas, it’s less conspicuous here than in the Alfa

The overall feel is sturdier, too Both the Alfa and Volvo have narrow window lines towards the rear Both look suitably funky on the outside, but the trade-off is that neither of these cars are that great for over-the-shoulder visibility

Driving

FOR two similarly-sized SUVs, the XC40 and the Tonale feel very different to drive Where the Alfa is firm, the Volvo is soft and relaxing Conversely, where the Tonale feels neatly balanced and nimble for a car of this type, the Volvo is nose-heavy and lazy The steering has a decent weight to it, but it doesn’t offer much feedback, and while the Volvo transmits slightly less road noise into the cabin, there’s a little more wind noise

Even though the Alfa’s PHEV powertrain has some flaws, overall it has the better of the Volvo’s system Weaknesses such as a laggy gearbox feature in both cars, but the XC40’s engine is slower to wake up when you need its extra shove Given that its e-motor is also less potent, this means the Volvo needs to lean on its combustion engine more heavily than its rival, so this disadvantage becomes even more profound

With 258bhp to deploy through the front axle, the XC40’s traction can be overwhelmed if you get a little too keen with the throttle The Alfa’s traction is great, which helps it to deliver a 0-62mph time that’s 1 1 seconds faster When you need to use the Volvo’s performance, its petrol engine is noisier and coarser than its Italian rival’s The electric motor is louder, too Then there are the Volvo’s brakes, which go from being very light in the first stage of travel to very

Performance

XC40 focuses on comfort over sharp handling, while frontwheel-drive layout hinders acceleration

firm later This is combined with a clumsy transition between electrical and mechanical deceleration, which causes the car to stutter during harder stops

Practicality

NOT only is the XC40 slightly more spacious for rear-seat passengers, it has a larger boot than the Tonale, too At 452 litres, it’s 67 litres bigger than the Alfa’s 385-litre space (which incidentally is identical to the Mercedes GLA plug-in hybrid), and there’s enough space under the Volvo’s boot floor for an optional space-saver spare wheel

If you need more room, then the Volvo’s seats fold almost completely flat, and a range of hooks and tethers allow you to secure smaller loads easily Interior storage is pretty impressive, too The front door bins are huge, there’s a deep bin under the front centre armrest, and a wide space up front to hold a smartphone or two If we ’ re being nit-picky, the back door bins are fairly small The Tonale’s door bins aren’t as large up front, and its central arm rest bin isn’t quite as roomy The smartphone shelf, although neatly angled toward the driver, is a little awkward because the drive mode dial obstructs it slightly

Ownership

score 4.1

WHILE the Alfa scores highly for safety, this area has long been Volvo’s domain Not only did the XC40 chalk up excellent Euro NCAP scores for passive safety – its 97 per cent score in the Adult Occupant Protection class was the best of any car tested in 2018 – but Ultimate trim also comes with the marque ’ s Pilot Assist system

This semi-autonomous mix of lane keeping and adaptive cruise control including traffic jam assist is among the smoothest of its type offered by any car maker It really helps to take the strain out of longer journeys

Running costs

score 4.3 score 4.0

FUEL consumption in a PHEV varies wildly based on how often you can recharge the battery An XC40 we ran as a long-termer, which was home-charged religiously, mustered a figure of 57 8mpg But on test, with longer journeys and less frequent charging, that number dropped below 40mpg

Used in a similar way, the Alfa was 4 6mpg better off So not only is it more efficient when the battery runs out, but its longer real-world EV range also means a dedicated PHEV owner will be able to beat the Volvo even more if charging regularly

The Volvo is expected to hold on to more of its value, though After three years or 36,000 miles, the XC40 will be worth 57 8 per cent of its original asking price, compared with 51 2 per cent for the Tonale

Testers’ notes

“The optional wool-blend seat fabric feels luxurious and soft At £825, we reckon it’s a great alternative to the full leather option.”

lex Ingram hief reviewer Alex Chief

Interior Volvo still feels upmarket, while portrait touchscreen dominates the dashboard

Boot space

There’s more room in the XC40, and under-floor storage is big enough for a space-saver spare wheel

THROUGHTHE RANGE

ROADTESTS

Audi Q3

MODEL: 45 TFSI e Black Edition

PRICE: £44,070

POWERTRAIN: 1.4-litre 4cyl, 13kWh battery, 242bhp

COMPARED with some of the flashy alternatives in this segment, the Q3 almost looks subtle But while it’s easy to overlook the styling, there’s still plenty to admire Firstly there’s its ride comfort, which is relaxing and supple, yet taut enough to deliver reasonable body control The Q3 is great at motorwaycruising,yet light steering makes it easy to manoeuvre around town However, the PHEV powertrain is showing its age The 1 4-litre four-cylinder works alongside a 114bhp electric motor; not only is the 242bhp output behind the best rivals, but it’s clunky in its operation, too Officially, 31 miles of EV-only range is one of the lowest figures here, and the battery only recharges at 3 6kW, so you’ll need to wait longer to not go as far as Alfa drivers on electricity The cabin doesn’t feel as special as we’d hope from an Audi, and it’s not as roomy for passengers or luggage as either the Volvo or BMW

Lagging

Older PHEV powertrain offers a shorter range than rivals here, and Q3 is showing its age inside, too

Rivals: Four plug-in SUV altern

R-R Evoque

MODEL: P300e R-Dynamic HSE

PRICE: £55,615

POWERTRAIN: 1 5-litre 3cyl, 15kWh battery, 305bhp

IT’S taken four years for another compact premium SUV rival to look quite so striking as the Evoque Both it and the Tonale have brought concept car styling to the road, and they’re the clear choices in this class for the style-conscious Unlike the Alfa, which shows signs of cheapness inside, the Range Rover feels very special from the driver’s seat But the Evoque is more than just a pretty face Despite its showy looks, it boasts off-road ability that few will ever explore to its full potential Its 15kWh battery is one of the largest here, and it means you can enjoy silent off-roading, or 34 miles in EV mode on tarmac Teamed up with a 1 5-litre petrol engine, it makes a punchy 305bhp, enough for a 0-62mph time of 6 4 seconds It’s comfortable, and refined, too However, top-spec models are very expensive, nudging £60,000 even before optionsalthough you do get sumptuous leather and a brilliant Meridian sound system

Upmarket

Latest Evoque really feels like a shrunken luxury SUV, while the performance from its PHEV system is punchy

BMW X1

MODEL: xDrive30e M Sport

PRICE: £48,250

POWERTRAIN: 1.5-litre 3cyl, 16.3kWh battery, 322bhp

EVERY car in this segment has at least one notable flaw For the new X1, it’s the ride comfort; on adaptive dampers and 20-inch wheels, it’s firmer than even the Tonale However, in almost every other area the X1 is near or at the top of the class We’re yet to sample the X1xDrive30e, but we have tried this powertrain in the 2 Series Active Tourer Beside its rivals here, it feels like a leap forward for PHEV tech Its 1 5-litre petrol unit and electric motor combine for 322bhp, good for a hot hatch-baiting 0-62mph in 5 6 seconds But it’s the electric mode that sets the X1 apart The 16 3kWh battery offers a range of up to 52 miles, and the e-motor makes 175bhp – 53bhp more than the Alfa’s and almost 100bhp up on the Volvo’s Throw in great handling, a spacious cabin, brilliant in-car tech and a £48,250 price tag, and the firm ride becomes much easier to excuse

Mercedes GLA

THE GLA has long been one of our class favourites – it’s a multiple winner of the Small Premium SUV trophy in our annual New Car Awards

However, in the face of newer rivals such as the X1 and Tonale, that lead is looking shaky, especially if you solely look at the plug-in hybrid variant

On paper, even this top-spec AMG Line Premium Plus Night Edition trim is cheaper than the X1 or Tonale, but with 215bhp, it’s significantly less powerful than either At 10 6kWh, the battery is smaller, too, so its 37-mile EV range means it slips into a pricier Benefit-in-Kind banding On the road, it sits in the middle of the class for ride comfort, but its handling is only so-so, and models shod with larger wheels generate too much road noise The interior is great, though, while the in-car tech is brilliant and space is reasonable

Advantage Long EV range, user-friendly tech and sharp handling make it easy to excuse X1’s firm ride

Balanced What the GLA lacks in terms of EV range or comfort it makes up for with in-car tech and cabin space

Infotainment

Alfa Romeo Tonale

ONE area where the Tonale feels bang up to date – and has taken a leap forward over the Giulia and Stelvio – is in its infotainment tech A 10 25-inch touchscreen sits on top of the dash, and in a segment where premium rivals each offer set-ups that are great in their own way, this system doesn’t feel left behind The graphics are clear and resolution is sharp, it’s fairly responsive to touches, and while it doesn’t load quite as quickly as the Volvo’s system, it’s not bad There are areas where things could be improved, though The on-screen keyboard is a little small – we’d like to see it expand to fill the whole screen, rather than just a portion of it Likewise, there are no physical controls for the heated seats or steering wheel, and the on-screen shortcuts are a little fiddly While there are plenty of functions – including live driving data –much of it is hard to find within layers of sub-menus

FOR AND AGAINST

Logical

Volvo’s system loads faster, some fiddly keys, functions buried in sub-menus

THE Volvo’s nine-inch portrait display will respond to touches if you have your gloves on – although some on-screen keys are so small that doing so might be a bit of trial and error Even bare-handed, some keys are a little fiddly – especially the on-screen keyboard, which is even tinier than the Alfa’s This portrait orientation also compromises smartphone mirroring, which doesn’t make use of the full screen Loading times are quick enough, though The digital dials have their flaws, too Beyond their so-so resolution, it’s the interface that irks; rather than simple menus to scroll through for the trip computer, there’s a long list of subtly varying read-outs that are accessed through button presses on the wheel and which only appear temporarily Less cluttered information that could be placed as a permanent fixture on the screen would be better

FOR AND AGAINST

Decent loading times, clear main menu, plenty of information to access

Portrait orientation is compromised, clumsy interface for digital dials

Display 10 25-inch touchscreen looks sharp enough.There’s an A-Z menu with shortcuts to most of the built-in functions, and the map screen is clearly laid out

Portrait Vertical screen fits neatly within the dash, but it means that many on-screen keys, particularly in the sub-menus, are very small At least the home page tiles are neatly laid out

ROADTEST ALFA ROMEO TONALE JAN 2023

Alfa

Romeo

ROAD TAX

BOTH cars breach the £40,000 mark, so are subject to higher annual Vehicle Excise Duty rates

Volvo XC40 PHEV T5 Recharge Ultimate

£51,605/£52,580 £29,823/57 8% £21,782 £1,443/£2,887 £2,244/£3,740 31/£667/£510 N/A

DIMENSIONS

6 2 secs/128mph 41 5/383 miles 217 3mpg/47 8mpl 42 miles 2h 30 min (@7 4kW) 157/29g/km/8%

Yes/yes/f&r/yes Yes/yes/yes/yes Yes/yes £2,150/£450* £700**/yes Yes/yes Yes/yes/yes/yes Yes/yes/yes

TOWING

AT 1,250kg, the Tonale can’t tow as much as the XC40, which is rated for an extra 650kg A tow bar is optional for the Volvo

WARRANTY

BOTH cars get a three-year warranty but the Alfas mileage is unlimited Volvo gets longer breakdown cover though

HEATED SEATS

WE feel like seat heaters shouldnt be too much to ask for in a car costing £50000 but theyre a £450 option on the Alfa

4,440/2,702mm 1,652/1,910mm 3cyl in-line, 1,477cc/ 1x e-motor 258bhp 425Nm 81/160 bhp/Nm 10.7kWh 7-spd auto/fwd 48 litres/£150 452/1,281 litres 1,812/478/1,800kg 11.4 metres 3 yrs (60,000)/3yrs 8th/13th 97/87/71/76/5 (’18)

7 3 secs/112mph 36 9/390 miles 128 4mpg/28 2mpl 28 miles 3h (@3 6kW) 177/49g/km/14%

VOLVO is compact in ength when compared with the Alfa but its wider and taller than ts rival

GEARBOX

MANUAL override for Vo vo’s auto requires side-toside nudges to shift up and down, which Isnt intuitive at all

THE Tonale holds a key advantage over the Volvo when it comes to charging tech. Not only is its battery larger, but at 7 4kW, it charges twice as fast, too. Alfa claims that charging takes two and a half hours, and that roughly tallied with what we found in the real world, although the charge speed roughly halves when the battery climbs over 50 per cent

TAILGATE

If you want to hold some charge for later in the journey – if you’ll be driving into a low-emission zone, for example – then a battery hold button near the Alfa’s drive selector makes this simple.

ALFAROMEO

THE Tonale has its flaws, but it stands up well against one of the stronger contenders in the class It’s quick, handles well, and has slick in-car tech. However, this victory does come with a caveat. You need to get the right trim to get decent value for money, and the PHEV powertrain we have here is a much better option than the mild hybrid. Still, there’s plenty to recommend it

VOLVO

THE XC40 has its strengths, such as a more spacious cabin and a better ride than the Tonale, but it has to settle for second primarily because it’s not as effective as a plug-in hybrid. It can’t go as far on battery power and takes longer to recharge, too The petrol engine isn’t that efficient, but it’s also a little slower and the XC40 is more expensive than its rival, too

AEB = Autonomous Emergency Braking *Part of pack **Montreal Green £1,500 In red = equipment fitted to our test car Insurance quotes from AA (Tel 0800 107 0680 or www theAA com) for a 42-year-old living in Banbury, Oxon, with three penalty points Residual values provided by CDLVIP Data

The Volvo’s ability to shuffle between electric and petrol drive isn’t as easy to access. Swipe left on the touchscreen, and small keys for a variety of driving settings appear. These include battery hold and recharge settings, the latter allowing you to put energy back into the battery This is a thirsty way of recharging, though.

Throw in the fact that the Volvo’s 3 6kW charging means it’ll take at least three hours to replenish a 10.7kWh battery that offers a shorter range than the Alfa’s in pure EV mode, and it’s a more limited plug-in hybrid.

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Vauxhall Astra

Running

costs 50 4mpg (official) £78 fill-up

THERE’S nothing quite like a major road trip to get you settled into a new car – be it your own purchase or a long-term test car The first few miles around home are easy pickings for a box-fresh arrival, after all, whereas a journey over several hundred miles can really help you to pick out strengths and weaknesses That’s certainly been the case with my latest Auto Express fleet car, the Vauxhall Astra Here’s a model that has made its name racking up millions of miles over the length and breadth of the UK, so it seemed entirely fair to deny the car much of a settling-in period and immediately point it (far) north of my base in south London

First up, though, an introduction to our specific Astra It mates GS Line trim with the 1 2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine – a well known powertrain from Vauxhall’s parent group Stellantis It produces 128bhp and 230Nm of torque, and is paired with an eight-speed auto gearbox GS Line sits in the middle of the Astra line-up, but on the face of it, I don’t see any glaring omissions from the spec sheet that would persuade me to stump up for a

range-topping Ultimate Our car features

LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors with a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, heated front seats and steering wheel, power-folding door mirrors, a 10-inch infotainment display and a similarly sized digital instrument panel It also comes with 17-inch black alloy wheels that look a good match for our car ’ s Vulcan Grey paint job In fact, the two-coat metallic finish is the only option on our car, and it looks a lot of family hatch for less than £30k

The aforementioned early test was a 700-mile round trip to visit friends and family in the North East, coupled with a wedding in Northumberland

Packing up was easy, because there was plenty of room in the 422-litre boot for our luggage Indeed, with just my husband and I travelling, we were able to lay out our wedding outfits across the empty back seats

Setting off from London, we stopped to fill up with fuel and buy a cable to connect our phones up using Apple CarPlay This was a rookie error on my part, because I didn’t realise that the system also works

Practicality

Boot (seats up/down) 422/1 389 litres

wirelessly But it was still a useful purchase because it meant we could charge our phones and switch between them

The 10-inch touchscreen is bright and clear, and we both like the way it’s angled towards the driver But swiping between the menus proved awkward and it sometimes needed a few attempts It took me a while to work out how to change the climate control, too; the temperature and fan are via buttons on the dash, but to change the direction of airflow you have to use the touchscreen

Once out of London, the first leg of our journey up to Middlesbrough comprised motorway virtually all the way We both found the ride comfortable and, while the road noise was noticeable, it certainly wasn’t obtrusive We were even pretty lucky with traffic, meaning the four-hour journey was more enjoyable than anticipated Day two brought a short trip up the A19 to Sunderland I haven’t been to the city

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 97 seconds/130mph

since Covid, so despite there not being a match on, I had to visit the Stadium of Light and go to my team’s shop However, my Arsenal-supporting husband Dave refused to get out of the Astra at this point!

The wedding on the following day was amazing and the best driving of the whole trip came on the leg from Otterburn in Northumberland to visit our friends in Yorkshire We detoured through part of Kielder Forest for a walk along Hadrian’s Wall, and Dave switched to Sport mode, enjoying accurate steering on the country roads He did admit later that he wouldn’t want to stick with it for too long, because the heavier steering would be too much

We got a good economy figure for the trip as well, averaging 51 5mpg – north of even the official quoted figure of up to 50 4mpg for this engine But I’m sure our average will drop during our time with the car, as we do more trips around London

Loaded Astra easily swallowed Dawn and her husband Dave’s luggage

FIRSTREPORT We welcome hatch to our fleet with 700-mile road trip

“In GS Line trim, our Astra looks like a lot of family hatchback for less than £30,000”

Dawn Grant Dawn Grant@autoviacouk

Practicality

Citroen

THE last time I got behind the wheel of a Citroen, it was our e-Berlingo back in June 2022 It took a while for that boxy electric MPV to win me over, although it did This time it’s been love at first sight, though The C5 X instantly stands out It looks different and, in my opinion, lovely and sleek, with lots of swooping lines and great incorporation of the classic chevron design into the front lights The unusual shape hints at both saloon and estate models, looking sporty without being aggressive I’m not sure which angle I like best, but it’s fair to say the car has head-turning appeal The inside is equally inviting and then enveloping I took delivery of our C5 X Shine PureTech right at the beginning of the preChristmas cold snap, and within days the car was covered in frozen snow As a quick experiment I brushed off the top layer of powdered snow then timed how long it took to defrost the car to a level of visibility safe to drive Using the heated rear windscreen and climate control (no ice scraping) it took just six minutes, and in that time I was able to fire up the heated steering wheel to warm my frozen hands Luckily for me, the C5 X has also been specified with the Hype Black Ambience

(£1,600)

option This features heated leather front seats, along with memory settings for the driver seat, and wood-effect dashboard trim The latter looks nice enough, but the seats are the next level in comfort, with soft-padded support and electric adjustment I’m finding the memory setting is very helpful, too, with a 30cm height difference between my wife and me

One-touch seat settings might sound a bit unnecessary and coming from a six-month spell in our Dacia Jogger fleet car into this level of comfort is somewhat mind-blowing To be fair, the Jogger was almost half the price of our C5 X £31,740 OTR test car But that doesn’t mean the standard price of £29,290 is expensive for this level of comfort or refinement Our example is clearly more affordable than the plug-in hybrid version, which would set you back an extra £10,000

The car is packed with loads of technology as standard The screens are crystal clear, with a head-up display giving speed information via a road-sign symbol plus digital readout, with options to use the cruise-control settings The Citroen also has a seven-inch digital dashboard that can give sat-nav directions The 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system mounted

on top of the dash is huge and impressive, but more complex than expected

I had to watch the Auto Express C5 X test video online to discover that swiping was the way to change the radio stations and I’m still working my way through the functions To be fair, though, it does come with an on-screen system guide

I’ve used the sat-nav a few times and it’s wonderful and intuitive, with directions on both screens so you can’t go wrong It also shows the price of petrol at fuel stations en route, plus red and amber lines to highlight

the traffic ahead Many of the audio sounds in the Citroen are well thought out, too The indicator tick and speed camera warning alerts are calming, and even the sat-nav’s voice direction has a relaxed tone

One rush-hour trip across London turned out to be very chilled The cabin’s warmth and comfort combined with the simple route instructions and smooth ride to slow everything down, including my heart rate

I find the Citroen glides along, despite this petrol-powered C5 X not getting the same active suspension set-up as plug-in models That tech scans the road ahead and adjusts the dampers to suit the surface

Our Citroen comes with a 1 2 litre threecylinder engine that has plenty of power for town It has a lovely tone and probably hints at more performance than it actually delivers, but I need to get it out onto some faster open roads to get that information, along with some non-urban mpg figures A trip up north to see family in Lincolnshire will soon will help fill in those gaps

“I’ve used the satellite navigation a few times and it’s wonderful and intuitive”

DarrenWilson

Darren Wilson@autoviacouk

Volvo XC40 Recharge

Range

Official range/max charging 262 miles/150kW DC

Richard Ingram@autoviacouk @rsp ingram

IT seems electric SUVs are everywhere these days – or at least, they are in my part of suburban southwest London Every corner I turn, I’m confronted by the gentle hum of a battery-electric 4x4, or a greenplated crossover ferrying families from one end of the High Street to the other So it should come as no surprise that even before I was asked to return the keys to my old electric SUV, a BMW iX3 (Issue 1,761), I found myself immediately eyeing up a similarly practical EV alternative For the next six months or so, I’ll be running this Volvo XC40 Recharge Plus

As is often the case at the moment, lead times on cars like these are lengthy We placed the order for our XC40 way back in March 2022, and it only arrived at Endeavour Volvo in Chiswick late last year We waited for it so long, in fact, that some fundamental changes have subsequently been made to the Volvo’s spec sheet

We opted for the less powerful singlemotor XC40, whose 69kWh battery feeds a 228bhp motor on the front axle However, Volvo has since confirmed the entry-level XC40 will switch to a more powerful

rear-mounted layout to improve efficiency Production of these versions starts later in 2023, but order the most basic XC40 now and that’s the car you’ll get

This, Endeavour’s general sales manager Hanan Gendi tells me, will bump the Volvo’s range from 262 miles (in our car) to an official maximum of 286 miles depending on wheel size and specification The dual-motor versions of the XC40 also get faster 200kW charging, although singlemotor models like ours are unaffected

That doesn’t bother me too much Our car ’ s 150kW peak charging speed is quicker than most – including rivals like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID 4 and even the Jaguar I-Pace In fact, aside from those based on an 800-volt architecture –such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 –little comes close for time-saving top-ups So long as you can find a quick enough public charger, you’ll not be left waiting for too long; a 10-80 per cent charge is achievable in just 27 minutes

Another tweak to the kit list, Hanan tells us, is that Volvo’s entire paint palette is now selectable free of charge – so the

Practicality

£850 Sage Green colour on our car becomes a no-cost option You’ll still have to pay extra for the suede seat trim, but apart from a slightly different 19-inch wheel design, everything else remains as it was

That means, in Plus spec, you get a nineinch portrait touchscreen running the latest Google infotainment software, as well as a 12 3-inch driver information display There is also standard wireless phone charging, heated seats front and rear, a heated steering wheel and keyless entry and start I particularly like the get-in-and-go functionality of Volvo’s set-up – just sit down, select your gear, and you ’ re off

You also get automatic LED lights, but one thing I’ve very much missed during the recent wet weather is a set of rain-sensing wipers Seems it’s one of those things you don’t notice until it’s gone The same goes for forward-facing parking cameras –conspicuous here by their absence Given

that I have to park on the street day in, day out, I guess I use this kind of kit more often than I’d realised

Otherwise though, the XC40 is as smooth, quiet, and Volvo-like as you might expect Hanan used to work for a German rival at a dealership nearby, and as much as she loved that brand’s racier reputation, she

FIRSTREPORT After a long wait, hi-tech electric SUV joins our test fleet

“I really like Volvo’s get-in-and-go functionality. Just sit down, select your gear, and you’re off”

Trim General sales manager

Hanan Gendi guides us through our car’s options, and which have changed since we ordered it

Richard Ingram

Technology Plus spec brings with it a nine-inch portrait screen and the latest Google software

too is coming round to the Swedish maker’s more relaxed and safety-conscious image The XC40 is quick enough for daily use, though I’ll admit to rarely driving with any gusto; the shorter range versus my old iX3 and colder temperatures mean I’ve been attempting to conserve as much energy as possible of late In terms of space and versatility – often a Volvo strong point – I’ve found that while the XC40 isn’t as big as the BMW, some useful underfloor storage, plus a decent space under the bonnet, means that I’ve not yet wished for a bigger boot However, having a fixed parcel shelf rather than a retractable one isn’t the most practical solution; I’ve had to leave it at home on a few occasions But my biggest bugbear thus far is that in order to set up the Volvo Cars smartphone app, you need both of the car ’ s keyfobs Because my XC40 was delivered with just one – and the second is currently lost in transit somewhere – I’m unable to access any of the car ’ s remote functions or monitor things like charge status As with the parking cameras and those automatic wipers, you always want what you can’t have

On fleet since: November 2022 Price new: £51,750 Engine: 1x e-motor/69kWh battery, 228bhp CO2/tax: 0g/km/£0 Options: Connect textile/ microtech upholstery (£925), Premium metallic paint (£850) Insurance*: Group: 36 Quote: £1,110 Mileage: 1,712 miles Efficiency 2 9 miles/kWh Any problems? None so far *Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points WE LIKE By fitting super-quick 150kW rapid charging, Volvo partially negates the need for a massive battery and long range We’ve found the cable storage under the bonnet handy, too

Fleetwatch

DON’T The range read-out only shows a percentage until it gets really low, when it flashes up how many miles you have left If the functionality is there, why not show the latter at all times? FROM one electric SUV to another, the Volvo XC40 Recharge is fitting into daily life well. The cold temperatures haven’t done the range any favours, however, and there are a couple of bits of kit I’m missing more as time passes. With fewer optional extras available, it means picking the right spec is more important than ever

Rare visit

With a range of 600 miles per tank, Sean only had to top up his SQ5 once in December

Audi SQ5 Sportback

WITH pump prices of diesel having been as much as 30p per litre more expensive than petrol in the run up to Christmas, associate editor Sean Carson has been glad of his SQ5 Sportback’s strong economy recently A return of around 40mpg (from a big, 336bhp 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 SUV, remember) is fairly impressive and means a range of around 600 miles.

With surprisingly few miles to cover over the festive break, Sean didn’t have to fill up for the whole of the month of December Think about that –600 miles per tank times 12 months equals an annual mileage of 7,200. While many do more than this, it shows the flexibility a big diesel brings. After a week of one of his favourite games (fuel light bingo – drive past the next fuel station once the fuel light comes on, and the one after that, and the one after that if it’s going well), Sean had to relent and pull into a Shell forecourt. Not having to fill up for a month meant that he’d almost forgotten how much of a sting it is when you do, with pricey diesel meaning a £120 top-up in the Audi But that should last for another month, he hopes

Mucky

shows the peril of opting for white paintwork

Honda Civic

OUR Honda Civic has been busy lately. The family hatchback was drafted in to help with a house move in December – and with the back seats folded down, it easily swallowed two large boxes and a couple of suitcases.

Christmas was no holiday for the Honda either, with current affairs editor Tristan ShaleHester taking it from his home in Somerset to destinations including London, Shropshire and West Sussex. The folly of driving a white car with black wheels in the countryside over winter was well demonstrated by the grime accumulated on the exterior, but Tristan found the cabin a pleasant place to be on long journeys.

Not so good is the 40-litre fuel tank, which is just a little too small to manage a 350-mile round trip in one go. The Civic is currently achieving 47mpg – a fair whack beneath the quoted WLTP figure of 56.5mpg.

Winter grime

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Pairing up

Both front (below) and rear (right) cams record at 30fps, and footage can be viewed via the MIOFIVE app

THERE’S another option for drivers who want dash cam coverage for both the front and rear of their car, following the launch of MIOFIVE’s latest system

The main front cam is an update of the original MIOFIVE design, with the built-in eMMC memory doubled from 64 to 128G It also features a supercapacitor for power rather than the more common lithium-ion battery, which MIOFIVE says is better able to cope with extreme temperatures Its Sony IMX 415 sensor can capture footage in 4K UHD (3840x 2160) at 30 frames per second (fps)

The rear cam also works at the same rate of 30fps, but footage is recorded in 2K QUD (2560x1440) The manufacturer claims the spec and large colour field produce high-clarity clips with a wide 140-degree viewing angle.

The journey is captured on the built-in memory and can be seen on the MIOFIVE

app via 5GHz WiFi, which can also be used to live-view the journey

The newcomer has G-shock sensors to detect bumps and knocks, and trigger a minute of recording that can be used as evidence in the event of a hit-and-run or vandalism when unattended. The rear cam also documents accidents and records number plates of aggressive drivers, plus it includes GPS and speed tracking

Updated

Front cam is a revised version of the original MIOFIVE with twice as much memory

Cleanalloywheels HOWTO

Ideal

For the best clean, take the wheel off the car, to access every part

What do I need?

THE minimum is a wheel cleaner, a brush or mitt, and access to water Our favourite cleaner is Bilt-Hamber’s auto wheel, which is supplied with a small brush. For something a bit more effective, our test winner is Halfords’ Large Alloy brush, although to get the best results, a selection is good, including one that will get through the spokes and clean the inner part of the wheel.

For the ultimate clean, use a jack and axle stands to support the car, remove the wheel and gain access to all parts of it Pop it on to a decent bucket covered in a drying towel to make cleaning easy and cut the risk of damaging the finish. As with so many jobs, a pressure washer makes life easier and can help loosen embedded brake dust Our current choice is the Titan TTB1800PRW from Screwfix

Where do I start?

THIS will depend on the level of grime A light build-up can be tackled just with the wheel cleaner Spray this on, leave it to work, agitate with the brush or mitt, then rinse thoroughly and dry. For heavier grime, particularly on the inside of the wheel, use a citrus pre-wash and pressure washer before applying a wheel cleaner

If the one you use does not turn purple, consider switching to or adding one that does, because it will loosen iron particles If spots remain, try a tar remover Use a clay bar or magic eraser if grime is still visible, but you should go easy with the latter on the face, because it is abrasive Any heavy grime remaining would need to be polished out.

Final steps

ONCE you’re happy with the cleaning, dry the wheel

We like Armor All’s Extra Large Drying Towel. Consider applying a wheel sealant to slow the build-up of grime Our test winner is from Wonder Wheels

Inside job

It’s worth using a brush that can get through the spokes to the inner wheel

Pack up your tool troubles with Clarke’s latest storage

NEWPRODUCT

Clarke tool storage and compressors

Price: £298 80 (CBB312C 12-drawer chest)

Contact: machinemartcouk

IF your tools have outgrown your collection of bags and boxes, Clarke has revamped its range of chests and cabinets to help you get them organised The line-up includes a likely replacement for our current test winner, the CBB209B HD, which is on an end-ofline sale for a few pounds less than when we tested it in 2019. While there’s no direct nine-drawer replacement, Clarke has added the CBB312C It boasts 12 drawers – nine small ones that are ideal for keeping tools separate, plus three full-width trays, with two 49mm deep and one 64mm All have a 35kg capacity The unit costs £298.80. For those with a smaller budget, there is the £191 98 CBB205C, which is a five-drawer design These are full width, with one 64mm deep and the rest 49mm If you need more space, there is the £359 98 CBB213C roller unit, with three drawers of different depths and a large cabinet at the bottom For really large tool collections there are two side lockers that hook onto the roll cab The eight-drawer SL41C costs £263 98 and the two-drawer SL26C with cabinet £167 98 Clarke has also added two compressors to its line-up. The 24-litre Ranger 7/260 costs £167 98, while if you need a longer run time, the 50-litre 7/550 is available, priced at £227 98

NEWPRODUCT

Powerflex Heritage Collection bushes

Price: various

Contact: powerflexcouk

BUSH

news, deals& events

MORE CHOICE

Bentley sets gold standard for Batur

BENTLEY has pioneered a new manufacturing process for its superlimited Batur: 3D-printed gold. The two-door coupé will feature up to 210g of 18ct yellow gold on key driver touchpoints, such as the stop/start button and drive-mode selector.

The gold is sourced from old jewellery, digitally designed and then printed using laser-melting printers, before being finished by hand. All of the gold parts are hallmarked in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter

AndroidandiOSnow covered in key move

BMW’s Digital Key can now be shared more easily between devices.

The key, which is stored on your smartphone and can replace the need for a physical version, could previously only be shared between phones via Apple iMessage Now it merely requires a link that can be sent via any messaging service, between iOS and Android devices.

The new function is available for all new vehicles with Digital Key or Digital Key Plus, and will be initially available for iPhones running iOS 16.1 or selected Google Pixel devices, with Samsung functionality coming soon

Retro racing roars into Stoneleigh Park

RACE Retro will return to Stoneleigh Park between 24-26 February to bring together swathes of historic motorsport from formula and circuit, touring cars, hillclimbs, GT and rallying.

There’ll be historic cars galore in the halls, while outside there’ll be action on circuit and two live rally stages. Trade stands will be selling clothing, memorabilia and souvenirs.

produced to the same spec as Powerflex’s road series, but finished in a classic grey colour. Despite having the same finish, all the bushes have their own individual Shore hardness to suit the application.

Owners can now replace a range of

Individual day tickets cost £27 for an adult and can be purchased from raceretro.com.

specialist Powerflex has added seven eighties and nineties classics to the cars it covers with its Heritage Collection. The newcomers are the BMW 5 Series E39 (1992-2000); Lancia Delta HF Integrale (1988-1996); Mazda RX-7 FD chassis code (1992-1997); Subaru Impreza GC (1992-2000); Vauxhall Astra/ Opel Kadett Mk1 (1980-1984); Vauxhall Astra/Opel Kadett Mk2 (1984-1991) and Vauxhall/Opel Corsa B (1993-2000).

bushes

FROM the moment you open the pack to find a mains USB adaptor alongside the charge lead, you know this light is a bit different from rivals There’s also the old pin-type port while rivals have switched to USB-C.

The COB LED strip delivers 400 lumens in a wide spread and you can get it pretty much where you want, because the blade twists and rotates Magnets in the base and rear work well and will hold the light at virtually any angle, because it weighs only 130g There’s a dimmer switch for the ultimate balancing of run time and output, plus a separate switch for the useful 80-lumen torch It lasted an impressive four hours in the stamina test and has an IP20 ingress rating, although the charge-port cover broke off during testing Work lights such as this were winning our product tests three years ago and this super little Clarke unit shows why

NEWCOMER

Clarke’s PL5R worked well during our test, b was beaten by the Phi

Clarke beams in to face test-winning Philips light

ADVANCES in battery and LED tech have seen rapid changes in the world of work lights, but Clarke’s latest release has something of an old-school feel to it

The blade design, with its long strip LED, has been around for some years, but does it still deserve a place in your tool box? We grabbed our current test winner from Philips to find out.

We measured and assessed each unit’s main beam and torch brightness,

plus we checked mounting options, power-saving modes and runtime at maximum brightness We also factored in moisture and impact protection, weight and price from online sources

The new Clarke PL5R may have dated looks, but its performance was a real surprise here, thanks to its impressive, long-lasting beam and compact design While the result couldn’t have been closer, the PL5R was just edged by the top-quality Philips and its better stamina

LIGHT FANTASTIC

The test-winning Xperio came out on top again, but it was pushed all th way by the Clarke PL5R

WHILE the Clarke has an old-school feel, the Philips is much more cutting edge, with its sharp design and high-quality feel, but we were surprised at how close the result was

The Xperion punches out an extra 100 lumen, but it was hard to spot the difference, and the beam spread was similar You get just a lead with the Philips, but it is compatible with the optional £19 49 charging dock It has a similar twist-and-rotate LED blade, plus base and rear magnets, although the latter could be a fair bit stronger

There’s a punchy 180-lumen torch, along with an eco power mode Where the Philips started to pull ahead was its better impact (IK07) and ingress protection (IP54) and longer runtime, which stretched to 4.5 hours. A similar price to the PL5R sealed the win for the Xperion Slim, but the compact Clarke is ideal for slipping in a tool box

books, games & apps

Audi R8: The autobiography of R8-405

Ian Wagstaff (Porter Press, porterpresscouk) Price: £69 Rating:

AS ever with this series of coffee-table books, the highlight is the last chapter, which has full-page, high-quality photos from a dedicated studio shoot of the model Endurance-racing fans will enjoy this, because it focuses on the first of a breed of car that dominated the sport for more than 10 years It’s the usual highquality affair from this publisher

Fast Lady: The Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Dorothy Levitt

Michael W Barton (Butterfield Press, butterfieldpress.co.uk) Price: £40 Rating:

THIS book is published to coincide with the centenary of this remarkable woman’s death Dorothy Levitt was a racing driver, motorboat racer, aviator and established the world land-speed record for women It’s a really interesting read and while it’s short for the price, this is justified by the amount of research that’s gone into producing the book

Available for: iOS, Android Price: Free Rating:

NOT the traffic manager you might have been hoping for, this is more of a chilled-out time-waster than a serious sim Cities are represented by blobs, cars by more square blobs, and you simply connect the two with roads, gaining coins by merely waiting The gentle soundtrack and relaxed gameplay could almost be quite therapeutic were it not for the very loud adverts every few minutes

Appoftheweek

State Connect: Traffic Control Sun Surveyor Lite

THIS app shows you the sun’s route for the day, sunrise and sunset times and uses a phone’s compass to calibrate itself It’s ideal if you’re searching for good motoring photography spots, but don’t know when they’ll be best lit.

“The blade design has been around for some years, but does it still deserve a place in your tool box?”

Kim Adams

DefenderSignalBlocker

Price: £5 95 (two-pack)

Contact: 01352 762266, defendersecurityproducts.co.uk

Rating:

BEST BUY THE Defender remains as well made as ever, but is now available as a twin-pack at a great price, which is the same as a single bag in the last test

The key was successfully isolated and all signals were blocked on the phone. It easily took the smaller handset, but the

HalfordsAnti-Theft

larger one was a bit of a squeeze It was possible to get the S10e phone and a key in at the same time, but not the S20

With two bags per pack, one could be used for the key and the other a phone There’s a small, non-protected compartment at the front for small items like tickets

CarKeySignalBlocker

Price: £4 50

Contact: halfords.com

Rating:

RECOMMENDED WE like the tough, highquality feel of the bag’s textured polyester. It’s claimed to suit 99 per cent of key fobs and ours fitted, along with three credit cards that slotted into the protected front section Although not large enough for our phones,

it worked well on our keys and could also be used with signal-based items such as smart watches, USB sticks and garage remotes

We are also impressed by the two-year replacement guarantee, which shows Halfords’ confidence in the product.

OlixarRFIDCarKey SignalBlockingPouch

Price: £4 99

Contact: mobilefuncouk Rating:

RECOMMENDED ALMOST the same size as the Halfords bag, the Olixar is finished in leatherette and is also available in a carbon fibre-effect finish at £5 99

A small chain and loop can be pulled from the bag for keys if needed Designed

solely for a key, it easily took ours and blocked the signals from the car.

We like the second metal-surrounded compartment at the front, which is ideal for credit card protection It’s this that gives it an edge over similarly priced alternatives

KrutzAnti-theftSignalBlockingPouch

Price: £7.99 (two-pack)

Contact: amazoncouk

Rating:

THIS is another bag supplied in a pack of two, which brings the individual price to the second lowest on test and makes it easy to protect a spare key

Uniquely, it doesn’t use Velcro to close the bag, but two pop studs that make for

DisklabsPhone

a secure fastening. It worked well with the remote keys, but has no separate compartment We like the vinyl faux-leather construction, which feels solid enough to cope with daily use, and as with the Olixar, it is fitted with a short chain and key ring

ShieldFaradayBagPS1

Price: £20 99

Contact: fonefunshop.com

Rating:

THE larger of the two Disklabs offerings is well constructed and has a high-quality feel.

We like the see-through rear compartment that’s handy for tickets, while the neat tab at the end of the sealing flap makes it easy to open. Disklabs is the only company here

to have the official police Secured by Design accreditation, so we weren’t surprised when the car keys were totally blocked, as were both of our smartphones

It is possible to squeeze a phone and key inside, but the biggest problem is the price.

SIGNAL-BLOCKING BAGS

Faraday bags can prevent thieves from cloning the key’s signal to steal your pride and joy

Dave Pollard

ALTHOUGH manufacturers are taking steps to make keyless-entry vehicles more secure, many models remain vulnerable to technically adept thieves

The best way to protect your car is to block signals with a metal cage, and the simplest method is to use a Faraday bag. In effect, this hides the key and its coded information, which could be electronically copied to let a thief drive your car away

It makes sense to always use a Faraday bag when the car is on your driveway or in a garage, but also when you’re away from home, because thieves often operate in car parks A Faraday bag can also be used to block phone hackers, keep credit cards private or even protect your digital passport

Price: £10 99

Contact: mobilefuncouk Rating:

OLIXAR’S bag is designed with phones in mind, although it worked well to protect a key as well The size was large enough to swallow the Samsung S20 and it blocked all incoming signals

We like the smart carbon fibre-effect construction and the extra front section, which was useful but wasn’t protected. At a push we squeezed in a key and a phone, but the Velcro section along the flap wasn’t full width and protection was a bit hit and miss as a result.

DisklabsKeyShield FaradayBagKS1

Price: £20.40

Contact: fonefunshopcom

Rating:

THIS Disklabs bag is as well constructed as the larger phone version (left) and has Secured by Design accreditation, too It also has a handy lip on the flap, so it is easier to pull open.

It took our key and two credit cards, but isn’t particularly big – just a little larger than the Halfords and Olixar The strong Velcro flap makes it unlikely any stray signals could get in and, in the test, none did We like the performance, practicality and excellent build quality, but the price hammered its chances.

StreetwizeCarKey SignalBlockingPouch

Price: £10 (two-pack)

Contact: argoscouk

Rating:

AT £10 for two, the Streetwize looks good value This is especially true because the 215 sq cm size is only just a little shy of the Disklabs phone version We like the bag’s general build and tough feel, and it took either of our phones and a key with a little effort, but it wasn’t elegant

The Velcro strip extends completely across the bag, which should seal it completely, but although it worked well with the remote key, it failed to prevent both the Bluetooth and WiFi signals getting in, which is a shame.

Howwe testedthem

TO test quality, we inserted and removed a key multiple times, looking for signs of poor stitching, which can lead to electronic gaps that could see a signal picked up. Using various keys, we checked it stopped locking, unlocking and working the car’s functions Where appropriate, we used an app to check cellular, WiFi and Bluetooth signals were being blocked The final factor was prices and, in many cases, bags are sold in pairs, making it easier to protect the key in use as well as a spare or a phone.

Verdict

told us there’s a lot to like about Citroen’s supermini in last year’s Driver Power new-car survey

C3 scored above average in several categories, including value for money and the quality of its exterior materials

appreciated the reasonable servicing costs, too, and rated the engine sound as 12th best in the entire survey The highest ranking was a ninth place for Citroen’s famous ability to absorb bumps in the road, contributing to a 19th position for the overall ride and handling But not all the C3 feedback was positive A below-average rating for practicality and boot capacity was a surprise, while 50th place for reliability was way below average.

a funky-looking car at a good price.”

MITSUBISHI was actually ahead of the curve when it came to offering SUVs and go-anywhere vehicles, because as early as the seventies, it was making pick-ups and SUVs, often with four-wheel drive But the focus back then was on utility rather than luxury, and as buyers started to adopt SUVs in big numbers, Mitsubishi was left behind Models such as the Shogun, Shogun Sport and Shogun Pinin were capable enough, but outdated next to rivals with a better driving experience and more cabin comfort The Eclipse Cross was a step in the right direction, yet within a couple of years of its launch, Mitsubishi left the UK new-car market But don’t dismiss the car too quickly, because it can still make a decent used buy

History

THE Eclipse Cross went on sale in January 2018, with the first cars arriving in UK showrooms just a few weeks later Only one engine was offered: a 161bhp turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol unit, and this was available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or an automatic continuously variable transmission Those who opted for the former had to settle for front-wheel drive, whereas those who chose the automatic could pick between front or four-wheeldrive transmissions

Three trim levels were on offer: the 2 came in manual form only, the 3 was a manual or an automatic (the latter with front or fourwheel drive), while the 4 came in manual or automatic four-wheel-drive forms. While the range kicked off with the Eclipse Cross 2 at £21,275, the most costly edition was the £27,900 Eclipse Cross 4 auto 4WD

NEEDTOKNOW

WHEN the range was launched, Mitsubishi sold 250 First Edition models, which featured posher paint, silver highlights on the outside, and floor mats with red trim There was no extra standard equipment, but there was an £1,850 premium

BUYER’SGUIDE:Mitsu

Wheels 500 Black Edition models in 2019 had 18-inch alloys, plus their grille, door-mirror covers and front skid plate finished in black

The range was completely revamped in summer 2019, when the line-up changed to Verve, Design SE, Dynamic, Exceed

Revisions

Ride On poorly surfaced roads it can be pretty uncomfortable, especially on 18-inch wheels. If ride comfort is key, buy an entry-level 2, with 16-inch wheels

Richard Dredge

ipseCross

bishiEclipseCross

Transmission

YOURVIEW

THERE were no Mitsubishi entries in the 2022 or 2021 Driver Power new-car surveys, but in 2020 the Outlander managed a 67th place out of 75 entries. The brand didn’t get into the 2017, 2018 or 2019 surveys at all, due to its relatively small sales volumes It’s the same story with the Driver Power usedcar survey, but Mitsubishi did come 26th out of 29 entries in the 2022 Brands survey, having finished eighth in 2021.

CASE STUDY

ALICE Coulter from Brecon, Wales, has a 2019 Eclipse Cross and said: “I bought the car in the midst of Covid, so I scored a bargain. It’s been a great buy because it’s well equipped, nice to drive and practical I like the dashboard design and it feels very well put together So far the car has been totally reliable and as long as it remains so, I’ll keep it. I don’t want a hybrid yet and the running costs are very reasonable.”

Expert’s verdict

Specialcontributor

THE Eclipse Cross won’t go down in history as an SUV icon, but it’s fairly interesting to look at, perfectly decent (if not outstanding) to drive, and offers a reasonably premium feel for the price inside and out Mitsubishi’s disappearance from the UK’s new-car market is likely to worry some potential buyers, but there’s sure to be a decent supply of parts for a while, and it might even help you get a bargain Indeed, a good price might encourage us to buy an Eclipse Cross, but it’s unlikely to make our shopping list otherwise More mainstream rivals just do things better

Reliability

MITSUBISHI typically performs well on this front, but watch out for the 62,000mile cap on the five-year warranty

BOOT Compared with what its rivals offer, the Eclipse Cross’s luggage space is no better than average. But the sliding rear seat means owners can prioritise rear legroom or boot capacity

COMFORT Four-wheel drive is available, but basic editions, with front-wheel drive and smaller wheels, are the most comfortable. Rear-seat legroom is good, but sloping roofline limits headroom

“Mitsubishi’s disappearance from the new-car market mighthelpyougetabargain”

ChrisRosamond

Howmuch?

THE Eclipse Cross may not have been on sale for that long as a new car, but we still found almost 250 used models on the market, priced from £12,000 for an early 58,000mile ‘3’ in a private sale This is the most popular trim of all, accounting for 40 per cent of the cars available; next most popular is the 4 Automatics also account for 40 per cent of the Eclipse Crosses for sale, and these are priced from £15,000 for a 35,000-mile ‘3’ on an 18-plate

One in three Eclipse Crosses has four-wheel drive and if you want this you’ll have to pay at least £15,500 for a 45,000-mile ‘3’ on an 18-plate You can still pay up to £22,000 to secure a late low-mileage, high-spec edition For this it’ll be a 19-plate 4WD auto, but we did find one 21-plate 6,000-mile Exceed for sale at £23,495

Runningcosts

THE Eclipse Cross needs to be serviced every 12 months or 12,500 miles, with services alternating between Main and Major The former is priced at £229 and is in effect little more than an oil and filter change, but with a fresh pollen filter and a screenwash top-up also included The Major service is a little more expensive, at £309, and this adds a replacement air filter plus fresh brake fluid on top of the work needed on the Main service.

The Mitsubishi’s big service is the fourth one, because this includes new coolant as well as a change of gearbox oil, which is why it’s priced considerably higher, at £720. However, the fifth service is also quite costly at £482, because this time a set of new filters is required, along with replacement spark plugs

The 1 5-litre petrol engine that’s fitted to every edition of the Eclipse Crosses is chain driven, so you never have to worry about replacing a cambelt

ON THE ROAD

Petrol engine gives good performance, and the Eclipse Cross is decent to drive, if not a class-leader

INTERIOR Cabin in Eclipse Cross is of much higher quality than previous models from Mitsubishi

THE Eclipse Cross has been recalled three times so far. The first two campaigns were launched in November 2018, and both affected the Outlander and the Eclipse Cross The first one also applied to the ASX, and in all, 17,633 cars were possibly affected by faulty software that stopped the brakes from working properly in conjunction with various driver-assistance systems

The other recall issued that month was also because of software errors, and also due to braking glitches; this time it was the auto emergency braking that was at fault

The most recent recall was issued in November 2021 and it affected Eclipse Crosses built up to September 2019. These could suffer from the wheelarch moulding detaching as the car was being driven; the solution was to reinforce

Which one?

WE would stick with the manual gearbox, although the CVT auto isn’t as unruly as some transmissions of its type, thanks to its eight fixed steps However, if you avoid the automatic, there’s no four-wheel-drive option. Buy an entry-level Eclipse Cross 2 and there’s no automatic option anyway, but it does come with 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, climate control, privacy glass, a six-speaker hi-fi with DAB, cruise control with speed limiter, a reversing camera plus automatic headlights and wipers

Moving up to 3 brings 18-inch wheels, front and rear parking sensors, electric folding door mirrors, a head-up display, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and upgraded fabric trim The rangetopping Eclipse Cross 4 also comes with a panoramic glass roof, LED headlights, around view, leather trim, blind-spot warning and a nine-speaker hi-fi

Alternatives

THE Volkswagen Group quartet of the SEAT Ateca, Skoda Karoq, VW Tiguan and Audi Q3 offer excellent engines, great build quality and user-friendly cabins, and we like the

AT THE WHEEL As you’d expect of an SUV, you sit quite high up, and driving position (above) is comfortable enough

Skoda so much that we named it our best buy in our 2022 Used Car Awards

The Dacia Duster and MG HS came second and third respectively, due to their excellent value, while the Renault Kadjar finished in fourth, thanks to its long list of standard safety kit and big boot.

The Mazda CX-5 is a terrific all-round option with great dynamics, sharp looks and impressive quality, while the Kia Sportage and its Hyundai Tucson cousin both impress with their reliability, quality and value Also put the Toyota RAV4 and Peugeot 3008 on your shortlist, plus the Nissan Qashqai

Verdict

WITH Mitsubishi having pulled out of the UK, you’d be right to wonder if buying one of its used cars is a good idea, because there’s no dealer network as such. However, if you do buy a second-hand Mitsubishi you won’t be left on your own, because Subaru importer International Motors kept on most of the franchised dealers that were in place

Interior

ONE area where Mitsubishi generally lagged behind its key rivals was with interior design and quality.

The Eclipse Cross addressed this comprehensively, though, with a much higher standard of materials and a decent (if not class-leading) infotainment

when Mitsubishi pulled out of the UK, and they’re now a network of service centres

So you won’t be left in the lurch if you buy an Eclipse Cross, and we wouldn’t tell you to avoid this smart-looking crossover – but we would suggest that you try out its rivals There’s a lot to like about the Mitsubishi, but there are better all-rounders out there.

INFOTAINMENT

Mitsubishi setup is decent, and while there is no built-in sat-nav, every model gets smartphone connectivity

system. While satellite navigation wasn’t available at all, a phone smartlink came as standard across the range

Rear-seat legroom is okay (the seat slides back and forth), but headroom is reduced by the sloping roofline Boot capacity is merely average at 341-488 litres with the rear seats in use.

Contacts

Official mitsubishi-motors.co.uk Forums eclipsecrossforums.com eclipsecross.org mitsubishi-forums.com

SO strong is the lure of the SUV class that some drivers want to look as though they’re driving one even if they’re not The trend to jazz up estate cars and hatchbacks with SUV-inspired styling cues first gathered momentum with premium models such as the Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V70 Cross Country, but has long since filtered down to smaller models

These days even tiny city cars like the Toyota Aygo X feature beefy off-road styling upgrades. But while many of these niche models do in theory have some improved off-road ability, thanks to small suspension height rises and tough plastic cladding, the gains are so marginal that it would seem foolish to choose one for its trail-blazing qualities Still, that’s no reason not to choose one, if you’re taken by the SUV style but don’t need the scale or ability of an actual off-roader. The

Crossing theline

Hatchbacks from Kia and Ford turn to SUVs for styling inspiration, but which one is best?

majority of the crossover-style SUVs sold today don’t work well off road either, and there’s no shame in choosing a car for its style alone

That said, there’s definitely substance behind the style of the two popular SUV-inspired models we’re looking at here – the Kia XCeed and Ford Focus Active Both are variants of well rated compact family hatchbacks, with practical bodies, good driving manners, and great safety and infotainment features that make them rewarding to own

But style doesn’t come cheap When they were new, the XCeed and Focus Active looked expensive in their respective ranges, a fact we pointed out when comparing them as new cars in 2019 Now they’ve made it to the used-car market, it’s time to reassess how these two wannabe SUVs stack up in diesel-engined guise.

Ford Focus Active X

1.5 EcoBlue 120

Years: 2019 to present

Engine: 1 5-litre 4cyl diesel, 118bhp Transmission: 6-spd manual/fwd 0-62mph: 9 3 seconds Top speed: 122mph Boot capacity (seats up/down): 341/1,320 litres Official economy/CO2: 59 9mpg/96g/km

FAMILIAR Active X model adds part-leather seats, but overall the cabin looks similar to Titanium trim. At least it’s well equipped

Lower used values mean Kia’s crossover is still our top choice of this pair

KIA makes highly competitive cars these days, but although they often top comparative tests, the fact that values can decline faster than longer-established names suggests the marketplace has yet to be entirely convinced by the appeal of the brand This is great news for savvy buyers who are up to speed with the Kia story, and the XCeed is a case in point. As a new car in 2019, the XCeed cost a few hundred pounds less than the Ford, but prices now look like a bargain Bad news for the original owner, but no used buyer will sniff at a potential £1,500 saving on a three or four-year-old car Throw in Kia’s seven-year warranty, a large chunk of which should still be available to the next owner, and you’d need to be a Ford superfan to rule the Kia out – even if the Focus can eke out a few more miles per gallon, and retain a bit more of its value in the longer term

The Kia also wins us over with its softer and marginally more comfortable suspension, higherquality interior and punchier and low-stressed diesel Its significantly larger boot will appeal to owners, too, so we’ve no hesitation in awarding Kia the win

st KiaXCeed

THEKiaXCeedcrossoveroffersawinning combinationoffactorsinthiscontestthat theFocuscan’tovercome,inspiteof appealingstronglyinitsownright.

Rear passenger space is fine, but the XCeed boasts a larger boot than the Focus, which helps put it ahead

THE Focus is a gre Active variant is no exception However, you still have to pay a price premium over its rival here.

The Ford’s diesel engine is frugal but less powerful than the Kia’s slightly larger unit, and while longer gearing helps give it an efficiency advantage, the Focus is slower off the mark, although any disadvantage is marginal Where the Ford really suffers in comparison with the Kia is its smaller load area, and this alone could be enough to send buyers the Korean’s way Owners who like a fun car to drive might prefer the way the Focus handles It has a precision and poise that are carried over from the regular hatch, and which are barely diminished by Active trim’s extra 44mm of ride height. The downside relative to the Kia is a ride quality that’s a little firmer, and buyers on a quest for comfort may prefer to drive the XCeed for that reason

Neither car is luxuriously trimmed, but the Focus seems slightly less upmarket, which makes it feel relatively less comfortable, too The Ford’s infotainment is decent, but not cutting edge, and its three-year/60,000-mile warranty is less generous

A LITTLE pricier than the Kia when new, the gap has widened on the used market The Ford is a little more frugal, but not by enough to clinch our recommendation in this battle.

There’s nothing wrong with the passenger space in the back of the Focus, but its boot can’t match the XCeed’s

HOW OUR GUIDE WORKS

PERFORMANCE: This is the manufacturer’s claimed acceleration time for a car, and is measured from 0-60mph or 0-62mph (0-100km/h), in seconds

ECONOMY/EMISSIONS/RANGE: Combined WLTP economy in miles per gallon, emissions in grams per kilometre of CO2 and maximum claimed range for EVs Figures are achieved in the latest WLTP tests, but will vary according to equipment and are unlikely to be representative of everyday efficiency

INSURANCE: Group rating as quoted by the Association of British Insurers

WARRANTY: Next to each manufacturer’s name is the basic warranty period in months and miles for the mechanicals, corrosion and paintwork EVs and hybrids will have dedicated battery cover

LIST PRICE: This is the on-the-road figure and includes VAT, delivery to dealer, the first 12 months’ of emissions-based road tax, number plates and first registration

WILL IT FIT? Is your garage big enough? Our measurements show the length and width of each model, but remember estate and performance variants may be bigger

DRIVER POWER POSITION: Auto Express’s survey canvasses results from tens of thousands of motorists Models are rated by drivers, then ranked against others on sale in the UK The lower the number, the higher the score a model achieved

ROAD

VEHICLES BELOW £40,000

Electric vehicle: £0 Alternative fuel: £155 Petrol/diesel: £165 Alternative fue s include hybrids, plug-in hybr ds b -ethano and LPG fuels

VEHICLES OVER £40,000 Electric vehicle: £0 Alternative fuel: £510 Petrol/diesel: £520 After five years, vehicles costing more than £40 000 revert to the ower rates

Pick-up trucks: The models listed here pay a flat rate of road tax at £295 per year

EURO NCAP RATING: At the start of each model is its Euro NCAP crash test safety rating (if available) The maximum score is five stars, although the test has been made tougher over the years, so ratings aren’t comparable between vehicles

TheUK’sNo.1car

Monte Carlo kick-off for 2023 WRC

Alex Ingram Alex Ingram@autoviacouk @AxleIngram

THE 2023 World Rally Championship kicks off this weekend with its traditional opening event, the Monte Carlo Rally

This year sees the drivers cover 13 rounds, with the series concluding in Japan on 19 November However, some famous events aren’t present; the likes of Rally New Zealand, Rally de Catalunya and Wales Rally GB are all missing for various reasons

The off-season has seen plenty of personnel changes, with Hyundai becoming the centre of attention For starters, ex-Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul has taken the reins “I am relishing the opportunity to join Hyundai Motorsport as Team Principal,” he said “I am looking forward to immersing myself into the rallying community and discovering more about this spectacular sport. Hyundai has given me its full support to make the transition into this role and I can’t wait to get started ”

Hyundai will continue to be led by Thierry Neuville. The Belgian will want to build on his strong finish in 2022, where he took two wins out of the final four rounds on the way to third in the championship Finn Esapekka Lappi arrives from Toyota, while Craig Breen returns after a tough season at the M Sport Ford squad The Irishman will compete on selected events, the first of which will be Rally Sweden on 9 February.

Ott Tänak finished runner-up in 2022 with Hyundai, but he backed out of a multiyear contract to move to the M Sport Ford

Caddy racers show their colours

Reigning

Rovanperä took fourth last year on the icy roads around Monte Carlo, while Sébastiens Loeb and Ogier fought for the win Nine-time WRC champion Loeb took victory, but isn’t competing this year, so Ogier will line up with Toyota, and the eight-time champion will be aiming for a record ninth win on the event ■ UK viewers can watch every stage of the Monte with a WRC+ subscription, or catch the highlights on BT Sport or ITV4

Drive To Survive back on the box

CADILLAC has revealed the liveries it will run on its new V-LMDh sportscars ahead of the new car’s debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, which takes place at the end of January The three prototypes are painted to match the red, blue and gold found within the Cadillac logo. The red and gold cars will

STREAMING service Netflix will release the fifth series of its Formula 1 documentary Drive To Survive on 24 February, a week before the seasonopening Bahrain Grand Prix It covers the 2022 title chase, and features unseen footage and interviews with drivers and team personnel. Reigning champ Max Verstappen, who didn’t take part in season four because he said the show “faked rivalries [between drivers]”, will appear this time.

Rovanperä (left) defends title, ex-Renault F1 boss Abiteboul (above) joins Hyundai

Trio of sportscars will compete in top-flight endurance classes

squad The Estonian will aim to go one better this year at the wheel of the Puma

champion Toyota will enter four cars at the Monte. The team is led by Kalle Rovanperä, the youngest driver ever to be crowned World Rally Champion

“Reigning WRC winner Toyota will enter four cars on the Monte, led by driver’s title-holder Kalle Rovanperä”

be competing in the US-based IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, with drivers including Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon and Alexander Sims

The blue car will compete in the World Endurance Championship, where it will be driven by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn

and Richard Westbrook The WEC entry will see Cadillac’s 670bhp 5.5-litre V8 hybrid take on a wide range of squads this year, including new entrants from Ferrari, Porsche and Vanwall, as well as entries from Toyota, Peugeot and Glickenhaus.

THE best and most enlightening month of my motoring 2022 just came and went, courtesy of Volkswagen So which of the circa 20 cars in VW’s line-up did I drive during this period? Er, none. Because I’ve overdosed on Polos, Golfs, ID 3s, ID 4s and the like, these days it’s the models from VW Commercial Vehicles that increasingly float my boat I’m talking here about workhorses that are small enough to fit into regular parking bays, but large enough to carry people, bulky loads and/or serve as makeshift motorhomes-cum-mobile offices So enter the T7 Multivan eHybrid, the ID Buzz Pro Electric and the ID Buzz Cargo Commerce Plus Electric

On the BestCarsoftheYearcomstand at The British Motor Show last summer, the T7 Multivan proved to be one of the most popular and photographed vehicles by a public impressed with its brutally good looks, versatility and heritage

Of the hundreds of new cars at the show, this 1 4 TSI PHEV was the one I most wanted to drive home. I’m not entirely sure why, but I do believe that it’s sometimes wise to worry less about whether a vehicle is petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV and instead just enjoy being in the right mood, in the right set of wheels for the occasion. And unless you spend much time on cramped, congested, city streets, the T7 Multivan, with its brilliantly simple, effective and fuel-efficient powertrain, is the right tool for almost all occasions At around £60,000, it’s not cheap But it’s tank-like, oozes longevity, will be nicely run in after 10 years – and still going strong in 20 or 30.

For similar money, the pure-electric ID Buzz is even more fun and, frankly, was way better than expected when driven in battery-sapping winter conditions. There’s no getting away from the fact that this and all other pure-EVs take up precious time when at public chargepoints, but Buzz life for me – even during the cold, wet days of December –delivered a real-world range of just over 200 miles That’s acceptable rather than brilliant, but is a range I could live with. Whether I’d cope with all the interest from fellow motorists, pedestrians and cyclists keen to learn more about the ID Buzz is another matter The coolest mainstream vehicle of 2022 attracts levels of attention that its rivals cannot. The more modest ID Buzz Cargo at nearer £50,000 (including VAT), with just three seats, a rock-hard black dash and hose-down rubber floor, plus sealed-off cargo space was as satisfying to drive as the five-seater But when called upon to carry the goods, it was less spacious than predicted Thanks to its unnecessarily thick bulkhead, a three-seat sofa, for example, wouldn’t fit Yet ironically, the bulkhead-free ID Buzz (with rear seats folded and front ones pushed forward to the max) is capable of carrying longer loads than the van Of these three VWs I lived with for a few weeks, the one I’d choose to own and keep is the five-seat ID Buzz, which narrowly nudged out the T7 These two are the best models in the entire VW range. The fact that they’re from the Commercial Vehicle arm of the company might just leave the ‘ car guys ’ at Wolfsburg feeling somewhat uncomfortable

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off

Unless you spend time on cramped, congested, city streets, the T7 Multivan is the right tool for almost all occasions