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OFFICIAL PICS
DRIVEN Aston’s epic V12 brute
RANGE ROVER SPORT From fire-breathing V8 to radical EV, it’s the SUV that really can do it all
How they’ve upped the handling on and off road
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L A I C E P S S D R A W r A e t t 2 a m y l l a e 202 r that ) e l p o e p e h t d The cars (an
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Official: Bentley’s Mulsanne SUV
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THIS WEEK
‘This Mazda’s lump really is the Nigel Farage of engines’
80
Issue 6514 | Volume 312 | No 7
NEWS
COMMENT
Range Rover Sport All-new SUV to keep V8, get BEV 6 Bentley Bentayga EWB Long-wheelbase flagship 10 Aston boss leaves Moers replaced by ex-Ferrari CEO 12 Price hike for new cars Facts behind the latest rises 14
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE FUTURE, ASK RIMAC
TESTED
Alfa Romeo Tonale Crucial new Evoque rival rated 22 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Fiery 690bhp swansong 26 Volkswagen ID 5 GTX Twin-motor rakish-style SUV 28 Genesis GV60 Alternative to Q4 E-tron and Model Y 29 Peugeot 308 Hybrid 180 Family hatch turns PHEV 29 Toyota Aygo X Limited Edition ROAD TEST 30
AUTOCAR AWARDS 2022
Mate Rimac Self-made tech guru and entrepreneur 40 David Richards Motorsport and engineering hero 44 Alison Jones The brains behind Stellantis in the UK 48 Peter Schreyer The global design boss on a mission 50 Gordon Murray High-achieving visionary engineer 54 SangYup Lee Stellar design talent shaping Hyundai 56 Ash Sutton Three-time BTCC champ is not done yet 57 Guy Pigounakis, Dan Geoghegan Great UK leaders 58 Caffeine & Machine How a car culture hub was born 59 Best cars of 2022 18 winners across 14 categories 60 BMW No manufacturer does it better than Munich’s 74
OUR CARS Mazda CX-5 Petrolhead SUV? Plus Audi Q4 E-tron Lexus UX 300e The quest for a charger that works Dacia Duster Everything you need and nothing else
80 82 83
EVERY WEEK
Jesse Crosse EV tech behind the BMW i7’s bold skin 11 Matt Prior How I plan to build a 1.9-litre V12. One day 13 Jim Holder Why we knew Moers was leaving Aston 17 Subscribe Save money and get exclusive benefits 18 Steve Cropley Lotus hero calls time; Aston’s future 19 Damien Smith BTCC and Mountune; Formula E 20 Your Views New car lead times; i3; grazed knuckles 76 On this day Curious EV solution in 1945, plus VE Day 79 Slideshow Iconic cars that gained a cult following 98
DEALS
James Ruppert Kuga; Peugeot 206; Fiat Barchetta 84 Cult hero Mk2 Subaru Impreza WRX from £4500 86 As good as new Deals on still-fresh Jeep Wranglers 88 Take it or leave it BMW i8; Golf R; Citroën C-Zero 89 New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenos 90 Road test index Track down that road test here 97 Autocar, ISSN number 1355-8293 (USPS 25185), is published weekly by Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. The US annual subscription price is $199.78. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Autocar, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained at Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent. Autocar is published by Haymarket Automotive, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW1 3SP, UK, haymarketgroup.com Tel +44 (0)20 8267 5000 Autocar magazine is also published in China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. Autocar is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think we haven’t met those standards and want to make a complaint, contact autocar@haymarket.com. For more information, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk
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AUTOCAR AWARDS: CARS, PEOPLE AND MORE 39
OUR HIGHEST accolade at this year’s
Autocar Awards, the Issigonis Trophy, goes to a man whose amazing entrepreneurial skills have taken him in just over a decade from being a clever young guy messing about with a rusty BMW to the manufacturer of million-pound electric hypercars of his own design. Mate Rimac, founder of Rimac ALFA ROMEO TONALE: FIRST DRIVE VERDICT 22 Automobili, will soon be the head of his country’s biggest company, whose technological know-how is now so advanced that prestige clients such as Hyundai, Porsche and Ferrari come to him for hardware, software and manufacturing projects. Less than a year ago, his company formed a hugely significant joint venture with the Volkswagen Group to take over the running of the MIGHTY ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE DRIVEN 26 Bugatti marque and give it a whole new future, in both financial terms ❝ and model structure. Meanwhile, he’s working on a still-secret masstransportation project that he calls “the robotaxi” and is about to put a new self-badged hypercar into production, Rimac’s second. ❞ If anyone understands the shape and the needs of future world JIM HOLDER ON BREAKING THIS WEEK’S NEWS transportation, it is Mate Rimac. ABOUT ASTON’S CEO LEAVING. IN JANUARY 17 And at 34, he is just getting started – COVER STORY which is great news for the industry, and of course all of us.
HAD WE SCREWED UP? KEY SOURCES INSISTED WE HADN'T. ‘HOLD YOUR NERVE,’ THEY SAID
Mark Tisshaw Editor mark.tisshaw@haymarket.com @mtisshaw
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ALL-NEW RANGE ROVER SPORT: FULL DETAILS 6
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New Range Rover Sport sharpens dynamic remit Next-gen SUV arrives this year with V8, PHEVs, new chassis tech; SVR and EV follow
OFFICIAL PICTURES 6 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
T
he third-generation Range Rover Sport offers a host of powertrains including a V8, promises low-speed agility and highspeed poise from a new fourwheel steering system, and features an overhauled interior with Jaguar Land Rover’s latest Pivi Pro infotainment. The latest Range Rover Sport was developed alongside the fifth-generation Range Rover, revealed last year, to ensure consistency within the Range Rover family but also, crucially, enough distinction between the two models. JLR design chief Gerry McGovern said the latest model “redefines sporting luxury” and described it as “modern, relevant and progressive”. Reflecting on the model’s impact, McGovern called the Range Rover Sport “the first of its breed in 2005, heralding
a new vehicle with Range Rover luxury and sporting character”. He added: “It created a new vehicle segment and was the first model in an extended Range Rover family which paved the way for Evoque and Velar.” PERFORMANCE The range-topping model – for now – is the twin-turbocharged 525bhp 4.4-litre BMWderived petrol V8, which can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.5sec. It will be a popular model, predicts Nick Collins, JLR’s executive director of vehicle programmes. “V8 demand is very strong at the moment,” he said. “There seems to be a split between big petrol engines and EVs.” The new plug-in hybrid is expected to be a strong seller, too. In its most powerful form, it uses a 3.0-litre six-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with a
❝
The top PHEV achieves 0-62mph in 5.4sec and 70 miles of EV range ❞
141bhp electric motor, powered by a 38.2kWh battery, for a total output of 503bhp. It completes the 0-62mph sprint in 5.4sec and delivers 70 miles of EV range and CO2 emissions of 18g/km. Combining its petrol and electric reserves, it offers 460 miles of range. The initial line-up is completed by a number of 48V mild-hybrid options, which use either a P400 straight-six Ingenium petrol engine or six-cylinder D300 and D350 diesel powertrains. Two important models will arrive later: an electric version will come in 2024, around the same time as a zeroemissions Range Rover. An
SVR variant is also confirmed but Land Rover isn’t divulging more details. “It’s in the programme. Customers won’t be disappointed,” said Collins. While the SVR will be powered by the V8, the electric model could use a drivetrain sourced from technical partner BMW, such as that found in the top-rung iX M60, which makes 611bhp and 811lb ft. DYNAMICS The new Range Rover Sport sits on JLR’s flexible mixedmetal architecture, known as MLA-Flex, which is also used by the Range Rover. The firm claims it has 35% higher torsional stiffness than the
outgoing model, which lays the foundation for a number of chassis technologies all specially tuned for the car. Collins said: “The MLA architecture and the latest chassis systems come together to deliver… the most engaging and thrilling Range Rover Sport ever.” The model’s Dynamic Response Pro uses a 48V electronic active roll control system, capable of applying up to 1033lb ft of torque across each axle to offer “new levels of body control and cornering composure”, said the firm. It works hand in hand with the latest-generation Dynamic Air Suspension, which introduces switchable-volume air springs for the first time. For best responses, the car monitors the road ahead using navigation data to prepare for upcoming bends. The Range Rover Sport is ◊
Interior overhaul includes latest Pivi Pro infotainment
Q&A DOMINIC NAJAFI, CHIEF EXTERIOR DESIGNER You developed this in parallel with the latest Range Rover. Why? “It’s about accentuating the qualities of both. It’s to understand the commonality but also recognise things that don’t work to be shared. For example, the big wheels, flush glazing and seamless model look is shared stuff. But the windscreen angle of the Range Rover Sport has to be sportier than the Range Rover.”
What was the main challenge with the third-gen Sport? “How do we modernise a model that is instantly recognisable? We have something iconic with the Range Rover Sport yet have to make it so much better.”
How do you avoid models looking too similar – for example, the Range Rover Sport and the Velar? “We have to make sure there’s a family resemblance. We never hold back [on design] because of another car and there is character differentiation between all our models. Someone who has an Evoque wants an Evoque. And you don’t buy a Range Rover Sport because you can’t buy a Range Rover.”
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 7
Four-wheel steering will improve stability at higher speeds
∆ now available with all-wheel steering, which, along with torque vectoring by braking and the electronic differential, should mean improved cornering agility. The steering system enables rear-wheel steering of up to 7.3deg out of phase with the front wheels to achieve better manoeuvrability at low speeds, as well as turning in-phase for improved stability at high speeds. The model, which has Land Rover’s latest Terrain Response 2 system for off-roading, introduces the brand’s new adaptive off-road cruise control. Drivers can select one of four settings and the system adjusts the speed
8 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
accordingly so the driver can focus on steering. DESIGN As with all Land Rover models, the new Range Rover Sport is an evolution of the outgoing model in appearance, keeping its short overhangs and steeply raked windows at the front and back. It has a 75mm-longer wheelbase than previously to improve rear leg room. Chief exterior designer Dominic Najafi highlighted three fundamental elements to its design: a roofline that ‘accelerates’ down to the rear; a so-called waistline that is a continuous loop around the car; and a lower part
❝
The first deliveries will arrive in September, with prices starting from £79,125 ❞ that follows through and kicks up at the back. He said: “It has a seamless finish from body to glass and the body side is very smooth. It’s more sophisticated than the outgoing Range Rover Sport. “At the rear, we’ve moved the numberplate down to give a cleaner surface than before. Even the graphics on this car are harmonious. We don’t want
anything to stand out. It’s a very modern approach.” Digital LED lighting units at the front, the slimmest ever fitted to a Land Rover, create a daytime-running light signature. At the back, uninterrupted LED light graphics introduce surface LED technology to a production vehicle for the first time, claims Land Rover.
Inside, the Range Rover Sport has been designed to be more driver-oriented than its Range Rover sibling. The steering wheel is similar to the Range Rover’s but the seating position is 20mm lower. The high centre console rises up into the dashboard, which has a 13.1in curved screen that uses JLR’s Pivi Pro infotainment system, plus a 13.7in driver’s display. It has over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android and Amazon Alexa capability. The first deliveries will arrive in September, with prices from £79,125, a rise of £14,365 on the outgoing model. RACHEL BURGESS
NEWS
Longer wheelbase aids rear leg room in the upmarket cabin
Slimmest lights of any Land Rover give a distinctive look
Wedgy profile remains but body surfacing is cleaner
HOW THE SPORT HAS RISEN TO OUR CHALLENGES
The new Range Rover Sport features the brand’s longest spoiler yet, which was also developed for the latest Range Rover. G4 Challenge recce Having Sport in its name didn’t make Land Rover’s shock new Cayenne rival any less of a bona fide continent crusher, as we found out in 2005 on a hot, challenging recce from Vang Vieng to Bangkok for the formidable G4 Challenge.
Off-road prowess is still a key part of its dynamic make-up
Speedway champ duel A dirt oval: surely the venue of choice to determine whether the fastest version of the best 4x4 by far was worth its salt. Of course, it didn’t struggle one jot, but more impressive was that it kept up with world speedway champion Tai Woffinden – for a few seconds…
S A M E A G A I N , P L E A S E – O N LY B E T T E R STEVE CROPLEY
It comes to something, doesn’t it, when the main thing you want from the new Range Rover Sport is a generous helping of what the old one had – even though the current model goes back to 2013, and the mild mid-life facelift is fully five years old. Strong sales in the model’s later years encouraged the company not to rush its replacement. Land Rover design chief Gerry McGovern (nowadays
group chief creative officer) has always ignored design fads in favour of timelessness and nobody could say his team hasn’t succeeded brilliantly in this area. For 2022, McGovern and co seem again to have successfully walked the fine line between stealing a handy slice of the full-fat Range Rover’s thunder, giving the new model its own persona and embodying (with a look of enhanced compactness
and sportiness) the “most dynamically capable” Range Rover Sport yet. The big dynamic changes promised are new low-speed agility plus high-speed poise from the new four-wheel steering system. There’s just enough about this 2022 edition’s shape for its newness to be easily recognisable, yet Land Rover seems to have concentrated skilfully on things that matter most to buyers with half an eye on the escalation in
ownership and fuel costs that must surely be on the horizon as electrification looms. The hybrid’s impressive official 70-mile (real-world 50-mile) electric range promises to remove a sizeable chunk of many owners’ dayto-day fuel costs, which are more important than they used to be. Best, they appear to promise that when the day comes for the launch of a full-EV version, due in 2024, JLR will know what it’s doing.
Firepower feud One of the world’s best-established off-road firms battled one of the biggest names in sports cars when the Sport SVR faced the Cayenne Turbo in a £200k, 1100bhp clash. The more flamboyant Midlander edged it.
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 9
OFFICIAL PICTURES
Roomier rear offers three seating layouts
Bentayga to stretch its lead
Market-leading Bentley SUV gains a long-wheelbase version to fend off tough rivals
B
entley has unveiled an extended-wheelbase version of its marketleading Bentayga SUV and officially labelled it the marque’s new flagship, a status previously held by the Mulsanne limousine, which ended production in 2020. The new model, called EWB for Extended Wheelbase, is stretched by 180mm and has all of its extra space in the rear passenger compartment and
extra length in the rear door. Sold only with a twin-turbo petrol V8 “for the time being”, it ushers in a suite of trim, paint and styling changes, the most obvious of which is a new vertically slatted grille. The EWB also introduces a new rear steering system that both reduces the turning circle and enhances high-speed stability, a refinement that first appeared in Bentley’s Flying Spur saloon in 2019 and more
recently in the Continental GT. Despite the extra length, the EWB’s turning circle of 11.8m is actually 0.6m tighter than a standard-wheelbase model’s. The EWB’s launch is a stern defence of Bentley’s leadership in the global super-luxury SUV market. Last year, the Bentayga accounted for more than 40% of Bentley’s record annual sales (14,659 units, up 31%) and the company expects about 45% of future Bentayga
MINI DITCHES MANUAL GEARBOXES – FOR NOW AT LEAST The Mini line-up has gone automatic-only as global supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine force a halt to manual gearbox production. The firm told Autocar it sought to simplify its offering “to secure maximum production output to meet increasing customer demand” but has not yet confirmed if it is a permanent move. The cheapest Mini 3-Door Hatch is now priced from £18,815 – £1400 more than the manual variant. All of Mini’s models are now automatic-only
10 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
buyers to opt for the EWB. The Crewe firm effectively invented the sector with the Bentayga’s launch in 2015 and has maintained its supremacy through the arrival of the Lamborghini Urus and RollsRoyce Cullinan. The imminent arrival of Ferrari’s Purosangue is likely to expand super-luxury SUV sales further: Bentley bosses say today’s 40,000 sales should climb by one-third by the end of the decade.
Bentley acknowledges the battle with its rivals by pointing out that the EWB is roomier in the rear than the Cullinan and Range Rover, and equal with both for head room despite having a less boxy shape and a lower roof. But despite the larger rear cabin space, there won’t be a seven-seat Bentayga EWB. Instead, buyers get a choice of three rear-seat options: a luxurious two-seat layout, a classic three-person
Korean marques home in on Europe MORE GENESIS, HYUNDAI and Kia models will be developed in Europe for Europe, according to Tyrone Johnson, who heads R&D in the region for the three brands. “We’ve been so successful [in our European operation] that we’ve been given more to develop on our own,” he said. Ultimately, the move means more bespoke models just for Europe, but also the team leading development of some global models, such as those under the Hyundai N performance sub-brand. Last year alone, Johnson’s team had 30 projects on the go, including the Kona N, the i20 N and the Elantra N, which
was developed in Europe but destined for the US. Since taking on the role in 2018, Johnson has consolidated a number of
NEWS bench and a combination of the pair called ‘4+1’, which puts a small jump seat between two larger rear seats. The EWB also introduces (optionally) a new kind of climate seat that senses an occupant’s body temperature and surface humidity and adjusts the ambient temperature and airflow for comfort. It can also sense an occupant’s seating pressure points and make “micro adjustments” for maximum comfort. There are a number of new, super-plush trim options: a new, intricate kind of diamond quilting, a perforation pattern
for the doors that is backlit by LEDs (with light intensity and colour controlled from the fascia) and a separate ionisation system for the expanded rear compartment that stresses what Bentley calls its “new focus on wellness”. Bentley expects the EWB to cost around 15% more than the standard car, when specifications are matched like for like, but a greater range of options means full-house cars will top £300,000. Production of the new model has already begun and Bentley aims to start delivering customer cars in the early summer. STEVE CROPLEY
UNDER THE SKIN JESSE CROSSE
HOW THE BMW i7 MAKES BEST USE OF ITS ADVANCED BATTERY TECH
Q & A C H R I S C O L E , B E N TAY G A PRODUCT LINE DIRECTOR Why is the EWB “much more than a stretched Bentayga”? “It contains a great deal of bespoke engineering, a whole new rear body frame and a total of 2500 new parts. There’s also a new rear suspension that ensures its on-road behaviour maintains the existing car’s standard. And it introduces many new options – as you would expect of a new flagship for the company.” Is the EWB aimed at particular markets? “Well, demand for cars like this is very strong in China. And we think it’ll be popular in China and America. But
European test sites. Now, its main facility is the former Opel test track at Dudenhofen, Germany. The Hyundai group is also planning to double the size of its site at the Nürburgring, confirmed Johnson. He said the ’Ring is used for extensive durability testing, with each vehicle driving 10,000 miles on the circuit.
we believe there will be strong demand in all markets – hence our prediction that it will account for 45% of future Bentayga sales, or more.” Why wasn’t the EWB launched as a hybrid? “We’re concentrating on a V8 model at launch, and we’re not commenting on future versions. But the logic of a hybrid isn’t lost on us. Bentayga hybrid sales have been running at 20% already, and the car is popular in key markets.”
In terms of new models for Europe, only last year Genesis launched its G70 Shooting Brake, a car that has been created specifically for the European market. It has been so well received, said Genesis Europe boss Dominique Boesch, that its home market in South Korea is now considering selling the car as well.
Division behind cars like i20 N is set to be busier
ALTHOUGH MUCH OF the chat surrounding the new 7 Series has focused on its looks, BMW’s electric drive technology continues to evolve underneath that controversial skin. The first global model from launch will be the i7 xDrive60 BEV powered by BMW’s existing fifthgeneration eDrive package, with elements of it, such as the regenerative braking functions, tweaked further to eke out even more efficiency from the drivetrain. The fifth-generation eDrive is based on drive motor-generator technology that does away with permanent magnets in the rotor (the spinning part of the motor) and the rare earth metals they are made of. The price of neodymium oxide, used to make the high-powered magnets, more than doubled back in 2019, and because 90% of the supply comes from one source (China), moving away from its use improves the sustainability of EVs and knocks any concerns over future supplies on the head. The alternative chosen by BMW is the electrically excited synchronous motor, which swaps the rotor’s permanent magnetic field for one produced by electricity. That involves feeding electricity to the rotor via brushes and a slip ring (rather than it being brushless), which is traditionally seen as a disadvantage. But in reality, the technology has worked fine for BMW so far and Renault has also favoured it, for the Zoe. As is the norm now for 4x4 EVs, the i7 has two of these electric machines, one each on the front and rear axles, and it also has the latest version of the adaptive recuperation system found in the iX and i4, which is based on the idea of using navigation data to optimise the regenerative braking system on the fly as road conditions change. The existing system tweaks the level of regen for more or less retardation, or lets the car coast when the driver lifts off, a strategy generally considered more effective on open roads. For the i7, this feature also takes downhill sections into account and draws on the traffic light recognition function to make the most of the energy recovery. The whole system still works even if the driver isn’t using the sat-nav.
New BMW i7 xDrive60 EV can take on board 106 miles of range in 10 minutes, thanks to improved battery management and cooling.
Charging strategies have also been tuned so that the amount of cooling delivered to the battery varies during a rapid charge to ensure cell temperatures don’t drop too much, as well as preventing them from climbing too high. If the driver is approaching a familiar rapid charge point without the car ‘knowing’ a charging stop is planned via the sat-nav, battery pre-heat can be selected manually, warming the battery cells to the level needed for the fastest charge to be accepted from the off. Before this type of pre-heat function, a cool battery would need to be brought up to temperature after charging started, taking longer. The battery management system also tails off the charge rate as the battery nears full on a linear rather than stepped curve, says BMW, speeding up the charging process. In common with some other EVs, the i7 also has a heat pump that integrates with the drive and cabin systems, moving heating or cooling around in the most efficient way.
HEAR HERE, SAID PORSCHE Giving the Taycan a compelling soundtrack must have been a tall order considering what Porsche acoustic engineers were up against from their own stable. But Porsche says none of what makes up the Taycan’s sound is artificial, although it is filtered to take out anything un-Porsche-like. A dummy binaural head was used to ‘listen’ to the sound at any given point in the car to help assess how perception of the sound changes as an occupant’s head turns.
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11
CEO Moers leaves Aston Martin Brief tenure ends after mediocre financial results and many senior staff departures
E
mbattled Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers has stepped down from his leadership and board roles after less than two years. However, he will remain in an unspecified role with the company until the end of July, helping to ease the handover to his successors. Amedeo Felisa takes the roles of CEO and executive director immediately and Roberto Fedeli becomes chief technical officer. The Italians previously worked together at Ferrari, from where 76-year-old Felisa retired as CEO in 2016 and Fedeli left the role of chief technical officer in 2014. Each is a close ally of ex-Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo, a close business associate of Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll. It is unclear if Felisa’s tenure will be long-term, given his age, although Stroll described him as “young at heart” and likely to be at Aston Martin for the “foreseeable future”. Moers’ position had been the subject of speculation for some time, with rumours of a potential split fuelled by ongoing mediocre financial results and numerous departures of highprofile employees.
Moers came to Aston from AMG in August 2020
Autocar first reported his position to be under threat in January, but Stroll hit back at the claims, responding to our story: “I have no idea where that comes from. Tobias is doing a great job. He’s staying here. He’s the perfect partner for me.” However, Moers’ fate has now been sealed, with Aston Martin stating: “The board is grateful for all that Tobias has contributed during his time
at Aston Martin, setting the company in the right direction, building new foundations and improving its operations.” Despite Stroll’s upbeat assessment of Moers’ tenure, Aston Martin’s financial figures continue to concern analysts, who highlight its debt burden and marginal profitability. Its share price continues to run at only a fraction of its 2018 launch value and close to its historic low.
In its Q1 financial figures, it revealed that it’s on track to sell more than 6600 cars this year, with a medium-term target to take that to 10,000. The report also stated that sports car production for 2022 was already sold out and that DBX SUV orders were up 60% year on year. JIM HOLDER AND DIETER RENCKEN
» COMMENT P17
ASTON EYES EV EXPERTISE The new management structure at Aston Martin will enable the company to work in a different way. Chairman Lawrence Stroll said: “We want to have almost complete capability to do what we want in-house. “Amedeo Felisa and Roberto Fedeli have a great deal of experience in electrification, working on the first electrified Ferrari and then in Amedeo’s case joining an EV tech company as CEO and in Roberto’s case going to BMW to develop its first EVs. “I don’t think anyone is more respected in the field of electrification, and we bring in a team to support them, as well as promoting from within our excellent team, to accelerate that. “We’re diligently working on an Aston version of electrification, on top of having the option of using Mercedes’ high-performance AMG platform from next year. In that regard, I don’t think anyone has more knowledge of electrification or better access to a platform than us.” IMAGE
V12 Vantage is Moers’ parting gift to Aston
DBX SUV is becoming ever more vital
ASTON ALUMNI DEVELOPING WORLD-LEADING SPORTS EV Meanwhile, American EV start-up Fisker has enlisted the services of ex-Aston Martin special vehicles boss Dave King to develop a new four-door drop-top sports car with a world-leading range of 660 miles. CEO Henrik Fisker – also an Aston alumnus – told Autocar that the secretive Project Ronin is being developed at the firm’s Magic Works special vehicles base in the UK for a 2024 launch. It will feature a tri-motor powertrain good for 0-60mph in less than 2.0sec, a vegan interior, active aero and styling influenced by historic British sports cars. 12 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
OFFICIAL PICTURE
Ronin drop-top will follow Ocean SUV and Pear city car
Matt Prior NEWS
THE
NOTEBOOK
TESTER’S NOTES
Vantage F1 Edition is one of very few Moers-era Astons
BENTLEY SALES AND PROFITS UP AGAIN Bentley remains well and truly on its A-game, following its best-ever financial performance in 2021 with a strong showing in the first quarter of 2022. Standout figures include a 162% year-on-year increase in operating profits to £144.6 million, a 35% year-to-date sales increase and a huge boost in revenue per car from £157,000 to £181,000, making for a 21% return on each car sold. CEO Adrian Hallmark said the figures “suggest even more promise for the transformational years ahead”, during which the British brand will launch a new EV every year from 2025 to 2030.
LEXUS LOOKS BEYOND CARS FOR HYDROGEN Toyota is one of just two brands with a hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric car on sale, the Mirai, but is sibling marque Lexus as gassed up about hydrogen’s potential? Its European boss, Spiros Fotinos, told Autocar: “We’re committed to hydrogen as a technology, but when we say it, we look beyond the execution in terms of how we understand it today, which tends to be thinking about the Mirai.” Lexus teased its plans in this area with last year’s ROV off-road buggy and is now exploring uses for the fuel in the context of “the evolution of the internal combustion engine” – mobility solutions like buses, industrial equipment and energy storage.
o that’s that: Tobias Moers’ time as CEO of Aston Martin has ended. I wonder whether in time, as the saying now goes, “recollections may vary” about the whys and hows. Summaries of the state of Aston Martin already vary. Moers streamlined and made its production lines more efficient, so good has come from the past two years, but the list of motivated and talented people who are no longer on the company’s payroll by their own choosing is both long and telling. Ultimately, for the likes of you and me, it will be hard to judge Moers’ tenure, because so few cars have been heavily influenced by him. From talking to friends and colleagues in the industry, I gather that Moers and Aston Martin didn’t feel like the right fit for each other, but car companies take longer to turn around than sports teams, and replacing the boss if you don’t like recent results means they don’t have much say on the metal that rolls out of the doors.
S
SLK didn’t appeal in 1996 but does today
❝
What I like about Aston’s new boss is that under him, Ferraris showed their engineers’ character ❞ What I like about Amedeo Felisa, former Ferrari chief and Aston Martin’s new CEO, is that under him, Ferraris were not only brilliant but showed the character of their engineers. There was a real joy and freedom to them, stemming from great people being allowed to do their jobs, rather than being told how to. Let’s hope some of that character flows out of Gaydon. I If you subscribe to this magazine (and very good value it is too etc), you will receive a weekly editorial email from one of its writers – which last week was me, banging on again about small old cars but wanting more complex engines in them than the sometimes wheezy little units they get. Those who don’t mind modifying cars (I’m one of them) sometimes put motorbike engines in cars, which isn’t really my thing, because they’re quite hyperactive and buzzy – and they get a bit pricey. My latest muse, then, is wondering if you could take a bunch of cylinders from the air-cooled Honda GX engines – the type that you find in generators, lawnmowers and hire go-karts – and put them around a common crank. If you took 12 of the 160cc units, you would have a 1.3-litre V8 or a 1.9-litre V12 making, by my reckoning, not much power at all, but it might sound terrific.
I dare say that cooling it and fuelling it efficiently would be a disaster, but it would be fun to find out. I would try it, but I would need to retire first, so obviously I will never get around to it. I I’ve been reading our latest big used cars feature (27 April) and been quite taken with some of the oddball choices, which have an appeal now that they never did at their launch. I would never have recommended the Vauxhall Cascada when it was new, for example, but I can see the appeal now to someone thinking about getting cheap soft-top motoring with relatively trusted mechanicals. A friend recently bought an original Mercedes-Benz SLK – not much liked at the time – for summer driving, and that made perfect sense to me too. It’s curious how as cars get older, what you think about them changes. If I can’t decide between different star ratings when writing a review, I go with the lower one, because that’s definitely how I will feel about it in six months’ time. Maybe I should more often ask myself what I might think about it in 20 years’ time too.
GET IN TOUCH
✉ matt.prior@haymarket.com @matty_prior 11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 13
New car prices shoot up 6.6% as price crunch takes hold Electrification, parts shortages and rising costs of raw materials bring rapid inflation
N
ew car prices have risen by 6.6% to an average of £42,054 across all brands since the start of 2021, new data from What Car? shows – and car buyers are experiencing far higher cost hikes in reality, due to the sharp reduction of discounts. A combination of production slowdowns due to shortages of parts, hefty increases in the prices of raw materials and electrification has forced car makers to increase prices in the past few months, hurting those looking to replace older cars.
However, some brands, including BMW, Dacia, Land Rover, Nissan and Suzuki, have pushed their prices much higher than the 6.6% average, the What Car? data shows. Meanwhile, the monthly financing and leasing fees for some customers have as much as doubled as financial support from car makers disappears. The price crunch, along with car makers’ profit-maximising strategy to steer supply of in-demand parts to more profitable models, is gutting the cheaper end of the market,
reducing the choice for those after more affordable cars. For example, Ford has announced that it will stop building the three-door Fiesta from this summer. The absence of the cheaper variant further pushes up prices for a car that was once the UK’s best-seller. Back in 2018, the cheapest Fiesta was the 1.1 Style 3dr, at £13,965. Today, the supermini – now Ford’s cheapest model after it axed the Ka+ city car and as it brings production of the Ecosport small SUV to a close – starts at £17,905.
Dacia made a big splash in 2020 when it launched the new Sandero at £7995, but in October it axed the cheapest trim level, pushing the base price nearer to £10,000. Now the supermini starts at £11,495, meaning its base price has climbed by 44% in less than two years. Dacia has raised prices three times this year alone, Xavier Martinet, its head of sales and marketing, said during a recent Renault Group
451%
Increase in operating profit at Volkswagen in 2021 off 4.9 million vehicle sales earnings call. Despite this, he said he had seen “no significant impact on order trend”, due to renewed interest in the brand from customers priced
AV E R A G E C A R P R I C E P E R B R A N D A N D I N C R E A S E S I N C E J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1
£46,104
£53,490
£53,286
£27,795
£14,699
£38,433
£20,364
£29,285
+13.6%
+6.2%
+13.0%
+1.7%
+10.1%
+6.7%
+13.1%
+2.8%
14 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
£32,434 +8.5%
BUSINESS
£484.6m
Volvo’s 2022 Q1 profits, down £190m year on year
A Ford Fiesta costs nearly £4000 more than it did in 2018 out of traditional mainstream alternatives. “Having an everyday lowprice brand in the portfolio is clearly becoming even more of an asset for us than it has been in the past,” said Thierry Piéton, the Renault Group’s chief financial officer, during the same call. The Renault Group has seen a “significant” increase in raw-material costs, particularly for steel, which represents half of its raw material spend, revealed Piéton. Like many other car makers,
❝
The margin on C-segment cars is double that of the B-segment ❞ the Renault Group is adopting a strategy whereby “raw material and input cost increases will be covered by productivity and pricing”, said Piéton. In other words, it will drive down the costs of making the vehicles while also increasing pricing, not just on individual models but also by moving
out of its traditional small car specialism into bigger, more profitable cars. “The margin is double on C-segment [compared with] B-segment,” explained Piéton. This is a trend visible across the industry as companies axe their smaller models, starting with city cars and
then moving to superminis. The reason why Dacia’s pricing increases are more visible than other brands is its lack of discounting. Tesla is another brand that doesn’t give discounts, leaving it unable to hide price increases by ending the cash rebates that are common to nearly all other brands and their dealers. Tesla claims it’s increasing prices to anticipate higher rawmaterial costs, including for the batteries, further into the year. “It may seem like we’re being unreasonable about increasing
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£26,936
£66,103
£41,706
£29,408
£50,757
+14.4%
+9.1%
+8.9%
+10.0%
+6.5%
+2.3%
+2.5%
the prices of our vehicles, given that we had record profitability this quarter, but the wait list for our vehicles is quite long,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk in its first-quarter earnings call. “So that’s why we have the price increases today, because the car ordered today will arrive, in some cases, a year from now.” Tesla isn’t alone in making money off the price rises. The Volkswagen Group had such a good year in 2021 that CEO Herbert Diess was paid a whopping €5.3 million performance-related bonus after the firm posted a 451% increase in profits. Of those car makers long known for their discounting tactics to boost sales, many are now showing lower average price increases. Seat’s prices have climbed by only 1.5%, Citroën’s by 1.7% and Ford’s by 2.8%. For them, removing discounts has the happy sideeffect of masking price rises. Slashing discounts is industry-wide. In April, the average What Car? Target Price cash discount fell to its lowest-ever level, at £1522 per car – half of what it was during the same period 12 months ago. While the overall effect of dumping discounting might only show up a little on list prices, it will show up a lot on finance deals. Some firms are trying to mask it – for example, by extending the average lease or PCP finance period from two or three years to four, which means monthly payments don’t rise by quite so much. But some increases are so sizeable that it’s impossible to achieve. When Rich Henson, an energy trader from south ◊
£24,282 +12.7%
£27,704 +4.3%
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 15
Renault earlier this year to replace his family’s leased Zoe, he found the deal that cost him £7000 over two years had risen to £17,000 stretched over four years. Personal leasing has grown over the past decade as an easy and cost-effective way to get into a new car, but it’s now eye-wateringly expensive in some cases (see right). “People who have been into leasing for a long time and coming out of existing deals are noticing it, because they’re used to some exceptional rates,” an executive in the leasing industry said on condition of anonymity. Henson certainly noticed it, so he decided to buy his new Zoe outright instead. Car makers have tried to
£10.46bn BMW’s net profit in 2021, the strongest in its 106-year history
claim that higher residual values will offset the price rises by lowering monthly figures, but right now, even during a period of record used car price rises, that isn’t happening. The rise in new car prices has been positioned by Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares as a political issue that could even destabilise societies. He has long warned about the threat to “freedom of movement” for the middle classes, who are being priced out of new cars, especially EVs. “It’s very important not only for the car companies but also for the social stability of the Western societies in which we operate,” he said in February. It’s unlikely the cost of new cars will become a flashpoint in the same way that rising energy bills will, but unless car makers can sort out their supply-chain bottlenecks, improve productivity and focus on electric cars that aren’t just expensive halo models, car buying as we’ve come to enjoy it is over. NICK GIBBS
LEASING PRICES GOING THROUGH THE ROOF “Skoda doesn’t really want your business.” That was the response given to me by an apologetic Skoda salesman by way of explanation for the “astronomical” lease price that he was about to quote me to replace my two-yearold Octavia Estate. Like many people, I got pulled into personal leasing around seven years ago, when hidden discounts made it highly cost-effective to essentially rent a car. The Octavia is perfect for our family, and our past two cars have been estates in 1.5 TSI SE Technology guise. The payments have crept up. The first one in 2018 (after a very cheap Superb) cost us £5605 over two years. The current one is the new Mk4 model and will have cost us £7031 over the same time frame, following a list-price rise and the addition of a couple of options. Then came the bombshell:
to replace it like for like now (minus the options) would be £13,151 for two years. Monthly payments would leap from just under £200 to £463. Skoda refuted the salesman’s claim that it didn’t want my business, but it’s hard not to agree with him. The list price has risen by 10% to £25,995, but the leasing price has gone up by a whopping 135%.
There is now a 12-month waiting list for Octavias. “There isn’t as much rationale for tactical support [ie discounts] as there was,” said a Skoda spokesman. Maybe cars have been too cheap, but at £463 a month, we are no longer an Octavia family. A Dacia Jogger 1.0 TCe (£204 deposit, £204 per month) is now more our speed, financially speaking. NG
Skoda Octavia isn’t the thrifty option that it once was
Even Dacias aren’t immune from price rises
£33,358
£31,982
£25,619
£29,194
£29,717
£22,928
£31,445
£26,344
£34,008
+12.9%
+7.7%
+5.2%
+1.5%
+6.5%
+13.6%
+0.8%
+4.1%
+2.7%
16 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
£49,115 +6.8%
Note: What Car? is unable to obtain Target Price data for Tesla
∆ London, went back to
End of supply crisis in sight at VW THE VOLKSWAGEN GROUP is confident that its supply issues will ease in the second half of 2022, as its global scale and spread of production facilities enable it to weather the storm that has afflicted car makers since the pandemic began. As a result, the firm has confirmed its business outlook for 2022, predicting a surge in demand later this year. Its first-quarter report did also say, however, that it remains cautious of the
effects of the war in Ukraine and any further Covid flare-ups. Sales revenues in Q1 rose by 0.6% to €62.7 billion for an operating profit of about €5bn. The average price paid for a car from all volume-selling group brands increased. Seat, Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles widened their margins, with Skoda only failing to do so because it’s “consolidating the Russian business”. Operating profits for the
premium and sports brands (Audi, Bentley and Porsche) were even stronger. Porsche is running at an 18.6% margin, thanks to high demand for the 911, Panamera and Cayenne. Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess told investors that “as a truly global company, we have extensive production capacities in all major growth and sales markets worldwide. Our global set-up helped us to mitigate many of the adverse effects we’re currently seeing.”
Car production has been held back by parts shortages
Bosch designs and produces all kinds of parts for car makers
BOSCH RIDES ELECTRIC WAVE AS REVENUES ROCKET It’s not just car makers that are posting excellent results. Components-supply conglomerate Bosch has announced sales revenue of €78.7 billion (£67.1bn) for 2021, up 10.1% on 2020, for a €3.2bn operating profit. The German firm’s electromobility orders exceeded €10bn for the first time, confirming it as the biggest EV powertrains supplier. It also announced a €3bn threeyear investment in hydrogen and electrification. It will start producing fuel cell powertrains for lorries this year.
BUSINESS
Jim Holder I N S I D E I N F O R M AT I O N
Ex-Aston staff accuse Moers of not trusting them to do their jobs “EXCLUSIVE: FUTURE OF Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers in doubt”, read our carefully crafted headline of 7 January – about the 12th draft that it had been through, likewise the story below it, detailing Aston’s rocky financial path and the flood of distinguished talent that had poured out of the firm under Moers’ tenure. We (me and Formula 1 journalist Dieter Rencken, a source of many exclusives) settled on “in doubt” because we couldn’t ascertain the timeline that Aston ownerchairman Lawrence Stroll was working to or if the rift between the company and its CEO was recoverable. The evidence – multiple confirmations from former and current employees that a split was coming, plus a certainty that conversations with potential replacements had taken place informally – suggested it wasn’t, but you can never know for sure in such situations, especially when egos are concerned. After publishing, evidence mounted: more former staff came out of the woodwork, emphatic in their reasons for leaving and citing numerous examples of having not been trusted to do their jobs. What was remarkable was the breadth of roles they had held. There was no escaping the sense that either Aston was so out of shape that Moers felt he had to do it all, or Moers was so out of sorts with Aston that he felt he had to do it all. That change was needed wasn’t in doubt. Then, just a few hours
later, the Financial Times got hold of Stroll, reportedly enjoying a new-year holiday on a lavish boat in an exotic location and not best pleased that his carefully worded statement, released that day to spin lacklustre financial results into some positive headlines, had turned quite so spectacularly sour. He described our story as “categorically not true” and said he was “absolutely not engaged whatsoever in looking to replace Tobias”. Gulp. Another ring round our primary sources. Had we screwed up? They insisted that we hadn’t. “Hold your nerve,” they said. That was easier said than done as critics – largely Aston shareholders who disliked its tanking value – piled in. Yet later that evening, Bloomberg reported Ford’s Steven Armstrong had been approached for Moers’ role, something that tallied with a detail we hadn’t published as we couldn’t stand it up. Could it be that Stroll was telling the truth (in that he wasn’t personally holding talks with potential replacements) and the story was true? “Hold your nerve,” repeated our sources. Three months was a long time to do so, especially as reports came that Moers’ permanently combative approach had shifted. Now we know that it was too little too late, despite the much-repeated denials. The story was always on point – and now Aston starts again, with its third CEO since its 2018 stock market flotation.
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COMMENT
Steve Cropley MY WEEK IN CARS
Lifelong Lotus lover Paul Matty has retired from thriving business
MONDAY
I’m not quite sure how the classic Lotus business is supposed to survive the retirement of super-specialist Paul Matty after 46 years of unswerving dedication to the marque. Far from being a mere businessman, Matty has often been Lotus’s most effective ambassador, keeping the flame burning while successive Hethel management teams were busy mishandling things (a phase now thankfully ended). Over the years, Matty has built a vital global spares manufacturing network that sustains rivals and clients alike. Typically, he has laid watertight plans for it to thrive in the years ahead: Clive Chapman’s Classic Team Lotus has bought the entire business and will base it in a new emporium at the Hethel home of Lotus’s greatest grand prix cars. Matty regards this as his biggest success in five decades, and he deserves it.
TUESDAY
Amid the routine criticism of car culture that we all hear in the wider media, it’s easy to forget how handy cars have become for promoting other people’s businesses. The latest example is a plan to use London’s exclusive tailoring hub as a concours venue for “30 world-class cars” on 15-16 June. The mission, say the promoters, is to explore the relationship between luxury car makers and Savile Row tailors, but the main hope must surely be to attract visitors who will take the opportunity to expand their wardrobes.
WEDNESDAY
The appointment of venerable ex-Ferrari boss Amedeo Felisa to the top spot at Aston Martin, with master engineer Roberto Fedeli as his wingman, could hardly be a greater change of pace from the short-lived, toes-along-the-line regime of Tobias Moers, the ex-AMG man credited
❝
Felisa’s inclusive approach will play brilliantly at Gaydon
Lightning GT is in good company at British Motor Museum
❞ by the FT with “presiding over a collapse in morale”. I met Felisa a few times in his Maranello days and was always impressed by his inclusive, mild-mannered approach and how effortlessly he won respect. That will play brilliantly at Gaydon. The arrival of so many Italians in the UK’s specialist car industry (there’s now an Italian CEO at Morgan) reminds me of times when Brits colonised parts of Italy’s car industry – and helps to quell any doubts I might have about the new arrivals’ awareness of ‘Britishness’. In particular, I remember ex-Lotus boss Mike Kimberley and his gang taking over Lamborghini for a bit in the 1990s and thinking they were the men for the job.
THURSDAY
On a routine M40 drop-in at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, I was delighted to see the
AND ANOTHER THING… BMW’s latter-day adoption of a double-octagonal grille for some of its latest offerings has interesting echoes for former British Leyland employee and longtime enthusiast Ian Elliott, who sends this doctored photograph. Has Cecil Kimber (MG’s late founder) been reincarnated in Munich, he asks.
electric Lightning GT now taking pride of place in the foyer, right next to stalwarts like Old Number One, the Morris Oxford special that inspired the first MG, and HUE 166, the first pre-production Land Rover. I’ve always reckoned the Lightning GT and its creator, Iain Sanderson, deserved much greater credit than they’ve received, given that this was a well-resolved performance EV when Teslas were in short pants. I first saw it (and met Sanderson) at the 2007 London motor show, where it won an award for excellence and impressed us all with the completeness of its engineering and its interior. It will be on display at least until 2024.
FRIDAY
Do you have critical testing pieces of road, good for telling you what a car is really like? I have several, plus a habit of connecting them up on my journey home for the weekend. One is a special coarse surface, ideal for assessing road noise and generating trim buzzes. Another is a confluence of bumps, perfect for judging bumpthump and damper performance. One innocentlooking stretch between Burford and Bibury in Gloucestershire is great for exciting trim vibes and tyre noise. Even Mercedes and Bentleys are susceptible. My long-term Dacia Duster does a decent job there – one more reason why I like it.
GET IN TOUCH
✉ steve.cropley@haymarket.com
@stvcr
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 19
M OTO R S P O RT 20 AUTOCAR.CO.UK XX MONTH 2016
Damien Smith R AC I N G L I N E S
Mountune-fettled Sierra took Gravett to shock title in 1990
MOUNTUNE TOPS
Old friendship is once again powering famous BTCC engine tuner hirty-two years ago, a union forged out of mutual benefit between like-minded racers culminated in one of the greatest-ever long-shot title wins in the British Touring Car Championship. In 1990, the final season of the glorious Group A era, Robb Gravett, his Trakstar team and David Mountain’s Mountune tuning business took on the establishment, in the form of the great Andy Rouse – and against all expectations not only beat him but did so conclusively in a mostly plain-white car on a relative shoestring budget. Somehow, Gravett never again won a BTCC race as the series switched in 1991 to naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engines for what became the golden decade of Super Touring. But all these years later, Gravett and Mountain prefer to remember the good times over the bad – and out of the blue have forged a new partnership that once again puts their old friendship smack bang on the line.
T
SETTING UP BASE CAMP
Founded in 1980, Mountune is long-established as one of the UK’s best-known tuning houses, thanks largely to a long association with Ford. In motorsport, it has history not only in the BTCC but also globally in such series as the World Rally Championship. Mountain traces it all back to his partnership with Gravett in the mid-1980s, when he started building the ambitious racer’s Group N production series engines. “What I liked about David was his energy and his desire to win,” says Gravett. “In theory, back then it would have been easier to go with someone more established. Instead, we decided to have a go ourselves.” A total of 18 race wins and a pair of titles in 1987 set both men on their way. “The next year, we suddenly had loads
of customers,” recalls Mountain. “And it was our big break with Ford.” C L I M B I N G PA R T N E R S
The Blue Oval association is central to Mountune’s success, but the founder reveals the relationship has changed significantly in recent years. “Some thought we were actually owned by Ford; we never were but we were very closely linked,” says Mountain. “We were the only tuner in the world that had Ford warranty-approved status. We haven’t got it now, by the way; we lost it after Dieselgate. All the OEMs ran a million miles from modified calibrations, and Ford in particular was very nervous, so they withdrew any association with anyone modifying their road cars. But in a sense, it was great. People still connect us
❝
A lot of our customers follow the BTCC. If we can win, it pays off ❞
with Ford, but now we don’t have to pay a royalty!” S T I L L AT T H E S U M M I T
Today, Mountune remains heavily invested in the BTCC as engine supplier to the Motorbase Ford Focus ST team, which has upped its stakes this season with the signing of reigning champion Ash Sutton, with whom the tuner last tasted title success in 2017, when it was the power behind his Subaru Levorg’s engines. “We’re involved because we still want to win the BTCC,” says Mountain. “These days, half our business is modifying road cars, mainly Fords. A lot of our customers follow the BTCC. If we can win, it pays off on the road car business.” Still, he can’t help admitting that he misses the old days of the Sierra Cosworth RS500s: “It’s just not the same. In 1990, there were a set of rules, but in terms of boost pressure and power, it was down to whomever did the best job, who had the best drivers and chassis. It’s a lot more
S LI CK N E W M OVE
That’s where Gravett comes in. The former champion was always as sharp on the sales patter as he was on the pedals. Now his focus is on son Bradley, who has just started his second season in the BTCC-supporting Mini Challenge UK series with hopes of one day stepping up. Sponsorship from German oil brand Liqui Moly might help, but Gravett has taken the relationship a step further with LM Performance, a company that he has created solely to represent Liqui Moly on the UK racing scene. Inevitably, he pitched his old mate Mountain to sample the oil – and it has led to a three-year exclusive supply deal with Mountune. Their friendship wouldn’t come into it if the oil weren’t up to scratch.
GOOD WEEK
MOTORSPORT
TOP STEP
Monaco ePrix
VA L E N T I N O R O S S I The MotoGP legend drew a crowd and starred at Brands Hatch in the GT World Challenge Europe, scoring his first points in the Sprint Cup round by sharing eighth place in partnership with Frédéric Vervisch in their WRT-run Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.
TOP STEP
BAD WEEK R I N U S V E E K AY Okay, third was far from a disaster for the Dutch Indycar ace in the Grand Prix of Alabama, but having led from pole, he was “too conservative” following his second pit stop as McLaren’s Pato O’Ward passed him for the win. Álex Palou also jumped him after a pit stop for second.
“We’ve had so many offers from oil companies over the years,” says Mountain. “The last thing we want to do is take any chances.” But after an extensive (and expensive) testing process, Mountune was impressed – “perfect” is Mountain’s verdict – and even reported evidence of a small increase in power from Liqui Moly’s Ceratec additive. Might it be enough for Mountune to power another Gravett to the top of the BTCC, as Robb is dreaming? That’s down to Bradley. “It’s easy when you are winning, but when things get tough, that’s when you have to be really strong,” says Mountain of his old friend. “We grew apart for a while, but we never fell out. It was just one of those things. But it’s lovely to get back together again.”
Liqui Moly oil is working wonders for Gravetts and Mountune
Vandoorne capitalised on Monaco mishaps STOFFEL VANDOORNE’S BEST result from his two appearances in the Monaco Grand Prix for McLaren was a forgettable 14th in 2018. But the Belgian’s largely miserable and all-toobrief Formula 1 career is a fastshrinking memory, especially after the recent Monaco ePrix. At the most famous street track of them all, the MercedesEQ driver played it cool to walk away with the Formula E win that every driver desires more than any other. Not only that, but Vandoorne (who did win in Monaco in GP2 in 2015) now also leads the world championship standings. Jaguar’s Mitch Evans was targeting a third straight Formula E win following his Rome ePrix double and led Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein from pole position, with Vandoorne starting fourth behind DS driver Jean-Éric Vergne.
But Evans was caught out by an overuse of energy, Wehrlein lost all drive while leading and the subsequent safety car caught out Vergne, who was unlucky with the timing of his second dose of Attack Mode. It all played into the hands
of Vandoorne, who assumed the lead and fended off Evans and Vergne to claim his third career Formula E win and first of the season. The result takes him ahead of Vergne in the standings by six points, with Evans a further three behind.
Mercedes-EQ driver is top of the Formula E standings
M O T O R S P O R T G R E AT S
CARLOS PACE Had Carlos Pace survived the light aircraft crash that claimed his life early in 1977, Bernie Ecclestone reckons he would never have felt compelled to sign the great Niki Lauda for Brabham later that year. That was how highly he rated Pace, who surely would have scored many more than the single grand prix victory that remains against his name in the record books. A rival to fellow Brazilians Emerson and Wilson Fittipaldi, Pace arrived in Europe to make his name in 1970 and was ready for his F1 debut two years later, in a March run by Frank Williams. He broadened his horizons by driving for Ferrari in sports cars, racing the glorious 312PB, and played a cameo in the Gulf Mirage while furthering his F1 reputation with Team Surtees. Frustration at poor reliability led him to quit in mid-1974, switching to a Brabham run by privateer Goldie Hexagon Racing before Ecclestone moved quickly to snap him up for the works team. His day of days came on home soil at Interlagos early in 1975, when he led home Emerson Fittipaldi’s McLaren for a Brazilian onetwo. Fittingly, in 1985, the circuit was renamed the Autodrómo José Carlos Pace in his honour.
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GETTY IMAGES
controlled now. Back then, we were rebuilding engines all the time, because they were on such a knife-edge. It was far more exciting. Now the engine has to do 5000km and the only way to win the championship is to use just one through the season.” Still, Mountain also acknowledges just how cut-throat the BTCC remains between rival tuners: fellow independent specialist Swindon Powertrain; M-Sport, which has taken over the supply of the series’ Next Generation Touring Car engines this year; and Neil Brown Engineering, which builds the engines for BMW and Honda. Then there’s the added complexity introduced by Cosworth’s new spec hybrid system. “It has had a pretty big effect, and the competition is tough,” says Mountain. “Neil Brown does a fabulous job and the BMWs are very fast, but possibly the rearwheel-drive cars have a slight advantage. If we can find something in oil or an oil additive, it helps.”
F I R ST D R I V E S N E W C A R S T E ST E D A N D R AT E D
TESTED 4.5.22, COMO, ITALY ON SALE SEPTEMBER PRICE £35,000 (EST)
ALFA ROMEO
TONALE
Alfa’s first new car under Stellantis challenges in the fearsomely competitive premium crossover class
22 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
W
e’ve been here before. The Tonale is the latest makeor-break Alfa Romeo, the one that’s going to turn the brand’s fortunes around and thrust it back into the hearts and minds of mainstream car buyers. Well, that’s the idea. The 156 was a minor success in the 1990s, but the 159, despite its gorgeous looks, couldn’t keep it up. The Giulietta loped along, but the Giulia and Stelvio have been as much commercial flops as they’ve been critical successes. And the less said about the 4C the better. As much as we love the Giulia, a traditional saloon with fabulous driving dynamics, it wasn’t the right car for the era. This time, Alfa Romeo is at least looking in the right direction. A premiumflavoured crossover with exclusively hybrid powertrains and an electric version on the way could hardly be more 2022. Actually, it’s even more 2022 than that, because it comes with a nonfungible token, or NFT. Yes, really. The flip side of trying to crack such a popular segment is that the Tonale will have plenty of competitors and will therefore need to find a way to stand out.
Pretty much every manufacturer short of Ferrari and Caterham has a horse in this race. The most obvious rivals are the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Range Rover Evoque and Volvo XC40, but you could argue that posh versions of models like the Hyundai Tucson and Peugeot 3008 are valid alternatives too. It’s not encouraging that the Tonale wades into battle with an architecture evolved from the Fiat Punto of 2005. Back then, hybrid power was still a niche ‘eco fad’, but no one is laughing now. Least, we suspect, Alfa’s engineers as they tried to find room for the plug-in hybrid version’s 15.5kWh battery. The regular hybrid was a little easier, because its 0.8kWh battery is small enough to live in the transmission tunnel. The groundwork was done by Jeep, as the Tonale is largely based on the Compass, which is available with versions of the same powertrains. And that’s slightly worrying, because in our experience, that car is rather rough and ready in many ways. The Tonale was famously delayed by 12 weeks because incoming Alfa Romeo CEO ◊
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TESTER’S NOTE Hooded twin dials have been an Alfa Romeo staple for decades, but here they’ve been neatly reinterpreted with a customisable gauge cluster that’s clear and modern but still slightly retro. IV
Tonale’s interior is serene but less premium-feeling than its X1 and even Qashqai rivals ∆ Jean-Philippe Imparato wasn’t impressed by the quality of the prototypes. First UK deliveries are now slated for September, so let’s hope that extra time to fine-tune things pays dividends. The Tonale we’re driving today is the 158bhp Hybrid. You could view it more as a beefy mild hybrid than a full hybrid, as the electric motor that lives in the gearbox has only 20bhp to boost the 1.5-litre engine’s lowend torque. It can drive the car by itself but with so little power that it’s only really for manoeuvring or inching forward in traffic. There’s also a 130bhp Hybrid, the powertrain of which we’ve previously tried in the Jeep Renegade, but the UK will get it only in its Alfa-specific 158bhp tune. The other powertrain option for us will be the plug-in hybrid, a more powerful variation of Jeep’s 1.3-litre 4xe system. In the Tonale, it produces 271bhp, rather than 237bhp, thanks to a bigger electric motor and battery. Alfa Romeo owes it to its reputation as a sporting brand to ensure that even its crossover handles with some vim and vigour. Riding on the same platform as the Compass, the Tonale is naturally front-wheel drive, with rear-wheel drive provided by an electric motor
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in the plug-in hybrid version. All of its rivals, including the X1, are frontwheel drive, too, so that’s nothing to be ashamed about. To offer more driving engagement than the class average, the Tonale uses a very quick steering rack (2.3 turns lock to lock), torque vectoring by braking and frequency-selective dampers as standard, or adaptive dampers and four-piston brakes on the range-topping Veloce. The big question is whether this is going to be the car to truly save Alfa Romeo. It’s a storied brand, so we
certainly hope so, but in short, it’s not the game-changer that it probably should have been. The engineers will tell you that the small electric motor and battery are “right-sized”, but in practice they’re undersized to provide a truly convincing hybrid driving experience. The engine cuts in very quickly and gets quite buzzy when it’s pushed. It’s better than the hybrids from Honda and Kia, but the 2.0-litre petrol X1 is faster and more refined. It’s the same story with the sevenspeed dual-clutch automatic gearbox:
Alfa aims to bring style to the crossover class, right down to phone-dial wheels
it’s okay, but if you’re coming from a BMW eight-speeder, you won’t be impressed by the smoothness, speed or shift points that it chooses. You can take control with the manual mode on the gear selector or the huge metal paddles on the Veloce, but really, who are you kidding in a 158bhp crossover? The tech briefing for the Tonale went to great lengths to illustrate how it handles like “a real Alfa”, with additional strengthening of the chassis and geometry changes to make sure that it’s at once more fun to drive and more comfortable than the “best competitor”. And to its credit, the Tonale is one of the more dynamic options in the segment. It has Alfa’s usual ultra-quick fixed-ratio steering, yet it doesn’t feel nervous. Body roll is limited and, thanks to Pirelli P Zero tyres, you’re rarely left wanting for grip or response. The handling stops just short of greatness, though, as you have to push quite hard for the steering to give anything back. Thankfully, the dynamism doesn’t come at a significant cost to ride comfort. Sure, it’s fairly firm on 20in wheels, but it’s well controlled and not crashy. Veloce trim gets you adaptive dampers, but the Comfort setting
FIRST DRIVES
❝ The Tonale is one of the more dynamic options in the segment
❞
A TOKEN GESTURE? Alfa Romeo proudly says the “Tonale is the first car on the market equipped with an NFT [non-fungible token]”, which you might think sounds like prime buzzword bingo. What it does is store the car’s details from when it’s made, its build date and exact specification. It then continues to update its mileage, service history and battery degradation. Because it’s all stored on a blockchain, it’s much harder to tamper with than a service booklet or even a normal digital odometer. The NFT can be generated by the car’s owner through the companion app. The idea is used car shoppers will have more confidence in the condition and identity of the Tonale they are looking at. Whether the concept catches on and all these details will be easy to access years into the future remains to be seen, but it’s a clever use of trendy modern technology.
Handling is at the more exciting end of the crossover spectrum feels very similar to the passive setup, so they don’t add all that much. A Ti on standard 18in wheels would most likely be our preferred choice. Alfa’s PR may focus on the Tonale’s dynamics, but it’s probably at its best as a motorway mile-muncher. Without getting our noise meter out, it seems like one of the quieter cars in this class at a cruise, with both road and suspension noise being nicely muffled, while the seats are set relatively high and decently comfy. The rest of the interior is a bit of a disappointment, though. If Alfa
wants to be a credible rival to the likes of BMW, it has to do better than this slightly mixed bag of materials. It’s not bad, but nothing stands out as especially pleasing, either. The Nissan Qashqai’s interior is less originally styled but gives off a more convincing air of luxury. And where has the lovely smooth leather that was once a hallmark of Italian luxury cars gone? At least it’s on a par with the rest of the class for practicality: the boot space and rear leg room are similar to the X1’s, although it feels slightly
narrow inside and the A-pillars and C-pillars are rather chunky. The infotainment system is the same as in other recent cars from ex-FCA brands. It would have been nice if Alfa had customised the style a bit more, but it’s one of the more logical and responsive systems out there, short of BMW’s dial-controlled iDrive, so that’s a minor quibble. What we have here, then, is a good-looking crossover with aboveaverage driving dynamics and longdistance comfort and impressive multimedia but just an okay
powertrain and interior. Official prices haven’t been announced yet, but we’re told that they should start at around £35,000. If that turns out to be accurate, the Tonale will be quite good value, at slightly more than an equivalently equipped Qashqai but a bit less than the premium opposition. ILLYA VERPRAET
ALFA ROMEO TONALE HYBRID 160 Decent but lacks some of the old charm or home-run ability to give us confidence in the future of Alfa
AAABC Price Engine
Two adults should fit comfortably in the rear
£35,000 (est) 4 cyls, 1469cc, turbo, petrol, plus 48V ISG and electric motor Power 158bhp (petrol), 20bhp (electric) Torque 177lb ft (petrol), 41lb ft (electric) Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch auto, FWD Kerb weight 1525kg 0-62mph 8.8sec Top speed 130mph Economy 44.8-49.6mpg CO2, tax band 130-144g/km, 31-33% RIVALS Range Rover Evoque, Volvo XC40
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 25
TESTER’S NOTE Perhaps the V8 Vantage’s torquevectoring diff couldn’t have coped with the V12’s 555lb ft. You know it’s missing. The mechanical LSD behaves like an open diff at times, letting too much torque spin pointlessly away at the inside wheel. MS
TESTED 29.4.22, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ON SALE NOW
ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE Uniquely spectacular sports car signs off at the peak of its power
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ston Martin used to have a strategic need for a V12 Vantage, but that need can no longer figure quite so keenly, and that might at least partly explain why the company has just called time on this extra-special bloodline. The V8 Vantage was sensationallooking, enticingly sweet-handling and alluringly attainable when it arrived in 2005. Even after its V8 had grown from 4.3 to 4.7 litres, though, it was never that fast. It was the allimportant baby Aston: a feeder-series sports car that was always eager to please, with a chassis of powers so far in advance of those of its engine that it simply demanded more grunt. So when the V12 Vantage came in 2009, justice was done, it making 510bhp. However, these days, thanks to the turbocharged engines of MercedesAMG, you can get a V8 Vantage with more power than that. Therefore, this new V12 Vantage, the last there will ever be, is much more potent than any of its predecessors, adopting the twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre engine from the DBS; yet it will do 0-62mph in 3.5sec, compared with 3.6sec for
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the V8-engined Vantage F1 Edition. Gaydon got kind of a ‘buy one, get one free’ deal on the powertrain development work for this car, most of it having been done for last year’s ultra-exclusive V12 Speedster, the result being a 690bhp engine and an eight-speed transaxle. But the
price evidences no such saving in the project development budget, nor any sentimentality from the maker’s side. The last-ever V12 Vantage costs a cool £265,000, which is £115,000 more than the priciest V8 Vantage currently on the books. And yet with production capped at just 333 for the
V12 is marked out by wider track and serious aero bodykit
whole world, all examples were sold to quick-fire deposit-lobbers before the order books even opened. Perhaps that’s because the V12 Vantage is still a car with an utterly singular appeal, even among specialseries super-sports cars. It’s part GT3 competition car with numberplates, part lab experiment mutant broken free from its manacles. It’s much more like a Porsche 911 GT2 than a 911 GT3, being the smallest model that Aston makes but with the very biggest engine that it could have crammed under the bonnet. And the good news? That Aston has managed to make this iteration feel like an even more serious track car on the one hand while simultaneously finding at least some ways to nurture and indulge its wild side. The serious bit is accomplished by lightweight carbonfibre and composite body panels, some major chassis stiffening measures and quite a wide-ranging suspension makeover. The V12 Vantage has 40mm-wider axle tracks than a V8 Vantage; 40-50%-stiffer
FIRST DRIVES
You will earn plenty of loyalty points from Michelin if you turn off the traction control
Buyers can pick leather sports seats or exposed-carbonfibre buckets
❝ It wants to be driven properly and quickly on a circuit, not goaded or trifled with
❞
coil-spring rates; new secondary tender springs at the rear axle; reappraised anti-roll bar rates (stiffer than on a V8 at the front yet softer at the rear); all-new ‘Skyhook’ adaptive damping hardware; and recalibrated power steering. Even allowing for that aggressively scooped clamshell bonnet, bumper and ‘widebody’ front wings being of carbonfibre, the V12 Vantage is 110kg heavier than a V8, and yet it still has a 20% better power-to-weight ratio. Aston gave us an afternoon lapping its development circuit at Silverstone for our first taste of the car, as well as some time on local roads. On track, there’s accuracy and heft to its steering and grasping firmness to its body control that speak of extra mass closely controlled. It corners in an even more level and immediate fashion than a V8 Vantage, with
just a shade less perfect steady-state handling balance and greater highspeed stability, although still some throttle adjustability of handling when you go looking for it. By and large, though, the V12 Vantage wants to be driven properly and quickly on a circuit, not goaded or trifled with. It has the braking, body control, grip and stamina to lap very quickly and consistently, as well as absolutely huge accelerative oomph – and going back to that well, lap after eye-widening lap, is probably where it’s at its best. Yet at all times, that titanic engine stands ready to rip the car’s aura of composure apart at the seams. It can pour on torque that the driveline and chassis seem to simply throw their hands up in the face of. Mechanical limited-slip differential or not, you’re at
constant risk of bonfiring your inside-rear tyre if you come out of tighter corners too urgently when the electronic traction control system is switched off. On the road, while the vertical body control is surprisingly supple at everyday speeds, startlingly guttural acceleration and short, snatchy and uncompromising damping are only a dip of a toe away. The V12 Vantage feels like a bit of a brute wherever it’s let loose, to be honest, and so it should. But the mournful wail of the old Vantage GT12’s atmospheric V12 isn’t equalled by Aston’s modern turbocharged lump, so the ferocity of the car’s performance is missing a dimension in dramatic expression. Truth is, there’s an enormous abundance of force here but a slight want of sensory soul. There’s outright track pace and handling capability the likes of which no previous Vantage has known but also a driving experience that feels more often distorted by a behemoth of an engine than enhanced by it and which is left slightly out of kilter. Having had a baby Aston with too little power for so long, perhaps
now we finally have one with too much for its own good. Could you call it the ultimate Vantage? In one sense, Aston already has, but however fast it may be and however epic 690bhp might make it seem on paper, it doesn’t quite go down as our favourite. MATT SAUNDERS
@thedarkstormy1
ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE A startlingly fast and serious track car, although it might have a shade too much grunt for its own good
AAAAC Price £265,000 Engine V12, 5204cc, twinturbocharged, petrol Power 690bhp at 6500rpm Torque 555lb ft at 1800-6000rpm Gearbox 8-spd automatic, RWD Kerb weight 1795kg 0-62mph 3.5sec Top speed 200mph Economy na CO2, tax band 315g/km, 37% (est) RIVALS Ferrari 812 GTS, MercedesAMG GT Black Series
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TESTED 3.5.22, SALZBURG, AUSTRIA ON SALE NOW
VOLKSWAGEN ID 5 GTX
More aerodynamic sibling of the ID 4 electric SUV is introduced in sporty form
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ecause the roofline on the ID 5 – the ninth (yup, ninth) entry into Volkswagen’s SUV portfolio – slopes towards the rear more than that of the otherwise nearidentical ID 4, it’s treated as a brandnew model. Much like the closely related Audi Q4 E-tron Sportback and Skoda Enyaq iV Coupé, each also a more rakishly styled variant of a conventional mid-size electric SUV. Got it? Let’s crack on. The ID 5 offers from launch two single-motor, rear-drive powertrains (one with 172bhp and the other with 201bhp) and, in the range-topping GTX model driven here, a dual-motor one that’s good for 295bhp and 0-62mph in 6.3sec. A 77kWh battery is standard across the line-up, providing official ranges of between 304 and 323 miles. Volkswagen is at pains to muffle any direct comparison between the hallowed GTI tag and the products from this new electric performance family. The GTX, it says, is to the ID 5 “what the GTE and GTD models are for the Golf”, which is to say better equipped, more aggressively styled and more powerful but not necessarily a tangibly keener steer. But it’s still an impressively quick car, no doubt about it – which might surprise you because, with 136bhp per tonne, it’s roughly on a par with your average family hatchback. The difference is that it serves up its power instantly and constantly up to a relatively high tail-off, meaning it can effectively all be exploited all of the time. It’s not pin-you-back quick, but it feels worthy of a sporty badge by virtue of its straight-line pace. There’s a reassuring sure-
TESTER’S NOTE At 549 litres, the ID 5’s boot is actually six litres bigger than the ID 4’s. But with the rear seats folded, its 1561-litre capacity is just shaded by its taller sibling’s. FP
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User interface is updated but still not good enough; refinement impresses most footedness to the way it threads down a twisting road, too. What the steering lacks in feel and communication it makes up for in precision and predictability, so more engaging stretches can at least be tackled with speed and confidence, if not wilful abandon. The chunky underfloor battery gives a low centre of gravity and weight shared fairly across the axles, so there’s more than a hint of agility to exploit, particularly given how easy it is to gain speed between turns. If the ID 5 GTX’s dynamics win out over its rivals anywhere, though, it’s in confronting those everyday obstacles that so often highlight the inherent rigidity of a skateboardstyle EV platform. At no point on a lengthy mixed route did our ID 5 GTX feel any less composed or more compromised than a conventional Volkswagen Tiguan. While the absence of an engine usually exacerbates the effects of road roar and wind noise, their interference with the rolling refinement here is minimal. The ID 5 is the first car to leave
the factory with the latest iteration of Volkswagen’s much-lambasted Software 3.0 platform, and the firm touts the upgraded charging capacity of this as a headline improvement, but already 135kW is starting to feel a touch lethargic when some of its closest rivals with 800V hardware can muster a supersonic 350kW. And while Volkswagen says it has listened to customer feedback in creating this latest software, it still requires too much interaction to be used effectively on the move. The touch-sensitive sliders for the climate and volume give no haptic feedback and are still unlit, so they always take a good deal of your attention off the road; and with all the other functions buried in touchscreen menus, you quickly learn it’s better to make sure everything is set up before you set off. The ID 5 GTX will be many things to many people: tech-heavy, practical, easy to rub along with and engaging enough. The trouble will be the cars it faces that can be all of those things (and perhaps a few more besides) at this price point and some way below it.
The closest-matched variant of the Kia EV6, for example, offers a touch more power, a more dynamically rewarding chassis and roughly the same range for around £10,000 less. FELIX PAGE
@felix_page_
VOLKSWAGEN ID 5 GTX Quickest version of curvy electric crossover is a comfortable safe bet but comes at a whistle-worthy price
AAABC Price Engine
£60,520 Asynchronous (front) and synchronous (rear) electric motors Power 295bhp Torque 348lb ft Gearbox 1-spd reduction gear, 4WD Kerb weight 2167kg 0-62mph 6.3sec Top speed 112mph Battery 77kWh (total) Range, economy 304 miles, 3.6mpkWh CO2, tax band 0g/km, 2% RIVALS Kia EV6, Volvo C40
FIRST DRIVES TESTED 28.4.22, FR ANKFURT, GERMANY ON SALE JUNE
GENESIS GV60 PREMIUM
Korean newcomer aims to usurp Audi with bespoke electric mid-size SUV
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enesis was criticised for offering only diesel and petrol cars when it arrived in Europe a little over a year ago. The GV60 answers that, the brand’s first EV falling into the market’s most relevant segment. The Hyundai-owned marque is trying to do things differently with the aptly named Genesis Difference. The focus is not just on the cars but on the overall experience, including fixed pricing, a five-year care plan, and home car delivery and collection. This GV60 shares its E-GMP platform with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, which means its chief traits are the same: a flat floor, good efficiency and 800V electrics for 350kW ultra-rapid charging. There are three versions: Premium, Sport and Sport Plus. Premium, as tested here, has a single motor at the rear, whereas the others have one on each axle for four-wheel drive. Tuned differently to the Ioniq 5 and EV6 to achieve the ultimate blend of comfort and dynamism, this is a car that grips the road keenly, turning with confidence and little roll. The steering is weighty, consistent
GENESIS GV60 PREMIUM A satisfying start for this premium newcomer to the electric mid-size SUV space
AAABC Price Engine
and relatively direct but could give even more feedback. Producing 226bhp and 258lb ft, the GV60 Premium has ample, effortless power throughout the range, and it’s hard to imagine why anyone would need more. The ride is firm but not to the detriment of comfort. On the very few rough surfaces we found around Frankfurt, it absorbed crashes easily. The GV60 Premium has 321 miles of range, similar to its Audi Q4 E-tron rival. However, it stands out for its
ultra-rapid charging, resulting in a 10-80% fill in 18 minutes. Inside, the GV60 Premium is… premium. There are echoes of the Ioniq 5 in the ‘floating’ 12.3in touchscreen and beyond, but Genesis has raised the game significantly in terms of material quality and user experience, with just the odd piece of plastic on a door card. The GV60 Premium does everything that matters well and, improved by 10%, could be excellent, but there’s already very little daylight
£47,005 Permanent magnet synchronous motor Power 226bhp Torque 258lb ft Gearbox 1-spd, RWD Kerb weight 2495kg 0-62mph 7.8sec Top speed 115mph Battery 77.4kWh Range, economy 321 miles, 4.15mpkWh CO2, tax band 0g/km, 2% RIVALS Audi Q4 E-tron, Tesla Model Y
between it and the Q4 E-tron. Genesis has brand-building to do, but there are plenty of reasons to opt for the GV60, thanks to both the car’s capabilities and its maker’s broader customer offering. RACHEL BURGESS
TESTED 4.5.22, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE ON SALE NOW
PEUGEOT 308 HYBRID 180
New family hatchback gains cheaper plug-in hybrid powertrain
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retro revival for the 1980s Peugeot 309 might seem a solid bet with design trends as they are, but the odds of that happening just got longer with the UK debut of this Mk3 Peugeot 308. It’s one of those half-new ‘all-new’ cars, using a widely revised version of its predecessor’s platform (although the car is longer and lower now) and updated versions of its 1.2-litre turbo petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines, but also having two new petrol-electric plug-in hybrid powertrains and an electric derivative coming in 2023.
Only evolutionary it may be, but the 308’s design is still pretty striking and appealing, all slim-featured and sharply defined, with what still seem likeably compact dimensions, despite that modest growth spurt. It’s quite roomy in the front but still short enough on head and leg room in the back to rule it out of regularly transporting a grown-up family. Even the longer-wheelbase 308 SW estate isn’t particularly spacious in row two, while boot space (which market research suggests hatchback buyers tend to prioritise over second-
row passenger space in any case) has actually decreased from the previous model – and hybrids offer even less cargo space than regular derivatives. The 308’s driving position, with its high-set instruments, low-slung steering column and downsized steering wheel, still feels curious at first, but it doesn’t prevent you from enjoying what is a fairly agile, fluent and sweet-handling hatchback, even as a PHEV (weighing some 300kg more than conventional derivatives). The PHEV powertrain responds keenly and smoothly on partthrottle; has good drivability and refinement, with the engine remaining unobtrusive even when it’s running; and offers more than enough outright performance for a convincingly brisk stride. Performance in electric-only mode (in which the eight-speed gearbox is used to boost performance and efficiency in higher-speed running) is more than adequate even for out-of-town driving. Meanwhile, although the taxqualifying ‘equivalent all-electric range’ claim may be just north of 40 miles, this first test suggests that 30
PEUGEOT 308 HYBRID 180 ALLURE PREMIUM Performs and handles well, but it still won’t suit practicality-focused buyers. Better than the pricier PHEV
AAAAC Price £34,570 Engine 4 cyls, 1598cc, turbo, petrol, plus electric motor Power 177bhp at 6000rpm Torque 266lb ft at 1750rpm Gearbox 8-spd automatic, FWD Kerb weight 1603kg 0-62mph 7.6sec Top speed 139mph Battery 12.4kWh Economy 213.7-281.1mpg Electric range 41-42 miles CO2, tax band 24-30g/km, 8% RIVALS Seat Leon eHybrid, Vauxhall Astra Hybrid
to 35 is a more achievable everyday return in reality, depending where and how you’re driving. That’s impressive enough for the class and the price. MATT SAUNDERS
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 29
ROAD TEST
PHOTOGRAPHY MAX EDLESTON
No 5573
Toyota Aygo X
Toyota keeps the city car alive by turning it into a crossover, but at what cost? MODEL TESTED LIMITED EDITION Price £19,650
Power 71bhp
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Torque 69lb ft
0-60mph 15.6sec
30-70mph in fourth 29.2sec
Fuel economy 58.2mpg
CO2 emissions 110g/km
70-0mph 45.6m
ROAD TEST he city car is dead. Long live the city crossover. The Toyota Aygo X is a rare new entrant in the beleaguered city car class. We are forever being told that the A-segment, to use the industry term, is a tough one. People shopping for the smallest cars expect a low price, but these ‘cheap’ cars still shouldn’t embarrass their makers in NCAP tests or scupper their emissions targets with their unhybridised powertrains. No wonder, then, that Citroën and Peugeot have thrown in the towel by selling their stake in the factory in Kolín, Czech Republic, where they were building the Citroën C1 and Peugeot 108 alongside the Toyota Aygo. Toyota still sees a future for the A-segment, though, and bought the Stellantis-owned brands’ stake in the plant to continue building the Aygo there on its own. Toyota’s cheapest car has evolved into the Aygo X (pronounced ‘Cross’). That means it has got slightly bigger, slightly taller, slightly more grownup, and rather a lot more expensive. After all, raising prices is the only way this type of car can be viable. Or is it? Once you look closely at what’s available, you realise that Toyota won’t exactly have the market to itself. Sure, the Volkswagen Up and petrol Fiat 500 are ancient, and despite its reluctant breeding habits, the Panda hasn’t gone extinct, either. The Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10 are still relatively fresh, the Dacia Sandero is larger but astounding value, and it’s not like Toyota is the first to make its A-segment car into a micro-SUV, because Suzuki did it in 2016 with the Ignis. There aren’t as many alternatives as there once were, but the Aygo X will still need to prove that it’s worth its spicy entry price.
Does it qualify as an SUV or crossover? Well, at 1525mm tall, it’s still certainly no Bentley Bentayga, but the added width and the 17in or, on most versions, 18in wheels do give it a more confident stance than most city cars. From the side at least. The alloys are just five inches wide, giving the car from the back a somewhat spindly look reminiscent of some agricultural spraying machines. Bigger dimensions mean a bigger kerb weight, and on Millbrook’s scales our fully loaded Limited Edition test car came in at 974kg, 84kg more than the Aygo we weighed in 2014. Still, it’s a touch lighter than an i10, so Toyota has done well at minimising the weight gain. What has been carried over from the old Aygo is the engine. It still uses an evolution of the original Aygo’s ‘1KR’ mill, which was designed by Daihatsu for small cars. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol unit has had some updates through the years to keep it compliant with the latest emissions regulations but it hasn’t had any significant boost in power, so the Aygo X still has to make do with just 71bhp and 69lb ft.
DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
INTERIOR
AAAAC
AAABC
At first glance, the Aygo X looks similar to the old one. The design language isn’t radically different, retaining the bold, playful shapes, low-set front grille, full-height rear lights and glass tailgate. However, it’s actually a very different car. As the Aygo no longer needs to share its underpinnings with cars from other manufacturers, everything has been brought in-house and the Aygo X now rides on a modified version of the Yaris’s TNGA-B platform. Broadly speaking, the suspension layout stays the same, with the customary MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear, but the newer tech ought to inject some more control and refinement into the chassis. The most noticeable change, however, is that the Aygo X is a much bigger car than before. At 3700mm, it’s 235mm longer than the old Aygo, and it’s 125mm wider. As with most new hatchbacks, you always get five doors, even though the rear doors are almost comically small.
If any part of the Aygo benefits from its growth spurt and move upmarket, it’s the interior. City cars can feel cramped due to an awkward driving position and a featureless dashboard. But that is not the case here. In fact, the Aygo X feels in many ways like a supermini. Thanks to the more generous exterior dimensions, the front occupants aren’t as close to each other as they used to be and there is plenty of leg room for the front row. The dashboard has also been completely redesigned and is defined by a bold, playful look with a dose of colour instead of the slightly sparse ◊
T
We like Mature road manners and long-distance comfort Standard safety tech
We don’t like Extremely slow Expensive compared with rivals
Range at a glance ENGINES
POWER
FROM
1.0 VVT-i
71bhp
£14,805
T R A N S M I S S I O N S 5-spd manual CVT Even by the standards of the class, the Aygo X range is very simple. There’s one engine and a choice of automatic or manual gearboxes. There is a larger choice of trim levels, ranging from Pure, to Edge, Exclusive and finally Limited Edition.
Aygo was previously smaller and cheaper
It’s pronounced ‘Aygo Cross’ like the Yaris Cross, even though that is spelled ‘Yaris Cross’, not ‘Yaris X’. The glass hatch has been a signature design element since the first Aygo and makes a return on the Aygo X.
Its 18in wheels (17in on Pure trim) are unusually large for such a small car but give it a confident stance from the side. They’re still very narrow, though, and create a tippy-toed look from the rear. The orange accents are exclusive to the Limited Edition.
Intrusion from the rear wheel arch creates a particularly narrow door aperture and the darkened, pop-out rear windows contribute to a claustrophobic feel in the back. The Aygo X feels like it ought to be a three-door.
Where did all the cute city cars go? The Aygo X still has the rounded, puffy cheeks of a small car, but the big grille and squinty LED headlights make it look quite angry.
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 31
Weights and measures
675 m
ma
95
10
Kerb weight: 920kg 2430mm
730mm
1525mm
x
mm
231828 litres
m
0.32
870m m
1030m m max
DIMENSIONS
540mm
3700mm
Front seats are higher than in most small cars, which gives a more natural driving position. A steep angle on the cushion makes them supportive on long drives, too.
PA R K I N G Typical garage height
Typical parking space width (2400mm)
1950mm
Typical leg room 675mm
It’s hard to get into the rear seats due to the chunky front seats and there is very little leg room. Head room is also unsuitable for adults.
2060mm (with mirrors) 3520mm
W H E E L A N D P E DA L ALI G N M E NT The three pedals are spaced sensibly and well suited to rev-matching. Toyota has even found room for a decent footrest.
70mm
55mm 180mm
Width 1005mm
Height 510-835mm
H E AD LI G HTS Pure and Edge trims don’t even get LED running lights. Exclusive and Limited Edition have LED projector headlights.
∆ furnishings of the old Aygo. There are still hard plastics galore, as well as exposed metalwork on the tops of the doors and in places you’re unlikely to look, but that’s not unusual in a car like this. You don’t miss out on tech, either. In fact, in many ways the screens are more advanced but also more userfriendly than in many other Toyotas. There is an analogue speedometer, while the tachometer and fuel gauge are simplified digital displays of illuminating segments. Inside the speedo, a small colour screen presents the usual information in a concise but clear way and it’s easy to navigate using the steering wheel buttons. The heating and air conditioning are controlled using physical buttons,
32 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
Length 545-1260mm
Centre
and for those who want even more choice of ventilation, there is the option of a fabric sunroof on some trim levels. It’s certainly nice to have on a sunny day, but leaving it open creates a lot of wind noise above 50mph, and even when it’s closed, it lets some extra sound through. So long as you’re in the front, then, the Aygo X proves to be a surprisingly pleasant place to be. However, it is still a city car, and not an exceedingly roomy one at that. The rear seats are really only suitable for children and younger teenagers on account of the shortage of both leg and head room. Forgoing the sunroof will liberate a little bit of head room, but not much. It’s also a strict four-seater, with rather crude exposed metal hinges
A typical boot for the class, with a high sill and 50/50-split folding rear seats that leave a big step when they are down.
separating the two rear seats. At 231 litres, the boot, too, is smaller than an i10’s. It shrinks further, to 189 litres, if you choose the optional JBL stereo. The rear seats fold down in a 50/50 split but leave quite a big step.
PERFORMANCE
AACCC Zero to 62mph in 16.7sec. This isn’t a road test from 1962. It’s one from 2022. When turbocharged competitors can crack 10.0sec and many ordinary cars will do it in under eight, that is unacceptably slow. The claimed figure from Toyota is 14.9sec, and perhaps one-up, with more miles on the car to loosen up the engine and gearbox (our test car had
only around 300 miles on the clock), it might get close to that. However, that is still slower than most rivals, as is the in-gear performance. The Aygo X’s 30-70mph-in-fourth time of 29.2sec matches the old Aygo’s exactly, and is slower than the 1.2-litre i10’s. The 1.0-litre three-pot lacks torque low down and needs quite a lot of revs to get going without stalling. It doesn’t help that the clutch is rather vague and has a high biting point. After that, though, it pulls keenly to its 6500rpm redline with the signature three-cylinder growl and the Aygo X is able to maintain a 70mph motorway cruise without too much stress. The gearbox may have harmed ◊
ROAD TEST
Small screen in the gauge cluster has clear graphics showing all the info you need. Segmented tachometer is a bit crude in a car that needs a lot of gearchanging.
Heated seats and a wireless phone-charging pad are rare features in this class, although both are reserved for the higher trim levels.
Canvas sunroof is very pleasant on warm days at lower speeds. Closing it requires you to hold the button, release it and hold it for several more seconds.
Multimedia system
AAAAC
For years, Toyota’s multimedia systems have been among the most outdated on the market. However, the brand has started rolling out a completely new system to facelifted and new cars, including Exclusive and Limited Edition versions of the Aygo X. Lower trims get a 7.0in or 8.0in version of the old system. On rivals, the cheapest model often has just a phone cradle, which would have been a good thing to reduce the Aygo X’s entry price. Our top-spec test car had Toyota’s new system and at least they have finally got that right. It is responsive enough, the interface looks modern and it is simple and easy to understand, with big buttons and not too many levels to the menus. The built-in navigation can’t beat Google Maps when it comes to estimating delays from traffic, but it otherwise works well. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available wirelessly and there is a physical button to switch between smartphone mirroring and the native system.
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 33
❝ For a small car, the
Aygo X has impressively grown-up road behaviour
❞
∆ the Aygo X’s 0-62mph time with its notchy action and narrow gate that complicated the second-to-third shift, but in normal use on the road it’s actually a delight. So long as you don’t try to rush the change, the short throw and mechanical feel take the edge off the lethargic performance. Keeping the 71bhp on the boil takes a lot of gearchanging, but at least that part is not a chore. Pedals that are perfectly sited for heel-and-toeing are a nice bonus. It also helps that the gear ratios are evenly spaced and don’t leave a huge gap between second and third. Overall, though, the gearing could do with being a little shorter still to make the most of the meagre power. Toyota does offer an automatic option, in the shape of a CVT. Opting for the two-pedal version is claimed to take 0.1sec off the 0-62mph time,
but we would choose the added control of the manual over that marginal gain in performance. It took the Aygo X a smidge longer to come to a stop than the i10, but stopping in 45.6m from 70mph is still a good result and ahead of most other rivals we have tested. On the road, the pedal is nicely progressive, too.
H A N D L I N G A N D S TA B I L I T Y
AAAAC A stiffer platform made the outgoing Aygo more reassuring to drive than the original, and with its modified Yaris underpinnings, the Aygo X continues that trend. If you’re after a truly engaging chassis, you would still do well to look elsewhere (preferably at the class above), but the Aygo X possesses enough poise and composure to make the most of the very modest performance.
It may have got heavier, but 974kg is still hardly obese, and this shows in the way the little Toyota goes down the road. That sort of mass doesn’t ask much of the 175-section tyres, so in the dry at least, grip is never an issue. That said, getting up to the sort of speed that might challenge the chassis is an achievement in itself, and the stability control will intervene if there is even just a slight risk of things getting exciting. The systems will limit power before any understeer occurs and any hint of lift-off oversteer is decisively nipped in the bud. It’s all done smoothly and nearly undetectably, which is quite appropriate for a city car. The steering doesn’t provide much intel about what the front wheels are doing and is typically light but feels usefully consistent. Importantly in a city car, the turning circle is tiny,
at 9.4m, so parking it is still a doddle. Just watch out for kerbs with those black 18in alloy wheels. For a small car, the Aygo X has impressively grown-up road behaviour. One area where you do notice its budget-oriented make-up is on uneven roads. The chassis deals with simple vertical inputs well enough, but one wheel catching a roadside dip can elicit a shimmy from the rear axle that you certainly wouldn’t find in anything with independent rear suspension, but it is also better controlled in most superminis.
C O M F O R T A N D I S O L AT I O N
AAAAB Comfort, especially for taller drivers and on long journeys, isn’t usually the strength of A-segment cars. They are called city cars for a reason. However,
Realistically, you’re unlikely to achieve velocities that will challenge the chassis, but it’s tidy, maintains good balance and grips well. It’s also comfortable on longer drives.
34 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
ROAD TEST Assisted driving notes AAAAC Toyota makes a point of fitting its whole arsenal of active safety features to all its passenger cars, including the cheapest ones. Depending on how you look at it, it’s a noble gesture or something to needlessly inflate the price of what is supposed to be a cheap car. This means automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection (cyclists only during daylight hours), lane keeping assistance and active lane following, and adaptive cruise control are all present and correct. Blindspot monitoring is a surprising omission, though. The lane following can ping-pong a little within the lane, but it’s easily turned on and off using the dedicated steering-wheel button. The lane keeping assistance can be slightly bothersome on country roads but is also very easily disabled. The adaptive cruise control works well, too, as it has the ability to adopt speed limits and you can set it to plain cruise control if you wish.
it’s here that the Aygo X makes the greatest strides. Becoming slightly taller has greatly benefited the Aygo’s driving position. With more head and leg room, and ample adjustment in the steering column, it’s easier to relax behind the wheel. The seats themselves contribute to that, too. Even on the cheapest version, they are height adjustable. There is no adjustment for the lumbar support, but none of the testers found that to be a problem. The seat base is also relatively long and angled upwards more steeply than in most cars, which provides good thigh support to taller drivers. Acoustic refinement is on a par with other small cars, with a constant but perfectly acceptable level of road noise, and a bit of wind whistle around the B-pillar. Our test car
A U T O M AT I C E M E R G E N CY BRAKING Does the system seem prone to false activation? ✗ Can it be deactivated? ✓ Does it have pedestrian/cyclist detection? ✓ L A N E K E E P I N G A S S I S TA N C E Is the system tuned to keep the driver engaged at all times? ✓ Is it adjustable for sensitivity? ✓ Does it allow you to drive around a pothole/obstacle within your lane easily and without deactivation? ✓ INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL Can the system consistently recognise and automatically adopt motorway gantry-signed variable speed limits? ✓ Does it prevent undertaking? ✗ Does it have effective audible or visual alerts, or steering intervention, to prevent changing lanes into the path of an overtaking car? ✗
was fitted with the canvas sunroof, and despite sealing fairly tightly, it lets through some ambient noise, so we suspect that at speed, an Aygo X with a solid roof could be one or two decibels quieter. Those 18in wheels look like they could be disastrous for the ride comfort but once again serve to illustrate the positive knock-on effects of a light kerb weight. Controlling less than a tonne of mass doesn’t require particularly stiff springs and dampers, so the Aygo rides relatively comfortably.
customers get upset, and how much can they reasonably charge? The most basic Pure version of the Aygo X is very well equipped, making it rather expensive at £14,805. But then none of its rivals are particularly cheap any more. A basic Up, i10 or Picanto are all slightly cheaper but they lack some of the Toyota’s equipment. A Sandero is cheaper still, though, and is a much more versatile machine. It’s when you start adding options that things can get out of hand. Edge trim costs £16,505 without offering dramatically more equipment. Our Limited Edition car, with its heated seats, LED lights, wireless charging and more, comes in at a whopping £19,650 – or £20,750 if you go for the CVT automatic. PCP finance starts at around £150 per month for a base Aygo X with a £3000 deposit.
BUYING AND OWNING
AABCC Developing an all-new city car in 2022 is clearly a precarious financial balancing act. How much can city car manufacturers whittle away at expensive luxury features before
Aside from being cheap to buy, a small car, you’d expect, should be cheap to run. Fuel consumption is certainly nothing to worry about here. Most hybrids and plug-in hybrids will struggle to better the 58.2mpg we got over a week with the Aygo X. Toyota also has an outstanding reputation for reliability, and the old Aygo was no exception to that. CAP doesn’t have figures for the running costs yet, but we are slightly concerned about how much attention has been paid to this in the Aygo X’s design. For instance, those 18in wheels may look sharp, but the tyres are an unusual size. We found only three options for 175/60 R18 tyres, with the cheapest costing £120 a corner, excluding fitting. That’s not an unusual price for 18in tyres, but Aygo owners might still baulk at it. ◊
AC C E L E R AT I O N Toyota Aygo X Limited Edition (16deg C, dry) Standing quarter mile 20.5sec at 68.6mph, standing km 37.4sec at 70.0mph, 30-70mph 16.5sec, 30-70mph in fourth 29.2sec 30mph
40mph
4.6s
60mph
50mph
7.4s
0
70mph
15.6s
10.5s
80mph
21.1s
10s
28.4s
20s
Hyundai i10 1.2 Premium (2020, 9deg C, dry) Standing quarter mile 18.8sec at 73.7mph, standing km 34.9sec at 89.7mph, 30-70mph 12.9sec, 30-70mph in fourth 24.2sec 30mph
4.0s
40mph
50mph
6.0s
8.4s
0
60mph
70mph
12.3s
80mph
16.9s
22.6s
10s
20s
B R A K I N G 60-0mph: 2.85sec Toyota Aygo X Limited Edition (16deg C, dry) 30mph-0
50mph-0
8.5m 0
70mph-0
23.3m 10m
20m
45.6m 30m
40m
Hyundai i10 1.2 Premium (2020, 9deg C, dry) 30mph-0
50mph-0
8.3m 0
70mph-0
22.3m 10m
20m
44.7m 30m
40m
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 35
Data log T OYO TA AYG O X LIMITED EDITION On-the-road price Price as tested Value after 3yrs/36k miles Contract hire pcm Cost per mile Insurance
£19,650 £19,650 £9525 £330 na 7A/£349
TYPICAL PCP QUOTE
35 litres
3 years/24,000 miles, 15% deposit £249 With a £3000 deposit, our range-topping test car costs £249 per month. There’s a £9495 balloon payment, which equates to a 3.9% APR. With the same deposit, a Pure-trim car is significantly cheaper, at £156 per month.
EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST 18in alloy wheels Two-tone metallic paint LED headlights Automatic air conditioning Electric canvas sunroof 9.0in touchscreen infotainment system with wireless smartphone mirroring and satellite navigation Four-speaker audio system Wireless phone-charging pad Adaptive cruise control Electric heated door mirrors Keyless entry and start Automatic headlights and wipers Reversing camera Heated seats Fabric and leather seat upholstery Height adjustable driver’s seat Options in bold fitted to test car = Standard na = not available
T E C H N I C A L L AYO U T
The new Aygo X switches to Toyota’s modular TNGA architecture instead of the shared platform developed with PSA. In this case, it’s a shortened version of the Yaris’s TNGA-B platform. The suspension layout is very conventional and the weight of our test car was distributed 62:39 front to rear on Millbrook’s scales.
ENGINE
ECONOMY
Installation
TEST MPG
Track Touring Average
29.2mpg 58.7mpg 58.2mpg
CLAIMED
Combined
58.9mpg
Tank size Test range
35 litres 448 miles
Front, transverse, front-wheel drive Type 3 cyls in line, 998cc, petrol Made of Aluminium block and head Bore/stroke 71mm/84mm Compression ratio 11.8:1 Valve gear 4 per cyl Power 71bhp at 6000rpm Torque 69lb ft at 4400rpm Redline 6500rpm Power to weight 77bhp per tonne Torque to weight 75lb ft per tonne Specific output 71bhp per litre
E M I S S I O N S & TA X CO2 emissions Tax at 20/40% pcm
110g/km £87/£175
C H A S S I S & B O DY
TRANSMISSION
BRAKES
SAFET Y
Construction Weight/as tested Drag coefficient Wheels Tyres
Type 5-spd manual Ratios/mph per 1000rpm 1st 3.55/5.1 2nd 2.05/8.9 3rd 1.31/13.9 4th 1.03/17.7 5th 0.85/21.4 Final drive ratio 4.29:1
Front Ventilated discs, size unspecified Rear Drums, size unspecified Anti-lock Standard Handbrake type Manual Handbrake location Centre console
ABS, ESP, AEB, lane keep assist, six airbags Euro NCAP crash rating Not tested
STEERING
Idle 37dBA Max rpm in 3rd gear 76dBA 30mph 58dBA 50mph 65dBA 70mph 71dBA
SUSPENSION Front MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar Rear Torsion beam, coil springs, anti roll bar
AC C E L E R AT I O N
AC C E L E R AT I O N I N G E A R
MPH 0-30 0-40 0-50 0-60 0-70 0-80 0-90 0-100 0-110 0-120 0-130 0-140 0-150 0-160
mph 20-40 30-50 40-60 50-70 60-80 70-90 80-100 90-110 100-120 110-130 120-140 130-150 140-160
TIME (sec) 4.6 7.4 10.5 15.6 21.1 28.4 – – – – – – – –
2nd 5.8 6.0 – – – – – – – – – – –
3rd 9.5 9.5 9.8 11.0 13.4 – – – – – – – –
4th – 13.5 14.2 15.7 19.0 – – – – – – – –
5th – 16.8 19.7 22.7 – – – – – – – – –
THE SMALL PRINT Power-to-weight and torque-to-weight figures are calculated using manufacturer’s claimed kerb weight. © 2022, Haymarket Media Group Ltd. Test results may not be reproduced without editor’s written permission. For information on the Aygo X, contact Toyota GB, Great Burgh, Burgh Heath, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5UX (toyota.co.uk). Cost-per-mile figures calculated over three years/36,000 miles, including depreciation and maintenance but not insurance; Lex Autolease (0800 389 3690). Insurance quote covers 35-year-old professional male with clean licence and full no-claims bonus living in Swindon; quote from Liverpool Victoria (0800 066 5161, lv.com). Contract hire figure based on a three-year lease/36,000-mile contract including maintenance; Wessex Fleet Solutions (01722 322888).
36 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
Type Electromechanical, rack and pinion Turns lock to lock 2.9 Turning circle 9.4m
MAX SPEEDS IN GEAR
CABIN NOISE
R E S I D UA L S
33mph 90mph 98mph*
25
6500rpm 6500rpm 4579rpm
20
1
3
5 Value (£1000s)
Spare
Steel monocoque 920kg/974kg 0.32 5.0Jx18in 175/60 R18 85H, Michelin e-Primacy None (tyre repair kit)
2
10
Dacia Sandero 1.0 TCe Comfort
0 New
58mph 98mph
6500rpm 5532rpm
Hyundai i10 1.0 T-GDi N Line
15
5
4
Toyota Aygo X Limited Edition
*claimed
RPM in 5th at 70/80mph = 3270/3738
1 year
2 years
3 years
4 years
Aygo X’s values drop sharply in the first year but then stabilise. Entry-level Pure model would fare better.
R OA D T E S T N o 5 573
Read all of our road tests autocar.co.uk
ROAD TEST Testers’ notes ILLYA VERPRAET I like the canvas sunroof. It helps with the sense of fun you want in a cheap small car. I’m mystified why it’s electrically powered, though. If it was manual, it would be quicker and easier to open and close, you could do it without turning the car on, and most important, it would be cheaper.
VERDICT
AAABC
A mostly very grown-up small car, but also an expensive one f the small car was a species of animal, it may not be critically endangered, but it would certainly be classified as vulnerable. So a new member of the species is very welcome, but we’re unconvinced that Toyota’s approach is the way forward for the segment. For the most part, the Aygo X is an excellent small car. The interior is value motoring perfected. It’s not especially roomy, but the design is playful, the ergonomics are exemplary and all the tech you could want is either standard or available as an option. The chassis and the refinement are up to the standards of the class above, too. However, the engine has seen service in every generation of the Aygo and it’s woefully underpowered by 2022 standards. A manual gearbox that’s great to use keeps it drivable, but it’s not a good look when rivals offer turbocharged options. The Aygo X’s biggest problem, however, is the price. The most basic version can just about justify its asking price, but plusher variants are very expensive indeed, and at that price point, the sluggish performance and tight interior space become more grating.
I
R OA D TEST R I VA L S Verdicts on every new car, p90 Price Power, torque 0-62mph, top speed CO2, economy
1
HYUNDAI i10 1.2 MPi SE CONNECT Accomplished all-rounder, with a good provision of neat tech, safety kit and space, plus an overall feeling of maturity. AAAAC £15,230 83bhp, 87lb ft 12.6sec, 106mph 124g/km, 52.3mpg
2
DACIA SANDERO 1.0 TCE COMFORT Not an obvious rival because it’s in a different-sized class, but it just offers so much for so little money that it’s hard to ignore. AAAAC £13,095 90bhp, 118lb ft 11.7sec, 111mph 111g/km, 58.9mpg
3
KIA PICANTO 1.0 T-GDi GT-LINE S Not the most spacious option, but it’s extremely well equipped, stylish and available with a peppy turbo engine. AAAAC £16,610 99bhp, 126lb ft 9.8sec, 112mph 133g/km, 48.7mpg
4
SUZUKI IGNIS 1.2 SHVS SZ5 It did the micro-SUV thing before Toyota, and did it well by offering space and charm. Nippier but less refined than the Aygo X. Quite pricey these days. AAABC £17,249 89bhp, 89lb ft 11.8sec, 106mph 112g/km, 56.9mpg
MATT SAUNDERS No one’s expecting the Aygo X to be a hot hatch, and there is something joyful about thrashing a small car with a three-pot and a tight manual gearbox. But the Aygo’s glacial performance feels like it’s from a different age.
Spec advice Only the basic Pure trim makes financial sense – and it has all the essentials you’d expect in a city car, and more. It’s a pity the paint options are so monochrome and it’s saddled with Toyota’s old infotainment. If you go for a higher trim, the canvas roof is a nice addition.
Jobs for the facelift Liberate more power from the engine or introduce a turbo version. Slim down the front seatbacks to create some more rear leg room. Make higher trim levels more price competitive.
5
TOYOTA AYGO X LIMITED EDITION Excellent in many ways, but underpowered and tight inside. Overambitious price makes it hard to recommend. AAABC £19,650 71bhp, 69lb ft 14.9sec, 98mph 110g/km, 56.5-58.9mpg
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 37
23 – 26 JUNE
TICKETS NOW LIMITED GOODWOOD.COM
W
AWA R D S C O N T E N T S Issigonis Trophy Sturmey Award Editor’s Award Lifetime Achievement Mundy Award Design Hero
40 44 48 50 54 56
Motorsport Hero 57 Outstanding UK Leaders 58 Innovation Award 59 Five-Star Car 60 Best Driver’s Car 61 Best Affordable Driver’s Car 62
Future Classics Best Company Car Best Fun Car Best SUV Best Dream Car Best Electric Car
63 64 65 66 67 68
Best All-Rounder Best Small Car Best Large Car Best Family Car Best Hybrid Best Manufacturer
69 70 71 72 73 74
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 39
PHOTOGRAPHY MAX EDLESTON, LUC LACEY, WILL WILLIAMS, JOHN BRADSHAW
elcome to this year’s Autocar Awards, our annual celebration of the finest cars and the people who created them. It has been yet another turbulent year for the car industry, but one constant has been its ability to keep on producing innovative and brilliant new machines. At the Autocar Awards ceremony, held earlier this week at Silverstone, we celebrated great cars and the great people behind them in diverse categories that represent the cars, people and stories you’re most interested in. As well as our usual top trophies for the brightest and best people in the industry, we’ve made the awards bigger and better by incorporating our picks for Britain’s Best Cars. These gongs recognise the 10 top cars that are objectively among the finest in their class but also have something extra special, as identified by our road testers. So read on over the next 35 pages to discover all the winners and find out what makes them stand out from the crowd.
TH E AR AUTOC T S A C D PO t how re abou ers. o m r a n He in w r e d ou we pick le from all b Availa dcast goo d p o . outlets
ISSIGONIS TROPHY
MATE RIMAC
In just over a decade, Rimac has gone from self-teaching tinkerer to influential boss of a world-leading EV engineering firm. Steve Cropley reports ate Rimac, the This is a company with an its cousin, the Pininfarina Battista. egalitarian heart: the boss sits in distinguished And it will make key parts for Bugatti winner of an open-plan office, wears chinos (although that company will keep its Autocar’s and a Rimac-branded polo shirt assembly plant in Molsheim, France). Issigonis Trophy like his colleagues and doesn’t At The Campus, the operation will for 2022, has never worked even have his own parking space. be able to split logically into the three in anyone else’s car business For our scene-setting areas of activity that Rimac sees and has been running his powwow, we settle into a meeting for it: making hypercars, helping own automotive company room named after one of Rimac’s clients embrace electrification and for only about a dozen years. retinue of heroes, Ferdinand becoming a pioneer in autonomous g’ strin shoe a ‘on ted crea was Concept One Despite this, ZagrebPiëch. Other names on nearby transport. He refers obliquely to this based Rimac Automobili rooms include Nico Rosberg third, still-secret business as “the is on a seemingly unstoppable (who this month becomes the robotaxi” he has been working on “for years”. But for now, he’s reluctant trajectory to become Croatia’s biggest and his country doesn’t have a owner of the first Nevera), Gordon thriving car industry. Even his to talk specifics or show hardware. company very soon – progress that Murray, Louis Chiron, Christian awesome car know-how is selfBy his own admission, young will involve moving most of its 2500 von Koenigsegg and, interestingly, acquired: his University of Zagreb Rimac wasn’t a good school student, staff to a brand-new headquarters, Richard Hammond, the Grand Tour degree was in business management. presenter who brought near-ruin to but he was clever. His big break came the country’s biggest building. His key credential, he reckons, when he created a highly innovative The driver of this extraordinary Rimac in 2017 when he crashed a is “being crazy about cars from an electronics project in high school, a expansion is Rimac’s illustrious prototype of the Concept One, early age”, together with a parallel glove that could replace both a mouse status, acquired at seemingly the company’s first hypercar. love of electronics, a hero-respect and a keyboard. Encouraged by an impossible speed, as Europe’s go-to For now, we’re not in the mighty for the work of Nikola Tesla, the enthusiastic professor, he entered provider of advanced electrification new headquarters. This one seems Croatia-born electrical pioneer, and local and national electronics solutions for manufacturers of both big enough: a gigantic, B&Q-style a willingness to work as hard and competitions – and won them. The small and large cars as they forge former storage depot elaborately long as it takes to build what he success took him to South Korea into the zero-emissions era. converted for EV development and calls “a happy company”. to represent Croatia in a global Rimac already counts many of the component manufacturing. Autocar recently travelled to competition, and he won that too. world’s most important volume car The new one, referred to as The “It was a big surprise,” he recalls, makers – plus premium marques like Zagreb to spend a day with Rimac – Campus, will be four times bigger not the easiest of gigs, because the “but it gave me the confidence to Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche – still and bring all major activities calls on this man’s time are constant believe that I could build things.” among his jostling band of blue-chip together. It will build electric and high-powered. But he meets us At just 18, car-mad Rimac’s next clients. Indeed, Porsche (2018) and hypercars. It will do carbonfibre tub with an easy smile, comes across as important step was the purchase Hyundai (2019) so greatly valued and panel manufacturing (using relaxed and straightforward, chats of a 20-year-old BMW 3 Series, their early experience as customers nine new autoclaves). It will make in immaculate English, ignores because he wanted to race. Against ◊ of Rimac technology that they and assemble motors, gearboxes, his phone screen and can work the grabbed opportunities to become batteries and inverters for clients coffee machine as well as anyone. investors in the company. – as well as for the Nevera and As if that wasn’t enough, Rimac has also just started production of its own-brand £1.8 million electric hypercar, the Nevera, whose performance and build efficiency have so impressed top management at the Volkswagen Group that six months ago they forged a proposal to merge their problematic Bugatti brand into a new company called Bugatti Rimac, putting Mate Rimac at the head of the team that will build the first new Bugattis of the EV era. Rimac’s start in this industry is very different from that of any car boss you’ve ever heard of. The first, headline-grabbing fact is that he’s still only 34 years old. He’s neither an industry-sponsored university man nor someone who inherited a family car business. He has never been Rimac’s firm makes as much as possible in-house and up to his obsessive standards for quality; Nevera hypercar is a Battista sibling nurtured by ‘Big Automotive’
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ISSIGONIS TROPHY AUTOCAR AWARDS
H O W R I M AC W I L L F I X B U GAT T I There can’t have been a more surprising hypercar event in recent years than the plan announced last year to merge Bugatti and Rimac into a new company, with Mate Rimac as CEO and Porsche as the key technical partner. At the time, there were few specifics about the merger’s purpose, although it had been clear that the Volkswagen Group was reluctant to invest the billions in new Bugattis for the EV era. Mate Rimac’s key mission, it turns out, was to get much better control of model development costs. “On a car-by-car basis, Bugatti is very successful,” he says. “People would be surprised how profitable each one is; I certainly was. But it has been less successful in developing cars. It cost them more to create the Chiron from the Veyron, which has the same W16 engine and eight-speed gearbox, than we spent developing our Nevera from scratch.” Volkswagen’s technique had been to outsource a lot of work to other companies, Rimac explains. It faced a choice: invest billions in EVs (“they didn’t want to do that, because Ferdinand Piëch is no longer with us”) or kill off Bugatti, with all the practical problems that would bring. Then somebody had the idea of merging it with Rimac… “I see this new arrangement as a win-win-win-win,” says Mate Rimac. “It’s a win for us, having a wonderful brand with a 113-year tradition. It’s a win for Volkswagen, because Bugatti has a great future, they have a shareholding and we will keep costs under control. It’s a win for the employees, because we will expand. And it’s a win for customers, because we have exciting new products coming. We won’t just hump along; we will flourish.”
Inherent quality is clear to see even in half-finished cars ∆ the odds, it would make him famous. When the Beemer’s petrol engine blew, he fitted it with an electric motor from a forklift truck and entered drag and drift competitions (“the only forms of competition where Rimac makes all of its components on jigs engine size wasn’t the issue”), at first doing the job haphazardly but improving the design seven times with the help of friends and arranging a stand at Frankfurt, destined to become principals but by the time contracts had been of his company. During this time, signed, the tiny team was left with it occurred to Rimac that all this just six months to build the car. EV know-how might become the When the money didn’t actually basis of a customer business… arrive, Rimac was already committed The BMW drew much attention – “up to the neck”. Continuing with the derision at first, then protests when it car seemed the only way forward, so started winning. In 2010, the success he borrowed money, worked day and brought contact out of the blue from night, slept on the garage floor and a Middle Eastern royal family, who somehow pulled it off. wanted Rimac to build them a car. “When the truck came to take At first, he reckoned this might be the car to Frankfurt, we had only his lucky day. He produced sketches finished the chassis,” he recalls. “The and a business plan for a 1000bhp truck driver was supposed to leave at car capable of a 0-100kph time of 5pm, but he stayed through the night 2.8sec, including details of the to help us, eventually leaving with BMW (by now holder of five FIA acceleration records) as proof of his engineering capability. After negotiations, the clients agreed to finance a hypercar, the Concept One, for display at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show, and ordered a couple of cars for the following year. It was the tallest of tall orders. Rimac started acquiring components
the car at around 5am. He became an important colleague and still works for us today.” The Concept One was unveiled on 19 September 2011, and even though it wasn’t a fully driving car, it received much critical acclaim – enough to encourage the team to keep going. But first they had to survive. “Out of sheer necessity, we started doing projects for clients,” recalls Rimac, “and our experience with the BMW meant we were better advanced with electrification than most OEMs. “Early on, we agreed to build a car for the Spanish tech firm Idiada as a demonstrator for their engineering capabilities. It was a lifeline, but we continued to struggle. But we did everything we could to produce topclass work, to over-deliver, and this started to build our reputation.” Rimac now sees the failure of the Middle Eastern deal as a blessing: “We would have spent the money
❝ We imagined 70% cars, 30% client work. It turned out the other way
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❞
building a show car, which would have taken us in the wrong direction. Not having the funds made us very resourceful and very frugal.” Rimac’s business training showed him the wisdom of not using bluechip consultants and suppliers to progress the Concept One: “Other start-ups tended to collect money from investors and immediately give it to Bosch, Magna or Continental. That burns millions without creating value inside your company – a great way to fail. We did the exact opposite.” Looking back, Rimac is quite sceptical about the Concept One. “It had to be the way it was,” he says, “but in a way, I regret the whole thing. It was supposed to be quickly replaced by a newer car. I already had the Nevera concept in my head. But we didn’t have any money, so we had to keep going. “The truth is the Concept One was done on a shoestring by guys who had never done this before. It needed a full carbon monocoque, but it was just a steel frame with carbon panels. And it was way too small, which meant we couldn’t homologate it, because the proportions didn’t allow proper crash structures. We spent years making something that worked but which was very flawed.” Even so, the Rimac team’s fast-increasing expertise started attracting bigger and better clients.
ISSIGONIS TROPHY AUTOCAR AWARDS T H E S T O RY O F T H AT G R E E N B M W When 18-year-old Mate Rimac bought a worn-out 1984 BMW 323i for entering local drag races and drift competitions, he had no idea that it would make him famous and become the germ of a huge technology business. It was just for fun. When the engine blew, he entertained ideas of replacing it with a BMW V8, but a lack of funds, an interest in electronics and a keen awareness of the exploits of Croatiaborn electrical pioneer Nikola Tesla encouraged him to try fitting an electric motor from a forklift instead. “Twelve years ago, electric cars were a joke, made for people who don’t like cars,” says Rimac. “People called our car a washing machine.”
But it was fast and got faster. With the help of friends, Rimac built seven iterations, eventually setting a series of FIA and Guinness speed records. He says: “We had garage explosions and fires, and I reckon I suffered 100 serious electric shocks while we built that car. The forklift motor was supposed to deliver five horsepower, but it can push 500 if you don’t do it for very long. I soon learned how long I could push the accelerator without it blowing up.” The BMW remains famous in Rimac Automobili history, but a plan to rebuild it is on hold. “One of the guys crashed it years ago,” explains Rimac, “and so far we haven’t had time to fix it.”
Rimac and friends turned tired BMW 323i from forklift fudge to FIA record holder
The first ¤1m investor arrived in 2014. Then a 2016 investment round raised another ¤10m. Bigger jobs for the likes of Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar and Renault started arriving. “This taught us another big lesson: that the tech business is highly scalable and therefore attractive to investors in a way that building hypercars never can be,” says Rimac. “In the beginning, we had imagined a business doing 70% hypercars and 30% client work. But it turned out to be the other way around.” Porsche arrived in 2018 with the first of three investment tranches and then Hyundai came aboard in 2019. More have followed. Rimac’s reputation soared and its business started to boom. Today, it remains on an extremely steep expansion curve, but its three-pronged mission is now much better defined. After a fascinating hour, we stop talking and begin a fast-paced tour of Rimac’s huge and thriving operation, barely believing that this place is only a staging post on its way to The Campus. It soon becomes crystal clear that Rimac’s preference is to do almost everything in-house: “If we control design, quality and delivery times, we control our own destiny.” First we come to a station where interior trim, both leather and nonleather, is being made for the Nevera. Next we encounter a bank of CAD designers, including former inmates at Aston Martin, McLaren and various Formula 1 teams, creating intricate and bespoke Rimac parts. In the powertrain department, we see gearboxes and motors of sculptural beauty (and amazing compactness) made from scratch. There are sub-assembly stations everywhere, where touchscreens and exterior mirrors and beautiful fascia
switches are created like jewellery. Every complex piece is assembled on a jig, because Rimac loves quality. “I hate seeing stuff being made on a tabletop,” he says, not quite convincing us of his ability to work up a bad temper. “Jigs keep standards high, and we’re only interested in doing great work.” The quality point is emphasised as we pass lines of Aston Martin parts ready for dispatch: the packaging matches the standards that you would get from Apple or Bose. We walk into a giant assembly hall with two Neveras and two Battistas in the throes of manufacturing. One of them will soon be Rosberg’s car. Without their outer panels, the cars are dauntingly complex but exquisitely wrought, crafted from beautiful materials from stem to stern, with classy castings, cable runs and fastening systems. Customers who see their cars in a bare form will be pleased and reassured. In the huge room next door, a components store seems half the size of Wembley Stadium. Rimac expects it soon to be so stuffed with essential components that his storage staff will “have to fight for every millimetre”. The star of our tour is Boris, a mildmannered bloke in charge of the 40 or so experts making wiring looms for the likes of the Nevera, Battista and Aston Valkyrie. He joined seven years ago, not because he was a fully fledged wiring expert (Croatia didn’t have any of those) but because he had done some neat audio installations on his own Audi. Rimac liked his work and his attitude. He’s self-taught, but now his team builds hypercar looms containing 26km of wiring. This technique of finding willing and talented people and then honing their skills runs right through Rimac Automobili, although nowadays it attracts the best classically trained experts too. Rimac is proud of its growth. “They say that when a company doubles in size, it becomes a different business,” he says cheerfully. “That means I must have run 10 different companies in the past five years.” L
Complex looms are stunningly intricate
Rimac cars always turn heads, despite their near-silence
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S T U R M E Y AWA R D
DAVID RICHARDS
The Prodrive boss has enjoyed a storied 50 years in motorsport – and he’s not finished yet, discovers Steve Cropley amous people achieve their star status by finding something at which they excel, then practising it at the highest level to the exclusion of everything else. Jim Clark was brilliant at winning motor races, but he never designed a car or managed a racing team – and nobody would have expected him to. David Richards, winner of this year’s Sturmey Award, Autocar’s most personal accolade, has an entirely different way of working. In a long career, he has amassed a wide variety of difficult and diverse successes, and he continues to be active and effective in many areas when ordinary people might think they had done enough. In his twenties, Richards was organising international motorsport events for clients who had already spotted what would soon become his lifelong ability to make things happen. By 30, he had won a World Rally Championship for Ford, co-driving with his friend Ari Vatanen, before retiring early to concentrate on other promising facets of motorsport. Within a couple of years, he had formed a new company, Prodrive, first to bring Porsche into rallying, then to establish BMW in both rally and racetrack competition. The BMW successes led promptly to a hugely productive 18-year world rallying phase, during which he nurtured the stellar careers of Colin McRae (1995) and Richard Burns (2001) to fruition as world champions. Meanwhile, on the circuits, Prodrive ran saloon campaigns for Alfa Romeo, Honda and Ford, also building a 10-car batch of ‘private’ Ferrari 550M endurance racers, one of which won the GT1 class at Le Mans in 2003.
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Over Richards’ 50-year business career, there are almost too many diverse highlights to list: stints as team principal with the Benetton and BAR F1 teams, the establishment of a highly successful Aston Martin GT racing operation that continued to prosper (Prodrive has built upwards of 200 Aston GT racers since 2004) and close involvement in a rethink of the ways British motorsport is governed, as chairman of the renamed Motorsport UK (see p47). Most recently, Richards and Prodrive have set up the Bahrain Raid Xtreme off-road team and programme, starring nine-time WRC champion Sébastien Loeb and an all-new car called BRX Hunter. The car promises a whole new avenue of opportunity for the Banbury company: Richards seems to specialise in finding them. How does he do it? He’ll tell you luck is involved, but of course there’s much more to it than that. “So much about life is being in the right place at the right time,” he says. “But that’s not the main thing. You’ve got to see opportunities as they come – and they will – and then grab them with both hands. The trick is not to be risk-averse.” He cites a perfect example: “I was 23 years old, had just finished my accountancy articles and was co-driving for Tony Pond in rallies, ◊
Prodrive introduced Porsche to rallying
STURMEY AWARD AUTOCAR AWARDS
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too, but it was actually a result of Prodrive’s rally success with their BMW team: “A friend told us that a man from Subaru, Mr Kuze, would be at Heathrow on his way back to Tokyo from the Safari Rally and wanted to see us. I didn’t even know who Subaru were; I had to look them up. “Anyway, we picked Mr Kuze up from the airport and had a meeting here in Banbury. He told us they were building a new car, the Impreza, aimed at a younger audience. He’d seen us run our BMWs, and as long as we could come up with a sensible proposal, he said they’d like us to help them run an Impreza team in the World Rally Championship. It was the beginning of an 18-year relationship. We didn’t have the
REDBULL CONTENT POOL
Bahrain Raid Xtreme team is fronted by WRC legend Sébastien Loeb
∆ doing a kind of motorsport gap year. I went to see Rothmans to ask for sponsorship – tobacco companies were big sponsors back then – and got the usual don’t-call-us message. But something I said must have lodged because they rang me a few days later. This isn’t a sponsorship offer, they said, but could you help us with something? “It turned out to be a request to go to Kuwait and organise a car rally, leaving the following day! The event was imminent and the guy organising it had been shot. So I went – and finished up organising the first international rally they’d ever had. It was a modest event but it went pretty well and I made friends in the Gulf that I still have after all these years.” The sponsors must have been happy too, because they were soon back on the phone asking Richards to organise a similar event in Qatar, this time from scratch. It was a tall order. He had no contacts there, so he decided to try to enlist the aid of the chief of police: “I waited three days outside his office until he was free to see me, but when he did give me some time, we had a good conversation and he agreed to help. That event went well, too.” Richards lists his next career milestone as meeting Vatanen, the Finnish rally star who later became a prominent EU politician but remains a great friend to this day: “Ari was on his first trip to the UK and didn’t speak much English, but he had the same kind of farming background as me so he came to stay with us in North Wales. We got on well and started doing stuff together and got pretty successful. Then we went to the Ford factory team and won the world championship.” Richards’ next highlight, the deal to run Subaru’s WRC team, ostensibly arrived out of the blue
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S POT TI N G D R IVE R TALE NT David Richards has a great reputation for choosing star race and rally drivers, having taken Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg to their WRC championships and spotted Jenson Button early in his racing career. It’s a surprise, therefore, to hear him say that it all depends on “a fair bit” of luck. “Working with the best is always rewarding,” says Richards. “I believe they have three attributes: the innate skill, which is obvious, a strong work ethic and a special team ethic. You rarely find a driver who gets 10 out of 10 on all three counts, so I see my job as being to quietly make it clear how they can improve. “Colin McRae was brilliant for skills and embraced the team brilliantly. He was shy early on but everyone loved him. But he didn’t like the testing. He saw it as drudgery and was quite content to let Carlos Sainz do most of it. Then he’d get into the car and reap the benefits. Richard Burns didn’t quite reach the skill level of Colin, but he made up for it by working extremely hard and being great with the team. “Sébastien Loeb, our BRX driver, is an interesting case on team commitment. He was wonderful to watch but a bit withdrawn at first. Sometimes drivers are like that: they keep a foot in a rival camp in case others are quicker. But this season Seb has been a lot more relaxed with our team. I see my job as being to get drivers to throw in their lot with us, and then we’ll all win together.”
DR: “Grab opportunities as they come”
STURMEY AWARD AUTOCAR AWARDS resources back then, but we had great engineers and plenty of ambition. Four years later [in 1995], we won the championship with Colin McRae.” One of the best things about that success, recalls Richards, was seeing the pride and the change of attitude at Subaru: “They had thought of themselves as ‘little’ Subaru, a second-stringer battling giants like Ford, Toyota and Lancia. But in an amazingly short time, they went from selling pick-ups for pig farmers to performance cars for petrolheads.” “The Subaru experience taught us a huge amount about what motorsport programmes can achieve,” he says. “There was even a Henley Business School study about how it changes the company’s reputation and how it was perceived. It wasn’t just a ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ thing; we used our success to recruit engineers, and Subaru suddenly found they could attract the best young Japanese talent. A lot of really good technical stuff was fed into the road cars, and the rally imagery did a lot to sell the cars.”
Setting up Prodrive’s Aston programme – already 19 years old and counting – had a lot to do with another of Richards’ personal qualities: persistence. “I’ve loved Astons all my life,” he says. “Hounding the management every year to let us set up a race team had become a bit of a religious ritual. So was their usual reply: we just don’t have the money. But when they launched the new DB9 in 2003, it looked like a fresh opportunity. “They gave me the usual stuff about money but this time I said: ‘Tell you what: I’ll take the risk. I’ll do the development if you allow me a five-year contract to build and sell the cars, do the merchandise, everything. In theory, the DB9 wasn’t the perfect race car, what with a front engine against the mid-engined Ferraris. But the balance of performance regs were just arriving, which helped make a more level playing field. We won at Sebring first time out.” The Aston business has changed shape a few times but it prospers to this day. There are always plenty
R I CHAR DS AN D M OTO RS PO RT PO LITI CS David Richards’ desire to “put something back” has taken him into motorsport governance for many years, but his involvement took a big step forward in 2018 when he became chairman of the renamed Motorsport UK, the body that runs four-wheeled motor competition in this country. His self-imposed brief was to cut bureaucracy, widen awareness of the sport, streamline regulations, stem the decline in licence renewals and address the technical challenges faced especially by grassroots motorsport. Much has been achieved. Formula 1 at Silverstone has been secured and the longsought legislation to close public roads for motorsport events has been enacted. Licensing classes, names and charges have been updated, regulations have been simplified and several ailing
championships are now run in-house by MSUK. But the difficulties of Covid intervened, admits Richards, and there’s still some way to go. Still on motorsport’s agenda are concerns about whether the wider industry, for so long a strong supporter, can continue that role while preoccupied with environmental issues and electrification. But strong representation of the sport will continue, says Richards, and better times are coming.
Richards has helped Silverstone secure
❝ The Subaru experience
taught us what motorsport can achieve
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F1
of race cars at the Banbury works being built or refurbished. Venerable models come back for rebuilds, some of them now extremely valuable. A 2007 Le Mans winner recently sold at auction for almost £2 million. For five years from 2007, Richards was actually chairman of Aston Martin proper, having led a Kuwaitbacked consortium to acquire Aston Martin from Ford for $925m. The principals were people Richards had first met 30 years before while organising that very first car rally for Rothmans in Kuwait. “Things go full circle in life,” he says. “If you do your best and try to treat people correctly, they usually remember.” Other business? Non-motorsport activities have often taken Richards’ and Prodrive’s fancy: there’s a thriving composites business that makes vital components for contemporary automotive, marine and aerospace clients, a carbonfibreframed folding bicycle called Hummingbird, an electric truck development programme, a contract with Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations to make a fold-out drinks console for Range Rover’s SVAutobiography and even a project to build an amphibious vehicle, which Richards has a lot of faith in. He also likes spending time in Cornwall, where he owns two hotels. Running the hotels is good practice for all forms of business, he argues. “F1 is nothing compared with making a success of hospitality,” he says. “In motorsport, the goal is clear: you cross the line first. By 4pm on Sunday, the result is clear to everyone. In hotels, every person through the door has different expectations. The challenge is to anticipate their needs, and it can be tough.” L
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E D I T O R ’ S AWA R D
ALISON JONES
Stellantis UK’s group managing director steered the firm’s recent merger through the most turbulent of waters. Mark Tisshaw finds out how she did it hen I started in February 2019, we “ thought the biggest topic was Brexit,” says Stellantis UK group managing director Alison Jones. “It was to be a massive change not just for us but for everybody in our industry.” Except Brexit was just the first in a series of huge changes that would rock the whole car industry. Next came Covid, then the accelerated shift to electric cars and the semiconductor chip shortage that continues to cripple new car supply. All that would be more than enough for any car company boss to navigate, but Jones was also in the process of setting up a new car group following the merger of PSA and FCA. Jones had moved from being in charge of the Volkswagen brand in the UK to leading PSA’s UK group operations for Peugeot, Citroën and DS. Now, from her office in Coventry, she has added Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Jeep and Fiat Professional vans to her ever-growing list of responsibilities. She has also just started a 24-month presidency of the SMMT, a hugely influential role in the UK car industry. The merger of PSA and FCA and thus the creation of Stellantis early last year has happened at breakneck speed, and it’s Jones’s brilliant leadership in so seamlessly creating such a large car company in the UK while also steering it through the most challenging and unpredictable
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times in living memory that, coupled with her SMMT role, earns her our Editor’s Award, given to the person who has made the biggest impact on the success of their company over the past 12 months. “I think our industry is good at crisis management,” says Jones, reflecting on her time so far at PSA and then Stellantis. “You’re Peugeot e-208 has been a strong seller forced to act at speed in crisis management. “The difference with a merger would not have foreseen. is that you can choose the speed at “What becomes easier is that which you do it. We wanted to try you have a way to adapt, you have and provide certainty for colleagues, techniques, tools, ways of working certainty for our customers and for our shareholders in terms of what we with crisis management groups. That becomes easier, because of what were doing. We wanted to get it done didn’t work last time. What becomes as fast as we possibly could.” Jones speaks with a calm authority harder is sustaining it.” The current challenge is dealing when describing how she navigated with the chip crisis, which has the two companies through the throttled new car supply. Depending merger. While providing plenty on the brand, Stellantis lead times of future opportunities, the task are between three and 12 months, also came with a huge degree of and Jones expects supply shortages uncertainty for those working to “continue for some time”. The in the existing structures. chip shortage has changed so much “I’m very transparent in the way of the UK car market as we know I operate as a leader,” says Jones. it, from the models dominating the “If I can’t say something, I’ll say I sales charts to dealers no longer can’t discuss that. If I can, I will. I do employee calls regularly, and I have a pre-registering models at the end of the month when chasing volume. Q&A session at the end. It’s designed “Because there are such order so anybody can ask any question.” banks and such long lead times, With the merger ongoing, registrations are not a good proxy there were the small matters of for who’s doing well,” says Jones. She dealing with Brexit, Covid and says sales charts are instead more a the chip shortage, all of which has reflection of manufacturers’ need to taught Jones to learn to live with reduce CO2 emissions and prioritise unpredictability. the sale of lower-CO2 models while “What’s different is balancing profit. the sustained amount of “The strength of what we’re going unpredictability,” says Jones. through is you don’t see vehicles “Within all that, we’ve also had stacked up in fields,” she continues. a powertrain change. That’s “I don’t think as an industry we’d go all part of living within the back to having that amount of cash industry, but the amount of change is what some colleagues tied up in vehicles. We will move more to make to order, but it could have found hard. This is the be a bit freer now for customers. I fourth year of change, and think it will find some middle ground they’re all things that you
J O N ES O N TH E MAI N STE LL ANTI S B R AN DS PEUG EOT “Peugeot is doing well and grew market share in March. We have got a whole range of cars, vans and powertrains, and they have got the new products as well, which are desirable.” CITRO E N “Citroën has grown. Eurig Druce, the MD, has an advanced plan and he’s in the second year of it. It is built around fair pricing and comfort and has found a niche with customers.” DS “DS is a start-up; it’s trying to get brand awareness. But you’ll see in terms of the number of retailers investing, there are open points that have been filled now.” FIAT “Fiat has had the electric 500, so it is moving to be a strong electric brand in a different part of the market, appealing to people who want a small city car, an urban car or new drivers.” ALFA RO M EO “Still to come. The Tonale comes at the end of this year. So that’s the first foray into the new powertrains and it has huge potential and credibility. People love Alfa Romeo.” J E E P “It has a strong product and is now moving to lower CO2 , bringing plug-in hybrids and electric models as well. So you still get that freedom, that feeling of freedom.”
EDITOR’S AWARD AUTOCAR AWARDS
❝ I like driving
positive change through large groups of people
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Sustained change has been hard on staff when we get through this.” If car makers aren’t to be judged on registrations, then how is Stellantis UK and Jones’s work judged by Stellantis global boss Carlos Tavares? “The same way he judges all of our businesses,” says Jones. “There are five objectives, in no particular order: profit, customer satisfaction, market share, CO2 and cash flow. Alongside that, how do you drive transformation? Did you create value by growing?” A bold goal of Tavares is for Stellantis to be electric-only in Europe in just four years. But while the company has strong-selling electric cars such as the Peugeot e-208 and e-2008 and the new Fiat 500, like many other car makers the brand is frustrated by slow roll-out of a charger network to support them. Jones notes that it “could be better” here in the UK and says the recently published government strategy on charging infrastructure is “the right words going the right way, but the implementation plan is vague, as is the speed of it”. She is also clear that government and energy companies should be responsible for the infrastructure: “You get better results by doing it through the energy companies and through government and government policy rather than individual OEMs trying to do it.” Being involved in and leading discussions on national charging infrastructure is one example of Jones’s role as SMMT president. She believes the organisation “has success in terms of talking to government about what needs to be done, and the strength it has is that it can take one industry voice”. The main goal for her presidency, which runs to the end of next year, is to show that the SMMT is relevant, modern and suitable for the industry. “With all the changes and all of the challenges, it could be a very different landscape in 24 months,” she adds. What next, then, for the fast-rising and talented executive? “I am quietly ambitious,” she says. “So I push on and look for the next opportunity, and the next one. But to get here is amazing. I like jobs that are really interesting. I like driving change, positive change through large groups of people, so I like operational and strategic roles. And there aren’t that many roles that give you the ability to blend those things. But I haven’t looked too far ahead of this one.” L
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LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AUTOCAR AWARDS L I F E T I M E AC H I E V E M E N T AWA R D
PETER SCHREYER The German’s portfolio represents the gold standard of automotive design success. Steve Cropley meets him
n an admiring and intimate book called Roots and Wings, published last year to honour the work and life of distinguished German designer Peter Schreyer, two succinct sentences in the foreword shine out. They’re written by Euisun Chung, executive chairman of the Hyundai Motor Group, about his “dear colleague and friend” Schreyer, who he had met 15 years earlier. “Peter showed everything a designer can do in our journey together,” writes Chung. “His arrival marked the beginning of the Hyundai Motor Group’s change.” Words as generous as these are rare from a car magnate to an employee, but they reveal succinctly why Schreyer is the perfect choice for this year’s Autocar Lifetime Achievement Award. Few people have the determination and ability to change the course of a massive car conglomerate for the better – especially when accepting that the task entails ditching a thriving career at the age of 53 to embrace a completely different corporate culture on another side of the world. But Schreyer did just this in 2006 when he accepted the position as Kia’s chief design officer and started work on the exciting challenge Chung had laid down the previous year: to change Kia’s car line-up from decent but styleless models into modern, attractive, well-designed machines capable of challenging the best in their classes. And taking the brand upmarket. To say Schreyer has succeeded in his mission is quite an understatement: Kia’s global sales rocketed from 1.6 million to three million between 2009 and 2016, and much of that upward thrust was attributed to the rapidly elevated design appeal of Schreyer-era
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models. Even the designer himself, mild-mannered and modest to a fault, admits that the way customers responded to the new models was amazing. “Those cars weren’t fancy,” he says. “They were just good.” Schreyer remembers exactly where he was – in Austria on the road to Switzerland to give a presentation – when his car phone rang and a German-speaking Kia colleague asked, entirely out of the blue, if he fancied ‘a conversation’. The subject matter wasn’t specific, but it was clear the approach was serious. At the time, Schreyer was head of the Volkswagen Group’s Potsdam studio, from which vantage point he could see all of the group’s near- and farterm products. Before that, he had taken charge of a series of big design assignments, the VW Golf Mk4 and New Beetle, plus the Audi A3, A2 and TT, among them. It soon emerged that this offer came directly from Chung, Kia’s boss at the time, and that he had wanted to talk to only one person. Schreyer had been singled out for his experience and for his quietly decisive way of working. “From the beginning, I was tempted,” he recalls. “I was 53. I could either settle down at VW or do something completely different. I didn’t know much about Kia’s cars,
❝ Those cars
weren’t fancy. They were just good
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and being German I was pretty arrogant that we were the people who could do the best ones. But I liked the Kia name – it seemed clean and clear – and I had also recently noticed the first Sorento, which looked pretty good. It made me wonder who was behind it.” After a few meetings in Germany, Schreyer was invited to Korea to meet Chung, and he was subsequently offered the design chief’s job. He accepted “quite quickly” and set about building a bond of trust that both men agree has turned into something special in the intervening years. No formal design brief was ever laid down – beyond a clear wish on Chung’s part to give Kia design a much higher priority. “We were making good cars,” says Schreyer, “but Kia was a neutral brand. Nothing was actually wrong with what we made, but the cars just weren’t outstanding. ES Chung wanted that turned upside down and for us to put emphasis on design. The question was how we should do it.” Early on, Schreyer came up with a design philosophy he called ‘the simplicity of the straight line’, which was in effect a determination to stress clarity, simplicity and good proportions in the Kia cars of the future. Chung approved and signed up to it. He became an important supporter as Schreyer needed to challenge old styles and practices. A schedule of priorities already existed in the cycle plan: the Kia Soul was almost finished (though arguments persisted for a while over the use of the name) and the K7 saloon was also well along the pipeline. Schreyer’s contribution was what he calls “refinement”, the kind of finessing he learned with a host of other ‘supergroup’ Audi and VW designers under the tutelage of hugely influential design chief Hartmut Warkuss. ◊
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One key early means of challenging the ‘neutrality’ of the Kia brand was a new, highly recognisable but also highly flexible grille style, soon known as the ‘tiger nose’, featuring a wide front grille with an indent in the centre, both top and bottom. It appeared first on the Kia Kee Concept at the Frankfurt show in 2007, just one year after Schreyer had taken the new job. “At the time, nobody knew much about our brand and people really couldn’t identify its key elements, even though we’d included some of them on the concept,” says Schreyer. “But with Kee, we managed to establish a frontal element so strong that you wouldn’t even need a Kia badge as an identifier. That was an important step.” In fact, the tiger nose has become so successful over the past 16 years, on a wide range of concept models and production cars, that when it seemed to have been deleted from the latest EV6 crossover (only appearing on the nose when the lights are on), some buyers wished
it could have been more prominent. From his earliest Kia days, Schreyer found one question kept arising: how soon would the first of the all-new Kias appear? The Kee concept of 2007 provided part of the answer, but it wasn’t until the 2010 arrival of the Optima saloon and the latest Sportage that we knew for sure. Both cars brought important lessons about Kia’s future design approach. Schreyer cites “luck” as one reason for the 2010 Kia Sportage’s gamechanging sales success, but he also reveals a transformative strategy behind its design. “All the rivals in the Sportage’s class were good vehicles, bought for practicality,” he explains. “But with our neutral brand, if we’d used the usual approach of making the boot space a bit bigger, improving the ingress and egress and making the rear compartment a bit more comfortable, we still wouldn’t have won because so much of the competition were big brands. “So we decided to do things the other way around: to make the car attractive even if there were a few more compromises. Today, if
you look at a Sportage, you’ll see that the opposition models are all higher, but our car has a positive bow on the beltline and a fairly low greenhouse that makes it coupé-ish and sporty. That worked really well.” Schreyer says there was early opposition to this radical design approach from some echelons of management, but because Chung wanted the car, it was built. After that, the opposition voices grew fainter. Kia’s global sales progress began to shade that of the Hyundai mother brand, although some of the Kia success did bleed off. Even so, the waiting world continued to wonder how Kia and Hyundai models, which frequently shared the same underpinnings, could continue to be kept apart. When Schreyer was given responsibility for both brands, the problem seemed to compound itself. Typically, he developed a strategy but was very careful to “wear the right hat” when he was working exclusively for one marque or the other. He argued from the beginning that it would have been a mistake to portray the family brands as opposites. “Some similarity is
S E E I N G TH E D I FFE R E N CE
The 2010 Pop concept could work today
Billiard ball and stones (above) differentiate the Hyundai and Kia brands
Soon after he arrived at Kia, Schreyer developed a manifesto called ‘The River Stone and the Billiard Ball’, which he believes helps distinguish between the brand values of Kia and Hyundai. He has since published a book illustrating the subject. Schreyer keeps both river stones and billiard balls on the desk of his sixth-floor office inside Hyundai’s Frankfurt HQ and is inclined to give one or both to visitors as presents. He sees a river stone as the guiding image for Hyundai, an unpredictable, natural shape. They may be very similar, but no two stones are ever the same. By contrast, the guiding image for Kia is a billiard ball, manmade, uniform, precise, carefully coloured and surfaced and whose dimensions are precisely known. That’s the difference.
unavoidable,” he says. “It wouldn’t be right to give one brand round lights just because the other has square ones. That would have been far too simplistic. I felt it was better to base our designs on well-defined core philosophies.” All of which boils down to the philosophy embodied by a cluster of billiard balls and river stones, which always repose on Peter Schreyer’s desktop (see separate story, left). The Hyundai and Kia marques have been much criticised in time past for lacking a heritage, a kind of backstory. Schreyer feels much progress has been made in boosting
SEVEN SEMINAL SCHREYER DESIGNS
AU D I T T 1998 Groundbreaking 2+2 on Golf components helped shift Audi’s image from that of ordinary saloon maker to design-led company. Schreyer calls the styling “uncompromising” and is proud the concept and production model were so similar.
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VO LKSWAG E N G O LF IV 1997 Everyman Volkswagen shows Schreyer’s lifelong liking for simple architecture: he felt the previous two Golfs had blurred the lines of the original Giugiaro-designed car. The Mk4 represents a return to the logic of the original, maintaining its classless appeal.
VO LKSWAG E N N E W B E E TLE 1994 Born when Schreyer proposed fitting an electric two-seater fun car project with a characteristically shaped greenhouse and recalling the car that baby boomers had loved decades earlier. Did much to restore VW’s US presence.
AU D I A2 1999 Initiated by Ferdinand Piëch and designed to create a highly efficient car using the best aerodynamic principles and aluminium construction. Tall-butshort packaging was to save weight. Schreyer is proud that even after 20 years, the car looks contemporary.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AUTOCAR AWARDS M I G HTI E R THAN TH E SWO R D Peter Schreyer’s favourite design tool is undoubtedly his stubby, black, torpedo-shaped mechanical pencil, which he carries everywhere and continually uses in conversation to literally illustrate his points. Made by Faber-Castell, a similar one will set you back about £100 if you go shopping online. “It has become a habit,” says Schreyer. “I first started using a pencil while working with Giugiaro [who Schreyer credits as his favourite designer] on the Lamborghini Gallardo. Italdesign were still using plaster models. Tape wouldn’t stick to them, so Giugiaro would use a pencil to draw lines on the models, and I started doing the same. I do a lot of sketching – not just cars but all kinds of things that interest me – and I like the fact that the pencil never runs out.”
Peter Schreyer’s pencil speaks a thousand words brand value on his watch, but while heritage is in general helpful, there are also ways in which it can hold you back. “There can be a tendency for people to take particular paths ‘because we’ve always done it that way’,” he explains. “At Hyundai and Kia, we still feel we have the full freedom to keep building our own story and our own design language. Mind you, you need a leader like ES Chung to make the best of it…” These days, Schreyer works in a kind of creative semi-retirement as Hyundai’s president of design management. His former position of chief design officer, which he
held between 2006 and 2018, is now occupied by Luc Donckerwolke, formerly design chief at Bentley, Lamborghini, Skoda and Audi. Schreyer remains active on live projects and very definitely still has the ear of Chung, who recently succeeded his father as the Hyundai-Kia group’s chairman. Unlike the rest of the multistorey HQ’s floors, the Hyundai-Kia Frankfurt design office has an extremely high-quality bamboo floor, chosen by Schreyer 15 years ago when the building was new for its connection with Korean culture. “It was very expensive,” he says with
a grin, “but it is also very durable and by now has probably paid for itself several times over…” Schreyer looks back on his car-creation career with quiet but unashamed pride, although he is careful to credit the efforts of others in the cars attributed to him and his time in charge. He is reticent about naming favourites. “It’s the most difficult question ever,” he says. “I’m very proud of the Golf Mk4 and I like the New Beetle. The Sportage and Optima, the first cars completely designed by my Kia team, are pretty good. And I like the Audi A2 a lot – I live in Ingolstadt, which is A2
KIA KE E CO N CE P T 2007 Kia’s famous ‘tiger nose’ grille made its first appearance in this coupé concept, one of Schreyer’s first projects. At the time, Kia had a very neutral image, so the idea was to design a “frontal element” so strong you wouldn’t even need a badge to identify the car.
KIA S PO RTAG E 3 2010 Here is the answer to the question Schreyer was most often asked after his arrival at Kia: what will your first car be like? Rather than chasing SUV boxiness and class-best internal dimensions, the design team gave the car a coupé-like style, which customers loved.
KIA PO P CO N CE P T 2010 Exhibited at the Paris show soon after Toyota launched the iQ but never built. The Pop was an electric three-seater (first proposed with four seats) with gullwing doors. Schreyer believes it could still go into production more or less unaltered.
Central. On my journey from home to the autobahn, I’ll usually see five…” There is one car, however, for which Schreyer has a special, lingering regard, although it was never built. The Kia Pop, a tiny, cheeky electric three-/four-seater for the city, is the one and only car depicted on the cover of Roots and Wings – a tome containing pictures of hundreds of others – and its story is the last to be recounted at length as a kind of crowning glory. “We were looking for ways to humanise electric cars,” he says. “Because the Toyota iQ had just come out, tiny cars were in the news. We wanted to do something electric, because at that time they were all so sober-looking. One of our young designers appeared with a toy he’d made from foam, a kind of threedimensional thumbnail sketch. It perfectly captured the character of the car: it was so different, almost like an animal. “We proposed the car with a three-person front bench seat and a kind of jump seat across the back, then changed to three seats because putting three people across the front would have had difficult safety concerns if we’d decided to make it. The fact that we didn’t is one of my regrets: I still think it could go into production today.” L
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M U N DY AWA R D F O R E N G I N E E R I N G
GORDON MURRAY
Having created his own company, the engineering icon is bringing even more ingenious ideas to life. By Steve Cropley ordon Murray, the distinguished winner of Autocar’s Mundy Award for Engineering, was always destined to become an engineer, even though neither he nor his family realised it in his early years. Born in Durban, South Africa, Murray lived until he was 15 in modest circumstances: a family of four in a small, single-bedroom flat. Money was so tight that conventional toys were out of the question, so aged eight or nine, young Gordon’s idea of fun was to mock up spaceships and submarines with creatively arranged blankets and dining-room chairs and then invite neighbourhood friends to enjoy them. He soon became known as “the inventor on the block”. When he won a course of drawing lessons in a school competition, his teacher spotted an obvious technical ability (his sketchbooks were filled with well-informed sketches of cars and aeroplanes), so she suggested he study technical drawing, the true beginning of everything. It soon seemed natural for him to move to Natal Technical College (his
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graduation project was a complete engine design), and by the time he was 20, he had designed his first car, lower and lighter than a Lotus Seven, which he raced for a couple of years. By 23, he had decided that his career would advance better in the UK. By 25, he was chief designer at the Brabham Formula 1 team (owner Bernie Ecclestone summarily fired the rest of the design staff). And by 28, he was technical director, running the whole operation. Murray’s ascent soon became even more dramatic: in an F1 shark pool containing luminaries like Colin Chapman and Frank Williams, his cars won five F1 manufacturers’ titles and 50 grands prix for Brabham and McLaren over two decades, until winning became almost routine. Then came a 1990 plan to launch a McLaren road car company, whose first product was the seminal F1. Two Le Mans 24 Hours wins for the race version followed. Then in 2003, the Mercedes-McLaren SLR arrived. Frustrated by corporate control, Murray left in 2007 to establish his own firm, Gordon Murray Design, a move that led to an expanded
F1 AFTER T H E I C E AG E Gordon Murray makes no pretence about how much he enjoyed F1 in what he calls the “Castrol R and flaming exhausts” era, but he has no doubt the sport will continue in some form when there are no longer piston engines. “I suspect the move to hybridisation may have come too soon,” he says. “F1 could have put on a better show for a little longer with conventional turbo engines. But I’m very biased.” Murray predicts “something of a dead period” as F1 embraces racing with batteries and hydrogen fuel cells for a while but then a new golden era: “They will probably stagger into an electric age, but the hope will come from a new group of young engineers who were brought up with electric cars, who were driven in them as kids and had one as their first car. They will see a way to bring back the romance of racing. We have to put our trust in the next generation.”
Gordon Murray’s creations include the V12-engined T50 supercar, the Brabham BT46 F1 ‘fan car’ and an Ox flat-pack truck for Africa 54 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
❝ We have looked at what others are doing and are pretty sure it’s all wrong
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Gordon Murray Automotive able to bring ideas into reality. A wide range of imaginative concepts and processes has resulted, many for secret clients. The latest headline-grabbers under Murray’s own name are a pair of lightweight, brilliantly packaged V12 supercars in the F1 mould: the T50 ‘fan car’ and the slightly cheaper and slightly simpler yet no less desirable T33. For all of his achievements, Murray has always taken a very practical view of the purpose and status of engineering. “It’s a means to an end,” he says shortly. “I didn’t get into this job to be an engineer. I did it because I needed a car that would help me become a racing driver. If I hadn’t done it myself, I would have had to pay someone else. Don’t get me wrong, I Iove the whole process,
MUNDY AWARD AUTOCAR AWARDS M U R R AY O N M U N DY Gordon Murray has known about the achievements of Harry Mundy since his early years: “It’s a name I’ve been aware of right through my career, a bit like, say, Keith Duckworth, because he was an engine guy, and that’s where I started in the first place. My finalyear project in Natal was to design an engine, all the theoretical stuff and every nut, bolt and washer. I loved engines and so did Harry.” Mundy was for eight years from 1955 the most distinguished technical editor that Autocar has ever had. In the year Murray was born, 1946, he was working in the BRM design office on the extraordinary 600bhp 1.5-litre V16 engine whose amazing design, high power and serial unreliability is well known. His contribution isn’t well documented, but he’s believed to have worked on the gearbox and to have tried to persuade his superiors to embrace a V8 design on the grounds of reduced complexity. “It looks like Harry might have had a point,” says Murray, citing his own preferences. “People see me as an innovator, and I’m proud of that, but deep down I’m a pretty practical guy. I like simplicity.”
but the idea comes first and the engineering gets me there.” He sees a similarly clear distinction between innovation and engineering: “Occasionally, innovation occurs during an engineering process, but that’s rare. You innovate at the idea stage; engineering is the tool you use for making it real.” How does engineering align with art? Murray began his earliest career in art (and still draws and paints for fun) but believes the link isn’t strong; most engineers would have trouble drawing a stick man, he reckons. Yet any student of his work will soon notice the care that he takes with the look of things: products, parts, logos, badges, signage, corporate identity. “I think I’m a bit unusual in that the aesthetics of what we do matter so much,” he says. “The mechanical components of the T50 – even the
stuff people never see – are made to look good. They’re engineered first, but we also make them attractive.” Now into his seventies, Murray is very conscious of the fact that newer engineers face unprecedented challenges in building the electrified, connected, autonomous, hack-proof and yet great-driving and desirable cars of the next 30 years. But he’s fundamentally optimistic, noting that “engineers work best under the most pressure”. He cites as an example the way his predecessors perfected radar just in time to help protect Britain in World War II. One of his concerns, however, is that modern car creation leads people to follow one discipline for long periods. “Younger designers can find themselves working on front suspensions for five years at a stretch,” he says. “It’s understandable,
because the job is so complex, but it does make you wonder how we will identify tomorrow’s leaders. To be the best, they need wide experience. Some of the best cars were ‘oneperson’ creations: the Alec Issigonis cars or Dante Giacosa’s Fiats.” One solution for ambitious young engineers is to spend time at small, agile and immersive companies where training is a priority. Murray practises what he preaches: GMA runs apprentice and postgraduate programmes, and the morning after our interview, he was scheduled to lead a regular three-monthly business update for all employees. We pause over one last burning question: can Murray really view the forthcoming EV era with the same enthusiasm as the ICE age in which he has been such a trendsetter? “I’ve lived through a fantastic era,”
he answers. “An age when some of the most beautiful, emotional and noisy cars were built. And with our V12 cars, I’m still doing my best to keep the last flag flying. But the future offers even bigger, better challenges. “At GMA, we have our own EV programme, because we have looked at what others are doing and are pretty sure it’s all wrong. It can’t be correct to have family cars routinely weighing 2.5 tonnes, yet everyone’s piling into the thing the way OEMs do. We think there’s a better way.” Murray isn’t ready to reveal much except that his first EV will be one most can afford. “We’re still signing deals with partners,” he says, “and we have plenty to do. But all engineering will be our own. The project entails a bit of crystal-balling, but if we hit our targets, we really believe it will change how people think about EVs.” L
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DESIGN HERO
SANGYUP LEE
After star-studded stints at General Motors and the Volkswagen Group, he has made Hyundai the envy of the mainstream. Rachel Burgess hears how t’s no wonder that SangYup Lee, design boss at Hyundai and winner of this year’s Autocar Design Hero award, can’t decide which is his favourite car that he designed. “It’s always a difficult question when you’ve been involved with the Continental GT, Camaro, Corvette and Flying Spur,” smiles Lee. “I would say it’s whichever car I’m working on: when you’re proud of a car you’ve designed, it’s difficult to keep challenging the status quo. How do you move on [to the next car]? Sometimes you have to forget what you’ve done before and challenge yourself at a new level.” Lee has worked on 15 brands in eight countries over 25 years. Now as chief designer for Hyundai and Genesis, he’s overseeing the creation of 50 production cars at any one time across 11 design centres globally, with a team of 700 people. He describes digital processes as among Hyundai’s strengths: “We
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review [designs] on virtual reality and augmented reality. This is why we were able to deliver so many cars during the pandemic. We have a huge VR room, the size of two basketball courts, and walk around it looking at a car. The guys in the US join us from their kitchens and we all do the review together. It’s a new process of car design.” Lee joined Hyundai in 2016 from Bentley, having previously worked at the broader Volkswagen Group and General Motors. Since then, Hyundai design has become increasingly admired, most markedly for the Ioniq 5 but also for the Prophecy and Seven concepts, previewing the upcoming Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 7.
❝ Inspiration comes from looking at
car parks to looking at architecture
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Striking designs: Prophecy and Ioniq 5
Lee was inspired by “soft, functional” shape of New Routemaster bus 56 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
Asked where he finds inspiration, Lee says: “Everywhere. Sometimes I go to a huge car park, like at a Costco in the US. I park my car, put a chair in the corner and look at all the cars, and I ask myself: how I do make my car special? I look at how customers interact with the car: how they open the door, how they put stuff in the boot. I think: should I make the line a bit lower for putting things in the boot, and should I design the seats differently to make it easier to put kids in the rear? “Inspiration comes from looking at car parks to looking at architecture. I spoke to [British architect] Thomas Heatherwick recently; I love his London double-decker bus. The
shape is very soft, very functional and really unique. “Sometimes we forget that we’re delivering creative value to customers. If there are no customers, the car in the street doesn’t exist. Car companies can be egoistic about their brand, but the answers come from customers and what they want.” On his favourite non-Hyundai cars, Lee says: “I love the Porsche 911 series, but the air-cooled 911 is my all-time favourite. When it comes to beauty, the Italian cars are the basis for many car designers. The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is ultimate beauty. Then the Ferrari Daytona, Lamborghinis… There are so many.” Future car design will be dictated by digitisation, according to Lee. “The car is now becoming a digital device, so it will become more of a living space,” he explains. “It’s a great opportunity for a designer. Obviously, the flat floor [of an EV] gives us more space inside. Cars will be boxes, because that’s the best way to utilise that space. The interior becomes the most important part of the car, but the box still has to be beautiful.” L
DESIGN HERO, MOTORSPORT HERO AUTOCAR AWARDS
MOTORSPORT HERO
ASH SUTTON
Already a triple BTCC champ at 28, he’s a legend in the making, says Damien Smith hree British Touring when racing is his only concern… Car Championship Having made his BTCC debut titles in just six in 2016, Sutton claimed his first title seasons. At 28, Ash just a year later in a BMR-run Subaru Sutton is something Levorg, then added back-to-back of a modern-day racing phenomenon, crowns in a Laser Tools Racing which makes him a worthy recipient Infiniti Q50 in 2020 and 2021. of Autocar’s Motorsport Hero award Now he has switched to a Ford this year. Especially as, among the Focus ST run by Motorbase and is many remarkable things about him, bidding to equal the record of four he’s not even a full-time racing driver. crowns held by legend Andy Rouse “I have a simulator business that and main rival Colin Turkington. I run Monday to Friday,” Sutton If he can pull off the feat, he will explains of the company that he also prove his versatility, having started just as the world was locking switched from rear-wheel drive to down in the face of the pandemic and demand for virtual racing systems was about to explode. “It’s manic at the minute. Business is going from strength to strength year by year. Eventually it will be at a point where I can take a step away and let the reins out a little. That’s the aim, and then I can focus on racing a bit more. I’m working seven days a week, 9am through to 8pm.” Sutton shocked BTCC in an Infiniti Q50… Imagine what he may achieve
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front-wheel drive for the first time since that first season back in 2016. “I’m young in terms of my career in the BTCC,” he says. “No driver has won it in a front- and rear-wheeldrive car, so it would be nice to tick that one off. To come away with the most championships to my name at the end of my career is the ultimate goal. We’re a long way down that path already. Six years in and three titles isn’t a bad percentage. As long as we can maintain that, we’re on.” Like most racers of his generation, Sutton started in karts, aiming for a life in single-seaters, only for
budget constraints to change his path. But the BTCC is a destination in itself, and he has no burning desire to race anywhere else. “It suits me and that goes back to my karting days,” he says. “Having three races a day is like having three heats and a final in karts. You don’t have to be the quickest driver on the grid, but you can race your way to the front. It’s just about that consistency. I feel like it has clicked with me.” In truth, he appears in no rush to drop the day job, either. “It keeps me grounded,” he says. “It’s quite funny: my partner said to me recently ‘I forgot you’re a racing driver’, because I’m so busy with work. ‘Now you’ve got to go and do your other job,’ she said. The business allows me to go back and live a normal life.” That’s a refreshing outlook. But there’s nothing ‘normal’ about Sutton when he hits the track. In fact, he’s on course to become the BTCC’s finest – …scoring 10 wins for back-to-back titles from any era. L
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O U T S TA N D I N G U K L E A D E R S
DAN GEOGHEGAN C E O , B I C E S T E R H E R I TAG E
GUY PIGOUNAKIS COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, MG
NEW CAR SALES were almost flat in the UK last year, due to the well-publicised chip shortage, but there was one mainstream maker in particular that bucked the trend: MG. Its sales rose a phenomenal 66% over 2020, from 18,415 to 30,600. For commercial director Guy Pigounakis, the man overseeing this success, it’s déjà vu: he was part of the team that launched the MGF in 1995, before spending time at Hyundai and retailers. Now MG is a different, Chinese-owned world in which Pigounakis has a growing list of happy retailers, an impressive electric sales mix (a third) and plans to diversify into car-sharing. It would be easy to dismiss MG’s success as an anomaly, due to it not suffering from constricted supply, but Pigounakis says that’s false. “A lot of people jumped to the conclusion that we did really well because we could get cars and nobody else could, but that’s absolutely not the case,” he says. “We probably lost 4000 to 5000
registrations last year for lack of supply. “Our best-selling car is the petrol ZS, and we didn’t have any to sell for nine weeks, which had a massive impact, as you might imagine.” If last year was good, this year is set to be even better for MG, says Pigounakis: “This year’s sales plan was exceeded in orders six weeks into the year. The biggest challenge is to make sure we get the production to satisfy those orders. And we’re taking between 200 and 300 orders every day, so the bank is only getting bigger. But it’s a fantastic problem to have.” Describing MG’s upcoming electric family hatchback, the 4, Pigounakis sums up the very philosophy that’s leading the brand’s meteoric rise: “It stays true to our values of getting more from an MG. The car has to represent cutting-edge technology. It needs to be exciting and it needs to represent fantastic value for money.” RACHEL BURGESS
MG has successfully changed brand imag e
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DAN GEOGHEGAN, FOUNDER and CEO of Bicester Motion, has since 2014 led the creation from scratch of a thriving classic car business that today generates £100 million a year and promises to do even better as it progresses a unique plan to link mobility’s past with its fast-changing future. Geoghegan says the idea struck him during a period of reflection after a serious accident in 2013: he set out to establish some kind of bigscale meeting venue in Oxfordshire for car and aviation enthusiasts with a similar passion to his own. Using a characteristically thoughtful approach and proven skills at start-up companies, he found and acquired the former RAF base at Bicester, a 600-acre site with a remarkable retinue of pristine 1920s buildings, whereupon his idea became a reality as Bicester Heritage. Soon he had several dozen likeminded tenants with similar goals, providing action and attraction in a place that grew rapidly as a busy, favourite destination for car lovers of all persuasions.
History is central to Geoghegan’s mission
The real potential of the idea was unleashed when Geoghegan and his team launched plans to use the attractions to draw in other businesses and to divide the huge site into four separate quarters: Heritage; Wilderness for day visitors and campers; Experience for drivers and the car companies who need their custom; and Innovation for start-up technology businesses seeking new premises in a savvy, tech-aware environment. Development is far from complete, but a vital brick in the wall was recently added when localauthority approval came through for the Experience centre, always likely to be the most controversial because of its driving circuits, active airfield and 4x4 track. Back in the 1920s, RAF Bicester was a national showpiece, a hub for developing and testing the biggest developments in aviation. Geoghegan reckons it was “almost the Google headquarters of its day”. He firmly believes it can be an ideal environment for inspiring technical progress today, as it did in its first golden age a century ago. STEVE CROPLEY
UK LEADERS, INNOVATION AUTOCAR AWARDS I N N OVAT I O N AWA R D
CAFFEINE & MACHINE
Derelict pub has rapidly been turned into a car-culture hub. Steve Cropley stops by
affeine & Machine, winner of this year’s Autocar Award for Innovation, is based on an idea that its founders admit is very simple. “The thing people say,” says Dan Macken, who with Phil McGovern opened C&M in an abandoned roadside pub in Warwickshire late in 2018, “is that they can’t believe someone didn’t do this years ago.” However, if you’re inclined to label C&M as merely a roadside coffee stop, you’re very wrong. It started that way, but it has expanded continually over three and a bit years to become a genuine cultural centre for car and bike lovers that can take 500 people and 200-plus cars at a
C
Food, drink, art, clothing, cars and chat
time. It’s open 14 hours a day and needs 90-odd staff, because they work three shifts on the busiest days. Set in 12 acres of little-landscaped woodland, C&M is now a welcoming coffee house, bar and restaurant, bed and breakfast, clothes and memorabilia emporium, art gallery and ever-changing motor show. Attendance has to be ticketed at peak times, but the founders are determined to build a reputation for welcoming everyone. Macken and McGovern met in Dubai in 2015 while launching a start-up for a large UK conglomerate. McGovern had previously worked in cars and run his own media companies, discovering along the way that if you wanted to attract people to an event, one way was
C&M regulars include Ayrton Senna
to invite their cars. Get it right and everyone wanted to come: truckers, bikers, Ferrari owners, drifting enthusiasts and even a group of female supercar owners called the Arabian Gazelles. One Dubai event, labelled Caffeine & Machine, attracted 1500 people. McGovern and Macken: partners since 2015 McGovern says he had had the desire to open a car-based cafe for years. When he found a like-minded friend and potential C&M developed business partner in Macken, at breakneck speed. The licence the idea took off. was granted, the restaurant grew, “We did a lot of talking about that accommodation opened and the special Dubai event, seeing it as the gallery and clothing aspects thrived. basis of a business,” says McGovern. Some clients continue to view the “We became convinced it could work.” idea as a no-brainer, but rivals are The Dubai start-up dwindled and conspicuous by their absence. the two both had reasons to return “It might be logical, but it’s a sod to the UK. They decided their next to get right,” says Macken. “We have step would be to try the cafe idea. difficult and stressful days – but then While they were searching for we tell one another that if it were easy, premises, a chance conversation with everyone would be doing it.” a publican relative alerted McGovern Their philosophy is to welcome to the potential of disused pubs. An everyone. Back in Dubai, they learned internet search turned up dozens, to resist requests for exclusivity including the place at Ettington, by special-interest groups, says then muddy and undeveloped. McGovern: “We saw how great it was By February 2018, they had taken if a sheikh in a Ferrari Enzo parked possession, and after a 10-month next to an engineer in a Toyota GT86. restoration of every wall, floor and They would get talking and enjoying ceiling, it opened that November. it. For us, that was the essence.” L
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F I V E - S TA R C A R
BMW M5 CS SALES HAMPERED BY a shortage of chips notwithstanding, it hasn’t been a bad 12 months for new cars. And yet the list of those that have narrowly missed an emphatic fivestar road test rating from Autocar – among them the searing Porsche 911 GT3, blistering Ferrari SF90 Stradale, technologically bold Toyota Mirai and breakthrough Hyundai i20 N – makes the achievement of the one new car that did hit the jackpot seem all the more remarkable. The BMW M5 CS is the supersaloon to rule them all. More importantly, it’s the archetypal and defining example of the breed returning to the height of its powers. When the first M5 arrived in 1984, the template was set for the modern high-performance executive car: not a motorsport homologation exercise or a flamboyant garage queen but a fast, desirable, practical fourdoor that you could use daily, as if it were any other 5 Series, but get more out of in almost
every relevant way in the process. There have been many great M5s since that very first, over six model generations, but none since the mad V10-engined days has made a really convincing play for legendary status. None until the M5 CS. The way that it overlays so much muscular aggression on the entirely normal bones of the 5 Series might be a high-water mark for super-saloon design. It’s the perfect execution of the ordinary made extraordinary; the polar opposite of so many doomed attempts to put four-door usability on a coupé silhouette. It being “the ultimate M5”, the positioning of the M5 CS gave
M5 CS excels on both road and track…
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BMW permission to skew the time-honoured template towards the expensive and outlandish. So it comes with a 626bhp turbo V8 that revs beyond 7000rpm, various carbonfibre-polymer lightweight body panels (the underside of the bonnet is gorgeous), lightweight forged wheels and carbon-ceramic brakes all as standard. And at the time we tested it last summer, it also cost nearly £40,000 more than the ‘normal’ M5 Competition. So when we performance-tested it at MIRA Proving Ground one day in July, the pressure was certainly on. M5s generally don’t do so well on circuits. Over the years, they’ve been a bit under-braked and lacking in
…while still feeling like a genuine exec
outright grip, stamina and body control, but we’ve often forgiven them for much of it as road cars first and foremost that excelled in their intended environment. The M5 CS excels on the road too, with greater tactility in its controls, sophistication in its damping and accessible thrill in its handling than any F90- or F10generation M5. But on the circuit, it went harder, faster and better than any four-door we had ever tested previously, hitting 60mph from rest in 3.0sec flat, then 100mph in less than 7.0sec and becoming our first saloon with a sub-70sec benchmark lap time on the dry handling circuit. It set that lap time, by the way, on its standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, not the optional Pirelli P Zero Corsas, which are likely themselves to be worth at least another second around a lap. Sounds like a good enough reason to go back and pit one against the road test timing gear all over again, doesn’t it? Now, where’s that phone? MS
FIVE-STAR CAR, DRIVER’S CAR AUTOCAR AWARDS
❝ It can be placed
millimetre-perfect at any speed and at practically any skill level
❞
B R I TA I N ’ S B E S T D R I V E R ’ S C A R
PORSCHE 911 GT3 PORSCHE WINS PERFORMANCE car test shock! No one was surprised when the 911 GT3 came out on top in our annual Britain’s Best Driver’s Car contest, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of decent opposition. It saw off the Ariel Atom, which had won two years on the trot and was in with a very serious shout to make it a hattrick. A near-1000bhp Ferrari and our favourite Lamborghini for a long time were forces to be reckoned with, too. Weissach has been on a roll lately. The closer the death of piston engines comes, the more determined Porsche GT boss Andreas Preuninger and his team seem to be to go out with a bang. The division’s naturally aspirated flat six has clearly established itself as one of the all-time great engines, a feat that’s all the more remarkable given the stringent emissions rules that any modern engine has to meet. An engine that revs to 9000rpm is something quite extraordinary when almost every other one is turbocharged. An engine that takes on an otherworldly wail in the last 1000rpm is one to cherish. While that maniacal 503bhp six is the first thing that’s seared into your brain after even a short drive, there’s much more to the new 911 GT3. Britain’s Best Driver’s Car is informally referred to as ‘Handling
Day’, and the 911 GT3 fits that bill just as brilliantly. In plain white and with a swan-neck wing, it looks like a Le Mans refugee, so it was predictably sublime at Anglesey Circuit. The new double-wishbone front suspension gives the front end the kind of bite and alacrity that’s hard to believe from a car with most of its weight in the back. The 911 GT3 can be placed millimetre-perfect at any speed and at practically any skill level. Somehow, though, it’s
no less impressive if you want to play the hooligan. At Britain’s Best Driver’s Car, there’s equal weighting for performance on the track and out in public, and the qualities that made the 911 GT3 formidable around Anglesey proved almost as beguiling on the roads of North Wales. True, it feels more track-focused than before, but it’s still beautifully adjustable and super-dependable, even when you’re not giving it ten-tenths.
A Porsche, especially one fettled by the GT department, is an obvious winner for a best driver’s car competition. Some might even argue that it’s a boring choice, but even a 15-minute drive in the 911 GT3 would be enough to convince anyone it’s one of the most exciting cars of the modern era, if not ever – and that’s exactly what you want from the year’s best driver’s car. IV
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B R I TA I N ’ S B E S T A F F O R DA B L E D R I V E R ’ S C A R
HYUNDAI i20 N OUR CONTEST TO determine the finest affordable driver’s car (that is, one newly on sale and costing less than – gulp – £40,000) was a slimmed-down but varied affair. A Volkswagen Golf R with more power than ever and the ability to overload its rear axle with torque was probably the pre-match favourite, but who would write off Ford’s vivacious and entertaining Puma ST? The nimble-footed agility of the Fiesta ST with some extra, back road-friendly suspension travel thrown in could have been ideal for our Aberdeenshire test route. BMW’s 128ti, billed as a front-driving hot hatch for purists, was expected to give competition for any would-be winner, too. The same applied to Cupra’s Leon 300 – something of a Golf R understudy on paper, so could it pull off an upset?
Alas, no. Our affordable driver’s car honours eventually went to a blue, bewinged car from a brand to which the very concept of a ‘hot hatch’ was alien not even 10 years ago. And it secured the accolade by some margin. With five judges awarding each car a score out of 25, the Hyundai i20 N bagged 102 points, well ahead of the secondplaced Golf R, whose 87 points was just enough to see off the Ford. The
d Hot i20 has helped consolidate the N bran
Cupra finished fourth and the BMW a disappointing fifth and last. But back to the Hyundai, whose sense of intent and evident dynamic polish won over our judges in short order. This 201bhp supermini is a triumph for its maker. “It can take a snaking mountain pass apart more vividly than cars costing five figures more,” read the verdict of this test. It is, at heart, a car with consistency to its character. The no-nonsense body control that’s brought about by
fine damping is simpatico with the speed and heft of the steering and even the weights of the other driving controls. It’s a cohesive, tenacious and serious proposition for keen drivers, this car, and one that moves the N sub-brand on significantly, even from the impressive level of the larger i30 N. What’s more, the broad level of configurability in the driveline works in this instance, allowing the experience to be meaningfully tailored to the road and your mood. All in, it’s a likeably raw yet usable device. Victory also secured the i20 N an invite to the senior Britain’s Best Driver’s Car contest, against the Porsche 911 GT3, Ferrari SF90, Lamborghini Huracán and BMW M3, among several others. The result? Fifth place. A proper performance car, the Hyundai. RL
Here, configurability adds to the appeal
❝ It’s a cohesive,
tenacious proposition for keen drivers
❞
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AFFORDABLE DRIVER’S CAR, FUTURE CLASSICS AUTOCAR AWARDS
FUTURE CLASSICS
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO, ALPINE A110, BMW i3, LAND ROVER DEFENDER AND TOYOTA GR YARIS IN FEBRUARY, WE announced the five winners of the Autocar-Beaulieu Future Classics competition: the five new cars on sale at the beginning of 2022 – the 50th anniversary year of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu – judged most likely to achieve treasured classic status over the next 50 years. In case you missed that or indeed one or two copies of this magazine over the past decade, they were the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, Alpine A110, BMW i3, Land Rover Defender and Toyota GR Yaris.
All are cars we like enormously and moreover really rate: but the point here was proving that our readers do too. So we put 100 suggestions on a longlist and asked autocar.co.uk users to vote to produce a top 10, from which five winners were selected by judges from the National Motor Museum and our editorial team. Among the nearly cars were some real powerhouses: the Porsche 911 and Mazda MX-5, as well as the Volkswagen Up GTI, Ford Fiesta ST and Morgan
3 Wheeler. In another year, any one of them could have made the cut. So was it the svelte looks of the
Beaulieu will display all five cars this year
Giulia Quadrifoglio that won it the judges’ nod? The clever, modernised design of the Defender, perhaps? The clean-sheet brilliance of the electric i3? Or the enthusiastic fervour among keen drivers for the A110 and GR Yaris? You can decide for yourself. All five cars will be part of a special display at Beaulieu this summer, there to be drooled over along with so many of the museum’s classic and vintage car attractions. If you’re going, don’t miss ’em. MS
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B E S T C O M PA N Y C A R
TESLA MODEL 3 LONG RANGE FULLY FOUR YEARS have passed since we dispatched Matt Prior to California to report on the then trailblazing new Tesla Model 3. Yet despite the flood of alternative electric saloons that have arrived in its bug-eyed wake, the American EV remains as compelling as ever, and particularly for company car drivers. A benefit-in-kind tax rate of just 2% lays the foundations for its appeal in this regard, but this isn’t unique to the Model 3: all EVs attract this low rate (the Polestar 2 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are just two that you might also consider). What makes the Model 3 stand out is its ability to keep going and going during daily use. In Long Range guise, its WLTP range is 360 miles on a single charge, although the real appeal for any executive living
on Britain’s motorways is Tesla’s Supercharger network, which still leads the way in terms of the cost and dependability of replenishing an EV’s battery and is the jewel in the crown of Tesla ownership. Tesla has installed more than 650 Supercharger sites in the UK (averaging around 10 connectors), and the network continues to grow. Perhaps the only concern for existing and would-be Model 3
Performance and comfort go hand in hand
❝ What makes it stand out
is its ability to keep going and going during daily use
❞
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owners is that, such is the popularity of the Model 3, demand at the sites is now often resulting in queues. However, Tesla’s roll-out of faster V3 units should ameliorate, if not cure, this problem and ensure the network remains the envy of other EV drivers. Residual values also remain very sturdy indeed, which helps mitigate the Model 3’s slightly punchier pricing compared with rivals. Of course, none of this would matter were the Model 3 not
Minimalist cabin appeals to digital natives
an intrinsically good car to drive and to simply be inside. The ride quality is firmer than you might like in an executive saloon, but rarely if ever does progress become uncomfortable and the firm damping provides an appealing sense of surety and composure that’s essential given the car’s performance potential. The steering is inert but accurate and nicely geared, and in general the car flows along in carefree fashion, with an airy ambience boosted by the simplicity of the interior design and the enormous glasshouse. Wind noise can be an issue, but the Model 3 generally offers an almost restorative sense of calm on the move – perfect for those long days at the wheel. If Tesla can up its perceived quality, the Model 3 will be very hard to beat for years to come. RL
COMPANY CAR, FUN CAR AUTOCAR AWARDS
BEST FUN CAR
TOYOTA GR86 YOU MIGHT IMAGINE it would be tough for a panel of judges to agree to give an award to a new car that only one of them has actually driven. But when that car is the successor to the brilliantly entertaining Toyota GT86, when that one judge is entirely convinced of its claim and when there’s so little dissent in the virtual meeting room and so much nodding and anticipatory grinning going on, you know what? It’s not that hard. The Toyota GR86 is our Best Fun Car of 2022 on the strength of some road driving and plenty of fast lapping at the Parcmotor Castellolí circuit in Spain (which is blessed with plenty of enticing, sweeping, third-gear bends, as it happens). We will drive finished production cars on the European press launch later this month and get right-hand drivers in the UK later in the summer. But we already know that they will be brilliant: just a little faster, grippier and more purposeful than the hilariously indulgent GT86 but still an invitation to powerslide that not even a Trappist monk could decline. It will be available in the UK from £29,995, which is almost £5000 less than the very cheapest Audi TT and about the same as you might pay for a Ford Puma ST. That’s not a bad driver’s car, considering that it operates in the crossover class, but if you want undiluted driving
entertainment, it shouldn’t even be part of the same discussion. The GR86 uses a bigger-bore flat-four boxer engine than the GT86, with displacement having risen from just 2.0 to 2.4 litres. It revs to higher crank speeds and produces 232bhp at 7000rpm. But the 20% gain it makes on torque, made to feel larger still by accessibility at lower revs, is the more transformative factor as regards how much quicker the GR86 feels, on both road and track, than the GT86 did. Plenty feels nicely familiar about the new sports car, though: the really
low-slung driving position and the low bonnet up ahead, which speaks so clearly of low-carried major masses and the dynamic gains they bring. The controls are mediumheavy and feel honestly mechanical. The gearshift needs a good stiff prod home into each ratio and the atmo engine still needs work and revs to give up its best. But it sounds wonderfully angry and raw when it does that, and it always responds so crisply and revs so freely – so much so that you never want to be anywhere but beyond 4000rpm.
The tragedy is that the GR86 won’t be around for long. While its predecessor had a good long eightyear run, it will bow out after just two or three as European laws tighten their grip on safety and emissions. So if you want a really enticing and usable sports car at a great price, now really is the time. There will probably always be a way to cater for wealthy enthusiasts, after all, but the rest of us have to gather our rosebuds while we may. MS
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BEST SUV
LAND ROVER DEFENDER THERE’S A DISTINCTION here that Land Rover makes but most people don’t. Rather than use the term sport utility vehicle (or SUV), some senior Land Rover people refer to the new Defender as a 4x4, pure and simple. In a world chock-full of SUVs, crossovers, Xs, Scouts, XCs and whatever else tall hatchbacks are being called, that’s rather refreshing. You know exactly what Land Rover means without it having to expand further. In 1986, a television advert ran for the Land Rover, before it was even called the Defender, showing it leaving a road and fording a river, the driver attaching a winch to the front and the car hauling itself up the wall of a dam. Patrick Stewart egged the voiceover. “It’s worth remembering that nothing… but nothing… gets in the way of a Land Rover,” he boomed as the Dam Busters theme cranked out in the background. The on-screen caption read: “Land Rover. The best 4 x 4 x far.” That the company still likes to call the Defender a 4x4 today probably means something, and it’s probably not just symbolic. The Defender has been designed to pick up, to a certain
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extent, from where the old one left off when it ceased production in 2016, with hints of what made the Land Rover Discovery 3 and Discovery 4 so compelling too. Sport be damned: the Defender should and does provide an imperiously relaxed driving experience on the road while concentrating its capabilities hard on making
Defender seamlessly matches old 4x4 looks and talents with new luxury car qualities
sure that it can go further off road than the competition. Whether it truly does that depends on what the competition and what the underfoot terrain are like. This is a large, heavy car. Key to its appeal, though, is that it attempts to make going off road as painless as possible. Some 4x4s love to involve you in the process: pulling levers, leaning out of doors, locking differentials and immersing you in the experience. All nice that is, too, if you’re in the mood. But the Defender doesn’t ask you to. With its raft of modes and external cameras, if you want to make the most of its adventuring abilities – whether you’re fording streams, pulling a horsebox along muddied tracks or checking the fences of wintry fields – you point it to where you want it to go and largely let it sort things out. It’s a less tiring way to spend a tough day. And at the end of it, the Defender is supremely comfortable and isolated yet still accurate and enjoyable on any road you take home. So yes, the headline here reads ‘Best SUV’. But there’s a bit more to the Defender than just that. MP
SUV, DREAM CAR AUTOCAR AWARDS BEST DREAM CAR
CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY CAN A CAR that’s built in quantities of 50,000 per year really be a dream car? It can be when it’s one of these. There’s a good reason why the Chevrolet Corvette is built in such large numbers, selling more units per year than Porsche will make 911s and Jaguar will make F-Types combined, with a few other sports cars probably in that total too. It offers a proper sports car driving experience at very old-fashioned money. And this time around, in eighthgeneration form, the Corvette has evolved to give customer appeal right around the globe, rather than just in its US home market, where its muscle car roots have always appealed. Its engine is now in the middle, there’s a dual-clutch automatic gearbox, the dampers are adaptive and, to cap it all, there’s availability in right-hand-drive form for those markets that do as we do. All of that would sound quite
nice at the relatively accessible (for a dream car, remember) sub-£80,000 figure that Chevrolet would like for the car even if the only show in town were the drama of the 475bhp naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8. But this time around, there’s more. Much more. You sit much further forwards in the chassis than ever before (perhaps obviously) and the engine is closer to the car’s mid-point, and as sports car makers have known for decades, that gives pure exotic car driving experience: really sharp
It’s more fighter cockpit than cabin here
turn-in, agile responses and, if they get it right, a taut and neutral chassis balance. Chevrolet really got this one right. This Corvette turns like none before it, and when it adopts its cornering stance, it remains one that’s seriously adjustable and very exploitable while it does so. Better still, it does this with one of the most charismatic engines still in production. No other car in its sphere (unless you count front-engined muscle cars, and we kinda
V8’s move to middle was transformative
don’t any more, not for this car) retains an atmospheric V8. It has a lovely response, with a broad spread of torque and, if breathy at the very top end, it’s willing to muscle way beyond 6000rpm with vigour and make all the right noises while doing so. The roof comes off too, to help you hear it. The interiors of Americandesigned and produced sports cars aren’t always up to scratch in European eyes, but here, with a convincing level of technology and solid levels of fit and finish, the Corvette even gets that right. In short, the Corvette will do what most dream cars can do just as well as most of them can, and yet while they will frequently want six-figure sums to gain entry to the club, its price starts at something rather more palatable. And the best dreams are the most attainable ones, after all, right? MP
❝ It will do what most dream cars can do, yet its price is rather more palatable
❞
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BEST ELECTRIC CAR
KIA EV6 IT’S ONE THING to move the game on with a car that costs well over £100,000, quite another to do it with a car that’s supposed to be vaguely accessible. Starting at £40,000, the Kia EV6 isn’t a cheap car, but it’s not a money-no-object supercar either. While it would be an exaggeration to say that the EV6 brings supercar elements to a family car, it does go further than most rivals to make everyday motoring feel special. The styling isn’t for everyone, but the short bonnet, low scuttle, unusual profile and wild details make it stand out and draws comment everywhere. The distinctive, innovative feel continues in the cabin, which uses the extra space and flat floor afforded by an EV platform to great effect. It manages to feel at once airy and cocooned, with more storage space than you could shake a Billy bookcase at and limousine-like rear leg room. Unlike a lot of recent EVs, it also has a healthy mix of responsive touchscreens and physical buttons. Its technical make-up equally impressed our judges. It’s the first in an extensive range of cars and SUVs on Hyundai-Kia’s E-GMP platform. Although the battery is suitably large, at 77.4kWh, it isn’t the biggest in its class, yet the EV6 has a class-leading range, thanks to strong efficiency.
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When the 328 miles do run out, it can be charged faster than almost anything else. Thanks to the 800V electrical architecture, the battery can be replenished at a rate of up to 230kW by the right charger. The only other cars that can match that are certain Teslas, the mechanically similar Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the much pricier Porsche Taycan and Audi E-tron GT siblings. The EV6 wins out over its Hyundai cousin (which we wouldn’t hesitate to
recommend either) thanks to its more engaging driving dynamics. EVs tend to suffer from excessive weight and often compensate with ultrastiff suspension and overly cautious traction control systems. The EV6 is still no magic carpet, but it strikes a great compromise between comfort and engaging handling that makes the most of its rear-driven platform. Aside from being an excellent electric car in its own right, the EV6 also represents Kia’s coming
of age. Over the past 30 years, the Korean brand has gradually worked its way up from cheap imitator through creditable value option to the technology and market leader that it is today. With the EV6, it has eclipsed its natural rivals from Stellantis and the Volkswagen Group. The fact that a 577bhp GT version of the EV6 is coming next year suggests its end goal is loftier still. IV
An electric crossover it may be but the EV6 looks like nothing else, while its interior is a lesson in blending tech with practicality
ELECTRIC CAR, ALL-ROUNDER AUTOCAR AWARDS BEST ALL- ROUNDER
CUPRA FORMENTOR WHAT BETTER CAR to give our Best All-Rounder award to than one that’s in about four segments at once and somehow manages to be a compelling option in all of them? At first glance, the Cupra Formentor is a crossover in the mould of the Toyota C-HR and Volkswagen T-Roc. With that come butch looks, relatively generous interior space and a slightly raised ride height to aid loading children or luggage. However, it equally appeals to SUV sceptics. Look closely and it’s more of a tall estate than a tall hatchback. Step inside and you can drop the seat all the way to the floor for maximum touring car vibes or jack it up if you prefer a lofty driving position. So the Spaniard ticks the hatchback, estate and SUV boxes and, thanks to its long bonnet and sloping roofline, perhaps even the coupé one too.
It also has the unenviable task of defining what Cupra as a stand-alone brand stands for. It’s the first Cupra that isn’t a performance version of a Seat, so there’s a pair of plug-in hybrids that appeal to the company car market as well as a range of cooking petrol-only versions. Our favourite model is the current range-topper, which takes its 306bhp petrol engine and four-wheel drive system from the previous-generation Volkswagen Golf R. Like that car, it’s as competent on the school run as it is on a moorland road.
Old Subaru Forester or Volkswagen Golf
R?
There are hot hatchbacks and even hot crossovers that entertain more intensely, but the Formentor 2.0 TSI provides secure, all-weather competence that’s straight out of the hot-hatch handbook. If that’s still not enough, the forthcoming Formentor VZ5 will inherit Audi’s magnificent turbocharged five-cylinder engine for those who thought 306bhp isn’t quite enough firepower. That should also fix one of our few gripes with the 2.0 TSI version, which is the lack of a rich engine note. What all Formentors share is
that they impress with a hint more dynamism than you will find in most crossovers. Even more important for Cupra’s aspirations as a premium brand is that the interior, despite its minimalist style, has a material richness you wouldn’t find in a car from any of the other Volkswagen Group brands, short of Audi. But rather than mimic that brand’s slightly cold, technical, Germanic style, Cupra adds a warmer ambience via softer shapes, copper-coloured trim and fewer shiny black plastics. In short, the Formentor ticks more boxes than any other car on sale – SUV, coupé, estate, hot hatch, BIK-tax-busting PHEV and compact premium car – and does so for considerably less money than the opposition from Audi, BMW, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz. It’s a consummate all-rounder. IV
Formentor has shades of both, and more
❝ It provides secure,
all-weather competence that’s straight out of the hot-hatch handbook
❞
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 69
BEST SMALL CAR
FIAT 500 WE COULD HAVE given the small car award to the Fiat 500 simply by virtue of it being small. It may sound like a low bar, but so many makers of supposedly small cars forget about that. As subsequent generations of cars get bigger and wider, and hatchbacks get replaced with equivalent but slightly larger SUVs, it’s heartening to see that Fiat still values compact vehicles. Our roads aren’t getting any wider, and the 500’s dimensions are as useful on Turin’s streets as they are down an English country lane. As the world goes electric, an SUV more conveniently hides a bulky battery pack, but the new 500 shows it doesn’t have to be that way. The 500 shows the direction for small electric cars (and therefore small cars in general). A bespoke platform means
there’s room for a decent-size battery, giving a usable real-world range of 140 miles (even if that’s some way short of its official 199 miles), and the base Action model is one of the most affordable EVs on the market. Where the 500 truly differentiates itself is that it is genuinely joyful, to look at and to drive. The old petrolpowered 500, which is still available as a mild hybrid, was a sales success, not because it was an especially
Fiat 500 remains a truly compact small car
good car but because its design was a brilliant reinterpretation of the old classic. The new one does the same for the electric age: it’s recognisable, it’s retro yet modern, it’s cute and it’s distinctive. It earned Klaus Busse, Fiat’s vice-president of design at the time, the Design Hero prize in last year’s Autocar Awards. Unlike the old 500, the new one is great to drive, too. It’s a competitive electric car, and its small dimensions and good visibility make it
extremely manoeuvrable in the city. It exceeds expectations on the open road as well. The motorway is not its natural habitat yet the 500 still copes admirably, but what is remarkable is that the 500 is also an absolute hoot to drive on a twisty road. The battery in the floor has banished any top-heaviness, and the stiff suspension, pointy steering and impressive lateral grip give the responses a keen driver wants. A little more power, some sporty seats, some steering feel and a more playful balance would turn it into a very convincing warm hatch. Clearly Fiat is now being run by people who like cars, because brand boss Olivier François confirmed they’re working on an Abarth version. Might we see an electric affordable driver’s car in a few years? It’d be about time. IV
The retro-modern styling hits the spot
❝ The Fiat 500 is an
absolute hoot to drive on a twisty road
❞
70 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
SMALL CAR, LARGE CAR AUTOCAR AWARDS
BEST LARGE CAR
HYUNDAI SANTA FE ADDING AN EXPENSIVE plug-in hybrid powertrain to a big, practical workhorse that we’ve long rated for its metal-for-the-money value might seem like a risky tactic, but it has actually made the Hyundai Santa Fe something of a rarity. This is a full-size family SUV that keeps its seven-seat layout even if you have it in company car-compatible plug-in hybrid form, and it retains a sub-£50,000 price tag. If you need a business car that will keep your tax bill down during the working week while also doing wonders with the family at weekends, the Santa Fe’s case is now stronger than ever. All of the things that have made this car such a sensible buy for so many years still apply, but here Hyundai has brought the Santa Fe right up to date while adding extra refinement and desirability. The car continues to combine four-wheel drive and decent off-road capability with proper, adult-appropriate sevenseat passenger space when you need it or, alternatively, generous boot space (571 litres in five-seat mode, 1649 litres with all rear seats folded) when cargo-carrying is the priority. With all of the four-cylinder diesel engines now replaced by petrol-electric hybrids, towing capacity has taken a bit of a knock: 1350kg on a braked trailer is all the
PHEV version is rated to manage, the cheaper hybrid slightly more at 1650kg. Compared with the old Santa Fe diesel’s 2500kg rating, that might make this car less of a default pick for caravanners, but it’s one of very few black marks overall and only an issue for those who tow the largest, heaviest trailers. The look and feel of the Santa Fe’s interior have taken big strides. Plush-looking satin-chrome trim and solid-feeling switches and secondary controls make the latest
Santa Fe inviting in a way few of its predecessors have been able to manage, giving it more of a premium SUV ambience. Digital technology is very well represented, too. Powertrain refinement is generally excellent and drivability is good. Working that hybrid powertrain hard isn’t a rewarding exercise and will cause the car’s luxurious mask to slip – but drive the Santa Fe in the laid-back style that it’s given to and it will strike all the right notes for a big family holdall, with
a real-world electric range sitting somewhere between 25 and 28 miles, depending on driving style and the pattern of usage. If you think that big cars can’t be frugal, that well-priced, hardworking SUVs can’t feel plush or inviting, or that plug-in hybrids impose too many compromises to be useful in real-world family motoring, the Santa Fe stands ready to show you different. MS
Santa Fe is a pleasing blend of family-friendly workhorse SUV and inviting upmarket mile-eater. PHEV powertrain boosts efficiency 11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 71
B E S T FA M I LY C A R
SKODA ENYAQ iV AS MAKERS OF EVs come up with outrageous power outputs, everlonger ranges and in some cases eye-watering prices, you might expect Skoda – very much the maker of sensible family cars – to do things differently. And so it has, not by skewing any aspect towards the extremes but by doing almost the opposite: opting for a sensible, middle-ground compromise. As with so many things in life, that’s where lots of us operate. We get up, we get through the days, we live, laugh, love, like it says on that sign in somebody else’s kitchen, and we call it a day. And we need a sensible set of family wheels to accompany us. Step forward, then, the Skoda Enyaq iV, designed by people who understand the way the world works. It is, we concluded when we put it through the
Autocar road test mill last summer, a sweet spot in the family EV market. It sits on a similar platform to other EVs from within the Volkswagen Group but operates without quite so many of their quirks and foibles and faults. Its interior is a match for anything from Audi at the same level, and it’s roomy, cleverly thought-out and ergonomically sensible (a slightly overburdened touchscreen aside, but that’s inevitable everywhere now). To drive, meanwhile, it is has a rounded and mature chassis set-up.
Cheap and cheerful? Hardly seems it here
72 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
Excitement? Not so much, but remember what kind of car it is. It’s a family wagon with a tall-ish driving position and resultantly gives the kind of drive that you wouldn’t just expect but hope for. It has a calm ride, nicely weighted and geared steering with a sense of stability and a pleasing, linear response to its controls. It’s comfortable without being floppy; responsive enough without being hyperactive. With a smooth and very quiet driveline and the brisk acceleration that brings,
plus a respectable range, Skoda treads a line deftly, again. If there are criticisms, they’re relatively few. There are some slightly annoying active safety features and resultant drivability quirks, plus what looks like a somewhat mean standard kit list – although you suspect that’s partly driven by the price that Skoda and thus its customers have to pay for the mechanical specification. The battery cost, basically. The cost of the technology behind the Enyaq is, as with so many other electric cars, likely to make EVs of all shapes and sizes seem pricey compared with internal-combustion Enyaq neatly taps into the crossover tren d options for years to come yet. But, working around that limitation, this hasn’t stopped Skoda hitting on a family car that seems to offer more for less – and that’s quite the tonic. MP
FAMILY CAR, HYBRID AUTOCAR AWARDS
❝ It costs less today
than Volvo’s first V60 PHEV did back in 2013 BEST HYBRID
❞
MERCEDES-BENZ C300e EVEN THE STAUNCHEST critic of EV technology can’t deny how quickly it’s advancing. Nearly a decade ago now, the very first plug-in hybrid executive cars to the UK market came at very high prices. They offered up to about 30 miles of lab-tested electric-only range, but if you got close to 20 from them, you were doing very well indeed. Electric-only range has since grown steadily, and it has done so while the lab tests judging it have got significantly tougher. The very latest PHEVs to the market come with electric-only range well in excess of 50 miles and the best of them return almost exactly what’s advertised, at more competitive prices and in as broad a range of bodystyles as any other derivative in the model range. Our Best Hybrid this year, the new Mercedes-Benz C300e, proves all of that. Priced from just over £46,000, this electrified C-Class costs less today than Volvo’s first V60 PHEV did back in 2013 (there’s one in the eye for our inflationary times); and with just over 25kWh of battery under its boot floor, it has an official electric-only range of up to 68 miles. That’s enough to grant a benefitin-kind tax qualification of just 8% for its keeper. And perhaps just as importantly, it does so while leaving enough breathing space for you to
add whichever options you want without pushing the electric-only range down a bracket and thereby your tax bill up a big notch. The C300e comes in both saloon and estate bodystyles and is likely to offer four-wheel drive as well as
rear-wheel drive in time. Boot space in the estate isn’t quite what you get in other bigbacked C-Class variants, but still it’s good for almost 1400 litres of cargo space when the rear seats are folded down. Forward of the boot, meanwhile, passenger space is very respectable. Mercedes’ latest executive models really lead with their digital cabin technology, and the C-Class is no different. A slab-like MBUX infotainment console dominates the forward
Mercedes is raising the PHEV bar by giving petrol-electric C-Class a 68-mile EV range
transmission tunnel, displaying mapping and entertainment data at very high resolution, and it’s voice-controllable if you prefer that approach to touchscreen input. Elsewhere, the car’s prevailing standard for cabin quality is generally good. In a segment in which many PHEVs struggle to pass 30 miles of real-world range, however, it’s the C300e’s 50-mile showing that’s likely to really sell it. Mix plenty of motorway miles in with your city and trunk-road driving and you might narrowly stop short of that threshold, but if you do mostly short-range driving, it should easily beat 50 miles before needing to charge (which it can do at a rate of up to 55kW and in less than half an hour via a DC rapid charger). The C300e also has strong performance and impressive cruising refinement, with particularly good manual energy regenerative braking controls aiding drivability. But it’s what those 50 emission-free miles per day – or quite possibly more – could do for your long-term average fuel economy that will first attract you to this car. For those with access to costeffective charging at both home and work, the C300e could achieve a great deal. MS
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 73
B E S T M A N U FAC T U R E R
BMW BMW MAY NOT be designing the most elegant machines in its 106-year history, but the quality and breadth of them sometimes feels untouchable. Who else is building the greatest super-saloon of at least the past two decades and the only car that truly challenges the mass-market inroads that Tesla has made into the premium EV class? In the M5 CS (“a mighty driver’s car produced with gimleteyed discipline”, per our five-star road test) and electric i4, BMW has both bases emphatically covered, and those aren’t the only successes they will be celebrating in Munich. The iX is an electric flagship of sometimes spellbinding refinement to go along with its class-leading drivability, yet in the new 2 Series Coupé there exists an unapologetic antidote to the lack of romance in any near-silent, 2.5-tonne, £100k SUV. Classically proportioned, endowed with truly fine handling balance and, in range-topping M240i xDrive guise, with an effortlessly gutsy and appealing straight six, it’s a timely reminder of what BMW does best. A little lighter and tighter and it would be exceptional. Maybe that’s yet to come: a new M2 Coupé will arrive this autumn as M division’s 50th birthday present to itself. But here’s the thing: these new
74 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
creations serve only to garnish the overall vitality of a range in which even the lowliest 3 Series and 5 Series variants are still properly engaging to drive and comfortably outclass their peers from behind the wheel. BMW’s design compass is straying wayward for European tastes, the adoption of digital instruments eliminates some of the charm and transverse engines have proliferated throughout the range. The priorities, you might superficially surmise in
light of all this, have changed. And yet the engineering is as fine as it ever was, something most aptly demonstrated by cars like the M5 CS, which shows that BMW hasn’t lost its ability to really interrogate the details and hunt marginal gains in the pursuit of brilliance. Sightings of a new M3 CSL testing at the Nürburgring suggest there’s every chance that BMW is about to raise the bar higher still – just so long as it can do justice to the ‘L’.
Add to this the story that BMW will next year return to top-rung sports car racing with a new LMDh hypercar, taking on Porsche, Audi and Honda, 24 years after the V12 LMR took its only Le Mans 24 Hours win before a prompt departure. So despite a great start in the EV game, BMW’s traditional sporting pretensions remain in rude health. It’s our manufacturer of the year. RL
iX shows that BMW can lead the way in electrification, but traditional values remain, as seen in M cars and sports car racing return
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S L I A T E D L L U F OR F T E N . C C T B T I S I V
YO U R V I E WS WRITE TO
autocar@haymarket.com How long must I wait?
I’m strongly considering placing an order for a new BMW M135i, but I’m hitting a brick wall at both my local dealer and BMW UK when it comes to lead times for build and delivery. I’m aware of the current chip shortage in the industry and that BMW is possibly also being impacted by the atrocities in Ukraine affecting the supply of wiring looms. However, I don’t buy it that no one in BMW has up-to-date information on estimated lead times. I only want a rough idea. I work in a large global business and detailed MIS [management information system] is central to any organisation – how it operates, forecasting revenue, cash flow etc – and I therefore find it astonishing that BMW isn’t giving its dealers and UK headquarters the latest guidance. Without a shadow of doubt, the 1 Series product manager knows the answer. To withhold it and frustrate potential buyers is beyond bizarre. Stuart Yates Via email
BMW said: “Due to the various wellpublicised circumstances causing supply-chain restrictions across the industry, lead times have increased. It’s therefore not possible in some cases to give an immediate estimate. We understand this is frustrating and, together with our retail partners, are making every effort to minimise lead times and maintain lines of communication with our customers. The customer’s chosen retailer remains best placed to answer queries on lead times for existing or future orders.”
Where’s my new car?
I’m enormously frustrated by the way Mercedes-Benz is treating me and, I suspect, so are many other customers. I’ve had a new GLA 250e on order, deposit paid, since 9 October 2021. It was on “up to three months’ delivery”, but interestingly, when my deposit confirmation was printed out, it stated 29 April 2022. Since January, I’ve been enquiring every couple of weeks about progress on my order, but the car, which I’m told left the factory on 16 February, is
Production delays remain widespread 76 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
LETTER OF THE WEEK
This is the Napiers’ idea of family time
Call this progress?
WIN
Letter of the week wins this ValetPRO exterior protection and maintenance kit worth £48
It would be nice to think car makers were really committed to helping reduce emissions, but the evidence is to the contrary, as they continue to launch large hybrid and petrol/ diesel SUVs offering poor battery range, high CO2 output and poor fuel economy. Even the move to EVs is producing portly cars boasting rapid 0-60mph times but poor economy, as evidenced by the BMW iX (2510kg, 6.1sec and 3.4mpkWh). My lightweight and quick BMW i3 Range Extender (1440kg, 7.9sec and 4.4mpkWh), with the bias towards battery power supplemented by a small petrol engine to avoid range anxiety, should have been the way forward. I therefore can’t help thinking your assertion that the i3 “set the ethos for future BMW cars” (‘i-Opener’, 13 April) is somewhat wide of the mark. I accept that some motorists will need a bigger car than the i3, but by failing to adopt this balance of technology over that of inefficient hybrids, it seems that manufacturers aren’t making the progress towards green motoring as efficiently as they could, should or indeed need to. Alan Collett Via email
now “on hold” in Belgium. Numerous calls to my Mercedes dealer asking what “on hold” means have produced no satisfactory response. No one can tell me whether it is a Brexit hold, a Mercedes hold or just incompetence. Mike Carver Didmarton, Gloucestershire
Mercedes-Benz said: “We’re sorry to hear about Mr Carver’s experience. Unfortunately, the car is being held at one of our plants waiting for a part to be installed, which, due to the global shortage of some semiconductors, was unavailable at the time of production. Many different factors can influence the supply of new vehicles, particularly at the moment. Customers should stay
lives, we find time to carry out repairs to both these heritage vehicles while our more modern vehicles are simply left to our mechanic or dealer to ensure they remain in fine fettle. I wonder as we move deeper into the plug-and-play world whether some valuable father-and-son time might get lost forever. It’s not just about passing down some mediocre mechanical knowledge but the idle conversation, shared cuppas, grazed knuckles and laughs had on the way. I can’t see my son having quality time with his son while tinkering with an old Tesla. Such a shame! Simon Napier Via email
Absurd and irrelevant
Reading about the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupé (First drives, 20 April) confirmed my opinion of the absurdity and irrelevance of such cars. Don’t get me wrong, I love performance, but where you can use it: on the track, where a track car will do everything better. What impressed was the numbers relative to the capacity. If Mercedes could come up with a 1.3-litre triple with 270bhp and 300lb ft, I could think of a few applications for it. Alan Lee Via email
Aboard the Electrobus
in close contact with their Mercedes retailer, who is normally best placed to advise them on their order’s status.”
Bonding exercise
We’re fortunate as a family to have a wide variety of vehicles available to us, including a company car, a ‘modern’ Volkswagen T4 and, at the other extreme, a 1970s Volkswagen Beetle. This belongs to my son and has been the subject of an extensive restoration, with much of the work carried out in-house. The Volkswagen bug runs deep in the family, with a ‘joint venture’ baywindow camper joining last month. It struck me that, despite our busy
I was interested to read Nick Gibbs’ article about the concept of changing
LETTERS batteries in electric cars rather than recharging them (Business, 13 April). It’s not a new idea. The Electrobus was first demonstrated way back in 1906 and went into service in London the next year. It had a range of some 40 miles and serviced routes from Victoria station. On completing a full route, it went into its garage and replacement batteries were installed so that it could go on its way again. Later, a fleet operated in Brighton, and it had some advantages during the World War I fuel shortages. Sadly, the whole scheme was run by fraudsters, and the service failed because of dodgy business dealings.
G R E AT R E A S O N S T O B U Y
NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE O N S A L E 1 8 M AY
EDITORIAL Email autocar@haymarket.com Editor Mark Tisshaw Editorial director, Automotive Jim Holder Editor-in-chief Steve Cropley Executive editor Rachel Burgess Associate editor Piers Ward Managing editor Sami Shah Editor-at-large Matt Prior Road test editor Matt Saunders Road testers Richard Lane, Illya Verpraet News and features editor Felix Page Deputy news editor Will Rimell Staff writer Jack Warrick Editorial apprentice Jack Harrison Used cars editor Mark Pearson Chief sub-editor Kris Culmer Group art editor Stephen Hopkins Art editor Sarah Özgül Senior designer Rebecca Stevens Prepress manager Darren Jones Senior photographer Luc Lacey Photographer Max Edleston Videographer Tej Bhola SEO manager Jon Cook Picture editor Ben Summerell-Youde
DRIVEN
Clive Sayer Oving, West Sussex
Killed before their time
I enjoyed your feature on the retiring BMW i3 (‘i-Opener’, 13 April) and agree that it’s a very significant car. I would like to buy one – say, a Range Extender at around four years old – but the biggest disincentive is the eight-year battery life, which means that after four years I will be faced either with paying around £6000 for a new battery or having a car that’s virtually worthless. Is there any prospect of BMW, at least for cars bought through its approved used network, offering some discount scheme to solve this problem? If not, I fear there will be many eight-year-old i3s, otherwise highly sustainable cars, being scrapped well before they need to be. Paul Holmes Manchester
BMW XM Our first taste of the first bespoke M car since the seminal M1 will be of a high-powered plug-in hybrid SUV F E AT U R E
F E AT U R E
What are the Germans doing?
I currently have a Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake, which I love, and previously had an E-Class Estate, which also looked great. Then I saw the EQC (or Honda Civic!) and then the Audi Urbansphere concept and the new BMW 7 Series, bringing me to the conclusion that something has gone badly wrong with the big three German firms’ design departments. None of these cars seem to follow a progression of each company’s heritage, and I can’t see myself replacing my CLA Shooting Brake with the latest Mercedes offerings. The Kia EV6 and Cupra Born are looking very attractive alternatives.
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Independent Company Providing Private Plates To Public & Trade TEL: 01257 474746 MOB: 07904 311357 Email: karen@registrationmarks .co .uk EXCLUSIVE NUMBERS 6 AE . . . . . . £50,000 6 AG . . . . . . £65,000 II0 AK . . . . . £14,000 550 B . . . . . £25,000 B4 RRY . . . £65,000 BW I3 . . . . . £32,000 I60 C . . . . . £26,000 DBH 5 . . . . £16,000 DEC III . . . . £35,000 I0I E . . . . . . £19,500 I3 FO . . . . . £10,000 9 G . . . . . . £285,000 9 GS . . . . . . £95,000 33 GX . . . . . £13,000 320 H . . . . . £23,000 56 J . . . . . . £70,500 I2I J . . . . . . £28,000 27 KP . . . . . £32,000 I2I LC . . . . . £20,000 282 LC . . . . £18,000 8I8 M . . . . . £23,000 2I2 MH . . . . £14,500 4 NN . . . . . . £88,000 5 NKS . . . . £10,500 3 OO . . . . £165,000 I0 OU . . . . . £17,000 222 P . . . . . £25,000 4 RR . . . . . . £75,000 RRX I . . . . . £55,000 I RXX . . . . . £33,000 I33 S . . . . . . £28,000 I02 SH . . . . £15,500 80I T . . . . . . £23,000 2 VOL . . . . . £11,000 I VVL . . . . . £17,000 530 W . . . . . £11,000 I0 WWW . . . £15,000 X 300 . . . . . £35,000 XS 7 . . . . . . £60,000
A 29 A . . . . . . . . £80,000 A I66 . . . . . . . . £35,000 A 363 . . . . . . . £33,000 200 A . . . . . . . £35,000 AB 787 . . . . . . £17,000 AJ 9 . . . . . . . £150,000 AJ 52 . . . . . . . £33,000 ALX 2S . . . . . . . £8,500 ALXES . . . . . . . . . . . . AM 256 . . . . . . £18,000 P90 AML . . . . . . £3,500 A6 ARC . . . . . . £3,000 I02 AS . . . . . . . £12,000 333 AS . . . . . . £17,500 AXT 8N . . . . . . . £4,900 AXTEN B 200 B . . . . . . . £30,000 B4 DGE . . . . . £10,500 350 BD . . . . . . . £7,500 T800 BEL . . . . . . £550 I0 BG . . . . . . . £19,000 2I BG . . . . . . . £15,000 333 BH . . . . . . £12,000 T8 BJK . . . . . . . . £650 I55 BM . . . . . . . £7,500 6 BMH . . . . . . £15,000 84I BUW . . . . . . £1,200 MIII CCX . . . . . . £1,300 C CC64 CCC . . . . . £900 CDS 2 . . . . . . . £18,000 CDS I2 . . . . . . £11,000 2 CFG . . . . . . . . £8,800 CLS II . . . . . . . £10,500 III CLS . . . . . . . £8,500 I975 CS . . . . . . . £6,500 CSE 289 . . . . . . £2,500 CWF IK . . . . . . . £3,800
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D DA17 REN . . . . £4,800 DARREN DBH 5 . . . . . . . £16,000 VII DBV . . . . . . . . £850 DBII OME . . . . . £4,000 F20 DMB . . . . . £1,500 900 DN . . . . . . . £7,500 X6 DNP . . . . . . . . £750 98 DS . . . . . . . £18,000 DS 7938 . . . . . . £2,300 A9 DSD . . . . . . . £950 DW 2I . . . . . . . £35,000 E EB 935 . . . . . . . £4,800 EEI9 EEE . . . . . £3,000 EE20 EEE . . . . . £1,500 88 EJ . . . . . . . £14,500 ETM 800 . . . . . . £2,200 EIO TTT . . . . . . £2,825 206 ELY . . . . . . £1,800 EMW 520 . . . . . £2,000 2 ESJ . . . . . . . . £8,500 EYO I . . . . . . . £22,000 F LA55 FAT . . . . . £4,500 2II FBB . . . . . . . £1,500 862 FDT . . . . . . £1,800 FDZ 483 . . . . . . . £900 WIII FEX . . . . . . £3,500 FFF 293 . . . . . . £2,800 FFI9 FFF . . . . . . £3,500 FJ I0 . . . . . . . . £30,000 FP 23 . . . . . . . . £8,500 850 FXK . . . . . . £1,500 I7 G . . . . . . . . £125,000 G 999 G . . . . . . . £35,000 4 GAK . . . . . . . . £8,000 GBG 5 . . . . . . . £7,500 M9 GEF . . . . . . £1,300 GIL 2 . . . . . . . . £27,000 GJH 8W . . . . . . £2,800 IIII GK . . . . . . . £12,000
227 GMO . . . . . £2,000 SI0 GMX . . . . . . . £300 2I2 GR . . . . . . . £7,500 GRX I . . . . . . . £25,000 GTC I00P . . . . . £3,500 X2 GTD . . . . . . . £1,300 GUI 90 . . . . . . . £3,600 H 5I85 H . . . . . . . . £3,600 HAZ 650 . . . . . . £1,200 I HEJ . . . . . . . . £23,000 HGA III . . . . . . . £5,500 HNP 308 . . . . . . £3,300 HNS II . . . . . . . . £7,500 J RI00 JAG . . . . . £5,500 JAM IR . . . . . . £10,800 JAY 993 . . . . . . £5,500 JB 9 . . . . . . . £120,000 2 JCK . . . . . . . £19,500 JACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . I3 JER . . . . . . . . £6,000 624 JGC . . . . . . £1,495 7 JLJ . . . . . . . . £8,500 900 JJ . . . . . . . £10,000 JJI9 JJJ . . . . . . £2,500 JLT 93 . . . . . . . £9,800 526 JML . . . . . . £6,800 J18 HNS . . . . . £15,000 45 JT . . . . . . . £21,000 888 JT . . . . . . £14,000 J2 JXE . . . . . . . . £500 K 466 K . . . . . . . £15,000 777 KA . . . . . . £20,000 KCT 96I . . . . . . £2,000 DI KDJ . . . . . . . £1,200 KER 557Y . . . . . £2,000 F488 KEV . . . . . £2,500 323 KMT . . . . . . £4,500 998 KPO . . . . . . £2,800
55 KXA . . . . . . . £4,500 II KXO . . . . . . . . £3,500 KXS 4 . . . . . . . . £5,000 L 956 LAC . . . . . . £6,000 I LBO . . . . . . . £14,500 S9 LCW . . . . . . . £900 LEE 782 . . . . . . £3,500 L7 LGX . . . . . . . . £800 I98I LM . . . . . . . £6,500 LOT 22 . . . . . . £35,000 550 LP . . . . . . . £6,000 LLR 946 . . . . . . £1,300 222 LR . . . . . . . £7,800 LWO I . . . . . . . £15,000 LYN 8IM . . . . . . £4,000 LYN 554Y . . . . . £4,500 M 49 M . . . . . . . . £75,000 V6 MAX . . . . . . £8,500 MBA 80 . . . . . . £5,800 X33 MCO . . . . . . £450 60 MG . . . . . . . £25,000 MGL 644 . . . . . . £1,700 X7 MHB . . . . . . . £950 R00 MJA . . . . . . £650 727 MJS . . . . . . £8,000 35 MU . . . . . . . . £8,250 MXI 52 . . . . . . . £1,500 N 28 NAT . . . . . . . £8,800 S330 NCK . . . . . £700 NDL 222 . . . . . . £1,950 NED 5N . . . . . . £2,500 438 NEV . . . . . . £3,300 L77 NGL . . . . . . . £500 R6 NOW . . . . . . £2,000 NN60 NNN . . . . . £850 PIII NYA . . . . . . £2,000 I2 NX . . . . . . . . . £9,000 77 NXG . . . . . . . £2,000
0 2 OBO . . . . . . £10,000 55 OFB . . . . . . . £4,500 I6 OLD . . . . . . £45,000 I GOLD . . . . . . . . . . . . L8 OOO . . . . . . £3,500 OOO IX . . . . . . £12,800 OUT IT . . . . . . . £8,500 OXS I . . . . . . . £22,000 P PHC 9 . . . . . . . . £8,000 I PJX . . . . . . . . £19,500 PIL 200I . . . . . . . £950 PJS I0 . . . . . . . . £9,800 I PJX . . . . . . . . £19,500 EI0 PLA . . . . . . . £900 507 PMY . . . . . . £2,800 X6 PPD . . . . . . . . £600 I996 PS . . . . . . . £4,800 PUR 4I5 . . . . . . £3,000 WT03 PUT . . . . . £850 R R 3 . . . . . . . . £485,000 R80 RAK . . . . . £1,200 RAW 777 . . . . . £8,500 B3 RCC . . . . . . £1,000 CI7 RDS . . . . . . £2,300 REJ 3 . . . . . . . £10,800 550 RG . . . . . . . £9,000 RGC 943 . . . . . . £1,800 I8 RMS . . . . . . £12,500 ROB 32T . . . . £18,000 ROBERT . . . . . . . . . . 72 ROD . . . . . . . £4,500 T22 RPB . . . . . . . £400 I965 RR . . . . . £18,000 RR20 RRR . . . . £2,800 G9 RSR . . . . . . £1,300
33 RWJ . . . . . . . £6,500 500 RXR . . . . . . £3,800 S MII SBB . . . . . . . £700 SBJ I56 . . . . . . . £3,400 SC55 LET . . . . . £5,500 SCARLET . . . . . . . . . . SC20 LND . . . . £1,200 SCOTLAND . . . . . . . . T8 SCS . . . . . . . £1,500 3500 SE . . . . . £11,000 I3 SLK . . . . . . . £5,500 SMJ 6 . . . . . . . £15,000 50 UND . . . . . £100,000 SOUND . . . . . . . . . . . . V6 SOP . . . . . . . £2,500 SOP 853 . . . . . . £3,200 SPD 346 . . . . . . £3,500 I5 STK . . . . . . . £3,500 S2 SXA . . . . . . . . £750 X20 SXY . . . . . . . £750 T TAR 4IS . . . . . £12,000 TED IB . . . . . . £12,000 TKJ 46 . . . . . . . £3,500 888TM . . . . . . £10,800 TRI3 MPH . . . . . £7,500 TRIUMPH . . . . . . . . . . 2 TSF . . . . . . . . £7,500 TSY 397 . . . . . . £1,300 TUB 8Y . . . . . . £16,000 U XI0 UUU . . . . . . . £700 X20 UUU . . . . . . £700 V VFW 2 . . . . . . . . £7,800 P2I VGB . . . . . . £1,200 VIA 92 . . . . . . . . £5,000 VOL IE . . . . . . . £4,500 935 VPD . . . . . . £1,500 G6 VTN . . . . . . . . £500 VVC 2 . . . . . . . £10,000
W 925 W . . . . . . . £10,500 900 WH . . . . . . . £7,500 WHII NGE . . . . . £4,500 HRII WLM . . . . . £9,800 400 WM . . . . . . £7,500 WON 2G . . . . . . £4,000 I6 WR . . . . . . . £15,000 II0 WR . . . . . . . . £7,500 S88 WRC . . . . . £1,300 WSV 441 . . . . . . £950 CI0 WTS . . . . . . £1,500 WWK 92 . . . . . . £5,600 I0 WWW . . . . . £15,000 X X 28 . . . . . . . . £55,000 34 X . . . . . . . . £40,500 I000 X . . . . . . . £35,000 I XBC . . . . . . . £25,000 I XD . . . . . . . . . £95,000 II XGH . . . . . . . . £8,500 I00 XS . . . . . . . . £7,500 I XXG . . . . . . . £25,000 XOO I . . . . . . . £32,000 XXX IG . . . . . . £10,800 XXX IP . . . . . . . £9,800 XXI9 XXX . . . . . £4,000 Y YAP 46I . . . . . . . £1,800 2 YML . . . . . . . . £5,500 YRV I . . . . . . . £15,500 308 YTB . . . . . . £2,000 XI0 YYY . . . . . . . £750
REDUCED REGMARKS ANN 7S . . . £8,000 II0 BH . . . . . £5,900 650 GH . . . . . SOLD 880 GM . . . . . SOLD 550 LH . . . . £5,800 I02 SG . . . . £8,000 I02 SH . . . . . £9,800
Joyous Brits flooded onto streets as Axis powers surrendered
ON THIS45DAY IN 19
Victory in Europe! “The shackles cannot be cast off overnight, but there is a great comfort to be obtained from the reflection that conditions must now improve, as every day and week passes, towards a life in which families are reunited and amenities are restored. “New car production for priority
purchase has passed the talking stage and petrol coupon books have been prepared. Restrictions on motoring will remain for some time, but their days are numbered. “The part played in bringing us to VE Day by the products of the motor industry must never be forgotten. This country as a whole
was not motor-minded up to the outbreak of war, and it suffered in consequence. The lesson and its moral for encouragement in place of the former restrictive atmosphere forced upon motoring and road matters should have been learned for all time.” KRIS CULMER
MOTORSPORT
Real-world Scalextric
Brooklands turned into an enormous aircraft factory Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey went down in history as the world’s first banked motor racing circuit when construction finished in 1907, 17 months after the first circuit race of any kind was held near Melbourne, Australia. It drove the growth of the British automotive industry, hosted some landmark events and earned itself a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts nationwide. However, when the Second World War broke out, the site was again given over to military production, it having been home to Vickers’ aircraft works since 1915. Despite efforts to camouflage the complex, including planting trees on bits of the track, Luftwaffe bombs inflicted significant damage in 1940 as it sought to stop the supply of Hawker Hurricane fighters and Vickers Wellington bombers. We visited after VE Day to assess the possibility of a return to racing. To our dismay, nearly a third of the shop was now sunken into the track and a large section of the banking after the Mountain circuit had been cut away. More huge steel buildings covered the finish and Railway straights, while flora had come through the concrete all over. We were very doubtful of future racing there, and sadly so it proved.
Civilian futures for tillies? As the military’s need for equipment suddenly diminished vastly, some 18,000 ‘civilian type’ vehicles were returned to the motor industry for ‘disposal’. These light utility trucks, known affectionately as tillies, were based on pre-war mid-size saloons produced by Austin, Hillman, Morris and Standard. We predicted them becoming popular for all manner of rural affairs, but very few survived.
Even 77 years ago, electric cars’ benefits were blindingly obvious – but so was their main flaw. Soviet engineer Georgi Babat’s proposed solution was the Vechemobile, which would be recharged on the move. Its battery would be filled by a chassismounted coil taking electricity from coils sitting in a conduit in the road, themselves fed by the national grid.
IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUMS / GETTY IMAGES
“ON 8 MAY 1945, after five years and eight months of bloody strife, peace came to Europe,” we rejoiced. “It is a time for thankfulness; for congratulation upon magnificent achievements which no one can yet see in full perspective; for celebration – and for looking forward.
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Sign up at themotoringarchive.com 11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 79
O U R CA RS F E AT U R E D T H I S W E E K
ALFA ROMEO STELVIO QV
AUDI Q4 E-TRON
DACIA DUSTER
MAZDA CX-5
JAGUAR E-PACE
LEXUS UX
SKODA KODIAQ
MAZDA CX-5 Is this an SUV to woo the enthusiast – or will it irk by trying too hard? Let’s find out FIRST REPORT WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT To see if Mazda has managed to inject any of its Japanese flair into the family-friendly CX-5 SUV
t can’t be easy being Mazda. The Japanese company tries like mad to forge its own path – building the MX-5 when no one else is producing cheap sports cars, or whacking a rotary engine into a ‘suicide-doored’ coupé, or even plugging away with naturally aspirated units when everyone else is downsizing and turbocharging. We all admire the brand and its tenacity. And then we all toddle off and buy the latest German SUV. Same old, same old.
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80 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
But even Mazda can’t buck the inevitable forever and is now making headway along a similar path: last year in the UK, 60% of its cars were of the SUV variety. So here we are, staring at our fleet’s new and facelifted Mazda CX-5 and wondering whether it’s going to be bonkers or boring. To be fair, it’s a family SUV, so it’s a more nuanced question than my slightly glib phrasing, but the point remains: has Mazda managed to inject enough of its cool gene to make this car stand out in what is an increasingly crowded market? The looks are certainly a good start. Where some are shouty and a bit too try-hard – Kia Sportage, anyone? – the Mazda is more understated and a good example of the Kodo design language. Maybe
not as sharp and distinct as the 3 hatch, but it’s handsome nonetheless. In our optional Eternal Blue Mica paint (at £580, the only option on the car), it’s a classy thing in the school drop-off zone. We’ve gone for the 2.5-litre Skyactiv-G petrol engine, producing 191bhp and 190lb ft, the latter from 4000rpm. That final figure is the telltale here: this is a naturally aspirated engine. Mazda is a firm believer in ‘right-sizing’, meaning the engine should be the correct displacement for the size of the car. How we get on with it at the petrol pumps is going to be a test, because the claimed fuel economy is 35.3mpg, despite the company’s recently adopted cylinder deactivation tech. With recent fuel price spikes, the CX-5 might not be much cheaper to
SECOND OPINION I found the CX-5’s dynamic limit quite quickly on a wet Trossachs pass, but it held the road much more confidently than other SUVs of this size and stature. There’s no doubting its athleticism, but efficiency matters more in this segment and I fear Piers might soon tire of that atmo engine’s thirst. FP
This Mazda’s❝lump really is the Nigel Farage of engines ❞
AUDI Q4 E-TRON
A fresh perspective on our Sportback might give Audi pause for thought MILEAGE 5612 WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT To find out whether Audi can retain its premium appeal in the EV age
recently borrowed editor Tisshaw’s Q4 E-tron Sportback for a week. It was the last of the medium electric SUV class I hadn’t already tried, so I was keen to complete the set and compare with my impressions of its siblings. It used to be that the hierarchy between Skoda, Volkswagen and Audi was very clear. VW was the happy medium, classless and suitable for almost everyone. Skoda was the value option, while Audi felt (and was) more expensive and would be the first to introduce new technology. With the MEB-platform cars, that distinction is far less clear. In many ways, the Q4 E-tron feels like the car the VW ID 4 should have been. The interior doesn’t exactly feel plush, but it’s solid, spacious and, most notably, ergonomically sound. The seats are comfortable, there are buttons for the climate control and the screen is logical and responds well. The trouble is that the Audi is considerably dearer than an ID 4 or Skoda Enyaq. What’s even more problematic is that an Enyaq feels like the more expensive car inside. And with exactly the same amount
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Central dial operates the main screen
After 1000 miles of driving, our first impressions are mixed
run than my last long-term test car – a McLaren GT… Other omens for the engine are equally as foreboding. I wasn’t too enamoured with the four-cylinder petrol in the Kia Sorento I ran last year, but this Mazda’s lump really is the Nigel Farage of engines, making an awful lot of noise with no discernible results. It’s not the most auspicious of starts. Still, let’s give it time because the car is otherwise fitting into life effortlessly. The interior is swathed in leather (high-class nappa, no less), a rich dark brown colour that looks smart and is standard on this trim. Or, according to my children, it is either chocolate brown or poo brown, depending on the mood they’re in. Ours is the top-level GT Sport trim, with four others also available: SE-L, Newground (no, me neither), Sport Edition and Sport Black Edition. The GT certainly isn’t lacking for kit: 19in wheels, heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, adaptive LED headlights (very effective at night), 360deg parking cameras and head-up display. No wonder it hasn’t got any options: I’m struggling to think of what extra I could need. Mazda obviously feels the same. A quick trip into the configurator
reveals nothing more extravagant than a set of branded dust caps or colour-coordinated key fob. The GT Sport is available from £33,675 (the cheapest CX-5 starts at £28,175), but with our top-line engine, we’re up to £37,785. Punchy, but no more so than rivals. So far, we’re about 1000 miles into ownership and there are some neat touches that have already stood out. Such as the powerful bulb in the bootlid, which casts a decent wash of light into both the boot and the floor around it. Or the three-way handle for folding the rear seats, so you can lower them from the boot in their 40/20/40 split – a handy feature for posting skis through where the middle seat would be. I know, hardly hold the front page headlines, but it’s the sort of stuff that makes the car easier to live with. That will be the real kicker with the CX-5. Can it keep that easy-going manner over the few months of our ownership but still maintain the quirks that make Mazda such a great brand for car enthusiasts like us? The Sorento I ran was a good family hack, but it wasn’t a memorable car. Let’s hope the Mazda is. PIERS WARD
LOVE IT S I M PLE R I S B E T TE R Manual cloth seats sound like a chip-shortage special, but I’ll take them over painfully slow and plasticky vinyl items.
LOATHE IT STO P IT There is a prominent start/stop button, but the car will still turn itself off if you lift off your seat. Annoying if you quickly want to get something out of the boot.
of instantly available electric power, wide tyres and a low centre of gravity, they are very similar to drive. The Audi seems to ride a bit more smoothly than the others, but I wouldn’t be surprised if an Enyaq with adaptive suspension would wipe that difference out again. I often read and hear that all modern cars look the same and all electric cars are identical to drive. That sort of generalisation strikes me as quite facile and plain wrong, because the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 prove it doesn’t have to be that way. Like the VW Group cars, they use essentially the same underpinnings. However, while there are some clear similarities in some of the interfaces (the screens, the different levels of regen, the switchable button panel), they couldn’t look more different inside or outside. The Hyundai goes for a lounge-on-wheels vibe, whereas the Kia is much more like a traditional executive car. That’s reflected in how they drive, too. The Hyundai rolls more and has heavier steering, making it feel slightly ponderous in the bends, but the ride is lovely. The Kia sacrifices some ride comfort for more dynamic handling. Neither is significantly better than the other but they neatly stay out of each other’s lane. Over the years, Audi has cleverly built a brand that is perceived as cool and high-tech. I suspect it will have to do rather more than it has done with the Q4 E-tron to maintain that. ILLYA VERPRAET
TEST DATA AU D I Q4 E-TRO N S PO RTBACK 40 S PO RT Price £45,775 Price as tested £54,565 Faults Speedo dropped out Expenses None Range 246 miles Economy 3.2mpkWh Last seen 4.5.22
OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE mark.tisshaw@haymarket.com Q4 E-tron’s cabin is easier to operate than its VW ID 4 sibling’s
TEST DATA M A Z D A CX- 5 2 . 5 G T S P O R T A U T O AW D Price new £37,785 Price as tested £38,365 Options Metallic paint £580 Faults None Expenses None Economy 30.7mpg
OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE piers.ward@haymarket.com 11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 81
LEXUS UX 300e
The UK’s EV charging network clearly still has some room for improvement MILEAGE 6859 WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT To see if Lexus’s first EV can compete with the established premium electric SUVs
here’s no denying that the charging network in the UK is better than it ever has been. There were 30,290 public EV chargers installed around the country at the time of writing, according to Zap Map, and about 7500 of those were installed in the past 12 months for an overall increase of 33%. Why, then, is it still so hard to find one that works? During a recent photoshoot, our Lexus UX 300e was in desperate need of a quick boost. From our not particularly remote snapping location, we travelled 12 miles to the M4 Chieveley services, which housed the closest chargers. On arrival, we saw that both chargers were out of action – not that we could have used them anyway,
T
LOVE IT D OU B LE H I N G I N G The storage bin inside the central armrest can be opened from both sides of the car, which is far more useful than it might sound.
LOATHE IT WH E E L S S PI N N I N G The wheels can spin even under what feels like light acceleration, which is irritating at best.
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Type 2 on the right, Chademo on the left; its interior outsmarts rivals’ because there was a diesel van parked in the designated EV bays. Another charger at a nearby petrol station was working, but this time we were thwarted by a different problem. It was at the back of a single parking bay, and its Chademo cable wouldn’t reach the UX 300e’s fastcharging port, no matter whether I drove the car in front first or reversed in. (That port is on the car’s left rear flank, while the port on the right rear flank is for slow, Type 2 plugs.) It’s really frustrating to search high and low for a charger with a Chademo cable (which aren’t as common as CCS ones, because the UX 300e and Nissan Leaf are the only EVs that still use this connection type) only to find one that hasn’t been installed using any critical thinking, seemingly as almost just a box-ticking exercise.
It’s little uncertainties like this that understandably mean many drivers still have reservations about EVs. This extends to my Sunday-league football team, who get plenty of joy out of welcoming the “milk float” into the car park every weekend. My ownership experience with an EV has mostly been extremely positive, but it’s difficult to argue with the idea that, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the public’s range anxiety has been replaced by charging anxiety. Even Lexus itself was hesitant to make the switch to all-electric power, but the UX 300e has at least ramped up my excitement for the RZ 450e, the brand’s first bespoke EV. If Lexus can take the best qualities from this car and leave the bad ones behind, it will be on to a winner.
The most notable strength is the sheer plushness of the interior. I’ve recently spent time in the Volvo C40 Recharge, the Volkswagen ID 4 and the Audi Q4 E-tron Sportback, and none of these direct rivals could match the comfort and relaxation offered by the UX 300e. Of course, this is something that Lexus has always done very well indeed. I began to appreciate it even more when I got behind the wheel of the Q4 E-tron. The Audi is the clear winner in terms of in-car technology, with its exquisite 11.6in touchscreen, headup display and digital instrument display, which are in a different league to Lexus’s underwhelming set-up. But the materials in the UX 300e are a cut above. Everything feels solid and very well built, from the ergonomically sound physical buttons to the tasteful leather trim adorning the dashboard. Things do start to feel a little bit scratchy and cheap in the bottom half of the interior, but overall the cabin helps to justify that eyebrow-raising list price. JACK WARRICK
TEST DATA LE XUS UX 300e PR E M I U M PLUS Price £45,245 Price as tested £45,815 Faults None Expenses None Range 155 miles Economy 3.1mpkWh Last seen 20.4.22
OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE jack.warrick@haymarket.com
OUR CARS
Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV MILEAGE 6530
LAST SEEN 4.5.22
About 90% of the miles I cover are around town, which has destroyed my car’s average consumption – currently circa 18mpg. Reader Simon Raybould bought his Quadrifoglio as a used car last year and has put 20,000 miles of mixed driving on it. He’s averaging around 22mpg and even managed to see 30.3mpg on a run – with photographic evidence to prove it (above). AC
DACIA DUSTER Any interior cloth you like, so long as it’s black. Which is just fine MILEAGE 7515 WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT To see if the market’s best-value SUV, now refreshed, still embodies the Dacia ethos of functionality with affordability
boast about the Duster all the time. Friends are getting bored with this; I can see it in their eyes. But every time the dark blue Romanian diesel 4x4 and I take a trip together, the essential refinement surprises me again, and these impressions are made pretty trustworthy by my contact with some of the Duster’s higher-born rivals. The other thing that gets me is how amazingly close this mid-range Comfort model gets to an ideal specification, showing the truth of Dacia’s beguiling mantra: everything you want and nothing you don’t. It’s a pleasure consulting the configurator, getting to ‘Interior’, and seeing again that the choice is black fabric or black fabric. You can almost feel money dropping off the purchase price. The cabin looks good
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LOVE IT ST YLI N G The Duster design looks great – tough, well proportioned, perfectly sized and muscular. Even rival car designers agree.
LOATHE IT R E AR LEG ROO M The price of desirable compactness, I suspect: full-size adults feel pretty confined in the rear. It’s not the height or width, just the leg room.
Shrewd blend of usability, looks and price and works fine, including in weather when comfort-lovers who drive leather-lined ritzmobiles must pay (including in weight) for integrated seat heaters. We’re up to 7500 miles now and I’ve given up counting the number of times I’ve grabbed the Dacia in preference to something flashier, just because it’s convenient, comfortable and modest. Modest is important: I’m done with arriving at places where you’re judged by your motor. I’d rather choose a car for my own reasons and park around the corner. Of course, the Duster’s not the perfect car. We had an early glitch with the electronics, although I think that was my fault for constantly tricking the stop-start by keeping my clog half on and half off the clutch. There’s a fair bit of hard plastic around the cabin, and as the weather warms, I’m noticing a section of trim buzzes. And the Duster does lean a bit in corners (as much because of the squashy 16in tyres as the suspension), although decent grip is there, rain or shine. There’s also a very odd, faint but
persistent buffeting, evidently from underneath, that seems to occur at around 60mph when the wind’s in a particular direction. And rear room is no better than in the smaller, cheaper Sandero I had before, even if the generous boot (with its optional £300 fullsize spare) is part-compensation. The Duster’s fuel consumption gets ever more spectacular. Lots of my driving is up the Fosse Way from Cirencester, and quite often you’re baulked by traffic that won’t do more than 50-55mph. In those circumstances, the average fuel consumption can easily exceed 60mpg (can this frugal, modern, fuel-saving, Euro 6 car really be dismissed as a ‘filthy diesel’?). Regularly – make that irregularly – when I fill the tank, the dashboard range readout promises 640 miles. I feel smug standing among my fellow fuellers because when I part with £50, they’re often stung for £100. I know what you’re thinking: here he goes with another paean of praise for a car most people wouldn’t find desirable. But to me the remedy for doubters is simple: try one.
STEVE CROPLEY
TEST DATA DACIA D USTE R D Ci 115 4x4 CO M FO RT Price new £20,145 Price as tested £21,040 Faults Brief power steering malfunction Expenses None Economy 57.5mpg Last seen 27.4.22
OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE steve.cropley@haymarket.com
Skoda Kodiaq MILEAGE 8234
LAST SEEN 4.5.22
I’m feeling good about having taken the reins of our Skoda SUV. I generally agree with ex-custodian Kris Culmer that the car’s modest number of active safety systems make for a more agreeable driving experience. But I do miss a good blindspot monitoring system with a graphic on the dash to tell you when someone’s drawing alongside. LL
Jaguar E-Pace MILEAGE 6103
LAST SEEN 4.5.22
I’m enjoying this subtle nod to Jaguar’s heritage, something it is seeking to do more. The small detail in the centre console, with the place and date it was established, reminds us where Jag has come from but is executed in an effortless, contemporary way. Sometimes it’s the little things that make one stand out from the German giants. RB
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What to buy, where to buy it and how much to pay
USED CARS
84 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5 JANUARY 2022
BANGERNOMICS BEST BUYS
WITH JAMES RUPPERT
Most Kugas are 2.0 TDCi diesels but all versions drive well
KICKING TYRES
FORD KUGA his is an impressive little thing – effectively a Focus for all eventualities – that was sold new from 2008 to 2012. It isn’t really a proper mud-plugger but it is well suited to the demands of most semi-professional shoppers. Its ‘intelligent’ four-wheel drive system is the kind that shows up when the driver needs it, distributing power between the front and rear wheels. However, there’s also a cheaper, 40kg-lighter two-wheel-drive option, which is all that most people will ever need. It’s a simple enough model, especially when powered by the 2.0-litre TDCi diesel and in either Zetec trim (alloys, air-con and keyless start) or Titanium (automatic lights and wipers, and cruise and climate controls). Being a
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Ford, there’s also Titanium X (leather, panoramic sunroof, heated front seats and electrically adjustable driver’s seat). To make things even more interesting, a 197bhp 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine makes a high, hot hatch Kuga a reality, although the penalty is 28mpg. Kugas are always good to drive. Upgrades arrived in 2010, including
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A 197bhp 2.5 turbo petrol engine makes a high, hot hatch Kuga a reality ❞
a new 2.0-litre TDCi diesel with either 138bhp (which delivered a useful 47mpg) or a punchier 161bhp. It’s a compact car on the outside and, inside, the rear seats are tight but they have a 60/40 split and can fold completely flat to give you 1355 litres of room, with underseat storage beneath the second row and further storage under the boot. In its standard configuration, the boot is 360 litres. Because it is based on the generally very reliable Focus, there isn’t too much to worry about. However, a lightly used diesel, which almost all used ones are, will clog up the particulate filter and that costs a bit to sort out. There can be minor electrical issues and low-level build issues that let water in the cabin. Otherwise, it’s the best real-world used SUV.
Y O R TRS TH I
2012 Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi Titanium 92,000 miles, £6595
2011 Ford Kuga 2.5 T Titanium 82,000 miles, £6995
2009 BMW X3 2.0d M Sport 88,000 miles, £5450
The perfect on-roader, with 2WD, comprehensive Titanium trim and 47mpg TDCi. Three previous keepers, long MOT and decent condition. It’s being sold with a dealer warranty, too.
This looks the part and has the engine to match plus some funky 19in alloy wheels. It has had three previous owners and comes with some exciting manual gearbox fun.
A prestige pocket-sized SUV has to be an X3 and the workaday diesel. This one has a full service history and some extra specification, including Bluetooth and snazzier alloy wheels.
USED CARS
I DO L FAN CY
Punto-based Barchetta is affordable fun
E RT’ S W HAT R U P P O F G IN M D R EA TH IS W E E K
Real-world, easy-to-fix bangers I have been talking to readers about real-world fixable bangers, which are just what we need right now. Professional mechanic Kenny recommended Ford Fiestas powered by Zetecs and Vauxhall Corsas old enough to be related to Vivas, while Volvo 700s could last forever. Obviously, there’s a Japanese contingent, too, and Kenny mentioned the Toyota Yaris, Suzuki Alto and Honda Jazz.
FIAT BARCHETTA 1995-2005 It is that time of year when a proper car enthusiast’s thoughts should turn to getting their follicles ruffled. Such as in a Fiat Barchetta, a characterful, lefthand-drive drop-top, although there are aftermarket right-hookers. It’s front drive, which puts some purists off, but they’re twits. These cars are still affordable, especially in the £3000-£5000 bracket, and a less common 1.8 than a Mazda MX-5 or MGF. The manual hood is easy to operate and packs away under a metal tonneau cover (which can leak). A slight revamp in 2003 ushered in a new
B UY N OW Peugeot 206 1998-2009 Fun to drive and best appreciated with a missing wheel trim, this was never the best-built small hatch, yet it has bags of character. It feels cheap, but that’s part of the appeal of this old-school supermini, which is relatively simple and easy to live with. The best engines are the 1.1 and 1.4 petrols. Then there is the really old-school 1.9 D, which is simpler to look after than an HDi and gives 65mpg. Basic Style trim is fine unless you want the sheer luxury of a GLX or SE instead. There is only an average amount of room inside and you should drive before you buy because it can be oddly uncomfortable for the steerer. The engines are pretty strong and overall it’s cheap to run. But look out for worn lower ball joints, broken engine mounts, rattly sunroofs and, on autos, ECU issues.
E R’ S R EADN E R CO R
front end, foglights and a leather steering wheel. Check whether any potential purchase is a grey (personal) import or a proper Fiat UK car because the spec varied. Power steering, five-speed gearbox and ABS brakes were all standard. A Comfort Pack added leather, power mirrors and a passenger airbag. There were also several special editions. Overall, it’s charming, but rust and Fiat-related fragility can kill it. Cambelt changes are 34k miles/ five years. Mechanicals are largely Punto, but bear in mind that body parts are pricey.
BANGERNOMICS WORLD
’s 2015 Golf Our household OT. Quite M has failed its first at it is now th n e iv g impressive and doing a full at 91,000 miles a commuter shift every day as new shock car. It needed a re was e absorber and th worn a an advisory for . d a p ke bra
It’s one of the last oldschool superminis and packed with character
2001 Peugeot 206 1.4 112,000 miles, £1150 With a delightfully old-fashioned ‘one lady owner’ description, here is the sort of old-supermini-timer you should be considering. It is in immaculate condition and looks jolly clean in the dealer’s pictures. For a 21-year-old supermini, this is fairly remarkable and it’s something of a bargain. Buy right now.
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CU LT H E RO
SUBARU IMPREZA WRX
THREE-EYED MONSTER
Bugeye, Blobeye or Hawkeye, any fast Mk2 Impreza is fearsome, says Oliver Young hether it rallied its way into your heart or hooked you during Baby Driver’s opening car chase, the Subaru Impreza WRX is an icon. Like the original, the second-generation example is without a doubt a future classic. If its awesome looks and incredible performance have you in a trance, then get one for reasonable money while you still can. Arriving in 2000, the Mk2 Impreza was popularly dubbed the Bugeye, due to its odd headlight design. The WRX (available as either a saloon or an estate) has a five-speed manual gearbox and a 2.0-litre flat four making 215bhp, while the WRX STI (exclusively a saloon in the UK)
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86 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
has a six-speed manual and a 261bhp version of that engine, plus quicker steering and a limited-slip front differential. Four-wheel drive is standard for maximum traction. The Blobeye took over in 2003, so called because of its bulgier face. The output of the WRX rose to 221bhp, but the WRX STI’s stayed the same. The third and final iteration is the Hawkeye, sold from 2005. Its sharp and aggressive face matches
the improved performance from its punchier (although arguably more fragile) 2.5-litre boxer. The WRX rose to 226bhp, the WRX STI to 276bhp. As if there weren’t enough revisions to remember already, the last of the Blobeye cars is referred to as the STI 9. Some reckon this is the best of the breed, because it uses the Hawkeye’s running gear and later models’ switchable Driver Control Centre Differential (or
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Even the least powerful version is unlikely to see the tail-lights of many hot hatches ❞
DCCD, which allows the driver to send 65% of the power to the rear wheels) while retaining the 2.0-litre WRX STI engine. The Hawkeye also gets a wider track, hence you will sometimes see examples listed as ‘widetrack’ cars. No matter which variant you go for, though, performance is plentiful: 0-60mph takes 5.6sec in the Blobeye WRX and 5.2sec in the Hawkeye WRX STI, for example. Even the least powerful version, the Bugeye WRX, is unlikely to see the tail-lights of many hot hatches. It’s worth mentioning that all Mk2 Impreza engines are noticeably old, though, so turbo lag is the name of the game. Little happens low down
USED CARS E H OW TO G ET O N IN YOU R GARAG E
An expert’s view
K E V I N K N I G H T, S C O O B YC L I N I C “The 2001-2007 Impreza WRX and WRX STI saloons were and still are iconic Subarus with lots of character. However, as they’re getting old now, some have been badly modified and lived a hard life. With this in mind, it’s best to look for as near a standard car as possible unless it has been modified professionally. The Bugeye and Blobeye WRX STIs are two of Subaru’s best creations, thanks to their 2.0-litre engines that will take 400bhp with the correct turbo and mods. They also come with a six-speed gearbox that we’ve run in race cars at 750bhp without issue.”
Buyer beware… Interior looks dated now but its quality endures Huge rear spoiler reveals WRX as a real rally refugee
■ ENGINE Check for oil leaks from the 2.0-litre engine’s cam covers and the sump cover. Cast hypereutectic pistons on the 2.5-litre engine (the 2.0-litre has forged items) suffer damaged ringlands. The head gasket on the 2.5-litre is prone to failure. Engines tuned for 350bhp or more should have toughened internals. Check the claimed power output and fuelling on a rolling road. Ensure the seller allows the oil-cooled turbo to idle. Inspect the condition of the intercooler fins. ■ OIL AN D SERVICING Make sure there have been regular oil changes and that 10W-40 or 10W-50 fully synthetic oil has been used. The service interval is 10,000 miles. Any WRX will run best on Shell V-Power or similar-grade petrol. ■ TRANSMISSION Inspect the rear differential for leaks and listen for whines and clunks from it and the centre viscous coupling.
WHAT WE SAID THEN 11 APRIL 2001
“Few cars at this price marry such composure and Scalextric-inspired tenacity with such speed. Cross country, the STI accelerates, turns and stops with peerless authority. Above all, it’s an abundantly pragmatic car, one which acknowledges the limitations of our environment without giving into them.”
in the rev range; the fun is to be had up top, where the turbocharger comes on song and you can really enjoy the intoxicating sound and performance of these flat fours. Grip certainly isn’t lacking. Come rain or shine, ice or snow, these four-wheel-drive monsters can show off just how capable they are. Subaru’s rally pedigree shines
through, so you can enjoy your Impreza every day of the year. On the limit, hot Imprezas do have a tendency to understeer, but it isn’t impossible to get the back end to step out, particularly in DCCD examples. Some might argue that prices are already silly for these cars, with the best of the best exceeding £30,000. There’s a mix of UK and imported cars, as well as modified and even some unmodified ones, to be found. However, the Impreza WRX belongs to an increasingly special breed of car. It’s one of the honey badgers of the motoring world, along with its lifelong rival, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution – but that’s a cult hero for another week.
STIs with the Prodrive Performance Pack (PPP), an upgrade that could be specified from the factory. As part of this pack, power is boosted to 316bhp, dropping the 0-60mph time below 5.0sec.
How much to spend
£ 4 5 0 0 - £5 9 9 9 Mainly privately sold Blobeye cars. Mileages always exceed 100,000 and conditions are questionable. £6 0 0 0 - £7 9 9 9 Some mileages dip below 100,000 here and the cars are generally more presentable. However, you will find the odd previously damaged one. £ 8 0 0 0 - £ 12 , 9 9 9 A variety of respectable WRXs, a fair few from independent dealers, with mileages nearing 50,000 in some cases. High-mileage WRX STIs enter the fold at the top end, mainly Bugeye and Blobeye ones. £ 13 , 0 0 0 - £ 1 5 , 9 9 9 Very desirable WRXs, as well as some special editions, including GB270s. Some showroom-condition WRX STIs with around 70,000 miles. £ 1 6 , 0 0 0 - £2 4 , 9 9 9 Modified high-power WRXs in great nick, as well as first-rate Hawkeye and special-edition WRX STIs. £2 5 , 0 0 0 A N D A B O V E Pristine Hawkeye WRX STIs and special editions. The very best cost around £35,000, unless you’re happy to spend £69,990 on a mintcondition Type RA-R from Japan…
■ SUSPENSION The rear struts can suffer stiction as the damper-rod seal dries out and loses lubrication. ■ B O DY The support panels for the front radiator like to rot, as do the front C-subframes (not fitted on imported cars). Look for rust behind the plastic undertrays on Hawkeye models. Uneven shutlines might indicate a crash repair. Check aftermarket headlights for proper mounting and alignment.
Also worth knowing
In addition to the standard WRX and WRX STI, there’s a variety of special editions. Chief among them are the RB320 and GB270. You can also find
One we found
SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI P P P, 2 0 07, 3 9, 0 0 0 M I L E S , £2 1 ,75 0 This is a real collector’s item: a Hawkeye WRX STI that looks the business and has a remarkably low mileage to its name. It has the iconic blue and gold combination, too, not to mention the Prodrive Performance Pack. Look after this one, people.
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 87
AS GOOD AS NEW
JEEP WRANGLER
All-American off-road hero has the attention of Jack Warrick now prices are lower
OUR TOP SPEC
s there a car with a more recognisable silhouette than the Jeep Wrangler? Few come close, but there’s more to the large SUV than its fashion icon status. The current, fourth-generation model is one of the best off-road machines around and its initial high price has fallen into a more attainable area on the used market. First introduced in 2018, the current Wrangler was given a design refresh outside and inside compared with its predecessor. In addition, it gained new LED lights, enhanced infotainment and extra safety kit. It
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also continued to be available in two- and four-door bodystyles. Driving the Wrangler is a mixed bag. Quite simply, it’s among the toughest and most capable offroaders you’ll find today, with front and rear Dana 44 axles for improved rigidity, Tru-Lock electronic differentials and a disconnectable sway bar in its most serious off-roading guise, the Rubicon. A more spacious and robust cabin stands out as one of the model’s key improvements over its forebear for everyday driving. However, the Wrangler’s handling and ride
SAHAR A Sahara makes a claim for itself with excellent equipment. The highest trim levels are specifically for those planning to do exclusively with an serious off-roading.
comfort fall behind most other SUVs on sale, with the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser both stronger in these areas. Two new engines, one petrol and one diesel, were available at launch. The diesel, a 2.2-litre Multijet II turbo, produces 197bhp and 332lb ft. Jeep claims it offers combined economy of 30.1mpg, as well as a 0-62mph time of 9.0sec. The petrol engine, meanwhile, is a 2.0-litre turbo unit producing 268bhp and 295lb ft. This allows the Wrangler to go from 0-62mph in 8.1sec and reach a top speed of 112mph. Economy drops to a combined 24.4mpg. Both engines are available
eight-speed automatic transmission. In 2021, the Wrangler gained its most powerful engine: a 6.4-litre V8 producing 463bhp and 469lb ft, which cuts the 0-62mph sprint to 4.5sec. Unfortunately, V8 variants were never sold in the UK, but importer Clive Sutton can bring one into the country for you. Also from the 2021 model year, the diesel was dropped. The model gained adaptive cruise control and auto headlights as standard, too. There are three trim levels on the Wrangler. Sahara is a well-equipped entry-level spec. A set of 18in wheels, climate control, automatic LED headlights, cruise control, parking
BUYER BEWARE
If you don’t like traditional, then look away now 88 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
L O N E S TA R The Jeep Wrangler received a one-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was tested in 2018. It scored just 50% for adult occupancy, 69% for child occupancy, 49% for vulnerable road users and 32% for its safety assist functions. It graded poorly for driver protection in the chest and neck, while the absence of
lane assist and automatic emergency braking also held back its score. RUST ISSUES A number of Wrangler owners report issues with bubbling paint and rust around the door hinges. This should be covered by the warranty but some drivers say they have had difficulty claiming for it.
USED CARS NE ED TO KN OW The Wrangler was launched as a £44,495 car in 2018 but an early 2.0 petrol or 2.2 diesel will now start from less than £35,000. Rubicons are at least £38,000 today, still a decent saving over the original £46,495. More good news: most used cars have driven fewer than 40,000 miles. Clive Sutton has a 101-mile 6.4-litre V8 import on sale for £110,000. Jeep sells new Wranglers with its ‘5-3-5’ service offer: a five-year warranty, three years of servicing and five years of roadside assistance. Plenty of used Wranglers will still be fresh enough to have life left in this offer. An 80th Anniversary special edition arrived in 2021. It has its grille and headlight bezels painted grey, 18in two-tone alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, a bodycoloured hard top and black leather seats, along with plenty of interior kit. It’s retaining its value, with prices remaining north of £50,000.
2 . 2 M U LT I J E T I I The diesel is powerful enough and refined and it offers a combined 30.1mpg. Not that you would buy a Wrangler for its economy…
OUR PICK
2.0 GME The petrol is faster and more fun than the diesel and enables the Wrangler to hit 62mph quicker than a 1.5-litre Volkswagen Golf can.
WILD CAR D
sensors, a rear parking camera, keyless go and an 8.8in infotainment system are all standard. The next-step Overland adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, blindspot monitoring and a body-coloured grille. Look to the range-topping Rubicon for the ultimate off-road package. It gains adventure-enabling equipment such as Tru-Lock differentials, a front sway bar, a 240V heavy-duty alternator, an auxiliary switch bank and a 700-amp maintenance battery. Exterior changes on top-rung cars include the addition of rock rails, flared arches and a black, three-piece modular hard-top roof, while the car sits on 17in wheels. These, along with a choice of four different off-road regimes, means there is no car that can bring you closer to nature than the Wrangler – even with its desperately thirsty engines.
ONES WE FOUND 2019 Jeep Wrangler 2.0 Overland, 30,000 miles, £34,995 2019 Jeep Wrangler 2.0 Sahara, 14,000 miles, £37,480 2019 Jeep Wrangler 2.2 Sahara, 15,000 miles, £37,990
TAKE IT
LEAVE IT
BMW i8 £48,995 EIGHT YEARS AFTER the BMW i8 first went on sale, it’s still as eye-catching as ever. It was the second model to appear under the firm’s i sub-brand, following the BMW i3. Both introduced class-leading electrified technology, but while the i3 is the more practical choice as a daily driver, you could also make a case for the stunning-looking i8 being your everyday car. It isn’t just the model’s dramatic exterior styling that offers a wow factor. The i8’s powertrain, innovative when launched, provides a delicious combination of pace, fuel economy and grand touring capabilities. There’s no fruity V6. No stonking great V8. Instead, a modest 228bhp three-cylinder 1.5-litre engine drives the rear wheels, while a 129bhp electric motor supplies power to the front. It sprints from 0-62mph in 4.4sec – faster than a Jaguar F-Type
TAK E IT V6 S and a Porsche 911 3.4 – with a top speed limited to 155mph. A 7.1kWh battery on early cars, meanwhile, offers up to 23 miles of all-electric range. This was upgraded to a 11.6kWh battery in 2018, increasing that figure to 34 miles. Despite having the image and speed of an out-and-out sports car, the i8’s qualities more closely resemble those of a grand tourer. It is certainly rapid, and its comfort levels mean it’s great for cruising, but the handling doesn’t quite have the sheer incisiveness of a true sports car. The economy figures underscore its potential as a GT. Under the now-defunct NEDC test cycle, BMW claimed 149.8mpg. Our road testers, meanwhile, recorded a very respectable 50mpg during a standard touring test. The i8 is also well equipped.
LEA VE IT
Standard kit included cruise control with automatic braking, climate control, variable damper control, heated electric seats, front and rear parking sensors and a head-up display. It commanded a £103,930 starting price back in 2014, but you can pick one up for almost half of that today. We found a 2015 i8 for £48,995. It’s a two-owner car with a full service history, all carried out at BMW dealerships. Plus, it has driven only 13,000 miles – around 25,000 fewer than the market average. JACK WARRICK
LEA VE IT
TAK E IT
Citroën C-Zero £5995
Volkswagen Golf R £18,495
Mercedes C250 CDI £7500
The C-Zero is an electric city car that first went on sale in 2012. It is basically a rebadged Mitsubishi i-MiEV and its original price was a wallet-wrenching £26,216. Even though it is available for a fraction of that today, we still think £5995 is too expensive for a car with a 93-mile range, a measly 66bhp and a 0-62mph time of 15.9sec.
This 2015, one-owner Golf R stands out for several reasons, including the fact that it is totally unmodified, its owner says, apart from some tinted front windows. The car has done 60,000 miles and has some decent optional equipment, including full-leather upholstery and an upgraded sat-nav. Add in a full service history and you’ve got one of the best daily drivers around.
A Mercedes C-Class with only 65,000 miles on the clock for just £7500? You might think it’s too good to be true, and further reading will show this 2012 car has been involved in a Category S incident. That means it suffered structural damage to its crumple zones or its chassis. Further investigation is essential before you set your heart on buying it.
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 89
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For full reviews of every car listed here, visit our website, autocar.co.uk ECONOMY EXPLAINED Between the various figures produced on the old-style NEDC, transitional NEDC Correlated and new-style WLTP laboratory emissions and fuel economy tests, it has become tricky to compare manufacturers’ claimed efficiency on the latest new cars. When you see a fuel economy and CO2 figure reference elsewhere, it’s often without explanation. So, to provide as fair and clear a basis for comparison as possible, you’ll only ever read WLTP combined fuel economy and CO2 figures in Autocar’s first drive reviews, features and comparison tests – and on these data pages. Those are the aggregated results of four lab tests carried out across as many different cruising speed ranges – although they’re sometimes expressed as a range rather than as one specific figure to show the different results recorded by the heaviest and lightest available examples of the car in question (depending on optional equipment). In road tests, you’ll also see our own independently produced real-world fuel economy test results for comparison with the lab test claims. We produce an average, track and touring figure for each car we test, as often as possible on a brim-to-brim test basis. While ‘average’ represents the overall economy returned by a new car over a full road test and ‘track’ is relevant only to intensive performance testing (the length and conditions of which can vary slightly), ‘touring’ gives the best guide of the kind of economy you might see from a car at a steady 70mph motorway cruise. We do real-world efficiency and range testing on electric cars, too, expressing the former in terms of miles per kilowatt hour, as manufacturers do increasingly widely by convention. S TA R R AT I N G S E X P L A I N E D
CCCCC Inherently dangerous/unsafe. Tragically,
irredeemably flawed. BCCCC Appalling. Massively significant failings. ACCCC Very poor. Fails to meet any accepted
class boundaries. ABCCC Poor. Within acceptable class AACCC AABCC AAACC AAABC AAAAC AAAAB AAAAA
boundaries in a few areas. Still not recommendable. Off the pace. Below average in nearly all areas. Acceptable. About average in key areas, but disappoints. Competent. Above average in some areas, average in others. Outstanding in none. Good. Competitive in key areas. Very good. Very competitive in key areas, competitive in secondary respects. Excellent. Near class-leading in key areas and in some ways outstanding. Brilliant, unsurpassed. All but flawless.
Po
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Stelvio 5dr SUV £45,249–£74,999
(M
C
(g/ O2
km
)
AAAAB
ABARTH
2.2 Turbo Diesel 190 2.2 Turbo Diesel 210 Q4 AWD 2.0 Turbo 200 Q4 AWD 2.0 Turbo 280 Q4 AWD 2.9 BiTurbo Quadrifoglio
187 207 197 276 503
130 134 134 143 197
7.6 6.6 7.2 5.7 3.8
45.6 42.8 30.1 30.4 24.6
ALPINA
B3/D3 4dr saloon/5dr estate £55,900–£67,950
1.0 30 TFSI 1.5 35 TFSI 2.0 40 TFSI quattro 2.0 S3 quattro 2.0 RS3 quattro 2.0 30 TDI 2.0 35 TDI AAAAA 2.0 40 TDI quattro
3.0 BiTurbo 3.0 D3S
462 355
186-188 3.8-3.9 168-170 4.6-4.8
25.9 37.2
247 199
177
140
A L FA R O M E O
Giulia 4dr saloon £38,599–£70,299
36.2-36.7 171
the AMG S-Classes. LxWxH 5250x1902x1491 Kerb weight 2060kg 4.4 V8 BiTurbo
ee
d(
mp
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0-6
2 0/6
mp
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m y g e) n o /ran
o G Ec (MP
C
(g/ O2
km
)
AAAAC
130 144 154 155 155 130 142 155
599
205
4.2
24.4
264
10.6 8.7 7.0 4.8 3.8 10.1 8.5 6.8
50.4-51.4 47.9-50.4 39.2-40.9 35.3-36.2 31.4-31.7 62.8-64.2 58.9-67.3 48.7-51.4
124-128 127-134 157-165 178-181 202-205 114-119 111-127 145-152
AAAAC
High quality and competent but leaves the dynamic finesse to its rivals. LxWxH 4726x1842x1427 Kerb weight 1320kg 8.6 7.3 5.6 9.5 8.9 7.4 4.8
40.9-46.3 40.9-44.8 34.9-35.3 50.4-55.4 50.4-55.4 50.4-54.3 40.4-40.9
140-157 143-187 181-184 133-146 133-146 137-148 181-183
Huge power and impressive luxury credentials, but can’t justify the mundane to drive. LxWxH 4673x1846x1371 Kerb weight 1390kg hefty price jump. LxWxH 5151x2218x1797 Kerb weight 2655kg 2.0 35 TFSI 148 140 8.9 41.5-45.6 141-154 4.4 V8 BiTurbo
2.0 40 TFSI 187 150 7.2 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 4.8 ALPINE 2.9 V6 TFSI RS5 quattro 448 174 3.9 A110 2dr coupé £49,905–£59,995 AAAAA 2.0 35 TDI 163 162 8.2 A much, much greater car and achievement than the sum of its 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.4 parts suggests. LxWxH 4180x1980x1252 Kerb weight 1080kg 3.0 V6 S5 TDI quattro 339 155 4.6 1.8 Turbo 248 155 4.5 39.2 162 1.8 Turbo S 288 162 4.4 38.7 163 A5 Sportback 5dr coupé £39,885–£90,675 621
180
4.2
23.5
274
Po
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mp
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A7 Sportback 5dr coupé £51,895–£119,335
(g/
km
)
CO 2
AAABC
Easy on the eye and to live with, but let down by stolid dynamics. LxWxH 4969x1908x1422 Kerb weight 1880kg 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 4.0 RS7 quattro 2.0 40 TDI 2.0 40 TDI quattro 2.0 45 TDI quattro 3.0 50 TDI quattro 3.0 S7 TDI quattro
242 299 335 596 201 201 242 282 344
155 155 155 174 152 155 155 155 155
6.2 6.3 5.3 3.6 8.3 7.0 6.4 5.6 5.1
35.3-36.2 177-183 134.5-141.2 46-47 32.1-34.0 189-199 22.2-23.0 280-287 47.9-49.6 150-156 45.6-47.1 158-163 40.9-43.5 171-180 38.2-39.8 186-193 35.3-35.8 205-208
A8 4dr saloon £74,985–£114,190
AAAAC
Technical tour de force benefits from Audi’s knack of making very good limousines. LxWxH 5172x1945x1473 Kerb weight 1920kg 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 3.0 55 TFSI quattro LWB 3.0 60 TFSIe quattro 3.0 50 TDI quattro 3.0 50 TDI quattro LWB
335 335 449 282 282
155 155 155 155 155
5.6 5.7 4.9 5.9 5.9
28.2-29.4 217-228 28.2-29.1 219-228 100.9-113.0 57-64 38.7-40.9 180-192 38.2-40.4 182-193
E-tron 5dr SUV £61,275–£102,875 AAAAB AAAAC A rounded, uber-luxurious addition to the premium EV niche.
Classy and demure estate lacks the dynamic sparkle of rivals. LxWxH 4725x1842x1434 Kerb weight 1370kg
2.0 35 TFSI 148 136 8.9 39.8-44.8 143-162 B8 Gran Coupé 4dr saloon £135,285 AAAAC 2.0 40 TFSI 187 148 7.5 39.8-43.5 147-162 Superbly rounded, but lacking some of the dynamism implied by its 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.0 33.6-34.4 187-191 looks. LxWxH 5090x1930x1430 Kerb weight 2140kg 3.0 V6 TFSI RS4 Avant 448 155 4.1 28.1-28.2 220-226 4.4 V8 BiTurbo 621 201 3.4 25.4 270 2.0 30 TDI 132 131 9.8 49.6-54.3 137-150 2.0 35 TDI 148 132 9.2 49.6-54.3 137-150 XD3 5dr SUV £68,400 AAAAC 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 143-144 7.6-7.9 47.9-52.3 141-154 3.0 50 TDI Allroad quattro 282 155 5.3 38.2 194 Pleasant BMW SUV impressively enhanced with the usual Alpina toolkit. LxWxH 4732x1897x2015 Kerb weight 2015kg 3.0 S4 TDI quattro 342 155 4.9 39.2-39.8 186-189 3.0 BiTurbo 330 158 4.9 31.4 173 A5 2dr coupé £39,885–£90,675 AAAAC XB7 5dr SUV £134,300 AAAAC Refreshed coupé gets a sharper look and a refreshed interior. Still 41.5-47.1 34.9-38.8 29.1 51.4-55.4 50.4-54.3 39.2-40.4
141-154 180-184 220 133-144 135-146 184-188
LxWxH 4901x1935x1629 Kerb weight 2490kg 50 quattro 71kWh 55 quattro 95kWh S quattro 95kWh
308 403 503
118 124 130
6.8 5.4 4.5
190 237 223
E-tron Sportback 5dr SUV £63,075–£104,675
0 0 0 AAAAB
Quick and classy EV builds on the solid foundations of its more upright sibling. LxWxH 4901x1935x1616 Kerb weight 2480kg 50 quattro 71kWH 55 quattro 95kWh S quattro 95kWh
308 403 503
118 124 130
6.8 5.7 4.5
192 242 224
E-tron GT 4dr saloon £81,915–£135,355
0 0 0 AAAAB
Combines striking looks with a high-class interior and never feels short of pace. LxWxH 4989x2158x1396 Kerb weight 2276kg quattro 93kWh RS quattro 93kWh
528 646
152 155
4.1 3.3
296 283
Q2 5dr SUV £24,870–£47,400
0 0 AAAAC
Audi’s smallest SUV is a decent stepping stone from the A3 to the Q range. LxWxH 4191x1794x1508 Kerb weight 1205kg
1.0 30 TFSI 114 122 10.3 44.8-47.1 135-143 1.5 35 TFSI 148 131 8.5 42.2-44.8 142-151 AAAAC 2.0 40 TFSI quattro 187 141 6.5 34.0-34.9 184-187 Refined, good-looking four-door coupé is sadly short on charm and 2.0 SQ2 TFSI 298 155 4.8 32.8-33.2 192-195 ARIEL finesse. LxWxH 4733x1843x1386 Kerb weight 1425kg 2.0 30 TDI 114 125 9.9 58.9-60.1 124-129 Atom 0dr open £40,669 AAAAB 2.0 35 TFSI 148 139 9.1 40.9-44.8 144-158 2.0 35 TDI quattro 148 131 8.1 45.6-47.9 155-163 Simple, purist concept remains but everything else has changed… 2.0 40 TFSI 187 150 7.5 40.9-44.8 143-158 for the better. LxWxH 3520x1880x1122 Kerb weight 595kg 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.8 34.4-35.3 183-187 Q3 5dr SUV £31,265–£63,850 AAABC 2.0 turbo 320 162 2.8 NA NA 2.9 V6 TFSI RS5 quattro 448 174 3.9 28.5-28.8 222-224 Typically refined and competent but feels more like an A3 than an 2.0 35 TDI 148 135 9.1 50.4-54.3 135-147 Audi SUV. LxWxH 4388x1831x1608 Kerb weight 1385kg Nomad 0dr open £37,549 AAAAA 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.6 49.6-54.3 137-149 1.5 35 TFSI 148 128-131 9.2-9.6 38.7-42.2 153-166 Well inside the top 10 list of our favourite cars. A revelation and a 3.0 S5 TDI quattro 345 155 4.9 39.8-40.4 183-187 2.0 40 TFSI quattro 187 136 7.4 31.0-32.5 197-207 riot to drive. LxWxH 3215x1850x1425 Kerb weight 670kg 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 243 147 5.8 31.0-31.7 201-205 2.4 K24 i-VTEC 235 125 3.4 NA NA A5 Cabriolet 2dr open £44,010–£65,625 AAAAC 2.0 45 TFSIe 242 130 7.3 141.2 44-45 More practical than smaller options. Lower-powered, steel-sprung 2.5 RS Q3 quattro 396 155 4.5 27.7-28.8 222-230 ASTON MARTIN trim is best. LxWxH 4673x1846x1383 Kerb weight 1600kg 2.0 35 TDI 148 128 9.2 47.9-49.6 150-154 Vantage 2dr coupé/2dr open £117,150–£152,900 AAAAB 2.0 35 TFSI 150 136 9.8 38.7-40.4 160-165 2.0 35 TDI quattro 148 131 9.3 39.2-40.9 182-188 The faster, cleverer, more hardcore entry-level Aston tops its 2.0 40 TFSI 187 150 7.9 38.7-40.4 160-165 2.0 40 TDI quattro 188 137 8.0 37.7-40.4 84-195 class. LxWxH 4465x1942x1273 Kerb weight 1630kg 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.5 32.8-33.2 192-196 4.0 V8 503 190-195 3.6-3.8 25.7 276 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 145 8.0 47.1-48.7 152-157 Q3 Sportback 5dr SUV £34,065–£65,000 AAABC 4.0 V8 F1 Edition 527 195 3.6 24.3 264 A more sporting take on the compact SUV, with similarly stable A6 4dr saloon £39,950–£80,365 AAAAC handling. LxWxH 4500x1856x1567 Kerb weight 1460kg DB11 2dr coupé/2dr open £152,865–£168,500 AAAAA Supremely well constructed but a bit soulless to drive. A smart 1.5 35 TFSI 148 126 9.6 39.2-41.5 154-163 office on wheels. LxWxH 4939x1886x1457 Kerb weight 1645kg The stunning replacement for the already seductive DB9 is tyre2.0 40 TFSI quattro 188 136 7.4 30.7-32.1 199-208 shreddingly good. LxWxH 4739x2060x1279 Kerb weight 1875kg 2.0 40 TFSI 201 152 7.3 37.7-39.2 163-171 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 243 146 5.8 32.5-32.8 195-197 4.0 V8 503 187 4.0 25.1 254 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.0 35.3-37.2 172-182 2.0 45 TFSIe 242 130 7.3 141.2 44-45 5.2 V12 AMR 630 208 3.7 21.1 303 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 299 155 6.2 217.3 31 2.5 RS Q3 quattro 396 155 4.5 27.7-28.5 223-231 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 335 155 5.1 32.8-34.9 184-196 2.0 35 TDI 148 126 9.3 48.7-51.4 14552 DBS 2dr coupé/open £241,100–£259,900 AAAAA 2.0 40 TDI 201 152 8.1 47.9-51.4 145-155 2.0 35 TDI quattro 148 126 9.3 40.4-44.8 166-183 Effortlessly fast, intoxicating to drive: the big Aston is better than 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 153 7.6 45.6-47.9 155-163 2.0 40 TDI quattro 188 134 8.3 38.2-39.8 185-195 ever. LxWxH 4712x2146x1280 Kerb weight 1693kg 3.0 50 TDI quattro 282 155 5.5 38.7-40.4 183-191 5.2 V12 715 211 3.7 20.9 306 3.0 S6 TDI quattro 344 155 5.0 36.2 203-205 Q4 E-tron 5dr SUV £42,540–£66,860 AAABC
DBX 5dr SUV £160,300–£190,000
AAAAB
550 697
181 193
4.5 3.3
A3 Sportback 5dr hatch £25,010–£61,080
19.8 19.9
323 323
AAAAC
Bolder design and improved dynamics make the A3 stand out more than ever. LxWxH 4343x1816x1425 Kerb weight 1220kg
AAAAB 1.0 30 TFSI Handsome and special dynamically but lacks finesse and comes 1.5 35 TFSI as an auto only. LxWxH 4643x1860x1436 Kerb weight 1429kg 2.0 40 TFSI quattro 2.0 Turbo Petrol 200 197 146 6.6 36.2 176-184 2.0 40 TFSIe 2.0 Turbo Petrol 280 276 149 5.7 33.6 195 2.0 45 TFSIe 2.9 BiTurbo Quadrifoglio 503 191 3.9 28.5 230 2,0 S3 quattro 2.0 RS3 quattro 2.0 30 TDI 2.0 35 TDI 2.0 40 TDI quattro
90 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
108 148 188 308 394 116 148 198
2.0 35 TFSI 148 139 B5/D5 4dr saloon/5dr estate £65,350–£97,500 AAAAC 2.0 40 TFSI 187 155 Is it the best alternative to an M5? Yes, at least from a practicality 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 viewpoint. LxWxH 4956x1868x1466 Kerb weight 2015kg 3.0 30 TDI 132 133 4.4 V8 BiTurbo 599 200-205 3.5-3.7 23.5 272 2.0 35 TDI 148 136 3.0 D5S 347 171 4.8 42.2 199 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 3.0 S4 TDI 342 155 B7 4dr saloon £125,985 AAAAC A 7 Series with a power boost gives BMW a worthy challenger to A4 Avant 5dr estate £35,355–£85,690
AAABC 4.0 V8 4.0 V8 DBX 707
6.7
To
p ps
A4 4dr saloon £33,995–£59,180
Practical, pleasant and efficient – if not quite a superior premium AAAAC product. LxWxH 4588x2108x1632 Kerb weight 1890kg A capable and high-tech throwback that’s a timely reminder of 35 125k 168 99 9.0 201 0 what Audi does best. LxWxH 4939x1886x1467 Kerb weight 1710kg 40 150kW 201 99 8.5 307 0
A6 Avant 5dr estate £42,050–£115,680
2.0 40 TFSI 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro AU D I 1.4 T-jet 145 143 130 7.8 38.7-39.2 162-164 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 1.4 T-jet 165 162 135 7.3 37.7-38.2 161-166 A1 Sportback 5dr hatch £19,805–£32,895 AAABC 4.0 RS6 quattro 1.4 T-jet 180 Competizione 177 140 6.9 36.7 171 Quite pricey, but a rounded car with plenty of rational appeal. 2.0 40 TDI LxWxH 4029x1746x1418 Kerb weight 1105kg 1.4 T-jet 180 Essesse 177 140 6.7 36.7 171 2.0 40 TDI quattro 1.0 25 TFSI 94 118 10.8 48.7-50.4 128-133 3.0 50 TDI quattro 695 3dr hatch/2dr open £31,305 AAABC 1.0 30 TFSI 114 126 9.5 46.3-51.4 124-139 3.0 S6 TDI quattro A convincing track-day 500 with decent dynamic ability, but overly 1.5 35 TFSI 148 137 7.7 44.1-44.8 142-145 1.4 T-jet 180 Essesse
p)
A3 Saloon 4dr saloon £26,975–£62,080
159 168 206-209 208 261
Buchloe’s take on 3 Series makes a case for being all the car you could ever need. LxWxH 4620x1811x1430 Kerb weight 1865kg
The Fiat 500’s Abarth makeover makes it a true pocket rocket. LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight 1070kg
firm ride spoils it. LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight 1045kg
(bh
Alfa’s first SUV is a solid effort. Choosing the petrol version gives it Undercuts the case to own an A4. Upmarket interior and good to charisma. LxWxH 4687x1903x1671 Kerb weight 1604kg drive. LxWxH 4495x1984x1425 Kerb weight 1225kg
Doesn’t try to be the biggest, fastest SUV, and may be all the more appealing for it. LxWxH 5039x1998x1680 Kerb weight 2245kg
595 3dr hatch/2dr open £18,295–£29,745
Po
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108 148 188 201 242 308 398 113 148 198
127 139 150 141 144 155 155 128 142 151
10.6 8.7 6.9 7.6 6.8 4.8 3.8 10.1 8.3-8.5 6.8
48.7-51.4 46.3-50.4 38.7-40.4 235.4 235.4 34.4-34.9 31.0-31.4 61.4-64.2 56.5-62.8 47.9-50.4
125-132 128-138 159-166 29 29 183-186 205-207 115-122 112-130 148-155
201 242 299 335 596 201 201 282 344
149 155 155 155 174 149 150 155 155
7.5 6.2 6.3 5.3 3.6 8.3 7.8 5.7 5.1
36.2-38.2 34-36.2 217.3 31.7-34.0 21.9-22.6 45.6-49.6 44.1-46.3 38.2-39.8 35.3
168-178 177-189 31 189-201 283-294 150-162 159-167 187-195 209
50 quattro 220kW
296
111
6.2
298
Q4 E-tron Sportback 5dr SUV £44,040–£68,360
0 AAABC
Fastback variant of Audi’s mainstream electric SUV is agile and terrifically refined. LxWxH 4588x2108x1614 Kerb weight 1895kg 35 125kW 40 150kW 50 quattro 220kW
168 201 296
99 99 111
9.0 8.5 6.2
Q5 5dr SUV £45,445–£74,070
211 318 302
0 0 0 AAAAC
Appealing combination of Audi allure, affordable SUV practicality and attractiveness. LxWxH 4663x1893x1659 Kerb weight 1720kg 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 2.0 55 TFSIe quattro 2.0 40 TDI quattro 3.0 SQ5 TDI quattro
242 249 363 187 344
147 148 148 136 155
6.4 6.1 5.3 8.1 5.1
Q5 Sportback 5dr SUV £47,895–£76,520
31.0-33.6 128.4 108.6 41.5-44.8 32.8-34.4
191-206 49 56 165-179 216-224
AAABC
Reduced accommodation and practicality, but still a refined and solid steer. LxWxH 4689x1893x1660 Kerb weight 2010-2150kg 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 2.0 55 TFSIe quattro 2.0 40 TDI quattro 3.0 SQ5 TDI quattro
263 297 364 201 336
149 148 148 137 155
6.1 6.1 5.3 7.6 5.1
31.7-33.6 192-202 176.6-188.3 36-38 156.9-166.2 41-42 42.2-44.8 166-176 33.2-34.4 216-222
N E W CAR PR I CES P
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2 Series Active Tourer 5dr hatch £30,265–£36,390
P
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154 201 148
137 150 137
8.1 7.0 8.8
3 Series 4dr saloon £33,250–£78,425
Striking and effective coupé-SUV range-topper leaves us wanting more. LxWxH 4986x1995x1705 Kerb weight 2145kg 3.0 V6 55 TFSI quattro 3.0 V6 55 TFSIe quattro 3.0 V6 60 TFSIe quattro 4.0 SQ8 quattro 4.0 V8 RS Q8 quattro 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro
335 381 462 503 592 282
155 149 149 155 155 152
5.9 5.8 5.4 4.1 3.8 6.3
25.9-26.4 94.2 94.2-97.4 31.0-31.7 20.2-20.5 32.8-33.2
TT 2dr coupé £34,460–£68,245
243-248 67-68 66-68 234-239 314-318 222-226
AAAAC
Still serves up plenty of pace, style and usability for the money. It’s better to drive, too. LxWxH 4191x1966x1376 Kerb weight 1365kg 2.0 40 TFSI 2.0 45 TFSI 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 2.0 50 TFSI quattro TTS 2.5 TT RS quattro
194 242 242 302 395
155 155 155 155 155
6.6 5.8-5.9 5.2 4.5 3.7
40.4-41.5 38.7-39.2 34.9-35.8 34.9-35.3 30.7
TT Roadster 2dr open £36,210–£69,995
154-158 162-167 180-184 180-183 208-210
AAAAC
Plenty of pace and driver reward, along with prestige and designicon style. LxWxH 4191x1966x1355 Kerb weight 1455kg 2.0 40 TFSI 2.0 45 TFSI 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 2.0 50 TFSI quattro TTS 2.5 TT RS quattro
194 242 242 302 395
155 155 155 155 155
6.9 6.0-6.1 5.5 4.8 3.9
39.2-40.4 37.2-38.2 33.6-34.4 34.0-34.4 29.7-30.1
R8 2dr coupé £129,785–£165,890
159-163 168-172 185-190 185-188 214-215
AAAAC
Usable but no less involving or dramatic for it. V10 is deliciously brutal. LxWxH 4426x1940x1240 Kerb weight 1590kg 5.2 V10 RWD 538 5.2 V10 quattro 567 5.2 V10 Performance q’tro 610
201 201 205
3.7 3.4 3.1
22.2 21.9 21.7
R8 Spyder 2dr open £138,475–£174,580
288 294 295-296 AAAAC
Taking the roof off the R8 enhances the drama tenfold. LxWxH 4426x1940x1245 Kerb weight 1680kg 5.2 V10 RWD 538 5.2 V10 quattro 567 5.2 V10 Performance q’tro 610
200 200 204
3.8 3.5 3.2
20.9 20.5 20.3
307 313 315
BAC
Mono 0dr open £165,125
AAAAB
An F-22 Raptor for the road, only significantly better built. LxWxH 3952x1836x1110 Kerb weight 580kg 2.5 VVT
305
170
2.8
NA
NA
BENTLEY
Continental GT 2dr coupé £168,500–£212,200
AAAAC
Refined and improved in every area, making the Conti a superb grand tourer. LxWxH 4850x1966x1405 Kerb weight 2244kg 4.0 V8 6.0 W12 Speed
542 626
198 207
3.9 3.6
23.9 20.8
Continental GTC 2dr open £185,100–£233,200
268 308 AAAAB
Immensely capable and refined open-top cruiser with effortless performance. LxWxH 4850x2187x1399 Kerb weight 2414kg
4.0 V8 6.0 W12 Speed
542 626
198 207
4.0 3.7
23.3 20.2
Flying Spur 4dr saloon £162,500–£215,500
275 336 AAAAB
New from the ground up, with the looks and technology of a class winner. LxWxH 5316x1879x1483 Kerb weight 2437kg 4.0 V8 6.0 W12
548 632
198 207
4.1 3.8
22.2 19.1
Bentayga 5dr SUV £155,660–£189,165
288 337 AAAAB
Crewe’s first attempt at an SUV remains ahead of most luxury rivals. LxWxH 5140x1998x1742 Kerb weight 2505kg 3.0 V6 Hybrid 4.0 V8
448 542
158 171
5.5 4.5
83.1 21.7
82 302
152 181 181 254 288 288 369 503 503 148 187 187 263 263 338
138 146 142 155 143 143 155 155 155 132 146 144 155 155 155
47.1-47.9 135-137 45.6-46.3 138-140 57.6-58.9 127-129
44.1 145-146 44.1 144-146 41.5-42.2 153-154 40.9-42.8 150-156 188.3-201.8 37-38 TBC TBC 34.9 185 28.8 223 28.2 228 52.6-62.8 117-129 56.5-60.1 124-131 54.3-56.5 130-136 47.1-49.6 150-156 47.1 157-158 46.3 160
6.2 V8
M135i xDrive 116d 118d 120d 120d xDrive
302 114 148 187 187
155 TBC 134 144 TBC
2 Series 2dr coupé £34,980–£45,795
4.8 10.1-10.3 8.4-8.5 7.3 7.0
36.2 60.1-62.8 58.9-60.1 55.4-57.6 52.3-53.3
177 119-123 123-127 129-133 139-142
pe
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(m
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) y e) km o m ang (g/ o n MPG/r CO 2 (
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475
185
3.5
23.3
C3 5dr hatchback £14,630–£21,225
277 AAABC
Funky, fresh look gives a lease of life, shame that underneath isn’t the same. LxWxH 3996x1749x1474 Kerb weight 976kg 1.2 PureTech 82 1.2 PureTech 110 1.5 BlueHDi 100
X1 5dr SUV £30,555–£41,660
AAAAC
Pick of the premium bunch but a tad unrefined and has ordinary handling. LxWxH 4439x1821x1598 Kerb weight 1395kg sDrive18i sDrive20i xDrive20i xDrive25e sDrive18d xDrive18d xDrive20d
138 189 189 218 148 148 187
127 138 TBC 120 126 126 136
9.7 7.4 7.7 6.9 9.3-9.4 9.3-9.4 7.8
42.8 149-150 40.9 156-157 38.2-38.7 166-167 134.5-148.7 50-51 55.4 133-134 50.4-51.4 145-146 49.6 148-149
79 107 96
107 117 115
12.8 9.3 10.6
51.3 52.3 67.0
C3 Aircross 5dr hatchback £17,845–£23,195
130-131 129-131 117-118 AAABC
Funky-looking C3 gets a jacked-up, rugged SUV look. LxWxH 4155x1765x1637 Kerb weight 1088kg 1.2 PureTech 110 1.2 PureTech 130 1.5 BlueHDi 100
107 127 96
115 124 109
11.3 10.4 12.8
51.5 47.3 62.7
C4 5dr hatchback £21,940–£34,995
141-143 150 126-128 AAACC
Interesting to look at but soft and unrewarding to drive. Electric ë-C4 is better. LxWxH 4355x1800x1525 Kerb weight 1247kg
1.2 PureTech 99 114 11.3 54.8 116 X2 5dr SUV £32,495–£47,700 AAAAC 1.2 PureTech 130 128 130 8.9-9.4 50.2-54.7 117-127 AAAAB Proves crossovers aren’t always worse than the hatchbacks on 1.2 PureTech 155 153 129 8.5 48.8 131 Towering everyday appeal. Arguably the best all-rounder sensible which they’re based. LxWxH 4360x1824x1526 Kerb weight 1460kg 1.5 BlueHDi 108 120 10.9 68.7-69.1 114-115 money can buy. LxWxH 4620x1811x1430 Kerb weight 1565kg sDrive18i 138 127 9.6 42.8-43.5 148-150 1.5 BlueHDi 130 129 128 9.5 64.5-64.9 114-115 318i 152 137 8.7 42.2 152-153 sDrive20i 189 141 7.7 40.9-41.5 154-156 ë-C4 50kWh 134 93 9.7 227 0 320i 181 143 7.5 42.2 152-153 xDrive20i 189 TBC 7.6 38.7-39.2 164-166 330i 254 155 5.9 39.2-40.9 156-163 xDrive25e 220 121 6.8 156.9 40-41 C5 Aircross 5dr SUV £25,360–£37,580 AAABC 330e 292 143 5.9 176.6-201.8 32-37 M35i 302 155 4.9 34.4 187 Smooth-riding SUV has an easy-going nature, but not the most 330e xDrive 292 140 5.9 156.9-176.6 37-42 sDrive18d 148 129 9.3-9.8 55.4 132-134 dynamic. LxWxH 4500x1859x1670 Kerb weight 1530kg M340i xDrive 371 155 4.5 33.6 191 xDrive18d 148 128 9.2 50.4-51.4 144-146 1.2 PureTech 130 128 117 10.5 44.2 149-151 318d 148 133 8.8 57.6-58.9 126-127 xDrive20d 185 137 7.7 49.6-50.4 147-149 1.6 PureTech 225 PHEV 223 140 8.7 184.0 50 320d 188 142 7.1-7.9 54.3-57.6 115-121 1.5 BlueHDI 130 129 117 10.4 57.3 138-139 320d xDrive 188 142 7.4 51.4-54.3 136-143 X3 5dr SUV £44,205–£86,425 AAAAC 330d 263 140 5.6 45.6-47.1 158-163 Continues where the last one left off. Dynamically good and more C5 X 5dr SUV £26,490–£38,670 AAAAC 330d xDrive 261 155 5.4 43.5-44.8 166-171 luxurious inside. LxWxH 4708x1891x1676 Kerb weight 1750kg An unconventional take on the conventional that brings comfort to M340d xDrive 340 155 4.8 44.8 165 xDrive20i 181 134 8.3 35.3-35.8 179-181 the fore. LxWxH 4805x1865x1485 Kerb weight 1418kg xDrive30e 288 130 6.1 134.5 51-54 1.2 PureTech 130 128 130 10.4 48.6 136 4 Series 2dr coupé £40,465–£79,755 AAAAC xDrive M40i 355 155 4.8 31.4 204 1.6 PureTech 180 181 143 8.1 43.9 147 A rounded, engaging and potent coupé let down only by its looks. X3M Competition 503 155 4.1 24.8 261 1.6 PureTech 225 PHEV 223 145 7.8 186-236 30-34 LxWxH 4768x2081x1390 Kerb weight 1590kg xDrive20d 187 132 8.0 47.1-47.9 154-156 420i 181 149 7.5 42.2-44.1 146-151 xDrive30d 261 149 5.8 45.6 161-163 E-Berlingo 5dr MPV £30,995–£32,995 AAACC 430i 254 155 5.8 40.4-42.2 153-159 xDrive M40d 321 155 4.9 43.5 171 New electric version of venerable people carrier is suddenly the M440i xDrive 369 155 4.5 36.7 175 only one available. LxWxH 4403x1921x1849 Kerb weight 2440kg M4 Competition 503 155 3.9 28.8 228 X4 5dr SUV £49,965–£88,185 AAABC 50kWh 136 84 9.0 182 0 M4 xDrive Competiton 503 155 3.5 28.2 227 Downsized X6 is respectable enough if not lovable, but the X3 is a CUPRA 420d 187 143 7.1 58.9-61.4 121-126 better option. LxWxH 4671x1881x1624 Kerb weight 1735kg 420d xDrive 187 148 7.4 55.4-57.6 129-135 xDrive M40i 336 155 4.9 31.7 203 Born 5dr hatch £33,735–£37,375 AAABC X4M Competiton 503 155 4.1 24.8 259 Electric hot hatch shows promise and annoyance in equal 4 Series Convertible 2dr open £45,800–£83,335 AAAAC xDrive20d 187 131 8.0 47.1-47.9 161-165 measure. LxWxH 4322x1809x1540 Kerb weight 1736kg Fabric-roofed grand tourer has just as much talent as its coupé xDrive30d 254 145 5.8 45.6-46.3 159-163 58kWh 201 99 7.3 262-263 0 sibling. LxWxH 4768x2081x1384 Kerb weight 1715kg xDrive M40d 322 155 4.9 43.5 169 420i 181 147 8.2 40.4-41.5 154-159 Leon 5dr hatch £32,560–£37,830 AAABC 430i 242 155 6.2 38.7-40.4 160-165 X5 5dr SUV £63,490–£115,350 AAAAC PHEV makes for a confused take on the hot hatch. ICE versions are M440i xDrive 371 155 4.9 35.3 182 More capable, convenient, refined and classy SUV that’s a more more enjoyable. LxWxH 4398x1799x1467 Kerb weight 1596kg M4 xDrive Competition 503 155 3.7 27.7 231 satisfying drive. LxWxH 4922x2004x1745 Kerb weight 2110kg 1.4 eHybrid 241 140 6.7 217.3 30-32 420d 188 147 7.6 55.4-57.6 129-134 xDrive40i 335 155 5.5 27.7-28.2 227-231 2.0 TSI 242 155 6.4 39.2 162-163 430d 282 155 5.8 50.4-52.3 141-146 xDrive45e 282 155 5.6 188.3-235.4 31 2.0 TSI 300 298 155 5.7 37.2 171-172 xDrive M50i 523 155 4.3 27.3 276 4 Series Gran Coupé 4dr coupé £41,650–£55,695 AAAAC X5M Competition 623 155 3.8 22.1 304 Leon Estate 5dr hatch £36,870–£41,675 AAAAC The same impressive package we love from the 3 Series, with xDrive30d 261 130 6.8 41.5-42.2 175-179 More practical version of the most potent Leon blows as hot and added style. LxWxH 4783x2073x1442 Kerb weight 1825kg xDrive40d 340 152 5.5 38.7-39.2 192-196 cold as the hatch. LxWxH 4657x1799x1463 Kerb weight TBC 420i 181 146 7.9 41.5 154 1.4 eHybrid 241 140 7 201.8 31-34 430i 242 155 6.2 39.8 160-161 X6 5dr SUV £65,190–£118,050 AAABC 2.0 TSI 310 306 155 4.9 32.8-34.4 186 M440i xDrive 371 155 4.7 35.3 182 The world’s first off-road coupé, but appearances make it difficult 420d 188 146 7.3 56.5 130 to love. LxWxH 4909x1989x1702 Kerb weight 2065kg Ateca 5dr hatch £40,105–£45,480 AAABC 420d xDrive 188 145 7.6 53.3 138 xDrive40i 338 155 5.5 28.0-28.5 225-230 First model from Seat’s stand-alone performance brand has decent xDrive M50i 523 155 4.3 23.5 272 pace and precision. LxWxH 4376x1841x1615 Kerb weight 1615kg 5 Series 4dr saloon £40,125–£104,380 AAAAB X6 M Competition 623 155 3.8 22.4 287 2.0 TSI 300 296 153 5.2 32.5 197 The perfect compromise between the comfy E-Class and dynamic xDrive30d 254 143 6.7 42.2-42.8 172-176 XF, and then some. LxWxH 4936x2126x1479 Kerb weight 1530kg xDrive40d 340 154 5.5 38.7-39.8 187-191 Formentor 5dr SUV £28,895–£44,225 AAAAC 520i 181 146 7.8 44.8-45.6 142-145 Bespoke SUV delivers a well-rounded, sure-footed and rewarding 530e 288 146 5.9 117.7-128.4 32-43 X7 5dr SUV £80,495–£97,670 AAAAC drive. LxWxH 4450x1839x1511 Kerb weight 1569kg 530e xDrive 288 146 5.9 134-166 38-48 BMW’s largest SUV yet crowns the line-up, but faces strong 1.5 TSI 150 148 127 8.9 43.5-44.8 143-148 545e xDrive 394 155 3.8 128-134 49-51 competition. LxWxH 5151x2000x1805 Kerb weight 2395kg 2.0 TSI 190 188 137 7.1 36.2-37.7 171-176 M550i xDrive 528 155 3.8 25.9 247 xDrive40i 338 155 6.1 28.7 249-250 1.4 eHybrid 204 201 127 7.8 201.8-235 33-37 M5 Competition 616 155 3.3 25.4 252 xDrive M50i 523 155 4.7 22.1 283-291 1.4 eHybrid 245 242 130 7.0 176.6-188 33-35 520d 187 147 7.5 57.6-58.9 126-129 xDrive40d 340 152 6.1 36.2 203-204 2.0 TSI 310 310 155 4.9 32.8-33.2 193-194 520d xDrive 187 144 7.6 54.3-55.4 132-135 DACIA 530d xDrive 261 155 5.4 51.4-52.3 143-145 i3 5dr hatch £33,805–£34,805 AAAAB Our favourite high-end small car happens to be an EV, and it could Sandero 5dr hatch £11,245–£12,845 AAAAC 5 Series Touring 5dr estate £42,710–£57,930 AAAAB change motoring. LxWxH 3999x1775x1578 Kerb weight 1245kg Still as cheap, remarkably likeable and usable as most recent The excellent 5 Series made in more practical form. The 520d is 120Ah 167 93 7.3 181 0 superminis. LxWxH 4088x1848x1499 Kerb weight 1130kg still the best. LxWxH 4942x2126x1498 Kerb weight 1630kg 120Ah S 180 99 6.9 175 0 1.0 TCe 90 111 11.7 53.3 120 520i 181 139 8.2 40.4-42.2 152-160 1.0 TCe Bi-Fuel 99 114 11.6 52.3 123 530e 292 140 6.1 156.9-176.6 35-40 iX3 5dr SUV £60,970–£63,970 AAAAC 530e xDrive 292 140 6.1 134.5-156.9 42-47 All-electric SUV is brisk, agile, versatile and competitive with its Sandero Stepway 5dr hatch £12,745–£15,145 AAABC 540i xDrive 335 155 5.1 34.9-35.8 179-185 closest rivals. LxWxH 4584x1852x1640 Kerb weight 2185kg A more expensive and slightly more rugged cheap car – but still 520d 187 147 7.8 52.3-55.4 134-142 80kWh 282 112 6.8 286 0 limited. LxWxH 4099x1848x1535 Kerb weight 1040kg 520d xDrive 187 144 7.9 49.6-52.3 140-148 1.0 TCe 88 107 12 50.4 127 530d xDrive 261 155 5.6 46.3-47.9 160 i4 4dr saloon £51,905–£63,905 AAAAC 1.0 TCe 100 Bi-Fuel 99 109 11.9 48.7 130-131
3 Series Touring 5dr estate £35,085–£53,385
7 Series 4dr saloon £76,405–£92,260
Duster 5dr SUV £14,495–£20,545
730d xDrive 740d xDrive
1.0 TCe 90 1.3 TCe 130 1.3 TCe 150 1.0 TCe 100 Bi-Fuel 1.5 dCi 115 1.5 dCi 115 4x4
261 315
155 155
5.8 5.2
8 Series 2dr coupé/2dr open £74,665–£133,450
47.1-47.9 155-158 46.3-47.1 158-159 AAAAC
Has dynamism to spare but not quite the breadth of ability of the best sporting GTs. LxWxH 4843x1902x1341 Kerb weight 1830kg
xDrive 40 xDrive 50 M60
326 523 623
Z4 2dr coupé £39,545–£51,295
124 124 155
6.1 4.6 3.8
256 375 346
0 0 0
AAAAC
A value champion. If cheap family transport is what you require, the Duster delivers. LxWxH 4341x2052x1633 Kerb weight 1189kg 89 128 148 99 113 113
103 120 125 106 113 108
13.5 10.6 9.7 14.4 10.3 12.1
46.3 45.6 44.8 TBC 57.7 51.4
139 141 143 146 128 143
Jogger 5dr MPV £14,995–£17,395 AAAAB AAAAC A real reason for families to flock to Dacia dealers. Basic to drive
Better to drive than ever but makes a better open-top cruiser than a true sports car. LxWxH 4689x1942x1293 Kerb weight 1485kg
AAAAB 840i 335 155 5.0 33.2-33.6 193-194 M850i xDrive 523 155 3.7 24.8-25.2 255-260 sDrive20i 195 155 6.6 39.8-40.4 160-161 M8 Competition 623 155 3.2-3.3 25.2-25.4 252-254 sDrive30i 255 155 5.4 39.8 161-162 220i 184 147 7.5 44.1 145 840d xDrive 316 155 4.9 40.4 183-184 sDrive M40i 338 155 4.6 35.8 181 M240i xDrive 374 155 4.3 34.4 186 C AT E R H A M 220d 188 147 6.9 60.1 122 8 Series Gran Coupé 4dr saloon £72,615–£123,950 AAAAC Four-door grand tourer offers greater practicality than its two-door Seven 2dr open £22,990–£53,885 AAAAB 2 Series Gran Coupé 4dr saloon £27,890–£39,315 AAACC siblings. LxWxH 5072x1932x1397 Kerb weight 1800kg The 360 is the sweet spot, giving the Seven just the right hit of Blends 1 Series platform with rakish looks, but lacks the coupé’s 840i 335 155 5.2 33.2 194 performance. LxWxH 3100x1575x1090 Kerb weight 490kg driver appeal. LxWxH 4526x1800x1420 Kerb weight 1350kg M850i xDrive 523 155 3.9 24.6 260 660cc Suzuki 170 84 105 6.9 58.4 109 218i 138 134 8.7 46.3-47.1 136-138 M8 Competition 623 155 3.2 25.4 254 2.0 Duratec 360 180 130 4.8 NA NA 220i 178 148 7.1 46.3-47.1 136-139 840d xDrive 316 155 5.1 39.8 187 2.0 Duratec 420 210 136 3.8 NA NA M235i xDrive 302 155 4.9 37.2 172 2.0 Supercharged 620S 310 145 3.4 NA NA 218d 148 138 8.6 58.9-60.1 123-125 2.0 Supercharged 620R 310 155 2.8 NA NA 220d 188 148 7.5 56.5-57.6 129-131
Takes everything positive about its predecessor and refines it further. LxWxH 4537x2068x1390 Kerb weight 1490kg
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Fast, refined and with lots of traditional appeal to convert AAAAC sceptics. LxWxH 4783x1852x1448 Kerb weight 2215kg Rules on in-car entertainment and diesel sophistication; otherwise eDrive40 338 118 5.7 352-365 0 1 Series 5dr hatch £26,450–£38,440 AAAAB too bland. LxWxH 5098x1902x1478 Kerb weight 1755kg M50 542 140 3.9 318 0 May not drive like a traditional BMW but delivers on upmarket hatch 740i 338 155 5.5 34-35.8 180-190 values. LxWxH 4319x1799x1434 Kerb weight 1365kg 750i xDrive 527 155 4.0 26.4 243-245 iX 5dr SUV £69,905–£111,906 AAAAC 118i 138 132 8.5 46.3-47.1 130-134 745e 283 155 5.1-5.2 104.6-141.2 46 Comfort conscious yet strong and athletic. A bold new flagship for 128ti 261 155 6.1 40.9 157 730d 261 155 6.1 49.6-51.4 144-148 BMW’s EV family. LxWxH 4953x2230x1696 Kerb weight 2510kg BMW
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Mid-engined chassis brings handling smarts the ’Vette has never known the likes of. LxWxH 4634x1935x1235 Kerb weight 1655kg
AAAAA 8.4 7.1 7.6 5.8 5.9 5.9 4.4 3.9 3.5 8.3-8.4 6.8-7.1 6.9 5.5 5.1 4.6
hp
Corvette 2dr coupé/2dr open £77,200–£89,410
Latest 3 Series has a growth spurt, but size is no obstacle for an engaging drive. LxWxH 4709x1827x1442 Kerb weight 1450kg 318i 320i 320i xDrive 330i Q7 5dr SUV £59,745–£99,720 AAAAC 330e Unengaging to drive and light on feel, but the cabin is both huge 330e xDrive and classy. LxWxH 5052x1968x1740 Kerb weight 2060kg M340i xDrive 3.0 V6 55 TFSI quattro 338 155 5.9 25.4-27.4 233-253 M3 Competition 3.0 V6 55 TFSIe quattro 376 149 5.9 108.6-113 56-58 M3 xDrive Competition 3.0 V6 60 TFSIe quattro 462 149 5.4 97.4-100.9 65-66 318d 4.0 SQ7 quattro 435 155 4.1 29.4-30.1 245-251 320d 3.0 V6 45 TDI quattro 228 142 7.3 32.1-34.0 217-230 320d xDrive 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro 282 152 6.3 32.1-34.0 217-230 330d 330d xDrive Q8 5dr SUV £69,165–£124,685 AAAAC M340d xDrive
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AAAAC
Proves there’s still a place for the MPV in this SUV-led world. LxWxH 4354x1800x1555 Kerb weight 1545kg 220i 223i 218d
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but very versatile. LxWxH 4547x1848x1632 Kerb weight 1205kg 1.0 TCe
107
114
11.2
49.6
130-131
DS
3 Crossback 5dr SUV £23,520–£40,800
AAABC
First foray into compact SUVs comfortably competes with more established rivals. LxWxH 4118x1802x1534 Kerb weight 1205kg 1.2 PureTech 100 1.2 PureTech 130 1.2 PureTech 155 1.5 BlueHDI 100 50kWh E-Tense
98 128 153 98 132
112 124 129 112 93
10.9 9.2 8.2 11.4 8.7
80.4 47.1 46.6-52.0 62.7 191-206
127 141 127-143 123 0
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 91
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Almost as good to drive as the hatch, but a Skoda Octavia will carry more. LxWxH 4669x1825x1481 Kerb weight 1485kg 1.0 Ecoboost 125 1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 155 2.3T Ecoboost 280 ST 1.5 EcoBlue 120 1.5 EcoBlue 150 2.0 EcoBlue 190 ST
123 152 276 118 148 188
120-123 127-130 155 118-120 127-129 137
10.3-10.6 9.4-9.7 5.8-6.0 10.3-11.1 8.7-9.3 7.7
55.4 55.4 35.3 62.8 60.1 50.4
S-Max 5dr MPV £37,780–£43,040
98-116 116 183 119 125 148 AAAAC
Better to drive and better looking than most but not quite the class leader it was. LxWxH 4976x1916x1655 Kerb weight 1645kg 2.5 FHEV 190
4 5dr hatch £26,350–£43,100
188
115
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44.1
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Fine ergonomics and big on superficial charm, but ultimately leaves us cold. LxWxH 4340x1790x1582 Kerb weight 1380kg 1.5 eHEV
P
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10.7
2.0 i-MMD hybrid
52.3
181
112
9.2
38.2
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NSX 2dr coupé £150,090
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Outstandingly broad-batted dynamically, plus a pleasant cabin. LxWxH 4954x1880x1457 Kerb weight 1545kg
CR-V 5dr SUV £31,470–£40,420
LxWxH 4605x1820x1685 Kerb weight 1515kg
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XF 4dr saloon £33,975–£44,800
122 2.0 P250 2.0 P300 AWD AAAAC 2.0 D200 Tardis-like SUV stalwart has lots of space for five and a big boot. 2.0 D200 AWD 131
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246 296 198 198
155 155 146 143
6.9 6.1 7.6 7.8
33.0-34.9 31.2-32.8 52.8-56.5 48.9-51.3
XF Sportbrake 5dr estate £37,190–£46,650
183-193 194-204 131-140 128-137
AAAAB
Superb XF is now available in the more practical Sportbrake form.
AAAAB It’s a win-win. LxWxH 4955x1880x1494 Kerb weight 1660kg Honda’s supercar given a modern reboot, and it’s some piece of 2.0 P250 246 150 7.1 32-33.7 189-199 engineering. LxWxH 4487x1939x1204 Kerb weight 1725kg 2.0 P300 AWD 296 155 6.2 29.9-31.2 204-213 3.5 V6 hybrid 573 191 2.9 26.4 242 2.0 D200 198 143 7.8 50.7-53.7 138-146 2.0 D200 AWD 198 143 8.0 47.0-49.1 151-157
HYU N DAI Lavish, high-riding hatchback gets serious about chasing premium Galaxy 5dr MPV £39,940 AAABC German rivals. LxWxH 4400x2061x1470 Kerb weight 1352kg Huge seven-seat MPV. Easy to place on the road but not cheap to i10 5dr hatch £13,420–£16,795 AAAAC F-Type 2dr coupé £56,035–£100,030 AAAAB 1.2 PureTech 130 128 130 9.3 41.4-48.6 132 buy. LxWxH 4848x1916x1747 Kerb weight 1708kg The smallest Hyundai matures and regains leadership of the city A full-blooded assault on Porsche’s backyard, with noise, power 1.6 PureTech 180 177 143 8.0 43.9 145 2.5 FHEV 190 188 115 10.0 43.5 148 car class. LxWxH 4035x1734x1474 Kerb weight 933kg and beauty. LxWxH 4482x1923x1311 Kerb weight 1525kg
1.6 PureTech 225 1.6 E-Tense 225 1.5 BlueHDI 130
223 223 128
146 145 129
7.9 7.7 10.9
43.7 146 176-232 27-35 51.4-61.2 121-144
7 Crossback 5dr SUV £33,125–£54,550
Facelifted version of the pumped-up Fiesta is okay, but developing- 1.2 MPi world roots show. LxWxH 4096x1765x1653 Kerb weight 1280kg
AAABC 1.0T Ecoboost 125
DS’s first premium SUV certainly has the right price tag, equipment 1.0T Ecoboost 140 and appeal. LxWxH 4570x1895x1620 Kerb weight 1420kg 1.2 PureTech 130 1.6 PureTech 180 1.6 E-Tense 225 1.6 E-Tense 4x4 300 1.5 BlueHDi 130
129 178 223 295 TBC
122 137 140 149 121
10.2 8.3 8.9 5.9 11.7
42.2-46.0 143-152 42.2 152 157-176 36-41 176.6-201.8 32-40 54.1-55.3 143
9 5dr saloon £40,605–£57,200
AAAAC
New flagship is a refreshing alternative to the usual German executives. LxWxH 4934x2079x1460 Kerb weight 1540kg 1.6 PureTech 225 1.6 E-Tense 225 1.6 E-Tense 4x4
223 223 356
146 149 155
8.1 8.3 5.6
40.9 176-256 176-256
155 33-35 41-43
FERRARI
Portofino 2dr open £166,295
AAAAC
The entry-level Ferrari has the power, the looks and the touring ability. LxWxH 4586x1938x1318 Kerb weight 1664kg 3.9T V8
1.0 MPi AAACC 1.0 T-GDi
Ecosport 5dr SUV £21,800–£23,000 123 138
111 115
11.0-11.6 47.1 10.2 47.1
Puma 5dr SUV £23,145–£32,595
135 136
1.0T Ecoboost MHEV 125 1.0T Ecoboost MHEV 155 1.5 Ecoboost ST
123 153 198
119 124 137
9.8 8.9 6.7
199
3.0T V6
819
205
44.1
F8 Tributo 2dr coupé/open £203,476
149 AAAAA
The last hurrah for the pure internal combustion V8-powered mid-engined Ferrari. LxWxH 4611x1979x1206 Kerb weight 1435kg
53.3 52.3 51.4
114-120 123 124 AAAAC
117 117 115 142
10.4 10.4 10.2 6.7
47.9-49.6 54.3-55.4 53.3 40.4
120 115-118 120 158
1.5T Ecoboost 150 2.5 FHEV 2.5 PHEV
148 198 223
121 122 125
9.7 9.1 9.2
41.5-42.8 151 51.4 125 201.8 32
Mustang Mach-E 4dr crossover £42,530–£66,280
What’s not to like? LxWxH 4784x1916x1381 Kerb weight 1653kg 444 453
155 163
4.8 4.6
23.5-23.9 268-274 22.8 260
6.1 34.0 188 11.0-11.2 58.9-60.1 121-122
charm. LxWxH 4455x1795x1425 Kerb weight 1287kg 1.5 T-GDi 157 2.0 T-GDi 275 N Performance 272
130 155
8.6 6.1
49.6-52.3 141-151 34.0 188
Ioniq 5dr hatch £24,395–£34,050
AAABC
First attempt at electrification for the masses is a good effort. LxWxH 4470x1820x1450 Kerb weight 1370kg 139 139 132
115 110 110
155 177 186
5.7 4.6 3.7
29.9 215 26.0-26.8 239-246 26.4 243 AAAAB
Costs serious money, but you get a serious car with a likeable wild side. LxWxH 4482x1923x1308 Kerb weight 1545kg 2.0 P300 5.0 P450 5.0 P575
296 444 518
155 177 186
5.7 4.6 3.7
29.6 217 26.0-26.6 241-247 26.4 243
nevertheless. LxWxH 4411x1984x1649 Kerb weight 1775kg 2.0 P250 2.0 P300 1.5 P300e 2.0 D165 2.0 D165 AWD 2.0 D200 AWD
10.8-11.1 61.4-62.8 102 10.8 256.8 26 10.6 194 0
Ioniq 5 5dr hatch £37,420–£47,890
245 295 305 163 163 201
143 151 134 128 124 131
6.6 5.9 6.5 10.0 9.8 8.4
29.8 28.3 143.1 43.4-45.4 42.9-43.4 42.9-43.0
F-Pace 5dr SUV £41,180–£78,165
215 226 44 163 171-172 170-173
AAAAC
Credible first SUV effort is as refined and dynamic as a Jaguar should be. LxWxH 4731x2071x1666 Kerb weight 1690kg
2.0 P250 AWD 3.0 P400 AWD AAABC 2.0 P400e AWD Another solid car. Good value and practical but lacks excitement. 5.0 V8 SVR 550 AWD LxWxH 4585x1795x1465 Kerb weight 1245kg 2.0 D165 AWD 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 117 11.4 47.9-49.6 130-139 2.0 D200 AWD 1.6 CRDi 136 134 123 10.9 56.5-57.6 126-127 3.0 D300 AWD
The GT is back as a race car for the road. Compelling if not perfect. Electric LxWxH 4808x1928x1692 Kerb weight 1912kg
296 444 518
F-Type Convertible 2dr open £64,685–£105,225
i30 Tourer 5dr estate £22,010–£26,460
1.6 Hybrid 141 AAAAC 1.6 Plug-in Hybrid 141
GT 2dr coupé £420,000
155 118
i30 Fastback 4dr saloon £25,960–£34,795 AAABC AAAAC Combines good looks with sensible practicalities and dynamic
Likeable, practical high-rise EV has only a badge in common with its coupé namesake. LxWxH 4712x1881x1597 Kerb weight 1993kg
5.0 V8 5.0 V8 Mach-1
2.0 T-GDi 275 N Performance 272 1.6 CRDi 115 113
2.0 P300 5.0 P450 5.0 P575
E-Pace 5dr SUV £41,515–£51,260 AAABC AAABC Misses the mark for keen drivers, but is still a desirable SUV
As good as we’ve come to expect from Hyundai, but not one inch Kuga 5dr SUV £27,895–£39,305 AAAAC better. LxWxH 4340x1795x1455 Kerb weight 1194kg All-new version of popular SUV mixes dynamism with practicality 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 118 11.1 45.6 121-122 and refinement. LxWxH 4614x1883x1678 Kerb weight 1698kg 1.5 T-GDi 157 130 8.6 42.2-46.3 142
3.5
2.9
14.6 10.5 12.6
Steady gains for a versatile runabout that, N version aside, still lacks personality. LxWxH 4035x1734x1474 Kerb weight 980kg
AAAAC 1.0 T-GDi 100 98 1.0 T-GDi 48V MHD 100 98 1.0 T-GDi 48V MHD 120 118 50.4 127 1.6 T-GDi N 201 50.4 127 41.5 155 i30 5dr hatch £21,260–£24,045
Roma 2dr coupé £175,000
Latest in a line of fabulous Ferraris gains EV ability but loses nothing in return. LxWxH 4656x1974x1301 Kerb weight 1470kg
97 115 106
i20 5dr hatch £16,500–£25,220
Compact crossover finally has a class leader capable of appealing to petrolheads. LxWxH 4186x1805x1554 Kerb weight 1280kg
14.7-28.0 230-436 68kWh Standard RWD 265 111 6.1 273 0 68kWh Standard AWD 265 111 5.6 248 0 AAAAB 88kWh Extended RWD 290 111 6.2 379 0 Gorgeous coupé is a proper grand tourer with a focus on usability. 88kWh Extended AWD 346 111 5.1 335 0 LxWxH 4656x1974x1301 Kerb weight 1570kg 88kWh GT AWD 487 124 4.4 310 0 3.9T V8 612 199 3.4 14.7-28.0 230-436 Mustang 2dr coupé/open £45,995–£56,995 AAAAC 296 GTB 2dr coupé £241,550 AAAAA American muscle built for the UK, in coupé and convertible forms. 591
67 99 84
246 394 398 548 163 197 296
135 155 149 178 121 130 143
7.3 5.4 5.3 4.0 9.9 8.0 6.4
30.4 28.8 112.5 23.1 45.4 45.4 38.1
I-Pace 5dr SUV £65,620–£76,920
214-220 222-230 51-55 275 165-171 165-171 195-202 AAAAB
Fast, refined and the first of its kind from a European manufacturer. LxWxH 4682x1895x1558 Kerb weight 2133kg EV400
398
124
4.5
292
0
JEEP
Compass 5dr SUV £29,895–£40,895
AAACC
AAAAC Wants to be a catch-all crossover but is beaten by more roadWon’t upend the electric SUV segment, but a compelling option in a focused rivals. LxWxH 4394x2033x1629 Kerb weight 1430kg 812 Superfast 2dr coupé/open £263,098–£446,970 AAAAA Ranger 4dr pick-up £24,369–£47,889 AAAAC developing class. LxWxH 4635x1890x1605 Kerb weight 1145kg 1.3 128 119 10.3 39.2-42.2 153 More powerful than the F12, but with better road manners making Capable pick-up becomes off-road monster in Raptor spec but 58kWh 170 115 8.5 240 0 1.5 48V MHEV 128 120 10.0 47.1-50.4 133-140 it the star of the range. LxWxH 4657x1971x1276 Kerb weight loses VAT incentives. LxWxH 5277x1977x1703 Kerb weight 1866kg 73kWh 217 115 7.4 300 0 1.3 4xe PHEV 238 124 7.3 141-156 44-47 1630kg 2.0 EcoBlue 130 128 106 13.5 42.8 173 73kWh AWD 305 115 5.2 268 0 3.9T V8 Tributo
710
211
2.9
21.9
6.5 V12 6.5 V12 Competizione
777 819
211 211
2.9 2.9
11.2-20.0 320 13.9 385
SF90 Stradale 2dr coupé/open £379,000–£425,000
292
3.5 V6 Ecoboost
650
216
3.0
TBC
2.0 EcoBlue 170 2.0 EcoBlue 213 3.2 Duratorq TDCI 200
158 210 197
109 106 109
11.8 10.5 10.6
40.4-43.5 184-207 30.7 201-233 32.1-36.2 221-231
TBC
AAAAA
Renegade 5dr SUV £25,310–£36,250 AAABC AAAAC Middling compact crossover with chunky looks but no obvious
Bayon 5dr crossover £20,520–£24,770
Much better at meeting your motoring needs than kindling your affections. LxWxH 4180x1775x1500 Kerb weight 1233kg
GENESIS Plug-in hybrid doesn’t do things conventionally. A 986bhp technical 1.0 T-GDi 48V MHEV 98 113 10.7 53.3 120-121 masterpiece. LxWxH 4710x1972x1186 Kerb weight 1570kg G70 4dr saloon £33,400–£40,480 AAABC 1.0 T-GDi 48V MHEV 120 118 115 10.4 53.3 121 4.0T V8 986 211 2.5 46.3 154 Likeable left-field choice has style but struggles to threaten the establishment. LxWxH 4685x1850x1400 Kerb weight 1675kg Kona 5dr crossover £21,615–£37,200 AAAAC F I AT 2.0T 197 197 139 9.1 35.4 181 Hyundai’s first crossover is the perfect blend of practicality, value 500 3dr hatch/2dr open £14,005–£33,835 AAABC 2.0T 245 245 149 6.1 35.4 181 and style. LxWxH 4165x1800x1550 Kerb weight 1233kg Super-desirable, cute city car. Pleasant, if not involving to drive – 2.2D 200 200 143 7.4 44.5 166 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 112 12.0 44.1-44.8 142-147 and better as an EV. LxWxH 3571x1627x1488 Kerb weight 865kg 1.6 GDi Hybrid 134 119 10.2 52.3 114-123
1.0 Mild Hybrid Electric 24kWh Electric 42kWh
69 95 118
104 84 93
13.8 9.5 9.0
53.3 118 199
119-121 0 0
G70 Shooting Brake 5dr estate £35,250–£41,880
AAAAC 2.0 T-GDI N
Best-looking Genesis yet is also the best to drive, despite slightly Electric 39kWh flat four-pot engines. LxWxH 4685x1850x1400 Kerb weight 1717kg Electric 64kWh
2.0T 197 AAACC 2.0T 245 A costly option but has some style to fill out some of its missing 2.2D 200
500L 5dr MPV £18,525–£21,825
197 245 198
135 146 140
9.3 6.4 7.7
32.5-34.0 193-204 32.5-34.0 193-204 41.8 175
Nexo 5dr SUV £69,495
278 134 201
149 96 104
5.5 9.6 7.6
32.8 180 280
194 0 0
charm. LxWxH 4236x1805x1667 Kerb weight 1346kg 1.0 GSE T3 120 1.3 GSE T4 150 1.3 Turbo 4xe 1.3 Turbo 4xe Trailhawk
118 148 188 238
115 122 113 124
11.2 9.4 7.5 7.1
38.2 151 38.2-39.8 151 122.8-134.5 42-49 117.7-128.4 51-53
Wrangler 2dr/4dr SUV £51,600–£56,600
AAAAC
Heavy-duty off-roader goes anywhere but lacks on-road manners. LxWxH 4223x1873x1840 Kerb weight 1827kg 2.0 GME
265
110
7.3-7.6
25.4-26.4 248-254
KIA
Picanto 5dr hatch £11,450–£16,250
AAAAC
A pleasingly well-rounded and charming value offering, but not in
AAABC all of its guises. LxWxH 3595x1595x1485 Kerb weight 977kg Impressive effort that heads in the right direction for fuel cell cars. 1.0 66 100 16.6 53.3 119 substance. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight 1245kg LxWxH 4670x2060x1640 Kerb weight 1814kg 1.0 T-GDi 99 112 9.9 48.7 120 1.4 95hp 93 103-111 13.4 38.7-39.8 166-170 GV70 5dr SUV £39,450–£44,370 AAAAC 95kW fuel cell 161 130 9.6 42.0mpkg 0 Wilfully different from the posh SUV competition and none the Rio 5dr hatch £14,110–£20,600 AAABC 500X 5dr hatch £20,885–£27,585 AAABC worse for it. LxWxH 4715x1910x1630 Kerb weight 2010kg Tucson 5dr SUV £29,110–£42,030 AAAAC More comfortable and more grown-up in fourth-gen form, but not Familiar styling works rather well as a crossover. Drives okay, too. 2.5T 301 149 6.1 29.7 216 Shows Hyundai can do both style and substance. A family SUV any more fun. LxWxH 4065x1993x1450 Kerb weight 1143kg LxWxH 4248x1796x1600 Kerb weight 1295kg 2.2D 207 133 7.9 40.0 185 that’s easy to like. LxWxH 4500x1865x1653 Kerb weight 1425kg 1.2 DPi 83 108 12.7 52.3 120-122 1.0 120hp 118 117 10.9 42.2-45.6 142-153 1.6 T-GDi 150 148 117 10.3 40.9 156 1.0 T-GDi 99 115 10.0 53.3 120 1.3 148 129 9.6 44.1§ 145 G80 4dr saloon £37,460–£48,150 AAAAC 1.6 T-GDi 48V MHEV 150 148 117 9.6 43.5 144-151 1.0 T-GDi 48V 118 118 9.8 51.4 118-125 A luxury car for those who’ve had their fill of the typical premium 1.6 T-GDi 48V MHEV 180 178 125 9.0 39.8 162 Panda 5dr hatch £13,655–£19,055 AAABC options. LxWxH 4995x1925x1465 Kerb weight 1930kg 1.6 TGDi Hybrid 228 120 8.0 50.4 127 Ceed 5dr hatch £20,105–£27,585 AAAAC Hasn’t kept pace with its rivals, but sells robust, practical charm 2.5T 301 155 6.0 31.0 205 1.6 TGDi Plug-in hybrid 263 119 8.6 201.8 31 Third-generation hatchback can now compete for class honours. better than most. LxWxH 3653x1643x1551 Kerb weight 940kg 2.2D 207 147 8.0 44.8 164 LxWxH 4310x1800x1447 Kerb weight 1315kg 0.9 Twinair 85 83 103-110 11.2-12.1 37.2 166-168 Santa Fe 5dr SUV £40,685–£49,160 AAABC 1.0 T-GDi 118 116 116 10.9 47.9-50.4 122-126 1.0 Mild Hybrid 69 96 14.7 50.4-52.3 126-132 GV80 5dr SUV £56,715–£62,415 AAABC Superficial charm and an expansive cabin but not much polish to 1.5 T-GDi 158 156 128-130 8.6-8.9 43.5-46.3 129-135 Rich, spacious and comfortable but not a world-class luxury car the powertrain. LxWxH 4785x1900x1710 Kerb weight 2005kg 1.6 T-GDi 201 198 142 7.5 38.2 153 Tipo 5dr hatch £19,595–£21,595 AAABC just yet. LxWxH 4945x1975x1715 Kerb weight 2145kg 1.6 TGDi Hybrid 228 116 8.9-9.1 42.2 145-168 1.6 CRDi 48V 134 124 9.8 57.6 118-120 A ’90s reboot that has been on a diet. Decent to drive and ample 2.5T 301 147 7.7 26.2 240 1.6 TGDi Plug-in hybrid 262 116 8.8 173.7 37 interior space. LxWxH 4368x1792x1495 Kerb weight 1195kg 3.0D 278 143 7.5 33.2 220 Ceed Sportswagon 5dr estate £20,805–£25,210 AAAAC JAG UAR 1.0 100hp 98 119 11.8 51.4 125 All of the above, but with cavernous, more practical load space. G I N E T TA 1.0 Cross 98 114 12.2 49.6 130 XE 4dr saloon £30,210–£40,180 AAAAB LxWxH 4600x1800x1465 Kerb weight 1389kg G40 Club Car 2dr coupé £35,000 (+champ pack) AAABC Tops the pile thanks to outstanding driver appeal. Poised and 1.0 T-GDi 118 116 118 10.9 47.1 121-127 FORD A balanced, affordable and fine-looking track-day car. Some of the engaging but refined. LxWxH 4678x1850x1416 Kerb weight 1450kg 1.5 T-GDi 158 156 128-130 8.6-8.9 43.5-46.3 131 Fiesta 3dr/5dr hatch £17,070–£26,140 AAAAB finish isn’t quite up to snuff. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight 840kg 2.0 P300 AWD 296 155 5.9 30.8-32.4 197-207 1.6 CRDi 48V 134 124 10.0 57.6 121-126 Dynamically superb and continues the Fiesta legacy. No longer the 1.8 Zetec 135 125 TBC NA NA 2.0 D200 198 146 7.3 54.0-57.7 128-137 class leader, though. LxWxH 4040x1735x1476 Kerb weight 1113kg Proceed 5dr hatch £25,480–£29,180 AAABC H O N DA 1.1 75 73 103 14.5 53.3 121 Alluring and interesting, but not quite as special to drive as it looks. 1.0 Ecoboost 100 98 112 10.8 53.3 120 E 5dr hatch £34,365–£36,865 AAABC LxWxH 4605x1800x1422 Kerb weight 1405kg 1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 125 123 126 9.4 56.5 96-121 Eminently likeable, with good dynamics but a limited range and 1.5 T-GDi 158 156 128-130 8.6-8.9 43.5-46.3 131-136 1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 155 153 136 8.9 55.4 104-123 ambitious price. LxWxH 3894x1752x1512 Kerb weight 1520kg 1.6 T-GDi 201 198 140 7.2 39.3 163 1.5T Ecoboost 200 ST 197 144 6.5 42.8 149 36kWh 136 90 9.0 137 0 36kWh Advance 154 90 8.3 136 0 Xceed 5dr hatch £21,255–£35,105 AAABC Focus 5dr hatch £22,965–£34,385 AAAAB Crossover-styled hatch that drives well, but lacks practicality and Better to drive and look at than before, and impressively good Jazz 5dr hatch £19,910–£25,325 AAAAC polish. LxWxH 4395x1826x1483 Kerb weight 1332kg value. LxWxH 4378x1825x1471 Kerb weight 1369kg Not the most compact or vivacious but has decent handling and is 1.0 T-GDi 118 116 115 10.9 45.6 140-146 1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 125 123 124 10.0-10.3 55.4 116 cleverly packaged. LxWxH 4044x1694x1526 Kerb weight 1300kg 1.5 T-GDi 158 156 129 8.7 44.8 142-143 1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 155 152 129-131 9.2-9.5 55.4 116 1.5 i-MMD 109 108 9.4-9.9 62.8 102-110 1.6 GDi PHEV 137 99 10.6 217.3 38 2.3T Ecoboost 280 ST 276 155 5.7 34.3 187 1.5 EcoBlue 120 118 117-122 10.0-10.8 62.8 119-127 Civic 5dr hatch £22,590–£40,090 AAAAC EV6 5dr hatch £40,945–£51,945 AAAAC
92 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
A fresh look while remaining practical, refined and upmarket. Lacks some dynamism. LxWxH 4518x1799x1434 Kerb weight 1275kg
Swish, spacious and swift enough to become the pick of the EV crossover bunch. LxWxH 4680x1880x1550 Kerb weight 2090kg
1.0 VTEC Turbo 126 2.0 VTEC Turbo Type R
77.4kWh 77.4kWh AWD
124 315
125-126 10.2-11.2 47.9 169 5.8 33.2
124-141 191-193
226 321
114 116
7.3 5.2
328 300
0 0
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7.6
280
Stinger 4dr saloon £43,305
2.0 e-Skyactiv-G 2.0 e-Skyactiv-X 186
360
168
4.7
27.7
233 AAABC
137 137 132 198
101 107 96 104
11.1 10.4 9.5 7.5
58.9 201.8 180 282
110-120 29 0 0
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AAAAC
120 183
122 134
10.4 8.1
50.4 53.3
6 4dr saloon £25,440–£32,820
Versatile and well-equipped family transport in a choice of hybrid and EV flavours. LxWxH 4355x1805x1545 Kerb weight 1500kg 1.6 GDi Hybrid 1.6 GDi Hybrid PHEV 39kWh e-Niro 64kWh e-Niro
)
AAABC
A compelling mix of size, economy and performance. Interior is a let-down. LxWxH 4870x1840x1450 Kerb weight 1465kg
Range Rover 5dr SUV £94,400–£173,200
ES 4dr saloon £37,105–£50,655
X-Bow 0dr open £57,345–£70,717
Eccentric looks and sharp handling but expensive. LxWxH 3738x1915x1202 Kerb weight 847kg 2.0 R 2.0 GT
290 280
143 143
3.9 4.1
NA NA
LAMBORGHINI
202 201 202
3.3 2.9 3.0
AAAAC 3.5 V6 VVT-i LS 500h
AAAAC
Big, hairy V12 has astonishing visuals and performance. Handling could be sweeter. LxWxH 4797x2030x1136 Kerb weight 1575kg 730 759 778
217 217 221
2.9 2.8 2.8
348
155
5.4
30.7-36.6 175-208
RC 2dr coupé £66,050–£81,550
MX-5 RF 2dr open £26,695–£32,970
AAAAA
Remains perfectly poised and vibrant, even with a folding metal
AAABC roof. LxWxH 3915x1735x1230 Kerb weight 1090kg 330-335 An also-ran, but the V8 RC F packs plenty of character and handles 1.5 Skyactiv-G 132 129 126 8.6 44.1 142 332-338 well enough. LxWxH 4695x1840x1395 Kerb weight 1736kg 2.0 Skyactiv-G 184 181 124-126 7.9-8.7 37.7-40.4 155 331 5.0 V8 RC F 470 168 4.5 23.9 268
20.5 20.3 20.3
Aventador 2dr coupé/open £274,106–£439,801 6.5 V12 S 6.5 V12 SVJ 6.5 Ultimae
limited range. LxWxH 4395x1795x1555 Kerb weight 1645kg
AAABC 35.5kWh 143 87 9.7 124 0 AAAAC Gatecrashes the German-controlled saloon market in a way the GS could never manage. LxWxH 4975x1865x1445 Kerb weight 1680kg MX-5 2dr open £24,755–£30,870 AAAAA 2.5 VVT-i ES 300h 218 112 8.9 53.2 119 Brilliantly packaged, priced and perfectly poised but more vibrant NA than the original. LxWxH 3915x1735x1225 Kerb weight 1050kg NA LS 4dr saloon £78,925–£105,405 AAABC 1.5 Skyactiv-G 132 129 127 8.3 44.1 142 Luxury saloon gets more tech and opulence but is let down by its 2.0 Skyactiv-G 184 181 136 6.5 40.4 153
Junior Lambo mixes usability and drama skilfully, in both coupé and Spyder forms. LxWxH 4459x1924x1165 Kerb weight 1389kg 608 631 631
LEXUS
hybrid powertrain. LxWxH 5235x1900x1460 Kerb weight 2270kg
Huracán 2dr coupé/open £167,180–£262,312 5.2 V10 Evo RWD 5.2 V10 Evo 5.2 V10 STO
Seminal luxury SUV’s new generation covers even more bases than before. LxWxH 5052x2047x1870 Kerb weight 2379kg
15.4 15.8 13.0
499 486 442
LC 2dr coupé/open £83,550–£102,725
AAAAC
Superb-looking coupé shows flickers of what made the LFA great. LxWxH 4770x1920x1345 Kerb weight 1935kg 5.0 V8 LC 500 3.5 V6 LC 500h
457 354
168 155
4.7 5.0
24.3 34.8
Artura 2dr coupé £185,725
McLAREN
Woking’s electrification era begins here. We have yet to test it. LxWxH 4539x1976x1193 Kerb weight 1419kg
262 184
3.0 V6 PHEV
185
GT 2dr coupé £165,300
677
205
3.0
51.1
129
720S 2dr coupé/open £221,800–£250,290
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CLA Coupé 4dr saloon £33,345–£61,075
AAAAC
May use A-Class underpinnings, but engineered to be much sportier to drive. LxWxH 4688x1830x1444 Kerb weight 1490kg
124-127 118-121
AAAAB 2.0 Skyactiv-G 143 129 9.9 42.2 152 2.0 Skyactiv-G 163 134 9.4 42.2 152 2.0 Skyactiv-G GT 191 142 8.1 38.2 167 3.0 P400 398 150 5.8-6.1 28.5-29.3 218-225 Stonic 5dr SUV £18,900–£22,950 AAABC 3.0 P440e 438 140 6.0 321.9 20-21 6 Tourer 5dr estate £26,440–£34,160 AAABC Kia’s first crossover is striking and reasonably good considering 3.0 P510e 508 150 5.5 318.4 20-21 Attractively styled and spacious inside, but only average to drive. the value. LxWxH 4140x1760x1520 Kerb weight 1160kg 4.4 P530 V8 527 155 4.6-4.8 24.0-24.2 264-267 LxWxH 4805x1840x1480 Kerb weight 1465kg 1.0 T-GDi 116 115 9.9 46.3-47.1 137 3.0 D300 289 135 6.9 35.8-36.7 204-207 2.0 Skyactiv-G 143 128 10.0 41.5 155 3.0 D350 348 145 6.1-6.3 35.1-36.5 203-211 2.0 Skyactiv-G 163 133 9.4 41.5 155 Sportage 5dr SUV £26,135–£43,740 AAABC 2.0 Skyactiv-G GT 191 139 8.1 37.2 172 Does refinement, handling precision, tech, space and alternative Discovery Sport 5dr SUV £33,095–£53,510 AAAAB style well. LxWxH 4515x1865x1650 Kerb weight 1715kg Seven seats, at home on road and off road, plus new-found CX-30 5dr SUV £23,745–£33,545 AAAAC 1.6T GDi 148 117 9.9 41.5 154 desirability. LxWxH 4597x2069x1727 Kerb weight 1732kg Dynamic qualities, a classy interior and a handsome look set it 1.6T GDi 48V 148 117 9.3 41.5 146 2.0 P250 247 140 8.1 30.1 211 apart from rivals. LxWxH 4395x1795x1540 Kerb weight 1334kg 1.6T GDi 48V DCT AWD 148 117 9.4 40.4 158 2.0 P290 288 144 7.5 29.7 214 2.0 e-Skyactiv-G 120 116 10.6 47.9 134 1.6T GDi HEV 226 120 7.7 49.6 129 1.5 P300e 298 130 6.6 143.4-158.6 40-44 2.0 e-Skyactiv-X 186 183 127 8.3 50.4 127 1.6T GDi HEV AWD 226 120 8.0 44.1 146 2.0 D165 162 112 10.6 41.5 179 1.5T GDi PHEV AWD 261 119 7.9 252 25 2.0 D200 201 117 8.9 41.5 179 CX-5 5dr SUV £28,145–£37,785 AAAAC 1.6 CRDi 113 108 11.7 53.3 138 Offers powerful diesel engines and strong performance, plus a 1.6 CRDi 48V 134 112 11.0 54.3 135 Discovery 5dr SUV £54,530–£73,250 AAAAB welcoming interior. LxWxH 4550x1840x1675 Kerb weight 1575kg The country bumpkin given elocution lessons without losing its 2.0 165 162 125 10.3 38.7 152-154 Sorento 5dr SUV £40,060–£54,195 AAABC rugged capabilities. LxWxH 4956x2073x1888 Kerb weight 2115kg 2.5 194 191 121 9.2 35.3 182 Lacks polish, but its abundant utility appeal and value shine 2.0 P300 296 125 7.3 24.9-25.1 254-256 2.2d 150 148 127 9.9 50.4 151-154 through. LxWxH 4810x1900x1695 Kerb weight 2006kg 3.0 P360 355 130 6.5 26.0-26.4 241-245 2.2d 184 181 129 9.3 42.8 175 1.6 T-GDi HEV 226 119 8.7 40.9 158-166 3.0 D250 246 120 8.1 33.4-33.7 220-222 1.6 T-GDi PHEV 261 119 8.4 176.6 38 3.0 D300 296 130 6.8 33.2-33.5 221-223 MX-30 5dr SUV £28,645–£32,945 AAAAC 2.2 CRDi 199 127 9.1 42.2 176 Classy and affordable all-electric crossover marred only by its KTM
P
1.3 CLA 180 1.3 CLA 200 1.3 CLA 250e 3 saloon 4dr saloon £25,455–£29,555 AAAAC 2.0 CLA 250 Refined and dynamically satisfying in a saloon bodystyle. 2.0 AMG CLA 35 4Matic LxWxH 4460x1795x1440 Kerb weight 1405kg 2.0 AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+ 2.0 e-Skyactiv-X 186 183 134 8.1 56.5 114-117 2.0 CLA 220d
0 AAABC
Niro 5dr SUV £25,705–£39,695
hp
Pleasing dynamism teamed with good practicality and punchy diesel engines. LxWxH 4460x1795x1435 Kerb weight 1411kg
Sleek coupé-shaped saloon has the appeal and dynamics to rival Europe’s best. LxWxH 4830x1870x1400 Kerb weight 1717kg 3.3 V6 T-GDi
r (b
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3 5dr hatch £22,455–£29,555
AAAAC
Electric-only hatch with looks that divide opinion, but competitive range. LxWxH 4220x1825x1605 Kerb weight 1757kg 64kWh
P
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h mp
133 161 215 222 302 415 185
134 142 149 155 155 168 152
9.0 8.2 6.8 6.3 4.9 4.0 7.1
47.9 42.8-47.9 282.5 38.7-42.2 34.9-37.2 33.2 53.3-57.7
CLA Shooting Brake 5dr estate £32,695–£60,150
138-140 138-140 23 154-155 177-187 200-202 132
AAABC
The most practical of the A-Class range, but it suffers for its challenging styling. LxWxH 4688x1830x1447 Kerb weight 1430kg 1.3 CLA 180 1.3 CLA 200 2.0 CLA 250 1.3 CLA 250e 2.0 AMG CLA 35 4Matic 2.0 AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+ 2.0 CLA 220d
133 161 222 215 302 415 185
130 140 155 146 155 168 147
9.2 8.4 6.4 6.9 4.9 4.0 7.2
35.8-40.9 35.3-40.9 37.7-40.9 256.8 36.2 32.8 43.5-48.7
B-Class 5dr hatch £28,450–£39,845
140-141 141-142 157-159 24 183-191 203-205 135-136
AAABC
A slightly odd prospect, but practical and classy nonetheless. LxWxH 4393x1786x1557 Kerb weight 1395kg 1.3 B180 1.3 B200 1.3 B250e 1.5 B180d 2.0 B200d 2.0 B220d
134 159 215 114 148 187
132 139 146 124 136 145
9.0 8.2 6.8 9.8 8.3 7.2
45.6 46.3 235.4 61.4 57.7 56.5
C-Class 4dr saloon £38,785–£52,125
140-142 140-142 27 137-138 134-144 136-137 AAAAC
Sumptuous interior and impressive tech, but let down by harsh suspension. LxWxH 4751x2033x1437 Kerb weight 1650kg 1.5 C200 2.0 C300 2.0 C300e 2.0 C220d 2.0 C300d
221 278 331 218 283
153 155 152 152 155
7.3 6.0 6.1 7.3 5.7
C-Class Estate 5dr estate £40,420–£53,425
44.1 42.2 256.8 61.4 55.4
146 152-159 14-24 120-127 133-139 AAABC
Impressive and tech-filled inside, albeit in a curiously unsatisfying dynamic package. LxWxH 4755x2033x1494 Kerb weight 1710kg 1.5 C200 2.0 C300 2.0 C300e 2.0 C220d 2.0 C300d
221 278 331 218 283
149 155 151 151 155
7.5 6.0 6.2 7.4 5.8
C-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £40,695–£85,860
38.1-43.4 41.0 403.6 57.7 54.4
149-168 157 15 129 136
AAAAC
Outgoing two-door keeps a nice balance of style, usability and driver reward. LxWxH 4696x1810x1405 Kerb weight 1505kg 1.5 C200 2.0 C300 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 2.0 C220d 2.0 C300d 4Matic
181 258 385 503 192 241
149 155 155 180 149 155
7.9 6.1 4.7 3.9 7.0 6.0
C-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £44,270–£88,700
37.7-42.2 35.8-39.8 28.0-29.4 25.0-25.5 46.3-52.3 42.8-48.7
155-156 161-175 221-225 250 133-145 151-164
AAAAC
Take all the good bits about the coupé and add the ability to take
AAAAA the roof off. Bingo. LxWxH 4686x1810x1409 Kerb weight 1645kg NX 5dr SUV £38,250–£57,700 AAAAC The start of an era for McLaren and what a way to begin it is. 1.5 C200 181 146 7.9 36.2-40.4 167-168 Urus 5dr SUV £177,297–£197,150 AAAAC PHEV option and welcome cabin overhaul sustain the allure of the LxWxH 4543x2059x1196 Kerb weight 1419kg 2.0 C300 258 155 6.3 34.0-37.7 173-184 Lambo’s second SUV is more alluring and aims to use the V8’s firm’s best-seller. LxWxH 4660x1865x1640 Kerb weight 1990kg 4.0 V8 710 212 2.9 23.2 276 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.8 27.4-28.5 229-231 power better. LxWxH 5112x2016x1638 Kerb weight 2200kg 2.5 NX 350h 242 124 7.7 44.1 145 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 174 4.1 24.4-24.8 258 4.0 V8 631 189 3.6 22.2 325 2.5 NX 450h+ PHEV 306 124 6.3 256-313 20-26 765LT 2dr coupé £312,800 AAAAB 2.0 C220d 191 145 7.5 44.8-49.6 141-153 Longtail treatment puts a deliciously sharp edge on the 720S. 2.0 C300d 242 155 6.3 42.2-47.1 153-167 L AN D ROVE R RX 5dr SUV £53,865–£64,515 AAABC LxWxH 4600x2161x1159 Kerb weight 1419kg Defender 90 5dr SUV £58,875–£106,090 AAAAB Low flexibility, but hybrid powertrain makes a degree of economic 4.0 V8 755 205 2.8 23.0 280 CLS Coupé 4dr saloon £68,535–£78,740 AAAAC
Breadth of capability matches that of the five-door, with even more kerb appeal. LxWxH 4583x2008x1974 Kerb weight 2190kg 3.0 P400 5.0 P525 3.0 D250 3.0 D300
398 518 246 296
119 119 117 119
6.0 5.2 8.0 6.7
25.6 19.3-19.5 32.8 32.7
256 327-330 226-227 226
sense. LxWxH 4890x1895x1690 Kerb weight 2100kg 3.5 V6 RX 450h
308
124
7.7
34.4
Retains the sleek coupé style and has more tech – without losing
AAAAB its allure. LxWxH 4996x1896x1436 Kerb weight 1935kg 3.0 V6 AMG CLS 53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.5 29.7 3.0 CLS 400d 4Matic 325 155 5.0 38.7
Woking’s most user-friendly car to date is still a McLaren first and UX 5dr SUV £25,950–£43,615 AAABC foremost. LxWxH 4683x2095x1213 Kerb weight 1339kg Refreshingly different premium SUV is a credible, if not class4.0 V8 612 204 3.2 23.7 270 leading, alternative. LxWxH 4495x1840x1520 Kerb weight 1620kg
2.0 UX 250h AAAAB 2.0 UX 250h E4 Promises, and delivers, unrivalled off-road performance with UX 300e 150kWh
Defender 110 5dr SUV £58,595–£108,790
181 181 201
110 110 100
8.5 8.7 7.5
50.4 47.0 TBC
126 136 TBC
216 191
E-Class 4dr saloon £40,385–£100,765 AAAAC AAAAA A wee bit pricey, and less sporting than its rivals, but still comfy
Senna 2dr coupé £750,000
and luxurious. LxWxH 4923x1852x1468 Kerb weight 1680kg
Astounding circuit performance made superbly accessible. LxWxH 4744x2155x1229 Kerb weight 1309kg
2.0 E200 194 149 7.4 38.2 165-166 2.0 E300e 315 155 5.8 188.3 41 3.0 E450 363 155 5.0 31.7 204 MERCEDES-BENZ Emira 2dr coupé £72,415–£78,380 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.5 30.4 212-215 Charged with replacing the entire outgoing Lotus range. We’ve yet A-Class 5dr hatch £24,100–£57,885 AAAAC 4.0 V8 AMG E63 S 4Matic+ 603 155 3.4 22.8-23.7 277 to test it. LxWxH 4413x1895x1226 Kerb weight 1405kg A little bit of luxury in a desirable, hatchback-sized package. 2.0 E220d 191 146 7.4 53.3 139-157 2.0 360 360 176 4.2 TBC 195 LxWxH 4419x1992x1440 Kerb weight 1445kg 2.0 E300d 261 155 6.3 47.9 153-167 3.0 400 400 180 4.3 29.1 243 1.3 A180 134 134 9.2 47.9 134-138 2.0 E300de 302 149 5.9 217.3 39 Range Rover Evoque 5dr SUV £32,590–£56,625 AAAAC 1.3 A200 161 140 8.2 47.9 135-145 2.9 E400d 4Matic 325 155 5.1 42.2 176-188 M A S E R AT I Refined, luxurious baby Range Rover has matured for its second 2.0 A250 221 155 6.2 41.5 155-165 generation. LxWxH 4371x1996x1649 Kerb weight 1891kg Ghibli 4dr saloon £66,525–£107,420 AAACC 2.0 A250e 215 146 6.6 256.8 25 E-Class Estate 5dr estate £42,725–£102,765 AAAAC 2.0 P200 198 134 8.0 31.7 201 Maser’s compact exec has the allure but lacks power and is poorly 2.0 AMG A35 4Matic 302 155 4.7 33.6-35.8 184-193 Far more practical than its rivals, but pricier and less sporty than 2.0 P250 248 143 7.0 31.6 201 finished in places. LxWxH 4971x1945x1461 Kerb weight 1810kg 2.0 AMG A45 S 4Matic+ 415 168 3.9 33.6 204-207 those closest to it. LxWxH 4933x1852x1475 Kerb weight 1780kg 2.0 P300 298 150 6.3 31.3 203 2.0 Hybrid 325 158 5.7 33.2 192 1.5 A180d 114 126 10.0 62.8 127-130 2.0 E200 197 144 7.7 31.0-35.3 173-174 1.5 P300e 298 132 6.4 166.2-193.5 33-38 3.0 V6 345 166 5.5 25.2 254 2.0 A200d 148 137 8.1 58.9 129-139 3.0 V6 AMG E53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.6 29.7 216-219 2.0 D165 163 120 10.1 43.4-45.9 160-171 3.0 V6 S 424 178 4.9 25.0 254 4.0 V8 AMG E63 S 4Matic+ 603 180 3.5 22.6-23.3 282 2.0 D200 201 120 8.5 43.8 169 3.8 V8 572 203 4.3 23.0 279 A-Class Saloon 4dr saloon £28,170–£46,495 AAABC 2.0 E220d 191 142 7.8 50.4 148-161 Larger, more grown-up A-Class adds premium touch to smallest 2.0 E300d 242 155 6.6 40.4-46.3 156-159 Range Rover Velar 5dr SUV £51,265–£71,315 AAAAC Quattroporte 4dr saloon £89,605–£130,140 AAACC Merc saloon. LxWxH 4549x1796x1446 Kerb weight 1465kg 2.0 E300de 302 146 6.0 188.3 41 The most car-like Landie ever doesn’t disappoint. Expensive, Now a full-sized executive limo, with some added flair. Off the pace 1.3 A180 134 134 8.9 42.8-48.7 133-137 2.9 E400d 4Matic 325 155 5.3 40.9 181-192 though. LxWxH 4804x1930x1685 Kerb weight 1829kg in several key areas. LxWxH 5262x1948x1481 Kerb weight 1860kg 1.3 A200 161 143 8.3 48.7 133-137 2.0 P250 248 135 7.5 27.8-29.2 217-229 3.0 V6 345 168 5.5 25.0 257 2.0 A250 221 155 6.3 42.2 154-156 E-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £47,240–£71,440 AAAAC 3.0 P400 394 155 5.5 27.3-28.0 227-230 3.0 V6 S 424 179 5.0 24.8 257 2.0 A250e 215 149 6.7 256.8 25 Big, laid-back four-seat tourer. Borrows looks from the ravishing 2.0 P400e 398 149 5.4 TBC TBC 3.8 V8 572 203 4.5 23.2 277 2.0 AMG A35 4Matic 302 155 4.8 32.9-36.7 177-187 S-Class Coupé. LxWxH 4846x1860x1431 Kerb weight 1685kg 2.0 D200 201 130 8.2 41.6 168-178 1.5 A180d 114 128 10.2 56.5-64.2 126-129 2.0 E300 237 155 6.4 31.0 180-182 3.0 D300 MHEV 296 143 6.5 36.1-37.2 199-205 Levante 4dr SUV £69,800–£127,260 AAACC 2.0 A200d 148 141 8.2 58.9 127-131 3.0 E450 4Matic 362 155 5.0 29.1-31.4 201 Italian flair and good looks in abundance, but diesel not as 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.4 30.1-31.4 212-215 Range Rover Sport 5dr SUV £64,685–£114,985 AAAAB sonorous as petrols. LxWxH 5003x1968x1679 Kerb weight 2109kg 2.0 E220d 189 145 7.6 43.5-50.4 154-155 Bigger and better; a cut-price Range Rover rather than a jumped-up 3.0 V6 339 156 6.0 22.6 283 3.0 E300d 4Matic 242 155 6.4 42.2-47.9 166-167 Discovery. LxWxH 4850x2073x1780 Kerb weight 2111kg 3.0 V6 S 424 164 5.2 22.4 286 2.9 E400d 4Matic 325 155 5.3 TBC 189 2.0 P300 298 125 7.3 26.1 245 3.8 V8 GTS 526 180 4.3 17.9 357 2.0 P400e PHEV 401 137 6.7 75.3-86.9 69 3.8 V8 Trofeo 572 186 4.1 17.8 359 E-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £51,735–£74,990 AAAAC 3.0 P400 398 140 6.2 27.4 234 Refined and sophisticated four-seater in the same mould as the 5.0 V8 P575 SVR 572 176 4.5 19.6 331 MC20 2dr coupé £189,520 AAAAB S-Class Cabriolet. LxWxH 4846x1860x1429 Kerb weight 1780kg 2.0 D250 248 130 8.5 33.1-33.3 224-239 A triumphant return to the supercar ranks: fast and thriling, yet 2.0 E300 237 155 6.6 30.0 189-190 3.0 D300 298 130 7.3 34.1 220-247 approachable. LxWxH 4669x1981x1693 Kerb weight 1475kg 3.0 E450 4Matic 362 155 5.8 28.8-30.7 208 3.0 D350 348 140 6.9 29.8 249 3.0 V6 621 203 2.9 24.6 262 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic 429 155 4.5 29.7-30.7 217-219 2.0 E220d 189 147 7.8 42.8-48.7 162-163 MAZDA 2.0 E300d 242 155 6.6 40.9-46.3 172 2 5dr hatch £16,575–£20,945 AAAAC 2.9 E400d 4Matic 325 155 5.4 TBC 193
on-road niceties. LxWxH 5018x2008x1967 Kerb weight 2209kg 3.0 P400 2.0 P400e 5.0 P525 3.0 D250 3.0 D300
398 398 518 246 296
119 119 119 117 119
6.1 5.6 5.2 8.3 7.0
24.6-24.7 85.6 19.1 32.2 32.2
4.0 V8
LOTUS
260-261 77 334 230 230
789
208
2.8
22.7
280
Grown up, well made and drives with charm and vigour; engines aren’t brilliant. LxWxH 4060x1695x1515 Kerb weight 1141kg 1.5 Skyactiv-G 75 1.5 e-Skyactiv-G 1.5 e-Skyactiv-G 115
74 88 113
106 114 124
12.1 9.8 9.1
49.6 60.1 56.5
121 107 113
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 93
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GLS 5dr SUV £85,630–£174,020
C
(g/ O2
km
)
AAABC
The replacement for the massive GL can still seat seven in comfort. LxWxH 5216x2030x1823 Kerb weight 2415kg 3.0 GLS 400d 4Matic 4.0 GLS 600 Maybach 4.0 AMG GLS63
hp
)
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GT-R 2dr coupé £88,365–£184,065
C
(g/ O2
km
)
AAAAC
Monstrously fast Nissan has been tweaked and sharpened. Still a blunt object, though. LxWxH 4710x1895x1370 Kerb weight 1725kg
327 549 625
148 155 174
6.3 4.9 4.2
32.8 21.4 23.7
227 304 273
Bristling with technology, luxury and performance. Sets new class standards. LxWxH 5125x1899x1493 Kerb weight 1990kg
Neatly tuned and nice sporty styling. Breaks the mould for budget superminis. LxWxH 4018x1729x1507 Kerb weight 1125kg
3.0 S500 3.0 S580e 3.0 S580 Maybach 6.0 V12 S680 Maybach 2.9 S350d 2.9 S400d
1.5 VTi-Tech
155 155 144 155 155 155
r (b
4.9 5.2 4.8 4.5 6.4 5.4
29.7-35.3 353.1 26.2 19.8 39.8-42.8 38.2-38.7
181-201 19 253-265 325 173-190 192-196
3.8 V6 3.8 V6 Nismo
P
108
10.9
42.3
196 196
2.9 2.8
20.2 19.7
316 325
58.9 53.0 51.9 194-217 70
124 124-126 128 0 109-110
LxWxH 3475x1615x1460 Kerb weight 1065kg
1.2 PureTech 75 1.2 PureTech 100 1.2 PureTech 130 5 SW EV 5dr estate £29,445–£31,945 AAABC 50kWh e-208 Segment-first electric estate could be all the real-world EV you 1.5 BlueHDi 100 104
562 592
152
72 98 128 136 99
106 117 129 93 117
14.9 9.9 8.7 8.1 10.2
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AMG GT 2dr coupé/open £108,390–£377,120
AAAAC
Million-dollar looks and a railgun V8, but extremely firm chassis affects its usability. LxWxH 4544x1939x1287 Kerb weight 1615kg 4.0 V8 GT 4.0 V8 GT R 4.0 V8 GT Black Series
ZS 5dr SUV £16,495–£33,995
Much improved on previous MGs, but still lacks the sophistication of its closest rivals. LxWxH 4314x1809x1611 Kerb weight 1190kg
21.9-22.1 289-290 1.5 VTi-Tech 22.1 289 1.0T GDi 22.1 292 45kWh EV 73kWh EV AMG GT 4-Door Coupé 4dr saloon £141,855–£146,855 AAAAB 522 577 718
AAACC
193-194 3.7-3.8 198 3.6 202 3.2
104 109 143 156
109 112 87 108
10.9 12.4 8.5 8.4
41.5 38.6 163 273
155 166 0 0
MINI
Four-door, four-wheel-drive GT is confusing to contemplate but impressive to drive. LxWxH 5054x1953x1447 Kerb weight 2100kg 630
196
AAACC
A competent but entirely average electric SUV. For the money, we expect better. LxWxH 4463x1834x1624 Kerb weight 1965kg 67kWh 250 67kWh 300 4Matic 67kWh 350 4Matic
Electric 3dr hatch £28,500–£35,050
AAAAC
99 99 99
8.5 7.7 6.0
255-264 0 260-268 0 268 0
33kWh
180
93
7.3
80kWh 400 4Matic
408
112
5.1
244-255 0
2008 5dr SUV £22,300–£38,415
144
2.9 GLE 450 4Matic 362 2.0 GLE 300d 4Matic 242 2.9 GLE 350d 4Matic 268 2.0 GLE 350de 4Matic 317 2.9 GLE 400d 4Matic 328 3.0 V6 AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ 432 4.0 V8 AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ 603
155 140 143 130 152 155 155
5.7 7.2 6.6 6.8 5.7 5.3 3.8
32.5 39.2 36.2 256.8 35.3 26.7 TBC
driver involvement. LxWxH 4379x1801x1295 Kerb weight 1335kg
AAAAC 2.0 2.0 T 2.5 S 4.0 GTS 4.0 GT4 4.0 GT4 RS AAABC
Better looks, better value and better range from this second-gen GLE 5dr SUV £67,260–£118,595 AAAAC electric hatch. LxWxH 4387x1768x1520 Kerb weight 1245kg The ML replacement isn’t inspiring to drive but does come with a 40kWh 147 90 7.9 168 0 classy interior. LxWxH 4819x2141x1796 Kerb weight 2165kg 62kWh 214 98 6.9-7.3 239 0 229 198-207 206-214 29 220 246-248 281
Juke 5dr hatch £19,200–£25,700
Second-generation crossover is mpressive in some respects, but outstanding in few. LxWxH 4135x1765x1565 Kerb weight 1605kg 1.0 DiG-T 114
114
112
10.7
Qashqai 5dr SUV £24,555–£38,855
47.9
134-139 AAAAC
Ticks the important family car boxes, but ICE powertrain lacks GLE Coupé 5dr SUV £73,915–£127,420 AAAAC refinement. LxWxH 4425x2084x1625 Kerb weight 1435kg May not be your idea of a desirable luxury car, but it’s certainly an 1.3 DiG-T 140 138 122 10.2 44.3 143-144 effective one. LxWxH 4946x2014x1716 Kerb weight 2295kg 1.3 DiG-T 158 156 123 9.9 41.5-44.4 145 3.0 AMG GLE 53 4Matic 4.0 AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic 2.0 GLE 350de 4Matic 2.9 GLE 400d 4Matic
432 603 320 327
155 174 130 149
5.3 3.8 6.9 5.7
25.7 TBC 313.9 33.6
244 280 23-24 219
X-Trail 5dr SUV £30,925
Shortfalls on refinement and drivability, plus a slight lack of the original’s character. LxWxH 4640x1820x1710 Kerb weight 1505kg 1.3 DiG-T 160
94 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
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123
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ph Ec
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(g/
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380 380 444 444 473 473 380 444 473 503 572 641
182 180 191 190 193 193 179 189 193 199 199 205
4.0 4.0 3.7 3.4 3.4 3.3 4.4 3.8 3.4 3.4 2.8 2.7
27.4 26.9 27.4 26.9 24.8-26.4 24.8-26.6 26.9 26.4 24.8-27.1 21.7-21.9 23.5 23.5
233 238 234 239 244-258 240-259 239 244 236-258 283-304 271 271
AAAAC
4.4 4.4 4.4 3.6 3.6 3.5 2.9 2.8
27.2 26.9 27.4 26.6 26.9 25.0 23.3 23.3
236 238 233 241 239 244 275 275 AAAAA
Panamera Sport Turismo 5dr estate £77,895–£145,000 AAAAB The Panamera in a more practical form, and now it’s a good-looking beast. LxWxH 5049x1937x1428 Kerb weight 1880kg 2.9 V6 4 2.9 V6 4S 2.9 V6 4 E-Hybrid 2.9 V6 4S E-Hybrid 4.0 V8 GTS 4.0 V8 Turbo S 4.0 V8 Turbo S E-Hybrid
290 296 339 396 414 493
170 170 177 182 188 196
4.9-5.1 4.9-5.3 4.4-4.6 4.5 4.4 3.4
32.8 35.5 29.1 25.9 25.7 21.4
197 198 228 247 251 299
325 434 456 552 473 621 690
163 180 174 182 181 196 196
5.3 4.3 4.4 3.7 3.9 3.1 3.2
26.4 26.4 78.5-85.6 78.5-85.6 22.8 21.7 94.2-97.4
Taycan 4dr saloon £72,905–£139,335
242 242 60 60 280 295 65-69
AAAAB
First all-electric Porsche shows the rest of the world how it should be done. LxWxH 4963x1966x1381 Kerb weight 2305kg
AAAAC 79kWh
Convertible 2dr open £22,105–£31,015
Leaf 5dr hatch £28,495–£34,945
2m
Fewer compromises than ever, if rewarding only at full attack. LxWxH 4519x1852x1297 Kerb weight 1585kg
93kWh 4S 93kWh GTS 93kWh Turbo 93kWh Turbo S
405 527 472 563 590 670 751
143 155 143 155 155 161 161
5.4 4.0 5.4 4.0 3.7 3.2 2.8
220-268 252 253-301 287 273 280 256
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Taycan Cross Turismo 5dr estate £81,555–£140,415 AAAAB Melds together two vehicle types, and somehow hangs together, brilliantly. LxWxH 4974x2144x1409 Kerb weight 2320kg 93kWh 4 93kWh 4S 93kWh GTS 93kWh Turbo 93kWh Turbo S
472 563 590 670 751
137 149 155 155 155
5.1 4.1 3.7 3.3 2.9
242-283 241-281 273 245-281 241-260
0 0 0 0 0
Taycan Sport Turismo 5dr estate £73,650–£141,259 AAAAB Less rugged than the Cross Turismo, but no less capable. LxWxH 4963x2144x1390 Kerb weight 2250kg 79kWh 79kWh 4S 93kWh 93kWh 4S 93kWh GTS 93kWh Turbo 93kWh Turbo S
405 527 472 563 590 670 751
143 155 143 155 155 155 155
5.4 4.0 5.4 4.0 3.7 3.2 2.8
222-269 222-274 259-306 259-306 263-304 263-305 267-285
Macan 5dr SUV £50,935–£68,065
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
AAAAB
Spookily good handling makes this a sports utility vehicle in the purest sense. LxWxH 4696x1923x1624 Kerb weight 1770kg 2.0 2.0 T 3.0 V6 S 3.0 GTS
263 263 377 438
144 144 161 169
6.4 6.4 4.8 4.5
26.4 26.4 25.4 25.0
Cayenne 5dr SUV £64,750–£132,060
228 224-239 251 255 AAAAB
Refreshed look, improved engines and interior, and a better SUV overall. LxWxH 4926x2194x1673 Kerb weight 2175kg
3.0 V6 3.0 V6 E-Hybrid 2.9 V6 S Refreshed look and better handling makes it an enticing choice. 4.0 V8 GTS EQC 5dr SUV £67,320–£76,210 AAAAB Has its flaws, though. LxWxH 3991x1743x1455 Kerb weight 1490kg 718 Cayman 2dr coupé £49,800–£108,370 AAAAA 4.0 V8 Turbo Brisk, tidy-handling electric SUV has everything needed to do well 1.0 IG-T 92 91 111 11.8 50.4 123-129 Scalpel-blade incisiveness, supreme balance and outstanding 4.0 V8 S E-Hybrid
on UK roads. LxWxH 4762x1884x1624 Kerb weight 2495kg
0/6
911 Cabriolet 2dr open £99,095–£176,750
Won’t break records on range or usability, but has plenty of zip and Compact crossover has most rivals licked, but class is still waiting 79kWh 4S driver appeal. LxWxH 3850x1727x1414 Kerb weight 1440kg for a game-changer. LxWxH 4300x1770x1550 Kerb weight 1205kg 93kWh
0 1.2 PureTech 100 98 115 10.9 52.0 125-127 1.2 PureTech 130 128 122 8.9 50.6 132 AAABC 1.2 PureTech 155 153 129 8.2 46.6 141 A fun open-top car but compromised on practicality and dynamics. 50kWh e-2008 136 93 8.5 191-206 0 GLB 5dr SUV £37,470–£50,855 AAABC LxWxH 3821x1727x1415 Kerb weight 1280kg 1.5 BlueHDi 98 115 11.4 62.7 118-120 Boxy SUV mixes rough-and-tumble styling cues and seven-seat 1.5 Cooper 134 128 8.8 46.3 138-139 versatility. LxWxH 4634x1834x1659 Kerb weight 2085kg 2.0 Cooper S 175 143 7.2 42.2 151 3008 5dr SUV £28,690–£46,745 AAAAC 1.3 GLB 200 160 129 9.1 40.4 160-165 2.0 John Cooper Works 227 150 6.6 39.2 165 Cleverly packaged Peugeot offers just enough SUV DNA to make 2.0 AMG GLB 35 302 155 5.2 32.5 198 the difference. LxWxH 4447x2098x1624 Kerb weight 1250kg 2.0 GLB 200d 148 127 9.0 47.9 149-156 Clubman 5dr hatch £23,505–£36,755 AAAAC 1.2 PureTech 130 126 117 10.5-10.8 37.2 146-149 2.0 GLB 220d 188 135 7.6 47.9 156-158 Cheery and alternative Mini ‘six-door’ takes the brand into new 1.6 Hybrid 223 146 5.9 157-222 29 territory. LxWxH 4253x1800x1441 Kerb weight 1375kg 1.6 Hybrid4 298 149 5.9 166-235 36 EQB 5dr SUV £52,145–£56,645 AAACC 1.5 Cooper 134 128 9.2 47.1 136-137 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 119 9.5 55.1 137-139 Part-time third row still a rarity in premium electric cars. Otherwise 2.0 Cooper S 175 142 7.3 42.2 152-153 unremarkable. LxWxH 4463x1834x1624 Kerb weight 2030kg 2.0 John Cooper Works All4 302 155 4.9 38.2 169 5008 5dr SUV £31,145–£41,975 AAAAC 67kWh 300 228 99 7.7 257 0 Less MPV, more SUV, and shares its siblings’ good looks. Competent 67kWh 350 292 99 6.0 257 0 Countryman 5dr hatch £25,305–£38,325 AAABC to drive, too. LxWxH 4641x1844x1640 Kerb weight 1511kg Bigger than before, but still more funky than useful. Still not all that 1.2 PureTech 130 126 117 10.4-10.9 46.0 150-153 GLC 5dr SUV £45,145–£94,600 AAAAC pretty, either. LxWxH 4299x2005x1557 Kerb weight 1440kg 1.6 PureTech 180 178 135 8.3 39.6 168-170 Not exactly exciting to drive, but does luxury and refinement 1.5 Cooper 136 124 9.7 44.8 143 1.5 BlueHDi 130 129 119 10.7 57.3 139-142 better than most. LxWxH 4656x1890x1639 Kerb weight 1735kg 1.5 Cooper All4 136 122 10.3 40.9 157-158 2.0 BlueHDi 180 175 131 9.1 47.3 164-166 2.0 GLC 300 4Matic 255 149 6.2 34.4 187-198 1.5 Cooper S E All4 PHEV 217 122 6.8 156.9 41 P O L E S TA R 2.0 GLC 300e 4Matic 320 143 5.7 122.8 53 2.0 Cooper S 192 140 7.5-7.6 42.2-42.8 151-152 3.0 V6 AMG GLC 43 4Matic 388 155 4.9 27.4 233-245 2.0 Cooper S All4 192 138 7.6 40.4 158-159 2 5dr hatch £39,900–£45,900 AAAAC 4.0 V8 AMG GLC 63 S 4Matic+ 502 155 3.8 22.7 294-296 2.0 John Cooper Works All4 302 155 5.1 37.2 174 High-rise saloon takes the EV off in a development direction all of 2.0 GLC 220d 4Matic 191 134 7.9 47.9 154-167 its own. LxWxH 4607x1859x1478 Kerb weight 2048kg MORGAN 2.0 GLC 300d 4Matic 242 144 6.5 42.8 178-179 63kWh Standard Range 221 99 7.4 273 0 2.0 GLC 300de 4Matic 302 143 6.2 148.7 50 Plus Four 2dr open £63,605 AAABC 78kWh Long Range 228 99 7.4 317 0 Morgan’s four-cylinder lifeblood model gets 21st-century 78kWh Long Range AWD 402 127 4.2 298 0 GLC Coupé 5dr SUV £48,020–£96,425 AAAAC underpinnings. LxWxH 3830x1500x1250 Kerb weight 1013kg PORSCHE A coupé-shaped SUV destined to be outrun by the X4 – unless 2.0 255 149 5.1 38.8 165 you’re in an AMG. LxWxH 4732x1890x1602 Kerb weight 1785kg 718 Boxster 2dr open £48,490–£76,905 AAAAB 2.0 GLC 300 4Matic 255 149 6.3 32.8 195-202 Plus Six 2dr open £82,945 AAABC Our idea of drop-top heaven. Exceptional to drive, whether cruising 2.0 GLC 300e 4Matic 320 143 5.7 104.6 52-54 Feels like progress in lots of ways, but not yet the driver’s car it or hurrying. LxWxH 4379x1801x1280 Kerb weight 1335kg 3.0 V6 AMG GLC 43 4Matic 388 155 4.9 27.7 232-242 might be. LxWxH 3890x1756x1220 Kerb weight 1075kg 2.0 290 170 4.9-5.1 32.5 198 4.0 V8 AMG GLC 63 S 4Matic+ 502 155 3.8 22.1 290-291 3.0 335 166 4.2 38.2 180 2.0 T 296 170 4.7-5.3 32.5 199 2.0 GLC 220d 4Matic 191 135 7.9 44.1 167-173 2.5 S 339 177 4.4-4.6 29.1 229 NISSAN 2.0 GLC 300d 4Matic 242 145 6.6 40.9 182-184 4.0 GTS 396 182 4.5 25.9 247 2.0 GLC 300de 4Matic 302 143 6.2 134.5 55 Micra 5dr hatch £16,675–£19,755 AAAAC 4.0 Spyder 414 189 4.4 25.4 251 188 228 292
0-6
AAAAC perfect grand tourer. LxWxH 5049x1937x1423 Kerb weight 1815kg Blends character and practicality, without compromising on the 2.9 V6 325 168 5.6 27.7 232 hatchback’s style. LxWxH 4635x2062x1442 Kerb weight 1345kg 2.9 V6 4 325 167 5.3 27.2 235 1.2 PureTech 130 131 130 9.9 52.1 122 2.9 V6 4S 434 183 4.3 27.4 234 1.6 Hybrid 180 139 7.7 213-281 25-30 2.9 V6 4 E-Hybrid 456 174 4.4 78.5-85.6 60 1.6 Hybrid 225 225 146 7.6 213-266 26-30 2.9 V6 4S E-Hybrid 552 185 3.7 78.5-85.6 60 1.5 BlueHDi 131 129 10.9 65.0 113-114 4.0 V8 GTS 473 186 3.9 23.3 275 4.0 V8 Turbo S 621 196 3.1 22.1 289 508 4dr saloon £29,000–£54,030 AAAAC 4.0 V8 Turbo S E-Hybrid 690 196 3.2 97.4-104.6 62-66
3.2
EQA 5dr SUV £45,656–£54,115
)
Revamped big saloon is an absolute belter, making it almost the
308 SW 5dr estate £25,835–£40,035
3dr Hatch 3dr hatch £17,405–£33,800 AAAAB Stylish and likeable but lacking the polish of more premium rivals. 21.4-22.1 294-298 Three-pot engines and cleverly designed interior make the Mini a LxWxH 4750x1859x1430 Kerb weight 1535kg superb choice. LxWxH 3821x1727x1414 Kerb weight 1190kg 1.2 PureTech 130 131 127 8.1 49.1 129 GLA 5dr SUV £31,915–£66,115 AAABC 1.5 One 101 121 10.1-10.2 49.6 130 1.6 Hybrid 223 155 8.3 166.0-235.0 27-38 Not the most practical crossover but good looking and very decent 1.5 Cooper 134 130 7.8-7.9 48.7-49.6 130-132 1.6 Hybrid PSE 355 155 5.2 141.2 42 to drive. LxWxH 4417x1804x1494 Kerb weight 1395kg 2.0 Cooper S 189 145-146 6.7-6.8 44.1 145 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 126 10.0 62.0 124 1.6 GLA 180 120 124 8.7-9.0 35.3-40.4 151-155 2.0 John Cooper Works 227 152 6.1-6.3 39.8 160 1.6 GLA 200 152 134 8.1-8.4 34.9-39.8 151-155 508 SW 5dr estate £30,600–£55,830 AAACC 1.3 GLA 250e 135 137 7.1 201.8 31 5dr Hatch 5dr hatch £18,105–£26,200 AAAAB Bodystyle takes the edge off the 508’s style yet doesn’t fully 2.0 GLA 250 4Matic 204 143 6.6 32.5-35.8 172-174 Mini charm in a more usable package, but still not as practical as address practicality. LxWxH 4778x1859x1420 Kerb weight 1430kg 2.0 AMG GLA 35 4Matic 302 155 5.2 32.5 186-198 rivals. LxWxH 3982x1727x1425 Kerb weight 1240kg 1.2 PureTech 130 131 127 8.3 49.1 129 2.0 AMG GLA 45 S 4Matic+ 415 155 4.3 28.8 215-224 1.5 One 101 119 10.6 49.6 130 1.6 Hybrid 223 155 8.3 166.0-235.0 27-38 2.0 GLA 200d 150 127 8.6-8.9 52.3 121 1.5 Cooper 134 129 8.4 48.7-49.6 131-132 1.6 Hybrid PSE 355 155 5.2 141.2 42 2.0 GLA 220d 188 136 7.3 49.6 141-149 2.0 Cooper S 175 146 6.9 44.1-45.6 141-146 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 129 10.1 62.0 127 4.0 V8 GT63 S 4Matic+
ph
Wider, eighth-generation 911 is still eminently fast, and capable at all speeds. LxWxH 4519x1852x1300 Kerb weight 1565kg
3.0 Carrera 380 180 3.0 Carrera 4 380 180 3.0 Carrera S 444 190 61kWh 154 115 7.7 250 0 308 5dr hatch £24,635–£38,835 AAAAC 3.0 Carrera 4S 444 188 Brings electrification and design flair but retains the old model’s 3.0 Carrera GTS 473 192 EQS 5dr saloon £99,995–£163,990 AAAAB HS 5dr SUV £22,095–£33,095 AAACC dynamic character. LxWxH 4365x1850x1441 Kerb weight 1288kg 3.0 Carrera 4 GTS 473 191 Luxurious in every respect and a tantalising showcase for the Goes big on metal for the money but covers its budget roots with 1.2 PureTech 130 131 130 9.7 52.1 122 3.7 Turbo 572 199 future. LxWxH 5032x1899x1411 Kerb weight 2480kg mixed success. LxWxH 4574x1876x1664 Kerb weight 1489kg 1.6 Hybrid 180 140 7.6 213-281 23-30 3.7 Turbo S 641 205 108kW 450+ 4Matic 325 130 6.2 412-453 0 1.5 T-GDI 162 118 9.9 36.2-37.2 168 1.6 Hybrid 225 225 146 8.0 213-266 24-30 AMG EQS 53 4Matic+ 649 155 3.8 377 0 1.5 T-GDI PHEV 254 118 7.1 155.8 43 1.5 BlueHDi 131 129 10.6 65.4 113-114 Panamera 4dr saloon £72,715–£141,780
need. LxWxH 4544x1729x1509 Kerb weight 1532kg
(m
911 2dr coupé £89,295–£166,950
3.0 Carrera 3.0 Carrera 4 3.0 Carrera S NOBLE 3.0 Carrera 4S G-Class 5dr SUV £108,815–£181,715 AAABC M600 2dr coupé £248,000–£287,600 AAABC 3.0 Carrera GTS Massively expensive and compromised, but with character in Deliciously natural and involving; a bit ergonomically flawed. 3.0 Carrera 4 GTS abundance. LxWxH 4866x1984x1969 Kerb weight 2550kg LxWxH 4360x1910x1120 Kerb weight 1198kg 3.0 Targa 4 3.0 400d 4Matic 325 130 6.4 25.7 281-282 4.4 V8 662 225 3.0 16.8 333 3.0 Targa 4S 4.0 V8 AMG G63 4Matic 578 137 4.5 18.6-18.8 373 3.0 Targa 4 GTS PEUGEOT 4.0 GT3 MG 208 3dr/5dr hatch £18,645–£33,910 AAABC 3.7 Turbo AAAAB 3 5dr hatch £12,845–£14,345 AAABC A big improvement for Peugeot, if not for the supermini class. 3.7 Turbo S
S-Class 4dr saloon £81,650–£206,775 440 510 503 612 286 328
P
e ow
335 456 340 453 542 671
152 157 152 168 178 183
6.2 5.0 6.2 4.8 4.1 3.8
22.6-24.6 76.3-91.1 21.9-23.9 20.0-21.2 20.0-20.9 68.9-74.3
Cayenne Coupé 5dr SUV £69,400–£149,810
259-283 71-83 268-292 301-219 305-319 86-92
AAAAC
Little different to drive from the standard car but certainly has an appeal all of its own. LxWxH 4931x1983x1676 Kerb weight 2030kg 3.0 V6 3.0 V6 E-Hybrid 2.9 V6 S 4.0 V8 GTS 4.0 V8 Turbo 4.0 V8 S E-Hybrid 4.0 V8 GT
335 456 428 453 533 671 632
Rapture 0dr open £110,000
150 157 163 168 178 183 186
6.0 5.1 5.0 4.5 3.9 3.8 3.1
22.6-24.4 76.3-88.3 21.9-23.5 20.2-21.2 20..0-20.9 68.9-74.3 20.0
263-283 73-85 271-292 302-318 307-319 87-92 319
RADICAL
AAABC
Not as well mannered as some lightweights but spectacular in its track-day element. LxWxH 4100x1790x1130 Kerb weight 765kg 2.2 Turbo
360
165
3.1
NA
RXC GT 2dr open £145,000
NA AAABC
Designed for pounding around a track; out of its element on the road. LxWxH 4300x1960x1127 Kerb weight 1125kg 3.5 V6 400 3.5 V6 650
400 650
179 180
2.8 2.7
NA NA
NA NA
N E W CAR PR I CES P
e ow
r (b
hp
)
T
s op
pe
ed
(
h mp
)
0 0-6
/62
mp
h
) y e) km o m ang (g/ o n G/r Ec (MP CO 2
P
e ow
r (b
hp
)
T
s op
pe
ed
(
h mp
)
0 0-6
/62
mp
h
) y e) km o m ang (g/ o n G/r CO 2 Ec (MP
84 87
11.4 9.5
233 232
Clio 5dr hatch £19,590–£24,990
1.5 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 190 4x4 2.0 vRS 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 2.0 TDI 200 4x4
0 0 AAAAC
Plusher, smoother and much more mature. A car of substance as well as style. LxWxH 4047x1728x1440 Kerb weight 1148kg 1.0 TCe 90 1.6 E-Tech Hybrid
88 138
112 112
12.2 9.9
54.4 65.7
Mégane 5dr hatch £29,990–£39,440 153 298
AAABC
109 9.4 162-163 5.4-5.7
235.4 34.9
28 184
Captur 5dr SUV £21,190–£32,690
AAAAC
Jacked-up Clio is among the better downsized options. Stylish and fluent-riding. LxWxH 4122x1778x1566 Kerb weight 1184kg 104 122 106 107
8.7 9.2 10.6 10.1
47.9 48.7 56.5 217.3
Kadjar 5dr SUV £26,185–£27,785
133-134 134-135 113-114 30-33 AAABC
Fine value, practical, decent to drive and good-looking, but the Qashqai is classier. LxWxH 4449x1836x1607 Kerb weight 1306kg 1.3 TCe 140
138
124
9.8
45.6
Arkana 5dr SUV £26,290–£32,190
143-147 AAABC
Showy styling clothes an eminently sensible but unspectacular car. LxWxH 4568x1820x1576 Kerb weight 1435kg 1.3 TCe Mild Hybrid 140 1.6 E-Tech Hybrid 145
138 143
127 107
9.8 10.8
48.7 58.9
132 108
R O L L S - R OYC E
Wraith 2dr coupé £274,300–£314,500
AAAAB
An intimate and involving Rolls. Not as grand as some, but other traits make it great. LxWxH 5285x1947x1507 Kerb weight 2360kg 6.6 V12
155
6.6 V12
563
155
18.5-18.6 347-348
Phantom 4dr saloon £378,700–£450,700
124 130 142 124 130
9.9 8.0 6.2 10.2 7.8
AAABC
Not as desirable or plush as the e-Up but nearly as good to drive. LxWxH 3557x1643x1474 Kerb weight 1160kg 37kWh electric
Fabia Estate 5dr estate £17,640–£19,090
81
12.3
1.0 TSI 95
94
115
10.9
Scala 5dr hatch £17,870–£25,395 1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 110 1.5 TSI 150
94 108 148
118 123 137
11.0 10.1 8.2
10.9 10.8 9.4 8.7 7.4 7.5 10.2
Leon Estate 5dr estate £22,620–£38,205
51.4-52.3 50.4-51.4 49.6-51.4 48.7 42.2 235.4 64.2-65.7
Good-looking and responsive hatchback-turned-estate. LxWxH 4549x1816x1454 Kerb weight 1236kg 1.0 TSI 100 1.0 eTSI 1.5 TSI EVO 130 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI EVO 1.4 eHybrid PHEV 2.0 TDI
108 108 128 148 188 201 113
53.3 119-120 51.4-53.3 120-124 50.4-51.4 125-128
124 124 130 135 145 137 124
11.2 10.9 9.7 8.9 7.6 7.5 10.5
h
) y e) km o m ang (g/ o n G/r CO 2 Ec (MP
123-126 124-129 124-128 133 131-154 26-28 113-115
AAAAC
148 188 242 148 148 197
123 TBC 144 123 120 131
9.3 TBC 6.6 9.8 9.6 7.8
37.2-39.2 32.1-32.5 32.5 46.3-47.9 44.8-47.9 41.5-42.5
164-172 196-200 198 154-161 155-165 175-178
79
81
113 148 201 242 242 114 148 197 197
129 143 136 139 155 131 143 154 150
10.5-10.8 8.5 7.7 7.3 6.8 10.3 8.7 7.4 6.8
54.3-56.5 52.3-53.3 235.4 233.5 40.9 68.9 64.2-67.3 56.5 51.4
Octavia Estate 5dr estate £23,250–£38,520
115-117 121-123 21 27 157 109 109-115 130 145
11.6-11.9 81-84
53.3-54.3 50.4-52.3 256.8 217.3 40.4 67.3 62.8-65.7 55.4 50.4
Superb 5dr hatch £27,180–£43,325
118-119 123-126 30 27 159 111 112-118 132 147
AAAAC
Another great Czech value option that’s big on quality and space if not on price. LxWxH 4869x1864x1469 Kerb weight 1340kg 148 188 276 215 148 197 197
137 148 155 138 138 151 148
9.0-9.2 7.7 5.5 7.7 9.1 7.9 7.2
40.4-44.8 142-157 38.2-39.2 162-168 32.2-34.0 188-193 148.7-188.3 33-42 54.3-58.9 125-136 51.4-53.3 140-145 47.9 154
17kWh
79
81
0 AABCC
12.7
84
Tivoli 5dr SUV £14,495–£20,595
0 AAABC
needs refinement. LxWxH 5095x1950x1840 Kerb weight 2155kg 2.2d 181
178
115-121 12.2
argicultural roots. LxWxH 4850x1960x1825 Kerb weight 2102kg 178
XV 5dr SUV £28,360–£33,680
115
11.3-11.9 32.9
205-227
SUBARU
1.6i 2.0i 2.0i e-Boxer
112 154 148
109 120 120
13.9 10.4 10.4
TBC 35.7 35.7
Forester 5dr estate £36,360–£39,360
180 180 180 AAACC
148
117
11.8
34.7
112 124 133 115 126 122
11.4 8.5 7.0 10.9 9.3 8.7
pe
ed
(m
ph
)
0-6
0/6
2m
ph Ec
) y e) km o m ang (g/ o n MPG/r CO 2 (
T OYO TA
AAABC
City car returns from SUV boot camp ready for the ultimate series of speed bumps. LxWxH 3700x1740x1525 Kerb weight 1360kg 1.0 VVT-i
71
98
14.9
57.6
Yaris 5dr hatch £20,210–£24,420
110 AAABC
Stylish interior but ultimately a scaled-down version of bigger Toyotas. LxWxH 3495x1695x1510 Kerb weight 1310kg 114
109
9.7
65.7-68.9 92-98
GR Yaris 5dr hatch £30,020–£33,520 1.6 AWD
AAAAA
253
143
5.5
TBC
Yaris Cross 5dr SUV £23,280–£31,310 1.5 Hybrid 1.5 Hybrid AWD
186 AAABC
114 114
106 106
7.0 7.3
56.5-64.2 100-112 55.4 115
Corolla 5dr hatch £24,855–£30,580
AAAAC
Rebranded hatch has rolling refinement, interior ambience and affable handling. LxWxH 4370x1790x1435 Kerb weight 1340kg 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 2.0 VVT-i Hybrid
122 180
111 111
10.9 7.9
57.6-62.8 102-112 53.3-57.6 111-120
Corolla Touring Sports 5dr estate £26,125–£32,515 AAAAC More practical estate bodystyle proves just as capable with hybrid power. LxWxH 4650x1790x1435 Kerb weight 1440kg 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 2.0 VVT-i Hybrid
122 180
111 111
11.1 8.1
56.5-62.8 103-113 53.3-56.5 112-121
Prius 5dr hatch £24,880–£29,540
AAAAC
Better all round compared with its predecessors. Challenging looks, though. LxWxH 4540x1760x1470 Kerb weight 1375kg 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid
120
112
10.6
58.9-67.3 94-109
Prius Plug-in Hybrid 5dr hatch £32,645–£34,745
AAAAC
Plug-in version is clever and appealing. Seems more comfortable in
Acceptable in isolation, but no class leader. LxWxH 4815x1840x1605 Kerb weight 1612kg 172
130
10.2
33.0
193
SUZUKI
Ignis 5dr hatch £14,749–£18,249 83 83
103 103
12.7 12.8
52.3 48.6
110-112 121 AAABC
Given mature looks, more equipment and a hybrid powertrain, but it’s no class leader. LxWxH 3840x1735x1495 Kerb weight 890kg 1.2 Dualjet 83 12V 1.2 Dualjet 83 12V Allgrip 1.4 Boosterjet 48V Sport
82 82 129
112 106 130
13.1 13.8 9.1
59.7 52.3 50.4
Swace 5dr estate £27,499–£29,299
106 121 125 AAABC
Rebadged Toyota Corolla Touring Sports serves as a useful addition to Suzuki’s line-up. LxWxH 4655x1790x1460 Kerb weight 1420kg 120
112
11.1
64.2
174
109
9.5 10.2
69.4mpkg 0
99
AAAAC
1.8 Hybrid 2.0 Hybrid
119 181
105 112
11.0 8.2
57.7-58.9 109-110 53.3-54.3 119
RAV4 5dr SUV £31,945–£46,150
AAACC
A solid option but ultimately outgunned by Korean competition. LxWxH 4605x1845x1675 Kerb weight 1605kg 194 194 302
112 112 112
8.4 8.1 6.0
50.4-51.3 126-131 47.9-48.7 131-134 TBC TBC
Land Cruiser 5dr SUV £42,405–£57,680
AAABC
Likeably simple, functional, and worth considering if you need a dual-purpose SUV. LxWxH 4335x1885x1875 Kerb weight 2010kg 201
109
12.7
29.1-31.0 239-250
Highlander 5dr SUV £51,650–£53,630
AAABC
Seven-seater bucks the trend of large hybrid SUVs being of the plug-in variety. LxWxH 4966x1930x1755 Kerb weight 2050kg 244
112
8.3
39.8
GR Supra 2dr coupé £46,010–£54,365
159-160 AAAAC
Brings welcome muscle, fun and variety to the affordable sports car class. LxWxH 4379x1292x1854 Kerb weight 1541kg 2.0i 3.0i
250 335
155 155
5.2 4.3
38.7 34.5
167 188
VA U X H A L L
Corsa 5dr hatch £17,380–£30,910
AAABC
Improved in many ways but lacks the appeal to match its price. EV is more likeable. LxWxH 4060x1765x1433 Kerb weight 1141kg
1.2 75 72 108 AAABC 1.2 100 97 121 50kWh E 132 93 1.5 Turbo D 102 98 117 52.7 128 45.2 140 Astra 5dr hatch £23,805–£35,315
Utterly worthy addition to the class drives better than most. LxWxH 4175x1775x1610 Kerb weight 1075kg 118 118
9.0
Coupé-shaped crossover certainly turns heads and impresses on the road. LxWxH 4360x1795x1565 Kerb weight 1320kg
2.5 Hybrid
Swift 5dr hatch £15,499–£22,570
AAAAC
A courageous endeavour, and one with the trappings of future acceptability. LxWxH 4975x1885x1470 Kerb weight 1905kg
AAAAC 2.8 D-4D
Cute and rugged-looking 4x4 city car capable of tackling roads bereft of asphalt. LxWxH 3700x1660x1595 Kerb weight 855kg 1.2 Dualjet 12V 1.2 Dualjet 12V Allgrip
Mirai 4dr saloon £49,995–£64,995
2.5 Hybrid AABCC 2.5 Hybrid AWD 2.5 PHEV
Outback 5dr estate £33,995–£39,495 2.5i
185
13.2 9.9 8.1 10.2
53.3 48.7-52.3 209 70.0
125 126-134 0 109-110
AAABC
Eye-catching, refined and polished to drive, but less practical than
SX4 S-Cross 5dr SUV £24,999–£29,799
AAACC its predecessors. LxWxH 4373x1860x1441 Kerb weight 1341kg Latest round of updates help keep it a decent budget offering. 1.2 Turbo 110 108 124 10.2 54.3 119 LxWxH 4300x1785x1593 Kerb weight 1305kg 1.2 Turbo 130 128 134 9.9 54.3 119 Kamiq 5dr SUV £19,470–£27,860 AAABC 1.4 Boosterjet 48V 127 121 10.2 53.2 120 1.6 Hybrid 178 140 9.3 201-256 24-26 AAAAC Skoda’s supermini platform has birthed a practical but predictable 1.4 Boosterjet 48V Allgrip 127 118 10.2 46.3 139 1.5 Turbo D 130 128 130 10.6 64.2 115
49.6-51.4 49.6 49.6-51.4 47.9-48.7 42.2 235.4 64.2-65.7
compact crossover. LxWxH 4241x1793x1553 Kerb weight 1251kg
126-129 130 125-128 132-133 151-152 26-28 114-116
1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 115 1.5 TSI 150
93 112 148
112 120 132
11.1 9.9 8.3
49.6 129 47.1-49.6 130-136 46.3-47.9 133-139
Across 5dr SUV £45,599 2.5 PHEV
Karoq 5dr SUV £25,950–£37,760
AAABC
Rebadged Toyota PHEV plunges Suzuki convincingly into several new segments. LxWxH 4635x1855x1690 Kerb weight 1915kg 182
AAAAC
Yeti replacement may not have its forebear’s quirkiness, but it’s brilliant otherwise. LxWxH 4382x1841x1603 Kerb weight 1265kg 11.1 8.1-8.3 7.3 10.6 9.0 8.8
44.8-47.9 42.8-44.8 33.2 58.9 50.4-52.3 42.8
133-143 143-149 191 126 142-148 172-174
112
6.0
282.4
TESLA
Model S 5dr hatch £91,980–£118,980 670 1020
155 200
Model 3 4dr saloon £42,990–£59,990
3.1 2.0
405 396
44.1-46.3 42.2-43.5 34.9-35.3 54.3-55.4 55.4-58.9 47.1-48.7
139-146 149-152 181-183 135-137 141-166 141-166
82kWh 80x Sportline
263
99
6.9
303
0
82kWh vRS
299
111
6.5
312
0
Model X 5dr SUV £98,980–£110,980
0 0
108 128 178 128
124 130 140 130
10.8 9.9 9.3 10.8
52.3-53.3 49.6-51.4 201-256 62.8-64.2
Insignia 5dr hatch £30,720–£39,900
125-127 127-133 24-31 115-119
AAAAC
The good-looking and tech-filled Insignia makes an attractive proposition. LxWxH 4897x1863x1455 Kerb weight 1714kg
2.0 Turbo 200 AAAAC 1.5 Turbo D 122 2.0 Turbo D 170
197 120 167
146 127 142
7.2 10.7 8.2
Crossland 5dr SUV £18,415–£26,655
37.7 61.4 61.4
171 121 121 AAABC
Still only a mid-pack player in a busy crossover market, but simple and easy to operate. LxWxH 4212x1765x1605 Kerb weight 1245kg
1.2i 83 AAAAB 1.2i Turbo 110 1.2i Turbo 130 1.5 Turbo D 110
A genuine luxury seven-seat electric SUV that also has a large Enyaq Coupe iV 5dr SUV £51,885 AAABC range. LxWxH 5036x2070x1684 Kerb weight 2459kg More style-led EV is the first to wear Skoda’s performance badge. Model X 670 155 3.8 348 0 LxWxH 4653x1882x1660 Kerb weight 2204kg Model X Plaid 1020 163 2.5 340 0
Model Y 5dr SUV £54,990–£64,990
More spacious Astra wagon is as attractive as the hatchback. We have yet to drive it. LxWxH 4642x1860x1480 Kerb weight 1346kg
1.2 Turbo 110 1.2 Turbo 130 1.6 Hybrid AAAAB 1.5 Turbo D
Large range makes it not only a standout EV but also the future of luxury motoring. LxWxH 4978x1963x1445 Kerb weight 2108kg Model S Model S Plaid
Astra Sports Tourer 5dr estate £21,190–£27,460
22
Lowest-price, biggest-volume Tesla yet arrives in the UK after AAAAC wooing the US. LxWxH 4694x1849x1443 Kerb weight 1726kg Practical, rangy, and well priced. Hits a sweet spot in the EV RWD 320 140 5.3 267 0 Ateca 5dr SUV £25,140–£37,205 AAAAB market. LxWxH 4649x1879x1621 Kerb weight 1917kg Long Range 434 145 4.2 360 0 Seat’s first SUV is very good. So good, in fact, it’s a Qashqai beater. 62kWh 60 177 99 8.7 256 0 Performance 522 162 3.1 352 0 LxWxH 4363x1841x1601 Kerb weight 1280kg 82kW 80 201 99 8.5 331 0 108 148 188 114 148 148
T
s op
C-HR 5dr SUV £28,175–£34,305
Solid, spacious and wilfully unsexy. A capable 4x4 nonetheless. LxWxH 4610x1795x1735 Kerb weight 1488kg
1.4 Boosterjet 48V 127 1.4 Boosterjet 48V Allgrip 127
1.0 TSI 110 108 117 1.5 TSI 150 148 126 Arona 5dr SUV £20,040–£25,865 AAAAC 20 TSI 190 4x4 188 132 Seat’s second SUV doesn’t disappoint, with it taking charge of the 2.0 TDI 116 114 118 class dynamically. LxWxH 4138x1780x1543 Kerb weight 1165kg 2.0 TDI 150 148 127 1.0 TSI 95 93 107 11.2 51.4 124 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 148 121 1.0 TSI 115 113 113 9.8-10.0 47.9-53.3 121-134 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 127 8.3 44.8-45.6 140-143 Enyaq iV 5dr SUV £34,850–£47,035
1.0 TSI 110 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 190 2.0 TDI 116 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 150 4Drive
)
Aygo X 3dr hatch £14,580–£20,505
AAACC Hydrogen FCV
No-nonsense crossover doesn’t quite make enough sense. LxWxH 4450x1780x1615 Kerb weight 1355kg
AAAAC 1.8 Hybrid
40.9-45.6 141-157 39.8-40.9 162-168 33.2-34.0 188-194 148.7-188.3 33-42 53.3-57.7 129-140 49.6-51.4 140-144 47.9 157
hp
AAABC its skin. LxWxH 4645x1760x1470 Kerb weight 1530kg A vast improvement. Better on the road but without ditching its 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 120 101 11.1 188.3-217.3 29-35
Vitara 5dr SUV £23,749–£29,299
9.2 7.7 5.3 7.8 9.2 7.9 7.3
28.2-31.8 231-261
Rexton 5dr SUV £37,995–£40,665
1.5 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 190 2.0 TSI 280 4x4 1.4 iV PHEV 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 200 2.0 TDI 200 4x4
132 143 155 140 133 145 142
r (b
Focused, exhilarating all-wheel-drive hot hatch is the most exciting Toyota in ages. LxWxH 3995x1805x1455 Kerb weight 975kg
S S A N G YO N G
enormous boot. LxWxH 4856x1864x1477 Kerb weight 1365kg 148 188 276 215 148 197 197
e ow
Four doors bring more mainstream practicality, but still hobbled by A credible compact SUV, buoyed by good driving dynamics and low range. LxWxH 3495x1665x1554 Kerb weight 1200kg efficiency. LxWxH 4180x1765x1595 Kerb weight 1175kg
AAAAC 2.0i e-Boxer
Class-leading amount of space and practicality. Comfortable, too.
P
1.5 VVT-i Hybrid AABCC
EQ Forfour 5dr hatch £22,295–£23,445
AAAAC 2.2d 181
Does comfort and practicality like no other. Good, frugal engines too. LxWxH 4689x1829x1470 Kerb weight 1225kg
AAAAC Even more commendable than above, primarily thanks to its
122 119 129 135 144 137 124
mp
AAAAC 1.5 GDI-Turbo 160 119 12.0 37.2 172 1.6 D 2WD 133 112 12.0 45.2 159-164 1.6 D 4WD 133 112 12.0 41.5 178 50.4-52.3 121-126 Musso 5dr SUV £28,128–£37,728 AAACC AAAAC Practical pick-up has a refined engine and direct steering, but ride
Superb Estate 5dr estate £28,460–£44,605
A creditable effort and a notable improvement in form, with plenty of niche appeal. LxWxH 4282x1816x1459 Kerb weight 1202kg 108 108 128 148 188 201 113
/62
dynamics. LxWxH 4450x1870x1629 Kerb weight 1610kg
Octavia 5dr hatch £22,270–£37,290
162
Leon 5dr hatch £21,410–£36,770
155-166 201-207 195-200 144-150 172-178
Undercuts rivals on price and ushers in a sharp new design language for Skoda. LxWxH 4362x1793x1471 Kerb weight 1381kg
Ibiza 5dr hatch £17,165–£21,300
1.0 TSI 110 1.0 eTSI 1.5 TSI EVO 130 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI EVO 190 1.4 eHybrid PHEV 2.0 TDI 150
0 0-6
Outgoing, previous-generation wagon still majors on boot space. LxWxH 4262x1732x1467 Kerb weight 1182kg
0 1.5 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 190 AAAAB 2.0 TSI 280 4x4 Reinvigorated Ibiza is more mature and takes the class honours 1.4 iV PHEV from the Fiesta. LxWxH 4059x1780x1444 Kerb weight 1091kg 2.0 TDI 150 1.0 MPI 80 79 106 14.6 50.4-52.3 122-128 2.0 TDI 200 1.0 TSI 95 93 113 10.9 52.3 124-125 2.0 TDI 200 4x4 1.0 TSI 110 109 121 10.3 51.4 123-124 81
(
Trails the Duster as the best-value small crossover – but not by
AAAAA LxWxH 4667x1814x1465 Kerb weight 1247kg 1.0 TSI 110 113 125 10.6-10.9 1.5 TSI 150 148 139 8.4 6.75 V12 563 155 5.1-5.2 18.6-18.8 341-344 1.4 TSI iV PHEV 201 136 7.8 1.4 TSI iV vRS PHEV 242 139 7.3 Cullinan 4dr SUV £279,100–£320,500 AAAAC 2.0 TSI vRS 242 155 6.8 Big, bold new 4x4 begins the next era for the brand, with a model 2.0 TDI 116 114 128 10.4 that convinces. LxWxH 5341x2164x1835 Kerb weight 2730kg 2.0 TDI 150 148 139 8.8 6.75 V12 563 155 5.2 17.3-18.1 355-370 2.0 TDI 200 vRS 197 152 7.4 2.0 TDI 200 vRS 4x4 197 147 6.8 S E AT
38.7-41.5 31.0-31.7 32.1-32.8 49.6-52.3 41.5-42.8
S KO DA
Phantom takes opulent luxury to a whole new level. LxWxH 5762x2018x1646 Kerb weight 2560kg
Mii Electric 5dr hatch £22,800
ed
AAAAC much. LxWxH 4195x1795x1590 Kerb weight 1270kg Strong ergonomics and fine road manners – if you buy one of the 1.2P 128 126 112 10.6 47.9 158 more powerful models. LxWxH 4108x1780x1459 Kerb weight 1119kg 1.5P 163 160 112 tbc 42.8 161-164 1.0 MPI 65 63 106 15.9 55.4-58.9 114 1.6D 136 130 108 tbc 50.4 145 1.0 MPI 80 78 111 15.5 55.4 116 1.0 TSI 93 121 10.6 55.4 115-116 Korando 5dr SUV £20,545–£32,895 AAACC 1.0 TSI 110 109 127 9.7 57.6 113-127 Competitive towing capabilities and generous kit, but still lacks
4.6
4.9-5.0
148 188 242 148 197
Fabia 5dr hatch £15,305–£19,730
Dawn 2dr open £297,700–£337,900
Still hugely special. LxWxH 5399x1948x1550 Kerb weight 2360kg
AAAAC 17kWh
Seat’s largest SUV brings a hint of youthful exuberance to a practical category. LxWxH 4735x1839x1674 Kerb weight 1845kg
18.5-18.6 347-348 1.0 TSI 110 1.5 TSI 150 AAAAB 1.4 TSI iV PHEV Essentially as Wraith, except with a detuned engine and in elegant 1.4 TSI iV vRS PHEV convertible form. LxWxH 5295x1947x1502 Kerb weight 2560kg 2.0 TSI vRS 6.6 V12 563 155 5.0 16.8-17.4 367-380 2.0 TDI 116 2.0 TDI 150 Ghost 4dr saloon £261,100–£303,700 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 200 vRS ‘A ffordable’ Rolls is a more driver-focused car than the Phantom. 2.0 TDI 200 vRS 4x4 624
pe
Pricey, EV-only two-seater has urban appeal but is short on performance. LxWxH 2695x1663x1555 Kerb weight 1085kg
Tarraco 5dr SUV £30,785–£44,090
1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 4Drive 190 AAABC 2.0 TSI 245 Stylish and refined estate car is still bland like the hatch. Smaller 2.0 TDI 150 than its predecessor. LxWxH 4626x1814x1457 Kerb weight 1409kg 2.0 TDI 200 4Drive 1.6 E-Tech PHEV 153 111 9.8 217.3 29-30
89 138 140 156
T
s op
EQ Fortwo 3dr hatch/open £22,225–£27,995
Mégane Sport Tourer 5dr estate £31,490–£33,490
1.0 TCe 90 1.3 TCe 140 1.6 E-Tech Hybrid 1.6 E-Tech PHEV
)
SMART
117 96
Stylish and refined but bland. Trophy-R hot hatch an altogether different prospect. LxWxH 4359x1814x1447 Kerb weight 1340kg 1.6 E-Tech PHEV 1.8 RS 300
hp
Skoda’s first seven-seat SUV is a viable alternative to a traditional MPV. LxWxH 4697x1882x1676 Kerb weight 1430kg
AAABC
A far more practical zero-emission solution. Attractive price, too. LxWxH 4084x1730x1562 Kerb weight 1470kg 107 132
r (b
)
Kodiaq 5dr SUV £30,415–£46,035
R E N A U LT
Zoe 5dr hatch £29,095–£31,995 50kWh R110 50kWh R135
P
e ow
h mp
81 108 128 107
Mokka 5dr SUV £21,835–£31,995
105 117 128 111
14.0 10.6 9.1 9.9
47.1 47.1 44.1-48.0 61.4
142 140 136-146 120
AAABC
Radically overhauled crossover now comes with the option of
AAAAC battery-electric power. LxWxH 4151x1791x1531 Kerb weight 1750kg A compelling proposition, with respectable dynamics and a long 1.2 100 99 115 10.6 51.4 124 range. LxWxH 4751x2129x1624 Kerb weight 2072kg 1.2 130 128 125 9.1 47.1-50.4 126-137 Long Range 434 133 5.0 315 0 50kWh e 134 93 8.7 201 0 Performance 563 155 3.5 303 0 1.5 Turbo D 110 108 118 10.8 64.2-65.7 114
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 95
N E W CAR PR I CES W H AT ’ S C O M I N G W H E N
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Grandland 5dr SUV £25,810–£34,220
(g/ O2
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)
AAACC
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Touran 5dr MPV £30,470–£34,265
(g/ O2
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AAAAC
Does well to disguise its 3008 roots but too bland to stand out in a Dull overall, but it’s a capable MPV, well made and hugely refined. congested segment. LxWxH 4477x2098x1609 Kerb weight 1350kg LxWxH 4527x1829x1659 Kerb weight 1436kg 1.2 Turbo 130 1.6 Hybrid 1.5 Turbo D 130
128 223 128
117 140 119
10.9-11.1 45.6 141-147 8.6 192.0-210.0 34 10.2 54.3 136
E-Combo Life 5dr MPV £31,110–£31,710
1.5 TSI EVO 150
148
118
11.4
39.8-40.9 154-162
T-Cross 5dr SUV £21,430–£29,305
AAAAB
Compact crossover delivers a classy, substantial feel on UK roads.
AAABC LxWxH 4108x1760x1584 Kerb weight 1270kg Van-based people carrier is usable, spacious and practical, and 1.0 TSI 95 93 112 11.5 47.9 132-133 now electric-only. LxWxH 4403x1841x1921 Kerb weight 1474kg 1.0 TSI 110 108 117 9.9-10.4 42.8-48.7 132-149 50kWh 132 84 11.7 174 0 1.5 TSI EVO 150 147 124 8.5 46.3-47.1 136-138 V O L K S WA G E N
Up 3dr/5dr hatch £13,545–£24,085
It’s no revolution, but VW’s hallmarks are in abundance. LxWxH 3600x1428x1504 Kerb weight 926kg
Ford Ranger On sale December, price £30,000 (est) Britain’s favourite pick-up truck by far is about to enter its next generation after 11 years. It gains an updated platform, a tougher-looking design inspired by the larger F-150, a revised spread of engines and a much more modern interior. Three versions of the incumbent 2.0-litre fourcylinder diesel will be offered alongside a new 3.0-litre diesel V6 and a plug-in hybrid powertrain, most likely centred on a 2.3-litre petrol four. The manual gearboxes are new while the 10-speed automatic has been revised, and there are now two distinct four-wheel drive systems. Inside, a digital instrument display is complemented by a huge new infotainment touchscreen. A host of innovative features to make on-site working easier are included, too. M AY
Alpina B4 Gran Coupé, D4 Gran Coupé, Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Bentley Flying Spur PHEV, BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, 8 Series update, Bowler CSP 575, Citroën Ami, C5 X, Dacia Jogger, DS 4, 4 Cross, Genesis Electrified G80, GMA T50, Land Rover Range Rover, Mazda 2 Hybrid, MercedesAMG C63, EQS 53, GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupé, S63 S E Performance, SL 43, SL 55, SL 63, Mercedes-Benz A-Class update, EQT, T-Class, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, 911 GT3 RS, Cayenne update, Toyota Aygo X, GR86, Vauxhall Astra, Grandland update, Volkswagen ID 5, Multivan, Wey Coffee 01 JUNE
BMW M4 CSL, Bugatti Centodieci, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Citroën C5 Aircross update, Dacia Spring EV, DS 7 Crossback update, Genesis Electrified GV70, GV60, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Lotus Evija, Mercedes-Benz EQE, Morgan Super 3, Nissan Ariya, Qashqai e-Power, X-Trail, Ora Cat, Skoda Enyaq iV Coupé, Subaru Solterra, Toyota bZ4X J U LY
Alfa Romeo Giulia Estrema, Stelvio Estrema, Alpina B3 update, D3 S update, BMW 3 Series update, Ferrari 296 GTB, Ineos Grenadier, Lamborghini Urus update, McLaren Artura, Volkswagen ID Buzz AU G U S T
Cupra Formentor VZ5, Kia Xceed update, Lexus RZ, Mercedes-AMG G63 Edition 55, Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer SEPTEMBER
Alfa Romeo Tonale, Maserati Grecale, Mazda CX-60, Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric, Toyota Corolla Cross OCTOBER
BMW iX M60, M3 Touring, X1, Honda Civic, Kia Niro, Niro EV, Lamborghini Aventador replacement, Lucid Air, Mercedes-AMG One, Renault Austral N OV E M B E R
Audi E-tron update, E-tron Sportback update, BMW i7, iX1, Ferrari SP3 Daytona, Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, Kia EV6 GT, Polestar 3 DECEMBER
Aston Martin DB11 update, DBS update, Vantage update, BMW M2 Coupé, Z4 update, Ferrari Purosangue, Ford Ranger, Honda CR-V, Land Rover Defender 130, Lotus Emira, Mazda MX-30 REx, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Seat Tarraco update, Skoda Enyaq iV vRS, Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Amarok
All dates are approximate and subject to change
E A R LY 2 023
Abarth 595 EV, Aston Martin Valhalla, Audi Q6 E-tron, BMW M3 CSL, XM, Fisker Ocean, Ford electric SUV, Honda electric SUV, Kia EV9, KTM X-Bow GT2, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Lotus Eletre, Maserati Granturismo, Granturismo Folgore, Grecale Folgore, Mini Countryman, hatchback, Peugeot 4008, Porsche Macan EV, Panamera, Rolls-Royce Spectre, Smart #1, Volkswagen Aero-B
1.0 65 1.0 115 GTI e-Up
64 113 81
100 119 80
15.6 8.8 12.4
54.3 51.4 159
Polo 5dr hatch £18,285–£26,990
Taigo 5dr SUV £22,450–£28,850 AAABC AAAAC Crossover-coupé-SUV-type thing fills a niche. Likeable enough. LxWxH 4266x1757x1518 Kerb weight 1407kg
119 125-126 0
78 93 108 204
106 116 121 149
15.4 10.8 9.9 6.5
51.4 48.7-53.3 53.3-54.3 39.8-41.5
Golf 5dr hatch £24,430–£40,900
95 110 150
114 119 132
11.1 10.4 8.3
125 120-127 118-119 155
43.5-46.3 40.9-47.9 36.2 31.7 56.5-60.1 50.4-53.3
XC90 5dr SUV £58,965–£77,875
T-Roc 5dr SUV/open £25,000–£40,445
too. LxWxH 4234x1992x1573 Kerb weight 1270kg 1.0 TSI 110 1.5 TSI EVO 150 2.0 TSI 4Motion 2.0 TSI R 300 4Motion 2.0 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150
108 148 188 298 113 148
115 127 135 155 116 124
10.8 8.3-9.6 7.2 4.9 10.4 8.8-10.8
133-146 144-158 177-178 201 137-146 140-146
AAAAB
246 335 384 194
112 112 112 112
6.9 5.9 5.5 8.3
36.7-38.1 282.1 282.1 44.8-45.5
168-176 23-64 25-64 161-166
AAAAC
Clever packaging, smart styling, good to drive: Volvo’s closest thing to a class leader. LxWxH 4950x2008x1776 Kerb weight 1961kg 2.0 B5P 2.0 B6P 2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV 2.0 B5D
246 296 384 232
112 112 112 112
7.7 6.7 5.8 7.6
32.4 90.7 217 41.5
198 210 28-76 178
2.0 DOHC Turbo 2.3 DOHC Turbo RR
285 385
152 158
3.7 2.7
NA NA
NA NA
New strengths and familiar ones carry it back to the class lead, but Tiguan 5dr SUV £28,585–£47,210 AAAAC VUHL only marginally. LxWxH 4284x1789x1492 Kerb weight 1231kg An improvement on the previous model and will continue to sell by the bucketload. LxWxH 4486x1839x1654 Kerb weight 1490kg 1.0 TSI 110 108 126 10.2 53.3 121 05 0dr open £59,995–£89,995 AAAAC 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 130 9.1 51.4-53.3 121-124 1.5 TSI EVO 130 128 119 10.2 44.1-44.8 143-146 Mexican track-day special has a pleasingly pragmatic and forgiving 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 139 8.9 50.4-51.4 124-128 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 126 9.2-9.3 38.2-42.2 143-168 chassis. LxWxH 3718x1876x1120 Kerb weight 725kg 1.4 TSI eHybrid 1.4 TSI GTE 2.0 TSI GTI 2.0 TSI 300 GTI 2.0 TSI 320 R 4Motion 2.0 TDI 115 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 200 GTD
201 242 242 296 296 113 148 197
137 140 155 155 155 126 139 152
7.4 6.7 6.4 5.6 4.7 10.2 8.8 7.1
235.4 235.4 38.2 38.2 36.2 67.3-68.9 64.2 54.3
21-26 27-28 169 167 177 107-110 116-117 137
Golf Estate 5dr estate £25,740–£43,175
1.4 eHybrid 2.0 TSI 4Motion 2.0 TSI R 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 2.0 TDI 200 4Motion
242 188 316 148 148 197
127 133 155 125-127 124-125 134
7.5 7.4 4.9 9.3 9.3 7.5
148-176 33.2-34.0 28.5 47.1-50.4 43.5-45.6 42.8
Tiguan Allspace 5dr SUV £32,705–£44,250
36-44 187-192 225 146-157 163-171 172-177
Fresh-faced saloon now sits comfortably among the ranks of its AAAAC German peers. LxWxH 4761x1916x1437 Kerb weight 1616kg Impressively refined and versatile SUV marks VW out as a maker of 2.0 B5P 246 112 6.7 41.5 153 fine electric cars. LxWxH 4584x1852x1640 Kerb weight 1890kg 2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV 384 112 4.6 122.8-176.5 42 148 170 204 299
99 99 99 112
10.9 9.0 8.5 6.2
213 213 317 301
0 0 0 0
V60 5dr estate £35,240–£52,830
2.0 B3 AAAAC 2.0 B4
Passat 4dr saloon £28,205–£40,820
Lands blows on rivals with its smart looks, civilised refinement, 2.0 B5 quality and usability. LxWxH 4767x2083x1476 Kerb weight 1367kg 2.0 B6 1.5 TSI EVO 150 1.4 TSI GTE PHEV 2.0 TDI 122 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 200
148 215 120 148 197
137 138 127 139 147
8.7 7.4 11.3 8.9 7.4
Passat Estate 5dr estate £31,240–£43,770
46.3-47.9 217.3 58.91 58.9-60.1 53.3
139-146 30 125 124-127 138
1.5 TSI EVO 150 1.4 TSI GTE PHEV 2.0 TDI 122 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 200
148 215 120 148 197
133 138 123 130-132 145
8.9 7.6 11.5 9.1 7.6
2.0 T6 Recharge PHEV 2.0 B4D
44.8-45.6 201.8 57.6 56.5-57.6 52.3
144-151 33 129 128-132 143
Arteon 4dr saloon £37,040–£53,580
161 197 246 297 335 197
112 112 112 112 112 112
9.1 8.0 6.8-6.9 6.0 4.6 7.6
40.9 41.5 37.7-40.4 36.2 362.6 47.0-50.4
V60 Cross Country 5dr estate £46,105–£50,595
155 152 157-170 175 18 146-156
AAAAC
Brings extra ride height, all-wheel drive and off-road body cladding. LxWxH 4784x1916x1499 Kerb weight 1792kg
AAAAC 2.0 B5P 2.0 B4D
All the Passat’s redeeming features in spacious, practical estate form. LxWxH 4767x2083x1516 Kerb weight 1395kg
AAAAB
Spacious and comfortable, with a characterful, Scandi-cool design. LxWxH 4761x1916x1427 Kerb weight 1729kg
248 197
112 112
6.9 8.2
35.8 47.9
S90 4dr saloon £60,025–£64,525
180 155 AAAAC
Volvo’s mid-sized exec majors on comfort, style and cruising ability. LxWxH 4963x2019x1443 Kerb weight 1665kg 2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV
384
112
5.1
TBC
V90 5dr estate £42,595–£59,225
TBC AAAAC
AAABC Luxury estate takes on the 5 Series and the E-Class. Comfy and a VW’s flagship saloon is well made and luxurious but rather bland to good cruiser. LxWxH 4936x2019x1475 Kerb weight 1679kg drive. LxWxH 4862x1871x1450 Kerb weight 1505kg 2.0 B4P 197 112 7.9 40.9 158 1.5 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 190 1.4 TSI eHybrid 2.0 TSI R 4Motion 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 200 2.0 TDI 200 4Motion
148 187 218 316 148 197 197
137 149 138 155 137 147 145
8.9 7.9 7.8 4.9 9.5 7.9 7.4
42.8-44.8 36.2-38.2 217.3 31.0 55.4-58.9 51.4-54.3 46.3
144-151 168-178 30-31 207 126-134 137-145 159
Arteon Shooting Brake 5dr estate £38,230–£54,435 AAABC Hybrid option and estate bodystyle’s extra versatility enhance the Arteon’s appeal. LxWxH 4866x1871x1450 Kerb weight 1529kg 1.5 TSI 150 2.0 TSI 190 1.4 TSI eHybrid 2.0 TSI R 4Motion 2.0 TDI 150 2.0 TDI 200 2.0 TDI 200 4Motion
148 187 218 316 148 197 197
135 145 138 155 135 145 143
8.9 7.9 7.8 4.9 9.4 7.9 7.4
42.2-43.5 35.8-37.2 217.3 31.0 54.3-57.6 50.4-53.3 46.3
145-153 171-179 31-32 207 128-136 139-147 161
2.0 B5P 2.0 B6P 2.0 T6 Recharge PHEV 2.0 B4D
246 297 335 197
112 112 112 112
6.9 6.2 5.9 8.8
36.6-40.4 34.4-36.2 TBC 44.8-49.5
V90 Cross Country 5dr estate £53,590–£59,860
159-175 178-184 TBC 149-164
AAAAC
Volvo’s large comfy estate given a jacked-up, rugged makeover. LxWxH 4936x2019x1543 Kerb weight 1826kg 2.0 B5P AWD 2.0 B6P AWD 2.0 B5D AWD
250 310 228
140 140 140
7.4 6.3 7.5
32.5 32.5 40.9
XC40 5dr SUV £26,485–£58,050
196 196 181 AAAAC
Volvo’s take on the crossover aims to rival BMW, Mercedes and Audi. LxWxH 4425x1910x1658 Kerb weight 1626kg 1.5 T2 1.5 T3 1.5 T4 Recharge 1.5 T5 Recharge PHEV 2.0 B4P 2.0 B5P 69kWh Recharge 78kWh Recharge
126 160 208 258 197 246 228 402
112 112 112 112 112 112 99 112
10.9 9.3-9.6 8.5 7.3 8.4 6.9 7.4 4.9
40.4 38.7-40.4 113-135 117.7-141.1 36.7-39.2 36.7 261 249
158 158-166 47-57 45-55 162-176 174-176 0 0
AAABC
69kWh Recharge 78kWh Recharge
231 402
99 112
7.4 4.9
269 273
0 0
AAAAC
Sport Turbo is very quick and fun but not a patch on the Caterhams. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight TBC
AAAAC 1.6 Sigma
ID 4 5dr SUV £34,995–£56,380 109kW 52kWh 125kW 52kWh 150kW 77kWh 220kW GTX
WESTFIELD
Sport 2dr coupé £19,950–£35,800
Has all the Tiguan’s sensibility and refinement, now with the bonus 1.6 Sigma
AAAAC of seven seats. LxWxH 4486x1839x1654 Kerb weight 1490kg Wagon puts on a growth spurt and adopts the eighth-generation 1.5 TSI EVO 150 148 123 9.5-10.0 37.2-39.2 164-176 hatchback’s tech. LxWxH 4633x1789x1497 Kerb weight 1295kg 2.0 TSI 4Motion 188 132 7.7 32.5 193 1.0 TSI 110 108 126 10.5 51.4 124 2.0 TDI 150 148 126 9.7 44.8-47.1 164-165 1.5 TSI 130 128 133 9.4 52.4 123 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 148 123-124 9.8 41.5 177-179 1.5 TSI 150 148 139 8.7 49.6 128 2.0 TDI 200 4Motion 197 132 TBC 40.4-41.5 176-184 2.0 TSI R 4Motion 316 155 4.9 35.8 178 2.0 TDI 115 113 126 10.5 64.2 114 Touareg 5dr SUV £53,090–£74,855 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 150 148 139 9.1 61.4 121 Hints of ritziness and sportiness don’t impinge on this functional luxury SUV’s appeal. LxWxH 4878x2193x1717 Kerb weight 1995kg 2.0 TDI 4Motion Alltrack 198 142 7.1 50.4 147 3.0 V6 TSI 340 335 155 5.9 25.2-25.7 249-252 ID 3 5dr hatch £32,200–£40,550 AAAAC 3.0 V6 R 4Motion PHEV 462 155 5.1 97.4 66-68 A very mature electric car whose substance of engineering is 3.0 V6 TDI 231 228 135 7.5 33.6-34.4 214-219 central to its appeal. LxWxH 4261x1809x1568 Kerb weight 1730kg 3.0 V6 TDI 286 282 148 6.1 33.6-34.9 213-219 107kW 58kWh 143 99 9.6 263 0 V O LV O 150kW 58kWh 201 99 7.3 261 0 150kW 77kWh 201 99 7.9 336 0 S60 4dr saloon £42,500–£53,730 AAAAC
Kit will appeal to many but twin-motor potency isn’t a natural fit for relaxed dynamics. LxWxH 4431x1910x1582 Kerb weight 2185kg
96 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
AAABC
Looks like a small XC90 and carries on where the old one left off. A good, capable cruiser. LxWxH 4688x1999x1658 Kerb weight 1781kg
C40 Recharge 5dr SUV £44,800–£58,900
#1 SUV signals a fresh start for Smart
XC60 5dr SUV £45,110–£64,480
51.4 124 51.4-52.3 124-125 47.9 138
2.0 B5P 2.0 T6 Recharge PHEV AAAAC 2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV AAAAC VW’s junior SUV is beguiling and sophisticated. It drives rather well, 2.0 B4D
A thorough going-over makes it more mature, but the Polo is still a bit boring. LxWxH 4053x1946x1461 Kerb weight 1105kg 1.0 80 1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 110 2.0 TSI GTI
1.0 TSI 95 1.0 TSI 110 1.5 TSI 150
2.0 Duratec 2.0 Ecoboost
135 155 200 252
TBC TBC TBC TBC
TBC TBC TBC TBC
NA NA NA NA
Mega 2dr coupé £16,950
NA NA NA NA AAABC
Mega engine makes it rapid, but isn’t as fun as Caterham’s R range. And you have to build it yourself. LxWxH TBC Kerb weight TBC 2.0 VTEC S2000
240
TBC
TBC
NA
NA
ZENOS
E10 0dr coupé £26,995–£39,995
AAAAB
The latest in a long line of mid-engined British marvels. Expect a dedicated following. LxWxH 3800x1870x1130 Kerb weight 700kg 2.0 Ecoboost S 2.3 Ecoboost R
250 350
145 155
4.0 3.0
NA NA
NA NA
ROAD TEST ROAD TEST
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The best new cars rated as only Autocar knows how A road test in any other magazine might well be a short, subjective summary of a new car produced under almost any circumstances, but the Autocar road test is different. Specific, rigorous and detailed, it’s the closest examination we can give of any new model. It appears over at least eight pages and is close to 50 man-hours in the making every week. Most of what the road test process entails is designed to be strictly repeatable and fair. We benchmark standing-start and in-gear acceleration at a purpose-built test facility every week. We carry out both subjective and objective handling tests on both road and track, on the latter up to and beyond the limit of grip, so as to fully assess stability, drivability and limit handling appeal. And while benchmark lap times are sometimes taken, they’re never an end in themselves. We record and publish stopping distances, too, as well as taking cabin noise measurements at various cruising speeds and benchmarking either indicated or brim-to-brim fuel economy. We independently measure leg room, head room, boot space and certain key exterior vehicle dimensions, and we also weigh every car we test. Just as every new car is different, however, the road test has developed to be versatile enough, week by week, so as to best assess and reflect the suitability of each test subject to its intended purpose. It now includes modular sections describing in detail the limit handling of a new car, or its semi-autonomous assisted driving technologies or its off-road capability. All of this goes to bringing you the most thorough, relevant and fair test of a new car we can produce. The scores reproduced here are the ones we gave the cars at the time so they don’t necessarily represent what those same cars might score today were they rejudged using current class standards. But you can dig deeper into their attributes by using the magazine publication dates listed here to look up an old test in your own collection or on The Motoring Archive (themotoringarchive.com), or you can order a back issue by phoning 0344 848 8816. Matt Saunders, road test editor
3 Series 320d M Sport AAAAA 15.5.19 15.1.20 330d xDrive M Sport AAAAB 1.7.20 330e M Sport AAAAB 6.1.21 4 Series M440i xDrive AAAAC 21.4.21 M4 Competition AAAAB 31.5.17 5 Series 520d M Sport AAAAB 20.10.21 545e M Sport AAAAC 18.4.18 M5 AAAAB M5 CS AAAAA 14.7.21 6 Series GT 630d xDrv M Spt AAABC18.11.17 11.11.15 7 Series 730Ld AAAAC 16.1.19 8 Series 840d xDrive AAABC M8 Competition Convertible AAABC5.2.20 3.6.20 M8 Competition Coupé AAABC 21.2.18 i3 1.3S Range Extender AAAAC 19.1.22 i4 M50 AAAAC 2.3.22 iX xDrive50 M Sport AAAAB 25.9.19 X2 M35i AAABC 17.1.18 X3 xDrive20d M Sport AAAAC 13.11.19 X4 M Competition AAACC 2.1.19 X5 xDrive30d M Sport AAAAC X7 xDrive M50i M Perf’nce AAAAC 9.9.20
C AT E R H A M Seven 620S AAAAC
A5 S5 AAABC 11.1.17 A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI S line AAABC 8.3.17 22.3.17 A6 40 TDI S line Avant AAAAC 14.11.18 5.1.22 50 TFSIe S Line Quattro AAAAC A L FA R O M E O RS6 Avant Carbon Black AAAAC 11.3.20 Giulia Quadrifoglio AAAAB 29.3.17 A7 Sportback 50 TDI Sport AAABC 11.7.18 3.1.18 A8 L 60 TFSIe Sport quattro AAABC 17.6.20 Stelvio 2.2D 210 Milano AAABC 9.1.19 TT RS AAAAC 7.12.16 Quadrifoglio AAAAC 26.6.19 E-tron 55 quattro AAAAB ALPINA 2.6.21 S quattro AAABC B3 Touring AAAAA 4.11.20 Q2 1.4 TFSI Sport AAAAC 9.11.16 22.9.21 SQ2 quattro AAAAC 20.3.19 B8 Gran Coupé AAAAC 7.7.21 Q4 E-tron 40 Sport AAABC ALPINE 15.3.17 Q5 2.0 TDI S line AAAAC A110 Premiere Edition AAAAA 16.5.18 SQ5 quattro AAABC 21.6.17 9.3.22 Q7 SQ7 4.0 TDI AAAAC 26.10.16 Légende GT AAAAB 26.9.18 Q8 50 TDI S Line AAAAC ARIEL 30.12.15 R8 V10 Plus AAAAC Atom 4 AAAAA 9.10.19 Nomad AAAAA 24.6.15 B E N T L E Y Continental GT W12 Coupé AAAAB 2.5.18 ASTON MARTIN 22.12.21 Speed Coupé AAAAC Vantage V8 AAAAB 23.5.18 Flying Spur W12 AAAAB 15.7.20 1.9.21 Bentayga W12 AAAAB 18.5.16 F1 Edition Coupé AAAAC DBS Superleggera AAAAA 21.11.18 28.10.20 B M W DBX AAAAB 1 Series 118i M Sport AAAAC 30.10.19 AUDI 2 Series 220d Convertible AAAAC 1.4.15 A1 Sportback 35 TFSI S line AAABC 2.10.19 M2 AAAAB 15.6.16 18.11.20 M2 CS M-DCT AAAAB 19.8.20 A3 Sportback S3 AAABC 18.9.19 218d Active Tourer Luxury AAAAC 24.12.14 A4 S4 TDI AAAAC 14.2.18 218i Gran Coupé M Sport AAACC 8.4.20 RS4 Avant AAAAC
ABARTH
LAMBORGHINI Huracán Performante AAAAB Evo RWD Coupé AAAAB Aventador SVJ AAAAC Urus AAAAC
11.10.17 20.5.20 19.6.19 3.7.19
LAND ROVER
Defender 110 P400 X AAAAB 13.5.20 Discovery Sport D180 AWD AAAAC 8.1.20 Range Rover Evoque P300e AAAAB 10.2.21 12.12.12 Range Rover 4.4 SDV8 AAAAB Range Rover Velar D240 AAABC 30.8.17 Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 AAAAB 2.10.13 9.3.16 SVR AAAAA 15.4.15
CITROEN
LEXUS
C3 Aircross Puretech 110 AAABC 7.3.18 LC 500 Sport+ AAAAC 18.10.17 26.5.21 NX 350h Prem’m Plus Pack AAAAC 16.3.22 C4 Puretech 130 Auto AAACC 18.2.15 C5 Aircross BlueHDi 180 AAABC 13.2.19 RC F AAACC 6.2.19 ES 300h Takumi AAABC CUPRA 6.6.18 LS 500h Premier AWD AAACC Leon 310 VZ3 Estate AAAAC 8.9.21 23.1.19 L O T U S Ateca 2.0 TSI 4Drive AAABC 3.2.21 Elise Cup 250 AAABC 29.6.16 Formentor 2.0 TSI VZ2 AAAAB Exige Sport 390 Final Edit’n AAAAB 21.7.21
DACIA
Sandero Stepway TCe 90 AAAAC 28.4.21 M A S E R AT I Duster SCe 115 Comfort AAAAC 22.8.18 Ghibli Diesel AAABC Jogger 1.0 TCe 110 Comfort AAAAB 20.4.22 Quattroporte Trofeo AACCC Levante Diesel AAACC DALLARA S Granlusso AAABC Stradale AAAAB 16.10.19
12.3.14 4.8.21 30.11.16 8.5.19
DS 2 1.5 Skyactiv-G SE AAAAC 3 Crossback Puretech 155 AAACC 10.7.19 3 2.0 Skyactiv-X AAAAC 7 Crossback Puretech 225 AAABC 19.9.18 MX-5 1.5 SE-L Nav AAAAB 2.2.22 MX-30 145PS AAABC 9 E-Tense 225 AAABC CX-5 2.2D Sport Nav AAAAC
22.4.15 6.11.19 2.9.15 10.3.21 28.6.17
25.5.16 M c L A R E N 7.8.19 570S 3.8 V8 AAAAA 25.7.18 600LT Spider 3.8 V8 AAAAB 3.11.21 620R 3.8 V8 AAAAC GT 4.0 V8 AAABC 720S 4.0 V8 AAAAA 17.4.13 Senna 4.0 V8 AAAAA 26.2.14 P1 AAAAA 26.1.22
30.3.16 22.5.19 23.12.20 27.1.21 24.5.17 10.10.18 7.5.14
MAZDA
FERRARI
488 GTB AAAAA 488 Pista AAAAB 812 Superfast AAAAC SF90 Stradale AAAAC
F I AT Panda 4x4 Twinair AAAAB 500 Abarth 595 AAAAC Icon 42kWh AAAAC
MERCEDES-AMG
FORD Fiesta 1.0T Ecoboost AAAAC 9.8.17 15.8.18 ST-3 1.5 T Ecoboost AAAAB 20.2.19 Focus 1.5 Ecoboost 182 AAAAB 11.9.19 ST AAAAC 14.1.15 Mondeo 2.0 TDCi AAAAC Mustang 5.0 V8 GT F’back AAAAC 24.2.16 5.12.18 Bullitt AAAAC Mustang Mach-E Extended Range RWD AAAAC 23.6.21 27.4.22 GT AWD AAACC 25.3.20 Puma 1.0T 125 MHEV AAAAB 24.3.21 ST AAAAC Kuga 2.5 PHEV ST-Line AAABC 24.6.20 28.8.19 Ranger Raptor AAAAC
GENESIS G70 2.2 CRDi Luxury Line AAABC 10.11.21 GV80 3.0D Luxury 5-Seater AAABC 15.9.21
HONDA E Advance AAABC Jazz 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid EX AAABC Civic 1.5 i-VTEC Turbo AAAAC 2.0 Type R GT AAAAB Clarity FCV AAAAC HR-V e:HEV AAABC CR-V 1.5T EX CVT AWD AAABC NSX AAAAB
HYUNDAI 124 Spider AAAAC
Rio 1.0 T-GDI 3 Eco AAABC 1.3.17 29.8.18 Ceed 1.6 CRDi 115 2 AAABC 27.2.19 Proceed 1.4 T-GDi AAABC 20.11.19 Xceed 1.4 T-GDi AAABC 31.8.16 Niro 1.6 GDI DCT 2 AAABC 1.5.19 e-Niro First Edition AAAAB EV6 77.4kWh GT-Line RWD AAAAB 12.1.22 2.3.16 Sportage 1.7 CRDi ISG 2 AAABC Sorento 1.6 HEV G-TDi 2 AAABC 20.1.21
i10 1.2 MPi Premium AAAAC i20 1.0 T-GDI 100 48V AAABC N AAAAB i30 N AAABC 1.4 Premium SE AAABC Kona Electric 64kWh AAAAC Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi AAABC Tucson 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid AAAAC Nexo AAABC
JAGUAR F-Type V8 S Convertible AAAAC V6 S Coupé AAAAB 2.0 R-Dynamic Coupé AAAAC P575 R AWD Coupé AAAAC XF 2.0 R-Sport AAAAB 300 R-S Sportbrake AAABC XE 2.0 R-Sport AAAAB E-Pace D180 AWD SE AAABC F-Pace 2.0d AWD AAAAC P400e R-Dynamic HSE AAAAC SVR AAAAB I-Pace EV400 S AAAAB
JEEP Compass 2.0 M’jet 4x4 L’d AAACC 4xe S AAACC Renegade 4xe Trailhawk AAACC Wrangler 2.2 M’Jet-II Ov’d AAAAC
KIA Stinger 2.0 T-GDI GT-L S AAABC
26.8.20 7.10.20 19.4.17 25.10.17 12.7.17 24.11.21 7.11.18 5.10.16
A-Class A45 S 4Matic+ Plus AAAAB 4.3.20 3.6.15 C-Class C63 AAAAB 24.4.19 C63 S Coupé AAAAB 17.10.18 CLS 53 4Matic+ AAAAC 29.7.15 GT S AAAAC 10.5.17 R AAAAB GT 4-Door Coupé 63 4Matic+ AAAAB 13.3.19 6.7.16 SLC 43 AAABC 13.6.18 GLC 63 S 4Matic+ AAABC 14.10.20 GLE 53 4Matic+ AAABC
MERCEDES-BENZ A-Class A200 Sport AAAAC A250e AMG Line Premium AAACC B-Class B180 Sport AAAAC CLA 250 AAACC C-Class C300e AMG Line AAAAB E-Class E400 Coupé AAAAC E300 Cabriolet AAABC S-Class S580e L AAAAB EQA 250 AAACC GLB 220d 4Matic AAABC GLC 250d AAAAC G-Class G350d AMG Line AAAAC GLS 400d AAABC X-Class X250d 4Matic AAABC
4.7.18 5.8.20 3.4.19 21.8.19 4.5.22 14.6.17 6.10.21 6.4.22 17.11.21 16.9.20 10.2.16 17.7.19 12.2.20 20.6.18
MG
3 1.5 3Form Sport AAABC 25.12.13 25.11.20 5 SW EV Exclusive AAABC 15.4.20 ZS EV Exclusive AAACC 4.12.19 24.2.21 25.8.21 M I N I 27.12.17 Mini Cooper S AAAAB 2.4.14 13.9.17 Cooper S Works 210 AAAAB 6.12.17 31.10.18 Clubman Cooper D AAABC 25.11.15 6.3.19 Convertible Cooper S Sport Automatic 17.3.21 AAAAC 19.5.21 12.6.19 Countryman Cooper D AAABC 22.2.17 26.7.17 Plug-in Hybrid AAABC
12.6.13 11.6.14 22.11.17 29.4.20 2.12.15 17.4.19 1.7.15 11.4.18 11.5.16 1.12.21 24.7.19 12.9.18
MITSUBISHI Eclipse Cross 1.5 2WD AAACC Outlander PHEV GX4hs AAABC
14.3.18 16.4.14
MORGAN Plus Four AAABC 3 Wheeler AAAAA
12.8.20 6.6.12
NISSAN Micra 0.9 N-Connecta AAAAC DIG-T 117 N-Sport AAACC Juke 1.0 DIG-T 117 AAABC Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T 158 AAAAC GT-R Recaro AAAAB
3.10.18 16.2.22 N O B L E 30.6.21 M600 AAAAB 10.4.19
26.4.17 27.3.19 29.1.20 28.7.21 16.11.16 14.10.09
PEUGEOT
208 e-208 Allure Premium AAAAC 6.5.20 25.4.18 508 GT BlueHDi 180 AAAAC 24.10.18
Hybrid 225 Allure SW AAAAC 8.7.20 T E S L A 5.5.21 Model 3 Standard Range Plus AAAAC4.9.19 PSE Hybrid4 SW AAAAC 30.9.20 Model S P90D AAAAB 20.4.16 2008 e-2008 GT Line AAABC 3008 1.6 BlueHDi GT Line AAABC 18.1.17 Model Y Long Range AWD AAAAC 23.3.22 15.2.17 5008 2.0 BlueHDi GT Line AAABC 1.11.17 Model X 90D AAAAC
P O L E S TA R 1 AAAAC
PORSCHE 718 Boxster AAAAB Spyder AAAAB Cayman S AAAAB Cayman GTS AAAAB 911 GT2 RS AAAAC Carrera S AAAAB GT3 PDK AAAAB 918 Spyder 4.6 V8 AAAAA Cayenne Turbo AAAAC Turbo S E-Hybrid AAABC Taycan Turbo S AAAAA
R E N A U LT Clio TCe 100 Iconic AAAAB Mégane 1.5 dCi Dyn. S Nav AAACC E-Tech Plug-in Hybrid 160 AAACC RS Trophy-R AAAAC Grand Scénic dCi 130 Nav AAABC Kadjar dCi 115 Dyn. S Nav AAAAC Arkana E-Tech Hybrid 145 AAABC Captur 1.3 TCe 130 EDC AAABC
T OYO TA 21.10.20 Aygo X Limited Edition AAABC 11.5.22 Yaris 1.5 Hybrid Design AAAAC 23.9.20 GR Yaris Circuit Pack AAAAA 3.3.21 8.6.16 Corolla 2.0 Hybrid ST AAAAC 5.6.19 1.4.20 GT86 2.0 manual AAAAA 4.7.12 10.8.16 Prius Business Edition AAAAC 16.3.16 9.5.18 Mirai Design Premium AAAAC 16.6.21 18.7.18 C-HR Excel 1.8 Hybrid AAAAC 4.1.17 29.5.19 GR Supra Pro AAAAC 14.8.19 11.8.21 22.10.14 VA U X H A L L 5.9.18 Corsa 1.2T 100 auto AAABC 22.1.20 27.5.20 Crossland X 1.2T 130 Elite AAACC 7.6.17 30.9.15 29.7.20 Astra 1.6 CDTi 136 SRi AAAAC 13.4.16 ST CDTi Biturbo SRi 137 AAAAC Combo Life 1.5 TD 100 Energy AAABC27.12.18 27.11.19 Insignia Grand Sport 2.0D SRi VX-Line 17.8.16 AAAAC 3.5.17 29.9.21 Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 Biturbo D GSI 23.10.19 AAACC 30.5.18 25.1.17 Mokka 1.2 Turbo 130 auto AAABC 12.5.21 21.10.15 Grandland X Hybrid4 AAACC 22.4.20 13.10.21 VXR8 GTS-R AAAAC 10.1.18 18.3.20
VOLKSWAG EN
R O L L S - R OYC E Phantom AAAAA Ghost AAAAB Wraith AAAAB Dawn AAAAC Cullinan Black Badge AAAAC
4.4.18 13.1.21 21.5.14 1.6.16 19.2.20
S E AT Ibiza SE Technology 1.0 TSI AAAAB 19.7.17 2.12.20 Leon eHybrid FR AAABC Arona SE Technology 1.0 TSI AAAAC 15.11.17 19.10.16 Ateca 1.6 TDI SE AAAAB
SMART Forfour Electric Drive AABCC
23.8.17
SKODA
Up GTI 1.0 TSI 115 AAAAC 21.3.18 31.1.18 Polo 1.0 TSI 95 SE AAAAB 1.8.18 GTI AAAAC Golf 1.5 eTSI 150 Style DSG AAAAB 22.7.20 14.4.21 R AAAAC ID 3 Pro Performance Life AAAAC 31.3.21 27.10.21 ID 4 GTX Max AAABC T-Roc 2.0 TSI SEL 4Motion AAAAB 24.1.18 Cabriolet 1.5 TSI Evo DSG AABCC 10.6.20 27.9.17 Arteon 2.0 BiTDI 240 AAABC 9.6.21 eHybrid Shooting Brake AAABC 4.2.15 Passat 2.0 TDI 190 GT AAAAC 7.9.16 GTE AAAAC 3.2.16 Touran 2.0 TDI 150 SE AAAAC 22.6.16 Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150 SE AAAAB Caravelle 2.0 BiTDI Exec. AAAAC 23.12.15 Touareg 3.0 TDI R-Line Tech AAABC 8.8.18 2.1.20 Grand California 600 AAABC Transporter Kombi SWB AAACC 30.3.22
Fabia 1.0 TSI 95PS AAAAB 9.2.22 31.7.19 Scala 1.5 TSI 150 DSG AAABC Octavia 2.0 TDI 150 SE L First Edition 2.9.20 V O LV O DSG Estate AAAAC 17.2.21 C40 Recharge Twin Ult’ate AAABC 13.4.22 2.0 TDI vRS AAAAC Superb 1.4 TSI iV 218 SE L AAAAC 26.2.20 XC40 D4 AWD First Edition AAAAB 7.2.18 24.12.19 Karoq 2.0 TDI 150 Scout AAABC 30.1.19 S60 T8 Polestar En’d AAABC 18.8.21 V60 D4 Momentum Pro AAAAC 27.6.18 Enyaq iV 80 AAAAC 23.11.16 XC60 D4 AWD R-Design AAABC 5.7.17 Kodiaq 2.0 TDI Edition AAAAC 13.7.16 2.0 TSI 245PS vRS 4x4 AAABC 23.2.22 S90 D4 Momentum AAAAC V90 T6 Recharge R-Design AAAAB 11.11.20 S S A N G YO N G 17.6.15 XC90 D5 Momentum AAAAC Tivoli XLV ELX auto AAACC 14.9.16
WESTFIELD
SUBARU XV 2.0i SE Lineartronic AAACC
28.2.18
SUZUKI Swift 1.0 SZ5 AAABC 17.5.17 Across 2.5 PHEV E-Four CVT AAAAB 7.4.21
Sport 250 AAAAC
29.11.17
ZENOS E10 S AAAAB
7.10.15
GREATEST ROAD TESTS OF ALL TIME
NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R SPEC-V
The interior majored on driving position, instrumentation TESTED 15.10.97 and rear leg room, and the boot Nissan UK finally started was reasonable. Materials and importing the race-derived, aesthetic appeal were no better mega-brained R33 Skyline GT-R than Primera grade, though, in 1997, and our road test proved and the fuel tank was small. it to be a true world-beater. FOR Impressive acceleration, Japanese touring car soundtrack, boot space homologation led Nissan to give AGAINST Small fuel tank, the Skyline GT-R a twin-turbo cabin materials 2.6-litre straight six, four-wheel FACTFILE drive and four-wheel steering. Torque was usually applied to the Price £50,000 Engine 6 cyls, 2568cc, twinturbo, petrol Power 277bhp at 6800rpm rear only, but up to 50% could Torque 271lb ft at 4400rpm 0-60mph be sent forwards, all governed 5.0sec 0-100mph 13.0sec Standing by advanced electronics. quarter mile 13.7sec, 102mph Top speed Impressive acceleration was 155mph Economy 19.6mpg accompanied by an enjoyable soundtrack. Turbo lag hampered WHAT HAPPENED NEXT… thrust below 3300rpm, but Two years later, the R33 GT-R keeping the engine between 5000 and 7000rpm via the slick was replaced by the shorter but mechanically similar R34. five-speed manual ’box was Claimed output stayed at the solution. The brakes were 277bhp to satisfy Japanese powerful and free of fade. regulations, but over 300bhp The GT-R’s blend of tactile was possible. The R34 was handling and otherworldly canned in 2002, but an all-new stability startled us, especially GT-R appeared in 2007 and over wet, challenging roads. continued slaying supercars Grip and body control were first in Europe until it was finally class, stifling criticism of the withdrawn from sale this year. occasionally crashy ride.
11 MAY 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 97
SLIDESHOW The biggest car cults he best-selling cars are never the most exciting ones. Most drivers don’t care about engineering or heritage. In fact, to many, a car is a purchase like a fridge. Sometimes, though, a car successfully makes the leap from a tool to an object of passion or even a cultural icon – and owners feel that they’re members of an exclusive club. Here are some of the cars that have achieved cult status around the world.
T
Teslas
Volkswagen Beetle
Citroën 2CV
Porsche 911
Perhaps counterintuitively, omnipresence made the Beetle one of the most collectable cars in the world. In Germany, it symbolised an embattled firm that defeated the odds to spring up from near-extinction after a devastating war. In the US, it illustrated the growing popularity of small, fuel-efficient imports in the 1960s and 1970s. In Mexico, it’s remembered as a taxi. It continues to turn heads today, and its minibus and campervan developments have a cult all of their own.
Like the Mini and the Beetle, the 2CV permeated into popular culture. Collectors worship it as a four-wheeled deity while expounding that it’s not just a car but a way of life. Broadly speaking, 2CV owners love to tinker. Stroll through any car show in France and you’re highly unlikely to find two identical 2CVs: they get lifted, dropped, facelifted with Traction Avant front ends, turned into rat-rods and so on. We’ve even seen a few powered by a GS-sourced four-cylinder engine.
The 911’s silhouette is one of the most timeless. Recognisable instantly, it has evolved much over the past 58 years, but its appearance has never changed drastically. The most controversial update came with the 996 series (pictured) of 1997, which received L-shaped headlights and a water-cooled engine. It remains the black sheep of the 911 family, but it nonetheless commands the respect of enthusiasts and collectors and is arguably the value-for-money generation today.
Land Rover Series/Defender
Mazda MX-5
Skoda Yeti
The Defender was the final evolution of the Land Rover that arrived in 1948. People flocked to the basic 4x4 for its ability to casually overcome the forces of nature. As it aged, it became a symbol of both the British car industry and a bygone era; you’re unlikely to find a Defender owner who bought one because they simply needed a car. The reborn Defender looks well on its way to reviving the spirit, remixed for new generations.
Mazda conceived the MX-5 in the late 1980s as a reinterpretation of classic British roadsters like the MGB. Its offering of real thrills at accessible speeds for an affordable price made it a hit – and reliability helped. “It didn’t leak oil all over your drive, it started every time and didn’t overheat,” boasts Mazda. Owners just wish it could have cut rust out of the recipe as well. But still they love it, and there are thriving racing series worldwide.
The Yeti quickly built up a loyal fan base that appreciated its spacious and practical interior and quirky personality. There’s already an active owners’ club in the UK, and owners really do wave to each other on the road. It’s fine for any family, plus you can remove the rear seats to turn it into a quite capacious van, despite it having the same footprint as a Volkswagen Golf. And don’t forget that the 4x4 version isn’t bad in the rough stuff.
98 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 MAY 2022
GETTY IMAGES
The newest car cult is Tesla. Early adopters swooned over the Model S, rightly observing that its pace and range made it a game-changing EV. As the company grew, more climbed aboard, many swearing allegiance to EVs in general and Tesla in particular. They even have their own exclusive (for now) charging stations where they can hang out with fellow fans. Like all the best cults, it has a famous leader, Elon Musk, with his 90 million Twitter followers (and imminent ownership of the site), £210 billion of personal wealth and various side hustles, such as a reasonably well-advanced project to colonise Mars.
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