The Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace SUV has gone on sale, at prices starting from £29,370.
As its name suggests the newcomer is a stretched version of the highly successful Tiguan SUV, offering seven seats as standard. Effectively it is VW’s answer to sister brand Skoda’s Kodiaq, though at prices starting more than £6,000 higher.
The Allspace overall length is extended by 21cm over the stock Tiguan to 4.7m, accommodating a wheelbase of just under 2.8m – about 10cm longer.
As well as accommodating a third row of what Volkswagen describes as ‘occasional seats’, the Allspace can also offer more luggage capacity. With the third-row seats folded flat, boot space rises from 615 to 700 litres.
Volkswagen hopes to further enhance the practical appeal of the Tiguan Allspace by allowing the second seat row to also fold flat and slide backwards and forwards by up to 18cm. With all seats folded the luggage capacity goes up to 1775 litres.
In all other areas the Allspace replicates the Tiguan Allspace, including its five-strong engine choice. Petrol options range across a 1.4-litre unit of 150hp and a 2.0-litre version with 180hp. The smaller engine can shut two of its four cylinders down when not under the load to aid economy and emissions, while the larger one is matched to all-wheel-drive and a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The all-wheel-drive is part of a package intended to position the Tiguan Allspace as a ‘proper’ off-roader. The 4WD system includes ‘Onroad’, ‘Snow’, ‘Offroad’ and ‘Offroad individual’ driving modes, and an optional off-road pack is available with a front bumper increasing the approach angle from 16.9 degrees to 24 degrees, plus extra underbody protection and chrome door sill protectors.
The three diesel engines are all of two litres and turbocharged, with either 150, 190 or 240hp. The range-topping 240 unit, costing from £39,965, is like its petrol equivalent supplied exclusively with 4WD and the automatic transmission. The 150hp unit, meanwhile can be bought in front or four-wheel-drive, with six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission.
From launch the Tiguan Allspace will be available in two trim levels, SE Navigation and SEL. A more sports-styled R-Line grade will be offered from late Spring 2018.
Like many other manufacturer announcements this week, Hyundai is extending its scrappage allowance offer until the end of March 2018. The offer has also been expanded to include the new Kona compact SUV and Ioniq plug-in hybrid, neither of which were on sale when the company launched its scrappage scheme back in September.
Hyundai is also offering a range of PCP finance offers at 3.9% APR to support the scrappage offer, with details available from participating dealerships.
This offer is a part-exchange allowance, for selected used cars part-exchanged against selected new cars.
Your current car can be from any brand, but must be built to Euro 4 emissions standard or earlier. This will definitely be cars registered before 31 December 2009, although some cars had Euro 5 specification engines earlier than this.
You must be the owner of the part-exchange vehicle and the buyer of the new car (same name and registered address).
You must have owned the old car for at least 90 days, to stop people buying an old banger for £200 and then getting a £5,000 part-exchange allowance for it.
You must order your new car and take delivery before 31 March 2018.
This offer can be used on top of any other offers from the dealer/manufacturer/finance company, including the government plug-in car grant
The offer is not dependent on you taking any finance package or other products.
Dacia is continuing its scrappage offer on the Duster SUV, and also providing an allowance for Sandero models until the end of March.
The company had already been offering a £1,000 scrappage allowance on selected part-exchange vehicles against a new Duster, and this will continue for any cars purchased by 31 March. Dacia is also extending the offer to the Sandero range, which will now be available with a £500 scrappage allowance.
The allowance amounts are significantly less than offered from other manufacturers, but then Dacia’s cars are priced a lot cheaper as well.
Entry-level Access models are not included in the offer, so you’ll need to be looking at a mid-spec Ambiance or top-spec Laureate model for either the Sandero or Duster.
This offer is a part-exchange allowance, for selected used cars part-exchanged against selected new cars.
Your current car can be from any brand, but must be built to Euro 4 emissions standard or earlier, first registered no later than 31 December 2009.
You must be the owner of the part-exchange vehicle and the buyer of the new car (same name and registered address).
You must have owned the old car for at least 90 days, to stop people buying an old banger for £100 and then getting a £1,000 part-exchange allowance for it.
The scrappage price is fixed for any car part-exchanged as part of the scheme, not an allowance on top of the car’s value. You are effectively getting nothing for your car, but a discount on the new car (although it won’t be written that way on the contract).
You must buy and take delivery of your car by 31 March 2018.
This offer cannot be used on top of any other offers from the dealer/manufacturer/finance company.
The offer is not dependent on you taking any finance package or other products.
Order books are open for the revamped Citroën C4 Cactus, the car set to hit UK roads in April at prices from £17,265 – for a while.
While the revised model includes a number of updates, perhaps the most notable change is a move away from the bold styling that the Cactus launched with in 2014. Gone are the big ‘air bump’ side mouldings on the doors, replaced by much smaller, more discreet items at the base of the doors.. The car looks much more of a conventional large hatch, sitting above its C3 sister which has also donated its front-end styling.
The new Cactus will be offered with a revised powertrain choice ranging across 110 or 130hp petrol or 100hp diesel engines, and in two core trim levels, Feel and Flair. However the £17,265 price tag applies to a limited numbers launch model, dubbed Feel Edition and powered by an 82hp petrol engine.
Based on the Feel trim, the Feel Edition gets the Deep Red colour trim pack and Metropolitan Red interior trim. It also comes fitted with the brand’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ seats, but not the new Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension that is standard on Feel and Flair trim. Making its debut on a European Citroën, this system is said to offer ‘the ride of a magic carpet’ without affecting handling.
Citroën has also significantly upgraded the driver assistance systems offered on the Cactus, with up to 12 now available depending on trim level chosen. An Active Safety Brake autonomous emergency braking system and Lane Departure Warning are both standard on Flair models, while also available is the clever Grip Control that can produce four-wheel-drive like traction.
Connected navigation, connection to an emergency and assistance service and Mirror Screen phone compatibility are now also on offer to Cactus buyers.
Mainstream Feel versions of the new Cactus will start from £17,965, with the 110hp version of the petrol engine, and range up to £21,165 for a Flair model with the same engine but a six-speed auto transmission. The 130hp engines cost £800 more than the 110, and the diesels another £230.
What’s the most expensive item you’ve ever bought online? Maybe a laptop, an Xbox, 50-inch flat screen 4K TV or an iPhone? Or perhaps that holiday you took last summer?
Buying online is easy and could not be more convenient. The journey taken for any of these purchases follows a similar course involving price comparisons, checking availability and reading customer reviews before adding to a basket, heading for the checkout, tapping in your credit card details and pressing the buy button. Simple. After that, there’s that moment of anxiety knowing your hard-earned cash has gone into the ether and then savouring the thrill when the confirmation email pops into your inbox.
If it’s so easy and convenient, would you buy a car online? A number of car manufacturers are now offering online purchasing for new cars, and some dealers are launching online purchasing for both new and used cars, and it looks like 2018 could be a pivotal year for online car sales.
The same rules apply to buying a £1,000 smartphone as they do to purchasing a £20,000 car. You do your initial research online to shortlist the make, model and colour, hunt around for who is offering the best monthly price, visit a retailer to see it in the metal, just to be sure you like the look and feel, and then buy it.
Being able to buy a car online is not a new concept. Vauxhall launched a service a decade ago during the first flush of internet retailing, but it was ahead of its time and was quietly withdrawn.
Things have moved on since then with 2017 seeing an unprecedented rush of car brands tapping into this emergent market. They are targeting digital-savvy new car buyers who prefer the online route to thumbing through car magazines and trawling around the internet to draw up a shortlist, visiting showrooms to kick the tyres before uncomfortably haggling over the price.
Around 97% of car buyers use the internet when researching their new car and the number of dealer visits made before purchasing has dropped dramatically from four a decade ago to just 1.6 visits today. Adding a ‘buy’ button to online car adverts is a natural extension of this process and one that has been latched onto by car manufacturers and some dealers.
With this in mind, The Car Expert offers you a guide to what to consider if you’re thinking of making your next new car purchase from the comfort of your sofa.
Which brands offer an online car buying service?
Pretty soon it will be easier to say which car makes do not offer the option to buy a car online. BMW was first out of the blocks in late 2015 with its BMW Retail Online offering.
The service set the template for subsequent initiatives covering vehicle configuration, part-exchange values, finance options, test drives through dealerships and a live-chat with a product genius or guru (car maker shorthand for a non-commission driven product expert rather than pushy salesperson). And then onto the final purchase either online or through a dealer.
Since then Hyundai, smart, Peugeot and Mitsubishi have all joined the party. Expect more brands to reveal their online sales plans as competition in the digital marketplace grows.
So what do the different services offer?
BMW
There are six key features to BMW Retail Online. The online journey starts with the tool “Find your BMW”, leading into the vehicle configurator. With a click on the “Buy your BMW” button the customer selects a retailer, is shown cars in stock and selects their preferred finance method.
The customer can then finalise all steps of the purchase with their chosen retailer in the Retailer Online showroom. Buyers can also ask questions along the way through a live chat service manned by product specialists who are available for questions seven days a week from 8am to 7pm.
BMW retail online car selector
Hyundai
Customers using Hyundai’s Click to Buy service can choose a car, arrange a part-exchange, sort out finance and pay online. The process is claimed to take just five minutes to complete, with the handover taking place from the customer’s designated dealership or – in what Hyundai claimed as a market first – straight to their driveway.
Click to Buy is a natural progression of Hyundai’s fresh approach to car retailing which has seen the opening of digital stores at London’s Bluewater and Westfield Stratford shopping centres. Here customers can talk to a product specialist, configure a car, have a test drive, and then buy online in the store or from home.
Hyundai Click to Buy website
Peugeot
Peugeot distanced its Order Online from other brands’ services because it said it provides more choice by allowing customers to configure and order a car to their requirements, rather than being restricted to buy dealer stock. Buyers can also track the progress of their order from placement to delivery.
The service includes guaranteed part-exchange valuations, various financing options and a dealer test drive. Delivery can be to a dealer or the customer’s home. Peugeot claims customers can choose and buy a car online within 30 minutes.
Peugeot Order Online car configurator
Smart
With its simple two-model car line-up – fortwo and forfour – and a choice of pre-configured models, Smart is able to offer a speedy service which it claims can take just 12 days from order to delivery. There are three payment packages enabling customers to choose from either a low monthly payment, a standard offer, or a lower deposit. Cars can be financed from just £119 a month.
Customers can choose to either collect their new smart from a local retailer or have it delivered to their home.
smart cars online website
Volvo
Meanwhile, Volvo has announced that its eagerly awaited Polestar performance sub-brand will only be available through online ordering when it goes on sale in 2019. Furthermore, cars will only be available to lease rather than purchase. Likewise, the forthcoming Lynk & Co brand will only be available through online ordering and on a subscription basis. There’s a connection here, as Volvo and Lynk & Co are both owned by the China-based Geely group.
Volvo and other Geely brands are launching online “subscription programmes” styled after mobile phone plans.
Do I have to complete a car purchase online?
No. While all the car maker services we list claim to be different, they are fundamentally similar. They all allow buyers to save their proposed purchase and completing the transaction face-to-face with a real human being in a dealership if that’s what you prefer.
Can I only buy a car online from a manufacturer’s website?
No. There are moves afoot to add online car purchasing to dealer main websites which will give customers a greater choice of brands and models although cars being offered for sale are more likely to be used or what’s termed “nearly-new” cars with the latest registration plate and low mileages.
The first dealer group service to go live was a used car initiative quietly launched in 2017 by Vertu Motors, one of the UK’s largest car retailers, through its Bristol Street Motors branded showrooms in England.
The group was pleased with the take-up from its initial trial and will now roll the service out across its 120 showrooms, including those operated by Macklin Motors in Scotland.
More dealers are set to follow with the launch of a new back-end e-commerce trading platform by iVendi, the car retailing tech company, who have piloted an online buying service, which incorporates finance options. The system has been piloted by 500 dealers ahead of a national rollout in 2018.
When buying online, you have the right to cancel from the moment an order is placed until 14 days after taking delivery of the car. If you are buying a car in person from a dealer, you do not have the same right. It doesn’t matter if it’s a new or used car, the law is the same.
The seller (and online sales for any manufacturer will be managed by a separate company, either a dealership or a company specifically set up for the purpose) must provide you with details of their returns/cancellation policy. They must also explain who pays for the cost of returning the car if you change your mind. Their policy may include charges for returning or collecting the vehicle, but they must provide you with this information up front. You are liable for any damage you cause to the car.
Technology and society are adopting internet shopping at a rapid rate, and it’s about to get an awful lot easier to buy a car online.
Would you be comfortable enough to buy a car online? Have you already bought a car online? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
What is it? The Mercedes-Benz X-Class is the brand’s first entry into the pick-up market and, it claims, the first such model in the premium market.
Key features Off-road capable, upmarket design, targeted trim levels.
Our view The launch of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class bring desirability of a level never before seen to the pick-up sector. The vehicle combines upmarket comfort, finishing and technology with proper off-road ability, but one pays a premium for the badge.
‘Pick-up by Mercedes-Benz’ is not a phrase one might expect to hear, but it is now fact, as the Mercedes-Benz X-Class arrives on the market.
In launching what it describes as the first such vehicle offered by a premium manufacturer, Mercedes is hoping to attract two very different kinds of buyers, and is targeting versions of the X-Class specifically at the different markets.
The model is marketed by the brand’s commercial vehicle arm – indeed the entry-level X-Class will be hoping to appeal to those who need such a vehicle for their work, and like the idea of a badge with rather more kudos than, say, the Toyota Hilux or Nissan Navara.
The Mercedes is rather more closely related to the Nissan than one might think. Strip off the bespoke bodyshell, with looks that clearly follow the design language of Mercedes SUV models, and underneath is effectively the mechanical specification of the Navara, including its tough, ladder-frame chassis.
However, Mercedes expects the biggest sales for its new model to be of vehicles in the top of the three specification levels. There are plenty of buyers who are attracted to the pick-up as a lifestyle choice, and the hope is that the combination of Mercedes-Benz premium quality and tech in the pick-up format will be a winner.
Underneath the bespoke bodyshell are the mechanical underpinnings of the Nissan Navara
Buying and owning a Mercedes-Benz X-Class
Mercedes-Benz will offer the X-Class with a three-way engine line-up, though the range-topping X 350 d with its 258hp and 550Nm of torque won’t be in showrooms until the middle of 2018. Currently, the choice is between the X 220 d, with a 2.3-litre turbo diesel engine of 163hp and 403Nm, and the X 250 d – this adds an extra turbo to the same powerplant, boosting horses to 190hp and torque to 450Nm.
Six-speed manual or seven-speed auto gearboxes are available depending on model, while unlike rivals there is no two-wheel-drive option – every X-Class comes with selectable 4WD, running with the rear wheels powered in normal use but including cockpit-selectable all-wheel-drive in both high and low range.
In fact, while this may be an upmarket pick-up, the makers are keen to emphasise it’s a proper pick-up, with the off-road ability one might expect and commercial users will require.
So the X-Class can wade through water up to 600mm deep, and it can tip sideways to a shade under 50 degrees. It also boasts a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes, and can be supplied with a 221mm ground clearance which gives it an angle of approach of some 30 degrees and a 22-degree ramp angle.
Okay to get the big ground clearance (plus 20mm on standard) requires spending on the options list, but the capability to match more traditional pick-ups is certainly there. Also on that options list, for example, is a differential lock.
This target marketing is also evident in the trim levels. There are three; Pure, Progressive and Power, with the Pure costing from £27,310 (plus VAT) and aimed at commercial users. It includes steel wheels, black fabric upholstery and such like. Once one starts going up to Progressive or Power grades, less robust features such as alloy wheels, painted panels and silver trim come into play.
Progressive versions cost £1,200 (plus VAT) more than Pure variants, while Power is another £3,500 on top, and only offered with the more powerful 2.3-litre engine. Equipment includes LED headlamps, electric mirrors, electrically adjustable front seats, leather trim and controls on the steering wheel.
Being a Mercedes-Benz, the options list is extensive, and depending on the depth of the wallet one can specify everything from parking sensors and camera to heated seats and even heated windscreen washer jets.
Where the X-Class certainly scores is on its safety package. Euro NCAP has already tested the model and given it a top five-star rating, and the standard specification includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping, traffic sign recognition and hill-start functions, as well as a reversing camera.
Inside the Mercedes-Benz X-Class
Interior surfaces are all of high quality, as is the switchgear.
As mentioned the extent of the interior ‘ambience’ will depend on which level of X-Class one goes for, and not surprisingly our launch event test model is to top Power specification. But common to all is an elevated driving position which gives good vision except out of the rear, which has only a small window cut into the rear bulkhead of the passenger cabin.
Every X-Class is to double cab format, which means two rows of seats each with their own set of doors. The rear is usefully spacious too, with a bench seat offering enough width and height to easily accommodate three adults – the model benefits from being both longer and wider than the Nissan it is related to.
On the downside, there is not much space to store stuff, particularly considering pick-ups don’t come with boots. There is, of course, the load bed, which is 2.1 metres square.
The Mercedes is quite a lot more expensive that the Nissan, and a fair amount of this goes into providing the premium interior finish buyers of the three-pointed star badge expect. The surfaces are all soft touch and of high quality, as is the switchgear, and the layout is typical of the brand’s car output. There is some tough and scratchy plastic, but it’s down by the footwells where it’s most needed.
Driving the Mercedes-Benz X-Class
Still feels like a pick-up to drive, but a very upmarket one
Does it feel like a pick-up to drive? Yes, but a very upmarket one. The powerplant is smooth in its power delivery and refined to boot. Motorway speeds are achieved with no fuss – rest to 60mph takes around 12 seconds. At such speeds the cabin is quiet to a degree that will impress those coming out of other pick-ups – especially the absence of wind noise.
The steering is well weighted, though the fact that this is a big, high-slung machine with a solid rear axle never lets one forget that one is driving a pick-up truck. There is a degree of hauling it through corners required and the effects of poor surfaces do find their way to the cabin.
Summary
At the end of the day, this is probably the most upmarket pick-up truck on the market, with a price to match. Successful business owners who like such vehicles could well be attracted to it, being able to drive a Mercedes-Benz while still claiming the tax benefits that comes with it being designated a commercial vehicle.
The Mercedes view that the best sales will be of the upper trim levels is probably pretty accurate. It’s difficult to imagine too many examples of the X-Class being used as workhorses on building sites, but bosses visiting those building sites, and the urban lifestyle crowd, will likely consider the desirability of a Mercedes to be worth paying the £6,000-odd price hike over an equivalent Nissan Navara.
Prices have been announced for the new Nissan Leaf, as speculation grows that the Government will launch a scrappage scheme to switch drivers out of diesel and into hybrid and electric vehicles.
While many car manufacturers have run scrappage programmes in the second half of 2017 to combat falling sales, and some have extended them into 2018, the Government is coming under increasing pressure to launch a market-wide scheme as an air quality measure. In early December Bristol, which has one of the poorest air quality rates in the UK, joined 15 other cities in calling for the launch of a scrappage initiative.
The Government already offers plug-in car buyers a grant of up to £4,500, that will bring the entry-level price of the new Leaf down to £21,990. While this is £310 more than the cheapest version of its predecessor, that was fitted with a 24kWh battery pack.
More power, greater range
The new Leaf employs at 40kWh powertrain, which boosts the car’s power by 38% to 150PS compared to the outgoing model. But likely more important for dealers trying to convince buyers into electric will be a significant increase in the car’s range, official NEDC figures jumping 50% to 235 miles.
At £24,290 the second-level Acenta version is £1500 less than the outgoing variant, which had a 30kWh drivetrain. The new car also includes more technology, most notably ProPilot autonomous driving technology, and significant styling revisions.
Compared to the two trims of the previous Leaf, the new version offers four main grades, the most expensive being the Tekna variant that will cost from £27,490 to £33,655 depending on equipment.
There will also be a special edition launch model, dubbed 2.Zero, costing from £26,490 and limited to 1500 examples. Based on the N-Connecta grade it will include a range of extra equipment, the package costing £535 less than if specified separately on N-Connecta models.
There is also a special offer on the 2.Zero, dealers adding a £1,000 contribution to the £5,138 deposit provided by buyers, producing monthly payments of £339 on a three-year/10,000 annual mileage PCP with 4.49% APR.
What is it? The Hyundai Kona is the brand’s first direct entry in the bulging small SUV market, and the most style-led design from the Korean brand yet.
Key features Distinctive exterior design, all-wheel-drive option, planned electric power option.
Our view The Hyundai Kona does enough to justify its place amongst the main contenders in the small SUV market but not enough to rise above them. Rivals can offer significantly more boot space and score slightly better in other areas, but the Kona does represent a good-value package with plenty of equipment and a warranty that beats most of its competitors.
For the car industry, 2017 has been all about small SUVs. Right at the end of the year, another is joining a crowded market in the form of the Hyundai Kona.
The Kona sits below the brand’s Tucson SUV and alongside the iX20 compact MPV, and with the buying public seemingly unable to get enough of these small sit-up-and-beg cars right now, this car is expected to become a major seller in the Hyundai line-up.
Problem is, the Hyundai Kona arrives in a market not only traditionally led by the mass-selling Nissan Juke, but bulging with new entries and with yet more on the way. So Hyundai’s recipe to stand out from the crowd appears to be visual presence – the Kona is the most style-focused model from the brand yet.
Extensive black cladding and bold angles on the exterior profile certainly provide the Kona with a distinctive look. Hyundai tells us that like the newly-launched and much-praised i30N performance hatch, the car is designed to appeal to a new section of the market, and move the brand up from those who simply buy cars for the most sensible reasons.
We reckon the Kona’s styling will prove somewhat marmite amongst the buying public, but then again, controversial looks have proven very successful for the Nissan Juke…
Among those many rivals will be the Stonic from sister brand Kia, launched only a few months ahead of the Kona. The two share their engines and much of their technology, but not, as many erroneously believe, their underpinnings. The Kona gets a new platform, which allows it to offer an all-wheel-drive option like few of its rivals, and from next year an all-electric model, like even fewer of its rivals…
The Hyundai Kona stands out from the crowd – it’s the brand’s most style-focused model yet.
Buying and owning a Hyundai Kona
The buyer rushing to snap up a Hyundai Kona at launch will have a simple range from which to choose. There are just two engines, both petrol and of either 1.0 or 1.6-litre capacity. A choice of 1.6 diesels will join the line-up in summer 2018, with the all-electric version to follow.
There are five trim levels – dubbed S, SE and Premium, plus SE and GT versions of the Premium grade. S models get the smallest alloy wheels, at 16 inches, though these do result in better mpg and emissions ratings. Notable standard equipment includes air conditioning, DAB digital radio with Bluetooth, LED daytime running lights, cruise control and electric mirrors and windows.
Biggest sellers are expected to be SE models, costing £1300 more than S. The wheels grow by an inch, while the major additional tech is a seven-inch centre console touchscreen. This allows Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and also shows the image from the standard fit rear camera and parking sensors.
Style add-ons include roof rails and leather on the steering wheel. Typical of this market personalisation is a major part of the Konda DNA, extending to 10 different metallic body finishes and three contrasting shades for the roof and door mirror housings.
Premium models jump another £1,300 over SE. The wheels expand another inch, a host of extra styling details are added, while more pertinently the tech now includes a bigger touchscreen with satellite navigation, keyless entry and start, climate control, a more upmarket audio system and wireless phone charging.
Spend from £21,195 on a Premium SE and you will be enjoying such niceties at a head-up display, lots of electric tech and leather. Finally there is the range-topping GT, costing from £24,995 and only offered with the larger 1.6-litre engine, a double-clutch auto transmission and all-wheel-drive.
Other notables amongst the GT equipment are full LED headlamps and a digital driver’s display, while it is the only Kona to include the Safety Pack as standard, which effectively means autonomous emergency braking – a £235 option on other versions.
Safety is one area in which the Kona knocks its Kia Stonic sister aside. Both were analysed in the same series of crash tests by safety body Euro NCAP, and while the Stonic needed its optional safety pack to be taken into account to boost its three-star score to a top five-star rating, the Kona scored five stars in standard specification. And this was despite the fact that you generally pay extra for autonomous emergency braking on both cars.
On the other hand the Kona does, like all Hyundais, come with one of the better warranties on the market, extending to five years and with unlimited mileage.
Inside the Hyundai Kona
The interior is mostly black, with only a few accents for contrast.
The driver’s surroundings in a Hyundai Kona are roomy and easy to get comfortable in, with good all-round vision from the elevated seating position that comes with small SUVs.
The interior is not nearly so marmite, except that it is mostly black, with only the accents around such areas as the heating vents adding any contrast. They are finished in one of three colours – orange, lime or red, and these colours are replicated on the stitching of the seats and steering wheel. The personalisation options can also extend to seat belts in lime or red.
Most of the plastic is of reasonable quality, though it drops off the lower down the dashboard one’s eyes scan. However the touchscreen fitted to all but entry-level models is well sited and easy to use, while the switchgear also feels of good quality in use.
The Kona is not so impressive in the rear, and especially the boot. Rear-seat passengers have plentiful headroom but very little ahead of their knees, while the space-saver spare wheel fitted on all but entry-level models severely restricts boot space – while the Kona’s 361 litres is more than in the now somewhat dated Juke, it pales against some rivals – the Citroën C3 Aircross, for example – offering more than 500 litres.
Driving the Hyundai Kona
The ride is slightly firm, but not to a degree that is uncomfortable.
The Car Expert spent a week in the company of the 1.0-litre 120hp petrol engine that is expected to power the majority of Konas sold. It’s a unit already familiar from the Kia Stonic, and impresses with both its pulling power and refinement.
This is especially true in the low-speed environment of the typical urban crawl. Combined with a slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox (only the top 1.6-litre all-wheel-drive version of the car comes with the twin-clutch automatic transmission) it makes the Kona very easy to live with around town.
Out on the open road, the Kona continues to impress. The ride is slightly firm, but not to a degree that is uncomfortable. Uneven road surfaces are generally dialled out making for undramatic progress.
The lightness of steering touch through slow-speed corners translates to a more weighty but satisfactory effort at higher speeds. The Kona is not a car that has one eagerly awaiting twisty sequences of bends, but it is better than many in the class.
It will be interesting to try the diesels when they come on stream, especially combined with the all-wheel-drive transmission as these models boast a different rear suspension layout, replacing the standard torsion bar with a multi-link setup.
In terms of economy, the 1.0-litre engine proves adequate. It falls behind rivals in both economy and emissions, if not by much. But it is notable that the Stonic, which employs the same engine, will go at least a couple of miles further per gallon while pumping out a couple of grams less CO2, yet also beats the Kona to 62mph by more than two seconds.
Summary
Hyundai has done a credible job of creating a small SUV that offers a little distinction in an overcrowded market.
If you need plentiful rear-seat space and a big boot then this will not be the model for you. But if this is less important and you are looking for a solid car with pleasant driving manners, plenty of equipment and a dash of style, then the Hyundai Kona should certainly be on your list of potentials.
What is it? The Volkswagen T-Roc is a Golf-sized crossover and the most style-focused SUV yet from the brand.
Key features Stylish design, personalisation options, 4WD available
Our view The Volkswagen T-Roc is not the cheapest compact SUV for its overall size and specification, and it has some dodgy interior plastics, but these do not detract from what is overall a highly impressive package.
The car is stylish to look at both outside and in, has enough practicality to match its rivals and then, once on the road, leaves them in its wake. The powertrains are enthusiastic yet refined, the handling to a standard way above the norm in this market. As a result, those in the market for a compact SUV should definitely consider the T-Roc.
Fans of SUVs, who we are led to believe are increasingly becoming the majority of today’s car buyers, have never had it so good. The choice is bewildering, and being added to virtually every month.
Clearly indicative of this is the launch by Volkswagen of a new compact SUV, despite the fact it already has a model competing in the same market. However the Volkswagen T-Roc, arriving on UK roads early in 2018, is pitched as a very different car to its established sibling the Tiguan.
At 4.2m long, the T-Roc is some 25cm shorter than the Tiguan, but the differences run far deeper than that. This is the most style-focused SUV Volkswagen has yet made – it’s a proper example of the new breed of crossovers, expected to appeal to three times more private buyers than fleet ones. They will be drawn in by sharp styling and personalisation options such as two-tone exterior finishes with contrasting roofs.
Certainly viewed from the outside the T-Roc is one of the more attractive compact SUVs on the market, looking lower and more purposeful than many of its rivals, with a hint of coupé about it. In fact, in both size and style the car is much closer to the Volkswagen Golf hatch chassis it shares, and it is also effectively a VW version of the Audi Q2.
As such this new model effectively bridges the gap between traditional compact SUVs such as the Tiguan and the new breed of supermini crossovers such as the Kia Stonic, the Hyundai Kona and such like. But just to further muddy the waters, Volkswagen will in 2018 launch a smaller sister to the T-Roc and a proper supermini SUV, in the T-Cross – confused yet?
The Volkswagen T-Roc is pitched as a very different proposition to its established sibling, the Tiguan.
Buying and owning the Volkswagen T-Roc
Volkswagen is phasing in the T-Roc, with initially only petrol versions available. There are three such engines on offer, a 1.0-litre with 115hp, a 1.5-litre 150hp and the range-topping 2.0-litre with 190hp.
The 1.0-litre comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 150 with either the manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch auto, and the 190 only with the auto. And one major plus that the T-Roc offers compared to many rivals is the feature one used to specifically buy SUVs to take advantage of – four-wheel-drive. It’s an option on 150 models, standard on the 190.
In the Spring of 2018, the diesels will join the range. There are two, a 1.6-litre with 115hp and the manual gearbox, and a 2.0-litre putting out 150hp. It can be specified in manual or auto form, and if desired with the 4WD on the manual variant.
While many don’t realise that 4WD is a safety feature, only around 10% of T-Roc buyers are expected to choose their car with it – this compares to a 50/50 split on the Tiguan and reflects the fact that as many as three quarters of T-Roc buyers will likely be private motorists buying the car firstly for its visual appearance.
Equally eight out of 10 sales are expected to be of petrol-powered cars, and the most popular trim level predicted to be SE, the second of currently four options (a fifth is due in 2018). However the specification of even entry-level S models is impressive, including electronic climate control; an infotainment system controlled by an eight-inch colour touch-screen, Bluetooth telephone and audio connection, DAB radio and 16-inch alloy wheels.
The T-Roc also scores well on safety. Euro NCAP has given it a top five-star rating, courtesy of such standard-fit features as autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping systems and pedestrian alerts.
Inside the Volkswagen T-Roc
Dashboard layout is standard Volkswagen fare but quality of plastics is poor
Volkswagen claims that the T-Roc is compact on the outside and spacious on the inside, with the best boot space than all its direct rivals – 445 litres extending to 1290 with the rear seats dropped. It’s a nice flat boot too, partly due to the fact that T-Rocs come with a choice of a space-saver or a proper spare wheel.
Certainly when one settles inside it feels comfortable, with adequate room up front, though those attempting to carry three adults in the rear will likely find their passengers feeling rather more cosy – especially in the middle seat. Except above their head, where space should be adequate for all but the tallest occupants, despite the high seating positions which give an elevated view outside and provide one of the major advantages the T-Roc offers over the Golf.
The dash layout is generally standard Volkswagen fare, but it is well laid out with the instrument display and the centre console touchscreen on the same axis. Depending on model choices on the options list can extend up to the digital Active Info Display version of the instrument panel, which for example includes the option to flick a button and have a navigation map stretching right across the panel instead of the speed and rev dials.
Personalisation options include four different finishes on the interior panels – the plastic on the door cards, dash panel and the edges of the gear console can be supplied trimmed in yellow, brown, orange or blue.
However, the general quality of the interior plastics on the T-Roc is slightly disappointing, hard, scratchy and a bit low rent compared to what we are used to from VW.
Driving the Volkswagen T-Roc
Driving the T-Roc is a far more enjoyable experience than for many of its rivals
At the UK launch event, The Car Expert was able to try both the expected best-selling 1.0 petrol unit and its larger 1.5 stablemate. Of course, these are both proven units, though the 1.5 is also the most recently developed engine in the range. This is both plentiful with its performance and boasts the ability to shut down two of its four cylinders when not under load to improve efficiency.
However on the evidence of our test it’s only worth going for the more powerful option if you really feel you need the pace. The three-cylinder turbocharged 1.0 is a very efficient little unit, no less refined than its bigger sibling. And while 10.1 seconds to 62mph is not exactly rapid, it is not that slow either, and in the T-Roc feels swifter than a stopwatch might suggest.
The real revelation of the T-Roc, however, is in its chassis. We’ve tested a whole host of new SUVs over the past year as the market has exploded, and we have got used to describing dull, lifeless handling and indifferent ride quality – “no worse than rivals in the market” has almost become a catchphrase.
Not so the T-Roc – the driver enjoys a good view all round, with no significant blind spots, and their passengers a comfortable ride as the car smothers the bumps and potholes of a typical UK road surface. Note, however, that the 17-inch wheels on our 1.0-litre test car were more efficient in this respect than the 18-inch equivalents with their lower-profile tyres on the 1.5 version.
Ride comfort does not come at the expense of handling prowess, and it is here where the T-Roc excels. It turns in precisely, stays upright under cornering load, and displays impressive levels of grip. This is the best-handling SUV in its market, a much more enjoyable driving proposition than all its rivals.
Summary
The Volkswagen T-Roc is not the cheapest compact SUV for its overall size and specification, though it compares well with some of its rivals and it comes with some not VW-like elements such as the dodgy interior plastics.
However, the car also offers another not very VW-like trait in that style and on-the-road dynamics are given as much importance as practicality. The car looks good without sacrificing interior space, and on the road it proves a revelation – the powertrains are enthusiastic yet refined, the handling to a standard way above the norm in this market.
On that basis, it’s easy to agree with Volkswagen’s prediction that the T-Roc will become one of the brand’s best-selling models. Overall, it’s an impressive package.
Vauxhall has announced details of its January sale, with savings of up to 20% on selected new vehicles from Boxing Day until 15 January 2018.
The “VPlus” sale will offer savings of up to 20% on specific Corsa, Astra, Mokka X and Crossland X models from participating Vauxhall dealers.
The offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, and cannot be used in conjunction with any deposit contribution from Vauxhall Finance or any 0% finance offer.
Orders must be placed by 15 January and cars must be registered by 31 January 2018. This means that the deals will almost certainly only apply to vehicles that are already in stock at dealerships or in storage facilities around the country, so you won’t necessarily be able to configure your perfect specification and order it from the factory.
The offer applies to private individuals only, so fleet customers will have to make do with the considerable savings they already get on the same cars…
Toyota has announced that it is extending its scrappage scheme offer until the end of January.
There are no changes to the scheme that has been running since September, other than extending the end date to 31 January 2018.
The specific allowance amount depends on the new model being purchased, from £1,000 for a C-HR up to £4,000 on offer for a Land Cruiser. Some base model specifications and the new Yaris GRMN are not included in the offer.
To be eligible, your part-exchange vehicle must be at least seven years old, with no limits on whether it’s petrol or diesel, or whether it’s Euro 5 or not. The offer is only applicable if your car is worth less then the scrappage allowance, otherwise it will be handled as a normal part-exchange.
The allowances for each model in the Toyota range are as follows:
Model
Scrappage allowance
Aygo
£2,000
Yaris
£2,500
Auris
£3,500
Verso
£3,500
RAV4
£3,500
C-HR
£1,000
Avensis
£3,500
Prius
£2,000
GT86
£2,000
Land Cruiser
£4,000
Hilux
£2,000
Proace
£2,000
The Car Expert checks the fine print
This offer is a part-exchange allowance, for selected used cars part-exchanged against selected new cars.
Your current car can be from any brand, but must be at least seven years old.
You must be the owner of the part-exchange vehicle and the buyer of the new car (same name and registered address).
You must have owned the old car for at least six months, to stop people buying an old banger for £200 and then getting a £2,000 part-exchange allowance for it.
The scrappage price is fixed for any car part-exchanged as part of the scheme, not an allowance on top of the car’s value. You are effectively getting nothing for your car, but a discount on the new car (although it won’t be written that way on the contract).
You must order your new car and take delivery by 31 January 2018.
This offer cannot be used on top of any other offers from the dealer/manufacturer/finance company.
The offer is not dependent on you taking any finance package or other products.
Volkswagen has announced that it will extend its scrappage part-exchange offer for any new orders taken until 2 April 2018.
There have been some minor revisions to the amount offered on certain models, but the majority of the scheme will continue in the same format that it has been running since September.
As before, the scrappage scheme makes an allowance of anywhere between £1,800 and £6,000 on selected part-exchange vehicles if you are buying a new Volkswagen. Unlike offers from many other brands, Volkswagen insists that the part-exchange vehicle must be a diesel (which is presumably related to its ongoing Dieselgate dramas).
This is an overall allowance, not an additional payment over and above your car’s market value.
Mostly more of the same, but a few changes
The following changes have been made to the offers on a few models:
The old Polo, which was available with a £2,800 scrappage allowance, is no longer available
The new Polo replaces the old model, and has a £2,000 scrappage allowance
The plug-in hybrid Golf GTE (previously a £5,000 allowance) has been withdrawn from the programme
The fully-electric e-Golf scrappage allowance has been reduced from £5,500 to £4,000
The complete list of models available with a scrappage allowace is shown here:
Model
Scrappage allowance
up!
£1,800
e-up!*
£3,300
Polo
£2,000
Golf (hatch, SV, estate)
£4,000
e-Golf*
£4,000
Touran
£4,000
Tiguan
£4,000
Beetle
£4,000
Jetta
£4,000
Passat (saloon, estate)
£5,000
Passat GTE*
£6,000
Arteon
£5,000
Sharan
£6,000
* plug-in and fully-electric models also eligible for government OLEV grant
The Car Expert checks the fine print
This offer is a part-exchange allowance, for selected used cars part-exchanged against selected new cars.
Your current car can be from any brand, but must be a diesel-engined car built to Euro 4 emissions standard or earlier. This will definitely be cars registered before 31 December 2009, although some cars had Euro 5 specification engines earlier than this.
You must be the owner of the part-exchange vehicle and the buyer of the new car (same name and registered address).
You must have owned the old car for at least six months, to stop people buying an old banger for £200 and then getting a £4,000 part-exchange allowance for it.
The scrappage price is fixed for any car part-exchanged as part of the scheme, not an allowance on top of the car’s value. You are effectively getting nothing for your car, but a discount on the new car (although it won’t be written that way on the contract).
You must order your new car by 2 April 2018 and take delivery by 30 June 2018.
This offer cannot be used on top of any other offers from the dealer/manufacturer/finance company, but can be used on top of the government plug-in car grant for relevant models (Passat GTE, e-up!, e-Golf).
The offer is not dependent on you taking any finance package or other products.
If you’re considering buying a new or used diesel-engined car then you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ll be ostracised by all right-thinking people for such a reckless anti-environmental choice.
You might also be a little confused over the government’s stance on diesel; having encouraged its usage for many years for its fuel efficiency and low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, it performed a dramatic U-turn in the 2017 Autumn Budget by raising its benefit-in-kind taxation for company car drivers and increasing the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), or road tax, charge.
On top of this, there’s been plenty of misinformation trotted out in some quarters of the popular media about diesel that has tarred the latest generation of more efficient and cleaner diesel engines with the same brush as older and less refined units.
As a car buyer, you will want to choose the best fuel type for your personal requirements as well as the environment. And with this in mind, The Car Expert has dug deep into the diesel debate to assess the pros and cons of the fuel to help you with your car purchase decision making.
Why has diesel been demonised?
Diesel’s bad press can be traced back to 2015 with Dieselgate, when it emerged that millions of diesel-engined vehicles sold by Volkswagen Group brands were equipped with software programmed to give false nitrogen oxide (NOx) readings when subjected to emission tests.
The scale of the scandal cannot be overstated as it resulted in around 11 million vehicles being recalled around the world for rectification work across VW’s car and van brands, as well as Audi, Skoda and SEAT.
The whiff of the scandal has been present ever since, with the popular view that diesel engines are worse polluters than their petrol counterparts. To set the record straight, diesel engines produce lower carbon dioxide (CO2) levels than comparably-sized petrol engines but higher NOx, or particulate/soot, emissions.
However, the latest generation Euro-6 engines, which have been available on new cars since September 2015 have delivered significantly reduced levels of both CO2 and NOx – diesel has cleaned up its act.
The Autumn Budget clarified the government’s position on diesel; it doesn’t like the fuel and is now actively legislating against its usage. However, don’t panic! The changes were small and could have been much, much worse.
While the rights and wrongs of the government’s approach, after years of encouraging drivers to buy diesel-engined cars, can be argued at length, what is certain is that it will not allow itself to be seen to promote the use of the fuel by choosing to legislate against it.
From 6 April 2018, all company car drivers running diesels will see the long-standing 3% benefit-in-kind supplement raised to 4%; a move that will penalise individuals for choosing diesel for its fuel efficiency and therefore make it less attractive amongst some user-choosers; even though for high mileage drivers it is the only option.
An even more overt message was the penalising of new generation Euro-6 engines which were rounded on for not complying with the Real Driving Emissions Step 2 (RDE2) standards, even though they don’t currently exist and will not be mandatory on new cars until 2021.
This was a particularly bizarre move, worthy of Kafka, but by moving all diesels that do not comply with RDE2 (and that is currently all diesels) into a higher VED band from April 2018, the government has made a statement of intent; it might only equate to an extra £20 in the first year of registration but can be seen as an indicator of how diesel will be treated in the future.
Further down the line, the government has pledged to outlaw the sale of all new purely diesel or petrol cars from 2040.
Are all diesels penalised by new urban clean zone charges?
No. Some UK cities are looking at ways of improving air quality in the major conurbations and are considering the introduction of a toxin charge on older vehicles. London is currently leading the way with the £10 daily T-charge, which is paid in addition to the Congestion Charge.
The London scheme was introduced in October 2017 for diesel and petrol-engined vehicles powered by pre-Euro-4 engines, so that’s all cars registered before January 2005. Additionally, there have been reports that Mayor Sadiq Khan is considering a £12.50 daily levy on all diesels entering Greater London from 2019; a move that would penalise hundreds of thousands of families who have bought diesel-engined cars in good faith.
The advance intelligence from Auto Trader, the UK’s biggest marketplace for used car sales, is that advertised prices are holding up. Despite average values falling £143 month-on-month in November 2017, year-on-year used prices were up 3% according to its Retail Price Index.
Diesel also remains the most searched-for fuel type amongst new and used car buyers, accounting for 55% of all searches on the Auto Trader website in November 2017.
Commenting on the findings, Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader’s retailer and consumer product director, said: “The negative rhetoric surrounding diesel, which has been fuelled by the government’s recent announcements, is undoubtedly contributing to the decline in new and used car sales and has impacted used car prices in November.
“Although used diesels have been showing much greater resilience, with their value continuing to increase year-on-year, as well as remaining the most searched-for fuel type on our marketplace, our Retail Price Index does show a small month-on-month decline for the first time in eight months. It’s too early to tell whether this is an emerging trend or not, so we will continue to monitor prices closely.”
What are the alternatives to diesel?
Before considering the alternatives you need to weigh up exactly what you need the car for. The absolute prerequisite for choosing diesel is if you expect to do annual mileages of at least 10,000 miles.
Diesels are unsuited for short hop work because they need long distances to return anything near their claimed combined consumption figures and also to generate sufficient energy to burn off soot in their diesel particulate filters (DPF). A common cause of diesel car failures is blockages to their DPFs, requiring costly repair work.
Petrol is the most obvious alternative to diesel, with carmakers now delivering some outstanding downsized engines offering lower emissions, more horsepower and diesel-rivalling fuel economy.
Electric plug-ins are only suited to relatively short hop usage and require somewhere at home where you can easily recharge overnight. Recent years have seen improvements in ranges with the Nissan Leaf achieving a claimed 235 miles and the Renault Zoe 250 miles. However, these are optimal figures achieved in laboratory conditions. Real world stop-start driving can severely reduce these ranges especially once the heating or air-conditioning are switched on.
The best compromises are any number of petrol or diesel hybrids, from the Toyota Prius to the Mercedes-Benz C 300h, which remove the issue of range anxiety and deliver some outstanding fuel economy. It’s also worth looking at plug-in hybrids (PHEV) such as the Mitsubishi Outlander or Kia Optima, which are low-emission hybrids boosted with batteries that can be recharged from the mains to deliver pure electric power.
So, should I still consider buying a diesel car?
If it’s a new car and your annual mileage covers a lot of long journeys, then yes. It will be fitted with the latest Euro-6 type engine and will be high on fuel economy and low on emissions. If you are buying used then factor in that models registered before September 2015 may have older generation Euro-5 engines which, at some stage in the future, are likely to be the next to be scrutinised by the government and local authorities.
Euro NCAP this week published its latest crash test results, which included re-testing cars that have been on sale for a number of years using the latest rating protocols. The results showed how far car safety has progressed in the last decade, with some eye-opening results.
The Fiat Punto was the most dramatic example. Launched back in 2005 as the Grande Punto, it was awarded a five-star rating by Euro NCAP. The car is still on sale twelve years later, largely unchanged although no longer ‘Grande’, but in the meantime, the requirements for a five-star rating have increased considerably.
Many car buyers are unaware that the Euro NCAP safety standards are updated on an annual basis, meaning that the performance required to achieve a five-star result in 2017 is significantly more challenging than it was in 2005 when the Fiat Grande Punto was launched. Euro NCAP also has expiry dates for its ratings, after which time the rating can no longer be promoted by the manufacturers. However, these messages often fail to reach customers.
Many car dealers are also guilty (and have been caught on tape) of continuing to tell customers that a car has a five-star rating long after the rating has expired.
Rating scheme is constantly updated to reflect latest technologies
Nowadays, Euro NCAP’s rating scheme requires cars to score a minimum number of points in all four areas of assessment to qualify for even one star. In areas like adult and child occupant safety and pedestrian protection, the Fiat Punto still performs well enough to qualify for at least two stars. It is let down in driver assistance and crash avoidance: with only a seatbelt reminder system for the driver as standard, zero points were scored in this part of the assessment.
Euro NCAP secretary general, Michiel van Ratingen, expressed his disappointment that the Punto remains on sale without incorporating updates to keep up with rivals: “This is perhaps the strongest example of a manufacturer continuing to sell a product that is well past its best-before date, at the expense of the unsuspecting car buyer.”
Matthew Avery, director of research at the UK’s independent car safety body Thatcham Research, was highly critical of the Punto’s poor performance: “In 2005, the Fiat Punto achieved a good rating. However, Euro NCAP frequently raises the bar in its testing regime – and the Fiat Punto’s adult occupant protection score of 51% is more than 30% below the average for the superminis tested in 2017.
“Yes, this is essentially an old car, but that should have sharpened the focus on fitting safety technologies to counteract it’s dated crash performance.”
Other former five-star cars include the Alfa Romeo Giulietta (five stars in 2010, now rated at three stars), the DS 3 (rated as five stars in 2009 when it was still a Citroën, now three stars) and Ford C-Max (rated five stars in 2010, now three stars in 2017). In all cases, it is the lack of accident avoidance technology that has led to the ratings downgrade – if you are unlucky enough to have an accident in any of these cars, their crash performances are still more than respectable.
Avoiding an accident is much better than surviving one
Since Euro NCAP crash testing began back in 1997, car manufacturers have made great strides in designing and building cars that cope better with bring fired into a wall at speed. Earlier this year, Euro NCAP revisited one of its first test subjects, the 1997 Rover 100, to compare it to a 2017 Honda Jazz – a car equivalent to the Rover in today’s market. The test showed that the occupants of the 1997 Rover would have almost certainly been killed, while those in the 2017 Honda would quite probably have walked away with only minor injuries.
The next challenge has been to develop technology that helps prevent having an accident in the first place, which is obviously a much more desirable result for everyone. Electronic stability control (ESC) systems were first recognised by Euro NCAP in 2009, years before fitment of such technology became compulsory.
The latest must-have technology for accident avoidance is autonomous emergency braking (AEB), where the car will automatically apply the brakes if it detects that an accident is imminent and the driver has failed to act.
AEB activates to apply the brakes if the driver fails to act
From 2018, cars will not be able to score a five-star rating from Euro NCAP unless they have AEB fitted as standard. Thatcham Research has made the point that manufacturers are choosing to fit such systems to new models when they are launched, but not updating existing models with similar technology at the same time. For example, the new Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio both have AEB fitted as standard, but the Giulietta (launched 2010) and Mito (launched 2008) have not been upgraded to include AEB. Likewise, the new DS 7 Crossback launched this year gets AEB while the existing DS 3, DS 4 and DS 5 models don’t.
Michiel van Ratingen says that car buyers should do their research before heading into showrooms: “We would urge consumers to check for the latest ratings and to choose cars with the most up-to-date five-star ratings, many examples of which we have seen in 2017.”
The new car headlines this year have been dominated by continued declining sales, but car finance records for the first ten months of 2017 show that the sector is still on track for record lending this year.
Latest figures from the Finance & Leasing Association show that the number of private new car finance agreements declined by 7% in October 2017 compared to the same month last year, which is not as bad as the number of private new car sales, which fell by 10% in comparison according to SMMT data. Despite fewer people borrowing, the total amount borrowed went up by 2%, meaning that the average amount borrowed per car increased by approximately 9.5% compared to the same month last year.
More than 86% of all new private car sales are financed at the dealership, with the vast majority of those using a personal contract purchase (PCP) agreement.
It’s becoming a familiar pattern this year, as the amounts led keep going up even when sales go down
Used car finance borrowing continues unabated despite falling sales
Used car finance continues to grow, with October another strong month for dealer-brokered finance. The number of finance agreements was up 9% on the same month last year, and the average lending per car was up 15%. This continues a pattern that has run all year long.
It’s important to remember that despite the used car numbers looking similar or larger to new cars most months, the overall used car market is much larger (about 3-4 times the size of the new car market), so the overall percentage of used cars financed at the dealership is much lower (and not quoted by the FLA).
We won’t know how the finance numbers compare to used car sales until early in the new year, as sales data is only provided by the SMMT on a quarterly basis. The third quarter saw used car sales falling by 2%, and the second quarter saw a modest 0.5% drop.
Assuming that nothing significant changes in the last two months (and so far, there doesn’t seem to be any indication of it), then total lending for 2017 will hit a new record for both new and used car finance markets.
A mass end-of-year set of crash tests have sparked concerns at safety body Euro NCAP, with many low scores topped by the first-ever no-star result.
The Fiat Punto was among a host of cars retested and re-rated by Euro NCAP because while launched several years ago, they have remained on sale, their lives extended by facelifts.
The Punto first launched in 2005, and is both still available new in the UK and a strong seller in its home market of Italy. The crash test results indicated marginal or weak protection for the chest of both front and rear seat passengers, and danger of injury to occupants from structures in the dashboard. Protection for child occupants was also rated poor, weak or marginal in several areas.
To achieve star ratings cars have to score a high enough percentage in the wide range of tests carried by Euro NCAP. And according to the testers, the Punto was let down by failing to keep up with the latest safety technology fitted to more recent cars.
In areas such as adult and child occupant safety and pedestrian protection, the Fiat still performs well enough to qualify for at least two stars but the lack of driver assistance and crash avoidance systems dooms it. The only standard-fit driver assistance is a seatbelt reminder. resulting in a zero score in this category. And the car also scored zero in the side-pole impact test, due to the test not being able to be carried out because the car does not come fitted with a head-protecting airbag as standard.
“This is perhaps the strongest example of a manufacturer continuing to sell a product that is well past its best-before date, at the expense of the unsuspecting car buyer,” said Euro NCAP Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen.
In total 15 cars were analysed in the latest set of tests and other recently facelifted older cars also came in for criticism. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Ford C-Max and Grand C-MAX, Vauxhall Viva, DS 3 and Toyota Aygo all saw their star score drop to three, though when fitted with optional safety equipment the Aygo rating was restored to four stars.
The brand new Kia Stinger is a five-star crash-test car.
Two more recent cars, the MG ZS and new Dacia Duster, could also only manage three stars, while the Kia Stonic’s three-star score increased to five stars for cars fitted with an optional safety pack.
The tests proved happier for the brand-new Hyundai Kona small SUV, the Kia Stinger GT, the Jaguar F-Pace SUV and the BMW 6 Series coupé. All scored top five-star ratings.
“We have seen a lot of good cars in 2017, able to meet Euro NCAP’s five-star requirements – superminis like the new Volkswagen Polo, the Ford Fiesta and the SEAT Ibiza now come with advanced safety technology as standard, offering the best in crash avoidance and crash protection,” van Ratingen added.
“The fact that older cars cannot compete illustrates the pace at which the vehicle industry is innovating safety and the willingness and ability of competitive manufacturers to meet the highest standards. Those who do not keep their cars up to the latest standards get left behind, as these results clearly show.
“We would urge consumers to check our website for the latest ratings and to choose cars with the most up-to-date five-star ratings, many examples of which we have seen in 2017.”
The MG ZS, launched in 2017, could only achieve three stars.
Order books are open for the latest Mercedes-Benz CLS, after the four-door coupe debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.
The second generation car will go on sale at prices starting from £57,510, with first UK deliveries scheduled for summer 2018. It will target the Audi A7 and BMW 5 Series GT – cars that were effectively launched as contenders to the first CLS that until then had no direct rivals.
All new Mercedes-Benz CLS models for the UK will be supplied in a single trim level, AMG Line, and equipped with all-wheel-drive as standard. There will be a choice of three engines, the cars dubbed 350 d, 400 d and 450.
Both the 350 d and 400 d use a new in-line six-cylinder diesel engine. In the entry-level model, it produces 286hp and 600Nm of torque, good enough for a 5.7-second 0-62mph time. Combined cycle fuel economy is 48.7mpg alongside CO2 emissions of 156g/km.
The 340hp and 700Nm of the 400 d cuts the sprint to five seconds, while delivering 47.9mpg and 156g/km of CO2 for a price £2,900 more than the 350 d. Both cars are electronically limited to a 155mph top speed.
The petrol option is the CLS 450, costing only £10 more than the 350 d and again employing a new engine. The 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder bi-turbo petrol unit has an output of 367hp and 500Nm of torque. However, a 48-volt starter generator dubbed EQ Boost can increase the output by 22hp and 250Nm. The car hits 62 mph from rest in 4.8 seconds, again is limited to 155mph and offers combined fuel economy of 36.2mpg with CO2 emissions of 184g/km.
Standard equipment on all Mercedes-Benz CLS models includes 19-inch alloy wheels; a parking package that includes a reversing camera; leather upholstery; split folding rear seats; a 12-inch infotainment screen and a separate 12-inch cockpit display; ambient lighting with a choice of 64 colours; ‘Agility Control’ suspension and a DAB digital radio.
What is it? The Kia Stinger is an executive five-door fastback hatch that takes the fight to Audi and BMW’sdoorstep.
Key features
Strong performance
Outstanding level of standard equipment
Competitively refined
Our view As 2017 turns into 2018, Kia offers a range of confident, competent vehicles that match European class leaders for comfort, technology, safety and efficiency. The new Stinger GT S sits at the top of the family tree, and is aimed squarely at two of the industry’s most aspirational brands – Audi and BMW.
The Kia Stinger GT S comes kitted out with a comprehensive level of kit, at a price that seems steep for a Kia but in reality undercuts the Bavarians by a third when they are similarly optioned up to the Kia’s level.
Kia has been keen to point out that it sees the Stinger as a ‘gran turismo’, and the driving experience backs that up. It’s rapid but refined, happy to be left in auto mode instead of flicking the gearshift paddles up and down to play racing cars.
Despite its push upmarket into posh-brand territory, Kia continues to work to the formula that has succeeded so well against mainstream hatchbacks and SUVs. It delivers a class-competitive performance in every way at a very attractive price.
Despite its push upmarket into posh-brand territory, Kia continues to work to the formula that has succeeded so well
Full review
Introduction
Kia has come a long way in a short time. From its position less than a decade ago as Hyundai’s budget brand sibling, Kia has made meteoric progress. As 2017 turns into 2018, Kia now offers a range of confident, competent vehicles that match European class leaders for comfort, technology, safety and efficiency.
And the flagship for the Kia of 2018 is this, the all-new Stinger. It’s a mid-sized rear-wheel drive executive fastback, aimed squarely at the likes of the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé.
The Stinger, seen here in GT S specification with a 365hp 3.3-litre turbocharged petrol that is the only model available at launch, is clearly set to break down some barriers for Kia – the first of which will clearly be “Will people pay £40,000 for a Kia instead of an Audi or a BMW?”.
Of course, Kia already offers a top-spec Sorento SUV that costs more than £40K, but the family 4WD market is rather different to the executive market and there are plenty of mainstream competitors offering similar vehicles for similar money. This is different – Kia is not targeting Peugeot or Škoda here with a well-meaning but boring family wagon, but BMW and Audi with a sleek executive gran turismo.
So the Stinger treads new ground for Kia, but it still brings the brand’s hallmark of producing a car that gives you a lot of bang for your buck – to get an Audi S5 Sportback with similar performance and kit to the Kia will set you back about £58,000. A BMW 440i M Sport Gran Coupé runs up to about £56,500 once you add on all the extras that come standard in the Stinger.
That’s the theory anyway. What we need to find out now is whether the Kia Stinger justifies such comparisons.
The Kia Stinger GT S is not shy about targeting the big-hitting German brands
Buying and owning a Kia Stinger GT S
To kick things off here in the UK, the Kia Stinger is launching with the top-spec GT S model trim. Lower-order models, with a smaller petrol or diesel engine will arrive in the first few months of 2018.
If you’re looking for an options list for the Stinger GT S, it’s essentially a colour chart. One colour is free (yellow, unfortunately) and the rest cost extra. That’s about it. Everything else that Kia could possibly cram into the GT S is included in the sticker price.
That may cause confusion for buyers of German cars, who are used to starting with the advertised price and steadily working upwards to add basic things like seat pockets and cupholders.
The Audi S5 Sportback needs nearly £10,000 of optional extras to come close to what the Kia includes as standard (although the S5 does have all-wheel drive rather than real-wheel drive). The BMW 440i M Sport Gran Coupé requires adding £11,000 of extra-cost features to more or less compare with the Stinger.
The AMG version of the unimpressive Mercedes-Benz CLA tots up to about £55K as well – once you add in all the extras that still don’t bring it up to the Kia’s level. The CLA 45 is more powerful and all-wheel drive, but if you really want a Mercedes-AMG for that money then you’re much better off buying an ex-demo version of the far more excellent C 63 saloon.
The Kia Stinger GT S comes kitted out with a comprehensive level of kit, including an array of safety systems and luxury features. The leather seats are electrically adjustable with memory function, heating (rear passengers, too) and ventilated cooling. The satnav and infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto without charging you extra, there’s a head-up display, a sunroof and much more. We were still finding extra gizmos after four hours of driving from Cornwall to London.
Styling is always a matter of opinion, but overall the Stinger looks good from a distance with a few jarring details close up. The long wheelbase and short overhangs are great, and the big wheels and sporty bumpers of the GT S model suit the look of the car. Some of the details jar a bit and look overdone, although Kia is certainly in good company there (step forward BMW and Mercedes-Benz).
Running costs might be a mixed bag. The Kia will probably be cheaper to insure than an Audi, BMW or Mercedes, but fuel economy on the big 3.3-litre V6 isn’t especially clever. Kia claims 28.5 mpg on the combined lab test cycle, which will probably mean 20-25 mpg for most owners. By comparison, Audi claims about 36 mpg for the S5 Sportback, BMW reckons about 42mpg for the 440i and Mercedes expects just under 39 mpg for the CLA 45.
Kia is bullish about predicted residual values, and initial calculations from industry analysts cap hpi sound positive, but inevitably we’ll have to wait and see. Many manufacturers have claimed market-leading residual estimates when launching a new car, only for the actual figures in three years’ time to be wide of the mark. Good cars tend to retain their values well, so if the car builds a solid reputation over the next few years then the used car values should take care of themselves.
The Kia Stinger has yet to be crash tested by Euro NCAP, but having a full complement of accident avoidance technology included as standard is very promising.
Inside the Kia Stinger GT S
Dashboard heavily inspired by Mercedes-Benz and Audi designs
Slide into the driver’s seat, and it has a rather familiar look. It seems that Kia’s designers have taken rather a lot of inspiration from various Mercedes and Audi models when sketching out the Stinger’s cabin, as there are numerous details which look just like those in an E-Class or an A7. Altogether, it feels thoroughly modern and properly screwed together, with no rattles or buzzing noises evident from any of the cars we drove for a few hundred miles in total.
It’s a very comfortable seating position, with everything falling to hand easily. The head-up display projects very clearly, although a little more vertical range would be better. The dials are conventionally analogue, rather than an all-singing digital screen like the latest Audis, but the gauges are clear and the central infotainment touchscreen is easy enough to navigate.
It does feel a bit dark with black headlining and mainly black plastics everywhere, especially if you choose black leather upholstery. The red or grey leathers do brighten things up a bit, which is worth considering.
Like many modern cars, the view out the rear window is limited and over-the-shoulder three-quarter view is not a lot better.
The back seat is great for legroom but starts to get a bit tight on headroom if you’re approaching six feet tall. There are three seat belts, but – like most cars – the middle seat occupant definitely draws the short straw.
Driving the Kia Stinger GT S
The steering has reasonable weight, if not feel, and there is minimal roll through corners.
Unsurprisingly, a 365hp rear-wheel drive car like the Stinger GT S packs a solid punch. From a standing start, you’ll be hitting 60mph in less than five seconds and handing over your licence a few seconds after that.
Kia has been keen to point out that it sees the Stinger as a ‘gran turismo’, and the driving experience backs that up. The engine may be powerful, but the eight-speed automatic gearbox softens things a bit. It’s happier left in auto mode, rather than flicking the paddles up and down to play racing cars on a B-road.
The steering has reasonable weight, if not a lot of feel, and there is minimal rolling through corners. At a reasonable road pace, it feels well balanced and responsive – it’s not the last word in feedback and feel, but it’s good fun.
Ride is pretty good, too. Bumps and potholes are dealt with about as well as you would expect for a car on sports suspension with 19-inch wheels – and generally better than most Audis do on similar set-ups. The Stinger has quite a long wheelbase, which no doubt helps here.
Big magazines who have driven the Kia Stinger around the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany have reported that it is very impressive there as well, although that won’t be too relevant for the average buyer.
Summary
So, does the Kia Stinger deserve to stand alongside similar cars from Audi and BMW? Yes, definitely. It’s not perfect, but neither are they by any stretch of the imagination.
There are other worthwhile cars in this segment that are worth considering – the Alfa Romeo Giulia has been much praised, the Lexus IS is similarly comfortable and well equipped, and the Jaguar XE will hold its own on a B-road. All have strong and weak points, but
Despite its push upmarket into posh-brand territory, Kia continues to work to the formula that has succeeded so well against mainstream hatchbacks and SUVs. It delivers a class-competitive performance in every way at a very attractive price.
What is it?
The new Peugeot 5008 is a large SUV replacement for the brand’s former largest MPV.
Key features Seven seats, upmarket cabin, lots of space
Our view The Peugeot 5008 offers a lot to elevate it above much of the competition in a very congested SUV market. Not many of its rivals are large SUVs, and fewer still are quite so versatile, offering both the option of seven seats and a big boot.
Add this to a package that is well built, with quality finishing, bang up-to-date technology and a solid performance on the road, and the 5008 will tick a lot of boxes for potential buyers.
The new Peugeot 5008 is very different from the first-generation model. Following a well-established trend, the French brand has abandoned the MPV format of its Mk1 5008 in favour of an SUV, because everyone wants an SUV these days and there have never been more to choose from.
In the process, however, Peugeot has created an SUV that actually has few direct rivals, because prime in the design has been retaining the versatility of the previous people-carrier – the designers are targeting those people who want the looks of an SUV, but need the carrying capacity of an MPV.
So every version of the 5008 comes with seven seats, and that means its direct rivals are the Skoda Kodiaq, Nissan X-Trail, the extended Allspace version of the Volkswagen Tiguan, and not a lot else…
Mind you the 5008 is effectively an extended model too – in looks, layout, just about everything it is the Peugeot 3008 on steroids. That car launched a year ago, we liked it and we were not alone, the model winning European Car of the Year. Does its bigger sister maintain the breed?
With the 5008, Peugeot has created an SUV that has few direct rivals.
Buying and owning a Peugeot 5008 SUV
The new 5008 comes with a wide line-up of power plants. Core petrol choices involve the 1.2-litre 131hp unit which is a three-time class winner at the International Engine of the Year awards, and combined with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. There is also a 1.6-litre petrol unit with 165hp matched only to the auto gearbox.
Diesel buyers have a wider choice. There are 1.6-litre units in 100 and 120hp power outputs and a 2.0-litre 150hp variant offered only with the third of four trims, GT-Line. The range-topping GT model, meanwhile, exclusively employs a 180hp version of the 2.0-litre diesel, with either the six-speed auto ‘box or an eight-speed version.
Our test car is the 131hp petrol unit with the six-speed manual gearbox. With the increasing switch to petrol among UK buyers, this is likely to be the best seller – particularly as it boasts a plus-55mpg combined cycle fuel economy and CO2 emissions of only 117g/km. The best emissions, by the way, come courtesy of the 100hp diesel, at just 106g/km, which considering the size of the vehicle is seriously impressive.
What is not an option, currently at least, is all-wheel-drive. Peugeot is clearly taking a very different view of the market for its big SUV than rival Skoda, which sells virtually every version of its Kodiaq as an AWD model.
You can, however, specify the optional grip control system on all versions of the Peugeot. Costing £470, it does most of what AWD can do, includes mud and snow modes and also hill descent control.
We have our test car in the GT-Line trim. As mentioned, there are four to choose from and each comes well specified – even entry-level Active models include Peugeot’s superb ‘i-Cockpit’ (more on which directly), dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, a DAB digital radio, full smartphone compatibility, and automatic headlights and wipers.
We would pay £3,700 more than an Active for our GT-Line, and the extra equipment one gets for the money includes navigation with voice recognition, a rear parking camera and front sensors, powered folding mirrors, wireless phone charging, LED head and fog lamps and lots of visual enhancements.
The 5008 also scores well on its safety package. While at the time of writing it hasn’t been specifically crash-tested by EuroNCAP, it is effectively a bigger version of the 3008 that scored five stars in 2016 and, accordingly, gets to share its smaller sister’s five-star rating.
Automatic emergency braking, a distance alert and lane departure warning are standard on all versions. As soon as one moves above the entry level, uprated versions of all these driver aids are fitted, including ‘Active Lane Keeping Assistance’ and blind-spot detection, along with Peugeot’s Connect SOS assistance service.
Inside the Peugeot 5008 SUV
Peugeot’s i-Cockpit digital instrument panel is the highlight of the cabin.
Many will be buying the 5008 for its interior space, and it is a roomy vehicle. While based on the same underpinnings as the 3008, it is 190mm longer than its smaller sister, and 110mm longer and wider than its predecessor. Most of the extra length goes into the wheelbase, extended by 165mm over the 3008, but those sitting in the second row (on three individual seats) will also find significantly more space around the knees.
The larger car is no taller, however, which helps with the exterior looks – the 5008 SUV offering a much more attractive visual profile than the boxy proportions of its MPV predecessor. And despite the compact roofline, interior headroom is not compromised even in the third row, where occupants will find more room above than in the old car.
The third row of seats is compact overall, and on long journeys particularly only really suited to younger, smaller occupants. A neat touch is the fact they are removable, each weighing just 11kg, and when you take them out you are left with a truly enormous boot of 1060 litres capacity.
The cabin scores highly on its quality. Not only is it well finished with upmarket materials, it also boasts lots of upmarket high-tech touches, such as blue ambient lighting.
The highlight is without doubt Peugeot’s i-Cockpit 12-inch digital instrument panel, effectively outdoing Audi. You can choose from a number of options as to what you want displayed on it, from speed, range info and such like to the satnav map (in addition to the eight-inch centre console touchscreen display), and the way the dials tumble and reshape as you run through the modes is almost hypnotic.
Our GT-Line model even includes completely different finishes to the display, dubbed ‘Boost’ and ‘Relax’ which you select according to your mood…
Driving the Peugeot 5008 SUV
The Peugeot 5008 may be tuned for comfort, but it’s easy to navigate through bends
The driving position of the 5008 is high up and with good visibility ahead. Behind is not so great, but the reversing camera makes life a lot easier. Viewing the instruments is greatly helped by Peugeot’s more compact steering wheel – this departure from the norm has garnered mixed reviews but we found it no problem to live with.
While this is a big vehicle to move around, it doesn’t feel so – the enthusiastic yet unflustered way the petrol engine accelerates the car is impressive. A 0-62mph time of just under 11 seconds is respectable and whether at 30 or 70mph the car feels smooth, refined and a quality environment to travel in.
The 5008 is a big machine with the emphasis on comfort and, as such, it’s not expected to top the charts in handling prowess. However it returns a pretty solid performance, being easy to navigate through a series of bends, a little body roll evident but nothing to get excited about. It’s certainly a big step up on its MPV predecessor.
Overall, the 5008 proves highly competent on the road and a journey of several hours munching the motorway miles should not prove particularly fatiguing.
Summary
In a market that is now very congested the Peugeot 5008 would be expected to have a battle on its hands. But, in fact, not that many of its rivals are large SUVs, and fewer still are quite so versatile, offering both the option of seven seats and a big boot.
Add this to a package that is well built, with quality finishing, bang up-to-date technology and a solid performance on the road, and the 5008 will tick a lot of boxes for potential buyers.
Prices have been announced for the latest Lexus LS 500h, the first car from the brand with a host of new safety technology.
The flagship petrol-electric hybrid model goes on sale early in 2018 at prices ranging from £72,595 to £97,995.
Lexus is particularly promoting the safety specification of the LS, which debuts the latest suite of safety and driver assistance systems dubbed Lexus Safety System+ A. This technology includes autonomous emergency braking that can detect both cyclists and pedestrians at night and provides more effective braking.
Part of the system involves Active Steering Assist, claimed as a world-first and steering the car away from a permanent obstacle, such as a crash barrier or a pedestrian, if it calculates braking will not avoid a collision.
CoDrive, meanwhile, adds to the usual cruise control system to reduce the strain on the driver. Including technology dubbed Lane Tracing Assist, it works to keep the car in its lane, distinguishing between tarmac, grass and kerbs, and will make steering inputs to help.
Coupé style
The fifth-generation version of the LS is longer, wider and lower than the car it replaces, with visual styling made to appear coupé-like. It is only available with a hybrid drivetrain, employing the latest multi-stage unit that debuted in the LC coupé earlier in 2017 – this combines a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with a 650-volt electric motor.
The result is 359hp, sending the car through 62mph from rest in 5.4 seconds in rear-wheel-drive form – an all-wheel-drive version is also available, a tenth slower to the 62mph marker.
The maximum speed of both versions is an electronically-limited 155mph, while the rear-wheel-drive version returns combined cycle fuel economy of 43.5mpg and CO2 emissions of 147g/km – the all-wheel variant’s equivalents are 39.8mpg and 161g/km.
Four trim levels are available: 500h, 500h Luxury, 500h F Sport and 500h Premier, with all-wheel drive offered as an option on the top two trims.
An updated version of the Volkswagen Golf SV has gone on sale, with the people-carrier version of the big-selling model gaining a range of upgrades.
The Golf SV has a wheelbase 50mm longer than the hatch and estate variants, and in terms of overall length sits between its sibling models. Inside occupants sit 85mm higher than in the hatch and estate, and the rear bench seat slides by up to 180mm to make the car more versatile.
Notable among the upgrades is an enhancement to the safety specification. All Golf SVs now include autonomous emergency braking, which includes a monitor to react to pedestrians crossing in front of the vehicle.
Further safety tech available on the options list includes Emergency Assist, which tries to wake the driver if they become unresponsive. If that is unsuccessful, it brings the car to a halt with hazard flashers on. Parallel parking and trailer assistance are also offered.
Upgraded kit and a new engine
Every Golf SV is now offered with a touchscreen infotainment system – the standard version increases in size from six to eight inches. Optionally available is the Discover Navigation Pro unit with a glass nine-inch touchscreen, while all models also get a CD player, DAB radio and simultaneous pairing of two mobile smartphones via Bluetooth.
On the exterior new front and rear bumpers are fitted, the rear diffuser trim is revised and all-LED tail lights fitted, while a full-LED headlamp setup is on the options list.
Four trim levels are available and among the six-strong engine line-up (four petrol and two diesel) is a new unit. The 1.5-litre TSI Evo petrol engine includes Active Cylinder Technology, that shuts down two of its four cylinders to reduce fuel consumption whenever possible. The new engine is available in 130 and 150hp forms.
Prices for the new Volkswagen Golf SV range from £20,475, buying a 1.0-litre 85hp petrol version with a five-speed manual gearbox in entry-level S trim, to £28,595 for the 2.0-litre petrol 150hp variant in GT trim with a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The new Ford Ecosport will launch early in 2018, heavily revised to try and take more advantage of the mushrooming compact SUV market.
The growing obsession amongst UK buyers for SUVs has seen the market grow by more than 20% a year – in 2016 SUVs took more than a quarter of all UK car sales.
Since 2013 some 40,000 of these have been Ford EcoSports, despite the model attracting lacklustre reviews on its launch, criticised for poor road manners and a mediocre interior.
The new model has had its ride and handling specifically tuned for European roads, and revised styling to more closely identify it with its larger sister SUVs the Kuga and Edge.
A ‘refined’ interior includes redesigned controls for easier use, new soft-touch surfaces and dash changes, including ‘floating’ touchscreens of up to eight inches in size.
Technology changes include the availability of cruise control with a speed limiter for the first time on the EcoSport, along with a rear parking camera and Ford’s latest Sync 3 connectivity system.
The major mechanical changes to the EcoSport, however, will be added some months after the revised model goes on sale, with the addition of a new diesel engine and all-wheel-drive system.
Matched to an equally new six-speed manual gearbox, the 1.5-litre diesel has been refined to cut its CO2 emissions, though Ford is not yet quoting figures. It produces 125hp and 300Nm of torque, and is available as standard in front-wheel-drive form.
The 1.5-litre unit will also be the only engine matched to the new all-wheel-drive system, which in normal running powers the front wheels but will be able almost instantaneously to send up to 50% of the torque to the rear wheels.
Alongside the diesel Ford also intends to launch a new 100hp 1.0-litre petrol model in mid 2018, promising improved economy and emissions over existing powertrains. Launch engine options will be a 100hp 1.5-litre diesel and 125hp and 140hp versions of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine.
Prices for the new EcoSport range will be released closer to its showroom debut.
Volkswagen UK’s managing director, Paul Willis, has been forced to admit that the company has received nearly 17,000 complaints from customers whose vehicles have suffered after receiving the company’s so-called “fix” for its emissions-cheating Dieselgate models.
Willis appears to think that 17,000 recorded complaints from UK customers represents a complete success, noting in a letter to Chair of the Transport Committee that in his and Volkswagen’s opinion, that “no systemic issue in respect of impaired performance has been identified”.
Meanwhile, reports of “fixed” Volkswagens, Audis, Škodas and SEATs breaking down or going into limp mode – in some cases only a few miles after having the repair work conducted by a dealership – continue to rack up.
Complaints include noticeably worsened fuel economy, broken exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves and clogged diesel particulate filters (DPFs), despite Volkswagen’s official position that “the technical measure has no adverse impact on fuel consumption figures, CO2 emissions figures, engine output, torque, noise emissions, or durability of the engine and its components”.
Willis’ letter was in response to a request from the Chair of the Transport Committee, Lilian Greenwood MP, in which she requested an update from Volkswagen on a number of issues, starting with confirmation that Volkswagen still had no intention of compensating UK drivers for its emissions cheating.
Ms Greenwood also questioned Volkswagen’s progress in applying its fix, which the company had promised to complete by autumn 2017, and asked about the many complaints her committee had received about the negative impacts of Volkswagen’s fix.
She also asked how many customers have received compensation for problems arising from the fix, and what measures Volkswagen was taking in the UK to reduce NOx as it is doing in Germany.
Willis confirmed that Volkswagen has no intention of compensating customers in Europe, which is no great surprise although still disappointing for the 1.2 million UK customers who bought an affected Volkswagen Group vehicle. More than 40,000 UK owners have joined a class action lawsuit against Volkswagen over the Dieselgate scandal, so this may result in the company having to pay out something to owners eventually.
Willis argued that Volkswagen had made excellent progress on its fixing of customers cars, because they have completed about 75% of the job in the time he promised. Clearly, Willis is eyeing up a future career as a painter and decorator, as they never seem to get their jobs finished on time, either.
To be fair, a large number of clued-up owners have explicitly rejected the company’s offer to “fix” their vehicles, so it will be impossible for Volkswagen to ever complete the task as promised. Many others are angry because they feel they were duped into believing the recall work was compulsory, when they would have refused it if they realised they had a choice.
The Volkswagen Diesel Consumer Forum, which now comprises more than 6,600 angry Volkswagen/Audi/SEAT/Skoda owners and still growing, claims that Volkswagen has never disclosed exactly what the “fix” entails. Forum founder Gareth Pritchard said, “So far, 820,000 cars have had the emissions software update in the UK. Yet not one owner has had it explained to them what the fix does to our cars. It’s very easy in those circumstances for VW to deny there is an issue when it won’t tell us what has been changed or how our cars should be operating.”
Willis refused to disclose how many customers have received compensation for failures resulting from the fix, claiming that it was “competitively sensitive information”. He did not elaborate on who such “competitors” would be that could benefit from knowing how many customers Volkswagen had compensated for its own failings.
He also made a rather ambiguous statement that seemed to suggest that 75% of customers who had sought reimbursement have had their claims approved, although it could easily be interpreted that only 75% of those who were actually approved (rather than all applications) have actually been approved for payment. It was a very wordy phrasing, which seemed designed to obfuscate rather than illuminate…
In his letter to the Transport Committee, Willis claimed that “the vast majority of customers have been satisfied with the technical measures”, although he did not provide any evidence to back this up. He went on to boast about his company’s scrappage scheme, which offers customers between £1,800 and £6,000 on certain part-exchange vehicles – the catch, of course, being that they have to buy a new Volkswagen Group vehicle, and only selected models are included in the offer.
Finally, Willis explained that Volkswagen would be offering “widespread voluntary software updates” on certain Euro 5 diesel models, including cars that have already received the dieselgate “fix”. No doubt, many owners will be far more reluctant to let Volkswagen meddle with their cars’ software next time around after their experiences last time.
Meanwhile, in America…
A second Volkswagen executive has been jailed over his role in the Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal. Oliver Schmidt led Volkswagen USA’s environmental and engineering office in Michigan, and learned of the cheating scheme in 2015, according to court documents as reported by the BBC. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy and violating the Clean Air Act in August, and will spend the next seven years in prison – as well as being hit with a US$400,000 fine.
Volkswagen has been fined more than US$15 billion over its emissions cheating in the USA, but has so far got off scot-free in the UK and Europe thanks to regulations that are worded slightly differently.
The Car Expert recommendation: Don’t buy a “fixed” vehicle
Should you buy a used diesel Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT or Skoda that has been “fixed”? No. There are far too many reports of breakdowns, poor performance and poor fuel economy for it to be a safe bet, despite the company’s protestations. There are literally thousands of other vehicles for sale that are less risky places to put your money.
Should you buy a used diesel Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT or Skoda that has not been “fixed” but is on the list? Probably not. If your car develops any engine or exhaust problems and you have not had the “fix” done, you are less likely to be offered any support from the Volkswagen Group for repairs, or a dealer may go ahead and apply the fix without your knowledge – and the company says it can’t be undone afterwards (although aftermarket specialists are doing good business out of ‘rolling back’ the fix for affected customers).
If you are considering buying a used diesel Volkswagen Audi, SEAT or Skoda, you should absolutely check whether it’s on the recall list and find out whether it has had the work done.
If you own one of these vehicles, whether fixed or unfixed, you have every right to be angry. The Dieselgate scandal has made people wary of buying a used car on the cheat list, regardless of our recommendation above. You will get no apology from Volkswagen, despite the company screwing you over. If you want to sell your car privately or part-exchange it on a non-VW Group vehicle, your car’s value is likely to suffer.
If you part-exchange it for another Volkswagen/Audi/SEAT/Skoda, you may be eligible for a boost to your part-exchange value (called something insipid like a “customer loyalty bonus”), but the downside is you have to buy a new car from the same company that has just screwed you.
The Hyundai i30 range will be completed in January with the launch of the Fastback version.
The five-door coupe model will cost from £20,305 when it goes on sale alongside the existing i30 hatch, Tourer estate and N performance variants (tested here).
Compared to the hatch the Fastback’s roof is 30mm lower, tapering towards the rear and meeting a spoiler integrated into the car’s body.
Hyundai says that the exterior design enhances the car’s wide stance, improves its aerodynamics and provides it with a distinctive silhouette. The width is further emphasised by a slimmer grille, an air intake below it and an angled lower spoiler. The LED daytime running lights are also of a bespoke design.
Two engines, three trims
The i30 Fastback will be available in SE Nav, Premium and Premium SE trim levels, matching the existing Hatch and Tourer models for equipment. Powertrain choices range across the 1.0 T-GDi 120hp and 1.4 T-GDi 140hp petrol engines of the Hatch, with six-speed manual gearboxes or on the 1.4 an optional seven-speed DCT auto.
Standard equipment on SE Nav models includes satellite navigation through an eight-inch LCD touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, Bluetooth with voice recognition and wireless phone charging on compatible handsets, rear parking sensors and camera, height adjustable front seats with electric lumbar adjustment to the driver’s side and a leather steering wheel.
Fastback buyers will be the first able to choose the 1-litre engine with the two upper trim levels. The Premium costs £1800 more than the SE Nav and extra equipment includes dual-zone climate control, an electronic parking brake with auto hold function, privacy glass and heated front seats with artificial leather/cloth facings. The driver’s seat is electrically adjustable, the dash gains a 4.2-inch instrument cluster display, and front parking sensors are added along with LED front headlights and rear combination lights.
Premium SE models add a panoramic sunroof, leather seat facings and a heated steering wheel for a £1300 price increase.
Hyundai also expects the new model to sell on its safety specification. Autonomous Emergency Braking is standard on all models with a forward collision warning system, as well as lane departure warning and lane keep systems and hill-hold. In addition, Premium and Premium SE models also gain a blind spot detection system and a rear cross-traffic alert for when reversing out of car-parking spaces.
The Vauxhall Insignia GSi will arrive on UK roads in March 2018, at prices starting from £33,375.
The performance version of Vauxhall’s large car was first revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. It will be offered in both five-door Grand Sport and, for an extra £1400, estate Sports Tourer body styles.
Powertrain choices will range between a 260hp 2-litre turbo petrol with 400Nm of torque, or a bi-turbo diesel engine of 210hp. Both are paired with an eight-speed auto transmission with steering wheel shift paddles, and permanent all-wheel-drive with torque vectoring to ensure grip is constantly delivered tot he wheel that will make most efficient use of it.
Both engines produce the same performance figures – in Grand Sport form the GSi achieves a 6.9 second 0-62mph time and will go on to an electronically limited 155mph. The car weighs in some 160kg lighter than its predecessor, and as a result it has been able to lap the Nurburgring test track in Germany faster than the range-topping VXR model of the previous Insignia generation, despite being more than 70hp lower in power.
Petrol versions of the Grand Sport record CO2 emissions of 197g/km, the diesel 192g/km. Diesel Sports Tourer versions match their Grand Sport siblings, while the petrol estate mode produces 199g/km.
Vauxhall’s FlexRide chassis is fitted, four driving modes allowing damping, steering, gear change-up points and the car’s stability and traction systems to be configured according to a driver’s preference, Brembo four-cylinder brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres on 20-inch rims complete the chassis specification.
The GSi gains bespoke styling, including chrome air intakes, specific front and rear bumpers, side sills and on the Grand Sport a large rear spoiler. Vauxhall’s IntelliLux LED matrix headlamps are also standard while inside there are full-leather front sports seats, aluminium pedals, an eight-inch colour information display with navigation, a Bose sound system and head-up display.
The all-wheel-drive is part of a package intended to position the Tiguan Allspace as a ‘proper’ off-roader. The 4WD system includes ‘Onroad’, ‘Snow’, ‘Offroad’ and ‘Offroad individual’ driving modes, and an optional off-road pack is available with a front bumper increasing the approach angle from 16.9 degrees to 24 degrees, plus extra underbody protection and chrome door sill protectors.
Matched to an equally new six-speed manual gearbox, the 1.5-litre diesel has been refined to cut its CO2 emissions, though Ford is not yet quoting figures. It produces 125hp and 300Nm of torque, and is available as standard in front-wheel-drive form.
