Three new engines have been added to the Volvo XC40 range, taking choices available for the SUV to five.
The XC40 launched earlier in 2017 with a 247hp T5 petrol engine or a D4 diesel of 190hp, and took the much-prized European Car of the Year award.
The three new units are led by the T3 petrol, Volvo’s first three-cylinder engine and expected to prove a big seller in the XC40 range. The 1.5-litre unit produces 156hp and 265Nm of torque, put through a six-speed manual transmission – Volvo intends to add an eight-speed auto option later.
T3 models go from 0 to 62mph in 9.4 seconds while returning combined cycle fuel economy of up to 45.6mpg and CO2 emissions from 144g/km.
Further powertrain additions to the XC40 range comprise the 2.0-litre four-cylinder T4 petrol and D3 diesel engines, both proven in other Volvo models. The T4 is supplied as standard with an automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive, while the D3 can be specified in front or all-wheel-drive forms.
XC40 models can now be purchased in three equipment levels, Momentum, R-Design or Inscription. All three are also offered in ‘Pro’ versions that add extra equipment such as heated front seats, bending headlights, LED front fog lights with a cornering function and a heated windscreen.
With the latest additions, the XC40 line-up now comprises 38 different models, starting with the T3 Momentum with manual gearbox at £27,610 and ranging up to the T5 Inscription Pro automatic at £37,620.
Audi is launching a short-term rental service, making selected cars available for hire periods between one hour and 28 days.
Dubbed Audi On Demand, the service already operates successfully in the United States, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Germany.
Eligible drivers can register online for the service, and select from a menu of Audi cars. These include Sportbacks, saloons, SUVs and coupes from the A1, A3, A4, A5, Q3 and Q5 ranges. Some centres will also offer A5 Cabriolet, S3 or S5 models.
Collect or have it delivered
The chosen car can then be collected directly from the centre, the driver presenting a QR code generated at the time of booking, along with photo ID and a valid driving licence. Alternatively, cars can be delivered to and collected from the customer, within a 30-minute driving radius of the Audi Centre.
Current prices for the service range from £70 to £190 per day, with a maximum loan period of 28 days. The cost includes a full service package with unlimited mileage, fully comprehensive insurance, concierge delivery and Audi Roadside Assistance.
The initial UK version of On Demand is based at Oldham Audi, near Manchester. By the end of August sites in Edinburgh and Glasgow will open, followed by Newcastle and Birmingham in September and further sites, including London, before the end of the year.
Eventually, Audi intends to offer On Demand nationwide.
A mildly facelifted version of the Jeep Renegade small SUV will go on sale in September, priced from £19,200.
The model launched originally in 2015 and immediately became the most popular model in the Jeep range, at one point accounting for three quarters of the brand’s UK sales.
Major changes to the new line-up are the addition of new petrol engines – a three-cylinder of 1.0-litre and 120hp, and a four-cylinder 1.3-litre with 150hp. They sit alongside updated versions of the 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesel units, modifications made to ensure they meet the latest Euro 6d-TEMP/D emissions regulations.
Reports have previously suggested that Jeep plans to add both a 2.0-litre mild hybrid and a plug-in hybrid model to the Renegade range by 2020.
All of the current Renegade engine line-up can now be combined either with a six-speed manual gearbox, dual-clutch unit or a nine-speed auto transmission.
Styling changes include revisions to the signature seven-slot grille, with new head and fog lights. The alloy wheel design has been changed and several customisation options added, seven different versions available in 16, 17, 18 and for the first time 19-inch sizings. The biggest diameter can only be specified with the range-topping Limited trim.
The interior has been updated and its storage capacity increased. Fiat Chrysler Auto’s Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system is included, either in five-inch or eight-inch sizes and with a more powerful processor. It controls the climate and sound systems, while the larger version includes navigation.
Safety specification improvements include the addition of lane departure and speed assistance aids, the latter with traffic sign recognition.
As previously the Renegade will be offered in both 2WD and 4WD versions. The £19,200 entry price, up by more than £900 on the previous model, buys the Sport model with the 1.0-litre gearbox, manual transmission and front-wheel-drive.
The cheapest all-wheel-drive Renegade comes in at £28,200, in Limited spec with the 2.0-litre diesel engine, while there is also a Trailhawk model that includes a low-range gearbox.
The latest version of the MG 3 has been unveiled, with the brand extending its seven-year warranty to the supermini.
Updating the first model that has been on sale for four years, the new MG 3 will go on sale at prices from £9,495.
MG describes the new car as ‘a natural evolution’ of the first model. Major changes to the exterior centre on the adoption of the brand’s current family face, with the ‘star-rider’ grille seen on recent models such as the ZS SUV.
The interior is also said to have undergone a major revamp while retaining plenty of space, including a 285-litre boot.
Mechanically the specification remains basically unchanged, though the 1.5-litre petrol engine, the only option, now offers 116hp, put through a five-speed manual transmission.
Three versions
The MG3 will be offered in three trim levels, dubbed Explore’, ‘Excite’ and ‘Exclusive’. All versions include Bluetooth phone connectivity, while ‘Excite’ and ‘Exclusive’ versions offer Apple CarPlay smartphone compatibility and DAB radio accessed through an eight-inch colour touchscreen, as well as steering wheel audio controls. Exclusive’ versions also include a reversing camera.
The £9,495 buys the entry-level Explore model, with Excite versions starting at £11,395 and Exclusives £12,795. A five-year, no deposit 0% APR finance package is also available.
Firs offered on the ZS SUV launched last year, the warranty is available over seven years or 80,000 miles. It is also fully transferrable to future owners.
MG currently enjoys the highest sales growth rate in the UK market, in percentage terms – up 115% year to date. However that represents 4,286 registrations – Ford, in the same period, has shifted more than 145,000…
MG’s sales and marketing head, Daniel Gregorious, is optimistic about the brand’s prospects. “New MG3 is another example of how we’re creating fantastic value-for-money packages across the range,” he says.
“Our seven-year warranty, high specification, competitive pricing, strong finance offers and fantastic design really set New MG3 apart in the supermini segment,” he adds.
It’s easy for the stresses of work or home life to carry over behind the wheel, and stressed drivers are never good drivers. Stress can affect how we feel physically and emotionally as well as impair our judgement and our reactions, which is not what you need when you are behind the wheel of a motor car.
To be a better driver, it’s important to make sure you are in the right frame of mind before you even buckle up. So if you’re feeling stressed before driving, road safety charity IAM RoadSmart and automotive industry charity BEN have come up with some tips to help you stay calm behind the wheel.
Firstly, it is important to recognise when you’re feeling stressed. BEN lists the following symptoms as potential warning signs of stress:
Becoming easily irritated with colleagues, friends or family
Feeling distracted, forgetful or moody
Having racing thoughts
Not being able to ‘switch off’
Becoming quiet and withdrawn
Under or overeating
Smoking more, drinking more alcohol or taking drugs
Tense muscles
Headaches
Feeling sick
Not sleeping well
Getting ill more often
Here are BEN’s tips for what to do you if you feel stressed before driving:
Go for a short walk to get some fresh air and unwind.
Wait until you feel calm and collected before heading out on your journey.
Try mindfulness and deep breathing exercises. Meditation has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety.
If you’re feeling ill from stress with headaches or sickness, make sure you feel well enough to drive.
Write down a list of the causes of your stress, this can help you clear your mind.
If you’re struggling with substance misuse then seek professional help. Be aware that alcohol and other substances can stay in your system for many hours, and still be present the following day.
If you’re having trouble sleeping due to stress then make sure you’re not too tired to drive. IAM RoadSmart suggests that if you feel sleepy behind the wheel to find a safe place to pull over and stop. Almost 20% of accidents on major roads are sleep-related.
Tell someone how you feel. Talking about your problems with loved ones can make a big difference.
You can check your mood with the anxiety/stress checker tool on BEN’s website. If you need more advice on how to handle stress, you can read BEN’s top tips on managing stress.
Call BEN’s free and confidential support line on 08081 311 333 or use its web chat by visiting ben.org.uk.
Tests by consumer organisation Which? have found that a large number of new diesel cars still exceed the new, tougher emissions limits in “real-world” testing.
Much fanfare has been made about the new WLTP and RDE fuel economy and emissions tests that were introduced by the EU last year, and which will apply to all new cars from this September. But based on the Which? research, a number of car manufacturers are still exploiting weaknesses in the testing procedures to build cars that pump far more toxins into the air than they should.
The tests have found that although some petrol cars produce excessive emissions when put through more rigorous testing than the EU requires, it is new diesel cars that are still spewing the highest levels of pollution from their exhausts.
Based on the outgoing NEDC emissions limits, Which? found that a whopping 77% of new diesel cars tested in the last 18 months exceeded the legal emissions limits when put through more rigorous testing. In reality, this is hardly news anymore – we’ve known since before the Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal broke that manufacturers had been gaming the emissions regulations for years.
The official government fuel economy numbers were a joke, and therefore emissions were as well, because the official NEDC tests simply weren’t tough enough (and yet Volkswagen still couldn’t build engines that could pass these basic tests without cheating…).
But all this was supposed to come to an end with the new, tougher WLTP laws. It was claimed that manufacturers wouldn’t be able to outwit the new tests, so the results would be truly representative of what buyers could expect when they bought a new car. Every new model released since September 2017 has had to comply with the new rules, and by September 2018 (just two weeks away as this is written) all new cars on sale must comply. So, good news all round, right?
Diesel cars still poisoning our air
Sadly, no. Which? claims that more than half of the new diesel cars they have tested in recent months still pump out far more pollution than the new rules allow, because those new rules still don’t properly represent real-world driving in sensible real-world conditions.
The test protocols used by Which? are stricter than the EU’s new scheme, yet they are hardly unrealistic. For example:
Cars are tested in the default setting they start up in, rather than switching them to an ‘eco mode’ as the EU allows manufacturers to do for official tests.
All test cycles are conducted with the air conditioning, headlights and radio switched on.
In addition to running the EU’s new WLTP test, Which? also conducts a proper motorway cycle, which official tests do not have.
Cars are tested with a 200kg payload, which is roughly equivalent to two adults, a bit of luggage and a tank of fuel.
The tests are lab-based, but if the results seem suspicious, the car is driven on real roads and emissions are measured using a PEMS (portable emission measuring system).
Which? has tested 61 new diesel models using these protocols since the start of 2017. 47 of those 61 cars (77%) failed to meet the outgoing NEDC emissions requirements. 33 out of the 61 cars (54%) failed to meet the new WLTP emissions standards.
So how can these offending cars be allowed on sale?
The government tests are softer than the Which? tests, so manufacturers still have wiggle room to ‘optimise’ their vehicles for best possible results. And, obviously, they do everything they can to get the best results – even though they know the results will not be realistic.
They can switch the car into an eco mode (that most drivers never use because it makes the car sluggish and unresponsive to drive). They are allowed to turn off air-conditioners, radios, headlights and anything else that may use fuel. They don’t have to account for passengers, luggage or any fuel in the tank beyond what’s needed to complete the test. They can pump up the tyres way past a comfortable or safe level to reduce rolling resistance. Plus various other tricks and ploys.
All of these little loopholes add up to big differences in the final results, but the level of variation reported by Which? is astonishing. We’ve republished their full table below. The worst offender – the Subaru Forester – was found to be producing 25 times the legal emissions levels, yet still passed the old NEDC tests.
The Subaru Forester diesel was the worst-polluting car tested by Which?
How does your car rate?
Here is the list of cars tested by Which? and their results. We’ve added columns to show how they rate against the old (NEDC) and new (WLTP) tests.
The new legal emissions limit from now until 2020 is actually double the current standard, as a sop to manufacturers from the EU for making the tests tougher. From 2020, the levels will decrease by 40%, although that still makes them 50% higher than the old NEDC levels.
Cars that fail both the old and new emissions standards under Which? testing
Fuel type
Car name and generation
Engine/trim
NOx (g/km)
NEDC (0.08g/km)
WLTP (0.168g/km)
Diesel
Subaru Forester (2013 to present)
2.0D Sport Lineartronic
2.022
2428%
1104%
Diesel
Renault Grand Scenic (2016 to present)
Energy dCi 160 Bose Edition EDC
0.896
1020%
433%
Diesel
Renault Captur (2013 to present)
dCi 90 Intens
0.725
806%
332%
Diesel
Peugeot 5008 (2017 to present)
BlueHDi 150 Allure
0.700
775%
317%
Diesel
Ford Kuga (2012 to present)
2.0 TDCI S/S Vignale 4×4
0.655
719%
290%
Diesel
Renault Megane (2016 to present)
dCi 130 GT Line
0.504
530%
200%
Diesel
Kia Sorento (2015 to present)
2.2 CRDi GT Line AWD automatic
0.480
500%
186%
Diesel mild hybrid
Renault Scenic (2016 to present)
Energy dCi 110 Hybrid Assist Intens
0.478
498%
185%
Diesel
Renault Scenic (2016 to present)
Energy dCi 130 Bose edition
0.472
490%
181%
Diesel
SsangYong Korando (2011 to present)
2.2 e-Xdi 220 Sapphire 4WD automatic
0.468
485%
179%
Diesel
Citroën SpaceTourer (2016 to present)
M BlueHDi 150 s/s Shine
0.436
445%
160%
Diesel
Kia Sportage (2016 to present)
2.0 CRDi 136 Spirit AWD
0.427
434%
154%
Diesel
Kia Optima Sportwagon (2016 to present)
1.7 CRDi GT-Line DCT
0.400
400%
138%
Diesel
Fiat Tipo (2016 to present)
1.6 Multijet s/s Lounge
0.383
379%
128%
Diesel
Ford Edge (2015 to present)
2.0 TDCi BiTurbo S/s Titanium 4×4 Powershift
0.380
375%
126%
Diesel
Alfa Romeo Giulia (2017 to present)
2.2 Diesel Super AT8
0.376
370%
124%
Diesel
Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake (2015 to present)
Diesel 2.1 (136bhp) 2WD
0.357
346%
113%
Diesel
Mazda CX-5 (2017 to present)
Skyactiv D 150 Exclusive line
0.342
328%
104%
Diesel
Mazda 3 (2013 to present)
Skyactiv D 105 Sports line
0.329
311%
96%
Diesel
Hyundai i40 Tourer (2011 to present)
1.7 CRDi blue Premium DCT (2016)
0.313
291%
86%
Diesel
Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer (2017 to present)
1.6 Ecotec Diesel s/s Business Innovation
0.302
278%
80%
Diesel
Land Rover Discovery Sport (2015 to present)
TD4 E-Capability HSE
0.300
275%
79%
Diesel
Volkswagen Golf SV (2014 to present)
1.6 TDI BMT Comfortline
0.299
274%
78%
Diesel
Volvo V90 (2016 to present)
D5 Inscription AWD automatic
0.267
234%
59%
Diesel
Peugeot 3008 (2016 to present)
BlueHDi 120 Allure
0.266
233%
58%
Diesel
Nissan Qashqai (2014 to present)
1.6 dCi Tekna
0.240
200%
43%
Diesel
Alfa Romeo Stelvio (2017 to present)
2.2 diesel Super Q4 AT8
0.228
185%
36%
Diesel
Audi A5 Cabriolet (2017 to present)
2.0 TDI design quattro S tronic
0.220
175%
31%
Diesel
Skoda Octavia vRS estate (2013 to present)
RS TDI DSG
0.219
174%
30%
Diesel
Jaguar F-Pace (2016 to present)
20d Prestige AWD automatic
0.215
169%
28%
Diesel
Volvo S90 (2016 to present)
D4 Inscription automatic
0.191
139%
14%
Diesel plug-in hybrid
Audi Q7 e-tron (2016 to present)
e-tron quattro tiptronic
0.177
121%
5%
Diesel
Skoda Kodiaq (2017 to present)
2.0 TDI SCR Style 4×4 DSG
0.172
115%
2%
Cars that pass the new WLTP emissions standards but fail the old NEDC standards
Diesel
BMW 3 Series GT (2013 to present)
320d Gran Turismo Luxury line steptronic
0.166
108%
-1%
Diesel
Audi Q5 (2017 to present)
2.0 TDI design quattro S-tronic
0.131
64%
-22%
Diesel
Audi SQ7 (2016 to present)
SQ7 TDI quattro tiptronic
0.123
54%
-27%
Diesel
BMW 5 Series Touring (2017 to present)
530d Touring Sport Line steptronic
0.122
53%
-27%
Diesel
Ford Fiesta (2017 to present)
1.5 TDCi s/s Titanium
0.116
45%
-31%
Diesel
BMW 3 Series Touring (2012 to present)
318d Touring steptronic
0.114
43%
-32%
Diesel
Mercedes-Benz GLC (2015 to present)
220d 4Matic 9G-tronic
0.112
40%
-33%
Diesel
Mini Countryman (2017 to present)
Cooper D Countryman
0.107
34%
-36%
Diesel
Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe (2016 to present)
250d 4matic 9G-tronic
0.099
24%
-41%
Diesel
DS 7 Crossback (2017 to present)
BlueHDi 180 automatic
0.098
23%
-42%
Diesel
Volvo XC60 (2017 to present)
D5 R Design AWD Geartronic
0.093
16%
-45%
Diesel
Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport (2017 to Present)
2.0 Diesel s/s Business Innovation
0.087
9%
-48%
Diesel
Volkswagen Arteon (2017 to present)
2.0 TDI SCR Elegance 4Motion DSG
0.087
9%
-48%
Diesel
Volkswagen Passat estate (2015 to present)
2.0 TDI SCR BMT Highline
0.084
5%
-50%
Cars that pass both the old and new emissions standards
Diesel
BMW 7 Series (2015 to present)
730d Steptronic
0.080
0%
-52%
Diesel
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer (2012 to present)
2.0 CDTI ecoflex s/s innovation
0.076
-5%
-55%
Diesel
SEAT Ateca (2016 to present)
2.0 TDI Xcellence 4Drive DSG
0.076
-5%
-55%
Diesel
Land Rover Discovery (2017 to present)
TD6 SE automatic
0.061
-24%
-64%
Diesel
BMW 5 Series (2017 to present)
520d Luxury Line Steptronic
0.053
-34%
-68%
Diesel
BMW X3 (2017 to present)
xDrive20d xLine Steptronic
0.043
-46%
-74%
Diesel
Mercedes-Benz CLS (2018 to present)
CLS400d Coupe AMG Line 4Matic 9G-tronic
0.042
-48%
-75%
Diesel
Peugeot 308 SW (2014 to present)
2.0 BlueHDi 180 GT EAT8
0.041
-49%
-76%
Diesel
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2013 to present)
S400d 9G-tronic
0.035
-56%
-79%
Diesel
Vauxhall Grandland X (2017 to present)
2.0 Diesel s/s Innovation automatic
0.034
-58%
-80%
Diesel
BMW X2 (2018 to present)
xDrive20d M Sport X Steptronic
0.031
-61%
-82%
Diesel
Mercedes-Benz E-Class estate (2016 to present)
E220d 9G-tronic
0.028
-65%
-83%
Diesel
Mercedes-Benz E-Class saloon (2016 to present)
E220d 9G-tronic
0.024
-70%
-86%
Diesel
BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (2014 to present)
218d Active Tourer Steptronic
0.014
-83%
-92%
As you can see, the Subaru Forester is the worst of all, exceeding the current limits by more than 2400% (in other words, it produces about 25 times the legal limit) and exceeds the new limits by 1100% (about 12 times the new limit). It also produced more than double the emissions of the second-worst car, the Renault Grand Scenic. Renault also has five cars in the ten worst offenders.
At the other end of the scale, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and Mercedes-Benz E Class are model citizens. Which? was so surprised by the big Mercedes’ outstanding score that it put the E-Class through the RDE road test protocol to check it against the lab figures, but the results were very similar so it is definitely a genuine score.
What does this all prove?
Well, firstly it’s important to state that all of the cars above passed their official government lab tests – even the Subaru and all those Renaults – so there is no question that they are legal. What is shows is how inadequate the regulations are at properly cracking down on emissions levels from diesel cars.
Industry bodies like the SMMT can bleat on about how efficient and environmentally-friendly modern diesel engines are, but the above tests show that it’s largely a charade. So don’t be surprised when governments and councils continue to levy additional taxes on diesel cars, and don’t believe industry representatives who complain that it’s not fair.
Car finance debt from dealerships for 2018 to date has smashed previous records, as new and used car buyers continue to borrow more and more money on their cars.
Point of sale (POS) consumer car finance lending for new cars topped £10 billion for the first six months of 2018, according to data released today by the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA), while lending for used cars was more than £9 billion. This is an increase of 8% and 17% respectively over last year’s record numbers, despite fewer cars being sold.
The average borrowing for both new and used cars hit record levels in the last quarter, with average new car borrowing at about £20,000 (up 7% over last year) and used car borrowing at about £12,000 (up 5% over last year). Over the same period, average weekly earnings across the UK have only increased by 2%, suggesting that buyers are spending more of their income on car finance payments than ever before.
For new car buyers, average car finance debt now represents more than 39 weeks of average earnings, up from 29 weeks at the start of the decade. Much of this growth has been fuelled by the popularity of personal contract purchase (PCP) finance, meaning greater debt but lower monthly payments thanks to the enormous balloon payment that hangs over the length of the agreement. The problem is that if a customer needs to settle the finance agreement early, they have an enormous debt that they generally can’t afford to clear.
Used car finance growth is also being driven by the increasing popularity of PCP agreements, although the interest rates are not usually as favourable on used cars as they are for new cars.
About 90% of all privately-purchased new cars are financed at point of sale, with car dealerships acting as brokers for the finance companies. For used cars, the figure is harder to judge but probably less than 20% as many used cars are sold privately or financed by other means (such as a personal loan from a bank).
Cars bought on finance by consumers through dealerships – June 2018
New business
Jun 2018
% change on prev. year
3 months to Jun 2018
% change on prev. year
12 months to Jun 2018
% change on prev. year
New cars
Value of advances (£m)
1,717
+9%
4,962
+18%
19,479
+4%
Number of cars
83,470
+1%
243,495
+12%
978,713
-6%
Used cars
Value of advances (£m)
1,460
+11%
4,562
+16%
16,528
+13%
Number of cars
119,903
+4%
383,302
+10%
1,412,991
+7%
Total cars
Value of advances (£m)
3,176
+10%
9,524
+17%
36,007
+8%
Number of cars
203,373
+3%
626,797
+11%
2,391,704
+2%
Source: Finance and Leasing Association
Increased interest rates have had no impact on car finance debt
Based on this record car finance lending for the first half of 2018, it appears that the Bank of England’s move to increase interest rates last November has done absolutely nothing to slow borrowing on new and used cars. Another increase has been announced this month, so it remains to be seen whether or not this will make any difference to car finance borrowing over the rest of this year.
There are still plenty of low-rate or even 0% APR new car deals around in the marketplace, and the ongoing desperation of car manufacturers and dealers to sell every car they can means that we are unlikely to see any substantial hikes in the rates offered to customers.
If rates do start creeping up, we can expect to see dealers steering customers towards ever-longer terms to keep their monthly payments down. Whilst that may help them get a sale today, it’s just postponing an inevitable problem of declining sales further down the line.
Significant power increases for entry-level models lead a package of updates to the Skoda Fabia supermini.
However buyers of the new car, on sale in September, will no longer be able to choose a diesel engine, reflecting the shift away from diesel in the UK market.
The entry-level Fabia S now employs a 1.0-litre engine producing 75hp – a 15hp increase over its predecessor model. However the power hike comes at a cost – Fabia prices now start from £12,840, which is £2,340 more expensive than the outgoing 60hp variant.
The car does gain more than the extra horses. LED daytime running lights are now standard on all versions of the Fabia, as is the Front Assist safety feature and a multi-function trip computer.
Five trims, three engines
The new Fabia will be available in five trim levels, and across its familiar hatch and estate body styles. Further engine options range across 95hp and 110hp units, like the 75hp version all of 1.0-litre capacity. The highest-power version can be specified with the manual or an optional seven-speed automatic transmission.
New alloy wheel options feature across the range along with other extra equipment, while the most significant equipment upgrades are to the mid-range SE-L model, priced from £15,205. This now comes with satellite navigation, a one-year subscription to Skoda’s Infotainment Online service, lighting in the front centre console and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Top-level Monte Carlo variants, costing from £16,985 with the 95hp engine, gain climate control air conditioning, LED rear lights, rear electric windows and new seat upholstery. The car’s styling package includes a black front spoiler, black roof, black floor mats and carbon-effect dashboard trim.
Several safety aids feature on the options list including adaptive cruise control, a rear-view camera, driver fatigue warning. Full LED headlamps are now available for the first time on the model, as is Blind Spot Detection and Rear Traffic Alert, costing £390.
The Honda HR-V compact SUV has undergone a mid-life revamp, with the emphasis on more technology and quality upgrades.
On the roads from October, the car will go on sale with a 1.5-litre petrol engine producing 130hp and 155Nm of torque. This has been improved thanks to measures to lower friction between the pistons and cylinder bores, and a friction-reducing coating on the timing chain to cut long-term wear and improve the efficiency of the engine.
Honda quotes a 10.2-second 0-62mph for the 1.5 HR-V with a six-speed manual gearbox, 10.9 seconds with the optional CVT automatic. Best combined cycle fuel economy (under the new WLTP measuring system) is 53.2mpg with CO2 emissions from 121g/km.
A more potent turbo version of the 1.5-litre engine and a 1.6-litre diesel will be added to the HR-V range in 2019.
Quieter interior
Inside, the Honda HR-V has gained more sound insulation, while some versions will be supplied with active noise cancellation (ANC). This reduces low-frequency noise in the interior by monitoring for such noises through two microphones, and then cancelling them out with ‘reverse phase’ audio signals through the speakers.
The front seats have been redesigned to provide more support, especially to the back, and covered in higher quality fabric. Top-line versions include a full-leather interior.
Exterior styling changes include a more substantial version of the Honda ‘Solid Wing Face’ graphic above the grille, deeper air intakes with built-in circular fog lights, and redesigned projector lens headlamps with LED daytime running lights.
There are also minor changes at the rear, while higher-specification models gain a different finish to the exhaust tailpipe and a new 17-inch alloy wheel design.
Honda has yet to reveal any price changes to the HR-V – prices and more detailed specifications will be revealed closer to the car’s launch.
The Audi e-tron electric SUV will produce more than 408hp and be capable of asub six-second 0-62mph time when it is officially unveiled before the end of 2018.
Audi has released more technical information on the fully-electric car, stating that it will combine enormous power and high efficiency. A key figure is a potential range of 248 miles before recharging, measured on the new ‘real-world’ WLTP cycle, and aided by new energy recuperation technology.
The e-tron will be powered by two electric motors which in normal conditions will have a peak output of 265kW, equivalent to 360hp, alongside 561Nm of torque. However a boost mode, activated by shifting a drive mode selector in the cockpit and fully depressing the accelerator pedal, will allow the car to produce 300kW (408hp) and 600Nm for eight seconds.
Innovative energy recovery
The recuperation system contributes up to 30% of the e-tron’s range, making use of both electric motors and an electrohydraulically integrated brake control system. An innovation in the car is to combine three different recuperation modes: manually while coasting through shift paddles on the steering wheel, automatic coasting and through energy produced by braking.
Around 90% of all deceleration – up to 0.3 – will be carried out only using the electric motors, with the driver able to choose three levels of recuperation, from no drag when releasing the accelerator pedal to a noticeable reduction in speed. The driver will be able to accelerate and slow down using only the accelerator pedal, effectively a single-pedal car.
The braking system will only contribute to the recuperation when the driver uses the brake pedal to decelerate by more than 0.3g. A new electrohydraulic actuation concept used for the first time employs a hydraulic piston in the compact brake module to generate additional pressure, making the brakes very rapid in action.
The whole system will be integrated with the car’s systems deciding whether to use the electric motor, the wheel brake or a combination of both for deceleration, with the driver not noticing the switch from one to the other.
Audi recently ran the prototype e-tron at the Pike’s Peak hillclimb in Colorado, USA – an event that also saw the Volkswagen I. D. Pike’s Peak electric race car set a record time on the 20km course up the 4,302 metre mountain.
Running on a 31km course descending 1900 metres down the mountain, the e-tron recovered enough energy back to the battery to cover the same distance again.
If you’re thinking of buying a new car and venture into a dealer showroom over the course of September, you’ll be forgiven for thinking the world’s gone a little crazy.
There will be more balloons on display than usual, windows will be festooned with new banners, salespeople will have wider smiles on their faces and a more pronounced spring in their step. There will be more customers milling around, sitting in cars, kicking tyres, thumbing through brochures, agonising over paint charts and discussing the best possible monthly finance deals.
Welcome to the arrival of the 68-plate change.
September is a monster month for the car retailing sector. It’s the last big push of the year from dealers and car manufacturers as they move to ensure as many new cars are driven off forecourts before the autumnal slowdown as budgets turn to Christmas.
Traditionally, September is a good time to buy a car. It’s when car manufacturers push the boat out in terms of low-rate personal contract purchase (PCP) schemes and bundling deals to include service plans, extended warranties, GAP insurance and even free fuel!
There will certainly be no escaping the marketing messages as multi-million pound budgets will be invested in advertising campaigns across every conceivable platform.
To celebrate the plate change, The Car Expert offers this round-up of what makes September so special.
How the plate change started
The first number plate to be issued was DY1 in Hastings in 1903, just ahead of it becoming mandatory for all new car purchases. The most famous plate from that year though is A1, the first plate to be issued by London County Council. The plate was acquired by Earl Russell who apparently queued overnight (or got his butler to queue, depending on which version you believe) to secure it.
The plate is still in use today (apparently on a Mini Cooper S) having changed hands for significant sums over the decades with one valuation placing it at £10 million!
Various numbering systems ran between then and 1963 when the annual year identifier was introduced, a move which resonated with British car buyers as the newness of their car was for all to see on driveways across the country.
Annual plate-changes through this period ran from January to December until 1967 when it moved to August.
The numbering system placed the year identifier at the end of the registration plate, starting with the letter A and working through to Y in 1982. From 1983 to 1998 the identifier moved to the start of the number.
The current biannual system
As car sales grew, the annual plate-change in August caused an administrative and logistical nightmare for dealers and manufacturers, as it created an enormous peak of sales in August and September, declining to a dearth of sales from May to July as no-one wanted to buy a new car that would almost immediately have an ‘old’ number plate. This prompted the introduction of the twice-yearly system (March and September) in 1999 with the T-plate.
The first of the new-style plates debuted in September 2001 with 51, surely a bitter disappointment for anyone buying a car back then as it wasn’t obvious the age identifier was the number 1. This was not helped by the run out of the old system which meant the March change in 2001 was Y, the last of the letters, rather than 01.
It began to make more sense from March 2002 with the 02-plate, with buyers quickly realising that if they purchased cars from March then everyone, especially the neighbours, would know they had a new car; a consideration as important as make, model and colour for many British buyers! No wonder March became the most popular of the two months.
The system took a little while to bed in and the removal of the annual peak saw the creation of two sizeable peaks instead, which when combined now account for over a third of all annual new car sales!
Whether moving from annual to twice-yearly was a success is a moot point. While dealers and car makers like the heightened activity six months apart, they would probably benefit from a system which more evenly distributed sales to avoid the inevitable quieter months of February and August where buyers tend to stay out of the market.
Yet the current system benefits from built-in longevity which will see it run until the 00-plate in September 2050.
What do the number plate combinations mean?
Some of those apparently random letters that make up registration numbers are precisely that, although some have a clearly defined purpose. We have covered it previously in our detailed explanation of how the British number plate system works, but here’s a quick summary.
The first two letters are an area code. The first letter is the most important with A standing for Anglia, B for Birmingham, C for Cymru through to Y for Yorkshire. Unusual ones along the way include F for Forest and Fens (Nottingham and Lincoln) and G for Garden of England (Maidstone and Brighton).
The second letter previously referred to the local Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) registration office, although these all closed in 2013 as the process moved online. However, the convention continues with the dealers issued letters according to their traditional area code.
The two numbers are the age identifier, with 68 representing registrations during the six month period from September 2018 to February 2019.
The last three are random but are issued in batches to dealers, which is why you’ll probably see similar letter sequences on new vehicles awaiting collection. Incidentally, the DVLA has measures in place to stop any potentially offensive combinations being generated.
How big will September 2018 be?
It will be sizeable, but not as massive as it has been in recent years.
As the new car market got back on track after the recession, the plate-change months grew dramatically. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the month of September peaked in 2016 with 469,696 registrations.
The first of the two plate-change months remains the biggest with March 2017 holding the all-time record when 562,337 cars were registered. That total is unlikely to be beaten, as buyers in 2017 were encouraged to purchase ahead of new Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) rates applied to cars registered from April.
New car registration numbers for every March from 2007 to 2018
New car registration numbers for every September from 2007 to 2017
With the current slow-down in new car sales, March 2018 dropped to 474,069 and September is widely expected to be down year-on-year, a factor exacerbated by a shortage of some engine derivatives as a result of all new cars having to comply with WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) type approval from 1 September. This could see September drop below 400,000 for the first time since 2013.
However, don’t let that spoil your buying pleasure and proudly displaying your 68-plate car for all to see!
What is it?
The DS 7 Crossback is a compact SUV and the first bespoke model from Citroën’s upmarket sub-brand.
Key features
Bold interior styling, spacious, upmarket technology.
Our view
The DS 7 Crossback is presented as a much more fashionable alternative to the mainstream upmarket compact SUV market but it only partly meets the brief. The interior styling is very bold but contained within a too conventional exterior.
However, the car does earn praise for its ride comfort and the innovation in some of its technology, while it also includes a strong safety package as standard.
Similar cars
Audi Q5, BMW X1, Lexus NX.
The DS 7 Crossback is the first car from DS that’s not a chromed-up old Citroën model
Full review
Introduction
It’s around four years now since DS, previously an upmarket trim level on Citroën cars, was launched to the world as a proper brand. Now DS Automobiles is to Citroën a bit like Lexus is to Toyota, and the DS 7 Crossback, which went on sale early in 2018, is a very important car for the new start-up.
Why? Because until this car, DS Automobiles products have consisted of Citroën models with their styling heavily worked over and any vestige of a Citroën badge consigned to the parts bin.
The DS 7, however, is different – the first standalone model from DS, and we are told the pioneer for a “new generation” of bespoke DS vehicles that will come to market in the next few years – we expect a smaller DS 3 Crossback and a saloon to target the monolith that is the BMW 5 Series, while an electric concept is due at the Paris show in October.
We are told that the DS 7 is a completely new model, developed from the ground up by DS. That’s partly true but the car is built on the same production line as the Peugeot 3008 and on the same platform – any Peugeot technician delving into the DS will not find anything mechanically unfamiliar.
No, where DS is building its exclusivity is in styling, particularly inside, trying to cement its self-titled image as the ‘avant-garde’ brand in the PSA line-up. The designers have certainly gone to town on the interior styling, as we will describe shortly, and that might be a surprise to anyone stepping into the car.
You see, for an ‘avant-garde’ brand, the exterior does look boringly conventional – rather like any other compact SUV. The DS 7 appears huge and it does give off an upmarket, premium impression, but avant-garde? If you were looking for a radical departure from the norm, as was the original Citroën DS of 1955, you won’t find it here.
Buying and owning a DS 7 Crossback
Checking out a DS 7 Crossback involves heading to a network of DS Stores and Salons that the brand has been opening across the UK. And that’s not as easy as it was. Initially, these were mostly connected to Citroën outlets but the brand has slashed their numbers in favour of opening exclusive sites. Currently there’s only around 30, though they are expected to rise to around 70.
Once you’ve found a dealer (except that we are told they are not dealers but “luxury stores”), you’ll be offered the DS 7 in one of four trim levels dubbed Elegance, Performance Line, Prestige and Ultra Prestige – you get the idea that this brand is emphasising luxury?
Highlights of the entry-level specification include 18-inch alloy wheels, leather on the steering wheel and gear lever, auto air conditioning and wipers, an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, rear parking sensors and keyless entry and start.
Our test car is furnished in the second-level and sporty pitched ‘Performance Line’. This adds almost £3,400 to the bill but does gain quite a lot of extra equipment. The alloys grow by an inch, there are electric folding mirrors that also shine a spotlight on the ground complete with DS logo, while inside boasts lots of aluminium detailing and rear tinted windows.
Perhaps, more importantly, this level also includes clever adaptive headlamps, extra rear airbags, a much larger 12-inch touchscreen with connected navigation, another 12-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver, and voice recognition controls.
Continuing the fashion magazine theme, each of the four trim levels also gets its own bespoke ‘Inspiration’ styling package which involves a lot more than the amount of leather added.
The Elegance version is called ‘Inspiration Bastille’, Performance Line models go with ‘Inspiration Performance Line’ (took a lot of thought, that one), Prestige models are furnished with ‘Inspiration Rivoli’ and the range-topping Ultra Prestige ‘Inspiration Opera.’
The DS 7 scored a five-star safety rating when tested by Euro NCAP in 2017. Autonomous emergency braking comes as standard, while an Advanced Safety Pack – optional on the lower two grades but standard on the rest – adds blind spot and lane-keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition and a driver attention alert.
Top spec Ultra Prestige models are also supplied with DS Connected Pilot, a semi-autonomous adaptive cruise control with steering assistance and stop-and-go. This can be specified as an option on all but entry-level models.
Inside the DS 7 Crossback
If the DS 7 looks conventional on the outside, it’s anything but within, and the whole effect is achieved by styling.
To start with, the car does the basics very well. For a car promoted as a compact SUV it feels huge within. Occupants front or rear will have to be of pretty large dimensions to complain about head, shoulder or legroom, and the boot space is pretty big at 618 litres. Note by the way that this is very much a five-seater – luxury SUVs apparently don’t do tiny rear seats…
However, it’s the design of the interior that will have one at last thinking that yes, this may be avant-garde. The overriding theme appears to be diamonds – they are everywhere…
The air vents in the corners of the dash are diamond-shaped. The graphics on both the driver’s instrument display and the touchscreen are also diamond-shaped. And as one presses a button to change them the graphic does a little roll-over dance before revealing the next screen. It’s novel at first, but before long becomes mildly irritating.
The overall design of the driver’s controls is clearly an evolution of the digital cockpit we first saw on Peugeot cars – it works just as well as the much-praised original, but this evolution appears to have consisted of styling it to the nth degree.
In some areas form clearly exceeds function – for example, the big touchscreen on our car has a line of chrome-finished but tiny buttons along its base and the furthest, a good stretch for the driver’s arm, controls that seldom-used function rear screen demisting…
We mentioned the bespoke styling treatment of each trim level. On the Performance Line, sporty clearly means Alcantara, because the material is everywhere – all over the seats, but all over the dash fascia as well. You will struggle to find any scratchy plastic because it’s all been covered in Alcantara.
In fairness, the quality of fit and finish is very good and the interior does feel upmarket – it’s just one gets the impression that the fashionistas were let loose in the interior only once the more sensible designers had been locked away in another room…
Driving the DS 7 Crossback
The DS 7 launched with a three-way engine line-up – a 180hp petrol unit and diesels in 130 and 180hp versions. The range has since grown to include a 225hp petrol engine and it’s this unit powering the car we are testing. All are PSA Group units familiar from Peugeot and Citroën models.
The small diesel is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, all the others get an eight-speed automatic transmission. And you can only buy this SUV in front-wheel-drive form – those wanting all-wheel traction will need to wait for a planned plug-in hybrid variant.
Luxury SUVs should provide exemplary ride comfort – circumstances involved us clocking up a lot of miles over the week with our test car and generally it proved an adequately comfortable way to travel.
Adequately? Other luxury models we have driven have suited the description better, but we should add that our car was not fitted with the clever Active Scan Suspension. A £1,000 option on Performance Line, standard on the top two trims, it uses a camera to spot imperfections and electronically adjust the suspension before it hits the obstacle.
The 225hp petrol engine does impress, both for its smoothness and its enthusiasm. It accelerates briskly – 8.3 seconds to 62mph is plenty swift enough for most – but never feels like it is doing so, the audio note never intruding into the cabin ambience.
Our DS 7 may be styled in a sporty way, but it is a ‘luxury’ vehicle and not a performance one, and this shows in the corners. At normal speeds it will traverse them as it needs to, but push on and it fails to connect very well, with little feedback from the steering wheel and a little too much body roll.
One final bit of praise should be reserved for the headlamps. Only entry-level models don’t get the Active LED Vision systems. Each unit has three modules which can rotate through 180 degrees. They can automatically vary in width and intensity to light up the roadside as needed, and change their shape whether you are on urban or rural roads or at speed on a motorway. The system even includes a parking mode that can very distinctively alert you to the position of your car – very impressive.
Summary
It’s not easy to sum up the DS 7 Crossback. Overall it is a well-built, very spacious SUV that is knocking on the door of premium. But while it replicates much of what an Audi or BMW can do, it doesn’t do it to the degree that will likely sway those who normally buy Audis or BMWs.
Of course, the other brand knocking on the door of premium recently has been Volvo and the DS 7 must count the new XC40 amongst its rivals – this reviewer would definitely choose the Volvo.
The brand, meanwhile, sees the Lexus NX as a prime rival for the DS 7, and yes it does offer an alternative to the mildly quirky Japanese contender.
Generally, however, we see the DS 7 being bought by those who want something that is different. And they’ll be offering lots of lifts home to work colleagues, because while the DS 7 Crossback won’t turn many heads in the company car park, once one steps inside it…
Volvo is launching its most powerful non-hybrid petrol engine, the T5, across the brand’s range-topping 90 series of models.
The 2.0-litre unit is available to order now for the S90 saloon, V90 estate and Cross Country, and the XC90 SUV. It slots into the range alongside the existing T4 petrol, D4 and D5 diesels, and the T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric plug-in hybrid.
Like all the engines now fitted to new Volvos, the T5 is built to Volvo’s Drive-e efficiency technology, which uses aluminium and aluminium alloys to keep each unit compact and light in weight.
Technology employed includes a variable valve system to enhance driveability as well as overall efficiency, advanced combustion control and measures to reduce power losses through internal friction. The single-scroll turbocharger uses exhaust gases to force more air through the induction system, increasing the engine’s responsiveness to commands through the accelerator pedal.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit offers 250hp and 350Nm of torque, while returning combined cycle fuel economy from 42.8mpg and CO2 emissions from 154g/km in the S90 saloon. In the standard V90 estate, the figures are 41.5mpg and 157g/km, from 38.2mpg and 172g/km with all-wheel drive in the Cross Country, and 35.8mpg and 184g/km in the XC90.
S90 and V90 customers can specify the T5 engine in all versions except the entry-level Momentum and Momentum Pro trims, T5 prices starting from £41,120 in the saloon, £43,120 in the estate and £44,685 in the Cross Country.
XC90 buyers can choose the T5 with any version, the cheapest in Momentum trim costing from £50,435.
Volvo Car UK managing director Jon Wakefield expect the T5 to appeal equally to retail and business buyers. “(It is) a superb addition to the S90, V90 and XC90 ranges – this cutting-edge engine brings increased choice for our customers, and offers strong performance with excellent efficiency and refinement,” he says.
Engine options for the Volkswagen T-Roc compact SUV now number five following the addition of a new 1.6-litre diesel unit.
The turbocharged engine offers 115hp alongside 250Nm of torque and will be available with a six-speed manual transmission, exclusively in front-wheel-drive versions of the T-Roc. All-wheel-drive variants will be supplied with the 2.0 unit of 150hp and 340Nm.
Volkswagen adds that the new engine returns CO2 emissions of 115g/km, under the new WLTP testing regime.
T-Rocs with the new unit start from £21,290, which buys the car in S trim. Standard equipment includes an eight-inch colour touchscreen and Volkswagen’s Composition Media infotainment system. This includes DAB radio and unusually in today’s market a CD player, while two mobile devices can be simultaneously paired with the system.
All T-Rocs also include the Front Assist safety aid, which encompasses autonomous emergency braking – the car gained a five-star maximum Euro NCAP safety rating. Halogen clear headlights with separate LED daytime running lights, dual-zone electronic climate control and electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors are also standard.
T-Roc prices start from £18,995, which buys a car in S trim with the 1.0-litre 115hp petrol engine.
Prices have been released for the Hyundai i30 N Line – a car with the sporty styling of the i30 N hot hatch but not its potency.
N Line variants of the i30 will go on sale on 1st September, at prices starting from £21,255.
Styling enhancements applied directly from the i30 N include the front and rear bumpers. Bespoke silver detailing features, as do a twin exhaust, LED rear lamps and 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot PS4 tyres.
Inside there are sports seats and a leather-faced steering wheel, again lifted from the i30 N, while the styling of the gear lever is bespoke to the N Line.
Hyundai adds that the chassis of the N-Line has been enhanced over standard i30 models. Suspension, brakes and throttle response have all been retuned to offer a more sporty performance.
However while the i30 N uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine with up to 275hp available, the N Line trim is combined with the 1.4-litre T-GDi petrol engine of 140hp, matched to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.
According to Hyundai Motor UK CEO Tony Whitehorn, the i30N has had a tremendous reception but many customers ‘want the show but don’t need the go.’
“N Line will give customers that balance of looks and performance,” Whitehorn says.
The i30 N Line models include an extensive safety package, autonomous emergency braking, hill start assist, lane departure warning and lane keeping standard on all models.
All versions also get an eight-inch centre console touchscreen display which includes DAB and smartphone compatibility for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
N Line models will be offered in both standard and ‘+’ versions, with £2,000 between them. The standard cars include cloth sports seats with the driver’s side electrically adjustable,, and black headlining and chrome effect exterior door handles to help distinguish the car from other i30 models. Air conditioning, an automatically dimming rear-view mirror and privacy glass are also standard.
The + models add heated leather and suede front seats, both with electrical adjustment and the driver’s side having a memory function. The steering wheel is heated and dual-zone climate control included as are LED headlamps and automatic rain-sensing wipers.
New car registrations were stable in July, with private sales almost exactly the same as 12 months ago and fleet registrations showing a small increase in the latest numbers published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The overall market was up just over 1% on the same month last year, with just under 164,000 new cars registered. Of those, private buyers accounted for 41% of the total, with almost exactly the same number of private new car sales as July 2017. Fleet sales were up by 2.6%, a small but welcome increase for manufacturers.
There was continued stability in the different fuel types of all those new cars. Diesel sales made up 32% of the total, which is still a 24% drop on last year but pretty consistent over the last five months or so. We’ve continually predicted that diesel’s market share should settle at around the 30% mark, and this is currently proving to be the case.
Alternatively-fuelled vehicles (basically hybrids and fully-electric vehicles) continue to grow, with a second consecutive month above 6%. Plug-in hybrid models saw particular growth of more than 33%, ahead of ‘regular’ hybrids at 17% growth and full-electric models up 2%. It’s still small beer in overall terms, but progress nevertheless. As more and more electrified models continue to become available, this will inevitably keep growing.
Swings still look dramatic compared to last year, but pretty stable over the last few months
The next few months will hopefully see continued stability, despite the Bank of England announcing an increase in official interest rates last week. A similar increase last November made absolutely no difference to the levels of borrowing on car finance, and we see no reason why this latest increase will make a significant difference either. Some finance companies may have to trim their profit margins slightly to close a few borderline deals, but there’s no need to feel too sorry for them.
There may some supply issues for some brands as WLTP fuel economy standards come into effect from September, which may lead to a bit of volatility within the marketplace over the next couple of months. This may affect relative sales among manufacturers but shouldn’t significantly affect overall registration numbers.
August will, as usual, be very quiet in terms of new car sales thanks to the UK’s ridiculous registration system, but manufacturers will be hoping for a decent September this year after a disappointing time last year.
Top ten shuffling
The top ten best-seller list saw a bit of a shake-up in July, with smaller cars enjoying another good month. As usual, the Ford Fiesta reigned supreme at the top ahead of the Volkswagen Golf. After that, the Volkswagen Polo and Vauxhall Corsa enjoyed strong sales to occupy the third and fourth places. The Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class both bounced back into the top ten in July to sit sixth and seventh, while the Ford Kuga reappeared in eighth place and the Kia Sportage popped up in tenth.
These came at the expense of the Ford Focus, Mini hatch and BMW 1 Series and 3 Series models, which all fell out of the top ten. The Focus is very much in run-out mode ahead of the all-new model arriving in showrooms, which has allowed the Nissan Qashqai to overtake it for third place in total year-to-date sales.
Notably, there were no dedicated saloon or estate models in the top ten (apart from the small number of Audi A3 saloons that are sold relative to the hatchback versions), with six hatchback models and four SUV/crossovers instead.
Patience has paid off for buyers who have been awaiting more power since the Mercedes-Benz X-Class pick-up launched at the end of 2017.
The X 350d version of the X-Class is now available to order, employing a V6 3.0-litre diesel engine with 258hp and 550Nm of torque. It joins the two existing 2.3-litre engines, the 220d with 163hp and 403Nm, and the twin-turbo 250d which offers 190hp and 450Nm.
Like all other X-Class models the 350d is supplied as a double-cab model only, the engine matched to the brand’s 4Matic permanent all-wheel-drive (offering three 4WD modes including a low-range setting for difficult terrain) and a 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission.
X-Class variants in 350d form will only be sold in the top Power trim level, and this trim will no longer be available with the other engines. Power trim includes a number of styling upgrades – painted bumpers with a simulated underguard in chrome; a rear bumper in chrome with integrated step; fog lights with a chrome surround and shoulder line trim strips in chrome.
The model also includes as standard LED head and tail lights (the headlights including a cleaning system with heated washer fluid jets); electrically folding exterior mirrors; and keyless entry and starting. Six-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels of 18-inch diameter are fitted, finished in himalaya grey.
Inside, there are eight-way electrically adjustable driver and front passenger seats, heated, as standard. A leather steering wheel is specified with gearshift paddles and cruise control, Artico leather and microfibre upholstery and Artico leather on the dashboard with topstitching, complimented by an aluminium interior trim.
X-Class 350d prices start at £38,350 plus VAT, the model exclusively available from Mercedes-Benz van centres, and the brand expects to deliver the first examples to customers in November.
The Vauxhall Insignia is now on sale with a 200hp engine, becoming the top power option for those who do not want the car with all-wheel-drive.
Available in both Grand Sport hatch and Sports Tourer estate versions, the new 1.6-litre sits just below the 2.0-litre 210hp engine – which is only offered with all-wheel drive and is the most potent Insignia option.
The new four-cylinder direct injection turbo unit produces its peak power at 5,500rpm and also offers a 280Nm torque figure, on tap from 1650 to 4500rpm.
In Grand Sport form, the new 1.6-litre Insignia will complete a 0-62mph sprint in 7.2 seconds and go on to 146mph. Provisional efficiency figures are quoted at combined cycle fuel economy of 44.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 146g/km – these to the new Euro 6d-Temp ‘real world’ emissions standards.
Vauxhall supplies the 1.6-litre model with a close-coupled Gasoline Particulate Filter, which more effectively oxidises particles and helps to improve its emissions standards.
Dealers are taking orders for the new Insignia model now, prices starting from £25,610 for the Insignia Grand Sport version in SRi VX-Line Nav trim.
The latest Insignia went on sale in early 2017 in its hatch and estate variants, joined later by a ‘Country Tourer’ version with a extended ride height. Currently, alongside the new 200hp unit, there are six engine choices: a 1.5-litre turbo petrol unit with either 140 or 165hp, the range-topping 2.0-litre with 210hp, and diesels with 110, 136 or 170hp.
A more powerful petrol engine headlines updates to the 2019 version of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which is now on sale.
The plug-in hybrid SUV, which has proved a best-seller for Mitsubishi since its launch in 2014, gains a new 2.4-litre petrol engine with power increased from 121 to 135hp and torque raised from 190 to 211Nm.
The rear electric motor is also more potent, now offering 95hp and with a 10% improvement in output from the battery. Overall battery capacity increases to 13.9kWh, allowing Mitsubishi to claim a combined cycle fuel economy figure for the Outlander PHEV of 139mpg – this under the new WLTP testing regime.
CO2 emissions under WLTP measurement remain at 46g/km, and the Outlander also offers an electric-power only range of 28 miles. Once the Government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant is taken into account, prices for the SUV start at £34,255, and for company car buyers it also attracts the lowest-possible benefit-in-kind tax rating of 13%.
Further changes on the 2019 Outlander include revisions to the dampers to improve the slow-speed ride, plus a driver-selected ‘Sport Mode’ which sharpens throttle response and grip through the car’s all-wheel-drive system. There is also now a ‘Snow’ mode to improve getaway and cornering on low-grip slippery surfaces.
The steering rack has been modified to be more responsive, and the front brake discs enlarged to improve stopping power.
Inside sees a raft of changes including more supportive front seats, improved soundproofing, a redesigned instrument cluster and changes to the switchgear. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility is included.
Subtle exterior updates encompass a new front end with a honeycomb mesh grille, bumper extensions and revised headlamps designs, and a larger rear spoiler. Two-tone finished 18-inch alloy wheels are also specified.
What is it?
The latest Kia Ceed is the third generation of the brand’s Euro-built family hatch.
Key features
Quality build, plenty of space, seven-year warranty
Our view
The third-generation Kia Ceed moves from being the family hatch for owners who want something different to a car on a par with the UK’s biggest sellers.
The Ceed offers everything the family motorist needs – quality in its build, plenty of space, a well-behaved driving experience and the peace of mind of a seven-year warranty. As such it is now a firm rival to the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, even the Volkswagen Golf.
Similar cars
Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, Hyundai i30
The new Kia Ceed launched into showrooms on 1st August and fans will notice one major change even before viewing the car.
No longer is this the subject of one of the best-known catchphrases from Jeremy Clarkson & co – ‘C apostrophe D’ is in the past as Kia drops the frankly irritating piece of punctuation that has led to so many motoring journalists mis-spelling the car’s name.
There is a very good reason. When the cee’d launched in 2006, it was Kia’s first solely European-produced model, charged with moving the brand firmly into the mainstream. Now, it’s firmly there, a viable rival to the biggest names such as Focus and Astra. So with the third generation, Kia is trying to present a more grown-up, mature image for a car that vies with the Sportage SUV as the brand’s European best seller.
This is an all-new Ceed, designed and developed in Frankfurt, and built at Kia’s European plant at Zilina in Slovakia. It is a standard five-door hatch but we can expect more models to follow – the first will be the estate version. There won’t, however, be another three-door pro_cee’d – we won’t miss that even more ridiculously punctuated name…
Built on a new platform, the Ceed is 2cm wider and lower than its predecessor. The wheelbase remains at 2.65m, but the front overhang is cut by 2cm, and that space added to the rear overhang.
This means more interior space and a bigger boot. It’s now 395 litres with the seats up, which is 25 more than the Vauxhall Astra, more than 50 over the Ford Focus.
The Ceed also gains a new, more mainstream styling treatment, clearly influenced by the brand’s recently-launched flagship Stinger model. Where the previous car boasted neatly rounded off edges, now they are much more distinct and crisp. Running from the signature ‘Tiger Nose’ grille, the profile is of solid straight lines, and the bonnet looks longer.
Okay, the Ceed does not present a radically distinctive visual appearance, but it is easy on the eye and not overshadowed by its mainstream European rivals.
Buying and owning a Kia Ceed
The new Ceed offers 11 different models over four trim levels. Costing from £18,295 they run through the brand-familiar ‘2’ and ‘3’ trims, a ‘Blue Edition’ limited edition between them with extra equipment and a bespoke ‘Blue Flame’ paint job, and the temporarily range-topping ‘First Edition’. As the name suggests this will be on sale only for around a year, and will then probably be replaced by a new range-topping trim.
Kia claims that many of the standard features on 2 models are cost options on rivals, such as the cruise control, air conditioning, de-icing front wipers, electric windows all round and automatic headlamps.
Cornering headlamps are standard, as are 16-inch alloy wheels, electric heated mirrors, leather trim detailing and a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with DAB and smartphone compatibility through Apple and Android. And the screen also shows images from the standard-fit reversing camera.
Upgrading to 3 costs £2,410 and adds 17-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers, faux leather on the front seats with some power adjustment, rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control and electrically folding mirrors.
The infotainment screen grows by an inch and includes navigation and Kia’s connected services. And there’s an extra digital display between the dash dials with more information.
The First Edition is only available with the 1.4-litre petrol engine and from £25,750 – more than £4,000 more than the equivalent 3 grade. For this, you get proper black leather on the seats, which are heated and vented up front and even the rears heated.
The driver’s seat is also ten-way power adjustable, while there’s a sunroof, keyless entry and start, an electronic handbrake, clever LED headlamps, auto parking and a much better JBL sound system. And it gets a host of extra safety features.
Kia is, of course, targeting a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating for the Ceed and standard active safety technologies include lane-keep assist, forward collision warning with collision avoidance (though only 3 models and above get pedestrian detection), a driver attention warning and auto high-beam headlamps.
Autonomous emergency braking, however, only comes as standard on the First Edition model. It is part of a package called Lane Following Assist (LFA) and offered for the first time on any European Kia.
LFA maintains the car’s distance behind traffic in front at speeds from 0 to 81mph, and also keeps the car in its lane. A feature that may alarm some is its ability to ‘identify appropriate spaces in other lanes to move into safely to gain more ground in heavy congestion.’ It doesn’t apparently deflect the inevitable insults that follow from other drivers…
Also standard on the First Edition is blind-spot and speed limit detection.
One Kia plus point the Ceed does maintain – it comes with a seven-year 100,000-mile warranty, transferable if you sell the car.
Inside the Kia Ceed
Inside the Ceed has undergone a major upgrade, again inspired by the Stinger saloon. Most noticeable is the quality – fit and finish is now on a par with the big-name competitors. It’s even comparable to the Volkswagen Golf, the standard bearer in this class.
Surfaces are soft touch with a pleasing lack of scratchy plastic. And the design boasts a more sculpted appearance, with a strong horizontal line that gives the appearance of a wider, more spacious environment.
The instrument layout is actually very traditional – there are proper, physical dial pods for the speedometer and rev counter, while the centre console switchgear is based around proper switches.
Unlike many rivals, Kia chooses not to integrate its touchscreen into the centre console and then control just about everything from it. The screen sits atop, dubbed ‘floating’ but appearing slightly like an afterthought add-on. But it works very well, especially when navigation is included as the software comes from the highly-regarded TomTom stable.
Kia claims increased front headroom and more rear shoulder room for the new Ceed, as well as the larger boot which also offers a lower loading lip than its predecessor. Certainly it feels spacious and comfortable to travel in, meeting the family car requirements in all respects.
Driving the Kia Ceed
UK Ceed buyers have a choice of three power plants. The 1.0-litre 120hp T-GDi (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) petrol unit, popular throughout Kia’s model line-up, remains but in updated form, while the previous 1.6-litre version has been replaced by a new 1.4-litre unit.
This engine offers 140hp, 4% more than its bigger predecessor, and thanks to its turbocharger is more responsive over a wider rev range while also cleaner.
Like other manufacturers, Kia is now being obliged to quote the stricter efficiency levels of the latest Euro 6D-Temp regulations, but still the 1.5-litre 115hp diesel engine (again, a new unit) is capable of CO2 emissions of 99g/km. Best petrol result is 122g/km.
These figures are achieved by cars fitted with the brand’s Eco pack, a suite of measures that includes extra underbody aerodynamics, lower suspension, lower rolling resistance tyres and a flap that closes over the grille when the intake is not needed for cooling, so improving the car’s aerodynamics.
Six-speed manual transmissions are standard across the range, with a seven-speed dual clutch auto also on offer.
At the launch event, close to the Ceed’s birthplace in Zilina, Slovakia, we were able to drive with the 1.4-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel units. In the current environment, Kia expects the majority of sales to be with the petrol engines, especially the 1.4.
This is no surprise as the 1.4 is a very well-behaved engine. The many upgrades to the Ceed have included improving sound insulation, and on exercising the throttle pedal, the only way you notice the engine’s efforts is by the increasing speed. It is refined, smooth and oh-so quiet.
The diesel is no less impressive, though if you really accelerate hard in it does manage to remind you it’s an oil burner. And while we haven’t tried the three-cylinder 1.0-litre in a Ceed, it’s fulfilled the brief in other Kia models and we’ve no doubt it will be fine here. But for the best all-round qualities, the 1.4 ticks all the boxes.
Previous Kia Ceed models have attracted criticism in the past for their handling, and the latest version boasts a new fully-independent suspension system that we are told has been “engineered for UK roads.”
Well, it works fine – mostly. Soaking up the bumps on less than perfect surfaces, cruising along mile after mile of motorway, it’s all very well behaved as one would expect in a family car.
Tackle a series of challenging bends, however, and the Ceed doesn’t quite match up to its rivals – especially the Ford Focus, which admittedly is renowned for its handling. There’s not enough feedback through the wheel, which feels slightly divorced from the chassis under it. The car remains well behaved, just not very involving.
Not that many owners will worry about such things. Overall the Ceed ticks all the boxes one expects in this sector – vitally the peace-of-mind factor.
Summary
Kia has done a very good job of updating its big-selling family car to ensure it meets new requirements. Where once the Ceed’s aim was to merely get on the same page as its more familiar European opposition, now it has to compete square-on with Focus, Astra and Golf, and strive to exceed them.
The third-generation Kia Ceed does this very well. It matches its rivals in quality, and in places it beats them for practicality, with the only minor minus point a slightly dull driving experience in comparison.
In its latest form, the Kia Ceed is a mainstream family car and an equal to the biggest-selling cars on the market. And it no longer has a silly name…
A package of updates to the Mazda MX-5 is to include an increase in maximum engine power.
On sale in September and applied across both the roadster and RF hard-top versions of the car, the refresh will see a revised version of the 2.0-litre SkyActiv petrol engine fitted to the car, its maximum power raised from 160 to 184hp.
This has been achieved by the use of lighter pistons and con-rods, revisions to the camshafts and exhaust valves, the fuel injectors, throttle valve and air intake.
Faster to 62mph
The redline on the engine now increases from 6,800 to 7,500rpm, while peak torque raises by 5Nm. This cuts eight tenths from the 0-62mph time of the 2-litre MX-5 in roadster form, now hitting the mark in 6.5 seconds. RF manual models improve by six tenths and the auto version by half a second.
Mazda adds that the new potency does not come at the expense of efficiency. Both the 2019 MX-5s engines achieve Euro 6d Temp emission regulation compliance under the new WLTP emissions rules, while the introduction of Mazda’s i-Eloop and i-stop kinetic recovery and stop-start technology on the 2.0-litre models results in the new engine returning lower CO2 emissions than the outgoing 160hp car.
The upgraded engine will be available in a range-topping GT Sport Nav+ model from 1st September, with versions in SE-L Nav+ and Sport Nav+ models going on sale later in the autumn.
Mazda has also improved the 1.5-litre MX-5 engine, which sees a sight power and torque increase to 132hp and 152Nm, with no penalty in economy or emissions. These go on sale across the rang eon 1st September.
Other 2019 updates include telescopic steering adjustment, improved seat sliding, while the only changes to the styling are to add new 16 and 17-inch wheel designs.
Prices for the MX-5 start from £18,995, ranging up to £29,195.
SEAT is to make its Digital Cockpit available to buyers of the Arona small SUV and Ibiza supermini.
The technology, first seen on cars from SEAT’s sister brand Audi, consists of a ten-inch digital display ahead of the driver where the speed and rev counter dials are traditionally located.
It allows the driver to scroll through various views using a button mounted on the steering wheels, focusing on three main displays which can also be individually customised.
Classic mode retains the speedometer and tachometer dials in digital form but an analogue layout. Between them extra data can be displayed, including navigation, music, phone, driving data and assistance information (lane assist, blind spot detection and front assist, ACC) and the vehicle’s status.
Digital mode stretches the central display across the full ten inches, showing the complete navigation map. This can be zoomed in and out while essential information such as phone, driving data, assistance information and vehicle’s status are still accessible.
The Dynamic display highlights important information such as turn-by-turn directions, advanced driver assistance system information from lane assist, blind spot detection and front assist, and the vehicle’s status.
The display also aims to avoid driver distractions. Music can be scrolled through using the steering wheel control with each track appearing on the display while the driver continues to look ahead, and if a phone call is received then caller ID appears on the display.
SEAT already offers the Digital Cockpit as standard on Xcellence Lux and FR Sport versions of its Ateca and Leon models. Now it will be included in the equivalent trims on the Arona and Ibiza. SEAT states that the Arona is the first crossover in its segment to be offered with such a display.
The long-awaited BMW i8 Roadster has gone on sale, the first open-topper from the German manufacturer’s hybrid electric sub-brand.
First shown as a concept at the Beijing Auto Show back in 2012, the two-seater will sit in showrooms alongside the existing i8 2+2 coupe.
Like the coupe model, the new i8 Roadster is powered by a combination of a British-built petrol engine powering the rear wheels and an electric motor driving the front wheels.
According to BMW, much of the concept has been retained in the production version, particularly the signature dihedral doors and clever packaging of the roof. This opens or closes electrically in 15 seconds, at speeds of up to 31mph – the fastest operating roof in the BMW range.
When opened, the three segments of the roof fold back vertically in a Z shape, which frees up 100 litres of storage capacity between the roof box and the seats. The rear compartment of the car accommodates another 68 litres. When the roof opens the rear screen raises 3cm to cut turbulence, and its height can be adjusted by the driver.
The i8 Roadster’s structure combines aluminium with CFRP (carbon-fibre reinforced polymer) and includes 3D printed parts connecting the roof to the body. This process allowed the components to be produced in a geometric form not possible with traditional casting techniques.
A combination of a three-cylinder turbo petrol engine and an electric motor provides the hybrid powertrain, the engine driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission, and the electrics driving the fronts using a two-speed auto gearbox. Since its launch in the original i8 coupe the hybrid technology has been developed, and the electric side now solely provides the propulsion much more frequently, the engine only used for hard acceleration.
The capacity of the lithium-ion battery has been increased from 20 to 34Ah, allowing an increase in electric power by 12hp to 143hp and the ability to travel 33 miles in electric-only mode. The car can reach 65mph from rest on electric power alone, or 75mph if an ‘eDrive’ boost button is pressed.
The 1.5-litre petrol engine now puts out 231hp and 320Nm of torque. combined system power is now 374hp, which means the i8 Roadster will reach 62mph from rest in 4.6 seconds and go on to an electronically limited 155mph. And it will do this while returning combed cycle fuel economy 141.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 46g/km.
However, such technology comes at a cost. Prices for the i8 Roadster start from £124,735.
What is it?
The new Mazda 6 is the latest and significant update to the brand’s fleet favourite family car.Key features
Major interior redesign, strong safety and equipment package, diesel engine options
Our view
The Mazda 6 is a bit of a hidden gem, whether in saloon or estate form. Those who ignore it in favour of heavyweight rivals from the likes of Ford, Vauxhall or Volkswagen are missing out as the latest swathe of updates have made a good car even better.
The car scores on its equipment, its well-behaved yet enjoyable drive and its looks, particularly the interior which n the latest model has been raised several levels. For the private or fleet buyer, looking for diesel or petrol, the Mazda 6 is a contender.
Similar cars
Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia, Volkswagen Passat.
Exterior changes to the latest Mazda 6 saloon and estate are subtle
Full review
Introduction
The Mazda 6 family car, the latest facelift of which arrived in showrooms at the end of July in both saloon and Tourer (estate) formats, is the Japanese brand’s most fleet-friendly model – but in fact, it sells rather well to general consumers as well.
Those spending their own money buy more examples of the Mazda 6 than they do the Ford Mondeo – while Mazda has 2% of the overall UK car market, 15% of all large volume family cars sold are 6s. Not surprisingly it was for many years the brand’s best-seller, a title only recently taken by the CX-5 and CX-3 SUVs.
So if this is such an important car to Mazda, the latest, third facelift to a model originally launched in 2013 appears at first glance to be subtle in the extreme. Even the brand’s UK head Jeremy Thompson admits that the exterior changes are not significant, though pointing to a deeper, more aggressive front grille, new front and rear bumpers and a changed lighting signature.
No, the real changes are within. The interior has been completely redesigned. Equipment levels have been upgraded, and there is a new engine. This 2.5-litre petrol unit with 194hp has previously seen service on the gargantuan Mazda CX-9 SUV sold only in the US, and its addition to the Mazda 6 range is a direct result of the shift in petrol/diesel popularity.
There is an enhanced safety package too, in a programme of updates that Mazda expects will keep its flagship model still popular for some time to come. While in the past 60% of 6 sales were company cars, with this one the brand expects an equal split, confident of attracting even more private buyers out of Mondeos, Insignias and Passats, and perhaps away from SUVs…
Buying and owning the Mazda 6
Despite the decimation of the oil-burner market over the last two years, Mazda is confident that some 55% of 6 sales will continue to be with diesel engines. Historically, the 150hp diesel SE-L Nav has been the most popular variant, chosen by those company car buyers who are permitted to choose their wheels.
So this 2.0-litre engine remains in a now five-strong engine line-up, all naturally-aspirated units constructed as part of the brand’s SkyActiv programme which relies on efficiency rather than downsizing to achieve modern economy and emissions standards.
Such matters are also the reason why every Mazda 6 now carries a ‘+’ in its model title. This signifies that all have been tested under the new and stricter WLTP economy and emissions programme. Being a more ‘real world’ test this produces higher figures than the previous laboratory-based NEDC test – under the new regime the lowest CO2 figures available on both the petrol and diesel Mazda 6 is 117g/km.
The more powerful diesel unit is also carried over from the previous range, though its power has been increased from 175 to 184hp. Similarly, the 145 and 165hp 2.0-litre petrol engines were available in the outgoing model, though have been updated with several new components. They are joined by the new 194hp unit, which is of 2.5 litres and includes cylinder deactivation technology to aid efficiency when not under load.
There are changes to trim levels too. One now has five to choose from, and adding the + to them all does create some clunky names – SE-L LUX Nav+ anyone? The major addition is the new range-topper, GT Sport Nav, effectively the Sport Nav with more equipment.
Importantly, Mazda has also seen fit to upgrade the safety package of the 6, Thompson admitting that this is to ensure another top five-star Euro NCAP safety rating to go with the one earned on its last test in 2013.
Under the ‘Safety as Standard’ banner, Thompson says that the brand wants to make safety as important a perception as driving pleasure. So every car includes adaptive cruise control with autonomous braking, lane-keep assist, high-beam assist, blind spot and rear cross-traffic alerts. And every vehicle also gets a head-up display projected onto the windscreen, replacing the previous version that required a clear plastic plate above the dash.
All bar entry-level versions also include a reversing camera, and an £800 option on the Sport Nav+ and standard on the range-topping GT Sport Nav+ is a Safety Pack. This comprises a 360-degree parking camera (the first offered on a Mazda), adaptive LED headlamps, rear smart city braking and a driver attention alert.
Inside the Mazda 6
This is where much of the important upgrades have been carried out. The basic principles are the same as the previous car, and in Mazdas generally, but it’s all been refined into a smarter, more upmarket looking design. Notably, subtle repositioning of such dash staples as the air vents gives the impression of a wider interior.
Crucially, design is not allowed to rule over function and all the controls are very easy to operate, making this car easy to get used to.
The basic needs are attended to as well. The 6 is a comfortable car to travel in, with plenty of head, shoulder and leg room front and rear. The 480-litre boot of the saloon and 522 in the estate are competitive with rivals and the latter extends to 1,664 litres with the seats lowered.
Equipment levels are good across the range. but it’s worth passing over the entry-level SE-L Nav+, costing from £23,195 in saloon form and £24,095 as an estate. Spending an extra £1,400 for the Lux variant brings a host of extras including such niceties as heated leather seats, heated steering wheel, powered adjustment of the driver’s seat with a memory function.
By the time you get to Sport Nav+ the spec increases to keyless entry and an impressive-sounding Bose sound system. Meanwhile, as the model names suggest, every car gets navigation, even the entry-level variants, and it’s accessed through a good-sized eight-inch screen atop the centre console.
On the top GT Sport Nav models driven on the launch, the interior upgrade goes a stage further. Nappa leather is employed extensively, as are upgraded seats with more support but a deeper sense of comfort. As well as being heated they are ventilated too, another first for Mazda, as is the rear-seat heating.
Driving the Mazda 6
The Car Expert tried out both saloon and estate variants of the car on the launch event, and while only petrol engines were available to test, they did include the new 194hp 2.5-litre unit.
The 2.5 is the most powerful engine yet offered in a 6, and its 8.1-second 0-62mph time is respectable. Efficiency figures of 42mpg and 153g/km are to be expected in a more potent petrol unit, especially as these are measurements to the new WLTP standards.
Both the 194 and its less powerful, but not that much more efficient 165hp sibling (44.1mpg and 146g/km) have to be given plenty of revs to produce their performance – those coming out of diesels with their low-down torque might find this off-putting. However, they keep accelerating strongly, while remaining smooth and refined, particularly in the case of the 194.
It’s perhaps indicative of the market that the 194 can only be specified with a six-speed auto transmission. It would be interesting to pair it with a manual transmission and make the most of what is a very good chassis.
Mazda has updated the underpinnings of the 6, a host of small but significant technical changes from revising bushings to using new materials in the rear suspension. The details don’t matter – what is important is that they add up to a dynamically very impressive road performance.
After driving so many SUVs in recent times, this reviewer gained real pleasure from setting into a car that felt so well sorted. In a straight line it is comfortable, smoothly absorbing bumps and indentations while keeping occupants cossetted in the cabin thanks to improved sound absorption measures.
In the corners, the 6 turns in with precision and maintains its poise throughout. There is a little body roll but not to alarming proportions, even if one pushes it far beyond what such a large car of this nature should expect – particularly the estate. And feedback through the wheels is excellent, weighted to just the right level of providing assistance without feeling devoid of the driver’s control.
Overall this is an excellently sorted package. It will provide all the easy-to-live qualities that those who need to rack up motorway miles will need, but will also be enjoyable to drive. It’s as complete as any of its perhaps more familiar rivals.
Summary
One of the long-held fallacies applied to the Mazda 6 is that it is a cheaper option to the Ford Mondeo. It’s not, prices are similar to those of its Ford and Vauxhall opposition, not helped by the fact that as every Mazda is built in either Japan or Thailand it costs the brand 10% extra in tariffs to bring them into the UK.
The Mazda 6 is, however, a viable option to the Mondeo, Insignia, perhaps even the Volkswagen Passat that is often considered a bit more upmarket. Following this latest facelift the Japanese contender now more than ever matches its rivals in terms of quality, equipment and driving experience. In some areas it exceeds those rivals – its safety package is particularly impressive for example.
Not everyone wants an SUV, and if you are one of those for whom a family car is still the preferred choice, the Mazda 6 should be on your test-drive list. You may be surprised.
Not everyone wants an SUV, and if you are one of those for whom a family car is still the preferred choice, the Mazda should be on your test-drive list.
An exclusive group of 106 people have been told that they are to become owners of a McLaren Speedtail.
The Speedtail name is to be applied to the sports car manufacturer’s new Ultimate Series model, announced in November 2016 and until now only known as the BP23.
Dubbed the successor to the original and iconic McLaren F1 of 1993, each Speedtail will cost £1.6 million plus taxes. Only 106 will be made, and all have already been reserved.
Details of the Speedtail are currently scarce before its reveal, set to happen before the end of 2018 following a private preview for the 106 future owners.
The car has been hinted at in a series of official teaser sketches, while McLaren says that the name signifies the fact that it will have a ‘flowing, highly streamlined design’ and will be capable of a peak speed faster than any previous McLaren road car.
This will require the car to exceed the 243mph set by the McLaren F1 – the Speedtail will do this by means of a petrol-electric powertrain mating a hybrid system to a twin-turbo V8 engine..
In another nod to the F1, the Speedtail will be a three-seater – the driver sitting in the centre with their passengers either side and slightly further back.
Every example will also be bespoke, McLaren’s Special Operations Department tailoring each car to its owner’s requirements.
Development of the Speedtail is underway – industry sources suggest a full prototype does not yet exist. It is expected to begin production in late 2019, becoming McLaren’s third Ultimate Series model after the P1 and recently launched Senna.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit offers 250hp and 350Nm of torque, while returning combined cycle fuel economy from 42.8mpg and CO2 emissions from 154g/km in the S90 saloon. In the standard V90 estate, the figures are 41.5mpg and 157g/km, from 38.2mpg and 172g/km with all-wheel drive in the Cross Country, and 35.8mpg and 184g/km in the XC90.
S90 and V90 customers can specify the T5 engine in all versions except the entry-level Momentum and Momentum Pro trims, T5 prices starting from £41,120 in the saloon, £43,120 in the estate and £44,685 in the Cross Country.
XC90 buyers can choose the T5 with any version, the cheapest in Momentum trim costing from £50,435.
Volvo Car UK managing director Jon Wakefield expect the T5 to appeal equally to retail and business buyers. “(It is) a superb addition to the S90, V90 and XC90 ranges – this cutting-edge engine brings increased choice for our customers, and offers strong performance with excellent efficiency and refinement,” he says.
According to Hyundai Motor UK CEO Tony Whitehorn, the i30N has had a tremendous reception but many customers ‘want the show but don’t need the go.’
“N Line will give customers that balance of looks and performance,” Whitehorn says.
The i30 N Line models include an extensive safety package, autonomous emergency braking, hill start assist, lane departure warning and lane keeping standard on all models.
All versions also get an eight-inch centre console touchscreen display which includes DAB and smartphone compatibility for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
N Line models will be offered in both standard and ‘+’ versions, with £2,000 between them. The standard cars include cloth sports seats with the driver’s side electrically adjustable,, and black headlining and chrome effect exterior door handles to help distinguish the car from other i30 models. Air conditioning, an automatically dimming rear-view mirror and privacy glass are also standard.
The + models add heated leather and suede front seats, both with electrical adjustment and the driver’s side having a memory function. The steering wheel is heated and dual-zone climate control included as are LED headlamps and automatic rain-sensing wipers.
Further changes on the 2019 Outlander include revisions to the dampers to improve the slow-speed ride, plus a driver-selected ‘Sport Mode’ which sharpens throttle response and grip through the car’s all-wheel-drive system. There is also now a ‘Snow’ mode to improve getaway and cornering on low-grip slippery surfaces.
The steering rack has been modified to be more responsive, and the front brake discs enlarged to improve stopping power.
Inside sees a raft of changes including more supportive front seats, improved soundproofing, a redesigned instrument cluster and changes to the switchgear. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility is included.
Subtle exterior updates encompass a new front end with a honeycomb mesh grille, bumper extensions and revised headlamps designs, and a larger rear spoiler. Two-tone finished 18-inch alloy wheels are also specified.
The car has been hinted at in a series of official teaser sketches, while McLaren says that the name signifies the fact that it will have a ‘flowing, highly streamlined design’ and will be capable of a peak speed faster than any previous McLaren road car.
This will require the car to exceed the 243mph set by the McLaren F1 – the Speedtail will do this by means of a petrol-electric powertrain mating a hybrid system to a twin-turbo V8 engine..
In another nod to the F1, the Speedtail will be a three-seater – the driver sitting in the centre with their passengers either side and slightly further back.
Every example will also be bespoke, McLaren’s Special Operations Department tailoring each car to its owner’s requirements.
Development of the Speedtail is underway – industry sources suggest a full prototype does not yet exist. It is expected to begin production in late 2019, becoming McLaren’s third Ultimate Series model after the P1 and recently launched Senna.
