Innholdsfortegnelse for 1506 i Auto Express

I CAN think of no better way of starting a new year than by celebrating the arrival of the latest version of one of the British car industry’s most enduring icons, the MINI (see Page 10 for more). A combination of appealing design tweaks, some interesting tech and improved infotainment should ensure that the success story continues for a brand that’s been revitalised under BMW. One of the tech advances that MINI is keen to highlight is the standard fitment of front and rear LED lights, a first for the class. But it’s the design that is certain to catch the eye. As you can see from our picture above, the rear light represents a subtle but unmistakable rendering of the Union flag. It’s no surprise really, given that this…

“Full-electric Kia Niro’s tech spec – 201bhp electric motor and a 64kWh battery – looks ready for production“ John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy HYUNDAI and Kia have used this week’s Consumer Electronics Show to ramp up their electrification plans – showcasing an all-new fuelcell vehicle, and the pure-electric version of the Niro crossover. The fourth generation of Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel-cell model is called NEXO – and it was shown in production form for the first time at the Las Vegasbased electronics exposition. It’ll arrive in Hyundai’s UK dealers, in right-hand-drive form, in 2019. The NEXO is a svelte-looking SUV, with subtle surfacing and a ‘floating’ roof design giving it a swoopy stance. It keeps some Hyundai cues, such as the same ultra-slim daytime running lights as the recently launched Kona baby SUV, but…

VOLKSWAGEN has taken the unusual step of suspending sales of the Golf GTE in the UK, following a spike in orders in the second half of last year which led to increasingly long delivery times. Sales of the plug-in hybrid hatchback rose by 27 per cent last year, but limited supplies meant that customers would have been facing lead times running into several months. A Volkswagen spokesperson told Auto Express that the current order list for the car contains “several thousand vehicles”. A statement from the company said: “Due to the high demand in this market, the delivery time for the vehicle for new customers has accumulated to several months. The Golf GTE will not be available for order in the UK for a certain time, unfortunately. The order process…

WHILE the world around it has changed beyond recognition, the Mercedes G-Class (or G-Wagen) has remained on sale virtually unchanged for almost four decades. Despite this, sales in the past few years have been the best that Mercedes has ever seen. Now Auto Express has joined the team developing the new generation, which will be unveiled at next week’s Detroit Motor Show, although images have leaked out prematurely (opposite). We’ve come to Schöckl in Austria, a 1,445m-high mountain where the original G-Class was developed. The swirling camouflage of the prototype isn’t fooling anyone; the shape is pure G-Class, while signature design details like those prominent wing-mounted indicators leave no doubt about the car we’re riding in. But under the skin this car is all new. Oliver Metzger, head of G-Class…

THE production version of the new Mercedes G-Class will shed its disguise at next week’s Detroit Motor Show – but the first images of the car have already leaked out. These pictures show that Mercedes has played around with the front bumper and grille, adding new headlight clusters in the process. That’s about it, though, as the design changes have been kept to a minimum to preserve the original’s character. And the photos confirm that the iconic car’s topmounted front indicators have been retained, despite pressure from pedestrian impact rules.…

“Sales manager told him he hadn’t actually signed up to a Peugeot plan, but the dealer’s own scheme” SERVICE plans are a great way to save money. They allow drivers to spread maintenance costs over several months, at a fixed price with no surprises, instead of paying for each visit. The only shock you might get is if you find you needn’t have spent as much on a plan – as reader Jonathan Edwards discovered after purchasing a Peugeot 108. Jonathan, from Tring, Herts, told us: “I bought the car from Palmers Peugeot in Watford in October 2014. I was persuaded to buy a three-year service plan for £16.37 per month, on the understanding that this was a 25 per cent saving over usual service costs.” Yet three months later,…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor YOU may think your smart new hatchback with its contrasting roof colour, large alloy wheels and stripes on the bonnet is truly unique. You may think there’s not another one like it and your shiny new motor is a true expression of your lifestyle. But it isn’t – for a unique car you need to head to West Sussex. Nestled in the heart of the South Downs lies Rolls- Royce Motor Cars. Ever since BMW took control in the early 2000s, Britain’s most famous luxury brand has been building cars for a new generation of the rich and famous at its home in Goodwood. With BMW’s name over the door, nine new cars have been added to the family dynasty, alongside a raft of special, one-off commissions. However,…

Running costs 74.3mpg (official) £49 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 11.3 seconds/113mph James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk SEAT’S sharp fifth-generation Ibiza has already proven itself to be one of 2017’s top small hatchbacks, even picking up the best supermini gong at our New Car Awards in June last year, thanks to its appealing combination of style, driving fun and value. 2018 sees a flock of new Ibizas enter the fray, including a pair of diesel options. The engines involved are venerable Volkswagen Group 1.6-litre TDI units, with either 79bhp or 94bhp on tap and the same headline fuel economy and CO2 figures of 74.3mpg and 99g/km. The more powerful 94bhp unit finds a home in sporty FR-trim cars, while the 79bhp version is spread across the range. Here we’re trying the 94bhp unit in an…

SSANGYONG is a true up-and-coming brand in the car world. The name might not mean much to you now, but think back to when the likes of Hyundai and Kia were building cheap hatchbacks – and look at where they are these days. The South Korean firm had a reputation for its rugged people movers and SUVs that were generations behind their rivals, but that’s starting to change – first with the Tivoli and now with this new Rexton large SUV. It’s more upmarket than before, with better materials inside and plenty of improvements when it comes to technology. Can it really compete with its modern rivals, though? Here we’re testing the new SsangYong alongside the established Mitsubishi Outlander, plus a relative newcomer in the Renault Koleos. The Outlander is…

Running costs 40.5mpg (on test) £85 fill-up/£140 or 32% tax Practicality Boot (7/5/2 seats) 128/591/1,608 litres Performance 0-60mph/30-70mph 9.5/9.1 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 54.6/36.2/10.8m MODEL TESTED: Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 DI-D 4 Auto PRICE: £34,055 ENGINE: 2.2-litre 4cyl, 148bhp IN spring 2017 the Outlander diesel range was updated with more equipment to bring it in line with the popular PHEV plug-in hybrid model. Here we’re testing the top-spec Outlander 4 2.2 diesel in automatic form, which starts at £34,055. Design & engineering ALTHOUGH the Outlander was updated early last year, it’s still based on the same architecture as the previous version, but there were some tweaks to the suspension set-up to improve refinement and handling. Like the Koleos, MacPherson struts are used at the front and there’s a multi-link rear axle. The…

Running costs 34.7mpg (official) £99 fill-up/£440 or 28% tax Performance 0-60mph/top speed 5.8 seconds/155mph Practicality Boot space 172 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 50.2/38.5/9.1m THERE are a number of intriguing details about the LC 500h, but it’s the styling that grabs your attention. With its concept car shape and sharp, heavily raked roofline, this is one of the best-looking coupés at any price. Under that long bonnet, there’s no exotic, ultra-powerful, turbocharged engine. However, you still get a lot of tech thanks to the new GA-L Global Architecture – Luxury platform (making its debut here) and the hybrid powertrain. It’s a 3.5-litre V6 linked to an electric motor giving a total of 354bhp as part of Lexus’s new Multi Stage Hybrid System, which is said to boost acceleration. That’s not a huge…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.4 seconds/131mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 602/1,847 litres Running costs 39.4mpg (on test) £85 fill-up SOME things make more sense in America. That’s the overriding impression left by the Ford Edge as we bid it farewell after a year on our fleet. As the US political scene has shown over the past two years, some of our American friends have very different tastes and needs to us – and in many respects the big SUV reflects this. And while the Edge may not be quite as polarising as President Trump, there’s no denying it’s a car that’s more at home across the pond, as you would expect given that it was developed there. Take the styling, for starters. There’s a chromey brashness about it that those of…

“Steel bar and padded side wings form a protective cocoon” NEW PRODUCT Britax Dualfix i-Size Price: £430 Contact: www.britax.co.uk CHILD seat specialist Britax Römer has revealed its “most premium” design yet, the Dualfix i-Size. Built to the latest ECE R129 regulations, this is also the first model to be designed, developed and built at the company’s new test and production centre in Leipheim, Germany (see Issue 1,496). The new regulations include side impact assessments in addition to the existing front and rear crash tests, and the seat is designed to work with ISOFIX mounts to reduce the risk of incorrect fitting. Britax’s side impact solution is SICT, which sees a bar mounted inside the seat; this combines with the padded side wings to form a protective cocoon in an accident,…

PEUGEOT has taken the wraps off its new 308 TCR touring-car contender, a development of the 308 Racing Cup one-make racer that debuted last year. The 308 TCR is eligible to race in the new FIA World Touring Car Cup (created over the winter after a merger of the World Touring Car Championship with the TCR International Series), as well as the numerous national and regional touring-car series around the world that have adapted TCR regulations, including the new TCR UK series. Order books opened on 3 January and the first deliveries to race teams will start in April. Speaking about the new car, Peugeot Sport director Bruno Famin said: “The Peugeot 308 Racing Cup was already eligible for TCR, but the rapid development of championships based on TCR regulations…

• Audi planning a raft of new cars before the end of the decade • e-tron SUV bids to tackle dwindling demand for diesel power Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan AUDI is planning an all-out assault on the premium SUV market, with eight new high-riding models due to arrive before the end of the decade. And the most significant debut will be the all-electric e-tron, previewed in our exclusive images (right). Due to appear in production form in the second half of this year, the e-tron is Audi’s response to the slowing demand for diesel models in Europe, and a VW Group-wide push for electrification. With China and the US also cited as significant markets for the car, it’s clear that Audi has the Tesla Model X in mind as its closest competitor.…

“At the front you’ll find larger kidney grilles flanked by fresh headlamps with a hexagonal lighting signature” James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods BMW spent much of 2017 updating its range, and it’s starting 2018 in the same vein by refreshing its 2 Series MPVs: the Active Tourer and the larger Gran Tourer. The modifications include subtle design tweaks, minor cabin changes and revised petrol and diesel engines, which BMW claims are more economical than before. A new seven-speed version of the Steptronic automatic gearbox has also been made available. Both models retain the same roles as before; the Active Tourer is a five-seat MPV, while the Gran Tourer seats seven and boasts a slightly longer wheelbase. Despite dwindling MPV sales across Europe, BMW considers these two models important because around four-fifths of the…

INFINITI has revealed the first image of its Detroit Motor Show concept, which will preview the firm’s new generation of design language. Called the Q Inspiration Concept, the show car is a rakish saloon with an elongated coupé-like rear end. A new LED tail-light spans the width of the back end, while dramatic cutaways feature behind the front wheelarches. Infiniti has only released one image so far, but an earlier teaser suggested that a new grille and sharp, slender headlights will define the front end. The concept – which is tipped to feature an all-electric powertrain under the skin – is the first major project to be overseen by Infiniti’s new executive design director Karim Habib, who joined Nissan’s luxury division from BMW last year. Habib says the Q Inspiration…

MOTOR insurers in the UK paid £33million every day in claims in 2016, a rise of 15 per cent from the previous year, new figures reveal. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), vehicle insurers were hit with a total bill in excess of £12billion in 2016. The surge in payouts comes at a time when premiums have reached record highs, with average policies now costing over £480. In 2015, insurers paid out £28.6m in compensation, while in 2014 they were hit with £27m in bills each day. An ABI spokesman said that spikes in vehicle theft and rising average repair costs – with the latter increasing by 46 per cent over the past four years, to £1,944 – are partly to blame. “Surge in payouts comes at a…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram WHEN was the last time you saw a Volkswagen Golf SV? Chances are you can’t recall it; the firm has sold fewer than 13,000 in the UK since the model was launched in 2014. For context, Ford shifts around 90,000 Fiestas to British customers every year. It’s a different story in the SV’s domestic market, however, because more than 150,000 examples have found homes with German owners. To see if we’re missing a trick, we’ve been out in Spain to drive the facelifted car. The changes broadly follow those of the Golf hatchback, which was revised wholesale last year. That means a similar set of headlamps with new daytime running lights, new bumpers and LED tail-lights, plus new engine options, extra equipment and a suite of improved safety…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy THE Audi A3 is reaching its twilight years now; it probably has another 18 months to run before a new version arrives. But in the meantime Mercedes will launch an all-new A-Class – and to give the existing A3 a fighting chance against it, Audi has slotted in the VW Group’s latest petrol engine. This 1.5-litre motor is so new that it will ultimately be offered in the next generation of A3 as well. But its figures are likely to remain the same; it produces 148bhp and 250Nm of torque, and because it switches off cylinders when you’re cruising in order to save fuel, it manages to return combined fuel economy of 55.4mpg and emit 116g/km of CO2. These efficiency figures are for the car we’re testing here…

Running costs 32.6mpg (on test) £86 fill-up/£140 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (7/5/2 seats) N/A/649/1,806 litres Performance 0-60mph/30-70mph 10.9/11.8 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 61.8/42.8/10.4m MODEL TESTED: SsangYong Rexton 2.2 180 ELX Auto 7 seat PRICE: £34,495 ENGINE: 2.2-litre 4cyl, 179bhp THE SsangYong Rexton is a large SUV that’s available with five or seven seats. Here we’ve got the seven-seat variant in ELX automatic trim, which starts at £34,495. Design & engineering ALTHOUGH it’s not the most handsome SUV, the new Rexton certainly looks a lot more European than its predecessor did. And that’s reflected in the car’s engineering and feel throughout. It follows most of its class rivals with a double-wishbone front suspension set-up and a multi-link system at the rear, and these help to improve handling and interior space. What…

Running costs 35.1mpg (official) £91 fill-up/£450 or 34% tax Performance 0-60mph/top speed 6.0 seconds/155mph Practicality Boot (roof up/down) 485/364 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 47.7/35.0/8.3m ALTHOUGH it was facelifted in 2016, this sixth-generation SL was first released in 2013, so it’s no surprise that the cracks are beginning to show against more modern competition such as the Lexus LC 500h. However, the Mercedes roadster has an appeal all of its own, thanks to its folding hard-top. You can operate it on the move in less than 20 seconds at up to 25mph – and even if it’s cold, the car’s Airscarf system (£575) blows hot air on to your neck to keep you warm. There are heated seats, too. On top of this you get all the equipment you’d expect from a…

Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk SPOT the difference: one of these cars is the Peugeot 3008 we’re running on our fleet, and the other is its seven-seat brother, the 5008. I had a chance to compare them side by side and the only real bonus the bigger model gives you is the addition of a third row of seats. It’s not as good to drive, nor as good looking as my 3008, so I’d definitely stick with the smaller car if I was choosing between the two of them. Our 3008 is comfortable, with just enough stiffness in the suspension to keep the car feeling composed but without crashing into potholes. The 5008 is a bit more softly sprung, though, and doesn’t have as good a balance of ride and handling as the smaller…

WHEN we tested retro-fit tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) in Issue 1,465, Fit2Go’s package was the easiest to use, despite lacking on-board pressure readouts. An enhanced version is now on sale featuring Michelin branding, but has it been improved enough to snatch the crown from the Best Buy in that test, Steelmate’s TP-S1I? To find out, we assessed accuracy against a calibrated gauge and wanted to see prompt pressure warnings as the test tyres were deflated. Also checked was consistency on the road. The improved Michelin system is easy to use and offers multiple sensor options, but it is a touch expensive for a system using external sensors. For single car owners, the Steelmate’s internal sensors give superior security and constant real-time readouts. Unless convenience and multiple sensors are your…

CO2/tax 119g/km £30 Running costs 61mpg (2.0 TDI 140) £86 fill-up FEW family cars are more polished than the Volkswagen Passat. This model has it all: cutting-edge safety features, a spacious cabin, lots of equipment and excellent build quality. But the sober design inside and out means the VW has a dowdy reputation, which isn’t entirely deserved. Add keen prices into the mix and you can see why th e Passat makes a great used buy. Sure, you’ll pay more than you would for an equivalent Vauxhall Insignia or Ford Mondeo, but we’d argue that the Passat is more well rounded than either of those less premium alternatives. Here we guide you through what is on offer and what to look out for. History THE Passat Mk7 that arrived in…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram BRITAIN’S eighth best-selling car, the MINI, has been given a significant mid-life update to keep it fresh for 2018. Among the updates are standard-fit LED lights, improved tech options and a new dual-clutch auto gearbox. Production of the revised three-door, five-door and Convertible starts at the firm’s Oxford plant in March, with customer cars arriving soon after. The biggest visual change is new LED tail-lamps with the Union flag imprinted across the lens. These will be fitted as standard on every UK model. They join a set of fresh LED headlights, featuring new single-ring daytime running lights and a one-piece indicator design. A new adaptive Matrix beam LED headlight system – the first of its type in the class – is available as an option. Elsewhere, the styling…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths DRIVERS previously disqualified for drink-driving may be issued with a ‘marker’ on their car depending on where they live, Auto Express can reveal, after an investigation found Britain’s police forces differ in their monitoring of convicted motorists. If officers have previously linked an individual to a crime, then a digital ‘intelligence marker’ can be attached to their vehicles. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras can then alert police to the driver’s status to help them better target known offenders. But Freedom of Information requests to the 44 British police forces revealed that only some follow the practice. This is despite previous research finding 12 per cent of drink-drivers re-offend, rising to 30 per cent for high-risk offenders (those caught at more than twice the legal limit). Cheshire Police…

A NEW 4,000-mile road network that would complement England’s motorways has been proposed by the Department for Transport. The Major Road Network (MRN) would cut congestion and improve local economies by making annual funding of between £20million and £100million available. It would go towards key roads that support the Highways Englandmanaged Strategic Road Network, but are currently run by local authorities. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: ‘We propose to create a Major Road Network, of approximately the same mileage as the network for which Highways England is responsible... raising the performance standards which motorists experience on it.”…

THE introduction of 20mph speed limits can render roads more, not less, dangerous, surprising new research has revealed. Bath and North East Somerset Council conducted a review of areas in which it had implemented 20mph zones, and found the rate of people killed or seriously injured had increased in seven of the 13 areas studied. The study said there was “no simple explanation” for the increase in casualties, but suggested: “It could be that local people perceive the area to be safer due to the presence of the 20mph restrictions, and thus are less diligent when walking and crossing roads, cycling or otherwise travelling.” An experimental control zone – where a 20mph limit had not been introduced – also saw an increase in the rate of road users killed or…

Performance 0-60mph/top speed 6.3 seconds/137mph Running costs 101mpg (official) £108 fill-up (petrol only) Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler THIS year will see more electric cars hit the market than ever before, but Land Rover won’t be missing out as it launches plug-in versions of the Range Rover (Issue 1,502) and this, the new 2018-model-year Range Rover Sport. Like its bigger brother, the hybrid Sport will wear a P400e badge on its back, denoting the mix of petrol and electric tech, and the total power – in this case, just a shade under 400bhp. That output comes from a 296bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine (available on its own in the Si4 model) plus an 85kW electric motor. The electric boost only knocks 0.7 seconds off the Si4’s 0-60mph time, but the claimed fuel economy figures…

Running costs 28.5mpg (official) £94 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.0 seconds/187mph Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ALL eyes may be on Aston Martin’s striking new Vantage, but quietly rolling down the line at the Gaydon factory in Warwickshire beside it is the brand’s 4.0-litre, V8-powered DB11. This is the first Aston to be fitted with the new engine from Mercedes-AMG, and although it’s down on power and cylinders compared with the V12 version, our first chance to drive it in the UK has left us thinking that it may in fact be the pick of the bunch. Let’s not beat around the bush, though: in a game of Top Trumps, the DB11 V8 is beaten by the V12 in virtually every respect. The V8 develops 503bhp and 685Nm of torque, while the V12…

Running costs 32.0mpg (on test) £85 fill-up/£140 or 33% tax Practicality Boot (7/5/2 seats) N/A/579/1,795 litres Performance 0-60mph/30-70mph 9.5/9/5 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 51.5/40.0/11.1m MODEL TESTED: Renault Koleos dCi 175 4x4 Signature Nav Auto PRICE: £34,700 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 175bhp THIS all-new, second-generation Koleos revived a nameplate for Renault and revamped the model as a modern SUV. Here, to match the Rexton, we’re testing the 175bhp 2.0-litre diesel version with an auto box and four-wheel drive, which costs from £34,700 in Signature Nav trim. Design & engineering THE Koleos is based on the Renault-Nissan CMF-C/D platform, so it shares parts with the Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail, as well as Renault’s smaller Kadjar family SUV. The dashboard layout is similar to the smaller Renault’s, but that’s no bad thing because the large…

A SIDE from the stunning LF A, Lexus’s performance coupés have always majored on looks and fallen short when it comes to dynamic performance. But with the LC, the Japanese brand is hoping to change things. We’re testing the LC 500h hybrid model here that aims to balance head-turning style with electrically assisted performance and, as a result of the hybrid system, respectable fuel efficiency, too. Mercedes’ SL offers a similar solution to the same problem. While the German car does without hybrid power, it has a different niche with its folding metal roof. The question is, where is your £75,000 or so better spent? Lexus LC 500h Bold 2+2 grand tourer combines striking design with a cutting-edge petrol/electric V6 powertrain THE new Lexus LC 500h is a grand tourer…

Performance 0-60mph/top speed 7.7 seconds/130mph Practicality Boot (7/5/2 seats) 258/1,137/2,406 litres Running costs 32.0mpg (on test) £105 fill-up THE new Land Rover Discovery impressed us so much on test that we gave it the ultimate accolade – our 2017 Car of the Year Award. Now it’s time to put it through an even bigger challenge – everyday life with my family. Our Td6 HSE Luxury model joined us in September as a used car – first registered on 1 January 2017, and with 10,000 miles on the clock. At that age and mileage it would have been on a Land Rover forecourt at around £60,000 – not a bad return on a car that lists at £66,595 new, or £76,400 with the plethora of options fitted to my car. So…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk A RAFT of names from other racing disciplines, as well as some rising single-seater stars, will get behind the wheel of Formula E cars in the series’ ‘rookie test’, taking place the Monday after this weekend’s race in the Moroccan city of Marrakech. Jaguar is set to run British ex-F1 driver Paul di Resta and Pietro Fittipaldi (the grandson of F1 champion Emerson), while di Resta’s Mercedes DTM teammate Gary Paffett will run with Venturi. Spaniard Daniel Juncadella is another Mercedes employee on the entry list, as the German brand looks to evaluate potential drivers ahead of its arrival in Formula E for season six in 2019-20. BMW, which is planning to expand its partnership with the Andretti team to a full-works effort in season five, has Bruno Spengler…