Innholdsfortegnelse for 1509 i Auto Express

WHAT makes an iconic car? That was the question posed by Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche at the recent launch of the new G-Wagen. Mr Zetsche had his own views, and it was hard to quibble with any of them. Firstly, he said, an icon had to offer “no compromises” in its performance. It should also be instantly recognisable, having defined a look. And finally, he mooted, there had to be what he described as “a built-in story”. Alongside the G-Class, four models which he felt ticked the necessary boxes to be considered icons were the Porsche 911, Jeep Wrangler, Ford Mustang and his own company’s 300 SL. A fair selection? I’d struggle to argue with any of that quartet. To that list, I would tentatively add the Fiat 500 and…

THE new WLTP/RDE (World Harmonised Light Vehicle Testing Procedure/Real Driving Emissions) tests for fuel economy and emissions coming into effect this year are still unlikely to match real-world figures, according to Mercedes. The company’s chief of Certification of Emissions and Consumption in the EU, Dr Christoph Höhmann, told Auto Express: “It [the new test] is better than the old one. But if the expectation is that everything will be fixed, then in that respect it’s not right.” Dr Höhmann gave an example of how the new RDE tests – which include on-road analysis of emissions – could still be flawed. “The framework [for RDE] does not say when you have to shift gears or whether you should be using items like the air conditioning during the test,” he said. “The…

“After an inspection by a field engineer, Toyota agreed that the repairs were unacceptable” IF you book your car in for a warranty repair, you expect it to come back looking better, not worse. But that’s exactly what happened to one Toyota Yaris owner, after her car developed a rust patch inside the bootlid, and several failed attempts to repair it resulted in even more damage. Alison Ware, of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, told Auto Express she’d owned her 14-plate Yaris since new, and aside from a small scratch on the bumper and this rust patch, it was in great condition. But that all changed after its first trip to the repairer last July to fix an area of corrosion Toyota admits has appeared in some models built that year. Alison’s…

Running costs 47.9mpg (official) £49 fill-up Andy_Pringle@dennis.co.uk @AndyMoshPringle “This is a surprisingly big small car, with more space inside than many models from the class above” IT may seem at odds with the Honda Jazz’s practical image, but a new Sport trim level has been added at the top end of the facelifted car’s range. Intended to inject a bit of zest into the Jazz, it gets sporty new front and rear bumpers which now have more than a hint of the Civic about them. The Jazz Sport makes some attempt to ape the Civic Type R, too, with a thinner front splitter below the grille that has a bit of red trim on it. There are also black alloy wheels, side skirts and a rear spoiler, while the headlights…

Performance 0-60mph/top speed 5.2 seconds/158mph Running costs 25.9mpg (official) £72 fill-up James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor FOR many people, the Subaru badge means one thing: a flash of metallic blue through a copse of trees, gold wheels and the names McRae, Burns or Solberg on the back windows. But unfortunately, this is a side of the brand that we’re unlikely to see again. The car driven here is that era’s final curtain. As the name implies, the WRX STi Final Edition is the very last road going offspring of a gold-plated world rallying dynasty that first started back in 1994 with the Impreza Turbo. Happily, Subaru isn’t going to quietly kill off its halo car without a last hurrah. The limited-run WRX STi Final Edition gets standard blue paint, new 19-inch wheels housing…

MODEL TESTED: Hyundai Kona 1.0 T-GDi Premium PRICE: £18,795 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 118bhp Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 63.7/39.7/10.5m Running costs 42.0mpg (on test) £61 fill-up/£140 or 24% tax Performance 0-60mph/30-70mph 10.1/9.5 seconds Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 334/1,116 litres Testers’ notes “The Kona is one of only a few small SUVs to be offered with four-wheel drive. Other options in this class include the Suzuki Vitara and SsangYong Tivoli, but two-wheel drive is adequate and cheaper.” THE Hyundai Kona we’re testing uses a downsized 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine with 118bhp, which is designed for economy, as well as good performance around town. It costs from £18,795 in Premium trim (the car in our pictures is an SE), which makes it the most expensive model in this test, although only by £100 over the…

Running costs 47.2 mpg £93 fill-up/£440 or 9% tax Performance 0-60mph/top speed 6.4 seconds/143mph Practicality Boot (7/5/2 seats) N/A/650/1,835 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 44.8/32.9/7.9m LIKE any plug-in hybrid worth its asking price, the Q7 e-tron’s greatest trick is making what is an incredibly complex and detailed engineering set-up simple to use. Under the bonnet there’s a 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine driving an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels as part of Audi’s famous quattro package. Integrated into this transmission is an electric motor that can drive the gearbox with the engine off for all-electric running, while a clutch separates it, so the combustion engine can power the car exclusively if needed, too. This all sounds very complicated, because it is, but what you need to know is,…

Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk OUR Peugeot 3008 does more miles than most cars on the fleet, because I drive it all over the country to and from our road tests, as well as in and out of London to the Auto Express office. So while many models leave us before they need servicing, the 3008 has already been in for its 16,000-mile maintenance. I went to my local dealer, Robins & Day in Chelmsford, Essex, with the mileage reading 16,343, although an icon on the i-Cockpit display had been reminding me to take it in for a little while before that. I booked the car in a week in advance, which was too short notice for a courtesy car to be available. So instead of leaving the 3008 there, I opted to go…

“Latest Ring chargers are similar in size to a chunky smartphone” THIS WEEK’S HOT KIT NEW PRODUCT Ring smart battery chargers Prices: From £39.99 Contact: 0113 213 2000, www.ringautomotive.co.uk IS your battery struggling this winter? Ring may have the answer with its new smart charger range. Long gone are linear chargers the size of toasters; these new products work around twice as fast, but have the dimensions of a chunky smartphone. There are three new models plus a monitor, and all the units are compatible with the kind of batteries found on today’s cars: lead acid, gel, AGM (absorbent glass mat), EFB (enhanced flooded battery) and calcium. They also work with the increasing number of stop/start cars. Kicking off the range is the £39.99 RSC701 1A Smart Maintenance charger, designed…

Running costs 56mpg (E220 CDI) £73 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.9 seconds/137mph NEED TO KNOW ALL facelifted automatics have seven speeds; before this, four-cylinder auto E-Classes got five speeds. EVER since Mercedes started making cars, it has been a pioneer. With a focus on build quality, luxury and performance, the brand’s values are typified by the E-Class executive saloon and estate, first seen in 1985 when the now-classic W124 was launched. Since then the bar has been raised ever further, with more technology, safety and comfort features crammed into each successive generation. The fourth take on the E-Class came in 2009 and it was more accomplished than ever, with a great range of petrol and diesel engines. Later there was the E300 Bluetec diesel-electric hybrid, too. History THE Mk4 E-Class…

• New 1.8-litre turbo engine for Renault Sport thriller • Manual or dual-clutch auto boxes; Sport or Cup chassis Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn IT feels as if we’ve had to wait a long time for a new Renault Mégane RS. The standard hatch was launched back in 2015 and from that point the question on everybody’s lips has been: “When is the RS coming?” A little over two years on and it’s finally here, wading into a hot hatch market brimming with talent; the Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai i30 N and VW Golf GTI are only a handful of the capable cars the Mégane RS has to face up to. The newcomer also has big shoes to fill because of the success, popularity and value offered by its predecessor. Key to…

“A more elegant profile would allow the 4008 to offer an edge over less style-focused SUVs“ Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan PEUGEOT is looking to build on the strong success of its 2008, 3008 and 5008 SUVs with a sportier, sleeker fourth model. Likely to be named 4008, it’ll offer a more coupé-like design to take on cars such as the Toyota C-HR, and will arrive early in 2020. The new Peugeot, previewed by our exclusive images, will be inspired by the success premium German brands such as BMW have enjoyed in the coupé- SUV sector and will be based on the existing 3008. As a result, we can expect the ‘3008 coupé’ to have a curvier exterior, with a sloping roofline and reduced side glass area. It’s set to feature a number…

“Any car fitted with a DPF that emits ‘visible smoke of any colour’ during metered tests will fail its MoT“ Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths THE MoT test is due for a major shake-up on 20 May this year, when tough rules for diesel cars and new defect categories come into force. Faults will be classified as Minor, Major and Dangerous from that date, with Major and Dangerous issues causing an automatic failure. Cars with Minor defects will be allowed to pass the test, but faults will be recorded on their MoT certificate and online MoT record, just as advisories are now. Diesels will also have to meet strict new rules to pass their MoT. Any car fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) that emits “visible smoke of any colour” during metered…

HYUNDAI has teased the fourth generation of Santa Fe ahead of the car’s debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The profile silhouette shows a more angular and sleek shape for the Skoda Kodiaq rival, which is expected to go on sale by the end of this year. The front headlights appear slimmer than the current model’s, while a distinct styling line runs the length of the side. The glasshouse looks smaller, with a less upright roofline and a shoulder that kicks upwards to the C-pillar. Expect the new Santa Fe to get an updated diesel engine, but hybrid technology is also likely to feature.…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.5 seconds/125mph Running costs 80.7mpg (official) £63 fill-up Andy_Pringle@dennis.co.uk @AndyMoshPringle “The way the Civic drives hasn’t suffered from having a diesel under the bonnet” UNTIL now the latest Honda Civic has been a petrol-only affair, but that’s about to change. A heavily revised version of the 1.6-litre diesel engine that currently features in the CR-V and HR-V SUVs arrives under the bonnet for 2018. With tweaks to the pistons and the exhaust system, the end result is a claimed 80.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 93g/km. Those figures are up with the best in the class, and better than the equivalent engines in the Volkswagen Golf, SEAT Leon and Renault Mégane. What’s more, the engine achieves all this without any external help; there’s no need to use an…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler IF you’re ready to take the plunge into the world of EVs, but your family circumstances mean seven seats are a must, your choice is rather limited. It’s either a Nissan e-NV200 Combi or, apart from a pricey Tesla Model X, that’s it. The good news is that, as with the brilliant new Nissan Leaf (driven in Issue 1,508), this van-based MPV has just been updated with Nissan’s 40kWh battery pack. That means a handy 60 per cent increase in range; judged by the new, more realistic WLTP testing procedure Nissan claims an average of 125 miles, which could rise to as much as 188 miles in the city. Plenty for a week’s worth of school drop-offs and pick-ups. It’s not the most sophisticated MPV, though. The driving…

MODEL TESTED: Citroen C3 Aircross PureTech 130 Flair PRICE: £18,490 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 128bhp CITROEN’S C3 Aircross is partly a successor to the old C3 Picasso model. But it’s also partly a replacement for the C4 Cactus, which has recently been updated and repositioned as more of conventional hatchback than an SUV. The C3 Aircross definitely occupies the small SUV space, and our PureTech 130 model costs from £18,490 in Flair trim. Running costs 40.3mpg (on test) £55 fill-up/£140 or 22% tax Performance 0-60mph/30-70mph 10.6/9.8 seconds Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 410-520/1,289 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 51.6/40.6/10.7m Design & engineering THE C3 Aircross might be an all-new Citroen, but unlike the Kona, it’s not based on a fresh platform. Instead it sits on the firm’s PF1 architecture, used for many years to…

ELECTRIFICATION is a trend sweeping the industry, and in a bid to boost the efficiency of their bigger models, such as SUVs, car makers are turning to batteries and electric motors; these supplement combustion engines and help cut CO2. Audi’s Q7 e-tron plug-in hybrid bucks the trend by teaming its electric motor with a diesel engine, but the question is, has the brand backed the right horse here? In some ways it’s incidental, because the Q7 isn’t offered with a petrol choice in the UK to electrify – unlike the Volvo XC90. The XC90 T8 Twin Engine plug-in uses a petrol engine assisted by an electric motor and battery set-up, and is a different solution to the same problem. Which best combines its two methods of propulsion as our favourite…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 12.1 seconds/109mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 300/1,004 litres Running costs 43.2mpg (on test) £50 fill-up Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan “Driving the Micra back to back with rivals has highlighted some of its flaws” APART from the tech industry, the automotive sector has to be one of the fastest-moving product markets around. As we often find at Auto Express, a brand new car can be up among the class leaders at the start of the year, yet will be merely an also-ran by Christmas. Our Nissan Micra, unfortunately, is one of those cars. It made a splash at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, taking over from its woefully dated predecessor with a sharp new look. And when we first drove it in early 2017 it impressed. Then when the Micra…

New and used buying advice from our team of experts 36th PLACE YOUR VIEWS ON YOUR CARS 2017 Results Prius Factfile Years: 2016 to present CO2: 70g/km Fuel economy: 94.1mpg (Active) Best options: Keyless go, heated seats, blind spot warning, head-up display Used prices: From £17,000 OVERALL SCORE 89.76% Bars show where model finished out of 75 vehicles in our 2017 new car survey. 89.76% The longer the bar the better GOOD “IT is smooth to drive, both when accelerating and cruising.” “I regularly see 70mpg, which is exceptional for a car of this size.” “I really like the cutting-edge styling.” “Insurance, road tax, petrol and servicing costs are super-low.” “The build quality inside is impressive.” “It has all the latest safety tech, like radar cruise control.” “Our dog loves…

Kia Optima Sportswagon Optima SW GT-Line S 1.7 CRDi Years: 2016 to date Engine: 1.7-litre 4cyl, 139bhp Ins group: 20 Official econ/CO2: 61.4mpg/120g/km Why? Sharp looks mean the Optima Sportswagon stands out in a rather conservative class. Prices from: £15,000 THE Kia Optima Sportswagon is newer than both the Passat and Superb Estate, so second-hand prices for the Korean station wagon are still relatively high. Looks are a subjective matter, but it’s arguably one of the most eye-catching estates on sale today. Sadly, the rakish design comes at a cost; the Optima Sportswagon only has a 552-litre boot. Still, Kia customers are a happy bunch with the South Korean brand finishing third in the manufacturers’ chart of our Driver Power 2017 satisfaction survey. Volkswagen Passat Estate Passat Estate SE Business…

“It’s a really good-looking car, because it looks distinctive and yet it’s clearly a SEAT”DR MATTHIAS RABE Vice-president, R&D, SEAT John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy SEAT’S forthcoming pure-electric car will match the Leon hatchback on size, but offer much more cabin space, the firm’s head of R&D has revealed. The Spanish brand will launch its first product based on the VW Group’s pure-electric MEB platform in 2020. SEAT hasn’t confirmed the bodystyle, but Auto Express understands that it’s likely to be a hatchback with a slightly raised floor and roofline to accommodate the batteries. Our exclusive images show how the manufacturer’s first EV could look. SEAT’s vice-president for research and development, Dr Matthias Rabe, has now told Auto Express where the vehicle will sit in the company’s line-up. “The first MEB car will…

LAMBORGHINI is set to embrace electrification in its next-generation flagship supercar, which will arrive early in the next decade, the company’s tech boss has revealed. Speaking to Auto Express ahead of the UK debut of the new Urus SUV, Lamborghini research and development boss Maurizio Reggiani said that a replacement for the firm’s current V12 range-topper, the Aventador, will arrive in the early 2020s with hybrid power. “The next-generation supersport car will be based on plug-in hybrid technology,” said Reggiani, adding that the firm will pair plug-in tech with a trademark naturally aspirated V12. “The value of our brand is based on our top-end product,” he added. “It must be really the pure interpretation of a supersport car. We are sure that one of the things you must offer on…

CONCERNS over safety have prompted Highways England to start building more refuge areas on smart motorways, and extend a system that automatically detects broken down cars in live lanes. The Government-owned company – responsible for the country’s motorways and major A roads – will build future refuges every mile “where practicable”, instead of the current 1.5 miles. Highways England will also install more refuge areas in locations “with the highest levels of potential live lane stops” and paint them orange “to increase consumer confidence”. In a letter to the Transport Select Committee, Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan claimed all-lane running motorways deliver “comparable levels of safety to traditional motorways”, but said more refuge areas would be built “in order to provide greater reassurance to road users”. A previous AA…

A RECORD 1.4 million people attended driver retraining courses in the UK last year, with police forces collecting an estimated £54million as a result. According to figures from the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme, 1,413,598 motorists sat a driver retraining course after being caught by the police for a motoring offence in 2017. That’s a rise of two per cent from 2016. The nine different courses are frequently offered in lieu of penalty points and a fine for various driving infringements, and cost motorists between £80 and £200. While the courses are run by private companies, constabularies are compensated for the expenses involved in catching offenders. Last September the amount police receive for each driver attending a course increased from £35 to £45, earning forces around £54million in total. The…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 14.0 seconds/99mph Running costs 68.8mpg (official) £64 fill-up SINCE arriving in 2014, the Ford EcoSport hasn’t matched the success of the brand’s bread-and-butter Fiesta and Focus. As a result, this 2018 facelift is an extensive one. Alongside the obvious styling tweaks, the marque claims that 2,300 parts are new. The highly acclaimed 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbo three-cylinder petrol engine will account for the vast majority of sales, but diesel isn’t off the menu. In the summer you’ll be able to buy an EcoSport with Ford’s new 1.5-litre EcoBlue four-cylinder diesel, delivering 123bhp and 300Nm of torque via a new four-wheel-drive system – another first for Ford’s previously front-wheel-drive-only baby SUV. Until then, those after a diesel EcoSport must choose an older, less powerful four-cylinder unit. With 99bhp and…

WITH SUV sales booming and superminis continuing to be best-sellers in Britain, it’s no wonder car makers are bringing the two together. Hyundai is the latest brand to join the fray, with its new Kona, and thanks to its outlandish looks, this car is bound to draw attention. Yet the real battle it’ll need to win will be fought on equipment, price, the practicality of its interior, and comfort. That’s because the Kona is taking on our class leader, the Citroen C3 Aircross. Like so many Citroens, it’s quirky, but it doesn’t compromise, and that has really impressed us since it arrived late last year. Then there’s the Mazda CX-3. Despite being the oldest car here, it makes a strong case with its sharp styling and handling. This is a…

MODEL TESTED: Mazda CX-3 2.0 SkyActiv-G SE Nav PRICE: £18,695 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 118bhp Performance 0-60mph/30-70mph 9.4/9.0 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 53.5/40.9/9.4m Running costs 34.0mpg (on test) £59 fill-up/£140 or 26% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 350/1,260 litres WE’RE testing the 118bhp 2.0-litre petrol version of Mazda’s CX-3 crossover, which costs £18,695 in entry-level SE Nav trim (although our images show an SE-L Nav) with a six-speed manual box. It’s the only car here with four-cylinder engine and it’s twice the capacity of the Kona’s, despite having the same power output. Is it still a good choice? Design & engineering THE CX-3’s 2.0-litre engine is unusual in this company, as it doesn’t use a turbocharger. Instead, Mazda has focused on weight saving and clever engine tech to reduce emissions and improve…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.4 seconds/186mph Running costs 23.4mpg (on test) £80 fill-up John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy IT seems odd to say it, but in this era of environmental concerns and financial instability, one of the biggest success stories in the car industry is AMG. The brand has been enjoying record sales, thanks to an expanding line-up that includes everything from hot hatches (A 45 AMG) to sports cars (AMG GT). It also has a hypercar on the way in the shape of the Project One. AMG is known for its V8s, though; and even when faced with demands for greater fuel efficiency, the firm’s engine wizards have found ways of keeping the legendary layout relevant. And now we’re planning to see how this science works out in everyday life, because we’ve just…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk A TOTAL of 53 cars will take to the iconic Mount Panorama circuit in Australia this weekend for the annual Bathurst 12 Hours endurance race. The top GT3 class features a string of manufacturer entries, including two new Bentley Continental GT3s, with Brits Steven Kane and Guy Smith among the six-strong driver line-up. Elsewhere, Australian Supercars ace Garth Tander is turning out for Audi, sharing an R8 with Kelvin van der Linde and Fred Vervisch, while a second car sees Brit Stuart Leonard team up with Dutchman Robin Frijns and Belgian Dries Vanthoor. An all-factory R8 driver line-up of Christopher Mies, Christopher Hasse and Markus Winkelhock is also being fielded in another entry. The British outfit Strakka Racing is running a pair of Mercedes-AMG GTs at the event, one…

MAHINDRA Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist leads the Formula E points standings ahead of this weekend’s third round of the electric series’ 2017-18 season. The Chilean capital of Santiago is the venue for the event. This is Formula E’s debut in the South American nation, with a track that runs along the city’s Avenue Santa Maria before crossing the river Mapocho and taking in the Plazza Baquedano and Forestal Park. Rosenqvist’s closest challenger in the points is DS Virgin’s Sam Bird, who’s scored 50 to the Swede’s 54. Away from the track, Formula E has recently announced a title sponsorship agreement with the Swiss-Swedish industrial firm ABB – the first time an FIA single-seater championship has had a title partner. Series organisers also say they’re no longer seeking a replacement for the…