Innholdsfortegnelse for 1613 i Auto Express

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk ● German firm ready to expand its e-tron portfolio ● New model would use MEB Entry platform “Audi is going to be the one with the widest [EV] portfolio over the next years compared to rivals”FERMIN SONEIRA SANTOS Audi AUDI is planning a huge expansion of its e-tron electric range over the next five years – and now a senior official at the firm has admitted to Auto Express that this wider range will stretch to a small car based on the VW Group’s entry-level EV platform. Known as MEB Entry, the architecture was revealed at the VW Group annual conference last spring. It’s designed to support vehicles of around four metres in length, about the same as a Polo or an Audi A1, while keeping down costs sufficiently…

VOLVO is boldly claiming that it will avoid paying any CO2-related fines in 2020. While other manufacturers are struggling to get their average emissions below the EU target of 95g/km to avoid fines (a target which still applies in the UK post-Brexit), Volvo is confident that its average will be below that figure. The company says that its combination of plug-in Recharge models and mild hybrids across the range means that it will avoid any fines. Speaking to Auto Express, Mattias Berglund, Senior Manager, Propulsion Strategy, said: “We are not planning to pay any fines. We’re aiming for more than 20 per cent of our sales in 2020 to be plug-in models, which will lower our average CO2. And we have tripled our battery capacity this year compared with last…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk ● Czech firm targets annual sales of 2 million cars worldwide ● Electric and plug-in models are part of range expansion SKODA has announced a bold expansion plan that will see the Czech firm launch 30 new models by 2022, with the aim of selling two million cars annually by the end of the decade. Last year the VW Group brand notched up 1.24 million sales, but it now has ambitious sales targets of as many as two million units. That’s based on new generations of some of the company’s core models, plus a wider roll-out of hybrid and electric vehicles. “I said we will come up with 30 new models between 2019 and 2022, and there will be derivatives and variants, and 10 of them will be partially…

We hit the road in new Jag F-Type A HANDSOME new front end is the most obvious change on the revised Jaguar F-Type, but under the skin, pretty much everything that matters has been improved. As Steve Sutcliffe discovers, the gap between the hottest F-Type and its rivals from Porsche, Audi and Mercedes has never been closer. youtube.com/Autoexpress HONDA e MEET what’s easily 2020’s cutest electric car. The new Honda e packs loveable styling inside and out and a tech-fest interior. It rivals the MINI Electric, Renault Zoe and BMW i3, but with a range of between 125 and 137 miles, is it a serious electric car? James Batchelor finds out. youtube.com/carbuyer SKODA SUPERB iV ESTATE THE drive to electrify Skoda’s line-up is picking up pace, and this is the…

VOLKSWAGEN GROUP MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN ELECTRIC CARS VW Group told us: “With 33bn Euros invested in e-mobility over the next five years, bringing 75 fully electric cars to market by 2029, no-one is as prepared to support the transformation of mobility to a carbon-free future. Continued support for electric cars and the extension of charging infrastructure is a pre-requisite – with the proviso of utilising fully renewable energy.” TOYOTA HEAVY RELIANCE ON HYBRID TECH TOYOTA has invested heavily in hybrids, new sales of which are set to be banned from 2035. It said: “We continue to believe hybrid vehicles offer an important, affordable and practical low-emission option to everyone – reducing impact for CO2 and improving air quality for the coming years, as our own leading contribution to CO2 reduction…

tristan_shale-hester@dennis.co.uk SAY the word ‘university’ to most people and images of gowns, lecture halls and nights on the tiles are likely to come to mind. But while those elements are still an important part of university life, many higher education institutions teach practical, hands-on skills as much as they do theoretical, academic ones. Take motorsport, for example. While stars such as Lewis Hamilton understandably gain most of the attention, behind every successful Formula One champion stand legions of technicians, aerodynamicists and engineers. Motor racing has long been a test bed in which the automotive developments of tomorrow take place today, so it stands to reason that if you want to teach cutting-edge engineering, racing is a good place to start. That’s the thinking behind Formula Student, a programme run by…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk Running costs 41.5mpg (official) £53 fill-up FORD’S decision to reintroduce the Puma nameplate on a new small SUV hasn’t been a universally popular move. What has been established, however, is that the new Puma is the small Ford SUV buyers have been craving for some time. That’s because until now, the smaller, tougher, but rougher EcoSport was all buyers after a small crossover from the Blue Oval were being offered. That car remains on sale alongside the Puma, but at a lower price. The new model is based on the Fiesta platform, and it’s one of the smaller cars in the class, with only a couple of major rivals coming in shorter and lower. At launch, every Puma is powered by Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder turbo petrol engine with…

james_howe@dennis.co.uk FIAT has launched new Mild Hybrid versions of its 500 and Panda city cars, as it takes action to cut emissions across its range. Both see Fiat’s ageing 1.2-litre engines replaced by an all-new electrified 1.0-litre unit that has been engineered with greater efficiency in mind. The naturally aspirated three-cylinder is paired with a 12-volt belt-integrated starter generator and 11Ah battery. The former – essentially an uprated starter motor – is mounted directly to the engine and used to provide a fast start-stop mechanism, as well as some light assistance under acceleration. The mild-hybrid system also allows for the complete shutdown of the engine at low speeds. Engaging neutral at speeds below 18mph turns it off, leaving the battery to power the car’s systems. As on the 500, the…

MODEL TESTED: Kia Picanto 1.25 X-Line PRICE: £13,345 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 4cyl, 83bhp AT £13,345 in X-Line trim (our pictures show an X-Line S model) in conjunction with the 1.25-litre engine, the Picanto is just £150 cheaper than the i10. These two cars share much of the same make-up and tech, but which will come out on top? Design & engineering THIS third-generation Picanto was launched in 2017 on a new chassis that the i10 now shares. As a result, and given that Kia and Hyundai are part of the same company, it’s no surprise that the two cars share many tech features. Take the i10’s 1.0-litre engine; it’s also available in the Kia, but for basically the same price as the i10 1.0 SE Connect you can get the more…

Skoda Citigo e iV PRICE: £16,955 ENGINE: 1x e-motor, 82bhp THE Citigo is now all electric, with a 36.8kWh battery that gives a claimed range of 161 miles. Even taking the government grant into account, it’s pricier than the i10, but you’ll save lots on running costs. It’s a great solution if you mostly drive around town. Volkswagen up! 1.0 beats 5dr PRICE: £13,490 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 59bhp THERE’S also an electric e-up!, but think about the 1.0-litre petrol model, too. In five-door form and beats trim it costs £13,490 and gets a good level of technology and practicality, plus the Volkswagen city car is even better to drive than our test trio.…

Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk OUR Mazda 3 is settling into life on our fleet nicely. But because I’m running it, the new family hatchback is getting a more punishing test of its mettle than most. You see, I’m a photographer, so my car is not just the way I get to my job; it’s also one of the tools I use every day to do that job. The Mazda is put into use when we arrive at our test track, as I hop into the boot and take the car-to-car shots you see every week in Auto Express magazine and online. I have to admit, I didn’t think it would be particularly up to this task when I first got into the Mazda 3 in December last year. For a start, it was…

Mountune pairs Mk7 Golf GTI upgrades TUNER Mountune 52 is offering a limited-time bundle to those who wish to upgrade their Mk7 Volkswagen Golf GTI with two popular modifications: the Stage 1 Power Upgrade, which increases power from 217bhp to 306bhp, and the Cat-Back exhaust, which improves performance and particularly sound. The two items together can be had for just £999 when fitted at Mountune’s HQ in Essex, a £400 saving on the price of buying both upgrades separately. For more details visit mountune52.com. 24-hour Nordschleife wristwatch clocks on IF the only kind of motorsport that appeals to you lasts for 24 hours, then the new Nordschleife watch will be just the thing. Instead of a conventional 12-hour face, the Green Hell Edition shows all 24 hours to celebrate the German…

HEADING to the slopes this year? Taking your own transport gives you extra freedom while you are indulging your passion for winter sports, but carrying skis and snowboards is a problem if your car is already full of passengers and luggage. The answer is a special carrier that can be mounted on the outside of your car to keep all your sports equipment safe and secure, not only on the journey down but also while you are driving around the resort. The type of carrier you use will largely depend on your car and what you need to carry. Some have big magnets to stick to the roof, so won’t be any good if you have a large sunroof or alloy-panelled car. Others sit on roof bars or tow ball…

HOW OUR GUIDE WORKS PERFORMANCE: This is the manufacturer’s claimed acceleration time for a car, and is measured from 0-60mph or 0-62mph (0-100kph), in seconds. ECONOMY AND EMISSIONS: The combined economy and emissions figures in miles per gallon and grams per kilometre of CO2. Figures are the best ones achieved in the latest WLTP tests, but are unlikely to be representative of actual efficiency in everyday driving. INSURANCE: Group rating as quoted by the Association of British Insurers. WARRANTY: Next to each manufacturer’s name is the basic warranty period in months and miles for the mechanicals, corrosion and paintwork. LIST PRICE: This is the on-the-road figure and includes VAT, delivery to dealer, 12 months’ road tax, number plates and first registration. WILL IT FIT? Is your garage big enough? Our…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk ● New hybrid engine and battery tech capitalise on electrification trend ● Fresh platform brings big improvements on the road for Toyota’s hatch FOR many people, the Toyota Yaris is a supermini that’s guilty of being a bit too anonymous for its own good. Never as affordable as a Vauxhall Corsa or a Ford Fiesta, frequently behind on in-car tech compared with a Volkswagen Polo, and almost always dowdy-looking beside a Peugeot 208 or a Renault Clio. And yet the Yaris is the fifth best-selling supermini across Europe and an enormously important car for Toyota, because it accounts for almost one in four of the cars the company sells in the region. So the stakes are high for the new, fourth-generation Yaris, and we’ve had our first chance to…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk ● Popular small SUV gets electric boost that’s free for a year ● 28 miles of EV range, charges in three hours from home wallbox VOLVO likes a catchy name for its electrified models. First came Drive-e, then Twin Engine and now we have the Recharge, the plug-in hybrid version of its small and increasingly popular XC40 SUV – and we’ve had an early drive of the car. A pure-electric XC40 is on its way later this year, but the plug-in hybrid is on sale now with prices starting at £40,905 – pricey, yes, but just over £4,000 more than a Vauxhall Grandland X PHEV. Plus, Volvo will throw in a year’s worth of electricity, too. The T5 takes about three hours to top up its 10.7kWh battery on…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk THE Government has announced that sales of all new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2035, rather than 2040, while also widening the ban to take in hybrid and plug-in models – leaving electric cars as the only option for new-car (and van) buyers in 15 years’ time. Yet despite the government accelerating and expanding the ban, the future of the Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) – which knocks £3,500 off a new electric car’s price with subsidies – looks increasingly in doubt, after two Ministers indicated it may not continue after the next Budget, due on 11 March. The Department for Transport’s Future of Transport Minister, George Freeman, told Auto Express: “The grant was designed to kick-start the early market for electric vehicles.” But Freeman expects market…

mailto@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing Ltd, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC New SEAT Leon FROM: David Thomas HANDSOME car – there’s plenty of evolution in its styling and it shows SEAT’s new design language well. I love the interior lighting that runs around the dashboard. They key to its success will be how it drives, no doubt. FROM: Spencer Roach I WAS a big fan of the first three Leons and I still like SEAT the most out of the VW Group brands, but this new model looks too much like the latest Ford Focus. Maybe when it hits showrooms I’ll be able to get a discounted Leon Cupra Mk3, though. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “I don’t like the tablet-style screen…

STUDENTS involved in the competition aren’t totally left to fend for themselves in the engineering wilderness – they have people they can turn to for help. One of these is Gordana Collier (below), head of Oxford Brookes’ School of Engineering. Collier not only acts as a mentor to the students, but also makes sure the university and everyone else recognises their achievements. Also of help are Oxford Brookes Racing’s numerous sponsors, one of which is engineering firm GKN Automotive. While the team goes through the process of building a four-motor, all-wheel-drive electric racing car, the students will consult with the experts at GKN Automotive’s Innovation Centre in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, drawing on the firm’s considerable expertise in this field. These experts don’t hold the students’ hands by any measure. Instead they…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk Running costs 29.4mpg (official) £82 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.7 seconds/162mph THE Macan has been a massive success for Porsche ever since it went on sale some six years ago, offering some genuine practicality matched with eye-wateringly good dynamics and a driving position that was more sports car than SUV. Gradually, though, Porsche has improved the Macan, expanding the range and, late last year, introducing an even better-looking, even more competent Mk2 model. Now the company has completed the “new improved” range with this version, the most sporting of all the Macans: the GTS. It doesn’t have as much power or torque as the Turbo but, says Porsche, the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 GTS is the most sporting Macan owing to its character. It rides 10mm lower than any other…

MODEL TESTED: Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i x-trend (Safety Sense) PRICE: £13,215 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 71bhp THE Aygo was refreshed back in 2018 with a revised look and improved tech, but two years on, can it keep pace with the latest car to join the class? We’re testing the Aygo 1.0 in x-trend trim with Toyota’s Safety Sense pack, which costs £13,215, making it the cheapest car here, but not by much. Design & engineering SINCE the city car trio of the Skoda Citigo, SEAT Mii and Volkswagen up! went off sale (they’ll all be back soon in Auto Express as fully electric variants or with revised ranges) it’s given models like the i10, Picanto and, in particular, the Aygo a stronger look in. The Aygo was designed as part of…

For just £22.99 every 13 issues, you can enjoy the latest motoring news delivered to your door each week, and we’ll send you an exclusive welcome gift! YOUR GREAT OFFER • FREE G3 Pro Multicleaner • All the latest news, road tests & reviews delivered to your door each week • FREE delivery of every issue • Save 50% on your subscription SAVE 50% ORDER ONLINE: dennismags.co.uk/autoexpress OR CALL NOW ON: 0330 333 9491 quoting offer code D1613 YOUR FREE GIFT G3 Pro Multicleaner is a truly versatile rigorous cleaning solution that is safe to use on all soft and hard surfaces, inside and outside your vehicle - from carpets and upholstery, through vinyl and paintwork to wheel arch liners and engine bays. It is a silicone-free product that will…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk Can I charge stop-start 12V? Q I’VE just bought a car which has a stop-start system. Will I need to buy another battery charger to suit, or will the one I’ve been using on conventional cars be okay? Harry Vawdrey, E-mail A SOME battery charger makers have standalone devices for stop-start batteries, while others feature a specific mode on their chargers. Almost all stop-start systems use AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries, so any charger that can be used with them will be fine. Confused by speed ratings Q I’M looking to replace my car tyres and have been offered a set by a mate who happens to have exactly the same car. They are the same but have an H rather than the V speed rating…

ANY keen motoring DIY-er can justify a cordless impact wrench; its inherent easy torque makes any job easier, from changing a wheel to working on suspension – and now there’s a new option from Sealey. To see how its matches up, we put it up against the test-winner from HiKOKI. We looked at how comfortable and easy to use the wrenches were, and tested their stamina with tasks including removing a hub and wheel nuts. Marks were given for features such as the number of torque settings, LED work lights, and battery size. The Sealey is a great device with a high spec and performance. It may lack the HiKOKI’s huge battery capacity, but if 6Ah is enough, it’s a fine choice. Yet the HiKOKI wins again by excelling in…

YOUR VIEWS ON YOUR CARS 2019 Results Mazda 3 Factfile Years: 2013 to 2018 CO2: 99g/km Fuel economy: 74.3mpg (1.5 diesel) Best options: Heated seats, premium sound system, reversing camera Used prices: From £4,800 OVERALL SCORE 90.998% Bars show where model finished out of 100 vehicles in our 2019 new car survey. The longer the bar the better GOOD “THE best automatic gearbox I’ve ever experienced. It’s so smooth in town, but has real pick-up under acceleration.” “Overall design is very appealing, especially in red; it’s distinctive and elegant.” “The boot can fit multiple weekend bags on top of all my plane-spotting equipment.” “The steering is responsive and nicely weighted – very pleasant in the corners.” “Blind-spot warning and other safety features are excellent.” “Low tax and insurance costs for…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk ● Lack of snow forces changes ● Toyota tests 2021 Yaris WRC THIS weekend’s Swedish round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) is going ahead on a heavily revised and shortened route, including some stage mileage over the border in Norway to replace running in southern Sweden. The changes have been made necessary by unseasonably warm weather in the local area, which means the heavy blanket of ice and snow that traditionally accompanies the Swedish championship round is absent. Running studded snow tyres on ice-free gravel roads would tear up the surface, while running standard gravel tyres would not be seen as acceptable from a safety point of view, due to the possibility of some patches of ice remaining on the roads. The revised route includes just over 106…

LUC NUYTS Toyota Europe Yaris project leader Q How have you made such big gains with this Yaris’s chassis compared with the Mk3? A The answer is simple: TNGA. That technology gives us more rigidity and a different layout – different pick-up points for the suspension, and so forth – that all help to increase the rigidity. And we’ve also put in extra reinforcement in a few key areas, such as a strut brace across the engine bay and a solid rail across the dashboard. These are things that we knew we wanted to do but they could only happen with a brand-new platform, like this one. Q It’s unusual to see a car getting smaller for a new generation. A Yes, but the key is the shorter overhangs on…

Sporty models added to SEAT Tarraco range SEAT has extended its Tarraco SUV range by adding new FR trim levels. The FR and FR Sport models get an aggressive new bodykit, twin exhausts, sports seats and new alloy wheels – 19-inch designs on the FR and 20-inch rims on FR Sport. The higher-grade car also has rear and top-view cameras, plus the Tarraco’s winter pack. Both are now on sale now, with prices from £31,680 and a wide range of powertrains available. New-car sales decline continued last month JANUARY saw more grim news for the new-car market, with registrations falling 7.3 per cent over the same month last year. A total of 149,279 new models found homes in January, but private registrations dropped by 13.9 per cent, and fewer diesels…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk THE Aston Martin Vantage has gone topless with this, the new Vantage Roadster. It’s available to order now, priced from £126,950. Under the bonnet, the Roadster uses the same Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 as the coupé, which develops 503bhp and 685Nm of torque. It sends power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which features paddle-shifters for manual control. The coupé’s electronic rear differential is carried over, as are adaptive damping and dynamic torque vectoring, while the Roadster gets a bespoke chassis set-up to compensate for the loss of the roof. The Roadster is 60kg heavier than the coupé, due to its additional strengthening measures, but performance takes only a very minor hit; 0-62mph now takes 3.8 seconds – which is 0.2 seconds slower than the coupé…

We put questions to a key Minister from the Department for Transport Q. Could the 2035 date change, and could plug-in hybrids escape the ban? A. “We are consulting on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition is feasible, as well as including hybrids for the first time as part of a long-term strategy. “In June 2019 the UK became the first major global economy to pass a law that requires us to achieve ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We received independent expert advice from the Committee on Climate Change that to meet net zero, the UK should aim for 2035 or ideally earlier. “Plug-in hybrids can deliver emissions savings and will continue to…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m) Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Which?: 01992 878329 Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 01722 422422 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0330 159 0364 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.7 seconds/186mph Running costs 25.6mpg (official) £89 fill-up WHEN the Jaguar F-Type first appeared back in 2013, it went close to the top of its class from the word go. It looked great, sounded lovely, went like stink and was well priced beside rivals from Porsche, Audi and Mercedes. And when the even sharper-looking and driving coupé model appeared a year or so later, things got better still. But the rate of progress in the car industry has been unprecedented over the last five or six years, to a point where the F-Type was starting to feel dated. Especially in the way it drove relative to its best rivals. To be honest, it had started to feel like a bit of a dinosaur so Jaguar knew…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk LAST year Toyota brought back the famous Corolla badge to the UK for the first time in more than a decade, and now the Japanese manufacturer is expanding the line-up with this: the Corolla GR Sport. A fully fledged GR Corolla hot hatchback could arrive in around two years’ time, as we previewed in Issue 1,612. Until then, this GR Sport – a sporty trim level to rival models such as Ford’s Focus ST-Line and VW’s Golf R-Line – is as hot as things get. There’s a different front bumper with a wide mesh-patterned grille and black trim pieces, while at the rear there’s a slightly different bumper with fake twin exhausts and diffuser details. The makeover is topped off with black 18-inch alloy wheels, and black surrounds for…

MODEL TESTED: Hyundai i10 1.0 MPi SE Connect PRICE: £13,495 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 66bhp WITH more technology and safety equipment, plus extra practicality, the Hyundai i10 arrives as a strong package in city car sector. We’re testing what is likely to be the most popular model, the mid-spec 1.0-litre SE Connect, at £13,495. Design & engineering THE original i10 was a scrappage scheme winner, with the government trade-in deal helping popularise this compact hatch alongside its sub-£10,000 lead-in price. Times have changed, though, and the city car market is tougher. The starting price has risen to £12,495 for this third-generation model, while the SE Connect version we’re testing is another £1,000 on top of that. But Hyundai is not alone with its pricing and you do get a good level…

Hyundai i10 Touchscreen Display Audio Standard Key features: Smartphone apps THE i10’s large eight-inch touchscreen is mounted on top of the dash, which makes it feel like a bigger, more grown-up car from behind the wheel. As with all of Hyundai’s touchscreen systems, the graphics are good enough and the screen responds quickly to your inputs. It’s clear the processing power is up to the job. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is included as standard, which allows users to access sat-nav through their smartphone. It’s a clever solution, and the fact that you can’t get built-in nav on SE Connect trim at all isn’t an issue. However, it’s a bit more of an annoyance that wireless charging isn’t available in 2020. But there is a USB port nearby to…

THE Skoda Superb is based on the VW Group’s MQB platform, so it shares parts with many other models including the Passat – and both cars here feature the same set-up: a 1.4-litre petrol engine, an electric motor and a battery. The Skoda uses MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear, and Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) is standard on all iV models, which is excellent. These adaptive dampers can be set to Comfort, Normal or Sport, softening or firming up the ride in the corresponding modes. It makes a significant difference, tightening body control in Sport mode and softening it out in Comfort. The SE L brings 18-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED lights, heated seats, blind-spot detection, keyless entry, adaptive cruise and dual-zone climate control. An eight-inch touchscreen…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths I’LL admit that it’s a cheap joke, but when finished in Passion Red my departing Citroen Berlingo XL bears more than a passing resemblance to a post van. Not that there’s anything wrong with post vans, of course, but there’s no denying that the Berlingo is a van-based MPV, with all the advantages and disadvantages that brings. Starting with the positives, that heritage means the Berlingo is absolutely massive inside. It can easily accommodate seven adults and still have space for luggage, while the sheer length of its load bay – coupled with a middle row and a front passenger seat with backrests that fold flat – means loading long items like last year’s vast Christmas tree proved a cinch. The car doesn’t feel that big to drive,…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk @83ste I DROVE our E 300 de from London to Dublin and back recently. The trip took in everything from long motorway runs to short suburban trips around Dublin, and even an excursion to the Wicklow countryside along winding rural roads. Temperatures remained in single figures throughout, so the dashboard never promised more than about 20 miles of pure-electric running from a full battery – some way off the official claim of 30-plus miles. That’s nothing unusual for a plug-in hybrid in cold weather, but I was a little disappointed with the economy as well. Running the car primarily in Hybrid mode, charging from a domestic socket and occasionally using the engine charge function saw economy of 43mpg from a tank of fuel. Our Merc’s chief proprietor, Vicky Parrott,…

NEW PRODUCT Sealey work lights Price: from £41.94 Contact: www.sealey.co.uk THERE seems to be no end to Sealey’s work-light options, because it has just added another two models to its range. The LED50WS is a combined inspection lamp and Bluetooth speaker, with a circular 10W COB LED light that pushes out 500 lumens. Sealey claims it will run at this power for 4.5 hours on a full charge, but a 250-lumens battery-saving mode will see run time extend to 12 hours. The lamp also has a stand, plus magnets in the rear, and a hook to help get light where you need it. Charging is via a micro USB lead and will take six hours from fully discharged. The light costs £41.94, down from the £49.95 list price as part of…

Driverless Cars: A Ride Into The Future Matthew Felgate (Kindle Edition, www.amazon.co.uk) Price: £4.99 AS autonomous cars look more and more likely in the future, the way we drive and the way our roads are designed will become tailored to them in a way not seen before. This book explores the possibilities of such a future. It’s not a long read, and feels rushed in a few places, but it’s interesting. Automotive Secrets David J Horne (Kindle Edition, www.amazon.co.uk) Price: £4.99 OUR second Kindle offering appears similarly rushed out in places, but also feels a bit like reading one of those ‘get-rich-quick’ books in the way the information is presented. It’s quite interesting to read and makes some engaging points about the different ways a traditional car firm is run…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk Making sense of insurers Q MY car needed a new windscreen, and this entailed the recalibration of the sensors by the rear-view mirror, and wheel realignment. My insurer paid for everything apart from the wheel alignment. What’s going on here? EK, E-mail A THE wording of your insurance policy will determine what is covered. Thatcham Research advised us that when recalibrating sensors for assistance systems such as lane-keep assist – which are often by the rear-view mirror – it’s not unusual for wheel alignment to be needed. Is my car up to standard? Q I’M organising my own company car and want to avoid the four per cent Benefit-in-Kind surcharge for non-RDE2 diesels. How do I check if a diesel car is RDE2-compliant? Barry Copestake,…

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off “For everyday cars that hit the spot, the new world order comprises Germany, South Korea, Japan and Great Britain” THE annual World Car Awards competition is a bit like a breathless horse race that gallops for months through some of the leading motor cities, from Europe and Asia to North America. There are dozens of hopeful runners and riders with varying degrees of talent, experience, energy or prospect of a class or overall win. Of these, we find fearless rookies such as SEAT, Skoda and SsangYong; more traditional midfield veterans like General Motors/Cadillac and Ford; then the ‘clear favourites’ – Audi usually being one of them because it has so far picked up more World Car trophies (10) than any other car…