Innholdsfortegnelse for 1628 i Auto Express

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods “The Coupé and Cabriolet go on sale in the UK at the end of June, priced from around £46,000” Revised coupé and cabriolet New tech from saloon debuts ELSEWHERE at Mercedes, the marque has followed up the facelifted E-Class saloon and estate with refreshed versions of its Coupé and Cabriolet versions. Both go on sale in the UK at the end of June, priced from around £46,000. As with the saloon, the Coupé and Cabriolet get reshaped LED headlights, a revised front bumper, a new, partially chromed radiator grille and fresh two-piece LED tail-lights. Buyers can also spec a set of new, aerodynamically efficient alloy wheels and a choice of four extra paint colours. Inside, there’s a new multifunction steering wheel with touch-sensitive controls, revised sports seats, a…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson Style and efficiency updates Now with Union Flag lights MINI has launched an updated version of the Countryman crossover with a range of design, efficiency and technology tweaks. It’s available to order now, with prices starting from £23,500 for the entrylevel Cooper, climbing to £36,000 for the range-topping John Cooper Works. Cosmetic revisions include a new grille, revised front and rear bumpers, two new paint finishes, the introduction of Union Flag tail-lights and a choice of new alloy wheel designs, in 16, 17 or 19-inch sizes. All cars now get adaptive LED headlamps with auto-dimming, while ‘piano-black’ exterior trim pieces can also be specified in place of the standard car’s chrome finishings. Inside, there’s a new five-inch digital instrument cluster, piano-black trim has been added to the dashboard…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths THE Euro NCAP crash-test programme is to undergo its biggest shake-up in a decade this year, with the introduction of tough new assessments that will penalise bigger cars if they are judged likely to damage smaller cars disproportionately. The changes are designed to respond to concerns that SUVs and larger, heavier vehicles cause small cars and their occupants to “fare less well” in real-world collisions. To address this worry, a new, deformable barrier will be used in tests, with measurements from it determining how much “intrusion” cars would make into each other during collisions. The barrier will also move at 50km/h (31mph) instead of being static as it previously was, better reflecting real-world collisions. Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research, and a board member of Euro…

ELECTRONICS – including safety systems – make up 40 per cent of the cost of a new car, new analysis suggests, with the figure set to rise over the next decade. Features such as parking sensors, infotainment systems and anti-lock brakes accounted for as little as five per cent of a new car’s cost in 1970, due to the obvious lack of technology available at that time. The figure reached 10 per cent in 1980 with the advent of electronic fuel-injection systems, and then rose to 15 per cent in 1990. The new research, from accountancy firm Deloitte, shows the proportion of the cost of a new car attributable to its electronic systems had reached as high as 22 per cent in the year 2000, when airbags, anti-lock brakes and…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler THIS was supposed to be the year that Bentley broke all records: record sales, record profitability and with a trajectory to go on to even greater things. Coronavirus meant all that came to a shuddering halt, yet Bentley has used its downtime effectively, becoming one of the first car makers in the UK to get back up and running with its Come Back Stronger plans. On the day the first workers returned to Crewe, Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark was in the car park welcoming his team back. Then he found some time to talk exclusively to Auto Express about how the crisis has affected his company, as well as his bold plans for Bentley’s future. Q How have you been preparing for the return to work? A If…

Auto Express news and reviews editor @Jonathan_burn Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives HEAR MORE autoexpress.co.uk/podcast “My first impression was being truly amazed by the quality of the Fiesta ST’s ride” No1. Ford Fiesta ST THROUGHOUT this series, we’ve seen two Ferraris, a McLaren and a Porsche top the ‘Best cars I’ve ever driven’ list. All of them deserve to be there because, quite simply, they’re all exceptional machines. But for me, the overall appeal of a car has as much to do with how attainable it is, as the grin it puts on your face. Of course, attainability is a relative concept, but for me nothing comes close to the latest Ford Fiesta ST. Sure, I’ve driven cars that are faster – much faster – cost…

MODELTESTED: Ford Kuga 2.0 EcoBlue mHEV Titanium PRICE: £29,375 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 148bhp Running costs 44.6mpg (on test) £65 fill-up/£150 or 30% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 475-526-1,534 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 9.3 seconds/121mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 52.3/35.9/10.7m THE Ford Kuga has been around for more than a decade, so it’s a well established model. This all-new version brings mild-hybrid power, including on the diesel variant that we’re testing here. In Titanium trim it costs from £29,375. Design & engineering THE Kuga is based on Ford’s C2 platform, so it shares tech and chassis components with the Focus hatchback. This is very similar to the arrangement on its rivals; the RAV4 is related to the Corolla hatchback, while the Karoq and Octavia are closely linked. Each SUV shares traits with its…

THERE are four trim levels to choose from if you want a RAV4 Hybrid: Icon, Design, Excel and Dynamic. The entry-level Icon model tested here features 17-inch alloy wheels, autonomous braking, climate control, a reversing camera, keyless go and an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity. On the same lease terms as for our deals on the Kuga (Page 45), base-spec Icon trim will cost £276 per month. This rises to £293 if you opt for Design trim, which adds 18-inch alloys, sat-nav, keyless entry and a powered tailgate. Excel (£324 a month) features leather upholstery, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a heated steering wheel and ambient lighting in the cabin. Dynamic trim adds 18-inch alloys, a contrasting roof colour, different front seats and gloss black wheelarch trim. It…

Ford Kuga SYNC3 Standard Key features: Touchscreen, phone link THE Kuga comes with Ford’s latest SYNC3 navigation and infotainment set-up. It’s the only model here to get sat-nav as standard, but all three have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, giving users nav through their phones. This is easy on the Ford because it loads quickly, is simple to set up, and the built-in user interface allows fast access to the functions you do want. The screen is sharp and responsive and the user interface makes sense. Plus, large buttons on the screen make it relatively easy to use while on the move, although all three cars suffer here because they don’t have physical control systems, such as BMW’s iDrive, for example. Digital dials come on some higher-spec versions of the…

Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk Running costs 37.9mpg (on test) £54 fill-up £150 or 29% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 351/1,019 litres I DO a lot of miles in my Mazda 3 fleet car, travelling the length and breadth of the UK to snap pictures for Auto Express magazine and the website. At least, I used to. As with most readers, for what seems like nearly as long as I can remember, the furthest I’ve been driving is to the shops – which in my case are in Chelmsford city centre, just a few miles down the road from my house. However, the government’s slight easing of the lockdown restrictions recently, permitting longer drives, has allowed me to enjoy the Mazda’s strong suit: just how good the car is to drive. Beforehand, my day-to-day…

BMW 1 Series Iss. 1,608, 1,612, 1,615, 1,622 Ford Focus ST Estate Issues 1,608, 1,616, 1,623 Mazda 3 Issues 1,607, 1,613, 1,622 Mercedes E 300 de Iss. 1,609, 1,613, 1,619, 1,625 MINI Clubman Issues 1,603, 1,617, 1,624 MINI Electric Issue 1,626 Mitsubishi L200 Issue 1,618 Nissan Juke Issues 1,612, 1,620, 1,627 Skoda Superb iV New arrival SsangYong Korando Issue 1,625 Toyota Corolla Iss. 1,602, 1,610, 1,621, 1,626 Volkswagen T-Cross Issue 1,611, 1,619, 1,627 Volvo S60 Issues 1,604, 1,618, 1,623 Volvo XC40 Recharge Issue 1,624…

Dear Luke, I’ve got a budget of £45,000 to spend on a nearly new, large premium SUV. What do you recommend? Adam Egerton, E-mail Contact: Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk THE TECHY CHOICE Audi Q7 FOR: Blend of comfort and handling, strong V8 diesel AGAINST: Some may miss the lack of physical buttons AUDI’S Q7 is a halfway house between the comfortable Volvo XC90 and the dynamic BMW X5, offering what some buyers may consider to be the best of both worlds. A £45,000 budget grants you access to most of the Q7 range, and if you’re willing to completely empty your pockets you can have a nearly new, entry-level diesel. However, we’d suggest spending a little less on a slightly older but better-equipped car. We found a 2019 S line, with around 7,500…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for your daily news updates Long-running roadster to return as a 2+2 with a fabric roof New SL will share technology with AMG GT sports car James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods MERCEDES is plotting a radical overhaul for one of its longest-running models: the SL roadster. Due in showrooms in the next 18 months, the new model is being developed by Mercedes-AMG, with a focus on injecting a new level of performance. Last year, sports cars contributed to slightly more than one per cent of the brand’s total sales worldwide; around 28,400 sold in 2019, according to Merc’s own figures. That’s a rise of 48 per cent over 2018, but by the firm’s own admission, the AMG GT line-up accounts for most of that, with the compact SLC roadster and fullsize…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “The plug-in 530e will be offered as a Touring estate for the first time, and there’s a new six-cylinder petrol plug-in, badged 545e” Styling and efficiency tweaks Performance plug-in launched THE current BMW 5 Series is the best-driving executive saloon in the class – and now the German manufacturer is going to turn up the heat on its rivals by introducing efficiency gains and fresh in-car tech on this new, facelifted version. Outside, the changes are subtle, as you’d expect for a midlife refresh of such a well established model. The kidney grille is wider and taller, the headlights are slightly slimmer, and there’s a new LED tail-light design. There are different bumpers at the front and rear, too, along with a new wheel design for M Sport…

All-electric Volvo XC40 names its price VOLVO’S first all-electric vehicle is now on sale in the UK. The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric (above) is priced from £53,155, and is the first of five electric Volvos due in the next five years. Total power is 402bhp, and 0-62mph takes just 4.9 seconds, while Volvo claims a maximum range of 249 miles on a charge, thanks to the 78kWh battery pack. Fast-charge technology means an 80 per cent top-up is possible in 40 minutes. UK deliveries begin next year. Punters to pay price for Euro car imports EUROPEAN cars imported into the UK will be subject to the same 10 per cent tariffs as those brought in from other countries from 1 January 2021, unless a free trade agreement is struck with…

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 Problems with makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls DVSA: 0300 123 9000…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram Electric motor Power/range 134bhp/29 miles Running costs 105mpg (off icial) £72 fill-up AUDI’S flagship saloon, the A8, has finally arrived in the UK with full plug-in hybrid power. This 60 TFSI e is an impressive result of the brand’s efforts, but it’s a bit late to the party; the BMW 7 Series has been available as a plug-in for four years, and the fuel-sipping version of the Mercedes S-Class has already established itself in this area of the market. So can the A8 make a strong case for itself? The Audi, driven here in long-wheelbase A8 L form, follows a similar formula to its rivals. Its small battery (14kWh in this case) supplies power to an electric motor, which…

THERE are five trim levels to choose from in the Kuga range: Zetec, Titanium, ST-Line, ST-Line X and Vignale. Zetec features 17-inch alloys, air-con, cruise control, lane-keep assist, wireless charging and an eight-inch touchscreen with nav, phone tech and a WiFi hotspot. It’s £285 a month on a three-year lease deal limited to 10,000 miles a year with nine months’ initial rental. Titanium costs £296 a month, and for that you get 18-inch alloys, LED lights, keyless entry, climate control, part-leather trim and a B&O Premium stereo on top. Vignale adds 19-inch alloys, metallic paint, a heated leather steering wheel and leather seats, a digital dash and a head-up display. It’s £347 a month on our terms. ST-Line has a sportier look, with 18-inch alloys, sports seats and that digital…

MODELTESTED: Skoda Karoq 2.0 TDI 150 DSG 4x4 SE PRICE: £30,585 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 148bhp Running costs 45.5mpg (on test) £66 fill-up/£150 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 521/1,630 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.4 seconds/119mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 49.7/36.8/9.6m THE Skoda Karoq is our current favourite family SUV and is an Auto Express Award winner. Here, we’re testing the SE model (our pictures show a SportLine) in 2.0 TDI 150 DSG 4x4 spec, which costs £30,585. Design & engineering THE Karoq sits on the widely used VW Group MQB platform, so it shares parts with lots of other models, including rivals like the SEAT Ateca and cars in other classes, such as the Skoda Octavia and larger Skoda Kodiaq. There are MacPherson struts up front, and while front-wheel-drive models have…

1st FORD THE Kuga is a great return to form from Ford. It’s still the family SUV for keen drivers, because it handles brilliantly, but in Titanium spec it’s cheaper and better equipped than the Karoq – and nearly as versatile, despite slightly less passenger room. The mild-hybrid tech boosts efficiency, while strong infotainment, a good level of safety kit, more equipment than the Skoda, and enough space for the family make it a solid mid-size SUV. 2nd SKODA DIESEL trim isn’t the Karoq’s sweet spot. This shows how the market has moved on. We’d go for a 1.5 TSI in higher-spec SE L trim instead, because SE doesn’t get enough kit for the price, and you don’t get the sliding rear seat. Still, the Karoq drives and rides nicely…

products@autoexpress.co.uk Running costs 27.2mpg (on test) £84 fill-up £260 tax Practicality Payload capacity 1,075kg I GENERALLY dread visiting my mother-in-law. Not because she’s like someone from an old Les Dawson joke or she thinks I’m not good enough for her daughter – although she’d be right if she did. No, my reluctance to visit her is totally down to the journey from my home near Cambridge to her flat in West London. The M11 can have its moments but is usually okay, then you have to run the gauntlet of the North Circular or the M25. We usually allow two hours for the trip, yet it can easily take three, with much of the time spent in grinding, stop-start traffic. But I was looking forward to the latest visit on…

products@autoexpress.co.uk IN these difficult times we all need something to look forward to and, since you’re reading this magazine, that’s likely to involve cars. While some will be looking forward to dealerships opening, many more will be planning maintenance and cleaning. If your experience is anything like mine, then the car you cleaned at the start of lockdown will be covered in dust and pollen by now, and need further attention. So over the next 25 pages, we celebrate the aftermarket and provide you with the top products for cleaning, maintaining and protecting your car. Unlike some outwardly similar awards, ours are backed by an extensive test programme that’s unmatched by any other UK car magazine. Over the past 12 months, we’ve tested just over 600 products – 619 to…

WINNER Autoglym InstaDry Price: £13.40 Contact: www.autoglym.com LOOKING back over previous Product of the Year award-winners, we’ve favoured those that were innovative, tackling familiar problems in a new way, or ones designed for new tasks. PURE’s Highway DAB radio adapter and Bridgestone’s DriveGuard universal run-flat tyre are good examples, as are CTEK’s pioneering battery chargers. We’ve also celebrated remarkable achievements, like Continental winning all three of our tyre tests in one year. But our 2020 winner falls into the first of those categories, because it takes a unique approach to drying a car. Unlike other microfibre solutions, which seem to be in a race to create the biggest, fluffiest towel for drying your car, Autoglym teamed up with Vileda to create the InstaDry, which is even thinner than a traditional chamois…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk Q Is there a short answer to upgrading from an E-Class? DOES Mercedes offer a short-wheelbase S-Class in the UK? I would like to trade up from the E-Class I currently own, but I’m worried a LWB S-Class would be far too big and make me look like a bit like a chauffeur. Keith Hayward, E-mail A YES, Mercedes offers the current S-Class in both standard and long-wheelbase forms; the shorter of the two models measures 5,141mm in length. For comparison, the E-Class is 4,940mm long, so the difference between the two isn’t too drastic. It’s worth noting there is a new S-Class on the way, and some reports have suggested it will only be offered with one wheelbase, but there are no official details yet from…

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 figure in miles per gallon and its emissions in grams per kilometre of CO2. Figures are the best achieved in the latest WLTP tests, but will vary according to equipment and are unlikely to be representative of everyday efficiency. 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. EVs and hybrids will have dedicated battery cover. LIST PRICE: This is the on-the-road figure and includes VAT, delivery to dealer, 12 months’ road tax, number plates and…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk BEFORE Toyota’s breakthrough victory in 2018, fellow Japanese brand Mazda had spent close to 30 years basking in the status of being the only Japanese manufacturer to have won the Le Mans 24 Hours outright, succeeding where its bigger and better-funded compatriots had failed. And it remains the only brand to have won the race using anything other than a conventional piston engine, with its rotary-powered 787B. The car that was driven to victory in the 1991 event by Bertrand Gachot, Volker Wiedler and Johnny Herbert has since become one of the most iconic and recognisable racing machines of all time. That’s thanks in part to the unmistakable green-and-orange livery of the works team’s main sponsor (Japanese clothing company Renown), but also to the technical innovation of the car’s…

W198 (1954-63) Iconic Gullwing lasted for three years before Roadster replaced it. Fourcylinder 190 SL was the affordable alternative. W113 (1963-1971) ‘Pagoda’ model came with a removable hard-top. 230, 250 and 280 models all came with six-cylinder engines. R107 (1971-1989) As well as a roadster, Mercedes produced the four-seat SLC coupé up until 1981. This was the first SL with a V8. R129 (1989-2001) SL moved into the nineties with V12 power introduced for the first time. AMG versions also appear. R230 (2001-2011) Introduced folding hard-top roof first seen on the SLK, as well as adaptive body control and other hi-tech aids. R231 (2012-2020) Outgoing SL was a heavily updated version of the R230 that used an all-aluminium body for the first time.…

Oliver Heilmer has been Head of MINI design since late 2017. Auto Express caught up with him to chat about the brand’s future product plans. Q Facelifts today always seem very minor. Are they still relevant and important to you? A “It depends on how long a car will be on sale; normally, we’re talking seven or eight years. What we figure out after four years is that the interest drops, so there is an advantage with a facelift to push [a car] in the market again. The modernisation is not just visual but technical as well; sometimes, from a legal perspective, we have to improve the technology.” Q Would MINI ever consider developing a car that’s larger than the Countryman? A “This is a question that we always ask…

Facelift introduces 48v power New looks and infotainment John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy KIA’S new-model offensive enters full swing in the next 18 months, and these are images of one of the first elements of the product blitz: a heavily revised Rio. The Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa rival will get new engines, a clever transmission that’s claimed to improve efficiency and a number of upgrades to interior equipment, infotainment and safety technology. The biggest news on the engine front is EcoDynamics+, which pairs Kia’s latest 1.0 T-GDi turbocharged three-cylinder engine with a 48V starter-generator to bring mildhy-brid assistance to the model for the first time. The system, which has a lithium-ion battery, harnesses braking energy and then feeds it back to help the engine during stop-start situations and under acceleration. Kia claims…

Black is back with special-edition T-Roc VOLKSWAGEN has introduced the T-Roc Black Edition (above). Based on mid-spec SE trim, it adds black styling features inside and out, plus new 18-inch wheels. Petrol options consist of VW’s 113bhp 1.0 TSI three-cylinder or a 148bhp 1.5 TSI four-cylinder. Diesel customers can choose from either 1.6 or 2.0 TDI four-cylinder units, with 113bhp or 148bhp respectively. Prices for the Black Edition start from £23,750. Drivers on a trip feel long arm of the law DRUG-driving offences in England and Wales were up by a fifth last year, according to Government figures. Some 11,614 motorists were found guilty of drug-driving offences in 2019, a rise of 19.89 per cent compared with in 2018. Essex Police reported a record number of drug-driving arrests in April,…

Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress FROM: David Ashley THIS looks smarter and a lot more futuristic than any of the petrol or diesel-powered cars in its class; a whole range of Mercedes in this style will be very welcome. I hope this modernising trend continues among other brands. FROM: Garry Spice SO who exactly is the demographic for this car? It’s too bland and not sporty enough to attract young buyers, and not big enough for families. At least it doesn’t look generic enough to disappear among all the other small SUVs. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “I had to look twice because I thought it was a Vauxhall Corsa! I can’t be alone in seeing this.” Desmond Heathcote “I’m not sure what the EV equivalent of a ‘Eurobox’ is,…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy Running costs 36.2mpg (off icial) £57 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.1 seconds/155mph AS first attempts go, the Hyundai i30 N was a bit of a stormer. The first proper hot hatchback from the Korean brand bullied its way onto many shortlists with a blend of strong pace, sharp handling and decent value when it made its debut in 2018. Anyone who’d been doubting the ability of N boss Albert Biermann, formerly of BMW’s M division, to develop a front-wheel-drive car was proven wrong in a single stroke. Hyundai tends to work on quicker product cycles than most other brands, so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that the company has treated the i30 N to a bit of an update. It’s an even less surprising move because the bulk…

MODELTESTED: Toyota RAV4 2.5 Hybrid 2WD Icon PRICE: £30,970 ENGINE: 2.5-litre 4cyl hybrid, 215bhp Running costs 47.3mpg (on test) £66 fill-up/£140 or 28% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 580/1,690 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 7.8 seconds/111mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 55.5/37.7/10.4m THIS latest Toyota RAV4 is only available as a hybrid. Here we’re testing it in basic Icon trim (Dynamic pictured), since it’s closest to the Ford and Skoda on price – but standard equipment is similar. Design & engineering TOYOTA’S SUV uses a 2.5-litre four-cylinder non-turbo petrol engine with an electric motor, and as with all other Toyota hybrids, it sends power to the wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This means it doesn’t have gears as such, and instead changes ratio continuously. It’s not much different in normal use than…

THE Karoq is available in SE, SE Drive, SE L, Scout, SportLine and Edition trim levels. With nine months’ initial rental on a 36-month lease limited to 10,000 miles per year you’ll pay £376 a month for the entry-level SE model. It comes with climate and cruise control, parking sensors, autonomous braking and 17-inch alloy wheels. SE Drive adds nav and a reversing camera, but we couldn’t get a price for this, while the SE L model comes in at £405 a month. It features 18-inch alloys, sliding rear seats, heated front seats, LED headlights and keyless entry. Edition comes with 19-inch alloys, blindspot assist, leather seats and a 9.2-inch infotainment screen, for £430 a month. SportLine has a panoramic sunroof, metallic paint, a powered tailgate and sportier trim, and…

12 PRODUCTS TESTED THERE’S no doubt that for the ultimate in grip and safety, swapping tyres as the seasons change is the way to go. The tyres most UK motorists use, otherwise known as summer rubber to our European neighbours, is superior by some margin when the weather is warm and dry. But dedicated winter designs enjoy an even bigger advantage in the cold and especially on snow. And that massive safety margin in freezing conditions is why winter tyres have been part of our test programme for the past decade. We broke new ground with this year’s test, conducting it at Nokian’s winter testing facility in Ivalo, Finland, and, with the firm’s help, the independent motor industry proving ground at ATP Papenburg in Germany. Our tests had the usual…

CO2/tax 101-125g/km £20-£150 Running costs 58-72mpg (BlueHDi 150) £82 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.8 seconds/130mph PEUGEOT has a long and rich history of building family cars with a focus on comfort, affordability and practicality. Indeed, what few people realise is that it’s the world’s second-oldest surviving auto maker behind Mercedes, building its first models in 1889. With more conservative designs than its French rivals Renault and Citroen, for decades Peugeot has offered no-nonsense family cars that are well equipped and good value – at least on the used market. The first-generation 508 was typical of this ethos, just as its 405, 406 and 407 predecessors were. But what Peugeot has often struggled to achieve is a level of desirability and build quality that can match its competitors’ – so how…

I RECENTLY heard the tragic tale of a gentleman who feared staircases, and therefore lived in a bungalow. Furthermore, he deemed his local pavements and roads so risky that he refused to leave home. Guess what? His house burned down. A chippan fire proved far more dangerous than stairs, or the streets beyond his garden gate. This poor chap proved people leading everyday lives inside and outside their homes must take risks – so it’s worth identifying, weighing up, then giving due consideration to them. Think risk assessment – two words you’ll be hearing an awful lot more of when it comes to travel, work, shopping, dining out and more. Some assessments you have to make alone, based on gut feeling, your boredom thresholds and how riskily you’re prepared to…