Innholdsfortegnelse for 1673 i Auto Express

IT’S very tricky to buy a car well, but all too easy to buy one badly. There’s no escaping the need to put in a bit of legwork to get a good deal – although we’re always here to help – while choosing the right time to buy is crucial in getting the right deal. As showrooms reopen at long last, your local car dealer will be very pleased to see you – with all the appropriate safety measures put in place, I’m sure. I’ve been pretty critical in the past of how dealers have been slow to adapt to the digital age, but they’ve done a remarkable job of keeping sales and deliveries ticking over while showrooms have been shut. Allowing us back in to touch, feel and drive…

THIS is our first chance to sample the new Mercedes EQS – the company’s allelectric flagship – ahead of its world premiere, and from our experience of this late-stage prototype, the technology is certainly something impressive. Mercedes recently revealed more EQS specifications, with an EQS 450+ and an EQS 580 4MATIC available from launch. It’s the latter we’re testing here, and with 516bhp and 855Nm of torque, even for a 2.5-tonne car the EQS pulls powerfully and smoothly. The thrust on offer is considerable, but it’s superbly relaxing. That’s thanks to the incredible refinement the car offers. The pair of electric motors give four-wheel drive and very little whine, so cruising along in the EQS is hushed, helped by an ultra-low drag coefficient of just 0.2Cd. That means the experience…

Performance 0-60mph/top speed 8.7 seconds/129mph Running costs 44.8mpg (off icial) £63 fill-up WITH its raised ride height and more rugged-looking body trim, the Kia XCeed looked a bit like an attempt to cash in on SUV design trends when it was launched a few years ago. However, we’ve come to discover that the XCeed actually has some genuine appeal over the Ceed hatchback, and now it’s been refreshed with a new petrol engine. It’s a 1.5 T-GDi turbocharged four-cylinder motor that replaces the old 1.4-litre unit. Here we’re testing it out in high-spec 4 trim, which is priced from £28,880. The new engine produces 158bhp and 253Nm of torque, so the XCeed is a direct rival for the 153bhp version of the 1.0 EcoBoost-powered Ford Focus Active. The Kia is…

THE most famous National Park in Wales and home to the UK’s second highest peak, Snowdonia is worth a visit at any time of the year, not least because it looks totally different from one season to the next. The National Park is also home to some of the most amazing driving routes in Britain, especially around Bala Lake and in the quieter, less populated areas away from the tourist villages. Any one of them would make the perfect base for an overnight or weekend stay, and there is plenty to keep you entertained between the drives. PLACES TO VISIT A The National Slate Museum, Llanberis ON the face of it, a museum dedicated to slate doesn’t sound hugely exciting, but the old Dinorwig quarry works in Llanberis have been…

THE Cotswolds is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful areas of Britain, with the sort of villages that make you want to stop and buy a postcard to send to your mum. The whole area is easily accessible from the Midlands, too, but if you just take the major routes you’ll be missing out on some great roads and pretty views. The biggest tourist attraction nearby is Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, but instead we’ve picked out some locations where petrolheads are more likely to find something entertaining, hopefully without any tragedies. We’d suggest taking a route from Cheltenham to Bicester for the best chance of finding the finest roads and views. THE ROADS 1 B4425 Cirencesterto Bibury and Burford THIS 15-mile long stretch of B-road is unusually wide and well…

AFTER more than a year of Covid-related restrictions, the countdown is well and truly on to the return of normality later this year. There’s a lot to look forward to if you’re a petrolhead, with an array of fantastic events scheduled, many of them familiar favourites. So keep your fingers crossed! You’ll find some of the most eagerly anticipated days out in what should be a great summer of motoring listed here. Keep your eyes peeled for updates on the events’ websites, though, because – as we’ve all learned over the past 12 months or so – plans can change very quickly. THE EVENTS 1 Goodwood Festival of Speed Where? Goodwood, West Sussex When? 8-11 July Details www.goodwood.com THIS year’s Festival of Speed carries over the planned programme for 2020…

THE need to cram luggage into your car while keeping the entire family safe and comfortable is an inevitable source of holiday stress, even before you’ve left home. Rather than head to the nearest showroom to buy a big estate or SUV, you can use your current car and temporarily modify it to be able to carry more. A trailer can carry a huge amount, but is expensive and will require a towbar to be fitted to your car, plus towing requires a different approach to driving, including lower speed limits. So the most practical option for most people is a roof box, which can expand the luggage space of your car by up to four times without needing any expensive or permanent modifications. BOXING CLEVER 1. PLANNING Buying a…

Running costs 62.3mpg (on test) £62 fill-up/£150 or 27% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 611/1,642 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.8 seconds/138mph MODELTESTED: VW Golf Estate Style 2.0 TDI 150PS DSG PRICE: £30,465 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 148bhp OUR Volkswagen Golf Estate 2.0 TDI costs from £30,465 in Style trim, including the DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Our test car was fitted with quite a few options, such as 18-inch alloys, a reversing camera and a sunroof. Design & engineering THE Volkswagen Golf Mk8 still sits on the MQB platform, which is a widely used architecture shared with many other VW Group models, including the Skoda Octavia and Audi A3. The Golf Estate uses a MacPherson-strut front and a multi-link rear suspension layout, which is typical for this kind of car. It…

NEW PRODUCT Touch Up Paint Factory Price: from £12.95 Contact: touchuppaintfactory.com IF a professional smart repair is beyond your budget, there’s a new way to eliminate annoying scratches or irritating stone chips. Touch Up Paint Factory is the latest project from scratch specialist ChipEx, and it offers everything from a pen to a comprehensive kit for a multi-stage, pro-style repair. Key to the new offering are All-in-One colour-matched products that combine the correct paint code for your car with a clearcoat additive, which gives a protective, UV-stable top layer. They can be bought as a touch-up colour coat (30ml £12.95) or in a pen (10ml £16.95), which are new products. The pen also has a primer option, and both come with a wax and grease remover. There’s also an Aerosol Colour…

CO2/tax 114g/km £30-£155 Running costs 47-56mpg (1.2 84) £53 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 13.3 seconds/105mph BELIEVE it or not, but this year marks a quarter of a century since the arrival of the original Ford Ka. Yep – it’s 25 years since Ford introduced its brilliant city car, which is now a modern classic and still looks fresh and interesting, thanks to its ‘New Edge’ styling. In fact, Ford’s new design philosophy made its debut on the first-generation Ka. The Mk1 Ka was replaced by an all-new model in 2008, based on the Fiat 500’s underpinnings. It was far less distinctive and, while more practical, was less fun to drive. When the third-generation Ka appeared in 2016 – this time without Fiat’s help – Ford decided to show what a…

THE city-car-sized up! GTI has 25bhp less than its supermini rivals, but in our test it was actually 0.1 seconds quicker from 0-60mph than the Fiesta ST-Line. This is thanks to its lighter kerbweight and the fact its power is produced lower down the rev range. The GTI is a joy to drive. Its six-speed manual gearbox is beautifully slick and has a great mechanical feel, the three-cylinder turbocharged engine welcomes being revved out, while there’s an enhanced engine note and upholstery that nods to the original Golf GTI to add to the sense of occasion and fun. Ride comfort is a slight issue because the 17-inch rims mean the up! is a little less effective at smoothing out bumps, but this is a fair trade-off for the reduced body…

JAGUAR has added a new model to the F-Type line-up, the R-Dynamic Black, which is on sale in the UK now. The new trim features a black exterior styling pack and 20-inch split five-spoke wheels in gloss black that aren’t available on other F-Types. Three paint colours for the bodywork are available – Santorini Black, Eiger Grey or Firenze Red. The cabin is upholstered in Windsor leather with monogram contrast stitching and features 12-way electrically adjustable sports seats with heating and ventilation. The R-Dynamic Black is available with two engines. The rear-wheel-drive 296bhp four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo petrol opens the range from £64,495, but a 444bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 with rear or four-wheel-drive is also offered. Coupé and convertible bodystyles are available.…

28-PAGE SPECIAL SECTION AFTER what seems like the longest 12 months, it looks as if we will soon be able to finally to shake off the shackles of lockdown, and head back onto the roads for journeys that last longer than a trip to the nearest supermarket. But it also looks like it could be a while until we are allowed to venture abroad, so for the time being we’ll have to limit our driving adventures to the UK. This isn’t as restrictive as you might think, though, because many of us have barely even scratched the surface of exploring our beautiful home country. It goes without saying that you should check what restrictions are in place in any areas you’re travelling from and to, but with domestic holidays likely…

THE ‘official’ North Coast 500 starts and ends at Inverness Castle, a circular route across the northernmost – and arguably most stunning – parts of Scotland. Doing it all is an adventure, but also a big commitment, so if you don’t have time to cover the entire route then you’ll still have tremendous fun covering sections of it instead. The ‘NC500’ was invented as a concept in 2015 by the Tourism Project Board of the Northern Highlands, which wasn’t expecting it to catch on as much as it has. It was even named ‘Scotland’s Route 66’, and cited as one of the top five driving routes in the world by global travel experts. PLACES TO VISIT A Cape-Wrath YOU’LL need to set at least half a day aside to visit…

HAMPSHIRE tends to be ignored by holidaymakers, who stick to the M3 when they are on their way to Dorset, or going further afield via the ferry at Portsmouth. But there’s a great deal to see and do, along with some brilliant driving roads. The 219 square miles of the New Forest are literally the biggest attraction, but it’s not ideal if you are looking for driving thrills because many of the roads are covered by a 40mph speed limit to protect the native wild ponies and deer. It’s still brilliant for sight-seeing, though, with lots to do. The Isle of Wight is a fascinating destination for car fans, as everyday models which are rare on the mainland are well preserved and in daily use. PLACES TOVISIT A National Motor…

“Once you’ve got the kit, the cost of going away is far less. And if you’re working from home, who says that can’t be in a caravan at a farm in the Lakes?” PART1 CARAVAN GUIDE WHO would have thought that in the 2020s, caravanning would see a resurgence? Yet in a post-lockdown world, the appeal of a holiday in your own accommodation, rather than sleeping in a room that was occupied by strangers the week before is clear. So is a home on wheels for you? Caravanning suits all sorts, but children have a particular affinity for it. Perhaps it’s the smaller scale of the accommodation, the opportunities to help out with tasks such as fetching fresh water, or the sense of togetherness that comes from living closely with…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn LOCKDOWN has affected people in many different ways, that’s for sure. Closed workplaces, a lack of social gatherings and limits on group activities have been hell for some. But for others, the ability to get away from other people in perfect isolation means elements of the past year have been a pleasure, not a pain. With restrictions easing, some semblance of a ‘normal’ life is returning, but you don’t have to jump back into the hustle and bustle of a social scene if you don’t want to. Although the lifting of travel restrictions means you can go and enjoy some of our recommended great driving roads, there’s also scope to take isolation to a whole new level with a spot of wild camping. Wild camping is the rebellious…

Running costs 48.8mpg (on test) £53 fill-up/£140 or 25% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 581/1,606 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 11.1 seconds/112mph MODELTESTED: Toyota Corolla Touring Sports 1.8 Hybrid Excel PRICE: £30,010 ENGINE: 1.8-litre 4cyl+e-motor, 120bhp THE Toyota Corolla Touring Sports is the estate version of this excellent family car. It’s only available as a hybrid, which means there’s a petrol engine – here a 1.8-litre unit – and an electric motor plus a battery. This version is a high-spec Excel model, which is close to the Golf’s price, at £30,010. Design & engineering THE Corolla is based on Toyota’s New Global Architecture platform, which uses a sophisticated double-wishbone rear suspension layout that’s key to the model’s comfortable and enjoyable road manners. Its powertrain is advanced as well, thanks to its…

WINTER or summer, it’s always a good idea to have a torch in the glovebox. Rechargeables make a lot of sense because you don’t have to keep replacing batteries and they can be revived in the house, via a computer or in the car. The new Impact Personal Alarm Torch XL aims to not only help out in a breakdown, but also if you’re under threat, thanks to its built-in siren. Does adding an alarm affect its performance? To find out, we put it up against our current champion, Ring’s Zoom 300. We ran both for an hour and tested them in the garage, under the bonnet and over long distances. A zoom function is useful, and a choice of modes adds versatility. We looked for a balance of weight…

2020 Results Stonic Factfile Years: 2017 to present CO2: 129g/km Fuel economy: 49.6mpg (1.0 T-GDi) Best options: Sat-nav, climate control, reversing camera, adaptive cruise USED PRICES: From £9,600 OVERALL SCORE 90.41% Bars show where model finished out of 75 vehicles in our 2020 new car survey The longer the bar the better WE SAID “You like the Stonic’s styling and say the outside is well built, but the same can’t be said for the interior quality. The Kia’s score is boosted, though, by fairly low running costs, excellent reliability and great infotainment.” GOOD “THE Stonic looks magnificent from the outside. The front end is perfect – as stylish and smart as any SUV on the market.” “I’m not keen on hard, sporty suspension, and find the Kia smooth and comfortable.”…

A GOOD city car or supermini should be cheap to run and easy to manoeuvre in tight spots first and foremost, but these cars’ small stature also means they’re often great fun to drive, because their short wheelbases typically lead to crisp responses and agility. That means these models lend themselves well to an extra dose of power, so car makers often offer ‘warm’ (and occasionally hot) small cars by upping their bhp slightly, while adding sharper styling as well as a few choice chassis tweaks. Such additions tend to be balanced against asking and insurance prices. Here we look at three small warm hatches, which are readily available on the second-hand market. The Volkswagen up! GTI may be tiny by today’s standards, but it’s not far off the size of the…

THE Suzuki Swift Sport is the closest of these three cars to being a hot hatch; its 138bhp matches the Fiesta ST-Line, but it’s lighter than even the up! GTI. That means 0-60mph takes 7.9 seconds, making it the quickest car here in that sprint by more than a second. Its steering is well weighted and there’s lots of grip, plus it benefits from a smooth ride. The Swift Sport is the most comfortable around town, and does a good job of ironing out road imperfections. But despite these qualities, it lacks the up! GTI’s character. The Swift may be larger than the VW, but this doesn’t confer it with much of an advantage when it comes to boot space; the Fiesta has a marked amount more room. While the…

AUDI has revealed further technical details for the car with which it’ll contest the 2022 Dakar rally. The German brand’s entry will take the form of a range-extender electric SUV, with the four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine from its DTM touring car being used to keep the batteries charged. Two motor generator units (MGUs) of the same type developed for the Audi works Formula E team will drive the wheels, with one on each axle. Unlike in Formula E, where all teams use a standard battery, Audi will develop the Dakar car’s battery in-house. Speaking about the project, Audi Sport managing director Julius Seebach (below) said: “We remain true to our philosophy of using new technologies in motorsport for the first time. In our rally history, for example, this was the…

FORD MUSTANG MACH-E Price from: £41,330 THE Mach-E offers a sportier take on the electric family SUV. The entry-level version is more expensive than our top-spec Enyaq test car, yet it only offers a claimed 273 miles of range. With 265bhp and a 0-62mph time of 6.1 seconds, it’s sportier, but definitely not as comfortable or refined. MERCEDES EQA Price from: £43,495 WHEN it comes to compact electric SUVs, Mercedes’ EQA is a great choice. With 187bhp, it’s a little down on power, but 375Nm of torque helps mid-range punch. Plus the EQA’s premium-feeling cabin and smart tech contribute to an upmarket compact SUV package that offers up to 263 miles of range. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 Price from: £41,570 FOLLOWING the First Edition model, VW has now revealed pricing for the…

WITH summer looming, Mazda has revealed another special-edition MX-5. Called the Sport Venture, it’s limited to just 160 examples, priced from £27,615. Cosmetic changes include a unique grey fabric roof, silver door mirror caps and a Deep Crystal Blue Mica paint finish, which is normally a £570 option. LED headlamps also come as standard, as do 16-inch alloy wheels finished in gunmetal grey. Interior revisions for the limited-edition model include roll hoops in the same silver colour as the door mirrors, while Light Stone Nappa leather upholstery is included. The new variant is only available with the MX-5’s 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, which develops 130bhp and 152Nm of torque. It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox and this combination is good enough for a 0-62mph time of 8.3 seconds…

THE swinging sixties brought a vast array of unforgettable cars that would establish the path of the industry for decades to come. And while there are myriad models from this era to choose from, we’ve picked 30 standout machines. Millions of families got their first taste of motoring in the 1960s, with car ownership on the up thanks to low unemployment, rising wages and an increasing sense of optimism. London finally emerged from the shadows of the Second World War, cementing itself as the epicentre of fashion, music and culture. From Mary Quant’s miniskirt gracing Carnaby Street to the sound of The Beatles playing in bedrooms across the nation, Britain really found its groove in the Swinging Sixties. The motoring landscape was transformed, too. Although it was launched in 1959,…

NESTLED between the busy conurbations of Manchester, West Yorkshire and the Midlands, the Peak District is a breath of fresh air and home to some of the most stunning scenery in Britain. Whether it’s the rolling hills and moors of the White Peak or the harsher, rocky terrain of the Dark Peak, you’ll never be short of a breathtaking view. The region is home to some of the most enjoyable, undulating and twisty routes in the country – and if you end up in Matlock Bath, there’s a bit of a party vibe. PLACES TO VISIT A Matlock Bath THE Victorian Spa Village of Matlock Bath sits in the gorge of the River Derwent and is two miles south of Matlock town on the A6. It became popular as a…

TOURISTS and holidaymakers heading from London and the Home Counties to the Norfolk coast will usually just take the most direct route. The main roads are efficient ways of getting there, and most have been rebuilt to ensure you can get in and out of Norfolk as quickly as possible. But if you’re not in a hurry, there are far more interesting ways to get to the eastern coast of England. Our route takes in the dramatically different landscapes of Bedfordshire and East Anglia, with both curves and arrow-straight roads across flat landscapes. You’ll spot fighter jets at American bases, banger racers, wildlife and be able to finish up with fish and chips at the seaside. PLACES TO VISIT A Grafham Water STANDING on the edge of the reservoir at…

DO you fancy meeting a few famous film stars? Belfast’s Causeway Coast has appeared in a number of big-name productions, including the cult Game of Thrones series – but that’s far from its only attraction. Hollywood location scouts are attracted by the amazing scenery, which remains unspoilt, wild and breathtaking. In fact you’re likely to find plenty of travellers from all over the world attempting the coastal road trip, yet this route remains pretty much unknown to anyone from mainland UK. And, believe us, you’re missing out. Our route begins in the bustling and historic city of Belfast and stretches as far as Londonderry on the border with Ireland. THE ROADS 1 A2 Larne to Cushendun ALMOST the whole of our suggested route in Northern Ireland is on just one…

“There is plenty of kit that will make life more comfortable and will stop the family complaining that they’re missing out on the comforts of home ” IF you’re going to stay in Britain for your holiday this year and fancy being a bit more adventurous than settling for a static caravan or a B&B by the sea, you could spend some money on equipping your car for a camping adventure by adding some home conveniences and a little extra comfort that’ll make your time away more enjoyable. There’s plenty of kit that’s specifically designed to make life on and off the road more pleasant, and much of it will stop the family complaining that they’re missing out on the comforts (and gadgets) of home. Many bits of kit will…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives THE Volkswagen Golf has long been among the best all-round family cars that you can buy, offering plenty of comfort, equipment and space inside. Yet if you need capacity for a couple of bikes or other large items, the hatchback version might not be roomy enough. That’s where this new Golf Estate comes in, because it has a longer and larger boot than the standard model. In previous forms the Golf Estate has been a pretty simple addition to the range, essentially being a more spacious option with all the same great qualities as the normal Golf hatchback. But has this new version followed those same lines? To find out we’ve lined Volkswagen’s latest model up against the Toyota Corolla Touring…

Toyota Corolla Touring Sports THE Corolla’s boot is a practical shape, and although overall volume is very slightly behind that of the Golf, the space is still vast. Bulky and heavy items are easy to load into the back of the Touring Sports, thanks to a flat lower lip, but the Golf Estate is better still because the opening is closer to the floor. There’s a generous pocket to the side of the main load area (which is larger than that found in the Golf) and the Toyota’s partitioner could prove very useful for dog owners. Although it’s a bit more fiddly to fold the 60:40-split rear seats down than it is with the Volkswagen, they do go completely flat; in this layout the Corolla Touring Sports will swallow a…

Skoda Octavia THE slight easing of Covid restrictions at the end of March on days out came just in time for our Skoda Octavia to go on a few longer day trips – and for its custodian, deputy editor John McIlroy, to develop further appreciation for its comfort (17-inch wheels but tall-profile tyres, and a longer wheelbase than the Leon or Golf) and economy (a sniff of a motorway and it goes comfortably north of 50mpg). John’s son Henry (pictured) also rates it as the best family car he’s yet experienced (and he’s seen a fair few test cars), thanks to huge rear space for him to stretch out his growing legs, and solid infotainment that allows him to scream Spotify requests from the back seat. Our reigning Car of…

THE Fiesta ST-Line has the best chassis here. It’s impressively agile and communicative, while still offering excellent ride comfort, even with its stiff sports suspension. The Ford matches the Swift Sport for power, but its greater mass makes it the slowest car from 0-60mph. It may only be 0.1 seconds slower than the up! in the benchmark sprint, but the difference is more noticeable during in-gear acceleration. Like the Swift Sport, the Fiesta ST-Line has quick, precise steering and plenty of grip, but its gearbox isn’t quite as precise as the VW’s. One advantage for the Ford is the fact its boot is the largest here, while its infotainment system gains marks over the up! simply for existing, and is far slicker than the Suzuki’s. Although it has the poorest…

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: Combined WLTP economy figure in miles per gallon and emissions in grams per kilometre of CO2. Figures are 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 first registration. EVs…