Innholdsfortegnelse for 1703 i Auto Express

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● Stylish and sporty electric saloon to take on Tesla Model S ● Rapid 4WD Quadrifoglio version could be on the cards THE Alfa Romeo Giulia will live on as an all-electric saloon, the brand’s chief executive officer Jean-Philippe Imparato has revealed. But the firm will also focus on electric SUVs, and launch its first full EV in 2024. Imparato told Auto Express, “I [Alfa Romeo] will have a future for Giulia. Alfa Romeo will do the job for SUVs too, because we are Chinese and we are American, but that shape of the Giulia is fantastic, I don’t want to lose this. The car is absolutely gorgeous, so there is a future for this type of car, but it will be electrified. It means probably 100 per cent…

FOLLOWING its announcement that it would open its Supercharger network to owners of rival EVs, Tesla has taken a step closer to realising this ambition with a pilot project in the Netherlands. The brand has opened 10 Superchargers to non-Tesla drivers, allowing them to charge their vehicles, as do many other rapid-charge providers, using the latest version of the Tesla app. The pilot is only open to CCS-compatible vehicles, which means most EVs, although there’s no word yet on whether the scheme will be extended to the UK. The brand has also confirmed that non-Tesla drivers will be charged a slightly higher rate for electricity to offset the cost of fitting the Superchargers with the necessary software to suit a broad range of EVs. However, the company says this can be…

Tackling the motoring issues that matter AS long as there have been cars, people have been looking to a future where we’ll be driven. Electronic chauffeurs, if you like, or self-driving cars, but there’s presently no such thing, outside of a few highly experimental and heavily governed robotised taxis. Driving is incredibly complex, though, and having a machine take over that task isn’t straightforward. “It’s the last 10 per cent of what we do when we’re driving that machines are really bad at,” says Matthew Avery, Director of Research at Thatcham Research. The sort of stuff you, as a driver, take in your stride; be it roadworks, an unusual roundabout or perhaps a horse and rider on the road. A human can work out what to do, but it’s all…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk Running costs 53.8mpg (official) £56 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.8 seconds/116mph THE evolution of the supermini is a fascinating story. Small five-door cars have now developed to the point where many, such as this new Volkswagen Polo, can occasionally operate as a family car, thanks to their growth in size. This was also true of the pre-facelift Polo, so VW has focused on maximising the car’s already-impressive level of maturity by adding more big-car tech that you’d traditionally find on the larger Golf or even the Passat. In fact, the Polo is more like the Golf than ever before. A subtle exterior styling makeover includes new matrix-LED headlights as standard on this mid-spec Style model, as well as a full-width LED running light across the front. Its nose is…

Save up to £98 on an annual Christmas gift subscription on the best motoring magazines around. Share your passion and get hassle-free gifts that last all year. SCAN ME! VISIT US AT magazinedeals.co.uk/mpxmas to claim your special offer or call 0330 333 9491 using offer code P21XM Calls to 03 numbers will be charged at your standard local rate. This offer closes on 24th December 2021. The number of issues published in a 3, 6 or 12 month period will vary for each magazine. Discounts are based on the shop price of a single issue. The number of issues ordered will be displayed upon checkout. Offer only available on subscriptions delivered to UK addresses. All gift subscriptions will begin in January 2022.…

MODEL TESTED: Volkswagen Golf GTI PRICE: £34,730 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, 242bhp Running costs 34.5mpg (on test) £72 fill-up/£155 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up) 374 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.4 seconds/155mph BEFORE options, the Golf GTI seen here is priced at £34,730, and marks the entry point to the hot hatch line-up. However, adding extras lifts that price higher, with 19-inch alloy wheels (£735), Moonstone grey paint (£385) and Dynamic Chassis Control (£795) bumping the total price to £38,265. Design & engineering IN 2021, the Golf GTI celebrated its 45th birthday and had racked up two million sales. VW believes that this eighth-generation model has a broader spread of abilities than any version before it, although this has been a key selling point of the GTI throughout its existence.…

Honda Civic Type R PRICE: £34,415 ENGINE: 2.0l 4cyl turbo, 316bhp A REPLACEMENT is due soon, but the current Type R remains king of the front-drive hot hatchbacks. Styling aside, it’s one of the finest examples of the breed, with a fantastic chassis and manual gearbox – but you’ll have to buy one from stock. Hyundai i30 N PRICE: £33,745 ENGINE: 2.0l 4cyl turbo, 276bhp UNDER the supervision of ex-BMW man Albert Biermann, Hyundai’s first hot hatch has been a hit. The N isn’t quite as polished or refined as the Golf GTI, but it has bags of character. Strong value for money makes it all the more tempting.…

LAST year we tried the Cooper all-season tyre, but this year the US producer decided to submit the Avon. On paper, this should have fared better, because it was launched late in 2020, but it was last of our eight contenders, further off the pace of the best. Its big weakness was on snow, where it was more than 10 per cent behind the leading Goodyear, hurt by a weak traction result. In the wet it still finished near the bottom of the table, beating only the Maxxis. Its deep-water performance was close to the best, but it struggled in the key braking and handling tests. That lack of grip was easily felt on the handling track, where we needed to apply significantly more lock through the turns while still…

GIVEN that it was runner-up last year in 17-inch form, fifth spot will not be what Goodyear expected, but the margins are small between it and the top finishers. Where Goodyear showed it had a clear advantage was on snow, and it topped both the tests we were able to complete. If you live in an area where snowfall is common and you want the convenience of an all-season tyre then there’s no doubt that this is the one to have. The Gen-3 4Seasons was also among the front runners in aquaplaning, but dropped back a little across the other wet tests. It was only fifth in handling but that represented just over a second in lap time. That slight lack of grip could be detected through the corners, with…

WHEN the EVO replacement for the Weather Control A005 was launched late in 2020, its top A grade in the EU tyre label ratings caught our eye. It is the only tyre here with an A rating and, for once, that was reflected in our results, which don’t always match the claimed grades. No surprise then that the A005 EVO won the wet braking by more than a metre from the Vredestein. But it was not the overall wet road winner, only managing third in a close battle with Hankook and Vredestein. Proof that, while tyre labels have a useful role, for the full picture you need a test like ours, which looks at more than three times the performance criteria. That wet crown was lost in the deeper waters…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Visit autoexpress.co.uk for your daily news updates ● Developed by Toyota alone ● On sale by late spring 2022 RISING costs and tightening rules on emissions have forced many brands to abandon their smallest models – but Toyota still believes there’s a future for the city car, and it is aiming to capitalise on the thinning out of prospective competitors with a new generation of Aygo, called Aygo X. Pronounced “Aygo Cross” by Toyota, the new car’s name is designed to reflect a dramatic rethink on its bodystyle. This is the first Aygo that isn’t a joint venture with Peugeot and Citroen, and Toyota has used this freedom to switch the car to a version of its TNGA-B platform, the same architecture that supports the Yaris and Yaris…

THE ZipCharge Go is a new portable electric car charging station that its British creators believe could bring wallbox-style recharging for owners of EVs with no driveway space or garage of their own. It is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can be topped up from a household plug, which can then be used to give up to 8kWh of energy to a car parked out of range of a conventional charger. This is enough to add between 20 and 40 miles of range, its maker claims. An 8kWh charge would give an extra 20 per cent range on a new Fiat 500, for example. Power flow is rated at 7.2kW, similar to many home wallbox units, with a charge taking less than an hour. hour. The ZipCharge Go could be…

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) 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: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumerombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives “They set about tweaking the front end to give it a slightly sportier look” THE Renaulution is under way and this is the first model to prove it: the new Mégane E-Tech Electric. Ignore the slightly cumbersome name – Renault says it’ll just refer to it as the new Mégane – and this is as good a clue as any to the French brand’s future under new boss Luca De Meo. To be fair, De Meo has had very little to do with the new Mégane since his arrival in 2020. Along with another new colleague, Renault design chief Gilles Vidal, they set about tweaking the front end to give it a slightly sportier look and added 20-inch wheels…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk Running costs 35.3mpg (official) £83 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.7 seconds/155mph STYLE sells, which is why the SUV image is popular. If you want a premium model that’s more dynamic than an SUV and sleeker than a saloon – a car that makes a statement – four-door coupés like BMW’s 4 Series Gran Coupé offer just that. The German firm has revamped its svelte four-door for 2022 with styling and tech that fall into line with the 4 Series Coupé’s, and offer just as much dynamic promise. On this top-spec M440i xDrive model you’ll notice the oversized kidney grilles – a BMW trademark – but look past them and you’ll discover more subtle, bespoke styling details for the Gran Coupé, including integrated door handles, a more sculpted bonnet and…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk AS cold conditions set in at the end of the year, drivers across the UK prepare for the inevitable plunging temperatures, heavy rain and potentially even icy, snow-covered roads that winter may bring. These conditions can take some adjusting to, but your car can help, and there’s also never been a better time to buy an SUV. Over the next 34 pages, we’ll give our rundown on the 129 best models on sale right now. Whether you want a small crossover with a raised ride height or a full-blown 4x4 with go-anywhere capability, our all-encompassing list offers something for everyone. If you do decide to buy – or even if you don’t – we’ve also got an in-depth guide on how to care for your car this winter to…

Ford Focus ST SYNC 3 Key features: Apple CarPlay/Android Auto THE infotainment set-up in the Focus is much like the rest of the cabin – it’s not bad, it’s just unremarkable against the competition. The eight-inch touchscreen sits on top of the dash, but its small size when compared with newer systems means it takes longer to glance away from the road and process information. The menu systems are logical to work through, and there’s a line of on-screen shortcut keys to simplify things. Below that are physical knobs and buttons for the audio set-up and climate controls. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included, and they’re both quicker and slicker than the built-in set-up. The ST Edition also has a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display as standard. The ST-specific graphics alter based…

SUSPENSION THE key to the Ford’s handling prowess is the uprated KW suspension – but it’s awkward to adjust. Tweaking the dampers front or rear means the wheels need to come off first, and bits of trim under the bonnet and in the boot need to be removed, too. At least Ford supplies a tool kit to make the adjustments. The VW’s dampers aren’t as clever, but at least the wheels don’t need to come off to change them. DRIVE MODES WHILE the Golf doesn’t need a tool kit to tweak the settings, the in-car interface is less intuitive than the Ford’s. This is because the drive modes are accessed through the infotainment screen via a touch-sensitive key on the dash. By contrast, the Focus has two little red buttons…

products@autoexpress.co.uk THERE’S never been more interest in all-season tyres, as drivers seek to find a one-stop solution that will provide safe motoring in all conditions. The rise of SUVs, with their often less-than-sharp handling, has also fuelled the rise of the all-season tyre, because drivers are more prepared to accept compromises in the dry for substantially more grip when the temperatures drop and snow covers our roads. Tyre makers reflect that interest with new all-season options appearing far more frequently than before as they try to meet the demands of the market. This all makes this a key test for many drivers, and one we were determined to complete in 2021, despite strict travel restrictions early in the year. Our planned trip to Hankook’s facilities in Ivalo, Finland, was impossible,…

THERE’S a familiar look to this result, with debutants Avon and Maxxis at the foot of the results, as they were in our winter test. This time there was little to choose between the two. The Taiwanese producer has put more emphasis on snow performance than its rival, but this was at the expense of its ability on wet roads, a key focus for our test. It struggled most in braking and handling, which are prioritised in our rating. Around the handling track we had to wait for the front end to grip before accelerating because it ran wide easily. The rear would slide when the front gripped, but progress was all about waiting for the steering to hook up. It also finished last in braking, where it was still…

THE All Season Contact has won twice since it first appeared in 2018, and the year it didn’t triumph it was runner-up, so this result is something of a surprise. The key, though, is how close these top four are, with very little between them. The Continental might not have repeated its multiple wins of last year, but there were still lots of podium finishes. Yet while we’re used to seeing the brand’s tyres dominating in the wet, this time it could only manage fourth place. The slight gap to Bridgestone and Hankook could be felt in the car. The Continental remained stable and felt sharp, with a good balance, but the others had an edge. Aquaplaning is not always a strong point for Continental, but it was second twice…

AS we’ve seen with other tyres in the Korean producer’s range, Hankook is not afraid to develop a tyre during its life. Launched in 2018, the Kinergy 4S2 finished seventh in our 2019 test, with its relatively poor ability on snow a major factor in that result. Last year, albeit in 17-inch form, it ended up in third with an improved, if still not particularly special, snow performance. This time it was runner-up in the frozen north and, with little compromise elsewhere, that was enough to secure Hankook’s first all-season win. It was best in the wet and a close fourth in the dry – an all-round performance that is key to success in our tests. The Kinergy 4S2 was even the quietest on test and its only real weak…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@autovia.co.uk Q Can we shift abandoned motor without permission? A RUSTY old car has been parked on the rural lane where I live for the last six months. None of my neighbours know who it belongs to. The DVLA shows it as untaxed and with no MoT. Can we get a tow truck to take it away? James Harries, E-mail A YOU would be safer to inform your local council, which should operate an abandoned vehicle removal service. It may take some time for them to deal with – the registered keeper of the vehicle has to be contacted and given a grace period in which to move the car before it can be classified as abandoned and legally removed. However this is still better than…

MORE premium SUVs have hit new-car showrooms in recent years, so it’s no surprise to see these cars flooding the used market. Some, such as the Jaguar F-Pace, are focused on sporty driving without compromising on luxury. Meanwhile, the Lexus NX is all about quality and refinement, while the Mercedes GLC lies somewhere between the two. Dear Tristan, I’m after a premium SUV with no more than 30,000 miles for £30,000 or less. What can you recommend for me? David Griston, E-mail Contact: Tristan_Shale-Hester@autovia.co.uk THE SPORTY CHOICE Jaguar F-Pace FOR: Strong powertrains, great handling and steering AGAINST: Poor infotainment, questionable reliability THE Jaguar F-Pace is the sportiest of these three cars to drive, with accurate steering and a slick automatic gearbox. Even so, the Jag’s suspension is still pretty adept at…

Stephen_Errity@autovia.co.uk ● Emma Gilmour joins Foust as driver ● Multimatic confirmed as engineering partner McLAREN has taken the wraps off its entry for the 2022 Extreme E electric off-road racing series and announced New Zealander Emma Gilmour as its second driver, alongside Tanner Foust. The team has also confirmed Multimatic as engineering partner, and the Canadian company’s vehicle dynamics manager Leena Gade – a three-time Le Mans winner on the Audi pitwall – will join McLaren on secondment as its Extreme E race engineer. Gilmour has extensive experience in rallying, rallycross and cross-country events, and in 2016 became the first, and so far only, woman to win a New Zealand Rally Championship event. She already has Extreme E experience, having stood in for Veloce Racing’s Jamie Chadwick at the recent…

GENEVA, Paris, Frankfurt, London, Turin, Detroit and Tokyo all have something in common. They are, or have been, world-famous, occasionally notorious, but increasingly outdated traditional venues for motor shows. Trouble is, as the once-great car exhibition capitals of the world, they’re now either dead or dying. The reasons for their demise are many. Most shows were staged in chilly autumn or freezing winter months when the organisers grabbed expo halls for the lowest prices, causing showgoers like me to freeze our bollards off while queuing to get in. They stuck for too long to the tired old formula of static cars doing nothing and going nowhere, in spite of warring manufacturers suffering from “mine is bigger than yours” syndrome and blowing untold millions on their monumental, blingy, gin palace-like stands.…

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale ● 7,000 chargers in West Sussex ● 190,000 nationwide by 2030 ELECTRIC car chargepoint provider Connected Kerb has announced the biggest ever local-authority roll-out of new public EV chargepoints, with a contract to install up to 7,000 sockets by 2030 in residential streets, public car parks and community facilities in West Sussex. The contract is part of a nationwide roll out of chargepoints promised by the UK firm founded in 2017. It says it expects to sign contracts for another 30,000 chargepoints during 2022, and is on track to install 190,000 chargepoints by 2030. That’s the date of the government’s ban on the sale of non-hybrid petrol and diesel cars, after which drivers without access to off-street parking have frequently expressed fears they won’t be able to charge…

AFTER highlighting issues around public chargepoint accessibility for disabled EV drivers, it was refreshing to chat to the CEO at Connected Kerb about his vision of an affordable and universally accessible network. “We’re going to be accessible because it’s the right thing to do,” he says, having been working with Motability for two years. As with other chargepoint providers, we’ve yet to see what that means in practice, although the CEO has hinted the company is ahead of the curve in terms of accessible product development, promising more news on that front soon. I was also encouraged that Chris Pateman-Jones was up front about the commercial reasons for wanting to serve the UK’s 2.9million blue-badge holders who, more than many other drivers, may often rely on trusted routines to help…

First production Aston Valkyrie takes flight PRODUCTION of the Aston Martin Valkyrie (above) is under way, with the British firm signing off the first of the 150 cars it will build. First teased in concept form five years ago, the 1,139bhp hybrid hypercar has been developed in Britain, at Aston Martin’s Silverstone engineering centre. Each customer car will be shaken down and validated at the circuit before deliveries begin in the coming weeks. UK drivers turn their backs on car gadgets A WHOPPING 78 per cent of UK drivers don’t want unnecessary technology in their new cars, while a third only use 25 per cent of the features fitted to their vehicles, according to a survey of 2,000 people by Dacia. Some 61 per cent of respondents would prefer not…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExperss HOT TOPIC New Range Rover FROM: CarsGuy THIS looks absolutely great – the evolution of a legend. The beautifully integrated rear end evokes the original Range Rover. The interior is on trend – I love the floating screen. I do think the front overhang should be longer to balance out the back. FROM: LRatb I AM a huge JLR fan and have two of its cars, but this is a massive disappointment. This was an opportunity for a new design language; instead, it’s the same but with some new rear lights. This car will age very quickly, I think. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “I really like the minimalist look. The interior looks very luxurious as well.” Henrik Smedsrud ■ “The hybrid powertrain sounds more appealing than…

KIAE-NIRO Price from: £30,395 THE e-Niro is a former Auto Express award winner, and while it might look a little old inside, the tech underneath is still strong, with the 64kWh battery serving up a claimed 282 miles of range. NISSANLEAF Price from: £25,995 ALTHOUGH the second-generation Leaf has been quickly outclassed by newer EV rivals, it’s also more affordable than some, while the e+ model offers up to 239 miles from its larger 62kWh battery. VOLKSWAGEN ID.3 Price from: £30,935 THERE are now three battery and two motor choices for the ID.3, with the 201bhp 58kWh model offering up to 258 miles of range. This is the closest rival to the Renault we tested; the two are well matched.…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 2.9 seconds/211mph EVEN Ferrari isn’t immune to the onset of electrification, announcing it will build its first full EV in 2025. But until all of the iconic brand’s cars have to go electric, we’ll receive some special models as homages to the internal combustion engine that distil Ferrari’s knowledge when it comes to building pure-petrol-powered sports cars. The 812 Competizione is exactly that, a limited-run, tuned and honed version of the already-ballistic 812 Superfast. It’s also available as an Aperta convertible and costs an eyewatering £446,970 before options. But even if you can afford one, you’re too late. They’re all already sold. And you will want one, because the spec is mouth watering. Ferrari’s 6.5-litre V12 has been uprated to 819bhp and features new titanium con rods,…

MODEL TESTED: Ford Focus ST Edition PRICE: £35,785 ENGINE: 2.3-litre 4cyl, 276bhp Running costs 32.7mpg (on test) £75 fill-up/£155 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up) 273 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.7 seconds/155mph THE final chapter of the pre-facelift Focus ST is, unsurprisingly, one of the most expensive, too. The ST Edition is priced at £35,785, which is £1,055 more than the Golf GTI tested here – although the VW’s price can easily exceed the Ford’s once a few options have been added. Design & engineering THE Focus ST has flaunted some very distinct characters throughout its four generations. The original ST170 was blessed with a brilliant chassis but lacked firepower when compared with its contemporaries, while the Mk2 Focus ST cured that with a lively five-cylinder turbocharged engine. The…

1st FORD THE epilogue to the pre-facelift-Focus Mk4 shows the ST in its very best light. Its razor-sharp handling is thrilling, and while there isn’t any extra performance, it’s still not short of straight-line speed either. Overall, the Golf is a little easier to live with every day, but the Ford is far from unbearable, so we’d gladly trade the last word in refinement for a big step up in excitement. 2nd VW IT comes second here, but the GTI’s position very much depends on your finance choice. If you go with a PCP or cash purchase, then the keener, more involving Focus is the better (and slightly cheaper) buy. Choose to lease, however, and the Golf is much better value. Find a deal that suits you and the GTI…

WHEN the All Season SF 2 arrived with a fair bit of fanfare earlier in the year, one of its main claims was that it lasted 50 per cent longer than the outgoing Plus design. We couldn’t test that aspect, but it seems Pirelli has given up some performance on the road in pretty much all conditions to achieve that durability. The only place the SF 2 (SF stands for snow flake) stands out is at the pumps, where it had a clear advantage. Generally it wasn’t too far behind its rivals, but the gaps add up, leaving Pirelli between the struggling Avon and Maxxis, and the rest of the premium producers. On snow it was just under five per cent off the leading Goodyear, and that result was backed…

THE new-for-2020 Quatrac is aimed at smaller sizes (15-16-inch) than its Pro big brother and, based on this result, makes a better job of it. The Pro finished last in our 2020 test, but its smaller sibling is right among the pacesetters and finished ahead of two former champions. The Dutch tyre maker says it focused on the design’s summer abilities, then added winter performance, and that could be seen in our results. In the snow it finished only in front of the struggling Avon, but was second in the dry and wet. A strong front end was key to its win in wet handling, as the Quatrac combined that grip with a stable rear, allowing speed to be carried in to turns without sliding wide offline. A little patience…

AS we saw in our winter test, Maxxis and Avon have work to do to make their tyres work in extreme weather. Pirelli is something of a mystery, but there’s no escaping the fact it’s a step behind the best in all conditions. Goodyear slips to fifth here, but remains the choice for snow. There’s very little between our top four. Continental is the one for fuel economy, while Vredestein needs improvement on snow to match its wet and dry performance. The top two couldn’t be closer and either would make an excellent all-season solution, with Bridgestone having the edge in the dry and Hankook better on snow and in the wet. PRICE SNOWBRAKING SNOW TRACTION STRAIGHT AQUAPLANING CURVED AQUAPLANING WET BRAKING WET HANDLING WET CIRCLE DRY BRAKING DRY HANDLING…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.5 seconds/130mph Running costs 40mpg (T4) £78 fill-up CO2 /tax 163g/km £155 FOR many years Volvo wanted to be premium, but its cars weren’t quite good enough to compete with rivals. Then in 2010 the Swedish brand was snapped up by Chinese company Geely, which went on to invest huge sums in making Volvos more desirable. Since Volvo arrived in 1927 it has built a reputation for safety and environmental responsibility, and the company has never lost sight of that. Volvo’s products now look great, are impressive dynamically, plus they’re easy to live with in terms of their ergonomics, practicality and reliability. Like all premium cars the XC40 isn’t a cheap option – think of it as reassuringly expensive. History THE XC40 arrived in February 2018, with a…