Innholdsfortegnelse for 1733 i Auto Express

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● Last pure-combustion M car ● Unveiled in full this October NO current M car arguably resonates more with BMW M division values than the M2. And this new version signifies the end of an era, since M boss Frank van Meel has confirmed that it will be the last pure-combustion-powered M model ever. After this, they’ll all be plug-in hybrid or full EV. The new M2’s 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine is mounted in the front of a compact two-door coupé body and comes with a manual gearbox (an automatic will be offered) that powers the rear wheels only. The car is undergoing final development ahead of its official unveiling in October, and sales will start in April 2023. For now, BMW is remaining coy on specifics, but we…

Chris_Rosamond@autovia.co.uk ● Owners urged to be vigilant ● Parts shortages drive rise DRIVERS have been warned to make sure their cars are locked when they leave them in public car parks or outside their homes, after reports of an increase in thefts using remote central-locking jammers. Small hand-held devices are widely available to criminals who use them to block the signal from an owner’s keyfob to the car it’s trying to lock. Owners who simply walk away while pressing the button on their fob, and who don’t double-check doors have actually locked by tugging on the door handle, run the risk of leaving their cars and contents at the mercy of thieves. As well as opportunist theft, police reports suggest that organised gangs are stealing cars to strip down for…

C3 Aircross special edition breaks cover CITROEN has once again teamed up with surfing brand Rip Curl, this time to produce the C3 Aircross Rip Curl (above). Priced from £23,815, it’s available with petrol and diesel power. It features new 17-inch wheels and an Anodised Blue colour pack, with blue bumper details and door mirrors. Rip Curl decals have been dotted around the exterior, while the interior gets the same colour theme. Parts shortages still hitting UK car sales NEW car registrations have seen their second-weakest May since 1992, with 20.6 per cent fewer cars being driven away from dealer forecourts. Only May 2020 was worse, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show 124,394 cars were registered in the month.…

FUEL prices in the UK have been skyrocketing, with new record highs being set at the pumps on a daily basis. At the time of writing, average petrol prices were 183.16 pence per litre while diesel was 188.02p, but some stations were already charging more than £2 per litre. It now costs more than £100 to fill a 55-litre fuel tank with unleaded, but the Government is resisting calls to make tax cuts to ease the burden. HM Treasury cut fuel duty by 5p per litre in March, but on average retailers pocketed 4p of this instead of passing it on to consumers.…

LYNK & Co has 120,000 members in Europe who have either bought a car, subscribed on a monthly contract (around 95 per cent of sales) or who access its car-sharing platform, and the brand’s boss has revealed exclusively to Auto Express that the UK is next on the firm’s radar. “We’ve always said that after our seven first markets, we would go to the UK, and that is still the plan,” said CEO Alain Visser. Lynk & Co had targeted 2022 for a UK launch, but Visser revealed that this will now be late 2023, with right-hand-drive production and a “strong ambition” to come to Britain by offering a fully electric vehicle. “In terms of the UK, it will mirror the approach that we’ve had in European markets so far,” he said,…

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.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler Range 257 miles 0-80% in <30 mins WE have high hopes for Toyota’s first bespoke electric car. After all, the firm has more experience of electrification than most, with its Prius hybrid having been on sale for a quarter of a century. Firstly, let’s deal with that name. Toyota is planning a family of models badged bZ, which stands for Beyond Zero; the 4 refers to the size of the car (we should assume smaller 1, 2, 3 and larger 5 models will follow), while the X means it’s a crossover. Actually, Toyota claims the bZ4X is more than a crossover. It’s been developed with Subaru, using its four-wheel-drive know-how, so although the bZ4X sits lower than a RAV4, it’s more of an off-roader than its rivals. And…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 42.8mpg (official) £82 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.0 seconds/149mph WHO could have predicted during the heyday of the people-carrier that, once the popularity of these sensible, practical machines diminished, two brands still persevering would be BMW and Mercedes? Yet exactly that has happened, because Mercedes has the B-Class, and its Bavarian rival has this new 2 Series Active Tourer. While it might seem unusual for premium manufacturers to continue plugging away in this shrinking segment, BMW would argue that it’s a great way of introducing new buyers to the brand; of the 430,000 original Active Tourers sold, 80 per cent of them went to first-time BMW customers. The old car’s basic silhouette remains, but BMW has tried to give it an identity that aligns with the…

Running costs 57.2mpg (on test) £72 fill-up/£155 or 27% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 377/1,164 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 11.0 seconds/106mph MODEL TESTED: Toyota C-HR 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid Design PRICE: £30,975 ENGINE: 1.8-litre 4cyl, 122bhp AS we touched upon in our introduction, the C-HR seems to sit a half-class above the Taigo in terms of dimensions, and that’s reflected in the car’s price. Even without the £940 Scarlet Flare pearlescent paint of our test car, the lower-ranking Design trim comes to £30,915 – £2,720 more than the Taigo costs before options. Design & engineering THE C-HR is a bit of a trendsetter for coupé-SUVs, being one of the first of its kind outside of the premium brands. Six years after release, it’s still one of the most eye-catching; love or…

Ford Puma ST-Line X PRICE: £26,435 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 153bhp STRICTLY speaking, the Puma isn’t a coupé-SUV like the others here, but it’s the one to have if you want a sporty drive. Its handling is a clear step ahead of the others here and it’s more affordable, but is a little more cramped in the back. Renault Arkana E-Tech S Edition PRICE: £29,995 ENGINE: 1.6l 4cyl hybrid, 143bhp AS with the C-HR, the Arkana is available with a fuel-saving hybrid system, which makes it more fuelefficient than the Taigo. However, It’s let down by an unsettled ride, and rather sluggish performance. It’s decent value for money, though.…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn Running costs Official range/tax 190 miles/£0 Practicality Cargo volume/payload 5.3 cubic metres/1,063kg HERE at Auto Express, we’ve had a bit of a shake-up when it comes to working practices. Most of us now work from home the majority of the time, so we get to enjoy the flexibility that it brings, yet we’re still able to produce the magazine you have in your hands. Personally, I’ve enjoyed this new regime, but my life as a desk jockey has changed again with the arrival of the Citroen e-Dispatch electric van. With no home wallbox and chargepoints thin on the ground in my neck of the woods, I’ve been heading 25 minutes up the road to Gridserve’s Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex, to keep the van topped up. Here, there’s…

Playlist charts first 50 years of Civic HONDA is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its Civic – and the arrival of the all-new model later this year – with the release of what it’s calling “the ultimate driving playlist”. Compiled with the help of Magic Home Run presenter Simon Philips, the playlist includes 50 songs, one from every year since the Civic was launched. Beginning with Alice Cooper’s School’s Out, the list moves through highlights from Queen, Pink Floyd, Wham! and Jamiroquai. The playlist is available on Spotify – just search for “50 years of Civic magic”. Cut-price Thinkware dash cams on offer TO celebrate Father’s Day (19 June) Thinkware is offering a discount on some of its dash cams. Savings of £20-£40 are available across the bulk of the…

THE boom in used-car prices hasn’t just made buying one more expensive – it has made the whole process riskier, too. As values of second-hand vehicles have soared, it has made it far more attractive to rebuild crashed cars, which would not have been financially viable previously. Desperate buyers may also consider cars with chequered pasts, and criminals will see even bigger profits from stealing popular models and hiding their identity, which makes it more important than ever to carry out a data check before buying a car. Also known as HPI checks, these will be carried out as a matter of course by most dealers, but not all will disclose a car’s full history. If you’re buying from a private seller, you’ll certainly need to do your own research…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.8 seconds/190mph Running costs 17mpg (coupé auto) £135 fill-up CO2 /tax 333-394g/km £600 SINCE 1913, Aston Martin has produced some of the most desirable and luxurious sporting cars. They’ve always been expensive to buy and run, but depreciation has brought the DB9 within reach. It’s nearly two decades since the first one was made, but it still looks attractive, sounds fabulous and is very quick. This might all sound like a recipe for a string of huge and unaffordable bills, but if you buy well, a DB9 needn’t cost a fortune to run. History THE Aston Martin DB9 coupé replaced the DB7 in spring 2004, with a 450bhp 5.9-litre V12 engine and manual or automatic transmissions. By the autumn there was a Volante convertible. In July 2006 an…

Stephen_Errity@autovia.co.uk ● BMW M Hybrid V8 for US racing ● Cadillac plots Le Mans return “BMW’s new M Hybrid V8 is slated to contest only the American IMSA series for the time being” BMW and Cadillac have both unveiled new racing cars built to the Le Mans Daytona hybrid (LMDh) ruleset. BMW’s M Hybrid V8 (above) will contest only the American IMSA series for now, but the brand hasn’t ruled out a return to Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) yet. Cadillac, meanwhile, has confirmed that its new Project GTP racer will compete in both the IMSA championship and the WEC, with a two-car team in the domestic series and a single-car effort in the world championship. That means Cadillac will join Peugeot, Toyota, Porsche, Ferrari, Glickenhaus and…

I’VE long been calling for revolution in the UK’s 5,000-strong franchised dealer network. And true enough, there have been some changes lately – everything from plush new showrooms and waiting areas to inevitable growth in online sales. The rise of leasing versus outright purchase is also important. And the same goes for the arrival of pureelectric cars, of course. But, to date, all this is more like slow-burn evolution than fiery revolution, right? To illustrate the point, so far this year, 88 per cent of new-car customers have chosen NOT to buy or lease pure EVs. So the conclusion has to be that such vehicles are still doing little to dramatically shake up the showroom scene in the UK. Shame, that. But weirdly, and strangely deliciously, it’s fierce, in-house family…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk ● On road and track in the plugin replacement for the 570S ● New V6 hybrid system will be used for other future McLarens “Start flinging it around a bit and the Artura comes alive beneath your backside and fingertips” THE Artura matters for McLaren. A lot. Its new carbon-fibre platform and twin-turbo V6 hybrid powertrain will form the basis for pretty much all McLarens for the next decade, so it can’t really afford to put a foot wrong. Hence the reason its original launch was postponed from late 2021 until now, eight months later, thereby allowing Ferrari to launch its own V6 hybrid – the 296 GTB – to such acclaim in the meantime. But that’s how vital the Artura is to McLaren’s future, so the fact that…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods ● Trio of new models will expand Spanish brand’s line-up ● Current cars will be facelifted to share same design language CUPRA has given an early glimpse of its entire line-up for 2025, including vehicles in three new segments. Two allelectric cars will join the Cupra range in the form of the UrbanRebel electric hatchback (revealed last week) and the Tavascan electric SUV – and now a new plug-in hybrid SUV called Terramar has also been revealed. The Terramar is positioned as a new mid-size model, described by Cupra design director Jorge Diez as a 4.5-metre-long SUV with “Cupra DNA” and a “driver-oriented cockpit”. However it’s not a replacement for the Ateca, which is slightly smaller. The new car’s design language takes a decisive step away from some…

A RISE in catalytic converter thefts has sparked a new initiative to deter criminals and help police tackle the problem. Rising prices for metals such as aluminium and palladium used in their manufacture are driving the increase. It’s been reported that around 2,250 ‘cats’ were stolen in March this year, up from just over 2,000 in February. SmartWater, a company known for its invisible security marking systems, is working with police to create a network of garages and MoT stations that can mark customers’ cats and enter the details on a national database. Vehicles marked can display stickers to alert would-be thieves that stolen catalytic converters are “too hot to handle”. SmartWater COO Gary Higgins said: “There’s an appetite for a simple solution to combat this crime. SmartWaterHT is a…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods APPLE CarPlay will receive a major upgrade in 2023, and the tech giant has teased details of what we can expect the new system to look like. From Dacia to Rolls-Royce, pretty much every manufacturer offers integration with Apple’s infotainment system in its cars these days. And regular updates have kept the software competitive against the systems built into vehicles, as well as CarPlay’s main rival, Android Auto. Apple says: “the next generation of CarPlay brings a fully integrated, immersive iPhone experience to your vehicle”. And judging from the image the company has sent us (above) we can expect a layout on the car’s infotainment screen that’s even more closely based on that of an iPhone. The new system will also be able to integrate with digital dash…

THIS is our first look at the new MG4, an all-electric hatchback that will undercut the Volkswagen ID.3. Revealed in China as the MG Mulan, the newcomer will come to Europe later in 2022. No technical specifications have been confirmed for the new model, although MG claims that a high-performance version of the Mulan will be capable of 0-62mph in four seconds. The MG4 is likely to share its platform and battery tech with the MG5 estate, so a maximum range of 250 miles should be possible thanks to a 58kWh battery.…

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale THE classic car industry is big business, with thousands of vintage vehicles still on the road. And, with futureproofing through clean-air zone exemptions, electrification and possibly even biofuels taking place, it doesn’t look as though they’ll be going anywhere soon. Of course, this means demand for parts is going to continue as well, which can be complicated when dealing with cars that have been out of production for decades. If you’re an owner of a classic from a British Leyland or Rover Group firm, though, you may have an easier time of it thanks to British Motor Heritage (BMH). This firm can trace its roots back to 1929 in one form or another, but the limited company that exists today was established in 1975 under British Leyland, before…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy THE Citroen C5 Aircross has been a hugely significant model for the French maker. More than a quarter of a million have been sold in Europe since its debut in 2018, and it’s been crucial for a brand focused on comfort and family motoring to have an SUV of this size in its line-up. Now it’s our first chance to try the updated version, which will arrive in UK dealers in a few weeks. On the outside at least, Citroen hasn’t mucked around too much with the formula, just tweaking the SUV’s look to align more closely with the newly launched C5 X. It’s inside where existing owners may notice the biggest difference: a new 10-inch infotainment screen – again, from the C5 X – that’s mounted higher…

Chris_Rosamond@autovia.co.uk THE Driver Power 2022 new-car survey is the UK’s best guide to what owners think of the shiny new cars that look so appealing on manufacturer websites and in dealer showrooms. This year our survey is more powerful than ever, thanks to changes in the way we’ve gathered and analysed data from the tens of thousands of owners who have taken the time to share insights with us – and their fellow drivers. Every year we ask consumers for their views on their cars and the ownership experience, with detailed questions across a range of categories, from driving performance to running costs. Once the numbers have been crunched, and statistical weightings applied, the survey delivers results representative of views on a national level. Those results start here, as we…

chris_rosamond@autovia.co.uk THERE are many ways consumers can make use of Driver Power survey information, but comparing cars within their respective classes is something almost everyone does before buying. That’s why the class results of the Driver Power survey are so revealing, but there are plenty of other takeaways from looking at the data this way. For example, while it was already evident how effectively Kia has muscled its way into the value space with its range of small family cars, the fact that it’s now topping the Driver Power survey with an SUV must show to European car makers – if they had any doubts – that there may not be much of a future in their flight to pricier products. As European cars become ever more expensive and more…

Volkswagen Taigo Discover Media Key features: Wireless Apple CarPlay THE Taigo’s Discover Media set-up is a familiar one that’s hard to find fault with. The main menu is neatly laid out with a selection of tiles, while the screen is flanked by a set of touch-sensitive shortcut keys and physical knobs for the volume and navigation zoom functions, so it’s easy to find what you choose. VW’s built-in navigation loads quickly enough, and a proximity sensor brings up certain functions when you move your hand toward the display, so the screen is uncluttered when you don’t need them. Loading times are fine, although the screen lags behind slightly when swiping through the menus. Unlike the C-HR, the Taigo gets digital instruments. An eight-inch set-up is used on the base model,…

DESIGN OFTEN there are compromises to be made when choosing a coupé-SUV, but the Taigo has mitigated those issues well. Access to the rear is fine, and all-round visibility is clear. The same can’t be said for the C-HR. Its small back windows leave a massive slab of bodywork at the C-pillars, so there’s an enormous blind spot. It means care is needed when pulling out of oblique junctions or motorway slip roads. The exterior handles, integrated high in the C-pillars, will be tricky for children to use, too. QUALITY BOTH cars have different ways to make hard plastics more lively. The Taigo uses colour – a relatively cheap option lets buyers spec a strip on the dash, which matches the exterior paint colour. While the C-HR’s theme is darker,…

Land Rover Defender MPVs may be a thing of the past these days, but our new Land Rover Defender has been doing a pretty good impression of a multi-purpose vehicle since it arrived on editor-in-chief Steve Fowler’s driveway. Steve’s back garden is undergoing some work and the Defender looks very much at home on the building site that used to be his front garden. It has helped out with everything from plants to materials – and has caused much conversation (and envy) at the garden centre and builder’s merchant. Our plug-in hybrid has a claimed electric-only range of 26 miles, which seems spot on, says Steve, who’s plugging it in as often as he can. And what he – and others – have noticed is how quiet the car is,…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk Q What badge to show abroad? I’M planning to go to France in the summer, but my car has the GB badge included within the number plate. Do I need to cover it up or get new plates made with a UK sticker? Rod Jones A SINCE September last year, British cars driving abroad are obliged to display a UK sticker if it is not already part of the number plate design. There’s no need for you to cover the existing GB badge on your number plate or get a new one made, but you will have to invest a few pounds in a UK sticker or magnet. Q Rules for electric bikes? I’M considering using an electric bike for commuting. Do I need a licence…

WITH modern designers cramming ever more equipment into vehicles, it’s increasingly hard to even see problems, let alone fix them. This has seen a rise in the use of borescope inspection cameras to check out under the dash, in the engine bay, or even inside a motor or gearbox, plus a host of hard-to-get-to problems. If you are tempted to add one to your kit, Sealey has a new model, which we put up against the Clarke CIC4210, the top commended product from our last test. They have almost identical colour screen sizes, so we set them to work checking out wiring under the dashboard and identifying an ECU in an engine bay. To test their underwater abilities, we also viewed a label in 20cm of water. The Clarke remains…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler ● Current Jaguar range to move upmarket ● Bespoke architecture confirmed for new Jags ● Development mules on the road in weeks We are engineering a bespoke architecture for Jaguar. That’s the only way we’re going to ensure we meet our vision for the brand that Gerry [McGovern] and his team have created, which will be a copy of nothingNICK COLLINS Executive Director of Vehicle Programmes JAGUAR Land Rover’s Reimagine plan in February 2021 outlined a bold, brave new future for Jaguar as an allelectric luxury car brand. Shortly after that, JLR CEO Thierry Bolloré exclusively revealed to Auto Express that luxury meant prices in the region of £100,000, while news of three new Jaguar models also crept out. Since then, the silence on the intentions for Jaguar…

IT makes sense for Apple to take even greater control of your car’s functions. The company spends billions on its tech, so it’s no surprise that some car makers are ditching the likes of sat-nav altogether; they know buyers simply plug their phone in for directions – and why not, given that Apple does this better than pretty much anyone? It also makes sense that the firm will widen its control of in-car systems. Some car makers’ set-ups are flawed, so how long before they give up and we see a new car with a full Apple-only infotainment set-up? This could replace the long-rumoured Apple car.…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods ● Low-slung four-door coupé introduces a sharp look ● Hi-tech interior and plug-in hybrid drive feature GEELY-owned Lynk & Co has revealed a new concept car, previewing the brand’s ‘urban’ design language and showcasing its next-generation hybrid tech. Called The Next Day, it’s a large four-door, four-seat coupé. Information about the car is limited, with only a handful of images and quotes distributed on Lynk & Co’s Chinese social media channels. But the inspiration behind its styling is the idea of ‘sunrise over a skyscraper-laden city’. Up front, a large grille sits beneath a clean bonnet flanked by split headlights that flow into the tops of the wheelarches. Solid surfaces and a few bold lines define the car’s profile, while the design takes a dramatic change from the…

We want to hear your views. Send your questions or opinions to the E-mail address below Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC New Defender 130 FROM: Steve Michael IT’S enormous, which I suppose at least matches its price tag. To think this used to be the mainstay of farmers. I can’t see them forking out upwards of £73,895 for a machine to run around the farm. Also, isn’t this taking Range Rover sales? FROM: WD ALTERNATIVELY, you could buy something like a SsangYong Rexton for a fraction of the price and get a seven-year warranty. No one would spend such an extreme sum of money on a utilitarian vehicle. This is clearly just a fashion statement. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “The boot on the 90 may be…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk Running costs 217mpg (official) £100 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.3 seconds/155mph IF you want a premium plug-in hybrid with practicality, could Audi’s A6 Avant 50 TFSI e be for you? Given that this estate version of the German firm’s petrol-electric saloon offers broadly identical claimed efficiency and electric range to its sibling, but packs more space, it very well could be. We’ll start with the tech that gives the A6 its eco credentials. The Avant 50 TFSI e packs a 17.9kWh battery (of which 14.4kWh is usable) into its body, which gives this sizeable machine a claimed all-electric range of up to 41 miles. During our test drive, we achieved mid-30s easily. The electric motor is supported by a familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine to produce a total…

STEVE Curry from Tyne & Wear is an above-knee amputee and, as such, got his Mazda CX-5 through the Motability scheme two and a half years ago. “The tech on it is absolutely first class,” he told us. “Lane-keep assist, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, heated seats – it has everything you want.” Not only does Steve love all the bells and whistles on his CX-5, but he’s fond of the way it drives, too. “Some people say there’s a lag from the automatic gearbox, but when I floor it, it takes off like a rocket,” he continued. “I’ve owned Audis, Mercedes and Land Rovers, but the Mazda is the best car I’ve ever had.” It really was a case of love at first sight for Steve and the CX-5,…

Chris_Rosamond@autovia.co.uk THE greatest cars have always offered more than the sum of their parts, and that’s a factor in the pleasure – or pain – of buying and owning them. But even so, there are always compromises to be faced, and it’s great to know where they’ve been made. Comparing the best cars in individual Driver Power categories allows us to highlight the top performers in areas such as value, reliability, safety, ride and handling, infotainment and more. In fact, we divided the survey up into 10 separate categories, each with multiple sub-sections, which allowed us to distil the maximum information from our survey responses. You can see the top 10 performers by category over the following pages. But remember that a top score doesn’t imply a car is best…

Running costs 44.0mpg (on test) £67 fill-up/£165 or 31% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 440/1,222 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.9 seconds/119mph MODEL TESTED: Volkswagen Taigo 1.0 TSI DSG Style PRICE: £28,255 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 108bhp VOLKSWAGEN’S foray into the coupé-SUV market starts from £23,155 – roughly £1,000 more than the T-Cross on which it’s based. The 1.0 TSI DSG Style model we’re testing here costs £28,255, or £29,980 with options. Design & engineering UNLIKE some coupé-SUVs, the exterior changes from T-Cross to Taigo are fairly extensive. The front end gets a lower bonnet, below which a wider grille flows into sharper headlights. These feature LED tech as standard, while a more advanced matrix set-up is fitted to this Style model. The Taigo’s overall length has grown by 150mm over the T-Cross,…

TOYOTA 1st AT the smaller end of the coupé-SUV segment, the C-HR is very much a ‘have your cake and eat it’ kind of car. When compared with its rival here, it’s much more fun to drive, and looks more distinctive in a class where style counts for a lot, yet its hybrid powertrain means that it’s much cheaper to fuel, and it’s likely to be a very reassuring ownership prospect, too. VW 2nd WHILE the Taigo is a solid effort from Volkswagen, it’s not outstanding enough in any one particular area to win this test. There’s much to admire here, from the solid drive to the spacious cabin and boot – but it doesn’t really offer significantly better value for money than the Toyota, nor is it anywhere near…

Pete_Gibson@autovia.co.uk Running costs 41.7mpg (on test) £104 fill-up Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 510/1,626 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.7 seconds/124mph WE deliberately chose to run a diesel-engined version of the latest Mazda CX-5 to see if this fuel option still has a place on anyone’s shortlist. And even though the car has only been with us for a few months, we’ve pressed the CX-5 into service with all manner of challenges. As a photographer’s car, the CX-5 has quickly racked up several long journeys from my home in Essex to the likes of the North York Moors (for a Ford Fiesta ST test) and Gaydon in Warwickshire (to take photos for a feature on a classic Audi 80). It has done this and many more trips with a boot full of…

SAVE 43% ON THE SHOP PRICE After your initial 6 issue trial, your subscription will continue at £26.99 every 13 issues representing a saving of 43% on the shop price. FREE DELIVERY Never miss an issue with every copy delivered straight to your doorstep. FULLY FLEXIBLE You are able to cancel at any time using a dedicated customer portal or by getting in touch. There are more options than ever to subscribe to Auto Express with both print and digital versions available, or perhaps you’d like a combination of both, the choice is yours OK I’M IN! HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE? 1 ORDER ONLINE AT autoexpress.co.uk/subscribe (or call 0330 333 9491 if you prefer the human touch). 2 ENTER THE OFFER CODE DJUN22 and select the offer you’d like to take.…

Classic Porsche 911 Randy Leffingwell (Motorbooks, quartoknows.co.uk) Price: £22 Rating: THIS is as in-depth a guide as you’re likely to find. Although it is targeted at US-market cars, much is transferable to those in the UK, so it’s a great resource for any owner or potential owner of one of these classic cars. The language is rather florid in places, but clear and concise when needed. Buyer’s Guide: Mazda MX-5 Miata Oliver Wild (Veloce Publishing, veloce.co.uk) Price: £14.99 Rating: IN contrast to the guide above, this is intended to be a quicker assessment rather than a fully in-depth round-up. Of course, it helps covering only a single generation of car. As with every book in this series so far, it’s a highly useful jumping-off point for greater research, and a handy…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@autovia.co.uk Q Dealer says faulty clutch is not covered by warranty I BOUGHT a used car and the clutch failed within weeks. The dealer refuses to pay for the replacement, claiming the extended warranty I also bought doesn’t cover clutches. I believe this is unfair. Can you tell me what my options are? Name withheld, E-mail A IF you reported this fault to the dealer within 30 days of purchasing the car, you are entitled to a refund under the Consumer Rights Act. If it was after 30 days, but still within six months, the dealer has to repair the car for free or refund you if it can’t prove the fault wasn’t there at the time of purchase. Set this out in a written complaint…

DANIEL Ricciardo has said he doesn’t mind the recent speculation about his future at McLaren, following a disappointing start to the 2022 season for the Australian. Speaking ahead of last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the 32-year-old told F1’s official website: “Part of me loves it. You’re always going to be under the spotlight and there’s always going to be that attention, that pressure.” He continued: “I haven’t really done anything spectacular this year, so I know that it comes with the territory. But I still know what I’m capable of and look forward to showing it, hopefully soon.”…