Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2017 i What Car?

‘The Qashqai isn’t the only thing to get a refresh. Welcome to your new What Car?’ For more than a decade, the Nissan Qashqai has been one of the UK’s best-selling cars, and in an effort to ensure it remains so, Nissan has just given this small SUV a facelift that you can read about on p18. However, it’s not just the Qashqai that’s got a new look this month. We’ve also updated What Car? to make it even more useful, whether you’re choosing your next car, looking to reduce your motoring bills or simply want to keep up to date with the latest issues facing drivers. The number of adverts in the magazine has been slashed so we can dedicate more space to comparison tests. Plus we’ve reintroduced long-term…

The original Jaguar XF Sportbrake was launched in 2012 as a direct rival to BMW’s 5 Series Touring and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate. But despite offering plenty of pace, it didn’t have the grace or outright space to match its German rivals. So now Jaguar is back for another go. The extended boot of this new XF Sportbrake allows for 565 litres of storage space – enough for holiday luggage or bulky shopping, but still lagging behind the BMW and Mercedes. With its rear seats folded, that space extends to 1700 litres, which matches the 5 Series Touring. Jaguar’s familiar 2.0-litre diesel engine is offered in three states of tune – 161bhp, 178bhp or 237bhp – and there’s a 3.0-litre V6 diesel with 296bhp. The mid-range 2.0 diesel is likely…

IF, 20 YEARS ago, you’d suggested to someone that we’d all be driving around in miniature 4x4s, they’d probably have laughed at you. Fast forward to 2017 and small SUVs are everywhere, and it was the Nissan Qashqai that arguably kicked off the craze. Nissan was among the first to successfully combine family hatchback space, practicality and running costs with a raised ride height. The second-generation Qashqai won the What Car? Car of the Year Award in 2014 and has sold by the bucket-load across Europe. Those were different times, though, because whereas the Qashqai once had few rivals and therefore stood out, it now has many. The strongest are the Seat Ateca, Peugeot 3008 and the upcoming Skoda Karoq. As a result, over the years the Qashqai has lost…

‘The production8 Series will look very similar to this concept, just toned down a bit’ AUTOMOTIVE RIVALRIES DON’T come much bigger than that between the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Both are juggernauts in the luxury saloon market, but it’s the S-Class that has the wider appeal because it’s also available as a coupé and convertible. BMW has a hole to fill, then, and that’s where this 8 Series four-seater comes in. In essence, it’s a coupé version of the 7 Series, but with much more dramatic looks. Elements from BMW’s futuristic i8 hybrid sports car can be seen in the design, including its ‘laser’ headlights. The fact that the 8 Series is based on the 7 Series should mean that interior space for both passengers and luggage will…

IT WILL BE a long time, you suspect, before the sound of popping champagne corks will be heard again at Volkswagen’s headquarters. The past two years have been tough for the firm, what with the fallout from the Dieselgate emissions scandal. But, gradually, the world’s biggest car maker is recasting itself, and its exciting future plans start with the Arteon, an executive five-door coupé that takes over as the brand’s flagship. A bigger brother to the Passat saloon, it fits into the style-centred market that contains the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé. Engines and trim levels for the UK aren’t confirmed yet, but they'll certainly include the 237bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine we’re driving here, and a 276bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol. Both will come with a seven-speed…

‘The new tri-screen dashboard layout is very clear and looks futuristic’Maria Carlton RARELY IS THE announcement of a new car met with quite the furore that surrounded the Velar. In fact, it has already attracted more pre-orders than any other Land Rover in history. The Velar is the fourth model to join the Range Rover line-up, one above the smaller Evoque, and is priced from £44,380 – although the range-topping First Edition model you see here weighs in at a staggering £88,630. The news flashes are twofold. First, design. The Velar is sleek and smooth, with wraparound lights, thick exterior sills and a coupé roofline. Second, technology. The Velar’s interior features three cutting-edge displays: a 10.0in touchscreen displaying media and sat-nav, another 10.0in touchscreen for air-con, phone and settings, and…

A new set of test cycles are being phased in this year that should make official fuel economy figures more realistic. The World harmonised Light vehicle Testing Procedure (WLTP) and Real Driving Emissions (RDE) procedures were proposed in 2008. These new cycles are longer and more dynamic than the current New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) tests; in them, cars must reach higher speeds, spend less time stationary and accelerate and brake much more, making them more representative of real driving. The WLTP is due to be introduced this September.…

Until now, the Ateca has dealt a sound thrashing to all comers, but that’s not the case here. If your budget stretches beyond £30,000, the competition is suddenly stronger and the challenge tougher. At this price, the Ateca’s interior feels a bit low-rent, its firm ride is harder to forgive and, while in cheaper forms it plays the value for money card incredibly well, here it’s actually the more expensive car to lease or buy on PCP. We still think the Tiguan is a little dearer than it should be, particularly for company car drivers. However, there’s no doubting its superior comfort, more practical rear seats, posher interior and quieter cruising manners. It better justifies its price, and for that reason it has to take the win here.…

‘Officially, our car’s 2.0-litre diesel is the Q5’s most efficient engine option’ Mileage 565 List price £41,085 Target Price £38,615 Price as tested £45,050 Test economy 38.0mpg IT’S SOMETIMES SAID that the BMW 5 Series Touring estate is all the car you’ll ever need. Roomy, beautifully built, frugal and comfy for long journeys… if you had to pick one car to see you through the apocalypse, this would be it. But here’s the thing: SUVs easily outsell estates in the UK, so surely if you’re going to pick one car for all your needs, shouldn’t it be an SUV? With that in mind, perhaps this new Audi Q5 is actually the ultimate all-rounder. Now in its second generation, the Q5 has more aggressive styling than before, and yet between our…

Run by John Bradshaw Mileage 3010 Price £25,565 Target Price £21,980 Price as tested £28,080 Test economy 50.8mpg As a photographer, I need a big, practical car so I can transport all my gear from job to job. And yet for many years I’ve actively avoided MPVs, because I’m not a fan of their boxy looks. I’m not alone, either. Unsurprisingly, the Renault Scénic hasn’t been able to escape the trend away from MPVs and towards SUVs in recent years, even though (or perhaps because) it was the car that defined the people-carrier sector back in the 1990s. But for the latest version, Renault has adopted an ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ attitude. Gone is the purely functional design, replaced by a high waistline, distinctive lights and more…

‘The Q5 follows Audi’s well-trodden path of being quiet but with a rather firm ride’ In production 2008-2017 Price £8000-£55,000 Our favourite 2.0 TDI quattro SE manual AS EVIDENCE OF just how important SUVs have become to premium car brands’ balance sheets, consider this: Audi’s best-selling car globally is not the A3 hatchback or even the A4 saloon, but the Q5. The first-generation model of this mid-size SUV arrived in dealerships in 2008, and more than 1.6 million were sold before it was replaced earlier this year. WHAT’S IT LIKE? The Q5 doesn’t have seven seats, unlike the larger Audi Q7, but the five it does have are accommodating, with good head and leg room. The Q5’s boot is bigger than the rival Volvo XC60’s, although it’s a bit smaller…

LESS THAN £25,000 Skoda Superb Our pick 2.0 TDI 150 SE Technology List price £23,520 Target Price £21,930 MPG 68.9 CO2 108g/km For Masses of standard kit, a huge amount of rear leg room and boot space, and a comfortable ride. Against Some other executive cars are more fun to drive and have stronger resale values. WHAT CAR? SAYS Volkswagen Passat Our pick 2.0 TDI 150 S List price £24,435 Target Price £22,662 MPG 67.3 CO2 106g/km For Drives very well, with a good ride and refined diesel engine; the interior is top notch. Against Some rivals are more practical, while the dashboard design is a bit dull. WHAT CAR? SAYS Ford Mondeo Our pick 2.0 TDCi Zetec (Nav) List price £24,545 Target Price £21,950 MPG 65.7 CO2 112g/km For…

LESS THAN £20,000 Volkswagen Golf SV Our pick 1.2 TSI S List price £19,905 Target Price £16,517 MPG 56.5 CO2 116g/km For Good to drive and well equipped, with a smooth engine and quality materials inside. Against The rear seats aren’t as clever as those in rivals and ‘S’ trim is a bit basic. WHAT CAR? SAYS Citroën C3 Picasso Our pick 1.6 BlueHDi Edition List price £18,180 Target Price £18,180 MPG 72.4 CO2 101g/km For The interior is spacious and the boot is big; ride comfort and refinement impress. Against Some rivals are cheaper and the diesel engine could be more refined. WHAT CAR? SAYS Kia Carens Our pick 1.6 GDI ISG 2 List price £20,700 Target Price £18,559 MPG 45.6 CO2 143g/km For Competitively priced, good room in…

REMEMBER THE RENAULT Laguna? The French hatchback was quite a force in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Be it on the forecourt, or competing on the track, this large family car tried its best to see off competition from rivals such as Ford and Vauxhall and in turn wormed its way into the British public’s affections. How times have changed. Renault’s replacement for the Laguna, the rather handsome Talisman, failed to make it to our shores, with Renault concluding that Brits simply don’t buy big, luxurious French cars any more. It’s a fate that has also befallen the once-popular Espace MPV. So why, you might ask, has Renault gone to the trouble of developing a right-hand-drive version of its large, upmarket Koleos SUV? Surely it is bound to go…

THERE’S A VERY good chance you’ve seen the previous, diesel-engined Audi SQ5 out on the road. For starters, it’s an SUV – which, if you hadn’t noticed, are quite popular – but buyers also loved it for its blend of space, pace and reasonable running costs. With the new SQ5, there’s a fundamental difference: it’s fitted with a petrol engine. This new motor means the SQ5 is actually slightly slower to accelerate than before. Less surprisingly, it comes with poorer fuel economy and a higher CO2 output. With that in mind, does it make as much sense as its predecessor? It’s likely that a new 3.0-litre diesel version will join the range at a later date, but the turbocharged V6 petrol engine delivers rapid acceleration, accompanied by a purposeful howl.…

The 2017 Dacia Duster is a different breed of SUV. Its rugged looks are matched by well-mannered on-the-road performance, a spacious, modern cabin and a choice of specifications that allow the range to start at just £9,495 on-the-road. That’s a vast amount of car for the money – particularly for a car that’s as capable off-road as it is performing the morning commute. Take the two-wheel drive dCi 110: available in three trim levels, this 1.5-litre diesel has Dacia’s new EDC automatic gearbox: a six-speed, dual-clutch assembly that makes for smoother up and down-shifts and easier driving. Alternatively, take the Duster in its optional four-wheel drive variant which is available from £11,495. Selectable four-wheel drive allows the Duster to take on tracks and courses that would leave lesser cars stuck…

YOU’D BE HARD PUSHED to know just from looking at it, but the C3 Aircross is the replacement for Citroën’s ageing C3 Picasso MPV. Instead of sticking with its predecessor’s boxy people-carrier looks, the C3 Aircross is a small, vibrant small SUV, rivalling cars such as the Nissan Juke and upcoming Seat Arona. As well as a high-set driving position, the C3 Aircross has a tall bonnet, front and rear skid plates and chunky, contrasting-coloured wheel arches, plus C3 and C4 Cactus-inspired styling. Like the C3, the C3 Aircross is highly customisable, with 90 possible personalisation schemes for the exterior alone. Buyers can have a contrastingly coloured roof and splashes of colour on the roof bars and air intakes. Inside, Citroën says the C3 Aircross has class-leading head room and…

WITH PEUGEOT’S NEW SUVs doing most of the headline-grabbing lately, it’s all too easy to forget that it’s the car we’re driving here that kicked off the French brand’s ‘upmarket movement’. When it arrived in 2013, the 308 benefited from new mechanical underpinnings and a classy, futuristic interior, although it still fell well short of key rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf. In an effort to close the gap, the 308 has now been updated with a range of cleaner engines, new infotainment and additional safety systems. There are also some predictable design changes: the grille has been beefed up, the bumpers are more aggressive-looking and there are new LED daytime running lights. However, the most significant update is an all-new engine: a 1.5-litre BlueHDI 130 diesel. With technology derived…

Seat Ateca SUV for dad-to-be I currently drive an Audi TT, but my wife is pregnant with twins, which are due in July, so I need to change my TT for a safe, practical family car. I will use the car for my daily 45-mile motorway commute to work and to transport the family at weekends, so it needs to be economical and roomy. So, what is the best family-sized car for around £20,000? Steven Kenney We’d recommend an SUV, because it will provide all the space and practicality of a family hatchback plus rear seats that are positioned higher up, making it easier to get child seats and children in and out. We think the Seat Ateca is one of the best. In fact, it beat our long-term favourite,…

Each car here has its strengths, but it’s the 5 Series Touring that takes the win. Why? Because estate buyers are primarily looking for luxury and space, and the 5 Series is the most comfortable by a mile and offers the best compromise of passenger and luggage space. The surprise is the V90, which squeaks into second place. It still has the space to deliver your youngest, with a year’s worth of luggage, to their far-flung halls of residence, then keep you relaxed on the journey home. The tidy handling of this R-Design model lets you have a modicum of fun behind the wheel, too. But rest assured, the E-Class is no rotter. As with the others, it’s comfier on optional all-round air suspension, which we have factored in, but…

Mileage 3010 List price £25,565 Target Price £21,980 Price as tested £28,080 Test economy 38.6mpg IF THE VERY words ‘Honda’ and ‘Civic’ have you stifling a yawn, take a look at this new addition to our long-term test fleet. Honda was stung by criticism of the previous model, and as a result, the all-new, 10th-generation Civic has had more time and money pumped into its development than any other car in the firm’s long history. It’s longer, lower and wider than the car it replaces, with a less fussy look. And while it isn’t exactly handsome, there’s a drama to its design that seems to grab people’s attention. One of the problems with the previous Civic was that, in a class of polished rivals, it always felt a little sub-standard…

Mileage10,232 List price when new £26,415 Price now £14,000 Test economy 48.3mpg SOMETIMES IN LIFE, it really is a case of ‘like father, like son’. You see, just after he got married, my father started driving a range-topping Vauxhall Cavalier CD, while his wife (that’d be my mother) had a Ford Fiesta. And now today, having myself just got married, my driveway contains my Vauxhall Insignia Elite – the modern successor to dad’s Cavalier – and another small Ford hatchback, my wife’s Ka. In celebration of this, and knowing Vauxhall has a Cavalier CD on its heritage fleet, I thought I’d try motoring as my old man experienced it. When Vauxhall launched this Mk2 Cavalier in 1981, it stole a march on arch-rival Ford. The Cavalier’s front-wheel drive platform was…

THE PREVIOUS HONDA Civic Type R was considered by some to be the most focused hot hatch on the market – your ideal track day partner, then. Yet for the rest the year it was too punishing compared with the softer-edged BMW M140i. Not so this new version. Honda has added an extra dimension: the aptly named and less tooth-rattling Comfort mode. This softens the suspension so you can amble along without the fidgeting you get in the Ford Focus RS, with almost the suppleness of the M140i. Of course, you can still dial up the modes to make it sharper as required, but even in Comfort, body control is sublime, the steering sharp as a butcher’s cleaver and grip heroic. Meanwhile, the feedback streaming up through the steering wheel…

‘The ‘X’ motif on the rear pillars reflects the fact that the Arona is a crossover’ UNTIL RECENTLY, SEAT had as much experience of building SUVs as Ferrari did mobility scooters. However, the Spanish brand’s first effort, the Ateca, was so good that we named it our 2017 Small SUV of the Year, and now it’s following it up with this: the Arona. Named after a municipality on the island of Tenerife, it’s smaller than the Ateca, being based on Seat’s latest Ibiza hatchback (see p54). So, while the Ateca is a rival to the Nissan Qashqai, the Arona will compete with smaller models such as the Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur. There’s a lot of Ibiza in the styling, too, in particular the triangular headlights and the…

THE NEW JEEP Compass is a further step into the mainstream for Jeep. Having tasted sales success with the smaller Renegade,  the firm has comprehensively reworked its Compass model, which went off sale two years ago, and relaunched it into the booming small SUV class. The Compass is available with a choice of 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesel engines, the latter with either 138bhp or 168bhp, as well as a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine. A nine-speed automatic gearbox is available with the 2.0-litre diesels, which both get four-wheel drive. While both 2.0-litre diesels are impressively capable on off-road adventures, the Compass’s on-road manners are far less inspiring. It is smoother riding than the previous model, but it is still easily unsettled by slight road imperfections and doesn’t offer the compliant, comfortable ride…

WITH A GREAT deal of the Captur’s popularity attributable to its adventurous styling, it makes sense that Renault has focused on visual updates for 2017, rather than anything mechanical, to keep it competitive in the busy small SUV class. Up front, there’s a new chrome strip on the grille, as well as new skid plates on the front and rear bumpers, bringing the Captur’s styling closer to that of its larger stablemate, the Kadjar, while LED daytime running lights (and optional LED headlights) round off the upmarket look. Unsurprisingly, the updated Captur keeps the previous car’s recognisable two-tone body colour option, but there’s now another three colours for you to choose from, as well as a new roof colour. A fixed glass roof is also available. Inside, there are higher-quality…

OVER THE YEARS, the Volkswagen Polo has carved out a successful market position for itself by offering premium features from bigger cars in a small package. But despite the current model holding onto a four-star rating, the Polo is in need of a refresh to keep competitive with rivals such as the Skoda Fabia and the new Ford Fiesta. This new model is the largest Polo yet, with more space between its front and rear axles, meaning more room inside for passengers and luggage; indeed, there’s 351 litres of boot space, far outstripping those rivals. New features inside include an optional digital instrument display and an infotainment touchscreen – ranging from 6.5in to 8.0in – with smartphone mirroring. The new Polo offers five petrol and two diesel engines. A 1.0-litre…

 FOR MANY, THE idea of driving a new car without any outlay, or the need to pay for insurance or maintenance, sounds like a dream come true. The reality, though, is that a company car could cost more than you save. ‘Company car tax is designed to encourage people to choose cars with lower CO2 emissions’ There are many factors that influence which company car you’ll receive. If you spend a lot of time on the road, for example, you might be offered your company’s standard model (something like the Ford Focus or Vauxhall Insignia), but you could also be able to choose from a wider range of models. You might even be able to upgrade your choice by making a cash contribution towards the car – or conversely, get…

The agonising thing for Ford will be that this new Fiesta has overcome every rival that existed when it was conceived. It’s great to drive, its interior and infotainment have taken big steps (they needed to) and it’s reasonable value for money, especially as a company car. Ford simply couldn’t have foreseen the quantum leap Seat would make at the same time. Make no mistake, then: the new Ibiza is a brilliant small car that genuinely has no real weakness, being superb to drive and, apart from the MPVshaped Honda Jazz, easily the most practical car in the class. That it’s cheaper than the Fiesta to privately own or buy on PCP, despite coming with much more kit, is merely a bonus. So, the Fabia slips from first to third…

The BMW has more rear space and more agreeable running costs, but its heavy and cumbersome metal roof blunts performance, handling and boot space. Together with its coarse petrol engine, the 4 Series is beginning to feel its age, despite its recent facelift. The Audi isn’t without fault: it’s more expensive to buy and own, and it offers slightly less room for rear passengers. However, its interior quality is superb, it has more standard equipment and its boot is bigger and more practical. Having a fabric roof also keeps weight down without letting in any more wind and road noise. All things considered, the A5 ticks more boxes for the open-top buyer and deserves the win.…

Run by Steve Huntingford Mileage 1080 List price £33 865 Target Price £31 631 Price as tested £40,585 Test economy 38.6mpg I feel like a bit of a motoring cliché at the moment, because, having just become a parent, I now find myself running my first Volvo. And yet I’ve got to admit that safety is suddenly a higher priority for me, and cars don’t come any safer than the S90 saloon, which earned the highest score awarded by the crash test experts at Euro NCAP to date. The other thing Volvo is famous for that’s present and correct is fantastically supportive seats. But the main reason for this long-term test is to see if the S90 also excels in areas outside of Volvo’s comfort zone, and I’ll be reporting…

Mileage 10,064 List price £24,195 Target Price £22,729 Price as tested £24,760 Test economy 48.3mpg IN MY SHORT time as the Ioniq’s new ‘owner’, I’ve been especially impressed with its infotainment system. While so many modern units have difficult-to-control touchscreens, Hyundai provides handy physical shortcut buttons underneath the screen that make life much easier. The Ioniq is also the first car I’ve had with Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, and this works really well now that I’ve got to grips with it. More disappointing is the fact that the infotainment system lives in an interior that’s pretty grey and drab. There are some small blue flashes here and there, but it’s otherwise flat and dull. The Ioniq’s main rival, the Toyota Prius, doesn’t have the best interior either, but at least…