Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i What Car?

NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF UK drivers (60.1%) are in favour of the Government’s decision to push back the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles to 2035, according to a What Car? survey of in-market car buyers. Three years after the Government said new internal combustion-engined (ICE) cars and vans wouldn’t be allowed to be sold in the UK from 2030, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the ban would be pushed back to 2035. However, despite the delay, the proposed Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate was confirmed to be going ahead, meaning that, from January next year, 22% of the cars that a brand sells will need to be electric, with this figure increasing to 80% by 2030 and to 100% by 2035. Of the 1056 people…

SCAN FOR A GREAT DEAL ON THIS CAR SAVE £1469 Range Rover Velar WHAT CAR? SAYS Model D200 S List price £54,105 Target Price £52,636 Target PCP £635 The Velar is the middle child of the Range Rover family, being a handier size than its bigger brothers. Like them, though, it’s a refined cruiser and very capable off road if you need it to be. This entry-level version offers the best value, and no one can fairly accuse it of being slow or meanly equipped. SAVE £1901 Ford Puma ST WHAT CAR? SAYS Model 1.5 Ecoboost 200 [Performance Pack] List price £32,410 Target Price £30,509 Target PCP £298 With versatile, hose-clean storage below the boot floor, the ST is as practical as any other Puma. Plus playful handling, a punchy…

Unless you’ve been holidaying on a remote island with no wi-fi for the past few weeks, you’ll know that the UK Government has pushed back its planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035. We’ll leave you to decide for yourself whether that was the right call or not. However, one thing is clear: while there are already a lot of fantastic electric vehicles (EVs) available, they don’t currently fit into everyone’s lifestyle. Indeed, while demand for EVs has soared in recent years, they still represent only around 16% of the new car market. Instead, it’s petrol models that continue to dominate, accounting for 42% of sales so far this year – or 57% if you add in mild hybrid petrols, which have…

TESTING PROCESS THERE’S A HUGE array of head torches out there, ranging from the suspiciously cheap to the very expensive. We tested a selection that cost from less than £10 to nearly £60, comparing them for brightness, beam distance, lighting modes (some produce red light as well as white, to ease eye strain or for use as a safety beacon), and of course we factored in cost. Comfort is also a big consideration, so we tried them while running, to see what they’re like when carrying out physical tasks. 1 BioLite 200 Lumen headlamp Price £41 Buy from Amazon Rechargeable? Yes The tilting-head Biolite is super-comfy, and its wide, single strap is easy to adjust and keeps the light from bouncing, so it’s great for running, cycling or general use…

Prices from £14,500 Our pick 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid SR Welcome to the Mary Poppins of used family cars. No, we’re not saying that the Honda Jazz will be able to raise your children, but we are saying that when it comes to providing reliable, comfy family transport for a sensible price, the Jazz is practically perfect in every way. In fact, Ms Poppins would love the Jazz. Thanks to its ‘magic’ rear seats, which can be flipped up to free up space, she could disgorge the aspidistra from her handy handbag and carry it upright without spilling any soil. Her lamp stand and mirror would be better carried horizontally in the boot, though – an easy fit with the seatbacks folded down. Even with the rear seats in use, there’s…

Prices from £11,000 Our pick GTE WD40 is the second most useful thing to have at home. It makes squeaks go away, it lifts Biro ink from leather sofas and it gets rusty locks to open; short of helping in a medical emergency, it’s indispensable. Only one thing is more useful: a Volkswagen Passat Estate. Part of the reason is that its boot is colossal, dwarfing that of the BMW 3 Series Touring, for instance; the long load bay created when the rear seats are folded flat means you need never pay for an Ikea delivery again. A low floor makes for easy loading and unloading of cargo and comfortable access for the family hound. Naturally, there’s plenty of room inside for a pair of adults and 2.4 children. Tall…

Prices from £16,000 Our pick 1.2 Puretech 130 Allure Where once the buyer who needed seven seats might have had to choose between some slab-sided pantechnicon with dubious road manners or an overloaded estate car with seats in the boot, these days the market is alive with highly desirable crowd-carrying SUVs. Take the chic Peugeot 5008. It’s a perennial favourite of ours, and it isn’t just easy on the eye. On the road, the 5008 is easy to drive, able and surefooted. Its refinement, even with the entry-level 1.2-litre engine, is as impressive as in cars costing far more, and it’s noticeably quieter at high speeds than its Hyundai Santa Fe and Skoda Kodiaq rivals. What’s more, its ride is among the comfiest in its class, making the 5008 a…

Mileage 11,736 List price £35,935 Target Price £34,354 Price as tested £37,030 Test economy 53.2mpg AS A WHAT Car? videographer, my car’s boot needs to be more than just a place for luggage; on any given day I’ll probably need it to double as a work bench. It’s a growing trend for luggage covers in new cars to be flappy, fabric-type things, perhaps because they’re lighter, which maybe improves fuel economy slightly. That’s fine, but the hard parcel shelf in my Citroën C5 Aircross suits me much better. I can rest microphones and lenses on top of it while I delve into the load bay to find whatever random bit of kit I need next. And likewise, I can set up my computer there. As a bonus, the sliding rear…

1 Honda Jazz THE JAZZ IS the small car to beat for passenger space, and its unique and incredibly flexible rear seating only adds to its usability. However, crucially, the Jazz outscores its rivals even if you take practicality out of the equation, thanks to its great driving position, strong performance and generous standard kit. Hybrid power makes it really cheap to fuel, too, and slow depreciation helps to make up for relatively high prices. Our pick 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid Elegance List price £25,900 Target Price £25,217 MPG 62.8 CO2 102g/km For Remarkably spacious, with great seating flexibility; strong performance; lots of standard kit; holds value well Against Pricey by small car standards; not the quietest cruiser; disappointing infotainment system WHAT CAR? SAYS Skoda Fabia Our pick 1.0 TSI 95…

1 Volkswagen T-Roc THE T-ROC WAS always a fine buy, but this latest version has raised its game to a new level. A soft ride makes it more comfortable than most of its rivals, while its spacious interior is much smarter looking than the previous model’s. In addition, unlike many of its rivals, it has the high-set driving position that many SUV buyers crave. We’d stick with one of the cheaper models; top-spec T-Rocs are too expensive to be a good bet. Our pick 1.0 TSI 110 Life List price £27,815 Target Price £26,414 MPG 47.4 CO2 135g/km For Comfy ride; quiet on the motorway; spacious and well equipped; big boot; high driving position Against Not as much fun to drive as a Ford Puma; top trims are too pricey;…

1 Tesla Model 3 AS WELL AS being one of the best electric cars you can buy, the Model 3 makes complete sense for company car drivers too, largely thanks to its lowly 2% benefit-in-kind tax rating and outstanding efficiency. Even the entry-level RWD version we recommend has a long range, plus it’s good to drive, packed full of tech, reasonably priced and very practical. Tesla’s dedicated public charging network is second to none, too. Our pick RWD List price £42,990 Target Price £42,990 Range 305 miles CO2 0g/km For Class-leading efficiency; fast charging via Tesla’s own network; surprisingly practical; well priced Against Firm low-speed ride; not all that quiet at motorway speeds; not quite as much fun to drive as a BMW 3 Series WHAT CAR? SAYS Mercedes-Benz C-Class…

1 Volkswagen ID Buzz OUR 2023 OVERALL Car of the Year is styled to look like Volkswagen’s classic camper but is actually a thoroughly modern electric car. It’s very pleasant to drive, behaving more like a good SUV than a van, plus it’s hugely spacious inside and cheaper than you’d think if you’re buying on finance. As such, it makes a fantastic alternative to premium electric SUVs such as the BMW iX3 and Tesla Model Y. Our pick Style List price £63,715 Target Price £63,715 Range 255 miles CO2 0g/km For Drives as well as a good SUV; comfortable ride; hugely practical; strong resale values Against Not available as a seven-seater yet; fiddly touch-sensitive controls; efficiency could be better WHAT CAR? SAYS Tesla Model 3 Our pick RWD List price…

1 BMW 4 Series Coupé ITS LOOKS MAY be divisive, but whether or not you’re a fan of this 4 Series’ aggressive styling, you’ll love what’s underneath. This is one of the most rewarding driver’s cars in the class and, if you opt for the Pro Pack’s adaptive suspension, it’s also a very comfortable everyday car. In addition, the 4 Series benefits from a wonderful interior with supportive seats and class-leading infotainment. Our pick 420i M Sport (Pro Pack) List price £46,235 Target Price £43,554 MPG 42.8 CO2 151g/km For Rewarding handling; no longer so derivative of 3 Series; high-quality interior; composed ride Against Looks won’t be for everyone; some rivals have larger boots; you hear wind and tyre noise at speed WHAT CAR? SAYS Audi TT Our pick 40…

OVER THE NEXT two years, self-driving electric cars based on the Nissan Leaf will be trialled on residential roads, as well as on single-track country lanes, in order to assess the latest autonomous technology. The tests form part of the Government-backed evolvAD (Autonomous Drive) project, which aims to determine whether self-driving vehicles could be used outside of cities and in other less connected areas. Cars in the fleet will use local infrastructure – such as CCTV cameras – to improve their situational awareness. Each car will have a person on board in case of an emergency. It is hoped that, as well as helping to pave the way for self-driving cars, tech created by the project will lead to connected vehicles interacting with connected infrastructure around them, potentially boosting safety.…

Lexus NX 450h+ Premium Pack List price £54,950 Target Price £53,463 Our reigning Plug-in Hybrid of the Year is the car to beat here, thanks to its blend of efficiency, practicality, competitive pricing and a luxurious interior Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e Dynamic SE List price £52,700 Target Price £51,383 The Discovery Sport packs plenty of power and is the cheapest to buy privately, but it has a much shorter electric range than its rivals NEW Honda CR-V 2.0 e:PHEV Advance Tech List price £53,995 Target Price £53,995 Honda’s first plug-in hybrid (for Europe) has the longest electric range of our contenders and comes only in pricey top-spec trim Honda has a rich history of innovation. It introduced the automotive world to map-based satellite navigation systems in the Accord executive…

Prices from £20,000 Our pick 330e M Sport (Pro Pack) You don’t write with a ballpoint pen; you use a Biro. And you don’t surf the internet with the help of a search engine; you Google. Sometimes a product or service is so successful that it becomes a verb. Similarly, certain cars end up defining the classes in which they compete, including our winner in this one. Sporty yet easy to live with, and desirable yet surprisingly obtainable, the 3 Series has proved so popular over the years that every new premium-badged executive saloon tends to be billed as that brand’s 3 Series. True, the actual 3 Series is no longer our class champion as a new car, having been beaten by the Tesla Model 3. However, that’s largely because…

Price from £23,000 Our pick Standard Range Plus Credit where credit is due: Elon Musk has led Tesla to become one of today’s most popular car brands. He’s no stranger to controversy in other matters, but Tesla’s Model 3 has proved to be an electric vehicle (EV) milestone. This executive car has sold immensely well since its launch, and it continues to do so today, meaning the used market is flooded with them. Examples start with the Standard Range Plus, which can be found for a very tempting £23,000. While this entry-level model can’t come close to matching the Performance’s 0-60mph time of 3.3sec (in our hands), it’ll still manage the sprint in a hot-hatch-like 6.1sec. You won’t see such acceleration behind the wheel of a Kia e-Niro. Range is…

Prices from £14,000 Our pick 2.0 TFSI Sport They say life is about the journey, not the destination, and if you agree with that philosophy, you might well own an Audi TT. Whether you’re going to the dentist or Denmark, the TT promises to paint a grin across your face. While there’s a varied range of petrol and diesel options to choose from, our favourite engine is a punchy 227bhp 2.0-litre petrol. You can have it with front-wheel drive or quattro four-wheel drive – the latter helping to deliver a 0-60mph time of just 5.3sec when we tested it. If you’d like even livelier pace, there’s the TTS and TT RS. The RS is the quickest TT of the lot: it has a great-sounding 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine and can out-accelerate…

Mileage 403 List price £33,915 Target Price £32,432 Price as tested £35,935 Test economy 41.8mpg I’VE BEEN INVOLVED in two car accidents during my time at What Car?. I hasten to add that I wasn’t to blame on either occasion. Both incidents occurred when another driver drifted between lanes and hit me. But while they probably didn’t look first, I also think the poor visibility offered by many modern cars might have played a part. My Audi Q2 is an exception. Not only does it offer an excellent view of the road ahead, due to its elevated driving position, but its deep windows and comparatively slim pillars also bring good all-round visibility. I reckon all of this not only minimises the chances of me failing to spot someone when changing…

1 Honda Civic EFFICIENCY IS AT the heart of this latest, hybrid-only Civic – and one of its strengths is indeed its fine real-world fuel economy. But that’s by no means the only thing it excels at; it’s also great to drive and very practical, with a relatively big boot and a user-friendly interior layout. And although rear seat space could be better and there’s some road noise to contend with, the Civic compensates by being generously equipped. Our pick 2.0 e:HEV Sport List price £36,495 Target Price £35,610 MPG 56.5 CO2 113g/km For Impressive fuel economy; gutsy performance; big boot; easy-to-use interior; lots of luxury and safety kit Against Pricier than its main rivals; rear head room is only average; some road noise intrudes WHAT CAR? SAYS Toyota Corolla…

1 Kia Sportage OUR 2023 FAMILY SUV of the Year is a great all-rounder with a smart-looking, spacious and user-friendly interior, plus a large boot. It’s generally very comfortable and good to drive, too. For the best value, we’d stick with the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol engine, which combines lively performance with reasonable running costs, but it’s worth paying the small premium to step up to mid-range 3 trim for its generous level of standard kit. Our pick 1.6 T-GDi 3 List price £32,560 Target Price £31,080 MPG 41.5 CO2 154g/km For Smart-looking and spacious interior; large boot; good comfort/handling balance; generous warranty Against Very few options are available; slightly unsettled low-speed ride; rear seating could be more flexible WHAT CAR? SAYS Genesis GV60 Our pick RWD Premium List price £53,905…

1 Range Rover Sport THE SLIGHTLY SPORTIER and cheaper stablemate of the full-fat Range Rover is a fantastic SUV that goes big on luxury, comfort and off-road ability, although other rivals are still sharper to drive. The P440e plug-in hybrid version that we favour has an impressive electriconly range (officially up to 70 miles but realistically 45-50 miles), making this a very enticing option for company car drivers in particular. Our pick P440e Dynamic SE List price £92,980 Target Price £92,980 MPG 338.3 CO2 18g/km For Cosseting ride; extremely quiet; great driving position; long electriconly range; low company car tax Against Cheaper than a Range Rover but still very pricey; rivals are sharper to drive; Land Rover’s reliability record WHAT CAR? SAYS BMW i7 Our pick xDrive60 Excellence Pro List…

1 Genesis GV60 UPMARKET SOUTH KOREAN brand Genesis has taken the underpinnings of the excellent Kia EV6 and added an extra layer of polish to create something special for its first dedicated electric car. The GV60 not only offers a generous range and ultra-fast charging but is also extremely refined and has a wonderful interior. In the cheapest rear-wheel-drive guise that we recommend, it’s outstanding value for money, too. Our pick RWD Premium List price £53,905 Target Price £53,905 Range 321 miles CO2 0g/km For Sumptuous interior; comfortable ride; very quiet; generous range; user-friendly infotainment system Against Rear seat space is only average; relatively small boot; you’ll want to add some options WHAT CAR? SAYS Smart #1 Our pick Premium List price £38,950 Target Price £38,950 Range 273 miles CO2…

1 BMW 4 Series Convertible LIKE THE COUPÉ on which it’s based, the 4 Series Convertible feels wonderfully balanced, and combines agile handling with impressive comfort if you specify the Pro Pack’s adaptive suspension. It’s also refined with the roof up or down, and surprisingly practical for a car of this sort, offering space for four adults and a good-sized boot. Throw in an upmarket and well-equipped interior and you’ve got a drop-top that’s hard to fault. Our pick 420i M Sport (Pro Pack) List price £51,275 Target Price £47,794 MPG 40.4 CO2 160g/km For Agile and precise handling; comfortable ride; user-friendly infotainment system; classy interior Against Some visibility issues; rear seats fold flat but don’t split; adjustable lumbar support costs extra WHAT CAR? SAYS Fiat 500C Electric Our pick…

1 Porsche 718 Cayman IT’D BE EASY to write off the Cayman as a poor man’s 911. It can be bought for as little as half the money, so it must be half the car, right? Well, actually, no; in the ways that matter most, the Cayman is the best sports car on the planet. The only caveat is that you need to go for the GTS model, because this swaps the uncouth engines of lesser versions for a glorious 4.0-litre flat six. Our pick GTS List price £75,575 Target Price £75,575 MPG 25.9 CO2 247g/km For Brilliant handling; rich, soulful naturally aspirated six-cylinder GTS engine; classy interior Against Lacks the level of standard kit you’d expect of such a pricey car, both in terms of luxuries and safety WHAT…

EASIER PARKING AND crackdowns on unfair parking enforcement and inconsiderate driving are cited as priorities in Government plans designed to make life easier for motorists. Among the policies being considered are a review of what it terms ‘anti-driver’ measures, including limiting the introduction of new 20mph zones and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods; they would be limited to areas where they have local support. Fines for some traffic offences – such as stopping in a yellow box junction – would be made fairer, and local authorities would be prevented from profiteering from enforcement. The Government aims to prevent local authorities from implementing a ‘15-minute city’ model (where communities are laid out so that all necessary amenities are within a 15-minute walk, if this involves excessive traffic restriction and insufficient transport choice. The…

Just five years ago, a 300-mile range from an electric car seemed optimistic in the extreme. Only one brand – Tesla – built a car that could manage such a feat, and you’d have to spend almost £100,000 to get it. Well, now the cheapest new electric car in the UK can officially obliterate 300 miles. Not the cheapest version of it, granted, but at £36,495, the new MG 4 Extended Range is barely more than a third of the price of that pioneering Tesla Model S 100D. In fact, it undercuts Tesla’s cheapest car of the present day, the Model 3 RWD, by £6500 while beating it for range. So, if you can now go farther between charges for less money, is there any point in buying a Tesla…

Prices from £15,000 Our pick 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 155 ST-Line Picking just one SUV from a class that encapsulates everything from the smallest and most frugal at one end to the largest and most luxurious at the other might seem a Herculean task, but sometimes one car seems to automatically rise above all the others. This year, much as we admired the Seat Arona for its affordability, the Kia Sportage for its practicality and the BMW X3 for its sheer classiness, the Ford Puma was that magically levitating car. Perhaps that’s not surprising. When it was first launched at the end of 2019, we were so impressed with it that we had no hesitation in making it our overall 2020 Car of the Year. Buyers like it, too, with the…

Prices from £20,000 Our pick 330e M Sport (Pro Pack) We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: if your journeys are usually short and you have access to an electric charger, a plug-in hybrid is a marvellous option, because you can cover your local chores using cheap electric power and save your petrol for those longer journeys. And while plug-in hybrids come in all shapes and sizes, we reckon the BMW 330e – our favourite version of our favourite executive car – is the best of all. Top of the list of the 330e’s talents is its sheer driver appeal. Not only is it quick (0-62mph takes just 5.2sec), but it’s also beautifully balanced through corners and offers a great sense of connection through the steering wheel. It’s…

All of our category winners are outstanding used buys; if you’re looking for a specific type of car, you won’t be disappointed with any of them. Whittling them down to come up with an overall winner was a daunting task, but in the end it came down to a choice between three contenders. The Ford Puma excels in many of the areas that are important to buyers of used SUVs. As well as being highly practical, frugal, well equipped and fun to drive, it’s the most affordable of the three. Meanwhile, anyone looking to buy a used electric vehicle (EV) can’t afford to ignore the Tesla Model 3. It’ll be easier to live with than rivals, and with the recent slump in EV prices, you can now pick up this…

1 Hyundai i20 N THERE’S SOMETHING SLIGHTLY old-school about the i20 N – and we mean that in a good way. It’s not only quick and fun to drive but, unlike many current hot hatches, is also very affordable. Its engine even has a touch of turbo lag, with a small pause between you asking for more power and it arriving – all part of the charm. And because its handling and ride are calmer than the Ford Fiesta ST’s, the i20 N is an easy car to drive quickly. Our pick 1.6 T-GDi 204 List price £26,530 Target Price £25,965 MPG 40.4 CO2 158g/km For Gutsy performance; friendly handling; comfier ride than Fiesta ST; relatively cheap to buy and run Against Slightly less playful handling than Fiesta ST; smaller…

1 Hyundai Santa Fe THERE’S LOADS TO like about the latest Santa Fe, including its huge boot and practical interior with seating for up to seven adults. The regular hybrid version that we recommend offers the best trade-off between price and running costs, and even entry-level Premium trim comes with many of the luxuries that are available only on high-end versions of the closely related Kia Sorento, making it fantastic value for money. Our pick 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid 4WD Premium List price £45,295 Target Price £41,917 MPG 40.4 CO2 159g/km For User-friendly interior with seven seats suitable for adults; huge boot; loads of standard kit; long warranty Against Performance is only average; some wind noise at motorway speeds; top trim is expensive WHAT CAR? SAYS BMW X7 Our pick xDrive40d…

1 Mercedes-Benz GLC GIVEN THAT THE majority of plug-in hybrids are run as company cars, the GLC 300e is a compelling choice, with a class-leading electric range (up to 80 miles officially) that puts it in the low, 5% BIK tax bracket. If you plug it in regularly and do mostly short journeys, your running costs should be lower than those of rivals. There are good reasons for private buyers to consider it as well: it’s spacious and practical inside, plus it’s a refined cruiser. Our pick 300e AMG Line Premium List price £68,210 Target Price £68,210 MPG 565.0 CO2 12g/km For Outstanding electric-only range; low BIK tax rating; spacious rear seats; quiet and comfortable cruiser Against Disappointing fuel economy when battery is depleted; Mercedes’ so-so reliability record; spongy brakes…

1 Skoda Superb Estate SPACE IS THE name of the game when you’re looking at wagons, and the Superb Estate has been our favourite for eight years, striking the sweet spot of practicality, comfort, low running costs and value more accurately than any rival. In fact, with masses of load space for flat-pack furniture or suitcases and palatial comfort for passengers, it’s one of the most impressive family holdalls in any class of car. Our pick 1.5 TSI 150 SE L List price £35,765 Target Price £35,765 MPG 42.7 CO2 150g/km For Comfortable ride; limo-like rear passenger space; huge boot with lots of practical touches; well priced Against Some rivals are more fun to drive on twisty roads; automatic gearbox can be a tad jerky in traffic WHAT CAR? SAYS…

1 Ford Puma ST UNTIL RECENTLY, BUYING a sports SUV required a sizeable outlay, but the Ford Puma ST changes that. And don’t think the fact that it costs far less than the competition means it’s far less fun. Even the mighty Porsche Cayenne has to bow to the Puma’s incredible agility, while its greater driver engagement and less extreme acceleration mean there’s far more chance to enjoy yourself on public roads. Our pick 1.5 Ecoboost 200 Performance Pack List price £32,410 Target Price £30,509 MPG 42.8 CO2 148g/km For Hugely entertaining handling; tuneful and punchy engine; relatively cheap to buy and run Against Occasionally bouncy ride; infotainment system could be slicker; Volkswagen T-Roc is bigger in the back WHAT CAR? SAYS Porsche Cayenne Coupé Our pick S List price…

1 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo THE ALL-ELECTRIC Taycan rewrote the performance car rulebook in 2021, and now the Cross Turismo has raised the bar even higher. It brings greater versatility, courtesy of a bigger boot and roomier rear seats, plus raised suspension that seems tailor-made for battered British roads. Our preferred 4S version is more than fast enough and comes with the larger of the two batteries (a pricey option on the equivalent regular model). Our pick 4S List price £95,255 Target Price £95,255 Range 304 miles CO2 0g/km For Massive and instantaneous performance; remarkably agile; gorgeous interior; more practical than the regular Taycan Against Charging network isn’t as good as Tesla’s; range could be better WHAT CAR? SAYS Audi E-tron GT Our pick quattro List price £86,850 Target Price…