Innholdsfortegnelse for 1441 i Auto Express

“The Ateca X-Perience is a car that lends itself to ‘the most adventurous off-road situations’, according to SEAT” SEAT has spruced up its first ever SUV by unveiling a new Ateca X-Perience concept ahead of its debut at the Paris Motor Show this week. The rough and ready crossover is only a concept car for now, but bosses will use the event to gauge public reaction before deciding whether to put it into production. Changes over the standard Ateca are more comprehensive than you may think, with scuff plates front and rear as well as tough body cladding on the bumpers and side sills. There are some chunky offroad tyres and unique alloy wheels, too. SEAT says the Ateca X-Perience is a car that can “surpass any limit”, while lending…

Warmed up Giulia makes its entrance ALFA Romeo has revealed the new four-wheel-drive Giulia Veloce (above), with a choice of petrol or diesel power. Its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol delivers 276bhp and the 2.2-litre diesel manages 207bhp. The diesel offers more torque, with 470Nm, compared to 400Nm in the petrol. Both engines come with an eightspeed automatic gearbox and a smart new ‘Q4’ four-wheel-drive system that only sends power to the front wheels when needed. There’s no word on whether the car will be sold in the UK. Dramatic fall in EV grants explained THE number of motorists claiming the Government’s plug-in grant has fallen to its lowest level in two years following the decision to reduce the subsidy. According to data obtained by the RAC Foundation, just 4,200 motorists applied…

Chartered Trading Standards practitioner www.tradingstandards.gov.uk THE Consumer Rights Act 2015 was welcomed on to UK statute books to amend civil laws relating to the sale and supply of goods and services. In the motor trade, there remains a question of “use”. This important word provides the sole key to how much reduction a trader can make from a full refund in the event of a final right to reject. In most cases, it’s a simple sum: average life of goods, minus length of time owned, shown as a use percentage and the corresponding total of the purchase price. However, with cars, this is different. All cars when purchased have differing value, depreciation, condition and mileage. The number of owners also affects price, but how do you calculate it? There’s no…

“Despite being not far off a Nissan Qashqai in size, the S-Cross is priced to compete with a Juke” Essentials Suzuki SX4 S-Cross 1.0 Boosterjet SZ-T Price: £19,499 Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo Power/torque: 110bhp/170Nm Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 11.0 seconds Top speed: 112mph Econ/CO2: 56.4mpg/113g/km ON SALE October Verdict WE’LL let you make up your own mind on the new styling, but underneath the SX4 S-Cross is a significantly better car – mainly thanks to the new 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine. It’s cleaner, faster and more refined than the unit it replaces, while Suzuki’s improvements to the suspension and interior are also welcome. It’s still not the most desirable or plush crossover of its kind, but you can’t argue that it offers a lot of car for the…

MODEL TESTED: Porsche 911 Turbo PRICE: £127,630 ENGINE: 3.8-litre V6, 533bhp Testers’ notes “The Porsche’s scintillating acceleration and near-200mph top speed grab all the headlines, but it’s the car’s fuel economy that deserves special mention. A return of 29.9mpg would be considered good for a high-powered hot hatch, so for this figure to be delivered by a 533bhp supercar is nothing short of remarkable.” James Disdale Chief reviewer Testers’ notes “The flagship 911 Turbo S gives you an extra 39bhp and carbon ceramic brakes. However, our performance tests reveal it’s barely any faster than the standard Turbo, so it’s difficult to justify its £18,848 price premium.” WHEN it comes to performance, power and hi-tech pedigree, the Porsche 911 Turbo takes some beating. With its twin-turbocharged engine, active aerodynamics, four-wheel drive…

Second opinion “Our car’s Off-road pack increases the maximum ride height by 20mm, while the air-suspension option adds another 30mm for even more ground clearance. While you might not need this unless you’re turning off the tarmac, in Sport trim on 18-inch wheels, it means the ride is smooth and comforting. Rivals like the BMW X3 thump and shake on larger wheels, but the continuously adaptive damping and long-travel suspension in the GLC smooths out the road surface.” James Disdale Chief reviewer Essentials Mercedes-Benz GLC 220d 4MATIC Sport On fleet since: August 2016 Price new: £37,575 Engine/torque: 2.1-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 168bhp CO2/tax: 129g/km/£110 Options: Premium Plus pack (£2,995), Drive Assistance pack (£1,695), Air Body Control air suspension (£1,495), electric tow bar (£750), Selenite grey metallic paint (£645), Off-road pack (£495)…

BRITAIN is a nation of on-the-move snackers, so our car cabins are under constant bombardment from crumbs and spillages, as well as everyday grime tracked in from the street. An upholstery spray is a key part of the car cleaner’s armoury and a new product has just arrived on the scene – Power Maxed Upholstery Cleaner. It has a racing pedigree, but how does it compare to our reigning champion from Halfords? Both products were tested on a seat from a breaker’s yard and we added chocolate, butter and ballpoint pen ink to the general grime. Prices were taken from the retailers’ websites, and we followed each product’s instructions before assessing the results once the seat had dried. Both performed strongly, but the Halfords cleaner just nudged ahead of the…

Got any car queries? Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Why is gearbox sluggish? MY automatic 2012 Citroen C5 VTR E-HDi has started to lag when switching between first and second. The gearbox feels sluggish. It’s done around 96,000 miles. Any ideas why? Peter Follet, E-mail A ONE of the most common causes for automatic gearboxes feeling sluggish is either old or low levels of gearbox oil. Flick through the owner’s manual to see if you’ve missed an oil change interval. Check the oil levels in the gearbox, too, and look for any signs of leaks or loss of pressure, as this could also be to blame. Q TPMS tripped by new tyre I RECENTLY got a flat tyre on my 2015 Honda Jazz. I had the tyre replaced with a new one,…

Dear Lawrence, I’m doing a month-long European road trip with friends, so I’m after a big, comfortable estate car. What will a budget of £2,000 get me? James Butler, Nottingham Contact: Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk Ford Mondeo FOR: Great to drive, spacious, lots available AGAINST: Problematic diesels, cabin quality DON’T ignore the humble Ford Mondeo Mk3 estate for long-distance cruising, as it’s a great choice. For starters, as there are so many on the market these cars are very cheap. Roadworthy examples start from under £1,000, and it’s easy to find a high-spec Ghia model. They’re also spacious, ride smoothly and are decent to drive, although older petrols are less troublesome than diesels. We found a 2004 2.0 Ghia with 92,000 miles for just £1,500. THE Mondeo’s cabin has lots of kit in…

“To race in New York City is a historic moment – not only for Formula E, but for motorsport in general ” FORMULA E has revealed a track layout for its New York double-header next July that’ll see the electric racers compete against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of Lower Manhattan. The 1.12-mile circuit will use streets in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn, which will place the landmarks in the background. The event will be the first FIA-sanctioned open-wheel race to take place in the five boroughs of New York in modern history. The circuit features 13 corners and takes in Pier 11 and the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Speaking at the press conference held to announce the layout, Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E,…

“Ka+ handles with the quality we’ve come to expect from small Fords” “Cabin is more robust than luxurious, but there are few complaints for the price” Essentials Ford Ka+ Zetec 85 Price: £9,995 Engine: 1.2-litre 4cyl petrol Power/torque: 84bhp/112Nm Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 13.3 seconds Top speed: 105mph Economy: 56.5mpg CO2: 114g/km ON SALE Now WHEN Ford’s funky-looking Ka emerged in the mid-nineties it revolutionised the city car sector, with fun handling and a striking design matched neatly to an affordable price. But the market moved on, and the dumpier second-generation Ka never reached the heights of the original. So now Ford has repositioned its famous nameplate to follow more conservative, value-led trends. European boss Jim Farley told us the brand is “replacing the Ka withthe Ka+ as…

Hot Hyundai hatch is ready for action HYUNDAI has released a teaser image of its new motorsport-inspired performance car, the RN30, ahead of its public reveal at this week’s Paris Motor Show. Based on the new i30, the hatch (above) will aim to take the fight to models such as the SEAT Leon Cupra and will be the first car from Hyundai’s newly founded ‘N’ performance sub-brand. The RN30 will initially be offered in two versions when it goes on sale in 2017. MG assembly ends at British factory MG Motor has ceased car production in the UK, with its assembly plant at Longbridge, West Midlands, no longer needed. All models, including the MG3 and MG GS, will arrive in the UK from the Chinese factory fully built. Initial reports…

OFFICIAL Five doors for current ST BEFORE the sportier new Ford Fiesta ST arrives, however, the company has introduced a more practical five-door version of the current model. Ford predicts that around 25 per cent of customers will opt for this new variant, which costs from £18,495 – around £600 more than an entry-level Fiesta ST-1 in three-door form. The only change is the addition of the rear doors, as the same 180bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine remains under the bonnet. With 240Nm of torque, it promises to sprint from 0-62mph in the same 6.9 seconds. “EcoBoost engine is small and light, which should bring handling benefits to next ST” FORD has dropped more hints of what’s in store for its next Fiesta ST hot hatch – revealed in our…

LINE up a list of big businesses you’re unlikely to shed a sympathetic tear for, and at the top of most will be banking corporations and oil giants. They’ve been making billions for years, cashing in on everyone else and somehow surviving amid financial crashes. But for oil companies, there lurks a growing uncertainty as motorists continue to edge towards electric vehicles – already there are nearly 30,000 on UK roads. Sure, in the short term, these are predominantly plug-in hybrids and require filling up in a conventional way. But look further into the distance and the goal is to have almost all cars and vans in the UK zero emissions by 2050. Such a move would put a sizeable hole in the profits of oil firms like Shell or…

Contact Martin Saarinen HOT TOPIC Pricing drivers off road FROM: Michael Rochester I LIVE in Sri Lanka during the winter where the divide between those who own and those who don’t own cars is more savage than in Singapore. Imported cars have a 300 per cent export duty, unless you’re one of the lucky ones with an exemption certificate. FROM: Tom Hughes I DON’T think we can go on registering more cars on to our roads at the current rate for much longer. As an example, if next year we registered about a million extra cars, each around 15-feet long, these would take up an extra 3,000 miles of space on our roads. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.u ■ “Singapore is the size of Greater London and has a fantastic…

Essentials Fiat Tipo 1.6 MultiJet 120hp Lounge Price: £17,995 Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl diesel Power: 118bhp/320Nm Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 9.8 seconds Top speed: 124mph Econ/CO2: 76.3mpg/98g/km ON SALE Now Verdict WE like the Fiat Tipo more in the UK than we did on our first European drive, on account of its comfortable ride and spacious interior. This 1.6-litre diesel is a okay as well, as it’s economical and has plenty of in-gear performance. However, the Tipo is dull to drive and the price puts this top-spec car up against the talented Vauxhall Astra, which handles better, feels more upmarket and is more generously equipped. However, if you get a good deal, or a cheaper model, you could be on to a winner. “The six-speed manual gearbox is okay,…

Second opinion “You have to rev the petrol harder than the diesel, as it doesn’t have the 2.0 TDI’s torque, which partly explains the economy shortfall. With more discipline and use of the car’s coasting function, Stuart feels he’d be able to eke out a few more mpg.” Sean Carson Senior staff writer Essentials Audi A4 2.0 TFSI 190 S line S tronic On fleet since: June 2016 Price new: £32,080 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, 187bhp CO2/tax: 119g/km/£30 Options: Technology Pack (£1,450), Light and Vision Pack (£975), adaptive suspension (£600), privacy glass and front acoustic glazing (£450), flat-bottom steering wheel (£225), folding door mirrors (£225), Monsoon Grey paint (£645) Insurance*: Group: 26 Quote: £679 Mileage/mpg: 3,783/34.4mpg Any problems? Intermittent Virtual Cockpit fault *Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q How much can I tow? MY wife and I are considering buying a caravan for holidays. Are there any restrictions on what I can tow or use with my car? Glynn Davies, E-mail A IF you passed your test after 1997 there are restrictions on what you can tow. The limits are quite high, although you can do another test if you want to tow something bigger. As our Towcar of the Year feature on Page 50 shows, it’s vital to match the caravan you buy to your car. A rule of thumb is the caravan shouldn’t exceed 85 per cent of the car’s unladen weight. The Caravan Club (caravanclub.co.uk) is a good source of advice. Q Removing deep scratches I’VE tried a scratch…

PRODUCT GROUP TEST 28 | 9 | 2016 Every week, we extensively test all the latest car kit from tyres to trim cleaners. Log on to www.autoexpress.co.uk to look through our huge online test archive. MODERN cordless LED inspection lamps, with their wide, bright beams and multiple mounting options, are brilliant workshop essentials. But what if you don’t have mains power in your workshop for charging or you want to keep one in the car for night-time breakdowns? For that you need the smaller, battery-powered versions variously known as pocket and pen lights or mini inspection lamps. These products are ideal for slipping in a glovebox or boot cubby, and the lack of charging kit keeps the price down. So which one shines in our first look at these mini…

“Is it worth buying an old luxury, performance or supercar costing a fraction of its original price” THE question I’m asked most – what’s the best thing you’ve ever driven? – is instantly answerable. It’s a Tyrrell F1 car I piloted – when younger, braver and slimmer! Second most-asked question is trickier; is it worth buying an old luxury, performance or supercar costing a fraction of its original price? If the vehicle has a bulletproof reputation, respectable, verifiable history (including service stamps plus receipts) and you’ve got the cash, go for it. Do what I did and spend around £10,000 on, for example, an ageing Mercedes priced around £100,000 when new. But, ideally, keep another ten grand up your sleeve for servicing, repairs and parts replacements which will, inevitably, be…

James Batchelor ames_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Ford Fiesta ST200 takes on MINI JCW AS the new Fiesta ST takes shape (opposite), we’ve been drag racing the run-out version of the current car. The ST200 has gone head-to-head with the new MINI John Cooper Works. Before you say it’s unfair to put a 228bhp MINI against a Fiesta with 197bhp (or 212bhp on overboost for 20 seconds), the Ford is lighter and its manual box is smoother than the JCW’s auto. Log on to see which wins. Round-up from the Paris show stands IF the success of the motor industry can be judged on the number of new car launches, this week’s Paris Motor Show proves it’s in rude health. I’ll be taking you around the stands and showing all the major reveals.…

UK’s best selling paint colours by year (Source: SMMT) NEW car buyers’ tastes change, as our rundown of the top-selling colour choices in the past 20 years reveals. What colour will beat depreciation? “COLOUR can have a marked impact on the resale value, depending on the car,” explains trade expert Robert Redman from Glass’s. “Colours are subjective, of course, but generally a prestige car should be in silver, grey or metallic – fairly safe colours to get the best retail value.” Solid colour is standard and metallic paint “an extra £300-£600” on most ranges. “But different colours will perform on their own merit,” adds Redman. “White is usually a no-cost colour, but can achieve the best used value return.” Personalised paintjobs can be pricey, and barely affect values. “The more…

Essentials BMW M240i Convertible Price: £39,935 Engine: 3.0-litre 6cyl turbo petrol Power/torque: 335bhp/500Nm Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive 0-62mph: 4.7 seconds Top speed: 155mph Economy: 38.2mpg CO2: 169g/km ON SALE Now “The convertible comes into its own, as you can hear that growl even more clearly” Verdict JUST listening to the engine is enough to make you want a go in the BMW M240i Convertible. The smooth six-cylinder petrol is a fantastic unit with loads of power and a beguiling soundtrack. This open-top BMW is great to drive, too, with a sporty feel despite the extra weight. Updates to the powertrain aren’t too drastic compared with the old M235i, but some new tech means you get more for your money. MW updated its 2 Series range this summer, with some…

Ford S-MAX IT’S almost become a rite of passage for any car on the Auto Express fleet to do at least one trip to the tip, and recently it was the turn of our Ford S-MAX to get loaded up. Special contributor Dean Gibson had a wardrobe to get rid of, and thanks to the Ford’s long body and fold-flat seats, the S-MAX took the flattened wardrobe without having to cut it up. What’s more, there was room left for an old coffee table, and assorted other junk was thrown in for good measure. And while our Nissan NP300 Navara raised suspicions about commercial waste on a recent tip trip (Issue 1,438), there were no questions asked by staff at the recycling centre in Chelmsford, Essex. Yet the big Ford’s…