Innholdsfortegnelse for 1453 i Auto Express

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news AE I USED to think it was just me. Almost every time I have a reason to pick up the phone and sort something out with my car, I’ll end up being frustrated. The past year has been no different. We have two cars in our household that I’m responsible for: servicing, insurance and (for some strange reason) fuelling, too. And in 2016 we’ve had issues with a couple of car dealers, both of whom were too busy to call me back so I could book a service. Sadly, it seems it’s not just me, but all too often you, too. The most common gripes, according to the many thousands who take part in our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, are…

Audi RS 3 saloon (394bhp) NOT yet on sale in the UK, RS 3 saloon is the current power king. Audi’s famous 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo develops 394bhp, while quattro AWD is also fitted. Ford Focus RS (345bhp) AT just over £30,000, Focus RS offers the biggest bang for your buck, producing 345bhp. All-wheel drive and a new Drift mode only add to its appeal. Honda Civic Type R (340bhp) NEW Type R was previewed by Paris Motor Show concept, and is due in September. It’s the only front-wheel drive car here, but should get around 340bhp from a 2.0-litre turbo. The one that got away VW Golf R400 (394bhp) A VICTIM of Volkswagen’s dieselgate scandal, the Golf R400 project was axed in an increased effort to help dramatically cut costs…

AE YOU wouldn’t think a typing error could hold up the sale of a car, especially when you’d bought it used already, but that’s exactly what happened to Ian Hargreaves of Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Ian got in touch with Auto Express after he was unable to sell his Audi A4 S line, because it was listed as an SE model on the V5C registration document. “I bought the car second-hand in April 2015 from an independent dealer and noticed at the time that it was incorrectly listed as an SE,” Ian explained. He then had a private number plate transferred from his previous car, an A4 Avant, and later discovered the registration number didn’t correspond with his current model. “When I went to the Audi UK website to see if my…

Honda Jazz IT’S only been on the Auto Express fleet for a couple of weeks, but our Honda Jazz has already been in the wars. As staff writer Lawrence Allan was driving down a main road at night, an oncoming motorist in an SUV veered into his lane, and the resulting thwack made an almighty noise and left the Jazz with a fair bit of damage. Unfortunately for our man, the driver failed to stop to exchange details – and not only was the door mirror damaged beyond repair, but the door itself also needed reskinning with a new panel, plus the resulting scratched window from the impact had to be replaced. Our sorry supermini has gone back to Honda while the repair work gets under way, with a bright…

NEED TO KNOW Poor starting or running is often due to a faulty crankshaft sensor, because of deposits on the flywheel. NEED TO KNOW Initially, the 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine came in 64bhp form only; from September 2003 there was an 81bhp version, too. NEED TO KNOW There were E, S, SE, SX and SVE trims at launch. These became Initia, Spirit and Sport in July 2006, and Visia, Acenta and Tekna in 2007. Thanks to Imperial Car Supermarkets in Hampshire for the loan of the Nissan Micra in our pictures. Contact: 023 8098 6917 www.imperialcarsupermarkets.co.uk AN all-new Mk5 Nissan Micra is due in dealers in February, promising a great mix of style, tech and driver appeal. The model it replaces was never really a contender. But if you can’t…

All the action from the world of motorsport “Loeb took part in the Silk Way Rally in central Asia to gain more off-road experience” Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk HAVING conquered the World Rally Championship nine times, finished on the podium at Le Mans and won races in the World Touring Car Championship, Sebastien Loeb began a new chapter of his varied motorsport career last January when he entered the Dakar Rally with Peugeot. The Frenchman topped the leaderboard after five days – but was brought back down to earth by a big crash that cost him an hour and the chance of a victory on his debut. Now, Loeb and long-time co-driver Daniel Elena are heading back to South America for another tilt at winning the Dakar, which kicks off from Asuncion, Paraguay,…

WITH the arrival of the five-star Jaguar F-Pace and the all-new Alfa Romeo Stelvio stealing all the limelight, we’d understand if the well established Audi Q5 had slipped under your radar of late. But it shouldn’t have – believe it or not, it’s all-new for 2017. It’s out to regain its footing in the premium SUV class and pinch back sales from its new rivals, and so far, we’ve only tried the most powerful versions. Both the turbo petrol and V6 diesel have impressed with their blend of performance, refinement and comfort, but now it’s time for us to try the crucial model for British buyers – the more affordable 2.0-litre turbodiesel. “Mix of lightweight materials has cut kerbweight of the 2.0 TDI by 90kg – as much as a…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram AE PICK-UPS are big business in Australia. One of the most popular is the Holden ute, which parent company General Motors has been building in one form or another since the fifties. It comes with a variety of different engines, but most intriguing is the 537bhp 6.2-litre V8 in the Maloo LSA, which is now available in UK showrooms badged as a Vauxhall in VXR8 guise. It also delivers 671Nm of torque, and will cover 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds and hit 155mph. These stats cement the Maloo’s place as the fastest commercial vehicle on the planet – and it doesn’t take long to see why. On start-up, there’s no diesel clatter. Instead, you get a burbling V8 soundtrack not dissimilar to an AMG-tuned Mercedes. Pleasingly, our car…

 THEY say never to mix business with pleasure, but in an automotive context there are a few options that blend the two spheres very adeptly. The latest to join the ranks is the two-door Audi A5 coupé. It takes tech first seen on the A4 saloon last year and adds even more style and sophistication to the saloon’s quality feel and low running costs. The A5 promises to appeal to your heart and your fleet manager. However, Audi’s arch rival Mercedes has already done the same to great effect with its C-Class Coupé. This car serves up a beautifully built cabin, svelte coupé styling and, in the popular C 250 d model we test here, a diesel engine that blends strong efficiency with plenty of performance. So the A5 2.0…

Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk CROSSOVERS are core family cars. UK motorists buy them in their droves, and at Auto Express we’ve tracked the amazing growth in this market right from the start to the point where, in our opinion, the SEAT Ateca is now the best example of the breed on sale today. It picked up the Best Crossover crown at the Auto Express New Car Awards back in July, which meant we simply had to have one on our fleet to experience what it was like to live with over a longer period. I took delivery of the car from Motorvogue Bedford, which is a multifranchise dealer sporting SEAT’s latest corporate look. Helpful sales executive Jamie Rowe talked us through the car’s infotainment system, explaining the benefits of SEAT’s upgraded £525 eightinch…

FIRST TEST  Continental Premium Contact 6 Price: TBC Contact: www.continental-tyres.co.uk  CONTINENTAL has replaced not just one but two summer tyres with the latest addition to its range. The new ContiPremiumContact 6 supercedes, naturally, the ContiPremiumContact 5, but also the ContiSportContact 5 in the 16-21 inch sizes the new tyre covers. The move complements the brand’s decision to make the SportContact 6 in just 19-inch and bigger wheel sizes. Despite the quite different natures of the two designs it replaces, Continental says the newcomer matches the sports performance and improves on the comfort of the outgoing tyres. Yet at the same time as maintaining the ContiSportContact 5’s sporting nature, Continental says it’s reduced wear by 15 per cent and cut rolling resistance by five per cent at the expense of a…

products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer  NEW Year resolutions are all about self improvement. They usually involve becoming healthier or helping others. And although some people may be resolving to lose weight or quit smoking once 2017 starts, we’ve come up with 10 ways to improve your car and your driving. Some of these motoring targets involve spending money, as with a gym membership, for example; others take more effort than financial outlay. And just like conventional resolutions, some are easier than others to keep. But achieve at least a few of our top 10 and your car will be better for it, plus you should be safer on the road. “Some of our top 10 motoring resolutions involve more effort than financial outlay” Claying HOW HARD? EASY IF your car is more than…

1st NEW ENTRY Ford Focus RS Years: 2016 to date Best engine: 2.3-litre 4cyl, 345bhp Insurance group: 40 Economy/CO2: 36.7mpg/175g/km WHY? There was lots of hype surrounding the launch of Ford’s third-generation Focus RS earlier this year, and the high-performance flagship certainly lives up to the billing. Sitting above the ST in the range, it offers more power, more pace and a serious increase in attitude – the car has a massive 345bhp, four-wheel drive, a manual gearbox and ‘Drift mode’. It’s fantastic fun, yet it also keeps the basics that make the Focus a practical everyday family car, including five doors and a reasonable-sized boot. Combine that with an impressive price tag of around £31,000, and it undercuts a number of similarly powered rivals by a significant margin. From…

CITROEN has revealed the definitive design and colour scheme of its new C3 WRC – the car that’ll shoulder Kris Meeke’s hopes in the 2017 World Rally Championship. The final design gets fake ‘Airbumps’ along its flanks and its red and grey livery is broken up only for the bonnet logo of the team’s main sponsor, Abu Dhabi. The C3’s aerodynamics have also evolved, with aggressive vanes built into the front bumper and a more complex design of rear wing than was seen on the car in early tests. Citroen says the C3 has completed more than 6,000 miles of testing in its development phase. Northern Irishman Meeke, who had a part-time campaign in 2016 as he prepared the new challenger, will drive the lead C3 WRC on all rounds…

AEMANY people consider the Volkswagen Beetle a lifestyle gimmick. Owners christen their cars with cuddly nicknames and adorn them in eye-catching accessories. But the bright yellow Beetle LSR is different. It’s a proper race car, with a 536bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. It’s the fastest Beetle ever, in fact, promising 200mph-plus. And we’re going to drive it on a dry lake bed in rural Utah, US. The engine shakes you to the bones, its roar finding a perfect resonance in the stripped-out cabin. Levers in the roof release parachutes to slow the car from three times the motorway limit. We’ll need those later... Selecting first gear and lifting the heavy clutch pins you to your seat. The 600Nm of torque lets the narrow tyres squeak on the sand, and before long…

THE new Lamborghini Aventador S has been revealed ahead of its debut on the road in 2017. It will replace the existing Aventador and sit below the SV, boasting a 730bhp V12. Look closely and you’ll see a longer front splitter that redirects airflow for improved aero and cooling. Two ducts in the bumper reduce buffeting around the wheels and optimise flow to the rear. At the back there’s a new diffuser and a central exhaust with three pipes, as well as an active rear wing. In addition, Lamborghini has overhauled the electronics to install an improved ESC system. Customisable drive modes offer owners a new EGO individual setting for elements like the suspension and gearbox. The S covers 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds and hits 217mph. It costs £225,955 before…

AEANY used purchase comes with uncertainties about how it’s been treated in the past. One potential pitfall is a missed or late service, as while the car may now be out of warranty, longer cover on some parts may be voided. That’s what Adam Yule, of Letchworth, Herts, found with his four-and-a-half-year-old 30,000-mile Toyota GT 86. He’d owned it for nearly six months when it refused to start. A major issue with the engine was diagnosed, costing almost £9,000 to repair. Originally, the dealer said it would be covered by the engine’s five-year warranty, but discrepancies were found in the service history. Adam’s dad Peter contacted Auto Express, unhappy they’d have to shell out almost half the price paid for the car in repairs. We contacted Toyota, and while it…

SOME might say that four wheels are better than two, so surely adding a couple more can’t hurt? A handful of established and specialist car makers have produced some weird and wonderful six-wheeled models over the years – and we’ve picked the top half-dozen. Here’s our pick of some of the most outrageous models ever created... Land Rover Defender Flying Huntsman BRITAIN’S answer to the barrage of bonkers six-wheeled SUVs is the Land Rover Defender Flying Huntsman. The brainchild of luxury 4x4 and performance specialist Kahn Design, the Flying Huntsman is a world apart from your average farmyard Defender. The chassis has been stretched by 400mm to accommodate the extra wheels and, rather than an agricultural diesel engine, it’s powered by a monstrous 6.2-litre V8 from General Motors, pumping out…

“In this sector full of talented rivals, the new C3 certainly has individuality on its side” Volkswagen Polo beats 1.2 TSI 90 Price: £15,795 Engine: 1.2-litre 4cyl turbo, 89bhp 0-60mph: 10.0 seconds Test economy: 43.6mpg/9.6mpl CO2: 109g/km Annual road tax: £20 Hyundai i20 Premium 1.0 T-GDi 120 Price: £15,525 Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 118bhp 0-60mph: 10.0 seconds Test economy: 41.6mpg/9.2mpl CO2: 112g/km Annual road tax: £30 Citroen C3 Flair PureTech 110 Price: £15,995 Engine: 1.2-litre 3cyl turbo, 108bhp 0-60mph: 9.7 seconds Test economy: 40.5mpg/8.9mpl CO2: 103g/km Annual road tax: £20 Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives A GLUT of new superminis is set to arrive on the market over the next 12 months, and the first to hit the UK is the new Citroen C3. The hatch…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk Ri MY time with the Peugeot 308 GTi is at an end. I’ve enjoyed the pace, poise and performance of the French hot hatch, and while I’ve had my frustrations, I’m actually rather sad to see it go. Its startling mix of abilities has cemented its place as a firm favourite in the Auto Express car park over the past eight months – much more than I’d imagined, in fact. The peppy 1.6-litre turbo engine offered bags of grunt, while the Brit-built Alcon brakes provided serious stopping power (Issue 1,439). We even grew to appreciate the innovative i-Cockpit dashboard set-up, with its small steering wheel and raised dials. However, one thing I just couldn’t warm to was the extrovert and expensive £1,300 Coupe Franche paintwork. Red is fine, and…

 IT was always going to be a tough job for TomTom to improve the already excellent GO5100/6100 range. The company had found a winning formula of clear instructions, a responsive screen with an intuitive layout, and excellent traffic and speed camera updates. That is why the new GO5200/6200 range has focused on upgrades in other areas. The new, top-of-the-range sat-navs now come with wireless updates, hands-free calling and a faster processor, as well as artificial intelligence. The wireless updates are a key improvement for TomTom. Feedback from owners highlighted the need for a more convenient and quick way to update units. With the wireless updates, all you now need is a wi-fi connection to get the latest maps to your device. The sat-navs are also compatible with personal assistants such…

2016 Results Q5 Factfile  Years: 2008 to present CO2: 147g/km Fuel economy: 50.4mpg (2.0 TDI 150) Best options: Sat-nav, heated seats, parking assist, sunroof, cruise control Prices: From £9,995 GOOD “THE Q5 has a great interior. It’s practical and easy to get along with.” “An easy car to drive and fits into our family lifestyle well.” “The Q5 handles well around corners.” “The BiTDI diesel is amazing; I don’t think there is a better engine out there.” “Even though I’m 6’3” and 17 stone, I find the car very spacious.” “I do a lot of long journeys and the Q5 is very comfortable.” “Our Q5 has enough power to tow a large caravan across Europe.” NOT SO GOOD “THE stop-start in my car seems faulty. It takes far too long…

Mazda 6 2.2D Sport Nav Years: 2013 to date Engine: 2.2-litre 4cyl, 173bhp Ins grp: 23 Official econ/CO2: 62.8mpg/119g/km Why? The Mazda 6 is great value, offers lots of kit and is fun to drive, plus it looks great inside and out. 1 Mazda 6 ON the used market, little else in the class can touch the Mazda for value. It’s great to drive, well equipped, looks sharp and should be cheap to run, meaning it narrowly beats the VW here. Prices from: £12,295 THE Mazda narrowly lost out to the VW in our group test last year, but it’s a different story on the used market, as the 6 is much cheaper. It’s also a more stylish offering inside and out with a curvy exterior and driver-focused cabin, smartened…