Innholdsfortegnelse for 1462 i Auto Express

James_Disdale@dennis.co.uk THE covers have finally come off the new DS 7 Crossback, and Auto Express has been given a tour of the SUV ahead of its Geneva Motor Show debut. The brand has pulled out all the stops for its first SUV, which has a plug-in powertrain, unique suspension and various autonomous functions. Since splitting from parent brand Citroen in 2015, DS has been saddled with an ageing line-up. However, with the DS 7 Crossback, the maker finally has a ‘bespoke’ model to take on premium cars such as the Audi Q5 and Range Rover Evoque. Bosses are aware that DS can’t simply copy its rivals, though. Project director Xavier Savignon told us: “We’re not at the same level as premium rivals in terms of profile, so we have to…

Deputy editor, Auto Express VOLKSWAGEN top brass are hoping Dieselgate will soon be behind the firm. But the latest statements from UK boss Paul Willis show how much work still remains to be done. VW is working its way through the fixes for British customers. But the firm’s refusal to accept any further responsibility – financial or otherwise – is likely to infuriate not only politicians but also the public, dragging the VW badge through the mud for even longer. The owners represented by MPs have a right to demand transparency. Not for the first time in this saga, VW UK appears to be falling some way short of expectations. “Owners represented by MPs have a right to demand transparency”…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Civic Type R vs NSX in thrilling drag race AS Honda draws production of the current Civic Type R to a close, we say goodbye by entering the car into one of our famous drag races. But its competitor is not a similarly mad hyper hatchback; instead it’s Honda’s very own NSX supercar. For fairness we give the Civic a head start, but will this be enough for the Type R to win? Head over to our YouTube channel to see myself and Steve Sutcliffe battle it out. We get up close with Tesla’s Model X SUV THE Tesla Model X is the first allelectric SUV we’ve tried in the UK, so there’s a lot of hype about it. Auto Express is taking you on a guided tour…

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) Which?: 01992 878329 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: 01722 422422 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0330 159 0364 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumerombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Association: 0131 331 5510…

Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan IT’S been 20 years since Volvo introduced the Cross Country nametag on the firstgeneration V70. By adding rugged cladding, 4WD and a raised ride height, the brand created a neat compromise between a practical family car and a tough 4x4. Crucially, Volvo also beat Audi to the punch; its car entered dealers two years ahead of its rival’s strikingly similar Allroad. A few decades on, it’s still Sweden versus Germany; the new V90 Cross Country has arrived to rival not only the established A6 Allroad, but also Mercedes’ upstart E-Class All Terrain. Our first UK drive of the Volvo aims to see if the original recipe can still deliver. It’s business as usual on the outside. A 65mm ride height increase (5mm of that due to higher-profile off-road…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.9 seconds/155mph Running costs 39.2mpg (official) £60 fill-up HERE at Auto Express we’re big fans of the SEAT Leon ST, which offers a good blend of practicality and efficiency mixed with reasonably generous equipment lists. But now there’s a new flagship version of the Spanish family estate, which has very different goals: the Leon ST Cupra 300. You can buy a Cupra 300 version of the Leon wagon with front-wheel drive and a manual gearbox. However, the version we’re driving here gets 4Drive four-wheel drive, and is available only with a sixspeed DSG dual-clutch transmission. The rest of the Cupra 300’s powertrain is unchanged, though, which means 296bhp and a hefty 380Nm of torque from 1,800rpm to 5,500rpm. And while the ST 4Drive does weigh…

Joe_Finnerty@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer MOTORING isn’t cheap, whether that’s buying a new car, keeping it on the road with regular servicing and maintenance or insuring and fuelling the vehicle. So, to help keep your costs to a minimum, we’ve compiled a host of money-saving tips and budgetbusting advice over the next 23 pages. We’ve started off by detailing how the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) changes work and showing you how the timing of your next buy is more important than ever. From 1 April, new cars will carry a new first-year rate followed by a £140 flat fee unless they’re pure electric, making low polluting vehicles that are currently tax-free more expensive. Figures suggest around 400,000 cars previously classed as low emission will now be liable for payment in the first year,…

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2.0 GX3h PHEV CO2: 41g/km Current tax rate (first year/annual): £0/£0 Four-year spend/five-year spend: £0/£0 New tax rate (first year/annual): £0/£130 Four-year spend/five-year spend: £390/£520 Extra spend (four years/five years): £390/£520 MITSUBISHI’S Outlander PHEV is the best-selling plug-in hybrid, thanks to its low running costs. The SUV offers decent space, and a recent refresh has kept the kit list impressive. But the prospects of the PHEV staying at the top have looked bleak since the Government slashed the plug-in car grant. The new VED rates also hit the car as it loses its tax-free status. You still get a year free, but will pay £130 annually after that. FORD FIESTA 1.0T EcoBoost S Zetec CO2: 99g/km Current tax rate (first year/annual): £0/£0 Four-year spend/five-year spend: £0/£0 New tax…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer your Car Finance options Car finance is not a one-size-fits-all option. We look at the different ways to pay, from PCP to simple cash PEOPLE used to view a car as the second-biggest purchase they made after a new home, but the world of finance is slowly transforming that belief. Today, around four in five new cars are bought on finance, as more buyers than ever – especially younger ones – realise the benefits of splitting the costs over a number of monthly payments. But there’s more to car finance than simply dividing the total bill over a given term, because there are different contracts to suit different types of buyers. This also means there are real savings to be made by opting for the right package. We’ve…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer How to reduce your insurance bills Cutting your motor insurance costs needn’t be hard work. We team up with industry experts to provide a number of tips that will slash your annual bills MOTOR insurance continues to be one of the costliest outlays for drivers, with annual premiums reaching record high levels. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), a year’s comprehensive policy will set owners back an average of £462. But things are much worse for young drivers – they can now end up spending thousands on cover. What’s even less helpful is that insurance premiums are a law unto themselves – finding the lowest often involves trial and error, because insurers use different algorithms to calculate risk and therefore prices. To help you get the…

MODEL TESTED: Audi A5 2.0 TFSI Sport quattro PRICE: £39,575 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 249bhp THE latest Audi A5 arrived in UK dealers late last year. As with its predecessor, there’s a choice of five-door Sportback, Cabriolet and two-door Coupé bodystyles, but it’s the latter, tested here, that remains the range backbone. We’ve already tried it in 2.0-litre TDI form (Issue 1,453), so now it’s the turn of the 2.0 TFSI quattro, which is available only with the brand’s S tronic gearbox and costs £39,575 in Sport trim. The car in our pictures is an S line. DESIGN & ENGINEERING SCORE 4.4 AUDI has gained a reputation for playing safe with the design of its new cars – and the latest A5 is no exception. Glance at the coupé and you’d…

ames_Disdale@dennis.co.uk IT’S fair to say that Subaru has slipped off the radar of most UK car buyers. At the end of the last century, the Japanese brand’s World Rally Championship exploits with Scottish legend Colin McRae meant it was rarely out of the headlines. Yet since bosses pulled the plug on the rally team in 2008, Subaru’s British sales have slumped by nearly three-quarters. However, it’s clinging on, thanks to a loyal band of fans. And what’s more, there’s a refreshed line-up in showrooms and a works-backed squad in the British Touring Car Championship. So are the good times set to roll again? To find out, we’ve taken delivery of the firm’s flagship Outback, which mixes the rugged appeal of an SUV with the space of an estate. We collected…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THE Stelvio SUV is very possibly the most important car in Alfa Romeo’s 105-year history, according to company boss Reid Bigland. But if that sounds like hyperbole given Alfa’s illustrious past, then consider this: the Stelvio will account for more than half of all Alfa sales globally once it hits the road later this year – and in the process, it will transform the brand into a major world player in the premium segment. The Stelvio will spearhead a new marketing push, not just into the US, but China and Asia as well. In the UK it could even account for as much as two-thirds of Alfa sales over the next five years, so it’s a fundamental car for the famous old Italian brand. Based heavily on the underpinnings…

Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan AFTER a lengthy teaser campaign and a ‘Save the Date’ invitation for its Geneva Motor Show unveil, the first images of the new Alpine A110 sports car in production form have landed. The Porsche 718 Cayman rival is expected to arrive towards the end of 2017. UK sales will start early next year, with a price tag of around £50,000. The new images show the finished front and side profile of the car – from Renault’s sporty new sub-brand – for the first time. As expected, it looks virtually identical to the Alpine Vision Concept that made its debut in 2016, with exactly the same lightweight aluminium bodywork and the distinctive dual front LED lights. Only small details such as the mirrors are more conventional than the concept’s,…

AMG GT C leads raft of special Mercedes MERCEDES has announced a collection of new limited-run coupés and roadsters. The AMG GT C Roadster (above) is available in Edition 50 spec, with only 500 examples set to be built. It includes black and grey detailing inside and out, plus unique badging. A new Ocean Blue Edition of the C 63 Cabriolet with a blue roof is also available, as are blackthemed Night Edition versions of the AMG C 43 Coupé and Cabriolet. New Volvo XC60 to score on safety tech THE new XC60 SUV will be Volvo’s big reveal at the Geneva Motor Show next week, although for now we’re limited to details of the car’s autonomous safety technology. Building on the functions already available in the XC90, Steering Support…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy THIS is the Peugeot Instinct, a concept set for next week’s Geneva Motor Show that’s designed to showcase not only a potential future look for the brand, but also the sort of connectivity which is likely to be phased in with autonomous vehicles. The Instinct is a family-sized four-seat shooting brake, which is longer than the Peugeot 308 hatch but slightly shorter than the 308 SW estate. A petrol-based 297bhp plug-in hybrid system drives all four wheels. The show car reveals a new front-end design for Peugeot, with ultraslim headlights framed by strong, angled, vertical lines that double up as daytime running lights and animated indicators. The headlight units contain cameras that work as part of the car’s autonomous technologies. “We wanted the cameras as the ‘eyes’ of…

Executive Director at British Insurance Brokers’ Association (www.biba.org.uk) I KNOW when I buy cars, I can’t wait to get behind the wheel, but it’s important to make sure you can legally test drive it. Insurance that includes ‘driving other cars’ will be enough to meet Road Traffic Act insurance requirements, but is unlikely to include knocks to the car you are test driving. And sellers need to check the cover, too, or they could be hit with an IN14 conviction – allowing someone to drive without insurance. Sellers might be able to add additional drivers to their policy to get the benefits provided, while temporary policies are also available from insurance brokers. What about a policy for theft by prospective buyers? Unfortunately, it’s not possible to get cover for theft…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer BARELY a month goes by without a new report highlighting the growing scale of distracted driving in the UK. The RAC estimates a record high of 11 million drivers – that’s nearly a quarter of the 45 million licence holders – in the UK now use a phone behind the wheel, while the most recent Department for Transport (DfT) figures show distracted drivers (by phones and other means) caused over 4,800 accidents last year. But these figures may just be the tip of the iceberg, because a recent report by the University of the West of England found that distracted driving is far more prevalent on UK roads, with four out of five collision investigators agreeing driver distraction causes far more accidents than the latest figures show. To…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram Performance 0-62mph/top speed 13.5 seconds/84mph Electric motor Power/official range 91bhp/250 miles THE Renault ZOE is arguably the most mainstream EV currently on sale. A relatively low list price, conventionally styled body and practical interior all lend it to everyday use, while the updated model’s improved range should force more electric car sceptics to sit up and take notice. Our first taste of the car last year (Issue 1,454) left us a little cold, however. While officially this new Z.E. 40 model should do 250 miles on a full charge, even Renault admits that figure is likely to be closer to 180 miles in the real world. In winter, that could tumble to 124 miles – much less than you’ll get on a full tank in a conventional petrol…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE Mulsanne is Bentley’s flagship limousine. Sitting above the Flying Spur, it’s a car often enjoyed from the rear seats. A light facelift in 2016 saw designers and engineers apply a selection of tweaks inside and out, while also adding the garish Extended Wheelbase model to the range. But at more than 5.5 metres long, the standard Mulsanne offers more than enough space in the back for lanky-legged bosses, with room to work, rest or play as they see fit. The Mulsanne Speed, though, is a car best enjoyed from the front, says Bentley. It gets the same nips and tucks as the standard car, including the revised front end and LED lights, wider grille and new bumper. At the rear, there’s a set of tweaked tail-lamps with…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer WITH the average new car sold in the UK costing about £18,000, getting money off wherever possible can really help your bank balance. But shopping for a new motor can be daunting, with a huge amount of information available, whether it’s a spec sheet, warranty data or finance quotes. So how do you get the best car for your money? We called on the help of Oliver Collins, sales director at our sister site BuyaCar.co.uk, to let us in on some money-saving secrets. Oliver has been trading in cars for decades, and has learnt every trick in the book during his negotiations with dealers. Armed with his top 10 tips, we posed as undercover buyers at a variety of showrooms to see if the tactics paid off. 1.…

Joe_Finnerty@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer SAVING money in the long term can sometimes mean shelling out in the first place, then sitting back and reaping the rewards over a period of time. That’s certainly the case for cars under the new VED rates, as they put a heavy emphasis on up front costs with savings to be made in the years to come. But can the same be applied to aftermarket gadgets? If you spend a bit more from the outset, will you be quids in further down the line? To help you make the call on what you should fit to your motor to cut costs, we’ve rounded up six tech add-ons to show how they can save you money. “IF YOU SPEND MORE UP FRONT, WILL YOU BE QUIDS IN DOWN…

CO2/tax 156g/km £185 or 28% Practicality Boot 342 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 7.1/6.6 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 44.0/32.8/8.0m Running costs 32.8mpg (on test) £96 fill-up MODEL TESTED: Infiniti Q60 2.0t Premium Tech PRICE: £37,690 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 209bhp INFINITI has struggled to make an impact in the UK, but the stylish new Q60 aims to get potential buyers into the brand’s small network of dealers. Combining head-turning design, hi-tech underpinnings and decent-value prices, the car has the raw ingredients to succeed. Here we test the entrylevel 2.0-litre turbo in £37,690 Premium Tech trim. DESIGN & ENGINEERING SCORE 3.4 THE Infiniti brand doesn’t have much heritage in Europe, so it has tried extra hard to make the Q60 look as desirable as possible. On the whole, the results are successful, because the mix…

INFINITI Q60 Infiniti Navigation System Standard Key features: Nav, online apps, Bose stereo SCORE 3.4 ALL versions of the Q60 get Infiniti’s Navigation system and InTouch connectivity set-up. The latter allows you to connect your smartphone and access apps such as Google and Facebook, as well as read your E-mails and texts. Once linked, the system will also retain your preferred driving mode settings. And while there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the standard Bluetooth means you can stream music to the 13-speaker Bose hi-fi. However, while the set-up is packed with features, the interface can be a challenge. Two screens are set into the centre console, with the eight-inch upper display showing sat-nav and trip data. The lower seven-inch unit controls the audio, apps and climate controls. Oddly,…

Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk AS Auto Express’s senior staff photographer, I put my fleet car to work more than most – which is why the choice of model I run is an important one. I’m usually darting around the country travelling from shoot to shoot, so something economical that’s large enough to swallow all my photography gear, plus has a comfortable ride, is generally preferable. In 1.6 TDI Ecomotive form, the SEAT Ateca certainly ticks the first two boxes. I’ve been averaging 45.7mpg over the past few months, while the boot is big enough to carry my kit – and, as the picture here shows, on occasion, me. However, this is where my slight issue with the ride comes in. If you’ve ever wondered how we get the shots of moving cars in…

Mini test BEST BUY Teslong NTS100R Digital Endescope PRICE £69.99 Price: £69.99 Camera diameter/screen size: 8.2mm/68mm Rating: Contact: www.amazon.co.uk IT’S difficult to fault this unit, which is the only product on test to come with a 2.6Ah rechargeable battery. Six LEDs lit the camera view well via three settings, and the ‘freeze’ button was useful to lock the screen image for longer examination. In addition to offering four-times zoom, it allowed us to store photos and videos (in a variety of resolutions) on an SD card (although this isn’t provided) for viewing away from the car on a larger display. The image could also be flipped as it can on the Clarke and the 7mm diameter probe was just right for easy control. It’s a shame there was no storage…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk NO less than six Formula One teams revealed their 2017 cars last week, ahead of the start of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain this week. All the cars seen so far have noticeably more intricate aerodynamics front and rear, as well as much larger rear tyres, which together should greatly increase grip and cornering speeds, lowering lap times significantly at every F1 circuit. What’s less certain ahead of the first race is whether or not the changes will lead to closer racing and more overtaking. FERRARI LIKE the new Mercedes above, the Ferrari SF70H features a ‘t-wing’ on top of the ‘shark fin’ part of the engine cover. The team is looking for a strong 2017 after failing to win a race in 2016 and is…

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I’M all for praising essential employees like health professionals, cops, teachers, fire and rescue heroes, plus our defence personnel. But isn’t it time Britain gave a nod of recognition and respect to its dedicated, truly world-class workers who build vehicles that help this country – and plenty of others – thrive and survive? If you’re such a production person, stand up, take a bow, be proud of what you’re doing for yourself, family and nation. Your country needs you. As does the Chancellor who gorges on the annual fortunes you rake in for him via the taxes on the products you build, your wages, your company’s profits, and related taxation, duties and levies. UK automotive turns over almost £75billion annually. The 800,000-plus jobs it creates, and untold billions it generates…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods “New engine is 17bhp up on outgoing ST, but equal to its overboost figure” FORD has revealed its new Fiesta ST hot hatch, which is based on the upcoming seventh-generation supermini. The fiery new ST will be the company’s headline act at next week’s Geneva Motor Show. The biggest news is the move to an allnew engine configuration. Out goes the fourcylinder 1.6-litre turbo used in the current car, and in comes a lightweight three-cylinder 1.5. This produces 197bhp, which is 17bhp up on the outgoing Fiesta ST but equal to its overboost figure. Torque swells from 240Nm to 290Nm, and Ford claims that the new Fiesta ST can cover 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds – two-tenths quicker than the old car, and on par with the limited-run ST200.…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer VOLKSWAGEN has been accused of failing to pay up for the UK Government’s emissions retesting programme, costing the taxpayer £1million, despite promises that the public wouldn’t be out of pocket. In the wake of the Dieselgate emissions scandal, the Department for Transport (DfT) retested 37 vehicles from 20 car makers to determine if others were using similar defeat devices to pass emissions tests. The £1.1million testing programme found no defeat devices were present in other manufacturers’ models. The Government also set up a £1m Market Surveillance Unit to test vehicles entering the UK market in the future to ensure no manufacturer is violating emissions laws or standards. And while Volkswagen paid the initial £1.1m last November, it’s yet to pay the remainder as it maintains there’s “no legal…

Contact Martin Saarinen mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing. 30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD FROM: Neil Duckmanton I OWN a Skoda Octavia vRS Estate, and in every respect, it is one of the best cars I’ve ever owned. To me, the existing front end design is hard to improve, and I’m not sure the new model looks better than the current one. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. FROM: Wiley SKODA continues to impress with the Octavia. I’ve always liked how the brand offers such good value for money. The looks may not be to everyone’s tastes, but you can’t argue with the improved interior and performance. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “The new Octavia is a good-looking car with an even better-looking interior. I…

THROUGHOUT the day we recorded 66 instances of traffic violations, from driving without a seatbelt to drinking with no hands on the wheel. Below are five of the most dangerous examples. Mobile phone use ▪22 instances ▪33% THE greatest number of traffic violations we saw came from mobile phone use. We spotted 22 different drivers using a mobile phone while in traffic. Most appeared to be either sending a text or using an app, but a good few were still making calls. And although some put their phones away when the traffic continued to move, others started driving while still texting. Wearing headphones ▪12 instances ▪18% DRIVING with music on is not illegal, but wearing headphones often means you have less chance of hearing a motorcyclist pull up alongside you,…

Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan IF the Audi A5 is designed to be a more desirable alternative to an A4, then surely the convertible version is the standard-bearer for that glamorous, showy image? The problem with the outgoing A5 Cabriolet is that, despite a mid-life facelift a few years ago, the car on which it is based is almost a decade old. To the fashion and tech-obsessed modern motorist, nine years is a seriously long time. Step forward the 2017 A5 Cabriolet – with a completely new platform, fresh exterior, overhauled cabin and up-to-date engines. In theory, it’s just the recipe to remind BMW and Mercedes that they can’t have it all their own way for too long in this game. We’ve driven the drop-top A5 for the first time in predicted best-selling…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram FOUR years after it launched in the UK, Dacia is still producing Britain’s cheapest car. We drove the facelifted Sandero in Issue 1,461, but now the Romanian brand has fitted its bargain Duster SUV with an auto gearbox. Apparently, 27 per cent of small SUVs sold in the UK are automatic – and Dacia tells us that the need for a self-shifter is the single biggest request dealt with by the brand’s customer relations team. We first drove the Duster EDC auto in Croatia last year, and came away impressed by the smooth box. It commands a £1,000 premium over the equivalent manual and is exclusively available on the two-wheel-drive 1.5-litre dCi diesel. The EDC auto only comes on the top Lauréate and Prestige trims, and while that…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy BRITISH customers love a hot hatchback, but as our taxation and company car rules are still weighted towards diesel, it’s no surprise that the Volkswagen Golf GTD has been one of the most popular versions in the model’s line-up. Now it’s been updated to bring it into line with the Golf’s mid-life facelift. The GTD still gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel producing 181bhp and 380Nm of torque. This drives the front wheels via a six-speed manual box as standard. The DSG option has changed, though, so the dual-clutch auto tested here is now a sevenratio unit instead of the old six-speeder. With DSG, the GTD can crack the 0-62mph sprint in 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 143mph, while claiming economy of 57.6mpg and CO2 emissions of…

CO2/tax 116g/km £30 or 20% Practicality Boot 340 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 8.3/7.4 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 49.5/36.8/10.7m Running costs 43.3mpg (on test) £79 fill-up MODEL TESTED: Lexus RC 300h F Sport PRICE: £39,495 ENGINE: 2.5-litre 4cyl hybrid, 220bhp THE boldly styled Lexus RC made its debut in 2015, and is in effect a two-door version of the brand’s IS compact exec saloon. As with that car, there’s no diesel: buyers can choose from a 2.0-litre petrol turbo or a hi-tech hybrid that combines a 2.5 internal-combustion unit with an electric motor for impressively low CO2 emissions. It’s the latter we test here, in racy £39,495 F Sport guise. DESIGN & ENGINEERING SCORE 3.7 IT’S the oldest design here, but the Lexus still stands out from the crowd with its eye-catching curves…

BIKE racks are among the best-selling motoring accessories. But the lightweight composite tailgates increasingly favoured by car manufacturers mean traditional rear-mounted racks are now dying out. Roof bar racks are one alternative, although lifting bikes up to roof height isn’t easy. Plus, the bikes cause drag, hitting fuel economy and increasing noise, while the extra height can hike ferry costs on overseas trips. This has enhanced the appeal of racks that simply click on to a tow bar ball. Better still, some secure to the tow bar assembly rather than the bar itself, meaning towing is still possible. So which is the one you should go for? We hooked up eight to find out. How we tested them WE focused on how easy it was to fit the racks to…

Dear Lawrence, I’m looking for a small estate that’s easy to park but has a big, well shaped boot for my Labrador. What do you recommend for £10,000? Linda McCauley, Derby Contact: Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk THE SPACIOUS CHOICE Honda Civic Tourer FOR: Huge boot, reliable, very frugal diesel AGAINST: Cabin quality, slow petrol version HONDA won’t be making another Civic Tourer, but that shouldn’t stop you buying the outgoing model. It still has one of the biggest boots of any small family estate, it’s not bad to drive, there’s plenty of kit and the diesel claims near-80mpg fuel economy. The dash isn’t the most pleasing on the eye and doesn’t have the highest-quality feel, though, and petrol cars are a bit sluggish. In the classifieds was a 44,000-mile 2014 1.6 diesel SE…