Innholdsfortegnelse for 1591 i Auto Express

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram ●City car gets major tech and safety kit boost for third generation ●Engines get efficiency tweaks; prices expected to start at £11k “Hyundai boasts that the i10 will offer one of the most comprehensive safety packages in the class” HYUNDAI has given the city car market a welcome lift with the launch of its all-new i10. Revealed at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the Mk3 model is due to go on sale early next year. The market for entry-level city runabouts has shrunk rapidly in recent months, with the Ford Ka+, Renault Twingo and Suzuki Celerio all being axed from UK showrooms. But Hyundai shows no sign of leaving the segment any time soon, as it reveals what it’s calling the most hi-tech city car ever. The VW…

THIS is the Aston Martin Vanquish by CALLUM, the first project from the new consultancy firm set up by former Jaguar director of design, Ian Callum. It’s based on the 2004 Vanquish S, which the Scot originally designed, but the new model takes the rapid GT and updates it with styling modifications, a reworked and retrimmed interior and upgrades to the chassis, engine, exhaust and brakes. The vehicle features Callum’s new signature motif – a design that he’s calling “abstract tartan” – in a number of key areas, including on the sidewalls of the tyres, the redesigned bonnet louvres and vents in the front wings, the rear parcel shelf, the seats and the cabin headlining. The changes to the bodywork include all-new headlights that incorporate indicators. This allows a fresh…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor On the limit in new Ferrari F8 Tributo THERE’S a new Ferrari about. You can see what it looks like on Page 30, but make sure you head over to our YouTube channel to see our first drive video. Is the new F8 Tributo just a facelifted 488 GTB, or is it the finest mid-engined supercar on sale today? We find out. Skoda Kamiq small SUV hits the road WHILE Ferrari is launching its V8 supercar, Skoda has pulled the covers off its latest small SUV – and we’ve driven it. The brand already has the excellent Kodiaq and Karoq to its name, so we find out whether the new Kamiq is another Skoda star that can topple our current favourite small SUV, Citroen’s C3 Aircross. You can…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram “60 cars gathered for a dazzling convoy to the annual International Mini Meeting” MINI is as British as tea and crumpets, Big Ben or The Royal Family. Ever since the first car was built in 1959, Mini has been synonymous with British life. Almost everyone you meet has a Mini story to tell. For many, it was the car their mother or father drove, but for those around when it launched, it was the antidote to the slow, noisy, inefficient, and unexciting models that made up the motoring landscape of the time. For most people, driving a car in the sixties meant putting up with something as stagnant as a Morris Oxford or Austin A55. The Mini changed all that. Efficient, agile and able to accommodate a family…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.6 seconds/130mph Running costs 62.8mpg (official) £63 fill-up NOT long ago, a new Vauxhall Astra would have represented a seismic event in the world of cars. But nowadays, with centre stage being dominated by EVs and SUVs – as well as EVs that are also SUVs – an updated version of a petrol or diesel-powered conventional family hatch isn’t quite the event it once was. Especially since the Astra is no longer a top-10 best-selling car in the UK, having been outperformed not just by its arch nemesis, the Ford Focus, in 2018 (still the fifth biggest-selling car) but also the MINI (seventh), the Mercedes A-Class (eighth) and even the Kia Sportage (10th). Even so, you ignore this revised version of the Astra at your peril.…

Running costs 30.4mpg (on test) £65 fill-up/£145 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 381/1,287 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 6.3 seconds/155mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 50.0/35.9/10.8m MODEL TESTED: Hyundai i30 N Performance PRICE: £29,495 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 271bhp FEW cars have forced established auto makers to rethink their approaches in the same way as Hyundai’s i30 N has. In £29,495 Performance trim, it has price on its side and tech to match the Focus ST. Design & engineering AS with its rivals here, this hot Hyundai is based on the regular i30, but with significant modifications to improve performance. The basic suspension set-up is the same as the Ford’s, with struts at the front and a multi-link rear end, while the suspension is also controlled by adaptive dampers. The Hyundai has an…

Ford Focus ST SYNC3 Standard Key features: Connectivity, nav, hotspot AS part of the eight-inch touchscreen set-up, the ST gets sat-nav, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. All three programs work well, and the screen is relatively quick to respond to your inputs, but some of the menu layouts are a bit fussy and not the easiest to use on the move, as there’s nowhere to anchor your hand and the ride is sometimes bouncy, meaning false presses. You also get connected services, including live traffic and a wi-fi hotspot, but it’s just as easy to use your phone for these. Otherwise, the Ford’s system is simple to use. The screen is bright and the graphics are sharp, so it’s relatively easy to find the function you want. Wireless charging is…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths Practicality Boot (7/5/2-seat modes) 322/1,538/2,693 litres Running costs 43.3mpg (on test) £66 fill-up/£145 or 31% tax Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.3 seconds/116mph LOOKS, we are always told, can be deceptive. Take the building you see behind me, for example. From the outside it’s a fairly ordinary-looking townhouse. But behind the nondescript facade hides the Groucho Club, one of London’s more exclusive private members’ clubs, where deals are done and conversations had that shape the world of art, media and publishing. So where are the parallels with our Citroen Berlingo? Well, they’re not as tenuous as you might think. From the outside, let’s be honest, the Citroen looks like a van. It is, in fact, based on a van, but with five added windows for extra light, and the rear…

Audi e-tron Issue 1,579, 1,585 BMW 3 Series Issue 1,576, 1584 Citroen Berlingo XL Issue 1,579 Dacia Duster Issues 1,561, 1,564, 1,572, 1,575, 1,583, 1,590 Ford Focus Issue 1,582, 1,589 Honda CR-V Hybrid Issue 1,576, 1584 Hyundai Santa Fe Issue 1,575, 1,580, 1,587 Jaguar I-Pace Issue 1,588 Kia e-Niro Issue 1,569, 1,580, 1,589 Kia Ceed Issue 1,567, 1,577, 1,582 Mazda MX-5 Issue 1,573, 1,585 Renault Mégane R.S. Issue 1,581 SsangYong Musso Issue 1,590 SEAT Tarraco Issue 1,574, 1584, 1,590 Skoda Fabia Issue 1,572, 1,582 Volkswagen California Issues 1,578, 1,583, 1,586 Volkswagen Touareg Issue 1,580, 1,585…

Life As A Passenger David Kerrigan (Self-published, www.amazon.co.uk) Price: £9.99 THE future of driverless cars is bound to affect most of us in the future, and it’s a topic that’s seen plenty of hype and spin put upon it. This book is an excellent read and appears very thoroughly researched; it’s loaded with thought-provoking comments and suggestions. It’s accessible, too, so you don’t already need to be well versed in the subject to get involved. Driven: An Elegy To Cars, Roads And Motorsport John Aston (Veloce Publishing, veloce.co.uk) Price: £12.99 ASTON details his experiences in the motoring world, from race marshalling in the sixties to the present day, concentrating mainly on motorsport. His experience consists of everything from Caterham Sevens to NASCAR. It’s a little fragmented in places, but is…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Test station kept MoT failure MY son-in-law’s car failed its MoT for incorrect number-plate spacing, and the garage wouldn’t let him take it home to get the correct lettering. Can they do this? Colin Lewis, E-mail A INCORRECTLY spaced number plates are a valid reason for a car to fail its MoT, but DVSA rules say garages don’t have the authority to refuse to give vehicles back to their owners. It says the owner can take the car to another garage, but advises that models with dangerous defects should be towed or taken by a recovery vehicle. Q Do lower limits increase CO2 ? MY council is introducing a 20mph urban speed limit to improve safety. But aren’t cars more efficient travelling at 30mph? Nick Carey,…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram ● Finn signs one-year deal ● Ocon joins Renault for 2020 THE 2020 Formula One driver-transfer market is in full swing, and after a summer of speculation several of the major players have finally found their seats. Mercedes has chosen to renew the contract of Valtteri Bottas for another year, with the Finn once again partnering Lewis Hamilton. The World Champion team announced the news before the Belgian Grand Prix, and Bottas was understandably delighted. “I am very happy and proud to be part of the team for a fourth season,” he said. “My performances have been getting better each year, and this is a great way to kickstart the second half of 2019.” Mercedes reserve Esteban Ocon was in contention for taking the second Mercedes seat, but…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods ● All-new compact crossover boasts more space and boosted quality ● Brit designed and built model arrives in November, from £17,395 “Juke remains rakish, with exaggerated wheelarches, a rising window line, strong shoulders and a squat rear” THE compact crossover sector has grown significantly in recent years, with more than 20 supermini-sized SUVs on sale in Britain today. But one of the first of the breed has just been totally renewed. Say hello to the second-generation Nissan Juke. The newcomer replaces a model that’s been on sale for nearly nine years, and in that time the market for SUVs of this size hasn’t only increased in choice, it’s grown in quality, too. Perhaps that’s why the Juke has been in development a little longer than the usual window…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram ● SUV coupé will be halo model ● Exclusive look at newcomer THIS is the Cupra Tavascan, an SUV coupé concept from the Spanish performance brand and a vehicle that is already earmarked for production. The SEAT offshoot’s second unique model, which follows the Formentor, was revealed at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show, and it hints very strongly at a future all-electric halo offering. Indeed, Auto Express has learned that the project already has a model code and that it has been prioritised at the expense of the mooted Cupra Ibiza and Cupra Arona, both of which have now been canned. Auto Express had an exclusive sneak peek at the Tavascan with Alejandro Mesonero, head of design for the SEAT and Cupra brands. “The car is a simple…

Revised Zoe goes further on a charge RENAULT has revealed prices and specs for the updated all-electric Zoe (above), which is now capable of a claimed 245 miles on a charge, thanks to a new 52kWh battery. It starts from £18,670 for the base Play spec with a 106bhp motor. That price includes the Government grant and is based on a battery-lease purchase. The full car can be had for £25,670, stretching to £28,620 for the 133bhp GT Line R135 range-topper. York shire drivers top penalty-point chart DRIVERS in Halifax have more penalty points on their licences than anywhere else in the UK, a Vantage Leasing analysis of DVLA data has revealed. Some 9.62 per cent of drivers from the West Yorkshire town have at least one point; the national…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● Auto industry legend dies aged 82 ● Man behind Audi Quattro, Porsche 917 racer and Bugatti Veyron FERDINAND Piech, the man largely responsible for turning the Volkswagen Group into the automotive powerhouse it is today, died last week at the age of 82. The former VW Group chairman and CEO, and grandson of the legendary Ferdinand Porsche, died “suddenly and unexpectedly”, according to his wife. Piech was born in 1937 in Vienna, Austria, and spent his professional life working for Germany’s largest car makers, starting at Porsche (founded by his grandfather) in 1963. During his time he led the development of the famous 917 racer, which secured the brand’s first victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1970. Piech moved to Audi in 1972, and eventually…

tristan_shale-hester@dennis.co.uk @tristan_shale A DAMNING report commissioned by Highways England has revealed that breaking down on an all-lane running (ALR) section of ‘smart’ motorway in off-peak hours is up to 216 per cent more dangerous than it is on a conventional motorway with a hard shoulder. That’s despite repeated and continued assurances from the same organisation that such motorways are safer. Furthermore, drivers who break down on an ALR motorway are typically not spotted by CCTV operatives for 17 minutes on average. The internal report was recently uncovered by the AA, which demanded that Highways England “stop removing the hard shoulder immediately”. Titled ‘Stationary Vehicle Detection (SVD) System Monitoring’, the 2016 document was intended to assess how effective the SVD radar-based system was at automatically detecting broken-down vehicles. But, as well…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing Ltd, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC VW T-Roc Cabriolet FROM: Paul Boatman-Gilbert I HAVE a T-Roc and I’m happy with it, not least because I can get my other half’s wheelchair in the boot and still have room left over. That said, I want the convertible, too! It’s different and I think it looks great in R-Line spec. FROM: Graham Bolton WHAT a totally pointless car. Convertibles are meant to be sleek, sporty and stylish. There are so many bland, identical SUVs now, the last thing we need is even more of them. A folding roof does little to alleviate their dullness! Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “I’d rather VW brought back the Golf Cabriolet with a…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 50.4mpg (est) £83 fill-up THE Audi Q3 was one of the first posh small SUVs to be launched, and it was designed to offer the premium appeal of the Q5 in a smaller package. The Germans were quick off the mark, but it took them longer to cotton on to building a coupé-SUV version. Better late than never, Audi has launched this: the Q3 Sportback. The maker hopes it’ll tempt buyers away from the BMW X2, but while that car looks different to the X1 on which it’s based, the Sportback is relatively faithful to the standard Q3. In fact, from the front the pair are almost identical. But in profile the changes are substantial. The Sportback’s roofline falls away sooner, there are pinched rear quarter…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 52.3mpg (official) £49 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 11.6 seconds/115mph THIS is the Hyundai Kona Hybrid – a model that doesn’t offer anything revolutionary, but might just come at the perfect time for the brand’s crossover. That’s because Hyundai quietly dropped the Kona’s single diesel option not long ago. While the loss of this model was no great tragedy – the 1.6 CRDi was never one of our favourite engines – it meant that the Kona had to rely on a pair of fairly thirsty petrol alternatives until now. Of course, eco-conscious drivers can still go for the Kona Electric. But brilliant though it is, it costs £35,000-plus and is in such high demand that buyers currently have to wait a year or so before taking delivery.…

Running costs 31.8mpg (on test) £59 fill-up/£145 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 420/1,209 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 5.9 seconds/169mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 46.3/31.8/10.8m MODEL TESTED: Honda Civic Type R GT PRICE: £33,550 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 316bhp THE Civic Type R is our current class champion, so this is the benchmark the latest Focus ST has to surpass. Priced at £33,550 in GT trim, the Honda is the most expensive model here, but then it does have more power and performance. Design & engineering WE’LL address one area of the Civic we don’t like straight away; the looks. This is a subjective viewpoint, obviously, but the Focus ST and i30 N wear their performance bodykits and aerodynamic additions with a little more class than the Honda does. However, underneath that…

Renault Mégane R.S. 300 Trophy PRICE: £31,835 ENGINE: 1.8-litre 4cyl, 296bhp THE R.S. is purer than the Focus ST, without such an emphasis on driver modes. While four-wheel steering helps agility, it isn’t that consistent. Firm dampers give great body control, plus the steering is sharp. It sounds good and looks the part, too. SEAT Leon Cupra Lux PRICE: £31,360 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 286bhp THE Leon Cupra is a little long in the tooth, but its MQB chassis is still capable enough. But the Spanish hot hatch isn’t as involving as any of our test cars; partly because you can now only get the Cupra with a DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox.…

Darren_Wilson@dennis.co.uk Running costs Darren_Wilson@dennis.co.uk 40.7mpg (on test) £73 fill-up Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 497/1,697 litres THE older I get, the more I appreciate the knowledge and wisdom that comes with age. So I’ve enrolled a Honda CR-V expert, my stepfather Peter Woolger, to cast an eye over our long-termer. Peter is now on his fourth CR-V – before that he ran a Honda-engined Rover, and an Accord – so he knows a thing or two about the company’s products. Peter has an eye for faults, having worked as a maintenance manager at Fulham and QPR’s football stadiums for 15 years, before doing the same job at a housing association for 25 years. It’s fair to say that if there’s a problem he’ll spot it. So what did he make of…

JLR explores head-up augmented reality JAGUAR Land Rover is developing the future of the head-up display, with a powerful 3D system that projects safety alerts, directions and hazard warnings in augmented reality (above). The research takes the form of glasses-free stereoscopic 3D displays, and the tech could even be used to allow passengers to watch 3D movies on the go. Studies suggest 3D head-up ‘popping out’ instructions improve reaction times. This is important in a semi-autonomous vehicle, where the driver may need to regain control quickly. Don’t expect to see the technology on your Range Rover Evoque any time soon, however. Ford revving up for e-motorsport stage FORD’S latest racing team is set to compete at the highest level on the virtual stage. Fordzilla racing will head-hunt the world’s best…

USING a dog restraint or guard can be as important as putting on your seatbelt. It’ll help keep you and your four-legged friend safe in an accident, but will also help prevent mishaps in the first place, by stopping man’s best friend from distracting the driver. There is a bewildering array of options, ranging from just a fiver to a wallet-wincing £115. So which is the best for you and your dog? With the help of Doris, we tried 11 universal options to find out. How we tested them FOR the restraints, we enlisted the help of Doris the poodle to judge ease of use. Then we tried universal-fit dog guards in two cars – a Land Rover Discovery 4 and Vauxhall Astra – to see if they fitted well…

PORSCHE has revealed its first Formula E challenger. The fully backed works entry into the 2019/2020 season is named the 99X Electric, and features the team’s classic white, black and red colour scheme. Factory drivers Neel Jani and André Lotterer will be at the wheel. This will be Jani’s first full Formula E season (he raced twice for Dragon Racing in the 2017/18 season), while Lotterer will be moving from the DS Techeetah team, where he took eighth in the championship last year. The 2019/20 calendar covers 14 rounds spanning 12 cities worldwide, with the series culminating in a double-header in London next July. Porsche will join newcomer Mercedes on the grid of Formula E’s sixth season, alongside established manufacturer teams such as Audi, Nissan, Jaguar, DS and BMW.…

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off “We must grab the priceless expertise and vision of the world’s automotive living legends before it’s too late” THE global auto business has said farewell to three true greats in recent months. And the industry is a far poorer and less interesting place without them. Sergio Marchionne, 66, passed away last summer. The countless articles and books about the man who ‘saved’ Fiat-Chrysler will no doubt keep us educated, entertained and occasionally angry. For me, what summed up the profit-obsessed FCA CEO best was his reaction to internal documents that said sales of the electric Fiat 500e were worryingly low. Sergio was fine with that. Why? Because, as a forensic accountant, he knew that every 500e sold lost the company money. It’s…

NISSAN’S engineers have spent plenty of time in Europe developing the new Juke, with the aim of creating a crossover that’s even more composed than before. After a short drive around the twisting, undulating Alpine handling circuit at Millbrook Proving Ground in a pre-production prototype, we can confirm that it is. Body control has improved hugely, while the steering is better, too; it’s far more direct and naturally weighted. Perhaps the ride could be a little softer, though. Based on our brief taster, it’s at the firmer end of the scale for cars such as this, but perhaps that’s the trade-off for bestowing the Juke – admittedly a sporty crossover – with proportionally sporty handling. The new engine is a known quantity, and although it’s the only choice, it’s a…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson ● Italian’s first electrified car ● Supercar is ‘lightning fast’ THIS is the Sian – not only the most powerful Lamborghini ever produced, but also the first to feature an electrified powertrain. It made its debut at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show. It’s based on the Aventador, but has been completely redesigned with a unique body. Production is limited to only 63 units, in honour of the company’s founding year – and all of these have been sold. The Sian – which translates as “flash of lightning” in the Bolognese dialect, indicating the car’s electrified drivetrain – is powered by a tweaked, naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 and electric motor. These combine to produce 808bhp, and engine upgrades include a set of titanium intake valves, a reconfigured ECU and…

Consumer Editor, Auto Express DRIVERS are not stupid. Even a small amount of common sense will tell you that a motorway with a permanent place to pull over if you break down is safer than one with no hard shoulder. And the prospect of being stuck in a live lane for an hour is truly terrifying. The fact Highways England has, for over three years, been in possession of a document that shows off-peak ALR breakdowns are ludicrously more dangerous than on normal motorways is shocking, especially when bosses cite evidence that claims ALR motorways are safer, rather than addressing drivers’ fears. For how much longer the organisation can continue to defend the removal of the hard shoulder is unclear – but we mustn’t forget that, as a ‘government-owned company’,…

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.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510…

sean_carson@dennis.co.uk @sean_carson_ Performance 0-62mph/top speed 2.9 seconds/211mph ANY new supercar has to be faster, lighter and more aerodynamically efficient than its predecessor. So it’s no surprise that Ferrari’s latest berlinetta conforms to this theory of evolution. And evolution is exactly what the F8 Tributo is, with much of the engineering that’s gone into the brand’s recent hardcore 488 Pista trickling down to this road focused replacement for the 488 GTB. First, a recap of the specs: the 3.9-litre V8 makes 710bhp – 49bhp more than the GTB – and 770Nm of torque. The car is 40kg lighter and 10 per cent more aerodynamically efficient, creating more downforce without extra drag. All of this means 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds, although even more impressive is that the F8 will hit 124mph in…

Running costs 30.2mpg (on test) £67 fill-up/£145 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 378/1,250 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 5.9 seconds/155mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 48.5/36.3/8.3m MODEL TESTED: Ford Focus ST PRICE: £31,995 ENGINE: 2.3-litre 4cyl, 276bhp ON the face of things, Ford’s £31,995 Focus ST looks a little pricey compared with its rivals. However, as we’ll see, it has the ability to back up this tag, while finance deals make it more affordable. Design & engineering FORD’S C2 platform on which the Focus is based is perfectly suited for the purposes of a hot hatch. That’s because while the ST uses MacPherson struts for its front suspension like pretty much every car in this class (and its rivals in this test), it has a multi-link rear axle. But then, so do…

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Jaguar I-Pace OUR former Car of the Year is showing exactly why it won that award back in 2018. Chief reviewer Sean Carson has recently spent plenty of time behind the wheel of the Jaguar, marvelling at how it rides on its huge 22-inch wheels and handles brilliantly for a car weighing more than 2,200kg. However, he did experience an issue when trying to use one of Chargemaster’s older rapid-charge units. On three separate occasions, and on three different points, the CCS charging failed, with the machines all flashing up a “Vehicle problem!” message and suspending the recharge. Maybe it’s a compatibility issue with the I-Pace, because at a later date a top-up at a newer Chargemaster Polar rapid point proved simple to use. Please let us know if you’ve…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Air loss tip for screw-on valves IN your mini-compressor test (Issue 1,586), both units have screw-on valve connectors that let air out when they’re removed. Shouldn’t you tell people they must put in extra air to compensate? John Izon, E-mail A SCREW-ON connectors are our preferred design. Clip-on connectors often snag or jam, failing to release cleanly or make a secure seal. Some must be held to maintain the seal. Air loss is consistent and small with a screw-on type. You can adjust the pressure to compensate for this, but it’s not significant enough to require over-inflation. Q What are van speed limits? I DRIVE a van for work and a colleague told me speed limits are different from those for cars. Is he right? If…

THE rise of the sat-nav continues apace, but many drivers still prefer a road atlas in the car or to use for planning routes at home. We tried three of the top 2020 atlases, all of which were A3 and spiral bound. A larger scale makes any map easier to use and speed camera locations, especially showing the limits, gained points. Fully up-to-date mapping was checked by searching for three proposed road projects, and detail was tested by hunting down four small hamlets. We noted if congestion/low-emissions zones were included, plus the number of town plans, city approach roads, air and sea ports and Channel Tunnel layouts. The AA and Collins atlases impressed, but lost enough points to the A-Z to allow it to keep its crown due to its…