Innholdsfortegnelse for 1609 i Auto Express

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk ● Electric M-Byte SUV revealed ● We try EV for the first time CHINESE newcomer Byton has caused a storm with its radical approach to drivers’ in-car experience. And now Auto Express has been allowed to drive a late prototype of the company’s first model, the M-Byte. Byton is targeting a younger generation of customer for whom what really matters is not the thrill of an empty B-road, but rather connectivity and their own digital lifestyle. And the cabin reflects those requirements. Up front there is an astonishing fascia: a 48-inch curved OLED display that stretches from one side of the cabin to the other. Then there are two further touchscreens – one on the fixed hub at the centre of the steering wheel, and a tablet between the…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk At the wheel of the all-new Hyundai i10 ONE look at the number of city cars on sale, and you’d think their days were numbered. But Hyundai doesn’t agree, and it’s revealed a brand-new i10. Roomier than before and with a cool new look, it could become our favourite city car. But what’s it like on the road? Alex Ingram has driven it. We pick out our favourite hybrids AS the new car market carries on its march towards pure-electric vehicles, the appeal of hybrids is growing. More than just a halfway-house, conventional and plug-in hybrids offer many benefits of EV motoring in a package drivers are more familiar with. Watch our video to see the best on sale. You can watch any of our videos on your phone…

JUST as 2019’s new-car registration figures were disappointing for going down, so too were average carbon dioxide (CO2 ) figures for going up – in the opposite direction to what is required by forthcoming emissions laws. The average new car had an emissions figure of 127.9g/km of CO2 last year. That’s up 2.7 per cent on 2018 and the third consecutive year of increase, a trend partly ascribed to buyers turning their backs on low-CO2 diesels. But whatever the reason, it makes the 95g/km target – due to be hit over the next two years – an increasing problem for firms who face fines of 95 Euros (£81) for every gram each new car emits over 95g/km. Some hope is to be found in EV sales (up 144 per cent) and concessions as the…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk IT’S the most rewarding job on the planet, but parenting is hard work. Early wake-ups and broken nights are familiar when kids are really young, while exam stress and growing pains from older children are inevitably passed up the generational chain. Estimates and lifestyles vary, but some researchers say that mums and dads can put up to 97 hours a week into parenting activities. But what if the tables were turned? What if children could be put to work for their parents, with the tasks mum and dad carry out on their behalf being repaid by household chores undertaken by kids? Skoda has come up with just such an idea in the shape of its Parent Taxi app. The concept is simple: each time you take your children somewhere…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk FOR many, a plug-in hybrid is the ideal stepping stone towards a fully electric future. You’ve got the ability to run on pure-electric power for short bursts or urban commuting, with an engine on board for longer journeys or a bit of extra power. The fact is, most people who buy plug-in hybrids eventually take the plunge on a full EV at a later date. This works well for Kia, since it now (alongside sister company Hyundai) offers one model with three electrified options, hoping that, once you’re hooked, you’ll stay with the brand for all your EV needs. To recap, the Niro here is available as a Hybrid (no plug and very limited electric running), a plug-in hybrid (driven here with a 36-mile electric range), or as the…

Stuart_Milne@dennis.co.uk THERE’S much change afoot in 2020, but one thing remains certain: car makers still need to shift cars. And whatever happens politically and financially, they will ensure there are some great deals to entice you into showrooms as they fight for your attention. This means buyers are in a good position to unlock some really good deals, but you’ve got to know what to buy – and how to buy it. We’ve scoured the finance calculators of pretty much every major brand’s website, focusing on Personal Contract Plans (PCP), because these are by far the most popular route to buying a new car. The figures in our outlines are the ones that matter: the deposit, monthly repayments, and optional final payment are all vital to understand, and you can…

MODEL TESTED: Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Turbo 100 SRi Nav PRICE: £19,200 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 99bhp THE all-new Vauxhall Corsa has an interesting back story, and its development has led to some impressive technical achievements – but does this translate into a competitive car? We’re testing the £19,200 1.2 Turbo 100 SRi Nav model to find out. Design & engineering MORE than 2.1 million Corsas have been sold in the UK since 1993, so it’s a big car for Britain, let alone Vauxhall – and that means this sixth-generation model is significant. Before its merger with Groupe PSA, Vauxhall had almost completed development of a fresh Corsa under its period of ownership by General Motors. But following the sale of Vauxhall to PSA, the firm set about developing the new car…

Vauxhall Corsa Multimedia Navi Standard Features: Nav, smartphone link THE Corsa’s seven-inch touchscreen is positioned a little low in the dash, but the infotainment system has all you need, especially in terms of features. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as well as Vauxhall’s own nav system and Vauxhall Connect. This gives remote functions through a smartphone app that lets you lock and unlock the doors and create a digital key. The system’s menu layout is mostly easy to navigate and the screen resolution is on par with the Clio’s, even if it’s not as crisp as the VW’s screen. One point worth noting is that, while PSA cars integrate the climate control functions into the screen, Vauxhall has stuck with physical controls for the Corsa, which are easier…

THE 2.0-litre Toyota C-HR hybrid isn’t simply the 1.8-litre version with a larger petrol engine bolted into place. Higher thermal efficiency makes the most of the fuel that goes in, and new battery tech boosts economy even further. This really is the headline figure for the C-HR, especially in comparison to the 1.6-litre petrol 3008: we recorded a figure of 44.1mpg when testing the Toyota, while the Peugeot only returned 31.2mpg. This isn’t the only advantage the Toyota has, because the Japanese car also rides and handles much better than the Peugeot. Its TNGA platform features MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbones at the rear, which is a more complex set-up than the torsion beam used in the 3008. Its advantages are fully evident when you get behind…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk AFTER six months and almost 10,000 miles, it’s time to hand back the keys to the Renault Mégane R.S. 300 Trophy. And what better way to bid farewell than a family reunion? But more on that later. Our fleet car was one that has really divided opinion: wonderful to drive, woeful to be driven in. The quality of the ride (or lack of it) in the Mégane Renaultsport was a topic that failed to subside since the car arrived. I was one of the first to raise the point after an arduous 400-mile round trip to Chester within days of taking delivery. Numerous similar journeys since, and I can still say with confidence that it’s not a car designed to tackle long motorway slogs. Nor is it any more…

Audi Q5 Issue 1,606 BMW 1 Series Issue 1,608 Citroen Berlingo XL Issues 1,579, 1,591 Ford Focus ST Estate Issue 1,608 Jaguar I-Pace Issue 1,588, 1,595, 1,602 Jaguar XE Issue 1,593 Mazda 3 Issue 1,607 Mercedes E 300 de New arrival MINI Clubman Issue 1,603 Nissan Juke New arrival Renault Mégane R.S. Issue 1,581, 1,593, 1,606 Skoda Scala Issue 1,600 SsangYong Musso Issues 1,590, 1,598 Suzuki Jimny Issue 1,601 Toyota Corolla Issue 1,602 Volkswagen T-Cross New arrival Volvo S60 Issue 1,604…

NEW PRODUCT Brabus Mercedes G-Class upgrades Price: From 39 Euros (approximately £33.29) Contact: www.brabus.com IF you plan to use your Mercedes G-Class as its engineers intended and tackle tougher terrain than that usually found on the school run, German tuner Brabus has developed a comprehensive package of upgrades. For those who opted for the G 350 D turbodiesel there’s a 2,580 Euro (£2,202) upgrade that raises output by 43bhp to 326, with torque up 60Nm to 690 at 2,500rpm. This allows the 2.5-tonne off-roader to hit 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds. There’s also a 2,600 Euro (£2,219) sports exhaust with chromed tips. Both prices include fitting. There are various styling options but the Widestar kit, which brings wing extensions and a rear skirt, will set you back 26,780 Euros (£22,858), including fitting…

Motors and Motoring 1916 Professor Henry Spooner (Amberley Publishing, www.amberley-books.co.uk) Price: £9.99 THIS reproduction doesn’t take as lighthearted a view of cars as W Heath Robinson (Issue 1,596) but it’s a fascinating look at ‘The Age of Speed’. First published in 1909, it’s packed with technical advice on the cars of the day. Anyone with an interest in vintage or veteran motoring will thoroughly enjoy it. Triumph Spitfire and GT6: Essential Buyer’s Guide Iain Ayre (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £13.99 THIS is another handy book in this series, packed with tips well worth remembering if you intend to buy one of these classic British sports cars. The author gives their credentials at the beginning of the book so you can be assured they know what they’re talking about, and the…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk True cost of a Tesla truck Q I PUT down a £100 deposit on the Tesla Cybertruck, but my invoice showed £20 had been added on due to VAT. Will the truck also cost 20 per cent more than indicated? Alex Humble, E-mail A WE contacted Tesla, and a spokesperson confirmed that, despite what your invoice says, your account will only have been debited £100. Tesla added that you and any other affected customers will receive a corrected invoice shortly, and that all Cybertruck prices displayed on Tesla’s UK website include VAT. Handbrakes going electronic Q I AM new-car shopping, and most models seem to come with an electronic parking brake. Why are these so common, and how does one perform a hill start with…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk ● Dutchman re-signs until 2023 ● Leclerc at Ferrari for long haul RED Bull’s Formula One team has announced a contract extension with its lead driver, Max Verstappen, until the end of the 2023 season. The move came shortly after Ferrari confirmed a long-term deal with Charles Leclerc that locks the Frenchman in until the end of 2024. This means both of the drivers seen as most likely to unseat Lewis Hamilton from his current position of dominance have their medium-term futures secured, and that Hamilton is likely to either remain with Mercedes or retire when his current contract with the team runs out at the end of 2020. Commenting on his new Red Bull deal, Verstappen said: “Over the years I have grown closer and closer with the…

BRIT Alexander Sims holds the advantage in the points standings as Formula E gets back in action on the streets of the Chilean capital Santiago this weekend. The BMW works driver has 35 points, with his closest challenger, Mercedes’ Stoffel Vandoorne, on 30. Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird (winner of last year’s Santiago race) is third in the standings on 26 points. In the team rankings, Mercedes leads on 38 points from Virgin (36) and BMW (35). The Chilean race is going ahead despite recent severe political unrest in the South American nation, which saw the country’s planned World Rally Championship round being cancelled. This is believed to be primarily due to the fact that the WRC round received significant government funding, whereas the Formula E event is supported by commercial…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk ● Aston’s first-ever SUV and first Welsh-built car since 1973 ● Car arrives amidst profit warning and plummeting share value “The V8 provides a massive shove in the back, with a beefy soundtrack to match” SUVS have been the saviours of many a car company. Porsche wouldn’t be Porsche (or arguably anything at all) without its Cayenne and Macan models, while Mercedes, Audi and BMW’s balance sheets are healthier thanks to their 4x4 sales. Aston Martin’s financial woes have been well documented of late, so the famous British brand’s first SUV, the DBX, can’t come soon enough. But is it too little, too late? Auto Express was invited to DBX HQ, the all-new production facility in St Athan, South Wales, to take a drive in the new model alongside…

Ford RS200 Power: 246bhp Top speed: 150mph 0-62mph: 5.0 secs PERHAPS the wildest road car to ever wear a Ford badge, the RS200 came too late to have success in Group B rallying, but the road car is highly sought after. The Evo edition is now worth in excess of £100,000. Lancia Delta HF Integrale Power: 185bhp Top speed: 127mph 0-62mph: 6.6 secs LANCIA had huge success in rallying 30 years ago with its Delta, winning six back-to-back manufacturer titles. The first road cars in 1987 packed 185bhp; production ended seven years later, with power up to 212bhp. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Power: 276bhp Top speed: 150mph 0-62mph: 4.6 secs THE Tommi Mäkinen Edition of the Evo VI was the one to have. This special was born out of Makinen’s…

Fiat must count on its 500 for future success FIAT is a brand that, on the face of it, should be doing rather better than it has in 2019. A range of small, efficient and, importantly, cool cars is just what should be selling right now. In the shape of the 500 it has a fashion icon that’s loved, in particular, by young and first-time drivers. And as we head into 2020, that icon is getting a much-needed electric boost, with mild hybrids and a pure-EV on the way. While other car makers shy away from the small city-car market, there’s a real opportunity for Fiat. Sure, the 500 – in all its forms – is no spring chicken, but the clever, seasonal marketing activity has always impressed. That’s not…

Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing Ltd, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC New Jaguar F-Type FROM: Chris Hastings I REMEMBER the first time I saw an F-Type in the metal; I stopped, stared, then walked around and continued to gawp. The biggest issue the facelifted model has is that no update will ever hold a candle to the styling of the original. FROM: G Dalton THIS may, if the current climate is anything to go by, be the last time we see a new Jaguar with a supercharged V8 engine. It’s too impractical and expensive for me, but my advice to anyone thinking of getting a car like this is to do it now. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “Love…

Vicky_Parrott@dennis.co.uk THERE are few works of automotive design as sensitive to colour, light and angle as the new Ford Puma. A swoopy, wide-stanced urban crossover that sits on an extended Fiesta supermini platform, the Puma takes on the might of the Renault Captur and its ilk. In the right moment it can look truly sleek and lovely, but moments later – and from a minutely different angle – you’ll be reminded of nothing more than the shocked gawp of a freshly clubbed fish. Divisive styling is no bad thing, though; many people consider the old Nissan Juke (which arguably started this big-selling small SUV class) nothing short of gargoyle-like, yet it’s been a perennial best-seller in the UK. Regardless of whether you think the styling is stunning or shocking, the…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk Running costs  23.9mpg (official) £104 fill-up FOUR-and-a-half seconds. That’s both the 0-62mph time of this Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography, and roughly how long it takes to read its name out loud. Prices for the flagship Velar start from £86,685. Certainly not cheap, but a figure that slots it neatly between the £71k Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and Porsche’s latest £101,000 Cayenne Turbo. We were fans of the Velar when we tried it on the smooth roads of Catalonia, in Spain, but how does it feel on a damp day in the UK? Well, it looks just as menacing under grey skies. JLR’s SVO division has kitted out the Velar with larger air dams, revised sills and unique badging. There’s four fake exhaust tips mounted within the bumper; according to…

PCH ALSO known as personal leasing, PCH deals require less capital up front. After an ‘initial rental’ or up-front payment, you make a series of regular payments until the agreement ends, after which you hand back the car and walk away. While there’s no large deposit, unlike a PCP, which offers a reasonable degree of flexibility, a PCH will tie you in for the duration, with no option of handing the car back early without a financial penalty. Hire purchase NOT many people choose hire purchase now, but it’s still possible to take out an old-fashioned HP agreement on a new car. Put down a deposit then make monthly repayments that, unlike with a PCH or PCP deal, pay off the value of the car. At the end of the…

MODEL TESTED: Renault Clio TCe 100 R.S. Line PRICE: £17,995 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 99bhp THE Renault Clio returns as our reigning supermini champ for its second test. We’re rating it in sporty R.S. Line trim to match the Corsa SRi Nav. With Renault’s TCe 100 engine it comes in at £17,995, undercutting the Vauxhall by £1,205. Design & engineering IT costs less than the Corsa, but the Clio doesn’t scrimp on kit. As with the Vauxhall, sat-nav is standard, and so are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as part of the infotainment system. It also gets LED headlights and parking sensors like the Corsa, but a reversing camera is included, too. Basic safety kit is a match, but in addition the Clio features climate control and keyless operation. Under the…

Peugeot 208 1.2 PureTech Allure PRICE: £18,850 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 99bhp THE new Peugeot 208 will go under our microscope very soon. It uses very similar ingredients to the Corsa above, with the same engine, gearbox and platform. Sharp looks add appeal, and it has plenty of tech and equipment to match. Ford Fiesta 1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line 5dr PRICE: £18,070 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 99bhp THE Fiesta is Britain’s biggest-selling car, and with good reason. It’s great fun to drive and has a very good range of turbo petrol engines. ST-Line is lacking a bit of kit, but it looks the part and is still cheaper than the Corsa here.…

THE Peugeot 3008 uses the PSA Group’s EMP2 architecture, with MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam rear axle, which is a simpler and cheaper set-up than its rival here. The 3008 is mostly comfortable, though, keeping smaller imperfections away from the cabin and coping with big undulations on the motorway, too. However, the suspension doesn’t cope with potholes and larger bumps, because they crash into the cabin and upset the car’s balance. This is especially true while cornering, since the soft set-up has some body roll, yet mid corner-bumps cause it to hop in a way that the C-HR never does. The small steering wheel is part of the Peugeot’s i-Cockpit cabin set-up, which means it’s harder for the driver to make small, precise movements. It’s less…

Vicky_Parrott@dennis.co.uk Running costs 43.0mpg (on test) £86 fill-up/£465 or 16% tax Practicality Boot capacity 400 litres I WISH there were more cars like the Mercedes E 300 de. After all, a diesel plug-in hybrid offers all the cleaner, tax-busting benefits of pure-electric power for short journeys and inner-city hops, plus diesel economy when you hit the motorway. We hardly need to revisit the bad press diesel power has received in the past few years, nor highlight the declining sales it is suffering in light of legislation now clearly favouring petrol and electric cars for both private and company buyers. Yet this is why I’m so excited to be running the E 300 de for the next six months; it offers a chance to really test its real-world efficiency and find…

‘Green’ tyre bags help Nokian cut emissions FINNISH tyre manufacturer Nokian, a regular in our annual tyre tests, is aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by using new, certified ‘green’ tyre bags for delivery and storage. By introducing sugarcane-based plastics into the makeup of its tyre bags, they’ve qualified for the ‘I’m Green’ certification. Producing the new bags emits less than a quarter of the CO2 than making them from new materials – and less than half the emissions caused by making them from recycled plastics. Cut-price Castrol oil on offer at Halfords WINTER is a particularly tough time for your car, and freezing temperatures do not encourage DIY maintenance – but Halfords is doing its bit to persuade you to change your oil, or at least ensure it is topped up. The…

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off “For many or most buyers in the real world, one of the top priorities is to buy a small car that’s great value for money” SHOCK horror – the official new car sales numbers for 2019 are just in – and they’re a tad (2.4 per cent) down on 2018. No problem. It’s a blip, not a slump. Last year was a tumultuously uncertain one for Blighty, its industry, retailers, finances and citizens. With this in mind, I’m pleasantly surprised to learn that consumers here were confident enough to purchase (in round figures) almost 1.5 million petrol, 600,000 diesel, 200,000 hybrid, and 40,000 pure-electric cars in 2019. Those latest annual sales of slightly more than 2.3 million compare with a figure of,…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk ● Homologation special revealed ● 4WD, 257bhp, manual gearbox TOYOTA has officially revealed the GR Yaris at the Tokyo Auto Salon. It’s the first homologation special produced for a generation, picking up where nineties rally legends such as the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution left off. It’s been created to give Toyota a competitive advantage in the World Rally Championship, where it’s locked in battle with Korean rival Hyundai, by helping development of the next Yaris WRC. As such, the hot hatch has been developed collaboratively by Toyota Gazoo Racing and Tommi Mäkinen Racing, the Finnish outfit responsible for Toyota’s WRC campaign. The GR Yaris comes with a range of design features that have racing at their core, such as a bespoke 257bhp three-cylinder turbocharged engine, a three-door…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk ● AI:ME concept returns for CES ● Interior revamped for tech show AUDI scored a hit at last year’s Shanghai show with its customer environment-focused AI:ME. Now Auto Express has been among the first to ride in the city car concept, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, to see how it works. The AI:ME (it’s pronounced ‘Amy’) is, in effect, a sandbox that allows the German brand’s engineers to play around with how we can interact with a vehicle when we no longer have to drive it all of the time. As such, it is immediately obvious when we arrive at our test venue that dynamic assessment isn’t part of this ride. In fact, we’re going to tour an empty rooftop car park in Las Vegas…

Hyundai indulges in a flight of fantasy THIS is the Hyundai S-A1 Personal Air Vehicle (above), a glimpse at how the Korean firm sees autonomous transportation evolving in the future. Hyundai has already established a flying car division, headed by a former NASA boss, and the S-A1, developed in partnership with Uber, is a five-seater capable of flying at up to 180mph for 60 miles. The partnership between Hyundai and Uber will see the pair develop a future air-based ride-hailing network. Gesture tech waves goodbye to buttons US-based in-car interface specialist Cerence showcased the latest evolution of its set-up in Las Vegas. Described as ‘multi-modal’ and claimed by Cerence to offer the potential for a buttonless cabin, the system uses a mixture of natural speech recognition, eye tracking and gesture…

ELECTRONICS giant Sony stunned CES by unveiling its own car – although the Vision-S is designed to showcase technology instead of previewing a production model. The Vision-S was built to Sony’s specifications by Austrian engineering and manufacturing consultancy Magna. The concept is a 4.9-metre-long saloon, with a wheelbase of precisely three metres. It’s powered by an electric motor on each axle with a total output of 400kW (536bhp), and has a claimed 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 149mph. The vehicle weighs 2.35 tonnes and features double-wishbone-based air suspension all round. A Sony spokesperson insisted that the Vision-S is designed to demonstrate the company’s new in-car operating system – a potential base for existing manufacturers to adopt – as well as highlighting the Japanese brand’s expertise…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk THE publication of 2019’s registration figures by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed the UK new car market fell by 2.4 per cent compared to 2018 – the third consecutive year of decline, and the worst year on record since 2013. But with 2.3 million new cars finding homes last year, the UK market is still Europe’s second largest (behind only Germany), with some firms performing far better than they did last year. MG experienced the largest growth, with a 44.5 per cent increase in 2019. That’s from a low 2018 base of 9,000 registrations, but it shows cars like the ZS – with a clear market position, an attractive price and a long warranty – get customers signing on dotted lines. Dacia, which experienced…

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…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk Performance 0-62mph/top speed 12.6 seconds/106mph Running costs 55.4mpg (official) £46 fill-up THIS is the third-generation Hyundai i10 – a city car that competes in a class that the Volkswagen up! has dominated for some time. But now Hyundai takes the fight to the up! armed with a tiny tech fest. Prices for what Hyundai claims is the most hi-tech A-segment car ever start from £12,495 – just a few quid more than the basic VW – but top spec versions climb to £15,495, which is almost as much as a turbocharged up! GTI. So what exactly do you get for the cash, and is it worth it? While the i10 is pretty much a clean-sheet design, it’s a clear evolution of the last one. Sharp headlights and body surfacing…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THE BMW X6 is a car that splits opinion – and it has done so ever since it arrived in 2007. From a practicality perspective, it makes little sense beside the X5 on which it’s based, and yet it carries credence for the kind of customer for whom there is – or rather, was – nothing else quite like it. But whatever your take on the BMW X6, there’s no denying that it has laid the ground for a new niche of car: the coupé-styled SUV. This car paved the way for models like the Mercedes GLE Coupé and Audi Q8. As the X6 has evolved, so has its styling. Which is why this new version has become slightly more subtle in its outlook. Gone are the vast haunches,…

MODEL TESTED: Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 95PS R-Line PRICE: £18,810 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 94bhp THE Volkswagen Polo has always been known as the premium supermini, but the 1.0 TSI 95PS R-Line tested here is actually cheaper than the Corsa, at £18,810. Given the strides we’ve already seen the Corsa take, is the Vauxhall now a more complete supermini than the VW? Design & engineering DESPITE wearing a ‘premium’ tag, when we tested the sixth-generation Polo for the first time two years ago, it was immediately obvious that there was a drop in material quality inside when compared with its predecessor. Many of the dashboard and door plastics are harder than those used in the Clio, even if they feel slightly better than in the Corsa. But the trade-off for the…

Volvo S60 T8 GONE are the days when upgrading your car meant a few hours spent wielding a socket set in a Halfords car park. Over-the-air updates to vehicle software are increasingly common and so are app-based subscription services like Volvo’s On Call that open up new features. Web editor Steve Walker’s Volvo S60 T8 recently entered the world of On Call. It’s included as standard on new S60s for three years and beyond that costs £34.90 for a year’s subscription (or £59.90 for two years). Initial testing confirmed that On Call lets you sound the horn and flash the lights from your phone while peering out of the bedroom window. More useful at this time of year is the preconditioning function. The app also lets you check the car’s…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk When should I change tyres? Q THE tyres on my wife’s car are nearing the end of their life but I’m not sure when to change them. I’ve read you can go to the legal limit, but also that you should replace earlier. What should I do? Phil Lines, E-mail A MICHELIN may have caused your confusion because it has been pushing for tyres that work right down to the 1.6mm minimum. There are sound environmental reasons for this, but at that level performance in the wet is poor. Our tests show there is a far bigger safety margin – at this time of year particularly – in changing at 3mm. Sound choice to play CDs Q MY car has no CD player. I know you…

AT this darkest time of the year it’s really important to have the right light to hand – or rather, to head. Whether for roadside emergencies, car DIY or outdoor hobbies, a head torch makes sure you get illumination where you need it, with both hands free. We pitted Nightsearcher’s new Zoom 580R against our two-time winner, the Coast FL13R. Both products went through our usual series of tests outside and on the car. As well as comfort, we looked for easy-to-use controls, with good beam spread and control. Certification against moisture or dust gained marks, as did extras such as flashing, red and zoom functions. The result was a debut victory for the Nightsearcher 580R, which had enough plus points to overcome a price deficit to the still highly…