Innholdsfortegnelse for 1626 i Auto Express

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy ● First taste of Skoda’s first EV ● Pace and comfort impress SKODA is on a roll at the moment. The excellent Scala is grabbing family car sales, the big-selling Kamiq is shaking up the small SUV market, and a new version of the firm’s volume flagship, the Octavia, is arriving in UK dealers this summer. But the Czech brand is about to take a huge leap into a new area of the market with its first bespoke electric car: the Enyaq. And Auto Express had an early chance to drive the new arrival, as part of a prototype test taking place in Ireland. The Enyaq uses the same MEB underpinnings as the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4, as well as the forthcoming SEAT el-Born. This all-new platform is…

THE number of cars needing replacement batteries has doubled during lockdown as motorists are driving less, and using their cars for short trips that don’t give alternators the chance to properly charge batteries. In the four weeks up to 1 May 2020, garage chain Kwik Fit fitted new batteries to twice as many vehicles as it did in the same period last year. Although the firm says the issue has affected older cars more than newer ones, it reports a 10 per cent rise over the same period in the number of fleet vehicles (which tend to be newer) needing batteries replaced. Not only has Kwik Fit seen a surge, the RAC also told Auto Express its patrols are “dealing with more at-home flat-battery breakdowns than ever”. A spokesperson said:…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Letters, Auto Express, DennisPublishing Ltd, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC Toyota Yaris Cross FROM: Peter Lane WE don’t have all the details yet, but if this is priced correctly then I imagine it will do rather well. It looks nice enough and I’m sure it will have all the kit new car buyers expect nowadays. Toyota has a good reputation for reliability, too. FROM: Andy York I UNDERSTAND that manufacturers make SUVs because they’re what buyers want, but can they at least try to make them a bit interesting? This just looks like a cross between a Yaris and a RAV4; a more radical design would be better. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “If I were buying a B-segment SUV, I’d go…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths BEING impressed by the acceleration of another car is always interesting. Because while we may all drive to limits, watching somebody get a serious shift on inevitably provokes a sense of “Did you just see that?”. We expect this sort of performance from certain cars, naturally. Spot a snouty, mid-engined supercar, and you wouldn’t be surprised if the driver hit the accelerator and disappeared into the distance at speed. But what is more impressive, or at least more surprising, is when you see a car you hadn’t given a second glance to – an anonymous estate, a random hatchback, a dull repmobile – shoot towards the horizon with a change of pace such a vehicle has no right to be capable of, its speed allied to its everyday…

A CAR journalist for over 30 years, Steve has also competed in the BTCC with Lexus and finished on the podium with Aston Martin in the Silverstone 24 Hours. He’s also one of the few writers to have driven a modern F1 car, too. Auto Express contributor No 1. Ferrari F40 (1987) YOU get asked many things by many different people in this business, especially after a beer or two. Things like, how did you get the job in the first place? When did you start? Where did you start? Which titles do you write for? And so forth. But there’s almost always one recurring question: what’s the best car you’ve ever driven? For a very long time, my answer has been the F40. I’ve only ever driven this amazing…

Mitsubishi Outlander BEING among the first SUVs to feature this plug-in technology, the Outlander PHEV was a pioneer. Although it’s still just as big and practical inside, it’s not quite the tax-busting giant it once was, because its all-electric range of 28 miles means it’s in a higher tax bracket than many of its rivals here. Range RoverP400e THE Range Rover is a bit too expensive to feature in our main list, but if budget isn’t an issue then it’s one of the best luxury cars around – and the plug-in hybrid offers much of what makes the normal version great, with even lower running costs. Driving at low speed on electric power adds to the relaxing atmosphere, too. BMW 330e YOU get most of the same plus points in…

The Cayenne Turbo shares many components with the RS Q8. The basic platform is the same, while it uses a similar engine, too. however, both items have been tuned by Porsche to give the Cayenne Turbo its very own character. While the RS Q8 might hold the Nürburgring lap record for an SUV, it’s immediately obvious that it’s not as involving as the Cayenne Turbo, even though it’s slightly quicker. The Porsche’s steering has more weight, but a greater sense of connection to the chassis through the wheel rim means you’re more confident driving the Cayenne energetically. There’s an impressively high level of grip for such a big machine, but then the Porsche is 140kg lighter than the Audi. Despite the Cayenne Turbo’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 pumping out ‘only’ 542bhp…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram Running costs Official range/tax 144 miles/£0 Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 211/731 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.3 seconds/93mph FULL disclosure: the car you see here wasn’t supposed to be the Auto Express MINI Electric. We planned to take delivery of a fully loaded Level 3 car, but with lockdown measures brought in before it arrived, we held on to a mid-spec model instead. It’s the same car that featured in the MINI’s road test debut (Issue 1,622), where we pitched it against the latest Renault Zoe. While the MINI was beaten in that outing, we’re looking forward to unpicking the new EV as we live with it over the coming months. I’m pleased the top-spec car has been switched for the more affordable Level 2 model. The trim structure…

BMW 1 Series Iss. 1,608, 1,612, 1,615, 1,622 Ford Focus ST Estate Issues 1,608, 1,616, 1,623 Mazda 3 Issues 1,607, 1,613, 1,622 Mercedes E 300 de Iss. 1,609, 1,613, 1,619, 1,625 MINI Clubman Issues 1,603, 1,617, 1,624 MINI Electric New arrival Mitsubishi L200 Issue 1,618 NissanJuke Issues 1,612, 1,620 Skoda Superb iV New arrival SsangYong Korando Issue 1,625 Toyota Corolla Issues 1,602, 1,610, 1,621 Volkswagen T-Cross Issue 1,611, 1,619 Volvo S60 Issues 1,604, 1,618, 1,623 Volvo XC40 Recharge Issue 1,624…

Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen: Essential Buyer’s Guide Nik Greene (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £13.99 A CONCISE but thorough guide to one of the world’s best-known off-roaders. Summing up a vehicle that was on sale for three decades is a fraught process, but it’s done well here, going thoroughly over problem points and things to look out for. Regular images of the author’s immaculate 1986 300GD build confidence, too. Timeless and, as usual for these guides, packed with information that can be sensibly applied to any used car purchase. Take Risk! Richard Noble (Evro Publishing, www.evropublishing.co.uk) Price: £19.99 STORIES such as this are always best from the horse’s mouth – and few horses are as qualified to talk about land speed records as the legendary Richard Noble. This book really shows what goes…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk Q Help contesting fines from a city I’ve never been to I’VE had three parking fines come through in the last week from a city I have never visited in my life. I have been struggling to get through to the relevant council, but what should I tell them when I do make contact? Alan R, E-mail A IT sounds as though your car has been cloned; this is where criminals copy a number plate and put it on an identical car – either because that car is stolen, or so they can dodge fines as has happened here. The first thing to do is inform the police, who should issue you with a crime reference number. Once you get through to the council, this number…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods ● Revised cabin, extra tech ● Powered by 503bhp V6 AFTER revealing revised versions of the Giulia saloon and Stelvio SUV last year, Alfa Romeo has now unveiled the updated Quadrifoglio performance variants. Cosmetic updates are restrained, with the new Giulia Quadrifoglio receiving new badges and a pair of revised LED tail-lights with smoked lenses. Buyers can also now have carbon-fibre replacements for the standard radiator grille, mirror caps and rear spoiler as optional extras. The Stelvio gets identical changes, but with one extra tweak: the availability of new 21-inch wheels. New paint colours arrive, too, including a metallic green that pays homage to the shade used on the iconic Alfa Romeo Montreal. On both models the dashboard and centre console have been retrimmed, while a new leather…

Extra camera safety for all-new Sorento ADVANCED blind-spot monitor technology has been added to the forthcoming Kia Sorento. The system, which is the first of its kind, alerts drivers to other road users in their blind spot by displaying a high-resolution video feed of the vehicle on the left-hand side of the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The system comes as part of an optional safety pack that also includes a surround-view monitor and parking collision-avoidance technology. The all-new Sorento goes on sale later this year, priced from around £32,000. Panda and 500 are put on the defensive FIAT has launched packs for the 500 and Panda designed to increase the levels of hygiene in the vehicles as buyers start emerging from COVID-19 lockdown. Called D-Fence, the Mopar-designed kit includes a…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “Lloyd knew that Citroen had to rediscover itself. He took inspiration from an earlier concept created under his direction” ASK any senior exec within the car industry to name the biggest problem any brand can face and they’ll probably mention overcapacity, residual values, expensive platforms – and lack of direction. Car companies need to know where they’re going and what they stand for, because we, the consumers, demand it. A listless badge that doesn’t mean anything simply won’t cut the mustard on the purchase that probably says more about us than almost any other buy. For the latest instalment in our Concept to Reality series, we’re looking at a vehicle that redefined the ambitions and resharpened the focus of one of the most charismatic car brands in the…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.9 seconds/155mph Running costs 31.4mpg (official) £64 fill-up SIX years ago, when current Audi design chief Marc Lichte joined the company, the brand was putting the finishing touches to what were about to become the new A4 saloon and A5 Coupé. Lichte never got to influence the styling of those cars, but both models have now been facelifted – and this new RS 5 flagship completes the round of updates to Audi’s small executive line-up. The facelift follows a template set out by the recently revised RS 4 Avant. Up front, the RS 5 has a sportier profile than the more practical hot estate, but the grille is a wider, flatter, single-frame unit that gains a trio of air intakes beneath the bonnet. The intakes on either…

Expert insight Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk THIS year will see unprecedented demand for new electrified cars. A perfect storm of factors will see more buyers switching to a model with a plug, away from traditionally fuelled vehicles. Most importantly, there’s the environmental factor: our driving habits are affecting the planet in a big way, and lots of us have realised that we need to make changes. Then there’s the availability of new cars, since plenty of makers now offer plug-in models to help meet lower CO2 targets, whether it’s full EVs or plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Finally, tax changes will encourage fleet drivers into these models, with big savings to be made financially. With that in mind, this week we’re taking a look at the best plug-in hybrids, because they’re a stepping stone towards…

NEW Renault Captur E-Tech THE new Captur has already impressed with petrol power, so we’re looking forward to the plug-in E-Tech model. It’ll be one of few small SUVs available with plug-in power when it arrives later this year. The battery allows for a 30-mile electric range, which is par for the course. But if the PHEV retains the normal Captur’s comfortable ride and great value for money while adding extra efficiency, then it’s sure to be a hit. NEW Volkswagen Golf GTE Mk8 THE new eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf is now on sale, but Coronavirus restrictions mean we’ve not tried it in the UK yet. A GTE variant will join the range with plug-in hybrid power, using a similar set-up to the Skoda Superb iV in our list (Page 39),…

Darren_Wilson@dennis.co.uk Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 313/1,052 litres Performance 0-62 mph/top speed 7.9 seconds/112mph “Having the excuse to drive my new grandson back from hospital was an absolute blessing” IN the current climate, looking for an excuse to drive may be understandable but irresponsible. As with everyone else, my journeys have been limited to the occasional food drops and essential shopping trips. However, with my eldest son George about to become a young first-time father, there was nothing to stop us preparing for the latest Wilson addition by ‘baby testing’ our Toyota Corolla outside at home. It’s a good job we did, too, since one of the first things we discovered was that the baby seat didn’t fit the rear Isofix mounts. It turns out that we need a separate base…

Classic auction lots go under hammer online SILVERSTONE Auctions will hold a live online sale on May 23. Conceived as a way to sell within current government guidelines, consigned lots are kept in a secure storage facility where they can be viewed by appointment only. Bidding takes place via online partners or phone. Highlights include a 1968 Ford GT40, created by a Ford engineer from his own collection of original spare parts, as well as a 1982 Ferrari 512 BBi (above) with just 20,964 miles on the clock. For more info, visit www.silverstoneauctions.com. Almost a third of EV users still charging ELECTRIC car app Zap-Map has released data on how public charging networks hare being used during the lockdown. It found 29 per cent of EV drivers are using the network…

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off “The car beats every other mode of travel in terms of effective, potentially life-saving social-distancing capabilities” I RARELY send letters to The Government. But last week I felt obliged to write to a couple of senior, influential folk I know in the corridors of power. Why? Because, during this wretched health crisis, they have a partial answer to the social-distancing dilemma staring them in the face. Trouble is, they don’t know it. Or at least they didn’t before I dropped them a line. My letter-writing day started when I accepted an invitation to speak on national radio about the difficulties of social distancing when the lockdown is eased, and when the population resumes travelling to workplaces and schools, for example. So let’s…

THE UK’s new-car market contracted by 97.3 per cent in April as the coronavirus lockdown shut dealerships, and registrations fell to levels not seen since 1946. Just 4,321 new cars were registered last month, compared to 161,064 in April 2019. Most of these were sold to key workers and front-line public service providers, while the total number of cars registered last month was lower than the amount of Ford Fiestas that found homes in April 2019. Last month’s figures brought with them further anomalies. New car registrations were so depressed that, in a reversal of normal trends, a van was the UK’s best-selling vehicle. Sales data showed that the Mercedes Sprinter outsold the best-selling car. The Tesla Model 3 was the UK’s most popular new car, with 658 registrations, achieved…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson LAMBORGHINI has broadened its line-up of driver-focused models with this, the Huracán EVO RWD Spyder. As the name suggests, the newcomer is a rear wheel-drive version of the drop-top Huracán, and it’s priced at £188,800. It features a range of powertrain and chassis tweaks so that the focus is on driver engagement rather than outright speed. It’s powered by the same naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 as the standard car, but develops 610bhp, with 560Nm of torque – a reduction of 20bhp and 40Nm – to compensate for the lack of four-wheel drive. As a result, Lamborghini says the new RWD Spyder is 0.6 seconds slower from 0-62mph than the standard car, with a time of 3.5 seconds. However, thanks to the loss of a propshaft and front diff,…

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 Problems with makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls DVSA: 0300 123 9000…

Stuart_Milne@dennis.co.uk @stuartjmilne Running costs 52.3mpg (official) £49 fill-up FOR all the talk of electrification, diesel is still big news in the UK market – and not only in terms of mpg, either. It’s a mark of how far things have come that this, the Mercedes A 220 d, offers up not only a claimed 50mpg-plus, but also performance that’s not far from hot-hatch territory. That final point was maybe a deciding factor in the brand offering the A 220 d only in AMG Line and related trims. It gives a warm-hatch look and feel, providing decent comfort and as much performance as most drivers really need. In fact, the A 220 d’s seven-second 0-62mph time is the second quickest in the range – plug-in hybrid and proper AMG versions aside.…

How to make sure you get the right Plug-in As with any car-buying decision, budget has a big bearing when buying a PHEV. We’ve picked out three-year leasing deals here, reflecting how a lot of people purchase these days, but whether you’re leasing, buying on PCP finance, or outright with cash, on the whole PHEVs are more expensive than their petrol or diesel equivalents, and there’s no government grant for PHEVs any more. Higher prices are offset by lower running costs, but we can’t stress enough that this totally depends on how you use the car. Topping up a 14kWh battery (around average size for a PHEV) from home on a typical electricity tariff will cost around £1.80, which is great for getting to work and back. Yet if you…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk Q Giving Draper a Polar Blast I WANT to use my Draper pressure washer with an Autoglym Polar Blaster after reading your story (Issue 1,621). I asked Autoglym if it would fit my washer, which has the fitting above, but I was advised to contact Draper. Can you help? Bob Tennant, E-mail A THIS looks like a lance connection. The Blaster fits where the end lance section connects – probably at the other end from this picture. Draper may know if its connection is the same as another brand’s, or if an adaptor will let it be used with accessories from the likes of Kärcher. Q Ease my non-starting worry MY car hasn’t moved since lockdown started, and I’m worried it won’t start or its tyres will have…

Dear Luke, I’m looking for a capable family estate car for a budget of around £10,000. What do you recommend? Guy Hughes Contact: Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk ● THE PRACTICAL CHOICE Skoda Octavia Estate FOR: Great practicality, efficient, good equipment AGAINST: Conservative design, some cheap cabin plastics IF you’re after a practical family estate, the Skoda Octavia is the go-to choice, because it has all the bases covered. It’s spacious, well equipped, comfortable, fuel-efficient and, if you can find a range-topping vRS model, quick enough to worry most hot hatchbacks. There are plenty late-model third-generation Octavia Estates for sale for £10k. We found a 2017 109bhp 1.6-litre diesel SE Technology, with 68,000 miles, for £9,000. If you’re happy sacrificing age for performance, the same money bags a 2014 diesel vRS with 55,500 miles.…