Innholdsfortegnelse for September 17, 2025 i Autocar

Renault will launch a range-topping performance version of the Megane E-Tech next year as part of a radical styling makeover that will reposition the EV as a hot hatch. The move is motivated by a desire to revive the Megane E-Tech’s appeal and reverse a sharp fall in sales of the car over the past 18 months. Speaking at the Munich motor show, Renault brand CEO Fabrice Cambolive confirmed the Megane E-Tech will be repositioned as “a hot hatch or a hot car”, adding: “That’s the direction we want to go in.” He also told reporters that Renault is exploring the viability of a new performance model and will show the “first proposals” within 12 months. While he declined to give further details, the two are expected to be linked.…

Smart is readying a successor to the Forfour four years after the model went out of production as part of a major model shake-up. The new four-seat city car will cap a huge overhaul of the Mercedes- and Geely-owned brand’s line-up, which will include the launch of the recently announced #2 city car next year, along with major updates to the #1 crossover and #3 coupé-crossover. They will join the #5 SUV flagship, deliveries of which are set to begin in the coming months. Revealed to be in the works by Smart’s European CEO Dirk Adelmann at the Munich motor show, the new Forfour, which will take the #4 name, will be designed and engineered for Europe and twinned with the incoming #2, itself a successor to the popular Fortwo.…

BMW boss Oliver Zipse has called for a radical overhaul of the European regulations that will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035. Zipse said the decision to focus CO2 reduction purely on tailpipe emissions, rather than looking at the whole life-cycle emissions of a manufacturer, risks distorting the market. If the regulations stay as they are, he warned that Europe’s car industry “will halve in size”. He added: “We have the current system only because it’s easy to explain to the public. If you leave the current system, this industry will halve in size. That’s a big consequence.” Zipse said BMW has developed its own proposal to replace the electric-only approach with a “technology-open approach” that measures overall emissions reductions by a company. “Everything counts…

IN THE QUEST to reduce weight, one area of a car’s structure that gets relatively little public attention is seating. As drivers and passengers, we probably take them for granted beyond how comfortable or not they might be. But if you’ve ever had to remove a seat from a car, you’ll know just how complex and heavy they are. Seat makers already employ lightweight steels and aluminium but we could soon see much more advanced methods of construction to save weight and greater use of sustainable materials. Last year, for instance, BMW revealed its M Visionary Materials seat, a project to explore the use of recycled and plant-based raw materials and bio-based leather alternatives. More on that in a moment. What we see on the outside of a seat is…

THE POLESTAR 6 electric roadster has been put on the back-burner by the company as part of plans to prioritise higher-volume models. Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller told Autocar at the Munich motor show the brand’s next priority is to get into Europe’s compact SUV segment with the 7 and it is also putting “a lot of energy into the topic” of the Polestar 2 successor. Lohscheller confirmed that it is still the brand’s intention to make the 6 in the future. The company has already said the 6 will use the same new architecture as the 5 sports at saloon, which was revealed the Munich show. But for now, he said, the focus will very much be on building volume in Europe, a market that is by far Polestar’s most…

100-PAGE BUMPER EDITION 25 FOR 25 SPECIAL ISSUE: 25 YEARS OF STARS As part of a broad celebration of motoring highlights over the past 25 years, we name the 25 standout cars that have defined this century FEATURE ALPINE A110, BMW i8 OR… NISSAN QASHQAI?! Autocar staff argue why their car is the top 21st-century game-changer INSIGHT 25 YEARS OF BREAKING NEWS Read all about it: how Autocar covered the biggest stories of the 2000s EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST POLESTAR 4 Coupé aero, SUV space, EV tech. And no rear window. Full verdict USED GUIDE ASTON MARTIN DB11 Landmark Aston has a 600bhp V12 and is now less than half price…

We really like the Civic here at Autocar, but it has quietly become one of Honda’s weakest sellers over the past few years. This is especially true in the UK, where Honda has sold just 4000 Civics since the start of 2024, compared with almost 13,000 Jazzes. Since the 11th-generation Civic arrived in 2021, a wave of new SUVs have hit the market at a similar price but with more space inside and that much sought-after higher seating position, which helps to explain the hatch’s downturn. Now it has received a mid-life update – but it’s mostly a cosmetic one. Honda says the Civic has been refined in response to customer feedback, which has resulted in restyled front and rear bumpers and some new alloy wheel choices. The front foglights…

PORSCHE TAYCAN CROSS TURISMO (FROM £40K) We all know EVs can lose money almost as fast as they accelerate from a standstill. So why not buy once their depreciation is in full swing? The Taycan has become an unfortunate emblem for falling EV values, but who isn’t tempted by a 469bhp, AWD wagon for little more than an Aceman JCW? FORD MUSTANG MACH-E (FROM £17K) Ford’s first electric SUV takes an even larger hammer to badge heritage than the dinkier Puma. But there’s lots to like here, with performance to spare and proper practicality. Extended Range cars bring another 21kWh of battery for very little premium; the sportier 480bhp GT starts at £32k. JAGUAR I-PACE (FROM £10K) Yes, 10 grand. For those of us who are cautiously optimistic about Jaguar’s…

MILEAGE 4658 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Is this version good enough to be the performance X3? ‘Get you a girl who can do both’ is current internet slang for someone who possesses contrasting qualities. Perhaps somebody who has read Classics at Oxford but also knows how to weld. Anyway, I saw a video recently and couldn’t help thinking of the X3, because I’ve recently found that the BMW can indeed do both. And one more. Take that, TikTokers. This tale begins at 5.30am with a long day ahead. The BMW’s first job was to ferry me from home in east London to the Autocar office in west London. An unglamorous task, but one that was deftly executed by big comfy seats for my backside, huge mirrors for my eyes and…

CITROEN E-C3 Mileage 3678 Last seen 10.9.25 I didn’t like it at first, but the ë-C3’s steering wheel might just have won me over, thanks to its simple button layout. It lets me switch audio sources, adjust the volume and set the cruise control without any touchpad fiddling, which is a blessing. It gets bonus points for being heated – not that I’ve needed that feature this summer. JW SKODA ELROQ Mileage 2445 Last seen 10.9.25 I’ll tell you who’s not loving the Elroq: my parents. Because it’s so capacious and sensibly packaged, it’s the perfect vehicle for returning all the home furnishings they’ve lent me over the years, so their garage is quickly filling up with “junk we gave you for a reason”. The 470-litre boot’s low lip and…

NISSAN GT-R 3.8 V6 PREMIUM EDITION 2012, 21,000 miles, £49,925 The last ‘R35’ GT-R rolled off the line last month. This low-mileage example has a custom forged V6 with upgraded internals producing 1000bhp. It also has a full Litchfield dealership service history. NISSAN FIGARO 1991, 101,000 miles, £6750 This Figaro has been in the same family since 1999, when it was imported from Japan. It has an extensive service history with invoices for welding and rust repairs. The pictures justify the seller’s claims that the car is in “excellent condition”, and it has clearly been well maintained. NISSAN PULSAR GTI-R 2.0 1992, 34,000 miles, £39,950 With a 227bhp turbo 2.0-litre and four-wheel drive, the Pulsar was homologated for use in the WRC. The seller says this one has no signs…

Mercedes-Benz is preparing to expand its line-up from next year with the introduction of the electric-powered C-Class EQ. The all-new model, which will be twinned with the recently revealed GLC EQ, will sit alongside a facelifted version of the combustion-engined C-Class. The electric C-Class will be the main rival for BMW’s new electric 3 Series, the i3 (see p13), which is due on the market at around the same time and with comparable specifications. Like the GLC, the new C-Class will adopt the German brand’s new ‘Iconic Grille’ design that is being used as a differentiator between ICE and EV models as Mercedes moves away from the distinctive stylings of the first-generation EQ-badged electric models. Each model will sport its own bespoke interpretation of the grille, and Mercedes previewed the…

THE 2025 MUNICH motor show underlined the growing determination shown by Chinese car makers to establish themselves in Europe. Stellantis-backed Leapmotor led the charge by unveiling its B05 electric hatchback. As well as the B05, it confirmed European sales of its B10 electric SUV, which will be priced from €29,900 (£25,800). It confirmed that both EVs will come to the UK. Xpeng presented its updated 2025 line-up, headlined by a redesigned P7 saloon, the top version of which offers 795bhp and 510 miles of range (according to China’s generous CLTC energy consumption test cycle). Updated G6 and G9 SUVs were also shown alongside the X9 MPV. Changan’s Deepal S05 SUV was revealed with a €38,990 (£33,600) starting price; it will be offered with both electric and range-extender EV powertrains. GAC…

BMW has revealed the new electrically powered 3 Series for the first time and confirmed that it will arrive next year, badged i3. Revealed in camouflaged form at the launch of the new iX3 electric SUV last week, the car has evolved from the striking Vision Neue Klasse concept that was revealed in 2023. The saloon will use the same Gen6 platform as the bigger iX3, and it inherits its name from the seminal BMW i3 electric hatchback, which went out of production in 2022. Speaking in Munich, BMW chairman Oliver Zipse said: “It’s the first model variant of the new 3 Series generation.”…

NOT ONE BUT two new Chinese car brands will be launched in the UK this month: Chery and Changan. After rapid improvements in design, engineering, technology and branding by Chinese car companies, now comes the scale of their market-readiness. Chery and Changan have created not just cars but fully fledged car companies too. Both have built large physical dealer networks; set up parts supply chains and warehouses; and worked closely with CAP on residual values and with Thatcham on ensuring cars are easy to repair and therefore cheaper to insure. For Nic Thomas, UK boss of Changan, the risk is simply “what did I forget?”, given the level of preparation that has gone into Changan’s UK launch. At the start of 2024, it was just him “doing everything from negotiating…

I’m pleased to read that Jack Warrick has acquired a Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk7.5 (Our Cars, 20 August) and it has been trouble-free. This certainly has not applied to my Mk7, bought for £15,000 in February 2019 with 25,000 miles, now with 50,000. I took out a Volkswagen service plan and an all-component extended warranty plan, both of which have been maintained, so under my ownership it has a full service record. Just as well! The first problem occurred in February 2021, when the thermostat failed and had to be replaced along with the water pump as recommended at a cost of around £900, of which £816 was covered by the warranty. Then, in October 2022, the main beam headlights failed and, being bi-xenons, cost more than £400 to replace.…

The car industry has never been scrupulously fair. Very often something just has to lose out, follow on or play second fiddle, especially if there’s more money in it that way. So has it been for the new Micra. Nissan’s supermini has made the switch to a fully electric powertrain for its sixth generation, having never even been so much as a mild hybrid before. Nissan is claiming that this is something of an audacious move, intended to appeal to the younger clientele that it’s hoping to attract relative to that of the retro-chic Renault 5. It’s an idea that was met with scepticism by journalists at the car’s European press launch in Rotterdam last week. Because, as it might seem, at the very least, all Nissan has done here…

We’ve come to accept that CVTs moo, but assigning a farmyard animal to Renault’s Full Hybrid E-Tech system is quite hard. It can deliver a CVT-like moo from the chest, but it can also offer up something more gravelly, and on occasion it can be near silent. Basically, it isn’t the quietest or smoothest full hybrid system in the pen. But it is new. The engine has grown from 1.6 to 1.8 litres, making this Captur crossover more than a second quicker from 0-62mph than before, while the battery has grown from 1.3kWh to 1.4kWh for extra electriconly driving. Renault has also made a few software changes in response to complaints from owners and reviewers about noise, vibration, drivability and overall oddness. But they haven’t worked. This system uses one…

This is a fascinating time to spectate the car industry. Its constantly shifting sands feel equal parts enthralling and petrifying, as looming electrification targets put some of our favourite brands in danger – and others atop a new pedestal. Weave in the sporadic nature of the UK government’s EV grants, and even a fastidiously published weekly magazine must hang tightly to the coat-tails of the ever-evolving situation. A point sagely proven here. The day after photographing this trio (and the day before these words are typed), Ford trumpeted that its Puma Gen-E was the first car clean enough of conscience for the full, £3750 ‘Band 1’ UK car grant benefit – enough to buy a pretty tidy example of its turn-of-the-millennium badge forebear, the truly wonderful Puma 1.7 coupé… There…

Being at the wheel of RML’s single P39 prototype, as it stalks the outside lane of Millbrook’s high-speed bowl, is like filling up at a deserted forecourt at 3am: familiar but faintly unreal. The major controls and ergonomics are as per the 992.1 Porsche 911 Turbo S donor, which RML would prefer arrived for the four-week, half-a-million-pound conversion process with fewer than 10,000 miles on the odo. As such, if you’re confident driving even a sweet little Carrera, getting about in a GT Hypercar (P39 is the codename) should be a doddle. Or so you’d think. Underslung off the steering boss are four serious-looking rotary dials, some of which are angrily backlit in red. My view out of the rear window is also more compromised than that of any mad…

MILEAGE 1623 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if the latest hot PHEV Golf is truly a wallet-friendly alternative to the GTI I ’ve always loved science and experiments. From ad hoc bedroom lab tests as a child, a love of experimentation has branched into me being that guy who always fiddles with new things – especially cars. My dad gets anxiety when I go near his Audi A5 Cabriolet’s menu settings, and the same happened recently when my brother picked up his new Renault Clio (above) and dad was hovering: “Luke, be careful. He’s fiddling again!” This brings us to the Golf GTE. I’ve had a fiddle – quite an extensive one, given everything is controlled by the central touchscreen – in order to get the just car as I’d…

Compactness, efficiency and big value for money are all hallmarks of the Suzuki Ignis – and this quirky little hatchback goes several steps further than that, earning its SUV-esque styling by being a competent soft-roader with the option of four-wheel drive. When launched in 2017, the segment-blending Ignis cost just £9999 in its cheapest, front-wheel-drive form – and now you can pay as little as £4500 for one. Most examples at the cheaper end of the spectrum are powered by a naturally aspirated 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which makes 89bhp and 88lb ft of torque for a 0-60mph time of 11.1sec. These performance stats sound rather staid, but in the main the Ignis has more than enough poke and is untroubled when pushed hard. Sure, it takes its time to…

As a lad, Declan Lawrenson’s poster cars were Japanese: Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline, Mazda RX-7, Honda NSX… He hasn’t owned any of them yet but is planning to, one day. However, he does own a Mazda Eunos (the Japanese-spec Mk1 MX-5) and a Honda Integra Type R ‘DC5’, while his girlfriend has a Toyota GT86, which, he says, also feels like his: “She didn’t have a driving licence when she bought it, so I stepped in and helped her choose it. It was the least I could do.” What a gentleman. Of the cars he owns, the Integra is Declan’s favourite, but it is currently in the paint shop being resprayed. The Eunos is fun to drive, but Declan had been hankering after something more modern and powerful – and…

The UK arrival of AMG in the autumn of 1982 was low-key. Strattons of Wilmslow, Cheshire, became the sole concessionaire, and Autocar dedicated just 50 words to it, buried in the data section, soberly calling AMG “a German styling and tuning firm who produce customizing and performance modifications for Mercedes-Benz cars”. We had actually already had our first taste of Affalterbach that year: a 500 SEC from Duncan Hamilton & Co, a dealer in Bagshot, Surrey, that sold body and mechanical parts made by various German aftermarket firms, also including Rial (wheels) and Koni (suspension). With anodised chromework, body-coloured alloys, lowered and beefed-up suspension, side skirts, a chin spoiler and a bootlid spoiler (not to forget an AMG boot badge – £15), the big coupé looked “low, mean and purposeful”…

Ferrari has reprised a storied name with the arrival of the new 849 Testarossa, which replaces the SF90 Stradale and becomes the company’s most powerful series-production model to date. The new supercar makes 1035bhp – 49bhp more than its predecessor – and can reach 62mph from rest in 2.35sec on its way to “more than” 205mph. Deliveries of the coupé are due to begin in spring next year, with the spider variant arriving in the autumn. Along with its extra power, aerodynamics and chassis electronics innovations mean the 849 Testarossa can lap Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in 1min 17.5sec – 1.5sec quicker than the SF90 Stradale and just 0.2sec shy of the limited-series SF90 XX Stradale. The lap time was achieved with the help of the Assetto Fiorano package (see…

The incoming ‘baby’ Mercedes-Benz G-Class will sit on a bespoke ladder-frame platform, use “nearly all unique” parts and sport a design that “is even more modern than the current car”, bosses have said. The new SUV will arrive within the next two years and will be the entry point to what is planned to be a new range of models, with Mercedes turning the G-Class into a brand in its own right – in much the same way JLR has done with Range Rover. Speaking at the Munich show, Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius said test mules would be appearing on roads “very soon”. A new preview image of the incoming model’s rear end was also revealed. The ‘Mini G’ will be based on a unique architecture, confirmed tech boss Markus…

EUROPEAN COMMISSION president Ursula von der Leyen will work with automotive bosses to develop a new ‘E-car’ category of small, affordable models to help safeguard the industry. This initiative follows a proposal from Stellantis and Renault bosses for a less-regulated, cheaper and lower-emission small car class, inspired by Japan’s kei cars. At the Munich show, industry bosses urged action on the European Union’s 2035 ICE car ban, citing risks from Chinese rivals (see p13). Now, von der Leyen has given her support to the ‘E-car’ proposal, saying: “Millions of Europeans want to buy affordable European cars, so we should invest in small, affordable vehicles.” It isn’t yet clear which powertrain types the E-car class will permit, but von der Leyen said: “The future is electric, and Europe will be part…

The new BMW iX3 represents the start of the most ambitious product rollout in the firm’s history. It is the first of the new-generation Neue Klasse models and sits on a bespoke new EV platform, but it also features an advanced software system and HMI (human-machine interface) set-up, plus a new design language that will be swiftly rolled out across the company’s entire range, regardless of powertrain. BMW boss Oliver Zipse spoke to Autocar at the iX3’s unveiling to explain why the firm has gambled on such an ambitious plan. In the 1960s Neue Klasse was introduced to help turn around a company that was in crisis. That isn’t the case today, so why a new Neue Klasse? “The historic connotation does not refer to the overall company situation but…

To a person, the early arrivals at press day of the Munich motor show look busy and happy to be at an event billed all year as the greatest European motor exhibition for a decade, maybe longer. Veteran attendees talk about enjoying again the very smell of a genuine motor show. Not that this is like shows of old. Sure, it’s based in a classically huge (six-hall) exhibition centre, but other locations across the city have already hosted extravagant unveilings and displays, many involving dynamic demonstrations and lots of test driving. If you seek affirmation that car culture and a car industry still matters to at least one leading nation in Europe, here it is. However, you only need to take a few steps inside, and begin to eyeball the…

JLR could be losing up to £5 million a day in profit as it continues to suffer the consequences of a devastating cyber attack that shut down its operations on 1 September. The shutdown of car production in the British firm’s two factories in the UK as well as those in China, India and Slovakia means an average loss of 1000 cars a day, based on normalised production figures, according to David Bailey, professor of business economics at Birmingham Business School. That equates to a daily revenue loss of around £72 million, which, based on current profit margins, could severely impact the company’s earnings. “If output is suspended for much of September, then that could be a £150m profit hit for the firm,” said Bailey. “The longer the shutdown goes…

Skoda boss Klaus Zellmer says the production version of the Vision O estate concept will be offered primarily as an electric vehicle – but the firm “will explore all options” in terms of other powertrain choices if regulations allow. The new model is due to arrive early next decade, and while the Czech company has given no technical details and only referred to it as electrified, the production version will be the first Skoda to use the Volkswagen Group’s new SSP platform. This architecture has been designed to be highly versatile and the Volkswagen Group has confirmed that it will at least be able to accept a range-extender powertrain – as demonstrated by the Cupra Tindaya concept. Asked by Autocar why the firm showed the Vision O at least five…

 WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com BLAME GAME Perhaps Roger Grey (20 August) might consider that the decline of the British and European motor industry is more attributable to a lack of foresight and the misleading information on EVs disseminated by some car enthusiasts and right-wing sources, which has in turn deterred ordinary drivers, rather than the reporting on Chinese cars by Autocar. Dev Chakravarty Via email PEACE OFFERING So the latest Chinese car coming here is the Changan Deepal S07. Why do these cars always have stupid names? I appreciate that these names may not sound stupid in China, but even a marketing apprentice would point out that a simple name change in the UK market would make these cars more desirable. Some people definitely care about the name. Dan Rodwell Via…

The slew of Chinese cars being launched in the UK seems to be never-ending, but they’re usually electric crossovers, not diesel-engined pick-up trucks like Great Wall Motor’s new Poer 300 (pronounced ‘power’) here. It has been on sale since 2022 in Australia and New Zealand, where it’s known as the Cannon. While the Poer name is an odd choice for the UK, at least GWM didn’t call it Wingle, which appears on one of its other pick-ups in China. The Poer 300 expands GWM’s UK model range to three, following the Ora 03 electric hatchback (formerly known as the Ora Funky Cat) and Haval Jolion Pro hybrid crossover. It’s the first pick-up to be sold here by GWM since the Steed (2013-2016), which was cheap and practical but also terrible…

An electric G-Class? Why not. It’s an ambitious idea but Mercedes has an appetite for this sort of thing that its German rivals don’t quite yet seem to have shown. Recently the company set the 24-hour distance record for an EV, AMG’s GT XX prototype travelling at an average of 186mph and charging at 950kW to cover an eventual 3405 miles at Nardò. Not bad for a day’s work. In the EQS, the firm has also hastily produced what amounts to an electric S-Class, while the new CLA is now set to disrupt the junior executive EV class. Mercedes really does appear to treat electrification with a certain relish, so adapting the most backward-looking product it makes for a fossil-fuel-free future perhaps wasn’t the internal hard sell you would think…

ALPINE A290 Already an Autocar award winner and an utter charmer in its own right. Yep, a £32k starting price is still a leap over the 5 (another recipient of the £1500 cut), but its design is sufficiently unique and its performance notably keener. VAUXHALL FRONTERA ELECTRIC One of several Stellantis crossovers to net the £1500 grant, Frontera prices have dropped as low as £21,995 with extra Vauxhall discounts on top. It’s just what the Griffin needs to guard itself against hostile Chinese rivals. FORD E-TOURNEO COURIER The only other £3750 discountee (for now) drops below £30k to look very competitive against Stellantis rivals. A slice of shrunken Transit cool and rugged practicality amid an SUV swarm. CITROEN E-C4 Remember the C4? This quirky, crossover-esque hatchback brings hints of the…

Silver Shadow II Owner Gary Lloyd “I was having my car valeted when I saw this for sale in a corner of the yard. When I was 15 and New Faces, the TV talent show, was on, I worked at a hand car wash in Eastbourne. One of the show’s judges used to stay in the Grand Hotel and have his Shadow cleaned by us. My boss said that one day, if I worked hard enough, I’d have one myself. So when I saw this Shadow I bought it!” Silver Shadow Owner Alan Durham “Ten years ago, the pop artist BB Bango, aka Tim Bristow, bought this car and painted female characters on it. I bought it in January 2023. It reminds me of John Lennon’s psychedelic Rolls-Royce Phantom.” Silver…

“As a back-to-basics, reasonably brisk drive, it’s exceptionally refreshing” WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Because it might just be the most fun car you can drive at any speed Well this is joyous: a Morgan Super 3 has joined Autocar’s long-term fleet. The latest three-wheeler is the spiritual successor to the very first Morgans, which were three-wheeled runabouts, and a three-wheeled Mog, now in its second generation, has been back in the firm’s range since the idea was reprised in 2011. I’m to be custodian of this Super 3, which was recently picked up from Morgan’s swanky London showroom after a good handover and briefing about how it works. But first there was the added pleasure of deciding what it should look like. Morgan’s Super 3 configurator is one of those…

MILEAGE 2924 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if the clever design of this small EV can win us over in extended use In a previous report, I mentioned a slight gripe with the sensitivity of the Volvo EX30’s sensors and expressed hope they would be fixed in a future update. Since then, I’ve had a few emails from readers slightly sceptical of a car in which the “driving experience is basically a software update”. There’s a lot more to the EX30 than that, so for this report I was determined to write not about its software but its driving dynamics. Except then a pop-up appeared on the touchscreen recently, informing me the extravagantly titled software update 1.6.4 was now available to download and install. So I had a scroll…

AN OWNER’S VIEW TAMSYN MURPHY “We needed a cheap second car, and I was immediately drawn to the Ignis, thanks to its compact size and roomy cabin. It handles well and is fun to drive; it has all the modern features you want, like smartphone mirroring; and it will do 50mpg most of the time. “So far I’ve only had to buy a new set of rear tyres, which cost £295, and I took out a three-year service plan with Suzuki, which I pay for monthly. If you’re looking for a small SUV that has plenty of character, it’s ideal.” BUYER BEWARE… ■ ENGINE The 1.2-litre Dualjet petrol engine is reliable, but be wary of high-milers that have been poorly maintained, as they can suffer from high oil consumption. ■…