Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2018 i What Car?

‘These days, every car is pretty dependable, right? Sadly not’ There was a time when reliability was a major consideration for anyone deciding which new car to buy, but these days everything is pretty dependable, right? Sadly not. The results of the 2018 What Car? Reliability Survey show that the gap between the best and worst performers is as big – if not bigger – than ever, with some models suffering no faults while others have a 50% failure rate. This is based on the experiences of thousands of readers who own a car that’s between one and four years old. Plus, our scores aren’t just based on the number of faults, but also the cost of repairs and the time it takes to make them. In short, our 2018…

‘The mild hybrid’s flexible nature and refined manners make it a great fit’ HANG UP THE bunting, bring out the cake and get ready to sing: the Kia Sportage is celebrating a big birthday in 2018 as it hits the ripe old age of 25. Now in its fourth generation, it’s a far cry from the rough-and-ready 4x4 that first appeared back in 1993. But with new SUVs seemingly being launched or updated on a near-weekly basis, the best present Kia could give its best seller would be a facelift, some fancy new tech and a few updates to improve efficiency. And you know what? With the predictability of England failing to reach the World Cup final (too soon?), that’s exactly what the Sportage has received. Although the petrol engines…

YOU KNOW WHERE you stand with the word ‘plus’. If you find it in an equation, or see it slapped across an advertising slogan, you’ll know that you’re ending up with more. Well, after a slight rejigging of the Superb’s line-up, Skoda has introduced this new trim: Sportline Plus. In addition to the extra kit you get with Sportline trim (which includes supportive Alcantara-trimmed sports front seats with electric adjustment for the driver), the Sportline Plus’s front seats are heated, the infotainment screen is upgraded to 9.2in and you get blindspot monitors, a different steering set-up and an electric tailgate for around £2000 extra. None of these extras is essential, though; in fact, we prefer the 8.0in infotainment system found in cheaper versions, because its physical shortcut buttons make it…

‘Despite being about 300kg heavier than the SDV6, the P400e still handles tidily’ WATER AND ELECTRICITY: two things that mix like Arthur Scargill and Margaret Thatcher on a wet weekend in Merthyr Tydfil. So, given that the Range Rover Sport is capable of traversing all things moist, from a boggy paddock to a small river, this new P400e model, with its plug-in petrol-electric powertrain, might seem a little incongruous at first. Yet it makes perfect sense. Naturally, Range Rover has sealed the batteries out of harm’s way, from where they’re claimed to power the P400e’s 114bhp electric motor for up to 31 miles of electric-only running. Although the real-world range will be nearer 20 miles, this alludes to cheap motoring if you regularly make short trips within a 10-mile radius…

THE MPV WAS the original ‘vehicle for every occasion’ before the SUV got in on the act; essentially, these cars are designed to transport a family and/or as much stuff as possible. So, what better basis for one than a small van? The Citroën Berlingo was a real trailblazer in the class when it introduced this concept 20 years ago, offering a simple, practical and very roomy package for a reasonable price. Imitators followed, including the Ford Tourneo Connect, but the Berlingo remained one of the best. However, regular MPVs, such as the Ford S-Max and Volkswagen Touran, represent stiffer competition, having a similarly practical focus yet being better to drive and more stylish. This new, third-generation Berlingo is said to be the most practical yet. Citroën points to 28…

Age 70 Job Commercial director Drives BMW 640i Gran Coupé “The old 6 Series is a brilliant car. I’ve had mine upgraded by [tuning firm] AC Schnitzer, with more power and lowered suspension, so I’m excited that the 8 Series is sportier and much more powerful than the 6 Series. “You can see this car is sportier from its design. The rear end looks great, and I can see shades of the Nissan GT-R supercar. However, while it would certainly go up against the Aston Martin DB11, I think the Porsche 911 is built for a different market. “I’d be going for the M850i petrol or M8 performance model [which is due late next year with a 600bhp twin-turbo V8]. I’m glad four-wheel drive is standard; I’ve tried another xDrive…

YOUR CAR IS likely to be your second-biggest monthly expense, surpassed only by mortgage or rent payments, so it’s vitally important that it’s dependable to ensure you don’t end up regularly shelling out extra money to get it fixed. Reliability is therefore a priority for most car buyers. In fact, it’s also a reason cited by many for buying a new car rather a cheaper second-hand model. However, buying new, or nearly new with some of the warranty still remaining, is no guarantee that you’ll get trouble-free motoring.Around 30% of owners of cars less than four years old who filled out our 2018 Reliability Survey told us their car had suffered at least one fault in the past 12 months. Most cars come with at least three years’ warranty (and…

The Three Peaks Challenge is one of the UK’s toughest outdoor tests, requiring you to scale the highest mountains of Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon) in under 24 hours. Alongside 23 miles of walking and 3,064m ascents, there’s 462 miles of driving to be done. But, as Nissan proved recently, the 100% electric New Nissan LEAF is easily up to the task. Thanks to the New LEAF’s larger 40kWh battery – with between 168 and 242 miles of range (WLTP Combined and City Cycle) – and a well developed UK infrastructure of 4,600 rapid chargers, Nissan’s team was easily capable of covering the distance between the three peaks in 24 hours, with charge left to spare. Clever energy-saving technology – such as an Eco driving mode…

Mileage 4632 List price £37,940 Target Price £37,940 Price as tested £43,585 Test economy 44.0mpg At the end of a long am-dram rehearsal, all I want to do is go home and sink into a vat of beer. So, you can imagine how I felt when the call went out for someone with a car to take the chairs home, closely followed by a shout of “Darren can take them; he’s got an SUV”. Still, I’ve got to admit, my X2 does indeed have a big boot for a car of its size.And with a standard electric tailgate, you can access that space while carrying your shopping – or two deceptively heavy chairs. After a bit of Tetris-style manoeuvring, I was able to fit them while leaving one of the…

Mileage 9355 List price £30,950 Target Price £30,233 Price as tested £31,720 Test economy 34.2mpg I’M GOING TO let you in on a secret. When you watch one of our video reviews on the What Car? website or YouTube, you’ll hear a good chunk of what video geeks like me refer to as ‘voiceover’ – speech recorded separately to help explain the images on screen, without filming the presenter on camera. In order to commit this to tape, we have to find the quietest place possible, because the sensitive microphones can pick up every squeak, raindrop and passing aircraft in glorious high definition. Luckily, car manufacturers tend to put a lot of effort into soundproofing their products’ interiors to eliminate road and wind noise at motorway speeds. This makes the…

LESS THAN £20,000 Skoda Fabia Estate Our pick 1.0 TSI 95 SE List price £15,520 Target Price £14,268 MPG 64.2 CO2 101g/km For It’s one of the roomiest small estates; SE trim adds air-con and a touchscreen. Against Costs more than the hatchback and seats could do with more support. WHAT CAR? SAYS Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Our pick 1.4T 16v 125 Design List price £19,770 Target Price £18,074 MPG 47.9 CO2 136g/km For There’s plenty of room and you get air-con, Bluetooth and auto headlights as standard. Against This is the least powerful engine in the range and the boot isn’t that flexible. WHAT CAR? SAYS Dacia Logan MCV Our pick 0.9 TCe Lauréate List price £11,115 Target Price £11,012 MPG 57.6 CO2 109g/km For Lots of space, low…

THE BMW 3 SERIES has traditionally been the default choice for keen drivers in the executive saloon market, thanks to its combination of strong engines and engaging handling. However, it has been usurped on that front in recent years by dynamic new rivals such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Jaguar XE, while the more well-rounded Audi A4 has cemented itself in the position of class leader. In an effort to reassert its old dominance of the sporting executive saloon landscape and come back against the bigger-selling A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, this new, seventh-generation 3 Series is a little bit larger, lighter, stronger and safer than the outgoing model, moving onto the same basic underpinnings as those of the larger 5 Series and 7 Series saloons. It’ll have a more…

DESIGNER COCO CHANEL once said that fashion passes, whereas style remains, and the enduring appeal of the Range Rover Evoque suggests she had a point. Even after seven years on sale, this small prestige SUV continues to look fresh and sell in huge numbers, with more than 100,000 snapped up last year alone. So it’s hardly surprising that its replacement is set to have an evolutionary rather than revolutionary design. This second-generation car is based on a stiffer version of the current Evoque’s chassis, making it easier for Land Rover to tune the suspension. In particular, it is aiming to improve ride comfort, while a sleeker design has the potential to reduce wind noise at speed. The engine line-up is new.The 2019 Evoque gets much cleaner 2.0-litre petrol and diesel…

IF YOU NEED some black-and-white evidence for the fuel preference of most buyers in the small car market, here it is: of the 19 different variants that make up the Volkswagen Polo range, only three are diesel. But while we’d usually recommend petrol power in this class, high-mileage buyers might see sense in the lower fuel bills you can expect from a diesel version of one of our favourite small cars. The 1.6-litre engine is offered in two power outputs: 79bhp or 94bhp. That difference might not sound much, but it means the 94bhp version can cover the 0-62mph dash almost two seconds quicker than its sibling. It’s noticeably perkier than the 79bhp model, although it still feels a bit flat at low revs. It easily cruises through motorway journeys,…

THERE ARE CERTAIN concept car clichés which tell you you’re looking at a vehicle that will never go into production, and Vauxhall’s new GT X Experimental has the lot. Cameras instead of door mirrors: check. Rearward-opening rear doors: yep. Wheels that literally try to reinvent the wheel: present and correct. However, the fact that the GT X won’t ever see the inside of a showroom doesn’t mean it’s unimportant, because in addition to the standard car designer daydreaming, this electric small SUV previews Vauxhall’s new family face. Named Visor and apparently inspired by the eye slot of a crash helmet, it has a front grille that stretches the full width of the car, with the headlights incorporated within. Those who remember the Pontiac Trans Am driven by Burt Reynolds in…

NOW MIGHT NOT seem like the ideal time to buy a convertible, especially if our scorching summer turns into another snowy winter. But Mercedes-Benz might be able to tempt you, because, along with the rest of the C-Class range, it has just updated the Cabriolet, with new engines and fancy new technology inside. Power outputs range from a mild 154bhp right up to a wild 503bhp, but for many, the entry-level diesel model, the C220d, will be the best choice. It’s the cheapest currently offered with four-wheel drive (useful if your commute starts to look like the Trans-Siberian Highway), while its new 191bhp 2.0-litre engine gets it up to speed briskly enough and develops plenty of power at low revs. In contrast to the 2.1-litre unit of the outgoing C220d,…

Age 65 Job Retired Drives BMW 640d Gran Coupé “The 6 Series was one of BMW’s prettiest cars, and the 8 Series is a development of that. It has a sportier design, with a more aggressively styled grille and bolder haunches at the back. “The M850i’s huge power is very impressive, but I’d stick with the 840d, because I really like the diesel engine in my 6 Series; it’s powerful and smooth and works well with the automatic gearbox. So I expect that of the 8 Series. “Perhaps it’s an age thing, but I hope that BMW has prioritised ride comfort over handling – although I still want the car to be more agile than average. “The 8 Series is very comfy inside; the front seats aren’t cramped at all.…

Touareg’s air-con has twice stopped working Last July I realised that the air conditioning in my 2015 Volkswagen Touareg wasn’t cooling the inside of the car, so I took the car to my local dealer in St Andrews to investigate. Under warranty, the dealer ran a diagnosis and reported that the air-con unit was empty of gas.They filled it up and everything seemed fine. But during the recent spell of hot weather, I switched on the air-con and no cold air came out of it, so I took the car back to the same dealership to have it checked again. The dealer reported that they’d heard a hiss while refilling the air-con unit, suggesting a leak.They said that because two of the three hoses sat under the engine, it could…

Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost 125 Titanium X List price £22,820 Target Price £21,240 A new generation of the car that’s always been touted as the best-handling in its class. Kia Ceed 1.4 T-GDi 138 3 List price £21,505 Target Price £20,679 Kia claims an improved drive, higher quality and more interior space for its new hatch. Skoda Octavia 1.5 TSI 150 SE L List price £22,460 Target Price £20,457 Definitely not a new model, but the one to beat, because it keeps on ticking all the boxes.…

The Skoda Karoq may not be the most exciting car in the world, but it’s one of the very best family SUVs you can buy. It’s practical, good to drive and generously equipped, and given that it’s also the cheapest option, both to buy and to own, the Karoq is the clear winner in this comparison test. In second place is the Peugeot 3008. It has a wonderful interior that feels like it’s from the class above, is affordable to run and is supremely practical (as long as you don’t tick the box for the optional panoramic roof). Indeed, the 3008 is only really let down by a lukewarm driving experience. Bringing up the rear is the facelifted Hyundai Tucson.Yes, it’s well equipped and has the strongest engine of our…

Mileage 829 List price £32,890 (before £4500 grant) Target Price £27,405 Price as tested £34,555 Test range 140 miles ultra-low-emissions vehicles, so it’s going to be well out of reach for most motorists. That’s why the introduction of a new Nissan Leaf at the beginning of this year is very nearly as significant as that of the I-Pace. This battery-powered family hatchback can be had for as little as £25,190, thanks to the grant, making it much more attainable. The original Leaf was a pioneer, kicking off the modern era of EVs in 2011 and going on to become the best-selling car of its kind. However, this second-generation model is a useful step forward in every way. Among other things, it has more power and performance, HAS THE TIME come…

Mileage 5200 List price £39,905 Target Price na Price as tested £39,905 Test economy 38.2mpg The Le Mans Classic motor race was held in July, and my XC40 was drafted in as a support car. Not for the actual race, I hasten to add, but for the classic cars driven down there by colleagues from What Car? sister brand PistonHeads. Just over 750 miles and three days later, they returned raving about how comfortable and stable the XC40 had been, and how useful it was to have digital instruments that could be reconfigured from mph to km/h when driving in France. The only thing that disappointed was the fuel economy; the XC40 averaged just 38.2mpg, even though they spent most of the time cruising at a respectable 100km/h (or 62mph…

In production 2013-present Price from £33,000 Our favourite 3.0 SDV6 HSE THE RANGE ROVER SPORT was conceived to be a more athletic and less expensive version of the stately full-fat model. But that original Sport never quite measured up, due to the humble Land Rover Discovery chassis on which it was based. This second-generation version, however, has the same underpinnings as the flagship Range Rover, so it’s much more the real deal. Initially, the entry-level engine was a 3.0-litre diesel (TDV6), but it was replaced last year by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit. Other diesel options are a more potent 3.0-litre SDV6 and a 4.4-litre V8. The petrol engine line-up consists of 5.0-litre V8s in two power outputs and, also added last year, a 3.0-litre V6. There are four trim levels…

LESS THAN £26,000 Skoda Superb Our pick 2.0 TDI 150 SE Technology List price £24,210 Target Price £23,042 MPG 65.7 CO2 112g/km For Masses of standard kit, lots of rear leg and boot space, comfortable ride. Against Some other executive cars are more fun to drive and the engine is a little gruff. WHAT CAR? SAYS Volkswagen Passat Our pick 2.0 TDI 150 S List price £25,295 Target Price £20,071 MPG 67.3 CO2 109g/km For Drives well, with a good ride and refined diesel engine, while the interior is smart. Against Some rivals are more practical and the dashboard design is a bit dull. WHAT CAR? SAYS Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport Our pick 1.6 Turbo D Ecotec 110 Tech Line List price £22,745 Target Price £21,874 MPG 70.6 CO2 105g/km…

LESS THAN £16,000 Suzuki Vitara Our pick 1.6 SZ4 List price £15,999 Target Price £15,272 MPG 53.3 CO2 123g/km For Good to drive and practical interior. SZ4 trim brings enough equipment. Against CO2 emissions are comparatively high and resale values are only average. WHAT CAR? SAYS Kia Soul Our pick 1.6 GDI 1 List price £14,725 Target Price £14,149 MPG 43.5 CO2 152g/km For Spacious interior, decent to drive and 1 trim gives you air-con and a DAB radio.. Against Ride is overly firm; steering gives no indication as to what the front tyres are doing. WHAT CAR? SAYS Suzuki Ignis Our pick 1.2 SHVS SZ5 List price £14,509 Target Price £12,301 MPG 65.7 True MPG 59.6 CO2 97g/km For Excellent real-world economy, it’s fun to drive and you get…

LESS THAN £30,000 Renault Zoe Our pick Q90 ZE40 Dynamique Nav List price £23,670 Target Price £15,170 Official range 230 miles CO2 0g/km For Very low running costs; quiet and easy to drive; longer range than most electric cars. Against So-so performance; brakes are inconsistent in feel; interior isn’t exactly plush. WHAT CAR? SAYS Hyundai Ioniq Our pick Electric Premium List price £29,845 Target Price £23,958 Official range 174 miles CO2 0g/km For Quick off the line; easy to drive around town; spacious and well-equipped interior. Against Battery pack robs boot space and rivals are better to drive. WHAT CAR? SAYS Volkswagen e-Up Our pick e-Up List price £25,640 Target Price £20,328 Official range 99 miles CO2 0g/km For Great to drive; well equipped; easy to manoeuvre and park in…

LESS THAN £22,000 Ford Fiesta ST Our pick ST-2 Performance Pack 3dr List price £20,845 Target Price £19,817 MPG 47.1 CO2 136g/km For Strong, characterful engine combined with engaging handling makes the ST fun at all speeds. Against It’s easily upset by bumps and the interior feels a bit low rent. WHAT CAR? SAYS Volkswagen Up GTI Our pick 1.0 115 3dr List price £14,055 Target Price £13,425 MPG 58.9 CO2 110g/km For Pretty nippy and handles well; relatively practical; cheaper to buy than its rivals. Against Could be more exciting; intrusive traction control; contrived engine noise. WHAT CAR? SAYS Suzuki Swift Sport Our pick 1.4 Boosterjet List price £17,999 Target Price £17,999 MPG 50.4 CO2 125g/km For You get plenty of equipment as standard, plus it’s relatively quick and…

LESS THAN £50,000 Alpine A110 Our pick 1.8 Pure List price £46,905 Target Price £46,905 MPG 46.3 CO2 138g/km For Grin-inducing handling is unmatched at this price level; surprisingly cheap to run. Against Limited luggage space and the infotainment system is only average. WHAT CAR? SAYS Porsche 718 Cayman Our pick 2.0 List price £43,467 Target Price £43,467 MPG 38.2 CO2 168g/km For Balletic handling, sublime steering and gearshift, as well as strong pace. Against Stingy levels of standard equipment and the engine doesn’t sound special enough. WHAT CAR? SAYS Porsche 718 Boxster Our pick 2.0 List price £45,328 Target Price £45,328 MPG 38.2 CO2 168g/km For All the stuff we love about the Cayman but with added sunshine. Against Kit levels are just as sparse as in the Cayman,…

ALTHOUGH IT HAS been on sale since 2014, the Porsche Macan is still something of an enigma among its luxury SUV brethren, because while it offers much of the practicality and everyday family-friendliness you’d expect from a car in this class, it also puts driver enjoyment firmly at the top of its to-do list. Key rivals such as the Audi Q5 may be able to transport you in greater comfort, but the Macan will leave you with a bigger smile on your face. For this mid-life facelift, however, Porsche has made minor adjustments to the car’s underpinnings in an effort to improve comfort without sacrificing agility. At the same time, LED headlights are now standard and there’s a new, full-width taillight strip.The front and rear bumpers have also been redesigned…

ONE MAN’S TRASH is another man’s treasure, or so the saying goes.While small saloons have never been a popular choice among British car buyers, they’re big business in the Far East, especially China. So, despite slow sales, it’s easy to see why Mercedes is following in Audi’s footsteps by introducing a saloon version of its latest A-Class family hatchback. Just as Audi did with the A3 Saloon in 2014, the A-Class Saloon aims to offer the look and feel of Mercedes’ larger saloon models in a package that costs a whole lot less. The A-Class Saloon was first shown in concept form at the Shanghai motor show last year, and while this production version is somewhat toned down from the concept, it still sports the kind of svelte yet aggressive…

IF YOU AREN’T feeling adventurous and want to play it safe at an Indian restaurant, chances are you’ll order a chicken korma. Well, Skoda has gone full korma in its approach to facelifting its third-generation Fabia. In fact, it has not only ordered a korma but also emphasised to the waiter that it really doesn’t like spicy food. Yes, you would have to be a dedicated, anorak-wearing Skoda aficionado to notice the difference in the front end design of this updated small car. But looking at the line-up on paper, there are some more notable changes. All models come with LED daytime running lights as standard, while full LED headlights are a new (and pricey) £960 option, along with automatic high beams at a more palatable £90. Although automatic emergency…

EVER SINCE MG came under Chinese ownership in 2005, each new model that has rolled out of its factory gates has struggled to make an impact. For example, the 3, first released in 2013, was arguably the most crucial model for MG to get right, because success in the hugely competitive small car sector often demonstrates that a manufacturer is ready to enter the big leagues. But sadly, it never even got off the bench. With a sluggish engine, a cheap-feeling interior and only a three-star Euro NCAP safety rating, it was no match for the cheaper Dacia Sandero nor the pricier Skoda Fabia. Now, MG has attempted to put that right with a comprehensive update. The 3’s entire interior has been redesigned, with features and styling cues borrowed from…

YES, WE KNOW the title of this magazine is What Car? and not What Truck?, but pickups such as the Volkswagen Amarok are more popular than ever nowadays, despite the decline in diesel sales. And it isn’t just tradespeople who gravitate to them; attractive benefit-in-kind tax rates can make these light commercial vehicles (LCVs) far cheaper to run than an SUV for company car buyers, too. Keen to attract those who are unlikely to be towing regularly or scaling mountains, Volkswagen has introduced a new entry-level Amarok. Given that it makes 161bhp, you might expect to see a typical 2.0-litre diesel engine under the bonnet. But that isn’t the case. Instead, there’s a 3.0-litre V6 diesel, just like with its pricier siblings. While this unit isn’t as refined as when…

BMW DESCRIBES ITS new range-topping model, the 8 Series, as a luxury sports car. It has backed that up by offering it with a 533bhp petrol V8 while lining it with fine leather and the latest tech, including the new version of its iDrive infotainment system on a 10.3in touchscreen. But while the £100k M850i model is nearly as powerful as the Porsche 911 Turbo, it’s much larger, at 4.8 metres long, and heftier, at 1905kg. It’s thus more of a grand tourer, like the 6 Series it replaces. So, rivals range from the 911 to the Aston Martin DB11 and Mercedes S-Class Coupé. As for the £76k, 315bhp diesel 840d, its nearest two-door rival is the petrol-electric hybrid version of the Lexus LC. Ahead of the 8 Series’ November…

Age 27 Job IT infrastructure manager Drives Audi TT ‘The driving position is great and the seat is comfy and supportive’ “I’m looking for a larger coupé to replace my TT, because I do quite a lot of motorway miles for work. “I’ve had a look at the Audi A5 and Mercedes E-Class Coupé, but the 8 Series is stunning; it’s much more aggressive and sportier than the old 6 Series. “That said, I imagine it will still be a very good cruiser. Even the diesel, which I’d go for, has a 315bhp six-cylinder engine. “The driving position is great, with good adjustment, and the seats are comfy and supportive. I also like the fact that all the key areas, including the dashboard, are covered in leather. There isn’t a…

TWO CARS CLAIM the top spot in this year’s reliability survey: the petrol Toyota Yaris and the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross. Both received perfect scores, with owners telling us their cars didn’t have a single fault in the previous 12 months. Not far behind is the UK’s best-selling electric car, the Nissan Leaf, followed by the Toyota RAV4 and Volvo V60; all three of these models achieved a fantastic rating of more than 99%. The SX4 S-Cross’s excellence helped Suzuki to be the top brand for reliability among cars up to four years old, triumphing over Toyota, whose cars have long had a reputation for durability. Suzuki stays in the top five for the reliability of its older cars, too. However, the most dependable brand for long-term ownership is Lexus, whose…

Check if a vehicle has been recalled gov.uk/check-if-a-vehicle-has-been-recalled New car, service, repair and warranty issues themotorombudsman.org Citizens Advice Bureau citizensadvice.org.uk Check a car has a valid MOT test certificate gov.uk/check-mot-status What Car? New Car Buying whatcar.com/new-car-deals Trading Standards nationaltradingstandards.co.uk Financial Conduct Authority fca.org.uk Check car crash safety ratings euroncap.com Motability motability.co.uk What Car? advice whatcar.com/advice…

It’s hard to believe that, after so many years, the Octavia keeps on winning. But, hey, it ticks more boxes than any rival, so it fully deserves the victory. It isn’t all that exciting to drive, but it’s smartly finished, massive inside, well equipped and nippy – all for a sensible price. The biggest surprise is that the new Focus competes so well with the Octavia on passenger space; it’s genuinely impressive. It’s a shame that boot space isn’t similarly competitive, but, as we mentioned, you can at least improve that aspect by choosing your options wisely.And there is now a real reason to buy a Focus over any other car in the class: it’s simply delightful to drive. The Ceed comes last but is by no means disgraced. It’s…

Mileage 543 List price £28,780 Target Price £26,967 Price as tested £29,885 Test economy 37.2mpg WHAT’S THE BEST seven-seat car? It’s a question we’re often asked, and one that has many different answers, depending on your budget and your preference on body style, SUVs and MPVs being the most popular. Peugeot’s response has been to combine the attributes of the two, turning its formerly MPV-like 5008 into an SUV. In effect, it’s a trick of styling, and the result is a surprisingly handsome exterior look, achieved without compromising interior space. That flair doesn’t end on the outside, either. After a while in the doldrums, Peugeot really has nailed interior design, combining practical touches, such as a decent touchscreen infotainment system and clear digital dashboard display, with well-placed controls and numerous…

Mileage 6627 List price £28,510 Target Price £27,245 Price as tested £29,060 Test economy 35.4mpg GETTING A LIFT to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in a Mercedes-Benz GLS that took an off-road route to avoid the on-road traffic jams recently inspired me to do a spot of green laning in the XV. There aren’t many legal routes left for 4x4 drivers, but I’m lucky to live near the North Downs on the Kent/Surrey border, where there are still a few good stretches. And I knew the XV would be the ideal tool for the job because, unlike many modern four-wheel-drive cars (which send drive to all four wheels only when the front ones begin to slip), the XV’s system is permanently engaged. For more control going up steeper slopes, I…

LESS THAN £21,000 Seat Ateca Our pick 1.0 TSI Ecomotive 115 S List price £20,825 Target Price £18,604 MPG 54.3 CO2 119g/km For Excellent handling, with a spacious interior, a smooth engine and good resale values. Against The ride might be a bit too firm for some and the interior looks a bit bland. WHAT CAR? SAYS Nissan Qashqai Our pick 1.2 DiG-T Visia List price £19,300 Target Price £19,300 MPG 50.4 CO2 129g/km For Practical and classy interior, comfortable ride, superb refinement and low running costs. Against Visia trim misses out on some goodies and the thick pillars limit visibility. WHAT CAR? SAYS Dacia Duster Our pick 1.6 SCe 115 Comfort List price £13,195 Target Price £13,072 MPG 43.4 CO2 139g/km For Roomy inside, reasonably comfortable and incredibly cheap…

LESS THAN £22,000 Kia Carens Our pick 1.6 GDi ISG 1 List price £19,505 Target Price £17,526 MPG 45.6 CO2 143g/km For Competitively priced, with seven seats, air-con, cruise control and Bluetooth as standard. Against Unsophisticated to drive, the engine is gutless and interior quality is poor. WHAT CAR? SAYS Citroën Berlingo Our pick 1.2 Puretech 110 Feel List price £19,070 Target Price TBC MPG 51.4 CO2 125g/km For Practical and relaxing to drive, thanks in part to strong engine choices. Against Wallowy handling, fiddly infotainment system and cheap-feeling plastics. WHAT CAR? SAYS Ford Tourneo Connect Our pick 1.5 TDCi 120 Zetec List price £19,865 Target Price £18,592 MPG 61.4 CO2 119g/km For Seriously cheap and masses of passenger space, sliding rear doors and a large boot. Against Poor infotainment,…