Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i What Car?

BACK IN 1974, Ceefax represented the cutting edge of technology, Happy Days was the hit new television show and the closest thing to in-car infotainment was a cassette or eight-track player. In short, it was ever such a long time ago. And yet it was also the year in which the Volkswagen Golf went on sale – a model that has managed to remain relevant and hugely popular ever since by evolving with the times. That relevance and popularity is now under threat like never before, though, as family car buyers are faced with the triple temptation of premium-badged rivals, family SUVs and electric cars. Indeed,Volkswagen’s own ID 3, which was revealed a couple of months ago, is an electric family hatchback with the potential to steal sales from its…

IN THE SAME way that a handful of chillies might improve your favourite jalfrezi, this new Audi RS Q3 is aimed at those looking for some extra spice from their family SUV. Both the RS Q3 and its rakish RS Q3 Sportback sibling have more muscular bodywork than their standard siblings, including more aggressive front and rear bumpers, dual exhaust tips and flared wheel arches, and sit lower to the ground. Both versions sport LED headlights as standard, while more powerful carbon-ceramic brakes are optional. Under the bonnet is a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine developing 395bhp – 168bhp more than the next most powerful engine in the Q3 range – with a seven-speed automatic gearbox sending power to all four wheels. The RS Q3 can sprint from 0-62mph in…

Ford Fiesta Target Price From £14,735 Pick of the range 1.0 Ecoboost 125 ST-Line 5dr Britain’s favourite car is among the best in the class to drive, although there’s no hybrid option. It’s not the most practical, either, and rivals offer better value for money. Seat Ibiza Target Price From £13,561 Pick of the range 1.0 TSI 95 FR The Ibiza offers sporty handling as well as an impressive amount of space inside. It has a strong range of petrol engines, too, but there’s no electrified version. Volkswagen Polo Target Price From £14,940 Pick of the range 1.0 TSI 95 SE The Polo is classier inside than the Yaris and roomier in the rear.Add in a supple ride and excellent refinement and it’s easy to see why it sets the…

EVEN THE BEST trendsetters take a bit of time to perfect their formula. The BMW X1 was one of the first smaller SUVs to wear a premium badge, arriving well before this kind of car enjoyed a boom in popularity. Its jacked-up, chunky looks proved a hit, but it wasn’t until the second-generation model arrived that BMW refined the offering and made it a genuinely good, big-selling car. However, we’ve since seen new arrivals in the shape of the Volvo XC40 and the new Range Rover Evoque, both of which have set higher standards in the class. So, the time has come for some cosmetic tweaks to the X1, along with the introduction of an entirely new variant. The exterior changes aren’t substantial. BMW’s trademark ‘kidney grille’ has been enlarged…

SO, YOU’VE DECIDED to buy an electric car, either to lower your motoring costs or your emissions. But are you an extrovert who wants the whole world to know, or an introvert who’d rather not draw attention to yourself? The answer to that question will probably determine whether you go for a standalone electric model or something that’s also available with petrol and diesel engines.And if you’re in the latter camp,Volvo’s first ever fully electric car, the new XC40 P8 Recharge, could be well worth considering. As the name suggests, it’s based on the existing XC40 – a family SUV that’s so good in diesel form that it scooped our overall Car of the Year award in 2018. What’s more, aside from a closed front grille (due to the fact…

YOU DON’T KNOW whether an idea is a good one until you try it. This may well have been the thinking behind the Lexus RX, the first mainstream production car to combine the desirability of a luxury SUV with the low emissions of a hybrid. Not wanting to rest on its laurels, Lexus has given the RX a mild refresh, with sleeker headlights, improved refinement and a revised infotainment system. The RX’s 308bhp power output is higher than what you’d get in an equivalent diesel-powered Audi Q7, but because that car has more low-end urgency, it’s the Q7 that feels stronger on the road. The V6 petrol engine is hushed most of the time (thanks to extra under-bonnet sound deadening), while tweaked windscreen pillars mean the RX generates virtually no…

IF YOU’RE A Glastonbury-headlining drummer or a champion pole vaulter (or you just have a large family and a big weekly shopping haul), you’ll prioritise space when buying a new car. That would normally mean browsing the dealer’s SUV offerings these days, but Skoda’s five-door executive car, the Superb, has a bigger boot than even the BMW X5. The firm obviously hasn’t changed that with this mid-life facelift, rather tweaking the styling, revising the trim level hierarchy and adding a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine. We’re testing the top-end diesel, a 187bhp 2.0-litre unit with official fuel economy of 48.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 117g/km. It delivers its power smoothly and whisks you up to speed briskly. There’s also the option of four-wheel drive, which boosts traction on slippery surfaces and…

BEFORE WE GET into what sets the Performance Edition apart from lesser versions of Ford’s hot Fiesta, we’d best clear one thing up: yes, it really does cost £26,495. That’s upwards of £4000 more than the regular range-topper, the ST-3. Why so much? Well, along with the luxuries the ST-3 is blessed with, the Performance Edition gets full LED headlights (a £600 extra on the ST-3) and the Performance Pack (usually £925), which, most importantly, adds a limited-slip differential to boost traction. In addition, there are a number of features exclusive to the Performance Edition, including lightweight 18in alloy wheels and suspension that lowers the ride height by 15mm at the front and 10mm at the rear. This is adjustable, but you can’t just press a button to soften or…

MERCEDES-BENZ IS overhauling its retail model, with the result that dealers might not be able to offer discounts on new cars in the future. Trials of the new sales process have been going on in Sweden since April, with Mercedes renegotiating its contracts to allow the manufacturer, rather than the dealers, to control sales. Rather than earning commission, dealers receive a flat fee for each car sold. Although this process hasn’t been confirmed for the UK, officials have said that the company is evaluating it for worldwide use. Mercedes also plans to grow its online sales to 25% by 2025, up from less than 5% today. This sounds like bad news for car buyers, but What Car? Target Price data shows that Mercedes dealers in the UK are currently offering…

A GROWING NUMBER of petrol-engined cars are being fitted with petrol particulate filters – also called gasoline particulate filters – in order to meet the European Union’s latest stringent emissions limits. The particulate emissions of their petrol models can be reduced by up to 95% by including this type of filter in the exhaust system. Petrol cars have been subject to particulate emissions limits since the EU5 standard was introduced in 2009. The permissible limits were then reduced tenfold in September last year, when EU6c legislation came into force. So, the limit for nitrogen oxides (NOx) now stands at 60mg/km for new petrol cars, just below the 80mg/km limit for diesels. This means particulates are virtually eliminated from exhaust gas, including nanoparticles, which are considered to be more harmful to…

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In addition to the touchscreen and natural speech voice control (also featured in the A-Class), the rotary controller by the gear selector is easier to use while you’re on the go.You get all the connectivity features of the A-Class bar Android Auto. We had issues with the system losing Bluetooth connection with phones, though.The larger (10.3in) touchscreen pictured is part of a £1500 pack of options. The standard 7.0in touchscreen can be enlarged to 10.3in (pictured) if you add one of the upgrade packs, the cheapest being Executive (£1395).Aside from the touchscreen, there’s a trackpad controller that’s fiddlier to operate than BMW’s iDrive dial, but the system is otherwise responsive and easy to use.You must pay extra for smartphone mirroring, but at least it works with both Apple and Android…

Volvo V90 Cross Country D5 PowerPulse AWD Plus Mileage 1966 List price £50,610 Target Price £45,577 Price as tested £59,980 Options fitted Bowers & Wilkins Premium Sound (£3000), Xenium Pack (£2000), folding tow bar (£1075), self-levelling rear air suspension (£950), Polestar Performance Software Optimisation (£745), Pine Grey metallic paint (£700), Intellisafe Surround Pack (£500) and dark-tinted rear windows (£400) Test economy 35.1mpg Official economy 49.6mpg (WLTP combined)…

I ONCE SHARED a student house with a chap who would only ever eat one ingredient on his plate at any given time. This always struck me as an odd thing to do, since there’s a fair amount of pleasure to be had in mixing well-paired flavours together. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many celebrity chefs telling us which fresh herbs and spices go best with even the most basic of foods. Then again, the used car market can be no more adventurous than my former flatmate, with the top-selling Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa both being very conventional small cars. This strikes me as a shame, because there are all sorts of quirkier flavours of used car out there that are available for the same sort of money. Take…

In production 2017-present Price from £20,000 Our favourite 2.0 TSI 190 Elegance QUESTION: WHAT DO you get if you take the Volkswagen Passat and add a dash of glamour, a smidgen of extra practicality and a smattering of extra toys? Answer: the Volkswagen Arteon. Essentially, it’s a smoother, sharper-suited version of Volkswagen’s executive saloon, with five doors rather than four – meaning it has a more practical hatchback boot. You get a choice of six engines with the Arteon: 148bhp 1.5-litre, 187bhp 2.0-litre and 276bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrols, plus 2.0-litre diesels that produce 148bhp, 187bhp and 237bhp. Those ordering the two lower-powered diesels and the 1.5-litre petrol can replace the six-speed manual gearbox with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that comes as standard with the other engines. Four-wheel drive, meanwhile, is…

LESS THAN £10,000 Hyundai i10 Our pick 1.0 S List price £9900 Target Price £8709 MPG 50.4 CO2 117g/km For The three-cylinder engine is refined and the interior is surprisingly roomy. Against This entry-level trim doesn’t give you much kit and the engine struggles out of town. WHAT CAR? SAYS Volkswagen Up Our pick 1.0 60 Take Up 3dr List price £10,080 Target Price £9663 MPG 55.4 CO2 101g/km For Fun to drive, with a comfortable ride and an upmarket interior. Against Feels slow on faster roads and this entry-level trim is a bit basic. WHAT CAR? SAYS Toyota Aygo Our pick 1.0 VVT-i X 3dr List price £9825 Target Price £9272 MPG 57.7 CO2 93g/km For Cheap to run, comes with a five-year warranty and has a great driving…

LESS THAN £17,000 Suzuki Ignis Our pick 1.2 Dualjet SHVS 2WD SZ5 List price £14,859 Target Price £14,503 MPG 54.1 CO2 98g/km For Real-world economy is excellent; surprisingly spacious and practical; lots of kit as standard. Against Ride is unsettled, it’s noisy on the motorway and there are only four seats. WHAT CAR? SAYS Citroën C3 Aircross Our pick Puretech 82 Feel List price £16,840 Target Price £14,612 MPG 45.0 CO2 118g/km For The boot is massive and the rear seats recline; plenty of equipment as standard. Against Entry-level engine has to be worked hard; ride and handling are sub-par. WHAT CAR? SAYS MG ZS Our pick 1.5 Excite List price £14,045 Target Price £13,705 MPG 41.5 CO2 140g/km For An 8.0in infotainment touchscreen is standard; more interior space than…

LESS THAN £22,000 Ford Fiesta ST Our pick ST-2 Performance Pack 3dr List price £21,625 Target Price £20,398 MPG 40.4 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 Suzuki Swift Sport Our pick 1.4 Boosterjet List price £18,499 Target Price £17,499 MPG 47.1 CO2 125g/km For You get plenty of equipment as standard, plus it’s relatively quick and cheap to run. Against It’s not the bargain that the previous one was and not as much fun to drive as we’d hoped. WHAT CAR? SAYS Abarth 595 Our pick 1.4 Turismo 70th Anniversary List price £19,885 Target Price £19,885 MPG 38.2 CO2 155g/km For Exquisite design…

LESS THAN £50,000 Kia Stinger Our pick 3.3 T-GDi GT S List price £40,575 Target Price £40,575 MPG 27.7 CO2 221g/km For Nicely balanced handling, with strong pace from purposeful-sounding V6 engine. Against Tight in the back for tall adults; not quite as classy inside as its German rivals. WHAT CAR? SAYS Alfa Romeo Giulia Our pick 2.0 Turbo 280 Veloce Ti List price £45,995 Target Price £43,655 MPG 33.6 CO2 160g/km For Amazing steering; Quadrifoglio styling; great suspension setup; well-calibrated gearbox. Against The four-cylinder engine isn’t the most refined and interior quality is disappointing. WHAT CAR? SAYS Audi S3 Saloon Our pick TFSI 300 quattro S tronic List price £39,015 Target Price £36,749 MPG 34.4 CO2 158g/km For Fast, whatever the weather, and you’ll be cocooned in a top-notch…

The What Car? Target Price is the maximum you should pay for your new car and is set by our team of mystery shoppers. Every day they haggle to see what discounts are available across the UK. And all What Car?-approved dealers will at least match Target Price. In a lot of cases, however, you can save even more by using our New Car Buying service. Just head to whatcar.com/new-car-deals and select the car you’re interested in, and dealers will compete for your business. It’s all done through our website, so they won’t see your details until you’re ready.…

BMW 1 Series Target Price From £23,029 Pick of the range 118d SE The low-speed ride is firm, but the 1 Series feels just as well built as the Golf inside and handles well, so it’s certainly worthy of your consideration. Ford Focus Target Price From £16,942 Pick of the range 1.0 Ecoboost 125 Titanium Roomy in the back, truly entertaining to drive and rides in a surprisingly supple manner. It’s just a shame that its interior feels so cheap. Mercedes-Benz A-Class Target Price From £20,941 Pick of the range A180d Sport Has more wow factor than the Golf inside and strikes a fine balance between comfort and control on the road. It’s not the quietest, though. Skoda Octavia Target Price From £17,008 Pick of the range 1.5 TSI SE…

“DID YOU WANT three-pin or Type 2?” That question might not make much sense now, but the time will come when not only will you have to ask someone if they have a charger for your phone, but one for your car, too. And the new TFSIe versions of the Q7 are at the forefront of this change, being among the 30 electrified Audi models planned for introduction by 2025. Now, plug-in hybrids aren’t new to the brand. There used to be the Q7 e-tron, which had a V6 diesel engine. But that’s been ditched for a 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol, with the 55 TFSIe making a combined 375bhp and the 60TFSIe pumping out 449bhp. The main reason for this is plug-in hybrid SUVs sell best in the US and…

“HEY, PIERRE, RECKON this 400kg battery pack would fit in that?” This lazily stereotyped question was almost certainly never uttered in Peugeot’s Parisian headquarters, because the introduction of the e-208 was no last-minute decision. It was planned from the new 208’s very gestation that there would be petrol, diesel and electric versions. Perhaps surprisingly, Peugeot has effectively camouflaged the e-208; there are precious few differences in the design from its conventionally powered siblings. Discreet ‘e’ badges on the sides, a charging port instead of a fuel filler cap and some electric-specific dials on the digital instrument display… apart from that, you’d never know. That means it’s a potential game-changer hiding in plain sight. Electric cars, for so long the preserve of moneyed eco champions, are about to flood into more…

MOST CARS HAVE a relatively defined target market. If you want space for your family, you might look towards an estate. If you’re after style and performance, you could go for a coupé. But if you just fancy a bit of both, an executive saloon could well be the answer. The Mazda 3 Saloon is the larger sibling of the 3 hatchback, with 90 litres more boot space. Despite the two sharing similar sweeping looks, they actually have just two parts in common: the bonnet and the windscreen. The saloon also comes exclusively with Mazda’s new 178bhp 2.0-litre Skyactiv-X engine – an innovative petrol unit that uses technology borrowed from diesels. Mazda says it combines the best aspects of both fuels, giving “the fuel economy of [the smaller Mazda] 2…

DESPITE FINDING FAME as a maker of sports cars, MG is these days far more interested in chasing volume sales than what has become a small niche, as proved by the HS. This all-new model also cements the British brand’s modern reputation for value, being a large SUV that undercuts a fair few small SUVs on price. You have just one engine – a 160bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol – and three trim levels to choose from. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is available as an option on the top two trim levels. Whichever version you go for, standard equipment is generous and includes a whole raft of safety gear, from automatic emergency braking to lane-keeping assistance and even blindspot monitoring. The HS’s healthy power…

DESPITE A PLAYLIST loaded with pieces by European composers, the recent Last Night of the Proms was criticised for the number of EU flags that were on display, on the basis that the event is ‘a British institution’. Seems a good job, then, that Union Jack-style LED rear lights are now standard on the Mini Clubman; hopefully they’ll detract from all the parts this estate car sources from German parent company BMW. Those lights are the most obvious way to spot the updated Clubman; aside from some mild exterior, interior and specification tweaks, all is pretty much as it was. That’s no bad thing, because you still get a high-quality interior, a great range of engines and one of the best infotainment systems around. As before, our pick of the…

IF YOU WERE to draw a Venn diagram with Uber drivers on one side and family car buyers on the other, the areas of overlap would likely be ride comfort, space and low running costs. However, while one group is happy to pick a hybrid hatchback as its champion, SUVs are the current top pick for the other. So, why is that? Well, one old argument as to why you’d have an SUV over a conventional car is to get four-wheel drive to help in slippery conditions. How about a Prius 4x4, then? That’s right: an update to this hybrid family hatchback, which we rather like, includes the introduction of such an option. Furthermore, there have been tweaks to its styling, interior and infotainment. There has been no change to…

THE SKODA OCTAVIA is a firm favourite here at What Car?. Despite being priced to compete with family cars such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, it provides far more interior space than any of its conventional rivals. Furthermore, its comfortable ride and efficient engines make it a relaxing commuting companion that’s easy on the purse strings. But time waits for no man (or car), so after six years on sale, it’s time for the Octavia to enter its fourth generation, with fresh looks inside and out and plenty of new technology. To give us an indication of whether it has a winner in waiting, Skoda gave us the opportunity to drive some late prototypes of the estate version. Given that around 75% of all new Octavias end up…

WHEN JAN NILSSON set up a team to race in the 1996 Swedish Touring Car Championship, never could he have conceived that it’d one day be turned into a maker of premium road cars, let alone one funded by a firm from Zhejiang. But 23 years later, China has become an automotive hotbed, Geely is its star player and Polestar is ready to challenge the traditionals. After the 1 (a £139,000 plug-in hybrid coupé), the brand has a model for the masses – the 2, of course. A high-riding electric hatchback, it uses a motor on each axle for 402bhp and a 78kWh battery for a range of 311 miles, while the rival Tesla Model 3 extracts 329 miles from 86kWh. The mechanical basis of the 2 comes from the…

How common are DPF issues? Data from the 2019 What Car? Reliability Survey revealed that 3% of all cars had suffered a fault relating to the exhaust system, which includes diesel particulate filters (DPFs). This area accounted for 10% of the faulty cars that owners told us about. According to Motoreasy, which has analysed more than 40,000 years’worth of extended warranty data, DPF problems are common on older diesel cars. It told us it deals with more than 70 claims per month relating to DPF problems and that in many cases, the filters can’t be cleaned, so they have to be replaced. This can cost more than £2000. How to keep your DPF healthy 1 Check your car’s handbook to find the manufacturer’s recommendations on how to prevent soot from…

Mileage 7443 List price £14,995 Target Price £14,854 Price as tested £15,040 Test economy 42.3mpg YOU MIGHT REMEMBER that my Duster and I were separated for a short time last month while some damage caused by another driver’s careless parking was repaired. Well, while it was gone, I spent some time in a Suzuki Vitara, one of its closest rivals. True, the Japanese SUV still costs a grand or two more, depending on specification, but I was curious to see if that would have been money well spent. The first thing I noticed is that it’s actually the Duster that’s larger and therefore more practical. Indeed, there’s more than enough space for three adults across its rear seat, plus five large suitcases in the boot, as I proved on a…

SAYING GOODBYE TO my Ford Focus represented more than a simple change of wheels, because of the uncertainties about the future of diesel-powered cars, as well as the scaling back or closure of some British car factories this year. So, to mark the Focus passing from my hands, I visited Ford of Britain’s Dagenham home, where my car’s engine was built. It was a rather poignant moment, looking down on the factory and wondering how much longer it would be churning out diesel engines, and if the Focus will be the last diesel car I ever run. On a cheerier note, though, it was great to visit Ford’s Heritage Centre and sit inside an original Focus from 1998 to see just how far the model has come on in 21…

Mileage 2184 List price £31,835 Target Price £30,775 Price as tested £35,435 Test economy 26.8mpg Forget about MPVs living up to their name and being the ultimate multi-purpose vehicles; I reckon it’s hot hatches that really have to do it all.They’ve got to be comfortable enough for the commute, practical enough for the family and racy enough for… well, the race track. Fortunately, the Mégane RS absolutely delivers. As I mentioned in my first report, this car isn’t as hard riding as its predecessor, so you can use it for mundane journeys without feeling frazzled by the time you climb out. Plus, I’m thankful that Renault has switched from a three to a five-door body, because this makes it much easier to get my young daughter in and out of…

LESS THAN £15,000 Dacia Sandero Our pick 0.9 TCe 90 Essential List price £8995 Target Price £8913 MPG 45.6 CO2 123g/km For Lots of space for the money, decent to drive and a fair amount of standard kit. Against The engine is unrefined at most speeds and the interior is comparatively basic. WHAT CAR? SAYS Ford Ka+ Our pick 1.2 Ti-VCT 70 Studio List price £11,300 Target Price £11,300 MPG 48.7 CO2 117g/km For Comfortable ride and room for four adults; even Studio trim has a DAB radio and Bluetooth. Against Engine is gutless, the interior looks cheap and the boot is rather small. WHAT CAR? SAYS MG 3 Our pick 1.5 Excite List price £11,395 Target Price £11,122 MPG 42.3 CO2 140g/km For Cheap to buy and insure, with…

LESS THAN £22,000 Dacia Duster Our pick 1.5 Blue dCi 115 4x2 Essential List price £13,700 Target Price £13,572 MPG 57.6 CO2 115g/km For Roomy inside, reasonably comfortable and incredibly cheap compared with rivals. Against Interior is decidedly low-rent and there isn’t much standard safety kit. WHAT CAR? SAYS Ssangyong Tivoli XLV Our pick Ultimate petrol List price £19,745 Target Price £19,652 MPG 37.2 CO2 169g/km For You get leather-trimmed seats and sat-nav; there’s loads of room in the back and boot. Against The engine is noisy, the steering is vague and emissions are relatively high. WHAT CAR? SAYS Nissan Qashqai Our pick 1.3 DiG-T 140 Visia List price £19,995 Target Price £19,995 MPG 41.5 CO2 121g/km For Comfortable ride with surefooted handling and a smooth, punchy engine. Against Stingy…

LESS THAN £30,000 Skoda Superb Our pick 1.6 TDI 120 SE Tech auto List price £26,620 Target Price £25,589 MPG 67.3 CO2 110g/km For Masses of standard kit; lots of rear leg room and boot space; comfortable ride. Against Some other executive cars are more fun to drive, while the engine is a little gruff. WHAT CAR? SAYS Audi A3 Saloon Our pick 35 TFSI Sport List price £26,595 Target Price £25,052 MPG 42.8 CO2 123g/km For Handles well, the engine is strong and the interior is beautifully built. Against Costs more than the A3 Sportback, despite having a less practical boot. WHAT CAR? SAYS Mazda 6 Our pick Skyactiv-D 150 SE-L Nav+ List price £26,795 Target Price £26,198 MPG 55.4 CO2 117g/km For Smart interior; smooth and flexible engine;…

Prices don’t include £3500 government grant LESS THAN £30,000 Renault Zoe Our pick R110 ZE40 Dynamique Nav List price £21,920 Target Price £19,177 Official range (WLTP) 186 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 MG ZS EV Our pick Excite List price £28,495 Target Price £28,495 Official range (WLTP) 163 miles CO2 0g/km For Lots of room for passengers; large boot; plenty of standard equipment for the money. Against Rivals are better to drive; not especially comfortable; poor predicted resale values. WHAT CAR? SAYS Smart Fortwo Our pick EQ Prime Premium List price £21,195 Target Price £19,649 Official range (WLTP) 71 miles CO2…

STAR RATINGS Outstanding Above average Average Below average Poor TARGET PRICE The What Car? Target Price is the maximum you should pay for your new car and is set by our team of mystery shoppers. It’s updated each month and all What Car?- approved dealers guarantee to match it. However, in a lot of cases they can save you even more. Just go to whatcar.com/new-car-deals, or call 03302 216207 between 9am and 5pm (standard network fees apply). All Target Prices are correct at the time of going to press. TARGET PCP The Target PCP is a fair monthly fee should you take out a personal contract purchase (PCP) finance agreement, over 36 months with a 15% deposit and a 10,000-mile annual mileage limit. Like Target Price, it’s set by our…

Editorial Tel 020 8267 5900 Email editorial@whatcar.com Media enquiries Andy Bothwell Tel 07825 703505 Meet the team Editor Steve Huntingford Editorial director Jim Holder Deputy editor Darren Moss Reviews editor Will Nightingale Managing editor Allan Muir Consumer editor Claire Evans Used cars editor Mark Pearson Deputy reviews editor John Howell New cars editor Alan Taylor-Jones Video reviews editor Doug Revolta Senior reviewer Boyan Marinov Reviewer Becky Wells Used cars reporter Max Adams Digital reviews editor Chris Haining Sub-editor Kris Culmer Group art editor Stephen Hopkins Brand art editor Chee-Chiu Lee Chief photographer John Bradshaw Senior photographer Will Williams Junior photographer Max Edleston Picture editor Ben Summerell-Youde Designer Rebecca Stevens Prepress manager Darren Jones Head of video Mitch McCabe Videographer Dan Wrenn Junior videographer Oli Kosbab Video apprentice Tej Bhola SEO manager…

THE ORIGINAL NISSAN Juke was an absolute trailblazer. Designed as an alternative to conventional small cars such as the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo, its high-riding stance put a touch of SUV style and glamour within the grasp of the masses. And despite its quirky looks not being to everyone’s tastes, it sold by the proverbial bucketload and inspired a raft of high-riding small cars, including the Renault Captur, Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Cross. The trouble is, even if you loved the way the original Juke looked (and plenty did), there weren’t many logical reasons for actually buying one. Even when it was first launched way back in 2010, its driving position and road manners stood out as noticeable flaws. By the time cars like the Kia Stonic and Seat…

AS HAPPENS WITH most big product launches these days, a very specific person was thought up as being the target market for the new Toyota Yaris.That person is Emma. Emma lives in Paris and wants a small car that’s as stylish as that city. She wants it to be spacious, good to drive, efficient and affordable – all without looking or feeling cheap. Emma wants the world, then, but can Toyota deliver? Well, with a more aggressive and prominent front grille and bumper, chrome detailing and slim LED headlights, the new Yaris certainly cuts more of a sporty, dominant shape than the current model – something that should help it to stand out against rivals such as the big-selling Ford Fiesta, class-leading Volkswagen Polo and upcoming new Vauxhall Corsa. In…

WHEN TRYING TO decide what to call your pets (or children), you suddenly realise how many people you don’t like, ruling out their names. Maybe there was a Sophie who picked on you at school, or a Lydia who broke your heart. If you’re still stuck, how about Zoe? This name has won the love and respect of the electric car world, and those feelings should only get stronger after an exciting update from Renault. It’s no surprise that the main focus was on increasing battery capacity, improving the Zoe’s official range from 186 miles to 245 miles. There’s now a choice of two motors, too: the old 109bhp R110 plus the brand new 134bhp R135. But before you get too excited, Renault is diplomatic enough to publish ‘real-life conditions’…

IT SEEMS OXYMORONIC, doesn’t it? Coupés with four doors, when traditionally two did the job. But defying convention isn’t a reason to pooh-pooh, because four-door coupés, such as the all-new BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé, have been very successful since Mercedes-Benz thrust the CLS into the arena back in 2004. What are the 8 Series Gran Coupé’s salient points? Well, it replaces the 6 Series Gran Coupé and is, according to BMW, a more luxurious proposition. Eight is greater than six, after all. As a result, you can buy a CLS or an Audi A7 Sportback for less, and the £69,340 asked for the entry-level 840i sDrive petrol is roughly on a par with the rapid S7 Sportback. BMW asks another £4500 for the 840d xDrive diesel, while the M850i…

THE INTRODUCTION OF any new BMW M car is usually met with a big cheer from car enthusiasts across the country, but the X3 M Competition feels almost like it has slipped under the radar. This is the first time the X3 has received the full attention of BMW’s M division, with changes to the suspension, steering, cooling and structural stiffness. Most importantly, the X3 M introduces a bespoke engine. It’s the most powerful straight six yet fitted to a production BMW and one we will almost certainly see in the next M3 saloon. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre unit is a true M division engine that shares very little with the one in the X3 M40i. It churns out 503bhp – exactly the same output as the rival Alfa Romeo Stelvio…

ANYONE WHO ARGUES that modern cars are getting bigger all the time can take the new 2 Series Gran Coupé as a case in point.This four-door coupé fits into the BMW range below the 3 Series saloon.Yet it’s not only substantially longer and wider than the two-door 2 Series models but also larger than the E90-generation 3 Series that was still on sale as recently as 2013. It’s perhaps all the more surprising, then, to find that the 2 Series Gran Coupé is actually most closely related to BMW’s entry-level model, the 1 Series hatchback, just as its main rival, the Mercedes-Benz CLA, is based on the A-Class. The Gran Coupé’s new underpinnings mean there’s an extra 33mm of knee room for rear passengers compared with the two-door 2 Series,…

THE NEW KORANDO is described by Ssangyong as a car that exceeds expectations, and at the risk of killing any suspense, it absolutely does. You see, while the previous Korando was always a fair bit cheaper to buy than the big hitters of the family SUV class, such as the Skoda Karoq, it was a lot less pleasant to drive and had a spacious but cheap-feeling interior. This fourth-generation Korando handles far more tidily, remaining composed through a series of corners and having accurate steering that inspires confidence. The ride is overly firm and unsettled on large 19in wheels, but things aren’t so bad if you go for smaller alloys. Still, the Karoq always strikes a much better balance between comfort and control. More positively, wind and road noise are…

Is M135i or Cayman S the wiser used buy? I’m intending to buy a sporty second-hand car, either a Porsche Cayman S or a BMW M135i hot hatch, and would appreciate some advice about which model will lose the least in depreciation. I was intending to buy a 2015 Cayman S, but due to Brexit uncertainties and the possibility that I might need to sell it in six to nine months’ time, I’m wondering if I’d be better off buying an M135i of a similar age instead. My understanding is that the Porsche could lose a few thousand pounds over nine months, but the BMW could lose far less than this. Could you please tell me how much each of these cars, first registered in 2015 and with 20,000 miles…

Audi A4 Avant 40 TDI quattro S line S tronic List price £42,520 Target Price £38,393 Fresh looks and a new infotainment system mark out the facelifted A4 Avant. BMW 3 Series Touring 320d xDrive M Sport List price £41,325 Target Price £39,214 Based on our Executive Car of the Year, so this new Touring has the credentials to excel. Volvo V60 D4 AWD Cross Country Plus Polestar Performance List price £41,530 Target Price £37,059 The V60 is a previous group test winner, but how does this SUVinspired version stack up?…

IT’S FINALLY HAPPENED. After 44 years, I now have to be a responsible adult – a situation brought about by the arrival of my first child. As a photographer, I’ve never exactly travelled light, but as any parent will tell you, having a newborn brings a whole gamut of extra stuff to cart around, so switching to an estate car seemed the obvious choice. Specifically, I’ve gone for a Volvo V90 Cross Country, because it combines the space and safety that Volvo wagons are famous for with four-wheel drive and a raised ride height; that’ll be handy for venturing off road in pursuit of that perfect picture location. Choosing the D5 diesel engine over the entry-level D4 seemed like a no-brainer, given that it makes an extra 45bhp yet the…

MY NISSAN QASHQAI has gone, after 4000 miles in which it proved to be a trusty car that I was always happy to get back into after driving a lot of other more varied (and often more compromised) vehicles. Its combination of comfort and ease of use made it as relaxing as a warm Radox bath, and N-Connecta spec seemed to have my every daily want covered. In fact, I soon became used to the Qashqai’s even seemingly inconsequential luxuries. For example, it wouldn’t occur to me when buying a car to specify keyless entry. Yet one of my greatest causes for glee with the Qashqai was to be able to just gently touch the door handle in order to unlock it, without going to all the fuss of searching…

Darren Moss Darren.Moss@haymarket.com Mileage 8071 List price £39,825 Target Price £37,696 Price as tested £48,185 Test economy 45.0mpg The multi-storey car park near the What Car? office is a mix of raised kerbs, tight turns and unforgiving concrete walls that, for the uninitiated, must seem terrifying. Most surfaces are pock-marked with the scars of a thousand scrapes and scuffs.Weaving a car up to my preferred spot on the eighth floor, then, requires both concentration and accurate steering – especially if I’m to nab ‘my’ space before that chap in the Nissan Qashqai gets in. Fortunately, steering accurately is something my 3 Series does very well indeed. Sure, the wheel has a fair amount of weight to it at low speeds – more than in an Audi A4 or Mercedes-Benz C-Class,…

LESS THAN £20,000 Kia Ceed Our pick 1.0 T-GDi 2 List price £18,600 Target Price £17,311 MPG 50.4 CO2 122g/km For Decent performance; seven-year warranty; good build quality; large boot. Against Not the most comfortable ride or driving position; engine can sound coarse. WHAT CAR? SAYS Seat Leon Our pick 1.0 TSI SE Dynamic List price £19,355 Target Price £15,791 MPG 47.9 CO2 112g/km For Strong yet economical petrol engine with low running costs; good to drive. Against Some of the plastics feel cheap and some rivals are more practical. WHAT CAR? SAYS Hyundai i30 Our pick 1.0 T-GDi Blue Drive SE List price £19,170 Target Price £17,701 MPG 45.6 CO2 126g/km For Supple ride; good driving position; lots of room in the front; logical dash layout. Against Conservative looks;…

LESS THAN £28,000 Mazda CX-5 Our pick Skyactiv-G SE-L Nav+ List price £25,600 Target Price £24,017 MPG 38.2 CO2 146g/km For Classy interior; well equipped even in this entry-level trim; class-leading handling. Against The petrol engine feels weedy at lower revs and the ride is firm. WHAT CAR? SAYS Skoda Kodiaq Our pick 1.5 TSI 150 SE 7 seat List price £26,755 Target Price £22,685 MPG 37.2 CO2 147g/km For Value for money, with a classy and spacious interior and good driving manners. Against Ride is unsettled at low speeds, and the 2.0-litre diesel copes better with heavy loads. WHAT CAR? SAYS Citroën C5 Aircross Our pick Puretech 130 Flair List price £25,930 Target Price £24,367 MPG 44.4 CO2 119g/km For Punchy engine pulls well from low revs; versatile rear…

LESS THAN £25,000 Mini Convertible Our pick Cooper Classic Comfort/Navigation List price £21,885 Target Price £20,617 MPG 45.6 CO2 127g/km For Fun to drive, good resale values and reasonably refined. Against The pedals are offset, rear seats are cramped and it isn’t as cheap as we’d like. WHAT CAR? SAYS Fiat 500C Our pick 1.2 Lounge List price £16,545 Target Price £15,723 MPG 44.8 CO2 118g/km For Engine is perfect for town driving, and you’re well protected from the wind with the roof down. Against Lots of wind noise; not as classy as the Mini; little space inside; rear visibility isn’t great. WHAT CAR? SAYS Smart Fortwo Cabrio Our pick EQ Prime Premium (22kW charger) List price £23,335 Target Price £21,706 Official range (WLTP) 70.2 CO2 0g/km For Truly agile…

LESS THAN £30,000 Mazda MX-5 Our pick 2.0 Sport Nav+ List price £25,095 Target Price £23,624 MPG 40.9 CO2 156g/km For Great to drive, with a wonderful chassis, a slick gearbox and just the right amount of power. Against It doesn’t have the classiest interior, nor much space inside for people or luggage. WHAT CAR? SAYS Toyota GT86 Our pick GT86 List price £27,325 Target Price £25,557 MPG 33.2 CO2 196g/km For Light weight and classic sports car layout give the GT86 real agility. It gets decent kit, too. Against The engine needs to be worked hard and is noisy, while the interior design is dated. WHAT CAR? SAYS Subaru BRZ Our pick SE Lux List price £27,065 Target Price £26,185 MPG 33.3 CO2 196g/km For Quick, despite its modest…