Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2020 i What Car?

‘Land Rover thinks it’s possible to offer contrasting strengths with the new Defender’ We sometimes get emails from confused readers, saying that they’ve worked out the average star rating of a test winner, based on the 16 areas we consider, and this suggests it should’ve got four stars overall rather than five. The explanation is that we don’t just take a car’s mean average; we also consider which areas are most important to prospective buyers. So, for example, an MPV with five stars for seating flexibility is more likely to get five overall than one with top marks for handling. If we weren’t to follow this approach, nothing would score five overall, because improving one aspect of a car (say, acceleration) nearly always has a negative impact elsewhere (fuel economy,…

GOOD THINGS COME to those who wait, as they say. With that in mind, the new Land Rover Defender should be pretty chuffing fantastic, given that the brand’s first stab at a 21st century Defender, the DC100 concept, was first shown way back in 2011 and the old-school original Defender went off sale four years ago. However, we’re not ones to jump to conclusions, so we’ve concocted the ultimate on-road and off-road test against two talented rivals. For slightly more than the list price of a seven-seat Defender 110 D240 S, you can have an exceedingly practical Volvo XC90 B5 diesel. It matches the Defender’s seat count and, like the others, has four-wheel drive, but it’s a perfect example of a modern road-biased SUV. But what if you plan to…

With a hugely buoyant marketplace and record levels of demand on the forecourts, it feels like we’re now living in a golden age for used cars. Many people have cottoned on to the fact that buying used can offer you most of what buying new can but at a greatly reduced cost. Meanwhile, others are looking for cars at the cheaper end of the market, with the aim of reducing their dependence on public transport in the wake of Covid-19. As a result, we’ve taken care in this year’s What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards to include more affordable options, with prices in two of our categories now starting from less than £5000. However, we’ve also retained our top price points, where most cars are only a year…

It’s three in a row for the Skoda Fabia; it won in this category last year and the year before, too. So let’s not beat about the bush: used small cars simply don’t come any more complete, or more reasonably priced, than the Fabia. Not only is it spacious, good to drive and easy to manoeuvre around town, but the Fabia also has that typical Skoda sense of solidity and a strong reliability record. A budget of £8000 will get you behind the wheel of a three-year-old Fabia with the excellent 94bhp 1.0 TSI petrol engine, which has enough power for town and motorway driving alike, and in well-equipped SE trim, with its air-con and 6.5in touchscreen infotainment system. It’s worth spending the extra money over the Ford Fiesta, because…

Renault Captur 2013-2019 Best buy Less than £8000 ■ A higher, five-star Euro NCAP safety rating is key to the Captur beating the three-star Suzuki Ignis in this price bracket, and, thanks to a rear bench that slides to increase luggage space or rear passenger leg room, it also has more flexibility than the Peugeot 2008. We’d look for a 2016 0.9 TCe 90 in Dynamique Nav spec. Audi Q2 2016-present Best buy Less than £16,000 ■ It’s a close call between the Q2 and the Mini Countryman in terms of interior quality, but the Audi takes the lead with a more comfortable ride, without being any less nimble in corners. We’d look for a 2017 1.4 TFSI 150 Sport for the best blend of comfort, fuel economy and equipment.…

The BMW M135i is a previous winner of this award, but we’ve now reached the point where the even faster M140i can be bought used for less than £18,000. And what made the M140i so great when it was new holds just as true today. The driving experience centres around the car’s brawny six-cylinder engine. That may sound like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but it pulls like a locomotive and delivers a soundtrack that the four-cylinder Audi S3 and Volkswagen Golf R simply can’t get close to matching. True, both of these rivals will corner at least as quickly, but the M140i is more fun. Its steering lets you place the front wheels exactly where you want, and you can feel the car moving around you when…

Skoda Karoq 2017-present Best buy Less than £16,000 ■ For the same money as a 2018 Karoq, you could have a Nissan Qashqai or Peugeot 3008 of similar vintage. But while there’s a wider choice of Qashqais – due to the huge number sold – and the 3008 has a flashier interior, the Karoq is a more practical choice than either. It also has a comfier ride and lots of standard kit. Volkswagen Tiguan 2016-present Best buy Less than £20,000 ■ A 2019 Tiguan will cost more than the closely related Karoq of the same age, but your extra cash goes a long way. The Tiguan is classier inside, massively spacious and its rear seats slide and recline (only high-spec Karoqs can match this). A BMW X1 is also a…

There’s no shortage of executive saloon bargains in this price bracket – we could have picked the previous-generation BMW 3 Series, for example, or the current Mercedes-Benz C-Class – but neither of those cars is as well rounded as our winner.The Audi A4 is wonderfully refined, more so than the Skoda Superb, and it also offers reasonable running costs, a fantastic array of driver assistance technology and one of the highest-quality interiors you’ll find anywhere, all attributes that led us to name it as our Car of the Year when it was new. At this price, you’ll have your pick of smooth petrol or frugal diesel-engined A4s, and our advice is to team the 2.0 TDI diesel engine with Sport trim.This gives you more supportive seats than SE trim and…

Skoda Octavia Estate 2013-2020 Best buy Less than £10,000 ■ The Octavia Estate has always been one of our favourite cars. For our budget, you can get a four-year-old example in our recommended 1.4 TSI 150 SE form. What you’ll get is a fantastic all-rounder that’s good to drive, comfortable and more spacious than the rival Volkswagen Golf Estate and Seat Leon ST. Volkswagen Passat Estate 2015-present Best buy Less than £15,000 ■ The Passat is one of the classiest estates you can buy, as well as tremendous value at this price point, helping it to see off rivals such as the Ford Mondeo Estate and Vauxhall Insignia ST. It’s good to drive, comfortable, practical and reliable, too. We’d shop for the economical 2.0 TDI 150 diesel in well-equipped SE…

Usually, cars from the upper echelon of this category miss out on victory, because justifying the price gulf between them and cheaper alternatives is too hard. Not this time, though. The Audi A8 may be in our top price bracket, but two-year-old examples can be found for less than a new entry-level BMW 5 Series – spectacular value for money indeed. Given that we’re talking about the latest model, safety kit is a match for the Volvo S90’s. However, the S90 has a fidgety ride around town, whereas the air suspension on the A8 allows you to glide over bumps at any speed. The A8 is even quieter and smoother than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class at a cruise, while the 282bhp 3.0-litre diesel engine in our favourite 50 TDI model is…

Volvo XC90 2015-present Best buy Less than £25,000 ■ We love the XC90’s seven full-size seats, clever safety kit and high-quality interior, and, at this price point, where you can only buy older generations of the Audi Q7 and BMW X5, you can grab the latest version of this top-notch Volvo. We’d shop for the D5 diesel in generously equipped Momentum Pro trim. BMW X5 2019-present Best buy Less than £45,000 ■ The X5 is better to drive than a Mercedes-Benz GLE or a Volvo XC90, while our favoured xDrive30d model has loads of grunt yet won’t cost too much to fuel. Although not quite as practical as some rivals, the X5 is just as classy and luxurious inside. A year-old example represents a great saving over a new one.…

Although the choice of electric cars on sale is growing all the time, many of them still aren’t what you’d call cheap. However, our top used electric car combines all the practicality of a family hatchback with a smooth, near-silent driving experience, and all for a price that’s within reach of the many, not the few. You can pick up a year-old example of the second-generation Leaf, with a standard 40kWh battery and in our recommended N-Connecta trim, for around £22,000.We reckon it represents much better value for money than the excellent but pricey Jaguar I-Pace, and its bigger battery gives it greater usability than the rival Volkswagen e-Golf. It’s more reliable than the Renault Zoe, too, and is more polished than the budget-priced MG ZS EV. The first-generation Leaf…

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé 2014-present Best buy Less than £22,000 ■ The 4 Series Gran Coupé is like a 3 Series saloon with a hatchback rear end for added practicality. We love its sharp handling and classy interior. This budget buys a year-old example of our favourite 420d Sport; such terrific value gives it an easy victory over the Audi A5 Sportback and Volkswagen Arteon. Jaguar F-Type V6 S 2013-present Best buy Less than £35,000 ■ Sink behind the wheel of the V6 S version of the gorgeous F-Type and you’ll enjoy a powerful 3.0-litre supercharged engine and a wonderfully taut chassis. It’s more refined than the Ford Mustang and more fun to drive than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé. Bought at three years old, it’s great value, too.…

Every so often, a car comes along that is so far ahead of the competition that you’re left wondering how long it will take for other brands to catch up. In the case of the previous-generation Porsche Cayman, we’re still waiting. With its playful handling, sonorous six-cylinder engine and snickity six-speed manual gearbox (a brilliant automatic is also available), the ‘981’ Cayman still delivers a driving experience that makes you wonder why you’d ever need to step up to a 911. It may not be as quick point to point as the newer, current Cayman, but the 2.7-litre flat six sounds much sweeter than the new model’s rather rough four-cylinder engine. At this price point, a 2015 Cayman not only holds more appeal than its successor but also sees off…

Mercedes-AMG C43 2015-present Best buy Less than £25,000 ■ Tempting though a V8 C63 might be, you’ll get a much newer (2016) C43 for the same money. With a turbo 3.0-litre V6, it isn’t much slower, either, and you get four-wheel drive for all-weather traction. The C43 is a complete enough package to beat the likes of the Audi S4 and fourth-generation BMW M3. Mercedes-AMG E63 2016-present Best buy Less than £75,000 ■ Muscular performance saloons (and estates) come no more practical than the E63. On a long drive, it’s as well mannered as a butler, but it’s eager to display its hooligan side on demand. For this money, you can get a 2018-2019 example, and we’d take one over a BMW M5 or Porsche Panamera for its sheer drama.…

This may have been a year like no other, due to the coronavirus pandemic, but one thing remained refreshingly familiar: picking just one used car champion from our list of category winners was as difficult a task as ever. We were hugely impressed with the classy and capable Audi A4 in the executive car class, for example, while the evergreen Skoda Octavia is a great family car that is always an extremely tempting used buy.And who could resist the red-blooded Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, a terrific car that scooped up the performance car category for the second year running? But in the end, overall victory went to the Seat Ateca. Here is an immensely likeable family SUV that can now be bought for less than half what you’d spend to…

WHETHER YOU WANT to call it ‘challenging’, ‘difficult’, ‘unprecedented’ or simply ‘scary’, there is no doubt that life has been pretty strange over the past few months. But cometh the hour, cometh the car, and I really can’t think of a four-wheeled companion I’d rather have had by my side through this period than the plug-in hybrid Passat Estate GTE. When you find yourself largely housebound, in a time when visiting a petrol station isn’t an appealing prospect, a car that you can keep topped up at home (as long as you aren’t doing long journeys) is ideal. And the Passat really came into its own in assisting me when I was volunteering to help vulnerable local people. I managed up to 34 miles on a single charge – plenty…

THERE’S PLENTY TO be sad about these days. Not only are we having to keep our distance from one another, but all this dry weather we’ve been enjoying is going to lead to water disruption, according to a text message I recently received from my water provider. However, I’m still smiling, because I’ve got a lovely Mazda MX-5 to enjoy. Besides, I’m looking into repurposing old water tanks like the one behind me – even if the resulting photo looks like a rejected 1990s Britpop album cover. Anyway, I’m supposed to be introducing my MX-5. As it happens, there’s now more reason than ever to go for a used one. The model line-up for this brilliant two-seat sports car has recently been altered and prices have increased. The top-of-the-line 2.0…

LESS THAN £23,000 Skoda Scala DESPITE ITS KEEN price, the Scala excels in areas where many of its rivals are complacent, particularly interior space and comfort, with amazing rear seat room and a vast boot. It handles in a tidy manner and its ride, on standard suspension, is among the most cosseting in this class. The interior looks a bit cheap in places, but overall the Scala is a remarkably complete car for the money. Our pick 1.0 TSI 115 SE List price £19,255 Target Price £17,828 MPG 51.4 CO2 125g/km For Spacious rear seats and a big boot; comfortable ride; cheap to buy and run. Against Interior feels a little cheap; not as good to drive as a Ford Focus. WHAT CAR? SAYS Kia Ceed Our pick 1.0 T-GDi…

LESS THAN £25,000 Citroën Berlingo THE BEAUTY OF the Berlingo is that it offers so much for so little; you’ll be hard pressed to find anything more cavernous for the money. But it isn’t just spacious and cheap; it also rides more comfortably than many larger MPVs, so you’ll find the Berlingo a relaxing place in which to travel. Although the interior quality isn’t anything special, the Berlingo is about the most practical car you can buy. Our pick Puretech 110 Feel M List price £21,610 Target Price £20,748 MPG 43.5 CO2 147g/km For Comfortable and relaxing to drive, with a vast amount of space and storage inside. Against Wallowy handling; laggy infotainment system; cheap-feeling interior plastics. WHAT CAR? SAYS Peugeot Rifter Our pick BlueHDi 130 Allure List price £24,485…

PICK OF THE MONTH: FAMILY SUV IN DETAIL Audi Q3 WHAT CAR? SAYS Model 35 TFSI Sport List price £31,885 Target Price £29,971 Target PCP £306 With a big boot and an impressively spacious interior, the Audi Q3 is a great choice for families on the go. It’s also agile for a car of this size, helped by the gutsy nature of the 1.5-litre petrol engine you get here. Sport trim won’t leave you lacking for goodies, with climate and cruise control as standard. PICK OF THE MONTH: SMALL CAR IN DETAIL Seat Ibiza WHAT CAR? SAYS Model 1.0 TSI 95 FR List price £18,265 Target Price £15,839 Target PCP £186 Want a small car that’s spacious, great to drive and available with generous discounts? Although that’s a…

Numerous studies suggest that the majority of commuters in big cities will reconsider their use of public transport after Covid-19, meaning the inexpensive city car has never been more relevant than it is now. So our decision to name the Hyundai i10 as the best used city car doesn’t come lightly. If money is of the utmost importance to you, our lowest price point winner – the Suzuki Celerio – is still a great shout, but we reckon the jump to the i10 is worth making, because you get a much more refined car with a better Euro NCAP safety rating.And although the latest Kia Picanto is practical and good to drive and represents a significant saving over a brand new version, it can’t beat the i10 for sheer value.…

Ford Fiesta 2008-2017 Best buy Less than £5000 ■ This generation of Fiesta was a high point in the evolution of Ford’s small hatchback; it’s better to drive than all of its rivals, plus it’s roomier than a contemporary Suzuki Swift and more refined than a Dacia Sandero. Marry the 1.0 Ecoboost 100 engine with Zetec trim for a comfy, fun and well-equipped car. Volkswagen Polo 2017-present Best buy Less than £12,000 ■ The Polo is one of the most sophisticated small cars you can buy. It pampers with a smooth ride, and it can show its premium Mini rival a thing or two about big-car feel. A year-old example is a bargain, too; you’ll find a well-equipped SE with the excellent 1.0 TSI 95 engine for a quarter less…

Many believe that an enormous SUV is what you need if you want a big boot. However, in all our testing, the 2021 used family car award-winning Skoda Octavia has only been beaten in the suitcase test by the gargantuan BMW X7, a vehicle that costs £75,000 new. By contrast, a year-old Octavia can be found for a mere £15,000 without much effort. In fact, it represents better used value now than ever before, given that the introduction of a new version has caused values of this model to take a tumble. As for why it deserves the overall class win over the Seat Leon and Vauxhall Astra, if being vastly more practical wasn’t enough of a reason, the Octavia’s engines are much more refined than the Astra’s and its…

Ford Fiesta ST 2013-2017 Best buy Less than £12,000 ■ The Fiesta ST won this category last year, and it’s still an outstanding used hot hatch at three years old. Rivals such as the Mini Cooper S, Renault Clio RS and Volkswagen Polo GTI are nowhere near as sharp or fun to drive, plus the ST’s engine pulls strongly right across its rev range and sounds wonderfully fruity. Honda Civic Type R 2017-present Best buy Less than £25,000 ■ The Civic Type R beats the rival Ford Focus ST, Renault Mégane RS and Volkswagen Golf GTI as a new car, and the same is true as a used buy. It’s that bit more enjoyable to drive, thanks to precise, feelsome steering and a fluent ride, yet it’s also surprisingly practical…

The current-shape XC60 echoes the upmarket look and feel of its luxury SUV stablemate, the XC90, yet it’s several thousand pounds cheaper. Our favourite model, the D4 Momentum, is more affordable than the hybrid options, and its 2.0-litre diesel engine is powerful enough to haul a family around with ease. It’s generously kitted out, too, and refuelling it won’t break the bank. The XC60 may not be the last word in driver appeal, but its Scandinavian-inspired interior is classy and cosseting.And, being a Volvo, there’s a raft of safety kit as standard. For less than £25,000 you can buy a 2017 XC60; this represents superb value, given that it’s the very latest generation of this large SUV. The same cash spent on a Audi Q5 or BMW X3 will only…

Skoda Superb 2016-present Best buy Less than £18,000 ■ Skoda’s cavernous executive car can haul more luggage than anything else at this price point, and this money will secure a year-old example with a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine that devours motorway miles while keeping running costs low. And, in SE Technology spec, it certainly won’t leave you wanting for kit. BMW 3 Series 2019-present Best buy Less than £25,000 ■ Price point rivals such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Jaguar XE have as much badge appeal as the BMW 3 Series, but neither is as good to drive or as welcoming after a long day at the office. A year-old 320d Sport, with a punchy diesel engine, plenty of equipment and a smooth ride, slips under the £25k mark.…

If ever there was a car designed for families that love to play I-Spy, the Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer would be it. Why? Well, its big windows, panoramic windscreen and slim pillars put the scenery at centre stage. It should also be a hit with anyone looking for good value, because you can get a year-old example of our favoured 1.5 BlueHDI 130 Feel model for less than £15,000. The Grand C4 Spacetourer sees off the Volkswagen Touran in this price bracket because its interior is more welcoming than its rather dour rival’s, plus you can get a newer car for the same money. So, how does it beat the Ford Galaxy, last year’s category winner? Well, although the Galaxy is better to drive, this year’s What Car? Reliability Survey…

Volvo S90 2016-present Best buy Less than £20,000 ■ Safety-conscious luxury car buyers will be served particularly well by the S90. It promises to protect you better in a crash than similar-priced rivals such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, plus the S90 will be a year newer (2018). Shop for a D4 diesel in Momentum trim. BMW 5 Series 2017-present Best buy Less than £30,000 ■ The 5 Series dominates the £30k price point, because the interior of the rival Jaguar XF can’t hold a candle to the plush surroundings of the BMW, nor can the Mercedes E-Class provide such exceptional isolation from road and wind noise. For this money, you can get a 2018 520d in SE trim – our favourite spec.…

We’d all like to be doing our bit for the environment, but investing in green technology always costs money. Fortunately, as you can see, there are some fantastic used hybrid cars that’ll save you a fortune by buying used. Our winner, the 2018 Hyundai Ioniq, beats its Toyota Prius rival, not least because you can find a much newer Ioniq for the same money. It’s very nearly as fuel-efficient, too, and better to drive, because it has a conventional six-speed automatic gearbox in place of the Prius’s rev-happy CVT. In addition, you’ll still have three years’ warranty left on a two-year-old Ioniq. That it should beat the BMW 530e and Volvo XC90 T8 is remarkable. Each of these plug-in hybrids makes a worthy case for itself, and both can travel…

Nissan Leaf 2011-2018 Best buy Less than £13,000 ■ The original Leaf is the car that kick-started the modern electric car era, and it’s now more affordable than most. Seek out a 30kWh model from 2017 and you’ll have more than 100 miles of range (unlike with the Kia Soul and Volkswagen e-Up), plus it’ll be more reliable than a Renault Zoe of the same age. Jaguar I-Pace 2018-present Best buy Less than £55,000 ■ The I-Pace is once again the clear winner at the top end of the market; it has a much longer range than the Audi E-tron and it’s more reliable than the Tesla Model S. It’s more rewarding to drive than those rivals, too. For less than £55,000 you can pick up an I-Pace S that’s…

If you want a four-seat convertible of rare elegance and subtle suavity, the E-Class Cabriolet is nigh on unbeatable. For starters, it looks and feels very much the premium product, being stylish and plush and solidly constructed. It also provides effortless performance with any of the various engine options under the bonnet.Added to that, it’s superbly refined with the roof up or down and has a comfortable and extremely classy interior that could probably sell the car to you in the showroom before you’ve even turned a wheel. All told, it’s a lot of car for the money.At its price point, it saw off such notable rivals as the Audi A5 Cabriolet and the BMW 6 Series Convertible, being better to drive and more refined than the former and younger…

Mazda MX-5 2015-present Best buy Less than £20,000 ■ The MX-5 serves as a reminder that small dimensions and low weight benefit a car in almost every area, from agility to fuel economy. For this budget, you could have a 2016-2017 Subaru BRZ or Toyota GT86, but a 2.0-litre MX-5 will be newer (just a year old) and more sophisticated. BMW i8 2014-present Best buy Less than £50,000 ■ Concept car looks, performance to rival a Porsche 911, the fuel economy of a small hatchback… and all for less than £50,000. That’s why we’d take a 2016 example of BMW’s daring plug-in hybrid sports car over a newer Alpine A110, and even in preference to an older version of said 911.…

It’s a victory to the DS Certified scheme for the second year in a row, and it’s perhaps not surprising, because it still provides a truly excellent level of cover that few other schemes come close to matching. For starters, there’s a rare 24-month warranty available for cars up to four years old that have done less than 50,000 miles.There’s also an extensive 120-point mechanical check, two years’ worth of DS Assistance EU and UK breakdown recovery, a full history and mileage check on every car sold, free MOT test cover and a 30-day/1000-mile exchange programme. On top of that, buyers can access a number of premium services via automatic membership of the DS Only You club, including a 24/7 helpline, valeting and DS car rental. What’s more, if you’re…

Welcome to the What Car? Used Tow Car Awards 2020, in association with The Camping and Caravanning Club. Since 2007, we have teamed up with the club to find the very best new cars for towing caravans and trailers. Over the years, we’ve hitched up more than 500 cars, towing Swift Group caravans for thousands of miles.The combined expertise of our road test team and the club’s caravanning gurus make the What Car? Tow Car Awards worth the trust of tow car drivers. However, these are the first ever What Car? Used Tow Car Awards, where we take another look at the best cars from our main Tow Car Awards over recent years and judge them in the light of their value and reliability when bought on the used car…

Mileage 435 List Price £42,440 Target Price £39,733 Price as tested £47,055 Test economy 38.2mpg THE FUEL ECONOMY of my XC40 Recharge T5 is slowly improving, not least since I’ve been plugging it in for a quick top-up whenever I visit my local Tesco.The fact that I’m still working from home means I’m yet to enjoy daily charging at the What Car? office – and as I mentioned last time, I can’t charge at home – but the five miles or so of electric power that I get while browsing the supermarket aisles is a real boon. I’ve also been impressed by the XC40’s air-con fan, which blows air into the car with all the ferocity of a tropical storm.When I got back into the car following a long walk…

LESS THAN £12,000 Dacia Sandero Our pick 0.9 TCe 90 Essential List price £8795 Target Price £8716 MPG 49.6 CO2 134g/km For Lots of space for the money, decent to drive and has a fair amount of standard kit. Against Its engine is unrefined and its interior is comparatively basic. WHAT CAR? SAYS Kia Picanto Our pick 1.0 2 List price £11,575 Target Price £10,930 MPG 54.3 CO2 117g/km For You get plenty of kit as standard and this engine is cheap for company car drivers. Against It struggles to keep up out of town and the 3 trim has more desirable goodies. WHAT CAR? SAYS Dacia Sandero Stepway Our pick 0.9 TCe 90 Essential List price £10,145 Target Price £10,052 MPG 44.8 CO2 141g/km For Reasonably well equipped, rides…

LESS THAN £45,000 BMW 5 Series OUR FAVOURITE LUXURY car for the past three years still offers the very best traits of this class. Take the interior, for example: it’s virtually identical to the 6 Series’ and just as well made, but it comes for a comparatively bargain price. The infotainment system is the same, too, and you can spec it up with almost every conceivable feature. It’s the supreme luxury package without a price tag to match. Our pick 520d MHT SE List price £39,580 Target Price £36,404 MPG 56.5 CO2 131g/km For Spacious, well-appointed interior; great to drive, with a quiet, economical engine. Against You need to add adaptive dampers for the best ride quality. WHAT CAR? SAYS Audi A6 Our pick 40 TDI Sport S tronic List…

Following the arrival of the ID 3 family hatchback, the next addition to Volkswagen’s electric car family is the ID 4 family SUV. Based on the same underpinnings, it offers a choice of two battery sizes, rear or four-wheel drive and power outputs from 146bhp up to 262bhp. Official range is up to 323 miles – more than the class-leading Kia e-Niro. Price from £30,000 (est) FAMILY SUV Volkswagen ID 4 SMALL AND FAMILY SUVs Alfa Romeo Tonale Early 2021 Majors on style, offers plug-in hybrid power. Cupra Formentor October Sporting plug-in hybrid will cost around £40k. Ford Puma ST December Our Car of the Year gets a 197bhp engine, lower, stiffer suspension and sportier looks. Lexus UX 300e Early 2021 Electric version of UX offers a 186-mile range. Mazda…

IF YOU WERE to ask a member of the public to name a manufacturer that builds great estate cars, the chances are that more than half would settle on Volvo, so popular was the Swedish brand’s boxy load-luggers of the 1980s. If you didn’t own one, it’s very likely that you know someone who did. But times change, and around a decade later, when Volvo abandoned ultimate load-carrying capacity in the pursuit of style with the V70, it opened up a space in the market for a practical, reliable, low-cost estate for the masses. The car that best filled that gap was the Skoda Octavia Estate. Introduced in 1996, it and its hatchback sibling did much to lift the company’s image with its robust interior, solid driving dynamics, huge boot…

Suzuki Celerio 2015-2019 Best buy Less than £4000 ■ At this money, a Hyundai i10 or Skoda Citigo will be much older than the Celerio, and neither can match its outstanding real-world fuel economy. Reliability is strong and the running costs of its 67bhp 1.0-litre engine should be low. There’s also plenty of rear passenger space for such a tiny car. Kia Picanto 2017-present Best buy Less than £8000 ■ At this price level, the current Picanto swats aside last year’s winner, the Volkswagen Up, by being newer and having more of its manufacturer’s warranty left. It also beats the equivalent Hyundai i10 for driver appeal, while providing a similarly generous equipment list and a noticeably bigger boot.…

With so many small SUV offerings bolstering the used car market, you’re spoilt for choice at any price point, but the Seat Arona really stands out from the crowd. For starters, it has a finely judged ride and handling balance that makes it fun to drive without sacrificing comfort. Its interior may not be as classy as that of the posh Audi Q2, but it’s just as well screwed together and matches the Q2 for equipment in like-for-like trim. It also has a capacious boot to keep young families happy. The Arona sees off the Suzuki Vitara and Hyundai Kona at this price point because it has a more upmarket interior than the former and is much better to drive than the latter. In the battle for overall honours in…

Seat Leon 2013-2019 Best buy Less than £12,000 ■ The Leon is our pick here, particularly if you want a sporty drive; its engines are more powerful than the Volkswagen Golf’s at this price point. It also beats the Ford Focus by having more rear seat space and a bigger boot. Our favourite version, the FR, with the 1.4-litre TSI 150 engine, has plenty of kit, too. Vauxhall Astra 2015-present Best buy Less than £8000 ■ The Astra has always been good value, and for this money you can have a far newer example than if you bought a Skoda Octavia or Seat Leon. A Kia Ceed will have more warranty left, but the Astra is far nicer to drive and has a more extensive range of punchy and economical…

You only have to look at what the Ateca has overcome to realise why it deserves to triumph. It’s competing in one of the most hotly contested classes, at a price point packed with bargain buys, yet it still manages to beat far more expensive family SUVs. The Ateca is extremely agile, with minimal body lean and precise steering. It’s genuinely fun to drive, and that isn’t something you can say about its Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai rivals. Don’t think that this agility forces you to put up with a punishing ride, either. Instead, the Ateca is best described as well controlled, which means it won’t make the kids feel car sick by bouncing and swaying around over bumps. It’s family-friendly inside, too, with a sturdy build and loads…

Skoda Kodiaq 2017-present Best buy Less than £19,000 ■ The Kodiaq is a great-value large SUV that’s ideal for larger families on a budget. Our money buys a three-year-old car in SE trim with our favourite 1.5 TSI petrol engine. It may not be quite as plush inside as a Mazda CX-5 or as roomy as a Citroën C5 Aircross, but neither of those rivals can be had with seven seats. Audi Q5 2017-present Best buy Less than £30,000 ■ The latest Q5 is bigger and more refined than the original, and our budget represents a saving of more than £12,000 off the new price of our preferred 2.0 TDI 190 Sport model at two years old. It’s more comfortable and quieter than the rival BMW X3 and more reliable…

There’s probably no such thing as the ultimate all-round car, because people have varying needs and wants, but we’ve always thought if you had to pick just one, it’d be the 5 Series Touring. Simply put, it takes all we love about the 5 Series saloon – the wonderful driving manners, the comfort, the classy and well-appointed interior with its brilliant infotainment system – and adds in an extra dose of practicality, thanks to its huge and easily accessible boot. For most people, it’s all the car they’ll ever need. It beat all other cars at this price point, including a previous winner in the shape of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate, by virtue of being better to drive and nicer to be in, and it sees off the other price…

Citroën C4 Picasso 2013-2018 Best buy Less than £10,000 ■ The C4 Picasso impresses on value; for a similar price, the equivalent Volkswagen Golf SV will be much older. It’s also more reliable than a Vauxhall Zafira Tourer and bigger inside than a Citroën C3 Picasso. Our favourite version is the 1.6 BlueHDI 120 Feel, which has a smooth diesel engine and is relaxing to drive. Ford Galaxy 2015-present Best buy Less than £20,000 ■ If you value peace and quiet, the Ford Galaxy is a stupendous choice; road, wind and engine noise are far better suppressed than in a Volkswagen Sharan. It’s also far more practical as a seven-seater than the BMW 2 Series Grand Tourer. Go for a 2.0 TDCi Zetec, and avoid high-milers.…

Last year, the Audi Q7 won its price point in this category but not the overall award.This year, however, its sheer value is simply too good to ignore. With £35,000 to spend on a used luxury SUV, your choices include the likes of the BMW X6, Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Velar.As good as those cars are, though, none is as versatile as the Q7. Whether you’re going on a family holiday or tackling the school run, the Q7 will take you there in comfort and style. It rides better than the Volvo XC90 and offers more leg room for rear passengers than the BMW X5, and opting for our recommended SE trim gives you dual-zone climate control, sat-nav and xenon headlights as standard. Go for the higher-powered 3.0 TDI…

Volvo XC90 T8 2015-present Best buy Less than £40,000 ■ If you can make regular use of a charging point, a plug-in hybrid SUV like the XC90 T8 can prove remarkably economical. A 2017 example is almost half the price of a new one, too. With seven seats, it beats its BMW X5 xDrive40e rival for practicality, and is far nicer to drive than the Lexus RX450h. BMW 530e 2017-present Best buy Less than £25,000 ■ At this price, the 2017 530e beats its smaller 330e brother, with a bigger boot and a more spacious interior, yet a similar all-electric range of 20-30 miles. It trounces the Mercedes C350e for refinement, interior quality and infotainment ease of use, too. At almost half its new car cost, it’s a very efficient…

The Audi TT is no stranger to a What Car? award; it’s one of the most successful cars of all time in that respect, whether as a new car or a used one. In fact, this is the fourth year in a row it’s carried off our Used Coupé of the Year trophy. It isn’t surprising. Buy one used and you get to enjoy all the good features this third-generation TT has always offered – its agility, that lovely interior, the range of refined and punchy engines and its delightful performance – but at a greatly reduced price. It looks neat, too, and it’s a thrill to drive, with this being enough to edge it ahead of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé in what is a diverse and hard-fought…

BMW 4 Series Convertible 2013-present Best buy Less than £22,000 ■ It was the 4 Series’ fine ride/handling balance that placed it ahead of the Audi A3 Cabriolet and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet at this price point. It’s classy and comfy, with a great infotainment system, plus it has the added security and refinement of a folding metal hard-top. Shop for a 2017-2018 420d SE. BMW 2 Series Convertible 2014-present Best buy Less than £15,000 ■ The 2 Series offers a truly premium feel in a compact package. This year it beat the DS 3 Cabrio and last year’s class winner, the Audi A3 Cabriolet, by offering a newer car (2016) for the same outlay. It’s good to drive, too, with a range of punchy, efficient engines. Our favourite is the…

It takes a lot of front to compete in the performance car ring, not least when you’re up against such heavyweights as the ironclad Audi RS5, wantonly aggressive Mercedes-AMG C63 and balletic BMW M3. But even in the face of such an onslaught, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is our favourite. Much of its appeal comes from its 503bhp twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 engine, which delivers electrifying performance. And unlike in the M3, you don’t have to be going flat out to enjoy its sharp, beautifully balanced handling, which is emphasised by ultra-quick, responsive steering. We reckon a two-year-old Giulia is something of a sweet spot, saving you more than a third over the original price. That’s a bargain when you consider that it can seat four in comfort, has a…

Mileage 2750 List price £21,460 Target Price £19,448 Price as tested £24,835 Test economy 39.8mpg THE ENGINE MAY be the heart of the car, but the boot is, in my opinion, the head. After all, if you can’t get a decent amount of stuff in the back, what’s the point? Thankfully, the Juke doesn’t disappoint. Whereas the original model’s boot opening was as small as it was awkwardly shaped, the one on my car is larger and squarer-shaped, making loading significantly easier. The boot itself is also noticeably larger in volume than before – to be precise, 422 litres, compared with 354 litres. In real-world terms, that translates to six carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf, or almost two fold-up Brompton bikes lying sideways next to each other. In fact,…

LESS THAN £30,000 Toyota Corolla The Corolla is a big step in the right direction for Toyota, proving to be not just a great hybrid but a great family hatchback full stop. On our Test MPG cycle, the Corolla returned an impressive 60.6mpg, a figure that will actually improve around town. Racking up the miles shouldn’t be a hardship, thanks to a good driving position and comfortable ride, while Toyota’s reliability record is excellent. Our pick 1.8 Hybrid Icon Tech List price £25,245 Target Price £23,726 MPG 62.8 CO2 102g/km For Plenty of safety kit, an excellent reliability record and a comfortable ride. Against Rear leg room is tight, while the engine is noisy and the infotainment is clunky. WHAT CAR? SAYS Hyundai Ioniq Our pick Hybrid Premium List price…

LESS THAN £35,000 Audi TT THE TT HAS dominated this class for years, and this latest version is no different. For starters, it’s beautifully put together and thoroughly contemporary inside. The TT is also quick and great to drive, as well as relatively practical, thanks to an easy-to-access boot, even if its rear seats are cramped. When you consider how well priced it is and how well it’ll hold its value, the TT is an absolute bargain. Our pick 40 TFSI Sport List price £32,570 Target Price £29,908 MPG 41.5 CO2 154g/km For Fabulous interior design and quality; crisp handling; easy to live with. Against The rear seats are seriously cramped, and you’ll want to add a few options. WHAT CAR? SAYS BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé Our pick 218i…