Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i What Car?

IN THE WORLD of computer games, patches help to iron out any kinks in the original product, as well as being used to introduce new features and tweaks designed to improve your experience. You can think of the Cupra Born in the same way; it’s closely related to the Volkswagen ID.3, which has already been on sale for a year, but by tweaking the formula in key areas, the Born has become the better car. Take the way it drives, for example. Cupra is a brand built on driver appeal, and the Born offers the kind of crisp handling and punchy performance that’s sure to leave a smile on your face after every journey. There’s even an e-Boost version that steps up the power from 201bhp to 228bhp; that’s an…

THE PORSCHE TAYCAN is a Star Wars lightsaber in a class of swords, offering grin-inducing speed and agility while setting new benchmarks for refinement, comfort and running costs. The Cross Turismo takes it up a notch (literally and metaphorically), with raised suspension that does a better job over potholes while maintaining the coupé’s ‘on rails’ feel. On top of that, the more estate car-like rear end improves practicality, making it easier to live with. Our pick 4S List price £88,325 Target Price £88,325 Target PCP na Range 281 miles For Incredible pace; more practical than regular Taycan; top-notch interior Against You’ll want to add a fair few options; range isn’t spectacular WHAT CAR? SAYS Audi E-tron GT Our pick quattro List price £81,915 Target Price £81,915 Target PCP £907 Range…

DESPITE DRIVING THE latest and greatest cars for a living, it’s rare for a new model to take us road testers by surprise. And yet, when we drove Lexus’s all-new NX at the tail end of 2021, we’ll admit that it rather startled us. Why? Because we can’t remember another model of car that has improved so much from one generation to the next. The new NX really is a night-and-day improvement over the car it replaces. What’s more, in plug-in hybrid form, it runs rings around rivals such as the Audi Q5 TFSIe and BMW X3 xDrive30e when it comes to efficiency; with an impressive 45-mile all-electric range, low company car tax is the result. Now, though, we have the opportunity to try the NX in its cheaper regular…

WHY WHAT CAR? In a world of overwhelming information, a subscription to What Car? provides you with everything you really need to know at any stage of your car ownership journey SEE OFFERS ON OUR OTHER GREAT TITLES AT themagazineshop.com SUBSCRIBE TODAY DISCOUNTS Exclusive partner discounts including tickets to Beaulieu, home to the National Motor Museum COMPETITIONS Subscriber-only competitions SUBSCRIBER EVENTS Access to exclusive subscriber-only events TERMS AND CONDITIONS This is a UK-only offer; for overseas offers, please visit themagazineshop.com or call +44 (0) 1604 251 461. All savings are based on the UK cover price and are correct of December 2021. Please allow up to 35 days for delivery of your first issue. Direct Debit rates are valid for one year, after which they are subject to change; should…

Claire.Evans@haymarket.com FROM THE HIGHWAY Code to Acts of Parliament, there’s plenty of scripture to dictate the rights and wrongs of driving in the UK. But as any driver knows, there are conduct and etiquette conventions followed by many motorists that won’t be found in any rule book or guide. The question is, could you get into trouble by following them? To answer that, we not only dug out our copy of The Highway Code but also spoke to Neil Greig, director of policy and research at road safety charity IAM Roadsmart, with the aim of breaking down and exposing these unwritten rules. FLASHING YOUR LIGHTS IN THANKS OR TO LET SOMEONE GO Let’s start with one of the most common unwritten rules out there. Flashing your headlights to thank another…

My 17-year-old grandson is keen to learn to drive and own his own car. I’m happy to help him out and have a budget of around £6000. What used model would you recommend that will be safe, economical and reliable and will provide a relatively low insurance premium for a first-time driver? WHAT CAR? SAYS… Small hatchbacks with small engines are the best option for new drivers, because they’re cheaper to run and insure than larger models with bigger engines. Any first car needs to be dependable, and the latest What Car? Reliability Survey shows that the two best small hatchbacks aged more than six years old are the Toyota Yaris and Suzuki Swift. They suffered very few faults and repair bills weren’t high. Your budget should stretch to a…

Mileage 6640 List price £30,545 Target Price £29,050 Price as tested £31,070 Test economy 36.1mpg I DON’T MIND admitting that it’s been a while since I was eligible to book a Club 18-30 holiday, and my Ford Puma ST reminds me what I’m missing out on. Or, in some ways, maybe not. As the most powerful, sportiest Puma you can buy, my Mean Green ST promises – and delivers – hedonism from the moment you thumb the starter. And that’s exactly why I chose it. With the highways growing ever more clogged with traffic, quiet stretches of road are hard to come by, so enthusiastic drivers are wise to pick their car well; you need one that helps you make the most of every opportunity to remember what it is…

THE VERY FIRST car I drove was an electric vehicle. It was built by my father in his garage, was powered by an old car battery and the motor from a set of wipers, and had a range of just 500 metres before it ran out of juice. It’s safe to say that the gap between Dad’s creation and the Skoda Enyaq electric SUV that’s on my drive now is pretty darned big, not least because the latter can go 825 times as far before it needs plugging in. I’ve gone for the smaller of the two battery options, but my 60 model can still manage up to 256 miles between charges, according to official figures. So far, I’ve achieved around 220 miles in my real-world testing. That (very) easily…

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 those savings form the basis of the deals offered by our free New Car Buying service. In a lot of cases, however, you can save even more. Just head to whatcar.com/new-car-deals and select the car that you’re interested in, and participating dealers will compete for your business. It’s all done through our website, so they won’t see your details until you’re ready.…

DEPARTING FROM THE age-old Ford Mustang formula of two doors, rear-wheel drive and a big petrol engine, the Mach-E is a very different pony. It’s an SUV, for starters, and can be had with four-wheel drive. Oh, and it’s electric. Even the cheapest Standard Range model is well equipped and can 0fficially take you 273 miles on a charge. Sadly, whichever Mach-E you go for, you’ll have to put up with inconsistently weighted steering and an unsettled ride. Our pick Standard Range RWD List price £42,530 Target Price £42,530 Target PCP £505 Range 273 miles For Good range and performance; responsive infotainment; well equipped Against Disappointing handling; unsettled ride; so-so build quality WHAT CAR? SAYS…

IN A MIDSUMMER Night’s Dream, Shakespeare wrote: “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” And while we doubt he had the Fiat 500 in mind, the line sums up this small electric car well. Not in terms of the looks, you understand; its styling is still as cute and unaggressive as that of the petrol-powered 1950s original. However, the sharp power delivery from the electric motor helps it punch well above its weight. Plus, it can more than hold its own in the cut and thrust of city traffic, thanks to its nimble handling. Our pick 42kWh Icon List price £28,835* Target Price £28,835* Target PCP £341 Range 199 miles For Wonderfully nimble in town; great interior; decent range on a charge Against Some rivals can go even farther;…

Dan.Jones@haymarket.com THERE’S A JAPANESE saying – Jinba Ittai – that Mazda has taken inspiration from since the 1980s. It represents the unity of rider and horse, and the car maker reckons it’s the secret sauce that’s helped it sell nearly 70,000 CX-5s in the UK since 2012. That’s an impressive number, but it takes more than a fancy phrase to stay relevant. With that in mind, Mazda hopes a recent facelift will be enough to keep the CX-5 competitive against rival large SUVs such as the Citroën C5 Aircross and Peugeot 5008. So, what’s new with the CX-5? Well, the main focus has been on updating the car’s look and shuffling the trim levels. That means you can now choose from SE-L, Newground, Sport, Sport Black and GT Sport. SE-L…

IF THE THOUGHT of an Aston Martin DBX sends you weak at the knees, we suggest you take a seat; the British marque has just unveiled a performance variant of the luxury SUV. Its name, DBX707, has nothing to do with a certain British spy. Instead, 707 signifies the power output of 707PS, which translates into a staggering 697bhp. That’s enough to make this one of the most powerful SUVs out there. The DBX707’s styling certainly emphasises that fact, and many flourishes are functional and not just cosmetic. The new chrome grille is bigger to increase cooling airflow and a race car-style front splitter sits below. There are also new air intakes, brake cooling ducts and LED daytime running lights. The DBX707’s flanks are heavily sculpted for a sportier stance…

FAMILY SUV Toyota Corolla Cross While the shapely CH-R is technically a family SUV, this new model is a truer rival to the Nissan Qashqai. Offered initially in hybrid form with 181bhp, the Cross shares tech with the family car of the same name. Four-wheel drive will follow, and a fully-electric version is expected later on. Price from £26,500 (est) SMALL AND FAMILY SUVs Alfa Romeo Tonale Spring 2022 Sporty little brother of the Stelvio. Kia Niro and e-Niro Autumn 2022 Reborn hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric family SUVs look more radical inside and out. Renault Austral Autumn 2022 Kadjar replacement will still be related to the Nissan Qashqai, but engine choice will differ. Smart SUV Late 2022 Promises a range of more than 300 miles. Toyota Aygo X Spring…

No car maker contributions Many car makers offer deposit contributions of £1000 or more to those choosing PCP finance, or interest-free deals. Neither of these incentives is offered to lease customers. You won’t own the car Unlike with a PCP deal, you don’t have the option to buy the car at the end of a PCH contract. Even if you’ve become attached to it, you’ll have to give it back. No money towards your next car When a lease deal ends, you have to come up with another deposit when you sign up to a new contract, whereas PCPs are generally calculated to ensure that you’re left with enough equity in the car you’re returning to cover a decent-sized down payment on the next one.With a PCP, you also have…

Claire.Evans@haymarket.com I’m coming under pressure from my children to replace our car with something more environmentally friendly. On the back of the COP 26 climate change summit, they are blaming me for contributing towards climate change with our diesel-swilling Volkswagen Sharan.We need a vehicle with seven seats and decent boot space, so before the Sharan we had a Ford S-Max. However, there don’t seem to be any suitable new electric or hybrid vehicles for us to get instead. Surely we’re not the only family who has found this issue? Or maybe it’s still just too early on in the journey towards the electrification of cars? I’d be interested to hear your advice on what options are available to us. Paul Cook, Anna (13) and Max (11) WHAT CAR? SAYS… A…

I’m getting a Hyundai Kona Electric in a month’s time and I’d be grateful for some information on how often I should charge the car and how low I should let the battery capacity go before charging it. Should I let the charge go right down to zero, or only let it go halfway down between charges, or is it best to keep the battery fully topped up all the time? WHAT CAR? SAYS… Electric car batteries generally come with an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty, and those in the earliest models, such as the Nissan Leaf, which has been on sale for 11 years, have proved impressively durable. However, it’s worth doing what you can to prolong the life of your car’s battery, and one thing that’s recommended is to keep…

IS THERE A more desirable car on the planet right now than the Land Rover Defender? It’s certainly right up there, with waiting lists stretched out to more than a year because of an army of wannabe buyers, the computer chip shortage and speculators turning five-figure profits by ‘flipping’ cars the moment they get their hands on them. In that regard, there’s no quibbling with Land Rover’s decision to follow up the much-loved and long-discontinued old Defender with something that’s rather different but still pays respect to the original’s utility-focused design. Land Rover says the new Defender keeps its predecessor’s all-terrain capability, but it has also gained lashings of desirability, thanks in no small part to its Tonka Toy looks. Of course, there is a risk that stretching the Defender’s…

Mileage 2742 List price £36,130 Target Price £35,778 Price as tested £36,155 Test economy 34.9mpg I’VE HAD MY Cupra Leon for two months now, and on the whole it’s a real humdinger. However, nothing’s perfect, and I feel dutybound to point out to you the things that annoy me about it. First, there’s the fact that every time I get into the car I’m forced to go through the same procedure: after thumbing the engine into life, I have to make my way through the infotainment menus to turn off the lane-keeping assistance. If that seems daft when so much time, money and effort has been invested in what is clearly a safety feature, please forgive me. The problem is that when it works, it works too well, tugging at…

In production 2014-present Price from £25,000 Our favourite version Macan S IT MAY NOT have the swagger of a 911 sports car or capture the zeitgeist as well as the all-electric Taycan performance car, but the Macan sports SUV is one of the most successful Porsches of all time, notching up more than 600,000 sales since its 2014 launch. That success is well deserved because, with the Macan, Porsche finally convinced the world that you can have an SUV that’s both luxurious and great fun to drive. The larger Cayenne had hinted that this was possible, even if its sheer size and weight ultimately held it back. The smaller, lighter Macan then confirmed it, and for Porsche fans who’d outgrown their Caymans, it made the move up to a family-friendly…

ELECTRIC CAR TOP Trumps is a popular game with car makers at the moment, and the Kia EV6 is the strongest card in the pack. For starters, it has one of the longest ranges in the business: up to 328 miles in official tests. Thanks to its super-fast 235kW charging, you’ll spend less time waiting for it to top up and more time on the road. You can charge the battery from 10-80% of its capacity in as little as 18 minutes, which is quicker than the Tesla Model 3 in entrylevel and Performance forms. The EV6 edges the Model 3 for ride comfort and is a much quieter cruiser. What’s more, it grips the road well and leans less through corners than the closely related Hyundai Ioniq 5. Performance…

IF YOU TEND to pick a supermarket’s ‘Taste the Difference’ products over its lesser labels, the Audi Q4 e-tron could be the electric car for you. It’s essentially a premium version of the Volkswagen ID.4 – and its price reflects that. The Q4 e-tron’s added quality really shows, though. It offers a much classier interior and a more user-friendly infotainment system and is very quiet and smooth. Our recommended 40 model has a respectable official range, too. Only so-so performance and poor visibility let the side down a bit. Our pick 40 Sport List price £48,280 Target Price £48,280 Target PCP £566 Range 316 miles For Comfortable ride at all speeds; plush interior; keenly priced Against Rivals are faster and more fun to drive; visibility could be better WHAT CAR?…

Charlie.Martin@haymarket.com PICTURE THIS:YOU’RE lying in a hammock on the beach, slowly swinging from side to side as the world passes you by. If that sounds like your idea of bliss, the Citroën C5 Aircross should be on your radar. Its pillowy-soft ride is sure to take the edge off even the most stressful journey, and this update promises even more serenity. The interior will certainly have you feeling relaxed, because it now features the same cosseting front seats with heating and massage functions as are already used in the Citroën C4 coupé SUV.You’ll be surrounded by pleasant materials, too. For example, the scratchy plastics around the base of the centre console have been replaced with leatherette trim in a bid to boost the feeling of quality. The new, larger 10.0in…

THIS COULD BE the ultimate survivalists’ car; if the zombie apocalypse happens and the country’s fuel supply shuts down, you’ve got a spare tank under the boot carpet to keep you mobile. And it’s supplied for no extra charge. That’s right: if you opt for this Bi-Fuel version of the Dacia Duster, you’ll pay no more than you would for the equivalent 1.0 TCe 90, yet it gives you the option of running on liquified petroleum gas (LPG) as well as petrol. When you consider that LPG costs less per litre than regular petrol and that using it leads to lower emissions, you’re looking at a win-win-win situation on paper. This helps mount a strong argument for the Bi-Fuel being our pick of the Duster range, over the pricier 1.3…

Use your phone to scan the code by the car you like, or search for it on whatcar.com and click the ‘Get best price’ button. We’ll alert dealers in your area so they can compete for your business, but they can’t see your details until you’re ready to buy. You can request quotes on as many cars as you like, and your ‘My offers’ page lets you view them all in one place. While our Target PCP price allows direct finance comparisons, you can also request personalised finance quotes.…

AROUND 1.3 MILLION cars are currently being leased in the UK, and it’s an option that’s becoming increasingly appealing to drivers, who are now accustomed to having the use of all sorts of things from music to mobile phones instead of buying them outright. Although three-quarters of car leases are taken out by business users, the increase in its take-up is being driven by private motorists signing up to personal contract hire (PCH) deals. Over the past year, the PCH sector has grown by 17%, and it now accounts for about 24% of the overall car leasing market, according to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA). And it’s hardly surprising that the biggest growth area is that of fully electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. Demand for…

A growing number of car makers and leasing companies are offering subscription packages to drivers.A form of short-term leasing, these offer consumers the use of a new or nearly new car on a monthly or 28-day rolling basis, with the option to return the car with as little as a month’s notice. They are well suited to people who want to simplify their monthly bills, because the single monthly payment includes the leasing fee, plus road tax, insurance and breakdown cover – and it can even include fuel, so there’s nothing else to pay for each month. However, the added flexibility they offer comes at a price. Subscriptions tend to be far more expensive than taking out a PCH or PCP deal, so they’re only worth considering if you value…

I’ll be starting a new job in a couple of months that’s too good to turn down, but involves a 200-mile round trip from home every day. The trip is almost entirely motorway miles, hopping on the M1 at Junction 27 and leaving at Luton. My current car is a 2015 Skoda Octavia petrol 1.4 TSI SE, but I’m thinking about part-exchanging it for a diesel, because that would be more fuel efficient and save me money. My Octavia is worth about £7000, and I think that should be enough to buy a decent secondhand diesel car. However, I’m struggling to find the best compromise between fuel efficiency and fun, because I don’t want a car that’s going to be really boring to drive. One car I’m considering is the…

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Mileage 2722 List price £31,485 Target Price £31,485 Price as tested £34,010 Test range 164 miles I’M STILL ENJOYING zipping around rural Kent in my electric Fiat 500 Convertible. That’s partly because it’s costing me less in ‘fuel’ than a petrol or diesel car, but also due to its nimble handling and near-instant power delivery. However, there’s much more to electric car ownership than simply driving, and I’ve also spent a fair bit of time recently dealing with home charging issues. The first glitch came when I plugged the 500 into my Myenergi Zappi home charger one day and the lights that normally flash up green glowed red instead. Working on the IT theory that turning anything electrical off then on again usually fixes it, I unplugged both the car…

SO FEW ARE my gripes with the Arteon Shooting Brake after our time together that I might as well get them out of the way first. The touch-sensitive buttons are a bit too, well, sensitive; the cruise control’s ‘Travel Assistant’ occasionally decided I was going too fast and adjusted my speed without asking; and there was a bit of wind noise at motorway speeds. The latter issue is, I suppose, the price you pay for style; the pillarless doors look fantastic but, despite their double glazing, don’t seal quite as well as traditional frames. Oh, and despite my repeated cleaning of the rubber and the glass, I couldn’t prevent the rear wiper from making a noisy groan on its first few sweeps of the screen. That’s about it. The rest…

Mileage 4680 List price £80,675 Target Price £76,677 Price as tested £84,795 Test range 202 miles TRADITIONALLY, IF YOU wanted a sleek and stylish car, it meant putting up with two doors, limited luggage space and rear seats that would make an Oompa Loompa feel cramped – if indeed there were any rear seats at all. These days, though, family friendly doesn’t have to mean frumpy. My Audi E-tron Sportback proves as much, because despite its coupé-like roofline, there’s good rear passenger space; even 6ft-tall friends who’ve hitched a lift back there haven’t been in any danger of knocking themselves senseless on the panoramic glass roof. In addition, while the boot is a little on the shallow side, I’ve found it more than big enough for my needs, helped by…

STAR RATINGS TARGET PRICE The What Car? Target Price is the maximum you should pay for a new car and is set by our mystery shoppers. It’s updated each month and our approved dealers guarantee to match it. However, in a lot of cases, they can save you even more: just visit 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 if you’re taking out a personal contract purchase (PCP) finance deal, also set by our mystery shoppers. Most are over 48 months with a 15% deposit and an 8000-mile annual limit. Those marked with an asterisk are over 36 months and those with…