Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i What Car?

Around 10 years ago, when I was What Car?’s road test editor and we’d just named the Audi A3 (above) Car of the Year, I found myself in a lively debate with someone from a rival car manufacturer who was annoyed at the decision. In particular, he took issue with the fact that we’d said the button and dial-operated infotainment system in that generation of A3 was superior to the touchscreen in his brand’s equivalent model. “If buttons are so good,” he harrumphed, “why are all phones switching to touchscreens?” To which I responded: “Try typing a text message into your iPhone without looking at the screen, then do the same with an old Nokia and tell me which is easier.” ‘Voice control used to be rudimentary at best, whereas now…

WHILE THE ELECTRIC Countryman you’ve just read about brings a modern twist to Mini’s family SUV range, those who’d rather have one with a petrol engine will be pleased to see three options are available: an entry-level 1.5-litre Countryman C and the 2.0-litre Countryman S and John Cooper Works (JCW). We’re testing the latter, which packs the most punch with 296bhp and a 0-62mph sprint time of 5.4sec. While it never feels quite as fast as the official figures suggest, a healthy slug of mid-range muscle will get you up to motorway speed with little trouble. Both 2.0-litre engines come with four-wheel drive (whereas the C is front-wheel drive), so you can make full use of the power out of corners. Meanwhile, the slick sevenspeed automatic gearbox is eager to…

WITH MORE THAN 293 million records sold, The Beatles are the biggest-selling recording artists in history. And while the Nissan Juke can’t claim quite the same popularity, it was still one of the best-selling new cars in the UK last year. Even popular artists need to evolve to stay at the top, though, so this small SUV has been treated to a host of upgrades for its mid-life facelift. The most visually startling change is the return of bright yellow paint to the options list. If you look closer, though, you’ll find an improved interior and a heap of new technology. Not least of these is a larger, higher-quality infotainment touchscreen. It now measures 12.3in rather than 8.0in and, while still being mounted high up, it’s angled more towards the…

WHETHER YOU’RE AT the Brit Awards or the Oscars, picking out a bold costume is a great way to get yourself noticed in a busy crowd. But while the coupé SUV version of the BMW X1 family SUV isn’t as outlandish looking as Sam Smith’s inflatable latex suit, its curvaceous lines – not to mention that giant front grille – are striking enough to have people doing a double take. With a separate iX2 due soon to appease electric vehicle fans, the X2 offers a choice of two petrol engines, each teamed with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The entry level 1.5-litre sDrive20i is front-wheel drive, with 168bhp and an 8.3sec 0-62mph time. If you fancy more punch and four-wheel drive, there’s the 296bhp M35i we tested, which sprints from 0-62mph…

SOME FAMILIES WILL need more space and seating capacity than the Mercedes-Benz EQA can offer, and the natural model for them to turn to is the larger EQB. It was the first electric SUV with seven seats, but it no longer has the field to itself, having been joined by the likes of the Kia EV9 (see page 27). As with the EQA, the EQB has just been given a refresh that includes the addition of a new single-motor, front-wheel-drive model. The EQB 250+’s 70.5kWh (usable) battery gives it an official range of up to 321 miles, compared with a 255-mile best for four-wheel-drive versions. That’s slightly less than the 349 miles the EV9 Air can manage, though. The 250+ – the only version of the latest EQB we’ve driven…

THE ORIGINAL RANGE ROVER Sport SVR was about as subtle as a loudspeaker in a library, and while that gave it plenty of character, it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. That’s where this new SV version comes in, offering a huge dollop of performance but a more grown-up approach. Don’t go thinking that it’s become boring, though. Oh no: with a 626bhp turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 under its bonnet, the Sport SV is the most powerful Range Rover yet. It’s also the quickest, sprinting from 0-62mph in just 3.8sec – around the same as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid and about 0.3sec slower than the Lamborghini Urus S. Plant your foot and it feels mighty fast, pinning you back into your seat as the automatic gearbox fires through the gears. True,…

ITS NAME MAY be tricky to say and even harder to type, but the bZ3X is Toyota’s second battery-powered electric model (after the larger bZ4X), forming part of a six-strong bZ (Beyond Zero) range that’s planned by 2026. In effect the production version of last year’s Toyota bZ Compact SUV concept, the bZ3X is similar in size to rivals such as the Volvo C40 Recharge (soon to be renamed EC40) and slightly larger than Toyota’s hybrid C-HR. It’s likely the new car will use the same underpinnings as the bZ4X, with the same electric motors and battery. Entry-level bZ3X models will feature a single 201bhp electric motor driving the front wheels, with more expensive four-wheel-drive versions producing 215bhp from two motors. Both are expected to use the same 64kWh (usable…

THE CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY describes blue blood as“someone having been born into a family belonging to the highest social class”. Few cars deserve the epithet more than the Vantage – a staple of the Aston Martin range since 1950. To further its breeding, the Vantage has been updated, with Aston’s One-77 supercar providing style cues, as shown by the brand’s signature front wing strakes, which make a return. New exterior features include Matrix LED headlights, frameless door mirrors and pop-out door handles. The Vantage’s vital statistics have been massaged, too; 0-62mph takes just 3.4sec, with a 202mph top speed, thanks to a 656bhp twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine. That’s a 153bhp boost over the outgoing car and enough to eclipse the Porsche 911Turbo on power – if not on outright acceleration. Still,…

WHEN IT FIRST arrived in the UK four years ago, the Taycan blew the socks off rival petrol and electric performance cars – so much so that we named it our top performance car of 2021. And even though the Taycan saloon no longer wears that crown today, the chunky Cross Turismo version is still our favourite electric performance car. The Taycan, however, is now up against a growing number of fast electric vehicles (EVs), including the Audi E-tron GT (to which the Taycan is closely related) and hot versions of the BMW i5 and Mercedes-AMG EQE. It’s timely, then, that the Taycan saloon, Sport Turismo estate and higher-riding CrossTurismo have undergone an update. The range-toppingTurbo S (in all body styles) now has a huge 939bhp at its disposal, but…

ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE are now competent at tapping away on a mobile phone or tablet screen to find information, read messages and get directions, doing that while driving has the potential to be far more dangerous than sitting on your sofa at home. According to the latest data available from the Department for Transport, driver impairment contributed to 12,246 road traffic collisions in 2022. It’s a growing problem; distraction was a contributing factor in 17% of all road accidents in 2022, up from 13% in 2013. And when you examine the data for fatal collisions, the statistics are even more worrying; driver distraction was a factor in 29% of road deaths in 2022, up from 23% in 2013. Most new cars come with a touchscreen infotainment system through which you…

Mileage 16,361 List price £22,595 Target Price na Price as tested £22,595 Test economy 44.4mpg MY DACIA JOGGER is a bit like a gardener’s greenhouse – not in the way that it stores heat (although the heater is wonderfully effective), but because it contains a lot of glass. You see, because the Jogger is a large seven-seater with a fairly boxy body shape, it has tall and wide windows that let lots of light into the interior. They give occupants a great view out, which is useful if you carry passengers who are prone to car sickness. And the fact that the second-row seats are mounted higher than the front pair allows people sitting in the former to see out over the heads of those ahead of them. At least…

Mileage 3361 List price £48,995 Target Price £46,715 Price as tested £49,990 Test economy 35.8mpg FOR ME, THE driving routine of ‘mirror, signal, manoeuvre’ has slightly evolved recently, and it’s down to my Honda CR-V’s ‘Lanewatch’ system, which displays an image of my blindspot onto the infotainment screen, fed by a camera mounted on the nearside door mirror casing. Curiously, despite there being a camera on the driver’s side as well, the system is designed to work only when I indicate left. Still, I find the feed useful to glance at before manoeuvring left on motorways and other multi-lane roads. And while it can be a hindrance when I’m relying on the sat-nav, because the camera display overrides everything else on the screen, there’s a button at the end of…

Mileage 3925 List price £46,470 Target Price £46,470 Price as tested £57,995 Test economy 21.3mpg WHETHER IT’S A hug from a loved one, a nicely chilled glass of wine or perhaps a butler offering a hot towel, everyone likes to be welcomed home at the end of a long day. And while my Genesis GV70 can’t offer a warm embrace, serve beverages or hand me fluffy flannels, it does provide a welcoming light show. When I approach the car at night and unlock it via the key fob, small puddles of light appear on the ground below the GV70’s doors, complete with Genesis logos. These illuminate the area to stop me from stepping into any actual puddles. The light show continues inside, because the centre console, climate control panel and…

FIRST DRIVE Peugeot e-3008 Electric version of Peugeot’s new-generation family SUV comes with some impressive stats On sale Spring Price from £45,850 WHAT DOES THE new Peugeot e-3008 have in common with the Mercedes-Benz EQS? Not a lot, admittedly. One is a mainstream family SUV, while the other is a mega-money luxury limousine. But both are part of the exclusive 400-mile electric car club. You see, until recently, if you wanted to travel for more than 400 miles (officially) before needing to replenish your car’s battery, you needed more than £100,000 to buy an EQS. However, the new Fisker Ocean SUV and the updated version of the Polestar 2 executive car have since broken through the 400-mile barrier too – and hot on their heels is the new 435-mile e-3008.…

MAKING SALES PREDICTIONS when launching a new electric vehicle (EV) is a risky business, but when Audi launched its Q4 e-tron back in 2021, the company confidently proclaimed that its new electric family SUV would become its second best-selling model in the UK. Well, the results are in, and while the suits at Audi were perhaps a tad optimistic with their prediction, a third place overall in the company’s 2023 sales results is nothing to sniff at. Nor is the fact that the Q4 was Audi’s best-selling SUV full stop. Job done, then? Well, not quite. The way Audi is operating at the moment is reminiscent of how it went about business in the late 1970s and 1980s, when former Audi boss Ferdinand Piëch encouraged his engineers to strive for…

ANYONE WHO’S LOADED up their car with children and luggage will appreciate the ethos behind the Symbioz; it’s designed to be among the most spacious family SUVs you can buy. Intended to slot in between the current Renault Captur and Austral SUVs, the Symbioz will count the class-leading Kia Sportage, the big-selling Nissan Qashqai and the super-practical Skoda Karoq among its key rivals. And like the Sportage, it’ll be offered with hybrid power. At launch, the Symbioz will use the same 1.6-litre petrol engine and electric motor that we’ve already tried in the Renault Clio hatchback (our reigning small car champion), with 143bhp in total when petrol and electric power join forces. If you want to go greener, a plug-in hybrid is expected to join the range soon, and a…

‘VORSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIK’, ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’, ‘The Power of Dreams’. These are all evocative advertising taglines, but none is as fitting as Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’. It’s more than just a slogan; it really is baked into every car that the Czech brand builds. Take the facelifted Kamiq we’re testing here. On top of thoughtful touches you’d find in the outgoing car, such as the parking ticket holder on the windscreen, the ice scraper in the filler flap and the 12V socket in the boot, there’s now a floor-mounted storage box (for use by rear seat occupants) that snaps onto the back of the centre console, and even an air-conditioned wireless charger to help your mobile phone stay cool during top-ups. The updated car is much nicer to sit in,…

LIFE COULDN’T HAVE started much better for the Volvo XC40. Just three months after its launch in early 2018, it had already won the WHATCAR? Car of the Year award and (cough cough) the far less important European Car of the Year trophy. Good to drive, plush inside and ultra-desirable, this family SUV made the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA of the time seem almost agricultural. So, when an all-electric version was announced a couple of years later, our hopes were sky high. Sadly, the XC40 Recharge never quite delivered on its initial promise. Sure, it had the same lavish and family-friendly interior as its petrol-powered sibling, but it was expensive, the range between charges was nothing special and efficiency was downright disappointing. Some improvements were needed, and while we’ve…

WHATCAR? IMAGE IF YOU LOOKED up the family tree of the new Alfa Romeo Milano, you’d discover that it has more relatives than you might think. That’s because, under the surface, it shares its underpinnings with the Fiat 600e, Jeep Avenger and Peugeot e-2008. However, Alfa Romeo’s first electric car will have its own distinct character compared with those cars, with a bespoke design and a more premium interior. What’s more, it’s promised that the Milano’s mechanical package will be honed so it drives like an Alfa Romeo should; it’ll be tweaked by a team of engineers that worked on both the Giulia executive saloon and Stelvio family SUV – two of the best-handling cars in their respective classes. Like the Avenger, the Milano will be offered with a choice…

AS MORE TOURISTS warm up to the idea of climate change, the business of ecoadventuring is booming. Indeed, whether it’s hiking through protected woodland or offsetting your travel footprint, adventurers can now trek consciously. And for the sustainable safari of the future, the new Ineos Fusilier could be a worthy companion – even if you’re only trekking to the shops. This new electric SUV is intended to offer off-road capability to match the hardiest 4x4s, and will count the upcoming electric Land Rover Defender Sport and Mercedes-Benz EQG among its key rivals. Slightly shorter and lower than its combustion-powered Ineos Grenadier sibling, the Fusilier sports a similarly rugged look, with a boxy shape, tall windows, roof rails and rounded LED headlights. Few technical details have been revealed yet, but the…

AS BIRTHDAYS GO, the Volkswagen Passat estate has just celebrated a big one; it first went on sale 50 years ago. However, while the original had a hatchback sister, this all-new ninth generation goes it alone; the previous saloon bodystyle is no longer an option. This estate-only Passat will initially be offered with a 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engine developing 148bhp. This has plenty of poke for everyday driving (0-62mph takes 9.2sec), and it’s quiet on the move, with the mild hybrid system switching the petrol engine on and off in traffic much less obtrusively than that of a Citroën C5 X. Diesel power won’t be offered, but two plug-in hybrids (badged eHybrid) arrive in the summer. These combine a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and are offered…

LIONEL MESSI HAS won football’s Ballon d’Or a record eight times, but he’s still got nothing on the BMW 5 Series, which has chalked up 27 What Car? Awards wins over the years – more than any other model. Part of the reason for this sustained success is that BMW has done a great job of keeping the 5 Series up to date. The latest version is even available as a fully electric car, called the i5. However, we’ve now driven a non-electric version for the first time: the 520i petrol. The cheapest and least powerful of three 5 Series variants that come with an engine (the others are the 530e and 550e plug-in hybrids), the 520i is still far from slow. But while its standard eight-speed automatic gearbox shifts…

WHEN YOU’RE BROWSING used cars for sale online, you might come across some that are significantly cheaper than the rest, and they could have a ‘Cat N’ label next to their listing. Cat N is one of four write-off categories introduced in 2017 by the Association of British Insurers (ABI), which regulates the salvage code for car insurers. While your immediate reaction might be to steer well clear of these cars, you could be doing yourself out of a bargain. When cars are involved in accidents, a significant number of them get written off by insurance companies, because repairing them would cost more than they are worth. The reasons for this are twofold: more expensive and sensitive technology is being fitted to cars, and garage overheads are rising due to…

Twice a year, in the height of summer and the depths of winter, we put a selection of electric vehicles (EVs) through a ‘drive ’em until they die’ endurance test. The aim? To find out how far they can really go on a full charge and how efficiently they use the electricity stored in their batteries. Some of the cars lining up this winter, such as the Mercedes-Benz EQE and MG 4, have taken part in previous tests – but there are plenty of newcomers, too, including the BYD Seal, Jeep Avenger and heavily updated Tesla Model 3. We’re also including two Volkswagen ID 7s – one with an optional heat pump and one without – to find out if it’s really worth paying extra for this energy-saving feature. HOW…

Mileage 1735 List price £51,950 Target Price £49,008 Price as tested £56,125 Test range 175 miles ONE OF THE benefits of the folding e-bike I recently purchased is that whenever I decide to head for the hills for a few hours of trail riding, loading it into the boot of a car is easier than with the conventional hybrid bike I had previously. Well, that was the theory. In practice, even when it’s folded, my e-bike is still a relatively hefty, unwieldy lump to lift and carry. So, it’s fortunate that my Toyota bZ4X’s boot is well suited to the task of accommodating cargo like this. Even when my hands are full, the electric tailgate can be opened simply by waggling my foot under the rear bumper. As long as…

DESPITE HAVING FRIENDS of a nautical persuasion, I have never taken the plunge (as it were) into proper boat ownership. I feel like I’ve had an enjoyable taste of the marine life, though, during my time with the BYD Atto 3. It turned the M25 – on which the Atto 3 and I spent an awful lot of time together – into an expanse of calm, placid water. On those rare occasions that I managed to gather speed, it was unfazed by the road’s many concrete ripples, and even potholes felt no more harsh than when a yacht’s centreboard gently touches the bottom while exploring a shallow estuary. Really, the Atto 3’s motorway ride is superb. In fact, I recently had the pleasure of driving a £142,000 BMW 7 Series…

Mileage 5409 List price £36,495 Target Price £36,134 Price as tested £37,295 Test range 178 miles WHEN THE WEATHER turns wintry, some people might start to have concerns about the practicalities of living with an electric vehicle (EV). However, in most respects my MG 4 XPower has proved to be a great friend in cold conditions. True, it doesn’t come with a phone app that enables you to demist and pre-heat the car’s interior before you get in it, but the windscreen clearing and warming-up functions work so well that I haven’t felt hard done by. Even if there’s a thick layer of ice on the windscreen, the quick-clear function melts it in two minutes flat. At the same time, the air conditioning turns the interior totally tropical and the…

In association with 1 Renault Clio THE LATEST CLIO represents even stronger value than before, with its wide breadth of abilities making it a great choice over its rivals. It’s fun to drive without sacrificing much in the way of comfort, and this is combined with a smart-looking and generously equipped interior. While the E-Tech hybrid version is smooth and efficient, it’s the cheaper 1.0-litre petrol version in mid-range Techno trim that makes the most sense. Our pick 1.0 TCe 90 Techno List price £19,195 Target Price £17,873 MPG 53.3 CO2 119g/km For Very well priced; smart interior is packed with equipment; fine ride and handling balance; practical boot Against Tight for taller adults in the rear seats; slightly firm low-speed ride; high boot loading lip WHATCAR? SAYS 2 Honda…

1 Lexus LBX AS A SMALL hybrid SUV from a premium brand, the LBX is pretty much in a class of one at present, and it’s a combination that works remarkably well. It may be the brand’s cheapest model, but it’s a true Lexus inside, being plush and very well equipped; mid-rung Premium Plus trim brings useful extra goodies. True, the low-speed ride could be smoother, but the LBX promises lower running costs than most rivals, plus stellar reliability. Our pick 1.5 Premium Plus List price £34,495 Target Price £34,495 MPG 65.7 CO2 105g/km For High-quality interior; efficient hybrid system promises low running costs; very well equipped Against Fidgety low-speed ride; refinement could be better; short on rear seat space WHATCAR? SAYS 2 Volkswagen T-Roc Our pick 1.0 TSI 110…

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 most of our approved dealers will match it. However, in a lot of cases they can save you even more: just visit whatcar.com/new-car-deals. 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 an apostrophe are over 42 months. Ford deals are over 9000…

THE COUNTRYMAN SUV may be the most practical and grown-up model in the Mini line-up, but given that it has existed only since 2010, technically it’s still a teenager in the historical context of the brand. And like most adolescents around this age, it has just experienced a growth spurt. This new, third iteration is 13cm longer and 6cm taller than its predecessor, promising more space for occupants and their luggage. Indeed, it’s slightly longer than a Hyundai Kona Electric but shorter than a Skoda Enyaq. The Countryman’s cutesy styling remains, with its prominent headlights, large front grille and short overhangs being instantly recognisable. Meanwhile, the tail-lights introduce a modern touch, allowing buyers to switch from the Union Flag light signature to two alternative ones if they fancy a change.…

PERFORMANCE-FOCUSED VERSIONS of electric cars are still a bit of a novelty. After all, many buyers rank range and practicality as more important than straight-line speed and cornering ability. However, for those who still want a bit of pep in their sensible EV, Volkswagen developed the ID 5 GTX. The thing is, we weren’t a fan when we first tried it, largely because it didn’t feel that much quicker and the ride was far too choppy. Now, though, it’s been updated in a bid to put things right. As before, the GTX is distinguished from other ID 5s by its restyled front bumper and black exterior highlights, while a second electric motor (on the front axle, bringing four-wheel drive traction) gives it more power. While the updated car is little…

IN THE NOT too distant past, if you asked people what the most popular Volkswagen was, chances are they’d reply with the Beetle or the Golf. Well, right now, that answer is officially the Tiguan; this family SUV has been VW’s best-selling model globally since 2018. Now entering its third generation, the Tiguan flaunts an all-new design inside and out, but its underpinnings and engines are carried over from its predecessor, albeit polished for a better drive. A 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol kicks off the line-up; it’s available with 129bhp (in the eTSI 130) or 148bhp (in the eTSI 150). The eTSI 130 officially takes 10.6sec to sprint from 0-62mph, while the eTSI 150 takes 9.1sec. We’ve sampled the latter, and it has plenty of muscle for everyday driving. The…

ELECTRIC CARS ARE a bit like animals that must adapt to better suit their environment. And for the Mercedes-Benz EQA, its mid-life update couldn’t have come at a better time. You see, since the EQA was first introduced back in 2021, a flurry of new electric SUVs have arrived, including the Genesis GV60, Kia EV6 and Smart #1. This means it has a much wider field of rivals to contend with now. The biggest change is the introduction of a new entry-level 250+ model. It pairs a 188bhp electric motor (driving the front wheels) with a 70.5kWh (usable) battery for an official range of up to 345 miles. That’s farther than the EV6 and #1 can go. So far, we’ve driven the 250+, which provides smooth, linear power and feels…

IMPRESSIVE THOUGH THE Kia EV9 electric SUV is in terms of space, practicality and range, one of the sticking points with the dual-motor, four-wheel-drive (AWD) versions we’ve driven until now is their high prices. This new entry-level Air model goes some way to addressing that concern, being around £8000 cheaper to buy than the next version up the food chain. True, it’s still pricier to buy than the rival Mercedes-Benz EQB that we’ve driven on page 25, but it’s better at accommodating seven adults and their luggage than that car. With an official range of 349 miles, the EV9 Air can travel farther between charges than any of its siblings (and the EQB). That’s because there’s only one electric motor drawing power from the same 95kWh (usable capacity) battery. With…

AT ONE TIME, Volvo’s decision to stop selling estate cars – announced last year – would have been as shocking as Hoover cutting ties with the vacuum cleaner industry. Now, though, the Swedish brand is just as well known for its range of impressive SUVs, headed up by the big (and big-selling) XC90. This year – as part of Volvo’s drive to be an electric-only car brand by 2030 – the XC90 will be joined by the all-new EX90. Like the XC90, it offers a spacious interior with seven seats, but it’s powered by two electric motors instead of an engine. As such, its main rivals will be the Kia EV9 and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. And price-wise, it sits between the two. There are two versions: the Twin Motor and…

IT HAS BECOME fashionable for cars from a bygone era to be given a new lease of life in the current day, and the Renault 5 is the latest to be reborn. It’s set to make a timely return in 2025 – and this time it’s an electric vehicle (EV). Indeed, the 5, which took the small car market by storm in the 1970s and formed the inspiration for rivals that included the original Ford Fiesta, has been completely reinvented for the 2020s. But like the original, the new 5 has been designed to offer stylish, versatile and affordable motoring to a broad audience. It’ll compete with two other retro small EVs – the Fiat 500 Electric and Mini Cooper – as well as facing up to the thoroughly contemporary…

THIS IS a story of redemption. You see, despite being one of the most decorated models in What Car? Awards history, the Skoda Octavia hasn’t quite managed to repeat that success in its current iteration, having been beaten by the Honda Civic, Seat Leon andToyota Corolla in recent years. This facelift, then, aims to restore the natural order of things. On the outside, the Octavia gets a new front grille and new bumpers that are designed to give it a more aggressive look. All versions now come with full LED headlights, but more sophisticated Matrix LED lights (which can shape their beams to maximise illumination without dazzling oncoming drivers) are available with some trim levels. Inside, the Octavia’s standard 10.0in infotainment screen can now be swapped for a 13.0in unit…

SPECULATE TO ACCUMULATE, so the saying goes. But when it comes to choosing a small hybrid car, you often have to dig deep to save on your ongoing fuel bills. But with a likely starting price of £20,000, the new MG 3 Hybrid+ could change that – potentially undercutting equivalent hybrids such as the Renault Clio and ToyotaYaris by several thousand pounds. Despite that anticipated starting price, the MG 3 isn’t short on specification. It mates a 100bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine with a 180bhp electric motor for a combined 192bhp and a 0-62mph time of 8.0sec – a full second less than the Yaris. No plug-in hybrid version will be available, though. The engine can drive the wheels, top up the battery – or both – and the motor can…

THE SECOND-GENERATION Skoda Kodiaq SUV has a tough job on its hands. Not only does it need to live up to the all-round capabilities of the original model, but it’s also got to compete with a host of versatile seven-seat rivals, including the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Peugeot 5008. The latest Kodiaq is slightly larger than the outgoing model, promising more space inside. Engine options are 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre petrols, a pair of 2.0-litre diesels and a plug-in hybrid. The latter – which is a five-seater only – has an official electric range of up to 62 miles and is capable of 50kW rapid charging, so the battery can be replenished from 10-80% in as little as 25 minutes. The more powerful models come with four-wheel drive. On…

1 King of Sheen Glass Sparkle Price £8.99 (500ml) Buy from Amazon Price per litre £17.98 The Glass Sparkle offers the best blend of performance and value. It smells a bit strong, but we’ll forgive it because it made such light work of the inside and outside of our car’s glass, barely needing any buffing for a streak-free finish. A little goes a long way, too; we cleaned a fairly big expanse of glass without using much at all, so the bottle should last a long time. It isn’t the cheapest, but it’s especially good value when you consider that a microfibre cloth is thrown in. WHATCAR? SAYS SCAN FOR MORE PRODUCT REVIEWS 2 RainX 2-in-1 glass cleaner and rain repellent Price £4.00 (500ml) Buy from Amazon Price per litre…

THEY SAY YOU should never go back, but it’s not a rule that I personally live by; if I did, I wouldn’t be writing this story, given that I’m currently on my second stint at What Car?. The way I figure it, if you liked something the first time around, why on earth wouldn’t you revisit it? And that goes for cars as well as jobs – which is why I’m now running a BMW i5. You see, a few years ago I had a plug-in hybrid BMW 530e, and it was brilliant to live with: comfortable, composed and beautifully made. On top of all that, I averaged more than 70mpg over the course of my time with it, despite not making a huge effort to drive efficiently. The i5…

Mileage 2099 List price £38,950 Target Price £38,950 Price as tested £38,950 Test range 245 miles SILENCE IS SUPPOSEDLY golden, but it turns out that’s not always the case. A blown fuse has left my Smart #1 without any radio, phone or parking sensor sounds. Even the tick-tick of the indicators has fallen silent, although I’m pleased to report that the fox avatar which monitors my driving has emerged unscathed. A trip to a Smart dealer is in order, then. But apparently it’s an easy fix. Oh well. I may be temporarily without sound, but at least I still get to enjoy splendid vision, because the #1’s LED headlights are terrific. Whether illuminating an unlit country lane or lighting my urban way in murky or dusky conditions, they provide a…

I’VE HAD MY eye on running a Peugeot 408 ever since it was launched last year. Looking fresh and exciting amid the crowd of grey SUVs and saloons I see on the motorway every day, it’s a reminder of how important it is to do things differently and try new things sometimes. Don’t get me wrong; I really enjoy my primary role of shooting and editing the video reviews of cars that represent the bread and butter content of our YouTube channel. But when the chance comes along to work on one of our epic, multi-day road trip shoots, I’ll always put my hand up to be involved. If they’re anything like me, then, I imagine all of the designers at Peugeot were desperate to be assigned to the 408…

In production 2018-present Price from £9000 Our favourite version 1.8 Hybrid Icon MORE COROLLAS HAVE rolled out of Toyota factories than there are people living in Spain. Think about that: more cars than an entire country’s population – and not a small one at that. The Corolla is the best-selling car of all time, with production numbers exceeding 50 million. The model has sired a range of body styles over the years. Now in its 12th generation, the current Corolla is available in estate car, van, saloon and family car forms, the latter being our focus here. You can find them with a 112bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine, although few original owners went this route, leading to the engine’s demise in 2020. Instead, most people go for one of the two…

Sponsored by 1 Kia Sportage OUR 2024 FAMILY SUV of the Year is a great all-rounder with a smart-looking, spacious and user-friendly interior, plus a large boot. It’s generally very comfortable and good to drive, too. For the best value, we’d stick with the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol engine, which combines lively performance with reasonable running costs, but it’s worth paying the small premium to step up to mid-range 3 trim for its generous level of standard kit. Our pick 1.6 T-GDi 3 List price £32,875 Target Price £31,203 MPG 41.5 CO2 150g/km For Smart-looking and spacious interior; large boot; good comfort/handling balance; generous warranty Against Very few options are available; slightly unsettled low-speed ride; rear seating could be more flexible WHATCAR? SAYS 2 Kia EV6 Our pick RWD GT-Line List…