Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2024 i What Car?

Shakespeare famously wrote that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, but would a daisy be more special if it was called a rose? That seems to be the view at Ford, which has made a habit in recent years of applying famous model names from its past to very different modern cars in the hope that this will give them added appeal. ‘Ford has applied famous names from the past to very different modern cars’ The Puma badge, for example, is currently used on a small SUV, even though it started out on a sporty coupé. Meanwhile, the revered Mustang nameplate was chosen when Ford launched its first electric SUV. Ford has continued this approach with its latest model, the Explorer, which you can read about…

GIVEN THE FUSS that was kicked up when Porsche first launched an SUV (the Cayenne), we can only imagine what purists will say about the brand’s iconic 911 sports car going hybrid. Here, though, the combination of petrol and electric power is less about improving efficiency and more about enhancing performance, so they shouldn’t have much to worry about. Just one version of the 911 gets the hybrid set-up for now: the Carrera GTS. Its new 3.6-litre six-cylinder petrol engine features an electric motor to bring the single turbocharger up to speed instantaneously (for faster accelerator responses), while another motor within the eight-speed automatic gearbox adds 54bhp and 110lb ft of torque. Together, the power sources produce 534bhp – a 61bhp increase over the old, non-hybrid GTS – to propel…

THE QASHQAI HAS been a massive hit for Nissan. Since 2006, one has rolled off the Japanese manufacturer’s Sunderland production line every 2min 10sec on average. It’s never been far from the top of the sales charts; in 2023, only the Ford Puma outsold it in the UK. With such huge sales success, you really can’t blame Nissan for erring on the side of caution when updating its golden goose. On the outside, you might notice some styling tweaks to the front and rear ends, including a new, larger grille that is said to have been influenced by traditional Japanese armour. Visible changes inside are few, too; the biggest concerns the infotainment system. Whereas the 12.3in touchscreen was previously reserved for mid-range N-Connecta trim and above, you now get one…

STUDIES HAVE SHOWN that more isn’t always better; the agony of choice sometimes puts people off buying anything at all. It’s a lesson that the minds behind the updated BMW 1 Series have taken to heart; while the outgoing car was available with a plethora of petrol and diesel engines, there are now only two – and they’re both petrols. The 120i is likely to be the most popular model; its 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine develops 168bhp and uses mild hybrid technology to help improve fuel economy. Official figures suggest the 120i can return up to 53.2mpg, with CO2 emissions of 121g/km placing it in the 29% benefit-in-kind tax bracket for company car drivers. If you want more excitement, the M135 offers 296bhp from its 2.0-litre petrol engine (a few horsepower…

‘The codes that sleeping keyfobs emit stop after a set time and don’t start again until they are moved’ A CAR IS STOLEN every six minutes in the UK, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. A total of 104,000 vehicles were reported stolen last year – the first time thefts have topped 100,000 since 2009. It is 21% up on 2022, when 86,000 thefts occurred, and 43% up on a decade ago. Car theft not only causes distress to those whose cars are taken, but also affects all drivers’ insurance premiums, which are the highest they have ever been. The average cost of a comprehensive policy for a private motorist is now £635 – a 24% increase on the same time last year, when the…

Mileage 6635 List price £67,995 Target Price £64,807 Price as tested £69,095 Test range 190 miles IN MANY WAYS, my Lexus RZ continues to delight me. It’s quiet, comfortable and – very much helped by its excellent driver assistance systems – extremely relaxing. However, I can no longer ignore the elephant in the room, nor the hippo in the corner or the rhino under the stairs. These uninvited mammals won’t shut up about the RZ’s disappointing range and efficiency. Regular readers might have noticed that this very car finished at the bottom of the table in our 2024 winter range test. It managed just 159 miles on our test track – 92 miles (or 36.7%) short of its 251-mile official range. Okay, no electric vehicle (EV) can reasonably be expected…

PASSING THE HOUSE where Mike Oldfield composed Tubular Bells, listening to Pink Floyd and driving a Genesis is surely the holy trinity for any fan of 1970s prog rock music. And the nuances and quirks of both the complex structure of that musical genre and the dramatic features in the Genesis GV60 were not lost on me as I passed by Oldfield’s former home in east London a few weeks ago. Like prog rock, cars increasingly employ all kinds of eye-catching trinkets in order to elevate themselves above what came before. The GV60’s equivalent of prog rock’s dry ice is a gear selector that rotates to reveal an illuminated crystal-like dome when the car is switched off. Its noodling guitar solos are replaced by pop-out door handles. And its Hammond…

Mileage 3670 List price £35,895 Target Price £34,193 Price as tested £37,895 Test economy 36.5mpg ONE OF THE main reasons for choosing the plug-in hybrid version of the Mazda MX-30 over the electric model is its ability to cover longer distances without the need for charging stops. A 200-mile trip from London down to Wiltshire and back, like the one I did recently, would have required one or possibly two breaks if I’d been in the regular MX-30, but in my R-EV model it was uninterrupted. After using up most of the battery power in the first 40 miles, I switched modes to allow the petrol engine to top up the battery. At a 70mph cruise in Normal mode, the MX-30 considers a comfortable state of charge (SOC) to be…

In association with 1 RENAULT CLIO Our pick 1.0 TCe 90 Techno List price £19,395 Target Price £17,461 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 WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘EVEN WITH ALL OF ITS GREAT QUALITIES, THE CLIO BEATS MOST RIVALS ON PRICE’ WITH A BROAD spread of abilities and tempting pricing, the latest Clio represents such great value that it’s our reigning Small Car of the Year. As well as being agile and more fun to drive than rivals such as the Skoda Fabia, the Clio has a smart-looking and generously equipped interior with a portrait-style infotainment screen. Although…

In association with 1 LEXUS LBX Our pick 1.5 Premium Plus List price £34,505 Target Price £34,171 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 WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘THE LBX HAS A MORE APPEALING MIX OF MATERIALS INSIDE THAN ANY RIVAL’ THINK LEXUS MAKES only big, expensive cars? Well, think again, because the LBX is a small SUV with a comparatively small price tag. Yet despite this, there’s nothing cut price about how it looks, feels or drives. The interior is the classiest you’ll find in any small SUV, with plush materials and rock-solid build quality, even if it’s a little tight in the rear seats. Our recommended…

FROM THE MOMENT of its 1995 launch, the Ford Galaxy MPV (and its Seat Alhambra and Volkswagen Sharan cousins) proved that practicality and driver appeal really can go hand in hand. The same is true with this third, final generation, to which we bade farewell earlier this year and remember with fondness. Whereas the first two generations were co-developed with the VW Group, the third-gen Galaxy was all Ford’s own work. It shared its underpinnings with Ford’s Mondeo, and that was no bad thing; the Mondeo was always one of the better non-premium executive cars to drive. Remarkably, despite standing a full 265mm taller than the Mondeo, the Galaxy inherited a lot of the former’s agility. Yes, it leans a bit in bends, but it’s very tidy by MPV standards,…

BELIEVE IT OR not, Audi hasn’t launched an all-new model in more than three years – a decidedly dry spell for Britain’s third-biggest car brand. Things are about to change, though; a deluge of new Audis is due over the next 12 months, and the first is this: the Q6 e-tron. As you might have guessed, it slots in between the Q4 e-tron and the flagship Q8 e-tron in Audi’s electric SUV line-up. That means it counts the BMW iX3, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and high-end Tesla Model Ys as its closest rivals. If you’re unfamiliar with those electric vehicles (EVs), it’s best to think of the Q6 as a battery-powered Q5 – even though the two cars are completely unrelated underneath. In fact, the closest relation to the Q6 e-tron…

CARS DRAWING INSPIRATION from aircraft are nothing new, but the Renault Rafale has closer ties than many. It’s named after the Caudron-Renault Rafale, a 1934 racing plane that resulted from company founder Louis Renault’s fascination with aviation and speed. But will this new coupé SUV fly out of the showrooms or struggle on a wing and a prayer? The Rafale takes on such disparate rivals as the Peugeot 408 and premium BMW X2. Its sleek lines disguise underpinnings that are shared with Renault’s Austral family SUV, including a 197bhp E-Tech hybrid power set-up that combines a 1.2-litre petrol engine with two electric motors and a 2kWh battery. That takes the Rafale from 0-62mph in 8.9sec – half a second slower than the boxier Austral. The electric motor gets you cleanly…

IT’S OFTEN THE case that the smallest siblings try to copy their bigger brothers and sisters – and the Renault Captur has done exactly that. Indeed, it’s been updated to mimic Renault’s larger SUVs, including the Austral and Rafale. So, rather than looking like a jacked-up Clio with black plastic wheel arches (a criticism you might have levelled at previous versions), this small SUV now looks, well, more like an SUV. There are other changes, too, including a new infotainment system. The 10.4in touchscreen is sharp and easy to see and reach (the fact that it’s angled towards the driver helps). As long as you steer clear of entry-level Evolution trim, it also features Google Maps navigation and Google Assistant speech recognition – one of the best voice control systems…

THINK OF THE new Alpine A290 as like being in the front row of a rock concert. It may play the same tunes that buyers of the upcoming Renault 5 (R5) will enjoy from the comfy seats at the back, but the A290 promises mosh pit levels of excitement. To look at, it’s like the R5, but turned up to 11. Its 1970s-inspired looks are embellished with rally-style LED spotlights, a hungry lower front grille and faux side intakes that hat-tip the mid-engined R5 Turbo of 1980. All A290s have a single electric motor that drives the front wheels, but depending on which version you choose, you’ll have either 178bhp or 215bhp to play with. In both cases, that’s more than any version of the R5 can offer. Indeed, the…

THE ORIGINAL VAUXHALL Frontera was one of a slew of rugged-looking, affordable 4x4s introduced in the 1990s. While the new model that takes its name is expected to be good value, that’s where the similarities end. The new Frontera is a small SUV that’s available as a pure electric model or a 1.2-litre petrol with mild hybrid electrical assistance. Replacing the Crossland, the new Frontera will rival the Ford Puma, Jeep Avenger and Peugeot 2008. It’s larger than the Crossland and promises to be roomier inside, with a comparable 460-litre boot. The Frontera might also be available as a seven-seater in the future. The Frontera Electric is expected to offer an official range of up to 248 miles – similar to those of the Avenger and e-2008. Prices are expected…

THE TROUBLE WITH trying to evaluate my Smart #1 is that it’s too easy to get wrapped up in talking about its cheeky styling. Admittedly, looks are a subjective thing, but all who saw my car and felt obliged to comment mentioned the exterior design, with these people expressing almost universal approval for its deliberately cheery and cartoon-like lines. For what it’s worth, I approve of its appearance too, but I chose to run a #1 as my company car because I was more interested in finding out if Smart’s much-lauded relaunch and move upmarket had been successful. And I’m pleased to report that on the whole, the answer is, yes, it has. This car fulfilled pretty much all I hoped and asked of it in daily use – albeit…

IF YOU WENT back 20 years, lined up Peugeot’s new cars in a row and placed my 408 somewhere in the middle, I reckon it would stand out as much as a spaceship would. The brand’s current styling is, to my eyes, among the most distinctive and attractive of all mainstream car brands – and I think the 408 is the best-looking Peugeot of the lot. From the LED light ‘fangs’ at the front to the ‘fastback’ design at the rear, my car is properly dramatic to look at – especially so in the Elixir Red paint I chose. In fact, more than one colleague has commented on this car’s likeness to the Ferrari Purosangue – a model which, as you might imagine, is vastly more expensive. So, as I…

In production 2021-present Price from £28,000 Our favourite version 420i M Sport BEAUTY, THEY SAY, is measured in millimetres. When this second-generation BMW 4 Series Convertible arrived in 2021, some thought its head-turning front grille was, by a few millimetres, a step too far. Others were content to ignore its divisive nostrils and instead rejoice that behind them was one of the best four-seat drop-tops out there. Three years on, it’s a great used buy. As you’d expect from BMW, such competence starts with a terrific range of engines. On the petrol side, things kick off with a 181bhp 2.0-litre in the 420i. Next up is the 369bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder M440i, while topping the range is the twin-turbocharged 503bhp M4 xDrive Competition. Diesels were offered initially (you could choose between…

Sponsored by 1 KIA SPORTAGE Our pick 1.6 T-GDi 3 List price £32,890 Target Price £30,899 MPG 41.5 CO2 150g/km For Smart-looking and spacious interior; large boot; good comfort/handling balance; generous warranty Against Very few options available; slightly unsettled low-speed ride; rear seating could be more flexible WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘THE SPORTAGE’S INTERIOR IS PRACTICAL, SMART LOOKING AND USER-FRIENDLY’ SOME PEOPLE MIGHT think they’re getting a superior car if they go for a premium-badged model rather than something more down to earth, but when a car is as well rounded as the Sportage, it’s really difficult to justify the extra outlay. As well as being good to drive and a bit comfier and more refined than the closely related Hyundai Tucson, the Sportage has a smart-looking and user-friendly interior, with…

NOT SURE WHETHER to get a small car or an SUV? The new Citroën C3 could free you from your dilemma by letting you have a taste of both. Unlike its predecessor – which firmly planted its flag in small car territory – this fourth-generation model is taller and boxier, and features roof rails, underbody skid plates and two-tone paintjobs. If it weren’t for its diminutive dimensions, it could almost be a rival for small SUVs such as the Jeep Avenger. Better still, the C3’s pumped-up looks haven’t inflated the price. Citroën has kept pricing at small car levels by using new underpinnings that require 30% fewer components and therefore reduce production costs. The same applies to the electric version, the e-C3. As a result, the petrol C3 starts at…

WHILE ESTATE CARS are just the thing for carrying a couple and their luggage on a romantic weekend getaway, many people associate them with much less glamorous pursuits. Less ‘escape to Chamonix’ and more ‘lug that old dishwasher to the tip’. This is where the Skoda Superb hatchback comes in. As an alternative to the Superb Estate launched earlier this year, it’s still deeply practical, but disguises that with a more streamlined shape. Just how ‘deeply practical’ is it, though? Well, its 645-litre boot is so cave-like that you might expect to find Neolithic paintings daubed around it. It’s only 45 litres smaller than the estate’s, and dwarfs that of the Audi A6 saloon – let alone the Audi A4 that counts among the Superb’s executive rivals. True, the estate’s…

WE WATCH AMERICAN movies, are addicted to American social media platforms, and spend around £60 billion a year on American products. But like baseball and root beer, the Ford Explorer has always been one of those things our transatlantic cousins love that has never caught on in the UK. At least until now. Yes, while the Explorer is Ford’s most popular SUV stateside, with more than eight million sold, its huge size and thirst have traditionally meant it’s not suited to our tastes. However, the latest car to bear the name couldn’t be more different from Explorers of old – not least because it’s about half a metre shorter and swaps petrol engines for electric power. In fact, it has more in common with modern Volkswagens than it does the…

BACK IN 1989, hip-hop act De La Soul told us that three is the magic number, and Swedish electric car specialist Polestar certainly hopes that’s really the case. The Polestar 3 is the brand’s new flagship; it’s closely related to the upcoming Volvo EX90 and a challenger to the Audi Q8 e-tron, BMW iX, Lotus Eletre and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. To beat all those, the 3 needs to be something of a wizard. At launch, there are two options: the standard Long Range Dual Motor with 483bhp and 620lb ft of torque, and the Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack, which boosts those figures to 510bhp and 671lb ft. Cheaper 295bhp, single-motor cars will follow. The 0-60mph sprint takes 4.8sec in the regular version, with the Performance Pack shaving…

SMALL SUV Kia EV3 Kia’s Soul departs later this year, and its replacement channels the looks of the brand’s larger electric models. The EV3 has a 201bhp electric motor that drives the front wheels, with a 58.3kWh (usable) battery for a 255-mile official range. A dual-motor, four-wheel-drive EV3 GT follows later. Price from £32,500 (est) SMALL/FAMILY CARS AND MPVs BMW 1 Series October 2024 Facelifted premium hatch range narrowed to two models: 168bhp 120i and 296bhp M135i. Alpine A290 Winter 2024 Sports car specialist goes mainstream with an electric hot hatch that packs up to 215bhp. Renault 5 Winter 2024 A290’s sensible sister could give a range of up to 249 miles, yet affordability will be key. SMALL SUVS AND FAMILY SUVS Alfa Romeo Junior October 2024 Sporty-looking mechanical clone of…

Welcome to the What Car? Tow Car Awards 2024, where we reveal the top new cars for the unique demands of towing. Whether you own a caravan, a horsebox or a boat trailer, you should find your ideal tow car among our winners. Pulling an extra tonne – or even two – asks difficult questions of a car’s engine, gearbox, brakes and handling. So, the top cars for everyday use aren’t necessarily the ones that stack up best as tow cars. Unfortunately, you can’t just hitch up to see if the car you’re interested in tows well when you take a test drive at your local dealer. That’s why we put a selection of new models through a series of challenging towing tests every year. Our primary focus is on…

Mileage 2243 List price £22,915 Target Price £19,546 Price as tested £23,605 Test economy 44.7mpg IF I WERE to liken my petrol Vauxhall Corsa to an Olympic athlete, I’d say it’s more like Mo Farah than Usain Bolt; you wouldn’t buy it for its sprinting ability, but it has already proved good over long distances. So, when the opportunity arose to go from London to Brighton via Hampshire in a Corsa Electric, I jumped at it, curious to see how it compared with my car. Specifically, the model I tried was the newest version of the Corsa Electric, which has a 154bhp motor, a 48kWh (usable capacity) battery and an official range of 248 miles. On paper, then, a 160-mile round trip like the one I was planning should be…

Mileage 5200 List price £68,810 Target Price na Price as tested £69,505 Test range 300 miles AS MISNOMERS GO, calling my entry-level Mercedes-Benz EQE the‘Sport Edition’ is a big one. Not only does it come on relatively small, 19in alloy wheels that are wrapped in balloon-like eco tyres, but you also get soft, non-adjustable suspension and a relatively low-powered 242bhp electric motor. Really, it’s as far from sporty as you can get, but maybe that’s why I like it so much. The supple ride at higher speeds is perfectly suited to my lengthy commute, and my EQE can travel for 300 miles between charges even in poor conditions. I just wish the interior was more like those of pricier EQEs; my car’s dashboard has plastic trim rather than wood, and…

Mileage 3882 List price £77,105 Target Price £71,771 Price as tested £92,570 Test range 276 miles AS RICKY GERVAIS once said, if you try to please everyone, you’ll end up pleasing no one. And that doesn’t just apply to comedy. Products that are clearly intended to be inoffensive are invariably bland and forgettable. Sure, they might function perfectly adequately, but people aren’t going to be queuing up in front of a store to buy them or raving about them to friends and family. On reflection, I reckon this was in the minds of the team behind the interior of my BMW i5, because its design is of the Marmite variety. While I was on holiday recently, I left the i5 at the office so my colleagues could have a go…

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 CP 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…