Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i What Car?

NOSTALGIA isn’t what it used to be, a clever joke tells us. But in the car world, it actually feels like nostalgia has never had it so good. The likes of the Fiat 500 and Mini hatch continue to sell in such huge numbers that their makers are introducing additional models with retro styling. Meanwhile, other brands keen to replicate this success have started to revive much-loved names from their own back catalogues. These reborn legends are obviously designed to tug at your heartstrings. And at What Car?, we aren’t blind to their emotional appeal. However, we do see it as our job to tell you whether there’s substance to go with the sentimentality. Is the new Ford Capri a match for the best coupé SUVs? Is the new Renault…

FOLLOWING THE DOLPHIN and Seal, the Sealion 7 is the latest car to join BYD’s aquatically named electric line-up. And with sea lions being intelligent, social animals, it’s perhaps a fitting name for a family-friendly electric SUV that’s packed with technology. Sitting above the Dolphin, Seal, Seal U and, erm, Atto 3 in the Chinese brand’s range, the Sealion 7 is BYD’s largest model yet. And while it shares some design elements with the Seal (including its front-end styling, with slim LED headlights and prominent air intakes in a distinctive X-shaped nose), a taller stance and plastic body cladding around the wheel arches mark the Sealion 7 out as an SUV. Sitting on the same underpinnings as the Seal, the Sealion 7 is expected to be sold in two guises…

IT’S TRICKY TO pin down exactly when ‘glow up’ became a mainstream term for someone who’s been through a positive transformation, but just like the way Brad Pitt took a while to really grow into himself, the same is now true of the Vauxhall Grandland. In its latest guise, the Grandland has blossomed from a homely but plain family SUV into something more eye-catching, with concept car-inspired styling helping it stand out. It’s grown, too, and has a new interior and new engines. In fact, for the first time, the Grandland is even available with electric power. The Grandland Electric uses a 210bhp electric motor and a 73kWh (usable capacity) battery; a 93kWh version is coming later. With a 0-62mph sprint time of 9.0sec, it isn’t the quickest electric SUV…

BMW PRACTICALLY INVENTED the super saloon 40 years ago with the original M5, but it has never been afraid to tweak the formula. The third generation introduced a V8 engine, the fourth had an outrageous, Formula 1-inspired V10, and the sixth brought four-wheel drive to the party. Now, with the seventh generation, BMW has made the most radical leap yet. For the first time in M5 history, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) tech enters the fray. The familiar twin-turbo V8 is now aided and abetted by an 18.6kWh battery and an electric motor, delivering a staggering 717bhp and 738lb ft in total. Performance? As you’d expect: colossal. BMW claims 0-62mph in just 3.5sec, with a top speed of 155mph – or an eye-widening 189mph with the optional £2200 M Driver’s Pack. That’s…

‘MADE IN CHINA’ labels can be seen on products such as clothes, electronics and furniture, but what about cars? Well, such tags may not be on display, but Chinese models are coming thick and fast to the UK now – and one of them is the Omoda 5. Omoda is a subsidiary of Chery, one of the biggest automotive brands in China, and the 5 is its new family SUV rival for the likes of the MG HS and Nissan Qashqai. The brand has a target of selling 40,000 cars per year in the UK from 2026, when it will also offer the Omoda E5 (an electric version of the 5) and Jaecoo J7 (a plug-in hybrid SUV from Omoda’s sister brand). The 5 is powered by a 183bhp 1.6-litre…

Mileage 6957 List price £42,195 Target Price £40,543 Price as tested £42,845 Test range 251 miles IF YOU’VE EVER unwrapped an online purchase to find that what looked in photos like metal or leather is actually made from cheap plastic, you’ll know the importance of the ‘poke and tap test’. Or, to put it another way, you can’t judge a product’s quality without getting your hands on it. The same is true with cars, of course. And if, like me, you run an electric car and plug it in at public charging stations, you have plenty of time to prod away at the seats, dashboard and doors while the battery is being replenished. So, how does it feel – really feel – to run a Honda e:Ny1? Well, the steering…

Mileage 5552 List price £35,895 Target Price £34,193 Price as tested £37,895 Test economy 64.8mpg THE LOCATION OF the charging port on an electric vehicle (EV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is important enough to me that it could influence my buying decision. I much prefer the port to be on the rear wing or rear corner of the car, rather than on the front wing or nose. That’s because I’d rather reverse into a parking or charging bay than drive in frontwards, so plugging in a car with the port towards the back always seems far more natural. And, when using a public rapid charger with a heavy tethered cable, a lot less awkward. Fortunately, the charging port on my Mazda MX-30 R-EV is on the rear wing on the…

1 KIA SPORTAGE Our pick 1.6 T-GDi 3 List price £32,890 Target Price £30,899 MPG 44.1 CO2 146g/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 loads of space…

BACK IN 1969, the sleek Ford Capri coupé was marketed as ‘the car you always promised yourself’. It came as a relief from the mundane saloons that made up the majority of UK traffic at the time – and it sold like hotcakes. Today, the new car market has changed somewhat. SUVs are king, and electric ones are the height of fashion – especially ones that look a bit sporty. It made sense, then, that Ford’s challenger in this arena should re-use a name that captured the public imagination so vividly that it has practically passed into legend. Not that the new, electric Capri is all Ford’s work, though. It’s the latest expression of the company’s continuing alliance with Volkswagen, which has also sired the recently launched Ford Explorer SUV.…

FOUR-SEAT CONVERTIBLES are fast becoming an endangered species, but Mercedes-Benz is one brand that’s clearly not ready to watch them go extinct. It introduced a new model, called the CLE Cabriolet, just this April, and now that car’s line-up is being expanded to include this AMG 53 performance variant. Visually, it’s marked out from lesser CLEs by a more aggressive front grille, wider wheelarches and quad exhausts. These provide clues that an upgraded version of the turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six petrol engine that you get in the slightly cheaper CLE 450 lurks under the bonnet. Power is boosted from 375bhp to 443bhp, and although the 0-62mph sprint time is trimmed only from 4.7sec to 4.4sec (or 4.2sec if you specify the AMG Dynamic Plus package, which includes launch control), the…

IF GOOD THINGS come in small packages, the Hyundai Inster makes big promises. This all new electric city car is just 3.8 metres long and 1.6 metres wide, making it only slightly larger than the tiny Dacia Spring. Its ambitions are rather loftier, though. There are two Inster models to choose from. The entry-level Standard Range, with its 39kWh (usable capacity) battery, can officially travel for up to 203 miles between charges. Alternatively, there’s a 46kWh (usable) Long Range model with a 229-mile official range. Both versions, then, can take you significantly farther than the Spring (149 miles). For context, among the Inster’s budget-conscious rivals, the Citroën ë-C3 and Fiat 500e both promise to take you 199 miles, and the BYD Dolphin up to 211 miles. The entry-level MG 4,…

OVER THE PAST 50 years, Volkswagen has sold more than 37 million Golfs, with that success largely down to the model’s classless appeal – its ability to be all things to all people. And perhaps the version that exemplifies this best of all is the GTE. One of two plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) in the recently revised line-up, the GTE now has a much bigger (19.4kWh) battery, which boosts its official electric range from 38.5 miles to a whopping 82 miles. That’s not only good for fuel economy but also makes it a far more tempting company car, because you’ll pay benefit-in-kind tax on 5% of its value instead of 12%. True, the other Golf PHEV (badged eHybrid) will cost you even less to run, because it’s also taxed at 5%…

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, DWAYNE Johnson, Jason Statham… a few athletes have gone on to become good actors, but being a superstar in the world of sport doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll enjoy the same level of success in the entertainment business. Similarly, there are plenty of powerful electric SUVs that can sprint like Usain Bolt, but so far very few of them have been truly fun to drive. The Abarth 600e – the hot version of Fiat’s small electric SUV – aims to help plug that hole by focusing more on handling finesse than outright performance. Like the closely related Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce, it benefits from lower suspension, a wider stance, uprated brakes, bespoke tyres and a traction-enhancing limited-slip differential (LSD) for its front wheels, compared with Fiat’s version. In regular…

“STAR QUALITY,” ACCORDING to American film producer Richard D Zanuck, “is one of the most difficult things to describe. It emanates from the person, and they might not even understand it themselves. It’s a quality that separates the star from the rest of us.” And whether star quality to you means being the best of the breed, winning the most accolades or simply having that certain je ne sais quoi, I believe the Lexus LBX has it in spades. Of course, following its launch, the LBX got off to the best possible start by beating all of its rivals in the small SUV class at our 2024 Car of the Year Awards, and ended the evening as our overall Car of the Year. Among a field of excellent new cars,…

Mileage 6148 List price £51,550 Target Price £51,550 Price as tested £56,080 Test range 343 miles AFTER A WEEK grinding through endless traffic jams, I find a weekend jaunt through the countryside just the tonic. Rolling hills, twisting roads and (hopefully) minimal hold-ups, alongside the opportunity to spend some wholesome time with my family, make for a very pleasant way to while away the hours. To that end, my Volkswagen ID 7 has already been pressed into service plenty of times for family days out. We’ve used it to go camping, paddleboarding and on picnics – journeys for which the ID 7 is ideally suited. Take camping, for example. The boot is simply vast, swallowing all of our kit for a weekend at the coast with no problem at all.…

Mileage 5822 List price £18,095 Target Price £16,126 Price as tested £18,795 Test economy 55.6mpg THE STANDARD KEYLESS entry system on my Renault Clio has impressed me. It unlocks or locks the doors at exactly the right moments – which can be handy when I’m laden down with camera kit or grocery bags. And I don’t have to fish the key out of my pocket once I’m inside, because you get keyless ignition as well. That said, there’s one thing about the Clio’s key fob that I am struggling with: its shape. You see, whenever I get a new company car, I attach a ring with an Apple AirTag to the key fob to ensure I’m never hunting around for it. However, the Clio comes with a black plastic key…

Mileage 1014 List Price £19,799 Target Price £18,248 Price as tested £19,130 Test economy 52.7mpg IN GAMES LIKE Bejeweled, Tetris and Candy Crush, you win by aligning shapes, colours and foods, and life with my Suzuki Swift is bringing that experience out from the screen and into real life. You see, as a senior videographer for What Car?, I always carry a mass of camera equipment with me during the working week. And the Swift’s modest 255-litre boot requires me to pack it just right. The load area isn’t particularly long, so I’ve found it difficult to fit large cases into the back without dropping the rear seats. However, beneath the false floor, there’s a handy extra section that allows smaller cabin cases and bags to fit snugly, leaving room…

‘We’ve got Best Buys for every need’ THE WHAT CAR? TEAM TARGET PRICE The What Car? Target Price is the maximum we think you should pay for your new car. It’s set by our team of mystery shoppers, who spend every day haggling with dealers to see what discounts are available across the UK. HOW WE RANK OUR TOP 10s Every year, we drive hundreds of new or updated models. We test them back to back with rivals. We look at everything from comfort to costs, practicality to performance, and refinement to reliability. Then, armed with all the facts, we can definitively name the best model in each class, plus its closest rivals (and the ones to avoid). No matter what your priorities are, you’ll find a car that’s ideal…

THE RENAULT 5 ISN’T the first car from a bygone era to make a comeback, but we reckon it could prove just as successful as other efforts, including the reimagined Fiat 500 and Mini. Indeed, the French hatchback that took the small car market by storm in the early 1970s has been completely reinvented for the modern era – although, just like the original, the new R5 aims to offer stylish, versatile and affordable motoring for the masses. The biggest change, other than perhaps an increase in size and safety provisions, is what powers the latest R5. The original was designed to sip fuel during the first oil crisis of the 1970s, but this latest model doesn’t use any petrol at all, because it’s fully electric. The cheapest version of…

ACEMAN. NO, NOT a character from an off brand superhero franchise, but a new small SUV from Mini that seeks to rescue families who’ve outgrown the firm’s Cooper hatchback, but for whom the Countryman SUV is too big. In fact, you could say the Cooper plays Clark Kent, who, by transforming into Superman (sorry, Aceman), gains an extra 80mm between his front and rear wheels, giving him the superpower of extra interior room. However, although Cooper and his alter ego share DNA, petrol is Aceman’s Kryptonite; he gets his energy purely from electricity, whereas Cooper has a petrol-powered twin. Like the electric Cooper, the Aceman is front-wheel drive and is available with a choice of two power outputs. The entry-level E comes with a 181bhp electric motor (enough for a…

FEW DRIVERS, EVEN in a petrol or diesel car, would think of tackling the 412-mile journey from London to Glasgow without stopping for fuel or a comfort break along the way. And yet, if you’re driving the new Tesla Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) – and have an iron bladder – it’s something you might be able to do. The Long Range RWD has a larger battery than the regular Model 3 RWD, with the same 75kWh usable capacity as that of the Long Range All-Wheel Drive (AWD). That gives it an official range of 436 miles – farther than any other Model 3 variant can go between charges, and more than rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz EQE (up to 429 miles) and Polestar 2 (406 miles) can…

ONE WORD ACCOUNTS for a big part of the Dacia Duster’s success: price. Since it was first introduced back in 2010, this small SUV has undercut most of its direct rivals, often by a substantial margin. As a result, it has always offered buyers a lot of car for their money. The outgoing Duster showed signs of corners being cut to achieve those low prices, though – something this new, third-generation model aims to improve on. Rather than using hand-me-down underpinnings, the new Duster is based on the latest Dacia Sandero and Renault Clio, promising higher standards of ride, handling and refinement. It’s slightly larger than before, too. At the same time, big updates have been made to the engine line-up. As well as getting a new 1.2-litre TCe 130…

WHEN ADDING A little bit of chilli powder to an otherwise bland meal, it’s important that you get the balance right so you don’t ruin the whole dish – but when you do get it right, the results can be mouth-watering. That’s exactly what the new Audi Q6 Sportback is designed to do: provide a spicy alternative to the brand’s regular Q6 electric SUV, with a sloping roofline and swept-back proportions. Four versions will be available, using the same electric motors and batteries as the regular Q6. The entry-level rear-wheel-drive model produces up to 288bhp (with launch control) and comes with a 75.8kWh (usable capacity) battery that yields an official range of 334 miles. While that should be plenty for some drivers, the Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD and…

Mileage 26,427 List price when new (2021) £50,890 Price new with options £50,890 Value on arrival £31,000 Test range 304 miles WHILE I WAS helping out with the judging for last month’s Used Car of the Year Awards, it was pointed out that you can now get a used Tesla Model 3 for just £15,000. That makes my car look expensive, having cost twice that amount. There is a ‘but’, though, because that bargain basement figure is for a single-motor model; the price for a comparable dual-motor version (like mine) of the same year, with similarly low mileage from an independent dealer, is closer to £27,000. Even so, that’s still less than the £31,000 price tag on my Model 3, for the simple reason that mine was a Certified Pre-Owned…

Mileage 15,020 List price £57,064 Target Price na Price as tested £59,824 Test economy 25.1mpg IT’S ESTIMATED THAT as many as 55,000 seasonal farm workers are required by Britain’s agriculture industry annually to support their busiest time of year. These workers take on everything from picking fruit to herding cattle. So, when a friend called to ask if I’d be willing to lend a hand with some odd jobs he had on his dairy farm recently, I was only too happy to volunteer my services, and those of my Ford Ranger Raptor. Of course, industrial farming is usually done on a, well, industrial scale. But for smaller farms, a workhorse like my pick-up might be employed to help get the job done. Indeed, the farm I visited already has six…

THEY SAY YOU don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, but in reality, a couple of tests that my BMW i5 aced just before I handed it back meant I was very aware of what I was about to lose. First, there was a family holiday in the Cotswolds, where the i5’s blend of space, comfort and refinement made the motorway drive from London as relaxing as you could hope for, before its agile handling kept me entertained on the winding country roads near our bed and breakfast. What’s more, the car’s impressive real-world range meant we completed the whole trip without recharging – despite making full use of the climate control and not really driving with efficiency in mind. Just how impressive is the range? Well, that brings…

In association with 1 RENAULT CLIO Our pick 1.0 TCe 90 Techno List price £19,995 Target Price £17,808 MPG 54.3 CO2 118g/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 the…

In association with 1 LEXUS LBX Our pick 1.5 Premium Plus List price £34,505 Target Price £33,836 MPG 61.4 CO2 103g/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…

STAR RATINGS TARGET PRICE The What Car? Target Price is the maximum you should pay for a new car and is researched by our crack team of mystery shoppers. Haggling for the best price with salespeople can be an uncomfortable experience, but it’s made much easier with our Target Price as a realistic figure to aim for. TARGET PCP Based on the Target Price figures set by our mystery shoppers, Target PCP is a fair monthly payment to aim for if you’re taking out a personal contract purchase (PCP) finance agreement at a car dealership. Most of the deals 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.…

‘At launch, we praised the Tarraco for being more agile than its bulk suggested’ LIKE KYLIE MINOGUE, the Skoda Kodiaq has enjoyed a meteoric career right from the off. By contrast, her sister, Danni, has never captured the same share of the limelight. And – despite sharing the Kodiaq’s DNA – the same is true of the Seat Tarraco. The Tarraco first touched down on our shores in 2019, two years after the Kodiaq, which emerged victorious when pitted against the Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-5 soon after launch. It earned our top five star rating and took a class win in the What Car? Awards that year. Being so similar to the Kodiaq, the Tarraco seemed a sure-fire hit too, but it didn’t have quite the same impact on…