Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i What Car?

Max.Adams@haymarket.com NISSAN WILL NEVER build a plug-in hybrid. That proclamation was made by the company at a recent media event, and it’s why this Juke Hybrid can’t be plugged in to extend its electric range, despite having many rivals that can be. The reason for Nissan’s stance is that it believes people with plug-in hybrids don’t actually plug them in. So, instead of packing a load of heavy battery cells into a car where they’ll rarely be used, it has given the Juke a battery that’s small enough to be ‘self-charged’ using the engine and during braking. To be fair to Nissan, there are several other non-plug-in hybrid small SUVs out there, including the Hyundai Kona Hybrid and Toyota Yaris Cross. And neither is as quick against the clock as…

George.Hill@haymarket.com IT DOESN’T TAKE much for a craze to take off, whether it’s for Match Attax, Pokémon or the latest game or gadget – and the same could be said of hybrid cars. As we edge closer to a fully electric future, vehicles with hybrid tech are becoming increasingly popular, and the Lexus RX was one of the models that led the way in the SUV class. Lexus is now expanding its hybrid line-up with this all-new RX, which, as well as being offered as a regular hybrid, will also be available for the first time as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The PHEV RX – called the 450h+ – will be up against tough competition in the form of the BMW X5 xDrive45e and Range Rover Sport P440e. There will…

Steve.Huntingford@haymarket.com THE NEW BMW M3 Touring is the highperformance 3 Series that will appeal to dog owners, but they should resist the temptation to use maximum acceleration when Fido is in the boot; the resulting g-force is likely to leave him stuck to the inside of the rear window, resembling a suction toy. This is the first time in the 36-year history of the M3 that it’s been offered as an estate, making the M3 Touring the most practical car ever to wear the badge. It uses the same 503bhp twin-turbo 3.0-litre engine as the saloon, with traction-enhancing four-wheel drive to help deploy all that power. The result is 0-62mph in 3.6sec. That’s just 0.1sec off the M3 saloon’s time and half a second quicker than the rival Audi RS4…

Doug.Revolta@haymarket.com WHILE THE SLEEK design of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is said to owe something to the‘streamliner’ aircraft of the 1930s, everything else about this new electric car is as modern as it gets. Based on the Prophecy concept shown in 2020, the Ioniq 6 is a four-door coupé that counts the BMW i4, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3 among its key rivals. The influence of that radical show car is clear to see in the production version’s dramatic, swooping roofline and smooth bodywork. The pixel-style lights first seen in the Ioniq 5 (Hyundai’s preceding electric car) also feature, but aside from that, the two cars are markedly different outside, with the Ioniq 6 being significantly lower and featuring a large lightbar at the rear with a subtle bootlid…

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 SEE OFFERS ON OUR OTHER GREAT TITLES AT themagazineshop.com/wca/SS22PA 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 SAVE 54% SUMMER SALE ON NOW: FIRST 6 ISSUES FOR £17.99 Visit whatcar.com/subscribe or call 0344 848 8807 and quote promotional code SS22PA 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 January 2022. Please allow up to 35 days for delivery of…

APPLE’S CARPLAY smartphone integration software is getting a major overhaul and will soon be able to control functions such as the climate control and the driver’s instrument display, as well as providing additional features on the main infotainment screen. Currently, CarPlay only covers infotainment functions such as navigation, music services and phone calls, but the update gives it a much wider scope. If supported by compatible hardware, the updated software will enable the driver’s display to incorporate information from on-phone apps (for example, Apple Maps) alongside key information about the car (such as its speed and fuel level). The update will also enable cars’ central infotainment screens to be more customisable than before, while adding extra information, including weather forecasts. The new technology could see more car makers move to…

WHAT CAR? ELECTRIC CAR OF THE YEAR 2022 Electric Car Awards 2022 The best fully electric and plug-in hybrid models in every class named Is the driving holiday dead? We find out if it’s possible to drive across Europe in an electric car WHAT CAR? IMAGE New Mini SUV revealed First pictures and details of sports SUV, which will sit below the Countryman in Mini’s range New DS 4 vs Audi Q3 and Cupra Formentor Latest family SUV from Citroën’s premium brand takes on two of the best…

RANGE ANXIETY IS a common barrier to switching to an electric car. It’s even more pertinent when towing, because not only is range reduced but recharging en route also becomes a lot more complicated. We’ve tested the range of all the electric tow cars in this year’s field. Each performed the same route at our test track, with a series of stops and starts, and driving at a variety of speeds. The same test was completed with and without a caravan. We used the rate of energy consumption and the distance covered to calculate the total range, based on the vehicle’s usable battery capacity. Each car towed the same weight of caravan as it did for our other tests. However, we performed the test twice with the BMW iX –…

TESTING PROCESS WE TESTED ALL these shampoos by using them to wash a car with the ‘two bucket’ method. That involves filling one bucket with clean, soapy water, and keeping a second one separate for rinsing out the dirty washing mitt or sponge. We made sure the car we tested our products on wasn’t hot when we washed it so it wouldn’t dry quickly on its own. Instead, we dried it with a microfibre cloth, assessing the finish on every surface, including the paintwork, chromework and wheels. WHAT CAR? BEST BUY CAR SHAMPOO 1 Turtle Wax Zip Wax Price £7.99 (for 2.5L) Buy from Amazon Min price per litre £3.20 Turtle Wax’s shampoo and wax proved the best all-rounder here. It’s fantastic value, because you only need a small amount…

NEW Toyota Aygo X 1.0 Edge List price £16,505 Target Price £16,505 Replacement for the Aygo promises to combine that model’s economy with an adventurous new look Hyundai i10 1.2 Premium List price £16,480 Target Price £15,737 With lots of space inside for one so small, the i10 is one of the best small cars for the city In a way, selling tiny cars in a world obsessed with bulky SUVs seems as logical as offering mobile phones you can’t take selfies with. But in fact, so-called ‘dumb phones’ have found a following among those in search of a digital detox, and similar thinking is behind the new Toyota Aygo X. Pronounced ‘I-go cross’, it offers SUV style without the guilt that a bulky, thirsty car can trigger. In fact,…

Steve.Huntingford@haymarket.com Mileage 2840 List price £65,865 Target Price £65,865 Price as tested £63,970 Test range 218 miles AS A BRILLIANT car ad – which is well worth seeking out if you haven’t seen it – once opined, isn’t it nice when things just work? I won’t mention the brand here (largely because it hails from Minato rather than Munich), but the sentiment perfectly sums up life with my BMW iX3. No, its interior doesn’t offer the wow factor that some rivals’ do; it’s basically the same as the one in the BMW 3 Series. This led to some initial disappointment on my part, given that you can have a 3 Series for about half as much as an iX3. However, look a little closer and it’s hard to argue with…

Darren.Moss@haymarket.com IN ONE OF the songs from the hit musical Rent, the characters ask: “How do you measure a year?” Well, if you’ll accept a tortuous analogy, I’d measure the past six months with my Skoda Enyaq in the amount of time I’ve spent at public charging stations. When you can’t charge up at home, this becomes part and parcel of running an electric car. As the image above shows, to do so I’d have to run an extension lead from my first-floor living room window, past the flat below, over the hedge and finally to my car. That’s okay for emergencies, but also impractical and ruinous to Mrs Wilson’s view of her petunias. I knew this going in, of course. I’m no stranger to electric car ownership, having previously…

Chris.Haining@haymarket.com Mileage 3150 List price £33,835 Target Price £33,096 Price as tested £34,660 Test economy 50.6mpg MY HONDA HR-V has me thinking about the Electric Mountain – no, not a forbidding, mystical edifice in a Tolkien fantasy landscape, but a hydro-electric power station in Snowdonia. And that’s all because of the way the car and mountain both deliver their power. The Electric Mountain is home to Dinorwig Power Station, which lies deep below the summit of Elidir. Most of the time, it lies there silently, in a state of readiness. Meanwhile, 71 metres above, the surface of the lake Llyn Peris is placid. However, the very moment the half-time whistle blows in a televised Welsh football match and the nation collectively puts the kettle on, Dinorwig roars into action to…

1 Honda Jazz THE JAZZ IS the small car to beat for passenger space, and its unique and incredibly flexible rear seating only adds to its practicality. It’s neither the most fun car in the class (that’s the Ford Fiesta) nor the most comfortable (that’s the Peugeot 208), but with excellent visibility, it’s definitely easy to drive. Hybrid power also makes it really cheap to fuel, and slow depreciation helps make up for high prices. Our pick 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid SR List price £21,935 Target Price £21,254 MPG 62.8 CO2 102g/km For Remarkably spacious, with great seating flexibility; strong performance; lots of standard kit; holds value well Against Pricey by small car standards; not the quietest cruiser; disappointing infotainment system WHAT CAR? SAYS 2 Skoda Fabia Our pick 1.0 TSI…

1 Ford Puma THE PUMA IS a joy to drive, because it’s super-nimble for a small SUV, while the steering gives you a real sense of connection with the front wheels. These are things you’ll appreciate no matter what type of road you’re driving on. True, rear seat space is only so-so, but the Puma is still surprisingly practical, thanks to a huge boot with a heightadjustable floor. It’s also well equipped, strong on safety and very fuel-efficient. Our pick 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 155 ST-Line List price £25,355 Target Price £23,975 MPG 50.4 CO2 126g/km For Great fun to drive, yet rides bumps well; remarkable blend of performance and economy; big, clever boot Against Space in the back is adequate rather than outstanding; over-theshoulder visibility could be better WHAT CAR? SAYS BEST…

1 BMW3Series THE HYBRID BMW 330e slickly integrates the latest tech with the long-held wants and needs of executive car drivers. It’s easy to live with, has a high-quality interior and is great to drive, yet it’s also cheap to run. When charged, it can officially cover 37 miles on electricity, and it remains fairly frugal when running on petrol power. The resulting low emissions yield huge tax savings for company car drivers. Our pick 330e M Sport (Pro Pack) List price £48,565 Target Price £48,565 MPG 188.3 CO2 35g/km For Great to drive; low emissions and good electric range; high-quality interior; class-leading infotainment Against Smaller boot and petrol tank than regular 3 Series; sporty suspension setup won’t be to all tastes WHAT CAR? SAYS 2 Tesla Model 3 Our pick…

1 Kia EV6 OUR 2022 CAR of the Year sets the standard for this new era of electric motoring, with one of the longest ranges in the business and ultra-fast charging capability. On top of that, it’s hugely spacious and practical, as well as exceptionally refined. When you combine all that with competitive pricing and a seven-year warranty, there are few cars – electric or otherwise – that get close to the EV6’s breadth of talents. Our pick RWD GT-Line List price £44,695 Target Price £44,695 Range 328 miles CO2 0g/km For Long range; ultra-fast charging; seven-year warranty; exceptionally quiet; loads of rear leg room Against Shallow boot; not exactly cheap to buy; ride is on the firm side at low speeds WHAT CAR? SAYS 2 Skoda Enyaq iV Our…

1 Volkswagen Touran THE TOURAN MATCHES the flexibility of huge MPVs such as the Ford Galaxy, with its independently sliding middlerowseats. And despite being a far more compact car, adults fit in all three rows. What’s more, the Touran feels much like a normal hatchback from behind the wheel, thanks to tidy handling and a supple ride. So yes, it exists to offer an abundance of functionality, but that doesn’t define the way it drives at all. Our pick 1.5 TSI 150 SE List price £32,735 Target Price £31,144 MPG 43.1 CO2 149g/km For Compact outside yet spacious inside; seats seven; Isofix child seat mounts on all rear seats; tidy to drive Against Rivals offer more economical engines and more third-row space; automatic gearbox can be hesitant WHAT CAR? SAYS…

Lawrence.Cheung@haymarket.com AS A YEAR for memorable launches, 1972 was a good one. The Godfather movie hit big screens, the TV soap Emmerdale Farm hit small screens – and the fuel-sipping Honda Civic hatchback made its debut. They’re all still familiar names today, and while the latest, 11th-generation Civic looks very different from the original three-door model, fuel efficiency remains one of its core values. The family hatchback is offered exclusively with hybrid power, which puts it directly up against the (also hybrid-only) Toyota Corolla. Under the Civic’s bonnet is a 2.0-litre petrol engine that works with two electric motors to produce a combined 181bhp. The official 0-62mph times – ranging from 7.8sec to 8.1sec, depending on spec – match the figures for the most powerful 2.0-litre Corolla. The Civic feels…

George.Hill@haymarket.com WHEN IT COMES to planning our holidays, many of us would pick Spain over Germany for the promise of sandy beaches, guaranteed sunshine and enticing Mediterranean cuisine. Now, Cupra wants us to think along the same lines when it comes to cars, and the UrbanRebel concept outlines just how the brand seeks to highlight its place on the map. Previewing a small electric car that’s expected to arrive in UK showrooms in 2025, the UrbanRebel shares its underpinnings with the upcomingVolkswagen ID.2, so it offers a tempting combination of German engineering and sporty Spanish style. It’ll sit below the Volkswagen ID.3-based Born in Cupra’s range. The first version to arrive will be powered by a 223bhp electric motor that drives the front wheels, for a nippy 0-62mph sprint time…

Darren.Moss@haymarket.com ON THEIR OWN, flour, eggs, milk, butter and sugar would be pretty unappealing, but mix them together and you can create a magnificent cake. The new Peugeot 408 is taking the same approach, because by mixing together elements from the executive car, estate and SUV worlds, it’s aiming to appeal to more buyers than any of those single markets would normally attract. The 408 shares its underpinnings with the 308 family hatchback and 3008 SUV, as well as the Citroën C5 X. It adopts the same sweptback stance as the latter, with the higher ride height of an SUV and rugged-looking body cladding around its lower edges. Striking features include slim LED daytime running lights that look like fangs in the dark, plus a bold front grille and bespoke…

NOW YOU SEE IT… Stolen cars are taken to so-called ‘chop shops’, where they can be dismantled by criminal gangs in a matter of a few hours. A SHORTAGE OF car parts has led to a big a rise in vehicle thefts in some areas of the UK, police have warned, with criminals said to be taking cars and stripping them in hours, so they can sell on the components. In total, 88,915 vehicles were stolen in the 12 months leading to 7 March, according to the 34 police forces that responded to a Freedom of Information request from the PA news agency – an average of 244 thefts a day. The biggest year-on-year increase was in South Yorkshire, where there was a 28% rise in the number of vehicles…

This year’s field was packed with talent, so our judges spent a long time debating which car deserved to be the overall winner, but ultimately everyone agreed that the Audi Q5 was the best all-rounder. With 201bhp and 295lb ft of pulling power, its diesel engine is ideally suited to towing, and it’s cleaner and more efficient than older Q5 models. More importantly, the Q5 is exceptionally stable. It doesn’t seem bothered by the weight of a caravan behind it at all, towing serenely at the legal limit and beyond. It coped just as well with an emergency lane change and gave the impression it would have been just as happy at higher speeds. Inside, the build quality really shines through. The doors shut with a satisfying clunk, and the…

NEW Toyota bZ4X FWD Motion List price £45,750 Target Price £45,750 Toyota is arriving at the party quite late, but the bZ4X has an impressive official range and is cheaper to buy than its rivals here, so it promises to be a serious threat Kia EV6 RWD GT-Line List price £47,195 Target Price £47,195 Our reigning Car of the Year is a very complete package, with a whopping 328-mile official range and ultra-fast charging capability. It’ll be tough to beat Ford Mustang Mach-E Standard Range RWD List price £47,530 Target Price £47,530 Infused with the heritage of the Mustang sports car, the Mach-E ought to be the sporty choice here. It has the most power but the shortest official range Next time you brake from 20mph, just imagine what it’s…

Neil.Williams@haymarket.com WHILE I’M A long way from considering a fully electric car to be suitable for a high-mileage driver like me (I can easily do 40,000 miles per year), a plug-in hybrid with a decent electric range can make a great alternative to a diesel for high-mileage drivers of My Generation. I know this because I previously ran a Suzuki Across PHEV, which combined 65mpg in the real world with more than 300bhp – enough to almost have kept Keith Moon entertained. I remember thinking: if only I could have that same technology in something that looked a little more stylish. Blame the vain photographer in me. Well, step forward the new and distinctly svelte Lexus NX 450h+, which is our 2022 Plug-in Hybrid of the Year. There’s a conventional…

Mileage 7300 List price £56,900 Target Price na Price as tested £57,475 Test economy 29.8mpg IN MY OPENING report, I asked the question: is the Audi RS3 a traditional hot hatch, or is it actually a performance car masquerading under the body of an A3 family car? Well, I’m starting to lean towards the latter definition. Why? Well, hot hatches have traditionally been highly strung cars that sacrifice some civility in return for thrills on every journey, but the RS3 is just so darned usable. In just a couple of months, I’ve added nearly 5000 miles to the odometer, and most of those have been accrued on the motorway. With a settled high-speed ride and surprisingly little wind and road noise, it feels closer to an Audi RS6 in spirit…

Jim.Holder@haymarket.com WHEN IS A Ford Mustang not a Ford Mustang? Generations of ’Stang owners will have had a fit at the thought of the iconic name – used on muscle cars since 1964 – being attached to an SUV that runs on electricity. But here it is: Ford’s first mainstream electric car, the Mustang Mach-E. Not to pour oil on the fire (or water on the electrics), but I quite like Ford’s decision to get extra mileage out of the Mustang moniker in this way. After all, like the Mach-E, the original Mustang broke boundaries. I also subscribe to the argument that electric cars could do with a dash of emotional appeal. The name achieves that at a stroke. Meanwhile, the Pony emblems that largely replace Ford’s traditional blue oval…

1 Seat Leon AS A FAMILY car, the latest Leon gets the basics right by offering a big boot and even more space for passengers than the gigantic Skoda Octavia. But it also serves up a very welcome slice of fun and costs less to run than you’d think. Don’t go thinking that the Leon feels even remotely hairshirt, either. It’s every bit as smart inside as the more expensive Volkswagen Golf, while its infotainment system is more user-friendly. Our pick 1.5 TSI Evo 130 FR List price £25,585 Target Price £25,180 MPG 50.5 CO2 127g/km For Great handling; smart, spacious interior; punchy yet frugal petrol engines; generous standard spec Against Ride is on the firm side; more wind and road noise than some rivals; very few optional extras available WHAT…

1 VolvoXC40 IT MAY HAVE been a few years since we voted Volvo’s most affordable SUV our overall Car of the Year, but it remains a hugely desirable product that’s backed up by real substance. The XC40 blends generous passenger space and a practical boot with a quality interior and the sort of top-notch safety you expect from the brand. Plus, our recommended plug-in hybrid version has plenty of poke and promises to be cheap to run. Our pick Recharge T4 Plus (Dark Theme) List price £44,450 Target Price £42,815 MPG 134.5 CO2 47g/km For Stylish, high-quality interior; big and clever boot; supple ride on most versions; comprehensive safety kit Against Fiddly infotainment system; lacks the rear seat flexibility of some rivals; body sways around a bit WHAT CAR? SAYS 2 Kia…

1 LexusNX IN ITS LATEST iteration, this upmarket large SUV is not only the first Lexus to be offered as a plug-in hybrid but also represents a leap forward for the brand in terms of ride and handling, as well as usability. It’s more practical than the rival Audi Q5, with a classy and wellequipped interior, and it has a relatively long electric range. The NX isn’t just a Lexus you’d buy for its reliability; it’s the best car from the brand in decades. Our pick 450h+ F Sport List price £58,200 Target Price £58,200 MPG 256.7 CO2 25g/km For Impressive electric range; strong performance; high-quality interior; Lexus’s reliability record  Against Petrol engine isn’t the smoothest; choppy ride at high speeds; Takumi versions are pricey WHAT CAR? SAYS BEST FOR…

1 BMW5Series OUR FAVOURITE LUXURY car for the past four years still offers the very best traits of this class. Take the interior, for example: it’s virtually identical to that of the pricier 7 Series and just as well made, despite the 5 Series costing far less. As a bonus, the 530e plug-in hybrid variant can complete many journeys on electric power. And even when its petrol engine does fire up, the car is quiet enough to shame full-on limousines. Our pick 530e M Sport (Pro Pack) List price £58,075 Target Price £53,932 MPG 188.3 CO2 33g/km For Fast and fun, yet comfortable and refined; low running costs, particularly as a company car; superb interior Against You need to add adaptive suspension (part of the Pro Pack) for the best…

1 Skoda Superb Estate SPACE IS THE name of the game when you’re looking at wagons, and the Superb Estate has been our favourite for six years, striking the sweet spot of practicality, comfort, low running costs and value more accurately than any rival. In fact, with masses of load space for flat-pack furniture or suitcases and palatial comfort for passengers, it’s one of the most impressive family holdalls in any class of car. Our pick 2.0 TDI 150 SE L List price £34,245 Target Price £32,661 MPG 55.9 CO2 132g/km For Comfortable ride; limo-like rear passenger space; huge boot with lots of practical touches; well priced Against Some rivals are more fun to drive on twisty roads; automatic gearbox can be a tad jerky in traffic WHAT CAR? SAYS…

1 BMW 4 Series Convertible LIKE THE COUPÉ on which it’s based, the 4 Series Convertible feels wonderfully balanced, and combines agile handling with impressive comfort if you specify the Pro Pack’s adaptive suspension. It’s also refined with the roof up or down, and surprisingly practical for a car of this sort, offering space for four adults and a good-sized boot. Throw in an upmarket and well-equipped interior and you’ve got a drop-top that’s hard to fault. Our pick 420i M Sport (Pro Pack) List price £49,455 Target Price £47,256 MPG 40.4 CO2 160g/km For Agile and precise handling; comfortable ride; user-friendly infotainment system; classy interior Against Some visibility issues; rear seats fold flat but don’t split; adjustable lumbar support costs extra WHAT CAR? SAYS 2 Fiat 500 Convertible BEST FOR VALUE Our…

1 Porsche 718 Cayman IT’D BE EASY to write off the Cayman as a poor man’s 911. It can be bought for as little as half the money, so it must be half the car, right? Well, actually, no; in the ways that matter most, the Cayman is the best sports car on the planet. The only caveat is that you need to go for the GTS model, because this swaps the uncouth engines of lesser versions for a glorious 4.0-litre flat six. Our pick GTS 4.0 List price £70,070 Target Price £70,070 MPG 25.9 CO2 247g/km For Brilliant handling; rich, soulful naturally aspirated six-cylinder GTS engine; classy interior Against Lacks the level of standard kit you’d expect of such a pricey car, both in terms of luxuries and safety WHAT CAR?…

Darren.Moss@haymarket.com THE GOODTHING about any new technology is that, over time, it gets smaller. For example, one of the first computers was called Colossus because it took up an entire room. Today, you hold more computing power in the palm of your hand every time you use your mobile phone. The same seems to be true for electric cars – at least in the case of the new iX1, which is the smallest electric SUV BMW has ever built. The model has a lot in common with the new X1 family SUV, including aggressive-looking front and rear bumpers, a prominent front grille and LED lights at the front and rear. Compared with the previous-generation X1, the wheels are closer to the corners of the car, giving it a sportier look.…

Lawrence.Cheung@haymarket.com WAKU DOKI. IT’S a shortened version of the Japanese phrase ‘waku waku doki doki’ and stands for ‘heart-pounding excitement’. And why is this important? Well, it’s a philosophy that underlies all of Toyota’s sports cars – and the GR86 you see here brings that in the form of a compact, lightweight coupé that’s relatively affordable to buy and run. In essence, what we have here is the sequel to the GT86, combining a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with lively rear-wheel-drive handling to draw a wide grin on the driver’s face. So, has it worked? With its flat-four engine putting out 231bhp, the GR86 sprints from 0-62mph in 6.3sec. That’s 1.3sec quicker than its predecessor and beats the most powerful 2.0-litre Mazda MX-5 RF by half a second. As with…

Doug.Revolta@haymarket.com NEVER HEARD OF the Range Rover? If you want to understand how significant Land Rover’s luxury SUV has become over the past 50 years, all you need to know is that the first people in the UK to be seen publicly with the latest version were members of the royal family. And not just the distant cousins of some unknown Earl, or Prince Andrew; the fifth-generation model was first papped with the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, no less. Even though this new model looks similar to the previous version, it sits on new mechanical underpinnings and has a fresh line-up of engines, all of which use either mild or plug in hybrid technology. So far, we’ve driven the D350 version, whose 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine…

Steve.Huntingford@haymarket.com IF YOU’VE EVER felt the pressure to live up to a high-achieving parent, you’ll understand the situation the Kia Niro EV is in. You see, it’s a direct replacement for the e-Niro, which was the first electric car to be named our What Car? Car of the Year. That was a few years ago, though, and since then we’ve seen a huge number of electric SUVs launched. In short, the Niro EV is entering a much tougher marketplace. So far, we’ve only tested it in pre-production form. However, Kia told us our test car was very close to the finished article, and it’s already clear that ride comfort has been prioritised over sporty handling. The relatively soft suspension means you’re well isolated from imperfections in the road surface, particularly…

VOLKSWAGEN GROUP WILL pay £193m to approximately 91,000 drivers across England and Wales in an out-of-court settlement relating to the continuing emissions scandal. The so-called Dieselgate scandal broke in 2015, when it emerged that‘defeat devices’ were fitted to various models powered by diesel engines to help them meet increasingly strict emissions standards. Around 1.2 million vehicles in the UK and 11 million worldwide are believed to have been affected, with these including cars that Audi, Seat, Skoda andVolkswagen produced between 2009 and 2015. In relation to the UK settlement, Volkswagen has not accepted any liability, but has said that the legal costs of litigating the case were such that the settlement was the most prudent course of action.…

SAVE £1095 Hyundai Santa Fe WHAT CAR? SAYS Model 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid Premium List price £40,695 Target Price £39,600 Target PCP £458 If you often need to carry six passengers or lots of paraphernalia, there’s plenty you’ll like about the Hyundai Santa Fe – including its huge boot, impressive passenger space and long list of standard equipment. Entry-level Premium is our favourite trim, and comes with adaptive cruise control, heated leather seats and keyless entry. SCAN FOR A GREAT DEAL ON THIS CAR SAVE £1690 Peugeot 3008 WHAT CAR? SAYS Model 1.2 Puretech Allure Premium List price £33,225 Target Price £31,535 Target PCP £375 Peugeot has recently given the 3008 a mid-life refresh, and it has a new front end with ‘sabre-tooth’ LED daytime running lights. It’s also just as…

WHAT CAR? Tow Car Awards 2022 whatcar@haymarket.com Welcome to the What Car? Tow Car Awards 2022. Once again, we’ve partnered with The Campin and Caravanning Club to put the latest tow cars to the test, with all of the caravans again being supplied by Adria. We’ve divided the 30 cars into five categories, based on their weight. That way you can easily find a car suitable for towing your caravan or trailer, no matter how heavy it is. Most contenders tow a caravan weighted to 85% of the car’s kerb weight. However, if the legal towing limit is lower than that figure, the caravan is weighted to the maximum towing weight instead. Cars with very low towing limits relative to their kerb weight drop down to be tested alongside cars…

SCAN FOR A GREAT DEAL ON THIS CAR BEST BUY Volkswagen Taigo 1.0 TSI 110 Life List price £23,965 Target Price £23,157 Options we’d add Heated front seats (£310), rear-view camera (£265), space-saver spare wheel (£100) Total cost of options £675 The Taigo comes with a repair kit that you can use to temporarily patch up a tyre if it suffers a small perforation, allowing you to limp home or get to a garage. Still, we think it’s a good idea to add the space-saver spare wheel in case of bigger punctures. The £100 cost seems a small price to pay for the extra peace of mind. This rear-view camera costs £265 but could save you much more than that by preventing bumps and scratches as you park up. When…

Tesla Model 3 Long Range List price £57,490 Target Price £57,490 The Model 3 has been our favourite electric car for years. It’s good to drive, has a fantastic range and gives you access to Tesla’s brilliant Supercharger network Tesla Model Y Long Range List price £57,990 Target Price £57,990 Essentially a Model 3 for more family-minded buyers, the Model Y isn’t much more expensive in like-for-like spec – so is it the better buy? TESLA MODEL 3 Back in March, the cars you’re staring at were number one and two in the sales charts. No, not the electric car charts; these two Teslas were the best-selling cars in the UK. Full stop. Okay, things were skewed slightly by pent-up demand, and the fact that Tesla tends to send big…

Allan.Muir@haymarket.com Mileage 5250 List price £34,995 Target Price NA Price as tested £37,270 Test range 205 miles WHEN YOU’RE ON a journey in an electric vehicle (EV), there’s nothing better than to be able to glance down at the range indicator after you’ve been driving for an hour or two and think “Wow, look how much range I’ve got left”, as opposed to “Flippin’ heck, where’s all the range gone?”. In my Volkswagen ID.3, it’s usually the former. Not only is the car now starting such trips with a longer indicated range on a full charge than it was over the winter, but that figure also drops at a reassuringly linear rate (unlike in some rivals), even at a 70mph cruise. The current range of around 205 miles in warmer…

Mileage 5924 Price £30,360 Target Price £28,379 Price as tested £31,085 Test economy 32.8mpg TWO MONTHS into 3008 ownership, I’m still enjoying both looking at and driving it, while a trip to the tip highlighted its practicality. Our load included not only sacks of grass cuttings but also various bits of bulky flatpack furniture. Luckily, the boot is a good, square shape, and there’s no lip to heave stuff over, thanks to a height-adjustable floor. With the rear seats folded down (leaving a totally flat extended load bay), it all fitted in. My car is in Allure trim, but if I’d gone one trim level up (to Allure Premium), I’d have got a front passenger seat that can be folded flat, too. Then again, I couldn’t have made use of it…

Price today £42,000* Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo List price when new £61,000 Available from 2017-present An outstandling performance car with looks that reflectect its captivating driving manners BMW M3 Competition Pack List price when new £63,000 Available from 2013-2019 An iconic name in the performance car world, the M3 will be difficult to beat Price today £40,000* ALFA ROMEO GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO BMW M3 THE BMW M3’S legacy is a lot like that of Christopher Nolan’s films. No two entries are identical, although all share similar DNA and all have a strong following. There have been six generations of the M3 over its 36-year history, and every one of them has been a class-leading performance car. It’s faced its fair share of credible threats over the years, though,…

1 Mercedes-AMG A45 MAKE NO MISTAKE: our 2022 Hot Hatch of the Year is more than just a one-trick pony. Yes, it’s ballistically quick in a straight line, belting from 0-62mph in just 3.9sec, but it’s also agile and entertaining through corners. You can adjust the four-wheel drive system to send the majority of power to the rear wheels only to allow you to slide it (on a track). The ride is firm, though, and you’ll need deep pockets to afford one. Our pick S Plus List price £58,728 Target Price £58,728 MPG 31.1 CO2 206g/km For Savage performance; immense grip; engaging handling; quick-shifting automatic gearbox Against Very expensive to buy and run; firm ride; not as quiet or easy to live with as the rival Audi RS3 WHAT CAR? SAYS…

1 Hyundai Santa Fe THERE’S LOADS TO like about the latest Santa Fe, including its huge boot and practical interior with seating for up to seven adults. The regular hybrid version that we recommend offers the best tradeoff between price and running costs, and even entry-level Premium trim comes with many of the luxuries that are available only on high-end versions of the closely related Kia Sorento, making it fantastic value for money. Our pick 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid 4WD Premium List price £42,715 Target Price £41,574 MPG 40.4 CO2 159g/km For User-friendly interior with seven seats suitable for adults; huge boot; loads of standard kit; long warranty Against Performance is only average; some wind noise at motorway speeds; top trim is expensive WHAT CAR? SAYS 2 Kia Sorento Our pick 1.6 T-GDi HEV…

1 Tesla Model 3 THE MODEL 3 balances range, performance, price and technology better than every other car in its class. It was already hugely compelling, both as a private buy and a company car, but a refresh for 2021 made it even better. Factor in access to Tesla’s unbeatable charging network and the Model 3 is an incredibly desirable yet thoroughly sensible choice. It’s the best argument yet for switching from fossil fuels. Our pick Long Range List price £54,990 Target Price £54,990 Range 374 miles CO2 0g/km For Dependable, fast charging network; well priced; stuffed with tech; surprisingly practical; enjoyable to drive Against Firm town ride, pricey finance deals; interior is better than it was but could still be plusher WHAT CAR? SAYS 2 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo…

1 BMWX5 WHEN CHOOSING A plug-in hybrid, it goes without saying that you want economy and cost-effectiveness, but if you don’t want to compromise on the finer things in life, the X5 xDrive45e is right up your street. It offers the same fantastic interior as any other X5, and is even more refined. Yet it’s cheaper to run than rivals, not least because it can travel a whopping 54 miles on electric power. Our pick xDrive45e M Sport List price £73,425 Target Price £72,156 MPG 217.3 CO2 29g/km For Superb ride and handling balance; excellent infotainment; big pure electric range; low company car tax Against No seven-seat option in our preferred plug-in hybrid form; boot isn’t as big as you’d expect WHAT CAR? SAYS BEST FOR BIG FAMILIES 2 BMW…

1 Ford Puma ST UNTIL RECENTLY, BUYING a sports SUV required a sizeable outlay, but the Ford Puma ST changes that. And don’t think the fact that it costs far less than the competition means it’s far less fun. Even the mighty Porsche Cayenne has to bow to the Puma’s incredible agility, while its greater driver engagement and less extreme acceleration mean there’s far more chance to enjoy yourself on public roads. Our pick 1.5 Ecoboost 200 Performance Pack List price £31,075 Target Price £29,935 MPG 41.5 CO2 155g/km For Hugely entertaining handling; tuneful and punchy engine; relatively cheap to buy and run Against Occasionally bouncy ride; infotainment system could be slicker; Volkswagen T-Roc is bigger in the back WHAT CAR? SAYS BEST HIGH-END CHOICE 2 Porsche Cayenne Coupé Our pick GTS List…

1 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo THE ALL-ELECTRIC Taycan rewrote the performance car rulebook in 2021, and now the Cross Turismo has raised the bar even higher. It brings greater versatility, courtesy of a bigger boot and roomier rear seats, plus raised suspension that seems tailor-made for battered British roads. Our preferred 4S version is more than fast enough and comes with the larger of the two batteries (a pricey option on the equivalent regular model). Our pick 4S List price £89,555 Target Price £89,555 Range 281 miles CO2 0g/km For Massive and instantaneous performance; remarkably agile; gorgeous interior; more practical than the regular Taycan Against Charging network isn’t as good as Tesla’s; range could be better WHAT CAR? SAYS 2 Audi E-tron GT BEST FOR THRILLS Our pick quattro List price £82,865…