Innehållsförteckning för December 2024 från What Car?

When I was a kid, my parents took my sister and me on several family holidays where we drove to France, Spain or Italy, instead of flying. And this sort of trip can still be an appealing option today: no need to pack light (always a bonus when you’ve got little ones) or spend hours at crowded airports, plus it’s easy to get around when you arrive. But do the disadvantages outweigh the advantages if you’ve got an electric car? How hard is it to charge on the Continent? And just how frequently must you stop? ‘Driving to Europe for a holiday is appealing, but what if you’ve got an electric car?’ Well, we’re able to answer those very questions from page 44, after sending our reviews team on their…

TESTING PROCESS Once we’d selected the most promising devices, we registered and activated them, downloaded the corresponding apps and set them up to display each unit’s location, as well as using online portals where applicable. We then secreted each tracker in a typical location in a test car and set up a geofence (a virtual perimeter that can trigger alerts when crossed) where appropriate. We travelled to various locations and compared the reported positions with the actual. We also carried out simulated ‘thefts’, making sure that for units supplied with proximity tags, we drove off without them and went well outside of any geofences. We noted the response time from the unit and/or the app when the relevant conditions were breached, and the nature of the ‘theft’ notification. We also…

NEW Peugeot 5008 Hybrid 136 GT List price £41,235 Target Price £40,860 In its latest iteration, this seven-seat SUV is larger than before, promising greater interior space and practicality, and it comes with a revised mild hybrid petrol engine Nissan X-Trail e-Power e-4orce 213Tekna (7 Seat) List price £46,855 Target Price £42,201 Nissan’s largest SUV gives us a new take on hybrid tech, with plenty of power and an EV-like driving experience. We’re testing it in a high-end trim with four-wheel drive Given how crucial interior space is to the usability of G seven-seaters, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that the new, third-generation Peugeot 5008 is larger all round than its predecessor. Although that outgoing model had a practical interior with flexible seating, space could have been better…

WE LIKE ■ Tremendous performance ■ Long range ■ Surprisingly good value ■ Fast, reliable charging network ■ Practical Tesla Model 3 2019-present Prices from £15,000 Our pick Long Range Last year, we named the Tesla Model 3 as our Used Electric Car of the Year because it represented the best way to go green without spending a lot of money. Since then, prices have fallen further still; you can now pick up a Model 3 for just £15,000 – and at that price, it’s even better value than last year’s Used Executive Car Award winner, the BMW 3 Series. It’s not like your executive colleagues will think you’re slumming it by choosing the Tesla, either. Not only does the Model 3’s minimalist interior look thoroughly futuristic, but it also works…

WE LIKE ■ Long real-world range ■ Roomy interior ■ Good-sized boot ■ Well equipped ■ Great value for money Kia e-Niro 2019-2022 Prices from £12,000 Our pick 64kWh 3 The Kia e-Niro was the first electric vehicle (EV) to be named our overall Car of the Year when it was launched in 2019. As well as being comfortable, practical and capable of covering long distances in single bounds, it was one of the first affordable electric SUVs, when most others at the time were high-end luxury models. Of the two battery sizes available, we prefer the larger, 64kWh option, because it yields a longer range than most of its direct rivals, not to mention quite a few much pricier models. In our real-world testing, the 64kWh e-Niro covered 253…

WE LIKE ■ Classy, stylish interior ■ Plenty of engine options ■ Agile handling ■ Relatively practical ■ Strong refinement Audi TT 2014-2024 Prices from £11,500 Our pick 2.0 TFSI Sport Sometimes in life, it takes another stab to achieve your ultimate goal successfully, and in the case of the Audi TT, it’s safe to say all the persistence and effort paid off. You see, the original version struggled to provide a driving experience as sharp as its looks, but this third-generation version absolutely nails the brief. You certainly won’t be spoiled for choice when it comes to engines, with a range of petrols and diesels available, along with front-wheel drive and four-wheel-drive quattro options. The entry-level 1.8-litre petrol and diesel models are fine cruisers, but the punchier 227bhp 2.0-litre…

In association with 1 RENAULT CLIO Our pick 1.0 TCe 90 Techno List price £19,695 Target Price £17,542 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…

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…

1 TESLA MODEL 3 Our pick RWD List price £39,990 Target Price £39,990  Range 318 miles CO2 0g/km  For Class-leading efficiency; fast charging via Tesla’s own network; surprisingly practical; well priced Against Some fiddly controls; saloon boot opening is relatively small; windscreen pillars hamper visibility WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘THE MODEL 3 COSTS LESS THAN PLENTY OF SMALLER, LESS PRACTICAL EVs’ AS WELL AS being one of the best electric cars you can buy, the Model 3 makes complete sense for company car drivers, largely thanks to its lowly 2% benefit-in-kind tax rating and outstanding efficiency. Even the entry-level rear-wheel-drive (RWD) version we recommend has a long official range (318 miles), while the Long Range model promises 390 miles between charges (on 19in wheels). We know from our own tests that…

1 TESLA MODEL 3 Our pick RWD List price £39,990 Target Price £39,990 Range 318 miles CO2 0g/km For Well priced; surprisingly practical; good to drive; outstanding efficiency; Tesla’s excellent charging network Against Some fiddly controls; saloon boot opening can hinder access; windscreen pillars hamper visibility WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘EVERY TIME WE TEST A MODEL 3, IT PROVES FAR MORE EFFICIENT THAN ITS RIVALS’ AS WELL AS being our pick in the executive car category, the Model 3 is an easy electric car to recommend to a wider audience; frankly, it makes all other cars in this class look like they’re not trying hard enough. The Model 3 is good to drive (albeit with a firm edge to its ride), offering sweeter handling than the rival Kia EV6 and Polestar…

1 BMW 4 SERIES COUPÉ Our pick 420i M Sport List price £44,195 Target Price £40,861 MPG 44.8 CO2 144g/km For Great to drive; comfortable ride on adaptive suspension; high-quality interior; decent space in rear seats Against Looks won’t be for everyone; some rivals have larger boots; some wind and tyre noise at high speeds WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘YOU CAN HAVE MORE FUN IN THE 4 SERIES COUPÉ THAN IN ANY OF ITS RIVALS’ ITS LOOKS MAY be divisive, but whether or not you’re a fan of this 4 Series’ aggressive styling, you’ll love what’s underneath. You see, this is one of the most rewarding driver’s cars in the class; it’s more agile and capable through corners than the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé. And as long as you specify the optional…

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WELCOME Last year we were pleased to report that stability had returned to the used car L market after several years of unrealistically inflated prices, the only exception being a significant fall in demand for (and values of) used electric vehicles (EVs). This year, the situation is even more positive, with healthy growth in overall used car sales being driven by an uptick in new car sales and a resurgence in interest in second-hand EVs. In fact, sales of the latter rose by more than 50% year on year as buyers cottoned on to their new-found affordability, with some of them now being available to buy for the same price as their petrol-powered equivalents. Despite the interest in EVs, which still account for only a little over 2% of the…

WE LIKE ■ High-quality interior ■ Superb refinement ■ Family-friendly practicality ■ Good to drive ■ Plenty of safety kit Volvo XC40 2018-present Prices from £16,000 Our pick T3 R-Design The success of the original Nissan Qashqai may have prompted a long line of imitators that took the basic formula and (in some cases) improved on it, but what was missing for years was a family-friendly SUV that offered all the refinement and quality of a larger, more expensive car, wrapped up in a modern, chic design. That need was met in 2018 with the arrival of the Volvo XC40. Of course, there were already other family SUVs that did specific things just as well, but the XC40 was the supreme all-rounder. We were so impressed that we named it…

WE LIKE ■ Fun to drive ■ Smooth hybrid set-up ■ Intuitive infotainment ■ Plush interior ■ Confidence-inspiring reliability BMW 3 Series 2019-present Prices from £17,000 Our pick 330e M Sport (Pro Pack) If we were to pretend that executive cars were a group of friends on a night out, we reckon the BMW 3 Series would be first in the karaoke queue. As sophisticated saloons go, it’s never been afraid to let its hair down. Even the 330e plug-in hybrid version – the one you might assume would be the tamest member of the bunch – has a strong sense of fun. Its rear-wheel drive (or four-wheel drive if you opt for an xDrive version) handling is playful and involving, while its 2.0-litre petrol engine and electric motor produce…

Volvo XC40 All of our category winners are terrific used buys, so narrowing the list down is always a difficult process. In the end, though, three likely contenders for the title of Used Car of the Year emerged. We’ve long been admirers of the previous generation Skoda Octavia Estate. It excels in all the areas important to buyers of used estates, being highly practical, good to drive and tremendous value for money. The fact that you can buy one of the older models so cheaply is a fantastic result for family buyers on a tight budget.such was last year’s realignment of electric car prices that it’s now a very real and tempting proposition. But in the end, neither of these two (or any of the other category winners) could match…

1 TOYOTA COROLLA Our pick 1.8 Hybrid Icon List price £30,505 Target Price £28,140 MPG 61.4 CO2 104g/km For Frugal in real-world driving; comfy and good to drive; generously equipped; well built and reliable Against Tight for adults in rear seats; so-so infotainment system; instrument panel could be more user-friendly WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘THE COROLLA REPRESENTS BETTER VALUE THAN HYBRID RIVALS SUCH AS THE CIVIC’ THE COROLLA IS a car that will work for just about everyone in the market for a family hatchback. Being a hybrid, it can help you save money, because it can run partly on electric power to conserve petrol. In our real-world economy test, our preferred 1.8-litre model (there’s also a punchier 2.0-litre version) averaged an impressive 50.5mpg. True, it can’t go as far on…

Sponsored by 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…

1 BMW X7 Our pick xDrive40d M Sport (Ultimate Pack) List price £110,060 Target Price £103,340  MPG 35.3 CO2 210g/km For Super-quiet and cosseting; hugely practical, with loads of room for seven adults; high-quality materials  Against There are cheaper alternatives; feels its size and weight; looks won’t be to all tastes WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘SEVEN OCCUPANTS CAN SHARE THE LUXURY; TRY DOING THAT IN A SALOON’ IT MAY BE an SUV, but the X7 is everything a luxury car should be, and more. As well as having a sumptuous and tech-laden interior, the X7 benefits from a commanding driving position and easily enough room to seat seven adults in complete comfort; these last two things are not available in saloon alternatives such as BMW’s 7 Series. Decked out in plush,…

1 SMART #3 Our pick Premium List price £39,950 Target Price £39,950 Range 283 miles CO2 0g/km For Even better to drive than #1; smart interior; reasonably practical; great safety rating Against Slightly unsettled low-speed ride; can be jerky when slowing down; efficiency could be better WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘THE 0-62MPH DASH TAKES JUST 5.8SEC – QUICKER THAN THE TESLA MODEL Y RWD’ THE SMART #3 is more than just a #1 with a lower roofline. Although they share many components, the #3 is longer and wider than its sibling. As a result, rather than being compromised by its sleeker shape, it improves on the already excellent #1 in useful ways. A larger (though still not huge) boot makes the #3 a more practical proposition for families, and it still…

1 BMW 4 SERIES CONVERTIBLE Our pick 420i M Sport List price £51,280 Target Price £47,429 MPG 41.5 CO2 155g/km For Sharp handling; comfy ride on adaptive suspension; user-friendly infotainment system; classy interior Against Some visibility issues; folding rear seatbacks don’t split; adjustable lumbar support costs extra WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘AGILE HANDLING AND A COSSETING RIDE GO HAND IN HAND IN THIS CONVERTIBLE’ THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT we can pay the BMW 4 Series is that on its journey from coupé to convertible, it has remained excellent to drive – something that’s often not the case, given the extra strengthening (and weight) an open-top car needs. In the 4 Series, however, it retains the sharp handling and punchy performance that we so enjoy in the coupé. Plus, the 4 Series features…

1 PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN Our pick GTS 4.0 List price £77,695 Target Price £77,695 MPG 25.9 CO2 247g/km For Sublime handling; GTS’s rich and soulful six-cylinder engine; smooth ride; high-quality 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? SAYS ‘THE CAYMAN ISN’T JUST A WEEKEND TOY; YOU COULD USE IT EVERY DAY’ 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…

Heading to France for a family road trip has long been a quintessential British adventure. Whether it’s a quick dash to northern France to cram the boot with crates of wine, or a leisurely drive south to the Alps in search of world-class ski slopes, there’s something uniquely liberating about exploring France from behind the wheel. Perhaps that’s why more than 2.5 million cars made the Channel crossing last year. But with more of us embracing electric cars (EVs) than ever, is it time to rethink the European driving holiday? Surely the freedom of the open road will be hampered by figuring out foreign charging networks, coupled with the nagging concern that EVs don’t fare as well at motorway speeds. Could a dream road trip turn into a logistical nightmare?…

WE LIKE ■ Outstanding value ■ Spacious for passengers ■ Low running costs ■ Comfortable ride ■ Family-friendly practicality Honda Jazz 2020-present Prices from £11,500 Our pick 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid SR American football coach Vince Lombardo once said that perfection wasn’t attainable, but that by chasing it, we could catch excellence. Well, we’d argue that by putting a used Honda Jazz on your driveway, you won’t be far away from perfection – and you don’t even need to step foot onto a sports field. You’ll certainly have room to carry your team-mates; six-footers will find more room than they would in its Ford Fiesta or Volkswagen Polo small car rivals, or in several cars from the class above. The boot is generous for a small car, too, and if you’re…

WE LIKE ■ Smart interior ■ Well equipped ■ Very practical ■ Affordable to buy ■ Cheap to run Skoda Octavia Estate 2013-2020 Prices from £3500 Our pick 1.5 TSI 150 SE Victorinox is the Swiss Army knife of choice for many an intrepid explorer, and when they get back to base, they’ll most likely pop their pocket knife into the glovebox and drive away in their Skoda Octavia Estate – another superb multi-function tool. Of course, estates are made for load lugging, and the Octavia Estate’s boot is vast; only the most demanding families are likely to fill it regularly. Indeed, its capacity virtually matches those of much larger and pricier models, including the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate. The rear seats split and fold 60/40 at the tug of a…

WE LIKE ■ Stylish and upmarket inside ■ Very smooth and quiet ■ Flexible seating ■ Comfortable ride ■ Good reliability record Peugeot 5008 2017-2024 Prices from £12,000 Our pick 1.2 Allure Like the wines of its home country, the Peugeot 5008 only gains appeal as it ages. But while vintage vino goes up in price, every passing year makes the 5008 look even better value. You can now buy an early example with an average mileage for just £12,000, and that’s a vast amount of car for your money. The 5008 is no bottle of cheap plonk, either; it’s far tastier than that. In fact, it feels more like an executive car than a family holdall, with an interior design that still looks futuristic after all these years, and…

‘We’ve got Best Buys for every need’ 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 for…

1 MERCEDES-AMG A45 Our pick S Plus List price £63,445 Target Price £59,945 MPG 30.8 CO2 208g/km For Savage acceleration; immense grip; entertaining handling; quick-shifting automatic gearbox  Against Very expensive to buy; some hot hatches are comfier; infotainment controls could be easier to use WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘ON A RACE TRACK, DRIFT MODE LEADS TO SIDEWAYS ENTERTAINMENT’ YOU’LL HAVE NO need for an alarm clock if you own an A45, because you’ll want to wake up at the crack of dawn just so you can go for a blast in it. Not only is this 416bhp, four-wheel-drive rocketship absurdly rapid in a straight line, but it’s also agile and entertaining through corners. Although it isn’t quite as civilised as the similar-priced Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the A45 is barely any…

1 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Our pick 1.6T Hybrid Premium List price £46,775 Target Price £44,056 MPG 41.5 CO2 155g/km For Outstanding practicality; great driving position; plush interior; long warranty; impressive refinement Against Touchscreen controls for most climate functions; acceleration feels a little laboured WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘THE LATEST SANTA FE FEELS FAR MORE UPMARKET INSIDE THAN ITS PREDECESSOR’ LIKE ITS PREDECESSORS, the latest Santa Fe is a hugely practical SUV that can transport up to seven people in comfort. But it looks a lot more stiking on the outside and feels far more upmarket inside. The driving position is fantastic, too; there’s a huge amount of seat and steering wheel adjustment, plus you sit high off the ground for a terrific forward view. In fact, visibility is good all round,…

1 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Our pick 1.5 TSI eHybrid 204 Life List price £44,105 Target Price £39,426 MPG 755.2 CO2 9g/km For Spacious interior and boot; cheap to run as a company car; great motorway cruiser Against Could be sharper to drive; not enough physical controls; Volkswagen’s so-so reliability record WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘VOLKSWAGEN HASN’T SKIMPED ON INTERIOR QUALITY OR EQUIPMENT’ THE VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT may have been around for five decades, but the fact that the latest iteration ranks highest in this category shows how well the model has moved with the times. You can have it with mild hybrid petrol power, but it impresses most in plug-in hybrid form. The version we recommend is the less powerful of the two PHEVs available; it has plenty of punch and a huge…

1 TOYOTA COROLLA TOURING SPORTS Our pick 1.8 Hybrid Icon List price £31,840 Target Price £29,370 MPG 62.7 CO2 101g/km For Impressive fuel economy; comfortable ride; practical boot; well equipped; very dependable Against Engine can be noisy under hard acceleration; more wind and road noise than in some rivals WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘ITS RIDE STRIKES A FINE BALANCE BETWEEN SUPPLENESS AND CONTROL’ THERE’S MORE TO being an excellent estate than the ability to accommodate a family in comfort or the occasional wardrobe, because the best of them are also cosseting, frugal and dependable. And it’s these qualities that propel the Corolla Touring Sports to the top of this category. Unlike any of its direct rivals, the Touring Sports is a hybrid, so it can run on electric power alone for…

1 PORSCHE CAYENNE COUPÉ Our pick S List price £99,700 Target Price £99,700 MPG 22.6 CO2 284g/km For Powerful engine; fantastic handling for its size; classy and spacious inside Against Expensive to run; you’ll want to add options; some rivals have a more comfortable ride WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘THE WAY IT CHANGES DIRECTION AND RESISTS BODY LEAN IS QUITE REMARKABLE’ PORSCHE’S UNCANNY ABILITY to transfer its sports car know-how into its more practical SUV models is one of the key reasons why the Macan and Cayenne make such great sports SUVs. For such a large, heavy car, the latter has no right to handle or perform the way it does, with the even sharper Coupé version being our pick. No version of the Cayenne Coupé is slow, but stepping up…

1 BMW M3 TOURING Our pick xDrive Competition List price £87,945 Target Price £82,328 MPG 27.2 CO2 234g/km For Scorching performance; sharp and entertaining handling; practical boot; comfy cruiser; snappy gearbox Against Engine doesn’t sound all that inspiring; expensive to buy and run, and you’ll want to add options WHAT CAR? SAYS ‘YOU HAVE TO WONDER WHY BMW DIDN’T MAKE THIS CAR YEARS AGO’ IT TOOK BMW 37 years to offer the M3 in estate form, but it was worth the wait. You see, much as we love the M3 saloon, the Touring is even more desirable, thanks to its extra versatility. The M3 Touring uses the same 503bhp twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol engine as the saloon, and it comes with traction-enhancing four-wheel drive as standard to help you make the…