Table of contents for 1817 in Auto Express

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk • No mild-hybrid or diesel in UK as brand goes with EV and PHEV “This model draws most of its tech and features from the new saloon, but packages them into a more practical two-box bodystyle” BMW has revealed the new 5 Series Touring, which will arrive in the UK in plug-in hybrid and i5 all-electric form only. Other global markets will also have the option of mild-hybrid petrol and diesel versions, but sales in the UK will start with the electric i5, while the plug-in hybrid 530e will reach showrooms later this year. This all-new latest-generation model draws most of its technology and features from the new saloon, but packages it into a more practical two-box bodystyle. Boot capacity is rated at 570 litres with the rear seats…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler • Company has worked hard to remedy ‘keyless’ thefts • Still has work to do to ensure older models are secure IT was something of a tumultuous year for JLR in 2023, but the company results – released last week – show strong sales across the board. However, plenty of challenges remain, with vocal owners complaining about vehicle thefts, the rising cost of insurance – if they can get cover at all – and parts shortages keeping some cars off the road for months. It’s quite a time, then, for Patrick McGillycuddy to take the reins as managing director of the UK business, which is exactly what he did in July last year. With Auto Express’s inbox bulging with E-mails from Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover owners…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk • Up to 420 miles between charges for Porsche’s RWD version • Turbo S model now produces 938bhp, 0-62mph in 2.4 seconds PORSCHE has unveiled its heavily updated Taycan, although you might not notice at first glance. As with the iconic 911, the exterior design of the new Taycan is a gentle evolution of the previous car’s, but under the skin there are a lot more changes. The brand has increased the size of the Performance Battery Plus pack to 105kWh (up from 93kWh), which will give the most efficient RWD Taycan a range of up to 420 miles. This is a 125-mile improvement and puts the Taycan back in contention with long-range rivals from Mercedes and Tesla. Porsche has been working on the car’s charging hardware, with up…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress YOUR VIEWS This week’s letters Raised eyebrows at ID. Buzz depreciation FROM: Simon Bransby I WAS surprised to see VW’s ID. Buzz getting an award for low depreciation. I looked at buying a nearly new ID. Buzz (a few months old/1,500 miles) and according to online valuations, had I bought the car it would have lost circa £20k the minute I drove off the forecourt. Why do drivers need 600-mile EV range? FROM: Glynn Davies ANOTHER week, another letter from a reader purporting to want a 600-mile range before they’ll consider purchasing an electric car. I don’t understand how people want this range for daily driving. I’ve not met many people in my life who drive 500 miles or more a day. I think this is the real…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.9 seconds/158mph AS the transition away from fossil fuels becomes more complex, petrol-electric hybrids seem increasingly relevant. And given that Porsche has been perfecting hybridisation for more than a decade, it’s not surprising that the latest electrified Cayennes are right at the cutting edge. They aren’t cheap, however. This E-Hybrid costs £79,800 before options. For that you get a restyled SUV that’s exquisitely well made and can sprint from 0-62mph in less than five seconds, but emits just 33g/km of CO2, and returns a claimed 188mpg. Not a bad combination, even at almost £80k. Those numbers are courtesy of a drivetrain that mates a 25.9kWh battery and e-motor to a 3.0-litre turbo V6 – providing a combined 463bhp and 650Nm of torque. The e-motor alone is…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn WHEN is an MPV not an MPV? When it’s a crew van, of course. These part-van, part-passenger carriers offer a compromise for users who need the rugged utility of a van, but want more than two or three seats to help them go about their business. There are plenty of options available, but Mercedes has introduced a new model that could be attractive to family buyers who need lots of space. The Mercedes Vito Crew Van Night Edition sounds a bit of a mouthful, but it introduces a range of upgrades to the Vito that mean it can bridge the gap between the utilitarian function of the standard van and the upmarket luxury of the V-Class executive transport, a model which uses the same bodyshell as the Vito.…

SAME CLASS BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé A CAR that’s closer in philosophy to the Mercedes CLA than the Genesis is the 2 Series Gran Coupé. It also shares its powertrains with a front-wheel-drive hatchback (although like the CLA, four-wheel drive is reserved for the high-performance versions), while it has a 430-litre boot, which is 30 litres down on the Mercedes’. Looks are a matter of personal taste, but the CLA is a smoother design than the 2 Series Gran Coupé, but both cars have the cabin quality and connected tech that make them appealing from behind the wheel, while the BMW has a slight edge for driving fun. • Agile handling• User-friendly infotainment• Generous standard kit • Tight in the rear seats• Small boot• Awkward looks SAME MONEY Jaguar…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk WE all know we are much more likely to struggle or even fail to start our car when the temperatures drop, but the reasons for that are less well known. On the mechanical side, the cold oil is thicker, which makes the engine harder to spin, but at the root of the problem is the battery, which delivers less power in cold temperatures than when the weather is warm or hot. We asked charger specialist CTEK to explain the reasons why, and it’s all down to chemistry. Electrical energy is produced by chemical reactions and these slow down when it’s cold because of the reduced mobility of ions in the battery’s electrolyte. As a result, not only is the battery’s ability to deliver current reduced, but…

AS a kid in the seventies I tried – and failed – to cope with my troubled displacement from the inner London I loved to the suburbs that I didn’t. A pair of new, out-of-town schools beckoned. To be fair, the first was happy and glorious – not least because the atmosphere and teaching were effective enough for some pupils to go on and achieve great things. Mick Jagger was one of ’em. He progressed to the London School of Economics, then became the founder, frontman and de facto CEO of The Rolling Stones. Fair to say the boy done good. My second suburban school sat inside a crumbling high-rise building that was wrong on so many levels. Apart from not getting my name right for the years I served…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy • Minor tweaks to styling, with most major changes coming inside • Order books are open now, and first deliveries due in summer FORD topped the UK car-sales charts with the Puma in 2023 – but the small SUV has never faced stiffer competition, so it’s being treated to a mid-life refresh that brings a few exterior tweaks and a major cabin overhaul with improved levels of tech. The demise of the Fiesta means that the Puma has to appeal to buyers of superminis like the Vauxhall Corsa and Toyota Yaris, as well as baby-SUV customers who might otherwise be considering a Vauxhall Mokka or a Nissan Juke. Fresh arrivals in the market, such as Citroen’s forthcoming C3, promise crossover styling with aggressive prices that may undercut the…

THE all-electric 5 Series Touring isn’t the only new EV in BMW’s line-up – the brand has added a new version of its iX2 coupé-SUV, called eDrive20. It’ll go on sale in the UK from March, with prices kicking off at £50,710. The new iX2 is pitched as a sportier variant of the iX1 SUV, and shares plenty of design and tech with its more practical sibling. The iX2 eDrive20 has a single motor mounted on the front axle, instead of the xDrive30’s dual-motor, all-wheel-drive layout. So despite using the same 64.8kWh battery, the eDrive20’s range is 18 miles longer than the all-wheel-drive car’s, at 297 miles. That’s also one mile better than the iX1 eDrive20. The single electric motor in the iX2 provides 204bhp and the model can reach…

A NEW EV start-up called Forseven is set to harness British expertise to launch a range of luxury cars towards the end of the decade, Auto Express can reveal. The new company is being bankrolled by investment company CYVN Holdings, owned by the Abu Dhabi government. Only last year, CYVN bought a controlling interest in Gordon Murray Technologies, part of the Gordon Murray Group that is launching the T.50 and T.33 supercars. Gordon Murray Technologies has pioneered the iStream platform and production technology, which is expected to be used as part of the Forseven set-up. iStream promises low-weight and high-strength platforms, with the battery as part of the vehicle structure and the use of recycled carbon-fibre in body panels. It’s claimed to cut costs and CO2 emissions during the production…

Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls www.check-mot.service.gov.uk…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram • Record-breaker will replace Carlos Sainz • Leaves Merc after six F1 titles with team LEWIS Hamilton is bringing to an end one of the most successful combinations in Formula One history by electing to leave the Mercedes-AMG team and join the rival Ferrari squad at the end of the 2024 season. The move will see the most successful F1 driver of all time completing only half of his current two-year deal before moving to the Scuderia, taking the place of Carlos Sainz and joining forces with Charles Leclerc, who has recently signed a multi-year contract extension. The move came as a shock to F1, but Hamilton is no stranger to dramatic transfers. At the end of 2012 he left McLaren, the squad he had been a part…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives Running costs 54.3mpg (official) £62 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.9 seconds/118mph AS the luxury-focused arm of the Stellantis group, DS Automobiles relies on many of the same key components as Peugeot, Vauxhall and Citroen. But it offers a more indulgent ownership experience, too, with its own concierge service. You get the same amount of pampering even if you buy the base version of DS’s entry-level car: a petrol-powered DS 3 in Performance Line trim – the vehicle we’re testing here. Prices start from less than £26,000, and DS is currently offering £2,000 off with a dealership contribution, meaning that for the moment, the DS 3 technically undercuts its mechanically similar sister cars, the Peugeot 2008 and Vauxhall Mokka. Even this most basic DS 3’s cabin is adorned with…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn SO the Vito Crew Van (left) has plenty of space, but what if you need even more than it has to offer? Well, Mercedes lets you go large with the Sprinter Crew Van. As with the medium-sized model it’s a six-seater, but the big difference – and we mean big – is the amount of space it has to offer. Since the Sprinter Crew Van is even more of a niche purchase than the Vito version, it actually resides in the options list for the standard Sprinter panel van. For £3,115 (ex.VAT) you can upgrade rear or four-wheel-drive versions of the Sprinter with a three-seat rear bench, a pair of side windows (one for the single sliding door, another for the body panel opposite) plus a partition wall…

MODEL TESTED: CLA 200 AMG Line Premium PRICE: £41,425 POWERTRAIN: 1.3-litre 4cyl turbo petrol mild hybrid, 161bhp 161bhp Powertrain 1.3 litre 4cyl 43 litres Fuel tank £60 fill-up 8.4 seconds Performance 142mph 460 litres Boot/payload 490kg RECENT updates to the A-Class line-up have also found their way to the CLA, so there’s a cleaner look and additional kit, including the introduction of mild-hybrid tech to the petrol models. Here we’re testing the CLA 200 in AMG Line Premium trim, which starts from £41,425. Tech highlights AS already mentioned, the CLA’s updates mirror those of the A-Class. That’s because both models are based on the same MFA2 platform, which also underpins the B-Class, GLA, GLB and their electric EQA and EQB equivalents. The CLA has the same wheelbase as the A-Class,…

FROM a financial point of view, this test is a slam-dunk for the CLA. Based on a typical three-year personal contract plan with a £5,000 deposit, it has lower monthly repayments by the tune of £162 a month. The circa £6,000 savings over three years will be more than enough to cover a service package and an official Mercedes extended warranty that will match the five years of free servicing and warranty cover that the Genesis comes with. In fact, the only plus point of the G70’s finance package is the optional final payment if you want to keep the car, with a total of £17,231 being £3,319 less than you’ll need to find for the CLA. The CLA’s mild-hybrid tech and lower power output help to keep fuel costs…

COMPACT SALOONS While the market for four-door models is dwindling, there’s still some life in the sector “WHILE combustion-engined small executives are becoming a rarity, the sector is having a revival with EVs. The Tesla Model 3 led the way, but has since been joined by the BMW i4 and Hyundai Ioniq 6, while the BYD Seal and Volkswagen ID.7 have recently been launched.” “ANOTHER alternative to the CLA is the Volkswagen Arteon, which carries the mantle as the company’s family car, now that the Passat is estate-only. Like the CLA it can be had with a PHEV powertrain, there’s a rapid R model to match the AMG variants, plus a Shooting Brake.” “IT seems appropriate that the CLA will fly the flag as the entry point to the Mercedes…

Darren_Wilson@autovia.co.uk IT’S around 30 years since I joined Auto Express, and the first car I was allowed to take for a weekend away was a Hyundai Accent. It was probably the least desirable car on the fleet back in 1994, but goodness me, Hyundai has come a long way since. The latest arrival on our fleet is the Kona Electric, our current Car of the Year – and it’s easy to see why it won. It arrived in December and I’ve hardly had a chance to drive it yet, thanks to a torrent of requests for test and video shoots (coming soon, honest!). Unlike the previous generation, this Kona was designed and engineered from scratch as a pure EV, and it really looks the part. The dynamic lines across the…

IT’S possible to view CCTV of your house from anywhere in the world, but keeping an eye on your car can be surprisingly tricky. A traditional dash cam will record while you are driving and might be able to capture a parking knock, but you’ll usually need to be in the car to watch the footage. Nextbase’s new iQ claims to be the first proper ‘smart’ dash cam that allows you to log in and view what’s going on in and around your car from your smartphone. Other connected cameras have been launched, but they haven’t offered the quality of footage we’d expect at the price. Garmin’s 57 is compact and more cost effective, but is tricky to set up. We also compared the iQ with our current three-channel champ,…

WE love it when car companies listen. But is Ford listening, or is it simply looking at the bottom line? The Fiesta supermini was axed last summer, with Ford finally admitting defeat as it failed to make money on a rationalised range of small cars. Yet customers right across Europe continued to buy the sharply styled hatchback until the last one rolled off the line. Ford’s loss was Vauxhall’s gain; the Corsa still slots in at (or near) the top of the UK’s bestsellers list, month after month. So is the removal of the Puma’s 197bhp ST flagship another example of Ford ignoring its loyal customers to boost margins and feed the shareholders? The company may cite dwindling demand, but our suspicion is that it made more money on the…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives • Petrol-engined MINI joins EV • Two engines on offer initially THE all-electric version of the new MINI Cooper was unveiled last September – but now it’s the petrol model’s time to shine. The new car doesn’t use the same platform as the EV, but the dimensions are the same and the styling is nearly identical. There’s the new octagonal grille and circular headlights up front, while the rear has a set of customisable lights connected by a black strip with ‘Cooper’ lettering across it. However, there are a few differences that distinguish the petrol models from the EV, as well as the grille not being blanked off. For example, the new petrol Cooper has a clamshell bonnet line, like the current car’s, and heavier use of black-plastic…

Latest Ford Mustang range runs from £55k PRICING for the new generation of Mustang will start at £55,585 for the V8-powered GT, Ford has revealed. The hotter Dark Horse edition, which comes a raft of extra high-performance kit, will cost a further £10k. Manual and automatic gearboxes will be available on both models, with the optional convertible body offered on the GT. All are available to order now through Ford retailers, with customer cars arriving in the next few months. Eight-year warranty cover on Peugeot EVs PEUGEOT has announced an eight-year (or up to 62,000-mile) warranty on its future EV models such as the all-new E-3008. It will cover relevant electric powertrain components, including the battery, motors and inverters. This is an industry-leading level of coverage and the company hopes…

LOTUS is planning to undercut the price of the Porsche Macan with its as-yet-unnamed mid-size SUV, due in 2026. The Chinese-owned British brand is gearing up to launch five EVs by 2027, with the SUV – codenamed Type 134 – central to its expansion plans. It will use a shortened version of the flagship Eletre’s platform, while Lotus’s chief commercial officer Mike Johnstone confirmed to Auto Express that it will have a target starting price of around $70,000 (£55,000). That would significantly undercut the entry-level Macan Electric, which costs £69,800. Johnstone also said that the Type 135 EV sports car, a successor to the current petrol Emira, will be made at its Norfolk base. “The plan is for Type 135 to be designed and manufactured in the UK. Hethel is…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks • Interior shown for first time • UK launch expected in 2025 JEEP accidentally released an early picture of its upcoming Wagoneer S on social media recently – but now the iconic American brand has decided to issue more official details about its all-electric premium SUV, including a first look at its interior. While the new exterior shots don’t reveal anything we didn’t already know about the Wagoneer S, the pictures of the cabin certainly back up Jeep’s claim that buyers will be getting a “tech-focused interior”. The most eye-catching part of the dashboard is the whopping four-screen layout, and while Jeep hasn’t given specific figures, it looks large enough to rival the ‘Hyperscreen’ set-up from Mercedes. The Wagoneer S’s arrangement consists of three screens sitting in a…

FIRST WIN: Hungary 2013 HAMILTON has an astounding record at the Hungaroring, having taken eight wins there. It’s a record for the most wins at one venue he shares with Michael Schumacher at the French Grand Prix, and matches his own benchmark at Silverstone. It was no surprise, then, that his first win for Mercedes came in Hungary in his first season with the team. He also scored five pole positions in 2013, on the way to fourth in the standings. DUEL IN THE DESERT: Bahrain 2014 MERCEDES obliterated the competition at the start of the turbo-hybrid era, which meant Hamilton and then-team-mate Nico Rosberg knew early on that they were set for a titanic two-way title scrap. Bahrain produced one of the battles of the season, where Hamilton, on…

IT’S said that to make an omelette, you first need to break some eggs. That’s probably the best way to describe Volvo’s attempts at making a sports car in the mid-fifties. For its first effort, the P1900, the brand – curiously – decided to collaborate with a Californian boat maker, which would make a glass-fibre body for the car. The result is still quite possibly the worst Volvo built in the Swedish company’s near-100-year history. Issues with the model included a bendy frame, ill-fitting doors and fibreglass that had a tendency to crack. Then-Volvo president Gunnar Engellau is said to have borrowed a P1900 for the weekend and come away disappointed enough to scrap the whole project, with a mere 68 examples having been manufactured. Its replacement would be a…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk @JordanKatsianis IN the quest to electrify, it’s perhaps surprising to see the premium family SUV as evidence of EVs’ rapid evolution. The Audi e-tron was one of the first all-electric offerings, back in 2019, but thanks to the pace at which new EVs are developing, its mid-life update and a name change were introduced in the latter half of 2022 – and couldn’t have come a moment sooner. We’ve already tried the standard car, and the model we’re driving here is a top-spec SQ8 e-tron, with the sleeker Sportback body. Its basics haven’t changed, though, so it’s built not on a bespoke EV platform, but a heavily modified chassis derived from petrol-powered models such as the Q5. Featuring upgrades to the battery pack and electrical systems, the SQ8 e-tron…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk @JordanKatsianis THE Alpine A110 has long been a beacon of light for passionate sports car drivers. Its focus on lightness and purity over horsepower or lap times, has captured a small but passionate group of fans, and any new variant is a hotly anticipated voyage of discovery for those so inclined. The A110 R is the latest, most extreme, and most expensive iteration, and despite boasting no more power than the existing S and GT variants, costs £96,990. That is £42,500 more than a base model. Helping justify the price is a medley of carbon-fibre components that turn what is already a special sports car into a miniature high-end supercar. In addition to the roof, which could already be specified in carbon fibre on the S model, there’s a…

MODEL TESTED: G70 2.0T Sport PRICE: £41,470 POWERTRAIN: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol, 241bhp 241bhp Powertrain 2.0 litre 4cyl 60 litres Fuel tank £84 fill-up 6.1 seconds Performance 149mph 330 litres Boot/payload 413kg THE G70 was one of the launch models for Genesis in Europe in 2021, although it’s a facelifted version of a car that originally went on sale in Korea and the US in 2017. We’re testing it here in Sport specification with a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine. It closely matches the CLA 200 on price, being only £45 more expensive, at £41,470. Tech highlights GENESIS was created as a luxury spin-off from Hyundai, and the G70 uses technology that’s shared with other models within the group. Its platform also featured beneath the now-defunct Kia Stinger, while the 2.0-litre…

WINNER Mercedes CLA 1st NOT all of the updates – particularly the removal of the centre console controls – have been successful, but the Mercedes CLA is still the top choice here. It’s packed with kit and impressive tech, while the driving experience is a pleasant one, if not overly memorable. But it’s the finance package that really seals the deal. With far lower running costs and monthly outgoings, it’s easy to overlook what minor shortcomings that there are elsewhere. • Lots of cutting-edge kit• Upmarket cabin• Secure handling• Smart looks • Compromised rear space• Tight cabin access• Firm ride on 19-inch wheels• Pointless console storage INTERESTED? Scan the code for further information RUNNER-UP Genesis G70 2nd WE really like the Genesis G70. It looks great, it’s packed with plenty of kit,…

SAME MONEY BMW M440i Gran Coupé WHILE our two test cars deliver sporty looks, go beyond the controversial frontend design of the 4 Series Gran Coupé and this is a car that delivers some of the best driving dynamics in the sector. For a similar price to the CLA, the fastest M440i is available with a characterful in-line six-cylinder powerplant and four-wheel drive. Combine this with a hatchback body and it delivers a tempting mix of performance and practicality. • Fast and practical• Confidence-inspiring grip • Thirsty six-cylinder• Questionable front end SAME CLASS Kia Stinger GT S THE G70 shares its platform with the defunct Kia Stinger, and for half the price of the car tested here (or a little bit more for a low-mileage example), you could get behind…

products@autoexpress.co.uk Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 352/1,268 litres THE return of a car with a plug to the Adams’ drive required a few spiders to be made homeless before I could take advantage of our Astra’s PHEV tech. The Wallbox charger had been dormant for almost a year when the Astra arrived and had become clogged with webs, leaves and other debris. A quick wipe and the charger was ready, but there was no chance to use it before the Astra was parked up for more than a week through no fault of its own. A country lane at night, low-profile tyres and a pothole added up to a three-hour wait for recovery and another hour to get home in our ill-fated first trip in the GSe. There’s no spare in…

NEW PRODUCT Thinkware F70 PRO dash cam Price: £119 Contact: thinkwaredashcam.eu IF keeping screen clutter to a minimum is a priority, the latest dash cam from Thinkware could be just the thing for you. Developed from the F70, this PRO version adds built-in WiFi and a time-lapse mode when the car is parked, while the maximum capacity of its MicroSD card doubles to 128GB. The new version uses a 140-degree wide-angle lens and a 2.1MP CMOS sensor to capture footage at 30 frames a second in 1080P full HD. Thanks to its Advanced Video Clear technology, the unit will provide sharp images, it’s claimed. It also has motion and impact detection while the car is parked, and drivers can opt for continuous recording of time-lapse footage at two frames per second.…

ARB pitches in with D-Max camping kit ARB has a new range of accessories for the Isuzu D-Max pick-up, catering for outdoor adventurers. Continuing a partnership with Isuzu that started in 2023, ARB now offers rooftop tents, plus a Skydome version that integrates with the ARB hard-top canopy for the rear of the D-Max. There’s a slide-out kitchen drawer set-up, too, which adds a gas hob, sink and storage to the rear of the D-Max, or even a fridge/freezer. A range of off-road accessories completes the line-up, while there’s a variety of ARB kit also offered as official equipment for the D-Max. For more details, visit arb4x4uk.co.uk. Easy fixes can help your car pass its MoT VEHICLE-diagnostic experts at OBDeleven say the most common MoT failures are due to faults…

Three Men in a Land Rover Waxy Wainwright, Mike Palmer, Chris Wall (Porter Press, porterpress.co.uk) Price: £35 Rating: THIS is the story of an epic journey in 1969 starting in London and taking in Europe, Asia and Africa in a 1964 Series IIA Land Rover. The UNAtrek 40,000-mile expedition supported United Nations projects. It’s told using excerpts from the three drivers’ diaries and is a great read. Smoke & Mirrors: Cars, Photography & Dreams of the Open Road Adam Hay-Nicholls (Hoxton Mini Press, hoxtonminipress.com) Price: £25 Rating: CARS and photography have evolved together over the past century and this book shows what’s possible beyond just glossy images on a magazine cover. It contains projects from 26 photographers, with a varied selection of great imagery. It’s a beautiful gift for a…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THE Kia Rio nets a 10th-place finish for overall value, but while it’s rated 11th for economy, seeing the service cost ranked down in 37th place is quite disappointing. Safety is where the Kia performs worst, with its 48th place based on low scores for both the amount of kit fitted, and how well it works. Rear-seat legroom scores well, though, in 17th position, and owners are positive about the interior styling and finish, as well as all-round visibility. Kia’s powertrains attract only middle-of-the-road rankings, and most driving characteristics are in the lower half of the table, apart from ride comfort, which is in a decent 24th. The controls and switchgear score well too, while reliability is 25th. WE SAID “The Mk4 isn’t a huge step on from the…

CO2/tax 123-130g/km £180 Running costs 57-60mpg (EcoBlue 120) £78 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 11.7 seconds/112mph FORD is a company that makes cars accessible, thanks to its wide model ranges and large production volumes. For those buying used, these factors have always made the firm’s wares even more tempting, courtesy of keen prices, and that’s certainly the case where the Kuga is concerned. Compact SUVs started to become popular in the early noughties, and while some of Ford’s efforts around that time weren’t all that accomplished (think Maverick and Explorer), by 2008 the Mk1 Kuga had been launched. It was just what buyers wanted: a road-biased SUV that was good to drive, looked smart and offered decent value. The sequel provided more of the same, while the third take was even…