Table of contents for 1504 in Auto Express

REGULAR readers will know my view on today’s car dealers very well. Based on your (and my) experiences, the report card continues to read: could do better. I’m excited by the rising interest in online car shopping – both new and used – and by the increasing numbers of car makers choosing to sell their cars in shopping centres. But, for me, car retailing is both fascinating and frustrating. So it was interesting to spend some time recently with a guy who’s responsible for selling cars – through his network of dealers – across the world for the UK’s biggest automotive brands, Jaguar and Land Rover. Andy Goss is JLR’s sales operations director and even when he’s flying around the globe, he knows what’s selling where – and is well…

MERCEDES is gearing up to deliver a new A-Class at next spring’s Geneva Motor Show – but we’ve had an early taste from the passenger seat, as the brand’s engineers put the car through its paces during cold-weather testing in Sweden. The first thing you notice, even from outside, is that the new A-Class is bigger. There’s a 30mm stretch in the wheelbase, the car is 16mm wider overall, and it rides on tracks that are 14mm wider front and rear. The overall length grows by 120mm. Jochen Eck, senior manager vehicle testing compact cars, admits that the benefits of this growth are numerous. Dynamically it provides a more stable platform and allows greater comfort, while the space increase inside is obvious. “I spend a lot of time sitting in…

THE Government has made over £53million in a year from drivers failing to pay the Dartford Crossing fee, following the removal of tollbooths. More than 7.7 million drivers have been issued with penalties since the booths were replaced with automatic number plate recognition cameras in November 2014, and Highways England’s Dartford Crossing Accounts reveal fines totalling £53.1m were issued in the 2015/16 financial year alone. Instead of paying at a barrier, drivers can now pay using phone, app, online, postal or Payzone services. A Highways England spokesperson said: “More than 95 per cent of drivers are paying their Dart Charge.” They added: “First offenders are offered the opportunity to pay their outstanding crossing charges and cancel their penalties.”…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 11.8 seconds/117mph Running costs 54.3mpg (official) £63 fill-up “New model appears cleaner and ST-Line even injects a little desirability into EcoSport’s design” James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @Jimmybrods DESPITE Ford regularly occupying the top two spots on the UK’s sales chart with the Fiesta and Focus, the firm hasn’t quite fulfilled its potential in the ultracompetitive small SUV sector. Ford’s EcoSport crossover has struggled to impress since it launched in 2013. It’s been outclassed by long-running rivals like the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, and made to look dated by new models such as the SEAT Arona and Citroen C3 Aircross. However, Ford is determined to prove that there’s life in the EcoSport yet with this heavily updated version, with first deliveries pencilled in for the New Year. The list of…

MODEL TESTED: Vauxhall Grandland X 1.2 Turbo Sport Nav PRICE: £24,595 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 128bhp CO2/tax 117g/km £140 or 22% Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 514/1,652 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 10.3/10.1 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 43.4/31.9/8.9m Running costs 42.7mpg (on test) £64 fill-up IT seems as though there’s a new SUV launching every week, and the latest model to hit the market is Vauxhall’s Grandland X. We’re testing it in popular 1.2-litre turbo petrol form; priced from £24,595 in Sport Nav trim, it shows off what’s on offer in the brand-new range. However, given its relationship to the Peugeot, can the Grandland X beat its cousin? score 3.9 DESIGN & ENGINEERING UNDERNEATH the Vauxhall’s smooth skin, the Grandland X shares the Peugeot’s EMP2 platform. This is fairly advanced technology, which is scalable to…

CO2/tax 174g/km £450 or 34% Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 480/1,300 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 4.7/4.0 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 49.7/35.3/10.4m Running costs 26.2mpg (on test) £70 fill-up THE Audi S5 Sportback’s strong points are its sharp styling, high-quality interior and huge performance. While it falls behind the Kia for engagement, the S5’s impressive traction adds another dimension to its character on the road. It’s faster off the line than its rival here, beating the Kia’s 0-60mph time by two tenths of a second, but where you really notice the benefit of the all-wheel-drive set-up is in corners. Get on the power aggressively and the Audi will stick to its line for longer, although it’s not as exciting as the Stinger as a result. In wet weather, though, the S5 feels almost as…

NEED TO KNOW Check each alloy wheel for signs of cracking or deformation. Replacement rims are available, but are very costly. NEED TO KNOW Early versions of the XF could suffer from various electrical problems, so ensure that all of the equipment works. NEED TO KNOW Bluetooth problems aren’t unusual. Sometimes a phone won’t pair or is paired but the connection is lost. www.autoexpress.co.uk/driverpower OUR VIEW THIRD place in our Driver Power 2017 used car survey is great. It was second for ride and handling plus build quality and reliability, fourth for comfort and seventh for practicality. Its worst score was 37th for running costs. YOUR VIEW ALAN Wyshaw, from Hull, East Yorks, owns an XF S. He said: “I switched from an Audi A6 3.0 TDI and I love…

Volkswagen Touran Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI SE Family Years: 2015 to date Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 108bhp Ins group: 12 Official econ/CO2: 64.2mpg/116g/km Why? The Touran is straightforward and the best to drive of the three cars here, with sharp handling Prices from: £17,950 VW’S Touran keeps things conventional and straightforward in a class where rivals cash in on quirky looks, with cleaner, simpler lines than the Peugeot and the Citroen. It’s a similar story in the cabin, too, with a dashboard layout largely inspired by the Golf. What sets the Touran apart from its rivals most of all, though, is the way it drives, with balanced steering and sharp handling for an MPV. However, it’s less roomy than the Citroen, offering 1,857 litres of space with the seats down. The…

▪ On the road as smash hit budget SUV gets a more upmarket look ▪ New cockpit is now more attractive and boasts more technology “Upgraded buttons and switches are more attractive than before” IT’S all going very well at Dacia. The Romanian-based Renault sub-brand has grown all across Europe, and now has an impressive one per cent market share in the UK. For comparison, it has sold five times as many models as Alfa Romeo in 2017, and more than twice as many as Lexus. In total, Dacia has built over two million cars since it relaunched in Europe in 2010. The no-nonsense Duster SUV has proven to be one of the maker’s most popular cars. However, for 2018 Dacia is injecting some style. The new model, which was…

“Stylish new black cab has none of the old TX1’s wailing diesel engine and black smoke pouring out the exhaust” James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor UNLIKE the other cars Auto Express reviews, brand-new taxis are not revealed every year. The history of the black cab can be boiled down to three models: the Austin FX3 of 1949, which was followed by the 1958 FX4, and then the TX1 launched in 1997. This new TX, though, is easily the biggest step-change. The name is a clue to how different it is; the company that builds it – London Electric Vehicle Company, or LEVC – is owned by the Chinese powerhouse Geely, which has a new £325million factory in Coventry for the production of electric vehicles. Underneath the new cab’s stylish but retro body, there’s…

MANUFACTURERS caught cheating in European emissions tests will now face a €30,000 fine (£26,300) per non-compliant car. The EU Commission has introduced tougher rules to complement the new laboratory and real-world type approval and emissions tests for new vehicles. The new rules require each member state to regularly inspect cars on its roads, irrespective of where the vehicles have been type approved. There are also new powers to require upgrades or EU-wide recalls when irregularities are found. The new rules will apply after September 2020. The EU Commission now also has powers to impose fines of up to €30,000 per vehicle if they’ve been found to not comply with legislation. Although the UK will leave the EU, the Government has previously said it would seek to maintain some EU laws…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC Lamborghini Urus FROM: Joe I’M split by the Urus. On one hand, it’s a natural direction for a car maker – SUVs are big sellers and maybe the sales from this will help Lambo build even madder cars. However, I’m also sad to see a dedicated performance brand give way to the SUV pressure. FROM: Conrad Marchal I’M going to wait to decide until I hear how the car drives, but on looks alone it’s not so bad. I think Lamborghini has done a much better job embracing an SUV than, say, Bentley did with the Bentayga. Now let’s see what Ferrari and Rolls-Royce have got in store. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.4 seconds/121mph Running costs 41.0mpg (official) £73 fill-up Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan ENTHUSIASTS will associate Subaru with rally-bred sports cars like the Impreza Turbo and WRX STi, but the brand makes far more money out of SUVs these days. They make up 87 per cent of its European sales, in fact, and are keeping the Japanese firm in rude health as it celebrates both its 100th anniversary and the first year it has achieved over one million sales worldwide. Cars like the XV have played a pivotal role in that success, which is why the second-generation model is one of the first cars to benefit from Subaru’s new billion-dollar global platform. After our pre-production drive of the new XV earlier this year (Issue 1,482), we’re now driving a showroom-ready…

CO2/tax 117g/km £140 or 22% Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 591/1,670 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 10.6/9.9 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 45.2/33.6/10.2m Running costs 43.7mpg (on test) £64 fill-up MODEL TESTED: Peugeot 3008 1.2 PureTech 130 Allure PRICE: £24,565 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 129bhp GIVEN how much the two cars share, the Peugeot 3008 is a natural rival for the Vauxhall. We’ve chosen the 1.2 PureTech 130 model in Allure trim (GT Line is pictured), which is slightly cheaper at £24,565, but do you get more for less here? DESIGN & ENGINEERING WHILE the Grandland X might have benefited from a transfer of tech following PSA Peugeot-Citroen’s buyout of the Opel/ Vauxhall brands, the EMP2 platform was originally developed with Peugeot’s 3008 family SUV in mind. The Peugeot shares the same suspension set-up, but it…

TEN years ago few people would have guessed that Kia, the South Korean manufacturer best known for its reasonably priced hatchbacks, SUVs and superminis, would bring out a car that directly rivals one of Audi’s most accomplished fast family models. Yet that is exactly what has happened with this, the Kia Stinger GT S, which has set its sights firmly on the Audi S5 Sportback. It’s a big leap for a company such as Kia to take on a brand like Audi – but the Stinger’s 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 ensures it has the performance to rival the S5, even if the £40,495 price means it’ll have to impress buyers used to premium models. The Kia does undercut the Audi on price, but can it really manage a win over the establishment? KIA…

@AE_Consumer Running costs 44.8mpg (on test) £54 fill-up CO2/tax 103g/km £140 or 19% Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 53.7/38.8/11.2m FOR such a small car, the Citroen C3 comes with a long list of in-car tech. The Flair model we’ve been running on our fleet has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity, sat-nav (a £500 option), DAB radio and something the C3’s rivals don’t match – a dash cam. I’ve spent the past few months testing various bits of tech on board the C3, from how easily my phone integrates with the car to how good the sat-nav is at avoiding traffic jams. However, I have only recently managed to dig further into the ConnectedCAM features. Whether you love them or hate them, dash cams are growing in popularity and here to stay.…

58th PLACE Sponsored by Warrantywise YOUR VIEWS ON YOUR CARS ■ GOOD “I CAN spend several days travelling in my car and not suffer any aches or pains.” “All-round visibility is good, with minimal A-pillar intrusion and a high driving position.” “There’s plenty of interior space and it’s a comfortable car. A great all-rounder.” “Nice mix of sleek contemporary styling and chunky SUV looks.” “I’m impressed with how quiet the diesel engine is.” “Despite my Kadjar having 19-inch alloy wheels, the ride is comfortable.” “I regularly get more than 60mpg from my Kadjar.” ■ NOT SO GOOD “FIT and finish is below par and not what you would expect of a new vehicle.” “The door bins have such sharp edges I have cut myself many times.” “My car’s had problems…

1st NEW ENTRY Volkswagen up! Years: 2016 to date Best engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl petrol, 59bhp Insurance group: 2E Economy/CO2: 64.2mpg/101g/km WHY? ALL three of the VW Group’s range of city cars – the SEAT Mii, Skoda Citigo and Volkswagen up! – are a great choice for a first vehicle, but the VW is the first to receive a series of updates to keep it fresh. Its better cabin tech means it’s subtly improved, while the car still feels more grown up than its size and price tag suggest. It’s solidly built, safe, surprisingly roomy inside and very easy to drive, while low running costs and a classy design help it appeal to a young audience. It’s refined and happy at motorway speeds, too. From £9,135 (new) 2nd FALLER Ford Fiesta…

“Alfa is prioritising larger SUV because of the car’s global appeal and the bigger profit margins” Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ALFA Romeo bosses have confirmed that a large, Audi Q7-rivalling SUV will spearhead a trio of new models – and it will be the car to usher in electrified powertrains to the Italian manufacturer’s line-up. The new flagship model will be based on the same architecture as the Stelvio SUV, and its development is already well under way. It will be the largest vehicle Alfa Romeo has ever produced, and in order for the SUV to retain the company’s DNA while meeting stringent emissions levels, it’ll employ a performance-focused mild hybrid set-up, which could develop up to 400bhp. Speaking to Auto Express, Alfa Romeo’s chief technical officer Roberto Fedeli said: “The Stelvio…

TOYOTA has made further commitments to electrified vehicles by announcing that 10 all-new EVs will arrive by the early 2020s. The all-electric models will initially roll out in China before entering European markets including the UK. It’s the next step in the Japanese brand’s EV strategy, which, up until now, has largely focused on hybrid vehicles such as the Prius. An expanded hybrid and plug-in hybrid line-up is also in the works, with new cars to be based on the Toyota Hybrid System II tech from the current Prius. Toyota says it intends to develop a more powerful version of this system for some cars, but simpler hybrid set-ups are planned for cheaper models. By 2025, every Toyota and Lexus will be offered with an electrified powertrain, the companies have…

MORE than 300,000 drivers in England and Wales tested positive for alcohol between 2012 and 2016, Auto Express can reveal. Since 2012, over 2.68 million motorists have been breathalysed by the police, with around 11 per cent being positive, according to figures obtained through a series of Freedom of Information requests. The number of tests conducted dropped from 661,778 in 2012 to 521,349 in 2015 – the last year all 42 forces were able to supply figures for. That’s a decline of 21 per cent. Last year, 241,036 tests were conducted by the 26 forces that were able to supply figures. While the number of tests has decreased, the rate of drivers providing positive samples has remained around 11 per cent. A report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies this…

“Mechanics ultimately said there was little they could do until a software update was available” ONE of the advantages of buying a brand new car is being able to specify it with the newest available technology. So when Andrew Lanes, from Lincoln, ordered his Ford Focus RS, he paid an extra £465 for the latest SYNC3 infotainment system, complete with satellite navigation. But when he took delivery in April, the SYNC3 sat-nav malfunctioned. Andrew told us: “On the day we collected our RS the satnav lost signal, and the location of the car wandered across the countryside.” An early trip back to the dealership was duly booked, with Andrew hopeful the problem could be easily remedied. But that wasn’t the case, with Ford’s technicians at Evans Halshaw in Lincoln unable…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE THE motor industry is steeped in heritage and history, and companies are falling over each other to celebrate anniversaries to help sell new models, particularly the high-end car makers. But only a handful can say, proudly, that they’ve been building cars for 100 years, and Mitsubishi became part of that exclusive group this year. Although the Japanese manufacturer began building cars in 1917, with the Model-A being its first car, it wasn’t until 1974 when UK buyers could get their hands on a Mitsubishi, when the Colt Car Company arrived. It later rebranded to match the worldwide Mitsubishi name, and during the following decades the firm brought some true motoring icons to British shores. We drove eight of the best to celebrate the brand’s special birthday this year.…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.5 seconds/182mph Running costs 29.7mpg (official) £77 fill-up “It’s loosely how a driving enthusiast might spec a Carrera if given free rein with the options list” PORSCHE is aiming to put the sparkle back into its regular 911 range with this, the Carrera T. While the model offers no more power than standard, it instead achieves greater performance through weight reduction and an enhanced specification. It’s a classic recipe Porsche has used many times over the years, so expectations are naturally high. Based on the standard, entry-level Carrera rather than the more powerful Carrera S, the new T features the same 365bhp, 3.0-litre flat-six engine. It is available with either a seven-speed manual or seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and all cars are rear-wheel drive. Unsurprisingly, the…

WHILE the partnership between Peugeot and Vauxhall is starting to bear fruit, the British brand’s new Grandland X SUV joint venture with the French firm was actually conceived and developed before Vauxhall was sold off to PSA Peugeot-Citroen. That’s because Vauxhall knows it needs SUVs in its line-up given the way the market is going and Peugeot already has a winner in this sector. So the Grandland X midsize family crossover shares plenty of the technology that has made the 3008 it’s going up against such a success. The Peugeot boasts sharp styling inside and out, but blends this with usability and an impressive level of kit. This is what the Grandland X will have to match. We already know it equals the 3008 under the bonnet. Diesel isn’t dead…

CO2/tax 136g/km £140 or 26% Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 377/1,160 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 11.0/10.8 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 48.4/31.5/10.2m Running costs 39.6mpg (on test) £52 fill-up MODEL TESTED: Toyota C-HR 1.2T Excel PRICE: £24,065 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 4cyl, 113bhp TOYOTA might be better known for its hybrids, but the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol unit in this £24,065 C-HR Excel (although our pictures show a top-spec Dynamic model) offers a worthy alternative to the Vauxhall and Peugeot. There’s plenty of style thanks to its coupé-like design in an SUV body, but does it back this up with substance? DESIGN & ENGINEERING THE C-HR is based on Toyota’s New Global Architecture chassis that also underpins the brand’s Prius eco car. As a result, the platform was designed with the acceptance of hybrid powertrains in mind,…

CO2/tax 225g/km £450 or 37% Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 406/1,114 litres Performance 0-60/30-70mph 4.9/3.9 seconds Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 46.6/36.6/8.5m Running costs 28.6mpg (on test) £73 fill-up A HIGH-end sports saloon with 365bhp from Kia will be a surprise to many, but it’s time to get used to the idea because the car is here, and it’s well worth a look. The eye-catching design means the new Stinger looks the part. However, what’s really impressive about the brand’s first attempt at a sports saloon for the European market is that it delivers competitive performance and a genuinely enjoyable drive. While the Stinger was slightly slower than the Audi from 0-60mph in our tests, taking 4.9 seconds to the S5’s 4.7 seconds, the Kia was actually faster once it was rolling. The Audi’s…

@cargadgetguru “The tonneau makes it easier to use the full depth of the bed and is quite a bit cheaper” Running costs 22.3mpg (on test) £91 fill-up Practicality Payload 1,050kg CO2/tax 196g/km £240 Performance 0-60/30-70mph 10.1/9.7 seconds MITSUBISHI’S L200 pick-up has been a hard-working addition to our fleet – but with us doing so many miles in the truck, we had a few ideas for improving the specification of our example. So we organised a swap and took the opportunity to change the trim level and extras based on my experience so far. Duxford Motor Group sales executive Paul Dray then handed us the keys to our new motor. I’ve gone for the eye-catching metallic Electric Blue and dropped a trim level to Warrior, which does away with much of…

Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer BIG estate cars are always popular on the Auto Express fleet, so we’ve got something special to look forward to over the next six months: a Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer has joined the ranks. Not wanting to waste any time, senior reviewer Sam Naylor put the load-lugger to use immediately with a trip to pick up a new fold-up bicycle for his wife. Her old cycle had been stolen and she found a replacement nearby on an auction site. A rusty centre section meant Sam was unable to fold it when he arrived to collect it, but the Insignia’s huge 1,665-litre boot with the seats lowered was more than enough to accommodate the bike. It’s not a surprise that the Insignia is practical, but the fact…

FIRST TEST Thrustmaster T-GT steering wheel Price: £699 (PS4/PC) Rating: Contact: t-gt.thrustmaster.com IF you want to make the most of a racing game and get a realistic experience, a steering wheel and pedals are a must. And the developer behind the Gran Turismo franchise on Sony’s PlayStation has teamed up with hardware firm Thrustmaster to produce an all-new steering wheel for the latest Gran Turismo Sport title on the PS4. The T-GT is a substantial piece of kit, with a leather-trimmed wheel and all metal pedals that feel like high-quality products. The wheel has shift paddles, but a separate gearlever is available at extra cost, and it replicates all of the buttons found on a Dual Shock controller, including the joysticks. The four knurled rotary buttons can also be assigned to…