Tabla de contenidos para October 2023 en CAR UK

BLOODLINE Espada A flashy GT? A V12-engined shooting brake? A four-seater with only two doors? All of those things and more, the 1968-’78 Espada also sold pretty well. LM002 The first Lamborghini SUV but with a tubular-frame chassis and V12, the 1986-’93 LM002 couldn’t be further from the civilised Urus. Early prototypes were rear-engined. Estoque A front-engined saloon from 2008 that never made it past the concept stage, as the numbers refused to stack up. Instead the Urus became the practical Lambo. Sterrato A supercar with raised ride height, this skunkworks project was being quietly worked on before Winkelmann returned in 2021 and immediately gave it the green light.…

Tell us about your first car… ‘The first one I bought myself was a Corolla 1600 GT – plenty of unforgettable memories!’ What’s the best thing you’ve done in a car? ‘I don’t know. Driving a WRC Yaris, maybe? I remember the first car I drove on track was a Supra, following behind my driving master, Naruse-san…’ What achievement are you most proud of? ‘Comparing management to sowing seeds in a field. When I took the baton as president, I took over a field that had finished harvesting, so I have been sowing the seeds myself to prevent the next generation from doing the same thing.’ Tell us a time that you’ve screwed up… ‘I think my failure was that I was too concerned about my surroundings. I didn't have…

Just to ram the point home that the E-Class is the techiest car of its size, Mercedes has absolutely gone to town on new features. The latest E debuts MB.OS, a new generation of its infotainment system, which chief technology officer Markus Schäfer says has been developed completely in-house. With MB.OS, Mercedes has also introduced the opportunity to install various apps, further evolving the (not universally popular) idea that your car is an extension of your phone. During the launch of the E-Class, Mercedes had TikTok and Angry Birds installed on the cars we tested and featured two video-calling clients: Zoom and Webex. Yes, video-calling. Zoom and Webex use the E’s dashboard-mounted camera, which features a wide-angle lens and points inward to the cabin, as well as the car’s standard…

Remote Rev allows you to tickle that sonorous 5.0-litre Coyote V8 from afar As much as the Ford Mustang is adept at rolling with the tides of change, the venerable steed still can’t shake its rep as the elder statesman of the pony car set. Nearly six decades in, there’s no surprise why: as arch-enemy Camaro drifts off into the Technicolor sunset the ’Stang’s competitors are becoming increasingly esoteric alternatives to the tried-and-true Blue Oval. Consider the Asian-built, German-infused Toyota Supra, or the Dodge Challenger’s throwback bulk that seems like a caricature against the Mustang’s (relative) refinements. By sticking to its guns, the Mustang has managed to escape irrelevancy while standing out from the car maker’s crossover-dominated line-up. Your author admits to a bit of bias, as his first car…

TOUCHSCREENS + LOTUS ELETRE + SUPERCAR OVERKILL I raised an eyebrow at your stor y in the August issue about the Porsche Mission X hypercar concept. I a lways admire the way the Porsche engineers rise to a cha llenge, and I’m sure this one was tougher than most. But it feels extremely borderline in its releva nce. When do you ever see any of the most extreme Porsches out and about? Never, in my case. At the risk of banging a rather tired drum, wouldn’t it have been better if they’d put that effor t into making something lighter, more practical and more a ffordable? Alan West Don’t forget the driver The Mercedes Vision One-Eleven concept is the scariest vision of the future I have seen for a long…

Alfa Romeo Tonale 1.3 PHEV 280 Q4 Veloce Month 1 The story so far Tonale slots into Alfa’s small but impressive range + Incredible styling makes it feel less crossover, more Alfa - Feels a bit cheaper than the rest of the range Logbook Price £48,495 (£51,595 as tested) Performance 15.5kWh battery plus 1332cc four-cylinder, PHEV, 276bhp, 199lb ft, 6.2sec 0-62mph, 128mph Efficiency 217mpg (official), 41.1mpg (tested) 29g/km CO2 Energy cost 23.0p per mile Miles this month 296 Total miles 3189 The Alfa Romeo badge conjures up the most romantic notions of car ownership, and for good reason; regardless of decade, Turin has been responsible for some iconic, beautiful designs such as the Giulia GTA, 164 and SZ – and that’s no different in 2023. Right now, the…

This month, I finally got to experience what it’s like to sit in the back of my own car. As someone who to an extent drives for a living and clocks in at 6ft 2in, I’m always in row one: either at the wheel or kindly ushered to the front passenger seat because I’m usually the tallest in any group. The exception came on a now semi-regular family trip to Northern Ireland – this time for a wedding. Once again, the trip means five people and their luggage all cramming into one regular-sized family hatchback, for the rather long journey: Peterborough, Lincoln then Cairnryan to catch a ferry and on to Ballymena after docking in Belfast. And then back the other way a few days later. Whereas on previous visits…

Jaguar F-Pace SVR Month 4 The story so far Big SUV given a workover by the performance division + Looks; chassis; performance; practicality; infotainment upgrade - Fuel economy from the ageing if charismatic engine Logbook Price £85,180 (£87,940 as tested) Performance 5000cc supercharged V8, 516bhp, 4.0sec 0-62mph, 178mph Efficiency 23.1mpg (official), 21.7mpg (tested), 178g/km C02 Energy cost 30.0p per mile Miles this month 1802 Total miles 5145 This month it’s a special guest appearance for lifelong Jaguar fan Martin, whose love affair with Jaguar began in school when his uncle and dad owned various models, and who has since amassed quite a collection of his own. Martin also daily drives a 2017 Range Rover SV Autobiography, has owned ‘six or seven’ modern V8 Jaguar sports cars and saloons…

I’ve just spent two weeks holidaying in Ben Pulman’s VW Multivan, and the contrast with the Mustang was instructive. Getting back into it, I was struck by how firm my Mustang’s suspension is and how sharp its brakes are. I guess I’d normalised both, but it struck me that you may find either to be sufficiently punchy to put you off. These two very different cars do have one thing in common, though: a certain sheepishness on the part of the driver when you encounter the real thing on the road: either a proper VW van or an actual Mustang, with a V8. Old-school VW Transporter drivers at least gave me a wave in the Multivan, but I can sense the condescension from every proper Mustang owner I encounter. BEN…

Dacia Jogger Extreme TCe 140 Hybrid Month 1 The story so far A spacious, flexible sevenseat self-charging hybrid at a bargain price + Gets the job done very competently - Doesn’t try to do much more Logbook Price £24,645 (£25,295 as tested) Performance 1598cc four-cylinder, 140bhp, 10.0sec 0-62mph, 103mph Efficiency 57.6mpg (official), 52.8mpg (tested), 109g/km CO2 Energy cost 11.3p per mile Miles this month 684 Total miles 3483 To appreciate what our newly arrived Jogger does well you need to separate motoring passion from the practicality of running a car. I’m not expecting my pulse to be racing at the end of every drive; and although it’s for the most part nicely styled, neither am I expecting to spend time staring admiringly at it. But potential buyers of…

1 BMW X5 50e GIANT TEST WINNER THE GOOD: Massive 67-mile official EV range; horizon-eating performance THE BAD: Hybrid hardware cuts into boot space to the tune of 150 litres; no seven-seat option THE UGLY: Not much now that the facelifted 50e model with more e-range and power is here THE ONE TO BUY: This one, for £79k 2 PEUGEOT 308 THE GOOD: Bravely avant-garde design; decent fuel economy; different THE BAD: Still persisting with the infernally small steering wheel THE UGLY: Interior layout looks fab but can be a stressfest to use day-to-day THE ONE TO BUY: Starts at £550 per month for the 180. Stretch to 225 spec with extra power and kit if you can 3 PORSCHE CAYENNE THE GOOD:…

1 BMW M3/M4 COMPETITION GIANT TEST WINNER THE GOOD: Mighty straight-six; front axle’s never-give-up attitude; dreamy chassis balance THE BAD: No manual; nearly 911 money now THE UGLY: M3 Touring £85k new but changing hands for six figures THE ONE TO BUY: The CS, if you were lucky enough to bag one of the 100 BMW brought here. Now available as an estate: rejoice! 2 BMW M5 COMPETITION THE GOOD: An animal when you want it to be; reasonably urbane family transport when you don’t THE BAD: Hard ride on Competition suspension; priced above £100k THE UGLY: CS and Competition both off sale now THE ONE TO BUY: Hurry, hurry. There are some new M5 Comps in stock on BMW’s website 3 MERCEDES- AMG…

CARS I PEOPLE I SCOOPS I MOTORSPORT I ANALYSIS – THE MONTH ACCORDING TO CAR Lamborghini’s new concept, the Lanzador, has done what Lambo does best and completely ignored everyone else in its gravitational rivalry. In creating a raised-ride-height, 2+2 electric GT, the Italians are claiming an entirely new niche that they confidently predict stays ‘true to Lamborghini’s unmistakable DNA’. (And let’s not get too hung up on its passing resemblance to the Peugeot 408; Ferrari and Porsche are the key rivals.) The Lanzador is a ‘concrete vision’ showcasing ideas that in 2028 will become the so-called ‘fourth model’ from Lambo – joining the two supercars and the Urus SUV – long promised by company executives as a way to get the firm’s sales well past the 10,000 mark per…

STILL AN ICON There’s still strong appetite for the current Panda, particularly in its home market. In fact, the Panda is the best-selling car in Italy in the first half of 2023, according to JATO research, and Reuters reports that Fiat will continue to manufacture it until 2026. But the brand needs more EVs in its mix to lower its emissions fleet average. CENTOVENTI LIVES While the new ‘democratic’ EV supermini won’t be a carbon copy of 2019’s Centoventi concept, it’ll take heavy design inspiration from the much-loved concept. ‘Many things about Centoventi were explorations. But obviously, what you are going to see in the future, you will recognise a lot of inspiration from it,’ says Francois. THE BOSS SPEAKS Fiat’s charismatic brand CEO, Olivier Francois, sees the potential: ‘There’s…

THE 911 KICKER Mercedes-AMG is doing some big-brain maths with its new GT. What does 2+2 equal? A proper 911 rival with somewhat usable back seats, it seems. Using the SL’s platform means this new GT is longer, heavier and, for now, still V8 flavoured. But, as well as new back seats, it launches with variable all-wheel drive; PHEV versions are to come. NEED TO KNOW What is it? A new, much roomier, AMG flagship I Tech specs? SL platform, classic V8 engine, foldable rear seats, variable 4Matic all-wheel drive, active aero I Who’s it aimed at? Trackday road-trippers with a load of stuff to carry I When can I get one? Early 2024 THE RISK TAKER Starting a new, rather bold design from scratch is always tricky. And yet…

First drives 300 mile test The 300-mile test NEW CAR MEETS REAL WORLD Spies in raincoats. Mozart. Wiener schnitzel. Habsburg palaces. Fancy pastries. Vienna is known for lots of things. But the great driving roads rarely get mentioned. Not roads within the city limits of the Austrian capital itself, of course, but just outside. In fact, it’s surrounded by them – making it an illuminating location for our first drive in the first car from Fisker Inc. To the south and east, some fantastic roads head out towards Lake Neusiedl and the Hungarian border, slicing through the Pannonian Plain, where strong winds, unsealed surfaces and occasional flooding are common challenges. Or a 125-mile loop through the lightly populated forest district and the wine country northeast of Vienna, where steep climbs…

The last CR-V hybrid was hard to like. Underpowered, thrashy and not especially efficient, its replacement with this sixth-generation car has been too long in the pipeline. For 2024 you get a slightly more upright and conventional SUV silhouette with a longer bonnet. Underneath you’ll find either a self-charging or plug-in hybrid powertrain. Most of the time these are range-extending electric cars where the engine acts solely as generator. Then at higher speeds, a lock-out clutch engages direct drive from the engine, which Honda says is a more efficient use of the two motive sources. The plug-in system works in exactly the same way as the self-charger, but with a larger, 17kWh battery giving a useful 51 (claimed) miles of electric range. Gratifyingly, shoving in a massive battery hasn’t resulted…

Stellantis, the vast car-making empire born from the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the French PSA Group, defines itself as ‘a constellation of 14 iconic automotive brands’. Some are more iconic than others. The new 33 Stradale is evidence of that. Lancia has had its moments in the sun. Maserati can feel that warmth on its skin right now. But only Alfa Romeo could hope to build and sell 33 examples of a carbon-tubbed two-seat supercar, available with either battery-electric or twin-turbo V6 power, and price them in excess of €1.5m. And why not? This is Alfa Romeo. The Alfa Romeo that dominated inter-war Grand Prix racing. The Alfa Romeo that flat-out steamrollered the first two years of Formula 1. The Alfa Romeo that has since managed to hit…

The genes of the 3-series course through modern-day BMW as sure as blue blood through royal veins. Its best-selling model carries the DNA that defines the Munich brand, just like the Golf at Wolfsburg or the 911 at Stuttgart. So when it comes to replacing the backbone of its range, it should come as no surprise that BMW is taking its responsibility as an arch innovator seriously. The Vision Neue Klasse – yes, German for New Class – is the close-to-production concept car that peeps ahead to the next chapter. This is no generational evolution or modest lifecycle impulse, as BMW likes to call its gentler facelifts. Make no mistake: what we are about to experience is change as violent as anything conceived under the watch of disruptive design maestro…

So I spent the first few weeks in our Cupra Leon Estate driving in Comfort mode like it’s an ordinary family car, bumbling along. Then I remembered: hey, this is supposed to be a 300bhp, all-wheel-drive, hot-hatch estate. What the hell am I doing? So I started experimenting with the ‘Cupra’ button on the steering wheel, to explore more of the car’s bandwidth. However, this button is opposite the engine start/stop on the wheel, and yes, I’ve managed to switch off the engine while driving. If you accidentally press the stop button once it gives you a warning, but I thought I was cycling through the driving modes so I hit it twice and the car died. Luckily you can fire it back up, re-engage Drive and pretend that nothing…

VW Multivan Month 6 The story so far Volkswagen helps the MPV genre live on, masquerading as a van + Ultimate road-trip vehicle… - …and colleagues have latched on to that Logbook Price £59,035 (£63,979 as tested) Performance 13kWh battery plus 1395cc turbocharged four-cylinder, PHEV, 218bhp, 9.0sec 0-62mph, 120mph Efficiency 156.9mpg (official), 105.9mpg (tested), 41g/km CO2 Energy cost 8.6p per mile Miles this month 854 Total miles 8508 The Multivan has just been delivered back to me after a trip to Ireland, because Ben Oliver knows exactly what it’s good for: family road trips. ‘Long shot…,’ started Ben’s message back in June. ‘Don’t suppose you’d want to swap cars for a fortnight in August, would you?’ I didn’t, because having a Multivan – especially in school holidays –…

You’ll know by now that most electric cars come with apps to let you control functions remotely. It’s how you pop the heating on in winter to defrost or cool in summer. As cars become more connected, we’ll see this tech becoming commonplace. The impressive My BMW app is more stable than others I’ve used – the Honda E’s was slow and erratic, whereas the i7’s app loads quickly and connects seamlessly. There’s a small delay when requests are beamed over your phone signal to a data centre before passing to the car, but it’s one of the faster car apps in my experience. I use it to check the range remotely, set the cabin temperature and log trips and energy usage. It has the richest dataset of any app…

Volvo XC40 Twin AWD Ultimate Month 7 The story so far Brilliantly capable family car + Fast; clever; comfortable; clean; understated - Not cheap; no adjustable regen braking Logbook Price £60,300 (£61,550 as tested) Performance 78kWh battery, e-motor, 408bhp, 4.9sec 0-62mph, 112mph Efficiency 3.4 miles per kWh (official), 3.3 miles (tested), 0g/km CO2 Range 270 miles (official), 255 (tested) Energy cost 10.0p per mile Miles this month 1997 Total miles 7753 The XC40 is a true slow burner. At no point over the 7753 miles I covered was there a eureka moment, no flash of recognition at its deep-seated brilliance. Instead there was an evolving sense that this is one of the most polished, adept and intelligent cars I’ve had the privilege of running. Nothing irked, nothing made…

HOW DOES NEW GBU WORK? Fewer classes, more frequent updates and all the sass you’ve come to expect from GBU GIANT TEST WINNER 1 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R THE GOOD: Feel, feedback, focus: a phenomenal full-sized hot hatch THE BAD: Nearly £50k for a frontdrive hatchback with barely any more power than before THE UGLY: Probably the last of its kind; good job it’s one of the best THE ONE TO BUY: There’s just the one model; expect to pay around £550 on a PCP with an £11k deposit 2 TOYOTA GR YARIS GROUP TEST WINNER THE GOOD: A modern-day rally homologation special THE BAD: Road noise like a death-metal gig; joke rear seats THE UGLY: Limited supply makes finding one tricky; high chairs…

GIANT TEST WINNER 1 PORSCHE TAYCAN THE GOOD: Interstellar acceleration; stellar handling; agreeably tactile; roomier than a 911 THE BAD: Empty interior; ferociously expensive; not a 911 THE UGLY: Begs to be thrashed, but thrashing it clobbers the range THE ONE TO BUY: Choose your body style from saloon, estate or the borderline SUV-ish Cross Turismo. Get the Taycan 4S for £91k if you’re sensible, sharper GTS is tempting and Turbo just bonkers; top models cost upwards of £148,300 2 TESLA MODEL 3 GIANT TEST WINNER THE GOOD: Scepticconfoundingly good to drive, easy to live with; massive price cuts have made it even more appealing THE BAD: Giant touchscreen may be genius when you’re stationary but it can be hugely distracting when you’re moving THE…

THE DEBATE: THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL LAMBORGHINI YET PW: ‘An electric Lambo. Wow! Even though we all knew it had to happen, it still feels seismic. How are all those Knightsbridge owners going to wake the neighbours now?’ CC: ‘EVs don’t crash more quietly, you know. But yes, that lack of engine noise is a big problem and Lamborghini knows it. Design boss Mitja Borkert has promised future cars will still look like “spaceships”, so owners might have to settle for loud in the visual sense.’ PW: ‘Does the world really need it, though? How much actual CO2 do 10,000 Lambos a year produce? Surely there are more pressing climate emergencies.’ CC: ‘No VW Group company can afford to look like it’s content to spew CO2 in…

‘Personally, I don’t care what powers a fun-to-drive car – so long as it is fun to drive!’ With that, Akio Toyoda, who recently transferred to be Toyota’s chairman rather than its CEO, flashes a toothy grin. He then turns the tables on his interviewer, parrying a question around the prospect of Toyota’s GR performance division developing hot EVs, and asking his own question back: ‘Tell me, what powertrains do you think make fun cars?’ He listens to the earnest answer listing pros and cons, and then cuts through the waffle. Petrol, hybrid, hydrogen, electric, synthetic fuel – he’s open. But it must be fun. ‘In fact,’ he says, grin broadening as he delivers the punchline, ‘I have been testing a fast EV prototype recently and it’s very interesting. Simulated…

Ford is up for a trans-Atlantic scrap. According to boss Jim Farley, the new Mustang GTD ‘is the Mustang I always dreamed of building, and I want to see Porsche, Aston Martin and Mercedes sweat.’ So Ford has teamed up with Multimatic to make a limited-run, road-legal, track-ready, technology-filled super-’Stang targeting a sub-seven-minute Nürburgring lap time. Here’s how. IT’S A ROAD-LEGAL, TRACK-READY AND TECHNOLOGY-FILLED SUPER-’STANG…

Responses are savage and it has perhaps the finest doubleclutch on sale WATCH THE VIDEO! GET CAR’S DIGITAL EDITION. SEE PAGE 80 Porsche has a formidable record regarding RS track weapons and charming open top roadsters, yet it’s rare we see it combine the two. If exceptions are to be made then it makes sense that it’s for this, the last ever petrol-powered Boxster. Whereas the 718 Cayman GT4 RS on which this drop-top is based is about maximum downforce, the RS Spyder focuses on aerodynamic stability and balance. The huge rear spoiler’s replaced with a more subtle ducktail-style piece behind the double-bubble rear deck. All the juiciest bits – 30mm lowered ride height, wider track, 991.2 GT3 RS front axle, centre-lock alloys – remain. Despite the removal of the…

Radicalis an overworked and undervalued word, attached to everything from wayward politicians to faddish diets. It is, however, the perfect word to describe Hyundai’s rise from peripheral player to the rock star in the nascent new world order of electric cars. When it launched the Ioniq 5 in early 2021, the Korean colossus didn’t simply follow the Tesla playbook; it amped it up to 11 by wrapping its advanced electric architecture in one of the freshest pieces of design we’d seen in a very long time. Equally bold models underpinned by the same platform followed from sister brands Kia and Genesis. While VW, Nissan and Ford dithered, Hyundai wrested away the electric crown and powered near-silently into the future. And now Hyundai has done it again with the Ioniq 6,…

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Namsan Edition 77.4kWh RWD Month 5 The story so far Stylish EV that’s even more striking inside than out + Roomy; techy; user-friendly - Not as dynamic as it looks Logbook Price £54,150 (£54,150 as tested) Performance 77.4kWh battery, e-motor, 225bhp, 7.3sec 0-62mph, 114mph Efficiency 3.45 miles per kWh (official), 3.2 miles per kWh (tested), 0g/km CO2 Range 295 miles (official), 257 miles (tested) Energy cost 9.1p per mile Miles this month 1618 Total miles 5688 When people see the Ioniq 5 up close for the first time, the most common reaction is that it’s bigger than they expected. The opposite of Stonehenge. It’s styled like a compact hatchback, and is entirely in proportion with itself, but it’s actually pretty big – nearly as long as…

The week’s plans offer a test of the Range Rover’s famous breadth of capabilities. First, a family camping trip, then a motorway blast to Manchester and finally 48 hours in Snowdonia. Family McNamara are camping novices with no idea what’s essential. And I’m seriously concerned our vast, two-bedroom air tent won’t fit beneath the immovable, auto-folding loadspace cover. Thankfully it just squeezes in, then five camping chairs, two stoves, a kitchen unit and numerous bags follow. The Rangie’s boot clearly has the same magical properties as Mary Poppins’ carpet bag. Arriving at our Kent campsite, we’re ushered onto a grassy cliffside to choose a spot. Terrain Response now has an auto mode which works out the most suitable drivetrain and traction settings for your conditions, although a rotary controller can…

There’s no easy way to do this, so I’ll just come straight out with it. Half a year into e-Tron GT ownership I’ve just discovered it has a luggage compartment in the nose. There, I said it. What a savage indictment of my consumer-journalist chops. Still, nice surprise. Truth is, the rear boot has never struggled. But when I popped the bonnet open to top up the screenwash, there it was: a void big enough to swallow the bag of charging cables I cart about mostly unnecessarily. Oh, and when I recently said the 85mph limiter in the Efficiency drive mode was absolute, that was tosh. Put your foot down hard and the ECU will give you what you want/likely need by that point. Sorry everyone. BEN MILLER Audi e-Tron…

Navigating your way through an online car configurator can feel like you’re racing back to daylight from a Raiders of the Lost Ark Peruvian temple with the Golden Idol in your hand. To get to the safety of the final page you’ve got to dodge arrows, 100-foot drops and a giant stone ball that take the form of pricey individual options and option packs that are determined to inflate the final bill. The CX-60 makes the sprint surprisingly easy because it’s well equipped even in its most basic configuration. But our car did come with the Convenience pack (£1000: 360º camera, wireless phone charging, privacy glass) and Driver Assistance pack (£1100: cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise, adaptive LED lights). Worth it? The crisp images from the 360º camera are fantastic…

GIANT TEST WINNER 1 PORSCHE 911 THE GOOD: Style, like 911s, never goes out of fashion THE BAD: The base Carrera now costs more than £97k – yet that’s not enough to stop it being a clear class winner; road noise now up to 11 THE UGLY: To some, it’s now more comfy GT than sports car; canny options list pushes you to spend like a lottery winner THE ONE TO BUY: Carrera S with the PDK gearbox for £110k on the nose; the Sport Chrono package is bundled in, but you’ll still pay for the Porsche badges on the wheels to be coloured in 2 ARIEL ATO M GIANT TEST WINNER THE GOOD: A beautiful object as well as a thrilling drive; think of it…

GIANT TEST WINNER 1 LAND ROVER DEFENDER THE GOOD: All-new reboot brings untold dynamic improvements on road and off it THE BAD: Second-row access is a pain in the 90; expensive; 130 in particular is very big, so parking can be tricky THE UGLY: Alternatives to white steel wheels are offered. Why? THE ONE TO BUY: Range spans 90, 110 and 130 bodies, with significantly different dimensions but remarkably similar character and the genuine off-road ability that Land Rover always delivers so convincingly. Heart says petrol V8 90, head/wallet say diesel-six D250 110 2 PORSCHE MACAN GIANT TEST WINNER THE GOOD: Handles better than any other SUV. And some hot hatches THE BAD: Hardly an original choice – but then there’s good reason for that…