P E U G EO T ’ S S T U N N I N G S U P E R CA R

All its future cars will look this good

F I R S T F O R N E W S A N D R E V I E W S E V E RY W E E K
Est. 1895 | autocar.co.uk | 11 January 2023

O N SA L E 20 25

SHOCK NEW 3 SERIES!

YES, IT’S REAL BMW’s changing the saloon forever
Only the kidney
grille survives…

MERC FIGHTS PORSCHE

All-new SL
vs 911 GTS
Why AMG can’t get near 11 – 18 January 2023 £4.75

the sports car king

11 January 2023 | Citroën Ami

No thanks: the car Used: when Renault Ami road test: cute
China can keep ruled hot hatches but compromised
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 THIS WEEK
‘I prefer this to the SF90 you had the other week, Dad’
48

Issue 6549 | Volume 315 | No 3

NEWS COMMENT
BMW i Vision Dee Concept points to future 3 Series  4
Volkswagen ID 7 Tesla Model 3 rival on sale this year 8
Peugeot Inception Design and tech future revealed 10 BMW’S EYE-OPENING
UK car sales analysis More to it than a 30-year low 12
Car salvage Hard times for scrappers and repairers 14
Volvo Clever software will be firm’s new safety USP 16
VISION OF THE FUTURE
DRIVEN: PAGANI HUAYRA R TRACK SPECIAL 24 BMW’s i VISION DEE
TESTED concept car, star of the
Pagani Huayra R Hardcore £2.3m V12 track special 24
Ora Lightning Cat UK-bound Chinese electric saloon28 Consumer Electronics Show
Volvo C40 Recharge Cheaper, single-motor variant30 in Las Vegas (p4), previews
LMC MKII FIA Spitting image ’60s Cobra appraised  31
Citroën Ami Colour ROAD TEST 32 a radically different next-generation
3 Series due in just two years that bears
FEATURES little to no relation to the executive
Mercedes SL v Porsche 911 AMG targets GT crown 40
One week in an Ignis The do-it-all family runaround 48
saloon of the past five decades.
Mate Rimac He reveals his big plans for the future 52 In its size, shape and proportions
Vegan interiors Is leather on a hiding to nothing? 54 (and, of course, its styling), the next
OUR CARS THE EVOLUTION OF CAR INTERIORS 54 3 Series will evolve more from its
Vauxhall Astra Two of ’em report for long-term duty 62 seventh to eighth generation than all
Mazda CX-60 Why PHEV has us longing for diesel 63 previous iterations combined, and set
Cupra Born Just an ID 3 in disguise? No way, José  64
Honda Civic It meets ancestral 3bhp three-wheeler 67 the blueprint for all future BMWs as
the first model from the firm’s much-
EVERY WEEK hyped Neue Klasse architecture.
Jesse Crosse How fuel cells continue to fight back  13
Jim Holder Can Tesla shrug off latest challenges? 15 Neue Klasse is BMW’s future and
Matt Prior Kei car Caterhams and a shrinking BMW  17 will eventually underpin everything
Steve Cropley Do we want Funky Cats on our drive? 19 from high-volume models to its hottest
Subscribe Save money and get exclusive benefits  20
Damien Smith F1 personnel changes; WRC; LeJog  22 performance cars. Such architectures
Your Views Losing faith in car makers; Ellis Journey 58 are becoming commonplace across the
On this day 1924: Lambda driven; a roof revolution  61 CAN MERC’S NEW SL TOPPLE THE MIGHTY 911? 40 industry, but in a brand as storied and
Slideshow The wackiest concept cars ever made  82
so clearly defined as BMW’s they take
DEALS ❝IT WOULD BE LIKE on even greater significance for both
As good as new Mk2 Evoque: a ruddy muddy marvel 68
the future and what they leave behind.
James Ruppert Bargain bangers – but only in red  69
Cult hero An RS Mégane that will warm up winter  70
GETTING INTO THE CD In the case of the 3 Series, its change
New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenvo  72
81
BUSINESS IN 2002, in positioning marks the beginning
Road test index Track down that road test here 
of the end for the executive saloon
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CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

BMW reinvents 3 Series as

cool futuristic EV for 2025
New platform, fresh look and radical use of digital tech underpin new-era saloon
4 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

Voice commands play
key role but fabric has
embedded controls
A
radical tech-focused
future beckons for
the BMW 3 Series, as
previewed by the new
i Vision Dee electric concept
car, described by the German
marque as the “next level of
human-machine interaction”.
Due to reach production in
2025, the UK-bound four-door
saloon was revealed in concept
form at the 2023 Consumer
Electronics Show in Las
Vegas. It is based on BMW’s
Neue Klasse platform, an
all-new structure that is set to
underpin a wide range of future
internal-combustion-engined,
plug-in hybrid and electric-
powered BMW models.
The i Vision Dee’s key
features include a range of
new digital functions, such as a
head-up display unit capable of
projecting information across
the full width of the windscreen
– something the firm has
already confirmed for Neue
Klasse-platform-based models
due out around the middle
of the decade. BMW says the
move is aimed at taking the
bond between the driver and
the car beyond voice control
and driver assistance systems
and further into the digital
and virtual world.
The concept – whose name
is an acronym for the words
‘digital emotional experience’ –
also previews a new monolithic
exterior styling language
that the German firm intends
to introduce on upcoming
production models.
❝
The head-up display unit is capable
of projecting information across
the full width of the windscreen
❞
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said:
“With the i Vision Dee, we are
showcasing what is possible
when hardware and software
merge. In this way, we are able
to exploit the full potential of
digitalisation to transform
the car into an intelligent
companion.
“That is the future for
automotive manufacturers –
and also for BMW: the fusion
of the virtual experience and
genuine driving.”
The exterior styling – similar
OFFICIAL PICTURES
‘Dee’ stands for
‘digital emotional
experience’
to that seen on BMW’s Circular
concept car unveiled at the
2021 Munich motor show –
previews a new-look enclosed
front. The traditional kidney
grille, which has grown ever
larger on recently launched
BMW models, is replaced
by two digital panels, each
incorporating LED headlights
as ‘phygital’ (physical-digital)
icons. They alter in shape and
size depending on the function
they are asked to perform and
also provide visual welcome 
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5
 Windscreen-wide
head-up display can
show driving-related info
and augmented reality
projection. It’s planned
for BMW’s next
generation
of cars.

Traditional
kidney grille is
replaced by two separate
digital panels, each
incorporating LED headlights.
The lights alter in shape and
size depending on their
function.

 and departure greetings. kink design element. This

BMW RETURNS TO MAKING COOL CARS
F E L I X PA G E
There must be some poor
product marketing exec at
BMW who cringes every time
a particularly gopping design
is signed off or a risky ad
campaign gets the go-ahead.
Remember that promo
video where the old 7 Series
repeatedly shouted
‘bullsh*t’ at its tech-heavy iX
descendant? That riled the
loyalists. Then there was the
£15-per-month-for-heated-
seats controversy and the
launch of an outlandishly
styled, heavyweight PHEV
SUV as the storied M
division’s second bespoke
sports car. Certainly, the
firm has been making
good on designer Domagoj
Dukec’s conviction that it’s
not BMW’s goal “to please
everyone in the world”.
But could the Dee concept
spark a return to the
understated but distinctive
and highly competent
BMWs from days of yore?
It certainly seems a more
comprehensible and familiar
proposition than some of the
firm’s recent efforts.
It’s hardly conventionally
‘beautiful’ but it does
achieve that coveted
balance between subtlety
and panache that has been
largely absent from BMW’s
portfolio in recent years.
Indeed, it looks as if the
resurrection of the ‘Neue
Klasse’ moniker for new-era
BMWs is more than just a
nostalgia-fuelled marketing
exercise. If the Dee shows
anything, it’s that BMW can
still make effortlessly cool
products, and doing so would
be a sure-fire way of pleasing
customers both existing and
prospective.
Cutting the bullsh*t, it’s
the way forward.
This gives the new concept
its own facial expressions,
claims BMW.
Further back, the bonnet of
the i Vision Dee receives a deep
central scallop, while the flanks
have taut surfacing devoid of
any feature lines or adornment.
The side window line is
set lower than on any of its
existing production models.
The glass is designed to
display personalised welcome
messages, digital icons and a
full-colour avatar of the driver.
The car also has an ‘e-ink’
treatment that allows different
patterns and phygital icons
to be integrated into certain
sections of the exterior,
including the C-pillar, which
provides a digital reimagining
of BMW’s classic Hofmeister
functionality was first
showcased with a colour-
changing iX concept at
last year’s CES event.
The design theme
established at the front is
mirrored at the rear of the
i Vision Dee, with two new-look
light panels separated in the
middle and incorporated into
a high-set bootlid.
As well as hinting at the
appearance of future BMW
models, the i Vision Dee’s
relatively short bonnet, long
wheelbase and absence of
overhangs also point to subtly
altered three-box proportions
for upcoming BMW saloons.
No official dimensions have
been announced, although
estimates put the length at
around 4500mm – a touch

6 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


Side
windows
use special glass
designed to display
personalised welcome
messages, digital icons
and an avatar of the
driver in full
colour.
The aim is to make the
driving experience more
intuitive and immersive
shorter than today’s 3 Series.
Inside, the i Vision Dee
showcases a newly developed
operating system that BMW is
planning to roll out in its next
generation of models.
Incorporated into a
simplified interior, the new
head-up display has allowed
BMW to do away with the
traditional central infotainment
display – a feature of its cars
since the introduction of its
iDrive infotainment platform in
❝ into a fabric-covered
❞ how the car can be seamlessly
the fourth-generation 7 Series
in 2001. BMW says the system
it is working on for its future
models will allow the driver to
manage the amount of digital
content they are confronted
with over any given journey.
The aim is to make the driving
experience more intuitive
and immersive.
To this end, its latest concept
car also includes what it calls
a Mixed Reality Slider. Using
touch sensors incorporated
Large
wheelhouses
accommodate
blanked-off wheels
of up to 20in
in diameter.
dashboard, it allows the driver
to determine the amount of
digital content shown within
the head-up display.
BMW design boss Adrian van
Hooydonk said: “With the BMW
i Vision Dee, we are showing
integrated into your daily
digital life. It becomes your
portal to the digital world – with
the driver always in control.
Implemented in the right
way, technology will create
worthwhile experiences, make
you a better driver and simply
bring humans and machines
closer together.”
The i Vision Dee is the second
of three different concept cars
planned by BMW to showcase
its Neue Klasse-platform-
based models. The first, the
New-look and
shorter front and
rear ends preview the
future profile of the next
3 Series. They also point
to how future BMW
saloons may look.
i Vision Circular, was centred
on construction using recycled
materials. A third concept
car, said to focus on battery
and drivetrain technology,
is expected to be revealed
later this year.
No drivetrain details of
the i Vision Dee have been
given, but BMW has already
confirmed it is working on
advanced new cylindrical
battery technology that will
dramatically improve the
driving range of its Neue Klasse
EVs as well as charging speeds.
Meanwhile, a new sixth-
generation EV powertrain,
being developed in-house,
will improve efficiency and
performance – attributes likely
to be showcased by the third
i Vision concept.
GREG KABLE
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 7
NEWS
Concept’s minimalist
look will be applied
to other future BMWs
NEW-GEN BMW
EVs WILL…
Have a range of up
to 620 miles
Gen6 batteries will be
fitted, using efficient
cylindrical cells. They’ll
be lighter than current
packs, improve range
and raise charging
rates to 270kW.
Feature vegan-friendly
interiors
Vegan alternatives to
leather will appear in
future BMWs as the firm
aims to reduce its CO2
footprint by 80%. The
move is part of a goal
to become carbon-
neutral by 2050.
Come in mega-powered
M guise
BMW sports cars
will continue into the
electric era, bosses
have confirmed.
A prototype is
currently testing
with a pioneering
quad-motor, four-
wheel drive system.
Air-con will feature on home
screen; slider will be backlit
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW
OFFICIAL PICTURES
VW ID 7 takes fight to Model 3
Large saloon will arrive this year with up to 435 miles of range and a Cd of just 0.23
T
he all-new Volkswagen
ID 7 has been closely
previewed by this
camouflaged prototype
at the Consumer Electronics
Show in Las Vegas.
The ID 7, which had
previously been known as Aero
B in concept guise and during
development, will be offered
initially as a five-door liftback,
with an estate model to follow.
It is the sixth model to be
launched in the ID range and
will initially sit alongside the
Arteon and Passat, the latter of
HOW THE ID RANGE IS SHAPING UP
ID 2
Primed for 2025 release
with a sub-£20,000 price.
8 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
which will be offered only as an
estate in its next generation. In
time, it will become VW’s sole
offering in Europe’s shrinking
D-segment because no further
versions of the Arteon and
Passat are due once the switch
to EVs has been made.
“Globally, the saloon
It will launch in two-wheel-drive
form followed by a 4WD GTX model
ID 3
Facelift of VW’s current
smallest ID model due this year.
segment is disappearing, even
in China,” VW boss Thomas
Schäfer told Autocar. “In China,
it’s already happening in the
low-price saloons. It is going
down in Europe; it’s never been
huge, except for a handful of
markets, maybe Turkey, but we
will definitely not bring a lot of
❝ The CES show car wears the
❞
ID 4
MEB-based SUV sits in middle
of current ID range.
saloons. This is it [ID 7] and we
converge onto that when we let
go of the combustion engine.”
The MEB-based ID 7 is
4940mm long, 1859mm
wide and 1529mm tall, with a
wheelbase of 2969mm shared
with the ID Buzz. This makes
the ID 7 longer than both the
Passat and the Arteon.
ID 7’s production bodywork
but it’s wrapped in a special
QR code-inspired camouflage
to hide its final styling. A full
reveal will happen in the second
ID 5
Coupé-shaped SUV has nearly
a £12,000 premium over ID 4.
quarter of 2023 before the car
goes on sale later in the year.
VW has revealed little in
terms of the ID 7’s technical
details. However, the company
confirmed that it will be offered
with a range of up to 435 miles.
That will be for a larger-battery
model, a size of pack yet to be
offered in an ID car. Initially,
the ID 7 will have the existing
77kWh battery.
It will launch in two-wheel-
drive form, followed in due
course by a four-wheel-drive
GTX model – ultimately giving a
ID 6 (China only)
Essentially an extended ID 4
with space for seven people.

Space Vizzion points to ID 7 estate
powertrain line-up that mirrors
that of its main rivals: the
Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2 and
Hyundai Ioniq 6.
The previous Aero name
referred to its super-slippery
shape and a drag coefficient as
low as 0.23 is expected for the
production model.
Inside, there are notable
developments over the
ID 7
Arriving at the end of 2023. Will
be VW’s only D-segment EV.
ID 7 will launch with
a 77kWh battery; a
larger pack will follow
ID 7 appeared at CES
in production guise
but with camouflage
ID models to date. The
infotainment system has
been overhauled to bring
temperature controls to
the main homepage of the
15.0in touchscreen and the
physical temperature slider
bar below the screen has at
last been illuminated for night
use. An augmented reality
head-up display is standard.
The ID 7 will be built at
VW’s Emden factory in
Germany alongside the ID 4,
and exported to all markets
except China from there.
Chinese cars will be built locally.
MARK TISSHAW
ID Buzz
EV reimagining of iconic VW
Microbus arrived last year.
Toyota poised to add electric
option to new C-HR line-up
THE NEXT-GENERATION
Toyota C-HR is primed to take
on the likes of the Kia Niro,
moving upmarket by adding
a plug-in hybrid powertrain
to its ranks – and new images
appear to show an electric
variant is also on the cards.
Due on sale by 2024, the
Mk2 C-HR will be a close
sibling to the new Toyota
Prius. It will be underpinned
by the same TNGA platform
and offered with the same mix
of parallel-hybrid and plug-in
hybrid powertrains.
The C-HR may also
gain a battery-electric
variant, placing it in direct
competition with the
S PY S H OTS
T O Y O TA C - H R E V
triple-powertrain Niro
line-up. Autocar’s
spy photographer
said this test car is a
pure-EV proposition,
suggesting Toyota’s
Small SU EV concept
from 2021 – itself
almost identical to
the more recent C-HR
concept (pictured,
right) – is nearing fruition.
Toyota hasn’t confirmed
whether an electric C-HR
is in the works and wasn’t
available to comment on
these latest images as
we went to press, but the
fundamental similarities
between the C-HR’s TNGA
This C-HR prototype
is believed to be a
battery-electric car
NEWS
platform and the EV-only
e-TNGA architecture mean it
would be technically feasible.
Alongside the technical
reinvention, the C-HR will
be restyled with a focus on
the new-look ‘Hammerhead’
front-end design, which is
being rolled out across the
line-up to give Toyota cars a
common identity.
Camouflage hides just how
closely related to the concept
the production car will be, but
it’s clear that the distinctive
C-shaped headlights and
wraparound rear light bar
will make it through to
showrooms.
In line with similarly
sized EV rivals, any
electric C-HR is likely to be
significantly more expensive
than the parallel-hybrid
and plug-in hybrid variants,
commanding a starting price
of roughly £40,000.
EV would join PHEV to
give C-HR a line-up to
compete with Kia Niro
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 9
 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

New Peugeot era takes shape

Striking-looking concept sets out radical path for future design and technology

T
he extraordinary Its “generous” footprint miles for a 500-mile range – served up by a motor at each allowed a rethink of Peugeot’s
new Inception concept highlights the flexibility of the far greater than any current end for four-wheel drive and conventional design cues. The
“heralds a new era” new-era architecture that will Stellantis production car. a sub-3.0sec 0-62mph time. Inception has been styled to
for future Peugeot underpin future production Equipped with 800V charging This reflects Peugeot’s plans to suit “the digital world”, with
electric cars, which will make cars: the new STLA modular hardware, it can top up more make engaging performance a crisp body lines and striking
dramatic technological platform being rolled out to than 90 miles in five minutes, top priority for flagship EVs. LED lighting.
leaps and feature radically Peugeot and its Stellantis says Peugeot. Notably, the “Customers have high The expansive glasshouse
different designs from the sibling brands from the middle firm claims it can do this expectations of the electric stretches almost end to end
company’s current offering. of the decade. The Inception using induction technology, car,” said product boss Jérôme and, together with the removal
Revealed at CES in rides on the ‘Large’ version of negating the need for a cable – Micheron. “Thanks to the new of all physical controls and
Las Vegas – unusually for this platform. although this feature is not yet generation of our ‘BEV-by- a traditional dashboard,
Peugeot, which left the US Here, it houses a 100kWh confirmed for production cars. design’ platforms, we will meet maximises interior space.
market in 1991 – the Inception battery claimed to consume Power – all 671bhp of it – is their expectations.” Notably, the steering
is the first concept from just 12.5kWh of Together with the technical column has also been removed,
recently appointed design electricity reinvention, the replaced by an innovative
boss Matthias Hossann and per 62 new platform ‘steer-by-wire’ electronic
provides a mission statement has also system like that offered on
for the brand’s future new EVs from Toyota and
production vehicles. The firm Lexus. Peugeot says this
will launch five new EVs in was developed prior to the
the next two years and go all-
electric by 2030 in Europe.
Hossann told Autocar
recently that upcoming
Peugeot cars will take the
lead from the new 408
saloon-SUV in “challenging
conventional silhouettes”.
Certainly, the Inception
bears no obvious relation
to anything in the current
Peugeot stable. Sitting
low to the ground (its roof
stands just 1340mm tall)
and with a sharp, fastback-
style silhouette, it is closest
in form to the current 508
saloon but is substantially
larger, measuring 5000mm
long and 2100mm wide. OFFICIAL PICTURES

Ram starts electric truck Revolution with 1500 concept

TRUCK MARQUE RAM
has shown how it plans to
“redefine” the electric pick-up
segment with this bold-looking
concept, revealed at CES
in Las Vegas.
Called the 1500 Revolution,
the futuristic truck is the
electric reimagining of the Ram
Ram 1500 Revolution 1500, itself the fifth iteration of
shows off the firm’s the iconic Dodge Ram pick-up.
new-look front end It brims with innovation,
such as an augmented reality
head-up display, an extendable
bed and third-row ‘jump seats’,
which Stellantis-owned Ram
claims to be an industry first.
The STLA Frame-based 1500
Revolution also showcases
the truck maker’s new-look
front end, which introduces
an animated logo. This will
first be fitted to the concept’s
production version, the Ram
1500 EV, due to launch in 2024.
Other features that could
make production include the
extendable payload. This
enables the 1500 Revolution to
transport slim loads up to 18ft
in length using a clever pass-
through storage system that
links the rear bed to the frunk.
Ram has not yet disclosed
the size of the battery or the
power of the two motors.
However, it has confirmed
that the Ram 1500 EV won’t
be sold in the UK.

ALFA ROMEO PAVES WAY FOR SUPERCAR
Alfa Romeo has shown the logo of a limited-run
supercar, potentially called 6C, which it will
launch this year. The emblem, shown at the end
of a recent social media video, is the first official
glimpse of the firm’s upcoming halo model.
MERC STARTS OWN CHARGING NETWORK
Mercedes-Benz will launch its own charging
network this year across Europe, China and North
America. Hubs will be fitted with up to 30 350kW
chargers per site for use by any EV owner. More
than 2000 hubs will be built globally by 2027.

10 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


Inception and notes that ‘most’
of the innovations on display
are destined for production.
The Inception features a
revamped version of Peugeot’s
i-Cockpit set-up, which majors
on touch-sensitive controls and
behaves “like a video game in
real life”. The distinctive new
steering ‘wheel’, aptly called
the Hypersquare, is claimed to
offer a safer and simpler driving
experience. It can fold away
NEWS
Production version of
entirely when the vehicle is firm’s first concept
configured to run in level-four will go on sale in 2025
autonomous mode, which
will be possible with the new
STLA Autodrive software
integrated within this
platform, to be replaced by a
full-width display screen for
passenger entertainment.
Peugeot plans to introduce
the Hypersquare on a
production car before 2030.
FELIX PAGE

OFFICIAL PICTURES

Reflective cabin materials

enable the interior to ‘change
Sony-Honda firm reveals first car
SONY HONDA MOBILITY
colour’ in different lights
(SHM), the joint venture formed
between the two Japanese
industrial giants, has revealed
the name of its new electric
vehicle brand and shown off
its very first prototype.
The EV brand will be called
Afeela and it represents
“a new relationship between
Lion motif in the wheels people and mobility”,
lights up and stays still according to SHM CEO
while the car is moving Yasuhide Mizuno.
The exact name of the first
Afeela prototype, a four-door
fastback saloon, has yet to be
revealed, but SHM did confirm
that it will be available for
pre-order in the first half of
2025, before sales start at
the end of that year. Deliveries
are slated for spring 2026 in
North America.
Inside, where there’s enough
space for five occupants, digital
screens are positioned on the
back of each seat and across
the dashboard. The steering
yoke is likely to control a ‘steer-
by-wire’ electronic rack.
SHM says the production
model will use Qualcomm’s
Snapdragon Digital Chassis
technology (see below).
Powertrain details for the
prototype have still not been
detailed and nor has potential
pricing or whether it will be
sold in Europe.

New brand is called

Afeela but its first car
is as yet unnamed

‘Comfort Fit’ seats are

said to adapt to the
shape of each occupant

OFFICIAL PICTURES QUALCOMM CREATES NEW CAR TO SHOWCASE ITS TECH

US electronics giant Qualcomm has created a concept
car to showcase its next-generation in-vehicle tech to car
firms. Using its Snapdragon Digital Chassis technology, the
unnamed concept is equipped with a “highly personalised
and intuitive” in-car
driving experience.
This includes a digital
Cargo up to 18ft long ecosystem, state-of-
can stretch from the
bed into the frunk the-art voice control
and high-end AI.

ASTON DBS TO BOW OUT IN STYLE
The final iteration of the Aston Martin DBS will
take the form of an ultra-limited special edition.
Called the DBS 770 Ultimate, the V12-powered
two-door coupé has been billed as the “flagship to
surpass them all”. A total of 499 will be made.
BYD REVEALS ELECTRIC AUDI R8 RIVAL
A rakish Audi R8-rivalling coupé called the U9
has been unveiled by BYD. It will be badged as
a Yangwang – the Chinese firm’s new premium
electric car brand. BYD also revealed the U8, a
hardcore Mercedes-Benz G-Class-like off-roader.

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11

New car sales hit 30-year low
UK registrations of new cars in 2022 fell to 1.61 million but there are signs of a bounce

F
ive months of consecutive
growth at the end of 2022
could not prevent UK
new car sales falling to
their lowest ebb in 30 years,
according to the Society
of Motor Manufacturers
and Traders.
The decline – blamed
primarily on supply chain
shortages, especially of
semiconductors – left total
sales at 1.61 million units, 2.0%
lower than 2021’s Covid-
affected levels and around
700,000 lower than the figure
for 2019, the most recent
‘normal’ year.
Despite the full year’s
weakness, there was an 18%
improvement in December
sales (which totalled 181,000
cars). This was the latest gain in
a trend the SMMT believes will
lead to a 15% improvement in
2023 sales to about 1.8 million
vehicles. The extra 190,000
vehicles will be worth around
£8.4 billion, it estimates.
Despite the difficulties of

FA LL IN UK NE W CA R R EGISTR ATIONS
2.8
MILLIONS

Nissan’s Qashqai was

2.6 the best-selling car
in the UK in 2022
2.4
2.2 2022, the UK reclaimed
its traditional position as
Europe’s second-biggest
2.0
car market behind Germany,
a position it had conceded
1.8 to France.
SMMT CEO Mike Hawes
1.6 believes that despite recent
warnings of weakening demand
0 arriving in other consumer
04
availability, and therefore
supplies of vehicles, combined
with a pent-up demand from
impatient buyers should
allow the car market to buck
a downward trend already
being established for other
consumer goods.
During 2022, component
shortages led car makers to
vehicles. Battery-electric
vehicles accounted for 16.6%
of full-year sales, which sent
them above UK diesel volume
for the first time.
Plug-in hybrids accounted
for only 6.3% of sales, a decline
on the previous year, but more
conventional hybrids also rose
in popularity to capture an

22
6

20
8
00
02

06
08
10
12
14
16
18

sectors, the car market’s slow prioritise deliveries of (more 11.6% market share.
19 9
19 9

20

20
20

20
20

20
20
20

20
20
20

20

improvement in component expensive) zero-emission STEVE CROPLEY

Kia tops 100,000 annual sales in the UK for first time

KIA SOLD MORE than 100,000
cars in the UK for the first
time in 2022, more than
tripling its volumes in the
market from just 15 years
ago and setting it on a path
to further growth.
In total, 100,191 Kia cars left
showrooms, placing it sixth
among all manufacturers, with
a 6.2% market share. Its sales
fell just 2000 units behind
Toyota, in fifth place.
The manufacturer cited
the Sportage, Niro and Xceed
crossovers as the source of its
success. The Sportage and
Niro combined for 44,000
sales by the end of the third
quarter of the year.
The Xceed, meanwhile,
provided the brand with a late
boost as the facelifted model
arrived in showrooms as the
year came to a close.
Of the cars that Kia sold
in the UK during 2022,
43% (42,987) had a hybrid,
plug-in hybrid or full-electric
powertrain.
Q & A PA U L P H I L P O T T, P R E S I D E N T
AND CEO, KIA UK
Kia UK boss Paul Philpott
told Autocar how the
company reached the
milestone, including
the challenges it had
to overcome.

What was the plan?

“I started in 2007 when
the brand was less than
30,000 sales per year. One
hundred thousand was not a
realistic target then. [Then]
scrappage came along and
took us past 50,000 in
2010/11: 100,000 became
the obvious next target.”
How have your bosses in
Korea reacted?
“I’ve not seen the headlines
in the Korea Times yet…
Niro (left) played a but we’re the first market
key role for Kia; Soul in Europe to go beyond
bolstered EV line-up 100,000, and the first
outside of what was the
big four of Korea, China,
the US and Russia. So
we’re only the fifth market
globally to do so.”
What was the moment you
knew you’d get to 100,000?
“When the third-generation
Sportage launched in 2016,
this car got to 40,000 in
its peak year of 2017, and
then 100,000 seemed a real
strong possibility, not just a
target to get to.”

12 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

 NEWS
U K ’S 10 B E S T-S E L L I N G C A R S I N 2 0 2 2
UNDER FUEL CELLS: THE TECHNOLOGY
Nissan Qashqai 42,704
THE SKIN THAT REFUSES TO BE BEATEN
Vauxhall Corsa 35,910 JESSE CROSSE
Tesla Model Y 35,551
Ford Puma 35,088
Mini 32,387
Kia Sportage 29,655
Hyundai Tucson 27,839
Volkswagen Golf 26,558
Ford Kuga 26,549
Ford Fiesta 25,070

SMMT BOSS CALLS FOR EV CLARITY

Continuous power
SMMT CEO Mike “Manufacturers’ output of BMW’s fuel
Hawes used the innovation and cell system has doubled
announcement commitment have AS THE WILL-IT-WON’T-IT story of fuel quiet, plenty of work has while size and weight
to call on the helped EVs become cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) continues been continuing in the have reduced.
government to the UK’s second- to ramble on, BMW and Toyota Motor background.
expedite its long- most-popular car Manufacturing UK both announced new The stacking of cells
promised Zero type,” said Hawes. plans for FCEVs in early December. BMW in the BMW stack is now
Emissions Vehicle “However, for a has started producing a limited run of fully automated, and after that’s
Mandate, which aims to nation aiming for electric its iX5 Hydrogen, which will be used as done, it’s compressed and inserted into
flesh out many exceptions, mobility leadership, this technology demonstrators. Meanwhile, a cast aluminium housing. The pressure
penalties and compliance must be matched with a consortium led by Toyota Motor plate that separately carries the hydrogen
details that will apply to the policies and investment Manufacturing UK is starting work on a and oxygen to the stack is made from cast
sale and use of BEVs beyond that remove consumer project funded by the UK government, via plastic and light alloy casting. BMW’s
2024. Informed experts uncertainty over switching, the Advanced Propulsion Centre, to migrate hydrogen fuel cell system produces 125kW
say documents may not be not least over where drivers the second-generation fuel cell system (as and the powertrain 369bhp. There are two
available until mid-year. can charge their vehicles.” used in the Mirai) into a Hilux pick-up. hydrogen tanks carrying 6kg of compressed
Since the global industry set out in the hydrogen, which can be refilled at the
late 1990s to make fuel cell vehicles more pump in three to four minutes, giving a
or less mainstream by 2004, then singly range of 311 miles.
JOGGER NOW UK’S CHEAPEST HYBRID failed, technology has moved on a lot. The
obvious development is the arrival and
While it may have looked as though little
was happening in the field of FCEVs, the
Dacia’s hybrid Jogger will arrive in fast maturing of automotive-scale lithium
battery systems, which in only a couple of
work has continued and the expertise in
fuel cell design has grown. As well as BMW
April, priced from £22,595, making it decades took BEVs from the level of dodgy partnering with FCEV veteran Toyota on
prototypes to a common sight on the roads. fuel cell development, Honda and General
the cheapest hybrid MPV on sale. The We’ve also seen how hybrids have been Motors are also partners and Mercedes-
stretched well beyond the original Toyota Benz maintains its links with the doyen of
seven-seater, which is now available Prius to range-extended vehicles (series fuel cell development, Canadian company
to order, has a 138bhp version of the hybrids) and plug-in hybrids.
Once FCEVs had moved beyond the early
Ballard Power Systems.

electrically assisted 1.6-litre petrol prototype stage, they essentially became

engine also used by the Renault Clio
E-Tech. Called the Jogger Hybrid 140,
it is the brand’s first hybrid car.
Dacia Jogger Hybrid 140 is available to order now, from £22,595
series hybrids but with hydrogen fuel cells FAST HYDROGEN FILL-UPS
to supply a steady stream of electrical
power instead of an engine and a small
battery to provide the punch needed for
In California, hydrogen filling stations
are serving more than 8000 FCEVs. The
acceleration. The battery also stores energy average time taken to fuel one with 5kg of
from regenerative braking in the same hydrogen is just over three minutes and
way as other electrified vehicles. What’s the best is two and a half minutes, putting
also changed since those early days is that hydrogen refuelling times in the real world
along with the battery technology, electric on a par with petrol or diesel.
drivetrains are now well established in the
commercial domain. In the BMW’s case,
the drivetrain is taken from the fifth-
generation eDrive technology used in its
BEVs and plug-in cars.
The other big change since those early
days of FCEVs is the manufacture of the
fuel cell stacks, comprising hundreds of
small fuel cells (the equivalent of battery
cells in a battery pack). One of the hurdles
that had to be overcome was that early on,
stacks had to be hand-assembled, but while
the FCEV story may appear to have gone

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 13

Car salvage sector faces upheaval
Various factors have created growth but also problems for scrappers and repairers
R
ising used car prices are
pushing those that would
have previously been
written off or scrapped
back onto the roads, with many
vehicles being repaired by
insurers rather than crushed
– and this has left the salvage
sector searching for aid.
As a direct result of reduced
new car supply and sluggish
registrations, bangers that
would normally be destined
for the crusher are now worth
more than scrappers had
previously been willing to
pay, meaning many cars are
getting a second chance.
Covid has also contributed
to the shortage of scrap cars:
fewer cars being driven during
the lockdowns meant fewer
were crashed and scrapped.
And the consequences of the
pandemic linger on, with far
fewer vehicles being written
off today than were written
off before the virus struck.
As a result, the demand
for the recyclable parts and
precious metals they contain
has bumped prices of those
cars fit only for the crusher
More cars are being
diverted from the
crusher to the road
14 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
from around £50 three years
ago to about £350 today –
but this is still seemingly not
enough to tempt insurers
and owners to write off
their damaged cars.
In the UK, there are around
2000 officially licensed End
of Life Authorised Treatment
Facilities (ATFs) – government-
certified scrap merchants
that can issue Certificates
of Destruction as they meet
current environmental
standards. Some reclaim
vehicle parts for resale, while
others separate out the various
metals for recycling.
Both face competition from
what the Vehicle Recyclers’
Association (VRA), the body
representing ATFs, estimates
to be at least 3000 illegal car-
breaking operations that,
❝ technical information.
Despite its difficulties, the
industry’s value has perhaps
doubled in the past five years
❞ out of what
by ignoring the regulations, can
undercut them.
Of the approximately 1.75
million cars scrapped each year
in the UK, around 500,000
bypass legal processing and
disposal this way.
That these operators
exist has partly been blamed
on cutbacks in government
and council enforcement.
“Since 2008, enforcement
has deteriorated and is
virtually non-existent,” said
Chas Ambrose, association
secretary of the VRA. “A lot
of legitimate businesses are
letting their licences go and
crossing the line. Enforcement
departments have never
recovered from austerity.”
Faced with higher prices
for scrap vehicles, a vital
revenue stream for ATFs
is the sale of salvaged parts it calls the “competitive
to trade and retail customers. arena” and classifying them
However, even here they are as “captive parts” available
facing challenges, not least only from them.
in the way some car makers In addition, it said, car
restrict access to vital parts’ makers are designing systems
identification data, despite to exclude independent
the Motor Vehicle Block repairers in order to “gain
Exemption, an EU law retained monopoly powers over key
by the UK post-Brexit, imposed areas, including ADAS [active
to remove these barriers. safety] and EV systems”.
UK AFCAR, an organisation The consequences of these
comprising motor trade actions are being felt by ATFs,
associations, breakdown according to Ambrose.
assistance firms and He said: “Block exemption
car retailers, as well as hasn’t worked. For example,
representatives of the manufacturers put microchips
SMMT, is among those in parts that make reselling
reviewing the current law a component that has
ahead of its revision this year. been salvaged from a
It claimed that car makers vehicle extremely difficult
and their dealers are “stifling” without the necessary
competition by restricting technical information, which
access to tier-one parts manufacturers control.”
suppliers as well as to vital Another problem ATFs face,
said Ambrose, is accessing
At the same time, it
said, car makers
detailed parts data,
without which they
are taking
increasing
235,000
can’t accurately
identify salvaged
numbers of
spare parts
Quantity in tonnes of EV
battery material predicted
parts for resale.
“Some
to be recycled in the UK
manufacturers
annually by 2040.
Source: Advanced
Propulsion

P L A N S F O R E N D - O F - L I F E E V S U P P LY C H A I N
End-of-life EVs are destined
to be highly sought-after
by End of Life Authorised
Treatment Facilities. In
anticipation of the roughly
two million end-of-life EVs
that the industry expects to
receive annually by 2045,
EMR, a major recycling
group, has partnered with an
organisation called Recovas
won’t release the data,
meaning the recycled part is
almost impossible to sell,” he
said. “They try to suppress
sales of second-hand parts this
way, because they’re a major
threat to them. It’s frustrating,
because the demand for
cheaper parts has increased
hugely in the past three years.”
Responding to these claims,
SMMT boss Mike Hawes said:
“Competition benefits the
industry and the consumer,
which is why the SMMT and our
broad membership are working
closely with government
A MAJOR NEW CUSTOMER
Fresh demand for the services of End of Life Authorised Treatment Facilities is expected to come
from an unlikely quarter in the shape of Stellantis. The car-making giant has announced plans to
extend the life of its ICE cars by refurbishing them using parts recovered from end-of-life vehicles.
to develop an end-of-life-EV
supply chain for the industry.
Roger Morton, managing
director of technology and
innovation at EMR, said: “Our
aim is to create a circular
supply chain for batteries and,
in the process, reduce the cost
for end-of-life disposal for the
vehicle manufacturer or last
owner of the car to zero.
and the
Competition
and Markets
95%
Percentage of vehicle
by weight going through
Authority to
car makers’ end-of-life
ensure future
takeback networks
regulation
for recycling.
reflects the
Source: SMMT
complex and
varied nature of the
sector and addresses the
rapid changes to technology
and market behaviour.”
Thankfully, it’s not all
doom and gloom for ATFs. For
example, demand for metals
is rising, while the value of the
industry itself has increased.
“By working in partnership
with the Recovas consortium,
EV manufacturers will
develop simple design
changes that greatly
improve the potential to
remanufacture, reuse or
recycle their batteries at
end of life. This will help to
transform the economics
of the EV market.”
Recycling batteries
from end-of-life EVs
will be big business
“Price
trends are
cyclical, but
at present
demand is
increasing,”
said Ambrose.
“There’s so much
value in end-of-life
vehicles now. A lot of the
big recyclers have invested
huge sums in computerisation,
IT systems and warehousing.
Despite its difficulties, the
industry’s value has perhaps
doubled in the past five years.”
JOHN EVANS
Extending life of
cars is important
for sustainability
Jim Holder
I N S I D E I N F O R M AT I O N
Has Musk taken his
eye off Tesla since
acquiring Twitter?
A DISTRACTED CEO,
plummeting stock
values, a raft of fines
and investigations relating
to performance claims,
and parts and delivery
issues. Yet potentially
none of these things is
the biggest issue facing
Tesla as it heads into 2023.
Yes, Elon Musk’s
purchase of and subsequent
distraction by Twitter is an
ongoing issue. How much
capacity can one man
have for running mega-
businesses, and how much
damage will he do to his
other brands as he uses his
own platform to expose his
version of a functioning and
fair media outlet? Certainly
some customers’ loyalty is
being tested.
So too Tesla’s share price
fell a staggering 65% last
year, in the process making
Musk the first man to have
lost $2bn (£1.7bn) in wealth
– and losing him the title of
world’s richest person.
Some are calling it
a correction, a result
of the markets finally
seeing through some of
the stardust and more
accurately pricing Tesla
according to its potential,
but some worry that without
that stardust, the firm’s
momentum will falter.
Regulatory wrist-slaps
are nothing new for Tesla,
but they’re gathering pace.
Most recently, it was landed
with a £1.8 million fine in
Korea for overstating range
in low temperatures, but
the queue of investigations
into everything from what
defines self-driving through
to the charging speed of its
Superchargers is mounting.
Parts shortages and
logistical issues are hardly
unique in the car industry
NEWS
at present, but Tesla’s most
recent set of quarterly
results were nevertheless a
disappointment. Where it
had seemingly been able to
ride out many of the issues
facing the wider industry
(something for which it
deserves enormous credit),
it finally ran out of room.
Producing 1.3 million
EVs (up 40% year on year)
continued its remarkable
run in many regards but
fell short of projections.
However, within
last quarter’s results is a
potentially far bigger crisis.
Tesla produced about 34,000
more cars than it delivered.
It blamed Covid and
logistical issues, but could
it be that the company has
finally reached the point
where supply is greater
than demand? Certainly
some of the discounts it’s
offering through its Chinese
online stores suggest so.
Having more production
capacity than customers is
a first for Tesla, and likely to
be magnified as the global
recession grips harder, tax
breaks for premium EVs
retract and buyers become
more keenly aware of the
more toxic associations
sticking to the brand.
Tesla’s achievements to
date are remarkable, but
what if its momentum really
is facing reality? Only fools
bet against Musk and Tesla,
but even given its colourful
history, this could be its
biggest setback yet.
Discounting hints at
desperation (in one key
market at least), but as a
firm that has famously
never had to do marketing
GETTY IMAGES
or much PR, Tesla finds
itself with remarkably little
weaponry in its armoury
to stimulate demand.
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 15
 Volvo’s focus on ‘digital seatbelt’
Techie CEO bets on code and chips to enhance safety; aims to win younger buyers

V
olvo CEO Jim Rowan has
said the car maker’s in-
house next-generation
software will be its
“three-point digital seatbelt”
in driving future product
and safety innovations.
The Briton was a surprise
choice to replace Håkan
Samuelsson at the Swedish
firm in March last year, given
all of his previous experience
had been in the tech industry,
most recently at Dyson.
Speaking to Autocar for the
first time, he said he wants the
EX90 – Volvo’s new flagship
and first bespoke EV – to lead
the automotive industry’s
technological charge.
The £96,255 SUV – which
is also key to Volvo’s target
of selling 1.2 million cars
(600,000 EVs) per year
by 2025 – is described as a
“software-driven” vehicle.
Thanks to a range of
advanced sensors and
technology, including the
first lidar system Nvidia Odin chip that
Volvo
fitted as standard can do 254 trillion
on a production
claims that
operations per
JIM ROWAN’S KEY CHALLENGES
lidar can reduce
car, it is claimed second (TOPS). Volvo EX90 launch
the number of
to eventually This compares with The new electric flagship
serious accidents
be capable of about one TOPS for SUV has been revealed with
by around
“unsupervised automotive chips a a dual-motor powertrain
20%.
driving”. decade ago. priced from £96,255, but
According to Rowan, “The software stack, deliveries aren’t due until
the EX90 showcases how connecting the silicon to the 2024. Volvo is working on
Volvo will work with partner application layer, is the part lower-powered versions
firms but keep development we really care about,” said and lesser trim levels,
of key technology in-house. Rowan. “That for us is the potentially including with Volvo pushing further
“Auto companies are three-point digital seatbelt. five-seat cars. Expect into the premium market.
starting to understand “We have a team of prices for those to start
next-generation silicon more than 700 people who at around £75,000. The future of saloons
and its importance in write the perception and The firm has now launched
design,” he said. sensor fusion software. three electric SUVs: the
The EX90’s “application In other cases, firms have XC40 Recharge, C40
layer” – meaning the lidar, outsourced that, but we Recharge and EX90. A
radar, camera and other think it’s absolutely core, smaller ‘EX30’ will follow
sensors – is powered by an so we’ve kept it in house.” in 2024. But it has yet to
indicate plans for electric
❝ saloon or estate models.
The EX90 uses a chip that can do Growth Sustainability
254 trillion operations per second Volvo sold 483,304 cars
in the first 10 months of
Volvo has a goal to make
its production facilities
❞ last year, 15% of which
were EVs. The 2025 goal
carbon-neutral and to
reduce the life-cycle CO2
is 1.2 million, 50% of them emissions of each car
electric. That will require by 40% compared with
a major effort – especially 2018 levels by 2025.

Rowan said that Volvo That forthcoming urban-

“won’t become slaves to
having 40 different models”
but will “look after the
demographics that we
think make sense”.
He continued: “We have
customers who require
different vehicles [and]
different uses for vehicles.
We will try to capture as
much of that as we can.”
Key to this will be next-
generation EV platforms.
The EX90 uses the new
SPA2 architecture, while an
upcoming compact crossover
that Volvo will reveal next
year (tipped to be named the
EX30) is likely to sit on the
SEA platform for smaller cars.
focused electric crossover
will be key to Volvo’s push to
reach younger, Generation Z
buyers – a demographic that
Rowan said “we’ve never
really spoken to before”.
The demographic is also
behind Volvo’s foray into
subscription sales.
Rowan explained:
“If you bring a small
SUV that’s competitively
priced, with subscription-
based ownership that you
offer for three months,
at a reasonably low cost,
they won’t even go to the
dealership, they will buy
online. I guarantee that.”
JAMES ATTWOOD

IMAGE

Rowan is applying his

tech know-how to the ‘EX30’ small electric SUV is meant to appeal to Gen Z drivers
future-facing EX90

16 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


THE
NOTEBOOK
TO bZ3 OR NOT TO bZ3
The new Toyota bZ3 is an
attractive, high-tech rival
to the Tesla Model 3 using
radical long-range battery
tech from BYD – but it’s not
coming to the UK. Or is it?
Asked about it, product boss
Andrea Carlucci said: “Stay
tuned.” With the similarly
conceived Hyundai Ioniq 6,
Nio ET5 and Volkswagen
ID 7 due this year, perhaps
Toyota could be persuaded
to join the reinvigorated
saloon segment.
SIMPLY THE BEST
“I knew [when] coming to
Renault that Dacia was a
big success,” said Renault
engineering boss Gilles Le
Borgne. “But when I saw
the numbers, I said: ‘Come
on!’ It’s a unique regime
with frugal engineering,
high volume, a good
manufacturing footprint,
very clever go-to-market
appeal, no rebates and
improved design. It’s a hit.”
CAT’S OUT OF THE BAG
You might assume that
Chinese EV brand Ora’s
feline-themed model names
were chosen to tie in with its
cute and soft brand image,
or perhaps playing to the
online generations’ shared
obsession with funny cat
videos. But apparently
it actually comes from a
famous quote by former
Communist Party leader
Deng Xiaoping: “No matter
if it is a white cat or a black
cat, as long as it can catch
mice, it is a good cat.”
Matt Prior
here’s a criticism levelled at
T concept cars. Imagine, say,
going to a hi-fi show where
a major electronics maker
displays a stereo that can not only play
music but also make you tea, clean the
floor and do your kids’ homework. It
will arrive in three years’ time, you’re
told, only when it does, it won’t brew,
sweep or write. A little frustrating.
As such, Tesla boss Elon Musk once
labelled concepts “lame” – although
given that in 2017 he claimed the new
Roadster would be available in 2020,
do take his critique with whatever
seriousness you deem appropriate.
So to the BMW i Vision Dee concept,
which will have been confounding
the ‘i’ component of commentators’
autocorrect functions since it was
unveiled last week at the Consumer
Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
There’s some blah we have to sift
through, of course: the “next level of
human-machine interaction” stuff,
plus the window glass designed to
display messages and digital avatars,
Japanese kei spec
looks fantastic on
Caterham Seven
TESTER’S NOTES
Gadzooks! It has pleasing proportions, clean
lines, dinky overhangs and a horizontal grille
and the fact that its paint changes
colour, because it’s a concept.
But beyond all that is a car that’s a
radical departure for modern BMW.
Because while it has some details that
will presumably be overlooked by the
time it reaches production, this is, to
my eyes, a good-looking new BMW.
Gadzooks! It has pleasing proportions,
clean lines, dinky overhangs and a
horizontally stretched front grille.
It’s based on BMW’s upcoming Neue
Klasse platform, reviving the name of
saloons and coupés that it made in the
1960s and 1970s, themselves compact
and big-windowed, predominantly
with notable lateral slats at the front
to accompany the vertical dual grille.
It was successful then and is now.
In customer surveys, design is
always named high on the list of why
people choose the cars they drive.
BMW says that aesthetically it’s not
out to please everyone. A polarising
design is fine if, while alienating one
group of people, there’s an opposing
faction for whom nothing else will do.
But is there a coterie who see an iX and
feel they absolutely must drive a car
with the proportions of a manatee?
There’s distinctly less that’s overtly
upsetting about the Dee, and yet I
can imagine a bigger group of people
wanting one because it has a great
stance, whether or not it can make tea.
NEWS
i Vision Dee could
hardly be any more
different to the iX
❝
❞
n The Japanese edition of Autocar
ran a first drive of the new Caterham
Seven 170 at the end of last month.
Caterhams are popular in Japan, and
the little Suzuki-engined Seven was
designed predominantly for export,
specifically developed to comply with
Japan’s famous kei car regulations. It
even has a narrower track and wings
than normal Caterhams to meet the
miniature footprint requirements.
The test car appeared in a typically
minimalist Japanese specification,
with bare bodywork, an aero wind
deflector rather than a screen and the
carbonfibre accessories – wings, nose
and seats – that take the weight down
to 440kg. And even though the 170 isn’t
my favourite Seven derivative, I’ve
seldom wanted a Caterham more.
Our Steve Cropley has a worse
affliction than me when it comes to
wasting time on car configurators,
but with some minutes to kill, I came
up with a modestly but perfectly
enhanced 170 that offers change
from £30,000. As someone perennially
surprised by how expensive modern
cars are, I don’t know how you would
get more new-car fun for less.
GET IN TOUCH
✉ matthew.prior@haymarket.com
@matty_prior
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 17
 Date: 09.Sep 2022 08:43:51

M Y W E E K
IN C A R S
ro
Steve C ior p l e y
&M a tt Pr
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Steve Cropley
Tevo’s latest
Model 3 mods
really appeal
MONDAY
A big discussion point among my friends
over Christmas concerned what new names
manufacturers can apply to tomorrow’s cars,
given that all the traditional bird/wind/weapon/
city/animal/explosion handles have been picked
clean and that the ‘LxV62R’ solution (currently
espoused by the likes of Toyota) is no better
than a passport to confusion.
What stopped me in my tracks was the strong
and consistent case made by one pal for the
likes of Ora Funky Cat, which I had previously
derided for a disastrous lack of gravitas. My
friend’s point was that this name totally avoids
the built-in confusion of others, leaves no doubt
about modernity and opens a whole new seam
of name supply.
My remaining Funky Cat problem concerns
how such new-think labels will play with people
who don’t know cars and will just think them
weird. I guess that’s a problem we will just
have to get over.
TUESDAY
My preoccupation with replacing the redundant
family Volkswagen California camper van with
an electric car received a boost when I linked up
again with John Chambers of Guildford-based
Tevo Solutions, which makes and sells go-faster
bits for Teslas, mainly Model 3s. Last summer,
he lent me a car for an Abingdon sprint, and four
of us in Model 3s beat up most of a 100-car field.
Tevo has started offering a deeply impressive,
semi-active suspension system that uses driver-
adjustable Tractive dampers with Eibach springs
to provide classy body control in all modes.
Chambers has worked hard with Tractive to
fine-tune the offered rates, which vary from
MY WEEK IN CARS
❝ at 1266kg and 1678kg. This isn’t apparent in the
Small EVs with decent range
are among the best cars
❞ wonder whether all this PHEV effort is truly
Comfort to Race. You select what you want from
a neat panel on the fascia. This system, costing
£8500 all in, really brings the Model 3 to life: it’s
composed and quiet on potholed village roads
but offers brilliant body control near the limit. It
struck me as the ideal thing for taming the huge
poke of the still-unique Model 3 Performance.
WEDNESDAY
While writing in this issue about the differences
and similarities of my two long-term Vauxhall
Astras, a 1.2-litre turbo petrol manual and
a 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid automatic (see p62),
I was staggered to discover that their official
kerb weights differ by an extraordinary 30%,
AND ANOTHER THING…
Progress! One public EV charger provider has at last
discovered that customers need weather protection
when it’s bucketing down and they’re trying to feed
their cars with
hundreds of volts.
This new charger
bank from MFG,
just off the M4’s
junction 17, took
a long time to get
going, but it’s the
best I’ve used.
COMMENT
Renault Zoe was
perfect Christmas
sled for Cropley
way they steer or brake, surely a compliment
to the engineers who configured them. But for
all the differences in weight, complexity and
purchase price, in identical conditions both
deliver an average of 54-56mpg. It makes me
worthwhile – and whether the law makers
who have done so much to encourage it have
noticed such modest results.
THURSDAY
There were plenty of cars to drive at our
place over Christmas, but mostly I found
myself behind the wheel of a Renault Zoe, the
pioneering electric supermini that has been
around for a decade and is only now being
challenged by decent rivals. The truth is that
if we were to run a comparison against rivals,
the Zoe might not come top, but there’s
something particularly mature and well
sorted about this sweet-driving little car that
comes of having been built and improved
across three or four iterations.
It’s always the same with easy-to-use EVs: when
the car arrives, it’s billed as a second car but
pretty soon it becomes the first choice, the one
everyone slips into just to nip to the post office,
while the gleaming and expensive household
SUV only gets used for trips to Scotland.
Small EVs with a decent range are among the
hardest cars to build and profitably sell, says
the industry. But for us consumers, they’re the
best for both convenience and driving fun.
GET IN TOUCH
✉ steve.cropley@haymarket.com @stvcr
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 19
 Date: 05.Jan 2023 13:58:50

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M OTO R S P O RT Damien Smith
TRANSFER WINDOW FLIES OPEN
Time to analyse Formula 1’s team management merry-go-round
mid the flurries
A of pre-Christmas
snow, a blizzard
blew through
Formula 1 as four of the 10
teams announced changes
at the top. Ferrari, McLaren
and Alfa Romeo (which will
become Audi in 2026) head
into the new year with fresh
team principals while, as I
write, exactly who will lead
the ranks at an increasingly
sorry-looking Williams is
shrouded in a blanket of
midwinter fog.
Parallels to a football
mentality on managers
are easy to draw. It wasn’t
like this when F1 teams
were owned and run by
men of steel such as Colin
Chapman and Sir Frank
Williams. Now those at
the helms of increasingly
corporate entities tend
to be mere employees,
and in a results-driven
business, it’s all too easy
for them to cop the flak
and pay the price when
performances fall short.
Driver transfers are only
half the story now – just as
player transfers are in the
beautiful game. Although
22 AUTOCAR.CO.UK XX MONTH 2016
R AC I N G L I N E S
for one of them, the recent
shuffling of the pieces
might carry particular
resonance. Lando Norris
could be described as F1’s
Jude Bellingham. Both are
phenomenal young talents
with the world at their feet.
But while Bellingham will
face a wide choice of clubs
vying for his services after
shining at the World Cup,
Norris is tied until 2025
to McLaren, a team that
has fallen way short of
providing him the winning
car that he deserves. Will
he negotiate a transfer? If
so, when? And who will
come in for him?
THE BIGGEST JOB
As expected, Frédéric
Vasseur has switched from
Alfa Romeo to don the
Ferrari blazer after Mattia
Binotto’s ‘resignation’. The
Frenchman is well regarded
for his years of success on
Those at the helm increasingly
tend to be mere employees
the nursery slopes, running
the likes of Lewis Hamilton
in GP2 (now Formula 2) at
ART. His stock rose during
a brief spell at Renault and
then at Sauber (competing
since 2019 as Alfa Romeo),
and now he has the biggest
management job in racing.
Like Jean Todt in 1993,
Vasseur is an outsider
coming in, but he has
a crucial advantage: his
predecessor has already
completed the hard yards by
masterminding a return to
form with a quick car. Now
the new boss must inspire
the missing confidence and
strategic edge shown by Red
Bull and Mercedes-AMG.
Winning becomes a
natural habit for the best
teams, but Vasseur has
yet to taste even a single
F1 victory himself. As in
football, patience will
run thin and quickly if he
doesn’t deliver. But will he
❝ midfield mediocrity. But is
❞ territory it occupied a few
McLaren team boss
has left to work on
Audi’s 2026 entry
be given the time that he
needs? If not, he will go the
same way as Binotto.
S E I D L B E TS O N AU D I
Andreas Seidl built a
towering reputation in his
three and a half years at
McLaren, but it’s telling that
the former Porsche World
Endurance Championship
team chief has chosen to
return to the bosom of
the Volkswagen Group by
heading to Sauber now
rather than stick with
the plan in Woking.
The chance to lead a
car-making giant into the
premier league that it has
long avoided is tantalising
for a German engineer
of increasing repute,
especially in comparison
to what he leaves behind.
McLaren is banking on
a new wind tunnel and
simulator that aren’t yet
operational to make the
performance leap from
this team really a sleeping
giant or merely a dinosaur
that could still slip into the
humiliating backmarker

short years ago beside old
foe Williams? Seidl’s career
choice suggests he came to
his own conclusion on that
one. He has been replaced
by an internal appointment,
Andrea Stella, another
well-regarded engineer
and a safe pair of hands.
A penny for Norris’s true
thoughts on the loss of Seidl,
then. “Best of luck mate, I’m
sure I’ll see you around,”
he posted on social media
when the Sauber/Audi move
was announced.
Might they work together
again one day? Alternative
options can’t be ruled
out. A seat beside Max
Verstappen at Red Bull
would be just the sort of
make-or-break test that top
drivers relish, while the
dynamics of such a potent
line-up represents box-
office gold for F1 as a whole.
What about Mercedes?
The first question there is
how long Hamilton, now
38, will maintain his form
and hunger. Ferrari? That
probably rides on Charles
Leclerc keeping faith under
his old friend Vasseur. So
Audi… We know it tackles
any motorsport campaign
with full commitment,
and it has the time and
means to be competitive,
especially if Seidl recruits
well. A reunion with his
former boss might well
be Norris’s most logical
option to properly unlock
the potential that is frankly
going to waste right now.
As for Bellingham, his next
move will be a big one. In
fact, it might well define his
career as good or great.
U N C E R TA I N T Y
AT W I L L I A M S
In contrast to the other
three teams facing twists
at the top, Williams lost its
leader without a successor
to slide immediately into
place. Like others with
heavyweight backgrounds
in the wider automotive
industry, Jost Capito was
MOTORSPORT
GOOD WEEK
TOP Land’s End to John O’Groats Reliability Trial
STEP
Stunning views were
perhaps some solace
for the five retirees
W O R L D R A L LY
CHAMPIONSHIP
Hooray! M-Sport Ford has
bucked its own pessimism,
signing Hyundai departee
Ott Tänak to lead its charge TOP STEP
in 2023. Cue the promise
of a titanic fight against
Toyota Gazoo’s young
champion, Kalle Rovanperä.
BAD WEEK
TRADITIONAL
R AC E V E N U E S
Qatar will replace Sebring
as the host of the World
Endurance Championship
opener in 2024, while
Saudi Arabia will do the
same in F1 at the expense
of Australia. It’s the way of
the racing world these days.
WHAT A WAY to finish the A total of 1300 miles were with the fewest penalty points
endurance rallying season. logged over five days, made up incurred, including six golds.
much less convincing in the Hero-Era’s annual Land’s End of 33 regularity stages and 17 Stephen Owens took home
F1 spotlight. Accounts of the to John O’Groats Reliability tests, with the final legs being the Hero Cup for his season’s
ex-Volkswagen executive’s Trial for Historic and Classic held over 26 hours – with just efforts, having finished second
leadership at Williams vary, Cars (better known as LeJog) a two-hour break in between. five times, while Pete Johnson
but the outcome was the once again proved how some The route this time ran up was crowned the Golden
same: Williams is bottom of classic car enthusiasts are a our island’s west side, past the Roamer, or top navigator.
the constructors’ table with glutton for punishment, as gateway to the Scottish islands Hero-Era’s 2023 season
no obvious handholds for an international cast of crews and across the rugged terrain will begin on 5 February with
the climb it faces. Private completed a gruelling schedule of the northern Highlands. the Winter Challenge to Monte
investment firm Dorilton to make it to from the bottom of Twelve medals were awarded Carlo, the first of 16 events that
Capital is in charge, and England to the top of Scotland. for the best runs completed the organiser will hold this year.
such companies tend to
have other priorities beyond Massive variety of
heartwarming sporting pre-1991 cars are
achievement. Quite what eligible for entry
comes next and for the long
term has to be of concern
for this fallen giant.
But for now, there’s a 2023
season to prepare for. The
opening race is less than
two months away, and the
current white-heat intensity
of preparation at each team
will shape the year ahead.
As for the new chiefs, time to
settle in and get up to speed
is an unknown luxury. F1
life is led at a sprint, even
in the bleak midwinter. KEN BLOCK 1967-2023
Ken Block, famed for his outlandish Gymkhana video series, died last
week in a snowmobile accident in Utah, US, aged 55. The American
became a key figure in the burgeoning action sports scene by co-
founding DC Shoes in 1994, and after selling up in 2004 pursued his
passion for motorsport, founding Hoonigan Industries and going
rallying. Meanwhile, he raised his profile with his series of increasingly
bold videos, which featured him and his friends performing stunts in
an increasingly diverse range of highly tuned cars and a wide variety of locations. This resulting
fame, along with high-profile sponsorship, helped Block to further pursue his passion by
competing in WRC events. He struggled to make an impression against the aces but was thrilled
just to be part of the pinnacle. Later he switched his focus to rallycross, putting in creditable
showings in the WRX. All the while, he continued with his videos. The last one, released in 2022,
showed Block driving his new Audi Sport-prepared S1 Hoonitron EV. Block’s fame was far bigger
BLUE PASSION
than his motorsport record suggests, but he competed for the love of it, and his efforts and
Jost Capito wasn’t
commitment drew in new fans who otherwise never would have watched rallying. To boot,
the saviour Williams
he was pivotal in setting a new direction for online video, now a vast and significant field.
so desperately needs
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23
F I R ST D R I V E S N E W C A R S T E ST E D A N D R AT E D

TESTED VALLELUNGA, ITALY ON SALE SOLD OUT PRICE £2,301,965

PAGANI HUAYRA R
Hypercar artisan extraordinaire makes a fully committed entry into track-only
machinery, this Huayra R sharing practically nothing with the Huayra
24 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
 t’s no exaggeration to say
that the Pagani Huayra R
might be the most gloriously
unnecessary car in the world.
The Italian company’s previous
creations are hardly likely to be
used as daily drivers, but at least
they can be used on public roads.
The Huayra R is both a track-only
special and a piece of automotive
art, a hypercar that feels frankly
too beautiful to be risked in the
environment it’s designed for.
Its otherworldliness is
quickly proved when I arrive at
the Vallelunga circuit near Rome
in a rented Fiat Panda. The first
thing I hear is what seems to be
an old V12 Formula 1 race car on
track, a howling, yowling exhaust
note echoing around the empty
grandstands. Are we sharing
the track with a Ferrari 412 T2?
Leaning over the pitwall reveals
that the noise is actually coming
from the Pagani factory’s 
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 25
 Usual artisanal detailing overload has been swapped for racing cockpit replica

 Huayra R demonstrator, at a Despite integral air jacks to make Performance is predictably on this track not long ago, and
volume that will surely exceed the wheel changing easier, and which massive, but so is your sense of that felt edgy even when riding
limits at almost every track in the drop me excitingly as the engine is security once the slick tyres have on what the mechanics admitted
world. Apparently there is a quieter fired into life, getting rolling is easy, warmed through, with adjustable were gentleman racer’s suspension
exhaust option, but Pagani has been thanks to an anti-stall system and anti-lock braking and traction settings. The Huayra R feels more
allowed to come to Vallelunga with an electrically controlled clutch. control standing guard. solid, less frenetic on turn-in and
what are basically straight pipes. But the end of the pit lane brings a Although toweringly fast, the much more tolerant of mistakes.
Despite its name, the Huayra R sensory overload as the V12 starts to Huayra R is much less savage and It’s much happier over kerbs, too;
has almost nothing in common work. The exhaust note is glorious unforgiving than a true GT racer. I suspect it would cope well with
with any of the previous road-legal but almost uncomfortably loud, even By happy coincidence, I drove a a bumpier track. As speeds rise,
Huayra variants. The only shared through the padding of a helmet. Lamborghini Huracán Trofeo Evo the Huayra R’s huge rear wing
components are the door mirrors.
It sits on an ultra-light carbonfibre
frame built to satisfy FIA safety
standards (although there are no
plans to race it) plus a structural
naturally aspirated V12 engine
❝
Although toweringly fast,
made in Germany by HWA, that
being the former part of AMG that
Mercedes-Benz didn’t acquire.
Horacio Pagani insisted on a
it’s much less savage and
switch from the twin-turbocharged
V12 of the regular Huayra to reduce
unforgiving than a GT racer
mass and improve responses, but
the new 6.0-litre unit still makes
838bhp and revs to 9000rpm. It
drives the rear wheels through
❞
a Hewland dog-ring transmission.
It also needs to propel just 1050kg
of dry mass. So let’s call it around
1200kg with fluids and an
average-size driver.
The Huayra R is a track car but
definitely not a race car. That’s true
dynamically, with it giving you
a friendlier driving experience
than a real competition machine
would, and also because of the
dazzling high standards of fit and
finish that Horacio Pagani insists
on for all his cars. That applies to
not just the bits on show, including
optional naked carbonfibre
bodywork and beautiful yoke-type
steering wheel, but also to normally
invisible components, from milled
suspension arms to tiny bolts with Rate at which you slam up the ’box is incredible and accompanied by a spine-tingling scream
‘Pagani’ engraved on their heads.

26 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


Driving experience isn’t as hardcore as expected, but you’d still better hit the gym beforehand
and diffuser also start to add to
the sense of stability. With the
wing in its highest downforce
setting, the car can generate
1000kg of downforce at its top
speed of 200mph.
The biggest challenge with
getting the most out of the Huayra R
is a common one for track specials:
the need to bring the levels of
physical strength necessary to deal
with the high g-force loadings it can
generate. I don’t think it’s unfair
to suspect that those capable of
paying the seven-figure price but
not wanting to actually go racing
might not possess motorsport levels
of endurance. My neck muscles
were starting to fade after five laps,
although the car showed no signs
of wilting, the massively powerful
carbon-ceramic brakes still hauling
off huge speeds without complaint.
Let’s be honest, though: the
Huayra R isn’t just about driving.
An owner won’t even need to leave
the pit lane of a high-end track day
to be the most envied person there.
Horacio Pagani admits that he
was uncertain about the reception
a track-only car would receive,
the Huayra R being such a radical
departure from its road-going
predecessors. He didn’t need to
worry: the full allocation of 30
examples has been sold, despite a
FIRST DRIVES
TESTER’S NOTE
The new HWA V12 is
claimed to weigh just
198kg, meaning it’s
54kg less than the
less powerful AMG
twin-turbo V12 in the
road-legal Huayra
Roadster BC. MD
price tag that starts at €2.6 million
(£2.3m) before taxes or any of the
bespoke options that pretty much
every buyer has opted for.
That’s an amount of money that
could pay for multiple seasons in
a real race car, but the Huayra R
is still one of the most spectacular
machines to ever grace a track. If
you ever get the chance to see one
in action, more especially to hear
it, you should jump at the chance.
MIKE DUFF
PAGANI HUAYRA R
Closer to art than to motorsport, but
that’s praise rather than criticism,
considering its target market
AAAAB
Price €2,600,000 (£2,301,965)
plus taxes
Engine V12, 5998cc, petrol
Power 838bhp at 8250rpm
Torque 550lb ft at 5500rpm
Gearbox 6-spd sequential, RWD
Dry weight 1050kg
0-60mph Less than 3.0sec
Top speed 200mph
Economy na
CO2, tax band na
RIVALS Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR
Pro, Lamborghini Essenza
SCV12, McLaren Solus GT
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 27
 TESTER’S NOTE
The boot hinges about
halfway up the back,
not up by the roof, and
has a metal top rather
than a parcel shelf.
The rival Nio ET5’s
hatch design is a lot
more practical. MA

TESTED 7.12.22, SHANGHAI, CHINA ON SALE NOVEMBER (UK )

ORA LIGHTNING CAT

Chinese maker of quirky electric cars introduces us to another of its feline friends

W
ith the Funky Cat now plastics and microfibre, and it all ‘floating’ centre console are easily The Lightning Cat’s sporty
on sale in Europe and the seems generally well put together. accessible. There’s also a slot for front seats are noticeably lower
UK, Ora is no longer totally Also very good are the physical wireless phone charging, along with, than its back seats, and the front
unknown outside of China. switches and dials on the centre oddly, a sole cupholder. In a nice passenger’s doesn’t adjust for
The nascent marque, owned by the console for the climate control, touch, the Lightning Cat verbally height. At least they do also
giant Great Wall Motor company, is window demisting and drive modes, reminds you that you’ve left the key get a massage function,
busy expanding its range of electric and for once the USB ports under the in the car or a phone in the charger. heating and cooling.
cars, all of them with feline names.
This latest one, called the Lightning
Cat at home but the Next Cat over
here, is more grown-up than the
MG 4 EV-rivalling Funky Cat, being
a roughly Ford Mondeo-size saloon.
While the Lightning Cat has
quite a distinctive design, there’s
obvious Porsche inspiration and the
headlights look as if they’ve come
straight off a Mini but, ultimately,
the proportions just seem a bit off.
The interior is even more
memorable. Step inside and
you’re shown a start-up sequence of
digital cats, complete with meows,
going across the three instrument
dials and then onto the central
infotainment touchscreen.
The materials are of a good Stretched version of the Funky Cat hatchback or a Panamera that’s eaten too many Christmas treats?
quality with plenty of leather, soft

28 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


❝
The synthetic noise and lack of dynamics leave
you feeling like you’re in a ’90s arcade machine
While the leg room in the rear
❞ Dynamically, it’s incapable of
is reasonable, there’s limited head
space, due to the Lightning Cat’s
sweeping rear lines.
This car is a pure saloon, rather
than a liftback, and given the short
reach of the bootlid, its motor is
rather redundant. There’s a fairly
pronounced sill to get luggage over
and the wheel housings at the sides
feel spongy, but at least the boot is
capacious and you can fold down
the rear seats by pulling straps.
That the floor in the back
isn’t flat, there’s no frunk and
the wheelbase is short for an EV
of this length all show that the
Lightning Cat rides on a converted
ICE car platform – which has the
amusingly apt name of Lemon.
It’s quite happy doing this, but problems arise when you turn the wheel
Interior is an interesting blend of ’50s and modern, and nicely made too
handling the amount of power that
the Lightning Cat has in reserve in
this ‘sporty’ dual-motor guise.
Any cornering at speed creates
considerable front-wheel wallowing
and sometimes leave the tyres
scrabbling for grip. It may be like
lightning in a straight line, but
don’t expect it to continue being
so when confronted by a turn.
Press the overly optimistic
Supersport mode button on the
steering wheel at your peril.
Accompanying all this action
is a synthetic engine noise that,
along with the lack of dynamics,
leaves you feeling like you’re in
a ’90s games arcade machine
minus the feedback.
There aren’t any huge differences
between the Eco, Normal and Sport
drive modes, only really that Eco is
particularly mild-mannered.
In addition, there are Custom
and Goddess modes, the latter
making the steering even lighter,
the acceleration more linear and
the regenerative braking gentler.
You can ramp up the regen, but
after initially being strong, it tails
off considerably at lower speeds
and brings the car only down to
a 5mph coast, never a full stop.
The steering is terribly light
in all of the modes and gives no
feedback, plus the steering wheel
is quite large while also very thin.
In China, Ora seems to be aiming
its Cats at female drivers, but this
one is a rather fickle feline that
struggles to express a personality.
Potential purchasers would be
better off saving some cash by
buying the single-motor version
and driving in a calm manner – or,
a lot better still, buying one of the
many much more lovable electric
cars from the established brands.
MARK ANDREWS
FIRST DRIVES
ORA LIGHTNING CAT PERFORMANCE
Well laid-out interior and generous
specification can’t make up for poor
dynamics or surfeit of power
AACCC
Price ¥282,500 (£33,100)
Engine Two permanent magnet
synchronous motors
Power 201bhp (front), 201bhp (rear)
Torque 251lb ft (front), 251lb ft (rear)
Gearbox 1-spd reduction gear, 4WD
Kerb weight 2115kg
0-62mph 4.3sec
Top speed 112mph
Battery 83kWh
Range, 373 miles (CTLC),
economy 4.0mpkWh
CO2, tax band 0g/km, 2%
RIVALS Polestar 2, Tesla Model 3
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 29
 TESTER’S NOTE
The backlit dash trim
was inspired by the
scenery of Sweden’s
Abisko National Park,
apparently. It is at
least ambient lighting
done a bit differently.
I quite like it. MS
VOLVO C40 RECHARGE
Electric coupé-SUV gains a cheaper, single-motor variant – but blink and you’ll miss it
V
ery few cars better symbolise
how electrification is affecting
car design and opening up the
art of the possible than the
single-motor Volvo C40 Recharge.
Having joined the dual-motor C40
in production midway through last
year, it’s broadly what you would
expect. It costs a bit less, it has one
driven axle rather than two and it
has a slightly smaller battery. But
dig a little deeper and you will find
one key technical point that would
have made a 20th-century product
planner’s eyes roll. While the 2023-
model-year C40 (tested here, having
just joined Volvo UK’s press fleet)
has its motor on its front axle, the
2024-model-year C40 (which you’re
more likely to get if you put down a
deposit today, production being due
to start this summer) will have its
motor on its rear axle instead.
This will yield better cruising
efficiency and a useful torque gain –
and make this C40 the first car in my
two decades of experience to switch
layout midway through its life cycle.
C40’s ride takes priority over dynamism; it has an interior ambience to match
30 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
TESTED 4.1.23, WARWICKSHIRE ON SALE NOW
And now we can say with some
confidence how few customers are
likely to notice. This is a car with
many Volvo-typical strengths but
an unlikely one to be a choice for
anyone comparing EV rivals on
paper. It doesn’t invite much driver
engagement. Its performance and
handling are of the kind for which
adjectives like ‘fine’ and ‘okay’ could
have been coined. But it’s comfy,
quiet, pleasant, well equipped,
reasonably practical and, as it’s quite
compact, fairly easy to manoeuvre.
The C40 is the ‘coupé’ sister of the
XC40 SUV. I’ve often been stuck to
find rational reasons why someone
might buy such a car, but the age
of the EV is making it easier. Volvo
says the single-motor C40 can go
4% farther on the motorway than
the equivalent XC40, thanks to its
more aerodynamic design, which
the lab tests confirm. It’s not much,
especially on a car that declined to
ever promise more than 180 miles
on a full charge, but where range is
concerned, more is definitely more.
Unfortunately for Volvo, several
rivals offer more battery capacity
for similar money and would more
dependably carry you 200 miles or
so whatever the weather.
The C40 has plenty of accessible
acceleration. It doesn’t feel hyper-
sensitive to throttle inputs, nor
does it flood its front wheels with
so much torque as to trouble the
traction control or bring on much
steering corruption. Rather, it’s easy
to drive and assured of character.
Yet even around the national speed
limit it has plenty of overtaking
urge; and at low speeds, while the
regenerative braking and pedal feel
can be a bit inconsistent, it isn’t hard
to drive smoothly with practice.
Grip, agility and body control
combine to conjure the air of
maturity and measure that you
would expect of a Volvo. Ride
comfort is typically good too, with
plenty of suppleness out of town
but little pitching or wallowing and
just a bit of surface roar from the
19in wheels on coarser surfaces.
Rear space is a little below the
class average but still sufficient for
growing kids or smaller adults.
The boot is a good size and well
furnished with hooks and the like.
Material quality feels quite high
inside, while the digital technology
is clearly presented, simple in
theme and easy enough to navigate.
This is the kind of EV to be used
and lived with, then – not noticed,
enjoyed or often remarked upon.
It really ought to offer better range,
and the 2024 version will, of course.
But if there’s any reason to hold on
for the rear-motor version, I would
guess that might be the only one.
MATT SAUNDERS
@thedarkstormy1
VOLVO C40 RECHARGE PLUS
An appealing blend of compactness,
practicality and relaxing character,
but its range really should be longer
AAABC
Price £53,100
Engine Permanent magnet
synchronous motor
Power 228bhp
Torque 243lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction gear, FWD
Kerb weight 1970kg
0-62mph 7.4sec
Top speed 99mph
Battery 69/67kWh (total/usable)
Range, 270 miles,
economy 3.1-3.5mpkWh
CO2, tax band 0g/km, 2%
RIVALS Audi Q4 E-tron Sportback,
Nissan Ariya, VW ID 5
 FIRST DRIVES
TESTED 15.10.22, SUSSEX ON SALE NOW

LMC MKII FIA

If it looks like a Cobra and behaves like a Cobra, it must be a Cobra, right? Not quite…

D
on’t even think the C-word.
The LMC MKII FIA isn’t an
AC/Shelby Cobra, regardless
of what your eyes are telling
you. This puts it in fine company,
the Cobra being one of the most
copied cars in history, with rival
rights holders having sued at points
over official status. But although
this car – sold by Le Mans Coupes
of West Sussex – isn’t a sanctioned
continuation, it offers a very similar
driving experience to the original.
The Cobra was born from the
marriage of light British bodywork
and brutal American power, but it
had to evolve throughout its life as
it struggled to stay competitive on
track, which is why LMC offers cars
corresponding with different eras.
You can buy a replica of the early
‘slab-side’ car, a MKIII to represent
the late ‘427’ or indeed the MKII FIA,
which fits between these extremes,
representing what’s often called the
‘289’, with ‘FIA’ referring to changes
made for race homologation.
So although it’s wider and more
muscular than the original, with a
sizeable bonnet vent, the MKII FIA
sits on the earlier 3in tubular-frame
chassis and uses transverse leaf-
spring rear suspension, this linking
the top of the hubs on each side.
It certainly feels like an authentic
1960s experience, with heavy
control weights and a chassis that
makes clear that it has a limited
tolerance for any amateur mistakes.
This is close to a spot-on replica of
Ford V8 supplies effortless performance and, for the brave, handling adjustability; cabin looks original, for better and worse
what was one of the world’s fastest
cars, and although tyre technology
has advanced massively since then,
there are no active safety features.
Therefore the relationship between
this car’s 410bhp V8 (a non-original
5.7 litres) and the rear wheels is
entirely down to your right foot.
There’s more than enough
adhesion to allow rapid progress
without undue drama. However,
the combination of the unassisted
steering’s relatively low gearing and
the way the rear axle surrenders
grip when pushed soon discourages
any inclination to explore the outer
reaches of the handling envelope
on tight and bumpy back roads. It
does feel like it would be a riot on
a wide, open race track, though.
A few changes have been made to
allow the MKII to pass the IVA test,
including discreet exhaust catalysts
and a fuel injection system, albeit
one that manages to look like an
original set of carburettors. This
means there’s none of the low-down
lumpiness common to highly tuned
carbed engines, and apart from the
knee strength needed to work the
heavy clutch and the need to muscle
the steering when manoeuvring, it’s
easy to drive at everyday speeds.
Even looking like it has just left
a pit lane, its suspension is pliant
enough for acceptable comfort
on lumpy roads. LMC reckons
this makes it much more suited to
everyday use than the much more
aggressive MKIII, and beyond the
inevitable buffeting from the lack of
a roof or side glazing, it cruises well.
I did find one initially terrifying
foible: the heavily offset driving
position means the clutch is where
your right foot expects to find the
brake. However, I soon learned to
cover the clutch with my left foot to
better orientate the tight footwell.
The MKII may not be a Cobra, but
nor is it one of the myriad knock-off
‘Fauxbras’ that have shadowed AC’s
icon for the past 60 years. Branding
aside, it feels like the real thing.
MIKE DUFF
LMC MKII FIA
Has all the strengths (and foibles) of
a true 1960s road racer. Possibly
even better than the real thing
AAAAC
Price £118,000
Engine V8, 5686cc, petrol
Power 410bhp at 5400rpm
Torque 400lb ft at 3000rpm
Gearbox 5-spd manual, RWD
Kerb weight 1220kg
0-60mph 4.5sec (est)
Top speed 160mph (est)
Economy na
CO2, tax band na
RIVALS AC Cobra, Shelby Cobra

TESTER’S NOTE
The array of chrome-
bezelled instrument
dials in the centre of
the dashboard look
period-correct but are
too small to be easily
read on the move. MD

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 31

 ROAD TEST

No 5606

Citroën Ami
PHOTOGRAPHY MAX EDLESTON

Is tiny Citroën the future of urban motoring or a G-Wiz reborn in funkier wrapping?
MODEL TESTED COLOUR
Price £8095 Power 8bhp Torque 29lb ft 0-60mph na 30-70mph na Economy 7.1mpkWh CO2 emissions 0g/km 70-0mph na

32 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


We like
 Compact dimensions
 Minuscule turning circle
 Minimalist design and
construction
We don’t like
 Shonky ride quality
 Visibility is poor in bad conditions
 The Ami feels incredibly perilous
outside its comfort zones
s modern motoring
A diverges from the old
norm of big traditional
car makers making big
traditional cars, we see this now
and again: someone branching
out here and there with something
novel, taking a chance, a rare bet,
a delve into ‘mobility’.
What do, if we look back
sufficiently far, the Sinclair C5,
BMW C1 scooter, Reva G-Wiz and
Renault Twizy all have in common?
That’s right: they’re not offered here
any more, and their manufacturers
or importers don’t offer anything
like them, either.
So a prolonged first run and a
commissioned second series is not
a given as we welcome the latest
entrant into an uncrowded field,
the Citroën Ami.
The idea was first shown as
the Ami One concept at the 2019
Geneva motor show, gently rolling
around the show stand itself, this
cube on (relatively) huge wheels
but with an interior straight out
of the Transport for London design
book, with blocky materials in
light grey, highlighted in blue,
orange or more grey (as here).
Like all concepts from big
manufacturers, it was so well
finished that even though it was
basic, it screamed luxury like a
concrete-walled bar.
The finished article, should there
be one, wouldn’t be like that, they
said. See how the doors are the
same each side to save cost, and that
the panels are the same front and
rear for the same reason – though
the rakish windscreen made it
clear which way it was facing.
It was designed to tempt the
young into driving, so it’s a
quadricycle, not a car – which
frees it from various small-car
regulations and, in various EU
states, lets those as young as 14
drive it (that’s not the case here).
And now it has landed in production
form, after a short shall-we-shan’t-
we from Citroën UK. But, basically,
enough of us asked for it, so here it
is – British ready and prepped for
the Autocar road test.
DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
AAACC
There’s nothing unusual in finding
that a production road car is not as
snazzy as the concept on which it
was based. But in the Ami’s case,
there is a definite ‘we don’t need to
buy lunch out, we’ve got lunch at
home’ vibe to it, where one is
a gourmet slap-up and the other
is a slice of cheddar between two
bits of white bread. No mayo.
The cost-saving parts of the
Ami, then, have stayed true to
the concept. The doors are the
same, hinged on their right, so
the driver’s (it’s left-hand drive
only) opens backwards, and the
passenger’s conventionally. The
body panels front and rear are
the same, all quarterlights are too,
and the quarter panels could swap
ROAD TEST
Range at a glance
ENGINES POWER FROM
Ami 8bhp £7695
My Ami Colour 8bhp £8095
My Ami Pop 8bhp £8495
My Ami Tonic 8bhp £8695
My Ami Cargo 8bhp £7995
TRANSMISSIONS
1-spd reduction gear
There’s no difference in mechanical
specification between any of the
five-strong Ami range, and only  Tiny door mirrors want cleaning often
the Cargo has a significantly in poor weather. The good thing is that
different interior specification you can reach them from the driver’s
because it includes a cargo seat to adjust. The bad thing is their
separator that sits on the right-hand limited range of visibility.
side of the cabin and stops boxes
from sliding into your legs, as well
as hiding them from outside view.
sides. Clues to which way the car
is facing come from the colour of
the lights, the roof, and the front
and rear glass treatment.
The body is finished in
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene,
or ABS, which is a versatile plastic
used in everything from Lego
bricks to pipework, but the closest
subjective material finish to the
Ami’s body is the stackable school
chair you will have recently sat  Wheel trims are one of the fitted
on at a school nativity. options on this Ami ‘Grey’ edition,
Not unlike those, the Ami’s as are a small side sticker and rear
body is mounted over a steel frame, side-window stickers.
constructed in a Stellantis factory
in Kenitra, Morocco, which also
builds Peugeot 208s.
At 2.41m long and 1.39m wide,
the Ami is a compact machine.
But while there are two types of
quadricycle – light and heavy, with
slightly different laws for each,
depending on where you live – that
the Ami is electric always meant
this was destined to be a heavy one
(though these things are relative).
There’s a 5.5kWh lithium ion
battery beneath it, an 8.04bhp
electric motor (the 0.04 counts
here), and an all-up weight of 471kg
in this standard form. A ‘My Ami  There’s no high- or low-beam option –
Cargo’ variant gets some interior the headlights are just always on.
cladding to increase luggage room And pretty bright, too.
and raises that to 478kg. The motor
drives the front wheels through
a single-speed reduction gear.
Braking is by discs at the front,
drums at the rear.
Because the battery is so small,
you can’t fast-charge it – it would be
like filling a cup with a fireman’s
hose – so there’s a European two-
pin plug, to which you can mate a 
 There’s no central locking so it’s a
case of inserting the key and pushing
the door release button for each of
the doors. There’s a separate key
for the ignition.
Ami One concept landed at Geneva in 2019
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 33
 Weights and measures
DIMENSIONS

maxm
980m

1525mm
63 litres
max
mm
950

Kerb weight: 471kg

341mm 1728mm 341mm

2410mm  Front cabin is spacious and, given the passenger and driver sit offset, feels more
so than the width would suggest.
PA R K I N G
Typical parking space width (2400mm)
Typical garage height

1525mm

1540mm (with mirrors)

3270mm  There’s a bit of space behind the seats but access over the headrests isn’t
straightforward. Perhaps most likely used for coats, if you’re not keeping them on.
W H E E L A N D P E DA L
ALI G N M E NT
The steering wheel is only
slightly offset, but given it 45mm
doesn’t adjust, it’s an easy
driving position to find. 170mm
Pedals are offset enough for
right-foot operation. There’s
no one-pedal-driving option.

H E AD LI G HTS
LED headlights are standard
and the only option. There’s
no main beam but they’re
surprisingly bright – easily 10mm
good enough for the speed
the Ami shows. Centre  Indents in floor are meant to stop wheelie bags rolling out of position but aren’t
particularly effective. Hook above is better if you want to prevent luggage moving.

 standard three-pin adapter or bit old-school that the key to unlock
Type 2 converter (supplied), and the doors is separate from the one
whose cable folds into a neat recess that operates the ignition.
behind the passenger door. On a The doors open wide and
standard domestic plug it takes a easily, and are extremely light.
bit over three hours to charge from The Ami is low and small so it’s
empty to full (3hr 15min on our no easier to get in or out of than a
watch), at which point the indicated conventional car – though you are
range – we will come back to this likely to have more space around
– is 45 miles. Again, what’s after you in a car park.
decimal points counts. Inside you will find two seats,
There are various other laws a steering wheel and a lot more
that define a quadricycle but an plastic than on the outside.
important one we will also return Although this is a basic vehicle
to is that the top speed has to be with little equipment, we will
limited, so it is, to 27.9mph. spend more time talking about the
interior than in most luxury cars.
INTERIOR Not because there’s too little to talk
AAABC about in the ‘Performance’ section,
What’s this? A key? Actually we but because honestly the Ami is
don’t mind that at all, although it’s a all about its inside. More than
anything else it is, because it’s so
few steps up from walking, a place
to sit and be transported. Private
transport and mobility in its purest
form: and there’s something to like
about that.
Two seats, then. They’re both
hard and the driver’s is the only
one that slides fore and aft. The
backs are fixed, as is the steering
wheel and two pedals. There’s a
wiper and indicator stalk, and
three buttons for the hazard
warning lights, fan and heater.
There’s no central interior mirror
but two small round external ones
that can both be reached through
the half-windows, which unlatch
and swing upwards like a 2CV’s.
You can reach them both from
the driver’s seat. You can also see,
perhaps alarmingly close to your
head, the welded steel framework
that you wouldn’t want to make
contact with in an accident.
Quadricycles do not undergo
the same crash tests as cars.
Flick the key. As a driver, look
down to your left and you will
see Drive, Neutral and Reverse
buttons by the seat. There’s
a conventional mechanical
handbrake. As for controls,
that’s almost your lot.
There is, however, a place to
secure a phone on the dashboard,
with a USB socket and an optional
final button on the steering wheel,
which would, if you set it up right,
activate the voice control on your
phone so you don’t have to touch
the screen. 

34 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

 ROAD TEST

 Lower portion of the window swings open and,  There are orange pulls to close each door, with  Three dash inserts include a cupholder, which is
at least when new, sticks at your chosen angle. It’s separate tags to release the catches, so the driver is quite a stretch from the driver’s seat. Holder behind
a toss-up whether this or the fan is ultimately louder. ahead of them and the passenger is behind them. the wheel is designed for a stand-alone speaker.

Multimedia system
The Ami comes with no infotainment of its own, so if
you really want to assess the sounds and navigation,
you’ll have to take a look at your phone instead.
There is, though, a phone holder that slots into the
dash and there’s a small shelf beneath it on which to
rest the device. It grips a device well and you can move
it and spin it depending on your preferred orientation.
And it’s honestly no more difficult to push a button
on a screen this way than on any conventional car’s
touchscreen. A USB charger socket sits beneath it, too.
Models above the base Ami include a piece of
hardware that allows the smartphone to hook up to a
steering wheel button that, with the right app download,
then allows one-push voice control. If you do want to
hear some sounds loudly, though, you’ll have to provide
your own speaker – and remember there’s only one USB
socket to power whichever devices you put into the Ami.

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 35

 ❝
As for driving it on any
40mph or 50mph roads –
forget it. Take a bus
❞
There are neat touches elsewhere
as the Ami makes a virtue of its
basicness. The plastic cubbies on
the dash are removable – the closest
you can get to changing the car’s
colour – but here matched to the
colour atop the broad netted door
bins and the fabric door pulls.
A netted divider creates space for
a carry-on-sized bag beyond the
passenger footwell, though the
hook above it is essential to prevent
anything in there from toppling out.
Given there’s a relatively flat open
floor, having loose groceries rolling
around by the driver’s feet is a
suboptimal situation.
There’s a small area behind the
seats (600x300x260mm) that would
take shopping bags, but otherwise
the footwell is the only storage area
– and the rear window doesn’t open
to post long loads through.
Citroën expects that many
Amis will be used as urban delivery
vehicles – the payload is 95kg and
if you spec the Cargo pack, there’s
a better divider that stops boxes
 Light cars tend to be fun cars, and this one is too. But in most driving environments, the crashy ride, noise and lack of grunt are more likely to define your experience of it.
36 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
falling onto your feet, with 260 litres
of space beneath it.
PERFORMANCE
ABCCC
Well, it’s smooth. Let’s leave it at that,
shall we? No? We must go on? Righto.
The Ami doesn’t have a creep
function but in gear it resists rolling
of its own accord, and throttle
response is easy and smooth.
This is a simple car to get rolling.
If you’re looking for incremental
acceleration figures, well, keep
looking, but it will hit 20mph from
rest in a little over six seconds (it’s
quite gravity dependent) and go
on to a top speed of 28mph in
about 10 seconds.
It will maintain that speed up
most hills and on a downhill might
even stretch to 31/32mph.
Maintaining a 28mph cruise,
though, is best done on part-
throttle. If you’re wide open on
the gas, the Ami hesitates for a few
seconds, every few seconds, like
a bad taxi driver lifting off slightly
now and again. You can negate it by
carrying a touch less open throttle.
Lift off completely and there’s
very little feeling of regeneration;
although the motor is still hooked
up to the wheels and acting that
way, the Ami rolls as convincingly
as any sub-500kg car is likely to.
Brake pedal feel is really good
and it stops very quickly. There’s
no ABS so it’s up to the driver to
modulate, but that’s easily done.
And even if you do lock a tyre,
it probably won’t matter.
What we do need to talk about,
though, is range. Drive solely on
20/30mph roads in built-up urban
traffic, where you would rarely
trouble the modest top speed, and
you will do okay – in fine weather,
where you don’t need the heater or
wiper or fan, you are likely to get
your 40 miles.
But spend any prolonged time at
or around the car’s top speed, which
is eminently possible in suburban
rather than congested city centre
surroundings, and you’re looking at
less. And at the bottom end, it starts
to get perilous.
An example: we set off with 17
miles of indicated range on some
roads where maintaining 28mph
was straightforward. After six
miles, a warning light came on to
suggest we were running short of
range (six miles were indicated),
and at an indicated three miles it
went into a limp mode.
Like a radio-controlled
car running low on battery,
performance reduced to the extent
that it took more than 40 seconds
to reach a top speed downhill and
refused to get out of the teens on an
incline. Eventually, the Ami said we
had one mile of range left, just 10
miles after setting off with 17 on the
indicator. It was about 10deg C and
drizzly, granted, and no doubt you
would get accustomed to how
it behaved and act accordingly,
but still – worryingly poor.
If running at its top speed –
which is very much urban driving,
albeit uninterrupted – the Ami’s

 Both doors are identical (one hinged at the front, the other at the rear); central LCD display shows the speed and the miles of range left; glass roof lets in light at the front.
performance is hard to make a case
for. And as for driving it on any
40mph, 50mph or, heaven forbid,
national speed limit roads, for
almost any length of time – forget it.
Take a bus.
H A N D L I N G A N D S TA B I L I T Y
AAAAC
Given an Ami weighs less than
500kg, it would be hard to go
wrong here. Almost every small,
lightweight car is fun to an extent
and so too is the Ami. It’s front-
drive, but given the paucity of
power and torque, it doesn’t trouble
grip at the front, nor torque steer.
The steering is light, unassisted
and 3.9 turns lock to lock.
That’s not a number that suggests
it’s massively responsive, but bear
in mind the wheels turn so much
that the entire turning diameter
is just 7.2m – as little as some cars’
turning radii.
So there’s some fun to be had.
All that said, it’s very short, with a
footprint not far off square and it’s
AC C E L E R AT I O N
Citroën Ami Colour (15deg C, damp)
Standing quarter mile na, standing km na, 30-70mph na, 30-70mph in fourth na
0 1s
Renault Twizy Colour (2012, 11deg C, dry)
Standing quarter mile 26.6sec at 48.0mph, standing km na, 30-70mph na, 30-70mph in fourth na
0 1s
B R A K I N G 60-0mph: na
Citroën Ami Colour (15deg C, damp)
20mph-0
5.7m
0
Renault Twizy Colour (2012, 11deg C, dry)
20mph-0
4.3m
0 10m
quite upright. If that reminds you
of the original Smart City Coupé or
Mercedes-Benz A-Class, you will
remember that they could suffer
from instability. You would have
to be indulging in some extreme
manoeuvres to tip an Ami over, but
from that viewpoint it’s probably
better it’s limited to 28mph.
C O M F O R T A N D I S O L AT I O N
ABCCC
Well, at least when it’s running
at idle and there’s no heater or
fan blowing, there’s no more
noise in an Ami than is ambient.
Enjoy that while it lasts. This is
an astonishingly noisy car given
its low speed.
Partly it’s sound from outside.
Listening back to our voice notes,
you can hear passing traffic more
than in any other car.
But most of the noise is of its
own making. Switching the fan on –
louder than a hand dryer in a public
loo and about as effective – took the
interior noise from 37dBA ambient
10mph
1.8s
2s
10mph
2.0s
2s
30mph-0
9.8m
to 67dBA – louder than a Renault
Mégane at 70mph.
Head to the top speed and it’s
71dBA in here. The motor whines
away, too, and the ride is noisy –
as well as crashily uncomfortable.
This wouldn’t be so bad if you were
going fast. But we’re still talking
the realms of being overtaken by
impatient drivers on 30mph roads.
The fan, at least, clears the
windscreen relatively quickly –
though if you need to give it a
quick rub to demist, the inside
of the screen is the one window
that’s too far away to wipe. And
if there’s a build-up of water or
grime on the outside, visibility
can be surprisingly poor to the
front three-quarter, as well as
around the thick B-pillars and in
the small mirrors. For a car that’s
so exposed, that’s troubling.
BUYING AND OWNING
AAACC
The Ami is cheaper than the
cheapest new car on sale – the
3s 4s
20mph
4.3s
3s 4s
20m
ROAD TEST
circa-£13,000 Dacia Sandero – by a
big margin. But this is still at least a
£7695 vehicle on the road.
On a PCP finance deal, you’re
looking at putting £770 down and
paying £100 a month for 47 months
and still owing £4418 on it. If you
want a splash of colour (though
grey is the only base colour), you
can add £20 or so to the monthlies.
Citroën does say you can run an
Ami from £19.99 a month, though
this requires nearly a three-grand
deposit and leaves a £5000 balloon
payment after two years, so this
wouldn’t be our recommended
way to get into one.
How much an Ami costs to
charge will come down to your
domestic tariff – but good work
could be achieved here. And if you
do the kind of driving that gets 40
miles out of it, you will be looking
at over seven miles per kWh. Even
if you don’t get the full 40, the Ami
is a particularly efficient car. And
let’s face it, there isn’t a great
deal to go wrong. 
20mph
6.3s
5s 6s
50mph-0
33.2m
30m
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 37
 Data log
CITROEN AMI COLOUR
On-the-road price £8095
Price as tested £8095
Value after 3yrs/36k miles £4700
Contract hire pcm na
Cost per mile na
Insurance na

TYPICAL PCP QUOTE

4 years/20,000 miles, £809 deposit £108.77 5.5kWh
Citroën’s finance deals mean you can swap
deposit levels and terms, but this typical one
results in a £4418 final payment after four years,
at 9.9% APR. Only 5000 miles a year and a
3.6p per mile excess but, honestly, we dare
you to do more than that anyway.

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST
Disc front brakes
Steel wheels T E C H N I C A L L AYO U T
Heater The steel spaceframe appears to have been welded by hand, given the quality
Alloy wheels na of the visible welds in the cabin. An ABS plastic body is mounted atop. The front-
Air conditioning na mounted motor draws its modest power from the 5.5kWh battery towards the rear.
Stereo na Suspension comprises MacPherson struts at the front and semi-trailing arms aft.
Power steering na To match the unassisted everything else, the rack-and-pinion steering is unassisted.
Electric windows na
Central locking na MOTORS CHARGING ECONOMY
Alarm na Installation Front, differential, PERFORMANCE TEST MPG Average 7.1mpkWh
Remote locking na front-wheel drive, Claimed peak rates 3.6kW (AC) Range 39 miles
Towhook na Type Permanent magnet DC test peak/
Tinted windows na synchronous motor average rate na CLAIMED Average 8.4mpkWh
Satellite navigation na Power 8bhp Range 46 miles
Torque 29lb ft
Options in bold fitted to test car Battery type Lithium ion
= Standard na = not available Battery capacity 5.5kWh (usable)
Battery voltage 48V
Power to weight 17bhp per tonne
Torque to weight 62lb ft per tonne

E M I S S I O N S & TA X
CO2 emissions 0g/km
Tax at 20/40% pcm £2.70/£5.40

C H A S S I S & B O DY TRANSMISSION BRAKES SAFET Y

Construction Steel chassis, Type 1-spd reduction gear Front 266mm ventilated discs No airbags, ABS, stability control
ABS plastic body Reduction ratio 15.7:1 Rear Drums, size unspecified Euro NCAP crash rating na
Weight/as tested 471kg/na mph/1000rpm 4.2 Anti-lock None
Drag coefficient na Handbrake type Manual
Wheels 5.0Jx14in Handbrake location Between seats
Tyres 155/65 R14, CABIN NOISE
Barum Brillantis STEERING Idle 37dBA Idle with fan running 67dBA
Spare None SUSPENSION Type Unassisted, rack and pinion 28mph 71dBA
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs Turns lock to lock 3.9
Rear Semi-trailing arms, coil springs Turning circle 7.2m

AC C E L E R AT I O N AC C E L E R AT I O N I N R E S I D UA L S
MPH TIME (sec) KICKDOWN
25
0-10 1.8 mph TIME (sec)
0-20 6.3 10-20 4.5 Smart Fortwo EQ Exclusive
0-30 – 20-40 – 20
0-40 – 30-50 –
0-50 – 40-60 – Dacia Sandero 1.0 TCe Essential
15
Value (£1000s)

0-60 – 50-70 –
0-70 – 60-80 –
0-80 – 70-90 – 10
0-90 – 80-100 –
0-100 – 90-110 – 5
0-110 – 100-120 –
0-120 – 110-130 – Citroën Ami Colour
0-130 – 120-140 – 0
New 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years
0-140 – 130-150 –
THE SMALL PRINT Power-to-weight and torque-to-weight figures are calculated using manufacturer’s claimed kerb weight. © 2023,
Haymarket Media Group Ltd. Test results may not be reproduced without editor’s written permission. For information on the Ami, contact
Citroën UK Ltd, Pinley House, 2 Sunbeam Way, Coventry, West Midlands, CV3 1ND (0800 197 2046, citroen.co.uk). Cost-per-mile figures R OA D T E S T N o 5 6 0 6
calculated over three years/36,000 miles, including depreciation and maintenance but not insurance; Lex Autolease (0800 389 3690).
Insurance quote covers 35-year-old professional male with clean licence and full no-claims bonus living in Swindon; quote from Liverpool
Victoria (0800 066 5161, lv.com). Contract hire figure based on a three-year lease/36,000-mile contract including maintenance; Wessex
Fleet Solutions (01722 322888). Read all of our road tests autocar.co.uk
38 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
 ROAD TEST
Testers’
notes
MATT PRIOR
The single
wiper leaves a
big area to the
right uncleaned. In lousy
weather, the visibility on
approach to roundabouts
can be really poor.

MATT
SAUNDERS
Folding and
stuffing the
cable into its little
storage cubby
is surprisingly fiddly.

Spec advice
There’s not a lot of
choice – pick the colour
highlights you want and,
if you’re using it for local
deliveries, definitely spec
VERDICT the Cargo variant or have
boxes under your feet.
AABCC
Cleverly conceived but hard to recommend given its capability Jobs for
the facelift
e find it hard not to feel conflicted about the Ami. This is an intelligently  Extend the wiper’s

W
reach.
conceived car that’s built down to a price and for a very specific purpose – and we  Quieten the fan.
 Improve the range.
tend to like light, simple cars that have straightforward jobs and do them well.
And in the absolute right set of circumstances, it works.
But for all of that, it’s painful to drive in all but the slowest of urban areas. There’s
little luggage space, in poor conditions it’s hard to see out of and on anything other than
congested roads it feels utterly perilous. And if you do find yourself staying at its top speed
for prolonged periods, that eats into its modest range.
We’re loath to make new versus used comparisons in road tests because it’s almost always
unfair on the new vehicle, but in the Ami’s case there are so few competitors, and its use
case is so very, very limited, that it’s hard not to consider something older but far more
accommodating and easier to live with. If it’s for strictly slow-urban use, gets you off a
scooter, or your business would benefit in terms of branding, by all means take a look. But
beyond a very specific set of criteria, it’s incredibly difficult to recommend.

R OA D 1 2
TEST
R I VA L S

KIA PICANTO 1 CITROEN AMI COLOUR BIRO BIG AIXAM VISION CROSSOVER MICRO ELECTRIC
Verdicts A car, not a quadricycle, One of few quadricycles on sale Smaller than the Ami outside A long-standing name in the To be available as ‘ME’ or ‘Carry
on every but if you can bear that, this is and backed by a known brand. In and in. Available with plenty quadricycle business, Aixam has ME’ box van/pick-up versions.
new car, the preferable option in most use the right niche, there's nothing of body protection, but if you a 479cc diesel twin engine and The two-seat passenger model
p72 cases. One of Britain’s cheapest quite like it, but it operates well want to be enclosed it’s the a one-speed gearbox. Look to a comes only in ‘High Speed’ spec,
cars is a seriously good one. only in limited circumstances. ‘Big’ version. Pricey. motorhome seller for imports. but these things are relative.
AAAAC AABCC
Price £13,400 £8095 £14,988 £13,000 (est) £11,999
Power, torque 66bhp, 71lb ft 8bhp, 29lb ft 4.4bhp, na 8bhp, na 10bhp, na
0-62mph, top speed 14.1sec, 100mph na, 28mph na, 28mph na, 38mph na, 48mph
Economy, range 58.9mpg, 110g/km (CO2) 8.4mpkWh, 46 miles na, 24 miles 45mpg (est), na na, 93 miles

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 39

 Wh o d o yo u t h
40 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
 MERCEDES SL vs PORSCHE 911 COMPARISON

t h in k yo
The DNA
u a re?
o f t h e S
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f use d m i x t u
des-Benz p a
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o
in
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o
e
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o
car and
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nam ics.
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R ichard Lan PHO TO G R A P H Y M A X EDLE
STON

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 41


eople like Timo
P
Nordheim have
been embellishing
the Mercedes-Benz SL
story since the early
1990s, piping habanero sauce into
dishes that you would never expect
to blow your head off. As engine
builders at AMG, for them it’s all
part of a day’s work. Nordheim
and his many forebears have
been behind the rortiest, the most
unhinged (hello, Black Series) and
occasionally the most sublime SLs,
as was the case when the debonair
R129 was loaded with the 518bhp
7.3-litre V12 that AMG later supplied
to Pagani. There has been so much
to love, and yet in SL lore AMG was
never more than a mere flavour.
Then, last year, big changes.
The launch of the R232 SL signalled
to the world that custodianship of
the model name, not to mention
the engineering programme, had
been transferred away from the
mother ship to Timo’s lot. That’s
right: the aristocratic old SL given
to potty-mouthed AMG. It’s like
leaving your angelic grandma in
the care of Noel Gallagher. Which,
in fairness, could be hilarious.
It means Nordheim and co will
no longer be external contractors
roped in to amp up the SL ad hoc.
Their work will be fundamental to
every SL built. AMG versions of this
long-snouted grand tourer will no
longer be soft-bellied, Sindelfingen-
made machines tickled around the
chassis, stuffed with V8 muscle
and sent out to dice with more
bespoke-built prize fighters from
other makes. Instead, in a radical
overhaul of the famous model’s
ethos, they will be conceived and
developed from the ground up in
Affalterbach, meaning that AMG
is no longer just a flavour of SL but
instead the flavour of SL. It’s a full
personality transplant, aimed at
turning the SL from topless grand
tourer into the drop-top sports-cum-
42 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
supercar, in the process making the
AMG GT Roadster redundant.
Question is, which AMG exactly
are we getting here? Is it the one
that turned out the gullwinged SLS
from scratch and created a modern
icon? Is it the one that makes the
E63 uber-saloon, in all its softer
but still perfectly judged, 600bhp
glory? Or is it the one that’s gone off
disastrously half-cocked with the
four-cylinder plug-in hybrid C63?
With the help of one very capable
rival, today we will find out.
Note, though, that on the SL’s
international launch, AMG CTO
Jochen Hermann did juicily preface
everything with something of a
mic-drop moment. “When you
look back into the history of the
SL, you see that it all began with
motorsport,” he said. “With the new
model, we’ve attempted to make
that link again.” Punchy. Never
mind the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
Cabriolet we’ve got in tow; maybe
we should have bagged a 911 GT3!
Despite the boulevard aesthetic
of the new car, Hermann has a
point. This latest SL is the first SL
in history to feature back seats for
a broader remit, it has returned to
a rakish fabric roof and it’s nudging
1900kg at the kerb, which are all
resolutely unmotorsporty things,
but the AMG-built aluminium
platform that it uses is absolutely
fresh and will be shared with the
upcoming second-generation GT.
Given the wild success Mercedes
has enjoyed on track with the GT3
racer, a replacement is surely a
given – and, well, there you have a
genuine motorsport link to the SL.
Thanks to Nordheim, we can also
dismiss the half-cocked, downsizing
scenario. His signature is found on
our car’s engine cover, just above
and to the side of the spot where
the hot-vee turbochargers nestle,
inches from the ram-air intake.
AMG builds only one hot-vee
motor, and it ain’t no four-pot.
To
facilitate four-
wheel drive, AMG has
moved from a transaxle
in the current GT to a more
traditional arrangement for the
SL and forthcoming Mk2 GT. We
can’t help wondering if moving
that weight forward has
neutered the playfulness
of the chassis
a little.
Cabriolet Carrera GTS
drivers will get an earful
once the top’s dropped
Indeed, few engines are more
recognisable either from behind
the wheel or from the pavement
than AMG’s monster M177 4.0-litre
V8, which has been in service for
many years but for the SL gains new
intake and exhaust plumbing as well
as a specific oil pan. In our SL 55, it
makes a relatively tame 469bhp but
also a robust 516lb ft of torque, this
from only 2000rpm. Not the most
exciting figures, but if that’s what
you want, the 195mph SL 63 will
be your thing. There the same V8
is boosted to 577bhp and 590lb ft.
And with electrical assistance, the
upcoming PHEV will be beefier still.
(Note that there’s a 375bhp, four-pot
SL 43 at the foot of the ladder, too.)
As well as their powerplants, the
SL 55 and SL 63 share a nine-speed
automatic gearbox, 4Matic+ four-
wheel drive and a rear-steering set-
up, but there the similarities end.
The suspension of our SL 55 is
controlled by semi-active dampers
and traditional anti-roll bars, while
the SL 63 has a compensatory, cross-
linked hydraulic system similar to
that devised by McLaren. It sounds
sophisticated, and given the SL 63
costs a Ferrari Portofino-matching
£175,000, it should be. Meanwhile,
the SL 55 comes in at just under
£150,000, for which you also miss
out on active engine mounts and
a maximum-attack electronically
controlled limited-slip differential. Every AMG engine is hand-signed by its builder
So maybe in this trim, we’re not
experiencing this repositioned SL at
its most expressive and rewarding.
Then again, does a bespoke AMG
model actually need the technology
toybox thrown at it to compete
against something as polished as
the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, at
which this SL 55 is pretty squarely
aimed, with its back seats and
ambitious total sports car remit?
This Mercedes certainly makes
extremely short work of the long,
cold stint from London up to the Fewer cylinders, fewer driveshafts, more MPG
North York Moors. Atmosphere 
 MERCEDES SL vs PORSCHE 911 COMPARISON

❝
It’s like leaving your
angelic grandma in the
care of Noel Gallagher
❞

SL rides on 21in ‘multi-spoke’ alloys

You’re more likely

to see the TCS light
flashing in the 911 911 also has 21in rears but 20in fronts

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 43

 ❝
You wonder just how the 911 will be
able to keep up. Where the SL imparts
an easy confidence, it feels tetchy
❞

The
fabric roofs on
both cars go up and
down easily enough and on
the move. Both cars also offer
decent protection from wind
buffeting, although the SL’s
deflector has to be put in place
manually, which feels a bit
incongruous on such an
expensive car.

911 blends digital

with traditional to
sensational effect Hood can be red, black, blue or brown Engines are located at opposite ends

44 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


SL’s powered front
axle pays dividends
in these conditions
 counts for so much in these kinds
of cars, and the SL’s cockpit does the
endless-bonnet/high-scuttle thing
with conviction but stops short of
subscribing to the claustrophobic,
pillbox-style environment of the
current, soon-to-be-retired GT. You
don’t feel quite so buried within this
car, backside cosying up to the back
axle, and isolation from road roar is
truly in another league not only to
that of the thuggish GT but also to
the 911. Surrounded by leather and
crisp digital displays (which I could
take or leave, although they do
declutter the transmission tunnel
nicely), you could reel off 500 miles
in the SL without thinking, not least
because the ride quality in Comfort
mode is so well judged and the V8 so
unobtrusive. Very nice. But equally,
where’s the AMG-ness?
If you keep the powertrain and
suspension modes backed off, the
new SL does a rather good job of
being the old two-seat SL, albeit
without the opulently light-infused
cabin and the cavernous boot – both
of which were among the R231’s
defining elements. Mercedes would
reasonably argue that the rear seats
Not objectively sub-
par, but isn’t it a bit
too E-Class in here?
MERCEDES SL vs PORSCHE 911 COMPARISON
provide extra space. However, the
ability to keep luggage safely, neatly
secured and out of sight is useful.
The 911 has the same problem, of
course, but then it’s not trying to
cover all the bases of an outright
grand tourer. It’s the first sign that
this SL might just be a bit confused.
No question, though: AMG’s
effort outshines Porsche’s, with
its highly sprung, engine-cradling,
noise-generating rear axle, when
it comes to covering big distances.
Once on the moors, it also proves
itself to be crushingly effective
cross-country, that plush motorway
damping holding strong in the face
of turbulent, rutted road surfaces
and the 4Matic+ chassis generating
so much traction that even all
the V8 beans in second gear fails
to unsettle things. Body control,
whether for roll, pitch or squat, is
genuinely superb and a fine canvas
for the car’s performance.
The showpiece engine duly
comes alive in anything more
aggressive than the default Comfort
mode, casually ripping through
the gears. In this application, the
M177 isn’t as animalistic as it is in
the GT, but a 7000rpm scope and
sharp responsiveness for such
a burly brute of a motor mean
it makes short work of the car’s
considerable mass. You begin to
wonder just how easily the 911 –
with 473bhp, ever so slightly more
powerful than its foe and also
an almost unbelievable 255kg
lighter – will be able to keep up…
At first it wouldn’t. Where the
SL imparts an easy confidence,
the 911 feels tetchy. Sure, these
roads are damp and this particular
Carrera GTS Cabriolet is solely
rear-driven (and optioned with
rear steering), but the stiffer car’s
dynamic friskiness is down to more
than the lack of front driveshafts.
After the SL, whose front tyres are
pressed into the road by the weight
of its engine, the steering in the 911
seems light and disconnected and
the nose more willing to wash wide.
Phenomenal driving position,
mind. And the central tachometer
is just spot on – refreshing, even,
after Mercedes’ pixels. You get a
thoroughbred ambience in here
that’s sorely lacking in the SL,
whose cabin feels in some ways
derived from more mainstream
cars, which it is. The 911 instantly
feels more bespoke and special, if
less materially comforting and less
adept at dissolving giant mileages.
Back to the driving experience
and, as you begin to push the 911
harder on the way into and out of
corners, it exhibits more edginess,
this time at the other axle, as flashes
of oversteer enter the fray before
the electronics cut in. For those
first few miles of B-road, you
almost hold it at arm’s length,
like you would an obnoxious cat.
There’s even a world in which this
test now ends and the SL edges it,
being the finer cruiser and, while
far from boring, also that much
more reassuring on the charge.
But then the 911 clicks, just as, in
fairness, these rear-engined coupés
from Weissach almost always do.
Perhaps it has taken longer today
on account of the fact that, as a
GTS model with Turbo-derived
suspension and a lower ride height
than standard, this particular 911
Cabriolet is a tad further out of its
comfort zone on a cold, wet moors
road than it would otherwise be.
But boy does it click, and now you’re
really dialled into the experience.
You realise that what passes
for steering feel in the heavy SL
is simply weight and that the new
EPAS system is much more heavily
filtered than that in the 911. Neither
of these racks possesses the detail
of the hydraulically assisted system
in the GT, but the 911’s does offer
real communication once you’re in
fingertip tune with it. The SL offers
intuitive gearing and reassuring
weight, but that’s it. In combination
with a firm brake pedal that’s full of
feel, this means you quickly learn to
draw the 911’s nose into corners 
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 45

 with grip and accuracy. The
SL will do this as well, but there’s
much less meaning and reward to
it, just a command well executed.
The 911’s natural agility also
begins to tell, and this is where no
level of locked-down composure
or grip is going to help the SL. It’s
simply too tubby to be considered
a proper sports car, and while the
big body never pulls the car off your
chosen line or out of shape, you feel
as though it might, which is total
anathema to any great driver’s car.
On the other hand, once you’re
on the 911’s level, it will happily dart
this way and that, and it carries
pace through a quick S-bend that
necessitates a confidence dab of
braking in the SL. Where the SL
impresses, the 911 enlivens. Its
controls and general manner are
that much more vibrant. The SL is
hardly stuck in black and white, but
the 911 is just so much more vivid
when it matters and its synaptic
afterimage lingers on post-drive.
The SL might have hit back
with a tactic that its forebears
have reliably, effortlessly and
unrepentantly deployed over the
years: on-demand oversteer. This is,
perhaps, the very essence of AMG.
Yet this car is oddly recalcitrant.
46 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
It will tighten its line on the throttle
(although not by you coming off it,
unlike the 911) but doesn’t do so
as naturally as any longitudinally
engined roadster from Affalterbach
should. It clings doggedly onto that
feeling of stability that seems to
be its chosen calling card. It’s all
very ‘fast grand tourer’, rather than
‘proper sports car’ and again makes
you wonder: where’s the AMG-ness?
Meanwhile, the 911 is trickier to
balance but rewards precision and
is willing to dance. It’s more fun.
What I wasn’t expecting was
the extent to which this sentiment
applies to the powertrain. Sorry,
Timo. Your V8 is magnificent in
so many ways, but next to the 911’s
twin-turbocharged flat six, with its
GTS-specific exhaust, it feels oddly
blunt and one-dimensional.
In today’s conditions, it’s not quite
as easy to fully uncork the near-
500bhp Porsche unit, but do so and
its scope is that much greater; its
part-pneumatic, part-mechanical
aural character that much more
interesting; and its combination of
shift speed and throttle response
that much more invigorating.
I think that in the rush to express
our disappointment in the demise of
atmo engines for non-GT 911s, we’ve
To say the Mercedes-Benz SL has
been conflicted over the years would
be something of an understatement.
Ever since making its debut in 1954,
Mercedes’ performance flagship has
pinballed from out-and-out sports car
to sunshine-seeking boulevardier and
back again and again.
In fact, the first road car to receive
the badge (it stands for Super Leicht,
by the way) was arguably the most
purebred sportster of them all and
packed true motorsport pedigree.
Essentially a rebodied version of
1952’s W194 300 SL racer (which
won the gruelling 2000-mile Carrera
Panamericana), complete with its
3.0-litre straight six, this was the
It’s super-secure iconic W198 300 SL ‘Gullwing’.
but the brave can In 1957, Mercedes chopped the roof
get its tail sliding off to create the 300 SL Roadster,
overlooked the heights that Porsche
has hit with this 3.0-litre turbo unit.
Only when you put it up against a
certified blockbuster like the M177
(more civilised calibration or not)
do you realise just how damn good it
is. And the performance with which
it endows the 911… The Porsche is
the faster of the two here, all right.
So where does this leave us? It’s
pretty clear-cut, I would say. One
way of framing the verdict is to ask:
does the reinvented SL get closer
to being a sports car than the 911
gets to being a long-legged grand
tourer? Because if it does, chapeau
AMG, as the result would be pretty
compelling, even at £150,000. But
no. The AMG is a fine cruiser, but
the 911 is no horse and cart and
even in Cabriolet form has the
space and grace for day-long drives.
Then, on those last 30 minutes
from motorway to overnight, it will
take the SL apart in almost every
measurable way, and in several
ways you can’t easily measure, too.
That said, there’s clearly quite a
bit of potential in the SL. If AMG can
give the Mk2 GT the same handling
flair as its predecessor but also the
road manners of the SL and, say,
disengageable front driveshafts?
What a thing that could be. L
Once you’ve got in
tune with it, this
car really sings

A V E RY L O N G A N D V E RY TA N G L E D T H R E A D
which sat alongside the far cheaper
190 SL – a car that aimed to offer the
look for less and was based on a saloon
platform with a wheezy 1.9-litre four-
cylinder engine. Already that split
personality had started to form.
In 1963, the all-new, extensively
aluminium W113 arrived, its distinctive
hard-top option with a concave roof
earning it the ‘Pagoda’ nickname.
Compact, lightweight and powered
by a range of straight sixes, it was a
proper sports car, especially in its
original 230 SL guise. Yet increasing
popularity in the US resulted in the
car being made a little softer, with
an automatic gearbox becoming a
popular option as more people bought
it to be seen rather than to speed in.
This vibe was fully embraced by the
R107, which arrived in 1971 with North
America firmly in its sights. There was
a 237bhp 5.0-litre V8 for the 500 SL,
but this was a laid-back cruiser that
quickly became discombobulated
when the roads turned twisty.
Much better was the R129 of 1989,
which despite its technology and
luxury was actually a poised and
engaging steer, thanks in no small part
to its advanced multi-link rear axle.
It was also the first SL to be given the
SL began in 1952 as racing sports car
MERCEDES SL vs PORSCHE 911 COMPARISON
AMG treatment – at first independently
and then again when the tuner was
brought in-house. The original AMG
SL 500 6.0 packed a 6.0-litre V8 with
374bhp, but the wildest was the SL 73
of 1997, with its magnificent 518bhp
naturally aspirated 7.3-litre V12 – the
same engine that Horacio Pagani
would use for the Zonda.
Yet perhaps no car demonstrates
the SL’s schizophrenic nature quite
like the 2001 R230. A slightly bloated
four-wheeled gin palace in cooking
V6 guise, it could also be specified
in V8-engined SL 55 and SL 63
guises, plus with a 610bhp twin-
turbo 6.0-litre V12 as the SL 65.
Oh, and of course there was the SL
65 Black Series, arguably the most
focused SL of the lot. Carbonfibre
bodywork and a fixed roof shaved
250kg off the kerb weight, plus there
was a wider track, fully adjustable
suspension and 670bhp for the V12.
It cost £250,000 (the Ferrari 599 was
cheaper) and wasn’t as sharp or as
involving as the 997-series Porsche 911
GT2, but its crushing performance and
rarity (just 350 were hand-assembled)
make it highly prized today.
And that brings us to the R231,
introduced in 2012 and just recently
replaced. It was based on an aluminium
architecture for a 140kg saving over
its predecessor and used Mercedes’
Active Body Control suspension for
enhanced agility. Yet even with the
option of the 577bhp twin-turbo
5.5-litre V8 SL 63 and 621bhp V12
SL 65, the muscle-bound Mercedes
was still happier travelling in straight
lines than around corners.

Road roar hampers its GT credentials, but it’s stunningly

1st complete in almost every other respect. Subtler than
the SL but also more detailed and rewarding.
Fantastically capable in isolation but somewhat
2nd confused. Loses some GT slickness in an attempt to
chase the 911 but never lands any convincing blows.

Porsche 911 Carrera Mercedes-AMG SL 55

GTS Cabriolet 4Matic+ Premium Plus
Rating AAAAB AAAAC
Price £124,800 £147,475
Engine 6 cyls horizontally opposed, V8, 3982cc, twin-
2981cc, twin-turbo, petrol turbocharged, petrol
Power 473bhp at 6500rpm 469bhp at 5500-6500rpm
Torque 420lb ft at 2300-5000rpm 516lb ft at 2000-4500rpm
Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch auto, RWD 9-spd automatic, 4WD
Dry weight 1615kg 1870kg
0-62mph 3.6sec 3.9sec
Top speed 192mph 183mph
Economy 25.0-26.9mpg 21.9mpg
CO2, tax band 239-256g/km, 37% 292g/km, 37%

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 47

 BUMP AND GRIND

48 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


How well suited is the average small car
to the rigours of everyday family life, as
well as some more adventurous journeys?
Matt Saunders finds out by spending a
busy week in the brilliant Suzuki Ignis
Too steep and
sticky? Not
for this city car
ow many of us are
H
looking at downsizing
our cars right now?
Among my default
recommendations
to anyone who wants a small,
affordable, versatile car with
room inside it and some character
without remains the one that
has just been delivered to my
driveway: the Suzuki Ignis.
M O N D AY, 1 0 . 2 3 A M
I’m regularly telling people how
much more useful these clever little
cars are than you might imagine.
Now it’s time to prove it. For the
next seven days, this 3.7-metre-long,
1.2-litre city car will be the Saunders
family’s only means of transport.
Anywhere we need to go, we will
go in this, and anything we need to
carry will go in the boot – or it won’t
be going. The office commute, the
school run, the supermarket shop
and the weekend football match
will all be done in it, and I will also
make some special trips to test the
outer limits of this car’s capabilities.
Thankfully, we have the right
version: the range-topping Allgrip
SZ5, with 82bhp, a manual gearbox
and viscous-coupling-based four-
wheel drive. A quick poke around
and I remember all the features that
impressed me the first time around:
sliding rear seats, enough leg and
head room for adults in both rows,
plenty of cabin storage, a simple
control layout and a touchscreen
infotainment system that mirrors
your phone on a wired connection.
How much more do you really need?
T U E S D AY, 5 . 0 5 P M
A busy working day on the road
started early today, with a quick 30-
mile dash to Silverstone for a track
day, then home in time to collect
the kids from after-school club.
The Ignis is going down a storm
with them. They love its smiley,
What’s more fun than individually sliding
Ignis calmed Saunders dow
SUZUKI IGNIS FAMILY TEST
cartoonish features and sandpit-toy
proportions, so there are cheers
when it turns up in the car park.
The youngest even forgets to ask
what the Porsche 911 GT3 RS that
I’ve been testing was like. (He later
says he “prefers this to the SF90
you had the other week, Dad”.
Take that, Maranello.)
This is a small car but a really
well-packaged one, and there
would be plenty of room in the back
for child seats or booster seats if
they were needed. As it is, much
adjustment of those individually
sliding back seats is made before we
depart, just for the novelty factor.
The Ignis isn’t quite perfect for
town driving, but its mild-hybrid
powertrain is more than adequately
torquey and very likeable.
Something with wider axle tracks
that could span those island-like
speed bumps more comfortably
and whose automatic ’box could
handle gearchanges itself might
be easier to get on with. The
Ignis’s throttle pedal is slightly
over-sensitive when you’re on
and off the clutch, but it doesn’t
take too much getting used to.
W E D N E S D AY, 8 . 52 A M
My office commute is a long one:
106 miles door to door, split about
70:30 between motorway roads and
cross-country A- and B-roads (and
I know every bump and camber of
the latter very well). It’s the kind of
trip that a typical modestly powered
city car might struggle with – but
not the Ignis, I’m pleased to say.
It’s no particular motorway
specialist. If you want to accelerate
at more than a glacial pace to
overtake, you will need to work the
gearbox. And there’s plenty of wind
noise from around those upright
A-pillars above 60mph, although
not as much as you might think
from the 1.2-litre motor spinning
away under that diddy bonnet. 
seats?
n after GT3 RS test
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 49
 With that said, having been a bit You won’t often be
animated on more uneven surfaces going fast enough to
(the live axle at the back doesn’t sample the handling
make for the finest vertical body
control), the Ignis’s cruising ride
settles down fine on the motorway.
The driver’s seat is perfectly comfy.
Even as a bigger and taller driver, I
don’t feel as though I’m squeezed in
over the controls. Visibility is great.
And there’s plenty of space for your Space for the school run, if not a family holid
travel mug of coffee, if you can bear ay
the inevitable comfort breaks.
Fuel economy, meanwhile, settles
down to about 50mpg at a give-and-
take 70mph average. That’s not
stellar for something that weighs
less than a tonne and has electrical
assistance, I guess, and the fuel
tank is only 30 litres. But even so, if
longer trips are only on your menu
occasionally, you could make it
work if you were so inclined –
and I’m still feeling that way.
was 100% reliable
T H U R S D AY, 2 . 2 6 P M Not broken down. In fact, it
A bit more of the road less travelled
today. I met our photographer Max
Edleston on some of Leicestershire’s
prettier B-roads mid-morning for
a spot of cross-country driving and
❝
accompanying snaps, and now
we’ve decamped to a nearby quarry
to investigate the Ignis’s off-road
How many
credentials.
On the blacktop, this is a
car that I’m really enjoying. It’s
Ignises could
not sophisticated, but it’s honest:
unexpectedly tactile through the you buy for the
steering, light through the gearshift
and with plenty of simple connected
feel through the pedals (to the
price of a Ferrari
point where the thrust bearing
on the clutch makes an endearing
squeak when it’s cold). It bumbles
SF90, Dad?
along a bit on its slightly restive
suspension, but that’s somehow
part of the charm.
You have to work pretty hard to
❞
accrue enough speed to give the
chassis a lot to do in the corners,
but both grip and lateral body
control are decent enough when
you do, and the Ignis is narrow
enough to give you plenty of road
to aim at. It’s a surprising amount
of fun – as little, light, modestly
powered cars so often are.
When we arrive at the quarry, my 4WD, narrow tracks and
worries are that the Ignis’s ground just enough clearance
clearance (180mm) would come make it capable here
up short over the bumps and its
Bridgestone Ecopia tyres would just
spin when they hit wet mud. Both
are mainly unfounded. The Ignis
has an off-road calibration for its
traction control and a hill descent
control button – and it climbs and
descends like a proper mountain
goat. It’s light, it’s small and it just
keeps going. But for a couple of
brushes with muddy wheel troughs,
it doesn’t bottom out anyway.
The steepest grades need a bit of
a run up and full power in first gear,
but away from the slopes, you have
to avoid ruts and bigger bumps,
which upset the car’s little wheels
and simple suspension a bit. So the
trick to successful progress here is
all about judging your speed.

50 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


Thankfully in such an
agile little car, there’s not
much you can’t simply
drive around and there are
surprisingly few places
where you can’t go.
S U N D AY, 3 . 3 5 P M
sleepovers Between an early kick-off for
Boot is adaptable enough for one of the kids on Saturday
Win or lose, they’ll sti and all the other usual
ll be happy after the Dad’s Taxi driving commitments,
game
the Ignis has had a busy weekend.
It feels purpose-built for the sort of
short-hop drop-offs and pick-ups
that so many parents have to do, and
cruises into parking spaces that the
other mums’ and dads’ Audi Q5s
and Land Rovers won’t fit into.
But the big-car points accrue
unexpectedly once again when
the time comes to drop them off
at a friend’s sleepover. Two fold-up
foam beds and sleeping bags fit
into the boot no problem, leaving
room for the kids in the back seats
and the last of their luggage in
the front passenger footwell.
Brilliant packaging The whole family going
makes this small car somewhere with cargo would be a
surprisingly spacious stretch for the Ignis, no doubt. We
could manage a day trip or a fairly
SUZUKI IGNIS FAMILY TEST
low-key shopping mission, but
enough overnight bags for the four
of us would be right at the limit of
the Ignis’s cargo space.
The thing is, this week we just
haven’t needed to travel like that –
and everything we have needed the
Ignis has provided very cheerily
indeed. If it was mine, I reckon
I would fit it with lifter springs,
winter tyres and roof spotlights
and pretend it was some modern
take on an old Fiat Panda 4x4.
Actually, the more I think about
it, that’s not too far wide of the mark.
This couldn’t really be your only car
for a busy and growing family of
four, not even if you were desperate
to prove a point. But if you’ve always
thought modern city cars too small,
slow or impractical to make a useful
second car, the Ignis could so easily
change your mind – and win a lot of
your affection at the same time.
“How many Ignises could you
buy for the price of an SF90, Dad?”
the youngest asks when we’re out
dropping off a coffee table for a
friend who’s moving house (seats
down, no problem). “You could have
an army of ’em, James,” I tell him.
But just one would do very nicely. L
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 51
 ‘Al future cars
wil be self-driving’
So says Mate Rimac, creator of arguably the most impressive
hypercar this century. But that barely scratches the surface of
what this forward thinker is up to, as Steve Cropley finds out
he frustration of
T
trying to report the
life and times of
Mate Rimac, 35-year-
old Croatian-born
inventor of the acclaimed Nevera
EV hypercar and architect of a
forthcoming Bugatti renaissance,
is that by the time he gets around
to announcing something, it’s
already half-finished.
We meet in Rimac Technology’s
temporary office in an industrial
estate outside Warwick, ostensibly
to talk about his plan to expand
into the UK. But to do it, we have
to squeeze into a small room off
the entrance hall – because the
surrounding spaces are crammed
with the 51 beavering British
Rimac talks Cropley
through his firm’s
cutting-edge tech
52 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
engineers he’s hired already.
Ten miles away at Wellesbourne
(we learn), there are “about 100”
more engineers working on an
autonomous project called P3
Mobility, whose existence Rimac
hasn’t even officially confirmed.
Anyone who meets him finds
a friendly and candid person,
amazingly generous with his time,
but it’s clear that to him, talking is
nowhere near as good as doing.
Why the enthusiasm for British
engineers, I ask. Croatia has great
engineers, and so does Germany,
which already has a Rimac outpost.
“In Croatia, we have smart people,
for sure, but not much experience,”
he says. “And I respect German
engineers a lot, but most of them
have worked in big, safe OEMs
Rimac’s Nevera EV
is five years ahead
of established rivals
and haven’t seen hard times.
British engineers are different.
They often have to do things
quickly, on limited funds. That
makes them resourceful. And
they’re more open to new stuff.”
Since the autonomous P3
Mobility project has been
confirmed in our conversation,
I ask why it has needed to be
secret. “Two reasons,” he says.
“One is the amount of hot air
expended on this subject.
So many promises are never
delivered. We want to deliver
before we talk. Two is that this
is a tough project; plans change.
If you announce something,
changing gets difficult and
we want to stay flexible.”
What exactly is P3? How will it
affect people like me? “The aim
is to give people the best form
of city transport they can have,”
says Rimac, “but convenience
isn’t the only objective. We’re
talking low cost, efficiency,
safety and cleanliness too. There
are new vehicles involved – our
Wellesbourne team is working Mate Rimac is a car
on them now – but we’re also enthusiast as well as
designing a whole environment an autonomy realist
that will integrate into cities
alongside existing transportation.
Eventually, there’ll be fleets of Given that Rimac is working
thousands of robotaxis, linked to at extreme ends of the transport
‘mother ships’ where they’ll be spectrum – exclusive hypercars
charged, cleaned and serviced. and mass transportation – I ask if
“People think autonomy will be he also has a plan for the middle
the main issue here, but it isn’t. ground. He has an easy answer and
We believe all future cars will be a harder one, and offers both.
self-driving, just as a phone makes “In a sense, we help the middle
a phone call. P3 Mobility will be all by working with others – partners
about convenience, but it’ll have like Hyundai and Porsche,” he says.
to be integrated carefully. You Rimac Technology already has
wouldn’t want autonomous cars dozens of OEM client-partners, for
moving underground transport to which it tackles many tasks, usually
the streets again. The secret is to complex. But Rimac himself has
add value to what cities have now. radical views on the future of car
We already have letters of intent ownership that lead him to reject
from various cities, including any idea of a Tesla rival.
British, to take P3 further.” “There will always be some
However, Rimac’s candour runs who want to own cars,” he says.
out when I ask him for a launch date. “People still own horses, after all.
Much has been achieved, but it’s too Enthusiasts will maintain their
soon to talk about ribbon-cutting. hobby and I’m one of them.

“But to me, chasing Tesla would
be like getting into the CD business
in 2002, when MP3 players had
arrived and we could already see
Spotify on the horizon. It doesn’t
seem right that people only use
their second-biggest purchase 3%
of the time. So I’m pretty sure car
ownership will get smaller.”
Having watched other successful
car firms expand fast, then fail, I
ask Rimac how he plans to ensure
his company will be around in 50
years. “I think about this every day,”
he says, “and at present I don’t have
the definitive answer. But part of
the answer must be profitability.
Bugatti is nicely profitable. Rimac
isn’t, though we’re working on that.
And P3 Mobility will take years. But
I see preserving this company as
the challenge of my life.” L
H O W B U GAT T I A N D R I M AC D I F F E R
Mate Rimac has notched up many
achievements in 13 action-packed
years, but his headline-grabber
has been launching the Nevera, his
advanced EV hypercar, five or six
years ahead of McLaren, Ferrari and
the rest. Indeed, it is the capability
and credibility of the Nevera that
has induced the Volkswagen Group
to hand Rimac the running of its
problematic Bugatti marque,
a source of wonderful cars for
20 years but a project that has
always needed large investments
and struggled to earn profits.
Mate Rimac sees the marques
as different canvases. “Bugatti
is about heritage, craftsmanship,
pursuit of perfection and a hint
❝
Chasing Tesla would
be like getting into
the CD business
in 2002 when MP3
players had arrived
and we could see
Spotify on the horizon
❞
of aristocracy,” he says. “Rimac is
wild and crazy, with an engineering-
technology focus.”
Bugatti’s brand values are already
well known, but Mate Rimac promises
“technical, exciting stuff that’s really
different” rather than continuing
rebodying jobs on the same chassis.
The obvious new model is a rear-drive
Chiron successor “with zero carryover
MATE RIMAC INTERVIEW
from Nevera or anything else”.
Already well advanced is a series of
later Bugatti models, some of which
refer to the marque’s greatest cars
of the vintage years. They will be
diverse (“I don’t want to spend my
time restyling”) and will include more
ICE cars. “We have some very exciting
combustion engines coming along,”
says Mate Rimac, mysteriously.
“I’m still deciding about Rimac,”
says the company’s founder. “I
believe we have a five- or six-year
lead and we must strive to keep it.
I’m trying to decide how to do that.
I have ideas but I can’t share them
yet. One key decision is whether
the leading designs in six years’
time are hypercars at all…”
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 53
In 2023, even cars
are becoming vegan.
But are manufacturers
inadvertently doing
harm to the planet
by turning away from
animal products?
Jesse Crosse investigates how the look, smell and feel of car interiors are changing,
and asks whether all this makes for a better environment both inside and out

54 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


Bridge of Weir is UK’s
only manufacturer of
automotive leather
ime was when the most difficult
T
question a manufacturer could
expect at the launch of a new car
would have been along the lines
of: “What’ll it do?” Today, things
have moved on and one of the key questions
asked is: “What’s it made of?”
In the past decade, a new thread has emerged
in the shape of the ethicality and sustainability
surrounding the use of animal products.
Greater awareness of these issues has added
numerous layers of complexity to the business
of making cars in the sense that reducing the
carbon footprint and ethical considerations are
becoming interwoven and possibly confused.
Campaigning by US charity Peta (People for
the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and others
has led to closer scrutiny of the animal products
used in cars, for the most part focusing on
interiors. Manufacturers have taken note and,
for example, the Polestar 2 EV was announced
in 2020 with an all-vegan interior incorporating
recycled materials like cork and carpets made
from fishing nets. It’s not an unusual approach
Sustainable materials fill Merc’s Vision EQXX
concept
and most other big brands have been using
recycled materials for years, but is the very use
of the word ‘vegan’ to describe interiors trimmed
in animal-free products controversial?
Veganism is described in various ways
depending on who you ask but extends
beyond not eating anything derived from
animals or preventing animal cruelty. Peta’s
view is that animals “are not ours to use, for
experimentation, food, clothing, entertainment
or any other reason”. So when a manufacturer
describes an interior as ‘vegan’, is its purpose to
meet all of those key vegan principles? Or is it
designed to be an attractive catch-all to promote
a product that can be enjoyed guilt-free, both
green and ethically unburdened?
Vegan interiors are being promoted by a
number of manufacturers now, and in 2020
Ford won an award from Peta for the Mustang
Mach-E’s animal product-free interior. Sonja
Vandenberk, Ford of Europe’s chief designer,
colour and material, says: “Ford continuously
reviews its product specifications and materials
used in all components. Sustainability is a key
consideration, factoring in customer feedback
and demand, supply sources, related ethics,
longevity of supply and so on.”
BMW will also launch cars with fully vegan
interiors this year. It says leather-free interiors
will reduce its CO2e (CO2 equivalent) emissions
by 85%. Previously, 80% of emissions relating
to its leather interiors came from methane gas
produced by cattle, with the hide processing
contributing just 20%. However, those figures
would assume the cattle are raised specifically
for their hide and not for food.
There is a sense that, having initially rushed
to embrace vegan interior materials, some
manufacturers now appear to be adjusting that
approach to focus on animal welfare rather
VEGAN INTERIORS INSIGHT
HIDE AND SEEK
Although the focus is mainly on interior
materials, animal products are used in other
areas of cars too, and in some of the most
unlikely places. While moving towards vegan
interior materials from this year, BMW and Mini
will still have animal products in them but “not
visible to the customer”. Examples are: various
waxy substances like gelatine used in protective
coatings, lanoline used in paint, tallow (a form
of animal fat) as an additive in elastomers and
beeswax also used in paints. Tyre manufacturing
has traditionally used stearic acid, derived from
tallow, to enhance the flexibility of the rubber.
Despite the trend towards luxury synthetic
materials in cars, they have been in use for years.
Audi made a big thing of its Jacquard Satin
(made from cotton) seat upholstery way back in
the 1980s and, while it appears to be suede, the
hugely popular Alcantara is actually made from
68% polyester and 32% polyurethane.
than the full vegan philosophy.
In 2022, Polestar announced that it was
introducing leather interiors but under strict
conditions. “We have revisited materials and
processes that go into making the Polestar 2,
introducing updates that reduce the climate
impact and increase material traceability,”
said CEO Thomas Ingenlath. The word
‘traceability’ is one we’re hearing more of and
has particular significance in relation to animal
welfare. The firm went on to say: “We require
that all leather used in Polestar products must
live up to the strictest standards on animal
welfare and the ‘Five Freedoms’ [explained in the
box on p57], alongside being fully traceable 
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 55
 The Range Rover SV
and McLaren Elva use
futuristic Ultrafabrics
nd for some
Imitation leather represents a middle grou

 and chrome-free. A new leather supplier,

Bridge of Weir, meets our requirements.”
Mercedes is taking a similar approach and says
that from the beginning of this year it will offer
only sustainably produced and processed leather
in its interiors, explaining: “The company
requires its suppliers to comply with the Animal
Welfare Committee’s Five Freedoms of animal
welfare in livestock breeding.” Its partners,
meanwhile, must “disclose their entire supply
chain from the farming to the final product”.
Leather can only be processed in tanneries that
meet the ‘gold standard’ of the independent
Leather Working Group.
This approach isn’t new to Bridge of Weir.
The premium leather manufacturer, part of
the Scottish Leather Group, has for some time
undergone the most stringent, self-imposed
independent life-cycle analysis and independent
auditing by organisations such as the Leather
Working Group. It has also invested millions into
a waste product gasification plant producing

Bridge of Weir energy to power its plants in a circular process of
prides itself on its carbon reduction.
eco credentials Warren Bowden, head of sustainability and
innovation at the Scottish Leather Group, says:
“One of the arguments we keep hearing is you’re
growing that animal for its skin. You would not
grow an animal for 1% of its value and the hide
represents approximately 1% of the total value
of the animal.” This figure is echoed by livestock
figures produced by the US Department of
Agriculture. In both the US and Europe, hides
are officially categorised as ‘by-products’ of food
production, and on that basis Bowden believes it
is “unethical” to waste hide that would otherwise
go into landfill. Research commissioned by
the US leather industry, based on 25 years of
government data, echoes Bowden’s thinking.
Were people to stop buying leather en masse
globally, it would result in 300 million tonnes
of hides disposed of annually, generating six
million tonnes of surplus CO2 emissions.
Bridge of Weir says 98% of its hides come from
the UK, the other 2% from Denmark because one
customer requires that they do so. Both the UK
and Denmark are in the highest category of the
World Animal Protection organisation’s Animal
Protection Index. “We have 100% traceability of
those hides so we can prove that the standard of
animal husbandry is what it ought to be,” adds
Bowden. On the subject of CO2, an independent
life-cycle analysis (for the entire process from
rearing cattle to the finished product) gives
Bridge of Weir’s ‘circular’ process a score of 8kg
CO2e per square metre of leather, claimed to be
the lowest in the world published for leather.
One of an increasing number of companies
offering alternatives is flourishing US/Japanese
firm Ultrafabrics, established in 1999. It initially
produced synthetic substitutes for leather
but, says director of branding Nicole Meier,
Ultrafabrics’ products have evolved far beyond
that now and customers are more interested in
new materials than leather lookalikes. “We never
try to compete or compare ourselves to leather.
People are much more educated in materials and
our products are something for the future that
are more technical,” she explains.
“Our clients’ customers are trendsetters and
they want to offer them the latest and greatest,
a material that doesn’t look like leather, but is

56 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

 VEGAN INTERIORS INSIGHT
W H AT A R E T H E
F I V E F R E E D O M S?
They outline five key aspects of
animal control developed following
a UK government report in 1965.
Since then, they have been
adopted worldwide.

FREEDOM FROM
HUNGER OR THIRST
By providing ready access to fresh
water and a diet to maintain full
health and vigour.

FREEDOM FROM
DISCOMFORT
By providing an appropriate
environment including shelter
and a comfortable resting area.

F R E E D O M F R O M PA I N ,
I N J U RY O R D I S E A S E
By prevention or rapid diagnosis
and treatment.

FREEDOM TO EXPRESS
(M OST) N O RMAL
B E H AV I O U R
By providing sufficient space,
proper facilities and company
of the animal’s own kind.

FREEDOM FROM FEAR

AND DISTRESS
By ensuring conditions
and treatment that avoid
mental suffering.

❝
People are much more
educated in materials and our
products are more technical
❞
Ford got Peta approval for animal-free Mach
-E interior
cool to the touch, doesn’t crack or peel, keeps BMW says its vegan
you cool, absorbs your body heat. I think those interiors will slash
technical aspects appeal to people.” carbon emissions
Like Bridge of Weir, Ultrafabrics supplies
both McLaren and Jaguar Land Rover and has
high sustainability credentials. Its fabrics are
all polyurethane-based, although Ultrafabrics is
introducing a new 29% bio-based product called
Volar Bio and aims to include 50% sustainable or
recycled raw materials into its entire portfolio
by 2030. From a CO2 perspective, its published
figures claim greenhouse gas emissions from
manufacturing in 2019 amounted to 3.84kg of
CO2 per square yard of fabric, equivalent to
4.6kg per square metre, using energy sourced
from the Japanese grid.
Which raises the question: is synthetic or
natural better for the environment? There doesn’t
appear to be one, single answer to that question,
mainly because of the lack of industry standards
governing comparisons and whether they are
including the entire supply chain in the same
way. As Bowden points out: “You can’t compare
apples with something else and you can’t just look
at a number and say this is better than that.” L

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 57

 YO U R V I E WS
Here since day one?
Vicky Parrott looks so young, so
I was amazed when I read in her
response to receiving a Caterham
Super Seven 600 from James Disdale
(‘Oh, you shouldn’t have’, 7/14
December 2022) that she “first drove
a three-cylinder Caterham 160 years
ago”. It just goes to show how looks
can be deceiving. I really think she
shouldn’t drive too fast at her age!
Michael Blackstein
Via email
Although Vicky is a very experienced
automotive journalist, I would guess
that was meant to say 16 years! – KC
Return to the dark ages
Having grown up in the era of post-
war austerity, when everything in
Britain was black and depressing
(black cars, black telephones,
black-and-white movies) while
everything in America was bright
and cheerful (various coloured
cars, white telephones, Technicolor
movies), my wife and I hate dark
and depressing car interiors. And
it’s significant that most of the more
upmarket cars have light interiors.
For this reason, we haven’t
replaced her beloved nine-year-
old light and cheerful Nissan Leaf
(which she has owned from new)
with a longer-range version, as the
only available interior now is black.
Looking at other models, the
Hyundai Ioniq 5 is available with
a light leather interior but is rather
expensive for a runaround, while
the otherwise ideal and affordable
MG 4 EV is dark and depressing – as
are most other lower-end models.
Inside the car is where the buyer
will spend his or her time. Yet while
Autocar’s testers usually comment
on the quality of a car’s interior,
you don’t seem to appreciate the
importance of ambience, which is
created by colour: dark and moody
or light and cheerful. Could you
please in future detail the options?
Trevor Hunt
Theale, Somerset
We do take ambience into account,
but we mustn’t let subjective matters
figure too strongly in our verdicts – KC
Hunt is on for a similarly light EV cabin
58 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
WRITE TO
autocar@haymarket.com
LETTER OF THE WEEK
DSG is a rather complicated component
Why no recall?
I have a 2014 Volkswagen Golf with
a DSG gearbox. Recently when I was
with my two very young children, it
suddenly lost power at a crossroads
and became completely undrivable.
Very scary. I had to be towed home,
and if I hadn’t been in such a rural
place, it could have been dangerous.
The car came up with “gearbox
WIN fault loss of pressure in mechatronic
unit”. Why was there never a recall
Wanted: one ordinary car Letter of the week
wins this ValetPRO
exterior protection
related to the DSG gearbox on this
car in the UK when such a recall
I’ve been a car lover since my early teens when was issued in many other countries?
and maintenance kit
I was given a grounding in mechanics by my Adding to the issue, two years ago
worth £48
uncle. As soon as I was old enough, I took my when having the cambelt changed
test, bought two Austin 1300s and made a by my local garage, they told me the
good one out of them. A few rusty Austins gearbox would need an oil change. I
followed until I was able to buy my first took the car to Ipswich Volkswagen,
new car in 1984. Since then I’ve bought a but they told me the oil didn’t need
new car every few years, always paying changing as it was a “dry gearbox”.
cash. Nothing fancy: Fiats, Vauxhalls, I’m now told that my mechatronic
the odd Mazda, a Hyundai and a Seat. unit sits in dirty oil. Had the oil
My Ibiza does everything I need it to. been changed when I asked, would
It’s quick enough, refined enough, frugal and very my car have had this problem?
well equipped. Due to Covid and my retirement, Louise Cotton
it has done only 11,000 miles, so what to do when Via email
it’s time to change? I will probably keep it for a few more years before Volkswagen UK said: “This customer’s
going electric, but I don’t see an EV that I can afford right now anyway. gearbox doesn’t have a service interval
B-segment EVs all seem to start at double what I paid for my Ibiza, on the oil and thus shouldn’t need an
plus discounts are history, due to supply and demand issues, while oil change during its lifetime. Many of
makers and dealers are filling their boots with hugely wider margins. our DSG ’boxes do need an oil change
For the past year or so, my wife and I have been looking to change (either every 40,000 miles or 80,000
her Suzuki Celerio. We would happily buy another, but like nearly all miles), but a fair proportion don’t, and
city cars, it has been discontinued. The Hyundai i10 is one option, but this is one of them. The cause of any
it costs about £13,500 – nearly double what the Celerio cost in 2017.
When I read car magazines now, I mostly see reviews of huge SUVs
(which I wouldn’t have as a gift!), supercars and executive cars, most
at £50,000-plus. So what are we ordinary motorists supposed to do?
The thrust of my point is this: why should I bother to maintain an
interest in cars when the car industry doesn’t seem to have an interest
in me? There’s hardly a glimmer of hope, with manufacturers queuing
up to tell us that neither ICE nor EV city cars are commercially viable.
Maybe people like us are no longer of interest to the makers and
dealers. After buying more than 20 new cars in 40 years, it feels that
the pleasure of doing so will soon become little more than a memory.
Colin Reeve
Wetheringsett, Suffolk
Plane wrong However, you said the largest plane
I enjoyed your piece on the Range Boeing made before the 747 was the
Rover and the Boeing 747 (‘Boeing 737. Actually it was the 707, which Ellis Journey was
Boeing gone’, 30 November 2022). spawned the smaller 727, then 737. balmy, London to
As you said, these are iconic items of Nick Brunner Brighton Run barmy
engineering, instantly recognisable. Winchester, Hampshire

issues that this ’box might have aren’t
due to the oil not being changed.
“As for the safety campaign the
customer mentioned, our cars are
often given different components and
software to make them relevant to the
markets they’re being sold in. An issue
seen in one market doesn’t necessarily
mean every market will have the same
issue. Therefore there isn’t a safety
campaign associated with this ’box.”
Diesel swindle?
Before the prices of fuel shot up last
year, diesel was never more than 4p
per litre different from petrol. Now
there’s a 22-24p difference. Oil costs
$80 per barrel now, just as it did last
January. Back then, petrol cost just
over 140p per litre and diesel 144p
per litre. So why at the same price
per barrel are petrol prices now
in the mid-150s but diesel prices
in the mid-170s?
Iain Gregory
Via email
A significant proportion of Europe’s
diesel supply has typically come from
Russia, so its wholesale price has risen
disproportionately as a consequence
of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – KC
A summer jolly
I was interested to read about
Will Rimell’s and Mark Tisshaw’s
experience of participating in the
London to Brighton Veteran Car Run
(‘As old as the hills’, 7/14 December
2022). In particular, it made me
to smile to read Tisshaw’s final
comment of “I wish the whole thing
took place on a sunny day in June”,
because I have a solution to this. It’s
called The Ellis Journey. The 2022
run took place on a glorious day in
late July. The cars were all pre-1905
and they drove from Micheldever
station in Hampshire to Datchet in
Berkshire, recreating the first-ever
car journey undertaken in Britain,
by one Evelyn Ellis in 1895.
I should say that I’m not involved
in the event in any way but merely
a happy spectator of a brilliant
motoring festival.
Here’s hoping for more sunny days
for The Ellis Journey in 2023. Maybe
Tisshaw would enjoy this trip more.
Miles Bennett
Via email
LETTERS
G R E AT R E A S O N S T O B U Y
NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE
The original car magazine, published
since 1895 ‘in the interests of the
O N S A L E 1 8 JA N UA RY mechanically propelled road carriage’
TWIN TEST EDITORIAL
Email autocar@haymarket.com
Editor Mark Tisshaw
Editorial director, Automotive Jim Holder
Editor-in-chief Steve Cropley
Magazine editor Rachel Burgess
Associate editor Piers Ward
Managing editor Sami Shah
Editor-at-large Matt Prior
Road test editor Matt Saunders
Deputy road test editor Richard Lane
Road tester Illya Verpraet
News and features editor Felix Page
Deputy news editor Will Rimell
Staff writer Jack Warrick
Editorial assistant Charlie Martin
Editorial apprentice Jonathan Bryce
Used cars editor Mark Pearson
Chief sub-editor Kris Culmer
Group art editor Stephen Hopkins
Art editor Sarah Özgül
Senior photographer Luc Lacey
Photographer Max Edleston
Picture editor Ben Summerell-Youde
Videographer Jack Harrison
Social media executive Georgia Patmore
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Alfa Romeo Tonale vs Audi Q3
European editor Greg Kable
Business correspondent Nick Gibbs
Used car correspondent James Ruppert
Turin is betting big on its compact SUV, but can Senior contributing writer Andrew Frankel
Senior contributing editor Richard Bremner
it beat the German premium establishment? Contributing editor Mike Duff
Motorsport editor Damien Smith
Matt Saunders delivers the verdict Senior consulting editor Tom Evans
Special correspondents James Attwood, Mauro Calo,
Jesse Crosse, James Disdale, John Evans, Colin Goodwin,
Hilton Holloway, Simon Hucknall, Julian Rendell, Richard Webber
FIRST DRIVE F E AT U R E Special contributors John Bradshaw, Tom Bradshaw,
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Stuart Milne, Allan Muir, Sam Phillips, Rebecca Stevens,
Will Williams, Oliver Young
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 This 1925 Lambda
went for £107,000
at Bonhams in 2015

ON THIS24DAY
IN 19

We meet one of history’s greatest innovators

LANCIA HAS OFTEN been highly
innovative, and its 1922 Lambda
torpedo tourer is among the most
forward-thinking cars ever made.
It had a load-carrying unitary
body, not a separate chassis, for
much better rigidity; it scored
a first with independent front
suspension; it was a pioneer of
braking all four wheels; and its
48bhp overhead-cam V4 was very
potent for its small size of 2120cc.
We met the Lambda 99 years
ago, saying: “Being a thoroughly
unconventional car, it is fitting
that it should have a most unusual
performance. Acceleration,
to­gether with a set of excellent
brakes, enables one to average
a surprising speed. Over 30mph
can be kept up in perfect safety.
“The engine is very smooth,
has a most healthy power of
‘revving’ on second, and a slight
peculiarity of exhaust note due
to the V set of cylinders.
“But it is more than the engine
that makes the car fascinating.
The steering is exceptional. It
would be difficult to improve the
driving position, the gearchange
is easy, and be­comingly sensitive.
“Best of all, the Lancia holds
to the road at any speed.
“Another marked good feature
is the suspension, which enables
the Lancia to travel a good 10mph
faster than many other fast cars
on really bad roads.”
Small upgrades were made in
eight increments up to 1931, and
even today Lambdas amaze with
how modern they feel to drive.
KRIS CULMER

Bentley contributes to debate about balloon tyres
“I want to know more about the benefits and the drawbacks of low-pressure
tyres,” wrote our regular columnist Owen John. “A good deal of information
is available but not exactly of the kind that is most valuable; and, so far, I have
but gathered a con­siderable quantity of evidence both for and against.
“I am looking forward, in the regrettable absence of any official proof, to
finding out if low-pressure tyres do slow cars, do eat petrol, do skid on grease,
do roll, do improve immensely the running of a car, do splash the mud all over
the place and, in short, whether their pros outweigh their cons.”
An opinion John certainly would have valued was that of one Walter Owen
Bentley, who wrote us a letter detailing his experiences with “balloon tyres”.
The difference between the low-
pressure Dunlops fitted to his 3.0-
litre Bentley saloon – 22psi front
and 18psi rear – and the regular
spares is clear to see (look left).
Bentley had found that all
audible “evidences of unavoidable
geometrical distortion instantly
vanished”; that adhesion to the
road was “pronouncedly greater”;
that there was “no perceptible
effect on performance” except
Dodge impresses again
The American company Dodge had
built up a solid reputation in Britain
since 1917, selling competent, reliable
and affordable little cars. In summer
1923 it made a radical design change,
effecting a lower and more modern
look, plus a few mechanical updates.
We found the latest tourer to be an
“attractive proposition” for the low
price of £355 (£17,115 in our money).
We found the four-pot lively, smooth
and flexible, and when stretched it
took us to a fast 61mph. The steering
was light and responsive, while the
suspension dealt well with potholes
Demand grows for roofs
Remarkably, it took 25 years from
the invention of the car for one to
be offered with a fully enclosed
interior, that being the Cadillac
Model Thirty of 1910. Demand for
cars that didn’t force drivers to
brave the elements soon became
popular not just in the US but also
here and in mainland Europe. This
was a trend we noted in 1924 as
progress was made in overcoming
the not insignificant challenges
of ventilation, rattle and rigidity.
We also predicted that a corollary
of this would be the improved design
of open and convertible cars.
B0NHAMS

to make the ride comfier; and and the cabin was reasonably comfy.
that no nasty ‘roll’ was induced. Maintenance seemed easy as well.

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 61


BMW iX CUPRA BORN
VAUXHALL ASTRA
New-era hatch arrives in 1.2 guise before design boss oversees a swap to the PHEV
FIRST REPORT
WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT
To judge how Vauxhall is doing in the
big-volume but problematic hatchback
market, now this crucial entrant shares
key parts with Peugeot, Citroën and DS
ot sure why this
N is, but I’ve always
had a soft spot for
Vauxhall. Perhaps this
is connected with the fact that
reaching my London roost involves
frequent trips across Vauxhall
Bridge, close to where the venerable
marque had its beginnings in 1903.
Whatever, I’ve always liked
the workaday image of the cars,
which have stayed successful and
competent all these years without
help from premium pricing (which
maintains the health of some
marques whose cars are no better).
In recent years, I’ve approved of
its ‘world’s only German-British
marque’ mantra, which has seemed
62 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
O U R CA RS F E AT U R E D T H I S W E E K
HONDA CIVIC KIA SPORTAGE
appropriate to the modern range.
Things have changed, of course.
Having been long associated with
General Motors, Vauxhall and its
German associate, Opel, have been
acquired by Stellantis, a move that
has required their long-time staple
product, the Astra, to adopt this
mammoth group’s EMP2 platform,
most prominently shared with the
Peugeot 308 but by Citroën and DS
models as well. That means the
powertrains and running gear
are all new, too.
This makes running a
new-generation Astra especially
interesting and the most interesting
of all is the 1.6-litre PHEV model.
We were keen to try such a car,
but production schedules meant
the mid-spec (and likely very
popular) GS Line model was the first
available, powered by Stellantis’s
129bhp 1.2-litre turbo three-pot.
We resolved that I’d run one of
these for a while, timing my move
into the 1.6 PHEV model with the
MAZDA CX-60 PEUGEOT 308
availability of Vauxhall’s long-
serving design director, Mark
Adams, whose key job has been
to ensure this new car continues
to have the soul of a Vauxhall-
Opel, while progressing in all the
directions an all-new car should
take. We decided to meet at Caffeine
& Machine, the buzzing hub for car
enthusiasts just off the Fosse Way
at Ettington, south of Coventry, and
had both cars along for the ride.
Adams is one of those industry
leaders who’s both approachable
and an expert explainer. He made
it crystal clear that Vauxhall’s
positioning would need to be
carefully restated because there
were now more family marques in
the Stellantis group, and the plan
was to position Vauxhall at the same
place in the spectrum as Peugeot
(at the quality end of mainstream)
while ensuring that there was no
visual conflict and that buyers
would see those two marques as
entirely distinct.
VAUXHALL ASTRA
SECOND OPINION
Mark Adams’ bold overhaul
of Vauxhall’s design
has been well received
round these parts, and no model
wears the new look better than the
Astra, to my eye. Encouragingly,
its premium-flavoured makeover
is matched by a cushy ride and a
decent tech offering, which means
the Golf and Focus really do have
something to worry about. FP
We did the classic Adams walk-
around, during which he pointed
out how familiarly Vauxhall design
features – such as the Vizor grille
and lights treatment, the central
ridge of the bonnet, the strong rear
haunches and the flared wheel
arches – all strongly maintained
the Vauxhall look but had all been
“progressed” to make the point
about modernity. In my time with
the 1.2 GS Line, I’d already checked

Cropley is impressed
by the seating position
and inviting interior
the effectiveness of the car’s looks
with friends and family members
and established that they were
content that these cars were very
much fresh-faced new Vauxhalls.
This aligns with my own views.
I’m especially impressed with both
cars’ low seating position and sporty
stance. Also the ‘detox’ principles of
the simplified but inviting interior
design. These are unashamed
hatchbacks (offering the benefits of
lower weight and lower frontal area)
in an era when most designers are
keen to blur the barriers between
hatches and SUVs.
I also approve of Vauxhall’s
willingness to build colourful cars
– the Electric Yellow of the Ultimate
PHEV is a definite improvement on
the Vulcan Grey of the 1.2 GS Line –
and combining bright body colours
adds another level of distinction.
The only issue (as I’m finding) is
that keeping a colourful car looking
good in winter can be quite a chore.
I’ve been surprised by the driving
similarities between the 1.2 and 1.6
PHEV. Their steering, braking, ride
qualities and handling balance are
pretty similar. The steering is quick
and heavier than many. The ride is
firm but very well damped (and I’ve
yet to notice a weight drawback in
the PHEV, although the difference
is a whopping 412kg). Both roll a bit
on corners but not uncomfortably.
They offer a tinge of stabilising
Cropley and design
chief Adams (left) met
at Caffeine & Machine
❝ without needing the engine at all.
I’ve been surprised
by the driving
similarities between
the 1.2 and 1.6 PHEV
❞ charge, yet the reality was closer to
understeer and throttle steer a bit
but never get close to oversteer.
I’ve yet to do many miles in the
1.6 PHEV, but I’m already at odds
with the 42 electric miles officially
claimed for it. In the dead of winter,
‘my’ car offers 18-20 miles via its
own trip computer and delivers
about 25 if you’re careful. I’m sure
it’ll improve in warm weather, but
I’m confident it’ll never reach 42 in
my real world. Because I live 90-odd
miles from the office, the PHEV
is currently showing 59.9mpg
over 1500 miles, not so much better
than the basic 1.2 turbo’s early 50s.
My routine isn’t ideal for PHEVs.
So far, I’m impressed with my
Astra experiences. The car that
Adams and his team have designed
is perfectly credible as a Vauxhall
and it competes pretty well with
rivals in the patch. And the PHEV
is a car I look forward to driving,
which, you could argue, is the
most important thing of all.
STEVE CROPLEY
TEST DATA
VA U X H A L L A S T R A 1 . 6
T U R B O P H E V U LT I M AT E
Price new £36,115 Price as tested £39,415
Options 7kW on-board charger £500,
two-coat premium paint £700, nappa leather
seats with heating, ventilation and massage
£2100 Faults None Expenses None
Economy 256.8mpg (WLTP)
OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
steve.cropley@haymarket.com
MAZDA CX-60
A petrol car with plug-in electric power
gives the best of both worlds, right?
MILEAGE 4220
WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT
Mazda’s largest and priciest car is also
its first PHEV. Does it make any sense?
e like the Mazda CX-5 for
W its impressive dynamics,
lavish interior and
handsome styling, but
there’s no denying the economic
pitfalls of its naturally aspirated,
large-capacity petrol engine. The
larger, heavier CX-60 uses that same
thirsty 2.5-litre motor but because
it’s a PHEV, you might assume this
wouldn’t be a massive problem,
because it can get you from A to B
Or it could, if it were able to
muster up anywhere near as much
EV range as it says it will do on a
charge, but unfortunately I haven’t
been able to rely on plug-in power
as much as I was hoping to.
When the weather was warmer,
the range indicator told me I could
expect nearly 50 miles from a
half of that. And during the recent
cold snap, the state-of-charge bar
once told me the battery was a
quarter full, which didn’t seem to
tally with the estimated one mile of
engine-off running it said it could
provide. Hardly the consistency
and clarity that an economically
LOVE IT
H E ATE D WH E E L AN D S E ATS
As the cold weather bites, the
effective heating for the seats and
steering wheel comes into its own…
LOATHE IT
AI R - CO N FO I B LE
…It’s just a shame the air-con is so
confounding. Auto mode seems to
only want to heat my knees.
Petrol-only travel
gives a modest 240
miles between refills
minded PHEV owner might expect.
It would be a touch less irritating
were the petrol tank large enough
and the atmo motor suitably
abstemious to allow for non-stop,
long-distance journeys. But with
the 50-litre tank fully brimmed,
the CX-60 reckons it’ll go about 240
miles between stops – assuming
the battery is empty. Overall, the
economy readout is currently
nudging a paltry 36mpg.
Sure, if I didn’t live in a flat and
didn’t need to travel long distances
on the motorway on a frequent
basis, I’d be telling a different tale
here. Indeed, my original plan was
to commute exclusively on electric
power and save the engine for the
weekends, but the disappointing
real-world range has played havoc
with my logistics and I’m now in the
awkward position where the CX-60
doesn’t really fit my lifestyle at all.
An EV (even one with a short
range) would be a far more useful
and affordable option for city
driving, and a conventionally
fuelled car – smaller, and without
the weight of a PHEV drivetrain
– would save money on longer
runs. Marrying both in the same
package? The worst of both worlds
in economy terms. Incongruous
though it may seem, the pure-diesel
CX-60 due early this year could right
a lot of these wrongs.
FELIX PAGE
TEST DATA
MAZ DA CX- 60 2 . 5 PH E V
AWD TAKU M I
Price £49,520 Price as tested £53,370
Faults None Expenses None
Economy 36.2mpg Last seen 21/28.12.22
OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
felix.page@haymarket.com
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 63
CUPRA BORN
Cupra’s first EV worked its way under our
skin during its 5750-mile test. Here’s why
FINAL REPORT MILEAGE 7803
WHY WE R AN IT
To see whether the Cupra is a new EV
contender or just a gussied-up VW ID 3
hat the Volkswagen
T ID 3 has become so
ubiquitous so quickly
should come as no great
surprise. In a brave new world
where everybody wants to buy an
EV but few know which one to go
for, it’s natural to trust the world’s
best-selling car maker to get it right.
And there’s nothing wrong in that,
especially when the car in question
is so capable. For keen drivers,
though, it’s just a bit… well, vanilla.
So it hardly seemed the obvious
place for Cupra, the VW Group’s hot-
64 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
headed Spanish arm, to start when
building its first paprika-infused
EV. Yet it didn’t take long with our
Born to discover that there is a bit of
magic at work in this car.
Take the looks: you can tell it’s
an ID 3 underneath, but only if you
know your cars. Few conventional
hatchbacks I’ve driven in recent
times have generated more intrigue:
everyone wants to know what it is
and whether they should buy it,
because they all love how it looks.
The bronze detailing inside and out
may date in time, but here and now
it looks great – aided on ‘my’ car
by the optional (£840) Aurora Blue
paint, the 20in ‘Hurricane’ alloy
wheels and the tinted rear windows,
which give it a dose of hot hatch
intent that signals what’s to come.
In fact, the spec is worth singling
out. Short of an electric tailgate
(useful when pre-opening the
boot to receive muddy dogs on a
wet walk) and the inexplicable
omission of keyless entry, I never
found it wanting. The heated seats
and steering wheel were a joy
on cold mornings, the massage
function was a luxury after a long
day, the head-up display was a
useful addition and the large-
screen infotainment system
offered all the functionality I
could want – albeit frustratingly
slowly, and occasionally making it
unnecessarily difficult to find what I
was looking for through its menus.
Such as the ‘Sport’ button, for
instance. And it would be worth
making it easier to find because
It was fun to drive
enthusiastically
yet also easy-going
when you’re in the mood, it makes
quite a difference to the way the
Born drives. The whole car feels
stiffer, more agile, more alive.
Cross-country, its nimbleness defies
its whopping near-1800kg kerb
weight – aided by having its battery
pack sited so low down in the floor
– and it’s genuinely entertaining
thanks to the sharp steering
combined with a throttle-adjustable
rear-drive platform. As road test
editor Matt Saunders points out
(right), it would benefit from a less
intrusive traction control system – it
cuts in early to stop you having too
much fun – but that’s only really
going to be a consideration for a
small percentage of buyers.
And when you’re not in the mood,
it’s a pretty good daily companion,
 Our car’s 20in
‘Hurricane’ wheels
added visual intent
❝ 40
It didn’t take long with our Born to discover
that there is a bit of magic at work here
❞ 0
SECOND OPINION
It’s been great having
the Born on the fleet,
because it’s definitely the
kind of car you need to spend time
in. Appreciating it just depends on
context and perspective. My first
couple of test drives in one left me
underwhelmed, but the car at our
‘Best Fun EV’ test last autumn easily
rose above rivals on driver appeal. All
it needs, to me at least, is a slightly
freer traction control system. MS
too. Our main gripes centre on a
ride that’s a bit too firm around
town and a lack of refinement:
suppression of both road and wind
noise is arguably better in my aged
diesel VW Touran. The A-pillars
that prevent you from getting a good
sighting through a corner can also
be a pain in everyday use, blocking
your vision at a junction. The only
problem to necessitate a return to
the dealer was a regular shunt in the
driveline, but it was something the
engineers were unable to replicate –
despite it happening once again on
my drive home from the dealer.
Styling drew plenty
of attention during
its time with us
Large touchscreen
and phone mirroring
were both welcome
But these are relatively minor
gripes and more than compensated
for by the Born’s general usefulness:
it’s hugely roomy, front and back,
with a boot whose practical shape
makes it feel larger than the quoted
385 litres, and whose seatbacks
drop at the pull of a lever to give
a cavernous load bay. It’s not flat,
because there’s no raised boot
floor on my car, but it does have
the benefit of the seatbelts being to
one side of the opening, so there’s
no fiddling around to avoid them
getting caught in the catches when
you raise the seatbacks.
That it’s taken this long to raise
the spectre of range perhaps goes to
show how little of a consideration it
was – at least once I’d had my EVIOS
charger installed, because the
ability to top up at home makes life
with any EV easier. The worst I ever
saw indicated in the depths of the
most recent cold snap was 140 miles
from a 100% charge, but as soon as
the heater blowers settled down,
that climbed; and the best was
264, but I never got close to that. In
daily use, the range was generally
around 200 miles if you avoided the
air-con where possible and drove
TEST DATA L OV E I T
CUPRA BORN 204 58KWH V3
MILEAGE
At start 2050
At end 7803
PRICES
List price new £38,390
List price now £40,150
Price as tested £39,230
OPTIONS
Aurora Blue paint £840
ECONOMY AND RANGE
Official range
Battery
226 miles
62/58kWh (total/usable)
USABLE SPACE
Compact outside, massive inside,
Test best 220 miles (3.8mpkWh)
Test worst 174 miles (3.0mpkWh)
the Cupra is a Tardis of a car, with
Test average 197 miles (3.4mpkWh)
lots of room in the back and boot.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS
0-62mph 7.3sec
Top speed 99mph
Engine Permanent magnet
synchronous motor
Max power 201bhp
Max torque 229lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction gear, RWD
Boot 385 litres
Wheels 7.5Jx20in
Tyres 215/45 R20 95T XL,
Continental EcoContact CABIN STORAGE
Kerb weight 1794kg Ideal for a hoarder such as me, the
SERVICE AND RUNNING COSTS Born has fantastic storage options
Contract hire rate £514.44 pcm in the cabin for everyday junk.
CO2 0g/km
Service costs None
Other costs None
Electricity costs £575.30
Running costs inc fuel £575.30
Cost per mile 10 pence
Faults Clunk when taking up drive
(undiagnosed)
DEPRECIATION
50
£40,150
SMART SEATS
Value (£1000s)
30
Dinamica seats look great and are
£18,425
20
10
cool in summer and warm in winter.
Heat and massage functions a treat.
L OAT H E I T
New 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years
PREVIOUS REPORTS
20 July 2022, 3 Aug, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 31 Aug,
7 Sep, 21 Sep, 28 Sep, 5 Oct, 12 Oct, 26 Oct, 9 Nov,
23 Nov, 21/28 Dec, 4 Jan 2023
sensibly, which was perfectly good
for everything except long, out-of-
town runs – for which opting for the
77kWh Born might be a better bet.
You could never really call it
groundbreaking, but there is JUST BUTTON IT
something discreetly significant The touch-sensitive controls are a
about the Born. Before this, electric pain, opening windows or changing
cars really only fell into three volume when you don’t want to.
camps: practical but mundane;
fun but quirky; and brilliant but
heinously expensive. Now we
have an EV that’s to all intents and
purposes a ‘normal’ car, but thanks
to some nifty Spanish sleight of
hand, it has real personality – and
is easily entertaining enough to
reward keen drivers. And all of
that from a reskinned Volkswagen
ID 3? Cupra, we salute you.
ALASTAIR CLEMENTS LANE KEEPING ASSISTANCE
It’s so intrusive as to be almost
dangerous at times – and it has to be
OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE turned off every time you start.
alastair.clements@haymarket.com
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 65

HONDA CIVIC
Some things never change, as these two Hondas prove
MILEAGE 7754
WHY WE ’ R E RU N N I N G IT
To see if Honda can save the
everyday family hatchback
emember when Honda’s
R ad agency was on a roll?
‘Cog’ remains one of
my favourite ads (give
yourself a two-minute pick-me-
up by watching it again), but the
one that really struck home at
the time was ‘Impossible Dream’.
That was the one where the chap
rode/flew/drove/piloted most of
Honda’s machinery across a series
of landscapes. I’ve loved Japanese
car brands for as long as I can
remember but, boy, what a way
to reinforce why.
It’s their sheer breadth of
capability, their never-ending
ability to always offer something
slightly daft or different. Honda,
Toyota, Suzuki, Subaru, Nissan,
Mazda – they’ve all got form.
So to my current wheels. And also
my 37-year-old wheels. They both
neatly sum up why it’s difficult to
not get excited about Honda. Here
is a company that claims to build
more engines than any other, from
a hybrid that’s actually enjoyable
to drive right through to Max
Verstappen’s Formula 1 powerplant
and countless outboard motors.
And, in the 1970s and 1980s, it
created this: the Honda trike or,
more correctly, the All Terrain
LOVE IT
TH E CO M FO RT
Civic excels at this so is especially
welcome after a long day at work.
LOATHE IT
WA S H O UT
No warning when the screenwash
ran out. Most un-Honda-like.
Towbar comes into play to pull a Honda
Cycle (ATC). Honda was so good
at making ATCs that it had a 69%
market share in 1984. My dad’s farm
had a Honda quad bike, Honda
mowers and Honda generators, so it
was probably inevitable that when
the ever so slightly younger me
received the best present ever,
it had a winged badge on the tank.
It’s a 72cc four-stroke, single-
cylinder air-cooled overhead-valve
engine, producing 3.4bhp and
transferring that to the rear wheels
via a four-speed centrifugal-clutch
transmission and chain drive. It is
brilliant fun.
And lethal. Trikes were involved
in so many accidents in the 1980s
that manufacturers effectively
pulled them from sale. I’ve never
had a shunt on mine (touch wood),
because my dad always told me to
treat it with respect. Be a lunatic
and it’ll tip you off, but by using
your weight and being careful with
the throttle, you can really lean on
it through corners, despite the lack
of diff. I used to pretend I was Nigel
Mansell on the gravel farm roads,
sideways everywhere.
The gearbox is effortless and
operated via a left-foot pedal. First
is quite low, but once you’re into
third and fourth, it soon gets plenty
quick enough. It’s difficult to judge
speed when you’re this low and
OUR CARS
BMW iX
MILEAGE 6724 LAST SEEN 4.1.23
Heated seats with different levels
of heat (warm, hot, internal organ
baker) aren’t new but the iX has three
stages of heating for the steering
wheel. Its different levels of warmth
aren’t so easy to distinguish and it’s
probably a feature still best served
as an on/off one, yet it’s an example
of how tech laden and feature rich
the iX is, whether the function
needed to be added or not. MT
wind beaten, but I suppose it’s
probably about 25mph flat out.
But here’s the thing. Despite
the trike’s iffy stability, the
engineering integrity is second
to none. Leave it for six months
in a cold shed and it’ll start
first pull. It is well looked after
– I take it for a service about
once every two years at a local
motorbike dealer, hence getting
the towbar fitted to the Civic Kia Sportage
(Autocar, 30 November 2022)
– and it rarely lets me down. MILEAGE 2445 LAST SEEN 4.1.23
There’s the odd sooted-up spark The deep storage in the Sportage’s
plug if I don’t get the manual choke centre console serves to remind me
balance right, but I keep a couple how worthwhile some features of
spare so it’s never an issue. And you more traditional interior car design
have to drain the carb after each use are. It includes neat cupholders that
because modern fuel just gums it pop out at the touch of a button to
up if it sits for a week without being wrap around drinks but mean the
used. But it is 37 years old so a few space is useful for other things when
quirks are to be expected. Take care a beverage isn’t in play. A simple,
of them and it runs effortlessly. effective storage space. RB
Much like the Civic. It’s going
back to Honda soon and I’m already
dreading the day. It’s the effortless
engineering that I’ll remember:
Honda has the hybrid system licked
now so that minimal brain power is
required when driving. There’s no
need to plan ahead, unlike in an EV,
and there’s nothing that graunches
on the daily grind.
Some might call that boring.
But when a brand makes as much
brilliantly varied stuff as Honda
does, it can do exciting elsewhere. Peugeot 308 SW
PIERS WARD
MILEAGE 4957 LAST SEEN 4.1.23
TEST DATA The first true test of the Peugeot’s
H O N DA CIVI C 2 .0 i - M M D practicality came with a week-long
E : H E V ADVAN CE trip to Cornwall recently. The 548
Price £32,995 Price as tested £33,820 litres offered by the 308 SW’s boot
Faults None Expenses Towbar £1245 is more than enough for my own
Economy 52.1mpg Last seen 21/28.12.22 luggage, although I think it would
be quite tight for a family of four.
The privacy glass makes it nearly
impossible to see inside too,
OWN ONE? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE which feels more secure. JW
piers.ward@haymarket.com
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 67
 AS GOOD
AS NEW

USED CARS What to buy, where to buy it and how much to pay
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE
Feel-good luxury meets off-road capability in
shrink-wrapped form. Mark Pearson reports

OUR TOP SPEC

he first-generation Don’t write S of electric-only driving.

T Evoque was such
a handsome beast it
would have sold by the
bucketload even if it had handled
like a shopping trolley. As it turned
out, it didn’t handle like one, but
it did gain a bit of a reputation for
poor reliability.
Unsurprisingly, this second-gen
car didn’t mess with the visual
formula. It was a gentle but neat
styling evolution of the first, while
underneath it introduced a range
of more powerful and efficient
engines and some upgraded tech.
It’s a lovely car, but guess what?
You still might find yourself on
first-name terms with your local
Land Rover service manager.
it off, though, Standard kit is generous, but Aside from some front-
because an S model also gets the Pro wheel-drive versions of
there is version of the Pivi infotainment the D150 and D165, all
plenty to and a few extra luxuries. Any Evoques have four-wheel
like here. To trim level after this gets 20in drive and a nine-speed
begin with, alloy wheels that do the automatic gearbox.
there were three ride no favours. Every version gets dual-
power grades for zone climate control, automatic
both 2.0-litre petrol lights and wipers, front and rear
and diesel options. The petrol range parking sensors, heated front
consisted of a 197bhp P200, 247bhp seats and a 10.0in touchscreen
P250 and 296bhp P300, while diesel infotainment system with Apple
lovers could pick from a 148bhp CarPlay and Android Auto.
D150, 178bhp D180 and 237bhp A standard-fit rear-view camera
D240. Merely a year after launch, was changed to a surround-view
the diesel range was revised to a camera from late 2020 onwards.
163bhp D165 and 197bhp D200. Step up to S for larger, 18in alloys,
There was also a 305bhp plug-in leather seats and an upgraded Pro
hybrid, the P300e, for 34 miles version of the infotainment system.

BUYER BEWARE
CHECK RECALL RECORD
Recalls have been issued for the
following faults. An issue has
been found with the emergency
call system, which contacts
the emergency services in the
event of an airbag deployment or
when the SOS button is pushed.
The rubberised fuel return hose
assembly may have been incorrectly
manufactured. The second-row
It’s well laid out
seatbelt assemblies may contain
and there’s plenty
a physical seatbelt retractor part
of equipment
that is of a different specification to
that intended. An electrical overload
event in the 48V electrical system
may cause a failure of the metal oxide
semiconductor field effect transistor.
Check with a dealer to make sure all
these works have been carried out.
RELIABILITY IS AN ISSUE
The Reliability Survey of our sibling
title What Car? puts this second-gen
Evoque in 36th place out of 39 cars in
the family SUV class.

68 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023


SE adds 20in wheels and a digital
instrument cluster while HSE
has a Meridian sound system and
adaptive cruise. R-Dynamic gives
the Evoque a more sporting look.
Top-spec Autobiography has 21in
wheels, adaptive LED headlights
and a panoramic glass roof.
On the road, it’s wonderfully
refined, whichever engine is under
the bonnet, and there’s very little
wind or road noise. Ride quality is
especially good on cars with 17in or
18in wheels, and traction in slippery
conditions is excellent and grip
levels are strong. It is, as you might
expect, very capable off road, too.
Visibility is good aside from some
fairly chunky roof pillars and a
shallow rear window, but parking
sensors and cameras mitigate some
of those issues. Material quality is
high, plus there’s even the option of
finding an Evoque with a vegan-
friendly Eucalyptus textile pack.
The infotainment is a real step up
from the previous car’s. It responds
promptly to inputs and has a simple,
more intuitive menu layout.
Space is good for tall people up
front – even with the panoramic
roof – and decent in the rear. A
buggy or a set of golf clubs can be
stowed in the boot without issue,
and a standard 40/20/40-split folding
rear seat improves flexibility, and
those seats fold flat, too.
NE ED TO KN OW
You’ll need at least £25k to get
an early, entry-level D150. Spend
£25k-£30k on a 2020 model,
depending on trim, £30k-£35k
on a 2021 car and £35k and
above on a 2022 version.
The D150, D180 and D240
officially average low 40s to
the gallon. This was improved
to 46.3mpg for the D165 and
42.7mpg for the D200. Petrol
models all average a smidge over
31mpg. The headline stat is the
P300e PHEV’s official 188.9mpg.
P3 0 0 e
OUR The plug-in hybrid is
PICK the fastest model in
the Evoque range (0-
60mph in 6.1sec) and it’s smooth
around town and punchy on the
motorway. It can officially travel up
to 34 miles on electric power alone.
HYU N DAI TU CSO N
WILD This spacious and
CAR D decently refined car
scored 100% for
reliability in the same SUV class
the Evoque did poorly in. It lacks
the premium-badge appeal,
though. Heart or head? Up to you…
USED CARS
James Ruppert
KICKING TYRES
One-owner, 43,000-
mile Polo for £550
looked tempting
was challenged the
❝
I other day to find cars
in three broad price
ranges – £1000, £5000
This £4250 Discovery
and £10,000 – with the stipulation
that they were pre-2000 models and
V8 was a victim of
red. I didn’t think the task would be
much fun, but it actually threw up
the future London
some fascinating used buys.
It confirmed to me that the death super-extended ULEZ
of the sub-grand banger has been
greatly exaggerated. The one that
❞
caught my eye was a Volkswagen all for £8990. It certainly seemed
1.4 Polo from 1998. The mileage was worth the money and is small and
as diddy as the car, at just 43,000. light like a roadster should be.
I’d have had to travel to Belfast to Challenge completed, my eye
collect it, but £550 seemed like a was drawn to a saloon, specifically
great deal. This car is small, light, an Alfa Romeo 159. I had the choice
frugal and simple to fix – just of a freshly serviced 90,000-mile
what we need at the moment, 2007 2.4 JTDm at £2995 or a 90,000-
when cars are increasingly heavy mile 2.2 JTS at £2275. I went diesel,
and complicated. Mind you, this because we haven’t got one in this
particular Polo was getting even random group and it seemed more
lighter because of the rust, but it tidy and practical. It’s a lot of car for
was a charming thing. One old boy just £3000, proving that there are
owner and otherwise perfect. still plenty of interesting used car
Second up was a 1996 Land Rover options out there.
Discovery V8, because I wanted
to buy one. Despite having a fairly
terrible experience with a diesel BANGERNOMICS
Disco 2, where the Td5 was the Dealers love finance. They would.
least of its problems, I rather like They earn commission on it. So
the idea of a V8. The advert was you may get a discount, an extra
fairly off-putting, with its terrible warranty, a fresh set of mats
collection of pictures, but the detail or whatever if you buy using
was interesting because here was a dealer finance. But it’s usually
victim of the future London super- an artificial discount, a calculated
extended ULEZ. It was up for £4250, inducement. For a real discount,
had seven seats and looked like a pay cash and haggle hard.
well-used old-school family 4x4.
I rather liked it, but didn’t buy.
Then there was a Suzuki
Cappuccino. These are adorable
kei car things and the 1994
one I stumbled across was for
the purposes of full disclosure
in Cordoba red and in tip-top
condition, with just over 50,000
miles. It had a full service history
and a series of unadvisoried MOTs,
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 69
CU LT RENAULT MEGANE RS (Mk2)
H E RO
This rorty Renault is one of the best-ever hardcore hatches, argues Oliver Young
he hot hatchback hall
T of fame is sure to have
a fair few Renaults in it,
one of them being the
Mk2 Mégane RS (confusingly
based on the Mk3 Mégane).
This fast and fun three-door
arrived on UK shores in 2010 and
spawned a plethora of variants, to
the point that you can easily get in a
muddle trying to differentiate them.
At the beginning, there was
the RS 250, which packs a 247bhp
turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder
engine. This was joined by a Cup
version that gained some go-faster
goodies, including a limited-slip
differential and the stiffer, lighter
Cup chassis (which was also
70 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
TURN UP THE HEAT
available as an optional extra on the time of 8min 7.97sec put it ahead accessed by a heavy right foot and
standard model).
But like a fussy Hollywood
director, Renault wanted to do many
of the Ferrari 360 Modena and
V8-engined Audi RS4.
Then for 2012 came a facelift, a
lots of revs, because that’s this turbo
unit’s preferred state.
After said flooring, you will be
more takes. In 2011, it came out with small power bump, an even faster blessed with enthralling speed and
the RS 265 Trophy. This has 261bhp Cup model and more. Indeed, we sound. It massively rewards keen
and unsurprisingly even more track- could probably go on forever. drivers. Grip is plentiful, and the
focused bits and bobs, including What they all had in common, steering is well weighted and
special Bridgestone Potenza tyres. though, was that they were offers good feedback.
Only 50 ever came to the UK after awesome to drive. Even the original The ride is aggressive, though,
it had broken the front-wheel-drive RS 250 is mega, with its 0-62mph especially on Cup-equipped cars.
lap record at the Nürburgring. Its time of 6.1sec. Power is best That’s the price you pay for such
a high standard of handling.
❝ For an even harsher set-up
You’ll be blessed with enthralling speed and (the harshest, in fact), look no
further than the RS 275 Trophy-R.
sound. It massively rewards keen drivers This was designed for track use, so
its Öhlins suspension isn’t forgiving
❞ in the slightest. You will be bounced

WHAT WE SAID THEN
13 JANUARY 2010
“This is a more mature, less brutish
hot hatch than the old R26. On initial
inspection, it’s easy to confuse this
maturity for a lack of soul. But that would
be a mistake. Because get it on the right
road (or better still a track) and the
maturity melts away to reveal a hot
hatch that is intimate, confidence
inspiring and exceptionally
talented.”
and thrown around on a rough
B-road. While some will find this
annoying, others will call it the
hardcore edge of one of the most
exciting hot hatches ever made.
Like the RS 265 Trophy that came
before it, the RS 275 Trophy-R raised
the bar for front-wheel-drive cars
at the Nürburgring. In 2014, it set
H OW TO G ET O N E
IN YOU R GARAG E
Kinda looks like a
sports coupé and
drives like one too
Alcantara buckets: check
Carbonfibre trim: check
Dated infotainment: check
a time of 7min 54.36sec. To add
to its already legendary status,
Renault only ever brought 30
examples to the UK, making it a
rare (and thus expensive) creation.
In 2016, the second generation of
the Mégane RS bade farewell, and
was followed two years later by the
five-door RS 280 Sport, RS 280 Cup
and RS 300 Trophy.
The Mk2 certainly had a good
run, setting two Nürburgring lap
records and thrilling drivers on
both public roads and tracks.
There are a good number of
hot hatches that are more practical
and relaxing than this Mégane
RS, but few are so quick and so
entertaining for the money.
An expert’s view
M AT T H E W A S H M O R E ,
SELECT MOTORSPORT
“It really does a great job of keeping
alive the RS spirit – the kind you get
with some of the older, rawer models
– while offering some comfort and
good low-down torque to help with
everyday driving. This is the main
attraction to these cars, because
they make good daily drivers. And
with a few light modifications, they
go extremely well on track. We work
with them most days, taking them
from standard road cars to modified
track/race cars. Cambelts are pretty
labour-intensive and it really pays to
take them to a garage that’s familiar
with them. It’s all too common to see
timing issues resulting in lower power
and economy/efficiency.”
Buyer beware…
ENGINE
Check the cambelt and water pump
were changed when the car turned
six years old or hit 75,000 miles. An
RS needs 5W-40 fully synthetic oil,
and make sure you look for oil leaks
around the rocker and sump covers.
TRANSMISSION
The gearbox can suffer from noisy
bearings, which is a costly issue to
fix. On cars with more 60,000 miles,
the dual-mass flywheel can develop
a faint clicking or tapping. If you hear
it, be warned that it only gets worse.
INTERIOR
Make sure the underfloor storage
cubbies aren’t damp. Look for any
splits and cracks in the driver’s seat
bolsters. And when you start the car,
check that the warning lights go out.
SUSPENSION
The anti-roll bar drop links can wear
and the rubber top-mount bushes can
split. The former can be identified by
a slight knock. These are minor issues
compared with worn lower swivel
joints, signalled by a slight knocking
noise that can turn into cracking
on full lock. This will render the car
undrivable, because the bottom of
the suspension will try to pull itself
outwards under acceleration and
inwards under braking.
BRAKES AND TYRES
Examine the edges of the discs for
heavy lipping. With the front wheels
at full lock, check the tyres’ inner
shoulders for excessive wear. It’s best
if the tyres are from a premium brand.
B O DY
Check the windscreen scuttle
drains for blockages. The rear
wheel arches attract stone
USED CARS
chips and require attention before
corrosion sets in.
Also worth knowing
For the 2012 facelift, Renault upped
the power of the standard Mégane RS
to 261bhp. However, this figure is only
accessible when you press the ESP
button; you have 247bhp in the car’s
default mode. Holding down the ESP
button turns off the stability aids. If
you are looking to buy a facelifted
Mégane RS, it’s worth checking this
all works when you go for a test drive.
For Formula 1 fans, there was the
Red Bull RB8 limited edition, which
marked the Renault-engined team’s
2012 title wins with Sebastian Vettel.
How much to spend
£6 0 0 0 – £7 9 9 9
Early RS 250s with around 100,000
miles on them, most sold privately.
Their conditions are questionable.
£8000 - £10,999
More RS 250s but some with the Cup
chassis, as well as some fully fledged
Cup cars. Mileages dip towards
50,000 at the top end of this budget.
£11,000 - £15,999
Mostly RS 265s; some RS 250s with
mileages below 50,000. Conditions
are respectable and there are more
independent dealers selling them.
£ 1 6 , 0 0 0 - £ 1 9, 9 9 9
A couple of RS 265 Trophys, plus
some RS 275 Cup-S cars.
£2 0 , 0 0 0 - £3 5 , 0 0 0
We could only find one Trophy-R for
sale, and it’s listed for £34,625.
One we found
R E N A U LT M E G A N E R S 275
C U P - S , 2 0 1 5 , 17, 0 0 0 M I L E S ,
£18 ,995
The RS 275 Cup-S is a more road-
focused alternative to the RS 275
Trophy-R. The Öhlins suspension and
Akrapovic exhaust were optional (this
car has both) and more than 30 were
made, but they’re still rare finds.
11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 71
NEW CARS A Z
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For full reviews of every car listed here, visit our website, autocar.co.uk
ECONOMY EXPLAINED
Between the various figures produced on the
old-style NEDC, transitional NEDC Correlated
and new-style WLTP laboratory emissions and
fuel economy tests, it has become tricky to
compare manufacturers’ claimed efficiency
on the latest new cars. When you see a fuel
economy and CO2 figure reference elsewhere,
it’s often without explanation.
So, to provide as fair and clear a basis for
comparison as possible, you’ll only ever read
WLTP combined fuel economy and CO2 figures
in Autocar’s first drive reviews, features and
comparison tests – and on these data pages.
Those are the aggregated results of four lab
tests carried out across as many different
cruising speed ranges – although they’re
sometimes expressed as a range rather than as
one specific figure to show the different results
recorded by the heaviest and lightest available
examples of the car in question (depending on
optional equipment).
In road tests, you’ll also see our own
independently produced real-world fuel
economy test results for comparison with the
lab test claims. We produce an average, track
and touring figure for each car we test, as often
as possible on a brim-to-brim test basis.
While ‘average’ represents the overall
economy returned by a new car over a full road
test and ‘track’ is relevant only to intensive
performance testing (the length and conditions
of which can vary slightly), ‘touring’ gives
the best guide of the kind of economy you
might see from a car at a steady 70mph
motorway cruise.
We do real-world efficiency and range
testing on electric cars, too, expressing the
former in terms of miles per kilowatt hour,
as manufacturers do increasingly widely
by convention.
S TA R R AT I N G S E X P L A I N E D
CCCCC  Inherently dangerous/unsafe. Tragically,
irredeemably flawed.
BCCCC A ppalling. Massively significant failings.
ACCCC  Very poor. Fails to meet any accepted
class boundaries.
ABCCC  Poor. Within acceptable class
boundaries in a few areas. Still not
recommendable.
AACCC Off the pace. Below average in nearly
all areas.
AABCC  Acceptable. About average in key areas,
but disappoints.
AAACC Competent. Above average in some
areas, average in others. Outstanding
in none.
AAABC  Good. Competitive in key areas.
AAAAC Very good. Very competitive in key
areas, competitive in secondary
respects.
AAAAB E xcellent. Near class-leading in key
areas and in some ways outstanding.
AAAAA  Brilliant, unsurpassed. All but flawless.
ABARTH
595 3dr hatch/2dr open £19,950–£28,225
The Fiat 500’s Abarth makeover makes it a true pocket rocket. 2.0 S3 quattro 308 155 4.8 34.4-34.9 183-186
LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight 1070kg
1.4 T-jet 145 143 130 7.8 38.7-39.2 155 2.0 30 TDI 113 128 10.1 61.4-64.2 115-122
1.4 T-jet 165 162 135 7.3 37.7-38.2 155 2.0 35 TDI 148 142 8.3 56.5-62.8 112-130
1.4 T-jet 180 Competizione 177 140 6.9 36.7 156
1.4 T-jet 180 Esseesse 177 140 6.7 36.7 160
695 3dr hatch/2dr open £32,385
A convincing track-day 500 with decent dynamic ability, but overly drive. LxWxH 4495x1984x1425 Kerb weight 1225kg
firm ride spoils it. LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight 1045kg
1.4 T-jet 180 Esseesse 177 140 6.7 1.5 35 TFSI 148 36.2-36.7 156
AC
Cobra 2dr open £89,500–£145,000 AAAAC 2.0 RS3 quattro 394 155 3.8 31.4-31.7 202-205
Can’t match modern supercars but is pure driving indulgence. 2.0 30 TDI 116 130 10.1 62.8-64.2 114-119
LxWxH 3657x1627x1485 Kerb weight 1100kg
140 Charter Edition 350 na 6.0 na na
378 Superblower 650 155 4.1 na na
Series 1 Electric 650 308 6.7 150 0
1.0 30 TFSI 108 127 10.6 48.7-51.4 125-132
1.5 35 TFSI 148 139 8.7 46.3-50.4 128-138
2.0 40 TFSI quattro 201 150 6.9 38.7-40.4 159-166
2.0 40 TFSIe 201 141 7.6 235.4 29
AAABC 2.0 45 TFSIe 242 144 6.8 235.4 29
2.0 RS3 quattro 398 155 3.8 31.0-31.4 205-207
2.0 40 TDI quattro 198 151 6.8 47.9-50.4 148-155
A3 Saloon 4dr saloon £27,460–£62,905
AAABC Undercuts the case to own an A4. Upmarket interior and good to
1.0 30 TFSI 108 130 10.6 50.4-51.4 124-128
2.0 40 TFSI quattro 201 154 7.0 39.2-40.9 157-165
2.0 S3 quattro 308 155 4.8 35.3-36.2 178-181
2.0 35 TDI 148 142 8.3 58.9-67.3 111-127
2.0 40 TDI quattro 198 155 6.8 48.7-51.4 145-152
A4 4dr saloon £33,965–£51,130
h) h) h)
mp h mp h mp h
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Po To 0-6 Ec (M C O2 Po To 0-6 Ec (MP C O2 Po To 0-6 Ec ( CO 2
A L FA R O M E O 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 146 7.4 50.4-54.3 137-148 Q3 5dr SUV £31,625–£63,955 AAABC
Giulia 4dr saloon £40,829–£74,999 AAAAB 3.0 S4 TDI 341 155 4.6 40.4-40.9 185-187 Typically refined and competent but feels more like an A3 than an
Handsome and special dynamically but lacks finesse and comes Audi SUV. LxWxH 4388x1831x1608 Kerb weight 1385kg
as an auto only. LxWxH 4643x1860x1436 Kerb weight 1429kg AAAAC 1.5 35 TFSI A4 Avant 5dr estate £35,365–£86,795
148 128-131 9.2-9.6 38.7-42.2 153-166
2.0 Turbo Petrol 200 197 146 6.6 36.2 176-184 Classy and demure estate lacks the dynamic sparkle of rivals.
2.0 40 TFSI quattro 187 136 7.4 31.0-32.5 197-207
2.0 Turbo Petrol 280 276 149 5.7 33.6 195 LxWxH 4725x1842x1434 Kerb weight 1370kg
2.0 45 TFSI quattro 243 147 5.8 31.0-31.7 195
2.9 BiTurbo Quadrifoglio 503 191 3.9 28.5 230 2.0 35 TFSI 148 137 9.2 39.8-44.8 143-162 2.0 45 TFSIe 243 130 7.3 141.2 44-45
2.0 40 TFSI 201 146 7.3 39.8-43.5 147-162 2.5 RS Q3 quattro 396 155 4.5 27.7-28.8 217-227
Tonale 5dr SUV £40,829–£74,999 AAABC 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.0 33.6-34.4 187-191 2.0 35 TDI 148 128 9.3 47.9-49.6 150-154
Decent dynamically and reasonable value. However, lacks the appeal 3.0 V6 TFSI RS4 Avant 448 155-180 4.1-3.9 28.1-28.2 220-226 2.0 35 TDI quattro 148 131 9.3 39.2-40.9 133-139
expected from the marque. LxWxH 4528x1841x1601 Kerb weight 1525kg 2.0 30 TDI 132 131 9.8 49.6-54.3 137-150 2.0 40 TDI quattro 197 139 7.3 37.7-40.4 173
1.5 MHEV Speciale 5dr Auto 160 132 8.8 49.6 130 2.0 35 TDI 148 132 9.2 49.6-54.3 137-150
1.5 MHEV Ti 5dr Auto 160 132 8.8 49.6 130 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 143-144 7.1 47.9-52.3 144-156 Q3 Sportback 5dr SUV £34,425–£65,105 AAABC
1.5 MHEV Veloce 5dr Auto 160 132 8.8 49.6 130 3.0 50 TDI Allroad quattro 282 155 5.3 38.2 181 A more sporting take on the compact SUV, with similarly stable
3.0 S4 TDI quattro 342 155 4.7 39.2-39.8 181-193 handling. LxWxH 4500x1856x1567 Kerb weight 1460kg
Stelvio 5dr SUV £46,649–£77,325 AAAAB 1.5 35 TFSI 148 126 9.6 39.2-41.5 153-166
Alfa’s second SUV is a solid effort. Choosing the petrol version A5 2dr coupé £40,045–£91,750 AAAAC 2.0 40 TFSI quattro 187 136 7.4 30.7-32.1 197-207
gives it charisma. LxWxH 4687x1903x1671 Kerb weight 1604kg Refreshed coupé gets a sharper look and a refreshed interior. Still 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 243 147 5.8 32.5-32.8 195
2.2 Turbo Diesel 190 187 130 7.6 45.6 156 mundane to drive. LxWxH 4673x1846x1371 Kerb weight 1390kg 2.0 45 TFSIe 243 130 7.3 141.2 44-45
2.2 Turbo Diesel 210 Q4 AWD 207 134 6.6 42.8 162 2.0 35 TFSI 148 140 8.9 41.5-45.6 141-154 2.5 RS Q3 quattro 396 155 4.5 27.7-28.5 223-231
2.0 Turbo 200 Q4 AWD 197 134 7.2 30.1 195 2.0 40 TFSI 201 150 7.1 41.5-47.1 141-154 2.0 35 TDI 148 126 9.3 48.7-51.4 14552
2.0 Turbo 280 Q4 AWD 276 143 5.7 30.4 195 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 4.8 34.9-38.8 180-184 2.0 35 TDI quattro 148 131 9.3 40.4-44.8 133-139
2.9 BiTurbo Quadrifoglio 503 197 3.8 24.6 267 2.9 V6 TFSI RS5 quattro 448 174 3.9 29.1 220 2.0 40 TDI quattro 197 139 7.3 38.2-39.8 173
2.0 35 TDI 163 162 8.2 51.4-55.4 133-144
ALPINE 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 146 6.9 50.4-54.3 135-146 Q4 E-tron 5dr SUV £43,290–£57,410 AAABC
A110 2dr coupé £49,990–£60,040 AAAAA 3.0 V6 S5 TDI quattro 339 155 4.6 39.2-40.4 184-188 Practical, pleasant and efficient – if not quite a superior premium
A much, much greater car and achievement than the sum of its product. LxWxH 4588x2108x1632 Kerb weight 1890kg
parts suggests. LxWxH 4180x1980x1252 Kerb weight 1080kg A5 Sportback 5dr coupé £40,045–£91,750  AAAAC 35 125k 168 99 9.0 201 0
1.8 Turbo 248 155 4.5 39.2 162 Refined, good-looking four-door coupé is sadly short on charm and 40 150kW 201 99 8.5 307 0
1.8 Turbo S 288 162 4.4 38.7 163 finesse. LxWxH 4733x1843x1386 Kerb weight 1425kg 50 quattro 220kW 296 111 6.2 298 0
2.0 35 TFSI 148 139 9.1 40.9-44.8 144-158
ARIEL 2.0 40 TFSI 201 150 7.2 40.9-44.8 143-158 Q4 E-tron Sportback 5dr SUV £46,190–£63,005 AAABC
Atom 0dr open £40,669 AAAAB 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.6 34.4-35.3 183-187 Fastback variant of Audi’s mainstream electric SUV is agile and
Simple, purist concept remains but everything else has changed… 2.9 V6 TFSI RS5 quattro 448 174 3.9 28.5-28.8 222-224 terrifically refined. LxWxH 4588x2108x1614 Kerb weight 1895kg
for the better. LxWxH 3520x1880x1122 Kerb weight 595kg 2.0 35 TDI 148 135 8.4 50.4-54.3 135-147 35 125kW 168 99 9.0 211 0
2.0 turbo 320 162 2.8 na na 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 146 7.6 49.6-54.3 137-149 40 150kW 201 99 8.5 318 0
3.0 S5 TDI quattro 345 155 4.6 39.8-40.4 183-187 50 quattro 220kW 296 111 6.2 302 0
Nomad 0dr open £37,549 AAAAA
Well inside the top 10 list of our favourite cars. A revelation and a A6 4dr saloon £40,205–£80,640 AAAAC Q5 5dr SUV £47,045–£74,645 AAAAC
riot to drive. LxWxH 3215x1850x1425 Kerb weight 670kg Supremely well constructed but a bit soulless to drive. A smart Appealing combination of Audi allure, affordable SUV practicality
2.4 K24 i-VTEC 235 125 3.4 na na office on wheels. LxWxH 4939x1886x1457 Kerb weight 1645kg and attractiveness. LxWxH 4663x1893x1659 Kerb weight 1720kg
2.0 40 TFSI 201 152 7.3 37.7-39.2 163-171 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 147 6.4 31.0-33.6 191-206
ASTON MARTIN 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.0 35.3-37.2 172-182 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 249 148 6.1 128.4 49
Vantage 2dr coupé/2dr open £133,920–£158,420 AAAAB 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 299 155 6.2 217.3 31 2.0 40 TDI quattro 187 136 8.1 41.5-44.8 165-179
The faster, cleverer, more hardcore entry-level Aston tops its 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 335 155 5.1 32.8-34.9 184-196 3.0 SQ5 TDI quattro 344 155 5.1 32.8-34.4 216-224
class. LxWxH 4465x1942x1273 Kerb weight 1630kg 2.0 40 TDI 201 152 8.1 47.9-51.4 145-155
4.0 V8 510 190-195 3.6-3.8 25.7 264 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 153 7.6 45.6-47.9 155-163 Q5 Sportback 5dr SUV £48,495–£77,095 AAABC
4.0 V8 F1 Edition 535 195 3.6 24.3 264 3.0 50 TDI quattro 282 155 5.5 38.7-40.4 183-191 Reduced accommodation and practicality, but still a refined and
3.0 S6 TDI quattro 344 155 5.0 36.2 203-205 solid steer. LxWxH 4689x1893x1660 Kerb weight 2010-2150kg
DB11 2dr coupé/2dr open £166,070–£180,420 AAAAA 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 263 149 6.1 31.7-33.6 192-202
The stunning replacement for the already seductive DB9 is tyre- A6 Avant 5dr estate £42,355–£116,624 AAAAC 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 297 148 6.1 176.6-188.3 36-38
shreddingly good. LxWxH 4739x2060x1279 Kerb weight 1875kg A capable and high-tech throwback that’s a timely reminder of 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 137 7.6 42.2-44.8 166-176
4.0 V8 528 192 4.0 25.1 254 what Audi does best. LxWxH 4939x1886x1467 Kerb weight 1710kg 3.0 SQ5 TDI quattro 336 155 5.1 33.2-34.4 216-222
5.2 V12 AMR 630 208 3.7 21.1 303 2.0 40 TFSI 201 149 7.5 36.2-38.2 168-178
2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.2 34-36.2 177-189 Q7 5dr SUV £62,155–£99,840 AAAAC
DBS 2dr coupé/open £259,420–£279.920 AAAAA 2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 294 155 6.2 217.3 31 Unengaging to drive and light on feel, but the cabin is both huge
Effortlessly fast, intoxicating to drive: the big Aston is better than 4.0 RS6 quattro 596 155-174 3.6 21.9-22.6 283-294 and classy. LxWxH 5052x1968x1740 Kerb weight 2060kg
ever. LxWxH 4712x2146x1280 Kerb weight 1693kg 2.0 40 TDI 201 149 8.3 45.6-49.6 150-1623.0 V6 55 TFSI quattro 338 155 5.9 25.4-27.4 233-253
5.2 V12 715 211 3.4 20.9 306 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 150 7.6 44.1-46.3 159-1673.0 V6 55 TFSIe quattro 376 149 5.9 108.6-113 56-58
3.0 S6 TDI quattro 344 155 5.1 35.3 209 4.0 SQ7 quattro 500 155 4.1 29.4-30.1 232
DBX 5dr SUV £168,420–£192,420 AAAAB 3.0 V6 45 TDI quattro 228 142 7.3 32.1-34.0 217-230
Doesn’t try to be the biggest, fastest SUV, and may be all the more A7 Sportback 5dr coupé £54,265–£121,805 AAABC 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro 282 150 6.5 32.1-34.0 217-230
appealing for it. LxWxH 5039x1998x1680 Kerb weight 2245kg Easy on the eye and to live with, but let down by stolid dynamics.
4.0 V8 550 181 4.5 19.8 323 LxWxH 4969x1908x1422 Kerb weight 1880kg Q8 5dr SUV £70,340–£128,465 AAAAC
4.0 V8 DBX 707 697 193 3.3 19.9 323 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 6.2 35.3-36.2 177-183 Striking and effective coupé-SUV range-topper leaves us wanting
2.0 50 TFSIe quattro 294 155 6.3 134.5-141.2 46-47 more. LxWxH 4986x1995x1705 Kerb weight 2145kg
AU D I 4.0 RS7 quattro 596 155-174 3.6 22.2-23.0 280-287 3.0 V6 55 TFSI quattro 335 155 5.9 25.9-26.4 243-248
A1 Sportback 5dr hatch £20,265–£28,500 AAABC 2.0 40 TDI 201 152 8.3 47.9-49.6 150-156 3.0 V6 55 TFSIe quattro 381 149 5.8 94.2 67-68
Quite pricey, but a rounded car with plenty of rational appeal. 2.0 40 TDI quattro 201 155 7.0 45.6-47.1 158-163 3.0 V6 60 TFSIe quattro 462 149 5.4 94.2-97.4 66-68
LxWxH 4029x1746x1418 Kerb weight 1105kg 3.0 S7 TDI quattro 344 155 5.1 35.3-35.8 205-208 4.0 SQ8 quattro 503 155 4.1 31.0-31.7 234-239
1.0 25 TFSI 94 118 10.8 48.7-50.4 128-133 4.0 V8 RS Q8 quattro 592 155 3.8 20.2-20.5 314-318
1.0 30 TFSI 114 126 9.5 46.3-51.4 124-139 A8 4dr saloon £77,135–£117,730 AAAAC 3.0 V6 50 TDI quattro 282 150 6.1 32.8-33.2 222-226
1.5 35 TFSI 148 137 7.7 44.1-44.8 142-145 Technical tour de force benefits from Audi’s knack of making very
good limousines. LxWxH 5172x1945x1473 Kerb weight 1920kg Q8 E-tron 5dr SUV £67,800–£114,500 AAAAB
A3 Sportback 5dr hatch £25,495–£61,905 AAAAC 3.0 55 TFSI quattro 335 155 5.6 28.2-29.4 206-212 A rounded, uber-luxurious addition to the premium EV niche.
Bolder design and improved dynamics make the A3 stand out more 3.0 55 TFSI quattro LWB 335 155 5.7 28.2-29.1 219-228 LxWxH 4901x1935x1629 Kerb weight 2490kg
than ever. LxWxH 4343x1816x1425 Kerb weight 1220kg 3.0 60 TFSIe quattro 449 155 4.9 100.9-113.0 57-64 50 quattro 95kWh 335 124 6.8 190 0
3.0 50 TDI quattro 282 155 5.9 38.7-40.9 180-192 55 quattro 114kWh 408 124 5.6 237 0
3.0 50 TDI quattro LWB 282 155 5.9 38.2-40.4 182-193 SQ8 quattro 114kWh 503 130 4.5 223 0
E-tron GT 4dr saloon £84,000–£137,390 AAAAB Q8 E-tron Sportback 5dr SUV £70,300–£117,000 AAAAB
Combines striking looks with a high-class interior and never feels Quick and classy EV builds on the solid foundations of its more
short of pace. LxWxH 4989x2158x1396 Kerb weight 2276kg upright sibling. LxWxH 4901x1935x1616 Kerb weight 2480kg
quattro 93kWh 528 152 4.1 296 0 50 quattro 95kWH 335 118 6.0 192 0
RS quattro 93kWh 637 155 3.3 283 0 55 quattro 114kWh 403 124 5.6 242 0
SQ8 quattro 114kWh 503 130 4.5 224 0
Q2 5dr SUV £25,080–£47,675 AAAAC
Audi’s smallest SUV is a decent stepping stone from the A3 to the TT 2dr coupé £34,840–£69,450 AAAAC
AAAAC Q range. LxWxH 4191x1794x1508 Kerb weight 1205kg Still serves up plenty of pace, style and usability for the money. It’s
1.0 30 TFSI 108 122 11.2 44.8-47.1 135-143 better to drive, too. LxWxH 4191x1966x1376 Kerb weight 1365kg
1.5 35 TFSI 148 131 8.6 42.2-44.8 142-151 2.0 40 TFSI 194 155 6.6 40.4-41.5 154-158
2.0 SQ2 TFSI 298 155 4.9 32.8-33.2 192-195 2.0 45 TFSI 242 155 5.8-5.9 38.7-39.2 162-167
144 8.7 47.9-50.4 127-134 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.2 34.9-35.8 180-184
2.0 50 TFSI quattro TTS 302 155 4.5 34.9-35.3 180-183
2.5 TT RS quattro 395 155 3.7 30.7 208-210
TT Roadster 2dr open £36,590–£71,200 AAAAC
Plenty of pace and driver reward, along with prestige and design-
icon style. LxWxH 4191x1966x1355 Kerb weight 1455kg
2.0 40 TFSI 194 155 6.9 39.2-40.4 159-163
AAAAC 2.0 45 TFSI 242 155 6.0-6.1 37.2-38.2 168-172
High quality and competent but leaves the dynamic finesse to its 2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.5 33.6-34.4 185-190
rivals. LxWxH 4726x1842x1427 Kerb weight 1320kg 2.0 50 TFSI quattro TTS 302 155 4.8 34.0-34.4 185-188
2.0 35 TFSI 148 140 8.6 40.9-46.3 141-155 2.5 TT RS quattro 395 155 3.9 29.7-30.1 214-215
2.0 40 TFSI 201 155 7.3 40.9-44.8 143-156
2.0 45 TFSI quattro 242 155 5.6 34.9-35.3 181-184
2.0 30 TDI 132 133 9.5 50.4-55.4 133-146
2.0 35 TDI 148 142 8.9 50.4-55.4 133-146

72 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

 N E W CAR PR I CES
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320d 188 142 7.1-7.9 54.3-57.6 115-121 2.0 Supercharged 620S 310 145 3.4 na na
320d xDrive 188 142 7.4 51.4-54.3 136-143 2.0 Supercharged 620R 310 155 2.8 na na
330d 263 140 5.6 45.6-47.1 158-163
330d xDrive 261 155 5.4 43.5-44.8 166-171 CHEVROLET
M340d xDrive 340 155 4.8 44.8 165 Corvette 2dr coupé/2dr open £77,320–£89,530 AAAAC
M3 xDrive Competition 503 155 3.6 na 235 Mid-engined chassis brings handling smarts the ’Vette has never
known the likes of. LxWxH 4634x1935x1235 Kerb weight 1655kg
4 Series 2dr coupé £41,800–£128,225 AAAAC 6.2 V8 475 185 3.5 23.3 277
A rounded, engaging and potent coupé let down only by its looks.
LxWxH 4768x2081x1390 Kerb weight 1590kg CITROEN
420i 181 149 7.5 42.2-44.1 146-151 Ami 2dr quadricycle £7695–£8895
430i 254 155 5.8 40.4-42.2 153-159 Incredibly slow and basic but full of character and will perfectly
M440i xDrive 369 155 4.5 36.7 175 suit some use cases. LxWxH 2410x1390x1520 Kerb weight 471kg
M4 Competition 503 155 3.9 28.8 228 6kW 5.5kWh 8 28 na 43 0
R8 2dr coupé £132,805–£168,910 AAAAC M4 xDrive Competiton 503 155 3.5 28.2 227 X3 5dr SUV £45,585–£89,070 AAAAC
Usable but no less involving or dramatic for it. V10 is deliciously M4 CSL 543 191 3.7 28.5 224 Continues where the last one left off. Dynamically good and more C3 5dr hatchback £13,995–£25,545 AAABC
brutal. LxWxH 4426x1940x1240 Kerb weight 1590kg 420d 187 143 7.1 58.9-61.4 121-126 luxurious inside. LxWxH 4708x1891x1676 Kerb weight 1750kg Funky, fresh look gives a lease of life, shame that underneath isn’t
5.2 V10 RWD 538 201 3.7 22.2 288 420d xDrive xDrive20i 187 148 7.4
181 134 8.3 35.3-35.8 179-181 55.4-57.6 129-135 the same. LxWxH 3996x1749x1474 Kerb weight 976kg
5.2 V10 quattro 567 201 3.4 21.9 294 M440d xDrive xDrive30e 335 155 4.6
288 130 6.1 134.5 51-54 47.9 154 1.2 PureTech 82 79 107 12.8 51.3 130-131
5.2 V10 Performance q’tro 610 205 3.1 21.7 295-296 xDrive M40i 355 155 4.8 31.4 204 1.2 PureTech 110 107 117 9.3 52.3 129-131
4 Series Convertible 2dr open £47,155–£85,870 AAAAC X3M Competition 503 155 4.1 24.8 261 1.5 BlueHDi 100 96 115 10.6 67.0 117-118
R8 Spyder 2dr open £141,495–£177,600 AAAAC Fabric-roofed grand tourer has just as much talent as its coupé xDrive20d 187 132 8.0 47.1-47.9 154-156
Taking the roof off the R8 enhances the drama tenfold. sibling. LxWxH 4768x2081x1384 Kerb weight 1715kg xDrive30d 261 149 5.8 45.6 161-163 C3 Aircross 5dr hatchback £20,635–£24,375 AAABC
LxWxH 4426x1940x1245 Kerb weight 1680kg 420i 181 147 8.2 40.4-41.5 154-159 xDrive M40d 321 155 4.9 43.5 171 Funky-looking C3 gets a jacked-up, rugged SUV look.
5.2 V10 RWD 538 200 3.8 20.9 307 430i 242 155 6.2 38.7-40.4 160-165 LxWxH 4155x1765x1637 Kerb weight 1088kg
5.2 V10 quattro 567 200 3.5 20.5 313 M440i xDrive 371 155 4.9 35.3 182 iX3 5dr SUV £62,865–£65,865 AAAAC 1.2 PureTech 110 107 115 11.3 51.5 141-143
5.2 V10 Performance q’tro 610 204 3.2 20.3 315 M4 xDrive Competition 503 155 3.7 27.7 231 All-electric SUV is brisk, agile, versatile and competitive with its 1.2 PureTech 130 127 124 10.4 47.3 150
420d 188 147 7.6 55.4-57.6 129-134 closest rivals. LxWxH 4584x1852x1640 Kerb weight 2185kg 1.5 BlueHDi 100 96 109 12.8 62.7 126-128
BAC 430d 282 155 5.8 50.4-52.3 141-146 80kWh 282 112 6.8 286 0
Mono 0dr open £165,125 AAAAB M440d xDrive 335 155 4.6 47.9 154 C4 5dr hatchback £22,060–£34,995 AAACC
An F-22 Raptor for the road, only significantly better built. X4 5dr SUV £51,455–£90,830 AAABC Interesting to look at but soft and unrewarding to drive. Electric
LxWxH 3952x1836x1110 Kerb weight 580kg 4 Series Gran Coupé 4dr coupé £42,960–£51,805 AAAAC Downsized X6 is respectable enough if not lovable, but the X3 is a ë-C4 is better. LxWxH 4355x1800x1525 Kerb weight 1247kg
2.5 VVT 305 170 2.8 na na The same impressive package we love from the 3 Series, with better option. LxWxH 4671x1881x1624 Kerb weight 1735kg 1.2 PureTech 99 114 11.3 54.8 116
added style. LxWxH 4783x2073x1442 Kerb weight 1825kg xDrive M40i 336 155 4.9 31.7 203 1.2 PureTech 130 128 130 8.9-9.4 50.2-54.7 117-127
BENTLEY 420i 181 146 7.9 41.5 154 X4M Competiton 503 155 4.1 24.8 259 1.2 PureTech 155 153 129 8.5 48.8 131
Continental GT 2dr coupé £178,820–£260,120 AAAAC 430i 242 155 6.2 39.8 160-161 xDrive20d 187 131 8.0 47.1-47.9 161-165 1.5 BlueHDi 108 120 10.9 68.7-69.1 114-115
Refined and improved in every area, making the Conti a superb M440i xDrive 371 155 4.7 35.3 182 xDrive30d 254 145 5.8 45.6-46.3 159-163 1.5 BlueHDi 130 129 128 9.5 64.5-64.9 114-115
grand tourer. LxWxH 4850x1966x1405 Kerb weight 2244kg 420d 188 146 7.3 56.5 130 xDrive M40d 322 155 4.9 43.5 169 ë-C4 50kWh 134 93 9.7 227 0
4.0 V8 542 198 4.0 23.9 268 420d xDrive 188 145 7.6 53.3 138
6.0 W12 Speed 626 207 3.6 20.8 308 X5 5dr SUV £64,040–£118,920 AAAAC C5 Aircross 5dr SUV £26,930–£38,275 AAABC
i4 4dr saloon £53,480–£65,795 AAAAC More capable, convenient, refined and classy SUV that’s a more Smooth-riding SUV has an easy-going nature, but not the most
Continental GTC 2dr open £196,420–£285,920 AAAAB Fast, refined and with lots of traditional appeal to convert satisfying drive. LxWxH 4922x2004x1745 Kerb weight 2110kg dynamic. LxWxH 4500x1859x1670 Kerb weight 1530kg
Immensely capable and refined open-top cruiser with effortless sceptics. LxWxH 4783x1852x1448 Kerb weight 2215kg xDrive40i 335 155 5.5 27.7-28.2 227-231 1.2 PureTech 130 128 117 10.5 44.2 149-151
performance. LxWxH 4850x2187x1399 Kerb weight 2414kg eDrive40 338 118 5.7 352-365 0 xDrive45e 282 155 5.6 188.3-235.4 31 1.6 PureTech 225 PHEV 223 140 8.7 184.0 50
4.0 V8 542 198 4.1 23.3 275 M50 542 140 3.9 318 0 xDrive M50i 523 155 4.3 27.3 276 1.5 BlueHDI 130 129 117 10.4 57.3 138-139
6.0 W12 Speed 626 207 3.7 20.2 336 X5M Competition 623 155 3.8 22.1 304
5 Series 4dr saloon £41,480–£107,520 AAAAB xDrive30d 261 130 6.8 41.5-42.2 175-179 C5 X 5dr SUV £27,790–£39,960 AAAAC
Flying Spur 4dr saloon £173,470–£244,520 AAAAB The perfect compromise between the comfy E-Class and dynamic xDrive40d 340 152 5.5 38.7-39.2 192-196 An unconventional take on the conventional that brings comfort to
New from the ground up, with the looks and technology of a class XF, and then some. LxWxH 4936x2126x1479 Kerb weight 1530kg the fore. LxWxH 4805x1865x1485 Kerb weight 1418kg
winner. LxWxH 5316x1879x1483 Kerb weight 2437kg 520i 181 146 7.8 44.8-45.6 142-145 X6 5dr SUV £65,740–£121,620 AAABC 1.2 PureTech 130 128 130 10.4 48.6 136
3.0 V6 Hybrid 536 177 4.3 na na 530e 288 146 5.9 117.7-128.4 32-43 The world’s first off-road coupé, but appearances make it difficult
1.6 PureTech 180 181 143 8.1 43.9 147
4.0 V8 548 198 4.1 22.2 288 530e xDrive 288 146 5.9 134-166 38-48 to love. LxWxH 4909x1989x1702 Kerb weight 2065kg 1.6 PureTech 225 PHEV 223 145 7.8 186-236 30-34
6.0 W12 632 207 3.8 19.1 337 545e xDrive 394 155 3.8 128-134 49-51 xDrive40i 338 155 5.5 28.0-28.5 225-230
M550i xDrive 528 155 3.8 25.9 247 xDrive M50i 523 155 4.3 23.5 272 ë-Berlingo 5dr MPV £31,945–£33,064 AAACC
Bentayga 5dr SUV £155,665–£197,420 AAAAB M5 Competition 616 155 3.3 25.4 252 X6 M Competition 623 155 3.8 22.4 287 New electric version of venerable people carrier is suddenly the
Crewe’s first attempt at an SUV remains ahead of most luxury 520d 187 147 7.5 57.6-58.9 126-129 xDrive30d 254 143 6.7 42.2-42.8 172-176 only one available. LxWxH 4403x1921x1849 Kerb weight 2440kg
rivals. LxWxH 5140x1998x1742 Kerb weight 2505kg 520d xDrive 187 144 7.6 54.3-55.4 132-135 xDrive40d 340 154 5.5 38.7-39.8 187-191 50kWh 136 84 9.0 182 0
3.0 V6 Hybrid 448 158 5.5 83.1 82 530d xDrive 261 155 5.4 51.4-52.3 143-145
4.0 V8 542 171 4.5 21.7 302 iX 5dr SUV £77,305–£107,305 AAAAC CUPRA
5 Series Touring 5dr estate £44,085–£59,655 AAAAB Comfort-conscious yet strong and athletic. A bold new flagship for Born 5dr hatch £33,735–£39,195 AAABC
BMW The excellent 5 Series made in more practical form. The 520d is BMW’s EV family. LxWxH 4953x2230x1696 Kerb weight 2510kg Electric hot hatch shows promise and annoyance in equal
1 Series 5dr hatch £27,245–£39,825 AAAAB still the best. LxWxH 4942x2126x1498 Kerb weight 1630kg xDrive40 326 124 6.1 256 0 measure. LxWxH 4322x1809x1540 Kerb weight 1736kg
May not drive like a traditional BMW but delivers on upmarket hatch 520i 181 139 8.2 40.4-42.2 152-160 xDrive50 523 124 4.6 375 0 58kWh 201 99 7.3 262-263 0
values. LxWxH 4319x1799x1434 Kerb weight 1365kg 530e 292 140 6.1 156.9-176.6 35-40 M60 623 155 3.8 346 0 77kWh 226 99 7 339 0
118i 138 132 8.5 46.3-47.1 130-134 530e xDrive 292 140 6.1 134.5-156.9 42-47
128ti 261 155 6.1 40.9 157 540i xDrive 335 155 5.1 34.9-35.8 179-185 X7 5dr SUV £83,915–£106,870 AAAAC Leon 5dr hatch £33,100–£40,485 AAABC
M135i xDrive 302 155 4.8 36.2 177 520d 187 147 7.8 52.3-55.4 134-142 BMW’s largest SUV yet crowns the line-up, but faces strong PHEV makes for a confused take on the hot hatch. ICE versions are
116d 114 124 10.1-10.3 60.1-62.8 119-123 520d xDrive 187 144 7.9 49.6-52.3 140-148 competition. LxWxH 5151x2000x1805 Kerb weight 2395kg more enjoyable. LxWxH 4398x1799x1467 Kerb weight 1596kg
118d 148 134 8.4-8.5 58.9-60.1 123-127 530d xDrive 261 155 5.6 46.3-47.9 160 xDrive40i 338 155 6.1 28.7 249-250 1.4 eHybrid 241 140 6.7 217.3 30-32
120d 187 144 7.3 55.4-57.6 129-133 xDrive M50i 523 155 4.7 22.1 283-291 2.0 TSI 242 155 6.4 39.2 162-163
120d xDrive 187 143 7.0 52.3-53.3 139-142 7 Series 4dr saloon £102,305–£116,655 AAAAC xDrive40d 340 152 6.1 36.2 203-204 2.0 TSI 300 298 155 5.7 37.2 171-172
New mild-hybrid flagship saloon is better in every way than its
2 Series 2dr coupé £36,010–£47,515 AAAAB predecessor. LxWxH 5098x1902x1478 Kerb weight 1755kg Z4 2dr coupé £40,745–£53,850 AAAAC Leon Estate 5dr estate £37,890–£43,290 AAAAC
Takes everything positive about its predecessor and refines it 750e xDrive 482 155 4.8 53.4 na Better to drive than ever but makes a better open-top cruiser than More practical version of the most potent Leon blows as hot and
further. LxWxH 4537x2068x1390 Kerb weight 1490kg M760e xDrive 563 155 4.3 na na a true sports car. LxWxH 4689x1942x1293 Kerb weight 1485kg cold as the hatch. LxWxH 4657x1799x1463 Kerb weight na
220i 184 147 7.5 44.1 145 sDrive20i 195 155 6.6 39.8-40.4 160-161 1.4 eHybrid 241 140 7 201.8 31-34
230i 242 155 5.9 42.8 151 i7 4dr saloon £108,305–£134,555 sDrive30i 255 155 5.4 39.8 161-162 2.0 TSI 310 306 155 4.9 32.8-34.4 186
M240i xDrive 374 155 4.3 34.4 186 Tech-laden luxury saloon arrives as new flagship with class- sDrive M40i 338 155 4.6 35.8 181
220d 188 147 6.9 60.1 122 leading comfort. LxWxH 5391x1950x1544 Kerb weight 2715kg Ateca 5dr hatch £41,070–£46,585 AAABC
xDrive60 526 149 4.7 na na BMW ALPINA First model from Seat’s stand-alone performance brand has decent
2 Series Gran Coupé 4dr saloon £28,705–£40,730 AAACC B3/D3 4dr saloon/5dr estate £63,500–£77,900 AAAAA pace and precision. LxWxH 4376x1841x1615 Kerb weight 1615kg
Blends 1 Series platform with rakish looks, but lacks the coupé’s 8 Series 2dr coupé/2dr open £79,475–£133,020 AAAAC Buchloe’s take on 3 Series makes a case for being all the car you 2.0 TSI 300 296 153 5.2 32.5 197
driver appeal. LxWxH 4526x1800x1420 Kerb weight 1350kg Has dynamism to spare but not quite the breadth of ability of the could ever need. LxWxH 4620x1811x1430 Kerb weight 1865kg
218i 138 134 8.7 46.3-47.1 136-138 best sporting GTs. LxWxH 4843x1902x1341 Kerb weight 1830kg 3.0 BiTurbo 488 187 3.7 25.9 229 Formentor 5dr SUV £29,880–£45,885 AAAAC
220i 178 148 7.1 46.3-47.1 136-139 840i 335 155 5.0 33.2-33.6 193-194 3.0 D3S 355 168-170 4.6-4.8 37.2 182 Bespoke-to-Cupra SUV delivers a well-rounded, sure-footed and
M235i xDrive 302 155 4.9 37.2 172 M850i xDrive 523 155 3.7 24.8-25.2 255-260 rewarding drive. LxWxH 4450x1839x1511 Kerb weight 1569kg
218d 148 138 8.6 58.9-60.1 123-125 M8 Competition 623 155 3.2-3.3 25.2-25.4 252-254 B4/D4 4dr saloon/5dr estate £65,700–£79,890
1.5 TSI 150 148 127 8.9 43.5-44.8 143-148
220d 188 148 7.5 56.5-57.6 129-131 4 series shell combines the B3’s engine to make a very compelling 2.0 TSI 190 188 137 7.1 36.2-37.7 171-176
8 Series Gran Coupé 4dr saloon £76,975–£130,520
AAAAC package. LxWxH 4794x2068x1438 Kerb weight 1890kg 1.4 eHybrid 204 201 127 7.8 201.8-235 33-37
2 Series Active Tourer 5dr hatch £31,285–£36,570 AAAAC Four-door grand tourer offers greater practicality than its two-door 3.0 BiTurbo 488 187 3.7 25.9 229 1.4 eHybrid 245 242 130 7.0 176.6-188 33-35
Proves there’s still a place for the MPV in this SUV-led world. siblings. LxWxH 5072x1932x1397 Kerb weight 1800kg 3.0 D4S 355 168-170 4.8 na 182 2.0 TSI 310 310 155 4.9 32.8-33.2 193-194
LxWxH 4354x1800x1555 Kerb weight 1545kg 840i 335 155 5.2 33.2 194
220i 154 137 8.1 47.1-47.9 135-137 M850i xDrive 523 155 3.9 24.6 260 B5/D5 4dr saloon/5dr estate £66,275–£99,900 AAAAC DACIA
223i 201 150 7.0 45.6-46.3 138-140 M8 Competition 623 155 3.2 25.4 254 Is it the best alternative to an M5? Yes, at least from a practicality Sandero 5dr hatch £12,595-£14,095 AAAAC
225e xDrive 241 121 6.7 na na viewpoint. LxWxH 4956x1868x1466 Kerb weight 2015kg Still as cheap, remarkably likeable and usable as most recent
230e xDrive 321 127 5.5 na na X1 5dr SUV £42,080–£47,785 AAAAC 4.4 V8 BiTurbo 599 200-205 3.4-4.6 23.5 263 superminis. LxWxH 4088x1848x1499 Kerb weight 1130kg
218d 148 137 8.8 57.6-58.9 127-129 Pick of the premium bunch and very spacious, but expensive and 3.0 D5S 347 171 4.8 42.2 199 1.0 TCe 90 111 11.7 53.3 120
not that small LxWxH 4500x1845x1642 Kerb weight 1655kg 1.0 TCe Bi-Fuel 99 114 11.6 52.3 123
3 Series 4dr saloon £37,805–£80,970 AAAAA sDrive18i 138 127 9.7 42.8 149-150 B7 4dr saloon £126,000AAAAC
Latest 3 Series has a growth spurt, but size is no obstacle for an sDrive20i 189 138 7.4 40.9 156-157 A 7 Series with a power boost gives BMW a worthy challenger to Sandero Stepway 5dr hatch £13,795–£16,435 AAABC
engaging drive. LxWxH 4709x1827x1442 Kerb weight 1450kg xDrive20i 189 na 7.7 38.2-38.7 166-167 the AMG S-Classes. LxWxH 5250x1902x1491 Kerb weight 2060kg A more expensive and slightly more rugged cheap car – but still
320i 181 146 7.1 44.1 144-146 xDrive23i 201 145 7.4 41.5 153 4.4 V8 BiTurbo 599 205 3.6 24.4 264 limited. LxWxH 4099x1848x1535 Kerb weight 1040kg
320i xDrive 181 142 7.6 41.5-42.2 153-154 sDrive18d 148 126 8.9 55.4 133-134 1.0 TCe 88 107 12 50.4 127
330i 254 155 5.8 40.9-42.8 150-156 xDrive 23d 194 140 7.4 56.5 131 B8 Gran Coupé 4dr saloon £136,500AAAAC 1.0 TCe 100 Bi-Fuel 99 109 11.9 48.7 130-131
330e 288 143 5.9 188.3-201.8 37-38 Superbly rounded, but lacking some of the dynamism implied by its
330e xDrive 288 143 5.9 na na iX1 5dr SUV £52,255–£54,960 looks. LxWxH 5090x1930x1430 Kerb weight 2140kg Duster 5dr SUV £15,295–£22,145 AAAAC
M340i xDrive 369 155 4.4 34.9 185 Not the most engaging to drive, but a seriously comprehensive 4.4 V8 BiTurbo 621 201 3.4 25.4 270 A value champion. If cheap family transport is what you require,
M3 Competition 503 155 3.9 28.8 223 electric prospect. LxWxH 4500x1845x1642 Kerb weight 1655kg the Duster delivers. LxWxH 4341x2052x1633 Kerb weight 1189kg
M3 xDrive Competition 503 155 3.5 28.2 228 xDrive30 308 112 5.7 na na XD3 5dr SUV £70,075AAAAC 1.0 TCe 90 89 103 13.5 46.3 139
318d 148 132 8.3-8.4 52.6-62.8 117-129 Pleasant BMW SUV impressively enhanced with the usual Alpina 1.3 TCe 130 128 120 10.6 45.6 141
320d 187 146 6.8-7.1 56.5-60.1 124-131 X2 5dr SUV £33,540–£49,150 AAAAC toolkit. LxWxH 4732x1897x2015 Kerb weight 2015kg 1.3 TCe 150 148 125 9.7 44.8 143
320d xDrive 187 144 6.9 54.3-56.5 130-136 Proves crossovers aren’t always worse than the hatchbacks on 3.0 BiTurbo 330 158 4.9 31.4 173 1.0 TCe 100 Bi-Fuel 99 106 14.4 na 146
330d 263 155 5.5 47.1-49.6 150-156 which they’re based. LxWxH 4360x1824x1526 Kerb weight 1460kg 1.5 dCi 115 113 113 10.3 57.7 128
330d xDrive 263 155 5.1 47.1 157-158 sDrive18i 138 127 9.6 42.8-43.5 148-150 XB7 5dr SUV £137,000AAAAC 1.5 dCi 115 4x4 113 108 12.1 51.4 143
M340d xDrive 338 155 4.6 46.3 160 sDrive20i 189 141 7.7 40.9-41.5 154-156 Huge power and impressive luxury credentials, but can’t justify the
xDrive20i 189 na 7.6 38.7-39.2 164-166 hefty price jump. LxWxH 5151x2218x1797 Kerb weight 2655kg Jogger 5dr MPV £16,645–£18,745 AAAAB
3 Series Touring 5dr estate £39,810–£83,470 AAAAB xDrive25e 220 121 6.8 156.9 40-41 4.4 V8 BiTurbo 621 180 4.2 23.5 274 A real reason for families to flock to Dacia dealers. Basic to drive
Towering everyday appeal. Arguably the best all-rounder sensible M35i 302 155 4.9 34.4 187 but very versatile. LxWxH 4547x1848x1632 Kerb weight 1205kg
money can buy. LxWxH 4620x1811x1430 Kerb weight 1565kg sDrive18d 148 129 9.3-9.8 55.4 132-134 C AT E R H A M 1.0 TCe 107 114 11.2 49.6 130-131
320i 181 143 7.5 42.2 152-153 xDrive18d 148 128 9.2 50.4-51.4 144-146 Seven 2dr open £24,490–£54,990 AAAAB
330i 254 155 5.9 39.2-40.9 156-163 xDrive20d 185 137 7.7 49.6-50.4 147-149 The 360 is the sweet spot, giving the Seven just the right hit of D AV I D B R O W N A U T O M O T I V E
330e 292 143 5.9 176.6-201.8 32-37 performance. LxWxH 3100x1575x1090 Kerb weight 490kg Speedback GT 3dr coupé £620,000 AAAAC
330e xDrive 292 140 5.9 156.9-176.6 37-42 660cc Suzuki 170 84 105 6.9 58.4 109 Classic looks are matched with lovely drive thanks to modern
M340i xDrive 371 155 4.5 33.6 191 2.0 Duratec 360 180 130 4.8 na na Jaguar hardware. LxWxH 4760x1860x1350 Kerb weight 1800kg
318d 148 133 8.8 57.6-58.9 126-127 2.0 Duratec 420 210 136 3.8 na na 5.0 V8 Auto 601 155 4.8 23.0 292

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1.5T Ecoboost 200 ST 197 144 6.5 42.8 149 H O N DA INEOS
E 5dr hatch £34,365–£36,865 AAABC Grenadier 6dr SUV £54,900–£61,900
Focus 5dr hatch £23,880–£34,960 AAAAB Eminently likeable, with good dynamics but a limited range and Has bags of charm on the road and is virtually unbeatable off it.
Better to drive and look at than before, and impressively good ambitious price. LxWxH 3894x1752x1512 Kerb weight 1520kg LxWxH 4896x1930x2036 Kerb weight 2669kg
value. LxWxH 4378x1825x1471 Kerb weight 1369kg 36kWh 136 90 9.0 137 0 3.0T 6dr Auto 282 99 8.6 21.4 299
1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 125 123 124 10.0-10.3 55.4 116 36kWh Advance 154 90 8.3 136 0 3.0TD 6dr Auto 245 99 9.9 27.4 268
1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 155 152 129-131 9.2-9.5 55.4 116
2.3T Ecoboost 280 ST 276 155 5.7 34.3 187 Jazz 5dr hatch £20,450–£25,940 AAAAC JAG UAR
1.5 EcoBlue 120 118 117-122 10.0-10.8 62.8 119-127 Not the most compact or vivacious but has decent handling and is XE 4dr saloon £32,205–£42,345 AAAAB
cleverly packaged. LxWxH 4044x1694x1526 Kerb weight 1300kg Tops the pile thanks to outstanding driver appeal. Poised and
Focus Estate 5dr estate £24,660–£37,710 AAABC 1.5 i-MMD 109 108 9.4-9.9 62.8 102-110 engaging but refined. LxWxH 4678x1850x1416 Kerb weight 1450kg
Almost as good to drive as the hatch, but a Skoda Octavia will 2.0 P300 AWD 296 155 5.9 30.8-32.4 197-207
carry more. LxWxH 4669x1825x1481 Kerb weight 1485kg Civic 5dr hatch £22,655–£40,220 AAAAC 2.0 D200 198 146 7.3 54.0-57.7 128-137
1.0 Ecoboost 125 123 120-123 10.3-10.6 55.4 98-116 A fresh look while remaining practical, refined and upmarket. Lacks
DS 1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 155 152 127-130 9.4-9.7 55.4 116 some dynamism. LxWxH 4518x1799x1434 Kerb weight 1275kg XF 4dr saloon £35,100–£47,730 AAAAB
3 Crossback 5dr SUV £25,200–£37,600 AAABC 2.3T Ecoboost 280 ST 276 155 5.8-6.0 35.3 183 1.0 VTEC Turbo 126 124 125-126 10.2-11.2 47.9 124-141 Outstandingly broad-batted dynamically, plus a pleasant cabin.
First foray into compact SUVs comfortably competes with more 1.5 EcoBlue 120 118 118-120 10.3-11.1 62.8 119 2.0 VTEC Turbo Type R 315 169 5.8 33.2 191-193 LxWxH 4954x1880x1457 Kerb weight 1545kg
established rivals. LxWxH 4118x1802x1534 Kerb weight 1205kg 1.5 EcoBlue 150 148 127-129 8.7-9.3 60.1 125 2.0 P250 246 155 6.9 33.0-34.9 183-193
1.2 PureTech 100 98 112 10.9 80.4 127 2.0 EcoBlue 190 ST 188 137 7.7 50.4 148 HR-V 5dr SUV £28,835–£33,835 AAABC 2.0 P300 AWD 296 155 6.1 31.2-32.8 194-204
1.2 PureTech 130 128 124 9.2 47.1 141 Fine ergonomics and big on superficial charm, but ultimately
2.0 D200 198 146 7.6 52.8-56.5 131-140
1.2 PureTech 155 153 129 8.2 46.6-52.0 127-143 Ecosport 5dr SUV £22,310–£23,510 AAACC leaves us cold. LxWxH 4340x1790x1582 Kerb weight 1380kg
2.0 D200 AWD 198 143 7.8 48.9-51.3 128-137
1.5 BlueHDI 100 98 112 11.4 62.7 123 Facelifted version of the pumped-up Fiesta is okay, but developing- 1.5 eHEV 131 106 10.7 52.3 122
50kWh E-Tense 132 93 8.7 191-206 0 world roots show. LxWxH 4096x1765x1653 Kerb weight 1280kg XF Sportbrake 5dr estate £37,240–£47,730 AAAAB
1.0T Ecoboost 125 123 111 11.0-11.6 47.1 135 CR-V 5dr SUV £31,555–£40,505 AAAAC Superb XF is now available in the more practical Sportbrake form.
4 5dr hatch £26,860–£42,200 AAAAC 1.0T Ecoboost 140 138 115 10.2 47.1 136 Tardis-like SUV stalwart has lots of space for five and a big boot. It’s a win-win. LxWxH 4955x1880x1494 Kerb weight 1660kg
Lavish, high-riding hatchback gets serious about chasing premium LxWxH 4605x1820x1685 Kerb weight 1515kg 2.0 P250 246 150 7.1 32-33.7 189-199
German rivals. LxWxH 4400x2061x1470 Kerb weight 1352kg Puma 5dr SUV £23,655–£33,125 AAAAC 2.0 i-MMD hybrid 181 112 9.2 38.2 162 2.0 P300 AWD 296 155 6.2 29.9-31.2 204-213
1.2 PureTech 130 128 130 9.3 41.4-48.6 132 Compact crossover finally has a class leader capable of appealing 2.0 D200 198 143 7.8 50.7-53.7 138-146
1.6 PureTech 180 177 143 8.0 43.9 145 to petrolheads. LxWxH 4186x1805x1554 Kerb weight 1280kg NSX 2dr coupé £150,195 AAAAB 2.0 D200 AWD 198 143 8.0 47.0-49.1 151-157
1.6 PureTech 225 223 146 7.9 43.7 146 1.0T Ecoboost MHEV 125 123 119 9.8 50.4 127 Honda’s supercar given a modern reboot, and it’s some piece of
1.6 E-Tense 225 223 145 7.7 176-232 27-35 1.0T Ecoboost MHEV 155 153 124 8.9 50.4 127 engineering. LxWxH 4487x1939x1204 Kerb weight 1725kg F-Type 2dr coupé £56,110–£100,135 AAAAB
1.5 BlueHDI 130 128 129 10.9 51.4-61.2 121-144 1.5 Ecoboost ST 198 137 6.7 41.5 155 3.5 V6 hybrid 573 191 2.9 26.4 242 A full-blooded assault on Porsche’s backyard, with noise, power
and beauty. LxWxH 4482x1923x1311 Kerb weight 1525kg
7 Crossback 5dr SUV £33,135–£55,200 AAABC Kuga 5dr SUV £28,755–£39,655 AAAAC HYU N DAI 2.0 P300 296 155 5.7 29.9 215
DS’s first premium SUV certainly has the right price tag, equipment All-new version of popular SUV mixes dynamism with practicality i10 5dr hatch £13,430–£16,480 AAAAC 5.0 P450 444 177 4.6 26.0-26.8 239-246
and appeal. LxWxH 4570x1895x1620 Kerb weight 1420kg and refinement. LxWxH 4614x1883x1678 Kerb weight 1698kg The smallest Hyundai matures and regains leadership of the city 5.0 P575 518 186 3.7 26.4 243
1.2 PureTech 130 129 122 10.2 42.2-46.0 143-152 1.5T Ecoboost 150 148 121 9.7 41.5-42.8 151 car class. LxWxH 4035x1734x1474 Kerb weight 933kg
1.6 PureTech 180 178 137 8.3 42.2 152 2.5 FHEV 198 122 9.1 51.4 125 1.0 MPi 67 97 14.6 53.3 114-120 F-Type Convertible 2dr open £64,760–£105,330 AAAAB
1.6 E-Tense 225 223 140 8.9 157-176 36-41 2.5 PHEV 223 125 9.2 201.8 32 1.0 T-GDi 99 115 10.5 52.3 123 Costs serious money, but you get a serious car with a likeable wild
1.6 E-Tense 4x4 300 295 149 5.9 176.6-201.8 32-40 1.2 MPi 84 106 12.6 51.4 124 side. LxWxH 4482x1923x1308 Kerb weight 1545kg
1.5 BlueHDi 130 na 121 11.7 54.1-55.3 143 S-Max 5dr MPV £38,540–£43,800 AAAAC 2.0 P300 296 155 5.7 29.6 217
Better to drive and better looking than most but not quite the i20 5dr hatch £19,035–£25,250 AAAAC 5.0 P450 444 177 4.6 26.0-26.6 241-247
9 5dr saloon £41,335–£57,900 AAAAC class leader it was. LxWxH 4976x1916x1655 Kerb weight 1645kg Steady gains for a versatile runabout that, N version aside, still 5.0 P575 518 186 3.7 26.4 243
New flagship is a refreshing alternative to the usual German 2.5 FHEV 190 188 115 9.8 44.1 147 lacks personality. LxWxH 4035x1734x1474 Kerb weight 980kg
executives. LxWxH 4934x2079x1460 Kerb weight 1540kg 1.0 T-GDi 100 98 117 10.4 47.9-49.6 120 E-Pace 5dr SUV £45,135–£51,260 AAABC
1.6 PureTech 225 223 146 8.1 40.9 155 Galaxy 5dr MPV £40,700 AAABC 1.0 T-GDi 48V MHD 100 98 117 10.4 54.3-55.4 115-118 Misses the mark for keen drivers, but is still a desirable SUV
1.6 E-Tense 225 223 149 8.3 176-256 33-35 Huge seven-seat MPV. Easy to place on the road but not cheap to
1.0 T-GDi 48V MHD 120 118 115 10.2 53.3 120 nevertheless. LxWxH 4411x1984x1649 Kerb weight 1775kg
1.6 E-Tense 4x4 356 155 5.6 176-256 41-43 buy. LxWxH 4848x1916x1747 Kerb weight 1708kg
1.6 T-GDi N 201 142 6.7 40.4 158 2.0 P250 245 143 6.6 29.8 215
2.5 FHEV 190 188 115 10.0 43.5 148 2.0 P300 295 151 5.9 28.3 226
FERRARI i30 5dr hatch £21,260–£34,095 AAABC 1.5 P300e 305 134 6.5 143.1 44
Portofino 2dr open £166,295 AAAAC Mustang Mach-E 4dr crossover £47,530–£68,030  AAAAC As good as we’ve come to expect from Hyundai, but not one inch 2.0 D165 163 128 10.0 43.4-45.4 163
The entry-level Ferrari has the power, the looks and the touring Likeable, practical high-rise EV has only a badge in common with better. LxWxH 4340x1795x1455 Kerb weight 1194kg 2.0 D165 AWD 163 124 9.8 42.9-43.4 171-172
ability. LxWxH 4586x1938x1318 Kerb weight 1664kg its coupé namesake. LxWxH 4712x1881x1597 Kerb weight 1993kg 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 118 11.1 45.6 121-122 2.0 D200 AWD 201 131 8.4 42.9-43.0 170-173
3.9T V8 591 199 3.5 14.7-28.0 230-436 68kWh Standard RWD 265 111 6.1 273 0 1.5 T-GDi 157 130 8.6 42.2-46.3 142
68kWh Standard AWD 265 111 5.6 248 0 2.0 T-GDi 275 N Performance 272 155 6.1 34.0 188 F-Pace 5dr SUV £40,705–£81,510 AAAAC
Roma 2dr coupé £175,000 AAAAB 88kWh Extended RWD 290 111 6.2 379 0 1.6 CRDi 115 113 118 11.0-11.2 58.9-60.1 121-122 Credible first SUV effort is as refined and dynamic as a Jaguar
Gorgeous coupé is a proper grand tourer with a focus on usability. 88kWh Extended AWD 346 111 5.1 335 0 should be. LxWxH 4731x2071x1666 Kerb weight 1690kg
LxWxH 4656x1974x1301 Kerb weight 1570kg 88kWh GT AWD 487 124 4.4 310 0 i30 Fastback 4dr saloon £25,960–£34,845 AAABC 2.0 P250 AWD 246 135 7.3 30.4 214-220
3.9T V8 612 199 3.4 14.7-28.0 230-436 Combines good looks with sensible practicalities and dynamic 3.0 P400 AWD 394 155 5.4 28.8 222-230
Mustang 2dr coupé/open £50,075–£60,075  AAAAC charm. LxWxH 4455x1795x1425 Kerb weight 1287kg 2.0 P400e AWD 398 149 5.3 112.5 51-55
296 GTB 2dr coupé £241,550 AAAAA American muscle built for the UK, in coupé and convertible forms. 1.5 T-GDi 157 130 8.6 49.6-52.3 141-151 5.0 V8 SVR 550 AWD 548 178 4.0 23.1 275
Latest in a line of fabulous Ferraris gains EV ability but loses What’s not to like? LxWxH 4784x1916x1381 Kerb weight 1653kg 2.0 T-GDi 275 N Performance 272 155 6.1 34.0 188 2.0 D165 AWD 163 121 9.9 45.4 165-171
nothing in return. LxWxH 4656x1974x1301 Kerb weight 1470kg 5.0 V8 444 155 4.8 23.5-23.9 268-274 2.0 D200 AWD 197 130 8.0 45.4 165-171
3.0T V6 819 205 2.9 44.1 149 5.0 V8 Mach-1 453 163 4.6 22.8 260 i30 Tourer 5dr estate £22,010–£24,960 AAABC 3.0 D300 AWD 296 143 6.4 38.1 195-202
Another solid car. Good value and practical but lacks excitement.
F8 Tributo 2dr coupé/open £203,476 AAAAA GT 2dr coupé £420,000 AAAAC LxWxH 4585x1795x1465 Kerb weight 1245kg I-Pace 5dr SUV £65,620–£76,920 AAAAB
The last hurrah for the pure internal combustion V8-powered The GT is back as a race car for the road. Compelling if not perfect. 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 117 11.4 47.9-49.6 130-139 Fast, refined and the first of its kind from a European
mid-engined Ferrari. LxWxH 4611x1979x1206 Kerb weight 1435kg LxWxH 4808x1928x1692 Kerb weight 1912kg manufacturer. LxWxH 4682x1895x1558 Kerb weight 2133kg
3.9T V8 Tributo 710 211 2.9 21.9 292 3.5 V6 Ecoboost 650 216 3.0 na na Bayon 5dr SUV £20,530–£24,780 AAAAC EV400 398 124 4.5 292 0
Much better at meeting your motoring needs than kindling your
812 Superfast 2dr coupé/open £263,098–£446,970 AAAAA Ranger 4dr pick-up £24,369–£47,889
AAAAC affections. LxWxH 4180x1775x1500 Kerb weight 1233kg JEEP
More powerful than the F12, but with better road manners making Capable pick-up becomes off-road monster in Raptor spec but 1.0 T-GDi 48V MHEV 98 113 10.7 53.3 120-121 Compass 5dr SUV £29,895–£40,895 AAACC
it the star of the range. LxWxH 4657x1971x1276 Kerb weight loses VAT incentives. LxWxH 5277x1977x1703 Kerb weight 1866kg 1.0 T-GDi 48V MHEV 120 118 115 10.4 53.3 121 Wants to be a catch-all crossover but is beaten by more road-
1630kg 2.0 EcoBlue 130 128 106 13.5 42.8 173 focused rivals. LxWxH 4394x2033x1629 Kerb weight 1430kg
6.5 V12 777 211 2.9 11.2-20.0 320 2.0 EcoBlue 170 158 109 11.8 40.4-43.5 184-207 Kona 5dr SUV £21,625–£37,900 AAAAC 1.3 128 119 10.3 39.2-42.2 153
6.5 V12 Competizione 819 211 2.9 13.9 385 2.0 EcoBlue 213 210 106 10.5 30.7 201-233 Hyundai’s first crossover is the perfect blend of practicality, value 1.5 48V MHEV 128 120 10.0 47.1-50.4 133-140
3.2 Duratorq TDCI 200 197 109 10.6 32.1-36.2 221-231 and style. LxWxH 4165x1800x1550 Kerb weight 1233kg 1.3 4xe PHEV 238 124 7.3 141-156 44-47
SF90 Stradale 2dr coupé/open £379,000–£425,000 AAAAA 1.0 T-GDi 120 118 112 12.0 44.1-44.8 142-147
Plug-in hybrid doesn’t do things conventionally. A 986bhp technical GENESIS 1.6 GDi Hybrid 134 119 10.2 52.3 114-123 Renegade 5dr SUV £25,640–£36,750 AAABC
masterpiece. LxWxH 4710x1972x1186 Kerb weight 1570kg G70 4dr saloon £33,450–£40,480 AAABC 2.0 T-GDi N 278 149 5.5 32.8 194 Middling compact crossover with chunky looks but no obvious
4.0T V8 986 211 2.5 46.3 154 Likeable left-field choice has style but struggles to threaten the Electric 39kWh 134 96 9.6 180 0 charm. LxWxH 4236x1805x1667 Kerb weight 1346kg
establishment. LxWxH 4685x1850x1400 Kerb weight 1675kg Electric 64kWh 201 104 7.6 280 0 1.0 GSE T3 120 118 115 11.2 38.2 151
F I AT 2.0T 197 197 139 9.1 35.4 181 1.3 GSE T4 150 148 122 9.4 38.2-39.8 151
Panda 5dr hatch £13,655–£19,085 AAABC 2.0T 245 245 149 6.1 35.4 181 Ioniq 5 5dr SUV £39,400–£56,400 AAAAC 1.3 Turbo 4xe 188 113 7.5 122.8-134.5 42-49
Hasn’t kept pace with its rivals, but sells robust, practical charm 2.2D 200 200 143 7.4 44.5 166 Won’t upend the electric SUV segment, but a compelling option in a 1.3 Turbo 4xe Trailhawk 238 124 7.1 117.7-128.4 51-53
better than most. LxWxH 3653x1643x1551 Kerb weight 940kg developing class. LxWxH 4635x1890x1605 Kerb weight 1145kg
0.9 Twinair 85 83 103-110 11.2-12.1 37.2 166-168 G70 Shooting Brake 5dr estate £35,325–£41,480 AAAAC 58kWh 170 115 8.5 240 0 Wrangler 2dr/4dr SUV £54,400–£59,400 AAAAC
1.0 Mild Hybrid 69 96 14.7 50.4-52.3 126-132 Best-looking Genesis yet is also the best to drive, despite slightly 73kWh 217 115 7.4 300 0 Heavy-duty off-roader goes anywhere but lacks on-road manners.
flat four-pot engines. LxWxH 4685x1850x1400 Kerb weight 1717kg 73kWh AWD 305 115 5.2 268 0 LxWxH 4223x1873x1840 Kerb weight 1827kg
500 3dr hatch/2dr open £17,175–£20,325 AAABC 2.0T 197 197 135 9.3 32.5-34.0 193-204 2.0 GME 265 110 7.3-7.6 25.4-26.4 248-254
Super-desirable, cute city car. Pleasant, if not involving to drive.
2.0T 245 245 146 6.4 32.5-34.0 193-204 Tucson 5dr SUV £29,140–£41,600 AAAAC
LxWxH 3571x1627x1488 Kerb weight 865kg 2.2D 200 198 140 7.7 41.8 175 Shows Hyundai can do both style and substance. A family SUV KIA
1.0 Mild Hybrid 69 104 13.8 53.3 119-121 that’s easy to like. LxWxH 4500x1865x1653 Kerb weight 1425kg Picanto 5dr hatch £11,810–£16,610 AAAAC
GV70 5dr SUV £39,450–£44,370 AAAAC 1.6 T-GDi 150 148 117 10.3 40.9 156 A pleasingly well-rounded and charming value offering, but not in
500 3dr hatch/2dr open £24,435–£34,435 AAAAC Wilfully different from the posh SUV competition and none the 1.6 T-GDi 48V MHEV 150 148 117 9.6 43.5 144-151 all of its guises. LxWxH 3595x1595x1485 Kerb weight 977kg
Shows that small EVs can be viable and can also be fun – to look at, worse for it. LxWxH 4715x1910x1630 Kerb weight 2010kg 1.6 T-GDi 48V MHEV 180 178 125 9.0 39.8 162 1.0 66 100 16.6 53.3 119
to sit in and to drive. LxWxH 3571x1627x1488 Kerb weight 865kg 2.5T 301 149 6.1 29.7 216 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid 228 120 8.0 50.4 127 1.0 T-GDi 99 112 9.9 48.7 120
Electric 24kWh 95 84 9.5 118 0 2.2D 207 133 7.9 40.0 185 1.6 T-GDi Plug-in hybrid 263 119 8.6 201.8 31
Electric 42kWh 118 93 9.0 199 0 Rio 5dr hatch £14,460–£20,960 AAABC
G80 4dr saloon £44,125–£49,325 AAAAC Santa Fe 5dr SUV £40,685–£49,160 AAABC More comfortable and more grown-up in fourth-gen form, but not
Tipo 5dr hatch £19,605–£23,605 AAABC A luxury car for those who’ve had their fill of the typical premium Superficial charm and an expansive cabin but not much polish to any more fun. LxWxH 4065x1993x1450 Kerb weight 1143kg
A ’90s reboot that has been on a diet. Decent to drive and ample options. LxWxH 4995x1925x1465 Kerb weight 1930kg the powertrain. LxWxH 4785x1900x1710 Kerb weight 2005kg 1.2 DPi 83 108 12.7 52.3 120-122
interior space. LxWxH 4368x1792x1495 Kerb weight 1195kg 2.5T 301 155 6.0 31.0 205 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid 228 116 8.9-9.1 42.2 145-168 1.0 T-GDi 99 115 10.0 53.3 120
1.0 100hp 98 119 11.8 51.4 125 2.2D 207 147 8.0 44.8 164 1.6 T-GDi Plug-in hybrid 262 116 8.8 173.7 37 1.0 T-GDi 48V 118 118 9.8 51.4 118-125
1.0 Cross 98 114 12.2 49.6 130
GV80 5dr SUV £58,320–£73,720 AAABC Nexo 5dr SUV £69,495 AAABC Ceed 5dr hatch £20,465–£27,595 AAAAC
500L 5dr MPV £18,555–£21,855 AAACC Rich, spacious and comfortable but not a world-class luxury car Impressive effort that heads in the right direction for fuel cell cars. Third-generation hatchback can now compete for class honours.
A costly option but has some style to fill out some of its missing just yet. LxWxH 4945x1975x1715 Kerb weight 2145kg LxWxH 4670x2060x1640 Kerb weight 1814kg LxWxH 4310x1800x1447 Kerb weight 1315kg
substance. LxWxH Na Kerb weight 1245kg 2.5T 301 147 7.7 26.2 240 95kW Fuel Cell 161 130 9.6 42.0mpkg 0 1.0 T-GDi 118 116 116 10.9 47.9-50.4 122-126
1.4 95hp 93 103-111 13.4 38.7-39.8 166-170 3.0D 278 143 7.5 33.2 220 1.5 T-GDi 158 156 128-130 8.6-8.9 43.5-46.3 129-135
1.6 T-GDi 201 198 142 7.5 38.2 153
500X 5dr hatch £20,895–£27,615 AAABC G O R D O N M U R R AY A U T O M O T I V E 1.6 CRDi 48V 134 124 9.8 57.6 118-120
Familiar styling works rather well as a crossover. Drives okay, too. T33 2dr coupé £1,400,000
LxWxH 4248x1796x1600 Kerb weight 1295kg Smaller, even more daily-usable sibling of the T50 with the same Ceed Sportswagon 5dr estate £21,165–£27,595 AAAAC
1.0 120hp 118 117 10.9 42.2-45.6 142-153 glorious engine. LxWxH na Kerb weight 1090kg All of the above, but with cavernous, more practical load space.
1.3 148 129 9.6 44.1§ 145 4.0 V12 607 na na na na LxWxH 4600x1800x1465 Kerb weight 1389kg
1.0 T-GDi 118 116 118 10.9 47.1 121-127
FORD T50 2dr coupé £2,800,000 1.5 T-GDi 158 156 128-130 8.6-8.9 43.5-46.3 131
Fiesta 3dr/5dr hatch £17,905–£26,595 AAAAB Ultra-lightweight, V12-powered spritual successor to legendary 1.6 CRDi 48V 134 124 10.0 57.6 121-126
Dynamically superb and continues the Fiesta legacy. No longer the McLaren F1. LxWxH 4352x1850x1164 Kerb weight 986kg
class leader, though. LxWxH 4040x1735x1476 Kerb weight 1113kg 4.0 V12 650 na na na na Proceed 5dr hatch £25,840–£30,660 AAABC
1.1 75 73 103 14.5 53.3 121 Alluring and interesting, but not quite as special to drive as it looks.
1.0 Ecoboost 100 98 112 10.8 53.3 120 LxWxH 4605x1800x1422 Kerb weight 1405kg
1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 125 123 126 9.4 56.5 96-121 1.5 T-GDi 158 156 128-130 8.6-8.9 43.5-46.3 131-136
1.0 Ecoboost MHEV 155 153 136 8.9 55.4 104-123 1.6 T-GDi 201 198 140 7.2 39.3 163

74 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

 N E W CAR PR I CES
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Xceed 5dr hatch £21,265–£35,105 AAABC MAZDA 1.5 A180d 114 128 10.2 56.5-64.2 126-129
Crossover-styled hatch that drives well, but lacks practicality and 2 5dr hatch £17,205–£21,575 AAAAC 2.0 A200d 148 141 8.2 58.9 127-131
polish. LxWxH 4395x1826x1483 Kerb weight 1332kg Grown up, well made and drives with charm and vigour; engines
1.0 T-GDi 118 116 115 10.9 45.6 140-146 aren’t brilliant. LxWxH 4060x1695x1515 Kerb weight 1141kg CLA 4dr saloon £33,070–£60,965 AAAAC
1.5 T-GDi 158 156 129 8.7 44.8 142-143 1.5 Skyactiv-G 75 74 106 12.1 49.6 121 It may use A-Class underpinnings, but it’s engineered to be much
1.6 GDi PHEV 137 99 10.6 217.3 38 1.5 e-Skyactiv-G 88 114 9.8 60.1 107 sportier to drive. LxWxH 4688x1830x1444 Kerb weight 1490kg
1.5 e-Skyactiv-G 115 113 124 9.1 56.5 113 1.3 CLA 180 133 134 9.0 47.9 138-140
Stonic 5dr SUV £19,260–£23,310 AAABC 1.3 CLA 200 161 142 8.2 42.8-47.9 138-140
Kia’s first crossover is striking and reasonably good considering 3 5dr hatch £23,265–£30,465 AAAAC 1.3 CLA 250e 215 149 6.8 282.5 23
the value. LxWxH 4140x1760x1520 Kerb weight 1160kg Pleasing dynamism teamed with good practicality and punchy 2.0 CLA 250 222 155 6.3 38.7-42.2 154-155
1.0 T-GDi 116 115 9.9 46.3-47.1 137 diesel engines. LxWxH 4460x1795x1435 Kerb weight 1411kg 2.0 AMG CLA 35 4Matic 302 155 4.9 34.9-37.2 177-187
2.0 e-Skyactiv-G 120 122 10.4 50.4 124-127 2.0 AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+ 415 168 4.0 33.2 200-202
Niro 5dr SUV £27,745–£38,275 AAABC 2.0 e-Skyactiv-X 186 183 134 8.1 53.3 118-121 2.0 CLA 220d 185 152 7.1 53.3-57.7 132
Versatile and well-equipped family transport in a choice of hybrid
and EV flavours. LxWxH 4355x1805x1545 Kerb weight 1500kg 3.0 D300 298 130 7.3 34.1 220-247 3 saloon 4dr saloon £26,265–£30,465 AAAAC CLA Shooting Brake 5dr estate £34,070–£61,965 AAABC
1.6 GDi Hybrid 137 101 11.1 58.9 110-120 3.0 D350 348 140 6.9 29.8 249 Refined and dynamically satisfying in a saloon bodystyle. The most practical of the A-Class range, but it suffers for its
1.6 GDi Hybrid PHEV 137 107 10.4 201.8 29 LxWxH 4460x1795x1440 Kerb weight 1405kg challenging styling. LxWxH 4688x1830x1447 Kerb weight 1430kg
39kWh e-Niro 132 96 9.5 180 0 Range Rover 5dr SUV £99,375–£178,220 AAAAB 2.0 e-Skyactiv-X 186 183 134 8.1 56.5 114-117 1.3 CLA 180 133 130 9.2 35.8-40.9 140-141
64kWh e-Niro 198 104 7.5 282 0 Seminal luxury SUV’s new generation covers even more bases 1.3 CLA 200 161 140 8.4 35.3-40.9 141-142
than before. LxWxH 5052x2047x1870 Kerb weight 2379kg 6 4dr saloon £26,340–£33,720 AAABC 2.0 CLA 250 222 155 6.4 37.7-40.9 157-159
Soul EV 5dr hatch £34,995 AAAAC 3.0 P400 398 150 5.8-6.1 28.5-29.3 218-225 A compelling mix of size, economy and performance. Interior is a 1.3 CLA 250e 215 146 6.9 256.8 24
Electric-only hatch with looks that divide opinion, but competitive
3.0 P440e 438 140 6.0 321.9 20-21 let-down. LxWxH 4870x1840x1450 Kerb weight 1465kg 2.0 AMG CLA 35 4Matic 302 155 4.9 36.2 183-191
range. LxWxH 4220x1825x1605 Kerb weight 1757kg3.0 P510e 508 150 5.5 318.4 20-21 2.0 Skyactiv-G 143 129 9.9 42.2 152 2.0 AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+ 415 168 4.0 32.8 203-205
64kWh 201 104 7.6 280 0 4.4 P530 V8 527 155 4.6-4.8 24.0-24.2 264-267 2.0 Skyactiv-G 163 134 9.4 42.2 152 2.0 CLA 220d 185 147 7.2 43.5-48.7 135-136
3.0 D300 289 135 6.9 35.8-36.7 204-207 2.0 Skyactiv-G GT 191 142 8.1 38.2 167
Sportage 5dr SUV £26,775–£43,795 AAABC 3.0 D350 348 145 6.1-6.3 35.1-36.5 203-211 B-Class 5dr hatch £28,525–£40,970 AAABC
Does refinement, handling precision, tech, space and alternative 6 Tourer 5dr estate £27,340–£35,080 AAABC A slightly odd prospect, but practical and classy nonetheless.
style well. LxWxH 4515x1865x1650 Kerb weight 1715kg Discovery Sport 5dr SUV £33,125–£53,510 AAAAB Attractively styled and spacious inside, but only average to drive. LxWxH 4393x1786x1557 Kerb weight 1395kg
1.6T GDi 148 117 9.9 41.5 154 Seven seats, at home on road and off road, plus new-found LxWxH 4805x1840x1480 Kerb weight 1465kg 1.3 B180 134 132 9.0 45.6 140-142
1.6T GDi 48V 148 117 9.3 41.5 146 desirability. LxWxH 4597x2069x1727 Kerb weight 1732kg 2.0 Skyactiv-G 143 128 10.0 41.5 155 1.3 B200 159 139 8.2 46.3 140-142
1.6T GDi 48V DCT AWD 148 117 9.4 40.4 158 2.0 P250 247 140 8.1 30.1 211 2.0 Skyactiv-G 163 133 9.4 41.5 155 1.3 B250e 215 146 6.8 235.4 27
1.6T GDi HEV 226 120 7.7 49.6 129 2.0 P290 288 144 7.5 29.7 214 2.0 Skyactiv-G GT 191 139 8.1 37.2 172 1.5 B180d 114 124 9.8 61.4 137-138
1.6T GDi HEV AWD 226 120 8.0 44.1 146 1.5 P300e 298 130 6.6 143.4-158.6 40-44 2.0 B200d 148 136 8.3 57.7 134-144
1.5T GDi PHEV AWD 261 119 7.9 252 25 2.0 D165 162 112 10.6 41.5 179 CX-30 5dr SUV £24,645–£34,555 AAAAC 2.0 B220d 187 145 7.2 56.5 136-137
1.6 CRDi 113 108 11.7 53.3 138 2.0 D200 201 117 8.9 41.5 179 Dynamic qualities, a classy interior and a handsome look set it
1.6 CRDi 48V 134 112 11.0 54.3 135 apart from rivals. LxWxH 4395x1795x1540 Kerb weight 1334kg C-Class 4dr saloon £39,860–£53,200 AAAAC
Discovery 5dr SUV £55,175–£73,935 AAAAB 2.0 e-Skyactiv-G 120 116 10.6 47.9 134 Sumptuous interior and impressive tech, but let down by harsh
EV6 5dr SUV £41,695–£59,995 AAAAC The country bumpkin given elocution lessons without losing its 2.0 e-Skyactiv-X 186 183 127 8.3 50.4 127 suspension. LxWxH 4751x2033x1437 Kerb weight 1650kg
Swish, spacious and swift enough to become the pick of the EV rugged capabilities. LxWxH 4956x2073x1888 Kerb weight 2115kg 1.5 C200 221 153 7.3 44.1 146
crossover bunch. LxWxH 4680x1880x1550 Kerb weight 2090kg 3.0 P360 355 130 6.5 26.0-26.4 241-245 MX-30 5dr SUV £30,050–£34,995 AAAAC 2.0 C300 278 155 6.0 42.2 152-159
77.4kWh 226 114 7.3 328 0 3.0 D250 246 120 8.1 33.4-33.7 220-222 Classy and affordable all-electric crossover marred only by its
2.0 C300e 331 152 6.1 256.8 14-24
77.4kWh AWD 321 116 5.2 300 0 3.0 D300 296 130 6.8 33.2-33.5 221-223 limited range. LxWxH 4395x1795x1555 Kerb weight 1645kg
2.0 C220d 218 152 7.3 61.4 120-127
35.5kWh 143 87 9.7 124 0 2.0 C300d 283 155 5.7 55.4 133-139
Sorento 5dr SUV £40,590–£54,695 AAABC LEXUS
Lacks polish, but its abundant utility appeal and value shine ES 4dr saloon £38,765–£52,315  AAABC CX-5 5dr SUV £29,245–£40,505 AAAAC C-Class Estate 5dr estate £40,420–£53,425 AAABC
through. LxWxH 4810x1900x1695 Kerb weight 2006kg Gatecrashes the German-controlled saloon market in a way the GS Offers powerful diesel engines and strong performance, plus a Impressive and tech-filled inside, albeit in a curiously unsatisfying
1.6 T-GDi HEV 226 119 8.7 40.9 158-166 could never manage. LxWxH 4975x1865x1445 Kerb weight 1680kg welcoming interior. LxWxH 4550x1840x1675 Kerb weight 1575kg dynamic package. LxWxH 4755x2033x1494 Kerb weight 1710kg
1.6 T-GDi PHEV 261 119 8.4 176.6 38 2.5 VVT-i ES 300h 2.0 165
218 112 8.9 53.2 119 162 125 10.3 38.7 152-154 1.5 C200 221 149 7.5 38.1-43.4 149-168
2.2 CRDi 199 127 9.1 42.2 176 2.5 194 191 121 9.2 35.3 182 2.0 C300 278 155 6.0 41.0 157
LS 4dr saloon £82,175–£108,680  AAABC 2.2d 150 148 127 9.9 50.4 151-154 2.0 C300e 331 151 6.2 403.6 15
Stinger GT-S 4dr saloon £44,160 AAABC Luxury saloon gets more tech and opulence but is let down by its 2.2d 184 181 129 9.3 42.8 175 2.0 C220d 218 151 7.4 57.7 129
Sleek coupé-shaped saloon has the appeal and dynamics to rival hybrid powertrain. LxWxH 5235x1900x1460 Kerb weight 2270kg 2.0 C300d 283 155 5.8 54.4 136
Europe’s best. LxWxH 4830x1870x1400 Kerb weight 1717kg 3.5 V6 VVT-i LS 500h 348 155 5.4 30.7-36.6 175-208 CX-60 5dr SUV £43,950–£48,050 AAAAC
3.3 V6 T-GDi 360 168 4.7 27.7 233 Feels upmarket inside and combines tidy handling with easy pace. C-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £41,890–£87,130 AAAAC
RC F 2dr coupé £68,620–£84,120 AAABC LxWxH 4745x1890x1680 Kerb weight 1995kg Outgoing two-door keeps a nice balance of style, usability and
KTM An also-ran, but the V8 RC F packs plenty of character and handles 2.5 PHEV 4WD Auto 323 124 5.8 188.3 33 driver reward. LxWxH 4696x1810x1405 Kerb weight 1505kg
X-Bow 0dr open £57,345–£70,717 AAAAC well enough. LxWxH 4695x1840x1395 Kerb weight 1736kg 1.5 C200 181 149 7.9 37.7-42.2 155-156
Eccentric looks and sharp handling but expensive. 5.0 V8 470 168 4.5 23.9 268 MX-5 2dr open £25,725–£31,860 AAAAA 2.0 C300 258 155 6.1 35.8-39.8 161-175
LxWxH 3738x1915x1202 Kerb weight 847kg Brilliantly packaged, priced and perfectly poised but more vibrant 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.7 28.0-29.4 221-225
2.0 R 290 143 3.9 na na LC 2dr coupé/open £86,350–£105,845 AAAAC than the original. LxWxH 3915x1735x1225 Kerb weight 1050kg 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 180 3.9 25.0-25.5 250
2.0 GT 280 143 4.1 na na Superb-looking coupé shows flickers of what made the LFA great. 1.5 Skyactiv-G 132 129 127 8.3 44.1 142 2.0 C220d 192 149 7.0 46.3-52.3 133-145
LxWxH 4770x1920x1345 Kerb weight 1935kg 2.0 Skyactiv-G 184 181 136 6.5 40.4 153 2.0 C300d 4Matic 241 155 6.0 42.8-48.7 151-164
LAMBORGHINI 5.0 V8 LC 500 457 168 4.7 24.3 262
Huracán 2dr coupé/open £167,300–£262,432 AAAAC 3.5 V6 LC 500h 354 155 5.0 34.8 184 MX-5 RF 2dr open £27,625–£33,960 AAAAA C-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £45,465–£89,985 AAAAC
Junior Lambo mixes usability and drama skilfully, in both coupé Remains perfectly poised and vibrant, even with a folding metal Take all the good bits about the coupé and add the ability to take
and Spyder forms. LxWxH 4459x1924x1165 Kerb weight 1389kg UX 5dr SUV £25,960–£45,125
AAABC roof. LxWxH 3915x1735x1230 Kerb weight 1090kg the roof off. Bingo. LxWxH 4686x1810x1409 Kerb weight 1645kg
5.2 V10 Evo RWD 608 202 3.3 20.5 330-335 Refreshingly different premium SUV is a credible, if not class- 1.5 Skyactiv-G 132 129 126 8.6 44.1 142 1.5 C200 181 146 7.9 36.2-40.4 167-168
5.2 V10 Evo 631 201 2.9 20.3 332-338 leading, alternative. LxWxH 4495x1840x1520 Kerb weight 1620kg 2.0 Skyactiv-G 184 181 124-126 7.9-8.7 37.7-40.4 155 2.0 C300 258 155 6.3 34.0-37.7 173-184
5.2 V10 STO 631 202 3.0 20.3 331 2.0 UX 250h 181 110 8.5 50.4 126 3.0 V6 AMG C43 4Matic 385 155 4.8 27.4-28.5 229-231
2.0 UX 250h E4 181 110 8.7 47.0 136 McLAREN 4.0 V8 AMG C63 S 503 174 4.1 24.4-24.8 258
Aventador 2dr coupé/open £274,226–£439,921 AAAAC UX 300e 150kWh 201 100 7.5 195 0 Artura 2dr coupé £189,200 AAAAB 2.0 C220d 191 145 7.5 44.8-49.6 141-153
Big, hairy V12 has astonishing visuals and performance. Handling A technical marvel that wears its hybrid tech lightly. 2.0 C300d 242 155 6.3 42.2-47.1 153-167
could be sweeter. LxWxH 4797x2030x1136 Kerb weight 1575kg NX 5dr SUV £39,760–£58,200 AAAAC LxWxH 4539x1976x1193 Kerb weight 1498kg
6.5 V12 S 730 217 2.9 15.4 499 PHEV option and welcome cabin overhaul sustain the allure of the 3.0 V6 PHEV 671 205 3.0 61.5 104 E-Class 4dr saloon £41,680–£102,150 AAAAC
6.5 V12 SVJ 759 217 2.8 15.8 486 firm’s best-seller. LxWxH 4660x1865x1640 Kerb weight 1990kg A little pricey, and less sporting than its rivals, but still comfy and
6.5 Ultimae 778 221 2.8 13.0 442 2.5 NX 350h 242 124 7.7 44.1 145 720S 2dr coupé/open £221,800–£250,290
AAAAA luxurious. LxWxH 4923x1852x1468 Kerb weight 1680kg
2.5 NX 450h+ PHEV 306 124 6.3 The start of an era for McLaren and what a way to begin it is.
256-313 20-26 2.0 E200 194 149 7.4 38.2 165-166
Urus 5dr SUV £177,417–£197,270 AAAAC LxWxH 4543x2059x1196 Kerb weight 1419kg 2.0 E300e 315 155 5.8 188.3 41
Lambo’s second SUV is more alluring and aims to use the V8’s RX 5dr SUV £56,215–£68,065 AAABC 4.0 V8 710 212 2.9 23.2 276 3.0 E450 363 155 5.0 31.7 204
power better. LxWxH 5112x2016x1638 Kerb weight 2200kg Low flexibility, but hybrid powertrain makes a degree of economic 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.5 30.4 212-215
4.0 V8 631 189 3.6 22.2 325 sense. LxWxH 4890x1895x1690 Kerb weight 2100kg 765LT 2dr coupé £312,800 AAAAB 4.0 V8 AMG E63 S 4Matic+ 603 155 3.4 22.8-23.7 277
3.5 V6 RX 450h 308 124 7.7 34.4 185 Longtail treatment puts a deliciously sharp edge on the 720S. 2.0 E220d 191 146 7.4 53.3 139-157
L AN D ROVE R LxWxH 4600x2161x1159 Kerb weight 1419kg 2.0 E300d 261 155 6.3 47.9 153-167
Defender 90 5dr SUV £62,040–£106,210 AAAAB LOTUS 4.0 V8 755 205 2.8 23.0 280 2.0 E300de 302 149 5.9 217.3 39
Breadth of capability matches that of the five-door, with even Emira 2dr coupé £73,890–£80,285 2.9 E400d 4Matic 325 155 5.1 42.2 176-188
more kerb appeal. LxWxH 4583x2008x1974 Kerb weight 2190kg Charged with replacing the entire outgoing Lotus range. We’ve yet GT 2dr coupé £165,300 AAAAB
3.0 P400 398 119 6.0 25.6 256 to test it. LxWxH 4413x1895x1226 Kerb weight 1405kg Woking’s most user-friendly car to date is still a McLaren first and E-Class Estate 5dr estate £44,040–£104,150 AAAAC
5.0 P525 518 119 5.2 19.3-19.5 327-330 2.0 360 360 176 4.2 na 195 foremost. LxWxH 4683x2095x1213 Kerb weight 1339kg Far more practical than its rivals, but pricier and less sporty than
3.0 D250 246 117 8.0 32.8 226-227 3.0 400 400 180 4.3 29.1 243 4.0 V8 612 204 3.2 23.7 270 those closest to it. LxWxH 4933x1852x1475 Kerb weight 1780kg
3.0 D300 296 119 6.7 32.7 226 2.0 E200 197 144 7.7 31.0-35.3 173-174
M A S E R AT I MERCEDES-BENZ 3.0 V6 AMG E53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.6 29.7 216-219
Defender 110 5dr SUV £62,495–£108,910  AAAAB Ghibli 4dr saloon £66,575–£123,420 AAACC A-Class 5dr hatch £26,550–£58,728 AAAAC 4.0 V8 AMG E63 S 4Matic+ 603 180 3.5 22.6-23.3 282
Promises, and delivers, unrivalled off-road performance with Maser’s compact exec has the allure but lacks power and is poorly A little bit of luxury in a desirable, hatchback-sized package. 2.0 E220d 191 142 7.8 50.4 148-161
on-road niceties. LxWxH 5018x2008x1967 Kerb weight 2209kg finished in places. LxWxH 4971x1945x1461 Kerb weight 1810kg LxWxH 4419x1992x1440 Kerb weight 1445kg 2.0 E300d 242 155 6.6 40.4-46.3 156-159
3.0 P400 398 119 6.1 24.6-24.7 260-261 2.0 Hybrid 325 158 5.7 33.2 192 1.3 A180 134 134 9.2 47.9 134-138 2.0 E300de 302 146 6.0 188.3 41
2.0 P400e 398 119 5.6 85.6 77 3.0 V6 345 166 5.5 25.2 254 1.3 A200 161 140 8.2 47.9 135-145 2.9 E400d 4Matic 325 155 5.3 40.9 181-192
5.0 P525 518 119 5.2 19.1 334 3.0 V6 S 424 178 4.9 25.0 254 2.0 A250 221 155 6.2 41.5 155-165
3.0 D250 246 117 8.3 32.2 230 3.8 V8 572 203 4.3 23.0 279 2.0 A250e 215 146 6.6 256.8 25 E-Class Coupé 2dr coupé £48,705–£72,930 AAAAC
3.0 D300 296 119 7.0 32.2 230 2.0 AMG A35 4Matic 302 155 4.7 33.6-35.8 184-193 Big, laid-back four-seat tourer. Borrows looks from the ravishing
Quattroporte 4dr saloon £89,710–£147,420  AAACC 2.0 AMG A45 S 4Matic+ 415 168 3.9 33.6 204-207 S-Class Coupé. LxWxH 4846x1860x1431 Kerb weight 1685kg
Range Rover Evoque 5dr SUV £32,620–£56,625  AAAAC Now a full-sized executive limo, with some added flair. Off the pace 1.5 A180d 114 126 10.0 62.8 127-130 2.0 E300 237 155 6.4 31.0 180-182
Refined, luxurious baby Range Rover has matured for its second in several key areas. LxWxH 5262x1948x1481 Kerb weight 1860kg 2.0 A200d 148 137 8.1 58.9 129-139 3.0 E450 4Matic 362 155 5.0 29.1-31.4 201
generation. LxWxH 4371x1996x1649 Kerb weight 1891kg 3.0 V6 345 168 5.5 25.0 257 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.4 30.1-31.4 212-215
2.0 P200 198 134 8.0 31.7 201 3.0 V6 S 424 179 5.0 24.8 257 A-Class Saloon 4dr saloon £28,245–£47,135 AAABC 2.0 E220d 189 145 7.6 43.5-50.4 154-155
2.0 P250 248 143 7.0 31.6 201 3.8 V8 572 203 4.5 23.2 277 Larger, more grown-up A-Class adds premium touch to smallest 3.0 E300d 4Matic 242 155 6.4 42.2-47.9 166-167
2.0 P300 298 150 6.3 31.3 203 Merc saloon. LxWxH 4549x1796x1446 Kerb weight 1465kg 2.9 E400d 4Matic 325 155 5.3 na 189
1.5 P300e 298 132 6.4 166.2-193.5 33-38 Grecale 5dr SUV £56,895–£95,405 AAABC 1.3 A180 134 134 8.9 42.8-48.7 133-137
2.0 D165 163 120 10.1 43.4-45.9 160-171 For all its promise and character, it needs work if it’s to trouble the 1.3 A200 161 143 8.3 48.7 133-137 E-Class Cabriolet 2dr open £53,200–£76,480 AAAAC
2.0 D200 201 120 8.5 43.8 169 Porsche Macan. LxWxH 4847x1979x1667 Kerb weight na 2.0 A250 221 155 6.3 42.2 154-156 Refined and sophisticated four-seater in the same mould as the
48V MHEV 300 Auto 296 149 5.6 32.5 198 2.0 A250e 215 149 6.7 256.8 25 S-Class Cabriolet. LxWxH 4846x1860x1429 Kerb weight 1780kg
Range Rover Velar 5dr SUV £52,100–£73,815 AAAAC 48V MHEV 330 Auto 325 149 5.3 32.1 199 2.0 AMG A35 4Matic 302 155 4.8 32.9-36.7 177-187 2.0 E300 237 155 6.6 30.0 189-190
The most car-like Landie ever doesn’t disappoint. Expensive, V6 Trofeo Auto 523 177 3.8 25.2 254 3.0 E450 4Matic 362 155 5.8 28.8-30.7 208
though. LxWxH 4804x1930x1685 Kerb weight 1829kg 3.0 AMG E53 4Matic 429 155 4.5 29.7-30.7 217-219
2.0 P250 248 135 7.5 27.8-29.2 217-229 Levante 5dr SUV £69,875–£142,420 AAACC 2.0 E220d 189 147 7.8 42.8-48.7 162-163
3.0 P400 394 155 5.5 27.3-28.0 227-230 Italian flair and good looks in abundance, but diesel not as 2.0 E300d 242 155 6.6 40.9-46.3 172
2.0 P400e 398 149 5.4 na na sonorous as petrols. LxWxH 5003x1968x1679 Kerb weight 2109kg 2.9 E400d 4Matic 325 155 5.4 na 193
2.0 D200 201 130 8.2 41.6 168-178 3.0 V6 339 156 6.0 22.6 283
3.0 D300 MHEV 296 143 6.5 36.1-37.2 199-205 3.0 V6 S 424 164 5.2 22.4 286 CLS 4dr saloon £71,345–£82,445 AAAAC
3.8 V8 GTS 526 180 4.3 17.9 357 Retains the sleek coupé style and has more tech – without losing
Range Rover Sport 5dr SUV £79,125–£114,990 AAAAB 3.8 V8 Trofeo 572 186 4.1 17.8 359 its allure. LxWxH 4996x1896x1436 Kerb weight 1935kg
Bigger and better; a cut-price Range Rover rather than a jumped-up 3.0 V6 AMG CLS 53 4Matic+ 429 155 4.5 29.7 216
Discovery. LxWxH 4850x2073x1780 Kerb weight 2111kg MC20 2dr coupé £189,640 AAAAB 3.0 CLS 400d 4Matic 325 155 5.0 38.7 191
3.0 P400 398 140 6.2 27.4 234 A triumphant return to the supercar ranks: fast and thriling, yet
5.0 V8 P575 SVR 572 176 4.5 19.6 331 approachable. LxWxH 4669x1981x1693 Kerb weight 1475kg
2.0 D250 248 130 8.5 33.1-33.3 224-239 3.0 V6 621 203 2.9 24.6 262

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 75

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4.0 V8 AMG G63 4Matic 578 137 4.5 ORA
18.6-18.8 373 911 2dr coupé £89,400–£211,960 AAAAB
Funky Cat 5dr hatch £31,995 AAAAC Wider, eighth-generation 911 is still eminently fast, and capable at
AMG GT 2dr coupé/open £108,390–£377,120 AAAAC A charismatic and good-value electric hatchback from China’s all speeds. LxWxH 4519x1852x1300 Kerb weight 1565kg
Million-dollar looks and a railgun V8, but extremely firm chassis Great Wall Motor. LxWxH 4235x1825x1603 Kerb weight 1540kg 3.0 Carrera 380 182 4.0 27.4 233
affects its usability. LxWxH 4544x1939x1287 Kerb weight 1615kg 126kW 48kWh 169 99 8.3 193 0 3.0 Carrera 4 380 180 4.0 26.9 238
4.0 V8 GT 522 193-194 3.7-3.8 21.9-22.1 289-290 3.0 Carrera S 444 191 3.7 27.4 234
4.0 V8 GT R 577 198 3.6 22.1 289 PEUGEOT 3.0 Carrera 4S 444 190 3.4 26.9 239
4.0 V8 GT Black Series 718 202 3.2 22.1 292 208 3dr/5dr hatch £18,655–£33,910  AAABC 3.0 Carrera GTS 473 193 3.4 24.8-26.4 244-258
A big improvement for Peugeot, if not for the supermini class. 3.0 Carrera 4 GTS 473 193 3.3 24.8-26.6 240-259
MG LxWxH 3475x1615x1460 Kerb weight 1065kg 3.0 Targa 4 380 179 4.4 26.9 239
3 5dr hatch £12,845–£14,345 AAABC 1.2 PureTech 75 72 106 14.9 58.9 124 3.0 Targa 4S 444 189 3.8 26.4 244
Neatly tuned and nice sporty styling. Breaks the mould for budget 1.2 PureTech 100 98 117 9.9 53.0 124-126 3.0 Targa 4 GTS 473 193 3.4 24.8-27.1 236-258
superminis. LxWxH 4018x1729x1507 Kerb weight 1125kg 1.2 PureTech 130 128 129 8.7 51.9 128 4.0 GT3 503 199 3.4 21.7-21.9 283-304
1.5 VTi-Tech 104 108 10.9 42.3 152 50kWh e-208 136 93 8.1 194-217 0 3.7 Turbo 572 199 2.8 23.5 271
S-Class 4dr saloon £82,965–£211,460 AAAAB 1.5 BlueHDi 100 99 117 10.2 70 109-110 3.7 Turbo S 641 205 2.7 23.5 271
Bristling with technology, luxury and performance. Sets new class 5 SW EV 5dr estate £29,695–£31,945 AAABC Sport Classic 542 205 4.1 22.4 285
standards. LxWxH 5125x1899x1493 Kerb weight 1990kg Segment-first electric estate could be all the real-world EV you 308 5dr hatch £25,270–£39,460 AAAAC
3.0 S500 440 155 4.9 29.7-35.3 181-201 need. LxWxH 4544x1729x1509 Kerb weight 1532kg Brings electrification and design flair but retains the old model’s 911 Cabriolet 2dr open £99,200–£176,870 AAAAC
3.0 S580e 510 155 5.2 353.1 19 61kWh 154 115 7.7 250 0 dynamic character. LxWxH 4365x1850x1441 Kerb weight 1288kg Fewer compromises than ever, if rewarding only at full attack.
3.0 S580 Maybach 503 144 4.8 26.2 253-265 1.2 PureTech 130 131 130 9.7 52.1 122 LxWxH 4519x1852x1297 Kerb weight 1585kg
6.0 V12 S680 Maybach 612 155 4.5 19.8 325 ZS 5dr SUV £16,995–£34,495AAACC 1.6 Hybrid 180 140 7.6 213-281 23-30 3.0 Carrera 380 180 4.4 27.2 236
2.9 S350d 286 155 6.4 39.8-42.8 173-190 Much improved on previous MGs, but still lacks the sophistication 1.6 Hybrid 225 225 146 8.0 213-266 24-30 3.0 Carrera 4 380 180 4.4 26.9 238
2.9 S400d 328 155 5.4 38.2-38.7 192-196 of its closest rivals. LxWxH 4314x1809x1611 Kerb weight 1190kg 1.5 BlueHDi 131 129 10.6 65.4 113-114 3.0 Carrera S 444 190 4.4 27.4 233
1.5 VTi-Tech 104 109 10.9 41.5 155 3.0 Carrera 4S 444 188 3.6 26.6 241
EQS 5dr saloon £102,160–£166,155 AAAAB 1.0T GDi 109 112 12.4 38.6 166 308 SW 5dr estate £26,470–£40,670 AAAAC 3.0 Carrera GTS 473 192 3.6 26.9 239
Luxurious in every respect and a tantalising showcase for the 45kWh EV 143 87 8.5 163 0 Blends character and practicality, without compromising on the 3.0 Carrera 4 GTS 473 191 3.5 25.0 244
future. LxWxH 5032x1899x1411 Kerb weight 2480kg 73kWh EV 156 108 8.4 273 0 hatchback’s style. LxWxH 4635x2062x1442 Kerb weight 1345kg 3.7 Turbo 572 199 2.9 23.3 275
108kW 450+ 4Matic 325 130 6.2 412-453 0 1.2 PureTech 130 131 130 9.9 52.1 122 3.7 Turbo S 641 205 2.8 23.3 275
AMG EQS 53 4Matic+ 649 155 3.8 377 0 HS 5dr SUV £22,625–£33,595AAACC 1.6 Hybrid 180 139 7.7 213-281 25-30
Goes big on metal for the money but covers its budget roots with 1.6 Hybrid 225 225 146 7.6 213-266 26-30 Panamera 4dr saloon £73,530–£143,190 AAAAA
AMG GT 4-Door Coupé 4dr saloon £141,855–£173,640 AAAAB mixed success. LxWxH 4574x1876x1664 Kerb weight 1489kg 1.5 BlueHDi 131 129 10.9 65.0 113-114 Revamped big saloon is an absolute belter, making it almost the
Four-door, four-wheel-drive GT is confusing to contemplate but 1.5 T-GDi 162 118 9.9 36.2-37.2 168 perfect grand tourer. LxWxH 5049x1937x1423 Kerb weight 1815kg
impressive to drive. LxWxH 5054x1953x1447 Kerb weight 2100kg 1.5 T-GDi PHEV 254 118 7.1 155.8 43 508 4dr saloon £29,635–£54,665 AAAAC 2.9 V6 325 168 5.6 27.7 232
4.0 V8 GT63 S 4Matic+ 630 196 3.2 21.4-22.1 294-298 Stylish and likeable but lacking the polish of more premium rivals. 2.9 V6 4 325 167 5.3 27.2 235
MINI LxWxH 4750x1859x1430 Kerb weight 1535kg 2.9 V6 4S 434 183 4.3 27.4 234
GLA 5dr SUV £36,090–£67,305 AAABC 3dr Hatch 3dr hatch £22,565–£35,545AAAAB 1.2 PureTech 130 131 127 8.1 49.1 129 2.9 V6 4 E-Hybrid 456 174 4.4 78.5-85.6 60
Not the most practical crossover but good looking and very decent Three-pot engines and cleverly designed interior make the Mini a 1.6 Hybrid 223 155 8.3 166.0-235.0 27-38 2.9 V6 4S E-Hybrid 552 185 3.7 78.5-85.6 60
to drive. LxWxH 4417x1804x1494 Kerb weight 1395kg superb choice. LxWxH 3821x1727x1414 Kerb weight 1190kg 1.6 Hybrid PSE 355 155 5.2 141.2 42 4.0 V8 GTS 473 186 3.9 23.3 275
1.6 GLA 180 120 124 8.7-9.0 35.3-40.4 151-155 1.5 One 101 121 10.1-10.2 49.6 130 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 126 10.0 62.0 124 4.0 V8 Turbo S 621 196 3.1 22.1 289
1.6 GLA 200 152 134 8.1-8.4 34.9-39.8 151-155 1.5 Cooper 134 130 7.8-7.9 48.7-49.6 130-132 4.0 V8 Turbo S E-Hybrid 690 196 3.2 97.4-104.6 62-66
1.3 GLA 250e 135 137 7.1 201.8 31 2.0 Cooper S 189 145-146 6.7-6.8 44.1 145 508 SW 5dr estate £31,235–£56,465 AAACC
2.0 GLA 250 4Matic 204 143 6.6 32.5-35.8 172-174 2.0 John Cooper Works 227 152 6.1-6.3 39.8 160 Bodystyle takes the edge off the 508’s style yet doesn’t fully Panamera Sport Turismo 5dr estate £78,710–£146,410 AAAAB
2.0 AMG GLA 35 4Matic 302 155 5.2 32.5 186-198 address practicality. LxWxH 4778x1859x1420 Kerb weight 1430kg The Panamera in a more practical form, and now it’s a good-looking
2.0 AMG GLA 45 S 4Matic+ 415 155 4.3 28.8 215-224 Electric 3dr hatch £31,000–£35,050AAAAC 1.2 PureTech 130 131 127 8.3 49.1 129 beast. LxWxH 5049x1937x1428 Kerb weight 1880kg
2.0 GLA 200d 150 127 8.6-8.9 52.3 121 Won’t break records on range or usability, but has plenty of zip and 1.6 Hybrid
2.9 V6 4 325 163 5.3 26.4 242 223 155 8.3 166.0-235.0 27-38
2.0 GLA 220d 188 136 7.3 49.6 141-149 driver appeal. LxWxH 3850x1727x1414 Kerb weight 1440kg 1.6 Hybrid PSE
2.9 V6 4S 434 180 4.3 26.4 242 355 155 5.2 141.2 42
33kWh 180 93 7.3 144 0 2.9 V6 4 E-Hybrid 456 174 4.4 78.5-85.6 60 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 129 10.1 62.0 127
EQA 5dr SUV £47,510–£56,010 AAACC 2.9 V6 4S E-Hybrid 552 182 3.7 78.5-85.6 60
A competent but entirely average electric SUV. For the money, we Convertible 2dr open £25,465–£38,145 AAABC 2008 5dr SUV £22,735–£38,850 AAAAC 4.0 V8 GTS 473 181 3.9 22.8 280
expect better. LxWxH 4463x1834x1624 Kerb weight 1965kg A fun open-top car but compromised on practicality and dynamics. Compact crossover has most rivals licked, but class is still waiting 4.0 V8 Turbo S 621 196 3.1 21.7 295
67kWh 250 188 99 8.5 255-264 0 LxWxH 3821x1727x1415 Kerb weight 1280kg for a game-changer. LxWxH 4300x1770x1550 Kerb weight 1205kg 4.0 V8 Turbo S E-Hybrid 690 196 3.2 94.2-97.4 65-69
67kWh 300 4Matic 228 99 7.7 260-268 0 1.5 Cooper 134 128 8.8 46.3 138-139 1.2 PureTech 100 98 115 10.9 52.0 125-127
67kWh 350 4Matic 292 99 6.0 268 0 2.0 Cooper S 175 143 7.2 42.2 151 1.2 PureTech 130 128 122 8.9 50.6 132 Taycan 4dr saloon £72,905–£139,335  AAAAB
2.0 John Cooper Works 227 150 6.6 39.2 165 1.2 PureTech 155 153 129 8.2 46.6 141 First all-electric Porsche shows the rest of the world how it should
GLB 5dr SUV £40,565–£51,595 AAABC 50kWh e-2008 136 93 8.5 191-206 0 be done. LxWxH 4963x1966x1381 Kerb weight 2305kg
Boxy SUV mixes rough-and-tumble styling cues and seven-seat 5dr Hatch 5dr hatch £23,225–£31,760AAAAB 1.5 BlueHDi 98 115 11.4 62.7 118-120 79kWh 405 143 5.4 220-268 0
versatility. LxWxH 4634x1834x1659 Kerb weight 1555kg Mini charm in a more usable package, but still not as practical as 79kWh 4S 527 155 4.0 252 0
1.3 GLB 200 160 129 9.1 40.4 160-165 rivals. LxWxH 3982x1727x1425 Kerb weight 1240kg 3008 5dr SUV £29,325–£47,380 AAAAC 93kWh 472 143 5.4 253-301 0
2.0 AMG GLB 35 302 155 5.2 32.5 198 1.5 One 101 119 10.6 49.6 130 Cleverly packaged Peugeot offers just enough SUV DNA to make 93kWh 4S 563 155 4.0 287 0
2.0 GLB 200d 148 127 9.0 47.9 149-156 1.5 Cooper 134 129 8.4 48.7-49.6 131-132 the difference. LxWxH 4447x2098x1624 Kerb weight 1250kg 93kWh GTS 590 155 3.7 273 0
2.0 GLB 220d 188 135 7.6 47.9 156-158 2.0 Cooper S 175 146 6.9 44.1-45.6 141-146 1.2 PureTech 130 126 117 10.5-10.8 37.2 146-149 93kWh Turbo 670 161 3.2 280 0
1.6 Hybrid 223 146 5.9 157-222 29 93kWh Turbo S 751 161 2.8 256 0
EQB 5dr SUV £53,610–£62,710 AAACC Clubman 5dr hatch £27,015–£39,945 AAAAC 1.6 Hybrid4 298 149 5.9 166-235 36
Part-time third row still a rarity in premium electric cars. Otherwise Cheery and alternative Mini ‘six-door’ takes the brand into new 1.5 BlueHDi 130 126 119 9.5 55.1 137-139 Taycan Sport Turismo 5dr estate £73,650–£141,259 AAAAB
unremarkable. LxWxH 4463x1834x1624 Kerb weight 2030kg territory. LxWxH 4253x1800x1441 Kerb weight 1375kg Less rugged than the Cross Turismo, but no less capable.
67kWh 300 228 99 7.7 257 0 1.5 Cooper 134 128 9.2 47.1 136-137 5008 5dr SUV £35,790–£41,150 AAAAC LxWxH 4963x2144x1390 Kerb weight 2250kg
67kWh 350 292 99 6.0 257 0 2.0 Cooper S 175 142 7.3 42.2 152-153 Less MPV, more SUV, and shares its siblings’ good looks. Competent 79kWh 405 143 5.4 222-269 0
2.0 John Cooper Works All4 302 155 4.9 38.2 169 to drive, too. LxWxH 4641x1844x1640 Kerb weight 1511kg 79kWh 4S 527 155 4.0 222-274 0
GLC 5dr SUV £45,240–£94,785 AAAAC 1.2 PureTech 130 126 117 10.4-10.9 46.0 150-153 93kWh 472 143 5.4 259-306 0
Not exactly exciting to drive, but does luxury and refinement Countryman 5dr hatch £28,815–£42,675AAABC 1.6 PureTech 180 178 135 8.3 39.6 168-170 93kWh 4S 563 155 4.0 259-306 0
better than most. LxWxH 4656x1890x1639 Kerb weight 1735kg Bigger than before, but still more funky than useful. Still not all that 1.5 BlueHDi 130 129 119 10.7 57.3 139-142 93kWh GTS 590 155 3.7 263-304 0
2.0 GLC 300 4Matic 255 149 6.2 34.4 187-198 pretty, either. LxWxH 4299x2005x1557 Kerb weight 1440kg 2.0 BlueHDi 180 175 131 9.1 47.3 164-166 93kWh Turbo 670 155 3.2 263-305 0
2.0 GLC 300e 4Matic 320 143 5.7 122.8 53 1.5 Cooper 136 124 9.7 44.8 143 93kWh Turbo S 751 155 2.8 267-285 0
3.0 V6 AMG GLC 43 4Matic 388 155 4.9 27.4 233-245 1.5 Cooper All4 136 122 10.3 40.9 157-158 P I N I N FA R I N A
4.0 V8 AMG GLC 63 S 4Matic+ 502 155 3.8 22.7 294-296 1.5 Cooper S E All4 PHEV 217 122 6.8 156.9 41 Battista 2dr coupé £2,000,000  AAAAC Taycan Cross Turismo 5dr estate £83,055–£140,055AAAAB
2.0 GLC 220d 4Matic 191 134 7.9 47.9 154-167 2.0 Cooper S 192 140 7.5-7.6 42.2-42.8 151-152 Considering its ridiculous power, that it’s such a joy to drive is a Melds together two vehicle types, and somehow hangs together,
2.0 GLC 300d 4Matic 242 144 6.5 42.8 178-179 2.0 Cooper S All4 192 138 7.6 40.4 158-159 marvel in itself. LxWxH na Kerb weight 2200kg brilliantly. LxWxH 4974x2144x1409 Kerb weight 2320kg
2.0 GLC 300de 4Matic 302 143 6.2 148.7 50 2.0 John Cooper Works All4 302 155 5.1 37.2 174 93kWh 4 1417kW 120kWh 1900 217 2.0 311 0 472 137 5.1 242-283 0
93kWh 4S 563 149 4.1 241-281 0
GLC Coupé 5dr SUV £51,590–£97,960AAAAC MORGAN 93kWh GTS P O L E S TA R 590 155 3.7 273 0
A coupé-shaped SUV destined to be outrun by the X4 – unless Plus Four 2dr open £63,635 AAABC 2 5dr hatch £41,900–£47,900  AAAAC 93kWh Turbo 670 155 3.3 245-281 0
you’re in an AMG. LxWxH 4732x1890x1602 Kerb weight 1785kg Morgan’s four-cylinder lifeblood model gets 21st-century High-rise saloon takes the EV off in a development direction all of 93kWh Turbo S 751 155 2.9 241-260 0
2.0 GLC 300 4Matic 255 149 6.3 32.8 195-202 underpinnings. LxWxH 3830x1500x1250 Kerb weight 1013kg its own. LxWxH 4607x1859x1478 Kerb weight 2048kg
2.0 GLC 300e 4Matic 320 143 5.7 104.6 52-54 2.0 255 149 5.1 38.8 165 63kWh Standard Range 221 99 7.4 273 0 Macan 5dr SUV £51,040–£68,170 AAAAB
3.0 V6 AMG GLC 43 4Matic 388 155 4.9 27.7 232-242 78kWh Long Range 228 99 7.4 317 0 Spookily good handling makes this a sports utility vehicle in the
4.0 V8 AMG GLC 63 S 4Matic+ 502 155 3.8 22.1 290-291 Plus Six 2dr open £82,995AAABC 78kWh Long Range AWD 402 127 4.2 298 0 purest sense. LxWxH 4696x1923x1624 Kerb weight 1770kg
2.0 GLC 220d 4Matic 191 135 7.9 44.1 167-173 Feels like progress in lots of ways, but not yet the driver’s car it 2.0 263 144 6.4 26.4 228
2.0 GLC 300d 4Matic 242 145 6.6 40.9 182-184 might be. LxWxH 3890x1756x1220 Kerb weight 1075kg PORSCHE 2.0 T 263 144 6.4 26.4 224-239
2.0 GLC 300de 4Matic 302 143 6.2 134.5 55 3.0 335 166 4.2 38.2 180 718 Boxster 2dr open £50,475–£81,070 AAAAB 3.0 V6 S 377 161 4.8 25.4 251
Our idea of drop-top heaven. Exceptional to drive, whether cruising 3.0 GTS 438 169 4.5 25.0 255
EQC 5dr SUV £70,035–£78,925 AAAAB NISSAN or hurrying. LxWxH 4379x1801x1280 Kerb weight 1335kg
Brisk, tidy-handling electric SUV has everything needed to do well Micra 5dr hatch £16,685–£19,765 AAAAC 2.0 290 170 4.9-5.1 32.5 198 Cayenne 5dr SUV £64,870–£132,065 AAAAB
on UK roads. LxWxH 4762x1884x1624 Kerb weight 2495kg Refreshed look and better handling makes it an enticing choice. 2.0 T 296 170 4.7-5.3 32.5 199 Refreshed look, improved engines and interior, and a better SUV
80kWh 400 4Matic 408 112 5.1 244-255 0 Has its flaws, though. LxWxH 3991x1743x1455 Kerb weight 1490kg 2.5 S 339 177 4.4-4.6 29.1 229 overall. LxWxH 4926x2194x1673 Kerb weight 2175kg
1.0 IG-T 92 91 111 11.8 50.4 123-129 3.0 V6 335 152 6.2 22.6-24.6 259-283 4.0 GTS 396 182 4.5 25.9 247
GLE 5dr SUV £70,055–£119,930AAAAC 3.0 V6 E-Hybrid 456 157 5.0 76.3-91.1 71-83 4.0 Spyder 414 189 4.4 25.4 251
The ML replacement isn’t inspiring to drive but does come with a Leaf 5dr hatch £28,495–£34,945 2.9 V6 S 340 152 6.2 21.9-23.9 268-292
AAAAC
classy interior. LxWxH 4819x2141x1796 Kerb weight 2165kg Better looks, better value and better range from this second-gen 718 Cayman 2dr coupé £48,475–£114,420  AAAAA 4.0 V8 GTS 453 168 4.8 20.0-21.2 301-219
2.9 GLE 450 4Matic 362 155 5.7 32.5 229 electric hatch. LxWxH 4387x1768x1520 Kerb weight 1245kg Scalpel-blade incisiveness, supreme balance and outstanding 4.0 V8 Turbo 542 178 4.1 20.0-20.9 305-319
2.0 GLE 300d 4Matic 242 140 7.2 39.2 198-207 40kWh 147 90 7.9 168 0 driver involvement. LxWxH 4379x1801x1295 Kerb weight 1335kg 4.0 V8 S E-Hybrid 671 183 3.8 68.9-74.3 86-92
2.9 GLE 350d 4Matic 268 143 6.6 36.2 206-214 62kWh 214 98 6.9-7.3 239 0 2.0 290 170 4.9-5.1 32.8 197
2.0 GLE 350de 4Matic 317 130 6.8 256.8 29 2.0 T 296 170 4.9-5.3 35.5 198 Cayenne Coupé 5dr SUV £69,520–£149,930 AAAAC
2.9 GLE 400d 4Matic 328 152 5.7 35.3 220 Juke 5dr hatch £20,420–£26,920AAABC 2.5 S 339 177 4.4-4.6 29.1 228 Little different to drive from the standard car but certainly has an
3.0 V6 AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ 432 155 5.3 26.7 246-248 Second-generation crossover is impressive in some respects, but 4.0 GTS 396 182 4.5 25.9 247 appeal all of its own. LxWxH 4931x1983x1676 Kerb weight 2030kg
4.0 V8 AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ 603 155 3.8 na 281 outstanding in few. LxWxH 4135x1765x1565 Kerb weight 1605kg 4.0 GT4 414 188 4.4 25.7 251 3.0 V6 335 150 6.0 22.6-24.4 263-283
1.0 DiG-T 114 114 112 10.7 47.9 134-139 4.0 GT4 RS 493 196 3.4 21.4 299 3.0 V6 E-Hybrid 456 157 5.1 76.3-88.3 73-85
GLE Coupé 5dr SUV £76,080–£129,205AAAAC 2.9 V6 S 428 163 5.0 21.9-23.5 271-292
May not be your idea of a desirable luxury car, but it’s certainly an Qashqai 5dr SUV £25,505–£40,005AAAAC 4.0 V8 GTS 453 168 4.5 20.2-21.2 302-318
effective one. LxWxH 4946x2014x1716 Kerb weight 2295kg Ticks the important family car boxes, but ICE powertrain lacks 4.0 V8 Turbo 533 178 3.9 20..0-20.9 307-319
3.0 AMG GLE 53 4Matic 432 155 5.3 25.7 244 refinement. LxWxH 4425x2084x1625 Kerb weight 1435kg 4.0 V8 S E-Hybrid 671 183 3.8 68.9-74.3 87-92
4.0 AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic 603 174 3.8 na 280 1.3 DiG-T 140 138 122 10.2 44.3 143-144 4.0 V8 GT 632 186 3.1 20.0 319
2.0 GLE 350de 4Matic 320 130 6.9 313.9 23-24 1.3 DiG-T 158 156 123 9.9 41.5-44.4 145
2.9 GLE 400d 4Matic 327 149 5.7 33.6 219 RADICAL
X-Trail 5dr SUV £30,955  AAABC Rapture 0dr open £110,000  AAABC
GLS 5dr SUV £85,800–£176,505 AAABC Shortfalls on refinement and drivability, plus a slight lack of the Not as well mannered as some lightweights but spectacular in its
The replacement for the massive GL can still seat seven in original’s character. LxWxH 4640x1820x1710 Kerb weight 1505kg track-day element. LxWxH 4100x1790x1130 Kerb weight 765kg
comfort. LxWxH 5216x2030x1823 Kerb weight 2415kg 1.3 DiG-T 160 158 123 11.5 37.8-38.5 166-173 2.2 Turbo 360 165 3.1 na na
3.0 GLS 400d 4Matic 327 148 6.3 32.8 227
4.0 GLS 600 Maybach 549 155 4.9 21.4 304 NOBLE RXC GT 2dr open £145,000  AAABC
4.0 AMG GLS63 625 174 4.2 23.7 273 M600 2dr coupé £248,000–£287,600 AAABC Designed for pounding around a track; out of its element on the
Deliciously natural and involving; a bit ergonomically flawed. road. LxWxH 4300x1960x1127 Kerb weight 1125kg
G-Class 5dr SUV £123,500–£182,200 AAABC LxWxH 4360x1910x1120 Kerb weight 1198kg 3.5 V6 400 400 179 2.8 na na
Massively expensive and compromised, but with character in 4.4 V8 662 225 3.0 16.8 333 3.5 V6 650 650 180 2.7 na na
abundance. LxWxH 4866x1984x1969 Kerb weight 2550kg
3.0 400d 4Matic 325 130 6.4 25.7 281-282

76 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

 N E W CAR PR I CES
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R E N A U LT EQ Forfour 5dr hatch £22,295–£23,445 AABCC Yaris 5dr hatch £21,080–£24,040 AAABC
Clio 5dr hatch £18,795–£23,595 AAAAC Four doors bring more mainstream practicality, but still hobbled by Stylish interior but ultimately a scaled-down version of bigger
Plusher, smoother and much more mature. A car of substance as low range. LxWxH 3495x1665x1554 Kerb weight 1200kg Toyotas. LxWxH 3495x1695x1510 Kerb weight 1310kg
well as style. LxWxH 4047x1728x1440 Kerb weight 1148kg 17kWh 79 81 12.7 84 0 1.5 VVT-i Hybrid 114 109 9.7 65.7-68.9 92-98
1.0 TCe 90 88 112 12.2 54.4 117
1.6 E-Tech Hybrid 138 112 9.9 65.7 96 S S A N G YO N G GR Yaris 5dr hatch £31,070–£34,670 AAAAA
Tivoli 5dr SUV £15,125–£22,645 AAABC Focused, exhilarating all-wheel-drive hot hatch is the most exciting
Zoe 5dr hatch £29,095–£31,995 AAABC Trails the Duster as the best-value small crossover – but not by Toyota in ages. LxWxH 3995x1805x1455 Kerb weight 975kg
A far more practical zero-emission solution. Attractive price, too. much. LxWxH 4195x1795x1590 Kerb weight 1270kg 1.6 AWD 253 143 5.5 na 186
LxWxH 4084x1730x1562 Kerb weight 1470kg 1.2P 128 126 112 10.6 47.9 158
50kWh R110 107 84 11.4 233 0 1.5P 163 160 112 na 42.8 161-164 Corolla 5dr hatch £26,365–£32,115AAAAC
50kWh R135 132 87 9.5 232 0 1.6D 136 130 108 na 50.4 145 Rebranded hatch has rolling refinement, interior ambience and
affable handling. LxWxH 4370x1790x1435 Kerb weight 1340kg
Captur 5dr SUV £22,195–£32,895 AAAAC Korando 5dr SUV £21,095–£33,445 AAACC 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 122 111 10.9 57.6-62.8 102-112
Jacked-up Clio is among the better downsized options. Stylish and S KO DA Competitive towing capabilities and generous kit, but still lacks 2.0 VVT-i Hybrid 180 111 7.9 53.3-57.6 111-120
fluent-riding. LxWxH 4122x1778x1566 Kerb weight 1184kg Fabia 5dr hatch £17,800–£20,935 AAAAC dynamics. LxWxH 4450x1870x1629 Kerb weight 1610kg
1.0 TCe 90 89 104 8.7 47.9 133-134 Strong ergonomics and fine road manners – if you buy one of the 1.5 GDi-Turbo 160 119 12.0 37.2 172 Corolla Touring Sports 5dr estate £27,635–£34,025AAAAC
1.3 TCe 140 138 122 9.2 48.7 134-135 more powerful models. LxWxH 4108x1780x1459 Kerb weight 1119kg 1.6 D 2WD 133 112 12.0 45.2 159-164 More practical estate bodystyle proves just as capable with hybrid
1.6 E-Tech Hybrid 140 106 10.6 56.5 113-114 1.0 MPI 65 63 106 15.9 55.4-58.9 114 1.6 D 4WD 133 112 12.0 41.5 178 power. LxWxH 4650x1790x1435 Kerb weight 1440kg
1.6 E-Tech PHEV 156 107 10.1 217.3 30-33 1.0 MPI 80 78 111 15.5 55.4 116 e-Motion 140kW 61.5kWh 187 97 9.0 294 0 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 122 111 11.1 56.5-62.8 103-113
1.0 TSI 93 121 10.6 55.4 115-116 2.0 VVT-i Hybrid 180 111 8.1 53.3-56.5 112-121
Kadjar 5dr SUV £26,295–£27,895 AAABC 1.0 TSI 110 109 127 9.7 57.6 113-127 Musso 5dr SUV £28,128–£37,728 AAACC
Fine value, practical, decent to drive and good-looking, but the Practical pick-up has a refined engine and direct steering, but ride Prius 5dr hatch £24,890–£35,400 AAAAC
Qashqai is classier. LxWxH 4449x1836x1607 Kerb weight 1306kg Scala 5dr hatch £18,715–£26,040 AAAAC needs refinement. LxWxH 5095x1950x1840 Kerb weight 2155kg Better all round compared with its predecessors. Challenging
1.3 TCe 140 138 124 9.8 45.6 143-147 Undercuts rivals on price and ushers in a sharp new design 2.2d 181 178 115-121 12.2 28.2-31.8 231-261 looks, though. LxWxH 4540x1760x1470 Kerb weight 1375kg
language for Skoda. LxWxH 4362x1793x1471 Kerb weight 1381kg
1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 120 112 10.6 58.9-67.3 94-109
Arkana 5dr SUV £26,395–£32,295 AAABC 1.0 TSI 95 94 118 11.0 53.3 119-120 Rexton 5dr SUV £38,070–£40,780 AAABC
Showy styling clothes an eminently sensible but unspectacular
1.0 TSI 110 108 123 10.1 51.4-53.3 120-124 A vast improvement. Better on the road but without ditching its Prius Plug-in Hybrid 5dr hatch £32,645–£34,745 AAAAC
car. LxWxH 4568x1820x1576 Kerb weight 1435kg 1.5 TSI 150 148 137 8.2 50.4-51.4 125-128 argicultural roots. LxWxH 4850x1960x1825 Kerb weight 2102kg Plug-in version is clever and appealing. Seems more comfortable in
1.3 TCe Mild Hybrid 140 138 127 9.8 48.7 132 2.2d 181 178 115 11.3-11.9 32.9 205-227 its skin. LxWxH 4645x1760x1470 Kerb weight 1530kg
1.6 E-Tech Hybrid 145 143 107 10.8 58.9 108 Octavia 5dr hatch £23,335–£38,625 AAAAC 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid 120 101 11.1 188.3-217.3 29-35
Does comfort and practicality like no other. Good, frugal engines SUBARU
Mégane E-Tech Electric 5dr SUV £35,995–£39,995 AAAAC too. LxWxH 4689x1829x1470 Kerb weight 1225kg Outback 5dr estate £34,070–£39,499 AABCC Yaris Cross 5dr SUV £24,065–£30,375 AAABC
More fun than most EVs while also efficient, comfortable and 1.0 TSI 110 113 129 10.5-10.8 54.3-56.5 115-117 Acceptable in isolation, but no class leader. A credible compact SUV, buoyed by good driving dynamics and
tech-savvy. LxWxH 4200x1860x1505 Kerb weight 1708kg 1.5 TSI 150 148 143 8.5 52.3-53.3 121-123 LxWxH 4815x1840x1605 Kerb weight 1612kg efficiency. LxWxH 4180x1765x1595 Kerb weight 1175kg
EV60 160kW 60kWh 215 99 7.5 280 0 1.4 TSI iV PHEV 201 136 7.7 235.4 21 2.5i 172 130 10.2 33.0 193 1.5 Hybrid 114 106 11.2 56.5-64.2 100-112
1.4 TSI iV vRS PHEV 242 139 7.3 233.5 27 1.5 Hybrid AWD 114 106 na 55.4 115
R I MAC 2.0 TSI vRS 242 155 6.8 40.9 157 Forester 5dr SUV £36,410–£39,410 AAACC
Nevera 2dr coupé £2,000,000 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 116 114 131 10.3 68.9 109 Solid, spacious and wilfully unsexy. A capable 4x4 nonetheless. C-HR 5dr SUV £28,470–£34,600 AAAAC
Electric hypercar from Croatian specialist is sibling of fantastic 2.0 TDI 150 148 143 8.7 64.2-67.3 109-115 LxWxH 4610x1795x1735 Kerb weight 1488kg Coupé-shaped crossover certainly turns heads and impresses on
Pininfarina Battista. LxWxH 4750x1986x1208 Kerb weight 2150kg 2.0 TDI 200 vRS 197 154 7.4 56.5 130 2.0i e-Boxer 148 117 11.8 34.7 185 the road. LxWxH 4360x1795x1565 Kerb weight 1320kg
1427kW 120kWh 1914 256 2.0 340 0 2.0 TDI 200 vRS 4x4 197 150 6.8 51.4 145 1.8 Hybrid 119 105 11.0 57.7-58.9 109-110
XV 5dr SUV £28,410–£33,730 AAACC 2.0 Hybrid 181 112 8.2 53.3-54.3 119
R O L L S - R OYC E Octavia Estate 5dr estate £24,315–£39,855 AAAAC No-nonsense crossover doesn’t quite make enough sense.
Wraith 2dr coupé £282,220–£324,220 AAAAB Class-leading amount of space and practicality. Comfortable, too. LxWxH 4450x1780x1615 Kerb weight 1355kg RAV4 5dr SUV £33,930–£47,530AAACC
An intimate and involving Rolls. Not as grand as some, but other LxWxH 4667x1814x1465 Kerb weight 1247kg 1.6i 112 109 13.9 na 180 A solid option but ultimately outgunned by Korean competition.
traits make it great. LxWxH 5285x1947x1507 Kerb weight 2360kg 1.0 TSI 110 113 125 10.6-10.9 53.3-54.3 118-119 2.0i 154 120 10.4 35.7 180 LxWxH 4605x1845x1675 Kerb weight 1605kg
6.6 V12 624 155 4.6 18.5-18.6 347-348 1.5 TSI 150 148 139 8.4 50.4-52.3 123-126 2.0i e-Boxer 148 120 10.4 35.7 180 2.5 Hybrid 194 112 8.4 50.4-51.3 126-131
1.4 TSI iV PHEV 201 136 7.8 256.8 30 2.5 Hybrid AWD 194 112 8.1 47.9-48.7 131-134
Dawn 2dr open £305,620–£347,620 AAAAB 1.4 TSI iV vRS PHEV 242 139 7.3 217.3 27 Solterra 5dr SUV £49,995–£52,995 AAAAC 2.5 PHEV 302 112 6.0 na na
Essentially as Wraith, except with a detuned engine and in elegant 2.0 TSI vRS 242 155 6.8 40.4 159 The classic Subaru traits are all carried over into the firm’s first EV.
convertible form. LxWxH 5295x1947x1502 Kerb weight 2560kg 2.0 TDI 116 114 128 10.4 67.3 111 LxWxH 4690x1860x1650 Kerb weight 2015kg Land Cruiser 3dr 3dr SUV £46,235 AAABC
6.6 V12 563 155 5.0 16.8-17.4 367-380 2.0 TDI 150 148 139 8.8 62.8-65.7 112-118 150kW 71.4kWh 215 99 6.9 289 0 A proper countryside workhorse that will never let you down.
2.0 TDI 200 vRS 197 152 7.4 55.4 132 LxWxH 4335x1885x1875 Kerb weight 2010kg
Ghost 4dr saloon £265,420–£303,820 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 200 vRS 4x4 197 147 6.8 50.4 147 SUZUKI 2.8 D-4D 201 109 12.7 27.7-30.1 239-267
‘A ffordable’ Rolls is a more driver-focused car than the Phantom. Ignis 5dr hatch £14,749–£18,249 AAAAC
Still hugely special. LxWxH 5399x1948x1550 Kerb weight 2360kg Superb 5dr hatch £28,305–£32,925 AAAAC Cute and rugged-looking 4x4 city car capable of tackling roads Land Cruiser 5dr 5dr SUV £47,580–£63,580 AAABC
6.6 V12 563 155 4.9-5.0 18.5-18.6 347-348 Another great Czech value option that’s big on quality and space if bereft of asphalt. LxWxH 3700x1660x1595 Kerb weight 855kg Likeably simple, functional and worth considering if you need a
not on price. LxWxH 4869x1864x1469 Kerb weight 1340kg 1.2 Dualjet 12V 83 103 12.7 52.3 110-112 dual-purpose SUV. LxWxH 4840x1885x1845 Kerb weight 2135kg
Phantom 4dr saloon £378,820–£450,820 AAAAA 1.5 TSI 150 148 137 9.0-9.2 40.4-44.8 142-157 1.2 Dualjet 12V Allgrip 83 103 12.8 48.6 121 2.8 D-4D 201 109 12.7 27.7-30.4 245-267
Phantom takes opulent luxury to a whole new level. 2.0 TSI 190 188 148 7.7 38.2-39.2 162-168
LxWxH 5762x2018x1646 Kerb weight 2560kg 2.0 TSI 280 4x4 276 155 5.5 32.2-34.0 188-193 Swift 5dr hatch £15,499–£22,570 AAABC Highlander 5dr SUV £51,670–£53,650 AAABC
6.75 V12 563 155 5.1-5.2 18.6-18.8 341-344 1.4 iV PHEV 215 138 7.7 148.7-188.3 33-42 Given mature looks, more equipment and a hybrid powertrain, but Seven-seater bucks the trend of large hybrid SUVs being of the
2.0 TDI 150 148 138 9.1 54.3-58.9 125-136 it’s no class leader. LxWxH 3840x1735x1495 Kerb weight 890kg plug-in variety. LxWxH 4966x1930x1755 Kerb weight 2050kg
Cullinan 4dr SUV £291,820–£329,020 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 200 197 151 7.9 51.4-53.3 140-145 1.2 Dualjet 83 12V 82 112 13.1 59.7 106 2.5 Hybrid 244 112 8.3 39.8 159-160
Big, bold new 4x4 begins the next era for the brand, with a model 2.0 TDI 200 4x4 197 148 7.2 47.9 154 1.2 Dualjet 83 12V Allgrip 82 106 13.8 52.3 121
that convinces. LxWxH 5341x2164x1835 Kerb weight 2730kg 1.4 Boosterjet 48V Sport 129 130 9.1 50.4 125 Mirai 4dr saloon £49,995–£64,995 AAAAC
6.75 V12 563 155 5.2 17.3-18.1 355-370 Superb Estate 5dr estate £29,585–£42,630 AAAAC A courageous endeavour, and one with the trappings of future
Even more commendable than above, primarily thanks to its Swace 5dr estate £27,499–£29,299 AAABC acceptability. LxWxH 4975x1885x1470 Kerb weight 1905kg
S E AT enormous boot. LxWxH 4856x1864x1477 Kerb weight 1365kg Rebadged Toyota Corolla Touring Sports serves as a useful addition Hydrogen FCV 174 109 9.0 69.4mpkg 0
Ibiza 5dr hatch £17,755–£21,895 AAAAB 1.5 TSI 150 148 132 9.2 40.9-45.6 141-157 to Suzuki’s line-up. LxWxH 4655x1790x1460 Kerb weight 1420kg
Reinvigorated Ibiza is more mature and takes the class honours 2.0 TSI 190 188 143 7.7 39.8-40.9 162-168 1.8 Hybrid 120 112 11.1 64.2 99 GR Supra 2dr coupé £46,505–£54,395 AAAAC
from the Fiesta. LxWxH 4059x1780x1444 Kerb weight 1091kg 2.0 TSI 280 4x4 276 155 5.3 33.2-34.0 188-194 Brings welcome muscle, fun and variety to the affordable sports
1.0 MPI 80 79 106 14.6 50.4-52.3 122-128 1.4 iV PHEV 215 140 7.8 148.7-188.3 33-42 Vitara 5dr SUV £23,749–£29,299
AAABC car class. LxWxH 4379x1292x1854 Kerb weight 1541kg
1.0 TSI 95 93 113 10.9 52.3 124-125 2.0 TDI 150 148 133 9.2 Utterly worthy addition to the class drives better than most.
53.3-57.7 129-140 2.0i 250 155 5.2 38.7 167
1.0 TSI 110 109 121 10.3 51.4 123-124 2.0 TDI 200 197 145 7.9 LxWxH 4175x1775x1610 Kerb weight 1075kg
49.6-51.4 140-144 3.0i 335 155 4.3 34.5 188
2.0 TDI 200 4x4 197 142 7.3 1.4 Boosterjet 48V 47.9 157
127 118 9.5 52.7 128
Leon 5dr hatch £22,225–£33,905 AAAAC 1.4 Boosterjet 48V Allgrip 127 118 10.2 45.2 140 VA U X H A L L
A creditable effort and a notable improvement in form, with plenty Kamiq 5dr SUV £21,805–£27,315 AAABC Corsa 5dr hatch £17,340–£31,160 AAABC
of niche appeal. LxWxH 4282x1816x1459 Kerb weight 1202kg Skoda’s supermini platform has birthed a practical but predictable SX4 S-Cross 5dr SUV £24,999–£29,799 AAACC Improved in many ways but lacks the appeal to match its price. EV
1.0 TSI 110 108 122 10.9 51.4-52.3 123-126 compact crossover. LxWxH 4241x1793x1553 Kerb weight 1251kg Latest round of updates help keep it a decent budget offering. is more likeable. LxWxH 4060x1765x1433 Kerb weight 1141kg
1.0 eTSI 108 119 10.8 50.4-51.4 124-129 1.0 TSI 95 93 112 11.1 49.6 129 LxWxH 4300x1785x1593 Kerb weight 1305kg 1.2 75 72 108 13.2 53.3 125
1.5 TSI Evo 130 128 129 9.4 49.6-51.4 124-128 1.0 TSI 115 112 120 9.9 47.1-49.6 130-136 1.4 Boosterjet 48V 127 121 10.2 53.2 120 1.2 100 97 121 9.9 48.7-52.3 126-134
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 135 8.7 48.7 133 1.5 TSI 150 148 132 8.3 46.3-47.9 133-139 1.4 Boosterjet 48V Allgrip 127 118 10.2 46.3 139 50kWh Electric 132 93 8.1 209 0
2.0 TSI Evo 190 188 144 7.4 42.2 131-154 1.5 Turbo D 102 98 117 10.2 70.0 109-110
1.4 eHybrid PHEV 201 137 7.5 235.4 26-28 Karoq 5dr SUV £26,255–£37,295 AAAAC Across 5dr SUV £46,629 AAABC
2.0 TDI 150 113 124 10.2 64.2-65.7 113-115 Yeti replacement may not have its forebear’s quirkiness, but it’s Rebadged Toyota PHEV plunges Suzuki convincingly into several Astra 5dr hatch £24,315–£35,325 AAABC
brilliant otherwise. LxWxH 4382x1841x1603 Kerb weight 1265kg new segments. LxWxH 4635x1855x1690 Kerb weight 1915kg Eye-catching, refined and polished to drive, but less practical than
Leon Estate 5dr estate £23,500–£35,445 AAAAC 1.0 TSI 110 108 117 11.1 44.8-47.9 133-143 2.5 PHEV 182 112 6.0 282.4 22 its predecessors. LxWxH 4373x1860x1441 Kerb weight 1341kg
Good-looking and responsive hatchback-turned-estate. 1.5 TSI 150 148 126 8.1-8.3 42.8-44.8 143-149 1.2 Turbo 110 108 124 10.2 54.3 119
LxWxH 4549x1816x1454 Kerb weight 1236kg 20 TSI 190 4x4 188 132 7.3 33.2 191 TESLA 1.2 Turbo 130 128 134 9.9 54.3 119
1.0 TSI 100 108 124 11.2 49.6-51.4 126-129 2.0 TDI 116 114 118 10.6 58.9 126 Model S 5dr hatch £91,980–£118,980 AAAAB 1.6 Hybrid 178 140 9.3 201-256 24-26
1.0 eTSI 108 124 10.9 49.6 130 2.0 TDI 150 148 127 9.0 50.4-52.3 142-148 Large range makes it not only a standout EV but also the future of 1.5 Turbo D 130 128 130 10.6 64.2 115
1.5 TSI Evo 130 128 130 9.7 49.6-51.4 125-128 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 148 121 8.8 42.8 172-174 luxury motoring. LxWxH 4978x1963x1445 Kerb weight 2108kg
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 135 8.9 47.9-48.7 132-133 AWD 670 155 3.1 405 0 Astra Sports Tourer 5dr estate £25,515–£29,410
2.0 TSI Evo 188 145 7.6 42.2 151-152 Enyaq iV 5dr SUV £36,605–£47,875 AAAAC Plaid 1020 200 2.0 396 0 More spacious Astra wagon is as attractive as the hatchback. We
1.4 eHybrid PHEV 201 137 7.5 235.4 26-28 Practical, rangy and well priced. Hits a sweet spot in the EV market. have yet to drive it. LxWxH 4642x1860x1480 Kerb weight 1346kg
2.0 TDI 113 124 10.5 64.2-65.7 114-116 LxWxH 4649x1879x1621 Kerb weight 1917kg Model 3 4dr saloon £42,990–£59,990 AAAAC 1.2 Turbo 110 108 124 10.8 52.3-53.3 125-127
62kWh 60 177 99 8.7 256 0 Lowest-price, biggest-volume Tesla yet arrives in the UK after 1.2 Turbo 130 128 130 9.9 49.6-51.4 127-133
Arona 5dr SUV £20,730–£26,630 AAAAC 82kWh 80 201 99 8.5 331 0 wooing the US. LxWxH 4694x1849x1443 Kerb weight 1726kg 1.6 Hybrid 178 140 9.3 201-256 24-31
Seat’s second SUV doesn’t disappoint, with it taking charge of the 82kWh 80x Sportline 263 99 6.9 303 0 RWD 320 140 5.3 267 0 1.5 Turbo D 128 130 10.8 62.8-64.2 115-119
class dynamically. LxWxH 4138x1780x1543 Kerb weight 1165kg Long Range 434 145 4.2 360 0
1.0 TSI 95 93 107 11.2 51.4 124 Enyaq Coupé iV 5dr SUV £52,305 AAABC Performance 522 162 3.1 352 0 Crossland 5dr SUV £19,105–£26,165 AAABC
1.0 TSI 115 113 113 9.8-10.0 47.9-53.3 121-134 More style-led EV is the first to wear Skoda’s performance badge. Still only a mid-pack player in a busy crossover market, but simple
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 127 8.3 44.8-45.6 140-143 LxWxH 4653x1882x1660 Kerb weight 2204kg AAAAC and easy to operate. LxWxH 4212x1765x1605 Kerb weight 1245kg Model Y 5dr SUV £54,990–£64,990
82kWh vRS 299 111 6.5 312 0 A compelling proposition, with respectable dynamics and a long 1.2i 83 81 105 14.0 47.1 142
Ateca 5dr SUV £26,085–£37,835 AAAAB range. LxWxH 4751x2129x1624 Kerb weight 2072kg 1.2i Turbo 110 108 117 10.6 47.1 140
Seat’s first SUV is very good. So good, in fact, it’s a Qashqai beater. Kodiaq 5dr SUV £33,100–£46,225 AAAAC Long Range 434 133 5.0 315 0 1.2i Turbo 130 128 128 9.1 44.1-48.0 136-146
LxWxH 4363x1841x1601 Kerb weight 1280kg Skoda’s first seven-seat SUV is a viable alternative to a traditional Performance 563 155 3.5 303 0 1.5 Turbo D 110 107 111 9.9 61.4 120
1.0 TSI 110 108 112 11.4 44.1-46.3 139-146 MPV. LxWxH 4697x1882x1676 Kerb weight 1430kg
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 124 8.5 42.2-43.5 149-152 1.5 TSI 150 148 123 9.3 37.2-39.2 164-172 Model X 5dr SUV £98,980–£110,980 AAAAB Mokka 5dr SUV £22,265–£31,995 AAABC
2.0 TSI 190 188 133 7.0 34.9-35.3 181-183 2.0 TSI 190 4x4 188 na na 32.1-32.5 196-200 A genuine luxury seven-seat electric SUV that also has a large Radically overhauled crossover now comes with the option of
2.0 TDI 116 114 115 10.9 54.3-55.4 135-137 2.0 vRS 242 144 6.6 32.5 198 range. LxWxH 5036x2070x1684 Kerb weight 2459kg battery-electric power. LxWxH 4151x1791x1531 Kerb weight 1750kg
2.0 TDI 150 148 126 9.3 55.4-58.9 141-166 2.0 TDI 150 148 123 9.8 46.3-47.9 154-161 AWD 670 155 3.8 348 0 1.2 100 99 115 10.6 51.4 124
2.0 TDI 150 4Drive 148 122 8.7 47.1-48.7 141-166 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 148 120 9.6 44.8-47.9 155-165 Plaid 1020 163 2.5 340 0 1.2 130 128 125 9.1 47.1-50.4 126-137
2.0 TDI 200 4x4 197 131 7.8 41.5-42.5 175-178 50kWh Electric 134 93 8.7 201 0
Tarraco 5dr SUV £31,890–£44,185 AAAAC T OYO TA 1.5 Turbo D 110 108 118 10.8 64.2-65.7 114
Seat’s largest SUV brings a hint of youthful exuberance to a SMART Aygo X 3dr hatch £15,095–£19,650 AAABC
practical category. LxWxH 4735x1839x1674 Kerb weight 1845kg EQ Fortwo 3dr hatch/open £22,225–£27,995 AABCC City car returns from SUV boot camp ready for the ultimate series Grandland 5dr SUV £26,720–£38,125 AAACC
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 124 9.9 38.7-41.5 155-166 Pricey, EV-only two-seater has urban appeal but is short on of speed bumps. LxWxH 3700x1740x1525 Kerb weight 1360kg Does well to disguise its 3008 roots but too bland to stand out in a
2.0 TSI 4Drive 190 188 130 8.0 31.0-31.7 201-207 performance. LxWxH 2695x1663x1555 Kerb weight 1085kg 1.0 VVT-i 71 98 14.9 57.6 110 congested segment. LxWxH 4477x2098x1609 Kerb weight 1350kg
2.0 TSI 245 242 142 6.2 32.1-32.8 195-200 17kWh 79 81 11.6-11.9 81-84 0 1.2 Turbo 130 128 117 10.9-11.1 45.6 141-147
2.0 TDI 150 148 124 10.2 49.6-52.3 144-150 1.6 Hybrid 223 140 8.6 192.0-210.0 34
2.0 TDI 200 4Drive 197 130 7.8 41.5-42.8 172-178 1.5 Turbo D 130 128 119 10.2 54.3 136

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 77

N E W CAR PR I CES
W H AT ’ S C O M I N G W H E N
Kia Soul EV Urban
On sale February, price £32,795
With Kia’s growing range of electric SUVs
hugely popular, it has created a cheaper
variant of the Soul EV. Its smaller, 39.2kWh
battery gives it a 171-mile range and can be
charged from 0-80% in 54 minutes when
using an 80kW charger. The motor makes
171bhp. This costs about £7000 less than
the regular Soul, which has a 201bhp motor
and 64kWh battery for a 280-mile range.
JA N UA RY
BMW i7, M3 Touring, Z4 update, Ineos Grenadier,
Jaguar F-Type 75, Lamborghini Urus update, Urus
Performante, Urus S, Mercedes-Benz A-Class update,
B-Class update, Morgan Plus Four update, Plus Six update,
Polestar 2 BST Edition 270
F E B R UA RY
Citroën ë-C4 X, Ferrari SP3 Daytona, Hyundai Ioniq 6,
Kia Soul EV Urban, Mazda CX-60 diesel, Mercedes-AMG C63,
S63, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, Peugeot 408
MARCH
Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV, Audi Q8 E-tron, Q8 E-tron Sportback,
SQ8 E-tron, SQ8 E-tron Sportback, BYD Atto 3, DS 3, 3 E-Tense,
Lexus RX, Mazda CX-5 MHEV, Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV,
Peugeot e-208 update, Vauxhall Astra GSe, Grandland GSe
APRIL
Alfa Romeo Giulia update, Stelvio update, Audi R8 GT RWD,
TT RS Iconic Edition, BMW XM, Dacia Jogger Hybrid, Honda
CR-V, Lexus RZ, Mercedes-Benz CLA update, Peugeot 3008
PHEV update, Porsche 911 Dakar, Skoda Enyaq iV vRS,
Toyota Corolla update, Corolla Touring Sports update
M AY
Aiways U5, Alpine A110 R, BMW 7 Series PHEV, M2 Coupé,
X5, X6, Honda e:Ny1, Maserati MC20 Cielo, Mercedes-Benz
EQT, Noble M500, Peugeot 508 update, Vauxhall Mokka
Electric update
JUNE
Abarth 500e, Aston Martin DB11 update, BMW M3 CS, Honda
ZR-V, Lamborghini Aventador successor, Lexus UX 300e
update, Lotus Eletre, Ora Funky Cat GT, Peugeot e-308, e-308
SW, Praga Bohema, Vauxhall Astra Electric, Astra Sports
Tourer Electric
J U LY
Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato,
Maserati Granturismo, Munro Mk1, Peugeot 5008 Hybrid,
Porsche Cayenne update, Cayenne Coupé update,
Volkswagen ID 3 update
AU G U S T
Ferrari Purosangue, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Lucid Air,
Pagani Utopia, Smart #1, #1 Brabus
SEPTEMBER
Ford Mustang, Mustang Convertible, Jeep Avenger,
Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Vauxhall Corsa update,
Corsa Electric update
OCTOBER
Ford Puma ST Hybrid, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, Maserati
Granturismo Folgore, MG 4 EV AWD, Nio ET5, Porsche
Panamera, Rolls-Royce Spectre, Volkswagen ID Aero,
Touareg, Volvo EX30
N OV E M B E R
Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate, Bentley Mulliner Batur,
BMW 5 Series update, Czinger 21C, Ford E-Tourneo Custom,
E-Transit Custom, Kia EV9, Koenigsegg CC850, Maserati
Grecale Folgore, Mazda MX-30 REx, Ora Next Cat, Polestar 3,
Renault Clio update, Ssangyong Torres, Subaru Crosstrek,
Toyota bZ Compact, C-HR, Volkswagen ID Buzz GTX, ID Buzz
LWB, Volvo C40 Recharge update, XC40 Recharge update
DECEMBER
Citroën C3, Ferrari SF90 VS, Fiat supermini, Ford electric
crossover, Maserati Grancabrio, Mercedes-AMG GT, Mini 3dr,
5dr, Polestar 4, Renault Scenic, Skoda Superb, Suzuki Swift,
Volkswagen Passat Estate, T-Cross update, Tiguan
Air is long-range BMW i7 rival from US
78 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023
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Combo Electric Life 5dr MPV £31,110–£31,710 AAABC Taigo 5dr SUV £23,155–£30,555 AAABC
Van-based people carrier is usable, spacious and practical, and Crossover-coupé-SUV-type thing fills a niche. Likeable enough.
now electric-only. LxWxH 4403x1841x1921 Kerb weight 1474kg LxWxH 4266x1757x1518 Kerb weight 1407kg
50kWh 132 84 11.7 174 0 1.0 TSI 95 95 114 11.1 51.4 124
1.0 TSI 110 110 119 10.4 51.4-52.3 124-125
V O L K S WA G E N 1.5 TSI 150 150 132 8.3 47.9 138
Up 3dr/5dr hatch £13,940–£24,085 AAAAC
It’s no revolution, but VW’s hallmarks are in abundance. T-Roc 5dr SUV/open £25,810–£41,750 AAAAC
LxWxH 3600x1428x1504 Kerb weight 926kg VW’s junior SUV is beguiling and sophisticated. It drives rather well,
1.0 65 64 100 15.6 54.3 119 too. LxWxH 4234x1992x1573 Kerb weight 1270kg
1.0 115 GTI 113 119 8.8 51.4 125-126 1.0 TSI 110 108 115 10.8 43.5-46.3 133-146
e-Up 81 80 12.4 159 0 1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 127 8.3-9.6 40.9-47.9 144-158
2.0 TSI 4Motion 188 135 7.2 36.2 177-178
Polo 5dr hatch £18,855–£27,805 AAAAC 2.0 TSI R 300 4Motion 298 155 4.9 31.7 201
A thorough going-over makes it more mature, but the Polo is still a 2.0 TDI 115 113 116 10.4 56.5-60.1 137-146 XC90 5dr SUV £61,990–£81,925 AAAAC
bit boring. LxWxH 4053x1946x1461 Kerb weight 1105kg
1.0 80 78 106 15.4 51.4 125
2.0 TDI 150 148 124 8.8-10.8 50.4-53.3 140-146 Clever packaging, smart styling, good to drive: Volvo’s closest thing
to a class leader. LxWxH 4950x2008x1776 Kerb weight 1961kg
1.0 TSI 95 93 116 10.8 48.7-53.3 120-127 Tiguan 5dr SUV £29,550–£48,540 AAAAC 2.0 B5P 246 112 7.7 32.4 198
1.0 TSI 110 108 121 9.9 53.3-54.3 118-119 An improvement on the previous model and will continue to sell by 2.0 B6P 296 112 6.7 90.7 210
2.0 TSI GTI 204 149 6.5 39.8-41.5 155 the bucketload. LxWxH 4486x1839x1654 Kerb weight 1490kg 2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV 384 112 5.8 217 28-76
1.5 TSI Evo 130 128 119 10.2 44.1-44.8 143-146 2.0 B5D 232 112 7.6 41.5 178
Golf 5dr hatch £25,340–£42,190 AAAAB 1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 126 9.2-9.3 38.2-42.2 143-168
New strengths and familiar ones carry it back to the class lead, but 1.4 eHybrid 242 127 7.5 148-176 36-44 WELLS
only marginally. LxWxH 4284x1789x1492 Kerb weight 1231kg 2.0 TSI 4Motion 188 133 7.4 33.2-34.0 187-192 Vertige 2dr coupé £40,000 AAAAC
1.0 TSI 110 108 126 10.2 53.3 121 2.0 TSI R 316 155 4.9 28.5 225 Brings traditional British sports car values to an exclusive
1.5 TSI Evo 130 128 130 9.1 51.4-53.3 121-124 2.0 TDI 150 148 125-127 9.3 47.1-50.4 146-157 audience. LxWxH 1450x1752x1142 Kerb weight 850
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 139 8.9 50.4-51.4 124-128 2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 148 124-125 9.3 43.5-45.6 163-171 2.0 209 140 4.6 45.0 na
1.4 TSI eHybrid 201 137 7.4 235.4 21-26 2.0 TDI 200 4Motion 197 134 7.5 42.8 172-177
WESTFIELD
1.4 TSI GTE 242 140 6.7 235.4 27-28
2.0 TSI GTI 242 155 6.4 38.2 169 Tiguan Allspace 5dr SUV £33,785–£45,520 AAAAC Sport 2dr coupé £19,950–£35,800 AAAAC
2.0 TSI 300 GTI 296 155 5.6 38.2 167 Has all the Tiguan’s sensibility and refinement, now with the bonus Sport Turbo is very quick and fun but not a patch on the
2.0 TSI 320 R 4Motion 296 155 4.7 36.2 177 of seven seats. LxWxH 4486x1839x1654 Kerb weight 1490kg Caterhams. LxWxH na Kerb weight na
2.0 TDI 115 113 126 10.2 67.3-68.9 107-110 1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 123 9.5-10.0 37.2-39.2 164-176 1.6 Sigma 135 na na na na
2.0 TDI 150 148 139 8.8 64.2 116-117 2.0 TSI 4Motion 188 132 7.7 32.5 193 1.6 Sigma 155 na na na na
2.0 TDI 200 GTD 197 152 7.1 54.3 137 2.0 TDI 150 148 126 9.7 44.8-47.1 164-165 2.0 Duratec 200 na na na na
2.0 TDI 150 4Motion 148 123-124 9.8 41.5 177-179 2.0 Ecoboost 252 na na na na
Golf Estate 5dr estate £26,690–£44,535 AAAAC 2.0 TDI 200 4Motion 197 132 na 40.4-41.5 176-184
Wagon puts on a growth spurt and adopts the eighth-generation Mega 2dr coupé £16,950 AAABC
hatchback’s tech. LxWxH 4633x1789x1497 Kerb weight 1295kg ID 4 5dr SUV £36,550–£57,270 AAAAC Mega engine makes it rapid, but isn’t as fun as Caterham’s R range.
1.0 TSI 110 108 126 10.5 51.4 124 Impressively refined and versatile SUV marks VW out as a maker of And you have to build it yourself. LxWxH na Kerb weight na
1.5 TSI 130 128 133 9.4 52.4 123 fine electric cars. LxWxH 4584x1852x1640 Kerb weight 1890kg 2.0 VTEC S2000 240 na na na na
1.5 TSI 150 148 139 8.7 49.6 128 109kW 52kWh 148 99 10.9 213 0
2.0 TSI R 4Motion 316 155 4.9 35.8 178 125kW 52kWh 170 99 9.0 213 0 ZE NVO
2.0 TDI 115 113 126 10.5 64.2 114 150kW 77kWh 204 99 8.5 317 0 TSR-S 2dr coupé £1,300,000 AAAAC
2.0 TDI 150 148 139 9.1 61.4 121 220kW GTX 299 112 6.2 301 0 Danish supercar employs a hammer-blow V8 and extreme
2.0 TDI 4Motion Alltrack 198 142 7.1 50.4 147 aerodynamics. LxWxH 4815x2038x1198 Dry weight 1495kg
Touareg 5dr SUV £59,690–£71,170 AAAAC 5.8 S/C V8 Auto 1177 202 2.8 na na
ID 3 5dr hatch £33,835–£40,550 AAAAC Hints of ritziness and sportiness don’t impinge on this functional
A very mature electric car whose substance of engineering is luxury SUV’s appeal. LxWxH 4878x2193x1717 Kerb weight 1995kg
central to its appeal. LxWxH 4261x1809x1568 Kerb weight 1730kg 3.0 V6 TSI 340 335 155 5.9 25.2-25.7 249-252
107kW 58kWh 143 99 9.6 263 0 3.0 V6 R 4Motion PHEV 462 155 5.1 97.4 66-68
150kW 58kWh 201 99 7.3 261 0 3.0 V6 TDI 231 228 135 7.5 33.6-34.4 214-219
150kW 77kWh 201 99 7.9 336 0 3.0 V6 TDI 286 282 148 6.1 33.6-34.9 213-219
Passat 4dr saloon £28,205–£40,820 AAAAC V O LV O
Lands blows on rivals with its smart looks, civilised refinement, S60 4dr saloon £44,580–£56,480 AAAAC
quality and usability. LxWxH 4767x2083x1476 Kerb weight 1367kg Fresh-faced saloon now sits comfortably among the ranks of its
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 137 8.7 46.3-47.9 139-146 German peers. LxWxH 4761x1916x1437 Kerb weight 1616kg
1.4 TSI GTE PHEV 215 138 7.4 217.3 30 2.0 B5P 246 112 6.7 41.5 153
2.0 TDI 122 120 127 11.3 58.91 125 2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV 384 112 4.6 122.8-176.5 42
2.0 TDI 150 148 139 8.9 58.9-60.1 124-127
2.0 TDI 200 197 147 7.4 53.3 138 V60 5dr estate £41,325–£55,630 AAAAB
Spacious and comfortable, with a characterful, Scandi-cool design.
Passat Estate 5dr estate £32,215–£43,770 AAAAC LxWxH 4761x1916x1427 Kerb weight 1729kg
All the Passat’s redeeming features in spacious, practical estate 2.0 B3 161 112 9.1 40.9 155
form. LxWxH 4767x2083x1516 Kerb weight 1395kg 2.0 B4 197 112 8.0 41.5 152
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 133 8.9 44.8-45.6 144-151 2.0 B5 246 112 6.8-6.9 37.7-40.4 157-170
1.4 TSI GTE PHEV 215 138 7.6 201.8 33 2.0 B6 297 112 6.0 36.2 175
2.0 TDI 122 120 123 11.5 57.6 129 2.0 T6 Recharge PHEV 335 112 4.6 362.6 18
2.0 TDI 150 148 130-132 9.1 56.5-57.6 128-132 2.0 B4D 197 112 7.6 47.0-50.4 146-156
2.0 TDI 200 197 145 7.6 52.3 143
V60 Cross Country 5dr estate £46,105–£50,595 AAAAC
Arteon 4dr saloon £38,255–£55,210  AAABC Brings extra ride height, all-wheel drive and off-road body cladding.
VW’s flagship saloon is well made and luxurious but rather bland to LxWxH 4784x1916x1499 Kerb weight 1792kg
drive. LxWxH 4862x1871x1450 Kerb weight 1505kg 2.0 B5P 248 112 6.9 35.8 180
1.5 TSI 150 148 137 8.9 42.8-44.8 144-151 2.0 B4D 197 112 8.2 47.9 155
2.0 TSI 190 187 149 7.9 36.2-38.2 168-178
1.4 TSI eHybrid 218 138 7.8 217.3 30-31 S90 4dr saloon £63,075–£67,825 AAAAC
2.0 TSI R 4Motion 316 155 4.9 31.0 207 Volvo’s mid-sized exec majors on comfort, style and cruising
2.0 TDI 150 148 137 9.5 55.4-58.9 126-134 ability. LxWxH 4963x2019x1443 Kerb weight 1665kg
2.0 TDI 200 197 147 7.9 51.4-54.3 137-145 2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV 384 112 5.1 na na
2.0 TDI 200 4Motion 197 145 7.4 46.3 159
V90 5dr estate £44,725–£68,525 AAAAC
Arteon Shooting Brake 5dr estate £39,485–£56,085AAABC Luxury estate takes on the 5 Series and the E-Class. Comfy and a
Hybrid option and estate bodystyle’s extra versatility enhance the good cruiser. LxWxH 4936x2019x1475 Kerb weight 1679kg
Arteon’s appeal. LxWxH 4866x1871x1450 Kerb weight 1529kg 2.0 B4P 197 112 7.9 40.9 158
1.5 TSI 150 148 135 8.9 42.2-43.5 145-153 2.0 B5P 246 112 6.9 36.6-40.4 159-175
2.0 TSI 190 187 145 7.9 35.8-37.2 171-179 2.0 B6P 297 112 6.2 34.4-36.2 178-184
1.4 TSI eHybrid 218 138 7.8 217.3 31-32 2.0 T6 Recharge PHEV 335 112 5.9 na na
2.0 TSI R 4Motion 316 155 4.9 31.0 207 2.0 B4D 197 112 8.8 44.8-49.5 149-164
2.0 TDI 150 148 135 9.4 54.3-57.6 128-136
2.0 TDI 200 197 145 7.9 50.4-53.3 139-147 V90 Cross Country 5dr estate £53,590–£59,860 AAAAC
2.0 TDI 200 4Motion 197 143 7.4 46.3 161 Volvo’s large comfy estate given a jacked-up, rugged makeover.
LxWxH 4936x2019x1543 Kerb weight 1826kg
Touran 5dr MPV £32,735–£35,730 AAAAC 2.0 B5P AWD 250 140 7.4 32.5 196
Dull overall, but it’s a capable MPV, well made and hugely refined. 2.0 B6P AWD 310 140 6.3 32.5 196
LxWxH 4527x1829x1659 Kerb weight 1436kg 2.0 B5D AWD 228 140 7.5 40.9 181
1.5 TSI Evo 150 148 118 11.4 39.8-40.9 154-162
XC40 5dr SUV £26,515–£51,600 AAAAC
T-Cross 5dr SUV £22,130–£30,150 AAAAB Volvo’s take on the crossover aims to rival BMW, Mercedes and
Compact crossover delivers a classy, substantial feel on UK roads. Audi. LxWxH 4425x1910x1658 Kerb weight 1626kg
LxWxH 4108x1760x1584 Kerb weight 1270kg 1.5 T2 126 112 10.9 40.4 158
1.0 TSI 95 93 112 11.5 47.9 132-133 1.5 T3 160 112 9.3-9.6 38.7-40.4 158-166
1.0 TSI 110 108 117 9.9-10.4 42.8-48.7 132-149 1.5 T4 Recharge 208 112 8.5 113-135 47-57
1.5 TSI Evo 150 147 124 8.5 46.3-47.1 136-138 1.5 T5 Recharge PHEV 258 112 7.3 117.7-141.1 45-55
2.0 B4P 197 112 8.4 36.7-39.2 162-176
2.0 B5P 246 112 6.9 36.7 174-176
69kWh Recharge 228 99 7.4 261 0
78kWh Recharge 402 112 4.9 249 0
C40 Recharge 5dr SUV £47,100–£61,950 AAABC
Kit will appeal to many but twin-motor potency isn’t a natural fit for
relaxed dynamics. LxWxH 4431x1910x1582 Kerb weight 2185kg
69kWh Recharge 231 99 7.4 269 0
78kWh Recharge 402 112 4.9 273 0
XC60 5dr SUV £47,460–£67,780 AAABC
Looks like a small XC90 and carries on where the old one left off. A
good, capable cruiser. LxWxH 4688x1999x1658 Kerb weight 1781kg
2.0 B5P 246 112 6.9 36.7-38.1 168-176
2.0 T6 Recharge PHEV 335 112 5.9 282.1 23-64
2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV 384 112 5.5 282.1 25-64
2.0 B4D 194 112 8.3 44.8-45.5 161-166
 Date: 15.Dec 2022 14:17:52

PRESENTS

THE LEGENDS SERIES

Porsche Legends is the second in a NEW SERIES – SECOND EDITION
superb new series brought to you by the
team behind Classic & Sports Car. As the

PORSCHE
magazine marks its 40th anniversary, PRESENTS

we’re bringing together some of our

favourite stories from the past 25 years,

LEGENDS
with this second edition celebrating the
finest Stuttgart icons from the earliest
356s via both air- and water-cooled
generations of the 911 to the front-
engined models, mid-engined modern
classics and mighty sports-racers such STUTTGART’S FINEST ON ROAD AND TRACK
as the 917 and 956.
ON SALE NOW! £6.99
ISSUE 2

Pick up your copy from all good

newsagents and supermarkets,
or online via magsdirect.co.uk/
classic-sports-car-presents/
Coming soon in the Legends series: INCLUDING
● Supercar Legends (on sale 12 January 2023) 356, 911, 912, 914, 924, 928, 944, 959, 968,
● Jaguar Legends (on sale 16 February 2023)
Boxster and Cayman, plus racers from 917 to RSR

● Japanese Classic Legends

(on sale 23 March 2023)

 URGENTLY
WANTED!
INTERESTING SH
NUMBER PLATES
ORT S I LV E R S P E E D URGENTLY
W TED CARS/
AN
CANS FOR CASH
tions Dealing in interesting number plates and cars for nearly 30 years been in this magazine for over 20 years!
short dateless registra ANYTHING
cash paid and not selling Good old fashioned service where you speak to someone experienced. No silly high price promises and
on your behalf brokering. We buy and sell for cash plates we own! Unlike many dealers in this business!
CONSIDERED!!
CALL ME!
Tel 07961 808069 • Email Silverspeedlondon@gmail.com
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*On behalf of client
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Audi S3 Suzuki Jimny 2022/72 brand
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new 2022/72 Honda HRV 1.5 EX
Petrol 2018 20,500 with air con Bluetooth electric
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saving on list 2023 back with brown leather comfort stunning £15,995
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£49,500 and in rare sought after black!
£2,000 of list!!!

RW5I AAA £290 T23 BCW £250 DSI0 CJG £290 X99 POO £290 HI3 RSP £I99 K70 TAT £490
L99 AAB £390
W8I AAY £I90
AE02 ABE £I99
R9 ABH £490
W23 ACL £I90
L50 ACL £290
D4 ACO £590
CL09 BEA £I99
E2 BEB £490
J60 BEB £290
AMI6 BEL £290
SUI3 BEN £590
HI9 BES £290
E7 BET £I600
V4 CKB £490
L2 CKD £I90
AA52 CLA £390
BBI3 CMB £I99
SL70 CMO £290
S20 CPE £I99
R70 CRD £390
Elite Registrations OPEN: MON-FRI 9AM-7PM, SAT 9AM-5PM, SUN I0AM-5PM
AM09 POP £290
R2 PRV £390
S44 PSV £I90
T33 PTW £I99
FI7 PUM £390
XI PVS £790
PI PWG £790
WI3 RSY £390
RT 40 £2I995
F3 RUS £I500
TI RVB
GI RVV
£590
£890
S5 RWD £590
H8 RWD £490
AI TBB
W4 TCJ

TDG IH
£890
£I90
K6 TCL £390
H20 TCT £I90
£900
E3 TDP £390
TI00 TEB £I99
AI7 ACR £590 V99 BET £490 BI CRF £I500 HI PWL £890 VI RWT £I400 CI TEG £I400
STI5 ADE £290 HU60 BEX £390 L2I CSS £290 K70 PWW £I90 XX03 SAL £540 EL58 TEL £490
TI3 ADH £390
VI8 ADH £I90
OO06 ADZ £390
TI BGB £690
H5 BGB £290
GI8 BHL £I99
N9 CTY £390
KP05 CUC £I99
LI8 CUL £490
Tel: 01380 818181 elitereg.co.uk L8 PXL £I99
M7 PYE £590
MI7 PYE £490
SLI0 SAL £540
DB07 SAM £790
MO20 SAM£790
T50 THM £290
FI THY £I400
GB5I TJB £290
A3 AEG £490 AI BHP £I800 N5 CVR £I90 All registrations are offered on a first come, first served basis. None are subject to VAT. All are subject to the £80 Dept. for Transport fee. for Transport WI0 RAB £890 SAM 6I £I5480 BI TJJ £890
D2 AEH £490 N23 BJB £390 CI CWH £I200 transfer fee. Prices may fluctuate. See website for full terms. We have been trading for over 45 years. Write: P. O. Box 100, Devizes, SN10 4TE DC63 RAC £I99 SL09 SAN £I90 P9 TLH £390
A7 AEK £420 L2I BJD £I99 BI CWJ £990 OO07 RAD £I300 NE55 SAT £590 MG02 TMG £I90
JI AFJ £I90 WI BJJ £II00 X3I DAD £790 X4 DSE £490 K6 GAA £290 D8 HGS £490 L9 JKG £390 GI KPG £990 AI LRV £990 LIII MJS £890 L8 NPS £590 DJ5I RAM £290 MI2I SAT £390 B9 TMS £690
N9 AGT £490 CI BJK £I200 W50 DAG £390 RI DVH £990 P26 GAC £I90 H2 HHF £I90 X6 JKY £630 HI KPH £490 VAII LRY £460 ST65 MJT £I90 W3 NSM £490 WI RAO £I280 AI SBO £I400 XI TNG £2I69
AHG IR £I300 L99 BJM £490 DAK IC £3530 A2 DVS £290 K33 GAC £I99 W2 HHF £I90 N9 JLA £490 GI4 KPH £I99 K4 LSS £740 HI MKD £590 TII NUR £I90 T60 RAR £290 SO57 SCV £I99 D2 TOE £790
AHR IL £II00 WII BLY £390 MA64 DAL £I99 M9 DWK £390 GG6I GAZ £490 M20 HHR £I99 AB55 JLB £I99 X4 KPW £290 67 LTM £2400 C8 MKN £590 V4 OAC £290 MYII RAS £790 N3 SDF £390 EI0 TOF £290
G4 AHT £I90 GHI8 BLY £390 KT06 DAN £490 B2 DWR £490 GBB IK £I400 N2 HJP £590 Y90 JLD £390 R22 KRL £I99 LUK 44X £I600 N50 MLE £99 TI OAL £790 RAV 4D £4500 V28 SDG £I90 TOM 3S £5590
JI AJO £I400 L7 BMD £690 P60 DAP £390 D3 DYC £390 GBH I3Y £590 BI HKM £730 T8 JLL £490 TII KRN £I90 JI LVS £I90 N3 MLJ £I90 C5 OAP £590 JP02 RAY £590 R90 SDP £I99 N25 TOP £290
N29 ALB £295 N26 BMS £390 MR04 DAR £490 A6 EAC £490 RII GDB £390 7 HM £45000 AI JLN £590 A20 KSE £I99 JI LYL £590 X3 MLJ £490 PI OCN £490 XX04 RAY £890 CH04 SEL £I99 GAI5 TOR £I99
KI4 ALM £490 JS02 BMW £490 AM07 DAR £390 E5 EAM £690 LI GDG £II00 BI4 HMW £I90 GG07 JMG £290 S28 KTL £I99 LS07 LYN £540 N9 MLK £I90 G5 OEM £I90 X9 RAY £3060 SC04 SEZ £I99 TOU 99 £I700
SW05 ALS £I99 SW03 BMW£490 KI4 DAT £590 JJ03 EAR £I99 M4 GDJ £290 D5 HNE £490 M60 JML £790 K5 KVC £I99 AJ52 LYN £490 J5 MMD £590 CI3 OEY £I090 XX70 RAY £790 DI SFD £I200 N9 TPC £390
R55 ALY £II00 FA52 BMW£590 DVI5 DAV £290 PI EBJ £590 S90 GDS £I90 BY5I HOP £490 M28 JMU £I99 SI KWE £690 EE53 LYN £390 AI MMU £690 W66 OFF £I90 S82 RBE £I90 SI23 SFH £I99 H6 TPG £290
R6 AMA £990 MW60 BMW£590 DK67 DAV £I90 KI ECC £790 MC04 GEC £I99 JI3 HOU £390 P9 JNC £490 AM53 LAG £I99 BW59 LYN £390 N6 MOH £990 J50 OGJ £I99 CI RBH £990 D4 SGD £290 X5 TPN £I90
YB08 AMB £I99 DE65 BMW£590 SLI0 DAW £I99 R29 ECK £490 TI GEG £690 T33 HRH £390 AM09 JOE £590 V52 LAM £390 MJ59 LYN £490 L22 MOP £340 JI OGS £I500 NI RBH £990 A4 SGJ £390 N4 TPP £390
EI2 AMC £790 L6 BNS £I90 RI4 DAY £790 D88 EER £490 C6 GEG £390 Y2 HUN £590 XX59 JOE £890 V29 LAU £690 99 LYU £I300 R50 MSD £290 YI OHN £I600 DII RBH £I90 V20 SGT £I90 T2 TRJ £590
BE57 AMC £290 AI BOB £7880 P9 DBB £290 HI5 EES £I90 AA62 GEM £390 RI HXX £790 LA58 JON £490 JI3 LAX £I90 OO55 MAC £990 R9 MTK £390 KI0 OJK £I99 SII RBH £I90 M7 SHD £590 DI TRT £990
VI3 AME £590 AF02 BOB £390 BI6 DBE £290 J90 EGG £590 R50 GFR £I99 LU02 JAC £490 VWI8 JRD £290 HI5 LBC £290 GE04 MAE £290 LI MTP £730 JI7 OJT £I99 N9 RBP £490 V8 SHS £590 CI5 TWO £I90
AM22 AMF£490 BBI4 BOB £990 D2 DBG £290 H3 EGS £290 MA04 GGS £790 ALII JAG £890 MI JSV £690 TI LDH £890 VHI6 MAG £590 OX03 MUM£490 SII OMH £290 JI2 RCW £340 F8 SHU £790 A6 TWR £390
GI4 AMJ £390 RRI7 BOB £890 F2 DBM £690 SU5I EHX £I400 A9 GHB £I90 C60 JAK £I500 MI2I JTC £I99 T8 LDN £340 P27 MAH £590 L60 MUN £I90 MOI0 ONT £490 XII RDK £290 S8 SHX £490 S2 TXT £290
T80 AMM £290 AT52 BOB £490 T70 DBS £390 S25 EJC £I90 N4 GLC £390 DE04 JAN £490 C2 JTP £390 YI LDT £730 TT02 MAL £390 CI MUO £590 RA57 ONV £290 J4 RDV £290 LI5 SJE £290 B2 TYL £390
RO55 AMV £390 RI BOR £I200 H9 DBT £290 Y80 EJC £I90 R25 GLM £290 RY04 JAN £490 N28 JUE £990 NO02 LEE £490 ME60 MAR£290 X66 MUS £590 RO04 OOD £290 AP03 REA £I99 FII SKF £390 R40 UDE £290
MX05 ANE £490 K7 BOR £790 GTI2 DBT £290 T6 EJR £590 K2 GLR £290 AA07 JAN £890 JI JVA £290 H20 LEK £290 N24 MAS £990 L4 MWG £290 PI6 OOK £I90 EI23 REG £490 X55 SKS £390 A5 UDM £490
AU56 ANG £790 L4 BOW £II00 DB70 DBX £I90 CRI5 ELD £290 H7 GNL £I90 R23 JAP £590 S7 JVC £490 P22 LEM £I90 MA60 MAS£490 A6 MWW £590 J88 OPA £I99 JHI7 REH £I99 CI4 SLK £790 P6 UGG £490
JI ANJ £2400 NI2I BOX £490 MW04 DCW£I99 HEI0 ELE £I99 YI GNT £890 2 JBG £7500 T9 JWE £490 R3I LEM £490 PI MAU £890 R5 MYE £290 BI7 ORR £390 YI4 REM £490 SME 8IY £290 DI0 UGJ £890
PF02 ANN £490 P3 BPE £I90 K40 DCW £290 G8 ELH £690 R7 GOP £340 J22 JDA £290 AII JWO £I95 AA02 LEN £490 B8 MAU £290 WI2 NAM £I90 J4 ORS £490 RFV IP £I000 RR52 SMR £I99 K2 UPH £I90
ARI0 ANN £990 S22 BRH £I99 XI DDL £790 R2I EML £I99 GOV I3R £2940 X4 JDJ £390 JWO 89N £I95 GL04 LEN £690 MJ54 MAZ £I90 PI7 NAR £490 KI PAE £890 RG I8 £27500 H5 SNK £I90 S84 UTD £390
P28 ANS £I90 MA05 BRY £I90 P26 DDS £390 K40 EMY £590 BI GPK £II00 YS09 JDS £I99 M20 JYM £390 T80 LEN £890 PA58 MCA £I99 92 NAR £3I50 LI PAE £890 PI RGV £690 J8 SNR £390 PI UUG £490
SJI0 ANT £I90 HM5I BRY £I90 AE06 DEB £490 RI0 ENT £490 N6 GRE £490 WB07 JEB £I99 UK03 KAY £490 VW65 LES £590 WG07 MCD £I99 S4 NBO £290 PFI0 PAF £I99 SI2 RHO £290 K3 SOE £290 M8 VAL £I600
LI2I ANT £890 RS67 BRY £290 MH52 DEB £590 H7 EPL £290 H8 GRL £390 K50 JEC £490 PF02 KAZ £390 SU6I LEW £390 CAII MCJ £I90 J5 NBT £I90 OO64 PAM £790 M6 RHP £390 BII SOE £I99 D52 VAL £590
CRI2 ANY £290 T9 BSG £390 VI3 DES £790 WI4 ERN £490 AI GUD £790 OOI6 JEF £490 HL06 KAZ £I99 Y22 LFC £490 N70 MDM £I99 D5 NDB £540 PA55 PAR £290 T3 RHS £590 CO02 SOO £290 RI VAM £II00
SI APF £990 BTR 54 £3530 DR60 DES £490 MRII ERS £490 L55 GUE £I99 JD56 JEF £290 HI KDC £990 LS05 LFS £I99 N99 MEB £290 H9 NDP £290 PL02 PAT £590 L6 RHS £490 WI SOX £890 A8 VDA £290
MFII APR £I99 NT52 BUG £290 A3 DGA £490 BA63 ESY £I99 SWI2 GUN £290 KI6 JEP £390 AGI3 KEL £290 T6 LGC £290 R77 MEE £I90 X6 NEE £390 PM04 PAT £690 SGI0 RJG £I99 25 SRE £2570 A9 VDA £290
E20 ARJ £390 MJ53 BUG £I90 P8 DGW £690 I EVN £I8800 DW60 GUN £290 LI8 JEP £290 V50 KEN £I400 BB5I LJB £I90 BA5I MEL £440 RY04 NEV £I99 PW59 PAT £490 SU5I RKD £390 AI5 SRJ £290 VI VEW £990
ADI0 ART £I90 K88 BUT £590 Y4 DHG £490 JI EWY £990 LSI0 GUY £780 AP53 JEP £I99 BL07 KEY £290 XIII LJJ £I90 DE55 MEN £290 M4 NFN £I90 PAU I33M£2620 E2 RKH £390 KI8 SRJ £I99 X3 VJD £390
D3 ARU £990 H4 BVS £290 D20 DHJ £390 FI EXG £990 A7 GWN £490 G3 JER £I400 P22 KGB £I99 A4 LJL £490 H3 MEO £I90 NJJ IL £II00 PI00 PBM £I99 RKM 75 £2800 AKI7 SRK £290 GI VMF £690
D3 ARX £I400 A4 BWN £490 M9 DHM £390 SI2 EYP £I99 KI GXK £290 JT09 JER £290 S5 KGN £390 LKD IR £890 CI6 MER £790 N6 NKB £390 X2 PDJ £590 J80 RLF £I90 P24 SSA £290 VMS 2 £5880
DI8 ARY £890 Y24 CAB £490 JI8 DHX £I90 FAR 8Y £I900 GI PDS £I090 W8 RLO £690 HI STO £I500 W2 VON £II80
MBI6 ASH £490 RO5I CAB £390 DM53 DJM £I90 M4 FCC £390 J8 PED £790 BI4 RLT £I90 SA64 STU £590 LI VOR £2345
BI ATE £I800
BI ATT £2825
HUI5 CAN £I99
HUI8 CAN £I99
CI DJO £I400
P9 DKB £490
W70 FEE £590
C20 FJS £290
REGISTRATIONS URGENTLY WANTED D8 PEJ £490
MI PEO £890
M99 RMA £I90
SSII RMS £390
XK04 SUE £690
WHII SUE £390
JI VRG
T9 VVW
£I90
£I90
AI6 ATU £I99
S55 AUB £400
GA54 CAS £390
G5 CBE £390
F4 DKP £590
K9 DLN £290
50 FJW £2900
YI5 FLY £690 FOR IMMEDIATE PURCHASE CI PFS
DI PFS
£990
£690
NI RNJ £790
OG02 ROB £590
BOI9 SUE £490
KA55 SUE £590
MEI0 VYN £690
YI0 WAL £590
JI AUN £I400 BI0 CBM £I90 B5 DME £490 F3 FMB £390 S99 PGH £290 GT53 ROB £790 W20 SUN £390 WAM I00T £690
AUS IE £7500 A8 CBT £I90 AR02 DOD £I99 FG03 FMG £I99 R9 GYL £490 JET IY £5880 SSI2 KGS £I90 SI LLS £I2900 J4 MFP £390 N7 NKC £I90 HI PGR £I400 KI2 ROD £730 SX57 SUZ £I99 AI WBK £890
K66 AWH £290 R66 CCS £390 BD56 DOG £290 HI FMH £II00 TI8 HAY £290 S2I JFC £290 BI KJA £I200 X90 LLY £I600 MFS 34 £3600 M6I NKM £390 N60 PGW £I99 LII ROG £I500 S9 SVK £I90 DI WDG £I380
KI3 AYE £I040 H9 CDG £490 AB08 DON £490 C7 FNC £I90 J8 HBB £390 LI7 JFW £I99 N29 KJW £490 MYII LMA £390 V5 MGK £290 DI NKS £5880 R7 PHJ £I90 DBII ROL £I90 BI9 SWD £I90 M2 WDS £I90
J50 BAC £390 Y77 CEB £390 LY08 DON £I200 CS02 FOG £I90 HCG IW £890 KI JGA £990 S29 KJW £340 PAI0 LNA £I99 JI MGV £I550 NI0 NLC £290 K3 PJO £390 SU53 ROO £390 MI30 SYD £390 P3 WDS £290
K70 BAC £290 LI00 CEG £I99 JI DOT £I400 AL5I FOW £290 J88 HCS £I99 M66 JGC £I90 HI KKJ £790 LI LNP £990 NI8 MGW £I90 T2 NME £I90 R27 PJS £490 T72 ROY £990 A9 SYH £I90 G3 WEG £290
AS03 BAD £I99 SI CEP £790 S60 DOT £490 BB05 FOX £390 HDA 6J £390 RI JGH £I300 W8 KLF £290 AAI4 LOU £590 AI2 MHJ £290 OU04 NNA £490 PI3 PJW £790 HI RPD £II00 S25 SYL £590 G4 WEG £290
T4 BAE £290 D99 CES £590 M50 DOV £390 LF57 FOX £490 K2 HDG £490 MI JGP £I300 H5 KLK £3I5 L8 LOV £590 K8 MHL £490 PJ09 NNA £690 J4 PKG £390 VI RRG £690 RI TAF £2500 N25 WEL £490
S44 BBK £I090 TI CET £I300 RI0 DPG £I90 H7 FRM £390 A4 HDG £640 M90 JHP £290 N7 KMA £590 VI0 LOW £I230 LB59 MJB £290 LE02 NNY £990 S9 PKR £590 CI RRV £890 SE56 TAF £290 RI WEO £390
RI BBP £I400 F2 CFW £540 DI DPO £890 L60 FSC £I99 B7 HDY £420 P3 JHT £390 E6 KMM £690 LPO I2I £I300 XX06 MJD £390 S7 NPC £I90 TI PLH £I300 PH5I RSH £I90 7 TAR £I8800 KII WGH £I99
NI BBS £I6590 H4 CGF £I90 RI DRF £I400 J6 FST £730 KI3 HDY £290 B9 JJL £690 E7 KMM £690 SU5I LRD £490 XXI3 MJD £390 H9 NPD £390 S9 PMT £390 BI RSL £990 AI5 TAR £3295 GI WGS £780
W99 BBW £I90 L6 CHF £390 MI4 DSB £390 XI FTB £990 HE66 HER £490 XI9 JJW £690 MI KNS £I400 N3I LRL £290 JN69 MJN £290 C4 NPK £290 M5 PNP £290 AII RSO £390 BI2 TAT £390 L8 WJH £290

80 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

ROAD TEST
ROAD TEST
4 Series M440i xDrive AAAAC6.1.21 Wrangler 2.2 M’Jet-II Ov’d AAAAC10.4.19 PEUGEOT SUZUKI
M4 Competition AAAAB21.4.21 208 e-208 Allure Premium AAAAC6.5.20 Swift 1.0 SZ5 AAABC17.5.17
KIA

INDEX
M4 CSL AAAAC16.11.22 308 1.2T Puretech 130 GT AAAAC25.5.22 Across 2.5 PHEV E-Four CVT AAAAB7.4.21
m 5 Series 520d M Sport AAAAB31.5.17 Stinger 2.0 T-GDI GT-L S AAABC  25.4.18 508 GT BlueHDi 180 AAAAC24.10.18
ed h fro m 545e M Sport AAAAC20.10.21 Rio 1.0 T-GDI 3 Eco AAABC1.3.17 Hybrid 225 Allure SW AAAAC8.7.20 TESLA
sp
e
w er 2 mp rqu
e
fro
p
To Po 0-6 To CO 2 M5 AAAAB18.4.18 Ceed 1.6 CRDi 115 2 AAABC29.8.18 PSE Hybrid4 SW AAAAC5.5.21 Model 3 Standard Range Plus AAAAC4.9.19
M5 CS AAAAA14.7.21 Proceed 1.4 T-GDi AAABC27.2.19 2008 e-2008 GT Line AAABC  30.9.20 Model S P90D AAAAB20.4.16
6 Series GT 630d xDrv M Spt AAABC18.11.17 Xceed 1.4 T-GDi AAABC20.11.19 3008 1.6 BlueHDi GT Line AAABC18.1.17 Model Y Long Range AWD AAAAC23.3.22
8 Series 840d xDrive AAABC16.1.19 Niro EV 3 AAAAC7.9.22 5008 2.0 BlueHDi GT Line AAABC1.11.17 Model X 90D AAAAC15.2.17
M8 Competition Convertible AAABC5.2.20 EV6 77.4kWh GT-Line RWD AAAAB12.1.22
M8 Competition Coupé AAABC3.6.20 Sportage 1.6 HEV 2WD AAABC15.6.22 P O L E S TA R T OYO TA
i3 1.3S Range Extender AAAAC21.2.18 Sorento 1.6 HEV G-TDi 2 AAABC20.1.21 1 AAAAC21.10.20 Aygo X Limited Edition AAABC11.5.22

The latest and greatest rated i4 M50 AAAAC19.1.22

iX xDrive50 M Sport AAAAB2.3.22
X2 M35i AAABC25.9.19
LAMBORGHINI
Huracán Performante AAAAB11.10.17
PORSCHE
Yaris 1.5 Hybrid Design AAAAC23.9.20
GR Yaris Circuit Pack AAAAA3.3.21
718 Boxster AAAAB8.6.16 Corolla 2.0 Hybrid ST AAAAC5.6.19

as only Autocar knows how X3 xDrive20d M Sport AAAAC17.1.18

X4 M Competition AAACC13.11.19
X5 xDrive30d M Sport AAAAC2.1.19
Evo RWD Coupé AAAAB20.5.20
Aventador SVJ AAAAC19.6.19
Urus AAAAC3.7.19
Spyder AAAAB1.4.20 GT86 2.0 manual AAAAA4.7.12
Cayman S AAAAB10.8.16 Prius Business Edition AAAAC16.3.16
Cayman GTS AAAAB9.5.18 Mirai Design Premium AAAAC16.6.21
X7 xDrive M50i M Perf’nce AAAAC9.9.20 Cayman GT4 RS AAAAA14.9.22 C-HR Excel 1.8 Hybrid AAAAC 4.1.17
LAND ROVER 911 GT2 RS AAAAC18.7.18 GR Supra Pro AAAAC 14.8.19
A road test in any other C AT E R H A M Defender 110 P400 X AAAAB13.5.20 Carrera S AAAAB29.5.19
magazine might well Seven 420 Cup AAAAB31.8.22 Discovery Sport D180 AWD AAAAC8.1.20 GT3 PDK AAAAB11.8.21 VA U X H A L L
Range Rover Evoque P300e AAAAB Turbo S AAAAB10.8.22 Corsa 1.2T 100 auto AAABC22.1.20
be a short, subjective CHEVROLET 10.2.21 Cayenne Turbo AAAAC5.9.18 Crossland X 1.2T 130 Elite AAACC7.6.17
summary of a new car Corvette LT3 Coupé AAAAC22.6.22 Range Rover Velar D240 AAABC30.8.17 Turbo S E-Hybrid AAABC27.5.20 Astra 1.2T 130 GS Line AAABC5.10.22
Range Rover Sport D300 AAAAB2.11.22 Turbo GT AAAAC20.7.22 Combo Life 1.5 TD 100 Energy AAABC 27.12.18
produced under almost CITROEN SVR AAAAA15.4.15 Taycan Turbo S AAAAA29.7.20 Insignia Sports Tourer 2.0 Biturbo D GSI
Ami Colour AABCC11.1.23 Range Rover D350 HSE AAAAB13.7.22 AAACC30.5.18
any circumstances, C3 Aircross Puretech 110 AAABC7.3.18 R E N A U LT Mokka 1.2 Turbo 130 auto AAABC12.5.21
but the Autocar road C4 Puretech 130 Auto AAACC26.5.21 L E X U S Clio TCe 100 Iconic AAAAB27.11.19 Grandland X Hybrid4 AAACC22.4.20
C5 X Puretech 180 AAAAC28.9.22 LC 500 Sport+ AAAAC18.10.17 Mégane E-Tech Electric AAABC23.11.22 VXR8 GTS-R AAAAC10.1.18
test is different. Specific, rigorous and detailed, it’s C5 Aircross BlueHDi 180 AAABC13.2.19 NX 350h Prem’m Plus Pack AAAAC16.3.22 Kadjar dCi 115 Dyn. S Nav AAAAC21.10.15
the closest examination we can give of any new model. RC F AAACC18.2.15 Arkana E-Tech Hybrid 145 AAABC13.10.21 V O L K S WA G E N
CUPRA ES 300h Takumi AAABC6.2.19 Captur 1.3 TCe 130 EDC AAABC  18.3.20 Up GTI 1.0 TSI 115 AAAAC21.3.18
It appears over at least eight pages and is close to 50 Born 204 58kWh V3 AAABC6.7.22 LS 500h Premier AWD AAACC6.6.18 Polo 1.0 TSI 95 SE AAAAB31.1.18
man-hours in the making every week. Leon 310 VZ3 Estate AAAAC8.9.21 R O L L S - R OYC E GTI AAAAC1.8.18
2.0 TSI 245 VZ2 Hatch AAAAC27.7.22 L O T U S Phantom AAAAA  4.4.18 Golf 1.5 eTSI 150 Style DSG AAAAB22.7.20
Most of what the road test process entails is Ateca 2.0 TSI 4Drive AAABC23.1.19 Elise Cup 250 AAABC  29.6.16 Ghost AAAAB  13.1.21 R AAAAC14.4.21
designed to be strictly repeatable and fair. We Formentor 2.0 TSI VZ2 AAAAB3.2.21 Exige Sport 390 Final Edit’n AAAAB21.7.21 Wraith AAAAB  21.5.14 ID 3 Pro Performance Life AAAAC31.3.21
Dawn AAAAC  1.6.16 ID 4 GTX Max AAABC27.10.21
benchmark standing-start and in-gear acceleration DACIA M A S E R AT I Cullinan Black Badge AAAAC  19.2.20 T-Roc 2.0 TSI SEL 4Motion AAAAB24.1.18
at a purpose-built test facility every week. We carry Sandero Stepway TCe 90 AAAAC  28.4.21 Ghibli Diesel AAABC  12.3.14
S E AT
Cabriolet 1.5 TSI Evo DSG AABCC10.6.20
Duster SCe 115 Comfort AAAAC  22.8.18 Quattroporte Trofeo AACCC  4.8.21 Arteon 2.0 BiTDI 240 AAABC27.9.17
out both subjective and objective handling tests on Jogger 1.0 TCe 110 Comfort AAAAB20.4.22 Levante S Granlusso AAABC8.5.19 Ibiza SE Technology 1.0 TSI AAAAB19.7.17 eHybrid Shooting Brake AAABC9.6.21
both road and track, on the latter up to and beyond DALLARA MAZDA
Leon eHybrid FR AAABC2.12.20 Passat 2.0 TDI 190 GT AAAAC4.2.15
Arona SE Technology 1.0 TSI AAAAC15.11.17 GTE AAAAC7.9.16
the limit of grip, so as to fully assess stability, Stradale AAAAB16.10.19 2 1.5 Skyactiv-G SE AAAAC22.4.15 Ateca 1.6 TDI SE AAAAB19.10.16 Touran 2.0 TDI 150 SE AAAAC3.2.16
drivability and limit handling appeal. And while DS
3 2.0 Skyactiv-X AAAAC6.11.19
SMART
Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150 SE AAAAB22.6.16
MX-5 1.5 SE-L Nav AAAAB2.9.15 Caravelle 2.0 BiTDI Exec. AAAAC23.12.15
benchmark lap times are sometimes taken, they’re 3 Crossback Puretech 155 AAACC  10.7.19 MX-30 145PS AAABC  10.3.21 Forfour Electric Drive AABCC 23.8.17 Touareg 3.0 TDI R-Line Tech AAABC8.8.18
never an end in themselves. 4 E-Tense 225 AAABC  29.6.22 CX-5 2.2D Sport Nav AAAAC28.6.17
SKODA
Grand California 600 AAABC2.1.20
7 Crossback Puretech 225 AAABC  19.9.18 Transporter Kombi SWB AAACC30.3.22
We record and publish stopping distances, too, as 9 E-Tense 225 AAABC  2.2.22 M c L A R E N Fabia 1.0 TSI 95PS AAAAB 9.2.22
well as taking cabin noise measurements at various Artura AAAAB19.10.22 Scala 1.5 TSI 150 DSG AAABC31.7.19 V O LV O
FERRARI 600LT Spider 3.8 V8 AAAAB22.5.19 Octavia 2.0 TDI 150 SE L First Edition C40 Recharge Twin Ult’ate AAABC13.4.22
cruising speeds and benchmarking either indicated 488 Pista AAAAB7.8.19 620R 3.8 V8 AAAAC23.12.20 DSG Estate AAAAC2.9.20 XC40 D4 First Edition AWD AAAAB7.2.18
or brim-to-brim fuel economy. We independently 296 GTB AAAAA21.12.22 GT 4.0 V8 AAABC27.1.21 2.0 TDI vRS AAAAC17.2.21 S60 T8 Polestar En’d AAABC24.12.19
812 Superfast AAAAC 25.7.18 720S 4.0 V8 AAAAA24.5.17 Superb 1.4 TSI iV 218 SE L AAAAC26.2.20 V60 D4 Momentum Pro AAAAC27.6.18
measure leg room, head room, boot space and certain SF90 Stradale AAAAC 3.11.21 Senna 4.0 V8 AAAAA10.10.18 Karoq 2.0 TDI 150 Scout AAABC30.1.19 T6 Recharge R-Design AWD AAAAB21.9.22
key exterior vehicle dimensions, and we also weigh P1 AAAAA7.5.14 Enyaq iV 80 AAAAC18.8.21 XC60 D4 R-Design AWD AAABC5.7.17
F I AT Kodiaq 2.0 TDI Edition AAAAC23.11.16 S90 D4 Momentum AAAAC13.7.16
every car we test. Panda 4x4 Twinair AAAAB  17.4.13 M E R C E D E S - A M G 2.0 TSI 245PS vRS 4x4 AAABC23.2.22 V90 T6 Recharge R-Design AAAAB11.11.20
Just as every new car is different, however, the road 500 Abarth 595 AAAAC26.2.14 A-Class A45 S 4Matic+ Plus AAAAB4.3.20 XC90 D5 Momentum AAAAC17.6.15
Icon 42kWh AAAAC26.1.22 C-Class C63 AAAAB3.6.15 S S A N G YO N G
test has developed to be versatile enough, week by C63 S Coupé AAAAB24.4.19 Tivoli XLV ELX auto AAACC14.9.16 WESTFIELD
FORD CLS 53 4Matic+ AAAAC17.10.18 Sport 250 AAAAC29.11.17
week, so as to best assess and reflect the suitability Fiesta 1.0T Ecoboost AAAAC  9.8.17 EQS 53 4Matic+ AAAAC8.6.22 SUBARU
of each test subject to its intended purpose. It now ST-3 1.5 T Ecoboost AAAAB 15.8.18 GT R AAAAB10.5.17 XV 2.0i SE Lineartronic AAACC28.2.18 ZENOS
Focus 1.5 Ecoboost 182 AAAAB 20.2.19 GT 4-Door Coupé 63 4Matic+ AAAAB E10 S AAAAB7.10.15
includes modular sections describing in detail the ST AAAAC11.9.19 13.3.19
limit handling of a new car, or its semi-autonomous Mustang 5.0 V8 GT F’back AAAAC24.2.16 SLC 43 AAABC6.7.16
GREATEST ROAD TESTS OF ALL TIME
Bullitt AAAAC5.12.18 GLC 63 S 4Matic+ AAABC13.6.18
assisted driving technologies or its off-road capability. Mustang Mach-E Extended Range RWD GLE 53 4Matic+ AAABC14.10.20
All of this goes to bringing you the most thorough, AAAAC23.6.21
GT AWD AAACC27.4.22 M E R C E D E S - B E N Z
relevant and fair test of a new car we can produce. The Puma 1.0T 125 MHEV AAAAB25.3.20 A-Class A200 Sport AAAAC4.7.18
scores from the most recent road tests reproduced ST AAAAC24.3.21 A250e AMG Line Premium AAACC5.8.20
Kuga 2.5 PHEV ST-Line AAABC24.6.20 B-Class B180 Sport AAAAC3.4.19
here are the ones we gave the cars at the time so they Ranger Raptor AAAAC28.8.19 CLA 250 AAACC21.8.19
don’t necessarily represent what those same cars GENESIS
C-Class C300e AMG Line AAAAB4.5.22
E-Class E400 Coupé AAAAC14.6.17
might score today were they rejudged using current GV60 Sport Plus AAAAC24.8.22 E300 Cabriolet AAABC6.10.21
class standards. But you can dig deeper into their G70 2.2 CRDi Luxury Line AAABC10.11.21 S-Class S580e L AAAAB6.4.22
Electrified G80 AAABC12.10.22 EQA 250 AAACC17.11.21
attributes by using the magazine publication dates GV80 3.0D Luxury 5-Seater AAABC15.9.21 EQB 300 4Matic AAABC18.5.22 CITROEN 2CV6 ploughed field, although roll was
listed here to look up an old test in your own collection or HONDA
EQE 350+ AAABC4.1.23 TESTED 8.3.75 pronounced in quicker corners.
GLB 220d 4Matic AAABC16.9.20 With the energy crisis biting, Poor forward visibility, a
you can order a back issue by phoning 0344 848 8816. E Advance AAABC26.8.20 GLC 250d AAAAC10.2.16
Citroën grasped the opportunity messy dash layout and upright
Matt Saunders, road test editor Jazz 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid EX AAABC7.10.20 G-Class G350d AMG Line AAAAC  17.7.19
to import its idiosyncratic seating blighted the interior, but
Civic 1.5 i-VTEC Turbo AAAAC19.4.17 GLS 400d AAABC12.2.20
2.0 Type R GT AAAAB25.10.17 X-Class X250d 4Matic AAABC20.6.18 bargain-basement fuel-sipper to cabin and boot space were good.
A6 40 TDI S line Avant AAAAC14.11.18 Clarity FCV AAAAC12.7.17 the UK for the first time.
A L FA R O M E O 50 TFSIe S Line Quattro AAAAC5.1.22 HR-V e:HEV AAABC24.11.21 M G FOR Low price, fuel economy,
Giulia Quadrifoglio AAAAB29.3.17 RS6 Avant Carbon Black AAAAC11.3.20 CR-V 1.5T EX CVT AWD AAABC7.11.18 3 1.5 3Form Sport AAABC 25.12.13 The 2CV had barely changed in ride, brakes
Stelvio 2.2D 210 Milano AAABC 3.1.18 A7 Sportback 50 TDI Sport AAABC11.7.18 5 SW EV Exclusive AAABC 25.11.20 30 years, but although it was AGAINST Noisy, limited
Quadrifoglio AAAAC9.1.19 A8 L 60 TFSIe Sport Quattro AAABC17.6.20 HYUNDAI ZS EV Exclusive AAACC  4.12.19 unusual for being taller than visibility, poor seating
TT RS AAAAC7.12.16 i10 1.2 MPi Premium AAAAC15.4.20 it was wide, its wheelbase was
ALPINA E-tron 55 Quattro AAAAB26.6.19 i20 1.0 T-GDI 100 48V AAABC24.2.21 M I N I
actually the same as that of a FACTFILE
B3 Touring AAAAA4.11.20 S Quattro AAABC2.6.21 N AAAAB25.8.21 Mini Cooper S AAAAB2.4.14
B8 Gran Coupé AAAAC  22.9.21 Q2 SQ2 Quattro AAAAC20.3.19 i30 N AAABC27.12.17 Cooper S Works 210 AAAAB6.12.17 modern Ford Escort. Price £994 Engine 2 cyls horizontally
Q4 E-tron 40 Sport AAABC7.7.21 1.4 Premium SE AAABC13.9.17 Clubman Cooper D AAABC25.11.15 Despite its tiny twin-pot and opposed, 602cc, petrol Power 28bhp
ALPINE Q5 2.0 TDI S line AAAAC15.3.17 Kona Electric 64kWh AAAAC31.10.18 Convertible Cooper S Sport Automatic clumsy shape, the 601kg 2CV at 6750rpm Torque 31lb ft at 3500rpm
A110 Premiere Edition AAAAA16.5.18 SQ5 Quattro AAABC21.6.17 Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi AAABC6.3.19 AAAAC19.5.21 nearly matched the Mini 850 for 0-60mph 32.7sec 0-100mph na
Légende GT AAAAB  9.3.22 SQ5 Sportback TDI Quattro AAABC3.8.22 Tucson 1.6 T-GDi Hybrid AAAAC17.3.21 Countryman Cooper D AAABC22.2.17 top speed. Open-road progress Standing quarter mile 23.6sec, 55mph
Q7 SQ7 4.0 TDI AAAAC26.10.16 Nexo AAABC12.6.19 Plug-in Hybrid AAABC26.7.17 was often governed by gradient, Top speed 69mph Economy 45.9mpg
ARIEL Q8 50 TDI S Line AAAAC26.9.18 so momentum was key, but the
Atom 4 AAAAA  9.10.19 R8 V10 Plus AAAAC30.12.15 J A G U A R MITSUBISHI
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Nomad AAAAA24.6.15 F-Type V8 S Convertible AAAAC 12.6.13 Eclipse Cross 1.5 2WD AAACC  14.3.18
torque curve was usefully flat.
BENTLEY 2.0 R-Dynamic Coupé AAAAC22.11.17 Outlander PHEV GX4hs AAABC16.4.14 The four-speed transmission had The five-millionth 2CV was built a
ASTON MARTIN Continental GT W12 Coupé AAAAB 2.5.18 P575 R AWD Coupé AAAAC29.4.20 an unusual layout but was precise year later, and the model stayed
Vantage V8 AAAAB23.5.18 Speed Coupé AAAAC22.12.21 XF 2.0 R-Sport AAAAB2.12.15 MORGAN in its action. Fuel economy was in production until 1990. Several
F1 Edition Coupé AAAAC1.9.21 Flying Spur W12 AAAAB15.7.20 300 R-S Sportbrake AAABC17.4.19 Plus Four AAABC12.8.20 excellent when not pushing on. special editions were offered,
DBS Superleggera AAAAA21.11.18 Hybrid Mulliner AAAAB17.8.22 XE 2.0 R-Sport AAAAB1.7.15 Super 3 AAAAB  9.11.22 Steering was low geared and one of the most popular being
DBX AAAAB28.10.20 Bentayga W12 AAAAB18.5.16 E-Pace D180 AWD SE AAABC11.4.18 heavy, but that contributed to the two-tone Charleston. There
707 AAAAC30.11.22 F-Pace 2.0d AWD AAAAC11.5.16 NISSAN
BMW the car’s impressive stability, are around 3000 2CVs on our
P400e R-Dynamic HSE AAAAC1.12.21 Micra 0.9 N-Connecta AAAAC26.4.17
AUDI which was allied to strong roads today and nearly 4000
1 Series 118i M Sport AAAAC30.10.19 SVR AAAAB24.7.19 DIG-T 117 N-Sport AAACC27.3.19
A1 Sportback 35 TFSI S line AAABC2.10.19 2 Series 220i Coupé AAAAC1.6.22 I-Pace EV400 S AAAAB12.9.18 Juke 1.0 DIG-T 117 AAABC29.1.20 grip. Long suspension travel SORN. A project car is typically
A3 Sportback S3 AAABC18.11.20 M2 CS M-DCT AAAAB19.8.20 Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T 158 AAAAC28.7.21 and cunning damping blessed about £4000 and a fair choice
A4 S4 TDI AAAAC18.9.19 218i Gran Coupé M Sport AAACC8.4.20 J E E P Ariya 87kWh Evolve AAABC26.10.22 the ‘deux chevaux’ with a of MOT’d 2CVs start at around
RS4 Avant AAAAC14.2.18 3 Series 320d M Sport AAAAA15.5.19 Compass 2.0 M’jet 4x4 L’d AAACC3.10.18 GT-R Recaro AAAAB16.11.16 ride that impressed on the £6000, with the best examples
A5 S5 AAABC11.1.17 330d xDrive M Sport AAAAB15.1.20 4xe S AAACC16.2.22 road and astonished across a pushing beyond £10,000.
A5 Sportback 2.0 TFSI S line AAABC8.3.17 330e M Sport AAAAB1.7.20 Renegade 4xe Trailhawk AAACC30.6.21

11 JANUARY 2023 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 81

SLIDESHOW
The zaniest concept
cars ever made

he whole point of the

T concept car is to push

the boundaries of design
and technology. But
sometimes a car maker or design
house doesn’t know when to stop.
These are the concepts that were so
over the top they were never going
to reach the road in any form. Some
have become legends but others
were soon forgotten – the best thing
that could have happened to them.
RICHARD DREDGE
Renault EZ-Ultimo 2018
The term ‘living room on wheels’ has been with us for a long time, but with this car the description is for once bang on
the money. Better still, the EZ-Ultimo could drive itself, allowing you all to party en route to your, er, next party. Revelry
had its limits, however, as there was only room for three people, despite the vehicle’s 5800mm length. It was designed
to imagine a future of private super-luxury travelling. All-electric, it promised a range of 310 miles. Then company CEO
Carlos Ghosn promised at the time of its arrival that a Renault robotaxi would be on the road in 2022. That idea proved
elusive, as indeed is the man himself today, in ways that he couldn’t have possibly contemplated in 2018.

Ghia Action 1978 Citroën Karin 1980 Peugeot Proxima 1986

It’s not clear whether the time ran out or the
money did, but Ghia managed to design just
half a car with the Action. Having made a great
start at the front, the company got as far as the
B-pillars, then stopped. Born at the height of the
wedge, the Action was penned by Filippo Sapino –
perhaps most notable for his role in the Ford
RS200’s design – and featured a rear-mounted
Cosworth DFV V8 engine from Formula 1.
With no new production models to unveil at the
1980 Paris motor show, British-born designer
Trevor Fiore was ordered by his Citroën bosses
to make a splash with a concept car – and make a
splash he certainly did with the trapezoidal Karin.
With a central driving position, the driver was
flanked by a passenger on either side and behind,
McLaren F1-style, although its headlights were
more conventional, aping the Citroën SM’s.
In 1986, the fastest, most glamorous Peugeot you
could buy was a turbocharged, four-wheel-drive
205. But the firm unleashed its imagination to
produce the four-wheel-drive Proxima supercar,
featuring a twin-turbo 2.8-litre 24-valve V6 good
for 600bhp. It was packed with near-fantasy kit
that’s now everyday, including anti-skid control,
sat-nav, cameras instead of wing mirrors, digital
displays, autonomous braking and LED lighting.

Chrysler Voyager III 1989
Here was an idea definitely divorced from reality.
Chrysler’s design team came up with a three-seat
city car that could be mated to a separate rear
pod, enabling the Voyager III to become a people
carrier for eight. Each segment contained a four-
pot petrol engine that could operate in concert.
Its designer, Tom Gale, also gave us the Dodge
Viper Mk1 and Mk2, plus the Plymouth Prowler.
Honda Fuya-Jo 1999
Shown at the 1999 Tokyo motor show, the
Fuya-Jo was a cross between an armoured
car and a supermarket trolley. It featured a
minimal glasshouse and wheels that looked
as though they had been stolen from a Lego set.
The car was conceived as an urban runabout for
bright young things in Tokyo on a night out and
despite its size promised seating for four.
Rinspeed X Dream 1999
Truly in keeping with Rinspeed’s left-field
reputation, the X Dream was a pick-up that
featured a 5.5-litre Mercedes-Benz engine and
offered little in the way of comfort or protection
from the elements while also coming with its own
hovercraft that hoisted off the back, presumably
when you arrived at the beach. Oddly enough, it
didn’t arrive as a precursor to series production.

82 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11 JANUARY 2023

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