&\ 2 MAGS 5 i.) § A-Z EVERY NEW CAR REVIEWED AND PICTURED A TADS NMA GARY Britain's biggest and best car buyer’s guide EVERY MODEL, EVERY DETAIL More MPG, a sharper drive: your next company car is here Aud Ad tat ak Mey A p44 = ~~ How tosave Why 208 has the Q9—=O_= cash-and keep looks to trump Fiesta your warranty [mg90? gsizs gow? = is a3 5S 3 Nod 3. w a . 2°~.38 08? ook © ost eS8rta 22% WYO ok 38h ma cine? giv hag yo? 2h 8 ev 0s" oY” m2 ws w £282 yee 2 a. ss é You can get a new Golf from only £14,850, with 3 years’ free servicing and £1,000 deposit contribution. (No matter which way you look at it} ‘To order a brochure visit wwwwolkswagen.co.uk Representative P £1,000 deposit contribution available on all Golfs excluding GT, GTI, GTD and R trim levels. No additional deposit 4.9% APR issesnni wie9 4% i Pm» Sy ny eo” Sey, NS ae Ny wounquyuos — Ay 2 en, Ay ey wsodep 900'13 pue Way og yO Sor Busiasas aod sanad ¢ Yj . %e “ey ‘OS8'VL3 Ayo wos ae 10D mau bv 496 une no, Unbelievable valve. @ Das Auto. Is require. Free servicing fr 3 years or 30000 miles (whichever comes soonest) is available to customers who purchase ther cars with Solutions. Subject to Finance, Freepost WTS. Both oes resticed 1o vehicles sold and reystered on or before December Ss, 200 Ofers may be vied o withdrawn at any tne 60. (4.7); extra urban 42.2 (6.7)~ 83.1 (3.4); combined 33.2 (8.5) ~ 74.3 (3.8). COz emissions 199~ 99g/km.Audi Vorsprung durch Technik QR QU Audi ultra lightweight technology means ultra precise handling. A lighter body is a more agile body. Take the new AG Avant for instance. It's engineered with Audi ultra lightweight technology. Part aluminium, it’s up to 70kg lighter than its predecessor. So it’s better equipped to handle every twist and turn that comes its way. For more information, visit your local Audi Centre or audi.co.uk/A6 The new Audi A6 Avant. 42.8 (66) - 62.8 (4.5), Combined 34.4 (8.2)~ 56.5 (5.0), CO2 emissions 190-132g/km. For more information visit audi.co.uk/A6SHHH... JOIN THE QUIET REVOLUTIONTHE NEW LEXUS CT 200h THE WORLD'S FIRST FULL HYBRID © EexusS LUXURY COMPACT CAR The Lexus CTisleading a quiet revolution. is sophisticated hull hybrid system creates near-slent drivingin electric made, with class-leading low emissions and superb fuel efficiency. Andit offers company cer drivers best-in-class BK tax rating of only 10%. Allthis comes with the award-winning qualty, comfort and refinement that Lexus is renowned for, rom £23,485, lous HYBRID JOIN IN AT LEXUSCOUK/REVOLUTION DRIVE| CONTENTS | | i | WHAT CAR t{ ritain’s biggest and best car buyer's guide The UK's most = ithorough car comparisons MW 3 Series and vs Peugeot 208 > 1Series, Delta and Golf ympact executive and supermini ‘Threenew rivals take on the al-conquering Volkswagen First drives Green MPVs | wat ansupermini p25 "New Ford S-Max vs Peugeot $008 vs Volkswagen Touran. | Anat -tron Spyder Concept car CCan these small diesels cope withthe demands of family fe? Low-tax executive cars "New BMW 520d Efficient Dynamics vs Audi A620 TDI Superminis New chrysler Ypilon vs Nisan Mera | Chevrolet Voit Electric car p34 | erysier 200¢ Executive car p29 . SUVs New Aud 03 vs Range Rover Evoque Ferrari 58 Sper c rvertbe p39 Ourcars Honda Civic Smal aly car p29 Final reports on ou ume withthe Skoda Yt an Volvo S60, and panda 30 Sal fay cor 35 frstreports onthe Alfa Romeo Glia, Volkswagen Passat Estate and Au Aplus 1S more ong term cars Your cars You tell us all about the cars you lve with every day Up Supermini p36 lews | New adready to battle Series pad | MoT test set or safety shakeup pas ice 8 | anuany 200,JANUARY 2012) | | ‘This month's big surprise.. ‘The Civic's refinement and front headroom are poor We expectedit tobe better than the old car atleast, butitsnt 4 i Buyingand 101 o Advice and tips Every new car tosave youftes 8 itestedandrated 7 w=. > ———>—- Get the new car finance deal that suits you reviewed and pictured How to avoid being stung withthe wrong inancedeal ‘Our must-read guide to every new caron sale Slash your parts bill 10: Don’t miss our comprehensive new Cutyour parts bilin al and keep your ers warranty intact car listings section. Before you buy, Used Star Car 11 make sure you explore our 38-page A-Z. Honda ivc blend futuristic style with rational reliably Listed by category, every car is Used twin test 15 | teviewed and rated. Find out what we pte Renae Wai veta00: think of your next car, and its rivals. Hot.used deals I BMW SSeries is now a bargain geta cheap drop-top now o TT ween UST ee Teta ar vn oe bebe dito ae 1900 and figures on Helpdesk every new Car ‘Asia owner stung by rocketing insurance premium | Ask us anything | can youre just two winter tyres to your car? | What Car? Subscriptions Getthe magazine or less. and delivered direct What Car? Warranty 104 Protect your car with our expert cover What Car? Contract Hire and Leasing 114 Car leasing made easy with What Car? Insurance, Finance, Brokers, 24 [Registrations and Services directory water JANUARY 2082 | 9Win-win. The new E-Class Executive SE from £359°a month. Standard equipment includes satellite navigation with media ‘connectivity, 17*alloy wheels, eather upholstery and twin exhausts. And with low monthly payments, you cant lose Visit mercedes-benz.couk/offers 125! years of innovation ‘For business users only. Advance payment and fee applies. Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg. (litres per 100k) forthe, E-Class Saloon range: urban: 20.5 (13.8) - 45.6 (6.2), extra urban: 37,7 (7.5) - 67.3 (4.2), combined: 28, 7.6 (4,What our ratings mean #®#E® OUTSTANDING %#RRO GOOD #ROO AVERAGE OOO BELOWPAR * POOR N n Welcome HAS BMW MOVED the game on again? because its 207 has long since been Editor's picks ‘The specs and figures of the new left behind by the Ford Fiestaand VW | Weinvestgatehow 3Series (explored in detail from p18) _Polo. The 208 (p24) looks encouraging, | 2M9Me ater yoer reveala car which, despite outwardly though, with less weight, prettier carseconomy and subtle gains, promises majorstep in _stylingand remarkable economy emissions. it areas that benefit buyers. and emissions claims that could onl? Sea Neither of ts = slash its running costs. Withitsnew 208, main rivals, ‘They're two very Peugeotisaiming torecapturethe the Audi Ag different Star Cars, ime and Mercedes then, but in real- Iteerainlylooks C-Class, has world terms, both thepart 2a a model that can aretremendously | Hondasltestivic deliver atax-busting auwsnews: exciting—and likely | oesbattleinour Big new 3Series Teston54.butthe 109g/km of CO; emissions, ¢praywiticepeeaity ‘0 Push forward trends, Tene yetthe 320d ED willoffer _ standardstising and tech that benefit usall. | stitastrong choice. that even when it’ fitted UsedstarCar-pti2 with an automatic transmission. We Z can’t wait to see how this transfers to the road when we test it next month, Straight taking, straightforward Joti Metiroy magazine editor buying advice for Meanwhile, Peugeot facesatall __Jormmenoyfsmegcareen corres onsale order in thesmall hatchback stakes _witeomjomnmelioy Sotsonpt29| The What Car? team costae, retain — basen Caer Girrondtester Deter reer Seen es nieces tatoo ee acer enc fopmtter Seis Stenad fetes eter reese Sbig tana peer earn nce a | ones eae IVA] isons RA iano | Shaner eae See ES Santee epmogaper a = oe vere gucci soroate Sect Se ecmr tases Scans ae tL =. f= = ae Tots cac tm ar iocaceoeate Pree oe Miccceae |e kg uty et Someones COPD wre Sane tor ‘Emma Butcher Will Nightingale: ‘wan Aistrop — a mane Setter etoatr rbot Ee aoa ——_— So <) | Beeiaial Beene Sidon oon Y eeeonos yp aia as NOP eestictour ‘ans ator ecte rr ee malate See nt rie tana ss Ccomertprtrin ty arrears Sows Sontash haere any o20 2575568 Envuresthatourteste Jainbeadsup theteam Aswllassouring news eainenaies aa FS atin Sramcentee [trevor ota Se itavegteyine [PEN | wing wet ee PA 2 eioerine rare ese ako ecton tearm JANUARY 202 | TLA Ae eee ining a generous 929 miles on a be De Re is designed around you.ABOUT WHAT CAR? Why WhatCar? = ‘am conscs_ tests are the best We've been giving expert, impartial advice for more than 37 years. Before we get ina car, we research the needs of a typical buyer. We drive every car over hundreds of miles on every type of UK road. We have our own facilities to test, assess and photograph the cars. Our verdicts are based on hard data, not seat-of-the-pants hunches. We mystery-shop every car to get you the best Target Price savings. wuany 2002 | 13LIGH/TER ON THE ROAD oe LIGHTER ON YOUR WALLET The Mazdaz2 TS Air Con, only £8,995. More fun. Less money. Lighter by design, heavy on specification, the NER ee oe ee are the payments. The price includes a £1,310" saving. PCat i ial fuel consumption fia 4 4.8 (6.3) 673 (42)| TARGET PRICE | Save with What Car? Target Price Volvo V70 20 D3 ES List price £28,000 Target Price £25,264 Target Price is the most you should pay for your new car - never pay more. Target Price is worked out by our mystery shoppers, who haggle with the dealers so you don't have to. If your dealer won't match the Target Price we'll find you one who will. Call us on: 0845 527 6394 or visit whatcar.com/targetprice WhatCar? Going the extra mile UsEDcARJust another thing that's ‘super about our supermi The Suzuki range now aalable VA ree with customer savings onal modes from £1,70 to £2,357 For more information call 0845 850 8800 or visit wwrw.suzuki.co.uk ‘Model shown is the Swift SZ4 Sdr available at £10, 420" the ead (neal paint at £399). ‘suit range official fuel consumption figures ‘insmpg (L/100km}: urban from 415 (6.8) o 55.4 (51), extra urban from 57.6 (4.8) to 78.5 (36), combined from 50.4 (5.6)t067.3(4.2). Sem SumsiCarsi (Official CO, emissions from 1294/km to 109m Goa-‘0-62mph in 4.4sec and Bestel eS ere ely bee “Sohvcntentacient it WHATCAR? erty water A ee ae a eg Chevrolet Volt Aventador New Audi A4 Lo ic ctric s arevamp be enough to take Volkswagen Up p36‘More space, higher pace, lower costs’ [BMWs compact exec aimsto deliver the utimate driving and ownership package = SSeriesgenesclearlyonshowintallights Gearboxes willinclude aneightspeed auto _High-gloss blackair intakes on Sport model Whatis it? The sixth Cosisandbeterperormanct,‘Thststhefs series tobe generation Of BMW'S Class- $StiswneritgocsonsaleinUX SMW dsignehie Adnan van leading compact Executive “itncmexeqrsionor — carstaasserctook whilethe Price from £24,880 Tanufsctarersomallesceutve eresessimplifted tpvea lean! On sale February 2012 replaces butiteauollgher| hebeenextended inwards, saa incuingengine topetrcacoss "Thenewearisgamm longer therangtandancightspeed. thantspredecesor wth som tMiomdicgeatbor wilt ofthatie hewheabase ts bow tcimprowefuceconamtand_esbinspce saloon, reduced, emisions snd uprosolg lighter, sxnaRy 201 | 19Chassis tuning DrivePerformance Controlsystem Main dashis angled seven degrees towards the aso optimises usage of energy by ciimatecontrolandhieatedseats | | driver. central6Sinch colour screen sstandard across he ange SET Sport:timmed models ES Available on 316d only ‘get 18nchalloy Even in this most basic rm, the 3 Series stil comes with neh alloy wheels, heelsasstandard iDrive, 65 inch colour screen keyless ignition, acon, cruise control an Bluetooth as standard ‘SE Avallable on 316, 3184, 320d, 320d ED, 3201, 3281 ‘The entry level on the majority of maxis, SE builds on ES spec by ading THEIMPOSSBLE >» SPACE TRY ME IF YOU DARE! i bol UA THE SMART MONEY'S ON YARIS ety, Offa Fue tion Figures mpg (100%) for ban 42.5 (6.8) - 58.9 (4.8), Extra Urban So G4.7)"G0 Sy Combmed ie Gs). 72:4 (9). COs Emsons ia7o/kn-dag/iem‘Up to 200bhp in the GIT Hot2081GTshouldreinvigorate Peugeot hathatch reputation ‘Improved packaging makes the 208 more practical and roomy’ smaller than-usual steering wheel, which Peugeot claims improves ergonomics by providing more space for the Instruments and controls, The ‘entre of the dash is dominated by large touch-screen, which will Delfited as standard to most ‘models, but nt ll The head -up display already seen on the 3008, 508and 5008 will nt beavallable. Despite the 208 being 7em shorter~and xcmlower~than the 207, improved packaging makes it ‘more practical reckons Peugeot, ‘The 207 isn't as roomy as most rival, with limited rear legroom, Dbutthe208 has sem more than its predecessor aswellasan extra litres of boot space Thanks oitscompact dimensions and more advanced construction the 208 isalso substantially lighter than the 207 ‘The average weight reduction across the rangeis nokg, but in Some models theloss sas much asr73kg.Atg75kg, the lightest, 208 is 66kglighterthan even the skinniest Ford Festa, The reduced weight should ‘make the 208 more fun to drive Itcertainly contributes towards ‘adramatiedrop in CO, emissions, ‘with an average range reduction ‘of 34g/km. The cleanest diesel now emis just 87a/km, Peugeot hasnt confirmed ‘whetherallof the five avallable diesel engines willbe brought to the UK, butboth4and 6 litre versions areexpected, Most will Smaller than-usualsteering heel creates aroomier driving environment ‘The Peugeot 205 GTI hot hatch legend, bt performance versions ofthe 206 and 207 ‘were disappointing. Peugeot hhopes to return to form with the 208 GTI Due in 2013s tikely tobe powered by 150bhp and 200bh~p versions ofthe 16-tre petrol engine thats also used in ‘the Mini.Compact dimensions ‘and ow weight should make the 208 GT agile enough to give the Mini Cooper Sand Renaultsport loa realrun for thelr money. haveastop-start system as standard WHE 4" Arounda quarter ofthe car wil bbemade from recycled ornatural materials of'green’ materials, with 25% of thecar andallwillemitlessAnexeting-and__| ~includingthe entire thanggg/km.Fuel welcome direction | rear bumper =built figureshaven'tbeen shiftby Peugeot _ | from materials that confirmed, but weld expect the most efficient version totop Sompg. The biggest drop inCO, emissions comes courtesy of anew range of petrol engines, ‘The bignews s the introduction of new 10and 12 litre three-) 0) 0] ¢) Ol tae PAS) oes >> A big idea for your budget. ee ease Reon arse PrersGrs rsa oe aa eecrc wes‘Hugely capable and so fast?’ B.'s: ‘Theopen topa5s manages to improve on an already astonishing supercar ‘What sit? Mid-engined Ferrari that takes just 14 seconds tostack with retractable metal roof itselfaway Price £198,906 On sale Now ifthe roofs down but the door MPG 212 CO, 3074/km windows arestillup,airinsidethe cabin does no more than eddy |] FORMANY,Aroofless Ferariisthe gently,adding considerably tothe | ulumatedfeamcar.Thisnew intense pleasure of diving thiscar | Spidersets upthedreamasthe top-down. The tripleexhausts | droptopversionofthemarques _serenadeyouwithan | most popularmodel,thegs8.—_ extraordinary rangeof grew fabricroofed Fa3o that itreplaces, virtually as refined as, this4sBhasan aluminium roof" thecoupe. ‘Stylish, butnot very easy touse lWsalso just as accomplished in the corners. The body has been strengthened toallow the coupes suspension settings tobe used with more supple shock absorbers, Asaresult, the Spider slices easily through comers and has very litle body shake over rougher roads Grip isequally extraordinary. However, there'sstill more than fenough power to tweak the 458's tall out oflineifyoutloosen the traction and stability controls, using the steering.wheel-mounted ‘manettino. The what? Manettino {isthe name Ferrari gives to the red rotary knobon the steering wheel thatalters the scaleof Intervention fromthe ‘Viewitwith the topupand you noises, butquieten cars safety systems, _may struggle to identify tas down atacruise, Detachableroof | toallow experienced aconvertiblebecause,unlike the makingtheSpider deepens 458s appeal | driversto push tto the absolute limit. tealso Auickens the 438s paddle-shift gearchanges stiffens} {he suspension and sharpens the accelerators responsiveness Ifyou'reinthe market for ‘adrop-top supercar, this Ferrari should definitely be on your list Is hugely capable and soso fast. That you can quickly fold away the roof merely heightens the driving and ownership experience. B Richard Bremner Enginesize asve | Pricefrom fisas06 | Power sezonp | o-camph asec ‘Top speed r89mph Economy 212009 Oz femfax sons "aNGET PRICE 196905 Forget 458 wang are lon, andnot geting any shorter Lamborghini Gat Spyder Porsche SI Cale Turbo Formoreinformation SERED (Fes 58 Spier ‘onwhatcarcom, Honda Civic1.8 i-VTEC ati it? Petro-engined | version ofthe new Cae | Price 17995-22580 | On sale January 2012 | Mec 441-487 60, 137350a/hm | THELASTTIMEtheCiviewas diesel compares with a previously thefigure replaced, Honda gave usadesign the competition. Here, was 42.8mpg. revolution. Thisnew modelis”_we'refocusingonthe | ThebestCivic but | Pullawayandit | moreaboutevolution.Itnotonly morepowerfulofthe _itsstilflawed | quickly becomes | lookssimilarto ts predecessor, two petrols. obvious that the | butusesthesame platform stil, This litre unitis engine i short of | Honda promisesimprovementsin relatedtotheone intheoldcar, low-down muscle compared with | justabout every area, but poweris fractionally up, ‘the turbocharged petrol units in ‘Ourgroup test, which startson _andi'snow capable of returning page 4.tells youhow the2-litre ahighly competitive 487mpg; Dashboardisdefinitelystyleled Bighoot;rear seats olddownflat rivals such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Goll, However, still flexible enough to keep up with the general flow of traficwithout the help of frequent gearchanges. ‘There'sastep in performance ‘when you hit 350orpm, beyond ‘which acceleration becomes seriously ively ‘True, the engine drones. bit at aasteady motorway cruise, but the road noise is far more intrusive As witha versions ofthe latest Civic Honda has tried to make the car easier tolive with by saerificing agility in the search for comfort, but the ride can still feel quite “unsettled, Atleast the petrol ear tums in to bends more sharply than the diesel, thanks tits significantly lighter engine ‘We just wish it had abetter Interior: headroom and over-the- shoulder visionare both poor Ultimately, t's these failings, and the significant road noise, that prevent the Civie from getting lose to the class leaders ‘Stove Huntingtons & Stevenusingtorswhacacam \syRANceGROUPIGAT AIRBAGS Boones SEATSS: COLOURS "ancer ice tbe Honda celeron kato scout. ut fexpect ogee hundes pounds of Enginesize 1 Pricefrom 11995 Power saan | o-s2mph see | Topspeed ‘aamph | Economy asrmes | (coz max umm | Ford Focus 1 Ezobooe. Volkswagen Gl LATS! sxnuany 201 | 39Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover Sport What are they? Updated 4x4s with more efficient engine and new gearbox On sale Now Price £37,995-£74,595 MPG 32.1 CO2 230g/km RECENT CHANGES TO the design, ‘ofthe Land Rover Discovery, Range Roverand Range Rover Sport are pretty hard to spot, incorporating toweaks tothe front grills ofall three, new alloys onthe Disco, And tweaked sde vents on the Range Rover. However, engineers havealso been hardat workon the bits you cant see The 30rltre V6 diesel inthe Discovery (called SDV6) and Range Rover Sport (TDV6) now putsout 230g/km of CO, down from 2448, although that doesn't affect the amount you'll pay in company car tax Nonetheless fuel economy improves by around mpg. There’ only one transmission: anew eight speed automatic Enginesize —_Discovery307D Price from 27995, Power 220hp ‘o-somph ‘asec Top speed 1aroh Economy imp coz giaitax 015% | msunancecnour2941-amancs® ‘ance rnc tbe ‘You shou be abl to et round £2000 ofthe Discovery straight any amw'xs ‘Volkswagen Tove gearbox, withsteering ‘wheel-mounted paddlesasstandard. Engine tweaks keep Motorway. As you We'vedriven the Discovery, and the upgrades have made analready great car even better The rotary gear selector rises out ofthe centre console and the engine does a fine ob of getting such aheavy ‘arup to speed: it’ quiet while cruising and the new gearbox s rarely unsettled. You can pip the paddles to change gear, bbut there’ litte need when the auto box always seems tobein the right ratio I’sbest to just sit backand eax. Despiteits size, the Discovery remains composed through bends Range Rover Sport TDVE gets to6Omphin8ssec aandis supremely CEES comfortable on the the Discovery ontop Woulkl expect of ‘Land Rover, its off-road capabilities are tremendous. Changes tothe interiors ofthe Discovery and Range Rover Sport are minimal. The Discovery has redesigned touch screen graphics onthe centre console and a smaller key fob, while the Range Rover Sport gets an electrically ‘operated boot door. Both cars get Upgrades tothe stereo and sat-nav, andoverll thecabins of these cars are luxurious places tobe. tainneis Sinkewtcacom PEI White any eyesare on the Defenders sucesso the stunning DC100 Concept which we'e diving nnext mont’s Issue), Land Rove sithad some work todo onthe current version tomake itcompant tn EU emissions equations. ‘Sofor 2012 the Defender now hasa22ire diesel engine compared wit the outgoing 24 Power. torque and fel economy remain the same, but CO, and ster emissions have fallen Itsat relative, thoughceven the cleanest Defender puts out265ghkm of CO» The car remains awesome offroad but despite the improvements ial onit 40 |sanuany 202) :Swift Sport ‘THE PREVIOUS GENERATION ‘Swift Sport was one of our favourite hot hatches ‘because ofits simple ‘old-school charms and low price. Suzuki has used the same recipe ‘again with this newone, Dutisthatenough ina modern-day hot hatch world dominated by 2o0bhp+ monsters? Engine size Prices) Power o-62mph Topspecd Ezonomy 4im99 (COzgiemtax ann sance Rove to amuncs 7 Doors? seats couounsS "anceremc tbe Suzuk has yea amnounce pies sotstoo cary totak about dscounts FordFiesia Zetec RR Renault Twingo 3p 16 ‘14000 abr rece ‘imp ‘It's best to just sit back and relax’ ‘Te Land Rover Discoverys néw automatic gearbox'sso good youlhardlyneedtotouchthe gearshit paddles ‘Thenew Sports rev hungry 16itre petrol engine dishes out mere 3qbhp, but the Swift ‘weighs a third ofa tonneless thana GolfGT1 soitlives upto itsname. Keep the revs high, nap through the close-rati six-speed gearbox (the previous model had only five gears) and you'llbe doing ‘6amph in 87 seconds. Ison twisty roads where the Swift really shines, though, Itdarts from corner tocornet with very litle body lean while the quick, well-weighted steering gives you the confidence topush thecarto ts limits, Theextragear has made the Revhappy 1s ren emery ‘motorway, and has also had the happy effect of cutting fuel consumption nd CO, emissions, The easy ifecontinues inside, because Suzuki has loaded the new Swift Sport with cruiseand imate controls, privacy glass, Bluetooth and a USB socket ‘Wereckon that Suzuki will beontoa winner ifthe estimated price of £1,000 proves accurate. ‘The new swift Sport improves on the previous carina number of key ways without losing the ‘old-school magic that made it sucha hoot todrive, \watnintingate Vthigngsetvhatcacom engine much more relaxed onthe | Renault Fluence ‘THEFLUENCE SHARES much with the Nissan Leaf, but with one crucial difference: rather than ‘buying the car complete with batteries, you lease the battery from Renault which, it says, will ensure stronger resale values. "That may seem complicated, butat east the car couldn't be simpler to drive. You just turn the key, engage Drive, and go. ith peak torque ‘coming immediately, the Fence accelerates Givesthe Leafarun forits money eee strongly and keeps up with traffic mand out of town easly. However, the soft suspension allows the body tomovea fair degree in bends, soit's not an enthusiast’ car Instead, the emphasisis on refinement; evenat speed all you'lhearisa whine from the motor when you floor the accelerator. The only surprise is thatthe ridecan berm, Inside, the Fluence looks like any regular Renault, land there tle to ‘complain about. ‘The driving position Iscomfortableand you can carry four [adults in comfort, ‘Top speod ses (COzg/kwitax ox trsuRancecrourtbe Amaacs Doors’ stares) couounstbe "ance Pt toe tra maximum €5000 granttrom the Government thre aren scours Nisan eat ‘Vauxhall pera ee RH Ws disappointing that the battery eats into the boot space, but the big question is deciding ifthe Fluence will ft your este. In several ways is better thana Leafitcosts less ands expected to have better resale values~butby its very nature the Fluence is compromised and can never be more than second car Formost. Range extender cars such as the Chevrolet Volt (page 34)and Vauxhall Ampera area more practical solution fr low-emission_ ‘everyday motoring ‘andy Pringle AnayPriele@haearcom | rrasoitr Nor look hat diferent | toa regular A8, but the new S8 | hasmote in common with Audi's | Résupercar when tcomesto | performance. Under the bonnet | sanallmew twin-turbocharged olite V8 petrolengine, which { kicks out enough powerto { slingshot this bigiimo to62mph | quicker than the rival Mercedes S63 AMG. | Retinementis equally {impressive Audis'activenoise | cencelltion system worksin | much the same way 3s noise | cancelling headphones, by | suppressingany external sound | tharrndsits way into the eabin | There realso someneat tricks to improve fue eficieny, sich | asanew'eylinderon demand { system, which shuts down halt {ortheengine'seight cylinders | when you're crusingtosave fue. Tust don't expect miracles in the | corners. The tipsthe sales at | almost wo tonnes soit doesnt | ke changing direction quickly. ‘Given that the ssn that | exciting todrve,wecant help thinking you'd be bette off with | theatre VB diesel AB. 1's | almost ae quickin the real word, | ismuch more economical and | coststi5000 ess to buy. FPR) wrrssoningate [BOW visi wnstcarcem S8has plenty ofgripinbends puvensriLe Engine size Price Ces Power o-6amph ‘Top speed Economy za ‘coz g/knitax 28% ImsuRANEEGROUPtEC AMRAGS ons seaTsS cououRs 13 Tancer cee Isto ea forasteeron scouts, butexoectemalleavingslntime aguae Supersport # #8 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG #*% sover £30000 stip 4256 155reh watearcom JANUARY 2082 | AtBMW Z4 sDrive20i and 28i What is it? New four-cylinder engines for BMWs roadster Price from £29,480 On sale Now MPG 415 CO, 159a/km ‘THEZ4 HAS been our favourite roadster sinceits launch in2009, Iesonly ever had thirsty six cylinder petrol engines available, though so hasalways taken battering in the sales charts from ‘Aual’s frugal TT Roadster. That ‘could be about to change with the launch of two new turbocharged four-eylinder petrol versions, ‘hich boost fuel economy by 20% and bring lower CO, emissions. The2"itresDriveaol replaces the outgoing 25 litre sDrivez3i asthe entry-level model. With 1Bibbp, the new engine has slightly less power, but italso shaves off few kilos of weight, so there'sbarely any performance penalty. The new engine pulls Strongly from much lower inthe Barta Lambor; ‘THE NEW AVENTADORis the latest Inalong line of Lamborghini's Via ‘mid engined monsters. The Vi2 inguestionisanall-new 6. ire motor and tsendsits 690bhp through a new automated paddle-shift manual gearbox and ‘four-wheel-drive chassis, Under full throttle every upshift gives you a thump inthe back as the carspears towards the horizon ata pacetthat few rivalscan puvERsFILE Engine size sv Price from 2222700 Power 20th samen 2088 Top speed 27h Economy ‘649 cOzg/kw/tax sows INSURANEEGROUPSO AmeAcs Doors? Sears? cotours > "ance ic 242280 _ALthe moment theresa wating ‘sofergetaaiscount, Ferrario 888% Mclaren Mpanac #8 sweeter than the 20's spitting and popping between gearchanges land when you back off the power Despite being £945 cheaper than the outgoing model, the new sDriveaot also comes better equipped, adding leather sets, Bluetooth and automatic lights and wipers. The sDriveaSi adds Bluetooth tothe specof the old sDriveoi and costs E1o15less. ‘Overall, then, the BMWs oadsteris. [| revised 4 pulls even rev range than the od car, so you vottlejustfor | nowevenbetter |) fartherahead ofits don'thavetoworkitashard to thehellofit-Thenew | eee rivals. ThePorsche build speed quickly, sDriveaSi version Boxster remains the Wsnotall good news, though. (which replaces the 3oi) uses the class benchmark for performance Thesix-cylindermodelhowled _samebasic2ovlitreengine, but and handling, but throw likea proper sportscar,and while kicks outa much more muscular thenew fourcylinder unit sounds 2gabhp. The extra Gibhp over the bassyat low revsandrorty when 201 makes the 28 seriously rapid, worked, itis't that special sort of witha brutal surge of power from sound thatIhave you prodding 130orpm. The engine also sounds BUYERS FILE Engine size Price eto S365 Power ‘atom 2020hp samph 6 350c 5 750C Topspeed armen 155mph Economy 415mg Smo COsgikmitax 159121% 1597 Formoreinformation (SSF Barna Chevrolet Standardleather and Bluetooth Aventador LP-700-4 Aveo VCDI WHEN THE CHEVROLET Aveo goes onsalenext year, itTaimtowin fuipermini buyers by providing lotsofspaceand equipmentat a bargain price Gor ths Fcodiesel version nd youl also enjoy ts bargain running cost. | “turetumnsanoficalaverage Ieeallyisasquickasitlooks | of 78.smpg andemilsCO, at arate of just 95/km-impressive compete with;thesteeringislight_|iguresthatare dential to those fndprecise,andithecarisjustas | of our favourite econom-focused Capable oftrundiingalongat | supermini, the Ford Fiesta, normal traffic speeds. However, | Econetic Whilethe Festa the gearshiftisn'tas smooth provides the figures with little asdouble clutch systems fornocompromise, though, the ‘The big Lambo can be same can't he said of the Aveo Intimidating todriveon narrow | The 9gbhp 13 litre diesel engine British roads but 'scomifortable | feels decidedly lazy at lower revs. and the view forwards far better than you'd expect.Big brash and noisy, it makes Ferraris seem lke wallflowers eee crate everything else intothe equation land the BMW has it beaten, watnihingate alNighingaeenatcacom msuaanceenour2139 ameacs 4 Doors? state? cououne® "ancer pice 2775 £31008 BW cess are aeady ashing the ‘ew 2s pre by upto£2500 [Au T Rdster RR HH Mercedes-Benz Suk * Buyers rie Enginesize 1370 Pricefrom £12795 Power ‘tne o-¢2mpt see ‘Top speed 108m p% Economy 7a5m09 (Oz kmrax osm msunanceorour9 —ammeacs 6 snoton sl ut January soit fen lospeculte about scouts Ford Fiesta Econetic # Rena Cio 15 co #8 8 ‘Therridecould be more comfortable, too, because it feels tery over broken surfaces. That said, the suspension does reasonable job of isolating you from potholes just don't expect tohave fun when the road opens ‘out~theres too much body lean land not enough steering fel, Ultimately, our money would stillgoon the Fiesta, but the Aveo {sa decent alternative for those ona tighter budget. PR eShwcecn 42 | anuary 20% wneacom‘We'd choose the manual over the auto’ ‘AusisS tronicgearboxisntatitsbestinthe 3 What is it? Audi's answer to the BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque Price £24,560-£31,210 On sale Now MPG 36.7-54.3 COz 137-179g/km | mie q31sthethirdot Audis | Obadged SUV models andthe Smallest sofa. itsmainivalisRange overs ebay, the vogue Ou in testfthese two cas which you ‘anreadon page wll ou ‘hich better Here though we | Concentrate on which version of theds youshould buy Therearefourenginesto choosefromall2 itrexnits ‘wth turbochargersand direct injection ofthe two petrolson oer we prefer the enty level ‘version with 1686p, I's smooth Sand flecbleanditmakesthecar pressive pick when you fiveiteome evs Thesixspecd tmandat gearshift isnt qulteso satisfying though, because the | changes arenotehy. | the other petrol engine | comes exclusively with Audi's Severssped semiaute tronic transmission but itso beter: the gentbenrokls on te gears for toolongandisreactant to kick down Whats more thisengine docsntfeela whol lot quiser than theentrylevelone despite | havinga rawner208bhp Moet buyers wor'teven consierthe petro though optinginstead for thelower nn costo diese engine ‘Weve driven the rangetoppe aar7sbhp unit that emitting CO, ata rate of comesinS tronic bmi 3565/km, That means formonly.Theengine Makesmoresense itl beaffordabletorun certainly feels strong thanrvalSUVS/—_byclassstandards. tenough forthejob, but the hesitant nature of the gearbox slows your progress. ‘The diesel islouderthan the petrol, too, and there's more Vibration through the pedals. ‘That sai, this version is pretty efficent, returning 4z9mpgand ‘Shallow boot hasalargelip Foreven lower runningcosts youmay want to waita month forthe other diesel engine toarrve.tt'sa138bhp ‘unt that drives the front wheels Instead ofall four, giving figures of 4:3mpgand 137g/km. That means itllbe considerably cheaper to Superb quality; posh materials run,and with prices starting at £24,560, illbethe cheapest 03, Granted, we haven't driven ityet, bbutitsounds very promising. ‘Of the two trims on offer, weld gofor the entry-level SE tprovides axuries such asalloys, climate control, Bluetooth and automatic lights and wipers. Sline timadds someneat-looking design touches tothe mix, but an eye-watering £2750 to the price, @ ravens Enginesize 201 Pricefrom £24560 Power trom 7 o-sampt ‘9950¢ ‘Top speed smeh Economy sa3me0 Coz emrax 738% No dicount yet but expect to get ‘ound E1000 of within a ew mons aw Range Rover Evoque Formore information search ao ‘onwhatcarcom sxnunny 201 | 43,me riesiined Allthe latest news, views and reports few Ad canuse your bile to access the b.andcan tell you youre too tired In detail New A4 takes on 3 Series Audi gives compact exec new style, technology and better quality to take on the new BMW 3 Series AUDI'S AgIS getting new look emits 9% ess, than its anda range of moreefficient, predecessor, at 134g/km. ‘leaner engines a it bids to take “The mos significant trim level ‘on BMWs newly launched 3 Series. S changes the removal ofthe base The revised A4 getsanew specaltogether; the range now bonnet grilleand headlights, YA start ast. New options includea anda different rearbumperand driver fatigue: monitoring system, taillights. Inside, there are new and a Bluetooth set-up that uses steering wheel designs, and the drivers phone toaccess Google ‘arevised version of Audis MMI onthe infotainment system. contro system; it isdesigned ‘The list prices increase by an tobe moreintuitve average of £200 across the revised Chassis tweaks include altered ‘Ag, AgAvantand Ag Alroad rear suspension, to improve the ranges Audi claims that the gains ‘Ag’srideand handling and |nCO, emissions will negate ‘electro-mechanical power steering almostallof the rise by the time that cuts CO, emissions by up to Toad tax is taken into account. ‘a/km. Audi claimsan average fuel economy gain of u% across the range. Updated system | |B ‘The Adiooks sharper and Therevisedengineline-up _andmnew steering hopefully itil be beter to drive. Includesacleaner versionof the wheel designs mark We cant waitto putitup against ‘Dievariant.lts13gbhpengine _outthenew Ad the new BNW 3 Series” row emits 1ag/km of CO, (down from 120g/km) although the Ag willfalshortofthenew 3042s "wreaks are so9g/km. Auli claims most 2.0 Meviliemoaneatones Gasigned eh an ped to improve thitemisagpemercosamda’ the Ad’s detuned 3.0e TD with 20bhp. “tiweaatesnanaene” Tide and Tipctpeneesttroe ~ Handling Latest Ad gets new headlights, alhights ‘andaltered suspension 4 |sanuay 208‘New steering cuts CO2 emissions by 7g/kmi’ News 80mph limit will cost you more every journey Much higher fuel consumption will be the price for a small time saving Raising the motorway speed tii to 80mph could increase average ‘uel consumption ana hike running costs for drivers. These were the results of a What Car? study after doing steady-speed testsat both 70mph and 8Omph with a diesel powered Ford Focus. These findings go against the proposal announced by the then Transport Secretary Philip Hammond in September when he said raising the speed limit would ‘generate economic benefits, worth hundreds of milions of pounds per ‘year from savings of travel time’ ‘AL7Omph, our Focus 16 TOC TIS Sr averaged 5.5mpg with our test ‘equipment and two people on board However, at BOmph the car ‘ould manage only 428mpa. Lower mpg figures mean higher costs fr motorists. Assuming the price of dieselis 14039 alte, amile ‘would cost around 12p with our test ‘ar butnearly Sp at mph, Thats ‘more than €300 every 12000 miles. Tt would aso lead to more ‘frequent fuel stops; the 53-tre tank 4 ‘Canyoustfford.a higher limit? Our tests, using our specialised equipment, suggestit could cost you dearly ‘At 80mph, you would save only 10 minutes inever 100 miles’ ‘on our Focus means tan do 600 miles at 70mph, but loses about 100 miles ofits range at 2Omph, Drivers would save time going at higher speeds, but only around 10 minutes every 100 milesifthe route were clear of traffic Forma proposals to increase the speedimit for ears and motoreycles ‘on mast stretches of motorway in England and Wales ae due tobe put forward for public consuitation ths year witha view to implement any changes in earty 2013 Tisisjustone othe ways Audlistakingon the threat oftherew BNW 3Series ‘Price news What you should really be paying for your new car £2040 < otate cofftheist price ee ia ety Family cars: average saving £3027 or 13.2% Performance cars and hot hatches average saving £1128 or 3.2% Don't miss out Sey Why the Government wants to Increase speed limit to 80mph (© 80mph represents best balance of cost and benefits (© Economic advantages from Feduced journey times © Carsare safer than in1965, when the 7Omph speed limit \wasimplemented (© New Uk speed mit would rmateh other EU countries @ bigher speed limit would ‘mean more Yegaf drivers ‘Our study showed ‘© Fuel consumption rose by 17% ‘0n16utreaesel Ford Focus (@ Focus’ tank range would fal Steam ap eee a Serger = Fen ae aii? ont ay seomeanorn are Poo ee sanuany 202) 4546 MoT changes imminent New checks will ensure cars have fully functional safety systems before being deemed roadworthy ‘DONTTPANIC'IS the message from the motor industry tocar ‘owners, as the Government prepares toadd checks on safety systems, including electronic stability control (FSC) and airbags, to the MoT tes. The advice comes after ‘overdramatised reports that drivers could be landed with repair bills of thousands of pounds and the potential torendertheircara write-off, Thenew checks are set to become part of the MoT test on January 1,2012, Most will involve anexamination of the system's warning lights and controls, ‘well asa visual inspection of Visible wiring and components. Stuart James, of the Retail Motor Industry Federation, said: 'Car ‘owners shouldn't he concerned, solongas they get their cars serviced regularly and act as soon, asawaming lights displayed. think the cost to the consumer ‘ofthese new checks has been ‘over-dramatised, Yes itcan cost £1000 toreplace an airbag butin ‘my experience unless the car has been inacollision, a warning light usually means faulty sensor ‘or wiring connection, which can take just couple of hours to fix spokesman forthe AA said thatthe new checks could come asan unpleasant shock to people who ignore warning lights, but added: We've been worried for Along time that modern cars are {going into the used market with Faulty safety systems, with the next buyer havingno idea Systems like airbags and ESC are there toreduce casualties soit’s best to know they're working ‘According tothe Department for Transport, cars fitted with ESCare involved in25% fewer accidents, while airbags save thousands of lives every year ‘The new checks could come as an unpleasant shock to motorists’ Elementsofthe ‘Taker's dash could ‘makeltintothes News Mazda reveals next 6 “This is the Mazda Taker, a concept that gives usa strong ce tohiow the next 6 fami car willook when itislaunched in 208, This cari the second Mazda {designed using tsnew Kodo design language. The fist was the CxS ‘SUV, andthe Takei has similar styling details, including the large front gre with ‘etal trim that lows into the headlights and sharp ‘creases along the sides. The interior asa controls. There's aniDrivestyle controller behind the gearlever and an unusually shaped information screen atthe top ofthe dash |Abody-coloured strip separates | simple sporty look, wth ‘centre console that houses|ust tree rotary Dene Electronic park brake Checks ofthe dash ght, and the site's condition Antitock braking Visible parts and wiring willbe checked 2s wellas the ABS warning lamp. Electronic stability controt A visual check of parts, wiring. ashlight and ESC switch ‘Airbags Must benot obviously detective. Other restraints and all warning lamps willalso be checked. Lighting HID andlor LED amp leveling and washing systems must be present and in good working order. Tyre pressure monitoring Inspection ofthe TPMS warning lamp applies to cars fist used onor after January 2012. ‘Cameras Where cameras replace mirrors, they must not be obscured or damaged sos toimpair the ear view. the upper andower pats ofthe panel which both feature stitched leather covering The Taker uses Mazda's Skyactiv engine efficiency technology, ‘which was introduced on the (OX andis designed to reduce fuel consumption and CO; emissions through a combination of ightweight construction and ‘new petrol and diesel engines. The Takerihasa stopstart system and a regenerative braking system, which converts kinetic energy to electric I Thisasists the engine and helpstosavetuel‘Got a light? Reach for the credit card’ ‘You may egret having ignored that dash warning ight nexttime youtake your carforits MoT test Astra VXR read to battle Golf GTI Hot version of the GTC has 276bhp, tops 155mph ‘Themew Astra VAR wilfitit ‘outwith the VW Golf GTland the forthcoming Ford Focus ST when itreaches dealerships in the spring ‘The VRRisbased on the three-door Astra GTC. ts 2OAite turbocharged engine produces _Z76bhp and 255 feof torque whichis enough fo the car to reach 155mph, Vauxhall has yet ose acceleration figures, but we expect the VXR to cover the 0-62mph dashin well under seven seconds, The car's frontwheetcrive chassis set-up incorporates stiffer suspension, Vauxhall Flexride adaptive dampers and ‘amechanical ited slip clitferentia, The system willbe controlabe, vith two buttons that can ramp Up the chassis steering and throttle to.ifering performance’ modes. ‘The VXRS styling bulldson the regular GTC’ package. adding side shirts, new front and rear Bumpers, root spoiler andtwin exhaust pipes Inside, thre are diferent Seats latbottomed steering whee! and upgraded instruments ‘Weldexpectthe VXR to cost around £26k whenitgoesonsalenext year Thieves block plippers (CRIMINALS ARE USING garage door remote locking devices and ‘other short-range transmitters tohelp them steal from cars Car key fobs operate ona frequency of 433MHz, also used by remote controls fordevices such aselectric gates and even toy car, The transmitters canjam the key fobs signal roma rangeof 20 metres, leaving the car "unlocked, When the driver walks ‘vay, the thieves simply open the door and help themselves The poiceand safety and security body Thatcham are ‘warning car owners tobe vigilant, “There'san easy way tomake sure tis doesnt happen to you: ‘Thatcham’s Mike Briggs tld ‘What Car? "When youlock your car, before you walk away check the lights have lashed or even better, check the door handle af) Make surethecar doorsarelocked Next month Le) eR-rl-9BiTe-30815 8 Lo) New 3 Series vs every rival What's so good about leasing? Why not owning the car at all isnow more popular than ever VW Up meets city car rivals New baby vs 500 and Picanto. Plus Seat's and Skoda’s versions sxwuany 201 | 47COMING SOON ‘About to buy? Make sure you know about the great new cars just around the corner JUNE 2012 eee [AUDI AI Sportback spring 2012) Fivedoor premium supermini FIAT Panda spring 2012) ‘Alknew and sight bigger Panda ‘gets more rounded sting. FORD Fiesta (autumn 2012) ‘Styling tweaks previewed by ST ‘concept ear and cabin upgrades. PEUGEOT208 (umnmer 2012) Replacement forthe 207 will come with three-cylinder petrol engines. RENAULT Cifo ate 2012) ‘Allnew models likely to borrow Styling cues from Dezirconcept car RENAULT Twingo January 2012) New exterior look for faceted ‘madelPrices could drop slighty RENAULT Zoe Sept 2012) Futuristicaly styled electric supermini with a 100-mile range. ‘SEAT Mil(May 2012) Budget priced supermini based on ‘VWUp. Could cost asitle as £7500, ‘SKODA Citigo June 2012) New city car also based on VW Up. 48 | saNany 201 whatorcom SMALL FAMILY CARS AAUDIAS (spring 2012) Launched asa three-door: five-door and electric versions wil flow. HONDA Civic Uanuary 2012) Next Civiesstyling isa subtle evolution of the current moders. HYUNDANI30 (March 2012) ‘Alknew Focus rivals larger and ‘more stylish than current ca. KIA Cee'd (summer 2012) Closely related to new Hyundai 30. Sharpe styling and leaner engines. MAZDA3(ate2010 Subtle cosmetic changes inside and ‘ut. Engine and chasis tweaks, oo, MERCEDES A-Class (late 2012) Lower and sportier: proper val for the Audi A3 and BMW Series. RENAULT Mégane (March 2012) Mii face wil incorporate Renault new family look KODA Missiont'(ate 2012) New Volkswagen Gotfsized hatchback wilt between Fabia and Octavia inthe Skoda range, Toran VOLKSWAGEN Beetle (April 2012) "Much sportier than the outgoing car. FAMILY CARS ANDCOMPACT EXECUTIVES ‘AUDI AA (early 2012) Faceted looks and updated, ‘more ecient engines. BMW 3 Series (early 2012) ‘Anew model gets super eficient engines and more trims CITROEN DSS (December 201) Largest DS yet wil be avaliable in dese electric hybrid form, KIA Optima (December 201 Mondeo val willbe priced from around £18000. RN e ry} forrevised Peel MERCEDES B-Class (April2012) Prices wllstart at €21.290, PEUGEOT508 RXH (spring 2012) Range-topping $08, from £36,000. TOYOTA Avensis Uanuary 2012) Updated styling: suspension tweaks. EXECUTIVE/LUXURY (CHRYSLER 300 (March 2012) Bargain-priced 5Seriesrvalisnt asretroasthe outgoing model LEXUS GS (Apri2012) Albnew made! has sharper looks and petro or hybrid powertrains. MERCEDES-BENZS-Class Gutumn 207) it be avaiable with suspension that can read the road ahead COUPESAND CABRIOLETS. JAGUAR CXI6 Vate2072) Porsche st rval willcost from around £50,000. Sot tops due ist. [MERCEDES SL (summer 2012) Strong SL inftuence is key. ‘Mit Paceman Coupé Guturm202) CCountryman-based three-door [MINI Roadster (spring 2012) Oper-topped relative of the Coupé PORSCHE Boxster (summer 2012) Could be avaiable with four-cylinder engines forthe ist time. SUBARU BRZ pring 2012) Rear whee rive coupé.‘Is VW's Up the new “people's car”?’ ‘Seat and Skoda versions will make the Upeven more affordable Pte ee ane) TovOTACoupé | eee neater Sportyearwheeharivemodel | based on FEES show car | Save EEEs on old models VOLKSWAGEN Beetle Cabriolet Soft-op version of new Beetle MPVs FORDE-Max: Innovative small MPV with sing rear doors and no central pars. KIA Carens ‘Sever-seater based on new Cee Kia hasjust launched theallnew Riosupermin.butthe aval analrnew Ceednext summer RENAULT Scénic ‘means that you can curently eee Styling tweaks and engine updates. | buy hemuch ager small family eter . car for very similar money. Rererany TOYOTA Prius We ound a Cee 14 for just Pete Prus-based sever-seat MPV, with | £10495,t Newhiacrectcouk peed cleverty repackaged hybridsystem. | ~thatsa-saving of 3000 on thelist price SUVs HYUNDAIi30 MARCH2012 [ibainaaucetatiaiead eee re Tat Slockerandshouldbemore practic! eels TaD ence Choice of 16 and 20 diesel engines. DACIA Duster Backtobasies budget 4x4 is made by the Renault owned company, FORD Kuga Audi Ad Next Kugawilbe larger andmore | Youcanread more about the practical than the current car Updated Ad range on page 44. Ityoure happy to.go without HONDA CRY: Bolder looks for new SUV. Will be bult at Honda's Swindon factory those updates, however, oucan stiloder the current model, ata hugely discounted price. We found our favourite version the 20 Te 136E for £21965 atDrivethedealcom That's whopping £4380 off thelist price, HYUNDALSanta Fe Will uid on current car's formula; expect seven seats and keen pricing. Peering Pere ryrg = MAZDACKS: Based on Minagi concept car.Low SERRE | COenssonctomeroudeie | PRT cane, | Thiregeneratonmocertusbeter | ‘eneent antone Osemssns | PORSCHE Cajun | 7 SEES Barybrotterortiecayeme | THe aerate Ley to startatreunae#0000, | | Theunen ofan ate nn susanuxv' 3 seres eee page 19 means fnew Neon os hal that youcan now oethig eae PERFORMANCE ‘Areplacement for the Touring CARS verson rt ave ute caer erea an FoRDFocusst Eeroncea ae couk tora £2731 aiscount on the 318d ES Touring. You pay just £23809. Focushot hatch has 247Dhp engine, availabe as hatchback or estate. VAUXHALL Astra VAR Three door hot hatch with 2760h, sxnunny 208 | 49The new SsangYong Korando Powerful 2.0 turbodiesel engine - Impressive 2 tonne towing capacity: 2 or 4 wheel drive High specification: Cruise control - Pod and Bluetooth sound system - Rear parking sensors 0845 456 4056 www. ssangyong, co.uk — 169 995) What's stopping you?SoS TWINAIR BF facebook com/Fiatuk fiat.co.uk inti Fst the car brand with the lowest average CO emissions in Europe! Fat 500 Twin the lowest CO mission petrol car engine in th wod IN. Fei consumption tor Fiat 500 TwinAir mpg (V100km) and CO; emissions: Urban 57° (4.9) Extra Urban 763 (37) Combined 68.9 (4.1). CO: Ton omision 95 gk crore snr rn arog et eyo yar Wr ya yy Esa ct ant ene ce ee er aeTest centre Expert, impartial tests that put you in the driving seat =, Green MPVs Ford $-Max vs Peugeot 5008 Volkswagen Touran Our cars Your cars Audi Q3 Farewell toour VolvoS60.Plus —_Letusknow: Range Rover Evoque updates on the rest of the fleet isreally like tol sxNUARy 201 | 53TEST CENTRE BMW 1 Series vs Chrysler Delta vs Honda Civic vs Volkswagen Golf 1 tend E | THELATESTVOLKSWAGEN Gott has : > -_ x dlorninated the smal family ea class TEST. ‘ | eversinceit was launched three years CENTRE . | ago However itsstatusas theultimate . be | allrounder snow beingehllenged by a | tree ne svals Honda ats Civils : | togive buyers more technology. efciency | and quality Then there's thenew Delta, ale | astrkingand ceverly packaged hatchback | bomoutofthe marriage between chrysler | andLanca, Ourfinal contender isthe new | Bw Series forgets budget-Heemer { predecessor, thisone'sthe real deal TH BMW 1 Series 18d SE st price £22,030 Target Price £21562 You'lstruggle to find a more desirable small {amily carthan BMW'S baby. =X] Chrysler Delta 16 120SR LUst price £21195 Ta Does Chrysler’ tal ittakes to challenge the best? al Honda Civic 2.2-DTECES List price £21095 Target Price £21095 ‘Thenew Civic retains its predecessors sci ook, but promises more kitand higher quailty, Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI Tech Match LUst price £21500 ice E993 55), great to crv and a sound financial Investment, No wonder its the one to Beat‘SMALL FAMILY CARS plan sxNUARY 201 | 55TEST CENTRE EACH OF THESE cars is powered byadiesel engine,anditsthe new Civies that has the most power heresoits the quickest ‘Caraway from the mark Keep your foot planted and hold off hanging gear until the engine isspinningat 4soorpm, and soon you'l have built adecent lead over the other three ~as ‘ouro-6omph and 30-70mph acceleration tests demonstrate. That doesnt tell the whole tory, though, because the Honda’ engine rather lat ifyoulet the revs drop below 2000rpm, That, along with itslong gearing, explains why the Civic performed rather averagely in our in-gear acceleration tests, The most flexible performer fs the nev 1Series. might be afew horses downon the Honda fonoutright power, butts shorter {gearing meansi’sbetterat Keeping up with the ebb and flow of everyday traffic Put your {foot down in third or fourth gear BMW 1Series m8 SE Flexible engine builds ‘speed effortlessly \Wellspaced gearing avoids theneed for frequent downchanges = canon nosene enter conions Dare (a Fcc 12 ivan osc a 50sec 5 12950 206: Er Honda Civic Ultimately the 22+-DTECES quickest of the four Honda pulls strongly when the engine s spinning above 2000rpm. mace gH. The Honda is the quickest, but the BMW is the most flexible and it responds more eagerly than the Civic, which is handy ‘when you're trying to build speed quickly without changing down gear ike the Honda and Chrysler, the Volkswagen sends power its front wheels, soit doesnt get its power down as efficiently as the rear-wheel drive BMW when pulling away. Once up to speed, though, the Golf runs the 1Series close for pace. I'salso ‘more flexible than the Civic below somph because of its shorter and better spaced gearing, ‘The Chryslerhas the smallest engine hereand is the slowest carby some margin, However, itproduces ts maximum torque lower in the rev range than the other three, soit'sstil fairly flexible below somph, Goany faster than that, though and the othercars start to leaveit way behind; overtakingon the ‘motorway orafastA-road requires plenty of forward planning. Chryster Delta 16 Multijet 20 SR Has the weakest engine, and it shows, Theslowest carb somemarsin,but fairy exible below SOmph vateendionee “ iT ieoecion Cece Amon Fors ira 30-50m 5 42:60 4 GAsec 5 Os 6 26580 on i sec 4) see) 8850 @ 1405 reel Volkswagen Gott Smooth flow of power 2.0 TDI Bluemotion Tech Match Sdr through the rev range ‘Smooth and flexible ese! engine rapid enough once you're rolling FB Fn S2see 4) 6sute abe 6120 om 56 | anuany 202. :BMW 1 Series vs Chrysler Delta vs Honda Civic vs Volkswagen Golf ‘THESE DIESEL HATCHBACKS are a likely tobe used for slogging upthe Miasfor pottering into town for the weekly shop, sothey need to beable to handleany type of driving on any type of road. BMW oy Med Se SMALL FAMILY CARS Fun to drive, and comfort doesn’t ‘The Golf does exactly that, with suffer unduly a near perfectbalance between comfort and control iesmooths out whatever nasties Britains scarred roads can throw at and remains brilliantly composed Whatever your speed 5 ‘You won'tbe disappointed in “ the corners either Although the (tunis "(Lobatto Vs tering tpartelry oe) aps sharp, t weights up nicely s you tumin tlingyow all you need toknow about what the front wheelsaredoing True itwon't Chrysler Delta {ive thethrills ofa hot hatch, but TeMultijet 120 5R the Golfisentertainingenough for most drivers ‘The BMW's quicker steering makes it feel altogether sportier asitdarts eagerly into bends. “The iSeries grips harder and breaks away more neutrally when you do findits limits. Ttdoesnt iron out bumps and potholes as wellas the VW, but the Series'sporty nature doesn't oD, Vague steering anda ride that never really settles ‘meana punishing ride; there's _— posampees just about enough give inthe ou 29tums Suspension although the more aggressive sieringset-up makes ittetertoholdatine when cruising on the motorway. Honda Civic hye is marketing the new 221DTECES Delta asa luxurious choice so while you might not expect sporty handling you willexpeet comfort ‘You won eget it, because although the Delta soaks up big bumps well, ‘minor imperfections are fel. Nomatterwhat speed you're doing itnever really fees settled ‘The Chrysler steering slight, and it gets lighter still if you press the‘City’button on the dash— letdowns: Ride and steering are the biggest which is handy for tight parking Tumino ) (aS ‘anoeuvzes.On the open road, ctor] \ 270m though, there’ litte feedback and 7 hard corneringcauses the wheel ick back violently in your hands Vol ott $0,although theres plenty of grip ikswagen the Delta doesnt inspire you with 20 TDIBN Match Sar theconfidence to testi “The Honda's effortless steering isalsoa boonat low speeds. Strikes a great However is very vague, which isashame, because there's ultimately a decent amount of gripand body rolls well resisted. Sill the slow witted steering does ‘make the Honda stableon the ‘motorway. I's not bigen comfort, though, Small bumps causeitto fidget around, while bigger craters Turing andeexpansion joints send jars aoe through the eabin, The Civiealso hasthelargesttumingcircle.—TheGolfset the benchmark three years ago. Nothing has come close since balance between comfort and controlTEST CENTRE Behind the wheel simple yet effective Golf wins the day; Civic is badly flawed JUST ONEGLANCE at the digital display tuckedaway under buttonsonthe centre console,and driver's view tothe rearis dashboardsbelow willtelyou _thewindsereen runningalmost many ofthemare too smalltobe restricted by the bar that runs thattheCivicsisthoroughly _thefullwidthofthedash~means foundeasily whenyou'reonthe __acrossthe rear window, and in differentinwhatisotherwise _itlooks ike nothing else. ‘move. What's more disappointing, the dark the dashs digital displays ‘a generally conservative cass. However, ittakesawhileto though, isthatthedrivers seat are reflected inthe windscreen, [tStwortierdashboard-withthe get usedto,andtheamountof _issettoohigh, whichlimitsthe Inthe Delta, oo, the bulbous rev-counterandtemperatureand — informationon show can be availableheadroomandmeans centre console nicely angled fuel gouges sited conventionally confusing and distracting the Civiefeelsmuch too ramped towards the driver, but the buttons behindthe wheel.andanother_Likewise,there'saplethoraof _—_fortallerdrivers,Tocapitall,the _don'thavethe same tactile quality BMW 1Series mi8d SE RR Only real complaint is the offset driving position Mostly good, but... Glovebox dis one of the few areas of aisappointing quality ‘Glaustrophobic High console can make the ‘iver feet hemmed in Chrysler Delta ‘16 Multijet 120 SR ee Controls don't fee! as solid as those in its rivals here Poortyjudged ‘iver buttons around the stereo Took and feel rather tacky Towerclass Plastics towards the bottom ‘of the cabin disappoint Quality and reliability The Chrysler promises much but fails to deliver HONDA HAS AN enviable ‘Around thehandbrake,for around thestereofeel tacky, while BMW ok reputation whenitcomesto __instance, some ofthe plastics feel_the materials around thegearlever__ Generally good quality; «qualityandrelabity,andCivies hardandalitle tacky while the are nastyand scratchy a few details disappoint havebeenexemplaryin the past. whole consolefelsalitefimsier inthis group, the to German Notonly wasthe previousCive than you might expect. carsareaclss spar forqualiy, runner-up ints class in the 2011 Intermsofreputationatleast, andifitwasn‘tfortheGolf,te_ Chrysler IDPowersuney (What Car, july theDetacouldntbeabigger new 1Seres would be the Shows promise, but let 2011), Honda was rated the most contrast The Fiat Bravo (on which benchmark Forthe most part it down by poor plastics reliable make iourlast Reliability iesbase) finished bottom inits has eal premium lookand fel, Survey September 201) classandonlyjustoutsidethe and here'sno faulting the build Suffcetosay,wedon'texpect bottomiointheJDPowersurvey, quality. However theplasties Honda #9 thisnew modelto be any different, while Chrysler was 0thoutof35. disappoint na few areas. Some trim disappoints; and that isgenerally borne out by | makesinthe Reliability Suney._Therearenosuchcomplaintsin should be reliable thequaltyonshowhere.Allthe Despitethenicesofttouch the Golf Yes, someot the plastics, various bits and piecesare bolted plastics on the top ofthe ash the _lowerdown don't quite havethe together beautifully, anditsonly Chryslerdoesn'thave thesame same premiumfeelasthoseon Volkswagen # #2 whenyoulooklowerdown that’ lookandfeelofqualityasitsrval, thetopofthedash,butoverall Remains the class things are ess impressive Inpartcular,thesilver buttons itsclearlytheclassiestearhere, leader for quality 5 | JANUARY 208 whseacommBMW vs Chrysler Delta asthe German cars’and the dials lack the simple clarity ofthe Gol’ ‘AtTeast there are no complaints about the driving postion. There's ‘a good range of adjustmenton the diver seat and stering wheel, while the view all-round i good, The Series differs from its rivals here isin providing a system Honda Civic vs Volkswagen Golf tosimplifythe controls fr ll the various systems; its Drive controllerisone of the best of its type. easy to use and simplifying the layout ofthedash, with most ofthe controls grouped in one place Less welcome isthe odd {riving postion. The pedals are offset tothe right, so you end up SMALL FAMILY CARS sittingatanawkwardangle, with impossible to fault-witha wide yourbackrestingontheleft side rangeof adjustment easily ofthe eatand your feet angled off achieved on the seat and wheel theother way.Tomakematiers _aswellasa good view allround worse, the smallrearwindowand — ~the dash isalso grea. To some, large pillas mit your ear view. the design will seem conservative, ‘Asinsomany ways,theGolfis butit's simplicity itselineveryday alesson tothe others Notonly is use,and we always favour that its driving position almost ‘vera more complex design. Honda Civic 22i-DTECES The most distinctive design, but not the most user-friendly Nightvision Digital csplays are reflected Inthe windscreen in the dark ‘Rwkwardtouse ‘Too many ofthe buttons on the centre console are fiddly Volkswagen Golf 20 TDIBNn Tech Match Sdr Comfortable seats anda clear and easy-to-use dash Topquality The materials used onthe Gots dash ace cass apart ‘Sheer simplicity Ineoukdnt be easier to find ‘anduuse the various controls ALLFOUROF our cats provide astabilty control system that should help keep you on the road ‘omething unexpected happens. an accident can't be avoided, though, each comes with plenty ofother measures tohelp keep you from harm, Front and side airbags are provided in every car, along with side bags that cover both rows of seats. ‘The Golf goes one better than the rest, though, because it throws in another airbag to protect the driver's knees. The Civie, meanwhile isthe only car hereto provide head restraints that move ina shunt to help lessen Allimpress, but the Honda and VW lead the way ‘whiplash injuries. The Civie hasn't yetbeen crash tested by Euro NCAP, but the other threehaveall, earned the maximum five-star rating. However, while the Delta, eamed its rating in NCAP’ older, lessstringent tests, the Series and Golf achieved theirs under thelatest standards ‘Allof our cars should protect themselves as wellas they protect you. Each comes withan alarm, And each car also has deadlocks, anelectronicengine immobiliser anda visible vehicle identification ‘number: Locking wheelnuts should help keep your shiny alloy wheels secure, too, BMW Chrysler Honda Volkswagen sxNuaRy 201 | 59TEST CENTRE Good levels of kit from alll, but the Golf's Match trim brings the most EACH OF OURcarsprovidesallthe standard, Youcanadd these tems standard reversingcameraThe (the others get remote locking). basics you'd expectat thismoney, tothe BMW (E325 forthe cD Golfcomes with frontandrear However, you pay Ex75extra for suchasalloy wheels fourelectric changer, £295forDAB),butthey _parkingsensorsasstandard, but dusk-sensing headlights, while Wwindows,aBluetooth phone _aren'tavallableontheChrysleror youl becharged £275 by Chrysler auto lights and wipers cost ust ‘connectionandaCDstereowith Honda. However, the Deltsand and £345 by BMIW forthem, £90 in the BMW, Both items are steering wheelcontrolsandaUSB Civicprovide full climate control The Detahassome very standard on the Honda and VW. socket TheVWsstereohasthe where the BMWand VWmakedo desirable goodies, including There's plenty youhaveto fedgeon therest because thas with manualairconditioning and partleather upholstery (the rest pay extra forinthe BMW it's acDchangerand DaBtuneras _theHondadazzlesfurtherwith its havecloth)andkeylessentry the stingiestcarhere, BMW 1Series 118d SE ‘Too many items cost extra Widescreen displayispartofthe BMW'siDrivecontrollerworks EcoPromodegivesyoutipson _Shortcutbuttons take youto £2kProfessionalMediapackage wellandislinkedtoclearmenus howtolmprovefueleconomy _thefunctions youuse most Chrysler Delta 16 Multijet 120 SR Some very desirable items, but misses some basics YoucanmaketheDelta'ssteering Thedriverinformation displays Blue&mehandsfreesystemis _Delta'scentreconsole buttons, lighteratthetouchofabutton wellpositionedandeasytoread overly complicatedtouse aren'tastactileasitsrivals” Honda Civie22/-DTECES Generally competitive, plus a reversing camera Ie Econbuttonaltersthe vehicle Range-topping EXGT carsgeta settingstoboostfueleconomy panoramic glassroot as standard Redengine start buttoniscarried Instruments looksmart,butsome ‘overtromthepreviousCivic _reflectinthewindscreenatnight ‘Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI Bin Tech Match Sar BEST EQUIPPED) Match trim isa very generous package ‘TheGolf'stouch-screencontrol Standard Bluetooth system can systemisoneofthebestaround beoperated from steering whee! i L ewipmet fp | Pua ER Ji [BMW tSeries 8d SE f4s0 65° Vm 90 ems VV 295 IGS E345 (Chryster Delta 16 Muitiet SR £550 YX EWSIX Vipart) VV ¥ £1000 £275 7 7 7 v Golfgetsbasicairconditioning Back-seat passengers can direct, ratherthanfullelimatecontrol airflow with thelr ownair vents Honda Civie22/DTECES a0 WW WW camera £195 iV ‘VW Gol20 TD! BMT Match Sar 65 VIX VW «IES VV ‘Avaliable in Driver Comfort Package for £500 * Availabe in Interior Comfort Package for £650 660 | anuany 20%BMW vs Chrysler Delta vs Honda Civic vs Volkswagen Golf Refinement Ranges from shockingly poor to incredibly good ‘THECIVICISby farthenoisiest ofthe bunch. Its latery engine sounds totally outofplacein, ‘amoder small family cat Is tyres also generate lots of road roar, and bumpy surfaces send shudders through the cabin. Atleast the gearchange is smooth land accurate. The BMW isn't perfect, elther, because at low speeds youcan hear its suspension thudding as Itsoaks up bumps. Occupants dare much better insulated from road and engine noise than in the Honda, butat low revs you can feet the engine's vibrations through the gearknob and pedals. ‘The Delta's engine is quiet once warm; it stays hushed even when worked hard’ The Chryslersengine salso noisy when is cold Things are {quieter when its warm, and the engine stays smooth and hushed = ‘even when worked hard, Road and ‘wind noise are well suppressed, too, andthe Delta posted similar resullstothe1 Series in our noise tests, The Chrysler's gearchange is ‘smooth but very vague. The Golffeelslikea limoin this company. Ournoise tests highlight just how much quieter the Wis than the other theee cars, ‘with very little engine, read or ‘wind noise bothering occupants, Hardly any vibration is evident in thecabin, andthe gearchangeis the sickest of ll four ears too. Automatic gearboxes Only Honda fais to cater for automatic gearbox buyers, because the desel Civic f= avalable witha sicspeed ‘manual'box only. Foran extra £1490, BMW wil fitasbespeed automatc'box to the Ti, but adding this option harms economy and emissions. ‘Chrysler charges ust £500 extra fora semiautomatic version of the Delta but offers TRoniy with trim ‘The version ofthe Golf were testing here cant be had wath ‘ws DS6 semi auto box but thestandard20 TDI can for an extra £1000. l J Uttl vibration findsits way nto the cabin, and the gearchangel slick SMALL FAMILY CARS BMW 1Series 18d SE RRR Far from perfect, but engine noise doesn't intrude too much Chrysler Delta 116 Multijet 20 SR see: Road and wind noise are well suppressed Honda Civic 2.2-DTECES * Clattery engine and far too much road noise Volkswagen Golf 20 TDIBn Match 5dr RRRH Whisper-quiet Golf shows rivals how it should be done whatearcom JANUARY 202 | 61100% DESIRE. O% INTEREST. The new Jaguar XF isan ext {And now it also comes with ‘combination of elegant 3rdinary finance offer. For a ‘monthly payments over years interest-free, Stop hesitating. Start getting into the XF of your dreams » JAGUAR.CO.UK/XFOFFER n and efficient fuel