Auto Express 1673

IT’S very tricky to buy a car well, but all too easy to buy one badly. There’s no escaping the need to put in a bit of legwork to get a good deal – although we’re always here to help – while choosing the right time to buy is crucial in getting the right deal. As showrooms reopen at long last, your local car dealer will be very pleased to see you – with all the appropriate safety measures put in place, I’m sure. I’ve been pretty critical in the past of how dealers have been slow to adapt to the digital age, but they’ve done a remarkable job of keeping sales and deliveries ticking over while showrooms have been shut. Allowing us back in to touch, feel and drive…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● New electric SUV hits UK roads for the first time ●We try 201bhp iV 80 model with 333-mile range AS a pragmatic brand for the people, Skoda claims that its new Enyaq iV electric SUV will bring EVs to the many, not just the few. With prices from £31,995 including the recently revised £2,500 Plug-in Car Grant, roughly the same as the entry-level Kodiaq TDI seven-seater (an updated version of which you can read about on p19), there’s certainly some truth in the firm’s claims. Refreshingly though, Skoda isn’t actually trying to reinvent the wheel with its first bespoke EV. Instead, it feels like it’s sticking true to its values with a practical, highquality, usable EV that delivers decent technology and is relatively affordable. Prices rise to £40,920…

FORD MUSTANG MACH-E Price from: £41,330 THE Mach-E offers a sportier take on the electric family SUV. The entry-level version is more expensive than our top-spec Enyaq test car, yet it only offers a claimed 273 miles of range. With 265bhp and a 0-62mph time of 6.1 seconds, it’s sportier, but definitely not as comfortable or refined. MERCEDES EQA Price from: £43,495 WHEN it comes to compact electric SUVs, Mercedes’ EQA is a great choice. With 187bhp, it’s a little down on power, but 375Nm of torque helps mid-range punch. Plus the EQA’s premium-feeling cabin and smart tech contribute to an upmarket compact SUV package that offers up to 263 miles of range. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 Price from: £41,570 FOLLOWING the First Edition model, VW has now revealed pricing for the…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler ● ‘Lounge-like 8217; interior space ● Priced from around £27k THIS is the new Citroen C5 X – an all-new model which the French firm says is its ultimate expression of relaxation and well-being. The C5 name is well trodden in the annuls of everything Citroen, but the C5 X is completely different to what has gone before, with its quite obvious SUV inspiration. The naming is best explained by Citroen CEO Vincent Cobée, who told us: “We’ve had a lot of touring vehicles called C5 in the past. We see this as a well deserved, hedonist offer, not a luxury offer – it’s a dream you can have.” That’s reflected in the pricing, expected to start from around £27,000 and topping out at around £35,000 for the…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds ● New engine produces 232bhp MODERN performance cars don’t come much purer than this: the new Toyota GR 86. The rear-wheel-drive model is a successor to the GT86 and is the fruit of Toyota’s reaffirmed partnership with Subaru to build compact sports cars. The latter’s BRZ – revealed last year – shares the same platform and engine. Unveiled in Japanese spec, the GR 86 is powered by a 2.4-litre flat-four ‘boxer’ motor producing 232bhp and 250Nm of torque, with a redline of 7,400rpm. That’s 35bhp and 45Nm more than the car it replaces and results in a far quicker 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds – 1.1 seconds faster than the GT86. But we’ll have to wait to see if there are any changes for…

GMC’s new, pure-electric Hummer SUV will go on sale in 2024, sporting similar electric technology and the same rugged styling cues as its pick-up sibling. That means a huge battery supplying a three-motor electric powertrain with 918bhp – that’s a little down on the pick-up, but the Hummer EV will still sprint from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds. It’s based on a shortened Hummer pick-up platform but still offers plenty of off-road performance, thanks to all-terrain tyres and air suspension that can increase ground clearance by up to six inches. Four-wheel steering is also included. Claimed range stands at 300 miles, while the 800-volt architecture means 100 miles of range can be added in 10 minutes. Inside, the H1-inspired cabin features a chunky look, with tech including a 12.3-inch digital…