Table of contents for December 2018 in What Car?

One by one, the barriers to electric car ownership are being removed, as charging infrastructure improves, costs mostly come down and the cars themselves become as luxurious as conventional models. But what about range anxiety? For all the improvements, this nagging concern that the battery will run flat before you get to where you’re going continues to put many people off. It doesn’t help that you don’t really know how far you’ll be able to go, given that official figures are unrealistic and switching on the air conditioning or lights makes a big difference to the rate of energy consumption. However,What Car? is now putting every electric car through a Real Range test that reflects the way people actually drive and allows direct comparisons. You can find out more about…

Types of cars Alternatively fuelled vehicle (AFV), electrified car Any car that doesn’t solely use a conventional petrol or diesel engine falls under these umbrella terms. Electric vehicle (EV) This term – along with battery electric vehicle (BEV) and electric car – is used for cars that run solely on electricity and therefore produce no exhaust emissions, a leading example being the Nissan Leaf, our 2018 Electric Car of the Year. Instead of a petrol or diesel engine, they have an electric motor that is powered by batteries, which you charge by plugging the car into a socket. For: Zero-emissions running; far quieter on the road; much cheaper to refuel; EVs with a list price below £40,000 are exempt from road tax and the London Congestion Charge. Against:…

WHEN IT COMES to headlight bulbs, there’s a big gulf between the latest high-intensity discharge (HID) or xenon units and halogen bulbs, which have been around in various forms for nearly 60 years. On average, HID bulbs are twice as bright as halogens, last about 10 times as long and project a wider, higher beam of light that’s cleaner and whiter. So there are lots of reasons to recommend HIDs over halogens for car headlights. Both types of bulb can legally be used in the front and rear lights of cars, and an increasing number of car makers are switching to HIDs for their smaller, cheaper models as well as more upmarket, larger cars. Of the 13 small hatchbacks we looked at, seven had HID lamps as standard on some…

Mazda 6 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150 SE-L Nav+ List price £25,795 Target Price £25,540 Another year, another facelift for the 6. Can mechanical changes improve it this time? Peugeot 508 1.5 BlueHDi 130 Allure List price £26,300 Target Price £26,300 It’s all change for the 508; it’s now a rakish fastback instead of a dowdy saloon. Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 150 SE L Executive List price £27,450 Target Price £24,924 Our favourite sub-£30k executive car is back to defend its crown. Will it finally be toppled?…

Audi A4 Allroad 3.0 TDI 218 quattro Sport List price £42,945 Target Price £38,979 Price as tested £52,805 Extras Technology Pack (£1395), Parking Assistance Pack (£1350), Comfort and Sound Pack (£1295), electric front seats with driver’s memory (£950), adaptive dampers (£900), folding towbar (£850), 19in wheels (£750), front sports seats in Milano leather (£750), matrix LED headlights (£650), Quantum Grey solid paint (£645), folding door mirrors with auto-dimming and memory function (£325) Running costs True MPG na Official average 55.4mpg Tank 58 litres Contract hire £347 per month Insurance group 26 Typical insurance quote £719 per year…

Mileage 10,707 List price £30,950 Target Price £30,233 Price as tested £31,750 Test economy 34.1mpg Oh dear: all is not well with my Insignia Sports Tourer.The problem is to do with the diesel particulate filter, which is designed to trap soot in the exhaust before periodically burning it off in a clean manner. This process is meant to be initiated during periods of steady driving above 2000rpm. But while I followed instructions to keep going when a warning message popped up on the instrument panel recently, after about 10 minutes the car went into limp-home mode, because for some reason the process couldn’t take place. Having spoken to various Vauxhall dealerships, it’s going to be at least a week before one of them can look at it, and no courtesy…

In production 2017-present Price from £18,000 Our favourite 1.5 TSI 150 SE WHAT’S IN A NAME? The Skoda Karoq’s is an odd one and might seem contentious, given the popularity of its predecessor, the Yeti. However, the Karoq is a different kind of SUV from the Yeti: larger and more conventional, both inside and out. Happily, though, the Karoq retains the clever touches and practicality that made the Yeti so popular. Engine options include 113bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 148bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol units, as well as 113bhp 1.6-litre and 148bhp and 187bhp 2.0-litre diesels. You can also find DSG dual-clutch automatic versions of every model if you don’t want the standard manual gearbox, while four-wheel drive can be had on the 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre models. SE is the entry-level trim,…

LESS THAN £10,000 Suzuki Celerio Our pick 1.0 SZ2 List price £7999 Target Price £7315 MPG 65.7 CO2 99g/km For It has a practical interior with a DAB radio and the engine gives adequate performance. Against The interior feels cheap, resale values are weak and infotainment options are limited. WHAT CAR? SAYS Hyundai i10 Our pick 1.0 S List price £9795 Target Price £9095 MPG 60.1 CO2 108g/km For The three-cylinder engine is refined and the interior is surprisingly roomy. Against This entry-level trim doesn’t give you much kit and the engine struggles out of town. WHAT CAR? SAYS Volkswagen Up Our pick 1.0 60 Take Up 3dr List price £9325 Target Price £8920 MPG 64.2 CO2 101g/km For Fun to drive, with a comfortable ride and an upmarket interior.…

LESS THAN £26,000 Skoda Superb Our pick 2.0 TDI 150 SE Technology List price £24,255 Target Price £23,085 MPG 65.7 CO2 112g/km For Masses of standard kit, lots of rear leg room and boot space, comfortable ride. Against Some other executive cars are more fun to drive and the engine is a little gruff. WHAT CAR? SAYS Volkswagen Passat Our pick 2.0 TDI 150 S List price £25,295 Target Price £19,949 MPG 67.3 CO2 109g/km For Drives well, with a good ride and refined diesel engine, while the interior is smart. Against Some rivals are more practical and the dashboard design is a bit dull. WHAT CAR? SAYS Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport Our pick 1.6 Turbo D Ecotec 110 Tech Line List price £22,745 Target Price £21,446 MPG 70.6 CO2…

LESS THAN £16,000 Suzuki Vitara Our pick 1.6 SZ4 List price £15,999 Target Price £15,540 MPG 53.3 CO2 123g/km For Good to drive and practical interior. SZ4 trim brings enough equipment. Against CO2 emissions are comparatively high and resale values are only average. WHAT CAR? SAYS Kia Soul Our pick 1.6 GDI 1 List price £14,725 Target Price £14,149 MPG 43.5 CO2 152g/km For Spacious interior, decent to drive and 1 trim gives you air-con and a DAB radio.. Against Ride is overly firm; steering gives no indication as to what the front tyres are doing. WHAT CAR? SAYS Suzuki Ignis Our pick 1.2 SHVS SZ5 List price £14,509 Target Price £12,301 MPG 65.7 True MPG 59.6 CO2 97g/km For Excellent real-world economy, it’s fun to drive and you get…

The What Car? Target Price is the maximum you should pay for your new car, and is set by our team of mystery shoppers. Every day they haggle to see what discounts are available across the UK.And all What Car?-approved dealers will at least match Target Price. In a lot of cases, however, you can save even more by using our New Car Buying service. Just head to whatcar.com/new-car-dealsand select the car you’re interested in, and dealers will compete for your business. It’s all done through our website, so they won’t see your details until you’re ready.…

There are several types of electric car charging plugs, because an industry standard hasn’t been agreed upon. Some cars also feature more than one port: one for slow and fast charging and another for rapid charging. Type 1 This five-pin plug is unusual, although it can be specified in some cars, such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. You can get a cable that allows you to plug into a Type 2 charger with a Type 1 cable. Type 2 This seven-pin plug, also known as the Mennekes after the company that invented it, is the most common in electrified cars.Teslas use this plug, enabling them to charge at regular charging points as well as bespoke Superchargers. CCS Standing for Combined Charging System, CCS is a five-pin plug developed by the…

The fact that the Kona’s touchscreen is bigger than the Leaf’s is a good start, and it’s mounted higher up on the dashboard, so you don’t need to divert your eyes as far from the road to see it.The screen responds promptly to presses and the operating system is even easier to get your head around than Nissan’s.You also get wireless charging as standard, along with a fairly punchy nine-speaker Krell sound system. The Leaf’s 7.0in touchscreen is mostly simple to use, thanks to its big icons.The physical shortcut buttons that flank the display make it easy to hop between functions, and we’re grateful that Nissan hasn’t bowed to the latest trend and swapped the volume knob for a fiddly touch-sensitive pad. Less impressive is the resolution of the display,…

BACK IN 2015, Mazda introduced a small SUV called the CX-3. Also in the news at the time was NASA’s discovery of water on Mars, and in comparison, this small SUV was as revelatory as discovering water in your pond. It looked pleasant enough and wasn’t bad to drive, but its rear seat space was titchy and its boot was as practical as a satchel on a round-the-world tour. Back then, there weren’t many rivals for it to beat, but there certainly are now. The Seat Arona arrived and the Renault Captur has been revised, so now the CX-3 has been freshened up in turn. There’s new tech, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, plus a new 1.8-litre diesel engine in place of the rattly old 1.5-litre unit.…

Car makers and light manufacturers have made headlights significantly brighter in the past few years, including by using light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which turn on instantly and consume much less energy than other types of bulbs. LEDs, in particular, tend to be used more on expensive luxury and sports cars, due to their high cost, partly for decorative purposes and partly because they produce a longer, cleaner beam. The problem is that LED and HID lights are so intense that they can dazzle drivers in oncoming cars, even on dipped beam. The UK has an ageing population, and as we age, our eyes cope less well with the glare of bright lights. In extreme cases, people can develop a condition called ‘disability glare’, which means it can take them up to…

BMW dealer refuses rejection of faulty car I bought a 2018 BMW 1 Series with 2200 miles on the clock for £22,000 on 31 August.This was the third car I’d purchased from BMW dealer Marshall of Bournemouth; indeed, I’ve spent more than £80,000 there in the past five years. To my horror, after just five days and 93 miles, my new car broke down. It shuddered, misfired and then lost all power.The oil warning light came on and the onboard computer stated there was a problem with the drivetrain.The car broke down in a dangerous place, but I managed to limp it to a safer position before making a long walk back to a friend’s house. The following day, I had to collect my sister from the railway station 15…

While we weren’t exactly bowled over by the Hilux and L200 on the road, we can see why they’ve attracted such a strong following over the years. Indeed, if you simply want a solid workhorse that won’t let you down, the Hilux, with its impressive reliability record and off-road prowess, would be a trusty companion, while the L200 – and the closely related Fullback – offer decent performance and a long equipment list. However, you can no longer get away with excelling in just a couple of areas – a lesson that the Musso and X-Class, plus the aforementioned trio, found out the hard way.Ten years ago, both of these pickups would have finished on the podium – the Musso thanks to its roomy interior and bargain basement pricing and…

The Skoda Superb takes victory once again. Its cavernous rear seat space and boot are simply unmatched in this class, while it rides very comfortably and feels classy inside. Equally impressive is the Mazda 6’s transformation from also-ran to serious contender. It may not be as spacious, but many of our complaints regarding interior quality and the driving experience have been addressed. And while it isn’t as comfortable as the Superb, we suspect you won’t mind the firmer ride in exchange for the more hushed cruising manners.We do wish you could add a few options to perfect the spec, though. That leaves the new Peugeot 508 last. For a big car, its rear seats are disappointingly pokey, and its boot is nothing to write home about. It may be the…

Mileage 5543 List price £37,940 Target Price £37,031 Price as tested £43,585 Test economy 44.2mpg STYLE AND SUBSTANCE. Rarely do you get both, unless you work for Apple. But is BMW’s latest coupé-like SUV, the X2, another exception? During four months and more than 5500 miles with one, I struggled to decide. I think the X2 looks fantastic, especially in bright metallic blue. But the surprisingly low seating position meant seeing out of the car when parking was harder than I’d anticipated. BMW’s iDrive infotainment system, by contrast, always made life simple; the sat-nav’s real-time traffic information never once let me down, and the sound quality of the Harmon Kardon stereo was so good that I’d highly recommend this £600 option. Passengers commented on the comfort offered by the X2’s…

LESS THAN £15,000 Dacia Sandero Our pick 0.9 TCe Ambiance List price £8595 Target Price £8498 MPG 57.6 CO2 109g/km For Lots of space for the money, decent to drive and a fair amount of standard kit. Against The engine is unrefined at most speeds and the interior is comparatively basic. WHAT CAR? SAYS Skoda Fabia Our pick 1.0 TSI 95 SE List price £14,845 Target Price £14,213 MPG 64.2 CO2 101g/km For Spacious interior, good to drive and relatively cheap to run. Against Hard interior plastics and low-speed ride could be better. WHAT CAR? SAYS Suzuki Swift Our pick 1.2 Dualjet SZ3 List price £11,999 Target Price £11,630 MPG 65.7 CO2 98g/km For Good to drive, with sharp steering and fine body control, and it’s fairly well equipped. Against…

LESS THAN £22,000 Seat Ateca Our pick 1.0 TSI Ecomotive 115 S List price £21,880 Target Price £20,905 MPG 54.3 CO2 119g/km For Excellent handling, with a spacious interior, a smooth engine and good resale values. Against The ride might be a bit too firm for some and the interior looks a bit bland. WHAT CAR? SAYS Nissan Qashqai Our pick 1.2 DiG-T Visia List price £19,300 Target Price £19,300 MPG 50.4 CO2 129g/km For Practical and classy interior, comfortable ride, superb refinement and low running costs. Against Visia trim misses out on some goodies and the thick pillars limit visibility. WHAT CAR? SAYS Dacia Duster Our pick 1.6 SCe 115 Comfort List price £13,195 Target Price £13,072 MPG 43.4 CO2 139g/km For Roomy inside, reasonably comfortable and incredibly cheap…

LESS THAN £22,000 Ford Fiesta ST Our pick ST-2 Performance Pack 3dr List price £21,095 Target Price £20,055 MPG 47.1 CO2 136g/km For Strong, characterful engine combined with engaging handling makes the ST fun at all speeds. Against It’s easily upset by bumps and the interior feels a bit low rent. WHAT CAR? SAYS Volkswagen Up GTI Our pick 1.0 115 3dr List price £14,055 Target Price £13,425 MPG 58.9 CO2 110g/km For Pretty nippy and handles well; relatively practical; cheaper to buy than its rivals. Against Could be more exciting; intrusive traction control; contrived engine noise. WHAT CAR? SAYS Suzuki Swift Sport Our pick 1.4 Boosterjet List price £17,999 Target Price £17,739 MPG 50.4 CO2 125g/km For You get plenty of equipment as standard, plus it’s relatively quick and…

LESS THAN £50,000 Alpine A110 Our pick 1.8 Pure List price £46,905 Target Price £46,905 MPG 46.3 CO2 138g/km For Grin-inducing handling is unmatched at this price level; surprisingly cheap to run. Against Limited luggage space and there are signs of cost cutting inside. WHAT CAR? SAYS Porsche 718 Cayman Our pick 2.0 List price £43,467 Target Price £43,467 MPG 38.2 CO2 168g/km For Balletic handling, sublime steering and gearshift, as well as strong pace. Against Stingy levels of standard equipment and the engine doesn’t sound special enough. WHAT CAR? SAYS Porsche 718 Boxster Our pick 2.0 List price £45,328 Target Price £45,328 MPG 38.2 CO2 168g/km For All the stuff we love about the Cayman but with added sunshine. Against Kit levels are just as sparse as in the…

46 new models on sale now or due soon ON SALE EARLY 2019 Audi E-tron New premium electric SUV has the Jaguar I-Pace in its sights Price from £71,000 (est) NEXT YEAR IS shaping up to be the year of the electric SUV. Jaguar’s I-Pace will be finding its feet as more hit the roads, while Mercedes-Benz and BMW will be launching the EQC and upcoming iX3 respectively to take on Tesla’s Model X, which had this market all to itself until recently.And then there’s Audi, whose E-tron you see here. The new electric luxury SUV slots in between the existing Q5 and Q7 in Audi’s line-up, although it sits lower to the ground than the Q5.As well as a bold look that separates it from other SUVs in Audi’s…

SOMETIMES, MIXING FAMILIAR ingredients can result in an entirely original dish.That’s what Hyundai is hoping to serve up with the i30 Fastback N, the second machine from its N performance division. Essentially, the new model takes the mechanicals from the four-star i30 N hot hatch and transplants them into the stretched, swoopy shell of the i30 Fastback. The result is a model that promises the dynamic handling and performance of a hot hatch in a more svelte body, as seen with the pricier Mercedes-AMG CLA 45. Hyundai believes the car will appeal to those seeking a more refined, understated driving experience, but it has nevertheless vowed that it will offer the same handling and everyday usability as the regular i30 N. The i30 Fastback N features the same turbocharged 2.0-litre…

IF YOU WANT SUV-like off-road ability and practicality without the boxy looks, the new Volvo V60 Cross Country could be for you. Going up against rivals such as the Audi A4 Allroad and Volkswagen Passat Alltrack, the V60 Cross Country is proven territory for Volvo; the Swedish brand already makes similarly chunky versions of its V40 hatchback and V90 luxury estate. The Cross Country rides up to 75mm higher than the standard V60 estate – giving it 210mm of ground clearance for tackling rutted tracks – and gains lower body cladding and front and rear skidplates, while four-wheel drive is standard. Other driver aids include hill descent control,Volvo’s Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system and an off-road driving mode to help you to keep going when the asphalt runs out. Safety…

WHEN BMW UNVEILED the original X5 in early 1999, it certainly wasn’t warmly received by all. Yet it soon became a huge sales hit, and BMW’s ‘X’ range has since ballooned to seven models. But, of course, other manufacturers have transformed similarly. So now, in its fourth generation, the X5 must make another step change if it’s to surpass the excellent Audi Q7 and new Mercedes-Benz GLE, among others. The new X5 has bolder, sharper looks, while it’s larger to give more interior space for its five or seven occupants and features a comprehensive array of the latest technology. Three engines will be available when sales begin: a 335bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol and two 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesels with 261bhp and 395bhp. All come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel…

If you’re going to keep your car for many years or are buying secondhand, we’d recommend avoiding models and trim levels that have sealed headlight units. Stick with halogen bulbs if you want the cheapest replacement bulb costs, or go for a model such as the Mini hatchback that lets you replace HID bulbs separately. If your car fails its MOT test because the lights aren’t bright enough, rather than replacing the light units, you can buy a headlight restoration kit for less than £20. You can use this kit to polish up yellowed or lightly scratched headlight lenses so they’re crystal clear again.…

Check if a vehicle has been recalled gov.uk/check-if-a-vehicle-has-been-recalled New car, service, repair and warranty issues themotorombudsman.org Citizens Advice Bureau citizensadvice.org.uk Check a car has a valid MOT test certificate gov.uk/check-mot-status What Car? New Car Buying whatcar.com/new-car-deals Trading Standards nationaltradingstandards.co.uk Financial Conduct Authority fca.org.uk Check car crash safety ratings euroncap.com Motability motability.co.uk What Car? advice whatcar.com/advice…

Mileage 2252 List price £42,945 Target Price £38,979 Price as tested £52,805 Test economy 40.6mpg DO YOU REMEMBER when buyers of chunky SUVs stood out from those purchasing regular cars? With high rooflines, big wheels and aggressive styling, the SUV seemed to be the ideal thing to differentiate yourself on the school run, in the office car park or when tootling around the M25. Of course, we all know what happened next. With everyone wanting a high-rise driving position and at least the appearance of being able to go anywhere, the SUV has become a victim of its own success, now proving more common than traditional saloons and estates. So, when it was time to pick a shiny new car, I decided not to follow the crowd and instead take…

Mileage 13,002 List price £17,740 Target Price £16,214 Price as tested £17,740 Test economy 46.9mpg I am a real advocate of cruise control, because it reduces my stress, improves traffic flow and prevents me from inadvertently speeding. But recent stints in other cars have highlighted how easy the controls for the Arona’s system are to use. In the Seat Leon, for example, the stalk is awkwardly positioned and its controls are confusing; both buttons on its side increase speed, while you pull the stalk forward to reduce it. Huh? Then there’s the Nissan Leaf, which forces you to press three buttons on its steering wheel to engage cruise control. But in my Arona, the stalk is just behind my left hand on the wheel, with a simple switch to engage…

Mileage 2432 List price £28,780 Target Price £27,430 Price as tested £29,885 Test economy 33.0mpg WHEN I TELL you that my Peugeot 5008 – a large, seven-seat SUV – is powered by a titchy 1.2-litre petrol engine producing a relatively meagre 131bhp and 170lb ft of torque, you might be tempted to conclude that it is an inadequate way to travel. But you’d be wrong. In the past month, I’ve taken the 5008 on family trips from London to Exmouth and then London to Pembrokeshire, four up, with lots of luggage, and while the majority of that mileage has been on motorways, there’s been plenty of driving on every other type of road, too. More than enough, in fact, to know that, far from being a potential hindrance, this diminutive…

LESS THAN £20,000 Seat Leon Our pick 1.2 TSI SE Dynamic Tech List price £18,960 Target Price £15,710 MPG 56.5 CO2 116g/km For Strong yet economical petrol engine with low running costs, and you get lots of safety kit. Against Some of the plastics feel cheap and it can seem sluggish on the motorway. WHAT CAR? SAYS Vauxhall Astra Our pick 1.4T 16V 125 Design List price £18,460 Target Price £17,148 MPG 52.3 CO2 124g/km For Low CO2 emissions make it an ideal company car; decent to drive, with a practical interior. Against The steering feels numb and Tech Line trim adds more kit for only a little more money. WHAT CAR? SAYS Skoda Rapid Spaceback Our pick 1.0 TSI 110 SE Tech List price £16,505 Target Price £15,093 MPG…

LESS THAN £20,000 Skoda Fabia Estate Our pick 1.0 TSI 95 SE List price £16,010 Target Price £15,326 MPG 64.2 CO2 101g/km For It’s one of the roomiest small estates; SE trim adds air-con and a touchscreen. Against Costs more than the hatchback and seats could do with more support. WHAT CAR? SAYS Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Our pick 1.4T 16v 125 Design List price £19,810 Target Price £18,396 MPG 47.9 CO2 136g/km For There’s plenty of room and you get air-con, Bluetooth and auto headlights as standard. Against This is the least powerful engine in the range and the boot isn’t that flexible. WHAT CAR? SAYS Dacia Logan MCV Our pick 0.9 TCe Lauréate List price £11,115 Target Price £11,012 MPG 57.6 CO2 109g/km For Lots of space, low…