Table of contents for 1561 in Auto Express

THERE’S nothing we like more here at Auto Express than surfing the internet looking at new car deals. Saving thousands – even for our dream garages – never ceases to bring a smile to our faces, bringing the wonderful feeling that we’re beating the system. There are normally certain times of the year when deals reach their peak – the end of a financial quarter, for example. Rarely are the deal taps turned on full when demand is traditionally highest, like plate-change time. Of course, it’s a unique time right now and the car market is down in the dumps. But even so, some of the deals we’ve seen recently have amazed us, especially from premium makes. How does £12,000 off a new and rather brilliant Audi A6 Avant (like…

THE long wait for the second-generation Nissan Juke is nearing its end, and just like Vauxhall’s Mokka X, electrification has a part to play in the next version of the big-selling B-segment crossover. Nissan Europe small car marketing boss Helen Perry told Auto Express: “[The current Juke] is in the latter period of its life. For sure, in the next year you’ll hear more about the new Juke.” The current model is nearly a decade old, having hit roads for the first time in 2010. It’s almost certain that the second-generation Juke will take on a new platform, in the shape of the CMF-B architecture underpinning the recently revealed Renault Clio Mk5. It’s a set-up that supports electrification, and a hybrid Clio has been confirmed. Asked if Nissan could go…

THIS is our first look at the cabin of the forthcoming Skoda Kamiq small SUV – and it shows a change of approach from the Czech manufacturer. As promised by the Vision X concept, the car which previewed the production Kamiq, the new interior treatment includes a central ‘floating tablet’ infotainment screen. The single image Skoda has released (right) showcases a 9.2-inch version of this display, although smaller set-ups are likely to be offered further down the Kamiq’s line-up. The screen is positioned higher up on the facia than is usual for the brand, in a bid to make it easier for the driver to interact with the system without taking their eyes off the road ahead. Skoda’s picture also shows that the Kamiq will be offered with at least…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson THIS is the new Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography edition, a flagship version of JLR’s rakish SUV. It features a host of interior and chassis upgrades, as well as a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine. Available to purchase for only one year from now, the new Velar is priced from £86,120. The 5.0-litre V8, lifted from the Jaguar F-Type SVR, produces 542bhp and 680Nm of torque. It’s linked to an eight-speed auto box and an all-wheel-drive system, and can propel the Velar from 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 170mph. To cope with the V8’s extra grunt, the Velar’s chassis and drivetrain have been beefed up with uprated suspension, bigger brakes, a stronger transfer box and a reworked four-wheel-drive control system, capable of directing up…

THE Government has rejected calls for a mandatory licensing scheme for hand car washes and will implement a voluntary, industry-led pilot programme to which operators can sign up. Auto Express reported in November (Issue 1,551) how the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) said the Government should tackle “flagrant rule breaking” across hand car washes in the UK. The EAC accused the industry of hosting working conditions that amount to “modern slavery in plain sight”, with links to people trafficking, tax evasion and the mishandling of cleaning chemicals, leading to environmental problems. Instead of a mandatory licensing scheme, the Government will write to supermarkets to remind them of their responsibility to ensure car washes operating on their grounds comply with environmental law. The Government’s official pollution prevention website will also be updated…

THE Government is investing almost £23m into researching new pothole-resistant plastic roads, and other futuristic tech. The funding will see £1.6m devoted to expanding trials of plastic roads in Cumbria, which involve bitumen being infused with polymers, resulting in increased flexibility and better resistance to the formation of potholes. Other innovative trials taking place include a ‘Power Road’ in Bedfordshire. This uses water pipes just below the surface of car parks and bus stops warmed by geothermal energy and used to prevent surfaces from icing over. Kinetic energy generated by traffic moving along roads in Buckinghamshire will be used to power street lights, while lamp posts will be adapted into WiFi hotspots and EV charging points as part of a £4.41m scheme in Suffolk. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the…

Running costs 38.2mpg (official) £60 fill-up Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram THE latest Kia Ceed range has lacked a sporty option until now. Behold, the new Ceed GT: the quickest version of the brand’s third-generation family car. However, it’s not a full-blown hot hatch. Rather, it’s a warmed-up version of the conventional five-door. In other words, it sits below the performance (and price) bracket of cars like the Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance and Hyundai i30 N – instead competing against models such as the Peugeot 308 GT and Vauxhall Astra SRi. Like both of those cars, the Ceed is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. It’s closely related to the unit in the outgoing Pro_cee’d GT, and its headline figures of 201bhp and 265Nm are near identical – although the latter is…

Running costs 34.4mpg (official) £60 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.5 seconds/155mph Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE launch of Audi’s facelifted TT has been a long and drawn-out affair. We first drove the revised TT S in July 2018 (Issue 1,534), before the standard car arrived in the UK last month. Now, though, we’ve been thrown the keys to the revised TT Roadster in punchy 45 TFSI guise. It has the same 2.0-litre engine and seven-speed box as the Coupé we tried in January (Issue 1,559), as well as a selection of very similar styling tweaks. Headlining these is a new single-frame radiator grille, which is flanked by redesigned air vents. Yet even when they’re parked side by side, you’d be hard-pushed to separate old from new. Inside, S line cars now get…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram NINE times out of 10, when a new car is revealed it supersedes its predecessor in virtually every way. Advances in technology, practicality, driving dynamics and interior quality all encourage buyers to trade up and switch their old car for something new. However, very occasionally we stumble upon a model that is so good at what it does, sticking makes more sense than twisting. It could have a huge boot, intuitive infotainment or sports car-style handling, and a few of these outgoing models are on the market, looking as tempting now as they did at launch. Over the next eight pages, we run the rule over some of the most popular cars in each sector, and help you decide whether to buy the latest model or secure a…

BREAK something into manageable chunks, and the seemingly impossible becomes possible. That’s the theory behind car finance, which converts an initially alarming £20,000 list price into a palatable £200 per month or so. Such a prospect has proven irresistible for both new vehicle buyers and dealers, with more than 90 per cent of cars bought using a finance package last year. And if you’re looking to buy another model in the near future, March looks to be the perfect time, sandwiched between the launch of the new 19 plate at the start of the month and Brexit at the end. “You don’t know what Brexit will bring,” explains Philip Nothard, consumer insight and strategy director at Cox Automotive. “So if you get yourself a 36 or 48-month car finance contract,…

What are they and do you need them? THE world of options isn’t limited to features added as a car is built in the factory; the dealer offers many extras after you’ve specified the engine, trim level and accessories your model will be equipped with. Most new car buyers will be asked if they want to purchase items like GAP insurance, an extended warranty or a servicing package, and it’s here where even the best-prepared customers can be flummoxed by sales patter, and make decisions they may come to regret. So which post-specification extras are worth shelling out for, and which should you avoid? To round off your ultimate guide to buying a new, 19-plate car, we take a clinical look at the world of add-ons. GAP insurance + What is…

MODEL TESTED: Kia Sportage 1.6 GDi 130 Edition 25 PRICE: £25,655 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 130bhp THE Sportage was one of the models that really kick-started a revolution for Kia. The famous third generation blended sharp styling with practicality at an affordable price. This Mk4 version evolved that with a big design change, while a facelift last year revamped it to keep the car fresh. Design & engineering ONE of the things we really wanted from the refresh – a downsized turbo petrol engine with a moderate output – didn’t arrive. The lowest-powered turbo petrol you can get in the Kia is a 174bhp 1.6, so this 130bhp non-turbo 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol is the rival to the Aircross. In Edition 25 trim (our pictures show a 2) it costs £25,655. That…

THE Jaguar XE sat at the top of the compact executive class until recently, thanks in part to its fine handling and comfortable ride. But unlike many models in this sector, the XE was missing a range-topping performance version, after the punchy V6-engined S was discontinued because of changes to emissions regulations. So now the British brand has launched this, the 300 Sport, a new specification with a powerful four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. It’s no BMW M3 or Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio rival; instead, it takes on models one rung below those halo cars – in this case, the Giulia Veloce, which also uses a punchy and revvy four-cylinder petrol turbo. Here we’ll find out what the new XE model is like to drive, and work out which of these…

Otis_Clay@dennis.co.uk Running costs 52.6mpg (on test) £64 fill-up/£140 or 28% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 445/1,623 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.5 seconds/111mph I WANT to Break Free, Radio Ga Ga, Under Pressure, A Kind of Magic – like most people, whether they choose to admit it or not, there aren’t many Queen hits that I don’t enjoy. And if I do happen to be behind the wheel when one comes on the radio, then without a doubt I will be cranking up the volume and trying my best not to damage my vocal chords while joining Freddie Mercury in song. But such is the power of advertising that since I’ve been handed the keys to the newest member of the Auto Express fleet, there’s been one particular song that I…

Vauxhall Grandland X A SERVICE alert on the dash is rarely something that’s welcome, because it signals additional expense. But automotive managing editor Stuart Milne was grateful for the advanced warning our Vauxhall Grandland X provided. Around 8,000 miles before the mileage limit and a week before the check-up was due, a message popped up on the car’s trip computer. Stuart used an online booking system to make an appointment at Toomey Vauxhall in Southend, Essex. The reservation was confirmed in a follow-up call a few minutes later, and the deal was done. The service was carried out quickly, and less than four hours after dropping the car off, he had returned to collect the fully serviced and valeted Grandland, all at a cost of £200. At Stuart’s request, the…

THIS slightly misshapen Tiguan is the first test mule for Volkswagen’s upcoming all-electric SUV, the I.D. Crozz. The company’s big-selling SUV is being used as a disguise to hide the I.D. Crozz’s final design, previewed by the concept (right) revealed last year, and as a testbed for Volkswagen’s new MEB platform. In the I.D. Crozz, this chassis will provide a pair of electric motors which will feed 302bhp to all four wheels. The model is claimed to be capable of 311 miles on a single charge and can be topped up to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes. As the mule is draped in Tiguan panels, the concept is our best indication of how the production I.D. Crozz will look. It’s likely to get LED headlights, rugged exterior plastics,…

MERCEDES will top its updated V-Class range with an all-electric version. And we’ll get a glimpse of the MPV at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, as the EQV concept. Until the EV arrives, however, buyers will have to make do with the facelifted regular version. The exterior tweaks include a new bumper that incorporates air inlets to look more aggressive, and a wider radiator grille. There are also four new colours in the range, and a similar number of fresh alloy wheel designs ranging up to 19 inches. Bigger changes have been made in the cabin, where the V-Class borrows from the recently updated C-Class. There’s a new dash, with ‘turbine’ air vents, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen and at least the option of a digital instrument panel. By default the…

Running costs 38.7mpg (official) £61 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.7 seconds/155mph James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor WITH a price tag of just over £35,500, this A 35 is the new entry point to Mercedes-AMG ownership. It’s £5,000 more expensive than the rather tepid, non-AMG Mercedes A 250, and will be followed later this year by a more powerful A 45. That flagship model is likely to pack more than 400bhp, but the A 35 we’re driving develops ‘just’ 302bhp from the same 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine as the A 250, albeit with the addition of a twin-scroll turbo and a few chassis tweaks. The A 35 may be the cheapest way into the AMG world, but it’s no humdrum A-Class with a fancy badge. As we discovered with the original A 45…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths ASIDE from choosing a less powerful, cheaper car and using a price-comparison site, the perception is that there’s little one can do to reduce insurance bills. But we’ve been in touch with two experts to find out if there are any insider tips that could help you get the best deal on what is, ultimately, a valuable and essential financial product. Thatcham Research works with insurers to calculate which of the 50 insurance groups a car sits in. Thatcham’s chief technical officer, Richard Billyeald, says that while where you live, who you are and what you do all have a significant impact on insurance, other factors more easily in your control should also be considered. Keep an eye on trim levels and options Billyeald explains that the cost…

LIKE many brands, Citroen knows the importance of SUVs and is moving to incorporate many more into its line-up, with each wearing its ‘Aircross’ tag to signify the practical, higher-riding body style. The latest is the C5 Aircross. Following the supermini-based C3 Aircross SUV, it enters a class already packed with talented contenders, many of which are either also new or have recently been updated to keep them fresh. Our test in Issue 1,560 highlighted this perfectly, when we brought together the Nissan Qashqai – the car that kick-started this crossover revolution – with a new petrol engine against the Vauxhall Grandland X. Those cars show how important a small but strong turbo petrol engine is in this sector. So the updated Kia Sportage, which only comes with a naturally aspirated…

MODEL TESTED: Skoda Karoq 1.5 TSI 150 SE L PRICE: £25,660 ENGINE: 1.5-litre 4cyl, 148bhp FRESH from its recent victory against the new Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T, our favourite family SUV, the Skoda Karoq, is going back into battle against the C5 Aircross. We’re testing a 1.5 TSI 150 in SE L spec (although our pictures show a Sportline 4x4), but is it a better bet than the Citroen? Design & engineering A SIMILARLY flexible approach is used in the Skoda’s construction as in the C5 Aircross’s modular architecture. The Volkswagen Group’s offering is the MQB platform and is fitted with a 148bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine here. It produces 20bhp and 20Nm more than the Citroen. Although four-wheel-drive cars get a different suspension layout (at the rear to…

ALFA Romeo’s petrol saloon cars have always had plenty of appeal. In the sixties the Giulia used a revvy four-cylinder motor, and even in the nineties and noughties the brand’s range was known for its lively Twin Spark four-cylinder engines. This Veloce model matches that reputation, even in an era of petrol turbos, because its 276bhp unit is one of the most lively and engaging 2.0-litre engines around. It matches the Jaguar’s 400Nm of torque, despite being 20bhp down on its rival, and with the Giulia’s 261kg lighter kerbweight, it’s punchy in gear. Yet unlike many powerplants of this nature, the Veloce’s sounds great and loves to be revved – and this gives the Alfa Romeo plenty of charm. That light kerbweight, along with a more responsive gearbox and our…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE Running costs 41.1mpg (on test) £50 fill-up/£140 or 28% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 292/1,093 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.5 seconds/144mph HAVE you caught that television advert promoting a sofa company by associating with LEGO? I couldn’t help but laugh when I first saw it, because it seems completely at odds with itself. After all, who’d want to sit on a settee made out of hard, knobbly plastic? Anyone who’s stepped on a LEGO brick knows that wouldn’t be a very pleasant experience. Yet it got me thinking about the Ford Fiesta ST I’m running on our fleet. Like a toy sofa, it’s not the epitome of comfort, but that’s not what it’s for; it’s all about thrills. When I was little, the colourful Danish toy was my…

CO2 /tax 263-270g/km £555 Running costs 32-34mpg (3.6 SWB auto) £84 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 12.9 seconds/107mph NO rival can match the Jeep’s heritage in the field of four-wheel drives. The US brand was the first to build a 4x4 in large numbers as long ago as 1941, and it was the legendary Jeep that led to the creation of the original Land Rover in 1948. In series production since 1953, Jeeps have a deserved reputation for being able to go anywhere but despite the ruggedness of its 4x4s, the Fiat-Chrysler subsidiary has never captured the imagination of UK buyers. That’s particularly true of the company’s most hardcore model, the Wrangler; owners love these cars, which they tend to buy with their eyes open but, as we explain here, you shouldn’t…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram WITHIN the next month or two, Volkswagen will have produced its 30 millionth Passat. Eight generations have hit the road since the car’s launch back in 1973, and UK orders for this newly updated Peugeot 508 rival will open in June. The latest version is still based upon the Mk8, but VW believes the changes are significant enough to consider it a ‘Mk8.5’. Under the subtly massaged metal, the revised Passat packs improved safety tech, updated infotainment and connectivity systems, semi-autonomous driving capability and an overhauled engine range. Perhaps the most significant change under the bonnet is an improved GTE plug-in hybrid. The power output from the petrol/electric setup remains the same as before, at 215bhp, but a larger-capacity battery – up to 13kWh from 9.9kWh – sees…

VOLKSWAGEN’S latest electric vehicle is a dune buggy concept, which takes its inspiration from the iconic Beetle-based beach buggies of the sixties and seventies. Teased in an official sketch (right), the car is expected to be called I.D. Buggy when it appears at the Geneva Motor Show next month, and like the camper van-inspired I.D. Buzz that came before it, features a host of retro-themed design touches. Nods to the original beach buggy include a set of chunky tyres sitting beneath flared wheelarches that flow into a curvy, simple body style that does without doors or a roof. As with the brand’s fleet of other I.D. models, there’s a backlit VW logo on the nose, while the LED headlamps mimic the round spotlights from the originals. Protection for the buggy…

INVESTMENT in the UK car industry dropped by a “disturbing” 46.5 per cent last year compared with 2017, while the number of cars produced here fell by a “depressing” 9.1 per cent over the same period. Global headwinds including an economic downturn in China, diesel uncertainty and regulatory changes were among the reasons for the production fall, but the drop in investment was “the most disturbing feature of the figures” and directly linked to Brexit uncertainty, according to Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. “We need a deal,” Hawes said, adding that “uncertainty is the big enemy of business” and declaring “Brexit uncertainty has already done enormous damage to output, investment and jobs”. With the car industry on “red alert” for a no-deal…

“It’s like Wacky Races out there with some of the stuff we see… road rage, undercutting and aggressive use of vehicles is increasing”JOHN APTER Police Federation chairman Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths ONLY in Issue 1,560 we reported how a reduction in the number of police officers had been accompanied by a sharp rise in car thefts. Now a senior figure has said falling traffic officer numbers have left the UK’s roads “like Wacky Races”. Police Federation chairman John Apter told the National Roads Policing Conference that motorists are “regularly driving in an antisocial, dangerous and aggressive way”. Referring to the classic TV cartoon series, he added: “It’s like Wacky Races with some of the stuff we see; road rage, undercutting and aggressive use of vehicles is increasing.” But with traffic officer numbers…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.9 seconds/121mph James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods PRETTY much every big player in the supermini sector now offers a mild but sporty take on its wares, and Nissan is the latest brand to enter the fray. Step forward the new Micra N-Sport, designed to give the small car’s safe image a bit of a rebellious streak while showcasing some much-needed updates across the Micra range. It slots in above the mid-grade Acenta, and boasts a similar selection of standard kit – save for the addition of a reversing camera, rear parking sensors and folding, heated mirrors. It gets new, racy styling details, too. Elsewhere, the boosty, blowy Renault-sourced 0.9-litre three-cylinder has been replaced by a new 1.0-litre turbocharged triple developed for use across the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. This has 99bhp in…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods THE Yaris is an important car for Toyota. Its hybrid powertrain is unique in the supermini segment, and since 2017 it’s been the brand’s motorsport front man – chosen as the car to re-establish Toyota’s World Rally Championship credentials. It’s also the launch pad for the brand’s new performance division, with the arrival of the rowdy 209bhp Yaris GRMN. But Toyota hasn’t finished experimenting just yet. This is the new Yaris GR Sport – a go-between for the standard Yaris line-up and the limited-run hot hatch, sprinkled with some GRMN trinkets and trickery. Injecting a bit of sporting flair into the more mundane end of the line-up, the GR Sport offers a set of black 17-inch wheels shod in Bridgestone Potenza tyres. It also gets a black roof,…

HOW BIG IS YOUR BUDGET? THE size of your budget is the most significant factor when you’re choosing a car. So while the rest of this chart can be approached (as with the car-buying process itself) in a non-linear fashion, the first thing you do should be to work out exactly how much you want to pay. Our in-depth guide to finance on Page 52 gives more advice on how to pay for your car but no matter how large your budget, as we explain in our ‘beat the dealer’ feature on Page 48, don’t reveal to the salesman how much you’ve got to spend. DIMENSIONS BUY a big car and you’ll need enough space to park it – sounds simple, but many’s the motorist who has failed to take…

The cardinal sins of negotiation Never reveal your true budget AT some point in the negotiation process, the dealer will ask what you have to spend on your new car. He or she will take this figure as the starting point for the negotiations, so it’s hard to drop this amount later in the process. If you can afford £350 a month on a PCP deal, tell them it’s £300. If you go straight in at £350, that will be the smallest amount the dealer will try to get you to pay. Don’t be rude and defensive DEALERS don’t have a great reputation, but if you treat them with courtesy and respect this will be reciprocated. If you’re rude or aggressive, the salesperson will have less reason to get you…

MODEL TESTED: Citroen C5 Aircross PureTech 130 Flair PRICE: £25,325 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 128bhp FOLLOWING the success of its C3 Aircross compact SUV, Citroen has turned its attention to the even more lucrative mid-size market with the C5 Aircross. We’re testing the £25,325 PureTech 130 Flair version, which is bound to be a big seller. Design & engineering UNLIKE its smaller brother, the C5 Aircross is based on Citroen’s latest EMP2 platform, which is shared with sister brand Peugeot. It offers struts and a torsion beam to take care of suspension at the front and back. The chassis also features Citroen’s Progressive Hydraulic Cushion tech, which has been tuned to put the emphasis on comfort. It’s standard across the range and replaces a regular suspension bump stop with a secondary…

THE Jaguar XE 300 Sport’s engine is the most powerful version of the brand’s Ingenium range, and it’s also found in the entry-level F-Type sports car. Boasting 296bhp, it’s more powerful than its Italian rival here, although both cars have a maximum 400Nm of torque. But as the Jaguar is 260kg-plus heavier than the Alfa Romeo, that power advantage is dulled. Consequently, the XE couldn’t match the less potent Giulia Veloce in our acceleration tests; it was seven tenths slower from 0-60mph, and slightly behind in our 30-50mph trials in third and fourth gears. The only test in which the XE was faster was 50-70mph in eighth, where the Jaguar’s 10.7-second time beat the Alfa’s 12.5 seconds. However, don’t think the XE’s engine is lacking pace; out on the road…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy THE Hyundai Kona you see here looks entirely normal, right? Until you realise that the photo was taken at barely 8am and the temperature was well below freezing. Behold, the joy of pre-conditioning. The art of pre-heating an EV when it’s still connected to your mains supply is something I’ve grown accustomed to over the years – thanks to two BMW i3s that spent time on my driveway and, more recently, a Volkswagen e-Golf. Sure enough, the Kona Electric has the same facility – so while my road echoes to the sound of neighbours scraping chunks of ice from their screens, I’m able to walk out, unplug the Kona (okay, so I get cold hands doing that bit), climb in and drive off with the cabin already toasty.…

“At 56cm long, 32cm high and 28cm wide, bag should be a snug fit in 911 load bay” NEW PRODUCT Paul Stephens Clubsport Holdall Price: £695 Contact: www.paul-stephens.com ESSEX-based Paul Stephens is well known for its restored and modified ‘AutoArt’ cars – beautiful reimagined versions of Porsche’s 911. But any discerning owner needs some high-class luggage for weekends away. Enter the Paul Stephens Clubsport Holdall – a weekend bag designed as the perfect complement. Finished in houndstooth fabric synonymous with the 911, it should be a snug fit in the rear-engined car’s front load bay. The holdall is made in Italy, using high-grade leather and that green, black and white houndstooth fabric – the colour scheme in Stephens’ Le Mans Classic Clubsport. Stephens calls the holdall the “perfect companion for a…

Fiat Doblo 1.6 MultiJet 95 Lounge S&S Years: 2015 to date Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 94bhp Ins group: 8 Official econ/CO2 : 60.1mpg/124g/km Why? Fiat combines masses of storage and a big boot with smart road manners and a punchy diesel. Prices from: £11,000 IF it’s space you need, the Doblo’s got you covered. Its boot will swallow a maximum of 3,200 litres of luggage, and its cabin is packed with clever storage bins. While the seats are uncomfortable on long journeys, the driving position isn’t too bad and the Fiat’s ride is supple enough, matching that of a supermini. The 1.6-litre MultiJet isn’t the most efficient engine, but it comes with a healthy 300Nm of torque, making it punchy enough. However, the Doblo is more expensive to buy second-hand than the…