Table of contents for 1676 in Auto Express

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @jimmybrods • New proportions for top-selling SUV • Reader spots prototype on the road LAND ROVER is preparing a brand-new version of one of its best-selling models – the Range Rover Sport. The Sport outsells the full-size Range Rover by almost two-to-one, and in the group’s most recent financial results it was the joint-second best-selling Jaguar Land Rover model, behind only the Evoque. And that’s despite the current car being eight years old. The third-generation Range Rover Sport will be more than an evolution. It will make use of JLR’s new MLA large-car platform, and a new design is on the cards, too. Spy pictures sent in by Auto Express reader Peter Siu hint at not only the Range Rover Sport’s change in proportions, but also some of the…

Minister for Future Transport We directed burning questions on ALKS to Rachel Maclean MP, Minister for the Future of Transport. Q What is the Government doing to ensure ALKS works as intended? A “We are allowing ALKS technology to be listed as self-driving, but provided it meets all the vehicle type-approval constraints that we have in this country and provided there’s no evidence that it is not safe to be self-driving.” Q If ALKS makes a mistake and causes an accident, who’s at fault – the car manufacturer or the driver? A “There is already a regulatory regime governing legal liability for self-driving vehicles. We don’t expect the driver to be prosecuted in this event. There are further discussions to take place.” Q What are the next steps and when…

HISTORY has taught us to never underestimate Hyundai’s ability to deliver on its ambitions. This has never been truer as I ponder the future of the Genesis brand in the premium automotive market, a segment I know well from my time heading up Infiniti for Nissan. Broadly speaking, the global car market is divided into four tiers: entry (Dacia, etc), mass (Ford, etc), premium (BMW, etc) and luxury (Rolls-Royce, etc). There are few examples of brands moving up a tier, although plenty have been relegated. Past performance teaches us that it’s a gargantuan challenge to create a truly mass-market premium brand. The history books are peppered with failed attempts. Whether it be Lincoln, Cadillac, Acura, Infiniti, Maserati, or even Lexus, none has achieved the cachet of BMW or Mercedes. The closest,…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk THIS new Bentley Continental GT Speed is said to be the most performance-focused-and dynamic road car the British brand has ever built. That’s quite a claim, but when you look at the work Bentley’s chassis engineers have put into upgrading the car’s hardware and software, you’ll understand why it’s not at all far-fetched. For the first time on a production Bentley, there’s an electronically controlled limitedslip differential (eLSD)at the rear, working with a recalibrated all-wheel-drive system to enhance cornering and, Bentley says, give some adjustability and a greater sense of fun. Rear-axle steering is also new for the Speed. Again, it’s to boost agility, but also to make this two-tonne-plus model feel smaller and lighter than it actually is. Add the Speed’s optional carbon-ceramic brakes – enormous 440mm discs…

Audi SQ8 THE SQ8 slots into Audi’s coupé-SUV line-up between the flagship RS Q8 and the regular Q8 range. As with all S-badged models, you get a satin silver grille and wing mirrors, although the Black Edition tested here swaps them out for gloss black items. Under the skin, quattro four-wheel drive is another Audi trademark, and it offers a 40:60 torque split front to rear. Active roll stabilisation is also fitted, which uses the car’s 48-volt electrical system to counter any lean in corners by stiffening the anti-roll bars. Four-wheel steering is meant to boost agility too, but from our experience during this test, the SQ8 can’t hold a candle to the Cayenne GTS Coupé for driving enjoyment. It feels heavy and ponderous in comparison, and it’s not as…

DESIGN THE SQ8 has had a wholesale redesign over its SQ7 sister model, with a sportier look all round, including a more aggressive grille and pumpedup bodywork. The Cayenne is a more subtle redesign, with a sloping tail that deletes the SUV’s wiper, while the number plate has migrated from the tailgate to the bumper. Neither car’s practicality is compromised much by their racier profiles. FAREWELL? AS legislation tightens its grip on manufacturer emissions, these cars could be a last hurrah for V8 engines in Europe. Twin-turbos, cylinder deactivation, direct fuel injection and a host of other efficiency tweaks mean they are just about at the limit of what can be done to save fuel without electrical assistance. Still, with snarling exhausts and fantastic responses, we can’t think of a…

13 PRODUCTS TESTED WATERLESS cleaners are ideal for giving a car a quick clean outside or in a garage, while also providing a one-stop cleaning and wax protection solution. Our test was divided into two sections. First, we looked at how easily each of our 13 rivals shifted grime, and then we studied the durability of the protection provided after buffing to a shine. We also took into account the ease of application, looking for no wasteful spotting, and factored in price. WINNER Farécla G3 Rapid Detailer Price: £8.99 Size: 500ml Contact: www.g3pro.com THIS former winner was one of the few detailers tested. It was best in the beading part of the test, where it was among those still shifting water after a month. It was less effective at cleaning…

14 PRODUCTS TESTED GRIME builds up on fabric upholstery over time, often unnoticed, and it’s not until the dirt is removed that you realise how the original colour has changed. Little and often is the motto for keeping your fabric upholstery looking good, and this also means you can give it a gentle clean rather than heavy scrubbing, which could damage the material. Our test includes general grime removal but we also assess the cleaners’ ability to tackle ink, ground-in chocolate and greasy butter. As always, we balance performance against cost to find our winner. WINNER Diamondbrite Upholstery & Carpet Clean Price: £4.95 Size: 450ml Contact: www.diamondbrite.co.uk THE pack promises ‘super high foaming’, and you certainly get a huge pile from this aerosol, which needs careful application. It has to be…

10 PRODUCTS TESTED WHILE the bulk of our testing saw little change in 2020, that wasn’t true of tyres. Our annual test of the tyres most UK drivers use – known as summer designs in the rest of Europe – was split across three countries, so we thank Goodyear for making the logistics work. Wet and dry handling tests were done at the Motor Industry Research Association proving ground in the UK, while braking was done by staff at Goodyear’s site near Montpelier, France, which also hosted the curved aquaplaning test. Straight aquaplaning, noise and rolling resistance were done at Goodyear’s R&D centre in Luxembourg. This wasn’t the most efficient way, but it meant we could rate tyres in the big-selling 205/55R16 size despite Covid. WINNER Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2…

6 PRODUCTS TESTED IF you have an older car, it’s not hard to upgrade its infotainment to more modern tech. To find the best options, we took six double DINsized units, which were compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and connected them to a test rig to see how easy it was to pair our phones, check the sound quality, and test other features. None of the units is cheap, but they could update your car for no more than the cost of a monthly repayment or two on a new car. WINNER Kenwood DMX8020DABS Price: £549 Contact: www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk WE love this unit’s wired and wireless connection for CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has inputs for three cameras and built-in WiFi. Unlike the 5020, it also has physical buttons…

8 PRODUCTS TESTED CAR DIY is a great way to save money, but you’ll need good tools and they’re not cheap, so it pays to keep them in top condition. Hence the need for a good box, which will keep commonly used tools organised and together, saving you hunting for the right one. They used to be metal, but modern, plastic boxes are as tough, lighter, easier to carry and not prone to rust. Their lack of sharp edges also makes them kinder on your car’s interior. We expected our test boxes to store a reasonable kit of hand tools in the tote tray, and larger items in the space below, plus liked to see organisers for small parts, such as fuses. As well as our practical tests, we marked…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy • Fourth generation of supermini revealed with all-new look • New platform increases options and on-board tech THE Skoda Fabia has long been one of the more conservative but practical choices in the supermini market, with less driving flair but more space than a Ford Fiesta. But Skoda is hoping that the Fabia can appeal to heart as well as head with this all-new fourth generation, revealed ahead of its arrival in showrooms in early 2022. The Mk4 Fabia really is all new, too, because it’s the last of the Volkswagen Group superminis to finally move off the ageing PQ26 platform onto MQB A0, as used by the recently updated VW Polo and SEAT Ibiza. It gives Skoda’s baby – now the firm’s smallest model after the demise…

Luke_Wilkinson@autovia.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson • Performance version of ID.4 is first VW to wear new GTX badge • On sale later this year, with an expected price of around £49k VOLKSWAGEN has launched a performance version of the ID.4 electric SUV. It’s the brand’s first model to wear the new GTX badge – an electric equivalent to GTI – and it will be priced from around £49,000 when it goes on sale later this year. The GTX uses the same platform as the normal ID.4, but the rear-mounted 201bhp electric motor is supported by an extra motor at the front, delivering a combined 295bhp. Volkswagen claims 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds – about the same as the current Golf GTI – but the top speed is limited to 112mph. Under normal driving conditions,…

New electric Kia EV6 to cost from £40,895 PRICES for the new Kia EV6 (above) will start at £40,895, and every model comes with the long-range 77.4kWh battery. The entry-level car has a 226bhp electric motor, but the sportier GT-Line can be specified with either the 226bhp rear-wheel-drive (£43,895) or the dualmotor, 321bhp four-wheel-drive set-up (£47,395). The Porsche Taycan-baiting EV6 GT with 577bhp will go on sale in 2022, priced from £58,295. Long-life treatment for roads goes on trial HIGHWAYS England is trialling a new ‘anti-ageing cream’ for roads. Currently, motorways and major A-roads need resurfacing every 10-12 years, as water, sun, air and traffic crack the surface. The fresh compound has been used on a section of the A43 in Northants. It uses a new bitumen designed to oxidise…

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale • Law changes will permit low-speed ‘self driving’ • But there are calls for officials to use ‘caution’ DRIVERS whose cars are fitted with a new assistance system will be able to take their hands off the steering wheel at speeds of up to 37mph on motorways by the end of the year, following an announcement that the Government intends to change road laws to allow full use of Automated Lane Keeping System (ALKS) technology. ALKS steers a car within lane markings and controls its speed depending on traffic conditions and obstacles, up to a speed of 37mph, as stipulated by United Nations regulations. In cars fitted with the technology, motorists will be able to delegate the steering and acceleration/braking to ALKS, allowing them to take their hands…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk • G80 and GV80 arrive first • Focus on customer service KOREAN premium car maker Genesis has confirmed it will launch in Europe this summer, with a line-up of cars to rival upmarket brands such as Audi and Mercedes, plus a new luxury-focused approach to its retail operations. Genesis will initially offer its G80 mid-size executive saloon and GV80 SUV – rivals to the Mercedes E-Class and GLE off-roader – when sales start in the UK, Germany and Switzerland this June, followed soon after by the smaller G70 four-door and GV70 SUV These two models will take on the likes of Audi’s A4 saloon and Q5 SUV, while Genesis says that “a dedicated European product will arrive within the year” as well. The Hyundai-owned car maker has also confirmed…

Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress FROM: Dave F IT’S easy to accuse Volkswagen of lazy design here, but not everyone wants a car that will stand out. This Polo certainly isn’t ugly, it just isn’t ostentatious. Personally, I think it’s quite smart and an improvement on the current car. FROM: Peter Hall THE Polo’s exterior is bland, but that’s the case with most Volkswagens now. The worst thing about this facelift is the over-reliance on touchscreen controls. Physical buttons and switches are much safer and easier to use on the move. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “Quite boring design, but it’s more attractive than the droopy-looking Volkswagen Golf Mk8.” Philip Mew ■ “VW needs to look to Toyota and Peugeot for inspiration to improve its exterior designs.” Ben M…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.7 seconds/146mph Running costs 46.3mpg (official) £56 fill-up Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 278/941 litres APRIL 2021 marks 20 years since the first BMW-developed MINI rolled off the Oxford production line. Perfect timing, then, for the company to gift the Mk3 version a facelift for its final few years on sale. The main changes are cosmetic, but also include a few modest tech and mechanical upgrades. The biggest design changes are at the front. As is the current trend across the new-car spectrum, the grille grows even larger; in this case it now drops right to the lower edge of the bumper. On the 176bhp Cooper S Sport version we’re driving here in five-door form, that standard body-coloured ‘safety bar’ section is swapped out for a…

Performance 0-60mph/top speed 6.5 seconds/155mph Running costs 35.2mpg (off icial) £94 fill-up THE XF has long been a handsome, practical and brilliant-to-drive executive saloon, yet despite its obvious appeal, the Jaguar has never managed to make the same kind of sales impact as its rivals from BMW, Mercedes and Audi. It’s likely to have angered and puzzled Jaguar bosses for years, so with the firm poised to embark on a bold new strategy from 2025, Jag has given the saloon what’s likely to be its final facelift before the brand embarks on its all-electric future. From the outside at least, there’s little to distinguish this fresh XF from the outgoing model. New J-shaped LED headlights have been added, while the bumpers have been reprofiled. However, it wasn’t the exterior that…

Running costs 17.9mpg (on test) £107 fill-up/£2,245 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 605/1,755 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.1 seconds/155mph MODELTESTED: Audi SQ8 Black Edition PRICE: £88,455 ENGINE: 4.0-litre 8cyl, 500bhp WHEN it originally launched, the Audi SQ8 was the performance diesel of the Q8 range. But with buyers turning their backs on the black nozzle, Audi has now introduced TFSI petrol power to the model. Here we’re testing the updated SQ8 in Black Edition trim, which costs £88,455. Design & engineering THE switch to petrol power for the SQ8 was a simple step for Audi. The car now features the VW Group’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, an engine which is already used in the flagship RS Q8. Audi has trimmed the power output by 92bhp, so the SQ8 has…

Audi SQ8 MMI Navigation Plus Standard Key features: Twin screens, haptic touch THE SQ8 certainly wows with its interior tech. The twin-touchscreen set-up features a 10.1-inch upper panel that’s used for navigation, infotainment, phone connectivity and vehicle set-up, while below that is an 8.6-inch screen for climate controls. Both displays feature haptic feedback, which requires you to press harder than you would on a conventional touchscreen, but it’s something you soon get used to. Another addition is Audi’s Virtual Cockpit. The display can be set up to show additional information to that found on the other two screens, so you could have navigation, radio and climate displays available without having to switch between them. The Audi’s multifunction steering wheel also makes it simple to navigate through the Virtual Cockpit’s assorted…

products@autoexpress.co.uk LOOK at some media awards and you can’t help wondering how they were decided, but there’s no doubt about how Auto Express picks its cream of the accessories – we test every one. The stars we celebrate over the next 34 pages have been thoroughly tested against their rivals, and proved themselves worthy of both our praise and, more importantly, your cash. We haven’t taken the results from websites or ‘likes’, or put commercial considerations first, instead spending months ensuring our winners do what they should, and are the best of the best. Our team of experts combines decades of experience of not just testing, but also simply messing about with cars, and we know the frustrations of products that don’t work, and the delight of ones that do. So…

24 PRODUCTS TESTED CERAMICS and graphene may be fighting for the headlines in the paintprotection world, but that doesn’t mean traditional or conventional approaches have disappeared off the shop shelves. We have a separate test for products with ceramics in their make-up (see p72), so here we tackle the hard waxes, spray-on solutions and easy-to-apply liquid formulas without graphene or silicon. We gathered 24 waxes and sealants, and applied each to a sectioned-off bonnet according to the maker’s instructions. The panel was then left outside for six wet and snowy weeks, with beading regularly checked when frozen hoses permitted. Ease of application and cost were also considered, allowing for hard waxes going further than liquid rivals. Many showed no sign of still being present at the end of our six-week…

18 PRODUCTS TESTED WE spend so much time selecting alloys when we get the chance, it would be a shame to wrap them in grey, tired-looking rubber. A good scrub may remove the grime but, unless the tyres are pretty new, it won’t restore a deep shine. For that you need a tyre treatment. You still need clean rubber to make the most of one, but application can be as quick as simply spraying it on and letting it dry. Add in a price that’s towards the bottom of the car-care scale, and it’s hard not to like a tyre shine – it’s the finishing touch to a car clean. To find the best we applied 18 to two large tyres, and monitored the finish over six weeks. We also…

10 PRODUCTS TESTED AS with car washes (page 62), the calculator works overtime when picking a screen wash. But it’s even more complicated because the maths varies with the seasons, as concentrations are adjusted to cope. Some products even offer a choice of dilutions depending on the conditions you expect to face. The result is that a competitively priced screen wash in summer can be hard on the wallet in winter – but it’s not just a financial exercise, because cost must be balanced against performance. A weak winter dilution can be easy on the pocket, but freeze quickly in low temperatures. In our test, we saw how well they cleaned oil and baked-on bug off a screen with 100ml of the summer mix, while the winter concentration was judged…

9 PRODUCTS TESTED OUR test of summer tyres was postponed before it had even started, but we’d completed most of our annual look at winter designs before travel restrictions began to bite. That meant a return to Ivalo, Finland, and the Test World site, but this time Hankook’s own Technotrac alongside the main facility. We also squeezed in a trip to the Contidrom in northern Germany to complete the wet handling test, while proving-ground drivers completed aquaplaning and braking. The pandemic prevented a return to do the dry testing, so braking was done by Contidrom staff and we had to drop handling. Not ideal, but it’s not critical to winter-tyre choice. The UK’s erratic weather makes swapping tyres for the season even more attractive. All-season designs (page 80) may be…

7 PRODUCTS TESTED IF you’ve ever had to claim on your insurance you’ll know how fraught it can be, especially if another driver is at fault and they try to shift the blame. Hardly surprising, then, that many of us fit dash cams to keep an all-seeing eye on our and others’ driving. They’re very popular and we’ve rated almost 30 over the past year, some recording only the front view, while others capture what is going on around – and even inside – the car. To test them, we attached the cameras to one car’s windscreen to ensure consistency. We then drove in a variety of situations before checking the quality of the footage, and rating how easy it was to use the camera and download video files. Price…

8 PRODUCTS TESTED MODERN criminals don’t rely on a crowbar or screwdriver to steal a car, and instead will use sophisticated electronics to bypass the security features. To foil them, go back to basics and install something that no laptop can get past – a physical lock on the steering wheel. Fitting one to your car should help to ensure criminals will simply not bother trying to steal it, because doing so will involve lots of tools, noise and damage. A good lock will also be able to prevent opportunist thieves stealing your airbag to repair accident-damaged cars on the cheap. But while any lock is better than none, there is a massive difference between the protection offered by the various products. We enlisted the help of Mike Briggs, a…

CTEK CS Free Price: £295 Contact: www.ctek.com WHEN we pick the winner of our Product of the Year award, we’re looking for something that breaks new ground and (this is essential) works well. It has to be something we’d want on our car or in our garage, and this year’s winner is no exception. You don’t have to live in a remote area for the lack of mains power near your car to limit what you can do. Just try using a pressure washer or workshop vacuum in a city street, where finding a parking spot is a lottery, and it more than likely won’t be near your home. The same goes for charging a battery, which can often only be done by removing it and reviving it at home, with…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@autovia.co.uk Q Dealer says warranty doesn’t cover rusty doors on my car MY two-year-old car has rust on all four doors. The nearest dealer says this isn’t covered by warranty and the dealer that sold it to me new is a long way away. Should I be covered? MB, E-mail A WE checked the warranty for your car, which states if a manufacturing defect has caused rust to appear you are covered for three years for surface corrosion, and 12 years for rust causing bodywork perforation. Given the age of your car and the fact rust has appeared on all four doors, you should be able to claim due to a manufacturing defect. Go back to the dealer you bought the car from and ask them,…

Chief designer, Skoda GERMAN born Stefani has been head of design at Skoda since 2017. He worked at Volkswagen between 1992-1999 and 2002-2015, when he was head of exterior design for the brand. Q What targets did you set for the new Fabia? A “The briefing was to make it more emotional, make it a bit more dynamic. So you know that we changed the platform, and thanks to that the car has super-gorgeous proportions.” Q About those new proportions. Is there more to it than just making the Fabia look sportier? A “The car is longer but especially wider. It has bigger wheels with a wider track. We’ve made the car a little bit higher, so we are not like other brands who are pushing the roof lower. We…

HONDA has revealed its 11th-generation Civic in American saloon spec, but these official images of the car’s interior highlight what the UK-market hatchback will look like when it makes its debut later this year. The interior is a huge departure compared with the previous Civic. Star of the show is a new, de-cluttered dashboard, which features a long, horizontal plane with the ventilation controls and switchgear mounted below a new floating touchscreen infotainment system. The Civic’s standard unit sizes up at seven inches, with a nine-inch-set-up available as an option. Honda says the new system boasts simpler menus, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. This screen is joined by a fully digital dash for the first time in the Civic. A new customisable 10.2-inch instrument cluster…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy • Fast EVs being considered • New N models also planned HYUNDAI’S N division is considering the development of a high-performance electric car based on a model from the new Ioniq sub-brand, according to the firm’s head of technical development. The N models that have been launched in Europe so far – the i30 N hatchback and Fastback (right), the i20 N supermini and Kona N SUV – are powered by turbocharged petrol engines, but now Hyundai execs have suggested that N’s focus will shift towards more sustainable offerings. Hyundai’s vice-president for product and strategy, Thomas Schemera, said, “We never stop thinking about expanding our product portfolio. Strategically we are moving full-speed ahead with eco-friendly offerings. We have a crystal-clear plan. One thing is for sure – eco-friendly…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.0 seconds/108mph Electric motor Power/range 180bhp/400 miles HYDROGEN is the fuel that’s seemingly always been on the cusp of the mainstream – and it’s a horse Toyota is backing with the sleeker, more handsome second-generation Mirai. This hydrogen fuel cell car proves that the world’s most abundant element can play a huge part in our zero-emissions future. Let’s start with how the Mirai works, because this is still, in essence, an electric vehicle. A fuel cell works by passing hydrogen across an anode, which splits the atoms into protons and electrons. The electrons then pass through a circuit to generate a flow of electricity, which in turn charges a small lithium-ion battery that, as in a regular EV, drives an electric motor. A clever chemical…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Electric motor Power/range 201bhp/336 miles Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.9 seconds/99mph IS this where the VW ID.3 gets serious? We’ve had 1st Edition models so far, and Pro Performance variants, all with a 58kWh battery. But here is the 77kWh (usable) version installed in the ID.3 variant that really targets long range: the Tour Pro S. The fundamentals don’t really change, of course. This is a five-door family hatchback – Golf-sized, which is no coincidence – and it sits on MEB, the VW Group’s modular fully electric platform. But instead of that Pro battery pack, with up to 263 miles of range, this Tour has the Pro S, which VW claims can keep the ID.3 running for up to 336 miles. For now at least, Tour trim is the…

Running costs 19.8mpg (on test) £113 fill-up/£2,245 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 625/1,540 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.5 seconds/168mph MODELTESTED: Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupé PRICE: £90,300 ENGINE: 4.0-litre 8cyl, 460bhp IT’S arguable that Porsche didn’t need to add a coupé version of the Cayenne to the range, because the company’s sporting pedigree is already well established. However, the market has demanded such a model, and the GTS version we’re testing here has a greater focus on performance than most other variants. It starts from £90,300. Design & engineering WHILE the Cayenne Coupé and Audi SQ8 share the same platform, there are still plenty of differences between them. The Porsche is shorter and lower, and also has a shorter wheelbase, but it’s marginally wider. There’s a power difference, too,…

BMW X6 M50i PRICE: £81,335 ENGINE: 4.4-litre V8, 523bhp THE founder of the coupé-SUV class has always divided opinion, but it packs more punch than either rival here, so it’s got the firepower to compete. The current model handles better than previous generations, too. Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupé PRICE: £83,365 ENGINE: 3.0-litre 6cyl, 429bhp IT has fewer cylinders than its rivals here and is down on power, but the GLE Coupé offers the aggressive looks and high quality we’ve come to expect from AMG models. Yet it’ll struggle to keep up with the Cayenne in corners.…

Pete_Baiden@autovia.co.uk @PeteBaiden Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 405/1,050 litres AUDI is leading the way when it comes to a large portfolio; indeed, the German brand now boasts a range of almost 60 different models. Regardless of the type of car you want, there will be an Audi in that class trying to attract your attention. And, if there’s not, chances are there will be one coming along shortly. One of the first cars Audi built to fill a gap was the Q2, a car that nobody really asked for until it was launched in 2016. It arrived as a small SUV that relied on its styling more than its practicality, however it proved to be a winning formula because it sold in huge numbers in the UK. Now it’s been facelifted…

18 PRODUCTS TESTED “ Good practice is the key to car cleaning ” IF you’re reading this, you’ll know using washing-up liquid to clean your car is not the way to go, because what’s good for cleaning greasy plates is not what you want for grit-covered paintwork. Yet the question over what you should use remains, and that’s what we aim to answer here. Good practice is the key to car cleaning. Use a mitt, keep it soaked in wash, and use a second clean bucket for rinsing to ensure grit isn’t picked up and returned to paintwork. A guard which prevents the mitt reaching grit at the bottom of the buckets can also be used. With these products nigh-on impossible to separate on washing performance alone, we looked for…

19 PRODUCTS TESTED FINDING the best wheel cleaner can be tricky, because a strong pressure washer or a stiff brush can mask and make up for any deficiencies in the formula. So our test focused on what each cleaner could achieve on its own. We sourced long-neglected wheel trims and used each cleaner on separate sections. We left them to dwell for the specified times, then rinsed the trim and assessed progress on shifting brake dust. A socket was then slipped over a wheel brush handle and with gentle agitation we assessed which product was best at loosening grime prior to a jet wash or brush shifting the dirt. With the cleaning results in, we also took into account price to find our favourite. WINNER Bilt-Hamber auto-wheel Price: £12.95 Size:…

10 PRODUCTS TESTED THE name is not the only similarity between this category and the waxes and sealants for paintwork (page 66), because the same fight between different formulas continues. On paint traditional waxes have retained their advantage, but on wheels, where the coatings have to cope with heat from the brakes, new sealants have had the edge in our tests. Wax or spray, the aim is to provide a coating that repels water and reduces the ability of brake dust to stick to the rim. For our test we applied 10 rivals to a large wheel, and monitored grime build-up over six weeks. We took price into account, including the long-lasting nature of hard waxes, and how easy they were to apply. WINNER Wonder Wheels Wheel Sealant Price: £6.90…

10 PRODUCTS TESTED IF you’ve just washed and dried your car, you might ask why it needs more cleaning. It can look fine, but hidden from the naked eye are tiny particles that bond to paint and won’t be shifted by a soapy mitt or a pressure washer. Slip a finger in a plastic bag, run it over your just-washed car, and chances are it will feel like sandpaper. If it does, you need a clay bar to remove those tiny particles and provide the best surface for a good bond, before applying a wax or coating. After claying, when you do the bag test, you should feel no grit. Our test focussed on this cleaning, making two attempts on a neglected bonnet using limited wiping, and checking progress after…

6 PRODUCTS TESTED THERE’S no doubt all-season tyres are the focus of many makers. The switch is driven by buyers looking for a solution that can cope with the extremes of our climate without needing to swap tyres twice a year. Plus, the rise of the SUV means the loss of the sharper steering of conventional tyres when swapping is no longer so critical. Our test of 225/45 R17 rubber was hit by the same travel restrictions as the winter tyres, with braking being the sole dry run we conducted, but we managed to complete all the other tests in Ivalo, Finland, and Hanover, Germany. This sector is growing fast, and several makers were unable to take part because they have new designs launching later in 2021. WINNER Goodyear Vector…

7 PRODUCTS TESTED EVEN if your car has a sophisticated satnav set-up, most of us will still reach for our smartphone whenever we need to get somewhere. Connected apps will tell you the best route, but can also warn about traffic, speed cameras and even potholes in real time. Indeed, some car makers seem to have thrown in the towel, because most new models incorporate Apple CarPlay or Android Auto into their infotainment systems. We pitted top driving navigation apps against the giants of Google and Apple. Using an iPhone 12, we asked for directions to incomplete residential and business addresses. To throw them off the scent, we deliberately took wrong turns and asked to divert to a fuel station and electric car charger. Points were given for clarity, accuracy…

8 PRODUCTS TESTED IT seems there’s always an excuse not to check and top up your tyre pressures: there’s a queue at the air line or you’re just in a hurry to get home. But with correct pressures your car will stop and corner better, while giving more mpg. Incorrect pressures can also lead to uneven wear and the possibility of some hefty penalties, with a fine of up to £2,500 and three points on your licence per tyre. Having a 12V mini compressor means you can top up when it’s convenient, and you’ll avoid the ill-treated and often inaccurate garage pressure gauges. During our test, we timed each unit while it pumped from 20-30psi on a 15-inch tyre, and then as it added 5psi to a space-saver tyre already…

CO2/tax 149-166g/km £165-£240 Running costs 38-44mpg (1.6 petrol) £60 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 12.0 seconds/106mph Search more than 60,000 cars with competitive finance Order online, delivered to your door, 14 day money-back guarantee IN three years’ time SsangYong will be celebrating its 70th birthday as a car manufacturer, having focused on four-wheeldrive models for most of that time. As Korea’s oldest car maker, SsangYong built its products exclusively for the home market at first, but by the early nineties it started to export cars such as the original Korando and Musso, and it was the latter that brought SsangYong to the UK in 1994. The brand quickly built a reputation for cars that were affordable, but clearly built to a price, despite the fitment of Mercedes engines in many models.…

IT matters not if car users love or loathe the UK Government, and approve or disapprove of what it now very carefully refers to as “self-driving” cars. What matters is that if our rulers get their way, human cargo will soon be carried in such vehicles on public roads. When we will be asked or forced to travel aboard them is not yet known, but it’s clear the Government is formally and aggressively promoting what it deliberately calls the “self-driving” cause. “Travelling in a car with no driver is as appealing and relaxing as the prospect of flying in a plane without a pilot” There are confident assurances that “the first types of self-driving vehicles could be on UK roads by the end of this year”. That’s probably an ambition…