What Car? July 2021

welcome

‘It’s no stretch to see a future where battery and fuel cell models both have their place’ Common opinion now has it that hydrogen fuel cell cars are a dead end. Yes, they emit nothing but water vapour, but battery-electric models are more efficient, because you don’t have to expend energy producing a fuel, then freight it to filling stations, only to turn it back into electricity again. And besides, power sockets are everywhere, whereas hydrogen filling stations are not. But things might not be so clear cut. There’s currently no realistic carbon-free alternative to hydrogen when it comes to planes, shipping and even long-distance lorries. And once you’ve created a structure to support these, adding filling stations for cars becomes a whole lot easier. Factor in that you can refuel a hydrogen…

target price

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-deals and 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.…

skoda fabia

THE BORROWERS FAMILY film showed millions of us that size doesn’t matter and that small can still be mighty, and then, two years after its release, the Skoda Fabia was born. You might imagine that a young car designer had seen the movie and taken its message to heart, because the original Fabia offered big-car space in a small package, and all at an asking price that was sure to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Indeed, the first-generation model was our overall Car of the Year in 2000, and the third-generation car took top honours again in 2015. What does that mean for this new, fourth-generation car, then? Well, put simply, expectations couldn’t be higher. Just like ateenager, the Fabia has experienced a growth spurt and is now significantly longer…

volkswagen polo

IF YOU’VE GOT an older sibling, chances are you wanted to be like them when you were growing up. Similarly, the Volkswagen Polo has long tried to mimic its bigger brother, the Golf. So, it’s perhaps not surprising that following the introduction of an all-new Golf last year, the Polo has been given a midlife refresh that has focused primarily on increasing the family resemblance. On the outside, for example, the headlights now cut down into the bumper and are joined together by a light strip that runs through the front grille (just like on the Golf). Meanwhile, inside, rotary air-con controls have been ditched in favour of touch-sensitive sliders – a backwards step in terms of usability, but another Golf feature, and hardly the first time a big brother has…

porsche taycan cross turismo

CARS USED TO have very clear-cut roles. You’d have something sleek and sporty to satisfy your need for speed and a practical estate to carry your family, neither of which would be electric. The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo shows how dramatically all that has changed. Essentially, it’s a five-door version of the Taycan electric four-door coupé, with the taller estate car body promising greater versatility. The Cross Turismo rides 20mm higher than its sibling, or 30mm in Lift mode if you’ve specified the optional off-road pack. There’s also a Gravel driving mode to help with traction on loose surfaces, plus plastic body cladding to protect the car against scratches and scrapes. You see, unlike traditional fast estates such as the Audi RS6 and Mercedes-AMG E63, the Cross Turismo is less focused…

citroën ami

YOUR HEAD TURNED, didn’t it? What exactly is that car? Well, it’s the Citroën Ami, and technically it’s not a car but alarge electric quadricycle that can be driven by 14-year-olds in some European countries. That means performance is restricted, with a top speed of 28mph, while the range is just 43 miles. Citroën is gauging reaction before putting it on sale in the UK, but that’s looking increasingly likely. Every rational assessment of the Ami has to be balanced by its price and intended use. Performance is inevitably rudimentary; its electric motor generates just 8bhp, so the Ami is not fast. However, its relatively low weight and the instant availability of that power means you can nip out of junctions in town with relative ease, although you’ll soon hit that 28mph…