What Car? August 2021

‘Demand for new cars is outstripping supply and waiting lists are growing’ What do power steering, brake sensors, infotainment systems and airbags have in common? They all rely on semiconductor processing chips – and that’s aproblem, because there’s currently a global shortage of them. As a result, car companies have had to reduce the amount of vehicles they build, and that means in many instances demand is outstripping supply and waiting lists are growing. Bang goes any chance of getting a discount, right? Well, not necessarily. Some manufacturers haven’t been hit as hard as others, so savings are still available if you know where to look – and the good news is we do, because our Target Price mystery shoppers have been out in force, haggling with dealers. From p28, we round up all…

WE MOTORING JOURNALISTS have a habit of giving cars nicknames. Some are affectionate, some are witty and others are, frankly, a bit crass – but many are simply to the point. Like Cash Cow. Yep, that’s our pet moniker for Nissan’s enormously successful family SUV, an all-new version of which has just gone on sale. In the highly unlikely event you’ve never heard of the Qashqai before, there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of Nissan either, because, in Europe at least, the Qashqai brand is almost as strong as its parent company’s. And that isn’t a hunch; it’s backed up by official market research. This third-generation model takes the baton from a car that, even at the end of its life, was the best-selling of its breed, with a total…

Nissan Qashqai Price from £23,535 Length 4425mm Width 2084mm Height 1625mm Boot 504 litres Latest Qashqai takes a winning formula and runs with it, adding a classier interior and a boost in practicality. It rides more smoothly than before, too, but some rivals have it beaten for driver appeal. Hyundai Tucson Price from £28,710 Length 4500mm Width 1865mm* Height 1651mm Boot 577 litres As with the Qashqai, a cavernous, well-built interior is key to the Tucson’s appeal. It also has frugal hybrid engines and all versions are well equipped. Its ride isn’t as comfy over bumps, though. Peugeot 3008 Price from £27,555 Length 4447mm Width 2098mm Height 1639mm Boot 520 litres The 3008’s engines are strong, and by blending unusual materials with avant-garde design, its interior is very appealing. The new Qashqai’s has it beaten for ease of use, though. Seat Ateca Price from £24,110 Length 4381mm Width 2078mm Height 1625mm Boot 510 litres The Ateca is…

NO SELF-RESPECTING large SUV range is complete without a plug-in hybrid these days, but while rivals have long been mopping up economy-minded company car users, Jaguar has been quite late to the party. However, a facelift for the entire F-Pace range proved the perfect time to introduce one of only two Jaguars available as a plug-in hybrid. The P400e is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine that’s connected to an eight-speed automatic gearbox incorporating an electric motor. A sizeable battery means an all-electric range of up to 33 miles and CO2 emissions from as low as 49g/km – just what you need to keep company car tax bills low. You also get a combined power output of 398bhp – far more than is offered by the Audi Q5 TFSIe, BMW…

IT WOULD BE easy to question the ‘AMG’ aspect of the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35. After all, this is a seven-seat SUV with a mere 2.0-litre engine, which doesn’t sound like enough to earn the hallowed AMG badge. Mind you, while that engine has just four cylinders, it churns out 302bhp and fires the chunky GLB 35 from 0-62mph in 5.3sec. It stands up to the Audi SQ5 and BMW X3 M40i in terms of straight-line performance, and they each have two fewer seats. As a fast seven-seat SUV that’s not so big that it needs its own postcode, the GLB 35 has found a rare pocket of fresh air in a very crowded class. If you want a hot hatch-like drive in your large SUV, the GLB 35 is certainly appealing. The…

WHAT DO COUPÉ SUVs and caviar have in common? Don’t worry, there’s nothing fishy going on here (groan); it’s all a question of money. Harrods Food Hall is brimming with beluga for those with pockets deep enough to shop there, but if you try to find a pot of sturgeon roe in your local branch of Asda, you’ll probably come up short. Similarly, family-friendly coupé SUVs without sky-high price tags are relatively rare. The Renault Arkana is aiming to change that by offering slinky styling and a decent boot at a price that’ll have you slapping your back pocket in appreciation. It should prove cheap to run, too. You’ve a choice of two engines: a 138bhp 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol with mild hybrid assistance, or a full hybrid E-Tech with 140bhp from a…