Table of contents for 1569 in Auto Express

IN over 25 years of writing about cars, I’ve enjoyed watching the rise of Korean sister brands Hyundai and Kia more than most. And having just spent a week in Korea on World Car Awards duties, I’ve seen how these already-major players plan to up their game even further. Part of the week has been spent driving brilliant new cars like the new Kia Soul EV (above and Page 26). But I’ve also been talking to the management team about changes in the company resulting from Euisun Chung’s ascension to top spot in place of his father, M.K. Chung. There are little things that have already changed, such as a more relaxed dress code. But Euisun Chung has brought about a new focus to a business that had already developed…

THE Tesla Model 3 is now Europe’s best-selling EV, after the electric saloon outsold the Renault ZOE and Nissan Leaf during its first full month in dealers in February. First customers in Europe received their cars two years after initially putting down a deposit. However, the lengthy delay doesn’t appear to have deterred buyers, with data released by JATO claiming that 3,657 Model 3s had been sold in February. By comparison, Renault shifted 2,884 examples of the ZOE and Nissan registered 2,333 examples of the Leaf. As an additional bonus, the Model 3 also outsold its conventionally powered rivals, the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, both of which are cheaper. Typically, most new vehicle registrations come from fleets, but the Model 3 has bucked this trend because its volume…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths THE number of cars being cloned in the UK has quadrupled over the past six years, with industry sources blaming the easy availability of so-called ‘show plates’ and the rising number of stolen cars. Official figures from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) reveal just 1,255 vehicles were reported as cloned in financial year 2012/13, but that figure rose to 4,802 in the nine months between April and December 2018. What’s more, police believe the true number is far higher, with the crime being under-reported. Car-cloning “will only be done with criminal motives in mind”, say the police, and it occurs when number plates from one vehicle are affixed to an identical car crooks wish to disguise the identity of. That will typically be because the car…

“We change brake pads and suspension, and add safety kit and hand controls. We’re competitive with able-bodied drivers now”ASH HALL Former Royal Engineer and Team BRIT driver Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk SINCE 2015, Team BRIT has been giving wounded British military veterans the opportunity to get involved in motorsport, with hand-control systems fitted to its cars allowing amputees to compete on a level playing field with able-bodied drivers. The organisation has expanded for 2019 and now offers any disabled driver with a full UK driving licence access to race coaching and tuition through its new Team BRIT Racing Academy. Participants are first evaluated on a state-of-the-art simulator, which replicates the cars’ hand controls, before getting their first taste of track driving alongside an instructor in an adapted Volkswagen Polo GTI. The whole operation…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.0 seconds/155mph Running costs 25.7mpg (official) £95 fill-up James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods THERE really is only one place to start our review of the newly facelifted BMW 7 Series: that grille. In numerical terms, it’s around 40 per cent larger than the previous model’s, but ultimately, there’s one very good reason why BMW’s luxury limo now boasts such an unmissable beak. Before its facelift, it was guilty of being too modest, and in the company of the always-elegant Mercedes S-Class and the fresher Audi A8, that just wouldn’t do. So BMW has really pushed the boat out with the redesign of this sixth-generation car. Alongside that brand new, taller front end and slimmer headlights, the new 7 Series receives a bit of attention down the flanks, too. There are…

THE start of the new tax year is an important time for company car drivers. New rules have come into force for the 2019/2020 financial period, and that puts a renewed focus on which models make the best company vehicles. There are far more cars on sale than when we produced our guide last year, and many more have hybrid tech. As before, we’ve split this rundown by price point, with five different brackets that will give company car drivers a wide choice no matter what their budget. In each category we’ve also added our best alternative-fuel pick with help from our sister title DrivingElectric.com. These attract a lower rate of Benefit-in-Kind tax so should be cheaper for business users. However, we certainly haven’t forgotten petrol and diesel power. While there might…

Vicky_Parrott@dennis.co.uk @VickyParrott Running costs 3.6 miles/kWh (on test) 282-mile range Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 451/1405 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.5 seconds/104mph SPRING has sprung, and that feels like an appropriately green time of year to get our hands on the new Kia e-Niro. This is a model that could represent a new beginning for mainstream electric cars – even more so than its sister, the Hyundai Kona Electric, and the ever-popular Nissan Leaf. After all, the Kia’s excellent 282-mile WLTP combined driving range is on par with the 64kWh Kona’s, but the e-Niro is a bit cheaper and usefully more spacious. My lifestyle should be a good challenge for it. I tend to do a jaunt into central London every week, involving a 60-mile round trip of around 70 per…

● 30-car grid hits Brands this weekend ● Mark Blundell makes racing comeback Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk WITH 17 different race winners in 2018, the British Touring Car Championship is one of the closest and most competitive tin-top racing series in the world. Last week, the championship unveiled a 30-strong grid for 2019, with champions Colin Turkington, Ash Sutton, Matt Neal, Andrew Jordan and Jason Plato all among those confirmed for the year’s competition. But one of the rookies on the grid has generated considerable interest ahead of this weekend’s season-opening races at Brands Hatch in Kent: F1 podium finisher, CART race winner, 1992 Le Mans victor and ex-ITV motorsport pundit Mark Blundell. The 52-year-old will be both the oldest and least experienced driver on the grid, and he told Auto Express last…

● All-new family SUV is wider and longer than previous generation ● On sale in December this year with three hybrid versions in range “New Kuga is longer and wider than old car and has class-leading rear passenger space, Ford claims” Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn THIS is the all-new Ford Kuga. It’s the third generation of Ford’s biggest-selling SUV and the first model from the brand to be launched with a trio of hybrid powertrains, including a 235.4mpg plug-in hybrid unit that will top the range. The new SUV is the most thoroughly redesigned version of the car since it was launched back in 2008. It’s based on a completely new platform called C2 that has not only brought significant gains in practicality, but also allowed Ford to fit the latest family…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler WHILE most car makers are rushing to get their first electric cars on sale, Kia is readying its third: the all-new Soul EV. Sitting below the e-Niro (tested on Page 54) in Kia’s electric range (alongside a couple of plug-ins and a full hybrid), this replaces the old Soul EV, launched in 2014. Things move fast in the world of electric cars – not least with battery tech – and the new Soul lifts its powertrain from the e-Niro, meaning a 64kWh battery with 201bhp. The result is a very similar 280-mile claimed range. That seems pretty accurate, judging by our test of an early car in South Korea, where we saw the remaining range fall in line with mileage covered – even on the motorway. It rose…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE original Honda HR-V was one of the first compact crossovers. The self-proclaimed ‘Joy Machine’ sold in relatively modest numbers between 1998 and 2006, before taking a near-10-year hiatus as the brand looked to realign its model range. It returned in 2015, based on the same platform as the Jazz supermini. Now, four years later, Honda has given the HR-V a mid-life nip and tuck, and introduced a Sport model with extra kit, special damping and a turbocharged engine from the Civic hatch. It’s lucky there’s more to this facelift than styling tweaks, however, because the visual changes are limited almost exclusively to a new grille and some extra chrome. The rear lights have also been updated, but that’s it. The big news is the engine, then. With…

THE start of the new tax year always means big changes – and especially for company car drivers. However, for the 2019/2020 tax year that kicks off on 6 April the tweaks to the system are bigger than ever. Essentially, the changes stick with the pattern that has been set in recent years; the thresholds for the CO2 -related brackets are becoming stricter and every car will see a three-per-cent rise in the proportion of its value that company car drivers are taxed on. The BiK tax rate is still capped at 37 per cent, but the point at which cars are liable for that charge is falling. Models that emit 180g/km or more incurred the full charge last year, but now it applies from 165g/km. Things are a little different…

BEFORE you’ve even driven the Lexus, you’re wowed by its styling; the brand should be commended for taking on such a bold look. Like the BMW, it’s long, elegant and uses interesting body surfaces and stand-out light signatures. There’s as much interest beneath this skin, too, because the LC sits on Lexus’s Global Architecture – Luxury (GA-L) platform, and in 500h trim pairs a naturally aspirated 295bhp 3.5-litre petrol V6 with two electric motors for a total of 354bhp. A lithium-ion battery supplies this dual-motor system, but electric-only range is still limited. Still, it’s quite a boost; the LC sprinted from 0-60mph in 5.0 seconds – not bad for a sizeable coupé weighing nearly two tonnes. Accelerating from 30 to 70mph took 4.5 seconds, but we couldn’t compare it to…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE Running costs 43.5mpg (on test) £50 fill-up/£140 or 31% tax Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.5 seconds/144mph OUR Ford Fiesta ST has made it to the finish line: it’s leaving our fleet after a fantastic six months. Regular readers will remember we collected the car from Wales Rally GB in October 2018 (Issue 1,552), and our first impressions were that the hot Fiesta felt like a rally car for the road. After spending more time with it, I’m sure that it’s a champion in the traffic light grand prix. Of course, I’m not talking about racing on the public road. But of all the performance cars on sale today, this is among the best. There are two main reasons why the Fiesta ST is so impressive. The first, and most…

“Modular system can be adapted and grow to suit needs, location and kit” NEW PRODUCT Matador garage tool storage Prices: From £1,674 Contact: www.damar.biz GERMAN tool producer Matador is hoping every man cave will need a ‘Men’s Kitchen’ – its latest line-up of storage systems. Designs can be added to and adapted to suit location, requirements and kit, in much the same way as planning a kitchen. The drawers are conceived to take Matador’s MTS system, with various tools kept in modules in foam-lined trays. They roll on ball-bearing runners and each copes with up to 45kg. There are also gas struts on overhead cupboard doors, and it’s all made from durable, powder-coated steel. The freestanding system starts with the £1,674 Piccolo (1,276mm wide by 1,980mm tall), with three and seven-drawer…

THE MPV was created in the mid-eighties, but its heyday was during the nineties, and Ford led the pack. As the master of affordable family transport, Ford introduced the first Galaxy in 1995 in conjunction with the Volkswagen Group, which offered its own versions (the VW Sharan and SEAT Alhambra). However, Ford went its own way with the second-generation Galaxy of 2006, and it did the same with the Mk3, which arrived in 2015. While this edition looks much like its predecessor, it’s an all-new car and comes with up-to-date safety and driver-assistance systems, as well as excellent connectivity. It’s no wonder the Galaxy is the most popular car in its class, and this translates into plenty of choice on the used market. CO2 /tax 129-139g/km £125-£145 Running costs 52-56mpg (2.0…

FORD will revive the Puma name for the forthcoming SUV version of the Fiesta, it has been confirmed. Test vehicles spied in recent months show how Ford is hoping that a proper jacked-up small SUV – previewed in our exclusive image (below) – will give the company a better chance to compete with the likes of the Nissan Juke, SEAT Arona and Citroen C3 Aircross. Now it has been confirmed that Ford’s new model – which could be sold alongside the existing EcoSport SUV – will see the return of the Puma badge that was used on a popular small coupé from 1997 to 2002. The choice of name could be significant; even without a direct link to the coupé, naming the new car after a fast, agile cat could…

THIS is our first look at the all-new Honda Jazz, which has been spied undergoing development testing in Germany. The next-generation supermini will feature a fresh new look and hybrid technology when it is unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show later this year, before going on sale in 2020. Even under the heavy camouflage, the shots clearly reveal the Jazz’s styling has evolved substantially. It’s more curvaceous than the outgoing model, ditching its angular bumpers and sharp headlights for softer replacements. At the rear, the car gets new tail-lamps, a reshaped tailgate and a less aggressive diffuser. Under the skin, it is expected to be based on the same platform as the HR-V SUV (driven on Page 32) and, like the current model, the only engines offered will be small,…

FERRARI has unveiled another one-off car built at the request of a loyal customer. The track-only P80/C supercar has been inspired by the Ferrari 330 P3 and Dino 206 S from the sixties and has taken the company four years to produce. It is based on Ferrari’s customer racing car, the 488 GT3, and the Italian firm’s design team has completely reworked the body; the 488’s standard headlights, nose-cone, engine cover, wings and aero package have all been ditched in favour of redesigned, hand-finished parts. The rear end is largely exposed, leaving the car’s engine and transmission visible through the rear diffuser. The buyer also specified a louvred aluminium engine cover that pays tribute to the one fitted to the Ferrari 330 P3 Le Mans racer. Inside, the car has…

NEW cars sold in the UK will be fitted with mandatory speed limiters from 2022. That’s after the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that it will follow a ruling from the European Commission on safety technology, regardless of whether the UK remains in the European Union. The limiters, called Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), were announced in March this year (Issue 1,565), and their fitment to new cars has now been approved by the EU. ISA systems use traffic-sign-recognition cameras and/or GPS data to determine the speed limit in a particular area, restricting engine power automatically and adjusting a vehicle’s speed to the prevailing limit if the driver does not slow down themselves. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) recommends a full on/off switch for the limiters should be included only…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE Porsche 911 is the benchmark against which all new sports cars are measured. Incremental improvements have transformed the latest version into one of the greatest all-rounders on sale. We first tried the 992-generation 911 in January (Issue 1,558), although our findings centred on a track drive, complemented by only a few miles around the perimeter roads near the Hockenheim circuit in Germany. The new Porsche’s biggest test had to wait, then. You can’t judge a car’s dynamic quality until you’ve driven it on British roads – and what better place than around the winding switchbacks, tight corners and potholed tarmac of the Scottish Borders? The first thing you notice about this latest 911 is how well damped it is. The compliance on rough surfaces is astounding; if…

NOTHING quite makes a style statement like a big coupé. Even though SUVs have become more popular and offer an upmarket image, large two-door models such as this pair still turn heads easily. The BMW 8 Series is the latest big coupé out there, and we’ve lined it up in 840d xDrive trim to take on our current Best Coupé, the Lexus LC 500h. Both models boast long, low silhouettes, great quality and lots of kit, and wrap it all up in a strikingly styled package, but which is better? They’re pricey, although only £325 separates them, and in diesel and petrol hybrid form respectively, they should deliver decent economy from two different approaches. BMW 840d xDrive Torquey diesel coupé has the power, but is it up to scratch elsewhere to…

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Volvo V60 PART of running a modern diesel car is the need to regularly refill it with AdBlue. To those less familiar, this is a liquid solution of urea that causes a chemical reaction in a car’s exhaust, reducing harmful nitrogen oxide emissions by turning them into water vapour and nitrogen. It’s available at petrol stations, and a 10-litre container costs around £18. Reviews and features editor Richard Ingram had done nearly 7,000 miles in his Volvo before a warning on the dash told him a top-up was needed. He had never refilled an AdBlue system, so he was keen to see how it worked. Several colleagues had recounted stories of spillages and stains, so he approached the task with some trepidation, but a quick flick through the user manual…

“A 45’s capacity is half that of the AMG GT’s V8, but that doesn’t mean it’s half the fun” Mercedes-AMG A45 A45 Years: 2016-2018 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 376bhp Ins group: 43 Official econ/CO2 : 40.9mpg/162g/km Why? The A 45 is subtle to look at, but epic power means few hatchbacks feel as fast in a straight line. Prices from: £26,000 DON’T let the subdued looks and posh badge fool you: the A 45 is one of the more ferocious hot hatches on the market. The 2.0-litre turbo engine – precisely half the capacity of the V8 in the AMG GT supercar – offers a huge 376bhp in post-2016 models, enough to cover 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds. The chassis isn’t as sophisticated as the Ford’s and the steering lacks its rival’s precision,…