THEGAYUK

Category: Lifestyle

  • CAR REVIEW | Seat Arona

    ★★★★☆ | Seat Arona

    From little acorns, grow mighty oaks. Seat is on a roll at the moment, and there doesn’t seem to be any stopping them at the moment. Indeed 2017 saw sales grow by a massive 18%.

     

    Hot on the wheels of last years new SUV the Ateca is their smaller Arona. So confident with their new model, Seat launched it in the showrooms a few months before a UK motoring launch. Their tagline for the Arona is “Do Your Thing” Safe to say Seat have.

    Based on the new MQB A0 platform that is home to the 6th generation of VW Polo, Seat has jacked it up a bit and with their homegrown design, covered it in a body that is in keeping it with the Seat family. A lot has been made of the Arona’s design with it being aimed at the younger spectrum on VAG’s line up.

    In some ways, it works. Looks alone are simple and classy but not packed with as much Spanish flair as you’d first have thought. This also goes for the inside. In some ways, it still has a safe approach that VW is known for. I said some time ago when I tested the Ibiza that Seat is now a stand-alone company and deserve their chance to design their cars. It’s a start but not as ‘wow’ as I’d have hoped. Take that with a pinch of salt and what Seat have given you is a small crossover SUV that is both easy on the pocket and good on the eye.

    Prices start at £16,555 for the base SE model and rise to £24,235 for the Xcellence Lux. Seat has been a bit clever in their model range line up. 24 choices are available in 6 models. To make it easier there are just three engine choices of 1 litre to 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.6 diesel. All turbo’d with a few differences in performance output. All available with manual and automatic gearboxes but no four wheel drive option. This is purely a front wheel drive car.

    Purchasing the car is then made easier. The options list is kept to a minimum and instead of loading up the car, you choose what you want by the trim level. This apparently makes delivery quicker. The only choice you have to make then is the body colour and roof option. Personally, I am not sure if I like this. The purchase of a new car is all about personalising it to suit you.

    THEGAYUK.com tried two different models. First up was the £22,095 115ps TSi Xcellence Lux. This had pretty much all you could want with the only option being the DSG auto box. It was nice to see adaptive cruise control included along with driver profile adaptions for responses to throttle and steering.

    I’m a fan of the 1-litre TSi unit, and I was keen to see how it behaved in the new MQB A0 chassis. I’m happy to report that it was well suited to the chassis with no evidence of wheel tramping from accelerating quickly from a standstill. Performance wise you won’t find many chances to try its top speed of 113mph and its 0-62mph time of 9.8 seconds isn’t going to win any awards. Economy is going to be good with an average of 56.5mpg being achievable. Exhaust emissions are 114g/km. The Arona ranges from 106g/km for the diesel to 115 for the bigger of the petrol engines.

    Inside you are cosseted to a quiet ambience. Something I’ll get to later with the FR. It’s all nicely laid out and well screwed together. Some of the architecture is Seat. It demonstrates a square edge design to things like the door handles in infotainment surround. You can see where the great value in price has perhaps scuppered some material refinement inside. The dashboard top is of hard plastic, and some of the switchgear is directly carried over from the VW group. This again flags up the “not quite there” in design. The layout is simple and VAG. The dashboard on this top model doesn’t have the beauty of VAG adaptive dials. Perhaps an upgrade that will come later.

    I was impressed with the new Arona. Its main attribute will be value for money. Youngsters are struggling to get themselves on the property ladder but getting into an SUV from Seat will not be a problem.

    Next up on test was the 150ps 1.5 TSi Evo FR Sport with a six-speed manual for £22,040. This is Seat’s top of the range sporty model. It certainly feels sprightly over the other models in the range with 150ps available. It’ll whizz you from 0-62mp in 8.3 seconds and take you to 127mph. The new 1.5 petrol engine certainly makes light work of keeping up momentum and is very flexible. It’s fitted with a stiffer suspension set up as you would expect in a sporty derivative. It removes a lot of the body roll you get with the more subdued models. This, however, causes some upset.

    What is apparent in the FR Sport is road noise. At first, we assumed it was from the big 18” alloy wheels. It turned out it wasn’t because the Xcellence Lux also wore the same sized wheels and that was able to carry itself quite serenely along your given route. This then can only be attributed to the dynamic chassis.

    Do I like Arona? Yes, I do. Again I would like the see Seat use some more of that hot Spanish flair the Spaniards are known for. As for my model choice, It would have to be the Xcellence Lux. The extras you get over the normal Xcellence far outstrip the extra £1000 is very much worth it. The SE Technology from £17,545 will probably be the most popular sold model.

    Love

    Price
    Ride in softer sprung models
    Use of space

    Loathe

    Needs more Spanish flair
    Ride noise in FR model
    Some plastics a bit cheap

    The Lowdown
    Car – Seat Arona
    Price from – £16,555 to £24,235
    Available now.

  • CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen Arteon R-Line

    ★★★★☆ | Volkswagen Arteon R-Line

    The Avant-Garde Fastback With A Name To Match.

    I wrote recently about Volkswagens Passat. I said it was a nice car. Indeed it is. Nothing nasty about it. All quite nice.

    I almost mentioned what Passat had done to offend the UK buyer – delete the hatchback option. Unlike our European cousins, we Brits do love a hatchback. So when it was discontinued in 1988 many suburbs of England tutted loudly with disgust. The result was those who wanted a hatchback for tip runs and garden centre expeditions went over to Ford and Vauxhall to get their fill of the lift back.

    VW now want to rectify that by giving us the Arteon. Is that how you say it? Art-e-on? Ar-Teon? Air-ton? It was said to me in as many different ways as there are languages in the world. However you pronounce it, it is a car to puzzle over.

    NEXT: Inside The Car

    Inside the cockpit, it is pretty much pure Passat. The usual three time clocks to look at in the front, none in the rear. Switchgear and controls etc are all pure Passat. Even on the move, it is Passat with that nice feel about it.

    Thankfully it is a little more than Passat nice. For a start, the designers have given it pillar-less doors. For some reason, a pillar-less door adds some sex appeal. And the front has been given a more purposeful look with both upper and lower grills integrated into one massive mouth. Sadly from some angles, it can look a little Audi-ish.

    All the fun for the British buyer is at the back. Forget the massive amounts of legroom you now get over the Passat sibling for the moment. Your prayers have been answered, you have a boot that lifts up high. High up into the sky to reveal a load capacity of epic size and all in a hatchback style body that VW would rather you refer to as an avant-garde fastback saloon style. It is deceptive. Design wise you do expect it to be another saloon. It was only when l went to lift the boot that l realised something was wrong. It’s a big heavy door to lift. It took me by surprise at first. The ‘nice’ was being eroded.

    NEXT: The Drive

  • Footballer “accidentally” flashes the entire world

    Free Willy…

    You know what it’s like. Freezing cold, there’s a drizzle in the air, you’re wearing thin white short shorts and the world is watching.

    What do you do? Yep, accidentally pull your shorts down exposing your Johnson to the world. Behind your manager of all people.

    An unidentified Huddersfield substitute player managed to exposed his manhood to the millions of fans watching around the world – and all of this happened behind the back of the club’s manager, David Wagner.

    The flash happened only for a split second, but eagle-eyed fans have been trying to identify the player, who seems to have a tattoo on his right thigh – and it seems as though he’s quite a sizeable player too if you get our drift.

    CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

  • CAR REVIEW | Range Rover Evoque Convertible

    Range Rover Evoque Convertible

    You don’t really associate Land Rover with wind-in-the-hair motoring unless you’re a farmer with a Defender 110. Sadly for the farming industry, the Defender was pulled from the production lines in 2016 and as of yet there is no serious replacement.

    For those needing an open aired Land Rover, there is always the Range Rover Evoque convertible. Admittedly it isn’t as rugged as the old defender and with prices from £53,000, you’re also not likely to throw a poorly sheep into its leather covered upholstered cabin either. In actual fact, you’ll be glad this isn’t as rugged as an old Defender. I’ve been wanting to test one of these since I saw it so come on Barbie, let’s go party!

    OK, let us be honest, no one is seriously going to buy one of these for the day to day running of a farm. If you yourself are however looking for a 4 seater SUV styled car with a missing roof then this could be the car for you. In fact, it’s not exactly got much competition. Come to think of it there isn’t much out there at all in the drop-top segment except roof chopped hatchbacks from the Germans. So the Range Rover Evoque wins. Put the roof down, let’s go home.

    Not so fast. This still has to please the buyer. Ask a group of road testers and this single car will divide a group. Call it Marmite if you will, you’ll either love it or hate it. There doesn’t seem to be any in-betweens. I am happy to say that this tester, in particular, was pleased as punch with it. I rather liked it. Actually, I liked it a lot.

    For a start, it is a full convertible. Press the button and everything overhead disappears into the boot area leaving just the windscreen in front of you. Everything else is gone. Annoyingly all the windows disappear too. I’ve never worked out why manufacturers think we all want the windows down when the roof comes off? Range Rover has thoughtfully given us a switch to override all the window buttons and make the main switch lift or raise all the windows in one go.

    On the open road with the roof down not only does it open the cabin to the elements but also your senses. I’d forgotten how you suddenly hear everything around you. It’s like driving with your hearing turned to 11. Your senses will also pick up on on the dynamic change of the vehicle when compared to its hardtop sibling. Its over two tons of weight are evident though, not without good reason. There is thankfully very little scuttle shake.

    Suddenly I noticed that the buffering over the shoulder you get from most convertibles was missing. Any car that has a roof missing often results in a cold draft coming over you from behind. On a hot day, it is quite cooling. On a day like our test day, it wouldn’t have been. It was cold and wet. In actual fact, it was VERY wet. The small wind deflector did a good job.

    Cabin controls are nicely laid out and it didn’t take long to work out where the heated seat and heated steering wheel buttons were.

    Along with the more than adequate heating and all its vents, it was easy to drive with the top down in the coldness. This was a great comfort for what happened next.

    NEXT: What happens when you drive in the rain?

  • Hand Luggage With A Difference, reviewing the Brompton Bicycle

    ★★★★☆ | Brompton Bicycle

    Now that 2017 is out of the way and those new year’s resolutions that sounded so promising at 00:03 on January the 1st 2018 have all but faded we now need to look at 2018. What better way to kick-start a fresh fitness regime in February than on two wheels.

    There is a lot of buzz about the London built Brompton bicycle. Everyone who owns one loves them. Some people have more than one. It’s almost as iconic as the Fiat 500 or Citroën 2CV.

    The one we have for testing is the H6L Black Edition with an orange main frame. Made with various components painted black for a sleek urban look, it is available, in a choice of four colours and only available at selected dealers worldwide.

    For its £1340 asking price, you don’t feel like you get much for your money. To be fair I choked a little on that myself. It was only when I started using it that I discovered that it makes for good value for money. The most obvious plus is that you can take it with you almost everywhere. It folds neatly and can go under the table. And at 12.3 kg, it is hardly weighty. In simple terms, it’s 12 bags of sugar or two of my nieces at birth.

    Seems I am a little out of touch with bicycle purchasing these days. The last time I bought one back in 1996 it was a red mountain bike, 21 speed, alloys. Done. The Brompton has an options list to rival that of the Jaguar XF, well sort of. These bicycles are not your standard run of the mill ‘off the shelf’ at your local bike shop variety. Buy one from eBay and what you save in a few pounds you lose in personalising. For me buying a Brompton would be personalising it for me. It’s a personal purchase.

    The bonus of the Brompton is its folding ability into medium sized hand luggage. Folding bikes are not new. However, the way the Brompton folds up makes it ideal for the city commuter and for those with limited space. It means you don’t have to leave it locked up at the train station where inevitably you’re likely to get bits removed or worse still, the entire thing stolen, meaning you have to walk home alone in your spandex.

    The actual folding is genius. If you believe the joyous craziness of Anna Rampton played by Sarah Parish on BBC 1’s brilliant W1A you’d be thinking it was a feat of high IQ just to fold it up. In actuality it is no more than a tug, two clamps, an unfold and a pull. It’s all mainly down to the seat post that holds it all together, absolutely, yes, genius, no, there we go. Amazing. In a W1A kind of way.

    I was so exciting taking it out of the box for this review that I almost forgot that I had to ride it. Now here comes the crux of the problem. I’ve not ridden a bike for about four years. Admittedly you don’t forget how to ride one. What you do forget is that it takes lung capacity and leg power to make the thing go forward.

    After the initial “oh my Christ my LUNGS”, shock and getting past the first ‘burn’ it is actually quite easy to ride. Far easier than my 21-speed mountain bike. Over the course of the week doing around 4 miles a day, I got better and better. The 6-speed gear option for £175 is money well spent. There are two, and 3-speed options and should your commute be based in central London then the saving of £70 might be advisable. As it is, I have various degrees of terrain where I live so the six was more than ideal.

    The gears consist of three main gears in the rear Sturmey-Archer hub with an extra choice of two on the geared cog making it 1-3 and 4-6. I found 2 and 5 were best suited to me with one being more than ideal when I wanted to be both lazy and slow. It’s mostly suited for hill climbing.

    Other options abound include splash guards. I do recommend the large £55 set. They did a great job in preventing mucky spray up my back and over my trainers. Riding through puddles was quite fun. Just watch out for those potholes. The one Achilles heel is those small wheels. For all their benefit of manoeuvrability tighter than a London Taxi, they are somewhat susceptible to jolting you when you hit the pots. Thankfully its seat is quite well padded and cushioning of one derrière. You’ll be surprised at how much energy is wasted with a seat that is too soft. Your thigh muscles altering all the time make for early fatigue.

    There are 13 different types of bag to go with your Brompton. I was sent the reflective O bag for £220. It’s an expensive option I’ll grant you. Cycling shouldn’t just be for health and commuting.

    It is immensely practical and big enough to carry more than you’ll need for a picnic in the park. I managed to load it up with all I would need for a party in the park. When it comes to storage, this bag was like that of Mary Poppins. It also doubles up as a shoulder bag with two open pockets to the side. Ideal for quick access to refreshments or baguette carrying.

    With all the personalisation that you can spend on the Brompton, I do have one problem with it. Ergonomically their set up might be for the best but I for one like my brake levers just a little more horizontal. To do this will prevent it from folding up and besides, there isn’t enough slack in the gear and brake cables to allow this. The folding tolerances like the build quality are tight and precise.

    It’s nicely put together and the skill and engineering that goes into each and every one made shows this is more than just a posh bike with a designer price tag.

    The Brompton will never replace the mountain bike. The Brompton isn’t designed to do that. It does make for an ideal city tourer bicycle. It’s difficult to explain this next bit because it doesn’t take much effort to propel it forward. It’s quite relaxing to use and this makes it ideal as a work commute machine. Nothing worse than getting into work with a sweat on. It might not, however, fit under the boot of your midlife crisis sports car as I discovered, though it will fit into the boot of any hatchback so there is no need to fit a boot suspended bike rack.

    I’m sold on the idea of the Brompton. It’s small storage requirements are a boon. It fits into your life quite easily. There is even a good network for spares and repairs and a huge cult following. It doesn’t take long to get to know others with one. It’s just that price tag I have a slight problem with. If they were that cheap however then everyone would have one.

    Oh hang on, they do. And that tells you something. They really are THAT good.

  • CAR REVIEW | Jaguar F-Type

    Jaguar F-Type | ★★★★☆

    This Jaguar F-Type is a welcomed departure from grand slam GT cars available. Its styling takes some elements of the old E-type to give it a romance of a time long forgotten. A time when Jaguar’s sports car was the fastest thing on the road and turned heads.

    The F-type isn’t all that though. It has a problem, and that problem comes from in-house at Jaguar. I was fortunate to test identical powered coupe and convertible models back to back with one being the clear winner.

    Let’s start with the styling. It’s not quite the pin-up poster your father would have had on his bedroom wall back in the day. Forget all about being seduced by this pussycat. It will still fill you with giddy excitement not only because the door handles pop out when you press the remote, but the looks are pure aggression. This femme fatale will scratch your mind and soul with a longing to go out with her again.

    It’s amazing what the Jaguar engineers have done to this engine. The four cylinder Ingenium 2 litre turbo has a broad spectrum of uses and can be found in many of the models offered by Jaguar and sister company Land Rover. In the F-type, it has been tweaked and prodded to suit its new sporting clothes. And it’s all quite good. A 155mph two-seater sports car that can achieve around 40mpg.

    What’s not to like?

    The power outputs sound great on paper. In practice, it is somewhat different. And here is where the F-type either excels or fails. It’s just not that fast. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fast, but for a car dressed to kill in sports car clothing with a 0-60mph dash in 5.4 seconds, it just isn’t fast enough. The problem is those pesky hot hatchbacks. They can be just as quick and for less money. Jaguar does offer more powerful F-types but you will need to pay extra for that, and we are, already up to £50-60k. What the Jaguar has up its sleeve is grand touring luxury.

    Inside you are treated to a snug cockpit. Everything falls to hand. And to the hand, you notice items that are there in other Jaguars and Range Rovers. No bad thing in real world terms as this does keep costings down. The one problem I have with the F-Type is the facia in that it is the same as plenty of others in the JLR range. The car is so different in so many ways that it needs to look different. And so too should the heater controls. At this price, they are just a little on the cheap side. This itself goes against the grain of the luxury feel you get from the seat leather and build to how it all moulds together.

    And so back to those performance figures. One of the problems with the F-type is in its construction. The all aluminium framed car makes it a heavy vehicle. Added to this the fittings that are well engineered to fit without rattling and more weight is added thus giving the illusion of luxury that is as mentioned, there in abundance.

    On the road then and how does it feel? It feels amazing. I’m a sucker for a smooth engine and sweet exhaust note and added to the 8-speed automatic gearbox it feels well suited to everyday use. Here is where it excels. For its few faults and out and out performance, it all adds up to make this a sports car that can be used to pop to the corner shop on a Sunday for a pint of milk and a Sunday paper albeit the long way around. It’s nice and easy to drive, and it looks the business. No one will really know that it’s the slower of the models Jaguar offer.

    Pulling out of junctions in wintry wet roads doesn’t end up with the wheels spinning and you looking like an idiot. It pulls away fast and has no trouble putting its power down. It feels quicker than it actually is. On today’s congested roads with mobile cameras popping up all over the place, perhaps feeling faster than it is, isn’t such a bad thing after all.

    The sound is quite intoxicating which heightens the sense of urgency. You can switch it off if you like unless you opt for the ‘Dynamic’ setting in which case it is there all the time. Normal mode is pleasant enough. The Coventry cruiser then is a pussycat. Select ‘Dynamic’ and its all noisy roar and claws for what it is. The burble and roar from the exhaust will make you smile.

    Handling too will also make you smile. It’s pretty much easy going all the time regardless of the setting you choose. This again adding refinement to a sports car looking package. It’s not bad if I am honest. For everyday use, the F-type is actually rather nice. Unless you are looking for an out and out sports car to do stupid things in, you wouldn’t be too disappointed with the very few shortcomings it has. For what I want in a car like the F-type, it doesn’t fail me, it excels. I want my fast car to be a bit lazy like me and easy going when I want to not think too hard about the road ahead.

    So here comes the problem I mentioned at the beginning. What is it to be? Closed coupe with average boot space or a drop top with even less boot space? That’s easy to answer.

    That accolade goes to the convertible. The £10,000 more of your cash is a lot to ask for straight out of the showroom. Keep the car for three years and that extra cash paid out will vanish with the joy the snug fitting, but mostly missing roof will have given you.

    With my choice made up, I’ll just have to send to the luggage ahead. Hoy hatch performance or not, they don’t quite have what the F Type has. And you remember me telling you about the sound of the exhaust? With that just over your left shoulder, it is pure evocative mechanical magic and I couldn’t get enough of it. Let the wheels roll, the south of France is calling.

    Likes

    Driving dynamics
    Engine sound
    Luxury refinement

    Loathes

    Interior looks a bit dated
    Fascia lacks a sporting identity
    Handling not exploited with this power.

    The Lowdown
    Car – Jaguar F-Type 2.0L RWD
    Price – (from) £49,900 Coupe / £59,085 Convertible
    MPG – 39.2mpg (combined)
    Power – 300 bhp
    0-62mph – 5.4 seconds
    Top Speed – 155 mph
    CO2 – 163 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen Passat GT

    ★★★☆☆ | Volkswagen Passat GT

    REVIEW Volkswagen Passat GT

    The VW Passat is a good car.

    You can’t fault it really. From its rusty ashes as the 1968 411, it has grown and with Audi’s influence, VW’s people’s car for the executive has become a staple for the rep about the motorway service area who wants a quieter life than the four roundel sister cars.

    And that ladies and gentlemen is the Passat’s problem. It’s too quiet and yet its family timeline to start with was anything but.

    Volkswagen CEO Kurt Lotz, from 1968 – 71, had a bit of a task ahead of him. His greatest success was the purchase of NSU along with its water cooling experience. Wheels were in motion for VW’s greatest change. It’s safe to say Lotz would have been proud of the Passat today and as an owner, you would be too.

    The GT we tested, left you wanting for nothing. It had all the toys you could wish for. The meagre money VW charges for it (£29,000 starting price), it is a lot of car for your pound. Add the essentials and it soon adds up but the end result is still a great value car. There wasn’t one moment when I wished for more. Actually, I did and I’ll get to that if I haven’t convinced myself that I don’t want it by the time I am finished.

    For a start, the petrol engine is quite simply an amazing power unit. It’s by far not the most powerful in the Passat range. The 180ps 1.8 was subtle in the way it delivered the power. While the engine gets into its gallop between 5100 – 6200 rpm with the 236 Ibs ft of torque that kicks in across the 1450 – 3500 rpm rev range. It gets going with a lovely subdued growl. Like drinking the smoothest Baileys with a dollop of extra cream followed by an intense espresso.

    The compliant ride adds to this fluid quality feel that you have come to expect from Volkswagen. It smoothed out almost all surfaces and road roar was limited to a mild hum.

    The driving experience of the Passat was always a joy and never a chore. Even with the manual gearbox, it didn’t feel like I was being put out because I had a third pedal to press. Clutch controls were nicely weighted to the other controls. VW spend a lot of time on this and they get it right.

    It all sounds quite lovely. You can though, push Passat if you’re feeling a little asphalt frisky. the handling is safe and visibility is good. It glides around fast S bends and will mildly understeer if you push it beyond the capabilities of the tyres. Traction kicks in and restores your faith. It’s safe fun. Yet look at its performance figures and you’ll see it’s no slow coach.

    A 0-62mph time of 7.7 seconds isn’t too shabby and I’ve no doubt that it will eventually get to the claimed top speed of 144mph.

    It’s just that when it does, you’ll have no idea you are going that fast until you see the blues and twos coming up behind you.

    Interior quality is second to none. As much as Volkswagen is a premium brand, you have to remember that this isn’t the premium brand from VAG. That is Audi’s job and yet apart from a little too much black around the inside and not enough glitz to break it up, it was well and truly above par.

    VW’s sale figures for the Passat astonished me. Despite the Passat being in a small yet aggressive market, there wasn’t as many sold as I thought and yet you see so many on the roads. One wonders if BMW, Mercedes and Audi drivers looked at the values of the Passat that more would be sold. That said for the out and out performance car, it isn’t quite what the Passat image is about despite there being a Passat R.

    The dashboard layout benefits from the new system being adopted by VW that has moved the goal posts yet again. Being adaptive in its information allows you to get the best from the car and its calming qualities that all add up to make Passat a nice place to be in. And to make sure you are never late, VW has included three clocks up front. Why? I do not know. Two digital and an analogue one in the centre of the dashboard. I am surprised they haven’t added one in the rear.

    With regards to the toys, the Passat is packed with them. The adaptive cruise which I like to see and lane assist. Volkswagen’s system doesn’t cut power off immediately when it notices the driver is going autonomous. It does figure out quite quickly that you are not putting in manual inputs. The alarm sounds to alert you to take control. If you insist on ignoring this, it briefly and yet not dangerously life-threatening to those driving behind you, jabs on the brakes for a split second. It’s most unpleasant. You then tend to not do that again

    It all adds up to a nice car. A car for all reasons. You could adorn it with ribbons and use it as a wedding limousine. The bride and groom wouldn’t think you had turned up in a repster mobile. The bride wouldn’t kick off. There would be no drama. And that’s the problem I have. There is simply no drama with the Passat. It’s not like there isn’t room for a drama button on the centre console amongst the blanks on this model.

    For £3k more the 2.0-litre models may well give you this but then you lose the sense of great value for what is a very nice car. And only three stars I know seems harsh. It just needs to kick you in the teeth! Sadly for Passat, when you park it up you can walk away, mind rested and soul intact. You’ve arrived.

    Love

    Nice
    Good specification
    Value

    Loathe

    Not as boring as I might have made it sound
    Drab in the rear
    It’s too nice to add a third thing l don’t like

    The Lowdown
    Car – Volkswagen Passat GT TSI 180ps
    Price – £35,070 (as tested)
    MPG – 47.9mpg (combined)
    Power – 0-62mph – 7.7 seconds
    Top Speed – 144 mph
    Co2 – 136 (g/km)

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Las Iguanas Restaurant, Royal Festival Hall

    ★★★★ | Las Iguanas (Royal Festival Hall)

    It’s a new year, so it’s time to try new things. And I highly recommend Las Iguanas restaurant – they’ve got a new menu, and it sits perfectly alongside their other yummy dishes and drinks.

    With branches practically all over London, including Spitalfields, the Brunswick Centre, Stratford, the O2 and many more, the most centrally located is located on the busy walking path between Charing Cross Bridge and Waterloo Train Station. Right next to the Royal Festival Hall – it’s a pathway where people are in a rush to catch their trains home, so they’re focusing on either the north or south of the river train station. Well, I highly recommend a stop at Las Iguanas because there is so much on offer you’ll have a hard time deciding what to eat, so will need to go back just to satisfy your curiosity.

    Their new menu has an excellent selection of new dishes that must be tried. First and foremost may I recommend the Seco de Cordero (Dry Lamb) – but it is not dry at all! It’s a lamb shank (a huge portion), slow cooked in a golden ale, red wine and Amarillo chilli sauce, served with amazing roasted sweet potato mash & crispy chilli and onions, and at only £18.95 it’s worth every pound! From their Mexican menu, try their Vegetarian Burritos. It’s sweet potato, butternut squash & chickpea chilli all nicely rolled up in a wheat tortilla and also stuffed with rice, refried beans and comes with crunchy slaw & cheese with salad, sour cream, guacamole & roasted tomato salsa on the side, and that’s a whole lot of food for only £10.50. How about going for something entirely different and try a Cuban Sandwich. If you’ve never had one before, I highly recommend one. It’s Roasted pork belly, Emmental cheese & ham with sweet mustard & green pickle relish layered in a buttery toasted bun, with slaw & choice of fries or salad (£10.50). Also very very different is the Cauliflower & Corn Quinotto. What’s a Quinotto? It’s Peruvian-style quinoa risotto that comes with smoked cheese, roasted cauliflower & charred baby corn, topped with puffed quinoa & crispy chilli (£9.95). Besides these amazing (and new) dishes, Las Iguanas still also serves your favourites from Brazil. Dishes like Bahian Coconut Chicken being one of them, Cuba (Havana Club & Jerk BBQ Pork Ribs – yummy!), Argentina (Gaucho Steak will do nicely thank you), and Mexican (Enchiladas, Chilli Con Carne, Fajitas, etc.).

    I mean there’s just so so so much on the menu I could go on and on…like, for instance, their amazing Taco Planks where you can mix and match what type of filling you want. Tortilla chips & dip while you are waiting to order; as well as of course Nachos, Calamari, Mussels, salads – there are just too too many to mention. And speaking of a mention, you also need, need, to try their Piña Colada Mess for dessert. It’s Piña Colada ice cream with caramelised pineapple salsa, crispy pineapple pieces & toasted coconut chips (£5.50).

    Now, why else would you go to a Latin Amercian restaurant if you weren’t going to sample their drinks, and Las Iguanas has it all. From their refreshing Strawberry Daquiris to their amazing Mezcal Watermelon Smash, and of course, you really need to have one of their Mojitos if you are feeling Cuban, or if you are feeling a bit Mexican than of, course have a Margarita. I urge you, urge you, to have a look at the drinks menu as you will not be able to narrow your choices down to five – there’s just so much to choose from.

    Las Iguanas lives for, and brings, food alive. They also bring and deliver, an entire Latin American experience with energy and enthusiasm. Everything on the menu is mouth-watering, and you’ll have a good time, I guarantee it when you visit one of their many restaurants. You will discover more tastes, experience new things, and will want to return again and again, like I did, to try different dishes and drinks. It’s a fun experience I want to repeat muchos veces (many times!)

    To find your nearest Las Iguanas, and for opening times visit: https://www.iguanas.co.uk

  • CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen T-Roc Design 1.0 TSI

    ★★★☆☆ | Volkswagen T-Roc Design 1.0 TSI

    Volkswagen has been busy over the past few years. The needs of the motorist are expanding and their demands are greater than ever before. There once was a time when all you had to do was choose between a saloon, a hatchback or an estate.

    Late to the party, VW is now making up for lost time by entering the smaller side of the sports utility vehicle or SUV for short with the recently launched T-Roc.

    They are not quite so new to this segment though, their big Touareg has been on the market for the past 15 years. So have they learned from their past.

    I’ll try and hide my sort of dislike for SUVs. Unless it is four-wheel drive, I find them nothing more than jacked up hatchbacks on which they are based. The T-Roc being the Golf equivalent. If you look at market shares, the SUV is the fastest growing sector and expectations are growing. People want SUVs for several reasons. One of the main advantages is the view. You sit that little bit higher in one – giving a better command of the road. There is also a sort of status with an SUV. It says “we have a lifestyle that demands this go-anywhere-vehicle” in a way the Chelsea tractor did for those yummy mummies in the 90s and 00s

    If truth be told, most SUVs on the road are mainly front wheel drive. VW themselves predict over 75% of sales to be for the FWD platform. They also predict the 1.0TSI SE to be the biggest seller so that’s what we tested first.

    VW have done their homework. The four model choice allows the T-Roc to be made to suit the needs of the individual. There are choices not only for the alloy wheels but SE and Design models also get the choice of wheel colour. There are four choices of roof colour to be had and the Design model also allows you to spec the dashboard trim to contrast with the exterior colour. Exposed bodywork within the cabin, even in the higher spec models breaks up the monotony of blacks and greys.

    Attention has been made to the inside too. It’s all very Volkswagen and well put together. Everything is where you expect it to be. Seats are comfortable and if it wasn’t for the hard plastics on the dashboard and door trims it would be all rather tactile. It isn’t though. The use of hard plastic is something VW has said the market expects at this price, from this brand at least, you don’t.

    It’s fitting for an SUV in that it is rugged but it isn’t the usual VW style I was expecting.

    Thankfully there is joy to be found in the little 3 cylinder 1-litre engine. I said this before when I was swept away by its brilliant ability in the Golf. It gives you all it can in a pretty short spread of torque. 148 Ibs/ft is available from 2000 – 3500rpm. After that, the horses take you up to 5000rpm where a gear change is needed. You will, of course, change much lower down with the amount of power available.

    What will become apparent however is front wheel tramping if it ever tries to put down all that power from a standing start. It’s quite disconcerting at first. I know the torque figure isn’t massively high in numbers yet this wasn’t noticed in the other models we’ve tested before.

    The ride was surprisingly composed for what is a jacked up hatchback. It was a bit floaty in some areas and this added to the urgency of the little 3 cylinder engines excitement. It definitely added an element of ‘sports’ to its SUV title. Care and attention have been given to the T-Roc’s driving dynamics and this is evidenced when you drive it. The T-Roc felt light and spritely on the open country roads around Aynhoe and down fast A roads. Comfortable too from both the driver’s seat and passengers were observed.

    The T-Roc is good but not the best. It carries VW into the small SUV market with another car that they will sell confidently in high number. I’m just not sure I agree with them that the best seller will be the 1.0 TSE SE. For me at least I’d prefer to splash out another £2000 and have the 1.5 TSI Design. Some detail changes made it feel nicer as personal transport goes and the engine is so much the better. For a start, the 1.5 with 185 Ibs ft of torque spread across a far greater rev range was better distributed to the driving wheels with far less tramping.

    The T-Roc is all new and shiny, VW as we know never sit on their laurels. I’m sure changes are afoot already to make the good car even better. It’s what VW do.

    Love

    Boot space with split level floor practicality
    Ride
    Personalisation

    Loathe

    Dashboard plastics
    Front wheel tramping
    Interior not as vibrant as its urban looks suggest

    The Lowdown
    Car – Volkswagen T-Roc Design 1.0 TSI
    Price – £24,385 (as tested)
    MPG – 55.4 (combined)
    Power – 115hp
    0-62mph – 10.1 seconds
    Top Speed – 116 mph
    Co2 – 117 (g/km)

    The Lowdown
    Car – Volkswagen T-Roc Design 1.5 TSI
    Price – £26,430 (as tested)
    MPG – 53.3 (combined)
    Power – 150hp
    0-62mph – 8.3 seconds
    Top Speed – 127 mph
    Co2 – 120 (g/km)

     

  • The Motoring New Years Honours 2018

    The Motoring New Years Honours 2018

    New years honours 2018

    What a year 2017 has been. Some launches, some vehicles with a difference and now to the top three.

    The Almost Ran

    There are things l like and then there are a few things l really dislike. I’m talking about the Fiat 124 Spider.

    Compared to the Mazda MX-5 that it shares its platform with, it is more expensive. What’s more, the engine needs you to work it to get the best from it. The Mazda (in 1500cc form) was on the boil all the time and the MX-5 is cheaper and with the limited slip differential that Fiat only gave you on the Abarth 124, it made the handling safer and more surefooted.

    What l can’t forgive it though is Fiat using the MX-5 dashboard. Such a silly mistake to make. And lazy too. Even the fitments of a different facia binnacle would have been better than this.

    So how has this made it into the almost ran if I dislike it so much? I’d go out and buy one tomorrow. Unlike the MX-5, it is dressed in a very stylish suit that makes you look back and admire its style. Admittedly the handling is more twitchy and it’s this that makes it more alive and risky. Get some rear end out action going to work and you can wait until lunchtime before your first coffee. It’s the adrenalin rush it gives you.

    And the dashboard? When you’re going fast, you don’t look at it anyway.

    And so to my top 3 of 2017.

    Dacia Duster. £ 14,990

    It’s cheap and cheerful execution actually made this a joy to have for the week. What’s more, it’s an SUV and yet l don’t really like SUVs. Certainly not faux SUVs in 2 wheel drive form anyway. So what is it doing on my New Years Honours list? Its looks are a bit like an estate car and l like estate cars, they ooze practicality. The Duster though is available for not a lot more with a proper 4 wheel drive system. Win win.

    New engines available have also made it reach up to today’s standards of performance and economy. Just as it’s about the be replaced by a new model, it was given a brief new lease of life.

    There is nothing pretentious about the Duster in any way even in the midrange Lauréate trim level. And yet what surprises, is the way it was put together. Admittedly it isn’t even up to Renault’s standards of today and yet that’s OK.

    It’s a Dacia, It’s no-nonsense transport for you and whatever you throw at it. At this price, you will throw everything at it without a care in the world. Not because you won’t actually love it, you will. It will do all that is expected. It’ll be because it feels it can just handle it.

    Ford Mustang Convertible. £43,095

    Again this is another car that exudes a bit of cheapness. It’s not up to European standards. The fit and finish inside aren’t as tactile as in the new Fiesta and yet for about the same as the highest spec Focus RS, give or take £6000, you get a V8 muscle car with a retractable roof that can light up the tarmac without too much of a problem.

    It’s also a car to pose around in. The V8 under the hood rumbles away like a good old Yankee V8 should except this time it’s not as bad for the environment and now fitted with green bits like catalysts and an engine management system keeps tabs on the nasty stuff that comes out of the back. Your grandmother will love it.

    Ford thankfully have addressed the rear end and made it a little more acceptable to European standards. It’s now all multi-linked with wishbones and anti-roll bars of a sort and manages to go around corners albeit with a little naughty fun if you so wish it to.

    It also has those classic Mustang looks. It makes the car unmistakable from any angle or in any light. You can never mistake it for a…There you go. There is nothing that looks like it apart from an older style mustang.

    What is not to like? The Ecoboost engine that’s what. Avoid it. No one wants to hear a muscle car sound like a Fiesta.

    Alfa Romeo Giulia Voloce. £ 39,205

    What a car. A car that pipped my proposed number one from the entire list that we had back in the summer. It did everything right. Then we got the Alfa Romeo. And this isn’t if l am honest the best car overall that we tested this year. It is, however, the best driver’s car, with the best seat in the house. It’s so good, that I had to put £30 of my own money into the fuel tank. I couldn’t stop driving it!

    Every so often some manufacturers allow their engineers to forget the bean counters and go against the tide of normality to make a car that is available for every man (or woman) to be great to drive. It’s a car that puts the driver first. It isn’t cheap, then again it isn’t the most expensive of the drivers’ cars out there. You’ll be needing deeper pockets for something similar from BMW or Audi.

    Stories will unfold about the thing breaking down and it will have its faults. If it didn’t then it wouldn’t be an Alfa Romeo. A car company built with passion over precision of the finer things like a stupid switch working with fluidity. Passion isn’t built into a car, it comes from within. You just can’t manufacture it in a laboratory. It makes you spiritually aware. It has a human touch and quality to it.

    The Giulia is a return to form for Alfa Romeo that hasn’t been seen for over 2 decades. The crime is it shouldn’t have happened in the first place so this return should be celebrated and for this l award it THEGAYUK car of the year 2018.

  • CAR REVIEW | Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce

    CAR REVIEW | Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce

    Snap-Happy Alfa Romeo

    Alfa Romeo review
    (C) Alfa Romeo

    Alfa Romeo has been missing from the compact executive car market since the axe fell on the 159 in 2011. You’d hope then that over the last six years the Italian manufacturer might have got its new car right. If you have read the hype elsewhere, believe it!

    Thankfully the Giulia isn’t perfect, and there are still some questionable bits here and there. It’s the sort of things you’d not accept from an Audi. If Alfa Romeo had made it perfect, then it wouldn’t be an Alfa Romeo at all. The world would have stopped spinning on its axes and we would all be engulfed by a burning sun.

    Okay so that might be a little dramatic. I for one however do like a bit of drama from my car. In an Alfa Romeo with its rich history of successes and failures you still expect it to be good and bad with a bucket load of enthusiasm. It makes you feel alive when behind the wheel of the new Giulia Veloce.

    I’ll start with the enthusiasm side of the car. It’s a great car to drive. The Veloce model is second to end in a five model line up. Only the ferocious Quadrifoglio (Green Cloverleaf) beats it on all levels of driving dynamics. That said the Veloce, at £22,000 less, is by no means less of a car as a commuter saloon/play thing that will make you happy.

    You will be happy.

    (C) Alfa Romeo

    Before you even get into the Giulia, you’re confronted by a classic design in the making. From the front at least. Its tall grill and side vents add a purposeful look which is then given some Alfa flair with the licence plate mounted to the side. What isn’t so successful is the rear. It’s not like Alfa Romeo don’t have any in-house designs from the past that they can work from. The rear is a bit too BMW for my liking.

    The first thing you notice when you get inside the Giulia is the steering. It’s phenomenally direct. The smallest inputs translate to so much on the tarmac. You’ll notice this within about 200 meters of driving in a car park. It sets up the DNA of the cars sporting character.

    Speaking of DNA (this is the smoothest transition I have come up with yet!) there is the standard DNA switch on the centre console. On the model tested it was the basic switch for Dynamic, Natural and Advance efficiency. You can spec the car for Alfa’s adaptive suspension set up too. As it is, I found it very engaging to use in motion. In basic terminology it alters the parameter workings of the throttle, steering and gearbox responses. In A it is supposed to make it a little more fuel efficient. I’ll put my hand up and say I didn’t notice any difference on the readout because I didn’t try to get green credentials from my week with the Giulia. There simply wasn’t enough time and I was having far too much fun.

    D and N are where you will mostly keep it selected. In D it really does make the throttle responses snap-happy. This will frustrate you in its behaviour while pondering life while stuck in city traffic. Switch the N and normality will ensue. The magic in this switch is that you can select its position when on the move and its responses are pretty much instant. See the opportunity, select it and grasp the enjoyment.

    Another return to form for the Giulia is being rear wheel drive. Perhaps it has something to do with Ferrari technical director Philippe Krief coming to Alfa Romeo’s rescue has made the Giulia a true driver’s car in almost every sense. The driving is where the pleasure is.

    After years of lacklustre attempts at making a fast car with the wheels pulling it forward, Alfa Romeo has put power back to the rear and set the chassis up with a near 50:50 weight transfer balance. Sounds great on paper and on the road it is even better. Where the previous model would scrabble and understeer when pushed, the Giulia will pilot its way around handsomely. Push it and the traction system kicks in sometimes thwarting the fun but not excessively.

    Handling when pushed hard is safe. Having gone pleasure bound for four hours along my favourite road full of all sorts of situations, the A259 from Folkestone to Bognor, and in a mixture of weather, it proved itself to be sure-footed. Push it in the right situation and you could get it into a gentle four-wheeled drift. It doesn’t last long because the grip is phenomenal.

    You would expect a car set for the sportier driver to ride have a harsh ride and sometimes become unpleasant. It’s not the worst I have tried. Not being adaptive means it stays in that sports set up all the time. The only problem with this is it’s too engaging and encourages you to be a tad more naughty whenever you can get away with it.

    With all the goings on in how it rides I almost forgot to talk about the engine. It’s not a lusty Alfa Romeo V6 (that you’ll find in the Quadrifoglio) It’s a 1995cc four-cylinder turbo unit. It makes 280hp and will throw the Giulia down the road from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds. The way it does it is with little fuss and no turbo lag anywhere within the rev range. The eight-speed automatic gearbox steeps up and down with minimal intrusion. It also has a subdued growl that is more vocal when switched to Dynamic.

    In a time when gearshift paddles are getting smaller, Alfa Romeo has bucked the trend and given you two big cold metal shifters to play with. It all boils down to giving you more places to position your hands on the steering wheel to select the gears. The coldness of their metal construction is quite provocative in a way. Their shaped contours felt pleasant to the touch. It’s just another sensual input that makes it feel like a driver’s car.

    There are a few problems. Remember this is an Alfa Romeo. For a car with aggressive yet civilised credentials in being all things on the road to man and beast it has a slightly fluffy feeling brake pedal. It doesn’t feel as responsive or as sharp as the rest of the car’s snap-happy weighted inputs and temperament. Thankfully they are more than capable of stopping the car quickly on all surfaces. It’s not often you get to try a car on snow-covered tracks. The ABS stops you with minimal fuss.

    The fuel gauge in relation to how much is left never made any sense at all. I lost 140 miles in one 30 mile trip. The battery cover in the boot was poorly fitted and Alfa has decided to redesign the wiper switch with a butterfly design on the stalk. Let’s just say these are the eccentricities of Alfa Romeo and leave it there.

    What I am sad to see missing are the three round gauges pointed towards the driver for oil and water temperature and a clock. With this return to form this good I really would have liked to have seen this little nod to the Alfa Romeo’s I was brought up with.

    There is absolutely no doubting Alfa Romeo’s commitment to return where they should be in the sporty saloon segment. Sadly it is in a market that is packed full of German machines that continued to evolve with each model change getting better and better year after year. Alfa Romeo has a big job ahead of them if they are to entice the saloon driver away from the German marques. For my money I’d take a chance on the Alfa Romeo. The motoring press is not wrong in what has been said about the new cars driving appeal so repeat after me; I own an Alfa Romeo.

    Now doesn’t that make you feel great!

    Loves

    Handling and road manners
    Large gear paddles on the steering wheel
    Engine response

    Loathes

    Some trim fit was poor
    No traction off switch
    Fuel range less than accurate

    Lowdown
    Car – Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce
    Price – £39,205 (as tested)
    MPG – 46.3 (combined)
    Power – 280 bhp
    0-62mph – 5.7 seconds
    Top Speed – 149mph
    Co2 – 141 (g/km)