THEGAYUK

Tag: Car Review

Our independent reviews on the best, smoothest, most economical and most reliable cars on the road and in the UK. From the world’s top manufacturers.

  • CAR REVIEW | Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design Pro

    CAR REVIEW | Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design Pro

    ★★★★☆ | Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design Pro

    Volvo XC60 T8 R-Design Pro review

    What Have We Got

    This week we have a plug-in hybrid from Volvo. The Volvo XC60 T8 twin engine, which means it has a 2.0L petrol engine which is supercharged and turbocharged, producing 320bhp, powering the front wheels, with an 87 bhp electric motor powering the rear wheels. Together they provide a combined power figure of 407 bhp, enough to get you to 62mph in 5.3 seconds and on to 140mph.

    Our XC60 T8 is an R-Design Pro meaning it has all the toys and I mean all of them. It’s a beautiful car and extremely well built.

    Driving

    This is probably the most technically advanced car we’ve driven but is also one the most complete, accomplished packages we’ve seen.

    There are several driving modes to choose from:
    Eco (the most frugal settings) Dynamic (a balance between performance and economy, consider this ‘normal’ mode), Off Road (at low speed, makes the XC60 a serious off-road tool)Individual (allows you to personalise settings such as suspension, steering, gearbox etc) In Dynamic, the car is simply beautiful to drive. It’s very fast, very smooth and very easy to drive.

    Inside

    Inside the Volvo is an exquisite place, elegant and graceful. The materials are the best we’ve seen and the fit and finish are beyond compare. R Design features such luxuries as a perforated leather multifunction steering wheel with gearshift paddles, and nubuck leather upholstery. The sports seats are very supportive and infinitely adjustable and there is plenty of room inside for 5 adults in comfort.

    Our test car had the Bowers & Wilkins sound system which was incredible. 15 speakers and 1100 watts of power worked for us.

    Living with it

    Air suspension on the T8 R Design ensures a beautiful ride, soaking up the bumps and potholes of our roads with ease. The T8 is also fitted with adaptable, electronic dampers which means the suspension can be easily adjusted for ride and comfort, but more impressive than that, it constantly adjusts to the driving conditions.

    As a plug-in hybrid, you can drive it on just electric power for up to 20 miles, then it seamlessly switches to the engine’s power. If you have power in the battery at low speeds, on part throttle, you are essentially driving a big electric vehicle. It’s whisper quiet and silky smooth. When you need more power it ditches to the engine’s power, not so you notice though.
    The Verdict

    Our Volvo XC60 was genuinely breathtaking. It is the most advanced and the closest to an autonomous vehicle we have ever driven. The XC60 can steer, brake, and see better than us and uses these attributes to keep us safe.

    Volvo see this car as; ‘a clear step in our work towards fully autonomous cars’.

    It was a real pleasure driving the new Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD R-Design Pro. Now we see what all the fuss was about.

    Loves

    Performance

    Interior

    Superb build quality

     

    Loathes

    Price

    Electric range only up to 20 miles

    I can’t afford one

     

    Lowdown

    Car – Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine AWD R-Design Pro.
    Price – £53,870 – £59,770
    MPG – 134.5mpg (manufacturer claimed. We only got around 40 mpg)
    0-62 – 5.3s
    Power – 407 bhp (87 bhp electric and 320 bhp petrol)
    Top Speed – 140 mph

  • CAR REVIEW | Kia Ceed GT

    CAR REVIEW | Kia Ceed GT

    ★★★☆☆ | Kia Ceed GT

    Kia Ceed GT

    What Have We Got
    What if you want your cake and eat it. What if you want to have fun but you don’t want to be holding back a monster or fearing every bone jarring journey will end with a trip to the chiropractor? That’s where Kia pulls out their ace card… the Ceed GT. It’s a 200bhp, mid-sized hatchback that isn’t as extreme as the current crop of 300bhp monsters. It’s an outgoing model, soon to be replaced with the all-new Ceed but grab one while you can. They’re priced around £25,000 but there will be some great deals around.

     

    Driving


    Kia’s Ceed GT is a hot hatch, make no mistake. It has a revvy 201bhp / 195lb ft of torque 1.6L turbocharged petrol engine, a brilliant fwd chassis, 6-speed gearbox, supportive leather Recaro sports seats, fully independent front and rear suspension and brilliant brakes behind 18” wheels.

    It’ll crack 0-60 in 7.4sec while the top speed is 143mph. The all-important CO2 emissions are 171g/km and the brochure says you can get 38.2mpg combined fuel consumption.

    Inside


    Modern car interiors seem to be dull, unimaginative places. Kia has done a cracking job inside the Ceed. The leather Recaro seats are comfortable, they look great and they do a fantastic job of supporting you.

    The materials are high quality and look and feel great. A 7in touchscreen with sat nav was easy to use, there’s a surprisingly high resolution reversing camera and the heated seats and steering wheel were very welcome on these winter mornings.
    Headlights are Xenon adaptive with automatic levelling. It’s like turning daylight back on.

    Living with it

    The engine is revvy and eager but not overpowering, with enough power to be fast and fun.

    The Cee’d GT can do the shopping run in the morning, jump on the motorway and eat up hundreds of miles in comfort and actually pretty efficiently, and if you want to let your hair down, pull off onto a B road for some serious fun. This car can take all that in its stride. That’s impressive. In sports mode, the dials show boost and torque which is fun. Changing down through the manual gearbox with a blip of the throttle, the 1.6L engine is lovely and responsive.

    The Verdict


    To sum up, the Cee’d is great fun. We had it for a week and had a blast. It’s great fun, fast, excellent handling car with a very high-quality interior for around £25k new. You can expect more hot versions from the Kia stable. Like we said earlier, this is an outgoing model so there will be some around for an absolute bargain. If you’re after a fun car that is easy to drive, comfortable, practical and looks great, maybe this is for you?

     

    Love
    Engine – Revvy, responsive, fast enough.
    Interior
    Handling

    Loathe
    Brand image. Is Kia cool yet?
    Price. (There are some big discounts at the moment though)
    Synthesized engine sound in sport mode

    Lowdown

    Car – Kia Ceed GT
    Price – Around £25,000 with discounts as it’s an outgoing model
    MPG – 38.2 mpg (combined)
    0-62 – 7.4 seconds
    Power – 201bhp and 264nm torque
    Top Speed – 143 mph
    Co2 – 171 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Audi S1 2.0 TFSI

    CAR REVIEW | Audi S1 2.0 TFSI

    ★★★★☆ | Audi S1 2.0 TFSI 231PS Quattro Competition Nav

     

    What Have We Got 

    Audi’s S1 is the smallest and most affordable end of the S series cars. A brand new S1 starts at £27,745.00 ROTR. The S1 is a great package. 4WD, 6-speed manual gearbox, 230bhp / 370Nm torque from a 2.0L EA888 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine and 155 mph limited top speed. Make no mistake, this isn’t a lukewarm shopping car, this is a real driver’s car, an Audi S series car. I was surprised how much attention it gets you, lots of people complimented my choice of car for a change.

    Driving

    Audi’s S1 is a lot of fun and very capable. Being permanent 4WD, I expected it to push on it corners, understeer spoiling the party, but it seems to have a RWD bias which is great fun.

    Pulling out of a junction or accelerating out of a tight corner, a heavy right foot can prompt the tail to kick out. You have to be particularly aggressive as there’s loads of grip. Standard power from the S1 is 230bhp but with a stage 1 map that jumps to 320bhp, however, I know a couple of these engines running over 500bhp.

    Inside

    It’s fairly unremarkable inside but solid and well built. Leather, shell back bucket seats look very good and do a great job of supporting driver and passenger and the controls are well placed. You certainly feel you are in a driver’s car.

    My only criticism was the size. Obviously, it’s a small car, but for me as a grown-up carrying too many kg’s, it was almost too small. The dash is fairly plain but very nice and the quality is superb.

    Living with it

    As you would expect, the Audi S1 has a host of electronic assists such as; cross-traffic assist rear (which will alert you when vehicles cross your blind spot, and even activate the brakes if necessary). Pre sense front (uses a camera and radar sensors to alert you to approaching hazards and can apply the brakes). Park assist (parks for you), cruise control and more.

    It’s fast, fun, well built and looks great. I’d almost go as far as to say it’s in a class of its own with 230bhp in such a small package.

    The Verdict

    If you’re looking for fun in a small package but want a touch of class and quality. The S1 is right up your street. It looks subtle and classy and is very well built. It’s a bit small for me and there’s not a lot of room in the back but so what, I sit in the front.

    Small enough to park anywhere with ease, safe as any modern car with all of the electronics, it sounds great and has huge tuning potential. I’d like to take one on track and see what it’s like there.

    Love

    Performance

    Handling

    Build quality

    Loathe

    Unremarkable inside

    Too small (for me)

    Manual gearbox only, no DSG.

     

    Lowdown

    Car –  2.0 TFSI 231PS Quattro Competition Nav

    Price – £27,745.00

    MPG – 39.8 (combined)

    0-62 – 5.8s

    Power – 272hp and 330nm torque

    Top Speed – 155.3 mph

    Co2 – 166 (g/km)

     

  • MOTORING | My week with the 4×4 Tamiya Toyota Bruiser

    MOTORING | My week with the 4×4 Tamiya Toyota Bruiser

    A week in Toyota Toy Town

    I’ve just spent the past week pretending I was Calvin Brookman. Never heard of him? Then you need to brush up on your Tamiya history. Calvin was the driver of the Tamiya 1985 model 58048, the Toyota 4×4 Bruiser. Now bizarrely for Tamiya, this model never came with a driver so for all intents and purposes, he looked exactly like me. How uncanny.  

    Fast forward 32 years or 471 models later and Tamiya has re-released the much often drooled over model that most of us wanted from the top shelf. To celebrate this release and an almost 40-year partnership Toyota have with Tamiya, Toyota GB set about turning their current Hilux Extra Cab vehicle into a real-life homage to the Tamiya model.

    I met with my R/C hero in the carpark at work. It sat there as bold as brass. You couldn’t miss it and did I laugh. This thing is a bit of a monster. Subtlety is not its strong point and yet it does have an air of soft cuddliness about it. We’ve all taken our favourite R/C model to bed and this 1:1 scale model is no different. I got it dirty and washed it for crying out loud. I just didn’t want it going home dirty! 

    Toyota has done an amazing job in its recreation. In doing this they have also done something else to the Hilux which I’ll discuss later. A snazzy wrap of camp sparkling blue and Bruiser graphics would fall flat on there face if it wasn’t for the fact that this truck has been given the kiss of the lift by Arctic Trucks. Gone are the standard Hilux 265/65 17 wheel combo for a more robust 305/80 17 mix. It’s a lot of chunky rubber. 

    There’s also a reworking of the bits underneath too, with uprated Fox Shox suspension and to maintain the speedometer accuracy, they reworked the differential gearing. Quite important this when on the M23 with average speed cameras in operation.  

    Now you won’t find any of the extras on the Bruiser in the Toyota Hilux accessory brochure. Toyota teamed up with model maker Robert Selway who had the task of adding the all important on/off switch as well as the bumper bars. 

    So the time arrived for me to slide the switch to ‘on’ and roll out with my battery pack fully charged. OK so the switch wasn’t that in the rear bed but the ignition key in my hand and this isn’t powered by batteries but a 150bhp 2.4-litre diesel engine going through a 6-speed manual gearbox. 

    One thing that becomes apparent is the tyre noise. Over 40mph and these things make more noise than RuPaul’s Drag racers at full bitch.

    Girl, they are chatty! That, however, is the only fault and even then it’s hardly a problem. This new set up makes the Hilux even better to drive than the one we tested in 2017. There is less pitch and the ride is more compliant. There is an element to understeer if you press too hard and an amount of tail out in the wet. Like any pick-up though, 4 wheel drive is best selected in the wet when the rear is light of a load.

    And you best get used to the stares the truck gets. It’s not for the shy. Like a secret cult, those who know give you the thumbs up or a knowing nod. It’s appreciated. This is when you suddenly really start to fall in love with the truck. It lacks the luxury features of the Hilux Invincible but this is only because they are not available on the extra cab model. Shameful really because this model with its mini suicide rear doors really is a handsome beast.  

    Now down to the nitty-gritty. Would I have one? No is the answer. It’s just too big to park in the high street. And it is totally unnecessary for me in this guise. My daily commute route had to be altered to accommodate its bulk. That said, just look at it. What’s not to love? I tell you what, not a lot. The wheels are impossible to curb and the thing sort of glides over speed bumps. Toyota GB, I’ll swap you my much-prized Sand Scorcher? I WANT THIS!

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX 

    CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX 

    ★★★☆☆ | Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX

    What Have We Got

    Here is Honda’s 10th generation Civic. It is the humble family car that has been a staple from Honda since the 70s. Now let’s be honest, before 2006’s 8th generation Civic, it had been largely thought of as a competent car and one that’s just alright.

    That all changed and again with this all-new Civic 10. Design-wise it is an elegant looking car that takes generation 8 Civic to a new level ignoring generation 9’s dumpy potato look. And it has paid off because the Civic 10 is a looker.

    Driving

    It’s a puzzler. Civic comes with two driving modes, normal and sport. The usual attributes happen when you press the button with the steering becoming artificially stiffer along with the damper rates, and throttle response is sharpened. What then would be nice is for a softer ride in normal mode. It isn’t a hard ride at all and on most surfaces, it is always composed, and very little throws it off its course. A softer ride though might just quieten the road noise and add some luxury quality.

    The diesel engine is rather torquey and once spinning, it will reach the rev limiter quickly. It catches you out too for a car with a 0-60 of over 10 seconds, so you need to be quick on first three gears. Thankfully the clutch is light with good feel, and the gear stick precise and slick.

    What I did find was the fuel economy a little disappointing at the pumps. Honda claim 80.7mpg for the combined. I was lucky to get 49mpg over my week with Civic. That’s some way off their claim.

    Inside

    Inside you are treated to a well-made interior. It all fits well together, and the controls are logically laid out. The infotainment system isn’t as clunky to use as some though it takes a bit of time to build up familiarity with it particularly with the heating. I’m in a 50/50 kind of mind if I like the split screen and button use for it. Screen de-mist is a button under the infotainment screen while the other setups are all contained within the touchscreen.

    Interior is also very dark with its use of black is everywhere. Some of the joins where one material meets another are not always successful. What is though is the centre console that is well made. All this black would become unbearable if it weren’t for two things. The big retractable glass roof and the masses of shoulder space. Depending on your build you’ll find there is either too much shoulder space, or the door armrests are not large enough. I found I was having to spread my arms out like having a broom shoved down my sleeves and holding the steering wheel at the precisely 5:35.

    Living with it

    I have a few gripes about the Civic as mentioned above. The hatchback opening is large and wide, and a neat feature that I do like is the fold away parcel shelf blind that when compacted looks like a printer ink cartridge. It’s genius thinking. The problem with a hatchback is the problem of where do you put the parcel shelf. 10/10 Honda.

    I also like the sense of space. Despite my moan about shoulder space, the car doesn’t feel too wide to drive through town. It’s quite nice to pilot around.

    Verdict?

    I’d have one. I wouldn’t feel cheated if I was thrown the keys and told, “That’s yours, get on with it”. You can’t argue with the cost and spec over its nearest rivals. Spec for spec, it’s cheaper than a Golf and better equipped than the Astra. The technology works well too. What I will say though is don’t rule out the zippy petrol version.

    Love

    Price

    Spec

    Looks

    Loathe

    Unrealistic fuel figures

    Heating controls

    Turbo lag

    The Lowdown

    Car – Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX

    Cost – £26,574 (as tested)

    MPG – 80.7 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120ps

    0-62mph – 10.2 seconds

    Top Speed – 125mph

    Co2 – 93 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer

    CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer

    ★★★★☆ | Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer

    What Have We Got

    It’s hard to believe that this car as it is, on my driveway is just £3650 more than the Astra we tested recently. And you’ll notice this through other manufacturers. There once was a time when they made more money from their big cars. That doesn’t always seem the case these days but is the Insignia £3650 extra about right or an absolute bargain?

    Driving

    The engine in Insignia is down by 26ps over that fitted to the Astra, and it feels it. It runs out of puff rather quicker to reflecting its leisurely 11+ 0-60 sprint, yet that is the wrong way to drive this version on Vauxhall’s 1598cc turbo diesel. The power of 300Nm on this engine comes in lowly at 1750rpm to 2000rpm. In the Astra, it was higher up at 2000rpm and beyond. This lower engine power suits the Insignia well and here is the reason. It’s a smoother car to drive. The feel of the Insignia is more relaxed. 

    Inside

    The overall ambience of the cabin is of serenity. There is subtle lighting across the tops of the doors and along the dashboard. It’s very in keeping with the current trends. What is also like the tendency is to exclude this nicety from the rear doors. Why the rear passengers are not given this, I do not know. Thankfully the rears are treated to heated seats and have access to two USB ports to charge up the smartphones that will no doubt be connected to Vauxhall’s WiFi hotspot within the car. They are also given vast amounts of legroom too. It’s more than spacious in the rear.

    Living with it

    As estate cars go, there is a load of space in the back. A bulkhead style cargo net comes as standard. It is integrated into two positions. It can be placed in front of the rear seats folded up and down. If you only carry a load that sits below the window line you’ll never appreciate this but for those who carry to the max will, and its fitting and removal are incredibly easy. Just like folding the rear seats to reveal a flat load area. You’ll find the release catch either inside the boot or on top of the seats.  It’s a simple operation.

    The Verdict

    It’s a bargain. As load luggers go, the Insignia carries more as you’d expect. It’s rather nice inside and made for effortless cruising. Considering what I said about it being lower powered compared to the Astra, don’t let that put you off. It all comes together to make for a more cohesive car that carries loads and cruises well. In my mind, that is a better combination. The problem I did find with the estate style body was the height of the rear door. At 6’1” my head brush closely to the underside. Depending on the angle I parked at I did once knock my head on it. It is, however, the price we pay for sleeker looking estate cars.

    Love

    Comfort

    Load-lugging ability

    Ease of converting to full estate

    Loathe

    Low tailgate edge 

    Lack of cabin joy in the rear

    Road noise with the cargo cover missing

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer SRi Nav 1.6 110PS Turbo D

    Price – £24,555 (as tested)

    MPG – 65.7 mpg (combined)

    Power – 0-62mph – 11.1 seconds

    Top Speed –  125 mph

    Co2 – 112 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Citroën C3 Aircross Flair

    ★★★★☆ | Citroën C3 Aircross Flair

    WHAT IS IT? | DRIVING IT | CLIMB INSIDE | LIVING WITH IT | VERDICT

    Citroën’s new C3 Aircross replaces the Picasso MPV and enters the ever-so-confusing mini SUV type party. This model is the Flair S&S Puretech 110 Auto. Being a crowded party the C3 Aircross needs to be good.

    With starting prices from around £14,000 with the ‘Touch’ model, here THEGAYUK has the top of the range ‘Flair’ to tinker with.

  • CAR REVIEW | Jaguar F-Pace S 3.0 V6 AWD

    CAR REVIEW | Jaguar F-Pace S 3.0 V6 AWD

    ★★★★☆ | Jaguar F-Pace S 3.0 V6 AWD – Big and Easy

    Jaguar F-Pace S 3.0 V6 AWD review

    What Have We Got?

    There is a lot to like about the F-Pace S. For a start it is a car of creature comforts and quite honestly meets Jaguars ethos of Space, Grace and Pace. In that I mean it’s got space for five and a boot to accommodate luggage. Grace to carry you effortlessly along from A to B and Pace because when and where you can, it’ll hurtle itself down the road with a phenomenal howl from the superchargers.

    Driving

    Back to the howling. It’s very noticeable and I like that. A shove on the go pedal and the 380 horse of the 2999cc Ingenium will drop down several gears of the 8-speed auto gearbox and slingshot you down the road.

    If this isn’t what you need then you’ll be surprised to discover that you can potter it along like a Honda Jazz on pension collection day. There are novices for this amount of power.

    Ride and handling are also pleasant. The ride is more on the jiggly side and then even more so in Dynamic mode. It’s not however intrusive even with its 22” wheels and thin band Pirelli Zero rubber.

    Climb Inside

    Jaguar F-Pace S 3.0 V6 AWD review

    Here lays my problem. The inside is a mixture of hits and misses. My main gripe is the dashboard layout. While some will like familiarity within their cars from the same brand, I for one do not. If I am to pay out more for a car that sits up the range then I want it to reflect that and be different. The dashboard is identical with that of its saloon sibling the XF.

    This then includes the blue dashboard lighting. This again causes me some issues. The doors and dashboard have neon lighting set within them and on the S they were red. Thankfully someone at Jaguar has designed software that allows you to change the colours. Red with the blue wasn’t easy on my eyes. The white or blue seemed to work better.

    What did work well for me was the driving position and visibility. It was incredibly easy to see out of and this helps with navigating you and the behemoth Jaguar. The SUV style body allowing for even easier parking thanks in part to its cut of the tail.

    Living With It

    Quality wise it isn’t up to the likes of Mercedes or Audi. That said they seem to be stepping down at times with their products so I won’t be losing any sleep over that. The tactility of the inside is ok. Door armrests lack some padding for bony prominences.

    With a combined mpg of 31.7, you’ll also be able to stretch your legs more often than in a Nissan Micra. I say that because you won’t get that. You’ll be having too much fun driving it. At most during my week, I saw 16 – 18 mpg and the tank was empty in 248 miles.

    Is It Any Good?

    I liked the F-Pace. There are few SUV’s that I rave about because it’s a genre that I personally find stunted. They are high sided vehicles with altered dynamics and this results in fussy handling. The F-Pace S seems to have stopped me in my tracks on this.

    The F-Pace is also incredibly easy to drive and for something so powerful, it’s nice to be able to relax if going hell-for-leather isn’t what you want after a day of mind-numbing meetings.

    Now if only I could get more than 248 miles from a tank of fuel I’d be extra smitten with it alas fun comes at a price. A high price too but you can’t take it with you.

    Love

    Engine noise

    Choice of ambient lighting 

    Easy to drive

    Loathe

    Trim tactility

    Expensive options

    You need the options

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Jaguar F-Pace S 3.0 V6 AWD

    Price – £71,505 (as tested)

    MPG – 31.7 mpg (combined)

    Power – 0-62mph – 5.1 seconds

    Top Speed –  155 mph

    Co2 – 209 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 5008 Allure PureTech 130

    ★★★★☆

    The ‘New’ French Revolution. What Do We Have?

    CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 5008 Allure PureTech 130
    The Peugeot 5008 Allure PureTech 130

    The Overview | The Drive | The Cabin | Owning | The Verdict

    Peugeot has been slow to monopolise the key markets over the last decade. They were late to the 4×4 market and their foray into the MPV market has hardly been headline news. It took them a long time to catch up. Suddenly they are the best thing winning accolade after accolade for their SUV range badged the -008’s

    Here we have the 5008 Allure. And what can I say about it that hasn’t already been said? How about I don’t like it. I joke because there really is a lot to be said about this particular 5008 model. It is the better selling model of the range and it leaves you wanting nothing, give or take a few personal options.

  • 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