THEGAYUK

Tag: Four Star Car Review

Our four-star reviews for all motor vehicles, petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic DTEC Saloon

    CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic DTEC Saloon

    ★★★★☆ | Honda Civic 1.6i-DTEC SR

    What Have We Got?

    Hot on the heels of our Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC hatchback review, we get the newly launched Civic 1.6 i-DTEC saloon. In showrooms burgeoning with SUV’s and dwindling choices of saloons, Honda comes right at you with a new offering in a market that is almost forgotten and a free for all for those who want a 3 box booted vehicle. 

     If you miss the Accord and wished for its return then your dreams have come true. In the real world, it fits nicely where the old Accord would have fitted if not in the Passat segment of car anymore where it once was. 

    Driving

    Here is where the main differences are. Despite all the performance figures looking the same for the diesel engines, the saloon puts its power down in a totally different way making for a more relaxed driving experience. Whereas I had moaned about the speed in which the engine revved to its redline in the hatchback, in the saloon, it seems more leisurely and I like it. It makes for a much more relaxed cruiser.

    Some would moan about this-this because it feels so markedly different. And then you factor in a softer ride. Very soft in comparison to the hatchback. Again something I wished the hatchback was before you press the sports button. 

    Inside

    There is very little to differentiate between the new saloon and hatchback. If I have to be really picky it is what is, or isn’t there under the rear parcel shelf. Again trim and paint appear to be missing leaving exposed speaker wires and unpainted metalwork. 

    As is standard with the hatchback, there is an abundance of black and all controls are identical.

    Living With It

    As I’ve said, the engine and soft ride bring a whole new experience to the Civic saloon that is very different in character to the hatchback.  

    It’s also an attractive looking car. It also cuts through the air better than the hatchback by giving you 3mpg more for no more than 130mm in length. Admittedly these are Honda’s unrealistic combined figures of 83+ miles to the gallon.

    And let’s not forget the boot capacity. From 478 litres, the saloon has an easy to access 519 and that’s before you fold down the 50/50 rear seats. It makes the saloon a very attractive alternative to the hatchback and other hatchbacks. Its size credentials making a case for its space in the showroom

    The Verdict

    Once again Honda presents you with a car that no one can dislike though many might choose to ignore because of that booted rear end. And that in itself is a shame because this really is a delightful car and one that needs to be looked at if you are in the market for a relaxing drive with no dramas and that drama includes wondering if that flat-packed chest of draws will fit the boot. It will. 

    Love

    Looks

    Boot space

    Build quality

    Loathe

    Lack of trim under the rear parcel shelf

    Unrealistic fuel figures

    Heating controls

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Honda Civic 1.6i-DTEC SR

    Price – £ 23,115 (as tested)

    MPG – 83.1 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120 ps

    0-62mph –  10.1 seconds

    Top Speed –  125 mph

    Co2 – 91 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Range Rover Sport SVD6

    CAR REVIEW | Range Rover Sport SVD6

    ★★★★☆ | Range Rover Sport SVD6

    Weak At The Knees In More Ways Than One

    Range Rover Sport SVD6 review

    What Have We Got?

    Land Rovers vast luxury Range Rover Sport SDV6. Once again, Land Rover has moved the Range Rover further up the luxury bracket which means this isn’t some fancy farm yard vehicle. This is a proper bonafide people carrying 4×4 with proven 4×4 credentials.

    But is it any good as an everyday carrier of people and load?  

    Driving

    Despite its big looks, it is surprisingly easy to drive. On paper at least, the 3-litre turbo diesel has a modest 306 bhp and yet the high 700 Nm of torque from 1500rpm feels quite lethargic in getting it going. It’s not a slouch by any means with a 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds, it just feels like it because it isolates you from the drivetrain so well. 

    When the going gets bumpy, this model also benefits from some impressive damping. The ride remained composed. There was some lurch as expected but it’s much less than you would think there would be despite what height you set the ride at.

    Inside

    For all of its exterior presence, it has an interior that matches. Big and bold with some nice touches in ergonomics and some appalling trim. 

    The twin infotainment screen is nice and when on, disguises greasy fingerprints quite well. You just need to keep the roof blind closed to enjoy it in the sun. It’s more reflective than I would like. 

    The leather coverings on the doors could have been a little bit better, though this was minor compared to the silver trim that ran down the side of the centre console. An unsavoury mould line left a sharp edge protruding that would rub against my bare knee.  

    Living With It

    All I will say is, pick your supermarket parking space wisely! It doesn’t feel as big as it looks to drive so you’ll find it cumbersome in the carpark. 

    It will seat five, though anyone sitting in the middle of the rear won’t feel the love with the drop-down armrest digging in their back. 

    It has the ability to travel ground so effortlessly that motorway driving would be a doddle. It would be if it was fitted with adaptive cruise control. One thing I struggle to get my head around is with all the safety features fitted to this premium 4×4, adaptive cruise is an option. It’s an option that should be standard.

    The Verdict

    I tried not to be swayed by the glamour of the thing but l failed. It took about three miles into my first drive to be in love with it. I didn’t even compile a good and bad list after the first initial run. 

    It’s not perfect though. There are a few niggles I have like trim quality and a suspension system that at times decides to go in too low overnight. That said it does make you feel like the king of the castle and you can see why people go back to buy another.

    Love

    Relaxing cabin

    Ride

    Door architecture

    Loathe

    Hate myself for loving it too much

    Sharp-edged trim

    Lack of adaptive cruise

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Range Rover Sport SVD6

    Price – £78,095 (as tested)

    MPG – 40.4mpg (combined)

    Power – 306bhp

    0-62mph –  6.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  140 mph

    Co2 – 185 (g/km)

  • 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 | 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)

     

  • 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 | Jaguar XF R-Sport 250ps Sportbrake

    CAR REVIEW | Jaguar XF R-Sport 250ps Sportbrake

    ★★★★☆ | Jaguar XF R-Sport 250ps Sportbrake

    Jaguar XF R-Sport 250ps Sportbrake review
    Is the Jaguar XF R-Sport 250ps Sportbrake any good?

    In the summer THEGAYUK went to the unveiling of the new XF Sportbrake set in a Wimbledon style setting. Much was to be made of the new Jaguar XF with added room.

    Sadly on the day, the cars were all kept locked so I was only able to look at the outside. It’s easy to say “yes it looks ok” when you haven’t got up close and personal. Thankfully two bridges have been crossed because THEGAYUK has enjoyed time with the XF saloon and now the Sportbrake.

    Running wise the two cars were identical in having the 2-litre petrol turbo Ingenium engine making 250 horses. Oddly the official performance figures are somewhat chalk and cheese for both cars. The Sportbrake will do the 0-60 dash 0.5 seconds slower but will achieve 3 mph more.

    Jaguar XF R-Sport 250ps Sportbrake boot size

    These figures aside, it is the overall package that I was looking briefly at on a Jaguar play day. Now having been able to play with both I can say that I actually prefer the looks of the Sportbrake. There is often a little bit of style lost and extra length added to a saloon when it becomes an estate. However, Jaguar has been clever in keeping the 2 cars on the same platform equating to both being the same length of 4954mm.

    As expected, around 70kg of extra weight has been added to a car capable of carrying extra cargo. This being made up of the hefty tailgate and extra metal required to retain rigidity around the opening. A small price to pay and yet for a car with an aluminium construction, it is anything but light with a kerb weight of 2260kg.

    Load area with the seats up gains an extra 25 litres too. Increasing to a maximum of 1700 litres with the 40:20:40 split folding rear seats down.

    What can become problematic for the estate style body is humming from the wheels reverberating around the cabin because the boot area is left fully exposed to the cabin. As you’d expect in the refinement of the Jaguar, there is no such noise. Being as the car glides effortlessly with little fuss, any noise would be amplified. I’m glad to say it wasn’t.

    What is quite disconcerting is the sheer amount of openness you get when inside. Look over your shoulder and it does feel like the cabin goes on for miles. It’s big and yet no more than the saloon.

    Here though is the big question. Is there room for another estate on the market when the rise of the SUV doesn’t seem to be stopping? It’s a tricky one to answer. As it is, Jaguar has 2 SUV’s in their range and those 2 are evenly matched by their Range Rover counterparts.

    It will have buyers. Not everyone wants an SUV. For one thing, an SUV, no matter whose badge it wears, lacks visual prestige a saloon or in this case, an estate can offer. And with the handling credentials of the saloon being evenly matched to this Sportbrake l can’t see anyone who opts for the XF being remotely upset in having a car that sits lower down. In terms of style, the estate offerings of the XF really do make Jaguars slogan of Grace, Pace and Space come true.

    The Lowdown
    Car – Jaguar XF R-Sport 250ps Sportbrake
    Price – (from) £42,435
    MPG – 41.5 mpg (combined)
    Power – 0-62mph – 6.7 seconds
    Top Speed – 150 mph
    Co2 – 155 (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