THEGAYUK

Tag: Petrol Car Review

Find the best, smoothest, cheapest and most economical petrol cars available in the UK. Citroen, Toyota, Renault and Volvo.

  • CAR REVIEW | Seat Tarraco

    CAR REVIEW | Seat Tarraco

    ★★★★  | Seat Tarraco – Seat’s Mover For The People

    What Have We Got?

    We have seen Seat grow in recent years and to here we have Seat’s new 7 seater SUV, the Tarraco, to finish the 3 SUV line up. THEGAYUK were invited to the UK launch to find out more about this newcomer from Seat.

    Built on the multi-talented MQB platform, the Tarraco shares a lot of architecture from the wheels down with the likes of the Audi TT and VW Arteon. So it has sporty and luxury on its side but does this translate in the Spaniard? Above that, and it is all (almost) Seat. THEGAYUK opted for the Xcellence trim 2.0 TSI petrol 4WD to review.

    Driving

    The sheer size of the Tarraco means you need a good strong engine to propel it forward. Thankfully that is what you get with the 2.0 TSI petrol. 320 Ib/ft of torque from lowly 1500rpm makes good progress through the 7 speed DSG gearbox.

    And the figures get better. Considering this is some 29kg lighter than the comparable diesel model and it gives you a 0-60 time of almost 2 seconds quicker and a highly illegal top speed of 131mph.

    You won’t use that performance all the time. The Tarraco rides reasonable hard, giving it a sporty feel but this is somewhat lost because it does do a reasonable job of smoothing out the ruts and bumps in the road. It belies its big 19”

    Inside

    It’s a step up in quality from the Spanish side of the Volkswagen family. And about time, even if it is perhaps just a little ‘too Volkswagen group’ inside. The layout for all the controls follows the VAG ethos of simplicity and that’s no bad thing. Unlike the Spanish Eurovision entries of the past 58 years, so much is played out with Seat’s Mediterranean roots that you feel a slight lack of spice is missing.

    Thankfully what we do get in the Tarraco are rather nicely finished door cards. The architecture gives you fabric inserts, hard and soft plastics and illuminations. And this also stretches to the rear doors, pushing this new SUV from Seat further up quality.

    Living With It

    The Tarraco is being sold as a 7 seater in the UK. They aren’t the worst 3rd row rear seats I’ve climbed into but they certainly aren’t really for adults unless on the pub run. The main problem is the under thigh support that is firmly lacking for those with long adult legs. Thankfully they rear seats are comfortable and supportive in places. 

    Overall the Tarraco offers space and versatility that is part and parcel of larger SUV. And with the all-wheel-drive system, offers the ability to venture further off the beaten track. 

    The Verdict

    Despite what I have said, Seat has taken the MQB-A LWB platform and made it their own. In doing so they have made a quality product that should satisfy most buyers in the large SUV market. And they have all bases covered with 2 and 4 wheel drives, diesels and petrols of varying sizes and their simple and effective line-up. OTR prices start from £28,335 for SE 1.5 petrol to £38,055 for Xcellence Lux 2.0 diesel. There should be a Tarraco for everyone here. 

    Love

    Door architecture

    Range options

    Versatility

    Loathe

    Cramped third row seats

    Harsh ride

    Top models pricey

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Seat Tarraco Xcellence 2.0 TSI 4Drive 190PS DSG

    Price – £ 34,845 (OTR)

    MPG –  38.7 mpg (combined)

    Power – 190ps

    0-62mph –  8 seconds

    Top Speed –  131 mph

    Co2 – 166 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | MG GS Exclusive DCT

    CAR REVIEW | MG GS Exclusive DCT

    ★★★☆☆ | MG GS Exclusive DCT, MG’s Not So Sporting SUV

    What Have We Got?

    Here we have MG’s first SUV offering, the GS, with a 1.5 petrol engine mated to a 7 speed twin-clutch sportronic automatic gearbox. This top of the range MG GS ‘Exclusive’ DCT 5 seater comes in at a reasonable £21,095.

    Does being reasonable mean cheap, and does cheap make it cheerful?

    Driving

    The 166PS 1.5 petrol turbo (the only engine available) does ok, just as long as you don’t rev it too high. It doesn’t encourage high revving. And you shouldn’t have to with maximum torque of 250NM from 1600-4300rpm. That’s a nice spread of power over a relatively wide range. Credit then to the linear surge of power from the turbo.

    What isn’t so good then is the twin clutch gearbox. There are 3 main problems. Firstly, throttle pedal travel is quite short so it makes it jerky to inputs. Secondly, in auto mode, the box likes to change quite high up at around 3000rpm. Thirdly, its kick down changes are met with a surge of around 700 revs and then a kick down. It doesn’t blend very well if you are feeling enthusiastic. 

    That does, however, all change when you select ‘sport’ with the gearstick and use the steering wheel paddles. Up and down changes are immediate and it’s very easy to enjoy the way it drives.

    Inside

    Developed in 2015 and launched in the UK in 2017, it is showing its age in this fast paced market sector. However, it’s not at a total loss, certainly not at this price. The first thing to hit you are the 23 buttons under the 8” infotainment screen that deal with heating and ventilation, volume and home screen. 

    That’s quite a lot, but it is easy to navigate. What isn’t is the air distribution. Press for screen and it goes into full blast for no reason other than that is how it is designed.  In this ‘Exclusive’ trim it also comes with DAB, satnav and all the other things you expect including mirror link for your phone.

    The seats are comfortable if a little too wide and unsupportive in fast corners. The inside is quite nicely put together. It is all a bit cheap with hard plastics throughout but it is also quite sturdy in construction so you shouldn’t be finding anything falling off.

    Living With It

    Despite its relatively compact dimensions, it really is large on the inside. Rear leg room is overly generous even with a tall driver. Boot space does however slightly suffer. The price you pay for that passenger leg room! Loading the boot is also rather easy and worry free thanks mainly to the unpainted load lip.  

    The ride is a little choppy and it likes to roll in the corners. The steering isn’t as communicative as you would hope for but there is plenty of grip and it hangs on well. It just feels a little unconnected.

    The Verdict

    You get a lot for your money with the MG GS and it’s quite easy on the eye. I like its looks. There is an abundance of space for 5.

    One of my biggest bugbears is poorly painted door shuts. Not so with the MG GS. It is surprisingly well painted and put together very well. At this price, the competition needs to take note.

    Would I have one? If I was on a 20-minute dealer test drive, no. You need time to understand that gearbox. After a week, yes I would. It’s cheap and now I’ve mastered it, it is rather cheerful.

    Love

    Price

    Fit and finish

    Looks

    Loathe

    Wind noise

    Engine trashy at high revs

    Jerky in auto

    The Lowdown

    Car –  MG GS Exclusive DCT 

    Price – £ (as tested)

    MPG – 45.5 mpg (combined)

    Power – 166PS at 5600rpm

    0-62mph –  9.9 seconds

    Top Speed –  112 mph

    Co2 – 141 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda Jazz 1.5 i-VTEC Sport Navi

    CAR REVIEW | Honda Jazz 1.5 i-VTEC Sport Navi

    ★★★★☆ | Honda Jazz 1.5 i-VTEC Sport Navi

    What Have We Got?

    Honda’s Jazz has been a major seller for Honda globally. They are everywhere and here in its third generation, it gets better. Honda thankfully kept with the boxy estate car looks for the Jazz. It sets it out a little different in the small hatch crowd and yet it isn’t too off-the-wall different to alienate. 

    However, this new 1.5 i-VTEC Sport might just alienate the clientele of the Jazz. Does this sport-less badged Jazz ‘Sport’ have what it takes to wear the badge it is missing?

    Driving

    The best thing about the Sport is its gravelly voiced normally aspirated engine. The new 1.5 i-VTEC is a hoot and likes revs. This engine has 2 behaviours spread over 3 bands of power. Up to 3000rpm, it potters around. Responds to inputs. All good. 3000-4000rpm and it feels a little punchier. Still not enough to startle you. 4000-7000 redline and it screams along. 

    0-60 sprint feels quicker than its claimed 8.7 seconds and 3rd gear is good for over 70mph. 

    It’s no Jazz Type-R though. Its handling is way too safe. That said, you can exploit it quite nicely, and it will entertain once it has gone past its limits. Its limits are due to the compliant ride. It’s a good mix of firm and soft. It never crashes over ruts but is too soft and susceptible to a bit of a twitch at the rear to be an all-out GTi.

    Inside

    Heater controls in this model are simple twisting dials. Very simple and very easy to use. It all falls to hand well and the controls are weighted for ease of use. There is a downside and that’s cheap plastic. The door cards flex when the windows reach to the top.  

    You can’t deny that Honda are geniuses with space utilisation. The magic seat in the rear is versatile you wonder why it hasn’t been adopted by others? Flip the squabs and you get a deep narrow void to carry a small upright piano for a Mrs Mills sing-a-long. Fold it all flat and it’s a spacious 1314 litre carrying estate. There is more space in here than most larger SUV’s.

    Living With It

    The key to the Jazz’s success is easy to live with. Its mini estate car looks and versatility is endless. Its size is perfect.  

    The power from the 1.5 engine is startling. Considering its 7000rpm redline and its maximum torque at 4600rpm, the engine pulls itself along with little fuss from much lower down the rev range. It’s also a Honda Jazz so no one will try and burn you off at the traffic light grand prix. With its stealth looks, you can burn them off instead!

     

    The Verdict

    The Jazz Sport goes some way to shake off the image it has gained as transport for an elderly audience though I can’t help thinking that a few more sporting visuals would tip it into a different demographic.

    The A-Team’s Hannibal Smith was “on the jazz” when the going got good and I’m inclined to think you will too when behind the wheel of this Jazz Sport.

    Love

    Flexible engine

    Space utilisation 

    Short precise gear stick action 

    Loathe

    Cheap feeling cabin

    Lack of sports visuals

    Infotainment graphics look dated

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Honda Jazz 1.5 i-VTEC Sport Navi

    Price – £18,265 (as tested)

    MPG – 47.9mpg (combined)

    Power – 130PS @ 6600rpm

    0-62mph –  8.7 seconds

    Top Speed –  118 mph

    Co2 – 134(g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Abarth 595 Competizione 1.4 T-Jet 180HP

    CAR REVIEW | Abarth 595 Competizione 1.4 T-Jet 180HP

    ★★★★☆ | Abarth 595 Competizione 1.4 T-Jet 180HP

    Bad Boy Abarth.

    What Have We Got?

    We have here something we shouldn’t have. The Fiat 500 I had booked wasn’t ready, so Tom at FCA offered me the Abarth 595 Competizione. I pondered if I could find more words for another brutal 500 Abarth. We’ve had the 695 Biposto and the 595 Rivale and they don’t get any better than those two.

    It just so happens that I was able to find some words for this model. A model that left me in a bit of a predicament.
    Driving

    From turning the key and switching it on, to arriving at your destination and switching it off, both you and the surrounding area will know of your departure and arrival. The exhaust note from the Monza quad tailpipes of this 1.4 180 hp turbo engine bark and growl their intention.

    And driving is what this car is all about. As for driving aids, you get reverses parking sensors. No frontal crash mitigation, no radar, no auto dip/full beam headlights, no cruise control. You are in total control. What you do is down to you. You literally are at one with the machine.

    Inside

    The interior of the Competizione is taken over by supportive cloth and suede covered Sabelt seats. You can tell they were not designed for the 595. The backrest adjuster is so close to the door that you have to open it to adjust.

    The suede on steering wheel and binnacle was a nice touch. Shame then about the rather drab grey plastic of the dashboard and door cards. You feel a bit of body colour would add to a stripped out racy interior.

     

    Living With It

    Let us forget about practicalities here. The rear seat is no more than a padded parcel shelf and the boot is OK for a car of this size. You do however get climate control and a rather good thumping Beats Hi-Fi.

    So let’s look at living with it as a driving machine. Here is where it excels. The ride is hard, leading to even harder, depending on the road surface. And this is a fun element because with the wide 205/40 tyres on 17” alloys, it tends to tramline quite a lot and this is exaggerated on hard acceleration where the steering wheel fights with torque steer. Hit the TTC button (Torque Transfer Control) and it will put the power to either front wheel with the most grip, and it makes it quite riotous.

    Add that to the power of the engine and the lightning speed it responds to inputs from the loud pedal, and you soon find yourself behind the wheel of a car that you can exploit its high levels of adhesion. It will understeer momentarily until the TTC kicks in and then you find you are flicking it around with gusto.

    The Verdict

    You have to LOVE this car a lot to want one. As an everyday proposition, I can’t really recommend it. It’s not a bad car, quite the contrary, it’s just that it is ‘on the go’ all the time, sport mode on or off. As a weekend toy, you won’t find much better.

    In many ways, the 595 Competizione is the bad boy of the Abarth range. The adrenaline-fuelled addiction borders on lustful cravings and coercion. It’ll lead you into a secluded carpark, shove its hands down your pants, make you do things you didn’t want to do and then leave you wanting more.

    We’re off for a cigarette now. I don’t smoke but I need to gather my senses. I’m flustered and wasted!

    Love

    Snap happy handling

    Speed

    Intoxicating at its limits

    Loathe

    Drab interior

    Ability to drink fuel

    Lousy self-control to drive it normally

    The Lowdown

    Car –Abarth 595 Competizione 1.4 T-Jet 180HP

    Price – £ 22,535 (as tested)

    MPG – 47.1 mpg (combined)

    Power – 180HP

    0-62mph – 6.8 seconds

    Top Speed – 140 mph

    Co2 – 139 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Jaguar F-Type Flying the Flag of a 70 year Tradition

    CAR REVIEW | Jaguar F-Type Flying the Flag of a 70 year Tradition

    Jaguar has a rich a varied history when it comes to sports cars and this year, they are celebrating 70 years of their sporting cars with the launch late in 2018 of the F-Type Chequered Flag editions, there are 3 engines 300PS 4 cylinder, 340PS V6 and the 380PS V6 that comes with RWD or AWD transmissions. All set-ups are covered in either the coupe or convertible body variants.

    All models come with a host of extras over the standard R-Dynamic that they are based on. 3 colours available, Caldera red, Fuji white or Carpathian grey metallic.  

    Ian Callum, Director of Design said: In creating the Chequered Flag, we’ve focused on details which enhance F-Type’s presence and the promise of performance and in doing so, made a fitting celebration of 70 years of beautiful, fast, Jaguar sports cars.

    Highlights include a luxurious Windsor Leather interior featuring sports seats with embossed headrests, a dark brushed aluminium centre console trim finisher and in recognition of Jaguar’s motorsport successes, a steering wheel with discrete Chequered Flag logo and red leather band to mark the 12 o’clock position. Coupe models also come with a black contrasting roof.

    Driving styles, it has to be said that the lower powered of the 3, to me at least, is the better to drive. For what it lacks in grunt measured in torque at 44Ib.ft less than the 339Ib.ft of the more powerful V6 with all-wheel drive, it makes for a more responsive car when it comes to the handling. 

    On the limit, the AWD V6 weighing 125 kg more, feels the more heavy, especially at the front. The front, where you want grip and feedback from the steering. The AWD model has a tendency to plough on with some understeer if you behave stupidly or apply the power at the wrong time. There is a fine balancing act to it. It’s rewarding when you get it right. The grip of the AWD system making for quick exits out of the corners. And the growl from the V6 is intoxicating.

    The 4 cylinder RWD model, lighter and less powerful, is more fun to throw around. You can have some fun playing with weight bias more towards the rear on this car. It doesn’t require much thought when putting the power down but it will still bite if you overindulge your skills.

    I’ve said it again and I’ll say it now, out of the 2 bodies, the convertible wins for me. In this Chequered Flag edition, it is now a bargain £5,000 more. Not so long ago it was £10k. 

    So the big question is, is the Chequered Flag edition worth the extra £6k more than the equivalent R-Dynamic models? It’s all in the little details that add up and any special edition comes with an extra premium price. It’s just that, yes, I do like it, I just wish it shouted about it a bit louder like the rally model.

    Now THAT does shout out! 

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Jaguar F-Type Chequered Flag edition. Coupe or Convertible 300PS 4 cylinder

    Price – From £62,335 (Coupe) £67,185 (Convertible)

    MPG – 31 mpg – (combined)

    Power – 300PS

    0-62mph – 5.7 seconds

    Top Speed –  155 mph

    Co2 – (g/km) 179

    Car –  Jaguar F-Type Chequered Flag edition. Coupe or Convertible 340PS V6

    Price – From £66,615 (Coupe) £71,465 (Convertible)

    MPG – 28.3 (combined)

    Power – 340PS 

    0-62mph – 5.1 seconds

    Top Speed –  161 mph

    Co2 – 224 (g/km)

    Car –  Jaguar F-Type Chequered Flag edition. Coupe or Convertible 380PS V6

    Price – From £72,715 (Coupe) £77,565 (Convertible)

    MPG – 26.6 mpg(combined)

    Power – 380PS 

    0-62mph – 4.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  171 mph

    Co2 – (g/km) 223

  • CAR REVIEW | Audi’s A1 Sportback S line

    CAR REVIEW | Audi’s A1 Sportback S line

    ★★★ | Audi’s A1 Sportback S line

    What Have We Got?

    Here we have Audi’s A1 Sportback S line. This model sits around the middle of the 6 car line up. It’s suitably dressed to impress but did it impress us at THEGAYUK?

    Driving

    With looks to kill, you’d expect the A1 S line to be fun and entertaining to drive. Thankfully it doesn’t fail to deliver in this department despite its diminutive turbocharged petrol power unit of 999cc. Power figures suggest mediocre outputs of performance. The good news is that the 116PS at over 5000rpm and torque of 147.5 lb-ft is far better than adequate. Developed low down, it will hustle along quite briskly. Yet, despite its revvy nature, it won’t allow redlining in any gear. Changes are done by 6200rpm.

    Those changes are carried out by a much improved DSG gearbox. Now it is able to deliver crawling take up without snatching as smoothly as it does changing up at speed.

    Steering is communicative to a degree, there’s also some muted feedback, though a little more would be better and the brakes, standard silver, no bright shouting red Brembo callipers, pull the A1 up briskly.

    Inside

    It’s a mixture of good and bad. The dashboard is logical and the facia panel is adaptable for maps, big dials or info. It works well and it’s surrounded by blue neons that carry on into the doors. It’s just a shame then that this isn’t carried on around the vents on the passengers’ side and the rear doors are totally void of any fancy architecture, except for a light by the door handle.

    Seats are also a mixture of good and bad. While they hug you in place during spirited driving, the seat base is very firm and despite several manual controls for the adjustments, lumber adjuster is both awkward to implement and even worse to gauge the amount such is the position of the handle.  

    Living With It

    It’s a practical car. It has 4 doors and a wide opening hatch at the rear. It’s not the most spacious in its class but it will do all that is asked of it.

    You won’t lose face when it comes to the carpark beauty pageant. The A1 has good looks on its side and if the badge is important, you have Audi prestige. And it does what it does well. The ride is more than acceptable and thankfully it is entertaining and the handling is fun. 

    There is just one snag.

    The Verdict

    There is a lot to like about the A1. Showroom and kerbside appeal will impress you and those who admire it from the outside. The nice touches that you expect from Audi are there in some places too but not everywhere. The silver trim across the facia is cheap to look at and cheaper to feel.

    And I get that Audi is a premium brand. With the A1 starting at £17,700, it’s just that I find this S line model with all the options this car has, hard to swallow at £70 shy of £30k. That’s a lot of money for a small car. 

    Love

    Facia neon illuminations

    Peppy 1 litre engine

    Gearbox

    Loathe

    Price

    Boring rear door trim

    Firm seat base and awkward lumber lever

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Audi A1 Sportback 30 TFSI 115PS S Line S Tronic

    Price – £ 29,930 (as tested)

    MPG – 47 mpg (combined)

    Power – 116PS

    0-62mph –  9.4 seconds

    Top Speed –  126 mph

    Co2 – 108 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda CR-V, 2019

    CAR REVIEW | Honda CR-V, 2019

    ★★★★☆ | Honda CR-V

    Hot on the heels of every manufacturer it would seem these days, Honda has released a new SUV. Not so totally new because the CR-V has been a staple part of Honda’s UK line-up for many decades.

    Here, however, Honda is showcasing their new petrol and more importantly, a hybrid drive system. Again, nothing new from Honda except this time it is fitted into their large SUV.

    The CR-V demonstrates two things, Class-leading space and an increase in size. All common factors with a new launch. 2 things, however, do stand out and that is space inside is very much on the generous side and the overall feel of the car is not so large that it feels like a nuisance to drive on narrow country lanes.

    THEGAYUK tried two models back-to-back. Both front wheel drive but with two different powertrains. Firstly the hybrid with a CVT gearbox and a petrol manual.

    Between the two models, one thing is very evident between the two models and that’s the ride. The all petrol drove better. It was softer, compliant and more engaging to drive. No doubt this is due to the lack of excess weight in the rear from the hybrid system. Another is silent running. While the petrol could be raucous when pressed, the hybrid with its near silent electric motors became all too familiar in whine from the CVT gearbox. 

    The CVT is not to my liking and I was a bit disappointed. Honda’s press release mentioned a unique intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) with clutch lockup between petrol and drivetrain when in engine mode. It still behaved like a conventional CVT system and the paddle shifts on the steering wheel didn’t make much of a difference except when it ‘sport’ mode. On the plus side, its transition between battery, petrol or both was seamless.

    Combined economy varied between power units. 53.3mpg for the Hybrid and 44.8mpg for the all petrol. That seemed a lot for the petrol to achieve, despite its lighter agile feel and the hybrid also struggled to achieve those figures. But there are 2 things standing in the way. Review cars are hardly driven softly and combined figures are not those in the real world. However, we did see a constant 45+ mpg in the Hybrid. So the penalty for that heavy feel looks like it could be offset by less time at the pumps.  

    There were other good points to be seen in these SR mid-range models and that is in its fit and finish. There was a lot to like. General tactility was top class with soft feel where you expected it to be hard plastic. The wooden effect inserts, however, were not universally liked but I liked them. The effect is pretty good. It’s not luxury wood but then at £31,565 for the Hybrid and £31,435 for the petrol, neither is the price. 

    And this is the key to the CR-V. It’s price. In this segment, the CR-V SR offers a lot of car for the money, it’s just at the moment I am struggling to justify to myself that the hybrid is better. If it was my money I’d go for the all petrol. 

    Love

    Looks

    Quality inside

    Value

    Loathe

    CVT gearbox

    Rear doors lack sound deadening

    Less agile feel in the hybrid model

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Honda CR-V SR petrol/hybrid models

    Price – £ £31,435 / £31,565 (as tested)

    MPG – 44.8/53.3 mpg (combined)

    0-62mph –  9.3/8.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  130/112 mph

    Co2 – 143/126 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Jaguar XE R-Sport, 2019

    CAR REVIEW | Jaguar XE R-Sport, 2019

    ★★★★| Jaguar XE R-Sport

    Small Cat with BIG claws

    Jaguar XE R-Sport, 2019 reviewed
    (C) STUART M BIRD

    What Have We Got?

    Here we enter the world of Jaguar with their smallest and cheapest offering. Prices start from £34,315 or £37,065 for the R-Sport model that we have for reviewing this week. On paper and showroom appeal, it all looks good, but does the reasonably low price detract from what is in essence, a premium car? In other words, have corners been cut? 

    Driving

    I am astounded by the XE. The petrol powered 250PS Ingenium is evenly matched to the 8 speed automatic. Throttle response is mildly lagging for a brief moment but that’s only because its throttle is set for snap-happy inputs. Default at low legal speeds around 20-45mph seems to be to drop it into second and sling-shot you down the road. 

    It works but can be a bit tiring. That said, it’s the R-Sport model so it does exactly what it says in the badging.

    The other thing the XE does is handle with a surprising amount of composure. Having a near 50:50 split weight distribution contributes to the sure-footedness of the chassis and its handling characteristics. Double wishbone front and multi-link rear keep everything in check. It’s a wonder why they fit adaptive dampers to it when that setting does have a tendency to ruin the near perfect ride. 

    The only downside is the traction control system thwarts good fun progress. You have to be really stupid to unstick it when switched off, even in the wet. 

     

    Inside

    (C) STUART M BIRD

    The downside to its size is rear seat accommodation is on the tight side, more so for height. Legroom is reasonably good though.

    Choices for interior ambience allow for colour changes within the dashboard and doors and it all goes to make for a pleasant cabin. 

    Some of the plastic quality lacks tactility but feels hard wearing and sturdy. The important bits that you need to touch do have a nice fit, finish and feel to them.

     

    Living With It

    (C) STUART M BIRD

    It’s easy to live with. The handling alone makes this an absolute riot to drive should you wish too. 

    All the controls are the usual Jaguar mix from across the ranges with a reassuring clunky feel and if you like a mix of buttons and touch screen controls, this interior is for you.

    One thing is apparent, you notice it at night at night time. There is no boot light! 

    The Verdict

    There is a lot to like about the XE and l fear people walk past it to buy the German equivalents. From where I am sitting today, I pity those people. There is no scrimping in the XE’s refinement and its handling is beautifully poised.

    I’ve come away with a regret, a personal regret for dismissing the smaller Jaguar myself. That’s my own fault and I can highly recommend them. Make me happy and pop it on your shopping list. You will not be disappointed. 

    Love

    Handling

    Agility

    Price

    Loathe

    Below average rear seat accommodation

    Overly sensitive traction control

    No boot light

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Jaguar XE R-Sport 2.0 250PS auto

    Price – £ 46,000 (as tested with options)

    MPG – 39.8 mpg (combined)

    Power – 260ps 

    0-62mph –  6.2 seconds

    Top Speed –  155 mph

    Co2 – 165 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | The 2019 Skoda Fabia

    CAR REVIEW | The 2019 Skoda Fabia

    ★★★★☆ | 2019 Skoda Fabia

    What Have We Got
    The Fabia has been a mainstay of the ŠKODA range for nearly 20 years. It’s a very important model for the brand. We were lucky enough to get our mucky hands on a facelifted Fabia recently. The car comes in five trim grades & three engine options with hatch and estate variants. Interestingly, to push them along there is an all petrol, three- cylinder 1.0L engine range with outputs from 75PS to 110PS. No diesel for the new fabia. Our test car was one up from mid range, the SE L 5dr hatch with the 110PS engine, matched with a seven-speed DSG gearbox. No flappy paddles, just push the gear lever forward or backwards or better still, leave it in auto.

     

    Driving


    The Skoda Fabia looks subtle but classy. Outside it’s handsome but not eye catching. It’s very well built as you would expect and has that odd quality where you feel immediately at home, like it’s been yours for ages, familiar. The engine and gearbox are great. It’s hard to believe it’s only a 1.0L engine, it goes really well with plenty of torque, not laggy like you would expect from a small capacity turbocharged engine. Suspension is compliant but not soft. It rides very well and is way more fun than I expected.

    The gearbox is very good, smooth and better than most and you can change gear by pushing the lever forward or backwards if you prefer but i didn’t feel like i gained anything so left it in auto.

     

    Inside


    It’s a classy affair in here. If your familiar with any other modern Skoda’s such as Kodiaq or Superb, you’ll feel at home with the Fabia. The dash is straight from its bigger siblings, and very nice. Fabia has plenty of kit too; Multifunction trip computer, Radio Swing Plus touchscreen infotainment unit with SmartLink+ and lots more.

    You also have LED headlights, blind spot detection with Rear traffic alert, LED daytime running lights, rear parking sensors, alloy wheels, Amundsen satellite navigation, Cruise control, tyre pressure monitor and the list goes on. It’s a very well engineered and well appointed car.

     

    Living with it


    With 20 years of development under its belt, the Fabia was always going to be good. For those of us who mourn the passing of the Fabia vRS, there is no vRS in the new lineup. Saying that, it’s still loads of fun! The engine is surprisingly torquey and very tractable. The gearbox is very slick and the interior is in a different league from its competitors.

    The Fabia is so easy to drive. From the first drive, it felt like we’d been together for ages, very familiar. It’s fun but not unnecessarily sporty, maintaining a nice comfortable ride. There’s plenty of room for 4 or even 5, with plenty of boot space… to boot.

     

    The Verdict
    Skoda know their market and their customers very well and they build excellent cars. The Fabia isn’t trying to be a hot hatch or hipster, retro styled lifestyle accessory. It’s a well engineered, safe, pretty & fun car that’s packed with equipment. Our choice would be the 110ps with the DSG gearbox. It’s so smooth and drives very well, particularly around town. They offer something for everyone, funky Colour edition, sporty Monte Carlo edition the elegant SE L model plus S and SE.

     

    Love
    Engine – Torquey, responsive, smooth.
    DSG gearbox – Very smooth
    Styling – Elegant

    Loathe
    Economy – Couldn’t get anywhere near the recommended.
    No Diesel – I’d like a 1.2 diesel
    No vRS – I’d like a firebreathing version

    Lowdown
    Car – Skoda Fabia Hatch SE-L
    Price – £18,155 (ours with options £19,120)
    MPG – 60.1 mpg (combined)
    0-62 – 10.1 seconds
    Power – 110ps and 200nm torque
    Top Speed – 120 mph
    Co2 – 106 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Alfa Romeo Stelvio

    CAR REVIEW | Alfa Romeo Stelvio

    ★★★★☆ | Alfa Romeo Stelvio – Alfa Romeo’s Power House

    What Have We Got?

    Alfa Romeo has buckled to the trend and launched a very sporty SUV into the ever popular SUV market. It’s big and rather good looking but can it wow you and win you over, away from the competition?

    Driving

    The downside for me was the steering lacked some feedback. You could tell when it was ploughing on in an enthusiastically taken corner but this was probably more to do with its sheer size than through the steering wheel.

    That said, the overall driving experience wasn’t a bad one. Quite the opposite. The 2-litre 280hp  petrol engine would hurtle towards 60mph in 5.7 seconds. Now for a car that can manage that and develop its maximum of 400 Nm of torque at just 2250rpm, it seemed to be rather more refined than you’d think. It wasn’t really throwing you back into your seat on hard acceleration and yet it never hesitated in response to throttle inputs from stand-still or when on the move.

    In actual fact, you’d be wise to select the MPH display on the fascia panel at all times. The Stelvio gathers pace quicker than it feels. 

     

    Inside

    Inside is below par for the class and the money. What was nice to see was that nothing rattled. That might sound premature when a new car is being reviewed but this Stelvio was delivered with almost 24,000 miles on the clock at the time of the test. It is just over a year old. That’s almost the equivalent or 2-3 years of motoring. Alfa Romeo hasn’t been known, in the past, for rattle free insides, well they have now. And this is a press car. They pass from journalist to journalist and they are driven hard. This is a great testament to Alfa Romeo. 

    Living With It

    It’s rapid and great fun to drive and deserves to wear that Alfa Romeo badge. As SUV’s go, the Stelvio cuts it in the market for being different. It might not do things as well as a Mercedes GLC but then again, for the money, the GLC isn’t going to do things that the Stelvio can do. 

    For drivers alike, the Stelvio is a great car to drive. It’s comfortable and despite its size and somewhat lack of steering feel, it does give the impression it is far nimbler that on first acquaintance. 

    The Verdict

    It’s not the best. Then again you’re not going to regret having it parked on your driveway and an Alfa Romeo key in your pocket. There are things I’d like to see changed in line with the market leaders but then again, if it did, it wouldn’t be an Alfa Romeo! 


    Love

    Linear throttle reactions

    Infotainment system

    Auto box changes

    Loathe

    Interior quality

    Fuel consumption

    Steering feedback

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.0 Turbo 280hp Q4 Milano Edizione

    Price – £ 46,865(as tested)

    MPG – 40.4mpg (combined)

    Power – 280hp @ 5250 rpm

    0-62mph –  5.7 seconds

    Top Speed –  143 mph

    Co2 – 161 (g/km)

  • MOTORBIKE REVIEW | KTM 790 Duke – Ready to Race

    MOTORBIKE REVIEW | KTM 790 Duke – Ready to Race

    ★★★★★ | KTM 790 Duke

    What Have We Got

    KTM has a rich and successful motorcycle pedigree. Countless world championships across a wide range of disciplines from Motocross to Endurance to Moto3 and much more. They have become one of the most successful motorcycle brands in history. KTM has been one of the world’s fastest-growing motorcycle manufacturers for some time now. 2016 was the company’s sixth consecutive record year and in 2018, they unleashed this 790 Duke on the world.  

    Small, light and fast, the KTM 790 Duke is powered by the brand new LC8c parallel twin engine kicking out 105 hp.

    Riding

    When you first swing your leg over, the Duke feels small, like a 250, narrow and short. It’s purposeful and uncomplicated. Press the starter and it barks into life. The parallel twin sounds just like a V twin with a powerful and potent rumble.

    When you increase the pace, the 790 really starts to make sense.

    It’s great at commuting, it’s noisy, torquey and very easy to manoeuvre, making light work of slicing through town. As you leave the 30mph confines and the road starts to open up and the pace increases, the KTM loves it. The harder you push, the better it gets, It really is a little hooligan.

    It’s fitted with a quickshifter as standard so going up and down through the 6-speed box is effortless, helped by a slipper clutch (PASC™). I found a couple of false neutrals on the way up through the ‘box but put it down to the bike having been a press bike that’s probably seen it’s fair share of abuse.

    Details

    There’s a funky ultra lightweight chrome-molybdenum steel trellis frame with bolt-on aluminium rear subframe and very cool looking die-cast aluminium open lattice swingarm and at the sharp end, you’ll find 43mm upside-down WP suspension forks fitted with progressive springs.

    Outback is a WP suspension, gas-assisted, directly linked rear shock, also with progressive spring and 12-stage adjustable preload.

    Front brakes are KTM branded, radial 4-piston callipers with a radial front brake master cylinder working on twin 300 mm front brake discs. I thought the whole lot was excellent, needing little more than 2 fingers.

    KTM’s 790 Duke has ride mode technology with customizable track mode as standard. This wild child is among the best equipped bikes in this arena, with ride mode technology with customizable track mode as standard. It Boasts an array of tech usually seen on bikes costing twice as much; Cornering ABS including Supermoto mode (for backing it in), lean-angle sensitive motorcycle traction control (MTC), motor slip regulation (MSR), Quickshifter+, and even launch control work seamlessly to make this a very serious weapon.

    The compact and neat TFT dashboard works with KTM MY RIDE which is a smartphone app that is an awesome tool, click the link to see what it can do.

     

    Living with it

    KTM have fitted Maxxis Superamaxx ST tyres which on my test ride on dry, warm roads, were great. It had a brand new rear tyre so I took a few miles to wear it in but they felt very stable, loads of grip, easily able to get a knee down without feeling it was anywhere near the limit of grip.

    KTM says the goal with the 790 Duke was to create the ultimate street weapon. Ultimate is a big boast but it is really, really good.

    In my opinion, it was all the bike you’ll ever need. You can jump on it and pop to the shops or head off to a track day, it will easily do everything and do it bloody well.

    My one complaint was the complete lack of protection. It’s a naked bike so no fairing, not even a fly screen. The 790 is fast, so you’re at mad speeds most of the time. On dual carriageways and motorway, it’s tiring but, don’t go on them!

    The Verdict

    Brilliant, fast, light and more fun than any bike has a right to be. That’s how I’d sum the KTM 790 Duke. Accelerating hard, throwing gears at it with the quickshifter doing its job, cutting through the countryside at daft speeds. Looking for trouble, adrenaline pumping, the parallel twin barking and shouting “is that all you’ve got”.

    Riding the 790 Duke was a pure, visceral experience. I keep catching myself daydreaming about it now, imagining gunning it out of a corner or flicking from side to side through a roundabout.

    Loves

    1 Fast! It’s really fast

    2 Handling. It’s outrageous

    3 Quickshifter+

    Loathes

    1 No wind protection

    2 Heat, it got pretty hot

    3 Gearbox. I got a few false neutrals

    Lowdown

    Bike – KTM 790 Duke
    Price – £8499
    MPG – 48 mpg
    0-62 – 3.1s
    Power – 105 bhp / 86 Nm torque
    Top Speed – 151 mph
    Co2 – 102.9 (g/km)