THEGAYUK

Tag: Three Star Car Review

The latest Three Star Car Review from THEGAYUK.

  • CAR REVIEW | Volvo XC 60 T6 R-Design

    CAR REVIEW | Volvo XC 60 T6 R-Design

    Volvo XC 60 T6 R-Design : The Blocky Volvo.

    Rating: 3 out of 5.

    Volvo are on full assault for every market they can reach with their current range of saloons, estates and SUV’s. Their keyword is premium and they arrived here quite quickly. Very soon they are to be joined by their premium Polestar brand that’s above premium with prices to match. 

    In the meantime, I’m here with their XC60 T6 R-Design AWD from their SUV range. It’s a petrol 4 cylinder producing 310bhp mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

    Quite often you’ll find motoring journalists bemoan about the lack of difference, if any, between the drive modes. The XC60 gives you five. Eco, Comfort, Individual, Dynamic and Off Road. All five feel different and the last two offer notable differences in road height. 

    The difference comes at a cost and it isn’t perfect. Comfort is your standard set up though with the plethora of onboard options and set-ups Volvo gives you, any of the drive modes can be set as your preferred reset choice the moment you turn the ignition key. 

    I’ll start with the niceties first and that’s the ride. Body control is controlled well. In Comfort mode, you will have little problem with the serenity it affords you even on its largish alloy wheels. The quietness in the cab is eerily quiet like an electric vehicle. It almost makes a mockery of Volvo’s own hybrid drive systems for silent running. It becomes taught and lower in dynamic and it allows the large bulk of the XC60 to be driven with some serious gusto. And thankfully it does and you’ll discover why next.

    My problem is with its T6 drive train. It kicks you all the time unless you are gentle with the throttle. Its 310bhp comes in from 5700 rpm but this isn’t where we have a problem. It’s the 400Nm of torque. It just doesn’t feel like it’s there when you press the throttle. Considering it’s available from a lowly 2200rpm, its prowess is also thwarted by a hesitant gearbox. It takes the gearbox a noticeable amount of time to respond. Dynamic mode does go some way to eradicate it but it doesn’t totally vanish. Instead, it makes it a little more snappy. The two combined don’t make for a fluidity and serenity that the XC60 gives you in its ride. 

    The inside is all very Volvo. The interior fit and finish are above the expected and there are nice silver accents around to lift the dark R-Design interior. I can’t really enthuse any more than I have previously about the XC60 range so I’ll go straight to another area that Volvo does really well.

    The home screen of the infotainment system is pretty standard stuff. Swipe left and depending on your options, you are greeted with lots of safety equipment to switch on and off. These can be moved around to suit your own preferences for items you need to select quickly like parking assistance. 

    Swipe down and you get another set of options and these allow you to further adapt and personalise the vehicle set up to your requirements. These are then saved and won’t revert unless there is a system reset. 

    That in itself is an area many manufacturers don’t think about. There is nothing worse than setting up a car and then having to do it all again after the ignition has been switched off.

    Volvo set out to make their range feel premium and many little things that further make it a car that feels like a quality product. Puddle lights set in the door handles dim down in sync with the sidelights when you lock it on the remote.

    The XC60 R-Design does a lot of great things in the popular market of the sporty SUV where it seems acceptable to compromise the ride quality. The XC60, however, is more than acceptable in its ride set ups with its differences being noticeable.

    It might come as a surprise that I’ve been quite harsh with handing out my stars to this XC60. Considering we gave the XC60 D4 Momentum Pro 5 stars, I just cannot rave about this XC with the T6 engine and gearbox. It doesn’t do what it says on the box and ruins an otherwise splendid vehicle. 

    Love

    Quiet cabin

    Parking heater system

    Details

    Loathe

    Hesitant gearbox

    Throttle input reaction

    Rear occupant heater fan noisy in the front

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Volvo XC60 T6 AWD R-Design

    Price – £ 59,485 (as tested)

    MPG – 28 – 31.7 mpg (WLTP combined)

    Power – 310hp

    0-62mph –  5.6 seconds

    Top Speed – 140 mph

    Co2 –  181(g/km)

    All Photos (C) Stuart M Bird

  • CAR REVIEW | Suzuki Jimny SZ5 Allgrip

    CAR REVIEW | Suzuki Jimny SZ5 Allgrip

    The Mockery Of A Three Star Review

    The 80’s yuppie years were good to Suzuki’s little go-anywhere-carry-cart. Young 20 year olds with red braces and mobile phones the size of a house brick would go off to Majorca for 2 weeks to get some sun. To get around they would hire a car and more often than not, the Suzuki with its allure of open top motoring would be hired. This translated into sales in the UK when they got home and soon the Suzuki SJ was as much a part of the 80’s landscape as a Porsche 911 Turbo and naked girls in a Duran Duran video. 

    Open top jeep type little fashion accessories suddenly popped up in music videos and TV consumer programmes but not always for the right reasons. Bros used Luke’s Jeep in their video ‘I Owe You Nothing” It wasn’t an SJ but a big American Jeep CJ. It was a 1979 model and by 1988 it was old and dated. 5 Star were hustled along in a Citroen Mehari. One-hit wonder Spagna had a Suzuki SJ come to her rescue. Open-top jeeps were a wanted thing for the city dweller and Suzuki had caught the British imagination.

    The SJ had three things in its favour. Relatively cheap to buy, very cheap to run and could, if you wanted to, go almost anywhere. This wasn’t just a vehicle to pose on in the pub carpark. It also had one major failing. It was ruddy awful to drive at anything over city speed limits. The live axles suspended by cart springs did nothing for the handling or day-to-day running. Not that this stopped the public buying them and the subsequent two generations that came afterwards. 

    As a footnote for the history nerd out there, the Suzuki 4×4 has been with us for 50 years and seen only 4 generations of change. Its life has been longer than that of the VW Golf and seen just half the development changes. In fact if you look at the icons of the 20th century, the Jimny has outlived the much loved Mini and 2CV and yet it is hardly mentioned when people talk about the ‘World Car’. And it’s quite significant and only beaten by the VW Beetle if you include the 25 years where it wasn’t officially available in Europe.

    New Jimny by comparison to the old is a revelation. Ride quality isn’t as bad as it once was. Gone are the cart springs and instead it now sits on 4 coil springs. Considering its diminutive wheelbase and angles of articulation afforded to the Jimny because it is a proper little off-roader, it felt quite muted. It didn’t crash in a spleen adjusting kind of way over some of the worst roads I traveled on.

    Suzuki Jimny SZ5 Allgrip review

    Ditch In – Dig Out

    The same applaud can’t be given to the handling. It really isn’t the best. At worst it will oversteer with little effort, at best you can use the capable 4WD system to get yourself out of the ditch. Used appropriately and you won’t have much trouble. The 1.5 petrol engine sort of sees to that anyway. Its maximum powers arrive high up in the rev ranges and because of the Jimny’s agricultural configurations, it voices these well through the chassis and into the cabin. 

    Transmission noise was something I’ve not heard of in a long time but you will need to get used to it. There is much of it should you wish to push on.  And push on you will especially when confronted with a hill when at speed. Above the national speed limit, he 100hp engine runs out of puff in 5th and the change down, through the long throws of the gear lever, are easy. Stick to 70mph and it shouldn’t cause much of a problem.

    The steering is of the muted kind. It doesn’t give a lot of feel though I never found this much of a problem unless I harassed the Jimny into doing something I shouldn’t have. It feels quite low geared and when you do provoke it to kick out, you need to twirl your arms quickly if only to keep the momentum. That is at the extreme because off road, it translates to very little kickback and the one thing you don’t want is thumb breaking kick back from a rapidly correcting steering wheel.

    Acceptable But You’ll Love It Anyway

    Equipment and price feel a little on the high side. There are better cars out there for less but they are less capable of getting rough and dirty. Equipment on this top of the range SZ5 model is generous. Climate control, cruise and limiter are standard. It also includes auto dim/dip headlights and forward collision mitigation alarm. Infotainment is the standard as expected with DAB and in-built Satnav. It’s just a shame the screen isn’t user friendly with its flat universal positioning and not angled towards the driver.   

    Real world usage makes this a 2 seater with luggage or 4  seater and nothing else. The boot really is non existent. 85 litres of luggage at minimum is smaller than you think. Where it plays its ace card is its adaptability of moving, folding and reclining the seats. To fit 6 ft planks of wood inside proves to be rather easy. 2 air mattress on top of the folded seats and you have yourself a large double bed. 

    And there lays a Tardis type of a problem. Shoulder width is huge for such a small car and rear seat leg room, more adequate than many city cars I’ve travelled in. And yet it is totally useless in the rear from most aspects.

    You Can’t Be Harsh To It.

    So to the new Jimny of 2019 and the big question. Is it any good? To answer that we need to remember what this is, what it does and do we care enough and what us motoring journalists have to say about it. Ask any owner of the previous model and they won’t really care what we say.  The Jimny is a cute looking box that does what you expect it to do. 

    With this in mind, the answer is it isn’t very good. But I don’t care enough to pick holes in its faults of which there are plenty. I’d gladly take one and be happy with it and chances are you would too. It has a lot of anthropomorphism in it that combats its failings. It’s just a shame there is a waiting list of over a year and no canvas top model in the pipeline.

    Love

    Cute looks

    Compact and easy to park

    Off-road ability

    Loathe

    Year long waiting list

    wading depth of just 320mm

    No soft top option 

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Suzuki Jimny SZ5 Allgrip

    Price – £ 19,149 (as tested)

    MPG – 34.3mpg (average)

    Power – 101bhp @6000rpm

    0-62mph –  UA 

    Top Speed –  90 mph

    Co2 – 154 (g/km)

    Pictures (C) Stuart M Bird / Suzuki

  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Astra Elite: “The engine is current darling of the motoring world”

    CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Astra Elite: “The engine is current darling of the motoring world”

    Here we have the 7th generation Vauxhall Astra. It’s been with us since 2015 and as a result it is still very much a Vauxhall designed product under General Motors. In 2017, Vauxhall was bought by PSA Groupe.

    There are 8 models to choose from in the Astra range, priced from £18,905 to £26,295. The mid-range Elite starts at £23,95 before options. 

    From the outside, the Astra is a good looking 5 door hatchback. As you would expect, it is an improvement over the previous generations and is now less nondescript than ever. Of note is the size of the boot opening. Finally it has become a bit more square at the bottom. Doesn’t sound much, but as practical hatchbacks go, having a narrow bottom on your opening can hinder loading and unloading. 

    It’s around the back that you notice a design faux-pas. The stylish kick-up in the rear doors stretches into the 3/4 panel. Here sits a triangular piece of plastic. To be honest, I’m not a fan of this. It feels cheap and doesn’t serve any purpose whatsoever. 

    As well as a heated steering wheel, the Elite model also gives four heated leather seats and the leg room is comfortable all round, even for those sitting behind 6 foot tall drivers. There is even a touch of opulence with an attempt at illuminating the door cards. It’s a nice try and just needs a bit of work. Like many others, the rear doors are void of any such niceties though they do get largish rear door bins. 

    The hottest item in this Astra Elite is the engine. The small capacity turbo is the current darling of the motoring world. Powering through 3 cylinders with a turbo, the engine makes for an interesting topic of conversation. You don’t need to rev the engine to its redline to get the maximum 145PS of power from it for it to feel sprightly and useful. In the day to day running around you also won’t need to use 3 of its 6 gears either. 

    And here is the strange driving style this Astra has to offer. The engine is its shining star. It surges forward with quite a lot of likeable charisma. Gear changes are effortless and ignoring the change up indicator, makes for an engaging power unit. Power delivery certainly doesn’t feel like that from a little engine. The only giveaway is the thrum emitted by the 3 cylinders. 

    There is also enjoyment to be had with this when added to the chassis. The suspension set up is nothing out of the ordinary and it allows for enthusiastic driving. The chassis, while not being the most compliant in the ride department but not hard in an over sporty set up, whizzes along with aplomb. It’s quite sad then that when it gets to the twisty bits, the steering totally lets it down. 

    This steering is the Astra’s Achilles Heel. In the straight line, it feels wooden. Give it a few flicks and it won’t inspire much confidence and it’s this confidence that takes sometime to build on because the level of adhesion from the 225/45 17 Conti’s is exceptional. With just a bit more feel, it would make for an inspiring drivers car wrapped in a simple hatchback body. Something you can’t say about many of today’s popular SUV’s.

    And therein lies many of the Astra’s problems. It’s just a little too safe even down to the usual over paranoid parking sensors that seem to be inflicted on the Vauxhall owner. 

    As cars go, the Astra Elite, in the cold light of day, is one of the best allrounders. It’s like a friend. You know the friend, the one who can be a little curt in conversation. The one you go to when you want to be told the truth. No bullshit, no messing, just straight up honesty. There is no fooling around. Trouble is, you don’t always want to be with that friend.

    Love

    Engines lively behaviour

    Weight of the controls

    Chassis balance

    Loathe

    Wooden steering

    Dark interior 

    Rear 3/4 trim

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Vauxhall Astra Elite Nav 1.2 Turbo

    Price – £26,210 (as tested)

    MPG – 51.4/54.3 mpg (WLTP low/high combined)

    Power – 145ps

    0-62mph –  8.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  137mph

    Co2 – 99 (g/km)

    All pictures (c) Stuart M Bird

  • Quick Drive. VW T-Cross Diesel reviewed

    Quick Drive. VW T-Cross Diesel reviewed

    What Have We Got?

    In May, THEGAYUK was invited to the launch of the new VW T-Cross. A compact SUV corssover based on the Polo’s MQB platform. 

    We were surprised to learn that there was to be no diesel available for this model. So it was a surprise that just 5 months later, a diesel option had been added to the T-Cross.

    Has the addition of a diesel engine been worth the somewhat short wait and the extra £1675 asking price? We took one for a quick drive to find out.

    Driving

    VW have a great back catalogue with their diesel engines so I had high hopes for this T-Cross. Fitted with the 95PS 1.6 litre diesel engine, its lowdown grunt on paper looked appealing. It produces 250Nm of torque between a lowish 1500rpm to 2000rpm.

    Sadly, on the road, it just didn’t transpire in the way I had hoped for. Compared to the similar outputs of the 1 litre petrol, the diesel engine made the youthful looking T-Cross feel a little flat. It had lost its brio of enthusiasm and I couldn’t get over that disappointment.

    The chassis has great ability to carry itself well over various surfaces and the handling is more on the safe and predictable so but nonetheless, it is still worthy of piloting around with gusto. However, in having lost its jolly enthusiasm, there was little encouragement to enjoy the handling of the MQB platform in this guise.  

    Inside

    Inside, the T-Cross is the same as before. You wouldn’t expect any changes to be made this short in its production life and to be fair, there isn’t anything that needs changing. It is all useable stuff with rear sliding seat that alters the size of the boot or rear legroom.

    Depending on spec, the dashboard and fascia can be jazzed up with colour making it a rather pleasant place to be.

    The Verdict

    I’m a fan of the diesel engine. There is still a place in the market for the manufacturing of them. Not so in the T-Cross. It would seem unless outright miles to the gallon are your thing, then this will fit the bill. 

    According to the WLTP combined figures, it’ll manage 52.8. A whole 7 more than the petrol. For those 7 miles you get a great car with lacklustre performance and I can’t see the benefit of that. It’s a saving of around 2 pence per mile. If I’m to be seen as less of a villain for not liking this car, I will say that the DSG gearbox is better suited to the diesel engine than the bigger petrol option. 

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Volkswagen T-Cross 1.6 TDi 95PS DSG

    Price – £23,980 (as tested)

    MPG – 52.8mpg (WLTP combined)

    Power – 95PS

    0-62mph –  11.9seconds

    Top Speed –  112 mph

    Co2 – 140 (WLTP g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Fiat Tipo S-Design

    CAR REVIEW | Fiat Tipo S-Design

    ★★★ |  S-Design Tipo In Need Of An Architect.

    What Do We Have

    A couple of years ago, we took delivery of the then-new Fiat Tipo. A new Fiat with a reused name. No hardship there because the original Tipo was a very good car.

    We liked the new Tipo when we last had it back in 2016 and I favoured the car well. Do I feel the same in 2019?

    Driving.

    Nothing has really changed here. We have the same 120bhp petrol turbo 1.4 engine. It was as good as I remembered it. Smooth and flexible with reasonable performance. Not quite the fire-breather you’d think 120bhp should be but it is good for a claimed 124 miles per hour.

    Handling was well balanced and it soaked up the worst of the country lanes around the Cotswolds.

    A comfortable driving position was easy to obtain and there were no annoyances. It felt as good as the rest in the segment.

    Inside.

    It’s not as good this time around. It’s amazing how dated it has started to look with its black plastic everywhere. I’m a little stuck as to where the S-Design sits. The Design moniker is used by a lot of manufacturers these days as something stylish over the other models or sporty. I was not seeing anything outstandingly relevant to this moniker. 

    Driver’s controls all come to hand easily. The 7” touch screen is simple to use and nicely balanced with easy registered finger controls. It comes with Apple Car Play and Android connectivity as standard.

    Living With It

    There are few vices to be had with the Tipo. It’s a simple and effective 5 door hatchback.

    While inside it has dated a little, the exterior is still as good today as it was when new. The fact there are several newer cars with similar rear ends, shows how relevant and modern its design still is.

    Verdict.

    Tipo is no longer the bargain it once was. At £19,125 it does seem quite a lot despite it having a list of standard key features. But these features seem almost standard fit on most cars these days.

    But here lies the problem. It’s effective and not much else. Effective hatchbacks are good but sometimes a model needs some sex appeal. It’s crying out for some true meaning to the letter S like sumptuous. 

    Love

    Build quality 

    Looks

    Ride refinement

    Loathe

    Co2 is on the high side

    Arm rest fouling handbrake

    High price

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Fiat Tipo S-Design

    Price – £19,125 (as tested)

    MPG – 35.3 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120bhp

    0-62mph –  9.9 seconds

    Top Speed –  124 mph

    Co2 – 164 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Fiat’s 500X For The Bigger City

    CAR REVIEW | Fiat’s 500X For The Bigger City

    CAR REVIEW | FIAT 500x

    What Have We Got

    Fiat’s big 500 crossover SUV has been with us now for over 5 years. 2019 saw some changes to the line-up along with some updates. The 4WD model is no longer offered and power comes from a choice of 3 and 4 cylinder petrol engines.

    THEGAYUK was given the 1-litre turbocharged 120hp Firefly engine in the Cross Look for a week. A more urban looking 500X with the chunky looking bits of an SUV.

    Driving

    The first thing to strike you about the new engine is its brio of power. On paper, it doesn’t appear spritely. In use, it really is. Keep it boiling at 3000rpm and you’ll find it useful. This way it is always ready for action the moment the pedal is pushed down. Anything less and it’s all a bit lethargic with a touch of lag.

    What helps making it go forward is the slick gear change. The clutch and gear action is a joy to slot around when you want to get a move on. And this is good. Recently we had the platform sharing Jeep Renegade in with a diesel engine. That didn’t encourage any form of enthusiasm. The Fiat set up high lights the joys of the chassis.

    What it can’t do however is mask the ride quality. In the city, it is simply too hard. And this translates into a choppy ride. You can’t have it all though. At speed, it becomes taught and agile. That said, however, at night on the motorway, you can see the headlight beams jiggling around.

    Inside

    For a relatively cheap SUV, prices from £18,500, it’s well put together. The front door cards are nicely contoured and there is storage for bottles and the like in both front and rear. The rears are a bit different in that they are made from hard sturdy plastic whereas the fronts have a soft touch feel to them as is the norm for this segment.

    It took me some time to find a suitable driving position.  You certainly can’t say there isn’t enough adjustment for the seats and steering wheel. There is a position for all body shapes. What hampered this was the front seats lack of both under-thigh and bottom support. They were a little flat.

    Living With It

    There are a few things that catch you out about the 500X. Firstly is its size. It feels much bigger from behind the wheel. You do tend to be over-cautious when fighting for space in the urban jungle. In actuality, it isn’t as big as you think. 

    This is also true of the boot. It’s not class leading and not totally useless but if you want your 500 to be a lot more useable than the 3 door city slicker from Fiat, this is for you.

    The verdict

    I wanted to like the 500X. There is much to enjoy about the new engine and the way it drives. It’s light and buzzy without feeling that you want more. Using the 6-speed manual gearbox is a joy and all the controls feel right. It is that ride that I find so disagreeable.

    You won’t drive it on every occasion with the spirit in which it can carry you. It’s illegal to travel at 70mph around town. So the rides sportier set up is somewhat pointless in this car.

    Speaking of 70mph, it would seem the traffic sign recognition sees everything as a 70mph challenge. 

    There were too many times it would show the national speed limit on the dashboard for it to be a one off. Perhaps this Fiat could do with a little bit of Abarth magic. It certainly feels like it wants to.

    Love

    Nippy 3 cylinder engine

    500 Looks

    Light controls

    Loathe

    Choppy Ride

    Slow to respond infotainment system.

    Seats

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Fiat 500x City Cross Firefly 

    Price – £22,100 (as tested)

    MPG – 48.7 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120hp @ 5750rpm

    0-62mph –   10.9 seconds

    Top Speed –  117 mph

    Co2 – 133 (g/km)

    (C) ALL PICTURES: Stuart Bird

  • CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 508 Allure, Just don’t stroke it too much, you might get arrested

    CAR REVIEW | Peugeot 508 Allure, Just don’t stroke it too much, you might get arrested

    ★★★☆☆ | Peugeot 508 Allure BlueHDi 130 Manual: The Bright Allure of Peugeot.

    What Have We Got?

    They say this is Peugeot‘s return to the saloon market and one that they might or might not make it in. This market is rapidly vanishing but suddenly there is a bit of a renaissance and a handful of manufacturers are fighting back the trend for the SUV with stunning looking family saloons. And you can’t argue that the saloon is far more elegant than an SUV.

    So has Peugeot produced a car that could make you ditch the SUV? THEGAYUK finds out. 

     

    Driving

    First and foremost I can rejoice in the behaviour of this 130BHP 1.5 turbo diesel. There were no signs of lag from pull away or on the move. There is a nice fluidity to the engine and its refinement. Clutch control was light and the manual gearshift slotted in with a nice click between the gears.

    On the move, it climbed effortlessly through the speed range with only mild engine noise audible if the radio was off.

    Handling, from the small steering wheel, felt energetic and connected. It gave a reassuring confidence. The electronic power steering weights were finely set and feedback communicated well. 

    Inside

    In Allure trim, it is rather civilised and grown up. The seat cloth faces are a mix of business suit stripes and solid colours. It blends in well. What I can’t work out if the faux carbon fibre trims across the dashboard and the other trims. The pattern doesn’t follow the same flow from the passenger’s door and across the dashboard. It runs the wrong way on the driver’s door! 

    I also found some trim that wasn’t well attached. The overhead switch pod with interior lights was not properly attached on one side.  

    Living With It

    To look at, you forget it has a rear door. A saloon this is not. A practical 5 door hatchback in a sleek coupe style it is and it works well. If anything, it makes the 508 an incredibly attractive car to look at from almost any angle. Few non-exotic cars encourage you to stroke it. As a poster, this car could make any wall a happy place to stare at.

    There are a few niggles that I have. After a downpour, rear visibility was not great thanks in part to no rear wiper. I have in the past raved about the i-Cockpit. It is a visual treat. However, I was unable to find a rheostat to tone down the visual displays. They don’t dim when the lights come on. With the facia directly in the eye line, at night it does cause glare and eye fatigue.  

     

    The Verdict

    This is a great return to form for Peugeot in this market. The car it replaces was nothing short of a miracle that it sold at all. For fear of its predecessor, potential buyers might be swayed away from the new 508. And that is a shame because the 508 isn’t a hash up of the last generation. It is a beautiful looking car and rewarding to drive. 

    There is great cohesion within the cabin and it feels a quality product. That said, there are a few areas that Peugeot need to address as mentioned but overall I was impressed. And you will too. Just don’t stroke it too much, you might get arrested!

    Love

    Looks

    Price

    Ride

    Loathe

    Carbon fibre trim

    Dull rear door architecture

    Some trim fit

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Peugeot 508 Allure BlueHDi 130 Manual

    Price – £26,914 (as tested)

    MPG – WLTP low/high 59.6/52.5 mpg (combined)

    Power – 130 BHP

    0-62mph –  9.7 seconds

    Top Speed –  129 mph

    Co2 – 101 (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 | Jeep Renegade Limited 1.6 120hp TD

    CAR REVIEW | Jeep Renegade Limited 1.6 120hp TD

    ★★★☆☆ | Jeep Renegade Limited 1.6 120hp TD

    What Have We Got?

    I’m a lumberjack… and I’m OK, I cut down trees, I skip and jump”. We have the Jeep Renegade and these make me smile. There have been a few revisions carried out recently, most notably being the bumpers and change in headlights that add new aggression to the chunky monkey. New engines have also been added and for this, we have the 1.6 120hp turbo diesel. We tested the top of the range 4WD Trial hawk model in 2017 and it made my top 3 list. Does the new 2WD Limited model cut it? 

     

    Driving

    The first thing that strikes you with this 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine is the throttle lag when pulling away. It might have become the industry ‘norm’ for this type of engine to respond this way, but it doesn’t make it right. It isn’t a problem once you are moving in traffic. Pulling into traffic is when you really feel it. You then have to adapt your driving style. In that, I mean rev the engine to around 1600 rpm and then when you can, let out the clutch and pull away. 

    That’s a lot of effort and ruins an otherwise enjoyable vehicle. The ride is soft if a little floaty and road noise is quite subdued. The engine is vocal when really pushed and doesn’t encourage all-out performance. 

     

    Inside

    There haven’t been any major changes inside. The Jeep face and logos are still there in places around the windows and interior trim. It’s still put together well with no rattles. One thing that is noticeable was the appalling paint finish within the boot shut to an almost unacceptable finish. 

    As before with the inside, it is rather spacious and wide for what is a small SUV though still dark. The seats are comfortable and wide and the view out is good. Big screen pillars don’t obscure your forward view because they are so far forward. What isn’t, is the centre armrest. It’s too far back to be of any use to anyone.

    Living With It

    Throttle lag aside, it’s still a nice SUV that manages to break to visual mould in the crowded SUV market. It doesn’t bring anything new to the market or do anything different but what it does is do is make others think that you are in a car more capable of going anywhere when in actual fact, it’s 2WD so it won’t. Like wearing ladies high heels in secret, those outside won’t need to know this.

    The Verdict

    I still like the Jeep Renegade. There is just something about it that makes you pat it as a member of the family. Just when “retro” seems done, the Jeep still manages to invigorate this genre with it with cuddly looks.

    It’s got a full personality all of its own x2, like being a 2×2 instead of a 4×4. It’s now Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in its cuddly looks and annoying engine. The throttle lag is my biggest gripe. If it was my money, I’d buy it with a petrol engine.  

    Love

    Looks

    Comfort

    Space

    Loathe

    Throttle lag

    Infotainment screen too low

    Alarm/door opening beep

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Jeep Renegade Limited 1.6 120hp TD

    Price – £29,350 (as tested)

    MPG – 57.6mpg (combined)

    Power – 120HP

    0-62mph –  10.2 seconds

    Top Speed – 110 mph

    Co2 – 129 (g/km)

  • 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 | Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    CAR REVIEW | Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    ★★★☆☆Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    Cat with Soft Bite

    What Have We Got?

    Jaguar has taken the small luxury SUV market head-on with their new E-Pace. Launched last year to much spectacle in London, where on its debut it entered the Guinness World Records with a 15.3-meter, 270-degree barrel roll even before its launch. A year later and with cars available, The Gay UK finally gets to taste the 250 petrol HSE R-Dynamic model.

    Driving

    One thing you become aware of pretty quickly is that the F-Pace can cover ground quickly. That 250PS 2 litre engine spins happily through its rev range while taking with it its 365 max of torque from 1200 to 4500 rpm through its 4WD automatic drive train. Once on the move that is. For the sporty model in the range, there was a noticeable delay when you pushed the throttle into the carpet. It might be seconds but those are vital seconds.

    With power and speed, comes great responsibility and one thing you want is to rapidly decrease speed. My biggest gripe was the brakes. The ABS did a great job and there was no evidence of lockup, even for a moment. That said, they lacked the bite you’d expect for a sporty model.   

    Inside

    The interior options for the E-Pace R-Dynamic are few and far between with 3 choices of leather colour. The press cars grey exterior with red leather worked well. And the options fitted to the car covered most bases particularly the heated seats and steering wheel.

    Door architecture worked well and the illuminations around were welcomed in breaking up huge expanse with lights, leather and brushed aluminium. It all added to the premium feel that you expect from Jaguar

    What didn’t work for me was the main piece of plastic that forms the facia. Its saving grace was that it was of smooth plastic. It lacks a lot of tactility and felt cheap in an otherwise expensive cabin. 

    Living With It

    It’s an easy car to live with and I found ‘comfort’ mode was best suited to most of my driving needs. There is space for all inside despite its dinky size and it’s reasonably comfortable. Long drives result in a refreshed arrival. There is plenty to play with on-route. 

    Pushing it hard caused the engine to roar in an unnecessary kind of way and it’s not really something you want to try too often.  

    Hurried driving also caused the tyre to vocalise their abundance of grip to all around you. I shouldn’t encourage this but I rather liked it. 

    The Verdict

    There is a lot to recommend about the E-Pace. The finish is good and there are some nice options like the £310 ‘activity key’ wristband. It’s a great first effort into this segment for Jaguar, it just needs to be a little bit better.

     

    Loves

    Door architecture

    Ability to cruise quietly

    Convinces available in the options. (Though some are expensive)

     

    Loathe

    Brakes lack bite

    Throttle response

    facia trim

     

    The Lowdown

    Car – Jaguar E-Pace 250ps Petrol HSE R-Dynamic

    Price – £50,995 (as tested)

    MPG – 36.7mpg (combined)

    Power – 250ps @ 5500rpm

    0-62mph –  6.6 seconds

    Top Speed –  143 mph

    Co2 – 174 (g/km)