THEGAYUK

Tag: Three Star Car Review

The latest Three Star Car Review from THEGAYUK.

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda HR-V 1.6 1-DTEC

    ★★★☆☆ | Honda HR-V 1.6 1-DTEC – A Driver’s SUV

    What Have We Got?

    Honda’s second-generation HR-V. A small SUV type car wrapped in a coupe body based on the small Jazz.

    WHAT! I hear you cry, second generation you say? Yes, that’s right. Honda abandoned the HR-V in 2006 and then brought it back in 2016. So two years into its life, does it still sparkle in the showroom? 

    Driving

    I always try and save the best until last. This isn’t the case with the HR-V. The driving is the best part. For a small SUV that’s a little jacked up and riding high, it is quite engaging to drive when you want to push on a bit. The 120 PS of diesel power at 4000rpm was nicely complemented by the high torque of 300 Nm at a low 200rpm. Mated to a rather nice 6-speed manual gearbox with a very tall 5th and 6th gear. This meant that most hurried driving could be carried out with slipping into 3rd and 4th gear.

     

    Inside

    Despite the pseudo coupe looks, it has stacks of people space inside and headroom isn’t a problem. You certainly couldn’t use ‘adequate’ as a word to describe the rear legroom because it is overly generous. What it does lack is door bin storage and general odds and ends places which aren’t fitting for this kind of car. And it’s all a bit dark inside despite the 50/50 split closed/open panoramic roof option that comes standard on the EX model. 

    Living With It

    At £27,640, you might feel a little out of pocket. It’s not cheap. Then again no SUV is cheap at the moment. Still, for your money, you do get a host of driver aid gadgets and toys in this top of the range HR-V. There are many areas that it could be better in but there are areas that it is much better than expected and that’s driver enjoyment. The ride is soft and comfortable and never leaves you wincing as you take on the worst potholed roads or uneven surfaces. 

    The Verdict

    Despite what I have said, I’m not a fan. Yes, the driving dynamics are rather good for this type of car. Quite a lot better than many if I am honest. It’s just that it lacks showroom appeal. And for the size of the car and the market it is in, it lacks the youth appeal that really is the kind of drivers you would expect to see buy into these smaller SUV’s. This is something VW and Seat do a little bit better. It also lacks innovation and this is something I am rather upset about. Honda is very innovative and yet it seems they have missed many opportunities with the HR-V. Driving and looks aside, you really have to want one to want one. It just didn’t sparkle enough for me. 

    Love

    Driving dynamics

    Engine

    Looks

    Loathe

    Paint finish

    Lack of innovations

    Small door pockets 

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Honda HR-V 1.6 1-DTEC EX manual

    Price – £27,640 (as tested)

    MPG – 68.9 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120PS at 400rpm

    0-62mph –  10.5 seconds

    Top Speed –  119 mph

    Co2 – 104 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX 

    CAR REVIEW | Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX 

    ★★★☆☆ | Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX

    What Have We Got

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

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

    Driving

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

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

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

    Inside

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

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

    Living with it

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

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

    Verdict?

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

    Love

    Price

    Spec

    Looks

    Loathe

    Unrealistic fuel figures

    Heating controls

    Turbo lag

    The Lowdown

    Car – Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX

    Cost – £26,574 (as tested)

    MPG – 80.7 mpg (combined)

    Power – 120ps

    0-62mph – 10.2 seconds

    Top Speed – 125mph

    Co2 – 93 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Citroën C4 Cactus Flaire Blue HDi 100

    ★★★☆☆ | Citroën C4 Cactus Flaire Blue HDi 100


    Softer Edged Prickly Character

    The Overview | The Drive | The Cabin |  The Verdict

    Here we have Citroen’s revamped C4 Cactus. Now in its fourth year, Citroën have tamed the design down quite noticeably while making some changes underneath. In short, the Cactus is a sort of hatchback SUV crossover built to a price while saving weight by not including items Citroën deem superfluous for this kind of car like. Gone are the air bumps and bulky patches on the bumper. Instead, we have the new corporate front but still retaining the unusual interior. We take the Flaire Blue HDi 100 diesel for a drive.

  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer

    ★★★☆☆ |  Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer

    Vauxhall Astra review
    We put the Vauxhall Astra through its paces

    The Overview | The Drive | The Cabin | The Verdict | The Lowdown

    The Astra sells in big numbers because it does what you want a practical car to do and fleet operators like it. With a market so crowded with fierce competition from VW, Skoda, Fiat and the likes, is the new Astra able to hold its own?

    There is always some anticipation when getting a new car for review. More often than not I request a model and leave it up to the manufacturer to supply the goods. So there was high anticipation for the new Astra. I hadn’t realised until the day that it was going to be their tourer model. To you and me that means estate. So already I am off to a good start. I like estates.

    It was a simple Astra CDTi with few frills at first glance. This would allow me to review the Astra as a car and not the toys. Now in its 7th generation, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s well put together and tough too.

  • CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen Passat GT

    ★★★☆☆ | Volkswagen Passat GT

    REVIEW Volkswagen Passat GT

    The VW Passat is a good car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Love

    Nice
    Good specification
    Value

    Loathe

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

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

  • CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen T-Roc Design 1.0 TSI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Love

    Boot space with split level floor practicality
    Ride
    Personalisation

    Loathe

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

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

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

     

  • CAR REVIEW | Citroen DS3 Performance

    ★★★ | Citroen DS3 Performance

    I don’t feel cheated by this car. The Citroen DS 3 Performance is all the name suggests. It has it in abundance.

    To the trained eye and fact finding motor buff you might be thinking this is a re-bodied Peugeot 208 GTi Sport. You will in fact be correct in thinking this. However Citroen have tweaked it a little to suit its customers preferences. These included a change in spring rates that make it feel a little softer. If truth be told there is a bit more fluidity in how it rides on the road compared to the manic 208.

    Now here comes the surprise. For me THEGAYUK tested the DS cabrio in 2016. I wasn’t complimentary about it in all areas. One thing I did mention was the ride. It wasn’t as good as the now replaced C3 yet in this hard as nails street racer I can live with it. It fills a void that the normal DS3 missed perhaps because this is a somewhat different car.

    The handling is taught. The traction is amazing. Even on really wet roads it holds on like I have never known anything to do so. One very wet roundabout was tackled with spirit and it held the line I pointed it in. The torsen differential is an amazing bit of kit. Added to the wide 18” alloy wheels and it all adds up to one sticky road slug. It won’t let you down. Just watch out for the curbs. The smart Nemesis lightweight alloys have a protruding lip.

    What helped the feeling of ultimate security in fast cornering was a set of body hugging bucket seats. From the outside they don’t look welcoming at all in their black cloth covering. Sit in and you are very much placed in control. It’s all very easy to get set up comfortably and you’ll need it. The interior is very dark. It did feel like I was stepping into the depths of hell. Not such a bad thing knowing how hellishly fast this DS3 could be.

    Unlike its Peugeot 208 sibling, there were things I didn’t notice. The exhaust boom was gone and the throw of the gear lever didn’t feel as long. The DS Performance felt much more fluid in its behaviour. Even in dense city bumper to bumper traffic it felt quite at home in.

    Out on the open road the engine of a modest 1598 cubic centilitres wrings out a very useful 208bhp at a 6000rpm. 221 Ib.ft of torque is at a lowly 3000rpm giving you almost 4000rpm to play with in ripping up the asphalt in the 0-60mph sprint of 6.5 seconds. The 6 speed gearbox makes rapid climbs through the rising speed easy. Sometimes too easy and the rapid climb is sometimes abruptly halted by the rev limiter thankfully there to prevent you throwing a piston through the bonnet. It happens all too quickly and yet sneakily. It’s not a power pack that makes you abundantly aware of what it’s doing because it’s so smooth.

    Stopping the rapid Avantgarde delight is a beautiful all discs Brembo braking system. Stupid hard application of these plus the wide wheels and torsen differential make it all to easy to get carried away. Even mid cornering when you think you might just have bitten off more than you can handle will see you safely out the other side unless you really are stupid. More likely will be the rear end letting you know first. It’s nice to know it has a few surprises. It does though feel less of a handful with the different spring rates compared to the 208 GTi sport.

    The DS Performance is an easy car to live with. In someways I wanted it to be a little more raw. Despite its bright yellow exterior paint and black wheel arch extensions, it was subdued to those outside of the car. In someways it looked like a normal DS3 with some options added. It’s I suppose my place to say if that is a good thing or not because it is ultimately up to you to decide if you want your rapid hatchback to be discreet without external bells and whistles.

    I can recommend the DS 3 Performance. For my money I’d buy the convertible. A little less rigid I’ll grant you but I can’t think of a faster and affordable way of getting wind in the hair this side of wing walking on a Cessna aircraft. And you can’t do that every time you want to pop to the shops.

    Likes

    Price
    Easy to live with
    Available with a soft top

    Loathes

    Alloy wheel lip exposed to curbing
    The DS3 looks are getting old
    Very dark interior

    The Lowdown
    Car – DS 2 Performance
    Price – £ £23,355 (as tested)
    MPG – 52.3mpg (combined)
    Power – 208 bhp 6000 rpm
    0-62mph – 6.5 seconds
    Top Speed – 143 mph
    Co2 – 125 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Citroen DS 5 Blue HDi 180 auto Prestige

    I am in a bit of a pickle. I’ve spent a week with Citroen’s DS flagship brand and its 5. The problem I have is I am not sure if it is trying to be an MPV or a hatchback or somewhere in between.

    CAR REVIEW | Citroen DS 5 Blue HDi 180 auto Prestige

    It took me around 13 miles to feel comfortable in it. The driving position options are vast as you would expect with electronic memory driver seat with massage facility. The steering wheel alters for rake and reach. It’s just where do you position yourself in a car that has a high waistline and low windows? So 13 miles in I found it. Where it felt comfortable.

    I altered that three days later and soon found it best to sit just a little bit higher. If anything it’s the dashboard that makes it awkward at first. It’s huge! So big in fact that there are side windows between the windscreen post and door frame.

    It’s a nice place to be in. The French have a history of reinventing the dashboard of cars. Sadly no one else follows but to hell with it, this is Citroen. In an age were fascias are all becoming as similar as the outside, it is nice to know the DS 5 does it differently.

    For a start, there is a clock with hands just above the start button. Next to it on the infotainment screen is a digital clock. The clock itself is an optical illusion. Tall and narrow in shape and yet it always looks like the arms are going to get stuck around the 3 and 9. It’s a little bit of old in a lot of new.

    Some design bits don’t quite fit at first. The red digital parts conflict with the white printed parts and then there is the digital speedometer read out below the normal speedometer. It gives you many options all at once and not to good effect. You soon forget all this and forgive it because you’re soon too busy hunting for the window switches.

    DS 5 comes with the usual infotainment system that carries a tradition of annoying me with its grey over black on the satnav screen at night. Thankfully this can be changed. What can’t sadly is the pedantic way the finger touch inputs work. The screen is too flat and too far away to be really handy and this is amplified by the fact you need to touch the coloured logo spot on to get the phone system to display a text message that then needs further fingering to get it to read it out. It’s as distracting as using your phone by hand. Something we do not endorse so on a personal note this is a failure.

    The interior door panelling is finely sculptured as you’d expect in DS. Red lights highlight the door handle and cup holder. There is no apparatus on the doors. This works well. It means you keep your right hand on the wheel at all times. Remember I said about hunting for the window switches, they are found on the central tunnel in finely sculptured buttons. It’s all a break from the norm and I am starting to like it.

    If I can be blunt the inside is what Saab should have been doing. The cockpit is a mixture of automobile and aircraft. There is even a roof tunnel between the front glass panels for glasses and switches for the sun blinds. Opened and it makes the cabin feel light and airy. Rear seat passengers will also feel happy in the DS5. They will moan however at the window switches. In keeping them clutter free like the rears, they placed the window switches in the centre between the front seats. Nothing bad except 2 things, they are too far away for easy reach and they work upside-down. Down is up and up is down!

    Outside also has its mix of good and bad. Sadly in black, you can’t see the fine details unless up close. What is now missing is the absence of the Citroen chevrons. DS is now a stand alone product. So it manages to retain some Gallic charms and being outside of the double chevron is probably why it has been allowed to grow to an in between car of hatchback MPV and be so very different from anything the PSA company has to offer.

    The headlights are a nice place to start in terms of design. They are some 21” in total length. At night time the outer edge is illuminated in a brilliant white while inside that keep you focused with their steering ability. The headlights themselves blend seamlessly into the front wings and screen posts with an abundance of chrome. It’s all very showy. The side profile again is an awkward blend of 2 cars fighting for the same place.

    The ride and drive are ok. It suffers from some turbo lag as most diesels do but it isn’t annoying to get going. The Blue HDi 180 turbo diesel engine is quick off the mark though thwarted by traction control. It reminds you that this isn’t a sports car so don’t even try it. As a comfy cruiser, it is best but the ride is somewhat lost on surfaces where there are joins. It doesn’t crash over pot holes but irregularities do cause it to jolt around a tad when normally it is well behaved. It can be hustled but you will need to get used to its ways. When really pushed it will roll like a classic Citroen of the 70s and it will understeer with no attempt at scrubbing off speed when you let go of the throttle. Thankfully the chassis is more than capable and oversteer isn’t ever going to be a thing to worry about. To get the best out of it I found using the auto box as a manual. In auto, it just sometimes got a bit confused. In manual, it worked a treat and if you got too excited and carried away, it would change up regardless. The tactile contours of the gear stick made manual changes a joy. It felt very sensual and its response to inputs was quick.

    There is a lot to recommend about the DS 5 and certainly more-so if you are in the market for something that will stand out from the normal fleet cars found in the company carpark. You’ll win no prizes from management for stepping out against the crowd but to someone like me, you will be a hero. I like different.

    Love

    Subtle stand out from the crowd car
    Cabin design
    Solid feel

    Loathe

    Fiddly infotainment system
    Very black materials used inside
    Awkward switchgear

    The Lowdown
    Car – Citroen DS 5 Blue HDi 180 auto Prestige
    Price – £35,590 (as tested)
    MPG – 62.8mpg (combined)
    Power – 0-62mph – 9.2 seconds
    Top Speed – 137 mph
    Co2 – 117 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Citroen C3 Flair S&S BlueHDi 100

    ★★★ | Citroen C3 Flair S&S BlueHDi 100

    They were not wrong about the new C3 being eagerly waited for.

    Last year THEGAYUK reviewed the outgoing model. A model I didn’t really care much for in the beginning. By the end, it was a different story. It had taken Citroën about 14 years to get it right and just when they did they decided to start all over again. So is the new C3 better than the old or have Citroën got to start all over again?

    If there is one thing you can be assured of, it is that Citroën has not failed in making the new C3 ready for improvements. The C3 I was given was pleasant enough. It did everything right. The engine was the wrong one. If it had been fitted with their 1.2 three cylinder petrol engine as in the old C3 we tested, I would probably have been happier. The diesel just didn’t hit the right spot for me. It lacked the verve and excitement of the little petrol unit. That little unit is thankfully available in this Flair model and for over £1000 less. Buy the petrol engine.

    Now that my biggest moan is out of the way, is the new C3 good. Thankfully it is. The car has grown in size which I don’t know if that is a good thing or not. The joys of a city car are that you can go anywhere and park it anyplace. The new C3 has one disadvantage over its slightly larger cousin the Cactus, and that’s the bumpers. More lack of them. The C3 sports Citroën’s cool airbumps on the side but lacks anything on the bumper corners. Instead, it leaves the headlights low and vulnerable. Thankfully it is fitted with big plastic wheel arches.

    Quirky kit aside, the inside is ok. It’s built to a price and does the job. There are some nice carry over pieces from the cactus are included like the door handles. and contoured door cards reflecting the opposite of the airbump. This model also came with the £150 red ambience option. It’s not to my liking. Less so when the outside was duck egg in colour. What you do get on this new model is ConnectedCAM. It allows you to take pictures as seen from the front of the car and send them to your friends. A little gimmicky but we like gimmicks. Sometimes there just isn’t enough of them in any car we test.

    What I couldn’t find on the options list was the enlarged front screen into the roof as fitted to the Picasso models. It made for a bright airy interior. What I didn’t like on the inside was the brightness of the infotainment system. It was too bright and didn’t seem to alter with the lights unlike the facia panel. Until I found the setting I was having to turn it off.

    On the move, the 1560cc diesel engine did a great job if a little harsh and with complaints. This is a first for me to moan about a French diesel engine. They usually behave like petrol engines. Sadly this 110hp unit ran out of puff. It might produce all of its power at a lowly 3750 rpm and this then returns in rapid gear changing and hoping the high torque of 151 Ib.ft at 1750rpm will carry you on. It felt lacklustre. I couldn’t engage with it. It annoyed me and more-so because I wanted to like the new C3.

    On the move, the suspension was compliant with most undulations. It did, however, reveal a harshness that was absent from the previous model. It was wobbly Citroën with Germanic crashing. At first unsettling but you grow accustomed to it. Like the handling. That was fun. It handles rather well when thrown about. Due to the engines dynamics, you need to alter your driving style considerably to get the best out of it. It was still better than the DS3 Cabrio I tested.

    There are many things about the new C3 that I do like. It looks ok. Actually, it looks brilliant. Thankfully Citroën are now able to make their vehicles reflect the brand and C3 now sports the new corporate Citroën front. Cactus tested the waters and it is now the approved face. It grows on you because it is so different. It sort of reminds me a dolphin. They are cute and like the C3 they have personality.

    The price is also rather good too. It is now cheaper than the outgoing model. All this new development and the add-ons costs £18,845 as tested.

    There is a lot to like about the new C3. I can’t say love about it because I didn’t feel it this time. Perhaps because I wanted it to be so much better. It’s not. It’s no worse, it’s just that l don’t like the engine. Buy the petrol.

    Likes

    Build quality

    Specification and equipment

    Cute shape with likeable face

    Loathes

    Constantly having to go through the menu to switch off stop-start

    Engines lack of puff at speed

    Infotainment systems brightness

    The Lowdown

    Car – Citroen C3 Flair S&S BlueHDi 100

    Price – £18,845 (as tested)

    MPG – 76.3 mpg (combined)

    Power – 100 bhp

    0-62mph – 10.6 seconds

    Top Speed – 115 mph

    Co2 – 95 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Alfa Romeo MiTo

    ★★★ | Alfa Romeo MiTo

    I always wanted a MiTo. It’s the cheapest and easiest way into Alfa Romeo ownership. Unlike years ago, it won’t fall apart. I almost bought one but university called and so the idea was put on the back burner. When I had finished uni I bought a camper van with the funds instead of the Mito. Was I right to have done so thus not getting another Alfa Romeo?

    Alfa Romeo Mito Car review

    If you want a small three-door hatchback with extreme exclusivity then take a look at the Alfa Romeo MiTo. The MiTo is now some nine years old and still a rare sight on the road. In the time I had one I saw three others. Sadly on all but one occasion, I was driving other cars so I was unable to share the love with an approving wave or a convoy.

    It’s not a great car by any stretch of the imagination. What it is though is an Alfa Romeo, so you can forgive it quite a bit for its flaws. Actually, you forgive it quite a lot. Design wise it is a bit lost. It is a sort of squashed down Giulietta. The result makes it look a bit like a small jacket potato. All is not lost as the potato design is making a comeback. It’s just that the MiTo missed the boat all those years ago.

    Alfa Romeo has a way in making cars. If you want clunk-click every trip then you don’t buy an Alfa Romeo and you certainly wouldn’t upgrade your Polo for one. That changes if you just want to be a little bit different. And the MiTo will fit the bill.

    Some of it in this revamped third face lift model is a bit old school still. The heads up display is red and almost dot matrix in style. The digital expressions of the MiTo coming towards you and away when you turn the key are quite nice touches to have on an older design. You start to like the MiTo. The inbuilt 5” screen satnav with Bluetooth, DAB and all the other things you expect today comes in at an extra £750.

    That’s a lot for 5” of screen but an essential part of the package. You would be a fool not to add it.

    The driving position is quite comfortable. Elbow room is in abundance and it’s no longer the long arm, short legs of previous Alfa Romeos. What isn’t available is oddments space. There just wasn’t the space available that I had become accustomed too.

    The first shopping trip proved rather eventful. The boot is deep. It just goes down and down and down like Mary Poppin’s carpet bag. Ideally, it needs a second floor. It’s not ideal in the day to day. It does give it almost class leading depth though.

    On the road, the little 1.3 diesel engine gives all it can. It’s not the worst out there. It’s quite a likeable unit and belies the 95bhp power that’s available. 200nm of torque at 1500rpm helps. It’s this torque figure, that when combined with the DNA switch in ‘Dynamic’ makes all the difference. In ‘Normal’ mode it felt out of depth. In ‘All terrain’ mode it was hopeless. DNA, now you understand what it stands for. Quite clever marketing really. Dynamic makes it more alive and responsive. To be honest I attempted very little motoring in N or A. A is mainly for atrocious conditions.

    Handling was quite up to spec for an older design. It’s easy to start liking the MiTo when you start to motor along. It lives up to the badge ever so slightly when you hustle it along. It never leaves you breathless but likewise, it never tried to put you in a ditch. The disc brakes on each corner being up to the job.

    It’s a likeable car while also being a bit less successful in many areas. Above all, it’s an Alfa Romeo. The doors are frameless and there is no way you can disguise the fact that in photos you will look great next to frameless doors with the windows down. Strike a pose, there is quite literally NOTHING like it… MiTo MiTo MiTo.

    Love

    Frameless doors
    Design
    Exclusivity

    Loathe

    Deep boot floor
    Price
    DNA switch to normal mode

    The Lowdown
    Car – Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.3 JTDM-2
    Price – £ 17,200 (as tested)
    MPG – 83.1mpg (combined)
    Power – 95bhp @ 3500
    0-62mph – 12.5 seconds
    Top Speed – 112 mph
    Co2 – 89 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Lexus NX h Sport

    There was much excitement at THEGAYUK headquarters with the arrival of the new Lexus NX. A car I had been looking forward to reviewing ever since I had a play in the bigger RX.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    The adverts interspersed in between my favourite Channel 4 drama, Humans further heightened thus feeling. Sadly like a domestic synth, it left me feeling a little cold.

    Dynamically it is a marvel. A true powerhouse of an SUV this time living up to the Sport in the title. You can hustle it along the road and it will reward you with as much grip as you could wish for in an SUV while also remaining poised and neutral. Unlike the bigger RX, the NX doesn’t lean into corners. Sitting high up it also didn’t throw you off your senses. I was sure all SUV’s should be like this or so I thought.

    The steering was nicely weighted. When overriding the CVT gearbox with manual inputs the gear changes were smooth. Only when pressed hard, the CVT gearbox would show its one true weakness inherent in these systems and that was high revs, a lot of noise and a sense of not a lot happening propulsion-wise. That said, most of the time the intrusion was minimal because it got to where you needed it to very quickly.

    Speaking of quickly it belies its 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds. Pulling out in traffic it could be frighteningly rapid with wheel spin curtailed by the traction control system. The accelerator pedal did exactly what you wanted it to.

    However, there are faults aplenty in this £34,000 machine. For a start, the spec sheet looks a little lame compared to the bigger RX model and others within this SUV segment.

    There were no parking sensors fitted.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    For something so big, so premium and with many gadgets, the lack of these is a fundamental flaw. Having them as an added accessory for £800 was a bit of an insult.

    That said, they are well worth it, if a little expensive. The front and rear extremities are very difficult to judge. While you should be able to park a car you own, the sensors do make it a touch easier. The reverse camera helps but it doesn’t show where the bulbous curves of the rear wheel arches are in the dark.

    It was delivered to me with just 40 miles on the clock. It was at 70 miles old that I almost added the first dent while reversing into my drive!

    There is also the absence of the Lexus touch and that is the retracting steering wheel. Many Lexus models I have tried over the years have had this. It is a bit gimmicky I know but I look at it as a Lexus signature piece. It’s a bit like the electric windows that slow just moments before they shut to reduce noise.

    These add up to make a Lexus more than a dressed up Toyota.

    Living with the NX is a bit hit and miss too. The boot is a good size. Very easy to load things into and all the space is available. However, the rear door doesn’t rise high enough for me. That was the miss. Or not as it proved when I clonked my head against it.

    The hit is that it is quite a vehicle. Over its RX sibling, the NX can be hustled around with great ease. The road manners retain a squat feel when hard cornering or taking S bends at rapid speed. It shouldn’t really feel like it should behave in this kind of way.

    CREDIT: Lexus

    Four up and in a hurry, no one said slow down. The only thing that lets it down when going fast is that CVT gearbox. It doesn’t really make the best of the engine’s torque. Revs stay high up at and the engine screams. It doesn’t pay to keep your foot planted into the carpet if it isn’t necessary. The engine is too vocal without sounding sexy. The V6 of the RX is far better.

    Again this gearbox system, that I am not a real fan of, ruins the fine ambience of luxury. Thankfully you can override the gearing and I found selecting 4th, 5th and 6th gear made it far more pleasurable to the ears while not leaving it vulnerable when pulling out in city traffic and rush hour madness to getting in the way of other traffic.

    The hybrid system on the NX is in keeping with the Lexus brand and used as a supplementary system only using it for brief periods or in slow traffic. Most of the time it goes into petrol mode. This didn’t really damage the impressive fuel figures Lexus state or what were achievable in the real world.

    The fit and finish in the NX are above and beyond what you would expect. It was all nicely wrapped up and made to make you feel like you have spent your money wisely. I just can’t get over the missing pieces in the spec sheet.

    It all adds up to an expensive car. As a proposition, I have to say that for the money the more expensive Audi Q7 is far better value even without the bonus of a hybrid system. It has more kit on it. And at £17000 less than the Lexus RX450h I tested.

    I am inclined to say beg steal or borrow the extra and buy the RX. And then there is Toyota’s C-HR that is some £5k cheaper. Now that is a strong contender to consider even if it is in a class lower. It’s where I would be looking.

    Love
    Finish
    Comfort
    Ergonomics

    Loathe
    Cost
    CVT gearbox
    Lack of equipment

    The Lowdown
    Car – Lexus NX300 h Sport
    Price – £34,640 (as tested)
    MPG – 54.3mpg (combined)
    Power – 115bhp @ 5700rpm petrol (bhp 197 for electric motors)
    0-62mph – 9.2 seconds
    Top Speed – 112 mph
    Co2 – 121(g/km)