THEGAYUK

Tag: Three Star Car Review

The latest Three Star Car Review from THEGAYUK.

  • CAR REVIEW | Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus

    ★★★ | Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus

    Manufacturers since the 1980s have teased us with electric and hybrid technology. No one though had the balls to actually do it. Toyota was the first to give us a hybrid car as a stand alone product called the Prius. It looked like nothing else in the Toyota showroom. In fact, it looked like nothing else anywhere.

    This next statement makes me feel so old. The Prius is now 19 years old. Toyota should be celebrated for this motoring milestone. It was a gamble. It ended up being a game changer. Now the Prius is not the only hybrid out there.

    The few hybrids l have driven have only taken me very short distances so when the opportunity came for me to test one l wasn’t sure what to expect. Toyota gave THEGAYUK two to test. The Lexus RX450h and the Prius. Both new models.

    The Prius was a disappointment. My ears are quite literally screaming from driving it. l had high hopes for the car that brought hybrid technology to the masses but in this latest incarnation, it has left me a little cold. For a car costing less than half of what the Lexus RX450h cost you could say l am being picky. I wish I was. It’s not that the Prius is a bad car. It really isn’t. Huge advances have been made in the 4 generations of Prius since 1997. The Prius has one major flaw.

    The Prius is whisper quiet. On start up, there is no engine noise. The dashboard comes alive with animation and illumination. You select drive via a crystal blue knob where the gear stick would be and you surge forward under electric motion. And here is lays the problem. It’s so noisy! Even at low speeds, noise from the tyres and differing road surfaces barge into the cabin. I’ve not known anything like it. To those outside, all they hear are their thoughts and screams when they shout out because they didn’t hear the Prius creep up on them. It isn’t even as if the 215/45 17 Bridgestone Turanza tyres are highly rated in noise. Fuel economy rated at C with road noise of 69 decibels. All pretty standard stuff for a branded tyre.

    Noise aside it is an amazing car. At speed on the motorway, it does settle down into a world of its own. There is no wind noise. The Continuously Variable Transmission gearbox settles down into a long-legged stride. It is here that the Prius makes sense. CVT gearboxes are not known for being quiet and when pushed the 1800cc engine will emit audible noise as it spins up to its peak 97bhp at 5200rpm. Then with the powers of hybrid, it settles down to a wafting machine.

    Because the main fascia of the dashboard sits in the middle of the car it is almost too easy to ignore it. It tries to give you all the information you need in a slimline display. It does work well. Thankfully there is a heads-up display that isn’t affected by sunlight coming in through the windscreen. What didn’t work for me was the hybrid display that kept clashing with the speed limit display. I wanted to know when I was in EV mode (electric vehicle) or not. The speed limit display was annoying. It wasn’t as if it hadn’t also appeared on the facia screen. It could thankfully be turned off.

    The 4th generation Prius makes no apologies for its looks. It’s bold and striking. I like it. Actually, I like it a lot. So many cars at the moment are starting to look the same again. Toyota appears to be designing a car, screwing up the paper, unfolding it and making the result. A good job is done too. After 19 years on the forecourt, the Prius can now wear its “in your face” looks with pride. The second and third gen Prius’s were awkward yet safe. They never made the grade. This one, however, looks like a spaceship. The problem it will have is within its extremities of the corners. Lights mounted into the bumpers are very vulnerable. Thanks to the auto brake and sensors, you won’t break them, but others misjudging their parking will. What doesn’t work in design is the rear wiper. There is a large unswept area. Probably not such a problem in a left-hand drive model.

    The Prius as a driver’s car was also something I didn’t quite expect. This is, after all, an uber economy car. There is a gauge on the dashboard that scores you out of 100. At best I managed 89. With some serious gun-ho motoring you can get that down to 8! For that, you have to drive like the wind. I have been witness to this. It was during this spirited ride as a passenger that first made me appreciate the Prius before I even had one. It does not pretend to be a sports car but the weight bias of the engine in the front and batteries in the rear must play a part in the making of a finely balanced chassis. Never underestimate a Prius driver as a slow doodler when you see one in motion. Chances are the owner doesn’t actually know just how good it is.

    The Prius is a good car. With the economy that is achievable, it is a clear winner in almost every respect. It’ll seat 5 and carry you all relatively cheaply wherever you want to go. It’s just that the inside needs to reflect the quietness of the outside. Toyota is capable of achieving this. I just wish they had with this Prius.

     

    Likes
    Economy
    Looks
    Dashboard

    Loathes
    Cabin noise
    Vulnerable extremities of the lights
    Rear visibility

    The Lowdown
    Car – Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus
    Price – £25,995 (as tested)
    MPG – 94.1mpg(combined)
    Power – 97bhp @ 5,200 petrol (142bhp @ 3600rpm electric)
    0-62mph – 10.4seconds
    Top Speed – 114 mph
    Co2 – 76 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Ford Kuga Titanium X Sport 2.0 TDCi

    Ford seems to have tried making a premium SUV, but gave up half way in and threw in a load of plastics and cheap technologies to get it finished. Of course, it looks good and should be reliable, after all, it is a Ford.

    CAR REVIEW | Ford Kuga Titanium X Sport 2.0 TDCi

    The MK2 Kuga is a vast improvement on the old, it has sharp styling and from the outside has a very strong whiff of a premium brand. The model tested was a Titanium X Sport with the 2.0 TDCi 180ps manual with AWD. Now, in this trim the car looks brilliant, we had ours in Deep Impact Blue and it was gorgeous. The big 19″ alloys, silver trim and roof rails made it look like it came from the class above. The bodywork is curvaceous yet sharp and looks very sporty. However, you only get this look on the Titanium Sport or higher, anything less and you get cheap black plastic trim all around the outside. That is where Ford has made a mistake.

    Our test car was fitted with the very comfortable leather seats, well, more like armchairs. Heated as well non the less. The rear seats were also just as comfortable with plenty of leg room and the option to recline the seats. This is more or less where the positives for the inside end. The infotainment system is appalling and looks like it was designed to be used by babies. It is slow, dim-witted and clunky with hard to reach buttons and a poor layout. What can I expect, Ford have never done very well with infotainment. Look at the current Fiesta, nearly 9 years into production and they have barely changed the inside once.

    What makes this even more shocking is this is a whole new infotainment system, only in cars from April 2016 onwards.

    The problems continue. On a car this size and shape you would expect to have a massive and fully usable interior, after all it is a Sports Utility Vehicle. The rear seats don’t even lay completely flat. One of my biggest bbugbears Nothing ruins the back for me more than on a car with tall and wide with so much potential, to be hampered by a step in the load area. The little things. My other issue is more of a suggestion. Under the two front seats we have on offer a very large space, could it not be an option to have under seat storage? It will be great to hide valuables in. Although the glove box is big, it can get filled up quickly with the manual, CDs and in my case, my change pot.

    Apart from those niggles and issues with the inside, it is a pleasant place for a long journey. The electric sunroof is a nice touch, it brings in a lot of light into the cabin, although it sits rather annoyingly in the center of the roof with over half a foot gap on both sides. It doesn’t sound like much but when you want to look out the roof from the rear seats you have to strain over to one side. I won’t get too bogged down with the negatives, because at the end of the day the ride is smooth, the seats are comfy, it is quiet and the air-conditioning works sublimely. Everything you need for a cruise down the motorway in the summer sun.

    So we have established the outside looks great and the inside needs improving, now it is time for an under the bonnet critique. The engine in this car, a 2.0 180bhp diesel works well.

    First gear is almost non-existent and proves to be no use, I often took to moving away in 2nd gear as it got off quicker. Apart from 1st, the rest of the gears are lovely and the transmission is smooth and the gear lever feels connected. The AWD system is a useful, but fuel consuming, bit of extra safety and reassurance.

    For a Ford it coped very well with a bit of light off roading. The suspension is also very good at soaking up bumps, not to mention you can really chuck it at the corners. I was surprised at how smooth the ride was, considering we were riding on 19″ alloys.

    The safety kit is also useful, if not a little unsettling and confusing. It was not until after contacting Ford about the City Stop active breaking that we found out it doesn’t work for people…

    The lane keeping assist works and isn’t too intrusive. Some cars have been known to pull you back over, whereas the Kuga goes for a more “vibrate the steering wheel so violently you lose blood flow in your hands” approach. I also got to test out for the first time park assist. It is a very useful bit of kit, if not a little weird to get used to. Even in the pitch black at 11pm at night I didn’t hit anything.

    Overall it is a good car, nothing to rave about, but I wouldn’t tell anyone not to get one. There are similar cars available which I would suggest, the Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tuscan to name two. If you are looking for similar sized cars but with a different budget in mind, the Dacia Duster is a phenomenal car for your money, whereas the BMW X1 gives you a lot more class for your cash.

    Likes:
    Styling
    Comfort
    Drive

    Loathes:
    Infotainment system
    Acceleration
    Fuel economy

    Car – Ford Kuga Titanium X Sport 2.0 TDCi 180 AWD Manual
    Price – £36,115 (as tested)
    MPG – 54.3mpg (combined)
    Power – 177bhp
    0-62mph – 9.2 seconds
    Top Speed – 126 mph
    Co2 – 135 (g/km)

     

    Find out more at http://www.ford.com/

  • CAR REVIEW | Citroen DS3 Cabrio

    ★★★ | Citroen DS3 Cabrio

    The DS range of Citroens are the more Avantgarde models and a welcome return from a manufacturer rich in a history of innovation and design. It’s also a car maker that gave us the 2CV, widely futuristic dashboards and the subliminal grand tourer with the SM. So they know a few things about cars.

    Though largely forgotten, Citroen have at one point or another offered the motorist open top fun. The 2CV and Dyane were cheap open top motoring. The short-lived 4 door Visa decapotable with its unique pram type hood. And the Plurial that was a bit of a hash job with its removable sides that had nowhere to go so you never took them off. The DS 3 is the smallest offering in this DS range and the Cabrio adds some open top fun to an already accomplished car but does it make it any better?

    The answer to that is no. It actually makes the DS 3 worse. What you need to realise is that with any open top car there is always a pay off that must be accepted for the fun a missing roof will give you.

    In this case it’s the boot. The opening is hopeless. I for one did not expect it to lift upwards. In doing so it covers up an already small hole. The boot area itself is quite large, deep and cavernous. It’s just that you can’t actually get to it. Should the boot lid drop downward then it would solve at least half these problems.

    And there lays the problem with the DS3 cabrio over its hatchback sibling. For an extra £2000 you get a boot that you can’t use. What you do get though is an electric roof that pretty much works on a one-touch system that when open causes no buffeting. Fully open (rear window gone, followed by rearward vision also) you get a gentle breeze over your shoulders and long hair gently tussled. Yes, the rearward vision is blighted when the top is completely retracted. At first I thought this would be a problem. However with a little tug and wiggle of the finger the door mirrors can be angled to pretty much rectify this and the model I had here came equipped with a reversing camera.

    All in all then it’s pretty much shaping up to be what every car with a removable top is like except this cabrio retains the sides. In essence that means it isn’t a full convertible. It also means there is no scuttle shake felt through the steering wheel thus adding to the already solid feel of the Citroen. Another thing those side do is add a little security. You can feel incredibly exposed in a full cabriolet.

    The insides of the DS 3 are above par for this kind of car. It’s all well put together. The materials chosen are tactile and the dashboard has a feel that makes you want to squeeze it. However in this model it comes with a gaudy strip across the dashboard in what looks like really cheap carbon fibre you’d find someone sticking on their 1991 Vauxhall Corsa. Check out Citroen’s option packs and spec sheets. This can be rectified. It absolutely ruins an otherwise nice interior. Thankfully this is a £150 cost option so you don’t need to have it.

    Everything works as it should on the move. The clutch is light and the gear change direct. Strangely more so than in the 208GTi Sport I tested a month or so ago. In total it felt more fluid. What wasn’t quite so fluid in its execution was the ride. Where I had praised the Citroen C3 hatchback for being fantastic in its ride and handling, the DS 3 can’t match it. It rides a little to harsh for me. It also makes the handling a little skittish when pushed hard.

    The engine on the other hand is from the PSA award winning range of power packs. So smooth in its operation that you could be confused into thinking this is more than a 4 cylinder. It’s easy to live with and the 1598cc engine delivers its 165bhp with little effort. Sometimes you feel that 165 horses just isn’t enough. You feel the DS3 needs more urge. It’s only when you look at your speed do you then realise that you need to back off a little.

    With the roof folded back it is quite cosy. The heater and its many vents positioned to keep you warm even on the cold days. You can select to have the roof back as far as you’d like. Quite pointless if I am honest. You’ll probably find that you will have it as far as it will go on most days. With the roof up it cosseted you with the exact same feeling you would have with a hatchback. I’ll come clean though and say that apart from at night when I parked it up, l had the roof open as much as I could. You don’t buy a car like this to keep the roof up yet we Brits seem to do just that.

    The week was over, the DS3 had to go back. From the Citroens I had in my motoring career (and there have been a fair few) Citroen isn’t what it use to be.

    Twangy doors and creaky trim are a distant memory. Build quality is up there. Some of it felt better than the Germans. I liked the DS3. I could live with the challenges it possesses but it would have to be as a second car. It’s too flawed in its everyday areas to warrant me to trade in my old nail.

    Likes

    Engine
    Roof operation
    Little buffeting with the roof open

    Loathes

    Boot opening
    Carbon fibre dashboard trim
    Infotainment system difficult to see with the roof open

    The Lowdown
    Car – Citroen DS3 Cabrio THP 165
    Price – £23,340 (as tested)
    MPG – 50.4mpg (combined)
    Power – 165 bhp 6000 rpm
    0-62mph – 7.6 seconds
    Top Speed – 135 mph
    Co2 – 129 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Nissan Pulsar Tekna DCi 110

    I can’t believe I am going to say this, however despite its relative absence on the road, the Pulsar isn’t that bad a car. Manufactures don’t really make dreadful cars anymore, they just make them indifferent to others that supposedly set the benchmark.

    CAR REVIEW | Nissan Pulsar Tekna DCi 110

    There were some perceived flaws with the Pulsar that I had from the start. It’s not as well thought out in terms of toys as in the Qashqai. I was expecting more. That said what I was given satisfied my needs.

    Ok so it doesn’t sound great from the start but stick with it and the Pulsar will get better. For passengers, there is an abundance of room. The rear seat leg room with me behind the wheel cannot be matched in this class. Even cars in the next class up will struggle to match it. If I were given the chance of shotgun with the driver or lounging in the back I’d opt for the rear seat.

    Up front as a driver you are offered a few touches of norm for this kind of car. The displays can be altered according to what information you require. The econograph was quite fun to play with. At one point I had the 1.5 DCI 110 humming along to an estimated 74mpg which I think is quite impressive for a car this size. Admittedly that was at a leisurely 62mph with the cruise control on. The average managed over the 200 mile test was 54mpg with my best being 67. I can’t however credit that to the nonintrusive stop start system that saved me 0.20gm of CO2. If you spend more time in traffic you could save more.

    Another nice touch is the easy to use satnav that actually gives you the option to use daytime colours at night and adjusted brightness to suit. I could kiss Nissan’s engineers for this. And this is the thing with the Pulsar, it is some of the little things that make it a better car.

    Sadly the Pulsar suffers two of my pet hates which are poor switch gear illuminations on the doors and pointless carbon fibre trim. This time the trim that gets a mention in the spec sheet is below the rear bumper. Park the car in such a way that you don’t have to look at this and all is good in the world. Goodness also comes in the padding on the door armrest. It’s as soft as a pillow. Boney elbows will not complain. In fact I doubt anyone will moan about the driving position in the Pulsar. It’s all very Nissan and all very matter of fact to the job it has to do.

    Take to the controls and you will see why Nissan has always been easy to drive. In the past they have been a bit woolly, a bit learner driver and tended to appeal to the beige brigade. The gear change is wrist flicking quick and the clutch, while not being the lightest, has a very short pedal travel that further quickens changes both up and down the 6-speed box. If I have one criticism here is that the gate is very close together and until I had learnt to gauge its feel I was slipping it into the wrong gear. 4th became 6th and at one point 5th being 3rd. Thankfully the engine tolerates a lot of revs.

    The steering was nicely weighted. It felt heavier than a lot I have tried but this wasn’t a problem. Again for me, it is these little differences that made the Pulsar likeable.

    What was puzzling was the handling. The traction control system thwarted any kind of fun but pushed hard it could get a little crazy at times, yet switching it off and its road manners improved. It went from a disco bunny on poppers to Kylie to meeting your mother at church on Sunday when switched off. It would kick in when it felt it was at its set limits but the improvements in handling were noted for the better.

    Another nice touch was the stereo increasing in volume as the speed increased and instead of a little, it was noticeable and I liked that. And then there was the 360-degree parking cameras. If you are from the Grand Theft Auto generation that played it from the over the top view you’ll appreciate this. Why more cars don’t have this I do not know. It takes some time to get used to it and what it is interpreting, though once mastered it made for ease of parking without really having to look in the mirrors.

    The nice to use Pulsar is a difficult one to sum up and here lies the problem. It does nothing that makes it stand out from the crowd. It doesn’t annoy you in any way. It’s like a faithful friend who listens to your problems, rubs your shoulders, soothes your elbows and then drives you to get cheesecake. It will never leave you standing alone at the disco. If only it could have some drama to excite it, it might just start to be a major player in this sector of the market.

    Likes

    Price

    360-degree camera

    Rear seat space

    Loathes

    Lacks excitement

    Rear cargo area doesn’t flatten

    Bit austere inside

    The Lowdown

    Car – Nissan Pulsar Tekna DCi 110
    Price – £ 22,245.(as tested)
    MPG – 78.5 mpg (combined)
    Power – 110 bhp
    0-62mph – 11.5 seconds
    Top Speed – 118 mph
    Co2 – 94 (g/km)

  • CAR REVIEW | Mazda 3 1.5 105ps Sport Nav Diesel

    Think Mazda and you instantly think Wankel engines, RX8, MX5 and porridge.

    CAR REVIEW | Mazda 3 1.5 105ps Sport Nav Diesel

    Mazda has a lot riding on their new Mazda 3 model and after my enjoyment with the MX5 l had high hopes for it too. Like other Japanese manufacturers, they changed the way cars were built in the 70s when reliability on a cold wet morning was more important than looks and parts availability across Europe.

    40 years later does the offering from Mazda still do today what the 323 from the 70s did back then?

    The 3 has grown up with the rest of the class reasonably well. Mazda have always made a good solid mid-sized family car that appeals to everyone but the young. They have never had that “go get ‘em” look. From behind it morphs into an everybody every manufactures hatchback. And this is a shame because the front is very bold and striking. The grill opens wide like a gaping mouth ready to eat all those in front of it. When everyone is making their shapes smooth and round, Mazda come along with a mixture of sharp edges and contoured flicks that blend it together. And then they slap the licence plate right in the middle of it all.

    The overall feel of the Mazda 3 is of one that is well put together. Everything works with a mildly notched smoothness that allows the senses to know where a certain switch is unlike some out there where the fluidity of the switch gear feels too floppy and loose. The standard centre control knob that allows for movement around the heads up infotainment system works well. So well that it is pointless trying to use the touch screen. Its reactions to inputs are either overly sensitive or  not working at all. At one point I thought I was going to push my finger through the screen! On the move it doesn’t allow the touch screen to be used anyway.

    Sadly it doesn’t get any better the further you dig inside. The cabin lacks so much of the expected norm these days like illuminated window buttons and door handles apertures. Scrabbling for window switches and mirror controls literally went out in the dark ages but still, Mazda feel there is no need for this touch of expectancy. And then there is that ruddy awful carbon fibre trim! I disliked the stuff in the 2000s and it is now out of date on a 2016 hatchback. Mazda though seems to love it and fit it to most of their range.

    There are other areas where the Mazda 3 falls flat on its face in the interior and that is around the column stalks. The moulding lines are more clear than on a plastic toy in a Kinder egg. It gives you in one hand and then takes it away in the other. There is great opposition out there in this segment that the Mazda 3 has to take on and it is cost cutting bits like this that kick it to the ground.

    Thankfully the engine and dynamics underneath can more than makeup for this give and take interior. The diesel engine is a wonder of refinement. The smoothness in the 1.5 DOHC 16 valve engine made me question on more than one occasion if I was actually driving a soot wagon. It pulls from the moment you’re on the move too well beyond its maximum in power. Its behaviour more reminiscent of a petrol engine. All this smoothness then came with the added bonus of a possible combined 74.3mpg economy and it got better and better with its well spaced 6-speed manual gearbox. All the actions were light and positive. The seating was beyond ‘just’ right that it made for a driving position that fitted the car to you with no compromises. This made the Mazda 3 feel right.

    The fittings of what held the wheels to the body have such positivity that it feels this is where the pocket-money of the Mazda engineer has been spent. Don’t be fooled into thinking the “Skyactiv” sticker is anything to do with wi-fi, Bluetooth or other such entertainment add-ons. It’s all to do with the construction. It’s a lightish car with a taut body. And this adds extra handling characteristics to aid the driver. Sure it would roll in a corner and you would pull off the power before it would with the traction control system. The back could become mildly wayward if you pushed it hard or did silly things like backing off the power abruptly mid corner but you had to provoke like a stick to a snake for this to happen.

    The Mazda 3 isn’t such a bad car. It has failings in many areas mainly inside but on the bits that make it go it does it so very well indeed. As a car to clock up the miles you could do far worse than this. It will take you from A-Z with a willingness to visit P-Q-R and S just for the fun of it on the way. For a car that will satisfy your desire in terms of making you feel special, it misses the target so badly. And that’s a shame because it has the potential to be so much more than it is allowed to be. Thanks, Mazda.

    Thanks, Mazda.

    Likes

    Driving dynamics
    Engine
    Refinement

    Loathes

    Carbon Fibre trim
    Some cheapness in places
    Lack of cabin illuminations

    The Lowdown

    Car – Mazda 3 1.5 105ps Sport Nav Diesel
    Prive – £22,485 (as tested)
    MPG – 74.3mpg (combined)
    Power – 105 bhp
    0-62mph – 11 seconds
    Top Speed – 115 mph
    Co2 – 99 (g/km)

    Find out more at www.mazda.com

  • CAR REVIEW | Fiat 500X 2.0 Multijet 2 Automatic Cross Plus

    ★★★ | Fiat 500X | 500 x 500 = BIG

    Since I was a child I have always liked Fiat. I am sure one of the first words from my mouth was Fiat. I like them so much my personal fleet consists of an X1/9 and a Tempra and until recently we also had a 500 Pop. Fiats do something to you that not many other manufactures can. It could be that Fiat have always been a bit of an under dog; making well thought out cars, but somehow not executing the product to the same standards as those from Germany.

    There is an illogical passion behind every Fiat owner.

    The Fiat range has sadly become all about the 500. Launched almost decade ago Fiat now list 3 variants in their 5 car line up in the UK. There is a now a 500 for everyone’s’ needs. I had thought that Fiat, my once great love had lost their way, so when I was offered the chance to look over the 500X I didn’t refuse. I even washed my hair for the occasion.

    You give it a name and you pat it when you park it up at night. It’s become a thing to touch and more than just an item to behold.

    The 500X is more than just a larger version of the 500 with 5 doors, a lot more space and all for an extra 70 cm in length. Sadly it lacks the tactility of the little 500. You can’t fault the exterior looks. Fiat have done a great job in making something small keep its visual pleasures in this bigger model. The inside however on this model just tries too hard to do a job that it can’t on such a grand scale.

    It has 500 touches but the tactility of its smaller family member are lost in great masses of black plastic and dull fabric colours. What I am trying to say is it’s too dark inside. That said, it is well put together.

    As you would expect from a small sport utility vehicle type of machine, the ride would be compromised. The fact that this shares the same platform as the Jeep Renegade that l liked so much, I was sure I would have been able to write exactly what I did for that. I can’t. Unlike its Jeep sibling, the 500X rode with a much softer ride.

    The 500X felt very much more like the urban runaround with pretensions to go off the beaten track. You couldn’t fault the ride and handling. It was reassuring on the road and handled the road far better than some SUV’s l have tried. I would even go as far to say that the extra weight in the rear also helped plant it better on the road thus helping its handling over many front wheel drive cars with fatter lower profile tyres.

    The package is different too; with some of the FCA software working better in the 500X than the Jeep. Lane assist for one seemed to work more fluently, detecting even the worst painted line and making corrections where needed. Though it is not to be used as an autonomous system, it managed an S bend I use with frightening ease.

    The 9 speed automatic gearbox was faultless with its silky smooth changes. The torque curve of the engine often making the car change 2 gears at a time which caused no noticeable problems. To be honest there were times when I had no idea what gear it was in and never felt the need to shift manually.

    However this all changed when you selected ‘Sport’ mode. l like most sport modes. They alter the throttle responses and stiffen the steering but on the 500X it was best to keep it in normal for town and traffic. Quick blasts out-of-town also saw it seldom used. All that low down torque of 258 lb/ft at 1750 rpm means it’s ready to go flat-out in the right gear with no fuss. Sport holds on to the gears for too long making the engine work harder than it should and for no gain in forward momentum.

    Normal mode was just perfect for every situation I found. What was nice though was the ‘off-road’ option. Despite not taking it truly off-road we did manage to find a quagmire of a pit. We pointed the 500X at it and let it do the magic. At one point I did think we had got stuck. Then out of nowhere you felt the little car clawed its way to freedom. In the end we decided to try it several times. The event needed The Great Escape soundtrack.

    At the end of the day you buy a car like this to do a job. It’s not the kind of car you wake up one morning and think “I must buy a 500X because I want one” and this quandary had me puzzled for I spent many hours thinking what it was. It’s a 500. They look cute and this one manages to hold aces over the little 500 with all that extra room for 5 and the added ability to go where you like. And with that in mind you can’t really wish for more.

    If you were to buy one, spec it up appropriately to suit your needs. For the price of the 500X I had it had all I would have wanted for a tad more than I would have wanted to pay. There are 17 combinations available at present for the 500X and with prices from £15,000 to £24,000 so there is a 500X out there to meet your needs as well as mine whatever those needs might be.

    Loves

    Build quality

    On/off road ability

    Looks

    LOATHES

    Price

    Dark interior

    Sport mode

    LOWDOWN

    Car – Fiat 500X 2.0 Multijet 2 Automatic Cross Plus

    Price – £25,935 (as tested)

    MPG – 51.4 mpg (combined)

    Power – 140 bhp

    0-62mph – 9.8 seconds

    Top Speed – 118 mph

    Co2 – 144 (g/km)

    Find out more at http://fiat.co.uk 

  • CAR REVIEW | Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Break

    The Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake is a bit of a mixture. Based on the A-Class Hatchback, the normal CLA is a four-door saloon with the swooping roofline and dramatic looks you’d expect from a coupe. So what does the Shooting Brake bit mean? This is an old term that has come to mean an estate car that puts style on an equal level of importance to practicality. Think of it as a four-door coupe with room for a short dog.

    From the windscreen forward, you can clearly see the Shooting Brake is based on the A-Class; not necessarily a bad thing. From the windscreen back, the roof sweeps gently down as it approaches the tailgate which itself is heavily raked. Despite this and a narrow opening, there is a decent amount of space in the boot however back seat passengers may feel a little claustrophobic. Taller occupants in the rear may feel their head brushing against the roof too.

    Up front there are no complaints. Despite this being towards the lower end of the Mercedes range, fit and finish is excellent with everything laid out in a logical and easy to understand manner. Some may find the steering wheel column mounted stalk that controls the seven-speed automatic gearbox a little odd (it took some getting used too), but this is normal for Mercedes.

    Not only is the interior well put together, it’s a fantastic place to spend time in. Even after a few two hour journeys with plenty of traffic, I was still more than happy to jump back in the Shooting Brake. The infotainment system proved easy to use with its rotary controller although it could be a little slow to respond to inputs at times. The menus were clear and attractive while the sat-nav worked faultlessly though.

    A range of petrol and diesel engines are available but I decided to try the most powerful diesel, the 220 d. It’s the same size as the lower powered 200 d at 2.1 litres but here produces 175 bhp to give a brisk 0-62 time of 8.3 seconds. Coupled to a fast acting seven-speed auto, it felt a lot quicker than those numbers suggest. Not only was it quick, it proved capable of around 50mpg on a long trip if you were careful with the throttle.

    It was under gentle loads the diesel engine felt most at home. Should you demand hard acceleration, the gearbox could sometimes prove a little too keen to change down a few gears revealing a coarse edge to the diesel motor. It was pretty loud too. There was a ‘sport’ mode but this tended to leave the car in too low a gear which exacerbated the problem. In the end I just left it in ‘eco’ and enjoyed the low to mid-range torque rather than let the engine rev.

    As for the handling, the Shooting Brake cornered quickly with little roll but never felt like it was happy to be hustled along. Ride comfort was good on smooth motorways but elsewhere it was less impressive. Despite being fitted with the smallest available wheels, rough surfaces and big bumps caught the suspension out causing a rough ride. I would have happily traded some of that roll resistance in corners for a softer ride.

    There’s a lot to love about the CLA Shooting Brake. It’s a good looking take on the estate car while the interior really is quite special. That Mercedes could combine such potent performance with a lack of thirst is impressive too. Unfortunately, while I could live with the narrow boot opening and occasionally noisy engine, the tuning of the car’s suspension really lets it down. At nearly £31,000 before options, it’s also pretty expensive. Even so, I’d still be tempted.

     

    LOVES

    Looks

    Economy

    Cabin ambience

    LOATHES

    Expensive

    Noisy

    Crashy ride

    LOWDOWN

    Car – Mercedes-Benz CLA 220 Shooting Brake

    Price – £30,930

    Power – 175bhp

    0-62mph – 8.3 seconds

    Top Speed – 142mph

    Co2 – 108g/km

    Find out more at Mercedes-Benz

  • CAR REVIEW | Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet 1.2 TSI

    The Volkswagen Beetle has been around for over seventy years now with this being only the third all-new variant. ★★★

    Although the original Beetle soldiered on until 2003 in Mexico, we Europeans got the second generation car back in the late nineties. Whilst that traded on the rounded, cutesy looks of the original, it was considered way too feminine for many. Volkswagen looked to change that with this third generation car we first saw back in 2011.

    This model saw a few of the curves squared off while the roof line was dropped significantly to give it a more coupe-like profile. Naturally, if you really wanted to get the roof low, there was always the convertible we’re looking at here. The third generation of Beetle is available with a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines ranging between 1.2 and 2.0 litres. In this instance, we’re looking at the entry-level petrol version hooked up to the seven-speed automatic gearbox.

    You might think a 1.2-litre engine may seem small for a Golf-sized cabrio but a turbocharger gives performance that is more the adequate 90% of the time. Only when pulling onto a dual carriageway with a particularly short slip road do you feel like more power is needed. Slow your pace a little and the engine always feels willing, never seeming to struggle with inclines as some smaller engined cars do. The quick shifting and buttery smooth automatic gearbox helps greatly. There are steering wheel mounted paddles to shift up and down, however, I think I used them once.

    The main reason for leaving it in auto mode is that spirited driving is not the Beetle’s forte. Not only does it take nearly 12 seconds to reach 60mph, it’s never particularly entertaining around corners either. Sure, there’s prodigious amounts of grip but it never feels overly happy being thrown about. There’s precious little feedback from the steering and the suspension has most definitely been set up for comfort not cornering.
    Don’t get me wrong though, it’s unlikely you’d ever buy one instead of a sports car so why should it handle like one? Driven at a more leisurely pace you can enjoy the supple suspension ironing out bumps, let the gearbox shuffle through the gears and marvel at the lack of creaks and groans coming from the car’s structure. You’d expect some floppiness from hacking the roof off but the Beetle remains pleasantly stiff even up the roughest of roads. As an added bonus, you can raise or lower the roof at up to 31mph too.

    This feeling of quality permeates throughout the cabin with every button, stalk and switch operating with the kind of well-oiled precision the Germans do so well. Body coloured panels inside also help lift the interior and hark back to the original Beetle. The optional infotainment system as fitted to our test car proved easy to use with little to no lag plus great sound quality from the upgraded Fender sound system. This car also had Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for even greater Smartphone connectivity.
    For me though, the most important option by far was the heated seats that came as part of a winter pack. Being able to open the roof on a clear yet bitterly cold morning with my back and bottom being gently toasted as the sun rose was a real highlight of my time with the Beetle. Tempting as raiding the options list is, care is needed. All in all our test vehicle had over £3,000 of options fitted pushing the price up to over £26,000. Over £1,200 of that was on the audio and infotainment system alone.

    Another downside is reduced practicality thanks to the convertible roof. Gone is the wide-opening hatchback and instead is a small boot-lid that can make unloading objects deep in the luggage compartment tricky. I would also recommend giving the rear seats a try before you buy. I’m sure they’re fine for occasional use but I found them to be very upright and not overly comfortable. Headroom was fine even with the roof up but then I am less than 5’ 4”.

    There’s a good chance that your decision to buy a Beetle Cabriolet will come down to one thing, the looks. At around £1,000 more than a more practical Golf Cabriolet, you really need to love the styling to pick the Beetle over it. If the Bug does take your fancy, then it’s an undoubtedly well-made and comfortable cabrio that is certainly a little different. Thrill-seekers should look elsewhere, however.

     

    Pros

    Premium feel

    Comfortable

    Smooth auto gearbox

    Cons

    Could do with a little more power

    Cramped rear seats

    Can get pricey with options

    The Lowdown

    Car – Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet Design 1.2 TSI

    Price – £23,070 (£26,375 as tested)

    Power – 105hp

    0-60 – 11.7 seconds

    Top Speed – 111 mph

    Co2 – 127g/km

  • CAR REVIEW | Mini Cooper S

    It seems barely believable that the first ‘new’ MINI was launched fifteen years ago before going on sale in 2001.

    Since that car’s introduction, we’ve seen the release of cabriolet, coupe, roadster and even crossover models with the iconic nametag. At the core of the range has always been the three-door hatchback, something which isn’t changing any time soon. All the more reason to look at this model, especially in potent Cooper S guise.

    Now on its third generation, the MINI has grown in all dimensions when compared to its predecessors to give improved safety and more room inside. While lesser models have shrunk in the engine department, the Cooper S now has a 2.0 litre turbocharged engine under the bonnet. Unsurprisingly power and torque are increased although not at the expense of fuel economy according to MINI.

    From the outside, the new model is unmistakably a MINI. Although it may have puffed-out cheeks and rear lights that look too big for the tail of the car, it’s still a cute little thing. Being a Cooper S, there are twin tailpipes out back, a jutting front spoiler and of course a letterbox air-intake on the bonnet. Inside will be recognisable to many as well; there’s the familiar circular theme running through the interior along with the usual row of toggle switches.

    It all feels more premium than ever before inside especially if you start opting for some of the swankier trim pieces. One option I’d definitely recommend is the head-up display that projects your speed, sat-nav instructions and other information directly into your line-of-sight. Anything that lets you keep your eyes on the road is a good thing in my book. I loved the rotary controller for the infotainment system too, much easier than a touchscreen. While it may be bigger inside, the boot is still on the small side while taller adults may be cramped in the rear seats.

    Not that you generally buy a MINI for practicality of course. Alongside those retro looks, you’ll probably be drawn to the driving dynamics the brand has always prided itself in. Despite the increase in size, the Cooper S still proves a playful companion on a country road, especially with the driving mode dialled round to ‘sport’. There are also ‘mid’ and ‘green’ modes for when you want to drive normally or as fuel efficiently as possible.

    It’s with the Cooper S in ‘sport’ that it really comes alive though. Throttle response is sharpened to allow you to tap into all 192bhp with ease while the exhaust makes some fantastic pops and crackles when you come off the throttle. The steering may not be as communicative as older versions but it is precise and well weighted. Handling is neutral but ultimately safe although there is still noticeable torque-steer at times. Overall I found it to be huge fun though.

    It isn’t all good news however. On top of the small boot, it can get expensive; you can easily spend over £25,000 with a few choice options ticked. While the MINI comes with a decent amount of standard kit including air-con, a Bluetooth connection and even a digital radio, many will want to spend more to get sat-nav, bigger wheels and other items to personalise their car. Economy won’t be brilliant with the Cooper S either; enjoy yourself and expect to average a low 30’s mpg figure. This is at least on par with other similar hot hatchbacks.

    In summary, the MINI is still a more style-led choice of hatchback than a Ford Fiesta or even Audi A1 for example. While it may not have quite as much space as many rivals and can become expensive quickly, it’s impossible to dislike once you’ve spent a decent amount of time behind the wheel. Not only does it drive well, the interior is well made and attractive too. It’s also worth remembering the One and Cooper models are cheaper to buy and run should you not be interested in going quickly. If you’re searching for a supermini, the MINI has a lot going for it.

    Pros

    Handling

    Interior quality

    Infotainment system

    Cons

    Inflated looks

    Small boot

    Gets expensive with options

    The Lowdown

    Car – MINI Cooper S

    Price – £18,840

    Power – 192bhp

    0-62mph – 6.8 seconds

    Top Speed – 146mph

    Co2 – 133g/km

  • CAR REVIEW | Renault Captur Dynamique Media Nav

    The Renault Captur is proving a popular choice amongst those after an alternative to a common-or-garden hatchback.

    Based on the same platform as the Clio supermini, it’s a similar length but both wider and taller. Engines mirror the Clio range with 900cc and 1.2 litre turbocharged petrol engines along with a 1.5 litre diesel on offer. It may be competitively priced but is it any good?

    First impressions are positive; the exterior is smartly styled with an attractive take on the Renault corporate ‘face’, nicely sculpted sides and pert rear. There’s even the option of a contrasting roof and coloured highlights on the wheels for those that want to stand out. The Captur may ride higher than the Clio it’s based on but don’t think it has any off-road ability. There isn’t even the option of four-wheel drive.

    Move inside and everything is laid out pretty sensibly apart from the switch to toggle between the cruise control and speed limiter; this was unhelpfully between the front seats. Still, the heater controls are easy to use and the infotainment isn’t mounted too far down the dashboard like some rivals. It’s not overly exciting but it is attractive enough, especially with the piano black trim and body coloured highlights of higher trim levels.

    The Captur is practical too, the boot is a decent size and the seats naturally fold down. Cleverly, they also slide back to give rear passengers more legroom albeit at the expense of carrying capacity. It is however in the cabin where the Captur’s cheap price really shows. Closer inspection reveals acres of hard plastic while the infotainment system looks exceedingly dated compared to rivals. It works well enough though.

    On the road, the Captur proves a comfortable companion that only got caught out by particularly rough surfaces. Not only could it deal with bumps well, it resisted wallowing too. You’d never call it engaging though; the steering provided little to no feedback as to what the front wheels were doing and I couldn’t turn off the traction or stability control. Although that may not be of too much concern to many of you, I found the traction control cut in far too quickly leaving you accelerating out of junctions far slower than you’d expected.

    While it may sound like there’s too much power for the chassis, that isn’t the case at all. Initially, the 1.5-litre diesel seemed quite punchy around town but this feeling soon disappeared on the open road. Despite a quick and enjoyable gearchange, a 0-62 time of 13.1 seconds means getting up to motorway speeds can be a bit of a chore and a noisy one at that. Economy hovered at just under 50mpg on a mixture of roads. Not bad at all for a real world test if somewhat below the official figure of more than 70mpg.

    Still, the Renault does have price on its side. Even before discounts, you can pick one up new for a little over £14,000 which is very competitive indeed. Opt for a decently specced mid-range model and you’ll still be looking at under £18,000 for a vehicle with air-con, sat-nav and cheap running costs. With that in mind, you can forgive a lot of the negative points of the Captur. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular, that’s for sure.

    PROS

    Inexpensive

    High driving position

    Looks

    CONS

    Slow

    Cheap feeling interior

    Dated looking infotainment system

    The Lowdown

    Car – Renault Captur 1.5 dCi Dynamique Nav

    Price – £17,695 (£18,964 as tested)

    Power – 110hp 0-62mph – 11.0 seconds

    Top Speed – 109mph

    Co2 – 98g/km

  • CAR REVIEW | Citroen C4 Cactus

    Citroen has a long history of producing unconventional cars. 2CV, DS and C6, all vehicles that combined quirky looks and engineering with a focus on comfort above all else.

    Although recent efforts from the French marque have been a little soberer, the C4 Cactus looks to recapture Citroen’s weird and wonderful heritage in a Ford Focus-sized hatchback with more than a hint of SUV about it. Is it a case of style over substance though? Let’s put it to the test.

    The first thing you’ll probably notice about the Cactus are the knobbles on the doors. Called ‘Airbumps’, they consist of air pockets in a rubbery material and are designed to protect paintwork against unwanted attention from trolleys, car doors and other urban attacks. You may not like how they look but they certainly offer a decent amount of protection and come in a range of colours. Black is standard but you can also choose grey, off white and brown. Opt for the latter and you’ll probably be craving a bar of Dairy Milk every time you see them.

    The Airbumps may be a bit Marmite (for the record, I love them) but the rest of the Cactus is much easier to like. Black plastic wheel arches, skidplates like lower bumpers and roof rails suggest SUV while the slim daytime running lights make for a distinctive face. The floating roof looks good as do the standard fit alloy wheels on both Feel and Flair models. One thing is for certain, you’ll have no trouble finding it in a car park especially if you opted for ‘Hello Yellow’ as modelled by the test car.

    Inside things are also on the unconventional side; look around the cabin and you’ll notice very few buttons, switches or knobs. That’s because almost everything including climate control and stereo functions are controlled by the standard and easy to use 7” touchscreen infotainment system. Another digital display behind the steering wheel replaces conventional dials while the front seats are more like armchairs. Choose the automatic gearbox and the front seats are replaced by a sofa-like bench while those that have difficulty parking may appreciate the surprisingly effective optional self-park feature.

    Legroom for rear seat passengers is impressive for this size of car although headroom may be a little tight for taller adults. The seats are comfy however and you get a great view out of the panoramic glass roof. To save weight you don’t get wind down rear windows, instead they pop out at the rear edge and only open an inch or two. While this may be annoying, it has allowed Citroen to create a cavity for additional elbow room and space for a 1.5 litre bottle of drink.

    Saving weight is a theme that runs throughout the Cactus and while it has resulted in plenty of low rent plastic (including a very bendy rear panel under the tailgate) it has worked. Even top spec models come in at less than 1100kgs or lighter than a Ford Fiesta. That means engines don’t have to be big to get the job done keeping fuel consumption low. There’s a 1.6 litre diesel for maximum economy and a considerably cheaper normally aspirated 1.2 petrol in two power outputs.

    More interesting is the turbocharged version of the petrol engine with a decent 110bhp. The three cylinder unit has bags of torque to give 0-60 in a zingy 9.3 seconds and makes an appealingly thrummy noise in the process. Throttle response is a little soft and it is easy to hit the rev limiter although overall it was a characterful little engine that gave around 44mpg over a week of mixed driving. Without trying too hard, I was able to get over 50mpg helped by a start & stop system for the engine.

    Don’t be misled by the Cactus’ surprising turn of pace though, you wouldn’t call it a driver’s car. There is entertainment to be had in a roly poly kind of way and you can even feel the tail getting edgy like an 80’s or 90’s French hatchback. What you never get is any detailed feedback or sense that the suspension has been carefully set up. It’s softly sprung and softly damped but the big wheels rob the car of a properly plush ride. It is however more comfy than much of the competition though.

    Overall there’s a lot to like about the Cactus range. All share the same distinctive styling, user friendly touchscreen and spacious interior while the turbocharged petrol engine is a good little motor. Complaints? Well the boot may be capacious but there’s an awkwardly high loading lip while it does feel a little cheap inside considering you can pay nearly £19k for one. To be fair though, even lower rung models have a fair amount of kit while you can save a few quid by not opting for the turbocharged motors. Citroen have a habit of heavily discounting cars too. If you’re in the market for a distinctive and roomy runaround then the Cactus should be on your list of cars to try.

    PROS

    Punchy engine

    Distinctive looks

    Roomy

    CONS

    Can get expensive

    Cheap feeling plastics

    Handling can get ragged

    THE LOWDOWN

    Car – Citroen C4 Cactus Flair PureTech 110 S&S

    Price – £17,290 (£18,985 as tested)

    Power – 110hp

    0-60 – 9.3 seconds

    Top Speed – 117 mph

    Co2 – 107g/km