http://www.honestjohn.co.uk All Road Tests Listed Here! en-gb Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Copyright: (C) www.honestjohn.co.uk 15 363 Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Neither Honda nor Toyota expected the Thais to buy a small hatchback. The market in Thailand for this size of car was saloons. And if you asked Thais before 2003 they’d have confirmed that they didn’t like the look of hatchbacks. So, instead of launching the Yaris to the Thai market, Toyota gave it the Yaris based Soluna Vios. A decent enough small four-door with a 110PS 1.5 VVTI engine and 5-speed manual or 4-speed torque converter auto. (I should know. My Thai has done 110,000 kilometres in hers.) And instead of introducing the Jazz (or ‘Fit’) to the Thais, Honda played safe by rebodying it as its second generation ‘City’. (The previous City had been flat-floor Civic based.) Unfortunately, with its disjointed upright stance and portholed ‘A’ pillars, the City wasn’t going to win any beauty contests. And Thais puzzled as to why Honda had ever bothered with its life-up-squab ‘magic’ rear seats. The Soluna Vios ran away with the Thai small saloon market, and the Honda City languished. Then some brave person at Honda decided to try the Jazz on the Thai market after all. With the same 110PS 1.5 I-DSI engine and CVT-7 transmission as the City.... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=363 362 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Nearly 6,000 miles, so time for a second report of my Focus ECOnetic 110. As mentioned before, extras include Quickclear screen, perimeter alarm, adaptive front lighting, interior stainless steel interior styling pack, rear park assist, rear side window sun blinds, power converter and, most useful to me, the Communications Pack of small colour screen satnav with a removable SD card memory and Bluetooth hands-free system. I hadn’t noticed until parking in a dark place, but it also has directional headlights. Obviously the main interest in this car is whether an average driver like me, using the car for a mix of short and long journeys, can get anywhere near the claimed fuel economy figures. One thing I have discovered is inconsistency between the fuel computer and my own brim to brims. With the onset of cold weather and an increase in short runs, economy seemed to have been dropping faster than a barometer in hurricane season. The more thermodynamically efficient an engine is, the longer it takes to reach running temperature, and at around zero outside the Focus can take 10 miles. The computer sometimes said under 50mpg. Yet the average has remained remarkably consistent, at between 56.31 and 57.55,... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=362 361 Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 This is the new, leaner, greener Avensis. With new, more powerful, and higher revving, yet more economical, lower emission petrol engines, while diesel engines develop more torque at lower revs to give better real world economy. It looks a bit like the latest Corolla Altis, as seen in Bangkok with a welcome red taxi light. Instead of the old bullnose of the previous Avensis, Yaris, Aygo and Hilux, it has acquired a facsimilie of the front of the larger Camry. Not exactly like the Altis, though. The English built Avensis has a bigger grille extending all the way to the front end of the bonnet. Anyone wanting to sell cars in Europe now has to meet an overall fleet average of 130g/km CO2 by 2012. On current projections, helped by the ultra low emitting IQ and Aygo, Toyota is on course for 140g/km in 2009, so, along with Honda, is better placed than most to meet the 130g/km limit without incurring EC fines. This translates into benefits for company car providers and BIK taxpayers because all 1.8 petrol models, including the CVT auto, and all diesels except the D-4D 150 auto and the 180 T-Spirit Tourer come in under 160g/km.... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=361 360 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 “I-Cute” doesn’t’ quite ring true. Pretty, it isn’t. This is a little car for the head, not the heart. A FIAT 500 is cute. A Hyundai i10 1.2 is a brilliant suburban buy. A Toyota IQ is probably the most sensible, practical city car on the planet. In a length of less than 10 feet, it packs in five star NCAP crash safety, four adult size seats and a turning circle of just 3.9 metres. Now ten feet is one foot longer than a Smart ForTwo, but the IQ is For Four, occasionally, when it needs to be, and two or three plus their clobber when it doesn’t. Toyota very wisely held the launch in Milan, which is infested with cars, parked haphazardly anywhere the owners can squeeze them in. Unsurprisingly, a lot of these cars are Smart ForTwos that command a practical kind of urban chic. And there are growing numbers of FIAT 500s that are actually less practical and more expensive then the Pandas they are based on, but are bought on looks and looks alone. The Toyota IQ won’t be bought on looks. It’s runtish, though less abbreviated than a Smart. It looks more like a small... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=360 359 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 There’s a startling fact in the Audi presentation document for its new Q5. Only 2% of 4x4 owners have ever driven across rough country. So what’s it all about, then? The answers are status, which we can all understand. And, er, “lifestyle”. That seems to mean showing everyone you have the capability to cross deserts and polar landscapes. That you can ski, windsurf, wake board, scuba dive, climb mountains and do the whole Bear Grylls bit. But really it amounts to keeping up with the school run mums. No sooner has one of them kerbed her alloys dropping off a snotty sprog at the £2,000 a term prep school, then all the others are going to be harassing their husbands into buying the latest wheels in the status stakes. List prices kick off at a reasonable £27,650 for the 2.0TDI, and rise to £37,540 for the 3.0V6TDI SE. But that’s far from the full story, because every car we tried was so loaded with options that in one case the on the road price was over £47,000. Some of these goodies, like the Technology Pack at £1,995 are worth having, because this includes excellent 3-dimensional satnav with an updatable hard... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=359 358 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 The latest incarnation of the Mazda 6 has always been an impressive car. Very handsome, and easily confused in the mind, with the Honda Accord. You have to look twice to be sure which is which. And the Mazda 6 station wagon probably has the most graceful rear end of any station wagon anywhere in the World. It steers and handles beautifully too. Easily on a par with the latest Mondeo at its best. But the engine range wasn’t as strong as the rest of the car. The 1.8 petrol engine is a very good 1.8, but the 2.0 litre doesn’t compare as well with other 2.0 litres, the 2.5 emits too much to get on most people’s shopping lists these days, and the 2.0 diesels, though strong, had been developing a bit of a reputation for turbo trouble in the old Mazda 6. So Mazda got to work on a new alloy block, chain cam, balancer shaft diesel engine, like Toyota raising the capacity to 2.2 litres, and offering it in three different outputs of 125PS, 163PS and 185PS. Not only that, by virtue of some clever technology and a new type of particulate filter, CO2 levels are down... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=358 356 Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 At the time of writing I don’t know if the new Megane was voted European Car of the Year. But it has been, it wouldn’t have been a typical COTY political decision, or another carve-up between the Italians and the French. The new Megane is so comprehensively and refreshingly better than the old one, it deserves the title. True, most of the engines are carry-over belt cammers. But the 1.5 diesels are all under 121g/km and the 1.9 130 is a punchy goer. What’s specially good about the car, apart from the looks (which grow on you), is what Renault has done underneath. It’s almost as if they rediscovered ride comfort. Like Ford did to the back of the FIAT 500 to turn it into the Ka, they’ve softened the springs and increased the roll stiffness. And here they have been even more clever than Ford because, instead of welding an extra bar into the ‘U’ shaped twist-bean, they have made the beam into an almost square section tube, which is lighter. They also worked very hard on the steering. Not only is the rack built into the front suspension subframe, the sensitivity of the electric motor assistance has been... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=356 357 Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Renault has been very clever indeed. Instead of offering a nondescript 3-door version of its new Megane, it has given us a coupe. Which, of course, means that instead of having to charge less, it can charge more. £400 more, actually. But just look at it. Whereas a 3-door Focus looks better than a 5-door Focus the car is still a Focus. Vauxhall has been a bit more successful with the Astra Sport Hatch. Citroen with its distinctive C4 flatback coupe. And KIA with its ProCee’d. But Renault has transformed the Megane into a coupe every bit as stunning as the VW Scirocco. And that statement probably undersells it. The Megane Coupe has a bit less headroom than the hatchback in the back. And a bit less luggage room in the boot. Though it still seats five, not four. Renault engineers stiffened the springs quite a lot, by 19%. And lowered it by 10%. Though even on the 225/44 R17 tyres of our TCE 180 it didn’t rattle our teeth over the ridges that Spanish highway engineers lay in your path to slow you down for ‘obras’. But the most sensational thing about it is the way it goes. The... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=357 354 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 As you may well have read or seen elsewhere www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=305, I have a FIAT 500. And I’m not going to pretend the new Ford Ka has nothing in common with it. It’s basically the same car, or Ka, however you spell it. The future will apparently bring us a Ka with a new 900cc two cylinder petrol turbo engine developing up to 110bhp and 120Nm torque and capable of 60mpg. And an ultra-economical 900cc turbodiesel ECOnetic emitting just 80g/km CO2. But, in the meantime, we have to settle for FIAT’s 1,242cc 69PS petrol engine and 1,248cc 75PS Multijet diesel, with Ford names attached to them. No problem there. My 500 1.2 petrol is returning 51.1mpg in mixed use and, while no ball of fire, is a decent, relaxed and pleasant performer. Its Achilles heel is its handling. Get it on a roundabout and while the entry is fine, the left turn onto the exit road can have the back end lifting a wheel and hopping across the road. It’s simply too stiff. Lowering the tyre pressures a couple of pounds curbs its tendency to head towards the kerb and improves ride quality a bit, but doesn’t entirely eliminate the deficiency.... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=354 355 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Two years on from my first test of a pair of Grand Vitaras, a 1.6 petrol SWB and a 1.9 diesel LWB, Suzuki sent me its new 2.4 ‘silent chain cam’ petrol model to complete the hat trick. You can actually get this new engine in both sizes of Vitara. And with a 4-speed automatic transmission that still keeps the CO2 under punitive tax bands. Emissions are actually slightly lower than the old 2.0 litre petrol engine. The car has had a mild facelift (it wasn’t showing any wrinkles). The front end is slightly different, door mirrors now incorporate side indicators, and there are some extra touches of ‘quality’ inside, such as grey wood inlays to the dash. The 6CD player radio now has MP3 compatibility. The 5-door version is now on 18” wheels with 225/60 R18 tyres. All keep their full 4WD functions of selectable 2WD, 4WD high range, 4WD high with locked centre diff, and 4WD low range with locked centre diff. So it’s a serious off-roader if you need it to be. Gearing of the 5-speed manual worked out at about 23.5mph per 1,000rpm giving a 3,000 70mph cruise. It will tow 1,850kg. From memory, ride quality... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=355 353 Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000 I really liked the original Hyundai i10 1.1 when I tested it back in March. And so, it seems, did everyone else. Demand exceeded supply by more than 50% and, after expecting to sell 7,000 in its first year, by October 2008 Hyundai had already sold 11,000. The main problem was supply of the 1.1 engines. Happily now solved by the advent of the all-new alloy block, chain-cam 1.2 Kappa engine. This eager little engine delivers more power and torque and more performance, yet emits slightly less CO2. Enough less to put the all singing, all dancing Style model with alloys, aircon, all-electric windows and electric sunroof into the £35/£30 tax bracket. Astonishingly, this tiny car is actually a full-five seater, with five proper lap/diagonal seatbelts. There’s plenty of headroom in the back. And the rear cushions fold forward so the 60/40 seatbacks can be folded to leave a flat luggage deck. Underneath the rearmost section there’s a 6” deep modular tray. And under that, a space-saver spare wheel. It somehow conspires to out-Panda a Panda, offering quite strong acceleration at low speeds and astonishing handling for something so small and tall. It gets a bit flat on the motorway,... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=353 352 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000 The new Renault Laguna hatchback left some reviewers underwhelmed. Yet the Laguna Coupe has completely the opposite effect. The shark’s mouth front that doesn’t quite work with the hatchback looks made for the coupe. It looks good from every angle: full on front, side, even the rear end has a sexy new interpretation of the Renault ‘bum’. The car comes as a straight coupe with 150PS 2.0 litre diesel pr 205PS 2.0 petrol turbo engines and 6-speed manual boxes. The diesel can be ordered with a 6-speed autobox. In Europe there’s also an ultra low emission, low tax 150g/km CO2 175PS 2.0 diesel in non-GT coupe versions only. But the more interesting version is the GT that incorporates Renault’s much lauded 4Control four-wheel steering chassis. The engine range for that is 180PS 2.0 litre diesel, 205PS 2.0 petrol turbo, both with manual 6-speeders; or a new chain-cam 235PS 3.0 litre V6 diesel, or a new belt-cam 240PS 3.5 litre V6 petrol, both with 6-speed autoboxes. When I tell you the V6 diesel develops 450Nm torque from just 1,500rpm compared to the 300Nm of the petrol, and that it comes in under 200g/km CO2, then you’d have to be a real... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=352 351 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000 The Mazda BT-50 pick up, originally launched in 2006, has just had an upgrade, with the new option of a 3.0 litre engine and 5-speed automatic transmission for the UK. So, a good time for a road test. Interiors now feature nicer upholstery, pleasant amber lighting for the switches and an AUX jack for the audio system. Outside there’s a new grille, new lights front and rear and new colours. The 4x4s can all tow 3,000kg braked, and have an impressive load capacity of 1,219kg. The UK doesn’t get the ‘Freestyle’ 2+2 cab, the first cab of its type with pillarless rear-hinged rear doors for the simple reason they don’t sell well enough. But we do get the 2WD or 4WD single cab and the 4WD double cab, the latter with a 143PS 2.5 engine and 5-speed manual box, or the new 156PS 3.0 engine coupled to a 5-speed automatic box (unfortunately, not available for testing). Sales of all pick-ups in the UK have been hit by removal of the BIK tax advantage they used to enjoy that made them much cheaper for company drivers than a car. To ease this pain slightly, particularly for small limited companies, Mazda UK... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=351 350 Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000 This car surprised me. I’d driven a Swift before at an SMMT test day and not been particularly impressed. But maybe that’s because I drove twenty other cars the same day. I really liked the 1.5GLX Suzuki sent me this week. I knew readers had the hots for it because of all the e-mails I received from the Suzuki Swift fan club. So I thought I’d better make a longer acquaintance with the car. The 1.3 and 1.5 petrol engines are chain-cam, Toyota Yaris derived. We’ve got the 1.5 in our Vios in Thailand, where it develops a bit more power and plenty of torque that matches its long (automatic) gearing very well. The Swift 1.5 has plenty of low down grunt too. You can row it along economically like a diesel, not needing high revs. And it’s an eager little thing, like an excitable Pug puppy. The steering is light, but with plenty of feel. With a wheel in each corner and quite wide track it feels well ‘planted’. And it grips like a Pit Bull Terrier. Just doesn’t want to let go at all. On our video test, my ‘assistant’ dropped her camera and complained it was like... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=350 349 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000 by Chris Rees. It was a Brit – Paul Horbury – who changed forever Volvo’s shoebox styling ethic by penning cars like the original C70 and S80. Now another British designer is radically changing Volvo’s style: Steve Mattin (whose last job was designing the Mercedes GL and ML) is the man behind the new Volvo XC60, a car whose design, according to Volvo, embodies ideas like ‘emotional’ and ‘dramatic’. It’s certainly a striking design. In the compact 4x4 market – a new place for Volvo to populate – it really stands out. An implausibly high waistline and a dramatically sculpted rear end shout for attention. One reason the XC60 is so striking is because it looks so big, rather like a slightly shrunken but modernised XC90, but actually it isn’t that long (it’s only 13cm longer than a Volvo V50, for instance). If the exterior is a shock, the interior remains very ‘Volvo’ – which is a Good Thing. It’s full of clean lines, wonderfully tactile surfaces and a choice of tasteful Scandinavian wood or aluminium trim. But even here you can appreciate changes: the trademark floating centre console is now angled towards the driver, BMW-style, and the ‘X’ motif... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=349 348 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000 If you’re looking for a mini limo, look no further. The old Skoda Superb found a lot of friends. The new one looks set to be more popular than a tax cut. To stretch a point, there’s more legroom in the back than in business class. Behind the back seats, a colossal 565 litres of boot space. Twice as much as some cars. And so you don’t do your back in loading luggage, the bootlid will open conventionally, like a saloon. Or you can open the whole back, like a hatchback. Taxi drivers, please form an orderly queue outside your Skoda dealer. To castigate it as a cab isn’t fair to the car. It’s also a decent drive. Much better than the VW Passat that donated some of its suspension to Skoda’s own floorpan. We took out the 2.0 170PS common rail diesel, also found under the bonnets of Audis and Passats. In our case the Elegance model with standard fit Columbus touch-screen satnav with Bluetooth and full leather seats. It’s easy to get comfortable. The dash lights up in nice shades of green. The satnav has really good graphics, and transforms to a pictogram of the car showing how... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=348 347 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000 I don’t have to argue people into buying a Jazz. They love it anyway, for all of the sensible reasons I’d have used in my sales pitch. So it’s not an emotional decision based on looks alone, as it might be for a Fiat 500 or a MINI. It’s the whole package: a car that’s going to do everything you want, never let you down, and not cost a lot to run. Unlike the average bloke. The new Jazz takes everything people loved about the old Jazz. Then takes it all a couple of steps forwards. You get an even more versatile interior. Better performance. Improved economy. And they’ve also made it handle and ride better, the two less than brilliant aspects of the old car that buyers tolerated because the rest of the car was so good. Prices start at £9,990 for the basic 1.2S, now with a chirpy 90PS VTEC engine rather than an 83PS DSI and coming in under 120g/km CO2, which means £30 tax next year. You pay an extra £1,000 for the same deal with a/c and alloys. But the 1.2 isn’t quite gutsy enough on the motorway, so better to pay an extra £500... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=347 346 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000 This is Ford’s big new baby, and its first truly world car since the Model A. The new Fiesta will be built in plants throughout the planet, from Valencia in Spain to Rayong in Thailand. In a couple of years there are going to be literally millions of them out there. Why is it so important? The reason is the world is finally seeing sense and downsizing to cars that don’t gobble up too many diminishing and increasingly expensive resources. Bigger cars may have been profitable, but don’t look good the balance sheet if you can’t sell them. So Ford has applied big car thinking to its small car to make it a car people not only want to own but one it can make money out of. Ford hasn’t just shrink-wrapped a Mondeo. It started from scratch. The structure is immensely robust, especially the cocoon around the cabin, made out of 55% high tensile steel, multi-layered for strength. There are at least five airbags. The bonnet is built to cushion pedestrians. The car is designed from the start to achieve five NCAP stars. The whole front softly deforms on a glancing blow. And even the paint over the front... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=346 340 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Now with driving impressions embargoed until 25-8-08 The new Jazz goes on sale in the UK in October. It’s slightly bigger, much prettier, and different from new Jazz sold in Japan since last October and in Thailand since March. The difference from the Japanese and Thai versions is why we had to wait for it so long. Instead of the new 100PS 1.3 and 120PS and 140PS 1.5 i-VTECs with a CVT-7 option on the 1.5, we are getting a 90PS 1.2 and a 100PS 1.4 I-VETEC with an optional 6-speed i-SHIFT automated manual. The reason is fuel economy and CO2 emissions. And a completely different UK and European market for the car from Japan and Thailand. In the EC tests, the new 1.2 manual will deliver an excellent 55.4mpg and emits just 120g/km CO2, putting it in Band B for VED at £35 this year, £30 next year. The only way to get this sort of figure for the automatic was to adopt the more efficient i-SHIFT automated clutch system developed for the Civic. Consequently, the 1.4 i-SHIFT manages 54.3mpg combined and, also at 120g/km, sneaks into the £35/£30 tax bracket. Only the 1.4 manual is over, at 124g/km... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=340 345 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000 If you think of the Qashqai +2 as a 7-seater Qashqai, then you’d be forgiven for looking at the Journey as a 7-seater Caliber. But it’s a bit better than that. Like the Caliber, it’s front-drive only, not the 4x4 it appears to be. So it’s easier on fuel, yet shrugs off kerbs and speed cushions as effectively as an SUV. It has a lot of showroom appeal. The LED dash lights up like a small aircraft’s and is very clear in all lighting situations. (Our two-hour test drive contrived to give us every kind of climatic condition of a lousy English summer.) The ‘Tilt ‘N Slide’ centre seats fold up and slide cleverly forwards in one movement for access to the rearmost. Being sort-of American there are cupholders everywhere. All three centre-rear seats have ISOFIX tethers, so one kiddy can sit in the middle with a clear view forwards, though they won’t take three child seats across. The rear side doors open 90 degrees making installation of child seats less back-breaking than usual. Seats are progressively 40mm and 17mm higher helping rear passengers see forwards. There are bins under the floor with removable wet liners, like small washing up... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=345 344 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Not long ago it seemed that every manufacturer was giving up on coupes. GM killed the Calibra. It was curtains for Ford’s Cougar and Puma. Toyota terminated the Celica. VW gave its Corrado the coupe de grace. Only Peugeot persevered with its astonishingly refined 407 coupe. Hyundai hit the hot spot with its Corrado inspired Coupe. And Alfa stayed in there with its GT and Brera. But times change. Where before a niche was the way to lose money, now it’s one of the few means to make money. Profits don’t come from cheap, mass-market eco cars. They come from what the public perceives as exclusive autos. So if a manufacturer can create a bit of wow factor status and charge more money for it at no greater manufacturing cost, his eyes light up like a cash register. So the Scirocco (named after a north African wind) is like a breath of fresh air. The last two were both based on the Mk 1 Golf. This one’s underpinnings come from next year’s Golf Mk VI. And it certainly brings back the excitement of the wonderful 190PS Corrado VR6. Unfortunately, like some people, it does not photograph well. You’ve got to... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=344 343 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000 I’ve got my own cute little FIAT 500. But the car I’ve been doing the miles in is a Ford Focus ECOnetic. It took a long time to arrive because I’d ordered it in ‘Frozen White’ and the first production ECOnetics were metallic blue. Extras include Quickclear screen, perimeter alarm, adaptive front lighting, interior stainless steel interior styling pack, rear park assist, rear side window sun blinds, power converter and, most useful to me, the Communications Pack of small colour screen satnav with a removable chip memory and Bluetooth hands free system. Normally the car would list at £16,550, but mine came in at £18,625, though all Fords are priced to be discounted so you can knock as least a couple off that. All Focus III 1.6 diesels are under 121g/km CO2, so £35 tax, but by virtue of low rolling resistance tyres and an aerodynamic body kit the ECOnetic gets down to 115g/km and squeezes an extra 3mpg out of a gallon at a certificated combined figure of 58.9mpg. The 90PS version does even better at 114g/km and 65.6mpg. I got 63.9 on my first day with the car on a business trip into Fulham. But that soon dropped... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=343 342 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Despite at least 65 4x4 SUVs on the UK market, if you want a real off-roader for around £25k, and you need to do certain things, you could find yourself stuck in the mud. Say, for instance, you have to tow a big twin-axle caravan, or a double horsebox, or a biggish boat, or a sizeable livestock trailer, or a hamburger stand, then you’re caught between a stone and a boulder. On the one hand there are any number of SUVs that can tug up to 2,200kg. But they won’t be brawny enough. On the other hand there are the big bruisers from Toyota and Land Rover that can haul 3,500kg. But they’re either too crude or too expensive. So you’re left with the KIA Sorento and the Nissan Pathfinder. Both good off road. Both capable of tugging at least 2,800kg. Both offered with manual or automatic boxes and decent diesel engines. Both with no charisma. Back in the 1990s, the Jeep Cherokee used to dominate this middle area of the 4x4 market. It created the image that enabled Jeep to go upmarket with the Grand Cherokee. And since the first Land Rover was really just an English copy of... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=342 341 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000 In the days when small FIATs had their engines in the back, Carlo Abarth was the guy who put the stings in their tails. Hence the scorpion badge. His special parts used to arrive at the tuning shop in a wooden crate. And the spannermen would get to work turning a humble FIAT 600 into an Abarth 750TC, then 850TC and eventually 1000TC developing as much as 108bhp. Abarth went on to build beautiful little rear-engined Zagato bodied coupes with FIAT or Simca based engines, some of which were finished off by Radbourne Racing in London. And he graduated to bigger and better ventures including sportscar racing, taking on the likes of Porsche and Ferrari with considerable success. The FIAT brand reflected in this glory so it was only natural that FIAT should want to revive the notoriety of the Abarth name. As well as sticking scorpion badges all over the Grande Punto, it has done a proper job that Carlo would have approved of. Under the bonnet you get a mildly tweaked FIAT 1.4 T-Jet engine, mustering 155PS instead of its normal 150, with a ‘sport’ overboost button that summons an extra 17lb ft of torque, bringing the max... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=341 339 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Good news, everybody. VAG has finally come up with a new floorpan that’s the equal of the class-leading Toyota Yaris. And the first car you’ll find on top of it is the very pretty, spacious and comfortable new SEAT Ibiza. It’s the first car styled under the leadership of Luc Donckerwolke, who took over from Walter d’Silva, and a very nice job he has made of it. From some angles, the “Dynamic” criss-cross crease lines make it look like a Mazda 2, though it’s actually taller and squarer. Despite that and a deep 292 litre boot (with a full size spare wheel underneath), it’s actually lighter than the old Ibiza, so goes a bit better with lower CO2s and better economy. There will be no “coches viernes”, either, because the President of SEAT, Erich Schmitt, randomly, but personally, checks the quality of cars coming off the line. There are as few new features across the range. A hill hold control stops the car rolling back for two seconds after you release the parking brake. There are optional cornering foglights and, on cars with Bi-Xenon lights, these too follow the direction the car is being steered. Instead of expensive factory-fitted satnav,... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=339 338 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 On the launch in Spain back in 2006 I found the original pre-production R56 Cooper S a big antiseptic. We were promised go-kart handling and we got something with as much feel as a TV remote control. So we said so, and MINI Project Leader Horst Radibojevic seemed to take it to heart. He made sure the production cars were a lot more fun to drive. But now it’s almost as if Herr Radibojevic has been losing sleep over our slurs. Because the 211PS John Cooper Works is a little monster. If you don’t touch anything, it behaves like any other ‘Health & Safety’ sports car with 211PS and an all-up weight of 1,130 kilos. All kinds of initials and acronyms conspire together to turn it into the sort of motor anyone can drive and no one can get into trouble in. But then, there are a couple of buttons. Press ‘Sport’ and the throttle response and the steering become sharper, but do not gain any ‘feel’. Press DSC for 1 second and you raise the level at which the electronics step in to keep you on the road. Press DSC for 3 seconds and it’s like opening the lion’s... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=338 337 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Road Test by Sarah Thomas The Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart 2.0 turbo with twin clutch SST is a generously proportioned C-segment car. Due for launch is early 2009 it looks set to provide him and her with a great balance between a good looking and comfortable family car with the high sports performance and handling of the Evo as well as an array of great kit that comes as standard. Complementing the Lancer Sports Sedan and the Lancer Evolution, The Sportback and Sportback Ralliart have been designed to connect the strategic dots and become the driving force of Mitsubishi Motors passenger car offensive. With 344 litres of standard boot and 1,394 litres with the back seats down, the Ralliart is one of the largest cars in the competitive C segment, making it an excellent choice for the family who like to get out and about. You also get a lot of car for your money, even at basic trim level as the Sportback Ralliart is kitted out to a very high spec and comes as standard with: *650 W Rockford FosgateTM premium audio system *Hard Disk Drive (HDD) 7-inch LCD monitor on-board navigation *BluetoothTM-enabled hands-free phone kit *Auto-light control &... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=337 336 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Citroen doesn’t seem to be able to stop making its old models. The public won’t allow it to. Just as the Xsara Picasso lives on to sell alongside the C4 Picasso, so too will the original Berlingo Multispace enjoy an afterlife, its production lines moved from Vigo to another factory in France. That’s fortunate because, like the C4 Picasso, the new Berlingo Multispace is an altogether more sophisticated car than its revered ancestor. It sits on the same platform and suspension as the C4 and the Peugeot 308SW. So instead of being quite good for a van it actually is car-like to drive with a fine blend of ride and handling that belie its utilitarian looks. It shares the same engines as the C4 and 308, available now with the 110PS 1.6 HDI that seems to power everything these days, as well as lower powered diesel and petrol engines. They’ve made it more family orientated, with stowage spaces all over the place, and folding picnic tables on the backs of the front seats together with three separate folding, reclining and totally removable rear seats on XTR versions. Behind them you can still carry a washing machine, fridge, motor mower, double... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=336 335 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Just as night follows day, the wagon version of a new car follows the saloon. But an A4 Avant is more than just an estate car. It’s a brand in itself. I remember the launch of the A4 B6 Avant in Berlin. The saloon had been out for at least 9 months. Yet nevertheless the excitement on the faces of people in B5 Avants when they saw the new car was palpable. They craned their necks, pointed, spoke to each other in excited tones, set a new target for their hard-earned income. It wasn’t quite like that for the B8 Avant. We’d already hade two bites of that particular cherry, driving LHDs in Sardinia and RHDs in Portugal. No point in jetting us off somewhere special for the load-lugging version. We already knew it would drive pretty much the same. (Test at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=295) But now the range has expanded to include more engines, including a quick, frugal and low CO2 2.0TFSI. And, like the saloon, the new Avant is not only quite a bit bigger than the old one, it sits on a longer wheelbase. This translates into more head and legroom for passengers, more loadspace, now up to 1,430... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=335 334 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Tax, the price of oil and particularly the UK price of diesel mean that ECO is becoming increasingly important. Every manufacturer now has an mid size ECO diesel: Citroen with the C4 1.6HDI EGS, Peugeot with its 1.6HDI 308s, Ford with its Focus ECOnetic, VW with its Golf Bluemotion, and now FIAT with its new Bravo 1.6 Multijet. These days, instead of offering performance none of us can legally use, manufacturers put their finest minds to work on reducing CO2 and increasing economy. I’m currently running a Ford Focus ECOnetic that is turning in a remarkable 62.4mpg, the best economy of any car I have ever driven. FIAT has tackled this too, but in a slightly different way. FIAT Powertrain Integration Manager Gianluca Sapia explained. And managed to apply as much charm to emissions control as Julie Eckersley does to the news. He told us that FIAT has overcome its diesel EGR valve problems by using a DC motor instead of a solenoid, allowing much more precise control. The diesel particulate filter is located close to the engine where exhaust gases are hotter and help it regenerate more efficiently. The entire engine weighs a mere 170 kilos. The injection pump... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=334 333 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000 What do you do when you’re second last to join the party? Everyone else has been there for hours. Some even from 5 o’clock. So how do you suddenly become life and soul? For the small SUV shindig, Ford made its Kuga best to drive. There are gimmicks, of course. Including a hatchback within a hatchback, so you can fill the load area with Tesco’s bags without smashing the eggs when you slam the back shut. And you get rear picnic tables for the kids to collapse their MacDonald’s fries and cokes onto their laps. But apart from that it’s a proper Ford. Which means, like the Focus and Mondeo, it sets a new class standard for ride, handling and feelgood factor behind the wheel. Instead of something cheaper and nastier, Ford has adopted the expensive and extremely well proven Haldex centre clutch, as used by Audi in its quattro systems. Under the bonnet you get the latest, improved, Dagenham built, 2.0 ‘Duratorq’ TDCI 136 engine, which Ford now makes for Peugeot, Citroen and Volvo. And which, significantly, chunders out a mere 169g/km of CO2, less than any other diesel SUV apart from the Nissan Qashqai 1.5DCI, and which means... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=333 330 Mon, 26 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Oddball car, this one. Mondeo sized. With a choice of 5-speed manual diesel, 6-speed automatic diesel, or 5-speed manual transverse straight-six petrol. Badged ‘Chevrolet’, yet built in South Korea. The straight six LS model will set you back a startlingly reasonable £13,595. This is for a big car 15’ 9” long with a colossal 480 litre boot and bags of room in the back seat. Usefully, the seatbacks fold down 60/40 so you can carry long loads if you want to. So what’s it like? You can judge for yourself how it looks from the snapshots. I’d stay slightly ungainly. A bit too high off the ground. Though there is a bodykit to address that if you so wish. You get a stack of kit, including air conditioning, 16” alloy wheels, cruise control, electric front and rear windows, electric mirrors, double DIN CD radio with MP3 socket, steering wheel radio controls, front, side and curtain airbags, leather covered steering wheel, and even part-leather seats. The 1,993cc six-cylinder engine is double overhead chain cam, puts out 141bhp and 195Nm torque and pulls the car to 60 in 9.6 seconds before running on to a top speed of 129mph. You pay at... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=330 331 Mon, 26 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000 While Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone battled it out in the London Mayoral elections, another war had erupted in the Home Counties. Porsche, based in Berkshire, challenged the hike in C Tax for high emitters scheduled to start in October 2008. If Ken Livingstone had been re-elected, cars emitting more than 225g/km were set to be charged a daily rate of £25 to enter London, with no exemption for residents. Those under 226g/km would have remained at £8 per day, and those under 121g/km would have been exempt. Boris Johnson has promised to abolish the £25 tax, but we have yet to see what he will actually do once he gets a look at London’s accounts. Happily those following Ken’s footsteps in Manchester have also followed Ken’s out of the door as voters voted with their wheels. The other tax faced by owners of cars over 225g/km is VED. From March 2009, VED on a car emitting 226-255g/km will be £415 a year, and for those emitting over 255g/km, £440 a year. Additionally, from March 2010, these cars will be hit with an additional purchase tax of £750 and £950 respectively. So does this mean the end of expensive cars... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=331 332 Mon, 26 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000 This car is unique. It’s the only station wagon available in the UK with the option of seven seats. And they are all forward facing. The outgoing 307 SW wasn’t bad, combining a great chassis with 7-seater capability. But the Peugeot designers in Paris have looked at every way they could improve it. And I’m pleased to say they have, not least in offering it with a sweet, flexible 150PS turbo petrol engine and all-new 6-speed box that gives it the capability of around 38 mpg. Who needs a ‘depollution system faulty’ diesel? Especially at 125p a litre. To list the improvements I’ll start at the back and work forwards. Unlike the 307SW, but like the 207SW, the rear window opens either to drop stuff in the back, or carry ladders or kayaks with one end poking out of the back (more on that later). Like the 307SW, the rearmost seats are removable. Unlike the 207, they fold up into neat suitcase size for easy removal and storage. Though if you want to leave them in the car you can double fold them against the backs of the centre row. All three centre seats are full size. They are set... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=332 329 Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Chances are the Grandeur is a car you’ve never seen or even heard about. It’s imported in very limited numbers, to order only and the loan of this one was a rare privilege. I first became aware of it at the UK launch of the Hyundai i30, when Ken Lee, Hyundai Motor UK’s President, turned up in one. Nice shape, I thought. Luxurious interior. Popped the bonnet and found a transverse 3.3 litre quad-chain-cam V6 lurking underneath. So, naturally, I expressed an interest. The old Hyundai XG30 was a reasonable enough luxo-barge. But Hyundai has moved on since those days. So how much better could the Grandeur be? My first surprise was that the car delivered wasn’t the one I had seen before. That had been metallic grey with a startling white leather interior. The car that came was stately solid black with black leather inside. Launched 2005, it’s way behind the technology of last week’s Jaguar XF. The doors don’t automatically open because you’ve got the keyfob in your pocket. There’s no button starter. No gear change switch that rises like magic out of the centre console. The Grandeur is much more traditional and, it has to be said,... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=329 328 Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000 I liked the original Modus a lot more than I had expected to. Cute, likeable, practical and a good drive summed it up. Now Renault has stretched it six and a half inches, which doesn’t read like much, but makes a much bigger difference. Gone is the clever ‘Triptic’ rear seat because, with 160mm more wheelbase, the Grand Modus doesn’t need its back seat to become narrower to slide backwards and forwards. There’s better rear access, too, because the rear doors are also 160mm longer. Combined with the height of the seats and the excellent front access, this makes the Grande Modus ideal for the elderly, or anyone needing good ingress and egress front and back. And, of course, if you slide the seat back you don’t lose space in the centre as you do with the ‘Triptic’ seat, so the Grand Modus remains a 5-seater. It’s not quite so versatile in the seat folding stakes, though. You can fold down either side of the 60/40 backrest, but to completely free the floorspace you have to unclip the heavy seat sliding mechanism and fold the whole thing forward. That frees up 1,454 litres of loadspace compared to 1,283 in the... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=328 327 Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000 I’m in love. With a car. Daft as it sounds, if you read on you might start falling for the Jaguar XF as well. I can’t remember feeling so good in a car. Except, maybe, during a brief fling with an XKR convertible. The XF I’ve been driving isn’t one with the slightly suspect 2.7 V6 diesel engine. Or with the old Mondeo’s 3.0 litre V6, not bad that this engine is. I’ve been tooling around in the all-Jaguar 300bhp XF 4.2 V8. And unless you stump up an extra £10k for a supercharger, that’s the quickest one they make. It was black. A good colour for it because it accentuates its length. At 16’ 3” it stuck out from my hard-standing as much as a Mercedes CLS had a few years ago. And it looked so long and sleek I couldn’t wait to get comfortable inside. That’s when it plays a couple of unnecessary but effective tricks. It’s keyless, so you just walk up to the car with a gizmo in your pocket, get in, press the brake pedal with a foot, and press the starter button with a finger. It doesn’t start, it whoops into life with a... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=327 326 Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Up against at least 23 direct competitors, and a total of 65 other 4x4 SUVs the Renault Koleos had better be good. It is. Renault doesn’t call it a ‘4x4’ or an ‘SUV’. Instead it prefers the title ‘Crossover’. By which it means a cross between a hatchback, a 4x4 and an MPV. And it reckons that, coming almost last in the race to build this sort of vehicle, it has learned from the successes and failures of everything in front of it. For example, the rear seat folding mechanism is clever, and a bit like the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage’s. You pull a lever either side of the hatchback and both sides of the 60/40 split rear seat flop down leaving a flat, unobstructed floor. Instead of one big hatchback, the tailgate is split horizontally, so the top lifts up and the bottom hinges down, like a Mitsubishi Outlander’s, taking 200kg, so two people can sit on it spectating at an event, or while pulling on their Wellingtons. Rather than a limp-wristed excuse of a 4WD system, like a CR-V’s or RAV-4’s, the Koleos has the full Nissan X-Trail kit, that selects 4wd automatically when needed, allows you... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=326 325 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000 I missed the original launch of the W204 C Class and had to get a colleague to write the test for me. Ironically, my first drive of a W204 was on the Honda Accord launch the week before ‘my’ C320CDI arrived. Honda had hired examples of the competition and the Mercedes representative was a base spec C200CDI Classic SE manual. I actually liked that car. It felt hewn from solid, completely honest and that it would do 1,000,000 miles. It wasn’t fast, but the gear ratios were well matched to the engine, it handled well and it was comfortable enough for the driver to last 1,000,000 miles as well. The £42,000 C320CDI Sport estate was a different kind of animal. In basic form it costs £35,000, but this one had £7,000 of extras. The usual stuff: leather at £1,295, satnav at £1,995, park assist at £605, metallic paint at £620. However it did include (for £610) a very clever towbar that completely tucked away under the rear valence where it could do no harm when not in use. For the £17,500 extra it cost over the C200CDI Classic saloon, this C329CDI Sport estate was a genuine luxury sports estate. Instead... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=325 324 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000 We tested the new A3 Cabrio on a perfect day. Half way through our drive the skies opened and it rained cats, dogs, frogs and fishes. Ideal weather to check Audi’s claim that you can get the roof over your head in 9 seconds flat. Audi made some interesting claims about that roof. The advantages of fabric compared to the folding tin tops we have been seeing from almost everyone else. Status is one. A coupe convertible with the top up doesn’t look like a convertible. It can look like you are driving something as mundane as a saloon. Trunk space is another. Most coupe convertibles rob you of almost all of it with the top down, but the Audi hood sits on top of the trunk, leaving a very useful 260 litres of space into which to post your luggage. And it’s lighter, so, combined with the strengthening of the structure at floor level, it gives the car a lower centre of gravity than a folding tintop. You can get a 160PS 1.8TFSI, a 200PS 2.0TFSI, a 105PS 1.9TDI and a 140PS 2.0TDI. (That’s the old PD engine rather than the new piezo injected 2.0TDI in the A4 B8.)... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=324 323 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Suddenly there’s an answer to everyone who needs to carry seven people and their luggage as well. It’s diesel. It costs just £15,995. And it’s from Volkswagen, the same people who would otherwise offer you the colossal Caravelle at upwards of £28,405. Peugeot’s excellent 8/9 seater Expert Teepee undercuts the Caravelle, of course, offering similar levels of accommodation at prices from £19,000. And soon we’ll see the powerful new Hyundai i800 8 seater at £18,500 - £19,500. However, £15,995 is a lot less than that. So what do you get for your money? 4,875mm is 16’ 0”, the same length as an Isuzu Rodeo pick-up, so don’t expect to be able to park it in the same space as a Polo. The driver sits van high rather than SUV high. The three centre passengers all get full sized seats at the same height. While the rearmost pair sit slightly higher, opera style, peering over the shoulders of the three in front. There’s plenty of head, shoulder and legroom for everyone. And simple, double-folding access through the sliding side doors to the rearmost seats. Behind them is a luggage deck most car owners would be glad to have. Big enough to... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=323 322 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000 This is a car so many people have been waiting for so long that as well as commissioning a write-up I had to test it myself. You can read Danny Cobbs test at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=306. For my impressions, read on here. I found this a very honest car. In the spec that showed up it’s fairly basic, with things like alloy wheels, aircon and cruise control, but not much else. I have to say I actually prefer the wide, flat cloth seats to the leather bound chairs in the last Legacy I tested. Start up and it can sound like someone is rattling an old box of spanners under the bonnet. It’s certainly not as smooth as the new Accord diesel, or the KIA Cee’d/Hyundai i30 chain-cam diesels for that matter. (Unlike Subaru petrol engines, the 2.0 Boxer diesel is chain-cam.) But once you’re underway the noises recede and the awareness you’re driving a diesel comes from the strong torque rather than the chatter of the engine. Where many diesels are geared at around 35mph per 1,000rpm in 6th, the Legacy boxer only has 5 gears in its pleasingly precise shifting box and 5th gives around 32mph per 1,000rpm. This not... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=322 321 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000 The secret of making a torque converter automatic work efficiently is a matter of matching gearing and lock-up with the torque characteristics of the engine. That’s why, according to Project Leader Hiroyuki Ikegami, Honda has been able to achieve better economy figures for its 2.4i petrol engined torque converter autos than for the manuals. Better even than those for a twin-shaft transmission like Mitsubishi’s new SST. Honda hasn’t yet managed to perfectly match its 5-speed auto to the much narrower and stronger torque band of its new 150PS 2.2 I-DTEC diesel engine. Prototypes are running, though, and once Honda is happy with the CO2, economy and drivability, we’ll see this combination in the UK. A lot of thought has gone into the new Accord. You notice it in details like the fact the undulating dashtop does not reflect in the screen, the holes in the centre console are deep enough to hold bottles without interfering with your gearshifts, the reversing camera has the clearest, brightest screen display I have ever seen, the satnav controls are simple and intuitive, and the spoken instructions come from a voice that sounds like a combination of Joanna Lumley and Jenny Agutter rather than Miss... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=321 320 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Ultra Violet tests the new Vauxhall Agila If a manufacturer asked us ladies to design a car suitable for our needs what would we put at the top of our shopping list? For me, I would start with a head turning exterior to annoy the neighbours. I do not want the car to be too big thus being accused of damaging our dooming environment. I love metallic paint as it is cleans up well and vibrant colours are a must. The interior would have to be spacious with lots of oddments to store safely, personal effects. To be quite honest, I am not a huge fan on complicated in-car gadgetry. A decent CD player and air conditioning will suffice. I need space for the children in the back without stumping their growth. With my precious cargo on board, the car has to be full of safety features. As I clock up many miles each week, the car will have to be good in the fuel consumption stakes. Being a cost conscious purse string holder, I would prefer a car with low insurance group, low VED band and or course, low CO2 emissions . Finally, the luggage area must be able... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=320 319 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Like the FIAT Bravo 1.4 T-Jet test, this is a catch-up to the Auris range test a year ago, where I never got a proper chance to drive what was then called the T180. Now it’s re-named the SR and has had some minor tweaks, but retains its powerful 177PS chain cam diesel engine and fully independent trick rear suspension. Put simply, the tilt/slide sunroof has been dropped, it now has rear privacy glass and a subtle rear spoiler, and, unlike the rest of the Auris range, is listed £300 cheaper. The model has come in for some stick from boy racer road testers for not being sporty enough. And indeed, when you come from a Focus, 308, C4, Golf or Leon you think you’ve entered a comfort zone rather than a pitlane. The whole thing is softer. The steering needs more turning. You sit higher. In traditional terms it doesn’t feel like a hot hatchback. Yet whack it down a potholed street or, worse still, one festooned with metre wide ‘speed cushions’ and you don’t cripple your coccyx or shatter your spine. Instead you glide relatively serenely over the damn things. In inclement weather, too, it can be desirable... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=319 318 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 The FIAT Bravo has the kind of stunning styling that Italians somehow seen to do almost effortlessly. In the right colour it’s probably the best looking mid-size hatchback you can buy. Yet my first impressions of it weren’t too good. After a truly spectacular launch in Rome we got to drive a diesel on 18” wheels with 40 profile tyres to Ostia and back. A distance of about 30 miles. All I learned from this was light, feel-free and unresponsive steering, whatever setting, and terrible ride quality. It wasn’t until FIAT delivered a 1.4 T-Jet 150 to me that I got to drive it properly. A year since the launch I still admire the styling. Like a bigger Grande Punto with an unmistakably FIAT look that doesn’t come from its grille shape but from the heart of Italian design. If it was longer and lower it could be a Maserati. Inside, too, it looks good with a sort of carbon fibre stippled effect to the dashtop that doesn’t reflect in the windscreen. But, after 750 miles in a Yaris I found it really difficult to get comfortable. Seat and steering wheel seemed to me to be at the wrong angles... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=318 317 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 No doubt in my mind, if you showed the C5, the Mondeo and the Laguna together, the C5 is the most beautiful car. It photographs well from every angle. It has presence and class. It’s a car you could take pride in owning. It can surprise and delight in practicality as well. The concave rear window allows the lid of the huge boot to open much wider than usual (it’s a saloon, not a hatchback like the old C5). So you can load it very easily without disjointing your back. (Though please note I did not rain-test it.) Under the boot floor is another nice surprise. A full-size spare wheel. No ridiculous compressors and squeegees of glop that are as much use on a shredded tyre as a can of hairspray. Get in and you find masses of adjustment for the driver’s seat and steering wheel, allowing any size and shape to be comfortable, particularly the very tall. There is a surprising amount of headroom inside the car for such a low roofline, but that’s because you sit deep, cocooned safely inside. Then the fun starts, or doesn’t, as the case may be. The new C5 comes with three different... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=317 316 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 This is a test of many cars. Before, in the UK, we got Australian built Lancers that were sensibly priced Focus size cars. And a series of Japanese built hotshot EVOs, all based on entirely different, but ageing Lancer saloons. The EVOs had fairly explosive performance and culminated in something called the ‘FQ 400’ that was almost too quick for its own good. A 400bhp four-wheel drive 2.0-litre roadgoing saloon was taking ‘evolution’ about as far as it could go. But now the line between Lancers and EVOs is far less distinct. Like the old car, the new Lancer is a four-door saloon, but it’s a bit bigger and heavier and in the summer will be joined by a five-door ‘sportback’. The range will start with a 1.5 litre five-door ‘Sportback’ at £12,499. And immediately does start with a 1.8 litre four-door saloon, in three trim levels, and the option of a six selectable ratio CVT automatic. Biggest normal engine is a 2.0 litre 140PS pumpe duse diesel, bought in from VW and bolted to a 6-speed manual. Then things start to get interesting. Because topping the normal Lancer range will be a 240PS four-wheel drive Ralliart Sportback loaded with... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=316 315 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 This is a return test of one of my favourite small cars, in special high value trim. In my view the Yaris is up there with the Jazz and the new Mazda 2 and basically does everything a small car should do, without any vices or irritations. This tests the 1.3 petrol TR. Full test of the 1.4 D-4D at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=230 The Yaris doesn’t have a clever interior, like the Jazz, but on its 185/60 R15 tyres it rides and handles a lot better. It isn’t as sporty as a Mazda 2 1.3 TS2, but it’s more comfortable and more practical. Nice design features I really like include the downward sloping windowsills that give the driver an excellent view of the mirrors. There is more height adjustment on the drivers seat and more height and reach adjustment of the steering than on any other small car because, of course, there are no old fashioned instruments that could be concealed behind the wheel rim. The speedo itself is a large digital LED exactly in the driver’s line of sight and focal distance. These features, combined with the excellent ride quality, make the car very comfortable for a big size range of... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=315 314 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 “On the wagon” aptly sums up this review. Because that’s what Mazda calls what other manufacturers variously describe as an estate car or a station wagon or, less descriptively, a Tourer, a Touring or an Avant Please read in conjunction with the original test of the 2008 Mazda 6 saloon at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=300, which this supplements with impressions of the 140PS diesel engine that’s the same in saloon, hatchback, or wagon. The old Mazda 6 diesel was an exceptionally stylish, fine handling and practical wagon, with one touch ‘Karakuri’ 60/40 split folding rear seat that leaves a level load area. The new one takes karakuri (Japanese for pleasing functionality) a stretch further, with a longer, wider load bay, a parcel shelf arrangement that comes up with the hatchback so you don’t have to faff around loading it, and even more style than the old car. The new car has pronounced and very sexy ‘hips’ over its rear wheels, turning what might have been a workaday model into the best looker of the range. There’s even a useful 55 – 45mm extra rear headroom compared to the saloon and hatchback that complements the car’s Mondeo rivalling rear legroom. They’ve managed to get... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=314 313 Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 No doubt about it, this useful little car is where a lot of buyers are going to have to put their money in years to come. 119g/km CO2, so £35 a year tax and, hopefully, London CO2 tax-free from 27th October 2008. 56.5 mpg. 95 mph. A not--too--slow 15.2 seconds 0-60. Five doors. Five seats. Five lap/diagonal safety belts. Standard air-conditioning, Central locking. Front electric windows and mirrors even on the ‘Classic’ model. A five year unlimited mileage warranty. And a low, low starter price of £6,495. Add £600 for the Comfort to get a height-adjustable drivers seat, remote locking and electric rear windows. Add a further £500 (and sacrifice that all important 119g/km) for the Style and you buy features unheard of in this price range: alloy wheels, heated front seats and even a proper internally sliding glass electric sunroof. Add £300 more and you can even have a 4-speed automatic. Previous attempts by Hyundai included the Atoz and the Amica, the latter ultimately selling out as a bargain-basement £4,995 special. But even at £6,495 the i10 is substantially better value. It romps along quite respectably on the motorway, and despite low gearing of 20mph per 1,000rpm in 5th,... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=313 312 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Is this car hard core, or soft porn? On the one hand it makes you suffer. It has no aircon, just an ordinary CD/radio and no fancy bits at all. You even have to reach over and wiggle little stalks to adjust the door mirrors. The exhaust note assaults your eardrums. Maximum power and torque both come very high in the rev range, at 7,250rpm and 5,550rpm. The gearing is very low at just 20mph per 1,000rpm in top, so it drones trying to cruise at 70mph. And if you’ve been feeding your bottom a bit too much you might find it won’t fit into the narrow Recaro seats. Instead of little luxuries it gives you 0-60 in 6.6 seconds, third gear acceleration that won’t feel too slow on a track day, sharp steering and excellent Brembo four pot calliper 315mm cross drilled front disc brakes. Yet, tootling round town, variable ratio power steering makes it a doddle to park, the variable valve timing chain cam engine pretends to be a pussycat, and even the ride quality is acceptable. What I like about it is that everything is there for a reason rather then for show. The vents in the... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=312 311 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 The biggest enemy of the new Twingo is the FIAT 500. Twingo prices are a bit lower, starting at £7,500 for the base model, rising through £8,375 for the Dynamique, to £9,995 for the TCE 100 GT tested here. So it’s not bargain basic and cheap like the original Twingo that found lots of friends for its 1959 Mini simplicity, low price and Kermit-like cuteness. Renault was so afraid the old Twingo would steal Clio sales (and profits) they never made it right-hand drive. And that low end of the market (£5k - £6k new) is now mopped up by basic version of the FIAT Panda, Ford Ka, Citroen C1, Peugeot 107, Toyota Aygo and KIA Picanto. Starting at £7,500, there’s obviously a bit of money to be made from the new Twingo, for Renault and its dealers alike, if they can find a market for the car. Really, it’s almost identical in size and concept to the Citroen C2, that has sold steadily for Citroen. And it’s a more practical car than the C2 because the back seats slide by about a foot, giving a choice of bootspace or decent rear legroom, assuming in an 11’ 10” car you’re... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=311 310 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 No doubt about it. No words minced. This car is fun, fun, fun. It may not look like it from outside, but it’s got more sparkle than a Dolly Parton dress. Everything is right: grip, steering feel, engine power, and what doesn’t usually correspond with these, ride quality. Peugeot must have taken the handcuffs off its chassis engineers and told them to make it handle better than any other medium hatchback. Then nicked the great little engine out of the 207 THP 150 (and MINI Cooper S), gave it longer gearing, and shoved it under the bonnet. The result is a car with the body of Jo Brand, the sharpness of Jo Brand and the energy of Russell. It’s the front-end grip and feel that brings a stupid ear-to-ear grin to your face. Admittedly mine had had £100 optional 17” wheels with 225/45 low profile tyres. But what they lost on the road humps (not much, actually) they gained hugely on the curves. I’d though you couldn’t buy cars as grippy as this any more. And all that front-end emphasis doesn’t come at the expense of a tricky tail. The back seems to stay planted solidly whatever you get up... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=310 309 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 There wasn’t much wrong with the original 2005 Mazda 5: Sliding side doors, decent diesels, six-and-a-half seats with a sliding centre row so legroom can be shared, foldaway centre half seats, rearmost seats commit ‘karakuri’ and fold away at the pull of a tab, a fine handling focus-based floorpan, and a 1,678 litre load capacity with the seats all folded. But there were a few niggles. No automatic, for one. Happily I’m now able to report that this serious shortcoming has been addressed with a useful 5-speeder that pulls a reasonably relaxed 27.5mph in 5th and has a manual shifter designed by a physicist rather than a German (forward to change down, back to change up). Another criticism was fast and unevenly wearing tyres. Mazda had already partly overcome this by specifying just one special type of tyre: Dunlop SP Sport 2050s. But now, according to project leader Kenichi Fukanaga, the entire rear suspension has been redesigned, ostensibly to “optimise stability on motorways and curves.” But really to eliminate once and for all the bugbear of excess tyre wear. To make absolutely sure, new, much stronger alloy wheels are also fitted. Satnav used to pop up like a carbuncle on... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=309 308 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Oh, no, not another 4x4. Are the roads really that bad? What next: an Audi Hiawatha? By my count the VW Tiguan numbers the 63rd SUV on the UK market. Should you be even remotely interested? Well, first there’s the badge. VW reliability might not be as legendary as it was. But that Beastie Boy medallion still cuts some sway in snobby Surrey suburbs. Then there’s the back seats. Slightly higher than the fronts, Freelander style, giving kids in the back a view forwards, and making them less likely to chuck up down your neck. These seats are also supremely comfortable, centre rear is fine for adults as well as kids and legroom is generous. Engines aren’t too shabby, either. VW’s standard 140PS 2.0 TDI, and its interesting 150PS 1.4 turbo-supercharged petrol. There’s a diesel automatic, which there isn’t with the CR-V, RAV-4, C-Crosser, Outlander or 4007. This is a real torque converter 6-speed auto rather than a pseudo auto or a DSG. It’s not too bad in the mud, either. At least the ‘Escape’ version with shovel front and sump shield isn’t. Especially with the autobox, because pressing the ‘Off Road’ button slows its throttle response, activates the hill... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=308 307 Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Guest Test by Jackie Violet ‘Three’ is a very popular lucky number for many people, myself included, but will it be a lucky number for KIA as it launches its third and possibly finally variant to compliment the cee’d and cee’d SW? Well, initially I thought, why another? But this new three-door pro_cee’d fills a hole in the KIA clan as it is very sporty looking number that should appeal to customers who have so far dismissed the KIA brand as unsuitable for their needs. Not only that, the pro_cee’d is the only three-door in Europe (it’s being built at Zilina in Slovakia) to come with KIA’s unprecedented seven year, 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty, and has stunning looks and severe road presence that will surely appeal to young couples craving street cred as well as older couples whose children may have flown the nest. You see, what the Korean designers have done that many other manufacturers have not when producing a three-door, is to build it as a completely different car from the five-door. They have increased the overall length by 15mm and reduced the height by 30mm, resulting in a low elongated, coupe-like stance, further accentuated by... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=307 305 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 This is a bit different from a normal road test. For a start, it’s a very important car: ‘European Car of the Year’ 2008. And I’m thinking of buying one. The sense of this won’t be missed by other people with small limited companies. Because, until 31st March, 100% of the cost of a car emitting less than 121g/km CO2 can be offset against corporation tax. And, as long as I pay for my own petrol, I’ll be taxed on a BIK of 13% of whatever the car costs. £7,900 (for the 1.2 Pop petrol) and I’ll be paying 40% of £1,027, which is £410.8 a year. £9,300 (for Pop diesel) and I’ll be paying 40% of £1,209, which is £483.60 a year. Even if I went mad and plumped for the Lounge spec diesel at £10,700, my tax liability would still only be £556.40. And I’ll be driving around in this year’s most chic new car that could end up worth close to what I paid for it by March 2009. So I wasn’t just interested in what the 500 was like from your point of view. I was looking at it from my point of view. As you... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=305 306 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Subaru enthusiasts, pony club members, and anyone living up a muddy lane or above the snow line had been clamouring for this for years. Subaru now expects to sell 85% of Legacy Sport Tourers and 95% of Outbacks with its new ‘Boxer’ diesel engine. Here is Danny Cobbs test: And so it came to pass, nine years after the Subaru engineers were given the green light to produce the world’s first boxer diesel-powered engine, here it is. To begin with, when it goes on sale in February, only the Legacy and Outback will get the option of this 2.0-litre, flat-four, oil-burner. The Impreza will be diesel-free until the latter part of this year. Obviously we’re not going to be dishing any awards for cutting-edge industry initiatives here, but that’s another issue. The key question is whether it’s all been worth the epic gestation? The short answer is yes. Any engine which can pull the architecture of a not-so-inconsequential-sized estate car to a top speed of 126 mph while powering all four of its wheels and still boast nearly 50mpg is surely be worthy of a positive reception. And if those facts weren’t impressive enough, then take the starting prices: a... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=306 304 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 What do you do when your wife hocks the car you bought her to buy her dad a new pick-up he doesn’t need? Divorce springs to mind. Because this comfy family arrangement you will eventually pay for means that the used pick-up you bought her father two years ago has now passed to her brother. However, divorce, in this case, could prove even more expensive than buying two motorbikes, a car and two pick-ups. So better to let the little wife (and business partner) pay for her latest acquisition out of her allowance, and make that new pick-up the subject of a road-test. Papa’s truck is the latest generation D-Max Hi-Lander with Isuzu’s I-TEQ chain driven twin-cam 16v 2.5 diesel that pumps out 136PS at 3,600rpm and 217 lb ft torque at 1,800rpm. It’s apparently a very good tower, emits only 213g/km CO2 so is under the 225g/km ‘nasty’ limit and what Thai farmers really like is that it’s chain cam. They’ll point proudly at the chain case and use sign language to show there can be no disastrous loss of belt, as can happen with a HiLux Vigo or an L200 Triton 2.5. They may also mention the rear... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=304 303 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Updated 11th January 2008 I’d been mightily impressed by a brief driver in a 245PS Legacy Spec B automatic. Three levels of power output, paddle-shifting five speed autobox. Fantastic. A great big WRX STI. So I’d ordered one to road test. The driver delivered it and collected the previous week’s Rodeo while I pounded away at my keyboard. So it wasn’t until I went out to the car that I began to suspect something was up. Er, nothing behind the steering wheel. Up the creek without a paddleshift, you might say. And it didn’t go like a 245PS 3.0 litre flat six either. While I was taking my snaps I popped the bonnet and counted the spark plug leads. One, two, three, four…that’s it. I obviously hadn’t got a Spec B, then? I opened the package that came with it and found it described on the insurance doc as a “2.5 Sports Tourer auto”. The mystery deepend, because they’re not supposed to do a 2.5 Sports Tourer. That was dropped when they upped the power of the 2.0 litre to 165PS. Sure the 2.5 continued in the Outback. But this wasn’t an Outback. Eventually I got this cleared up. It... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=303 302 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Guest Test by Chris Rees Any car maker competing in the cut-throat D-segment (that’s Mondeo-sized family cars) faces a dauntingly sheer rock-face at the moment. Against a backdrop of collapsing sales, every brand is rushing to claim the ‘premium’ credentials that are necessary to keep its model in the game. Renault’s mountain is bigger and steeper than most. It has seen Laguna sales nose-dive in recent years, while its performance in owner satisfaction surveys has been little short of disastrous. So here’s the huge task that Renault has set itself: to become, by 2009, in the top three brands for product and service quality. That means beating the Germans and most of the Japanese – quite some feat. According to Renault, the new third-generation Laguna is the car that begins the turnaround – and it’s spent one billion euros to ensure that it does. Having driven the new Sports Tourer estate – there’s also a hatchback version – does the new Laguna III have that quality aura? No question, this is way above anything that Renault has previously delivered. The feel of the materials in the cabin, for instance, is now comparable with VW and Audi. The cabin looks best... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=302 301 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 You have to feel for companies like Volkswagen. No sooner had they launched the Golf Mk V, based as closely as it could be on the first Focus, then Ford came up with its even better second generation Focus. Now, without adequate warning, and well before VW has got its Mk VI on the road, Ford has stolen the march again and brought us another Focus so heavily revised it’s effectively a Focus Mk III. Thankfully Ford left alone the car’s structure that earned it five NCAP stars for occupant safety and four for child safety, and gave it class-leading handling and ride comfort. Instead they concentrated on completely re-panelling the exterior of the car, tidying up the interior, fitting the Mondeo’s Easifuel filler that won’t let you put petrol in a diesel, and adding politically correct extras like Electronic Stability Control across the range. Ford has been environmentally correct, too, as all 1.6 diesels are now under 120g/km CO2, whole the ECOnetic puffs out just 114g/km. So all qualify for £35pa annual tax and, if Ken’s promised plans go through, all Focus 1.6 diesels can enter Central London free of any congestion taxes from February 2008. There are other... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=301 300 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 (Figures updated 28-2-2008) This is a tale of two cars. On the one hand we have the entry level Mazda 6 1.8S, coming in at a very reasonable £15,100 on the road. On the other, we have the BOSE audio, leather-trimmed 2.5SL at a considerably heavier £20,680. Actually “heavier” is the wrong word. Because all new bigger, better Mazda 6s weigh in at an average 35 kilos lighter than the old car. As with the new Mazda 2, the company has stopped eating all the pies and is thinking along the same lines as a supermodel. As well as more car at less weight it’s also more streamlined. Little touches, including a gizmo that looks like a horses hoof in front of each of the front wheels, cut drag down to a very impressive Cd 0.27. That makes it quieter and more fuel-efficient which in turn means it emits less CO2 so you pay less tax, whether you’re a private motorist or a company driver. One of the factoids Mazda was keen to impress on us was that whereas the previous 1.8i meant you were taxed on a BIK of 24% of the car’s list price, the new 1.8 comes... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=300 299 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000 This is my comfort zone. Now that the punishment for exceeding the 70mph speed limit is sequestration of all your worldly assets, I’ve found a car I’m happy in at 70. It’s a whole new world, especially with Active Cruise Control. Instead of racing BMW 318s in the outside lane (not that I ever did), now my driving is all about anticipation and consideration. Will the car on my shoulder pass me before I need to pull out to pass a truck? Is the truck ahead gaining on the truck in front of it? Will it want to pull out and pass? I spend my time watching every other vehicle on the road working out what its next move will be. And that’s not made easy by Active Cruise Control, because even when you set the radar to the closest gap, it still likes to keep you more than a safe distance from the vehicle in front. It will spot that the nonagenarian in the Honda Civic up ahead is actually driving at 40mph long before I do and slow me down until I get it out of the radar. Which isn’t easy on a sweeping right bend because the... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=299 298 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000 How does 306PS in a 4-seat coupe the size of a Golf grab you? And not any old 306PS engine, but ‘engine of the year’: BMW’s sensational twin-turbo 3.0 litre straight six that’s both benignly tractable and very, very fast. Over the last year BMW has been turning its slow selling sow’s ear of a 1-Series into something of a silk purse. First we saw the three-door hatchback version with it’s Efficient Dynamics 118 diesel that has since been developed to limbo under the 120g/m CO2 limit that gets it into London for nothing from next February and cuts the annual tax bill to £35. Now they’ve build a two door booted E82 coupe version, which they see as a sort of junior E92 3-Series coupe. (For collectors of model numbers, the 1 Series 5-door is E87 and the 3-door is E81.) And as well as the 2,979cc 306PS petrol engine you can also have it with two 1,995cc diesels, one of which offers a respectable 177PS and the other a jaw-dropping 204PS. Yes, indeed, the first production diesel delivering more than 100bhp per litre (even after you convert 204PS to 201bhp). The E82 is shorter than the E92 at... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=298 297 Sat, 20 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000 When I first drove the SEAT Altea I didn’t like it. And that was not because the launch was in Watford rather then Altea. I couldn’t get on with the way the tall body handled, the 140 diesel that bogged down then catapulted the car forward, and the coalface of a dashboard. But since then it’s been allowed to grow 13” into the XL. And now SEAT is offering a version of the XL with four-wheel drive, that they call the Freetrack 4. Renault tried this sort of thing before, not very successfully, with the facelift Scenic RX4 that had a spare wheel on the back and used a lot of fuel. But SEAT, being part of VAG and availing itself of VAG’s parts bin, has taken a different route and fitted the Altea Freetrack 4 with the same Audi quattro-derived running gear as the Skoda Octavia Scout. And either the 170PS version of the 2.0TDI or the 200PS 2.0TSI petrol engine. Best of all, it’s offering what is effectively a bigger and better Golf GTI for pretty much the same sort of money: £21,395, according to the crib sheet in our TDI 170. There’s masses of room inside. Huge... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=297 296 Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000 The KIA Cee’d and Hyundai i30 have been getting rave reviews from a press that usually shuns South Korean cars. Recently, Andrew Frankel writing for ‘Autocar’ pitched an i30 against a Focus, a Golf and a Peugeot 308, and the i30 won. Different story over at Haymarket’s ‘What Car?’. That gives the Cee’d four stars and the i30 only three, though the compilers might spot this apparent anomaly and correct it. Like the Focus, Mazda 3 and Volvo S40 (or the A3, Golf, Leon and Octavia), the Cee’d and i30 are, of course, sisters under the skin. Almost identical twins, in fact, sharing not only floorpans but also their entire engine ranges. The companies themselves rate the Cee’d as slightly more sporty and the i30 as slightly more refined. Mazda 3 v/s Focus, perhaps. Or maybe Leon v/s Octavia. Unlike the i30, the Cee’d for European consumption is built in Zilina in SlovaKIA. The i30 will be built in the neighbouring Czech Republic in a year or so, but is currently assembled in South Korea. Since I’d tested the i30 hatchback range it made best sense to check out the new Cee’d SW in this test. It’s a decent sized,... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=296 295 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Updated Tuesday 22nd January 2008 Just as Porsche has developed increasingly sophisticated solutions to overcome the fundamental imbalance of an engine overhanging the back wheels, Audi has had to do the same job at the front. Worst of all were the old iron block five-cylinder Audi 100 diesels that much preferred to go straight on at corners than actually change direction. Fortunately, for most of us, these are no more than a memory. Audi has continually been getting better at dealing with its disability and had all but disguised the ponderous pendulum effect of its overhanging engines in the final incarnations of the A4 B7. But its big breakthrough came earlier this year with the A5. The engine still sits out in front of the front wheels longitudinally, but, by moving final drive further forward, the weight of engine and transmission is better distributed between the front wheels. How they do this is to take drive from the back of the gearbox, then run a propshaft forward to a differential that sits on the right hand side of the flywheel, with the left driveshaft running between the engine and the flywheel. Next year’s A4 shares this new drivetrain, as well... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=295 294 Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000 You’ve been able to buy the new Mazda 2 in the UK since 8th September. The launch was brought forward for 57 reg and because there was plenty of RHD production available from Japan. But LHD Europe won’t get it until November, so though the UK TV campaign started on 8th September, and though orders are coming in at twice the expected rate, most UK journalists weren’t able to drive the car until 3 weeks after the UK launch. I guess if we had, then orders might have been three times better (as they are in Japan) because we could have assured you it’s a smashing little car. It looks good from every angle. Comes in nice colours such as solid red, metallic green, gold, silver, metallic dark blue, metallic grey, and, happily, solid white. And it’s a hoot to drive. Mazda talks about “joy and love of ownership” and the Mazda 2 has so much sparkle, drivers, both men and women, are going to love it. It’s lighter by 100kg than the old, boxy Mazda 2. It’s also a tiny bit shorter as well as lower and a lot stiffer. Without a driver inside it weighs only 955kg, bucking... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=294 293 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000 No doubt about it the MINI is the biggest motoring marketing success Britain has ever seen. The Oxford factory will turn out 240,000 next year and we still can’t get enough of them. But there was a limit to how many buyers there could be for a car that, however much fun it was to drive, could only take four at a pinch. Even totally besotted MINI lovers were having to look for something else once the Clear-Blue strip gave them the good news. What they really wanted was a stretched MINI, with a bit more room in the back seat, and a bit better access to it. And that’s exactly what BMW now gives them in a charmingly retro recreation of the original Mini Traveller. Except it can’t be called a ‘Traveller’, for copyright reasons. So it’s actually named from another Mini ancestor, the ‘Clubman’. It’s 240 mm longer than a MINI, with more legroom, more luggage space and a slightly longer wheelbase that alters the handling in the same way as the original Minivan and Mini Traveller did from the original Mini. And in the back you can choose at no extra cost between a three-seater bench (with... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=293 292 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000 74.3mpg combined is a bold claim for a 1.4 diesel. 83.1 at 56mph is even more remarkable. As, of course, is 99g/km C02 which not only gets you off Congestion Tax from February 2008, it gets you off annual vehicle tax altogether. Underneath, this is basically the same Polo tested in January 2002. It’s had a facelift since then, and now sports different headlights. VW has added some aerodynamic tweaks, including a closed front grille a lower front spoiler, a tiny rear spoiler and sat it a bit closer to the road. The car gets 5J x 14 alloy wheels with unfashionable deep section and narrow 165/70 hard compound tyres. But the main changes are under the bonnet. There, the 1.4 litre belt-cam 3 cylinder TDI engine has a variable vane turbocharger and Electronic Gas Recirculation to both increase economy and reduce emissions. While the final drive has been lengthened with revised ratios for 3rd, 4th and 5th that offer 35mph per 1,000rpm in 5th. In theory, that should not have done as much as it has. There’s no fancy system that shuts off the engine when you stop, no clutched alternator, no special battery. Inside, it’s fairly plain. Standard... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=292 291 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000 I can’t tell you how reliable the new X-Trail is going to be. We won’t know about that for a year or two. Hopefully the turbo troubles that dogged the old 2.2 will not reappear in the new 2.0 litre Nissan diesel engines. And on the evidence of the Pathfinder and Navara that use a bigger version of the engine, such problems should all be in the past. I had to start with that before (just like the last time) I tell you what an excellent vehicle the new X-Trail is. It has a family resemblance to the old X-Trail. But it’s actually completely different. If feels different from the easily accessed driving seat (low door sills will please many drivers). The instruments are in front of you instead of in the middle of the dash. And once you get going it soon becomes apparent it’s both stiffer and sharper in the handling department without sacrificing any ride comfort. I drove the 2.5 petrol with torque-converter CVT auto first and for a mid-range SUV that feels astonishingly refined. It whirrs a bit ascending hills, like any CVT, but it’s more background noise than strangely disturbing. If you don’t mind the... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=291 290 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Why is it that as legislators and police get heavier and heavier on speed manufacturers keep coming up with faster and faster cars? I was bricking it just at the thought of driving the new M3 V8 on the road. Not from fear of crashing, but from fear of being hung drawn and quartered for getting caught using even half its power. I needn’t have worried. As with previous M3s, the low gearing and huge power means a smooth take off from 1st through the gears is difficult. But you don't have to. The benign nature of the new V8’s torque curve allows you to start rolling in 2nd. Getting tediously technical, it develops 260Nm at 1,000rpm, 340Nm at 2,000rpm and its maximum of 400Nm from 3,500rpm to 6,500rpm. So that’s bags enough to plonk along at 1,000rpm to 4,000rpm without scaring anyone, including yourself. This is a very fast car you can drive slowly. To tempt you not to, power is 250PS at 4,500rpm, 340PS at 6,000rpm, 400PS at 7,500rpm and 420PS at 8,300rpm. But you don’t actually get those last 800rpm and 20bhp unless you press the ‘Power’ button, or pre-programme that into your ‘Mdrive’ preferences. You get... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=290 284 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000 (Updated with RHD impressions 8th August 2007) Every week I get around 20 e-mails asking for Focus sized diesel, torque-converter automatics. And I have to tell the reader sorry, unless you go to a 1.9 litre engine, there aren’t any. Which is quite surprising when you consider that the Focus section of the British car market works out at over 500,000 a year. South Korean carmaker Hyundai didn’t have a Focus-sized car. So when it decided to offer one, the company wisely figured it had better fill that particular gap. So, from September, you will be able to buy Hyundai’s new i30 model with a 115PS 1.6 diesel engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. The good news for my e-mailers doesn’t stop there. The i30, like the Toyota Auris and its own cousin the KIA Ce’ed, is slightly more upright with higher seats than the class average. So it’s easier to get in and out of, which is something bound to appeal to the sort of people who want a 1.6 diesel auto. Not only that, for the i30 model to get a foothold in this highly competitive section of the market, it had to be a very good car.... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=284 289 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Memo to Friends of the Earth: 4x4 SUVs are now reproducing at a faster rate than any other type of vehicle. At the last count there were at least 65 different 4x4 SUVs either available now or about to be on the UK market. Here’s a list: Audi Allroad, Audi Q7, BMW X3, BMW X5, BMW X6, Cadillac SRX, Citroen C-Crosser, Daihatsu Terios, Dodge Nitro, FIAT Panda 4x4, FIAT Sedici, Ford Kuga, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Terracan, Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, KIA Sportage, KIA Sorento, Land Rover Freelander, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery, Lexus RX, Mazda CX-7, Mercedes ML, Mercedes GL, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mitsubishi Shogun, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan X-Trail, Nissan Murano, Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Patrol, Peugeot 4007, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover, Renault Koleos, SEAT Altea Freetrack, Skoda Octavia Scout, Ssangyong Kyron, Ssangyong Rexton II, Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback, Subaru Tribeca, Suzuki SX4, Suzuki Jimny, Suzuki Ignis 4GRIP, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Toyota RAV-4, Toyota LandCruiser LC, Toyota Landcruiser Amazon, VW Tiguan, VW Touareg, Volvo XC60, Volvo XC70, Volvo XC90. However, our tree hugging friends need not be unduly alarmed.... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=289 288 Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Did you know that half of the new cars sold in the USA are ‘Sports Utility Vehicles’ (what Ken Livingstone calls “4x4s”, and brands the owners “idiots”). In Europe, sales have doubled from 280,000 in 2001 to 560,000 in 2006. There will soon be no less than 62 different SUVs on sale in the UK. Not quite what Ken or Friends of the Earth had in mind, but earners of much needed profits for manufacturers. And now Mazda has entered the fray. SUVs are what marketing men call a “niche market”. And since very few people who buy 4x4 SUVs ever venture further off the road than the kerb, the product planners have tried to find niches of their own within the niche. This can make nomenclature a bit clumsy. Mazda describes its new CX-7 as a “Sports Crossover SUV”, which won’t mean much to the average man. So I’ll call it a Sportscar on Stilts. It’s very sleek and good looking for something that competes against blinged up bricks like the Dodge Nitro. Its cd is 0.34 rather than the usual 50 or 60. Instead of a diesel engine, an automatic transmission and soft suspension, it has a 260PS... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=288 287 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000 (Please also see 207 range test at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=211 And original 207 GT THP 150 road test at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=253) And first 207 GT THP 150 long term test at www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=272 Years ago I actually owned a 205 GTi 1.6, for 15 months and 15,000 miles. Bought for £6,400 brand new. Sold for £6,200. Changed the oil every 3,000 miles. Ran it in carefully at varying revs on the newly opened M25. First big run Wimbledon to Newhaven, then Dieppe to Zaragoza. 900 miles in a day. I still remember how the car came to life in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Then on to our place in Denia. Another trip Wimbledon to Plymouth, then Santander - Segovia - Burgos - Chinchon - Toledo - Consuegra - Denia. Brilliant little car. Just enough power to overtake, but not too much to get you into trouble. And fantastic balance. You could move the back out just by shifting your bum on the seat. So to me the 206 was a terrible disappointment. But driving the first 207s in Majorca back in early 2006 I realised Peugeot had got the recipe right again. It’s a much bigger, heavier car. Legislation has seen to that,... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=287 286 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Guest Test by Danny Cobbs It’s hard to find a real bargain on the forecourt these days, but this one is going to make a lot of customers – and dealers – very happy. The Patriot is a 4x4 with almost the same dimensions as the Ford C-Max but more off-road ability than all the far-eastern SUVs put together. The iconic styling means it could only come from one manufacturer, Jeep, but the surprise is the price-tag of just £15,995. The Americans have spent the last few years being considered as an also-ran against the likes of Land Rover, particularly in light of the updated Freelander and Range Rover’s success. Some of the more ambitious newcomers to this sector, like KIA, have been making serious headway, whereas Jeep has been stuck in a rut associated with poor emissions and over-powered American muscle under an expensive bonnet. But its off-road heritage is undisputed and it’s just pulled a fast one in comparison to its siblings Dodge and Chrysler. The Patriot is a 4-door SUV with build quality as a priority and a price-tag to make it better value for money than any other 4x4 in the same sector. It’s 20 per... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=286 285 Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000 (Updated 5-7-2007) “Waftastic” reads like a word Mike Myers may have invented to describe emissions from the F.B., or perhaps even a new Austin Powers cologne. But it also aptly describes an LS 600h L, the biggest, best and so far only hybrid limousine you can buy. It has a new 294PS 5.0 litre V8 petrol engine, a 224PS regenerative electric motor, a battery of batteries, four-wheel drive and an epicyclic ‘CVT’ transmission. And it is the only limousine in the world that can waft away from a kerb completely silently, emitting nothing whatsoever into city atmospheres, achieving everything Ken Livingstone apparently wants apart from an ostentatious display of hard-earned wealth. The car arrives in the UK on 1st October and the order book for the 275 examples to reach the UK this year is already full. Think about it for a moment. A two-and-a-half ton limo that can pull 60mph in 6 seconds, go on to an electronically limited 155mph, cruise at 112mph at just 2,000rpm, return 30.4mpg and steams in at just 219g/km CO2 so it’s also the only limo that doesn’t get hit with £400pa tax from next year. The ‘Hybrid’ signs on the side clearly tell... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=285 283 Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Have a crash in a new Volvo V70 and your chances of stepping out intact are better than in any other station wagon. There are now extra airbags in the seat squabs to protect your lower body in impacts from the side, while the front crumple zone is built from four different types of steel to absorb head-on impacts progressively, leaving the cabin intact. Even the rear bumper is of a new, buttressed design. There’s no safer estate to be in. It’s a bigger, heavier, stronger car than the previous V70, based on the new S80 floorpan rather than the narrower S60 floorpan of the previous V70. It isn’t as pretty, though. The old V70 was one of the best-looking estates you could by. The new one is handsome enough and doesn’t offend the eye, but doesn’t catch it either. It actually looks better in XC70 four-wheel-drive guise with matt black bumpers and side protectors to ward off damage, and, thankfully, no matt black nose like the old XC70. Tailgate access is now much better, which will please antique dealers, and cargo volume to window height is up 60 litres. The rear seat backs are split 40-20-40 to suit different... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=283 282 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Guest Test by David Thomas It was a miracle we didn’t run smack into the back of it at 70mph. Through the pouring rain, the lumbering school bus had pulled out from nowhere and only a last-minute flick of the wheel had saved our bacon. But the ‘bus’ that had appeared as if by magic was made of cardboard and the ‘winding country road’ was a lane marked out by cones on an old wartime airfield in the middle of Wiltshire. Although the rain was real, the make-believe road hazards were laid on by Mercedes-Benz to demonstrate the sharper steering and handling it claims is offered by a revised C-Class that went on sale last week [14 June]. Slightly wider, longer and taller by up to 55mm, the C-Class range has now been simplified from the previous five levels of trim to just three: SE, Elegance and Sport – with the four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines re-worked to deliver as much as 13 per cent more power and up to six per cent better fuel economy, while the three petrol V6 units remain unchanged. The Sport model is easily distinguished by a large Mercedes star positioned in the grille instead... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=282 281 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000 We’ve had our Soluna Vios for 39 months, and 80,000 kilometres, so I thought it was about time to sum up how it’s been. When my Thai fiancé (now wife) wanted a car, I was faced with searching in unfamiliar territory. But on the basis of specification and money it boiled down to a Honda Jazz-based City or a Soluna Vios, familiar in Thailand but neither of which are sold in the UK. The Jazz was only just arriving on the Thai market at the time and meeting with the reasons why Honda stuck a boot on the back of it to create the City. At the time, Thais thought they didn’t like hatchbacks and neither did my wife. Like the rest of Thailand, she does now, but never mind. And I had aesthetics problems with the looks of the City. So it had to be the Vios. And it had to be the ‘S’ automatic with all the goodies. Then she specced it up with leather, window deflectors and a rear spoiler. It’s turned out to be a very good choice. Apart from an interior light delay that drained the battery on day 2, it’s been a real little... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=281 280 Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Despite the protestations of earth huggers, four-wheel-drive cars seem to be breeding at an alarming rate. Not too long ago the Vauxhall Frontera had the ‘Sports Utility Vehicle’ niche pretty much to itself. And if you wanted something bigger you could have a Discovery, a Shogun or a Range Rover. Then along came the RAV-4, then the CR-V, then the Freelander. Now you need eleven hands to count them all: Audi Allroad, Audi Q7, BMW X3, BMW X5, Cadillac SRX, Citroen C-Crosser, Daihatsu Terios, FIAT Panda 4x4, FIAT Sedici, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Terracan, Jeep Compass, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, KIA Sportage, KIA Sorento, Land Rover Freelander, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery, Lexus RX, Mazda CX-7, Mercedes ML, Mercedes GL, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mitsubishi Shogun, Nissan Qashqai, Nissan X-Trail, Nissan Murano, Nissan Pathfinder, Peugeot 4007, Porsche Cayenne, SEAT Altea Freetrack, Skoda Octavia Scout, Ssangyong Kyron, Ssangyong Rexton II, Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback, Subaru Tribeca, Suzuki SX4, Suzuki Jimny, Suzuki Ignis 4GRIP, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Toyota RAV-4, Toyota LandCruiser LC, Toyota Landcruiser Amazon, VW Tiguan, VW Touareg, Volvo XC70, Volvo XC90. That’s a very crowded market for... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=280 279 Thu, 24 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000 This is a very privileged car. Because after the C6 it’s the first to get PSA/Ford’s fantastic 2.2 twin-turbo 173PS diesel engine coupled up to the Aisin Warner 6-speed automatic transmission. The engine was brilliant when I drove it in a 407 manual last year, and does sterling service with less power and more torque in the LandRover Freelander II (also now available with the same AW 6-speed automatic). But it will be next year before you’ll find it and the 6-speed auto under the bonnet of the new Mondeo. I knew what to expect of the engine. But not the transmission. First acquaintance was not good. No paddleshifts. And a wrong way round ‘Tiptronic’ type shifter. So I simply left it in drive, as most drivers will. And very quickly discovered that it didn’t need paddleshifts. The combination of engine and transmission is seemingly ideally matched, like the Zafira CDTI 120 6-speed auto. But a lot smoother, and a lot quicker. Like the 407 2.2 173, this C5 is a very rapid car. It doesn’t pretend to be a sportscar (this was a luxurious estate). And Citroen has compromised in favour of comfort, quietness, fuel economy and tyre life... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=279 278 Wed, 16 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Unlike the old MINI One, the new one is a 1.4 rather than a 1.6. So you can’t simply programme out the throttle restrictor to get Cooper performance from it. You have to settle for the 95PS it comes with. But, of course, the point of the One is to offer MINI looks for less money and a MINI that’s insurable for kids at an affordable Group 5. Inside, unless you go for the Pepper pack, you get quite a nasty plastic steering wheel that is plainly there to encourage you to spend extra for leather. But the Pepper pack is expensive, so you may prefer to choose your own goodies from the long list. The One is obviously neither as fast nor as much fun as a Cooper or Cooper D. But on the same optional 195/55 x 16 Goodyear Excellence tyres handling is the same as the Cooper D. And, despite lower overall gearing of 25mph per 1,000rpm in 6th, road noise on the motorway seemed more subdued than in the Cooper D. Possibly due to a combination of the lighter engine and higher revs partly drowning out the tyre roar. I compared it directly to ‘my’ 207... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=278 277 Wed, 09 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Whatever was wrong with the MINI Cooper S we tested back in October, now they seem to have fixed it. The Cooper Diesel I’ve just handed back was exactly how I think a MINI should be. I guess in driving the pre-production cars we must have been guinea pigged. BMW was trying out various suspension and tyre combinations to find out which we would find most acceptable. That would explain why MINI project leader Horst Radibojevic was anxious to cross-examine all of us at the coffee break half way through the test drive. We spoke as we had found. The Cooper S we had been driving was extremely refined, for a MINI, but completely lacked the raw “go kart” like feeling of fun BMW had so accurately captured with its first generation of MINIs. We had appreciated the new car for its smoothness. But we hadn’t enjoyed driving it, and that, and the looks, are the main reasons for buying a MINI. From what I’ve read by other people you’d be forgiven for thinking that the MINI Cooper diesel is the least fun of the new MINIs. Yet I found it the most fun. A lot of that was down... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=277 276 Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000 BMW has been cleaning up its act. Reducing CO2s, which goes hand in hand with improving economy. Yet also boosting power and performance. The results are a 130 mph diesel capable of 60 mpg. A 130 mph petrol model that squeaks into the 15% BIK bracket for 2007 to 2008. And similar improvements to the 120i and 120d. How BMW has done it is by a series of modifications that they collectively call ‘Efficient Dynamics’. These include ‘Brake Energy Regeneration’ by which they save 3% of power and CO2 by clutching the alternator so it only charges on engine over-run. (Effectively getting electricity for nothing.) The power steering is now variable electro-mechanical, so absorbs no power at all in the straight-ahead position and very little at speed, giving a pleasant ‘meaty’ feel to the wheel. The car has auto stop-start, which shuts down the engine when stationary and starts it again as soon as you press the clutch. There’s an ‘Optimum Shift Indicator’ for gear changes. Radiator flaps which shut off airflow on start-up so the engine gets to temperature more quickly, and also shuts off airflow when the radiator doesn’t need it. Low rolling resistance Michelin Primacy ZP 205/55... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=276 275 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000 There are three minor faults with the new Mondeo. In strong sunlight the dash vent grille reflects in the windscreen. You can’t always easily see the information display in the centre of the instrument cluster. And the quality of the cable manual gearshift varies from car to car. But that’s it. Ford seems to have done the impossible and built a car so astonishingly good it eclipses everything else under £30k. Yet prices start at half that. It’s big both outside and inside. As big as the old Granada Scorpio, yet with a lot more rear seat head and legroom and a massive 540 litre boot. It actually feels bigger inside than the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E Class. It’s also very comfortable, with superb seats you never have to readjust. It has excellent ride quality. The roadholding and handling are terrific. And both engines we tried were very strong too. If Audi, BMW and Mercedes owners drove it without knowing what it was, most would think it was a better car. But as soon as they found out it was a Ford, badge snobbery and the fear of massive depreciation would start getting in the way. Ford... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=275 274 Sun, 22 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Fallen out with Ferrari? Patronised by Porsche? Anguished by Aston Martin? Jaded by Jaguar? Few cars have been as eagerly awaited as Audi’s new R8, already sold out in the UK until late 2008. Advance orders have been taken since 2005. You can’t wangle yourself onto the waiting list. So the only way you can get early delivery is to buy someone else’s. Which means you’ll pay a premium. And the list price of £76,825, plus extras, could easily rise by overs of as much as £10k. So the question everyone wants an answer to is, “is it worth it?” You get a lot for the base price. Stunning looks, a 420PS 4.2 V8 with 430Nm torque, quattro four wheel drive, leather, air, Audi’s new, non-distracting LED daytime running lights, leather seats, fantastic 8 piston brakes, a pop-up rear spoiler you can bring down at the touch of a button; even a Ferrari-like visible engine in an open compartment under the back window. Plus a 0-60 of 4.4 seconds a top speed of 187mph and the phenomenal performance that implies in-between. The standard colours are Ibis white (which I haven’t seen but which looks sensational on the S5), with Ice... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=274 273 Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Friday 20th April 2007 Styled by a team led by Walter d’Silva, the man responsible for the Alfa Romeo 156 and the current SEAT Leon, the A5 has had quite a long gestation. We first saw it as the Nuvolari concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003 and it’s taken four years to hone and refine it into the car you see in the photos. D’Silva was given the time because, underneath, the car has the next generation of Audi drivetrain, and that couldn’t be developed overnight. The engine still overhangs the front wheels longitudinally, but the reason why the wheels are much further forward than on past Audis is a completely new transmission in which the final drive sits in front of the gearbox. Compare the noses of the A5 and the Alfa Brera or Peugeot 407 coupe, and even though those two are transverse engined, the front wheels of the A5 are much nearer the front. As well as a longer wheelbase than past Audis, the A5 also has much improved front suspension, now 5 link, with a steering rack repositioned in front of the engine so steering input is fed more directly to the wheels. The... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=273 248 Sun, 15 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Thursday 12th October 2006, updated 4th December 2006, updated again 12th April 2007. Over the last three years Mazda has made a million Mazda 3s. It’s the company’s best selling model ever. So now’s the time for a high performance version. However, not just a warmed over Mazda 3. This hatchback had to be hotter than everyone else’s. Including the Golf GTI 2.0T, the Leon 2.0T FR, the Focus ST, the Astra VXR, the Alfa 147 GTA and the Megane 225. Under the bonnet you’ll find the same 260PS, 380Nm torque 2.3 chain-cam turbo engine as fitted to the four-wheel drive Mazda 6 MPS. Only the 3 isn’t four-wheel drive. Which, together with its unequal length driveshafts, caused Mazda’s development engineers more than a few headaches in trying to get the power down. The car has electronic traction control and dynamic stability control, like the Mazda 3 Sport. Unlike the 150PS Sport, it also has a mechanical limited slip differential. But as well as that, in an attempt to get all that power and torque to the tarmac, it also has a steering-angle-sensitive throttle damping system. The idea is that when the steering is turned the system curbs the amount... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=248 272 Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Friday 6th April 2007 The first time I drove “my” 207 GT THP 150 I just drove it. (‘THP’ stands for ‘Turbo High Pressure’, incidentally.) I liked the power delivery, the handling, the braking. Thought it was like a 21st Century incarnation of the 1986 205 GTi I ran 20 years ago. But, as with people, it’s not until you have a long-term relationship that you start to appreciate the whole package. As with the Prius II I ran in 2004, I actually got exactly the same car I’d originally tested. And it’s loaded. Panoramic roof, leather, JBL Hi Fi, RT3 satnav, phone, CD changer, fragrance diffuser, rear parking aid. The panoramic roof is standard, but the other extra bits add £3,120 to the price. Other standard kit includes a lot of stuff like directional headlights, dual zone climate control, aluminium pedals and gearknob, five 17” Hockenheim alloy wheels with 205/45 Pirelli P Zero Neros, electrochrome rear mirror, automatic folding side mirrors, plus automatic lights and wipers, tyre pressure monitoring system and a five star NCAP safety rating. My 1986 205GTi had none of this. And, worryingly, wouldn’t have even rated one star in the NCAP tests. Now, three months... http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/index.htm?id=272 271 Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Friday 23rd March 2007 (corrected 11-6-2007) You may not be able to pronounce it, but Nissan Qashqai has been an astonishing success. It has already sold exactly twice the anticip