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47 Articles

August is usually a quiet month for new car launches, with many manufacturers effectively shutting shop and sending staff on holiday. However, this time our events diary was anything but empty, with five of the UK’s most popular cars being either refreshed or replaced entirely. That list includes mainstays of the UK best-sellers chart, such as the Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Golf, alongside slightly more recent additions in the form of the Hyundai Tucson and MG HS. But it’s another car that’s changed most of all; it’s even got a new name. ‘Audi sees electric and combustion-powered cars co-existing for some time to come’ Well, sort of. Instead of directly replacing today’s A4 line-up, Audi has merged it with that of the A5 and used the latter name. This is part of a…

THE SPIN-OFFTV series Angel ultimately outlived the hugely popular supernatural drama that spawned it: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now the Audi A5 is about to do the same to the long-running Audi A4. Since it was introduced in 2009, the A5 hatchback (previously dubbed Sportback) has been the sportier foil to the more formal-looking A4 executive saloon and Avant estate, with the three cars virtually identical beneath the surface. Now, though, after three decades on sale, the A4 is at the end of the road – as a combustion-engined car, at least. You see, Audi wants all of its electric models to have even numbers, and when the A4 returns as an electric vehicle (EV), possibly in 2026, it’ll be as a rival to the Tesla Model 3. The two-door coupé and cabriolet…

CHANCES ARE, IF you try to think back to when family SUVs started to really take off in popularity, the car that springs to mind is the Nissan Qashqai. It’s the car widely credited with starting the family SUV trend more than a decade ago, inspiring countless rivals on the way, not least the Kia Sportage, Seat Ateca, Skoda Karoq and Volvo XC40. In an effort to keep these rivals at bay, the Qashqai has been facelifted, gaining a much larger front grille, sleeker headlights and clear lenses for the rear lights, along with a few new paint colours and wheel designs. Entry-level Visia trim has been dropped, but a new midspec N-Design version has been added, and that’s what we’re testing here. N-Design adds distinctive body-coloured wheel arches and side skirts,…

THERE IS A saying that you wait ages for a bus and then two come along at once, and in this instance we have another freshly updated family SUV – the Hyundai Tucson – hoping to divert your attention from the Nissan Qashqai on the previous page. Granted, it isn’t all that long since either of these cars first went on sale, but the timing is highly coincidental. While the Qashqai has received an eyecatching new front grille, the Tucson already had one – which might explain why the exterior remains largely the same as before. You get revised bumpers and fewer (although individually larger) ‘jewel’ daytime running lights on either side of the grille, but you’ll have to look inside to spot the biggest changes. There’s a new steering wheel and…

Volkswagen Golf

THE YEAR 1974 was a pretty busy one. What Car? had its first birthday, Richard Nixon resigned as US President, the Terracotta Army was discovered, Abba won the Eurovision song contest and, most relevantly, the Volkswagen Golf was introduced to the world. In the 50 years since, the Golf has become one of the most recognisable family cars out there, evolving over the years but maintaining a strong family resemblance. Volkswagen is proud of that fact and maintains that it’ll remain recognisable even if (or when) the Golf goes electric. That’s a discussion for the future, though. Right now, the Golf has been treated to a mid-life facelift. But what has changed? Well, exterior tweaks are limited to reshaped bumpers, new LED headlights and new wheel designs. The most identifiable difference is…

Volkswagen Golf

THE MG HS family SUV is, of course, worlds away from the two-seat sports cars with which the brand originally found fame. But while the recently launched fully electric MG Cyberster roadster newly rekindles that heritage, it’s undoubtable that cars like the HS are essential for the firm’s bottom line. In fact, this family SUV is MG’s best-selling car in the UK, with more than 57,000 sold in the past four years. In fact, it was the UK’s overall best-seller in January 2023 – the first time MG has managed that feat in its 100-year history. The HS must be doing something right, then, and this all-new version needs to follow suit. Thankfully, on paper, it seems to have kept everything that made it appealing in the first place, while ironing out…

UP UNTIL RECENTLY, the Kia Sorento held the elevated position of being the brand’s flagship seven-seat SUV. Last year, though, that torch was passed on to the pure electric (and rather enormous) EV9. However, the Sorento still has a vital role in Kia’s line-up, and it’s just been updated to underline its importance. At the front, a new vertical lighting design gives the Sorento a closer family resemblance to the EV9 and upcoming EV3, but less has changed in mechanical terms. You can still choose between a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or a diesel engine, each of which has four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox. The diesel offers plenty of low-down torque and is a good fit if you regularly haul a full complement of passengers or luggage around, or if you…

Renault Symbioz

ITS NAME IS a collection of letters that would give Countdown players a panic attack, but Renault hopes that ‘Symbioz’ will soon be a part of everyone’s daily lexicon. What you’re looking at here is Renault’s new rival to the Nissan Qashqai – a family SUV that’s a mainstay of the best-seller list. The Symbioz’s main game plan is to offer more car for your money than you get with the Qashqai or Kia Sportage. Having a name derived from ‘symbiosis’ is pretty appropriate, because the Symbioz lives in very close proximity to the Austral in the French brand’s line-up – a car that’s just 97mm longer and is a Qashqai rival in itself. Mechanically, though, the Symbioz has more in common with Renault’s smaller Captur, including its sole engine, the…

Renault Symbioz

AUDI LAUNCHEDTHE world’s first highperformance estate back in 1994, and now, 30 years later, its new A6 e-tron is showing that there’s still a place for such cars in the electric era. Available in both Avant (Audi-speak for estate) and Sportback (hatchback) forms, it can blast from 0-62mph in 3.9sec if you go for the 543bhp S6 model. But even the cheapest version at launch – the 362bhp Performance – lives up to its name, requiring only 5.4sec. If anything, range is even more impressive, with the S6 officially capable of covering up to 398 miles between charges as an Avant and 416 miles if you go for the Sportback (thanks to that car’s superior aerodynamics). Meanwhile, with the Performance, those figures rise to 447 miles and 466 miles respectively. By comparison,…

IF YOU MANAGE to pause the 2001 car-themed action filmThe Fast And The Furious just right, you’ll spot a fifth-generation Honda Prelude featured prominently in a pivotal scene. The inclusion of Honda’s sporty coupé in what has become one of the most successful film franchises in history is no mistake; the Prelude is regarded by fans of modified cars as one of the finest of its breed ever made. And now, 23 years after the last Prelude went off sale, there’s an all-new model on the way. The new Prelude should have no trouble turning heads, with its swept-back roofline, sculpted bonnet and deep front air intakes helping it to stand out, even against sporty coupé rivals that include the BMW M240i and Mercedes-AMG CLA 35, and sports cars like the Toyota…

ESCAPE WITH WHAT CAR? THIS SUMMER

Looking for a great read this summer? Look no further! Whether you’re buying or selling, keeping up to date on the latest technology, or looking for maintenance tips and advice, What Car? has it all. Save 40% on the shop price and enjoy: ✔ The latest stories that matter to motorists✔ Comprehensive buyer’s guides and head-to-head comparisons✔ In-depth reviews and first drives of new models✔ The best car products and maintenance tips✔ Unbeatable advice on buying and selling PLUS as a subscriber, you’ll get exclusive subscriber-only content, access to unforgettable events, discounts on tickets and the chance to join our Reader Test Team with Subscriber Extra. PRINT SAVE £17 £24.99 FOR 6 ISSUES PRINT + DIGITAL SAVE £39 £28.99 FOR 5 ISSUES Fancy reading What Car? on the go? Add digital access to your subscription to read…

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DEALS of the month

Smart #1 WHAT CAR? SAYS Model Premium List price £38,950 Target Price £36,950 Target PCP £398 The #1 is much better than the city cars that Smart made its name with. Being great to drive, with an eye-catching, high-quality interior and lots of safety kit, helps this small electric SUV earn our top rating. Plus, in Premium trim, it has a competitive official range of 273 miles. SCAN FOR A GREAT DEAL ON THIS CAR BMW X5 WHAT CAR? SAYS Model xDrive50e M Sport List price £82,055 Target Price £77,389 Target PCP £752 Our pick of the X5 range is the xDrive50e plug-in hybrid. It combines a 3.0-litre petrol engine, an electric motor and a 25.7kWh (usable) battery, which means it can officially cover up to 65 miles on electric power alone. Ford Puma WHAT CAR? SAYS Model 1.0 Ecoboost 155 mHEV ST-Line List price £29,250 Target Price £27,368 Target…

DEALS of the month

ELECTRIC SUV Ford Capri With five doors and a spacious interior, the new electric Capri is a much better fit with family life than the original two-door coupé. And, being closely related to the new electric Ford Explorer, it’s bang up to date, with an impressive official range of up to 389 miles in entry-level form. Price from £48,075 SMALL/FAMILY CARS AND MPVs BMW 1 Series October 2024 Facelifted premium hatch range narrowed to two models: 168bhp 120 and 296bhp M135. Alpine A290 Winter 2024 Sports car specialist goes mainstream with an electric hot hatch that packs up to 215bhp. Renault 5 Winter 2024 A290’s sensible sister could give a range of up to 249 miles, yet affordability will be key. SMALL SUVS AND FAMILY SUVS Alfa Romeo Junior October 2024 Sporty-looking mechanical clone of the Fiat 600e and Jeep Renegade electric SUVs. SMALL…

TYRES DESERVE RATHER more consideration than many drivers give them. Those four strips of rubber provide the only contact between a car and the road, making them crucial to your car’s safety and performance. Yet 40% of drivers don’t know which brand of tyre is fitted to their vehicle, and more than half of tyre buyers don’t ask which brand made them before having them fitted. Grip levels vary drastically between the best and worst tyres on the market, and this has a huge effect on stopping distances. In our wet-weather tyre tests, we found a 10.4-metre difference between the stopping distances of the best and worst tyres. That’s about the length of a double-decker bus, and in an emergency situation it could mean the difference between being involved in a…

THE NEW CX-80 SUV is not only Mazda’s largest model yet but also its first seven-seater since the Mazda 5 MPV, which went off sale in the UK in 2015. Although it’s closely related to the CX-60 family SUV, the CX-80 is longer and taller, so there’s more space for passengers and luggage. Buyers who don’t need seven pews can have a six-seat configuration with two reclining captain’s chairs in the second row. This format makes it easier to access the third-row seats. The CX-80 also shares its sibling’s engines: a 251bhp mild hybrid 3.3-litre diesel or a 323bhp plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a 2.5-litre petrol. The diesel has an official average fuel economy figure of 48mpg, and the PHEV can officially cover up to 38 miles on electric power alone. Prices start…

JOINING UP THE TOTS

Do you struggle with parking in a multi-storey car park? Find squeezing your car down a narrow lane challenging? Does it barely fit in your garage? Ever pondered whether your car might just be too darned big? Well, you’re not alone. Since the 1970s, cars have been growing in size, with the average car’s width increasing by 1cm (0.4in) every two years, according to non-profit organisation Transport and Environment, a leading European advocate for clean transport and energy. Factors that drive this growth include the perception that bigger cars are safer and more refined. But is it really necessary? We’re not so sure. That’s why we’ve rounded up three of the smallest cars currently on sale for a road trip. We’ll navigate everything from the narrowest street in London to the (hopefully)…

JOINING UP THE TOTS

NEW Lexus LBX 1.5 Premium Plus List price £34,505 Target Price £34,087 Our reigning Car of the Year is a small SUV with hybrid power for efficiency, plus an interior worthy of much pricier Lexus models USED BMW X1 xDrive23i M Sport (Pro Pack) Price new (2023) £42,970 Price now £36,000* Larger than the LBX, the X1 promises greater practicality, plus it’s got a more powerful petrol engine When Apple launched the iPhone 12 Mini as a smaller, cheaper alternative to the regular iPhone 12, many people assumed it would be a comprehensive downgrade, but that was far from the case. Bar the battery, the 12 Mini had the exact same internals as its bigger sibling, so it performed just the same. Similarly, the Lexus LBX is the smallest and cheapest model in the premium brand’s range. Yet not only does this small…

ELECTRIC CAR AWARDS 2024

BEST ELECTRIC SMALL CAR Mini Cooper SE Exclusive I magine it’s 1959. The Mini has just been launched as the Austin Mini Minor – and it’s electric. No, of course it wasn’t, but the new electric Mini Cooper could convince you that the legendary (extremely) small car should have been electric from the beginning. This is the fourth generation of Mini since BMW took the reins in 2001 but, from behind the wheel at least, you could imagine it having taken over directly from the 1959 original, complete with a dinner plate-sized single central instrument with a row of toggle switches below. However, rather than serving only as a speedometer, said instrument is now also a 9.4in touchscreen that looks after infotainment and many of the car’s functions. It’s a shame that the toggle…

ELECTRIC CAR AWARDS 2024

Renault Clio1.0 1.0 TCe 90 Evolution

BACK WHEN I was 17, I learnt to drive in a Renault Clio. And like most other people who love cars, I’ve always had something of a soft spot for my first set of wheels. Specifically, the car was an early fourth-generation Clio – a model that seemed to be very popular with driving instructors at the time. Looking back now, it’s easy to see why; it provided new drivers like myself with a soft landing when being introduced to the open road. Its small size made it unintimidating, and its light yet precise controls made it comparatively easy to manoeuvre. Fast forward to earlier this year, when I was filming a video review of the latest model for What Car?’s YouTube channel, and it was clear that the Clio is now…

Renault Clio1.0 1.0 TCe 90 Evolution

Lexus LBX 1.5 Hybrid Premium Plus Design

Mileage 1014 List price £35,605 Target Price £35,173 Price as tested £35,605 Test economy 56.2mpg IT’S EASY TO take the hybrid nature of my Lexus LBX for granted, but it’s actually the reason why it’s not only quiet but also ruthlessly efficient. Indeed, I’m getting upwards of 56mpg without really trying – great news for my bank balance. And I reckon, with a very light right foot, I could match the 64mpg that my car is officially capable of. However, oddly, in one way, the LBX is a backwards step. You see, I recently got to spend some time in the original Honda Insight, which went on sale at the turn of the century and (along with the Toyota Prius) is considered to be one of the founding fathers of hybrid motoring.…

Lexus LBX 1.5 Hybrid Premium Plus Design

Mazda MX-30 R-EV Makoto

Mileage 4445 List price £35,895 Target Price £34,193 Price as tested £37,895 Test economy 83.7mpg THE BATTERY IN the relatively cheap folding e-bike that I bought online less than a year ago died recently, with no real hope of getting it replaced or working again. So, I decided to buy a new e-bike made by an established European brand and supplied by an actual bike shop, in the hope that it would serve me better than the previous one. That meant collecting it from the dealer in Farnham, Surrey – but I wasn’t 100% confident in advance that my new purchase would fit into the back of my Mazda MX-30. Even with the parcel shelf left behind in my garage and the rear seatbacks folded down, the MX-30’s extended load bay didn’t…

Mazda MX-30 R-EV Makoto

Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0 EcoBlue Auto 4WD

Mileage 7382 List price £57,064 Target Price na Price as tested £59,824 Test economy 25.3mpg “CAN YOU GET one last photo,” is a phrase that’s often uttered late in the day, when the light is fading and I’m faced with a two-hour drive home. It’s even more grating when – as on the most recent occasion – it has to be taken from a decidedly off-road perspective. Fortunately, having experimented with my pick-up’s various off-road systems, what I’ve learnt is that the Raptor makes things easy. Before starting out along a series of deeply rutted farmer’s tracks to reach my shooting destination, I simply put the truck into four-wheel drive mode and selected the mud setting via the rotary controller on the centre console. This optimises the traction control for slippery surfaces, and…

Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0 EcoBlue Auto 4WD

Genesis GV60 RWD Premium

Mileage 8106 List price £54,105 Target Price £54,105 Price as tested £59,605 Test range 300 miles ACCORDING TO THE Office for National Statistics, almost half of the UK population works from home at least part of the week. The reality for me as a journalist, however, is that I’ll work wherever I can find an internet connection and power for my laptop – whether that’s in the office, at home or out on the road. And that made the Vehicle-to-Load Pack a must-have option when speccing my Genesis GV60. Essentially, it turns my electric car into a power station, complete with two three-pin sockets. Impressively, it can power devices that consume up to 3.5kW. In theory, it could run a washing machine, a fan heater or even an electric oven, though whether…

Genesis GV60 RWD Premium

Lexus RZ 450e+ Takumi Bi-tone

AT THE TIME of writing, an annual season ticket to take me from my nearest station (Mistley, Essex) to What Car?’s headquarters in Twickenham works out at more than £700 per month. Meanwhile, a Lexus RZ 450e Takumi like mine costs £450 per month on PCP finance via our free New Car Deals service. Granted, that excludes the 15% deposit you have to put down first, but taking the deal means you get an entire car to use whenever you want, on any road you want to explore. And, of course, you can park on your doorstep, rather than walking half a mile to catch a train. I looked forward to boarding the Lexus, rather than standing on a drizzly platform awaiting a crowded commuter service. But to fully meet my needs,…

Lexus RZ 450e+ Takumi Bi-tone

Audi A6 Avant 45 TFSI quattro Sport

YOU COULD SAY that I’ve been inching towards running an Audi A6 Avant for about 16 years. Back in 2008 I snapped up a 10-year-old Audi A4 saloon as a stop-gap car to tide me over, never thinking for a minute that I’d still own it in 2024. I’ve hung on to it for so long because it’s been unerringly reliable, has remained a pleasure to drive and, frankly I really like the way it looks; I always give it an admiring glance after locking it up at journey’s end. It’s long had me wondering, though, what a brand new Audi might be like to live with, and now I’m finally finding out. Ruefully, I’d have to say I’ve grown more sensible in the years since I bought the A4. So, because…

Audi A6 Avant 45 TFSI quattro Sport

BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport

Mileage 4008 List price £77,105 Target Price £71,200 Price as tested £92,570 Test range 318 miles WHEN ASKED WHY Apple struggled after he left the company in 1985, Steve Jobs said it suffered from “a disease of thinking that a great idea is 90% of the work” when in reality “an idea is worth nothing unless executed well”. And I think there’s a parallel when it comes to driver assistance technology. You see, to earn Euro NCAP’s maximum five-star safety rating, cars must now be fitted with a host of systems (including lane-keeping assistance and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist recognition) that many What Car? readers I’ve spoken to clearly find deeply annoying. But I reckon it’s not the systems themselves that are the problem, but flaws in how they’ve…

BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport

Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD (used)

Mileage 21,618 List price when new (2021) £49,590 Price new with options £49,590 Value now £31,000 Test range 287 miles DRIVING ALONG AN unlit motorway one night recently, I was impressed with the reach of my used Tesla Model 3’s main beam headlights, and how the light beam followed the curves in the road as I approached them. While I’d usually have thought this was down to the efforts of a lighting engineer during the original development of the vehicle, it is, in fact, the result of a recent software change that’s improved the functionality of the headlights, and it’s just one of many improvements that have been made to my 2021 Model 3 since it was first registered, thanks to Tesla’s over-the-air updates. The US car maker was the first to introduce…

Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD (used)

Audi A5 Sportback

In production 2016-present Price from £13,000 Our favourite version 35 TDI Sport THE RIGHT SUIT can make you the talk of the office, but it could give the impression that you don’t like to let your hair down. The Audi A5 Sportback is the A4 executive saloon’s more laid-back colleague; think drinks after work, rather than toiling over spreadsheets in overtime. It is, in effect, an A5 Coupé with two extra doors and a hatchback boot, so it’s a practical yet pretty rival to the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé and Mercedes-Benz CLA. In terms of engines, the entry-level 2.0-litre petrol makes a very respectable 148bhp; you can also get 187bhp and 249bhp versions. There’s a pair of 2.0-litre diesels, too, with 148bhp or 187bhp. As part of a 2020 facelift, the 187bhp petrol…

Audi A5 Sportback

Price today £10,000* Suzuki Swift Sport 1.4 Boosterjet List price when new £21,570 Available from 2018-2024 It has a larger and more powerful engine, but is the Swift Sport as agile as its rival? Price today £10,000* Volkswagen Up GTI 1.0 TSI 115 3dr List price when new £16,140 Available from 2017-2023 The regular Up is a great city car, and this sporty GTI version adds a slug of extra power to the mix SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT VOLKSWAGEN UP GTI SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT VOLKSWAGEN UP GTI IF YOU HAVE ever wondered why the Red Arrows favour the petite Hawk jet trainer and not the bigger, faster Typhoon fighter, it all comes down to nimbleness. Putting on the same show in Typhoons as the famous aerobatics team performs in Hawks would take a much bigger chunk of sky. The Suzuki Swift Sport and Volkswagen Up GTI…

Buyer’s guide

whatcar.com/new-car-deals Key information: Fuel economy figures and electric car ranges are official results achieved in WLTP testing ‘We’ve got Best Buys for every need’WHAT CAR? TEAM NEW CAR DEALS Whichever car takes your fancy, our online New Car Deals service is the way to get it at a great price. It links you with trusted dealers who base their offers on our Target Price, which is the maximum you should pay and is set by our mystery shoppers. This way, you can get your ideal car at a discount without having to haggle. HOW WE RANK OUR TOP 10s Every year, we drive hundreds of new or updated models. We test them back to back with rivals. We look at everything from comfort to costs, practicality to performance, and refinement to reliability. Then, armed with all…

In association with 1 RENAULT CLIO Our pick 1.0 TCe 90 Techno List price £19,695 Target Price £17,636 MPG 53.3 CO2 119g/km For Very well priced; smart interior is packed with equipment; fine ride and handling balance; practical boot Against Tight for taller adults in the rear seats; slightly firm low-speed ride; high boot loading lip WHAT CAR? SAYS WITH A BROAD spread of abilities and tempting pricing, the latest Clio represents such great value that it’s our reigning Small Car of the Year. As well as being agile and more fun to drive than rivals such as the Skoda Fabia, the Clio has a smart-looking and generously equipped interior with a portrait-style infotainment screen. Although the rear seats are a bit on the snug side for tall adults, the Clio’s boot is among the largest in this class (unless you…

1 TOYOTA COROLLA Our pick 1.8 Hybrid Icon List price £30,505 Target Price £28,362 MPG 61.4 CO2 104g/km For Frugal in real-world driving; comfy and good to drive; generously equipped; well built and reliable Against Tight for adults in rear seats; so-so infotainment system; instrument panel could be more user-friendly WHAT CAR? SAYS THE COROLLA IS a car that will work for just about everyone in the market for a family hatchback. Being a hybrid, it can help you save money, because it can run partly on electric power to conserve petrol. In our real-world economy test, our preferred 1.8-litre model (there’s also a punchier 2.0-litre version) averaged an impressive 50.5mpg. True, it can’t go as far on electric power as a plug-in hybrid, but for many owners it’ll be more convenient, because you don’t need to plug it…

1 MERCEDES-AMG A45 Our pick S Plus List price £63,370 Target Price £59,870 MPG 30.8 CO2 208g/km For Savage acceleration; immense grip; entertaining handling; quick-shifting automatic gearbox Against Very expensive to buy; some hot hatches are comfier; infotainment controls could be easier to use WHAT CAR? SAYS YOU’LL HAVE NO need for an alarm clock if you own an A45, because you’ll want to wake up at the crack of dawn just so you can go for a blast in it. Not only is this 416bhp, four-wheel-drive rocketship absurdly rapid in a straight line, but it’s also agile and entertaining through corners. Although it isn’t quite as civilised as the similar-priced Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the A45 is barely any less practical or easy to live with than a regular A-Class. Bespoke features such as AMG sports seats, a…

In associaton with 1 LEXUS LBX Our pick 1.5 Premium Plus List price £34,505 Target Price £34,087 MPG 61.4 CO2 103g/km For High-quality interior; efficient hybrid system promises low running costs; very well equipped Against Fidgety low-speed ride; refinement could be better; short on rear seat space WHAT CAR? SAYS THINK LEXUS MAKES only big, expensive cars? Well, think again, because the LBX is a small SUV with a comparatively small price tag. Yet despite this, there’s nothing cut price about how it looks, feels or drives. The interior is the classiest you’ll find in any small SUV, with plush materials and rock-solid build quality, even if it’s a little tight in the rear seats. Our recommended Premium Plus trim comes with plenty of standard equipment, including a head-up display that projects the most important information onto the windscreen in…

1 KIA SPORTAGE Our pick 1.6 T-GDi 3 List price £32,890 Target Price £30,899 MPG 44.1 CO2 146g/km For Smart-looking and spacious interior; large boot; good comfort/handling balance; generous warranty Against Very few options available; slightly unsettled low-speed ride; rear seating could be more flexible WHAT CAR? SAYS SOME PEOPLE MIGHT think they’re getting a superior car if they go for a premium-badged model rather than something more down to earth, but when a car is as well rounded as the Sportage, it’s really difficult to justify the extra outlay. As well as being good to drive and a bit comfier and more refined than the closely related Hyundai Tucson, the Sportage has a smart-looking and user-friendly interior, with loads of space for rear passengers and a large, practical boot. Although the rear seats don’t slide like they do…

1 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Our pick 1.6T Hybrid Premium List price £46,775 Target Price £44,849 MPG 41.5 CO2 155g/km For Outstanding practicality; great driving position; plush interior; long warranty; impressive refinement Against Touchscreen controls for most climate functions; acceleration feels a little laboured WHAT CAR? SAYS LIKE ITS PREDECESSORS, the latest Santa Fe is a hugely practical SUV that can transport up to seven people in comfort. But it looks a lot more stiking on the outside and feels far more upmarket inside. The driving position is fantastic, too; there’s a huge amount of seat and steering wheel adjustment, plus you sit high off the ground for a terrific forward view. In fact, visibility is good all round, so the Santa Fe is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre. The fact that you and your passengers are well isolated from wind and…

1 TESLA MODEL 3 Our pick RWD List price £39,990 Target Price £39,990 Range 318 miles CO2 0g/km For Class-leading efficiency; fast charging via Tesla’s own network; surprisingly practical; well priced Against Some fiddly controls; saloon boot opening is relatively small; windscreen pillars hamper visibility WHAT CAR? SAYS AS WELL AS being one of the best electric cars you can buy, the Model 3 makes complete sense for company car drivers, largely thanks to its lowly 2% benefit-in-kind tax rating and outstanding efficiency. Even the entry-level rear-wheel-drive (RWD) version we recommend has a long official range (318 miles), while the Long Range model promises 390 miles between charges (on 19in wheels). We know from our own tests that the Model 3 can go farther than most electric rivals in real-world use, too. What’s more, the Model 3 is good to…

1 BMW X7 Our pick xDrive40d M Sport (Ultimate Pack) List price £110,060 Target Price £103,340 MPG 35.3 CO2 210g/km For Super-quiet and cosseting; hugely practical, with loads of room for seven adults; high-quality materials Against There are cheaper alternatives; feels its size and weight; looks won’t be to all tastes WHAT CAR? SAYS IT MAY BE an SUV, but the X7 is everything a luxury car should be, and more. As well as having a sumptuous and tech-laden interior, the X7 benefits from a commanding driving position and easily enough room to seat seven adults in complete comfort; these last two things are not available in saloon alternatives such as BMW’s 7 Series. Decked out in plush, high-quality materials, the X7’s interior has a real wow factor. And if you go for the optional Ultimate Pack (which is…

1 TOYOTA COROLLA TOURING SPORTS Our pick 1.8 Hybrid Icon List price £31,840 Target Price £29,602 MPG 62.7 CO2 101g/km For Impressive fuel economy; comfortable ride; practical boot; well equipped; very dependable Against Engine can be noisy under hard acceleration; more wind and road noise than in some rivals WHAT CAR? SAYS THERE’S MORE TO being an excellent estate than the ability to accommodate a family in comfort or the occasional wardrobe, because the best of them are also cosseting, frugal and dependable. And it’s these qualities that propel the Corolla Touring Sports to the top of this category. Unlike any of its direct rivals, the Touring Sports is a hybrid, so it can run on electric power alone for short distances to help conserve petrol. In our recommended 1.8-litre form, the Corolla averages 62.7mpg, beating a comparable petrol…

1 BMW 4 SERIES COUPÉ Our pick 420i M Sport List price £44,195 Target Price £40,969 MPG 44.8 CO2 144g/km For Great to drive; comfortable ride on adaptive suspension; high-quality interior; decent space in rear seats Against Looks won’t be for everyone; some rivals have larger boots; some wind and tyre noise at high speeds WHAT CAR? SAYS ITS LOOKS MAY be divisive, but whether or not you’re a fan of this 4 Series’ aggressive styling, you’ll love what’s underneath. You see, this is one of the most rewarding driver’s cars in the class; it’s more agile and capable through corners than the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé. And as long as you specify the optional adaptive suspension (which we recommend), it’s more comfortable than most rivals and on a par with the CLE when you switch to the softest setting,…

1 BMW 4 SERIES CONVERTIBLE Our pick 420i M Sport List price £51,280 Target Price £47,553 MPG 41.5 CO2 155g/km For Sharp handling; comfy ride on adaptive suspension; user-friendly infotainment system; classy interior Against Some visibility issues; folding rear seatbacks don’t split; adjustable lumbar support costs extra WHAT CAR? SAYS THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT we can pay the BMW 4 Series is that on its journey from coupé to convertible, it has remained excellent to drive – something that’s often not the case, given the extra strengthening (and weight) an open-top car needs. In the 4 Series, however, it retains the sharp handling and punchy performance that we so enjoy in the coupé. Plus, the 4 Series features the kind of high-tech, comfortable interior that will make even long journeys a breeze, and it’s even relatively practical. While you could opt…

1 PORSCHE CAYENNE COUPÉ Our pick S List price £99,700 Target Price £99,700 MPG 22.6 CO2 284g/km For Powerful engine; fantastic handling for its size; classy and spacious inside Against Expensive to run; you’ll want to add options; some rivals have a more comfortable ride WHAT CAR? SAYS PORSCHE’S UNCANNY ABILITY to transfer its sports car know-how into its more practical SUV models is one of the key reasons why the Macan and Cayenne make such great sports SUVs. For such a large, heavy car, the latter has no right to handle or perform the way it does, with the even sharper Coupé version being our pick. No version of the Cayenne Coupé is slow, but stepping up from the entry-level V6 model to the 468bhp 4.0-litre V8 S is well worth the extra money for its 4.7sec 0-62mph…

1 PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN Our pick GTS 4.0 List price £77,695 Target Price £77,695 MPG 25.9 CO2 247g/km For Sublime handling; GTS’s rich and soulful six-cylinder engine; smooth ride; high-quality interior Against Lacks the level of standard kit you’d expect of such a pricey car, both in terms of luxuries and safety WHAT CAR? SAYS IT’D BE EASY to write off the Cayman as a poor man’s 911. It can be bought for as little as half the money, so it must be half the car, right? Well, actually, no; in the ways that matter most, the Cayman is the best sports car on the planet. The only caveat is that you need to go for the GTS version, because this swaps the uncouth four-cylinder engines of lesser versions for a 4.0-litre flat six with scintillating performance and a…

PERFORMANCE CARS

1 BMW M3 TOURING Our pick xDrive Competition List price £87,945 Target Price £82,692 MPG 27.2 CO2 234g/km For Scorching performance; sharp and entertaining handling; practical boot; comfy cruiser; snappy gearbox Against Engine doesn’t sound all that inspiring; expensive to buy and run, and you’ll want to add options WHAT CAR? SAYS IT TOOK BMW 37 years to offer the M3 in estate form, but it was worth the wait. You see, much as we love the M3 saloon, the Touring is even more desirable, thanks to its extra versatility. The M3 Touring uses the same 503bhp twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol engine as the saloon, and it comes with traction-enhancing fourwheel drive as standard to help you make the most of all that power. As well as being incredibly quick (0-62mph takes just 3.6sec), the M3 Touring is sharper and more…

PERFORMANCE CARS

STAR RATINGS Outstanding Above average Average Below average Poor TARGET PRICE The What Car? Target Price is the maximum you should pay for a new car and is set by our mystery shoppers. It’s updated each month and most of our approved dealers will match it. However, in a lot of cases they can save you even more: just visit whatcar.com/new-car-deals. All Target Prices are correct at the time of going to press. TARGET PCP The Target PCP is a fair monthly fee if you’re taking out a personal contract purchase (PCP) finance deal, also set by our mystery shoppers. Most are over 48 months with a 15% deposit and an 8000-mile annual limit. Those marked with an asterisk are over 36 months and those with an apostrophe are over 42 months. Ford deals are over 9000 miles, while those for…

NEW CARS THIS MONTH

p134 Ford Capri Price from £48,075 Data fact Ford Explorer’s coupé SUV sister offers 572 litres of luggage space. Entry-level Select trim brings an official range of 374 miles. p147 Renault Symbioz Price from £29,295 Data fact Hybrid-powered family SUV is 174mm longer than the Renault Captur small SUV on which it’s based. Official fuel economy is 60.1mpg. p150 Toyota Land Cruiser Price from £74,995 Data fact Seven-seat SUV to rival the Land Rover Defender 110. It’s almost five metres long and the most frugal version officially returns 26.7mpg. p152 Volkswagen ID Buzz LWB Price from £59,035 Data fact Extended electric MPV is 270mm longer than the regular model, yet it’ll set you back just £510 extra. Gone but not forgotten EQC – the first electric SUV from Mercedes-Benz p153…

NEW CARS THIS MONTH

Mercedes-Benz EQC 2019-2024

GERMANY SEEMED TO be having a bit of an electric SUV race in 2019; we first drove the Audi E-tron (now named Q8 e-tron) in June of that year, and we got behind the wheel of its Mercedes-Benz EQC rival a month later. Based on the combustion-engined GLC family SUV, the EQC earned our four-star rating when we first encountered it. “Comfortable and exceptionally quiet,” we said, “but rivals are either more practical or will get you farther.” In other words, the EQC put indulgence ahead of more mundane considerations. It certainly wasn’t short on showroom appeal. Externally, it was the first model to usher in a look that would soon appear on every electric Mercedes, and it was suitably high-tech and glitzy inside. You got twin 10.25in colour screens – one…

Mercedes-Benz EQC 2019-2024

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