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LAND Rover has unveiled one of the most expensive versions yet of its latest Range Rover: the Lansdowne Edition. Built in honour of Stratstone’s new Land Rover showroom in Mayfair, London, the model is limited to just 16 units and all are already sold, at around £250,000 apiece. The car features bespoke grey paint with a contrasting roof, 23-inch forged wheels, SV-branded puddle lamps, a “tailgate event suite” with padded leather cushions, and a blacked-out grille badge. The interior gets unique upholstery, with diagonal stitching on the seats, dash and doors, plus ceramic controls in satin black, and illuminated tread plates with “SV Bespoke – Lansdowne Edition 1 of 16” highlighted on them.…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● High-performance Audi leads our spyshot round-up ● Sporty cues for next Polestar and Cupra releases AUDI is readying its electric future, and if these latest spy shots are anything to go by, performance models will play a part in that. Our photographers have captured a sportier version of the A6 e-tron testing, and it’s believed to be the RS model. The standard A6 e-tron has been spied before, but this prototype features large, red-painted brake calipers, highlighting a greater focus on performance. It’s thought that the regular A6 e-tron in Sportback and Avant estate form will be unveiled next summer, and the RS 6 e-tron in spring 2025. As with the standard car, the all-electric RS 6 will be based on Audi’s PPE platform, shared with fellow VW…

Maybach offers the ultimate luxury PHEV LUXURY brand Maybach has launched its first plug-in hybrid model. The Mercedes-Maybach S 580 e (above) has a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor delivering a total of 503bhp and 750Nm. The S-Class-based model accelerates from 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and can travel at up to 87mph on electric power alone. It’s capable of running for up to 62 miles between charges. The car is being launched in China, but Maybach says sales in Europe will follow. Britishvolt buyout could help UK industry AUSSIE start-up Recharge Industries has trumped rivals and looks set to take over the UK’s stillborn battery manufacturer Britishvolt. Administrators announced last week that Recharge was the ‘preferred bidder’, but few details have been issued on its proposal. Britishvolt…

FEBRUARY 17 2003, was a pivotal day for motorists in the UK, marking the first time they were asked to pay for the privilege of driving into the centre of one of our major cities. London’s Congestion Charge divided opinion at the time, and 20 years on, it remains hugely polarising. Advocates claim the scheme plays a key role in trying to shift attitudes towards transport in our capital city. Critics, of which there are many, argue it is little more than an unfair tax on motorists that has delivered few tangible benefits. Christina Calderato, director of transport strategy and policy at Transport for London (TfL), which is responsible for the charge, is unequivocal that it has been a success. “When it was originally implemented, you saw the impacts of…

MANY people believed that the arrival of the C-Charge in London would spark a mass rollout of similar schemes elsewhere. But it hasn’t turned out like that. There’s a limited C-Charge in Durham that actually precedes the capital’s, but it only applies to a very small area on the Durham Peninsula and is currently pegged at £2. Of more significance are Cambridge’s ongoing plans to introduce a London-style charge (£5 a day) for motorists to enter its centre to raise funds for a sustainable bus network. A recent consultation on the matter attracted 27,000 responses, demonstrating the strong opinions schemes such as this provoke. Clean-air zones are currently more of a focus in other cities, where owners of vehicles that exceed certain emission standards have to pay a fee to…

THE 80’s shell is galvanised, so you’re far less likely to encounter rust than in many other cars of the era. The engines are all fairly simple, so shouldn’t give any issues, but ensure your prospect has received frequent oil changes. It’s worth pointing out the B3 80 has a small three-litre oil reservoir, so listen for any nasty rattles that could indicate the car has been run on too little. Some early examples don’t have power steering, and these are worth avoiding. You’ll have much more choice if you go for the newer B4 80. While designated as a new generation and featuring a longer wheelbase, it’s best thought of as a heavy update of the B3. It arguably looks better inside and out, and there’s a practical estate…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk “With no other full-hybrid estates on the market, the Corolla Touring Sports has a niche” WHILE the five-door 1.8 Hybrid will make up the majority of Corolla sales, Toyota still also offers a Sports Tourer estate bodystyle for extra practicality, as well as a 2.0-litre version of its petrol-electric powertrain for more performance. It now packs a total of 193bhp thanks to the same improvements to the battery, power unit transaxle and other system components as the 1.8, which results in a drop in the Corolla’s 0-62mph time, down to 7.7 seconds in this estate model. However, efficiency is actually improved slightly compared with its predecessor, at 61.4mpg for the 2.0-litre GR Sport model, with 105g/km of CO2 emissions. There’s no denying this is strong performance on both fronts,…

Matt_Robinson@autovia.co.uk @matt_201 Range/charging 367-388 miles (official) 195kW (10-80% in 34min) Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.7 seconds/149mph EVEN by BMW’s recent standards, the front end of the new 7 Series is a pretty polarising thing. But whether you like the two vast kidneys on an imposing, block-like body or not, you’ll have to accept that the car is impressive. No, better than that, because in all-electric i7 form, the newcomer is magnificent. There was a time when BMW’s flagship saloon was a little too focused on being sporty, but the new car rides incredibly smoothly, even in the M Sport trim tested here, complete with larger wheels and styling tweaks. The softness of the damping is only part of the story, though; the air suspension set-up also deals with serious imperfections in…

82 bhp Powertrain 1.2 litre 3cyl 45 litres Fuel tank £67 fill 12.5 secs Performance 103mph 300 litres Seats up/down 992 litres MODEL TESTED: 1.2 PureTech You! PRICE: £13,995 POWERTRAIN: 1.2-litre 3cyl petrol, 82bhp THE C3 You! starts from £13,995, and the model in our pictures has no optional extras at all. The Soft Sand metallic paint of our car is the standard colour. Tech highlights WHILE other Stellantis superminis such as the Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Corsa ride on the group’s most up-to-date CMP platform, the C3 uses the same PF1 architecture that, in previous forms, dates back to the original C3 from 2002. The tech has been upgraded significantly since that first model, though. While there’s no scope for hybrid powertrains here, the C3 is available with petrol…

We do the maths and work out the best ways to buy ADD up the figures that count towards your running costs over a three-year PCP agreement, and it’s clear that there are few more affordable ways to get behind the wheel of a brand-new car than this pair. Of the two, it’s the Dacia that works out as the more affordable to run. Fuel consumption on test was 49.3mpg, which just pipped the C3’s 48.5mpg. However, that’s only enough to save £69 over 30,000 miles at current prices. Bigger savings came elsewhere, such as the service packages, where Citroen charges £655 over three years compared with £486 for Dacia. Our representative insurance quote suggests that a Sandero driver could save £94 a year, too. Then there’s the PCP itself.…

VALUE SUPERMINIS There’s plenty to think about when it comes to these two cars and their budget-minded focus Sean Carson Associate editor THE Sandero’s price has crept up recently, but it’s still the best bargain supermini around. I love the no-nonsense approach, which is just as present in the Duster SUV and seven-seat Jogger as it is here. We can only hope that Dacia’s lifestyle brand ambitions don’t dilute its budget angle. John McIlroy Deputy editor WHILE we agree that the Dacia is the better car overall, the C3’s character certainly draws me in. The stylish looks stick out beside the straight-laced Dacia, and in a time where so many cars try too hard to be sporty, I love the C3’s softer approach to its style and on-road manners. Dean…

SAVE 43% ON THE SHOP PRICE After your initial 6 issue trial, your subscription will continue at £28.99 every 13 issues representing a saving of 43% on the shop price. FREE DELIVERY Never miss an issue with every copy delivered straight to your doorstep. FULLY FLEXIBLE You are able to cancel at any time using a dedicated customer portal or by getting in touch. YOUR FREE GIFT Money is tight, make your screenwash go further with a free gift of CarPlan Demon Shot Screenwash Booster. Demon Shot is a new, innovative screenwash booster from CarPlan. Demon Shot can either be diluted with water or used neat to boost your existing screenwash temperature, meaning it is ideal for emergency or routine top ups. One bottle of Demon Shot makes up to…

How To Live In A Van And Travel Mike Hudson (Bluedog Books, amazon.co.uk) Price: £12.50 Rating: WHETHER you want to consider full-time van life or just some holiday tips, this is a great book by an enthusiastic author. There is lots of advice for staying off-grid and the book is inspiring, although the author’s previous title is better if you’re looking for technical guides on van conversions. Carbolics James May (Hodder & Stoughton, hodder.co.uk) Price: £16.99 Rating: MUCH like Jeremy Clarkson’s books, which are often compendiums of his newspaper columns, fellow Grand Tour host James May’s Carbolics is a collection of his short essays once published on the defunct Drivetribe website. If you like May’s brand of thoughtful humour on all kinds of topics, but mostly cars, then you’ll like this.…

CO2 /tax 120-128g/km £155 Running costs 50-53mpg (UX 250h) £64 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.5 seconds/110mph WHEN Toyota launched its Lexus luxury offshoot in 1989, the focus was on premium saloons. But seven years after the new marque arrived, it introduced its first SUV, the LX, which was based heavily on the contemporary Toyota Land Cruiser. Two years later Lexus launched its own crossover, the RX 300. Since then, it has provided a choice of SUVs unique to the brand, even though their oily bits are usually shared with various Toyota models. Despite the massive popularity of SUVs, offering several of them hasn’t boosted Lexus’s sales as much as you might expect, considering the marque’s reputation for high-quality products and peerless customer service. Despite this, Lexus’ smallest SUV, the UX, is…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram ● Ferrari challenger taking shape ● Peugeot confirms new driver FERRARI has completed its third and final day of testing for the 2023 World Endurance Championship at Sebring International Raceway, following a recent two-day test of the all-new 499P. Driving duties were completed by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Fuoco and Antonio Giovinazzi, the latter – an ex-F1 driver with Alfa Romeo – getting a first taste of the 499P. It was the ideal venue to complete the tests, given that the WEC season kicks off with the Sebring 1,000 Miles on 17 March. The Italian squad said that the key focus of the test was to fine-tune the car’s reliability, which will be a key factor not only at the bumpy, challenging Florida circuit, but also…

EXTREME E tyre supplier Continental has revealed that the rubber used in last year’s series has a second life, with 200 tyres recycled to make tiles that pave a children’s basketball court in Hannover, Germany (below). The tyres were already made from recycled materials, with the outer carcass incorporating plastic bottles, and rice husks used elsewhere, so this effectively gives the materials a third life. The first round of the 2023 Extreme E season takes place in Saudi Arabia on 11-12 March.…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● New small saloon will be most affordable model in rejigged range ● MMA architecture is part of plan for increased profit margins MERCEDES will redefine the entry point to its line-up from 2024 with the arrival of an all-new compact luxury car. It will also mark the debut of a new platform and infotainment system for the brand. Based on the firm’s forthcoming MMA underpinnings, the new all-electric compact saloon will rival Tesla’s Model 3 as the most affordable model in the Mercedes range. Speaking to investors last year on the future of the company’s line-up, Mercedes boss Ola Källenius said: “The entry point to the Mercedes brand in the future will be a different one than it is today.” On top of this, a strategy presentation showed…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks ● Bespoke creations are based on existing Aventador ● Both have unique look, but share Ultimae’s engine LAMBORGHINI’S successor for the outlandish Aventador is said to be only weeks away from being revealed, but the Italian marque still wants to eke out a little more from its last purely V12-powered vehicle. These are the final instalments in the Aventador series: the Invencible coupé and the Auténtica roadster. The Aventador was launched way back in 2011, featuring the second-generation version of Lamborghini’s legendary V12. The firm says the two new bespoke cars will be the last equipped with this engine, because while the Aventador’s successor will feature a V12, it will have hybrid assistance. The Invencible and Auténtica are powered by the familiar 6.5-litre naturally aspirated unit, with 769bhp…

JAGUAR Land Rover has also launched its latest apprenticeship scheme, opening up a record number of places as it pushes to secure more talent in the digital side of the business. The British manufacturer has 300 spots to fill, including 150 degree apprenticeships designed to help students who might otherwise have been put off by the cost of a university course. JLR will face competition for talent from Bentley, though. The Crewe marque has 37 places up for grabs, focusing on electrical systems, digital software and project management.…

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale THE automotive industry isn’t doing enough to cut its global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a report commissioned by two electric vehicle manufacturers. Polestar and Rivian’s ‘Pathway’ report, compiled by global management consultancy Kearney, highlights that passenger vehicles account for 15 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has called for a 43-per cent reduction in emissions by 2030, but the report claims the auto industry won’t meet this aim. To address this, the Pathway report sets out three courses of action that Polestar and Rivian believe the industry must take. Firstly, the manufacturers call for the transition from internal combustion to EVs to be accelerated, with more investment in manufacturing capabilities and firmer deadlines, as well as the installation of…

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale ● Government committee hears from experts on e-scooter use ● Calls for better pedestrian protection and policing guidelines PRIVATELY owned e-scooters are the “elephant in the room” in the micromobility debate, MPs have been told, with police concerned about a lack of clarity in the law. Last week, David Davies, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, told the Transport Committee that while much evaluation was being conducted on rental e-scooters, the same could not be said for private machines. “In terms of the day-to-day impact on pedestrians, it’s noticeable,” he said. “Some schemes manage that better than others. “With the rental schemes you have geofencing, which can limit that, although it can’t distinguish between a road and pavement, and of course geofencing would not…

We want to hear your views. Send your questions or opinions to the E-mail address below Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC Driving standards FROM: Geoff Brown DRIVING standards are getting worse. Learners are taught to pass the test, not to drive; my two nephews in their twenties agree with this. Experienced drivers become lazy, never read the Highway Code and rely on in-car technology. FROM: David Gwyther MIDDLE-lane hogging is one of my bugbears. Matrix signs should be used to display messages such as ‘Keep left when not overtaking’ rather than times to junctions or temperatures. More signage and advertising is needed. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “More points and fines are needed for middle-lane hogging to deter offenders.” David J Shimwell ■ “I enjoy overtaking middle-lane…

2003 – Congestion Charge introduced by Mayor Ken Livingstone with a fee of £5 for car drivers. In 2013, he admitted: “It turned out better than I expected.” 2007 – The C-charge zone was extended further into west London. This was subsequently scrapped by then-Mayor Boris Johnson in 2011. 2017 – A supplementary Toxicity Charge was introduced with an additional charge for higher-polluting vehicles. This became the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in 2019. 2020-2021 – As Covid-related lockdowns hit, the C-Charge was initially suspended to help key workers, before being reintroduced, with extended hours and higher prices, as TfL tried to recoup lost revenues.…

Matt_Robinson@autovia.co.uk @matt_201 THE B3 Audi 80 was at the centre of all sorts of technological milestones in the marque’s history. You could have it with the flawed yet innovative procon-ten safety system (see panel), and Audi’s second-generation quattro all-wheel drive system. On the menu later in the car’s life was a 1.9-litre TDI diesel engine with what was at the time a very rare use of variable-vane turbo geometry. When the B3 80 evolved into the slightly longer B4, it inspired the German manufacturer’s very-first RS model, the RS2, produced via a joint venture with Porsche, which co-developed and assembled the car using 80 Avant shells sent from Audi’s production line in Ingolstadt to the latter’s Rossle-Bau plant. The car we have here isn’t an S or RS, however. It…

◼ 1972 Beginnings: While the 80 name had been used before by Audi, it isn’t until this B1 that the 80 becomes a model in its own right. It shares a platform with the Volkswagen Passat. ◼ 1978 Quattro arrives: The B2 80 is once again related to the VW Passat, but this time there’s a wider range of engines including five-cylinder units, plus the option of quattro all-wheel drive. ◼ 1986 Curves: In stark contrast to the sharp, boxy lines of the B1 and B2, the B3 80 is a sleek, curvy machine with a low drag coefficient. It diverges from the Passat platform for the first time. ◼ 1991 Evolution: Overhauled looks and a stretched wheelbase see the B3 80 morph into the B4. The Avant estate is added…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.5 seconds/198mph “Subjectively, the Trofeo feels more rapid than the Folgore and vastly more exciting” THE all-electric Maserati GranTurismo Folgore has already given us a taste of the Italian brand’s all-new, all-wheel-drive GranTurismo. Now the petrol-powered models, which share their basic engine architecture with the MC20 supercar, are here to complete the story. There are two versions to choose from, and the marginally tamer of the pair (named after Maserati’s hometown) is the Modena, boasting 483bhp, a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds, and a top speed of 187mph. But we’ve come to Italy to drive this faster, 542bhp Trofeo edition, which drops the 0-62mph time to a supercar-central 3.5 seconds and maxes out at nearly 200mph. Impressive numbers indeed. Maserati reckons it made the very first grand…

WINNER 1st Dacia Sandero DACIA’S desire to take its image into a more desirable place hasn’t diluted the Sandero’s key strengths. Just as before, it remains something of an automotive bargain. Even beside the C3 – hardly a pricey car – it holds an advantage when it comes to fuel economy, servicing costs and, most of all, the monthly payments on a typical finance deal. That it has marginally stronger performance, a bit more space inside and better tech means that, for the cash, it’s an incredibly tempting prospect. ● Tiny running costs ● Roomy boot ● Decent in-car tech ● Feels more basic than C3 ● Bouncy ride on some roads ● Noisy engine INTERESTED? Scan the code for further information RUNNER-UP 2nd Citroen C3 THE C3 settles for second here,…

PREMIUM PICK MINI Cooper FOR 14 grand, you could buy a new supermini that comes with one or two concessions to value for money. On the other hand, if you’re willing to sacrifice the privilege of a brand-new car, you could get something that looks and feels much more expensive. Five-year-old MINI Coopers slot nicely into the budget, and they’re absolutely cracking to drive; direct, fun and fast, if a little firmer – and less spacious – than the alternatives here. ● Brilliant to drive ● Superb fit and finish ● A little cramped inside ● Small boot SAME CLASS Vauxhall Corsa AS a practical alternative, the Vauxhall Corsa is an ideal second-hand foil for the Sandero or C3. Under the skin, its underpinnings are more modern than its Stellantis…

products@autoexpress.co.uk Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.3 seconds/112mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 521/1,426 litres Running costs 70mpg (on test) £82 fill-up SOMETIMES things just go right, and that’s what happened with the arrival of the Lexus and my test of a home EV charger. In fact, the timing could hardly have been better. The plug-in hybrid Lexus got to me before the wallbox, so I could try the car running purely on unleaded, then being charged by a standard home socket, before plugging in the full-monty power source. The question now, as the NX 450h+ leaves us after six months on the fleet, is whether the charger will become just a bit of automotive wall art, or will I be looking for something to plug into it? Six months was easily enough…

Configure perfect Bugatti Baby for you CONFIGURING your new car order is always an exciting part of the buying process, and why should that be any different if it is a 75-per-cent-scale tribute to the 1926 Bugatti Type 35 rather than a family SUV? The Little Car Company has launched a new configurator for its Bugatti Baby II, allowing potential customers to design their new purchase. It also includes 3D augmented reality, which lets buyers see their car in 100 per cent scale in front of them to show how it would look in the garage. Go to configurator.bugattibaby.com. Halfords offers car part price guarantee HALFORDS has launched a price commitment with a bold claim that it will never be beaten on price for new car parts, as charges generally increase…

WHETHER you own a petrol, diesel, hybrid, or electric vehicle and no matter if it’s a supercar or an SUV, you need car insurance. So it’s important that you’ve got the right cover at the right price. For a long time, online comparison sites have provided a range of quotes. Over the years, they have become more sophisticated, enabling you to tailor a policy to your needs and taking the stress out of getting insurance. And because it’s so competitive, many sites offer rewards if you take a policy with one of their insurers. But which is the best? We’ve compared eight to decide which you should use to find the right cover. PRODUCT GROUP TEST 15|2|2023 Every week, we extensively test all the latest car kit from tyres to…

AMBITIOUS Brit-based 4x4 firms with optimistic pricing policies aren’t being shy in 2023. February brings the official public debut for Scotland’s Munro Mk_1 agricultural vehicle, which has something of the Mad Max about it, yet – when ordered in Performance spec – costs from £83,994. A week ago, Auto Express drove the intriguing but unfortunately flawed Ineos Grenadier, which is priced at £69,000 or more in Belstaff guise. Not to be outdone, JLR has just slapped a £250,000 price tag on its Range Rover Lansdowne Edition. According to the latest Government stats, this Solihull-built vehicle costs more than the average West Midlands house. If you’re a typical motorist on a tight budget, you can be forgiven for concluding that such vehicles are irrelevant to you. You may also join me…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks ● New electric SUV on the road ● AMG version sampled too THE electric luxury SUV segment is moving fast, and aiming to not just challenge rivals but spearhead the market is this, the new Mercedes EQE SUV. First drives of the firm’s newest EQ model won’t happen until spring, so for now our experience is restricted to the passenger seat. Our first taste is of the 500 AMG Line, which packs a 90kWh battery for a range of 337 miles. The maximum charging rate is capped at 170kW, so a 10-80 per cent top-up takes just over half an hour. The EQE SUV is closer to the slightly smaller EQC in size than the EQS SUV, but our first impression is that it feels much more like…

MG celebrates its first ever number one hit MG has secured the top spot in the UK’s car sales charts for the first time in its history, after the HS (above) was the best-selling car in January. More than 3,400 examples of the SUV were registered last month. VW was Britain’s best-selling brand overall, though; its T-Roc was second in the individual model charts and the brand shifted over a third more vehicles than its nearest rival, Ford. EV chargepoints cause mobility issues - report KERBSIDE electric charging points are making it harder for disabled people to move around, a new report has claimed. A survey of 1,000 disabled people by Sustrans, the walking and cycling charity, found that 55 per cent of those with mobility impairments or learning disabilities…

RIVIAN and Polestar’s plan is brave and bold, but not unusual. Why brave and bold? Well, one obstacle to emissions reduction is the difficulty of transitioning to more environmentally friendly technologies. EVs are still in the early stages of development in relation to the overall lifetime of the car industry, which started in the 1800s, and there are still many challenges to overcome in terms of infrastructure, cost and consumer education. In addition, many car makers – focused on short-term financial results – are heavily invested in combustion-engined vehicles, and making a switch to greener technology requires significant investment. This is where Rivian and Polestar differ from the legacy manufacturers such as Toyota and VW. But even those committed to EVs still face criticism. Until grids adopt renewable power sources,…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m) Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk THE Toyota Corolla is a great British motor industry success story. The Japanese family hatchback is built at the brand’s Burnaston factory near Derby, with nearly 500 Corollas of all variants rolling off the production line each day. The plant is working at a significant rate, too, because the newly updated Corolla has just started progressing down the line – and we’ve had a chance to drive it on UK roads. The 1.8-litre hybrid we’re driving here – a five-door hatchback in Design trim – will be the biggest seller, so this is very much the heartland of the Corolla line-up (85 per cent of Corollas built at Burnaston are powered by the 1.8 petrol-electric powertrain, which is manufactured in the UK, too, at Toyota’s Deeside engine plant in…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 570/1,726 litres Running costs 56.5mpg (official) £99 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.4 seconds/132mph WITH the automotive world turning its back on diesel power, launching an all-new straight-six turbodiesel engine might seem like an unusual strategy. But nonetheless, Mazda has done just that with its CX-60 premium SUV. In any case, smooth, six-cylinder diesels have always worked well in cars like this, so while it’s an individual move for Mazda to do such a thing, it’s a tried and tested recipe to sit alongside the brand’s company car tax-busting CX-60 PHEV; diesel will account for just 13 per cent of sales. There are two 3.3-litre diesel options (a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol will follow), and the UK will take this 197bhp version in base-spec Exclusive-Line trim…

89bhp Powertrain 1.0 litre 3cyl 50 litres Fuel tank £74 fill-up 12.2 secs Performance 109mph 328 litres Seats up/down 1,108 litres MODEL TESTED: 1.0 TCe Expression PRICE: £13,995 POWERTRAIN: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo petrol, 89bhp IN Expression trim, the Dacia Sandero comes with a host of useful upgrades beyond the base Essential spec. On top of its £13,995 asking price, our test car is fitted with the optional Iron Blue paint (£650) and a spare wheel (£300), bringing the final total to £14,945. Tech highlights WHEN the first-generation Sandero arrived, its low price was made possible by using Renault’s old platforms and tech. The latest model, however, is right up to date, using the same CMF-B underpinnings as the current Clio – our New Supermini of the Year for three years…

SAME CLASS Renault Clio UNDER the skin, the Clio is mechanically very similar to the Sandero, so why does the base model start from £5,000 more than the top-spec Sandero? The key difference is the kit that you get. Alloy wheels are a nice but non-essential upgrade, but beyond that you also get built-in sat-nav and climate control as standard. Most importantly, there’s more safety kit. Lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition and extra airbags boost the Clio’s safety scores. Then there’s the way the Clio drives – it’s more refined – and it feels much more expensive inside, too. ● Smooth and refined drive ● Posh interior design ● Competitive monthly finance ● Some rivals are more spacious ● Stronger petrol engine needed ● Not the most fun…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Electric vehicle 341 miles range (WLTP) Max charging: 135kW DC WE need to talk about infotainment. Ever since the arrival of the Mk8 Golf, the VW Group’s take on that big screen in the dashboard has been under fire. So while I was looking forward to our Cupra Born’s arrival, it was with some trepidation that I started delving into what its infotainment system does well, and where it falls short. I’d been prepared for a bit of faffing to get my phone hooked up, I knew that the slider control would be fiddly to use, and I wasn’t expecting a great deal from the in-house navigation. What has caught me by surprise, though, is how some of the basic vehicular functions just don’t quite work how they…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk HOW TO Clear up bird mess Get your car spotless GENERALLY, there is no urgency about when you clean your car. It’s down to how tolerant you are or the things you like to do with it. Turning up to a car show in a dirty car is not something many of us would do. But a rapid response is required when you spot bird mess on the paint. Depending on what the bird has been eating, the deposits can be highly caustic or acidic and, if left, they can etch the paint or clearcoat. They may also contain abrasive particles that could scratch the surface. The longer the deposits are left, the greater the risk and extent of damage. A full-bucket wash with some sort of…

THERE is a range of new options from specialists NightSearcher and Philips for lighting larger spaces than just under a car’s bonnet. The newcomers take quite different approaches to lighting, but how do they match up to our current pick from Ring? Both the Philips and NightSearcher are part of several new releases, so we chose the two options that are closest in price to our current test winner. We measured beam brightness and width, plus rated each unit subjectively. Mounting options were checked, while we wanted to see an indication of battery state and some way of reducing output to extend runtime, which was measured at maximum brightness. We looked at ingress protection and impact-resistance ratings and, finally, price. Ring hangs on to its crown, but the Philips was…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk HYUNDAI’S baby seems to have fallen out of favour with owners, dropping 17 places from its 2021 position in our latest Driver Power new-car survey. It still scores an above-average position for value, in 20th place, but there are some rankings at the bottom of the table for major factors such as the powertrain, interior and exterior, which suggest owners were hoping for better things in these areas. The car’s overall place in the chart was pulled up by two surprising highlights of ownership, however. The i10’s navigation system was rated highly enough to give it a number-one position in the whole survey, while the city car’s switchgear and controls were judged to be the fifth most user-friendly overall. WE SAID “The i10 is a comfortable car and it…