Table of contents for 1755 in Auto Express

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale DRUG-driving and speeding offences hit record highs last year, according to worrying new official figures. AA analysis of Crown and Magistrates Court data for 2021 showed that as the country came out of Covid lockdowns and travel restrictions, the number of drug-driving cases increased by 54 per cent to 21,411, while speeding cases rose by 24 per cent to 208,496. In addition, three other offences reached record highs; there were 793 cases of causing serious injury through dangerous driving, 7,605 cases of dangerous driving and 96,801 cases of drivers failing to supply information when required. The data also showed that, while 32,500 drivers were taken to court for drink-driving, only 6,169 appeared in the dock for mobile phone use behind the wheel. One key statistic uncovered was that,…

PORSCHE’S push towards electrification isn’t going to stop at the Macan – and here’s early proof that the firm’s two entry-level sports cars, the 718 Boxster and Cayman, will also be losing their four-cylinder petrol engines soon. Spied for the first time, this prototype shows that Porsche is working hard to keep its 718 models’ low-slung profiles when they turn into EVs by the middle of this decade. The test mule has a longer wheelbase than normal, and a longer front overhang – a sign, perhaps, of how Porsche’s engineers are working to cram a battery pack into a two-seat layout. Few technical details are known, but Porsche’s most recent Cayman-sized concept, the GT4 e-Performance, packs an 82kWh battery and can produce more than 1,000bhp in ‘qualifying trim’.…

Two projects set up for Renault powertrains RENAULT has made key announcements on the future of its powertrains. It has formed a new division called Ampere, which will be responsible for developing six new electric Renault models coming before 2030. Ampere shares will be floated on the Paris Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, Renault has signed up with Geely to develop new hybrid and internal combustion engines for Renault, Dacia, Geely, Volvo, Lynk & Co and Proton cars, as well as models from Renault’s Alliance partners Nissan and Mitsubishi. EV6 GT sparks end of Kia Stinger UK sales THE KIA Stinger has been withdrawn from sale in the UK, ahead of the arrival of the high-performance, all-electric EV6 GT before the end of this year. Introduced in 2017, the Stinger brought four-door…

@matt_201 SO many motorists have a story to tell about the K11 Nissan Micra. Perhaps they learned to drive in one, had one as their first car or owned one as a faithful runabout, or still do. The Micra was brilliant at many things, and suitable for all kinds of drivers, regardless of experience and age. “For once, Nissan has built a car with real personality,” Auto Express said on the occasion of its first drive of the fresh Micra (1 January 1993), adding, “It’s a machine which transcends age and class barriers in the way the Mini once did”. Much like the Mini, and unlike the outgoing Micra, it was to be made in the UK. Specifically, in the Sunderland plant that would go on to produce over 10…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks A SPRAWLING Defender line-up has emerged since the vehicle’s launch three years ago. But here comes the big one – literally: the eight-seat Defender 130. It stops short of seating nine because the three-seat front bench offered on the Defender 90 isn’t available in the 130. At 5,358mm long, it’s 340mm longer than the seven-seat Range Rover in long-wheelbase form. Up front, there’s nothing to tell the 130 apart from the 110, and the cars share the same wheelbase. Instead, the rear is elongated from the C-pillar onwards. Here, we’re testing it with the mild-hybrid twin-turbocharged, 3.0-litre straight-six diesel powertrain. A 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds is as quick as you’d want in a car of this size and weight, and the electrified, turbocharged diesel is responsive enough…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn WE’VE been waiting a long time for a modern interpretation of the Volkswagen Microbus, but it’s finally here in the shape of the ID. Buzz. It certainly looks the part, with its bluff front end and optional two-tone paint. But as well as turning heads, there are plenty of features on board that will draw the attention of premium family car buyers. The ID. Buzz is smaller than the combustion-engined VW Multivan that launched last year, but the wheelbase is similar, which benefits interior space. The ID. Buzz is a five-seater – a longer seven-seat version is due later in 2023 – but access is great, thanks to the sliding doors, while the back seats move back and forth and fold flat into the floor, too. From behind…

IT’S unlikely to have escaped your notice that football’s World Cup kicks off on 20 November. A heavy schedule of matches and TV coverage will ensure events in Qatar dominate the conversation worldwide. Over the years, this global obsession with the beautiful game has presented opportunities for car makers, who have attempted to tap into its popularity with a special edition – some with more success than others. Here are the good, the bad and the ugly of football-themed cars. Fiat Pandazzurri FIAT was at it in 2016, when, prior to the Euros, it showed its backing for the Italian team with this striking blue version of the Panda called, appropriately enough, the Pandazzurri. Among the design highlights were seatbelts in the colours of the Italian flag, the Italian Football…

MODEL TESTED: Toyota Corolla GR Sport 2.0 PRICE: £34,135 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl hybrid, 181bhp Running costs 49.2mpg (on test) £71 fill-up/£155 or 27% tax Practicality Boot (seats up) 313 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.9 seconds/112mph IN this sporty-looking GR Sport trim, the Corolla is the most expensive car here, at £34,135. Factor in the fetching Platinum White Pearl paint with a black roof (£1,240) and the total price climbs to £35,375. Design & engineering LIKE the Civic, the Corolla bears a nameplate that dates a long way back into Toyota’s history, with the first version appearing in 1966. It’s certainly a car that is forward-looking in terms of its design, though; despite this version’s initial release dating back to 2018, it still looks sharp and contemporary beside its two very…

1st HONDA PREVIOUS versions of the Honda Civic have generally been practical and decent to drive, but the latest version ranks even closer to the top of the class in those areas than ever before. Of more significance, however, is this new model’s value for money, especially its fuel economy, which means we now rate the Civic as one of the very best cars to buy in this segment. 2nd VAUXHALL WHILE it was able to overcome the best that Ford and VW have to offer, it shows the quality of the Honda that the Vauxhall must settle for second here. The latest Astra isn’t just stylish, but practical, comfortable and solidly built too – however, the Civic offers more performance, better fuel economy and even more space for almost…

Pete_Baiden@autovia.co.uk @PeteBaiden Running costs 84.4mpg (test) 8% company-car tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 361/1,271 litres PLUG-in hybrids have always seemed like a bit of a stopgap to me. I see them as little more than an introduction for those who want to go electric, but still want the security of extra range for longer journeys. But what are they actually like to live with on a daily basis? The new Peugeot 308 Hybrid is the first PHEV I’ve run on the Auto Express fleet, so I’m keen to find out if they have something else to offer. The big issue I have with plug-in hybrids is weight. If you’re running in electric mode, you’re carrying around a big combustion engine at the front. If the petrol engine is doing all…

CO2 /tax 0-174/km £0-£165 Running costs 36-43mpg (BlueHDi 110) £95 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 14 seconds/109mph MPVs might have fallen out of favour as car buyers have migrated to SUVs, but these most practical of cars still have a tremendous amount to offer. The popularity of people carriers exploded in the nineties and while many were developed as stand-alone models, some car makers latched onto the fact that they could turn their small commercial vehicles into MPVs. The Renault Kangoo is one example of this, along with the Citroen Berlingo Multispace and Peugeot Partner Tepee sister models. The latter would become the Peugeot Rifter with the arrival of the third-generation Berlingo in 2018. While these van-based MPVs now sell in small numbers, live with one and you’ll soon see why they…

Yousuf_Ashraf@autovia.co.uk @ashrafoncars ● New flagship SUV revealed with up to 510bhp and 364-mile range ● Seating for seven, while prices start close to £100,000 in UK “The EX90 is the first Volvo to be built on a dedicated EV platform, and is the flagship of its next-generation range” VOLVO made headlines in 2017 when it became the first major car manufacturer to announce the end of internal combustion engines in its line-up, with a switch to a fully electric range by 2030. Now, the launch of the new EX90 SUV marks the most important milestone in that transition so far. The EX90 is the brand’s first model to be built on a dedicated EV platform, and it’s looking to land a heavyweight blow as the flagship of its next-generation range.…

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.consumerombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008  Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls www.check-mot. service.gov.uk…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Running costs 202-256mpg (official) 8% BiK rate Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.2 seconds/128mph THIS is the moment when things get serious for the Alfa Romeo Tonale. We’ve driven mild-hybrid editions of the Italian brand’s BMW X1 rival up to now, but this plug-in hybrid is the Tonale that really will allow Alfa to compete with the Germans and Volvo, thanks to its much-reduced Benefit-in-Kind tax. The technical make-up looks promising enough. There’s a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 177bhp, a front electric motor designed to assist the engine and work as a generator, a six-speed automatic gearbox and a further 121bhp electric motor on the back axle to help deliver four-wheel drive, plus a 15.5kWh battery. The overall output is some way north of the mild hybrid’s, at 271bhp.…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.4 seconds/127mph Range/charging 287 miles WLTP 150kW DC “The target was to improve damper response times, low-speed ride and high-speed control” THERE was never a plan to produce a performance version of the Polestar 2, but when CEO Thomas Ingenlath asked his team if they could make his company car quicker, it was only a matter of time before it would become a production reality. That journey started in 2020 when a concept – called the Beast – was shown at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. A year later a development car ran up the hill at the same event. Now it’s production ready, complete with a name – the BST 270 Edition – and a punchy £68,990 price tag, which doesn’t include the bespoke grey colour…

MODEL TESTED: Vauxhall Astra GS Line 1.2 Turbo PRICE: £27,210 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 128bhp Running costs 43.5mpg (on test) £86 fill-up/£165 or 29% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 422/1,339 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 9.7 seconds/133mph WE’RE testing the Astra in middle-spec GS Line trim, which with an automatic gearbox comes to a very competitive £27,210 (the six-speed manual ’box shown here is £2,100 cheaper). That makes it comfortably the cheapest car in this test, but does it feel that way from behind the wheel? Design & engineering ANOTHER long-standing nameplate, the Astra has been part of the furniture on UK roads since 1980. Big changes have happened to the C-segment hatchback in that time, the most notable in recent years taking place in this eighth-gen model – the first Astra…

Skoda Octavia SE L 1.5 TSI e-TEC PRICE: £29,780 ENGINE: 1.5-litre petrol, 148bhp ONE of the few cars that has the Civic beaten for practicality remains a brilliant all-rounder. Spacious, comfortable and with performance almost on a par with the Honda, it’s also competitively priced in this segment. Volkswagen Golf 1.5 eTSI PRICE: £31,245 ENGINE: 1.5-litre petrol, 148bhp THE Golf remains as solid, as spacious and as refined to drive as ever, but the latest version is let down big time by clunky touchscreen ergonomics. Expect an update shortly aimed at addressing those flaws.…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 500/1,550 litres Running costs 34.4mpg (official) £133 fill-up I’M torn when it comes to the colour of my Audi SQ5 Sportback fleet car. You see, I quite like the ‘camo green’ look, as evidenced by my hoodie and trainers. I wouldn’t say I’m stylish, though, so I’m not sure what that says about the Audi’s colour choice – especially because the green it’s painted in reminds me of my wheelie bins. I’m not convinced that’s the idea the German firm’s designers were aiming for. The colour is called Distinct Green – it’s a metallic shade that costs £675 – and I do like how Audi has branched out from the usual black/grey/silver/white monochromatic shades that premium SUVs such as this usually come in. It certainly…

VISIT US AT autoexpress.co.uk/subscribe to claim your special offer or call 0330 333 9491 using offer code P22XM SCAN ME! Calls to 03 numbers will be charged at your standard local rate. This offer closes on 24th December 2022. The number of issues published in a 3, 6 or 12 month period will vary for each magazine. Discounts are based on the shop price of a single issue. The number of issues ordered will be displayed upon checkout. Offer only available on subscriptions delivered to UK addresses. All gift subscriptions will begin in January 2023.…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy ● Gen3 Formula E car revealed ● Software tweaks will be key “The start of the season will be a learning period, with potential gaps in performance” PORSCHE says it is optimistic that a compressed development programme won’t hinder the progress of its new Gen3 Formula E car, which has been revealed ahead of the first official pre-season test and the start of the 2023 campaign in Mexico City on 14 January. Like all of the new generation of electric racers, the 99X Electric Gen3 features more compact dimensions – potentially useful, given the series’ focus on narrow street circuits – along with a reduction in weight and significant powertrain upgrades. The overall output has increased from 335bhp to 469bhp, while the addition of a front motor allows…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram ● UK’s first EV from GWM ORA ● 193-mile range, room for five THIS is the GWM ORA Funky Cat. Yes, you read that correctly. An all-new Chinese car maker with an all-electric product portfolio is launching its first model in the UK, and it’s called the Funky Cat. Jokes aside, this odd-looking electric car has the potential to put the metaphorical funky cat among the pigeons. It costs from £31,995 (or £399 per month with an 11 per cent deposit) in First Edition spec, but it’s likely we’ll see cheaper models join the line-up later, as well as a bigger-battery version boosting range to more than 260 miles. Every Funky Cat for the time being comes with 64kW charging; that’s a little off the pace, although an…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy PORSCHE is promising an even sharper focus on driving dynamics with its second bespoke electric vehicle, the next generation of Macan, than with the Taycan. Senior engineers from the project have told Auto Express that the new PPE platform will allow the Macan – due to be revealed next year, and previewed in our exclusive image – to feature not only 800V electrics, but also significant chassis tweaks to make it feel “unmistakably like a Porsche”. These gains will include one of the most advanced iterations yet of Porsche’s Active Suspension Management, with two-valve dampers for the first time on one of the firm’s cars. “This allows us a greater spread of settings,” Dominik Hartmann, the Macan’s chief chassis engineer, told us. “You’ll feel a bigger difference between…

Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC Cyclists FROM: William H Roberts IT’S scary riding a bike in the pouring rain in rush hour. Even with lights and a reflective jacket, cars pass me close enough for their mirrors to touch my rucksack. Bad road users are bad road users; the vehicle is irrelevant. FROM: Matt Hunter CYCLISTS can use roads where necessary, but they should have to complete a cycling proficiency test prior to doing so. If car, motorcycle and bus operators must prove their standard of driving to use the road, then so should cyclists. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “Too many cyclists dress in dark clothes, use their mobile phones and run red lights.” Mauricio Diuleilomo ■ “A police biker said: ‘You may be right, but…

ALTHOUGH the K11 has done better than many of its contemporaries in the survivability stakes, don’t expect a huge pool of cars to choose from. You’re also more likely to find one of the facelifted (late 1997 onwards) versions than an early car such as our test vehicle. That’s not a bad thing, because from then on power steering was fitted as standard and safety equipment levels improved. A further update in 2000 provided refreshed powertrains. As with any car of this vintage, check thoroughly for rust. The sills, cross member and around the sunroof (where fitted) are known weak points. The engines use a timing chain rather than a belt, which should last the lifetime of the car if the oil is replenished when necessary, so check for service…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 42.2mpg (official) £78 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.1 seconds/145mph THE X1 compact SUV has proved a huge hit for BMW. And while this new one looks more imposing than before, it doesn’t stray too far from the winning formula of the old model, despite the fact that it’s now offered with a fully electric powertrain. The front end gets the enlarged kidney grilles that are becoming a staple of every new BMW, set between a pair of sharper, slimmer headlights. The flanks have been tidied up with much sharper creases and fared-in door handles, and the back has an injection of modernism thanks to the three-dimensional effect of the LED tail-lights. At 4,500mm long, the X1 is 53mm longer than its predecessor, while it’s also 24mm…

Matt_Robinson@autovia.co.uk @matt_201 Running costs 42.2mpg (official) £91 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.2 seconds/111mph OVER the past 20 or so years, the Nissan X-Trail has strayed further from its chunky, utilitarian roots. The outgoing model was little more than a replacement for the Qashqai+2, and at a glance didn’t look a whole lot different to the second-generation version of that car. Now, though, Nissan has sought to put a little more distance between the Qashqai and the X-Trail. Visually, the latter certainly looks a lot more aggressive than its smaller brother, thanks to sharp lines and an imposing fascia, even if it doesn’t evoke memories of the boxy first version. It’s 20mm wider than before and 15mm taller. Inside, the X-Trail feels noticeably more spacious than a Qashqai, particularly in the…

MODEL TESTED: Honda Civic e:HEV Sport PRICE: £30,595 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 181bhp MANY recent Hondas have been let down by a relatively high retail price, but this Civic in mid-range Sport trim weighs in at a reasonable £30,595. So is there a catch? Running costs 50.3mpg (on test) £66 fill-up/£155 or 26% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 415/1,220 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.9 seconds/111mph Design & engineering THE latest version of the Civic is a clean-sheet design compared with its predecessor, and Honda has plenty of stats to back up the changes – even when it comes to the aesthetics. While you might not immediately notice a 35mm increase in wheelbase, a 20mm shorter rear overhang or a bonnet that sits 25mm lower compared with the outgoing model, the lack…

Honda Civic Honda CONNECT Key features: Live traffic data FROM the outset, the Honda’s system scores highly for simplicity. The main menu screen is split into two rows of large tiles, which are easy to pick out on the nine-inch touchscreen. We also like the physical shortcuts and climate controls. The screen itself responds quickly to touches and loading times are fast – if not quite a match for the Corolla’s. The display itself doesn’t quite look as sharp as either rival’s and we’d like to see a USB-C port for connecting smartphones. Top-spec Civics get a high-end Bose sound system, but even the standard eight-speaker set-up is far better than these rivals’ offerings – especially the Toyota’s. While the Astra comes with digital dials as standard, this feature is…

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mail@autoexpress.co.uk TESLA’s super-successful Model 3 has achieved chart-topping sales success several times in the past 12 months, and now the BMW-baiting EV has moved into the top 10 of Driver Power, too. Owners who took part in the latest 2022 survey reveal they love the electric car’s powertrain, and the Model 3 also takes number-one spots for its running costs and acceleration. But while the overall picture looks like a triumph for Tesla, there is still one area that keeps the Model 3 out of the very top places in the survey: quality. The Model 3 is rated as the worst car for exterior finish and materials, and 70th for overall quality. An alarming 43.6 per cent of owners report having experienced an issue with their cars. WE SAID “Significant new…

THE price of a seat in a new, five-door family car? This is a simple, yet important question that buyers rarely ask. But it’s an increasingly relevant one, particularly in these financially chaotic days. My instinctive, but not entirely accurate answer is £5,000 – or thereabouts – per seat. But for many consumers, it’s not as simple or inexpensive as that. The painful truth is that certain credible but unglamorous makers have lately started to charge nearer £10,000 for each pew, even in models clearly designed for families inevitably feeling the pinch. Meanwhile, the price per seat fitted to larger, proper SUVs can be significantly and unacceptably higher. I’m not talking about money-no-object vehicles built in low volumes for super-rich consumers acquiring prestige products from genuine luxury brands such as…