Author: Ryan Hirons

Summer is here, and that means it’s the time of year many of us will be flocking to exotic locations such as Madrid, Zagreb and Torquay.

No matter where you’re heading off to this year though, the fact you’re reading this suggests there’s a good chance you’re thinking about hiring a car for your trip. Though a simple process usually, it can be a little bit of a daunting experience for newcomers — and so, we’ve put together a guide on what to know when hiring a car.

First of all, should I hire a car?

If you’re staying in a major city and don’t plan to venture further out, you can probably get away with sticking to public transport links. For those wanting a little more adventure on their travels though, hiring a car enables that — it’s worth keeping the extra cost in mind

How do I hire a car?

There’s two main ways to hire a car really — either online in advance, or when you arrive at the airport of your destination. Booking online would be our go-to method. This usually presents you with the best deals, and allows you to compare between providers.

That said, it may be easy to forget amidst all the holiday excitement, so it’s always nice to know a car can be booked right as you arrive at your destination.

How much should I expect to pay and how can I cut costs?

Pricing of a hire car can can vary wildly depending on where you are, the type of vehicle you want, the length of your stay and how much driving you plan to do in it. That said, as a general rule, booking well in advance and shopping around for the best deals can save you money no matter what rental motor you’re after.

What does ‘or similar’ mean?

Now this is quite a common sight. If you’re looking to hire say, a Ford Fiesta, and you’re met with ‘or similar’ next to it, don’t be surprised to arrive to another car of the same size.

Companies tend to use a popular car to symbolise the size of a vehicle, rather than using terms such as ‘supermini’ or ‘executive saloon’. This makes it easier to understand for those who may be a little less clued-up when it comes to categories of cars.

Is insurance covered?

Typically, hire car companies will offer some level of insurance coverage — though these tend to be light, so it’s worth checking details closely when making a booking. For extra peace of mind, many third party firms offer more comprehensive hire car insurance.

What’s the deal with fuel?

Fuel policies with hire car firms can vary, but typically you’re given a car with a full tank and then expected to return it as such. Don’t be caught out trying to get away without refuelling though — many terms of conditions when hiring a car will allow the company to invoice you at an inflated rate to cover the extra.

Are there any restrictions when hiring a car?

Though hiring a car tends to be fairly relaxed, the big restriction is often age. Typically, drivers under 25 may struggle to hire a car through mainstream companies, and specialist firms for younger drivers are likely to charge a much higher rate.

Many firms may also deny drivers with a higher number of points on their licence from driving — typically this is for those with higher than six but this can vary.

So, it’s time to sell your car. You want to get a good price, but you also don’t want to spend months paying for a classified ad wondering why nobody wants your motor.

To make sure you shift your vehicle in a prompt manner while also getting a good deal for you and your buyer, we’ve put together a quick how-to…

1. Do your research

Considering that the price is one of the most important aspects of selling your car, it’s generally worth putting in a bit of time do your research. It might be a little time-consuming but it can really pay off in the long run.

The most important things to consider are the age, colour, mileage and condition. You can use classified ad websites and refine your search so it only shows cars that match your own on these criteria, and see what price they’re going for.

Once you’ve checked a few different sites, you should have a pretty good idea how much your motor is worth.

2. Use a free valuation tool

If you don’t fancy putting in too much time when selling your car, there are a few free valuation tools out there that can use data gleaned from car marketplaces to give you a quick estimate.

They will use a similar approach to the above, asking for info such as mileage, age and condition of the car so they can calculate its worth. This might be a good starting point, but we’d recommend double checking the results against live ads just to make sure.

3. Decide if you want the full value or a quick sale

Depending on how keen you are to sell your motor, there can be a tradeoff when it comes to time or profit. If you’re looking for a quick sale of a car that’s either not particularly desirable or there’s plenty in supply, you may have to accept taking a loss on its value.

On the flip side, if you’re willing to wait a bit if that means earning more money, holding out for the right buyer could prove a profitable move.

4. Remember: values differ depending on the buyer

The last thing to bear in mind is that the value of your car can differ greatly depending on who you’re selling it to.

For example, if you’re selling it privately you’ll be able to get a bit more for the car as reward for putting in the time and effort to advertise it. However, even if you follow the tips above to value your car correctly, how long it takes to sell your car is somewhat out of your control.

On the other hand, you could sell it to a dealership. This is a way to ensure a quick sale, but the dealer will need to make a profit when they sell it on, so you’ll get below the market value for the privilege of a quick sale.

Looking for a new car is often challenging enough, but what if you’re a keen golfer?

The need to haul a full set of clubs with you can restrict your options, and that’s before you factor the need for a prestige look that many aim for at the links.

No panic though — we’ve done the hard work for you, finding handsome, desirable cars with enough space for a set of clubs…

Volvo V90

Let’s start with something particularly practical. To be honest, pretty much any estate would work here — but you want something elegant and stylish.. You could go for a typical German options from Audi, Mercedes-Benz or BMW, but really, you want to show you don’t just follow the crowd.

That’s where Volvo comes in with the V90. It’s handsome on the outside, light, airy and a little bit quirky on the inside, and has a massive boot. The fact it’s incredibly safe and good to drive just adds to the appeal.

Ferrari GTC4 Lusso

You might be surprised to see a Ferrari on this list, what with it better-known for making impractical supercars you can barely fit your exquisite leather briefcase in, let alone a set of clubs.

However, that’s exactly why the Prancing Horse introduced a ‘shooting brake’ to its range. Estate-like in shape but swoopy in appearance, the GTC4Lusso offers high performance motoring with added practicality.

In fact, to prove how fit-for-purpose this car is, Ferrari even offered it with a bespoke golf club bag that could be tailored to the buyer’s specification.

Mini Clubman

To many traditionalists, the expansion of the Mini brand under German parent firm BMW is sacrilege. The standard car is bigger than ever and there are now SUV-like versions too. However, the Clubman gets away with some of the ire because it’s the revival of a body type offered on the original Mini.

It’s essentially an estate, with two doors that open like a van at the rear, making access easy. So not only do you get easy access and lots of space, it still has Mini’s premium reputation and high-quality interiors.

Porsche 911

If ever there was a sports car that could fit in perfectly at a golf club, it’s a 911. It has that reputation for quality that so many others would kill for.

However, you might be surprised to learn that despite being a relatively small sports car, you can definitely fit a set of clubs in the back. It appears most owners recommend laying them across the back seats. It’s not the most elegant solution, but it works.

McLaren GT

As with the Porsche, you might be surprised to learn there’s a practical McLaren, but there is, in the form of the upcoming GT.

It’s designed to be more of an everyday McLaren, with comfort over long distances preferred to race track performance — it’ll still do 0-60mph in about three seconds, though, so it’s no slouch.

It gets a new rear boot space, and to prove its practicality, McLaren shared photos of a set of golf clubs on-board. Practicality, crazy performance and spaceship styling in one package.

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

When the Porsche Panamera was first revealed, it was rather the ugly duckling of the German firm’s range. However, the latest version looks svelte and muscular, and perhaps at its most appealing in Sport Turismo form, with estate-meets-coupe style.

Here you have Porsche brand appeal, mile-munching comfort, and space for your clubs and countless other stuff while you’re at it.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

Mercedes has various good-looking and practical estates in its range, but if you really want to turn heads at the golf club, look no further than the S-Class Coupe. It has all the luxury inside that’s to be expected from the firm’s flagship non-sports car, while retaining a decent amount of boot space even in coupe form.

It’s something of an understated, underrated gem, particularly in S 63 AMG form, where it packs 612bhp.

Bentley Continental GT

If you like your luxury motors British, looking now further than the Bentley Continental GT. It was completely revitalised recently with a new look, exquisite interior and a gorgeous 12-cylinder engine.

Given the opulence of every surface inside, though, it might be difficult to bring yourself to throw your clubs in the boot after a rainy session…

Ferrari’s latest machine has broken cover, and it’s the firm’s most powerful road car to date.

The SF90 Stradale — named as such to celebrate 90 years since the iconic Italian racing team was formed — is the manufacturer’s second electrified car, following 2013’s LaFerrari.

More significantly though, it’s both Ferrari’s first plug-in machine and series production hybrid vehicle. The SF90’s powertrain consists of a redesigned, twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 which itself produces 769bhp, mated to an electric motor that packs a further 217bhp.

Power from the V8 is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox — another first for the brand — while the electric motor sends its grunt to the front axle.

This all-wheel-drive system incorporates Ferrari’s new ‘RAC-E’ technology on the electrified axle, too. Ferrari likens it to ‘a hand guiding the car into corners’, using torque vectoring technology to optimise the percentage of power sent to each wheel at any one time.

The result of all this is a 0-60mph time of 2.3 seconds — making it Ferrari’s quickest car to date too — with a top speed of 211mph. As this is a plug-in hybrid, it’s also capable of running solely on electric power. Ferrari claims the SF90 can cover just over 15 miles between charges when in EV mode.

Though the major technical innovations for the car come underneath the skin, there’s also some trick tech visible, such as a drag reduction system (DRS) implemented on the SF90’s rear wing.

Rather than deploying a large wing like many supercars, it instead lowers a segment of bodywork in front of the wing to increase downforce under braking and hard cornering, before raising it again to minimise drag. In total, the SF90 can produce 390kg of downforce.

Inside the car, an overhauled steering wheel features bringing most of the car’s functions to the fingertips of the driver via touch-sensitive buttons. Behind it sits a new 16-inch digital instrument cluster with a fresh head-up display.

Rounding out the fresh innovations is a new key, too. The SF90 is entirely ‘keyless’ — allowing it to be locked, unlocked and started with the fob in the driver’s pocket. It’s designed to look identical to the Ferrari badge at the front of the car.

Customers looking to enhance their SF90 Stradale for the track can also upgrade to the ‘Assetto Fiorano’ package. This adds carbon fibre door panels and underbody elements, plus titanium springs and exhaust component to shave 30kg off the standard car, while its 20-inch forged alloy wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres for increased grip.

Although Ferrari are yet to announce the price of the SF90 Stradale, as the firm’s new range-topper, expect it to surpass the previous cream-of-the-crop 812 Superfast’s £260k starting price.

What is it?

After years of will-they-won’t-they rumours, concept cars, teaser images, prototypes spied at the Nurburgring and sheer hope of enthusiasts, the new Toyota Supra is finally here. And that headline isn’t deceiving you – we’ve driven it.

Calling this car the most anticipated vehicle of the decade wouldn’t be an overstatement. After all, this is the revival of a hugely-loved sports car that last saw the light of day in 2002. However, it isn’t without its controversy, with this Supra co-developed with BMW — news of which hasn’t been received well in some corners of the motoring world. Does the car live up to the hype though, or is not so Supra after all? We find out…

What’s new?

Some will call this a BMW in drag, and there is some merit to this claim. Under its Toyota-designed skin is the same platform as the BMW Z4, with the 3.0-litre engine brewed from the German pot rather than being whipped up in Japan.

There’s even a hint of BMW inside too, with the switchgear and the infotainment system lifted from its parts bin to be used here (though, this is no bad thing…). Don’t write it off as a Z4 clone just yet though, as Toyota says it has brought its heart and soul to the formula.

What’s under the bonnet?

That BMW powerplant is the same you’ll find in any ‘40i’ denoted vehicle it offers, though it does conform to the six-cylinder formula every Supra to date has boasted. The 3.0-litre, straight-six sends 335bhp and 500Nm of torque to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox (sorry, no manuals here), with the result a 0-60mph time of 4.1 seconds and a limited 155mph top speed. In terms of efficiency, Toyota claims it will return 34.5mpg while emitting 170g/km in CO2 emissions.

The powertrain’s reputation as crisp and smooth unit is again proven here, with consistent power delivery across the rev range, and there’s barely a hint of turbo lag here. That said, the ZF gearbox can be a little bit hesitant at lower speeds, and there’s far too much in the way of artificial engine noise.

What’s it like to drive?

Toyota has claimed this Supra boasts a ‘Golden Ratio’ in terms of length to width, and that having almost box-like proportions allows the car to be one the best-handing on the market. Thankfully, this proves true.

It skips and prances along back roads with the poise and balance of a ballet dancer, feeding sensations from the road to the driver’s backside and fingertips in a way very few modern mainstream cars can manage. Its steering is sublimely well-judged, and the car does a great job of hiding its relatively high 1,815kg kerb weight.

Better still, it proves to be comfortable and refined when used on longer runs too. There’s a real sense you could effortlessly cover 200 miles of motorway in this — something many sports cars couldn’t claim.

How does it look?

The classic sports car formula is represented in the Toyota Supra’s design. Its long bonnet, short rear overhangs and low-slung cockpit hark back to an era of British classics in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It does bring a modern twist to that formula though, with angular taillight design, air vents everywhere and a front fascia that looks lifted from a UFO spaceship. It is undoubtedly a head turner, though from some angles the spacecraft design details come across as awkward.

Big day. pic.twitter.com/FLvx0sBZnG

— Ryan Hirons (@RyHirons) May 14, 2019

If it was our money, we’d be spec’ing the Supra in yellow, which really brings the cars’ sharp details to life.

What’s it like inside?

We’ll swing back to the BMW partnership here, which is hard to ignore once sat in the car. All of its controls, dials and even the iDrive infotainment system are lifted from the German firm’s parts collection. This is far from a bad thing, as it’s much higher quality than anything Toyota produces at the moment, though it does falter in terms of character.

There’s no escaping the lack of space either. Of course, low-slung sports cars are never going to be the most capacious of machines but the Supra’s cabin feels particularly tight — and may prove a struggle to get comfortable in for taller drivers. In terms of boot capacity, it boasts a respectable 290 litres.

What’s the spec like?

Pricing for the Toyota Supra begins at £52,695, putting it above key rivals in the Alpine A110 and Porsche 718 Cayman. That said, it does come with a fairly comprehensive list of kit.

I'll take my Supra in yellow pic.twitter.com/kJY1zQ4kHc

— Ryan Hirons (@RyHirons) May 14, 2019

Luxury items include 19-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise, keyless entry, a digital instrument cruise, adaptive LED headlights and the BMW iDrive-based infotainment system displayed on an 8.8-inch screen. ‘Pro’ grade builds further on this with black leather upholstery, a 12-speaker JBL sound system, wireless phone charging and a head-up display. Toyota reckons this will be the big seller in the UK, with a £54,000 list price.

It’s arguably a high starting price, though it clearly hasn’t put customers off so far — with all 300 examples destined for the UK in 2019 already accounted for.

Verdict

Doubts over the success of the Toyota Supra aren’t short in number. Having the legendary ‘A80’ Mk4’s boots to fill has put a lot of expectation on its shoulders, and many are skeptical over the BMW connection.

However, the new Supra is surely set to create its own legacy. It delivers its own unique driving experience that is one of the best delivered by any modern sports car, and co-development with BMW has served the car well in all the right areas.

That said, there’s definitely a feeling its engine could take a little more power onboard, plus a manual gearbox and a better exhaust note while we’re on that topic…

Facts at a glance
Model: Toyota Supra
Price: £52,695
Engine: 3.0-litre straight-six
Power (bhp): 335
Torque (Nm): 500
Max speed (mph): 155
0-60mph: 4.1 seconds
MPG: 34.5
Emissions (g/km): 170

When it comes to the great names in motoring, there’s just a handful that can truly take place on the pantheon of legends.

There’s the prestigious Ferrari nameplate that anyone on the planet recognises, the symbol of Americana in the Ford Mustang and the immediate impression of luxury that comes after hearing ‘Mercedes-Benz’.

Up among the best though is a real beast from the east. Think four circular taillights, fire-breathing straight-six engines and supercar-scaring performance. If you hadn’t guessed it, or haven’t read the headline, we are, of course, talking about the Nissan GT-R.

‘Godzilla’ (as the model is now affectionally called) is celebrating 50 years since its inception. Though now it’s seen as a big, brash sports car — its origins are rather humbler. Let’s take a look at where it came from.

1969 — the birth of an icon

A little-known fact about the Nissan Skyline is that it was once, and to this day remains, very much a humble family saloon car. Originally conceived in 1957 as the Prince Skyline before the firm merged with Nissan in 1966, the car was in its third generation by 1969.

At the time, Nissan was finding moderate success on the racetrack with its R380 sports car racer, and wanted to showcase some of this motorsport pedigree in its road-going machines. Thus, the Skyline 2000 GT-R was born.

Sitting underneath its sleek bodywork was a 2.0-litre inline-six engine, sending 160bhp to the rear wheels via a five-speed gearbox. It was pretty spartan in its approach to performance — with a basic interior compromising of little more than bucket seats and a three-spoke steering wheel, though the addition of a limited-slip differential and disc brakes up front put it, mechanically speaking, at the cutting edge for its time.

Just 1,945 examples of the ‘Hakosuka’ Skyline (the nickname taken from the Japanese word ‘hako’ for box, and ‘suka’ — used as an abbreviation of Skyline) were produced between 1969 and 1972 — though popularity led to a successor…

1973 — a difficult second album

Though the Skyline 2000 GT-R had previously been sold as both a saloon and coupe, the second-generation model moved exclusively to a two-door style when it arrived in 1973. Though using the same ‘S20’ six-cylinder engine and five-speed gearbox, the car was enhanced with all-round disc brakes, a sophisticated semi-trailing ring arm setup and improved aerodynamic additions.

The ‘Kenmeri’ Skyline — later applied to the car after a popular advert for the car involving two young characters named Ken and Mary — improved on the ‘Hakosuka’ in every way except for the crucial one. Sales.

With an oil crisis hitting the globe, the second 2000 GT-R never took off — resulting in just a year of production, and 197 units produced. It would mark the start of a 16-year absence for the GT-R.

1989 — awakening a sleeping giant

By 1989, Nissan was struggling on the race track. Its Group A Skyline GTS-R racer was uncompetitive in its class, with the likes of BMW’s E30 M3 and Ford’s Sierra RS500 dominating the global stage. The Japanese firm wanted to be back on top, but it was clear its current, and ageing, racer wouldn’t be the one to make that happen.

It went to the drawing board with the mindset of producing a car that could dominate Group A racing — but nobody surely could’ve predicted what was to come.

The R32 Skyline was born, and sitting at the very top of the bunch was the return of the GT-R. While its predecessors were famed for their spartan approach, it was the incredible levels of technology the R32 packed that would ultimately shoot it to fame.

Under the bonnet sat the legendary RB26 — a 2.6-litre, twin-turbocharged straight-six engine, sending its power via an incredibly trick all-wheel-drive setup. The slickly-named ATTESA ET-S system was the most sophisticated of its kind at the time, designed specifically for motorsport use.

Though it added weight, unbelievable levels of traction allowed the racing version of the car to effortlessly dump in excess of 600bhp to the tarmac below it — allowing it to obliterate the competition. It won all 29 races of the 1989 Japanese Touring Car Championship and held the title from that year right up to 1993 — while making its name on the global stage thanks to consecutive Bathurst 1,000Km wins in Australia in 1991 and 1992, plus victory at the 1991 Spa 24 Hours. It’s this racing success that led to it gaining the nickname ‘Godzilla’.

The road car was no slouch either. It had the same tech as the racer, although power was officially rated at 276bhp as a result of a gentleman’s agreement in Japan that saw manufacturers limit performance to this at maximum — though, in reality, it produced in excess of 300bhp. With countless variations and special editions, the R32 GT-R had well and truly announced the return of a legend — and over 40,000 examples had sold by the time production came to a halt in 1994.

1995 — hitting new heights

Though the R32 had re-established an icon, it was beginning to age and Group A racing had just come to an end — resulting in an end to the GT-R’s dominance on the track.

The success of the production model meant Nissan was keen for a replacement though, resulting in the R33. It may have taken on a radically-different look – growing in size and having notably more aggressive aero — but under the skin, things were pretty similar.

Its RB26 engine carried over practically unchanged — save for a strengthened oil pump drive collar — and the ATTESA ET-S system was here yet again, though with the addition of an active limited slip differential on V-Spec units.

The result was a car that was again monumental to drive at the limit — but in the eyes of many, it wasn’t enough improvement over the R32. Many lambasted it for its extra 100kg of weight without a real boost in power, resulting in the car being somewhat unloved in comparison.

Nissan wanted to enter Le Mans with the R33 and to do it needed to homologate a race car for entry. So, it did exactly that with the GT-R LM — and we mean ¬¬a, with only one built. This single rear-driven machine is now hidden away in a warehouse in Japan owned by the firm and boasts a race car-esque bodykit.

By now, the GT-R had risen from being a Japanese-special to reaching global fame — resulting in the R33 becoming the first of the breed to be officially imported to the UK, albeit in very limited numbers. That said, the nameplate was about to reach arguably its most iconic phase…

1999 — fast, furious, and heading for greatness

For a certain generation of car enthusiasts, there are two things that have likely played a role in their petrolhead status — PlayStation classic ¬¬Gran Turismo¬ and the blockbuster film series The Fast and The Furious¬.

Though the two are remarkably different — one claiming to be ‘The Real Driving Simulator’ and the other shamelessly an over-the-top action film series — they both have one big thing in common. The iconic Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R.

This was the Skyline GT-R in its ultimate form. The RB26 engine had been refined and tweaked to its peak point — officially still producing 276bhp, though realistically that output was a lot closer to 400bhp than 300bhp. Furthermore, the ATTESA E-TS system had been perfected, and in ultra-desirable V-Spec form had an ultra-grippy Pro system.

Though special on its own, it was its appearance in Gran Turismo 2 and 2 Fast 2 Furious that shot the powerhouse to global legendary status. In the PlayStation game, it was a cheap, powerful base for players to obtain early on before fitting with an array of go-faster bits to dominate almost everything else in the game. As for the film, it was the ride of choice for undercover cop Brian O’Connor, played by the late Paul Walker, for the iconic opening race — seeing O’Connor take victory in the silver and blue, nitrous injected beast, but not without jumping across an opening drawbridge in the process.

These two platforms paved the way for many a young enthusiast, and with the R34 at the helm of both, it’s no surprise to see its global admiration today.

Following the R34’s end of production, Nissan made the decision to spin the Skyline name off into a new, luxury-focused model, signalling the end of the GT-R nameplate again. For now…

2007 — the supercar killer

By now, the Japanese sports car bubble had burst. The Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evolution had arguably reached a peak, while the Toyota Supra and Mazda RX-7 had long been dormant. It seemed like the days of screeching, turbocharged monsters from the Far East were over — until Nissan came along again.

In 2007, it unveiled the long-anticipated GT-R, the first of an entirely new model. It was no longer just a Skyline, rather a powerhouse designed to create an all-new legacy — and it did just that.

Doing away with the RB26, Nissan utilised a 3.8-litre ‘VR38’ V6 engine, producing 474bhp in its base form now the 276bhp ‘gentleman’s agreement’ had been swept under the rug. It was sent through a hugely advanced version of the Skyline’s ATTESA system. This translated into mind-boggling performance, with a sub-4-second 0-60mph time — though more impressive was its circa. £50k price tag, hugely undercutting the Ferrari F430, Porsche 911 Turbo and Audi R8 of which it was faster than all. Better yet, it was the first GT-R to be sold globally.

This was now a real supercar killer out of the box and quickly gained a reputation in the aftermarket community for its performance potential — with tuners able to take the car well beyond 1,000bhp. Godzilla had returned.

Though the GT-Rs before it saw only a short amount of time in production, the most recent GT-R reached a decade on the market by 2017. It amazingly remains on sale today too, 12 years on from its introduction. Nissan even teamed with Italian design house Italdesign to create a limited-run 50th-anniversary model that features bespoke bodywork on top of the proven R35 running gear.

2019 — a hybrid powerhouse?

Though the R35’s days don’t quite yet seem to have an end, rumours of a replacement model have begun. Its shoes to fill are without a doubt huge, but Nissan has done it before so it’s hard to argue against it doing it again.

It’s likely hybridisation will play a huge role here, taking performance to a whole new level — hopefully with a trademark straight-six engine to create a real monster on the road and the track. Whatever form it takes, it’s clear the GT-R nameplate isn’t going away anytime soon. Here’s to 50 more years…

What is it?

Another day, another new SUV from the VW Group — and this time we’re looking at its smallest yet. This the Volkswagen T-Cross, the firm’s assault on the compact SUV market.

Based on the firm’s MQB platform, it’s similar in size to its Polo hatchback — coming in at 55mm longer and 97mm taller respectively — and sits below the T-Roc in the range, which itself has become Europe’s class best-seller since its 2017 launch.

With tough competition from the likes of Nissan’s Juke and Mazda’s CX-3, plus the imminent rival of the Ford Puma, it’s going to have to be special to emulate that success.

What’s new?

This is an entirely new model from the brand, and one spawned from the T-Cross Breeze concept shown in 2016 — though that car was a convertible, unlike the eventual hardtop version.

Though fresh to the range, it does take a healthy amount of parts from the breadth of the VW Group catalogue — namely its choice of 1.0 TSI petrol engines, DSG gearbox options and wide array of safety and luxury gizmos on offer. Notably absent at launch is a diesel engine option — though one is available on the continent, and VW UK hasn’t ruled out bringing it over later down the line.

Driving the funky little VW T-Cross today. Good day for it, too. pic.twitter.com/Vb8HMV0VAh

— Ryan Hirons (@RyHirons) April 30, 2019

What’s under the bonnet?

Powering our test car is the 1.0-litre petrol engine in its most powerful form. Producing 113bhp and 200Nm of torque, which here is delivered to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. It covers the 0-60mph sprint in 10 seconds flat and can go on to a 120mph top speed. As for efficiency, Volkswagen claims this unit can return 48.2mpg on the WLTP combined cycle while emitting 112g/km in CO2.

This powertrain setup has to be the pick of the bunch. The engine is punchy and offers just the right amount of power for the car, while its slick gearshift and well-weighted clutch make it a breeze to operate. Its lower-output sibling just lacks the crisp edge of the more powerful option, and its DSG alternative feels comparatively sluggish.

What’s it like to drive?

The T-Cross is designed first and foremost for the city, and that’s where it excels. A combination of light steering, compact dimensions and excellent visibility results in a car that’s perfectly at home when navigating concrete jungles — and softly-set suspension allows it to absorb speed bumps and potholes without an issue.

Its strengths as a city car do prove to be its downfalls elsewhere, though. At speed on the UK’s bumpier back roads, its ride is akin to driving a slab of jelly — wobbling about all over the place and not inspiring too much confidence as a result. Road noise is also prominent when cruising along, though the supple suspension at least makes it comfortable on motorways.

How does it look?

It’d be easy to accuse Volkswagen of making a range of cars that are quite boring to look at, though with the T-Cross it’s managed to inject a bit of funk into the design — more so with its exterior.

Though about the size of a Polo and very mechanically similar to one, you wouldn’t guess a direct relation from the design alone — save for the keen-eyed who may spot a side strike directly taken from the hatch. Up front, a gaping grille brings it in line with the rest of VW’s SUV range, while toward the back a concept car-like look is created with a huge light bar transcending the boot.

With our money, we’d look toward to more creative end of the T-Cross’ palette of colours. The design is best exposed in eye-catching ‘Energetic Orange’ and ‘Makena Turquoise’, and admittedly looks a bit dull in more conventional shades.

What’s it like inside?

Things are very in line with the typical Volkswagen norms inside. A boxy cabin design features, with good quality materials deployed for the steering wheel, switchgear and other points of contact throughout the cabin. Search hard and it’s easy to find some scratchier plastics, though these are confined to areas drivers are likely to never interact with so can be forgiven.

As for space, five can be seated comfortably — particularly when the sliding rear row is taken advantage of, creating as much as 14cm of extra legroom, though it’s not lacking in the first place for a car of this size. The T-Cross also boasts 455 litres of boot space when the rear seats are moved forward, putting it comfortably ahead of the Mazda CX-3’s 350-litre and Nissan Juke’s 345-litre capacities.

What’s the spec like?

Pricing for the VW T-Cross begins at £16,995, making it one of the most expensive in its class, for an entry S model. It’s quite light on equipment, with the only noticeable additions being 16-inch alloy wheels and an eight-inch infotainment display with Bluetooth support plus DAB radio. There is, however, a generous helping of no-cost safety equipment such as automatic post-collision braking, automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assistance.

Tested here is the SEL trim, which brings with it LED headlights and daytime running lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Options ticked here include Reflex Silver metallic paint (£575), 18-inch alloy wheels (£540) and VW’s Active Info Display Technology (£375), bringing the cost of the car to £20,795. It’s a high price to pay, especially as it’s not even the range topper — that honour belongs to R-Line models, starting from £22,695.

Verdict

Volkswagen is on to another hit in its ever-more successful SUV range with the T-Cross. It blends style and practicality into a package that’s perfect for the city, which is where these cars are destined to spend a good chunk of their time on the road — and perhaps for the best when its poor refinement elsewhere is considered. A decent amount of safety equipment as standard is a positive too, although we’d like to have seen some of that generosity extend further into the luxury bonuses thrown in the package.

Facts at a glance

Model: VW T-Cross SEL
Price: £20,795
Engine: 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder
Power (bhp): 113
Torque (Nm): 200
Max speed (mph): 120
0-60mph: 10 seconds
MPG: 48.2
Emissions (g/km): 112

What is it?

BMW has long been an established contender in the SUV market. Since the X5 debuted in 1999, it’s gone on to become one of the recognisable faces in the premium large car segment which has gone on to spawn a series of niche-busting X cars.

There is one part of the SUV market it has been notably absent from — and that’s the very top end of it. Land Rover may have that cornered with the Range Rover, but now BMW is having a crack at it with this, the X7.

What’s new?

Now, BMW is keen to point out this isn’t just a bigger X5 — think more 7 Series that can also cover the muddy stuff if need be.

That it can do, in no small part thanks its standard all-wheel-drive system, but this is first and foremost a luxury cruiser — as well as the first seven-seater SUV from BMW. Plus, being just over five metres long, two metres wide and 1.8 tall, it’s comfortably the biggest car the brand has ever marketed.

What’s under the bonnet?

Can't tell you how this is just yet, just know it's gotten muddy. pic.twitter.com/kp1Kv8xmXe

— Ryan Hirons (@RyHirons) April 11, 2019

From launch, two diesels and a petrol are on offer for the BMW X7, and it’s the latter we’ve got behind the wheel of. It’s the firm’s tried-and-tested ‘40i’ offering — a 3.0-litre, turbocharged straight-six engine.

It produces 335bhp and 450Nm of torque, delivered to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The result is 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds, with a top speed of 152mph possible. As for efficiency, BMW says it’ll manage 24.6-24.8mpg on the combined WLTP cycle, with emissions weighing in at 198g/km.

It’s a unit that’s remarkably smooth in smaller cars — and fortunately that remains the case here. Power delivery remains consistent all through the rev range, and the gearbox is just as seamless in its shifts. There are minor complaints in the refinement department when pressing on, though at a cruise there’s barely a whisper from the unit.

What’s it like to drive?

Considering this is the largest car BMW has ever offered, the X7 does a remarkable job of hiding its weight. It offers a more involving drive than its key rival in the Range Rover, and certainly feels more agile in all scenarios too.

It’s when covering motorway miles the X7 really shines, though. With a supple ride, near enough silent and comfortable cabin, it makes the prospect of a multi-hundred-mile journey quite pleasing — although we opt for the 30d in this case so less time is spent at the pump.

Taking on the town is surprisingly easy too — though it is still a massive car, which is when its array of parking aids and cameras come in to make life that little less stressful.

How does it look?

We’ll be honest, the styling of the BMW X7 is something of an acquired taste. Up front, there’s the unmissable — and most divisive — huge front grille, flanked by thin LED headlights, while taking the long walk around to the rear reveals a taillight assembly almost mimicking that of the 7 Series saloon.

It’s definitely more appreciable in the flesh — with its design details looking much more proportionate in the flesh than photos would lead you to believe — though it’s certainly an outlandish design regardless.

What’s it like inside?

When forking out £70k+ out for a luxury SUV, you’d expect a lush cabin right? Well, that’s certainly the case with X7. It’s emblazoned in leather and real wood trimming, with supremely comfortable seats and bags of room for all seven occupants. Yep, that third row is actually liveable with — even for a full-sized adult.

The thing with the interior, though, is it’s still missing that sense of occasion that the Range Rover delivers, that feeling that ‘yes, I am the class above, I look down on everyone within a five-mile radius’ that a number of buyers of these cars tend to be after. It’s all very functional and well put together, but it could do with a little more flair.

With all seven seats in space, it offers a somewhat respectable 326 litres — about as much as any family hatchback, just with the ability to carry more of the family — and rises to 2,120 with rows two and three put flat.

What’s the spec like?

Standard equipment is generous on the BMW X7. Its £74,195 starting price in 40i guise brings with it luxury highlights such as adaptive LED headlights, 21-inch alloy wheels, four-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, an electrically-adjustable steering wheel and seats, plus BMW’s Digital Live Cockpit that consists of its iDrive system and 12.3-inch digital instrument display.

There’s also a plethora of safety and assistance gear thrown in like cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, BMW’s Parking Assistant Plus package and rain-sensing wipers.

Of course, you could comfortably knock the price of the car into the £100k ballpark with a generous ticking of the options list but it offers a respectable amount of kit at a price that means its undercuts the Range Rover — crucial to getting would-be buyers to lay the wallet down.

Verdict

BMW knows how to build a good and proper SUV, and it’s showcased that in the X7. It’s presented a genuine Range Rover alternative that undercuts its British rival just enough on price to be noteworthy, while presenting a more engaging driving experience and some actual off-road ability too (we had a brief trip across the mud with an instructor, who stated it was ‘on par’ with the Brit).

That said, there’s a desire for a bit more flair from the X7 and its looks are not what most will describe as ‘elegant’ — which may result in a struggle to poach Range Rover buyers.

Without beating a dead horse, the rise of the smartphone is possibly the greatest technological advancement many of us will see in our lifetimes — and their connectivity to our everyday lives is ever-growing.

This of course also leads to our cars, with manufacturers looking for as many ways to integrate that little brick in our pocket to the vehicles we drive every day. There’s plenty of methods to link the two, and here’s the most common…

Connecting over Bluetooth

Bluetooth is no new technology — in fact, it’s been around since the late ‘90s. But a tech that was once useful for little more than sending T2’s ‘Heartbroken’ to your mates’ Motorola Razr on the playground now allows huge volumes of data to be carried to devices in close proximity.

Now Bluetooth has played a role in cars for a while, but with connections stronger and more reliable than before, it can allow for near-seamless audio quality when it comes to playing music. It also allows for crystal-clear phone calls and can even transfer data in some cases.

It’s a feature found as standard pretty much any new car on sale today, and for those that confine it to the options list, it’s usually cheap enough to be a must-have. Setting it up is simple, often requiring just a few button presses on the infotainment system, finding your phone and tapping the ‘pair’ button on your device.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

Though many car manufacturers are developing proprietary infotainment systems for their vehicles and benchmarking them against the likes of Apple and Google’s phone operating systems, the best still comes from the kings of mobile software.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are two very similar bits of kit. Using the smartphone itself to run the software, it displays a version of either operating system that has been optimised for road use — allowing for seamless navigation integration, phone call management, easy access to the likes of Spotify and Apple Music, and all while keeping your eyes fixed to the road ahead. Both even integrate their respective voice assistant (Siri and Google Assistant) to deliver a true handsfree experience.

Though cars must have the correct kit to run the two, more and more manufacturers are embracing them — often allowing support as a standard inclusion on its infotainment systems or at least as an option.

Better still, if you have a relatively up-to-date iPhone or Android device, you can access the respective software for no extra cost. Simply plug your phone in via USB, follow the setup steps, and you’re good to go.

MirrorLink

Similar to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink aims to bring your mobile phone to your car’s infotainment screen. Also working via USB, it supports many Android devices and other operating systems to bring the smartphone experience on the road.

Though many current and old phones still work with MirrorLink, having been around since the early half of this decade, it’s slowly becoming a less-preferred option compared with Apple and Google’s own-brand systems.

Aux cable

Sometimes, low-tech solutions are the way forward. If your phone still has a 3.5mm jack — despite efforts by some manufacturers to omit the classic port in the pursuit of more compact designs — it’s the simplest way to get music on the go.

Simply grab an Aux cable (they can be found for pennies online), plug it into your phone and then into the jack found in your car — assuming it has one, of course. This is a solution that will be more commonly applied to older cars than those on sale now, though a handful of lower-end machines will still have an Aux port.

What is it?

Honda knows a thing or two about making a hot hatch. There is of course the legendary Civic Type R, which has repeatedly been at the forefront of the market throughout its 18-year life in the UK (and 21 years globally), while Honda also produced what is widely regarded as the best-driving front-wheel-drive car ever made in the Integra.

Now, in a market dominated by crossovers and SUVs, it’s tried to bring a sprinkle of that magic to that segment with this — the HR-V Sport. Has it captured some of the spirit of its forefathers?

What’s new?

Ok so we’re not going to claim this is some full-blown hot compact crossover ‘Type R’ etc., but there’s certainly more to this HR-V Sport than just a racy-ish looking trim package.

We’ll go under the skin — with the Japanese firm’s strapping a turbo to its 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine here which, at least for the HR-V, is an exclusive to Sport grade. To help cope with introduction of ‘boost’, there’s been some real fettling of the suspension too.

Of course, there are visual changes — with new black gloss highlights to be found all round, as well as a honeycomb grille for a more impactful look.

What’s under the bonnet?

Powering our Honda HR-V Sport test car is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which develops 180bhp and 240Nm, here sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox (a CVT is also available).
The result is 0-60mph in a respectable 7.6 seconds, with a 134mph top speed also possible. As for efficiency, Honda claims 47.9mpg on the combined cycle while emitting 135g/km in CO2.

Performance is impressive, with strong low-range torque giving the HR-V a real punch when accelerating — although it quickly begins to fizzle out at about 5,000rpm. That said, for a slightly ‘warm’-ish crossover, it’s surprising and good fun — and has a sound lying on the right side of yobbish for something with the sport moniker. The six-speed gearbox’s short ratios lend well to it when looking for a bit of fun too, although its higher-revving nature can grow a tiresome on a longer cruise.

What’s it like to drive?

This may be a bit of a shock — it is to us too — but the HR-V’s ‘Sport’ credentials extend beyond marketing. It’s a genuine joy to drive, with steering well-weighted when pressing on and little in the way of body roll under harder cornering — yet its setup is soft enough to ensure it’s not overly firm.

Fling it into a corner and the chassis is happily to play around too, with enough slip at the rear to almost convince you this could be a baby Type R and leave you laughing all the way down a b road, but not so much to get into real trouble.

It’s not flawless though. It’s not a real cruising car, with plenty of wind noise and its peaky engine making it hard to pitch as a motorway cruiser — although it’s fine around town, an area where the HR-V has always excelled.

How does it look?

To the untrained eye, this is just going to look like any other HR-V in the range — but Honda has indeed made some tweaks to try and make the Sport stand out from the crowd.

Most noticeable is the array of gloss black highlights in place of chrome trim around the car, while a honeycomb grille takes centre stage. That and its 18-inch alloy wheels aside though, there’s not too much to separate it from the regular HR-V. A model-specific Modern Steel Metallic paint finish is also available at a £525 for those wanting to go a little bit off the beaten path.

We wouldn’t call it an ugly car, but the HR-V Sport is quite comfortably going to blend in with its surroundings in a queue of traffic. It’s a car that simply looks designed to be inoffensive, and that’s just fine — but we would like to have a seen a little more aggression for the Sport considering how well the mechanical changes have come off.

What’s it like inside?

There’s no radical changes to the interior of the Honda HR-V Sport, although a new black fabric and dark red faux leather combination interior is available in the car. It looks great at a first glance, although in typical budget Japanese car fashion, that’s undone when it comes to the touch.

While feeling robust, there’s certainly an element of cheapness to the way the materials feel thanks to hard plastics, a not particularly convincing leather-effect and clunky controls in the centre. At least it should hold up for an eternity.

When it comes to space, five can be seated in the HR-V — although we suspect not particularly comfortably if you’re planning for three adults in the back row, while the boot offers up 470 litres in capacity with all seats in place. That eclipses the Nissan Juke’s 354 litres and Mazda CX-3’s 350 litres.

What’s the spec like?

On top of all the go-faster bits, Honda has brought a generous level of equipment for no extra cost on the HR-V Sport. Luxury items include LED headlights, ‘smoked’ taillights, heated seats, automatic wipers, adaptive cruise control and its ‘Connect’ infotainment system displayed on a seven-inch display with Garmin satellite navigation.

There is also Honda’s ‘Sensing’ suite of safety kit — bringing forward collision warning, lane keep assist and departure warning, traffic sign recognition and collision mitigation braking at no premium.

It is however a £27,595 car, or, with premium paint as tested, a £28,120 car. Considering the base price for a non-Sport HR-V is £19,795, you’d have to be really keen on the extra performance to opt for this. Alternatively, if you want a quick-ish crossover, a dealer-stock Nissan Juke Nismo RS can be found for £23k-ish — and that’s got 30bhp more.

Verdict

Honda has made something seriously fun and genuinely interesting in the HR-V Sport. It’s a car that was once just another crossover – neither particularly outstanding nor dreadful – which now has an appealing option in its range that will put actual smiles on anyone’s face on the right road, just as long as it’s kept in mind this is no HR-V Type R, as mad as that concept sounds.

It does come at something of a cost though, so we reiterate that this is only really worth considering above other HR-Vs if performance is on your list.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Model as tested: Honda HR-V Sport
Price: £27,595
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol
Power (bhp): 180
Torque (Nm): 240
Max speed (mph): 134
0-60mph: 7.6
MPG: 47.9
Emissions (g/km): 135