No driver will ever put the 508 RXH through the tough test witnessed on its launch to the media.

But it served to illustrate the benefits of a four-wheel drive system based on its diesel-electric powertrain.

It climbed short 60° inclines with no trouble, and it coped with axle-twisting one-wheel-in-the-air antics.

The 508 RXH also looks the part of a semi off-roader with suspension 50mm higher than a standard 508 SW and plastic around the wheel arches.

Peugeot does not expect the 800 or so RXH buyers a year in the UK to take their vehicles off road, and its maximum towing capacity is a relatively meagre 1,100kg – 200kg less than the next best in the 508 family and 800kg lower than the near equivalent powered 2.2 HDi GT.
But luckily there is far more to the RXH than a nod to covering rough terrain or pulling a heavy trailer.

The car, which has a similar power output to the 508 SW 2.2 HDi GT, has CO2 emissions of 107g/km compared with the 154g/km of its conventionally powered sibling and, being a hybrid, avoids the 3% supplement on BIK tax.

Priced as a premium product at £33,695 on the road, it feels like an upmarket car, with standard satellite navigation, colour head-up display, automatic headlights, part-leather upholstery and electrically adjustable and heated front seats. And the elegant profile of the 508 SW disguises the extra height built into the car’s suspension.

Like the other Peugeot hybrid currently on the market, the 3008 Hybrid4, the 508 RXH uses a 163bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine that powers the front wheels. An electric motor, powered by a battery pack under the car’s luggage area drives the rear-wheels only.

There are four powertrain modes: automatic, sport, 4WD and ZEV.

Automatic optimises efficiency by managing the use of the electric motor and allowing the RXH to travel on only electric power as much as possible.

Sport allows maximum electric power to boost the engine, resulting in a maximum output of 200bhp, with the transmission optimised for performance rather than fuel economy.

Selecting 4WD ensures the electric motor and engine both remain in use, with battery charge optimised to ensure no interruption in drive to the rear wheels.

ZEV allows about two miles or so silent running at low speed, and on our test route our two-thirds charged battery allowed the RXH to travel for more than a mile before the battery depleted entirely and the engine was forced to restart.

This type of driving, with no engine noise, is very relaxing and easy to get used to around town.

The sequential electronic manual gearbox fitted to the Hybrid4 drivetrain (and also used in the 508 1.6 e-HDi) is often loathed by the likes of us motoring journalists, because of its staccato upshifts compared with a conventional torque-converter automatic, or a dual-clutch transmission.

And there is sometimes a worrying delay when trying to get the gearbox to kickdown for overtaking when relying on the technology to fend for itself.

However, Peugeot has improved the former has been improved through the electric motor partly disguising the gaps in traction between the gears when changing up, even more cleverly than was achieved in the 3008 Hybrid4. Unfortunately, kickdown can still be a problem.

Like a standard 508, the RXH is roomy and comfortable and its increased ride height makes it a little easier to get in and out. Ride comfort is compromised by over-sized wheels (as with many cars these days), resulting in generally good absorption of bumps marred by an occasional thump through the supple suspension as the tyres crash over a pothole.

Luggage space is less than in a conventional SW because of the hybrid components housed below the boot floor. A minimum of 400 litres, and a puncture repair kit rather than a spare wheel should still allow most luggage needs to be served, while the rear seats fold flat to further boost capacity.

The 508 RXH is an attractive and comfortable car. Even if its exceptionally good official fuel consumption of 68.9mpg can’t be repeated in real life (Peugeot suggested an average of 51.4mpg was achieved by its own staff on the test route, although some of the media achieved better), the 107g/km offers a large car for minimal BIK tax liability.

This will be what counts when it comes to tempting a few drivers away from premium badge cars.

By Simon Harris
First published in Fleet News.

The 2008 Tiguan was Volkswagen’s first foray into the compact SUV market.

As with the compact MPV, the company was rather slow off the mark in seeing its significance. Life has become a lot less formal.

People want a vehicle which not only makes the whole life-work thing succeed but “says” something about their take on it too (note avoidance of word “lifestyle”).

VW’s larger Touareg (and Porsche Cayenne twin) arrived in 2002. A highly credible 4x4 on/off-road SUV, it soon established itself among the longer standing front runners. Touareg II in 2010 sustained that – ‘Escape’ model at least – with high/low ratio transfer box and a broad range of 4x4 abiilty.

The Tiguan however can lay claim to a bit more ‘heritage’ than that. VW has quite an off-road history. The T3 (1979-1992 and last rear-engined) Transporter - Caravelle included a very sophisticated 4x4. And, of course, there was the rear- engined rear wheel drive Beetle-based Kubelwagen, some versions of which were 4x4 – mainly prototypes. The post-war 1960s revival was again RWD 4x2.

Compact SUV sales growth has been exponential. According to VW over half a million Tiguans had been sold across Europe, Russia, North America, China, Brazil and Australia before the arrival of 2011’s revised model.

To its credit, VW here has kept the ‘fake’ 4x2 (front wheel drive only) layout to just two versions – one petrol and one Diesel. The rest of the range is 4Motion – VW’s name for the Haldex 4WD system.

Apart from the usual S, SE and Sport variants, the latest Tiguan, like its larger Touareg sibling, adds an Escape specification too. This, however, does not run to a transfer box and low ratio gears. It does offer more of a snub nose which gives greater clearance at the front. This and very little rear overhang results in good approach and departure angles.

It also gains bodywork protection for the sills and radiator grille together with underbody protection including a sump guard. The off-road electronic tweaks include hill descent assist, optimised engine speed control when climbing, more precise monitoring of the accelerator (and gear preselect if you go for the auto).

There is also a compass and flat tyre indicator – might as well have all the bad news as you gaze over the edge of that cliff. Don’t go for the automatic: waste of money, last thing you need off-road and manual 6 speed is far better on-road too.

The Tiguan’s based on the Golf so lower-medium sized (as are most in the class) and, again typically, basically a front wheel drive car. But a low pressure torque flow (about 10%) goes to the rear axle all the time which helps the response time when more 4x4 is needed. It’s there even for high speed cornering on a dry road or sharp acceleration when the front wheels would struggle to cope.

The usual ABS and EBD barking systems are here of course aided by EDL (an electronic ‘lock’ on the differential which can be up-graded to XDS) and ASR traction control which with the 4MOTION really does minimise wheel spin.

Last year’s revisions include the new VW “corporate face” and some further tidying-up. Standard equipment on the cheapest includes ‘Climatic’ air-conditioning, DAB radio and 16” alloy wheels. The SE adds 17” alloys, dual-zone aircon and park-assist. Sport brings Bluetooth connectivity, roof rails, “privacy glass” (i.e.tinted windows side & rear), sport suspension (and front seats), etc.

Four of the six engines are new – 1.4 TSI 160; 2.0 TSI 180; 2.0 TSI 210 and (Diesel) 2.0 TDI 110 (FWD only). CO2 results for the 2.0 TDI 140 and 170 are improved – the 140 now one Road Tax band lower. Tiguan sales are around 90% Diesel with 2.0 TDI 140 the clear leader. These two TDIs (and 1.4 TSI 160) also gain the BlueMotion badge which brings stop-start and energy regeneration which eases the alternator’s impact on the engine and improves the CO2 rating.

Ride quality is consistent if a bit firm (like most of its rivals, it’s a tallish FWD car basically). Steering is rather dead and light – footbrake is light too and sharp. But these are minor faults - the latest iteration of the Tiguan impresses with the quality of the cabin and quiet docility and smoothness of the diesel drivetrain.

This is another Volkswagen which feels like a car from a class above. Just as well since the competition is tough: Land Rover Freelander/Range Rover Evoque; Audi Q5/Q3; BMW X3/X1. Not cheap but it competes with these premium brands. A polished product, it has poise and is economical. Used SUV values are strong and the Tiguan’s depreciation should be relatively moderate.

A new Golf is expected in 2013 (A3 Audi sister car late 2012) but it is likely to be some time before the Tiguan is replaced and the Audi SUVs are more recent still

By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers Union of Wales.

On page six of the press pack that accompanied this week’s test car is the heading ‘What is it?’

I am glad they asked this because to be honest I didn’t really know what to say when asked that very same question by a friend of mine.

Yes, for all you smart Alecs out there I know it is a Kia Soul, but what exactly is a ‘Kia Soul’?

With five doors, five seats and just over four metres in length with a hatchback rear I suppose it could be classed as a city car, but with its unusually high roofline and generous wheelbase others might claim it to be a mini SUV.

Or perhaps its neither, perhaps it is just a straight forward supermini, a bit like a Ford Fiesta or a Volkswagen Polo. But take look at the picture and you will no doubt agree it looks nothing like a Fiesta, a Polo or even a Peugeot 207 for that matter.

To be honest, having read the press pack I am still not entirely sure what it is. The Chief Design Officer at Kia Motors says it is a ‘lifestyle statement’, but that just sounds like flowery artist guff if you ask me.

Maybe we should just go all European and call it a B Segment car, then at least that way if people disagree with it being either a supermini or a city car we can just claim the B stands for bold, brave and boxy.

Bold because of its design. A high bonnet with forms implies power and strength, while bulging wheel arches and a wide track gives the car a broad stance that heightens its sense of stability. Large headlamps, a tiger-nose grill and a prominent centre bumper give the Soul a ‘tough not rough’ appearance.

Brave because even people involved with Kia thought the Soul was a flight of fancy when first unveiled in concept stage at the Paris Motor Show in 2008. It is somewhat odd in appearance and doesn’t have a natural place in the market - unless you’re looking for a ‘lifestyle change’ that is!

And boxy because...umm, if I have to explain this one then I recommend you find something else to read.

I could have added the word ‘bombshell’ to that list too, not because of its 0-62mph time of 11.5 seconds or its combined fuel economy figures of 47.9 (diesel) and 39.2 (petrol), which are indeed decent, but because of the way it drives and handles the road.

Despite looking a bit like the van used by Postman Pat the Soul is infact agile and offers precise handing, even on twisty roads. It is an effortless car to drive and comes with the kind of smooth and comfortable ride normally reserved for larger cars. Now that really was a bombshell!

So the question remains. What is the Kia Soul? The answer: Anything you want it to be. It is large enough for a small family, it handles country lanes as well as it does the motorway, its unique appearance ensures it turns head and a long list of options and equipment packs ensures buyers can tailor the car exactly as they want it - minimising the possibility of owners ever seeing a car exactly the same as the one they are driving.

The Kia Soul is an impossible-to-categorise small car and I like it. Hundreds won’t but in a funny sort of way that is part of its appeal.

It is available with a 124bhp 1.6 petrol engine and a 126bhp 1.6 turbodiesel. Prices range from £12,495 to £17,795.

By Richard Jones

Well on the way to “classic in its own lifetime”, Mitsubishi’s veteran 4x4 Shogun has been revised for 2012 and given a makeover. Just before Christmas too, the company’s ‘UK Dealer of the Year’ was announced and the winner was Smithy Garage, Dyffryn Ardudwy, Meirionnydd-Gwynedd.

Founded by JH Roberts, Blacksmith and Farrier, who began the move into the motor trade in 1939, the business is now run by his sons John, David and Einion. Smithy Garage earned a clear 5 star score in aftersales and customer support throughout the assessment period with 95%-100% of customers saying they would recommend the dealership to family and friends.

But this was no “one-off”, the Meirionnydd company has a very full Mitsubishi trophy cabinet including European Dealership of the Year for 2004/2005 and top European Aftersales Award for 2008. “Aftersales and customer support is the key factor in setting a business apart” said John Roberts, “for us a customer is just as important after handing over the keys as in the run-up to closing the deal”.

John himself worked the petrol pumps at the garage from the age of 11 in 1960 – the year when the ‘Smithy’ turned over full-time to motor cars. “You couldn’t do that today”, he says, but it was a significant date, “I remember my father remarking that he hadn’t shod one horse during the whole of 1959”. “Tro ar fyd” as we say in Welsh – how the world had changed.

Having dealt in both Rootes Group (Humber, Hillman, Singer, Sunbeam) and British Leyland cars, the firm decided to take on the Mitsubishi franchise in 1976. It has never looked back.

Initially a joint venture with the Colt Car Company, the Japanese company’s UK arm remains at Cirencester in Gloucestershire. Closer to the countryside, perhaps, it has certainly been more successful in creating a Land Rover-like up-market rural image than its more obvious Japanese rivals, Toyota and Nissan.

The current Shogun line dates from 1981 with new cars in 1991 and 2006. The 3.2 litre 200 bhp Diesel arrived in 2009 – a four cylinder engine with a shedload of torque. Headline change for 2012 was rendering this unit Euro V compliant.

CO2 improvements range from 14% for the manual (213g/km) to 20% for the automatic (224g/km). Choice of SWB three door (5 seat) or LWB 5 door (7 seat) remains and (official) fuel consumption figures are better too: 36.2 mpg (30.7 mpg previously - 3 door); 33.2mpg (26.7 mpg previously – 5 door).

The old Equippe, Elegance and Diamond model names have gone to be succeeded by SG2, SG3 and SG4 (5 door LWB: £32,129-£40,999) but “Warrior” remains with cheaper SG2 for 3 door SWB variants (£29,499-£32,599).

Trim and bodywork has been smartened up and equipment levels improved: SatNav comes with every model apart from cheapest SG2 now but the gearbox (manual or automatic) remains a five-speed affair unfortunately rather than six.

The Shogun however remains a proper dual-purpose 4x4 – high and low ratio gears together with a centre differential lock. ABS braking and ESP stability control is there of course and this electronic input aids the inherent low-ratio compression engine braking when descending steep or slippery slopes.

Mitsubishi calls its 4x4 system “SuperSelect” – it offers rear wheel drive high ratio for on-road cruising in good conditions and 4x4 High if things deteriorate or for a more ‘press-on’ driving style. This can cope with a fair range of off-road activity too and torque-split front/rear is 33/67 varying up to 50-50 as required.

Switching from 4x2H to 4x4H can take place without stopping at speeds up to 60mph. In addition 4x4HLc locks the centre differential for more difficult terrain and 4x4LLc engages both low ratio and CDL for the really severe stuff.

It’s not just a fit-for-business drivetrain either. Alrthough no longer a body on frame (separate chassis) construction, such as Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol and Pathfinder, a chassis-equivalent has been integrated into the bodywork for extra strength. Braked trailer maximum is 3,500kg (3,300kg SWB).

By contemporary standards the Shogun is tall and relatively narrow (no bad thing in a tight car park) and it can feel like an old-school ‘top-heavy’ 4x4 at times.Handling and ride quality is not bad at all but this is basically still a tough long-life vehicle which reminds you of that if you hit a pothole or bump at any speed.

Cheaper by and large, Shogun’s asking prices do approach basic versions of the more modern and sophisticated Volkswagen Touareg or Land Rover Discovery. It retains a strong appeal and loyal following however due in large part to its overall comfort, equipment, practicality and credibility as a very capable 4x4.

By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the National Farmers Union of Wales.

SsangYong in Korean means two or twin dragons and legend has it that their strength comes from an inseparable relationship. Over the past couple of years they might well have felt inclined to pop out and incinerate a few foes on behalf of “their company”. With or without supernatural help however the firm has survived and its new Korando and first compact SUV heralds, it is said, a new era.

SsangYong was the first foreign Chinese automotive acquisition a few years ago but that unravelled. The company became insolvent at the beginning of 2009 but was refinanced by the end of the year and production re-started. Now majority owned by India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, the UK importer too recently attracted a new proprietor.  The Korando therefore leads the re-launch of the company here.

__A licence agreement in the 1990s allowed SsangYong to produce Mercedes-Benz engines and transmissions under licence. Four wheel drive (Jeeps for the US Army in the 1960s) and credible off-roaders have been a principal product: Musso now Rexton has a separate chassis, transfer box, high/low ratio gears.

The Korando breaks with the past. The 2.0 litre Diesel is native Korean and it’s basically a ‘high-rise’ front wheel drive five door hatch with a 4x4 variant – i.e. a typical contemporary ‘crossover’. As if to make the point, the styling is the work of Italdesign founder, Giorgetto Giugiaro. Clean and understated if conservative - in-your-face it might not be but it does have a hint of ‘premium’ about it.

Typical too are the ‘fake SUV’ two-wheel drive variants (‘S’ and ‘ES’) – EX is the 4x4.  Automatic is available on the ES and EX. The diesel revs pretty freely, has “best in class torque” but the six-speed manual remains clearly the car of choice.

The auto ‘box costs more money (EX Auto is £1,550 dearer than the EX manual) and sends the CO2 figure up sharply (194g/km as opposed to 169g/km) leading to ‘Band J’ Road Tax: £445 first year, £245 thereafter. The ‘Band H’ manual first year fee is £265, £190 in subsequent years.  (FWD 4x2 models are ‘Band G’ and £165 throughout.) If the EX 4x4 was 5g/km lower it too would be a ‘Band G’ car.

However, the Korando is “the most powerful towing car in its class” with a braked trailer maximum of 2,000kg and towbar limit of 80kg. This does imply some build rigidity in addition to a decent power output. Default mode is FWD/4x2 but a Haldex-type torque-on-demand unit on the rear axle dials in rear wheel drive as required. For bad conditions or going off-road, there’s a 50-50 lock-up switch.

Apart from a bigger engine and more power, the Korando is taller and has a longer wheelbase than class rivals from Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and Mitsubishi so more room in the back. It’s also cheaper yet every model includes alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, electric heated door mirrors with puddle lamps, in-windscreen electric de-icer and roof rails. Hill Start Assist is there too and all the usual electronic safety aids: ABS/EBD braking; ESP/ARP stability and anti-rollover. 

It also comes with a five-year warranty and no mileage limit. Metallic paint is £500 extra and £999 buys a touch-screen SatNav with iPod, Bluetooth and CD/DVD/RDS applications.  The ‘headlines’ therefore make good reading.

But the world has moved on. The ride is comfortable but steering, cornering and body control are unexceptional. Diesels have a narrow rev-band but here you have to catch the torque produced to make the best of it. High-ish CO2 does not just mean heavier tax, it could imply an engine which is not as efficient as it might be (it is Euro V compliant however). Cabin fit and finish is OK but nothing special.

The Korando then has to sell on kit and price. For those looking for a front-drive ‘SUV lookalike’ (i.e.a hatch with attitude) there are better propositions among the usual suspects. The 4x4 EX manual has appeal, some ability and comes from a company which knows a thing or two about 4x4 vehicles. It’s an encouraging sign for the future.  In the meantime dealers will have to work hard on those albeit competitive asking prices to turn then into much keener transaction prices.

By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the National Farmers Union of Wales.

Two bad winters saw SUVs go from zero to hero.  All the signs from auctions and car supermarkets, at this time of year at least, show their used values are the only ones holding firm or going up.

So, hot on the heels of Land Rover’s Range Rover Evoque, Audi’s “me too” Q3 launch could hardly have been better timed.

And it’s not merely the prospect of another bout of bad weather that’s behind this.  The chattering classes of suburbia have re-discovered what those of us in the country have known all along - the SUV is a year-round, all-round vehicle with a greater range of ability than anything else on the road … or off it.

It’s also grown into a broader motor car range over the last year or so.  Apart form the standard 4x4 and luxury machines, compact variants soon appeared and now there’s a distinct sub-compact group.

BMW dipped a toe in the water with the X1 – a lower, more car-like, shortened version of the X3.  Much of the range is 4x2 - but at least classic rear wheel drive like other BMWs (so far anyway).  This trend to fake (how sad is that) SUVs is fuelled by CO2-based road tax and ‘Benefit in Kind’ company car charges.

Land Rover had to do this with the Freelander recently and the dramatic looking Range Rover Evoque (five-door and coupe-like three-door) has a whole line-up of 4x2s.  These are transverse engined and front wheel drive since that is the basic layout of the Freelander and (erstwhile sister-car) Volvo XC60.

According to Audi, the X1 and Evoque are the new Q3’s competitors.  But (fellow VW Group vehicle) Volkswagen Tiguan and Freelander itself qualify.  In fact, the Q3 resembles the Tiguan more closely than the larger Q5 and Q7.  Wheelbase is virtually identical but it’s lower and slightly shorter and wider (but we’re only talking millimetres here).

Like the Tiguan the Q3’s engine is placed transversely across the front axle which it drives.  For the 4x4 variants, an additional drive shaft runs to the rear where a compact Haldex clutch unit lies in wait.  Once triggered, it starts to build up drive the rear wheels and can go up to 100% RWD in extremis.

The current Haldex IV is more pro-active, however. Sensors indicate any slip or similar behaviour and drive goes to the rear axle instantly.  The benefits can felt on-road too – in hard acceleration and cornering, for example, wet weather (snow and ice) or not.  Of course, this is an occasional off-roader, or ‘soft-roader’, and (like the Q5 and Q7 in fact) it has no transfer box for high and low ratio gearing.

Despite the lower roofline, it is higher off the ground than an equivalent A3 and its compact size and low weight (bonnet and tailgate are aluminium), makes it quite an agile machine.  While not pronounced, front/rear overhangs are fairly car-like making approach and departure angles seem unexceptional.

The Q3 retains a relatively higher driving/seating position than an ordinary car so the SUV ‘visibility’ is still there. Trademark Audi fit and finish (inside and out) is apparent and there are just two models: SE and S line (for a premium of £2,750).  SE spec includes: 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, front centre armrest, aluminium roof rails.  S line adds 18-inch alloys, xenon and LED lights, leather/cloth seats, dynamic suspension.  Front sports seats with extendable squabs (for the longer-legged) an option - but should be standard.

There is (thankfully) only one FWD entry model for both SE and S line trims – a 2.0 TDI 140 with manual gearbox.  The other three come with four wheel drive (Audi calls all its 4x4s “quattro”): 2.0 TDI 177 S tronic (seven-speed dual clutch automatic with a new ‘free-wheel’ mode when coasting; 2.0 TFSI 170 petrol (6 speed manual); 2.0 TFSI 211 S tronic.  Shame the higher powered TDI (and only 4x4 diesel) is not available with a manual gearbox.

Generally, chassis dynamics are pretty good (steering, cornering, body control) if not as sharp as the Evoque’s.  Ride quality is OK if a bit firm unless the adaptive dampers are ordered (at further extra cost) which have a ‘Comfort’ setting.

Audi claims performance, economy, running costs and (CAP Monitor projected) used values at or around class best – 2.0 TDI 177 SE quattro (£28,460) should see lowest depreciation of all.  That too the obvious choice (Audi predicts 50% of all Q3 sales here): 132mph; 0-62mph 8.2 seconds; 47.9mpg (official combined); CO2 156g/km (£165pa); Insurance 21E; Braked Trailer max 2000kg.

All Q3 engines employ direct fuel injection and turbocharging together with stop-start and energy recuperation systems.  An efficient all-purpose car with room for four and a reasonable load area but it’s rather clinical and conservative next to an Evoque.  It has ‘Germanic’ appeal (despite being built for Audi by sister firm SEAT at its Barcelona plant) and there’s no denying the build quality and finish.

By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the National Farmers' Union of Wales.
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Land Rover’s latest creation arrives this month to (almost total) rave reviews in the press. This is a light SUV with a hefty agenda – it’s meant to change the perception of Range Rover, carve out a premium niche above the already classy Freelander and attract customers new to the sector not just the company.

Range Rovers are seen as big, expensive, luxury vehicles and the Evoque offers a new interpretation of the marque. Range Rover Sport might have been a precedent (much further up the scale) but Audi’s TT was a very clear inspiration.

It put some distance between the image of Audi’s smaller products and the rest of the Volkswagen Group line-up – it had style and drove well.

As a coupe-like SUV (three- and five-door) the Evoque had to have handling to match the image.  It is shorter and lighter than the Freelander and has a lower, wider stance but all the attributes of a proper SUV - short approach and departure angles, etc. It is built on the same line as the Freelander at the Liverpool Halewood plant.

For a production car it is remarkably close to the look of the LRX concept seen at motor shows previously – the three-door especially. Visual impact assured, how does it go? It might not match a TT but, for a compact SUV, it is remarkably nimble. Steering, cornering and body control are pin-sharp compared to the rest.

But this is not at the expense of ride quality which remains pretty comfortable – quite a trick because you still sit higher in a vehicle taller than an equivalent car and the usual ‘solution’ is to strap down the suspension. For an extra £1,150 trick electro-magnetic dampers automatically adapt for a better on-road focus – it seems to work.

Like the Freelander, the Evoque is basically a front wheel drive car and the 4WD is added courtesy of a Haldex transmission unit (also used by 4x4 versions of the TT). However, this adaptation is ‘permanent 4x4’ apparently and the Land Rover “Terrain Response” row of buttons ensures it’s set up for a variety of conditions ahead. The usual electronic aids are there for Hill Descent, slippery slopes, etc.

As per Freelander again, there is no high/low ratio transfer box but, overall, the off-road drive package works surprisingly well in finding and exploiting what grip there might be under the wheels at any given time.

Diesel 2.2 litre 4 cylinder units of 150 or 190 bhp coupled to 6 speed manual gearboxes are the obvious choice here – although there is also a petrol 2.0 litre 140 automatic. Evoque 2.2 TD4 150 (4x4) can reach 115mph and 62mph in 10.3 seconds with 49.6mpg as the official combined figure.

Galling though it might be for a regular Range Rover owner - having just spent £90k on his latest pride and joy - to see his precious badge on a jumped up lower medium hatch, FWD versions of the Evoque start at £27,955.  The equivalent (five-door only) Freelander’s asking price is: £22,005.

Honour is salvaged, thankfully, by the 4x4 versions which do command respect: £28,705 is the starting point for 4x4 Evoques. Freelander 4x4s start at £22,755.  Audi’s Q3 at £27,980; BMW X1 (4x4 – xDrive is impressive) and X3 at £25,620 and £31,140; Infiniti EX (3.0 litre Diesel) £37,130.

It’s not just style – perceived build quality and cabin interiors do evoke (sic) the Range Rover ambience. The 4x4 ability is good and on-road dynamics are a class apart. It is something “new” and the order bank, apparently, substantial.

Nonetheless, just a tentative dip into the options list will send the price of an Evoque well into the £30k plus orbit. A cool calm look at Freelander, BMW and Infiniti equivalents might provide some perspective.

By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the National Farmers' Union of Wales.

Nissan's X-Trail SUV has been given a make-over for 2011.

Compact SUVs, like compact MPVs (people carriers), are big sellers now and all the top names have piled in – ‘premium’ brands and the rest. BMW has brought out a new X3 - larger to slot between the recent X1 and latest X5, there’s an Audi Q5 with a Q3 coming soon and Mazda has a CX-5 ready to fit in under the CX-7.

Of the current players, Volkswagen’s ‘team mate’ to the Q5 is the newly revised very polished Tiguan, while Hyundai-Kia iX35 and Sportage have earned more than a tad of credibility.  Ford’s Kuga is good on-road and has enough 4x4 ability for the odd excursion off it while all-terrain class best is Land Rover’s Freelander.

Like its relative (from Ford days) XC60 Volvo, the Freelander (as do many of the above) offers 4x2 front wheel drive only “entry” models but Volvo makes more of this.  Land Rover’s latest ploy is the Range Rover Evoque.

Sharing much of the Freelander structure, a striking ‘haute couture’ light SUV-coupe crossover has been created which will shake up the whole sector.  It too, however, does the 4x2 FWD only compromise for bottom of the range models. 

In Nissan doctrine the X-Trail is an SUV not a crossover, so it’s meant to be a ‘serious’ utility vehicle as well as a sporty one. In this it stands alongside the Navara pick-up and Pathfinder SUV (‘original’ Patrol too in some markets still).

Despite unitary bodywork and no low ratio gears the X-Trail has a sophisticated 4x4 system with an ‘opt-out’ FWD for dry tarmac. ‘Auto’ setting is for 4x4 on and off road. The system senses when to shift the torque from front to rear axles and a switch to ‘Lock’ fixes the drive 50-50 should conditions deteriorate.

The 2011 re-shuffle reduced the model range to two – Acenta (£25,780) and Tekna (£29,580), both 4x4, both equipped with a 2.0dCi 171bhp Diesel engine and 6 speed manual gearboxes.  (A 6 speed automatic Tekna is available for £30,960.)  All petrol models have gone and, with them, the entry FWD variant.

Apart from the usual smartening up outside (lights and bright trim) the cabin looks better and equipment is generous: climate control; Bluetooth and six airbags standard for both.  Tekna adds a very posh SatNav which offers touch-screen and voice operation, a lot of music capacity and DVD movie playback – provided you park up first. A rear parking camera is included along with quite a few further ‘bells and whistles’.

The 6 speed manual X-Trail can reach 124mph and do the 0-62mph dash in 10 seconds.  Official combined fuel consumption is 44.1mpg and (brim to brim) on test it ranged between 31-34mpg (without opting out of 4x4).  So 35-plus day to day is probably there and that’s good for a compact yet credible SUV. O2 168 g/km: Road Tax ‘H’ £190pa. Insurance category: 14E (or 33E on the 1-50 scale).

Braked trailer maximum is a substantial 2,200kg, the angular shape allows good use of interior loadspace (max payload 555kg) and the ‘double deck’ floor at the back means certain items of kit can be secured out of sight. Approach and departure angles (28 and 24 degrees) are good for quite difficult conditions.

Ride is comfortable and, although it’s no sports car, on-road dynamics (steering, cornering) are consistent and predictable. The X-Trail is not ahead of the class on any specific point but, overall, it is a highly competent well-equipped vehicle at a competitive price. It deserves its place among the top compact SUV players but the latest products to emerge mean it certainly has its work cut out.

By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the National Farmers' Union of Wales.

US President Dwight D Eisenhower used to say that the two key ‘victory assets’ of World war II were the C-47 (‘Dakota’) and the Jeep.  It’s 70 years since the 1941 Jeep – compact, lightweight with high and low ratio four wheel drive – changed the whole way an army operated.

Another military star who saw the Jeep’s potential was Master Sergeant Ernest G Bilko (aka Phil Silvers).  From a rented shop-front in Roseville, Kansas, Jeeps “diverted” from Fort Baxter’s Motor Pool were painted, smartened up and offered for sale as a new imported small car under the name “Arrivederchi”.

When challenged by a veteran of the Italian Campaign, Bilko replied along the lines of “Yes Sir, of course it means ‘Goodbye’ – goodbye to discomfort, goodbye to noise, goodbye to low performance, goodbye to high fuel bills …”  Broadcast towards the end of the series in May 1959, it was a classic.

The basic Jeep evolved into the (‘Civilian’) CJ then Wrangler which is still built – much like the 1948 Land Rover (now Defender), itself based on the Jeep.  The next steps were distinctive luxury 4x4 models and SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle).

Jeep launched the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer in 1963 – it had four wheel drive but was very much an American estate car or ‘Station Wagon’.  Land Rover can claim to have invented the luxury off-roader in 1970 with the Range Rover but Jeep says it hit on the “premium SUV” when it launched the Grand Cherokee in 1993.  Both are iconic brands, but Jeep is the original and it still has kudos.

The move away from utility 4x4s meant a re-think about how these vehicles were built – how to retain all-terrain capability but combine it with car-like handling, steering and comfort.  The other big thing was height (for the trademark elevated driving position) which can cause problems for cornering and high speed stability.

Both Jeep and Land Rover eventually moved away from bodywork mounted on a separate chassis to a type of unitary construction reinforced for off-road work.  Apart form the immediate dynamic benefits, it also led to improved fit and finish.
The latest Grand Cherokee is the third (GCII was launched in 2005) and total sales to date have topped 4 million.  The new platform was designed under the DaimlerChrysler regime and will underpin the next Mercedes-Benz ML and GL models.  Jeep says it is stiffer, stronger and more durable than the old car’s but is 38kg lighter at 2,272kg - yet towing capacity is an impressive 3,500kg (braked).

The engine however is no longer a Mercedes unit.  Built by VM Motori and claimed to be co-developed with Fiat Powertrain, the new 3.0 litre V6 cylinder turbodiesel produces 237bhp (10% up on the old model) and 8% more torque which is all there from 1,800-2,400rpm.  Official (combined) fuel consumption is 34mpg (19% better) while the CO2 figure is 20% down to 218g/km (£260).  Weight shedding and engine technology seem to have combined to provide clear economy gains (in official figures at least) while 126mph and 0-62 in 8.2 seconds is still lively.

Unfortunately the automatic transmission is a carry-over from the previous car and remains a five-speed 'box (no manual option – par for the course in this class now regrettably).  A more modern 7/ 8 speed (available before long perhaps) would improve things. However, both ‘Limited’ and ‘Overland’ models (£36,160 and £43,360) have Quadra-Trac II four wheel drive with high/low transfer box.

Selec-Terrain allows a quick choice for various conditions: Sand/Mud; Snow; Rocks; Auto. The Overland adds adjustable height air suspension which sets the car for various on-road or off-road attitudes. For serious work the front spoiler can be removed which allows steeper approach angles.

Longer, wider and lower than before, the new Grand Cherokee remains a highly credible off-road vehicle and has resisted the drift towards high ratio gears only (e.g.Porsche Cayenne and all but ‘Escape’ VW Touareg veriants).  Electronic Hill Descent and Hill Start Assist usefully enhance the mechanical 4x4 system.

Fit and finish (inside and out) is markedly improved and equipment levels are quite generous. However, the steering is a bit light and lifeless for European drivers and cabin interior quality not quite “there” compared to European peers – VW/Porsche, Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover Sport especially.

Jeep has had a turbulent corporate history since 1941.  It’s owners have included Willys-Overland; Kaiser Corp; American Motors Corp., Chrysler, DaimlerChrysler and Chrysler again under a capital venture company.  After a government fast-track through bankruptcy Chrysler-Jeep is now under the control of Fiat Group.

There are major plans for Chrysler-Jeep under the new regime. On and off-road, first impressions of the new Grand Cherokee were promising and, if a sign of things to come, the future looks bright for Jeep.  Sergeant  Bilko (as ever) was on to something but as he would say, no doubt, “Buongiorno” is the word now.

By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer

In the not too distant past, when looking at some Mercedes-Benz models for fleet choice lists, they haven’t seemed as competitive as some rivals.

Before the current C-Class model, introduced in 2007, they had appeared a little pricey when compared to equivalent BMW and Audi models, but new UK equipment grades and specification on the C-Class fixed the problem.

The SE, and particularly the SE Executive versions, had all the important kit a driver would expect on a premium badge car. However, many versions of the car fell short of rivals on CO2 emissions, making it more expensive from a personal taxation perspective.

The four-cylinder diesel models were close, but always seemed to miss out on the benefits of having CO2 emissions below 120g/km, while automatic transmission versions – preferred by used car buyers – also carried an emissions and fuel consumption penalty.

But Mercedes-Benz promised changes were on the way, and its goals would be achieved by a combination of measures.

And those targets have been met by the latest version of the C-Class, Mercedes-Benz’s rival to the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 that is available to order now.

Although classed as a facelift, it is the most significant mid-life revision ever carried out on a Mercedes-Benz with about 2,000 new components.

With a sleeker look from its swept back headlamps and reprofiled bumpers, the C-Class also has a new dashboard and new safety kit.

Meanwhile, extensive use of stop-start technology, together with more efficient engines, has resulted in significantly lower CO2 emissions for key models.

The 170bhp C220 CDI SE with manual transmission has CO2 emissions of 117g/km – lower than the 184bhp BMW 320d SE, and coming within range of the ultra-efficient 163bhp 320 ED saloon.

So in terms of performance per gramme of CO2 generated, the new C-Class puts up a very strong fight.

Elsewhere in the range there are also significant improvements in efficiency. All four-cylinder diesel versions of the C-Class saloon have CO2 emissions of 140g/km or less, while in many cases the automatic transmission – now a seven-speed 7G-Tronic gearbox – offers lower emissions. Estate versions are within a few grammes of the outputs of saloon variants.

Likewise, most four-cylinder petrol models (saloons and estates) fall within the 160g/km threshold for capital allowances, with the auto transmissions looking even more promising.

The C-Class interior feels more upmarket as a result of the changes – with the display screen out in the open rather than the part-time cover on the earlier versions, while the LCD information display within the instruments is in colour on Elegance and Sport versions.
Sport models have proved popular since they were introduced in 2007 with their more aggressive front end styling, larger alloy wheels and sports suspension.

The four-cylinder engines are familiar, and the 170bhp C220 CDI has strong performance.
However, with 60mpg-plus potential in SE guise, this particular derivative has now become highly competitive in its sector, and is likely to grab the attention of user choosers and fleet operators, particularly with its BIK tax rate of 13% for 2011/12.

The C-Class offers perhaps a smoother drive than other cars in its class with a greater emphasis on refinement, although with a dash of driver appeal thrown in thanks to its rear-wheel drive balance and keen steering.

Changes to the C-Class have given it more than a new lease of life. The whole range now stacks up more favourably on costs than before and this could be key to winning more business and fleet sales at the expense of its traditional German rivals.

By Simon Harris
First published in Fleet News.