Motoring News
Today, 31 August 2016Autocar magazine 31 August - out now
Jaguar electric SUV; Land Rover Defender vs the Congo; why we bought a Mazda MX-5
A Tesla-rivalling electric Jaguar SUV is our exclusive cover scoop this week in Autocar, but Tesla has already raised the bar by unveiling plans to release a Model S that will cover 0-60mph in 2.5sec.
We’ve got the full story on both cars, plus news of Land Rover’s plans to add two new hybrid powertrains to its lineup and the inside story of how Genesis sees SUVs as key to the luxury brand’s success.
Features:
Two spectacular road trips stand out in our features this week. The first is the account of a daring and epic jungle drive through the Congo in a hastily prepared Land Rover Defender. Then, it’s back to the UK in a Nissan Leaf to see if the big-selling EV (and its hardy passengers) can tackle the drive between the three highest peaks the country has to offer.
We also pit the hot Renault Megane GT against the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Ford Focus ST to see how the hatch
read moreFacelifted Hyundai i10 revealed
Fresh styling and new technology for Hyundai's i10 city car, which will go on sale in January
A facelifted version of the Hyundai i10 will go on sale in the UK next January, following the car's public debut at the Paris motor show next month.
The i10, a city car rival for the likes of the Volkswagen Up, Skoda Citigo, Seat Mii and Kia Picanto, has been on sale in its current form since 2013; this mid-life refresh is designed to keep the car competitive in the face of increasing competition.
Styling updates for this i10 are minor, and mainly focus on a new front grille and LED daytime running lights. There's also a reprofiled bumper at the rear, and a new shape for the side mouldings. Other exterior features include a new 14in steel or alloy wheel design.
The current i10's interior has been a source of disappointment in the past. It's functional and robust, but doesn't offer much of the charm or technology you'll find in premium rivals. Hyundai is looking to change that by adding a 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system. Likely to only be available on high-end versions of the i10, the new touchscreen features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, as well as satellite navigation. The sat-nav system comes with a seven-year subscription to L
read moreJaguar XE customer group tests announced
Potential Jaguar XE customers can test up to three XE competitors alongside the Jaguar saloon in the first weekend of September
Prospective Jaguar XE customers can test drive up to three of the compact executive saloon's main rivals under a new initiative launched by Jaguar.
Jaguar dealers across the country have taken delivery of the three main rivals to the XE – which occupies the fiercely competitive compact executive saloon class – for potential XE customers to compare with the XE.
Unsurprisingly, the other cars in the group test are the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class - the latter of which is in the UK’s top 10 best-selling cars of July 2016 and is the 10th best-selling car in the UK so far this year, with more than 25,000 units shifted. Due to availability issues, however, not all dealers offering the group tests will have all three cars available to test; some may only have one rival available.
Jaguar claims to be the first manufacturer in the UK to allow customers to carry out the ‘magazine-style’ group tests, with JLR UK’s managing director, Jeremy Hicks, saying: “Our offer is simple: if you are interested in test driving a Jaguar XE but are uncertain about how it will compare against its key rivals, then contact your local Jaguar retailer and arrange your own personal group test.”
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