Mercedes-Benz CLA

What is it?

Basically, the CLA-Class is a smaller CLS-Class, a coupé take on the age-old C-Class Saloon. At £24,775, the CLA is just over £2,000 cheaper than the C-Class and £21,000 cheaper than the CLS.

I've heard the CLS is available as a Shooting Brake version. What is it, and can you get a CLA Shooting Brake?

If the CLS is a coupé take on a saloon, the Shooting Brake is a coupé take on an estate. And yes, both the CLS and CLA can be specified as a Shooting Brake. But we won't talk about that here.

What powers the CLA?

Petrol power comes in the form of a CLA 180, CLA 250 4MATIC and CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC. They're said to get 50, 45 and 40 mpg respectively. If you opt for the more economical diesels, your options are the CLA 200 CDI, CLA 220 CDI and CLA 220 CDI 4MATIC. The first two are said to get as near as makes no difference 70 mpg, with the latter said to achieve just under 60 mpg. All but entry level CLA 180 and CLA 200 CDI models (6-speed manual) are coupled to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Tell me more about the CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC.

Not only is it available on the Coupé (saloon style), but also the Shooting Brake. Despite acting like a normally-aspirated 4.5-litre engine, the 4-cylinder 2.0-litre unit churns out 360 bhp making it good for 0-62 mph in sprint in 4.6 seconds. Emitting 165 g/km of CO2 and running at a claimed 39.8 mpg, it'll do 155 mph.

What's the standard spec like?

Available in Sport, AMG Sport and OrangeArt trims, the CLA comes as standard with 18-inch alloys and halogen headlights but you can upgrade for AMG design alloys, bi-xenon headlights and rear privacy glass.

And the options list?

You can specify a storage compartment under the front passenger's seat, ambien lighting, heated front seats and a rear armrest. There's plenty of safety kit too like the lane keeping assist and traffic sign assist as well as a reversing camera. Unfortunately, keyless go is on the options list - on such a car I would expect it to be standard on at least the higher-end models. The panoramic sunroof requires some rather deep pockets too, being a £1,000 option.

How would you spec your CLA-Class?

  

 
 

Volkswagen C Coupé GTE Concept

Revealed in Auto Shanghai 2015, the Chinese market-aimed C Coupé GTE is a four-door, four-seat luxury coupé-style saloon. As the name suggests, the GTE uses a plug-in hybrid system. This comprises of a 210 PS 4-cylinder TSI petrol engine and a 124 PS electric unit. Together they produce 245 PS and 500 Nm. Power is delivered through an 8-speed automatic transmission. The lithium-ion battery provides up to 31 miles of electric-only driving at speeds of up to 81 mph. With the whole hybrid system working in harmony, you should theoretically be able to travel up to 497 miles between charges and fills. It takes 8.6 seconds to reach 62 mph and continues to a top speed of 144 mph. It is said to use 2.3 l/100km (roughly 123 mpg), emitting just 55 g/km of CO2. Here's an interesting fact: it is more than 5 metres in length! 

Volvo's 'Lounge Console'

Previewed at Auto Shanghai 2015, the Lounge Console shows where Volvo is heading with its luxury vehicles. Take a look at what Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Car Group, had to say:

“The intention with this concept is to showcase two things – firstly that Volvo Cars is aware of the needs of our executive customers and secondly, that with design innovation and modern materials we can effectively create  passenger experience that is unique in the premium car segment.”

The Lounge Console completely replaces the front passenger's seat turning the vehicle into a four-seater. This can be a table, a lockable compartment for storing personal belongings or an in-car cinema with a 17-inch display. Even the section where your feet shall rest is cushioned! Because there is no seat in front of the rear passenger, he or she can see straight out of the front windscreen which, Volvo claims, provides a more open, spacious environment. I would tend to agree, but it would take some getting used to as at the moment all chauffer cars have standard seat layout.

SEAT Alhambra

Seat has released its new Alhambra. Without going in depth, take a look at what's new!

The petrol and diesel engines have been redeveloped, so Seat says. But what does that mean? The 2.0 TDI 150 PS, 2.0 TDI 184 PS and 1.4 TSI 150 PS are the power plants of the new Alhambra, with economy figures as high as 57.6 mpg and 130 g/km of CO2. In reality though, I wouldn't expect more than 50 mpg from a normal driver on normal roads.

Safety comes in the form of Seat's multi-collision brake system, a Blind-Spot Sensor and Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC).

The inside and outside have been updated with some LED lighting, new trims and a keyless go option. There are also some updates in the technology department with what should be a quicker and more responsive infotainment system.

You can pre-order the Alhambra in May with deliveries expected in the following months.

Peugeot 208

The 208 is Peugeot’s best-seller, so it comes as no surprise that Peugeot have given it an update. It’ll be available from June. As well as new styling, the 208 features some high-tech safety equipment too.

One thing that Peugeot is very keen to show us is that it now has the world’s most economical internal combustion engine with CO2 emissions from as low as 79 g/km!

They claim that the exterior is more assertive, partly helped by the wider grille and two-tone headlights. Some fancy new alloys and more chrome styling demonstrate why it’s such a popular car with young buyers. Personalisation ranges from stickers to 13 fancy paint jobs.

Inside, the brand’s ‘i-Cockpit’ has received some trim upgrades and a new MirrorScreen which will let you display what’s on your smartphone on the 7-inch touchscreen.

As well as Park Assist, you can now get a reversing camera and Active City Brake which works at speeds of under 20 mph.

All but the entry level 75 bhp engine use Stop & Start technology and you should be able to get somewhere near the 94 claimed miles per gallon. As well as 5- and 6-speed manuals, there will be an EAT6 6-speed automatic available from launch.

A new trim level comes in the form of GT Line for 3- and 5-door models with 17-inch alloys, GT Line badging and red ‘PEUGEOT’ markings on the front and rear. There’s also some gloss black and aluminium trim thrown in here and there.

To further add to the lineup, Peugeot is offering a 208 GTi by PEUGEOT Sport with a lower reight height, 18-inch alloys, a matt black exterior, front bucket seats and some fancy Brembo brakes and Michelin tyres.

SsangYong Tivoli

At the moment, if you were to walk into a SsangYong dealership, you'll probably be faced with just the £15k Korando, £22k Rexton W, £18k Truismo and £15k Korando Sports. Why? Well, that's all SsangYong offers. Until now. Well, June. As of this summer, you'll also be faced with the new £13k Tivoli.

It's here to fight the similarly priced Renault Captur, Nissan Juke as well as other crossovers. But why should you consider buying a Tivoli? Let's take a look at the specs.

Three generous specs will be offered, SE, EX and ELX. Entry-level SE models come with 16-inch alloys, cruise control and Bluetooth®. Petrol SE Tivolis also come with start/stop technology. Seven airbags are standard. Step up to EX for 18-inch alloys, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control and a 7-inch touchscreen with a reversing camera. Heated front seats and front fog lights finish off this trim. Top-of-the-range ELX has Diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and go, front and rear parking sensors, automatic headlights and wipers, a TomTom sat nav and a rear spoiler. You can further customise SsangYong's new car with 'My Tivoli'. This'll let you have red leather upholstery, in-trim upgrades and a two-tone paint colour. Sorry, it's not a Range Rover SVAutobiography alternative! They all come with 60:40 split folding rear seats.

You can specify the Tivoli with front- or all-wheel-drive, 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines (128 PS and 115 PS respectively), and 6-speed manual and automatic transmission. See the full pricing list here:

SE petrol - manual: SE diesel - manual: EX petrol - manual: EX petrol - automatic: EX diesel - manual: EX diesel - automatic: EX diesel 4x4 - manual: ELX petrol - manual: ELX petrol - automatic: ELX diesel - manual: ELX diesel - automatic: ELX diesel 4x4 - manual: ELX diesel 4x4 - automatic:

£12,950 £14,200 £14,600 £15,600 £15,850 £16,850 £17,100 £16,000 £17,000 £17,250 £18,250 £18,500 £19,500

CO2 emissions are expected to range from 113 to 167 g/km and the e-XGi160 petrol engine will get around 40 mpg. There are no efficiency statistics yet for the e-XDi160 diesel engine.

You can download the Tivoli brochure from SsangYong's website or here, but there's nothing much in there yet.

SsangYong Tivoli Brochure

Citroën Aircross

Citroën have released the Aircross Concept ahead of the Shanghai Motor Show which gets its inspiration somewhat from the C4 Cactus.

It is intended to be sold right across the world with the cabin's aim to promote the occupants' well-being, which suggests a light and airy cabin.

There are two 12-inch HD screens and speakers and microphones in the seats for better communication via the connected phone - something we need to see more of in productions cars now!

Renault Kadjar

It premièred at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and on sale from Autumn 2015 in the UK, the Kadjar is the Captur's big brother. It's a bit like the story of the Nissan Juke and Qashqai, but Renault doesn't (yet) offer an X-Trail-sized full SUV. 

 

The dCi 110 is a 1.5-litre 110 bhp diesel engine, and there's also a bigger 1.6-litre 130 bhp dCi unit. Also producing 130 bhp is the 1.2-litre turbocharged TCe petrol. They all use Stop & Start technology. The gearboxes are all 6-speed and there's even an EDC dual-clutch transmission for the dCi 110. Because there's a choice of two- and four-wheel-drive, you can make sure you're getting the best out of the car whether it be efficiency or off-road ability. Renault claims you can get more than 70 mpg and as low as 99 g/km of CO2. 

 

Even with 4WD models, there's a 2WD option which'll help save fuel. In addition, AUTO sends torque where it's needed and LOCK makes a permanent 50:50 torque distribution and four-wheel-drive setup for really rough terrain. You can only use it at speeds of up to 25 mph, though. There's a respectable 472-litre boot and a further 30 litres inside. As you'd expect, it's a 60:40 split folding rear seat configuration as opposed to the more practical 40:20:40, but something you don't get in lots of cars is a front passenger seat which folds down to make carrying really long items a doddle. The Qashqai has just 430 litres to offer. 

 

Outside, C-shaped LED daytime running lights give it a more up-market appeal, and a chrome bar across the headlights emphasises its size. 

 

Onboard safety is good, with an Active Emergency Braking System, Easy Park Assist, 360-degree parking sensors, a reversing camera, Lane Departure and Blind Spot warning systems and Hill Start Assist. R-Link 2, Renault's infotainment system, has voice recognition, telephone, apps, and a 7-inch TFT display. You can even specify a Bose® audio system with a centrefill speaker, a sub-woofer and 6 more speakers throughout the cabin. 

 

That's pretty much all I can tell you at the moment, but further details along with the full UK pricing and specifications "will be made available closer to All-New Kadjar's UK launch in the Autumn". I, for one, am looking forward to a Renault SUV. It has definitely filled a hole in the range for the time being, even if it is fashionably late!

***UPDATE***

On Thursday the 4th of June the pricing was announced. The Kadjar will be starting from £17,995 with order books opening in July and deliveries coming in September. It will be available in the following trims: Expression+, Dynamique Nav, Dynamique S Nav and Signature Nav.

Volvo XC90

Unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in 2002, the XC90 has been produced ever since with minor changes here and there. Still in its 1st generation a decade later, the design became a bit too familiar. In May 2012, though, Volvo announced that there would be a 2nd generation of its front-engined front- or all-wheel-drive premium SUV.

In late 2014, Volvo opened the books for the First Edition, of which 1,927 were made to represent the year of Volvo Car’s foundation. Within 47 hours, they were all gone!

It has been completely redesigned inside and out. Its new face features a more prominent grille and sideways-T-shaped daytime running lights.

Inside, the tablet-like touchscreen allows you to control many of the car’s features, but diamond-cut controls let you do what the touchscreen can’t.

Volvo claims that the trim levels represent a tree with two branches. The roots, then, are the Kinetic. Further up the trunk is Momentum before it branches in two directions. Inscription for luxury, or R-Design for sport.

The new seats are said to replicate the shape of a human’s spine, making them safer and more comfortable. The 2nd row of 3 individual seats has great adjustability - sliding and reclining. And the also redesigned 3rd row offers up to 170 cm of headroom. The XC90’s rear seats have always been useable, so these should make it the genuine 7-seater that Volvo claims it to be!

All the engines are 4-cylinder 2-litre units. For diesel, there’s the 225 bhp 470 Nm twin turbo-D5 offering in the region of 47 mpg (6 l / 100 km) and the 190 bhp 400 Nm turbo-D4 offering up to 50 mpg (5 l / 100 km).

As regards petrol power, the supercharged and turbocharged T6 with 320 bhp and 400 Nm and the 254 bhp 350 Nm T5 don’t have any economy statistics to go with them yet. They all come with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

There’s also a 400 bhp hybrid T8 which combines a supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor. CO2 emissions are 64 g/km.

You can specify the XC90 with four-zone climate control for front and 2nd-row passengers, and a 3rd-row air con unit is definitely available, although Volvo has just said that it’s “standard or optional depending on the market”.

Volvo’s Adaptive Cruise Control with Pilot Assist will not only operate the accelerator and brake, but also the steering, in stop-and-go traffic.

Take a look at the XC90 in action in this short video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNfkGkVXqFI

Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé

After having written about their GLE-Class Coupé, I've found Mercedes' image of their new GLC-Class Coupé which we can expect to see soon, hopefully. It's the SUV version of the C-Class Coupé. Take a look at it here:

 

2015 World Car Awards

The 2015 World Car Design of the Year was between the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, Citroën C4 Cactus, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Porsche Macan and Volvo XC90. The flamboyant C4 Cactus won, of course! Take a look at what they said:

“The Cactus is a truly innovative piece of design.  It has an appealingly distinct exterior announced first by its slender upper front lights, proportions slightly different to any other car, and by those stand-out ‘air-bumps’ that help safeguard against parking scrapes.  Inside it eschews lots of dials and buttons for a very minimal uncluttered approach: controls centred on and around a central digital screen and many of the core surfaces and volumes kept linear, reduced, and pleasantly un-car-like.  The Cactus design is a proper breath of fresh air.”

The winner of the 2015 World Green Car was the BMW i8. The different jurors, experts in green technology, chose between the BMW i8, Hyundai ix35 / Tucson Fuel Cell, Kia Soul EV, Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine and Volkswagen Golf GTE. The jurors said:

“The BMW i8 gasoline hybrid looks so cool, it should be the icon for all “Green” cars. So it inspires Green Passion, which on paper looks like 155 mph on the i8's three cylinder turbo gasoline engine, four-wheel-drive and four seats. The i8 adds so much enjoyment to a sensible lifestyle that it needs to be recognized as a great Green Car.”

Next, the 2015 World Performance Car. With the Audi S1, Audi S3, Audi TT / TTS, Bentley Continental GT Speed, BMW M4 Coupé / M3 Sedan, Corvette Z06, Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupé, Lexus RC-F and Mercedes-AMG GT to choose from, the winner was the Mercedes-AMG GT. They said:

“Its on-road presence alone is almost enough to qualify it as a ‘Top 3’ finalist. But in addition to its ruggedly handsome looks it has an impressive spec sheet comprising biturbo 4.0-litre V8 engine, seven speed dual-clutch transmission, 456bhp (minimum)...and much, much more.”

With a choice of the BMW i8, BMW X6, Cadillac ATS Coupé, Cadillac Escalade / ESV, Kia K900, Lexus NX, Lexus RC, Lincoln MKC, Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé, Land Rover Range Rover Autobiography Black LWB, the 2015 World Luxury Car is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé. Here are the observations:

 “Mercedes-Benz design and technology are forming a marriage that is more happy than ever. There is no better car to prove it than this stunningly beautiful derivative of the S-Class, available with powerful, turbocharged V8 and V12 engines.”

And lastly, the prestigious 2015 World Car of the Year. The top 10 were the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, Citroën C4 Cactus, Ford Mustang, Hyundai Genesis, Jeep Renegade, Mazda2, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, MINI 5 door / MINI 4 door Hard Top, Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Passat. Before we see the 2015 World Car of the Year, let's see a snippet of what the jurors had to say:

“Taking its design and technological cues from the ... , the ... employs an all-new aluminium / steel hybrid platform and updated rear-drive powertrains that delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.”

The first blank is "S-Class", which means it must be the C-Class!

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD

When you think of 'hybrid', you think of the Toyota Prius. Toyota further extended the hybrid range with the Yaris, Auris, Auris Touring Sports, Prius+ and Prius plug-in.

Well, we're in 2015, the age of SUVs. Toyota has acted, and now we're soon to have the RAV4 Hybrid AWD. RAV4 was introduced back in the mid-90s with the name originated from 'Recreational Activity Vehicle' with 4-wheel-drive.

The new Hybrid has an un-Prius-like 2.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor, with a further electric motor on the rear axle for an electronic all-wheel-drive system.

This Hybrid model is part of Toyota's new RAV4 range which goes on sale in December 2015. Unfortunately, we won't actually have the RAV4 Hybrid on our roads until "early in 2016".

 

Vauxhall Viva

The Viva will be in Vauxhall's showrooms in the summer and will start at a fiver short of £8,000. It'll be offered in SE and SL trims just like the original Viva. There will be two additions though, sitting between SE and SL. The SE Air Con and SE ecoFLEX.

The only engine option is a 1.0-litre 75 PS petrol unit. It returns a claimed 62.8 mpg or 65.7 mpg for normal or ecoFLEX engines respectively, emitting 99 or 104 g/km of CO2.

SE models have ABS, ESP with traction control, front, side and curtain airbags and ISOFIX for the rear outermost seats. You even get a TPMS and Lane Departure Warning.

Inside, a speed-sensitive power-assisted steering incorporates a City Mode for even lighter steering, front electric windows only, cruise control, an auxiliary input, a multifunction steering wheel, height adjustment on the driver's seat and 60:40 split folding rear seats.

Daytime running lights, front fog lights and 15-inch wheels finish the SE off. It's important to note that these aren't alloys.

SE Air Con adds the obvious.

SE ecoFLEX bring along with it a front lip spoiler, an extended rear spoiler and ultra-low rolling resistance tyres.

Top-of-the-range SL adds an electronic climate control, USB and Bluetooth® for the audio system, six speakers, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, tinted rear windows and 15-inch alloys (yay!).

Pricing for the Viva? From £7,995 for SE to £9,495 for the SL. Great, compared to the £8,995 Nissan Micra, the £10,695 Hyundai i20 and the £8,999 Suzuki Swift.

Take a cast back to ye olde Viva here: