Long-term test review: Suzuki Vitara

Third report: in depth kit list makes the Suzuki Vitara crossover the best family automobile
Verdict

The Vitara may be a great-value crossover with tonnes of ordinary instrumentality that creates driving around city lots easier. We’ve had some quality problems, however overall it’s proving a reliable and easy automobile.

Mileage: 9,764
Fuel economy: forty two.5mpg

Compiling a listing of what you actually wish in your new automobile will convince be expensive. Before you recognize it, those nonmandatory extras can have stacked up – inflating the initial asking price on the far side all recognition.

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But with our Suzuki Vitara, that’s not a drag, as a result of the range-topping SZ5 automobile comes with just about everything as customary for £19,999. In fact, the quality kit list very is as long as my arm. Granted, you’d expect a number of the options to be enclosed on a replacement automobile in 2016, like daytime running lights and double cup-holders up front. There area unit a lot of dearer choices hidden among the filler, though.



From a security purpose of read, the seven airbags, microwave radar brake support, rear parking camera and all-around sensors in real time cause you to feel additional assured. In fact, the tyre pressure monitor has already directed Pine Tree State to a hefty nail buried within the front wheel that was inflicting a slow puncture.

However, it’s not all regarding safety, as several of the choices area unit simply convenient. I’m a giant fan of keyless entry and go. I’m usually loading awkward things into the Vitara, therefore having the ability to pop one in every of the tiny black buttons for entry with the keys in my pocket is nice.

The heated, electrical door mirrors are handy, too. I actually have to park the wide Suzuki on the road, therefore pushing a button to fold the mirrors suggests that they’re protected against assaults from passing cars and pedestrians. With all that kerbside parking, it’s value citing that the quality ‘polished’ alloys don’t stick out on the far side the tyre sidewalls, reducing the danger of kerbing.

Inside, the Vitara is incredibly comfy, with confirmatory, suede-finished seats and various light-weight from the double sunshine-roof. The automobile takes 5 adults with ease, and there’s very little compromise in rear legroom. Plus, the quality kit list helps keep everybody cool, pleased and heading within the right direction, as climate management, sat-nav, DAB and smartphone integration area unit all enclosed.

With all of this instrumentality, is there a draw back to the Vitara? Well, not all the technical school is high notch. i really like DAB radio, however the electronic equipment features a habit of losing all of its presets, and generally it finishes up taking part in one station whereas showing another, or maybe change channels all by itself.

Likewise the microwave radar braking support is incredibly sensitive, and infrequently activates once it senses lay cars at the facet of the road. I’ve tried adjusting the sensitivity, however it keeps cutting in noisily and regularly. Still, it did save Pine Tree State from a collision with a van.

The Vitara conjointly features a few build quality problems. a number of the inside trim has return away beneath the dash, whereas all 5 doors need an honest arduous slam to induce them to shut. you are doing get wont to this, however it will encapsulate the distinction in quality with premium rivals. the opposite draw back is fashion. There area unit lots of white SUVs around city, and though the Suzuki tries to emulate the sleek appearance of a variety Rover Evoque, it doesn’t very suffice for vogue.

However, the Suzuki is exceptionally straightforward to drive, because it offers wonderful visibility. Add spectacular forty two.5mpg economy in nearly entirely urban driving, and you’re staring at a great-value crossover that’s become a valuable member of the Wilson family.
Suzuki Vitara: second report

Suzuki’s Vitara crossover may be a splash hit on seafaring vacation

Mileage: 5,786
Fuel economy: fifty.1mpg

It’s been a busy few months for the Suzuki Vitara. Our family-friendly crossover has been place to the take a look at with a series of summer vacation runs, weekends away ANd has even been used as an impromptu dynamic  room!

We all apprehend that second-guessing Brits weather is pointless, therefore packing for a UK vacation involves doubling au courant garments and equipment. conjointly if like Pine Tree State, you wish to avoid wasting some pounds, then the weekly family search typically makes the trip, too.

Thankfully, the Vitara enclosed all of this once my family took it on a seafaring vacation. it had been tight, though, as I used all 375 litres of storage, and the underfloor boot and rear seat area for a stringed instrument and a coolbox.

Getting regarding this summer has been trouble free, because the Vitara may be a lesson in simplicity. It’s comfy and simple to drive, nonetheless is convenient enough for my growing sons to stretch go in the rear with all of their different gadgets.

The sat-nav has conjointly been terribly straightforward to programme, though I’ve found the screen awkward to follow. The map seems during a letterbox, thanks to the extra info displayed at the highest and bottom of the screen. therefore whereas the system works fine, I can’t pore to a suitable level to induce all the knowledge i would like regarding my route.

The nav conjointly looks a trifle low-cost, and it’s not the sole a part of the automobile that lacks a premium feel. I’ve been a trifle pissed off by the brake-assist system, too. It’s designed to alert drivers of potential obstructions, however the system is incredibly sensitive. It’s been go away by traffic islands, a edge skip and even speed bumps.

These hazards area unit value being awake to, however the warning buzzer will get irritating. And yes, you'll be able to flip it off, though doing therefore is simply requesting hassle.

Suzuki did recall the automobile for a recalibration of the microwave radar detector last month, and also the software system update solely took AN hour, however the system remains sensitive.

In terms useful for cash, the Vitara is proving successful, each with its customary kit list and running prices. A fill-up is around £54, whereas economy of fifty.1mpg is nice news for the family budget.

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Thứ Năm, 25 tháng 2, 2016

Best estate cars 2016

We reveal the ten best estate cars, from the superb VW Passat to the big Mercedes E-Class

The humble station waggon is beginning to become somewhat of a dying breed, with the growing quality of MPV's, crossovers and SUV's. that does not mean they must be neglected, although - AN station waggon can give vast usefulness during a additional car-like type than rivals.

Estates ar longer and typically alittle more durable to park than their saloon or hatchback equivalents, however the advantages ar vast once it involves interior house and simple access. they are good for dog house owners particularly, with an oversized, flat boot space.

The best cars within the estate category have monumental boot areas which might be organized during a vary of helpful ways in which - typically with underfloor cubbyholes, bags nets and cargo dividers. additionally to the present, the rear seats can fold to supply an excellent long load house and most new models currently feature systems to separate fold the rear seats for additional skillfulness.

Usually estate cars feel just about a dead ringer for the saloon or hatchback versions, and with all constant engines and parts gift they typically have matching performance and economy figures, too - thus you are not missing out on something by selecting the estate.

Buyers now not ought to compromise on vogue with AN station waggon either. The class-leaders typically look as if they were designed to be AN estate from the beginning, as against a customary hatch or saloon with additional bodywork grafted onto the rear.

In terms of running prices, estates ordinarily carry solely atiny low value premium and will not value far more to run - insurance teams, tax bills, service and fuel consumption ar all mostly reminiscent of the saloon or hatch counterparts.

We've rounded up our favorite estate cars presently on the market. Click the links on top of and to the left to search out out that is that the right selection for you.

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Best city cars 2016

Low running prices, sensible appearance and sensible interiors at cheap costs – these ar the ten best town cars on sale

Buying atiny low automotive doesn’t mean you have got to sacrifice quality or instrumentality, because the current crop of town cars supply comparatively spacious interiors mixed with agile handling and good kit. higher still, they ought to all be low cost to run, insure and obtain.

City cars ar currently a lot of mature than ever, with good refinement which means these primarily urban runabouts aren’t out of place cruising on a highway. It adds further skillfulness, and with economical downsized engines it additionally makes these cars economical and fun to drive.

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The best town cars within the business mix these factors during a slick package and add a dose of individual vogue, that means if you’re retrenchment from a family hatch or probing for a primary automotive, a town automotive will cater for your desires.

With numerous massive automotive technical school on supply during a compact package that’s straightforward to manoeuvre in and out of traffic, town cars ar straightforward to drive. they'll even be straightforward to measure with, as makers have realized patrons wish to stay prices down however while not let alone the pliability offered by a bigger supermini or family hatch.

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Some of the simplest town cars supply boot area on a par with superminis from the category on top of, whereas the most important vehicles will take four adults well.

As brands contend for patrons the simplest factor for potential customers is that these engaging options all return at appealingly low costs, whereas there ar forever some nice deals to be had on new town cars if you research.

More and a lot of makers ar adding further customisation choices to their ranges too, thus vogue acutely aware patrons will customise their vehicles to provide a personal look.

We’ve picked out the ten best town cars presently on the market thus click the links on the left or below to search out out that one suits you.
Best town Cars 2016

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Safest cars on sale 2016

 Here are the safest cars tested by Euro NCAP over the last 12 months, from MPVs to superminis

Car safety really is more important than ever these days. It seems every week another manufacturer announces a new piece of safety kit that will prevent a crash, or a new development that will protect occupants better in an accident.

The sheer volume of safety kit can be baffling, which is where the experts at Euro NCAP come in. Euro NCAP is a totally independent organisation which evaluates nearly all new cars sold in Europe for safety. The firm uses all manner of crash tests to evaluate car safety as accurately as possible, after which it awards the cars a star rating out of five.

Cars are crashed into obstacles head-on, side-on and slightly offset to one side. The cars are fitted with sophisticated crash-test dummies covered in sensors, which tell researchers the forces applied to various body parts in an impact. The crash tests give a picture of the overall safety of the car - effectiveness of seatbelts and airbags as well as its body rigidity during a crash.

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Cars are then tested for pedestrian safety, and a dummy leg and head are fired at the front to gauge the forces involved in a pedestrian collision.

A recent development has been the addition of a 'safety assist' category to the Euro NCAP tests. This refers to equipment such as autonomous braking and lane-keeping assist which doesn't aid in a crash, but prevents it happening in the first place. This category is so important now that it's impossible for a vehicle to achieve the full five-star rating if it's not equipped with some of these 'active safety' features.
Baby crash test dummy

The confusing part for consumers comes when trying to compare cars. Euro NCAP constantly revises its testing criteria, making it more and more difficult for cars to reach the full five-star rating. A five star car tested in 2010 would more than likely only receive three or four stars if tested in 2016, as the tests become more stringent and challenging.

As an example, the Vauxhall Mokka remains one of the highest-scoring cars on Euro NCAP's books, with an amazing score of 96% in the adult protection category. However, it was tested back in 2012, and four years on it's unlikely it would receive the same stellar score.

With that in mind, here's Euro NCAP's list of the safest cars it tested last year under the 2015 testing procedure - the safest new cars you can buy today.
Safest cars tested by Euro NCAP in 2015

    • Supermini: Honda Jazz
    • Family hatchback: Infiniti Q30
    • Family saloon: Jaguar XE
    • Small MPV/people carrier: VW Touran
    • Large MPV/people carrier: Ford Galaxy
    • Roadster/convertible: Mazda MX-5
    • Small SUV: Mercedes GLC
    • Large SUV: Volvo XC90

Of these, there was one overall winner - and it's perhaps unsurprising that the Volvo XC90 is the safest car Euro NCAP tested last year and the safest car it has ever tested to date. Volvo's commitment to safety is well-known and one of the brand's cornerstones.
Euro NCAP's past safest cars

Curious about the safest cars from previous years? Here are the last five years of NCAP's safest cars...

    2014: Mercedes C-Class
    2013: Jeep Cherokee
    2012: Fiat 500L
    2011: Chevrolet Aveo
    2010: Alfa Romeo Giulietta

Visit our class winners to see previous winners in that car's class. Be aware though that Euro NCAP's car classifications have changed over the years so some cars may be in categories that don't really define them - for example, the Ford Kuga as a large MPV. Regardless of class, however, all cars Euro NCAP tests in a particular year go through the same strict testing procedure.

For a full list of car safety ratings, visit Euro NCAP's website here.

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Thứ Tư, 24 tháng 2, 2016

Volkswagen Polo family to get SUV flagship

 Bold VW crossover will be based on MQB platform and is set to join next-generation Polo range in 2018

Volkswagen is planning a larger, more practical version of its Polo hatchback for 2018, and the range will be augmented by the introduction of a proper baby SUV version – revealed in our exclusive image – that’s likely to arrive soon after the regular car’s launch.

VW insiders told us that the next-generation Polo will be stretched, as the brand makes its own small car the first supermini in the VW Group to switch to the MQB platform. Unlike the current model and Skoda Fabia, which sit on older architecture, the next Polo will introduce the smallest version yet of the MQB platform, called A0.

Engineers have been fighting internally over the numerous wheelbases on offer throughout the MQB platform line-up. The A1 incarnation – which underpins everything from the Audi TT to the Golf SV – has a total of five different sizes; but in the interests of saving money, the A0 architecture will be fixed at just one wheelbase, used by the Polo and then followed by the next versions of the Audi A1, Fabia and SEAT Ibiza.

Auto Express understands the wheelbase is likely to measure 2,560mm – that’s a hefty 90mm increase over the existing Polo’s and less than two centimetres shorter than the Mk6 Golf’s. Expect VW engineers to use this gain to improve rear passenger space and boot capacity, although short overhangs front and rear should ensure that the hike in overall length is much more modest.

The styling will remain conservative, with cues from the facelifted version of the Golf, which is due before the end of this year. Interior quality will be improved slightly, but the biggest tweaks in the cabin are likely to be in connectivity. VW boss Herbert Diess is said to have targeted enhancements in this area for all the brand’s vehicles.

At the heart of the new Polo range will be revised versions of VW’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, and a switch from 1.4 petrol and 1.6 diesel units to fresh 1.5-litre units of both fuel types. The move to the MQB architecture also opens the possibility for the Polo to be offered as a plug-in hybrid, with either a petrol or diesel engine accompanying the electric motor. However,  the cost of this technology could prove an obstacle for such a small car.

That shouldn’t be such an issue for the more expensive SUV version, which is likely to be previewed by a concept called the T-Cross. It could also carry that name through to production, although VW has a number of other badges registered that would fit with its convention of naming its SUVs with ‘T’ names, including Teracor, Tribue and Terasun. A clear rival for the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur and Mazda CX-3, the new model will share a platform and therefore a wheelbase with the next Polo, yet its design is said to be much more daring than the small hatchback’s.

“The baby SUV looks very sporty,” said one company insider. “You will wonder whether it’s a VW at all; you may recognise the grille, but it’s a very exciting design elsewhere.” As our exclusive image shows, the SUV is set to feature a longer rear overhang that will help to make it a larger car altogether – going some way to justifying pricing that’s likely to start at the middle of the Polo line-up.

The newcomer will be offered with four-wheel drive – again, a feature made possible by the MQB architecture – and a choice of manual or dual-clutch auto transmissions. Its engine line-up will skip the Polo’s naturally aspirated 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrols and start with a turbocharged version of the same engine, which is set to deliver around 109bhp.

VW continues to experiment with the idea of a smaller SUV, based on the up! city car and previewed by the Taigun concept. While that particular project is said to have been frozen on the grounds of cost and potential profitability, the brand is reportedly exploring how it could develop it into a vehicle that could be sold as a cost-effective, ‘rugged’ vehicle in markets like Brazil – where the likes of the Dacia Duster and Ford EcoSport perform well.

What do you think of our exclusive image of the Volkswagen Polo SUV? Let us know in the comments section below...

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The car of the future: the new technology behind Project M

Shell, Gordon Murray style and Geo Technology have joined forces to form Project M, Associate in Nursing economical vision for the long run

Rising emissions, heavier congestion and crumbling road surfaces. That’s the rather bleak outlook for the long run of driving if current trends continue. though makers ar endeavour ever tougher to chop the environmental impact of our vehicles, the sheer range of cars on the world’s roads can grow and grow.

This demand and drain on our world resources can grow, too. By 2050, there'll be 9 billion individuals on earth, and energy demand is predicted to double. after you think about that a 3rd of overall energy use is for transport, it’s clear one thing must be done.

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Oil big Shell has grabbed the baton and teamed up with Gordon Murray style and little-known engineering firm Geo Technology; it needs to envision what’s doable right away to unravel the issues.

By victimisation technology accessible at the instant, the trio has asked the question: what if you were to style a automotive from scratch, with the vehicle structure, engine, fuels and lubricants optimised for max potency and minimum impact on resources? the solution is Project M.

While the complete automotive won’t be discovered till later this year, machine categorical was invited on to Shell’s metropolis Technical Centre for a technical summary of simply what the project is aiming for. On our arrival, Shell Lubricants innovation technology manager Bob Mainwaring summed up what it had been all regarding. He said: “How so much are you able to push things? we would like to be near the sting however safe by conveyance the simplest of everything along in one place.”

With this mantra in mind, the Project M vehicle can weigh but 600kg and do 100mpg however while not either an advanced electrical drivetrain or battery power. Shell and its partners believe the inner combustion engine can still have an important role to play in 2050 transport.

That’s wherever Geo Technology comes in. It’s taken a 660cc three-cylinder Mitsubishi engine that produces 74bhp and upgraded it with Ti valves, a hard-wearing coating for the rotating shaft and new pistons. The weight’s been cut by forty per cent and since of the general lightness of the automotive, the most revs are reduced to more cut emissions and increase potency.

Shell is developing the lubricants and fuels to run within this engine and therefore the remainder of the moving components, therefore the energy lost once the automotive is functioning is as low because it are often.

Any automotive project lives and dies by the cleverness of its style, though, and therefore the task of golf stroke all this technology into a viable package falls at the feet of Andy Jones, style director at Gordon Murray style.


Project M are going to be engineered on the look house’s innovative iStream producing method, that uses light-weight materials to chop assembly prices, and produces cars that also meet progressively powerful crash check standards. Gordon Murray style introduced the blueprint on the T25, and Project M may be a by-product of this – the T25S.

The iStream method reduces overhead prices, too. There’s no would like for hefty investment in printing presses, therefore makers ar able to build a viable business case while not having to plan to ultra-high sales volumes.

Jones explained: “Manufacturers United Nations agency believe they'll sell fifty,000 to 75,000 cars are going to be able to get their vehicle to plug while not losing lots of cash.”

The automotive itself can have a central driving position and provide nose-in parking to the curbing. It’s hoped 3 vehicles would be able to park in one conventionally sized area.


The tall and slender style helps – it’s one.6 metres wide. It’s no slouch, either; the optimised engine permits it to hit 70mph, though that sort of performance isn’t the aim.

• Best town cars on the market

Jones said: “We’re making an attempt to ascertain a replacement category of automotive. A town category that might use bus lanes or park nose-in. however the sole urban-centric product out there's a wise. Yes, there’s the Renault Twingo, however it’s slightly larger.

“Unfortunately, the Toyota intelligence quotient lost cash and there aren't any plans for the corporate to interchange it, that may be a nice shame as a result of it had been a snug, reasonable automotive that was additionally extremely cool. the purpose of Project M is conserving our freedom to induce into the automotive and go wherever we would like to, once we wish.”

Managing to develop the perfect automotive isn’t the sole thanks to solve the matter, though, as a result of traffic may be a immense issue.


Integration with our cities is that the next stage in finding the world’s driving issues, and Jones agrees this is often a part of the long run. “We can see that [integrated systems] become additional and additional commonplace. we'd like to induce from A to B while not suffering the minor consequences we tend to affect.”

Encouragingly, work on these set-ups is already well current. simply this month, the united kingdom Government proclaimed a £20million fund for analysis into connected vehicles. additional advanced work on this has taken place in metropolis.

The German town has taken steps to organize for the time once knowledge, not people, can drive traffic. it's invested with in a very newest traffic management centre that controls eighty six cameras and one,700 traffic lights.

The system is programmed to favour vehicles coming back into the town within the morning, and people effort the town within the evening, reducing congestion considerably. employees members still have to be compelled to intervene manually over ninety,000 times a year to swish things out, however notwithstanding it’s Associate in Nursing encouraging begin.


Audi chief operating officer Rupert Stadler is one in every of the most important advocates of this new data-led era. the large leaps, in line with Stadler, can return from “car-to-X technologies”, wherever traffic management systems communicate directly with cars. Audi calls this adaptive  Flow, and believes within the close to future, cities are going to be able to management stoplight phases and traffic flow dynamically, and regulate traffic flow through data-driven algorithms. Figures counsel this may increase traffic speeds by up to fifty per cent in cities.

Traffic systems reproval cars is simply [*fr1] the equation, though, in line with urban planner prince Parsons, former Dean of university. He told machine Express: “You ultimately wish cars talking back to the traffic system, then multiple systems reproval each other.”

Audi appears to believe Parsons. within the future, car-to-X technology can permit drivers to register potholes whereas driving, and send the placement to a info so councils are going to be more practical in pinpointing potential issues before they have repairs that cause delays.


The long finding of fact is even additional bold, says Stadler. “In the short term it'll optimise traffic flow, however within the long-term, we've got the chance to style good infrastructure right from scratch.”

Part of this vision includes ideas like versatile state highway lanes and intelligent street lighting. as an example, a current six-lane state highway, split into 3 oncoming and 3 forward going lanes may well be born-again for peak hours. Why not flip additional lanes into the direction of traffic flow throughout inevitable rush hours, like early morning commutes? Audi additionally needs to envision additional use fabricated from street lamps, suggesting it might be doable to put in sensors within the lights that might then tell close cars whether or not the parking lot below them is free.

All this is often doable, and therefore the Project M automotive can return to fruition at intervals months. Like all of those massive concepts – that additionally embody autonomous vehicles – it needs time and cash. And as perpetually, it’s straightforward to draw in a choir of supporters, however abundant tougher to seek out a band of investors.

Do you suppose Project M is that the way forward for motoring? allow us to recognize within the comments section below...

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