Car review

Seventh-gen roadster adopts latest hybrid tech for next-level performance boost Mercedes' decision to twin the seventh-generation SL with its second-generation GT has opened the door to a whole new level of performance for the luxury roadster. And charging through that gap is the 805bhp plug-in hybrid Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance.The SL is of course already available with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 416bhp called the Mercedes-AMG SL 43, as well as the twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 powerplant developing 469bhp in the Mercedes-AMG SL 55 4Matic+ and 577bhp in the SL 63 4Matic+.The S E Performance's twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 and electric motor combo is also used by its fixed-roof sibling, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance.Performance PHEVs capable of fewer than 10 miles of EV range are few and far between. But the SL 63 S E Performance does go toe to toe with the likes of the PHEV Bentley Continental GT as well as the hybrid Porsche 911.

Does the revised, bonkers, rally-bred mega-hatchback remain the high point for a generation of hatches? The revised Toyota GR Yaris has arrived in the UK. It’s a car Toyota thought would be too niche to have to revisit, but owing to the surprise popularity of the first-generation version, here one is.It has seemed one of those rare cars destined for greatness from the get-go. Since the original’s launch in 2020, few cars have generated quite the same level of collective salivation as this Japanese pocket rocket.It was effectively the first ground-up performance car Toyota has developed on its tod for some 20 years, built using know-how distilled from a heavily revitalised interest in motorsport. The resulting car won our affordable driver’s car competition, before taking on vastly more powerful and vastly more expensive supercars at our annual Britain’s Best Driver’s Car shootout, where it secured a podium position there, too.Now, several years on and more than 32,000 buyers later, Toyota has decided to make the GR Yaris a permanent fixture in the line-up and put it through a number of revisions to improve its capabilities and durability.

Frumpy crossover turns into something of a style icon. Does it have substance, too? Compact crossover, or a raised hatchback? There are lots of ways you can feasibly describe the second-generation Vauxhall Mokka, which has swiftly risen to become one of the brand’s most popular cars in the UK and Europe. If you remember the first Vauxhall Mokka, built from 2012-2019, you’d be forgiven for not having high hopes for this new version. But make no mistake - it’s a vastly different proposition than the model it has replaced, with technology from Stellantis, an eye-catching and stylish exterior design, and much more. Now, it sits alongside a strong model line-up consisting of the former UK best-selling Vauxhall Corsa, the similarly redesigned Vauxhall Corsa, the soon-to-be-updated Grandland and the upcoming, revived Frontera. It’s such a different prospect from the car it replaces that you wonder if Mokka owners will even recognise it. In case they don’t, Vauxhall has handily written the model name in large capital letters across the boot lid, in the vein of Skoda, Porsche and others. The old Mokka – a high-roofed, big-boned sort of car in what is known to some as the B-SUV niche – was a surprise sales hit in Europe, with more than 200,000 finding homes in the UK alone.The public has responded well to the new version too, shifting over 100,000 units in Europe in 2023. It’s succeeding in its statement to flex some atrophied design muscle and invite people to consider a Vauxhall who might never have before.Read on, then, to find out how much more than meets the eye there is to discover here.The Vauxhall Mokka line-up at a glanceThe Mokka launched with a choice of petrol and diesel, but the latter has now been removed from the range. Today, it’s available as a pure-petrol car or with an electrified hybrid powertrain, plus there’s the all-electric Vauxhall Mokka-e. VersionPower1.2 turbo petrol 100PS manual98bhp1.2 turbo petrol 136PS manual 6-spd134bhp1.2 turbo petrol 130PS automatic 8-spd128bhpHybrid 1.2 136PS e-DCT6 dual-clutch 6-spd134bhp 

The iconic hot hatch took on a harder edge with its eighth-generation, at the expense of its intoxicating blend of everyday performance. Can this facelift make it a better GTI? A considerable burden of expectation has weighed heavily on the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI since it was launched in 2020.While there will always be arguments over whether it was the first hot hatch (the Renault 5 Gordini and Simca 1100Ti would have something to say about that), across seven previous generations Wolfsburg’s finest is undoubtedly the definitive example of the breed.Seriously, what other car has better melded family-friendly practicality, affordable running costs and classless swagger with sport car-rivalling speed and high-jink handling? It’s been a high-performance staple since the boxy first-generation machines burst onto the scene in 1976 with a modest target of 5000 sales.In the four-and-a-half decades since Volkswagen has sold more than two million Golf GTIs. There have been some dynamic ups and downs, but from the arrival of the fifth-generation in 2005 it was on an upward trajectory that culminated with the utterly brilliant seventh-generation version.The problem the Golf GTI 8 faced, then, was one of expectation: when your family tree contains seven generations of class-defining greatness, anything less is, frankly, disappointing. Consider the eighth-generation go-faster Golf in isolation and it’s a really, really good car.It’s practical yet fast, versatile but entertaining. Except... it just wasn’t quite there. It didn’t have that perfect, intoxicating blend of performance, practicality and everyday greatness that meant the best Golf GTIs achieved true hot hatch greatness.The infotainment was occasionally glitchy and frustrating, both in terms of software and the user interface, and VW’s decision to firm up the suspension from the previous generation to focus on performance resulted in a slighter harder-edged, less-balanced machine. It was really good, but a Golf GTI is supposed to be great. Here’s the thing: if you were presented with a long road trip and the choice of an eighth-gen Golf GTI or its Mk7.5 predecessor, you’d probably plump for the older one.Still, it’s often with a mid-life facelift that a Golf GTI really comes alive. Perhaps it’s because GTI models are all about achieving a delicate balance, so they benefit from the finessing that comes with a facelift. Let’s find out.

Eleven years after the original Leaf, Nissan releases its tricky second electric album The mid-sized family EV market is stacked with a diverse range of models – and what that means for buyers is a greater amount of choice. You can invest in a smaller high-riding hatchback, or go for something that blends the credentials of a crossover with the appeal of an SUV, much like the markedly different Nissan Ariya. Its rivals could not be more varied. The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 major on range, performance and efficiency. The Audi Q4 is a sleek and tech-heavy alternative. And then there’s the Korean trio: the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60. Oh and we can't forget the coupé-SUVs, too, such as the Volkswagen ID 4 and Ford Mustang Mach E.So where does the Ariya sit among this ever-growing list of electric crossovers? Nissan had plenty of time to mull its plans on how best to expand its line-up of zero-emission vehicles, with an 11-year gap between the Ariya and Nissan Leaf. Since its inception in 2022, the Japanese brand’s second ‘proper’ EV has led a somewhat quiet life. That looks set to change, with a Nismo variant tipped for release by the end of 2024 – and last year the firm added two new trim lines to its line-up to fend off competition from Europe, China and America. Range at a glanceThe Ariya is offered in a choice of four trim levels, with two battery options and either a single-motor front-wheel-drive format or a more powerful twin-motor four-wheel-drive layout. Entry-level Engage trim is relatively basic, with fabric seats, LED headlights and a selection of safety-based features. Mid-level Advance gets synthetic leather seats, with fabric inserts, a hands-free tailgate, heated front seats and surround-view camera with 'Intelligent' rear-view mirror. Evolve carries over most of the features of the Advance, but gains plusher leather and suede seats, a panoramic roof, ventilated and heated front seats and a flexible centre console.Evolve+ tops the range and features the same equipment as the Evolve but with larger, 20in wheels and blue nappa leather seats. MODElsPriceENGAGE£39,645ADVANCE£43,145EVOLVE£47,140EVOLVE+£59,025