Car review

Sales star of the Mercedes range is re-engineered to stay fighting fit When the Mercedes GLC first arrived in 2016, we joked that the executive who decreed that its predecessor (badged 'GLK') would not be offered in the UK would be lucky to have remained in the job.Even back then, when the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Land Rover Discovery Sport were already flying out of showrooms, it felt like quite an oversight not to offer the GLK in right-hand drive. In the seven years since, during which time the GLC has become Mercedes’ best-selling model, it seems even more confounding that the brand was so very late to the booming mid-size SUV party. However, Mercedes now seems keen to continue heartily making up for lost time. The second-generation GLC tested here was revealed last year and does very little to shake things up over its forebear. At a glance it can be difficult to tell the ‘X254’ GLC apart from the original, and the inherent message in that is clear: this is very much the same car to which buyers have taken so warmly, only updated and improved to better compete with new rivals. Under the skin is where the real changes lie. The model range is now hybrid-only, with mild- and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Developed alongside the new Mercedes C-Class saloon, the car also features rear-wheel steering, albeit as an optional extra, and is notably stiffer in its structure, which ought to improve dynamics. Inside, Mercedes claims to have used more desirable materials to further capitalise on the GLC’s reputation for relative opulence in this class. The range at a glanceModelsPowerFrom220d 4Matic194bhp£52,635300 4Matic255bhp£53,635300d 4Matic266bhp£61,175300e 4Matic308bhp£63,210300de 4Matic326bhp£65,460AMG 43415bhptbcAMG 63 S E Performance671bhptbcTransmission9-spd auto The GLC is well furnished with diesel options, which feels something of a novelty these days. Equally, when you boil it down, there’s not much variation: your choice is from four- cylinder diesel and petrol engines, either with a 48V mild-hybrid system or a full plug-in hybrid set-up. It’s a shame the straight-six 400d won’t be offered in the UK (for now), though upcoming AMG variants will add flavour to the range. Mercedes’ nine-speed automatic is standard across the range, as is one of three grades of AMG Line specification.

The relaxed big Citroën family car turns SUV. A smart move or copycat compromise? Citroën took longer than most of its European-market rivals to jump into the popular family SUV market and came via a wandering, indirect route considering its various experiments with platform-shared Mitsubishi models and the like. The company's first fully committed attempt at a mid-sized offering, the Citroën C5 Aircross, finally arrived in the UK in 2018 - and it has barely stood still since.Coming to market initially with a choice of three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, it started life with more powerful pure-combustion options, only to quickly move beyond them. We tested an early car with 2.0-litre BlueHDI 180 diesel power but, as customer preferences changes, that engine was withdrawn in 2020 along with Citroën's conventional 177bhp 1.6-litre petrol.Along in their place to complement the C5 Aircross's smaller engines came a 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid the same year. And now in 2023, Citroën is rolling out another electrified version of the car powered by a modified version of its 1.2-litre Puretech petrol engine that's teamed with a new six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and a 48V hybrid assistance system.  Plainly, and not only in respect of the engines that power it, this Citroën is a car that plays a little fast and loose with SUV convention. As we'll go on to explore, it's a car with proper five-seat, adult-appropriate practicality that converts well as a voluminous cargo tender when required, but it does not offer widely articulating independent suspension, nor four-wheel drive - and neither has it ever.Read on, then, to find out what this peculiarly modern family car brings to the mid-sized SUV class, and exactly what kind of dynamic tribute it pays, if any, to the classic big Citroëns of old.

Merc's new amalgamated mid-sized coupé has the richness and refinement to make an impression, and luxury appeal in advance of any dynamic cutting edge Picturing a mid-sized Mercedes luxury coupé like the new Mercedes-Benz CLE may not feel like an especially modern thing to do - but, without putting your mind to it, you’ll likely come up with plenty of options. A bluff but lovely 1980s ‘W123’ SE-Class, perhaps; a marginally curvier 1990s ‘W124’; or even a popular noughties-era CLK Kompressor.Over the decades, Mercedes has spoilt us for choice with these extra-desirable two-door GT cruisers. And yet, rather sadly, it can no longer afford to. A consolidation process of the company’s combustion-engined offerings has been creeping quietly forwards for a while now, as Mercedes finds the R&D cash it needs for its electrified models by cutting others. It robbed us of a replacement for the pretty ‘C217’ S-Class Coupé as long ago as 2020, and it has now cut the firm’s smaller coupé and cabriolet model by half.So instead of individual replacements for both C- and E-Class two-doors, we get this new CLE. Based on the same model platform as both the C- and E-Class families, it’s intended to answer the desire of owners of the last-generation C-Class Coupé for a more spacious cabin, as well as that of owners of the outgoing E-Class Coupé for a slightly sportier and more engaging drive.

We may not be getting a new Fiesta ever again, but Ford's icon lives on as a cheap, fun used buy The Ford Fiesta has been laid to rest but it’s going out on a high. This final generation of the long and loved line is a peach: great to drive, refined and practical.It’s also a really good buy as a used car, which is handy because that’s more or less your only way to get one now.There’s plenty of choice – not just in the sheer numbers on sale but also in the breadth of the model range. Take the engine line-up. The petrols include a 1.1-litre with 69bhp and 84bhp and a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder Ecoboost in 94bhp, 99bhp, 123bhp and 138bhp states of tune.There’s also a 1.5-litre diesel with 84bhp or 118bhp, which was withdrawn from sale in 2020. Later models incorporate mild-hybrid technology in 1.0 Ecoboost 125 and 155 versions.You can even have your seventh-generation Fiesta as a raised-up SUV called the Active, or as an impressively agile 197bhp ST hot hatch.Trim choices are equally all-encompassing. Entry-level Style models have air-con and electric front windows, while Zetec adds 16in alloy wheels and a heated windscreen. You also get an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with Zetec and above. Titanium brings cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, and climate control, while B&O Titanium (there’s also a B&O Zetec) has an upgraded 10-speaker 675W sound system.Titanium X gets the B&O sound system as standard along with heated front seats. ST-Line and ST-Line X gain sportier exterior and interior styling and firmer suspension. ST-Line otherwise has the same equipment as Zetec, while ST-Line X is based on Titanium. Top-of-the-range Vignale has leather seats, a panoramic glass roof, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.But it’s the way it drives that sets the Fiesta apart. The 1.1 petrols and 1.5 diesels are pleasant enough but the 1.0 Ecoboost is the star. It’s punchy and refined and beguiling in any of its power outputs.Few superminis are more enjoyable to chuck around on a twisty B-road, too. The steering is precise and well weighted, grip is plentiful and the car has good poise. To top it all off, the ride is beautifully judged, both in town and on motorways, even with the firmer ST-Line models.Suspension noise is well suppressed too, giving the Fiesta a sense of solidity and big-car refinement.Inside, the areas you touch frequently all feel fairly upmarket and the Fiesta uses soft-touch material on parts of its dashboard, although overall it doesn’t feel quite as solidly screwed together as the Seat Ibiza or Volkswagen Polo.Still, it has plenty of room up front and a widely adjustable driving position. Two people of average height will be comfortable in the rear, but three in the back is more of an option for shorter journeys. Most models have a backrest that folds with a 60/40 split and the reasonably sized boot is relatively easy to access.Ford Fiesta: common problemsDiesel filter: The 1.5-litre diesel engine is fitted with a diesel particulate filter, which can clog up if the car is used mostly for short journeys.Recall issues: Recalls have been issued for potential problems relating to: the steering column on some 2019 Fiestas; the bolts on the rear seatbelt retractors of a small number of 2019 cars; the brake servo on some 2017 examples.Reliability: In the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, the Fiesta finished 28th out of 28 cars in the small car class. The fault rate was relatively high, at 31%, and many of the wide-ranging issues reported were serious. These put a third of the afflicted cars out of action for more than a week, and 30% of them couldn’t be driven.On the bright side, 90% of the work was completed for free and none of the bills exceeded £300.Which is the best Ford FiestaTitanium: Two reasons for picking this trim. One, it comes with goodies such as ambient interior lighting, rear parking sensors, an automatically dimming rear-view mirror and a built-in sat-nav. And two, it’s good value.1.0 100 Ecoboost: Our favourite is the three-cylinder 999cc engine, and of the four versions on offer we would go for the 99bhp version because it’s fast enough at motorway speeds and is also pretty economical.We elected to test the Ford Fiesta in Active form, driven by Ford’s hybridised 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine and its seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, to find out whether a dose of SUV DNA has had a positive influence on this popular small car.

Is entry-level second-generation crossover refreshingly simple or wanting in key areas? With the rise of crossovers and SUVs, car makers’ model ranges have ballooned very quickly.For every hatchback and saloon, there needed to be a high-riding equivalent. Not only that, but because the tall cars tend to have a slightly bigger footprint as well, gaps started appearing for more crossovers to be stuffed into.Filling them has led to a bit of overlap here and there. The Kona was launched in 2017 as Hyundai’s B-segment crossover – effectively a tall Hyundai i20. Available with petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric powertrains, it’s been quite the success for Hyundai. And then in 2021 came the Hyundai Bayon, which is much the same thing on paper – it’s even the same length to the millimetre. There are differences – the Bayon is a little narrower, a bit cheaper and not quite as tall – but it’s no doubt a rather confusing pair to sit next to each other in the showroom.Now it’s time for the Kona to escape the Bayon’s competition, because the second generation is getting bigger – a lot bigger. It’s 170mm longer, 15mm taller and 60mm wider, putting it neatly between the Bayon and the larger Tucson, and right in the firing line of competitors such as the Volkswagen T-Roc, Honda HR-V, the upcoming Mk2 Toyota CH-R and even slightly bigger cars like the Nissan Qashqai. It gets an eye-catching new design but continues to offer a choice of petrol, hybrid and electric power. In a refreshing break from loaded-to-the-gunwales press cars, Hyundai sent us an entry-level Advance model with the 1.0-litre petrol engine and a manual gearbox. Might less be more?The Range at a GlanceENGINESPOWERPRICE1.0 120PS Advance118bhp£25,7251.6 198PS Ultimate195bhp£31,7251.6 Hybrid Advance139bhp£30,025Electric 48.4kWh154bhp£34,595Electric 65.4kWh215bhp£38,595Transmissions: 6-spd manual*, 7-spd dual-clutch auto (optional on 120PS, 198PS), 6-spd dual-clutch auto (Hybrid), 1-spd reduction gear (Electric)Hyundai offers the Kona with a choice of turbo petrol, hybrid and electric powertrains. The petrols get a manual gearbox as standard, or a dual-clutch automatic as an option.Four trim levels are offered. Advance is the already well-equipped base model. N Line brings slightly more equipment, as well as a sportier bodykit. N Line S and Ultimate add even more options. The sizeable price gap between the two petrol engines is because the 1.6 requires an upgrade to N Line S or Ultimate.