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Is new crossover the perfect package?Next-generation Qashqai gets bigger and better

First look: Mercedes C-Class Under the skin of the luxurious BMW 3-Series rival

IgnitionIssue 19 Jan 2014

Car views and news by FleetNews

FIRST DRIVE: NISSAN Q A SHQ AI

GO

GO

First drive: Bentley Flying Spur An intoxicating mix of tradition and technology GO

For fleets and

company car drivers

By Maurice Glover

Customers have played a key role in helping Nissan make sure its next new car

wins the same showroom success as its smash-hit predecessor.Marketing officials from the

Japanese company spent five years pinpointing the improve-ments Qashqai owners expected from the next-generation version.Hundreds of interviews led to

drivers in Britain, Germany and France being sworn to secrecy when they saw the company's plans for the car two years ago.“We asked for their views about

our aims for styling, pricing and specification and feel we reached the perfect package – I think the result re-invents the C-segment

crossover,” said Nissan Motor GB marketing director Guillaume Masurel. "A lot has happened since our first version appeared in 2007, but, sales have grown year-on-year despite the arrival of more than a dozen competitors.”The research

has resulted in a longer and wider car. Improved appearance and a more substan-tial and upmarket styling go with added refinement from a 40kg weight reduction and noise levels are cut by improved aerodynamics and higher manufacturing quality.All power units in the new range

boast upgrades in efficiency and performance, but none more so than the 1.5-litre dCi motor. Set to be a favourite with company

car drivers, the reworked unit makes the Qashqai the only

car in its segment to offer 99g/km and

74mpg economy; improvements of 24% and 29% respectively.“We think we

have a terrific proposition for

business users, especially as it comes

with lower maintenance costs and 20% reduced insurance premiums," said product manager Niels Van Der Burg.

Ignition January 2014 fleetnews.co.uk

FIRST DRIVE NISSAN Q A SHQ AI ACENTA PREMIUM 1.5 DCI

QASHQAI: PERFECT PACKAGE?Longer, wider, packed with technology and offering 74mpg fuel efficiency

New Qashqai has an upmarket styling

Roomy interior; sharper looks; bigger boot; more tech and safety kit than before; low emissions across the range

Bulkier than before; it’s no off-roader

"But higher residuals are the icing on the cake and the 50% prediction we’ve been given after three years should help us offer very competitive monthly rates."Accenta Premium replaces the

360 trim level and provides dual-zone climate control, alloy wheels, the latest infotainment technology, DAB radio, rear-view camera, parking sensors, push-button start and a panoramic sunroof as standard. Also included is traffic sign recognition, front collision avoidance, high beam assist and lane departure technology.

Comfortable and easy to drive, the revitalised dCi unit has revised exhaust gas recirculation, mani-fold and oil pump features to develop an extra 15lb-ft torque for greater flexibility. It feels relaxed on motorways with high gearing achieving 70mph at only 2,000rpm. It might have the most sedate

acceleration rate of all the engines on offer, but the 1.5-litre Acenta Premium is capable of maintaining a brisk pace and handles with surprising agility for a ‘tall’ body design that allows space for five and maximum loading versatility.

fleetnews.co.uk January 2014 Ignition

To see how much this car will cost to run CLICK HERE ��

"Small wonder that company cars are expected to account for 55% of sales

Just 47mm longer and 20mm wider, it feels noticeably bigger and boasts greater headroom despite a 15mm reduction in height. Boot space is also increased by 20 litres to 430 litres. Consistently popular since it

burst on the scene seven years ago, the new Qashqai carries styling cues from the original but sets a benchmark in convenience, safety, reduced running costs and equipment levels. Small wonder that company cars are expected to account for 55% of sales.It goes on sale next month.

Manufacturing quality is improved

COSTSP11D £22,635BIK tax band 14%BIK tax (20%) £634Annual VED £0RV (4yr/80k) £7,269/32%Fuel Cost 8.46ppmAFR 12ppmRunning cost (4yr/80k) 31.12ppm

Power (hp)/ Torque (lb-ft) 110/192CO2 (g/km) 99Fuel efficiency (mpg) 74.3Max speed (mph) 1120-62mph (sec) 12.4

SPEC

Hyundai ix35 1.7CRDi PremiumP11D price £20,745BIK tax band 24%Annual BIK tax (20%) £1,075RV (4yr/80k) £8,050/36%Fuel cost 12.48ppmAFR 14ppmRunning cost (4yr/80k) 34.94ppm

RIVAL

*Running cost data supplied by KeeResources (4yr/80k)


FIRST LOOK MERCEDES-BENZ C-CL A SS

BODYWith the continual demands on manufacturers to cut weight from their vehicles, Mercedes-Benz has followed in the footsteps of Audi, Jaguar and others and embraced aluminium in its bodywork. It has devised what it is calling a ‘hybrid’ body structure,

which incorporates hot-formed steel parts and ultra high-strength steel, as well as aluminium.The structure is 70kg lighter than the company’s

conventional steel structure, and is a major contrib-uting factor to the total of 100kg shed from the new vehicle. It will boost performance and fuel efficiency.

DISPL AY DE VELOPMENTSFollowing its use in the C-Class’s CLA stablemate, a free-standing central display replaces the integrated screen of the previous-generation model. The larger version of the screen gets bonded glass and is also galvanised in a steel frame. The new C-Class will also feature head-up display technology. The 21 x 7cm screen will convey a range of information, such as current speeds, navigation and infotainment settings.

MERCEDES'S 'SMALL S-CLASS'A lighter and more luxurious C-Class may boost fleet and company car interest

TOUCHPAD TECHNOLOGYTaking its lead from the new-style Comand system controller in the S-Class, a touchpad debuts in the C-Class, offering the ability to control audio, climate, navigation, telephone and other in-car settings. Drivers and front-seat passengers can control sound

or temperature as they would on a dial and buttons are integrated into the pad for easy menu navigation. There is also a handwriting function, which allows

letters or numbers to be entered, with the option of audio playback, to ensure drivers do not take their eyes off the road when ‘writing’.



ADDED ACTIVE SAFE T YThe C-Class incorporates new active safety technology, in the form of Collision Prevention Assist Plus. The ‘Plus’ tag refers to the inclusion in the standard system of auto-nomous breaking. Mercedes-Benz says it expects to include Collision Prevention Assist Plus, which makes its debut on the C-Class, in all future models (either as an option or standard equipment).One other safety feature of note is an adaptive front

passenger airbag, which recognises when a child-seat is fitted to the seat and will automatically deactivate.

INTERIORInside the new C-Class you are met with the kind of quality you would expect from an E- or S-Class. Intriguingly, Mercedes-Benz says the challenge was to achieve an interior 'between elegance and sportiness'. It has gone to great lengths to ensure the interior is a

marked improvement over that of the outgoing model, such as an interpretation of the wraparound dashboard effect found in the S-Class. In fact, the company says the ambition for the new C-Class was

to create a small S-Class, so high-grade materials are used throughout and the centre console has been redesigned. The number of switches has been reduced to 'bring a level of

simplicity to the cabin', emphasising the minimalist look of the new car’s interior.

“The company says the ambition for the

new C-Class was to create a small S-Class,

so high-grade materials are used throughout”

SUSPENSIONThe C-Class is the first vehicle in its segment to feature air suspension (Mercedes-Benz’s own Airmatic technology) on the front and rear axle. The system offers many of the features found in other ranges from the manufacturer, such as self-levelling and the ability to increase ride height. Drivers can choose between

Comfort, Eco, Sport and Sport Plus, while there is also an ‘Indi-vidual’ setting, which allows a bespoke set-up to be configured.At the front is a newly-designed

four-link independent suspension that Mercedes-Benz claims will offer more grip and more cornering forces, making for a more involving driving experience. A multi-link five-axle suspension has been used at the rear, which will reduce noise and vibration.

By Simon Harrishe second-generation-Flying Spur is Bentley’s most powerful car to

date with 625hp (and 590lb-ft of torque) from its 6.0-litre W12 engine, allowing the Flying Spur to reach 62mph from rest in 4.3 seconds. With a significantly higher power-to-weight ratio than its predecessor, emissions are also reduced to 343g/km (although still in the highest BIK tax band).All-wheel drive deploys the

twin-turbocharged power with a 60:40 rear axle bias.Although there are a few signs

that components are shared with top end Volkswagens and Audis, the overall feel is that of a bespoke product. Almost 10

square metres of sustainably-sourced, book-matched, mirror-polished wood veneers adorn each interior.Roof lining and pillars are

trimmed in natural leather, and electrically-operated rear window blinds are standard should passengers feel the need for privacy from paparazzi.Despite mate-

rials aligned with the marque's heritage, audio and connectivity are hi-tech, while rear seat passen-gers can control audio and climate functions.It’s difficult to put together a

rational argument for buying

one in these austere times where displays of wealth might

be frowned upon, partic-ularly with business

purchases.However, the argument that driving a Flying Spur supports decades-old

crafts honed in the UK and

preserves a tradi-tion that for which our

most exclusive marques are famous is perhaps a noble one.


To see how much this car will cost to run CLICK HERE �� F IRST DRIVE BENTLE Y FLYING SPUR

LUXURY SALOON EARNS ITS SPURSAn intoxicating mix of tradition and technology

COSTSP11D price £140,900BIK tax band 35%BIK tax (40%) £19,726Annual VED £1,065 then £490RV (4yr/80k) £39,215/28%Fuel Cost 31.26ppmAFR (ppm) 24Running cost (4yr/80k) 172.22ppm

Power (hp) 625CO2 343Fuel economy 19.2Max speed 1990-62mph 4.3

SPEC

Rolls-Royce GhostP11D price £206,700BIK tax band 35%Annual BIK tax (20%) £28,938RV (4yr/80k) £53,552/26%Fuel cost (ppm) 28.56AFR (ppm) 24Running cost (4yr/80k) 191.44ppm

RIVAL

*Running cost data supplied by KeeResources (4yr/80k)T

Fantastic performance, tremendous luxury

Frugal? You must be joking

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By Alisdair Suttiet has been 12 years since Honda last offered a Civic estate, but with increased

sales in this sector the Civic Tourer is a timely addition and rival to the likes of the Ford Focus Estate and Volkswagen Golf Estate.Adrian Killham, who is large

project leader for Civic Tourer, told Ignition: “We’ve had to work hard to convince Honda in Japan to build this car, but we believe Europe, and the UK in particular, warrants this investment.”Honda estimates it will sell

about 1,500 Civic Tourers a year to company users, almost all with the 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine.

This offers 99g/km CO2 and 74.3mpg fuel efficiency. Prices start at £21,320.Several rivals can match the

Tourer for efficiency and CO2, but the Civic has a few other tricks in its boot. It offers a large luggage capacity of 624 litres. However, 117 litres of this is in a compartment under the boot floor, so it’s not necessarily as usable as some of the competition’s. The upside is it offers hidden storage that copes with a couple of small suitcases, so stashing laptops or other

valuables is a cinch.Folding the 60/40 split rear

seats of the Tourer is also easy, thanks to Honda’s ‘Magic Seat’ design. You can tip

the rear seats forward to create a long, flat

floor or fold the bases up for a sizeable space between the front and rear seats.As the Tourer

is 235mm longer than the Civic hatch,

it also frees up space under the load floor to store the boot cover. It’s easy to pop into its dedicated space and with all the seats folded down

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FIRST DRIVE HONDA CIV IC TOURER 1.6 I-DTEC S

HONDA SEIZES THE MOMENTCivic makes timely return to the estate sector with efficient compact model

I Practical load area; easy to

drive; low running costs; clever adaptive dampers

Pricey against rivals; only two engine options; numb steering; adaptive dampers not standard across range

the load space is 1,668 litres.As with the hatch, the 1.8-litre

petrol is a little rowdy when pressed, so the 120hp 1.6-litre turbodiesel is the best bet all round. It’s quiet, pulls keenly and comes with a crisp six-speed manual gearbox as the only option.The diesel is the only credible

choice for fleet users thanks to its 99g/km of CO2, helped by its crisp six-speed manual gearbox. The petrol model has a slightly

sharper steering response, while Honda’s adaptive damper system

is standard on the top two trim levels. It can be set to comfort, normal or dynamic; we found normal ideal in all conditions.There are also two optional

safety packs, costing £780 and £2,500. The former is available on all Tourer models and has seven technologies including City-Brake Active System, forward collision warning and Cross Traffic Monitor. The second pack is offered only on EX models to provide automatic cruise control and collision mitigation braking system.



"The diesel is the only credible choice for fleets thanks to its 99g/km of CO2"

In diesel form, the Tourer is quiet, competent and comfort-able. While not as sharp to drive as the Focus or Golf estates, it is an ideal long-distance machine that can carry plenty of cargo. The Civic Tourer has the creden-

tials to be a strong contender in the small estate sector thanks to its load space and a versatility none of its rivals can better. Low CO2 emissions and good

fuel economy combine with a comfortable and easy-going drive to make it a very rounded compact estate.

The Civic Tourer is an ideal

long-distance machine that

can carry plenty of cargo

117 litres of the Tourer’s 624-litre boot space is in a separate compartment under the floor

COSTSP11D price £21,320BIK tax band 14%Annual BIK tax (20%) £597Class 1A NIC £412Annual VED £0 RV (4yr/80k) n/aFuel cost (ppm) n/aAFR (ppm) 12Running cost (4yr/80k) n/a

Power (bhp)/ Torque (lb-ft) 120/221CO2 (g/km) 99Fuel efficiency (mpg) 74.3Max speed (mph) 1210-62mph (sec) 10.1

SPEC

Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI S estateP11D price £20,745BIK tax band 15%Annual BIK tax (20%) £622RV (4yr/80k) £5,925/29%Fuel cost (ppm) 8.66AFR (ppm) 12Running cost (4yr/80k) 30.7ppm

RIVAL


By Simon Harris

A few models in Mitsubishi’s history stand out as pioneering. While argu-

ments rage about whether or not the Japanese company was first to market, it certainly introduced cars that appeared at the very beginning of new trends.The Space Wagon of the early

1980s was one of the very first MPVs (some claim Mitsubishi invented the sector). The Airtrek, which evolved into the first-gener-ation Outlander in the UK in 2004, was a crossover in the mould of the Nissan Qashqai, which appeared three years later.The Outlander has since evolved

into a more conventional SUV, while the ASX has taken up the

mantle in the crossover sector.Mitsubishi bounced back in 2013

from a difficult few years in the UK, primarily caused by an unfa-vourable exchange rate, and perhaps the most eye-catching change to the ASX for 2014 is a substantial price reduction. Ster-ling now buys far more yen than in recent years and, as a result, the ASX is priced from £14,999, £2,500 less than the previous version. Diesel models start at £18,750,

almost £2,000 less.Bluetooth has been added to the

entry-level ASX 2 as standard, on

top of air conditioning, alloys and seven airbags. The ASX 3 has larger alloys, electronic climate control, push-button start, automatic headlights and rain-

sensing wipers as well as a leather-covered

steering wheel and heated front seats. Leather seats are optional.The range-

topping ASX 4 comes with a

reversing camera, integrated Kenwood

audio and navigation system, and has four-wheel drive and auto-matic transmission. We tried the new 2.2-litre diesel,

VAUXHALL AMPERAXPXPXPXPXPXPXPX


FIRST DRIVE MITSUBISHI A SX 2.2 DI-D 4 AUTO

VALUE ADDS TO ASX APPEALFavourable exchange rate sees crossover prices drop by up to £2,500

Diesel's good spread of power; stand-out

looks; practical family car

Dark interiors can look drab; 4x4 available only

on diesel

which has the same specification as in the larger Outlander and also shares the same six-speed auto-matic gearbox. The 280lb-ft of torque available from 1,750rpm certainly gives the ASX a surprising turn of speed, although consid-ering the automatic gearbox (which often leads to higher CO2 emis-sions than manuals) and four-wheel drive hardware, emissions aren’t particularly high.Compared with four-wheel drive

automatic rivals, the ASX looks quite ‘green’ with BIK tax in the 25% band.

The engine is refined and the transmission changes smoothly.The ASX also seems good value

for the price.Mitsubishi sees an opportunity

against rivals because of competi-tive pricing (which, lower down the range, mitigates higher CO2 emissions relative to some rivals) as well as the fact that as cars such as the Qashqai have grown in size, the dimensions of the ASX make it appealing to those who might feel uncomfortable driving something larger.Limited time spent behind the



"The improvements keep ASX on the radar as a good value alternative"

wheel on the launch event couldn’t confirm the benefit absolutely, but the ASX certainly feels nimble and agile for a tall vehicle. The steering makes for an engaging experi-encewithout offering too much resistance while composure when cornering at higher speeds is more akin to a conventional hatchback.The ASX might have a lower

profile than the Qashqai and Mitsubishi is a smaller player in the market than Nissan, but the improvements made for 2014 keep it on the radar as a good value crossover.

The 2.2-litre diesel offers

CO2 of 158g/km ASX 4 is fitted with an

COSTSP11D £22,899BIK tax band 25%BIK tax (20%) £1,145Annual VED £175RV (4yr/80k) £6,495/28%Fuel cost 12.91ppmAFR 17ppmRunning cost (4yr/80k) 37.95ppm

Power (bhp)/torque (lb-ft) 150/280CO2 (g/km) 153Fuel efficiency (mpg) 48.7Max speed (mph) 1180-62mph (sec) 10.8

SPEC

Skoda Yeti Outdoor Elegance 2.0 TDI 140 4WD DGSP11D price £24,720BIK tax band 27%Annual BIK tax (20%) £1,335RV (4yr/80k) £7,492/30%Fuel cost 14.04ppmAFR 14ppmRunning cost (4yr/80k) 39.32ppm

RIVAL


ASX feels nimble and agile on the road

COMING SOON NE W MODEL S


On sale: July Price: TBC What's new: The new X-Trail will be offered with front-wheel drive as standard and four-wheel drive as an option to help bring down CO2 emissions for the range. A substantially-revised

2.0-litre turbodiesel engine will cut emissions significantly. Five- and seven-seat versions will be offered as Nissan seeks to make the new model more versatile to compete with the new breed of crossover and improved SUV rivals.CO2 emissions: TBC

SEAT LEON CUPRA

NISSAN X-TRAIL

On sale: May Price: £25,690-£28,525What's new: The hottest version of the new Seat Leon so far arrives in the summer with a 265hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine. It will be offered

with six-speed manual or DSG dual-clutch gearboxes and should accelerate from 0-62mph in less than 6.0 seconds. It has lowered suspension, new rear exhaust design and a front bumper with large air intakes. A Cupra R model is expected late in 2014 using a 280hp version of

the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and four-wheel drive system from the Volk-

swagen Golf R. The Cupra R will cover 0-62mph in

5.7 seconds.CO2 emissions: 149-155g/km

For a full new car launch calendar CLICK HERE ��


MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER HYBRID

VOLKSWAGEN E-UP

JEEP CHEROKEE

On sale: MarchPrice: TBC What's new: Mitsubishi will start sales of its plug-in hybrid Outlander PHEV in March and the car will come with two electric motors, one each to drive the front and rear axles to retain four-wheel drive. The hybrid Outlander will be capable of 32 miles on battery power alone. It can still tow up to 1,500kg to retain its versatility as an SUV.CO2 emissions: 44g/km

On sale: FebruaryPrice: £19,250What's new: The E-Up comes with a range of up to 93 miles and an 81bhp electric motor to give 0-62mph in 12.4 seconds. All E-Ups will be five-door models and the battery can be quick charged in 30 minutes to 80% of maximum capacity. VW offers a £199 per month lease but it requires a £7,125 deposit.CO2 emissions: 0g/km

On sale: MayPrice: £25,000 est What's new: Hot on the heels of the well-received Grand Cherokee comes a boldly-styled mid-sized SUV. Two petrol models using a 184bhp 2.4-litre four-cylinder or 3.2-litre V6 with 271bhp will be available. However, fleets will be keener to wait for the Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre turbodiesel engines that will be offered in 138bhp and 168bhp forms coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox. CO2 emissions: 263g/km (for 2.4-litre petrol)

rom April 2015, two new CO2-based company car tax bands will be introduced at

0-50g/km and 51-75g/km.The percentage of the P11D

price subject to tax for 0-50g/km cars will be 5% in 2015-16 and 7% in 2016-17. For the 51-75g/km band the figure will be 9% in 2015-16 and 11% in 2016-17.Although few company car

drivers will opt for the zero or ultra-low emission electric vehi-cles and plug-in hybrid cars that dominate these tax bands, other BIK changes will have an impact.From April, cars emitting

95-99g/km, like the Vauxhall Insignia Ecoflex (98g/km) will move from 14% to 15% (including the 3% diesel supplement). For a 20% taxpayer, this

increases annual BIK by £57 to £560 on the £18,694 Insignia.Come the 2015/16 tax year, BIK

will be £635 as the Insignia moves into the 17% band, but a year later, when the diesel supplement is scrapped and the car ends up in the 16% band, BIK will fall to £598 – hitting wage packets by around £50 a month.


ADVICE COMPANY CAR TA X

BENEFIT-IN-KIND CO2 BANDS BY TAX YEARYour at-a-glance guide to what your car will cost you in tax in the future

F

To use our car tax calculator CLICK HERE ��

% of P11D 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17price* (g/km) (g/km) (g/km) (g/km)

0 0 0 - -5 1-75 1-75 0-50 -7 - - - 0-509 - - 51-75 -10 76-94 - - -11 95-99 76-94 - 51-7512 100-104 95-99 - -13 105-109 100-104 76-94 -14 110-114 105-109 95-99 -15 115-119 110-114 100-104 76-9416 120-124 115-119 105-109 95-9917 125-129 120-124 110-114 100-10418 130-134 125-129 115-119 105-10919 135-139 130-134 120-124 110-11420 140-144 135-139 125-129 115-11921 145-149 140-144 130-134 120-12422 150-154 145-149 135-139 125-12923 155-159 150-154 140-144 130-13424 160-164 155-159 145-149 135-13925 165-169 160-164 150-154 140-14426 170-174 165-169 155-159 145-14927 175-179 170-174 160-164 150-15428 180-184 175-179 165-169 155-15929 185-189 180-184 170-174 160-16430 190-194 185-189 175-179 165-16931 195-199 190-194 180-184 170-17432 200-204 195-199 185-189 175-17933 205-209 200-204 190-194 180-18434 210-214 205-209 195-199 185-18935 215 & above 210 & above 200-204 190-19436 205-209 195-19937 210 & above 200 & above

*Add 3% for diesels up to a maximum of 35% in 2013/14 and 2014/15. Add 3% for diesels up to a maximum of 37% in 2015/16 and from 2016/17 onwards the diesel supplement is scrapped.

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19 March 2014

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For tickets and tables contact Nicola Baxteron 01733 468289 or [email protected]

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FNA14_FPAD(Window)v2_Layout 1 06/01/2014 12:14 Page 1

Tested by: Luke Neal "A new windscreen took weeks, not days"

Our F

leet

The latest reviews of the team's long-term test cars...

MAZDA 6 SEAT LEON

AUDI A3 SPORTBACK

Tested by: Maurice Glover"Leon has delivered a faultless performance"

HONDA CR-V

VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT LEXUS IS

Tested by: Andrew Ryan "The A3 has plenty of long-term appeal"

Tested by: Gareth Roberts"The CR-V will take a lot of beating for space"

Tested by: Stephen Briers "The Passat hasn't made one false step"

Tested by: Sarah Tooze"I'm not convinced about its fuel economy"

VOLVO V60 KIA CEED

Tested by: Simon Harris"I've been achieving 140mpg plus"

Tested by: John Maslen"Ceed ticks all the right boxes"

By Luke Nealt last! The replacement windscreen for the Mazda6 has arrived and,

as I type, a pleasant man called Brian from AA Autowindshields is in the office car park fitting it for me… a month on from the crack first being reported.It’s a repair that I would have

expected to have been completed in a matter of days rather than weeks; the delay being due to the replacement screen being on back order. During this wait I've had to

use an alternative car, which could be a potentially-costly

Lengthy wait for a replacement windscreen is finally over

MAZDA6

For more Mazda6 road tests CLICK HERE ��

A

LONG-TERM TESTSOUR FLEE T

2.2D 150 SPORT NAVCOSTSP11D price £25,540BIK tax band 16%Annual BIK tax (20%) £817Class 1A NIC £564Annual VED £0 then £30RV (4yr/80k) £6,075/24%Fuel cost (ppm) 9.47AFR (ppm) 18Running cost (4yr/80k) 39.8ppm


exercise for any business in the same situation.Brian passed on a clever tip to

determine whether a crack has been caused by being struck by something: simply take a pointed tool (you can use a ball point pen) and run it along the length of the crack. If the tool or pen stops, that is the point of impact. If you can trace the entire length of the crack without interruption, then the screen has most likely cracked for another reason. On this occasion, Brian did find

a tiny point of impact towards the bottom of the screen, most likely caused by a flying stone. A new screen takes about an

hour to fit and after a few more hours curing time the car will be ready for use.

I'm looking forward to being back in the impressive-looking Mazda. Luxuries like heated seats and sat-nav and its sheer size and practicality were sorely missed over the Christmas period.


It's a repair I expected to take days, not weeks

Mazda6 has its new

windscreen fitted

Engine (cc) 2,191Power (hp) 150Torque (lb-ft) 280CO2 (g/km) 108Fuel efficiency (mpg) 67.3Max speed (mph) 1310-62mph (sec) 9.0Test mpg 47.1Current mileage 15,449

SPEC

By Maurice Gloverime was when most cars from Seat were regarded as worthy but dull – inex-

pensive, but equipped to a rela-tively basic level compared with most of their rivals.But times have changed. After

a switch in product positioning, Seat is earning itself a fresh image as a stylish and high-quality alternative with a sporting flavour – and no model illustrates this better than the Leon.Now leaving us after a seven-

month stint, the SE is a particu-larly well fitted-out car and addi-tions like a centre front seat armrest, subdued footwell illu-mination, seatback storage pockets and rear reading lights allow this hatchback to boast

Glowing end-of-term report for manufacturer's best car yet

SEAT LEON

For more Leon road tests CLICK HERE ��

T

1.6 TDI SE

some extra niceties to help make motoring far more pleasant.By any yardstick, the Leon is

one of the better-looking compacts from the Volkswagen Group. However, strong perfor-mance and economical opera-tion are the more likely reasons behind the car’s spectacular success in business motoring. In our hands, it has spent most

of its time on major routes and the high proportion of cruising speed driving has been reflected in particularly good economy, with tank-to-tank returns topping 70mpg on two occasions.After more than 12,000 miles, I

think an overall figure of more than 64mpg says it all for roomy and versatile transport that copes well with the demands of

business and family travel.Despite its modest capacity of

50 litres, the Leon’s fuel tank allows a range that stretches to 600 miles. Comfortable and responsive,

the SE has been as good to drive over mundane journeys as it has been during spells of continental motoring and Seat's best model yet has delivered a faultless performance.A well-engineered design with

excellent detail finish, the only minor flaw in this five-star package is the lack of a completely flat cargo floor when the rear seats are folded.


COSTSP11D price £18.615BIK tax band 14%Annual BIK tax (20%) £521Class 1A NIC £360Annual VED £0RV (4yr/80k) £4,940/27%Fuel cost (ppm) 8.48AFR (ppm) 12Running cost (4yr/80k) 27.97ppm



SPEC

By Simon Harrist has been said here previously that the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid makes most sense when used

mainly for shorter trips.They allow full advantage to be

taken of charging from the mains, with the diesel engine offering a useful back-up for occasional journeys longer than 30 miles.

Although we took delivery of our V60 with a cable suitable for charging from the mains, Volvo has since sent us a cable compat-ible with public charging points (which was on back order).

It means charging points can be plotted into longer journeys

Longer journeys take their toll on Volvo's fuel economy

VOLVO V60

For more V60 road tests CLICK HERE ��

I


D6 HYBRID SE E LUX NAVCOSTSP11D price £49,220BIK tax band 5%Annual BIK tax (20%) £984Class 1A NIC £340Annual VED £0RV (4yr/80k) £9,000/18%Fuel cost (ppm) 4.11AFR (ppm) 18Running cost (4yr/80k) 61.67ppm


fitting in with natural breaks, using free electricity to power more miles than diesel.

The V60 had typically got into achieving 140mpg plus for my commute, with the diesel engine firing up for a few minutes each trip.

When electricity is unavailable for a high-mileage run, fuel economy slips back to a journey average of anything between 50mpg and 100mpg, depending on the distance travelled.

Dragging this average down is the fact that when no charging is available, the car effectively becomes a heavier version of the V60 D5; fuel economy can dip as low as 45mpg. For that you might as well choose a different car.

I’ve also signed up to Ecotricity

and can now use charging points at a number of motorway services. It won’t be the same as running 80-mile zero tailpipe emissions stints that might be achieved with a battery EV, but at least it will keep the real-world running costs down.

As a footnote, on my Volvo On Call app on my smartphone, my sausage fingers have entered my password incorrectly too many times and I have had to request a new one.

This is particularly inconvenient in this case as the car is owned by Volvo UK and the email of a member of staff is registered for this car, meaning that as it happened at the weekend, it could be a few days before I can access the connected services again.


V60 has achieved test economy of 80.1mpg

Engine (cc) 2,400Power (hp) 285 (engine/electric)Torque (lb-ft) 472(engine/electric)CO2 (g/km) 48Fuel efficiency (mpg) 148.7Max speed (mph) 1430-62mph (sec) 6.9Test mpg 80.1Current mileage 5,824

SPEC

By John Maslenach year, Fleet News organ-ises one of the biggest fleet test drive events in the

world, Company Car in Action (CCIA), where hundreds of cars are available for fleets to test back-to-back over two days in June.

From a fleet manager’s perspec-tive, it’s a brilliant opportunity to improve and update product knowledge, and having just moved into the Kia Ceed for a short while, I can see the value such events bring.

I have driven a number of other vehicles from a range of brands over the years, but from the point of view of a busy fleet manager, it is incredibly difficult to compare the qualities of a model driven in January with a rival driven in

Manufacturer continues to close the gap on fleet rivals

KIA CEED

For more Ceed road tests CLICK HERE ��

E

1.6 CRDI 3 ECODYNAMICS

December when product update cycles are becoming ever shorter.

Kia has already impressed with the Optima, which I had on long-term test a year ago, and my renewed acquaintance with the brand has shown the Ceed is an even more impressive offering.

While Kia historically could have been considered as an alternative to traditional mainstream fleet brands, where financial savings were gained at the expense of quality or refinement, it is becoming clear that massive investment in product is bringing it close to equal footing with fleet rivals.

All the key boxes are ticked, such as build quality, ride and handling. There are minor issues, such as noise at motorway speeds, and an odd recess in the rear bumper to

allow access to the boot release, which fills with water when it rains and gets your hand wet, but apart from that, first impressions are very good.

It is reaching the stage where fleet managers are effectively trying to discern the difference between a £6 bottle of wine and a £10 bottle of wine when comparing rival models.

With manufacturers improving product quality all the time, it can be very hard to clearly discern key differences unless you can compare models back-to-back, which you can do at CCIA, this year at Millbrook from June 10-11.


COSTSP11D price £20,040BIK tax band 15%Annual BIK tax (20%) £601Class 1A NIC £415Annual VED £0RV (4yr/80k) £4,250/21%Fuel cost (ppm) 8.68AFR (ppm) 12Running cost (4yr/80k) 31.56ppm


Engine (cc) 1,582Power (hp) 126Torque (lb-ft) 191CO2 (g/km) 100Fuel efficiency (mpg) 74.3Max speed (mph) 1220-62mph (sec) 11.5Test mpg 10,284Current mileage 51

SPEC

By Andrew Ryanuild quality has long been seen as a traditional strength of the Audi brand,

and our time so far with the A3 Sportback has done nothing to challenge that perception.In the past couple of weeks, it

has passed the 10,000-mile mark, roughly one-eighth of the miles a car may be expected to cover while on a fleet.So far there are no obvious signs

of wear and tear in the cabin which, although it is still early days in a typical fleet lifecycle, is a good sign for its appeal at de-fleet time.

Attractive hatch proves an ideal long-distance companion

AUDI A3 SPORTBACK

For more A3 Sportback road tests CLICK HERE ��

B


1.6 TDI SECOSTSP11D price £22,320BIK tax band 14%Annual BIK tax (20%) £625Class 1A NIC £431Annual VED £0RV (4yr/80k) £7,375/33%Fuel cost (ppm) 8.48AFR (ppm) 12Running cost (4yr/80k) 31.3ppm


Its short-term appeal has also continued to be high, as it is proving a classy and refined way to travel.A couple of weekends before

Christmas the A3 Sportback was pressed into action as a four-wheeled Santa's sleigh for a 600-mile round trip to visit the Irish side of my family in Dublin.This saw the car laden with

presents, as well as my parents, and it coped admirably with any demands we made of it.Both my parents were happy

with the comfort and room they had, although the shape of the boot meant putting a box or two on the rear seat: it seemed quite narrow, while a high boot lip meant that loading and unloading a heavy parcel was more

awkward than expected.Other gripes are minor ones:

the spoked wheels are a pain to clean (although they look great when done), while my iPod is too old to connect to the A3's media system. The latter complaint is not the car's fault, but has led me to use my phone as an MP3 player and pair it to the media system using Bluetooth.Like all other operations using

the media system, this was straightforward to do and the controls intuitive enough to not need to refer to the instruction manual.Average test economy has

remained fairly consistent at between 57mpg and 59mpg per tankful, which is a long way short of the official figure of 74.3mpg.


The spoked wheels are

attractive, but time consuming to clean


SPEC

By Gareth RobertsUVs have fast become the choice for company car drivers looking for a vehicle

that can cope with family life.They have quickly overtaken the

traditional estate car, with all the major manufacturers offering an SUV in their line-up.But if practicality and boot space

are the guiding light, how does our Honda CR-V 1.6-litre i-DTEC SE-T compare to the competition?The CR-V’s dimensions mean

that headroom in the rear is good and it will comfortably sit three adults, while the flat floor also offers lots of legroom. With the rear seats folded, boot

capacity has increased by 148 litres over the old model to 1,648 litres. With the seats up, the capacity is

Lightweight CR-V gives fleet-friendly performance

HONDA CR-V

For more CR-V road tests CLICK HERE ��

S

1.61 I-DTEC SE-T

still a cavernous 589 litres. The load length has also been

increased, by 140mm to 1,570mm, while the height of the load lip has been reduced by 25mm to make it easier to load heavy or awkward items. Our car also includes a durable

plastic tray at a cost of £100; a neat addition which allows you to throw those muddy wellies in the back without having to seek out a full valet at a later date.In contrast, the Ford Kuga, even

after its boot space was increased from its previous incarnation, offers only 456 litres with all the seats in place. That’s provided you go for the tyre repair kit instead of the spare wheel. The capacity drops to 406 litres if you choose to have the spare.

Compare that to the Kia Sportage which, with the standard-fit 60/40 split-fold rear seats in place, offers 564 litres. Fold down the back seats and that expands further to 1,353 litres.In short, if space and practicality

are likely to define your choice, the CR-V will take a lot of beating.


A £100 plastic boot tray adds to the

CR-V's practicality

COSTSP11D price £25,770BIK tax band 18%Annual BIK tax (20%) £928Class 1A NIC £640Annual VED £30RV (4yr/80k) £7,353/28%Fuel cost (ppm) 10.01AFR (ppm) 14Running cost (4yr/80k) 36.65ppm



SPEC

By Stephen Briersriting about the Volk-swagen Passat some-times puts me in a

quandary. Sometimes our long-term test cars develop faults, or you find things that irritate after several months’ driving that you hadn’t noticed previously. It gives you ammunition for reviews.

The Passat isn’t like that. It hasn’t made one false step during the 10 months we’ve had it. No faults, no niggles; and aside from the heavy boot lid, no major irritations.

It’s simply a very good fleet family car, offering space, value, build quality, comfort, efficiency and a

Saloon hasn't put a foot wrong since joining our fleet

VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

For more Passat road tests CLICK HERE ��

W


2.0 TDI HIGHLINE BLUEMOTION TECHNOLOGYCOSTSP11D price £23,175BIK tax band 18%Annual BIK tax (20%) £834Class 1A NIC £576Annual VED £0 then £30RV (4yr/80k) £5,825/25%Fuel cost (ppm) 10.26AFR (ppm) 14Running cost (4yr/80k) 35.49ppm


little soupçon of performance from the 140hp 2.0-litre diesel.

However, this version of the Passat has got only one more year to run before the next-generation car comes to market. Spy shots have already been published in some magazines and websites.

Surprisingly, this current seventh-generation model was launched only three years ago. But it was based on the same platform as the version launched in 2005 and, while it came with lots of improve-ments and enhancements, such as stop-start, new safety equip-ment and updated styling, it wasn’t exactly a step-change in evolution.

No matter. Fleets have still been buying this car in their thousands – almost 13,000 last year, to be precise, making it the third most

popular mainstream D-sector family car.

We like it, too, as does much of the consumer media. Take this verdict from Fleet News’s sister magazine Car: “It’s the kind of car that worms its way into your affec-tions because it’s just so good at fitting into your life. Its breadth of ability is impressive: value, comfort, frugality, (adequate) performance, refinement, practicality… it’s even okay to drive. If you had to put your money into one all-round family car, this wouldn’t be a bad choice at all.”

In short, the Passat is a solid all-rounder that has served its time on the Fleet News fleet with major honours. Our model goes back in a little over a month’s time: it will be missed.


Passat is simply a very good car

Engine (cc) 1,968Power (hp) 140Torque (lb-ft) 236CO2 (g/km) 119Fuel efficiency (mpg) 61.4Max speed (mph) 1320-62mph (sec) 9.8Test mpg 52Current mileage 13,340

SPEC

By Sarah Toozefter a month in the IS 300h, I can see why Lexus is reporting strong

sales for the new IS range.The car was launched in July

last year and has increased full-year sales by almost 90% over the outgoing model in 2012. Of the 1,751 sales so far, 1,007

have been as company cars. The manufacturer is now

targeting 3,500 sales in 2014 with 1,500 in retail and 2,000 in fleet.It puts the IS’s success down to

“striking sports styling, high equipment specifications and definitively Lexus contemporary luxury and refinement”. While the IS 300h does feature

some sharp, dynamic lines around the front headlights and

Fuel economy disappoints, but hybrid otherwise impresses

LEXUS IS 300H

For more IS 300h road tests CLICK HERE ��

A

2.5 SE

bumper, its popularity with company car drivers is more likely to be explained by the class-leading benefit-in-kind tax rates (click here for more).But although the IS300h has the

upper hand with CO2 emissions, at least on paper, I’m not yet convinced about the real-world fuel economy. The average fuel economy

figure to date is 45.3mpg – an improvement of 3mpg compared to when it arrived on the fleet but still 20mpg shy of the official combined figure (65.7). On a 124-mile round journey,

economy did increase to 48mpg in normal mode, however. There are five modes to choose

from: EV, eco, normal, snow and sport, and I’ve recently switched

from normal to eco mode which should boost efficiency. Fuel economy aside, there is

little tocriticise the IS 300h for. It’s a quiet, refined drive and is

almost as quick as the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics auto, reaching 62mph from standstill in 8.3 seconds. Safety is also a strong point,

with the IS 300h recently named best in class by Euro NCAP for the ‘large family’ car category. It achieved the top five-star

rating and a 91% score overall with Euro NCAP noting the effec-tiveness of the active pop-up bonnet, fitted as standard.


COSTSP11D price £32,035BIK tax band 11%Annual BIK tax (20%) £705Class 1A NIC £486Annual VED £0RV (4yr/80k) £8,050Fuel cost (ppm) 9.04AFR (ppm) 24Running cost (4yr/80k) 42.98ppm


Engine (cc) 2,495Power (hp) 141/178 (electric/engine)Torque (lb-ft) 300/221(electric/engine)CO2 (g/km) 99Fuel efficiency (mpg) 65.7Max speed (mph) 125 0-62mph (sec) 8.3Test mpg 45.3Current mileage 4,223

SPEC

6 EDINBURGHDiesel 137.77Unleaded 129.83LPG 75.9

7 EXETER Diesel 140.19**Unleaded 132.9**LPG N/A

8 GLASGOW Diesel 135.83Unleaded 128.53LPG N/A

9 LEEDSDiesel 138.78Unleaded 130.56LPG 71.9

10 LIVERPOOL Diesel 137.73Unleaded 129.73LPG 71.9

11 LONDON Diesel 136.71Unleaded 130.46LPG 73.9

12 MANCHESTER Diesel 138.51Unleaded 130.11LPG 70.9

13 NEWCASTLE Diesel l 136.68Unleaded 129.79LPG 75.4

14 NORWICHDiesel 136.32*Unleaded 128.67LPG 76

1

2

3

5

6

7

4

910

11

12

14

8

13

For full UK fuel price figures CLICK HERE ��

* Cheapest ** Most expensive


FUEL PRICESADVICE

1 BIRMINGHAM Diesel 138.35Unleaded 129.73LPG 69.7*

2 BRIGHTON Diesel 136.88Unleaded 130.46LPG N/A

3 CAMBRIDGE Diesel 139.66Unleaded 131.91LPG 77.9**

4 CARDIFF Diesel 136.38Unleaded 128.35*LPG N/A

5 DERBY Diesel 141.3Unleaded 131.35LPG 71.8

ignition january 2014

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