Worldcarblog.com

Thursday, 04 November 2021 05:30

New Volkswagen Multivan eHybrid 2022 review

We find out if the new Volkswagen Multivan eHybrid can breathe life into the sparse plug-in hybrid MPV segment

Verdict

There’s no doubt that the new Volkswagen Multivan is better than the old Caravelle in a number of key areas. There’s more space inside, the styling is up to date and the addition of a plug-in hybrid adds an extra layer of appeal for company car buyers and businesses. High pricing could be its downfall, however, and the launch range isn’t very strong. There’s also the eagerly-anticipated, similarly sized VW ID.Buzz, which might steal some thunder when it’s released next year.

The new Volkswagen Multivan is under plenty of pressure to succeed, not just because it replaces the popular T6.1 Caravelle MPV (which will be sold alongside the newcomer for a while), but because it also brings in a new plug-in hybrid capability to VW’s van-based people carrier.

The twist is that the new T7 Multivan isn’t really based on a van. Instead, it runs on the MQB platform which underpins a wide variety of VW Group products like the Cupra Formentor and Volkswagen Golf. In theory this should make the Multivan significantly more engaging to drive, improving upon the van-like driving characteristics of the old Caravelle. From launch, all powertrains have a petrol engine - a 134bhp 1.5-litre TSI kicks off the range, then a 201bhp 2.0-litre TSI and finally a plug-in hybrid with a 1.4-litre TSI paired with a 10kWh electric motor for a total of 215bhp.

But the T7 Multivan is aimed at those transporting up to seven people, so it’ll need to impress passengers just as much as the driver. That’s where the new car’s party-piece rear seating comes into play. A rail system means the middle and back rows of seats can slide forwards and back or be turned 180 degrees independently of each other. To make the seat removal process easier, the seats are 25% lighter than the old Caravelle’s and on higher spec models the rail system is electrified, allowing for all seven seats to be heated. You can also spec the Multivan with just six seats and of course you can remove the rear and middle seats if you’d like to use the Multivan as a van.

There’s more good news for passengers as the central table can slide the length of the cabin, giving front, middle or rear passengers cup holders and a handy height adjustable fold-out table. Four USB ports are also available for rear passengers, with two up front.

On all models, the infotainment system is the same as you’d find on the new VW Golf and while there have been plenty of critics of VW’s menu layout, the 10-inch screen is crisp and the responsiveness of the touchscreen is among the best out there. With this central screen interface coupled with Volkswagen’s 10.25-inch ‘Digital Cockpit’ and head-up display, the Multivan does feel like a quality item from the driver’s seat. It’s also easy to switch between hybrid and EV-only modes with a dedicated button below the central screen.

Crucially the Multivan offers more cabin space than the outgoing Caravelle, with 469-litres available in the boot with a seven-seat layout and 1,844-litres with the rear seats removed. Upgrade to the long-wheel base model and the total maximum with rows two and three removed rises to 4,005-litres from the 3,672-litres in the short-wheel base model.

Plenty of storage bins throughout the cabin is always useful in a car designed to take seven, although don’t be surprised to see the creviced rail system quickly fill up with food and muck if there are children, or messy adults, regularly on board. Touch points like the steering wheel and the dash have a premium feel to them but you also don’t have to search for long in the rear cabin area to find some cheap scratchy plastics.

You’d be forgiven in thinking the Multivan has taken a huge leap forward from the old Caravelle in terms of driving dynamics thanks to the MQB platform, in reality the Multivan still feels fundamentally like a van. There’s decent body control in the bends, despite the retention of the Caravelle’s old suspension set-up, but the steering is incredibly light and devoid of feedback.

On the flip side of this, the Multivan is manouvrable in town thanks to a tight turning circle, that light steering and excellent visibility. The positioning of the pedals and steering wheel does give it a slight SUV-feel and the seats themselves are just the right mix of supportive and comfortable. Road noise is well suppressed, although due to the boxy design, wind noise does become noticeable at motorway speeds.

The range-topping eHybrid plug-in model comes with a 1.4-litre petrol TSI engine mated to a 10kWh battery. It’s the same unit found in the Golf and Passat GTE, so that means there’s a fairly hefty 215bhp offered through a bespoke six-speed automatic gearbox to the front wheels. 0-62mph takes 11.6 seconds and the Multivan eHybrid never feels as quick as the power figure suggests. The performance is adequate with this powertrain but never feels overly punchy. The power delivery is smooth but when the four-cylinder petrol engine decides to kick in you do get an audible clatter.

If you want to squeeze out the Multivan’s maximum fuel efficiency, then you’ll have to accept a 204-minute charging time from 0-100% using a 3.6kW charger. The 30-mile electric-only range is hardly groundbreaking for a modern plug-in hybrid either but in EV-only mode the Multivan is quiet, comfortable and the brake regeneration system is nicely weighted.

Out of the three powertrains available from launch (a 148bhp diesel variant is coming in Spring 2022), the eHybrid is the best suited to the Multivan’s chassis. The slightly heavier plug-in hybrid set-up actually gives the Multivan a more composed feel on rougher roads. In the 134bhp 1.5 TSI, the reduction in power means the seven-speed DSG gearbox found in the both non-hybrid models is more prone to unwanted kickdowns and ultimately holds on to revs just a bit too long.

VW is still yet to release a price for the new Multivan but expect the range to start from £45,000 for the non-hybrid versions, topping out around £60,000. The eHybrid plug-in model will be the most expensive, costing from around £55,000 when it goes on sale in January 2022. Rivals like the Citroen Spacetourer and Mercedes V-Class offer similar practicality, but without the option for a plug-in hybrid. So if you want an electrified people carrier of this size and you don’t choose the Multivan eHybrid, you’ll have to go the fully-electric route. Volkswagen will also have a new entrant into that category next year with the funky electric ID.Buzz that could further dent the new plug-in hybrid Multivan’s prospects.

Price:	£55,000 (est)
Engine:	1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol + 10kwh e-motor plug-in hybrid
Power/torque:	215bhp/350Nm
Transmission:	Six-speed DSG automatic transmission
0-62mph:	11.6 seconds
Top speed:	118mph
Economy/CO2:	N/A
EV Range:	31 miles
On sale:	January 2022

(https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/road-tests/356467/new-volkswagen-multivan-ehybrid-2022-review-pictures)

Published in Volkswagen

Tuesday, 02 November 2021 05:32

2022 Toyota Tundra Review: Better Where It Counts

The verdict: Redesigned at long last, the 2022 Toyota Tundra pickup truck prioritizes improvements for the many over novelties for the few. The lack of the latter may limit its ceiling for success, but core half-ton shoppers should find plenty to like.

Versus the competition: The new Tundra doesn’t offer the sky-high payload or towing packages, advanced driver-assist tech or sumptuous interiors you’ll find in certain other trucks. But it does spread plentiful features and excellent powertrains across all trim levels.

Fully redesigned for the first time in 16 model years, the 2022 Tundra comes in two cabs, three bed lengths, two powertrains and rear- or four-wheel drive. Trim levels and suspensions number a half-dozen each. At Toyota’s press preview in San Antonio, I spent a jam-packed day evaluating six Tundra configurations.

I’ll refer often to specific configurations, so here’s a cheat sheet up front:

Trim levels: In ascending order, trims are the SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794 Edition and TRD Pro.
Cabs and beds: The Tundra’s extended cab, called Double Cab, has four forward-hinged doors and 6.5- or 8.1-foot beds. The crew cab, called CrewMax, comes with 5.5- or 6.5-foot beds, the latter a first for the CrewMax. A regular (single) cab remains unavailable, as no Tundra has offered it since 2017.
Drivetrains: Gas-only or hybrid V-6 powertrains, both turbocharged, pair with a 10-speed automatic transmission and rear- or four-wheel drive. The hybrid comes only on the CrewMax.
Suspensions: Passive shock absorbers with coil springs all around are standard. Rear air springs are optional, as are rear air springs with four-corner adaptive shocks. (You can’t get the adaptive shocks with rear coil springs.) Finally, three packages from Toyota Racing Development — the racier TRD Sport, trail-oriented TRD Off-Road and rock-crawling TRD Pro — build off the passive shocks and coil springs. The TRD Pro is its own trim level, while the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road are optional packages available on select other trims.

Toyota officials said the gas-only Tundra goes on sale in December, with the hybrid coming in spring 2022.

I seldom dwell on vehicle design, but the Tundra’s hood-engulfing grille deserves discussion — or, more specifically, its framework does. Hung in contrasting color above a black lower bumper on most configurations, the frame looks like a squashed arch that runs into a black abyss. The abyss — sorry, bumper — forms a chin so prominent it seems single-handedly responsible for the 2022 Tundra’s roughly 5 inches of additional length. (Indeed, those gains are all from overhang; the wheelbase for most versions is unchanged.) It’s worth noting that mammoth grilles haven’t stopped recent Toyota models from selling like gangbusters; you can’t say the automaker played it safe.

Engines and Transmissions

Gone is the Tundra’s longstanding 5.7-liter V-8, replaced by a turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6. It’s distinct from the turbocharged V-6 of similar displacement used in Toyota’s Lexus division, officials told me, and it makes 389 horsepower and 479 pounds-feet of torque. The hybrid powertrain, which Toyota markets as i-Force Max, sandwiches an electric motor-generator and clutch into the bell housing between the engine and transmission, with combined output of 437 hp and 583 pounds-feet. The electric motor draws power from a nickel-metal-hydride battery under the rear seat, and officials said both powertrains make their advertised outputs on 87-octane gasoline.

You won’t miss the V-8. The turbocharged V-6 is as potent, pushing the Tundra to highway speeds in scant time, complete with whooshing turbochargers. Accelerator response from a stop is fairly lag-free, and engine rpm builds quickly thereafter. This is as formidable as the Ford F-150’s turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 or the Ram 1500’s 5.7-liter V-8, to name two solid rival powertrains. And Toyota expects 20 mpg in EPA-combined fuel economy for the gas-only rear-drive Tundra. That’s competitive with similarly powered pickups, should the EPA corroborate.

If there’s any weak link, it’s the 10-speed automatic. A first for any Toyota-branded vehicle in the U.S., the 10-speed enables short gears and quick revving, but I detected a couple of clunky upshifts and consistent hesitation to downshift while already in motion. Light throttle brings single-gear kickdown without too much delay, but harder acceleration at highway speeds — shooting a gap in the passing lane to pass slower traffic, for example — incurs delays of 2 seconds or more in the driver-selectable Normal or Sport modes.

Toyota’s a repeat offender for kickdown lag, and so it goes here. The 3.5-liter feels strongest at mid-to-high rpm, but the 10-speed delays getting there for too long. I’ve clocked half the kickdown time from the Chevrolet Silverado 1500’s excellent 10-speed; Toyota’s unit needs work.

A brief drive in the Tundra hybrid showed more decisiveness from the 10-speed — kickdown comes a little sooner, though it remains slow overall — along with even more power, particularly off the line. Toyota claims the hybrid is capable of electric-only power propulsion at speeds up to 18 mph, but it’s hard to distinguish between electric and engine power. Most of the time they seem to be working together, a characteristic I’ve also observed in Cars.com’s long-term F-150 hybrid.

Ride and Handling

The new Tundra shares underpinnings with the redesigned Land Cruiser, an SUV slated for international markets but not here. That means a fully boxed frame instead of the outgoing Tundra’s rear C-channels, plus rear coil springs in place of leaf springs. Options include air springs in back and adaptive shocks all around, the latter a worthwhile upgrade for body control.

The air springs and passive shocks grant acceptable unloaded ride quality, with soft impacts but a degree of jittery reverb on par with most other body-on-frame pickups. (Adding payload can often improve how pickups ride, but I didn’t evaluate a Tundra thus outfitted.) The adaptive shocks clean up the jitters appreciably, though not completely, with a driver-selectable Comfort setting that mutes impact harshness further. At that, the Tundra approaches the very good ride quality in the light-duty Silverado and GMC Sierra in no small part because Toyota doesn’t pair the adaptive shocks with massive wheels and comfort-sapping, low-profile tires. Rims top out at a relatively modest 20 inches, with the accompanying tires a high-profile P265/60R20 spec. Most trim levels, including every example I tested, have that setup, though lower trims and select TRD models can come with 18s.

Available in the Tundra SR5, the TRD Sport Package has a sport-tuned version of the passive shocks and coil springs. I sampled one, and it’s not too hardcore — a touch more turbulent but still comfort-tuned, with steering too numb and slow-ratio to deserve much fun-to-drive billing. With 20-inch wheels, body-colored cladding and a half-inch lower ride height, it’s mostly an appearance package.

Off-Road

Available on several trim levels, the TRD Off-Road Package pairs 20-inch wheels (18s on the SR5) with Bilstein monotube shocks instead of the standard twin-tube dampers. It also gets skid plates, mud guards, a locking rear differential and, if you get one with 4WD, a terrain-selection controller that optimizes various drive settings for the conditions outside. The 4WD TRD Off-Road also gets Toyota’s Crawl Control, a system popularized on the Tacoma mid-size pickup that can manage throttle for a constant, selectable speed. (You can also get the TRD Off-Road without 4WD, where it amounts mostly to an appearance package.)

On a wooded off-road course, a 4WD Limited model with the TRD Off-Road Package and Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires managed the hilly terrain with little drama. Crawl Control bogged down a few seconds if I dropped an axle into something deep, then applied dogged throttle to get moving again. It did so without palpable wheel slippage at any corner even over some uphill rock facings without the rear locking differential engaged. With the lock engaged, the Tundra crawled off-kilter over half-buried logs with minimal wheel spin.

Want more? The TRD Pro gets 2.5-inch Fox internal-bypass shocks (the Bilsteins are 1.8 inches, by contrast), a 1.1-inch front suspension lift and a 20% stiffer front stabilizer bar. It also gets unique underbody protection for the engine, fuel tank and transfer case. Built off the Tundra Limited, the TRD Pro has 18-inch wheels with 33-inch, P285/65R18 Falken Wildpeaks — the widest of any Tundra tire. Approach and departure angles are 26.2 and 24.2 degrees, respectively, on the TRD Pro, up from 21 and 24 degrees for other trims. Note, however, that those approach angles are shallower and result from the increased overhang mentioned above: In 2021, lower-level Tundras had a 26-degree approach angle, though the departure angle was only 16 or 17, trim depending. Only the 2021 TRD Pro had a generous 31-degree approach angle and 17-degree departure angle.

Towing and Payload Capacities

Towing and payload capacities improve over the outgoing Tundra, but they can’t touch the maximum packages offered elsewhere. Payload maxes out at 1,940 pounds for the 2022 model, up from the outgoing generation’s 1,730 pounds but well short of the Silverado 1500 (2,280 pounds), Ram 1500 (2,300) or F-150 (a bonkers 3,325).

A trend among redesigned pickups is a gaggle of bed innovations ranging from useful to gimmicky. Toyota didn’t throw much at the wall, at least from the factory. The new Tundra features no onboard generator, multifolding tailgate or in-bed trunk, though a purported 51 new or redesigned accessories (plus 64 carryovers) might have a surprise or three. Higher trim levels have a nifty release button tucked into the taillights, which you can elbow to drop the tailgate if your arms are full. (See, there’s something!)

More important is the Tundra’s newly standard, aluminum-reinforced composite bed material, which might save some shoppers the expense of adding a separate bedliner. Toyota says the material resists dents and corrosion better than steel or aluminum; indeed, its gritty, spray-in feel seems moderately durable. Regardless, shoppers with serious hauling needs may want to get a liner atop this, as the material doesn’t extend up the sides.

Maximum towing capacity for the 2022 Tundra increases to 12,000 pounds under SAE International’s J2807 standards. That’s a healthy gain over the prior generation’s 10,200 pounds but short of the Detroit Three competition (12,750 to 14,000 pounds, depending on truck). Available towing aids for 2022 range from rear-facing trailer lights on the optional tow mirrors to Straight Path Assist, a system that can automatically steer the Tundra while backing up to keep your trailer in a straight path; it’s similar to the F-150’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist. I sampled SPA with a short trailer hitched astern, and it mitigates the dreaded jacknife to back up straight, provided you line the trailer up beforehand in the intended direction. Adjusting your heading is possible, but expect a learning curve.

The Interior

Toyota did away with the Tundra’s high-shelf dashboard for something with a few graduated layers, plus an 8- or 14-inch touchscreen that juts a little bit above it all. (The outgoing Tundra had a 7- or 8-inch touchscreen, depending on trim.) Both screens use Toyota’s new Audio Multimedia system, a version of which we first saw in the redesigned NX from Toyota’s Lexus division. It’s a straightforward unit with oversized icons, simple menu structures and a purported five times faster processing regardless of screen size. Wireless integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard, and CarPlay works over the entire display — a problem with some of Toyota’s other oversized screens, which confine phone projection to a subset of the screen.

The dashboard controls are intuitive overall, with toggle switches for the air conditioning, an oversized volume knob with the 14-inch touchscreen and mercifully few operations buried in the submenus. Annoyingly, the 8-inch screen swaps the large volume knob for a tiny one that could evade operation with work gloves, and that’s in the trim levels likeliest to end up with contractors. Neither screen offers a tuning knob, and the rickety gear selector is like so many others from Toyota.

Cabin quality is otherwise fine, with soft-touch surfaces in areas your arms and knees touch. No trim level can match the leather-lined extravagance of a top-flight Ram 1500, a pickup so premium we named it our top luxury vehicle in 2020, but materials are class-competitive otherwise. Lower trim levels cheap out a bit, swapping in hard-touch plastics on the console sides and rear doors, but that’s to be expected among full-size trucks. The redesigned console limits knee width a tad more than in the prior generation, but the berth should still be wide enough for larger drivers; ditto for the Tundra’s wide, flat seats. Backseat knee clearance is workable in the Double Cab and generous in the CrewMax, with good headroom and cushion height regardless.

Cabin storage abounds, with console cubbies aplenty and, in most trim levels, storage bins under the pop-up rear seat cushions. Above them, the head restraints tip forward to improve visibility out back, with a camera-based rearview mirror on top trim levels to clear it up further. Still, the Tundra’s chunky B-pillars hamper visibility over your left shoulder regardless of cab style. Most trims offer a blind spot warning system, but no electronics can replace inherently good sight lines.

Safety, Driver-Assist and Other Features

The prior generation’s spotty crash-test scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety don’t carry over to the redesigned 2022 model, but the agency has yet to publish anything more recent. Standard features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, plus lane departure warning with steering assist. Impressively, adaptive cruise control and hands-on lane centering, two features typically optional among half-ton pickup trucks, are standard here.

Pricing and EPA mileage remain unavailable as of this writing, but standard features are impressive. Among them are the aforementioned safety and driver-assist tech, plus the 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three USB ports, one-touch power windows all around, single-zone automatic climate control and keyless access with push-button start. One curious omission is a height-adjustable driver’s seat, missing in the SR and standard SR5 grades. Absent the adjuster, some drivers may find the chair too low.

Power front seats with dual height adjusters are optional, as are dual-zone climate controls, vinyl or leather upholstery with heating and ventilation for both rows, regular or panoramic moonroofs, and a heated steering wheel with power tilt/telescoping adjustments. Optional on the SR5 and standard higher up is the 14-inch touchscreen; other tech extras include 12.3-inch virtual gauges, a 360-degree camera system, a head-up display, wireless phone charging and two more USB ports.

Should You Buy a Tundra?

Redesigned pickup trucks often see automakers throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. Styling notwithstanding, Toyota played it a bit safe. The Tundra offers no hands-free steering, a feature soon available on the F-150 and GM’s updated trucks. You don’t get a host of new bed features, nor towing or payload packages that outspec a few competitors. Top trim levels are nice but not groundbreaking, and the bottom end doesn’t reprise a single cab or fleet-grade engine. The Tundra hybrid is a feat, but Ford beat Toyota to the punch on that. And the 10-speed with either powertrain needs grooming.

But the Tundra is a strong choice for the heart of the half-ton market: crew-cab shoppers who want a truck in the $40,000 to $50,000 range. The effort here is clear, with few moon shots but many concrete gains. I’m not sure the one emphasis precluded the other, but there’s only so much investment a redesign can get. For most truck shoppers, I suspect the Tundra got plenty.

(https://www.cars.com/articles/2022-toyota-tundra-review-better-where-it-counts-442119/)

Published in Toyota

Sunday, 31 October 2021 05:49

New Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost 2021 review

While the new Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost is just as great as the standard car, it also offers a level of customisation that will appeal to many buyers

Verdict

The Black Badge Ghost is every bit as comfortable and beautifully finished as the regular car, but it stops short of delivering a quantum leap dynamically, since to do so would be to take the model beyond the brand’s comfort zone. Buyers drawn in by the different approach to finishes and customisation - and there will be plenty of them - are unlikely to care much about this.

For many, Rolls-Royce remains an iconic brand built on sophistication, luxury and a subtle-yet-imposing road presence. But the British firm has been quietly building up an alter ego over the past five years through its Black Badge editions - ‘subversive’ models, designed to appeal to the sort of customer who might buy a regular car and then turn to a tuner or customiser to bling it up, or de-chrome it down.

In simple terms, Rolls would much rather build you a vehicle to this spec at its Goodwood factory, and earn the increased margin on it. And on many vehicles, Black Badge now accounts for more than a third of the company’s sales; on the Cullinan SUV, it’s north of 40 per cent. So Rolls stitched a Black Badge version into the development of the latest Ghost - and now we’ve had a chance to try it, on UK roads but under cover of darkness.

The reason for the evening test is simple: the car had yet to be revealed when we got behind the wheel, and Rolls reasoned that running the Black Badge Ghost around the Midlands under moonlight was as good as any wrap-based disguise.

Here, then, is what you get for your money - anywhere north of £300,000, by all accounts, and comfortably beyond £400k if you start playing around with the extraordinary freedom of the commissioning process (you can bet you’ll be encouraged to do so).

The Ghost’s 6.75-litre V12 engine has been retuned to produce 592bhp and 900Nm, gains of 29bhp and 50Nm respectively, and the ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox has been recalibrated. There’s also a new profile for the car’s Planar Suspension, with more voluminous air springs, and tweaks to the four-wheel steering and four-wheel drive system.

In addition, there’s a new ‘Low’ button on the gear selector stalk that switches the new exhaust to a more vocal setting, forces the gearbox to change ratios twice as quickly and makes all 900Nm of torque available from just 1,600rpm. It’s as close as a Rolls will ever get to Sport mode, in other words and while the company doesn’t quote performance figures here, it should trim a few tenths of a second off the standard Ghost’s 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds.

As you might expect, there’s a plethora of new materials and finishes outside and inside the car as well. Buyers can choose any colour - including picking a shade from Rolls’ own 44,000-strong palette - but most will opt for what the company is calling the “car industry’s darkest black”, formed from 45kg of paint.

The clincher for many Black Badge clients, apparently, is the extension of the dark theme to the Spirit of Ecstasy and the front grille; these items get an extra chrome electrolyte during the plating process, giving a darker finish, one hundredth of the width of a human hair, to the stainless steel. Black Badge Ghosts also get bespoke 21-inch wheels that incorporate carbon-fibre barrels.

The cabin, meanwhile, features a unique finish that incorporates carbon and metallic fibres in a diamond ‘weave’, and there are subtle differences in the treatment of everything from the champagne cooler to the clock. These are the sort of detailed differences, inside and out, that give prospective clients a banker’s draft-inducing buzz.

We tried the Black Badge Ghost on a closed test road first, where Rolls encouraged us to exploit its improved body control and feel the increased urgency of ‘Low’ mode. Sure enough, it showed impressive agility for a car weighing 2.5 tonnes, resisting body roll and completing rapid changes of direction without much fuss.

It’s fast, too; standing starts in ‘Low’ mode are almost comically brisk, as long as you keep your foot far enough down on the throttle to ensure that the gear changes are performed at maximum speed (it only happens when the right-hand pedal is at 90 per cent and above). The V12 engine definitely has a more noticeable note too, although it’s still a Rolls we’re talking about here, so don’t expect the thudding, NASCAR-esque rasp of an AMG.

On the road, mind you, it’s hard to see how you’d really get the time and space to use this extra breadth of ability. The Black Badge Ghost is accomplished, fast, composed and comfortable - a proper demolisher of cross-continent journeys - but then, these are all traits shared with the regular model. And as with that car, it’s the sheer amount of road area that you’re occupying that gets in the way; on all but the widest A-roads, you’ll be acutely aware of how close your wheels are to the centre line - and how much stopping distance you’ll need if you meet oncoming traffic on narrower routes.

So, for all the engineering tweaks, what you’re left with here is a car whose appeal lies not in being a dynamically transformed Ghost, but rather a subtly different edition that opens up an alternative path for customisation and commissioning. Rolls may call this approach ‘subversive’ but in truth, it probably says a lot about increasing numbers of the brand’s clients, and their vision of what a luxury car really is.

Model:Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost
Price:From £300,000 (est)
Engine:6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 petrol
Power/torque:592bhp/900Nm
Transmission:Eight-speed auto, four-wheel drive
0-62mph:4.5 seconds (est)
Top speed: 155mph (est)
Economy: 17.9-18.6mpg
CO2 emissions:347-359g/km
On sale:Now

(https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/rolls-royce/ghost/356418/new-rolls-royce-black-badge-ghost-2021-review)

Published in Rolls-Royce

Saturday, 30 October 2021 04:54

Lexus LS review

PROS

Amazing interior with some incredible details
Smooth, quiet and refined
World-beating reliability and warranty

CONS

Expensive running costs
Unimpressive performance
Hard to justify against an S-Class

Is the Lexus LS any good?

In reality, it doesn't matter how good it is, as the company sells fewer than 100 examples in the UK every year – and if you're after a Lexus LS, you're probably not likely to be comparing it with the obvious rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. That's probably no bad thing, because the opposition here is particularly strong, not least because they use these cars to showcase their latest technology.

Despite that, the German threesome of the A8, 7 Series and S-Class were late to the hybrid party – something you'd never accuse Lexus of. They also look predictable, while the LS stands out from the crowd. Left-field premium car makers do best with polarising designs which 90% of buyers will reject, but which the other 10% will love sufficiently to forgive a few failings and choose in favour of the omni-capable offerings of the German Big Three. This one falls into that category.

The LS embodies all of these virtues and more, and which can be truly love-it-or-hate-it because Lexus UK knows few buyers need to love it enough to take the plunge. Here's what you need to know about the Japanese industry's flagship car.

What's it like inside?

If you're familiar with Lexus models, there's nothing out of the ordinary inside for the driver. The controls are laid out as they are in any other of the firm's cars, with the same transmission selector and steering wheel functions. The infotainment set-up is driven by a touchpad in the centre console between the seats, which is fiddly to use and takes some familiarisation.

It’s rare to get into a car and find materials or techniques you’ve never seen in a cabin before. The doors are trimmed with cloth hand-pleated using origami techniques, and the door pulls were great lumps of carved Kiriko glass. They are distinctively Japanese and unnecessarily beautiful, but they’re also a £7,600 option.

The Takumi-spec model includes an ‘ottoman’ function which motors the front passenger seat away and extends the rear seat behind to allow the occupant to stretch out with a calf support. But without this option the LS doesn’t offer flagship levels of rear legroom: two six-footers can sit in line in comfort, but not with space to spare.

What's it like to drive?

Chassis refinement is good, if not class-leading. The ride is fine, if not quite as cloud-like as the best rivals. The wheels have been designed with resonance chambers in the hollow spokes to cut tyre noise, and the 23-speaker Mark Levinson audio system listens for and actively cancels road noise.

But, sadly, it can’t entirely cancel the sound of the engine. It’s a 3.5-litre V6 with the new Lexus Multi-Stage hybrid system and a CVT transmission, first seen in the LC coupe and retuned slightly for the saloon. Its system total of 360hp is worked hard by the 2,340kg kerb weight. Assertive driving easily sends the needle to 3,000rpm or beyond to deliver the required urge, and an unpleasant moo-whine-thrash into the cabin.

Acceleration on paper looks good at 5.5 seconds for the 0-62mph dash, and claimed fuel consumption is an impressive 39.8mpg. If you want to drive fast – which hardly seems the point in this car – it has adequate shove, and the stiff platform and optional air suspension provide reasonable body control and accurate if inert steering.

More lower down pulling power would probably solve both the refinement and the engagement issues, and make the LS a much better car.

What models and trims are available?

The Lexus LS is available with one drivetrain only – the LS 500h – and three ttrim levels. The entry-level model is the LS, the mid-range version is the F Sport, with the range topper being the lavishly-equipped Takumi.

All models are lavishly equipped, coming with 20-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, Lexus's Connected Services, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get a sunroof and a generously-proportioned 24-inch head-up display. Safety kit includes 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor with Pedestrian Alert (PVM), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert Brake (RCTAB).

Anything else I should know?

The design of the LS stands apart from rival top-end limousines. The LS is based on the same steel and aluminium platform as the LC coupe, but it's lengthened in the middle, so this large saloon gains not only a coupe profile but also a much lower, coupe-like stance.

The wheelbase is 35mm longer than the old long-wheelbase LS (it comes in one size only) and lends this long car’s lines a sleekness as they flow backwards. And this being a Lexus, the detailing is crazily complex but perfectly resolved: it has the 5,000-surface spindle grille, of course, but the headlamps and air intakes around it are complex and interesting to look at.

Lexus LS verdict

Should you buy one?

The LS500h definitely polarises buyers. At least 90% reject it in favour of a Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz: job done. But it's difficult to see beyond the refinement issues, or the lack of the rear seat options in a car of this price and positioning. The bottom line is that the A8, 7 Series and S-Class all offer more flexibility and options, and that matters to the vast majority luxury car buyers.

With great visual design and an original and beautifully made cabin this is a proper Lexus, but a hybrid drivetrain no longer counts for much when the main rivals offer plug-ins which will get you from your office in W1 to Heathrow on electric power (though not back again). In this case, different may not be enough, and that's probably why the Lexus LS sells in such tiny numbers.

(https://www.parkers.co.uk/lexus/ls/review/)

Published in Lexus

Friday, 29 October 2021 04:09

2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness First Drive: Out in the Wild

Subaru hopes to make “Wilderness” the “STI” of off-roading.

Published in Subaru

Thursday, 28 October 2021 05:33

New Honda HR-V 2021 review

The new Honda HR-V compact SUV has arrived in the UK and it ticks plenty of boxes

Verdict

Ingeniously practical, well-built and impressively frugal, the HR-V ticks many of the compact SUV boxes. Our time driving in the UK has put to bed question marks over fuel efficiency - few cars in this class can offer the HR-V’s potential. It even drives smartly too, although it isn’t quite class-leading in any one area. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver enough to justify its relatively high retail price compared with some key rivals. Still, it’s the most convincing family car Honda has produced in years.

Back in the late nineties Honda dubbed its first-generation HR-V “The Joy Machine”, and now into its third iteration, this new compact family SUV will need to leave us grinning from ear to ear if it’s to topple rivals like the Toyota Yaris Cross, Renault Captur and Ford Puma from the top of a fiercely competitive crossover class.

Our first encounter on German roads in left-hand drive form showed that there’s plenty to like, but the HR-V didn’t live up to Honda’s promise of class-leading fuel efficiency from its hybrid powertrain.

Step inside and the driver is presented with a neat, uncluttered environment. Build quality is excellent and feels as plush as anything else in the class. It’s backed up by Honda’s latest infotainment system, which is lightyears ahead of what the previous HR-V was lumbered with.

It’s towards the back where the really smart stuff starts, though. Overall knee room is up by 35mm, and in this area the HR-V measures up very strongly against its rivals. It’s just a shame that the boot is relatively pokey - the 319 litres on offer is disappointing. It does make up for this slightly with Honda’s ‘Magic Seats’ though. These not only fold forward, but the seat bases can also flip upward, which is ideal for carrying taller items.

This is made possible by the way that Honda’s engineers have packaged the fuel tank; it’s slotted beneath the front seats, as opposed to beneath the rear bench as in most cars. It’s partly because the HR-V uses a full hybrid, too.

On paper, the HR-V’s petrol/electric set-up is clever. Under the bonnet sits a 1.5-litre petrol engine, but for the most part this only serves to act as a generator for the battery and motor. In fully electric this motor/generator can be decoupled altogether, while under hard acceleration its energy isn’t transferred through a gearbox, but as a direct drive - again, in the name of efficiency.

If this sounds familiar, then it is; this set-up is very similar to that used by the Jazz supermini. It offers more here, though; the petrol engine gets a power boost (up 9bhp to 106bhp) while the battery is more compact but also 25 per cent more energy dense; the the overall output stands at129bhp.

In some ways, it feels like a fully electric vehicle. Moving off from a standstill is silky smooth, but increase the speed further and we were left wishing for more pep from the electric motors. Accelerate onto a motorway slip road, for example, and that initial electric boost has little influence - instead, you’re left waiting for the engine to wake up, and the drive systems figure out how to most effectively deploy its power to the road. The delay here is similar to that of a standard automatic transmission kicking down - only it’s accompanied by a flare of droning revs from the 1.5-litre unit. This only happens under hard acceleration though; for the most part it’s fairly peaceful.

The rest of the drive is impressive, if not game-changing. It’s stable and secure through the corners rather than fun like a Ford Puma. The steering is precise and well weighted, but the extra assistance some rivals offer around town make them easier to manoeuvre. Some low-speed fidget aside, the ride is comfortable, though there is slightly more road noise than we’d have liked.

But for all the engine's slightly unnatural noises and slightly dull throttle response, on our first encounter we were left somewhat baffled by a car which struggled to hit 45mpg. On this occasion, the HR-V managed to match its claims - and then some. We regularly saw in excess of the official 52.3mpg figure, reaching over 60mpg in mixed use, which is impressive and towards the top of the class.

Unfortunately, it’s also at the pricey end of that sector too, starting from £26,960. To counter this, the HR-V is well equipped across all three trim levels. The base model Elegance gets 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, plus LED headlights, digital dials, heated front seats, and a nine-inch touchscreen with a reversing camera.

Above that sits this Advance trim, which is predicted to make up 60 per cent of HR-V sales. Among its extras are a hands free tailgate and dual-zone air-conditioning, but the price climbs to £29,210. The range tops out with the Advance Style, which for £31,660 introduces a contrasting roof finish, wireless smartphone charging and a premium hi-fi.

Model:	Honda HR-V e:HEV Advance
Price:	£29,210
Engine:	1.5 4cyl petrol hybrid
Power:	129bhp/253Nm
Transmission:	Single speed, front-wheel drive
0-62mph:	10.6 seconds
Top speed:	106 mph
Economy/CO2:	52.3mpg/122g/km
On sale:	Now

Published in Honda

Wednesday, 27 October 2021 03:20

2022 Audi RS3 Is Music to Our Ears

Audi's redesigned five-cylinder RS3 sports sedan is as vocal as it is potent.

Earlier this year, Audi announced that it would cease development of all new internal-combustion engines as it transitions to all-electric powertrains by 2033. Yet, in defiant anticipation of that silent goalpost, the brand's engineers endeavored to equip the redesigned 2022 Audi RS3 with the loudest, most powerful version of the company's turbocharged inline-five engine.

With 401 horsepower available—one pony more than before—the RS3's boosted five-pot pulls hard to its 7000-rpm redline with fervent glee. To say that it has character is an understatement—delightfully vocal and charismatic, this is an engine that can seem uncannily human across its rev range. Which makes sense, as its odd-cylinder warble is a sound that any human could impersonate. A new active exhaust delivers even more of that aural drama through the tailpipes. Normally we eschew engine-sound augmentation through stereo speakers, but it only adds to the excitement in the RS3. Windows up or down, this Audi will have you searching out tunnels on your daily commute.

Torque is up as well, now peaking at 369 pound-feet versus the outgoing model's 354. That twist is routed through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission featuring several shift programs, including launch control. Audi estimates the sprint to 60 mph will take 3.8 seconds. But that's surely a conservative figure, as the last RS3 we tested, a 2017 model, posted a 3.5-second run to 60 mph. Driving the new car, we found its transmission to be eager to drop down a gear with just a touch of the accelerator, but it's not as prescient under heavy braking into corners, sometimes requiring a tug on the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles to kick it down a ratio.

For even greater control, it's easy to change the gearbox's demeanor through the various drive modes, which also alter the engine's responsiveness, the weight and feel of the steering, and the firmness of the adaptive dampers. We bypassed the Efficiency and Comfort settings, finding Auto to be nicely adept at adjusting the parameters based on our driving habits. Dynamic mode heightens all the car's senses and holds gears at redline in manual mode. Most intriguing was the customizable RS Performance mode, which for the first time in the RS3 allows the amount of torque sent to the rear wheels to be adjusted. Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system is almost too effective in most cases, wrangling the engine's might in a deliberate, almost clinical fashion. But the RS3's all-wheel-drive system is designed to be a frisky complement to its engine's sonorous antics. The system employs two independent clutch packs that can route 100 percent of the torque sent to the rear axle to either rear wheel, helping the car rotate around corners.

There's even a dedicated RS Torque Rear mode in the car's Drive Select menu, which is a drift mode in all but name. In practice, however, this setting only lets you wag the RS3's tail so much. Despite the implied benefits of the rear-torque bias, this remains a predominantly front-wheel-drive-based setup. Similar to how the previous RS3 could be outfitted, the new car rolls on tires that are wider in front than in back, 265/30R-19s to the rear 245/35R-19s. And since only 50 percent of the engine's torque can be routed rearward, the RS3 can't break its back end loose with the same impulsivity of, say, a BMW M2. It takes deliberate effort and a heavy right foot to overcome the chassis's natural inclination towards understeer, and once you cross that limit of adhesion it requires persistence to keep it dancing on that edge.

Making the most of RS Torque Rear on the track also requires diligence, plus a bit of trust on the driver's part. Our drive included laps on Greece's Athens Circuit, a tight 1.3-mile track featuring a short straight and 10 corners. Taking the conservative all-wheel-drive line into turns yielded no help from the RS3's torque-vectoring rear axle. It's best to be more aggressive on corner entry and ignore your instincts to back off the throttle. Just before the front end begins to plow wide, mat the throttle to shuffle the torque to the rear axle and let the all-wheel-drive system's programming sort it out. That's not to say the RS3 isn't potent when pushed hard. Audi test driver Frank Stippler recently posted a 7:40.8 lap around the Nürburgring, beating the time set by, among other all-wheel-drive rockets, the original Bugatti Veyron.

On the open road, the RS3 feels much more in its environment. With its adaptive dampers in their comfort setting, this diminutive sedan evokes the composure and stability of its larger Audi brethren. Up front, the strut suspension features model-specific pivot bearings that add nearly a degree of negative camber compared to the regular A3. A multilink setup sits in back, along with a hollow anti-roll bar and a half-degree of additional negative camber. Overall, the RS3 rides 1.0 inch lower than the A3 and 0.4 inch lower than the S3. Top speed is governed to 155 mph, although opting for the RS Dynamic package ups that to 180 mph.

Look beyond its performance and the RS3 receives the same updates found in the new A3 and S3. The interior features a far more premium look, thanks in large part to the 10.1-inch touchscreen that's now integrated into the dash. The 12.3-inch configurable digital instrument cluster is flanked by vents that resemble motorcycle grips. An RS design package adds either red or green accents to those vents, plus color-keyed seatbelts and contrast stitching on the seats, though we're less enamored by the dinky-looking shift toggle on the center console. Also somewhat out of place are the acres of gloss black plastic adorning the car's front end, which look a bit unfinished and appear at odds with the rest of the tastefully aggressive sheetmetal.

Gaping face notwithstanding, the RS3 is a superb evolution of Audi's original brand-defining formula. If this sounds like a fitting way to celebrate the sonic joy of its odd yet charming powertrain, you'll have to wait early next year to buy one in the United States. Pricing has yet to be announced, but we expect it to start just under $60,000. Endearingly eccentric and capable as the RS3 may be, it's hard to predict how long Audi will continue to support this niche segment with a near-bespoke engine. Although we're down for whatever the future brings, we hope the brand leans on its EV engineers to create soundtracks that are as glorious as the RS3's.

(https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a38059622/2022-audi-rs3-sedan-drive/

Published in Audi