Latest Toyota Cars (Toyota Camry) 2018

Strong, but Slowing Sales: The Toyota C
 amry was not only the best-selling midsize car, but also the best-selling car in America in 2016. So far this year, however, sales have dipped 10 percent compared to the same period in 2016. Demand likely won’t spike any time soon despite a redesign for 2018, as consumers gravitate towards SUVs and crossovers and away from sedans

 High Pricing: Pricing for the Camry starts at $24,000, which is only $1,350 above the class average. However, the highest trim level is priced more than $2,000 below the norm for comparably equipped alternatives.

Pros & Cons

• Impressive list of standard safety features
• User-friendly infotainment system with standard smartphone integration
• Peppy, fuel-efficient base engine
• Enjoyable driving dynamics

• Below-average trunk space
• No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto available

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Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S

Wait, another fast Golf GTI?
Yes, as the hot hatch arms race has intensified with seemingly never-ending one-upmanship to be the King of the Nürburgring, there have been more and more variants of the humble Golf GTI brought into the world.

So what’s this one then?
The Clubsport S, the most powerful production Golf ever. And the fastest ever front-wheel-drive production car to lap the Nürburgring. It’s a £35,000 stripped-out, semi-slicked, uber powerful and aero’d version of the standard Clubsport (now known as the ‘Edition 40’).

How fast is it?
Very. It managed a 7:49.21sec around the Green Hell – 1.5sec faster than Honda’s Civic Type R – to claim the front-wheel-drive production car lap record. To give you some perspective of how fast these humble hot hatches are getting, that’s quicker than the motorsport-derived Porsche 996 GT3 (a true benchmark of quick), but a whopping 36 seconds a lap quicker than a Performance Pack GTI. Which is monstrous. Like, a full six Vines worth of time.

How much is it?
Official pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but expect it to be in the region of £35,000. Which is a lot. But with only 150 right-hand drive cars set to come to the UK, it should hold its value well.
What we don’t know is how it’ll perform on our shoddy roads. But we can’t wait to find out.

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Mclaren 570S Spider

McLaren continues to produce high-quality, properly sorted and fun to drive cars that look like spaceships. Good stuff.

For: 

Friendly but comfortingly fast, doesn’t lose anything for having a disposable roof. Feels more special than a Porsche 911 Turbo or Audi R8 V10, less intimidating than a Huracan/488.

Against: 

Go mad with the options and it puts it in the firing line of bigger, badder competition.

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New Rolls-Royce Phantom revealed

Rolls-Royce Phantom features

Looking at these pictures, it might take a few minutes to realise that this is indeed a new-generation Phantom. But while very little has changed in its exterior design, this Phantom sits on an all-new platform designed to make it even more quiet and comfortable to drive – or be driven in – than the old car. Small design changes include a grille that now sits within the bodywork rather than in front of it and a sleeker look at the rear that is said to be inspired by yachts.
This new Phantom is marginally higher and wider than the old car, with slightly less space between its front and rear axles. Despite that, interior space is mostly unchanged, although there is slightly more head room on offer. Boot space has increased slightly, too. As before, a long-wheelbase version of the Phantom will also be offered, and this is likely to be especially popular in Far East markets, where Rolls-Royce exports a lot of cars.

Rolls-Royce Phantom engine

The only engine on offer in the new Phantom is a thirsty 6.8-litre V12 petrol – not that high running costs are likely to trouble any prospective owners. Power has increased to 563bhp, but more significant is that its full pulling power is available from just 1000rpm, which is likely to prove useful in getting the 2625kg Phantom up to motorway speeds. Indeed, the new car is capable of sprinting from 0-62mph in 5.3sec, and on to a limited top speed of 155mph. An eight-speed automatic gearbox is standard.
The new Phantom's engine returns a claimed 20.3mpg combined, with CO2 emissions of 318g/km.

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Datsun GO Cross

Highlights

June 13, 2016: Due to the tremendous response received in this year’s Expo, Datsun has fast-tracked the launch of GO Cross compact SUV to 2017. Borrowing the same GO+ MPV’s platform, the company is looking to further bring down the costs of the platform by industrialising some of its parts locally. The GO Cross looks very different compared to the cars in Datsun’s India lineup with a prominent nose, LED lights, sporty roof rails, heavy cladding, etc. The GO Cross price is expected to start from somewhere around Rs 4.4 – 4.6 lakh.

 

 

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Hyundai i10 Price £9,250 - £13,540

Hyundai i10

Price : £9,250 - £13,540

PROS:

• Very comfortable
• Spacious interior
• Fun to drive

CONS:

• Lack of badge appeal
• No diesel engine available
• Interior quality poor in places

Review :

This Hyundai i10 1.2 SE fits our requirements perfectly. When researching potential replacements for our Mazda 2, I was especially influenced by the lack of serious complaints about reliability and design shortcomings for the i10. The car looks stylish to me. I chose sleek silver paint; a £550 option, which I think really suits the shape but white and morning blue are no cost options. The interior is well assembled. There is no soft touch trim inside but the design looks clean and bright with all of the shut lines close fitting and even. There is very good storage; a decent sized glove box, several useful cubby holes, bottle and cup holders, USB and 12v connections, steering wheel controls for entertainment, trip and cruise functions plus 5 doors with 4 fully opening windows which are standard on all model specifications. It is therefore a very practically equipped vehicle for a cheaper price than obtaining all of these features on many other A segment cars. I especially like the driver information display which has the usual trip computer but includes an outside temperature readout, tyre pressure monitor and an ice warning symbol and alarm which bleeps when the outside temp drops to 4C; a shock when it goes off for the first time when cruising at speed. Now with several thousand miles covered, the Hyundai i10 is proving a very likeable little car in its own right but comparing it to the two cars I have recently owned for 7 and 11 years respectively, there are some surprising similarities. The i10 is exactly the same length and width as our Citroen C2 but can seat 4 average sized adults comfortably and still has a boot as big as the larger Mazda 2 it replaces. The 1.2 Kappa engine also has near identical power and torque as the Mazda 1.3 TS2 but like the Mazda it produces it’s maximum torque at quite high revs; 4000rpm in the 1248cc i10 and it does not pull happily up even a gentle gradient at 30mph in 4th so town driving can lead to frequent gear changes; one of the few irritations. Above 3000 rpm it pulls with increasing flexibility and motorway and dual carriageway cruises are quiet, comfortable and economical. The car is stable and well planted at speed, visibility is good and all of the controls have a well judged cohesion that make this a very pleasant car to drive and a relaxing mode of transport for passengers. It handles well if cornered smoothly. It is not as accurate as the Mazda if driven enthusiastically but the ride is far more comfortable. The gearbox is light and precise and I can claim from experience, a close match for the fabled Mazda manual boxes. The average fuel consumption over several thousand miles is shown on the trip computer as 55mpg. This is a pleasing result as many of the journeys have been short. Longer drives at sustained cruising speeds has the trip showing 58mpg. The seats are very supportive. A spacesaver spare wheel and not a near useless can of foam, is now standard on SE models and above but only a £50 option on the S model. In summary this i10 is rather like driving a 5 door version of our Citroen C2 (an ultra reliable, best pal for eleven and a half years, so far) but with the passenger room, boot space and engine of our belated Mazda 2. Yet, it is much more economical on fuel than either. I really like this car and would put it in the top three of the dozen or so cars I have owned over the past 42 years.

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Alpine coupe

The Renault Alpine is another resurrection for Renault: the first Alpine was a rear-engined sports car with rallying heritage, while the Alpine GTA of the eighties was one of the most distinctive cars of its era, and a genuine rival to Porsches of the time. With the new Alpine, Renault is seeking to re-establish its sports-car credentials by building a mid-engined model, while the Alpine is likely to be one of the lightest cars in its class, too. This focus on weight-saving should mean the Alpine will have a relatively small engine, yet still be capable of 0-62mph in around 4.5 seconds.

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Audi S6 Price: $71,850

The S6 takes everything that’s right with the A6 sedan—elegant design, rich interior materials, and innovative technology—and adds a huge dollop of power. With a 450-hp, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, the engine offers cylinder deactivation for improved fuel economy. All-wheel drive and an adaptive air suspension help to harness all that power, making it a blast to drive in all types of weather. It’s pricey, but few cars combine excellence at so many levels.

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Maserati GranTurismo Price: $134,625 - $183,809

Maserati’s GranTurismo offers something extraordinary in a high-performance, six-figure coupe or convertible, one that embodies all that is compelling and irresistible about Italian cars. The exterior has curves in all the right places; the interior is lavishly appointed. There is an amazing, 454-hp 4.7-liter V-8 that is good for sub-5.0-second 0-60 runs. The droptop adds weight and lacks the coupe’s stiffness and response, but still looks fabulous.

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BMW Z4 Price: $50,695 - $67,345

The Z4 is a sporty, two-seat ragtop that comes in three flavors. The base 2.0-liter four-cylinder sDrive28i is offered with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic; there are two 3.0-liter twin-turbo sixes: the 300-hp sDrive35i and the 335-hp sDrive35is. The former is offered with a six-speed stick or seven-speed dual-clutch auto, while the sDrive35is is offered only with the automatic. Regardless of the model, however, the Z4 is not one of our favorite sports cars.

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NEW NISSAN Qashqai £18,795

Exterior

Most SUVs, especially smaller ones, are about style above all else, and this is an area in which the Qashqai excels. The front end features crisp lines and bold details, the LED running lights and the deep, angular grille being the highlights. Things are just as fresh at the rear end, with swooping LIGHT clusters and muscular rear haunches. This is one very handsome car. Entry-level Visia cars miss out on alloy wheels, but they still look reasonably swish.

Interior

If you thought the Qashqai looked swish on the outside, you’ll be just as impressed by the interior. All the materials have a plush, high-grade feel, particularly on the main touch-points, and the design is modern and attractive.IMPORTANTLY, though, this hasn’t come at the expense of ergonomics. The various switches and buttons are logically placed and clearly marked, and the touch-screen infotainment system (standard on the top two trims) has sharp graphics and clear, logical menus. What’s more, the high driving position that SUV buyers love has plenty of adjustment, so life is very comfortable at the wheel. The limited rear visibility is the cockpit’s only real weak point.

Practicality

Even when compared with its best rivals, the Qashqai has no trouble on this score. The rear seats have plenty of headroom and legroom, making life very comfortable for four gangly adults, and five will cram in at a push. The 430-litre BOOT rivals those of the best cars in the class for capacity, and it also has some really clever features. We particularly like the two movable boards, which help give you a perfectly level load floor when the back seats are folded, and which can be slotted in vertically as well as horizontally, to stop small items sliding around. These boards are standard on all trims except entry-level Visia.

Ride and handling

On the road, the Qashqai’s focus is very much on comfort, with good bump absorption at low speeds and fantastic smoothness and stability at moderate and high speeds. Despite the Qashqai’s civilised character, the handling is also impressively neat. The body stays impressively flat in corners so you don’t get thrown around in your seat, and the car always feels grippy, stable and predictable. You can change the weight of the steering by selecting one of two modes, too. The Sport mode has an artificially heavy feel, but in Normal mode, the weighting feels just right and gives crisp responses.

Safety

All Qashqai models come with six airbags and stability control as standard, while Acenta Premium models have a few more clever safety features and Tekna models have more still. The Qashqai has also achieved the maximum five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests.

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NEW SKODA Superb From £19,785

Exterior

The Superb has always been a rational purchase, a car bought with your head, not your heart. This model, though, is a classy, desirable flagship for Skoda's range. It's a really sharp-looking car.

Interior

Bigger is definitely better in the Superb. You can really feel the difference made by the increase in width and height in the cabin: this is as spacious as family cars get.

Running costs

For what is an undeniably vast car, the Superb's running costs should be fairly reasonable. The 2.0-litre TDI 150 for example, produces just 108g/km. The latest Passat is a tad cleaner, due to being smaller in size, and the Ford Mondeo is cleaner and a bit cheaper (in Zetec trim), but there is no doubt the Superb represents great value. A Greenline model with emissions below 100g/km will be launched soon, for those who really do need to keep their tax bills as low as possible. Servicing, insurance and PCP loan costs should all be highly competitive, but the Passat is likely to command slightly better resale values – but spec-for-spec, the Superb is slightly cheaper, which should even things out.

Performance

A wide selection of engines means there is usually something for everyone, and the Skoda Superb certainly gives buyers plenty of options to choose from. However, despite a range of refined petrols, including a 1.4 with 148bhp and cylinder shut-off technology to reduce CO2 emissions, the vast majority of buyers are likely to pick one of the three diesels. There’s a 1.6 with 118bhp, and a 2.0-litre with either 148- or 187bhp. We tried both the 2.0-litre models, and although there’s not a big difference in performance (both have a decent spread of torque available across most of the rev range) the lesser version feels a tad more refined at speed.The manual 'box positive, action, and the clutch is light enough to make precise changes. The petrol model needs working harder to make quicker progress, but it’s great for pootling around town, and really smooth and flexible, even when you do push it.

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NEW SEAT Alhambra From £25,380

Exterior

Many MPVs have a boxy appearance, and it’s no coincidence; boxy is always best when you’re looking to maximise space. The Alhambra follows this recipe unashamedly, but although its lines aren’t exactly what you’d call ‘flowing’, the looks aren’t too bland. All versions come with alloy wheels and colour-coded bumpers and DOOR handles, along with a chrome surround for the radiator grille. Go for the SE car, which most buyers will, and you also get chrome window surrounds, darkened rear windows and chrome roof rails. SE Lux and FR-Line cars, meanwhile, have a panoramic roof.

Interior

Life’s pretty sweet at the wheel of the Alhambra. You get a cracking view out in all directions – which helps you manage the car’s cumbersome size during low-speed manoeuvres – and all versions have the added security of front- and rear-parking sensors. Everything on the dashboard is logically located and really easy to use, and there’s a feeling of substance and solidity because most of the materials look and feel very nice indeed. Some of the plastics are a little hard and unappealing in places, but it all looks like it’ll last a lifetime.

Running costs

The Alhambra is significantly bigger and heavier than a lot of seven-seat MPVs, so it’s never going to be the cleanest option, but even so, it doesn’t do too bad a job. The cleanest version, the 2.0 TDI 150 Ecomotive S, returns 56.5mpg, along with CO2 emissions of 130g/km, and all versions bar the petrol will better 50mpg. Purchase prices are very competitive, especially considering the amount of space and kit you’re getting for your money, and resale values aren’t half bad, either.

Reliability

The Warranty Direct Reliability Index tells a bit of a mixed story where the Alhambra is concerned. As a manufacturer, Seat doesn’t do too badly, hovering around the mid-table mark in the brand rankings. Look at the results for the older version of the Alhambra, though, and the reliability score is about as low as it’s possible to get, with engine troubles being the biggest cause of mechanical issues. The owner reviews on our own website also report some rather nerve-wracking stories about the car’s dependability. A rather average three-year/60,000-mile warranty package is included.

Safety

We always like it when the safety kit you get in a car is the same no matter whether you have the most basic version or the range-topping version, and the Alhambra is one of those. Stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, tiredness recognition and multi-collision braking (which locks on the anchors after a shunt to prevent further collisions) are all provided, along with no less than seven airbags including a driver’s knee ‘bag and curtain ‘bags that cover all three rows of seats. 

The only thing that’s really missing is autonomous city braking, and it’s not even available as an optional extra. Nevertheless, the car has achieved the full five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests, even though that was back in 2010 and the tests have become considerably harder since then.

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