Let’s get something important out the way. The diesel Mini is no where near as good as the Cooper, S or even the One. But a small diesel will never (well maybe not never) be as good as a petrol equivalent so that’s not a fair comparison. Importantly, is it better than other small diesels – or even lesser petrol-powered small vehicles, and is it better than the old D? The answer to those questions is a resounding yes.

The standard Mini is an awesome motoring achievement. It looks almost exactly like the older BMW-made incarnation but is somehow much better looking due to some minor tweaks in proportioning, especially around the headlights and rear wings. It’s also built far better than the old one.

The Mini – both old and new – has always placed fun at the heart of the motoring experience. Chuckable, assured, sexy in a strangely British sort of way and offering a drive that always seems faster than the reality, those are the hallmarks of Mini driving, and even the diesel offers this. Well, except for the last one.

The noise of the diesel is the problem. There’s either not enough insulation or the 1.6 diesel under the bonnet runs on coal and razor blades. It can actually be very intrusive on the motorway, while at higher revs and lower speed – when you want a bit of noise – it’s slightly too burbly to sound aggressive.

But remember, that while you lament the assault on your lug holes, you will be driving the BMW Group’s cleanest ever car. You get 110bhp at 4000rpm but emit just 118g/km of carbon dioxide and return combned economy figures of 64.2mpg. An overboost function also boosts torque, which offers a very impressive 260Nm at 2000rpm, and that – if you’re interested – means that coupled with the car’s low weight you get a lot of acceleration grunt. Still, the 60mph drag is a slightly disappointing 9.9seconds.

Performance ain’t bad at the top end, at least, with 121mph available should you feel the urge to drive very stupidly.

Other than these figures and the fact that you put the black nozzle in the hole rather than the green one, everything else is as we described the new Mini earlier this year. Inside, things are also much improved from the old one. Some of the less desirable elements of the quirky design have gone, which means cheap-feeling plastics have been replaced and everything just feels that bit more special.

You get some nifty touches such as variable colour mood lights above the seatbelt point and on the centre ceiling console, which may sound silly but make you feel rather special.

The signature half-hoops separating switches remain, as does the basic layout - you still get a whopping speedo dead centre and the rev counter above the wheel. Unfortunately, the layout of all the other switches for stereo control and air-con is way too confusing and it'll take a while to get used to the set-up. The fuel gauge could also do with being more prominent.

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Tags: Car And GPS Cars Mini Mini Cooper D

Mini Cooper D originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:00:00 +0100

Skoda has been getting a lot of good press in the past few years. As a manufacturer it has topped customer the JD Power and Top Gear satisfaction surveys, and the Octavia has won a variety of "car of the year" accolades all over Europe.

But is it all hype? Can a car that cheap really be that good? Thankfully, it can.

Underneath, the Octavia is a Golf. A Golf with personality, plenty of kit and loads more space. But Skoda no longer needs to hide behind the VW badge, as it once did after the Czechs sold it off. Sure it was a laughing stock in the 1980s and 1990s, but let's not forget that Skoda has been around for more than a century.

While not the greatest looking machine in its class, it's way better than average and only the more expensive 159, Accord, Passat and maybe the new Mondeo offer better aesthetic appeal. In black, on 17in rims and with fog lights, it actually looks pretty mean. The rear spoiler on the hot vRS versions does, however, look a bit silly.

In the cabin, you really get the benefit of the standard Laurin & Klement special edition leather and suede. Seats are pretty hard and without the springiness and lateral support the cowhide provides, long journeys can be a bit uncomfortable on lower spec models. The dash is pleasant but it is a bit of a mish-mash in places. The dials are quality, taken as they are from VW, but the stereo controls are a bit ugly and the LCD screen a bit confusing. It also doesn't really match the switches on the excellent dual zone climate-control system.

Cubbyholes are everywhere, offering yet more practicality to a car that has a suitcase-swallowing boot and enough rear legroom for Borat on stilts. Is nice!

Steering wheel hub-mounted stereo controls are positioned badly, and are awkward to engage with your thumbs, although cruise control, wipers and indicator stalks are all great. Added conveniences on the L&K include power driver's seat, auto headlamps and wipers, six-CD changer and heated mirrors (all available as options on other models).

But even without these extra bits, the Octavia works. Basic spec is far superior to equivalent rival models for a lot less money. And, crucially, it manages to be a driver's car. it never forgets the basics of fun motoring, offering as it does some good engines mates to competent gearboxes and perfect suspension. The balance is remarkable. Turn-in is crisp, cornering level and the ride is firm where it needs to be - on the open road - and soft when you want to negotiate pot holes and speed bumps.

The diesels are excellent, offering decent economy and low emissions for company car users. It's not quite as good as the brochure professes, but I got 49mpg on average, which ain't half bad. And despite the fact they are a little noisy, due mostly to sound-proofing, the 2.0 diesel pulls nicely and gives you a sub-10 second 0-60mph time.

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Tags: Car And GPS Cars Skoda Skoda Octavia

Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDi Laurin & Klement originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 +0100

Portable in-car satnav systems have come a long way in a short time. Budget models have shown particular improvement. Garmin's woeful Streetpilot, launched a couple of years back, would have forever put many off buying a budget model again.

Today, devices such as the Chicago 6000, Route 66's first foray into this particular sector of GPS solution, prove that cheaper models have become as trouble-free and competent as more expensive models, but simply have fewer luxuries. OK, so this one has an MP3 player (more on that ludicrous extra in a bit) but Route 66 has pretty much all you need and more to get from A to Z, via G,L and T if you feel the need.

The Chicago 6000 may have a daft name, but there's little that's daft about its functionality. The UK mapping is almost faultless and offers all the info you need, including a good selection of roadside POI. Detailed European maps and Continental route finder aren't included but main routes and trunk roads are all there if you'd rather use a digital device than a good old fashioned fold-out map.

It'll store your home and office locations, keeps a longish list of past routes and offers a good variety methods to get there, including shortest, fastest and via. So far so ordinary, but the screen is crisper and larger than most similarly priced models, and the inclusion of a graphic that tells you which lane you need to be in is useful.

Unfortunately, the touchscreen sucks. Stylus taps need to be precise and unusually firm, although a little digital clicking noise makes you think a tap has been registered, it often hasn't. And if you prefer to use your fingers, you'll definitely need long nails and free from any form of calcium deficiency. It wouldn't be that bad, but for the confusing and often illogical menu system that you'll need to navigate quite a lot if you need to change settings.

And while it's much quicker than many more expensive models at getting a GPS lock, and it rarely loses the signal, it did send me the wrong way on two seperate occasions. Battery life is also questionable and after just a month it won't take a full charge.

Tags: Car And GPS GPS Route 66

Route 66 Chicago 6000 GPS receiver originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sun, 29 Jul 2007 15:47:04 +0100

I used to own a 307. It was without doubt the worst car I have owned and coupled with the experience I have had in testing a multitude of French cars, it convinced me once and for all that our Gallic cousins are as good at making cars as they are at making a nice cup of tea.

The 307 was bad enough, let alone the shoddy treatment I received from that most bare of oxymorons ... Peugeot customer services.

Thankfully, I don't have to deal with them with my hire car 407, although aftersales treatment is something you should investigate fully before buying any car. To be fair, the 407 looks and feels a great deal better than both the 307 and the 406 it replaced - at least from any angle other than head on. The new Pug radiator grille continues to horrify, making the 407 look like a mentally challenged basking shark. You can only hide this by getting a black paintjob, and only then do you appreciate what a well proportioned and handsome car the 407 has the potential to be.

The rear bumper is a bit bootylicious but kinda works as does the smart split tailgate that allows you to dump shopping through the rear window. The weight of the back door is incredible, however, and getting it open and shut is hard enough for a strapping lad such as myself let alone a school-run mum.

Five-spoke alloys look great and there are nice styling touches around the windows and door sills that give the car a more sporty, aerodynamic and longer profile than really exists.

Inside, the cabin looks quite classy, with splashes of well-executed carbon fibre and OK chrome-effect surrounds. The dash is beautifully constructed and amazingly solid. Unfortunately it houses orange-lit and barely decipherable dials that make night driving a squint-laden pain in the retina. The audio/trip computer system is also a bit of a pain, refusing as it does to display information longer than about 5 seconds. And a warning bong telling me something about the particle filter kept on going off incessantly despite there being no problem whatsoever.

The seats are amazingly comfortable and coupled with the smooth ride and generous space, long journeys are an absolute breeze. But there are plenty of niggles, not least of which is the careless conversion from left-hand to right-hand drive. Worst of all, the handbrake hasn’t been moved so it sits right up against the passenger seat, making every yank of it a knuckle-rubbing experience. The centre console and a laden cup holder also hamper left-hand gear changes. The wipers haven’t been reversed either, leaving a too large uncleaned strip down the side of the A-pillar, reducing visibility in the blindspot.

All these minor irritations build up. It’s not as if the 407 SW is so capacious that it can be forgiven. And neither is it a great car to drive. The not-so economical diesels feel woefully underpowered, cornering doesn’t feel too hot and it has the turning circle of the QE2: with big overhangs that’s a problem. Never mind the fact the Pug feels too wide for some width restrictors.

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Tags: Car And GPS Cars Peugeot

Peugeot 407 SW HDi 136 SE originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 26 May 2007 09:00:00 +0100

When I first drove the Z4 a few years back, I really loved it. Its challenging looks won me over, it's supremely quick and its roof mechanism is first rate. The Coupe is essentially unchanged dynamically so I wasn't expecting much difference.

I was wrong.

By sewing a steel roof on top, all the magical elements of the Z4 disappear. All the niggles that were always there suddenly become amplified because you can't escape them with a shot of wind through the curls.

But let's begin on the outside. A few minor changes around the light clusters and subtle bodywork tweaks serve to make the Z4 Coupe more pleasing on the eye but turn the rather yobbish exterior of the convertible that I rather liked into something rather conservative, even boring. The hard-top at least looks natural, not at all like an ugly afterthought. But it just doesn't look as exciting as the T-bar metal roof that Alpina chucked atop their tuned version of the convertible, even though it clearly didn't look like it belonged.

Inside it's the same clinical yet very accomplished interior. It's not an exciting place to sit but it does make you feel special. It's also the most ergonomic cabin in its class, with everything in just the right place for your opposable thumbs to swivel and your index digit to poke. But then you remember the roof doesn't tuck itself away and an overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia sets in. Visibility is, however, surprisingly good for a two-seater sports car.

No one deny that the 3.0 in-line six-cylinder beast under the magnificent bonnet is quick. Mated to the rather aggressive gearbox, it's almost a brutal driving experience if you really feel like hammering it. And you often do. But that's when the (Coupe or otherwise) Z4's greatest failing becomes all too apparent. With the stability programme engaged all you can feel is the car constantly searching for grip. Every stamp on the throttle results in a minute yet quite obvious waggle of the tail. Even on a sedate journey on questionable tarmac and cold tyres it's impossible to escape.

So turn the driver aid off, you say. And yes, that does help but your confidence in the car is shot, and driving this sort of car should be all about being confident. Besides, you still have the unforgiving run-flats to contend with, making even short journeys a bit of a trial.

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Tags: Car And GPS Cars BMW

BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si SE originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 28 Apr 2007 09:00:00 +0100

The CR-V has always been a cracking machine, offering a truly car-like driving experience with the ride height and practicality of a 4x4. The last version added great styling, high levels of comfort and relatively low running costs.

Unfortunately, the all-new CR-V is a step backwards. By no means bad, the 2007 version just isn't as good in almost every department as the outgoing one.

The most obvious thing it's impossible to ignore is the aesthetics. Christ, it's ugly. The front-end presents you with a huge disconnect between bonnet and bumper; the odd layout makes it appear someone has slammed their fist down on the hood, forcing the badge to jut into the grille like a snaggletooth.

The eliptical side window design doesn't work either, making the rear-quarter glass too small. Not only does it get lost in a big metal panel it seriously compromises visibility. But worst of all, the spare wheel has gone from the tailgate, meaning the classic CR-V rear end is lost along with the boot space that now has to carry a big old rubber ring.

All things considered, the Honda actually resmbles a mini Porsche Cayenne - not a good thing.

Despite the styling, the CR-V looks smart, mostly due to the fact that every panel is superbly fitted and the materials look solid. The build quality is evident everywhere (including the price), with every clunk of door and click of seatbelt providing huge assurance in its capabilities. Inside, it's also good, although there was dubious fitting evident on a couple of dash sections.

The layout is sensible, although the radio is a bit of a stretch if you don't have steering-wheel controls. The gearbox sits on the centre console almost at chest height, which works well once you get used to it. There's sufficient space in the cabin, with masses of headroom, but boot space is way less than you'd want - and expect. It's a huge disappointment in this regard, almost unforgivable.

You'll also want at least the ES spec (around £1500 more than the rather lean SE version), while the EX (£24,615 with auto) has it all but comes in mighty pricey.

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Tags: Car And GPS Cars Honda

Honda CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 07 Apr 2007 09:00:00 +0100

I'll make something clear up front: I'm currently working out what company car I can afford to run, and I was close to discounting the Accord Tourer because it's just out of my budget range. Since having one on test, I’ve decided there are some things more important that money – and one of those is feeling like you’re driving a car you meant to be with.

The Accord Tourer is not just a good car; it’s truly exceptional. In a segment populated by good-looking machines (BMW 3 Series aside), the Accord stands out. The Tourer’s rear end is imposing and beautifully sculpted, and the whole body is finely proportioned. While good looking counterparts such as the A4, Passat, Octavia, Mondeo and Avensis all suffer in their estate guises, the Tourer is an improvement on its saloon form.

An almost bullet-shaped body is wrapped around a stiff but forgiving chassis, affording great handling and a poised ride. Even the crappy bits of the western section pf M25 (that rutted and undulating bit that goes over the M4 for those who don’t have the pleasure of negotiating it twice daily) are ironed out wonderfully. Obviously, the motorway is where the Accord operates best – like a pregnant salmon in a swift river, or a fat geek at an all-night back-to-back Star Wars marathon. But it’s great on the twisty stuff and inner city roads, too.

Not that it matters which road surface you choose to pound. With the good ride, optional leather seats and a dashboard layout that makes good, ergonomic sense you’ll struggle to be less than completely comfortable. The Tourer gives you all the space you need, too, with a well proportioned boot and easy loading height.

The toys Honda were nice enough to provide me proved to be better alternatives to most of the gadgets and gizmos I’ve seen in other manufacturer’s equivalent models. The satnav poops from a great height on the conformal versions fitted to its German rivals, while the collision avoidance, cruise control and lane departure systems work supremely well – set them up to run in together and sensors maintain a constant distance to the car in front and keep you planted between the white painted lines. That means, if you remain vigilant, you can take your feet off the pedals and pretty much become a passenger. I made a 35-mile motorway journey without touching any pedals or using the thumb controls for the cruise control. Astonishing.

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Tags: Car And GPS Cars Honda

Honda Accord Tourer 2.4 EX Auto originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 10 Mar 2007 09:00:00 +0000

I own a 1989 BMW 320i Touring. I love it, despite its foibles. Sitting at the helm somehow makes you feel that little bit special. Sitting in the cabin of the latest 3 Series Touring gives me more of the same. It’s great how BMW has a sense of heritage that you rarely see these days; there’s a definite evolution here, from the familiar dash layout and dials to the ergonomics of the switchgear, that automatically lets a 3 Series owner know where they are.

The Touring is definitely the best looking version of the new 3 Series. The overall impression of the saloon-style version isn’t great: it’s dull and it just looks plain wrong from certain angles, especially around the headlights and rear quarters. The coupé looks OK, but the convertible is bizarre. The Touring, however, makes all the strange lines work very well, unless you opt for a white paint job, which makes it look, well, Essex.

The M Sport version, which the Lint had on test, has a nice bodykit, chunky alloys and the subtle M-Tech badges, styling hints and detailing that make the sportier BMW models look even better. You do pay a premium, though, which pushes the Touring up near the £30k mark if you want leather as well.

Along the door sills and dotted around the interior, the M badges serve to heighten the pleasure of sitting inside a new 3 Series. For anyone who’s been inside one of the newer Bimmers, nothing will come as a surprise. It’s slabby, functional and undersated. But with the quality materials BMW chooses, it’s extremely smart. The orange dash lights remain hideous, unfortunately, and I’m beginning to think I should write a letter demanding BMW provide owners the option of choosing their own display lighting colour. I’d go for puce.

The lack of automatic seat controls as standard is a right pain the arse – literally. No matter how hard the wife and I tried, we couldn’t get comfortable. The leather is great but the seats are a tad on the hard side, too.

The brilliantly tiny steering wheel on the M Sport version really makes you appreciate how well the Touring handles – it’s point and shoot all the way in and out of the corners. But with the harsh ride and rock hard tyres, road manners do go somewhat AWOL at times, usually just after you’ve set off and the rubber is cold. You lose confidence in a car that feels like it’s always searching out the flattest piece of tarmac when all you want to do is just drive in a straight line.

A rather leaden, vague clutch is right pain in the ankle. The gearbox, like on most modern BMWs, is wonderful but without a better clutch it’s a major annoyance. And the situation isn’t helped by the lack of grunt the 2.0 diesel provides. There’s just no urgency off the mark and higher up the power band, it’s a similar story for motorway overtaking. It does feel lively on the twisty stuff, thankfully. It’s still worth looking at the petrol alternatives in the range, especially as diesel doesn’t offer particularly strong economy.

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Tags: Car And GPS Cars BMW

BMW 320d M Sport Touring originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 10 Feb 2007 09:00:00 +0000

I’ve never really understood why anyone would buy a BMW X3. It’s by no means a bad car – far from it, in fact. Sure, early ones looked a bit funny, the ride was unforgivably choppy and the interior had been built by Romanian peasants earning three potatoes an hour.

Strange pricing and some glaring deficiencies – most notably of all the fact it competes to some degree with its stablemate, the X5 – didn’t put buyers off. It’s still a mystery how it sells, but it does. On a drive from Norwich to London, I counted 16 of them – more than any other make of SUV on the trip.

And now there’s a new one, which doesn’t look remarkably different from the last one but somehow seems to iron out many of the problems.

Subtle changes to the interior and exterior give a fresher look. At the front, a larger kidney grille sits above a redesigned front bumper and spoiler. A colour-coded valance with vertical uprights sits below the dark swathe of the bumper, while the front foglights are now incorporated into the main section of the bodywork. The 3.0sd also gets bespoke 18in alloys as standard.

The side profile remains true to the original X3, meaning you still get the funny rear-quarter windows. But the new rear light clusters feature rods of LED lights and the styling of the rear bodywork has also changed with colour-coded panels now extending lower down the bodywork. The wheels still look way too small, though, giving it a bit of a toy car look.

On the inside – always a sticky subject for the old X3 – the driver benefits from a new style of three-spoke steering wheel while enhanced materials used on the centre console have been included. Thank god. The 3.0sd gets silly stainless steel foot pedals but, overall, while little has really changed everything is a great deal better; the cabin is a really nice place to be - unfussy, uncomplicated and comfortable.

Of the three engines, stear well clear of the 2.0 diesel. It really is utterly toothless and underlines the fact the X3 still has less off-road ability than a Panda 4x4 (and more girly proportions).

The 2.5 petrol and 3.0 diesel are the other two options, and while the 2.5 may seem like a decent compromise, it isn’t. High emissions, poor economy and weakish performance scupper it entirely. Yes, the flagship 3.0 diesel is by far and away the best choice – giving the X3 the teeth it so badly desires. You get a load of power (286bhp), a 0-60mph time of just 6.6 seconds, and decent economy at 32.5mpg on the combined cycle.

But, by gosh is it expensive. And that’s the rub. The X3 3.0d SE starts at a whopping £36,415 – which is only £8000 more than the already over-priced 2.0d. The M Sport version starts at £38,175.

So where does that leave you? To be honest, it leaves you in a very similar place to where you would have been with the old X3. A competent machine, for sure, and if it was produced by almost any other manufacturer it might make sense. But BMW already has the infinitely superior X5 and for the sort of money you’d be paying for a top-whack X3, surely it makes sense to go for a low-spec X5.

Tags: Car And GPS Cars 4x4 BMW

BMW X3 2.0d SE originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 03 Feb 2007 09:00:00 +0000

If you ever feel the need to buy a car with seven seats, it’s time to take yourself to the shed, put some Cure on the stereo and blow yourself away with a homemade pipe bomb.

Yes, life is over for you, but if you want to carry on with your miserable life you could do a lot worse than to save a shit load of cash and opt for the Sedona, a surprisingly enjoyable no-more-passion wagon.

Space requirements are the main reason you’d need a Sedona, and the Kia doesn’t disappoint. Boasting plenty of room for seven adults and some boot space beside, the car is indeed cavernous; chuck out the rear seats and coupled with the optional privacy glass, you could easily start a profitable people-smuggling operation for minimal costs. Unfortunately, it is all somewhat let down by the fact the rear pews have to be physically removed from the Sedona – and they each weigh the same as a Fiat Punto. Sort of.

Aside from the interior echoing from all that space, it’s actually fairly refined. Seats are comfy, colours and fittings are nice and sober – if a little cheap looking – there are cubby holes aplenty and, get this, for just a quid you get an in-car fold-down DVD unit that is actually rather good. Great for little kids, big kids and kidults alike. And the dash makes sense, too, with everything clear and functional for the bus driver. However, lack of steering column or wheel controls means you really have to stretch for the stereo.

Seeing as owning a Sedona is one of life’s unhappy necessities, perhaps the driving experience is of little importance. Then again, if you do have to invest in a large MPV, you do at least want to have some fun. The Sedona is far from being the worst handling example in its class (that dubious honour is shared by the Hyundai Trajet and Chrysler Grand Voyager) but by god the diesel is slow. In the 15.5 seconds it takes to hit 62mph, ice caps will melt and re-freeze.

However, it does – somewhat strangely for a diesel – seem to get more urgent at motorway speeds and it will go all the way to 108mph if you’ve left the kids at home, all your empty crisp packets have been chucked and you’re driving naked. Wind noise is a problem, though, probably owing to the boxy exterior shape. The Sedona isn’t exactly ugly but it’s no beauty queen either. Actually, its understated looks are quite appealing – and great for remaining anonymous.

Tags: Car And GPS Cars People carriers Kia

Kia Sedona 2.9 CRDi people carrier originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:00:00 +0000

Even though the old (new) Mini was a blast, it always failed the acid test, which for almost any car is the answer to the following question: "Would I buy one?"

Gloriously, the new (new) Mini - which looks almost exactly like the old (new) Mini but is not to be confused with the old (old) Mini - absolutely nails it by virtue of replacing all the things that worried us slightly with something better, and not messing around too much with the things we already loved.

We tested the rather warm Cooper S variant, which was always buckets of fun but due to a variety of minor niggles never gave you the confidence you felt you needed to really chuck it about like you know it wanted. The new version is a whole new proposition, though.

Looks wise, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the factory had forgotten to switch over to the right machinery. In fact, there's so little aesthetic difference to the first generation of BMW-made Minis that unless you put the two next to each other you'd be lucky to be able to put your finger on anything obvious.

The truth is that every single panel is different (didn't Porsche say the same thing about the 997?) and when you do see them next to each other, you begin to appreciate how much better looking the new one actually is.

Narrower windows, curvier corners and chunkier wheels give the latest Mini a much more balanced look, mixing aggression with likeability. It's not so cute as the one it replaces, but that's a good thing.

Inside, things are also much improved. Some of the less desirable elements of the quirky design have gone, which means cheap-feeling plastics have been replaced and everything just feels that bit more special.

You get some nifty touches such as variable colour mood lights above the seatbelt point and on the centre ceiling console, which may sound silly but make you feel rather special.

The signature half-hoops separating switches remain, as does the basic layout - you still get a whopping speeds dead centre and the rev counter above the wheel. Unfortunately, the layout of all the other switches for stereo control and air-con is way too confusing and it'll take a while to get used to the set-up. The petrol gauge could also do with being more prominent.

Not that economy is a real problem. The Cooper S, even ragged hard, will return respectable fuel figures. But it's when you rag it that you realise what a different beast this new Mini is.

The all-new turbo-charged Hams Hall 1.6-litre engine really makes you feel like your behind the wheel of a totally new proposition, despite the minimal cosmetic changes. At first, you'll think it's crap; raspy, thrashy and rather less refined than the wonderfully super-charged first-generation Cooper S.

The turbo (with its overboost function that gives an extra shot of power when you press the loud pedal hard) makes a big difference but it sounds peculiar at high revs - as though someone under the bonnet is spinning aluminium plates while making a cappuccino.

Once you get used to it and tailor your driving style to the power band, you get one of the most rewarding experiences you can get behind a three-spoked steering wheel. And with even better handling than its forebear, chuckability is supreme, while the standard automatic stability programme helps you get the power down to the wheels nicely and helps the chassis cope with the 175bhp.

Tags: Car And GPS Cars Supermini Mini

Mini Cooper S originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 11 Nov 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Chrysler, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge ... no, we’re not on the long straight highways that criss-cross the USA. We’re on sedate country lanes in Berkshire, Cheshire, Somerset and Lancashire.

The Americans are invading. In a country once almost entirely free of US motoring brands and where the very mention of the word Cadillac evoked images of drive-ins, drive-thrus and drive-bys, you can now find a host of Yankee tin. Some of it is what you would expect – big, brash and brazen – and some of it is just rebadged failure, such as the former Daewoo stable that now goes under the Chevrolet name (Matiz, Lacetti, Kalos etc).

Ands while, in an age of ecological concern triggered by our dwindling oil reserves, pollution and climate change, it may seem odd that muscle cars are being marketed over here. But the emphasis of the assault is the value … big, practical cars for considerably less money than their European or Japanese equivalent.

Chrysler launched the rather good 300C last year. In its so-called Hemi guise – with its bonkers 5.7-litre V8 engine – you get a massive saloon with outrageous performance, high comfort levels and a stack of street cred for just over £32,000. The interior isn’t even that bad, the satnav works, and the boot is a trigger-happy mobster’s wet dream. Sure, the grey leather upholstery is waaaay naff but who cares?

But it’s the diesel version that’s the big seller because its emissions and fuel consumption aren’t the petrol pump equivalent of a kick in the balls. And it makes sense to opt for diesel because you still get draw-dropping looks and kudos, but without the destruction of an acre of rainforest every time you step on the pedal a bit too hard.

Perhaps even better looking than the saloon, the Touring estate version now available in the UK offers more of the same with added practicality. The interior is identical to the "sedan" apart from the bigger load space. Well, we say bigger but sharply angled rear pillars don’t actually offer as much as the exterior promises. In fact, the shape and design of the boot seems to offer surprisingly less room than you seem to get in the standard 300C – kind of like a reverse Tardis.

Also, the ride is pretty bad – markedly worse than its slightly smaller brother. Crashy is probably too polite; it somehow manages to be spongily soft and arse-numbingly harsh at the same time, especially over speed bumps.

Tags: Car And GPS Cars Saloon cars Chrysler

Chrysler 300C CRD Touring originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 04 Nov 2006 06:00:00 +0000

Remember the old car sticker, usually stuck in the rear window of a banged up old Rover that read: "My other car’s a Porsche"?

That was back in the day when the Porsche badge meant rich, ostentatious and exclusive. These days, Porsche means something different. It’s a byword for clinical engineering, poise and taste.

Unfortunately, it’s lost the exclusive tag. There are plenty of 911s around, the wannabe Boxster is as common as Clapham, and now there’s the Cayman, too.

But don’t let that put you off the new 911. Although cosmetically it’s different from the old one as real butter is from Utterly Butterly, it is slightly meaner, fatter and performance stats suggest ever so slightly unhealthier should you slap it on a bit too thick.

The 997 (to give its proper name) Carrera S offers as precise a piece of automotive machinery as you could wish to drive.

The £65,000 Carrera S version is certainly quick enough, with its rear-mounted 3.8 flat-six engine churning out 355bhp to the back wheels to keep you interested. Handling is great and the ride is sharp. The interior is a masterpiece – so much better than the old version but anyone who’s been in a Boxster (which is half the price, remember) will feel a sense of déjà vu.

The problem with Porsche – as with a host of German cars these days – is that it feels a little over-engineered. Everything feels a little too comfortable; it’s all a little too practical, especially when the excellent hood is raised.

There are a couple of splashes that make you feel rather special – the optional centrally mounted chronometer for timing your laps (as if) and the phone kit, which means you can just pop your SIM card into the dash that turns the whole car into a 182mph handset.

And it’s nice to have a couple of tiny rear seats, even though the forward sloping angle of the pews makes them damned uncomfortable and a real pain for fitting a standard child seat (yes, we tried and succeeded – just).

Tags: Car And GPS Cars Sports cars Porsche

Porsche 997 Carrera S cabrio originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 28 Oct 2006 11:06:21 +0100

Peugeot did it first, and now everyone seems to be having a crack. No, we're not talking about building cars that fall apart in a brisk wind, but the current fascination with churning out hard-roof drop-tops – or coupe-cabriolets as they are known – based on existing mid-size mass market vehicles.

Of course, the very best CC vehicles are found at the higher end of the market – the Mercedes SL and SLK, for example – and for cars such as the new Mazda MX-5, a hard, retractable roof makes a whole load of sense as both a lifestyle choice and for the overall strength of the chassis.

But the proles want a bit of fly-up-nostril driving these days, and while convertibles were pretty rare even less than a decade ago, they’re now everywhere. Roll on global warming, eh?

The Twin Top has the daftest name among the new breed of everyman hard-top convertibles, which includes the Peugeot 206 CC, Peugeot 307 CC, Renault Megane CC, VW Eos, Focus CC and Micra C+C. Christ, even Hyundai makes the Copen. The Twin Top is also probably the least inspiring. That doesn’t mean it’s the worst … not by a long stretch; the Peugeots are utter crud and the Micra is laughable.

However, the decision to put a 1.6-litre in the Twin Top was a big mistake. It’s just too puny to pull all that extra weight, which isn’t a problem at all when the roof’s down but when your tucked up inside and it feels like you’re driving a pretty average Astra, it’s a massive problem.

Not that the Astra is a bad place to be. The latest version of Vauxhall’s mid-size family car is actually very good, from the sober yet smart five-door to the sexy but steady three-door. The interior is dull, but certainly not offensive. No, the big issue with the Astra has always been the gearbox – it’s a dog. It’s notchy, vague and utterly drains you of confidence; it’s easy to confuse third and fifth, and second and fourth, which just isn’t good enough.

If you have to drive this car everyday with the top up, you’ll soon regret buying it – for no other reason than wind noise once you get up to motorway speed. But when that top comes down, it’s a completely different story. First off, the roof mechanism is quality. Also, the ever-so-slightly cramped feeling you get with the canvas hovering a few centimetres from your bonce completely disappears, as do all the other minor irritations of a standard Astra.

Ultimately, the sensation of driving a convertible doesn’t actually differ a great deal whether you’re driving a Ferrari, a Morgan or the Twin Top, no matter what anyone tells you. So if you want that sensation, it does make sense to pay as little as you can.

But these type of cheap coupe-cabriolet vehicles are always going to be compromise. Build quality across the whole sector isn’t great, although the Astra is put together rather well. It does, however, suffer from the same water drainage issue as the others – namely, it doesn’t have any because folding roofs can’t support guttering. So if it’s rained the night before and you happen to open the window next morning, be prepared to get drenched the first time you take a corner.

Also, you lose a massive chunk of boot and you get a heavier and slower vehicle.

Tags: Car And GPS Cars Convertibles Vauxhall

Vauxhall Astra Twin Top 1.6 16v Sport originally appeared on Pocket-lint on Sat, 07 Oct 2006 11:00:26 +0100