Jaguar is aiming to turn around the fortunes of its BMW 3 Series-rivalling XE saloon with interior tech borrowed from the I-Pace electric SUV and a diesel engine that’s cleaner than every single rival.

Revealed in London at The Bike Shed in Shoreditch, the 20MY Jaguar XE (that’s 2020 model year, although it’s on sale right now) at first glance doesn’t look all that different.

Jaguar admits styling changes are restricted to new bumpers front and rear, dark-tint tail lamps with a new LED lighting pattern, plus full LED headlights with their own fresh LED running light design. The cutouts in the front bumper are wider and lower, making the XE look wider, and the graphics are more distinctive from a distance (or in a rear-view mirror).

The chassis is largely unchanged too, with just a few tweaks to make the XE a little bit sharper and smoother-riding. “We really focused on the things that mattered to our customers,” said Jaguar Land Rover MD Rawdon Glover. Updates to the exterior and chassis are thus “subtle”.

Inside is where the big news is, with a set of changes “completely transforming it from the outgoing model”. And not before time: the sub-par interior was always a key weakness of the original XE.

Described as all-new by Jaguar, the centrepiece of the interior is the new Touch Pro Duo ‘twin-screen’ setup in the centre console. Nabbed from the I-Pace, this is leagues ahead of the plasticky climate control setup on the old XE. The HD infotainment screen also now comes with Apple CarPlay, at long last.

There’s a steering wheel from the I-Pace, with touch-sensitive controls, plus a 12.3-inch driver display also nabbed from the electric SUV. The gearshifter, meanwhile, is taken from the Jaguar F-Type sports car: all 20MY Jaguar XE are automatics.

Jaguar promises “extensive use of soft-touch materials, premium veneers and all-new door trims that improve usability and practicality”. It still won’t be the roomiest of cars in the rear seats, but at least it’s a nice place for those in the front to sit in.

Video:

Clean diesel

Big news for company car drivers is the new XE D180 RWD version: it’s the first 2.0-litre turbodiesel to be RDE2 NOx compliant. What does this mean? Exhaust emissions as clean as a petrol car – and a 4 percent saving on company car tax.

Private buyers also enjoy a first-year saving on VED road tax. No rival is yet available with an RDE2 diesel engine, giving Jaguar a handy advantage in a hotly-fought market.

Jaguar adds that diesel haters now have little to dislike. The clean diesel is as green as a petrol, gives 25 percent better fuel economy and emits 15 per less CO2. Drive over 12,000 miles a year? Diesel is the most cost-effective solution for you.

Also available in the new XE are 2.0-litre petrol engines in either 250hp or 200hp guise; they’re labelled P250 and P300. With optional four-wheel drive fitted, the P300 does 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds.

Jaguar XE 20MY: prices and specs

Jaguar XE prices start from £33,915 and it’s offered in a simpler line-up of S, SE and HSE trim levels. For each grade, a sporty-look R-Dynamic pack can be added on (the red car above is R-Dynamic): this has performance exterior design tweaks, sports seats with contrast stitching, and satin chrome gearshift paddles.

Every new Jaguar XE comes as standard with 18-inch alloys, leather seats with electric operation, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, a rear camera and lane-keep assist.

Jaguar has crunched the numbers and says the new car is better value than before. The D180 R-Dynamic S, at £36,145, costs £670 less than the old XE R-Sport… even better, it has £1,100 of extra kit, making a total saving of £1,770.

The New Jaguar XE is available to order now, with deliveries expected from the summer. Just don’t expect to see it at the Geneva Motor Show next week, if you’re heading over: neither Jaguar nor Land Rover are attending – and they’re not the only ones…

The march of the mainstream electric car continues. After bringing us the impressive Kia e-Niro, the firm is doubling down on this with another entrant in the crossover SUV sector: meet the new Kia Soul EV.

Making its European debut at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the new Soul EV arrives in EU markets this spring. UK prices and an on-sale date will follow later – but, as with the e-Niro, we can expect an on-sale price of under £35,000.

Indeed, as well as the range-topper, which has a 64kWh battery, Kia’s also selling a lesser Soul EV with a 39.2kWh battery. This one could actually squeeze under the £30k mark, if the firm decides to bring it to the UK.

The longer-range is the one most will want though. At 280 miles, it has an almost identical range to the e-Niro. And because the battery is bigger, Kia can fit a powerful 204hp motor, giving 0-62mph in a scant 7.6 seconds. 

Don’t expect the Soul EV 39.2kWh version, with its 136hp motor, to be anywhere near as fast. The range isn’t as good either: 172 miles, rather than 280 miles. It will share the longer-range model’s regenerative braking paddles though, allowing ‘one-pedal’ driving and charging the battery at the same time. 

Both version will charge up from zero to 80 percent charge in just 42 minutes, via a public 100kW fast charger. 

Third-generation Soul

The new Soul EV is the third generation of Kia’s leftfield crossover SUV. This one is still very distinctive, but more refined and fully-formed than earlier versions. It even has sophisticated multi-link rear suspension, instead of a cheaper torsion beam setup, so should drive much better. 

At 4,195mm long, it’s 55mm longer than before, and is a fulsome 1,800mm wide. Plenty of body height means Kia’s been able to create a lot of space inside – this is the roomiest Soul yet, despite the all-electric drivetrain (other global markets will get petrol and diesel Soul, but for Europe and the UK, it’s Soul EV only). 

The designers are particularly proud of the ‘island’ tailgate, which opens up to a so-so 315-litre boot; fold the seats and it grows to 1,339 litres. 

Sales of the outgoing Soul convinced Kia to go all-electric for Europe. There was a previous-generation Soul EV and, explained Emilio Herrera, CEO for Kia Motors Europe, “in 2018 – the outgoing model’s final year on sale, Kia sold more of the zero-emissions Soul EV in Europe than petrol and diesel versions combined.

“Electrified vehicles account for one in eight Kia cars sold in Europe in 2018, up from one in 10 in 2017, and the Soul EV will further build on this momentum.”

Kia adds the new Soul EV’s electric motor and battery are so advanced, they’re up to 30 percent more energy-efficient than Europe’s current best-selling electric car. Which is? We’re looking at you, Nissan Leaf – such is the pace of how quickly things move on in the electric car world. 

Indeed, even Nissan already has an answer to the launch Leaf’s so-so range…

The new Skoda Kamiq, which makes its world debut at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show next week, is the Czech brand’s third all-new SUV and the smallest one it’s launched to date.

Billed as a city SUV crossover, the new Kamiq is gunning for the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur and Vauxhall Mokka X (as well as its Seat Arona sister car). Skoda hopes it will bring brand new, younger customers into dealers, those who have never considered the brand before.

At 4,241mm long, it’s only slightly larger than a regular supermini, and shorter overall than a family hatchback like a Volkswagen Golf (or, indeed, the upcoming new Skoda Scala). But the higher ground clearance gives it a safe and sturdy feel inside, and the tall body creates plenty of space.

Chunky styling draws from the Skoda SUV family DNA, with a wide grille and contoured bonnet. Even the smallest wheels are 16 inches in diameter; up to 18 inches are available, underlining the tough and chunky look.

The Kamiq is “powerful and emotive, despite its compact dimensions,” said Skoda head of design Oliver Stefani. He’s proud of the split LED headlights; choose optional full LED lights and the daytime running lights “appear like four gemstones above the main headlights”. Crystalline 3D effects further enhance the “glistening jewels” appearance.

The Scala introduced Skoda’s new interior layout, with a large, freestanding infotainment screen in the centre of the dash. The Kamiq is the second – and at 9.2 inches, the screen is the largest in the city SUV segment.

There’s lots of soft-touch materials and more crystalline textures, while ambient lighting in three colours – white, red and copper – help it feel more spacious at night. Luxury touches include optional heated seats in the rear as well as the front.

The boot is enormous – 400 litres with the seats up (20 litres bigger than a VW Golf), 1,395 litres with them folded. Skoda will even let you option a fold-down front passenger seat, so loads up to almost 2.5 metres can be loaded in.

Skoda’s selling the Kamiq purely in front-wheel drive guise: people care more about fuel economy than off-road traction in this sector (although it does have 37mm more ground clearance than a Scala, add the engineers). There is a diesel, a 115hp 1.6 TDI, but the best-sellers will be the turbo petrol engines – a 1.0 TSI with 95hp or 115hp, plus a 1.5 TSI with 150hp.

Those who want a sportier drive can have a sport chassis setup, that’s 10mm lower and comes with adaptive suspension – choose from normal, sport, eco and individual modes.

There are lots of standard safety features, plenty more optional ones, and a Skoda wouldn’t be a true Skoda without a plethora of so-called ‘Simply Clever’ features. The Kamiq? It has no fewer than 20 of them.

These include sector-first door edge protectors, an electric tailgate, removable LED torch and a Skoda Connect app that allows you to remotely check whether the Kamiq is locked, or how much fuel is in the tank, from your smartphone.

The Good Housekeeping Reader Recommendation is a highly sought-after accolade for anything in the consumer sphere – be it technology, clothing or indeed housekeeping.

Now cars are on the iconic magazine’s radar, with the Ford Kuga and Ecosport earning a first ever automotive Reader Recommendation.

The Reader Recommendation comes with a combination of the ‘expertise of Good Housekeeping’s acclaimed testing institute’ as well as the insights of readers giving their personal experiences of a product.

Fully 98 percent of readers rated the Kuga as very good or excellent. And 96 percent said they would recommend the crossover to friends or family.

The Ecosport scores slightly lower, with 96 percent of readers giving a good/excellent score and 91 percent saying they’d recommend it. Still, not a score to be sniffed at.

Alongside the success and acclaim the Fiesta and Focus are accruing, Ford has quite the award-winning lineup on its hands. 

“We are incredibly proud to be the first automotive manufacturer to be Reader Recommended,” said Mandy Dean, marketing director, Ford of Britain. “It’s great to have Ecosport and Kuga, two very popular vehicles in our range, receive further validation from such an established and respected consumer voice, representing everyday users.” 

“It’s great to see a brand like Ford engaging in our rigorous Good Housekeeping testing programme to ensure they’re providing the best quality for the ever-discerning consumer,” added Jim Chaudry, automotive director at Good Housekeeping publisher, Hearst UK.