Every year, JD Power publishes its Customer Service Index Study, which asks drivers about their experiences with dealers during the first three years of car ownership. Each brand is given a rating out of 1,000 for overall satisfaction. Join us as we count down all 24 carmakers in the 2018 survey – from worst to best – and reveal their scores.

24. Citroen: 764

The study measures customer satisfaction with service experience at a franchised dealer facility for maintenance and repair work. JD Power uses five measures, listed in order of importance: service quality, service initiation, service advisor, vehicle pick-up and service facility. You won’t be surprised to find a French manufacturer propping up the table.

=22. Renault: 766

And, predictably, there’s another French brand in the number 23 slot. JD Power spoke to 7,899 motorists who registered their new vehicle between February 2015 and April 2017. Sorry, Renault, but this is one to file under ‘could do better’.

=22. Nissan: 766

Not that Nissan can rest on its (Datsun) laurels. The Qashqai might be Britain’s best-loved crossover, but Nissan owners have failed to connect with the dealers. Swipe left if you agree with the JD Power study.

21. Ford: 767

Josh Halliburton, vice president and head of European operations at JD Power, said: “These results illustrate the importance of developing passionate advocates, not only for the product but also for the dealership itself, when trying to attract younger people as new customers,” This is a reference to the fact that young customers are less likely than older customers to be loyal to a dealer.

20. Skoda: 771

This might come as a surprise, not least because Skoda prides itself on delivering good customer satisfaction. It will need to up its game if it wants to attract – and retain – new customers to its expanding range of crossovers and SUVs.

19. Peugeot: 774

If there’s one crumb of comfort for Peugeot, it’s the fact that it’s the highest ranked French manufacturer. According to JD Power, vehicle pick-up satisfaction is 15 points higher among customers who handled payments with their customer service advisor than among those who dealt with a cashier.

18. Seat: 777

Next up is Seat, which scores six points more than its Volkswagen Group sibling, Skoda. Czech, mate.

17. Volkswagen: 779

The industry average for volume manufacturers is 779, which must leave Volkswagen feeling decidedly average. Vanilla. Mediocre. Straight down the middle. Par for the course.

=15. Mazda: 780

Back in 2016, we were surprised to find Mazda at the foot of the table. While finishing 15th suggests there’s still work to be done, the Japanese company will be delighted to have escaped the relegation dogfight. It’s not time to call in Sam Allardyce just yet.

=15. Hyundai: 780

Tied with Mazda is Hyundai, which offers a range of great value cars and a comprehensive five-year, unlimited mileage warranty. The new i30 N hot hatch is proof that it’s not afraid to let its hair down once in a while.

14. Toyota: 784

The same can be said of Toyota, which has gone bonkers with the crazy Yaris GRMN. A 14th place finish is surprising, as the Japanese giant tends to finish closer to the top in satisfaction surveys.

13. Fiat: 785

Fiat is so pleased with its 13th place finish, it has issued a press release. Sebastiano Fedrigo, MOPAR service, parts and customer care director at FCA said: “We have made a considerable investment in training, genuine parts distribution and new aftersales programmes which has helped Fiat to improve customer satisfaction. We are supporting our network with more efficient parts delivery service to increase availability of Mopar genuine parts, which will not only reduce off-the-road time but also increase the longevity and value of our customer’s cars.”

=11. Vauxhall: 786

Vauxhall hasn’t issued a press release to celebrate finishing joint 11th, but the people of Luton will be glowing with pride once they discover the name of the other brand to score 786 points.

=11. BMW: 786

That’s right, Vauxhall dealers are on a par with BMW dealers when it comes to customer satisfaction. You’re unlikely to see a press release from Bavaria, not least because this puts BMW at the bottom of the premium brand table.

10. Suzuki: 791

Suzuki finishes 10th overall and fifth on the list of volume manufacturers. We rather like Suzuki’s range of value-driven cars, and it would appear that you are a fan of its dealers.

=7. Dacia: 792

In a victory for rational common sense and fit-for-purpose motoring, Dacia finishes seventh overall and fourth on the list of volume brands. The budget brand has just released the prices of the all-new Duster, which start at £9,995.

=7. Jaguar: 792

There’s a three-way tie for seventh, with Jaguar joining Dacia on 792 points. The big news this summer is the arrival of the I-Pace electric car. Our verdict: “Jaguar has delivered the car all the others now have to beat. And it’s set an impressively high bar to battle over. Such is the all-round ability of the Jaguar I-Pace; prepare to start seeing a lot of them out and about, and rightly so.”

=7. Audi: 792

Audi is the third manufacturer to finish with 792 points, placing it below the premium brand average of 798. A decent score, but there are three volume manufacturers further up the table.

6. Mercedes-Benz: 805

Mercedes-Benz finishes third on the list of premium brands and sixth overall. Stay tuned for our first drive review of the new A-Class (pictured).

=4. Kia: 808

There are two manufacturers tied on 808 points, with Kia maintaining its reputation as the automotive equivalent of a teacher’s pet. With such excellent dealers and a seven-year warranty, it’s not hard to see why Kia owners are so satisfied.

=4. Volvo: 808

Volvo is the brand that can do no wrong, scooping awards left, right and centre. A score of 808 points will put the Swedish brand in a state of happiness.

3. Honda: 815

Hoorah for Honda, which ranks second on the list of volume manufacturers and third overall. If one vehicle could sum up ‘car reliability’, it would be the Honda Jazz.

2. Mini: 822

Mini might take issue with JD Power’s decision to include it on the list of volume manufacturers, but it will be delighted with the overall result. Can you guess which manufacturer pipped it to the post?

1. Land Rover: 824

Blimey, it’s Land Rover, which ranks highest among premium brands for a second consecutive year. Take a bow, Land Rover dealers, and feel free to take the rest of the day off. Just check with your manager, first.

Read more:

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A JetPack certified by the Federal Aviation Administration will fly for the first time in Europe at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018 – bringing a touch of James Bond glamour to the annual motoring event.

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Capable of flying at 200mph, the JB11 JetPack is also capable of reaching heights of more than 10,000 feet. It’s the only JetPack ever to be certified by the FAA.

Californian company JetPack Aviation has developed the 50kg device, which boasts a world-first VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) system. Company founder David Mayman will fly it – and plans to actually fly the famous Goodwood Hill Climb from bottom to top.

The JB11 JetPack will appear in the FOS Future Lap, which curator Lucy Johnston says will demonstrate “evermore innovative areas of technology and engineering.

“Personal flight is a really exciting theme to bring to this year’s edition. We’re delighted to be able to represent the most advanced system in the world, for the first time in Europe.”

JB11 JetPack: how does it work?

The JetPack has six turbojet engines: four of them are used to fly it, with two as backups in case of an emergency. It’s powered by kerosene jet fuel – or regular car diesel.

Lift-off is done vertically, as is landing: the latter is a matter of reducing thrust and descending slowly, says the company. No parachutes or special landing pads are required.

Pilots can fly for 12 minutes before returning to the ground.

The jet engines are controlled by a throttle on the right handle; once in the air, pilots can control speed, altitude and direction using both this and the control arms.

There’s an information display on each control arm, showing fuel level, engine rpm, exhaust gas temperature and battery level.

Mayman said: “We are the only makers of true personal VTOL JetPacks in the world. We can take off and land vertically unlike anything else out there.”

Alpine is broadening its A110 sports car line-up in Britain, following the five-day sell-out of the launch A110 Premiere Edition earlier this year.

With deliveries of the first Alpines set to begin this summer, the firm is launching two new variants, the A110 Pure and A110 Legende. And it’s the purist, focused A110 Pure that will be of interest to enthusiasts – because it takes the award-winning sports car’s entry price down to below £47k.

The A110 Pure is priced from £46,905, but it isn’t a stripped-out special. Standard equipment includes air con, sat nav, front and rear LED lights and Alpine’s smartphone-mirroring mySPIN system.

It also has a focus on reducing weight: it’s fitted with lighter 17-inch alloys, plus Sabelt monocoque seats that weigh just 13.1kg each. This takes the kerb weight down to a scant 1,098kg.

The A110 Legende, priced from £50,805, is more luxurious – it’s the Alpine tourer, says the firm. And it’s equipped to suit, with 18-inch alloys, six-way adjustable leather seats, Focal audio and park assist with rear camera. There’s more available on the options list, including Focal Premium audio, active sport exhaust and heated seats.

Alpine says the new A110 editions introduce new colours as well: Blanc Irise white, Blue Abysse and Gris Tonnerre grey. They join the car’s two launch colours, Alpine Blue and Noir Profond black.

And if forking out £47k is still a bit much for you, fear not. Alpine says it will be launching finance offers and maintenance packages from this summer as well.

Fully Charged Live organisers have confirmed the new Jaguar I-Pace will be on display at this weekend’s inaugural event, running at Silverstone from 9th-10th June.

One of the I-Pace’s very first public appearances in Britain, the debut comes in the same week the electric Jaguar was officially accepted onto the OLEV electric vehicle grant scheme – taking the customer entry-level price down to £58,995.

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Buying a new I-Pace will even make you eligible for £500 off a Chargemaster Homecharge electric wallbox, capable of charging three times faster than a domestic socket. 22 miles’ range an hour is the promise.

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK MD, said: “The reaction to the Jaguar I-Pace has been absolutely staggering, from both the public and media, who have awarded it perfect scores almost across the board.”

Motoring Research was no exception here.

“Everyone at Jaguar Land Rover UK is extremely proud of what we’ve achieved with the I-Pace, so we’re delighted to be able to show it off at Silverstone for the inaugural Fully Charged Live show this weekend.”

Fully Charged Live has been founded by TV star and EV guru Robert Llewellyn. It is, he explained, “all about celebrating the latest innovations in the very exciting world of electric vehicles and sustainable energy, and the Jaguar I-Pace is a perfect fit in that respect.

“Since its launch earlier this year, the buzz around electric vehicles has really amplified so we’re excited to be able to showcase the I-Pace to all our visitors across the weekend, in amongst a raft of other displays, attractions and live panel discussions.”

The FIA Foundation has teamed up with a number of partners to introduce a new real-world vehicle emissions rating system called the Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative. It hopes this will become an NCAP-style rating for car exhaust NOx emissions – and it’s bad news for all but the very newest diesel cars as they ALL score a worst-possible red ‘poor’ score.

• The most economical new cars in 2018

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has developed the TRUE Rating, based on real-world assessments of, it claims, more than 700,000 vehicles. Almost 5,000 individual models in Europe were assessed, by using remote-sensing equipment situated by the roadside. 

Incredibly, every single Euro 3, Euro 4 and Euro 5 diesel measured was given a poor rating, because of excessive NOx emissions. Even the latest, greenest Euro 6 vehicles, a standard introduced in 2014, emitted twice the legally-permitted levels of NOx. Other older Euro 6 diesels emitted four times the legal limit.

“Nearly all diesel vehicles on European roads received a ‘poor’ rating, meaning they exceed the Euro 5 diesel NOx emissions limits introduced in 2009,” said the organisation.

It’s much better news for petrol cars, though. Only the oldest Euro 3 cars (from 2000-2005) scored a high number of poor ratings; not a single Euro 6 petrol car was given a poor rating, and the majority of them received a green ‘good’ score.

The TRUE Rating currently only assesses vehicle NOx emissions, but will be expanded in the future to include particulates, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbon emissions.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said that “differences between results fro­­­m historical official laboratory emissions tests and those performed in the ‘real world’ are well known.

“However, September 2017’s introduction of the more onerous WLTP lab test plus, for the first time, on-road testing, which measures emissions direct from the tailpipe in everyday and extreme driving conditions, means that all new car models now meet the world’s toughest and most accurate emissions measurement regime.”

Every new generation of car emits “significantly lower pollutant emissions. This is acknowledged by the report, and consumers can be assured that new cars on sale today are the cleanest ever and fully compliant with EU emissions standards.”

The True Rating splits real-world vehicle emissions into three categories – ‘good’ is green, ‘moderate’ is yellow, ‘poor’ is red. The scores equate to the following levels of real-world NOx emissions: 

• Green: less than 90mg of NOx per kilometre
• Yellow: 90-180mg of NOx per kilometre
• Red: more than 180mg of NOx per kilometre

The new database allows motorists to search by make and model; BMW is the only manufacturer to receive a ‘moderate’ score for its diesel cars, say the developers of the emissions database. 

U.S. organisation the ICCT developed the TRUE rating, and is now working in association with the FIA Foundation, Transport & Environment, C40 Cities and Global NCAP. 

The Toyota scrappage scheme has, since its launch in September 2017, taken more than 7,000 old cars registered up to June 2010 off the road. 40 percent of customers have chosen a fuel-efficient Aygo… and now Toyota’s making it even more appealing by upping the scrappage saving on the city car.

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Toyota scrappage scheme customers now get an extra £500 incentive, which takes the total saving up to £2,000. Why the generosity? Because these are outgoing models; the facelifted one will be launched later this year. That’s why the saving is only available in June. Still, it’s a generous saving on a car priced from £8,995.

It means, if you’ve owned your old car for six months or more, a Toyota Aygo could be yours from £6,995.

Toyota has also introduced the Yaris Hybrid onto the scrappage scheme savings list. One of Britain’s most fuel-efficient cars, Toyota’s giving a £1,500 saving on this model; prefer a regular Yaris and you’ll get £2,500 off.

Other scrappage savings include £3,000 off an Auris Hybrid, £2,000 off the Prius and £1,000 off the popular C-HR. All cars must be ordered by 30 June, and delivery must be made before 10 September.

Toyota adds that this might not be the only savings on offer, either: qualifying customers can still access Toyota’s finance offers, including zero percent APR and finance deposit contributions.  

65 percent of Toyota scrappage scheme customers have never bought a car from the firm before. Its GB operations director Mark Roden said: “The response to our scrappage initiative has been excellent, with many customers taking the opportunity to move into cleaner and more efficient Toyota hybrid electric models in place of their old petrol and diesel cars.”

Toyota scrappage savings: June 2018

• Aygo: £2,000
• Yaris petrol: £2,500
• Yaris Hybrid: £1,500
• Auris and Auris Hybrid: £3,000
• Verso: £3,500
• RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid: £2,500
• C-HR: £1,000
• Avensis: £3,500
• Prius: £2,000
• GT86: £2,000
• Land Cruiser: £4,000
• Hilux: £2,000
• Proace: £2,000

The new BMW X5 has grown in every direction to provide a sterner challenge to the latest Audi Q7 and underline its status as BMW’s luxury SUV all-rounder. More imposing than ever, the imposing new X5 will go on sale in the UK from June 2018, with prices starting from £56,710.

The X5’s all-round growth is notable: it’s 36mm longer, a hefty 66mm wider, has a 42mm longer wheelbase and even height is up 19mm. Space inside is more generous both for passengers and their luggage, says BMW – particularly in the seven-seat version that will be offered from the end of 2018.

Design is cleaner and more paired back than previous X5s, with “elegant poise and muscular authority”. You won’t be able to get wheels smaller than 19-inches; they go up to 22 inches. xLine trim has matt aluminium styling cues, while the M Sport paints all the tough plastic parts of the X5 in body colour. An M50d variant turns the wick up further.

There’s a fully electronic instrument panel inside, and BMW’s redesigned the centre console and climate controls too: plenty of showroom time will be necessary before departing in the new X5. Four different colours of leather are available even with on the standard model, which also includes sports seats; comfort seats are optional.

Passengers are well catered for. The panoramic roof is 30 percent larger, four-zone air conditioning features, and BMW’s been inspired by luxury partner Rolls-Royce with the Sky Lounge roof: it “provides LED light spread evenly across the glass surface to illuminate more than 15,000 graphic patterns and generate a display reminiscent of a starlit sky”.

Those in the rear seats can be treated to an infotainment system composing two 10.2-inch HD touchscreens, Blu-ray DVD player, dual USB ports and the use of media sources independent of those in front. Those in the front can enjoy thermo-cupholders that keep drinks either cold or hot; CraftedClarity glass is a fancy Volvo-like feature for the driving controls.

Boot space? 645 litres with the seats up, 1,860 litres with them down. The two-section tailgate can be electrically operated and the third-row seats can be electrically powered too – and a button in the boot will remotely slide the middle-row seats back and forth, and drop down the backrests of all five seats.

Engines? The xDrive30d has a 265hp 3.0-litre turbodiesel, capable of 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds and 47.1mpg. It will be the best-seller. The 340hp xDrive40i is one for petrol fans, but although the 3.0-litre turbo does 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds, it also only averages 33.2mpg. The M50d quad-turbodiesel has 400hp, does 5.2 seconds to 62mph and averages 41.5mpg. All use an eight-speed auto, and all have ultra-capable xDrive all-wheel drive.

The new chassis, based on the exceptional platform already seen in the 7 Series and 5 Series, features two-axle air suspension as standard on the 30d and 40i models, and there’s no end of optional suspension technology, including active anti-roll Adaptive M suspension and an optional Off-Road package for the first time. Needless to say, there’s also a welter of driver assist systems, which are “another significant step towards automated driving”.

BMW has sold over 2.2 million X5s since it was launched in 1999; it believes the “even greater blend of premium luxury performance and comfort” will see that number grow yet further. 

2018 BMW X5: prices

xDrive30d xLine: £56,710

xDrive40i xLine: £58,100

X5 M50d: £70,690