Thanks to Japanese components supplier Denso, the new 2018 Lexus LS is equipped with the world’s largest head-up display (HUD). The system projects information across a whopping 24-inch projection, which ‘virtually’ appears three metres ahead of the car.
The system is made from thin-film transistor (TFT) and liquid-crystal display tech, and is so feature-packed, Denso’s actually describing it as a full human-machine interface (HMI).
Not only can the 24-inch HUD show basic data such as vehicle speed and local speed limits, it cleverly can also show where pedestrians are located using data from external sensors: the image above shows icons pinpointing exactly where the pedestrian is walking.
When combined with sat nav data, it will display an arrow over the lane the driver should be in, and provide augmented reality (AR) style guidance at junctions and intersections.
It will smartly reconfigure as well, ensuring information is presented as clearly and logically as possible – the reconfiguration even stretches to the colours used. Denso says the display itself is also brighter than most other HUDs, so it’s easier to use in bright sunlight.
The firm believes HUDs will become a key safety feature of the future, due to their ability to project vital information right into the sightline of the driver. When combined with information from external sensors and other feeds, Denso says the HUD will be a core part of its policy envisioning, by 2030, “a society free from traffic accidents”.
Toyota is not only the world’s largest car company, but is also the greenest automotive manufacturer in the world – at least, according to the latest Green Rankings of the world’s biggest publically-traded firms, conducted by Newsweek.
Toyota was also ranked an impressive 16th overall – a whopping 91-place rise since 2016.
The firm’s European president and CEO Dr Johan van Zyl said it proved the company’s focus on sustainability and environmental performance is paying dividends.
“The launch of our Environmental Challenge 2050 in 2015 reinforced the key areas in which we are reducing our impact on the environment throughout the entire lifecycle of our products.”
Newsweek’s survey is carried out in association with Corporate Knights and HIP Investor. Companies are scored on their environmental performance across several metrics, such as energy and water consumption, waste levels and carbon production. There’s a strict methodology that looks at all areas of corporate green-ness.
Toyota’s overall green score of 72 percent places it ahead of Apple, LG and Starbucks in 2017.
The Newsweek Green Rankings survey comes on the same day that Toyota announced plans to sell more than one million zero-emission vehicles a year by 2030. Even sooner than that, the firm intends that by 2025, every single car in the Toyota and Lexus range will have an electrified model – which, it points out, means “the number of models developed without an electrified version will be zero”.
Nissan has form for slow cars. There was a time in the mid-90s when you could buy a diesel people carrier, the Serena, which took nearly 30 seconds to reach 62mph. That earned it the title of the world’s slowest passenger car.
While the Serena is no longer on sale, Nissan has today announced a new entry-level Micra powered by a 1.0-litre engine producing just 71hp. It takes a sedate 16.4 seconds to reach 62mph. But it’s not the slowest new car on sale today…
Volkswagen Up/Skoda Citigo/Seat Mii 1.0 60
0-62mph: 14.4 seconds
The Volkswagen Up and its Skoda and Seat brethren are some of the best city cars you can buy. If you plan on covering a lot of motorway miles, you’re better opting for the more powerful 75hp version, however. The entry-level 60hp 1.0-litre takes 14.4 seconds to hit 62mph.
Dacia Logan 1.2 75
0-62mph: 14.5 seconds
With prices starting at £6,995, the Dacia Logan is the cheapest estate car money can buy. But it’s also the slowest, taking nearly 15 seconds to reach 62mph if you opt for the 75hp 1.2-litre petrol engine.
Dacia Sandero 1.2
0-62mph: 14.5 seconds
Surprisingly, given it’s smaller, the Dacia Sandero powered by the same engine takes just as long. But what do you expect for £5,995?
Renault Clio 1.2 75
0-62mph: 14.5 seconds
That same 75hp engine is also used in the Renault Clio. It takes, you guessed it, 14.5 seconds to hit 62mph.
Renault Twingo 1.0 70 SCe
0-62mph: 14.5 seconds
Put a 1.0-litre 70hp engine into a mid-engined city car, and an affordable Porsche it does not make. We actually quite like the three-cylinder engine in the Twingo, but you’ll prefer the turbocharged version if you’re seeking performance.
Peugeot 108 1.0
0-62mph: 14.5 seconds
Finally in the 0-62mph in 14.5 seconds club, is the Peugeot 108 city car. The plucky little Pug is enjoyable to thread through city streets, so we suspect most owners won’t be bothered about the time it takes to accelerate to 62mph. It all gets slower from here, however…
Fiat Qubo 1.4 77
0-62mph: 14.7 seconds
The Fiat Qubo is essentially a Fiorano van with windows – and despite the name of its commercial cousin, it’s no Ferrari when you hit the gas pedal.
Seat Ibiza 1.0 75
0-62mph: 14.7 seconds
If you buy an entry-level Seat Ibiza, you’ll be treated to the painfully slow three-cylinder 1.0-litre 75hp engine. It’ll be fine around town, but we’d look to upgrade for ventures beyond 30mph zones.
Smart Fortwo Cabrio 1.0 71
0-62mph: 14.9 seconds
If you buy a soft-top Smart ForTwo, you probably don’t want a car that’s fast enough to ruffle your hair when you accelerate. That’s useful, because the 71hp three-cylinder engine takes 14.9 seconds to hit 62mph.
Vauxhall Adam 1.2 70
0-62mph: 14.9 seconds
The Vauxhall Adam is a quirky little city car, but its entire engine line-up is a tad disappointing. The least desirable engine has to be the 1.2-litre 70hp four-cylinder petrol, which takes an age to hit 62mph.
Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 75
0-62mph: 14.9 seconds
The bigger Corsa is equally disappointing if you opt for the 1.4-litre 75hp engine. We much prefer it with the new 115hp 1.0-litre turbo triple, which hits 62mph in 10.3 seconds.
Ford Fiesta 1.1 70
0-62mph: 14.9 seconds
The Ford Fiesta is the UK’s best-selling new car, and the latest model has a lot to like about it. But not necessarily the entry-level 70hp 1.1-litre engine, which takes 14.9 seconds to hit 62mph.
Citroen C4 Cactus 1.2 Puretech ETG
0-62mph: 15.0 seconds
Pair Citroen’s 1.2-litre Puretech engine with an automated manual gearbox in a car the size of the Cactus, and you’ll get to 62mph… eventually.
Citroen Berlingo Multispace 1.6 BlueHDi 75
0-62mph: 15.1 seconds
Another ‘van with windows’, this time it’s the Citroen Berlingo Multispace – specifically with the 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel engine. Packing a lacklustre 75hp, it’s the first car featured here to take more than 15.0 seconds to hit 62mph.
Ford B-Max 1.5 TDCi
0-62mph: 15.1 seconds
Taking an equally long time to reach 62mph, the Ford B-Max perhaps works better with the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine than the 1.5 diesel.
Ford Focus Estate 1.6 85
0-62mph: 15.1 seconds
This is the car you’ll dread collecting from the hire car depot: a Ford Focus estate with the 85hp 1.6-litre petrol engine. That amount of power simply isn’t enough to lug around a car the size of a Focus estate.
Toyota Yaris 1.0
0-62mph: 15.3 seconds
The thrashy 1.3 in the Yaris isn’t the best engine, but it’s certainly going to be better than the entry-level 1.0-litre if you’re in a rush to get anywhere.
Ford Ka+ 1.2
0-62mph: 15.3 seconds
As indicated by its name, the Ka+ is a bigger car than its predecessor, the Ka. As such, it probably deserves a more powerful engine than the 70hp naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre petrol. Still, it should prove to be cheap to insure for new drivers.
Peugeot Partner Tepee 1.6 BlueHDi 100
0-62mph: 15.3 seconds
It’s a good job most buyers of the Peugeot Partner Tepee will, let’s say, have enough life experience not to be bothered about getting anywhere quickly. It takes 15.3 seconds for the 1.6-litre BlueHDI 100 to hit 62mph.
Hyundai i10 1.0 66 Blue
0-62mph: 15.5 seconds
Next time you’re stuck behind a Hyundai i10 taking an age to accelerate down a motorway slip road, bear in mind that it might not necessarily be the driver’s fault. The little 66hp 1.0-litre triple takes 15.5 seconds to propel the city car to 62mph.
Volkswagen Polo 1.0 60
0-62mph: 15.5 seconds
The Volkswagen Polo is showing its age, but that doesn’t excuse the entry-level 1.0-litre, which can be out-dragged by a tortoise. Allegedly.
Skoda Fabia 1.0 60
0-62mph: 15.7 seconds
It’s no surprise, then, that the platform-sharing Skoda Fabia with the same engine also takes a substantial amount of time to reach the national speed limit.
Fiat 500L Wagon 1.3 Multijet Dualogic
0-62mph: 15.7 seconds
Combine a 1.3-litre diesel engine with a lethargic sequential transmission, and the 500L Wagon takes a frustrating 15.7 seconds to hit 62mph. Economy is more its forte: it returns 72.4mpg in official NEDC tests.
Smart Forfour 1.0 71
0-62mph: 15.9 seconds
Good news! You can buy a Smart big enough for your entire family (provided there’s only four of you). Bad news: your offspring will have grown-up by the time you’ve hit motorway speeds.
Citroen C3 Aircross 1.2 Puretech 82
0-62mph: 15.9 seconds
With just 82hp, the Citroen C3 Aircross is perhaps the ultimate car for millenials who car for aesthetics over outright performance. It’s a funky-looking thing with a cool interior, but its 15.9-second 0-62mph time means you better avoid short motorway slip roads.
Citroen C-Zero/Peugeot iOn
0-62mph: 15.9 seconds
Performance has never been a priority for these electric car relics from yesteryear. You’d be much better buying a Tesla or, well, any other electric car if you want to hit 62mph in less than 15.9 seconds.
Fiat Doblo 1.4 95
0-62mph: 15.9 seconds
As Italian cars go, a 95hp Fiat Doblo is never going to stir the senses in the same way a Ferrari 488 does. With its 1.4-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, it’ll stumble to the heady heights of 62mph in marginally less than 16 seconds.
Hyundai i20 1.1 CRDi Blue
0-62mph: 16.0 seconds
There are many reasons why you’d opt for the Hyundai i20 with a diesel engine. Perhaps you really dislike visiting petrol stations? In reality, you’d be much better off choosing the 1.0-litre petrol turbo.
Toyota Proace Verso
0-62mph: 16.1 seconds
Stick some seats and windows into a van, and you have an upmarket MPV. That’s what Toyota has done to its Proace to make the Verso. What it doesn’t make, however, is one of the fastest cars on the school run.
Suzuki Celerio 1.0 SZ4 AGS
0-62mph: 16.4 seconds
A Suzuki Celerio isn’t the car to buy if you want to go quick. Especially not when paired with the five-speed auto gear shift (AGS) transmission. Poor on the drag strip, ace for granny popping to the shops.
Nissan Micra 1.0
0-62mph: 16.4 seconds
Nissan’s new entry-level Micra is powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine producing, wait for it… 71hp. As such, it’ll take 16.4 seconds to reach 62mph. It’ll keep insurance companies happy, though – it’s one of a handful of cars in insurance group one.
Nissan NV200 Combi
0-62mph: 17.0 seconds
Things you can do in 17.0 seconds: have a nap, eat a chocolate bar, accelerate to 62mph in a Nissan NV200 Combi. With just 89hp, the 1.5-litre diesel engine struggles to lug around the seven-seat van-based people carrier.
Suzuki Jimny 1.3 SZ4 auto
0-62mph: 17.2 seconds
The Suzuki Jimny is finally due to be replaced in 2018. We love the outgoing model, even if it is showing its age (it hasn’t changed much since 1998). Its 1.3-litre petrol engine is far from thrilling, especially combined with the automatic gearbox. It’ll lumber up to 62mph in 17.2 seconds.
Hyundai i800 2.5 CRDi
0-62mph: 17.6 seconds
The award for the slowest-accelerating passenger car currently on sale in the UK goes to the Hyundai i800 2.5 CRDi. While the eight-seat Hyundai is big enough to raise a family, accelerating faster than a truck is something it struggles with.
Volkswagen California 2.0 TDI Beach
0-62mph: 19.4 seconds
Does a campervan count as one of the slowest accelerating cars money can buy? For its shameful 19.4 second 0-62mph time, we reckon it’s well worth including. The entry-level California is powered by VW’s 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, producing just 101hp.
Some car companies tuck their classics away in soulless storage facilities. Not BMW. When Munich launches a new car, the ancestors are usually there too, offering a sense of context and – more often than not – tempting dewy-eyed journos away from the modern metal. The recent launch of the F90 M5, which featured every hot 5er from the original E28 onwards, is a case in point.
Video: on location with the BMW classic fleet
BMW UK’s heritage fleet focuses on the sportier end of the spectrum: M cars, Z cars and JCW Minis, plus a handful of blue-chip exotics. Join me for an exclusive tour.
Beauty and the boost
Favourite car in the collection? I’m tempted to say the M1, but that was out on promotional duties at the time of my visit – so I’ll go for the 2002 Turbo. Built between 1973 and 1975, this 170hp upstart was one of the earliest turbocharged road cars. A short wheelbase and an unsubtle wallop of boost at 4,000rpm make for lively handling. Think ‘junior Porsche 930 Turbo’.
Those in the know say the non-turbo 130hp Tii is a sweeter drive, but I don’t care. All-or-nothing lag is part of the Turbo’s appeal. And besides, just look at it. From that elegant shark-nose to the bolted-on arches and BMW M stripes, the boosted 2002 is the epitome of retro-cool. All it needs is the ‘get outta my way’ reverse TURBO lettering on the front spoiler: a controversial factory option when new.
Fast fives
BMW had three generations of M5 on-site when I stopped by: E39 (1998-2003), E60 (2005-2010) and F10 (2011-2016). Coincidentally, that’s my order of preference, too – with the blue E39 my firm favourite. A 400hp V8, stick-shift and rear-wheel drive make it the consummate super saloon, while the sheer solidity of the thing still impresses today.
Martin Harrison, curator of the BMW fleet, clearly has a soft-spot for the Bangle-designed E60. “It’s a serious bit of kit,” he says, “that V10 is just epic at high revs”. Even he’ll admit the jerky SMG III automated manual gearbox isn’t BMW’s best, though. That leaves the just-replaced F10, which sounds rorty from its carbon-coated tailpipes, but looks slightly anonymous by comparison. This car is the ‘30 Jahre’ special edition, one of 300 in matt silver to celebrate three decades of the M5.
E-number goodness
Like many of the cars I used to own (Mk1 VW Golf GTI, Peugeot 205 GTI), the E30 M3 has appreciated beyond all expectations. Even leggy examples are £50k, while a Sport Evolution can be north of £100k. That’s a shame because a) I missed out on a big pot of money and b) many of these investment-grade E30s won’t be driven. And the original M3 is, above all, a driver’s car.
This E30 is one of 505 Roberto Ravaglia editions, named after the driver who won both European and World Touring Car Chanmpionship titles for BMW, and packing a 215hp version of the 2.3-litre S14 engine. A 0-62mph time of 6.7 seconds is tame by today’s standards, but a perfectly balanced chassis provides ample compensation. With a few exceptions (notably the E46 and CSL) subsequent M3s have struggled to recapture the E30’s magic.
Shaken and stirred
BMW’s association with Bond films started inauspiciously with the Z3 in GoldenEye, then improved a little with a 750iL in Tomorrow Never Dies. Only by the time of The World is not Enough did 007 finally have wheels worthy of his status: the Z8. This retro-styled 400hp V8 sports car, built from 1999 to 2003, wasn’t especially popular when new. However, it has since become a sought-after modern classic.
The other roadster in BMW’s collection is humbler, but – to my eyes – more appealing. The plastic-bodied Z1 borrows its 2.5-litre straight-six from the E30 325i, and reaches 62mph in 7.9 seconds. By far its most distinctive feature, though, are its drop-down doors. These disappear into the sills at the touch of a button, allowing you to drive roof-down with the side of the car fully open.
Let’s talk about six
With the same 282hp engine as the M1, the M635 CSi was an M6 in all but name – indeed, it was badged as such in the US and Japan. I drove this car back-to-back with the current M6 last summer and was struck by its syrupy-smooth straight-six and effortless pace. Its ride quality also puts the modern machine to shame.
The M635 CSi hails from that era when German cars were engineered without equal. And, call me a luddite, but its understated, almost-austere cabin is a joy after the glitzy, over-complicated tech-fest that passes for a dashboard in 2017. Prices for this 80s super-coupe are rising fast, and justifiably so.
Works for me
BMW also owns Mini, of course, so Martin’s kept an example of both Works GP hot hatches for the fleet. The original Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit (to bestow its full, tongue-twisting title) was launched in 2006, with a total of 2,000 assembled by Bertone in Italy. It boasted a 218hp turbocharged four, a mechanical limited-slip diff and a strut brace instead of a rear seat. Serious stuff.
The second Mini GP debuted in 2012, with a stiffer chassis, bigger brakes, adjustable coilover suspension, an electronic diff and a downforce-inducing rear diffuser. The result was akin to a road-legal Mini Challenge car and – again – only 2,000 were made.
Blue-chip BMWs
Our tour of BMW’s heritage collection concludes with a visit to a nondescript multi-storey car park. Here, in a locked area screened from public view, are two undisputed stars of the heritage collection. The 328 roadster is exquisitely pretty, yet looks tiny for a car worth at least £750,000. It was launched in 1936, three years before Hitler plunged Germany into World War Two, and won its first ever race at the newly-built Nürburgring.
The car parked alongside is worth price as much, however: a cool £1.5 million. The V8-engined 507 is, of course, the inspiration for the Z8 and just 252 were made between 1956 and 1959. Aside from its neat ‘5 BMW’ number plate, this example has the optional hard-top roof. Elvis Presley owned one, famously, and if it’s good enough for The King…
Nissan has launched a new entry-level version of the Micra, with a three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine producing an insurance-friendly 71hp. How insurance-friendly? The firm is claiming it’s the cheapest car in its class to insure.
The low-power Micra joins the existing 0.9-litre turbo and 1.5-litre dCi turbodiesel, and is expected to quickly make up 1 in 5 Nissan supermini sales in the UK. Europe-wide, it may rise even higher, to a quarter of all Micra sales.
That’s despite 0-62mph taking a yawning 16.4 seconds. Never mind that, reckons Nissan – look at 61.4mpg combined economy, CO2 emissions of 103g/km, and an insurance rating of a lowest-possible group 1.
Indeed, every variant is rated in group 1: the £11,995, Visia, £12,945 Visia+ and £14,145 Acenta.
Ordering is open now but, before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to check the 0.9-litre turbo petrol alternative, won’t you? In Visia+ spec, it’s just under £1,000 pricier – yet cuts more than four seconds from the 0-62mph time, while actually proving even more fuel-efficient.
The 64.2mpg combined economy is backed up by a sub-100g/km CO2 figure, too. OK, the insurance rating rises to group 3 but, unless cheapest-possible insurance is absolutely paramount, we’d advise bypassing the 1.0-litre and choosing the 0.9-litre instead.
In this instance, good things really do come in smaller packages.
Read more:
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The 2018 Land Rover Discovery Commercial is a new van version of the firm’s full-size 4×4, and ordering is now open with prices starting from £40,333 plus VAT (that’s £48,695 on the road). Deliveries of the Discovery van begin in spring 2018.
To show off its 1,856 litres of load space, Land Rover teamed up with ‘Christmas tree through your letterbox’ retailer Bloom & Wild, to pack in 300 Christmas trees and transport them from its Netherlands farm back to the UK. Cue one distinctively-liveried Discovery Commercial, and a video to showcase its versatility.
The new Discovery Commercial is the latest in a line of Discovery vans dating back to the original 1989 Discovery 1, and JLR UK MD Jeremy Hicks said it has always been a key part of the range. “But the latest version brings new levels of practicality, versatility, and premium levels of comfort that showcase the vehicles’ hard-working DNA.”
A two-seater, the Discovery Commercial replaces the second and third row of seats with a tough rubber-lined interior and metal bulkhead behind the front seats to stop errant loads sliding forward.
The loadspace is 1,635mm long, 1,411mm wide and 939mm high. Land Rover says square loads measuring 1,000mm by 735mm will fit through the boot – and all Discovery Commercials come with a powered tailgate as standard. The 3.5-tonne towing capacity remains.
It’s good news for the image-conscious, too. Land Rover hasn’t fitted metal-covered rear panels; instead, it’s tinted the rear window glass, meaning the Discovery Commercial is pretty much indistinguishable from a regular Discovery with dark-tinted rear glass. The neighbours need never know your new Disco is a VAT-free van for business use.
The Discovery Commercial is offered in S, SE and HSE trim, with either a 2.0 SD4 240hp four-cylinder turbodiesel, or a 3.0 TD6 258hp V6 turbodiesel. Both are 4WD, come with an eight-speed automatic as standard, and also have a two-speed transfer box and air suspension. Terrain Response is standard: surface-sensing Terrain Response 2 is optional.
What else is standard? InControl Touch Pro, cruse control, autonomous emergency braking, grained leather electric seats and 19-inch alloys: for £4,600 extra, the SE adds LED front headlamps, two-zone climate control and all-round parking sensors, plus heated front seats and Navigation Pro infotainment.
The HSE costs £5,200 over SE and includes 20-inch alloys, Windsor leather seats, Meridian audio, electric steering column, keyless entry, rear-view camera and an adaptive speed limiter with traffic sign recognition. Far from your stripped-out commercial van tool.
But then, it has the price tag to match: on the road, a range-topping Land Rover Discovery Commercial 3.0 TD6 HSE costs £59,995…
You might assume that drivers in rural areas are more likely to hit the road while over the drink-drive limit, thanks poor public transport and the countryside providing a myriad of back roads open to motorists avoiding the attention of the police. However, new research by the RAC reveals that more than a quarter of Londoners believe they’ve been drunk behind the wheel, compared to just 11 percent of those living in rural areas.
It comes as the RAC looks to highlight the ‘morning after’ issue, in a bid to get every motorist to make sure they are safe to drive the next day over the Christmas season.
In total, 16 percent of the 1,727 drivers questioned by the RAC say they think they have been guilty of drink-driving, either immediately after consuming alcohol or the morning after a late-night drinking session. While just two percent admit to driving over the limit shortly after consuming a drink, one in 10 say they believe they’ve driven while over the limit the next morning.
“It is vital that everyone who has been drinking leaves sufficient time for their body to process the alcohol they have consumed,” said the RAC’s road safety spokesman, Pete Williams. “The trouble is everyone metabolises alcohol at different rates so the message has to be to err on the side of caution by leaving extra time before deciding to drive, or better still to use an alternative form of transport such as bus, taxi or train, or get a lift from a friend or colleague.
“If you are having to think whether you are sober enough to drive then the answer is you probably aren’t.”
Official statistics show there has been little change in the number of casualties from reported road accidents between 2012 and 2016, where one of the drivers or riders involved was under the influence of alcohol. In both years, 143 people lost their lives in such accidents, and very similar numbers did so in the years in between, totalling 702 over the five years.
The research also revealed there is extensive general public support for a UK-wide reduction in the legal blood-alcohol limit to 50 milligrams per 100ml – as enforced in Scotland – or even to 20 milligrams, with six in 10 British motorists saying they are in favour of 50mg or less becoming law.
Williams added: “Apart from the obvious dangers of being involved in accidents when drink-driving, police forces will be actively targeting drink-drivers during December so anyone found to be over the limit risks losing their licence as well as a hefty fine.”
Read more:
Revealed: the shocking ways drink-drivers avoid the police
It’s 50 years since the roadside breathalyser was introduced
Modern Mini is to become a bit more modern-looking from March 2018, with the roll-out of a “future-oriented” logo across the range that reinterprets the brand’s badge in a contemporary flat design style.
The current logo has been used since 2001, and is a stylised 3D interpretation of the classic British Rover Group (RIP) badge used on retro Minis since 1996. The BMW Group-owned firm has now decided to ‘reduce it down to the essentials’.
Key graphic elements are preserved, say the firm’s graphic design whizzes: “The preservation of the fundamental, tradition-steeped motif of a winged wheel with the brand name printed in capital letters at the centre ensures the logo will be instantly recognzed”.
But the shading and grey tones of the old logo have been removed, and it’s now fully depicted in black and white. This, apparently, “conveys the authenticity and clarity”, and the fact it’s now a 2D logo rather than 3D ensures it can be used more universally. This is great news for the firm’s branding division, which will be able to use the Mini tag more liberally in many more applications, including digitally.
Mini’s going to fit it to all new models from 2018, on the bonnet and bootlid, the centre of the steering wheel and the remote control keyfob.
The new logo was first seen back in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. That it’s taken this long to reach production cars shows the complexities involved in producing cars. Even redesigning the remote keyfob alone, and rolling it out across the range in high volume, is anything but straightforward…
The safest new cars of 2017 have been revealed, ahead of judging to discover which is the overall winner of the ‘safest of the safe’ title. Every car in the list has a five-star Euro NCAP safety score, and each is fitted with standard Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB).
A panel of judges will decide the overall winner in early 2018: Thatcham Research says this year’s focus is on emerging technologies to prevent accidents, rather than simply looking at how well cars protect occupants in the event of an accident.
In alphabetical order, the 10 safest cars of 2017 are:
Honda Civic
The first Brit-built Honda Civics didn’t get a five-star Euro NCAP rating: it was, however, later reassessed and finally claimed the coveted full-star score – including a very strong 88 percent rating for safety assist systems.
Mercedes-Benz X-Class
Double-cab pickups perhaps aren’t the first vehicles you think of when considering the safest cars on the road, so it’s full credit to Mercedes-Benz for ensuring its all-new X-Class pickup is one of 2017’s most highly-rated new models.
Subaru Impreza
Subaru has two cars in the top 10 contenders for 2017’s safest car. The Impreza is an all-wheel drive hatchback alternative to a Volkswagen Golf…
Subaru XV
… While the XV is a chunky crossover SUV that’s targeting stylish new models such as the Volvo XC40.
Toyota C-HR
A heady 95 percent adult occupant protection rating for the Toyota C-HR makes it one of the most impressive compact crossovers, trading blows with the Volkswagen T-Roc. A 78 percent safety assist score is also strong.
Vauxhall Insignia
Vauxhall has really gone to town with occupant protection in the latest Insignia Grand Sport. Its five-star safety score included an impressive 93 percent adult occupant protection rating.
Volkswagen Arteon
Executive car buyers after a dash of standout style can choose an Arteon instead of a Passat safe in the knowledge they won’t be compromising safety.
Volkswagen T-Roc
The Volkswagen T-Roc is expected to become a top-10 best-seller in 2018. It’s thus good news that the stylish SUV alternative to a Golf hatchback is one of 2017’s very safest models – its 96 percent adult occupant protection score is very impressive.
Volvo S90 / V90
Volvo rightly has a peerless reputation for safety. Its S90 saloon and V90 estate are jam-packed with autonomous safety tech that prevent accidents as ably as the cars themselves protect occupants in the event of one.
Volvo XC60
The XC60 is Volvo’s premium SUV alternative to the BMW X3 and upcoming Jaguar E-Pace. Its long list of safety technology makes it a 2017 class-leader.
Safest car must-fit: AEB
AEB is the absolute must-have feature in 2017 – and in 2018, no car without it as standard will be allowed to score a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. “It’s an essential standard-fit safety system, just like the seatbelt,” said Thatcham Research director Matthew Avery. “If the car doesn’t have AEB, walk away and find one which does.”
Safest car must-fit: Lane-Keep Assist
Thatcham Research insists that the safest cars of 2017 should also have standard Lane-Keep Assist tech. This doesn’t just keep cars within lanes on the motorway, but also steers vehicles away from road edges, thus preventing cars running off the road.
Safest car must-fit: Cyclist and pedestrian detection
Autonomous Emergency Braking can do more than just detect cars ahead. The most advanced systems will also watch for vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians. They’re harder for basic AEB systems to track, as their movements are more erratic: systems that use better sensors and algorithms to detect cyclists and pedestrians are worth looking out for.
The final Euro NCAP safety scores of 2017 are in – and it’s a disappointing end to the year with six cars scoring just three points… and the revised Fiat Punto earning the first-ever ZERO Euro NCAP rating.
There were some full-house five-points scores to offset things, but Euro NCAP reckons it’s still a let-down that so many cars have earned average ratings: often, the reason for the poor scores is simply a decision by car manufacturers not to fit vital safety kit as standard.
Some of the cars have been on sale for a few years and have recently been facelifted: Euro NCAP’s retested them to allow consumers to make a fair comparison to new models.
Euro NCAP secretary general Michiel van Ratingen said: “The fact that older cars cannot compete illustrates the pace at which the vehicle industry is innovating safety, and the willingness and ability of competitive manufacturers to meet the highest standards.”
Matthew Avery is a director at Thatcham Research, which is the British partner in the Euro NCAP organisation. He picked out the upmarket French DS brand for criticism. In November, the DS 7 Crossback achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating – and came with standard-fit AEB and Lane Departure Warnings.
DS is a premium brand, but Citroen has made a clear decision with the DS 3, offering AEB as an option only.
It comes down to simple decision-making, he said. “Some are choosing to prioritise the fitment of technologies to support drivers and bring down accident rates. Others are not.”
Things should change in 2018, he added: it will be impossible for a car to score a five-star Euro NCAP rating without standard Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB).
It wasn’t just the lack of standard AEB that let down the December three-star cars, either. The Ford C-Max not only had little standard safety technology, they also performed below expectations in crash impact testing: both adult and child occupant scores were worse than average, said Avery.
Zero Euro NCAP points
The latest Fiat Punto is the standard car in the latest tests. It’s a revised version of the model first launched in 2005, and shows just how far car safety technology has progressed: a 51 percent score for adult occupant protection is more than 30 percent worse than average.
The car also earned Euro NCAP’s first-ever 0 percent rating for safety assist technologies. “This is essentially an old car,” said Avery, “but that should have sharpened the focus on fitting safety technologies to counteract it’s dated crash performance.”
The latest test cancels the Fiat’s originally decent rating back in 2005. “Euro NCAP frequently raises the bar in the testing regime,” said Avery: this test strikingly illustrates that.
Five-star Euro NCAP cars
Other cars showed how it should be done, scoring five stars in the December 2017 Euro NCAP tests:
BMW 6 Series
Hyundai Kona
Jaguar F-Pace
Kia Stinger
Toyota Yaris
Although all 16 cars tested in November 2017 scored five stars, the latest results show that a full Euro NCAP score is not a given. It all comes down to whether car manufacturers fit life-saving technologies as standard, or choose to cut costs by relegating them to the options list – or, in the car of Fiat, not offer them at all…
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The safest new cars of 2017 have been revealed, ahead of judging to discover which is the overall winner of the ‘safest of the safe’ title. Every car in the list has a five-star Euro NCAP safety score, and each is fitted with standard Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB).
The final Euro NCAP safety scores of 2017 are in – and it’s a disappointing end to the year with six cars scoring just three points… and the revised Fiat Punto earning the first-ever ZERO Euro NCAP rating.