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Sibling rivalries can be very difficult indeed. The highly competitive game of oneupmanship between brothers and sisters is something parents have to deal with as their children grow up. Peugeot, Citroen and Toyota each have a variation of a shared city car, and just like their previous generations, they fight for the same attention. The Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108 are all technically the same car, however, each has its own flavour. Aygo attempts to be cheeky with a slogan like “go fun yourself.” C1 arguably is the most visually unique of the bunch, whilst the 108 appears to be the most grown up. What does the latter French connection have to offer? The Peugeot 108 Allure 1.2 arrived to facilitate an answer.
Looks are entirely subjective, but to my eyes at least, the Peugeot 108 is the best looking of the bunch. Some might say it is too subtle but I quite like the modest chrome detailing around the grill and neat adoption of the Peugeot family face. This Peugeot 108 1.2 Allure was the five door model adding some practicality to this little car. Its Zircon Grey paint complimented the 15 inch alloy wheels which come as standard when Allure trim is selected. Just like the 107 before it, a darkened glass boot lid sits between the rear lights. The 108 is a neat design which will appeal to those who maybe want a more sober looking car. That is unless you go through the customisation options, in which case you can make it as outgoing and girly as you please. For me as a bloke, the plain and simple silver suits me fine. Although I would choose to have the optional fabric roof for when the summer returns.
For such a small car it is far from claustrophobic on the inside. Two substantial seats hold you in place up front, our test car had these optioned in a questionable tartan design, but each to their own. The steering wheel with its button mounted media controls sits just ahead of a large speedometer with a vertical rev counter, a nice stylistic touch. A large touchscreen infotainment display give you access to Bluetooth and DAB radio, a smartphone app enables further interaction between phone and car. In the back are two seats which can occupy adults, not just children, thanks to good levels of head and leg room. This car without the electric fabric top does gain some added head space over a model fitted with it. The aforementioned seats can be folded flat but the boot individually is capable of carrying a few bags and not much more, however, this is similar to competitors in the segment.
This Peugeot 108 Allure 1.2 possesses keyless entry and so starting the engine involves simply pressing a button. The 108 does have a considerable advantage over the Aygo in that it has two engine options. Firstly the 1.0 litre engine which the Aygo also has, but then there is this 1.2 81BHP unit which it doesn’t. The latter means that motorways won’t be quite so much hard work whereas the formers 67BHP means the city is where that engine belongs. At idle there is a notable vibration from the 108, however, these dies down one the three cylinder engine gets underway. This being a little city car it isn’t going to be the fastest thing on four wheels, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyable to drive. Work its five speed gearbox and allow the thrum of its engine to go free, it can indeed put a smile on your face. It is quite keen to change direction making it ideal for life in a busy city, but that can also play to your advantage on twisty roads. Its skinny little tyres do mean grip is limited when you push the car, but in normal driving manor its behaviour is more than polite. The steering is light which is again good for buzzing about town and a rear reversing camera makes parking easy even in the smallest of spaces. On a motorway there is road and wind noise which might become grating on longer journeys, however, if you are commuting long distances in a 108 I’d suggest that you might have purchased the wrong type of car. That said, it can hold its own on these fast stretches of road with it being more than capable of making an overtake. In mixed condition we average 52MPG from this Peugeot 108 Allure 1.2.
The Peugeot 108 is a likeable little car and is visually different enough from its competitors to give it its own identity. Choosing between the C1 and 108 comes down to personal preference but both are accomplished successors to their popular forefathers. This car in particular came to £11,395 in its Allure trim with metallic paint. With the smaller 1.0 engine you can have a new 108 from £8,245.
The Citroen 2CV is a real power to the people icon. At a time when many in France still relied upon horses and were trying to recover from the Second World War, the 2CV in 1948 proposed a practical, cheap to buy and even cheaper to run alternative. All of a sudden people could afford to become mobile and in total Citroen produced over 3.8 Million of these cars. Make no mistake, this was France’s Mini. The revolution continued all the way through to 1990 when production ended, however, the French company say that their latest model harks back to its affordable and minimalist forefather. This 2014 Citroen C4 Cactus FlairPureTech 110 demonstrates why.
Looking more like a concept car or modern sculpture at the Louvre in Paris, the Cactus has to be one of the most unique looking car since the original Fiat Multipla, only this can be considered attractive. Our test car exhibits a slightly more restrained flavour of aesthetic over a “hello yellow” counterpart, we shall be road testing the highlighter inspired colour scheme on another model in the coming weeks, but this Shark Grey still shows what an incredibly different car this is. Its highly positioned band of LED lights sits above the headlights, breaking up the conventional one piece design. Contrasting the bodywork are these rather alien “AirBumps” which serve to not only make this C4 Cactus something you stop and stare at, but protect the car from minor collisions with objects. Factor in some red detailing and this cars 17 inch black alloy wheels, you can’t help but commend Citroen for being so bold.
The cabin is minimalist in a bid to save weight, not too dissimilar in ethos to the 2CV, but it is by no means conservative in design. A 7 inch touchscreen display is the landmark on the console. From here you control everything from satellite navigation to the air conditioning leaving the remainder of the space to contribute towards the cabins airy feel. This “screen does all” tactic also spears into the instrument panel which is formed from a single rectangular screen displaying speed, mileage and fuel levels. The interior of this car was top specification Flair meaning that two large cloth and leather seats comfort passengers in the front whilst the rear bench supports three. There is plenty of space in the back, however, said rear bench folds flat as one as opposed to a more practical split-fold. Thanks to a very clever thermally insulated panoramic roof, there is loads of light let into the car whilst uncomfortable temperatures are kept at bay. Other neat features within the cabin include luggage inspired leather door handles and stylish dash-mounted satchel-styled glovebox.
This 2014 Citroen C4 Cactus FlairPureTech 110 is powered by a 1.2 litre three cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Whilst that might not seem like very much for a family car, this unit performs where it counts. Producing 110HP and 151lb ft of torque, of the petrol engines on offer this is the one to go for. With maximum torque available from just 1,500rpm it is ideal for the urban sprawl when leaping out of a junction in a timely manor means the deference between getting the kids to school on time or not. A claimed 60.1MPG is pleasing and a benefit of the car only weighing 1,190KG. Another plus of carrying less weight is that the Cactus handles surprisingly well, especially considering smoothly it rides. You can throw it into a corner and body roll is kept in check whilst you capitalise on the high levels of grip. Keep the momentum up through the corners and the Citroen Cactus is actually a rather enjoyable drive. The steering is well weighted but could do with more feel for increased precision. My only other criticism of this otherwise pleasing car is that there is some wind noise once you get up to speed. Perhaps on motorways this will give you the excuse to try out the excellent sound system.
When all is said and done the 2014 Citroen C4 Cactus FlairPureTech 110 is a very likeable car and if you are after something that stands out in the supermarket carpark, then you would have to try very hard to trump this. CO2 emissions are at just 107g/km making this model green, metaphorically, we are not colourblind. This Cactus came to £19,625 with every option on the list ticked. You can have one from £12,995 but we would advise stepping up to this turbocharged engine as the naturally aspirated option does have to be worked quite hard to make swift progress. Is it a reborn peoples car? In a way it is… Whilst it is not so much a means of ultra cheap transportation like the 2CV, it does encourage people to be more adventurous with what they drive. Who knows, it could start a revolution all of its own if it catches on.
Whilst today it is very hard for a car manufacturer to build a bad car, with competition being so high nobody can afford to, there are many that miss that “feel good factor.” I’m not talking about the exhilaration of the fastest performance cars or the techno-boffin all-singing all-dancing gizmos found in the Mercedes S-Class. Sometimes it is the more simple things in life that can make you enjoy moments more, much like a bag of chips after days of extravagant food. The all-new 2014 Citroen C1 has reminded me that whilst we demand this, that, and the other in our cars these days, the toys are not what make driving enjoyable.
Enter the 2014 Citroen C1. Just like its city car predecessor, this hatchback makes up the triplet shared by Peugeot, Toyota and of course Citroen. Each brand has given the car its own unique look and feel, but it is arguably the Citroen’s styling that is the most extravert.
Its compact shape is full of bold design that makes it stand out much more than the original C1. Large rear headlights and a tinted glass boot lid not only make this car distinctive from behind, but also creates quite a chic rear profile. Chromed door mirrors in tandem with these 15 inch “planet” alloy wheels adds an air of sophistication to this little car. The red contrasting fabric roof of our test car is also a nice touch. Whilst at first the new C1’s squinty face wasn’t to my liking, the narrow band of lights surrounding the larger headlights has grown on me over time. Overall the all-new Citroen C1 is very much a product of modern styling and may even be seen as fashionable, but I’m no authority on that as I think my pair of orange shoes are cool.
Considering the external dimensions of this car, Citroen has pulled off the old Time Lord trick of making it “bigger on the inside.” Seating four with adequate head and leg room, the interiors minimalist design is headed by a large touchscreen display. Pairing this unit to a smartphone gives you access to a wide range of features and apps that can be shared between both car and phone. The interface is clean and easy to use giving occupants access to DAB radio and Bluetooth. The instrument cluster is again simple, but very easy to read at a glance. I am a particular fan of the vertical rev counter that races up and down the left of the wheel. Rear doors give easy access to the backseats but are only equipped with pop-out windows as opposed to ones that wind down. The boot is big enough for a few shopping bags but that is about it. Par for the course when it comes to city cars. Customisation is big thing for the C1 with owners being able to choose the colour of the dashboard and large opening fabric roof.
This specific 2014 Citroen C1 is powered by a rather peppy 1.2 litre petrol engine that loves to rev. Whilst some might complain that the thrum of its three cylinder engine is a bit too intrusive under heavy acceleration, I think it gives the car a bit of character, like a little puppy trying to growl. Maximum torque is produced at 2,750rpm measuring 86lb ft meaning with its size this C1 is ideal for darting out of junctions in a busy urban environment. It is not a quick car, with a 0-62MPH time of 11 seconds, but once you have worked through its 5 speed gearbox it can hold its own even on the motorway. The ride is very compliant and will take on even the most aggressive bumps in the road with ease; however, consecutive bumps do lead to a slight bouncing motion. Leaving the city behind and treating the car to some more spirited driving, you will find the steering light and precise. You will have to work the gears to get the most out of its 82HP engine, but I found this to be quite enjoyable. There is a bit of body roll but it is the C1’s skinny little tyres which leads to understeer when you push it. Trail the brakes into a corner, shifting the weight forward onto the driven wheels, gives the front end a more bite upon fast corner entry. With the roof open and the sun in the sky I couldn’t help but smile driving the C1. We managed to get 52MPG in combined conditions out of this 2014 Citroen C1 without trying too hard.
The 2014 Citroen C1 is a great little car and whilst some competitors might offer a more compelling all-round package, for me the C1 has that “feel good factor.” You can have one of these from £8,245 for the most basic model, but our test car came to a more costly £11,785. Producing just 99g/km of CO2 the cheeky Citroen C1 qualifies for road tax of exactly £0… Just another thing that will make you smile about this car.
As I wrote in a review of a C-segment car just the other day, the quality of cars being produced in Europe at the moment is excellent. Due to the increased competition manufacturers are in a never-ending war of oneupmanship as they fight over class honours. From C-segment cars we see this trickle down to even the small city car class. The Peugeot 108 unveiled to be a rather smart pocket sized companion.
Replacing the Peugeot 107, the 108 miniaturises the French companies latest deign language. The end result is a car that looks modern and weighs just 840KG. Available in both three and five door models, the 108 can be equipped with a retractable fabric roof. Powered by either a 68BHP 1.0 litre VTi or a 1.2 litre VTi with 82BHP, the little Peugeot does not have a diesel option. A five speed manual or automatic gearboxes can be specified. Just like many of its rivals, the 108 has many customisation option on offer to entice younger buyers.
As its predecessor did, the Peugeot 108 will share its platform with the yet to be announced next-generation Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo.
Stereotypically the French are very good at three things… Leave a Frenchman in a Kitchen for any length of time and he will serve you a delicious lunch. Give a Frenchman some paint and he shall create a fine work of art. Tell a Frenchman to build a little hatchback and you won’t be disappointed. Peugeot became famed for their well priced and very honest little cars, but the world has changed over the past decade and I think it is fair to say that the French brand have found it hard going to compete with their biggest rivals. That said, this new Peugeot 208 shows plenty of promise.
It is a good looking little car isn’t it? I think proportionally it is spot on with its wheels pushed deep into each corner of the cars compact yet robust outline. Looking stout and rather handsome in our test cars Bianca White paint, this 208 paints a picture of exactly what a modern hatchback should look like. A premium aesthetic appearance is created by LED lights, aluminium badging and those very smart 16” alloy wheels. We had nothing but compliments about the cars looks the whole time of testing it. With the neighbours cooing over its shapely nature and accomplished aesthetic, it scores highly in the visuals department.
Getting into this 5 door model reveals a cabin of excellent design and quality. Everything tactile feels well made and all the details, be it the blue interior lighting or the sculpted surfaces, make the interior a nice place to be. The central touchscreen on this Allure model gives you access to a DAB radio, Bluetooth as well as a user friendly interface for your phones contacts. Seating in both the front and rear is comfortable and supportive with the front seats in particular offering high levels of bolstering. Rear passengers are also treated to ample leg and head room meaning adults needn’t suffer with cramp, unlike some rivals, if they fail to call “shotgun” fast enough. Despite the amount of space for passengers, boots pace is not impacted and is plentiful for everything from the school run to the weekly family shop. The panoramic glass roof may well be a £400 optional extra, but it does let plenty of natural light into the cabin and doubles as a nice exterior design feature.
Our specific car is the 1.2 litre three cylinder petrol engine model that aims to offer low running costs. The engine runs smooth at both high and low speeds keeping noise to a minimum when maintaining a steady velocity. That said, give the throttle a good hard prod and a loud typically three cylinder thrum can be heard. Now personally I don’t mind the noise of these engines hard at work but others do and due to this unit only having 82BHP it does need to be worked hard to cover ground quickly. Whilst a 0-62MPH time of 12.2 seconds is uninspiring, what is commendable is this cars ability to settle down to a motorway cruise. At 70MPH the cabin is relatively quiet and the tranquility creates a pleasant environment for those often tediously long motorway journeys. Simply setting the cruise control and tuning into Capital on the radio, or connecting a Bluetooth device such as an iPod, makes for an easy trip. Around town the 208 is geared well even if changes in this 5 speed manual were a bit lacklustre. The turning circle of the car teamed with nimble handling make urban environments easy to conquer. More exuberant driving reveals a good chassis and a quick steering rack thats effect is enhanced by a small steering wheel.. In fact revving the nuts off of a little engine like this and the 208s willingness to be thrown into corners makes it rather enjoyable on country roads, the only downside is the suspensions ability to control body roll. In fast bends its lean is noticeable, but then if you were to continue to drive the car like a hooligan I would suggest that the GTi model might be better suited to you.
The Peugeot 208 marks a return to form from the French brand with interior quality and overall design making it an alluring proposition over its competitors. This 208 with its series of toys including parking assist, a feature that enables the car to do the steering whilst parking which we strongly recommend if you live in a busy city, costs £14,345. At that price it does put itself in the direct line of fire from equally well equipped competition, though less stylish competition it has to be said. Consumers now demand higher quality products but, like everything, they want it at a lower price. This little car provides a fine platform for the urban assault whilst returning good fuel economy.
It is one of the only sectors of the automotive market that hasn’t seen decline despite the harsh economic environment the industry has had to endure. Crossovers demonstrate many of the qualities the modern car buyer wants from a product such as a high driving position, practicality, but also for the car itself not to be too big overall. These baby SUVs have boomed over the years and with the automotive industry seeing things improve over the past year in particular, they are only set to increase in their popularity. Peugeot have joined the sector with their new 2008.
Aiming to take on rivals such as the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, not to mention the up and coming Ford EcoSport, the 2008 has some strong competition. However, with keen pricing and a model range offering some of the latest technologies, Peugeot feel that their newest car is well equipped to mount an offensive against its peers.
Our test car is the Allure model equipped with an 82BHP 1.2 litre engine. Representing Peugeot’s push to promote a more premium appearance, the 2008 is a visually attractive machine with high levels of design detail such as chromed features and a bold silhouette. The front facia, thanks to those angled headlights, looks purposeful giving this crossover plenty of character. Its overall size is right on that sweet spot of not being too big, but clearly not small enough to be mistaken for a supermini. Sporty 16 inch alloy wheels are another eye catching feature. The roof rails and front scuff plate provokes the idea that this car is not just about glamour and appearance, but function.
It is inside where the 2008 really impresses with a modern and stylistic interior that is a very nice place to be. Blue light bathes the cabin and creates an atmosphere not to unlike something you would find in a posh wine bar. Every surface is textured and the aluminium features set a tone of high quality. Its almost full length glass roof is a nice feature, and in my opinion worth the extra £400. The console is dominated by a touchscreen navigation system that gives you access to all of the cars infotainment. Seating in the front is excellent, genuinely some of the best seats in the class, offering high levels of bolstering and lower back support. In the rear, though headroom in good, the middle passenger may find leg room restrictive. The Peugeot 2008 has a generous boot with a low loading lip making those trips to the supermarket a little bit easier.
Driving the Peugeot 2008 VTi 82 reveals a competent package. The steering is responsive and the cars little steering wheel does make it feel very agile. The brakes are also something to compliment as they have good feel and are very capable of stopping the vehicle in a hurry. Body roll is noticeable through tight turns but this is due to the cars hight, often a trade off in this class. Another factor in the lateral movement of the car is its suspension as whilst the ride isn’t too harsh, the softer set-up does not help the body movement. The 1.2 litre engine engine pulls well but like any small capacity petrol engine the majority of the power is higher up in the rev range meaning a bit of a noisy hum under hard acceleration. Its 5 speed manual gear box worked well in combination with the engine and the two are perfectly happy to cope with prolonged motorway journeys. The refinement in the cabin makes the driving experience relaxing and setting the cruise control on long journeys further reinforces this. This 2008 also did well on fuel averaging over 50MPG after a a series of motorway and urban drives. On the subject of urban environments, our car was fitted with “Park Assist” a £300 option that gives the 2008 the ability to parallel park by itself. It is very impressive and in the busy streets of London it didn’t miss a beat. Visibility is good thanks to large windows and in tandem with this cars proportions, makes it easy to drive.
The Peugeot 2008 Allure VTi 82 is very good effort from the French company and whilst the diesel option my well be a sound choice for continuous motorway pounding, in a populated town or city the little petrol was an enjoyable drive. Pricing is orchestrated well with one of these Allure models costing a competitive £15,095. A good all-round package that offers style and something a bit different from its competitors, the 2008 will no doubt sell well.
Today I have been asked to write about my first car by Money Supermarket for a series they are running and in many ways it is just like talking about one of your first relationships. It is a complicated story of surprise, compromise, admiration, pain and sorrow. My first cars story begins in a rather questionable part of town after seeing an equally questionable advert on the internet.
Before I begin let me just say that I am not the Vauxhall Corsa’s biggest fan. In many cases it is a rather bland meaningless expression of utilitarian “getting from A to B.” So why was I on my way to potentially purchase one? The answer is simple when you factor in that I was a teenage boy. IT WAS CHEAP. I first laid eyes on this, what I thought at the time, perfectly ordinary 1999 Vauxhall Corsa B with its only real redeeming feature being that it was an SXI meaning it had sport alloy wheels and a subtle boot spoiler. Though these cars are normally the disastrous victim of “The Fast and The Furious” inspired tat, this example was showroom standard.
It was silver and had been reasonably well looked after with 80,000 miles on the clock. I was rather reluctant to take a test drive because it would likely seal my fate of this car being my first, but being young and eager to buy something that week I decided to give it a go. Starting it up resulted in a slightly gruff ticking over of the engine, but nothing to arouse suspicion at this point. Once clear of the forecourt I did what any teenage boy with his best friend in the passenger seat does on an empty industrial estate. I put my foot down. To my surprise the little hatchback leapt into action even chirping the tyres as I changed gear. Something wasn’t right here, not only did it seem quicker than anticipated but the hard revving engine sounded particularly pleasant. Now don’t go assuming that this was all down to my lack of experience with cars. I have been a petrol head since before I could walk and even professionally started my own motoring journal at 17. Track days were a common occurrence even before I my first car and exotic machinery was often on the menu. So returning to the forecourt I opened the bonnet and quite accidentally cracked a smile. Beneath that thin sheet of metal was indeed a Vauxhall Corsa engine, but this one was from a much newer model making the cars power to weight ratio considerably better than it should be. I phoned my Dad asking his advice to which he offered three words. “Leave it alone.” So naturally I ignored him and put down a deposit.
Over the year and a bit that I owned the Corsa SXI I learned to admire its ability to blend in to any car park but race out of it like a scolded cat. It’s lack of mass and relatively new engine meant that whilst the transmission wined like hell, due to the mismatch of components, it was a riot to drive. Nimble, responsive and practical enough to bundle your mates into. Me and that car road tripped to Wales, drove through tarmac that still hadn’t set, flew through the air after forgetting there was a big dip in the road ahead. It had left a lasting impression. So how did this story of a boy and his misfit car end? Not well…
I was out one day and had decided not to take my car as it was one of those rare sunny occasions in England. What had been a pleasant afternoon in the sun was about to be ruined by a phone call from my mother. When I answered my ringing mobile my Mum had a worried tone to her voice whilst asking me to get home as soon as possible. She wouldn’t tell me why. I rushed home thinking that maybe someone had died or that she needed my help urgently. The sight I saw as I rounded the last corner to get home answered my curiosity. All I could see at first was my car half up on the pavement and I knew, I just knew that wasn’t going to get any better from here on in. As I got closer I noticed the rear wheel that was up and on the pavement had been bent under the chassis with the force of the car being pushed up the curb. I walked around to the drivers side where a dent the depth of a wheelbarrow sat just behind the door accompanied by a trail of red paint on the body and scorched tyre marks on the tarmac. Someone had ploughed into the side of my car and driven off. I felt so angry that I slammed my hand against the carcass of what was my car. But after the rage subsided came the tears and the sorrow. I cried like a child. Though it was just a box of nuts and bolts, it was my box of nuts and bolts and even before an inspector told me that the chassis was twisted, I knew it was beyond repair.
So that was it. The end my very first car story. Your experience with your first car is about so much more than you buying a machine. It is about the times it made you smile, the times it made you cry, those adventures and silly little trips you went on with your mates and the time it made you poor when it went wrong. But most of all it is about being glad you bought it.
Your first car is like your first girlfriend. Many more will follow, but it will always be your first.
In a world of ever towering costs and unavoidable expenditure £6,000 doesn’t actually go as far as what you might think. In fact, according to GQ magazine that is just about the “price of a decent watch…” From a motoring perspective that money, unless you are buying second hand, gets you absolutely nothing, not a sausage. That was until the Dacia Sandero came along. Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the cheapest new car on sale in the UK today.
Now normally when we talk about the cheapest car on sale we are looking at horrifically soulless and hysterically basic machines such as the Perodua Kelisa. Thankfully that undeniably poor and potentially suicide inducing machine has been euthanised. Dacia are a new brand to the UK and their aim is to produce a car from one segment for the cost of another in a lower one. For example; our Sandero Access test car is in the same category as the Ford Fiesta, but you can have one for £5,995 making it as cheap as a supermini. How? Well Dacia are a sub-brand of Renault and as the French company develops parts and conducts costly R&D for its cars, Dacia benefits from sharing these new components but does not incur the cost of producing them. The result is a car that can undercut competitors by a considerable margin. What makes the Sandero different to the intolerable Kelisa is that Perodua had to make the car cheap and nasty to keep costs down, Dacia on the other hand have access to good quality parts at low prices from the get-go.
Granted, the Sandero isn’t going to be winning any beauty pageants in the near future with its rather stocky generic small car shape, but it isn’t exactly ugly either. The Access model, lovingly known as “UN spec,” only comes in white with black plastic bumpers. It actually doesn’t even come with a stereo but Dacia’s philosophy is that you can pay only for what you want. For a small amount Dacia will fit your Sandero with a stereo if that is what you wish, but if you don’t all the wiring is in place for you to go to Halfords and pop a £40 unit in yourself. The low budget airline way of thinking extends to the warranty also meaning that if you want it you can pay a little bit extra for a 7 year warranty that stays with the car even after it is sold.
So what do you get at the absolute cheapest price? The Sandero Access is powered by a 1.2 litre 16 valve 74BHP engine that is perfectly adequate for the size of car. Seating five in a cabin that offers plenty of leg and head room, you can’t fault it for the amount of space on offer. Some of the plastics don’t look very appealing to the eye but every surface does have a very durable feel to it which is quite an achievement in a car that costs this little. The seats are actually rather comfortable and my only real ergonomic gripe with the Access is that the plastic steering wheel isn’t the most comfortable thing to grip for extended periods of time, but again only an extra £500 would move you up a trim level. The boot of this Dacia is vast for the size of car. 320 litres of shopping space as well as split-folding rear seats makes this a very practical car indeed.
The little 1.2 litre engine is surprisingly smooth around town and won’t leave you cursing at junctions about not having the grunt to take advantage of a gap. When you get up to speed the engine doesn’t produce the sweetest sound combustion has gifted us but it is passable. The lack of sound proofing at over 45MPH is noticeable with wind and road noise filling the cabin, to combat this we recommend that optional stereo. Through the corners the steering is nice and direct giving the Sandero quite a nimble feel, though body roll when cornering at speed is a bit more than what we would have liked. The suspension has a lot to do with the roll but the trade is that the car is good at tackling Britons battered roads. Potholes and cracks don’t appear to phase the little car all that much. Pushing the car harder is quite entertaining as it reveals its no frills, pure function character. As it pitches into a turn revving highly in its gruff voice you can help but smile at its try hard attitude. The Dacia Sandero is, even in it most basic form, enjoyable to drive.
In conclusion, this Sandero Access is a refreshingly honest car in a highly competitive market. It is an eye opener showing that a “good car” does not need all of the toys under the sun to be classed as good. This is not a machine that could take on class leaders such as the Fiesta, but for the money you will not find a better brand new car.
The undisputed capital of romance, fine cuisine and fashion will next month play host to Vauxhall’s newest arrival, the pocket sized ADAM. Revealed for the first time last month, the ADAM will be taking to the catwalk at the Paris Motor Show from the 27th September and aims to add an injection of much needed chic to Vauxhall’s city car line up where the none-too-sexy Agila falls short.
Though sadly lacking a dozen red roses and a Michelin Star chef on purchase (we assume), the ADAM will take plenty of Parisian inspiration in the field of fashion, providing prospective customers with a level of personalisation normally exclusive to the luxury end of the market. The countless interior and exterior styling combinations will be based around three questionably named trim options; ‘JAM’ for a fashionable and colourful look, ‘GLAM’ for elegance and sophistication and ‘SLAM’ for a sporty feel. We can only speculate on an eighties throwback ‘WHAM!’ variant for future release.
Although Vauxhall claim that the ADAM bucks the current design trend in the small car segment, we think there is more than a hint of the DS3’s about their latest offering. Maybe it is unfair to draw that parallel as the two are realistically in different fields of combat, but if the ADAM is trying to take a page out of that particular styling book, it is certainly learning from one of the best in the business.
Offered with a choice of three four-cylinder petrol engines, including the 70 BHP 1.2-litre and the 100 BHP 1.4-litre, all available with optional Start/Stop technology, the ADAM will eventually adopt Vauxhall’s new-generation small petrol engine with an all-new six-speed gearbox.
So, can Vauxhall really transform itself in to a fashion statement? Fanciful it might sound, but if you are going to start turning heads and catching admiring glances, there is nowhere better to do it than in the most fashionable city in the world.
Expect the ADAM to hit UK showrooms in early 2013.
Renaults current Scenic is a brilliant people mover. Over the years its design both inside and out have moved it to the top of its class. In fact, you could even call it an attractive MPV, not something heard often. Above its appearance is its functionality, after all that is why you would buy such a car, that is sublime. The French aim to build upon their formula for success with the updated 2012 model.
The New Scenic is just as good to look at as the previous model bringing a new more sculpted front bumper, muscular body line and more refined rear end. Two new engines have been added to the range, a 1.2 litre petrol and a 1.5 litre diesel, tightening the cars grip within its class. Renaults involvement in F1means that this car can be fitted with break energy recovery systems and brag about it in the brochure.
The 2012 Renault Scenic goes on sale in February. Ca va?
