For those who enjoy driving, when the day comes to buy something more practical it is often a sad one. Trading keen handling for boot space is the usual formula for anyone with a growing family and for the person behind the wheel, there much missed MX-5 has become a thing of the past. However, Mazda point out that things do not have to be this way and that their Mazda 6 2.2 150ps Tourer Sport Nav Diesel offers dynamic handling as well as all of the more day-to-day necessities.
We have the keys to a 2.2 litre diesel Mazda 6 Tourer of which it much be said, looks thoroughly modern. Just like the new Mazda 3 and CX-5, the 6 is built around the Japanese companies Kodo ethos of design. Its long profile flatters itself with vast sweeping lines and a highly sculpted profile. To be honest it makes a lot of other cars in this class look, well, a bit dull. In its Snowflake White Pearl paint the Mazda 6 Tourer looks every inch the premium product.
Whilst the interior doesn’t offer the same flamboyance as the exterior and when compared with its new baby brother, the Mazda 3, it doesn’t look quite as fresh. That said, its clear logical placement of controls and uncluttered console is very functional. There is a lot of space in the 6 for occupants with rear seating being especially roomy. Plenty of leg and head room in tandem with a comfortable rear bench should keep parents safe from the almost inevitable cries of “are we nearly there yet?!” The boot offers 1,632 litres of capacity which is good but not quite class leading. Entry level cars are well equipped but this being the top specification Sport Nav model it gets the full heated leather treatment, dual zone climate control, reversing camera and 5.8 inch touchscreen satellite navigation. All-in-all the cabin is a comfortable place to be.
With the family boxes ticked keeping the wife, children and dog happy, we should turn our attention to how it drives… The Mazda 6 2.2 150ps Tourer Sport Nav Diesel produces 148BHP and 380Nm of torque. That torque is at its peak from as low as 1,800rpm meaning that this car is perfect for those situations where you need to be quick off of the mark. The car pulls strongly with its Skyactiv engine feeling like it has plenty of guts. Besides pulling power, that aforementioned engine in this 6 Tourer is rated at 67.3MPG combined emitting just 110g/km of CO2. This makes the car frugal on fuel and cheap to tax. Engine noise isn’t the worst in its class but it does find its way into the cabin under acceleration. With smooth and linear power delivery that is our only complaint about the Skyactiv-D motor. Mazda have infused a bit of sports car DNA in the Mazda 6 with its sharp steering and quick rack. Its agility is a defining feature of the cars characteristics making it feel much smaller. The overall driving position is keyed towards enthusiastic drivers as its well bolstered seats sit low in the car. You can place the 6 with confidence on the apex of a corner and its good levels of grip will see it stay there. Another enjoyable aspect is the well-sorted 6 speed manual gearbox which snicks into place in a manner you would expect from a sportier machine. The well sorted chassis and suspension ensures body roll is kept to a minimum, although some might find the resulting ride a tad firmer than they would expect. On motorways the Mazda 6 settles down to a cruise providing a refined experience for the daily commute. On such journeys the cars impressive fuel economy comes into play and with these low running costs company car owners should add the Mazda 6 to their short list. Around town it is easy to drive, although poor rear visibility means that we would suggest the reversing camera to make parking the estate much more convenient.
The Mazda 6 Tourer is a very well accomplished car that stands out from the competition with handsome looks and handling traits very rarely seen in this class. For the man or woman who has to sacrifice their sporty little number for something that suits the family, the 6 certainly retains some of the fun that you desperately do not want to let go of. Our test car at £24,825 with all of its toys isn’t the cheapest estate on the market, but entry level 6’s are well equipped with Bluetooth, 17 inch alloy wheels, cruise control and a touch screen display from as little as £19,595. Considering the level of technology as standard, the Mazda 6 becomes good value for money. This 2.2 litre diesel engine is the pick of the bunch being powerful enough whilst returning excellent fuel economy.
After a nightmarish day at the office where between staring at a computer screen for hours and making endless phone calls, you manage to spill coffee all over your boss’ new suit. The thought of being at home in bed is a welcoming one. However, you have one last obstacle to overcome and it might just be the straw that breaks the camels back. THE COMMUTE HOME! Potentially hours stuck in traffic with a gauze of noisy horns and expletives in the air. Can you make it home before your blood starts boiling? Can the Honda Accord do the job?
The Honda Accord Tourer is made up of clean lines that creates a conservative overall design. Whilst not the flashiest estate in the car park, some rivals have really raised the bar, its chromed trim and polite roof rails promote a sense of maturity and class. This car clearly is not aimed at a younger generation and so its target audience will likely appreciate its more sophisticated appearance. Let us call it “the power of the understatement.” This being the Tourer means that it isn’t a small car, but then its proportions should allow you to reap the benefits inside. Shouldn’t it?
Well, yes and no. There is no denying that the cabin offers a nice amount of space for passengers. Rear head and leg room is generous and large windows allow good amounts of natural light to fill the interior. However, the Accord Tourer has a flaw when it comes to the boot. In this top specification EX model the electric tailgate opens to reveal a big flat loading area. Perfect! The issue I speak of arrises when you fold the rear seats flat and want to load a large object. Two protruding suspension turret housings turn the loading area from a big rectangle into an hourglass shape. This results in not being able to fit wide objects down the length of the car. I know, not a deal breaker, but it could prove to be a slight annoyance considering you would buy this car for its practicality. Moving back into the passenger area, occupants are treated to plush leather heated seats that are fantastically comfortable and typical Honda build quality is seen throughout. Bluetooth and dual zone climate control is also on offer as is a sunroof for those times when you want more of said climate to enter the car. Yet, I have another gripe with the interior… It is horrifically outdated when compared with competitors. A maze of grey buttons and dials illustrated by a digital display similar to that found on an old video tape player? The interface for satellite navigation is like something from Windows ’98 and the clarity of the display isn’t the greatest. Come on Honda! We know the Accord is no spring chicken, but the ergonomics of its rivals are far better.
Thankfully the Accord Tourer is redeemed by the way it drives. Powered by a 2.2 litre diesel i-DTEC engine, it is a strong performer. Its 148BHP is available with a delectable 350Nm of torque meaning that it is more than capable of taking advantage of gaps at junctions and bold overtaking manoeuvres. Power is sent via an automatic gearbox which is absolutely seamless with its cog swapping. Seriously, it is so smooth you could play a game of Jenga and not have your tower of wooden blocks topple over. This Accord also has paddle shifters on the steering wheel for those moments on the school run when you feel like Jenson Button. The ride, though a bit on the firm side, compliments the quick and direct steering resulting in meaningful changes of direction without vast amounts of lateral movement from the body. On the motorway the Honda Accord Tourer makes itself at home. Allowing the automatic gearbox to do its job and setting the cruise control, its quiet engine does all of the work whilst you relax. It is a genuinely soothing drive and one that just about anyone would welcome after a hard day at work. Visibility is adequate in all directions, but our test car was also fitted with a very useful reversing camera which makes parking the big car much easier. The only disappointing factor in the way this car drives is its claimed 44MPG combined, far behind the 72MPG claimed by Mazda’s similarly powerful 2.2 diesel in the 6.
The Honda Accord Tourer’s problem isn’t that it is a bad car, far from it. It is a wonderfully tranquil driving machine that will reliably take you home in comfort come rain or shine. It’s issue is that it is old and whilst you can buy one brand new today, the nameplate hasn’t seen massive changes since 2008. At the £31,990 asking price even of our highly equipped test car, that is a lot to ask for when the competition in this class is of such a high standard. That said, the price might be justifiable to those wanting the peace of mind Honda offer in their build quality.
There are many reasons why the crossover segment is booming. Aesthetically people like the robust looks of a big car as it promotes a sense of security. The high driving position enables a good view over traffic and down onto “lesser” road users. It is also the current fashion to own such a car and those making a large investment do not want to be seen driving something that is “so last generation, darling.” Of course a lot of peoples excuse for buying a an SUV is the odd day when it snows in the UK and that means you will need one with all wheel drive.
This is the revised 2014 Mazda CX-5 2.2 175ps AWD Sport Nav Diesel and if the above sounds close to what you are after, a 4X4 model with a good torque will not send you far wrong. The CX-5 back in 2012 introduced Mazda’s new design language, Kodo. Its fluid body lines and sculpted shape certainly separate it from a class that has become very populated over the years. Being the first of Mazda’s “6th generation” cars the brand has emphasised their desire to offer a premium product in the appearance of the CX-5. This car also introduced a new offering of efficient engines named Skyactiv of which now can be found across the range. For 2014 a refreshed CX-5 brings with it revised suspension, more refinement and some new technology.
Inside the Sport Nav model you will find a cabin upholstered in some rather nice leather and a console that provides excellent ergonomics, even if a little uninspired in its looks. The car seats five in plenty of comfort which the rear quarters supply good head and leg room to passengers not quick enough to call “shotgun.” Its boot is also of a good size. Up front everything you interact with has a nice robust feel to it which is great for a car that will likely become the family workhorse. The infotainment system in this car provides a touchscreen interface for things such as radio, Bluetooth and a built-in TomTom satellite navigation system. The instruments are functional and easy to read with things such as the gear leaver and climate control fall easily to hand. In terms of the driving position, the CX-5 hits the proverbial nail on the head with an arrangement that feels a little bit, dare I say it, sporty.
This sporty flare continues as you hit the road. Despite having a big 2.2 litre diesel engine and a weighty all wheel drive system, this cars agility is astonishing. Obviously the 2WD variant emphasises this further, but even this car feels swift. The immediacy of its change in direction is very commendable not just for an SUV, but in general. Its steering is well weighted allowing for accurate placement of the car on the road. This paired with a nice 6 speed manual gearbox makes for an involving drive. 420Nm of excellent torque is on offer for a 0-62MPH time of 8.8 seconds. This torque plays a huge part in the CX-5’s fun factor, surging the car onwards out of corner exits. Body roll is much less than you would expect from a car of this size enabling you to carry more momentum through sharp bends. The suspension is a tad softer than the 2013 specification but only marginally. However, what you trade for a little bit of ride comfort you gain in handling. On faster road the 2.2 litre Skyactiv diesel goes to work and is more than happy to pound at motorways all day long. Its 170BHP is more than enough for you to make courageous overtaking manoeuvres when faced with a Sunday driver ahead. Engine noise is reduced in the cabin over last year’s car allowing for a bit more refinement, yet under acceleration the diesel engine can be heard quite predominantly. Settle the car back down and order is restored. If you are unlucky enough to stall the car this 2014 CX-5 will restart the engine as soon as the clutch is pressed. Mazda claim that the 2014 Mazda CX-5 2.2 175ps AWD Sport Nav Diesel will achieve 54.3MPG on the combined cycle, an impressive figure for its class.
At £28,395 our test car had all of the bells and whistles including DAB radio, keyless entry, leather and the list goes on… An entry level CX-5 petrol can be had from as little as £21,595. All-in-all the 2014 Mazda CX-5 hasn’t changed dramatically from its inception, but then did it need to? Mazda got the recipe right the first time offering a machine that is very enjoyable to drive.
If you find yourself shopping for a family hatchback you will be spoilt for choice. This is one of the most competitive segments in the automotive industry, and the continuous war between car manufactures for your money means that every year the game of oneupmanship produces even better products. What each brand attempts to do is differentiate their product in some way. If you are looking for a reliable, well priced and fun to drive alternative to a VW Golf, Mazda reckon they might just have something for you.
The 2014 Mazda 3 is a new car from the ground up. Whilst its predecessor was a good car, the likes of Ford’s Focus was a better all-rounder. Todays question is… Can this incarnation finally surpass one of the UK’s best selling cars? Our test car is the 2014 Mazda 3 1.5 100ps SE Nav Petrol and for those who don’t speak Mazda salesman, that translates into an almost entry level hatchback powered by a 1.5 litre Skyactiv petrol engine with 98BHP. The companies new Skyactiv-G petrol unit emits just 119g/km of CO2 and is said to return 56.4MPG.
It has to be said that even without extravagant alloy wheels or posh paint, the new Mazda 3 looks great! Not that its standard 16 inch alloys are anything to complain about. Utilising Mazda’s current design language, Kodo – soul of motion, its energetic body lines and creases give it a dynamic appearance. A long bonnet and chrome grill surround instates Mazda’s intention to push this new 3 upmarket. This model now has an image that very much separates it from others in the C segment.
Inside the cabin has taken a real step-up from its forerunner, introducing a stylised environment that is still ergonomic. These standard cloth seats might not boast all of the electronic gizmos of the top specification car, but they are well bolstered and very supportive. The seating position itself is spot on with the slick 6 speed manual falling to hand and a highly adjustable steering wheel at your disposal. Its instrument binnacle is dominated by a large speedometer supported by two digital displays. It looks very smart, but above all is functional. That is the trend of this interior that packs just enough style but plenty of usability. My only complaint being that some of the plastics don’t do the design justice. A 7 inch touchscreen display sits on top of the dashboard providing the cars infotainment and satellite navigation. Rear passengers are treated to ample head and leg room with an adequate boot located the other side of a 60/40 split rear bench.
The 1.5 litre Skyactive idles quietly and maintains its refinement on the move. Thanks to being naturally aspirated the power delivery is nice and linear, although you do have to work the gearbox to get the most out of it. Whilst the pedal box lacks some feel, the steering does not. Its responsive nature quickly darts the Mazda 3 from bend to bend and a well sorted suspension set up keeps body roll to a minimum. The cars agility and very tidy gear shift creates a sporty edge to this hatchback. These handling characteristics make it one of the most driver oriented machines in its class which will please those who genuinely enjoy driving. Ride comfort is sacrificed slightly for this more involving chassis, but it is far from back breaking. Taking the needle to the redline produces a not unpleasant noise and the cars capable set of brakes inspire confidence in its capabilities. The heavier 2.2 litre diesel option does feel more planted during exuberant moments behind the wheel, but having a lively petrol unit under your right foot is more entertaining overall. There is a more powerful 2.0 litre petrol engine on offer, but for predominant urban use the little 1.5 litre is your best bet. Visibility is good and the precise well weighted steering is an asset around town as well as on more exciting roads.
Mazda have earned a well deserved “pat on the back” for there efforts with the 2014 Mazda 3 1.5 100ps SE Nav. For a reasonable £17,825 as tested, this car gives competitors a real run for their money. Not only in terms of value, but as a driving experience also. All cars come with Mazda’s Smart City Brake Support which will prevent the car from having low speed accidents, say in stop/start traffic for example. Another nice standard feature is Hill Hold Assist, usually reserved for the options list on other cars in this class.
The new Mazda 3 ticks a lot of boxes and does a fine job of giving Ford a few sleepless nights.
It is very much part of the unpredictable ebb and flow of motorsports that most racing series go through periods of dominance at some time or another, where one team or one particular driver seems to be constantly a step or two ahead of the completion. On two wheels, Giacomo Agostini staked his claim to being the greatest motorcycle rider of all time by winning seven back to back world championships from 1966 to 1972. Sébastien Loeb and Citroën’s nine year stranglehold over the WRC is a feat that will probably never be surpassed, whilst in Formula 1 Michael Schumacher led Ferrari through an era of such dominance in the early 2000’s that fans actually started to accuse the sport of becoming ‘too boring’.
And so the same has come to pass in the oldest race of them all, the 24 hours of Le Mans. Audi, thanks largely to a perfect recipe of revolutionary diesel engineering combined with the unparalleled talents of Danish racing mastermind Tom Kristensen, have reigned supreme over the endurance classic for the best part of a decade. However, rule changes for 2014 will test their resolve to the maximum as other manufacturers grow ever hungrier to topple them from their perch.
This season, Toyota will be one of the teams in pole position to do just that. The car on which they will be pinning their hopes will be named the TS040 Hybrid and has been unveiled to the public in the South of France ahead of the official championship testing season. In order to take the fight to Audi’s recently released R18 WEC, Toyota’s new machine can call on a total of 986bhp via the combined 513bhp 3.7 litre V8 petrol engine and a 473bhp all-wheel drive hybrid motor. This represents a significant evolution from last year’s 3.4 litre TS030 Hybrid which managed second place. New regulations limit teams to using 25 per cent less fuel than in 2013 and therefore place greater emphasis on hybrid power and energy recovery systems. Indeed, Porsche’s claim that they will be able to harvest up to 8 megajoules per lap through a two-pronged kinetic and thermal energy recovery system has already laid down a significant marker to the rest of the field.
The Japanese outfit retains the same squad of drivers for 2014, with Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin and Kazuki Nakajima sharing the No7 car and Anthony Davidson, Nicolas Lapierre and Sébastien Buemi piloting the No8 machine.
The TS040 Hybrid has already completed 12 days of testing across Europe and will now enter the final few weeks of preparation in the run-up to the start of the 2014 World Endurance Championship season on 20 April at Silverstone. The main event itself at Le Mans gets underway on 14 June.
Clever packaging is something that is a great asset to any company’s product. Take Apple’s iPhone for example… Its box is ergonomic, compact and aesthetically pleasing as well as capable of carrying out its primary function of housing the phone. The box echoes the ethos of the product, much like the new Honda Civic Tourer that packages itself around the practicality that its users require.
Around this time last year Honda revealed the Civic Tourer Concept, a design exercise that announced to the world that just because you need an estate car doesn’t mean you have to surrender a your sense of style. The car very much caught the attention of the media and the public confirming to the design team that they were on to a potential winner. A year down the line and the 2014 Honda Civic Tourer is now a reality, and in a rare turn of events, it looks just like the concept car.
You see, usually concept cars are greatly exaggerated echoes of what they eventually become when they hit the roads. Regulations and restrictions tend to neuter them of what made these machines unique on the show stand. Not the Civic Tourer! With its sleek long profile being detailed with sculpted body lines and broad shoulders at its rear, this car really does look the business. Whilst the Civic hatchback split opinion, there is no doubt that the estate variant is not only better looking, but potentially the most visually appealing car in its class. Despite being a Tourer, it is actually only 235mm longer than the standard hatchback. As a result Honda are fielding the 2014 Honda Civic Tourer in BTCC this year.
The interiors dimensions are just as impressive as the exteriors. Coming back to my ramblings of clever packaging, this car has an impressive 642 litres of boot space with the seats up or a whopping 1,668 litres with them folded completely flat. Also included are Honda’s “Magic Seats” which allow you to fold the base of the seats vertically like you would at the cinema. This means you have two areas for storage; the boot for the dog, and the middle for the shopping. Our SR specification test car came with full leather heated seats, Bluetooth, USB, DAB radio, dual zone climate control, voice activation and satellite navigation with DVD player. The cabin is very much somewhere you can settle down for a long journey surrounded by creature comforts.
This specific Tourer is powered by a 1.8 litre i-VTEC petrol engine which is very smooth and compliant. In tandem with its 6 speed manual transmission the car is responsive to throttle inputs and effortless in its gear changes. The steering is better weighted than in its hatchback counterpart and provides the driver with good levels precision whilst cornering. With parking sensors and a reversing camera making it easy to park, the Honda Civic Tourer is well suited to urban environments. On SR grade cars and above, is an adaptive damper system that allows for three modes of adjustment; normal, dynamic and comfort. Each offers a slight change in the ride with dynamic being the stiffest and comfort the softest. We found ourselves leaving the Civic in comfort for the majority of the time, only changing to dynamic when the roads became a bit more exciting. On motorways it is a fairly relaxing drive as you enjoy the support that the seats offer and the caramel-like smoothness of the engine. However, at higher speeds road noise does intrude upon the tranquility slightly which is a shame as the rest of the car is generally quite a soothing experience. In terms of economy, we returned a solid 38MPG in a combination of environments. Our “real world” figures were not a million miles from Honda’s claimed 45MPG, and paying a bit more attention to the cars ECON mode we might have got a bit closer.
Our test car came to £25,350 with all of its equipment, but an entry level car can be had from £20,265. Though that is a tad more costly than some competitors, you do get Honda’s typically excellent build quality and reliability. The 2014 Honda Civic Tourer 1.8 i-VTEC SR is a very solid effort from the company. With looks that set it apart from just about everything else in the car park and unrivalled practicality, it just goes to show that it is possible to have your cake and eat it.
The Mazda range is undergoing a transformation in design language. Its latest styling is named Kodo “soul of motion” and has been seen on all of their latest models from CX-5, 6, and 3. Their smallest offering, the Mazda 2, is starting to show its age a little and in the highly competitive world of hatchbacks looking last generation is no good thing. The Mazda Hazumi Concept bring the Mazda 2 bang up to date.
Looking like a true premium product, the Mazda Hazumi Concept is a very smart looking car. Just like the new Mazda 3, this model uses striking lines that flow down the length of the car. Bold design elements such as chromed trim and blade-like wing mirrors separate it from the crowd. Powered by Mazda’s new 1.5 litre turbo diesel Skyactive engine, it claims less than 90g/km of CO2. Inside the interior is highly sculpted featuring a high centre console and Mazda’s latest infotainment system found in the 3.
The Honda Civic Type-R has a cult following, and why not? The nameplate has produced some of the best hot hatchbacks the segment has seen, but for a while now it has been all too quiet. Honda are on a real push to shift a rather stagnant image of producing boring cars and what better way to do that than build a new Honda Civic Type-R. The question is, can it live up to its predecessors?
Here it is… Revealed in full at the Geneva motor show, the new Honda Civic Type-R Concept. I think it is fair to say that is is quite the statement of intent from the Japanese company. The aggressively styled hatchback features a swollen body kit that is positively menacing! A huge rear wing produces the downforce required to tame the near 300BHP produced by its 2.0 litre turbocharged engine. The whole project takes lessons learnt from Honda’s success in BTCC and has clearly influenced design.
This may be a concept car for now, but make no mistake, this is pretty much what the 2015 Honda Civic Type-R will look like when law enforcement undoubtable give it an ASBO.
The cheeky little Toyota Aygo has become a regular sight in urban environments. Its compact shape and size make it perfect for darting in and out of traffic, not to mention pinching those car park spaces that would a be a squeeze for most. It might not be the fastest car on sale, but its charm is to be found in its simplicity. At the geneva motor show Toyota have revealed the latest chapter in the story of its city car.
Here it is! The new Toyota Aygo has grown in size slightly over its predecessor (just 25mm) but now has a more substantial look to it. Still aiming for younger divers, the design sticks with being a bit unconventional with angular rear quarters and two-tone colour schemes. It also features a rather cool double bubble roof which is unique to the car that shares its platform with the new Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108. Inside its increased size and clever packaging has produced more space for occupants and cargo. Still simple in its nature, the cabin now features a large display on the console. Powered by a 68BHP 1.0 litre three cylinder petrol engine, the Toyota Aygo aims to again be king of the city car market once again.
We are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new Honda NSX in 2015. This V6 hybrid supercar is exactly what the doctor ordered to bring some excitement into the Japanese manufacturer. Aiming to take the fight to Ferrari just as the original NSX did, the mid-engined machine aims to not only be fast, but also bring with it that famed Honda reliability. Whilst the introduction of the new car is still a year away, 2014 will see Honda field the Honda NSX Concept-GT in Japan’s Super GT500 race series.
Sporting an aggressive aerodynamic package, the new Honda NSX Concept-GT racer has been let loose on the fabled Suzuka circuit. Not only does this lean mean racing machine look the business, but it also makes a biblical noise as it shoots past. Imagine a large collection of very angry wasps and you are partway there… The car looks composed and extremely sure footed thanks to the downforce it generates. This video shows the NSX preparing for its debut race that will see it take on competitors such as the Lexus LF-CC. Check out our coverage of the Honda NSX Concept-GT HERE and don’t forget to check out the video below!
