MPV Archives - Inside Lane

Win a New Citroen C4 Picasso with Citroen Seekers

August 16, 2013 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

SPONSORED POST

We had the chance to have a look around the very first in the UK of this next generation Citroen C4 Picasso not all that long ago and were very impressed with the high levels of interior comfort. The passenger seat has a foot rest! We are to road test the C4 in full very soon but before even that Citroen are giving you the opportunity to win one.

Citroen Seekers is back for the release of the all-new Citroen C4 Picasso. The interactive game has players solving global puzzles whilst discovering the new car. Accumulating points, the player with the most point by the end wins the C4. Simple.

So how do you go about entering? Simply use the Facebook app which can be found HERE. Good luck!

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: C4, Citroen, french, MPV, Picasso

First Impressions Ford B-Max

August 1, 2012 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

Ford really are at the heart of British motoring. Families cruse the cities in their Fiesta’s and S-Max, the workhorse that is the mighty Transit continues its much respected role, and the Focus ST just keeps us smiling. With this broad range of motors the question has to be asked… What is next for Ford? The answer is the B-Max, a baby MPV with a trick or two up its sleeve.

Thanks to Keith Motors in Dorset we were lucky enough to get up close and personal with the new B-Max a whole two months before it goes on sale. Seating five in comfort, the B-Max offers a well priced alternative to Vauxhall’s Meriva. Up front it is your usual Ford layout that should look familiar to those who own the brilliantly ergonomic Focus. Rear passengers are three abreast with good levels of head and leg room. But those are the boring bits and bobs we have to mention. Where the B-Max really comes into its own is how you get in and out of it. The front doors open conventionally and the rear slide allowing for easy access. “Nothing new there” I hear you cry, but take a look at the pictures and spot that one very key element of most cars is missing. The B-Max has no B pillar at all! This mean that getting in and out is effortless. You can be tall, small, fat, thin, oblong, the car just doesn’t care. If you have the ability to fall through a gap you’re in. Making its European debut in this car is Ford’s Sync system. The voice activated function can make calls, play music and even ring the emergency services on your behalf if you have an accident.

The overall exterior architecture is pleasing to the eye but much less unique than this cars little brother, the Fiesta, yet polite lines on the bonnet and wraparound lights do give it a style of its own. Its design is its function and vise versa.

Engines range from Ford’s 1.0 litre petrol, that has received no less than three global awards, to a meaty 1.6 TDCI. Entry level is the 1.4 Studio that begins at £12,995 making the B-Max a viable financial proposition.

We look forward to testing this little box of toys on the road in the coming months.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 1.0 litre, B-Max, family, Ford, MPV, preview

Nissan Takes On Ford With Invitation Concept

February 6, 2012 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

The Geneva international motor show is just around the corner and as per usual various guests have been showing themselves just a tad early. This year promises to bring a wide variety of machines and a vast quantity of them aim to rival a competitor. There are only so many segments of the car market that can be created without getting stupid like BMW have done with the X6. The B-segment is entering a phase of high competition with Ford bringing the new B-Max to the game this September. Nissan have been feeling left out.

This Nissan Invitation invites Ford to try its best whilst the Japanese match it punch for punch. Due to make production in 2013 as the aging Notes replacement, the high riding family car uses a heavily sculpted design language making a rather handsome to look at. The Invitation also matches the B-Max with a 1.0 litre option but pairs it with a supercharger. Emissions will be lower than 100g/km.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2013, Geneva, invitation, Japan, MPV, Nissan

Citroen Picasso Code Special Edition Is An Enigma

January 3, 2012 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

With the January sales in full swing, the shops are raking in your money faster than the bankers can claim their bonuses. We all love a bargain and when it is on something that costs a substantial sum a smile is never far away. If you are in the market for a family MPV and are very keen to get the most bang for your bucks, Citroen may have something for you.

This is the Citroen C3 Picasso Code Special Edition and as far as we can work out, it has this name because it is a baffling bargain. For just £300 more than the standard HDi 90 VTR+, this funky people mover gets the chrome treatment, some snazzy alloys, some black detailing, bluetooth and cruise control. If you can put up with one of just four body colours on offer you could be on to a winner with this Picasso.

The total cost of the code comes to £15,695.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: C3, Citroen, code, diesel, french, MPV, Picasso, special edition

2012 Renault Scenic Says Bonjour

December 8, 2011 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

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?

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 1.2 litre, 1.5 litre, family, french, MPV, Renault, Scenic

2012 Mercedes B-Class Official

August 25, 2011 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

Well that didn’t take long did it? Just 24 hours after a leaked image of the next-gen B-Class emerged we find our inbox to be full of OFFICIAL details and images. Was the leak a deliberate move by Merc to build up to the launch? It can’t be ruled out… So here we are the new Mercedes-Benz B-Class.

The all-new car comes in a rather attractive package for an MPV. The well sculpted body lends itself to the description of sleek as opposed to the roundness found on the previous model. The car is bigger in every dimension meaning that this very premium cabin benefits from even more space. From launch there will be two 1.6 litre petrol engines (121BHP/147lb-ft of torque or 154BHP/ 184lb-ft of torque). Interestingly with both of these engines maximum torque will be available from just 1,250RPM. Two 1.8 litre diesels will also be offered (107BHP/189lb-ft or 134BHP/221lb-ft). All models come with a six speed manual but Merc are offering a 7 speed dual clutch affair as an option.

Expect to see the new B-Class in showrooms in April.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 1.6 litre, 1.8 litre, 2012, B-Class, Frankfurt, german, luxury, Mercedes-Benz, MPV, official

Ford Reveals B-Max

February 28, 2011 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

Ford hit the nail right on the head a few years ago with the C-Max. The Focus based MPV with more hight and length was perfect for those looking ford durability and practicality. The car recently saw a redesign incorporating the companies ever evolving “Kinetic” design language. Now the blue oval are aiming for a similar market with the new Fiesta based B-Max.

This “production ready concept” is larger than the Fiesta it is based on yet smaller than a C-Max. Vauxhall Meriva you have been warned! The cars revolutionary design missing the B-pillar allows for ample entry and exit space for all forms of cargo. Sliding doors at the rear add an extra element of practicality. Another interesting note is the B-Max’s 1.0 litre engine that was first seen in the Start concept. This one is coupled with a turbo and boasts vast reductions in CO2 emissions.

Ford are staying tight lipped about when we will see the B-Max in the showroom but from looking at what we have here we can’t imagine it being far off.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 1.0 litre, B-Max, concept, Ford, Geneva, motor show, MPV, production

Fiat Goes A Bit Dodge-y With New Freemont

January 24, 2011 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

Since Fiat bought up Chrysler and co their market share has grown exponentially. The new alliance will forge a new era for Fiat in the US market allowing for rebranded chassis to improve the quality of various badges such as Jeep. This deal also grants the cracking little Fiat 500 entry stateside further boosting its universality. This is all good news for Americans but what we should be worried about is what is coming back down the pipeline to Europe, things like rebranded Dodge’s.

The Dodge journey is a reasonably popular MPV over in America but here on the shores of the UK it is viewed as being a very dull and basic form of transport; think of it as traveling by bus but without the strangers. Well Fiat thought it would be a good idea to stamp theirbadge on it and sell it as the new Freemont in Europe. Maybe they have tinkered with it? Maybe it might actually be enjoyable to drive? No. By Fiats own admission all they have changed is the front bumper and given it a 2.0 litre turbo diesel engine. (sigh) We are beginning to think the USA got the better slice of this deal.

The Fiat Freemont is to be shown at the up and coming Geneva motor show.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 2.0 litre, 2011, Dodge, Fiat, Freemont, Geneva, Journey, motor show, MPV

“Too Good To Be True” Hyundai ix20 Disappoints

September 13, 2010 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

When Hyundai first showed us images of their new ix20 we though “wow!” Where had the Korean manufacture got this inspiration from? This picture revealed a funky MPV with bold lines and swooping curves that pleased our eyes thoroughly. Best of all was that it wasn’t to be a concept but a production model at Paris this year. Our options of the brand began to change, that was until we saw the first image of the car that wasn’t a rendering.

How could this have happened!? Did the engineers not look at the seductive design before setting to work? What we have been given as opposed to the futuristic family run-about is a bland, unappealing white good. A typical Hyundai in other words. That is a shame because we though the Koreans were really onto something but instead gave away the opportunity of redemption. Thought the sub £13,000 price is some consolation to our disappointment but come 11th November we won’t be rushing to the dealer to get our test car. Engines come in a 1.4 petrol or diesel variant with the top specification receiving a 1.6 but only paired with an automatic gearbox.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: 1.4 litre, 1.6 litre, 2010, cheap, Hyundai, ix20, Korean, motor show, MPV, Paris

Hyundai’s Funky ix20 Revealed

September 2, 2010 by Inside Lane Leave a Comment

We are not massive fans of Hyundai. We don’t like the design work, we don’t like the quality (though it has got better of late) and we don’t like the fact that so many people bought them on the scrappage scheme. But are Hyundai about to change our perception of them with the launch of what looks to be an attractive car? It’s called the ix20 and we were just as surprised as you when we opened the E-Mail…

This new B-segment MPV benefits from the company’s new design direction of “fluidic sculpture.” Shockingly we really like it and we hope that the interior is just as intriguing as the exterior. Hyundai say the ix20 is “a vehicle with the ability to simultaneously serve as a functional people-carrier while providing a dynamic, fun-to-drive experience.” The last part of that statement remains to be seen but we will have more information on the car at the end of this month via the Paris motor show.

Filed Under: .Latest News Tagged With: Hyundai, ix20, Korean, motor show, MPV, Paris, revealed