Category Archives: Motoring

Electric/hybrid, Motoring, Toyota

Toyota C-HR

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Crossover offers dramatic styling

By Bill McCarthy

Toyota’s striking mid-level crossover stands out in many ways with its sleek and dynamic shape with sharp creases, angles, high riding stance.  The vehicle has always been stylish, but now the profile is even more dramatic and now features a unique coupe-like silhouette, larger alloy 18-inch alloy wheels and a shortened ‘hammerhead’ frontal design.

If you like gizmos such as flush-fitting door handles, then it has them and it also features full LED headlights with integrated turn indicators and in case you missed it, the model name is integrated into the rear light bar and is illuminated as you start up or switch off.

 Toyota makes much of it being ‘customer-centred’ and includes premium features such as ambient lighting with 64 colour options and a panoramic roof that requires no sunshade  and rear privacy glass.

The cabin feels light and airy robust, high-quality fixtures and fittings and a piano black plastic finish. There are neat chrome finishes and blue strips throughout the cabin to emphasise the car’s eco-friendly nature.

In practical terms, a reasonably spacious 388 litre boot will accommodate most needs.

The line-up includes the latest two litre plug-in hybrid which joins the 1.8 and 2.0-litre models, powered by the fifth generation Toyota full hybrid electric system.  This system delivers a stronger combination of power and efficiency. 

The 1.8 HEV system driven here, boasts an ultra-efficient engine and delivers a powerful total output of 138bhp. Meanwhile, the 2.0-litre hybrid offers an even more engaging driving experience with its higher output of 195bhp.

The electric motor is always in operation and the petrol engine kicks in at any speed, depending on the battery charge and driving conditions. You can monitor your driving performance using the myriad dials and readouts on the 12.3-inch touchscreen, which also controls smartphone connectivity, sound system, and cloud-based navigation. 

A 4.2-inch TFT multi-information display in the binnacle delivers instant information to the driver.

On the road, performance is brisk with the petrol/electric combination delivering decent pace and excellent fuel economy. It accelerates to 60mph in just over 10 seconds, a second quicker than it previous incarnation and the claimed economy of nearly 60mpg, with careful driving, was not far off the mark.

Designed with the European market in its sights, the ride is comfortable with the suspension working efficiently to iron out all but the worst of the lumps and bumps our dismal roads have to offer.

Handling is also decent enough, it’s no performance car after all, but it feels stable with responsive steering.

All models are well-equipped, even the entry-level version, with 17-inch alloy wheels, powered/folding door mirrors with auto-folding function, smart entry, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and automatic wipers.

 Move up the grades and the creature comforts expand, with the likes of a climate control system that incorporates nanoe-X air quality technology to combat viruses, bacteria and odours in the cabin.

 Other advanced features include Toyota Safety Sense, which alerts drivers to potential crashes and provides assistance like autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian recognition. 

Also featured are lane departure alert, traffic sign recognition, auto full-beam headlights, blind spot monitor, cross-traffic alert, and lane change assistance.

Factfile

  • Toyota C-HR Dynamic Hybrid 1.8 CVT
  • Price: £34,685
  • Mechanical: 138bhp, 1,798cc, 4 cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via e-CVT transmission
  • Max speed: 106mph
  • 0-62mph: 10.2 seconds
  • Combined mpg: 58.5
  • Insurance group: 20E
  • CO2 emissions: 108g/km
  • BiK rating: 26%
  • Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles
Motoring

Townstar at another level

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Nissan Townstar

By Bill McCarthy

The image of the traditional white van  has been transformed over the years, with a focus on improving the vehicle’s style, comfort, and performance.

The stereotypical van driver image has also moved on. Hasn’t it? Maybe. But the image of the van certainly has.

Okay, you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, the van will always be a workhorse. But like its more glamorous saloon/SUV/crossover cousins, the stylists have been earning their money.

So too have the marketing people with comfort and performance now important factors. The Townstar an excellent example, having won numerous awards since replacing the popular e-NV200 van.

It seems from Nissan’s point of view that the days of the diesel are over with the Townstar available only with either a petrol or electric powertrain,

There are two wheelbases, the L1 driven and here and the longer L2.

Both have a spacious load space of 3.3m3 (L1) or 4.3m3 (L2), and a payload capacity of between 600 and 800kg and a maximum braked towing capacity of a class leading 1,500kg. The cabin is protected by a full width bulkhead.

Access is via wide-opening 180-degree double doors to the rear with a low loading lip and a pair of sliding doors on the side of the van making access a real doddle.

Securing boxes, pallets, furniture or any  equipment is aided by multiple harness points.

Rapidly entering and leaving a vehicle is ever more important for delivery drivers and the Townstar’s ergonomic design allows for excellent entry and egress while on the move.

The electric powertrain features a 45Kwh battery, connected to a 122hp electric motor, supplemented by intelligent energy management and battery thermal cooling technology to optimise its performance.

This means a class-challenging range of 183 miles WLTP Combined (or up to 269 miles on the City Cycle), figures I have to say I got nowhere near, although rainy conditions at the back end of winter do not help battery life. Having said that it still outperforms the range of closest rivals.

But like all electrically powered vehicles it offers swift acceleration, important in and around town making deliveries and it does seem quicker than the 0-60mph time of 14 seconds. It offers a fairly quiet driving experience, with little of the booming you would expect from a mostly empty, enclosed space behind the driver.

Both models  are also pretty full of creature comforts and with a starting price of well over £32k, it just as well as it features technologies like Intelligent Emergency Braking, Hands-Free Parking, Intelligent Cruise Control, and surround view monitor.

The entry level Visia offers remote locking and deadlocks, air conditioning, LED front lights with daytime running light, electric, heated door mirrors, auto headlights and wipers and a DAB system with Bluetooth.

This range-topping Tekna + is pushing the £40k mark and adds climate control and heated steering wheel, front rear and side parking sensors and Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist advanced driving assistance system which, along with the camera  provides drivers with extra assistance, particularly in view of there being no rear view mirror.

The interior is comfortable with loads of head and legroom. It is dominated by and 10-inch colour central screen that includes connectivity via  Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation and control of the more than decent sound system. 

Charging supports both AC up to 22kW and 80kW DC CCS quick-charging allowing the battery from 15 to 80 per cent in just under 40 minutes.

It is covered by Nissan’s pan-European five-year or 100,000-mile warranty, 5-year roadside assistance, and in this case, an eight-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty for the EV version.

Factfile

Nissan Townstar Tekna+ L1

Price: £37,345 

Mechanical: 45Kwh battery, connected to a 122hp electric motor and single step automatic transmission 

Max Speed: 139mph

0-62mph: 14 seconds 

Range: 183 miles (WLTP)

C02 emissions: 0g/km

Warranty: Five years, 100,000 miles