Category Archives: Vehicle type

Supermini, Toyota

Yaris a groundbreaker again

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Toyota Yaris Hybrid

By Bill McCarthy

It should come as no surprise to see Toyota breaking new ground again with hybrid technology. Its expertise is built on more than 20 years’ experience since the introduction of the first Prius back in 1997.

The firm has now sold more than 14 million hybrid vehicles worldwide – including 2.5 million in Europe. The Yaris has more than played its part, first going hybrid in 2012, and selling half a million in Europe, but the latest model is a quantum leap forward.

Yaris has gone all-in hybrid, together with it being built on the firm’s small car  Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), which, says Toyota, has improved dynamic performance together with class leading safety measures.

The new petrol engine/electric motor setup  has a 15 per cent increase in combined power and a more than 20 per cent increase in fuel efficiency and can be switched a the touch of a button to electric for a fair amount of time in urban areas, delivering zero emissions. The system also uses a new lithium-ion hybrid battery which while being more powerful, is 27 per cent lighter than the nickel-metal hydride battery it replaces.

It also looks good, one of the best looking superminis, that is both practical and perfect for tackling the challenges of city or congested driving areas. As ever its even more compact size means it is highly manoeuvrable and a breeze to park in tight streets, aided by standard parking camera.

Starting at a hefty price tag of a smidge under £20k you get plenty for your cash with even the entry Icon, featuring electric windows and door mirrors, 16-inch alloys, a seven-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a reversing camera, auto headlights and wipers and air-con.

The goodies increase though Design, Dynamic to the  Excel, with the likes of 17-inch wheels, eight-inch screen, button starter, dual zone climate control, parking sensors and for added safety, auto-braking. This limited edition model had a few more cherries on the top head-up display and premium sound system.

For a small car it has striking looks, being shorter, wider and lower than the outgoing model. It features a sporty wedge shape, with sculpted door panels, deep grille and air scoop flanked by cats-eye-like headlamp clusters, with LEDs which double as indicators.

To the rear, classy touches include privacy glass and discrete black spoiler.

This limited edition range topper also included striking two-tone red with black roof paintwork, body-coloured door handles and front bumper, piano Black upper front grille, privacy glass, red insert on boot door and piano black door belt moulding.

Inside there are plenty of soft touch materials with piano black finish and a more compact steering wheel, while the instrumentation is clearly and logically laid out. The centrepiece is the multi-media screen which is the brains of the car, together with a TFT multi-information display in the instrument binnacle which can help monitor EV activity.

 The 10-inch touchscreen on this model controls infotainment and smartphone connectivity, but, oddly, there was no navigation. However hooking up your smartphone can add navigation through the screen.

Despite its more compact shape, interior space is barely compromised, with headroom remaining the same, although tight in the rear, while the firm’s GA-B platform offers a low centre of gravity which helps deliver an enjoyable and stable drive. 

It offers sharp, agile  handling and direct steering for bombing around town, while the growl from the three-pot engine is not unpleasant. It is equally at home on the motorway, with plenty of grunt available, while road and wind noise, although noticeably present, are reasonably well suppressed.

The 1.5 litre petrol engine is supplemented by two motor/generators – MG1 and MG2. MG2 is linked to the front wheels and can be used as the power source to drive the vehicle. MG1 is deployed to start the engine and to generate power to charge both batteries (hybrid and 12V).

 Mated to the CVT transmission, the combo delivers excellent economy, with the claimed 68-odd mpg proving to be pretty close to the mark. A bonus is the brisk acceleration which propels the car to 60mph in under 10 seconds, while at the same time delivering low carbon emissions. 

While the car’s handling delivers an engaging drive, the ride however, feels slightly compromised with 17-inch alloys on this top end model and stiffer suspension allowing for some discomfort over rougher surfaces. It could be the case that the 16-inch alloys could offer a more settled ride.

Stowage capacity is a reasonable 286 litres, so long as you are not planning a camping trip, but if you are, rear seats fold in hatchback fashion to open up extra capacity.

One of the safest small cars around, engineered to be the world’s safest small car says Toyota, it is packed with safety kit and including a full complement of airbags, including  a centre airbag for the first time, stability control, intelligent adaptive cruise control and lane assist, pre-collision warning, pedestrian detection, steering control and a host of other features to keep families safe.

Factfile

Toyota Yaris Hybrid Launch Edition

Price: £ 24,005

Mechanical: 1490cc, 114bhp, three-cylinder petrol engine and 85kW electric motor driving front wheels via electric CVT auto transmission

Maximum speed: 109mph

Acceleration: 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds

Economy: 65.6 mpg

Insurance group: 14E

CO2 emissions: 92-98g/km

Warranty: Five years/ 100,000 miles

Jeep, Manufacturer, Motor reviews, SUV/4X4

King of the mountains

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The stylish Jeep Wrangler can tackle the toughest terrains

Jeep Wrangler

By Bill McCarthy

The influence of Jeep in the world of off-road, go-anywhere rugged 4x4s should not be underestimated. Made famous as a military vehicle seen racing around war-torn Europe and immortalised in many films, especially as John Wayne was winning the war, it inspired the designer of the Land Rover Series I,  Maurice Wilks, engineering director of Rover cars, to come up with a British alternative in 1947.

Inspired by the Willys Jeep used by the Americans, Wilks wanted to create an off-road vehicle that could double as a light tractor –  a tool as much as a mode of transport. And the copycat Land Rover was born. The rest, as they say, is history.

And while the Jeep has moved on in the last 80 years, the template pretty much remains the same. This fourth generation Wrangler is available as a two, or on this vehicle a four door together with various soft or hard top combinations.

This Overland model featured the modular Freedom,  hard top  which can be quickly removed and reinstalled, together with the Overland pack which includes 18-inch aluminium wheels, body colour grille with bright accent throats and headlamp bezels, body colour hard spare tyre cover and Overland logo dedicated leather interior and LED lights.

There is a choice of engines and this model packed plenty of punch with a two-litre, 272bhp turbo-charged petrol engine mated to an eight-speed auto gearbox, delivering stonking power and torque figures of 400Nm for impressive pulling and towing power. It is capable of pulling up to 1,500 kg on two-door models and 2,500 kg on this four door.

It is also pretty rapid on the road, hitting the 60mph mark in just over seven seconds. Hot hatch territory, but this is a vehicle that’s hardly designed for speed and handling.

A full-fat, in your face off-roader, there is little pretence at slippery styling, more a boxy battering ram than an aerodynamic thoroughbred. It may not be the most sophisticated or hi-tech of SUVs on the market, but it certainly does what is says on the tin and is one of the most striking. If not THE most striking, and rarely equalled offroad.

 The four wheel drive offers permanent, high and low gearing and lockable differential, plus ground clearance of 10 inches,  steep approach and departure angles and wading capacity of more than two-and a half feet.

It is an impressive rugged-looking vehicle, which for enthusiasts that is exactly what they want, except that now it is more sophisticated, comfortably doubling as family transport as well as Amazon explorer.

That must be the attraction to many buyers with its much friendlier road manners, which makes it a relatively smooth ride to previous Wranglers which bounced about all over the shop.

The road presence is unmistakable and desirable, with foldable windscreen, large tyres encased in huge wheel arches and the signature seven-slot grille, flanked by new self levelling LED halogen headlamps, plus front and rear fog lamps. 

All Wrangler models now feature body-coloured sport bars, which are welded to the body and feature integrated grab handles.

The interior too, is slightly deceptive, looking basic, but actually hosting many of the creature comforts you would want if spending £46k on a vehicle, including some soft-touch materials.

Making its debut is a push-button starter, featuring a weather-proof surround is easily located within the driver’s reach. The seats feature accent stitching, and now offer adjustable bolster and lumbar support. Available comfort options include heated front seats and steering wheel.

A centrepiece 8.4 inch touchscreen controls major functions like navigation, smartphone connectivity and eight-speaker Alpine audio system, plus there is a seven inch TFT instrument cluster screen for driver information.

Compared to other SUVs of a similar price, it lacks some of the refinement and state-of-the-art tech, but it’s hardly low tech and features, a push-button starter for the first time, heated, powered  leather seats  with the Overland logo, auto dimming mirror, steering wheel mounted audio controls, ambient interior lighting, heated front seats, climate control, illuminated front cupholders, plus various 12v power connectors.

Safety features include stability control, rear parking sensor and camera, four airbags, blind spot monitors, rear cross traffic detection and electronic stability controls with roll mitigation.

At around 16ft long, this is a big vehicle, both outside and in. A full five seater its shape means all have plenty of head and legroom, while a large boot space of 548 litres can be increased 1,059 litres by folding the rear seats. An under-floor storage area behind the rear seat provides extra, secure stowage.

A signature Wrangler characteristic remains, with  washable interiors and the protective rubber cover for the infotainment system screen, that allows easy clean up in complete peace of mind.

Big and brash, but more sophisticated, if not class-leading, the Wrangler retains its legendary off road status, while becoming an engaging and attractive drive.

Factfile

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Overland 2.0 four door

Price: £49,650

Mechanical: 1995cc, 272HP, four-cylinder  petrol engine driving all wheels via eight-speed auto transmission

Maximum speed: 110mph

Acceleration: 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds

Economy: 24.8 mpg

Insurance group: 38

CO2 emissions: 260g/km

Warranty: Three years/ 60,000 miles

BiK rating: 39 per cent

Warranty: Three years/ 60,000 miles